A company’s chosen lines of business and product offerings are a major influence on its risk profile and creditworthiness, because specific product segments exhibit different volatility and competitive attributes11. The extent of a product’s risk is often not fully known and understood at the time the product is first introduced and marketed and under-pricing can be an unintended outcome. Product risk appears in many forms and can have significant adverse effects on a company’s earnings and capital adequacy.
Diversification, both by product and by region, is generally a characteristic of highly rated companies. Diversification in earnings, product and geography can reduce the volatility of a firm’s earnings, capital, and cash flow, promoting more efficient use of capital resources. Diversification outside of life insurance into ancillary businesses, such as asset management, if appropriately managed and within reasonable limits, can also help the stability of earnings and thus reduce overall earnings volatility. That said, if a company enters a new line of business without the appropriate underwriting and risk management expertise, diversification would be viewed as a credit negative.