With the release of the revised criteria procedure, “Best’s National Scale Ratings” (NSR), which introduces NSR coverage to three additional countries, an updated AM Best commentary addresses frequently asked questions about NSRs and how they compare with global Best’s Credit Ratings.

An NSR is a relative measure of the financial strength of insurers and reinsurers that are domiciled in the same country and allows for greater differentiation among insurance participants in their respective markets. With the recent additions of Algeria, Brazil and Thailand, NSRs are now available in nine countries.

Some of the issues the commentary also addresses include:

• When an NSR can be assigned;
• How NSRs are mapped from Best’s Issuer Credit Ratings; and
• Whether country risk can influence an NSR.

To access the full copy of this commentary, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=356413.

Additionally, the updated criteria procedure is available at http://www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.asp and the related mapping scales document at https://www3.ambest.com/ratings/cr/crisk.aspx.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2025 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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