AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Members of Aegon Ltd.’s U.S. Subsidiaries
Rhea-AI Impact
(Neutral)
Rhea-AI Sentiment
(Very Positive)
Tags
Key Terms
federal home loan bankfinancial
A Federal Home Loan Bank is one of a group of regional cooperative banks that provide low-cost loans and short-term cash to local banks and credit unions so those institutions can lend for mortgages, community projects and other housing needs. Think of it as a shared emergency fund and wholesale lender for lenders; its actions affect how easily banks can extend credit, which influences mortgage availability, bank stability and related bond markets that investors watch.
reinsurancefinancial
Reinsurance is when insurance companies buy insurance for themselves to protect against very big losses. It’s like a car owner getting extra coverage from another company so that if there's a serious accident, the financial hit isn’t all on one company. This helps insurance companies stay stable and able to pay out when disasters happen.
variable annuitiesfinancial
A variable annuity is an insurance product that lets an investor put money into a selection of sub-accounts (similar to mutual funds) whose value can rise or fall, and in return the insurer can convert the balance into a stream of payments later in life. It matters to investors because it combines growth potential with insurance features—such as tax-deferred growth and optional income guarantees—but also carries higher fees and complexity that can significantly affect long‑term returns.
living benefit ridersfinancial
An add-on to a life insurance policy that lets the owner tap some of the policy’s value while still alive for things like serious illness, long-term care or chronic conditions. Think of it as an optional “early access” feature on a financial product: it makes the policy more useful to consumers but also changes how much insurers may have to pay, how they price the product and how steady their future cash flows and reserves will be—information investors watch closely.
enterprise risk managementtechnical
Enterprise Risk Management is a process companies use to identify, assess, and prepare for potential problems that could disrupt their success, like financial losses or reputation damage. It’s like a safety plan that helps a business stay strong and adapt quickly when unexpected challenges come up. This helps the company protect its future and keep running smoothly.
OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of “a+” (Excellent) of the U.S. life/health (L/H) subsidiaries of Aegon Ltd. (Bermuda) [NYSE: AEG]. Aegon Ltd.’s U.S. L/H companies are Transamerica Life Insurance Company (Cedar Rapids, IA) and Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company (Harrison, NY) both referred to as Aegon USA Group (Aegon USA). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.
The ratings reflect Aegon USA’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
AM Best expects Aegon USA to maintain its very strong balance sheet strength assessment in the near term, with strong to very strong levels of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Aegon USA has additional access to liquidity as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank, which together with its access to capital markets provides substantial financial flexibility and borrowing capacity. While the asset allocation within Aegon USA’s investment portfolio is typical for the U.S. life insurance industry, there is some continued exposure to higher risk assets, as allocations have continued to decline in recent years. Aegon USA retains some interest rate sensitivity risk on the balance sheet and has significant usage of reinsurance to manage its liabilities.
Aegon USA’s pretax operating earnings have been positive over the longer term with double-digit returns on equity and diversified earnings across different product lines. Aegon USA’s overall top-line premiums increased in 2024, and remained level through the first three quarters of 2025.
Aegon USA’s overall business profile remains favorable. Aegon Ltd. announced plans to relocate its head office and legal seat to the United States, a transition it aims to complete by 2028. Following the completion of the re-domiciliation process, Aegon Ltd., will be renamed Transamerica Inc., and plans to prioritize resources toward building a leading U.S. life insurance and retirement company. Aegon USA has had a long-term strategy toward building a less capital-intensive book of business, driven by targeted growth and strategic exits and buyouts in certain lines, as well as competitive market positions across an array of product lines. The company’s diverse lines of traditional life, indexed universal life, variable annuities (VA) without interest-sensitive living and death benefit riders, mutual funds, retirement plans and accident and health insurance contribute to operating earnings. AM Best continues to view the group’s VAs with living benefit riders as displaying some of the highest risk characteristics, though Aegon USA has taken actions to manage and mitigate these risks through increased hedging, as well as closing this product line for new business.
This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best’s website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best’s Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best’s Credit Ratings, Best’s Performance Assessments, Best’s Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best’s Ratings & Assessments.
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.
