Fitch Issues Special Report on U.S. Auto Insurance Market

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In a new report published yesterday, Fitch Ratings discusses recent developments and issues currently facing U.S. auto insurers and the impact they may have on current ratings.

The report notes that although the U.S. private passenger auto insurance market has experienced a strong run of operating performance since 2003, with six consecutive years of underwriting profits, Fitch believes that heightened market competition has weakened pricing over the last several years, leading to a gradual deterioration of results and a strong likelihood for a return to an underwriting loss in 2009.

For a copy of the report titled 'Auto Insurance Market Overview' dated Oct. 15, 2009, please see the Fitch Ratings web site 'www.fitchratings.com' under the following headers: Sectors>>Insurance>>Topical Research & Special Reports.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE.





Fitch Ratings, Chicago

Gretchen Roetzer, +1-312-606-2327

Gerry Glombicki, +1-312-606-2354

Media Relations, New York

Brian Bertsch, +1-212-908-0549

brian.bertsch@fitchratings.com



Source: Fitch Ratings