Companies with a secure Best's Financial Strength Rating of  (A++, A+, A, A-, B++, B+) are awarded a BestMark. This special icon displays the appropriate rating and category (Superior, Excellent, or Good), helping visitors recognize them as an industry leader.

The icon represents A.M. Best's opinion of an insurer's ability to meet its obligations to policyholders - an opinion grounded in painstaking analysis of each company's reported financial performance for at least the past five years, utilizing over 100 key financial tests and supporting data.

History of the BestMark for Secure-Rated Insurers
Inspired by Our Past, Empowered by Technology

The BestMark Program, introduced in 1999 as the Security Icon Program, was inspired in part by a program our company's founder created 70 years ago. In 1927, Alfred M. Best first allowed outside advertising in Best's Review®, with the caveat that only insurance companies with strong Best's Ratings participate.

In order to make it easy for readers to identify companies possessing the coveted "Excellent" rating, a seal of approval was devised and in June of 1929 made available for advertisers' use. The seal was patterned after an early company trademark, with the endorsement "All that this Seal Implies."

Now with BestMark, A.M. Best has taken full advantage of today's Internet technology to place detailed ratings information into the hands of the public -- and we're placing the insurance industry's message of financial strength before a worldwide audience.

For questions, please contact our Corporate Communications Department at bestmarkinsurers@ambest.com.