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Frequently Asked Questions: Best's Schedule D (Investments) - Property/Casualty & Life/Health - United States
What is Best's Schedule D?
Does Best's Schedule D cover every sector of the industry?
Is every security listed in Best's Schedule D?
What does my purchase include?
How can I use this information?
What is BestLink for Excel?
How is the data collected and validated for the financial products?
Who typically uses Best's Schedule D and why?
How long after the filing date is the product available?
What network options are available?
What features does this software offer?
How can I order Best's Schedule D?
If I need product support, how can I find it?
Is product training available?
What if I need additional data, beyond what's provided by this product? Does A.M. Best offer customized data?
What is Best's Schedule D?
Best's Schedule D is a database that contains every bond and stock issue held in the past year by nearly 4,000 insurance companies, including U.S. government agency bonds, Government National Mortgage Association securities (GNMAs), treasuries, warrants, rights, private placements and closely held affiliates.
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Does Best's Schedule D cover every sector of the industry?
Yes. The data includes detailed listings of securities held by nearly 4,000 insurance companies, representing every sector of the industry:
· Property/Casualty
· Life/Health
· Separate Accounts
· Fraternal
· Blue Cross/Blue Shield
· HMOs
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Is every security listed in Best's Schedule D?
Yes. If there is a security that has an invalid description, we will create a generic description with a number prefix that reflects the area in the Statement in which it was found. For example:
Item Number
GNMA - TBA GV3800AA
FNMA - TBA GV3100AA
FHLMC - TBA GV3099AA
Federal Farm Credit Bank - TBA GV3105AA
Federal Home Line Bank - TBA GV3107AA
U.S. Treasury Unknown - GV9196AA
Prefixes
GV - Governments
ST - States, Territories and Possessions
PS - Political Subdivisions
PU - Public Utilities
IN - Industrial and Miscellaneous
FR - Foreign (Non North American)
PA - Parents, Subsidiaries and Affiliates
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What does my purchase include?
Best's Schedule D comprises four databases -- Corporate Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Common Stocks and Preferred Stocks -- which can be purchased separately or as a package. You'll be offered a wealth of information, including:
· Who owns what securities in the insurance industry
· Securities' par value, book value, fair value, and actual cost for stocks
· Your competitors' holdings
· Key investment officers and company name and address information
· Overall insurance securities market trends
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How can I use this information?
· Evaluate the holdings of any company or group.
· Track ownership of an issue.
· Develop lists of specific issue owners.
· View and print various standard reports.
· Perform queries to create custom reports.
· Develop sales and marketing strategies.
· Conduct peer analysis.
· Determine a company's market share.
· Identify major competitors by state or by line of business
· Plan expansionary moves into new areas.
· Evaluate other insurers for merger or investment potential.
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What is BestLink for Excel?
BestLink for Excel allows users of several products in A.M. Best's Insurance Industry Financial Suite to integrate the latest rating and financial data directly into their Excel-based research projects from the Web. This new offering is the first to use our new Web Services architecture, powered by A.M. Best's online Global Insurance & Banking Database.
BestLink for Excel features a series of Wizards and Quick Reports that let users download professional data presentations covering such items as Best's Company Profile Reports, Best's Ratings Profile Reports, Best's Executive Summary Reports, Best's Market Share Reports, Best's Insurance Expense Exhibit Studies and Statement Pages, depending on the product purchased. Users can also create Custom Reports, selecting the companies, data fields, years (up to 11) and, in some cases, the states and lines of business required for their research.
BestLink for Excel is available to purchasers of Best's Statement File (Property/Casualty, Life/Health and Health, including Separate Accounts), Best's Statement File - Canada (Property/Casualty and Life/Health), Best's Statement File - Global, Best's State/Line (Property/Casualty Lines, Life Lines, A&H Lines and Health Lines), Best's Insurance Expense Exhibit, Best's Schedule D, Best's Schedule F, Best's Schedule P and Best's Schedule S.
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How is the data collected and validated for the financial products?
A.M. Best collects annual and quarterly statement data from thousands of companies (property/casualty and life/health companies, HMOs, alternative-market entities and others). The data is prepared and submitted on software programs (such as BestESP Services) in the manner defined by the requirements of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
To ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data, we perform an exhaustive series of inter- and intra-page and current- to prior-year cross-checks. Major errors or inconsistencies that cannot be rectified by A.M. Best are reviewed with the insurer for further clarification when possible. We lead the industry in cross-checking calculations, devoting vast resources to the data-validation effort.
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Who typically uses Best's Schedule D and why?
· Securities Analysts: to evaluate top-performing securities, monitor company investment activity, develop marketing strategy, analyze yield and make investment purchasing decisions
· Financial Analysts: to analyze industrywide investment patterns and monitor company investment activity
· Investment Brokers/Bankers: to evaluate top-performing securities, monitor company investment activity, develop marketing strategy, analyze yield and make investment purchasing decisions
· Security Brokers: to develop strategies to market a block of bonds or stocks, and to check on potential clients' investments
· Insurance Executives: to monitor the investment holdings of insurance companies and reference detailed listings of securities held by thousands of insurance companies
· Research Librarians: as a reference source for corporate libraries detailing the investment holdings of insurance companies and listings of securities held
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How long after the filing date is the product available?
Best's Schedule D is first available in the second quarter -- approximately four months after the filing date. Six- and nine-month updates contain value-added group records and calculations of A.M. Best ratios.
A.M. Best performs an exhaustive series of cross-checks, even more extensive than those required by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, to ensure the most accurate data available.
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What network options are available?
Our financial data products are available in stand-alone or network versions.
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What features does this software offer?
Our user-friendly, Windows-based software lets you:
· Export data to various file formats
· Import company lists from other A.M. Best financial applications
· Export company lists you create in this application to other A.M. Best financial applications
· Access updated Best's Ratings, company reports, news and more via Internet links embedded in the CD-ROM (additional subscriptions may be required)
Advanced Search Capabilities allow you to search by company, issue identification number or by issue, and Report Features let you create custom reports or choose from various standard reports.
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How can I order Best's Schedule D?
Please contact your local sales representative, or call our Corporate Sales Department at (908) 439-2200, ext. 5311, for pricing, including single-seat and multi-user options. Or e-mail your inquiries to sales@ambest.com.
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If I need product support, how can I find it?
· The online Product Support Center links you to the A.M. Best Web site, where you can access product updates, release notes and information on new products and enhancements.
· The Help Menu within the product offers field descriptions, a tutorial, tips for more efficient product usage and more.
· Our Technical Products Support Department is available exclusively to customers who have questions about A.M. Best's online and CD-ROM-based products and services.
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Is product training available?
Yes. A.M. Best offers a variety of training workshops for our online and CD-ROM-based products. You'll become familiar with product features, learn to navigate through the various screens and discover time-saving tips and shortcuts. To register for training or to arrange a session at your site, please call (908) 439-2200, ext. 5115. Or e-mail training@ambest.com.
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What if I need additional data, beyond what's provided by this product? Does A.M. Best offer customized data?
Yes. You can expand your data and analysis options with Best's Custom Products and Services Department. You can specify data items, industry segments, geographic regions, data years (nearly 30 years of data are available) and other criteria you wish to purchase for review. Our Custom Data analysts will work closely with you to determine what information best suits your needs, as well as to determine the appropriate application method for your technical environment. For more information, call (908) 439-2200, ext. 5383.
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