Ratings and Financial Data

Independent ratings services do in-depth research evaluating carriers based on a variety of financial and operating criteria. VitalSigns uses the top ratings services - A.M. Best, Standard & Poor's, Moody's, Fitch, and Weiss. VitalSigns updates ratings twice monthly.

VitalSigns Help includes explanations for each rating and a chart that compares the ratings by each service. An AM Best A+ is very different from a Weiss A+.

Each year, insurance companies are required to report annual statements to the government. This data is used to monitor the financial health of insurers and protect the interests of consumers. VitalSigns provides this data, for 500 companies.

These statements, filed in March, contain data for the previous year. VitalSigns releases new financials each spring.

The Comdex is a ranking exclusive to VitalSigns. The letter rating assigned to a company can be confusing, with no standardized scale.

The Comdex interprets the ratings into percentile rankings, showing the percentage of insurers ranked lower than a given company. If a company has an 80 Comdex, 80% of carriers are ranked lower.