The Five Ratings Companies

When choosing an insurance company you will want as much advice from as many sources as possible. There are five recognized insurance ratings companies and you can investigate potential insurers:

• A.M. Best Company: This is my personal favorite because I believe their ratings are easy to understand and their online search features are pretty good. Web: www.ambest.com. Ph.:(908) 439-2200
• Standard & Poors: S & P is a good all around second choice and followed by many financial analysts. Web: www2.standardandpoors.com. Ph.: (212) 438-2000
• Moody's Investor Service: Moody's is familiar to many small investors. Web: www.moodys.com. Ph.: (800) 811-6980
• Duff & Phelps:I have not used Duff & Phelps as a research service, but it is recognized as one of the top ratings firms. www.duffandphelps.com. Ph.: (312) 368-3198
• The Street.com: TheStreet.com provides all of their ratings for free on their website at www.thestreet.com. They can be reached at(800) 289-9222.