Spurred by its $16.2 billion acquisition of American Life Insurance Co., MetLife Inc. moved into the top five while American International Group Inc. slid from third to fifth in A.M. Best’s rankings of the top 25 global insurers based on nonbanking assets. UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint Inc., at third and eighth, respectively, were the only U.S.-based insurers to rank in the top ten based on net premiums written.
AXA S.A. ranked first globally in premiums and second globally in nonbanking assets.
Another U.S.-based insurer that made a move was Berkshire Hathaway, which cracked the top 25. Previously ranked at No. 26, the group came in at No. 24, with premiums of $30.9 billion. State Farm, AIG and Kaiser Foundation Group were the other U.S. insurers to appear in the top 25 based on premiums, falling in line at twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth.
The top ten global insurers ranked by nonbanking assets are:
1. Japan Post Insurance Co., Ltd., Japan
2. AXA S.A., France
3. Allianz SE, Germany
4. MetLife Inc, United States
5. American International Group, Inc, United States
6. AVIVA plc, United Kingdom
7. Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A., Italy
8. Prudential Financial Inc, United States
9. Nippon Life Insurance Company, Japan
10. Legal & General Group plc, United Kingdom
The top ten global insurers ranked by net premiums written are:
1. AXA S.A., France
2. Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A., Italy
3. UnitedHealth Group Inc, United States
4. Allianz SE, Germany
5. Japan Post Insurance Co., Ltd., Japan
6. National Mutual Insurance Fed. Agricultural Coop, Japan
7. Munich Reinsurance Company, Germany
8. WellPoint Inc., United States
9. AVIVA plc, United Kingdom
10. China Life Insurance (Group) Company, China
The rankings of the world’s largest global insurance companies is based on BestLink data and additional research performed by A.M. Best.
— Justin Stephani writes for