Essent Announces Investment Grade Financial Strength Ratings

RADNOR, Pa., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Essent Guaranty, Inc. ("Essent Guaranty"), a nationwide provider of private mortgage insurance, announced today that it has been assigned investment grade insurance financial strength ratings by credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P") and Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's"). The insurance financial strength ratings of Essent Guaranty are BBB+ with a stable outlook by S&P and Baa3 with a positive outlook by Moody's.  Essent Guaranty was not previously rated. 

"We are pleased with these initial financial strength ratings of Essent Guaranty assigned by S&P and Moody's," said Mark Casale, President and CEO. "These ratings reflect our strong private capital base and the high credit quality and profitability of our mortgage insurance portfolio.  They also provide additional transparency and independent assessment for counterparties relying on our financial strength and the value of our mortgage insurance." 

"Essent Guaranty's insurance financial strength ratings convey a positive view of well capitalized and prudently underwritten mortgage insurance," added Casale.  "As the future of housing finance evolves, we believe that Essent can play an even larger role for those seeking reliable and affordable mortgage credit enhancement backed by private capital."

Essent Guaranty, which has been writing mortgage insurance nationwide since 2010, wrote $4.3 billion of new insurance during the first quarter of 2013 and had $17.4 billion of insurance in force as of March 31, 2013.  Essent Guaranty's financial strength ratings have been posted to its website at www.essent.us.   

About Essent

Essent Guaranty, Inc. is a member of the Essent Group Ltd. family of companies, which offers private mortgage insurance and reinsurance for single-family mortgage loans in the United States. Essent's mission is to serve the housing finance industry by providing private capital to bear mortgage credit risk for lenders and investors, enabling them to make safe and affordable mortgage financing available for homeowners. 

Backed by a premier group of investors, Essent Guaranty is a well-established, growing and financially strong company serving the expanding private mortgage insurance market.  Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, with operations centers in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Irvine, California, Essent is licensed to write mortgage insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and is approved by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Additional information may be found at www.essent.us. 

SOURCE Essent Guaranty, Inc.