DBRS teams up with MSA Research to provide its insurer ratings on MSA’s analytical platform and reports

MSA Research Inc. (MSA) announced on Monday that it will carry exclusively the insurer ratings of DBRS Ltd. on its MSA Research Platform and printed reports.

With this partnership, up-to-date ratings from DBRS will now be available at the fingertips of the “overwhelming majority” of players involved in the Canadian insurance market, including insurers, reinsurers, reinsurance brokers, primary brokers, analysts, risk managers, regulators and professional advisors, DBRS said in a press release. A DBRS spokesperson told Canadian Underwriter that the partnership will reach more than 6,500 insurance professionals, an estimated 95% of the P&C industry in the country.

“We are very pleased to provide our analytical expertise and insurance industry insights to MSA’s important network of insurance experts across Canada,” said Doug Turnbull, DBRS vice chairman and country head for Canada, in a press release. “MSA’s publication has a broad reach across the sector and is well respected across Canada, so we viewed this as a terrific opportunity to showcase the expertise of DBRS in the insurance sector,” Turnbull added.

MSA’s CEO, Joel Baker, said in the release that the company is “excited to be working with DBRS, a globally recognized ratings agency with Canadian roots. The combination of MSA’s analytics and the ratings and insights of DBRS will be a win for all our customers,” he suggested.

Baker told Canadian Underwriter that the inclusion of DBRS ratings in MSA’s products is at no extra cost to the subscribers of their services.

Founded in 1976, DBRS, which the company said is Canada’s largest credit ratings agency and the world’s fourth-largest ratings agency, is an independent and privately held ratings agency with offices in Toronto, New York, London, Chicago and Mexico City. DBRS rates more than 2,400 issuer families and nearly 50,000 securities worldwide.

Toronto-based MSA Research is a Canadian‐owned, independent analytical research firm that is focused on the Canadian insurance industry. MSA’s mission is to provide Canada’s insurance professionals with “comprehensive financial information, unparalleled analytical tools and rigorous research on a consistent basis.” Founded in 2003, MSA is the dominant provider of financial information relating to Canadian insurers.