Latest news with #WestBend
Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
AM Best Assigns Credit Ratings to West Bend Select Insurance Company and West Bend Premier Insurance Company
BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of 'a+' (Excellent) to West Bend Select Insurance Company (West Bend Select) and to West Bend Premier Insurance Company (West Bend Premier). The outlooks assigned to these Credit ratings (ratings) are stable. Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of 'a+' (Excellent) of West Bend Insurance Company. The outlook of these ratings is stable. West Bend Select and West Bend Premier are newly reinsured subsidiaries of lead company, West Bend Insurance Company. Collectively these companies are referred to as West Bend Insurance Group (West Bend) and are all domiciled in West Bend, WI. The ratings reflect West Bend's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). West Bend's balance sheet strength assessment is reflective of its strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), in addition to its consistently favorable loss reserve development patterns and conservative investment risk profile. In response to elevated weather-related losses and rising loss costs in 2022 and 2023, the group implemented an array of actions including refined underwriting guidelines and rate increases, as well as claims and litigation management strategies. As a result, recent key operating performance metrics improved materially in 2024 with that trend continuing through the first half of 2025. The neutral business profile is supported by West Bend's diverse mix of product offerings and market leadership position in its home state of Wisconsin. The group's ERM program is appropriately aligned with the risk profile of a super-regional personal and commercial lines insurer. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Performance Assessments, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Watching the Conclave from an Iowa Catholic landmark
WEST BEND, Iowa — While the Conclave is underway to select a new Pope in Rome, Catholics in Iowa are following the media coverage, and praying. The West Bend St. Peter & Paul Church welcomes visitors frequently, due to the Grotto of the Redemption next door. The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption is the life's work of Father Paul Dobberstein. He had a serious illness, he prayed that if he survived, he would construct the grotto. He spent a decade gathering rocks and precious stones for this undertaking. He started construction in 1912. Through the years, the Grotto has welcomed an estimated six million people since it was built. One person visiting on Wednesday was Paul Rasavage, of Maple Falls, WA. 'As a Catholic, this is something very very serious as they elect the new pope as Pope Francis has passed away,' said Rasavage. 'We're very interested in seeing how the Holy Spirit guides this conclave in hopes and anticipation, we have a Holy Pope that comes out of this to guide the church through especially these difficult times.' Rasavage said he's heard the debate on should the new pope lean conservative, or liberal. 'That's the wrong way to look at the church because God is a-political,' said Rasavage. 'We look at saving souls. It's to look at it, anything in the Conclave as left versus right liberal versus conservative that's totally the wrong way to look at it.' 'We've got to pray for them to make the decision you know the right decision pick the right pope,' said Bruce Helleseth, who works at the Grotto, and is a deacon in the church here. 'You know hope the Holy Spirit guiding all these Cardinals, I just put my faith in in the whole system, and it takes a while.' This year is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church, that means some are challenged to make a pilgrimage for their faith. 'Every 25 years is the Jubilee Year and they open up four doors in for the basilica in Rome, said Dave Waldschmidt, a tour guide at the Grotto. 'With the going to confession, going to mass, receiving communion, and prayers you receive special indulgence, which are grace is bestowed on us by God. The grotto is one of the designated jubilee sites in this diocese.' People can schedule to make a pilgrimage to The Grotto, or other sites within their diocese. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Thrive Companies to transform former junkyard into mixed-use development
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A sprawling new mixed-use development that includes hundreds of apartments, a park and other amenities will soon replace a former junkyard on the city's northwest side. The WestBend project is underway at 2474 McKinley Ave., near Trabue and Fisher roads. According to city records, the lot it will sit on is a former quarry turned landfill that then housed an auto salvage yard. Before construction could begin, it had to undergo extensive environmental remediation through the Ohio EPA's Voluntary Action Plan. Conceptual plans for the area were first presented by real estate developer Thrive Companies nearly three years ago. At that time, the designs included 900 apartments, a 12-acre park, a 40,000-square-foot, three-story office building, a gym, and a coffee shop and bar. Other Thrive Companies projects include the nearby Quarry Trails, as well as Grandview Crossing, Jeffery Park and Grant Commons among others. However, details about WestBend are not currently listed on its website. A social media post by the real estate company from September noted that the development would 'feature 463 apartments, a public park with kayak access, and a community space.' The post also highlighted the area's wildlife sightings, including bald eagles. westbend-development-types-ii-iiiDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
