A+ IS GOOD, RIGHT?

If you're trying to find out whatkind of financial shape your insurancecompany is in, you may turn to one ofthe rating agencies, like AM Best(www.ambest.com), Fitch Ratings(www.fitchratings.com), or Moody's(www.moodys.com), which base theirevaluations on numerous criteria likecompetitive strength and cash reserves.The confusion may comewhen you try to interpret the lettergrade a rating service puts on yourcompany. A+ may sound like a topgrade, and it is, if it comes from AMBest or Weiss Ratings. An A+ fromFitch or Standard and Poor's, on theother hand, is at the third level,behind ratings like AAA and AA. Fora full list of what the ratings mean,visit www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_04/b3817126.htm.