Best Lowers Rating on Kemper to B+

A.M. Best Co. has lowered the financial strength rating to B+ (Very Good) from A- (Excellent) of the participants in the Kemper Insurance Companies intercompany pool, Long Grove, Ill. In addition, A.M. Best has lowered the rating of the surplus notes issued by Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company, the lead member of the group, to "bb-" from "bbb-". All ratings have been placed under review with negative implications. These rating actions follow the recently announced business decision to repurchase $125 million of Berkshire Hathaway's minority equity investment in a Kemper subsidiary com...