When choosing an insurance company you will want as much advice from as many sources as possible. There are five recognized insurance ratings companies and you can investigate potential insurers:

• A.M. Best Company: This is my personal favorite because I believe their ratings are easy to understand and their online search features are pretty good. Web: www.ambest.com. Ph.:(908) 439-2200
• Standard & Poors: S & P is a good all around second choice and followed by many financial analysts. Web: www2.standardandpoors.com. Ph.: (212) 438-2000

• Moody's Investor Service: Moody's is familiar to many small investors. Web: www.moodys.com. Ph.: (800) 811-6980
• Duff & Phelps:I have not used Duff & Phelps as a research service, but it is recognized as one of the top ratings firms. www.duffandphelps.com. Ph.: (312) 368-3198
• The Street.com:TheStreet.com provides all of their ratings for free on their website at www.thestreet.com. They can be reached at(800) 289-9222.