The Company – A History of AM Best begins with founder Alfred M. Best, then leads to the men and women who opened markets, launched products and employed their imagination, determination and creativity to make AM Best a global presence. Opportunities for innovation and growth remain endless. AM Best has endured for more than a century and is well-positioned for the next. "I wanted to tell the complete story, with all the layers peeled back one by one. If we are to understand the development of the credit rating industry, we must follow the progression of the first credit rating agency.  And if we are to comprehend that, we must grasp the nature of the man.  The Company and The Industry intertwine themes of ingenuity, perseverance, crisis and opportunity, while The Man tracks the journey of one man whose life embodied all of these." -  Arthur Snyder III, chairman, president and CEO, AM Best.  Founded in 1899, AM Best was the world's first credit rating agency, and grew to become what is now the largest credit rating agency in the world specializing in the insurance industry. AM Best rating services assesses the creditworthiness of and/or reports on over 16,000 insurance companies worldwide. Best's Credit Ratings are independent, indicative and interactive, and summarize our opinion on an insurance company's ability to pay claims, debts and other financial obligations in a timely manner. Our commentary, research and analysis provide additional insight. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City.