LONDON (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Aug. 5, 1999--Standard&Poor's today affirmed its double-'A'-plus long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on Zurich Insurance Co. (Zurich), and took various rating actions on certain related entities (see list below). Other related rating changes will be covered in separate press releases on Zurich US Intercompany Pool, Zurich Kemper Life Insurance, Farmers Group Inc./Farmers Insurance Exchange Group, Zurich Centre Group, and Zurich Reinsurance (North America). The ratings on Zurich were also removed from CreditWatch, where they were placed on March 9, 1999, with negative implications. The outlook is negative. In August 1998, the Zurich Insurance Group merged with the former financial services business of British American Tobacco PLC (single-'A'/Negative/'A-1') to form Zurich
