Unitrin Career Agency Cos. (UCAC), Unitrin Inc.'s life segment, suffered a material decline in its historically very strong capitalization. As a result, we are lowering our rating on Unitrin Inc. to 'BBB-' from 'BBB' and our ratings on UCAC to 'A' from 'A+'. We are affirming our ratings on Unitrin Inc.'s other subsidiaries. The negative outlook reflects the expected strain at the operating subsidiaries to upstream dividends in 2010 to service debt payments. On Nov. 12, 2009, Standard&Poor's Ratings Services lowered its counterparty credit rating on Unitrin Inc. to 'BBB-' from 'BBB' and its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Unitrin's life subsidiaries to 'A' from 'A+'. At the same time, we affirmed our 'A-' counterparty credit
