With QBE Insurance due to report its first-half results on Thursday, Fitch Ratings has affirmed the long-term credit rating of the group at A. The ratings agency has also affirmed QBE Australia's insurer financial strength rating at A+.

Fitch says the ratings affirmations reflect QBE's continued strong operating performance, diversification and its solid "albeit lower" regulatory capital position.

It says the insurer has weathered the global financial crisis well but does not want to see QBE's capital adequacy ratio and reserves weaken as they did last year.