Moody’s downgraded Ticor’s claims-paying rate.

Moody’s Investors Service lowered the rating, which reflects the ability to pay on claims, of Los Angeles-based Ticor Mortgage Insurance to B1 from A2, because, it said, of “continuing uncertainty surrounding Ticor’s prospects.” Ticor faces a potential loss of up to $166 million on default-insurance policies that it wrote for Equity Programs Investment Corp., Moody’s said. It predicted that actual claims “will equal a substantial percentage of the exposure.”