Statement of Opinion (Accountants Report, Auditors Report)

Statement by an auditor or certified public accountant indicating if a company's financial statements fairly present its true financial condition. A statement of opinion may be unqualified, qualified, or adverse. An unqualified, or "clean," opinion indicates no exceptions or qualifications were found by the auditor. A qualified report means the statement makes a fair presentation of a firm's financial condition except for some important uncertainties with effects that cannot be determined by the auditor. In the case of an insurance company, an example of an important uncertainty that might lead to a qualified opinion would be the outcome of litigation over a major disputed claim. An adverse opinion means the auditor is unwilling to vouch for the financial statements presented by the company.