Bond Insurer ACA Holds Off State Takeover

NEW YORK April 25 (BestWire) — Financial guaranty insurer ACA Capital Holdings Inc. will have an additional month to restructure agreements with its counterparties under terms of a new forbearance agreement — its fourth in the past six months — that looks to stave off takeover by the Maryland Insurance Administration.    The agreement will… Continue reading Bond Insurer ACA Holds Off State Takeover

Japanese Company Loses Billions in Bond Insurance Market

Japan’s largest securities business group, Nomura Holdings Inc., announced a ¥153.85 billion (US$1.47 billion) net loss in the first quarter of 2008, buffeted by the international financial market tempest that inflated its losses from its monoline exposure and commercial mortgage-backed securities. Nomura’s loss was in sharp contrast to revenue from the ¥33.09 billion profit it… Continue reading Japanese Company Loses Billions in Bond Insurance Market

British Insurer Claims No Interest in Acquisition

England’s largest general insurance company, Aviva, said it did not see a compelling reason to consider acquiring the number-two company in the business, RBS Insurance, which was placed on the selling block earlier this week by parent Royal Bank of Scotland.    Said Aviva Chief Executive Andrew Moss, “Most of the RBS Insurance business is… Continue reading British Insurer Claims No Interest in Acquisition

Fidelity National Examining Specialty Insurance Sale

After posting a 67% drop in first-quarter earnings as the housing market debacle cut into home sales and refinancings, Jacksonville, Florida-based Fidelity National Financial Inc. announced it is looking at a variety of ways to maintain dividend and buy back stock, including a possible sale of its specialty insurance business. Fidelity National, which controls one… Continue reading Fidelity National Examining Specialty Insurance Sale

Worker Health Plan Bill Passes State House, Moves on to Senate

A bill that would make available a health insurance program for Connecticut municipalities, nonprofit organizations and small employers in the state has been approved by the Connecticut House of Representatives. The bill holds that cities, nonprofit groups and small employers with fewer than 50 employees would join the state program, becoming part of a much… Continue reading Worker Health Plan Bill Passes State House, Moves on to Senate

Update: Genetic Discrimination Bill Advances in Senate

The expected Senate vote reported yesterday on a bill to ban insurers and others from basing health care coverage on genetic information took place, with the bill passing handily. Under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, group health plans or issuers of individual health care policies would be barred from basing eligibility determinations or adjusting premiums… Continue reading Update: Genetic Discrimination Bill Advances in Senate

U.S. Military Health Insurance Scam: Fallout Continues

A physician and an American veteran now find themselves under surveillance by authorities in the Philippines in connection with a fraud targeting a U.S. military health insurance program. According to attorney Claro de Castro, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) Interpol division, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing extradition requests and, once… Continue reading U.S. Military Health Insurance Scam: Fallout Continues

Profits Down for Genworth Financial

Richmond, Virginia-based Genworth Financial Inc. announced net income declined 64% in the first quarter of 2008, hurt like many other insurers by weakness in its mortgage insurance business and investment losses. The life and mortgage insurer company posted a profit of $116 million, down substantially from the $324 million it earned in the same period… Continue reading Profits Down for Genworth Financial

Earnings Fall at Chubb

Chubb Corp, one of the largest U.S. business insurers, announced its earnings declined by 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2008, reflecting a moderate decline in the value of policy sales. Chubb posted operating earnings of $620 million, down from $634 million, or $1.53 a share, in the same period a year ago. Chubb’s… Continue reading Earnings Fall at Chubb