The American life insurance industry is bracing itself for more bad news when the big three US insurers announce their results from the last quarter. MetLife, Prudential and Hartford will announce their results at the end of trading on Wednesday, after each has already admitted they won't meet the targets they had previously forecast.
Some experts in the market have been speculating about a possible rescue package from the government to help the troubled industry, like the one seen recently for the mortgage lenders.
Randy Binner an analyst with Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co made it clear though, to people worried about companies being able to pay out on their policies that they are still safe, and that “should not associate stock price declines with the company making good on its obligations.”
The head of another major insurer, Travelers, was optimistic about the health of his, and other, companies. Jay Fishman, the Travelers CEO, said on Monday that his company “does not require or intend to request any such assistance” from the government, and that “The substantial majority of insurance companies represented by the American Insurance Association feel the same way.”
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