business - "insurance"

Shares of American International Group Inc. jumped Monday after a Banc of America Securities analyst upgraded the stock to 'Buy,' forecasting a recovery in the stock price if its new chief executive is successful reducing debt and focusing on the insurance business.

Wholesale insurance brokerage firm Swett & Crawford in Atlanta has appointed Rick Spivey as marketing manager for Risk Reducers, a workers' compensation unit acquired by Swett & Crawford in January.

TULSA, OK (MARKET WIRE) First Trinity Financial Corporation and Brooke Capital Corporation jointly announced today the signing of an agreement on July 18, 2008 for First Trinity's purchase of Brooke Capital's Topeka-based life insurance subsidiary, First Life America Corporation. The sale is subject to customary regulatory approval by the Kansas insurance Department.

Narragansett Bay insurance Co. in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, has added Mark Talerico as chief risk officer. Overseeing Narragansett insurance's distribution of risk in homeowners insurance, Talerico wi

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Moody's Investors Service said late Monday that it may downgrade the Aaa rating of Assured Guaranty . The agency put the rating on review for a possible downgrade partly because of the credit risks that have been taken on by the bond insurer and a drop in demand for the guarantees sold by the bond insurance industry. 'Assured's credit profile may no longer be consistent with its current ratings given uncertainty about the firm's portfolio risk profile, material shifts in the demand function for financial guarantees, and as observed recently among Assured's competitors -- potential sensitivity of its franchise and financial flexibility if losses continue to rise,' the agency said in a statement. Moody's also put the Aaa ratings of rival Financial Security Assurance on review for a possible downgrade. market pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

BOSTON, MA (MARKET WIRE) ProMutual Group recently announced a rate reduction for individual physicians and surgeons in the state of Pennsylvania. All Individual Professional Liability (IPL) policyholders will receive a 6 percent decrease in their base rate. Rate changes became effective July 1, 2008, for both new and renewal policies.

Lincoln Financial Group today announced a realignment of its Employer Markets and Individual Markets divisions into two new divisions: Retirement Solutions and insurance Solutions. The new structure is more closely aligned with consumer needs and will lead to more coordinated product development and greater effectiveness across the enterprise.

Torchmark Corp. said its board declared a quarterly dividend of 14 cents. The insurance holding company said the dividend is payable Oct. 31, to shareholders of record as of Oct. 3.

LONDON----The Willis Building, the new landmark London headquarters for Willis Group Holdings , the global insurance broker, was officially opened today amidst great fanfare by His Royal Highness, The Duke of York, KG, UK Special Representative for International Trade & Investments.

AXA Equitable Life insurance Company and MONY Life insurance Company, as subsidiaries of AXA Financial Inc., are welcomed as members of the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York .