The Consumer Financial Protection Agency is conducting a broad investigation into mortgage insurers business practices amid allegations of illegal kickbacks to bankers in order to gain access to customers in need of private mortgage insurance.

Insurance agents and brokers will be among those most impacted by an increase in estate-tax liability if Congress is unable to bridge the ideological divide on extending the Bush-era tax cuts.

Strong investor demand for AIG stock is allowing the Treasury Department to reduce its ownership in the insurer to 53 percent from 61 percent.

AIG officials are looking favorably at federal oversight as they say they are preparing for regulation by the Federal Reserve Board in addition to state regulation.

American International Group reported a 27 percent increase in second-quarter net income compared to the same period last year, and predicted we are close to paying off the government for its investment in the company starting in 2008.

The House approved on a party-line vote Wednesday legislation that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for one year.

American International Group is buying the Hartfords broker-dealer arm, Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.

Two insurance industry trade groups are asking the Financial Stability Oversight Council to allow all nonbank financial companies a full hearing as part of the process for determining whether a company should be designated systemically significant.