As the current economic environment continues to take its toll on The Hartford, the company's chairman and CEO Ramani Ayer, who will be stepping down at year-end, acknowledged how challenging the last nine months have been.

Shareholders of IPC Holdings voted down a proposal to merge with Max Capital Friday, but rival bidder Validus, wary of potential responses from IPC's board, said it will look to replace that board if there's no deal soon.

Adjusters and forensic accountants will need to be on the top of their game in the coming months and years.

The Federal Reserve Board suffered paper losses of almost $9 billion, or 19 percent, in the first quarter of 2009 on risky securities it took over from American International Group last year, according to a new report.