SEC to AIG: We Need More Disclosures

For the second time in less than a year, the Securities and Exchange Commission has pressed bailed-out insurer American International Group to provide more disclosures in its quarterly reports, this time on guaranteed interest rates in its life insurance business.

AIG on Monday filed copies of letters it exchanged with the SEC in December and January, all relating to its quarterly report for the third quarter of 2011.

On December 9, the SEC asked AIG to propose language, to be included in future filings, giving more precise descriptions of the guaranteed rates in its annuity and universal life accounts.

The SEC, as it sometimes does in such cases, also asked AIG for a written declaration acknowledging its responsibility to make adequate and accurate disclosures.

AIG responded December 22, proposing a table to include in future filings that would show the range of rate guarantees in each business, and how they related to the total account values for each product. It also provided the SEC with the disclosure declaration that had been requested.

The head of the SEC's accounting branch in turn emailed Chief Executive Bob Benmosche on January 10 to say the review had been completed.

Last August, AIG disclosed a series of letters between it and the SEC relating to its first-quarter report of spring 2011, in which the SEC asked for more disclosure about how and why the company assigns credit ratings to investments in its portfolio.

Such SEC requests to public companies are not unusual, though they offer some insight into what regulators look at when they review quarterly filings. Among others, Berkshire Hathaway has also received a number of such requests for more disclosure in the recent past.

AIG shares rose 42 cents to $27.08 in premarket trading from a $26.66 close on Friday.