Dear Reader,
We have prepared this report for viewers of Weiss Research’s recent emergency Q&A session as a follow-up to the urgent questions asked by our readers.
(If you would like to review the video or share it with a friend, click here for the recording.
With events unfolding so quickly, we have organized this report in a way that helps get you to safety as quickly as possible. You can read the report from start to finish. Or if you click on the topics below, you can jump straight to our instructions and information on each.
1. How to Buy Treasury Bills or Equivalent
2. How to Use Your Treasury-Only Money Fund as a Bank
3. How to Set Up a Single, Safe Account for Nearly All Your Savings and Checking
4. What To Do With Your 401k
5. How to Get Rid of Risky Stocks Despite What Your Broker May Say
6. What to Do About Your Not-So-Risky Stocks
7. More, Equally Urgent Information on Bear Markets
8. Want to Stick With Banks? Here Are the Risks
9. How To Find a Strong Bank
10. How Risky or Safe Is Your Insurance?
Plus, you can jump straight to our handy reference lists ...
11. Treasury-Only Money Market Funds
12. Weakest Banks and Thrifts in the U.S.
13. Strongest Banks and Thrifts in the U.S.
14. Weakest Life, Health and Annuity Insurers in the U.S.
15. Strongest Life, Health and Annuity Insurers in the U.S.
16. Select U.S. Brokers With Their Capital Multiples
(Watch video)
Among all investments available in the world today, U.S. Treasury bills are the safest and most liquid place for your money. But please do not confuse Treasury bills with Treasury bonds:
- Treasury bills are short term — under one year.
- Treasury bonds are long term — up to 30 years.
Three-month — or, more precisely, 13-week — Treasury bills don’t have that problem. The most you’ll have to wait is the three months and you can also cash them in at any time in-between. Any market fluctuations are infinitesimal and simply not an issue.
How do you buy Treasury bills? You can open an account directly with the U.S. Treasury Department, using your Social Security number or your business tax ID number via the Treasury Direct program.
But the most practical way to buy Treasury bills is through a money market fund that invests exclusively in short-term U.S. Treasury securities or equivalent. The Treasuries it buys enjoy the same guarantee from the U.S. government as Treasuries bought through any other venue.
Plus, the Treasury-only money fund gives you the additional advantage of immediate availability of your money. You can have your funds wired to your local bank overnight. Or you can even write checks against it, much as you’d write checks against any bank checking account.
Which fund? We use Capital Preservation Fund and the Weiss Treasury Only Money Market Fund. Or you can shop among the funds cited in our lists.
2. How to Use Your Treasury-Only Money Fund as a Bank
Traditional banking nowadays is not as easy as it appears.
To make sure all your money is insured, you may have to keep close tabs on multiple accounts. And even if you’re comfortably under the FDIC’s insurance limits, bank fees and charges can add up. Banks often charge for regular checking, low balances, writing too many checks, ATM withdrawals and bounced checks. And for businesses, they pay no interest on checking.
You can get better interest with CDs. But there, your liquidity — the access to your funds — is restricted by early withdrawal penalties: Federal law requires a minimum penalty of seven days’ interest for early withdrawal on any account classified as a time deposit, which includes CDs. And since the law doesn’t set a maximum penalty, banks are free to charge more, which they usually do. So it’s not unusual to see early withdrawal penalties of all your interest on 30-day CDs and up to six months’ interest on longer term CDs.
Our recommendation: Use your Treasury-only money market fund for most of your banking needs, including both savings and checking.
A Treasury-only money fund invests your money in short-term U.S. Treasury securities (plus other securities that are 100% backed by U.S. Treasuries). The fund uses a bank, but strictly as a custodian for the securities, and those accounts are completely segregated from the bank’s deposits or assets. Even if the custodian bank fails, your money invested in short-term Treasuries through the fund — and your access to that money — is not affected.
Here’s the key: The Treasury-only money fund provides you with check-writing privileges so that you can use the money fund as your personal or business checking account. Here are the advantages:
Advantage #1. Yield. Treasury-only money funds have generally yielded substantially more than the yield offered on the average personal checking account in the U.S.
The contrast for business is even greater: Since banks do not pay interest on business checking accounts, Treasury-only money funds invariably give you more yield. Plus, you can also take better advantage of the “float” — the
funds remaining in your account while checks written against them have not
yet cleared. And unlike bank checking accounts, you don’t have to worry if your balances are over a certain limit. The bigger your balances, the better.
Just remember: In times of acute crisis, when there is a rush to escape financial risk and buy Treasury bills, your yield could be very low. But low yield is the price you pay for maximum safety, and it’s worth every penny.
Advantage #2. Low Fees. When a bank quotes you yields — on any kind of account — it always quotes you the yields before deducting all its various service fees. And with bank charges and fees currently at high levels, it’s almost impossible for most bank customers to collect anything near the advertised yield.
In contrast, when a Treasury-only money fund (or any money fund, for that matter) quotes you its yield, it is invariably after deducting its fees and expenses. Of course, the past or current yield is no guarantee of future results. But the yield quoted is the net yield that investors in the fund are actually earning.
How much of a difference can this make? In most cases, a significant one. Indeed, we figure that, after deducting myriad bank fees, most Americans today are getting a net yield of close to zero on their accounts, while many wind up losing money.
Advantage #3. One Account for Both Checking and Savings. At banks, most customers find they need to divide their money between (a) a checking account, where they give up most of their yield, and (b) a savings account or CD, where they give up immediate access and liquidity. No matter what, it’s almost impossible to get both optimal liquidity and the better yield in the same bank account.
In contrast, Treasury-only money funds let you keep nearly all of your cash assets — whether for savings or for checking — in one single account. This means that whether you’re investing $1,000 or $1 million,
- You have complete access to all your funds at all times.
- You can withdraw the entire amount, with no penalty whatsoever. Just write a check or request a wire transfer, and it’s done.
- Your money consistently earns competitive, current market yields.
- You never have to worry about leaving too much in your checking account at low or zero yield. The full amount is available for checking at all times, earning full interest.
- You continue earning interest on your money up until the moment your check clears. The longer it takes for your payees to cash their checks, the more interest you earn.
- In each CD, you have to make sure your initial investment is comfortably below the coverage limit. Otherwise, the accumulation of accrued interest could put your balance over the limit, and that portion would not be covered by the FDIC.
- You may have to spread your CDs among various accounts.
- With a large checking account, you would have to call your bank almost daily to make sure it’s not over the FDIC limit. Reason: If there are several big checks outstanding, your bank balance could be over the limit; and if the bank fails at that time, any excess amount in your account could be in jeopardy.
Advantage #5. Exempt From Local and State Taxes. The income you earn on both Treasury-only money funds and bank accounts is subject to federal income taxes. So there’s no difference between bank deposits and Treasury-only money funds in that regard.
However, when it comes to local and state income taxes, there is a significant difference:
- The dividends you earn on Treasury-only money funds are generally exempt from local and state income taxes. But ...
- The income earned on bank accounts and CDs is not exempt from local and state income taxes.
Sometimes banks say they’re giving you “free checking,” but require large minimum balances, paying little or no interest. No matter what, you’re paying for checking — and probably too much.
Most Treasury-only money funds do not charge you any extra fee for check-writing privileges. You can write as many checks as you want, as often as you want. When they say “free checking privileges,” they really mean it.
This is not true for all Treasury-only money funds, however. And some do levy certain charges for special services. That’s to be expected. But those fees are almost always lower than the charges at banks.
Advantage #7. Immediate Liquidity. As with any financial institution, there will be a holding period for the out-of-town checks you deposit to your account. But your money goes to work for you right away, generating interest income immediately. And if you deposit your money via wire transfer, you can avoid the holding period; your funds will be available immediately.
In short, except for the holding period, all of the funds received by your Treasury-only money fund are available to you all of the time. There are four ways you can withdraw your money from your Treasury-only money fund:
- You can write a check against the balance in your account — to yourself or to another payee.
- You can call or send a fax to your money fund’s shareholder services department, giving them instructions to issue a wire transfer. (Before the fund can accept your wire instructions, however, you will need to have a signed authorization on file. This can be done when you open your account.)
- You can request a check be sent to you directly from the fund. You can also authorize telephone instructions for redemption by check when you open your account.
- You can establish a systematic program to automatically send a set amount to you monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
3. How to Set Up a Single, Safe Account for Nearly All Your Savings and Checking
Whether you are an active investor or not, whether you have a lot of money set aside or just small amounts, we recommend these steps:
Step 1. Decide what type of account you want to open. For your personal checking account, it could be established as an individual, joint, custodian, or trust. (In addition, you can also use your Treasury-only money fund to open a separate account for your IRA or other retirement accounts.)
Step 2. Select a Treasury-only money market fund.
Step 3. On its website, or while you’re on the phone with its customer service department, get answers to a few questions about the costs associated with check-writing privileges:
- “How many checks will you provide for me at no charge?” For personal accounts, at least the first 20 or 25 checks should be free. If you want additional checks, it’s reasonable to expect a printing charge, but it should be minimal.
- “Will you charge me a per-check transaction fee?” If the answer is yes and you anticipate a relatively active account, don’t do business with this fund.
- “What is the minimum dollar amount for which I can make out each of my checks?” It should be no more than $100.
- “What is the minimum balance that I must maintain in my account, and will you penalize me if my balance falls below the minimum?” If the minimum is too high for you or if there is a penalty, look elsewhere.
- “Do you accept deposits of second-party checks?” If the answer is no, this may not be the right fund for this plan.
Step 5. If you are not sure about what forms and documents you will need to submit to open an account, now is the time to ask. Some typical types of accounts, along with the documentation needed, are:
Type 1. Individual or joint account, minor custodian account: You’ll need the application and the signature card (indicate the number of signatures that will be required to cash a check).
Joint accounts, unless you specify otherwise, will probably be opened as joint tenants with rights of survivorship (JTWROS), meaning that the entire account balance will pass to the survivor in case one of the joint owners dies.
If you want the account to be registered as joint tenants in common (JTIC), be sure to specify that in writing when you open the account. JTIC means that each person owns a set percentage of the account; and if one person dies, his or her percentage does not automatically go to the survivor, but goes into the deceased’s estate to be distributed.
If you wish a custodian account for a minor child (UGMA), don’t forget to use the child’s Social Security number for correct IRS reporting.
Type 2. Trust or guardianship: You will need the application and the signature card (indicate the number of signatures needed to cash a check). Plus, you will need certified copies of the appropriate trust documents or court papers appointing a guardian and any power of attorney forms, if applicable. Hint: Put the trustee name(s) first on the account registration to reduce the paperwork that would be needed whenever an account transaction is requested. Example: Jane S. Doe, TTEE Doe Family Trust.
Type 3. IRA, Roth IRA, or other retirement account or rollover: Ask for the IRA or retirement plan application and agreement. This information should
include a new account application, a transfer authorization and a rollover certification form.
If you’re opening a new retirement account, fill out the new account application only.
If you’re transferring a retirement account directly between custodians, fill out both the application and the transfer authorization. Also be sure to include a copy of the most recent statement from your current custodian.
If it’s an IRA rollover and you have a distribution from a retirement account that you are going to transfer to the Treasury-only money fund, fill out both the new account application and the rollover certification form. (Important: Due to IRS regulations, check writing is not possible on IRA accounts.)
Step 6. With the above documents, also provide the basic wiring instructions to the fund. If there is no space on the application, put the following information in a separate, signed letter:
- Your bank’s name, city and state
- Your bank’s “ABA” number
- Your bank’s wire transfer account number
- Your account number at the bank
- All registered names on the account
Step 7. Don’t forget to sign the application. Then make your first deposit check payable to the Treasury-only money fund and mail it with your new account materials. You should receive written confirmation of your deposit in the mail within a few days and a checkbook within about two weeks.
Step 8. Keep only a minimal amount in your local bank for petty cash and small, occasional checks.
Step 9. Use a major credit card for as many of your purchases as possible. Then, in order to avoid any interest charges, pay off your credit card, in full,
each month with one check written from your Treasury-only money fund.
Step 10. To maximize your total safety and liquidity, transfer the bulk of your cash funds to the Treasury-only money fund account. These can include any investment funds you wish to keep liquid and available for upcoming opportunities, as well as most of your regular spending money and most of your keep-safe savings.
Step 11. Write all of your checks that are above the fund’s per-check minimum from the Treasury-only money fund account. These could include
checks for paying your mortgage, rent, monthly credit card bills, utility bills and any large purchases at establishments that give you a better price for non-credit card purchases.
Step 12. If you need a large amount of cash or want to buy traveler’s checks, just call your Treasury-only money fund and give them instructions to transfer the money to your local bank. In most cases, if you call before 3 PM Eastern Time, you should have the funds in your account the next business day.
Step 13. At most funds, you may deposit your salary and any checks payable to you directly into your account. Just endorse the checks with your signature on the reverse side and include the words “for deposit to,” followed by your account number at the fund. Then simply mail your deposit to the fund. (You may use the deposit slip and envelope that most funds provide you with your monthly statement.)
As always, do not send cash in the mail. If you have cash deposits, make them at your local bank and then send the funds to your Treasury-only money fund via either a check or wire transfer.
If you want to know if your check has cleared your fund and you don’t want to wait for the written confirmation in the mail, just call the fund’s shareholder services at its toll-free number.
You will receive monthly statements from the fund showing all your checking transactions, plus any other activity including deposits, dividend income credits, etc. (Note: Canceled checks are not usually returned to you automatically, unless you specifically ask for them.)
That’s it! With these steps, you will now have superior safety overall, significantly greater effective yields, greatly reduced bank charges and maximum liquidity.
4. What To Do With Your 401k
Many people confuse two separate questions:
- The first and most urgent question is: What investments do you own?
- The second question is: What the kind of account are you using to buy those investments?
And based just on what we’ve seen so far, depending on what investment choices you made, your retirement could be cut half — or worse. Therefore, we disagree with those who recommend you hold the stock mutual funds in your 401k and just keep buying more on the way down. You cannot afford that risk. Instead, follow these steps ...
Step 1. Get from your employer or 401k manager the list of options available in your 401k.
Step 2. Pick out the safest one, as follows:
- First choice: Treasury-only money market fund. (Unfortunately, these are rarely offered in 401ks.)
- Second choice: A government-only money market fund, if your 401k has one. If not ...
- Third choice: A standard money market fund.
- Fourth choice: An income or bond fund that invests exclusively in U.S. government notes and bonds and nothing in corporate bonds.
- Fifth choice: An income or bond fund that invests mostly in U.S. government notes and bonds and as little as possible in corporate bonds.
Step 3. Shift all of your money to the safest fund. If you’re concerned the market has just plunged and you are selling at the wrong time, shift 50% immediately and the balance when the stock market enjoys a rally.
This is not a permanent solution. Later, when the dust has settled and the coast is clear, you can start shifting back to equities. But at this point, no one knows where the bottom in the market might be. So it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Step 4. Unless you may be short of cash, continue adding to your 401k normally. Just make sure all new funds are invested in the safest choice you selected in Step 2. In this way, you can continue to take advantage of your company’s matching program and your money can continue to grow without the drag of taxes.
Follow the same general approach with IRAs, 529 savings plans and other tax-protected plans. These offer the additional advantage of allowing you to buy short-term Treasuries or a Treasury-only money market fund.
5. How to Get Rid of Risky Stocks
Despite What Your Broker May Say
If you haven’t done so already in response to our many earlier warnings, you’d better sell — or hedge against — your risky stocks now. If you don’t, be prepared to suffer far deeper losses.
One way is to ignore what everyone thinks or says, call your broker and issue one, four-letter instruction: “SELL.”
Sound too simple? Perhaps. But compared to sitting back passively and letting your retirement be destroyed by a long or deep bear market, it’s actually the lesser of the evils.
Worried that you may be selling at exactly the wrong time? Then, as with your 401k, sell half at the market, reducing your exposure to risk immediately. Next, wait for an intermediate rally to sell the balance.
But beware: No matter how much you seek to sell or when, most brokers will try to talk you out of it. They have a hidden agenda. They want to keep
you as a customer; and they know that, once customers sell their stocks, they often close their brokerage accounts.
With this in mind, many brokers have been trained with up to seven sales pitches designed to keep you in the market come hell or high water.
Broker Pitch #1: “Buy more.” Their argument goes something like this: “Your stock is now selling at bargain prices. So if you didn’t already own 100 shares, you’d probably be thinking about buying — not selling. Instead, why not double down and take advantage of dollar-cost averaging?”
The more likely result in a bear market: Every time your stock falls by another $1 per share, instead of losing just $100, you’ll be losing $200.
Broker Pitch #2: “Hold for a recovery!” They argue that the “market will inevitably recover,” that the “recovery is always bigger and better than any near-term decline,” and that you should therefore “always invest for the long term.”
The reality: Bear markets can last for many years. It could take still longer for the averages to recover to current levels. During all those years, your money is dead in the water. And don’t forget: If the company goes out of business, your stock will be worthless and will never recover.
Broker Pitch #3: “You can’t afford to take a loss.” If you insist on selling, brokers often come back with this approach: “Your losses are just on paper right now. So if you sell, all you’ll be doing is locking them in. You can’t afford to do that.”
What they don’t tell you is that there is no fundamental difference between a paper loss and a realized loss. Nor do they reveal that the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) requires brokers themselves to value the securities they hold in their own portfolio at the current market price — to recognize the losses as real whether they’ve sold the securities or not.
Broker Pitch #4: “You can’t afford to take a profit and pay the taxes.” If you’ve got a profit in a stock, they say: “All you’ll be doing is writing a fat check to Uncle Sam. You can’t afford to do that.”
The reality: Although it’s not shown on your brokerage statement, the true value of your portfolio is net of taxes. So whether you or your heirs pay those taxes now or in the future is mostly a difference of timing. And if our
next president approves legislation to raise capital gains taxes next year, it could actually cost you more. Besides, which would you prefer — paying some taxes on profits or paying no taxes on losses?
Broker Pitch #5: The “don’t be a fool” argument. “Stocks look very cheap now and we’re very close to rock bottom,” goes the script. “We may even be right at the bottom. If you sell now, three months from now, you’ll be kicking yourself. Don’t be a fool.”
The truth: Brokers don’t have the faintest idea where the bottom is. Nor does anyone at their firm. And they know darn well that stocks do not hit bottom just because they look cheap. Worse, for their own accounts, brokers and their affiliates have been — and are likely to continue — liquidating shares, often targeting precisely the same shares they pitch to their customers.
Broker Pitch #6: “The market is turning.” If the market enjoys an intermediate bounce, which it certainly will at some point soon, this pitch is invoked. “Look at this big rally!” they say. “Your shares are finally starting to come back. After waiting all this time, are you sure you want to run away now — just when things are starting to turn around in your favor?”
The truth: In a bear market, intermediate rallies actually give you the best opportunity to sell. Often, they’re stimulated by government efforts to bail out companies or stimulate the economy. If so, those can be even better selling opportunities.
Broker Pitch #7: The last ace-in-the hole in the broker’s arsenal of pitches is the patriotic approach. “Do you realize,” they’ll say, “what could happen if everyone does what you’re talking about doing? That’s when the market would really nosedive. But if you and millions of other investors would just have a bit more faith in our economy — in our country — then the market will recover and everyone will come out ahead.”
The truth: Locking up precious capital in sinking enterprises is not exactly good for our country. Better to safeguard the funds and reinvest them in better opportunities at a better time.
6. What to Do About Your Not-So-Risky Stocks
Not all stocks are created equal. In a prolonged bear market,
- some fall more than the stock averages,
- some fall less, and ...
- a very small number of stocks can actually buck the trend, moving higher as the rest of the market falls.
But even with these special situations, you still could be vulnerable to significant losses for four reasons:
- Investors need cash and sell even the best stocks to raise funds ...
- Investors suffer large losses in the rest of their portfolio and take profits in their best stocks to help offset the loss ...
- Fear overcomes logic and investors throw out the baby with the bathwater, and/or ...
- Deflation drives down the price of all assets, including the best stocks.
There are four vehicles available for hedging your stock portfolio. Here they are, listed from least risky to most risky:
- Buying inverse ETFs. This is recommended for most investors who decide to continue holding stocks in their portfolio despite a bear market.
- Spending small amounts of money on put options. This is recommended for investors with some risk capital available.
- Selling short individual stocks. Not recommended.
- Selling short stock futures. Not recommended.
7. More, Equally Urgent Information on Bear Markets
For more free information on bear market strategies that’s equally urgent, refer to:
- Bear Market Defense Forum Part 1 and Part II, 10-01-08. “The spreading financial crisis has us in the clutches of a tough bear market in stocks ... In the second part of this presentation, we discuss the Weiss Bear Strategy.”
- Last Chance for the Truth, 9-28-08. “You cannot wait to see how long Wall Street’s celebration will last or how soon Washington’s plan will fail. You must take protective action now.”
- No Bailout May Be Big Enough to Bring a Quick End to This Bear Market, 9-22-08. “Bust follows boom in financial markets like night follows day.”
- Warning: Nasty Surprises Coming Next Week, 9-21-08. Brace yourself for “a few nasty surprises, shocks and wake-up calls coming as early as next week: The fear factor. The selling stampede ...”
- Washington declares war on debt crisis! Urgent Q&A, 9-19-08. “Is this the signal to jump back into stocks? No. For stocks that are vulnerable to a credit crisis and an economic decline, this is a signal to SELL. And for those who are looking for a hedge or profit opportunity for the next big decline, this is an ideal opportunity to get started.”
- Dow plunges 504! Here’s what’s next, 9-15-08. “You’ll soon hear the Wall Street pundits arguing that this is the ‘climactic capitulation’ that will end the decline. Don’t fall for it! In reality, the Dow is still not far from its all-time peaks, with a lot further to fall. Our forecast is unchanged: 7200 on the Dow.”
- Unthinkable Truth; Undeniable Reality, 7-28-08. “They’d have you believe they can outlaw the cycle of boom and bust ... repeal the law of supply and demand ... even freeze the march of time. In the real world, of course, no government in history has ever been able to do anything of the kind, and they know it. Why? Because, behind the façade of their feel-good happy talk and beneath the thin veneer of their Pollyanna optimism, nearly every single one of our leaders — including Bernanke and Paulson, Democrats and Republicans — is really a gloom-and-doom pessimist in disguise.”
- The Great American Nightmare, 7-21-08. “This is the first stage of the dangerous bear market we’ve been warning you about.”
- How to Prepare for the NEXT Panic, 7-07-08. “‘When another collapse is about to begin,’ Dad warned, ‘they’re not going to ring any bells. Few investors will see it coming, fewer still will take protective action, and almost everyone will get caught in the melee. Don’t let that happen to our subscribers!’ But today, the bells are finally ringing and doing so loudly.”
When a bank goes under, the FDIC steps in, finds a merger partner or takes it over. This can be a quick process. But sometimes it may not be. We see three possible situations:
Situation #1. You are a shareholder in a bank that’s failing. In this situation, you will probably lose all or most of your money whether the government tries to bail the bank out or it’s allowed to fail and is taken over by the FDIC.
Situation #2. You are an insured depositor. You’ve got savings or checking accounts with the bank and they are under the FDIC insurance limit. In normal times, even if your bank fails, your savings should be secure and available at any time.
However, in the event of a national bank holiday, even if your bank has not failed, you may be denied access to most or all of your funds for an unknown period of time. We hope that time period would be very short — just a few days. But it could be more, or it could happen more than once.
Situation #3. You have deposits with a bank that are over and beyond the FDIC insurance limits. Or you have bought bank bonds or bank debentures. In most bank failures, you will suffer losses. And even with so-called “too-big-to-fail” banks, you could suffer severe losses as well. Do not count on the government to cover uninsured deposits, bonds or other debts.
To reduce your risk, avoid bank stocks and bank debentures or bonds. Keep your deposits under the FDIC insurance limit. And put the bulk of your funds in short-term Treasury securities bought directly from the U.S. Treasury Department or through a Treasury-only money market fund.
And for double protection, if you must do business with a bank, always use a strong institution regardless of insurance protection or other guarantees.
9. How To Find a Strong Bank
Step 1. First, become familiar with this ratings scale:
A = excellent
B = good
C = fair
D = weak
E = very weak
+ = the upper third of each grade range
- = the lower third of each grade range
Step 2. Find your bank in our list of Weakest Banks and Thrifts in the U.S. or in our list of Strongest Banks and Thrifts in the U.S. For your convenience, they are listed in alphabetical order. Or you can use a search function on your screen (such as the F4 key in MS Internet Explorer or the “Find” function in Adobe Reader).
Step 3. If you cannot find your bank or thrift in one of our lists below ...
- Go to www.TheStreet.com.
- At the home page, in the menus in the upper right, you’ll see the item “PORTFOLIO & TOOLS.” Pull down that menu and select “Banks & Thrifts Screener.”
- This will take you to a new page with the bank screener, and you’ll see a box on the left-hand side to fill in your bank information. To narrow the search, type in the state if you have it. Then, under Bank name, type in strictly the FIRST name of the bank with no spaces. (If you type in more than the first name, the program will probably not find your bank.)
- A list of banks with their ratings should appear to the right of the data entry box.
- If your bank is rated B- or higher, it implies your bank’s relative safety is “good” or better.
- If your bank is rated D+ or lower, it’s a red flag. Seriously consider moving your money elsewhere, while weighing the cost of any interest penalties. For uninsured deposits, the interest penalty is a small price to pay for safety. For insured deposits, it will depend on how much you value your peace of mind.
- If your bank is rated C-, C or C+, it’s a yellow flag. Monitor the rating every three months or so to make sure it has not been downgraded below C- (to D+ or lower).
- Return to Bank and Thrift Screener,
- Under State, select your state,
- Under Rating, select B,
- To the right of the rating, select “or higher,”
- Then, on the list to the right, under “display,” set the number of banks to be listed to 100.
- From the list displayed to the right, look for banks with a rating of B+ or better. You may see some that you know have a branch near your home or place of work. Or search for the bank at Google Maps.
The risk you take with an insurance policy depends on two things: The type of policy you have and the relative strength or weakness of the insurance company. So here are the steps to follow ...
Step 1. Determine which broad category of policy you have. Generally speaking, there are three:
- Cash-value policy. These are the most affected by the failure of the insurer. They include fixed annuities and whole life, sometimes called universal life. Your funds go into the insurance company’s own balance sheet, and if their balance sheet goes down, your savings can go down with it.
- Variable annuities or variable life. Your money does not become a part of the insurance company’s portfolio. Instead, it goes into separate accounts. Like in a 401k, your money is actually invested in mutual funds. And like the 401k, you should check which funds you currently have, check their menu of choices and switch to the safest ones.
- Term insurance — life, health, auto, home, etc. Your risk is greatly reduced because you’re paying strictly for the insurance. Your savings are not tied up.
A = excellent
B = good
C = fair
D = weak
E = very weak
+ = the upper third of each grade range
- = the lower third of each grade range
Step 3. Find your insurer in our list of Weakest Health, Life and Annuity Insurers in the U.S. or in our list of Strongest Health, Life and Annuity Insurers in the U.S. For your convenience, they are listed in alphabetical order. Or you can just use the search function on your screen.
Step 4. Our lists do not include property and casualty insurers. Nor do they include very small insurers or those that are rated “fair” (C+, C and C-). So if you cannot find your insurer in one of the lists below:
- Go to www.TheStreet.com.
- On the home page menus in the upper right, you’ll see an item called “PORTFOLIO & TOOLS.” Pull down that menu and select “Insurers and HMOs Screener.”
- This will take you to a new page with the insurer screener, and you’ll see a box on the left-hand side to fill in the needed information.
- Under Company Type, select ...
- Life & Health — for life, health and annuity insurers
- Property & Casualty — for auto, home or business insurance
- HMOs — for Health Maintenance Organizations
- Then, under Insurer name, type in strictly the FIRST name of the insurer with no spaces.
- A list of insurers plus their ratings should appear to the right of the data entry box.
- If your insurer is rated B- or higher, it implies no further action is needed under normal circumstances.
- If your insurer is rated D+ or lower, it’s a red flag. Unless you must have the coverage and your personal situation would disqualify you from an alternate policy, seriously consider canceling the policy and, if you still need the insurance, shifting to another company. In tax-protected plans, make sure your agent helps you make the transfer without tax consequences.
- If your insurer is rated C-, C or C+, it’s a yellow flag. Monitor the rating periodically to make sure it has not been downgraded below C- (D+ or lower).
Step 6. If you’re shopping for a new insurance company, favor those with a rating of B+ or better. Refer to the Strongest Life, Health and Annuity Insurers in the U.S. Or ...
- Return to Insurers and HMOs Screener
- Under Company Type, select:
- Life & Health — for life, health and annuity insurers
- Property & Casualty — for auto, home and business insurance
- HMOs — for Health Maintenance Organizations
- Under Rating, select B
- To the right of the rating, select “or higher”
- On the list to the right, under “display,” set the number of insurers to be listed to 100.
- From the list displayed to the right, look for insurers with a rating of B+ or better. Most insurers are licensed to do business in many states. So you are not restricted to insurers that are domiciled in your state.
11. Treasury-Only Money Market Funds
Fund Name | Toll-Free No. | Web Address |
ABN AMRO Treas MMF/Common Cl | (800) 992-8151 | http://www.astonasset.com/ |
AllianceBernstein Treasury Reserves | (800) 251-0539 | www.alliancebernstein.com |
American Century Capital Presv Fund | (800) 345-2021 | www.americancentury.com |
American Performance US Treas | (800) 762-7085 | www.apfunds.com |
BB&T US Treas MMF/Trust Shrs | (800) 228-1872 | www.bbtfunds.com |
BBH US Treasury MMF | (800) 625-5759 | www.bbh.com |
BNY Hamilton Treas MF/Hamltn Classic | (800) 426-9363 | www.bnyhamiltonfunds.com |
CitiFunds Premium US Treas Resvs | (800) 846-5200 | www.citibank.com |
CitiFunds US Treasury Reserves | (800) 846-5200 | www.citibank.com |
DWS US Treasury Money Fund | (800) 621-1048 | https://www.dws-scudder.com |
Dreyfus 100% US Treasury MMF | (888) 782-6620 | www.dreyfus.com |
Dreyfus US Treas Reserves/ Cl R | (888) 782-6620 | www.dreyfus.com |
Evergreen Treasury MMF/Cl A | (800) 343-2898 | evergreeninvestments.com |
Fidelity US Treasury MMF | (800) 343-3548 | www.fidelity.com |
Fifth Third US Treas MMF | (800) 282-5706 | https://www.53.com |
First Amer Treas Oblig/Cl D - Corpt | (800) 677-FUND | www.firstamericanfunds.com |
Gabelli US Treasury MMF | (800) 422-3554 | www.gabelli.com |
Capital One US Treasury MMF | (800) 999-0426 | www.capitalone.com |
Huntington US Treas MMF/Trust | (800) 253-0412 | www.huntingtonfunds.com |
JPMorgan 100% US Treas Sec. MMF | (800) 480-4111 | www.jpmorganfunds.com |
Reserve Fund/US Treas Fund | (800) 637-1700 | www.reservefunds.com |
RMK Select Treasury MMF | (877) 757-7424 | www.regions.com |
Schwab US Treasury Money Fund | (866) 232-9890 | www.schwab.com |
SEI Liquid Asset Tr/Treas Secs/Cl A | (800) 342-5734 | www.seic.com |
Sentinel US Treasury MMF | (800) 282-3863 | www.sentinelfunds.com |
T. Rowe Price US Treasury Money Fund | (800) 541-6066 | www.troweprice.com |
US Treasury Money Fund of America | (800) 421-0180 | www.americanfunds.com |
US Treasury Securities Cash Fund | (800) 873-8637 | www.usfunds.com |
Vanguard Admiral Treasury MMF | (800) 662-7447 | www.vanguard.com |
Vanguard Treasury MMF | (800) 662-7447 | www.vanguard.com |
Weiss Treasury Only MMF | (800) 242-8092 | www.tommf.com |
Wells Fargo 100% Treas MMF | (800) 222-8222 | www.wellsfargo.com |
Wells Fargo Treas Plus MMF/Class A | (800) 222-8222 | www.wellsfargo.com |
Distributed by: Weiss Research, Inc., www.MoneyandMarkets.com
Source of Financial Strength Ratings: TheStreet.com Ratings, www.TheStreet.com.
Data source: FDIC’s Call Reports and OTS’ Thrift Financial Reports, June 30, 2008.
Selection criteria for the table below: U.S. commercial banks, savings banks, S&Ls and other thrifts with total assets of $500 million or more and with a rating of D+ or lower.
Name | City | State | TheStreet.com Rating | Total Assets ($Millions) |
1st Centennial Bk | Redlands | CA | E | $762 |
1st United Bk | Boca Raton | FL | D | $563 |
Advantage Bk | Cambridge | OH | D+ | $1,026 |
Affinity Bk | Ventura | CA | D- | $1,232 |
Alliance Bank | Lake City | MN | D | $680 |
Alliance Bk | Culver City | CA | E+ | $1,119 |
Alliance Bk Corp | Fairfax | VA | D | $569 |
Allstate Bk | Vernon Hills | IL | D+ | $923 |
Amboy Bank | Old Bridge | NJ | D- | $2,642 |
Amcore Bk NA | Rockford | IL | D- | $5,133 |
American Bk | St Paul | MN | D | $630 |
American Bk | Rockville | MD | D+ | $505 |
American Bk North | Nashwauk | MN | D+ | $639 |
American Bk of Commerce | Wolfforth | TX | D | $686 |
American Founders Bk Inc | Frankfort | KY | D- | $509 |
American River Bk | Sacramento | CA | D | $579 |
Americanwest Bk | Spokane | WA | D- | $2,107 |
Ameriprise Bank, FSB | New York | NY | D- | $1,443 |
Amtrust Bank | Cleveland | OH | D- | $15,897 |
Anchor MSB | Aberdeen | WA | D+ | $629 |
Anchorbank FSB | Madison | WI | D- | $4,813 |
Avidia Bank | Hudson | MA | D | $953 |
Baltimore County Svgs Bk FSB | Baltimore | MD | D+ | $589 |
Banco Popular North America | New York | NY | D | $12,871 |
Banco Santander PR | San Juan | PR | D | $8,659 |
Bank of Blue Valley | Overland Park | KS | D- | $790 |
Bank of Choice | Evans | CO | D- | $563 |
Bank of Choice Colorado | Arvada | CO | D- | $624 |
Bank of East Asia USA NA | New York | NY | D- | $772 |
Bank of Florida-Southwest | Naples | FL | D | $702 |
Bank of Granite | Granite Falls | NC | D- | $1,158 |
Bank of the Cascades | Bend | OR | D- | $2,441 |
BankAtlantic | Fort Lauderdale | FL | D | $6,294 |
BankUnited FSB | Coral Gables | FL | D- | $14,164 |
Baraboo NB | Baraboo | WI | D- | $707 |
Barclays Bank Delaware | Wilmington | DE | D | $7,670 |
Baylake Bk | Sturgeon Bay | WI | D | $1,079 |
Beach Community Bk | Fort Walton Bch | FL | D- | $692 |
BLC Bank, NA | Strasburg | PA | D | $3,654 |
BPD Bk | New York | NY | D | $656 |
Bradford Bank | Baltimore | MD | D- | $518 |
Bridgeview Bk Group | Bridgeview | IL | D+ | $1,377 |
Broadway Bk | Chicago | IL | D+ | $1,154 |
Buckhead Community Bk | Atlanta | GA | D- | $921 |
Builders Bk | Chicago | IL | D- | $520 |
CapitalSouth Bank | Birmingham | AL | E | $737 |
Carolina Bk | Greensboro | NC | D+ | $567 |
Central Co-Op Bk | Somerville | MA | D+ | $564 |
Central IL Bk | Champaign | IL | D+ | $501 |
Central Pacific Bk | Honolulu | HI | D | $5,637 |
Century Bk FSB | Sarasota | FL | D- | $920 |
Chevy Chase Bk FSB | McLean | VA | D | $14,820 |
ChinaTrust Bk USA | Torrance | CA | D+ | $2,713 |
Citibank NA | Las Vegas | NV | D+ | $1,228,445 |
Citizens Bkg Co | Sandusky | OH | D+ | $1,105 |
Citizens Financial Bank | Hammond | IN | D+ | $1,102 |
Citizens First Svg BK | Port Huron | MI | D- | $2,070 |
Cole Taylor Bk | Chicago | IL | D | $3,709 |
College Svgs Bk | Princeton | NJ | D- | $608 |
Colorado East B&T | Lamar | CO | D+ | $747 |
Columbia River Bk | The Dalles | OR | D+ | $1,108 |
Columbian B&TC | Topeka | KS | F | $735 |
Community B&TC | Sheboygan | WI | D+ | $602 |
Community Bk | Loganville | GA | E- | $628 |
Community Bk of Nevada | Las Vegas | NV | D+ | $1,636 |
Community Central BK | Mt Clemens | MI | D- | $531 |
Community South Bk | Parsons | TN | D+ | $634 |
Community West Bk | Goleta | CA | D | $648 |
Conestoga Bank | Chester Springs | PA | D- | $728 |
Corus Bk NA | Chicago | IL | D- | $8,984 |
Countrywide Bank, FSB | Alexandria | VA | D- | $116,364 |
County Bk | Merced | CA | E+ | $2,059 |
Crescent B&TC | Jasper | GA | D | $975 |
Crescent B&TC | New Orleans | LA | D+ | $574 |
Darby B&TC | Vidalia | GA | D+ | $784 |
Delaware County B&TC | Lewis Center | OH | D+ | $713 |
Desert Hills Bk | Phoenix | AZ | D- | $517 |
Doral Bank Puerto Rico | San Juan | PR | D- | $8,822 |
Downey S&LA FA | Newport Beach | CA | D- | $12,630 |
East Boston Svg Bk | Boston | MA | D+ | $1,013 |
Eastern Svgs Bk FSB | Hunt Valley | MD | D | $1,116 |
Equitable Bk SSB | Wauwatosa | WI | D | $553 |
Eurobank | San Juan | PR | D- | $2,829 |
Exchange Bk | Santa Rosa | CA | D+ | $1,679 |
Farmers & Merchants Bk | Lakeland | GA | D- | $589 |
Federal Trust Bank | Sanford | FL | E- | $637 |
Fidelity Bank | Dearborn | MI | D- | $1,036 |
Fidelity Bk | Norcross | GA | D+ | $1,775 |
Fifth Third Bk | Grand Rapids | MI | D+ | $54,161 |
First American B&TC | Vacherie | LA | D+ | $687 |
First American Intl Bk | Brooklyn | NY | D+ | $558 |
First Bank of Beverly Hills | Calabasas | CA | D+ | $1,332 |
First Bk | Creve Coeur | MO | D | $10,780 |
First Bk Fncl Centre | Oconomowoc | WI | D | $587 |
First Central Svgs Bk | Glen Cove | NY | E+ | $655 |
First Community Bk | Taos | NM | D+ | $3,462 |
First Federal Bank | Harrison | AR | D | $820 |
First Federal Bank of CA FSB | Santa Monica | CA | D- | $7,179 |
First Georgia Banking Co | Franklin | GA | D | $780 |
First Independent Bk | Vancouver | WA | D | $958 |
First Mariner Bk | Baltimore | MD | D- | $1,179 |
First NB of GA | Carrollton | GA | D- | $906 |
First NB of Nevada | Reno | NV | F | $3,411 |
First NB of the South | Spartanburg | SC | D | $861 |
First Niagara Commercial Bk | Lockport | NY | D | $685 |
First Place Bank | Warren | OH | D+ | $3,176 |
First Private B&T | Encino | CA | D | $639 |
First St Bk | Eastpointe | MI | D | $731 |
First St Bk | Stockbridge | GA | D- | $680 |
First Tennessee Bk NA | Memphis | TN | D+ | $35,287 |
First United B&TC | Durant | OK | D | $1,927 |
FirstBank Florida | Miami | FL | D+ | $895 |
Firstbank of PR | San Juan | PR | D+ | $17,841 |
Flagstar Bk FSB | Troy | MI | D- | $14,559 |
Florida Bank | Tampa | FL | D+ | $553 |
Florida Capital Bank, NA | Jacksonville | FL | D- | $879 |
Florida Community Bk | Immokalee | FL | E+ | $990 |
Founders Bk | Worth | IL | D | $972 |
Franklin Bk SSB | Houston | TX | D- | $5,572 |
Fremont Investment & Loan | Brea | CA | E | $5,657 |
Gainesville Bank & Trust | Gainesville | GA | D+ | $690 |
Goldman Sachs Bk USA | Salt Lake City | UT | D- | $25,727 |
Great FL Bk | Miami | FL | D+ | $1,791 |
Guaranty Bank | Milwaukee | WI | D- | $1,749 |
Guaranty Bk | Austin | TX | D+ | $15,756 |
H&R Block Bank | Kansas City | MO | D | $1,067 |
Habersham Bk | Clarkesville | GA | D- | $502 |
Hampden Bank | Springfield | MA | D+ | $518 |
Hanmi Bk | Los Angeles | CA | D | $3,839 |
Haven SB | Hoboken | NJ | D+ | $692 |
Haven Trust Bank | Duluth | GA | D- | $558 |
Heartland Bk | Clayton | MO | D | $893 |
Helm Bk | Miami | FL | D+ | $645 |
Highland Bk | St Michael | MN | D | $503 |
Hillcrest Bk | Overland Park | KS | D- | $1,888 |
Home FSB | Rochester | MN | D+ | $1,076 |
Home NB | Blackwell | OK | D | $806 |
Home S&LC | Youngstown | OH | D | $2,739 |
HSBC Bk USA NA | Wilmington | DE | D+ | $177,466 |
Huntington NB | Columbus | OH | D+ | $54,842 |
Illinois NB | Springfield | IL | D- | $505 |
Imperial Capital Bk | La Jolla | CA | D | $4,089 |
Independence Bk | Owensboro | KY | D+ | $702 |
Independent Bk | Ionia | MI | D- | $3,232 |
Independent Bk | Memphis | TN | D+ | $643 |
IndyMac Bk FSB | Pasadena | CA | E- | $30,534 |
Inland B&T | Lake Zurich | IL | D- | $1,098 |
Integrity Bk | Alpharetta | GA | F | $1,108 |
Inter Svgs Bk FSB | Maple Grove | MN | D- | $895 |
International Bk of Miami NA | Coral Gables | FL | D | $800 |
Intervest NB | New York | NY | D- | $2,103 |
Irwin Union Bk | Columbus | IN | D+ | $5,285 |
Irwin Union Bk FSB | Columbus | IN | D+ | $692 |
K Bk | Owings Mills | MD | D- | $657 |
LaSalle Bank Midwest NA | Troy | MI | D+ | $37,643 |
Leaders Bk | Oak Brook | IL | D+ | $588 |
Legacy Bk | Hinton | OK | D+ | $504 |
Lehman Brothers Bk FSB | Wilmington | DE | D+ | $10,577 |
LibertyBank | Eugene | OR | D- | $947 |
Lincoln Bank | Plainfield | IN | D+ | $868 |
Los Padres Bk | Solvang | CA | D+ | $1,195 |
Lowell Five Cents SB | Lowell | MA | D+ | $659 |
Lydian Private Bank | Palm Beach | FL | D+ | $1,923 |
Macatawa Bk | Holland | MI | D | $2,116 |
Magna Bank | Brentwood | TN | D+ | $534 |
Magyar Bank | New Brunswick | NJ | D | $510 |
Marine Bk-Springfield | Springfield | IL | D+ | $623 |
Mercantil Commercebank, NA | Miami | FL | D+ | $6,036 |
Meridian Bank NA | Wickenburg | AZ | D | $2,127 |
Merrick Bank Corp | S Jordan | UT | D+ | $1,202 |
Metropolitan NB | Little Rock | AR | D | $1,746 |
Midcountry Bank | Marion | IL | D- | $979 |
Mid-Missouri Bk | Springfield | MO | D+ | $705 |
MidWestOne Bk | Oskaloosa | IA | D | $789 |
Millennium BCP Bank, NA | Newark | NJ | D- | $836 |
Mountain 1st B&T | Hendersonville | NC | D+ | $685 |
Mutual Bk | Harvey | IL | D- | $1,698 |
National City Bk | Cleveland | OH | D | $151,165 |
Nevada Security Bk | Reno | NV | D+ | $632 |
New Frontier Bk | Greeley | CO | D+ | $2,035 |
New South FSB | Irondale | AL | D | $1,962 |
Newbridge Bank | Lexington | NC | D+ | $2,012 |
Nexity Bk | Birmingham | AL | D- | $1,095 |
Norstates Bank | Waukegan | IL | D | $638 |
Northeast Bk | Auburn | ME | D+ | $596 |
Northside Cmnty Bk | Gurnee | IL | D | $555 |
Northwest Georgia Bk | Ringgold | GA | D+ | $613 |
NOVA Savings Bk | Berwyn | PA | D- | $520 |
Ocean Bk | Miami | FL | E+ | $4,848 |
Omni Bk | Metairie | LA | D | $735 |
Omni NB | Atlanta | GA | E | $1,030 |
OmniAmerican Bank | Fort Worth | TX | D | $1,092 |
One United Bk | Boston | MA | D+ | $725 |
Orion Bk | Naples | FL | D- | $2,889 |
Pacific Trust Bk | Chula Vista | CA | D+ | $825 |
Park Avenue Bk | Valdosta | GA | D | $1,221 |
Park View FSB | Cleveland | OH | D | $868 |
Peninsula Bk | Englewood | FL | D- | $589 |
Peoples Community Bank | W Chester | OH | D- | $764 |
Peoples First Community Bk | Panama City | FL | D- | $1,840 |
PFF B&T | Pomona | CA | E | $4,102 |
Preferred Bk | Los Angeles | CA | D | $1,525 |
Premier Bk | Jefferson City | MO | D- | $1,504 |
Premier Bk | Medford | OR | D+ | $1,487 |
Premier Bk-Maplewood | Maplewood | MN | D- | $560 |
Presidential Bk FSB | Bethesda | MD | D- | $556 |
Prosperity Bk | St Augustine | FL | D+ | $1,027 |
Redding Bk of Commerce | Redding | CA | D- | $642 |
Reliance Bk | Des Peres | MO | D+ | $1,266 |
Republic Federal Bank, NA | Miami | FL | D- | $590 |
R-G Premier Bk of PR | San Juan | PR | D- | $7,189 |
Riverbank MN | Wyoming | MN | D- | $500 |
Riverside Bk of Gulf Coast | Cape Coral | FL | E+ | $621 |
Royal Bk America | Narberth | PA | D | $1,064 |
Saehan Bk | Los Angeles | CA | D+ | $888 |
Scotiabank DE PR | Hato Rey | PR | D- | $1,603 |
Seacoast NB | Stuart | FL | D- | $2,295 |
Seattle SB | Seattle | WA | D+ | $655 |
Security Bank of Bibb County | Macon | GA | D- | $1,359 |
Security Pacific Bk | Los Angeles | CA | E- | $588 |
Security Svgs Bk FSB | Olathe | KS | D+ | $693 |
Signature Bk of Arkansas | Fayetteville | AR | D | $615 |
Silver St Bk | Henderson | NV | F | $1,957 |
Silverton Bank, NA | Atlanta | GA | D | $2,905 |
Southwest Bk | Fort Worth | TX | D+ | $561 |
Sovereign Bk NA | Dallas | TX | D+ | $674 |
St. Louis Bank | Town And Country | MO | D+ | $527 |
Sterling B&T FSB | Southfield | MI | D- | $672 |
Sterling Savings Bank | Spokane | WA | D | $12,216 |
Strategic Cap Bk | Champaign | IL | D- | $676 |
Sun American Bk | Boca Raton | FL | D- | $649 |
Superior Bank | Birmingham | AL | D- | $2,835 |
Teambank NA | Paola | KS | D+ | $682 |
Temecula Valley Bk | Temecula | CA | D | $1,462 |
TIB Bank | Naples | FL | D | $1,490 |
TierOne Bk | Lincoln | NE | D | $3,227 |
TotalBank | Miami | FL | D+ | $1,907 |
Tower B&TC | Fort Wayne | IN | D+ | $691 |
Truman Bk | St Louis | MO | D- | $517 |
Umpqua Bk | Roseburg | OR | D+ | $8,343 |
Union Bk | Kansas City | MO | D+ | $635 |
United Security Bank | Fresno | CA | D- | $770 |
Valley Bk | Moline | IL | D+ | $696 |
Vantus Bk | Sioux City | IA | D+ | $565 |
Venture Bk | Lacey | WA | D | $1,224 |
Vineyard Bk, NA | Rancho Cucam. | CA | E+ | $2,336 |
Vision Bk | Panama City | FL | D | $938 |
Wachovia Mortgage, FSB | N Las Vegas | NV | D+ | $76,795 |
Warren Bk | Warren | MI | E+ | $622 |
Washington Mutual Bank | Henderson | NV | D+ | $299,417 |
Waterstone Bank | Wauwatosa | WI | D | $1,838 |
West Coast Bk | Lake Oswego | OR | D- | $2,618 |
Westernbank Puerto Rico | Mayaguez | PR | D- | $17,082 |
Distributed by: Weiss Research, Inc., www.MoneyandMarkets.com.
Source of Financial Strength Ratings: TheStreet.com Ratings, www.TheStreet.com.
Data source: FDIC’s Call Reports and OTS’ Thrift Financial Reports, June 30, 2008.
Selection criteria for the table below: U.S. commercial banks, savings banks, S&Ls and other thrifts with total assets of $500 million or more and with a rating of B+ or higher.
Name | City | State | TheStreet.com Rating | Total Assets ($Millions) |
Advanta Bk Corp | Draper | UT | A | $2,761 |
Albany B&TC NA | Chicago | IL | A | $518 |
Alerus Financial NA | Grand Forks | ND | B+ | $738 |
American Bk of Texas | Sherman | TX | A- | $1,076 |
American Bk TX NA | Marble Falls | TX | B+ | $674 |
American Heritage Bk | Sapulpa | OK | A- | $617 |
American NB&TC | Danville | VA | A | $790 |
American St Bk | Lubbock | TX | A- | $2,076 |
Apple Bk For Svgs | Manhasset | NY | B+ | $7,761 |
BancFirst | Oklahoma City | OK | A- | $3,823 |
BancorpSouth Bk | Tupelo | MS | B+ | $13,395 |
Bank of Clarke Cty | Berryville | VA | B+ | $512 |
Bank of Commerce | Idaho Falls | ID | A+ | $718 |
Bank of Hampton Roads | Norfolk | VA | B+ | $554 |
Bank of Marin | Corte Madera | CA | B+ | $953 |
Bank of Stockton | Stockton | CA | A- | $1,775 |
Bank of the Ozarks | Little Rock | AR | B+ | $3,052 |
Bank of the Sierra | Porterville | CA | A- | $1,305 |
Bank of the West | El Paso | TX | A- | $716 |
Bank of Utah | Ogden | UT | B+ | $704 |
Bank of Washington | Washington | MO | B+ | $642 |
BankPlus | Belzoni | MS | B+ | $2,155 |
Beal Bk NV | Las Vegas | NV | B+ | $2,213 |
Bessemer TC | Woodbridge Twp | NJ | A- | $615 |
Bessemer Trust Co NA | New York | NY | A- | $608 |
Broadway NB | San Antonio | TX | A | $1,770 |
Brookline Bank | Brookline | MA | A- | $2,422 |
Burke & Herbert B&TC | Alexandria | VA | A | $1,568 |
Cameron St Bk | Lake Charles | LA | A- | $594 |
Centennial Bk | Fountain Valley | CA | B+ | $796 |
Centier Bank | Whiting | IN | A- | $1,818 |
Central Bk | Provo | UT | B+ | $629 |
Central Valley Cmnty Bk | Fresno | CA | B+ | $522 |
Charter Bk Eau Claire | Eau Claire | WI | B+ | $500 |
Citizens 1st Bank | Tyler | TX | A | $602 |
Citizens Bk | Elizabethton | TN | A- | $629 |
Citizens Bk | Philadelphia | MS | B+ | $693 |
Citizens Bk | Farmington | NM | B+ | $535 |
Citizens NB of Meridian | Meridian | MS | A- | $1,124 |
City NB | Beverly Hills | CA | B+ | $15,971 |
City NB of Florida | Miami | FL | A+ | $2,817 |
City NB of WV | Charleston | WV | A- | $2,461 |
Columbia Bk | Fair Lawn | NJ | B+ | $4,411 |
Community Bk | Pasadena | CA | B+ | $2,302 |
Community BK of Tri-Cty | Waldorf | MD | B+ | $643 |
Conway NB | Conway | SC | A- | $860 |
CorTrust Bk NA | Mitchell | SD | B+ | $532 |
Custodial Trust Co | Princeton | NJ | A | $880 |
Deutsche Bk TC Americas | New York | NY | B+ | $46,071 |
Deutsche Bk Tr Co DE | Wilmington | DE | A- | $715 |
Dime Svgs Bk of Williamsburg | Brooklyn | NY | B+ | $3,654 |
Eastern Bk | Boston | MA | B+ | $6,802 |
El Dorado Svgs Bk FSB | Placerville | CA | A- | $1,587 |
Evangeline B&TC | Ville Platte | LA | A- | $525 |
Farmers & Merch Bk Ctrl CA | Lodi | CA | A- | $1,607 |
Farmers & Merchants Bk | Long Beach | CA | A | $3,279 |
Farmers St Bk | Marion | IA | A- | $534 |
Fidelity Bk | Fuquay-Varina | NC | A- | $1,459 |
First B&T East Texas | Diboll | TX | B+ | $619 |
First Bk | Troy | NC | B+ | $2,625 |
First Citizens B&TC | Columbia | SC | B+ | $6,182 |
First Citizens NB | Mason City | IA | A- | $833 |
First Community Bk NA | Bluefield | VA | B+ | $2,035 |
First Constitution Bk | Cranbury | NJ | A- | $504 |
First Farmers & Merchants Bk | Columbia | TN | B+ | $876 |
First Federal Bk of FL | Lake City | FL | A- | $636 |
First Financial Bank, NA | Abilene | TX | B+ | $1,016 |
First Financial Bk | Terre Haute | IN | A | $2,229 |
First Financial Bk NA | Hamilton | OH | B+ | $3,448 |
First Hawaiian Bk | Honolulu | HI | A- | $13,027 |
First Mid Illinois B&T NA | Mattoon | IL | B+ | $1,012 |
First NB | Hot Springs | AR | A- | $728 |
First NB | Paragould | AR | A- | $580 |
First NB | Fort Pierre | SD | B+ | $602 |
First NB Alaska | Anchorage | AK | B+ | $2,320 |
First NB of Long Island | Glen Head | NY | A- | $1,175 |
First NB of Newtown | Newtown | PA | A | $607 |
First NB of Palmerton | Palmerton | PA | A- | $571 |
First NB of Pulaski | Pulaski | TN | B+ | $566 |
First NB of Shelby | Shelby | NC | A | $947 |
First NB of TN | Livingston | TN | A | $550 |
First PREMIER Bk | Sioux Falls | SD | A | $871 |
First Security Bk | Missoula | MT | A- | $847 |
First Source Bk | S Bend | IN | B+ | $4,457 |
First St Bk Central TX | Austin | TX | B+ | $1,005 |
Firstbank Southwest | Amarillo | TX | B+ | $660 |
FPC Financial FSB | Madison | WI | B+ | $1,729 |
Frost NB | San Antonio | TX | A- | $13,797 |
Gate City Bk | Fargo | ND | A- | $994 |
GE Capital Fncl | Salt Lake City | UT | A- | $5,266 |
Glacier Bk | Kalispell | MT | A- | $1,155 |
Glens Falls NB&TC | Glens Falls | NY | B+ | $1,396 |
Heritage Bk of Commerce | San Jose | CA | B+ | $1,486 |
High Point B&TC | High Point | NC | A- | $791 |
Hills B&TC | Hills | IA | B+ | $1,706 |
Home Federal Bank | Nampa | ID | B+ | $687 |
Home Federal Bank of TN | Knoxville | TN | B+ | $1,797 |
Hudson Valley Bank, NA | Stamford | CT | B+ | $2,210 |
Idaho Independent Bk | Coeur D'Alene | ID | B+ | $595 |
International Bk/Cmmrce NA | Brownsville | TX | B+ | $794 |
Intrust Bk NA | Wichita | KS | B+ | $3,463 |
Jersey Shore St Bk | Jersey Shore | PA | A- | $623 |
KleinBank | Big Lake | MN | B+ | $1,545 |
LA Jolla Bk FSB | Rancho Santa Fe | CA | B+ | $3,659 |
Lehman Brothers Comml Bank | Salt Lake City | UT | B+ | $6,418 |
Liberty Bk | Middletown | CT | A- | $2,778 |
Luther Burbank Svgs | Santa Rosa | CA | B+ | $3,049 |
Manufacturers Bk | Los Angeles | CA | B+ | $2,073 |
Maspeth FS&LA | Maspeth | NY | A | $1,353 |
Mechanics Bk | Richmond | CA | B+ | $2,656 |
Mizuho Corporate Bk Of CA | Los Angeles | CA | B+ | $558 |
Mizuho Corporate Bk USA | New York | NY | B+ | $3,035 |
Mountain West Bk | Coeur D'Alene | ID | B+ | $1,115 |
National B&TC of Sycamore | Sycamore | IL | A- | $574 |
National Bk of Blacksburg | Blacksburg | VA | A- | $891 |
National Exchange B&TC | Fond Du Lac | WI | A | $1,053 |
Nationwide Bank | Columbus | OH | A- | $1,506 |
Needham Bk | Needham | MA | B+ | $803 |
Newburyport Five Cnts SB | Newburyport | MA | B+ | $588 |
North American Svgs Bk FSB | Grandview | MO | B+ | $1,546 |
Northfield Bank | Staten Island | NY | A- | $1,518 |
Old Second NB | Aurora | IL | B+ | $2,953 |
OptumHealth Bank, Inc. | W Valley City | UT | A- | $771 |
Orrstown Bk | Shippensburg | PA | B+ | $937 |
Pacific Coast Bkr BK | San Francisco | CA | B+ | $504 |
Panhandle St Bk | Sandpoint | ID | B+ | $1,023 |
Parke Bk | Sewell | NJ | B+ | $528 |
Penn Security B&TC | Scranton | PA | A- | $625 |
Peoples Bk of Biloxi | Biloxi | MS | A- | $891 |
People's United Bank | Bridgeport | CT | B+ | $17,367 |
Piedmont FSB | Winston-Salem | NC | B+ | $834 |
Pinnacle Bk | Lincoln | NE | B+ | $2,211 |
Provident Bk | Montebello | NY | B+ | $2,682 |
Prudential Bank & Trust, FSB | Hartford | CT | B+ | $1,445 |
RCB Bk | Claremore | OK | B+ | $1,189 |
River City Bk | Sacramento | CA | B+ | $862 |
Roma Bank | Robbinsville | NJ | B+ | $923 |
Rosedale FS&LA | Baltimore | MD | A+ | $607 |
Savings Bk of Mendocino Cty | Ukiah | CA | A- | $738 |
Security NB of Omaha | Omaha | NE | B+ | $574 |
Security NB of Sioux City IA | Sioux City | IA | B+ | $617 |
Silicon Valley Bk | Santa Clara | CA | A | $6,673 |
Skagit St Bk | Burlington | WA | A- | $568 |
Solvay Bk | Solvay | NY | B+ | $525 |
Somerset Svgs Bk, SLA | Bound Brook | NJ | B+ | $596 |
South Side T&SB | Peoria | IL | A- | $518 |
Southern B&TC | Mt Olive | NC | B+ | $1,165 |
Starion Financial | Bismarck | ND | B+ | $576 |
State Bk of India (Calif) | Los Angeles | CA | B+ | $589 |
State Bk of Southern Utah | Cedar City | UT | A- | $603 |
Stearns Bk NA | St Cloud | MN | B+ | $1,031 |
StellarOne Bank | Christiansburg | VA | B+ | $3,007 |
Sumitomo Tr & Bkg Co USA | Hoboken | NJ | A+ | $718 |
Talbot Bk of Easton MD | Easton | MD | B+ | $591 |
Time FSB | Medford | WI | B+ | $502 |
Torrington Svgs Bk | Torrington | CT | B+ | $725 |
Tri City NB | Oak Creek | WI | A | $755 |
Tri Counties Bk | Chico | CA | A- | $1,979 |
UMB Bank Colorado | Denver | CO | B+ | $845 |
UMB NB of America | Salina | KS | B+ | $591 |
Union B&TC | Lincoln | NE | B+ | $1,720 |
United Bk | Zebulon | GA | B+ | $646 |
Univest NB&TC | Souderton | PA | A- | $1,995 |
Washington First Intl Bk | Seattle | WA | B+ | $638 |
Washington FS&LA | Seattle | WA | A | $11,572 |
Waukesha St Bk | Waukesha | WI | A | $687 |
Western Security Bank | Billings | MT | A- | $567 |
Wilmington Svgs Fund Society | Wilmington | DE | B+ | $3,193 |
Wilshire St Bk | Los Angeles | CA | B+ | $2,356 |
Woodforest NB | Houston | TX | A- | $2,687 |
World Financial Network NB | Columbus | OH | A- | $1,029 |
Wright Express Fin Svcs Corp | Salt Lake City | UT | A- | $1,493 |
Yakima FS&LA | Yakima | WA | B+ | $1,394 |
Distributed by: Weiss Research, Inc., www.MoneyandMarkets.com.
Source of Financial Strength Ratings: TheStreet.com Ratings, www.TheStreet.com.
Data source: Statutory filings with state insurance commissioners, second quarter 2008.
Selection criteria for the table below: U.S. life and health insurers with total assets of $500 million or more and with a rating of D+ or lower.
Company | State | TheStreet.com Financial Strength Rating | ($) Total Assets |
ACA Financial Guaranty Corp | MD | D- | 642,377,000 |
Affirmative Ins Co | IL | D+ | 514,802,000 |
American Physicians Asr Corp | MI | D+ | 846,083,000 |
Arrowood Indemnity Co | DE | D | 2,942,967,000 |
Axis Surplus Ins Co | IL | D | 580,783,000 |
Bankers Life & Cas Co | IL | D+ | 10,770,393,000 |
Brickstreet Mutual Ins Co | WV | E+ | 1,479,174,000 |
Catastrophe Reins Co | TX | E+ | 1,262,290,000 |
Clearwater Ins Co | DE | D | 1,298,296,000 |
Coast National Ins Co | CA | D+ | 545,402,000 |
Colonial Penn Life Ins Co | PA | D+ | 709,488,000 |
Conseco Health Ins Co | AZ | D+ | 2,392,440,000 |
Conseco Ins Co | IL | D+ | 1,133,932,000 |
Conseco Life Ins Co | IN | D+ | 4,266,844,000 |
Conseco Senior Health Ins Co | PA | D+ | 3,425,873,000 |
Dorinco Reinsurance Co | MI | D | 1,750,983,000 |
Financial Guaranty Ins Co | NY | D | 4,263,721,000 |
Finial Reins Co | CT | D | 1,317,986,000 |
First State Ins Co | CT | E | 981,690,000 |
Global Reins Corp Of America | NY | D- | 584,308,000 |
Greenwich Ins Co | DE | D | 863,114,000 |
Indiana Old National Ins Co | VT | D | 1,999,448,000 |
Jefferson National Life Ins Co | TX | D- | 1,614,881,000 |
Lifecare Assurance Co | AZ | D+ | 682,772,000 |
Lumbermens Mutual Cas Co | IL | E | 1,595,570,000 |
Medical Liability Mutual Ins Co | NY | D+ | 5,008,299,000 |
Monarch Life Ins Co | MA | F | 924,370,000 |
Partner Reinsurance Co Of The Us | NY | D+ | 3,326,868,000 |
Penn Treaty Network America Ins Co | PA | D+ | 1,037,633,000 |
Physicians Reciprocal Insurers | NY | E- | 1,412,360,000 |
PMI Ins Co | AZ | D+ | 564,310,000 |
PMI Mortgage Ins Co | AZ | D | 3,765,664,000 |
Presidential Life Ins Co | NY | D+ | 3,891,910,000 |
Princeton Ins Co | NJ | D+ | 1,034,679,000 |
Radian Guaranty Inc | PA | D | 4,038,675,000 |
SCOR Global Life US Re Ins Co | TX | D+ | 1,996,976,000 |
SCOR Reinsurance Co | NY | D | 1,427,621,000 |
Seabright Ins Co | IL | D+ | 695,986,000 |
TIG Ins Co | CA | D | 2,176,928,000 |
Underwriters At Lloyds London | IL | E+ | 741,757,000 |
United Automobile Ins Co | FL | D- | 540,645,000 |
Washington National Ins Co | IL | D+ | 2,376,426,000 |
Western United Life Asr Co | WA | F | 789,315,000 |
Wilton Reassurance Life Co Of NY | NY | D- | 1,217,650,000 |
XL Capital Asr Inc | NY | D | 580,951,000 |
XL Ins America Inc | DE | D+ | 618,004,000 |
Distributed by: Weiss Research, Inc., www.MoneyandMarkets.com.
Source of Financial Strength Ratings: TheStreet.com Ratings, www.TheStreet.com.
Data source: Statutory filings with state insurance commissioners, second quarter 2008.
Selection criteria for the table below: U.S. life and health insurers with total assets of $500 million or more and with a rating of B+ or higher.
Company | State | TheStreet.com Financial Strength Rating | ($) Total Assets |
Acacia Life Ins Co | DC | A- | 1,632,297,000 |
Alfa Life Ins Corp | AL | A | 1,122,859,000 |
Alfa Mutual Fire Ins Co | AL | A- | 792,965,000 |
Alfa Mutual Ins Co | AL | A- | 1,450,155,000 |
Allstate Ins Co | IL | A- | 44,022,535,000 |
Allstate Life Ins Co | IL | A- | 75,704,815,000 |
American Family Life Asr Co Of Colum | NE | B+ | 63,026,750,000 |
American Family Life Ins Co | WI | A+ | 3,922,736,000 |
American Fidelity Asr Co | OK | A+ | 3,282,597,000 |
American General Life Ins Co | TX | B+ | 36,618,728,000 |
American Health & Life Ins Co | TX | B+ | 1,711,478,000 |
American Income Life Ins Co | IN | A- | 1,730,502,000 |
American Modern Home Ins Co | OH | B+ | 895,708,000 |
American National Ins Co | TX | B+ | 14,228,188,000 |
American National Property & Cas Co | MO | A- | 1,186,077,000 |
American United Life Ins Co | IN | A- | 13,653,720,000 |
Ameritas Life Ins Corp | NE | A- | 6,200,251,000 |
Amica Life Ins Co | RI | A- | 928,202,000 |
Anthem Blue Cross Life & Health Ins | CA | B+ | 1,933,280,000 |
Assurity Life Ins Co | NE | B+ | 2,182,113,000 |
Auto-Owners Ins Co | MI | A | 9,445,988,000 |
Auto-Owners Life Ins Co | MI | A | 2,073,873,000 |
AXA Corporate Solutions Life Reins | DE | A- | 896,661,000 |
AXA Life & Annuity Co | CO | B+ | 550,385,000 |
Berkshire Life Ins Co Of America | MA | A | 2,360,212,000 |
Bituminous Casualty Corp | IL | A- | 762,010,000 |
Boston Mutual Life Ins Co | MA | B+ | 897,252,000 |
California State Auto Asn Inter-Ins | CA | A- | 5,632,433,000 |
Canal Ins Co | SC | B+ | 1,245,243,000 |
Central Mutual Ins Co | OH | B+ | 1,229,300,000 |
Church Mutual Ins Co | WI | A | 1,194,769,000 |
Cincinnati Ins Co | OH | A- | 9,997,816,000 |
Columbus Life Ins Co | OH | B+ | 2,521,485,000 |
Commerce Ins Co | MA | B+ | 2,951,007,000 |
Cooperativa D Seguros Multiples D Pr | PR | A- | 515,778,000 |
Cornhusker Casualty Co | NE | B+ | 772,947,000 |
Country Life Ins Co | IL | A+ | 7,371,917,000 |
Country Mutual Ins Co | IL | A | 3,450,695,000 |
Cumis Ins Society Inc | IA | B+ | 1,346,943,000 |
Dairyland Ins Co | WI | A | 1,246,729,000 |
Empire Fidelity Investments L I C | NY | A- | 1,542,762,000 |
Erie Family Life Ins Co | PA | B+ | 1,560,126,000 |
Farm Bureau Life Ins Co | IA | B+ | 5,623,349,000 |
Farm Bureau Life Ins Co Of Michigan | MI | A- | 1,705,973,000 |
Farm Bureau Mutual Ins Co | IA | A- | 1,484,294,000 |
Farm Family Life Ins Co | NY | B+ | 1,012,581,000 |
Farmers Automobile Ins Asn | IL | B+ | 860,453,000 |
Federal Ins Co | IN | B+ | 29,772,626,000 |
Federated Life Ins Co | MN | A | 944,589,000 |
Federated Mutual Ins Co | MN | B+ | 3,909,037,000 |
Fidelity Investments Life Ins Co | UT | A | 15,309,502,000 |
Fidelity Life Assn A Legal Reserve | IL | B+ | 528,469,000 |
First Investors Life Ins Co | NY | A- | 1,275,675,000 |
Foremost Ins Co | MI | A- | 1,997,074,000 |
Fort Dearborn Life Ins Co | IL | A | 2,264,437,000 |
Frankenmuth Mutual Ins Co | MI | A | 959,680,000 |
Geico Indemnity Co | MD | A- | 4,578,509,000 |
General Re Life Corp | CT | B+ | 2,645,988,000 |
Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Ins Co | GA | A- | 828,866,000 |
Gerber Life Ins Co | NY | A- | 1,466,269,000 |
Government Employees Ins Co | MD | B+ | 12,630,060,000 |
Government Personnel Mutual L I C | TX | B+ | 788,971,000 |
Grange Mutual Cas Co | OH | A- | 1,617,156,000 |
Great Northern Ins Co | IN | B+ | 1,491,886,000 |
Great West Casualty Co | NE | A- | 1,545,657,000 |
Great-West Life & Annuity Ins Co | CO | B+ | 36,344,017,000 |
Guardian Life Ins Co Of America | NY | A | 28,965,624,000 |
Hartford Fire Ins Co | CT | B+ | 25,588,058,000 |
Hartford Life & Annuity Ins Co | CT | B+ | 82,527,190,000 |
Hartford Underwriters Ins Co | CT | B+ | 1,579,478,000 |
Hastings Mutual Ins Co | MI | A+ | 611,227,000 |
Health Net Life Ins Co | CA | B+ | 798,765,000 |
Home-Owners Ins Co | MI | A | 1,276,338,000 |
Illinois Mutual Life Ins Co | IL | A- | 1,273,086,000 |
Interins Exch Of The Automobile Club | CA | A+ | 5,581,507,000 |
Jackson National Life Ins Co | MI | B+ | 73,607,090,000 |
John Hancock Life Ins Co | MA | A- | 68,798,380,000 |
John Hancock Life Ins Co (USA) | MI | B+ | 121,384,552,000 |
John Hancock Life Ins Co Of NY | NY | A | 7,064,601,000 |
John Hancock Variable Life Ins Co | MA | B+ | 14,560,345,000 |
Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Ins Co | KY | A | 1,660,062,000 |
Liberty National Life Ins Co | AL | B+ | 5,116,696,000 |
Lincoln Benefit Life Co | NE | B+ | 3,120,866,000 |
Lincoln Heritage Life Ins Co | IL | B+ | 594,141,000 |
London Life Reinsurance Co | PA | B+ | 1,245,872,000 |
Massachusetts Mutual Life Ins Co | MA | A | 119,963,256,000 |
Mercury Casualty Co | CA | A- | 2,382,117,000 |
Mercury Ins Co | CA | A | 1,516,421,000 |
Merit Life Ins Co | IN | B+ | 1,106,579,000 |
Merrimack Mutual Fire Ins Co | MA | A- | 861,026,000 |
Metropolitan Life Ins Co | NY | B+ | 301,793,931,000 |
Metropolitan Property & Cas Ins Co | RI | B+ | 5,183,091,000 |
Midland National Life Ins Co | IA | A- | 25,670,030,000 |
Minnesota Life Ins Co | MN | A- | 22,925,431,000 |
MML Bay State Life Ins Co | CT | A- | 4,555,221,000 |
Motorists Mutual Ins Co | OH | B+ | 1,213,330,000 |
MTL Ins Co | IL | B+ | 1,283,579,000 |
Mutual Ins Co Of AZ | AZ | B+ | 885,430,000 |
Mutual Of America Life Ins Co | NY | B+ | 12,424,461,000 |
Mutual Of Omaha Ins Co | NE | A- | 4,538,156,000 |
National Benefit Life Ins Co | NY | A- | 722,951,000 |
National Guardian Life Ins Co | WI | A- | 1,514,956,000 |
National Integrity Life Ins Co | NY | B+ | 3,761,456,000 |
National Liability & Fire Ins Co | CT | A- | 1,199,175,000 |
Nationwide Life Ins Co | OH | B+ | 93,104,603,000 |
Nationwide Life Ins Co Of America | PA | B+ | 6,056,557,000 |
Nationwide Mutual Fire Ins Co | OH | B+ | 4,310,256,000 |
New York Life Ins & Annuity Corp | DE | A | 73,552,223,000 |
New York Life Ins Co | NY | A | 123,446,502,000 |
New York Marine & General Ins Co | NY | A- | 601,600,000 |
North Carolina Farm Bu Mutual Ins Co | NC | A- | 1,592,026,000 |
Northwestern Mutual Life Ins Co | WI | A | 158,298,015,000 |
Ohio National Life Asr Corp | OH | B+ | 2,703,697,000 |
Old Republic General Ins Corp | IL | A- | 987,289,000 |
Old Republic Ins Co | PA | A- | 2,380,335,000 |
Owners Ins Co | OH | A- | 2,447,660,000 |
Pacific Life & Annuity Co | AZ | A- | 2,419,040,000 |
Pacific Life Ins Co | NE | A | 94,447,398,000 |
Pekin Life Ins Co | IL | B+ | 826,846,000 |
Penn Ins & Annuity Co | DE | B+ | 1,103,682,000 |
Penn Mutual Life Ins Co | PA | B+ | 10,339,561,000 |
Physicians Life Ins Co | NE | A- | 1,302,749,000 |
Physicians Mutual Ins Co | NE | A+ | 1,406,088,000 |
Primerica Life Ins Co | MA | A- | 6,140,884,000 |
Principal Life Ins Co | IA | A- | 132,593,698,000 |
Protective Ins Co | IN | A+ | 603,960,000 |
Radian Asset Asr Co | NY | B+ | 2,504,183,000 |
Reliable Life Ins Co | MO | A- | 739,976,000 |
Reliastar Life Ins Co | MN | B+ | 21,955,348,000 |
Riversource Life Ins Co Of NY | NY | B+ | 4,839,180,000 |
Safety Ins Co | MA | B+ | 1,223,114,000 |
Savings Bank Life Ins Co Of Ma | MA | A- | 2,088,888,000 |
Sentry Ins A Mutual Co | WI | A | 5,609,638,000 |
Sentry Life Ins Co | WI | A | 3,214,258,000 |
Shelter Life Ins Co | MO | A- | 924,554,000 |
Southern Farm Bureau Cas Ins Co | MS | A- | 2,748,224,000 |
Southern Farm Bureau Life Ins Co | MS | A | 9,974,133,000 |
Standard Life & Accident Ins Co | OK | A- | 526,172,000 |
State Auto Property & Casualty Ins | IA | B+ | 1,741,576,000 |
State Farm Life & Accident Asr Co | IL | A+ | 1,575,818,000 |
State Farm Life Ins Co | IL | A+ | 43,585,179,000 |
State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins Co | IL | B+ | 103,031,215,000 |
State Volunteer Mutual Ins Co | TN | B+ | 949,776,000 |
Teachers Ins & Annuity Asn Of Am | NY | A+ | 198,035,469,000 |
Tennessee Farmers Asr Co | TN | A | 883,836,000 |
Tennessee Farmers Life Ins Co | TN | A | 1,269,559,000 |
Tennessee Farmers Mutual Ins Co | TN | A- | 1,902,758,000 |
Thrivent Life Ins Co | MN | B+ | 3,420,312,000 |
Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Ins Ltd | NY | B+ | 1,701,782,000 |
Union Central Life Ins Co | OH | B+ | 6,971,059,000 |
United Farm Family Life Ins Co | IN | A | 1,688,051,000 |
United Farm Family Mutual Ins Co | IN | A- | 840,304,000 |
United Of Omaha Life Ins Co | NE | B+ | 13,174,566,000 |
United Services Automobile Asn | TX | A+ | 18,709,703,000 |
USAA Casualty Ins Co | TX | A+ | 6,182,472,000 |
USAA Life Ins Co | TX | A | 11,408,616,000 |
Variable Annuity Life Ins Co | TX | A- | 61,439,244,000 |
Wesco-Financial Ins Co | NE | B+ | 2,901,304,000 |
West Bend Mutual Ins Co | WI | A- | 1,483,559,000 |
Western & Southern Life Ins Co | OH | B+ | 8,533,045,000 |
Publisher: Weiss Research, Inc.
Data source: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and most recent financial statements.
Selection criteria for the table below: Based on reader interest and other issues we deemed relevant to investors.
Definition of Capital Multiple: Total net capital divided by minimum capital requirement.
Important: Do not rely exclusively on this measure to evaluate the relative safety of your broker. When you have a choice, favor brokers with a higher capital multiple as an indicator of their ability to withstand losses or other financial difficulties.
Brokerage Firm | Capital Multiple |
Edward Jones | 19.90 |
Bank of New York Mellon (Pershing) | 15.80 |
T. Rowe Price | 13.98 |
Scottrade | 13.86 |
OptionsXpress | 12.65 |
Raymond James | 11.92 |
Merrill Lynch | 8.62 |
Fidelity | 7.93 |
Bank of America Securities | 5.97 |
ING Direct | 5.85 |
Schwab | 5.85 |
Lehman Brothers | 5.43 |
E*Trade | 5.00 |
TD Ameritrade | 4.72 |
Citi Smith Barney | 4.06 |
Goldman Sachs | 3.90 |
Morgan Stanley | 3.21 |
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