CARRIER FAILURES DECLINED 48% LAST YEAR

With the economy continuing to strengthen, the number of insurance companies that failed in 2004 declined 48 percent to 13, compared to 25 insurer insolvencies in 2003, according to Weiss Ratings Inc., an independent provider of ratings and analyses of financial services companies, mutual funds, and stocks. Three life/health insurers and 10 property/casualty insurers failed in 2003, compared to four and 21 respective failures in 2003.