PART 1

A.I.G. is often called the largest insurance entity in the world. A.I.G.'s total assets were $860 billion on 12/31/2008 (dwarfing any other insurance entity) with 116,000 employees, operating in 130 countries, with 71 U.S. based insurance companies, and 176 other companies representing non U.S. insurers and other financial services. Many regulatory issues are raised by A.I.G.'s structure: regulatory arbitrage in its multitude of companies and countries and its selection of a Gramm-Leach-Bliley regulator; its extreme unregulated systemic risk; and its complete lack of regulation of certain "insurance-like" components.

Review the paper titled: On the Financial Regulation of Insurance Companies written by Viral V. Acharya, John Biggs, Mathew Richardson and Stephen Ryan and answer the following questions. It is also strongly suggested you complete additional reading as is relvevant.

1. Explain A.I.G's business model and structure and why it was considered a systemic risk?

2. Identify as well as discuss the main factors that led to the failure of A.I.G.

3. Describe how moral hazard and adverse selection materialized during the financial failure of A.I.G?

4. How did A.I.G and monoline insurers aid commercial as well investment banks in avoiding capital adequacy requirements?

PART 2

Lehman Brothers Holdings was a global financial services firm which, until declaring bankruptcy in 2008, participated in business in investment banking, equity and fixedincome sales, research and trading, investment management, private equity, and private banking. On September 15, 2008, the firm filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following a technical run and a significant devaluation of its assets by credit rating agencies. Previously valued at over $60 per share, Lehman was now being traded in pennies. Your reading and research on the failure of the Lehman group will help you to answer the questions below and understand the substantive reason for financial regulation.

1. Identify and explain the weakness in Lehman's governance practices.

a. What was the quality of the reporting to the Board by management;

b. What was Lehman's treatment of internal limits and risk management mechanisms in an attempt to boost profitability?

2. What is leverage? Was Lehman leverage ratio consistent with that considered safe by regulators? What prevented Lehman from being able to safely and quickly deleverage?

3. List and explain the financial events led to the erosion of Lehman's capital base?

4. Define stress testing. What weaknesses & unusual practices were identified as it relates to Lehman's stress testing.