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AIG, Chartis unit sign credit agreements

Published Monday, Dec. 27, 2010 4:17PM EST

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/aig-chartis-unit-sign-credit-agreements/article1850448/

Bailed-out insurer American International Group Inc. (AIG-N59.385.059.30%) took another step toward winding down its support from the U.S. government Monday by securing $4.3-billion (U.S.) of credit lines from banks.

AIG and its property insurance unit Chartis Inc. agreed to three separate credit facilities with banks, partly replacing credit lines from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, AIG said in regulatory filings.

We believe we are close enough to completing our recapitalization plan that we can see the finish line,” said Robert Benmosche, AIG’s chief executive officer, in a prepared statement.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp., and Citigroup Inc. were joint lead arrangers for the three facilities. AIG said in a prepared release that 36 banks in total have agreed to participate in the credit facilities.

AIG signed two credit agreements worth $1.5-billion each, one for three years and another for 364 days, it said in a regulatory filing.

Separately, Chartis signed a $1.3-billion letter of credit and reimbursement agreement with its lenders.

The new credit facilities will be used once the previously announced recapitalization plan with the U.S. Treasury Department and the New York Fed is closed, effectively ending a portion of the government’s support of the insurance giant issued after the demise of Lehman Brothers Holdings in 2008.

The new private sector credit line is not a dollar-for-dollar replacement of the Fed’s credit line, which currently totals $21-billion.

But the Fed’s credit line is expected to be paid off in the first quarter 2011, according to the insurer’s previously announced recapitalization plan.

In total, the U.S. government holds a $91-billion stake in AIG.