American Equity Identifies Impairments

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, an annuity underwriter, says it has recorded more “other than temporary impairments” for the fourth quarter of 2008.

American Equity, West Des Moines, Iowa, a company best known for selling annuities, previously reported a mark-to-market decline in the fair value of all securities available for sale, including residential mortgage-backed securities, in its preliminary financial statement for the quarter and year ending Dec. 31, 2008.

The additional impairments require American Equity to report the decline in the value of these assets as realized losses on investments in its statement of operations for the fourth quarter of 2008, the company says.

As a result of the restatement, realized losses on investments increased to about $96 million for the fourth quarter from $23 million previously reported, with a corresponding decrease in net from $4.2 million to a net loss of $22 million for the quarter.