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Weakest Large Banks In America
Name (City, State) Weiss Safety Rating
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya PR (San Juan, PR) D+
Banco Popular North America (NY, NY) D+
Bay View Bank NA (San Mateo, CA) E-
Beal Bank (Plano, TX) D
BSB B&TC; (Binghamton, NY) D+
Capital One Bank (Glen Allen, VA) D+
Chevy Chase Bank (Chevy Chase, MD) D
Discover Bank (Greenwood, DE) D
Fidelity Federal Bank (Glendale, CA) E
Guardian Savings Bank (Houston, TX) E+
Hamilton Bank NA (Miami, FL) E-
IBJ Whitehall (NY, NY) D
Imperial Capital Bank (Encino, CA) D+
ING Bank (Wilmington, DE) D
Liberty Savings Bank (Wilmington, OH) D
Main Street Bank (Reading, PA) D+
Matrix Capital Bank (Las Cruces, NM) D-
Metropolitan B & T (Mayfield Hts, OH) E+
Ocwen Federal Bank (Fort Lee, NJ) D
Providian (Tilton, NH) D
Republic Bank (St Petersburg, FL) D+
R-G Premier Bank of PR (San Juan, PR) D+
Sterling Bank and Trust (Southfield, MI) D-
TD Waterhouse Bank NA (Jersey City, NJ) D+
Texas Capital Bank NA (Dallas, TX) D-
Union Fed Bk of Indianapolis (Indianapolis, IN) D
World Savings Bank, Texas (Houston, TX) D+


We give these banks a low rating because we believe they are weak or very weak, based on their capital, earnings, and hundreds of other factors. Weak rated banks have had a higher-than-average failure rate in the past.

This table contains all US banks and thrifts that we considered weak (receiving a Weiss rating of D+ or lower) as of August 21, 2001, with total assets exceeding $1 billion.

There are also many smaller banks rated D+ or lower that are not included in this list.


Weakest Insurance Companies
Name (State) Weiss Safety Rating
Alabama Reassurance Co (AL) D+
American Community Mutual (MI) D
American Pioneer Life (FL) D+
American Progressive of NY (NY) D
American Skandia Life (CT) D+
Aurora National Life (CA) D
Capitol Life (CO) D
Central Reserve Life (PA) D+
Continental General (NE) D+
Golden State Mutual Life (CA) D
Hannover Life Reassurance Co of Amer (FL) D+
Health Insurance Plan of Greater NY (NY) D-
Kilpatrick Life (LA) D+
Mayflower National Life (IN) D-
Medico Life (NE) D+
Mutual Savings Life (AL) D
National Heritage (TX) E
New Era Life (TX) D+
Old Standard Life (ID) D
Old West Annuity & Life (AZ) D
Penn Treaty Network America (PA) D-
Pennsylvania Life (PA) D+
Sterling Bank and Trust (Southfield, MI) D-
Scottish Re US (DE) D+
Security National Life (UT) D+
Security Plan Life (LA) D-
Selected Funeral & Life (AR) D+
Southwestern Life (TX) D+
Union Bankers (TX) D+
United Fidelity Life (TX) D+
Universal Guaranty Life (OH) D+
Southwestern Life (TX) D
Wabash Life (IN) D+
Wisconsin Physicians Service (WI) D


This table contains strictly those life and health insurers considered weak (receiving a Weiss Safety Rating of D+ or lower) as of September 5, 2001, with total assets exceeding $100 million.

Their low Safety Rating does not represent our forecast of failure. But historically, the probability of failure has been high among lower rated companies. Again, there also may be other, smaller weak insurers that do not appear on this list.