Moody's has said it does not expect the US terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to result in a significant number of ratings downgrades for US life insurers.
It added that their diversified underwriting discipline and reinsurance programmes should protect them.
But it does expect the industry to face higher than normal mortality and morbidity claims as well as investment losses.
The international credit ratings agency said reinsurers, depending on their lines of business, were more likely to suffer from the attacks.
It said it was still "too early to accurately assess and define companies' exposures" and that loss estimates will have to be adjusted going forward.
