Insurance Broker-Bank Fee Income Up 9% in 2011

Bank holding company insurance-brokerage-fee income rose more than 9 percent last year compared to 2010, reaching record levels of close to $8 billion, according to a recent report measuring bank-insurance activity.

JPMorgan Veered From Hedging Practices at Competing Banks

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)’s biggest U.S. competitors say their corporate investment offices avoid the use of derivatives that led to the bank’s $2 billion loss and buy fewer bonds exposed to credit risk.

Credit Card Companies Seek to Lower Their Risk

Credit card companies seeking to lower their risk have several ways to go about it, and they’ll be using, when the new laws go into effect. Some consumers are being hit with lowered credit lines – sometimes lower than their outstanding balances. This triggers over-limit fees and causes panic in those consumers who are unable to pay the balance down below the new credit limit. So you can get a free credit report.