<div id="subtitle">MetLife earnings fall 70 percent as claims increase; In talks to buy insurance unit from AIG</div><div><p>MetLife Inc., a leading life insurance company, says its profit tumbled 70 percent in the fourth quarter as it paid out more in claims and benefits.</p><p>The company also confirmed Tuesday that it's in talks with American International Group Inc. about buying the American Life Insurance Company, a unit of AIG.</p><p>Rumors surfaced last month about a possible MetLife deal for the AIG unit, which is an international life and health insurance business that operates in more than 50 countries.</p><p>MetLife's former CEO, Robert H. Benmosche, became AIG's CEO in August.</p><p>For the final three months of the year, MetLife earned $289 million in the last three months of the year, or 35 cents per share. That compares with $954 million, or $1.20 per share, in the same period a year earlier.</p><p>Excluding investment gains and losses, operating income rose to $793 million, or 96 cents per share, from $132 million, or 17 cents per share in the year-earlier period. Results exceeded Wall Street's expectations for earnings of 95 cents per share, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters.</p><p>Like most insurers, MetLife emphasizes operating income because it excludes investment gains and losses and is considered more reflective of the company's performance.</p><p>Revenue fell nearly 12 percent to $12.34 billion. Paid claims and benefits rose to $7.64 billion from $7.01 billion.</p><p>For the full year, net loss available to common shareholders was $2.37 billion, or $2.89 per share, from a profit of $3.08 billion, or $4.14 per share, in 2008. Operating income fell 12 percent to $2.37 billion, or $2.87 per share, from $2.7 billion, or $3.62 per share.</p><p>In after-hours trading, shares shed 23 cents to $36.14. The stock rose 43 cents to $36.37 in the regular session.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68336105&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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