Advisory on confidentiality of supervisory ratings.

The federal banking and thrift institution regulatory agencies issued on February 28, 2005, an interagency advisory to remind financial institutions that they are prohibited by law from disclosing their CAMELS rating and other nonpublic supervisory information without permission from the appropriate federal banking agency.

The advisory is prompted by insurers who have requested or required banks and savings associations to disclose their CAMELS rating during the underwriting process for directors and officers liability coverage.

As a result of actions by insurers, the agencies have requested the assistance of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in notifying insurance companies that the practice of requesting or requiring CAMELS ratings should be discontinued.