Time, markets to seal U.S. muni insurance fate: regulator

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"Time and the market will determine the need for municipal bond insurance," Eric Dinallo said in the text of prepared testimony to a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the shaken municipal bond insurance sector.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some local governments might find they do not need insurance for their municipal bonds as bond insurers emerge from their current crisis, New York's insurance industry regulator said on Wednesday.

"Time and the market will determine the need for municipal bond insurance," Eric Dinallo said in the text of prepared testimony to a U.S. House of Representatives hearing on the shaken municipal bond insurance sector.

"Some governments have stated recently that they believe they no longer need bond insurance... That may mean that the demand for bond insurance shrinks," according to the prepared testimony obtained by Reuters.

Dinallo said that his steps to stabilize the bond insurance industry should buy time for stability in other sectors of the market.

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(Reporting by Patrick Rucker; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)