NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 3, 2009-- Assured Guaranty Corp. (“Assured” or “the Company”), the financial guaranty subsidiary of Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO), announced today its February 2009 U.S. public finance new issue volume totaled $3.0 billion, including four transactions with par insured in excess of $100 million.

“Assured continues to see strong demand for its financial guaranty from states and municipalities seeking to finance significant infrastructure, education and transportation projects,” stated Bill Hogan, Senior Managing Director of Assured’s Public Finance Group. “Assured’s market reputation as a reliable partner with secure and stable financial strength helps both issuers and investors alike during these times of uncertainty and market volatility.”

For the month of February 2009, Assured provided guaranties on 149 U.S. public finance new issue transactions totaling $3.0 billion of par insured and 13.3% of total U.S. public finance new issue volume during February 2009. Assured’s new issue activity increased 56% over February 2008, during which Assured provided guaranties on 71 transactions totaling $1.9 billion of par insured, or 9.2% of total U.S. public finance new issue volume.

Assured also guaranteed four transactions in February 2009 whose par insured was greater than $100 million, including: $339 million in revenue and revenue refunding bonds for the Commonwealth of Kentucky State Property and Buildings Commission; $325 million in revenue refunding and improvement bonds for the City of Dallas, Texas Convention Center; $310 million in certificates of participation for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools; and $185 million in certificates of participation for the Orange County, Florida Public Schools.

Assured Guaranty Corp. is a leading provider of financial guaranty insurance in the U.S. and international public finance, structured finance and mortgage-backed securities markets. Assured Guaranty Corp. is rated triple-A (stable) by Fitch Ratings Inc. and Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 (stable) by Moody’s Investor Service. Assured Guaranty Corp. is licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a Bermuda-based holding company. Its operating subsidiaries provide credit enhancement products to the U.S. and international public finance, structured finance and mortgage markets. More information can be found at www.assuredguaranty.com.

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. For example, the Company’s forward-looking statements, including its statements regarding the volume of the public finance business, could be affected by a significant reduction in the amount of reinsurance ceded by one or more of our principal ceding companies, rating agency action such as a ratings downgrade, difficulties with the execution of the Company’s business strategy, contract cancellations, developments in the world’s financial and capital markets, more severe or frequent losses associated with products affecting the adequacy of the Company’s loss reserve, changes in regulation or tax laws, governmental actions, natural catastrophes, the Company’s dependence on customers, decreased demand or increased competition, loss of key personnel, technological developments, the effects of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, changes in accounting policies or practices, changes in general economic conditions, other risks and uncertainties that have not been identified at this time, management’s response to these factors, and other risk factors identified in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Assured Guaranty Ltd.

Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Public Finance:
Bill Hogan
Senior Managing Director, Public Finance
212-408-6006
bhogan@assuredguaranty.com
or
Equity Investors:
Sabra Purtill
Managing Director, Global Communications and Investor Relations
212-408-6044
441-278-6665
spurtill@assuredguaranty.com
or
Media:
Ashweeta Durani
Vice President, Global Communications
212-408-6042
917-597-2065
adurani@assuredguaranty.com