WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American International Group Chief Executive Robert Benmosche said on Wednesday that after the bailed-out insurer repays the government it will no longer be "too big to fail."
"Once we pay back the government and we exit as an investment-grade company, I believe we are no longer too big to fail," Benmosche said in response to a Congressional Oversight Panel question.
Benmosche said AIG will need to be a simpler organization to ensure good credit ratings, adding he doesn't see AIG Financial Products as part of AIG in the long-run.
"My personal belief is the reason that you might think we are too big to fail is we owe you a lot of money," Benmosche said.
The panel, which helps police U.S. bailout efforts, is holding a hearing into the aid provided to AIG by the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve in 2008 and 2009.
(Reporting by David Lawder and Kristina Cooke)