There are a number of reasons why insurers decide to sell or reinsure run-off books of businesses:

• Release capital
• Address regulatory or rating agency issues
• Exit insurance lines with low profitability and/or low growth
• Discontinue strategically unattractive parts of acquisitions
• Limit the level of management distraction in operating non-core businesses
• Manage claim volatility in results
• Achieve finality by selling or reinsuring liabilities