ALBANY, New York (AP) — MetLife Inc., the largest US group life insurer, will pay $19 million and change some of its business practices to end an investigation of payments made to brokers to steer clients its way, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said.The settlement came as part of a multiyear investigation of bid rigging and price fixing in the insurance industry. Spitzer has argued that “contingent commissions” paid to brokers and agents to steer business to insurance companies are the equivalent of kickbacks that unfairly increase the prices paid by insurance clients.

New York-based MetLife will ban contingent commissions and disclose broker payments as part of the settlement. The company will pay $16.5 million in restitution to policyholders and penalties of $2.5 million.

MetLife instructed its sales personnel to “leverage” commission agreements by telling brokers how close they were to meeting certain targets for business provided to MetLife. If met, the targets would guarantee the brokers additional money, Spitzer’s office said.

MetLife also arranged lucrative compensation agreements with certain brokers who directed major insurance contracts to MetLife, according to the settlement.

The company, which has more than 70 million customers world-wide, is not admitting to any liability in the settlement.