insurer Financial Security Assurance Inc. (FSA), announced that it filed yesterday a shelf registration statement on Form S3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission for $250 million of debt securities, common stock or stock purchase contracts. The registration replaces the company's previous shelf registration. The company has no immediate plans to issue securities.

Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, FSA, the company guarantees scheduled payments of principal and interest of municipal bonds and asset-backed securities. FSA's claims-paying ability is rated Triple-A by Fitch IBCA, Inc., Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, and Japan Rating and Investment Information, Inc. Headquartered in New York, FSA has additional offices in San Francisco and Dallas. It also has a Bermuda-based subsidiary, Financial Security Assurance International Ltd.