(7) Commitments and Contingencies (a) Litigation We face the risk of litigation and regulatory investigations and actions in the ordinary course of operating our businesses, including class action lawsuits. Our pending legal and regulatory actions include proceedings specific to us and others generally applicable to business practices in the industries in which we operate. Plaintiffs in class action and other lawsuits against us may seek indeterminate amounts which may remain unknown for substantial periods of time. A substantial legal liability or a significant regulatory action against us could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, even if we ultimately prevail in the litigation, regulatory action or investigation, we could suffer reputational harm, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. At this time, it is not feasible to predict, nor to determine the ultimate outcomes of all pending investigations and legal proceedings, nor to provide reasonable ranges of potential losses. As previously reported, one of our subsidiaries had been named along with several other GIC industry participants as a defendant in several class action and non-class action lawsuits alleging antitrust and other violations involving the sale of GICs to municipalities. However, plaintiffs in these actions recently amended their complaints and those amended complaints do not presently name any Genworth subsidiary as a defendant. As previously reported, one of our U.S. mortgage insurance subsidiaries was involved in an arbitration proceeding with a lender regarding five bulk transactions (reflecting approximately $531 million of original risk in-force) that, until their rescission by our insurance subsidiary in December 2008, had insured certain of such lender s payment option adjustable rate ( POA ) loans. On September 8, 2009, the parties settled the arbitration. The settlement resolved prior claims, or pending and anticipated future u