The NYT's Kate Taylor reports that the publicly-traded Argo Group (total assets: $6.7 billion) has bought art title insurer ARIS.
The Art Market Monitor says the move "legitimize[s]" art title insurance.
I remain a skeptic.
Dealer Ed Winkleman's "first response was to agree with the dealers who noted that it seemed a bit unnecessary," but news reports of a recently-discovered forgery ring have him rethinking that view. I'm pretty sure, however, that ARIS doesn't cover forgery claims. See here.
