Maiden Holdings Increases Its Dividend

Insurance stocks have been fertile ground for dividend hunters recently as a spate of companies have announced increased payouts. Bermuda-based Maiden Holdings (MHLD) continued the trend on Tuesday by announcing it will boost its quarterly distribution by 8% to 6.5 cents a share. The new dividend will be paid on January 15, 2010 to shareholders of record on January 4.

Maiden Holdings provides reinsurance services to property and casualty insurers in the U.S. The increase is Maiden Holdings' second since it began paying a dividend in the second quarter of 2008. The original payout was 5 cents a share per quarter.