NEW YORK (AP) — Prudential Financial has lost its appeal to shed greater government oversight, after regulators made a final decision that the insurer is one of a group of financial companies so big that they could threaten the financial system if they were to fail.

Prudential said Thursday that after a hearing and final vote, the Financial Stability Oversight Council maintains that the company is 'systemically important' and therefore subject to stricter scrutiny. That could include requirements to boost its cash cushion against losses, limit its use of borrowed money and submit to inspections by examiners. It also will be under Federal Reserve supervision.

In July, the council named Prudential among a group of non-banks — including insurer American International Group Inc. and General Electric Co.'s finance arm GE Capital — whose failure would represent too much risk to the financial markets. General Electric and AIG did not challenge that ruling, but Prudential asked for a hearing in the hopes of overturning the decision.