Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Benefit Features

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Benefit Features

Separate account products are those for which a separate investment and liability account is maintained on behalf of the policyholder. Investment objectives for these separate accounts vary by fund account type, as outlined in the applicable fund prospectus or separate account plan of operations. Our separate account products include variable annuities and variable life insurance contracts. The assets supporting these contracts are carried at fair value and reported as separate account assets with an equivalent amount reported as separate account liabilities. Amounts assessed against the policyholder for mortality, administration, and other services are included within revenue in insurance and investment product fees. During the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, there were no gains or losses on transfers of assets from the general account to a separate account.

Variable and fixed annuities

Many of our variable annuity contracts offer various guaranteed minimum death, accumulation, withdrawal and income benefits. These benefits are offered in various forms as described below.

Separate Account Investments of Account Balances of Contracts with Guarantees:	June  30,		Dec  31,
($ in thousands)	2011		2010
Debt securities	$	869,006	$	599,803
Equity funds		1,809,495		1,850,010
Other		65,483		68,677
Total	$	2,743,984	$	2,518,490

We establish policy benefit liabilities for minimum death and income benefit guarantees relating to certain annuity policies as follows:

· Liabilities associated with the guaranteed minimum death benefit (“GMDB”) are determined by estimating the expected value of death benefits in excess of the projected account balance and recognizing the excess ratably over the accumulation period based on total expected assessments. The assumptions used for calculating the liabilities are consistent with those used for amortizing deferred policy acquisition costs.

· Liabilities associated with the guaranteed minimum income benefit (“GMIB”) are determined by estimating the expected value of the income benefits in excess of the projected account balance at the date of annuitization and recognizing the excess ratably over the accumulation period based on total expected assessments. The assumptions used for calculating such guaranteed income benefit liabilities are consistent with those used for amortizing deferred policy acquisition costs.

For annuities with GMDB and GMIB, reserves are calculated based on 200 stochastically generated scenarios. The GMDB and GMIB guarantees are recorded in policy liabilities and accruals on our balance sheet. Changes in the liability are recorded in policy benefits, excluding policyholder dividends, on our statements of income. We regularly evaluate estimates used and adjust the additional liability balances, with a related charge or credit to benefit expense if actual experience or other evidence suggests that earlier assumptions should be revised.

Changes in Guaranteed Liability Balances:	As of
($ in thousands)	June  30, 2011
	Annuity		Annuity
	GMDB		GMIB
Liability balance as of January 1, 2011	$	4,570	$	17,457
Incurred		(460)		13
Paid		801		--
Liability balance as of June 30, 2011	$	4,911	$	17,470

Changes in Guaranteed Liability Balances:	Year Ended
($ in thousands)	December  31, 2010
	Annuity		Annuity
	GMDB		GMIB
Liability balance as of January 1, 2010	$	5,063	$	15,811
Incurred		3,330		1,646
Paid		(3,823)		--
Liability balance as of December 31, 2010	$	4,570	$	17,457

For those guarantees of benefits that are payable in the event of death, the net amount at risk is generally defined as the benefit payable in excess of the current account balance at the balance sheet date. We have entered into reinsurance agreements to reduce the net amount of risk on certain death benefits. Following are the major types of death benefits currently in-force:

GMDB Benefits by Type:			Net Amount		Average
($ in thousands)	Account		at Risk after		Attained Age
	Value		Reinsurance		of Annuitant
GMDB return of premium	$	947,370	$	9,783		61
GMDB step up		1,470,607		52,691		62
GMDB earnings enhancement benefit (EEB)		45,302		151		62
GMDB greater of annual step up and roll up		30,620		6,989		65
Total GMDB at June 30, 2011	$	2,493,899	$	69,614
GMDB return of premium	$	981,787	$	17,685		61
GMDB step up		1,507,216		82,613		62
GMDB earnings enhancement benefit (“EEB”)		47,123		291		61
GMDB greater of annual step up and roll up		32,083		7,680		65
Total GMDB at December 31, 2010	$	2,568,209	$	108,269

Return of Premium: The death benefit is the greater of current account value or premiums paid (less any adjusted partial withdrawals).

Step Up: The death benefit is the greater of current account value, premiums paid (less any adjusted partial withdrawals) or the annual step up amount prior to the oldest original owner attaining a certain age. On and after the oldest original owner attains that age, the death benefit is the greater of current account value or the death benefit at the end of the contract year prior to the oldest original owner’s attaining that age plus premium payments (less any adjusted partial withdrawals) made since that date.

Earnings Enhancement Benefit: The death benefit is the greater of the premiums paid (less any adjusted partial withdrawals) or the current account value plus the EEB. The EEB is an additional amount designed to reduce the impact of taxes associated with distributing contract gains upon death.

Greater of Annual Step Up and Annual Roll up: The death benefit is the greatest of premium payments (less any adjusted partial withdrawals), the annual step up amount, the annual roll up amount or the current account value prior to the eldest original owner attaining age 81. On and after the eldest original owner attained age 81, the death benefit is the greater of current account value or the death benefit at the end of the contract year prior to the eldest original owner’s attained age of 81 plus premium payments (less any adjusted partial withdrawals) made since that date.

We also offer certain separate account variable products with a guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (“GMWB”), a guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (“GMAB”), a guaranteed pay-out annuity floor (“GPAF”) and a combination rider (“COMBO”).

Additional Insurance Benefits:			Average
($ in thousands)	Account		Attained Age
	Value		of Annuitant
GMWB	$	384,029		62
GMIB		497,944		62
GMAB		422,235		57
GPAF		16,786		76
COMBO		10,593		60
Total at June 30, 2011	$	1,331,587
GMWB	$	587,053		61
GMIB		511,971		62
GMAB		27,315		56
GPAF		13,251		76
COMBO		10,837		59
Total at December 31, 2010	$	1,550,427

The GMWB rider guarantees the policyholder a minimum amount of withdrawals and benefit payments over time, regardless of the investment performance of the contract, subject to an annual limit. Optional resets are available. In addition, these contracts have a feature that allows the policyholder to receive the guaranteed annual withdrawal amount for as long as they are alive.

The GMAB rider provides the contract owner with a minimum accumulation of the contract owner’s purchase payments deposited within a specific time period, adjusted for withdrawals, after a specified amount of time determined at the time of issuance of the variable annuity contract.

The GPAF rider provides the policyholder with a minimum payment amount if the variable annuity payment falls below this amount on the payment calculation date.

The COMBO rider includes the GMAB and GMWB riders as well as the GMDB rider at the policyholder’s option.

Fixed indexed annuities also offer a variety of index options: policy credits that are calculated based on the performance of an outside equity market or other index over a specified term.

We have entered into a contract with Phoenix Life whereby we reinsure 100% of any claims related to GMWB liabilities on policies issued after April 30, 2008 and to GMAB liabilities on policies issued after December 31, 2008. Because this contract does not transfer sufficient risk to be accounted for as reinsurance, we use deposit accounting for the contract. We account for these liabilities within the payable to related parties line in our financial statements.

The GMWB, GMAB, GPAF, COMBO and index options represent embedded derivative liabilities in the variable and fixed indexed annuity contracts that are required to be reported separately from the host variable annuity contract. They are carried at fair value and reported in policyholder deposit funds. The fair value of the GMWB, GMAB, GPAF, COMBO and index option obligation is calculated based on actuarial and capital market assumptions related to the projected cash flows, including benefits and related contract charges, over the lives of the contracts, incorporating expectations concerning policyholder behavior. As markets change, contracts mature and actual policyholder behavior emerges, we continually evaluate and may from time to time adjust these assumptions.

In order to manage the risk associated with these embedded derivative liabilities, we have established a risk management strategy under which we hedge our GMAB, GMWB and COMBO exposure using equity index options, equity index futures, equity index variance swaps, interest rate swaps and swaptions. We hedge our fixed index annuity options using equity index options. These investments are included in other investments on our balance sheet. Embedded derivative liabilities for GMWB, GMAB, GPAF, COMBO and index options are shown in the table below. There were no benefit payments made for the GMWB and GMAB during 2010 or during the first half of 2011. There were benefit payments made for GPAF of $351 thousand during 2010 and $68 thousand during the first half of 2011.

Embedded Derivative Liabilities:	June  30,		Dec  31,
($ in thousands)	2011		2010
GMWB	$	(5,650)	$	(1,664)
GMAB		9,876		13,098
GPAF		1,746		2,286
COMBO		(735)		(695)
Fixed indexed annuity options		37,690		13,460
Total embedded derivative liabilities	$	42,927	$	26,485

Universal life

Liabilities for universal life are generally determined by estimating the expected value of losses when death benefits exceed revenues and recognizing those benefits ratably over the accumulation period based on total expected assessments. The assumptions used in estimating these liabilities are consistent with those used for amortizing deferred policy acquisition costs. A single set of best estimate assumptions is used since these insurance benefits do not vary significantly with capital market conditions. At June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, we held additional universal life benefit reserves in accordance with death benefit and other insurance benefit reserves of $114,229 thousand and $95,742 thousand, respectively.