Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Notes to Financial Statements

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

3. Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs:	Three Months Ended
($ in thousands)	March 31,
	2012		2011
Policy acquisition costs deferred	$	28,919	$	36,147
Costs amortized to expenses:
Recurring costs		(25,452)		(32,125)
Realized investment gains (losses)		(3,283)		(158)
Offsets to net unrealized investment gains or losses included in AOCI(1)		(8,738)		(4,677)
Other		1,780		3,859
Change in deferred policy acquisition costs		(6,774)		3,046
Deferred policy acquisition costs, beginning of period		524,052		518,864
Deferred policy acquisition costs, end of period	$	517,278	$	521,910

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⁽¹⁾ An offset to deferred policy acquisition costs and accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) is recorded each period to the extent that, had unrealized holding gains or losses from securities classified as available-for-sale actually been realized, an adjustment to deferred policy acquisition costs amortized using gross profits or gross margins would result.

Incremental direct costs related to the successful sale of new or renewal contracts are deferred. Incremental direct costs are those costs that result directly from and are essential to the sale of a contract. Costs incurred related directly to acquisition activities performed by the insurer are also deferred. During the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, deferred expenses primarily consisted of third-party commissions related to fixed indexed annuity sales.

We amortize deferred policy acquisition costs based on the related policy’s classification. For universal life, variable universal life and accumulation annuities, deferred policy acquisition costs are amortized in proportion to EGPs. Policies may be surrendered for value or exchanged for a different one of our products (internal replacement). The deferred policy acquisition cost balance associated with the replaced or surrendered policies is adjusted to reflect these surrenders. In addition, an offset to deferred policy acquisition costs and AOCI is recorded each period for unrealized gains or losses on securities classified as available-for-sale as if they had been realized, an adjustment to deferred policy acquisition costs amortized using gross profits or gross margins would result.

The projection of EGPs requires the use of extensive actuarial assumptions, estimates and judgments about the future. Future EGPs are generally projected on a policy-by-policy basis for the estimated lives of the contracts. Assumptions are set separately for each product and are reviewed regularly based on our current best estimates of future events.

In addition to our quarterly reviews, we conduct a comprehensive assumption review on an annual basis, or as circumstances warrant. Upon completion of these comprehensive assumption reviews, we revise our assumptions to reflect our current best estimates, thereby changing our estimate of EGPs in the deferred policy acquisition cost amortization models. The deferred policy acquisition cost asset is then adjusted in a process known as “unlocking,” with an offsetting benefit or charge to income.

During the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, it was determined that an unlocking was not warranted.