ACCOUNTING FOR DERIVATIVES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

ACCOUNTING FOR DERIVATIVES

ACCOUNTING FOR DERIVATIVES

Our fixed index annuity products provide a guaranteed minimum rate of return and a higher potential return that is based on a percentage (the “participation rate”) of the amount of increase in the value of a particular index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, over a specified period.  Typically, on each policy anniversary date, a new index period begins.  We are generally able to change the participation rate at the beginning of each index period during a policy year, subject to contractual minimums.  We typically buy call options (including call spreads) referenced to the applicable indices in an effort to offset or hedge potential increases to policyholder benefits resulting from increases in the particular index to which the policy’s return is linked.  We reflect changes in the estimated fair value of these options in net investment income (classified as investment income from policyholder and reinsurer accounts and other special-purpose portfolios).  Net investment gains (losses) related to fixed index products were $41.4 million and $26.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. These amounts were substantially offset by a corresponding change to insurance policy benefits.  The estimated fair value of these options was $88.6 million and $37.9 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.  We classify these instruments as other invested assets.

The Company accounts for the options attributed to the policyholder for the estimated life of the annuity contract as embedded derivatives.  The expected future cost of options on fixed index annuity products is used to determine the value of embedded derivatives.  The Company purchases options to hedge liabilities for the next policy year on each policy anniversary date and must estimate the fair value of the forward embedded options related to the policies.  These accounting requirements often create volatility in the earnings from these products.  We record the changes in the fair values of the embedded derivatives in current earnings as a component of insurance policy benefits.  The fair value of these derivatives, which are classified as “liabilities for interest-sensitive products”, was $704.3 million at March 31, 2012 and $666.3 million at December 31, 2011. Prior to June 30, 2011, we maintained a specific block of investments in our trading securities account (which we carried at estimated fair value with changes in such value recognized as investment income from policyholder and reinsurer accounts and other special-purpose portfolios) to offset the income statement volatility caused by the effect of interest rate fluctuations on the value of embedded derivatives related to our fixed index annuity products.  During the second quarter of 2011, we sold this trading portfolio, which will result in increased volatility in future earnings since the volatility caused by the accounting requirements to record embedded options at fair value will no longer be offset.

If the counterparties for the call options we hold fail to meet their obligations, we may have to recognize a loss.  We limit our exposure to such a loss by diversifying among several counterparties believed to be strong and creditworthy.  At March 31, 2012, substantially all of our counterparties were rated “BBB+” or higher by Standard & Poor’s Corporation (“S&P”).

Certain of our reinsurance payable balances contain embedded derivatives.  Such derivatives had an estimated fair value of $3.4 million and $3.5 million at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.  We record the change in the fair value of these derivatives as a component of investment income (classified as investment income from policyholder and reinsurer accounts and other special-purpose portfolios).  We maintain the investments related to these agreements in our trading securities account, which we carry at estimated fair value with changes in such value recognized as investment income (also classified as investment income from policyholder and reinsurer accounts and other special-purpose portfolios).  The change in value of these trading securities offsets the change in value of the embedded derivatives.

We purchase certain fixed maturity securities that contain embedded derivatives that are required to be bifurcated from the instrument and held at fair value on the consolidated balance sheet. For certain of these securities, we have elected the fair value option to carry the entire security at fair value with changes in fair value reported in net income for operational ease.