Business Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Business Segments [Abstract]

Significant components of the Company's continuing operations and selected balance sheet items

Year ended December 31, 2011	CNA Specialty			CNA Commercial			Life & Group Non-Core			Corporate & Other Non-Core
(In millions)													Eliminations			Total
Net written premiums (a)	$	2,872		$	3,350		$	577		$	2		$	(3	)	$	6,798
Operating revenues
Net earned premiums	$	2,796		$	3,240		$	569		$	1		$	(3	)	$	6,603
Net investment income	500			763			759			32			—			2,054
Other revenues	221			54			13			6			—			294
Total operating revenues	3,517			4,057			1,341			39			(3		)	8,951
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits	1,657			2,296			1,526			(3		)	—			5,476
Policyholders’ dividends	(3		)	8			8			—			—			13
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	663			725			22			—			—			1,410
Other insurance related expenses	197			395			143			6			(3		)	738
Other expenses	191			53			19			170			—			433
Total claims, benefits and expenses	2,705			3,477			1,718			173			(3		)	8,070
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	812			580			(377		)	(134		)	—			881
Income tax (expense) benefit on operating income (loss)	(281		)	(207		)	169			68			—			(251		)
Net operating (income) loss, after-tax, attributable to noncontrolling interests	(12		)	(4		)	—			—			—			(16		)
Net operating income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CNA	519			369			(208		)	(66		)	—			614
Net realized investment gains (losses), net of participating policyholders’ interests	(5		)	14			(7		)	(6		)	—			(4		)
Income tax (expense) benefit on net realized investment gains (losses)	2			(2		)	2			3			—			5
Net realized investment (gains) losses, after-tax, attributable to noncontrolling interests	—			—			—			—			—			—
Net realized investment gains (losses) attributable to CNA	(3		)	12			(5		)	(3		)	—			1
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CNA	$	516		$	381		$	(213	)	$	(69	)	$	—		$	615

(a) Related to business in property and casualty companies only.

December 31, 2011
(In millions)
Reinsurance receivables	$	852	$	1,188	$	1,375	$	2,677	$	—	$	6,092
Insurance receivables	$	670	$	1,047	$	8	$	1	$	—	$	1,726
Deferred acquisition costs	$	347	$	311	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	658
Insurance reserves
Claim and claim adjustment expenses	$	6,840	$	11,509	$	2,825	$	3,129	$	—	$	24,303
Unearned premiums	1,629		1,480		141		—		—		3,250
Future policy benefits	—		—		9,810		—		—		9,810
Policyholders’ funds	15		10		166		—		—		191

Year ended December 31, 2010	CNA Specialty			CNA Commercial			Life & Group Non-Core			Corporate & Other Non-Core
(In millions)													Eliminations			Total
Net written premiums (a)	$	2,691		$	3,208		$	573		$	2		$	(3	)	$	6,471
Operating revenues
Net earned premiums	$	2,679		$	3,256		$	582		$	1		$	(3	)	$	6,515
Net investment income	591			873			715			137			—			2,316
Other revenues	216			61			7			8			—			292
Total operating revenues	3,486			4,190			1,304			146			(3		)	9,123
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits	1,447			2,175			1,275			58			—			4,955
Policyholders’ dividends	12			14			4			—			—			30
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	631			736			20			—			—			1,387
Other insurance related expenses	186			424			180			10			(3		)	797
Other expenses	190			55			2			681			—			928
Total claims, benefits and expenses	2,466			3,404			1,481			749			(3		)	8,097
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	1,020			786			(177		)	(603		)	—			1,026
Income tax (expense) benefit on operating income (loss)	(343		)	(260		)	90			216			—			(297		)
Net operating (income) loss, after-tax, attributable to noncontrolling interests	(52		)	(17		)	—			—			—			(69		)
Net operating income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CNA	625			509			(87		)	(387		)	—			660
Net realized investment gains (losses), net of participating policyholders’ interests	30			(15		)	53			18			—			86
Income tax (expense) benefit on net realized investment gains (losses)	(10		)	(1		)	(20		)	(5		)	—			(36		)
Net realized investment (gains) losses, after-tax, attributable to noncontrolling interests	—			1			—			—			—			1
Net realized investment gains (losses) attributable to CNA	20			(15		)	33			13			—			51
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CNA	$	645		$	494		$	(54	)	$	(374	)	$	—		$	711

(a) Related to business in property and casualty companies only.

December 31, 2010
(In millions)
Reinsurance receivables	$	906	$	1,973	$	1,502	$	2,823	$	—	$	7,204
Insurance receivables	$	654	$	1,050	$	9	$	4	$	—	$	1,717
Deferred acquisition costs	$	330	$	315	$	434	$	—	$	—	$	1,079
Insurance reserves
Claim and claim adjustment expenses	$	6,793	$	12,522	$	2,739	$	3,442	$	—	$	25,496
Unearned premiums	1,543		1,526		132		2		—		3,203
Future policy benefits	—		—		8,718		—		—		8,718
Policyholders’ funds	16		13		144		—		—		173

Year ended December 31, 2009	CNA Specialty			CNA Commercial			Life & Group Non-Core			Corporate & Other Non-Core
(In millions)													Eliminations			Total
Net written premiums (a)	$	2,684		$	3,448		$	583		$	1		$	(3	)	$	6,713
Operating revenues
Net earned premiums	$	2,697		$	3,432		$	595		$	—		$	(3	)	$	6,721
Net investment income	526			935			664			195			—			2,320
Other revenues	206			61			11			10			—			288
Total operating revenues	3,429			4,428			1,270			205			(3		)	9,329
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits	1,536			2,420			1,084			227			—			5,267
Policyholders’ dividends	9			9			5			—			—			23
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	624			775			18			—			—			1,417
Other insurance related expenses	163			435			183			3			(3		)	781
Other expenses	179			77			69			119			—			444
Total claims, benefits and expenses	2,511			3,716			1,359			349			(3		)	7,932
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	918			712			(89		)	(144		)	—			1,397
Income tax (expense) benefit on operating income (loss)	(282		)	(201		)	73			57			—			(353		)
Net operating (income) loss, after-tax, attributable to noncontrolling interests	(45		)	(17		)	—			—			—			(62		)
Net operating income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CNA	591			494			(16		)	(87		)	—			982
Net realized investment gains (losses), net of participating policyholders’ interests	(186		)	(360		)	(235		)	(76		)	—			(857		)
Income tax (expense) benefit on net realized investment gains (losses)	64			123			82			27			—			296
Net realized investment (gains) losses, after-tax, attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1		)	1			—			—			—			—
Net realized investment gains (losses) attributable to CNA	(123		)	(236		)	(153		)	(49		)	—			(561		)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to CNA	$	468		$	258		$	(169	)	$	(136	)	$	—		$	421

(a) Related to business in property and casualty companies only.

Revenues by line of business

Revenues by Line of Business

Years ended December 31
(In millions)	2011			2010			2009
CNA Specialty
International	$	210		$	199		$	171
Professional & Management Liability	2,541			2,551			2,339
Surety	472			475			474
Warranty & Alternative Risks	289			291			259
CNA Specialty revenues	3,512			3,516			3,243
CNA Commercial
CNA Select Risk	272			261			210
Commercial Insurance	2,681			2,851			2,692
International	537			499			617
Small Business	581			564			549
CNA Commercial revenues	4,071			4,175			4,068
Life & Group Non-Core
Health	1,093			1,100			811
Life & Annuity	229			249			211
Other	12			8			13
Life & Group Non-Core revenues	1,334			1,357			1,035
Corporate & Other Non-Core revenues	33			164			129
Eliminations	(3		)	(3		)	(3		)
Total revenues	$	8,947		$	9,209		$	8,472