Business Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

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

The Company's results of continuing operations and selected balance sheet items by segment are presented in the following tables.

Year ended December 31, 2016	Specialty			Commercial			International			Life & Group Non-Core			Corporate & Other Non-Core
(In millions)																Eliminations			Total
Net written premiums	$	2,780		$	2,841		$	821		$	547		$	—		$	(1	)	$	6,988
Operating revenues
Net earned premiums	$	2,779		$	2,804		$	806		$	536		$	—		$	(1	)	$	6,924
Net investment income	516			638			51			767			16			—			1,988
Other revenues	362			32			—			(2		)	12			—			404
Total operating revenues	3,657			3,474			857			1,301			28			(1		)	9,316
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits	1,467			1,927			492			1,286			98			—			5,270
Policyholders’ dividends	4			9			—			—			—			—			13
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	591			470			174			—			—			—			1,235
Other insurance related expenses	301			560			133			132			(3		)	(1		)	1,122
Other expenses	312			36			24			8			209			—			589
Total claims, benefits and expenses	2,675			3,002			823			1,426			304			(1		)	8,229
Operating income (loss) before income tax	982			472			34			(125		)	(276		)	—			1,087
Income tax (expense) benefit on operating income (loss)	(332		)	(161		)	(13		)	145			98			—			(263		)
Net operating income (loss)	650			311			21			20			(178		)	—			824
Net realized investment gains (losses)	5			4			18			25			(2		)	—			50
Income tax (expense) benefit on net realized investment gains (losses)	(2		)	(2		)	(3		)	(9		)	1			—			(15		)
Net realized investment gains (losses), after tax	3			2			15			16			(1		)	—			35
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	$	653		$	313		$	36		$	36		$	(179	)	$	—		$	859

December 31, 2016
(In millions)
Reinsurance receivables	$	760	$	621	$	131	$	462	$	2,479	$	—	$	4,453
Insurance receivables	982		1,021		233		17		2		—		2,255
Deferred acquisition costs	310		214		76		—		—		—		600
Goodwill	117		—		28		—		—		—		145
Insurance reserves
Claim and claim adjustment expenses	6,149		8,894		1,328		3,358		2,614		—		22,343
Unearned premiums	1,911		1,323		396		132		—		—		3,762
Future policy benefits	—		—		—		10,326		—		—		10,326

Year ended December 31, 2015	Specialty			Commercial			International			Life & Group Non-Core			Corporate & Other Non-Core
(In millions)																Eliminations			Total
Net written premiums	$	2,781		$	2,818		$	822		$	542		$	1		$	(2	)	$	6,962
Operating revenues
Net earned premiums	$	2,782		$	2,788		$	804		$	548		$	1		$	(2	)	$	6,921
Net investment income	474			593			52			704			17			—			1,840
Other revenues	356			37			(1		)	7			11			(3		)	407
Total operating revenues	3,612			3,418			855			1,259			29			(5		)	9,168
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits	1,597			1,814			479			1,421			61			—			5,372
Policyholders’ dividends	4			8			—			—			—			—			12
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	589			469			168			314			—			—			1,540
Other insurance related expenses	278			538			138			142			(1		)	(2		)	1,093
Other expenses	301			28			12			11			186			(3		)	535
Total claims, benefits and expenses	2,769			2,857			797			1,888			246			(5		)	8,552
Operating income (loss) before income tax	843			561			58			(629		)	(217		)	—			616
Income tax (expense) benefit on operating income (loss)	(283		)	(192		)	(21		)	315			80			—			(101		)
Net operating income (loss)	560			369			37			(314		)	(137		)	—			515
Net realized investment gains (losses)	(33		)	(47		)	1			(1		)	13			—			(67		)
Income tax (expense) benefit on net realized investment gains (losses)	11			16			—			9			(5		)	—			31
Net realized investment gains (losses), after tax	(22		)	(31		)	1			8			8			—			(36		)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	$	538		$	338		$	38		$	(306	)	$	(129	)	$	—		$	479

December 31, 2015
(In millions)
Reinsurance receivables	$	724	$	639	$	144	$	497	$	2,487	$	—	$	4,491
Insurance receivables	890		993		233		11		2		—		2,129
Deferred acquisition costs	307		213		78		—		—		—		598
Goodwill	117		—		33		—		—		—		150
Insurance reserves
Claim and claim adjustment expenses	6,269		9,183		1,347		3,220		2,644		—		22,663
Unearned premiums	1,839		1,297		415		120		—		—		3,671
Future policy benefits	—		—		—		10,152		—		—		10,152

Year ended December 31, 2014	Specialty			Commercial						Life & Group Non-Core			Corporate & Other Non-Core
(In millions)							International									Eliminations			Total
Net written premiums	$	2,839		$	2,817		$	880		$	553		$	1		$	(2	)	$	7,088
Operating revenues
Net earned premiums	$	2,838		$	2,906		$	913		$	556		$	1		$	(2	)	$	7,212
Net investment income	560			723			61			700			23			—			2,067
Other revenues	295			38			—			16			12			(5		)	356
Total operating revenues	3,693			3,667			974			1,272			36			(7		)	9,635
Claims, Benefits and Expenses
Net incurred claims and benefits	1,627			2,187			488			1,304			(29		)	—			5,577
Policyholders’ dividends	6			8			—			—			—			—			14
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	592			493			204			28			—			—			1,317
Other insurance related expenses	262			487			151			130			1			(2		)	1,029
Other expenses	254			31			28			30			210			(5		)	548
Total claims, benefits and expenses	2,741			3,206			871			1,492			182			(7		)	8,485
Operating income (loss) before income tax	952			461			103			(220		)	(146		)	—			1,150
Income tax (expense) benefit on operating income (loss)	(318		)	(154		)	(34		)	151			54			—			(301		)
Net operating income (loss)	634			307			69			(69		)	(92		)	—			849
Net realized investment gains (losses)	15			16			(1		)	7			20			—			57
Income tax (expense) benefit on net realized investment gains (losses)	(5		)	(6		)	1			—			(8		)	—			(18		)
Net realized investment gains (losses), after tax	10			10			—			7			12			—			39
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	$	644		$	317		$	69		$	(62	)	$	(80	)	$	—		$	888

Revenues by line of business

The following table presents revenue by line of business for each reportable segment. Revenues are comprised of operating revenues and net realized investment gains and losses.

Years ended December 31
(In millions)	2016			2015			2014
Specialty
Management & Professional Liability	$	2,620		$	2,617		$	2,818
Surety	532			502			509
Warranty & Alternative Risks	510			460			381
Specialty revenues	3,662			3,579			3,708
Commercial
Middle Market	1,769			1,623			1,631
Small Business	583			616			709
Other Commercial Insurance	1,126			1,132			1,343
Commercial revenues	3,478			3,371			3,683
International
Canada	203			214			273
CNA Europe	319			309			335
Hardy	353			333			365
International revenues	875			856			973
Life & Group Non-Core revenues	1,326			1,258			1,279
Corporate & Other Non-Core revenues	26			42			56
Eliminations	(1		)	(5		)	(7		)
Total revenues	$	9,366		$	9,101		$	9,692