SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Significant Accounting Policies

For a full description of the Company's significant accounting policies, refer to Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. There were no significant changes to the Company’s accounting policies during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, except the items noted below.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Fixed Maturity and Structured Investments

Each quarter the Company reviews investments with unrealized losses to determine whether such impairments are the result of credit losses. The Company analyzes various factors to make such determination including, but are not limited to: 1) actions taken by rating agencies, 2) default by the issuer, 3) the significance of the decline, 4) an assessment of the Company’s intent to sell the security (including a more likely than not assessment of whether the Company will be required to sell the security) before recovering the security’s amortized cost, 5) an economic analysis of the issuer’s industry, and 6) the financial strength, liquidity, and recoverability of the issuer. Management performs a security by security review each quarter to evaluate whether a credit loss has occurred.

For securities which the Company does not intend to sell and does not expect to be required to sell before recovering the security’s amortized cost basis, analysis of expected cash flows is used to measure the amount of the credit loss. To the extent the amortized cost basis of the security exceeds the present value of future cash flows expected to be collected, this difference represents a credit loss. Beginning on January 1, 2020, credit losses are recorded in realized gains (losses) - investments/derivatives with a corresponding adjustment to the allowance for credit losses, except that the credit loss recognized cannot exceed the difference between the book value and fair value of the security as of the date of the analysis. In future periods, recoveries in the present value of expected cash flows are recorded as a reversal of the previously recognized allowance for credit losses with an offsetting adjustment to realized gains (losses) - investments/derivatives. See, “Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted” below for additional information. The Company considers contractual cash flows and all known market data related to cash flows when developing its estimates of expected cash flows. The Company uses the effective interest rate implicit in the security at the date of acquisition to discount expected cash flows. For floating rate securities, the Company’s policy is to lock in the interest rate at the first instance of an impairment. Estimates of expected cash flows are not probability-weighted but reflect the Company’s best estimate based on past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future events. Debt securities that the Company intends to sell or expects to be required to sell before recovery are written down to fair value with the change recognized in realized gains (losses) - investments/derivatives.

The Company presents accrued interest receivable separately from other components of the amortized cost basis of its fixed maturity and structured investments and has made an accounting policy election not to measure an allowance for credit losses for accrued interest receivable. The Company’s policy is to write off uncollectible accrued interest receivables through a reversal of interest income in the period in which a credit loss is identified.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Commercial Mortgage Loans and Unfunded Commitments

The Company’s commercial mortgage loans are stated at unpaid principal balance, adjusted for any unamortized premium or discount, and net of the allowance for credit losses (“ACL”). Beginning January 1, 2020, the ACL represents the Company’s best estimate of expected credit losses over the contractual term of the loans. The allowance for credit losses for unfunded loan commitments is recognized as a component of other liabilities on the consolidated condensed balance sheet. Changes in the allowance for credit losses for both funded and unfunded commercial mortgage loans are recognized in realized gains (losses) - investments/derivatives.

The Company uses a loan-level probability of default (“PD”) and loss given default (“LGD”) model to calculate the allowance for credit losses for substantially all of its commercial mortgage loans and unfunded loan commitments. Guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 326-20 - Credit Losses requires collective assessment of financial assets with similar risk characteristics. Consistent with this guidance, the model used by the Company (the “CML Model”) incorporates historical default data for a large number of loans with similar characteristics to the Company’s commercial mortgage loans in the measurement of the allowance for credit losses. Relevant risk characteristics include debt service coverage ratio (“DSCR”), loan-to-value ratio (“LTV”), geographic location, and property type. This historical default data is applied through the CML Model to forecast loan-level risk parameters including PD and LGD which provide the basis for the

determination of expected losses.

The CML Model incorporates both current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts when estimating the PD and LGD values that are used as the basis for calculating expected losses. Current conditions are incorporated by considering market-specific information, such as vacancy rates and property prices, to reflect the current position in the market cycle. To incorporate reasonable and supportable forecasts, loan-level risk parameters produced by the CML Model are conditioned by multiple probability-weighted macroeconomic forecast scenarios. CML Model results are also subject to adjustments based on other qualitative considerations to reflect management’s best estimate of the impact of future events and circumstances on the allowance for credit losses.

PDs and LGDs are forecasted over a reasonable and supportable forecast period, which is reassessed on a quarterly basis. After the reasonable and supportable forecast period, the CML Model reverts to the Company’s own historical loss history at a portfolio segment level. The historical loss data used for reversion will be assessed annually in the third quarter, along with certain other model inputs and assumptions.

All or a portion of a loan may be written off at such point that a) the Company no longer expects to receive cash payments, b) the present value of future expected payments of a renegotiated loan is less than the current principal balance, or c) at such time that the Company is party to foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings associated with the borrower and does not expect to recover the principal balance of the loan. A write-off is recorded by eliminating the allowance against the commercial mortgage loan and recording the renegotiated loan or the collateral property related to the loan as investment real estate on the balance sheet, which is carried at the lower of the appraised fair value of the property or the unpaid principal balance of the loan, less estimated selling costs associated with the property.

Certain loans which meet the definition of collateral dependent (as outlined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board “FASB” ASC Topic 326-20) are identified as part of the Company’s ongoing loan surveillance process. Loans are considered to be collateral dependent if foreclosure is deemed probable, or if a borrower is in financial difficulty and repayment is expected to be provided substantially through the operation or sale of the underlying collateral. The allowance for credit losses for loans identified as collateral dependent is measured based on the fair value of the underlying collateral, less costs to sell.

The Company presents accrued interest receivable separately from other components of the amortized cost basis of its commercial mortgage loans and has made an accounting policy election not to measure an allowance for credit losses for accrued interest receivable. It is the Company’s policy to cease to carry accrued interest on loans that are over 90 days delinquent. For loans less than 90 days delinquent, interest is accrued unless it is determined that the accrued interest is not collectible. In each scenario, accrued income is reversed through investment income. See Note 9, Commercial Mortgage Loans, for additional information.

Allowance for Credit Losses - Reinsurance Receivables

Beginning January 1, 2020, in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 326-20, the Company establishes an allowance for credit losses related to amounts receivable from reinsurers (the “Reinsurance ACL”). Changes in the Reinsurance ACL are recognized as a component of benefits and settlement expenses. The Reinsurance ACL is remeasured on a quarterly basis using an internally developed PD and LGD model. Key inputs to the calculation are a conditional probability of insurer liquidation by issuer credit rating and exposure at default derived from a runoff projection of ceded reserves by reinsurer to forecast future loss amounts. Management’s position is that the rate of return implicit in the financial asset (i.e. the ceded reserves) is associated with the discount rate used to value the underlying insurance reserves; that is, the rate of return on the asset portfolio(s) supporting the reserves. For reinsurance receivable exposures that do not share similar risk characteristics with other receivables, including those associated with counterparties that have experienced significant credit deterioration, the Company measures the allowance for credit losses individually, based on facts and circumstances associated with the specific reinsurer or transaction.

The Reinsurance ACL was $96.0 million as of January 1, 2020 upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13 - Credit Losses. During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, the Reinsurance ACL increased slightly to $107.5 million. There were no write-offs or recoveries during the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

The Company had total reinsurance receivables of $4.7 billion as of September 30, 2020, which includes both ceded policy benefit reserves and receivables for claims. Receivables for claims represented approximately 11% of total reinsurance receivables as of September 30, 2020. Receivables for claims are short-term in nature, and generally carry minimal credit risk. Of reserves ceded as of September 30, 2020, approximately 65% were receivables from reinsurers rated by A.M. Best Company. Of the total rated by A.M. Best, 74% were rated A+ or better, 16% were rated A, and 10% were rated A- or lower. The Company monitors the concentration of credit risk the Company has with any reinsurer, as well as the financial condition of its reinsurers, on an ongoing basis. Certain of the Company’s reinsurance receivables are supported by letters of credit, funds held or trust agreements.

Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

Accounting Standards Update (“ASU” or “Update”) No. 2016-13 - Financial Instruments-Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The amendments in this Update introduce a new current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model for certain financial assets, including commercial mortgage loans and reinsurance receivables. For assets within the scope of the new model, an entity will recognize as an allowance against earnings its estimate of the contractual cash flows not expected to be collected on day one of the asset’s acquisition. The allowance may be reversed through earnings if a security recovers in value. This differs from the current impairment model, which requires recognition of credit losses when they have been incurred and recognizes a security’s subsequent recovery in value in other comprehensive income. The Update also makes targeted changes to the current impairment model for available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt securities, which comprise the majority of the Company’s invested assets. Similar to the CECL model, credit loss impairments will be recorded in an allowance against earnings that may be reversed for subsequent recoveries in value. The amendments in this Update, along with related amendments in ASU No. 2018-19, ASU No. 2019-04, and ASU No. 2019-11 - Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, were effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 on a modified retrospective basis. A vendor-provided credit loss model is utilized to measure the allowance for the majority of the Company’s commercial mortgage loans and unfunded commercial mortgage loan commitments, and the Company utilizes use an internally-developed model to measure the allowance for amounts recoverable from reinsurers. The Company applied the revisions in the Update through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2020. The cumulative effect adjustment resulted in a decrease in retained earnings of $138.1 million, net of the impact to deferred taxes, deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”), value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and other items. The Company continues to apply the previous guidance to 2019 and prior periods.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

ASU No. 2018-12 - Financial Services - Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts. The amendments in this Update are designed to make improvements to the existing recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements for certain long-duration contracts issued by an insurance company. The new amendments require insurance entities to provide a more current measure of the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited-payment contracts by regularly refining the liability for actual past experience and updated future assumptions. This differs from current requirements where assumptions are locked-in at contract issuance for these contract types. In addition, the updated liability will be discounted using an upper-medium grade (low-credit-risk) fixed income instrument yield that reflects the characteristics of the liability which differs from currently used rates based on the invested assets supporting the liability. In addition, the amendments introduce new requirements to assess market-based insurance contract options and guarantees for Market Risk Benefits and measure them at fair value. This Update also requires insurance entities to amortize deferred acquisition costs on a constant-level basis over the expected life of the contract. Finally, this Update requires new disclosures including liability rollforwards and information about significant inputs, judgments, assumptions, and methods used in the measurement. In November 2020, FASB issued ASU No. 2020-11 - Financial Services - Insurance (Topic 944); Effective Date and Early Application which deferred the effective date to periods beginning after December 31, 2022. The Company is currently reviewing its policies, processes, and applicable systems to determine the impact this standard will have on its operations and financial results.

ASU No. 2019-12 – Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The amendments in this Update remove certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 related to intraperiod tax allocations, interim tax calculations, and outside basis differences. The amendments also clarify and amend guidance in certain other areas of Topic 740 in order to eliminate diversity in practice. The amendments in this Update are effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. This Update is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s operations and financial results.