POLICY LIABILITIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Insurance Loss Reserves [Abstract]

Liability for Future Policy Benefits by Product Segment

The liability for future policy benefits as of December 31 consisted of the following:

		Liability Amounts								Interest Rates
(In millions)	Policy Issue Year	2017				2016				Year of Issue		In 20 Years
Health insurance:
Japan:	1992 - 2017	$	10,167			$	8,912			1.0 - 2.5	%	1.0 - 2.5	%
	1974 - 2013	1,133				1,118				2.7 - 2.75		2.25 - 2.75
	1998 - 2017	12,386				11,687				3.0		3.0
	1997 - 1999	2,454				2,485				3.5		3.5
	1994 - 1996	3,046				3,069				4.0 - 4.5		4.0 - 4.5
	1987 - 1994	14,829				14,372				5.5		5.5
	1985 - 1991	1,816				1,871				5.25 - 6.75		5.25 - 5.5
	1978 - 1984	2,037				2,134				6.5		5.5
U.S.:	2013 - 2017	82				75				3.0		3.0
	2012 - 2017	1,366				1,062				3.75		3.75
	2011	343				319				4.75		4.75
	2005 - 2010	2,944				3,004				5.5		5.5
	1988 - 2004	656				669				8.0		6.0
	1986 - 2004	1,296				1,265				6.0		6.0
	1981 - 1986	159				166				6.5 - 7.0		5.5 - 6.5
	1998 - 2004	1,310				1,295				7.0		7.0
	Other	18				19
Intercompany eliminations:	2015	(609		)	(1)	(630		)	(1)	2.0		2.0
Life insurance:
Japan:	2001 - 2017	8,850				7,255				1.0 - 1.85		1.0 - 1.85
	2011 - 2017	4,763				4,151				2.0		2.0
	2009 - 2011	3,393				2,861				2.25		2.25
	1992 - 2006	5				5				2.19		1.55
	2005 - 2011	1,642				1,488				2.5		2.5
	1985 - 2006	2,048				2,007				2.7		2.25
	2007 - 2011	1,319				1,220				2.75		2.75
	1999 - 2011	2,189				2,102				3.0		3.0
	1996 - 2009	675				657				3.5		3.5
	1994 - 1996	908				897				4.0 - 4.5		4.0 - 4.5
U.S.:	1956 - 2017	632				571				3.5 - 6.0		3.5 - 6.0
Total		$	81,857			$	76,106

⁽¹⁾Elimination entry necessary due to recapture of a portion of policy liabilities ceded externally, as a result of the reinsurance retrocession transaction as described in Note 8 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

Schedule of Liability for Unpaid Claims Adjustment Expense

Changes in the liability for unpaid policy claims were as follows for the years ended December 31:

(In millions)	2017				2016				2015
Unpaid supplemental health claims, beginning of period		$	3,707			$	3,548			$	3,412
Less reinsurance recoverables		27				26				7
Net balance, beginning of period		3,680				3,522				3,405
Add claims incurred during the period related to:
Current year		6,979				7,037				6,416
Prior years		(518		)		(465		)		(353		)
Total incurred		6,461				6,572				6,063
Less claims paid during the period on claims incurred during:
Current year		4,530				4,613				4,227
Prior years		1,822				1,865				1,718
Total paid		6,352				6,478				5,945
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on unpaid claims		65				64				(1		)
Net balance, end of period		3,854				3,680				3,522
Add reinsurance recoverables		30				27				26
Unpaid supplemental health claims, end of period		3,884				3,707				3,548
Unpaid life claims, end of period		508				338				254
Total liability for unpaid policy claims		$	4,392			$	4,045			$	3,802