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REINSURANCE
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]  
REINSURANCE REINSURANCE

The Company periodically enters into fixed quota-share coinsurance agreements with other companies in the normal course of business. For each of its reinsurance agreements, the Company determines whether the agreement provides indemnification against loss or liability relating to insurance risk in accordance with applicable accounting standards. Reinsurance premiums and benefits paid or provided are accounted for on bases consistent with those used in accounting for the original policies issued and the terms of the reinsurance contracts. Premiums and benefits are reported net of insurance ceded.

The Company has recorded a deferred profit liability related to reinsurance transactions. The remaining deferred profit liability of $1.0 billion, as of December 31, 2018, is included in future policy benefits in the consolidated balance sheet and is being amortized into income over the expected lives of the policies. The Company has also recorded a reinsurance recoverable for reinsurance transactions, which is included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet and had a remaining balance of $941 million and $908 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The increase in the reinsurance recoverable balance was driven by two aggregating factors: yen strengthening and the growth in reserves related to the business that has been reinsured as the policies age. The spot yen/dollar exchange rate strengthened by approximately 2% and ceded reserves increased approximately 2% from December 31, 2017, to December 31, 2018.

The following table reconciles direct premium income and direct benefits and claims to net amounts after the effect of reinsurance for the years ended December 31.
(In millions)
2018
2017
2016
Direct premium income
 
$
19,018

 
 
$
18,875

 
 
$
19,592

 
Ceded to other companies:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Ceded Aflac Japan closed blocks
 
(497
)
 
 
(515
)
 
 
(560
)
 
    Other
 
(58
)
 
 
(51
)
 
 
(48
)
 
Assumed from other companies:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Retrocession activities
 
208

 
 
216

 
 
234

 
    Other
 
6

 
 
6

 
 
7

 
Net premium income
 
$
18,677

 
 
$
18,531

 
 
$
19,225

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Direct benefits and claims
 
$
12,293

 
 
$
12,486

 
 
$
13,240

 
Ceded benefits and change in reserves for future benefits:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Ceded Aflac Japan closed blocks
 
(450
)
 
 
(473
)
 
 
(509
)
 
    Eliminations
 
43

 
 
51

 
 
58

 
    Other
 
(44
)
 
 
(44
)
 
 
(38
)
 
Assumed from other companies:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Retrocession activities
 
209

 
 
209

 
 
222

 
    Eliminations
 
(53
)
 
 
(51
)
 
 
(58
)
 
    Other
 
2

 
 
3

 
 
4

 
Benefits and claims, net
 
$
12,000

 
 
$
12,181

 
 
$
12,919

 


These reinsurance transactions are indemnity reinsurance that do not relieve the Company from its obligations to policyholders. In the event that the reinsurer is unable to meet their obligations, the Company remains liable for the reinsured claims.

As a part of its capital contingency plan, the Company entered into a committed reinsurance facility agreement on December 1, 2015 in the amount of approximately 110 billion yen of reserves. This reinsurance facility agreement was renewed in 2018 and is effective until December 31, 2019. There are also additional commitment periods of a one-year duration each of which are automatically extended unless notification is received from the reinsurer within 60 days prior to the expiration. The reinsurer can withdraw from the committed facility if Aflac‘s Standard and Poor's (S&P) rating drops below BBB-. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had not executed a reinsurance treaty under this committed reinsurance facility.