Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

Variable Interest Entities

Note 4: Variable Interest Entities

Structured Finance and International Insurance

Through MBIA's structured finance and international insurance segment, the Company provides credit protection to issuers of obligations that may involve issuer-sponsored special purpose entities ("SPEs"). An SPE may be considered a VIE to the extent the SPE's total equity at risk is not sufficient to permit the SPE to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or its equity investors lack any one of the following characteristics (i) the power to direct the activities of the SPE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance or (ii) the obligation to absorb the expected losses of the entity or the right to receive the expected residual returns of the entity. A holder of a variable interest or interests in a VIE is required to assess whether it has a controlling financial interest, and thus is required to consolidate the entity as primary beneficiary. An assessment of a controlling financial interest identifies the primary beneficiary as the variable interest holder that has both of the following characteristics (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The primary beneficiary is required to consolidate the VIE. An ongoing reassessment of controlling financial interest is required to be performed based on any substantive changes in facts and circumstances involving the VIE and its variable interests.

The Company evaluates issuer-sponsored SPEs initially to determine if an entity is a VIE, and is required to reconsider its initial determination if certain events occur. For all entities determined to be VIEs, MBIA performs an ongoing reassessment to determine whether its guarantee to provide credit protection on obligations issued by VIEs provides the Company with a controlling financial interest. Based on its ongoing reassessment of controlling financial interest, the Company determines whether a VIE is required to be consolidated or deconsolidated.

The Company makes its determination for consolidation based on a qualitative assessment of the purpose and design of a VIE, the terms and characteristics of variable interests of an entity, and the risks a VIE is designed to create and pass through to holders of variable interests. The Company generally provides credit protection on obligations issued by VIEs, and holds certain contractual rights according to the purpose and design of a VIE. The Company may have the ability to direct certain activities of a VIE depending on facts and circumstances, including the occurrence of certain contingent events, and these activities may be considered the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance. The Company generally considers its guarantee of principal and interest payments of insured obligations, given nonperformance by a VIE, to be an obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. At the time the Company determines it has the ability to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the economic performance of the entity based on facts and circumstances, MBIA is deemed to have a controlling financial interest in the VIE and is required to consolidate the entity as primary beneficiary. The Company performs an ongoing reassessment of controlling financial interest that may result in consolidation or deconsolidation of any VIE.

Wind-down Operations

In its asset/liability products segment, the Company invests in obligations issued by issuer-sponsored SPEs which are included in fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale. The Company evaluates issuer-sponsored SPEs to determine if the entity is a VIE. For all entities determined to be VIEs, the Company evaluates whether its investment is determined to have both of the characteristics of a controlling financial interest in the VIE. The Company performs an ongoing reassessment of controlling financial interests in issuer-sponsored VIEs based on investments held. MBIA's wind-down operations do not have a controlling financial interest in any issuer-sponsored VIEs and are not the primary beneficiary of any issuer-sponsored VIEs. In the third quarter of 2011, the one VIE that the Company formed, sponsored and was the primary beneficiary of, included in the asset/liability products segment, was dissolved and deconsolidated by the Company. The Company was the sole variable interest holder of the VIE and retained all the fixed-maturity securities, consisting of alternative A-paper ("Alt-A") non-agency RMBS securities, and recognized no gain or loss upon deconsolidation.

In the conduit segment, the Company manages and administers two multi-seller conduit SPEs ("Conduits"). The Conduits invest primarily in debt securities and fund the investments through the issuance of VIE notes and long-term debt. The liabilities and certain of the assets of the Conduits are supported by credit enhancement provided through MBIA Corp. The Conduits were designed to provide issuers an efficient source of funding for issued obligations, and to provide an opportunity for MBIA Corp. to issue financial guarantee insurance policies. The Conduits are VIEs and are consolidated by the Company as primary beneficiary.

Nonconsolidated VIEs

The following tables present the total assets of nonconsolidated VIEs in which the Company holds a variable interest as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. The following tables also present the Company's maximum exposure to loss for nonconsolidated VIEs as well as the value of the assets and liabilities the Company has recorded for its interest in these VIEs as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. The Company has aggregated nonconsolidated VIEs based on the underlying credit exposure of the insured obligation. The nature of the Company's variable interests in nonconsolidated VIEs is related to financial guarantees, insured CDS and any investments in obligations issued by nonconsolidated VIEs.

	December 31, 2011
					Carrying Value of Assets						Carrying Value of Liabilities
In millions	VIE Assets		Maximum Exposure to Loss		Investments(1)		Premiums Receivable(2)		Insurance Loss Recoverable(3)		Unearned Premium Revenue(4)		Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves(5)		Derivative Liabilities(6)
Insurance:
Global structured finance:
Collateralized debt obligations	$	26,507	$	15,466	$	42	$	67	$	—	$	58	$	3	$	113
Mortgage-backed residential		47,669		16,379		25		87		2,773		86		428		5
Mortgage-backed commercial		5,001		2,644		—		2		—		2		—		—
Consumer asset-backed		8,015		4,563		16		26		—		25		23		—
Corporate asset-backed		29,855		15,577		241		192		22		205		—		1
Total global structured finance		117,047		54,629		324		374		2,795		376		454		119
Global public finance		42,106		21,774		—		215		—		270		—		—
Total insurance	$	159,153	$	76,403	$	324	$	589	$	2,795	$	646	$	454	$	119

(1)—Reported within "Investments" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(2)—Reported within "Premiums receivable" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(3)—Reported within "Insurance loss recoverable" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(4)—Reported within "Unearned premium revenue" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(5)—Reported within "Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(6)—Reported within "Derivative liabilities" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

	December 31, 2010
					Carrying Value of Assets						Carrying Value of Liabilities
In millions	VIE Assets		Maximum Exposure to Loss		Investments(1)		Premiums Receivable(2)		Insurance Loss Recoverable(3)		Unearned Premium Revenue(4)		Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves(5)		Derivative Liabilities(6)
Insurance:
Global structured finance:
Collateralized debt obligations	$	30,628	$	18,068	$	126	$	78	$	—	$	68	$	—	$	360
Mortgage-backed residential		56,828		18,494		71		95		2,270		93		598		3
Mortgage-backed commercial		5,547		3,138		—		2		—		2		—		—
Consumer asset-backed		11,709		6,780		19		30		—		29		—		—
Corporate asset-backed		42,380		22,468		246		325		5		340		—		—
Total global structured finance		147,092		68,948		462		530		2,275		532		598		363
Global public finance		42,370		21,201		—		225		—		280		—		—
Total insurance	$	189,462	$	90,149	$	462	$	755	$	2,275	$	812	$	598	$	363

(1)—Reported within "Investments" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(2)—Reported within "Premiums receivable" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(3)—Reported within "Insurance loss recoverable" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(4)—Reported within "Unearned premium revenue" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(5)—Reported within "Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

(6)—Reported within "Derivative liabilities" on MBIA's consolidated balance sheets.

Consolidated VIEs

The carrying amounts of assets and liabilities of consolidated VIEs were $10.9 billion and $9.9 billion, respectively, as of December 31, 2011, and $14.1 billion and $13.1 billion, respectively, as of December 31, 2010. The carrying amounts of assets and liabilities are presented separately in "Assets of consolidated variable interest entities" and "Liabilities of consolidated variable interest entities" on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Additional VIEs are consolidated or deconsolidated based on an ongoing reassessment of controlling financial interest, when events occur or circumstances arise, and whether the ability to exercise rights that constitute power to direct activities of any VIEs are present according to the design and characteristics of these entities. Net realized losses related to the initial consolidation of an additional VIE were $16 million for the year ended December 31, 2011 and $76 million for the year ended December 31, 2010. Net realized gains related to the deconsolidation of VIEs were $271 million for the year ended December 31, 2011 and immaterial for the year ended December 31, 2010.

Holders of insured obligations of issuer-sponsored VIEs related to the Company's structured finance and international insurance segment do not have recourse to the general assets of MBIA. In the event of nonpayment of an insured obligation issued by a consolidated VIE, the Company is obligated to pay principal and interest, when due, on the respective insured obligation only. The Company's exposure to consolidated VIEs is limited to the credit protection provided on insured obligations and any additional variable interests held by MBIA. Creditors of the Conduits do not have recourse to the general assets of MBIA apart from the financial guarantee insurance policies provided by MBIA Corp. on insured obligations issued by the Conduits.