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Investments
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Text Block [Abstract]  
Investments

Note 7: Investments

Investments, excluding those elected under the fair value option, include debt and equity securities classified as either AFS or HTM. Other invested assets designated as AFS are primarily comprised of money market funds.

The following tables present the amortized cost, fair value, corresponding gross unrealized gains and losses and other-than-temporary impairments (“OTTI”) for AFS and HTM investments in the Company's consolidated investment portfolio as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

      September 30, 2013
         Gross Gross    Other-Than-
      Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Temporary
In millions Cost Gains Losses Value Impairments(1)
AFS Investments               
Fixed-maturity investments:               
 U.S. Treasury and government agency $526 $19 $(8) $537 $0
 State and municipal bonds  1,632  30  (52)  1,610  0
 Foreign governments  192  9  0  201  0
 Corporate obligations  1,616  32  (26)  1,622  0
 Mortgage-backed securities:               
  Residential mortgage-backed agency  942  10  (18)  934  0
  Residential mortgage-backed non-agency  67  13  (6)  74  3
  Commercial mortgage-backed  34  1  (1)  34  0
 Asset-backed securities:               
  Collateralized debt obligations  210  2  (57)  155  (12)
  Other asset-backed  148  2  (17)  133  0
   Total fixed-maturity investments  5,367  118  (185)  5,300  (9)
Money market securities  911  0  0  911  0
Perpetual debt and equity securities  9  1  0  10  0
Assets of consolidated VIEs:               
 Money market securities  156  0  0  156  0
Total AFS investments $6,443 $119 $(185) $6,377 $(9)
                    
HTM Investments               
Assets of consolidated VIEs:               
 Corporate obligations $2,809 $8 $(251) $2,566 $0
Total HTM investments $2,809 $8 $(251) $2,566 $0
_______________               
(1) - Represents unrealized gains or losses on other than temporarily impaired securities recognized in AOCI, which includes the non-credit component of impairments, as well as all subsequent changes in fair value of such impaired securities reported in AOCI.

      December 31, 2012
         Gross Gross    Other-Than-
      Amortized Unrealized Unrealized Fair Temporary
In millions Cost Gains Losses Value Impairments(1)
AFS Investments               
Fixed-maturity investments:               
 U.S. Treasury and government agency $819 $40 $(1) $858 $0
 State and municipal bonds  1,446  97  (12)  1,531  0
 Foreign governments  183  13  0  196  0
 Corporate obligations  1,058  54  (20)  1,092  5
 Mortgage-backed securities:               
  Residential mortgage-backed agency  939  19  (1)  957  0
  Residential mortgage-backed non-agency  86  11  (8)  89  0
  Commercial mortgage-backed  46  0  (4)  42  0
 Asset-backed securities:               
  Collateralized debt obligations  161  1  (71)  91  (25)
  Other asset-backed  145  3  (11)  137  0
   Total fixed-maturity investments  4,883  238  (128)  4,993  (20)
Money market securities  580  0  0  580  0
Perpetual debt and equity securities   22  1  0  23  0
Assets of consolidated VIEs:               
 State and municipal bonds  38  3  0  41  0
 Corporate obligations  177  9  (6)  180  0
 Mortgage-backed securities:               
  Residential mortgage-backed non-agency  92  0  (10)  82  0
 Asset-backed securities:               
  Collateralized debt obligations  97  0  (8)  89  0
  Other asset-backed  23  0  0  23  0
 Money market securities  210  0  0  210  0
Total AFS investments $6,122 $251 $(152) $6,221 $(20)
                    
HTM Investments               
Assets of consolidated VIEs:               
 Corporate obligations $2,829 $2 $(157) $2,674 $0
Total HTM investments $2,829 $2 $(157) $2,674 $0
_______________               
(1) - Represents unrealized gains or losses on other than temporarily impaired securities recognized in AOCI, which includes the non-credit component of impairments, as well as all subsequent changes in fair value of such impaired securities reported in AOCI.

The following table presents the distribution by contractual maturity of AFS and HTM fixed-maturity securities at amortized cost and fair value as of September 30, 2013. Contractual maturity may differ from expected maturity as borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations.

  AFS Securities HTM Securities
        Consolidated VIEs
  Amortized     Amortized    
In millions Cost Fair Value Cost Fair Value
Due in one year or less $551 $552 $0 $0
Due after one year through five years  913  929  0  0
Due after five years through ten years  926  925  0  0
Due after ten years  1,576  1,564  2,809  2,566
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed  1,401  1,330  0  0
Total fixed-maturity investments $5,367 $5,300 $2,809 $2,566

Deposited and Pledged Securities

The fair value of securities on deposit with various regulatory authorities was $11 million and $10 million as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. These deposits are required to comply with state insurance laws.

The Company enters into securities borrowing and lending contracts in connection with MBIA's collateralized investment agreement activities. Such contracts are only transacted with high-quality dealer firms. It is the Company's policy to take possession of securities borrowed under these contracts. The Company minimizes credit risk from counterparties that might be unable to fulfill their contractual obligations by monitoring customer credit exposure and collateral values and requiring additional collateral to be deposited with the Company when deemed necessary.

Substantially all of the obligations under investment agreements require the Company to pledge securities as collateral. Securities pledged in connection with investment agreement activities may not be repledged by the investment agreement counterparty. As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the fair value of securities pledged as collateral for these investment agreements approximated $750 million and $820 million, respectively. The Company's collateral as of September 30, 2013 consisted principally of RMBS, U.S. Treasury and government agency bonds and state and municipal bonds, and was primarily held with major U.S. banks. Additionally, the Company pledged cash and money market securities as collateral under investment agreements in the amount of $24 million and $144 million as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

Impaired Investments

The following tables present the gross unrealized losses related to AFS and HTM investments as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

      September 30, 2013
      Less than 12 Months 12 Months or Longer Total
      Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized
In millions Value Losses Value Losses Value Losses
AFS Investments                  
Fixed-maturity investments:                  
 U.S. Treasury and government agency $208 $(8) $2 $0 $210 $(8)
 State and municipal bonds  730  (48)  58  (4)  788  (52)
 Foreign governments  12  0  0  0  12  0
 Corporate obligations  610  (23)  20  (3)  630  (26)
 Mortgage-backed securities:                  
  Residential mortgage-backed agency  528  (18)  32  0  560  (18)
  Residential mortgage-backed non-agency  5  0  23  (6)  28  (6)
  Commercial mortgage-backed  22  (1)  1  0  23  (1)
 Asset-backed securities:                  
  Collateralized debt obligations  9  (1)  128  (56)  137  (57)
  Other asset-backed  22  0  56  (17)  78  (17)
   Total fixed-maturity investments  2,146  (99)  320  (86)  2,466  (185)
Perpetual debt and equity securities  4  0  0  0  4  0
Total AFS investments $2,150 $(99) $320 $(86) $2,470 $(185)
                       
HTM Investments                  
Assets of consolidated VIEs:                  
 Corporate obligations $0 $0 $1,174 $(251) $1,174 $(251)
Total HTM investments $0 $0 $1,174 $(251) $1,174 $(251)

      December 31, 2012
      Less than 12 Months 12 Months or Longer Total
      Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized
In millions Value Losses Value Losses Value Losses
AFS Investments                  
Fixed-maturity investments:                  
 U.S. Treasury and government agency $234 $(1) $0 $0 $234 $(1)
 State and municipal bonds  69  0  87  (12)  156  (12)
 Foreign governments  11  0  1  0  12  0
 Corporate obligations  202  (2)  57  (18)  259  (20)
 Mortgage-backed securities:                  
  Residential mortgage-backed agency  173  (1)  38  0  211  (1)
  Residential mortgage-backed non-agency  4  0  28  (8)  32  (8)
  Commercial mortgage-backed  3  0  27  (4)  30  (4)
 Asset-backed securities:                  
  Collateralized debt obligations  1  0  80  (71)  81  (71)
  Other asset-backed  4  0  65  (11)  69  (11)
   Total fixed-maturity investments  701  (4)  383  (124)  1,084  (128)
Perpetual debt and equity securities  1  0  1  0  2  0
Assets of consolidated VIEs:                  
 Corporate obligations  0  0  31  (6)  31  (6)
 Mortgage-backed securities:                  
  Residential mortgage-backed non-agency  0  0  82  (10)  82  (10)
 Asset-backed securities:                  
  Collateralized debt obligations  0  0  85  (8)  85  (8)
Total AFS investments $702 $(4) $582 $(148) $1,284 $(152)
                       
HTM Investments                  
Assets of consolidated VIEs:                  
 Corporate obligations $297 $(19) $1,287 $(138) $1,584 $(157)
Total HTM investments $297 $(19) $1,287 $(138) $1,584 $(157)

Gross unrealized losses on AFS securities increased as of September 30, 2013 compared with December 31, 2012 primarily due to market price depreciation caused by rising interest rates and not the result of OTTI. Gross unrealized losses on HTM securities increased as of September 30, 2013 compared with December 31, 2012 primarily due to market price depreciation driven by a credit ratings downgrade on one of the HTM corporate obligations and not the result of OTTI.

With the weighting applied on the fair value of each security relative to the total fair value, the weighted average contractual maturity of securities in an unrealized loss position as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 was 19 and 23 years, respectively. As of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, there were 64 and 153 securities, respectively, that were in an unrealized loss position for a continuous twelve-month period or longer, of which the fair values of 39 and 89 securities, respectively, were below book value by more than 5%.

The following table presents the distribution of securities in an unrealized loss position for a continuous twelve-month period or longer by percentage of fair value below book value by more than 5%:

   AFS Securities HTM Securities
 Percentage of Fair Value Number of Book Value Fair Value Number of Book Value Fair Value
  Below Book Value Securities  (in millions)  (in millions) Securities  (in millions)  (in millions)
 > 5% to 15%  13 $110 $101  - $0 $0
 > 15% to 25%  12  66  52  -  0  0
 > 25% to 50%  5  53  36  1  575  345
 > 50%  8  52  9  -  0  0
 Total  38 $281 $198  1 $575 $345

The following table presents the fair values and gross unrealized losses by credit rating category of ABS, MBS and corporate obligations included in the Company's consolidated AFS investment portfolio as of September 30, 2013 for which fair value was less than amortized cost. The credit ratings are based on ratings from Moody's as of September 30, 2013 or an alternate ratings source, such as S&P, when a security is not rated by Moody's. For investments that are insured by various third-party guarantee insurers, the credit rating reflects the higher of the insurer's rating or the underlying bond's rating.

                           Below            
In millions Aaa Aa A Baa Investment Grade Not Rated Total
   Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized
Asset Type Value Loss Value Loss Value Loss Value Loss Value Loss Value Loss Value Loss
ABS  $13 $0 $59 $(5) $1 $0 $3 $0 $135 $(69) $4 $0 $215 $(74)
MBS  558  (18)  8  0  4  0  17  (1)  9  (1)  15  (5)  611  (25)
Corporate obligations  129  (1)  205  (8)  205  (12)  74  (4)  17  (1)  0  0  630  (26)
 Total $700 $(19) $272 $(13) $210 $(12) $94 $(5) $161 $(71) $19 $(5) $1,456 $(125)

The total ABS, MBS and corporate obligations reported in the preceding table include those which are guaranteed by financial guarantors. In addition, the following table presents information on ABS, MBS and corporate obligations guaranteed by the Company and third-party financial guarantors.

      Insured Securities Rated Below
      Investment Grade without the
      Effect of Guarantee
  Average Credit Rating with the Average Credit Rating without the (in millions)   
Asset Type Effect of Guarantee Effect of Guarantee Fair Value Percentage
ABS Below investment grade Below investment grade $101 64%
MBS Baa Below investment grade  20 99%
Corporate obligations A A  0 0%

Refer to the table in the “Determination of Credit Loss Guaranteed by the Company and Other Third-Party Guarantors” section within the OTTI section of this note for information on the insured securities included in the table above.

The Company concluded that it does not have the intent to sell securities in an unrealized loss position and it is more likely than not, that it would not have to sell these securities before recovery of their cost basis. In making this conclusion, the Company examined the cash flow projections for its investment portfolios, the potential sources and uses of cash in its businesses, and the cash resources available to its business other than sales of securities. It also considered the existence of any risk management or other plans as of September 30, 2013 that would require the sale of impaired securities. Impaired securities that the Company intends to sell before the expected recovery of such securities' fair values have been written down to fair value.

Other-Than-Temporary Impairments

Evaluating AFS Securities for OTTI

The Company has an ongoing review process for all securities in its investment portfolio, including a quarterly assessment of OTTI. This evaluation includes both qualitative and quantitative considerations. In assessing whether a decline in value is related to a credit loss, the Company considers several factors, including but not limited to (i) the magnitude and duration of declines in fair value; (ii) the reasons for the declines in fair value, such as general credit spread movements in each asset-backed sector, transaction-specific changes in credit spreads, credit rating downgrades, modeled defaults, and principal and interest payment priorities within each investment structure; and (iii) any guarantees associated with a security such as those provided by financial guarantee insurance companies, including MBIA Corp. and National.

In calculating credit-related losses, the Company utilizes cash flow modeling based on the type of security. The Company's cash flow analysis considers all sources of cash, including credit enhancement, that support the payment of amounts owed by an issuer of a security. This includes the consideration of cash expected to be provided by financial guarantors, including MBIA Corp., resulting from an actual or potential insurance policy claim. In general, any change in the amount and/or timing of cash flows received or expected to be received, whether or not such cash flows are contractually defined, is reflected in the Company's cash flow analysis for purposes of assessing an OTTI loss on an impaired security.

Each quarter, an internal committee, comprising staff that is independent of the Company's evaluation process for determining OTTI of securities, reviews and approves the valuation of investments. Among other responsibilities, this committee ensures that the Company's process for identifying and calculating OTTI, including the use of models and assumptions, is reasonable and complies with the Company's internal policy.

Determination of Credit Loss on ABS, MBS and Corporate Obligations

Investments with unrealized losses that met the above criteria were tested for OTTI and principally related to ABS, MBS and corporate obligations.

ABS investments are evaluated for OTTI using historical collateral performance, deal waterfall and structural protections, credit ratings, and forward looking projections of collateral performance based on business and economic conditions specific to each collateral type and risk. The underlying collateral is evaluated to identify any specific performance concerns, and stress scenarios are considered in forecasting ultimate returns of principal. Based on this evaluation, if a principal default is projected for a security, estimated future cash flows are discounted at the security's interest rate used to recognize interest income on the security. For CDO investments, the Company utilizes the same tools as for RMBS investments discussed below, aggregating the bond level cash flows to the CDO investment level. If the present value of cash flows is less than the Company's amortized cost for the security, the difference is recorded as an OTTI loss.

RMBS investments are evaluated for OTTI using several quantitative tools. Loan level data are obtained and analyzed in a model that produces prepayment, default, and severity vectors. The model utilizes macro inputs, including housing price assumptions and interest rates. The vector outputs are used as inputs to a third-party cash flow model, which considers deal waterfall dynamics and structural features, to generate cash flows for an RMBS investment. The expected cash flows of the security are then discounted at the interest rate used to recognize interest income of the security to arrive at a present value amount. If the present value of the cash flows is less than the Company's amortized cost for the investment, the difference is recorded as an OTTI loss.

Corporate obligation investments are evaluated for OTTI using credit analysis techniques. The Company's analysis includes a detailed review of a number of quantitative and qualitative factors impacting the value of an individual security. These factors include the interest rate of the security (fixed or floating), the security's current market spread, any collateral supporting the security, the security's position in the issuer's capital structure, and credit rating upgrades or downgrades. Additionally, these factors include an assessment of various issuer-related credit metrics including market capitalization, earnings, cash flow, capitalization, interest coverage, leverage, liquidity, management and a third-party quantitative default probability model. The Company's analysis is augmented by comparing market prices for similar securities of other issuers in the same sector, as well as any recent corporate or government actions that may impact the ultimate return of principal. If the Company determines that, after considering these factors, a principal default is projected, a recovery analysis is performed using the above data. If the Company's estimated recovery value for the security is less than its amortized cost, the difference is recorded as an OTTI loss.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, the credit losses recognized in earnings were related to RMBS and CDOs. The following table presents a summary of the significant inputs considered in determining the measurement of the credit losses on securities in which a portion of the impairment is included in AOCI:

    Nine Months Ended September 30,
Asset-backed Securities  2012
Expected size of losses(1):   
 Range(2)  12.13% to 97.70%
 Weighted average(3)  88.48%
Current subordination levels(4):   
 Range(2)  0.00% to 0.00%
 Weighted average(3)  0.00%
Prepayment speed (annual constant prepayment rate)(5):   
 Range(2)  0.00% to 30.91%
 Weighted average(3)  12.16%
_______________   
(1) - Represents future expected credit losses on impaired assets expressed as a percentage of total outstanding balance.
(2) - Represents the range of inputs/assumptions based upon the individual securities within each category.
(3) - Calculated by weighting the relevant input/assumption for each individual security by the outstanding notional of the security.
(4) - Represents current level of credit protection (subordination) for the securities, expressed as a percentage of the balance of the collateral group backing the bond.
(5) - Values represent high and low points of lifetime vectors of constant prepayment rates.

Determination of Credit Loss Guaranteed by the Company and Other Third-Party Guarantors

The Company does not record OTTI related to credit concerns about issuers of securities insured by MBIA Corp. and National since investors in these securities, including MBIA, are guaranteed payment of principal and interest when due by MBIA. Securities insured by the Company, whether or not owned by the Company, are evaluated for impairment as part of its insurance surveillance process and, therefore, losses on securities insured by the Company are recorded in accordance with its loss reserving policy. Refer to “Note 2: Significant Accounting Policiesin the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 for information about the Company's loss reserving policy and “Note 5: Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves” for information about loss reserves.

In considering cash expected to be provided from other third-party financial guarantors, the Company assesses the financial guarantor's ability to make claim payments under a variety of scenarios that test the guarantor's ultimate claims paying ability. The weighted average outcome of these scenarios, combined with the cash flows provided by the insured security, are used to determine the recoverability of the Company's amortized cost.

The following table provides information about securities held by the Company as of September 30, 2013 that were in an unrealized loss position and insured by a financial guarantor, along with the amount of insurance loss reserves corresponding to the par amount owned by the Company:

       Unrealized Insurance Loss 
 In millions Fair Value Loss Reserve (2) 
 Asset-backed:          
  MBIA(1) $148 $(58) $15 
  Other  9  (5)  0 
   Total asset-backed  157  (63)  15 
 Mortgage-backed:          
  MBIA(1)  5  0  0 
  Other  15  0  0 
   Total mortgage-backed  20  0  0 
 Corporate obligations:          
  Other  6  (2)  0 
   Total corporate obligations  6  (2)  0 
 Other:          
  MBIA(1)  104  (6)  0 
  Other  19  0  0 
   Total other  123  (6)  0 
 Total $306 $(71) $15 
 _______________          
 (1) - Includes investments insured by MBIA Corp. and National. 
 (2) - Insurance loss reserve estimates are based on the proportion of par value owned to the total amount of par value insured. 

Credit Loss Rollforward

The portion of certain OTTI losses on fixed-maturity securities that does not represent credit losses is recognized in AOCI. For these impairments, the net amount recognized in earnings represents the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the net present value of its projected future discounted cash flows prior to impairment. Any remaining difference between the fair value and amortized cost is recognized in AOCI. The following table presents the amount of credit loss impairments recognized in earnings on fixed-maturity securities held by MBIA as of the dates indicated, for which a portion of the OTTI losses was recognized in AOCI, and the corresponding changes in such amounts.

In millions Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30,
Credit Losses Recognized in Earnings Related to Other-Than-Temporary Impairments 2013  2012 2013  2012
Beginning balance $186 $269 $197 $341
Additions for credit loss impairments recognized in the current period on securities             
 previously impaired  0  5  0  8
Reductions for credit loss impairments previously recognized on securities sold during            
 the period  (4)  (2)  (14)  (18)
Reductions for credit loss impairments previously recognized on securities impaired to            
 fair value during the period(1)  0  (52)  0  (111)
Reductions for increases in cash flows expected to be collected over the remaining             
 life of the security  (4)  0  (5)  0
Ending balance $178 $220 $178 $220
_______________            
(1) - Represents circumstances where the Company determined in the current period that it intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security
before recovery of the security's amortized cost.      
              

Sales of Available-For-Sale Investments

Gross realized gains and losses are recorded within “Net gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value and foreign exchange” on the Company's consolidated statements of operations. The proceeds and gross realized gains and losses from sales of AFS investments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 are as follows:

    Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 
 In millions 2013 2012 2013 2012 
 Proceeds from sales  $695 $1,163 $3,009 $5,697 
               
 Gross realized gains $4 $42 $52 $100 
                
 Gross realized losses $(15) $(6) $(25) $(101)