Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Note 4: Variable Interest Entities

Primarily through MBIA’s international and structured finance 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.

Consolidated VIEs

The carrying amounts of assets and liabilities of consolidated VIEs were $1.6 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively, as of December 31, 2019, and $1.7 billion, as of December 31, 2018. 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. 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. In the first quarter of 2019, the Company consolidated seven VIEs related to the Trusts established in connection with the COFINA Plan of Adjustment. On the initial consolidation of the Trusts, the Company recorded a loss of $42 million, representing the difference between the fair value of the Company’s financial guarantee within the Trusts and the carrying value of the insurance related balances on the COFINA policies. During 2019, all of the uninsured bonds held in the Trusts were sold and the proceeds were used to reduce National’s obligations under its original insurance policies upon passing the proceeds

through the Trusts to certificate holders. In addition, National elected to make a voluntary additional payment in the amount of $66 million with the effect of simultaneously reducing the Trust’s obligations to zero and satisfying in full the obligations under its original insurance policies. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the Trusts were legally dissolved and the related VIEs were deconsolidated. In addition, in 2019, two structured finance RMBS VIEs were deconsolidated as a result of the termination of the Company’s insurance policies related to those VIEs. The Company recorded losses of

million upon the

deconsolidation

of these VIEs. These losses were primarily the result of credit losses in AOCI released to earnings. In 2018, the Company

deconsolidated

two

VIEs related to the Court granting the

Zohar

funds’ motion to approve a settlement (the “

Zohar

Bankruptcy Settlement”). The Company recorded a loss of $

million upon the

deconsolidation

of these VIEs, which represented the difference between the fair value of the VIE assets that were

deconsolidated

and the Company’s then current estimate of salvage and subrogation recoveries from those VIEs under insurance accounting. In addition, in 2018,

eight

structured finance RMBS VIEs were

deconsolidated

as a result of the termination of the Company’s insurance policies related to those VIEs. The Company recorded losses of $

million upon the

deconsolidation

of these VIEs. These losses were primarily the result of credit losses in AOCI released to earnings. These consolidation and

deconsolidation

losses are recorded within “Other net realized gains (losses)” under “Revenues of consolidated variable interest entities” on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. Refer to “Note 1: Business Developments and Risks and Uncertainties” for further information about COFINA and the

Zohar

Bankruptcy Settlement.

In addition, subsequent to December 31, 2019, one structured finance VIE was deconsolidated due to the prepayment of the outstanding notes of the VIE, resulting in a reduction in VIE assets and liabilities of approximately $315 million.

Holders of insured obligations of issuer-sponsored VIEs do not have recourse to the general assets of the Company. 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 the Company.

Nonconsolidated VIEs

The following tables present the Company’s maximum exposure to loss for nonconsolidated VIEs and carrying values of the assets and liabilities for its interests in these VIEs in its insurance operations as of December 31, 2019 and 2018. The amounts included under the headings for the carrying value of assets and liabilities represent amounts reported within the applicable financial statement line items on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. The maximum exposure to loss as a result of MBIA’s variable interests in VIEs is represented by insurance in force. Insurance in force is the maximum future payments of principal and interest which may be required under commitments to make payments on insured obligations issued by nonconsolidated VIEs. 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 and any investments in obligations issued by nonconsolidated VIEs.


	December 31, 2019
			Carrying Value of Assets						Carrying Value of Liabilities
In millions	Maximum Exposure to Loss		Investments		Premiums Receivable		Insurance Loss Recoverable		Unearned Premium Revenue		Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves
Insurance:
Global structured finance:
Mortgage-backed residential	$	2,253	$	15	$	19	$	107	$	16	$	436
Mortgage-backed commercial		26		—		—		—		—		—
Consumer asset-backed		384		—		1		1		1		11
Corporate asset-backed		937		—		6		673		7		—

Total global structured finance		3,600		15		26		781		24		447
Global public finance		1,926		—		8		—		9		—

Total insurance	$	5,526	$	15	$	34	$	781	$	33	$	447


	December 31, 2018
			Carrying Value of Assets						Carrying Value of Liabilities
In millions	Maximum Exposure to Loss		Investments		Premiums Receivable		Insurance Loss Recoverable		Unearned Premium Revenue		Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves
Insurance:
Global structured finance:
Mortgage-backed residential	$	3,103	$	17	$	19	$	128	$	17	$	345
Mortgage-backed commercial		52		—		—		—		—		—
Consumer asset-backed		560		—		3		1		2		12
Corporate asset-backed		1,338		—		9		858		10		—

Total global structured finance		5,053		17		31		987		29		357
Global public finance		2,231		—		9		—		12		—

Total insurance	$	7,284	$	17	$	40	$	987	$	41	$	357

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest (as defined) held by the entity requires the variable interest entity (VIE) (as defined) to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the VIE, individually or in aggregate (as applicable); the nature of restrictions, if any, on the consolidated VIE's assets and on the settlement of its liabilities reported by an entity in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets and liabilities; the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with involvement in the VIE; how involvement with the VIE affects the entity's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; the lack of recourse if creditors (or beneficial interest holders) of the consolidated VIE have no recourse to the general credit of the primary beneficiary (if applicable); the terms of arrangements, giving consideration to both explicit arrangements and implicit variable interests, if any, that could require the entity to provide financial support to the VIE, including events or circumstances that could expose the entity to a loss; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance are shared (as defined); the carrying amounts and classification of assets and liabilities of the VIE included in the statement of financial position; the entity's maximum exposure to loss, if any, as a result of its involvement with the VIE, including how the maximum exposure is determined and significant sources of the entity's exposure to the VIE; a comparison of the carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities and the entity's maximum exposure to loss; information about any liquidity arrangements, guarantees, and (or) other commitments by third parties that may affect the fair value or risk of the entity's variable interest in the VIE; whether or not the entity has provided financial support or other support (explicitly or implicitly) to the VIE that it was not previously contractually required to provide or whether the entity intends to provide that support, including the type and amount of the support and the primary reasons for providing the support; and supplemental information the entity determines necessary to provide.

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