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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Investments

Investments

Fixed income securities include bonds, residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), asset-backed securities (“ABS”) and redeemable preferred stocks. Fixed income securities, which may be sold prior to their contractual maturity, are designated as available for sale and are carried at fair value. The difference between amortized cost and fair value, net of deferred income taxes, certain deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”), certain deferred sales inducement costs (“DSI”) and certain reserves for life-contingent contract benefits, is reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Cash received from calls, principal payments and make-whole payments is reflected as a component of proceeds from sales and cash received from maturities and pay-downs, including prepayments, is reflected as a component of investment collections within the Statements of Cash Flows.

Mortgage loans are carried at unpaid principal balances, net of unamortized premium or discount and valuation allowances. Valuation allowances are established for impaired loans when it is probable that contractual principal and interest will not be collected.

Equity securities primarily include common stocks and exchange traded funds. Equity securities are designated as available for sale and are carried at fair value. The difference between cost and fair value, net of deferred income taxes, is reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.

Investments in limited partnership interests, including interests in private equity/debt funds, where the Company’s interest is so minor that it exercises virtually no influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for in accordance with the cost method of accounting; all other investments in limited partnership interests are accounted for in accordance with the equity method of accounting (“EMA”).

Short-term investments, including money market funds, commercial paper and other short-term investments, are carried at fair value. Policy loans are carried at unpaid principal balances. Other investments consist of notes due from related party and derivatives. Notes due from related party are carried at outstanding principal balances. Derivatives are carried at fair value.

Investment income primarily consists of interest, dividends, income from certain derivative transactions, income from cost method limited partnership interests, and, in 2013 and 2012, income from EMA limited partnership interests. Interest is recognized on an accrual basis using the effective yield method and dividends are recorded at the ex-dividend date. Interest income for RMBS, CMBS and ABS is determined considering estimated pay-downs, including prepayments, obtained from third party data sources and internal estimates. Actual prepayment experience is periodically reviewed and effective yields are recalculated when differences arise between the prepayments originally anticipated and the actual prepayments received and currently anticipated. For RMBS, CMBS and ABS of high credit quality with fixed interest rates, the effective yield is recalculated on a retrospective basis. For all others, the effective yield is recalculated on a prospective basis. Accrual of income is suspended for other-than-temporarily impaired fixed income securities when the timing and amount of cash flows expected to be received is not reasonably estimable. Accrual of income is suspended for mortgage loans that are in default or when full and timely collection of principal and interest payments is not probable. Cash receipts on investments on nonaccrual status are generally recorded as a reduction of carrying value. Income from cost method limited partnership interests is recognized upon receipt of amounts distributed by the partnerships. Income from EMA limited partnership interests is recognized based on the Company’s share of the partnerships’ net income, including unrealized gains and losses, and is recognized on a delay due to the availability of the related financial statements. Income recognition on private equity/debt funds is generally on a three month delay.

Realized capital gains and losses include gains and losses on investment sales, write-downs in value due to other-than-temporary declines in fair value, adjustments to valuation allowances on mortgage loans, periodic changes in fair value and settlements of certain derivatives including hedge ineffectiveness, and, in 2011, income from EMA limited partnership interests. Realized capital gains and losses on investment sales, including principal payments, are determined on a specific identification basis.

Derivative and Embedded Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative and embedded derivative financial instruments

Derivative financial instruments include interest rate caps and a reinvestment related risk transfer reinsurance agreement with ALIC that meets the accounting definition of a derivative (see Note 4). Derivatives required to be separated from the host instrument and accounted for as derivative financial instruments (“subject to bifurcation”) are embedded in certain fixed income securities, equity-indexed life contracts and reinsured variable annuity contracts.

All derivatives are accounted for on a fair value basis and reported as other investments, other assets or contractholder funds. The income statement effects of derivatives, including fair value gains and losses and accrued periodic settlements, are reported in realized capital gains and losses. Embedded derivative instruments subject to bifurcation are also accounted for on a fair value basis and are reported together with the host contract. The change in fair value of derivatives embedded in certain fixed income securities and subject to bifurcation is reported in realized capital gains and losses. The change in fair value of derivatives embedded in life and annuity product contracts and subject to bifurcation is reported in contract benefits or interest credited to contractholder funds. Cash flows from embedded derivatives subject to bifurcation are reported consistently with the host contracts within the Statements of Cash Flows. Cash flows from other derivatives are reported in cash flows from investing activities within the Statements of Cash Flows.

Securities Loaned

Securities loaned

The Company’s business activities include securities lending transactions, which are used primarily to generate net investment income. The proceeds received in conjunction with securities lending transactions are reinvested in short-term investments. These transactions are short-term in nature, usually 30 days or less.

The Company receives cash collateral for securities loaned in an amount generally equal to 102% of the fair value of securities and records the related obligations to return the collateral in other liabilities and accrued expenses. The carrying value of these obligations approximates fair value because of their relatively short-term nature. The Company monitors the market value of securities loaned on a daily basis and obtains additional collateral as necessary under the terms of the agreements to mitigate counterparty credit risk. The Company maintains the right and ability to repossess the securities loaned on short notice.

Recognition of Premium Revenues and Contract Charges, and Related Benefits and Interest Credited

Recognition of premium revenues and contract charges, and related benefits and interest credited

Traditional life insurance products consist principally of products with fixed and guaranteed premiums and benefits, primarily term and whole life insurance products. Voluntary accident and health insurance products are expected to remain in force for an extended period. Premiums from these products are recognized as revenue when due from policyholders. Benefits are reflected in contract benefits and recognized in relation to premiums, so that profits are recognized over the life of the policy.

Immediate annuities with life contingencies, including certain structured settlement annuities, provide insurance protection over a period that extends beyond the period during which premiums are collected. Premiums from these products are recognized as revenue when received at the inception of the contract. Benefits and expenses are recognized in relation to premiums. Profits from these policies come from investment income, which is recognized over the life of the contract.

Interest-sensitive life contracts, such as universal life and single premium life, are insurance contracts whose terms are not fixed and guaranteed. The terms that may be changed include premiums paid by the contractholder, interest credited to the contractholder account balance and contract charges assessed against the contractholder account balance. Premiums from these contracts are reported as contractholder fund deposits. Contract charges consist of fees assessed against the contractholder account balance for the cost of insurance (mortality risk), contract administration and surrender of the contract prior to contractually specified dates. These contract charges are recognized as revenue when assessed against the contractholder account balance. Contract benefits include life-contingent benefit payments in excess of the contractholder account balance.

Contracts that do not subject the Company to significant risk arising from mortality or morbidity are referred to as investment contracts. Fixed annuities, including market value adjusted annuities and immediate annuities without life contingencies, are considered investment contracts. Consideration received for such contracts is reported as contractholder fund deposits. Contract charges for investment contracts consist of fees assessed against the contractholder account balance for maintenance, administration and surrender of the contract prior to contractually specified dates, and are recognized when assessed against the contractholder account balance.

 

Interest credited to contractholder funds represents interest accrued or paid on interest-sensitive life and investment contracts. Crediting rates for certain fixed annuities and interest-sensitive life contracts are adjusted periodically by the Company to reflect current market conditions subject to contractually guaranteed minimum rates. Crediting rates for indexed life contracts are generally based on an equity index, such as the Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) 500 Index. Interest credited also includes amortization of DSI expenses. DSI is amortized into interest credited using the same method used to amortize DAC.

Contract charges for variable life and variable annuity products consist of fees assessed against the contractholder account balances for contract maintenance, administration, mortality, expense and surrender of the contract prior to contractually specified dates. Contract benefits incurred for variable annuity products include guaranteed minimum death, income, withdrawal and accumulation benefits. All of the Company’s variable annuity business is ceded through reinsurance agreements and the contract charges and contract benefits related thereto are reported net of reinsurance ceded.

Deferred Policy Acquisition and Sales Inducement Costs

Deferred policy acquisition and sales inducement costs

Costs that are related directly to the successful acquisition of new or renewal life insurance and investment contracts are deferred and recorded as DAC. These costs are principally agents’ and brokers’ remuneration and certain underwriting expenses. DSI costs, which are deferred and recorded as other assets, relate to sales inducements offered on sales to new customers, principally on annuity and interest-sensitive life contracts. These sales inducements are primarily in the form of additional credits to the customer’s account balance or enhancements to interest credited for a specified period which are in excess of the rates currently being credited to similar contracts without sales inducements. All other acquisition costs are expensed as incurred and included in operating costs and expenses. Amortization of DAC is included in amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and is described in more detail below. DSI is amortized into income using the same methodology and assumptions as DAC and is included in interest credited to contractholder funds. DAC and DSI are periodically reviewed for recoverability and adjusted if necessary.

For traditional life insurance, DAC is amortized over the premium paying period of the related policies in proportion to the estimated revenues on such business. Assumptions used in the amortization of DAC and reserve calculations are established at the time the policy is issued and are generally not revised during the life of the policy. Any deviations from projected business in force resulting from actual policy terminations differing from expected levels and any estimated premium deficiencies may result in a change to the rate of amortization in the period such events occur. Generally, the amortization periods for these policies approximates the estimated lives of the policies.

For interest-sensitive life, fixed annuities and other investment contracts, DAC and DSI are amortized in proportion to the incidence of the total present value of gross profits, which includes both actual historical gross profits (“AGP”) and estimated future gross profits (“EGP”) expected to be earned over the estimated lives of the contracts. The amortization is net of interest on the prior period DAC balance using rates established at the inception of the contracts. Actual amortization periods generally range from 15-30 years; however, incorporating estimates of the rate of customer surrenders, partial withdrawals and deaths generally results in the majority of the DAC being amortized during the surrender charge period, which is typically 10-20 years for interest-sensitive life and 5-10 years for fixed annuities. The cumulative DAC and DSI amortization is reestimated and adjusted by a cumulative charge or credit to income when there is a difference between the incidence of actual versus expected gross profits in a reporting period or when there is a change in total EGP. When DAC or DSI amortization or a component of gross profits for a quarterly period is potentially negative (which would result in an increase of the DAC or DSI balance) as a result of negative AGP, the specific facts and circumstances surrounding the potential negative amortization are considered to determine whether it is appropriate for recognition in the financial statements. Negative amortization is only recorded when the increased DAC or DSI balance is determined to be recoverable based on facts and circumstances. Recapitalization of DAC and DSI is limited to the originally deferred costs plus interest.

 

AGP and EGP primarily consist of the following components: contract charges for the cost of insurance less mortality costs and other benefits; investment income and realized capital gains and losses less interest credited; and surrender and other contract charges less maintenance expenses. The principal assumptions for determining the amount of EGP are persistency, mortality, expenses, investment returns, including capital gains and losses on assets supporting contract liabilities, interest crediting rates to contractholders, and the effects of any hedges. For products whose supporting investments are exposed to capital losses in excess of the Company’s expectations which may cause periodic AGP to become temporarily negative, EGP and AGP utilized in DAC and DSI amortization may be modified to exclude the excess capital losses.

The Company performs quarterly reviews of DAC and DSI recoverability for interest-sensitive life, fixed annuities and other investment contracts in the aggregate using current assumptions. If a change in the amount of EGP is significant, it could result in the unamortized DAC or DSI not being recoverable, resulting in a charge which is included as a component of amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs or interest credited to contractholder funds, respectively.

The DAC and DSI balances presented include adjustments to reflect the amount by which the amortization of DAC and DSI would increase or decrease if the unrealized capital gains or losses in the respective product investment portfolios were actually realized. The adjustments are recorded net of tax in accumulated other comprehensive income. DAC, DSI and deferred income taxes determined on unrealized capital gains and losses and reported in accumulated other comprehensive income recognize the impact on shareholder’s equity consistently with the amounts that would be recognized in the income statement on realized capital gains and losses.

Customers of the Company may exchange one insurance policy or investment contract for another offered by the Company, or make modifications to an existing investment or life contract issued by the Company. These transactions are identified as internal replacements for accounting purposes. Internal replacement transactions determined to result in replacement contracts that are substantially unchanged from the replaced contracts are accounted for as continuations of the replaced contracts. Unamortized DAC and DSI related to the replaced contracts continue to be deferred and amortized in connection with the replacement contracts. For interest-sensitive life and investment contracts, the EGP of the replacement contracts are treated as a revision to the EGP of the replaced contracts in the determination of amortization of DAC and DSI. For traditional life insurance policies, any changes to unamortized DAC that result from replacement contracts are treated as prospective revisions. Any costs associated with the issuance of replacement contracts are characterized as maintenance costs and expensed as incurred. Internal replacement transactions determined to result in a substantial change to the replaced contracts are accounted for as an extinguishment of the replaced contracts, and any unamortized DAC and DSI related to the replaced contracts are eliminated with a corresponding charge to amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs or interest credited to contractholder funds, respectively.

Reinsurance

Reinsurance

In the normal course of business, the Company seeks to limit aggregate and single exposure to losses on large risks by purchasing reinsurance. The Company has also used reinsurance to effect the disposition of certain blocks of business. The amounts reported as reinsurance recoverables include amounts billed to reinsurers on losses paid as well as estimates of amounts expected to be recovered from reinsurers on insurance liabilities and contractholder funds that have not yet been paid. Reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses are estimated based upon assumptions consistent with those used in establishing the liabilities related to the underlying reinsured contracts. Insurance liabilities are reported gross of reinsurance recoverables. Reinsurance premiums are generally reflected in income in a manner consistent with the recognition of premiums on the reinsured contracts. Reinsurance does not extinguish the Company’s primary liability under the policies written. Therefore, the Company regularly evaluates the financial condition of its reinsurers and establishes allowances for uncollectible reinsurance as appropriate.

The Company has a reinsurance treaty with ALIC through which it primarily cedes reinvestment related risk on its structured settlement annuities. The terms of the treaty meet the accounting definition of a derivative. Accordingly, the treaty is recorded in the Statement of Financial Position at fair value. Changes in the fair value of the treaty and premiums paid to ALIC are recognized in realized capital gains and losses.

Income Taxes

Income taxes

The income tax provision is calculated under the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities at the enacted tax rates. The principal assets and liabilities giving rise to such differences are unrealized capital gains and losses, differences in tax bases of invested assets, DAC and insurance reserves. A deferred tax asset valuation allowance is established when there is uncertainty that such assets will be realized.

Reserve for Life-Contingent Contract Benefits

Reserve for life-contingent contract benefits

The reserve for life-contingent contract benefits payable under insurance policies, including traditional life insurance, life-contingent immediate annuities and voluntary accident and health insurance products, is computed on the basis of long-term actuarial assumptions of future investment yields, mortality, morbidity, policy terminations and expenses. These assumptions, which for traditional life insurance are applied using the net level premium method, include provisions for adverse deviation and generally vary by characteristics such as type of coverage, year of issue and policy duration. To the extent that unrealized gains on fixed income securities would result in a premium deficiency if those gains were realized, the related increase in reserves for certain immediate annuities with life contingencies is recorded net of tax as a reduction of unrealized net capital gains included in accumulated other comprehensive income.

Contractholder Funds

Contractholder funds

Contractholder funds represent interest-bearing liabilities arising from the sale of products such as interest-sensitive life insurance and fixed annuities. Contractholder funds primarily comprise cumulative deposits received and interest credited to the contractholder less cumulative contract benefits, surrenders, withdrawals and contract charges for mortality or administrative expenses. Contractholder funds also include reserves for secondary guarantees on interest-sensitive life insurance and certain fixed annuity contracts and reserves for certain guarantees on reinsured variable annuity contracts.

Separate Accounts

Separate accounts

Separate accounts assets are carried at fair value. The assets of the separate accounts are legally segregated and available only to settle separate account contract obligations. Separate accounts liabilities represent the contractholders’ claims to the related assets and are carried at an amount equal to the separate accounts assets. Investment income and realized capital gains and losses of the separate accounts accrue directly to the contractholders and therefore are not included in the Company’s Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income. Deposits to and surrenders and withdrawals from the separate accounts are reflected in separate accounts liabilities and are not included in cash flows.

Absent any contract provision wherein the Company provides a guarantee, variable annuity and variable life insurance contractholders bear the investment risk that the separate accounts’ funds may not meet their stated investment objectives. All of the Company’s variable annuity business was reinsured beginning in 2006.

Off-Balance-Sheet Financial Instruments

Off-balance sheet financial instruments

Commitments to invest, commitments to extend mortgage loans and financial guarantees have off-balance sheet risk because their contractual amounts are not recorded in the Company’s Statements of Financial Position (see Note 7 and Note 11).

Adopted Accounting Standards

Adopted accounting standards

Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

In December 2011 and January 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance requiring expanded disclosures, including both gross and net information, for derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending transactions that are either offset in the reporting entity’s financial statements or those that are subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement. The Company adopted the new guidance in 2013. The new guidance affects disclosures only and therefore had no impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2013, the FASB issued guidance requiring expanded disclosures about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. The guidance requires the presentation of significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by income statement line item but only if the amount reclassified is required under GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required under GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts is required. The Company adopted the new guidance in 2013. The new guidance affects disclosures only and therefore had no impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.