Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in conformity with GAAP, but are not required for interim reporting purposes, have been omitted. These Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in Part II - Item 8 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes are unaudited. These financial statements reflect all adjustments (generally consisting only of normal recurring accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. The Company's significant accounting policies are summarized in Part II - Item 8, Note 1 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Effective for the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company decided to change the approach it uses for presentation in its Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows from the direct method to the indirect method as management considers presentation under the indirect method as more comparable to the method used by others in the insurance industry. Accordingly, the Company has recast all prior periods presented in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows to conform to the current year’s presentation.

The Company has reclassified the presentation of certain prior period information to conform to the current year's presentation.

Consolidation

Consolidation

All intercompany transactions and balances between HMEC and its subsidiaries and affiliates have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

The most significant critical accounting estimates include valuation of hard-to-value fixed maturity securities (including evaluation of other-than-temporary impairments), evaluation of goodwill and intangible assets for impairment, valuation of supplemental, annuity and life deferred policy acquisition costs, valuation of liabilities for property and casualty unpaid claims and claim expenses, valuation of certain investment contracts and policy reserves and valuation of assets acquired and liabilities assumed under purchase accounting.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards and Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance which revised the credit loss recognition criteria for certain financial assets measured at amortized cost, including reinsurance recoverables. The guidance replaced the previous incurred loss recognition model with an expected loss recognition model. The objective of the expected credit loss model is for a reporting entity to recognize its estimate of expected credit losses for affected financial assets in a valuation allowance that when deducted from the amortized cost basis of the related financial assets results in a net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected. A reporting entity must consider all relevant information available when estimating expected credit losses, including details about past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts over the life of an asset. Financial assets may be evaluated individually or on a pooled basis when they share similar risk characteristics. The measurement of credit losses for available for sale debt securities measured at fair value is not affected except that credit losses recognized are limited to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost and the carrying value adjustment is recognized through a valuation allowance which may change over time but once recorded cannot subsequently be reduced to an amount below zero. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and for most affected instruments must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, with a cumulative effect adjustment recorded to beginning retained earnings.

The Company’s implementation activities are complete and the impacts relate to the Company’s commercial mortgage loan portfolio, agent advances, reinsurance recoverables and off-balance-sheet credit exposures for unfunded commercial mortgage loan commitments. The Company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2020 and recognized a cumulative effect adjustment that decreased retained earnings by $0.5 million.

Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Accounting for Long-Duration Insurance Contracts

In August 2018, the FASB issued accounting and disclosure guidance that contains targeted improvements to the accounting for long-duration insurance contracts. Under the new guidance, the cash flow assumptions used to measure the liability for future policy benefits for traditional insurance contracts will be required to be updated at least annually with changes recognized as a benefit expense (i.e., assumptions will no longer be locked-in). Insurance entities will be required to use a standard discount rate to measure the liabilities that will be equivalent to the yield from a high-quality bond. The new guidance also changes the amortization of deferred acquisition costs (DAC) to be on a constant-level basis over the expected term of the related contracts with no interest accruing on the DAC balance. The new guidance also introduces a new category of contract features associated with deposit type contracts referred to as market risk benefits (MRBs). Contract features meeting the definition of a MRB will be measured at fair value. New disclosures will be required for long-duration insurance contracts in order to provide better transparency into the exposure of insurance entities and the drivers of their results. For public business entities, the guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those years. With regards to the liability for future policy benefits and DAC, the guidance applies to contracts in force as of the beginning of the earliest period presented and may be applied retrospectively. With regards to MRBs, the guidance is to be applied retrospectively at the beginning of the earliest period presented. Early adoption is permitted. Management is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on the results of operations and financial position of the Company.

Credit Losses

The Company conducts a periodic review to identify and evaluate invested assets that may have credit impairments.

Credit Impairments of Fixed Maturity Securities

Some of the factors considered in assessing impairment of fixed maturity securities due to credit-related factors include: (1) the extent to which the fair value has been less than amortized cost; (2) the financial condition, near-term and long-term prospects for the issuer, including the relevant industry conditions and trends, and implications of rating agency actions and offering prices; (3) the likelihood of the recoverability of principal and interest; and (4) whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the investment prior to an anticipated recovery in value.

Beginning on January 1, 2020, credit losses are recognized through an allowance account. See Note 1 - Adoption of New Accounting Standards - Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments for additional information.

For fixed maturity securities that the Company does not intend to sell or for which it is more likely than not that the Company would not be required to sell before an anticipated recovery in value, the Company separates the credit loss component of the impairment from the amount related to all other factors and reports the credit loss component in net investment gains (losses). The impairment related to all other factors (non-credit factors) is reported in other comprehensive income (OCI). The allowance is adjusted for any additional credit losses and subsequent recoveries. Upon recognizing a credit loss, the cost basis is not adjusted.

For fixed maturity securities where the Company records a credit loss, a determination is made as to the cause of the impairment and whether the Company expects a recovery in value. For fixed maturity securities where the Company expects a recovery in value, the constant effective yield method is utilized, and the investment is amortized to par.

For fixed maturity securities the Company intends to sell or for which it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell before an anticipated recovery in value, the full amount of the impairment is included in net investment gains (losses). The new cost basis of the investment is the previous amortized cost basis less the impairment recognized in net investment gains (losses). The new cost basis is not adjusted for any subsequent recoveries in fair value.

The Company reports investment income accrued separately from fixed maturity securities, available for sale, and has elected not to measure an allowance for credit losses for investment income accrued. Investment income accrued is written off through net investment gains (losses) at the time the issuer of the fixed maturity security defaults or is expected to default on payments.

Uncollectible available for sale fixed maturity securities are written off when the Company determines that no additional payments of principal or interest will be received.