Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees disclosure

Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees disclosure [Text Block]

10. CONTINGENCIES, COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES

Contingencies

Asbestos- and Environmental-Related Proceedings

In the ordinary course of its insurance business, the Company receives claims for insurance arising under policies issued by the Company asserting alleged injuries and damages from asbestos- and environmental-related exposures that are the subject of related coverage litigation, including, among others, the litigation described below.  The Company is defending asbestos- and environmental-related litigation vigorously and believes that it has meritorious defenses; however, the outcomes of these disputes are uncertain.  In this regard, the Company employs dedicated specialists and aggressive resolution strategies to manage asbestos and environmental loss exposure, including settling litigation under appropriate circumstances.

Asbestos Direct Action Litigation — In October 2001 and April 2002, two purported class action suits (Wise v. Travelers and Meninger v. Travelers) were filed against Travelers Property Casualty Corp. (TPC) and other insurers (not including The St. Paul Companies, Inc. (SPC)) in state court in West Virginia. These and other cases subsequently filed in West Virginia were consolidated into a single proceeding in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia. The plaintiffs allege that the insurer defendants engaged in unfair trade practices in violation of state statutes by inappropriately handling and settling asbestos claims. The plaintiffs seek to reopen large numbers of settled asbestos claims and to impose liability for damages, including punitive damages, directly on insurers.  Similar lawsuits alleging inappropriate handling and settling of asbestos claims were filed in Massachusetts and Hawaii state courts.  These suits are collectively referred to as the Statutory and Hawaii Actions.

In March 2002, the plaintiffs in consolidated asbestos actions pending before a mass tort panel of judges in West Virginia state court amended their complaint to include TPC as a defendant, alleging that TPC and other insurers breached alleged duties to certain users of asbestos products.  The plaintiffs seek damages, including punitive damages. Lawsuits seeking similar relief and raising similar allegations, primarily violations of purported common law duties to third parties, have also been asserted in various state courts against TPC and SPC. The claims asserted in these suits are collectively referred to as the Common Law Claims.

The federal bankruptcy court that had presided over the bankruptcy of TPC’s former policyholder Johns-Manville Corporation issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the prosecution of the Statutory Actions (but not the Hawaii Actions), the Common Law Claims and an additional set of cases filed in various state courts in Texas and Ohio, and enjoining certain attorneys from filing any further lawsuits against TPC based on similar allegations. Notwithstanding the injunction, additional common law claims were filed against TPC.

In November 2003, the parties reached a settlement of the Statutory and Hawaii Actions.  This settlement includes a lump-sum payment of up to $412 million by TPC, subject to a number of significant contingencies. In May 2004, the parties reached a settlement resolving substantially all pending and similar future Common Law Claims against TPC.  This settlement requires a payment of up to $90 million by TPC, subject to a number of significant contingencies.  Among the contingencies for each of these settlements is a final order of the bankruptcy court clarifying that all of these claims, and similar future asbestos-related claims against TPC, are barred by prior orders entered by the bankruptcy court (“the 1986 Orders”).

On August 17, 2004, the bankruptcy court entered an order approving the settlements and clarifying that the 1986 Orders barred the pending Statutory and Hawaii Actions and substantially all Common Law Claims pending against TPC (“the Clarifying Order”). The Clarifying Order also applies to similar direct action claims that may be filed in the future.

On March 29, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York substantially affirmed the Clarifying Order while vacating that portion of the order that required all future direct actions against TPC to first be approved by the bankruptcy court before proceeding in state or federal court.

Various parties appealed the district court’s March 29, 2006 ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  On February 15, 2008, the Second Circuit issued an opinion vacating on jurisdictional grounds the District Court’s approval of the Clarifying Order.  On February 29, 2008, TPC and certain other parties to the appeals filed petitions for rehearing and/or rehearing en banc, requesting reinstatement of the district court’s judgment, which were denied.  TPC and certain other parties filed Petitions for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court seeking review of the Second Circuit’s decision, and on December 12, 2008, the Petitions were granted.

On June 18, 2009, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of TPC, reversing the Second Circuit’s February 15, 2008 decision, finding, among other things, that the 1986 Orders are final and generally bar the Statutory and Hawaii actions and substantially all Common Law Claims against TPC.  Further, the Supreme Court ruled that the bankruptcy court had jurisdiction to issue the Clarifying Order.  However, since the Second Circuit had not ruled on certain additional issues, principally related to procedural matters and the adequacy of notice provided to certain parties, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the Second Circuit for further proceedings on those specific issues.  On October 21, 2009, all but one of the objectors to the Clarifying Order requested that the Second Circuit dismiss their appeal of the order approving the settlement, and that request was granted.

On March 22, 2010, the Second Circuit issued an opinion in which it found that the notice of the 1986 Orders provided to the remaining objector was insufficient to bar contribution claims by that objector against TPC. On April 5, 2010, TPC filed a Petition for Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc with the Second Circuit, requesting further review of its March 22, 2010 opinion, which was denied on May 25, 2010.  On August 18, 2010, TPC filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court seeking review of the Second Circuit’s March 22, 2010 opinion, and a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus seeking an order from the Supreme Court requiring the Second Circuit to comply with the Supreme Court’s June 18, 2009 ruling in TPC’s favor. The Supreme Court denied the Petitions on November 29, 2010.

The plaintiffs in the Statutory and Hawaii actions and the Common Law Claims actions filed Motions to Compel with the bankruptcy court on September 2, 2010 and September 3, 2010, respectively, arguing that all conditions precedent to the settlements have been met and seeking to require TPC to pay the settlement amounts.  On September 30, 2010, TPC filed an Opposition to the plaintiffs’ Motions to Compel on the grounds that the conditions precedent to the settlements, principally the requirement that all contribution claims be barred, have not been met in light of the Second Circuit’s March 22, 2010 opinion.  On December 16, 2010, the bankruptcy court granted the plaintiffs’ motions and ruled that TPC was required to fund the settlements.  On January 20, 2011, the bankruptcy court entered judgment in accordance with its December 16, 2010 ruling and ordered TPC to pay the settlement amounts plus prejudgment interest. On January 21, 2011, TPC filed an appeal with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from the bankruptcy court’s January 20, 2011 judgment.  On January 24, 2011, certain of the plaintiffs in the Common Law Claims actions appealed that portion of the bankruptcy court’s January 20, 2011 judgment that denied their request for an order of contempt and for sanctions.  The appeals are pending.

SPC, which is not covered by the Manville bankruptcy court rulings or the settlements described above, is a party to pending direct action cases in Texas state court asserting common law claims.  All such cases that are still pending and in which SPC has been served are currently on the inactive docket in Texas state court.  If any of those cases becomes active, SPC intends to litigate those cases vigorously.  SPC was previously a defendant in similar direct actions in Ohio state court. Those actions have all been dismissed following favorable rulings by Ohio trial and appellate courts.  From time to time, SPC and/or its subsidiaries have been named in individual direct actions in other jurisdictions.

Outcome and Impact of Asbestos and Environmental Claims and Litigation.  Currently, it is not possible to predict legal outcomes and their impact on the future development of claims and litigation relating to asbestos and environmental claims. Any such development will be affected by future court decisions and interpretations, as well as changes in applicable legislation. Because of these uncertainties, additional liabilities may arise for amounts in excess of the current related reserves. In addition, the Company’s estimate of ultimate claims and claim adjustment expenses may change. These additional liabilities or increases in estimates, or a range of either, cannot now be reasonably estimated and could result in income statement charges that could be material to the Company’s results of operations in future periods.

Other Proceedings Not Arising Under Insurance Contracts or Reinsurance Agreements

Broker Anti-Trust Litigation — In 2005, four putative class action lawsuits were brought against a number of insurance brokers and insurers, including the Company, by plaintiffs who allegedly purchased insurance products through one or more of the defendant brokers.  The plaintiffs alleged that various insurance brokers conspired with each other and with various insurers, including the Company, to artificially inflate premiums, allocate brokerage customers and rig bids for insurance products offered to those customers. To the extent they were not originally filed there, the federal class actions were transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and were consolidated for pre-trial proceedings with other class actions under the caption In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation. On August 1, 2005, various plaintiffs, including the four named plaintiffs in the above-referenced class actions, filed an amended consolidated class action complaint naming various brokers and insurers, including the Company, on behalf of a putative nationwide class of policyholders. The complaint included causes of action under the Sherman Act, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), state common law and the laws of the various states prohibiting antitrust violations. The complaint sought monetary damages, including punitive damages and trebled damages, permanent injunctive relief, restitution, including disgorgement of profits, interest and costs, including attorneys’ fees.  All defendants moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim.  After giving plaintiffs multiple opportunities to replead, the court dismissed the Sherman Act claims on August 31, 2007 and the RICO claims on September 28, 2007, both with prejudice, and declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims. The plaintiffs appealed the district court’s decisions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. On August 16, 2010, the Third Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal of all Sherman Act and RICO claims against certain defendants, including the Company, except for Sherman Act and RICO claims involving the sale of excess casualty insurance through a single defendant broker, as well as all state law claims, which they remanded to the district court for further proceedings. On October 1, 2010, defendants, including the Company, filed renewed motions to dismiss the remanded claims.  On March 18, 2011, the Company and certain other defendants entered into an agreement with the plaintiffs to settle the lawsuit. The settlement, under which the Company agreed to pay $6.75 million, is subject to court approval.  Preliminary approval of the settlement was granted on June 27, 2011, and a final fairness hearing is scheduled for September 14, 2011.

Other — In addition to those described above, the Company is involved in other lawsuits, including lawsuits alleging extra-contractual damages relating to insurance contracts or reinsurance agreements, that do not arise under insurance contracts or reinsurance agreements.  Based upon currently available information, the Company does not believe it is reasonably possible that any such lawsuit or related lawsuits would be material to the Company’s results of operations or have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or liquidity.

Gain Contingency

On August 20, 2010, in a reinsurance dispute in New York state court captioned United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company v. American Re-Insurance Company, et al., the trial court granted summary judgment for the Company, and on October 25, 2010, entered judgment awarding the Company $251 million plus pre-judgment interest in the amount of $169 million.  United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company is a subsidiary of the Company.  The $251 million awarded by the court represents the amount owed to the Company under the terms of the reinsurance agreements and is reported as part of reinsurance recoverables in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The interest awarded by the Court is treated for accounting purposes as a gain contingency in accordance with FASB Topic 450, Contingencies, and accordingly has not been recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Post-judgment interest continues to accrue at the rate of 9 percent (without compounding) on the total judgment of $420 million.  The judgment, including the award of interest, was appealed to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, and oral argument occurred on May 10, 2011. The parties await a ruling from the Appellate Division.

Commitments

Investment Commitments — The Company has unfunded commitments to private equity limited partnerships and real estate partnerships in which it invests.  These commitments totaled $1.24 billion and $1.26 billion at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.

Guarantees

The Company has contingent obligations for guarantees related to letters of credit, issuance of debt securities, certain investments, third-party loans related to certain investments, certain insurance policy obligations of former insurance subsidiaries, and various indemnifications, including those related to the sale of business entities.  The Company also provides standard indemnifications to service providers in the normal course of business.  The indemnification clauses are often standard contractual terms.  Certain of these guarantees and indemnifications have no stated or notional amounts or limitation to the maximum potential future payments, and, accordingly, the Company is unable to develop an estimate of the maximum potential payments for such arrangements.  At June 30, 2011, the maximum amount of the Company’s obligation for guarantees of certain investments and third-party loans related to certain investments that are quantifiable was $84 million, approximately $40 million of which is indemnified by a third party.  The maximum amount of the Company’s obligation related to the guarantee of certain insurance policy obligations of a former insurance subsidiary was $480 million, all of which is indemnified by a third party.

In the ordinary course of selling business entities to third parties, the Company has agreed to indemnify purchasers for losses arising out of breaches of representations and warranties with respect to the business entities being sold, covenants and obligations of the Company and/or its subsidiaries following the closing, and in certain cases obligations arising from undisclosed liabilities, adverse reserve development, imposition of additional taxes due to either a change in the tax law or an adverse interpretation of the tax law, or certain named litigation.  Such indemnification provisions generally survive for periods ranging from two years following the applicable closing date to the expiration of the relevant statutes of limitations, although, in some cases, there may be other agreed upon term limitations or no term limitations.  Certain of these contingent obligations are subject to deductibles which have to be incurred by the obligee before the Company is obligated to make payments.  The maximum amount of the Company’s contingent obligation for indemnifications related to the sale of business entities that are quantifiable was $1.35 billion at June 30, 2011, of which $10 million was recognized on the balance sheet at that date.