Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees disclosure
Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees disclosure [Text Block]	11. CONTINGENCIES, COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES Contingencies The major pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the Company’s properties is subject are described below. Asbestos and Environmental Claims and Litigation In the ordinary course of its insurance business, the Company has received and continues to receive 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. 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. 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 Company’s current 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. *Settlement of Asbestos Direct Action Litigation* In January 2015, pursuant to an order issued by the federal bankruptcy court, the Company made a payment in the amount of $579 million for the settlement of litigation that had commenced in 2001 related to the handling and settlement of asbestos claims. The payment was fully accrued in the Company’s financial statements at December 31, 2014 and was comprised of the $502 million settlement amounts, plus pre- and post-judgment interest totaling $77 million. For further information related to this litigation, see “Settlement of Asbestos Direct Action Litigation” in note 16 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report. Other Proceedings Not Arising Under Insurance Contracts or Reinsurance Agreements 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. The legal costs associated with such lawsuits are expensed in the period in which the costs are incurred. 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 would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or liquidity. Gain Contingency On August 17, 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 United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company (USF&G), a subsidiary of the Company, and denied summary judgment for American Re-Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Munich Re (American Re), and three other reinsurers. That summary judgment was largely affirmed on appeal, but the Court of Appeals remanded the case for trial on two discrete issues. On June 3, 2015, the trial court entered orders on pretrial motions filed by all parties and determined that the issues for trial will be limited to those remanded by the Court of Appeals. The reinsurers filed notice of their intent to appeal the trial court’s orders to the Appellate Division, First Department and on June 5, 2015, requested a stay of the August 3, 2015 trial date while their appeal is pending. On July 10, 2015, the Appellate Division granted the reinsurers’ request for a stay of the August 3, 2015 trial date. At June 30, 2015, the claim totaled $498 million, comprising the $238 million of reinsurance recoverable plus interest amounting to $260 million as of that date. Interest will continue to accrue at an annual rate of 9% until the claim is paid. The $238 million of reinsurance recoverable owed to USF&G under the terms of the disputed reinsurance contract has been reported as part of reinsurance recoverables in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The interest that would be owed as part of any judgment ultimately entered in favor of USF&G 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. For additional discussion of this gain contingency, see note 16 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report. Other Commitments and Guarantees Commitments Investment Commitments — The Company has unfunded commitments to private equity limited partnerships and real estate partnerships in which it invests. These commitments totaled $1.65 billion and $1.63 billion at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. Guarantees The maximum amount of the Company’s contingent obligation for indemnifications related to the sale of businesses that are quantifiable was $455 million at June 30, 2015, of which $2 million was recognized on the balance sheet at that date. 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 $150 million at June 30, 2015, approximately $75 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 at June 30, 2015, all of which is indemnified by a third party. For more information regarding Company guarantees, see note 16 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report.

11. CONTINGENCIES, COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES

Contingencies

The major pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the Company’s properties is subject are described below.

Asbestos and Environmental Claims and Litigation

In the ordinary course of its insurance business, the Company has received and continues to receive 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. 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. 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 Company’s current 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.

Settlement of Asbestos Direct Action Litigation

In January 2015, pursuant to an order issued by the federal bankruptcy court, the Company made a payment in the amount of $579 million for the settlement of litigation that had commenced in 2001 related to the handling and settlement of asbestos claims. The payment was fully accrued in the Company’s financial statements at December 31, 2014 and was comprised of the $502 million settlement amounts, plus pre- and post-judgment interest totaling $77 million. For further information related to this litigation, see “Settlement of Asbestos Direct Action Litigation” in note 16 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report.

Other Proceedings Not Arising Under Insurance Contracts or Reinsurance Agreements

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. The legal costs associated with such lawsuits are expensed in the period in which the costs are incurred. 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 would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or liquidity.

Gain Contingency

On August 17, 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 United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company (USF&G), a subsidiary of the Company, and denied summary judgment for American Re-Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Munich Re (American Re), and three other reinsurers. That summary judgment was largely affirmed on appeal, but the Court of Appeals remanded the case for trial on two discrete issues. On June 3, 2015, the trial court entered orders on pretrial motions filed by all parties and determined that the issues for trial will be limited to those remanded by the Court of Appeals. The reinsurers filed notice of their intent to appeal the trial court’s orders to the Appellate Division, First Department and on June 5, 2015, requested a stay of the August 3, 2015 trial date while their appeal is pending. On July 10, 2015, the Appellate Division granted the reinsurers’ request for a stay of the August 3, 2015 trial date. At June 30, 2015, the claim totaled $498 million, comprising the $238 million of reinsurance recoverable plus interest amounting to $260 million as of that date. Interest will continue to accrue at an annual rate of 9% until the claim is paid. The $238 million of reinsurance recoverable owed to USF&G under the terms of the disputed reinsurance contract has been reported as part of reinsurance recoverables in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The interest that would be owed as part of any judgment ultimately entered in favor of USF&G 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. For additional discussion of this gain contingency, see note 16 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report.

Other Commitments and Guarantees

Commitments

Investment Commitments — The Company has unfunded commitments to private equity limited partnerships and real estate partnerships in which it invests. These commitments totaled $1.65 billion and $1.63 billion at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively.

Guarantees

The maximum amount of the Company’s contingent obligation for indemnifications related to the sale of businesses that are quantifiable was $455 million at June 30, 2015, of which $2 million was recognized on the balance sheet at that date.

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 $150 million at June 30, 2015, approximately $75 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 at June 30, 2015, all of which is indemnified by a third party.

For more information regarding Company guarantees, see note 16 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s 2014 Annual Report.