Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is a holding company for insurance and financial services subsidiaries that provide property and casualty insurance, group life and disability products and mutual funds and exchange-traded products to individual and business customers (collectively, “The Hartford”, the “Company”, “we” or “our”).

On August 22, 2018, the Company announced it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding common shares of The Navigators Group, Inc. ("Navigators Group"), a global specialty underwriter, for $70 a share, or $2.2 billion in cash, including transaction expenses. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. The Company signed an agreement with National Indemnity Company ("NICO"), a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which, subject to regulatory approval and upon closing of the acquisition, will have Navigators Group subsidiaries enter into an aggregate excess of loss reinsurance agreement with NICO to cover unfavorable reserve development to Navigators Group reserves subject to the agreement, with limited exclusions. The reinsurance agreement will cover accident year 2018 and prior year reserves. The reinsurance agreement provides up to $300 of coverage for potential unfavorable net loss reserve development in excess of $1.916 billion which is $100 above Navigators Group recorded reserves subject to the agreement of $1.816 billion as of December 31, 2018.

On May 31, 2018, Hartford Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, completed the sale of the issued and outstanding equity of Hartford Life, Inc. (“HLI”), a holding company, for its life and annuity operating subsidiaries. For further discussion of this transaction, see Note 16 - Business Disposition and Discontinued Operations of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information, which differ materially from the accounting practices prescribed by various insurance regulatory authorities. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's 2018 Form 10-K Annual Report. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes are unaudited. These financial statements reflect all adjustments (generally consisting only of normal accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. The Company's significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to

Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's 2018 Form 10-K Annual Report.

Consolidation

ConsolidationThe Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and entities in which the Company directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest. Entities in which the Company has significant influence over the operating and financing decisions but does not control are reported using the equity method. All intercompany transactions and balances between The Hartford and its subsidiaries and affiliates that are not held for sale have been eliminated.

Discontinued Operations, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Discontinued OperationsThe results of operations of a component of the Company are reported in discontinued operations when certain criteria are met as of the date of disposal, or earlier if classified as held-for-sale. When a component is identified for discontinued operations reporting, amounts for prior periods are retrospectively reclassified as discontinued operations. Components are identified as discontinued operations if they are a major part of an entity's operations and financial results such as a separate major line of business or a separate major geographical area of operations.

Use of Estimates

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

The most significant estimates include those used in determining property and casualty and group long-term disability insurance product reserves, net of reinsurance; evaluation of goodwill for impairment; valuation of investments and derivative instruments; valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and contingencies relating to corporate litigation and regulatory matters.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Hedging Activities

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's ("FASB") updated guidance for hedge accounting through a cumulative effect adjustment of less than $1 to reclassify cumulative ineffectiveness on cash flow hedges from retained earnings to AOCI. The updates allow hedge accounting for new types of interest rate hedges of financial instruments and simplify documentation requirements to qualify for hedge accounting. In addition, any gain or loss from hedge

ineffectiveness is reported in the same income statement line with the effective hedge results and the hedged transaction. For cash flow hedges, the ineffectiveness is recognized in earnings only when the hedged transaction affects earnings; otherwise, the ineffectiveness gains or losses remain in AOCI. Under previous accounting, total hedge ineffectiveness was reported separately in realized capital gains and losses apart from the hedged transaction. The adoption did not affect the Company’s financial position or cash flows or have a material effect on net income.

Leases

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the FASB’s updated lease guidance. Under the updated guidance, lessees with operating leases are required to recognize a liability for the present value of future minimum lease payments with a corresponding asset for the right of use of the property. Prior to the new guidance, future minimum lease payments on operating leases were commitments that were not recognized as liabilities on the balance sheet. Leases are classified as financing or operating leases. Where the lease is economically similar to a purchase because The Hartford obtains control of the underlying

asset, the lease is classified as a financing lease and the Company recognizes amortization of the right of use asset and interest expense on the liability. Where the lease provides The Hartford with only the right to control the use of the underlying asset over the lease term and the lease term is greater than one year, the lease is an operating lease and the lease cost is recognized as rental expense over the lease term on a straight-line basis. Leases with a term of one year or less are also expensed over the lease term but not recognized on the balance sheet. On adoption, The Hartford recorded a lease payment obligation of $160 for outstanding leases and a right of use asset of $150, which is net of $10 in lease incentives received, with no change to comparative periods. As permitted by the new guidance, as of the implementation date, the Company did not reassess whether expired or existing contracts are leases or contain leases, did not change the classification of expired or existing operating leases, and did not reassess initial direct costs for existing leases to determine if deferred costs should be written-off or recorded on adoption. The adoption did not impact net income or cash flows.

Commitments and Contingencies, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Management evaluates each contingent matter separately. A loss is recorded if probable and reasonably estimable. Management establishes liabilities for these contingencies at its “best estimate,” or, if no one number within the range of possible losses is more probable than any other, the Company records an estimated liability at the low end of the range of losses.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The Company carries certain financial assets and liabilities at estimated fair value. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants. Our fair value framework includes a hierarchy that gives the highest priority to the use of quoted prices in active markets, followed by the use of market observable inputs, followed by the use of unobservable inputs. The fair value hierarchy levels are as follows:


Level 1	Fair values based primarily on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities, in active markets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.


Level 2	Fair values primarily based on observable inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, or based on prices for similar assets and liabilities.

Level 3

Fair values derived when one or more of the significant inputs are unobservable (including assumptions about risk). With little or no observable market, the determination of fair values uses considerable judgment and represents the Company’s best estimate of an amount that could be realized in a market exchange for the asset or liability. Also included are securities that are traded within illiquid markets and/or priced by independent brokers.

The Company will classify the financial asset or liability by level based upon the lowest level input that is significant to the determination of the fair value. In most cases, both observable inputs (e.g., changes in interest rates) and unobservable inputs (e.g., changes in risk assumptions) are used to determine fair values that the Company has classified within Level 3.Valuation Techniques

The Company generally determines fair values using valuation techniques that use prices, rates, and other relevant information evident from market transactions involving identical or similar instruments. Valuation techniques also include, where appropriate, estimates of future cash flows that are converted into a single discounted amount using current market expectations. The Company uses a "waterfall" approach

comprised of the following pricing sources and techniques, which are listed in priority order:


•	Quoted prices, unadjusted, for identical assets or liabilities in active markets, which are classified as Level 1.

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Prices from third-party pricing services, which primarily utilize a combination of techniques. These services utilize recently reported trades of identical, similar, or benchmark securities making adjustments for market observable inputs available through the reporting date. If there are no recently reported trades, they may use a discounted cash flow technique to develop a price using expected cash flows based upon the anticipated future performance of the underlying collateral discounted at an estimated market rate. Both techniques develop prices that consider the time value of

future cash flows and provide a margin for risk, including liquidity and credit risk. Most prices provided by third-party pricing services are classified as Level 2 because the inputs used in pricing the securities are observable. However, some securities that are less liquid or trade less actively are classified as Level 3. Additionally, certain long-dated securities, such as municipal securities and bank loans, include benchmark interest rate or credit spread assumptions that are not observable in the marketplace and are thus classified as Level 3.

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Internal matrix pricing, which is a valuation process internally developed for private placement securities for which the Company is unable to obtain a price from a third-party pricing service. Internal pricing matrices determine credit spreads that, when combined with risk-free rates, are applied to contractual cash flows to develop a price. The Company develops credit spreads using market based data for public securities adjusted for credit spread differentials between public and private securities, which are obtained from a survey of multiple private placement brokers. The market-based reference credit spread considers the issuer’s financial strength and term to maturity, using an independent public security index and trade information, while the credit spread differential considers the non-public nature of the security. Securities priced using internal matrix pricing are classified as Level 2 because the inputs are observable or can be corroborated with observable data.

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Independent broker quotes, which are typically non-binding, use inputs that can be difficult to corroborate with observable market based data. Brokers may use present value techniques using assumptions specific to the security types, or they may use recent transactions of similar securities. Due to the lack of transparency in the process that brokers use to develop prices, valuations that are based on independent broker quotes are classified as Level 3.

The fair value of derivative instruments is determined primarily using a discounted cash flow model or option model technique and incorporate counterparty credit risk. In some cases, quoted market prices for exchange-traded and OTC-cleared derivatives may be used and in other cases independent broker quotes may be used. The pricing valuation models primarily use inputs that are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data. The valuation of certain derivatives may include significant inputs that are unobservable, such as volatility levels, and reflect the Company’s view of what other market participants would use when pricing such instruments.

Valuation Controls

The fair value process for investments is monitored by the Valuation Committee, which is a cross-functional group of senior management within the Company that meets at least quarterly. The purpose of the committee is to oversee the pricing policy and procedures, as well as to approve changes to valuation methodologies and pricing sources. Controls and procedures used to assess third-party pricing services are reviewed by the Valuation Committee, including the results of annual due-diligence reviews.

There are also two working groups under the Valuation Committee: a Securities Fair Value Working Group (“Securities Working Group”) and a Derivatives Fair Value Working Group

("Derivatives Working Group"). The working groups, which include various investment, operations, accounting and risk management professionals, meet monthly to review market data trends, pricing and trading statistics and results, and any proposed pricing methodology changes.

The Securities Working Group reviews prices received from third parties to ensure that the prices represent a reasonable estimate of the fair value. The group considers trading volume, new issuance activity, market trends, new regulatory rulings and other factors to determine whether the market activity is significantly different than normal activity in an active market. A dedicated pricing unit follows up with trading and investment sector professionals and challenges prices of third-party pricing services when the estimated assumptions used differ from what the unit believes a market participant would use. If the available evidence indicates that pricing from third-party pricing services or broker quotes is based upon transactions that are stale or not from trades made in an orderly market, the Company places little, if any, weight on the third party service’s transaction price and will estimate fair value using an internal process, such as a pricing matrix.

The Derivatives Working Group reviews the inputs, assumptions and methodologies used to ensure that the prices represent a reasonable estimate of the fair value. A dedicated pricing team works directly with investment sector professionals to investigate the impacts of changes in the market environment on prices or valuations of derivatives. New models and any changes to current models are required to have detailed documentation and are validated to a second source. The model validation documentation and results of validation are presented to the Valuation Committee for approval.

The Company conducts other monitoring controls around securities and derivatives pricing including, but not limited to, the following:


•	Review of daily price changes over specific thresholds and new trade comparison to third-party pricing services.


•	Daily comparison of OTC derivative market valuations to counterparty valuations.


•	Review of weekly price changes compared to published bond prices of a corporate bond index.


•	Monthly reviews of price changes over thresholds, stale prices, missing prices, and zero prices.


•	Monthly validation of prices to a second source for securities in most sectors and for certain derivatives.

In addition, the Company’s enterprise-wide Operational Risk Management function, led by the Chief Risk Officer, is responsible for model risk management and provides an independent review of the suitability and reliability of model inputs, as well as an analysis of significant changes to current models.

Valuation Inputs

Quoted prices for identical assets in active markets are considered Level 1 and consist of on-the-run U.S. Treasuries, money market funds, exchange-traded equity securities, open-ended mutual funds, certain short-term investments, and exchange traded futures and option contracts.



Valuation Inputs Used in Levels 2 and 3 Measurements for Securities and Derivatives
Level 2 Primary Observable Inputs		Level 3 Primary Unobservable Inputs
Fixed Maturity Investments
Structured securities (includes ABS, CLOs, CMBS and RMBS)
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Monthly payment information • Collateral performance, which varies by vintage year and includes delinquency rates, loss severity rates and refinancing assumptions • Credit default swap indices Other inputs for ABS and RMBS: • Estimate of future principal prepayments, derived from the characteristics of the underlying structure • Prepayment speeds previously experienced at the interest rate levels projected for the collateral		• Independent broker quotes • Credit spreads beyond observable curve • Interest rates beyond observable curve Other inputs for less liquid securities or those that trade less actively, including subprime RMBS: • Estimated cash flows • Credit spreads, which include illiquidity premium • Constant prepayment rates • Constant default rates • Loss severity
Corporates
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Reported trades, bids, offers of the same or similar securities • Issuer spreads and credit default swap curves Other inputs for investment grade privately placed securities that utilize internal matrix pricing: • Credit spreads for public securities of similar quality, maturity, and sector, adjusted for non-public nature		• Independent broker quotes • Credit spreads beyond observable curve • Interest rates beyond observable curve Other inputs for below investment grade privately placed securities: • Independent broker quotes • Credit spreads for public securities of similar quality, maturity, and sector, adjusted for non-public nature
U.S Treasuries, Municipals, and Foreign government/government agencies
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Issuer credit default swap curves • Political events in emerging market economies • Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board reported trades and material event notices • Issuer financial statements		• Credit spreads beyond observable curve • Interest rates beyond observable curve
Equity Securities
	• Quoted prices in markets that are not active		• For privately traded equity securities, internal discounted cash flow models utilizing earnings multiples or other cash flow assumptions that are not observable
Short-term Investments
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Reported trades, bids, offers • Issuer spreads and credit default swap curves • Material event notices and new issue money market rates		Not applicable
Derivatives
Credit derivatives
	• Swap yield curve • Credit default swap curves		Not applicable
Equity derivatives
	• Equity index levels • Swap yield curve		• Independent broker quotes • Equity volatility
Foreign exchange derivatives
	• Swap yield curve • Currency spot and forward rates • Cross currency basis curves		Not applicable
Interest rate derivatives
	• Swap yield curve		• Independent broker quotes • Interest rate volatility