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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

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 May 23, 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of The Navigators Group, Inc. ("Navigators Group"), a global specialty underwriter, for $70 a share, or $2.137 billion in cash, including transaction expenses.

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 2019 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 2019 Form 10-K Annual Report.

Consolidation

The 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 have been eliminated.

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.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year financial information to conform to the current year presentation.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Goodwill

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's ("FASB") updated guidance on testing goodwill for impairment with no effect at adoption. The updated guidance requires impairment of goodwill if the carrying value of the reporting unit is greater than the estimated fair value, with the amount of the impairment not to exceed the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at least annually and more frequently if events occur or circumstances change that would indicate that a triggering event for a potential impairment has occurred. Under the updated guidance, changes in market-based factors are more likely to result in a goodwill impairment than under the prior accounting guidance, whether a reporting unit's fair value is estimated using an income approach or a market approach. For example, changes in the weighted average cost of capital that is used to discount expected cash flows under the income approach or changes in market-based factors such as peer company price to earnings multiples or price to book multiples under a market approach can significantly affect changes to the estimated fair value of each reporting unit and such changes could result in impairments that have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Financial Instruments - Credit Losses

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted the FASB’s updated guidance for recognition and measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance replaces the “incurred loss” approach with an “expected loss” model for recognizing credit losses for financial instruments carried at other than fair value. Under the new model, for financial instruments carried at other than fair value, such as mortgage loans, reinsurance recoverables and receivables, an allowance for credit losses ("ACL") is recognized which is an estimate of credit losses expected over the life of financial instruments. Under the prior

accounting model an ACL was recognized using an incurred loss approach. The new guidance also requires that we estimate a liability for credit losses ("LCL") on off-balance-sheet credit exposures such as financial guarantees and mortgage loan commitments that the Company cannot unconditionally cancel.

Credit losses on fixed maturities, AFS carried at fair value continue to be measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows compared to amortized cost; however, the losses are now recognized through an ACL and no longer as an adjustment to the amortized cost. Recoveries of impairments on fixed maturities, AFS are now recognized as reversals of the ACL and no longer accreted as investment income through an adjustment to the investment yield. The ACL on fixed maturities, AFS cannot cause the net carrying value to be below fair value and, therefore, it is possible that future increases in fair value due to decreases in market interest rates could cause the reversal of the ACL and increase net income. The new guidance also requires purchased financial assets with a more-than-insignificant amount of credit deterioration since original issuance to be recorded based on contractual amounts due and an initial allowance recorded at the date of purchase.

The Company adopted the guidance effective January 1, 2020, through a cumulative-effect adjustment that decreased retained earnings by $18, representing a net increase to the ACL and LCL, after-tax. No ACL was recognized at adoption for fixed maturities AFS; rather, these investments are evaluated for an ACL prospectively. The Company does not have any purchased financial assets with a more than insignificant amount of credit deterioration since original issuance.

Impact of Adoption on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet



	Balance as of January 1, 2020
	Opening Balance			Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change			Adjusted Opening Balance
Mortgage loans	$	4,215		$	—		$	4,215
ACL on mortgage loans	—			(19		)	(19		)
Mortgage loans, net of ACL	4,215			(19		)	4,196
Premiums receivable and agents’ balances	4,529			—			4,529
ACL on premiums receivable and agents' balances	(145		)	23			(122		)
Premiums receivable and agents' balances, net of ACL	4,384			23			4,407
Reinsurance recoverables	5,641			—			5,641
ACL and allowance for disputed amounts on reinsurance recoverables	(114		)	(2		)	(116		)
Reinsurance recoverables, net of allowance for uncollectible reinsurance	5,527			(2		)	5,525
Deferred income tax asset, net	299			5			304
Other liabilities	(5,157		)	(25		)	(5,182		)
Retained Earnings	$	12,685		$	(18	)	$	12,667

Summary of Adoption Impacts



Net increase to ACL and LCL	$	(23	)
Net tax effects	5
Net decrease to retained earnings	$	(18	)

Reference Rate Reform

On March 12, 2020, the Company adopted the FASB’s temporary guidance which allows The Hartford to account for contract modifications made solely due to rate reform (such as replacing LIBOR with another reference rate) as continuations of existing contracts and to maintain hedge accounting when the hedging effectiveness between a financial instrument and its hedge is only affected by the change to a replacement rate. As a result, The Hartford will not recognize gains and losses during the transition period of LIBOR to an alternative reference rate that would otherwise have arisen from accounting assessments and remeasurements. The guidance expires for contract modifications made and hedge relationships entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022. The Company is not required to measure the effect of adoption on its financial position, cash flows or net income because the guidance provides relief from accounting for the effects of the change to a replacement rate.

Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]

Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards

On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). Section 4013 of the CARES Act allows financial institutions the option to suspend the requirement to disclose and account for loan modifications as troubled debt restructurings for loan modifications related to the COVID-19 pandemic occurring between March 1, 2020 and the earlier of 60 days after the end of the national emergency or December 31, 2020. We are evaluating the provisions of Section 4013 of the CARES Act. Had

we applied the CARES Act during the first quarter of 2020, it would have had no impact on our results of operations, financial position or cash flows because The Hartford had not granted any concessions to borrowers on its mortgage loans.

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]

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.

•

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.

•

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.

•

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 incorporates 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 process for determining the fair value of investments is monitored by the Valuation Committee, which is a cross-functional group of senior management within the Company. The purpose of the Valuation Committee is to provide oversight of the pricing policy, procedures and controls, including approval of valuation methodologies and pricing sources. The Valuation Committee reviews market data trends, pricing statistics and trading statistics to ensure that prices are reasonable and consistent with our fair value framework. Controls and procedures used to assess third-party pricing services are reviewed by the Valuation Committee, including the results of annual due-diligence reviews. Controls include, but are not limited to, reviewing daily and monthly price changes, stale prices, and missing prices and comparing new trade prices to third-party pricing services, weekly price changes to published bond prices of a corporate bond index, and daily OTC derivative market valuations to counterparty valuations. The Company has a dedicated pricing unit that works with trading and investment professionals to challenge the price received by a third party pricing source if the Company believes that the valuation received does not accurately reflect the fair value. New valuation models and changes to current models require approval by the Valuation Committee. In addition, the Company’s enterprise-wide Operational Risk Management function 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, CLOs 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 and private bank loans: • 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		• Independent broker quotes
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

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.

Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses, Policy for Uncollectible Amounts [Policy Text Block]

The Company does not include the current accrued interest receivable balance when estimating the ACL. The Company has a policy to write-off accrued interest receivable balances that are more than 90 days past due. Write-offs of accrued interest receivable are recorded as a credit loss component of realized capital gains and losses.

Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]

For reporting purposes, the Company has elected to offset within assets or liabilities, based upon the net of the fair value amounts, income accruals and related cash collateral receivables and payables of OTC derivative instruments executed in a legal entity and with the same counterparty under a master netting agreement, which provides the Company with the legal right of offset.

Credit Loss, Financial Instrument [Policy Text Block]

The Company has a policy to write-off accrued interest receivable balances that are more than 90 days past due. Write-offs of accrued interest receivable are recorded as a credit loss component of realized capital gains and losses.

Interest income on fixed maturities and mortgage loans is accrued unless it is past due over 90 days or management deems the interest uncollectible.

The Company will record an "intent-to-sell impairment" as a reduction to the amortized cost of fixed maturities, AFS in an unrealized loss position if the Company intends to sell or it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the fixed maturity before a recovery in value. A corresponding charge is recorded in net realized capital losses equal to the difference between the fair value on the impairment date and the amortized cost basis of the fixed maturity before recognizing the impairment.

When fixed maturities are in an unrealized loss position and the Company does not record an intent-to-sell impairment, the Company will record an ACL for the portion of the unrealized loss due to a credit loss. Any remaining unrealized loss on a fixed maturity after recording an ACL is the non-credit amount and is recorded in OCI. The ACL is the excess of the amortized cost over the greater of the Company's best estimate of the present value of expected future cash flows or the security's fair value. Cash flows are discounted at the effective yield that is used to record interest income. The ACL cannot exceed the unrealized loss and, therefore, it may fluctuate with changes in the fair value of the fixed maturity if the fair value is greater than the Company's best estimate of the present value of expected future cash flows. The initial ACL and any subsequent changes are recorded in net realized capital gains and losses. The ACL is written off against the amortized cost in the period in which all or a portion of the

related fixed maturity investment is determined to be uncollectible.