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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

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 funds ("ETF") to individual and business customers in the United States as well as in the United Kingdom and other international locations (collectively, “The Hartford”, the “Company”, “we” or “our”).

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 2022 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 statement 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 2022 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. 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; and contingencies relating to corporate litigation and regulatory matters.

Reclassification, Comparability Adjustment [Policy Text Block]

ReclassificationsCertain reclassifications have been made to prior period financial information to conform to the current period presentation.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Reserve for Future Policy Benefits

On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standard Board's ("FASB") updated guidance on accounting for long duration insurance contracts, which was applied on a modified retrospective basis as of January 1, 2021.

The new guidance requires the discount rate assumption to be updated, as of the transition date and quarterly going forward, to a current upper-medium grade fixed-income investment yield, which has been interpreted to represent a yield based on single-A credit rated fixed maturity instruments with similar duration to the liability. The new guidance also eliminated the requirement to adjust the reserve for future policy benefits for unrealized gains and losses on fixed maturity investments as if those unrealized gains and losses were realized (referred to as shadow reserves). The change in the reserve estimate resulting from updating the discount rate assumptions and eliminating shadow reserves was recognized as a net cumulative effect adjustment that increased the reserve for future policy benefits by $85 and decreased AOCI by $65, net of deferred tax effects as of January 1, 2021.

The new guidance also requires that underlying cash flow assumptions (i.e., mortality, lapse and expense) in the reserve for future policy benefits be based on best estimate assumptions. The adjustments to the reserve for future policy benefits at adoption resulted in establishing a deferred profit liability ("DPL") on limited pay contracts of $18 representing the estimated profits based on best estimate cash flow assumptions.

The effect of adopting this guidance on the Company’s reserve for future policy benefits was as follows:

Liability for Future Policy Benefit

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Reserve for Future Policy Benefits

The Company’s reserves for future policy benefits includes paid-up life insurance and whole-life policies resulting from conversion from group life policies included within the Group Benefits segment and reserves for run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities, which are reported in the Corporate category.

Contracts are grouped into cohorts by contract type and issue year. The Company establishes reserves for future policy benefits using the net premium approach, which represents the present value of future policyholder benefits and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums. Net premiums are calculated by multiplying gross premiums for the contracts in a specific cohort by a net premium ratio. The net premium ratio is determined for the lifetime of a given cohort as the present value of net benefits divided by the present value of gross premiums. Related expenses include termination and settlement costs and exclude acquisition costs and non-claim related costs, such as costs relating to investments, general administration, policy maintenance, product development, market research and general overhead or any other costs, which are expensed as incurred.

The Company estimates premiums, benefits and related expense cash flows using methods that include assumptions, such as estimates of mortality, lapse, and claim-related expenses, and the possible impact of inflation on those expenses. Benefits include all guaranteed cash flows to be paid to the policyholder.

The reserve for future policy benefits is adjusted for differences between actual and expected experience. Each quarter, the Company updates its estimates of cash flows expected over the life of a group of contracts using actual historical experience. These updated cash flows are used to calculate the revised net premiums and net premium ratio, which are used to derive an updated reserve for future policy benefits. In subsequent periods, the revised net premiums are used to measure the reserve for future policy benefits, subject to future revisions. Future cash flow assumptions, including mortality, lapse and expense are reviewed and, if a change is indicated, updated at least annually in the third quarter.

The difference between the newly calculated reserve balance and the reserve balance before updating for actual experience and/or future cash flow assumptions is the remeasurement gain or loss, which is immaterial for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022, and is presented in benefits losses and loss adjustments expense in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. Changes to the reserve due to updates to cash flow assumptions discounted at the discount rate used immediately prior to transition are recognized on a catch-up basis in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations.

The discount rate assumption is an equivalent single rate that is based on a current market observable, upper-medium grade fixed maturity yield. This has been interpreted to represent a yield based on single-A credit rated fixed maturity instruments with similar duration to the liability. The Company uses the yield of a market observable index of single-A credit rated fixed maturities as the basis for setting the discount rate. The discount rate assumption is updated quarterly and the change in the reserve estimate resulting from updating the discount rate assumption is recognized in other comprehensive income.

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 Measurement, Policy

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.

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 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 sector, financial strength, and term to maturity, using an independent public security index, 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 significant 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 over-the-counter ("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 index prices, and daily OTC derivative market valuations to counterparty valuations. The Company has a dedicated pricing group that works with trading and investment professionals to challenge prices 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 derivative instruments.


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, CLO, 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, CLO, 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: • 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
Foreign exchange derivatives
	• Swap yield curve • Currency spot and forward rates • Cross currency basis curves		• Not applicable
Interest rate derivatives
	• Swap yield curve		• Not applicable

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.