Derivative Instruments

The Company enters into derivative instruments for both risk management and investment purposes. The Company is exposed to potential loss from various market risks, and manages its market risks based on a comprehensive framework of investment decision authorities ("Authorities Framework") adopted by the Risk and Finance Committee of XL Group's Board of Directors ("RFC"). The Authorities Framework is intended to align the risk profile of our investment portfolio to be consistent with the Company's risk tolerance and other guidelines established by the RFC. The following table summarizes information on the notional amounts and gross amounts of derivative fair values contained in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2017 and 2016:



	2017								2016
(U.S. dollars in thousands)	Asset Derivative Notional Amount		Asset Derivative Fair Value		Liability Derivative Notional Amount		Liability Derivative Fair Value		Asset Derivative Notional Amount		Asset Derivative Fair Value		Liability Derivative Notional Amount		Liability Derivative Fair Value
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:
Foreign currency exposure	$	580,194	$	5,655	$	339,221	$	3,968	$	1,396,801	$	85,175	$	583,722	$	25,750
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments	$	580,194	$	5,655	$	339,221	$	3,968	$	1,396,801	$	85,175	$	583,722	$	25,750
Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments:
Investment Related Derivatives:
Interest rate exposure	$	181,975	$	423	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
Foreign currency exposure	263,722		6,931		141,300		2,256		10,049		190		273,767		12,137
Credit exposure	5,000		187		45,000		6,784		32,500		1,077		82,500		6,978
Financial market exposure	30,001		1,271		6,998		42		5		5		—		—
Other Non-Investment Derivatives:
Foreign currency exposure	—		—		—		—		181,300		1,208		—		—
Credit exposure	—		—		25,526		169		—		—		24,490		340
Guaranteed minimum income benefit contract	36,171		18,136		36,171		18,136		43,553		19,499		43,553		19,499
Modified coinsurance and funds withheld contracts, including life retrocession embedded derivative (1)	51,653		—		5,014,284		31,541		59,775		—		4,048,446		—
Other	16,000		191		—		—		15,000		342		—		—
Total derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	$	584,522	$	27,139	$	5,269,279	$	58,928	$	342,182	$	22,321	$	4,472,756	$	38,954



	2017								2016
(U.S. dollars in thousands)	Asset Derivative Notional Amount	Asset Derivative Fair Value			Liability Derivative Notional Amount	Liability Derivative Fair Value			Asset Derivative Notional Amount	Asset Derivative Fair Value			Liability Derivative Notional Amount	Liability Derivative Fair Value
Total derivatives		$	32,794			$	62,896			$	107,496			$	64,704
Counterparty netting		(3,579		)		(3,579		)		(17,947		)		(17,947		)
Total derivatives net of counterparty netting		29,215				59,317				89,549				46,757
Cash collateral held/paid (2)		(3,920		)		(1,312		)		(36,980		)		(5,810		)
Total derivatives as recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets		$	25,295			$	58,005			$	52,569			$	40,947

____________

(1)

The fair value movements in derivative assets and liabilities relating to modified coinsurance and funds withheld contracts are included within the associated asset or liability at each period end on the face of the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Notional amounts associated with reinsurance agreements under which the Company assumes reinsurance risk are recorded as asset derivative notional amounts. Notional amounts associated with the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements and other outward reinsurance contracts under which the Company cedes risk are recorded as liability derivative notional amounts. Included in the liability derivative notional amount as of December 31, 2017 is the cumulative net realized and unrealized loss on the life retrocession embedded derivative of $1.1 billion.

(2)

At December 31, 2017, the Company held cash collateral related to foreign currency derivative positions and certain other derivative positions of $3.9 million for derivatives in an asset position and paid cash collateral of $1.3 million for derivatives in a liability position. At December 31, 2016, the Company held cash collateral related to a foreign currency derivative position and certain other derivative positions of $37.0 million for derivatives in an asset position and paid cash collateral of $5.8 million for derivatives in a liability position. The assets and liabilities related to the net collateral paid or held were recorded as Other assets and Other liabilities within the Consolidated Balance Sheets as the collateral and derivative positions are not intended to be settled on a net basis.

Derivative instruments in an asset or liability position are included within "Other assets" or "Other liabilities", respectively, at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets on a net basis where the Company has both a legal right of offset and the intention to settle the contracts on a net basis. Certain embedded derivatives within reinsurance contracts are included in "Reinsurance balances payable." The Company often enters into different types of derivative contracts with a single counterparty, and these contracts are covered under netting agreements. Changes in the fair values of derivatives are shown in the Consolidated Statements of Income as "Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments," unless the derivatives are designated as hedging instruments. The accounting for derivatives that are designated as hedging instruments is described in Note 1(h), "Significant Accounting Policies - Derivative Instruments."

(a) Derivative Instruments Designated as Hedges of a Net Investment in a Foreign Operation

The Company utilizes foreign currency contracts to hedge the fair value of certain net investments in foreign operations. During the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company entered into foreign currency contracts that were formally designated as hedges of investments in foreign subsidiaries, the majority of which have functional currencies of either the British pound or the Euro. There was no ineffectiveness in these transactions.

The following table provides the weighted average U.S. dollar equivalent of foreign denominated net assets that were hedged and the resulting derivative gain (loss) that was recorded in the foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax, account within AOCI for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015.



Derivative Instruments Designated as Hedges of a Net Investment in a Foreign Operation – Summary (U.S. dollars in thousands)	2017			2016		2015
Weighted average of U.S. dollar equivalent of foreign denominated net assets	$	1,361,477		$	2,316,538	$	1,769,106
Derivative gains (losses) (1)	$	(87,954	)	$	130,365	$	106,876

____________


(1)	Derivative gains (losses) from derivative instruments designated as hedges of the net investment in a foreign operation are recorded in the cumulative translation adjustment account within AOCI for each period.

As described in Note 14, "Notes Payable and Debt and Financing Arrangements," the Company has issued debt denominated in Euros that is designated and qualifies as a non-derivative hedging instrument against an equal amount of the Company's currency exposure to the Euro resulting from net investments in foreign operations. Accordingly, the foreign currency revaluation of this debt is recorded in AOCI, offsetting the foreign currency translation adjustment of the related net investments that is also recorded in AOCI.

(b) Derivative Instruments Not Formally Designated As Hedging Instruments

The following table provides the total impact on earnings relating to derivative instruments not formally designated as hedging instruments. The impacts are all recorded through "Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments" in the Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:



Net Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments (U.S. dollars in thousands)	2017			2016			2015
Investment Related Derivatives:
Interest rate exposure	$	(213	)	$	781		$	(2,347	)
Foreign currency exposure	(4,384		)	(592		)	(1,542		)
Credit exposure	(553		)	(1,539		)	(2,537		)
Financial market exposure	264			(2,494		)	(2,190		)
Other Non-Investment Derivatives:
Foreign currency exposure	(1,542		)	(1,701		)	60,319
Credit exposure	770			4,424			1,375
Modified coinsurance and funds withheld contracts, including life retrocession embedded derivative	(34,133		)	3,300			45
Other	(1,941		)	342			—
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments	$	(41,732	)	$	2,521		$	53,123
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on life retrocession embedded derivative and derivative instruments - Life Funds Withheld Assets	$	(206,015	)	$	(540,090	)	$	(151,691	)

The Company's objectives in using these derivatives are explained below.

Investment Related Derivatives

The Company, either directly or through third party investment managers, may use derivative instruments within its investment portfolio, including interest rate swaps and options on interest rate swaps, total return swaps, credit derivatives (including single name and index credit default swaps and options on credit default swaps), equity options, forward contracts and futures (including foreign exchange, bond and stock index, interest rate and commodity futures), primarily as a means of reducing investment risk by economically hedging exposures to interest rate, credit spread, equity price changes and foreign currency risk or, in limited instances, for efficient portfolio management. When using exchange-traded or cleared over-the-counter derivatives, the Company is exposed to the credit risk of the applicable clearing house and of the Company's futures commission merchant. When using uncleared over-the-counter derivatives, the Company is exposed to credit risk in the event of non-performance by the counterparties to such derivative contracts. To manage this risk, the Company requires appropriate legal documentation with counterparties that has been reviewed and negotiated by legal counsel on behalf of the Company and complies with the Company's documentation standards, investment guidelines and policies.

Investment Related Derivatives – Interest Rate Exposure

The Company utilizes risk management and overlay strategies that incorporate the use of derivative financial instruments primarily to manage its fixed income portfolio duration and net economic exposure to interest rate risks. The Company may also use interest rate swaps to convert certain liabilities from a fixed rate to a variable rate of interest or use them to convert a variable rate of interest from one basis to another.

Investment Related Derivatives – Foreign Currency Exposure

The Company has exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations through its operations and in its investment portfolio. The Company uses foreign currency contracts to manage its exposure to the effects of fluctuating foreign currencies on the value of certain of its foreign currency fixed maturities and equities. These contracts are not designated as specific hedges for financial reporting purposes and, therefore, realized and unrealized gains and losses on these contracts are recorded in income in the period in which they occur. These contracts generally have maturities of twelve months or less.

In addition, certain of the Company's investment managers may, subject to investment guidelines, enter into forward contracts.

Investment Related Derivatives – Credit Exposure

Credit derivatives may be purchased within the Company's investment portfolio in the form of single name and basket credit default swaps and swaptions, which are used to mitigate credit exposure through a reduction in credit spread duration (i.e., macro credit strategies rather than single-name credit hedging) or exposure to securities of selected issuers. Credit derivatives may also be used to efficiently gain exposure to credit markets, subject to guidelines that prohibit the introduction of effective leverage.

Investment Related Derivatives – Financial Market Exposure

Stock index futures may be purchased within the Company's investment portfolio to create synthetic equity exposure and to add value to the portfolio with overlay strategies where market inefficiencies are believed to exist. Stock index futures may be sold to facilitate the timely and efficient reduction of equity exposure. Equity option strategies, including both purchases and sales of options, may be used to add value or reduce exposure with overlay or other strategies. From time to time, the Company may enter into other financial market exposure derivative contracts on various indices and other underlying financial instruments including, but not limited to, equity options, total return swaps, and commodity contracts.

Other Non-Investment Derivatives

Foreign Currency Contracts

On January 9, 2015, the Company entered into deal contingent deliverable Foreign Exchange Forwards ("FX Forwards") with Morgan Stanley Capital Services LLC and Goldman Sachs International. The purpose of the FX Forwards was to mitigate the risk of foreign currency exposure related to the Catlin Acquisition. Following the closing of the Catlin Acquisition, the FX Forwards were settled.

In connection with the Catlin Acquisition and the FX Forwards, during the first quarter of 2015 certain foreign exchange contracts utilized to hedge the fair value of certain net investments in foreign operations were de-designated as hedging instruments; subsequently during the second quarter, the hedging relationships were then re-established.

In the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company entered into an average rate option to mitigate the risk of foreign currency exposure to certain cash flows denominated in the British pound. The option will mature in the fourth quarter of 2018. In the prior year, the Company entered into a similar average rate option.

Credit Exposure

During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company entered into a non-investment-related credit derivative relating to a number of reference pool mortgage tranches associated with actual mortgage loans that were securitized into agency mortgage-backed securities and sold as Structured Agency Credit Risk Notes. At December 31, 2017, there was no reported event of default on this obligation. The credit derivative is recorded at fair value based upon models developed by the Company. Significant unobservable inputs considered in the valuation include the impact of changes in interest rates, future defaults, delinquency and prepayment rates, credit spreads, changes in credit quality, and other market factors.

Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit Contract

The Company has derivatives embedded in certain reinsurance contracts. For a certain life reinsurance contract, the Company pays the ceding company a fixed amount equal to the estimated present value of the excess of the guaranteed benefit over the account balance upon the policyholder's election to take the income benefit. The fair value of this derivative is determined based on the present value of expected cash flows.

Modified Coinsurance and Funds Withheld Contracts, including Life Retrocession Embedded Derivative

The Company has modified coinsurance and funds withheld reinsurance agreements that provide for a return to be paid based on a portfolio of fixed income securities. As such, the agreements contain an embedded derivative. The embedded derivative is bifurcated from the funds withheld balance and recorded at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in earnings through "Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments."

In addition, the Company entered into the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements as described in Note 1(c), "Significant Accounting Policies - Investments - Investments Related to Life Retrocession Arrangements written on a Funds Withheld Basis," "Note 1(e), "Significant Accounting Policies - Reinsurance," and Note 1(a), "Significant Accounting Policies - Basis of Preparation and Consolidation." The embedded derivative related to the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements is recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings through "Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on life retrocession embedded derivative and derivative instruments - Life Funds Withheld Assets."

The impact of the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements on the Company's results for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was as follows:



Impact of GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements (U.S. dollars in thousands)	2017			2016			2015
Underwriting profit (loss) (1)	$	—		$	—		$	605
Net investment income - Life Funds Withheld Assets	127,047			154,751			187,489
Net realized gains (losses) on investments sold - Life Funds Withheld Assets	115,911			152,589			223,272
Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, Trading - Life Funds Withheld Assets	(14,805		)	109,458			(27,734		)
OTTI on investments - Life Funds Withheld Assets	(1,434		)	(2,598		)	(13,357		)
Foreign exchange (gains) losses	30,711			(8,988		)	4,788
Other income and expenses	(108		)	(154		)	2,280
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on life retrocession embedded derivative and derivative instruments - Life Funds Withheld Assets	(206,015		)	(540,090		)	(151,691		)
Net income (loss)	$	51,307		$	(135,032	)	$	225,652
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments - Life Funds Withheld Assets	(51,983		)	(4,502		)	(421,604		)
Change in adjustments related to future policy benefit reserves	27,184			62,295			170,688
Change in cumulative translation adjustment - Life Funds Withheld Assets	(26,508		)	77,239			25,869
Total changes to other comprehensive income as a result of GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements	$	(51,307	)	$	135,032		$	(225,047	)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$	—		$	—		$	605

____________


(1)	The underwriting profit of $0.6 million in 2015 relates to premium adjustments relating to the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements transaction. Excluding these transactions, the impact to comprehensive income relating to the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements was nil for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

As shown in the table above, although the Company's net income (loss) is subject to variability related to the GreyCastle Life Retro Arrangements, there is minimal net impact on the Company's comprehensive income in any period. The life retrocession embedded derivative value includes the interest income, unrealized gains and losses, and realized gains and losses from sales of the Life Funds Withheld Assets.

Other

The Company has entered into short term weather derivative swap agreements as the fixed rate payer which provide for a return to be paid to the Company based on the occurrence of certain industry weather events. The derivatives are recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings through "Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments."

The Company may designate certain of its derivative instruments as fair value hedges or cash flow hedges, in which case it formally and contemporaneously documents all relationships between the hedging instruments and hedged items and links the hedging derivative to specific assets and liabilities. The Company assesses the effectiveness of the hedge both at inception and on an on-going basis, and determines whether the hedge is highly effective in offsetting changes in fair value or cash flows of the linked hedged item.

Settlement of Fair Value Hedges

During the fourth quarter of 2010 and the third quarter of 2012, the Company settled five interest rate contracts designated as fair value hedges of certain of the Company's structured indemnity contracts. The gain on settlement of these contracts, which represented the effective portion of the hedging relationship, was recorded as an increase in the carrying value of the deposit liabilities and is being amortized through interest expense over the remaining term of the structured indemnity contracts.

A summary of the fair value hedges that have been settled and their impact on results up to the indicated periods, as well as the remaining balance of the fair value hedges and average years remaining to maturity at December 31, 2017 and 2016 are shown below:



Settlement of Fair Value Hedges – Summary (U.S. dollars in thousands, except years)	Fair Value Hedges – Structured Indemnity Contracts December 31,
	2017		2016
Cumulative reduction to interest expense	$	122,118	$	113,292
Remaining balance	$	111,077	$	119,903
Weighted average years remaining to maturity	18.7		20.1

(d) Contingent Credit Features

Certain derivative agreements entered into by the Company or its subsidiaries contain credit rating downgrade provisions that permit early termination of the agreements by the counterparty if collateral is not posted following failure to maintain certain credit ratings from one or more of the principal credit rating agencies. If the Company were required to terminate such agreements early due to a credit rating downgrade, it could potentially be in a net liability position at the time of settlement of such agreements. The aggregate fair value of all derivative agreements containing such rating downgrade provisions that were in a liability position and any collateral posted under these agreements as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 were as follows:



Contingent Credit Features - Summary: (U.S. dollars in thousands)	2017		2016
Aggregate fair value of derivative agreements with downgrade provisions in a net liability position	$	7,464	$	14,130
Collateral posted to counterparty	$	40	$	4,630