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Variable Interest Entities
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Variable Interest Entities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Variable Interest Entities [Text Block]

10. Variable Interest Entities

At times, the Company has utilized variable interest entities (“VIEs”) both indirectly and directly in the ordinary course of the Company's business.

The Company invests in CDOs and other investment vehicles that are issued through VIEs as part of the Company's investment portfolio. The activities of these VIEs are generally limited to holding the underlying collateral used to service investments therein. The Company's involvement in these entities is passive in nature and we are not the arranger of these entities. In addition, the Company has not been involved in establishing these entities and is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs as contemplated in current authoritative accounting guidance.

The Company has a limited number of remaining outstanding credit enhancement exposures, including written financial guarantee and credit default swap contracts. The obligations related to these transactions are often securitized through VIEs. The Company is not the primary beneficiary of these VIEs as contemplated in current authoritative accounting guidance on the basis that management does not believe that the Company has the power to direct the activities, such as asset selection and collateral management, which most significantly impact each entity's economic performance. For further details on the nature of the obligations and the size of the Company's maximum exposure, see Note 6, “Derivative Instruments,” and Note 12 (a), “Commitments and Contingencies – Financial Guarantee Exposures.