Assumed life reinsurance programs involving minimum benefit guarantees under annuity contracts

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]

Assumed life reinsurance programs involving minimum benefit guarantees under annuity contracts

Assumed life reinsurance programs involving minimum benefit guarantees under annuity contracts

The following table presents income and expenses relating to GMDB and GLB reinsurance. GLBs include GMIBs as well as some GMABs originating in Japan.

	Three Months Ended					Six Months Ended
	June 30					June 30
(in millions of U.S. dollars)	2013		2012			2013		2012
GMDB
Net premiums earned	$	20	$	21		$	40	$	44
Policy benefits and other reserve adjustments	$	25	$	12		$	44	$	39
GLB
Net premiums earned	$	37	$	40		$	76	$	81
Policy benefits and other reserve adjustments	2		16			11		23
Net realized gains (losses)	101		(494		)	470		(34		)
Gain (loss) recognized in income	$	136	$	(470	)	$	535	$	24
Net cash received	$	31	$	38		$	63	$	79
Net decrease (increase) in liability	$	105	$	(508	)	$	472	$	(55	)

At June 30, 2013, reported liabilities for GMDB and GLB reinsurance were $92 million and $880 million, respectively, compared with $90 million and $1.4 billion, respectively, at December 31, 2012. The reported liability of $880 million for GLB reinsurance at June 30, 2013 and $1.4 billion at December 31, 2012 includes a fair value derivative adjustment of $652 million and $1.1 billion, respectively. Included in Net realized gains (losses) in the table above are gains (losses) related to foreign exchange and other fair value derivative adjustments. Reported liabilities for both GMDB and GLB reinsurance are determined using internal valuation models. Such valuations require considerable judgment and are subject to significant uncertainty. The valuation of these products is subject to fluctuations arising from, among other factors, changes in interest rates, changes in equity markets, changes in credit markets, changes in the allocation of the investments underlying annuitants’ account values, and assumptions regarding future policyholder behavior. These models and the related assumptions are continually reviewed by management and enhanced, as appropriate, based upon improvements in modeling assumptions and availability of more information, such as market conditions and demographics of in-force annuities.

Variable Annuity Net Amount at Risk

(i) Reinsurance covering the GMDB risk only

At June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the net amount at risk from reinsurance programs covering the GMDB risk only was $884 million and $1.3 billion, respectively.

For reinsurance programs covering the GMDB risk only, the net amount at risk is defined as the present value of future claim payments under the following assumptions:

• policy account values and guaranteed values are fixed at the valuation date (June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively);

• there are no lapses or withdrawals;

• mortality according to 100 percent of the Annuity 2000 mortality table;

• future claims are discounted in line with the discounting assumption used in the calculation of the benefit reserve averaging between 1.0 percent and 2.0 percent; and

• reinsurance coverage ends at the earlier of the maturity of the underlying variable annuity policy or the reinsurance treaty.

The total claim amount payable on reinsurance programs covering the GMDB risk only, if all the cedants’ policyholders were to die immediately at June 30, 2013 was approximately $563 million. This takes into account all applicable reinsurance treaty claim limits.

(ii) Reinsurance covering the GLB risk only

At June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the net amount at risk from reinsurance programs covering the GLB risk only was $302 million and $445 million, respectively.

For reinsurance programs covering the GLB risk only, the net amount at risk is defined as the present value of future claim payments under the following assumptions:

• policy account values and guaranteed values are fixed at the valuation date (June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively);

• there are no deaths, lapses, or withdrawals;

• policyholders annuitize at a frequency most disadvantageous to ACE (in other words, annuitization at a level that maximizes claims taking into account the treaty limits) under the terms of the reinsurance contracts;

• for annuitizing policyholders, the GMIB claim is calculated using interest rates in line with those used in calculating the reserve;

• future claims are discounted in line with the discounting assumption used in the calculation of the benefit reserve averaging between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent; and

• reinsurance coverage ends at the earlier of the maturity of the underlying variable annuity policy or the reinsurance treaty. 

(iii) Reinsurance covering both the GMDB and GLB risks on the same underlying policyholders

At June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the GMDB net amount at risk from reinsurance programs covering both the GMDB and GLB risks on the same underlying policyholders was $95 million and $116 million, respectively.

At June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the GLB net amount at risk from reinsurance programs covering both the GMDB and GLB risks on the same underlying policyholders was $341 million and $655 million, respectively.

These net amounts at risk reflect the interaction between the two types of benefits on any single policyholder (eliminating double-counting), and therefore the net amounts at risk should be considered additive.

For reinsurance programs covering both the GMDB and GLB risks on the same underlying policyholders, the net amount at risk is defined as the present value of future claim payments under the following assumptions:

• policy account values and guaranteed values are fixed at the valuation date (June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively);

• there are no lapses, or withdrawals;

• mortality according to 100 percent of the Annuity 2000 mortality table;

• policyholders annuitize at a frequency most disadvantageous to ACE (in other words, annuitization at a level that maximizes claims taking into account the treaty limits) under the terms of the reinsurance contracts;

• for annuitizing policyholders, the GMIB claim is calculated using interest rates in line with those used in calculating the reserve;

• future claims are discounted in line with the discounting assumption used in the calculation of the benefit reserve averaging between 2.0 percent and 3.0 percent; and

• reinsurance coverage ends at the earlier of the maturity of the underlying variable annuity policy or the reinsurance treaty.

The total claim amount payable on reinsurance programs covering both the GMDB and GLB risks on the same underlying policyholders, if all of the cedants’ policyholders were to die immediately at June 30, 2013 was approximately $300 million. This takes into account all applicable reinsurance treaty claim limits. Although there would be an increase in death claims resulting from 100 percent immediate mortality of all policyholders, the GLB claims would be zero.

The average attained age of all policyholders under sections i), ii), and iii) above, weighted by the guaranteed value of each reinsured policy, is approximately 68 years.