Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Commitments and Contingent Liabilities Statement [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

8. Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

At March 31, 2012, the Company'scommitments to fund investments were $173.0 million in limited partnerships, $48.6 million in commercial mortgage loansand $110.0 million in private placement investments. At December 31, 2011, the Company'scommitments to fund investmentswere$156.6 million in limited partnerships, $33.6 million in commercial mortgage loans and $100.0 million in private placement investments. The Company anticipates that the majority of its current commitments will be invested over the next five years; however, these commitments could become due any time at the request of the counterparties. Investments in limited partnerships and private placements are carried at cost or accounted for using the equity method and included in other invested assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The Company is subject to litigation in the normal course of its business. The Company currently has no material litigation. A legal reserve is established when the Company is notified of an arbitration demand or litigation or is notified that an arbitration demand or litigation is imminent, it is probable that the Company will incur a loss as a result and the amount of the probable loss is reasonably capable of being estimated.

The Company has obtained bank letters of creditin favor of various affiliated and unaffiliated insurance companies from which the Company assumes business. These letters of credit represent guarantees of performance under the reinsurance agreements and allow ceding companies to take statutory reserve credits. Certain of these letters of credit contain financial covenant restrictions. At March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, there were approximately $18.8 million and $15.8 million, respectively, of undrawn outstanding bank letters of credit in favor of third parties. Additionally, the Company utilizes letters of credit to secure reserve credits when it retrocedes business to its subsidiaries, including Parkway Reinsurance Company (“Parkway Re”), Rockwood Reinsurance Company (“Rockwood Re”), Timberlake Financial L.L.C. (“Timberlake Financial”), RGA Americas Reinsurance, Ltd. (“RGA Americas”), RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd. (“RGA Barbados”) and RGA Atlantic Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Atlantic”). The Company cedes business to its affiliates to help reduce the amount of regulatory capital required in certain jurisdictions such as the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The capital required to support the business in the affiliates reflects more realistic expectations than the original jurisdiction of the business, where capital requirements are often considered to be quite conservative. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, $447.6 million and $582.9 million, respectively, in undrawn letters of credit from various banks were outstanding, backing reinsurance betweenthe various subsidiaries of the Company. The banks providing letters of credit to the Company are included on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) list of approved banks.

The Company maintains a syndicated revolving credit facility with a four year term and an overall capacity of $850.0millionwhich is scheduled to mature in December 2015. The Company may borrow cash and obtain letters of credit in multiple currencies under this facility. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had $174.6 million in issued, but undrawn, letters of credit under this facility, which is included in the total above. Applicable letter of credit fees and fees payable for the credit facility depend upon the Company's senior unsecured long-term debt rating. The Company also maintains two other letter of credit facilities with capacities of $200.0 million and $120.0 million which are scheduled to mature in September 2019 and May 2016, respectively. The $200.0 million letter of credit facility is fully utilized and is expected to amortize to zero by 2019. Letter of credit fees for this facility are fixed for the term of the facility. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had no issued letters of credit under the $120.0 million letter of credit facility. Letter of credit fees for this facility are fixed for the term of the facility. Fees associated with the Company's other letters of credit are not fixed for periods in excess of one year and are based on the Company's ratings and the general availability of these instruments in the marketplace.

RGA has issued guarantees to third parties on behalf of its subsidiaries for the payment of amounts due under certain reinsurance treaties, securities borrowing arrangements and office lease obligations, whereby, if a subsidiary fails to meet an obligation, RGA or one of its other subsidiaries will make a payment to fulfill the obligation. In limited circumstances, treaty guarantees are granted to ceding companies in order to provide them additional security, particularly in cases where RGA's subsidiary is relatively new, unrated, or not of a significant size, relative to the ceding company. Liabilities supported by the treaty guarantees, before consideration for any legally offsetting amounts due from the guaranteed party, totaled $666.4 million and $697.5 million as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, and are reflected on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets in future policy benefits. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company's exposure related to treaty guarantees, net of assets held in trust, was $442.0 million and $467.5 million, respectively. Potential guaranteed amounts of future payments will vary depending on production levels and underwriting results. Guarantees related to borrowed securities provide additional security to third parties should a subsidiary fail to make principal and/or interest payments when due. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, RGA's obligation related to borrowed securities guarantees was $150.0 million.

Manor Reinsurance, Ltd. (“Manor Re”), a subsidiary of RGA, has obtained $300.0 million of collateral financing through 2020 from an international bank which enabled Manor Re to deposit assets in trust to support statutory reserve credits for an affiliated reinsurance transaction. The bank has recourse to RGA should Manor Re fail to make payments or otherwise not perform its obligations under this financing.

In addition, the Company indemnifies its directors and officers as provided in its charters and by-laws. Since this indemnity generally is not subject to limitation with respect to duration or amount, the Company does not believe that it is possible to determine the maximum potential amount due under this indemnity in the future.