General	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
General
General	General Basis of presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Allstate Corporation (the “Corporation”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, primarily Allstate Insurance Company (“AIC”), a property-liability insurance company with various property-liability and life and investment subsidiaries, including Allstate Life Insurance Company (“ALIC”) (collectively referred to as the “Company” or “Allstate”). These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The condensed consolidated financial statements and notes as of March 31, 2016 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. The results of operations for the interim periods should not be considered indicative of results to be expected for the full year. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Adopted accounting standards Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance which clarifies that a performance target that affects vesting and could be achieved after the requisite service period should be treated as a performance condition and not reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. Compensation costs should reflect the amount attributable to the periods for which the requisite service has been rendered. Total compensation expense recognized during and after the requisite service period (which may differ from the vesting period) should reflect the number of awards that are expected to vest and should be adjusted to reflect the number of awards that ultimately vest. The Company’s existing accounting policy for performance targets that affect the vesting of share-based payment awards is consistent with the new guidance and as such, the adoption as of January 1, 2016 had no impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis In February 2015, the FASB issued guidance affecting the consolidation evaluation for limited partnerships and similar entities, fees paid to a decision maker or service provider, and variable interests in a variable interest entity held by related parties of the reporting enterprise. The adoption of this guidance as of January 1, 2016 did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Pending accounting standards Revenue from Contracts with Customers In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance which revises the criteria for revenue recognition. Insurance contracts are excluded from the scope of the new guidance. Under the guidance, the transaction price is attributed to underlying performance obligations in the contract and revenue is recognized as the entity satisfies the performance obligations and transfers control of a good or service to the customer. Incremental costs of obtaining a contract may be capitalized to the extent the entity expects to recover those costs. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and is to be applied retrospectively. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts In May 2015, the FASB issued guidance requiring expanded disclosures for insurance entities that issue short-duration contracts. The expanded disclosures are designed to provide additional insight into an insurance entity’s significant estimates made in measuring the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses. The disclosures include information about incurred and paid claims development by accident year, on a net basis after reinsurance, for the number of years claims incurred typically remain outstanding, not to exceed ten years. Each period presented in the disclosure about claims development that precedes the current reporting period is considered required supplementary information. The expanded disclosures also include information about significant changes in methodologies and assumptions, a reconciliation of incurred and paid claims development to the carrying amount of the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses, the total amount of incurred but not reported liabilities plus expected development, claims frequency information including the methodology used to determine claim frequency and claim duration. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and is to be applied retrospectively. The new guidance affects disclosures only and will have no impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance requiring equity investments, including equity securities and limited partnership interests, that are not accounted for under the equity method of accounting or result in consolidation to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. Equity investments without readily determinable fair values may be measured at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. When a qualitative assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values indicates that impairment exists, the carrying value is required to be adjusted to fair value, if lower. The guidance clarifies that an entity should evaluate the realizability of a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale fixed income securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets. The guidance also changes certain disclosure requirements. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and is to be applied through a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained income as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The new guidance related to equity investments without readily determinable fair values is to be applied prospectively as of the date of adoption. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption. The most significant impacts, using values as of March 31, 2016, are expected to be the change in accounting for equity securities where $325 million of pre-tax unrealized net capital gains would be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained income and cost method limited partnership interests (excluding limited partnership interests accounted for on a cost recovery basis) where the carrying value would increase by approximately $240 million, pre-tax, with the adjustment recorded in retained income. Accounting for Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that revises the accounting for leases. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for all leases other than those that meet the definition of a short-term lease. The lease liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. A right-of-use asset will be based on the lease liability adjusted for qualifying initial direct costs. The expense of operating leases under the new guidance will be recognized in the income statement on a straight-line basis after combining the lease expense components (interest expense on the lease liability and amortization of the right-of-use asset) over the term of the lease. For finance leases, the expense components will be computed separately thereby producing greater up-front expense as interest expense on the lease liability is higher in early years and the right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis. Lease classification will be based on criteria similar to those currently applied. The accounting model for lessors will be similar to the current model with modifications to reflect definition changes for components such as initial direct costs. Lessors will continue to classify leases as operating, direct financing, or sales-type. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 using a modified retrospective approach applied at the beginning of the earliest period presented. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance to amend the accounting for share-based payments. Under the new guidance, reporting entities will be required to recognize all tax effects related to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement and will no longer be permitted to recognize excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in additional paid in capital. The change will be applied on a modified retrospective basis, with a cumulative effect adjustment to beginning retained income. In addition, all tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based payments will be reported as operating activities on the statement of cash flows, with either prospective or retrospective transition permitted. The new guidance will permit employers to withhold shares upon settlement of an award to satisfy the employer’s tax withholding requirement (up to the employee’s maximum individual statutory tax rate) without causing liability classification of the award. The new guidance clarifies that all cash payments made to taxing authorities on an employee’s behalf for withheld shares should be presented as financing activities on the statement of cash flows. Also under the new guidance, reporting entities are permitted to make an accounting policy election to estimate forfeitures or recognize them when they occur. If elected, the change to recognize forfeitures when they occur must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, with a cumulative effect adjustment recorded to beginning retained income. The new guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position. Transition to Equity Method Accounting In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance amending the accounting requirements for transitioning to the equity method of accounting (“EMA”), including a transition from the cost method. The guidance requires the cost of acquiring an additional interest in an investee to be added to the existing carrying value to establish the initial basis of the EMA investment. Under the new guidance, no retroactive adjustment is required when an investment initially qualifies for EMA treatment. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and is to be applied prospectively. The guidance will principally affect the future accounting for investments that qualify for EMA after application of the cost method of accounting. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

General

Basis of presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Allstate Corporation (the “Corporation”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, primarily Allstate Insurance Company (“AIC”), a property-liability insurance company with various property-liability and life and investment subsidiaries, including Allstate Life Insurance Company (“ALIC”) (collectively referred to as the “Company” or “Allstate”). These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

The condensed consolidated financial statements and notes as of March 31, 2016 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. The results of operations for the interim periods should not be considered indicative of results to be expected for the full year. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Adopted accounting standards

Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period

In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance which clarifies that a performance target that affects vesting and could be achieved after the requisite service period should be treated as a performance condition and not reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. Compensation costs should reflect the amount attributable to the periods for which the requisite service has been rendered. Total compensation expense recognized during and after the requisite service period (which may differ from the vesting period) should reflect the number of awards that are expected to vest and should be adjusted to reflect the number of awards that ultimately vest. The Company’s existing accounting policy for performance targets that affect the vesting of share-based payment awards is consistent with the new guidance and as such, the adoption as of January 1, 2016 had no impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis

In February 2015, the FASB issued guidance affecting the consolidation evaluation for limited partnerships and similar entities, fees paid to a decision maker or service provider, and variable interests in a variable interest entity held by related parties of the reporting enterprise. The adoption of this guidance as of January 1, 2016 did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Pending accounting standards

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance which revises the criteria for revenue recognition. Insurance contracts are excluded from the scope of the new guidance. Under the guidance, the transaction price is attributed to underlying performance obligations in the contract and revenue is recognized as the entity satisfies the performance obligations and transfers control of a good or service to the customer. Incremental costs of obtaining a contract may be capitalized to the extent the entity expects to recover those costs. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and is to be applied retrospectively. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts

In May 2015, the FASB issued guidance requiring expanded disclosures for insurance entities that issue short-duration contracts. The expanded disclosures are designed to provide additional insight into an insurance entity’s significant estimates made in measuring the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses. The disclosures include information about incurred and paid claims development by accident year, on a net basis after reinsurance, for the number of years claims incurred typically remain outstanding, not to exceed ten years. Each period presented in the disclosure about claims development that precedes the current reporting period is considered required supplementary information. The expanded disclosures also include information about significant changes in methodologies and assumptions, a reconciliation of incurred and paid claims development to the carrying amount of the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses, the total amount of incurred but not reported liabilities plus expected development, claims frequency information including the methodology used to determine claim frequency and claim duration. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and is to be applied retrospectively. The new guidance affects disclosures only and will have no impact on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance requiring equity investments, including equity securities and limited partnership interests, that are not accounted for under the equity method of accounting or result in consolidation to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. Equity investments without readily determinable fair values may be measured at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. When a qualitative assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values indicates that impairment exists, the carrying value is required to be adjusted to fair value, if lower. The guidance clarifies that an entity should evaluate the realizability of a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale fixed income securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets. The guidance also changes certain disclosure requirements. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and is to be applied through a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained income as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The new guidance related to equity investments without readily determinable fair values is to be applied prospectively as of the date of adoption. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption. The most significant impacts, using values as of March 31, 2016, are expected to be the change in accounting for equity securities where $325 million of pre-tax unrealized net capital gains would be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained income and cost method limited partnership interests (excluding limited partnership interests accounted for on a cost recovery basis) where the carrying value would increase by approximately $240 million, pre-tax, with the adjustment recorded in retained income.

Accounting for Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that revises the accounting for leases. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for all leases other than those that meet the definition of a short-term lease. The lease liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. A right-of-use asset will be based on the lease liability adjusted for qualifying initial direct costs. The expense of operating leases under the new guidance will be recognized in the income statement on a straight-line basis after combining the lease expense components (interest expense on the lease liability and amortization of the right-of-use asset) over the term of the lease. For finance leases, the expense components will be computed separately thereby producing greater up-front expense as interest expense on the lease liability is higher in early years and the right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis. Lease classification will be based on criteria similar to those currently applied. The accounting model for lessors will be similar to the current model with modifications to reflect definition changes for components such as initial direct costs. Lessors will continue to classify leases as operating, direct financing, or sales-type. The guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 using a modified retrospective approach applied at the beginning of the earliest period presented. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting

In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance to amend the accounting for share-based payments. Under the new guidance, reporting entities will be required to recognize all tax effects related to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement and will no longer be permitted to recognize excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies in additional paid in capital. The change will be applied on a modified retrospective basis, with a cumulative effect adjustment to beginning retained income. In addition, all tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based payments will be reported as operating activities on the statement of cash flows, with either prospective or retrospective transition permitted. The new guidance will permit employers to withhold shares upon settlement of an award to satisfy the employer’s tax withholding requirement (up to the employee’s maximum individual statutory tax rate) without causing liability classification of the award. The new guidance clarifies that all cash payments made to taxing authorities on an employee’s behalf for withheld shares should be presented as financing activities on the statement of cash flows. Also under the new guidance, reporting entities are permitted to make an accounting policy election to estimate forfeitures or recognize them when they occur. If elected, the change to recognize forfeitures when they occur must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, with a cumulative effect adjustment recorded to beginning retained income. The new guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Transition to Equity Method Accounting

In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance amending the accounting requirements for transitioning to the equity method of accounting (“EMA”), including a transition from the cost method. The guidance requires the cost of acquiring an additional interest in an investee to be added to the existing carrying value to establish the initial basis of the EMA investment. Under the new guidance, no retroactive adjustment is required when an investment initially qualifies for EMA treatment. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and is to be applied prospectively. The guidance will principally affect the future accounting for investments that qualify for EMA after application of the cost method of accounting. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption, which is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position.