XML 60 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.4
Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities
Note 6Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The hierarchy for inputs used in determining fair value maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that observable inputs be used when available. Assets and liabilities recorded on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position at fair value are categorized in the fair value hierarchy based on the observability of inputs to the valuation techniques as follows:
Level 1:    Assets and liabilities whose values are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active market that the Company can access.
Level 2:    Assets and liabilities whose values are based on the following:
(a)Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
(b)Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; or
(c)Valuation models whose inputs are observable, directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3:    Assets and liabilities whose values are based on prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s estimates of the assumptions that market participants would use in valuing the assets and liabilities.
The availability of observable inputs varies by instrument. In situations where fair value is based on internally developed pricing models or inputs that are unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. The degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is typically greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. In many instances, valuation inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. The category level in the fair value hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including during periods of market disruption. In
periods of market disruption, the ability to observe prices and inputs may be reduced for many instruments.
The Company is responsible for the determination of fair value and the supporting assumptions and methodologies. The Company gains assurance that assets and liabilities are appropriately valued through the execution of various processes and controls designed to ensure the overall reasonableness and consistent application of valuation methodologies, including inputs and assumptions, and compliance with accounting standards. For fair values received from third parties or internally estimated, the Company’s processes and controls are designed to ensure that the valuation methodologies are appropriate and consistently applied, the inputs and assumptions are reasonable and consistent with the objective of determining fair value, and the fair values are accurately recorded. For example, on a continuing basis, the Company assesses the reasonableness of individual fair values that have stale security prices or that exceed certain thresholds as compared to previous fair values received from valuation service providers or brokers or derived from internal models. The Company performs procedures to understand and assess the methodologies, processes and controls of valuation service providers. In addition, the Company may validate the reasonableness of fair values by comparing information obtained from valuation service providers or brokers to other third-party valuation sources for selected securities. The Company performs ongoing price validation procedures such as back-testing of actual sales, which corroborate the various inputs used in internal models to market observable data. When fair value determinations are expected to be more variable, the Company validates them through reviews by members of management who have relevant expertise and who are independent of those charged with executing investment transactions.
The Company has two types of situations where investments are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy:
(1)Specific inputs significant to the fair value estimation models are not market observable. This primarily occurs in the Company’s use of broker quotes to value certain securities where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market observable, and the use of valuation models that use significant non-market observable inputs.
(2)Quotes continue to be received from independent third-party valuation service providers and all significant inputs are market observable; however, there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for the asset when compared to normal market activity such that the degree of market observability has declined to a point where categorization as a Level 3 measurement is considered appropriate. The indicators considered in determining whether a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for a specific asset has occurred include
the level of new issuances in the primary market, trading volume in the secondary market, the level of credit spreads over historical levels, applicable bid-ask spreads, and price consensus among market participants and other pricing sources.
Certain assets are not carried at fair value on a recurring basis, including mortgage loans, bank loans, agent loans and policy loans and are only included in the fair value hierarchy disclosure when the individual investment is reported at fair value.
In determining fair value, the Company principally uses the market approach which generally utilizes market transaction data for the same or similar instruments. To a lesser extent, the Company uses the income approach which involves determining fair values from discounted cash flow methodologies. For the majority of Level 2 and Level 3 valuations, a combination of the market and income approaches is used.
Summary of significant inputs and valuation techniques for Level 2 and Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Level 2 measurements
Fixed income securities:
U.S. government and agencies, municipal, corporate - public and foreign government:  The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields and credit spreads.
Corporate - privately placed: Privately placed are valued using a discounted cash flow model that is widely accepted in the financial services industry and uses market observable inputs and inputs derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data. The primary inputs to the discounted cash flow model include an interest rate yield curve, as well as published credit spreads for similar assets in markets that are not active that incorporate the credit quality and industry sector of the issuer.
Corporate - privately placed also includes redeemable preferred stock that are valued using quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields, underlying stock prices and credit spreads.
ABS and MBS:  The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields, collateral performance, and credit spreads. Certain ABS are valued based on non-binding broker quotes whose inputs have been corroborated to be market observable. Residential MBS include prepayment speeds as a primary input for valuation.
Equity securities:  The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices or quoted net
asset values for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active.
Short-term: The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields and credit spreads.
Other investments:  Free-standing exchange listed derivatives that are not actively traded are valued based on quoted prices for identical instruments in markets that are not active.
Over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives, including interest rate swaps, foreign currency swaps, total return swaps, foreign exchange forward contracts, certain options and certain credit default swaps, are valued using models that rely on inputs such as interest rate yield curves, implied volatilities, index price levels, currency rates, and credit spreads that are observable for substantially the full term of the contract. The valuation techniques underlying the models are widely accepted in the financial services industry and do not involve significant judgment.
Level 3 measurements
Fixed income securities:
Municipal:  Comprise municipal bonds that are not rated by third-party credit rating agencies. The primary inputs to the valuation of these municipal bonds include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that exhibit less liquidity relative to those markets supporting Level 2 fair value measurements, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields and credit spreads. Also included are municipal bonds valued based on non-binding broker quotes where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market observable and municipal bonds in default valued based on the present value of expected cash flows.
Corporate - public and privately placed, ABS and MBS:  Primarily valued based on non-binding broker quotes where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market observable. Other inputs for corporate fixed income securities include an interest rate yield curve, as well as published credit spreads for similar assets that incorporate the credit quality and industry sector of the issuer.
Equity securities:  The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices or quoted net asset values for identical or similar assets in markets that exhibit less liquidity relative to those markets supporting Level 2 fair value measurements.
Short-term:  For certain short-term investments, amortized cost is used as the best estimate of fair value.
Other investments:  Certain OTC derivatives, such as interest rate caps, certain credit default swaps and certain options (including swaptions), are valued using models that are widely accepted in the financial services industry. These are categorized as Level 3 as a result of the significance of non-market observable inputs such as volatility. Other primary inputs include interest rate yield curves and credit spreads.
Contractholder funds:  Derivatives embedded in certain life and annuity contracts are valued internally using models widely accepted in the financial services industry that determine a single best estimate of fair value for the embedded derivatives within a block of contractholder liabilities. The models primarily use stochastically determined cash flows based on the contractual elements of embedded derivatives, projected option cost and applicable market data, such as interest rate yield curves and equity index volatility assumptions. These are categorized as Level 3 as a result of the significance of non-market observable inputs.
Investments excluded from the fair value hierarchy
Limited partnerships carried at fair value, which do not have readily determinable fair values, use NAV provided by the investees and are excluded from the fair value hierarchy. These investments are generally not redeemable by the investees and generally cannot be sold without approval of the general partner. The Company receives distributions of income and proceeds from the liquidation of the underlying assets of the investees, which usually takes place in years 4-9 of the typical contractual life of 10-12 years. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has commitments to invest $395 million in these limited partnership interests.
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value
As of December 31, 2020
($ in millions)
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets
(Level 1)
Significant other observable inputs
(Level 2)
Significant unobservable inputs
(Level 3)
Counterparty and cash collateral nettingTotal
Assets
Fixed income securities:
U.S. government and agencies$2,863 $359 $— $3,222 
Municipal— 9,520 67 9,587 
Corporate - public— 36,346 98 36,444 
Corporate - privately placed— 14,568 130 14,698 
Foreign government— 1,055 — 1,055 
ABS— 1,213 57 1,270 
MBS— 51 27 78 
Total fixed income securities2,863 63,112 379 66,354 
Equity securities3,882 410 418 4,710 
Short-term investments7,477 288 35 7,800 
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives— 219 — $(15)204 
Separate account assets3,344 — — 3,344 
Other assets— — 
Total recurring basis assets17,567 64,029 832 (15)82,413 
Total assets at fair value$17,567 $64,029 $832 $(15)$82,413 
% of total assets at fair value21.3 %77.7 %1.0 %— %100.0 %
Investments reported at NAV1,824 
Total $84,237 
Liabilities
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts$— $— $(516)$(516)
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives— (153)— $27 (126)
Total recurring basis liabilities $ $(153)$(516)$27 $(642)
% of total liabilities at fair value— %23.8 %80.4 %(4.2)%100.0 %
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value
As of December 31, 2019
($ in millions)
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets
(Level 1)
Significant other observable inputs
(Level 2)
Significant unobservable inputs
(Level 3)
Counterparty and cash collateral nettingTotal
Assets
Fixed income securities:
U.S. government and agencies$4,689 $397 $— $5,086 
Municipal— 8,558 62 8,620 
Corporate - public— 30,819 61 30,880 
Corporate - privately placed— 12,084 114 12,198 
Foreign government— 979 — 979 
ABS— 797 65 862 
MBS— 379 40 419 
Total fixed income securities4,689 54,013 342 59,044 
Equity securities7,407 384 371 8,162 
Short-term investments1,940 2,291 25 4,256 
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives— 180 — $(40)140 
Separate account assets3,044 — — 3,044 
Other assets— — 
Total recurring basis assets17,081 56,868 738 (40)74,647 
Total assets at fair value$17,081 $56,868 $738 $(40)$74,647 
% of total assets at fair value22.9 %76.2 %1.0 %(0.1)%100.0 %
Investments reported at NAV1,814 
Total$76,461 
Liabilities
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts$— $— $(462)$(462)
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives— (84)— $12 (72)
Total recurring basis liabilities$ $(84)$(462)$12 $(534)
% of total liabilities at fair value— %15.7 %86.5 %(2.2)%100.0 %
Quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used in Level 3 fair value measurements
($ in millions)Fair value
Valuation
technique
Unobservable
input
Range
Weighted
average
December 31, 2020
Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts – Equity-indexed and forward starting options$(483)Stochastic cash flow modelProjected option cost
1.0% - 4.2%
2.80%
December 31, 2019
Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts – Equity-indexed and forward starting options$(430)Stochastic cash flow modelProjected option cost
1.0% - 4.2%
2.67%
The embedded derivatives are equity-indexed and forward starting options in certain life and annuity products that provide customers with interest crediting rates based on the performance of the S&P 500. If the projected option cost increased (decreased), it would result in a higher (lower) liability fair value.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, Level 3 fair value measurements of fixed income securities total $379 million and $342 million, respectively, and include $93 million and $50 million, respectively, of securities valued based on non-binding broker quotes where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market
observable and $35 million and $36 million, respectively, of municipal fixed income securities that are not rated by third-party credit rating agencies. As the Company does not develop the Level 3 fair value unobservable inputs for these fixed income securities, they are not included in the table above. However, an increase (decrease) in credit spreads for fixed income securities valued based on non-binding broker quotes would result in a lower (higher) fair value, and an increase (decrease) in the credit rating of municipal bonds that are not rated by third-party credit rating agencies would result in a higher (lower) fair value.
Rollforward of Level 3 assets and liabilities held at fair value during the year ended December 31, 2020
Balance as of December 31, 2019
Total gains (losses) included in: Transfers
Balance as of December 31, 2020
($ in millions)Net incomeOCIInto Level 3Out of Level 3PurchasesSalesIssuesSettlements
Assets
Fixed income securities:
Municipal$62 $$$20 $(11)$— $(4)$— $(3)$67 
Corporate - public61 (1)— 55 (19)— (1)98 
Corporate - privately placed114 (12)52 (31)25 (17)— (3)130 
ABS65 — (1)54 (49)48 (32)— (28)57 
MBS40 (2)— — 11 (7)— (16)27 
Total fixed income securities342 3 (12)128 (91)139 (79) (51)379 
Equity securities371 (3)— — — 66 (16)— — 418 
Short-term investments25 — — — (25)35 — — — 35 
Total recurring Level 3 assets738  (12)128 (116)240 (95) (51)832 
Liabilities
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts(462)(43)— — — — — (34)23 (516)
Total recurring Level 3 liabilities$(462)$(43)$ $ $ $ $ $(34)$23 $(516)
Total Level 3 gains (losses) included in net income for the year ended December 31, 2020
($ in millions)Net investment incomeRealized capital gains (losses)Life contract benefitsInterest credited to contractholder fundsTotal
Components of net income$(23)$23 $(1)$(42)$(43)
Rollforward of Level 3 assets and liabilities held at fair value during the year ended December 31, 2019
Balance as of December 31, 2018
Total gains (losses) included in: Transfers
Balance as of December 31, 2019
($ in millions)Net incomeOCIInto
Level 3
Out of Level 3PurchasesSalesIssuesSettlements
Assets
Fixed income securities:
Municipal$70 $$$— $(5)$— $(5)$— $(3)$62 
Corporate - public70 — 30 (113)86 (11)— (4)61 
Corporate - privately placed90 (1)43 (2)(13)— (9)114 
ABS69 (1)76 (210)159 (22)— (7)65 
MBS26 — (2)— — — (2)40 
Total fixed income securities325 1 6 158 (330)258 (51) (25)342 
Equity securities341 30 — — — 82 (82)— — 371 
Short-term investments30 — — — — 35 (40)— — 25 
Free-standing derivatives, net(1)— — — — — — — — 
Total recurring Level 3 assets697 30 6 158 (330)375 (173) (25)738 
Liabilities
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts(224)(61)— (175)— — — (16)14 (462)
Total recurring Level 3 liabilities$(224)$(61)$ $(175)$ $ $ $(16)$14 $(462)
Total Level 3 gains (losses) included in net income for the year ended December 31, 2019
($ in millions)Net investment incomeRealized capital gains (losses)Life contract benefitsInterest credited to contractholder fundsTotal
Components of net income$(2)$32 $$(68)$(31)
Rollforward of Level 3 assets and liabilities held at fair value during the year ended December 31, 2018
Balance as of December 31, 2017
Total gains (losses) included in: Transfers
Balance as of December 31, 2018
($ in millions)Net incomeOCIInto
Level 3
Out of Level 3PurchasesSalesIssuesSettlements
Assets
Fixed income securities:
Municipal$101 $$(2)$— $(26)$10 $(8)$— $(6)$70 
Corporate - public108 — (3)17 (21)10 (38)— (3)70 
Corporate - privately placed224 (1)(3)20 (119)22 (5)— (48)90 
ABS147 — 42 (159)160 (97)— (26)69 
MBS26 — — — — — — (1)26 
Total fixed income securities606  (6)79 (325)203 (148) (84)325 
Equity securities210 37 — — — 109 (15)— — 341 
Short-term investments20 — — — — 55 (45)— — 30 
Free-standing derivatives, net— — — — — — — — 
Total recurring Level 3 assets837 37 (6)79 (325)367 (208) (84)697 
Liabilities
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts(286)58 — — — — — (2)(224)
Total recurring Level 3 liabilities$(286)$58 $ $ $ $ $ $(2)$6 $(224)
Total Level 3 gains (losses) included in net income for the year ended December 31, 2018
($ in millions)Net investment incomeRealized capital gains (losses)Life contract benefitsInterest credited to contractholder fundsTotal
Components of net income$— $37 $(5)$63 $95 
Transfers into Level 3 during 2020, 2019 and 2018 included situations where a quote was not provided by the Company’s independent third-party valuation service provider and as a result the price was stale or had been replaced with a broker quote where the inputs had not been corroborated to be market observable resulting in the security being classified as Level 3. Transfers into Level 3 during 2019 also included derivatives embedded in equity-indexed universal life contracts due to refinements in the valuation modeling resulting in an increase in significance of non-market observable inputs.
Transfers out of Level 3 during 2020, 2019 and 2018 included situations where a broker quote was used in the prior period and a quote became available from the Company’s independent third-party valuation service provider in the current period. A quote utilizing the new pricing source was not available as of the prior period, and any gains or losses related to the change in valuation source for individual securities were not significant.
Valuation changes included in net income and OCI for Level 3 assets and liabilities held as of December 31,
($ in millions)202020192018
Assets
Fixed income securities:
Municipal$$$— 
Corporate - public(2)— — 
Corporate - privately placed— — 
Total fixed income securities 
Equity securities(3)36 
Free-standing derivatives, net— (1)— 
Total recurring Level 3 assets$(2)$6 $36 
Liabilities
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts$(43)$(61)$58 
Total recurring Level 3 liabilities(43)(61)58 
Total included in net income$(45)$(55)$94 
Components of net income
Net investment income$(24)$(2)$— 
Realized capital gains (losses)22 36 
Life contract benefits(1)(5)
Interest credited to contractholder funds(42)(68)63 
Total included in net income$(45)$(55)$94 
Assets
Municipal$
Corporate - public
Corporate - privately placed(11)
ABS(1)
Changes in unrealized net capital gains and losses reported in OCI (1)
$(9)
(1)Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted the fair value accounting standard that prospectively requires the disclosure of valuation changes reported in OCI.
Financial instruments not carried at fair value
($ in millions)December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
Financial assetsFair value levelAmortized cost, net
Fair
value
Amortized cost, net
Fair
value
Mortgage loansLevel 3$4,075 $4,348 $4,817 $5,012 
Bank loansLevel 31,018 1,053 1,204 1,185 
Agent loansLevel 3631 634 666 664 
Financial liabilitiesFair value level
Carrying
value (1)
Fair
value
Carrying
value (1)
Fair
value
Contractholder funds on investment contractsLevel 3$7,795 $9,089 $8,438 $9,158 
Long-term debtLevel 27,825 9,489 6,631 7,738 
Liability for collateralLevel 21,249 1,249 1,829 1,829 
(1)Represents the amounts reported on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.