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Reserve for Life-Contingent Contract Benefits and Contractholder Funds
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Reserve for Life-Contingent Contract Benefits and Contractholder Funds  
Reserve for Life-Contingent Contract Benefits and Contractholder Funds

9.    Reserve for Life-Contingent Contract Benefits and Contractholder Funds

       As of December 31, the reserve for life-contingent contract benefits consists of the following:

($ in millions)
   2014   2013  

Immediate fixed annuities:

              

Structured settlement annuities

   $ 6,682   $ 6,645  

Other immediate fixed annuities

     2,250     2,283  

Traditional life insurance

     2,521     2,542  

Accident and health insurance

     830     816  

Other

     97     100  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Total reserve for life-contingent contract benefits

   $ 12,380   $ 12,386  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

       The following table highlights the key assumptions generally used in calculating the reserve for life-contingent contract benefits:

Product   Mortality   Interest rate   Estimation method

Structured settlement annuities

   U.S. population with projected calendar year improvements; mortality rates adjusted for each impaired life based on reduction in life expectancy   Interest rate assumptions range from 2.7% to 9.0%   Present value of contractually specified future benefits

Other immediate fixed annuities

  

1983 group annuity mortality table with internal modifications; 1983 individual annuity mortality table; Annuity 2000 mortality table with internal modifications; Annuity 2000 mortality table; 1983 individual annuity mortality table with internal modifications

  

Interest rate assumptions range from 0% to 11.5%

  

Present value of expected future benefits based on historical experience

Traditional life insurance

  

Actual company experience plus loading

  

Interest rate assumptions range from 2.5% to 11.3%

  

Net level premium reserve method using the Company's withdrawal experience rates; includes reserves for unpaid claims

Accident and health insurance

  

Actual company experience plus loading

  

Interest rate assumptions range from 3.0% to 7.0%

  

Unearned premium; additional contract reserves for mortality risk and unpaid claims

Other:

  

 

  

 

  

 

Variable annuity
guaranteed minimum
death benefits (1)

   Annuity 2012 mortality table with internal modifications   Interest rate assumptions range from 2.6% to 5.8%   Projected benefit ratio applied to cumulative assessments
(1)
In 2006, the Company disposed of substantially all of its variable annuity business through reinsurance agreements with The Prudential Insurance Company of America, a subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. (collectively "Prudential").

       To the extent that unrealized gains on fixed income securities would result in a premium deficiency had those gains actually been realized, a premium deficiency reserve is recorded for certain immediate annuities with life contingencies. A liability of $28 million is included in the reserve for life-contingent contract benefits with respect to this deficiency as of December 31, 2014. The offset to this liability is recorded as a reduction of the unrealized net capital gains included in accumulated other comprehensive income. The liability was zero as of December 31, 2013.

       As of December 31, contractholder funds consist of the following:

($ in millions)
   2014   2013  

Interest-sensitive life insurance

   $ 7,880   $ 7,777  

Investment contracts:

              

Fixed annuities

     14,310     16,199  

Funding agreements backing medium-term notes

     85     89  

Other investment contracts

     254     239  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Total contractholder funds

   $ 22,529   $ 24,304  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

       The following table highlights the key contract provisions relating to contractholder funds:

Product   Interest rate   Withdrawal/surrender charges

Interest-sensitive life insurance

   Interest rates credited range from 0% to 9.0% for equity-indexed life (whose returns are indexed to the S&P 500) and 1.0% to 6.0% for all other products   Either a percentage of account balance or dollar amount grading off generally over 20 years

Fixed annuities

  

Interest rates credited range from 0% to 9.8% for immediate annuities; (8.0)% to 13.5% for equity-indexed annuities (whose returns are indexed to the S&P 500); and 0.1% to 6.0% for all other products

  

Either a declining or a level percentage charge generally over ten years or less. Additionally, approximately 21.5% of fixed annuities are subject to market value adjustment for discretionary withdrawals

Funding agreements backing medium-term notes

  

Interest rate credited is 2.49%

  

Not applicable

Other investment contracts:

  

 

  

 

Guaranteed minimum income, accumulation and withdrawal benefits on variable (1) and fixed annuities and secondary guarantees on interest-sensitive life insurance and fixed annuities

   Interest rates used in establishing reserves range from 1.7% to 10.3%   Withdrawal and surrender charges are based on the terms of the related interest-sensitive life insurance or fixed annuity contract
(1)
In 2006, the Company disposed of substantially all of its variable annuity business through reinsurance agreements with Prudential.

       Contractholder funds include funding agreements held by VIEs issuing medium-term notes. The VIEs are Allstate Life Funding, LLC and Allstate Life Global Funding, and their primary assets are funding agreements used exclusively to back medium-term note programs.

       Contractholder funds activity for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

($ in millions)
   2014   2013   2012  

Balance, beginning of year

   $ 24,304   $ 39,319   $ 42,332  

Classified as held for sale, beginning balance

     10,945     —     —  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Total, including those classified as held for sale

     35,249     39,319     42,332  

Deposits

     1,333     2,440     2,275  

Interest credited

     919     1,295     1,323  

Benefits

     (1,197 )   (1,535 )   (1,463 )

Surrenders and partial withdrawals

     (2,273 )   (3,299 )   (3,990 )

Maturities of and interest payments on institutional products

     (2 )   (1,799 )   (138 )

Contract charges

     (881 )   (1,112 )   (1,066 )

Net transfers from separate accounts

     7     12     11  

Other adjustments

     36     (72 )   35  

Sold in LBL disposition

     (10,662 )   —     —  

Classified as held for sale, ending balance

     —     (10,945 )   —  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Balance, end of year

   $ 22,529   $ 24,304   $ 39,319  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

       The Company offered various guarantees to variable annuity contractholders. Liabilities for variable contract guarantees related to death benefits are included in the reserve for life-contingent contract benefits and the liabilities related to the income, withdrawal and accumulation benefits are included in contractholder funds. All liabilities for variable contract guarantees are reported on a gross basis on the balance sheet with a corresponding reinsurance recoverable asset for those contracts subject to reinsurance. In 2006, the Company disposed of substantially all of its variable annuity business through reinsurance agreements with Prudential.

       Absent any contract provision wherein the Company guarantees either a minimum return or account value upon death, a specified contract anniversary date, partial withdrawal or annuitization, variable annuity and variable life insurance contractholders bear the investment risk that the separate accounts' funds may not meet their stated investment objectives. The account balances of variable annuities contracts' separate accounts with guarantees included $3.82 billion and $5.20 billion of equity, fixed income and balanced mutual funds and $467 million and $748 million of money market mutual funds as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

       The table below presents information regarding the Company's variable annuity contracts with guarantees. The Company's variable annuity contracts may offer more than one type of guarantee in each contract; therefore, the sum of amounts listed exceeds the total account balances of variable annuity contracts' separate accounts with guarantees.

($ in millions)
   December 31,  
 
   2014   2013  

In the event of death

              

Separate account value

   $ 4,288   $ 5,951  

Net amount at risk (1)

   $ 581   $ 636  

Average attained age of contractholders

     69 years     68 years  

At annuitization (includes income benefit guarantees)

              

Separate account value

   $ 1,142   $ 1,463  

Net amount at risk (2)

   $ 238   $ 252  

Weighted average waiting period until annuitization options available          

     None     None  

For cumulative periodic withdrawals

              

Separate account value

   $ 382   $ 488  

Net amount at risk (3)

   $ 8   $ 9  

Accumulation at specified dates

              

Separate account value

   $ 480   $ 732  

Net amount at risk (4)

   $ 24   $ 27  

Weighted average waiting period until guarantee date          

     4 years     5 years  
(1)
Defined as the estimated current guaranteed minimum death benefit in excess of the current account balance as of the balance sheet date.
(2)
Defined as the estimated present value of the guaranteed minimum annuity payments in excess of the current account balance.
(3)
Defined as the estimated current guaranteed minimum withdrawal balance (initial deposit) in excess of the current account balance as of the balance sheet date.
(4)
Defined as the estimated present value of the guaranteed minimum accumulation balance in excess of the current account balance.

       The liability for death and income benefit guarantees is equal to a benefit ratio multiplied by the cumulative contract charges earned, plus accrued interest less contract excess guarantee benefit payments. The benefit ratio is calculated as the estimated present value of all expected contract excess guarantee benefits divided by the present value of all expected contract charges. The establishment of reserves for these guarantees requires the projection of future fund values, mortality, persistency and customer benefit utilization rates. These assumptions are periodically reviewed and updated. For guarantees related to death benefits, benefits represent the projected excess guaranteed minimum death benefit payments. For guarantees related to income benefits, benefits represent the present value of the minimum guaranteed annuitization benefits in excess of the projected account balance at the time of annuitization.

       Projected benefits and contract charges used in determining the liability for certain guarantees are developed using models and stochastic scenarios that are also used in the development of estimated expected gross profits. Underlying assumptions for the liability related to income benefits include assumed future annuitization elections based on factors such as the extent of benefit to the potential annuitant, eligibility conditions and the annuitant's attained age. The liability for guarantees is re-evaluated periodically, and adjustments are made to the liability balance through a charge or credit to life and annuity contract benefits.

       Guarantees related to the majority of withdrawal and accumulation benefits are considered to be derivative financial instruments; therefore, the liability for these benefits is established based on its fair value.

       The following table summarizes the liabilities for guarantees:

($ in millions)





 
   Liability for
guarantees
related to
death benefits
and interest-
sensitive life
products		   Liability for
guarantees
related to
income
benefits		   Liability for
guarantees
related to
accumulation
and withdrawal
benefits		   Total  

Balance, December 31, 2013 (1)

   $ 377   $ 113   $ 65   $ 555  

Less reinsurance recoverables

     100     99     56     255  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Net balance as of December 31, 2013

     277     14     9     300  

Incurred guarantee benefits

     34     —     9     43  

Paid guarantee benefits

     —     —     —     —  

Sold in LBL disposition

     (214 )   (10 )   (3 )   (227 )
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Net change

     (180 )   (10 )   6     (184 )

Net balance as of December 31, 2014

     97     4     15     116  

Plus reinsurance recoverables

     98     91     45     234  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Balance, December 31, 2014 (2)

   $ 195   $ 95   $ 60   $ 350  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Balance, December 31, 2012 (3)

   $ 309   $ 235   $ 129   $ 673  

Less reinsurance recoverables

     113     220     125     458  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Net balance as of December 31, 2012

     196     15     4     215  

Incurred guarantee benefits

     83     (1 )   5     87  

Paid guarantee benefits

     (2 )   —     —     (2 )
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Net change

     81     (1 )   5     85  

Net balance as of December 31, 2013

     277     14     9     300  

Plus reinsurance recoverables

     100     99     56     255  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Balance, December 31, 2013 (1)

   $ 377   $ 113   $ 65   $ 555  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
(1)
Included in the total liability balance as of December 31, 2013 are reserves for variable annuity death benefits of $98 million, variable annuity income benefits of $99 million, variable annuity accumulation benefits of $43 million, variable annuity withdrawal benefits of $13 million and other guarantees of $302 million.
(2)
Included in the total liability balance as of December 31, 2014 are reserves for variable annuity death benefits of $96 million, variable annuity income benefits of $92 million, variable annuity accumulation benefits of $32 million, variable annuity withdrawal benefits of $13 million and other guarantees of $117 million.
(3)
Included in the total liability balance as of December 31, 2012 are reserves for variable annuity death benefits of $112 million, variable annuity income benefits of $221 million, variable annuity accumulation benefits of $86 million, variable annuity withdrawal benefits of $39 million and other guarantees of $215 million.