Closed Block

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

7. Closed Block

On April 7, 2000 (the “Demutualization Date”), Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“MLIC”) converted from a mutual life insurance company to a stock life insurance company and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. The conversion was pursuant to an order by the New York Superintendent of Insurance approving MLIC’s plan of reorganization, as amended (the “Plan of Reorganization”). On the Demutualization Date, MLIC established a closed block for the benefit of holders of certain individual life insurance policies of MLIC. Assets have been allocated to the closed block in an amount that has been determined to produce cash flows which, together with anticipated revenues from the policies included in the closed block, are reasonably expected to be sufficient to support obligations and liabilities relating to these policies, including, but not limited to, provisions for the payment of claims and certain expenses and taxes, and to provide for the continuation of policyholder dividend scales in effect for 1999, if the experience underlying such dividend scales continues, and for appropriate adjustments in such scales if the experience changes. At least annually, the Company compares actual and projected experience against the experience assumed in the then-current dividend scales. Dividend scales are adjusted periodically to give effect to changes in experience.

The closed block assets, the cash flows generated by the closed block assets and the anticipated revenues from the policies in the closed block will benefit only the holders of the policies in the closed block. To the extent that, over time, cash flows from the assets allocated to the closed block and claims and other experience related to the closed block are, in the aggregate, more or less favorable than what was assumed when the closed block was established, total dividends paid to closed block policyholders in the future may be greater than or less than the total dividends that would have been paid to these policyholders if the policyholder dividend scales in effect for 1999 had been continued. Any cash flows in excess of amounts assumed will be available for distribution over time to closed block policyholders and will not be available to stockholders. If the closed block has insufficient funds to make guaranteed policy benefit payments, such payments will be made from assets outside of the closed block. The closed block will continue in effect as long as any policy in the closed block remains in-force. The expected life of the closed block is over 100 years from the Demutualization Date.

The Company uses the same accounting principles to account for the participating policies included in the closed block as it used prior to the Demutualization Date. However, the Company establishes a policyholder dividend obligation for earnings that will be paid to policyholders as additional dividends as described below. The excess of closed block liabilities over closed block assets at the Demutualization Date (adjusted to eliminate the impact of related amounts in AOCI) represents the estimated maximum future earnings from the closed block expected to result from operations, attributed net of income tax, to the closed block. Earnings of the closed block are recognized in income over the period the policies and contracts in the closed block remain in-force. Management believes that over time the actual cumulative earnings of the closed block will approximately equal the expected cumulative earnings due to the effect of dividend changes. If, over the period the closed block remains in existence, the actual cumulative earnings of the closed block are greater than the expected cumulative earnings of the closed block, the Company will pay the excess to closed block policyholders as additional policyholder dividends unless offset by future unfavorable experience of the closed block and, accordingly, will recognize only the expected cumulative earnings in income with the excess recorded as a policyholder dividend obligation. If over such period, the actual cumulative earnings of the closed block are less than the expected cumulative earnings of the closed block, the Company will recognize only the actual earnings in income. However, the Company may change policyholder dividend scales in the future, which would be intended to increase future actual earnings until the actual cumulative earnings equal the expected cumulative earnings.

Experience within the closed block, in particular mortality and investment yields, as well as realized and unrealized gains and losses, directly impact the policyholder dividend obligation. Amortization of the closed block DAC, which resides outside of the closed block, is based upon cumulative actual and expected earnings within the closed block. Accordingly, the Company’s net income continues to be sensitive to the actual performance of the closed block.

Closed block assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses are combined on a line-by-line basis with the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses outside the closed block based on the nature of the particular item.

Information regarding the closed block liabilities and assets designated to the closed block was as follows at:


	December 31,
	2020		2019
	(In millions)
Closed Block Liabilities
Future policy benefits	$	38,758	$	39,379
Other policy-related balances	321		423
Policyholder dividends payable	337		432
Policyholder dividend obligation	2,969		2,020
Deferred income tax liability	130		79
Other liabilities	172		81
Total closed block liabilities	42,687		42,414
Assets Designated to the Closed Block
Investments:
Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale, at estimated fair value	27,186		25,977
Equity securities, at estimated fair value	24		49
Contractholder-directed equity securities and fair value option securities, at estimated fair value	—		53
Mortgage loans	6,807		7,052
Policy loans	4,355		4,489
Real estate and real estate joint ventures	559		544
Other invested assets	468		314
Total investments	39,399		38,478
Cash and cash equivalents	—		448
Accrued investment income	402		419
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	50		75
Current income tax recoverable	28		91

Total assets designated to the closed block	39,879		39,511
Excess of closed block liabilities over assets designated to the closed block	2,808		2,903
AOCI:
Unrealized investment gains (losses), net of income tax	3,524		2,453
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives, net of income tax	23		97
Allocated to policyholder dividend obligation, net of income tax	(2,346)		(1,596)
Total amounts included in AOCI	1,201		954
Maximum future earnings to be recognized from closed block assets and liabilities	$	4,009	$	3,857

Information regarding the closed block policyholder dividend obligation was as follows:


	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
	(In millions)
Balance at January 1,	$	2,020	$	428	$	2,121
Change in unrealized investment and derivative gains (losses)	949		1,592		(1,693)
Balance at December 31,	$	2,969	$	2,020	$	428

Information regarding the closed block revenues and expenses was as follows:


	Years Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
	(In millions)
Revenues
Premiums	$	1,498	$	1,580	$	1,672
Net investment income	1,596		1,740		1,758
Net investment gains (losses)	(25)		(7)		(71)
Net derivative gains (losses)	(17)		12		22
Total revenues	3,052		3,325		3,381
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	2,330		2,291		2,475
Policyholder dividends	791		924		968
Other expenses	104		111		117
Total expenses	3,225		3,326		3,560
Revenues, net of expenses before provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(173)		(1)		(179)
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(36)		(2)		(39)
Revenues, net of expenses and provision for income tax expense (benefit)	$	(137)	$	1	$	(140)

MLIC charges the closed block with federal income taxes, state and local premium taxes and other state or local taxes, as well as investment management expenses relating to the closed block as provided in the Plan of Reorganization. MLIC also charges the closed block for expenses of maintaining the policies included in the closed block.