2.4.0.81080 - Disclosure - Contingencies, Guarantees and Indemnificationstruefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001126328duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 1pfg_ContingenciesGuaranteesAndIndemnificationsDisclosureAbstractpfg_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Contingencies, Guarantees and Indemnifications2false 2pfg_ContingenciesGuaranteesAndIndemnificationsDisclosureTextBlockpfg_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times New Roman;"> 8.  Contingencies, Guarantees and Indemnifications   Litigation and Regulatory Contingencies   We are regularly involved in litigation, both as a defendant and as a plaintiff, but primarily as a defendant. Litigation naming us as a defendant ordinarily arises out of our business operations as a provider of asset management and accumulation products and services; life, health and disability insurance, and our investment activities. Some of the lawsuits may be class actions, or purport to be, and some may include claims for unspecified or substantial punitive and treble damages.   We may discuss such litigation in one of three ways. We accrue a charge to income and disclose legal matters for which the chance of loss is probable and for which the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. We may disclose contingencies for which the chance of loss is reasonably possible and provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss or a statement that such an estimate cannot be made. Finally, we may voluntarily disclose loss contingencies for which the chance of loss is remote in order to provide information concerning matters that potentially expose us to possible losses.   In addition, regulatory bodies such as state insurance departments, the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Department of Labor, the Federal Reserve Board and other regulatory agencies regularly make inquiries and conduct examinations or investigations concerning our compliance with, among other things, insurance laws, securities laws, ERISA and laws governing the activities of broker-dealers. We receive requests from regulators and other governmental authorities relating to industry issues and may receive additional requests, including subpoenas and interrogatories, in the future.   On November 8, 2006, a trustee of Fairmount Park Inc. Retirement Savings Plan filed a putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Principal Life. Principal Life’s motion to transfer venue was granted and the case is now pending in the Southern District of Iowa. The complaint alleged, among other things, that Principal Life breached its alleged fiduciary duties while performing services to 401(k) plans by failing to disclose, or adequately disclose, to employers or plan participants the fact that Principal Life receives “revenue sharing fees from mutual funds that are included in its pre-packaged 401(k) plans” and allegedly failed to use the revenue to defray the expenses of the services provided to the plans. Plaintiff further alleged that these acts constitute prohibited transactions under ERISA. Plaintiff sought to certify a class of all retirement plans to which Principal Life was a service provider and for which Principal Life received and retained “revenue sharing” fees from mutual funds. On August 27, 2008, the plaintiff’s motion for class certification was denied. On June 13, 2011, the court entered a consent judgment resolving the claims of the plaintiff. On July 12, 2011, plaintiff filed a notice of appeal related to the issue of the denial of class certification. On February 13, 2013, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal. Plaintiff filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, and we will continue to aggressively defend the lawsuit.   On October 28, 2009, Judith Curran filed a derivative action lawsuit on behalf of Principal Funds, Inc. Strategic Asset Management Portfolios in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa against Principal Management Corporation; Principal Global Investors, LLC; and Principal Funds Distributor, Inc. (the “Curran Defendants”). The lawsuit alleges the Curran Defendants breached their fiduciary duty under Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act by charging advisory fees and distribution fees that were excessive. The Curran Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the case on January 29, 2010. That motion was granted in part and overruled in part. Principal Global Investors, LLC was dismissed from the suit. The court dismissed this case on June 12, 2013.   On December 2, 2009 and December 4, 2009, two plaintiffs, Cruise and Mullaney, each filed putative class action lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against us; Principal Life; Principal Global Investors, LLC; Principal Management Corporation; and Principal Real Estate Investors, LLC (the “Cruise/Mullaney Defendants”). The lawsuits alleged the Cruise/Mullaney Defendants failed to manage the Principal U.S. Property Separate Account (“PUSPSA”) in the best interests of investors, improperly imposed a “withdrawal freeze” on September 26, 2008, and instituted a “withdrawal queue” to honor withdrawal requests as sufficient liquidity became available. Plaintiffs allege these actions constitute a breach of fiduciary duties under ERISA. Plaintiffs seek to certify a class including all qualified ERISA plans and the participants of those plans that invested in PUSPSA between September 26, 2008, and the present that have suffered losses caused by the queue. The two lawsuits, as well as two subsequently filed complaints asserting similar claims, have been consolidated and are now known as In re Principal U.S. Property Account Litigation. On April 22, 2010, an order was entered granting the motion made by the Cruise/Mullaney Defendants for change of venue to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Plaintiffs filed an Amended Consolidated Complaint adding five new plaintiffs on November 22, 2010, and the Cruise/Mullaney Defendants moved to dismiss the amended complaint. The court denied the Cruise/Mullaney Defendants’ motion to dismiss on May 17, 2011. Plaintiffs have filed a motion for class certification and the Cruise/Mullaney Defendants have resisted it. The Cruise/Mullaney Defendants are aggressively defending the lawsuit.   In 2008, Principal Life received approximately $440.0 million in connection with the termination of certain structured transactions and the resulting prepayment of Principal Life’s investment in those transactions. The transactions involved Lehman Brothers Special Financing Inc. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (collectively, “Lehman”) in various capacities. Subsequent to Lehman’s September 2008 bankruptcy filing, its bankruptcy estate has sought to recover from numerous sources significant amounts to which it claims entitlement under various theories. The estate is attempting to recover from us an unspecified amount, but possibly up to the amount paid to us, plus interest. We are one of numerous defendants to this action, which has been stayed by the bankruptcy court. We believe that we have meritorious defenses to Lehman’s claims and intend to aggressively defend against them once the stay is lifted and we are allowed to do so.   While the outcome of any pending or future litigation or regulatory matter cannot be predicted, management does not believe that any such matter will have a material adverse effect on our business or financial position. As of June 30, 2013, there were no estimated losses accrued related to the legal matters discussed above because we believe the loss from these matters is not probable and cannot be reasonably estimated.   We believe all of the litigation contingencies discussed above involve a chance of loss that is either remote or reasonably possible. All of these matters involve unspecified claim amounts, in which the respective plaintiffs seek an indeterminate amount of damages. To the extent such matters present a reasonably possible chance of loss, we are not able to estimate the possible loss or range of loss associated therewith.   The outcome of such matters is always uncertain, and unforeseen results can occur. It is possible that such outcomes could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures or establish accruals in amounts that we could not estimate at June 30, 2013.   Guarantees and Indemnifications   In the normal course of business, we have provided guarantees to third parties primarily related to former subsidiaries and joint ventures. These agreements generally expire through 2019. The maximum exposure under these agreements as of June 30, 2013, was approximately $252.0 million. At inception, the fair value of such guarantees was insignificant. In addition, we believe the likelihood is remote that material payments will be required. Therefore, any liability accrued within our consolidated statements of financial position is insignificant. Should we be required to perform under these guarantees, we generally could recover a portion of the loss from third parties through recourse provisions included in agreements with such parties, the sale of assets held as collateral that can be liquidated in the event that performance is required under the guarantees or other recourse generally available to us; therefore, such guarantees would not result in a material adverse effect on our business or financial position. While the likelihood is remote, such outcomes could materially affect net income in a particular quarter or annual period.   We are also subject to various other indemnification obligations issued in conjunction with divestitures, acquisitions and financing transactions whose terms range in duration and often are not explicitly defined. Certain portions of these indemnifications may be capped, while other portions are not subject to such limitations; therefore, the overall maximum amount of the obligation under the indemnifications cannot be reasonably estimated. At inception, the fair value of such indemnifications was insignificant. In addition, we believe the likelihood is remote that material payments will be required. Therefore, any liability accrued within our consolidated statements of financial position is insignificant. While we are unable to estimate with certainty the ultimate legal and financial liability with respect to these indemnifications, we believe that performance under these indemnifications would not result in a material adverse effect on our business or financial position. While the likelihood is remote, performance under these indemnifications could materially affect net income in a particular quarter or annual period.   </div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure related to contingencies, guarantees, and indemnifications.No definition available.false0Contingencies, Guarantees and IndemnificationsfalseContingencies, Guarantees and IndemnificationsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://principal.com/role/DisclosureContingenciesGuaranteesAndIndemnifications12