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Insurance Company Regulatory Requirements
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Insurance Company Regulatory Requirements [abstract]  
Insurance Company Regulatory Requirements
Insurance Company Regulatory Requirements
 
On July 16, 2013, subsidiaries of Assured Guaranty Ltd. completed a series of transactions that increased the capitalization of its subsidiary, MAC, to $800 million on a statutory basis. The Company does not currently anticipate MAC distributing dividends.

AGM and its subsidiaries Assured Guaranty Municipal Insurance Company ("AGMIC") and Assured Guaranty (Bermuda) Ltd. ("AGBM") terminated the reinsurance pooling agreement pursuant to which AGMIC and AGBM had assumed a quota share percentage of the financial guaranty insurance policies issued by AGM, and AGM reassumed such ceded business. Subsequently, AGMIC was merged into AGM, with AGM as the surviving company.
    
AGBM, which had made a loan of $82.5 million to AGUS, an indirect parent holding company of AGM, received all of the outstanding shares of MAC held by AGUS and cash, in full satisfaction of the principal of and interest on such loan. After AGBM distributed substantially all of its assets, including the MAC shares, to AGM as a dividend, AGM sold AGBM to its affiliate AG Re. Subsequently, AGBM and AG Re merged, with AG Re as the surviving company. The sale of AGBM to, and subsequent merger with, AG Re were each effective as of July 17, 2013.
    
A new company, MAC Holdings, was formed to own 100% of the outstanding stock of MAC. AGM and its affiliate AGC subscribed for approximately 61% and 39% of the outstanding MAC Holdings common stock, respectively, for which AGM paid $425 million and AGC paid $275 million, as consideration. The consideration consisted of all of MAC's outstanding common stock (in the case of AGM), cash and marketable securities. 
    
MAC Holdings then contributed cash and marketable securities having a fair market value sufficient to increase MAC's policyholders' surplus to approximately $400 million, and purchased a surplus note issued by MAC in the principal amount of $300 million. In addition, AGM purchased a surplus note issued by MAC in the principal amount of $100 million.
    
Following the increase in MAC's capitalization, AGM ceded par exposure of approximately $87 billion and unearned premiums of approximately $468 million to MAC, and AGC ceded par exposure of approximately $24 billion and unearned premiums of approximately $249 million to MAC.
    
In addition, on July 15, 2013, AGM and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Assured Guaranty (Europe) Ltd. (together, the "AGM Group") were notified that the New York State Department of Financial Services ("NYSDFS") does not object to the AGM Group reassuming contingency reserves that they had ceded to AG Re and electing to cease ceding future contingency reserves to AG Re under the following circumstances:

The AGM Group may reassume 33% of a contingency reserve base of approximately $250 million (the “NY Contingency Reserve Base”) in 2013, after July 16, 2013, the date on which the transactions for the capitalization of MAC were completed (the “Closing Date”).

The AGM Group may reassume 50% of the NY Contingency Reserve Base in 2014, no earlier than the one year anniversary of the Closing Date, with the prior approval of the NYSDFS.

The AGM Group may reassume the remaining 17% of the NY Contingency Reserve Base in 2015, no earlier than the two year anniversary of the Closing Date, with the prior approval of the NYSDFS.

At the same time, AGC was notified that the Maryland Insurance Administration does not object to AGC reassuming contingency reserves that it had ceded to AG Re and electing to cease ceding future contingency reserves to AG Re under the following circumstances:

AGC may reassume 33% of a contingency reserve base of approximately $267 million (the “MD Contingency Reserve Base”) in 2013, after the Closing Date.

AGC may reassume 50% of the MD Contingency Reserve Base in 2014, no earlier than the one year anniversary of the Closing Date, with the prior approval of the MIA and the NY DFS.

AGC may reassume the remaining 17% of the MD Contingency Reserve Base in 2015, no earlier than the two year anniversary of the Closing Date, with the prior approval of the MIA and the NY DFS.

The reassumption of the contingency reserves by the AGM Group and AGC have the effect of increasing contingency reserves by the amount reassumed and decreasing their policyholders' surpluses by the same amount; there would be no impact on the statutory or rating agency capital of the AGM Group or AGC. The reassumption of contingency reserves by the AGM Group or AGC permit the release of amounts from the AG Re trust accounts securing AG Re's reinsurance of the AGM Group and AGC. In Third Quarter 2013, AGM and AGC reassumed 33% of their respective contingency reserve bases as discussed above.

Dividend Restrictions and Capital Requirements
 
AGC is a Maryland domiciled insurance company. Under Maryland's insurance law, AGC may, with prior notice to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner, pay an ordinary dividend that, together with all dividends paid in the prior 12 months, does not exceed 10% of its policyholders' surplus (as of the prior December 31) or 100% of its adjusted net investment income during that period. As of September 30, 2013, approximately $49 million was available for distribution of dividends, after giving effect to dividends paid in the prior 12 months of approximately $42 million.
 
AGM is a New York domiciled insurance company. Under New York insurance law, AGM may pay dividends out of "earned surplus", which is the portion of a company's surplus that represents the net earnings, gains or profits (after deduction of all losses) that have not been distributed to shareholders as dividends or transferred to stated capital or capital surplus, or applied to other purposes permitted by law, but does not include unrealized appreciation of assets. AGM may pay an ordinary dividend that, together with all dividends paid in the prior 12 months, does not exceed the lesser of 10% of its policyholders' surplus (as of the last annual or quarterly statement filed) or 100% of its adjusted net investment income during that period. As of September 30, 2013, approximately $78 million was available for distribution of dividends, after giving effect to dividends paid in the prior 12 months of $98 million.

As of September 30, 2013, AG Re had unencumbered assets of approximately $255 million. AG Re maintains unencumbered assets for general corporate purposes, including placing additional assets in trust for the benefit of cedants to reflect declines in the market value of previously posted assets or additional ceded reserves. Unencumbered assets may decline in fourth quarter 2013 due to collateral posting requirements related to Detroit exposures. AG Re is an insurance company registered and licensed under the Insurance Act 1978 of Bermuda, amendments thereto and related regulations. Based on regulatory capital requirements, AG Re currently has $600 million of excess capital and surplus. As a Class 3B insurer, AG Re is restricted from distributing capital or paying dividends by the following regulatory requirements:

Dividends shall not exceed outstanding statutory surplus or $440 million.

Dividends on annual basis shall not exceed 25% of its total statutory capital and surplus (as set out in its previous year's financial statements) or $321 million unless it files (at least seven days before payment of such dividends) with the Bermuda Monetary Authority an affidavit stating that it will continue to meet the required margins.

Capital distributions on an annual basis shall not exceed 15% of its total statutory capital (as set out in its previous year's financial statements) or $126 million, unless approval is granted by the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

Dividends are limited by requirements that the subject company must at all times (i) maintain the minimum solvency margin and the Company's applicable enhanced capital requirements required under the Insurance Act of 1978 and (ii) have relevant assets in an amount at least equal to 75% of relevant liabilities, both as defined under the Insurance Act of 1978.
 
Dividends and Surplus Notes
By Insurance Company Subsidiaries

 
Third Quarter
 
Nine Months
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in millions)
Dividends paid by AGC to AGUS
$
25

 
$

 
$
42

 
$
55

Dividends paid by AGM to AGMH
60

 

 
98

 
30

Dividends paid by AG Re to AGL
22

 
41

 
122

 
111

Repayment of surplus note by AGM to AGMH
25




50


50

Issuance of surplus notes by MAC to AGM and MAC Holdings
(400
)
 

 
(400
)