Fair Value Measurements Level 2 (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Valuation Techniques

The Company generally determines fair values using valuation techniques that use prices, rates, and other relevant information evident from market transactions involving identical or similar instruments. Valuation techniques also include, where appropriate, estimates of future cash flows that are converted into a single discounted amount using current market expectations. The Company uses a "waterfall" approach comprised of the following pricing sources and techniques, which are listed in priority order:


•	Quoted prices, unadjusted, for identical assets or liabilities in active markets, which are classified as Level 1.

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Prices from third-party pricing services, which primarily utilize a combination of techniques. These services utilize recently reported trades of identical, similar, or benchmark securities making adjustments for market observable inputs available through the reporting date. If there are no recently reported trades, they may use a discounted cash flow technique to develop a price using expected cash flows based upon the anticipated future performance of the underlying collateral discounted at an estimated market rate. Both techniques develop prices that consider the time value of future cash flows and provide a margin for risk, including liquidity and credit risk. Most prices provided by third-party pricing services are classified as Level 2 because the inputs used in pricing the securities are observable. However, some securities that are less liquid or trade less actively are classified as Level 3. Additionally, certain long-dated securities, such as municipal securities and bank loans, include benchmark interest rate or credit spread assumptions that are not observable in the marketplace and are thus classified as Level 3.

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Internal matrix pricing, which is a valuation process internally developed for private placement securities for which the Company is unable to obtain a price from a third-party pricing service. Internal pricing matrices determine credit spreads that, when combined with risk-free rates, are applied to contractual cash flows to develop a price. The Company develops credit spreads using market based data for public securities adjusted for credit spread differentials between public and private securities, which are obtained from a survey of multiple private placement brokers. The market-based reference credit spread considers the issuer’s financial strength and term to maturity, using an independent public security index and trade information, while the credit spread differential considers the non-public nature of the security. Securities priced using internal matrix pricing are classified as Level 2 because the inputs are observable or can be corroborated with observable data.

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Independent broker quotes, which are typically non-binding use inputs that can be difficult to corroborate with observable market based data. Brokers may use present value techniques using assumptions specific to the security types, or they may use recent transactions of similar securities. Due to the lack of transparency in the process that brokers use to develop prices, valuations that are based on independent broker quotes are classified as Level 3.

The fair value of free-standing derivative instruments is determined primarily using a discounted cash flow model or option model technique and incorporates counterparty credit risk. In some cases, quoted market prices for exchange-traded and over the counter ("OTC") cleared derivatives may be used and in other cases independent broker quotes may be used. The pricing valuation models primarily use inputs that are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data. The valuation of certain derivatives may include significant inputs that are unobservable, such as volatility levels, and reflect the Company’s view of what other market participants would use when pricing such instruments. Unobservable market data is used in the valuation of customized derivatives that are used to hedge certain GMWB variable annuity riders. See the section “GMWB Embedded, Customized, and Reinsurance Derivatives” below for further discussion of the valuation model used to value these customized derivatives.

Valuation Inputs

Quoted prices for identical assets in active markets are considered Level 1 and consist of on-the-run U.S. Treasuries, money market funds, exchange-traded equity securities, open-ended mutual funds, short-term investments, and exchange traded futures and option contracts.



Valuation Inputs Used in Level 2 and 3 Measurements for Securities and Freestanding Derivatives
	Level 2 Primary Observable Inputs	Level 3 Primary Unobservable Inputs
Fixed Maturity Investments
Structured securities (includes ABS, CLOs, CMBS and RMBS)
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Monthly payment information • Collateral performance, which varies by vintage year and includes delinquency rates, loss severity rates and refinancing assumptions • Credit default swap indices Other inputs for ABS, CLOs, and RMBS: • Estimate of future principal prepayments, derived from the characteristics of the underlying structure • Prepayment speeds previously experienced at the interest rate levels projected for the collateral	• Independent broker quotes • Credit spreads beyond observable curve • Interest rates beyond observable curve Other inputs for less liquid securities or those that trade less actively, including subprime RMBS: • Estimated cash flows • Credit spreads, which include illiquidity premium • Constant prepayment rates • Constant default rates • Loss severity
Corporates
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Reported trades, bids, offers of the same or similar securities • Issuer spreads and credit default swap curves Other inputs for investment grade privately placed securities that utilize internal matrix pricing: • Credit spreads for public securities of similar quality, maturity, and sector, adjusted for non-public nature	• Independent broker quotes • Credit spreads beyond observable curve • Interest rates beyond observable curve Other inputs for below investment grade privately placed securities: • Independent broker quotes • Credit spreads for public securities of similar quality, maturity, and sector, adjusted for non-public nature
U.S Treasuries, Municipals, and Foreign government/government agencies
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Issuer credit default swap curves • Political events in emerging market economies • Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board reported trades and material event notices • Issuer financial statements	• Credit spreads beyond observable curve • Interest rates beyond observable curve
Equity Securities
	• Quoted prices in markets that are not active	• For privately traded equity securities, internal discounted cash flow models utilizing earnings multiples or other cash flow assumptions that are not observable
Short-term Investments
	• Benchmark yields and spreads • Reported trades, bids, offers • Issuer spreads and credit default swap curves • Material event notices and new issue money market rates	• Independent broker quotes
Derivatives
Credit derivatives
	• Swap yield curve • Credit default swap curves	Not applicable
Equity derivatives
	• Equity index levels • Swap yield curve	• Independent broker quotes • Equity volatility
Foreign exchange derivatives
	• Swap yield curve • Currency spot and forward rates • Cross currency basis curves	Not applicable
Interest rate derivatives
	• Swap yield curve	• Independent broker quotes • Interest rate volatility

The Company carries certain financial assets and liabilities at estimated fair value. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in the principal or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants. Our fair value framework includes a hierarchy that gives the highest priority to the use of quoted prices in active markets, followed by the use of market observable inputs, followed by the use of unobservable inputs. The fair value hierarchy levels are as follows:


Level 1	Fair values based primarily on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets, or liabilities, in active markets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.


Level 2	Fair values primarily based on observable inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, or based on prices for similar assets and liabilities.

Level 3

Fair values derived when one or more of the significant inputs are unobservable (including assumptions about risk). With little or no observable market, the determination of fair values uses considerable judgment and represents the Company’s best estimate of an amount that could be realized in a market exchange for the asset or liability. Also included are securities that are traded within illiquid markets and/or priced by independent brokers.

The Company will classify the financial asset or liability by level based upon the lowest level input that is significant to the determination of the fair value. In most cases, both observable inputs (e.g., changes in interest rates) and unobservable inputs (e.g., changes in risk assumptions) are used to determine fair values that the Company has classified within Level 3.



GMWB Embedded Derivatives	The Company formerly offered certain variable annuity products with GMWB riders that provide the policyholder with a guaranteed remaining balance ("GRB") which is generally equal to premiums less withdrawals. If the policyholder’s account value is reduced to a specified level through a combination of market declines and withdrawals but the GRB still has value, the Company is obligated to continue to make annuity payments to the policyholder until the GRB is exhausted. When payments of the GRB are not life-contingent, the GMWB represents an embedded derivative carried at fair value reported in other policyholder funds and benefits payable on the Consolidated Balance Sheets with changes in fair value reported in net realized capital gains and losses.
Free-standing Customized Derivatives	The Company holds free-standing customized derivative contracts to provide protection from certain capital markets risks for the remaining term of specified blocks of non-reinsured GMWB riders. These customized derivatives are based on policyholder behavior assumptions specified at the inception of the derivative contracts. The Company retains the risk for differences between assumed and actual policyholder behavior and between the performance of the actively managed funds underlying the separate accounts and their respective indices. These derivatives are reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets within other investments or other liabilities, as appropriate, after considering the impact of master netting agreements.
GMWB Reinsurance Derivative	The Company has reinsurance arrangements in place to transfer a portion of its risk of loss due to GMWB. These arrangements are recognized as derivatives carried at fair value and reported in reinsurance recoverables on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the fair value of the reinsurance agreements are reported in net realized capital gains and losses.

Valuation Techniques

Fair values for GMWB embedded derivatives, free-standing customized derivatives and reinsurance derivatives are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy and are calculated using internally developed models that utilize significant unobservable inputs because active, observable markets do not exist for these items. In valuing the GMWB embedded derivative, the Company attributes to the derivative a portion of the expected fees to be collected over the expected life of the contract from the contract holder equal to the present value of future GMWB claims. The excess of fees collected from the contract holder in the current period over the portion of fees attributed to the embedded derivative in the current period are associated with the host variable annuity contract and reported in fee income.

Valuation Inputs

The fair value for each of the non-life contingent GMWBs, the free-standing customized derivatives and the GMWB reinsurance derivative is calculated as an aggregation of the following components: Best Estimate Claim Payments; Credit Standing Adjustment; and Margins. The Company believes the aggregation of these components results in an amount that a market participant in an active liquid market would require, if such a market existed, to assume the risks associated with the guaranteed minimum benefits and the related reinsurance and customized derivatives. Each component described in the following discussion is unobservable in the marketplace and requires subjectivity by the Company in determining its value.

Best Estimate Claim Payments

The Best Estimate Claim Payments are calculated based on actuarial and capital market assumptions related to projected cash flows, including the present value of benefits and related contract charges, over the lives of the contracts, incorporating unobservable inputs including expectations concerning policyholder behavior.

Credit Standing Adjustment

The credit standing adjustment is an estimate of the adjustment to the fair value that market participants would require in determining fair value to reflect the risk that GMWB benefit obligations or the GMWB reinsurance recoverables will not be fulfilled. The Company incorporates a blend of estimates of peer company and reinsurer bond spreads and credit default spreads from capital markets, adjusted for market recoverability.

Margins

The behavior risk margin adds a margin that market participants would require, in determining fair value, for the risk that the Company’s assumptions about policyholder behavior could differ from actual experience. The behavior risk margin is calculated by taking the difference between adverse policyholder behavior assumptions and best estimate assumptions.



Valuation Inputs Used in Levels 2 and 3 Measurements for GMWB Embedded, Customized and Reinsurance Derivatives
	Level 2 Primary Observable Inputs	Level 3 Primary Unobservable Inputs
	• Risk-free rates as represented by the Eurodollar futures, LIBOR deposits and swap rates to derive forward curve rates • Correlations of 10 years of observed historical returns across underlying well-known market indices • Correlations of historical index returns compared to separate account fund returns • Equity index levels	• Market implied equity volatility assumptions • Credit standing adjustment assumptions Assumptions about policyholder behavior, including: • Withdrawal utilization • Withdrawal rates • Lapse rates • Reset elections