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DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND INSURANCE EXPENSES
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs Disclosures [Abstract]  
DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND INSURANCE EXPENSES DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND INSURANCE EXPENSES
The following tables present a rollforward of deferred policy acquisition costs by reporting segment and disaggregated by product type for the years ended December 31.
2023
Aflac JapanAflac U.S.
(In millions)CancerMedical and Other HealthLife InsuranceOtherAccidentDisabilityCritical CareHospital IndemnityDental/VisionLife InsuranceOtherTotal
Deferred policy acquisition costs:
Balance, beginning of year$3,035 $2,161 $525 $55 $904 $613 $1,304 $418 $88 $135 $1 $9,239 
Capitalization317 123 33 8 151 125 173 84 10 61 1 1,086 
Amortization expense(184)(105)(34)(3)(138)(113)(141)(66)(12)(24)4 (816)
Foreign currency translation and
  other		(197)(138)(33)(4)0 0 0 0 0 0 (5)(377)
Balance, end of year$2,971 $2,041 $491 $56 $917 $625 $1,336 $436 $86 $172 $1 $9,132 
Prior-year amounts have been adjusted for the adoption of accounting guidance on January 1, 2023 related to accounting for long-duration insurance contracts.

2022
Aflac JapanAflac U.S.
(In millions)CancerMedical and Other HealthLife InsuranceOtherAccidentDisabilityCritical CareHospital IndemnityDental/VisionLife InsuranceOtherTotal
Deferred policy acquisition costs:
Balance, beginning of year$3,464 $2,372 $595 $51 $887 $604 $1,270 $399 $90 $115 $1 $9,848 
Capitalization291 161 33 12 147 117 160 80 11 40 0 1,052 
Amortization expense(188)(112)(35)(3)(130)(108)(126)(61)(13)(20)4 (792)
Foreign currency translation and
  other		(532)(260)(68)(5)0 0 0 0 0 0 (4)(869)
Balance, end of year$3,035 $2,161 $525 $55 $904 $613 $1,304 $418 $88 $135 $1 $9,239 
Prior-year amounts have been adjusted for the adoption of accounting guidance on January 1, 2023 related to accounting for long-duration insurance contracts.

Commissions deferred as a percentage of total acquisition costs deferred were 67% in 2023, compared with 68% in 2022 and 71% in 2021.

The Company uses the following constant level bases to amortize deferred policy acquisition costs:
Policy TypeConstant-level Basis
Life Products (U.S.)Face Amount
Health Products (U.S.)Number of Policies in Force
Health & Life Products (Japan)Units in Force
Face amount is the stated dollar amount that the policy’s beneficiaries receive upon the death of the insured. For life and health products issued in Japan, the constant-level basis used is units in force, which is a proxy for face amount and insurance in force, respectively. Future DAC amortization is impacted by persistency.

There were no changes to the inputs or methods used to determine amortization amounts during 2023 and 2022. The Company updated the assumptions used to determine amortization using the same assumptions as those used for measuring the liability for future policy benefits during 2023 and 2022. The Company recognizes the effects of changes in assumptions prospectively over the remaining contract term as a revision of the future amortization pattern. See Note 1 for additional information on deferred policy acquisition costs.

Personnel, compensation and benefit expenses as a percentage of insurance expenses were 61% in 2023, compared with 60% in 2022 and 57% in 2021. Advertising expense, which is included in insurance expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings, was as follows for the years ended December 31:
(In millions)202320222021
Advertising expense:
Aflac Japan$58 $77 $91 
Aflac U.S.130 127 138 
          Total advertising expense$188 $204 $229 

Depreciation and other amortization expenses, which are included in insurance expenses in the consolidated statements of earnings, were as follows for the years ended December 31:
(In millions)202320222021
Depreciation expense$35 $40 $39 
Other amortization expense4 5 6 
          Total depreciation and other amortization expense$39 $45 $45