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DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Insurance [Abstract]  
DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS
The following tables present a rollforward of deferred policy acquisition costs by reporting segment and disaggregated by product type.
September 30, 2024
Aflac JapanAflac U.S.
(In millions)CancerMedical and Other HealthLife InsuranceOtherAccidentDisabilityCritical CareHospital IndemnityDental/VisionLife InsuranceOtherTotal
Deferred policy acquisition costs:
Balance at December 31, 2023
$2,971 $2,041 $491 $56 $917 $625 $1,336 $436 $86 $172 $1 $9,132 
Capitalization221 79 25 3 101 93 119 63 9 55 (1)767 
Amortization expense(139)(75)(26)(2)(107)(88)(114)(55)(9)(23)0 (638)
Foreign currency translation and
  other
(14)(13)(2)0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (29)
Balance at September 30, 2024
$3,039 $2,032 $488 $57 $911 $630 $1,341 $444 $86 $204 $0 $9,232 
December 31, 2023
Aflac JapanAflac U.S.
(In millions)CancerMedical and Other HealthLife InsuranceOtherAccidentDisabilityCritical CareHospital IndemnityDental/VisionLife InsuranceOtherTotal
Deferred policy acquisition costs:
Balance at December 31, 2022
$3,035 $2,161 $525 $55 $904 $613 $1,304 $418 $88 $135 $$9,239 
Capitalization317 123 33 151 125 173 84 10 61 1,086 
Amortization expense(184)(105)(34)(3)(138)(113)(141)(66)(12)(24)(816)
Foreign currency translation and
  other
(197)(138)(33)(4)(5)(377)
Balance at December 31, 2023
$2,971 $2,041 $491 $56 $917 $625 $1,336 $436 $86 $172 $$9,132 

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, judgments or methods used to determine amortization amounts during the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. 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 the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. The Company recognizes the effects of changes in assumptions prospectively over the remaining contract term as a revision of the future amortization pattern. For additional information on deferred policy acquisition costs, see Notes 1 and 6 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2023 Annual Report.