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DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs Disclosures [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 for the years ended December 31.
2024
Aflac JapanAflac U.S.
(In millions)CancerMedical and Other HealthLife InsuranceOtherAccidentDisabilityCritical CareHospital IndemnityDental/VisionLife InsuranceOtherTotal
Deferred policy acquisition costs:
Balance, beginning of year$2,971 $2,041 $491 $56 $917 $625 $1,336 $436 $86 $172 $1 $9,132 
Capitalization300 103 36 4 141 129 165 89 12 77 0 1,056 
Amortization expense(184)(100)(34)(3)(143)(118)(153)(73)(12)(30)(1)(851)
Foreign currency translation and
  other		(311)(211)(52)(5)0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (579)
Balance, end of year$2,776 $1,833 $441 $52 $915 $636 $1,348 $452 $86 $219 $0 $8,758 
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 

Commissions deferred as a percentage of total acquisition costs deferred were 69% in 2024, compared with 67% in 2023 and 68% in 2022.

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 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 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. See Note 1 for additional information on deferred policy acquisition costs.