Separate Account Assets and Liabilities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

13. Separate Account Assets and Liabilities

We report variable contracts within the separate accounts when investment income and investment gains and losses accrue directly to, and investment risk is borne by, the contract holder and the separate account meets additional accounting criteria to qualify for separate account treatment. The assets supporting the variable portion of variable annuity and variable universal life contracts that qualify for separate account treatment are carried at fair value and are reported as separate account assets, with an equivalent summary total reported as separate account liabilities. The assets of separate accounts are legally segregated and are not subject to claims that arise from any of our other businesses.

Policy values for variable products and investment contracts are expressed in terms of investment units. Each unit is linked to an asset portfolio. The value of a unit increases or decreases based on the value of the linked asset portfolio. The current liability at any time is the sum of the current unit value of all investment units in the separate accounts, plus any liabilities for MRBs.

Amounts assessed against the policyholders for mortality, administrative and other services are included in policy fees. Investment performance (including investment income, net investment gains (losses) and changes in unrealized gains (losses)) and the corresponding amounts credited to policyholders of such separate accounts are offset within the same line in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss).

For discussion of the fair value measurement of guaranteed benefits that are accounted for as MRBs, see Note 4.

Account balances of variable annuity contracts were invested in separate account investment options as follows:


	March 31, 2023				March 31, 2022
(in millions)	Individual Retirement		Group Retirement		Individual Retirement		Group Retirement
Equity Funds	$	23,845	$	26,433	$	26,931	$	30,844
Bond Funds	3,915		3,571		4,401		4,176
Balanced Funds	17,818		5,254		21,402		5,866
Money Market Funds	718		534		604		456
Total	$	46,296	$	35,792	$	53,338	$	41,342

The following table presents the balances and changes in Separate account liabilities:


Three Months Ended March 31, 2023	Individual Retirement		Group Retirement		Life Insurance		Institutional Markets		Total
(in millions)
Balance, beginning of year	$	45,178	$	34,361	$	799	$	4,515	$	84,853
Premiums and deposits	451		360		9		26		846
Policy charges	(344)		(110)		(12)		(24)		(490)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(844)		(669)		(6)		(404)		(1,923)
Benefit payments	(215)		(130)		(1)		(54)		(400)
Investment performance	2,131		2,186		53		99		4,469
Net transfers from (to) general account	73		(77)		(1)		6		1
Other charges	—		(1)		—		2		1
Balance, end of period	$	46,430	$	35,920	$	841	$	4,166	$	87,357

Cash surrender value*	$	45,388	$	35,726	$	794	$	4,168	$	86,076


Three Months Ended March 31, 2022	Individual Retirement		Group Retirement		Life Insurance		Institutional Markets		Total
(in millions)
Balance, beginning of year	$	57,927	$	45,138	$	1,044	$	5,002	$	109,111
Premiums and deposits	758		440		10		30		1,238
Policy charges	(321)		(127)		(13)		(25)		(486)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(934)		(696)		(6)		(20)		(1,656)
Benefit payments	(255)		(144)		(2)		(5)		(406)
Investment performance	(3,718)		(2,992)		(73)		(87)		(6,870)
Net transfers from (to) general account	44		(134)		—		8		(82)
Other charges	(1)		1		—		1		1
Balance, end of period	$	53,500	$	41,486	$	960	$	4,904	$	100,850

Cash surrender value*	$	52,334	$	41,263	$	949	$	4,898	$	99,444

*The cash surrender value represents the amount of the contract holder’s account balance distributable at the balance sheet date less applicable surrender charges.

Separate account liabilities primarily represent the contract holder's account balance in separate account assets and will be equal and offsetting to total separate account assets.