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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The following table identifies our significant accounting policies presented in other Notes to these Consolidated Financial Statements, with a reference to the Note where a detailed description can be found:

Note 5. Investments

Fixed maturity and equity securities

Other invested assets

Short-term investments

Net investment income

Net realized gains (losses)

Allowance for credit losses/Other-than-temporary impairments

Note 6. Lending Activities

Mortgage and other loans receivable – net of allowance

Note 7. Reinsurance

Reinsurance assets – net of allowance

Retroactive reinsurance

Note 8. Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

Deferred policy acquisition costs

Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs

Note 9. Variable Interest Entities

Note 10. Derivatives and Hedge Accounting

Derivative assets and liabilities, at fair value

Note 11. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Note 12. Insurance Liabilities

Liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses

Discounting of reserves

Future policy benefits

Policyholder contract deposits

Other policyholder funds

Note 13. Variable Life and Annuity Contracts

Note 14. Debt

Long-term debt

Debt of consolidated investment entities

Note 15. Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees

Legal contingencies

Note 17. Earnings Per Common Share

Note 21. Income Taxes

Other significant accounting policies

Premiums for short-duration contracts are recorded as written on the inception date of the policy. Premiums are earned primarily on a pro rata basis over the term of the related coverage. Sales of extended services contracts are reflected as premiums written and earned on a pro rata basis over the term of the related coverage. In addition, certain miscellaneous income is included as premiums written and earned. The reserve for unearned premiums includes the portion of premiums written relating to the unexpired terms of coverage. Reinsurance premiums are typically earned over the same period as the underlying policies or risks covered by the contract. As a result, the earnings pattern of a reinsurance contract may extend up to 24 months, reflecting the inception dates of the underlying policies throughout the year.

Reinsurance premiums ceded under prospective reinsurance agreements are recognized as a reduction in revenues over the period the reinsurance coverage is provided in proportion to the risks to which the premiums relate.

Reinsurance premiums for assumed business are estimated based on information received from brokers, ceding companies and reinsureds. Any subsequent differences that arise regarding such estimates are recorded in the periods in which they are determined.

Premiums for long-duration insurance products and life contingent annuities are recognized as revenues when due. Estimates for premiums due but not yet collected are accrued.

Policy fees represent fees recognized from universal life and investment-type products consisting of policy charges for the cost of insurance, policy administration charges, surrender charges and amortization of unearned revenue reserves. Policy fees are recognized as revenues in the period in which they are assessed against policyholders, unless the fees are designed to compensate AIG for services to be provided in the future. Fees deferred as unearned revenue are amortized in relation to the incidence of expected gross profits to be realized over the estimated lives of the contracts, similar to DAC.

Other income includes advisory fee income from the Life and Retirement broker dealer business.

Cash represents cash on hand and demand deposits.

Short-term investments Short-term investments include highly liquid securities and other investments with remaining maturities of one year or less, but greater than three months, at the time of purchase. Securities included within short-term investments are stated at estimated fair value, while other investments included within short-term investments are stated at amortized cost, which approximates estimated fair value.

Premiums and other receivables – net of allowance for credit losses and disputes include premium balances receivable, amounts due from agents and brokers and policyholders, receivables resulting from sales of securities that had not yet settled, cash collateral posted to derivative counterparties that is not eligible to be netted against derivative liabilities and other receivables.

Deposit assets and liabilities: We have entered into certain insurance and reinsurance contracts, primarily in our General Insurance companies, that do not contain sufficient insurance risk to be accounted for as insurance or reinsurance. When we receive premiums on such contracts, the premiums received, after deduction for certain related expenses, are recorded as deposits within Other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Net proceeds of these deposits are invested and generate Net investment income. When we pay premiums on such contracts, the premiums paid are recorded as deposits within Other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The deposit asset or liability is adjusted as amounts are paid, consistent with the underlying contracts.

Other assets consist of deferred sales inducements (DSI), prepaid expenses, deposits, other deferred charges, real estate, other fixed assets, capitalized software costs, goodwill, intangible assets other than goodwill, restricted cash, derivative assets, accrued interest income, and assets classified as held-for-sale.

The cost of buildings and furniture and equipment is depreciated principally on the straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives (maximum of 40 years for buildings and 10 years for furniture and fixtures). Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to income as incurred and expenditures for improvements are capitalized and depreciated. We periodically assess the carrying amount of our real estate for purposes of determining any asset impairment. Capitalized software costs, which represent costs directly related to obtaining, developing or upgrading internal use software, are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over a period generally not exceeding ten years.

 

Separate accounts represent funds for which investment income and investment gains and losses accrue directly to the policyholders who bear the investment risk. Each account has specific investment objectives and the assets are carried at fair value. The assets of each account are legally segregated and are not subject to claims that arise from any of our other businesses. The liabilities for these accounts are equal to the account assets. Separate accounts may also include deposits for funds held under stable value wrap funding agreements, although the majority of stable value wrap sales are measured based on the notional amount included in assets under management and do not include the receipt of funds. For additional information on separate accounts see Note 13 herein.

Other liabilities consist of other funds on deposit, other payables, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, securities sold but not yet purchased, liabilities resulting from purchases of securities that had not yet settled, derivative liabilities, cash collateral received from derivative counterparties that contractually cannot be netted against derivative assets, allowance for credit losses in relation to off-balance sheet commitments, deferred gains on retroactive reinsurance agreements and liabilities classified as held-for-sale.

Foreign currency: Financial statement accounts expressed in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars. Functional currency assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars generally using rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date of each respective subsidiary and the related translation adjustments are recorded as a separate component of Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of any related taxes, in Total AIG shareholders’ equity. Income statement accounts expressed in functional currencies are translated using average exchange rates during the period. Functional currencies are generally the currencies of the local operating environment. Financial statement accounts expressed in currencies other than the functional currency of a consolidated entity are remeasured into that entity’s functional currency resulting in exchange gains or losses recorded in income. The adjustments resulting from translation of financial statements of foreign entities operating in highly inflationary economies are recorded in income.

Non-redeemable noncontrolling interest is the portion of equity (net assets) and net income (loss) in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to AIG.

Accounting Standards Adopted During 2021

Income Tax

On December 18, 2019, the FASB issued an accounting standard that simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The amendments also simplified other areas including the accounting for franchise taxes and enacted tax laws or rates and clarified the accounting for transactions that result in the step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. We adopted the standard on its effective date of January 1, 2021. The impact of adoption was not material to our consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Clarification of Accounting for Certain Equity Method Investments

On January 16, 2020, the FASB issued an accounting standard to clarify how a previously issued standard regarding a company’s ability to measure the fair value of certain equity securities without a readily determinable fair value should interact with equity method investments standards. The previously issued standard provides that such equity securities could be measured at cost, minus impairment, if any, unless an observable transaction for an identical or similar security occurs (measurement alternative). The new standard clarifies that a company should consider observable transactions that require the company to either apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting for the purposes of applying the measurement alternative in accordance with the equity method immediately before applying or upon discontinuing the equity method.

The standard further clarifies that, when determining the accounting for certain forward contracts and purchased options a company should not consider, whether upon settlement or exercise, if the underlying securities would be accounted for under the equity method or fair value option.

We adopted the standard prospectively on its effective date of January 1, 2021. The adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Reference Rate Reform

On March 12, 2020, the FASB issued an accounting standard that provides temporary optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The standard allows us to account for certain contract modifications that result from the discontinuation of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or another reference rate as a continuation of the existing contract without additional analysis. This standard may be elected and applied prospectively over time from March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022 as reference rate reform activities occur.

Where permitted by the guidance, we have accounted for contract modifications stemming from the discontinuation of LIBOR or another reference rate as a continuation of the existing contract. As part of our implementation efforts, we have and will continue to assess our operational readiness and current and alternative reference rates’ merits, limitations, risks and suitability for our investment and insurance processes. The adoption of the standard has not had, and is not expected to have, a material impact on our reported consolidated financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and required disclosures.

Future Application of Accounting Standards

Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts

In August 2018, the FASB issued an accounting standard update with the objective of making targeted improvements to the existing recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure requirements for long-duration contracts issued by an insurance entity.

The Company will adopt the standard on January 1, 2023. We continue to evaluate and expect the adoption of this standard will impact our financial condition, results of operations, statement of cash flows and disclosures, as well as systems, processes and controls.

The Company will adopt the standard using the modified retrospective transition method relating to liabilities for traditional and limited payment contracts and deferred policy acquisition costs associated therewith. The Company will adopt the standard in relation to market risk benefits (MRBs) on a retrospective basis. Based upon this transition method, the Company currently estimates that the January 1, 2021 transition date (Transition Date) impact from adoption is likely to result in a decrease in AIG’s equity between approximately $1.0 billion and $3.0 billion in AIG’s Life and Retirement business. The most significant drivers of the transition adjustment are expected to be (1) changes related to market risk benefits in our Individual Retirement and Group Retirement segments, including the impact of non-performance adjustments (2) changes to the discount rate which will most significantly impact our Life Insurance and Institutional Markets segments and (3) the removal of balances recorded in AOCI related to changes in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments.

Market risk benefits: The standard requires the measurement of all MRBs associated with deposit (or account balance) contracts at fair value at each reporting period. Changes in fair value compared to prior periods will be recorded and presented separately within the income statement, with the exception of instrument-specific credit risk changes (non-performance adjustments), which will be recognized in other comprehensive income. MRBs will impact both retained earnings and AOCI upon transition.

As MRBs are required to be accounted for at fair value, the quarterly valuation of these items will result in variability and volatility in the Company’s results following adoption.

Discount rate assumption: The standard requires the discount rate assumption for the liability for future policy benefits to be updated at the end of each reporting period using an upper-medium grade (low credit risk) fixed income instrument yield that maximizes the use of observable market inputs. Upon transition, the Company currently estimates an adjustment to AOCI due to the fact that the market upper-medium grade (low credit risk) interest rates as of the Transition Date differ from reserve interest accretion rates. Lower interest rates result in a higher liability for future policy benefits, and are anticipated to more significantly impact our Life Insurance and Institutional Markets segments.

Following adoption, the impact of changes to discount rates will be recognized through other comprehensive income. Changes resulting from unlocking the discount rate each reporting period will primarily impact term life insurance and other traditional life insurance products, as well as pension risk transfer and structured settlement products.

Removal of balances related to changes in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments: Under the standard, the majority of balances recorded in AOCI related to changes in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments will be eliminated.

In addition to the above, the standard also:

Requires the review and if necessary, update of future policy benefit assumptions at least annually for traditional and limited pay long duration contracts, with the recognition and separate presentation of any resulting re-measurement gain or loss (except for discount rate changes as noted above) in the income statement.

Simplifies the amortization of DAC to a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts with adjustments for unexpected terminations, but no longer requires an impairment test.

Increased disclosures of disaggregated roll-forwards of several balances, including: liabilities for future policy benefits, deferred acquisition costs, account balances, market risk benefits, separate account liabilities and information about significant inputs, judgments and methods used in measurement and changes thereto and impact of those changes.

We expect that the accounting for Fortitude Re will continue to remain largely unchanged. With respect to Fortitude Re, the reinsurance assets, including the discount rates, will continue to be calculated using the same methodology and assumptions as the direct policies. Accounting for modco remains unchanged.

The Company has created a governance framework and a plan to support implementation of the updated standard. As part of its implementation plan, the Company has also advanced the modernization of its actuarial technology platform to enhance its modeling, data management, experience study and analytical capabilities, increase the end-to-end automation of key reporting and analytical processes and optimize its control framework. The Company has designed and begun implementation and testing of internal controls related to the new processes created as part of implementing the updated standard and will continue to refine these internal controls until the formal implementation in the first quarter of 2023.