Accounting Developments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Accounting Developments and New Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Accounting Developments

Accounting Developments

Accounting Updates Adopted in 2021:

Accounting Standards Codification (ASC)	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on Financial Statements
ASC 740 "Income Taxes"	The amendments in this update simplified the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions in the guidance related to the following: 1. losses in continuing operations when there is income in other items, 2. foreign subsidiaries becoming equity method investments and vice versa, and 3. year-to-date interim period losses exceeding anticipated loss for the year. The amendments also simplified the accounting for income taxes related to the following: 1. franchise taxes partially based on income, 2. step up in the tax basis of goodwill, 3. allocation of tax expense to entities not subject to tax, 4. enacted changes in tax law or rates in interim periods, and 5. employee stock ownership programs and investments in qualified affordable housing projects accounted for using the equity method.	January 1, 2021	The adoption of this update did not have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations.

Summary of Financial Statement Impacts of Accounting Updates Adopted in 2020:

Effective January 1, 2020, we adopted an update under ASC 326 "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses" that amended the guidance on the impairment of financial instruments. The update added an impairment model known as the current expected credit loss model that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses and will generally result in earlier recognition of allowances for losses. The current expected credit loss model applies to financial instruments such as mortgage loans, fixed maturity securities classified as held-to-maturity, and certain receivables. The update also modified the other-than-temporary impairment model used for available-for-sale fixed maturity securities such that credit losses are recognized as an allowance rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost of the security. The reversal of previously recognized credit losses on available-for-sale fixed maturity securities is allowed under specified circumstances. The guidance was applied using a modified retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect reduction to retained earnings of $18.9 million as of the beginning of the period of adoption. For available-for-sale fixed maturity securities, the update was applied prospectively. Other-than-temporary impairment losses recognized on available-for-sale fixed maturity securities prior to adoption of the update cannot be reversed.

See Note 4 for discussion on the allowance for current expected credit losses on our commercial mortgage loans and the allowance for credit losses on our available-for-sale fixed maturity securities. See Note 12 for discussion on the allowance for expected credit losses on our premiums receivable balances.

Accounting Updates Outstanding:

ASC	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on Financial Statements
ASC 848 "Reference Rate Reform"	The amendments in this update provide optional guidance, for a limited period of time, to ease the potential burden in accounting for and recognizing the effects of reference rate reform on financial reporting. The guidance allows for various practical expedients and exceptions when applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected either by discontinued rates as a direct result of reference rate reform or a market-wide change in interest rates used for discounting, margining or contract price alignment, if certain criteria are met. Specifically, the guidance provides certain practical expedients for contract modifications, fair value hedges, and cash flow hedges, and also provides certain exceptions related to changes in the critical terms of a hedging relationship. The guidance also allows for a one-time election to sell or transfer debt securities that were both classified as held-to-maturity prior to January 1, 2020 and reference a rate affected by the reform.	Adoption is permitted as of the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020 (the issuance date of the update), or any date thereafter, through December 31, 2022, at which point the guidance will sunset.	We do not anticipate needing to adopt this guidance, but we will continue to monitor our contracts and hedging relationships throughout the adoption period.

ASC	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on Financial Statements
ASC 944 "Financial Services - Insurance"	This update significantly amends the accounting and disclosure requirements for long-duration insurance contracts. These changes include a requirement to review, and if necessary, update cash flow assumptions used to measure the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited-payment contracts at least annually, with changes recognized in earnings. In addition, an entity will be required to update the discount rate assumption at each reporting date using a yield that is reflective of an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument, with changes recognized in other comprehensive income. These changes result in the elimination of the provision for risk of adverse deviation and premium deficiency (or loss recognition) testing. The update also requires that an entity measure all market risk benefits associated with deposit contracts at fair value, with changes recognized in earnings except for the portion attributable to a change in the instrument-specific credit risk, which is to be recognized in other comprehensive income. This update also changes the amortization of deferred acquisition costs by requiring amortization on a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts. Deferred acquisition costs are required to be written off for unexpected contract terminations but are no longer subject to an impairment test. Significant additional disclosures will also be required, which include disaggregated rollforwards of certain liability balances and the disclosure of qualitative and quantitative information about expected cash flows, estimates, and assumptions. The application of this guidance will vary based upon the specific requirements of the update but will generally result in either a modified retrospective or full retrospective approach with changes applied as of the beginning of the earliest period presented. Early adoption is permitted.	January 1, 2023	We will adopt this update effective January 1, 2023 using the modified retrospective approach with changes applied as of the beginning of the earliest period presented or January 1, 2021, also referred to as the transition date. We are continuing to evaluate the effects of implementing this update. We expect that the most significant impact at the transition date will be the requirement to update the discount rate assumption to reflect an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument, which will be generally equivalent to a single-A interest rate matched to the duration of our insurance liabilities and will result in a material decrease to accumulated other comprehensive income within our total stockholders’ equity balance. After the transition date, we will be required to update the discount rate each subsequent reporting period with changes recorded in other comprehensive income (OCI) and expect that this could have a material impact on OCI. We also expect that the adoption will have a material impact on our results of operations and will significantly expand our disclosures. We do not have products with market risk benefits.

Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Updates Outstanding:

ASC	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on Financial Statements
ASC 848 "Reference Rate Reform"	The amendments in this update provide optional guidance, for a limited period of time, to ease the potential burden in accounting for and recognizing the effects of reference rate reform on financial reporting. The guidance allows for various practical expedients and exceptions when applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected either by discontinued rates as a direct result of reference rate reform or a market-wide change in interest rates used for discounting, margining or contract price alignment, if certain criteria are met. Specifically, the guidance provides certain practical expedients for contract modifications, fair value hedges, and cash flow hedges, and also provides certain exceptions related to changes in the critical terms of a hedging relationship. The guidance also allows for a one-time election to sell or transfer debt securities that were both classified as held-to-maturity prior to January 1, 2020 and reference a rate affected by the reform.	Adoption is permitted as of the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020 (the issuance date of the update), or any date thereafter, through December 31, 2022, at which point the guidance will sunset.	We do not anticipate needing to adopt this guidance, but we will continue to monitor our contracts and hedging relationships throughout the adoption period.

ASC	Description	Date of Adoption	Effect on Financial Statements
ASC 944 "Financial Services - Insurance"	This update significantly amends the accounting and disclosure requirements for long-duration insurance contracts. These changes include a requirement to review, and if necessary, update cash flow assumptions used to measure the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited-payment contracts at least annually, with changes recognized in earnings. In addition, an entity will be required to update the discount rate assumption at each reporting date using a yield that is reflective of an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument, with changes recognized in other comprehensive income. These changes result in the elimination of the provision for risk of adverse deviation and premium deficiency (or loss recognition) testing. The update also requires that an entity measure all market risk benefits associated with deposit contracts at fair value, with changes recognized in earnings except for the portion attributable to a change in the instrument-specific credit risk, which is to be recognized in other comprehensive income. This update also changes the amortization of deferred acquisition costs by requiring amortization on a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts. Deferred acquisition costs are required to be written off for unexpected contract terminations but are no longer subject to an impairment test. Significant additional disclosures will also be required, which include disaggregated rollforwards of certain liability balances and the disclosure of qualitative and quantitative information about expected cash flows, estimates, and assumptions. The application of this guidance will vary based upon the specific requirements of the update but will generally result in either a modified retrospective or full retrospective approach with changes applied as of the beginning of the earliest period presented. Early adoption is permitted.	January 1, 2023	We will adopt this update effective January 1, 2023 using the modified retrospective approach with changes applied as of the beginning of the earliest period presented or January 1, 2021, also referred to as the transition date. We are continuing to evaluate the effects of implementing this update. We expect that the most significant impact at the transition date will be the requirement to update the discount rate assumption to reflect an upper-medium grade fixed-income instrument, which will be generally equivalent to a single-A interest rate matched to the duration of our insurance liabilities and will result in a material decrease to accumulated other comprehensive income within our total stockholders’ equity balance. After the transition date, we will be required to update the discount rate each subsequent reporting period with changes recorded in other comprehensive income (OCI) and expect that this could have a material impact on OCI. We also expect that the adoption will have a material impact on our results of operations and will significantly expand our disclosures. We do not have products with market risk benefits.