DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2009
Description Of Business [Abstract]
Description Of Business [Text Block]	SUN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA (U.S.) (A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Sun Life of Canada (U.S.) Holdings, Inc.) NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (in thousands) For the Years Ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES GENERAL Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (U.S.) (the “Company”) is a stock life insurance company incorporated under the laws of Delaware. The Company is a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent, which in turn is wholly-owned by Sun Life Financial Inc. (“SLF”), a reporting company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, the Company is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SLF. SLF and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to herein as “Sun Life Financial.” The Company and its subsidiaries offer a variety of wealth accumulation products, protection products and institutional investment contracts. These products include individual and group fixed and variable annuities, individual and group variable life insurance, individual universal life insurance, group life, group disability, group dental and group stop loss insurance and funding agreements. The Company is authorized to transact business in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York (“SLNY”), is authorized to transact business in the State of New York. On December 12, 2011, SLF announced the completion of a major strategic review of its businesses. As a result of this strategic review, SLF announced that it would close its domestic U.S. variable annuity and individual life products to new sales effective December 30, 2011. The decision to discontinue sales in these lines of business is based on unfavorable product economics which, due to ongoing shifts in capital markets and regulatory requirements, no longer enhance shareholder value. This decision reflects SLF's intensified focus on reducing volatility and improving the return on shareholders' equity by shifting capital to businesses with superior growth, risk and return characteristics. Existing legal, business and contractual requirements call for the Company to, among other things, continue accepting limited applications for (1) certain private placement variable annuities until mid-2012, and (2) new employees of corporate-owned life insurance (“COLI”) customers. Subject to these and other existing obligations, the Company has ceased writing all other COLI new business effective January 31, 2012 and all other individual life and annuities new business effective December 30, 2011. The decision to stop selling variable annuity and individual life products in the U.S. will not impact existing customers and their policies. The Company will continue to provide quality service to its policyholders, while focusing on the profitability, capital efficiency and risk management of its in-force business. The Company will continue to earn revenue and to provide policyholder benefits on its in-force business. Of the one-time restructuring costs on a pre-tax basis associated with the discontinuation of these products lines in the U.S., $12.7 million was allocated to the Company. The restructuring costs related primarily to employee severance and other employee benefits, which are expected to be paid in the form of future cash expenditures, as well as other costs. BASIS OF PRESENTATION The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for stock life insurance companies. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, the Company directly or indirectly owned all of the outstanding shares of SLNY, which issues individual fixed and variable annuity contracts, group life, group disability, group dental and stop loss insurance, and individual life insurance in New York; Independence Life and Annuity Company (“ILAC”), a Rhode Island life insurance company that sold variable and whole life insurance products; Clarendon Insurance Agency, Inc., a registered broker-dealer; SLF Private Placement Investment Company I, LLC; 7101 France Avenue Manager, LLC; Sun MetroNorth, LLC; SLNY Private Placement Investment Company I, LLC; and SL Investment DELRE Holdings 2009-1, LLC. The Company's consolidated financial statements also include a variable interest entity (“VIE”) that the Company is required to consolidate. Refer to Note 4 for further information about VIEs. All inter-company transactions and balances between the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) INVESTMENTS Fixed Maturity Securities The Company accounts for its investments in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320. At the time of purchase, fixed maturity securities are classified as either trading or available-for-sale. Securities, for which the Company has elected to measure at fair value under FASB ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments,” are classified as trading securities. Although classified as trading securities, the Company's intent is to not sell these securities in the near term. Trading securities are carried at aggregate fair value with changes in market value reported as a component of net investment income. Securities that do not meet the trading criterion are classified as available-for-sale. Included with fixed maturity securities are forward purchase commitments on mortgage backed securities, better known as To Be Announced (“TBA”) securities. The Company records TBA purchases on the trade date and the corresponding payable is recorded as an outstanding liability in payable for investments purchased until the settlement date of the transaction. Available-for-sale securities that are not considered other-than-temporarily impaired are carried at fair value with the unrealized gains or losses reported in other comprehensive income. The Company determines the fair value of its publicly-traded fixed maturity securities using three primary pricing methods: third-party pricing services, non-binding broker quotes and pricing models. Prices are first sought from third party pricing services; the remaining unpriced securities are priced using one of the remaining two methods. Third-party pricing services derive the security prices through recently reported trades for identical or similar securities with adjustments for trading volumes and market observable information through the reporting date. In the event that there are no recent market trades, pricing services and brokers may use pricing models to develop a security price based on future expected cash flows discounted at an estimated market rate using collateral performance and vintages. The Company generally does not adjust quotes or prices obtained from brokers or pricing services. Structured securities, such as asset-backed securities (“ABS”) including collateralized debt obligations, residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) are priced using a fair value model or independent broker quotations. CMBS securities are priced using the last sale price of the day or a broker quote, if no sales were transacted that day. Typical inputs used by these three pricing methods include, but are not limited to, reported trades, benchmark yields, issuer spreads, bids and/or estimated cash flows and prepayment speeds. In addition, estimates of expected future prepayments are factors in determining the price of ABS, RMBS and CMBS. These estimates are based on the underlying collateral and structure of the security, as well as prepayment speeds previously experienced in the market at interest rate levels projected for the underlying collateral. Actual prepayment experience may vary from these estimates. For privately-placed fixed maturity securities, fair values are determined using a discounted cash flow model which includes estimates that take into account credit spreads for publicly-traded securities of similar credit risk, maturity, prepayment and liquidity characteristics. A portion of privately-placed fixed maturity securities also are priced using market prices or broker quotes. The fair values of mortgages are estimated by discounting future cash flows using current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities. The Company's ability to liquidate positions in privately-placed fixed securities and mortgages could be impacted to a significant degree by the lack of an actively traded market. Although the Company believes that its estimates reasonably reflect the fair value of those instruments, its key assumptions about risk-free interest rates, risk premiums, performance of underlying collateral (if any) and other factors may not reflect those of an active market. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) INVESTMENTS (continued) Fixed Maturity Securities (continued) The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount at which the instrument could be exchanged in a current transaction between knowledgeable, unrelated willing parties using inputs, including estimates and assumptions, a market participant would utilize. The Company performs a monthly analysis on the prices received from third parties to assess if the prices represent a reasonable estimate of the fair value. In addition, on the quarterly basis, the Company performs quantitative and qualitative analysis that includes back testing of recent trades, review of key assumptions such as spreads, duration, and credit rating, and on-going review of third-party pricing services' methodologies. The Company performs further testing on those securities whose prices do not fall within a pre-established tolerance range. This testing includes looking at specific market events that may affect pricing or obtaining additional information or new prices from the third-party pricing service. Additionally, the Company makes a selection of securities from its portfolio and compares the price received from its third-party pricing services to an independent source, creates option adjusted spreads or obtains additional broker quotes to corroborate the current market price. Historically, the Company has found no material variances between the prices received from third-party pricing sources and the results of its own testing. Please refer to Note 5 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's fair value measurements. As required by FASB ASC Topic 320, the Company recognizes an OTTI loss and records a charge to earnings for the full amount of the impairment based on the difference between the amortized cost and fair value of the security, if the Company intends to sell, or if it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell, the impaired security prior to recovery of its cost basis. Otherwise, losses on securities which are other-than-temporarily impaired are separated into two categories: credit loss and non-credit loss. The credit loss portion is charged to the consolidated statements of operations, while the non-credit loss is charged to other comprehensive income. When an unrealized loss on a fixed maturity is considered temporary, the Company continues to record the unrealized loss in other comprehensive income and not in earnings. Structured securities, typically those rated single A or below, are subject to certain provisions in FASB ASC Topic 325, “Investments–Other.” These provisions require the Company to periodically update its best estimate of cash flows over the life of the security. In the event that fair value is less than the carrying amount and there has been an adverse change in the expected cash flows, then an impairment charge, based on the difference between amortized cost and the present value of the expected cash flows discounted at the current effective rate, is recorded to income. Please refer to Note 4 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's recognition and disclosure of OTTI loss. The Company discontinues the accrual of income on its holdings for issuers that are in default. The Company's net investment income would have increased by $2.1 million and $4.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, if these holdings were performing. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the fair market value of holdings for issuers in default was $19.6 million and $53.9 million, respectively. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED) Mortgage Loans and Real Estate Mortgage loans are stated at unpaid principal balances, net of provisions for estimated losses. Mortgage loans acquired at a premium or discount are carried at amortized cost using the effective interest rate method, net of provisions for estimated losses. Purchases and sales of mortgage loans are recognized or derecognized in the Company's balance sheet on the loans' trade dates, which are the dates that the Company commits to purchase or sell the loan. Transaction costs on mortgage loans are capitalized on initial recognition and are recognized in the Company's statement of operations using the effective interest method. Mortgage loans, which primarily include commercial first mortgages, are diversified by property type and geographic area throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are collateralized by the related properties and generally are no more than 75% of the property's value at the time that the original loan is made. The Company regularly assesses the value of the collateral. A mortgage loan is considered impaired when it is probable that the principal or interest is not collectible in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan. When a mortgage loan is classified as impaired, allowances for credit losses are established to adjust the carrying value of the loan to its net recoverable amount. The allowance for credit losses are estimated using the present value of expected cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate or the fair value of the collateral, if the loan is collateral dependent. A specific allowance for loan loss is established for an impaired loan if the present value of expected cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate, or the fair value of the collateral less cost to sell, is less than the recorded amount of the loan. The full extent of impairment in the mortgage portfolio cannot be assessed solely by reviewing these loans individually. A general allowance for loan loss is established based on an assessment of past loss experience on groups of loans with similar characteristics and current economic conditions. While management believes that it uses the best information available to establish the loan loss allowances, future adjustments may become necessary if economic conditions differ from the assumptions used in calculating them. Interest income is recognized on impaired mortgage loans when the collection of contractually specified future cash flows is probable, in which case cash receipts are recorded in accordance with the effective interest rate method. Interest income is not recognized on impaired mortgage loans and these mortgage loans are placed on non-accrual status when the collection of contractually specified future cash flows is not probable, in which case cash receipts are applied, firstly against the carrying value of the loan, then against the provision, and then to income. The accrual of interest resumes when the collection of contractually specified future cash flows becomes probable based on certain facts and circumstances. Changes in allowances for losses and write-off of specific mortgages are recorded as net realized gain or loss in the Company's statements of operations. Once the conditions causing impairment improve and future payments are reasonably assured, allowances are reduced and the mortgages are no longer classified as impaired. However, the mortgage loan continues to be classified as impaired if the original terms of the contract have been restructured, resulting in the Company providing an economic concession to the borrower. If the conditions causing impairment do not improve and future payments remain unassured, the Company typically derecognizes the asset through disposition or foreclosure. Uncollectible collateral-dependent loans are written off through allowances for losses at the time of disposition or foreclosure. Real estate investments are held for the production of income or are held for sale. Real estate investments held for the production of income are carried at depreciated cost. Depreciation of buildings and improvements is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the asset. Real estate investments held for sale are primarily acquired through foreclosure of mortgage loans for which the carrying amount is established as the fair value less cost to sell at the foreclosure date. Real estate investments held- for-sale are measured at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. Real estate investments are diversified by property type and geographic area throughout the United States. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED) Derivative instruments The Company uses derivative financial instruments including swaps, swaptions, options and futures as a means of hedging exposure to interest rate, currency and equity price risk. Derivatives are carried at fair value and changes in fair value are recorded as a component of derivative income or loss. Policy loans and other Policy loans are carried at the amount of outstanding principal balance. Policy loans are collateralized by the related insurance policy and do not exceed the net cash surrender value of such policy. Investments in private equity limited partnerships are accounted for by the equity method of accounting. Realized gains and losses Realized gains and losses on the sales of investments are recognized in operations at the date of sale and are determined using the average cost method. Changes in the provision for estimated losses on mortgage loans and real estate are included in net realized investment gains and losses. Investment income Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Investments are placed in a non-accrual status when management believes that the borrower's financial position, after giving consideration to economic and business conditions and collection efforts, is such that collection of principal and interest is doubtful. When an investment is placed in non-accrual status, all interest accrued is reversed against current period interest income. Interest accruals are resumed on such investments only when the investments have performed on a sustained basis for a reasonable period of time and when, in the judgment of management, the investments are estimated to be fully collectible as to both principal and interest. The Company manages assets related to certain funds-withheld reinsurance agreements. These assets are primarily comprised of fixed maturity securities, mortgage loans, policy loans, equity securities, derivative instruments, related accrued income and cash and cash equivalents and are accounted for consistent with the policies described above. Investment income on assets within funds-withheld reinsurance portfolios is included as a component of net investment income in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. Please refer to Note 7 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's net investment income. DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND SALES INDUCMENT ASSET Acquisition costs consist of commissions, underwriting and other costs that vary with and are primarily related to the production of new business. Acquisition costs related to deposit-type contracts, primarily deferred annuity, universal life (“UL”) and guaranteed investment contracts (“GICs”) are deferred and amortized with interest based on the proportion of actual gross profits to the present value of all estimated gross profits to be realized over the estimated lives of the contracts. Estimated gross profits are composed of net investment income, net realized and unrealized investment gains and losses, life and variable annuity fees, surrender charges, interest credited, policyholder benefits and direct variable administrative expenses. SIA represents amounts that are credited to policyholder account balances related to the enhanced or bonus crediting rates that the Company offers on certain of its annuity products. The costs associated with offering the enhanced or bonus crediting rates are capitalized and amortized over the expected life of the related contracts in proportion to the estimated gross profits. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND SALES INDUCMENT ASSET (CONTINUED) Estimating future gross profit is a complex process requiring considerable judgment and the forecasting of events into the future based on historical information and actuarial assumptions. These assumptions are subject to an annual review process and are updated on a more frequent basis if required. Changes in any of the assumptions that serve to increase or decrease the estimated future gross profits will cause the amortization of DAC to decrease or increase, respectively, in the current period. Assumptions affecting the computation of estimated future gross profits include, but are not limited to, recent investment and policyholder experience, expectations of future performance and policyholder behavior, changes in interest rates, capital market growth rates, and account maintenance expense. DAC amortization is reviewed regularly and adjusted retrospectively through the current period operations when the Company calculates the actual profits or losses and revises its estimate of future gross profits to be realized from deposit-type contracts, including realized and unrealized gains and losses from investments. The Company also tests its DAC asset and SIA for loss recognition on a quarterly basis. The test is performed by comparing the GAAP liability, net of DAC and SIA, to the present value of future expected gross profits or gross premium reserves. The Company's DAC asset and SIA at December 31, 2011 and 2010 failed the loss recognition test for certain annuity products and the Company, therefore, wrote down DAC asset and the SIA by $21.0 million and $126.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Please refer to Note 13 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for the Company's DAC asset and SIA roll-forward. The DAC asset under GAAP cannot exceed accumulated deferrals, plus interest. At December 31, 2009, the Company reached the cap for its DAC asset and SIA related to certain fixed and fixed index annuity products and reported the DAC asset for these products at historical accumulated deferrals with interest. At December 31, 2010, the Company's SIA related to certain fixed and fixed index annuity remained at historical accumulated deferral with interest. However, the Company's DAC related to certain fixed annuities was below the cap and regular amortization was recorded during the year. At December 31, 2011, the Company's DAC asset and SIA were below the cap and regular amortization was recorded during the year. Although recovery of DAC and the SIA is not assured, the Company believes it is more likely than not that all of these costs will be recovered from future profits. The amount of DAC and SIA considered recoverable could be reduced in the near term, however, if the future estimates of gross profits are reduced. VALUE OF BUSINESS AND CUSTOMER RENEWALS ACQUIRED VOBA represents the actuarially determined present value of projected future gross profits from the Keyport Life Insurance Company (“Keyport”) in-force policies on November 1, 2001, the date of the Company's acquisition of Keyport. Prior to December 31, 2009, the Company's VOBA also included the present value of projected future gross profits from the in-force policies that were transferred to SLNY, based on a series of agreements between SLNY and Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (“SLHIC”), an affiliate, (the “SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer”). VOBA related to Keyport is amortized in proportion to the projected emergence of profits over the estimated life of the purchased block of business; VOBA related to the SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer was amortized in proportion to the projected premium income over the period to the first renewal of the transferred business. As of December 31, 2009, VOBA related to the SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer was fully amortized. VOCRA represents a portion of the assets that were transferred to SLNY under the SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer. VOCRA is the actuarially determined present value of projected future profits arising from the existing in-force business at May 31, 2007 to the next policy renewal date. This amount is amortized in proportion to the projected premium income over the period from the first renewal date to the end of the projected life of the policies. The Company tests its VOCRA asset for impairment on an annual basis. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company determined that its VOCRA asset was impaired and recorded an impairment charge of $2.6 million. Please refer to Note 14 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for the Company's combined VOBA and VOCRA roll-forward. Although recovery of VOBA is not assured, the Company believes it is more likely than not that all of these costs will be recovered from future profits. The amount of VOBA and VOCRA considered recoverable could be reduced in the near term, however, if the future estimates of gross profits are reduced. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) OTHER ASSETS The Company's other assets are comprised primarily of receivables from affiliates, outstanding premiums and intangible assets. Intangible assets consist of state insurance licenses that are not subject to amortization and the value of distribution. The value of distribution represents the present value of projected future profits arising from sales of new business by brokers with whom SLHIC had an existing distribution relationship contract. This amount is amortized on a straight-line basis over 25 years, representing the period over which the Company expects to earn premiums from new sales stemming from the added distribution capacity. Prior to December 31, 2009, the Company's other asset also included property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized software costs. As described in Note 3, effective December 31, 2009, the Company transferred certain property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized software costs to Sun Life Financial (U.S.) Services Company, Inc. (“Sun Life Services”), an affiliate. Depreciation and amortization expenses related to these assets were $1.3 million for year ended December 31, 2009. POLICY LIABILITIES AND ACCRUALS Future contract and policy benefit liabilities include amounts reserved for future policy benefits payable upon contingent events, as well as liabilities for unpaid claims due as of the statement date. Such liabilities are established in amounts adequate to meet the estimated future obligations of in-force policies. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) POLICY LIABILITIES AND ACCRUALS (continued) Policy reserves for annuity contracts include liabilities held for group pension and payout annuity payments and liabilities held for product guarantees on variable annuity products, such as guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”). Reserves for pension and payout annuity contracts are calculated using the best-estimate interest and decrement assumptions. The Company periodically reviews its policies for loss recognition based upon management's best estimates. During the year ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded $49.3 million and $29.2 million, respectively, of adjustments to reserves related to loss recognition. Reserves for GMDB and guaranteed minimum income benefits (“GMIB”) are calculated according to the methodology prescribed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) which is included in FASB ASC Topic 944 “Financial Services- Insurance,” whereby the expected benefits provided by the guarantees are spread over the duration of the contract in proportion to the benefit assessments. Policy reserves for UL contracts are held for benefit coverages that are not fully provided for in the policy account value. These include rider coverages, conversions from group policies, and benefits provided under market conduct settlements. Policy reserves for group life and health contracts are calculated using standard actuarial methods recognized by the American Academy of Actuaries. For the tabular reserves, discount rates are based on the Company's earned investment yield and the morbidity and mortality tables used are standard industry tables modified to reflect the Company's actual experience when appropriate. In particular, for the Company's group reported claim reserves and the mortality and morbidity tables for the early durations of claims are based exclusively on the Company's experience, incorporating factors such as age at disability, sex and elimination period. These reserves are computed at amounts that, with interest compounded annually at assumed rates, are expected to meet the Company's future obligations. Liabilities for unpaid claims consist of the estimated amount payable for claims reported but not yet settled and an estimate of claims incurred but not reported. The amount reported is based upon historical experience, adjusted for trends and current circumstances. Management believes that the recorded liability is sufficient to provide for the associated claims adjustment expenses. Revisions of these estimates are included in operations in the year such refinements are made. Contractholder deposit funds consist of policy values that accrue to the holders of UL-type contracts and investment-related products such as deferred annuities, single premium whole life (“SPWL”) policies, GICs and funding agreements. The liabilities consist of deposits received plus interest credited, less accumulated policyholder charges, assessments, partial withdrawals and surrenders. The liabilities are not reduced by surrender charges. INCOME TAXES The Company accounts for current and deferred income taxes and recognizes reserves for income tax contingencies in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.” Under the applicable asset and liability method for recording deferred income taxes, deferred taxes are recognized when assets and liabilities have different values for financial statement and tax reporting purposes, using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances on deferred tax assets are estimated based upon the Company's assessment of the realizability of such amounts. Please refer to Note 10 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's income taxes. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) REVENUE AND EXPENSES Premiums for traditional individual life products are considered earned revenue when due. Premiums related to group life, group stop loss, group dental and group disability insurance are recognized as earned revenue pro-rata over the contract period. The unexpired portion of these premiums is recorded as unearned premiums. Revenue from UL-type products and investment-related products includes charges for the cost of insurance (mortality), initiation and administration of the policy, and surrender charges. Revenue is recognized when the charges are assessed except that any portion of an assessment that relates to services to be provided in future years is deferred and recognized over the period during which the services are provided. Benefits and expenses related to traditional life, annuity and disability contracts, including group policies, are recognized when incurred in a manner designed to match them with related premium revenue and to spread income recognition over the expected life of the policy. For UL-type and investment-type contracts, expenses include interest credited to policyholders' accounts and death benefits in excess of account values, which are recognized as incurred. Fees from investment advisory services are recognized as revenues when the services are provided. SEPARATE ACCOUNTS The Company has established separate accounts applicable to various classes of contracts providing variable benefits. Contracts for which funds are invested in separate accounts include variable life insurance and individual and group qualified and non-qualified variable annuity contracts. Investment income and changes in mutual fund asset values are allocated to policyholders and therefore do not affect the operating results of the Company. Assets held in the separate accounts are carried at fair value and the investment risk of such securities is retained by the contractholder. The Company earns separate account fees for providing administrative services and bearing the mortality risks related to these contracts. The activity of the separate accounts is not reflected in the consolidated financial statements except for the following:  The fees that the Company receives, which are assessed periodically and recognized as revenue when assessed; and The activity related to the GMDB, GMIB, guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (“GMAB”) and guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (“GMWB”), which is reflected in the Company's consolidated financial statements. The dividends-received-deduction (“DRD”) which is included in the Company's income tax (benefit) expense, is calculated based upon the separate account assets held in connection with variable annuity contracts. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In April 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2011-02, “Receivables (Topic 310): A Creditor's Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring,” which clarifies when a loan modification or restructuring is considered a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”). In evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a TDR a creditor must use judgment to determine whether the following exist: 1. The borrower is experiencing financial difficulties, and 2. The lender has granted a concession to the borrower. ASU 2011-02 amends FASB ASC Topic 310 “Receivables,” to include financial difficulty indicators (such as debtor default, debtor bankruptcy or concerns about the future as a going concern) that the lender should consider in determining whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulties. The amendments also clarify that a borrower could be experiencing financial difficulties even though the borrower is not currently in payment default but default is probable in the foreseeable future. ASU 2011-02 provides guidance on whether the lender has granted a concession to the borrower and notes that:  A borrower's inability to access funds at a market rate for a new loan with similar risk characteristics as the modified loan indicates that the modification was executed at a below-market rate and therefore may indicate that a concession was granted.  A temporary or permanent increase in the contractual interest rate as a result of restructuring does not preclude the restructuring from being considered a concession because the rate may still be below market.  A restructuring that results in an insignificant delay in contractual cash flow is not considered to be a concession. The amendments in ASU 2011-02 are effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011. These amendments are to be applied retrospectively to modifications occurring on or after the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The Company adopted ASU 2011-2 on July 1, 2011 and the TDR disclosure requirements are included in Note 4 of these consolidated financial statements. In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force).” The amendments of ASU 2010-29 provide guidance to clarify the acquisition date that should be used for reporting the pro forma financial information disclosures when comparative financial statements are presented. ASU 2010-29 requires a public entity that presents comparative financial statements to disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as if the business combination that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The amendments also require the supplemental proforma disclosure to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments that are directly related to the business combination. The Company adopted ASU 2010-29 on January 1, 2011 and will apply this guidance to future business combinations. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED) New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements (Continued) In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-28 “Intangibles–Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force).” The amendments of ASU 2010-28 require reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts to perform Step 2 of goodwill impairment test if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists and to consider adverse qualitative factors when performing the impairment test. The Company adopted ASU 2010-28 on January 1, 2011, and the adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In July 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-20, “Receivables (Topic 310): Disclosure about the Credit Quality of Financing Receivables and the Allowance for Credit Losses,” which amends FASB ASC Topic 310 to enhance disclosures and to provide financial statement users with greater transparency about an entity's allowance for credit losses and the credit quality of its financing receivables. The amendments require an entity to provide a greater level of disaggregated information about the credit quality of the entity's financing receivables and allowance for credit losses. ASU 2010-20 also requires an entity to disclose credit quality indicators, the aging of past due information and the modification of its financing receivables. The amendments in ASU 2010-20 that relate to disclosures as of the end of a reporting period are effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending on or after December 15, 2010. However, the disclosure about activity that occurs during a reporting period are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2010. Comparative disclosures are required for reporting periods ending after initial adoption. The Company adopted ASU 2010-20 on December 31, 2010. The enhanced disclosures required by ASU 2010-20 are included in Note 4 of the Company's consolidated financial statements. In April 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-18, “Receivables (Topic 310): Effect of a Loan Modification When the Loan Is Part of a Pool That Is Accounted for as a Single Asset–a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force,” which amends FASB ASC Topic 310. The amendments were made to eliminate diversity in practice in accounting for loans that undergo troubled debt restructuring for those loans that have been included in a pool of loans. Under ASU 2010-18, debt modifications that were made for distressed loans included in a pool of loans do not trigger the criteria needed to allow for such loans to be accounted for separately outside of the pool. Upon initial adoption, an entity may make a one-time election to terminate accounting for loans as a pool. The election may be made on a pool-by-pool basis and does not prevent the entity from using pool accounting for loans that will be acquired in the future. The amendments in ASU 2010-18 are effective for the first fiscal quarter ending on or after July 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2010-18 on September 30, 2010 and such adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In April 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-15, “Financial Services–Insurance (Topic 944): How Investments Held through Separate Accounts Affect an Insurer's Consolidation Analysis of Those Investments–a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force,” to provide guidance regarding accounting for investment funds determined to be VIEs. Under this guidance, an insurance entity would not be required to consolidate a voting-interest investment fund when it holds the majority of the voting interests of the fund through its separate accounts. In addition, an insurance entity would not consider the interests held through separate accounts for the benefit of policyholders in the insurer's evaluation of its controlling interest in a VIE, unless the separate account contract holder is a related party. The guidance is effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company adopted ASU 2010-15 on January 1, 2011 and the adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED) New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements (Continued) In March 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-11, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Scope Exception Related to Embedded Credit Derivatives,” which provides amendments to FASB ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging,” to clarify the embedded credit derivative scope exception included therein. The amendments address how to determine which embedded credit derivative features are considered to be embedded derivatives that should not be analyzed for potential bifurcation and separate accounting under ASC Topic 815. Under ASU 2010-11, only the embedded credit derivative feature created by subordination between financial instruments is not subject to the bifurcation requirements of ASC Topic 815. However, other embedded credit derivative features would be subject to analysis for potential bifurcation even if their effects are allocated to interests in tranches of securitized financial instruments in accordance with those subordination provisions. The following circumstances would not qualify for the scope exception and are subject to the application of ASC Topic 815 requiring the embedded derivatives to be analyzed for potential bifurcation: An embedded derivative feature relating to another type of risk (including another type of credit risk) is present in the securitized financial instrument. The holder of an interest in a tranche of securitized financial instruments is exposed to the possibility of being required to make potential future payments because the possibility of those future payments is not created by subordination. The holder owns an interest in a single-tranche securitization vehicle; therefore, the subordination of one tranche to another is not relevant. The amendments in ASU 2010-11 are effective for the first fiscal quarter beginning after June 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2010-11 on July 1, 2010 and such adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. In February 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-09, “Subsequent Events (Topic 855): Amendments to Certain Recognition and Disclosure Requirements” which removes the requirement for U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filers to disclose the date through which subsequent events have been evaluated. ASU No. 2010-09 is effective upon issuance. Events that have occurred subsequent to December 31, 2011 have been evaluated by the Company's management in accordance with ASU 2010-09. In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-06, “Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures (Topic 820): Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements,” which provides amendments to FASB ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” to provide more robust disclosures about the following: The different classes of assets and liabilities measured at fair value; The valuation techniques and inputs used; The transfers between Levels 1, 2, and 3; and The activity in Level 3 fair value measurements. Certain new disclosures and clarifications of existing disclosures are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2009. Disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances and settlements in the roll-forward of activities in Level 3 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company adopted ASU 2010-06 on January 1, 2010. The enhanced disclosures required by ASU 2010-06 for the periods beginning after December 31, 2009 are included in Note 5 of the Company's consolidated financial statements. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED) New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements (continued) On January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 860, “Transfers and Servicing,” which were issued in June 2009. These provisions amend and expand disclosures about the relevance, representational faithfulness and comparability of the information that a reporting entity provides in its financial statements about a transfer of financial assets; the effects of a transfer on its financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; and a transferor's continuing involvement in transferred financial assets. FASB ASC Topic 860 amends previously issued derecognition accounting and disclosure guidance and eliminates the exemption from consolidation for qualifying special purpose entities (“QSPEs”); it also requires a transferor to evaluate all existing QSPEs to determine whether they must be consolidated in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 860. This guidance is effective for financial asset transfers occurring in fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. On January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 810, “Consolidation,” which were issued in June 2009. This guidance amends previously issued consolidation guidance which affects all entities currently within the scope of FASB ASC Topic 810, including QSPEs, as the concept of these entities was eliminated by FASB ASC Topic 860. This guidance is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. The Company adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 320, which were issued in April 2009. This guidance amends the guidance for OTTI of debt securities and changes the presentation of OTTI in the financial statements. If the Company intends to sell, or if it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell, an impaired security prior to recovery of its cost basis, the security is to be considered other-than-temporarily impaired and the full amount of impairment must be charged to earnings. Otherwise, losses on securities which are other-than-temporarily impaired are separated into two categories, the portion of loss which is considered credit loss (“credit loss”) and the portion of loss which is due to other factors (“non-credit loss”). The credit loss portion is charged to earnings, while the non-credit loss is charged to other comprehensive income. When an unrealized loss on a fixed maturity is considered temporary, the Company continues to record the unrealized loss in other comprehensive income and not in earnings. This guidance also expands and increases the frequency of existing disclosures about OTTI of debt and equity securities. The Company adopted the above-noted aspects of FASB ASC Topic 320 on April 1, 2009. Upon adoption, a cumulative effect adjustment, net of taxes, of $9.1 million was recorded to decrease accumulated other comprehensive income with a corresponding increase to retained earnings (accumulated deficit) for the non-credit component of previously impaired securities that the Company neither intends to sell, nor is it more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell, before recovery of amortized cost. The enhanced disclosures required by FASB ASC Topic 320 are included in Note 4 of the Company's consolidated financial statements. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED) Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05,” which allows for the deferral of certain presentation requirements about reclassifications of items out of accumulated other income originally included in ASU 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” The amendments are being made to allow FASB time to reconsider it requirements of entities to present on the face of their financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the components of net income and other comprehensive income for all periods presented. The amendments are effective at the same time as the amendments in ASU 2011-05 so that entities will not be required to comply with the presentation requirements in ASU 2011-05 that ASU 2011-12 is deferring. All other requirements in ASU 2011-05 are not affected by ASU 2011-12, including the requirement to report comprehensive income either in a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. The amendments in ASU 2011-12 are effective for public entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-12 on March 31, 2012 and does not expect its requirements to significantly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11, “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities,” which requires an entity to disclose information about offsetting assets and liabilities and related arrangements included in its financial statements. Offsetting (netting) assets and liabilities is an important aspect of presentation in financial statements. The differences in the offsetting requirements in GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) account for a significant difference in the amounts presented in statements of financial position prepared in accordance with GAAP and in the amounts presented in those statements prepared in accordance with IFRS for certain institutions. This difference reduces the comparability of statements of financial position. As a result, users of financial statements requested that the differences should be addressed expeditiously. In response to those requests, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board are issuing joint requirements that will enhance current disclosures. Entities are required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. This scope would include derivatives, sale and repurchase agreements and reverse sale and repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending arrangements. The objective of this disclosure is to facilitate comparison between those entities that prepare their financial statements on the basis of GAAP and those entities that prepare their financial statements on the basis of IFRS. The amendments in ASU 2011-11 are effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2012. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-11 on March 31, 2013 and is accessing the impact of this adoption. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income,” which revises the manner in which entities present comprehensive income in their financial statements. The amendments in ASU 2011-05 require entities to present components of comprehensive income in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. Under the two-statement approach, the first statement (i.e., the statement of net income) must present total net income and its components followed consecutively by the statement of comprehensive income which should include total other comprehensive income and its components. Under either method, entities must display adjustments for items that are classified from other comprehensive income to net income in both statements of net income and comprehensive income. ASU 2011-05 does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The amendments in ASU 2011-05 are effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-05 on March 31, 2012 and does not expect its requirements to significantly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements. 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED) Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted (continued) In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in GAAP and IFRSs,” which changes the wording used to describe many of the requirements in GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. Some of the amendments clarify the FASB's intent about the application of existing fair value measurement requirements, while other amendments change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. Many of the requirements in this update are not meant to result in a change in application of the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” but to improve upon an entity's consistency in application across jurisdictions to ensure that GAAP and IFRS fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are described in the same way. The amendments in ASU 2011-04 are effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-04 on January 1, 2012 and does not expect its requirements to significantly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements. In October 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-26, “Financial Services–Insurance (Topic 944): Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force),” which amends FASB ASC Topic 944, “Financial Services–Insurance,” to modify the definition of the types of costs incurred by insurance entities that can be capitalized in the acquisition of new and renewal contracts. The amendments specify that only incremental costs of successful contract acquisition that result directly from and are essential to the contract transactions can be capitalized as deferred acquisition costs. The incremental direct costs are those costs that would not have been incurred by the insurance entity if the contract transactions did not occur. The amendments in ASU 2010-26 are effective for interim periods and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2010-20 on January 1, 2012 and does not expect the adoption of ASU 2010-20 to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.	1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED) BASIS OF PRESENTATION (CONTINUED) On December 30, 2009, Sun Life Vermont, which was a subsidiary of the Company at the time, paid a $100.0 million cash dividend to the Company. On December 31, 2009, the Company paid a dividend of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Sun Life Vermont to the Parent. As a result of this transaction, Sun Life Vermont is no longer the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary. At December 31, 2009, Sun Life Vermont's total assets and liabilities were $2,658.1 million and $2,563.2 million, respectively. Sun Life Vermont's net income for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $105.0 million. As a result of this dividend transaction, the net income and changes in cash flows from the operating activities of Sun Life Vermont for the year ended December 31, 2009 are presented as discontinued operations in these consolidated financial statements. USE OF ESTIMATES The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates are those used in determining the fair value of financial instruments, goodwill, deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) including sales inducement asset (“SIA”), value of business acquired (“VOBA”), value of customer renewals acquired (“VOCRA”), liabilities for future contract and policyholder benefits, unearned revenue reserves, accruals, other-than-temporary impairments of investments, allowance for loan loss, valuation allowance on deferred tax assets and provision for income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. OUT-OF-PERIOD ADJUSTMENTS During the year ended December 31, 2011, upon settlement of certain note obligations, the Company recognized $35.4 million of adjustments to contract liabilities that were not previously recorded. These adjustments should have been recorded during prior years. Prior periods have not been adjusted as the previously unrecognized amounts were not deemed to be material under Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 99, “Materiality,” and SAB No. 108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in the Current Year Financial Statements.” FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS In the normal course of business, the Company enters into transactions involving various types of financial instruments, including cash equivalents, short-term investments, fixed maturity securities, mortgage loans, equity securities, derivative financial instruments, debt, loan commitments and financial guarantees. These instruments involve credit risk and also may be subject to risk of loss due to interest rate fluctuation. The Company evaluates and monitors each financial instrument individually and, when appropriate, obtains collateral or other security to minimize losses. CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are highly liquid securities. The Company's cash equivalents primarily include cash, commercial paper and money market investments which have an original term to maturity of less than three months. Short-term investments include debt instruments with a term to maturity exceeding three months, but less than one year on the date of acquisition. Cash equivalents and short-term investments are held at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Dec. 31, 2009

Description Of Business [Abstract]

Description Of Business [Text Block]

SUN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA (U.S.)

(A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Sun Life of Canada (U.S.) Holdings, Inc.)

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(in thousands)

For the Years Ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

GENERAL

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (U.S.) (the “Company”) is a stock life insurance company incorporated under the laws of Delaware. The Company is a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Parent, which in turn is wholly-owned by Sun Life Financial Inc. (“SLF”), a reporting company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, the Company is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of SLF. SLF and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to herein as “Sun Life Financial.”

The Company and its subsidiaries offer a variety of wealth accumulation products, protection products and institutional investment contracts. These products include individual and group fixed and variable annuities, individual and group variable life insurance, individual universal life insurance, group life, group disability, group dental and group stop loss insurance and funding agreements. The Company is authorized to transact business in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York (“SLNY”), is authorized to transact business in the State of New York.

On December 12, 2011, SLF announced the completion of a major strategic review of its businesses. As a result of this strategic review, SLF announced that it would close its domestic U.S. variable annuity and individual life products to new sales effective December 30, 2011. The decision to discontinue sales in these lines of business is based on unfavorable product economics which, due to ongoing shifts in capital markets and regulatory requirements, no longer enhance shareholder value. This decision reflects SLF's intensified focus on reducing volatility and improving the return on shareholders' equity by shifting capital to businesses with superior growth, risk and return characteristics.

Existing legal, business and contractual requirements call for the Company to, among other things, continue accepting limited applications for (1) certain private placement variable annuities until mid-2012, and (2) new employees of corporate-owned life insurance (“COLI”) customers. Subject to these and other existing obligations, the Company has ceased writing all other COLI new business effective January 31, 2012 and all other individual life and annuities new business effective December 30, 2011.

The decision to stop selling variable annuity and individual life products in the U.S. will not impact existing customers and their policies. The Company will continue to provide quality service to its policyholders, while focusing on the profitability, capital efficiency and risk management of its in-force business. The Company will continue to earn revenue and to provide policyholder benefits on its in-force business.

Of the one-time restructuring costs on a pre-tax basis associated with the discontinuation of these products lines in the U.S., $12.7 million was allocated to the Company. The restructuring costs related primarily to employee severance and other employee benefits, which are expected to be paid in the form of future cash expenditures, as well as other costs.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for stock life insurance companies.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, the Company directly or indirectly owned all of the outstanding shares of SLNY, which issues individual fixed and variable annuity contracts, group life, group disability, group dental and stop loss insurance, and individual life insurance in New York; Independence Life and Annuity Company (“ILAC”), a Rhode Island life insurance company that sold variable and whole life insurance products; Clarendon Insurance Agency, Inc., a registered broker-dealer; SLF Private Placement Investment Company I, LLC; 7101 France Avenue Manager, LLC; Sun MetroNorth, LLC; SLNY Private Placement Investment Company I, LLC; and SL Investment DELRE Holdings 2009-1, LLC.

The Company's consolidated financial statements also include a variable interest entity (“VIE”) that the Company is required to consolidate. Refer to Note 4 for further information about VIEs.

All inter-company transactions and balances between the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

INVESTMENTS

Fixed Maturity Securities

The Company accounts for its investments in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320. At the time of purchase, fixed maturity securities are classified as either trading or available-for-sale. Securities, for which the Company has elected to measure at fair value under FASB ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments,” are classified as trading securities. Although classified as trading securities, the Company's intent is to not sell these securities in the near term. Trading securities are carried at aggregate fair value with changes in market value reported as a component of net investment income. Securities that do not meet the trading criterion are classified as available-for-sale. Included with fixed maturity securities are forward purchase commitments on mortgage backed securities, better known as To Be Announced (“TBA”) securities. The Company records TBA purchases on the trade date and the corresponding payable is recorded as an outstanding liability in payable for investments purchased until the settlement date of the transaction. Available-for-sale securities that are not considered other-than-temporarily impaired are carried at fair value with the unrealized gains or losses reported in other comprehensive income.

The Company determines the fair value of its publicly-traded fixed maturity securities using three primary pricing methods: third-party pricing services, non-binding broker quotes and pricing models. Prices are first sought from third party pricing services; the remaining unpriced securities are priced using one of the remaining two methods. Third-party pricing services derive the security prices through recently reported trades for identical or similar securities with adjustments for trading volumes and market observable information through the reporting date. In the event that there are no recent market trades, pricing services and brokers may use pricing models to develop a security price based on future expected cash flows discounted at an estimated market rate using collateral performance and vintages. The Company generally does not adjust quotes or prices obtained from brokers or pricing services.

Structured securities, such as asset-backed securities (“ABS”) including collateralized debt obligations, residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) are priced using a fair value model or independent broker quotations. CMBS securities are priced using the last sale price of the day or a broker quote, if no sales were transacted that day. Typical inputs used by these three pricing methods include, but are not limited to, reported trades, benchmark yields, issuer spreads, bids and/or estimated cash flows and prepayment speeds. In addition, estimates of expected future prepayments are factors in determining the price of ABS, RMBS and CMBS. These estimates are based on the underlying collateral and structure of the security, as well as prepayment speeds previously experienced in the market at interest rate levels projected for the underlying collateral. Actual prepayment experience may vary from these estimates.

For privately-placed fixed maturity securities, fair values are determined using a discounted cash flow model which includes estimates that take into account credit spreads for publicly-traded securities of similar credit risk, maturity, prepayment and liquidity characteristics. A portion of privately-placed fixed maturity securities also are priced using market prices or broker quotes. The fair values of mortgages are estimated by discounting future cash flows using current rates at which similar loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for the same remaining maturities.

The Company's ability to liquidate positions in privately-placed fixed securities and mortgages could be impacted to a significant degree by the lack of an actively traded market. Although the Company believes that its estimates reasonably reflect the fair value of those instruments, its key assumptions about risk-free interest rates, risk premiums, performance of underlying collateral (if any) and other factors may not reflect those of an active market.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

INVESTMENTS (continued)

Fixed Maturity Securities (continued)

The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount at which the instrument could be exchanged in a current transaction between knowledgeable, unrelated willing parties using inputs, including estimates and assumptions, a market participant would utilize. The Company performs a monthly analysis on the prices received from third parties to assess if the prices represent a reasonable estimate of the fair value. In addition, on the quarterly basis, the Company performs quantitative and qualitative analysis that includes back testing of recent trades, review of key assumptions such as spreads, duration, and credit rating, and on-going review of third-party pricing services' methodologies. The Company performs further testing on those securities whose prices do not fall within a pre-established tolerance range. This testing includes looking at specific market events that may affect pricing or obtaining additional information or new prices from the third-party pricing service. Additionally, the Company makes a selection of securities from its portfolio and compares the price received from its third-party pricing services to an independent source, creates option adjusted spreads or obtains additional broker quotes to corroborate the current market price. Historically, the Company has found no material variances between the prices received from third-party pricing sources and the results of its own testing.

Please refer to Note 5 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's fair value measurements.

As required by FASB ASC Topic 320, the Company recognizes an OTTI loss and records a charge to earnings for the full amount of the impairment based on the difference between the amortized cost and fair value of the security, if the Company intends to sell, or if it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell, the impaired security prior to recovery of its cost basis. Otherwise, losses on securities which are other-than-temporarily impaired are separated into two categories: credit loss and non-credit loss. The credit loss portion is charged to the consolidated statements of operations, while the non-credit loss is charged to other comprehensive income. When an unrealized loss on a fixed maturity is considered temporary, the Company continues to record the unrealized loss in other comprehensive income and not in earnings.

Structured securities, typically those rated single A or below, are subject to certain provisions in FASB ASC Topic 325, “Investments–Other.” These provisions require the Company to periodically update its best estimate of cash flows over the life of the security. In the event that fair value is less than the carrying amount and there has been an adverse change in the expected cash flows, then an impairment charge, based on the difference between amortized cost and the present value of the expected cash flows discounted at the current effective rate, is recorded to income.

Please refer to Note 4 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's recognition and disclosure of OTTI loss.

The Company discontinues the accrual of income on its holdings for issuers that are in default. The Company's net investment income would have increased by $2.1 million and $4.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, if these holdings were performing. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the fair market value of holdings for issuers in default was $19.6 million and $53.9 million, respectively.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)

Mortgage Loans and Real Estate

Mortgage loans are stated at unpaid principal balances, net of provisions for estimated losses. Mortgage loans acquired at a premium or discount are carried at amortized cost using the effective interest rate method, net of provisions for estimated losses. Purchases and sales of mortgage loans are recognized or derecognized in the Company's balance sheet on the loans' trade dates, which are the dates that the Company commits to purchase or sell the loan. Transaction costs on mortgage loans are capitalized on initial recognition and are recognized in the Company's statement of operations using the effective interest method. Mortgage loans, which primarily include commercial first mortgages, are diversified by property type and geographic area throughout the United States. Mortgage loans are collateralized by the related properties and generally are no more than 75% of the property's value at the time that the original loan is made. The Company regularly assesses the value of the collateral.

A mortgage loan is considered impaired when it is probable that the principal or interest is not collectible in accordance with the contractual terms of the loan. When a mortgage loan is classified as impaired, allowances for credit losses are established to adjust the carrying value of the loan to its net recoverable amount. The allowance for credit losses are estimated using the present value of expected cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate or the fair value of the collateral, if the loan is collateral dependent. A specific allowance for loan loss is established for an impaired loan if the present value of expected cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate, or the fair value of the collateral less cost to sell, is less than the recorded amount of the loan. The full extent of impairment in the mortgage portfolio cannot be assessed solely by reviewing these loans individually. A general allowance for loan loss is established based on an assessment of past loss experience on groups of loans with similar characteristics and current economic conditions. While management believes that it uses the best information available to establish the loan loss allowances, future adjustments may become necessary if economic conditions differ from the assumptions used in calculating them.

Interest income is recognized on impaired mortgage loans when the collection of contractually specified future cash flows is probable, in which case cash receipts are recorded in accordance with the effective interest rate method. Interest income is not recognized on impaired mortgage loans and these mortgage loans are placed on non-accrual status when the collection of contractually specified future cash flows is not probable, in which case cash receipts are applied, firstly against the carrying value of the loan, then against the provision, and then to income. The accrual of interest resumes when the collection of contractually specified future cash flows becomes probable based on certain facts and circumstances.

Changes in allowances for losses and write-off of specific mortgages are recorded as net realized gain or loss in the Company's statements of operations. Once the conditions causing impairment improve and future payments are reasonably assured, allowances are reduced and the mortgages are no longer classified as impaired. However, the mortgage loan continues to be classified as impaired if the original terms of the contract have been restructured, resulting in the Company providing an economic concession to the borrower.

If the conditions causing impairment do not improve and future payments remain unassured, the Company typically derecognizes the asset through disposition or foreclosure. Uncollectible collateral-dependent loans are written off through allowances for losses at the time of disposition or foreclosure.

Real estate investments are held for the production of income or are held for sale. Real estate investments held for the production of income are carried at depreciated cost. Depreciation of buildings and improvements is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the asset. Real estate investments held for sale are primarily acquired through foreclosure of mortgage loans for which the carrying amount is established as the fair value less cost to sell at the foreclosure date. Real estate investments held- for-sale are measured at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. Real estate investments are diversified by property type and geographic area throughout the United States.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)

Derivative instruments

The Company uses derivative financial instruments including swaps, swaptions, options and futures as a means of hedging exposure to interest rate, currency and equity price risk. Derivatives are carried at fair value and changes in fair value are recorded as a component of derivative income or loss.

Policy loans and other

Policy loans are carried at the amount of outstanding principal balance. Policy loans are collateralized by the related insurance policy and do not exceed the net cash surrender value of such policy.

Investments in private equity limited partnerships are accounted for by the equity method of accounting.

Realized gains and losses

Realized gains and losses on the sales of investments are recognized in operations at the date of sale and are determined using the average cost method. Changes in the provision for estimated losses on mortgage loans and real estate are included in net realized investment gains and losses.

Investment income

Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Investments are placed in a non-accrual status when management believes that the borrower's financial position, after giving consideration to economic and business conditions and collection efforts, is such that collection of principal and interest is doubtful. When an investment is placed in non-accrual status, all interest accrued is reversed against current period interest income. Interest accruals are resumed on such investments only when the investments have performed on a sustained basis for a reasonable period of time and when, in the judgment of management, the investments are estimated to be fully collectible as to both principal and interest.

The Company manages assets related to certain funds-withheld reinsurance agreements. These assets are primarily comprised of fixed maturity securities, mortgage loans, policy loans, equity securities, derivative instruments, related accrued income and cash and cash equivalents and are accounted for consistent with the policies described above. Investment income on assets within funds-withheld reinsurance portfolios is included as a component of net investment income in the Company's consolidated statements of operations.

Please refer to Note 7 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's net investment income.

DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND SALES INDUCMENT ASSET

Acquisition costs consist of commissions, underwriting and other costs that vary with and are primarily related to the production of new business. Acquisition costs related to deposit-type contracts, primarily deferred annuity, universal life (“UL”) and guaranteed investment contracts (“GICs”) are deferred and amortized with interest based on the proportion of actual gross profits to the present value of all estimated gross profits to be realized over the estimated lives of the contracts. Estimated gross profits are composed of net investment income, net realized and unrealized investment gains and losses, life and variable annuity fees, surrender charges, interest credited, policyholder benefits and direct variable administrative expenses.

SIA represents amounts that are credited to policyholder account balances related to the enhanced or bonus crediting rates that the Company offers on certain of its annuity products. The costs associated with offering the enhanced or bonus crediting rates are capitalized and amortized over the expected life of the related contracts in proportion to the estimated gross profits.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND SALES INDUCMENT ASSET (CONTINUED)

Estimating future gross profit is a complex process requiring considerable judgment and the forecasting of events into the future based on historical information and actuarial assumptions. These assumptions are subject to an annual review process and are updated on a more frequent basis if required. Changes in any of the assumptions that serve to increase or decrease the estimated future gross profits will cause the amortization of DAC to decrease or increase, respectively, in the current period. Assumptions affecting the computation of estimated future gross profits include, but are not limited to, recent investment and policyholder experience, expectations of future performance and policyholder behavior, changes in interest rates, capital market growth rates, and account maintenance expense.

DAC amortization is reviewed regularly and adjusted retrospectively through the current period operations when the Company calculates the actual profits or losses and revises its estimate of future gross profits to be realized from deposit-type contracts, including realized and unrealized gains and losses from investments. The Company also tests its DAC asset and SIA for loss recognition on a quarterly basis. The test is performed by comparing the GAAP liability, net of DAC and SIA, to the present value of future expected gross profits or gross premium reserves. The Company's DAC asset and SIA at December 31, 2011 and 2010 failed the loss recognition test for certain annuity products and the Company, therefore, wrote down DAC asset and the SIA by $21.0 million and $126.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Please refer to Note 13 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for the Company's DAC asset and SIA roll-forward.

The DAC asset under GAAP cannot exceed accumulated deferrals, plus interest. At December 31, 2009, the Company reached the cap for its DAC asset and SIA related to certain fixed and fixed index annuity products and reported the DAC asset for these products at historical accumulated deferrals with interest. At December 31, 2010, the Company's SIA related to certain fixed and fixed index annuity remained at historical accumulated deferral with interest. However, the Company's DAC related to certain fixed annuities was below the cap and regular amortization was recorded during the year. At December 31, 2011, the Company's DAC asset and SIA were below the cap and regular amortization was recorded during the year.

Although recovery of DAC and the SIA is not assured, the Company believes it is more likely than not that all of these costs will be recovered from future profits. The amount of DAC and SIA considered recoverable could be reduced in the near term, however, if the future estimates of gross profits are reduced.

VALUE OF BUSINESS AND CUSTOMER RENEWALS ACQUIRED

VOBA represents the actuarially determined present value of projected future gross profits from the Keyport Life Insurance Company (“Keyport”) in-force policies on November 1, 2001, the date of the Company's acquisition of Keyport. Prior to December 31, 2009, the Company's VOBA also included the present value of projected future gross profits from the in-force policies that were transferred to SLNY, based on a series of agreements between SLNY and Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (“SLHIC”), an affiliate, (the “SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer”). VOBA related to Keyport is amortized in proportion to the projected emergence of profits over the estimated life of the purchased block of business; VOBA related to the SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer was amortized in proportion to the projected premium income over the period to the first renewal of the transferred business. As of December 31, 2009, VOBA related to the SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer was fully amortized.

VOCRA represents a portion of the assets that were transferred to SLNY under the SLHIC to SLNY asset transfer. VOCRA is the actuarially determined present value of projected future profits arising from the existing in-force business at May 31, 2007 to the next policy renewal date. This amount is amortized in proportion to the projected premium income over the period from the first renewal date to the end of the projected life of the policies. The Company tests its VOCRA asset for impairment on an annual basis. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company determined that its VOCRA asset was impaired and recorded an impairment charge of $2.6 million. Please refer to Note 14 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for the Company's combined VOBA and VOCRA roll-forward.

Although recovery of VOBA is not assured, the Company believes it is more likely than not that all of these costs will be recovered from future profits. The amount of VOBA and VOCRA considered recoverable could be reduced in the near term, however, if the future estimates of gross profits are reduced.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

OTHER ASSETS

The Company's other assets are comprised primarily of receivables from affiliates, outstanding premiums and intangible assets. Intangible assets consist of state insurance licenses that are not subject to amortization and the value of distribution. The value of distribution represents the present value of projected future profits arising from sales of new business by brokers with whom SLHIC had an existing distribution relationship contract. This amount is amortized on a straight-line basis over 25 years, representing the period over which the Company expects to earn premiums from new sales stemming from the added distribution capacity.

Prior to December 31, 2009, the Company's other asset also included property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized software costs. As described in Note 3, effective December 31, 2009, the Company transferred certain property, equipment, leasehold improvements and capitalized software costs to Sun Life Financial (U.S.) Services Company, Inc. (“Sun Life Services”), an affiliate. Depreciation and amortization expenses related to these assets were $1.3 million for year ended December 31, 2009.

POLICY LIABILITIES AND ACCRUALS

Future contract and policy benefit liabilities include amounts reserved for future policy benefits payable upon contingent events, as well as liabilities for unpaid claims due as of the statement date. Such liabilities are established in amounts adequate to meet the estimated future obligations of in-force policies.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

POLICY LIABILITIES AND ACCRUALS (continued)

Policy reserves for annuity contracts include liabilities held for group pension and payout annuity payments and liabilities held for product guarantees on variable annuity products, such as guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”). Reserves for pension and payout annuity contracts are calculated using the best-estimate interest and decrement assumptions. The Company periodically reviews its policies for loss recognition based upon management's best estimates. During the year ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded $49.3 million and $29.2 million, respectively, of adjustments to reserves related to loss recognition.

Reserves for GMDB and guaranteed minimum income benefits (“GMIB”) are calculated according to the methodology prescribed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) which is included in FASB ASC Topic 944 “Financial Services- Insurance,” whereby the expected benefits provided by the guarantees are spread over the duration of the contract in proportion to the benefit assessments.

Policy reserves for UL contracts are held for benefit coverages that are not fully provided for in the policy account value. These include rider coverages, conversions from group policies, and benefits provided under market conduct settlements.

Policy reserves for group life and health contracts are calculated using standard actuarial methods recognized by the American Academy of Actuaries. For the tabular reserves, discount rates are based on the Company's earned investment yield and the morbidity and mortality tables used are standard industry tables modified to reflect the Company's actual experience when appropriate. In particular, for the Company's group reported claim reserves and the mortality and morbidity tables for the early durations of claims are based exclusively on the Company's experience, incorporating factors such as age at disability, sex and elimination period. These reserves are computed at amounts that, with interest compounded annually at assumed rates, are expected to meet the Company's future obligations.

Liabilities for unpaid claims consist of the estimated amount payable for claims reported but not yet settled and an estimate of claims incurred but not reported. The amount reported is based upon historical experience, adjusted for trends and current circumstances. Management believes that the recorded liability is sufficient to provide for the associated claims adjustment expenses. Revisions of these estimates are included in operations in the year such refinements are made.

Contractholder deposit funds consist of policy values that accrue to the holders of UL-type contracts and investment-related products such as deferred annuities, single premium whole life (“SPWL”) policies, GICs and funding agreements. The liabilities consist of deposits received plus interest credited, less accumulated policyholder charges, assessments, partial withdrawals and surrenders. The liabilities are not reduced by surrender charges.

INCOME TAXES

The Company accounts for current and deferred income taxes and recognizes reserves for income tax contingencies in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.”

Under the applicable asset and liability method for recording deferred income taxes, deferred taxes are recognized when assets and liabilities have different values for financial statement and tax reporting purposes, using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances on deferred tax assets are estimated based upon the Company's assessment of the realizability of such amounts. Please refer to Note 10 of the Company's consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the Company's income taxes.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

REVENUE AND EXPENSES

Premiums for traditional individual life products are considered earned revenue when due. Premiums related to group life, group stop loss, group dental and group disability insurance are recognized as earned revenue pro-rata over the contract period. The unexpired portion of these premiums is recorded as unearned premiums. Revenue from UL-type products and investment-related products includes charges for the cost of insurance (mortality), initiation and administration of the policy, and surrender charges. Revenue is recognized when the charges are assessed except that any portion of an assessment that relates to services to be provided in future years is deferred and recognized over the period during which the services are provided.

Benefits and expenses related to traditional life, annuity and disability contracts, including group policies, are recognized when incurred in a manner designed to match them with related premium revenue and to spread income recognition over the expected life of the policy. For UL-type and investment-type contracts, expenses include interest credited to policyholders' accounts and death benefits in excess of account values, which are recognized as incurred.

Fees from investment advisory services are recognized as revenues when the services are provided.

SEPARATE ACCOUNTS

The Company has established separate accounts applicable to various classes of contracts providing variable benefits. Contracts for which funds are invested in separate accounts include variable life insurance and individual and group qualified and non-qualified variable annuity contracts. Investment income and changes in mutual fund asset values are allocated to policyholders and therefore do not affect the operating results of the Company. Assets held in the separate accounts are carried at fair value and the investment risk of such securities is retained by the contractholder. The Company earns separate account fees for providing administrative services and bearing the mortality risks related to these contracts. The activity of the separate accounts is not reflected in the consolidated financial statements except for the following:

 The fees that the Company receives, which are assessed periodically and recognized as revenue when assessed; and

The activity related to the GMDB, GMIB, guaranteed minimum accumulation benefit (“GMAB”) and guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (“GMWB”), which is reflected in the Company's consolidated financial statements.
The dividends-received-deduction (“DRD”) which is included in the Company's income tax (benefit) expense, is calculated based upon the separate account assets held in connection with variable annuity contracts.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In April 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2011-02, “Receivables (Topic 310): A Creditor's Determination of Whether a Restructuring Is a Troubled Debt Restructuring,” which clarifies when a loan modification or restructuring is considered a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”). In evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a TDR a creditor must use judgment to determine whether the following exist:

1. The borrower is experiencing financial difficulties, and

2. The lender has granted a concession to the borrower.

ASU 2011-02 amends FASB ASC Topic 310 “Receivables,” to include financial difficulty indicators (such as debtor default, debtor bankruptcy or concerns about the future as a going concern) that the lender should consider in determining whether a borrower is experiencing financial difficulties. The amendments also clarify that a borrower could be experiencing financial difficulties even though the borrower is not currently in payment default but default is probable in the foreseeable future.

ASU 2011-02 provides guidance on whether the lender has granted a concession to the borrower and notes that:

 A borrower's inability to access funds at a market rate for a new loan with similar risk characteristics as the modified loan indicates that the modification was executed at a below-market rate and therefore may indicate that a concession was granted.

 A temporary or permanent increase in the contractual interest rate as a result of restructuring does not preclude the restructuring from being considered a concession because the rate may still be below market.

 A restructuring that results in an insignificant delay in contractual cash flow is not considered to be a concession.

The amendments in ASU 2011-02 are effective for the first interim or annual period beginning on or after June 15, 2011. These amendments are to be applied retrospectively to modifications occurring on or after the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The Company adopted ASU 2011-2 on July 1, 2011 and the TDR disclosure requirements are included in Note 4 of these consolidated financial statements.

In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force).” The amendments of ASU 2010-29 provide guidance to clarify the acquisition date that should be used for reporting the pro forma financial information disclosures when comparative financial statements are presented. ASU 2010-29 requires a public entity that presents comparative financial statements to disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as if the business combination that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The amendments also require the supplemental proforma disclosure to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments that are directly related to the business combination. The Company adopted ASU 2010-29 on January 1, 2011 and will apply this guidance to future business combinations.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED)

New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements (Continued)

In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-28 “Intangibles–Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force).” The amendments of ASU 2010-28 require reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts to perform Step 2 of goodwill impairment test if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists and to consider adverse qualitative factors when performing the impairment test. The Company adopted ASU 2010-28 on January 1, 2011, and the adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In July 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-20, “Receivables (Topic 310): Disclosure about the Credit Quality of Financing Receivables and the Allowance for Credit Losses,” which amends FASB ASC Topic 310 to enhance disclosures and to provide financial statement users with greater transparency about an entity's allowance for credit losses and the credit quality of its financing receivables. The amendments require an entity to provide a greater level of disaggregated information about the credit quality of the entity's financing receivables and allowance for credit losses. ASU 2010-20 also requires an entity to disclose credit quality indicators, the aging of past due information and the modification of its financing receivables. The amendments in ASU 2010-20 that relate to disclosures as of the end of a reporting period are effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending on or after December 15, 2010. However, the disclosure about activity that occurs during a reporting period are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2010. Comparative disclosures are required for reporting periods ending after initial adoption. The Company adopted ASU 2010-20 on December 31, 2010. The enhanced disclosures required by ASU 2010-20 are included in Note 4 of the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In April 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-18, “Receivables (Topic 310): Effect of a Loan Modification When the Loan Is Part of a Pool That Is Accounted for as a Single Asset–a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force,” which amends FASB ASC Topic 310. The amendments were made to eliminate diversity in practice in accounting for loans that undergo troubled debt restructuring for those loans that have been included in a pool of loans. Under ASU 2010-18, debt modifications that were made for distressed loans included in a pool of loans do not trigger the criteria needed to allow for such loans to be accounted for separately outside of the pool. Upon initial adoption, an entity may make a one-time election to terminate accounting for loans as a pool. The election may be made on a pool-by-pool basis and does not prevent the entity from using pool accounting for loans that will be acquired in the future. The amendments in ASU 2010-18 are effective for the first fiscal quarter ending on or after July 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2010-18 on September 30, 2010 and such adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In April 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-15, “Financial Services–Insurance (Topic 944): How Investments Held through Separate Accounts Affect an Insurer's Consolidation Analysis of Those Investments–a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force,” to provide guidance regarding accounting for investment funds determined to be VIEs. Under this guidance, an insurance entity would not be required to consolidate a voting-interest investment fund when it holds the majority of the voting interests of the fund through its separate accounts. In addition, an insurance entity would not consider the interests held through separate accounts for the benefit of policyholders in the insurer's evaluation of its controlling interest in a VIE, unless the separate account contract holder is a related party. The guidance is effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company adopted ASU 2010-15 on January 1, 2011 and the adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED)

New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements (Continued)

In March 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-11, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Scope Exception Related to Embedded Credit Derivatives,” which provides amendments to FASB ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging,” to clarify the embedded credit derivative scope exception included therein. The amendments address how to determine which embedded credit derivative features are considered to be embedded derivatives that should not be analyzed for potential bifurcation and separate accounting under ASC Topic 815. Under ASU 2010-11, only the embedded credit derivative feature created by subordination between financial instruments is not subject to the bifurcation requirements of ASC Topic 815. However, other embedded credit derivative features would be subject to analysis for potential bifurcation even if their effects are allocated to interests in tranches of securitized financial instruments in accordance with those subordination provisions. The following circumstances would not qualify for the scope exception and are subject to the application of ASC Topic 815 requiring the embedded derivatives to be analyzed for potential bifurcation:

An embedded derivative feature relating to another type of risk (including another type of credit risk) is present in the securitized financial instrument.
The holder of an interest in a tranche of securitized financial instruments is exposed to the possibility of being required to make potential future payments because the possibility of those future payments is not created by subordination.
The holder owns an interest in a single-tranche securitization vehicle; therefore, the subordination of one tranche to another is not relevant.

The amendments in ASU 2010-11 are effective for the first fiscal quarter beginning after June 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2010-11 on July 1, 2010 and such adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In February 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-09, “Subsequent Events (Topic 855): Amendments to Certain Recognition and Disclosure Requirements” which removes the requirement for U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filers to disclose the date through which subsequent events have been evaluated. ASU No. 2010-09 is effective upon issuance. Events that have occurred subsequent to December 31, 2011 have been evaluated by the Company's management in accordance with ASU 2010-09.

In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-06, “Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures (Topic 820): Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements,” which provides amendments to FASB ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” to provide more robust disclosures about the following:

The different classes of assets and liabilities measured at fair value;

The valuation techniques and inputs used;
The transfers between Levels 1, 2, and 3; and
The activity in Level 3 fair value measurements.

Certain new disclosures and clarifications of existing disclosures are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2009. Disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances and settlements in the roll-forward of activities in Level 3 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company adopted ASU 2010-06 on January 1, 2010. The enhanced disclosures required by ASU 2010-06 for the periods beginning after December 31, 2009 are included in Note 5 of the Company's consolidated financial statements.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED)

New and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements (continued)

On January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 860, “Transfers and Servicing,” which were issued in June 2009. These provisions amend and expand disclosures about the relevance, representational faithfulness and comparability of the information that a reporting entity provides in its financial statements about a transfer of financial assets; the effects of a transfer on its financial position, financial performance, and cash flows; and a transferor's continuing involvement in transferred financial assets. FASB ASC Topic 860 amends previously issued derecognition accounting and disclosure guidance and eliminates the exemption from consolidation for qualifying special purpose entities (“QSPEs”); it also requires a transferor to evaluate all existing QSPEs to determine whether they must be consolidated in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 860. This guidance is effective for financial asset transfers occurring in fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

On January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 810, “Consolidation,” which were issued in June 2009. This guidance amends previously issued consolidation guidance which affects all entities currently within the scope of FASB ASC Topic 810, including QSPEs, as the concept of these entities was eliminated by FASB ASC Topic 860. This guidance is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

The Company adopted the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 320, which were issued in April 2009. This guidance amends the guidance for OTTI of debt securities and changes the presentation of OTTI in the financial statements. If the Company intends to sell, or if it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell, an impaired security prior to recovery of its cost basis, the security is to be considered other-than-temporarily impaired and the full amount of impairment must be charged to earnings. Otherwise, losses on securities which are other-than-temporarily impaired are separated into two categories, the portion of loss which is considered credit loss (“credit loss”) and the portion of loss which is due to other factors (“non-credit loss”). The credit loss portion is charged to earnings, while the non-credit loss is charged to other comprehensive income. When an unrealized loss on a fixed maturity is considered temporary, the Company continues to record the unrealized loss in other comprehensive income and not in earnings. This guidance also expands and increases the frequency of existing disclosures about OTTI of debt and equity securities. The Company adopted the above-noted aspects of FASB ASC Topic 320 on April 1, 2009. Upon adoption, a cumulative effect adjustment, net of taxes, of $9.1 million was recorded to decrease accumulated other comprehensive income with a corresponding increase to retained earnings (accumulated deficit) for the non-credit component of previously impaired securities that the Company neither intends to sell, nor is it more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell, before recovery of amortized cost. The enhanced disclosures required by FASB ASC Topic 320 are included in Note 4 of the Company's consolidated financial statements.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED)

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05,” which allows for the deferral of certain presentation requirements about reclassifications of items out of accumulated other income originally included in ASU 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” The amendments are being made to allow FASB time to reconsider it requirements of entities to present on the face of their financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the components of net income and other comprehensive income for all periods presented. The amendments are effective at the same time as the amendments in ASU 2011-05 so that entities will not be required to comply with the presentation requirements in ASU 2011-05 that ASU 2011-12 is deferring. All other requirements in ASU 2011-05 are not affected by ASU 2011-12, including the requirement to report comprehensive income either in a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. The amendments in ASU 2011-12 are effective for public entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-12 on March 31, 2012 and does not expect its requirements to significantly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11, “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities,” which requires an entity to disclose information about offsetting assets and liabilities and related arrangements included in its financial statements. Offsetting (netting) assets and liabilities is an important aspect of presentation in financial statements. The differences in the offsetting requirements in GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) account for a significant difference in the amounts presented in statements of financial position prepared in accordance with GAAP and in the amounts presented in those statements prepared in accordance with IFRS for certain institutions. This difference reduces the comparability of statements of financial position. As a result, users of financial statements requested that the differences should be addressed expeditiously. In response to those requests, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board are issuing joint requirements that will enhance current disclosures. Entities are required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. This scope would include derivatives, sale and repurchase agreements and reverse sale and repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending arrangements. The objective of this disclosure is to facilitate comparison between those entities that prepare their financial statements on the basis of GAAP and those entities that prepare their financial statements on the basis of IFRS. The amendments in ASU 2011-11 are effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2012. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-11 on March 31, 2013 and is accessing the impact of this adoption.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income,” which revises the manner in which entities present comprehensive income in their financial statements. The amendments in ASU 2011-05 require entities to present components of comprehensive income in either a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. Under the two-statement approach, the first statement (i.e., the statement of net income) must present total net income and its components followed consecutively by the statement of comprehensive income which should include total other comprehensive income and its components. Under either method, entities must display adjustments for items that are classified from other comprehensive income to net income in both statements of net income and comprehensive income. ASU 2011-05 does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The amendments in ASU 2011-05 are effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-05 on March 31, 2012 and does not expect its requirements to significantly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (CONTINUED)

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted (continued)

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in GAAP and IFRSs,” which changes the wording used to describe many of the requirements in GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. Some of the amendments clarify the FASB's intent about the application of existing fair value measurement requirements, while other amendments change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. Many of the requirements in this update are not meant to result in a change in application of the requirements of FASB ASC Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurement,” but to improve upon an entity's consistency in application across jurisdictions to ensure that GAAP and IFRS fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are described in the same way. The amendments in ASU 2011-04 are effective, on a retrospective basis, for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2011-04 on January 1, 2012 and does not expect its requirements to significantly impact the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In October 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-26, “Financial Services–Insurance (Topic 944): Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force),” which amends FASB ASC Topic 944, “Financial Services–Insurance,” to modify the definition of the types of costs incurred by insurance entities that can be capitalized in the acquisition of new and renewal contracts. The amendments specify that only incremental costs of successful contract acquisition that result directly from and are essential to the contract transactions can be capitalized as deferred acquisition costs. The incremental direct costs are those costs that would not have been incurred by the insurance entity if the contract transactions did not occur. The amendments in ASU 2010-26 are effective for interim periods and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt ASU 2010-20 on January 1, 2012 and does not expect the adoption of ASU 2010-20 to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

BASIS OF PRESENTATION (CONTINUED)

On December 30, 2009, Sun Life Vermont, which was a subsidiary of the Company at the time, paid a $100.0 million cash dividend to the Company. On December 31, 2009, the Company paid a dividend of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Sun Life Vermont to the Parent. As a result of this transaction, Sun Life Vermont is no longer the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary. At December 31, 2009, Sun Life Vermont's total assets and liabilities were $2,658.1 million and $2,563.2 million, respectively. Sun Life Vermont's net income for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $105.0 million. As a result of this dividend transaction, the net income and changes in cash flows from the operating activities of Sun Life Vermont for the year ended December 31, 2009 are presented as discontinued operations in these consolidated financial statements.

USE OF ESTIMATES

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant estimates are those used in determining the fair value of financial instruments, goodwill, deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) including sales inducement asset (“SIA”), value of business acquired (“VOBA”), value of customer renewals acquired (“VOCRA”), liabilities for future contract and policyholder benefits, unearned revenue reserves, accruals, other-than-temporary impairments of investments, allowance for loan loss, valuation allowance on deferred tax assets and provision for income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

OUT-OF-PERIOD ADJUSTMENTS

During the year ended December 31, 2011, upon settlement of certain note obligations, the Company recognized $35.4 million of adjustments to contract liabilities that were not previously recorded. These adjustments should have been recorded during prior years. Prior periods have not been adjusted as the previously unrecognized amounts were not deemed to be material under Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 99, “Materiality,” and SAB No. 108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in the Current Year Financial Statements.”

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

In the normal course of business, the Company enters into transactions involving various types of financial instruments, including cash equivalents, short-term investments, fixed maturity securities, mortgage loans, equity securities, derivative financial instruments, debt, loan commitments and financial guarantees. These instruments involve credit risk and also may be subject to risk of loss due to interest rate fluctuation. The Company evaluates and monitors each financial instrument individually and, when appropriate, obtains collateral or other security to minimize losses.

CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are highly liquid securities. The Company's cash equivalents primarily include cash, commercial paper and money market investments which have an original term to maturity of less than three months. Short-term investments include debt instruments with a term to maturity exceeding three months, but less than one year on the date of acquisition. Cash equivalents and short-term investments are held at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.