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Recent Accounting Pronouncements
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Change in Accounting Principle and Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]  
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
4. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
     In October 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update 2010-26, Financial Services — Insurance (ASC Topic 944): Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts (“ASU 2010-26”), which clarifies what costs relating to the acquisition of new or renewal insurance contracts qualify for deferral. Costs that should be capitalized include (1) incremental direct costs of successful contract acquisition and (2) certain costs related directly to successful acquisition activities (underwriting, policy issuance and processing, medical and inspection, and sales force contract selling) performed by the insurer for the contract. Advertising costs should be included in deferred acquisition costs only if the capitalization criteria in the U.S. GAAP direct-response advertising guidance are met. All other acquisition-related costs should be charged to expense as incurred. The provisions of ASU 2010-26 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and should be applied prospectively. Retrospective application is permitted, and early adoption is permitted at the beginning of an entity’s annual reporting period. The Company is currently in the process of determining the impact of adoption of the provisions of ASU 2010-26.
     During the first quarter of 2010, the Company adopted ASC Update 2010-06, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures: Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2010-06”). ASU 2010-06 amends ASC Subtopic 820-10 to require new disclosures around the transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 and around activity in Level 3 fair value measurements. Such guidance also provides amendments to ASC 820 which clarifies existing disclosures on the level of disaggregation, inputs and valuation techniques. Certain disclosures about purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements relating to Level 3 measurements are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company implemented these additional disclosure items in the first quarter of 2011.
     On May 12, 2011, the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and the FASB issued IFRS 13, Fair Value Measurement, and FASB ASU No. 2011-04, Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs, respectively, to provide largely identical guidance about fair value measurement and disclosure requirements. Issuing these standards completes a major project of the Boards’ joint work to improve and converge IFRS and U.S. GAAP. The new standards do not extend the use of fair value but, rather, provide guidance about how fair value should be applied where it already is required or permitted under IFRS or U.S. GAAP. For U.S. GAAP, most of the changes are clarifications of existing guidance or wording changes to align with IFRS 13. A public entity is required to apply the ASU prospectively for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is not permitted for a public entity. The Company is currently in the process of determining the impact of adoption of the provisions of ASU 2011-04.
     In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05 Presentation of Comprehensive Income. This ASU eliminates the option in U.S. GAAP to present other comprehensive income in the statement of changes in equity. For a public entity, the ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently in the process of determining the impact of adoption of the provisions of ASU 2011-05.