Derivative Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Derivative Instruments

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

Types of Derivative Instruments and Derivative Strategies

Interest Rate Contracts

Interest rate swaps are used by the Company to reduce risks from changes in interest rates, manage interest rate exposures arising from mismatches between assets and liabilities (including duration mismatches) and to hedge against changes in the value of assets it owns or anticipates acquiring or selling. Swaps may be attributed to specific assets or liabilities or may be used on a portfolio basis. Under interest rate swaps, the Company agrees with counterparties to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed-rate and floating-rate interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed upon notional principal amount.

Equity Contracts

Equity index options are contracts which will settle in cash based on differentials in the underlying indices at the time of exercise and the strike price. The Company uses combinations of purchases and sales of equity index options to hedge the effects of adverse changes in equity indices within a predetermined range.

Total return swaps are contracts whereby the Company agrees with counterparties to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between the return on an asset (or market index) and LIBOR plus an associated funding spread based on a notional amount. The Company generally uses total return swaps to hedge the effect of adverse changes in equity indices.

Foreign Exchange Contracts

Currency derivatives, including currency swaps and forwards, are used by the Company to reduce risks from changes in currency exchange rates with respect to investments denominated in foreign currencies that the Company either holds or intends to acquire or sell.

Under currency forwards, the Company agrees with counterparties to deliver a specified amount of an identified currency at a specified future date. Typically, the price is agreed upon at the time of the contract and payment for such a contract is made at the specified future date. The Company executes forward sales of the hedged currency in exchange for U.S. dollars at a specified exchange rate. The maturities of these forwards correspond with the future periods in which the non-U.S. dollar-denominated earnings are expected to be generated. These earnings hedges do not qualify for hedge accounting.

Under currency swaps, the Company agrees with counterparties to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between one currency and another at an exchange rate and calculated by reference to an agreed principal amount. Generally, the principal amount of each currency is exchanged at the beginning and termination of the currency swap by each party. These transactions are entered into pursuant to master agreements that provide for a single net payment to be made by one counterparty for payments made in the same currency at each due date.

Credit Contracts

Credit derivatives are used by the Company to enhance the return on the Company’s investment portfolio by creating credit exposure similar to an investment in public fixed maturity cash instruments. With credit derivatives the Company sells credit protection on a single name reference, or certain index reference, and in return receives a quarterly premium. With credit default derivatives, this premium or credit spread generally corresponds to the difference between the yield on the referenced name’s public fixed maturity cash instruments and swap rates, at the time the agreement is executed. If there is an event of default by the referenced name, as defined by the agreement, then the Company is obligated to pay the counterparty the referenced amount of the contract and receive in return the referenced defaulted security or similar security or pay the referenced amount less the auction recovery rate. See "Credit Derivatives" below for a discussion of guarantees related to credit derivatives written. In addition to selling credit protection, the Company may purchase credit protection using credit derivatives in order to hedge specific credit exposures in the Company’s investment portfolio.

Embedded Derivatives

The Company sells variable annuity products which may include guaranteed benefit features that are accounted for as embedded derivatives. Related to these embedded derivatives, the Company has entered into reinsurance agreements to transfer the risk associated with certain benefit features to affiliates, PALAC and Prudential Insurance. See Note 1 for additional information on the change to the reinsurance agreements effective April 1, 2016.

Additionally, the Company has entered into a reinsurance agreement with Union Hamilton Reinsurance, Ltd. ("Union Hamilton"), an external counterparty. The Company also reinsures a portion of the no-lapse guarantee provision on certain universal life products to an affiliate, UPARC.

These embedded derivatives and reinsurance agreements, which are derivatives and accounted for in the same manner as the embedded derivatives, are carried at fair value and are marked to market through “Realized investment gains (losses), net” based on the change in value of the underlying contractual guarantees, which are determined using valuation models as described in Note 9.

The table below provides a summary of the gross notional amount and fair value of derivative contracts by the primary underlying, excluding embedded derivatives and associated reinsurance recoverables which are recorded with the associated host. Many derivative instruments contain multiple underlyings. The fair value amounts below represent the gross fair value of derivative contracts prior to taking into account the netting effects of master netting agreements, cash collateral held with the same counterparty, and non-performance risk.

	December 31, 2016							December 31, 2015
			Gross Fair Value							Gross Fair Value
Primary Underlying	Notional		Assets		Liabilities			Notional		Assets		Liabilities
	(in thousands)
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Currency/Interest Rate
Currency Swaps	$	435,602	$	44,040	$	(1,835	)	$	529,128	$	50,877	$	(1,385	)
Total Qualifying Hedges	$	435,602	$	44,040	$	(1,835	)	$	529,128	$	50,877	$	(1,385	)
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Interest Rate
Interest Rate Swaps	$	101,076	$	8,215	$	0		$	3,159,400	$	203,313	$	(8,605	)
Foreign Currency
Foreign Currency Forwards	13,447		216		(20		)	3,722		39		(15		)
Credit
Credit Default Swaps	3,000		0		(281		)	7,275		268		(222		)
Currency/Interest Rate
Foreign Currency Swaps	56,626		7,789		(211		)	122,425		17,079		(71		)
Equity
Total Return Swaps	0		0		0			542,294		411		(10,451		)
Equity Options	649,807		30,624		(10,507		)	25,345,369		28,668		(12,100		)
Total Non-Qualifying Hedges	$	823,956	$	46,844	$	(11,019	)	$	29,180,485	$	249,778	$	(31,464	)
Total Derivatives (1)	$	1,259,558	$	90,884	$	(12,854	)	$	29,709,613	$	300,655	$	(32,849	)

(1) Excludes embedded derivatives and related reinsurance recoverables which contain multiple underlyings.

The fair value of the embedded derivatives, included in "Future policy benefits," was a net liability of $5,041 million and $5,205 million as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The fair value of the related reinsurance recoverables, included in "Reinsurance recoverables," was an asset of $5,474 million and $4,940 million as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. Of these reinsurance recoverables, the fair value related to the living benefit guarantees was an asset of $5,041 million and $4,593 million from PALAC and Prudential Insurance, and an asset of $0 million and $7 million from Union Hamilton as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, and the fair value related to the no-lapse guarantee was an asset of $433 million and $340 million from UPARC as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. See Note 12 for additional information on these reinsurance agreements.

The fair value of the embedded derivatives, included in "Policyholders' account balances," was a net liability of $20 million and $6 million as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. There was no related reinsurance recoverable.

Offsetting Assets and Liabilities

The following table presents recognized derivative instruments (excluding embedded derivatives and associated reinsurance recoverables), and repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements that are offset in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position, and/or are subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement, irrespective of whether they are offset in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

	December 31, 2016
	Gross Amounts of Recognized Financial Instruments		Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position			Net Amounts Presented in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position		Financial Instruments/ Collateral(1)			Net Amount
	(in thousands)
Offsetting of Financial Assets:
Derivatives(1)	$	90,877	$	(13,019	)	$	77,858	$	(77,858	)	$	0
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	58,366		0			58,366		(58,366		)	0
Total Assets	$	149,243	$	(13,019	)	$	136,224	$	(136,224	)	$	0
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities:
Derivatives(1)	$	12,854	$	(12,854	)	$	0	$	0		$	0
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase	68,904		0			68,904		(68,904		)	0
Total Liabilities	$	81,758	$	(12,854	)	$	68,904	$	(68,904	)	$	0
	December 31, 2015
	Gross Amounts of Recognized Financial Instruments		Gross Amounts Offset in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position			Net Amounts Presented in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position		Financial Instruments/ Collateral(1)			Net Amount
	(in thousands)
Offsetting of Financial Assets:
Derivatives(1)	$	297,371	$	(230,554	)	$	66,817	$	(15,157	)	$	51,660
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	156,064		0			156,064		(156,064		)	0
Total Assets	$	453,435	$	(230,554	)	$	222,881	$	(171,221	)	$	51,660
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities:
Derivatives(1)	$	32,849	$	(32,849	)	$	0	$	0		$	0
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase	0		0			0		0			0
Total Liabilities	$	32,849	$	(32,849	)	$	0	$	0		$	0

(1) Amounts exclude the excess of collateral received/pledged from/to the counterparty.

For information regarding the rights of offset associated with the derivative assets and liabilities in the table above see “Credit Risk” below. For securities purchased under agreements to resell and securities sold under agreements to repurchase, the Company monitors the value of the securities and maintains collateral, as appropriate, to protect against credit exposure. Where the Company has entered into repurchase and resale agreements with the same counterparty, in the event of default, the Company would generally be permitted to exercise rights of offset. For additional information on the Company’s accounting policy for securities repurchase and resale agreements, see Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Cash Flow Hedges

The primary derivative instruments used by the Company in its cash flow hedge accounting relationships are currency swaps. These instruments are only designated for hedge accounting in instances where the appropriate criteria are met. The Company does not use futures, options, credit, equity or embedded derivatives in any of its cash flow hedge accounting relationships.

The following tables provide the financial statement classification and impact of derivatives used in qualifying and non-qualifying hedge relationships, excluding the offset of the hedged item in an effective hedge relationship:

	Year Ended December 31, 2016
	Realized Investment Gains (Losses)			Net Investment Income		Other Income			AOCI (1)
	(in thousands)
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Cash flow hedges
Currency/Interest Rate	$	0		$	4,055	$	1,638		$	(7,340	)
Total qualifying hedges	0			4,055		1,638			(7,340		)
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Interest Rate	186,419			0		0			0
Currency	1,657			0		0			0
Currency/Interest Rate	8,960			0		(15		)	0
Credit	(535		)	0		0			0
Equity	350			0		0			0
Embedded Derivatives	467,682			0		0			0
Total non-qualifying hedges	664,533			0		(15		)	0
Total	$	664,533		$	4,055	$	1,623		$	(7,340	)

	Year Ended December 31, 2015
	Realized Investment Gains (Losses)			Net Investment Income		Other Income		AOCI (1)
	(in thousands)
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Cash flow hedges
Currency/Interest Rate	$	0		$	3,297	$	1,879	$	36,686
Total qualifying hedges	0			3,297		1,879		36,686
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Interest Rate	77,158			0		0		0
Currency	211			0		0		0
Currency/Interest Rate	11,533			0		209		0
Credit	90			0		0		0
Equity	(35,276		)	0		0		0
Embedded Derivatives	(274,008		)	0		0		0
Total non-qualifying hedges	(220,292		)	0		209		0
Total	$	(220,292	)	$	3,297	$	2,088	$	36,686

	Year Ended December 31, 2014
	Realized Investment Gains (Losses)			Net Investment Income		Other Income		AOCI (1)
	(in thousands)
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Cash flow hedges
Currency/Interest Rate	$	0		$	1,027	$	908	$	16,286
Total qualifying hedges	0			1,027		908		16,286
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments:
Interest Rate	350,946			0		0		0
Currency	86			0		0		0
Currency/Interest Rate	14,344			0		126		0
Credit	2			0		0		0
Equity	(65,424		)	0		0		0
Embedded Derivatives	(209,398		)	0		0		0
Total non-qualifying hedges	90,556			0		126		0
Total	$	90,556		$	1,027	$	1,034	$	16,286

(1) Amounts deferred in AOCI.

For the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the ineffective portion of derivatives accounted for using hedge accounting was not material to the Company’s results of operations. Also, there were no material amounts reclassified into earnings relating to instances in which the Company discontinued cash flow hedge accounting because the forecasted transaction did not occur by the anticipated date or within the additional time period permitted by the authoritative guidance for the accounting for derivatives and hedging.

Presented below is a rollforward of current period cash flow hedges in “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)” before taxes:

	(in thousands)
Balance, December 31, 2013	$	(4,701	)
Net deferred gains (losses) on cash flow hedges from January 1 to December 31, 2014	22,880
Amount reclassified into current period earnings	(6,594		)
Balance, December 31, 2014	11,585
Net deferred gains (losses) on cash flow hedges from January 1 to December 31, 2015	40,972
Amount reclassified into current period earnings	(4,286		)
Balance, December 31, 2015	48,271
Net deferred gains (losses) on cash flow hedges from January 1 to December 31, 2016	575
Amount reclassified into current period earnings	(7,915		)
Balance, December 31, 2016	$	40,931

Using December 31, 2016 values, it is estimated that a pre-tax gain of approximately $5 million will be reclassified from AOCI to earnings during the subsequent twelve months ending December 31,2017, offset by amounts pertaining to the hedged items. As of December 31, 2016, the Company did not have any qualifying cash flow hedges of forecasted transactions other than those related to the variability of the payment or receipt of interest or foreign currency amounts on existing financial instruments. The maximum length of time for which these variable cash flows are hedged is 19 years. Income amounts deferred in AOCI as a result of cash flow hedges are included in “Net unrealized investment gains (losses)” within OCI in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income.

Credit Derivatives

The Company has no exposure from credit derivatives where it has written credit protection as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

The Company has purchased credit protection using credit derivatives in order to hedge specific credit exposures in the Company’s investment portfolio. The Company has outstanding notional amounts of $3 million and $7 million as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively, reported at fair value as a liability $0.3 million as of December 31, 2016 and an asset of $0.0 million as of December 31, 2015.

Credit Risk

The Company is exposed to credit-related losses in the event of non-performance by our counterparties to financial derivative transactions.

The Company has credit risk exposure to an affiliate, Prudential Global Funding LLC (“PGF”), related to its OTC derivative transactions. PGF manages credit risk with external counterparties by entering into derivative transactions with highly rated major international financial institutions and other creditworthy counterparties, and by obtaining collateral, such as cash and securities, when appropriate. Additionally, limits are set on single party credit exposures which are subject to periodic management review.

Under fair value measurements, the Company incorporates the market’s perception of its own and the counterparty’s non-performance risk in determining the fair value of the portion of its OTC derivative assets and liabilities that are uncollateralized. Credit spreads are applied to the derivative fair values on a net basis by counterparty. To reflect the Company’s own credit spread a proxy based on relevant debt spreads is applied to OTC derivative net liability positions. Similarly, the Company’s counterparties’ credit spread is applied to OTC derivative net asset positions.