Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

FAIR VALUE OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Fair Value Measurement – Fair value represents the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The authoritative fair value guidance establishes a framework for measuring fair value that includes a hierarchy used to classify the inputs used in measuring fair value. The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 - Fair value is based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible to the Company for identical assets or liabilities. The Company’s Level 1 assets and liabilities primarily include certain cash equivalents and equity securities that trade on an active exchange market.

Level 2 - Fair value is based on significant inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability through corroboration with observable market data. Level 2 inputs include quoted market prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, quoted market prices in markets that are not active for identical or similar assets or liabilities, and other market observable inputs. The Company’s Level 2 assets and liabilities include: fixed maturities (corporate public and private bonds, most government securities, certain asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, etc.), certain equity securities (mutual funds, which do not trade in active markets because they are not publicly available), certain short-term investments, certain cash equivalents, and certain OTC derivatives.

Level 3 - Fair value is based on at least one significant unobservable input for the asset or liability. The assets and liabilities in this category may require significant judgment or estimation in determining the fair value. The Company’s Level 3 assets and liabilities primarily include: certain private fixed maturities and equity securities, certain manually priced public fixed maturities, certain highly structured OTC derivative contracts, and embedded derivatives resulting from reinsurance or certain products with guaranteed benefits.

Assets and Liabilities by Hierarchy Level - The tables below present the balances of assets and liabilities reported at fair value on a recurring basis, as of the dates indicated.

	As of December 31, 2019
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting(1)			Total
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government authorities and agencies	$	0	$	47,797	$	38,671	$	0		$	86,468
Obligations of U.S. states and their political subdivisions	0		497,827		0		0			497,827
Foreign government bonds	0		222,663		163		0			222,826
U.S. corporate public securities	0		2,141,324		3		0			2,141,327
U.S. corporate private securities	0		893,943		35,829		0			929,772
Foreign corporate public securities	0		278,435		181		0			278,616
Foreign corporate private securities	0		944,408		14,070		0			958,478
Asset-backed securities(2)	0		117,935		2,001		0			119,936
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	0		382,916		0		0			382,916
Residential mortgage-backed securities	0		63,804		0		0			63,804
Subtotal	0		5,591,052		90,918		0			5,681,970
Fixed maturities, trading	0		59,296		668		0			59,964
Equity securities	131		465		9,898		0			10,494
Short-term investments	0		0		0		0			0
Cash equivalents	0		547,642		0		0			547,642
Other invested assets(3)	0		251,764		4		(239,220		)	12,548
Reinsurance recoverables	0		0		8,539,671		0			8,539,671
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0		119,431		3,135		0			122,566
Subtotal excluding separate account assets	131		6,569,650		8,644,294		(239,220		)	14,974,855
Separate account assets(4)(5)	0		133,625,669		0		0			133,625,669
Total assets	$	131	$	140,195,319	$	8,644,294	$	(239,220	)	$	148,600,524
Future policy benefits(6)	$	0	$	0	$	8,529,566	$	0		$	8,529,566
Policyholders' account balances	0		0		962,351		0			962,351
Payables to parent and affiliates	0		97,802		0		(97,802		)	0
Total liabilities	$	0	$	97,802	$	9,491,917	$	(97,802	)	$	9,491,917

	As of December 31, 2018
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Netting(1)			Total
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government authorities and agencies	$	0	$	47,654	$	29,816	$	0		$	77,470
Obligations of U.S. states and their political subdivisions	0		622,758		0		0			622,758
Foreign government bonds	0		201,947		0		0			201,947
U.S. corporate public securities	0		1,731,623		2		0			1,731,625
U.S. corporate private securities	0		838,497		44,841		0			883,338
Foreign corporate public securities	0		262,023		0		0			262,023
Foreign corporate private securities	0		815,634		11,745		0			827,379
Asset-backed securities(2)	0		151,040		6,556		0			157,596
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	0		346,396		0		0			346,396
Residential mortgage-backed securities	0		89,063		0		0			89,063
Subtotal	0		5,106,635		92,960		0			5,199,595
Fixed maturities, trading	0		41,627		0		0			41,627
Equity securities	131		20,794		15,997		0			36,922
Short-term investments	0		0		0		0			0
Cash equivalents	69,903		147,043		0		0			216,946
Other invested assets(3)	0		77,886		4		(27,078		)	50,812
Reinsurance recoverables	0		0		5,600,008		0			5,600,008
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0		125,381		9,261		0			134,642
Subtotal excluding separate account assets	70,034		5,519,366		5,718,230		(27,078		)	11,280,552
Separate account assets(4)(5)	0		114,947,872		0		0			114,947,872
Total assets	$	70,034	$	120,467,238	$	5,718,230	$	(27,078	)	$	126,228,424
Future policy benefits(6)	$	0	$	0	$	5,588,840	$	0		$	5,588,840
Policyholders' account balances	0		0		13,015		0			13,015
Payables to parent and affiliates	0		26,862		0		(26,862		)	0
Total liabilities	$	0	$	26,862	$	5,601,855	$	(26,862	)	$	5,601,855

(1) “Netting” amounts represent cash collateral of $141.4 million and $0.2 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

(2) Includes credit tranched securities collateralized by syndicated bank loans, sub-prime mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, education loans and other asset types.

(3) Other invested assets excluded from the fair value hierarchy include certain hedge funds, private equity funds and other funds for which fair value is measured at net asset value ("NAV") per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the fair values of such investments were $75 million and $70 million, respectively.

(4) Separate account assets represent segregated funds that are invested for certain customers. Investment risks associated with market value changes are borne by the customers, except to the extent of minimum guarantees made by the Company with respect to certain accounts. Separate account liabilities are not included in the above table as they are reported at contract value and not fair value in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

(5) Separate account assets included in the fair value hierarchy exclude investments in entities that calculate NAV per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient. Such investments excluded from the fair value hierarchy include investments in real estate, hedge funds and a corporate owned life insurance fund, for which fair value is measured at NAV per share (or its equivalent). At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the fair value of such investments was $4,762 million and $4,130 million, respectively.

(6) As of December 31, 2019, the net embedded derivative liability position of $8,530 million includes $611 million of embedded derivatives in an asset position and $9,141 million of embedded derivatives in a liability position. As of December 31, 2018, the net embedded derivative liability position of $5,589 million includes $633 million of embedded derivatives in an asset position and $6,222 million of embedded derivatives in a liability position.

The methods and assumptions the Company uses to estimate the fair value of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below.

Fixed Maturity Securities - The fair values of the Company’s public fixed maturity securities are generally based on prices obtained from independent pricing services. Prices for each security are generally sourced from multiple pricing vendors, and a vendor hierarchy is maintained by asset type based on historical pricing experience and vendor expertise. The Company ultimately uses the price from the pricing service highest in the vendor hierarchy based on the respective asset type. The pricing hierarchy is updated for new financial products and recent pricing experience with various vendors. Consistent with the fair value hierarchy described above, securities with validated quotes from pricing services are generally reflected within Level 2, as they are primarily based on observable pricing for similar assets and/or other market observable inputs. Typical inputs used by these pricing services include but are not limited to, reported trades, benchmark yields, issuer spreads, bids, offers, and/or estimated cash flow, prepayment speeds, and default rates. If the pricing information received from third-party pricing services is deemed not reflective of market activity or other inputs observable in the market, the Company may challenge the price through a formal process with the pricing service or classify the securities as Level 3. If the pricing service updates the price to be more consistent with the presented market observations, the security remains within Level 2.

Internally-developed valuations or indicative broker quotes are also used to determine fair value in circumstances where vendor pricing is not available, or where the Company ultimately concludes that pricing information received from the independent pricing services is not reflective of market activity. If the Company concludes the values from both pricing services and brokers are not reflective of market activity, it may override the information with an internally-developed valuation. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, overrides on a net basis were not material. Pricing service overrides, internally-developed valuations and indicative broker quotes are generally included in Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

The Company conducts several specific price monitoring activities. Daily analyses identify price changes over predetermined thresholds defined at the financial instrument level. Various pricing integrity reports are reviewed on a daily and monthly basis to determine if pricing is reflective of market activity or if it would warrant any adjustments. Other procedures performed include, but are not limited to, reviews of third-party pricing services methodologies, reviews of pricing trends, and back testing.

The fair values of private fixed maturities, which are originated by internal private asset managers, are primarily determined using discounted cash flow models. These models primarily use observable inputs that include Treasury or similar base rates plus estimated credit spreads to value each security. The credit spreads are obtained through a survey of private market intermediaries who are active in both primary and secondary transactions, and consider, among other factors, the credit quality and the reduced liquidity associated with private placements. Internal adjustments are made to reflect variation in observed sector spreads. Since most private placements are valued using standard market observable inputs and inputs derived from, or corroborated by, market observable data including, but not limited to observed prices and spreads for similar publicly or privately traded issues, they have been reflected within Level 2. For certain private fixed maturities, the discounted cash flow model may incorporate significant unobservable inputs, which reflect the Company’s own assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset. To the extent management determines that such unobservable inputs are significant to the price of a security, a Level 3 classification is made.

Equity Securities - Equity securities consist principally of investments in common and preferred stock of publicly traded companies, privately traded securities, as well as mutual fund shares. The fair values of most publicly traded equity securities are based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets and are classified within Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. Estimated fair values for most privately traded equity securities are determined using discounted cash flow, earnings multiple and other valuation models that require a substantial level of judgment around inputs and therefore are classified within Level 3. The fair values of mutual fund shares that transact regularly (but do not trade in active markets because they are not publicly available) are based on transaction prices of identical fund shares and are classified within Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Derivative Instruments - Derivatives are recorded at fair value either as assets, within “Other invested assets”, or as liabilities within “Payables to parent and affiliates”, except for embedded derivatives which are recorded with the associated host contract. The fair values of derivative contracts can be affected by changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, credit spreads, market volatility, expected returns, NPR, liquidity and other factors.

The Company's exchange-traded futures and options include treasury and equity futures. Exchange-traded futures and options are valued using quoted prices in active markets and are classified within Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.

The majority of the Company’s derivative positions are traded in the OTC derivative market and are classified within Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives classified within Level 2 are valued using models that utilize actively quoted or observable market input values from external market data providers, third-party pricing vendors and/or recent trading activity. The Company’s policy is to use mid-market pricing in determining its best estimate of fair value. The fair values of most OTC derivatives, including interest rate and cross-currency swaps, currency forward contracts and single name credit default swaps are determined using discounted cash flow models. The fair values of European style option contracts are determined using Black-Scholes option pricing models. These models’ key inputs include the contractual terms of the respective contract, along with significant observable inputs, including interest rates, currency rates, credit spreads, equity prices, index dividend yields, NPR, volatility and other factors.

The Company’s cleared interest rate swaps and credit derivatives linked to an index are valued using models that utilize actively quoted or observable market inputs, including Overnight Indexed Swap discount rates, obtained from external market data providers, third-party pricing vendors and/or recent trading activity. These derivatives are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments - Cash equivalents and short-term investments include money market instruments and other highly liquid debt instruments. Certain money market instruments are valued using unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible for identical assets and are primarily classified as Level 1. The remaining instruments in this category are generally fair valued based on market observable inputs and these investments have primarily been classified within Level 2.

Separate Account Assets - Separate account assets include fixed maturity securities, treasuries, equity securities, real estate, mutual funds and commercial mortgage loans for which values are determined consistent with similar instruments described above under “Fixed Maturity Securities” and “Equity Securities”.

Receivables from Parent and Affiliates - Receivables from parent and affiliates carried at fair value include affiliated bonds within the Company’s legal entity where fair value is determined consistent with similar securities described above under “Fixed Maturity Securities” managed by affiliated asset managers.

Reinsurance Recoverables - Reinsurance recoverables carried at fair value include the reinsurance of the Company’s living benefit guarantees on certain variable annuity contracts. These guarantees are accounted for as embedded derivatives and are recorded in “Reinsurance recoverables” or “Other liabilities” when fair value is in an asset or liability position, respectively. The methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair value are consistent with those described below in “Future policy benefits”. The reinsurance agreements covering these guarantees are derivatives with fair value determined in the same manner as the living benefit guarantee.

Future Policy Benefits - The liability for future policy benefits is related to guarantees primarily associated with the living benefit features of certain variable annuity contracts, including guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits ("GMAB"), guaranteed withdrawal benefits ("GMWB") and guaranteed minimum income and withdrawal benefits ("GMIWB"), accounted for as embedded derivatives. The fair values of these liabilities are calculated as the present value of future expected benefit payments to customers less the present value of future expected rider fees attributable to the embedded derivative feature. This methodology could result in either a liability or contra-liability balance, given changing capital market conditions and various actuarial assumptions. Since there is no observable active market for the transfer of these obligations, the valuations are calculated using internally developed models with option pricing techniques. The models are based on a risk neutral valuation framework and incorporate premiums for risks inherent in valuation techniques, inputs, and the general uncertainty around the timing and amount of future cash flows. The determination of these risk premiums requires the use of management's judgment.

The significant inputs to the valuation models for these embedded derivatives include capital market assumptions, such as interest rate levels and volatility assumptions, the Company’s market-perceived NPR, as well as actuarially determined assumptions, including contractholder behavior, such as lapse rates, benefit utilization rates, withdrawal rates and mortality rates. Since many of these assumptions are unobservable and are considered to be significant inputs to the liability valuation, the liability included in future policy benefits has been reflected within Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

Capital market inputs and actual policyholders’ account values are updated each quarter based on capital market conditions as of the end of the quarter, including interest rates, equity markets and volatility. In the risk neutral valuation, the initial swap curve drives the total return used to grow the policyholders’ account values. The Company’s discount rate assumption is based on the London Inter Bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") swap curve adjusted for an additional spread relative to LIBOR to reflect NPR.

Actuarial assumptions, including contractholder behavior and mortality, are reviewed at least annually, and updated based upon emerging experience, future expectations and other data, including any observable market data. These assumptions are generally updated annually unless a material change that the Company feels is indicative of a long-term trend is observed in an interim period.

Policyholders' Account Balances - The liability for policyholders’ account balances is related to certain embedded derivative instruments associated with certain universal life products that provide the policyholders with the index-linked interest credited over contract specified term periods. The fair values of these liabilities are determined using discounted cash flow models which include capital market assumptions such as interest rates and equity index volatility assumptions, the Company’s market-perceived NPR and actuarially determined assumptions for mortality, lapses and projected hedge costs.

As there is no observable active market for these liabilities, the fair value is determined as the present value of account balances paid to policyholders in excess of contractually guaranteed minimums using option pricing techniques for index term periods that contain deposits as of the valuation date, and the expected option budget for future index term periods, where the terms of index crediting rates have not yet been declared by the company. Premiums for risks inherent in valuation techniques, inputs, and the general uncertainty around the timing and amount of future cash flows are also incorporated in the fair value of these liabilities. The determination of these risk premiums requires the use of management’s judgment, and hence these liabilities are reflected within Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

Capital market inputs, including interest rates and equity markets volatility, and actual policyholders’ account values are updated each quarter. Actuarial assumptions are reviewed at least annually and updated based upon emerging experience, future expectations and other data, including any observable market data. Aside from these annual updates, assumptions are generally updated only if a material change is observed in an interim period that the Company believes is indicative of a long-term trend.

Quantitative Information Regarding Internally-Priced Level 3 Assets and Liabilities - The tables below present quantitative information on significant internally-priced Level 3 assets and liabilities.

	As of December 31, 2019
	Fair Value		Valuation   Techniques	Unobservable  Inputs	Minimum		Maximum		Weighted   Average		Impact of  Increase in  Input on  Fair Value(1)
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Corporate securities(2)	$	27,816	Discounted cash flow	Discount rate	5.24	%	17.47	%	8.25	%	Decrease
			Market Comparables	EBITDA multiples(3)	5.7	X	5.7	X	5.7	X	Increase
Reinsurance recoverables	$	8,539,671	Fair values are determined using the same unobservable inputs as future policy benefits.
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits(4)	$	8,529,566	Discounted cash flow	Lapse rate(6)	1	%	18	%			Decrease
				Spread over LIBOR(7)	0.10	%	1.23	%			Decrease
				Utilization rate(8)	43	%	97	%			Increase
				Withdrawal rate	See table footnote (9) below.
				Mortality rate(10)	0	%	15	%			Decrease
				Equity volatility curve	13	%	23	%			Increase
Policyholders' account balances(5)	$	962,351	Discounted cash flow	Lapse rate(6)	1	%	6	%			Decrease
				Spread over LIBOR(7)	0.10	%	1.23	%			Decrease
				Mortality rate(10)	0	%	24	%			Decrease
				Equity volatility curve	10	%	23	%			Increase

 

	As of December 31, 2018
	Fair Value		Valuation  Techniques	Unobservable  Inputs	Minimum		Maximum		Weighted Average		Impact of  Increase in Input on Fair Value(1)
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Corporate securities(2)	$	31,503	Discounted cash flow	Discount rate	7	%	20	%	10.21	%	Decrease
			Liquidation	Liquidation value	40.71	%	40.71	%	40.71	%	Increase
Reinsurance recoverables	$	5,600,008	Fair values are determined using the same unobservable inputs as future policy benefits.
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits(4)	$	5,588,840	Discounted cash flow	Lapse rate(6)	1	%	13	%			Decrease
				Spread over LIBOR(7)	0.36	%	1.60	%			Decrease
				Utilization rate(8)	50	%	97	%			Increase
				Withdrawal rate	See table footnote (9) below.
				Mortality rate(10)	0	%	15	%			Decrease
				Equity volatility curve	18	%	22	%			Increase

(1) Conversely, the impact of a decrease in input would have the opposite impact on fair value as that presented in the table.

(2) Includes assets classified as fixed maturities and available-for-sale.

(3) Represents multiples of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization "EBITDA", and are amounts used when the Company has determined that market participants would use such multiples when valuing the investments.

(4) Future policy benefits primarily represent general account liabilities for the living benefit features of the Company’s variable annuity contracts which are accounted for as embedded derivatives. Since the valuation methodology for these liabilities uses a range of inputs that vary at the contract level over the cash flow projection period, presenting a range, rather than a weighted average, is a more meaningful representation of the unobservable inputs used in the valuation.

(5) Policyholders’ account balances primarily represent general account liabilities for the index-linked interest credited on certain of the Company’s life products that are accounted for as embedded derivatives. Since the valuation methodology for these liabilities uses a range of inputs that vary at the contract level over the cash flow projection period, presenting a range, rather than a weighted average, is a more meaningful representation of the unobservable inputs used in the valuation.

(6) Lapse rates for contracts with living benefit guarantees are adjusted at the contract level based on the in-the-moneyness of the living benefit and reflect other factors, such as the applicability of any surrender charges. Lapse rates are reduced when contracts are more in-the-money. Lapse rates for contracts with index-linked crediting guarantees may be adjusted at the contract level based on the applicability of any surrender charges, product type, and market related factors such as interest rates. Lapse rates are also generally assumed to be lower for the period where surrender charges apply. For any given contract, lapse rates vary throughout the period over which cash flows are projected for the purposes of valuing these embedded derivatives.

(7) The spread over the LIBOR swap curve represents the premium added to the proxy for the risk-free rate (LIBOR) to reflect the Company's estimates of rates that a market participant would use to value the living benefits in both the accumulation and payout phases and index-linked interest crediting guarantees. This spread includes an estimate of NPR, which is the risk that the obligation will not be fulfilled by the Company. NPR is primarily estimated by utilizing the credit spreads associated with issuing funding agreements, adjusted for any illiquidity risk premium. In order to reflect the financial strength ratings of the Company, credit spreads associated with funding agreements, as opposed to credit spread associated with debt, are utilized in developing this estimate because funding agreements, living benefit guarantees, and index-linked interest crediting guarantees are insurance liabilities and are therefore senior to debt.

(8) The utilization rate assumption estimates the percentage of contracts that will utilize the benefit during the contract duration and begin lifetime withdrawals at various time intervals from contract inception. The remaining contractholders are assumed to either begin lifetime withdrawals immediately or never utilize the benefit. Utilization assumptions may vary by product type, tax status and age. The impact of changes in these assumptions is highly dependent on the product type, the age of the contractholder at the time of the sale, and the timing of the first lifetime income withdrawal. Range reflects the utilization rate for the vast majority of business with living benefits.

(9) The withdrawal rate assumption estimates the magnitude of annual contractholder withdrawals relative to the maximum allowable amount under the contract. These assumptions vary based on the age of the contractholder, the tax status of the contract and the duration since the contractholder began lifetime withdrawals. As of both December 31, 2019 and 2018, the minimum withdrawal rate assumption is 78% and the maximum withdrawal rate assumption may be greater than 100%. The fair value of the liability will generally increase the closer the withdrawal rate is to 100% and decrease as the withdrawal rate moves further away from 100%.

(10) The range reflects the mortality rates for the vast majority of business with living benefits and other contracts, with policyholders ranging from 45 to 90 years old. While the majority of living benefits have a minimum age requirement, certain other contracts do not have an age restriction. This results in contractholders with mortality rates approaching 0% for certain benefits. Mortality rates may vary by product, age, and duration. A mortality improvement assumption is also incorporated into the overall mortality table.

Interrelationships Between Unobservable Inputs – In addition to the sensitivities of fair value measurements to changes in each unobservable input in isolation, as reflected in the table above, interrelationships between these inputs may also exist, such that a change in one unobservable input may give rise to a change in another, or multiple, inputs. Examples of such interrelationships for significant internally-priced Level 3 assets and liabilities are as follows:

Corporate Securities – The rate used to discount future cash flows reflects current risk-free rates plus credit and liquidity spread requirements that market participants would use to value an asset. The discount rate may be influenced by many factors, including market cycles, expectations of default, collateral, term, and asset complexity. Each of these factors can influence discount rates, either in isolation, or in response to other factors.

Future Policy Benefits – The Company expects efficient benefit utilization and withdrawal rates to generally be correlated with lapse rates. However, behavior is generally highly dependent on the facts and circumstances surrounding the individual contractholder, such as their liquidity needs or tax situation, which could drive lapse behavior independent of other contractholder behavior assumptions. To the extent more efficient contractholder behavior results in greater in-the-moneyness at the contract level, lapse rates may decline for those contracts. Similarly, to the extent that increases in equity volatility are correlated with overall declines in the capital markets, lapse rates may decline as contracts become more in-the-money.

Changes in Level 3 Assets and Liabilities – The following tables describe changes in fair values of Level 3 assets and liabilities as of the dates indicated, as well as the portion of gains or losses included in income attributable to unrealized gains or losses related to those assets and liabilities still held at the end of their respective periods. When a determination is made to classify assets and liabilities within Level 3, the determination is based on significance of the unobservable inputs in the overall fair value measurement. All transfers are based on changes in the observability of the valuation inputs, including the availability of pricing service information that the Company can validate. Transfers into Level 3 are generally the result of unobservable inputs utilized within valuation methodologies and the use of indicative broker quotes for assets that were previously valued using observable inputs. Transfers out of Level 3 are generally due to the use of observable inputs in valuation methodologies as well as the availability of pricing service information for certain assets that the Company can validate.

	Year Ended December 31, 2019
	Fair Value, beginning of period			Total realized and unrealized gains (losses)(1)			Purchases		Sales			Issuances			Settlements			Other(2)		Transfers into Level 3		Transfers out of Level 3			Fair Value, end of period			Unrealized gains (losses) for assets still held(3)
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
U.S. government	$	29,816		$	0		$	8,855	$	0		$	0		$	0		$	0	$	0	$	0		$	38,671		$	0
Foreign government	0			4			0		0			0			0			0		159		0			163			0
Corporate securities(4)	56,588			(5,229		)	4,226		(81		)	0			(18,884		)	0		13,463		0			50,083			(8,467		)
Structured securities(5)	6,556			1,322			0		(130		)	0			(6,336		)	0		77,660		(77,071		)	2,001			0
Other assets:
Fixed maturities, trading	0			(83		)	0		0			0			0			0		751		0			668			(83		)
Equity securities	15,997			1,668			0		(7,767		)	0			0			0		0		0			9,898			1,534
Other invested assets	4			0			0		0			0			0			0		0		0			4			0
Short-term investments	0			0			1,388		0			0			(1,388		)	0		0		0			0			0
Cash equivalents	0			0			0		0			0			0			0		0		0			0			0
Reinsurance recoverables	5,600,008			1,936,363			1,003,300		0			0			0			0		0		0			8,539,671			2,142,421
Receivables from parent and affiliates	9,261			190			0		0			0			(6,316		)	0		0		0			3,135			0
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits	(5,588,840		)	(1,945,323		)	0		0			(995,403		)	0			0		0		0			(8,529,566		)	(2,151,380		)
Policyholders' account balances(6)	(13,015		)	(765,917		)	0		0			(183,419		)	0			0		0		0			(962,351		)	(759,661		)

	Year Ended December 31, 2019
	Total realized and unrealized gains (losses)										Unrealized gains (losses) for assets still held(3)
	Realized investment gains (losses), net(1)			Other income (loss)			Included in other comprehensive income (loss)		Net investment income		Realized investment gains (losses), net			Other income (loss)
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale	$	(8,198	)	$	0		$	3,615	$	680	$	(8,467	)	$	0
Other assets:
Fixed maturities, trading	0			(83		)	0		0		0			(83		)
Equity securities	0			1,668			0		0		0			1,534
Other invested assets	0			0			0		0		0			0
Short-term investments	0			0			0		0		0			0
Cash equivalents	0			0			0		0		0			0
Reinsurance recoverables	1,936,363			0			0		0		2,142,421			0
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0			0			0		190		0			0
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits	(1,945,323		)	0			0		0		(2,151,380		)	0
Policyholders' account balances	(765,917		)	0			0		0		(759,661		)	0

	Year Ended December 31, 2018
	Fair Value, beginning of period			Total realized and unrealized gains (losses)(1)			Purchases		Sales			Issuances			Settlements			Other(2)			Transfers into Level 3		Transfers out of Level 3			Fair Value, end of period			Unrealized gains (losses) for assets still held(3)
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
U.S. government	$	19,204		$	0		$	10,679	$	(67	)	$	0		$	0		$	0		$	0	$	0		$	29,816		$	0
Foreign government	0			(15		)	0		0			0			0			174			0		(159		)	0			0
Corporate securities(4)	75,421			(6,642		)	13,573		(215		)	0			(39,459		)	15			18,877		(4,982		)	56,588			(1,944		)
Structured securities(5)	111,028			(540		)	31,067		(10,844		)	0			(10,216		)	0			13,513		(127,452		)	6,556			0
Other assets:
Equity securities	17,525			(1,453		)	0		(75		)	0			0			0			0		0			15,997			(1,453		)
Other invested assets	0			(5		)	0		0			0			0			0			18		(9		)	4			(5		)
Short-term investments	1,339			(47		)	11,106		(73		)	0			(12,311		)	(14		)	0		0			0			(19		)
Cash equivalents	0			(256		)	4,987		(465		)	0			(4,266		)	0			0		0			0			0
Reinsurance recoverables	5,457,649			(782,025		)	924,384		0			0			0			0			0		0			5,600,008			(573,853		)
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0			47			9,719		0			0			(525		)	0			6,551		(6,531		)	9,261			0
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits	(5,452,583		)	780,261			0		0			(916,518		)	0			0			0		0			(5,588,840		)	572,088
Policyholders' account balances(6)	(46,651		)	24,405			0		0			0			9,231			0			0		0			(13,015		)	24,405

	Year Ended December 31, 2018
	Total realized and unrealized gains (losses)											Unrealized gains (losses) for assets still held(3)
	Realized investment gains (losses), net(1)			Other income (loss)			Included in other comprehensive income (loss)			Net investment income		Realized investment gains (losses), net			Other income (loss)
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale	$	(1,600	)	$	0		$	(6,015	)	$	418	$	(1,944	)	$	0
Other assets:
Equity securities	0			(1,453		)	0			0		0			(1,453		)
Other invested assets	(5		)	0			0			0		(5		)	0
Short-term investments	(47		)	0			0			0		(19		)	0
Cash equivalents	(256		)	0			0			0		0			0
Reinsurance recoverables	(782,025		)	0			0			0		(573,853		)	0
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0			0			(20		)	67		0			0
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits	780,261			0			0			0		572,088			0
Policyholders' account balances	24,405			0			0			0		24,405			0

The following tables summarize the portion of changes in fair values of Level 3 assets and liabilities included in earnings and OCI for the year ended December 31, 2017, as well as the portion of gains or losses included in income attributable to unrealized gains or losses related to those assets and liabilities still held as of December 31, 2017.

	Year Ended December 31, 2017
	Total realized and unrealized gains (losses)										Unrealized gains (losses) for assets still held(3)
	Realized investment gains (losses), net(1)			Other income (loss)		Included in other comprehensive income (loss)			Net investment income		Realized investment gains (losses), net			Other income (loss)
	(in thousands)
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale	$	2,001		$	0	$	(1,588	)	$	270	$	(2,736	)	$	0
Other assets:
Equity securities	1,707			0		(38		)	0		0			2,345
Other invested assets	0			0		0			0		0			0
Short-term investments	0			0		0			0		0			0
Cash equivalents	0			0		0			0		0			0
Reinsurance recoverables	(158,623		)	0		0			0		(315,998		)	0
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0			0		0			0		0			0
Liabilities:
Future policy benefits	463,432			0		0			0		313,532			0
Policyholders' account balances	(30,991		)	0		0			0		(30,991		)	0

(1) Realized investment gains (losses) on future policy benefits and reinsurance recoverables primarily represent the change in the fair value of the Company's living benefit guarantees on certain of its variable annuity contracts.

(2) Other includes reclassifications of certain asset and liabilities between reporting categories.

(3) Unrealized gains or losses related to assets still held at the end of the period do not include amortization or accretion of premiums and discounts.

(4) Includes U.S. corporate public, U.S. corporate private, foreign corporate public and foreign corporate private securities.

(5) Includes asset-backed, commercial mortgage-backed and residential mortgage-backed securities.

(6) Issuances and settlements for Policyholders' account balances are presented net in the rollforward.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The table below presents the carrying amount and fair value by fair value hierarchy level of certain financial instruments that are not reported at fair value. The financial instruments presented below are reported at carrying value on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. In some cases, as described below, the carrying amount equals or approximates fair value.

	December 31, 2019
	Fair Value								Carrying Amount(1)
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Total
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Commercial mortgage and other loans	$	0	$	0	$	1,288,625	$	1,288,625	$	1,239,885
Policy loans	0		0		1,314,064		1,314,064		1,314,064
Cash and cash equivalents	15,557		0		0		15,557		15,557
Accrued investment income	0		89,448		0		89,448		89,448
Reinsurance recoverables	0		0		212,368		212,368		211,813
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0		149,415		0		149,415		149,415
Other assets	0		22,505		0		22,505		22,505
Total assets	$	15,557	$	261,368	$	2,815,057	$	3,091,982	$	3,042,687
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances - investment contracts	$	0	$	1,264,128	$	277,782	$	1,541,910	$	1,541,355
Cash collateral for loaned securities	0		7,529		0		7,529		7,529
Short-term debt to affiliates	0		2,845		0		2,845		2,845
Payables to parent and affiliates	0		216,842		0		216,842		216,842
Other liabilities	0		387,109		0		387,109		387,109
Total liabilities	$	0	$	1,878,453	$	277,782	$	2,156,235	$	2,155,680

	December 31, 2018
	Fair Value								Carrying Amount (1)
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Total
	(in thousands)
Assets:
Commercial mortgage and other loans	$	0	$	0	$	1,214,350	$	1,214,350	$	1,209,150
Policy loans	0		0		1,236,077		1,236,077		1,236,077
Cash and cash equivalents	56,894		143,000		0		199,894		199,894
Accrued investment income	0		88,278		0		88,278		88,278
Reinsurance recoverables	0		0		0		0		0
Receivables from parent and affiliates	0		154,938		0		154,938		154,938
Other assets	0		28,950		0		28,950		28,950
Total assets	$	56,894	$	415,166	$	2,450,427	$	2,922,487	$	2,917,287
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances - investment contracts	$	0	$	1,206,747	$	272,322	$	1,479,069	$	1,486,929
Cash collateral for loaned securities	0		11,063		0		11,063		11,063
Short-term debt to affiliates	0		0		0		0		0
Payables to parent and affiliates	0		229,345		0		229,345		229,345
Other liabilities	0		372,997		0		372,997		372,997
Total liabilities	$	0	$	1,820,152	$	272,322	$	2,092,474	$	2,100,334

(1) Carrying values presented herein differ from those in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Financial Position because certain items within the respective financial statement captions are not considered financial instruments or out of scope under authoritative guidance relating to disclosures of the fair value of financial instruments.

The fair values presented above have been determined by using available market information and by applying market valuation methodologies, as described in more detail below.

Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans

The fair value of most commercial mortgage loans is based upon the present value of the expected future cash flows discounted at the appropriate U.S. Treasury rate or foreign government bond rate (for non-U.S. dollar-denominated loans) plus an appropriate credit spread for loans of similar quality, average life and currency. The quality ratings for these loans, a primary determinant of the credit spreads and a significant component of the pricing process, are based on an internally-developed methodology. Certain commercial mortgage loans are valued incorporating other factors, including the terms of the loans, the principal exit strategies for the loans, prevailing interest rates and credit risk.

Policy Loans

The Company's valuation technique for policy loans is to discount cash flows at the current policy loan coupon rate. Policy loans are fully collateralized by the cash surrender value of underlying insurance policies. As a result, the carrying value of the policy loans approximates the fair value.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Accrued Investment Income, Receivables from Parent and Affiliates and Other Assets

The Company believes that due to the short-term nature of certain assets, the carrying value approximates fair value. These assets include: cash and cash equivalent instruments, accrued investment income, and other assets that meet the definition of financial instruments, including receivables, unsettled trades and accounts receivable.

Reinsurance Recoverables

Reinsurance recoverables include corresponding receivables associated with reinsurance arrangements between the Company and related parties. See Note 9 for additional information about the Company's reinsurance arrangements.

Policyholders’ Account Balances - Investment Contracts

Only the portion of policyholders’ account balances related to products that are investment contracts (those without significant mortality or morbidity risk) are reflected in the table above. For fixed deferred annuities, payout annuities and other similar contracts without life contingencies, fair values are generally derived using discounted projected cash flows based on interest rates that are representative of the Company’s financial strength ratings, and hence reflect the Company’s own NPR. For those balances that can be withdrawn by the customer at any time without prior notice or penalty, the fair value is the amount estimated to be payable to the customer as of the reporting date, which is generally the carrying value.

Cash Collateral for Loaned Securities

Cash collateral for loaned securities represents the collateral received or paid in connection with loaning or borrowing securities. Due to the short-term nature of these transactions, the carrying value approximates fair value.

Short-term Debt to Affiliates

The fair value of short-term debt is generally determined by either prices obtained from independent pricing services, which are validated by the Company, or discounted cash flow models. These fair values consider the Company’s own NPR. Discounted cash flow models predominately use market observable inputs such as the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for debt and financial instruments with similar terms and remaining maturities. For debt with a maturity of less than 90 days, the carrying value approximates fair value.

Other Liabilities and Payables to Parent and Affiliates

Other liabilities and payables to parent and affiliates are primarily payables, such as unsettled trades, drafts, escrow deposits and accrued expense payables. Due to the short term until settlement of most of these liabilities, the Company believes that carrying value approximates fair value.