10.	Premium deficiency reserve

Beginning in 2007, when we stopped writing Wall Street bulk business, we began to separately measure the performance of these transactions and established a premium deficiency reserve related to this business. This premium deficiency reserve as of December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $135 million, $179 million and $193 million, respectively. The $135 million premium deficiency reserve as of December 31, 2011 reflects the present value of expected future losses and expenses that exceeded the present value of expected future premiums and already established loss reserves. The discount rate used in the calculation of the premium deficiency reserve at December 31, 2011 was 2.3%. The discount rate used in the calculation of the premium deficiency reserve at December 31, 2010 was 2.5%.

The components of the premium deficiency reserve at December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 appear in the table below.

	December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
	(In millions)
Present value of expected future premium	$	494		$	506		$	427

Present value of expected future paid losses
and expenses		(1,455	)		(1,760	)		(2,157	)

Net present value of future cash flows		(961	)		(1,254	)		(1,730	)

Established loss reserves		826			1,075			1,537

Net deficiency	$	(135	)	$	(179	)	$	(193	)

Each quarter, we re-estimate the premium deficiency reserve on the remaining Wall Street bulk insurance in force. The premium deficiency reserve primarily changes from quarter to quarter as a result of two factors. First, it changes as the actual premiums, losses and expenses that were previously estimated are recognized. Each period such items are reflected in our financial statements as earned premium, losses incurred and expenses. The difference between the amount and timing of actual earned premiums, losses incurred and expenses and our previous estimates used to establish the premium deficiency reserves has an effect (either positive or negative) on that period's results. Second, the premium deficiency reserve changes as our assumptions relating to the present value of expected future premiums, losses and expenses on the remaining Wall Street bulk insurance in force change. Changes to these assumptions also have an effect on that period's results.

The decrease in the premium deficiency reserve for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $44 million, $14 million and $261 million, respectively, as shown in the charts below. The decrease represents the net result of actual premiums, losses and expenses as well as a net change in assumptions for these periods. The change in assumptions for 2011 is primarily related to higher estimated ultimate premiums resulting principally from an increase in the projected persistency rate, somewhat offset by higher estimated ultimate losses resulting principally from an increase in the number of projected claims that will ultimately be resolved as a claim paid. The change in assumptions for 2010 is primarily related to higher estimated ultimate premiums, which is principally related to an increase in the projected persistency rate. The change in assumptions for 2009 primarily related to lower estimated ultimate losses, offset by lower estimated ultimate premiums, both due to higher expected rates of rescission.

	Year ended December 31,
	2011						2010						2009
	(In millions)

Premium Deficiency Reserve at beginning of period				$	(179	)				$	(193	)				$	(454	)
Adjustment to premium deficiency reserve (1)					-						(37	)					-
Adjusted premium deficiency reserve at beginning of period					(179	)					(230	)					(454	)

Paid claims and loss adjustment expenses	$	334					$	426					$	584
Decrease in loss reserves		(249	)					(425	)					(360	)
Premium earned		(120	)					(128	)					(156	)
Effects of present valuing on future premiums, losses and expenses		(8	)					(25	)					21

Change in premium deficiency reserve to reflect actual premium, losses and expenses recognized					(43	)					(152	)					89

Change in premium deficiency reserve to reflect change in assumptions relating to future premiums, losses, expenses and discount rate (2)					87						203						172

Premium Deficiency Reserve at end of period				$	(135	)				$	(179	)				$	(193	)

(1) In periods prior to 2010 an estimate of premium to be refunded in conjunction with claim payments was included in Loss Reserves. In 2010, we separately stated this liability in Premium deficency reserve on the consolidated balance sheet. (See Note 3 - "Summary of significant accounting policies - Revenue recognition")

(2) A positive number for changes in assumptions relating to premiums, losses, expenses and discount rate indicates a redundancy of prior premium deficiency reserves.

Each quarter we perform a premium deficiency analysis on the portion of our book of business not covered by the premium deficiency described above. As of December 31, 2011, the analysis concluded that there was no premium deficiency on such portion of our book of business. For the reasons discussed below, our analysis of any potential deficiency reserve is subject to inherent uncertainty and requires significant judgment by management. To the extent, in a future period, expected losses are higher or expected premiums are lower than the assumptions we used in our analysis, we could be required to record a premium deficiency reserve on this portion of our book of business in such period.

The calculation of premium deficiency reserves requires the use of significant judgments and estimates to determine the present value of future premium and present value of expected losses and expenses on our business. The present value of future premium relies on, among other things, assumptions about persistency and repayment patterns on underlying loans. The present value of expected losses and expenses depends on assumptions relating to severity of claims and claim rates on current defaults, and expected defaults in future periods. These assumptions also include an estimate of expected rescission activity. Similar to our loss reserve estimates, our estimates for premium deficiency reserves could be adversely affected by several factors, including a deterioration of regional or economic conditions leading to a reduction in borrowers' income and thus their ability to make mortgage payments, and a drop in housing values that could expose us to greater losses. Assumptions used in calculating the deficiency reserves can also be affected by volatility in the current housing and mortgage lending industries. To the extent premium patterns and actual loss experience differ from the assumptions used in calculating the premium deficiency reserves, the differences between the actual results and our estimates will affect future period earnings and could be material.