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Segment information
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment information
Segment information

ACE operates through five business segments: Insurance – North American P&C, Insurance – North American Agriculture, Insurance – Overseas General, Global Reinsurance, and Life. These segments distribute their products through various forms of brokers, agencies, and direct marketing programs. All business segments have established relationships with reinsurance intermediaries.

Effective January 1, 2013, the former Insurance – North American segment is presented in two distinct reportable segments:
Insurance – North American P&C and Insurance – North American Agriculture. Prior year amounts contained in this report have
been adjusted to conform to the new segment presentation.

The Insurance – North American P&C segment comprises our operations in the U.S., Canada, and Bermuda. This segment includes the operations of ACE USA (including ACE Canada), ACE Commercial Risk Services, ACE Private Risk Services, ACE Westchester, ACE Bermuda, and various run-off operations, including Brandywine. ACE USA is the North American retail operating division which provides a broad array of traditional and specialty P&C, A&H, and risk management products and services to a diverse group of North America commercial and non-commercial enterprises and consumers. ACE Commercial Risk Services addresses the insurance needs of small and mid-sized businesses in North America by delivering a broad array of specialty product solutions for targeted industries that lend themselves to technology-assisted underwriting. ACE Private Risk Services provides high-value personal lines coverages for high net worth individuals and families in North America. ACE Westchester focuses on the North American wholesale distribution of excess and surplus lines property, casualty, environmental, professional liability and inland marine products. ACE Bermuda provides commercial insurance products on an excess basis mainly to a global client base targeting Fortune 1000 companies and covering exposures that are generally low in frequency and high in severity. The run-off operations do not actively sell insurance products but are responsible for the management of certain existing policies and settlement of related claims.

The Insurance – North American Agriculture segment comprises our North American based businesses that provide a variety of coverages in the U.S. and Canada including crop insurance, primarily Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) and crop-hail through Rain and Hail Insurance Services, Inc. as well as farm and ranch, and specialty P&C commercial insurance products and services through our ACE Agribusiness unit. The MPCI program is offered in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Insurance – Overseas General segment comprises ACE International and ACE Global Markets (AGM). ACE International comprises our retail commercial P&C, A&H, and personal lines businesses serving territories outside the U.S., Bermuda, and Canada, and the international supplemental A&H business of Combined Insurance. ACE International maintains a presence in every major insurance market in the world and is organized geographically along product lines that provide dedicated underwriting focus to customers. ACE International has four regions of operations: ACE Europe, ACE Asia Pacific, ACE Far East, and ACE Latin America. During 2013, ACE International expanded its operations with the acquisitions of ABA Seguros and Fianzas Monterrey in Mexico. Refer to Note 2 for additional information. Companies within the Insurance – Overseas General segment write a variety of insurance products including P&C, professional lines (directors and officers and errors and omissions), marine, energy, aviation, political risk, specialty consumer-oriented products, and A&H (principally accident and supplemental health). Combined Insurance distributes a wide range of supplemental A&H products. AGM, our London-based international specialty and excess and surplus lines business, includes Syndicate 2488, a wholly-owned ACE syndicate. AGM offers products through its parallel distribution network via ACE European Group Limited (AEGL) and Syndicate 2488. ACE provides funds at Lloyd's to support underwriting by Syndicate 2488, which is managed by ACE Underwriting Agencies Limited. AGM uses Syndicate 2488 to underwrite P&C business on a global basis through Lloyd's worldwide licenses. AGM uses AEGL to underwrite similar classes of business through its network of U.K. and European licenses, and in the U.S. where it is eligible to write excess and surplus lines business. The reinsurance operation of AGM is included in the Global Reinsurance segment.

The Global Reinsurance segment represents ACE's reinsurance operations comprising ACE Tempest Re Bermuda, ACE Tempest Re USA, ACE Tempest Re International, and ACE Tempest Re Canada. The Global Reinsurance segment also includes AGM's reinsurance operations. These divisions provide a broad range of traditional and specialty reinsurance products including property catastrophe, casualty, and property reinsurance coverages to a diverse array of primary P&C insurers.

The Life segment includes ACE's international life operations (ACE Life), ACE Tempest Life Re (ACE Life Re), and the North American supplemental A&H and life business of Combined Insurance. ACE Life provides a broad portfolio of protection and savings products including whole life, endowment plans, individual term life, group term life, group medical, personal accident, credit life, universal life and unit linked contracts through multiple distribution channels primarily in emerging markets including: Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam; also throughout Latin America, selectively in Europe, and China through a non-consolidated joint venture insurance company. ACE Life Re helps clients (ceding companies) manage mortality, morbidity, and lapse risks embedded in their books of business. ACE Life Re's core business is a Bermuda-based operation which provides reinsurance to primary life insurers, focusing on guarantees included in certain fixed and variable annuity products and also on more traditional mortality reinsurance protection. ACE Life Re's U.S.-based traditional life reinsurance operation was discontinued for new business in January 2010. Since 2007, ACE Life Re has not quoted on new opportunities in the variable annuity reinsurance marketplace. Combined Insurance distributes specialty supplemental A&H and life insurance products targeted to middle income consumers and businesses in the U.S. and Canada.

Corporate includes ACE Limited, ACE Group Management and Holdings Ltd., ACE INA Holdings, Inc., and intercompany eliminations. Due to our initiatives to reduce reinsurance recoverable balances, losses recognized in connection with the commutation of ceded reinsurance contracts are generally not considered when assessing segment performance and, accordingly, are directly allocated to Corporate. Losses and loss expenses arise in connection with the commutation of ceded reinsurance contracts that result from a differential between the consideration received from reinsurers and the related reduction of reinsurance recoverable, principally related to the time value of money.
For segment reporting purposes, certain items have been presented in a different manner below than in the consolidated financial statements. Management uses underwriting income as the main measure of segment performance. ACE calculates underwriting income by subtracting Losses and loss expenses, Policy benefits, Policy acquisition costs, and Administrative expenses from Net premiums earned. For the Insurance – North American Agriculture segment, management includes gains and losses from fair value changes on crop derivatives as a component of underwriting income. For 2013, underwriting income in our Insurance – North American Agriculture segment was $89 million. This amount includes $1 million of realized losses related to crop derivatives which are included in Net realized gains (losses) below. For the Life segment, management includes Net investment income and (Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets that do not qualify for separate account reporting under GAAP as components of Life underwriting income. For example, for 2013, Life underwriting income of $374 million includes Net investment income of $251 million and gains from fair value changes in separate account assets of $16 million.
The following tables present the Statement of Operations by segment:
For the Year Ended December 31, 2013 (in millions of U.S. dollars)
Insurance –
North
American P&C

 
Insurance – North American Agriculture

 
Insurance –
Overseas
General

 
Global
Reinsurance

 
Life

 
Corporate

 
ACE
Consolidated

Net premiums written
$
5,915

 
$
1,627

 
$
6,520

 
$
991

 
$
1,972

 
$

 
$
17,025

Net premiums earned
5,721

 
1,678

 
6,333

 
976

 
1,905

 

 
16,613

Losses and loss expenses
3,776

 
1,524

 
3,062

 
396

 
582

 
8

 
9,348

Policy benefits

 

 

 

 
515

 

 
515

Policy acquisition costs
597

 
53

 
1,453

 
197

 
358

 
1

 
2,659

Administrative expenses
601

 
11

 
1,008

 
50

 
343

 
198

 
2,211

Underwriting income (loss)
747

 
90

 
810

 
333

 
107

 
(207
)
 
1,880

Net investment income
1,021

 
26

 
539

 
280

 
251

 
27

 
2,144

Net realized gains (losses) including OTTI
72

 
1

 
18

 
53

 
360

 

 
504

Interest expense
5

 
1

 
5

 
5

 
15

 
244

 
275

Other (income) expense:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets

 

 

 

 
(16
)
 

 
(16
)
Other
(58
)
 
32

 
39

 
(19
)
 
13

 
24

 
31

Income tax expense (benefit)
347

 
20

 
222

 
36

 
34

 
(179
)
 
480

Net income (loss)
$
1,546

 
$
64

 
$
1,101

 
$
644

 
$
672

 
$
(269
)
 
$
3,758



 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2012
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Insurance –
North
American P&C

 
Insurance – North American Agriculture

 
Insurance –
Overseas
General

 
Global
Reinsurance

 
Life

 
Corporate

 
ACE
Consolidated

Net premiums written
$
5,349

 
$
1,859

 
$
5,863

 
$
1,025

 
$
1,979

 
$

 
$
16,075

Net premiums earned
5,147

 
1,872

 
5,740

 
1,002

 
1,916

 

 
15,677

Losses and loss expenses
3,715

 
1,911

 
2,862

 
553

 
611

 
1

 
9,653

Policy benefits

 

 

 

 
521

 

 
521

Policy acquisition costs
558

 
28

 
1,353

 
172

 
334

 
1

 
2,446

Administrative expenses
608

 
(7
)
 
935

 
51

 
328

 
181

 
2,096

Underwriting income (loss)
266

 
(60
)
 
590

 
226

 
122

 
(183
)
 
961

Net investment income
1,066

 
25

 
521

 
290

 
251

 
28

 
2,181

Net realized gains (losses) including OTTI
41

 
1

 
103

 
6

 
(72
)
 
(1
)
 
78

Interest expense
12

 

 
5

 
4

 
12

 
217

 
250

Other (income) expense:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets

 

 

 

 
(29
)
 

 
(29
)
Other
(41
)
 
32

 
3

 
(15
)
 
25

 
19

 
23

Income tax expense (benefit)
229

 
(29
)
 
133

 
15

 
58

 
(136
)
 
270

Net income (loss)
$
1,173

 
$
(37
)
 
$
1,073

 
$
518

 
$
235

 
$
(256
)
 
$
2,706


For the Year Ended December 31, 2011
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Insurance –
North
American P&C

 
Insurance – North American Agriculture

 
Insurance –
Overseas
General

 
Global
Reinsurance

 
Life

 
Corporate

 
ACE
Consolidated

Net premiums written
$
4,900

 
$
1,951

 
$
5,629

 
$
979

 
$
1,913

 
$

 
$
15,372

Net premiums earned
4,969

 
1,942

 
5,614

 
1,003

 
1,859

 

 
15,387

Losses and loss expenses
3,577

 
1,699

 
3,029

 
621

 
593

 
1

 
9,520

Policy benefits

 

 

 

 
401

 

 
401

Policy acquisition costs
532

 
80

 
1,335

 
185

 
339

 
1

 
2,472

Administrative expenses
598

 
(6
)
 
939

 
52

 
317

 
168

 
2,068

Underwriting income (loss)
262

 
169

 
311

 
145

 
209

 
(170
)
 
926

Net investment income
1,148

 
22

 
546

 
287

 
226

 
13

 
2,242

Net realized gains (losses) including OTTI
28

 
6

 
33

 
(50
)
 
(806
)
 
(6
)
 
(795
)
Interest expense
13

 
2

 
5

 
2

 
11

 
217

 
250

Other (income) expense:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


(Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets

 

 

 

 
36

 

 
36

Other
(13
)
 
18

 

 
(1
)
 
26

 
15

 
45

Income tax expense (benefit)
344

 
51

 
164

 
30

 
50

 
(137)

 
502

Net income (loss)
$
1,094

 
$
126

 
$
721

 
$
351

 
$
(494
)
 
$
(258
)
 
$
1,540


Underwriting assets are reviewed in total by management for purposes of decision-making. Other than goodwill and other intangible assets, ACE does not allocate assets to its segments.
The following table presents net premiums earned for each segment by product:
(in millions of U.S. dollars)
Property &
All Other

 
Casualty

 
Life,
Accident &
Health

 
ACE
Consolidated

For the Year Ended December 31, 2013
 
 
 
Insurance – North American P&C
$
1,489

 
$
3,847

 
$
385

 
$
5,721

Insurance – North American Agriculture
1,678

 

 

 
1,678

Insurance – Overseas General
2,672

 
1,479

 
2,182

 
6,333

Global Reinsurance
543

 
433

 

 
976

Life

 

 
1,905

 
1,905

 
$
6,382

 
$
5,759

 
$
4,472

 
$
16,613

For the Year Ended December 31, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Insurance – North American P&C
$
1,370

 
$
3,406

 
$
371

 
$
5,147

Insurance – North American Agriculture
1,872

 

 

 
1,872

Insurance – Overseas General
2,236

 
1,379

 
2,125

 
5,740

Global Reinsurance
495

 
507

 

 
1,002

Life

 

 
1,916

 
1,916

 
$
5,973

 
$
5,292

 
$
4,412

 
$
15,677

For the Year Ended December 31, 2011
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Insurance – North American P&C
$
1,232

 
$
3,380

 
$
357

 
$
4,969

Insurance – North American Agriculture
1,942

 

 

 
1,942

Insurance – Overseas General
2,080

 
1,415

 
2,119

 
5,614

Global Reinsurance
458

 
545

 

 
1,003

Life

 

 
1,859

 
1,859

 
$
5,712

 
$
5,340

 
$
4,335

 
$
15,387



The following table presents net premiums earned by geographic region. Allocations have been made on the basis of location of risk:
 
 
North America

 
 
 
Asia
 Pacific/Far East

 
Latin America

Years Ended
 
 
Europe

 
 
2013
 
58
%
 
17
%
 
16
%
 
9
%
2012
 
60
%
 
17
%
 
16
%
 
7
%
2011
 
61
%
 
18
%
 
14
%
 
7
%