General	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	General a) Basis of presentation Chubb Limited is a holding company incorporated in Zurich, Switzerland. Chubb Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products to insureds worldwide. Chubb operates through the following business segments: North America Commercial P&C Insurance, North America Personal P&C Insurance, North America Agricultural Insurance, Overseas General Insurance, Global Reinsurance, and Life Insurance. Refer to Note 10 for additional information. The interim unaudited consolidated financial statements, which include the accounts of Chubb Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively, Chubb, we, us, or our), have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments (consisting of normally recurring accruals) necessary for a fair statement of the results and financial position for such periods. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions, including internal reinsurance transactions, have been eliminated. The results of operations and cash flows for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our 2016 Form 10-K. b) Goodwill During the six months ended June 30, 2017, Goodwill increased $102 million, reflecting the impact of foreign exchange. c) Debt In February 2017, Chubb INA Holdings Inc.’s $500 million of 5.7 percent senior notes matured and were fully paid. In 2017, we reclassified $300 million of the 5.8 percent senior notes (due to mature in March 2018), and $600 million of the 5.75 percent senior notes (due to mature in May 2018) from Long-term debt to Short-term debt in the Consolidated balance sheets. Effective April 15, 2017, the interest rate on our $1.0 billion of unsecured junior subordinated capital securities converted to a floating rate, equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 2.25 percentage points. Previously, these capital securities carried interest at a rate of 6.375 percent. The current interest rate, at the time of this filing, on these securities is 3.55 percent. The scheduled maturity date for these securities is April 15, 2037. d) Accounting guidance adopted in 2017 Stock Compensation Effective January 2017, we prospectively adopted new guidance on stock compensation which requires recognition of the excess tax benefits or deficiencies of share-based compensation awards to employees through net income rather than through additional paid in capital. The calculation of the excess tax benefits or deficiencies is based on the difference between the market value of a stock award at the date of vesting, or at the time of exercise for a stock option, compared to the grant date fair value recognized as compensation expense in the Consolidated statements of operations. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, the excess tax benefit recorded to Income tax expense in the Consolidated statement of operations was $5 million and $30 million, respectively. Additionally, the guidance allowed for an election to account for forfeitures related to share-based payments either as they occur or through an estimation method. We elected to retain our current accounting for compensation expense using a forfeiture estimation process. e) Accounting guidance not yet adopted Goodwill Impairment In January 2017, the FASB issued updated guidance on goodwill impairment testing that eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test requiring entities to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill through a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Under the updated guidance, impairment will now be recognized as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value. The standard will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2020 on a prospective basis with early adoption permitted. We do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance on the amortization period for purchased callable debt securities held at a premium. The guidance requires the premium to be amortized to the earliest call date. Under current guidance, premiums generally are amortized over the contracted life of the security. This guidance is effective for us in the first quarter of 2019 on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings. Early adoption is permitted. Securities held at a discount do not require an accounting change. We are in the process of evaluating the effect the updated guidance will have on our financial condition and results of operations. Refer to the 2016 Form 10-K for information on other accounting guidance not yet adopted.

General

a) Basis of presentation

Chubb Limited is a holding company incorporated in Zurich, Switzerland. Chubb Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides a broad range of insurance and reinsurance products to insureds worldwide. Chubb operates through the following business segments: North America Commercial P&C Insurance, North America Personal P&C Insurance, North America Agricultural Insurance, Overseas General Insurance, Global Reinsurance, and Life Insurance. Refer to Note 10 for additional information.

The interim unaudited consolidated financial statements, which include the accounts of Chubb Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively, Chubb, we, us, or our), have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments (consisting of normally recurring accruals) necessary for a fair statement of the results and financial position for such periods. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions, including internal reinsurance transactions, have been eliminated.

The results of operations and cash flows for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our 2016 Form 10-K.

b) Goodwill

During the six months ended June 30, 2017, Goodwill increased $102 million, reflecting the impact of foreign exchange.

c) Debt

In February 2017, Chubb INA Holdings Inc.’s $500 million of 5.7 percent senior notes matured and were fully paid. In 2017, we reclassified $300 million of the 5.8 percent senior notes (due to mature in March 2018), and $600 million of the 5.75 percent senior notes (due to mature in May 2018) from Long-term debt to Short-term debt in the Consolidated balance sheets.

Effective April 15, 2017, the interest rate on our $1.0 billion of unsecured junior subordinated capital securities converted to a floating rate, equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 2.25 percentage points. Previously, these capital securities carried interest at a rate of 6.375 percent. The current interest rate, at the time of this filing, on these securities is 3.55 percent. The scheduled maturity date for these securities is April 15, 2037.

d) Accounting guidance adopted in 2017

Stock Compensation

Effective January 2017, we prospectively adopted new guidance on stock compensation which requires recognition of the excess tax benefits or deficiencies of share-based compensation awards to employees through net income rather than through additional paid in capital. The calculation of the excess tax benefits or deficiencies is based on the difference between the market value of a stock award at the date of vesting, or at the time of exercise for a stock option, compared to the grant date fair value recognized as compensation expense in the Consolidated statements of operations. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, the excess tax benefit recorded to Income tax expense in the Consolidated statement of operations was $5 million and $30 million, respectively. Additionally, the guidance allowed for an election to account for forfeitures related to share-based payments either as they occur or through an estimation method. We elected to retain our current accounting for compensation expense using a forfeiture estimation process.

e) Accounting guidance not yet adopted

Goodwill Impairment

In January 2017, the FASB issued updated guidance on goodwill impairment testing that eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test requiring entities to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill through a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Under the updated guidance, impairment will now be recognized as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value. The standard will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2020 on a prospective basis with early adoption permitted. We do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities

In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance on the amortization period for purchased callable debt securities held at a premium. The guidance requires the premium to be amortized to the earliest call date. Under current guidance, premiums generally are amortized over the contracted life of the security. This guidance is effective for us in the first quarter of 2019 on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings. Early adoption is permitted. Securities held at a discount do not require an accounting change. We are in the process of evaluating the effect the updated guidance will have on our financial condition and results of operations.

Refer to the 2016 Form 10-K for information on other accounting guidance not yet adopted.