Deferred acquisition costs (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs Disclosures [Abstract]

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

The following tables present a roll-forward of deferred acquisitions costs on long-duration contracts included in the Life Insurance segment:

	Year Ended December 31, 2023
(in millions of U.S. dollars)	Term Life		Universal Life		Whole Life		A&H		Other		Total
Balance – beginning of period	$	324	$	639	$	392	$	891	$	268	$	2,514
Capitalizations	176		129		159		564		36		1,064
Amortization expense	(100)		(80)		(23)		(137)		(29)		(369)
Other (including foreign exchange)	2		(14)		6		(17)		(1)		(24)
Balance – end of period	$	402	$	674	$	534	$	1,301	$	274	$	3,185
Overseas General Insurance segment excluded from table											621
Total deferred acquisition costs on long-duration contracts											$	3,806

	Year Ended December 31, 2022
(in millions of U.S. dollars)	Term Life		Universal Life		Whole Life		A&H		Other		Total
Balance – beginning of period	$	250	$	631	$	330	$	730	$	263	$	2,204
Capitalizations	147		118		86		268		48		667
Amortization expense	(81)		(64)		(18)		(93)		(31)		(287)
Other (including foreign exchange)	8		(46)		(6)		(14)		(12)		(70)
Balance – end of period	$	324	$	639	$	392	$	891	$	268	$	2,514
Overseas General Insurance segment excluded from table											640
Total deferred acquisition costs on long-duration contracts											$	3,154

	Year Ended December 31, 2021
(in millions of U.S. dollars)	Term Life		Universal Life		Whole Life		A&H		Other		Total
Balance – beginning of period	$	125	$	557	$	299	$	733	$	220	$	1,934
Capitalizations	178		143		52		98		71		542
Amortization expense	(47)		(61)		(18)		(98)		(26)		(250)
Other (including foreign exchange)	(6)		(8)		(3)		(3)		(2)		(22)
Balance – end of period	$	250	$	631	$	330	$	730	$	263	$	2,204
Overseas General Insurance segment excluded from table											766
Total deferred acquisition costs on long-duration contracts											$	2,970