DEBT

Long-Term Debt

The Company’s long-term debt consists of the following as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):



	2015			2014
$400 million 6.20% Subordinated Debentures due 2042	$	400,000		$	400,000
$400 million Variable Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2065	318,734			318,732
$400 million 4.70% Senior Notes due 2023	398,835			398,684
$400 million 5.00% Senior Notes due 2021	398,803			398,583
$400 million 6.45% Senior Notes due 2019	399,737			399,669
$300 million 5.625% Senior Notes due 2017	299,671			299,397
$100 million 4.09% Promissory Note due 2039	96,849			99,228
Sub-total	2,312,629			2,314,293
Unamortized issuance costs	(15,081		)	(16,589		)
Long-term Debt	$	2,297,548		$	2,297,704

On December 15, 2015, the interest rate on RGA's Junior Subordinated Debentures with a face amount of $400.0 million converted from a fixed rate of 6.75% to a floating rate equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 266.5 basis points.

On August 21, 2014, the Company signed a promissory note due September 1, 2039 with a face amount of $100.0 million, collateralized by the Company’s new headquarters in Chesterfield, Missouri. Principal and interest are paid monthly on the promissory note, with an interest rate of 4.09%. The liability for the note is included in long-term debt on the consolidated balance sheets.

On September 19, 2013, RGA issued 4.70% Senior Notes due September 15, 2023 with a face amount of $400.0 million. These senior notes have been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The net proceeds from the offering were approximately $395.1 million and will be used for general corporate purposes. Capitalized issue costs were approximately $3.4 million.

Certain of the Company’s debt agreements contain financial covenant restrictions related to, among others, liens, the issuance and disposition of stock of restricted subsidiaries, minimum requirements of consolidated net worth, maximum ratios of debt to capitalization and change of control provisions. A material ongoing covenant default could require immediate payment of the amount due, including principal, under the various agreements. Additionally, the Company’s debt agreements contain cross-default covenants, which would make outstanding borrowings immediately payable in the event of a material uncured covenant default under any of the agreements, including, but not limited to, non-payment of indebtedness when due for an amount in excess of $100.0 million, bankruptcy proceedings, or any other event which results in the acceleration of the maturity of indebtedness. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had $2,312.6 million and $2,314.3 million, respectively, in outstanding borrowings under its debt agreements and was in compliance with all covenants under those agreements. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, the average interest rate on long-term debt outstanding was 5.20% and 5.69%, respectively.

The ability of the Company to make debt principal and interest payments depends on the earnings and surplus of subsidiaries, investment earnings on undeployed capital proceeds, and the Company’s ability to raise additional funds. Future principal payments due on long-term debt, excluding discounts, as of December 31, 2015, were as follows (dollars in thousands):



	Calendar Year
	2016		2017		2018		2019		2020		Thereafter
Long-term debt	$	2,268	$	302,573	$	2,681	$	402,792	$	2,909	$	1,603,428

Credit and Committed Facilities

The Company has obtained bank letters of credit in favor of various affiliated and unaffiliated insurance companies from which the Company assumes business. These letters of credit represent guarantees of performance under the reinsurance agreements and allow ceding companies to take statutory reserve credits. Certain of these letters of credit contain financial covenant restrictions. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, there were approximately $132.2 million and $176.5 million, respectively, of undrawn outstanding bank letters of credit in favor of third parties. Additionally, the Company utilizes letters of credit primarily to secure reserve credits when it retrocedes business to its affiliated subsidiaries. The Company cedes business to its affiliates to help reduce the amount of regulatory capital required in certain jurisdictions such as the U.S. and the United Kingdom. As of December 31, 2015 and 2014, $1,127.4 million and $1,035.0 million, respectively, in undrawn letters of credit from various banks were outstanding, primarily backing reinsurance between the various subsidiaries of the Company. The banks providing letters of credit to the Company are included on the NAIC list of approved banks.

The Company maintains seven committed credit facilities, a syndicated revolving credit facility with a capacity of $850.0 million and six letter of credit facilities with a combined capacity of $701.1 million. The Company may borrow cash and obtain letters of credit in multiple currencies under its syndicated revolving credit facility. The following table provides additional information on the Company’s existing committed credit facilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):



			Amount Utilized⁽¹⁾ December 31,
Facility Capacity		Maturity Date	2015		2014		Basis of Fees
$	850,000	September 2019	$	313,659	$	204,774	Senior unsecured long-term debt rating
120,000		June 2019	85,040		80,040		Fixed
270,000		November 2017	270,000		270,000		Fixed
100,000		June 2017	68,657		81,747		Fixed
129,214 ⁽²⁾		November 2016	66,154		74,623		Fixed
45,422 ⁽²⁾		March 2019	45,422		80,961		Fixed
36,430 ⁽²⁾		May 2018	36,430		28,612		Fixed


(1)	Represents issued but undrawn letters of credit. There was no cash borrowed for the periods presented.


(2)	Foreign currency denominated facility, amounts presented are in U.S. dollars.

Fees associated with the Company’s other letters of credit are not fixed for periods in excess of one year and are based on the Company’s ratings and the general availability of these instruments in the marketplace. Total fees expensed associated with the Company’s letters of credit were $10.9 million, $12.6 million and $9.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and are included in policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses.