Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Variable Interest Entities

Variable Interest Entities

4. Variable Interest Entities

We have relationships with various types of entities which may be VIEs. Certain VIEs are consolidated in our financial results. See Note 1, Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies, under the caption “Consolidation” for further details of our consolidation accounting policies. We did not provide financial or other support to investees designated as VIEs for the periods ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Consolidated Variable Interest Entities

Real Estate

We invest in several real estate limited partnerships and limited liability companies. The entities invest in real estate properties. Certain of these entities are VIEs based on the combination of our significant economic interest and related voting rights. We determined we are the primary beneficiary as a result of our power to control the entities through our significant ownership. Due to the nature of these real estate investments, the investment balance will fluctuate as we purchase and sell interests in the entities and as capital expenditures are made to improve the underlying real estate.

Residential Mortgage Loans

We invest in ABS trusts. The trusts issue various collateralized mortgage obligation certificates and purchase residential mortgage loans. The trusts are considered VIEs due to insufficient equity to sustain themselves. We concluded we are the primary beneficiary as we purchase substantially all of the certificates and have the obligation to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the VIEs. We deconsolidated trusts in 2023 and 2022 as we no longer held substantially all of the certificates.

Asset-Backed Limited Partnership

We invest in an ABS limited partnership. The limited partnership issues multiple notes and purchases consumer loans, auto loans, other loans and credit facilities. The limited partnership is considered a VIE due to insufficient equity to sustain itself. We concluded we are the primary beneficiary as we have purchased all of the notes and have the obligation to absorb losses and residual returns that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated Variable Interest Entities

The carrying amounts of our consolidated VIE assets, which can only be used to settle obligations of consolidated VIEs, and liabilities of consolidated VIEs for which creditors do not have recourse were as follows:

	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
	Total		Total		Total		Total
	assets		liabilities		assets		liabilities
		(in millions)
Real estate (1)	$	829.1	$	63.0	$	689.6	$	42.2
Residential mortgage loans (2)		874.7		20.9		1,182.6		41.8
Asset - backed limited partnership (3)		249.3		—		—		—
Total	$	1,953.1	$	83.9	$	1,872.2	$	84.0

(1) The assets of the real estate VIEs primarily include real estate, other investments and cash. Liabilities primarily include other liabilities.

(2) The assets of the residential mortgage loans VIEs primarily include residential mortgage loans. The liabilities primarily include other liabilities.

(3) The assets of the asset-backed limited partnership VIE primarily include consumer loans, auto loans, other loans and credit facilities. These assets are reported with cash and cash equivalents, other investments and fixed maturities, trading on the consolidated statements of financial position. As of December 31, 2023, we did not have any unfunded commitments to the VIE. Unfunded commitments are not liabilities on our consolidated statements of financial position because we are only required to fund additional capital when called upon to do so by the investment manager.

Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities

We hold a variable interest in a number of VIEs where we are not the primary beneficiary. Our investments in these VIEs are reported in fixed maturities, available-for-sale; fixed maturities, trading and other investments in the consolidated statements of financial position and are described below.

Unconsolidated VIEs include certain commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”), residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities (“RMBS”) and other ABS. All of these entities were deemed VIEs because the equity within these entities is insufficient to sustain them. We determined we are not the primary beneficiary in the entities within these categories of investments. This determination was based primarily on the fact we do not own the class of security that controls the unilateral right to replace the special servicer or equivalent function.

We invest in cash collateralized debt obligations, collateralized bond obligations, collateralized loan obligations and other collateralized structures, which are VIEs due to insufficient equity to sustain the entities. We have determined we are not the primary beneficiary of these entities primarily because we do not control the economic performance of the entities and were not involved with the design of the entities or because we do not have a potentially significant variable interest in the entities for which we are the asset manager.

We have invested in various VIE trusts and similar entities as a debt holder. Most of these entities are classified as VIEs due to insufficient equity to sustain them. In addition, we have an entity classified as a VIE based on the combination of our significant economic interest and lack of voting rights. We have determined we are not the primary beneficiary primarily because we do not control the economic performance of the entities and were not involved with the design of the entities.

We have invested in partnerships and other funds, which are classified as VIEs. The entities are VIEs as equity holders lack the power to control the most significant activities of the entities because the equity holders do not have either the ability by a simple majority to exercise substantive kick-out rights or substantive participating rights. We have determined we are not the primary beneficiary because we do not have the power to direct the most significant activities of the entities.

As previously discussed, we sponsor and invest in certain investment funds that are VIEs. We determined we are not the primary beneficiary of the VIEs for which we are the asset manager but do not have a potentially significant variable interest in the funds.

The carrying value and maximum loss exposure for our unconsolidated VIEs were as follows:

			Maximum exposure to
	Asset carrying value		loss (1)
	(in millions)
December 31, 2023
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate	$	364.9	$	369.8
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities		2,824.9		2,959.8
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		4,743.4		5,391.6
Collateralized debt obligations (2)		5,397.8		5,459.0
Other debt obligations		7,879.4		8,976.2
Fixed maturities, trading:
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities		10.4		10.4
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		53.1		53.1
Collateralized debt obligations (2)		2.0		2.0
Other debt obligations		228.4		228.4
Other investments:
Other limited partnership and fund interests		1,661.2		2,954.3
December 31, 2022
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale:
Corporate	$	111.8	$	127.2
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities		2,170.9		2,362.1
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		4,827.5		5,529.7
Collateralized debt obligations (2)		4,560.2		4,813.4
Other debt obligations		6,483.3		7,537.2
Fixed maturities, trading:
Residential mortgage-backed pass-through securities		5.4		5.4
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		83.4		83.4
Collateralized debt obligations (2)		5.7		5.7
Other debt obligations		80.0		80.0
Other investments:
Other limited partnership and fund interests		1,088.5		1,765.4

(1) Our risk of loss is limited to our initial investment measured at amortized cost for fixed maturities, available-for-sale. Our risk of loss is limited to our investment measured at fair value for our fixed maturities, trading. Our risk of loss is limited to our carrying value plus any unfunded commitments and/or guarantees and similar provisions for our other investments. A carrying value of zero is used if distributions have been received in excess of our investment, resulting in a negative carrying value for the investment. Unfunded commitments are not liabilities on our consolidated statements of financial position because we are only required to fund additional equity when called upon to do so by the general partner or investment manager.

(2) Primarily consists of collateralized loan obligations backed by secured corporate loans.