Item 1. Business
Assurant, Inc. (“Assurant” or the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation formed in connection with the initial public offering (“IPO”) of its common stock, which began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on February 5, 2004. Prior to the IPO, Fortis, Inc., a Nevada corporation, formed Assurant and merged into it on February 4, 2004.
Assurant is a provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and select worldwide markets. Our four operating segments-Assurant Solutions, Assurant Specialty Property, Assurant Health, and Assurant Employee Benefits-partner with clients who are leaders in their industries and build leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments. Among the products offered by the operating segments are warranties and service contracts, pre-funded funeral insurance, lender-placed homeowners insurance, manufactured housing homeowners insurance, individual health and small employer group health insurance, group dental, disability, and life insurance and employee-funded voluntary benefits.
Assurant’s mission is to be the premier provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and select worldwide markets. To achieve this mission, we focus on the following areas:
Building and maintaining specialty insurance businesses-Our four operating segments are focused on serving specific sectors of the insurance market. We believe that the diversity of our businesses helps us to maintain financial stability because our businesses will generally not be affected in the same way by the same economic and operating trends.
Leveraging a set of core capabilities for competitive advantage-We pursue a strategy of building leading positions in specialized market segments for insurance products and related services by applying our core capabilities to create competitive advantages-managing risk; managing relationships with large distribution partners; and integrating complex administrative systems. These core capabilities represent areas of expertise that are advantages within each of our businesses. We seek to generate attractive returns by building on specialized market knowledge, well-established distribution relationships and, in some businesses, economies of scale.
Managing targeted growth initiatives-Our approach to mergers, acquisitions and other growth opportunities reflects our prudent and disciplined approach to managing our businesses. Our mergers, acquisitions and business development process targets new business that complements or supports our existing business model.
Identifying and adapting to evolving market needs-Assurant’s businesses strive to adapt to changing market conditions by tailoring product and service offerings to specific customer and client needs. By understanding consumer dynamics in our core markets, we seek to design innovative products and services that will enable us to sustain long-term profitable growth and market leading positions.
Competition
Assurant’s businesses focus on niche products and related services within broader insurance markets. Although we face competition in each of our businesses, we believe that no single competitor competes against us in all of our business lines. The business lines in which we operate are generally characterized by a limited number of competitors. Competition in each business is based on a number of factors, including quality of service, product features, price, scope of distribution, financial strength ratings and name recognition. The relative importance of these factors varies by product and market. We compete for customers and distributors with insurance companies and other financial services companies in our businesses.
Competitors of Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property include insurance companies and financial institutions. Assurant Health’s main competitors are other health insurance companies, Health Maintenance Organizations (“HMOs”) and the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans in states where we write business. Assurant Employee Benefits’ competitors include other benefit and life insurance companies, dental managed care entities and not-for-profit dental plans.
Segments
For additional information on our segments, see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Results of Operations” and Note 22 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this report.
Assurant Solutions
(1) Gross written premiums does not necessarily translate to an equal amount of subsequent net earned premium since Assurant Solutions reinsures a portion of their premiums to third parties and to insurance subsidiaries of its clients.
(2) Extended service contracts include warranty contracts for products such as cellular phones, personal computers, consumer electronics, appliances, automobiles and recreational vehicles.
(3) Equity excludes accumulated other comprehensive income.
Products and Services
Assurant Solutions targets growth in three key product areas: domestic and international extended service contracts (“ESC”) and warranties; preneed life insurance; and international credit insurance.
ESC and Warranties: Through partnerships with leading retailers and original equipment manufacturers, we underwrite and provide administrative services for ESC and warranties. These contracts provide consumers with coverage on cellular phones, personal computers, consumer electronics, appliances, automobiles and recreational vehicles, protecting them from certain covered losses. We pay the cost of repairing or replacing customers’ property in the event of mechanical breakdown, accidental damage, and casualty losses such as theft, fire, and water damage. Our strategy is to provide service to our clients that addresses all aspects of the extended service contract or warranty, including program design and marketing strategy. We provide administration, claims handling and customer service. We believe that we maintain a differentiated position in this marketplace as a provider of both the required administrative infrastructure and insurance underwriting capabilities.
Preneed Life Insurance: Preneed life insurance allows individuals to prepay for a funeral in a single payment or in multiple payments over a fixed number of years. The insurance policy proceeds are used to address funeral costs at death. These products are only sold in the U.S. and Canada and are generally structured as whole life insurance policies in the U.S. and annuity products in Canada.
Credit Insurance: Our credit insurance products offer protection from life events and uncertainties that arise in purchasing and borrowing transactions. Credit insurance programs generally offer consumers the option to protect a credit card balance or installment loan in the event of death, involuntary unemployment or disability, and are generally available to all consumers without the underwriting restrictions that apply to term life insurance.
Regulatory changes have reduced the demand for credit insurance in the U.S. Consequently, we have seen a reduction in credit insurance domestic gross written premiums, a trend we expect to continue.
Marketing and Distribution
Assurant Solutions focuses on establishing strong, long-term relationships with leading distributors of its products and services. We partner with some of the largest consumer electronics and appliance retailers and original equipment manufacturers to market our ESC and warranty products. In our Preneed business, we have an exclusive relationship with Services Corporation International (“SCI”), the largest funeral provider in North America.
Several of our distribution agreements are exclusive. Typically these agreements have terms of one to five years and allow us to integrate our administrative systems with those of our clients.
In addition to the domestic market, we operate in Canada, the United Kingdom (“U.K.”), Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Chile, Germany, Spain, Italy, Mexico and China. In these markets, we primarily sell ESC and credit insurance products through agreements with financial institutions, retailers and wireless service providers. Although there has been contraction in the domestic credit insurance market, several international markets are experiencing growth in the credit insurance business. Expertise gained in the domestic credit insurance market has enabled us to extend our administrative infrastructure internationally. Systems, training, computer hardware and our overall market development approach are customized to fit the particular needs of each targeted international market.
Underwriting and Risk Management
We write a significant portion of our contracts on a retrospective commission basis. This allows us to adjust commissions based on claims experience. Under these commission arrangements, the compensation of our clients is based upon the actual losses incurred compared to premiums earned after a specified net allowance to us. We believe that these arrangements better align our clients’ interests with ours and help us to better manage risk exposure.
Profits from our preneed life insurance programs are generally earned from interest rate spreads-the difference between the death benefit growth rates on underlying policies and the investment returns generated on the assets we hold related to those policies. To manage these spreads, we regularly adjust pricing to reflect changes in new money yields.
Assurant Specialty Property
(1) Other primarily includes lender-placed flood, miscellaneous specialty property and multi-family housing insurance products.
(2) The loss ratio is equal to policyholder benefits divided by net earned premiums and other considerations.
(3) The expense ratio is equal to selling, underwriting and general expenses divided by net earned premiums and other considerations and fees and other income. (Fees and other income is not included in the above table.)
(4) The combined ratio is equal to total benefits, losses and expenses divided by net earned premiums and other considerations and fees and other income. (Fees and other income is not included in the above table.)
(5) Equity excludes accumulated other comprehensive income.
Products and Services
Assurant Specialty Property’s business strategy is to pursue long-term growth in lender-placed homeowners insurance, and adjacent markets with similar characteristics, such as lender-placed flood insurance, and renters insurance. Assurant Specialty Property also writes other specialty products.
In June 2011 we acquired SureDeposit, the market leader in rental security deposit alternatives. We believe that this acquisition will help build our niche multi-family housing business which is focused on distribution through property managers.
Lender-placed and voluntary homeowners insurance: The largest product line within Assurant Specialty Property is homeowners insurance, consisting principally of fire and dwelling hazard insurance offered through our lender-placed programs. The lender-placed program provides collateral protection to lenders, mortgage servicers and investors in mortgaged properties in the event that a homeowner does not maintain insurance on a mortgaged dwelling. Lender-placed insurance coverage is not limited to the outstanding loan balance; it provides structural coverage, similar to that of a standard homeowners policy. The policy is based on the replacement cost of the property and ensures that a home can be repaired or rebuilt completely in the event of damage. It protects both the lender’s interest and the borrower’s interest and equity. We also provide insurance to some of our clients on properties that have been foreclosed and are being managed by our clients. This type of insurance is called Real Estate Owned (“REO”) insurance. This market experienced significant growth in recent years as a result of the housing crisis, but is now stabilizing.
In the majority of cases, we use a proprietary insurance-tracking administration system linked with the administrative systems of our clients to continuously monitor the clients’ mortgage portfolios to verify the existence of insurance on each mortgaged property and identify those that are uninsured. If a potential lapse in insurance coverage is detected, we begin a process of notification and outreach to both the homeowner and the last-known insurance carrier or agent through phone calls and written correspondence. This process usually takes 75 days to complete. If at the end of this process we still cannot verify that insurance has not lapsed, a lender-placed policy is procured by the lender. The homeowner is still encouraged, and always maintains the option, to obtain or renew the insurance of his or her choice.
Lender-placed and voluntary manufactured housing insurance: Manufactured housing insurance is offered on a lender-placed and voluntary basis. Lender-placed insurance is issued after an insurance tracking process similar to that described above. The tracking is performed by Assurant Specialty Property using a proprietary insurance tracking administration system, or by the lenders themselves. A number of manufactured housing retailers in the U.S. use our proprietary premium rating technology to assist them in selling property coverages at the point of sale.
Other insurance: We believe there are opportunities to apply our lender-placed business model to other products and services. We have developed products in adjacent and emerging markets, such as the lender-placed flood and mandatory insurance rental markets. We also act as an administrator for the U.S. Government under the voluntary National Flood Insurance Program, for which we earn a fee for collecting premiums and processing claims. This business is 100% reinsured to the Federal Government.
Marketing and Distribution
Assurant Specialty Property establishes long-term relationships with leading mortgage lenders and servicers. The majority of our lender-placed agreements are exclusive. Typically these agreements have terms of three to five years and allow us to integrate our systems with those of our clients.
We offer our manufactured housing insurance programs primarily through manufactured housing lenders and retailers, along with independent specialty agents. The independent specialty agents distribute flood products and miscellaneous specialty property products. Multi-family housing products are distributed primarily through property management companies and affinity marketing partners.
Underwriting and Risk Management
Our lender-placed homeowners insurance program and certain of our manufactured home products are not underwritten on an individual policy basis. Contracts with our clients require us to automatically issue these policies when a borrower’s insurance coverage is not maintained. These products are priced to factor in the lack of individual policy underwriting. We monitor pricing adequacy based on a variety of factors and adjust pricing as required, subject to regulatory constraints.
Because several of our product lines (such as homeowners, manufactured home, and other property policies) are exposed to catastrophe risks, we purchase reinsurance coverage to protect the capital of Assurant Specialty Property and to mitigate earnings volatility. Our reinsurance program generally incorporates a provision to allow the reinstatement of coverage, which provides protection against the risk of multiple catastrophes in a single year.
Assurant Health
(1) As of January 1, 2011, the Company began accruing premium rebates to comply with the minimum medical loss ratio requirements under the Affordable Care Act.
(2) The loss ratio is equal to policyholder benefits divided by net earned premiums and other considerations.
(3) The expense ratio is equal to selling, underwriting and general expenses divided by net earned premiums and other considerations and fees and other income. (Fees and other income are not included in the above table.)
(4) The combined ratio is equal to total benefits, losses and expenses divided by net earned premiums and other considerations and fees and other income. (Fees and other income are not included in the above table.)
(5) Equity excludes accumulated other comprehensive income.
Product and Services
Assurant Health competes in the individual medical insurance market by offering medical insurance and short-term medical insurance to individuals and families. Our products are offered with different plan options to meet a broad range of customer needs and levels of affordability. Assurant Health also offers medical insurance to small employer groups.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and the rules and regulations thereunder (together, “the Affordable Care Act”) were signed into law in March 2010 and represent significant changes to the current U.S. health care system. The legislation is far-reaching and is intended to expand access to health insurance coverage over time. The legislation includes requirements that most individuals obtain health insurance coverage beginning in 2014 and that most large employers offer coverage to their employees or they will be required to pay a financial penalty. In addition, the new laws encompass certain new taxes and fees, including limitations on the amount of compensation that is tax deductible and new fees which may not be deductible for income tax purposes.
The legislation will also impose new requirements and restrictions, including, but not limited to, guaranteed coverage requirements, prohibitions on some annual and all lifetime limits on amounts paid on behalf of or to our members, increased restrictions on rescinding coverage, establishment of minimum medical loss ratio requirements, the establishment of state insurance exchanges and essential benefit packages, and greater limitations on product pricing.
One provision of the Affordable Care Act, effective January 1, 2011, established a minimum medical loss ratio (“MLR”) designed to ensure that a minimum percentage of premiums is paid for clinical services or health care quality improvement activities. The Affordable Care Act established an MLR of 80% for individual and small group business and 85% for large group business. If the actual loss ratios, calculated in a manner
prescribed by the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), are less than the required MLR, rebates are payable to the policyholders by August 1 of the subsequent year. Although the HHS has issued final regulations to implement the MLR and rebate provisions of the Affordable Care Act, certain issues remain to be fully resolved, including the response from the HHS to state insurance commissioners who have requested transitional relief from the MLR.
Although the dynamics and characteristics of the post-reform market will be different, we believe there are still significant opportunities for us to sell individual medical insurance products. Specialty expertise will still be required and we believe that we can earn adequate profits in this business over the long-term, without making large commitments of capital. In order to achieve these goals, we have taken significant steps to reduce operating and distribution costs and modify our product lines. During 2011, we reduced operating costs significantly through expense initiatives and redesigned our product portfolio to offer certain supplemental and affordable choice products. We continue to build on these efforts. We may refine our strategy as new regulations are issued or additional regulatory agency actions are taken in the wake of the Affordable Care Act. The full impact of the Affordable Care Act will not be known for many years, as it becomes effective at various dates over the next several years. We believe that the Affordable Care Act will lead to sweeping and fundamental changes to the U.S. health care system and the health insurance industry.
Individual Medical: Our medical insurance products are sold to individuals, primarily between the ages of 18 and 64, and their families, who do not have employer-sponsored coverage. We offer a wide variety of benefit plans at different price points, which allow customers to tailor their coverage to fit their unique needs.
Small Employer Group Medical: Our group medical insurance is primarily sold to small companies with two to fifty employees, although larger employer coverage is available. As of December 31, 2011, our average group size was approximately five employees.
We have entered into a new provider network arrangement with Aetna Signature Administrators® that becomes effective in March 2012. This multi-year agreement will provide our major medical customers with access to more than one million health care providers and 7,500 hospitals nationwide. Access to this network will enhance the competitiveness of Assurant Health for individuals, families, and small groups.
Marketing and Distribution
Our health insurance products are principally marketed through a network of independent agents. We also market through a variety of exclusive and non-exclusive national account relationships and direct distribution channels. In addition, we market our products through North Star Marketing, a wholly-owned affiliate that seeks business directly from independent agents. Since 2000, we have had an exclusive national marketing agreement with a major mutual insurance company whose captive agents market our individual health products. This agreement will expire in September 2018 and allows either company to exit the agreement with six months notice. We provide many of our products through a well-known association’s administrator under an agreement that automatically renews annually. We also have a long-term relationship with a national marketing organization with more than 50 offices.
Underwriting and Risk Management
Following the passage of the Affordable Care Act, many of the traditional risk management techniques used to manage the risks of providing health insurance have become less relevant. The Affordable Care Act places several constraints on underwriting and mandates minimum levels of benefits for most medical coverage. It also imposes minimum loss ratio standards on many of our policies. Assurant Health has taken steps to adjust its products, pricing and business practices to comply with the new requirements.
Please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis-Assurant Health” and “Risk Factors-Risks Related to our Industry-Reform of the health insurance industry could make our health insurance business unprofitable” for further details.
Assurant Employee Benefits
(1) Includes single premiums for closed blocks.
(2) The loss ratio is equal to policyholder benefits divided by net earned premiums and other considerations.
(3) The expense ratio is equal to selling, underwriting and general expenses divided by net earned premiums and other considerations and fees and other income. (Fees and other income are not included in the above table.)
(4) Equity excludes accumulated other comprehensive income.
Products and Services
We focus on the needs of businesses with fewer than 500 employees. We believe that our small group risk selection expertise, administrative systems, and strong relationships with brokers who work primarily with small businesses give us a competitive advantage versus other carriers.
We offer group disability, dental, vision, life and supplemental worksite products as well as individual dental products. The group products are offered with funding options ranging from fully employer-paid to fully employee-paid (voluntary). In addition, we reinsure disability and life products through our wholly owned subsidiary, Disability Reinsurance Management Services, Inc. (“DRMS”).
Group Disability: Group disability insurance provides partial replacement of lost earnings for insured employees who become disabled, as defined by their plan provisions. Our products include both short- and long-term disability coverage options. We also reinsure disability policies written by other carriers through our DRMS subsidiary.
Group Dental: Dental benefit plans provide funding for necessary or elective dental care. Customers may select a traditional indemnity arrangement, a PPO arrangement, or a prepaid or managed care arrangement. Coverage is subject to deductibles, coinsurance and annual or lifetime maximums. In a prepaid plan, members must use participating dentists in order to receive benefits.
Success in the group dental business is heavily dependent on a strong provider network. Assurant Employee Benefits owns and operates Dental Health Alliance, L.L.C., a leading dental Preferred Provider Organization (“PPO”) network. We also have an agreement with Aetna that allows us to use Aetna’s Dental Access ® network, which we believe increases the attractiveness of our products in the marketplace.
Group Vision: Fully-insured vision coverage is offered through our agreement with Vision Service Plan, Inc., a leading national supplier of vision insurance. Our plans cover eye exams, glasses, and contact lenses and are usually sold in combination with one or more of our other products.
Group Life: Group term life insurance provided through the workplace provides benefits in the event of death. We also provide accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Insurance consists primarily of renewable term life insurance with the amount of coverage provided being either a flat amount, a multiple of the employee’s earnings, or a combination of the two. We also reinsure life policies written by other carriers through DRMS.
Supplemental Worksite Products: In addition to the traditional voluntary products, we provide group critical illness, cancer, accident, and gap insurance. These products are generally paid for by the employee through payroll deductions, and the employee is enrolled in the coverage(s) at the worksite.
Marketing and Distribution
Our products and services are distributed through a group sales force located in 34 offices near major metropolitan areas. Our sales representatives distribute our products and services through independent brokers and employee-benefits advisors. Daily account management is provided through the local sales offices, further supported by regional sales support centers and a home office customer service department. Compensation of brokers in some cases includes an annual performance incentive, based on volume and retention of business.
DRMS provides turnkey group disability and life insurance solutions to insurance carriers that want to supplement their core product offerings. Our services include product development, state insurance regulatory filings, underwriting, claims management, and other functions typically performed by an insurer’s back office. Assurant Employee Benefits reinsures the risks written by DRMS’ clients, with the clients generally retaining shares that vary by contract.
Underwriting and Risk Management
The pricing of our products is based on the expected cost of benefits, calculated using assumptions for mortality, morbidity, interest, expenses and persistency, and other underwriting factors. Our block of business is diversified by industry and geographic location, which serves to limit some of the risks associated with changing economic conditions.
Disability claims management focuses on helping claimants return to work through a supportive network of services that may include physical therapy, vocational rehabilitation, and workplace accommodation. We employ or contract with a staff of doctors, nurses and vocational rehabilitation specialists, and use a broad range of additional outside medical and vocational experts to assist our claim specialists.
Ratings
Independent rating organizations periodically review the financial strength of insurers, including our insurance subsidiaries. Financial strength ratings represent the opinions of rating agencies regarding the ability of an insurance company to meet its financial obligations to policyholders and contractholders. These ratings are not applicable to our common stock or debt securities. Ratings are an important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies.
Rating agencies also use an “outlook statement” of “positive”, “stable”, “negative” or “developing” to indicate a medium- or long-term trend in credit fundamentals which, if continued, may lead to a rating change. A rating may have a stable outlook to indicate that the rating is not expected to change; however, a stable rating does not preclude a rating agency from changing a rating at any time, without notice.
Most of our active domestic operating insurance subsidiaries are rated by the A.M. Best Company (“A.M. Best”). In addition, six of our domestic operating insurance subsidiaries are also rated by Moody’s Investor Services (“Moody’s”) and seven are rated by Standard & Poor’s Inc., a division of McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”).
For further information on the risks of ratings downgrades, see “Item 1A
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Certain factors may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and you should carefully consider them. It is not possible to predict or identify all such factors.
Risks Related to Our Company
Our revenues and profits may decline if we were unable to maintain relationships with significant clients, distributors and other parties important to the success of our business.
Our relationships and contractual arrangements with significant clients, distributors, original equipment manufacturers and other parties with whom we do business are important to the success of our segments. Many of these arrangements are exclusive. For example, in Assurant Solutions, we have exclusive relationships with retailers and financial and other institutions through which we distribute our products, including an exclusive distribution relationship with SCI relating to the distribution of our preneed insurance policies. In Assurant Specialty Property, we have exclusive relationships with mortgage lenders and manufactured housing lenders, manufacturers and property managers. In Assurant Health, we have exclusive distribution relationships for our individual health insurance products with a major mutual insurance company as well as a relationship with a well-known association through which we provide many of our individual health insurance products. We also have a new provider network arrangement with a national PPO network. We also maintain contractual relationships with several separate networks of health and dental care providers, each referred to as a PPO, through which we obtain discounts. In Assurant Employee Benefits, we have relationships through DRMS with group insurance carriers to reinsure their disability and life insurance product offerings. Typically, these relationships and contractual arrangements have terms ranging from one to five years.
Although we believe we have generally been successful in maintaining our clients, distribution and associated relationships, if these parties decline to renew or seek to terminate these arrangements or seek to renew these contracts on terms less favorable to us, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. For example, a loss of one or more of the discount arrangements with PPOs could lead to higher medical or dental costs and/or a loss of members to other medical or dental plans. In addition, we are subject to the risk that these parties may face financial difficulties, reputational issues or problems with respect to their own products and services, which may lead to decreased sales of our products and services. Moreover, if one or more of our clients or distributors consolidate or align themselves with other companies, we may lose business or suffer decreased revenues.
Sales of our products and services may be reduced if we are unable to attract and retain sales representatives or to develop and maintain distribution sources.
We distribute many of our insurance products and services through a variety of distribution channels, including independent employee benefits specialists, brokers, managing general agents, life agents, financial institutions, mortgage lenders and servicers, retailers, funeral homes, association groups and other third-party marketing organizations.
Our relationships with these distributors are significant both for our revenues and profits. We do not distribute our insurance products and services through captive or affiliated agents. In Assurant Health, we depend in large part on the services of independent agents and brokers and on associations in the marketing of our products. In Assurant Employee Benefits, independent agents and brokers who act as advisors to our customers market and distribute our products. Strong competition exists among insurers to form relationships with agents and brokers of demonstrated ability. We compete with other insurers for relationships with agents, brokers, and other intermediaries primarily on the basis of our financial position, support services, product features, and more generally through our ability to meet the needs of their clients, our customers. Independent agents and brokers are typically not exclusively dedicated to us, but instead usually also market the products of our competitors and therefore we face continued competition from our competitors’ products. Moreover, our ability to market our products and services depends on our ability to tailor our channels of distribution to comply with changes in the regulatory environment in which we and such agents and brokers operate.
The minimum loss ratios imposed by the Affordable Care Act compelled health insurers to decrease broker commission levels beginning in 2011. Similarly, the Company decreased its commission levels for distribution channels that market Assurant Health’s individual medical and small employer group medical products. Although the Company believes that its revised commission schedules are competitive with those of other health insurers adapting to the new reform environment, this reduction caused uncertainty among agents during 2011 as they evaluated the effect of new commission levels on their business, which contributed to a decrease in sales. The reduction could pressure our relationship with the distribution channels that we rely on to market our Assurant Health products and/or our ability to attract new brokers and agents, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, many of the agents and brokers who distribute Assurant Employee Benefits products make a large part of their living from sales of health insurance. To the extent that some of them decide to pursue other occupations, the resulting loss of distribution could have a material adverse impact on the sales of Assurant Employee Benefits’ products.
We have our own sales representatives whose distribution process varies by segment. We depend in large part on our sales representatives to develop and maintain client relationships. Our inability to attract and retain effective sales representatives could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
General economic, financial market and political conditions may materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial conditions. Particularly, difficult conditions in financial markets and the global economy may negatively affect the results of all of our business segments.
General economic, financial market and political conditions may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Limited availability of credit, deteriorations of the global mortgage and real estate markets, declines in consumer confidence and consumer spending, increases in prices or in the rate of inflation, continuing high unemployment, or disruptive geopolitical events could contribute to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the economy and the markets, including the market for our stock. These conditions could also affect all of our business segments. Specifically, during periods of economic downturn:
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individuals and businesses may (i) choose not to purchase our insurance products, warranties and other related products and services, (ii) terminate existing policies or contracts or permit them to lapse, (iii) choose to reduce the amount of coverage they purchase, and (iv) in the case of business customers of Assurant Health or Assurant Employee Benefits, have fewer employees requiring insurance coverage due to reductions in their staffing levels;
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clients are more likely to experience financial distress or declare bankruptcy or liquidation which could have an adverse impact on the remittance of premiums from such clients as well as the collection of receivables from such clients for items such as unearned premiums;
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disability insurance claims and claims on other specialized insurance products tend to rise;
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there is a higher loss ratio on credit card and installment loan insurance due to rising unemployment and disability levels;
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there is an increased risk of fraudulent insurance claims;
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insureds tend to increase their utilization of health and dental benefits if they anticipate becoming unemployed or losing benefits; and
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substantial decreases in loan availability and origination could reduce the demand for credit insurance that we write or debt cancellation or debt deferment products that we administer, and on the placement of hazard insurance under our lender-placed insurance programs.
Recently, the global recession and disruption of the financial markets have heightened concerns over the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, particularly with respect to capital markets access and the solvency of certain
European Union (“EU”) member states, including Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain, and of financial institutions that have significant direct or indirect exposure to debt issued by these countries. Certain major rating agencies have downgraded the sovereign debt of Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain. The issues arising out of the sovereign debt crisis may transcend Europe, cause investors to lose confidence in European financial institutions and the stability of EU member economies, and likewise affect U.S. financial institutions, the stability of the global financial markets and any economic recovery.
In addition, general inflationary pressures may affect the costs of medical and dental care, as well as repair and replacement costs on our real and personal property lines, increasing the costs of paying claims. Inflationary pressures may also affect the costs associated with our preneed insurance policies, particularly those that are guaranteed to grow with the Consumer Price Index (or “CPI”). Conversely, deflationary pressures may affect the pricing of our products.
Our earnings and book value per share could be materially affected by an impairment of goodwill.
Goodwill represented $639,097 of our $27,115,445 in total assets as of December 31, 2011. We review our goodwill annually in the fourth quarter for impairment or more frequently if circumstances indicating that the asset may be impaired exist. Such circumstances could include a sustained significant decline in our share price, a decline in our actual or expected future cash flows or income, a significant adverse change in the business climate, or slower growth rates, among others. Circumstances such as those mentioned above could trigger an impairment of some or all of the remaining goodwill on our balance sheet, which could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and book value per share. For more information on our annual goodwill impairment testing and the goodwill of our segments, please see “Item 7 - MD&A-Critical Factors Affecting Results-Value and Recoverability of Goodwill.”
Competitive pressures or regulators could force us to reduce our rates.
The premiums we charge are subject to review by regulators. If they consider our loss ratios to be too low, they could require us to reduce our rates. In addition, competitive conditions may put pressure on our rates. In either case, significant rate reductions could materially reduce our profitability.
Catastrophe losses, including man-made catastrophe losses, could materially reduce our profitability and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our insurance operations expose us to claims arising out of catastrophes, particularly in our homeowners, life and other personal lines of business. We have experienced, and expect to experience, catastrophe losses that materially reduce our profitability or have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Catastrophes can be caused by various natural events, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, windstorms, earthquakes, hailstorms, severe winter weather, fires, epidemics and the long-term effects of climate change, or can be man-made catastrophes, including terrorist attacks or accidents such as airplane crashes. While the frequency and severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable, increases in the value and geographic concentration of insured property, the geographic concentration of insured lives, and the effects of inflation could increase the severity of claims from future catastrophes.
Catastrophe losses can vary widely and could significantly exceed our expectations. They may cause substantial volatility in our financial results for any fiscal quarter or year and could materially reduce our profitability or materially adversely affect our financial condition. Our ability to write new business also could be affected.
Accounting rules do not permit insurers to reserve for such catastrophic events before they occur. In addition, the establishment of appropriate reserves, including reserves for catastrophes, is an inherently uncertain and complex process. The ultimate cost of losses may vary materially from recorded reserves and such variance may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
If the severity of an event were sufficiently high (for example, in the event of an extremely large catastrophe), it could exceed our reinsurance coverage limits and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. We may also lose premium income due to a large-scale business interruption caused by a catastrophe combined with legislative or regulatory reactions to the event.
We use catastrophe modeling tools that help estimate our exposure to such events, but these tools are based on historical data and other assumptions that may provide projections that are materially different from the actual events.
Because Assurant Specialty Property’s lender-placed homeowners and lender-placed manufactured housing insurance products are designed to automatically provide property coverage for client portfolios, our concentration in certain catastrophe-prone states like Florida, California and Texas may increase in the future. Furthermore, the withdrawal of other insurers from these or other states may lead to adverse selection and increased use of our products in these areas and may negatively affect our loss experience.
The exact impact of the physical effects of climate change is uncertain. It is possible that changes in the global climate may cause long-term increases in the frequency and severity of storms, resulting in higher catastrophe losses, which could materially affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our group life and health insurance operations could be materially impacted by catastrophes such as a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, a pandemic or an epidemic that causes a widespread increase in mortality or disability rates or that causes an increase in the need for medical care. In addition, with respect to our preneed insurance policies, the average age of policyholders is approximately 73 years. This group is more susceptible to certain epidemics than the overall population, and an epidemic resulting in a higher incidence of mortality could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
A.M. Best, Moody’s, and S&P rate the financial strength of our insurance company subsidiaries, and a decline in these ratings could affect our standing in the insurance industry and cause our sales and earnings to decrease.
Ratings are an important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies. A.M. Best rates most of our domestic operating insurance subsidiaries. Moody’s rates six of our domestic operating insurance subsidiaries and S&P rates seven of our domestic operating insurance subsidiaries. These ratings are subject to periodic review by A.M. Best, Moody’s, and S&P, and we cannot assure that we will be able to retain them. In 2011 for example, S&P lowered the financial strength rating of two of our rated life and health insurance subsidiaries from BBB+ to BBB, citing pressure on Assurant Health’s earnings resulting from changes related to the Affordable Care Act. Moody’s currently has a negative outlook on our life and health insurance subsidiaries, as well as our senior debt rating, primarily citing the adverse consequences of the Affordable Care Act on our life and health insurance subsidiaries.
Rating agencies may change their methodology or requirements for determining ratings, or they may become more conservative in assigning ratings. Rating agencies or regulators could also increase capital requirements for the Company or its subsidiaries. Any reduction in our ratings could materially adversely affect the demand for our products from intermediaries and consumers, and materially adversely affect our results. In addition, any reduction in our financial strength ratings could materially adversely affect our cost of borrowing.
As of December 31, 2011, contracts representing approximately 17% of Assurant Solutions’ and 26% of Assurant Specialty Property’s net earned premiums and fee income contain provisions requiring the applicable subsidiaries to maintain minimum A.M. Best financial strength ratings ranging from “A” or better to “B” or better, depending on the contract. Our clients may terminate these contracts or fail to renew them if the subsidiaries’ ratings fall below these minimums. Under our marketing agreement with SCI, American Memorial Life Insurance Company (“AMLIC”), one of our subsidiaries, is required to maintain an A.M. Best financial strength rating of “B” or better throughout the term of the agreement. If AMLIC fails to maintain this rating for a period of 180 days, SCI may terminate the agreement.
Additionally, certain contracts in the DRMS business, representing approximately 7% of Assurant Employee Benefits’ net earned premiums for the year ended December 31, 2011 contain provisions requiring the applicable subsidiaries to maintain minimum A.M. Best financial strength ratings of “A-” or better. DRMS clients may terminate the agreements and, in some instances, recapture in-force business if the ratings of applicable subsidiaries fall below “A-”. Similarly, distribution and service agreements representing approximately 18% of Assurant Health’s earned premiums gross of rebates for the year ended December 31, 2011 contain provisions requiring the applicable subsidiaries to maintain minimum A.M. Best financial strength ratings of “A-” or better, for the distribution agreements, or “B+” or better, for the service agreement. If the ratings of applicable Assurant Health subsidiaries fall below these threshold ratings levels, distribution and service partners could terminate their agreements. Termination or failure to renew these agreements could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our actual claims losses may exceed our reserves for claims, and this may require us to establish additional reserves that may materially reduce our earnings, profitability and capital.
We maintain reserves to cover our estimated ultimate exposure for claims and claim adjustment expenses with respect to reported claims and incurred but not reported claims (“IBNR”) as of the end of each accounting period. Reserves, whether calculated under GAAP, Statutory Accounting Principles (“SAP”) or accounting principles required in foreign jurisdictions, do not represent an exact calculation of exposure. Reserving is inherently a matter of judgment; our ultimate liabilities could exceed reserves for a variety of reasons, including changes in macroeconomic factors (such as unemployment and interest rates), case development and other factors. We also adjust our reserves from time to time as these factors and our claims experience changes. Reserve development and paid losses exceeding corresponding reserves could have a material adverse effect on our earnings.
Unfavorable conditions in the capital and credit markets may significantly and adversely affect our access to capital and our ability to pay our debts or expenses.
In recent years, the global capital and credit markets experienced extreme volatility and disruption. In many cases, companies’ ability to raise money was severely restricted. Although conditions in the capital and credit markets have improved significantly, they could again deteriorate. Our ability to borrow or raise money is important if our operating cash flow is insufficient to pay our expenses, meet capital requirements, repay debt, pay dividends on our common stock or make investments. The principal sources of our liquidity are insurance premiums, fee income, cash flow from our investment portfolio and liquid assets, consisting mainly of cash or assets that are readily convertible into cash. Sources of liquidity in normal markets also include a variety of short- and long-term instruments.
If our access to capital markets is restricted, our cost of capital could go up, thus decreasing our profitability and reducing our financial flexibility. Our results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and statutory capital position could be materially and adversely affected by disruptions in the capital markets.
The value of our investments could decline, affecting our profitability and financial strength.
Investment returns are an important part of our profitability. Significant fluctuations in the fixed maturity market could impair our profitability, financial condition and/or cash flows. Our investments are subject to market-wide risks and fluctuations, as well as to risks inherent in particular securities. In addition, certain factors affecting our business, such as volatility of claims experience, could force us to liquidate securities prior to maturity, causing us to incur capital losses. See “Item 7A - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk-Interest Rate Risk.”
Market conditions, changes in interest rates, and prolonged periods of low interest rates may materially affect our results.
Recent periods have been characterized by low interest rates. A prolonged period during which interest rates remain at historically low levels may result in lower-than-expected net investment income and larger required reserve increases. In addition, certain statutory capital requirements are based on formulas or models that consider interest rates, and a prolonged period of low interest rates may increase the statutory capital we are required to hold.
Changes in interest rates may materially adversely affect the performance of some of our investments. Interest rate volatility may increase or reduce unrealized gains or unrealized losses in our portfolios. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. Fixed maturity and short-term investments represented 83% of the fair value of our total investments as of December 31, 2011.
The fair market value of the fixed maturity securities in our portfolio and the investment income from these securities fluctuate depending on general economic and market conditions. Because all of our fixed maturity securities are classified as available for sale, changes in the market value of these securities are reflected in our balance sheet. Their fair market value generally increases or decreases in an inverse relationship with fluctuations in interest rates, while net investment income from fixed-maturity investments increases or decreases directly with interest rates. In addition, actual net investment income and/or cash flows from investments that carry prepayment risk, such as mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities, may differ from those anticipated at the time of investment as a result of interest rate fluctuations. An increase in interest rates will also increase the net unrealized losses in our current investment portfolio.
We employ asset/liability management strategies to reduce the adverse effects of interest rate volatility and to increase the likelihood that cash flows are available to pay claims as they become due. Our asset/liability management strategies may fail to eliminate or reduce the adverse effects of interest rate volatility, and significant fluctuations in the level of interest rates may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. If our investment portfolio is not appropriately matched with our insurance liabilities, we could also be forced to liquidate investments prior to maturity at a significant loss to pay claims and policyholder benefits.
Our preneed insurance policies are generally whole life insurance policies with increasing death benefits. In extended periods of declining interest rates or rising inflation, there may be compression in the spread between the death benefit growth rates on these policies and the investment income that we can earn, resulting in a negative spread. As a result, declining interest rates or high inflation rates may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and our overall financial condition. See “Item 7A - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk-Inflation Risk” for additional information.
Assurant Employee Benefits calculates reserves for long-term disability and life waiver of premium claims using net present value calculations based on interest rates at the time reserves are established and expectations regarding future interest rates. Waiver of premium refers to a provision in a life insurance policy pursuant to which an insured with a disability that lasts for a specified period no longer has to pay premiums for the duration of the disability or for a stated period, during which time the life insurance coverage continues. If interest rates decline, reserves for open and/or new claims in Assurant Employee Benefits would need to be calculated using lower discount rates, thereby increasing the net present value of those claims and the required reserves. Depending on the magnitude of the decline, such changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, investment income may be lower than that assumed in setting premium rates.
Our investment portfolio is subject to various risks that may result in realized investment losses.
We are subject to credit risk in our investment portfolio, primarily from our investments in corporate bonds, preferred stocks, leveraged loans, municipal bonds, and commercial mortgages. Defaults by third parties in the payment or performance of their obligations could reduce our investment income and realized investment gains or result in the continued recognition of investment losses. The value of our investments may be materially adversely affected by increases in interest rates, downgrades in the corporate bonds included in the portfolio and by other factors that may result in the continued recognition of other-than-temporary impairments. Each of these events may cause us to reduce the carrying value of our investment portfolio.
Further, the value of any particular fixed maturity security is subject to impairment based on the creditworthiness of a given issuer. As of December 31, 2011, fixed maturity securities represented 80% of the fair value of our total invested assets. Our fixed maturity portfolio also includes below investment grade securities (rated “BB” or lower by nationally recognized securities rating organizations). These investments comprise approximately 6% of the fair value of our total investments as of December 31, 2011 and generally provide higher expected returns, but present greater risk and can be less liquid than investment grade securities. A significant increase in defaults and impairments on our fixed maturity investment portfolio could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. See “Item 7A - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk-Credit Risk” for additional information on the composition of our fixed maturity investment portfolio.
We currently invest in a small amount of equity securities (approximately 3% of the fair value of our total investments as of December 31, 2011). However, we have had higher percentages in the past and may make more such investments in the future. Investments in equity securities generally provide higher expected total returns, but present greater risk to preservation of capital than our fixed maturity investments. Recent volatility in the equity markets has led, and may continue to lead, to a decline in the market value of our investments in equity securities.
If treasury rates or credit spreads were to increase, the Company may have additional realized and unrealized investment losses and increases in other-than-temporary impairments. The determination that a security has incurred an other-than-temporary decline in value requires the judgment of management. Inherently, there are risks and uncertainties involved in making these judgments. Changes in facts, circumstances, or critical assumptions could cause management to conclude that further impairments have occurred. This could lead to additional losses on investments. For further details on net investment losses and other-than-temporary-impairments, please see Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this report.
Derivative instruments generally present greater risk than fixed maturity investments or equity investments because of their greater sensitivity to market fluctuations. Since August 1, 2003, we have been using derivative instruments to manage the exposure to inflation risk created by our preneed insurance policies that are tied to the CPI. However, the protection provided by these derivative instruments would be limited if there were a sharp increase in inflation on a sustained long-term basis which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our commercial mortgage loans and real estate investments subject us to liquidity risk.
Our commercial mortgage loans on real estate investments (which represented approximately 9% of the fair value of our total investments as of December 31, 2011) are relatively illiquid. If we require extremely large amounts of cash on short notice, we may have difficulty selling these investments at attractive prices and/or in a timely manner.
The risk parameters of our investment portfolio may not assume an appropriate level of risk, thereby reducing our profitability and diminishing our ability to compete and grow.
In pricing our products and services, we incorporate assumptions regarding returns on our investments. Accordingly, our investment decisions and objectives are a function of the underlying risks and product profiles
of each of our operating segments. Market conditions may not allow us to invest in assets with sufficiently high returns to meet our pricing assumptions and profit targets over the long term. If, in response, we choose to increase our product prices, our ability to compete and grow may be diminished.
Environmental liability exposure may result from our commercial mortgage loan portfolio and real estate investments.
Liability under environmental protection laws resulting from our commercial mortgage loan portfolio and real estate investments may weaken our financial strength and reduce our profitability. For more information, please see Item 1, “Business-Regulation-Environmental Regulation.”
We face risks associated with our international operations.
Our international operations face political, legal, operational and other risks that we may not face in our domestic operations. For example, we may face the risk of restrictions on currency conversion or the transfer of funds; burdens and costs of compliance with a variety of foreign laws; political or economic instability in countries in which we conduct business, including possible terrorist acts; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; diminished ability to legally enforce our contractual rights; differences in cultural environments and unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; exposure to local economic conditions and restrictions on the withdrawal of non-U.S. investment and earnings; and potentially substantial tax liabilities if we repatriate the cash generated by our international operations back to the U.S. If our business model is not successful in a particular country, we may lose all or most of our investment in that country. In addition, as we engage with international clients, we have made certain up-front commission payments, which we may not recover if the business does not materialize as we expect. As our international business grows, we rely increasingly on fronting carriers or intermediaries in other countries to maintain their licenses and product approvals, satisfy local regulatory requirements and continue in business.
For information on the significant international regulations that apply to our Company, please see Item 1, “Business-Regulation-International Regulation.”
Fluctuations in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currencies may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
While most of our costs and revenues are in U.S. dollars, some are in other currencies. Because our financial results in certain countries are translated from local currency into U.S. dollars upon consolidation, the results of our operations may be affected by foreign exchange rate fluctuations. We do not currently hedge foreign currency risk. If the U.S. dollar weakens against the local currency, the translation of these foreign-currency-denominated balances will result in increased net assets, net revenue, operating expenses, and net income or loss. Similarly, our net assets, net revenue, operating expenses, and net income or loss will decrease if the U.S. dollar strengthens against local currency. These fluctuations in currency exchange rates may result in gains or losses that materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
Unanticipated changes in tax provisions or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could materially and adversely affect our results.
In accordance with applicable income tax guidance, the Company must determine whether its ability to realize the value of its deferred tax asset in the future is classified as “more likely than not.” Under the income tax guidance, a deferred tax asset should be reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of all available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The realization of deferred tax assets depends upon the existence of sufficient taxable income of the same character during the carryback or carryforward periods.
In determining the appropriate valuation allowance, management made certain judgments relating to recoverability of deferred tax assets, use of tax loss and tax credit carryforwards, levels of expected future taxable income and available tax planning strategies. The assumptions in making these judgments are updated periodically on the basis of current business conditions affecting the Company and overall economic conditions. These management judgments are therefore subject to change due to factors that include, but are not limited to, changes in our ability to realize expected capital gains in the foreseeable future or in our ability to execute other tax planning strategies. Management will continue to assess and determine the need for, and the amount of, the valuation allowance in subsequent periods. Any change in the valuation allowance could have a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition.
Failure to protect our clients’ confidential information and privacy could result in the loss of reputation and customers, reduce our profitability and/or subject us to fines, litigation and penalties, and the costs of compliance with privacy and security laws could adversely affect our business.
Our businesses are subject to a variety of privacy regulations and confidentiality obligations. If we do not properly comply with privacy and security laws and regulations that require us to protect confidential information, we could experience adverse consequences, including loss of customers and related revenue, regulatory problems (including fines and penalties), loss of reputation and civil litigation, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. As have other entities in the health care industry, we have incurred and will continue to incur substantial costs in complying with the requirements of applicable privacy and security laws. For more information on the privacy and security laws that apply to us, please see Item 1, “Business-Regulation.”
The failure to effectively maintain and modernize our information systems could adversely affect our business.
Our business is dependent upon our ability to maintain the effectiveness of existing technology systems, enhance technology to support the Company’s business in an efficient and cost-effective manner, and keep current with technological advances, evolving industry and regulatory standards and customer needs. In addition, our ability to keep our systems integrated with those of our clients is critical to the success of our business. If we do not effectively maintain our systems and update them to address technological advancements, our relationships and ability to do business with our clients may be adversely affected. We could also experience other adverse consequences, including unfavorable underwriting and reserving decisions, internal control deficiencies and security breaches resulting in loss of data. System development projects may be more costly or time-consuming than anticipated and may not deliver the expected benefits upon completion.
Failure to successfully manage outsourcing activities could adversely affect our business.
As we seek to improve operating efficiencies across the business, we have outsourced and may outsource selected functions to third parties. We take steps to monitor and regulate the performance of these independent third parties to whom the Company has outsourced these functions. If these third parties fail to satisfy their obligations to the Company as a result of their performance, changes in their operations, financial condition or other matters beyond our control, the Company’s operations, information, service standards and data could be compromised. In addition, to the extent the Company outsources selected services or functions to third parties outside the United States, the Company is exposed to the risks that accompany operations in a foreign jurisdiction, including international economic and political conditions, foreign laws and fluctuations in currency values. If third party providers do not perform as anticipated, we may not fully realize the anticipated economic and other benefits of these outsourcing projects, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
System security risks, data protection breaches and cyber-attacks could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Our information technology systems are vulnerable to threats from computer viruses, natural disasters, unauthorized access, cyber attack and other similar disruptions. Although we have network security measures in place, experienced computer programmers and hackers may be able to penetrate our network and misappropriate or compromise confidential information, create system disruptions or cause shutdowns.
As an insurer, we receive and are required to protect confidential information from customers, vendors and other third parties that may include personal health or financial information. To the extent any disruption or security breach results in a loss or damage to our data, or inappropriate disclosure of our confidential information or that of others, it could cause significant damage to our reputation, affect our relationships with our customers and clients, lead to claims against the Company, result in regulatory action and ultimately harm our business. In addition, we may be required to incur significant costs to mitigate the damage caused by any security breach, or to protect against future damage.
We may be unable to accurately price for benefits, claims and other costs, which could reduce our profitability.
Our profitability could vary depending on our ability to predict and price for benefits, claims and other costs including, but not limited to, medical and dental costs and the frequency and severity of property claims. This ability could be affected by factors such as inflation, changes in the regulatory environment, changes in industry practices, changes in legal, social or environmental conditions, or new technologies. The inability to accurately price for benefits, claims and other costs could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Reinsurance may not be available or adequate to protect us against losses, and we are subject to the credit risk of reinsurers.
As part of our overall risk and capacity management strategy, we purchase reinsurance for certain risks underwritten by our various operating segments. Although the reinsurer is liable to us for claims properly ceded under the reinsurance arrangements, we remain liable to the insured as the direct insurer on all risks reinsured. Ceded reinsurance arrangements therefore do not eliminate our obligation to pay claims. We are subject to credit risk with respect to our ability to recover amounts due from reinsurers. The inability to collect amounts due from reinsurers could materially adversely affect our results of operations and our financial condition.
Reinsurance for certain types of catastrophes could become unavailable or prohibitively expensive for some of our businesses. In such a situation, we might also be adversely affected by state regulations that prohibit us from excluding catastrophe exposures or from withdrawing from or increasing premium rates in catastrophe-prone areas.
Our reinsurance facilities are generally subject to annual renewal. We may not be able to maintain our current reinsurance facilities and, even where highly desirable or necessary, we may not be able to obtain other reinsurance facilities in adequate amounts and at favorable rates. Inability to obtain reinsurance at favorable rates or at all could cause us to reduce the level of our underwriting commitments, to take more risk, or to incur higher costs. These developments could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We have sold businesses through reinsurance that could again become our direct financial and administrative responsibility if the purchasing companies were to become insolvent.
In the past, we have sold, and in the future we may sell, businesses through reinsurance ceded to third parties. For example, in 2001 we sold the insurance operations of our Fortis Financial Group (“FFG”) division to
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (“The Hartford”) and in 2000 we sold our Long Term Care (“LTC”) division to John Hancock Life Insurance Company (“John Hancock”), now a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation. Most of the assets backing reserves coinsured under these sales are held in trusts or separate accounts. However, if the reinsurers became insolvent, we would be exposed to the risk that the assets in the trusts and/or the separate accounts would be insufficient to support the liabilities that would revert to us.
The A.M. Best ratings of The Hartford and John Hancock are currently A and A+, respectively. A.M. Best currently maintains a stable outlook on both The Hartford’s and John Hancock’s financial strength ratings.
We also face the risk of again becoming responsible for administering these businesses in the event of reinsurer insolvency. We do not currently have the administrative systems and capabilities to process these businesses. Accordingly, we would need to obtain those capabilities in the event of an insolvency of one or more of the reinsurers. We might be forced to obtain such capabilities on unfavorable terms with a resulting material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
For more information on these arrangements, including the reinsurance recoverables and risk mitigation mechanisms used, please see “Item 7A - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks-Credit Risk.”
Due to the structure of our commission program, we are exposed to risks related to the creditworthiness and reporting systems of some of our agents, third party administrators and clients in Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property.
We are subject to the credit risk of some of the clients and/or agents with which we contract in Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property. For example, we advance agents’ commissions as part of our preneed insurance product offerings. These advances are a percentage of the total face amount of coverage. There is a one-year payback provision against the agency if death or lapse occurs within the first policy year. If SCI, which receives the largest shares of such agent commissions, were unable to fulfill its payback obligations, this could have an adverse effect on our operations and financial condition.
In addition, some of our clients, third party administrators and agents collect and report premiums or pay claims on our behalf. These parties’ failure to remit all premiums collected or to pay claims on our behalf on a timely and accurate basis could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
We face significant competitive pressures in our businesses, which could reduce our profitability.
We compete for customers and distributors with many insurance companies and other financial services companies for business and individual customers, employer and other group customers, agents, brokers and other distribution relationships. Some of our competitors may offer a broader array of products than our subsidiaries or have a greater diversity of distribution resources, better brand recognition, more competitive pricing, lower costs, greater financial strength, more resources, or higher ratings.
Many of our insurance products, particularly our group benefits and group health insurance policies, are underwritten annually. There is a risk that group purchasers may be able to obtain more favorable terms from competitors, rather than renewing coverage with us. Competition may, as a result, adversely affect the persistency of our policies, as well as our ability to sell products.
Some of our competitors may have a lower target for returns on capital allocated to their business than we do, which may enable them to undercut our prices. In addition, in certain markets, we compete with organizations that have a substantial market share. In particular, certain large competitors of Assurant Health may be able to obtain favorable financial arrangements from health care providers that are unavailable to us, putting us at a competitive disadvantage and potentially adversely affecting our revenues and profits.
In addition, as financial institutions gain experience with debt protection administration, their reliance on third party administrators, such as Assurant Solutions may diminish, thereby reducing our revenues and profits.
New competition could also cause the supply of insurance to change, which could affect our ability to price our products at attractive rates and thereby adversely affect our underwriting results. Although there are some impediments facing potential competitors who wish to enter the markets we serve, the entry of new competitors into our markets can occur, affording our customers significant flexibility in moving to other insurance providers.
We may be unable to grow our business as we would like if we cannot find suitable acquisition candidates at attractive prices or integrate them effectively.
Historically, acquisitions and new ventures have played a significant role in the growth of some of our businesses. We may not be able to identify suitable acquisition candidates or new venture opportunities, to finance or complete such transactions on acceptable terms, or to integrate acquired businesses successfully.
Acquisitions entail a number of risks including, among other things, inaccurate assessment of liabilities; difficulties in realizing projected efficiencies, synergies and cost savings; difficulties in integrating systems and personnel; failure to achieve anticipated revenues, earnings or cash flow; an increase in our indebtedness; and a limitation in our ability to access additional capital when needed. Our failure to adequately address these acquisition risks could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
The inability of our subsidiaries to pay sufficient dividends to us could prevent us from meeting our obligations and paying future stockholder dividends.
As a holding company whose principal assets are the capital stock of our subsidiaries, we rely primarily on dividends and other statutorily permissible payments from our subsidiaries to meet our obligations for payment of interest and principal on outstanding debt obligations and to pay dividends to stockholders and corporate expenses. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends and to make such other payments in the future will depend on their statutory surplus, future statutory earnings and regulatory restrictions. Except to the extent that we are a creditor with recognized claims against our subsidiaries, claims of the subsidiaries’ creditors, including policyholders, have priority over creditors’ claims with respect to the assets and earnings of the subsidiaries. If any of our subsidiaries should become insolvent, liquidate or otherwise reorganize, our creditors and stockholders will have no right to proceed against their assets or to cause the liquidation, bankruptcy or winding-up of the subsidiary under applicable liquidation, bankruptcy or winding-up laws. The applicable insurance laws of the jurisdiction where each of our insurance subsidiaries is domiciled would govern any proceedings relating to that subsidiary, and the insurance authority of that jurisdiction would act as a liquidator or rehabilitator for the subsidiary. Both creditors and policyholders of the subsidiary would be entitled to payment in full from the subsidiary’s assets before we, as a stockholder, would be entitled to receive any distribution from the subsidiary.
The payment of dividends by any of our regulated insurance company subsidiaries in excess of specified amounts (i.e., extraordinary dividends) must be approved by the subsidiary’s domiciliary state department of insurance. Ordinary dividends, for which no regulatory approval is generally required, are limited to amounts determined by a formula, which varies by state. The formula for the majority of the states in which our subsidiaries are domiciled is based on the prior year’s statutory net income or 10% of the statutory surplus as of the end of the prior year. Some states limit ordinary dividends to the greater of these two amounts, others limit them to the lesser of these two amounts and some states exclude prior year realized capital gains from prior year net income in determining ordinary dividend capacity. Some states have an additional stipulation that dividends may only be paid out of earned surplus. If insurance regulators determine that payment of an ordinary dividend or any other payments by our insurance subsidiaries to us (such as payments under a tax sharing agreement or payments for employee or other services) would be adverse to policyholders or creditors, the regulators may block such payments that would otherwise be permitted without prior approval. Future regulatory actions could
further restrict the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends. For more information on the maximum amount our subsidiaries could pay us in 2012 without regulatory approval, see “Item 5 - Market For Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities-Dividend Policy.”
Our credit facilities also contain limitations on our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders if we are in default or such dividend payments would cause us to be in default of our obligations under the credit facilities.
Any additional material restrictions on the ability of insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends could adversely affect our ability to pay any dividends on our common stock and/or service our debt and pay our other corporate expenses.
The success of our business strategy depends on the continuing service of key executives and the members of our senior management team, and any failure to adequately provide for the succession of senior management and other key executives could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
Our business and results of operations could be adversely affected if we fail to adequately plan for the succession of our senior management and other key executives. Although we have succession plans for key executives, this does not guarantee that they will stay with us.
Risks Related to Our Industry
Reform of the health insurance industry could make our health insurance business unprofitable.
In March 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Provisions of the Affordable Care Act and related reforms have and will continue to become effective at various dates over the next several years and will make sweeping and fundamental changes to the U.S. health care system that are expected to significantly affect the health insurance industry. For more information on the Affordable Care Act, please see Item 1, “Business-Regulation-Federal Regulation-Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”
The Affordable Care Act requires Assurant Health, for some products, to increase benefits, to limit rescission to cases of intentional fraud and, eventually, to insure pre-existing conditions in all lines of insurance, among other things. If, for those products, Assurant Health’s actual loss ratios fall short of required minimum loss ratios (by state and legal entity), we are required to rebate the difference to consumers.
For 2011, we estimated the full-year premium rebate accrual to be $41,589; however, further emerging regulations and interpretations from HHS as well as additional claims data for 2011 dates of service received through March 31, 2012 could cause the actual premium rebate to differ. We will not know the actual premium rebate amount with certainty until mid-2012; it will be based on actual premium and claim experience for all of 2011. The estimated liability may also need to be adjusted for any further regulatory clarifications or transition relief granted for states in which we do business. Please see “Item 7 - Management’s Discussion & Analysis-Critical Accounting Estimates-Affordable Care Act” for more information.
We have made, and are continuing to make, significant changes to the operations and products of Assurant Health to adapt to the new environment. However, Assurant Health could be adversely affected if our plans for operating in the new environment are unsuccessful or if there is less demand than we expect for our products in the new environment.
We are subject to extensive laws and regulations, which increase our costs and could restrict the conduct of our business.
Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to extensive regulation and supervision in the jurisdictions in which they do business. Such regulation is generally designed to protect the interests of policyholders. To that end, the
laws of the various states and other jurisdictions establish insurance departments with broad powers over, among other things: licensing and authorizing the transaction of business; capital, surplus and dividends; underwriting limitations; companies’ ability to enter and exit markets; statutory accounting and other disclosure requirements; policy forms; coverage; companies’ ability to provide, terminate or cancel certain coverages; premium rates, including regulatory ability to disapprove or reduce the premium rates companies may charge; trade and claims practices; certain transactions between affiliates; content of disclosures to consumers; type, amount and valuation of investments; assessments or other surcharges for guaranty funds and companies’ ability to recover assessments through premium increases; and market conduct and sales practices.
For a discussion of various laws and regulations affecting our business, please see Item 1, “Business-Regulation.”
If regulatory requirements impede our ability to conduct certain operations, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. In addition, we may be unable to maintain all required licenses and approvals and our business may not fully comply with the wide variety of applicable laws and regulations, or the relevant regulators’ interpretation of these laws and regulations. In such events, the insurance regulatory authorities could preclude or temporarily suspend us from operating, limit some or all of our activities, or fine us. These types of actions could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Our business is subject to risks related to litigation and regulatory actions.
From time to time, we may be subject to a variety of legal and regulatory actions relating to our current and past business operations, including, but not limited to:
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disputes over coverage or claims adjudication including, but not limited to, pre-existing conditions in individual medical contracts and rescissions of policies;
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disputes over our treatment of claims, where states or insured may allege that we failed to make required payments or to meet prescribed deadlines for adjudicating claims;
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disputes regarding sales practices, disclosures, premium refunds, licensing, regulatory compliance, underwriting and compensation arrangements;
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disputes with agents, brokers or network providers over compensation and termination of contracts and related claims;
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actions by state regulatory authorities that may challenge our ability to increase or maintain our premium rates and/or require us to reduce current premium rates;
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disputes alleging packaging of credit insurance products with other products provided by financial institutions;
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disputes with tax and insurance authorities regarding our tax liabilities;
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disputes relating to customers’ claims that the customer was not aware of the full cost or existence of the insurance or limitations on insurance coverage; and
•
industry-wide investigations regarding business practices including, but not limited to, the use and the marketing of certain types of insurance policies or certificates of insurance.
Because our business is heavily regulated at the state level, we are in constant communication with state regulators. For example, in the fall of 2011, Assurant, along with a number of other insurers, received a request for information from the New York Department of Financial Services (the “NYDFS”) regarding its lender-placed insurance business. More recently, on February 7, 2012, the Company and two of its wholly owned insurance subsidiaries, American Security Insurance Company and American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, each
received a subpoena from the NYDFS requesting information regarding the lender-placed business and related document retention practices. We cooperate with regulators to provide responses to all relevant requests in a timely manner.
Unfavorable outcomes in litigation or regulatory proceedings, or significant problems in our relationships with regulators, could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition, our reputation, and our ability to continue to do business. They could also expose us to further investigations or litigations. In addition, certain of our clients in the mortgage industry are the subject of various regulatory investigations and/or litigation regarding mortgage lending practices, which could indirectly affect our business.
Changes in regulation may reduce our profitability and limit our growth.
Legislation or other regulatory reform that increases the regulatory requirements imposed on us or that changes the way we are able to do business may significantly harm our business or results of operations in the future. For example, some states have imposed new time limits for the payment of uncontested covered claims and require health care and dental service plans to pay interest on uncontested claims not paid promptly within the required time period. Some states have also granted their insurance regulatory agencies additional authority to impose monetary penalties and other sanctions on health and dental plans engaging in certain unfair payment practices. If we were unable for any reason to comply with these requirements, it could result in substantial costs to us and may materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
In addition, new interpretations of existing laws, or new judicial decisions affecting the insurance industry, could adversely affect our business.
Legislative or regulatory changes that could significantly harm our subsidiaries and us include, but are not limited to:
•
imposed reductions on premium levels, limitations on the ability to raise premiums on existing policies, or new minimum loss ratios;
•
increases in minimum capital, reserves and other financial viability requirements;
•
enhanced or new regulatory requirements intended to prevent future financial crises or to otherwise ensure the stability of institutions;
•
new licensing requirements;
•
restrictions on the ability to offer certain types of insurance products;
•
prohibitions or limitations on provider financial incentives and provider risk-sharing arrangements;
•
more stringent standards of review for claims denials or coverage determinations;
•
guaranteed-issue requirements restricting our ability to limit or deny coverage;
•
new benefit mandates;
•
increased regulation relating to lender-placed insurance;
•
limitations on our ability to build appropriate provider networks and, as a result, manage health care and utilization due to “any willing provider” legislation, which requires us to take any provider willing to accept our reimbursement;
•
limitations on the ability to manage health care and utilization due to direct access laws that allow insureds to seek services directly from specialty medical providers without referral by a primary care provider;
•
new or enhanced regulatory requirements that require insurers to pay claims on terms other than those mandated by underlying policy contracts; and
•
restriction of solicitation of insurance consumers by funeral board laws for prefunded funeral insurance coverage.
Recently, significant attention has been focused on the procedures that life insurers follow to identify unreported death claims. In November 2011, the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (“NCOIL”) proposed a model rule that would govern unclaimed property policies for insurers and mandate the use of the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Death Master File (the “Death Master File”) to identify deceased policyholders and beneficiaries. Certain state insurance regulators have also focused on this issue. For example, the New York Department of Insurance issued a letter requiring life insurers doing business in New York to use data from the Death Master File to search proactively for deceased policyholders and to pay claims without the receipt of a valid claim by or on behalf of a beneficiary. It is possible that regulators in other states may adopt regulations similar to the NCOIL model rule or to the requirements imposed by the New York Department of Insurance. The Company has evaluated the impact of the NCOIL model rule and established reserves for additional claim liabilities in certain of its businesses, including a $7,500 reserve increase in its preneed business for unreported claims. It is possible that existing reserves may be inadequate and need to be increased and/or that the Company may be required to establish reserves for businesses the Company does not currently believe are subject to the NCOIL model rule or any similar regulatory requirement.
Several proposals are currently pending to amend state insurance holding company laws to increase the scope of insurance holding company regulation. These include model laws proposed by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors and the NAIC that provide for uniform standards of insurer corporate governance, group-wide supervision of insurance holding companies, adjustments to risk-based capital ratios, and additional regulatory disclosure requirements for insurance holding companies. In addition, the NAIC has proposed a “Solvency Modernization Initiative” that focuses on capital requirements, corporate governance and risk management, statutory accounting and financial reporting, and reinsurance. Similarly, the Solvency II Directive, which was adopted in the European Union on November 25, 2009 and is expected to become effective in January 2014, reforms the insurance industry’s solvency framework, including minimum capital and solvency requirements, governance requirements, risk management and public reporting standards.
We cannot predict the effect of these or any other regulatory initiatives on the Company at this time, but it is possible that they could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.
The insurance and related businesses in which we operate may be subject to periodic negative publicity, which may negatively affect our financial results.
We communicate with and distribute our products and services ultimately to individual consumers. There may be a perception that some of these purchasers may be unsophisticated and in need of consumer protection. Accordingly, from time to time, consumer advocacy groups or the media may focus attention on our products and services, thereby subjecting us to negative publicity.
We may also be negatively affected if another company in one of our industries or in a related industry engages in practices resulting in increased public attention to our businesses. Negative publicity may also result from judicial inquiries, unfavorable outcomes in lawsuits, or regulatory or governmental action with respect to our products, services and industry commercial practices. Negative publicity may cause increased regulation and legislative scrutiny of industry practices as well as increased litigation or enforcement action by civil and criminal authorities. Additionally, negative publicity may increase our costs of doing business and adversely affect our profitability by impeding our ability to market our products and services, constraining our ability to price our products appropriately for the risks we are assuming, requiring us to change the products and services we offer, or increasing the regulatory burdens under which we operate.
The insurance industry can be cyclical, which may affect our results.
Certain lines of insurance that we write can be cyclical. Although no two cycles are the same, insurance industry cycles have typically lasted for periods ranging from two to ten years. In addition, the upheaval in the global economy in recent years has been much more widespread and has affected all the businesses in which we operate. We expect to see continued cyclicality in some or all of our businesses in the future, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
Given the recent economic climate, our stock may be subject to stock price and trading volume volatility. The price of our common stock could fluctuate or decline significantly and you could lose all or part of your investment.
In recent years, the stock markets have experienced significant price and trading volume volatility. Company-specific issues and market developments generally in the insurance industry and in the regulatory environment may have caused this volatility. Our stock price could materially fluctuate or decrease in response to a number of events and factors, including but not limited to: quarterly variations in operating results; operating and stock price performance of comparable companies; changes in our financial strength ratings; limitations on premium levels or the ability to maintain or raise premiums on existing policies; regulatory developments and negative publicity relating to us or our competitors. In addition, broad market and industry fluctuations may materially and adversely affect the trading price of our common stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.
Applicable laws, our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, and contract provisions may discourage takeovers and business combinations that some stockholders might consider to be in their best interests.
State laws and our certificate of incorporation and by-laws may delay, defer, prevent or render more difficult a takeover attempt that our stockholders might consider in their best interests. For example, Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware may limit the ability of an “interested stockholder” to engage in business combinations with us. An interested stockholder is defined to include persons owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. These provisions may also make it difficult for stockholders to replace or remove our directors, facilitating director enhancement that may delay, defer or prevent a change in control. Such provisions may prevent our stockholders from receiving the benefit from any premium to the market price of our common stock offered by a bidder in a takeover context. Even in the absence of a takeover attempt, the existence of these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock if they are viewed as discouraging future takeover attempts.
Our certificate of incorporation or by-laws also contain provisions that permit our Board of Directors to issue one or more series of preferred stock, prohibit stockholders from filling vacancies on our Board of Directors, prohibit stockholders from calling special meetings of stockholders and from taking action by written consent, and impose advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations of directors to be considered at stockholder meetings.
Additionally, applicable state insurance laws may require prior approval of an application to acquire control of a domestic insurer. State statutes generally provide that control over a domestic insurer is presumed to exist when any person directly or indirectly owns, controls, has voting power over, or holds proxies representing, 10% or more of the domestic insurer’s voting securities. However, the State of Florida, in which some of our insurance subsidiaries are domiciled, sets this threshold at 5%. Because a person acquiring 5% or more of our common stock would indirectly control the same percentage of the stock of our Florida subsidiaries, the insurance change of control laws of Florida would apply to such transaction and at 10% the laws of many other states would likely apply to such a transaction. Prior to granting such approval, a state insurance commissioner will typically consider such factors as the financial strength of the applicant, the integrity of the applicant’s board of directors and executive officers, the applicant’s plans for the future operations of the domestic insurer and any anti-competitive results that may arise from the consummation of the acquisition of control.
We may also, under some circumstances involving a change of control, be obligated to repay our outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility and other agreements. We or any possible acquirer may not have available financial resources necessary to repay such indebtedness in those circumstances, which may constitute an event of default resulting in acceleration of indebtedness and potential cross-default under other agreements. The threat of this could have the effect of delaying or preventing transactions involving a change of control, including transactions in which our stockholders would receive a substantial premium for their shares over then-current market prices, or which they otherwise may deem to be in their best interests.
Item 1B.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2.
Item 2. Properties
We own eight properties, including five buildings whose locations serve as headquarters for our operating segments, two buildings that serve as operation centers for Assurant Specialty Property and one building that serves as a claims training center for Assurant Specialty Property. Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property share headquarters buildings located in Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. Assurant Specialty Property has operations centers located in Florence, South Carolina and Springfield, Ohio. Assurant Solutions’ preneed business also has a headquarters building in Rapid City, South Dakota. Assurant Employee Benefits has a headquarters building in Kansas City, Missouri. Assurant Health has a headquarters building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We lease office space for various offices and service centers located throughout the U.S. and internationally, including our New York, New York corporate office and our data center in Woodbury, Minnesota. Our leases have terms ranging from month-to-month to twenty-five years. We believe that our owned and leased properties are adequate for our current business operations.
Item 3.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
The Company is involved in litigation in the ordinary course of business, both as a defendant and as a plaintiff. See Note 25 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this report for a description of certain matters. The Company may from time to time be subject to a variety of legal and regulatory actions relating to our current and past business operations. While the Company cannot predict the outcome of any pending or future litigation, examination or investigation, we do not believe that the outcome of pending matters will have a material adverse effect individually or in the aggregate, on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
Item 4.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5.
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Stock Performance Graph
The following chart compares the total stockholder returns (stock price increase plus dividends paid) on our common stock from December 31, 2006 through December 31, 2011 with the total stockholder returns for the S&P 400 Midcap Index, as the broad equity market index, and the S&P 400 Multi-Line Insurance Index and S&P 500 Multi-Line Insurance Index, as the published industry indexes. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in the common stock and each index was $100 on December 31, 2006 and that all dividends were reinvested.
Total Values/Return to Stockholders
(Includes reinvestment of dividends)
* S&P 400 Multi-line Insurance Index is comprised of mid-cap companies, while the S&P 500 Multi-line Insurance Index is comprised of large-cap companies.
Common Stock Price
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “AIZ.” The following table sets forth the high and low intraday sales prices per share of our common stock as reported by the NYSE for the periods indicated.
Holders
On February 15, 2012, there were approximately 303 registered holders of record of our common stock. The closing price of our common stock on the NYSE on February 15, 2012 was $43.43.
Please see Item 12 of this report for information about our equity compensation plans.
Shares Repurchased
(1) Shares purchased pursuant to the November 10, 2006 publicly announced share repurchase authorization of up to $600,000 of outstanding common stock, which was increased by authorizations on January 22, 2010 and January 18, 2011, each authorizing the repurchase of up to an additional $600,000 of outstanding common stock.
Dividend Policy
On January 13, 2012, our Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per common share payable on March 12, 2012 to stockholders of record as of February 27, 2012. We paid dividends of $0.18 on December 12, 2011, September 13, 2011 and June 7, 2011 and $0.16 per common share on March 14, 2011. We paid dividends of $0.16 on December 13, 2010, September 14, 2010 and June 8, 2010 and $0.15 per common share on March 8, 2010. Any determination to pay future dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will be dependent upon: our subsidiaries’ ability to make dividend and/or other statutorily permissible payments to us; our results of operations and cash flows; our financial position and capital requirements; general business conditions; legal, tax, regulatory and contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends; and other factors our Board of Directors deems relevant.
We are a holding company and, therefore, our ability to pay dividends, service our debt and meet our other obligations depends primarily on the ability of our regulated U.S. domiciled insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends and make other statutorily permissible payments to us. Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to significant regulatory and contractual restrictions limiting their ability to declare and pay dividends. See “Item 1A - Risk Factors-Risks Relating to Our Company-The inability of our subsidiaries to pay sufficient dividends to us could prevent us from meeting our obligations and paying future stockholder dividends.” For the calendar year 2012, the maximum amount of dividends that our regulated U.S. domiciled insurance subsidiaries could pay to us under applicable laws and regulations without prior regulatory approval is approximately $504,000. Dividends or returns of capital paid by our subsidiaries, net of infusions, totaled $523,881 in 2011.
We may seek approval of regulators to pay dividends in excess of any amounts that would be permitted without such approval. However, there can be no assurance that we would obtain such approval if sought.
Payments of dividends on shares of common stock are subject to the preferential rights of preferred stock that our Board of Directors may create from time to time. There is no preferred stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2011. For more information regarding restrictions on the payment of dividends by us and our insurance subsidiaries, including pursuant to the terms of our revolving credit facilities, see “Item 7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
In addition, our $350,000 revolving credit facility restricts payments of dividends if an event of default under the facility has occurred or a proposed dividend payment would cause an event of default under the facility.
Item 6.
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
Assurant, Inc.
Five-Year Summary of Selected Financial Data
(1) Included in net realized gains (losses) are other-than-temporary impairments of $7,836, $11,167, $38,660, $340,153 and $48,184 for 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
(2) During 2011, we incurred losses of $157,645 associated with hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Irene, wildfires in Texas and severe storms, including tornados in the southeast. During 2008, we incurred losses of $132,615 associated with hurricanes Gustav and Ike.
(3) Following the completion of our annual goodwill impairment analysis, we recorded an impairment charge of $306,381 related to Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health and a charge of $83,000 related to Assurant Employee Benefits during the fourth quarters of 2010 and 2009, respectively. The impairment charges resulted in a decrease to net income but did not have any related tax benefit.
(4) During 2011, we had an $80,000 release of a capital loss valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets. During 2008, we recorded a $84,864 tax benefit due to the sale of a non-operating subsidiary and the related deferred tax assets on a capital loss carryover.
(5) Policy liabilities include future policy benefits and expenses, unearned premiums and claims and benefits payable.
(6) Total stockholders’ equity divided by the basic shares of common stock outstanding. At December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 there were 89,743,761, 103,227,238, and 117,591,250 shares, respectively, of common stock outstanding. At December 31, 2008 and 2007 there were 117,640,936 and 118,012,036 shares of common stock outstanding.
Item 7.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes which appear elsewhere in this report. It contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those discussed below and elsewhere in this report, particularly under the headings “Item 1A - Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Statements.”
General
We report our results through five segments: Assurant Solutions, Assurant Specialty Property, Assurant Health, Assurant Employee Benefits, and Corporate and Other. The Corporate and Other segment includes activities of the holding company, financing expenses, net realized gains (losses) on investments, interest income earned from short-term investments held, interest income from excess surplus of insurance subsidiaries not allocated to other segments, run-off Asbestos business, and additional costs associated with excess of loss reinsurance and ceded to certain subsidiaries in the London market between 1995 and 1997. The Corporate and Other segment also includes the amortization of deferred gains associated with the portions of the sales of FFG and LTC, which were sold through reinsurance agreements as described below.
The following discussion covers the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 (“Twelve Months 2011”), twelve months ended December 31, 2010 (“Twelve Months 2010”) and twelve months ended December 31, 2009 (“Twelve Months 2009”). Please see the discussion that follows, for each of these segments, for a more detailed analysis of the fluctuations.
Executive Summary
Net income increased $266,662 to $545,839 for Twelve Months 2011 from $279,177 for Twelve Months 2010. Twelve Months 2010 included a $306,381 non-cash goodwill impairment charge. Absent this charge, net income decreased $39,719 or 7%. The decline is primarily attributable to decreased net income in our Assurant Specialty Property segment mainly due to an increase in reportable catastrophe losses of $87,673 (after-tax) in Twelve Months 2011 and declines in net income at our Assurant Health and Assurant Employee Benefits segments. Partially offsetting these items was improved net income in our Assurant Solutions segment and an $80,000 release of a capital loss valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets during Twelve Months 2011.
Assurant Solutions net income increased to $141,553 for Twelve Months 2011 from $103,206 for Twelve Months 2010. Twelve Months 2010 included an intangible asset impairment charge of $30,948 (after-tax) related to a client notification of non-renewal of a block of domestic service contract business. Consumer spending remains sluggish in the U.S. and economic uncertainty persists in Europe. However, revenues from our service contract offerings, including wireless, especially in Latin America, are expanding. Client contract renewals remain strong, driven by our ability to respond to evolving customer needs. Preneed sales increased in 2011 compared with 2010, primarily due to our strong relationship with SCI. Total net earned premiums and fees declined slightly in 2011 due to an approximate $160,000 reduction in premiums from the continued run-off of the domestic credit business and service contracts sold through former clients. Overall, modest premium growth is expected in 2012, even with the recent notification of an upcoming loss of a domestic wireless client. We continue to allocate resources to the wireless business due to its potential for growth and its intersection with our core capabilities.
Assurant Specialty Property net income decreased $119,222, to $305,065 for Twelve Months 2011 from $424,287 for Twelve Months 2010. The decline is primarily due to an increase in reportable catastrophe losses of $87,673 (after-tax) in Twelve Months 2011. There are fewer mortgage loans originating in the U.S. and foreclosures are projected to increase. Despite these trends, our alignment with market leaders, specifically specialty servicers, has allowed us to gain new portfolios, which have helped to offset a decline of loans in the overall marketplace. This was evident during the fourth quarter of 2011 as our clients gained new loan portfolios, mitigating the overall decrease in the number of tracked loans. We placed a significant portion of our reinsurance program in January 2012, including issuing a new catastrophe bond. The integration of the June 2011 SureDeposit acquisition has allowed us to expand our product offerings in the multi-family housing market. We expect net earned premiums and fees in 2012 to be consistent with 2011 amounts, reflecting growth in multi-family housing and a modest decline in lender-placed homeowners premiums. As our product mix changes, we anticipate our expense and non-catastrophe loss ratios will rise. Overall results are subject to catastrophe losses, changes in placement rates for lender-placed policies, and mortgage loan origination volume.
Assurant Health net income decreased to $40,886 for Twelve Months 2011 from $54,029 for Twelve Months 2010. The decrease was partly attributable to accrued premium rebates of $27,033 (after-tax) associated with the MLR requirement included in the Affordable Care Act for our comprehensive health coverage business. Our 2011 operating costs dropped significantly due to organizational and operational expense initiatives that will better position us to succeed under health care reform. We have redesigned many of our products in response to health care reform. Sales of lower cost products, offering more limited benefits than traditional major medical insurance, grew in 2011 and we expect that trend to continue in 2012. Our new relationship with Aetna Signature Administrators® broadens the network of health care providers to which our major medical customers have access and improves affordability of those products, while improving engagement with our distributers. We expect this new relationship to improve our major medical sales. Beginning in 2012, any favorable loss development relative to 2011 reserves will increase the MLR rebate liability instead of flowing into earnings as was the case in 2011.
Assurant Employee Benefits net income decreased to $43,113 for Twelve Months 2011 from $63,538 for Twelve Months 2010. Lower results were primarily attributable to less favorable disability and life insurance loss
experience, partially offset by improved dental insurance experience. During the fourth quarter of 2011 our disability incidence rates increased compared with prior years. We expect continued growth in net earned premiums of our voluntary and supplemental products. However, overall growth in our Assurant Employee Benefits business will be challenging in the near term, due to the loss of two DRMS clients and the lack of small employers’ payroll growth. Our strategic focus on distribution through key brokers and our expanded offerings continue to improve sales of voluntary, or employee-paid products. In addition, savings from expense initiatives are being redeployed to targeted growth initiatives.
Critical Factors Affecting Results
Our results depend on the appropriateness of our product pricing, underwriting and the accuracy of our methodology for the establishment of reserves for future policyholder benefits and claims, returns on and values of invested assets and our ability to manage our expenses. Factors affecting these items, including unemployment, difficult conditions in financial markets and the global economy, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. For more information on these factors, see “Item 1A - Risk Factors.”
Management believes the Company will have sufficient liquidity to satisfy its needs over the next twelve months including the ability to pay interest on our Senior Notes and dividends on our common stock.
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011, net cash provided by operating activities, including the effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents, totaled $849,633; net cash used in investing activities totaled $196,588 and net cash used in financing activities totaled $636,848. We had $1,166,713 in cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2011. Please see “-Liquidity and Capital Resources,” below for further details.
Revenues
We generate revenues primarily from the sale of our insurance policies and service contracts and from investment income earned on our investments. Sales of insurance policies are recognized in revenue as earned premiums while sales of administrative services are recognized as fee income.
Under the universal life insurance guidance, income earned on preneed life insurance policies sold after January 1, 2009 are presented within policy fee income net of policyholder benefits. Under the limited pay insurance guidance, the consideration received on preneed policies sold prior to January 1, 2009 is presented separately as net earned premiums, with policyholder benefits expense being shown separately.
Our premium and fee income is supplemented by income earned from our investment portfolio. We recognize revenue from interest payments, dividends and sales of investments. Currently, our investment portfolio is primarily invested in fixed maturity securities. Both investment income and realized capital gains on these investments can be significantly affected by changes in interest rates.
Interest rate volatility can increase or reduce unrealized gains or losses in our investment portfolios. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. Fluctuations in interest rates affect our returns on, and the market value of, fixed maturity and short-term investments.
The fair market value of the fixed maturity securities in our investment portfolio and the investment income from these securities fluctuate depending on general economic and market conditions. The fair market value generally increases or decreases in an inverse relationship with fluctuations in interest rates, while net investment income realized by us from future investments in fixed maturity securities will generally increase or decrease with interest rates. We also have investments that carry pre-payment risk, such as mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. Interest rate fluctuations may cause actual net investment income and/or cash flows from such investments to differ from estimates made at the time of investment. In periods of declining interest rates,
mortgage prepayments generally increase and mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage obligations and bonds are more likely to be prepaid or redeemed as borrowers seek to borrow at lower interest rates. Therefore, in these circumstances we may be required to reinvest those funds in lower-interest earning investments.
Expenses
Our expenses are primarily policyholder benefits, selling, underwriting and general expenses and interest expense.
Policyholder benefits are affected by our claims management programs, reinsurance coverage, contractual terms and conditions, regulatory requirements, economic conditions, and numerous other factors. Benefits paid could substantially exceed our expectations, causing a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Selling, underwriting and general expenses consist primarily of commissions, premium taxes, licenses, fees, amortization of deferred costs, general operating expenses and income taxes.
We incur interest expenses related to our debt and mandatorily redeemable preferred stock, if any.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Certain items in our consolidated financial statements are based on estimates and judgment. Differences between actual results and these estimates could in some cases have material impacts on our consolidated financial statements.
The following critical accounting policies require significant estimates. The actual amounts realized in these areas could ultimately be materially different from the amounts currently provided for in our consolidated financial statements.
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act was signed into law in March 2010. One provision of the Affordable Care Act, effective January 1, 2011, established a MLR to ensure that a minimum percentage of premiums is paid for clinical services or health care quality improvement activities. The Affordable Care Act established an MLR of 80% for individual and small group business and 85% for large group business. If the actual loss ratios, calculated in a manner prescribed by the HHS, are less than the required MLR, premium rebates are payable to the policyholders by August 1 of the subsequent year.
The Assurant Health loss ratio reported on page 63 (the “GAAP loss ratio”) differs from the loss ratio calculated under the MLR rules (“MLR loss ratio”) specified under the Affordable Care Act. The most significant differences include: the MLR loss ratio is calculated separately by state and legal entity; the MLR loss ratio calculation includes credibility adjustments for each entity, which are not applicable to the GAAP loss ratio; the MLR loss ratio calculation applies only to some of our health insurance products, while the GAAP loss ratio applies to the entire portfolio, including products not governed by the Affordable Care Act; the MLR loss ratio includes quality improvement expenses, taxes and fees; changes in reserves are treated differently in the MLR loss ratio calculation; and the premium rebate amounts are considered adjustments to premiums for GAAP reporting whereas they are reported as additions to incurred claims in the MLR rebate estimate calculations.
Assurant Health has estimated the 2011 impact of this regulation and recorded a premium rebate accrual of $41,589 for Twelve Months 2011. The premium rebate accrual was based on our interpretation of definitions and calculation methodologies outlined in the HHS Interim Final Regulation released December 1, 2010, Technical Corrections released December 29, 2010 and the HHS Final Regulation released December 7, 2011. Additionally, the premium rebate accrual was based on separate projection models for the individual medical and
small group businesses using projections of expected premiums, claims, and enrollment by state, legal entity, and market for medical business subject to MLR requirements for the MLR reporting year. In addition, the projection models include quality improvement expenses, state assessments and taxes.
We estimated the 2011 full-year premium rebate accrual to be $41,589; however, further emerging regulations and interpretations from HHS as well as additional loss experience on claims incurred in 2011 could cause the actual premium rebate to differ. We will not know the actual premium rebate amount with certainty until mid-2012; it will be based on actual premium and claim experience for all of 2011. The estimated liability may also need to be adjusted for any further regulatory clarifications or transition relief granted for states in which we do business. The premium rebate is presented as a reduction of net earned premiums in the consolidated statement of operations and included in unearned premiums in the consolidated balance sheets.
Reserves
Reserves are established in accordance with GAAP using generally accepted actuarial methods and reflect judgments about expected future claim payments. Calculations incorporate assumptions about inflation rates, the incidence of incurred claims, the extent to which all claims have been reported, future claims processing, lags and expenses and future investment earnings, and numerous other factors. While the methods of making such estimates and establishing the related liabilities are periodically reviewed and updated, the calculation of reserves is not an exact process.
Reserves do not represent precise calculations of expected future claims, but instead represent our best estimates at a point in time of the ultimate costs of settlement and administration of a claim or group of claims, based upon actuarial assumptions and projections using facts and circumstances known at the time of calculation.
Many of the factors affecting reserve adequacy are not directly quantifiable and not all future events can be anticipated when reserves are established. Reserve estimates are refined as experience develops. Adjustments to reserves, both positive and negative, are reflected in the statement of operations in the period in which such estimates are updated.
Because establishment of reserves is an inherently complex process involving significant judgment and estimates, there can be no certainty that ultimate losses will not exceed existing claim reserves. Future loss development could require reserves to be increased, which could have a material adverse effect on our earnings in the periods in which such increases are made.
The following table provides reserve information for our major product lines for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010:
For a description of our reserving methodology, see Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this report.
Long Duration Contracts
Reserves for future policy benefits represent the present value of future benefits to policyholders and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums. Reserve assumptions reflect best estimates for expected investment yield, inflation, mortality, morbidity, expenses and withdrawal rates. These assumptions are based on our experience to the extent it is credible, modified where appropriate to reflect current trends, industry experience and provisions for possible unfavorable deviation. We also record an unearned revenue reserve which represents premiums received which have not yet been recognized in our income statements.
Historically, premium deficiency testing has not resulted in a material adjustment to deferred acquisition costs or reserves except for discontinued products. Such adjustments could occur, however, if economic or mortality conditions significantly deteriorated.
Risks related to the reserves recorded for certain discontinued individual life, annuity, and long-term care insurance policies have been 100% ceded via reinsurance. While the Company has not been released from the contractual obligation to the policyholders, changes in and deviations from economic and mortality assumptions used in the calculation of these reserves will not directly affect our results of operations unless there is a default by the assuming reinsurer.
Short Duration Contracts
Claims and benefits payable reserves for short duration contracts include (1) case reserves for known claims which are unpaid as of the balance sheet date; (2) IBNR reserves for claims where the insured event has occurred
but has not been reported to us as of the balance sheet date; and (3) loss adjustment expense reserves for the expected handling costs of settling the claims. Periodically, we review emerging experience and make adjustments to our reserves and assumptions where necessary. Below are further discussions on the reserving process for our major short duration products.
Group Disability and Group Term Life
Case or claim reserves are set for active individual claims on group long term disability policies and for waiver of premium benefits on group term life policies. Reserve factors used to calculate these reserves reflect assumptions regarding disabled life mortality and claim recovery rates, claim management practices, awards for social security and other benefit offsets and yield rates earned on assets supporting the reserves. Group long term disability and group term life waiver of premium reserves are discounted because the payment pattern and ultimate cost are fixed and determinable on an individual claim basis.
Factors considered when setting IBNR reserves include patterns in elapsed time from claim incidence to claim reporting, and elapsed time from claim reporting to claim payment.
Key sensitivities at December 31, 2011 for group long term disability claim reserves include the discount rate and claim termination rates.
The discount rate is also a key sensitivity for group term life waiver of premium reserves.
Medical
IBNR reserves calculated using generally accepted actuarial methods represent the largest component of reserves for Medical claims and benefits payable. The primary methods we use in their estimation are the loss development method and the projected claim method for recent claim periods. Under the loss development method, we estimate ultimate losses for each incident period by multiplying the current cumulative losses by the appropriate loss development factor. The projected claim method is used when development methods do not provide enough data to reliably estimate reserves and utilize expected ultimate loss ratios to calculate the required reserve. Where appropriate, we use variations on each method or a blend of the two.
Reserves for our various product lines are calculated using experience data where credible. If sufficient experience data is not available, data from other similar blocks may be used. Industry data provides additional benchmarks when historical experience is too limited. Reserve factors may also be adjusted to reflect considerations not reflected in historical experience, such as changes in claims inventory levels, changes in provider negotiated rates or cost savings initiatives, increasing or decreasing medical cost trends, product changes and demographic changes in the underlying insured population.
Key sensitivities as of December 31, 2011 for medical reserves include claims processing levels, claims under case management, medical inflation, seasonal effects, medical provider discounts and product mix.
* This refers to loss development factors for the most recent four months. Our historical claims experience indicates that approximately 87% of medical claims are paid within four months of the incurred date.
Changes in medical loss development may increase or decrease the MLR rebate liability. For more information see Critical Accounting Estimates below.
Property and Warranty
Our Property and Warranty lines of business include lender-placed homeowners, manufactured housing homeowners, credit property, credit unemployment and warranty insurance and some longer-tail coverages (e.g. asbestos, environmental, other general liability and personal accident). Claim reserves for these lines are calculated on a product line basis using generally accepted actuarial principles and methods. They consist of case and IBNR reserves. The method we most often use in setting our Property and Warranty reserves is the loss development method. Under this method, we estimate ultimate losses for each accident period by multiplying the current cumulative losses by the appropriate loss development factor. We then calculate the reserve as the difference between the estimate of ultimate losses and the current case-incurred losses (paid losses plus case reserves). We select loss development factors based on a review of historical averages, adjusted to reflect recent trends and business-specific matters such as current claims payment practices.
The loss development method involves aggregating loss data (paid losses and case-incurred losses) by accident quarter (or accident year) and accident age for each product or product grouping. As the data ages, we compile loss development factors that measure emerging claim development patterns between reporting periods. By selecting the most appropriate loss development factors, we project the known losses to an ultimate incurred basis for each accident period.
The data is typically analyzed using quarterly paid losses and/or quarterly case-incurred losses. Some product groupings may also use annual paid loss and/or annual case-incurred losses, as well as other actuarially accepted methods.
Each of these data groupings produces an indication of the loss reserves for the product or product grouping. The process to select the best estimate differs by line of business. The single best estimate is determined based on many factors, including but not limited to:
•
the nature and extent of the underlying assumptions;
•
the quality and applicability of historical data-whether internal or industry data;
•
current and future market conditions-the economic environment will often impact the development of loss triangles;
•
the extent of data segmentation-data should be homogeneous yet credible enough for loss development methods to apply; and
•
the past variability of loss estimates-the loss estimates on some product lines will vary from actual loss experience more than others.
Most of our credit property and credit unemployment insurance business is either reinsured or written on a retrospective commission basis. Business written on a retrospective commission basis permits management to adjust commissions based on claims experience. Thus, any adjustment to prior years’ incurred claims is partially offset by a change in commission expense, which is included in the selling underwriting and general expenses line in our consolidated results of operations.
While management has used its best judgment in establishing its estimate of required reserves, different assumptions and variables could lead to significantly different reserve estimates. Two key measures of loss activity are loss frequency, which is a measure of the number of claims per unit of insured exposure, and loss severity, which is a measure of the average size of claims. Factors affecting loss frequency include the effectiveness of loss controls and safety programs and changes in economic activity or weather patterns. Factors affecting loss severity include changes in policy limits, retentions, rate of inflation and judicial interpretations.
If the actual level of loss frequency and severity are higher or lower than expected, the ultimate reserves required will be different than management’s estimate. The effect of higher and lower levels of loss frequency and severity levels on our ultimate costs for claims occurring in 2011 would be as follows:
Reserving for Asbestos and Other Claims
Our property and warranty line of business includes exposure to asbestos, environmental and other general liability claims arising from our participation in various reinsurance pools from 1971 through 1985. This exposure arose from a contract that we discontinued writing many years ago. We carry case reserves, as recommended by the various pool managers, and IBNR reserves totaling $39,579 (before reinsurance) and $32,229 (net of reinsurance) at December 31, 2011. We believe the balance of case and IBNR reserves for these liabilities are adequate. However, any estimation of these liabilities is subject to greater than normal variation and uncertainty due to the general lack of sufficiently detailed data, reporting delays and absence of a generally accepted actuarial methodology for those exposures. There are significant unresolved industry legal issues, including such items as whether coverage exists and what constitutes a claim. In addition, the determination of ultimate damages and the final allocation of losses to financially responsible parties are highly uncertain. However, based on information currently available, and after consideration of the reserves reflected in the consolidated financial statements, we do not believe that changes in reserve estimates for these claims are likely to be material.
One of our subsidiaries, American Reliable Insurance Company (“ARIC”), participated in certain excess of loss reinsurance programs in the London market and, as a result, reinsured certain personal accident, ransom and kidnap insurance risks from 1995 to 1997. ARIC and a foreign affiliate ceded a portion of these risks to retrocessionaires. ARIC ceased reinsuring such business in 1997. However, certain risks continued beyond 1997 due to the nature of the reinsurance contracts written. ARIC and some of the other reinsurers involved in the programs have sought to void certain treaties on various grounds, including material misrepresentation and non-disclosure by the ceding companies and intermediaries involved in the programs. Some of the retrocessionaires have sought to avoid certain treaties with ARIC and the other reinsurers and some reinsureds have sought collection of disputed balances under some of the treaties. Disputes under these contracts generally involve multiple layers of reinsurance, and allegations that the reinsurance programs involved interrelated claims “spirals” devised to disproportionately pass claims losses to higher-level reinsurance layers.
Many of the companies involved in these programs, including ARIC, are currently involved in negotiations, arbitrations and/or litigation in an effort to resolve these disputes. The disputes involving ARIC and an affiliate, Assurant General Insurance Limited (formerly Bankers Insurance Company Limited (“AGIL”)), for the 1995 and 1996 program years are subject to working group settlements negotiated with other market participants. Negotiations, arbitrations and litigation are still ongoing or will be scheduled for the remaining disputes.
In the last five years, several settlements have been made relating to the 1995-1997 programs which have reduced ARIC’s liabilities significantly. Most notably, in 2010, the loss reserve balance decreased by $18,600 resulting from a $9,200 settlement relating to the 1997 program and settlements made to the 1995 and 1996 programs. In 2011, uncertainty continued to be resolved and the reserve balances were reduced by $3,870 accordingly. Carried case and IBNR reserves total $2,453 as of December 31, 2011. We believe, based on information currently available, that the amounts accrued are adequate. However, the inherent uncertainty of arbitrations and lawsuits, including the uncertainty of estimating whether any settlements we may enter into in the future would be on favorable terms, makes it difficult to predict outcomes with certainty.
DAC
Deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”) represent expenses incurred in prior periods, primarily for the production of new business, that have been deferred for financial reporting purposes. Acquisition costs primarily consist of commissions, policy issuance expenses, premium tax and certain direct marketing expenses.
The DAC asset is tested annually to ensure that future premiums or gross profits are sufficient to support the amortization of the asset. Such testing involves the use of best estimate assumptions to determine if anticipated future policy premiums and investment income are adequate to cover all DAC and related claims, benefits and expenses. To the extent a deficiency exists, it is recognized immediately by a charge to the statement of operations and a corresponding reduction in the DAC asset. If the deficiency is greater than unamortized DAC, a liability will be accrued for the excess deficiency.
Long Duration Contracts
Acquisition costs for preneed life insurance policies issued prior to January 1, 2009 and certain discontinued life insurance policies have been deferred and amortized in proportion to anticipated premiums over the premium-paying period. These acquisition costs consist primarily of first year commissions paid to agents and sales and policy issue costs.
For preneed investment-type annuities, preneed life insurance policies with discretionary death benefit growth issued after January 1, 2009, universal life insurance policies and investment-type annuity contracts that are no longer offered, DAC is amortized in proportion to the present value of estimated gross profits from investment, mortality, expense margins and surrender charges over the estimated life of the policy or contract. The assumptions used for the estimates are consistent with those used in computing the policy or contract liabilities.
Acquisition costs relating to group worksite products, which typically have high front-end costs and are expected to remain in force for an extended period of time, consist primarily of first year commissions to brokers and costs of issuing new certificates. These acquisition costs are front-end loaded, thus they are deferred and amortized over the estimated terms of the underlying contracts.
Acquisition costs relating to individual voluntary limited benefit health policies issued in 2007 and later are deferred and amortized over the estimated average terms of the underlying contracts. These acquisition costs relate to commissions payable under schedules that pay significantly higher rates in the first year.
Short Duration Contracts
Acquisition costs relating to property contracts, warranty and extended service contracts and single premium credit insurance contracts are amortized over the term of the contracts in relation to premiums earned.
Acquisition costs relating to monthly pay credit insurance business consist mainly of direct marketing costs and are deferred and amortized over the estimated average terms and balances of the underlying contracts.
Acquisition costs relating to group term life, group disability, group dental and group vision consist primarily of compensation to sales representatives. These acquisition costs are front-end loaded; thus, they are deferred and amortized over the estimated terms of the underlying contracts.
Investments
We regularly monitor our investment portfolio to ensure investments that may be other-than-temporarily impaired are identified in a timely fashion, properly valued, and charged against earnings in the proper period. The determination that a security has incurred an other-than-temporary decline in value requires the judgment of management. Assessment factors include, but are not limited to, the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than cost, the financial condition and rating of the issuer, whether any collateral is held, the intent and ability of the Company to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for recovery for equity securities, and the intent to sell or whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell for fixed maturity securities.
Any equity security whose price decline is deemed other-than-temporary is written down to its then current market value with the amount of the impairment reported as a realized loss in that period. The impairment of a fixed maturity security that the Company has the intent to sell or that it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell is deemed other-than-temporary and is written down to its market value at the balance sheet date, with the amount of the impairment reported as a realized loss in that period. For all other-than-temporarily impaired fixed maturity securities that do not meet either of these two criteria, the Company analyzes its ability to recover the amortized cost of the security by calculating the net present value of projected future cash flows. For these other-than-temporarily impaired fixed maturity securities, the net amount recognized in earnings is equal to the difference between its amortized cost and its net present value.
Inherently, there are risks and uncertainties involved in making these judgments. Changes in circumstances and critical assumptions such as a continued weak economy, or unforeseen events which affect one or more companies, industry sectors or countries could result in additional impairments in future periods for other-than-temporary declines in value. See also Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this report and “Item 1A - Risk Factors-The value of our investments could decline, affecting our profitability and financial strength” and “Investments” contained later in this item.
Reinsurance
Reinsurance recoverables include amounts we are owed by reinsurers. Reinsurance costs are expensed over the terms of the underlying reinsured policies using assumptions consistent with those used to account for the policies. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are estimated in a manner consistent with claim and claim adjustment expense reserves or future policy benefits reserves and are reported in our consolidated balance sheets. An estimated allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded on the basis of periodic evaluations of balances due from reinsurers (net of collateral), reinsurer solvency, management’s experience and current economic conditions. The ceding of insurance does not discharge our primary liability to our insureds.
The following table sets forth our reinsurance recoverables as of the dates indicated:
We have used reinsurance to exit certain businesses, including blocks of individual life, annuity, and long-term care business. The reinsurance recoverables relating to these dispositions amounted to $3,622,481 and $3,488,908 at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in both the assumption and cession of reinsurance with non-affiliated companies. The following table provides details of the reinsurance recoverables balance for the years ended December 31:
We utilize reinsurance for loss protection and capital management, business dispositions and, in Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property, client risk and profit sharing. See also “Item 1A - Risk Factors-Reinsurance may not be available or adequate to protect us against losses and we are subject to the credit risk of insurers,” and “Item 7A
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
As a provider of insurance products, effective risk management is fundamental to our ability to protect both our customers’ and stockholders’ interests. We are exposed to potential loss from various market risks, in particular interest rate risk and credit risk. Additionally, we are exposed to inflation risk and to a lesser extent foreign currency risk.
Interest rate risk is the possibility that the fair value of liabilities will change more or less than the market value of investments in response to changes in interest rates, including changes in investment yields and changes in spreads due to credit risks and other factors.
Credit risk is the possibility that counterparties may not be able to meet payment obligations when they become due. We assume counterparty credit risk in many forms. A counterparty is any person or entity from which cash or other forms of consideration are expected to extinguish a liability or obligation to us. Primarily, our credit risk exposure is concentrated in our fixed maturity investment portfolio and, to a lesser extent, in our reinsurance recoverables.
Inflation risk is the possibility that a change in domestic price levels produces an adverse effect on earnings. This typically happens when either invested assets or liabilities, but not both is indexed to inflation.
Foreign exchange risk is the possibility that changes in exchange rates produce an adverse effect on earnings and equity when measured in domestic currency. This risk is largest when assets backing liabilities payable in one currency are invested in financial instruments of another currency. Our general principle is to invest in assets that match the currency in which we expect the liabilities to be paid.
Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate risk arises as we invest substantial funds in interest-sensitive fixed income assets, such as fixed maturity securities, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities and commercial mortgage loans, primarily in the United States and Canada. There are two forms of interest rate risk-price risk and reinvestment risk. Price risk occurs when fluctuations in interest rates have a direct impact on the market valuation of these investments. As interest rates rise, the market value of these investments falls, and conversely, as interest rates fall, the market value of these investments rise. Reinvestment risk is primarily associated with the need to reinvest cash flows (primarily coupons and maturities) in an unfavorable lower interest rate environment. In addition, for securities with embedded options such as callable bonds, mortgage-backed securities, and certain asset-backed securities, reinvestment risk occurs when fluctuations in interest rates have a direct impact on expected cash flows. As interest rates fall, an increase in prepayments on these assets results in earlier than expected receipt of cash flows forcing us to reinvest the proceeds in an unfavorable lower interest rate environment. Conversely, as interest rates rise, a decrease in prepayments on these assets results in later than expected receipt of cash flows forcing us to forgo reinvesting in a favorable higher interest rate environment.
We manage interest rate risk by selecting investments with characteristics such as duration, yield, currency and liquidity tailored to the anticipated cash outflow characteristics of our insurance and reinsurance liabilities.
Our group long-term disability reserves are also sensitive to interest rates. Group long-term disability and group term life waiver of premium reserves are discounted to the valuation date at the valuation interest rate. The valuation interest rate is determined by taking into consideration actual and expected earned rates on our asset portfolio.
The interest rate sensitivity relating to price risk of our fixed maturity securities is assessed using hypothetical scenarios that assume several positive and negative parallel shifts of the yield curves. We have assumed that the United States and Canadian yield curve shifts are of equal direction and magnitude. The individual securities are repriced under each scenario using a valuation model. For investments such as callable bonds and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, a prepayment model was used in conjunction with a valuation model. Our actual experience may differ from the results noted below particularly due to assumptions utilized or if events occur that were not included in the methodology. The following tables summarize the results of this analysis for bonds, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities held in our investment portfolio as of the dates indicated:
The interest rate sensitivity relating to reinvestment risk of our fixed maturity securities is assessed using hypothetical scenarios that assume purchases in the primary market and considers the effects of interest rates on sales. The effects of embedded options including call or put features are not considered. Our actual results may differ from the results noted below particularly due to assumptions utilized or if events occur that were not included in the methodology.
The following tables summarize the results of this analysis on our reported portfolio yield as of the dates indicated:
Credit Risk
We have exposure to credit risk primarily from customers, as a holder of fixed maturity securities and by entering into reinsurance cessions.
Our risk management strategy and investment policy is to invest in debt instruments of high credit quality issuers and to limit the amount of credit exposure with respect to any one issuer. We attempt to limit our credit exposure by imposing fixed maturity portfolio limits on individual issuers based upon credit quality. Currently our portfolio limits are 1.5% for issuers rated AA- and above, 1% for issuers rated A- to A+, 0.75% for issuers rated BBB- to BBB+ and 0.38% for issuers rated BB- to BB+. These portfolio limits are further reduced for certain issuers with whom we have credit exposure on reinsurance agreements. We use the lower of Moody’s or S&P’s ratings to determine an issuer’s rating.
The following table presents our fixed maturity investment portfolio by ratings of the nationally recognized securities rating organizations as of the dates indicated:
We are also exposed to the credit risk of our reinsurers. When we reinsure, we are still liable to our insureds regardless of whether we get reimbursed by our reinsurer. As part of our overall risk and capacity management strategy, we purchase reinsurance for certain risks underwritten by our various business segments as described above under “Item 7 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Reinsurance.”
The Company had $5,411,064 and $4,997,316 of reinsurance recoverables as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, the majority of which are protected from credit risk by various types of risk mitigation mechanisms such as trusts, letters of credit or by withholding the assets in a modified coinsurance or co-funds-withheld arrangement. For example, reserves of $1,153,681 and $2,471,225 as of December 31, 2011 and $1,185,687 and $2,303,221 as of December 31, 2010, relating to two large coinsurance arrangements with The Hartford and John Hancock (a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation), respectively, related to sales of businesses are held in trusts. If the value of the assets in these trusts falls below the value of the associated liabilities, The Hartford and John Hancock, as the case may be, will be required to put more assets in the trusts. We may be dependent on the financial condition of The Hartford and John Hancock, whose A.M. Best ratings are currently A and A+, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, A.M. Best maintained a stable outlook on the financial strength ratings of John Hancock and The Hartford. For recoverables that are not protected by these mechanisms, we are dependent solely on the credit of the reinsurer. Occasionally, the credit worthiness of the reinsurer becomes questionable. See “Item 1A - Risk Factors-Risks Related to Our Company-Reinsurance may not be available or adequate to protect us against losses, and we are subject to the credit risk of reinsurers” and “-We have sold businesses through reinsurance that could again become our direct financial and administrative responsibility if the purchasing Companies were to become insolvent.” A majority of our reinsurance exposure has been ceded to companies rated A- or better by A.M. Best.
Inflation Risk
Inflation risk arises as we invest substantial funds in nominal assets, which are not indexed to the level of inflation, whereas the underlying liabilities are indexed to the level of inflation. Approximately 7% of Assurant preneed insurance policies, with reserves of $300,548 and $316,033 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, have death benefits that are guaranteed to grow with the CPI. In times of rapidly rising inflation, the credited death benefit growth on these liabilities increases relative to the investment income earned on the nominal assets resulting in an adverse impact on earnings. We have partially mitigated this risk by purchasing derivative contracts with payments tied to the CPI. See “-Derivatives.”
In addition, we have inflation risk in our individual and small employer group health insurance businesses to the extent that medical costs increase with inflation, and we have not been able to increase premiums to keep pace with inflation.
Foreign Exchange Risk
We are exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from our international operations, mainly in Canada. We also have foreign exchange risk exposure to the British pound, Brazilian Real, Euro, Mexican Peso and Argentine Peso. However, total invested assets denominated in currencies other than the Canadian dollar were approximately 2% of our total invested assets at December 31, 2011 and 2010.
Foreign exchange risk is mitigated by matching our liabilities under insurance policies that are payable in foreign currencies with investments that are denominated in such currency. We have not established any hedge to our foreign currency exchange rate exposure.
The foreign exchange risk sensitivity of our fixed maturity securities denominated in Canadian dollars, whose balance was $1,518,295 and $1,399,042 of the total as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, on our entire fixed maturity portfolio is summarized in the following tables:
The foreign exchange risk sensitivity of our consolidated net income is assessed using hypothetical test scenarios that assume earnings in Canadian dollars are recognized evenly throughout a period. Our actual results may differ from the results noted below particularly due to assumptions utilized or if events occur that were not included in the methodology. For more information on this risk, please see “Item 1A - Risk Factors-Risk Related to Our Company-Fluctuations in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currencies may materially and adversely affect our results of operations.” The following tables summarize the results of this analysis on our reported net income as of the dates indicated:
Derivatives
Derivatives are financial instruments whose values are derived from interest rates, foreign exchange rates, financial indices or the prices of securities or commodities. Derivative financial instruments may be exchange-traded or contracted in the over-the-counter market and include swaps, futures, options and forward contracts.
Under insurance statutes, our insurance companies may use derivative financial instruments to hedge actual or anticipated changes in their assets or liabilities, to replicate cash market instruments or for certain income-generating activities. These statutes generally prohibit the use of derivatives for speculative purposes. We generally do not use derivative financial instruments.
We have purchased contracts to cap the inflation risk exposure inherent in some of our preneed insurance policies.
In accordance with the guidance on embedded derivatives, we have bifurcated the modified coinsurance agreement with The Hartford into its debt host and embedded derivative (total return swap) and recorded the embedded derivative at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. The invested assets related to this modified coinsurance agreement are included in other investments in the consolidated balance sheets.
Item 8.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
The consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules in Part IV, Item 15(a) 1 and 2 of this report are incorporated by reference into this Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
There have been no disagreements with accountants on accounting and financial disclosure.
Item 9A.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures.
The management of Assurant is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective disclosure controls and procedures, as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). As of December 31, 2011, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of Assurant’s disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation, management concluded that Assurant’s disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2011, were effective to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by Assurant in the reports Assurant files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the applicable rules and forms and that it is accumulated and communicated to our management, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
The management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
The Company’s management assessed its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011 using criteria established in “Internal Control-Integrated Framework” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
Management, including the Company’s chief executive officer and its chief financial officer, based on their evaluation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f)), have concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2011.
The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which appears herein.
There have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Company’s fourth fiscal quarter in 2011 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B.
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.
PART III
Item 10.
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
The information regarding executive officers in our upcoming 2012 Proxy Statement (“2012 Proxy Statement”) under the caption “Executive Officers” is incorporated herein by reference. The information regarding directors in the 2012 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Election of Directors” in “Proposal One” is incorporated herein by reference. The information regarding compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act in the 2012 Proxy Statement, under the caption “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” is incorporated herein by reference. The information regarding the Compensation Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Audit Committee in the 2012 Proxy Statement under the captions “Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee” and “Audit Committee” in “Corporate Governance” is incorporated herein by reference.
Code of Ethics
The Assurant Code of Ethics applies to all directors, officers and employees of Assurant, including the principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Ethics and our Corporate Governance Guidelines are posted in the “Corporate Governance” subsection of the “Investor Relations” section of our website at www.assurant.com which is not incorporated by reference herein. We intend to post any amendments to or waivers from the Code of Ethics that apply to our executive officers or directors on our website.
Item 11.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The information in the 2012 Proxy Statement under the captions “Compensation Discussion and Analysis”, “Compensation of Named Executive Officers” and “Compensation of Directors” is incorporated herein by reference. The information in the 2012 Proxy Statement regarding the Compensation Committee under the captions “Compensation Committee”, “Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation” and “Compensation Committee Report” in “Corporate Governance” is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 12.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The information in the 2012 Proxy Statement under the captions “Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans,” “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners” and “Security Ownership of Management” is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 13.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
The information in the 2012 Proxy Statement under the captions “Transactions with Related Persons” and “Director Independence” in “Corporate Governance” is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 14.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The information in the 2012 Proxy Statement under the caption “Fees of Principal Accountants” in “Audit Committee Matters” is incorporated herein by reference.
PART IV
Item 15.
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a)1. Consolidated Financial Statements
The following consolidated financial statements of Assurant, Inc., incorporated by reference into Item 8, are attached hereto:
(a)2. Consolidated Financial Statement Schedules
The following consolidated financial statement schedules of Assurant, Inc. are attached hereto:
Schedule I-Summary of Investments other than Investments in Related Parties
Schedule II-Parent Only Condensed Financial Statements
Schedule III-Supplementary Insurance Information
Schedule IV-Reinsurance
Schedule V-Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
* All other schedules are omitted because they are not applicable, not required, or the information is included in the financial statements or the notes thereto.
(a)3. Exhibits
Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Company has filed or incorporated by reference certain agreements as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These agreements may contain representations and warranties by the parties. These representations and warranties have been made solely for the benefit of the other party or parties to such agreements and (i) may have been qualified by disclosures made to such other party or parties, (ii) were made only as of the date of such agreements or such other date(s) as may be specified in such agreements and are subject to more recent developments, which may not be fully reflected in the Company’s public disclosure, (iii) may reflect the allocation of risk among the parties to such agreements and (iv) may apply materiality standards different from what may be viewed as material to investors. Accordingly, these representations and warranties may not describe the Company’s actual state of affairs at the date hereof and should not be relied upon.
The following exhibits either (a) are filed with this report or (b) have previously been filed with the SEC and are incorporated herein by reference to those prior filings. Exhibits are available upon request at the investor relations section of our website, located at www.assurant.com.
* Management contract or compensatory plan.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on February 23, 2012.
ASSURANT, INC.
By:
/S/ ROBERT B. POLLOCK
Name:
Robert B. Pollock
Title:
President and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant in the capacities indicated on February 23, 2012.
Signature
Title
/S/ ROBERT B. POLLOCK
Robert B. Pollock
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)
/S/ MICHAEL J. PENINGER
Michael J. Peninger
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ JOHN A. SONDEJ
John A. Sondej
Senior Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
*
Elaine D. Rosen
Non-Executive Board Chair
*
Howard L. Carver
Director
*
Juan N. Cento
Director
*
Elyse Douglas
Director
*
Lawrence V. Jackson
Director
*
David B. Kelso
Director
*
Charles J. Koch
Director
*
H. Carroll Mackin
Director
*
Paul J. Reilly
Director
*
Robert W. Stein
Director
*By:
/S/ MICHAEL J. PENINGER
Name:
Michael J. Peninger
Attorney-in-Fact
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Assurant, Inc.:
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements listed in the index appearing under Item 15(a)1 present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Assurant, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) at December 31, 2011 and 2010, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2011 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. In addition, in our opinion, the financial statement schedules listed in the index appearing under Item 15(a)2 present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein when read in conjunction with the related consolidated financial statements. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements and financial statement schedules, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial statements, on the financial statement schedules, and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our integrated audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
New York, New York
February 22, 2012
Assurant, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
At December 31, 2011 and 2010
See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements
Assurant, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
Years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements
Assurant, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
Years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements
Assurant, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
At December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements
Assurant, Inc.
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Years Ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
Assurant, Inc.
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows-(Continued)
Years Ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
(1) 2011 includes the acquisition of SureDeposit. 2010 includes three acquisitions that individually and in the aggregate are immaterial. 2009 includes the acquisition of a block of business from Shenandoah Life Insurance Company (acquired through reinsurance agreement on October 1, 2009). See Note 3 for more information.
See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements
Assurant, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
(In thousands except number of shares and per share amounts)
1. Nature of Operations
Assurant, Inc. (“Assurant” or the “Company”) is a Delaware corporation, whose common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol AIZ. Assurant is a holding company whose subsidiaries provide specialized insurance products and related services in North America and select worldwide markets.
Through its operating subsidiaries, the Company provides debt protection administration, credit-related insurance, warranties and service contracts, pre-funded funeral insurance, lender-placed homeowners insurance, manufactured housing homeowners insurance, individual health and small employer group health insurance, group dental insurance, group disability insurance and group life insurance.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Amounts are presented in United States of America (“U.S.”) dollars and all amounts are in thousands, except for number of shares, per share amounts and number of securities in an unrealized loss position.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all of its wholly owned subsidiaries. All inter-company transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities. The items on the Company’s balance sheets affected by the use of estimates include but are not limited to, investments, premiums and accounts receivable, reinsurance recoverables, deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”), deferred income taxes and associated valuation allowances, goodwill, valuation of business acquired (“VOBA”), future policy benefits and expenses, unearned premiums, claims and benefits payable, deferred gain on disposal of businesses, pension and post-retirement liabilities and commitments and contingencies. The estimates are sensitive to market conditions, investment yields, mortality, morbidity, commissions and other acquisition expenses, policyholder behavior and other factors. Actual results could differ from the estimates recorded. The Company believes all amounts reported are reasonable and adequate.
Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts that can be converted into common stock were exercised as of the end of the period. Restricted stock and restricted stock units which have non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents are included in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share under the two-class method.
Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income is comprised of net income, net unrealized gains and losses on foreign currency translation, net unrealized gains and losses on securities classified as available for sale, net unrealized gains and losses on other-than-temporarily impaired securities and expenses for pension and post-retirement plans, less deferred income taxes.
Reclassifications
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2011 presentation.
Foreign Currency Translation
For foreign affiliates where the local currency is the functional currency, unrealized foreign currency translation gains and losses net of deferred income taxes have been reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”). Other than for one of our wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries, deferred taxes have not been provided for unrealized currency translation gains and losses since the Company intends to indefinitely reinvest the earnings in these other jurisdictions. Transaction gains and losses on assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recorded in underwriting, general and administration expenses in the consolidated statements of operations during the period in which they occur.
Fair Value
The Company uses an exit price for its fair value measurements. An exit price is defined as the amount received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In measuring fair value, the Company gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs. See Note 5 for further information.
Investments
Fixed maturity and equity securities are classified as available-for-sale, as defined in the investments guidance, and reported at fair value. If the fair value is higher than the amortized cost for fixed maturity securities or the purchase cost for equity securities, the excess is an unrealized gain; and, if lower than cost, the difference is an unrealized loss. Net unrealized gains and losses on securities classified as available-for-sale, less deferred income taxes, are included in AOCI.
Commercial mortgage loans on real estate are reported at unpaid balances, adjusted for amortization of premium or discount, less allowance for losses. The allowance is based on management’s analysis of factors including actual loan loss experience, specific events based on geographical, political or economic conditions, industry experience, loan groupings that have probable and estimable losses and individually impaired loan loss analysis. A loan is considered individually impaired when it becomes probable the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due, including principal and interest, according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Indicative factors of impairment include, but are not limited to, whether the loan is current, the value of the collateral and the financial position of the borrower. If a loan is individually impaired, the Company uses one of the following valuation methods based on the individual loans’ facts and circumstances to measure the impairment amount: (1) the present value of expected future cash flows, (2) the loan’s observable market price, or (3) the fair value of collateral. Changes in the allowance for loan losses are recorded in net realized losses on investments, excluding other-than-temporary impairment losses.
The Company places loans on non-accrual status after 90 days of delinquent payments (unless the loans are both well secured and in the process of collection). A loan may be placed on non-accrual status before this time if information is available that suggests its impairment is probable.
Policy loans are reported at unpaid principal balances, which do not exceed the cash surrender value of the underlying policies.
Short-term investments include money market funds and short maturity investments. These amounts are reported at cost, which approximates fair value.
The Company engages in collateralized transactions in which fixed maturity securities, especially bonds issued by the U.S. government, government agencies and authorities, and U.S. corporations, are loaned to selected broker/dealers. The collateral held under these securities lending transactions is reported at fair value and the obligation is reported at the amount of the collateral received. The difference between the collateral held and obligations under securities lending is recorded as an unrealized loss and is included as part of AOCI.
The Company has engaged in collateralized transactions in which securities issued by the U.S. government, government agencies and authorities, are purchased under agreements to resell (“reverse repurchase agreements”). However, as of December 31, 2011, the Company has no open transactions. The Company enters into these reverse repurchase agreements in order to initiate short positions in its investment portfolio. Collateral pledged in these securities lending transactions is reported at the amount pledged plus accrued interest. The obligations to return the securities that we no longer hold are financial liabilities reported at fair value with the changes in value reported as realized gains or losses.
Other investments consist primarily of investments in joint ventures, partnerships, invested assets associated with a modified coinsurance arrangement, invested assets associated with the Assurant Investment Plan (“AIP”), the American Security Insurance Company Investment Plan (“ASIC”) and the Assurant Deferred Compensation Plan (“ADC”). The joint ventures and partnerships are valued according to the equity method of accounting. The invested assets related to the modified coinsurance arrangement, the AIP, ASIC and ADC are classified as trading securities as defined in the investment guidance.
The Company monitors its investment portfolio to identify investments that may be other-than-temporarily impaired. In addition, securities, aggregated by issuer, whose market price is equal to 80% or less of their original purchase price or which had a discrete credit event resulting in the debtor defaulting or seeking bankruptcy protection are added to a potential write-down list, which is discussed at quarterly meetings attended by members of the Company’s investment, accounting and finance departments. See Note 4 for further information.
Realized gains and losses on sales of investments are recognized on the specific identification basis.
Investment income is recorded as earned net of investment expenses. The Company uses the interest method to recognize interest income on its commercial mortgage loans.
The Company anticipates prepayments of principal in the calculation of the effective yield for mortgage-backed securities and structured securities. The retrospective method is used to adjust the effective yield.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers cash on hand, all operating cash and working capital cash to be cash equivalents. These amounts are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. Cash balances are reviewed at the end of each reporting period to determine if negative cash balances exist. If negative cash balances do exist, the cash accounts are netted with other positive cash accounts of the same bank provided the right of offset exists between the accounts. If the right of offset does not exist, the negative cash balances are reclassified to accounts payable.
Uncollectible Receivable Balance
The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for probable losses resulting from the inability to collect payments.
Reinsurance
Reinsurance recoverables include amounts related to paid benefits and estimated amounts related to unpaid policy and contract claims, future policyholder benefits and policyholder contract deposits. The cost of reinsurance is recognized over the terms of the underlying reinsured policies using assumptions consistent with those used to account for the policies. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are estimated in a manner consistent with claim and claim adjustment expense reserves or future policy benefits reserves and are reported in the consolidated balance sheets. The cost of reinsurance related to long-duration contracts is recognized over the life of the underlying reinsured policies. The ceding of insurance does not discharge the Company’s primary liability to insureds, thus a credit exposure exists to the extent that any reinsurer is unable to meet the obligation assumed in the reinsurance agreements. To mitigate this exposure to reinsurance insolvencies, the Company evaluates the financial condition of its reinsurers and holds collateral (in the form of funds withheld, trusts, and letters of credit) as security under the reinsurance agreements. An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded on the basis of periodic evaluations of balances due from reinsurers (net of collateral), reinsurer solvency, management’s experience and current economic conditions.
Funds withheld under reinsurance represent amounts contractually held from assuming companies in accordance with reinsurance agreements.
Reinsurance premiums assumed are calculated based upon payments received from ceding companies together with accrual estimates, which are based on both payments received and in force policy information received from ceding companies. Any subsequent differences arising on such estimates are recorded in the period in which they are determined.
Income Taxes
Current federal income taxes are recognized based upon amounts estimated to be payable or recoverable as a result of taxable operations for the current year. Deferred income taxes are recorded for temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and income tax basis of assets and liabilities, based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the Company expects the temporary differences to reverse. A valuation allowance is established for deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that an amount will not be realized.
The Company classifies net interest expense related to tax matters and any applicable penalties as a component of income tax expense.
Deferred Acquisition Costs
The costs of acquiring new business that vary with and are primarily related to the production of new business are deferred to the extent that such costs are deemed recoverable from future premiums or gross profits. Acquisition costs primarily consist of commissions, policy issuance expenses, premium taxes and certain direct marketing expenses.
Premium deficiency testing is performed annually and generally reviewed quarterly. Such testing involves the use of best estimate assumptions including the anticipation of investment income to determine if anticipated future policy premiums are adequate to recover all DAC and related claims, benefits and expenses. To the extent a premium deficiency exists, it is recognized immediately by a charge to the consolidated statement of operations and a corresponding reduction in DAC. If the premium deficiency is greater than unamortized DAC, a liability will be accrued for the excess deficiency.
Long Duration Contracts
Acquisition costs for pre-funded funeral (“preneed”) life insurance policies issued prior to 2009 and certain life insurance policies no longer offered are deferred and amortized in proportion to anticipated premiums over the premium-paying period. These acquisition costs consist primarily of first year commissions paid to agents and sales and policy issue costs.
Acquisition costs relating to group worksite insurance products consist primarily of first year commissions to brokers and costs of issuing new certificates. These acquisition costs are front-end loaded, thus they are deferred and amortized over the estimated terms of the underlying contracts.
For preneed investment-type annuities, preneed life insurance policies with discretionary death benefit growth issued after January 1, 2009, universal life insurance policies, and investment-type annuities (no longer offered), DAC is amortized in proportion to the present value of estimated gross profits from investment, mortality, expense margins and surrender charges over the estimated life of the policy or contract. The assumptions used for the estimates are consistent with those used in computing the policy or contract liabilities.
Acquisition costs relating to the individual voluntary limited benefit health policies issued in 2007 and later are deferred and amortized over the estimated average terms of the underlying contracts. These acquisition costs relate to commission expenses which result from commission schedules that pay significantly higher rates in the first year.
Short Duration Contracts
Acquisition costs relating to property contracts, warranty and extended service contracts and single premium credit insurance contracts are amortized over the term of the contracts in relation to premiums earned.
Acquisition costs relating to monthly pay credit insurance business consist mainly of direct marketing costs and are deferred and amortized over the estimated average terms and balances of the underlying contracts.
Acquisition costs relating to group term life, group disability, group dental, and group vision consist primarily of compensation to sales representatives. These acquisition costs are front-end loaded; thus, they are deferred and amortized over the estimated terms of the underlying contracts.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are reported at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over estimated useful lives with a maximum of 39.5 years for buildings, a maximum of 7 years for furniture and a maximum of 5 years for equipment. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to income as incurred. Expenditures for improvements are capitalized and depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset.
Property and equipment also includes capitalized software costs, which represent costs directly related to obtaining, developing or upgrading internal use software. Such costs are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. Property and equipment are assessed for impairment when impairment indicators exist.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition costs over the net fair value of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. Goodwill is deemed to have an indefinite life and is not amortized, but rather is tested at least annually for impairment. We review our goodwill annually in the fourth quarter for impairment, or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. We regularly assess whether any indicators of impairment exist. Such indicators include, but are not limited to: a sustained significant decline in our market capitalization or a significant decline in our expected future cash flows due to changes in company-specific factors or the broader business climate. The evaluation of such factors requires considerable management judgment.
When required, we test goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level. Following the guidance on goodwill, we have concluded that our reporting units for goodwill testing are equivalent to our reported operating segments, excluding the Corporate and Other segment.
At the time of the annual goodwill test, the Company has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the current two-step goodwill impairment test. The Company is required to perform step one if it determines qualitatively that it is more likely than not (that is, a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. Otherwise, no further testing is required.
If the Company does not take the option to perform the qualitative assessment or the qualitative assessment performed indicates that it is more likely than not that the reporting unit’s fair value is less than the carrying value, the Company will then compare the estimated fair value of the reporting unit with its net book value (“Step 1”). If the estimated fair value exceeds its net book value, goodwill is deemed not to be impaired, and no further testing is necessary. If the net book value exceeds its estimated fair value, we perform a second test to measure the amount of impairment, if any. To determine the amount of any impairment, we determine the implied fair value of goodwill in the same manner as if the reporting unit were being acquired in a business combination (“Step 2”). Specifically, we determine the fair value of all of the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit, including any unrecognized intangible assets, in a hypothetical calculation that yields the implied fair value of goodwill. If the implied fair value of goodwill is less than the recorded goodwill, we record an impairment charge for the difference.
In the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company chose the option to first perform a qualitative assessment for our Assurant Specialty Property reporting unit. Based on this assessment, the Company determined that it was more likely than not that the reporting unit’s fair value was more than its carrying amount, therefore further impairment testing was not necessary. For our Assurant Solutions reporting unit we performed Step 1 and concluded that the estimated fair value of the reporting unit exceeded its respective book value and therefore goodwill was not impaired. For 2011, the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units did not have goodwill.
In the fourth quarter of 2010, we conducted our annual assessment of goodwill. Based on the results of the 2010 assessment, the Company concluded that the net book values of the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units exceeded their estimated fair values and therefore performed a Step 2 test. Based on the results of the Step 2 test, the Company recorded impairment charges of $102,078 and $204,303 related to the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units, respectively. These impairments reflected the effects of the Affordable Care Act, the low interest rate environment, continuing high unemployment, the slow pace of the economic recovery and increased net book value primarily related to their investment portfolios. For 2010, the estimated fair value of Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property exceeded their respective net book values and therefore goodwill was not impaired.
Value of Businesses Acquired
VOBA is an identifiable intangible asset representing the value of the insurance businesses acquired. The amount is determined using best estimates for mortality, lapse, maintenance expenses and investment returns at date of purchase. The amount determined represents the purchase price paid to the seller for producing the business. Similar to the amortization of DAC, the amortization of VOBA is over the premium payment period for traditional life insurance policies and a small block of limited payment policies. For the remaining limited payment policies, preneed life insurance policies, all universal life policies and annuities, the amortization of VOBA is over the expected lifetime of the policies.
VOBA is tested for recoverability annually. If it is determined that future policy premiums and investment income or gross profits are not adequate to cover related losses or loss expenses, then an expense is reported in current earnings. Based on 2011 and 2010 testing, future policy premiums and investment income or gross profits were deemed adequate to cover related losses or loss expenses.
Other Assets
Other assets primarily include prepaid items.
Other Intangible Assets
Other intangible assets that have finite lives, including but not limited to, customer contracts, customer relationships and marketing relationships, are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite useful lives, primarily certain state licenses, are not amortized and are subject to at least annual impairment tests. Impairment exists if the carrying amount of the indefinite-lived other intangible asset exceeds its fair value. For other intangible assets with finite lives, impairment is recognized if the carrying amount is not recoverable and exceeds the fair value of the other intangible asset. Generally other intangible assets with finite lives are only tested for impairment if there are indicators (“triggers”) of impairment identified. Triggers include, but are not limited to, a significant adverse change in the extent, manner or length of time in which the other intangible asset is being used or a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate that could affect the value of the other intangible asset. In certain cases, the Company does perform an annual impairment test for other intangible assets with finite lives even if there are no triggers present. There were no material impairment charges related to finite-lived other intangible assets in 2011. In 2010, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $47,612 related to finite-lived other intangible assets. For both 2011 and 2010, there were no impairment charges for indefinite-lived other intangible assets.
Amortization expense is included in underwriting, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.
Separate Accounts
Assets and liabilities associated with separate accounts relate to premium and annuity considerations for variable life and annuity products for which the contract-holder, rather than the Company, bears the investment risk. Separate account assets (with matching liabilities) are reported at fair value. Revenues and expenses related to the separate account assets and liabilities, to the extent of benefits paid or provided to the separate account policyholders, are excluded from the amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations because the accounts are administered by reinsurers.
Reserves
Reserves are established in accordance with GAAP, using generally accepted actuarial methods. Factors used in their calculation include experience derived from historical claim payments and actuarial assumptions. Such assumptions and other factors include trends, the incidence of incurred claims, the extent to which all claims have been reported, and internal claims processing charges. The process used in computing reserves cannot be exact, particularly for liability coverages, since actual claim costs are dependent upon such complex factors as inflation, changes in doctrines of legal liabilities and damage awards. The methods of making such estimates and establishing the related liabilities are periodically reviewed and updated.
Reserves do not represent an exact calculation of exposure, but instead represent our best estimates of what we expect the ultimate settlement and administration of a claim or group of claims will cost based on facts and circumstances known at the time of calculation. The adequacy of reserves may be impacted by future trends in claims severity, frequency, judicial theories of liability and other factors. These variables are affected by both external and internal events, including but not limited to: changes in the economic cycle, changes in the social perception of the value of work, emerging medical perceptions regarding physiological or psychological causes of disability, emerging health issues and new methods of treatment or accommodation, inflation, judicial trends, legislative changes and claims handling procedures.
Many of these items are not directly quantifiable. Reserve estimates are refined as experience develops. Adjustments to reserves, both positive and negative, are reflected in the consolidated statement of operations in the period in which such estimates are updated. Because establishment of reserves is an inherently uncertain process involving estimates of future losses, there can be no certainty that ultimate losses will not exceed existing claims reserves. Future loss development could require reserves to be increased, which could have a material adverse effect on our earnings in the periods in which such increases are made. However, based on information currently available, we believe our reserve estimates are adequate.
Long Duration Contracts
The Company’s long duration contracts include preneed life insurance policies and annuity contracts, traditional life insurance policies no longer offered, universal life and annuities no longer offered, policies disposed of via reinsurance (Fortis Financial Group (“FFG”) and Long Term Care (“LTC”) contracts), group worksite policies, certain group short-term disability policies and certain medical policies.
Future policy benefits and expense reserves for LTC, certain life and annuity insurance policies no longer offered, a majority of individual medical policies issued prior to 2003, certain medical contracts issued from 2003 through 2006, individual voluntary limited benefit health policies issued in 2007 and later, the traditional life insurance contracts within FFG and group worksite contracts are equal to the present value of future benefits to policyholders plus related expenses less the present value of the future net premiums. These amounts are estimated based on assumptions as to the expected investment yield, inflation, mortality, morbidity and withdrawal rates as well as other assumptions that are based on the Company’s experience. These assumptions reflect anticipated trends and include provisions for possible unfavorable deviations.
Future policy benefits and expense reserves for preneed investment-type annuities, preneed life insurance policies with discretionary death benefit growth issued after 2008, universal life insurance policies and investment-type annuity contracts (no longer offered), and the variable life insurance and investment-type annuity contracts in FFG consist of policy account balances before applicable surrender charges and certain deferred policy initiation fees that are being recognized in income over the terms of the policies. Policy benefits charged to expense during the period include amounts paid in excess of policy account balances and interest credited to policy account balances. An unearned revenue reserve is also recorded for those preneed life insurance contracts which represents the balance of the excess of gross premiums over net premiums that is still recognized in future years’ income in a constant relationship to estimated gross profits.
Future policy benefits and expense reserves for preneed life insurance contracts issued prior to 2009 are reported at the present value of future benefits to policyholders and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums. Reserve assumptions are selected using best estimates for expected investment yield, inflation, mortality and withdrawal rates. These assumptions reflect current trends, are based on Company experience and include provision for possible unfavorable deviation. An unearned revenue reserve is also recorded for these contracts which represents the balance of the excess of gross premiums over net premiums that is still to be recognized in future years’ income in a constant relationship to insurance in force.
Reserves for group worksite policies, also include case reserves and incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) reserves which equal the net present value of the expected future claims payments. Worksite group disability reserves are discounted to the valuation date at the valuation interest rate. The valuation interest rate is reviewed quarterly by taking into consideration actual and expected earned rates on our asset portfolio.
Changes in the estimated liabilities are reported as a charge or credit to policyholder benefits as the estimates are revised.
Short Duration Contracts
The Company’s short duration contracts include group term life contracts, group disability contracts, medical contracts, dental contracts, property and warranty contracts, credit life and disability contracts and extended service contracts. For short duration contracts, claims and benefits payable reserves are recorded when insured events occur. The liability is based on the expected ultimate cost of settling the claims. The claims and benefits payable reserves include (1) case reserves for known but unpaid claims as of the balance sheet date; (2) IBNR reserves for claims where the insured event has occurred but has not been reported to the Company as of the balance sheet date; and (3) loss adjustment expense reserves for the expected handling costs of settling the claims.
For group disability, the case reserves and the IBNR reserves are recorded at an amount equal to the net present value of the expected future claims payments. Group long-term disability and group term life waiver of
premiums reserves are discounted to the valuation date at the valuation interest rate. The valuation interest rate is reviewed quarterly by taking into consideration actual and expected earned rates on our asset portfolio. Group long term disability and group term life reserve adequacy studies are performed annually, and morbidity and mortality assumptions are adjusted where appropriate.
The Company has exposure to asbestos, environmental and other general liability claims arising from its participation in various reinsurance pools from 1971 through 1985. This exposure arose from a short duration contract that the Company discontinued writing many years ago. The Company carries case reserves for these liabilities as recommended by the various pool managers and IBNR reserves. Any estimation of these liabilities is subject to greater than normal variation and uncertainty due to the general lack of sufficient detailed data, reporting delays, and absence of generally accepted actuarial methodology for determining the exposures. There are significant unresolved industry legal issues, including such items as whether coverage exists and what constitutes an occurrence. In addition, the determination of ultimate damages and the final allocation of losses to financially responsible parties are highly uncertain.
Changes in the estimated liabilities are recorded as a charge or credit to policyholder benefits as estimates are revised. Amounts reimbursed by the National Flood Insurance Program for processing and adjudication services are reported as a reduction of policyholder benefits.
Medical Loss Ratio Rebate Unearned Premium Reserve
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and the rules and regulations thereunder (together, “the Affordable Care Act”) was signed into law in March 2010. One provision of the Affordable Care Act, effective January 1, 2011, established a minimum medical loss ratio (“MLR”) designed to ensure that a minimum percentage of premiums is paid for clinical services or health care quality improvement activities. The Affordable Care Act established an MLR of 80% for individual and small group business and 85% for large group business. If the actual loss ratios, calculated in a manner prescribed by the HHS, are less than the required MLR, premium rebates are payable to the policyholders by August 1 of the subsequent year.
Assurant Health has estimated its 2011 impact of this regulation and recorded a premium rebate accrual of $41,589 for Twelve Months 2011. The premium rebate accrual was based on definitions and calculation methodologies outlined in the HHS Interim Final Regulation released December 1, 2010, Technical Corrections released December 29, 2010 and the HHS Final Regulation released December 7, 2011. Additionally, the premium rebate accrual was based on separate projection models for the individual medical and small group businesses using projections of expected premiums, claims, and enrollment by state, legal entity, and market for medical business subject to MLR requirements for the MLR reporting year. In addition, the projection models include quality improvement expenses, state assessments and taxes. Further emerging regulations and interpretations from HHS as well as additional claims data for 2011 dates of service received through March 31, 2012 could cause the actual premium rebate to differ. We will not know the actual premium rebate amount with certainty until mid-2012; it will be based on actual premium and claim experience for all of 2011. The estimated liability may also need to be adjusted for any further regulatory clarifications or transition relief granted for states in which we do business. The premium rebate is presented as a reduction of net earned premiums in the consolidated statement of operations and included in unearned premiums in the consolidated balance sheets.
Deferred Gain on Disposal of Businesses
The Company recorded a deferred gain on disposal of businesses utilizing reinsurance. On March 1, 2000, the Company sold its LTC business using a coinsurance contract. On April 2, 2001, the Company sold its FFG business using a modified coinsurance contract. Since the form of sale did not discharge the Company’s primary liability to the insureds, the gain on these disposals was deferred and reported as a liability. The liability is decreased and recognized as revenue over the estimated life of the contracts’ terms. The Company reviews and evaluates the estimates affecting the deferred gain on disposal of businesses annually or when significant
information affecting the estimates becomes known to the Company, and adjusts the revenue recognized accordingly. Based on the Company’s annual review in the fourth quarter of 2011, there were no adjustments to the estimates affecting the deferred gain. In the fourth quarter of 2010, the Company re-established $8,158 of the FFG deferred gain based on its annual review.
Debt
The Company reports debt net of unamortized discount or premium. Interest expense related to debt is expensed as incurred.
The Company reports mandatorily redeemable preferred stock equal to its redemption value.
Premiums
Long Duration Contracts
Currently, the Company’s long duration contracts which are actively being sold are preneed life insurance and certain group worksite insurance policies. The preneed life insurance policies include provisions for death benefit growth that is either pegged to the changes in the Consumer Price Index or determined periodically at the discretion of management. For preneed life insurance policies issued prior to 2009, revenues are recognized when due from policyholders. For preneed life insurance policies with discretionary death benefit growth issued after 2008 and for preneed investment-type annuity contracts, revenues consist of charges assessed against policy balances. Revenues are recognized ratably as earned income over the premium-paying periods of the policies for the group worksite insurance products and certain group short-term disability policies.
For a majority of individual medical contracts issued prior to 2003, a limited number of individual medical contracts currently issued from 2003 through 2006 in certain jurisdictions, individual voluntary limited benefit health policies issued in 2007 and later and traditional life insurance contracts previously sold by the preneed business (no longer offered), revenue is recognized when due from policyholders.
For universal life insurance and investment-type annuity contracts previously sold by the Assurant Solutions segment (no longer offered), revenues consist of charges assessed against policy balances.
Premiums for LTC insurance and traditional life insurance contracts within FFG are recognized as revenue when due from the policyholder. For universal life insurance and investment-type annuity contracts within FFG, revenues consist of charges assessed against policy balances. For the FFG and LTC businesses previously sold, all revenue is ceded.
Short Duration Contracts
The Company’s short duration contracts are those on which the Company recognizes revenue on a pro-rata basis over the contract term. The Company’s short duration contracts primarily include group term life, group disability, medical, dental, vision, property and warranty, credit life and disability, and extended service contracts and individual medical contracts issued from 2003 through 2006 in most jurisdictions and in all jurisdictions after 2006.
Reinstatement premiums for reinsurance are netted against net earned premiums and other considerations in the consolidated statements of operations.
Total Other-Than-Temporary Impairment Losses
For debt securities with credit losses and non-credit losses or gains, total other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) losses is the total of the decline in fair value from either the most recent OTTI determination or a prior period end in which the fair value declined until the current period end valuation date. This amount does not
include any securities that had fair value increases. For equity securities and debt securities that the Company has the intent to sell or if it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell for equity securities that have an OTTI or for debt securities if there are only credit losses, total other-than-temporary impairment losses is the total amount by which the fair value of the security is less than its amortized cost basis at the period end valuation date and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other-than-temporary.
Fees and Other Income
Income earned on preneed life insurance policies with discretionary death benefit growth issued after 2008 is presented within fees and other income.
The Company also derives fees and other income from providing administrative services. These fees are recognized monthly when services are performed.
Dealer obligor service contracts are sales in which the retailer/dealer is designated as the obligor (administrative service-only plans). For these contract sales, the Company recognizes administrative fee revenue on a straight-line pro-rata basis over the terms of the service contract.
Administrator obligor service contracts are sales in which the Company is designated as the obligor. The Company recognizes and reports administration fees related to these contracts as earned on the same basis as the premium is recognized or on a straight-line pro-rata basis.
Administration fees related to the unexpired portion of the contract term for both the dealer obligor and administrator obligor service contracts are deferred and amortized over the term of the contracts. These unexpired amounts are reported in accounts payable and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.
Underwriting, General and Administrative Expenses
Underwriting, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of commissions, premium taxes, licenses, fees, salaries and personnel benefits and other general operating expenses.
Leases
The Company records expenses for operating leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Contingencies
The Company evaluates each contingent matter separately. A loss contingency is recorded if reasonably estimable and probable. The Company establishes reserves for these contingencies at the best estimate, or if no one estimated number within the range of possible losses is more probable than any other, the Company records an estimated reserve at the low end of the estimated range. Contingencies affecting the Company primarily relate to litigation matters which are inherently difficult to evaluate and are subject to significant changes. The Company believes the contingent amounts recorded are adequate and reasonable.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements-Adopted
On December 31, 2011, the Company adopted the new guidance related to the presentation of comprehensive income. This guidance provides two alternatives for presenting comprehensive income. An entity can report comprehensive income either in a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive financial statements. Each component of net income and each component of other comprehensive income, together with totals for comprehensive income and its two parts, net income and other comprehensive income, are displayed under either alternative. The statement(s) are to be presented with equal prominence as the other primary financial statements. The new guidance eliminates the Company’s previously applied option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity. The guidance does not change the items that constitute net income or other comprehensive income, and does not
change when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The Company chose to early adopt this guidance and therefore is reporting comprehensive income in a separate but consecutive statement, with full retrospective application as required by the guidance. The adoption of the new presentation requirements did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
On October 1, 2011, the Company adopted the amended intangibles-goodwill and other guidance. This guidance allows an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. Under this amended guidance, an entity would not be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. The amended guidance includes a number of events and circumstances for an entity to consider in conducting the qualitative assessment. The Company chose to early adopt the revised standard and applied the amended guidance to its fourth quarter annual goodwill impairment test. The adoption of the amended guidance results in a change to the procedures for assessing goodwill impairment and did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. See Notes 2 and 10 for more information.
On January 1, 2011, the Company adopted the new guidance on multiple deliverable revenue arrangements. This guidance requires entities to use their best estimate of the selling price of a deliverable within a multiple deliverable revenue arrangement if the entity and other entities do not sell the deliverable separate from the other deliverables within the arrangement. In addition, it requires both qualitative and quantitative disclosures. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
On January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the guidance on transfers of financial assets. This guidance amended the derecognition guidance and eliminated the exemption from consolidation for qualifying special-purpose entities. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
On January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the guidance on the accounting for a variable interest entity (“VIE”). This guidance amended the consolidation guidance applicable to VIEs to require a qualitative assessment in the determination of the primary beneficiary of the VIE, to require an ongoing reconsideration of the primary beneficiary, to amend the events that trigger a reassessment of whether an entity is a VIE and to change the consideration of kick-out rights in determining if an entity is a VIE. The adoption of this new guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
On July 1, 2009, the Company adopted the guidance that established a single source of authoritative accounting and reporting guidance recognized by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) for nongovernmental entities (the “Codification”). The Codification did not change current GAAP, but was intended to simplify user access to all authoritative GAAP by providing all the authoritative literature related to a particular topic in one place. All existing accounting standard documents were superseded and all other accounting literature not included in the Codification is considered non-authoritative. The adoption of the new guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. References to accounting guidance contained in the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures have been updated to reflect terminology consistent with the Codification.
On April 1, 2009, the Company adopted the OTTI guidance. This guidance amended the previous guidance for debt securities and modified the presentation and disclosure requirements for debt and equity securities. In addition, it amended the requirement for an entity to positively assert the intent and ability to hold a debt security to recovery to determine whether an OTTI exists and replaced this provision with the assertion that an entity does not intend to sell or it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell a security prior to recovery of its amortized cost basis. Additionally, this guidance modified the presentation of certain OTTI debt securities to only present the impairment loss within the results of operations that represents the credit loss associated with
the OTTI with the remaining impairment loss being presented within other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”). At adoption, the Company recorded a cumulative effect adjustment to reclassify the non-credit component of previously recognized OTTI securities which resulted in an increase of $43,117 (after-tax) in retained earnings and a decrease of $43,117 (after-tax) in AOCI. See Note 4 for further information.
On January 1, 2009, the Company adopted the earnings per share guidance on participating securities and the two class method. The guidance requires unvested share-based payment awards that have non-forfeitable rights to dividend or dividend equivalents to be treated as participating securities. Therefore, the Company’s restricted stock and restricted stock units which have non-forfeitable rights to dividends are included in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share under the two-class method. All prior period earnings per share data presented have been adjusted retrospectively. The adoption of the new guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s basic and diluted earnings per share calculations for the years ended December 31, 2009. See Note 23 for further information.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements-Not Yet Adopted
In July 2011, the FASB issued amendments to the other expenses guidance to address how health insurers should recognize and classify in their statements of operations fees mandated by the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act imposes an annual fee on health insurers for each calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 2014. The amendments specify that the liability for the fee should be estimated and recorded in full once the entity provides qualifying health insurance in the applicable calendar year in which the fee is payable with a corresponding deferred cost that is amortized to expense ratably over the calendar year during which it is payable. The guidance is effective for calendar years beginning after December 31, 2013, when the fee initially becomes effective. Therefore, the Company is required to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2014. The Company is currently evaluating the requirements of the amendments and the potential impact on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.
In May 2011, the FASB issued amendments to existing guidance on fair value measurement to achieve common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. Consequently, the amendments change the wording used to describe many of the requirements in GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. For many of the requirements, the FASB does not intend for the amendments to result in a change in the application of the requirements in the fair value accounting guidance. The amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Therefore, the Company is required to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2012. The amendments are to be applied prospectively. The adoption of this amended guidance will not have an impact on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.
In October 2010, the FASB issued amendments to existing guidance on accounting for costs associated with acquiring or renewing insurance contracts. The amendments modify the definition of the types of costs incurred by insurance entities that can be capitalized in the acquisition of new and renewal contracts. Under this amended guidance, acquisition costs are defined as costs that are directly related to the successful acquisition of new or renewal insurance contracts. The amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Therefore, the Company is required to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2012. Prospective application as of the date of adoption is required; however, retrospective application to all prior periods presented upon the date of adoption is permitted, but not required. The Company has chosen to adopt the guidance retrospectively. This will result in a reduction in our deferred acquisition cost asset. It will also cause an increase in our liability for future policy benefits and expenses for certain preneed policies whose reserves are calculated utilizing deferred acquisition costs. There will also be a decrease in the amortization associated with the previously deferred acquisition costs. We are evaluating the full effects of implementing the amended guidance, but we currently estimate that the cumulative effect adjustment that will result from our retrospective adoption will reduce the opening balance of stockholders’ equity between $140,000 and $150,000 in the year of adoption, net of the related tax benefit. This estimate is preliminary in nature and the actual amount
of the reduction may be above or below the range. We currently estimate the adoption of these amendments will result in immaterial changes in net income in 2011 and in the years preceding 2011 to which the retrospective adoption will be applied. The amendments are generally more restrictive with regard to which costs can be deferred and may impact the pattern of reported income for certain products. Due to our overall mix of business we do not currently expect the amendments to cause material changes to net income.
3. Business Combinations
On June 21, 2011, in an all cash transaction, the Company acquired the SureDeposit business, the leading provider of security deposit alternatives to the multifamily housing industry, for $45,080. In connection with the acquisition, the Company recorded $25,350 of intangible assets, all of which are amortizable, and $19,608 of goodwill. The primary factor contributing to the recognition of goodwill is the future expected growth of this business. This acquisition expands the multifamily housing product offering and associated cross-selling opportunities with existing clients for the Assurant Specialty Property segment.
There were three acquisitions made in 2010 that individually and in the aggregate were immaterial.
On October 1, 2009, the Company acquired, through a reinsurance agreement, a block of business from Shenandoah Life Insurance Company (“Shenandoah”). The Company assumed, on a coinsurance basis, 100% of the group life, disability, dental and vision insurance business in-force with Shenandoah. There were no goodwill or intangible assets associated with this agreement.
4. Investments
The following tables show the cost or amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses and fair value and OTTI of our fixed maturity and equity securities as of the dates indicated:
Our states, municipalities and political subdivisions holdings are highly diversified across the United States and Puerto Rico, with no individual state’s exposure (including both general obligation and revenue securities) exceeding 0.5% of the overall investment portfolio as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. At December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the securities include general obligation and revenue bonds issued by states, cities, counties, school districts and similar issuers, including $164,347 and $154,742, respectively, of advance refunded or escrowed-to-maturity bonds (collectively referred to as “pre-refunded bonds”), which are bonds for which an irrevocable trust has been established to fund the remaining payments of principal and interest. As of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, revenue bonds account for 51% and 48% of the holdings, respectively. Excluding pre-refunded bonds, sales tax, highway, transit, water and miscellaneous (which includes bond banks, finance authorities and appropriations) provide for 79% and 80% of the revenue sources, as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively.
The Company’s investments in foreign government fixed maturity securities are held mainly in countries and currencies where the Company has policyholder liabilities, which allow the assets and liabilities to be more appropriately matched. At December 31, 2011, approximately 63%, 13%, and 7% of the foreign government securities were held in the Canadian government/provincials and the governments of Brazil and Germany, respectively. At December 31, 2010, approximately 60%, 11%, 7%, and 6% of the foreign government securities were held in the Canadian government/provincials, and the governments of Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively. No other country represented more than 5% of our foreign government securities as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010.
The Company has European investment exposure in its corporate fixed maturity and equity securities of $868,012 with an unrealized gain of $61,387 at December 31, 2011 and $891,095 with an unrealized gain of $52,282 at December 31, 2010. Approximately 31% and 39% of the corporate European exposure are held in the financial industry at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively. No European country represented more than 5% of the fair value of our corporate securities as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. Approximately 5% of the fair value of the corporate European securities are pound and euro-denominated and are not hedged to U.S. dollars, but, held to support those foreign-denominated liabilities. Our international investments are managed as part of our overall portfolio with the same approach to risk management and focus on diversification.
The cost or amortized cost and fair value of fixed maturity securities at December 31, 2011 by contractual maturity are shown below. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because issuers of the securities may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
Major categories of net investment income were as follows:
No material investments of the Company were non-income producing for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
The following table summarizes the proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities and the gross realized gains and gross realized losses that have been included in earnings as a result of those sales.
For securities sold at a loss during 2011, the average period of time these securities were trading continuously at a price below book value was approximately 22 months.
The following table sets forth the net realized gains (losses), including other-than-temporary impairments, recognized in the statement of operations as follows:
Other-Than-Temporary Impairments
The Company adopted the OTTI guidance which requires entities to separate an OTTI of a debt security into two components when there are credit related losses associated with the impaired debt security for which the Company asserts that it does not have the intent to sell, and it is more likely than not that it will not be required to sell before recovery of its cost basis. Under the OTTI guidance, the amount of the OTTI related to a credit loss is recognized in earnings, and the amount of the OTTI related to other, non-credit, factors ( e.g. , interest rates, market conditions, etc.) is recorded as a component of other comprehensive income. In instances where no credit loss exists but the Company intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Company will have to sell the debt security prior to the anticipated recovery, the decline in market value below amortized cost is recognized as an OTTI in earnings. In periods after the recognition of an OTTI on debt securities, the Company accounts for such securities as if they had been purchased on the measurement date of the OTTI at an amortized cost basis equal to the previous amortized cost basis less the OTTI recognized in earnings. For debt securities for which OTTI was recognized in earnings, the difference between the new amortized cost basis and the cash flows expected to be collected will be accreted or amortized into net investment income.
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company recorded $8,183 and $10,244, respectively, of OTTI, of which $7,836 and $11,167 was related to credit losses and recorded as net OTTI losses recognized in earnings, with the remaining amounts of $347 and $(923), respectively, related to all other factors and was recorded as an unrealized loss (gain) component of AOCI.
The following table sets forth the amount of credit loss impairments recognized within the results of operations on fixed maturity securities held by the Company as of the dates indicated, for which a portion of the OTTI loss was recognized in AOCI, and the corresponding changes in such amounts.
We regularly monitor our investment portfolio to ensure investments that may be other-than-temporarily impaired are identified in a timely fashion, properly valued, and charged against earnings in the proper period. The determination that a security has incurred an other-than-temporary decline in value requires the judgment of management. Assessment factors include, but are not limited to, the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than cost, the financial condition and rating of the issuer, whether any collateral is held, the intent and ability of the Company to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for recovery for equity securities and the intent to sell or whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell for fixed maturity securities. Inherently, there are risks and uncertainties involved in making these judgments. Changes in circumstances and critical assumptions such as a continued weak economy, a more pronounced economic downturn or unforeseen events which affect one or more companies, industry sectors, or countries could result in additional impairments in future periods for other-than-temporary declines in value. Any equity security whose price decline is deemed other-than-temporary is written down to its then current market value with the amount of the impairment reported as a realized loss in that period. The impairment of a fixed maturity security that the Company has the intent to sell or that it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell is deemed other-than-temporary and is written down to its market value at the balance sheet date with the amount of the impairment reported as a realized loss in that period. For all other-than-temporarily impaired fixed maturity securities that do not meet either of these two criteria, the Company is required to analyze its ability to recover the amortized cost of the security by calculating the net present value of projected future cash flows. For these other-than-temporarily impaired fixed maturity securities, the net amount recognized in earnings is equal to the difference between the amortized cost of the fixed maturity security and its net present value.
The Company considers different factors to determine the amount of projected future cash flows and discounting methods for corporate debt and residential and commercial mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities. For corporate debt securities, the split between the credit and non-credit losses is driven principally by assumptions regarding the amount and timing of projected future cash flows. The net present value is calculated by discounting the Company’s best estimate of projected future cash flows at the effective interest rate implicit in the security at the date of acquisition. For residential and commercial mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, cash flow estimates, including prepayment assumptions, are based on data from widely accepted third-party data sources or internal estimates. In addition to prepayment assumptions, cash flow estimates vary based
on assumptions regarding the underlying collateral including default rates, recoveries and changes in value. The net present value is calculated by discounting the Company’s best estimate of projected future cash flows at the effective interest rate implicit in the fixed maturity security prior to impairment at the balance sheet date. The discounted cash flows become the new amortized cost basis of the fixed maturity security.
In periods subsequent to the recognition of an other-than-temporary impairment, the Company generally accretes the discount (or amortizes the reduced premium) into net investment income, up to the non-discounted amount of projected future cash flows, resulting from the reduction in cost basis, based upon the amount and timing of the expected future cash flows over the estimated period of cash flows.
The investment category and duration of the Company’s gross unrealized losses on fixed maturity securities and equity securities at December 31, 2011 and 2010 were as follows:
Total gross unrealized losses represent less than 8% and 5% of the aggregate fair value of the related securities at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Approximately 44% and 43% of these gross unrealized losses have been in a continuous loss position for less than twelve months at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The total gross unrealized losses are comprised of 389 and 457 individual securities at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. In accordance with its policy described above, the Company concluded that for these securities an adjustment to its results of operations for other-than-temporary impairments of the gross unrealized losses was not warranted at December 31, 2011 and 2010. These conclusions were based on a detailed analysis of the underlying credit and expected cash flows of each security. As of December 31, 2011, the gross unrealized losses that have been in a continuous loss position for twelve months or more were concentrated in non-redeemable preferred stocks and in the financial industry of the Company’s corporate fixed maturity securities. For these concentrations, gross unrealized losses of twelve months or more were $41,486, or 86%, of the total. The non-redeemable preferred stocks are perpetual preferred securities that have characteristics of both debt and equity securities. To evaluate these securities, we apply an impairment model similar to that used for our fixed maturity securities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company did not intend to sell these securities and it was not more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell them and no underlying cash flow issues were noted. Therefore, we did not recognize an OTTI on those perpetual preferred securities that had been in a continuous unrealized loss position for twelve months or more. As of December 31, 2011, the Company did not intend to sell the securities and it was not more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell the securities before the anticipated recovery of their amortized cost basis. The gross unrealized losses are primarily attributable to widening credit spreads associated with an underlying shift in overall credit risk premium.
The cost or amortized cost and fair value of available for sale fixed maturity securities in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2011, by contractual maturity, is shown below:
The Company has exposure to sub-prime and related mortgages within our fixed maturity security portfolio. At December 31, 2011, approximately 2.4% of the residential mortgage-backed holdings had exposure to sub-prime mortgage collateral. This represented approximately 0.2% of the total fixed income portfolio and 0.7% of the total unrealized gain position. Of the securities with sub-prime exposure, approximately 19.2% are rated as investment grade. All residential mortgage-backed securities, including those with sub-prime exposure, are reviewed as part of the ongoing other-than-temporary impairment monitoring process.
The Company has made commercial mortgage loans, collateralized by the underlying real estate, on properties located throughout the U.S. and Canada. At December 31, 2011, approximately 39% of the outstanding principal balance of commercial mortgage loans was concentrated in the states of California, New York, and Washington. Although the Company has a diversified loan portfolio, an economic downturn could have an adverse impact on the ability of its debtors to repay their loans. The outstanding balance of commercial mortgage loans range in size from $36 to $16,285 at December 31, 2011 and from $5 to $16,614 at December 31, 2010.
Credit quality indicators for commercial mortgage loans are loan-to-value and debt-service coverage ratios. Loan-to-value and debt-service coverage ratios are measures commonly used to assess the credit quality of commercial mortgage loans. The loan-to-value ratio compares the principal amount of the loan to the fair value of the underlying property collateralizing the loan, and is commonly expressed as a percentage. The debt-service coverage ratio compares a property’s net operating income to its debt-service payments and is commonly expressed as a ratio. The loan-to-value and debt-service coverage ratios are generally updated annually in the third quarter. The following summarizes our loan-to-value and average debt-service coverage ratios as of the dates indicated:
All commercial mortgage loans that are individually impaired have an established mortgage loan valuation allowance for losses. Changing economic conditions affect our valuation of commercial mortgage loans. Changing vacancies and rents are incorporated into the discounted cash flow analysis that we perform for monitored loans and may contribute to the establishment of (or an increase or decrease in) a commercial mortgage loan valuation allowance for losses. In addition, we continue to monitor the entire commercial mortgage loan portfolio to identify risk. Areas of emphasis are properties that have exposure to earthquakes, have deteriorating credits or have experienced a reduction in debt-service coverage ratio. Where warranted, we have established or increased a valuation allowance based upon this analysis.
The commercial mortgage loan valuation allowance for losses was $10,410 and $32,838 at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. In 2010, an overall expense of $16,709 was recorded primarily to increase the valuation allowance on one individually impaired commercial mortgage loan with a loan valuation allowance of $22,092 and a net loan value of $0 at December 31, 2010. In 2011, the loan valuation allowance was decreased $22,428, primarily due to the direct write down of the same individually impaired mortgage loan resulting in no impact to realized capital gains and losses on commercial mortgage loans. The remaining decrease was due to changing economic conditions and geographic concentrations.
At December 31, 2011, the Company had mortgage loan commitments outstanding of approximately $15,760 and is committed to fund additional capital contributions of $555 to real estate joint ventures. Furthermore, the Company has a $100,000 commitment to fund a revolving credit facility with one of its customers.
The Company has short term investments and fixed maturities of $562,553 and $553,722 at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, on deposit with various governmental authorities as required by law.
The Company utilizes derivative instruments in managing the Assurant Solutions segment preneed life insurance business exposure to inflation risk. The derivative instruments, Consumer Price Index Caps (the “CPI CAPs”), limits the inflation risk on certain policies. The CPI CAPs do not qualify under GAAP as effective hedges; therefore, they are marked-to-market on a quarterly basis and the gain or loss is recognized in the statement of operations in fees and other income. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the CPI CAPs included in other assets amounted to $8,521 and $9,825, respectively. The (loss) gain recorded in the results of operations totaled $(1,304), $(3,130), and $6,174 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
Collateralized Transactions
The Company engages in transactions in which fixed maturity securities, especially bonds issued by the U.S. government and government agencies and authorities, and U.S. corporations, are loaned to selected broker/dealers. Collateral, greater than or equal to 102% of the fair value of the securities lent, plus accrued interest, is received in the form of cash and cash equivalents held by a custodian bank for the benefit of the Company. The use of cash collateral received is unrestricted. The Company reinvests the cash collateral received, generally in
investments of high credit quality that are designated as available-for-sale. The Company monitors the fair value of securities loaned and the collateral received, with additional collateral obtained, as necessary. The Company is subject to the risk of loss to the extent there is a loss on the re-investment of cash collateral.
As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, our collateral held under securities lending, of which its use is unrestricted, was $95,221 and $122,219, respectively, and is included in the consolidated balance sheets under the collateral held/pledged under securities agreements. Our liability to the borrower for collateral received was $95,494 and $122,931, respectively, and is included in the consolidated balance sheets under the obligation under securities agreements. The difference between the collateral held and obligations under securities lending is recorded as an unrealized loss and is included as part of AOCI. All securities with unrealized losses have been in a continuous loss position for twelve months or longer as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. The Company has actively reduced the size of its securities lending to mitigate counter-party exposure. The Company includes the available-for-sale investments purchased with the cash collateral in its evaluation of other-than-temporary impairments.
Cash proceeds that the Company receives as collateral for the securities it lends and subsequent repayment of the cash are regarded by the Company as cash flows from financing activities, since the cash received is considered a borrowing. Since the Company reinvests the cash collateral generally in investments that are designated as available-for-sale, the reinvestment is presented as cash flows from investing activities.
The Company has engaged in transactions in which securities issued by the U.S. government and government agencies and authorities, are purchased under agreements to resell (“reverse repurchase agreements”). However, as of December 31, 2011, the Company has no open transactions. The Company may take possession of the securities purchased under reverse repurchase agreements. Collateral, greater than or equal to 100% of the fair value of the securities purchased, plus accrued interest, is pledged to selected broker/dealers in the form of cash and cash equivalents or other securities, as provided for in the underlying agreement. The use of the cash collateral pledged is unrestricted. Interest earned on the collateral pledged is recorded as investment income. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had $14,370 of receivables under securities loan agreements which is included on the consolidated balance sheets under the collateral held/pledged under securities agreements.
The Company entered into these reverse repurchase agreements in order to initiate short positions in its investment portfolio. The borrowed securities are sold to a third party in the marketplace. The Company records obligations to return the securities that we no longer hold as a liability. The financial liabilities resulting from these borrowings are carried at fair value with the changes in value reported as realized gains or losses. The Company had $0 and $14,281 of obligations to return borrowed securities which is included in the consolidated balance sheets under the obligation under securities agreements as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Cash payments for the collateral pledged, subsequent cash adjustments to receivables under securities loan agreements and obligations to return borrowed securities, and the return of the cash collateral from the secured parties is regarded by the Company as cash flows from financing activities, since the cash payments and receipts relate to borrowing of securities under financing arrangements.
5. Fair Value Disclosures
Fair Values, Inputs and Valuation Techniques for Financial Assets and Liabilities Disclosures
The fair value measurements and disclosure guidance defines fair value and establishes a framework for measuring fair value. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In accordance with this guidance, the Company has categorized its recurring basis financial assets and liabilities into a three-level fair value hierarchy based on the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique.
The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls has been determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.
The levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:
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Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access.
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Level 2 inputs utilize other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable in the marketplace for the asset. The observable inputs are used in valuation models to calculate the fair value for the asset.
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Level 3 inputs are unobservable but are significant to the fair value measurement for the asset, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset. These inputs reflect management’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in pricing the asset.
A review of fair value hierarchy classifications is conducted on a quarterly basis. Changes in the observability of valuation inputs may result in a reclassification of levels for certain securities within the fair value hierarchy.
The following tables present the Company’s fair value hierarchy for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. The amounts presented below for Collateral held/pledged under securities agreements, Other investments, Cash equivalents, Other assets, Assets and liabilities held in separate accounts, Obligation under securities agreements and Other liabilities differ from the amounts presented in the consolidated balance sheets because only certain investments or certain assets and liabilities within these line items are measured at estimated fair value. Other investments are comprised of investments in the Assurant Investment Plan, American Security Insurance Company Investment Plan, Assurant Deferred Compensation Plan, a modified coinsurance agreement and other derivatives. Other liabilities are comprised of investments in the Assurant Investment Plan and other derivatives. The fair value amount and the majority of the associated levels presented for Other investments, Assets held in separate accounts and Other liabilities are received directly from third parties.
The following tables present the Company’s fair value hierarchy for those recurring basis assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2011 and 2010.
a. Mainly includes mutual funds.
b. Mainly includes money market funds.
c. Mainly includes fixed maturity securities.
d. Mainly includes fixed maturity securities and other derivatives.
e. Mainly includes the Consumer Price Index Cap Derivatives (“CPI Caps”).
f. Mainly includes other derivatives.
There were no significant transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 financial assets during the period. However, there were transfers between Level 2 and Level 3 financial assets during the period, which are reflected in the “Net transfers” line below. Transfers between Level 2 and Level 3 most commonly occur when market observable inputs that were previously available become unavailable in the current period. The remaining unpriced securities are submitted to independent brokers who provide non-binding broker quotes or are priced by other qualified sources.
The following tables summarize the change in balance sheet carrying value associated with Level 3 financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010:
(1) Net transfers are primarily attributable to changes in the availability of observable market information and re-evaluation of the observability of pricing inputs.
Three different valuation techniques can be used in determining fair value for financial assets and liabilities: the market, income or cost approaches. The three valuation techniques described in the fair value measurements and disclosures guidance are consistent with generally accepted valuation methodologies. The market approach valuation techniques use prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities. When possible, quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets are used
as of the period-end date (such as for mutual funds and money market funds). Otherwise, valuation techniques consistent with the market approach including matrix pricing and comparables are used. Matrix pricing is a mathematical technique employed principally to value debt securities without relying exclusively on quoted prices for those securities but rather by relying on the securities’ relationship to other benchmark quoted securities. Market approach valuation techniques often use market multiples derived from a set of comparables. Multiples might lie in ranges with a different multiple for each comparable. The selection of where within the range the appropriate multiple falls requires judgment, considering both qualitative and quantitative factors specific to the measurement.
Income approach valuation techniques convert future amounts, such as cash flows or earnings, to a single present amount, or a discounted amount. These techniques rely on current market expectations of future amounts as of the period-end date. Examples of income approach valuation techniques include present value techniques, option-pricing models, binomial or lattice models that incorporate present value techniques and the multi-period excess earnings method.
Cost approach valuation techniques are based upon the amount that would be required to replace the service capacity of an asset at the period-end date, or the current replacement cost. That is, from the perspective of a market participant (seller), the price that would be received for the asset is determined based on the cost to a market participant (buyer) to acquire or construct a substitute asset of comparable utility, adjusted for obsolescence.
While not all three approaches are applicable to all financial assets or liabilities, where appropriate, one or more valuation techniques may be used. For all the classes of financial assets and liabilities included in the above hierarchy, excluding the CPI Caps and certain privately placed corporate bonds, the market valuation technique is generally used. For certain privately placed corporate bonds and the CPI Caps, the income valuation technique is generally used. For the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, the application of the valuation technique applied to the Company’s classes of financial assets and liabilities has been consistent.
Level 1 Securities
The Company’s investments and liabilities classified as Level 1 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, consisted of mutual funds and money market funds, foreign government fixed maturities and common stocks that are publicly listed and/or actively traded in an established market.
Level 2 Securities
The Company’s Level 2 securities are valued using various observable market inputs obtained from a pricing service. The pricing service prepares estimates of fair value measurements for our Level 2 securities using proprietary valuation models based on techniques such as matrix pricing which include observable market inputs. The fair value measurements and disclosures guidance defines observable market inputs as the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. The extent of the use of each observable market input for a security depends on the type of security and the market conditions at the balance sheet date. Depending on the security, the priority of the use of observable market inputs may change as some observable market inputs may not be relevant or additional inputs may be necessary. The following observable market inputs (“standard inputs”), listed in the approximate order of priority, are utilized in the pricing evaluation of Level 2 securities: benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data including market research data. Further details for level 2 investment types follow:
United States Government and government agencies and authorities: United States government and government agencies and authorities securities are priced by our pricing vendor utilizing standard inputs. Included in this category are U.S. Treasury securities which are priced using vendor trading platform data in addition to the standard inputs.
State, municipalities and political subdivisions: State, municipalities and political subdivisions securities are priced by our pricing service utilizing material event notices and new issue data inputs in addition to the standard inputs.
Foreign governments: Foreign government securities are primarily fixed maturity securities denominated in Canadian dollars which are priced by our pricing service utilizing standard inputs. The pricing service also evaluates each security based on relevant market information including relevant credit information, perceived market movements and sector news.
Commercial mortgage-backed, residential mortgage-backed and asset-backed: Commercial mortgage-backed, residential mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are priced by our pricing vendor utilizing monthly payment information and collateral performance information in addition to standard inputs. Additionally, commercial mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities utilize new issue data while residential mortgage-backed securities utilize vendor trading platform data.
Corporate: Corporate securities are priced by our pricing vendor utilizing standard inputs. Non-investment grade securities within this category are priced by our pricing vendor utilizing observations of equity and credit default swap curves related to the issuer in addition to standard inputs. Certain privately placed corporate bonds are priced by a non-pricing service source using a model with observable inputs including, but not limited to, the credit rating, credit spreads, sector add-ons, and issuer specific add-ons.
Non-redeemable preferred stocks: Non-redeemable preferred stocks are priced by our pricing vendor utilizing observations of equity and credit default swap curves related to the issuer in addition to standard inputs.
Short-term investments, collateral held/pledged under securities, other investments, cash equivalents, and assets/liabilities held in separate accounts: To price the fixed maturity securities in these categories, the pricing service utilizes the standard inputs.
Valuation models used by the pricing service can change period to period, depending on the appropriate observable inputs that are available at the balance sheet date to price a security. When market observable inputs are unavailable to the pricing service, the remaining unpriced securities are submitted to independent brokers who provide non-binding broker quotes or are priced by other qualified sources. If the Company cannot corroborate the non-binding broker quotes with Level 2 inputs, these securities are categorized as Level 3 securities.
Level 3 Securities
The Company’s investments classified as Level 3 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, consisted of fixed maturity securities and derivatives. All of the Level 3 fixed maturity securities are priced using non-binding broker quotes which cannot be corroborated with Level 2 inputs. Further details on Level 3 derivative investment types follow:
Other investments and other liabilities: Swaptions are priced using a Black-Scholes pricing model incorporating third-party market data, including swap volatility data.
Other assets: Non-pricing service source prices the CPI Cap derivatives using a model with inputs including, but not limited to, the time to expiration, the notional amount, the strike price, the forward rate, implied volatility and the discount rate.
Management evaluates the following factors in order to determine whether the market for a financial asset is inactive. The factors include, but are not limited to:
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There are few recent transactions,
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Little information is released publicly,
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The available prices vary significantly over time or among market participants,
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The prices are stale (i.e., not current), and
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The magnitude of the bid-ask spread.
Illiquidity did not have a material impact in the fair value determination of the Company’s financial assets.
The Company generally obtains one price for each financial asset. The Company performs a monthly analysis to assess if the evaluated prices represent a reasonable estimate of their fair value. This process involves quantitative and qualitative analysis and is overseen by investment and accounting professionals. Examples of procedures performed include, but are not limited to, initial and on-going review of pricing service methodologies, review of the prices received from the pricing service, review of pricing statistics and trends, and comparison of prices for certain securities with two different appropriate price sources for reasonableness. Following this analysis, the Company generally uses the best estimate of fair value based upon all available inputs. On infrequent occasions, a non-pricing service source may be more familiar with the market activity for a particular security than the pricing service. In these cases the price used is taken from the non-pricing service source. The pricing service provides information to indicate which securities were priced using market observable inputs so that the Company can properly categorize our financial assets in the fair value hierarchy.
Disclosures for Non-Financial Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis
The Company also measures the fair value of certain assets on a non-recurring basis, generally on an annual basis, or when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. These assets include commercial mortgage loans, goodwill and finite-lived intangible assets.
The Company carried a loan valuation allowance of $22,092 as of December 31, 2010 on one individually impaired commercial mortgage loan with a principal balance of $22,092, due to the continued decline in the regional commercial real estate market. In 2011, the loan was written down and the valuation allowance was released, resulting in no impact to realized capital gains and losses on commercial mortgage loans. The fair value measurement was classified as Level 3 (unobservable) in the fair value hierarchy at December 31, 2010.
For its fourth quarter annual goodwill impairment test, a qualitative assessment was performed for the Assurant Specialty Property reporting unit; for the Assurant Solutions reporting unit, the Company performed a Step 1 analysis, consistent with prior years. Based on these analyses, it was determined that goodwill was not impaired at either reporting unit. See Note 10 for further information.
The Company utilizes both the income and market valuation approaches to measure the fair value of its reporting units when required. Under the income approach, the Company determined the fair value of the reporting units considering distributable earnings, which were estimated from operating plans. The resulting cash flows were then discounted using a market participant weighted average cost of capital estimated for the reporting units. After discounting the future discrete earnings to their present value, the Company estimated the terminal value attributable to the years beyond the discrete operating plan period. The discounted terminal value was then added to the aggregate discounted distributable earnings from the discrete operating plan period to estimate the fair value of the reporting units. Under the market approach, the Company derived the fair value of the reporting units based on various financial multiples, including but not limited to: price to tangible book value of equity, price to estimated 2011 earnings and price to estimated 2012 earnings, which were estimated based on publicly available data related to comparable guideline companies. In addition, financial multiples were also estimated from publicly available purchase price data for acquisitions of companies operating in the insurance industry. The estimated fair value of the reporting units was more heavily weighted towards the income approach because in the current economic environment the earnings capacity of a business is generally considered the most important factor in the valuation of a business enterprise. This fair value determination was categorized as Level 3 (unobservable) in the fair value hierarchy.
During the fourth quarter of 2010, a $47,612 impairment charge was recorded related to the non-renewal of a block of business related to the 2008 acquisition of the Warranty Management Group business from General Electric Co.
There was no remaining goodwill or material other intangible assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis on which an impairment charge was recorded as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. The following table presents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for goodwill measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis on which an impairment charge was recorded as of December 31, 2009.
The following table presents the goodwill and material other intangible assets impairment charges as of December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Disclosures
The financial instruments guidance requires disclosure of fair value information about financial instruments, as defined therein, for which it is practicable to estimate such fair value. Therefore, it requires fair value disclosure for financial instruments that are not recognized or are not carried at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. However, this guidance excludes certain financial instruments, including those related to insurance contracts and those accounted for under the equity method and joint ventures guidance (such as real estate joint ventures).
For the financial instruments included within the following financial assets and financial liabilities, the carrying value in the consolidated balance sheets equals or approximates fair value. Please refer to the Fair Value Inputs and Valuation Techniques for Financial Assets and Liabilities Disclosures section above for more information on the financial instruments included within the following financial assets and financial liabilities and the methods and assumptions used to estimate fair value:
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Cash and cash equivalents
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Fixed maturity securities
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Equity securities
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Short-term investments
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Collateral held/pledged under securities lending
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Other investments
•
Other assets
•
Assets held in separate accounts
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Obligation under securities agreements
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Other liabilities
•
Liabilities related to separate accounts
In estimating the fair value of the financial instruments that are not recognized or are not carried at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets, the Company used the following methods and assumptions:
Commercial mortgage loans and policy loans: the fair values of mortgage loans are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses, based on interest rates currently being offered for similar loans to borrowers with similar credit ratings. Mortgage loans with similar characteristics are aggregated for purposes of the calculations. The carrying value of policy loans reported in the balance sheets approximates fair value.
Policy reserves under investment products: the fair values for the Company’s policy reserves under the investment products are determined using discounted cash flow analysis.
Funds withheld under reinsurance: the carrying value reported approximates fair value due to the short maturity of the instruments.
Debt: the fair value of debt is based upon matrix pricing performed by the pricing service.
Mandatorily redeemable preferred stock: the fair value of mandatorily redeemable preferred stock equals the carrying value for all series of mandatorily redeemable preferred stock.
Obligations under securities agreements: the obligations under securities agreements are reported at the amount received from the selected broker/dealers.
The following table discloses the carrying value and fair value of the financial instruments that are not recognized or are not carried at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2011 and 2010.
Only the fair value of the Company’s policy reserves for investment-type contracts (those without significant mortality or morbidity risk) are reflected in the table above.
6. Premiums and Accounts Receivable
Receivables are reported net of an allowance for uncollectible amounts. A summary of such receivables is as follows:
7. Income Taxes
The Company and the majority of its subsidiaries are subject to U.S. tax and file a U.S. consolidated federal income tax return. Information about current and deferred tax expense (benefit) follows:
The provision for foreign taxes includes amounts attributable to income from U.S. possessions that are considered foreign under U.S. tax laws. International operations of the Company are subject to income taxes imposed by the jurisdiction in which they operate.
A reconciliation of the federal income tax rate to the Company’s effective income tax rate follows:
As of December 31, 2010, the Company had a valuation allowance of $90,738. Of the total, $80,000 was related to deferred tax assets on capital losses. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company recognized an income tax benefit of $80,584 primarily related to the release of this valuation allowance due to sufficient taxable investment income of the appropriate character during the period. It is management’s assessment that it is more likely than not that $10,154 of deferred tax assets will not be realized. The amount of the valuation allowance is based on an assessment of the Company’s ability to generate taxable income of the appropriate character in the future.
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 is as follows:
The total unrecognized tax benefit, $21,563, $22,249, and $22,321 for 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively, which includes interest, would impact the Company’s consolidated effective tax rate if recognized. The liability for unrecognized tax benefits is included in tax payable on the consolidated balance sheets.
The Company’s continuing practice is to recognize interest expense related to income tax matters in income tax expense. During the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company recognized approximately $600, $1,000 and $1,500, respectively, of interest expense related to income tax matters. The Company had $6,600 and $5,700 of interest accrued as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. No penalties have been accrued.
The Company, and its subsidiaries, file income tax returns in the U.S. and various state and foreign jurisdictions. The Company has substantially concluded all U.S. federal income tax matters for years through 2004. Tax years 2005-2008 are currently under federal audit. Substantially all state, local and non-U.S. income tax matters have been concluded for the years through 2005.
The tax effects of temporary differences that result in significant deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are as follows:
The Company’s total valuation allowance against deferred tax assets decreased by $80,584 to $10,154 at December 31, 2011 from $90,738 at December 31, 2010. A cumulative valuation allowance of $10,154 has been recorded because it is management’s assessment that it is more likely than not that only $1,076,186 of deferred tax assets will be realized. Of the total $10,154 valuation allowance, $9,472 relates to the deferred tax assets attributable to certain international subsidiaries.
The Company’s ability to realize deferred tax assets depends on its ability to generate sufficient taxable income of the same character within the carryback or carryforward periods. In assessing future taxable income, the Company considered all sources of taxable income available to realize its deferred tax asset, including the future reversal of existing temporary differences, future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards, taxable income in carryback years and tax-planning strategies. If changes occur in the assumptions underlying the Company’s tax planning strategies or in the scheduling of the reversal of the Company’s deferred tax liabilities, the valuation allowance may need to be adjusted in the future.
Other than for certain wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries, deferred taxes have not been provided on the undistributed earnings of wholly owned foreign subsidiaries since the Company intends to indefinitely reinvest the earnings in these other jurisdictions. The cumulative amount of undistributed earnings for which the Company has not provided deferred income taxes is $138,248. Upon distribution of such earnings in a taxable event, the Company would incur additional U.S. income taxes of $33,339 net of anticipated foreign tax credits.
At December 31, 2011, the Company and its subsidiaries had net operating loss carryforwards for U.S. federal and foreign income tax purposes. Net operating loss carryforwards total $52,674 and will expire if unused as follows:
As of December 31, 2011, the Company and its subsidiaries do not have any remaining capital loss carryovers. The Company generated sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character during the year to utilize all capital loss carryovers.
8. Deferred Acquisition Costs
Information about deferred acquisition costs is as follows:
(1) Includes foreign currency translation
Refer to Note 2, Recent Accounting Pronouncements - Not Yet Adopted, for more information on amendments to existing accounting guidance.
9. Property and Equipment
Property and equipment consists of the following:
Depreciation expense for 2011, 2010 and 2009 amounted to $55,193, $59,017 and $61,772, respectively. Depreciation expense is included in underwriting, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.
10. Goodwill
Information about goodwill is as follows:
(1) Represents impairment of Assurant Employee Benefits reporting unit. See Notes 2 and 5 for further information.
(2) Represents impairment of Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units. See Notes 2 and 5 for further information.
The Company has assigned goodwill to its operating segments for impairment testing purposes. The Corporate and Other segment is not assigned goodwill. Below is a roll forward of goodwill by reportable segment.
(1) The accumulated impairment loss relates to an acquisition made in 1999. The entity acquired had businesses that currently are primarily represented by the Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property segments. Prior to 2006, the Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property segments were combined and together called Assurant Solutions. Thus, the entire goodwill impairment recognized in 2002 due to the adoption of FAS 142 is included in the tables under the Assurant Solutions segment.
In accordance with the goodwill guidance, goodwill is deemed to have an indefinite life and should not be amortized, but rather must be tested, at least annually, for impairment. In addition, goodwill should be tested for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would “more likely than not” reduce the estimated fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying value.
The goodwill impairment test has two steps. Step 1 of the test identifies potential impairments at the reporting unit level, which for the Company is the same as our operating segments, by comparing the estimated fair value of each reporting unit to its net book value. If the estimated fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its net book value, there is no impairment of goodwill and Step 2 is unnecessary. However, if the net book value exceeds the estimated fair value, then Step 1 is failed, and Step 2 is performed to determine the amount of the potential impairment. Step 2 utilizes acquisition accounting guidance and requires the fair value calculation of all individual assets and liabilities of the reporting unit (excluding goodwill, but including any unrecognized intangible assets). The net fair value of assets less liabilities is then compared to the reporting unit’s total estimated fair value as calculated in Step 1. The excess of fair value over the net asset value equals the implied fair value of goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is then compared to the carrying value of goodwill to determine the reporting unit’s goodwill impairment. During September 2011, the FASB issued amended intangibles- goodwill and other guidance. This guidance provides the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than
its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test, described above.
In the fourth quarters of 2011, 2010 and 2009, we conducted our annual assessments of goodwill.
During 2011, for the Assurant Specialty Property reporting unit, the Company chose the option to perform a qualitative assessment under the amended intangibles- goodwill and other guidance. For the Assurant Solutions reporting unit, the Company performed a Step 1 analysis. Based on these analyses, it was determined that goodwill was not impaired at either reporting unit.
Based on the results of the 2010 assessment, the Company concluded that the net book values of the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units exceeded their estimated fair values and therefore performed a Step 2 test. Based on the results of the Step 2 test, the Company recorded impairment charges of $102,078 and $204,303 related to the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units, respectively, representing their entire goodwill asset balances. During 2009, the Company concluded that the net book value of the Assurant Employee Benefits reporting unit exceeded its estimated fair value and recorded an $83,000 impairment charge after performing a Step 2 test. For both 2010 and 2009, those reporting units where a Step 2 test was not performed, the estimated fair value of the reporting units exceeded their respective net book values and therefore goodwill was not impaired. The 2010 impairments at Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reflects the effects of the Affordable Care Act, the low interest rate environment, continuing high unemployment, the slow pace of the economic recovery and increased net book values, primarily related to their investment portfolios. The 2009 impairment at Assurant Employee Benefits reflected the challenging near term growth environment for the Assurant Employee Benefits reporting unit and an increased net book value of the reporting unit, primarily related to its investment portfolio. Management remains confident in the long-term prospects of both the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units. See Note 5 for further information.
11. VOBA and Other Intangible Assets
Information about VOBA is as follows:
As of December 31, 2011, the entire outstanding balance of VOBA is from the Assurant Solutions segment with the majority related to the preneed life insurance business. VOBA in the preneed life insurance business assumes an interest rate ranging from 5.4% to 7.5%.
At December 31, 2011 the estimated amortization of VOBA for the next five years and thereafter is as follows:
Information about other intangible assets is as follows:
(1) Excluded from the 2010 customer related carrying value and accumulated amortization amounts is an impairment charge of $47,612. This impairment charge relates to the Assurant Solutions segment and is related to a fourth quarter 2010 client notification of non-renewal of a block of domestic service contract business effective June 1, 2011.
Other intangible assets that have finite lives, including customer relationships, customer contracts and other intangible assets, are amortized over their useful lives. The estimated amortization of other intangible assets and the amount of indefinite lived intangible assets, which mainly include state licenses, are as follows:
12. Reserves
The following table provides reserve information of the Company’s major product lines at the dates shown:
The following table provides a roll forward of the Company’s product lines with the most significant claims and benefits payable balances: group term life, group disability, medical and property and warranty lines of business. Claims and benefits payable is comprised of case and IBNR reserves.
(1) Reinsurance ceded and other includes claims and benefits payable balances that have either been (a) reinsured to third parties, (b) established for claims related expenses whose subsequent payment is not recorded as a paid claim, or (c) reserves established for obligations that would persist even if contracts were cancelled (such as extension of benefits), which cannot be analyzed appropriately under a roll-forward approach.
(2) Short duration and long duration medical methodologies used for settling claims and benefits payable are similar.
(3) The Company’s net retained credit life and disability claims and benefits payable were $60,797, $69,127 and $87,852 at December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
Short Duration Contracts
The Company’s short duration contracts are comprised of group term life, group disability, medical, dental, property and warranty, credit life and disability, extended service contract and all other. The principal products and services included in these categories are described in the summary of significant accounting polices (see note 2).
Case reserves and IBNR amounts are developed using actuarial principles and assumptions that consider, among other things, contractual requirements, historical utilization trends and payment patterns, benefit changes, medical inflation, seasonality, membership, product mix, legislative and regulatory environment, economic factors, disabled life mortality and claim termination rates and other relevant factors. The Company consistently applies the principles and assumptions listed above from year to year, while also giving due consideration to the potential variability of these factors.
Since case reserves and IBNR include estimates developed from various actuarial methods, the Company’s actual losses incurred may be more or less than the Company’s previously developed estimates. As shown in the table above, if the amounts listed on the line labeled “Incurred losses related to: Prior years” are negative (redundant) this means that the Company’s actual losses incurred related to prior years for these lines were less than the estimates previously made by the Company. If the line labeled “Incurred losses related to: Prior years” are positive (deficient) this means that the Company’s actual losses incurred related to prior years for these lines were greater than the estimates previously made by the Company.
Medical reserves established for obligations that would persist even if contracts were cancelled (such as extension of benefits) have been excluded from the incurred loss roll-forwards because they cannot be analyzed appropriately under a roll-forward approach.
The Group Term Life case and IBNR reserve redundancies in all years are due to actual mortality rates running below those assumed in prior year reserves, and actual recovery rates running higher than those assumed in prior years reserves.
Group Disability case reserves and IBNR show redundancies in all years due to actual claim recovery rates exceeding those assumed in prior year reserves.
The redundancies in our Medical lines case and IBNR reserves were caused by the Company’s claims and other case reserves developing more favorably than expected. The Company’s actual claims experience reflected lower medical provider utilization and lower medical inflation than assumed in the Company’s prior-year pricing and reserving processes as well as more favorable reimbursement from a pharmacy services provider for 2009 and 2010 activity.
The Company’s group disability products include short and long term disability coverage. Case reserves and IBNR for long-term disability claims incurred in 2011 have been discounted at 4.75% while these claims incurred amounts in 2010 and earlier have been discounted at 5.25%. The December 31, 2011 and 2010 liabilities net of reinsurance include $1,377,416 and $1,337,576, respectively, of such reserves. The amount of discounts deducted from outstanding reserves as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 are $442,595 and $469,442, respectively.
In 2011, 2010, and 2009, the Company’s Property and Warranty case and IBNR reserves reflected redundancies from the Company’s lender-placed homeowners business due to lower than anticipated loss ratios. The current year redundancy was less than 2010 due to unfavorable development of $11,400 on the 2010 Arizona Hail storms. 2010 redundancy levels were elevated due to favorable development on a long tail product and a Credit product, as well as other short tail product lines. A subrogation recovery, net of reinsurance, of $9,000 associated with the 2007 California wildfires contributed to the redundancy in 2009. For the longer-tail Property and Warranty coverages (e.g. asbestos, environmental, and other general liability), for all other years presented, there were no material changes in estimated amounts for incurred claims in prior years.
Long Duration Contracts
The Company’s long duration contracts are primarily comprised of preneed life insurance and annuity policies, life insurance policies (no longer offered), universal life and annuities (no longer offered), FFG and LTC disposed businesses and medical policies. The principal products and services included in these categories are described in the summary of significant accounting policies. See Note 2 for further information.
The Assurant Solutions segment manages preneed insurance products through two separate divisions: the independent division and the American Memorial Life Insurance Company (“AMLIC”) division. The Company signed an agreement with Forethought Life Insurance Company on November 9, 2005 whereby the Company discontinued writing new preneed insurance policies in the U.S. via independent funeral homes. The reserve assumptions for future policy benefits and expenses for pre-funded funeral life and annuity contracts and traditional life insurance (no longer offered) by the preneed business differ by division and are established based upon the following:
Preneed Business-Independent Division
Interest and discount rates for preneed life insurance issued prior to 2009 vary by year of issuance and product, are based on pricing assumptions and modified to allow for provisions for adverse deviation. For preneed life insurance with discretionary death benefit growth issued after 2008, interest and discount rates are based upon current assumptions without provisions for adverse deviation. During 2011 and 2010, interest and discount rates ranged between 4.5% and 7.3%.
Interest and discount rates for traditional life insurance (no longer offered) vary by year of issuance and products and were 7.5% grading to 5.3% over 20 years in 2011 and 2010 with the exception of a block of pre-1980 business which had a level 8.8% discount rate in 2011 and 2010.
Mortality assumptions for business issued prior to 2009 are based upon pricing assumptions and modified to allow for provisions for adverse deviation. For business issued after 2008, mortality assumptions are based upon pricing assumptions without provisions for adverse deviation. Surrender rates vary by product and are based upon pricing assumptions.
Future assumed policy benefit increases on preneed life insurance issued prior to 2009 ranged from 1.0% to 7.0% in 2011 and 2010. Some policies have future policy benefit increases, which are guaranteed or tied to equal some measure of inflation. The inflation assumption for most of these inflation-linked benefits was 3.0% in both 2011 and 2010 with the exception of most policies issued in 2005 through 2007 where the assumption was 2.3%. Future policy benefit increases for business issued in 2011 are based on current assumptions.
The reserves for annuities issued by the independent division are based on assumed interest rates credited on deferred annuities, which vary by year of issue, and ranged from 1.5% to 5.5% in 2011 and 2010. Withdrawal charges, if any, generally range from 7.0% to 0.0% and grade to zero over a period of seven years for business issued in the U.S. Canadian annuity products have a surrender charge that varies by product series and premium paying period.
Preneed Business-AMLIC Division
Interest and discount rates for preneed life insurance issued or acquired after September 2000 and prior to 2009 vary by year of issuance and are based on pricing assumptions and modified to allow for provisions for adverse deviation. For preneed life insurance with discretionary death benefit growth issued after 2008, interest and discount rates are based on product nonforfeiture rates and current assumptions without provisions for adverse deviation. Discount rates for 2011 and 2010 issues ranged from 4.0% to 5.8%. Preneed insurance issued prior to October 2000 and all traditional life insurance issued by the AMLIC division use discount rates, which vary by issue year and product, ranging from 0.0% to 7.5% in 2011 and 2010.
Mortality assumptions for preneed life insurance issued or acquired after September 2000 and prior to 2009 are based upon pricing assumptions, which approximate actual experience, and modified to allow for provisions for adverse deviation. For preneed life insurance with discretionary death benefit growth issued after 2008, mortality assumptions are based upon pricing assumptions, which approximate actual experience, without provisions for adverse deviation. Surrender rates for preneed life insurance issued or acquired in October 2000 and beyond vary by product and are based upon pricing assumptions. Mortality assumptions for all preneed life insurance and traditional life insurance acquired by the AMLIC division prior to October 2000 are based on statutory valuation requirements, which approximate GAAP, with no explicit provision for lapses.
Future policy benefit increases for preneed life insurance products are based upon pricing assumptions. First-year guaranteed benefit increases were 0.0% in 2011 and 2010. Renewal guaranteed benefit increases ranged from 0.0% to 3.0% in 2011 and 2010. For contracts with minimum benefit increases associated with an inflation index, assumed benefit increases equaled the discount rate less 3.0% in 2011 and 2010.
The reserves for annuities issued by the AMLIC division are based on assumed interest rates credited on deferred annuities and ranged from 1.0% to 6.5% in 2011 and 2010. Withdrawal charges ranged from 0.0% to 8.0% grading to zero over eight years for business issued in the United States. Canadian annuity products have a flat 35% surrender charge. Nearly all the deferred annuities contracts have a 3.0% guaranteed interest rate.
Universal Life and Annuities-No Longer Offered
The reserves for universal life and annuity products (no longer offered) in the Assurant Solutions segment have been established based on the following assumptions: Interest rates credited on annuities, which vary by product and time when funds were received, ranged from 3.5% to 4% with guaranteed credited rates that ranged from 3.5% to 4.0% in 2011 and 2010, except for a limited number of policies with credited rates of 4.5% with guaranteed credited rate of 4.5%. Annuities are also subject to surrender charges, which vary by contract year and grade to zero over a period no longer than seven years. Surrender values on annuities will never be less than the amount of paid-in premiums (net of prior withdrawals) regardless of the surrender charge. Credited interest rates on universal life funds vary by product and time when funds were received and ranged from 4.0% to 4.1% in 2011 and 2010. Guaranteed crediting rates where present were 4.0%. Additionally, universal life funds are subject to surrender charges that vary by product, age, sex, year of issue, risk class, face amount and grade to zero over a period not longer than 20 years.
FFG and LTC
Reserves for businesses previously disposed of by FFG and LTC are included in the Company’s reserves in accordance with the insurance guidance. The Company maintains an offsetting reinsurance recoverable related to these reserves. See Note 13 for further information.
13. Reinsurance
In the ordinary course of business, the Company is involved in both the assumption and cession of reinsurance with non-affiliated companies. The following table provides details of the reinsurance recoverables balance for the years ended December 31:
A key credit quality indicator for reinsurance is the A.M. Best financial strength ratings of the reinsurer. The A.M. Best ratings are an independent opinion of a reinsurer’s ability to meet ongoing obligations to policyholders. The A.M. Best ratings for new reinsurance agreements where there is material credit exposure are reviewed at the time of execution. The A.M. Best ratings for existing reinsurance agreements are reviewed on a periodic basis, at least annually. The following table provides the reinsurance recoverable as of December 31, 2011 grouped by A.M. Best rating:
A.M. Best ratings for The Hartford and John Hancock, the reinsurers with the largest reinsurance recoverable balances, are A and A+, respectively. A.M. Best currently maintains a stable outlook on the financial strength ratings of John Hancock and The Hartford. The total amount of recoverable for these two reinsurers is $3,624,906 as of December 31, 2011. Most of the assets backing reserves relating to reinsurance recoverables from these two counterparties are held in trust.
A substantial portion of the Not Rated category is related to Assurant Solutions’ and Assurant Specialty Property’s agreements to reinsure premiums and risks related to business generated by certain clients to the clients’ own captive insurance companies or to reinsurance subsidiaries in which the clients have an ownership interest. To mitigate exposure to credit risk for these reinsurers, the Company evaluates the financial condition of the reinsurer and holds substantial collateral (in the form of funds withheld, trusts, and letters of credit) as security. The Not Rated category also includes recoverables from the National Flood Insurance Program and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
An allowance for doubtful accounts related to reinsurance recoverables is recorded on the basis of periodic evaluations of balances due from reinsurers (net of collateral), reinsurer solvency, management’s experience and current economic conditions. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $10,633 and $15,635 at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Information about the valuation allowance for reinsurance recoverable is as follows:
The effect of reinsurance on premiums earned and benefits incurred was as follows:
The Company had $1,014,164 and $1,190,763, respectively, of invested assets held in trusts or by custodians as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, for the benefit of others related to certain reinsurance arrangements.
The Company utilizes ceded reinsurance for loss protection and capital management, business dispositions, and in the Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property segments, for client risk and profit sharing.
Loss Protection and Capital Management
As part of the Company’s overall risk and capacity management strategy, the Company purchases reinsurance for certain risks underwritten by the Company’s various segments, including significant individual or catastrophic claims.
For those product lines where there is exposure to losses from catastrophe events, the Company closely monitors and manages its aggregate risk exposure by geographic area. The Company has entered into reinsurance treaties to manage exposure to these types of events.
On May 5, 2009, certain of the Company’s subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) entered into two reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re Ltd., an independent special purpose reinsurance company domiciled in the Cayman Islands (“Ibis Re”). The Ibis Re agreements provide up to $150,000 of reinsurance coverage for protection against losses over a three-year period from individual hurricane events in Hawaii and along the Gulf and Eastern Coasts of the United States. The agreements expire in May 2012. Ibis Re financed the property catastrophe reinsurance coverage by issuing catastrophe bonds in an aggregate amount of $150,000 to unrelated investors (the “Series 2009-1 Notes”).
On April 27, 2010, the Subsidiaries entered into two additional reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re providing up to $150,000 of reinsurance coverage for protection against losses over a three-year period from
individual hurricane events in Hawaii and along the Gulf and Eastern Coasts of the United States. The agreements expire in May 2013. Ibis Re financed the property catastrophe reinsurance coverage by issuing catastrophe bonds in an aggregate amount of $150,000 to unrelated investors (the “Series 2010-1 Notes”).
The $300,000 of fully collateralized hurricane coverage, purchased from Ibis Re provides per occurrence first event coverage as part of the Company’s catastrophe program. This $300,000 of coverage represents approximately 22.9% of the $1,310,000 of first event coverage (net of reimbursements of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund) purchased by the Company in excess of the Company’s $190,000 retention. The coverage is expected to provide protection for a storm that generates in excess of approximately $310,000 of losses net of any reimbursements from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
Under the terms of these reinsurance agreements, the Subsidiaries are obligated to pay annual reinsurance premiums to Ibis Re for the reinsurance coverage. The reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re utilize a dual trigger that is based upon an index that is created by applying predetermined percentages to insured industry losses in each state in the covered area as reported by an independent party and the Subsidiaries’ covered losses incurred. Reinsurance contracts that have a separate, pre-identified variable (e.g., a loss-based index) are accounted for as reinsurance if certain conditions are met. In the case of the reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re, these conditions were met, thus the Company accounted for them as reinsurance in accordance with the guidance for reinsurance contracts.
Amounts payable to the Subsidiaries under the reinsurance agreements will be determined by the index-based losses, which are designed to approximate the Subsidiaries’ actual losses from any covered event. The amount of actual losses and index losses from any covered event may differ. For each covered event, Ibis Re pays the Subsidiaries the lesser of the covered index-based losses or the Subsidiaries’ actual losses. The principal amount of the catastrophe bonds will be reduced by any amounts paid to the Subsidiaries under the reinsurance agreements. The Subsidiaries have not incurred any losses subject to the reinsurance agreements since their inception.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company had not ceded any losses to Ibis Re.
As with any reinsurance agreement, there is credit risk associated with collecting amounts due from reinsurers. In connection with the issuance of the Series 2009-1 Notes, Ibis Re set up two reinsurance trusts to hold certain investments to secure payments to the Subsidiaries under the reinsurance agreements and the repayment of principal to the bondholders, as applicable, and entered into two related total return swap agreements.
With regard to the Series 2010-1 Notes, the credit risk is mitigated by two reinsurance trust accounts. Each reinsurance trust account has been funded by Ibis Re with money market funds that invest solely in direct government obligations backed by the U.S. government with maturities of no more than 13 months. The money market funds must have a principal stability rating of at least AAA by Standard & Poor’s.
At the time the agreements were entered into with Ibis Re, the Company evaluated the applicability of the accounting guidance that addresses variable interest entities (“VIEs”). Entities which do not have sufficient equity at risk to allow the entity to finance its activities without additional financial support or in which the equity investors, as a group, do not have the characteristic of a controlling financial interest are referred to as VIEs. A VIE is consolidated by the variable interest holder that is determined to have the controlling financial interest (primary beneficiary) as a result of having both the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The Company determines whether it is the primary beneficiary of an entity subject to consolidation based on a qualitative assessment of the VIE’s capital structure, contractual terms, nature of the VIE’s operations and purpose and the Company’s relative exposure to the related risks of the VIE on the date it becomes initially involved in the VIE. The Company reassesses its VIE determination with respect to an entity on an ongoing basis.
As a result of the evaluation of the reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re, the Company concluded that Ibis Re is a VIE. However, while Ibis Re is a VIE, the Company concluded that it does not have a significant variable interest in Ibis Re as the variability in Ibis Re’s results, caused by the reinsurance agreements, is expected to be absorbed entirely by the bondholders and the Company is not entitled to any residual amounts. Accordingly, the Company is not the primary beneficiary of Ibis Re and does not consolidate the entity in the Company’s financial statements.
On January 30, 2012, the Subsidiaries entered into two reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re II Ltd. (“Ibis Re II”). Ibis Re II, incorporated on December 2, 2011, is an independent special purpose reinsurance company domiciled in the Cayman Islands. The Ibis Re II agreements provide up to $130,000 of reinsurance coverage for protection against losses over a three-year period from individual hurricane events in the United States and Puerto Rico. The agreements expire in February 2015. Ibis Re II financed the property catastrophe reinsurance coverage by issuing $130,000 in catastrophe bonds to unrelated investors (the “Series 2012-1 Notes”).
For the Series 2012-1 Notes, the catastrophe bond program structure, including the funding in the reinsurance trust accounts, is similar in all material respects to the structure for the Series 2010-1 Notes. Additionally, the Company’s evaluation of the applicability of the accounting guidance that addresses VIEs, as described above, has been applied consistently for Ibis Re II. As a result of the evaluation of the reinsurance agreements with Ibis Re II, the Company concludes that Ibis Re II is a VIE, however, the Company concludes that it does not have a significant variable interest in Ibis Re II for the same reasons mentioned above for Ibis Re, thus the Company is not the primary beneficiary of Ibis Re II and will not consolidate the entity in the Company’s financial statements.
Business Divestitures
The Company has used reinsurance to exit certain businesses, such as the disposals of FFG and LTC. Reinsurance was used in these cases to facilitate the transactions because the businesses shared legal entities with operating segments that the Company retained. Assets supporting liabilities ceded relating to these businesses are mainly held in trusts and the separate accounts relating to FFG are still reflected in the Company’s balance sheet. If the reinsurers became insolvent, we would be exposed to the risk that the assets in the trusts and/or the separate accounts would be insufficient to support the liabilities that would revert back to us. The reinsurance recoverable from The Hartford was $1,153,681 and $1,185,687 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The reinsurance recoverable from John Hancock was $2,471,225 and $2,303,221 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
The reinsurance agreement associated with the FFG sale also stipulates that The Hartford contribute funds to increase the value of the separate account assets relating to Modified Guaranteed Annuity business sold if such value declines below the value of the associated liabilities. If The Hartford fails to fulfill these obligations, the Company will be obligated to make these payments.
In addition, the Company would be responsible for administering this business in the event of reinsurer insolvency. We do not currently have the administrative systems and capabilities to process this business. Accordingly, we would need to obtain those capabilities in the event of an insolvency of one or more of the reinsurers of these businesses. We might be forced to obtain such capabilities on unfavorable terms with a resulting material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
As of December 31, 2011, we were not aware of any regulatory actions taken with respect to the solvency of the insurance subsidiaries of The Hartford or John Hancock that reinsure the FFG and LTC businesses, and the Company has not been obligated to fulfill any of such reinsurers’ obligations.
John Hancock and The Hartford have paid their obligations when due and there have been no disputes.
Segment Client Risk and Profit Sharing
The Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property segments write business produced by their clients, such as mortgage lenders and servicers, financial institutions and reinsures all or a portion of such business to insurance subsidiaries of some clients. Such arrangements allow significant flexibility in structuring the sharing of risks and profits on the underlying business.
A substantial portion of Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property’s reinsurance activities are related to agreements to reinsure premiums and risks related to business generated by certain clients to the clients’ own captive insurance companies or to reinsurance subsidiaries in which the clients have an ownership interest. Through these arrangements, our insurance subsidiaries share some of the premiums and risk related to client-generated business with these clients. When the reinsurance companies are not authorized to do business in our insurance subsidiary’s domiciliary state, the Company’s insurance subsidiary generally obtains collateral, such as a trust or a letter of credit, from the reinsurance company or its affiliate in an amount equal to the outstanding reserves to obtain full statutory financial credit in the domiciliary state for the reinsurance.
The Company’s reinsurance agreements do not relieve the Company from its direct obligation to its insureds. Thus, a credit exposure exists to the extent that any reinsurer is unable to meet the obligations assumed in the reinsurance agreements. To mitigate its exposure to reinsurance insolvencies, the Company evaluates the financial condition of its reinsurers and holds substantial collateral (in the form of funds, trusts, and letters of credit) as security under the reinsurance agreements.
14. Debt
In February 2004, the Company issued two series of senior notes with an aggregate principal amount of $975,000. The Company received net proceeds of $971,537 from this transaction, which represents the principal amount less the discount. The discount of $3,463 is amortized over the life of the notes and is included as part of interest expense on the consolidated statement of operations. The first series is $500,000 in principal amount, bears interest at 5.63% per year and is payable in a single installment due February 15, 2014 and was issued at a 0.11% discount. The second series is $475,000 in principal amount, bears interest at 6.75% per year and is payable in a single installment due February 15, 2034 and was issued at a 0.61% discount. Interest on the senior notes is payable semi-annually on February 15 and August 15 of each year. The senior notes are unsecured obligations and rank equally with all of the Company’s other senior unsecured indebtedness. The senior notes are not redeemable prior to maturity. All of the holders of the senior notes exchanged their notes in May 2004 for new notes registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The interest expense incurred related to the Senior Notes was $60,188 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively. There was $22,570 of accrued interest at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The Company made interest payments of $30,094 on February 15, 2011 and 2010 and August 15, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Credit Facility
The Company’s commercial paper program requires the Company to maintain liquidity facilities either in an available amount equal to any outstanding notes from the commercial paper program or in an amount sufficient to maintain the ratings assigned to the notes issued from the commercial paper program. The Company’s subsidiaries do not maintain commercial paper or other borrowing facilities at their level. This program is currently backed up by a $350,000 senior revolving credit facility, of which $325,704 was available at December 31, 2011, due to outstanding letters of credit.
On September 21, 2011, the Company entered into a four-year unsecured $350,000 revolving credit agreement (“2011 Credit Facility”) with a syndicate of banks arranged by JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Bank of America, N.A. The 2011 Credit Facility replaced the Company’s prior three-year $350,000 revolving
credit facility (“2009 Credit Facility”), which was entered into on December 18, 2009 and was scheduled to expire in December 2012. The 2009 Credit Facility terminated upon the effective date of the 2011 Credit Facility. The 2011 Credit Facility provides for revolving loans and the issuance of multi-bank, syndicated letters of credit and/or letters of credit from a sole issuing bank in an aggregate amount of $350,000 and is available until September 2015, provided the Company is in compliance with all covenants. The 2011 Credit Facility has a sublimit for letters of credit issued thereunder of $50,000. The proceeds of these loans may be used for the Company’s commercial paper program or for general corporate purposes. The Company may increase the total amount available under the 2011 Credit Facility to $525,000 subject to certain conditions. No bank is obligated to provide commitments above their share of the $350,000 facility.
The Company did not use the commercial paper program during the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 and there were no amounts relating to the commercial paper program outstanding at December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010. The Company made no borrowings using either the 2009 Credit Facility or the 2011 Credit Facility and no loans are outstanding at December 31, 2011. The Company had $24,296 of letters of credit outstanding under the 2011 Credit Facility as of December 31, 2011.
The 2011 Credit Facility contains restrictive covenants and requires that the Company maintain certain specified minimum ratios and thresholds. Among others, these covenants include maintaining a maximum debt to capitalization ratio and a minimum consolidated adjusted net worth. At December 31, 2011, the Company was in compliance with all covenants, minimum ratios and thresholds.
15. Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock
The Company’s Board of Directors has the authority to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, in one or more series and to fix the powers, preferences, rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, which may include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences and the number of shares constituting any series or the designations of the series. The carrying value equals the redemption value for all classes of preferred stock.
Series B Preferred Stock
There are 19,160 (par value $1.00 per share) designated Series B preferred stock shares. There are no outstanding shares as of December 31, 2011. Changes in the number of Series B shares issued and outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 are as follows:
Series C Preferred Stock
There are 5,000 (par value $1.00 per share) designated Series C preferred stock shares. There are no outstanding shares as of December 31, 2011. Changes in the number of Series C shares issued and outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 are as follows:
All shares have a liquidation price of $1,000 per share and rank senior to common stock with respect to rights to receive dividends and to receive distributions upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company.
During 2010, the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock redeemed all of their shares and there are no more shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding. Prior to the redemption, holders of the Series B Preferred Stock were entitled to receive cumulative dividends at the rate of 4.0% per share per annum, multiplied by the $1,000 per share liquidation price.
In February 2011, the holders of the Series C Preferred Stock redeemed all of their shares and there are no more shares of Series C Preferred Stock outstanding. Prior to the redemption, holders of the Series C Preferred Stock were entitled to receive dividends at the rate of 4.5% per share per annum multiplied by the $1,000 per share liquidation price.
Dividends on both Series B and Series C Preferred Stock were payable in arrears on a quarterly basis. Any dividend that was not paid on a specified dividend payment date with respect to a share of such Preferred Stock was added to the liquidation price of such share for purposes of computing the future dividends on such share, until such delinquent dividend was paid.
None of the shares of Series B or Series C Preferred Stocks were convertible into common stock or any other equity security of the Company. However, holders of the Series B and Series C Preferred Stocks were entitled to one vote per share owned of record on all matters voted upon by the Company stockholders, voting with the holders of common stock as a single class, and not as a separate class or classes.
16. Common Stock
Changes in the number of common stock shares outstanding are as follows:
(a) Vested restricted stock and restricted stock units shown net of shares retired to cover participant tax liability
The Company is authorized to issue 800,000,000 shares of common stock. In addition, 150,001 shares of Class B and 400,001 shares of Class C common stock, per the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Assurant, Inc., are still authorized but have not been retired.
17. Stock Based Compensation
In accordance with the guidance on share based compensation, the Company recognized stock-based compensation costs based on the grant date fair value. The Company also applied the “long form” method to calculate its beginning pool of windfall tax benefits related to employee stock-based compensation awards as of the adoption date of the guidance. For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company recognized compensation costs net of a 5% per year forfeiture rate on a pro-rated basis over the remaining vesting period.
Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan
In May 2008, the Company’s shareholders approved the Assurant, Inc. Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan (“ALTEIP”), which authorized the granting of up to 3,400,000 shares of the Company’s common stock to employees, officers and non-employee directors. In May 2010, the Company’s shareholders approved an amended and restated ALTEIP, increasing the number of shares of the Company’s common stock authorized for issuance to 5,300,000. Under the ALTEIP, the Company may grant awards based on shares of its common stock, including stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock (including performance shares), unrestricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance share units (“PSUs”) and dividend equivalents. All future share-based grants will be awarded under the ALTEIP.
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) awarded PSUs and RSUs in 2011, 2010 and 2009. RSUs and PSUs are promises to issue actual shares of common stock at the end of a vesting period or performance period. The RSUs granted to employees under the ALTEIP were based on salary grade and performance and will vest one-third each year over a three-year period. RSUs granted to non-employee directors also vest one-third each year over a three-year period. RSUs receive dividend equivalents in cash during the restricted period and do not have voting rights during the restricted period. PSUs accrue dividend equivalents during the performance period based on a target payout, and will be paid in cash at the end of the performance period based on the actual number of shares issued.
For the PSU portion of an award, the number of shares a participant will receive upon vesting is contingent upon the Company’s performance with respect to selected metrics, identified below, compared against a broad index of insurance companies and assigned a percentile ranking. These rankings are then averaged to determine the composite percentile ranking for the performance period. The payout levels can vary between 0% and 150% (maximum) of the target (100%) ALTEIP award amount based on the Company’s level of performance against the selected metrics.
PSU Performance Goals. For 2009, the Compensation Committee established earnings per share (“EPS”) growth, revenue growth and total stockholder return as the three performance measures for PSU awards. EPS growth is defined as the year-over-year change in net income divided by average diluted shares outstanding. Revenue growth is defined as the year-over-year change in total revenues as disclosed in the Company’s annual statement of operations. Total stockholder’s return is defined as appreciation in Company stock plus dividend yield to stockholders. Beginning in 2010, in light of the significant volatility in EPS across the financial services sector, and in response to comments from our investors, the Committee decided to replace growth in EPS with growth in book value per diluted share (“BVPS”) excluding AOCI as a performance metric. BVPS growth is defined as year-over-year growth of the Company’s stockholders’ equity excluding AOCI divided by the number of fully diluted total shares outstanding at the end of the period. The Company believes this change will provide a more consistent basis for comparing the Company’s long-term financial performance to that of our competitors. The other metrics (revenue growth and total stockholder return) remain the same for PSUs awarded in 2010 and 2011. For the 2009-2011 performance cycle, the actual payout level is determined by ranking the average of the Company’s performance with respect to all three measures against the performance of all companies included in the A.M. Best Insurance Index for the applicable performance period. For the 2011-2013 and 2010-2012 performance cycles payouts will be determined by measuring performance against the average performance of companies included in the A.M. Best Insurance Index, excluding those with revenues of less than $1,000,000 or that are not in the health or insurance Global Industry Classification Standard codes. The Company believes that this change will enable it to more accurately benchmark its performance against the performance of companies of comparable size that operate one or more similar businesses.
Under the ALTEIP, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) is authorized by the Board of Directors to grant common stock, restricted stock and RSUs to employees other than the executive officers of the Company (as defined in Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)). The Board of Directors reviews and ratifies these grants quarterly. Restricted stock and RSUs granted under this program may have different vesting periods.
Restricted Stock Units
A summary of the Company’s outstanding restricted stock units is presented below:
The compensation expense recorded related to RSUs was $20,100, $13,928 and $7,200 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The related total income tax benefit recognized was $7,012, $4,875 and $2,520 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The weighted average grant date fair value for RSUs granted in 2010 and 2009 was $34.46 and $21.04, respectively.
As of December 31, 2011, there was $17,597 of unrecognized compensation cost related to outstanding RSUs. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.12 years. The total fair value of shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $18,060, $8,844 and $43, respectively.
Performance Share Units
A summary of the Company’s outstanding performance share units is presented below:
PSUs above represent initial target awards and do not reflect potential increases or decreases resulting from the financial performance objectives to be determined at the end of the prospective performance period. The actual number of shares to be issued at the end of each performance period will range from 0% to 150% of the initial target awards. There were no PSUs exercisable as of December 31, 2011.
The compensation expense recorded related to PSUs was $14,355, $10,772 and $5,980 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Portions of the compensation expense recorded during 2010 and 2009 were reversed during the first quarters of 2011 and 2010, since the Company’s level of actual performance as measured against pre-established performance goals had declined. The related total income tax benefit recognized was $5,005, $3,770 and $2,093 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The weighted average grant date fair value for PSUs granted in 2010 and 2009 was $33.12 and $20.39, respectively.
As of December 31, 2011, there was $12,880 of unrecognized compensation cost related to outstanding PSUs. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 0.7 years. The aggregate intrinsic value and the weighted-average remaining contractual term of PSUs outstanding at December 31, 2011 was $57,541 and 1.05 years, respectively.
The fair value of PSUs with market conditions was estimated on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo simulation model, which utilizes multiple variables that determine the probability of satisfying the market condition stipulated in the award. Expected volatilities for awards issued during the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 were based on the historical stock prices of the Company’s stock and peer insurance group. The expected term for grants issued during the year ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 was assumed to equal the average of the vesting period of the PSUs. The risk-free rate was based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant.
Long-Term Incentive Plan
Prior to the approval of the ALTEIP, share based awards were granted under the 2004 Assurant Long-Term Incentive Plan (“ALTIP”), which authorized the granting of up to 10,000,000 new shares of the Company’s common stock to employees and officers under the ALTIP, Business Value Rights Program (“BVR”) and CEO Equity Grants Program. Under the ALTIP, the Company was authorized to grant restricted stock and SARs. Since May 2008, no new grants have been made under this plan.
Restricted stock granted under the ALTIP vests on a prorated basis over a three year period. SARs granted prior to 2007 under the ALTIP cliff vest as of December 31 of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the right was granted, and have a five year contractual life. SARs granted in 2007 and through May 2008 cliff vest on the third anniversary from the date the award was granted, and have a five year contractual life. SARs granted under the BVR Program have a three year cliff vesting period. Restricted stock granted under the CEO Equity Grants Program have variable vesting schedules.
Restricted Stock
A summary of the Company’s outstanding restricted stock is presented below:
The compensation expense recorded related to restricted stock was $367, $1,647 and $4,409 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The related total income tax benefit recognized was $129, $577 and $1,543 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
As of December 31, 2011, there was $28 of unrecognized compensation cost related to outstanding restricted stock. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 0.29 years. The total fair value of shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $1,918, $2,962 and $2,880, respectively.
Stock Appreciation Rights
A summary of the Company’s SARs is presented below:
There were no SARs granted during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009. Currently there are no plans to award SARs in the future. The fair value of each SAR granted in prior years under the ALTIP was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.
The compensation expense recorded related to SARs was $880, $6,553 and $10,046 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The related income tax benefit recognized was $308, $2,294 and $3,516 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The total intrinsic value of SARs exercised during the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $4,162, $1,316 and $433, respectively. At December 31, 2011, all outstanding SARs are fully vested and expensed, so there is no unrecognized compensation cost related to these awards.
The aggregate intrinsic value and the weighted-average remaining contractual term of SARs outstanding and exercisable at December 31, 2011 was $9,984 and 0.9 years, respectively.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”), the Company is authorized to issue up to 5,000,000 shares to employees who are participants in the ESPP. The ESPP allows eligible employees to contribute, through payroll deductions, up to 15% of their after-tax compensation in each offering period toward the purchase of shares of the Company’s common stock. There are two offering periods during the year (January 1 through June 30 and July 1 through December 31) and shares are purchased at the end of each offering period at 90% of the lower of the closing price of the common stock on the first or last day of the offering period. Participants’ contributions are limited to a maximum contribution of $7.5 per offering period, or $15 per year.
The ESPP is offered to individuals who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week and at least five months per year, have been continuously employed for at least six months by the start of the offering period, are not temporary employees (employed less than 12 months), and have not been on a leave of absence for more than 90 days immediately preceding the offering period. Participants must be employed on the last trading day of the offering period in order to purchase Company shares under the ESPP. The maximum number of shares that can be purchased each offering period is 5,000 shares per employee.
In July 2011, the Company issued 106,373 shares to employees at a discounted price of $32.64 for the offering period of January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2011. In July 2010, the Company issued 142,444 shares to employees at a discounted price of $27.14 for the offering period of January 1, 2010 through June 30, 2010.
In January 2012, the Company issued 103,112 shares at a discounted price of $32.98 for the offering period of July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. In January 2011, the Company issued 111,414 shares at a discounted price of $31.06 for the offering period of July 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
The compensation expense recorded related to the ESPP was $1,306, $1,707 and $2,653 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The related income tax benefit for disqualified disposition was $180, $290 and $250 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
The fair value of each award under the ESPP was estimated at the beginning of each offering period using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and the assumptions in the following table. Expected volatilities are based on implied volatilities from traded options on the Company’s stock and the historical volatility of the Company’s stock. The risk-free rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The dividend yield is based on the current annualized dividend and share price as of the grant date.
Non-Stock Based Incentive Plans
Deferred Compensation
The deferred compensation programs consist of the AIP, the ASIC and the ADC Plans. The AIP and ASIC Plans provided key employees the ability to exchange a portion of their compensation for options to purchase certain third-party mutual funds. The AIP and ASIC Plans were frozen in December 2004 and no additional contributions can be made to either Plan. Effective March 1, 2005 and amended and restated on January 1, 2008, the ADC Plan was established in order to comply with the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (“Jobs Act”) and IRC Section 409A. The ADC Plan provides key employees the ability to defer a portion of their eligible compensation to be notionally invested in a variety of mutual funds. Deferrals and withdrawals under the ADC Plan are intended to be fully compliant with the Jobs Act definition of eligible compensation and distribution requirements.
18. Stock Repurchase
The following table shows the shares repurchased during the periods indicated:
On January 22, 2010, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $600,000 of its outstanding common stock. On January 18, 2011, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to an additional $600,000 of its outstanding common stock, making the total remaining under the authorization $805,587 as of that date.
During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company repurchased 14,088,540 shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock at a cost of $532,648, exclusive of commissions, leaving $305,392 remaining under the total repurchase authorization at December 31, 2011.
19. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
The components of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, at December 31, are as follows:
The amounts in the unrealized gains on securities column are net of reclassification adjustments of $15,907, $26,544 and $(26,209), net of tax, in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for net realized gains (losses) on sales of securities included in net income. The amounts in the OTTI column are net of reclassification adjustments of $(994), $(1,034) and $(4,992) net of tax, in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for net realized losses on sales of securities included in net income.
The amounts in the pension underfunding column are net of reclassification adjustments of $10,334, $9,820 and $8,114, net of tax, in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for amortization of prior service cost included in net income.
20. Statutory Information
The Company’s insurance subsidiaries prepare financial statements on the basis of statutory accounting practices (“SAP”) prescribed or permitted by the insurance departments of their states of domicile. Prescribed SAP includes the Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) as well as state laws, regulations and administrative rules.
The principal differences between SAP and GAAP are: 1) policy acquisition costs are expensed as incurred under SAP, but are deferred and amortized under GAAP; 2) the value of business acquired is not capitalized under SAP but is under GAAP; 3) amounts collected from holders of universal life-type and annuity products are recognized as premiums when collected under SAP, but are initially recorded as contract deposits under GAAP, with cost of insurance recognized as revenue when assessed and other contract charges recognized over the periods for which services are provided; 4) the classification and carrying amounts of investments in certain securities are different under SAP than under GAAP; 5) the criteria for providing asset valuation allowances, and the methodologies used to determine the amounts thereof, are different under SAP than under GAAP; 6) the timing of establishing certain reserves, and the methodologies used to determine the amounts thereof, are different under SAP than under GAAP; 7) certain assets are not admitted for purposes of determining surplus under SAP; 8) methodologies used to determine the amounts of deferred taxes, intangible assets and goodwill are different under SAP than under GAAP; and 9) the criteria for obtaining reinsurance accounting treatment is different under SAP than under GAAP.
The combined statutory net income, excluding intercompany dividends and surplus note interest, and capital and surplus of the Company’s U.S. domiciled statutory insurance subsidiaries follow:
(1) The $488,545 total statutory P&C companies net income includes a favorable legal settlement of $90,350 (after-tax) with Willis Limited, a subsidiary of Willis Group Holdings Limited.
The Company also has non-insurance subsidiaries and foreign insurance subsidiaries that are not subject to SAP. The statutory net income and statutory capital and surplus presented above do not include foreign insurance subsidiaries in accordance with SAP.
Insurance enterprises are required by state insurance departments to adhere to minimum risk-based capital (“RBC”) requirements developed by the NAIC. All of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries exceed minimum RBC requirements.
The payment of dividends to the Company by any of the Company’s regulated U.S domiciled insurance subsidiaries in excess of a certain amount (i.e., extraordinary dividends) must be approved by the subsidiary’s domiciliary state department of insurance. Ordinary dividends, for which no regulatory approval is generally required, are limited to amounts determined by a formula, which varies by state. The formula for the majority of the states in which the Company’s subsidiaries are domiciled is based on the prior year’s statutory net income or 10% of the statutory surplus as of the end of the prior year. Some states limit ordinary dividends to the greater of these two amounts, others limit them to the lesser of these two amounts and some states exclude prior year realized capital gains from prior year net income in determining ordinary dividend capacity. Some states have an additional stipulation that dividends may only be paid out of earned surplus. If insurance regulators determine that payment of an ordinary dividend or any other payments by the Company’s insurance subsidiaries to the Company (such as payments under a tax sharing agreement or payments for employee or other services) would be adverse to policyholders or creditors, the regulators may block such payments that would otherwise be permitted without prior approval. Based on the dividend restrictions under applicable laws and regulations, the maximum amount of dividends that the Company’s U.S domiciled insurance subsidiaries could pay to the Company in 2012 without regulatory approval is approximately $504,000. No assurance can be given that there will not be further regulatory actions restricting the ability of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends.
21. Retirement and Other Employee Benefits
Defined Benefit Plans
The Company and its subsidiaries participate in a non-contributory, qualified defined benefit pension plan covering substantially all employees. This Plan is considered “qualified” because it meets the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a) (“IRC 401(a)”) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974 (“ERISA”). The qualified defined benefit pension plan is a pension equity plan with a grandfathered final average earnings plan for a certain group of employees. Benefits are based on certain years of service and the employee’s compensation during certain such years of service. The Company’s funding policy is to contribute amounts to the plan sufficient to meet the minimum funding requirements in ERISA, plus such additional amounts as the Company may determine to be appropriate from time to time up to the maximum permitted. The funding policy considers several factors to determine such additional amounts including items such as the amount of service cost plus 15% of the Assurant Pension Plan deficit and the capital position of the Company. During 2011, we contributed $40,000 in cash to the Assurant Pension Plan. We expect to contribute $50,000 in cash to the Assurant Pension Plan over the course of 2012. Contributions are intended to provide not only for benefits attributed to service to date, but also for those expected to be earned in the future. Plan assets are maintained in a separate trust and as such are not included in the consolidated balance sheets of the Company.
The Company also has various non-contributory, non-qualified supplemental plans covering certain employees. Since these plans are “non-qualified” they are not subject to the laws and regulations of IRC 401(a) and ERISA. As such, the Company is not required, and does not, fund these plans. The qualified and nonqualified plans are referred to as “Pension Benefits” unless otherwise noted. The Company has the right to modify or terminate these benefits; however, the Company will not be relieved of its obligation to plan participants for their vested benefits.
In addition, the Company provides certain life and health care benefits (“Retirement Health Benefits”) for retired employees and their dependents. On July 1, 2011, the Company terminated certain health care benefits for employees who did not qualify for “grandfathered” status and will no longer offer these benefits to new hires. The Company contribution, plan design and other terms of the remaining benefits will not change for those grandfathered employees. The Company has the right to modify or terminate these benefits. Plan assets and benefit obligations are measured as of December 31, 2011.
Summarized information on the Company’s Pension Benefits and Retirement Health Benefits Plans (together the “Plans”) for the years ended December 31 is as follows:
In accordance with the guidance on retirement benefits, the Company aggregates the results of the qualified and non-qualified plans as “Pension Benefits” and is required to disclose the aggregate projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets, if the obligations within those plans exceed plan assets.
For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the projected benefit obligations and the accumulated benefit obligations of Pension Benefits exceeded plan assets as follows:
The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (“PPA”) requires certain qualified plans, like the Assurant Pension Plan, to meet specified funding thresholds. If these funding thresholds are not met, there are negative consequences to the Plan and participants. If the funded percentage falls below 80%, full payment of lump sum benefits as well as implementation of amendments improving benefits are restricted.
As of January 1, 2011, the Plan’s funded percentage was 106% on a PPA calculated basis. Therefore, benefit and payment restrictions did not occur during 2011. The 2011 funded measure will also be used to determine restrictions, if any, that can occur during the first nine months of 2012. Due to the funding status of the Plan in 2011, no restrictions will exist before October 2012 (the time that the January 1, 2012 actuarial valuation needs to be completed). Also, based on the estimated funded status as of January 1, 2012, we do not anticipate any restrictions on benefits for the remainder of 2012.
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consist of:
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) consist of:
Components of net periodic benefit cost and other amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for the years ended December 31 were as follows:
In 2010 and 2009, the improvement in the global economy caused actual asset returns of the Plans’ investment portfolios to be much greater than expected. The Company uses a five-year averaging method to determine the market-related value of plan assets, which is used to calculate the expected return of plan assets component of the Plans’ expense. Under this methodology, asset gains/losses that result from actual returns which differ from the Company’s expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption are recognized in the market-related value of assets on a level basis over a five year period. The difference between actual as compared to expected asset returns for the Plans will be fully reflected in the market-related value of plan assets over the next five years using the methodology described above.
The estimated net loss and prior service cost of Pension Benefits that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year are $23,061 and $781, respectively. The estimated net loss and prior service credit of Retirement Health Benefits that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic cost over the next fiscal year is $0 and $933, respectively.
Determination of the projected benefit obligation was based on the following weighted-average assumptions for the years ended December 31:
Determination of the net periodic benefit cost was based on the following weighted-average assumptions for the years ended December 31:
* Assumed rates of compensation increases are also used to determine net periodic benefit cost. Assumed rates varied by age and ranged from 3.25% - 9.30% for the Pension Benefits for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
The selection of our discount rate assumption reflects the rate at which the Plans’ obligations could be effectively settled at December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009. The methodology for selecting the discount rate was to match each Plan’s cash flows to that of a yield curve that provides the equivalent yields on zero-coupon corporate bonds for each maturity. The yield curve utilized in the cash flow analysis was comprised of 249 bonds rated AA by Moody’s with maturities between zero and thirty years. The discount rate for each Plan is the single rate that produces the same present value of cash flows.
To develop the expected long-term rate of return on assets assumption, the Company considered the current level of expected returns on risk free investments (primarily, government bonds), the historical level of the risk premium associated with the other asset classes in which the portfolio is invested and the expectations for future returns of each asset class. The expected long-term rate of return on plan assets reflects the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested. The expected return for each asset class was then weighted based on the targeted asset allocation to develop the expected long-term rate of return on asset assumptions for the portfolio. This resulted in the selection of 7.50% for the fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009. The Company believes the current assumption reflects the projected return on the invested assets, given the current market conditions and the modified portfolio structure. Actual return on plan assets was 10.7% and 13.8% for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010. The Company lowered its expected long-term rate of return on assets to 6.75% as of January 1, 2012. The Company believes the revised assumption reflects the projected return on the invested assets, given the current market conditions and the modified portfolio structure.
The assumed health care cost trend rates used in measuring the accumulated benefit obligation and net periodic benefit cost were as follows:
Assumed health care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the health care plans. A one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effects:
The assets of the Plans are managed to maximize their long-term pre-tax investment return, subject to the following dual constraints: minimization of required contributions and maintenance of solvency requirements. It is anticipated that periodic contributions to the Plans will, for the foreseeable future, be sufficient to meet benefit payments thus allowing the balance to be managed according to a long-term approach. The Investment Committee for the Plans meets on a quarterly basis and reviews the re-balancing of existing fund assets and the asset allocation of new fund contributions.
The goal of our asset strategy is to ensure that the growth in the value of the fund over the long-term, both in real and nominal terms, manages (controls) risk exposure. Risk is managed by investing in a broad range of asset classes, and within those asset classes, a broad range of individual securities. Diversification by asset classes stabilizes total fund results over short-term time periods. Each asset class is externally managed by outside investment managers appointed by the Investment Committee. Derivatives may be used consistent with the Plan’s investment objectives established by the Investment Committee. All securities must be U.S. dollar denominated.
Beginning in 2009, 8% of the Plans’ assets were allocated to Mesirow Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund, L.P. (“MIMSF”). MIMSF is a multi-strategy product for U.S. tax-exempt investors subject to ERISA. MIMSF allocates to five primary sub-strategies including hedged equity, credit, event, relative value and multi-strategy. Allocations to these sub-strategies will shift over time depending upon MIMSF’s investment outlook. MIMSF is managed to be broadly diversified in terms of both strategy and manager exposures.
The Investment Committee that oversees the investment of the plan assets conducts an annual review of the investment strategies and policies of the Plans. This includes a review of the strategic asset allocation, including the relationship of the Plans’ liabilities and portfolio structure. As a result of this review, the Investment Committee has adopted the current target asset allocation. The allocation is consistent with 2010.
(1) The Plans’ long-term asset allocation targets are 30% equity, 50% fixed income and 20% investment funds. Current target asset allocations for equity securities include allocations for investment funds. The Company
invests certain plan assets in investment funds, examples of which include real estate investment funds and private equity funds, during 2011. Amounts allocated for these investments are included in the equity securities caption of the fair value hierarchy at December 31, 2011, provided in the section above.
(2) It is understood that these guidelines are targets and that deviations may occur periodically as a result of cash flows, market impact or short-term decisions implemented by either the Investment Committee or their investment managers.
The assets of the Plans are primarily invested in fixed maturity and equity securities. While equity risk is fully retained, interest rate risk is hedged by aligning the duration of the fixed maturity securities with the duration of the liabilities. Specifically, interest rate swaps are used to synthetically extend the duration of fixed maturity securities to match the duration of the liabilities, as measured on a projected benefit obligation basis. In addition, the Plans’ fixed income securities have exposure to credit risk. In order to adequately diversify and limit exposure to credit risk, the Investment Committee established parameters which include a limit on the asset types that managers are permitted to purchase, maximum exposure limits by sector and by individual issuer (based on asset quality) and minimum required ratings on individual securities. As of December 31, 2011, 50.5% of plan assets were invested in fixed maturity securities and 24.0%, 22.2% and 15.6% of those securities were concentrated in the energy, communications and financial industries, with no exposure to any single creditor in excess of 5.0%, 5.3% and 5.6% of those industries, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, 39.0% of plan assets were invested in equity securities and 60.6% of the Plans’ equity securities were invested in a mutual fund that attempts to replicate the return of the Standard & Poor’s 500 index (“S&P 500”) by investing its assets in large capitalization stocks that are included in the S&P 500 using a weighting similar to the S&P 500.
The fair value hierarchy for the Company’s qualified pension plan and other post retirement benefit plan assets at December 31, 2011 by asset category, is as follows:
(1) The difference between the fair value of plan assets above and the amount used in determining the funded status is due to interest receivable which is not required to be included in the fair value hierarchy.
(1) The difference between the fair value of plan assets above and the amount used in determining the funded status is due to interest receivable which is not required to be included in the fair value hierarchy.
The fair value hierarchy for the Company’s qualified pension plan and other post retirement benefit plan assets at December 31, 2010 by asset category, is as follows:
(1) The difference between the fair value of plan assets above and the amount used in determining the funded status is due to interest receivable which is not required to be included in the fair value hierarchy.
(1) The difference between the fair value of plan assets above and the amount used in determining the funded status is due to interest receivable which is not required to be included in the fair value hierarchy.
The following table for the Company’s qualified pension plan and retirement health benefit plan summarizes the change in fair value associated with the MIMSF, the only Level 3 financial asset.
For all the financial assets included in the above hierarchy, the market valuation technique is used. For the year ended December 31, 2011, the application of the valuation technique applied to similar assets has been consistent.
Level 1 and Level 2 securities are valued using various observable market inputs obtained from a pricing service. The pricing service prepares estimates of fair value measurements for our Level 2 securities using proprietary valuation models based on techniques such as matrix pricing which include observable market inputs. Observable market inputs for Level 1 and 2 securities are consistent with the observable market inputs described in Note 5, Fair Value Disclosures. The MIFSF utilizes all three levels of inputs to price its holdings. Since unobservable inputs may have been significant to the fair value measurement, it was classified as Level 3.
The Company obtains one price for each investment. A quarterly analysis is performed to assess if the evaluated prices represent a reasonable estimate of their fair value. This process involves quantitative and qualitative analysis and is overseen by benefits, investment and accounting professionals. Examples of procedures performed include, but are not limited to, initial and on-going review of pricing service methodologies, review of pricing statistics and trends, and comparison of prices for certain securities with two different appropriate price sources for reasonableness. Following this analysis, the Company uses the best estimate of fair value based upon all available inputs. The pricing service provides information regarding their pricing procedures so that the Company can properly categorize the Plans’ financial assets in the fair value hierarchy.
The Company expects to contribute up to $50,000 to its qualified pension plan in 2012. No contributions are expected to be made to the retirement health benefit plan in 2012.
The following pension benefits, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid:
Defined Contribution Plan
The Company and its subsidiaries participate in a defined contribution plan covering substantially all employees. The defined contribution plan provides benefits payable to participants on retirement or disability and to beneficiaries of participants in the event of the participant’s death. The amounts expensed by the Company related to this plan were $33,337, $33,043 and $32,962 in 2011, 2010, and 2009, respectively.
22. Segment Information
The Company has five reportable segments, which are defined based on the nature of the products and services offered: Assurant Solutions, Assurant Specialty Property, Assurant Health, Assurant Employee Benefits, and Corporate & Other. Assurant Solutions provides debt protection administration, credit-related insurance, warranties and service contracts, and pre-funded funeral insurance. Assurant Specialty Property provides lender-placed homeowners insurance and manufactured housing homeowners insurance. Assurant Health provides individual health and small employer group health insurance. Assurant Employee Benefits primarily provides group dental insurance, group disability insurance, group life insurance, group vision insurance and supplemental worksite insurance. Corporate & Other includes activities of the holding company, financing and interest expenses, net realized gains (losses) on investments, interest income earned from short-term investments held and additional costs associated with excess of loss reinsurance programs reinsured and ceded to certain subsidiaries in the London market between 1995 and 1997. Corporate & Other also includes the amortization of deferred gains associated with the sales of Fortis Financial Group and Long-Term Care through reinsurance agreements.
The Company evaluates performance of the operating segments based on segment income (loss) after-tax excluding realized gains (losses) on investments. The Company determines reportable segments in a manner consistent with the way the Company organizes for purposes of making operating decisions and assessing performance. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies. See Note 2 for further information.
The following tables summarize selected financial information by segment for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
The Company operates primarily in the United States and Canada, but also in select international markets.
The following table summarizes selected financial information by geographic location for the years ended or as of December 31:
Revenue is based in the country where the product was sold and long-lived assets, which are primarily property and equipment, are based on the physical location of those assets. The Company has no reportable major customers.
The Companies net earned premiums and other considerations by segment and product are as follows:
(1) As of January 1, 2011, the Company began accruing premium rebates to comply with the minimum medical loss ratio requirements under the Affordable Care Act.
23. Earnings per common share
The following table presents net income, the weighted average common shares used in calculating basic earnings per common share and those used in calculating diluted earnings per common share for each period presented below.
Average SARs totaling 2,094,251, 3,053,101, and 4,287,465 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, were also outstanding but were anti-dilutive and thus not included in the computation of diluted EPS under the treasury stock method.
24. Quarterly Results of Operations (Unaudited)
The Company’s quarterly results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 are summarized in the tables below:
During the third quarter of 2011, the Company recorded reportable catastrophe losses of $52,323 (after-tax) in the Assurant Specialty Property segment.
During the fourth quarter of 2010, following the completion of Management’s annual goodwill impairment analysis, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $306,381 related to the Assurant Employee Benefits and Assurant Health reporting units. The impairment charge resulted in a decrease to net income and had no related tax benefit. See Notes 2, 5 and 10 for further information.
25. Commitments and Contingencies
The Company and its subsidiaries lease office space and equipment under operating lease arrangements. Certain facility leases contain escalation clauses based on increases in the lessors’ operating expenses. At December 31, 2011, the aggregate future minimum lease payments under these operating lease agreements that have initial or non-cancelable terms in excess of one year are:
Rent expense was $29,440, $39,700 and $41,639 for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
In the normal course of business, letters of credit are issued primarily to support reinsurance arrangements in which the Company is the reinsurer. These letters of credit are supported by commitments under which the Company is required to indemnify the financial institution issuing the letter of credit if the letter of credit is drawn. The Company had $24,296 and $24,946 of letters of credit outstanding as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
The Company is involved in litigation in the ordinary course of business, both as a defendant and as a plaintiff. The Company may from time to time be subject to a variety of legal and regulatory actions relating to the Company’s current and past business operations. While the Company cannot predict the outcome of any pending or future litigation, examination or investigation, the Company does not believe that any pending matter will have a material adverse effect individually or in the aggregate, on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
One of the Company’s subsidiaries, American Reliable Insurance Company (“ARIC”), participated in certain excess of loss reinsurance programs in the London market and, as a result, reinsured certain personal accident, ransom and kidnap insurance risks from 1995 to 1997. ARIC and a foreign affiliate ceded a portion of these risks to retrocessionaires. ARIC ceased reinsuring such business in 1997. However, certain disputes arose regarding these programs. The disputes generally involved multiple layers of reinsurance, and allegations that the reinsurance programs involved interrelated claims “spirals” devised to disproportionately pass claims losses to higher-level reinsurance layers.
The companies involved in these programs, including ARIC, have resolved many of these disputes. The disputes involving ARIC and an affiliate, Assurant General Insurance Limited (formerly Bankers Insurance Company Limited) (“AGIL”), for the 1995 and 1996 program years, were the subject of working group settlements negotiated with other market participants. For the 1995 program year, the participants have negotiated a final commutation agreement that extinguishes any future liability between the participants. For the 1996 program year, four of the five participants (representing approximately 95% of the exposure) have negotiated a final commutation agreement that extinguishes any future liability between the participants. For the 1997 program year all disputes and litigation have been resolved, but some routine claims activity continues with individual reinsureds.
On the basis of information currently available, the Company believes that the existing loss accruals related to these programs are adequate. However, the inherent uncertainty of resolving these matters, including the uncertainty of estimating whether any settlements the Company may enter into in the future would be on favorable terms, makes it difficult to predict the outcomes.
In the course of implementing procedures for compliance with the new mandatory reporting requirements under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, Assurant Health identified a possible ambiguity in the Medicare Secondary Payer Act and related regulations about which the Company subsequently had a meeting with representatives of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”). Assurant Health believes that its historical interpretation and application of such laws and regulations is correct and requested that CMS issue a written determination to that effect. Subsequently, CMS informed counsel for Assurant Health that it disagrees with some of Assurant Health’s legal positions and requested another meeting to discuss the matter further, but, as of this date, no such meeting has been scheduled. The Company does not believe that any loss relating to this issue is probable, nor can the Company make any estimate of any possible loss or range of possible loss associated with this issue.
On February 7, 2012, the Company and two of its insurance company subsidiaries (American Security Insurance Company and American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida) received subpoenas from the New York Department of Financial Services (the “NYDFS”) regarding its lender-placed insurance business and related document retention practices.
The Company received the subpoenas as it was completing its production of information concerning the lender-placed business requested by the NYDFS in October 2011. Although the Company respectfully disagrees with the NYDFS’s position concerning its document retention practices, the Company has modified its practices in accordance with such interpretation pending resolution of the matter.
The Company is committed to cooperating fully and continuing to work with the NYDFS to resolve this matter.
Assurant, Inc.
at December 31, 2011
Schedule I-Summary of Investments Other -Than-Investments in Related Parties
Assurant, Inc.
Schedule II-Condensed Balance Sheet (Parent Only)
Assurant, Inc.
Schedule II-Condensed Income Statement (Parent Only)
Assurant, Inc.
Schedule II-Condensed Cash Flows (Parent Only)
Assurant, Inc.
for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 & 2009
Schedule III-Supplementary Insurance Information
*Includes amortization of value of business acquired, underwriting, general and administration expenses and goodwill impairment.
Assurant, Inc.
for the year ended December 31, 2011
Schedule IV-Reinsurance
Assurant, Inc.
for the year ended December 31, 2010
Schedule IV-Reinsurance
Assurant, Inc.
for the year ended December 31, 2009
Schedule IV-Reinsurance
Assurant, Inc.
as of December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009
Schedule V-Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
EXHIBIT INDEX
The following exhibits either (a) are filed with this report or (b) have previously been filed with the SEC and are incorporated herein by reference to those prior filings. Exhibits are available upon request at the investor relations section of our website, located at www.assurant.com.
* Management contract or compensatory plan.