Use of Derivatives to Manage Equity Risk. We economically hedge the fixed deferred annuity and universal life products, where the interest credited is linked to an external equity index, by purchasing options that match the product’s profile or selling options to offset existing exposures. We economically hedged the GMWB exposure, which includes interest rate risk and equity risk, using futures, options, treasury forwards and interest rate swaps with notional amounts of $1,597.0$1,596.6 million, $1,729.6$1,659.2 million, $2,181.6 million, and $4,382.1$4,294.1 million, respectively, as of March 31,June 30, 2022, and notional amounts of $1,924.9 million, $1,699.6 million, $2181.6$2,181.6 million, and $4,577.1 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2021. The fair value of both the GMWB embedded derivative and associated hedging instruments are sensitive to financial market conditions and the variance related to the change in fair value of these items for a given period is largely dependent on market conditions at the end of the period.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
In order to ensure that the information that we must disclose in our filings with the SEC is recorded, processed, summarized and reported on a timely basis, we have adopted disclosure controls and procedures. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file with or submit to the SEC is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Daniel J. Houston, and our Chief Financial Officer, Deanna D. Strable-Soethout, have reviewed and evaluated our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31,June 30, 2022, and have concluded our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We had no change in our internal control over financial reporting during our last fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
Disclosure concerning legal proceedings can be found in Part I, Item 1. “Financial Statements, Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 8,10, Contingencies, Guarantees and Indemnifications” under the caption, “Litigation and Regulatory Contingencies,” which is incorporated here by this reference.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
In addition to the other information set forth in this report, consideration should be given to the factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. If any of those factors were to occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or future results, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements in this report. We have not had material changes with respect to the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
