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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
| ☑ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | |||||||
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020
or
| ☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | |||||||
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 001-13958
THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 13-3317783 | |||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |||||||
One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, Connecticut 06155
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(860) 547-5000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 (b) OF THE ACT:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
| Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | HIG | The New York Stock Exchange | ||||||
| 6.10% Notes due October 1, 2041 | HIG 41 | The New York Stock Exchange | ||||||
| 7.875% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2042 | HGH | The New York Stock Exchange | ||||||
| Depositary Shares, Each Representing a 1/1,000th Interest in a Share of 6.000% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G, par value $0.01 per share | HIG PR G | The New York Stock Exchange | ||||||
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 (g) OF THE ACT:
None
| Indicate by check mark: | |||||||||||||||||
| • | if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. | Yes | ☑ | No | |||||||||||||
| • | if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. | Yes | No | ☑ | |||||||||||||
| • | whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. | Yes | ☑ | No | |||||||||||||
| • | whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). | Yes | ☑ | No | |||||||||||||
| • | whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. | ||||||||||||||||
| Large accelerated filer | ☑ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | Emerging growth company | ☐ | ||||||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☑
| • whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). | Yes | ☐ | No | ☑ | ||||||||||
The aggregate market value of the shares of Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2020 was approximately $14 billion, based on the closing price of $38.55 per share of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2020.
As of February 18, 2021, there were outstanding 357,514,315 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the registrant.
Documents Incorporated by Reference
Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2021 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K.
THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Item | Description | Page | ||||||
| 1 | ||||||||
| 1A. | ||||||||
| 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS | None | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES | Not Applicable | ||||||
| 5 | ||||||||
| 6 | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA | [a] | ||||||
| 7 | ||||||||
| 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK | [b] | ||||||
| 8 | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA | [c] | ||||||
| 9 | CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE | None | ||||||
| 9A. | ||||||||
| 9B. | OTHER INFORMATION | None | ||||||
| 10 | ||||||||
| 11 | EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | [d] | ||||||
| 12 | ||||||||
| 13 | CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE | [e] | ||||||
| 14 | PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES | [f] | ||||||
| 15 | ||||||||
| 16 | FORM 10-K SUMMARY | Not Applicable | ||||||
[a] The information formerly required by Item 301 regarding material trend disclosure will be set forth in Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and is incorporated herein by reference.
[b] The information required by this item is set forth in the Enterprise Risk Management section of Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and is incorporated herein by reference.
[c] See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Schedules elsewhere herein.
[d] The information called for by Item 11 will be set forth in the Proxy Statement under the subcaptions "Compensation Discussion and Analysis", "Executive Compensation", "Director Compensation", "Report of the Compensation and Management Development Committee", and "Compensation and Management Development Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation" and is incorporated herein by reference.
[e] Any information called for by Item 13 will be set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption and subcaption "Board and Governance Matters" and "Director Independence" and is incorporated herein by reference.
[f] The information called for by Item 14 will be set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption "Audit Matters" and is incorporated herein by reference.
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Forward-looking Statements
Certain of the statements contained herein are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” and similar references to future periods.
Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions regarding future economic, competitive, legislative and other developments and their potential effect upon The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company" or "The Hartford"). Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially from expectations, depending on the evolution of various factors, including the risks and uncertainties identified below, as well as factors described in such forward-looking statements; or in Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors, in Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and those identified from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
•Risks relating to the pandemic caused by the spread of the novel strain of coronavirus, specifically identified as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) including impacts to the Company's insurance and product-related, regulatory/legal, recessionary and other global economic, capital and liquidity and operational risks
•Risks Relating to Economic, Political and Global Market Conditions:
◦challenges related to the Company’s current operating environment, including global political, economic and market conditions, and the effect of financial market disruptions, economic downturns, changes in trade regulation including tariffs and other barriers or other potentially adverse macroeconomic developments on the demand for our products and returns in our investment portfolios;
◦market risks associated with our business, including changes in credit spreads, equity prices, interest rates, inflation rate, foreign currency exchange rates and market volatility;
◦the impact on our investment portfolio if our investment portfolio is concentrated in any particular segment of the economy;
◦the impacts of changing climate and weather patterns on our businesses, operations and investment portfolio including on claims, demand and pricing of our products, the availability and cost of reinsurance, our modeling data used to evaluate and manage risks of catastrophes and severe weather events, the value of our investment portfolios and credit risk with reinsurers and other counterparties;
◦the risks associated with the discontinuance of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") on the securities we hold or may have issued, other financial instruments and any other assets and liabilities whose value is tied to LIBOR;
◦the impacts associated with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (“U.K.”) from the European Union (“E.U.”) on our international operations in the U.K. and E.U.
•Insurance Industry and Product-Related Risks:
◦the possibility of unfavorable loss development, including with respect to long-tailed exposures;
◦the significant uncertainties that limit our ability to estimate the ultimate reserves necessary for asbestos and environmental claims;
◦the possibility of another pandemic, civil unrest, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disaster that may adversely affect our businesses;
◦weather and other natural physical events, including the intensity and frequency of storms, hail, wildfires, flooding, winter storms, hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as climate change and its potential impact on weather patterns;
◦the possible occurrence of terrorist attacks and the Company’s inability to contain its exposure as a result of, among other factors, the inability to exclude coverage for terrorist attacks from workers' compensation policies and limitations on reinsurance coverage from the federal government under applicable laws;
◦the Company’s ability to effectively price its property and casualty policies, including its ability to obtain regulatory consents to pricing actions or to non-renewal or withdrawal of certain product lines;
◦actions by competitors that may be larger or have greater financial resources than we do;
◦technological changes, including usage-based methods of determining premiums, advancements in automotive safety features, the development of autonomous vehicles, and platforms that facilitate ride sharing,
◦the Company's ability to market, distribute and provide insurance products and investment advisory services through current and future distribution channels and advisory firms;
◦the uncertain effects of emerging claim and coverage issues;
•Financial Strength, Credit and Counterparty Risks:
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◦risks to our business, financial position, prospects and results associated with negative rating actions or downgrades in the Company’s financial strength and credit ratings or negative rating actions or downgrades relating to our investments;
◦capital requirements which are subject to many factors, including many that are outside the Company’s control, such as National Association of Insurance Commissioners ("NAIC") risk based capital formulas, rating agency capital models, Funds at Lloyd's and Solvency Capital Requirement, which can in turn affect our credit and financial strength ratings, cost of capital, regulatory compliance and other aspects of our business and results;
◦losses due to nonperformance or defaults by others, including credit risk with counterparties associated with investments, derivatives, premiums receivable, reinsurance recoverables and indemnifications provided by third parties in connection with previous dispositions;
◦the potential for losses due to our reinsurers' unwillingness or inability to meet their obligations under reinsurance contracts and the availability, pricing and adequacy of reinsurance to protect the Company against losses;
◦state and international regulatory limitations on the ability of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries to declare and pay dividends;
•Risks Relating to Estimates, Assumptions and Valuations:
◦risk associated with the use of analytical models in making decisions in key areas such as underwriting, pricing, capital management, reserving, investments, reinsurance and catastrophe risk management;
◦the potential for differing interpretations of the methodologies, estimations and assumptions that underlie the Company’s fair value estimates for its investments and the evaluation of intent-to-sell impairments and allowance for credit losses on available-for-sale securities and mortgage loans;
◦the potential for further impairments of our goodwill;
•Strategic and Operational Risks:
◦the Company’s ability to maintain the availability of its systems and safeguard the security of its data in the event of a disaster, cyber or other information security incident or other unanticipated event;
◦the potential for difficulties arising from outsourcing and similar third-party relationships;
◦the risks, challenges and uncertainties associated with capital management plans, expense reduction initiatives and other actions, which may include acquisitions, divestitures or restructurings;
◦risks associated with acquisitions and divestitures, including the challenges of integrating acquired companies or businesses, which may result in our inability to achieve the anticipated benefits and synergies and may result in unintended consequences;
◦difficulty in attracting and retaining talented and qualified personnel, including key employees, such as executives, managers and employees with strong technological, analytical and other specialized skills;
◦the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and defend against claims of infringement;
•Regulatory and Legal Risks:
◦the cost and other potential effects of increased federal, state and international regulatory and legislative developments, including those that could adversely impact the demand for the Company’s products, operating costs and required capital levels;
◦unfavorable judicial or legislative developments;
◦the impact of changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws;
◦regulatory requirements that could delay, deter or prevent a takeover attempt that stockholders might consider in their best interests; and
◦the impact of potential changes in accounting principles and related financial reporting requirements.
Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this document speaks only as of the date of the filing of this Form 10-K. Factors or events that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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Item 1. BUSINESS
(Dollar amounts in millions, except for per share data, unless otherwise stated)
GENERAL
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “The Hartford”, the “Company”, “we”, or “our”) is a holding company for a group of subsidiaries that provide property and casualty ("P&C") insurance, group benefits insurance and services, and mutual funds and exchange-traded products to individual and business customers in the United States as well as in the United Kingdom, continental Europe and other international locations. The Hartford is headquartered in Connecticut and its oldest subsidiary, Hartford Fire Insurance Company, dates back to 1810. At December 31, 2020, total assets and total stockholders’ equity of The Hartford were $74.1 billion and $18.6 billion, respectively.
ORGANIZATION
The Hartford strives to maintain and enhance its position as a market leader within the financial services industry. The Company sells diverse and innovative products through multiple distribution channels to individuals and businesses and is considered a leading property and casualty and employee group benefits insurer. The Hartford Stag logo is one of the most recognized symbols in the financial services industry.
As a holding company, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is separate and distinct from its subsidiaries and has no significant business operations of its own. The holding company relies on the dividends from its insurance companies and other subsidiaries as the principal source of cash flow to meet its obligations, pay dividends and repurchase common stock. Information regarding the cash flow and liquidity needs of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. may be found in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) — Capital Resources and Liquidity.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
The Hartford’s strategy focuses on realizing the full potential of our product capabilities and underwriting expertise, becoming an easier company to do business with, and attracting, retaining and developing the talent needed for long-term success. The Company endeavors to expand its insurance product offerings and distribution and capitalize on the strength of the Company's brand. The Company is also working to increase efficiencies through investments in technology.
In 2020, we were focused on increasing shareholder value through a number of initiatives and investments:
•Integrating the acquisition of The Navigators Group, Inc. (“Navigators Group”) successfully, and maximizing our combined potential by deepening our distribution relationships, capitalizing on a broader product portfolio and meeting a wider array of customer needs.
•Increasing the speed and ease of our interactions and business processes through data, digital technology and voice of customer, including expanded use of robotics and continued enhancements to underwriting and quoting platforms.
•Continuing investment in new products and business models such as Spectrum, our next-generation package offering for small businesses, which offers customers tailored coverage recommendations as well as the ability to customize their own coverage, including real-time quote pricing. We are
investing to maintain market leadership in small commercial as existing competitors and new entrants increase their focus on this business. Through a planned roll out of new automobile and homeowners insurance products for AARP members, we are investing in our Personal Lines segment to return that business to top line growth.
•Improving the employee experience by investing in our workforce and striving to attract, retain and develop the best talent in the industry, enhance our industry-leading position in diversity and inclusion, and sustain our ethical culture. We see the benefits of this commitment in our sustained top-decile employee engagement scores.
•Becoming more cost efficient and competitive along with enhancing the experience we provide to agents and customers through an operational transformation and cost reduction plan we commenced in July 2020 called Hartford Next. Relative to 2019, we expect to achieve a reduction in
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annual insurance operating costs and other expenses of approximately $500 by 2022, reducing the P&C expense ratio by 2.0 to 2.5 points, the Group Benefits expense ratio by 1.5 to 2.0 points and the claims expense ratio by approximately 0.5 points.
2020 Financial Results
Our 2020 financial results were affected by COVID-19 claims and the economic effects of the pandemic that reduced insured exposures in both P&C and Group Benefits, including $278 of direct COVID-19 claims in P&C and $230 of COVID impacts in Group Benefits, principally driven by $239 of excess mortality in the group life business. Apart from these impacts, financial results benefited from favorable non-COVID automobile claim frequency in Personal Lines, a reduction in prior accident year catastrophe reserves, and lower operating expenses. Full year 2020 net income available to common stockholders was $1.7 billion, or $4.76 per diluted share, and net income return on equity ("ROE") was 10%. Book value per diluted share rose 15%, to $50.39, primarily due to net income in excess of common stockholder dividends during 2020 and an increase in common stockholders' equity resulting from the impact of lower interest rates on net unrealized investment gains within AOCI. Total revenues were $20.5 billion, down 1% since 2019 as growth in Commercial Lines, primarily driven by a full year’s earned premium from the Navigators Group acquisition, was more than offset by a change from net realized capital gains in 2019 to net realized capital losses in 2020 as well as the effects of the pandemic, decreasing net investment income and decreasing new business and insured exposures across segments.
We are more than half way through the integration of the Navigators Group business and have significantly improved the profitability of the acquired book of business, through pricing increases and underwriting actions. The cross-sale of business between global specialty and middle & large commercial has been in-line with or better than the expectations we had at the time we acquired Navigators Group. In addition, with the pending sale of the continental Europe operations, the go-forward focus of our international business is principally in the Lloyd's of London ("Lloyd's") market and we expect to continue to improve performance of our Lloyd’s syndicate through pricing and other actions.
Our Group Benefits business has continued to benefit from favorable incidence trends in group disability and, as we emerge from the pandemic, remains well-poised to compete moving forward with a complete set of voluntary product offerings.
We will also continue to address business challenges, including the need to return our Personal Lines segment to top line growth and the continued rate pressure on workers’ compensation in response to continued favorable loss cost trends. In addition, the decline in reinvestment rates will continue to put pressure on investment yields and it remains to be seen whether the market will compensate with higher rate increases to increase underwriting profitability or will accept lower overall returns on equity.
2021 Priorities
As we enter 2021, our strategy remains consistent and we are focused on the following priorities:
•Commercial Lines
–Benefiting from a firm pricing environment in most property and liability lines while navigating continued pricing pressure in workers’ compensation by staying disciplined in our underwriting;
–Leveraging advanced analytics and technologies as well as our product breadth, including expanding cross-sale of global specialty products within small commercial and middle & large commercial;
–Continuing our journey to be a top-tier risk player in middle market;
–Navigating the impacts of broker consolidation and other trends in distribution; and
–Maintaining strong retention and improving new business in small commercial.
•Personal Lines
–Continuing to transform our products and regain competitive momentum through the rollout of our new automobile and homeowners products expected to begin in the first half of 2021; and
–Continuing to drive new business growth in AARP Direct through direct marketing initiatives designed to increase conversion rates.
•Group Benefits
– Continuing to grow revenues through strong sales and persistency which we expect will offset reduced premiums from lower employment due to the effects of COVID-19; and
–Completing implementation of our disability and leave management claims platform, The Hartford Ability Advantage, to enhance the overall customer experience and accommodate the Company’s leave management programs, including new state paid family and medical leave requirements.
•Capital Management
– Continuing to increase book value per share from net income in excess of shareholder dividends with strong profitability from all business lines;
–Returning capital to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends if not deployed for growth or investment opportunities. See Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Capital Resources and Liquidity section for discussion of share repurchase authorization for 2021 and 2022 announced in December 2020; and
–Continuing to ensure adequate capital to withstand adverse economic conditions, including the economic stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, beyond the achievement of business performance goals, The Hartford has long understood that making a sustainable and positive impact on society is an essential element of our ongoing success. Through financial contributions, volunteering and support for our company’s environmental initiatives, we are committed to demonstrating our character to customers and
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neighbors. We have proactive positions on social, environmental and governance issues important to our sustainability, and our capacity to deliver long-term shareholder value. For more information on the Company’s sustainability initiatives, refer to our 2019 Sustainability Highlight Report available on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at https://ir.thehartford.com. For more information on retaining and attracting talent through our diversity and inclusion initiatives, refer to the Human Capital Resources section of Part 1, Item 1.
REPORTING SEGMENTS
The Hartford conducts business principally in five reporting segments including Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds, as well as a Corporate category. The Company includes in the Corporate category discontinued operations related to the life and annuity business sold in May 2018, reserves for run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities, restructuring costs, capital raising activities (including equity financing, debt financing and related interest expense), transaction expenses incurred in connection with an acquisition, purchase accounting adjustments related to goodwill and other expenses not allocated to the reporting segments. Corporate also includes investment management fees and expenses related to managing third party business, including management of the invested assets of Talcott Resolution Life, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Talcott Resolution"). Talcott Resolution is the holding company of the life and annuity business that we sold in May 2018. In addition, Corporate includes a 9.7% ownership interest in the legal entity that acquired the life and annuity business sold.
2020 Revenues of $20,523 by Segment
[1]Includes Revenue of $54 for Property & Casualty Other Operations and $146 for Corporate.
The following discussion describes the principal products and services, marketing and distribution, and competition of The Hartford's reporting segments. For further discussion of the reporting segments, including financial disclosures of revenues by product line, net income (loss), and assets for each reporting segment, see Note 4 - Segment Information of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
| COMMERCIAL LINES | ||
2020 Earned Premiums of $8,910 by Line of Business
2020 Earned Premiums of $8,910 by Product
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Principal Products and Services
| Automobile | Covers damage to a business's fleet of vehicles due to collision or other perils (automobile physical damage). In addition to first party automobile physical damage, commercial automobile covers liability for bodily injuries and property damage suffered by third parties and losses caused by uninsured or under-insured motorists. | ||||
| Property | Covers the building a business owns or leases as well as its personal property, including tools and equipment, inventory, and furniture. A commercial property insurance policy covers losses resulting from fire, wind, hail, earthquake, theft and other covered perils, including coverage for assets such as accounts receivable and valuable papers and records. Commercial property may include specialized equipment insurance, which provides coverage for loss or damage resulting from the mechanical breakdown of boilers and machinery. | ||||
| General Liability | Covers a business in the event it is sued for causing harm to a person and/or damage to property. General liability insurance covers third-party claims arising from accidents occurring on the insured’s premises or arising out of their operations. General liability insurance may also cover losses arising from product liability and provides replacement of lost income due to an event that interrupts business operations. | ||||
| Marine | Encompasses various ocean and inland marine coverages including cargo, craft, hull, specie, transport and liability, among others. | ||||
| Package Business | Covers both property and general liability damages. | ||||
| Workers' Compensation | Covers employers for losses incurred due to employees sustaining an injury, illness or disability in connection with their work. Benefits paid under workers’ compensation policies may include reimbursement of medical care costs, replacement income, compensation for permanent injuries and benefits to survivors. Workers’ compensation is provided under both guaranteed cost policies (coverage for a fixed premium) and loss sensitive policies where premiums are adjustable based on the loss experience of the employer. | ||||
| Professional Liability | Covers liability arising from directors and officers acting in their official capacity and liability for errors and omissions committed by professionals and others. Coverage may also provide employment practices insurance relating to allegations of wrongful termination and discrimination. | ||||
| Bond | Encompasses fidelity and surety insurance, including commercial surety, contract surety and fidelity bonds. Commercial surety includes bonds that insure non-performance by contractors, license and permit bonds to help meet government-mandated requirements and probate and judicial bonds for fiduciaries and civil court proceedings. Contract surety bonds may include payment and performance bonds for contractors. Fidelity bonds may include ERISA bonds related to the handling of retirement plan assets and bonds protecting against employee theft or fraud. The Company also provides credit and political risk insurance offered to clients with global operations. | ||||
| Assumed Reinsurance | Includes assumed reinsurance of property, liability, surety, credit and political, agriculture, and marine risks throughout the world but principally in Europe and North America. | ||||
Through its three lines of business of small commercial, middle & large commercial, and global specialty, Commercial Lines offers its products and services to businesses in the United States ("U.S.") and internationally. Commercial Lines generally consists of products written for small businesses and middle market companies as well as national and multi-national accounts, largely distributed through retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents and global and specialty reinsurance brokers. The majority of Commercial Lines written premium is generated by small commercial and middle market, which provide coverage options and customized pricing based on the policyholder’s individual risk characteristics. Small commercial and middle market lines within middle & large commercial are generally referred to as standard commercial lines.
Small commercial provides coverages for small businesses, which the Company generally considers to be businesses with an annual payroll under $12, revenues under $25 and property values less than $20 per location. Within small commercial, both property and general liability coverages are offered under a single package policy, marketed under the Spectrum name. Small commercial also provides excess and surplus lines coverage to small businesses including umbrella, general liability, property and other coverages.
Middle & large commercial business provides insurance coverages to medium-sized and national accounts businesses, which are companies whose payroll, revenue and property values exceed the small business definition. In addition to offering standard commercial lines products, middle & large commercial
includes program business which provides tailored programs, primarily to customers with common risk characteristics. On national accounts, a significant portion of the business is written through large deductible programs. Other programs written within middle & large commercial are retrospectively-rated where the premiums are adjustable based on loss experience. Also within middle & large commercial, the Company writes captive programs business, which provides tailored programs to those seeking a loss sensitive solution where premiums are adjustable based on loss experience.
Global specialty provides a variety of customized insurance products, including property, liability, marine, professional liability, and bond. On May 23, 2019, the Company acquired Navigators Group, a global specialty insurer. The vast majority of the business written by our Navigators Group insurance subsidiaries is reported in the global specialty business unit. Revenues and earnings of the Navigators Group business are included in operating results of the Company's Commercial Lines segment since the acquisition date. For discussion of this transaction, see Note 2- Business Acquisitions of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Marketing and Distribution
Commercial Lines provides insurance products and services through the Company’s regional offices, branches and sales and policyholder service centers throughout the United States and overseas, principally in Europe. The products are marketed and
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distributed using independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents and global and specialty reinsurance brokers. As the sole corporate member of Lloyd's Syndicate 1221 ("Lloyd's Syndicate"), the Company has the exclusive right to underwrite business up to an approved level of premium in the Lloyd’s market.
In the United States, the independent agent and broker distribution channel is consolidating and this trend is expected to continue. This will likely result in a larger proportion of written premium being concentrated among fewer agents and brokers. In addition, the Company offers insurance products to customers of payroll service providers through its relationships with major national payroll companies in the United States and to members of affinity organizations.
Competition
Small Commercial
In small commercial, The Hartford competes against large national carriers, regional carriers and direct writers. Competitors include stock companies, mutual companies and other underwriting organizations. The small commercial market remains highly competitive and fragmented as carriers seek to differentiate themselves through product expansion, price, enhanced service and leading technology. Larger carriers such as The Hartford continually advance their pricing sophistication and ease of doing business with agents and customers through the use of technology, analytics and other capabilities that improve the process of evaluating a risk, quoting new business and servicing customers. The Company also continuously enhances digital capabilities as customers and distributors demand more access and convenience, and expands product and underwriting capabilities to accommodate both larger accounts and a broader risk appetite. Existing competitors and new entrants, including start-up and non-traditional carriers, are actively looking to expand sales of business insurance products to small businesses through increasing their underwriting appetite, deepening their relationships with distribution partners, and through on-line and direct-to-consumer marketing.
Middle & Large Commercial
Middle & large commercial business is considered “high touch” and involves individual underwriting and pricing decisions. Competition in this market includes stock companies, mutual companies, alternative risk sharing groups and other underwriting organizations. The pricing of middle market and national accounts is prone to significant volatility over time due to changes in individual account characteristics and exposure, as well as legislative and macro-economic forces. National and regional carriers participate in the middle & large commercial insurance sector, resulting in a competitive environment where pricing and policy terms are critical to securing new business and retaining existing accounts. Within this competitive environment, The Hartford is working to deepen its product and underwriting capabilities, leverage its sales and underwriting talent and expand its use of data analytics to make risk selection and pricing decisions. In product development and related areas such as claims and risk engineering, the Company has extended its capabilities in industry verticals, such as energy, construction, technology and life sciences. Through business partners, the Company offers business insurance coverages to exporters and other U.S. companies with a physical presence overseas. The Hartford’s middle & large commercial business will leverage the
investments in product, underwriting, and technology to better match price to individual risk as the firm pursues responsible growth strategies to deliver target returns.
For specialty casualty businesses within middle & large commercial, pricing competition continues to be significant, particularly for the larger individual accounts. As a means to mitigate the cost of insurance on larger accounts, more insureds may opt for loss-sensitive products, including retrospectively rated contracts, in lieu of guaranteed cost policies. Under a retrospectively-rated contract, the ultimate premium collected from the insured is adjusted based on how incurred losses for the policy year develop over time, subject to a minimum and maximum premium.
Global Specialty
Global specialty competes against multi-national insurance and reinsurance companies, writing marine, property, excess casualty, professional liability, bond and assumed reinsurance. Global specialty also includes property coverages written through Maxum Specialty Insurance Group ("Maxum"). Due to adverse loss experience over the past couple of years, particularly in ocean marine, property, excess casualty and international professional liability lines, pricing has increased across the industry in response to those loss cost trends. Nonetheless, the market continues to be highly competitive.
In the bond business, favorable underwriting results in recent years has led to increased competition for market share.
Management and professional lines in both the U.S. and international continue to witness significant firming in price, terms and conditions. Private company market rates remain strong in reflecting the increased employment practices liability insurance ("EPLI") exposure.
Lloyd's Syndicate and London market business have been under financial stress in recent years due to a perceived lack of adequate premium pricing and an excessive focus on growth at the expense of underwriting discipline in those markets, combined with a significant increase in the level of catastrophe activity. As such, syndicates and London market carriers, including The Hartford, are taking pricing and underwriting actions to improve profitability. Lloyd's, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulatory Authority in the U.K., has been implementing changes to improve performance of the syndicates including a more rigorous approach to the approval of syndicate business plans. Additionally Lloyd’s have also introduced recent changes which require that members limit the amount of tier 2 capital (e.g. letters of credit) that can be used to meet syndicate solvency capital requirements. For further discussion, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Capital Resources and Liquidity.
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| PERSONAL LINES | ||
2020 Earned Premiums of $3,008 by Line of Business
2020 Earned Premiums of $3,008 by Product
Principal Products and Services
| Automobile | Covers damage to an individual insured’s own vehicle due to collision or other perils and is referred to as automobile physical damage. In addition to first party automobile physical damage, automobile insurance covers liability for bodily injuries and property damage suffered by third parties and losses caused by uninsured or underinsured motorists. Also, under no-fault laws, policies written in some states provide first party personal injury protection. Some of the Company’s personal automobile insurance policies also offer personal umbrella liability coverage for an additional premium. | ||||
| Homeowners | Insures against losses to residences and contents from fire, wind and other perils. Homeowners insurance includes owned dwellings, rental properties and coverage for tenants. The policies may provide other coverages, including loss related to recreation vehicles or watercraft, identity theft and personal items such as jewelry. | ||||
Personal Lines provides automobile, homeowners and personal umbrella coverages to individuals across the United States, mostly through a program designed exclusively for members of AARP (“AARP Program”). The Hartford's automobile and homeowners products provide coverage options and pricing tailored to a customer's individual risk. The Hartford has individual customer relationships with AARP Program policyholders and, as a group, they represent a significant portion of the total Personal Lines' business. Business sold to AARP members, either direct or through independent agents, amounted to earned premiums of $2.8 billion, $2.9 billion and $3.0 billion in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
The Company is in the process of transforming its automobile and homeowners products to regain competitive advantage with the state-by-state rollout of a new automobile product beginning in March of 2021 and the rollout of a new homeowners product beginning in the second quarter of 2021. Among other things, overall rate levels, price segmentation, rating factors and underwriting procedures are being updated. Personal Lines works with carrier partners to provide risk protection options for
AARP members with needs beyond the company’s current product offering.
Marketing and Distribution
Personal Lines reaches diverse customers through multiple distribution channels, including direct-to-consumer and independent agents. In direct-to-consumer, Personal Lines markets its products through a mix of media, including direct mail, digital marketing, television as well as digital and print advertising. Through the agency channel, Personal Lines provides products and services to customers through a network of independent agents in the standard personal lines market, primarily serving mature, preferred consumers. These independent agents are not employees of the Company.
Personal Lines has made significant investments in offering direct and agency-based customers the opportunity to interact with the company online, including via mobile devices. In addition, its technology platform for telephone sales centers enables sales representatives to provide an enhanced experience for direct-to-consumer customers, positioning the Company to offer unique
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capabilities to AARP’s member base.
Most of Personal Lines' sales are associated with its exclusive licensing arrangement with AARP, with the current agreement in place through December 31, 2032, to market automobile, homeowners and personal umbrella coverages to AARP's approximately 37 million members, primarily direct but also through independent agents. This relationship with AARP, which has been in place since 1984, provides Personal Lines with an important competitive advantage given the increase in the population of those over age 50 and the strength of the AARP brand. In most states, new business automobile and home policies have been issued to AARP members with a lifetime continuation agreement endorsement, providing that the policies will be renewed as long as certain terms are met, such as timely payment of premium and maintaining a driver’s license in good standing. Beginning in 2021, Personal Lines will no longer offer the lifetime continuation agreement on new business home and automobile policies, subject to regulatory approval on a state-by-state basis. The endorsement will remain on renewal policies, provided they were originally written with the lifetime continuation agreement.
In addition to selling to AARP members, Personal Lines offers its automobile and homeowners products to non-AARP customers, primarily through the independent agent channel within select underwriting markets where we believe we have a competitive advantage. Personal Lines leverages its agency channel to target AARP members and other customer segments that value the advice of an independent agent and recognize the differentiated experience the Company provides. In particular, the Company has taken action to distinguish its brand and improve profitability in the independent agent channel with fewer and more highly partnered agents.
Competition
The personal lines automobile and homeowners insurance markets are highly competitive. Personal lines insurance is written by insurance companies of varying sizes that compete
principally on the basis of price, product, service, including claims handling, the insurer's ratings and brand recognition. Companies with strong ratings, recognized brands, direct sales capability and economies of scale will have a competitive advantage. In recent years, insurers have increased their advertising in the direct-to-consumer market, in an effort to gain new business and retain profitable business. The growth of direct-to-consumer sales, including through new entrants to the marketplace, continues to outpace sales in the agency distribution channel.
Insurers that distribute products principally through agency channels compete by offering commissions and additional incentives to attract new business. To distinguish themselves in the marketplace, top tier insurers are offering on-line and self-service capabilities that make it easier for agents and consumers to do business with the insurer. A large majority of agents have been using “comparative rater” tools that allow the agent to compare premium quotes among several insurance companies. The use of comparative rater tools increases price competition. Insurers that are able to capitalize on their brand and reputation, differentiate their products and deliver strong customer service are more likely to be successful in this market.
The use of data mining and predictive modeling is used by more and more carriers to target the most profitable business, and carriers have further segmented their pricing plans to expand market share in what they believe to be the most profitable segments. The Company continues to invest in capabilities to better utilize data and analytics, and thereby, refine and manage underwriting and pricing.
Also, new automobile technology advancements, including lane departure warnings, backup cameras, automatic braking and active collision alerts, are being deployed rapidly and are expected to improve driver safety and reduce the likelihood of vehicle collisions. However, these features include expensive parts, potentially increasing average claim severity.
| PROPERTY & CASUALTY OTHER OPERATIONS | ||
Property & Casualty Other Operations includes certain property and casualty operations, managed by the Company, that have discontinued writing new business and includes substantially all of the Company's pre-1986 asbestos and environmental ("A&E") exposures. For a discussion of coverages provided under policies
written with exposure to A&E prior to 1986, reported within the P&C Other Operations segment (“Run-off A&E”), run-off assumed reinsurance and all other non-A&E exposures, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property & Casualty Insurance Product Reserves.
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| GROUP BENEFITS | ||
2020 Premiums and Fee Income of $5,536
Principal Products and Services
| Group Life | Typically is term life insurance provided in the form of yearly renewable term life insurance. Other life coverages in this category include accidental death and dismemberment and travel accident insurance. | ||||
| Group Disability | Typically comprised of short-term disability, long-term disability, and family leave coverage that pays a percentage of an employee’s salary for a period of time if they are ill or injured and cannot perform the duties of their job or absent from work to care for a family member. Short-term and long-term disability policies have elimination periods that must be satisfied prior to benefit payments. The Company also earns fee income from leave management services and the administration of underwriting, enrollment and claims processing for employer self-funded plans. | ||||
| Other Products | Includes other group coverages such as retiree health insurance, critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity and participant accident coverages. | ||||
Group insurance typically covers an entire group of people under a single contract, most typically the employees of a single employer or members of an association.
Group Benefits provides group life, disability and other group coverages to members of employer groups, associations and affinity groups through direct insurance policies and provides reinsurance to other insurance companies. In addition to employer paid coverages, the segment offers voluntary product coverages which are offered through employee payroll deductions. Group Benefits also offers disability underwriting, administration, and claims processing to self-funded employer plans. In addition, the segment offers a single-company leave management solution, which integrates work absence data from the insurer’s short-term and long-term group disability and workers’ compensation insurance business with its leave management administration services.
Group Benefits generally offers term insurance policies, allowing for the adjustment of rates or policy terms at renewal in order to minimize the adverse effect of market trends, loss costs, declining interest rates and other factors. Policies are typically sold with one, two or three-year rate guarantees depending upon the product and market segment.
Marketing and Distribution
The Group Benefits distribution network is managed through a regional sales office system to distribute its group insurance products and services through a variety of distribution outlets including brokers, consultants, third-party administrators and trade associations. Additionally, the segment has relationships with several private exchanges which offer its products to employer groups.
Competition
Group Benefits competes with numerous insurance companies and financial intermediaries marketing insurance products. In order to differentiate itself, Group Benefits uses its risk management expertise and economies of scale to derive a competitive advantage. Competitive factors include the extent of products offered, price, the quality of customer and claims handling services, and the Company's relationship with third-party distributors and private exchanges. Active price competition continues in the marketplace, resulting in multi-year rate guarantees being offered to customers. Top tier insurers in the marketplace also offer on-line and self-service capabilities to third party distributors and consumers. The relatively large size
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and underwriting capacity of the Group Benefits business provides a competitive advantage over smaller competitors.
Group Benefits' acquisition of Aetna's U.S. group life and disability business further increased its market presence and competitive capabilities through the addition of industry-leading digital technology and an integrated absence management and claims platform.
Additionally, as employers continue to focus on reducing the cost of employee benefits, we expect more companies to offer voluntary products paid for by employees. Competitive factors affecting the sale of voluntary products include the breadth of products, product education, enrollment capabilities and overall customer service.
In addition to providing group disability, leave management and life insurance, we offer integrated claim, leave and benefits administration with The Hartford's Ability Advantage platform. We also offer voluntary products including critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity coverage to employees through our Employee Choice Benefits programs, and travel accident coverage for employers and other organizations. The Company's enhanced enrollment and marketing tools, such as My Tomorrow©, are providing additional opportunities to educate individual participants about supplementary benefits and deepen their knowledge about product selection.
| HARTFORD FUNDS | ||
Hartford Funds Segment Assets Under Management ("AUM") of $139,436 as of December 31, 2020
Mutual Fund AUM as of December 31, 2020
Principal Products and Services
| Mutual Funds | Includes approximately 70 actively managed mutual funds across a variety of asset classes including domestic and international equity, fixed income, and multi-strategy investments, principally subadvised by two unaffiliated institutional asset management firms that have comprehensive global investment capabilities. | ||||
| ETP | Includes a suite of exchange-traded products (“ETP”) traded on the New York Stock Exchange that is comprised of multi-factor and actively managed fixed income exchange-traded funds ("ETF"). Multi-factor ETF’s are designed to track indices using both active and passive investment techniques that strive to improve performance relative to traditional capitalization weighted indices. | ||||
| Talcott Resolution life and annuity separate accounts | Relates to assets of the life and annuity business sold in May 2018 that are still managed by the Company's Hartford Funds segment. | ||||
The Hartford Funds segment provides investment management, administration, product distribution and related services to investors through a diverse set of investment products in domestic and international markets. Hartford Funds' comprehensive range of products and services assist clients in achieving their desired investment objectives. AUM are separated into three distinct categories referred to as mutual funds, ETP and Talcott Resolution life and annuity separate
accounts, which relate to the life and annuity business sold in May 2018. The Hartford Funds segment will continue to manage the mutual fund assets of Talcott Resolution, though these assets are expected to continue to decline over time.
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Marketing and Distribution
Our funds and ETPs are sold through national and regional broker-dealer organizations, independent financial advisers, defined contribution plans, financial consultants, bank trust groups and registered investment advisers. Our distribution team is organized to sell primarily in the United States. The investment products for Talcott Resolution are not actively distributed.
Competition
The investment management industry is mature and highly competitive. Firms are differentiated by investment performance,
range of products offered, brand recognition, financial strength, proprietary distribution channels, quality of service and level of fees charged relative to quality of investment products. The Hartford Funds segment competes with a large number of asset management firms and other financial institutions and differentiates itself through superior fund performance, product breadth, strong distribution and competitive fees. In recent years demand for lower cost passive investment strategies has outpaced demand for actively managed strategies and has taken market share from active managers.
| CORPORATE | ||
The Company includes in the Corporate category investment management fees and expenses related to managing third party business, including management of the invested assets of Talcott Resolution, reserves for run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities, restructuring costs, capital raising activities (including equity financing, debt financing and related interest expense), transaction expenses incurred in connection with an acquisition, purchase accounting adjustments related to goodwill and other expenses not allocated to the reporting segments.
Additionally, included in the Corporate category are discontinued operations from the Company's life and annuity business sold in May 2018 and a 9.7% ownership interest in the legal entity that acquired this business. The operating results of the life and annuity business are included in discontinued operations for all periods prior to the closing date.
RESERVES
Total Reserves as of December 31, 2020 [1]
[1]Includes reserves for future policy benefits and other policyholder funds and benefits payable of $638 and $701, respectively, of which $420 and $415, respectively, relate to the Group Benefits segment with the remainder related to run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreements within Corporate.
The reserve for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses includes a liability for unpaid losses, including those that have been incurred but not yet reported, as well as estimates of all expenses associated with processing and settling these insurance claims, including reserves related to both Property & Casualty and Group Benefits.
Total Property & Casualty Reserves as of December 31, 2020
Further discussion of The Hartford’s property and casualty insurance product reserves, including run-off asbestos and environmental claims reserves within P&C Other Operations, may be found in Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Critical Accounting Estimates — Property and Casualty Insurance Product Reserves. Additional discussion may be found in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, including in the Company’s accounting policies for insurance product reserves within Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies and in Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Total Group Benefits Reserves for Future Policy Benefits and Other Policyholder Funds and Benefits Payable as of December 31, 2020 [1]
[1]Includes short duration contract reserves of $121 of short-term disability and $36 of supplemental health as well as reserves for future policy benefits that includes $307 of paid up life reserves and policy reserves on life policies, $99 of reserves for conversions to individual life and $14 of other reserves.
Other policyholder funds and benefits payable represent deposits from policyholders where the company does not have insurance risk but is subject to investment risk. Reserves for future policy benefits represent life-contingent reserves for which the company is subject to insurance and investment risk.
Discussion of The Hartford's Group Benefits long-term disability reserves may be found in Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Critical Accounting Estimates — Group Benefits Long-term Disability ("LTD") Reserves, Net of Reinsurance. Additional discussion may be found in Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
UNDERWRITING FOR P&C AND GROUP BENEFITS
The Company underwrites the risks it insures in order to manage exposure to loss through favorable risk selection and diversification. Risk modeling is used to manage, within specified limits, the aggregate exposure taken in each line of business and across the Company. For property and casualty business, aggregate exposure limits are set by geographic zone and peril. Products are priced according to the risk characteristics of the insured’s exposures. Rates charged for Personal Lines products are filed with the states in which we write business. Rates for Commercial Lines products are also filed with the states but the premium charged may be modified based on the insured’s relative risk profile and workers’ compensation policies may be subject to modification based on prior loss experience. Pricing for Group Benefits products, including long-term disability and life insurance, is also based on an underwriting of the risks and a
projection of estimated losses, including consideration of investment income.
Pricing adequacy depends on a number of factors, including the ability to obtain regulatory approval for rate changes, proper evaluation of underwriting risks, the ability to project future loss cost frequency and severity based on historical loss experience adjusted for known trends, the Company’s response to rate actions taken by competitors, its expense levels and expectations about regulatory and legal developments. The Company seeks to price its insurance policies such that insurance premiums and future net investment income earned on premiums received will cover underwriting expenses and the ultimate cost of paying claims reported on the policies and provide for a profit margin. For many of its insurance products, the Company is required to obtain approval for its premium rates from state insurance departments and the Lloyd's Syndicate's ability to write business is subject to Lloyd's approval for its premium capacity each year.
Geographic Distribution of Earned Premium (% of total)
| Location | Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Group Benefits | Total | ||||||||||
| California | 7 | % | 2 | % | 3 | % | 12 | % | ||||||
| New York | 6 | % | 1 | % | 2 | % | 9 | % | ||||||
| Texas | 4 | % | 1 | % | 2 | % | 7 | % | ||||||
| Florida | 3 | % | 1 | % | 1 | % | 5 | % | ||||||
| All other [1] | 32 | % | 12 | % | 23 | % | 67 | % | ||||||
| Total | 52 | % | 17 | % | 31 | % | 100 | % | ||||||
[1] No other single state or country accounted for 5% or more of the Company's consolidated earned premium in 2020.
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION FOR P&C AND GROUP BENEFITS
Claims administration includes the functions associated with the receipt of initial loss notices, claims adjudication and estimates, legal representation for insureds where appropriate, establishment of case reserves, payment of losses and notification to reinsurers. These activities are performed by approximately 6,600 claim professionals handling 50 states, Washington D.C and 2 international locations, organized to meet the specific claim service needs for our various product offerings. Our combined workers’ compensation and Group Benefits units enable us to leverage synergies for improved outcomes.
Claim payments for benefit, loss and loss adjustment expenses are the largest expenditure for the Company.
REINSURANCE
For discussion of reinsurance, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Enterprise Risk Management and Note 9 - Reinsurance of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Hartford Investment Management Company (“HIMCO”) is an SEC registered investment advisor and manages the Company's investment operations. HIMCO provides customized investment strategies for The Hartford's investment portfolio, as well as for The Hartford's pension plan and institutional clients. In connection with the life and annuity business sold in May 2018, HIMCO entered into an agreement for an initial five year term to manage the invested assets of Talcott Resolution.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the fair value of HIMCO’s total assets under management was approximately $106.1 billion and $98.0 billion, respectively, including $45.9 billion and $42.4 billion, respectively, that were held in HIMCO managed third party accounts and $4.6 billion and $4.1 billion, respectively, that support the Company's pension and other post-retirement benefit plans.
Management of The Hartford's Investment Portfolio
HIMCO manages the Company's investment portfolios to maximize economic value and generate the returns necessary to support The Hartford’s various product obligations, within internally established objectives, guidelines and risk tolerances. The portfolio objectives and guidelines are developed based upon the asset/liability profile, including duration, convexity and other characteristics within specified risk tolerances. The risk tolerances considered include, but are not limited to, asset sector, credit issuer allocation limits, and maximum portfolio limits for below investment grade holdings. The Company attempts to minimize adverse impacts to the portfolio and the Company’s results of operations from changes in economic conditions through asset diversification, asset allocation limits, asset/liability duration matching and the use of derivatives. For further discussion of HIMCO’s portfolio management approach, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Enterprise Risk Management.
The Hartford's Investment Portfolio of $56.5 billion as of December 31, 2020
ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company has insurance, operational and financial risks. For discussion on how The Hartford manages these risks, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management.
REGULATION
State and Foreign Insurance Laws
State insurance laws are intended to supervise and regulate insurers with the goal of protecting policyholders and ensuring the solvency of the insurers. As such, the insurance laws and regulations grant broad authority to state insurance departments (“Departments”) to oversee and regulate the business of insurance. The Departments monitor the financial stability of an insurer by requiring insurers to maintain certain solvency standards and minimum capital and surplus requirements; invested asset requirements; state deposits of securities; guaranty fund premiums; restrictions on the size of risks which may be insured under a single policy; and adequate reserves and other necessary provisions for unearned premiums, unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses and other liabilities, both reported and unreported. In addition, the Departments perform periodic market and financial examinations of insurers and require insurers to file annual and other reports on the financial condition of the companies. Policyholder protection is also regulated by the Departments through licensing of insurers, sales employees, agents and brokers and others; approval of premium rates and policy forms; claims administration requirements; and maintenance of minimum rates for accumulation of surrender values.
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Many states also have laws regulating insurance holding company systems. These laws require insurance companies, which are formed and chartered in the state ( “Domestic Insurers”), to register with the state department of insurance (referred to as their “domestic state or regulator”) and file information concerning the operations of companies within the holding company system that may materially affect the operations, management or financial condition of the insurers within the system. Insurance holding company regulations principally relate to (i) state insurance approval of the acquisition of Domestic Insurers, (ii) prior review or approval of certain transactions between the domestic insurer and its affiliates, and (iii) regulation of dividends made by the domestic insurer. All transactions within a holding company system affecting Domestic Insurers must be determined to be fair and equitable.
The NAIC, the organization that works to promote standardization of best practices and assists state insurance regulatory authorities and insurers, conducted the “Solvency Modernization Initiative” (the “Solvency Initiative”). The effort focused on reviewing the U.S. financial regulatory system and financial regulation affecting insurance companies including capital requirements, corporate governance and risk management, group supervision, statutory accounting and financial reporting and reinsurance. As a result of the Solvency Initiative, the NAIC adopted model regulations, adopted by the Company’s lead regulator of Connecticut, requiring insurers to file disclosures annually on their risk management and corporate governance practices under the Corporate Governance Annual Disclosure Model Act, Risk Management and Own Risk and Solvency Assessment Model Act ("ORSA") and Holding Company Act Enterprise Risk Report.
The extent of financial services regulation on business outside the United States varies significantly among the countries in which The Hartford operates. Foreign financial services providers in certain countries are faced with greater restrictions than domestic competitors domiciled in that particular jurisdiction. In addition, an insurance company underwriting risks through the Lloyd’s market utilizes a special vehicle (the Lloyd's Syndicate) and is required to comply with Lloyd’s capital requirements. Lloyd’s determines the amount of capital, known as Funds at Lloyd’s (“FAL”), that each Syndicate has to provide in order to support the amount and the level of risk (as determined by Lloyd’s) of the business which the Syndicate is expected to underwrite. Under Solvency II, insurers are required to hold a sufficient level of capital. Syndicates seeking to utilize letters of credit or other third party guarantees to meet Solvency II requirements must first obtain approval from the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Federal and State Securities and Financial Regulation Laws
The Company sells and distributes its mutual funds through a broker dealer subsidiary, and is subject to regulation promulgated and enforced by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the SEC and/or, in some instances, state securities administrators. Other subsidiaries operate as investment advisers registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers’ Act of 1940, as amended, and are registered as investment advisers under certain state laws, as applicable. Because federal and state laws and regulations are primarily intended to protect investors in
securities markets, they generally grant regulators broad rulemaking and enforcement authority. Some of these regulations include, among other things, regulations impacting sales methods, trading practices, suitability of investments, use and safekeeping of customers’ funds, corporate governance, capital, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.
Failure to comply with federal and state laws and regulations may result in fines, the issuance of cease-and-desist orders or suspension, termination or limitation of the activities of our operations and/or our employees.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
We rely on a combination of contractual rights and copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret laws to establish and protect our intellectual property.
We have a trademark portfolio that we consider important in the marketing of our products and services, including, among others, the trademarks of The Hartford name, the Stag Logo and the combination of these two trademarks. The duration of trademark registrations may be renewed indefinitely subject to country-specific use and registration requirements. We regard our trademarks as highly valuable assets in marketing our products and services and vigorously seek to protect them against infringement. In addition, we own a number of patents and patent applications relating to on-line quoting, insurance related processing, insurance telematics, proprietary interface platforms, and other matters, some of which may be important to our business operations. Patents are of varying duration depending on filing date, and will typically expire at the end of their natural term.
HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES
The Hartford has approximately 18,500 employees as of December 31, 2020.
Management, including the CEO and Chief Human Resources Officer ("CHRO"), establishes the hiring and compensation practices for our company. The Board is periodically updated on key employee engagement and employee relations measures, including our annual employee survey results. In addition, the Board’s Compensation and Management Development Committee (“Compensation Committee”) is responsible for approving compensation paid to senior leaders, and the oversight of succession planning, pay equity practices, and diversity and inclusion ("D&I") initiatives. Our Human Resources team, led by our CHRO, supports the Compensation Committee in the execution of its responsibilities. In addition to the day-to-day support and counseling they provide to our leaders, managers and employees, the Human Resources team also monitors key indicators to keep a pulse on trends across our employee population including employee engagement, employee relations matters, career mobility, talent acquisition, and retention.
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Talent Attraction, Retention and Development
The Hartford prioritizes building a diverse workforce and an inclusive and equitable work environment where employees are respected, inspired to perform at their best, and are recognized for their contributions. We believe that the combination of a diverse workforce and an operating culture that actively embraces different experiences, perspectives and insights results in better decisions, outcomes and experiences for both our customers and employees. We persistently work to improve the employee experience in support of our continuing strategic objective to attract, retain and develop the best talent in the industry.
Our commitment to a robust talent pool starts at the top. The Board of Directors engages with the Compensation Committee annually to review executive level talent, consider key pipeline talent and conduct succession planning. In addition, our leadership team conducts a comprehensive annual Talent Review process across our organization each year.
In 2020, we achieved top decile employee engagement and performance enablement scores as measured by an independent third party survey through continued focus on leadership development, communications, talent management and diversity and inclusion.
To keep pace with the evolving expectations of employees and external candidates, we focus on a broad array of actions, including:
•Providing career growth and development opportunities by enhancing our talent management systems, including succession planning, executive recruitment, training, development and retention strategies; and
•Holding leaders accountable for their talent decisions and measuring progress with a Diversity Talent Mobility Scorecard, reviewed quarterly by the CEO and executive leadership team.
For entry-level roles in the organization, we recruit at colleges and universities, partner with both internal and external recruiters, and offer a range of training and development programs, including:
•The Hartford’s Leadership Development program which provides curriculum to enhance leadership skill sets for all – from first-time leaders through our executive ranks;
•The Hartford’s Apprenticeship Program which prepares students for careers in insurance; and
•Our HartCode Academy Developer Training Program which provides employees with IT application development skills, providing a pipeline of diverse IT talent from across the Company.
Pay and Benefits
Compensation and Pay Equity
We offer competitive pay and benefits to our employees, with a performance-based, variable compensation structure making up a larger share of the total compensation paid to executives and senior leaders in the organization. Variable compensation
includes an annual bonus plan and long-term incentive awards. Annual bonus payouts are informed by whether the Company achieves core earnings above or below a target level that is determined from the annual operating plan set at the beginning of each year and reviewed and approved by the Compensation Committee. Long-term incentive awards include restricted stock units, performance shares and, for the most senior executives, stock options. Additional information about The Hartford’s variable compensation programs is provided in the Company’s Proxy Statement.
To help ensure pay equity, we use an independent third party compensation specialist firm to conduct statistical pay equity analyses for our U.S. employees three times per year – before, during and after the annual compensation planning cycle. This analysis enables us to identify unexplained pay disparities, conduct additional research to determine reasons for these differences and take appropriate actions to address the shortfall if necessary.
The Compensation Committee is updated annually on our compensation equity processes and status.
The Hartford also engages in a number of additional practices to ensure pay fairness, including:
•Centralized compensation function ensuring consistent programs and practices across the enterprise;
•Enterprise-wide framework providing a uniform approach to evaluating and aligning roles and compensation levels based on job responsibilities, market competitiveness, strategic importance of the role, and other relevant factors;
•Prohibition against asking external job applicants for current or historical compensation information;
•Requirement to consider each employee’s experience, proficiency, and performance when making individual compensation decisions;
•Training for managers and human resources business partners on performance assessment and compensation planning; and
•Multiple levels of review and approval required for all compensation decisions.
We are committed to our extensive, long-standing policies and practices to ensure fair pay across the organization, while also staying attuned to external best practices and insights, and leveraging input from subject matter experts. We evaluate our performance every year, and as markets and talent pools shift over time we work to evolve our practices accordingly.
Employee Health and Wellness
The Hartford offers a comprehensive benefits package and award-winning wellness programs to help our employees live healthy lives and achieve their full potential. Our extensive benefits include:
•Medical plan options;
•Dental and vision coverage options;
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•401(k) plan with company contribution and employee match;
•Paid time off ("PTO") with at least 19 days of annual eligibility to start;
•Paid holidays;
•Flexible work schedules, including remote work arrangements;
•Tuition reimbursement;
•Family medical leave;
•Parental leave;
•Adoption support program;
•Organ and bone marrow donation leave policy; and
•Employee assistance program.
The Company also offers a medical advocacy program and well-being programs including nutrition counseling, weight management, sleep improvement, fitness reimbursement, and more.
COVID-19 Response
In response to COVID-19, the Company implemented a number of mitigation strategies to protect the health and safety or our employees while also addressing potential operational impacts.
The company enhanced employee benefit offerings including:
•Free coverage for COVID-19 testing and treatment;
•Virtual and telehealth visits for non-COVID-19 and behavioral health visits;
•Flexibility for COVID-19-related withdrawals from the 401(k) plan;
•Educational webinars on COVID-19 and related family support topics;
•Employee support through our Corporate, Health & Well-being team comprised of healthcare professionals to identify, isolate, and support employees with potential COVID-19 exposure; and
•Increased focus on mental health support and increased communication about our Employee Assistance Program ("EAP") and other resources available to employees and their families.
In addition to these enhancements to the Company’s employee benefits program, several additional actions were taken to protect employees and sustain business operations:
•Activated our cross-functional Crisis Management Team ("CMT") comprised of representatives from across the enterprise;
•Published a COVID-19 employee resource site and 24/7 COVID-19 hotline to communicate the Company's efforts to protect employees and sustain business operations;
•Rapidly enabled 95% of employees to work from home with no material impacts to operations;
•Provided guidance to help managers navigate employee engagement and retention challenges including the unprecedented impact of remote school on working parents;
•Strengthened our technology infrastructure and expanded capabilities for accessing the Company’s network remotely;
•Reconfigured our physical plant to help ensure the safety of our essential workers who needed to access our offices;
•Launched an employee health screening application to keep our offices safe; and
•Actively worked with sourcing partners to ensure they implemented their business continuity plans.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Hartford seeks to be an insurance industry leader in promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace, enabling us to attract and leverage top talent to meet our business goals in an increasingly diverse environment. We are committed to ethical conduct and a bias-free workplace for all employees as we continue building, enhancing and sustaining an inclusive supportive culture that reflects the diversity of our customer base.
We continue to invest in and accelerate a wide range of strategies to improve representation of talent that’s demographically underrepresented in the insurance industry, including targeted initiatives to improve the representation of women and people of color, and training to help employees understand, identify and mitigate bias.
In support of diversity, equity and inclusion, The Hartford maintains long-term aspirational goals for representation of women and people of color at the leadership level, which are disclosed in our annual Sustainability Highlight Report.
The Company has also created and adopted individualized business plans and D&I goals for each business and functional area. Progress is evaluated and considered as part of the performance assessment process.
The Board of Directors is updated annually on the Company’s D&I efforts.
For more information on the Company’s human capital including our commitments, goals, initiatives and progress, as well as our employee demographics, refer to The Hartford’s Sustainability Highlight Report available on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at: https://ir.thehartford.com. The Hartford’s 2020 Sustainability Highlight Report is expected to be published prior to the Company’s annual meeting in May 2021.
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AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company’s Internet address is www.thehartford.com. Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports are available, without charge, on the investor relations section of our website, https://ir.thehartford.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Reports filed with the SEC may be viewed at www.sec.gov. References in this report to our website address are provided only as a convenience and do not constitute, and should not be viewed as, an incorporation by reference of the information contained on, or available through, the website. Therefore, such information should not be considered part of this report.
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
In deciding whether to invest in The Hartford, you should carefully consider the following risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity and could also impact the trading price of our securities. These risks are not exclusive, and additional risks to which we are subject include, but are not limited to, the factors mentioned under “Forward-Looking Statements” above and the risks of our businesses described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following risk factors have been organized by category for ease of use, however many of the risks may have impacts in more than one category. The occurrence of certain of them may, in turn, cause the emergence or exacerbate the effect of others. Such a combination could materially increase the severity of the impact of these risks on our business, results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
The pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19 has disrupted our operations and may have a material adverse impact on our business results, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity.
The global spread of COVID-19 has created significant market volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity will depend on future developments which are highly uncertain and cannot be easily predicted including: the duration and scope of the pandemic; the effectiveness of vaccines; the length of time it takes to administer vaccines to the population; new variants of the Coronavirus which may impact the severity of the pandemic; and the actions taken to contain or treat its impact. Additional uncertainty exists regarding governmental, business and individual actions that have been and may continue to be taken in response to the pandemic; the impact of the pandemic on economic activity and actions taken in response; potential legislative, regulatory, and judicial responses to the pandemic pertaining specifically to insurance underwriting and claims; the effect on our customers and customers’ demand for our products; our ability to sell our products and our ability to use historical experience to assist our
decision making in areas including underwriting, pricing, capital management and investments.
Below are several key effects of COVID-19 on the Company’s business results, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity:
•Insurance and Product Related Risk - The Company may continue to incur increased loss costs under insurance policies that we have written including for workers’ compensation, group life insurance, short-term disability, general liability, surety, director and officer liability, and employment practices liability, as well as property business. We may continue to be required to pay workers’ compensation claims for lost wages and medical costs associated with COVID-19, if claims are determined to be occupationally related to the work of the insured’s employees.
In addition, the Company’s Group Benefits business has issued group life policies to employers and associations, which may continue to result in increased death claims due to COVID-19 mortality. We may also continue to experience higher short-term disability and paid family leave claims from employees and covered individuals who have been affected by COVID-19.
Under general liability or umbrella policies, we may have exposure to increased claims for indemnification from our insureds who may be found liable for negligently having exposed third parties to COVID-19 at a place of business, home or other premise. In our commercial surety lines, there is the potential for elevated frequency and severity due to an increase in the number of bankruptcies, especially in small businesses and impacted industries such as hospitality, entertainment and transportation. In construction surety, there is the potential for elevated losses if contractors experience project shutdowns or payment delays, which could negatively impact their cash flows, or result in disruptions in their supply chains, labor shortages or inflation in the cost of materials. We may also have increased allegations under director and officer and employment practices liability policies for inadequate disclosures,
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mismanagement of resources, and hiring/lay off actions relating to COVID-19.
Nearly all of our property insurance policies require direct physical loss or damage to property and contain standard exclusions that we believe preclude coverage for COVID-19 related claims, and the vast majority of such policies contain exclusions for virus-related losses. Nevertheless, the Company and certain of its writing companies have been served as defendants in lawsuits seeking insurance coverage under commercial insurance policies for alleged losses resulting from the shutdown or suspension of our insureds’ businesses due to the spread of COVID-19. While the Company and its subsidiaries deny the allegations and intend to defend vigorously and while virtually none of the plaintiffs have submitted proofs of loss or otherwise quantified or factually supported any allegedly covered loss, it is possible that adverse outcomes, if any, in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated operating results.
Further, some of the brokers and agents we do business with could have their operations affected by COVID-19 making it more difficult for us to conduct business.
•Regulatory/Legal Risk - We also cannot predict how legal and regulatory responses to concerns about COVID-19 and related public health issues will impact our business, including the possible extension of insurance coverage beyond our policy language, such as for business interruption, civil authority and other claims. Further, policyholders may elect to litigate coverage issues which would lead to increased costs to the Company. For additional information on legislative and regulatory risks, see Part I, Item 2, MD&A - Capital Resources and Liquidity, Contingencies, Legislative and Regulatory Developments.
•Recessionary and other Global Economic Risk - As a result of COVID-19 containment efforts, many business operations, including many of the Company’s insureds, have either been shut down or significantly curtailed for an uncertain period of time. Due to the economic downturn, we could continue to see increased policy lapses and non-renewals and reduced demand for new business. In addition, employers have reduced and may continue to reduce their work forces, resulting in lower premiums for the Company’s workers’ compensation and group benefit products. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic stress may continue to contribute to lower earned premiums, and reduced net investment income due to lower reinvestment rates. In response to the economic downturn, central banks have reduced benchmark interest rates to near zero.
In addition, the Company could experience credit losses on various asset balances, including receivables and the principal amount of various invested assets, including fixed maturities and mortgage loans. In addition to credit losses on invested assets, The Company could experience declines in the value of available for sale debt securities if credit spreads were to widen significantly, which would reduce shareholders’ equity. The economic impacts of COVID-19 could also result in higher reinsurance costs and/or more limited availability of reinsurance coverage. Reinsurance treaties renewed by the Company subsequent to July 1,
2020 exclude coverage for losses arising from communicable diseases.
Also, market volatility may cause us to change our existing hedging strategies resulting in economic loss. As markets become less liquid and/or experience lower trading volumes, it may be more difficult to value certain investment securities that we hold. Additionally, the Company may determine that an impairment has occurred when assessing its goodwill and other intangible assets, which would result in reduced earnings in the period that the impairment is recorded.
•Capital and Liquidity Risk - We may also experience liquidity pressures including the need to provide additional capital to certain insurance subsidiaries, reductions in the amount of available dividend capacity from our subsidiaries and the need to post more collateral due to declining investment valuations or due to requirements under derivative agreements. Further, among other possible actions, we may choose not to repurchase shares and may decide to invest proceeds from maturing fixed maturities in short-term investments which earn lower returns.
•Operational Risk - The Company also faces operational risks as a result of COVID-19. The Company has limited the number of employees working in its offices, resulting in the vast majority of employees working from home. While the Company has the technology in place to enable this arrangement and to facilitate communication with insureds, intermediaries, claimants and other third parties, there is a risk that business operations will be disrupted due to, among other things, cybersecurity attacks or data security incidents, higher than anticipated web traffic and call volumes as well as lack of sufficient broadband internet connectivity for employees and third parties working from home. If those disruptions become significant, it could result in, among other impacts, delays in settling claims, processing new business, renewals, cancellations and endorsements for insureds, billing and collecting premiums, transacting with reinsurers, contracting with and paying vendors, and disruptions to investment operations.
We rely on vendors, including some located overseas, for a number of services including IT development, IT maintenance support and various business processes, including, among others, certain claims administration, policy administration, and other operational functions. As the COVID-19 virus has affected virtually all parts of the world, our vendors could also experience disruptions to their operations and while we have contingency plans for some level of disruption, there can be no assurance that issues vendors experience with their business processes would not have a material effect on our own operations.
For all of the reasons discussed above, the global public health and economic impacts caused by the COVID 19 pandemic could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
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Risks Relating to Economic, Political and Global Market Conditions
Unfavorable economic, political and global market conditions may adversely impact our business and results of operations.
The Company’s investment portfolio and insurance liabilities are sensitive to changes in economic, political and global capital market conditions, such as the effect of a weak economy and changes in credit spreads, equity prices, interest rates, inflation, foreign currency exchange rates, and shifts in demand and supply of U.S. dollars. Weak economic conditions, such as high unemployment, low labor force participation, lower family income, a weak real estate market, lower business investment and lower consumer spending may adversely affect the demand for insurance and financial products and lower the Company’s profitability in some cases. In addition, political instability, politically motivated violence or civil unrest, may increase the frequency and severity of insured losses. In addition, a deterioration in global economic conditions and/or geopolitical conditions, including due to military action, trade wars, tariffs or other actions with respect to international trade agreements or policies, has the potential to, among other things, reduce demand for our products, reduce exposures we insure, drive higher inflation that could increase the Company’s loss costs and result in increased incidence of claims, particularly for workers’ compensation and disability claims. The Company’s investment portfolio includes limited partnerships and other alternative investments and equity securities for which changes in value are reported in earnings. These investments may be adversely impacted by economic volatility, including real estate market deterioration, which could impact our net investment returns and result in an adverse impact on operating results.
Below are several key factors impacted by changes in economic, political, and global market conditions and their potential effect on the Company’s business and results of operations:
•Credit Spread Risk - Credit spread exposure is reflected in the market prices of fixed income instruments where lower rated securities generally trade at a higher credit spread. If issuer credit spreads increase or widen, the market value of our investment portfolio may decline. If the credit spread widening is significant and occurs over an extended period of time, the Company may recognize credit losses, resulting in decreased earnings. If credit spreads tighten significantly, the Company’s net investment income associated with new purchases of fixed maturities may be reduced. In addition, the value of credit derivatives under which the Company assumes exposure or purchases protection are impacted by changes in credit spreads, with losses occurring when credit spreads widen for assumed exposure or when credit spreads tighten if credit protection has been purchased.
•Equity Markets Risk - A decline in equity markets may result in unrealized capital losses on investments in equity securities recorded against net income and lower earnings
from Hartford Funds where fee income is earned based upon the fair value of the assets under management. Equity markets are unpredictable. In the past few years, equity markets have been volatile, which could be indicative of a greater risk of a decline. For additional information on equity market sensitivity, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk- Equity Risk.
•Interest Rate Risk - Global economic conditions may result in the persistence of a low interest rate environment which would continue to pressure our net investment income and could result in lower margins on certain products. For additional information on interest rate sensitivity, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk - Interest Rate Risk
New and renewal business for our property and casualty and group benefits products is priced considering prevailing interest rates. As interest rates decline, in order to achieve the same economic return, we would have to increase product prices to offset the lower anticipated investment income earned on invested premiums. Conversely, as interest rates rise, pricing targets will tend to decrease to reflect higher anticipated investment income. Our ability to effectively react to such changes in interest rates may affect our competitiveness in the marketplace, and in turn, could reduce written premium and earnings. For additional information on interest rate sensitivity, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk - Interest Rate Risk.
In addition, due to the long-term nature of the liabilities within our Group Benefits operations, particularly for long-term disability, declines in interest rates over an extended period of time would result in our having to reinvest at lower yields. On the other hand, a rise in interest rates, in the absence of other countervailing changes, would reduce the market value of our investment portfolio. A decline in market value of invested assets due to an increase in interest rates could also limit our ability to realize tax benefits from recognized capital losses.
•Inflation Risk - Inflation is a risk to our property and casualty business because, in many cases, claims are paid out many years after a policy is written and premium is collected for the risk. Accordingly, a greater than expected increase in inflation related to the cost of medical services and repairs over the claim settlement period can result in higher claim costs than what was estimated at the time the policy was written. Inflation can also affect consumer spending and business investment which can reduce the demand for our products and services.
•Foreign Currency Exchange Rate - Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may impact our non-U.S. dollar denominated investments and foreign subsidiaries. As the Company has expanded its international operations, exposure to exchange rate fluctuations has increased. We hold cash and fixed maturity securities denominated in foreign currencies, including British Pounds and Canadian dollars, among others, and also have other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies such as premiums receivable and loss reserves. While the Company predominately uses asset-liability matching, including the use of derivatives, to hedge certain of these exposures to
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fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, these actions do not eliminate the risk that changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies to the U.S. dollar could result in financial loss to the Company, including realized or unrealized capital losses resulting from currency revaluation and increases to regulatory capital requirements for foreign subsidiaries that have net assets that are not denominated in their local currency. For additional information on foreign exchange risk, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk.
Concentration of our investment portfolio increases the potential for significant losses.
The concentration of our investment portfolios in any particular industry, collateral type, group of related industries or geographic sector could have an adverse effect on our investment portfolios and consequently on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity. Events or developments that have a negative impact on any particular industry, collateral type, group of related industries or geographic region may have a greater adverse effect on our investment portfolio to the extent that the portfolio is concentrated rather than diversified.
Further, if issuers of securities or loans we hold are acquired, merge or otherwise consolidate with other issuers of securities or loans held by the Company, our investment portfolio’s credit concentration risk to issuers could increase for a period of time, until the Company is able to sell securities to get back in compliance with the established investment credit policies.
Changing climate and weather patterns may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.
Climate change presents risks to us as an insurer, investor and employer. Climate models indicate that rising temperatures will likely result in rising sea levels over the decades to come and may increase the frequency and intensity of natural catastrophes and severe weather events. Extreme weather events such as abnormally high temperatures may result in increased losses associated with our property, auto, workers’ compensation and group benefits businesses. Changing climate patterns may also increase the duration, frequency and intensity of heat/cold waves, which may result in increased claims for property damage, business interruption and losses under workers’ compensation, group disability and group life coverages. Precipitation patterns across the U.S. are projected to change, which if realized, may increase risks of flash floods and wildfires. Additionally, there may be an impact on the demand, price and availability of automobile and homeowners insurance, and there is a risk of higher reinsurance costs or more limited availability of reinsurance coverage. Changes in climate conditions may also cause our underlying modeling data to not adequately reflect frequency and severity, limiting our ability to effectively evaluate and manage risks of catastrophes and severe weather events. Among other impacts, this could result in not charging enough premiums or not obtaining timely state approvals for rate increases to cover the risks we insure. We may also experience significant interruptions to the Company’s systems and operations that hinder our ability to sell and service business, manage claims and operate our business.
In addition, climate change-related risks may adversely impact the value of the securities that we hold. The effects of climate
change could also lead to increased credit risk of other counterparties we transact business with, including reinsurers. Rising sea levels may lead to decreases in real estate values in coastal areas, reducing premium and demand for commercial property and homeowners insurance and adversely impacting the value of our real estate-related investments. Additionally, government policies or regulations to slow climate change, such as emission controls or technology mandates, may have an adverse impact on sectors such as utilities, transportation and manufacturing, affecting demand for our products and our investments in these sectors.
Changes in security asset prices may impact the value of our fixed income, real estate and commercial mortgage investments, resulting in realized or unrealized losses on our invested assets. Our decision to invest in certain securities and loans may also be impacted by changes in climate patterns due to:
•changes in supply/demand characteristics for fuel (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas)
•advances in low-carbon technology and renewable energy development and
•effects of extreme weather events on the physical and operational exposure of industries and issuers
Because there is significant variability associated with the impacts of climate change, we cannot predict how physical, legal, regulatory and social responses may impact our business.
The discontinuance of LIBOR may adversely affect the value of certain investments we hold and floating rate securities we have issued, and any other assets or liabilities whose value may be tied to LIBOR.
LIBOR is an indicative measure of the average interest rate at which major global banks could borrow from one another. LIBOR is used as a benchmark or reference rate in certain derivatives and floating rate fixed maturities that are part of our investment portfolio, as well as two classes of junior subordinated debentures that we have issued and are currently outstanding.
In July 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") announced that by the end of 2021 it intends to stop persuading or compelling banks to report information used to set LIBOR, which could result in LIBOR no longer being published after 2021 or a determination by regulators that LIBOR is no longer representative of its underlying market. Since 2017, actions by regulators have resulted in efforts to establish alternative reference rates to LIBOR in several major currencies. The Alternative Reference Rate Committee, a group of private-market participants convened by the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, has recommended the Secured Overnight Funding Rate (“SOFR”) as its preferred alternative rate for U.S. dollar LIBOR. SOFR is a measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight, collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities, and is based on directly observable U.S. Treasury-backed repurchase transactions. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing daily SOFR in April 2018. Development and adoption of broadly accepted methodologies for transitioning from LIBOR, an unsecured forward-looking rate, to SOFR, a secured rate based on historical transactions, is ongoing.
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In December 2020, based on feedback from the banks that report information used to set LIBOR and following discussions with the FCA, the administrator of LIBOR, ICE Benchmark Administration, released a consultation on the potential for it to continue publication of the most widely-used U.S. dollar LIBOR rates until the end of June 2023. Subject to the results of the consultation, then, it is possible that some U.S. dollar LIBOR rates will continue to be available for a limited period beyond the end of 2021.
The Company continues to monitor and assess the potential impacts of the discontinuation of LIBOR, which will vary depending on (1) existing contract language to determine a LIBOR replacement rate, referred to as “fallback provisions”, in individual contracts and (2) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and widely adopt new reference rates and fallback provisions for both existing and new products or instruments. At this time, it is not possible to predict how markets will respond to these new rates and the effect that the discontinuation of LIBOR might have on new or existing financial instruments. If LIBOR ceases to exist or is found by regulators to no longer be representative, outstanding contracts with interest rates tied to LIBOR may be adversely affected and impact our results of operations through a reduction in value of some of our LIBOR referenced floating rate investments, an increase in the interest we pay on our outstanding junior subordinated debentures, or an adverse impact to hedge effectiveness of derivatives or availability of hedge accounting. Additionally, any discontinuation of or transition from LIBOR may impact pricing, valuation and risk analytic processes and hedging strategies.
For additional information on the Company’s financial instruments that are tied to LIBOR, see Part II, Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation, Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk.
The withdrawal of the U.K. from the E.U. may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.
In June 2016, the U.K voted in a national referendum to withdraw from the E.U. (“Brexit”) and formal negotiations on the separation process, including the final exit date, have been ongoing and extended various times. The U.K. officially departed from the E.U. on January 31, 2020. Following the end of the Brexit Transition Period on December 31, 2020, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the E.U. and the U.K. (the “TCA”) came into effect on a provisional basis. The end of the Brexit Transition Period has resulted in significant changes and continuing uncertainty to E.U.-U.K. trade in financial services given the TCA does not include any provisions that compensate for the loss of ‘passporting’ rights under the E.U. Single Market Directives. In particular, there is no mutual recognition of licensing regimes, the market access provisions do not preclude E.U. Member States from imposing authorization requirements on UK financial services businesses and there are no provisions in the TCA on equivalence or regulatory cooperation in the area of financial services. Finally, the E.U. has largely carved out financial services from the most-favored nation provisions for investment liberalization and cross-border trade in services, so in theory the E.U. is free to offer better terms on financial services to other jurisdictions in the future without offering the same to the U.K.
A separate, short Joint Declaration on Financial Services Regulatory Cooperation was published alongside the TCA which
is essentially an agreement to agree at a later stage some of the detail on financial services which is absent from the TCA. In this respect, the UK and the E.U. intend to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding by March 2021 but this will not have the same legal effect or status as an international treaty.
Prolonged uncertainty relating to the terms of the U.K.’s withdrawal, could, among other outcomes, cause significant volatility in global financial markets, currency exchange rate fluctuations and asset valuations, and disrupt the U.K. market and the E.U. markets by increasing restrictions on the trade and free movement of goods, services and people between the U.K. and the E.U. The withdrawal could also lead to legal uncertainty and potentially divergent national laws and regulations as the U.K. determines which E.U. laws to replace or replicate.
As a result of the acquisition of Navigators Group, we have international operations in the U.K. and E.U. While Navigators Group has implemented measures to sell business in the E.U. independently of its U.K. insurance companies by having its Lloyd's Syndicate write business through the Lloyd’s subsidiary in Belgium, the extent of the disruption due to Brexit throughout the U.K. and E.U. is uncertain. Should we seek to access the E.U. market through our U.K. insurance companies, that will depend on general trade and services agreements made by the U.K. with the E.U. or on specific arrangements made by our U.K. insurance companies to retain access to the E.U. market. In addition, the ability to access the E.U. market through our Lloyd's Syndicate depends on Lloyd's being able to comply with E.U. regulations through its Belgium subsidiary. The consequence of making such specific arrangements may increase our cost of doing business.
Specifically, Lloyd’s is still in discussion with the Belgium Financial Services Markets Authority ("FSMA") and the National Bank of Belgium ("NBB") regarding the Lloyd’s Europe operating model and the activities performed for it by managing agents (through the Outsourcing Agreement) and the question of whether it was possible that they could be construed as constituting insurance distribution under the Insurance Distribution Directive ("IDD"), which would therefore require them to be authorized within the European Economic Area ("EEA"). Lloyd’s are proposing to make changes to the operating model by the second half of 2021 with the engagement of the market.
The consequences of U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U. in the long term are unknown and not quantifiable at this time. However, given the lack of comparable precedent, any effects of a withdrawal may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Insurance Industry and Product Related Risks
Unfavorable loss development may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
We establish property and casualty loss reserves to cover our estimated liability for the payment of all unpaid losses and loss expenses incurred with respect to premiums earned on our policies. Loss reserves are estimates of what we expect the ultimate settlement and administration of claims will cost, less what has been paid to date. These estimates are based upon
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actuarial projections and on our assessment of currently available data, as well as estimates of claims severity and frequency, legal theories of liability and other factors. For risks due to evolving changes in social, economic and environmental conditions, see the Risk Factor, “Unexpected and unintended claim and coverage issues under our insurance contracts may adversely impact our financial performance.”
Loss reserve estimates are refined periodically as experience develops and claims are reported and settled, potentially resulting in increases to our reserves. Increases in reserves would be recognized as an expense during the periods in which these determinations are made, thereby adversely affecting our results of operations for those periods. In addition, since reserve estimates of aggregate loss costs for prior years are used in pricing our insurance products, inaccurate reserves can lead to our products not being priced adequately to cover actual losses and related loss expenses in order to generate a profit.
We continue to receive A&E claims, the vast majority of which relate to policies written before 1986. Estimating the ultimate gross reserves needed for unpaid losses and related expenses for asbestos and environmental claims is particularly difficult for insurers and reinsurers. The actuarial tools and other techniques used to estimate the ultimate cost of more traditional insurance exposures tend to be less precise when used to estimate reserves for some A&E exposures.
Moreover, the assumptions used to estimate gross reserves for A&E claims, such as claim frequency over time, average severity, and how various policy provisions will be interpreted, are subject to significant uncertainty. It is also not possible to predict changes in the legal and legislative environment and their effect on the future development of A&E claims. These factors, among others, make the variability of gross reserves estimates for these longer-tailed exposures significantly greater than for other more traditional exposures.
Effective December 31, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with National Indemnity Company (“NICO”), a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“Berkshire”) whereby the Company is reinsured for subsequent adverse development on substantially all of its net A&E reserves up to an aggregate net limit of $1.5 billion. We remain directly liable to claimants and if the reinsurer does not fulfill its obligations under the agreement or if future adverse development exceeds the $1.5 billion aggregate limit, we may need to increase our recorded net reserves which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. For additional information related to risks associated with the adverse development cover, see Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
We are vulnerable to losses from catastrophes, both natural and man-made.
Our insurance operations expose us to claims arising out of catastrophes. Catastrophes can be caused by various unpredictable natural events, including, among others, earthquakes, hurricanes, hailstorms, severe winter weather, wind storms, fires, tornadoes, and pandemics. Catastrophes can also be man-made, such as terrorist attacks, civil unrest, cyber-attacks, explosions or infrastructure failures.
The geographic distribution of our business subjects us to catastrophe exposure for events occurring in a number of areas, including, but not limited to: hurricanes in Florida, the Gulf Coast, the Northeast and the Atlantic coast regions of the United States; tornadoes and hail in the Midwest and Southeast; earthquakes in geographical regions exposed to seismic activity; wildfires in the West; and the spread of disease, which can occur throughout multiple geographic locations. We are also exposed to catastrophe losses in other parts of the world through our global specialty business. Any increases in the values and concentrations of insureds and property in these areas would increase the severity of catastrophic events in the future. In addition, changes in climate and/or weather patterns may increase the frequency and/or intensity of severe weather and natural catastrophe events potentially leading to increased insured losses. Potential examples include, but are not limited to:
•an increase in the frequency or intensity of wind and thunderstorm and tornado/hailstorm events due to increased convection in the atmosphere,
•more frequent and larger wildfires in certain geographies,
•higher incidence of deluge flooding, and
•the potential for an increase in frequency and severity of hurricane events.
For a further discussion of climate-related risks, see the above-referenced Risk Factor, “Changing climate and weather patterns may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.”
Our businesses also have exposure to global or nationally occurring pandemics caused by highly infectious and potentially fatal diseases spread through human, animal or plant populations.
In the event of one or more catastrophes, policyholders may be unable to meet their obligations to pay premiums on our insurance policies. Further, our liquidity could be constrained by a catastrophe, or multiple catastrophes. In addition, in part because accounting rules do not permit insurers to reserve for such catastrophic events until they occur, claims from catastrophic events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. The amount we charge for catastrophe exposure may be inadequate if the frequency or severity of catastrophe losses changes over time or if the models we use to estimate the exposure prove inadequate. In addition, regulators or legislators could limit our ability to charge adequate pricing for catastrophe exposures or shift more responsibility for covering risk.
Terrorism is an example of a significant man-made caused potential catastrophe. Private sector catastrophe reinsurance is limited and generally unavailable for terrorism losses caused by attacks with nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. In addition, workers' compensation policies generally do not have exclusions or limitations for terrorism losses. Reinsurance coverage from the federal government under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (the "Program") Reauthorization Act of 2019 (“TRIPRA 2019”) is also limited and only applies for certified acts of terrorism that exceed a certain threshold of industry losses. Accordingly, the effects of a terrorist attack in the geographic areas we serve may result in claims and related losses for which we do not have adequate reinsurance. TRIPRA 2019 also requires that the federal government create the following reports, which could lead to additional legislation or regulation: (1) Treasury
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Department to include in its biennial report on the effectiveness of the Program an evaluation of the availability and affordability of terrorism risk insurance for places of worship; and (2) Government Accountability Office report to analyze and address the vulnerabilities and potential costs of cyber terrorism, to assess adequacy of coverage under the Program, and to make recommendations for future legislative changes to address evolving cyber terrorism risks. Further, the continued threat of terrorism and the occurrence of terrorist attacks, as well as heightened security measures and military action in response to these threats and attacks or other geopolitical or military crises, may cause significant volatility in global financial markets, disruptions to commerce and reduced economic activity. These consequences could have an adverse effect on the value of the assets in our investment portfolio. Terrorist attacks also could disrupt our operation centers. In addition, TRIPRA 2019 expires on December 31, 2027 and if the U.S. Congress does not reauthorize the program or significantly reduces the government’s share of covered terrorism losses, the Company’s exposure to terrorism losses could increase materially unless it can purchase alternative terrorism reinsurance protection in the private markets at affordable prices or takes actions to materially reduce its exposure in lines of business subject to terrorism risk. For a further discussion of TRIPRA, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management - Insurance Risk Management, Reinsurance as a Risk Management Strategy.
As a result, it is possible that any, or a combination of all, of these factors related to a catastrophe, or multiple catastrophes, whether natural or man-made, can have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
Pricing for our products is subject to our ability to adequately assess risks, estimate losses and comply with state and international insurance regulations.
We seek to price our property and casualty and group benefits insurance policies such that insurance premiums and future net investment income earned on premiums received will provide for an acceptable profit in excess of underwriting expenses and the cost of paying claims. Pricing adequacy depends on a number of factors, including proper evaluation of underwriting risks, the ability to project future claim costs, our expense levels, net investment income realized, our response to rate actions taken by competitors, legal and regulatory developments, including in international markets, and the ability to obtain regulatory approval for rate changes.
State insurance departments regulate many of the premium rates we charge and also propose rate changes for the benefit of the property and casualty consumer at the expense of the insurer, which may not allow us to reach targeted levels of profitability. In addition to regulating rates, certain states have enacted laws that require a property and casualty insurer to participate in assigned risk plans, reinsurance facilities, joint underwriting associations and other residual market plans. State regulators also require that an insurer offer property and casualty coverage to all consumers and often restrict an insurer's ability to charge the price it might otherwise charge or restrict an insurer's ability to offer or enforce specific policy deductibles. In these markets, we may be compelled to underwrite significant amounts of business at lower than desired rates or accept additional risk not
contemplated in our existing rates, participate in the operating losses of residual market plans or pay assessments to fund operating deficits of state-sponsored funds, possibly leading to lower returns on equity. The laws and regulations of many states also limit an insurer's ability to withdraw from one or more lines of insurance in the state, except pursuant to a plan that is approved by the state's insurance department. Additionally, certain states require insurers to participate in guaranty funds for impaired or insolvent insurance companies. These funds periodically assess losses against all insurance companies doing business in the state. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. For more on international regulatory risks, see the Risk Factor, “Regulatory and legislative developments could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.”
Additionally, the property and casualty and group benefits insurance markets have been historically cyclical, experiencing periods characterized by relatively high levels of price competition, less restrictive underwriting standards, more expansive coverage offerings, multi-year rate guarantees and declining premium rates, followed by periods of relatively low levels of competition, more selective underwriting standards, more coverage restrictions and increasing premium rates. In all of our property and casualty and group benefits insurance product lines, there is a risk that the premium we charge may ultimately prove to be inadequate as reported losses emerge. In addition, there is a risk that regulatory constraints, price competition or incorrect pricing assumptions could prevent us from achieving targeted returns. Inadequate pricing could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Competitive activity, use of predictive analytics, or technological changes may adversely affect our market share, demand for our products, or our financial results.
The industries in which we operate are highly competitive. Our principal competitors are other property and casualty insurers, group benefits providers and providers of mutual funds and exchange-traded products. Competitors may expand their risk appetites in products and services where The Hartford currently enjoys a competitive advantage. Larger competitors with more capital and new entrants to the market could result in increased pricing pressures on a number of our products and services and may harm our ability to maintain or increase our profitability. For example, larger competitors, including those formed through consolidation or who may acquire new entrants to the market, such as insurtech firms, may have lower operating costs and an ability to absorb greater risk while maintaining their financial strength ratings, thereby allowing them to price their products more competitively. In addition, a number of insurers are making use of predictive analytics to, among other things, improve pricing accuracy, be more targeted in marketing, strengthen customer relationships and provide more customized loss prevention services. If they are able to use predictive analytics and other data and/or adopt innovative new technologies more effectively than we are, it may give them a competitive advantage. Because of the highly competitive nature of the industries we compete in, there can be no assurance that we will continue to compete effectively with our industry rivals, or that competitive pressure will not
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have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our business could also be affected by technological changes, including further advancements in automotive safety features, the development of autonomous or “self-driving” vehicles, and platforms that facilitate ride sharing. These technologies could impact the frequency or severity of losses, disrupt the demand for certain of our products, or reduce the size of the automobile insurance market as a whole. The risks we insure are also affected by the increased use of technology in homes and businesses, including technology used in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and security systems and the introduction of more automated loss control measures. In addition, our business may be disrupted due to failures of accelerated technological changes, including our automation of minimally complex tasks, which may adversely impact our business and results of operations. While there is substantial uncertainty about the timing, penetration and reliability of such technologies, and the legal frameworks that may apply, such as to autonomous vehicles, any such impacts could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
We may experience difficulty in marketing and providing insurance products and investment advisory services through distribution channels and advisory firms.
We distribute our insurance products, mutual funds and ETPs through a variety of distribution channels and financial intermediaries, including brokers, independent agents, wholesale agents, reinsurance brokers, broker-dealers, banks, registered investment advisors, affinity partners, our own internal sales force and other third-party organizations. In some areas of our business, we generate a significant portion of our business through third-party arrangements. For example, we market personal lines products in large part through an exclusive licensing arrangement with AARP that continues through December 31, 2032. Our ability to distribute products through the AARP program may be adversely impacted by membership levels and the pace of membership growth. In addition, the independent agent and broker distribution channel is consolidating which could result in a larger proportion of written premium being concentrated among fewer agents and brokers, potentially increasing our cost of acquiring new business. While we periodically seek to renew or extend third party arrangements, there can be no assurance that our relationship with these third parties will continue or that the economics of these relationships won't change to make them less financially attractive to the Company. An interruption in our relationship with certain of these third parties could materially affect our ability to market our products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Unexpected and unintended claim and coverage issues under our insurance contracts may adversely impact our financial performance.
Changes in industry practices and in legal, judicial, social and other environmental conditions, technological advances or fraudulent activities, may require us to pay claims we did not
intend to cover when we wrote the policies. Social, economic, political and environmental issues, including rising income inequality, climate change, prescription drug use and addiction, exposures to new substances or those previously considered to be safe, along with the use of social media to proliferate messaging around such issues, has expanded the theories for reporting claims, which may increase our claims administration and/or litigation costs. State and local governments' increased efforts aimed to respond to the costs and concerns associated with these types of issues, may also lead to expansive, new theories for reporting claims or may lead to the passage of "reviver" statutes that extend the statute of limitations for the reporting of these claims, including statutes passed in certain states with respect to sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims. In addition, these and other social, economic, political and environmental issues may either extend coverage beyond our underwriting intent or increase the frequency or severity of claims. Some of these changes, advances or activities may not become apparent until some time after we have issued insurance contracts that are affected by the changes, advances or activities and/or we may be unable to compensate for such losses through future pricing and underwriting. As a result, the full extent of liability under our insurance contracts may not be known for many years after a contract is issued, and this liability may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity at the time it becomes known.
Financial Strength, Credit and Counterparty Risks
Downgrades in our financial strength or credit ratings may make our products less attractive, increase our cost of capital and inhibit our ability to refinance our debt.
Financial strength and credit ratings are important in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies. Rating agencies assign ratings based upon several factors. While most of the factors relate to the rated company, others relate to the views of the rating agency (including its assessment of the strategic importance of the rated company to the insurance group), general economic conditions, and circumstances outside the rated company's control. In addition, rating agencies may employ different models and formulas to assess the financial strength of a rated company, and from time to time rating agencies have altered these models. Changes to the models or factors used by the rating agencies to assign ratings could adversely impact a rating agency's judgment of its internal rating and the publicly issued rating it assigns us.
Our financial strength ratings, which are intended to measure our ability to meet policyholder obligations, are an important factor affecting public confidence in most of our products and, as a result, our competitiveness. A downgrade or a potential downgrade in the rating of our financial strength or of one of our principal insurance subsidiaries could affect our competitive position and reduce future sales of our products.
Our credit ratings also affect our cost of capital. A downgrade or a potential downgrade of our credit ratings could make it more
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difficult or costly to refinance maturing debt obligations, to support business growth at our insurance subsidiaries and to maintain or improve the financial strength ratings of our principal insurance subsidiaries. These events could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. For a further discussion of potential impacts of ratings downgrades on derivative instruments, including potential collateral calls, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Capital Resources and Liquidity - Derivative Commitments.
The amount of capital that we must hold to maintain our financial strength and credit ratings and meet other requirements can vary significantly from time to time and is sensitive to a number of factors outside of our control.
We conduct the vast majority of our business through licensed insurance company subsidiaries. In the United States, statutory accounting standards and statutory capital and reserve requirements for these entities are prescribed by the applicable insurance regulators and the NAIC. The minimum capital we must hold is based on risk-based capital (“RBC”) formulas for both life and property and casualty companies. The RBC formula for life companies is applicable to our group benefits business and establishes capital requirements relating to insurance, business, asset, credit, interest rate and off-balance sheet risks. The RBC formula for property and casualty companies sets required statutory surplus levels based on underwriting, asset and credit and off-balance sheet risks.
Countries in which our international insurance subsidiaries are incorporated or deemed commercially domiciled are subject to regulatory requirements as defined by the regulatory jurisdiction, including Solvency II. In addition, our Lloyd’s member company is required to maintain required Funds at Lloyd’s (“FAL”) to meet the capital requirements of its syndicate. The FAL is determined based on the syndicate’s Solvency Capital Requirement (“SCR”) under the Solvency II capital adequacy model plus an economic capital assessment determined by the Lloyd’s Franchise Board (which is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Lloyd's market).
In any particular year, statutory surplus amounts, RBC ratios, FAL and SCR may increase or decrease depending on a variety of factors, including (as applicable)
•the amount of statutory income or losses generated by our insurance subsidiaries,
•the amount of additional capital our insurance subsidiaries must hold to support business growth,
•the amount of dividends or distributions paid to the holding company,
•changes in equity market levels,
•the value of certain fixed-income and equity securities in our investment portfolio,
•the value of certain derivative instruments,
•changes in interest rates,
•admissibility of deferred tax assets, and
•changes to the regulatory capital formulas.
Most of these factors are outside of the Company's control. The regulatory capital formulas could also be negatively affected if the NAIC, state insurance regulators or other insurance regulators change the accounting guidance for determining capital adequacy. Among other factors, rating agencies consider the level of statutory capital and surplus of our U.S. insurance subsidiaries as well as the level of a measure of GAAP capital held by the Company in determining the Company's financial strength and credit ratings. Rating agencies may implement changes to their capital formulas that have the effect of increasing the amount of capital we must hold in order to maintain our current ratings. If our capital resources are insufficient to maintain a particular rating by one or more rating agencies, we may need to raise capital through public or private equity or debt financing. If we were not to raise additional capital, either at our discretion or because we were unable to do so, our financial strength and credit ratings might be downgraded by one or more rating agencies.
Losses due to nonperformance or defaults by counterparties can have a material adverse effect on the value of our investments, reduce our profitability or sources of liquidity.
We have credit risk with counterparties associated with investments, derivatives, premiums receivable, reinsurance recoverables and indemnifications provided by third parties in connection with previous dispositions. Among others, our counterparties include issuers of fixed maturity and equity securities we hold, borrowers of mortgage loans we hold, customers, trading counterparties, counterparties under swaps and other derivative contracts, reinsurers, clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses and other financial intermediaries and guarantors. These counterparties may default on their obligations to us due to bankruptcy, insolvency, lack of liquidity, adverse economic conditions, operational failure, fraud, government intervention and other reasons. In addition, for exchange-traded derivatives, such as futures, options and "cleared" over-the-counter derivatives, the Company is generally exposed to the credit risk of the relevant central counterparty clearing house. Defaults by these counterparties on their obligations to us could have a material adverse effect on the value of our investments, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. Additionally, if the underlying assets supporting the structured securities we invest in default on their payment obligations, our securities will incur losses.
The availability of reinsurance and our ability to recover under reinsurance contracts may not be sufficient to protect us against losses.
As an insurer, we frequently use reinsurance to reduce the effect of losses that may arise from, among other things, catastrophes and other risks that can cause unfavorable results of operations. In addition, our assumed reinsurance business purchases retrocessional coverage for a portion of the risks it assumes. Under these reinsurance arrangements, other insurers assume a portion of our losses and related expenses; however, we remain liable as the direct insurer on all risks reinsured. Consequently, ceded reinsurance arrangements do not eliminate our obligation to pay claims, and we are subject to our reinsurers' credit risk with respect to our ability to recover amounts due from them. The inability or unwillingness of any reinsurer or retrocessionaire
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to meet its financial obligations to us, including the impact of any insolvency or rehabilitation proceedings involving a reinsurer or retrocessionaire that could affect the Company's access to collateral held in trust, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
In addition, should the availability and cost of reinsurance change materially, we may have to pay higher reinsurance costs, accept an increase in our net liability exposure, reduce the amount of business we write, or access to the extent possible other alternatives to reinsurance, such as use of the capital markets. Further, due to the inherent uncertainties as to collection and the length of time before reinsurance recoverables will be due, it is possible that future adjustments to the Company’s reinsurance recoverables, net of the allowance, could be required, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or cash flows in a particular quarterly or annual period.
Our ability to declare and pay dividends is subject to limitations.
The payment of future dividends on our capital stock is subject to the discretion of our board of directors, which considers, among other factors, our operating results, overall financial condition, credit-risk considerations and capital requirements, as well as general business and market conditions. Our board of directors may only declare such dividends out of funds legally available for such payments. Moreover, our common stockholders are subject to the prior dividend rights of any holders of depositary shares representing preferred stock then outstanding. The terms of our outstanding junior subordinated debt securities prohibit us from declaring or paying any dividends or distributions on our capital stock or purchasing, acquiring, or making a liquidation payment on such stock, if we have given notice of our election to defer interest payments and the related deferral period has not yet commenced or a deferral period is continuing.
Moreover, as a holding company that is separate and distinct from our insurance subsidiaries, we have no significant business operations of our own. Therefore, we rely on dividends from our insurance company subsidiaries and other subsidiaries as the principal source of cash flow to meet our obligations. Subsidiary dividends fund payments on our debt securities and the payment of dividends to stockholders on our capital stock. Connecticut state laws and certain other U.S. jurisdictions in which we operate limit the payment of dividends and require notice to and approval by the state insurance commissioner for the declaration or payment of dividends above certain levels. The laws and regulations of the countries in which our international insurance subsidiaries are incorporated or deemed commercially domiciled, as well as requirements of the Council of Lloyd’s, also impose limitations on the payment of dividends which, in some instances, are more restrictive. Dividends paid from our insurance subsidiaries are further dependent on their cash requirements. In addition, in the event of liquidation or reorganization of a subsidiary, prior claims of a subsidiary’s creditors may take precedence over the holding company’s right to a dividend or distribution from the subsidiary except to the extent that the holding company may be a creditor of that subsidiary. For further discussion on dividends from insurance subsidiaries, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Capital Resources & Liquidity.
Risks Relating to Estimates, Assumptions and Valuations
Actual results could materially differ from the analytical models we use to assist our decision making in key areas such as underwriting, pricing, capital management, reserving, investments, reinsurance and catastrophe risks.
We use models to help make decisions related to, among other things, underwriting, pricing, capital allocation, reserving, investments, reinsurance, and catastrophe risk. Both proprietary and third party models we use incorporate numerous assumptions and forecasts about the future level and variability of interest rates, capital requirements, loss frequency and severity, currency exchange rates, policyholder behavior, equity markets and inflation, among others. The models are subject to the inherent limitations of any statistical analysis as the historical internal and industry data and assumptions used in the models may not be indicative of what will happen in the future. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from our modeled results. The profitability and financial condition of the Company substantially depends on the extent to which our actual experience is consistent with assumptions we use in our models and ultimate model outputs. If, based upon these models or other factors, we misprice our products or our estimates of the risks we are exposed to prove to be materially inaccurate, our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity may be adversely affected.
The valuation of our securities and investments and the determination of allowances and credit losses are highly subjective and based on methodologies, estimations and assumptions that are subject to differing interpretations and market conditions.
Estimated fair values of the Company’s investments are based on available market information and judgments about financial instruments, including estimates of the timing and amounts of expected future cash flows and the credit standing of the issuer or counterparty. During periods of market disruption, it may be difficult to value certain of our securities if trading becomes less frequent and/or market data becomes less observable. There may be certain asset classes that were in active markets with significant observable data that become illiquid due to the financial environment. In addition, there may be certain securities whose fair value is based on one or more unobservable inputs, even during normal market conditions. As a result, the determination of the fair values of these securities may include inputs and assumptions that require more estimation and management judgment and the use of complex valuation methodologies. These fair values may differ materially from the value at which the investments may be ultimately sold. Further, rapidly changing or unprecedented credit and equity market
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conditions could materially impact the valuation of securities and the period-to-period changes in value could vary significantly. Decreases in value could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.
Similarly, management’s decision on whether to record an allowance for credit loss is subject to significant judgments and assumptions regarding changes in general economic conditions, the issuer's financial condition or future recovery prospects, estimated future cash flows, the effects of changes in interest rates or credit spreads, the expected recovery period and the accuracy of third party information used in internal assessments. As a result, management’s evaluations and assessments are highly judgmental and its projections of future cash flows over the life of certain securities may ultimately prove incorrect as facts and circumstances change.
If our businesses do not perform well, we may be required to recognize an impairment of our goodwill.
Goodwill represents the excess of the amounts we paid to acquire subsidiaries and other businesses over the fair value of their net assets at the date of acquisition. We test goodwill at least annually for impairment. Impairment testing is performed based upon estimates of the fair value of the “reporting unit” to which the goodwill relates. The reporting unit is the operating segment or a business one level below an operating segment if discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by management at that level. The fair value of the reporting unit could decrease if new business, customer retention, profitability or other drivers of performance differ from expectations. If it is determined that the goodwill has been impaired, the Company must write down the goodwill by the amount of the impairment, with a corresponding charge to net income (loss). These write downs could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
Strategic and Operational Risks
Our businesses may suffer and we may incur substantial costs if we are unable to access our systems and safeguard the security of our data in the event of a disaster, cyber breach or other information security incident.
We use technology to process, store, retrieve, evaluate and utilize customer and company data and information. Our information technology and telecommunications systems, in turn, interface with and rely upon third-party systems. We and our third party vendors must be able to access our systems to provide insurance quotes, process premium payments, make changes to existing policies, file and pay claims, administer mutual funds, provide customer support, manage our investment portfolios, report on financial results and perform other necessary business functions.
Systems failures or outages could compromise our ability to perform these business functions in a timely manner, which could harm our ability to conduct business and hurt our relationships with our business partners and customers. In the event of a disaster such as a natural catastrophe, a pandemic, civil unrest, an
industrial accident, a cyber-attack, a blackout, a terrorist attack (including conventional, nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological) or war, systems upon which we rely may be inaccessible to our employees, customers or business partners for an extended period of time. Even if our employees and business partners are able to report to work, they may be unable to perform their duties for an extended period of time if our data or systems used to conduct our business are disabled or destroyed.
Our systems have been, and will likely continue to be, subject to viruses or other malicious codes, unauthorized access, cyber-attacks, cyber frauds or other computer related penetrations. The frequency and sophistication of such threats continue to increase as well. While, to date, The Hartford is not aware of having experienced a material breach of our cyber security systems, administrative, internal accounting and technical controls as well as other preventive actions may be insufficient to prevent physical and electronic break-ins, denial of service, cyber-attacks, business email compromises, ransomware or other security breaches to our systems or those of third parties with whom we do business. Such an event could compromise our confidential information as well as that of our clients and third parties, impede or interrupt our business operations and result in other negative consequences, including remediation costs, loss of revenue, additional regulatory scrutiny and litigation and reputational damage. In addition, we routinely transmit to third parties personal, confidential and proprietary information, which may be related to employees and customers, by email and other electronic means, along with receiving and storing such information on our systems. Although we attempt to protect privileged and confidential information, we may be unable to secure the information in all events, especially with clients, vendors, service providers, counterparties and other third parties who may not have appropriate controls to protect confidential information.
Our businesses must comply with regulations to control the privacy of customer, employee and third party data, and state, federal and international regulations regarding data privacy, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation and California Consumer Privacy Act, are becoming increasingly more onerous. A misuse or mishandling of confidential or proprietary information could result in legal liability, regulatory action and reputational harm.
Third parties, including third party administrators and cloud-based systems, are also subject to cyber-breaches of confidential information, along with the other risks outlined above, any one of which may result in our incurring substantial costs and other negative consequences, including a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. While we maintain cyber liability insurance that provides both third party liability and first party insurance coverages, our insurance may not be sufficient to protect against all loss.
Performance problems due to outsourcing and other third-party relationships may compromise our ability to conduct business.
We outsource certain business and administrative functions and rely on third-party vendors to perform certain functions or provide certain services on our behalf and have a significant number of information technology and business processes outsourced with a single vendor. If we are unable to reach
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agreement in the negotiation of contracts or renewals with certain third-party providers, or if such third-party providers experience disruptions or do not perform as anticipated, we may be unable to meet our obligations to customers and claimants, incur higher costs and lose business which may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. For other risks associated with our outsourcing of certain functions, see the Risk Factor, “Our businesses may suffer and we may incur substantial costs if we are unable to access our systems and safeguard the security of our data in the event of a disaster, cyber breach or other information security incident.”
Our ability to execute on capital management plans, expense reduction initiatives and other actions is subject to material challenges, uncertainties and risks.
The ability to execute on capital management plans is subject to material challenges, uncertainties and risks. From time to time, our capital management plans may include the repurchase of common stock, the paydown of outstanding debt or both. We may not achieve all of the benefits we expect to derive from these plans. For an equity repurchase plan approved by the Board, such capital management plan would be subject to execution risks, including, among others, risks related to market fluctuations, investor interest and potential legal constraints that could delay execution at an otherwise optimal time. There can be no assurance that we will fully execute any such plan. In addition, we may not be successful in keeping our businesses cost efficient. The Company may not be able to achieve all the revenue increases, expense reductions and other synergies that it expects to realize as a result of acquisitions, divestitures or restructurings. We may take future actions, including acquisitions, divestitures or restructurings that may involve additional uncertainties and risks that negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Acquisitions and divestitures may not produce the anticipated benefits and may result in unintended consequences, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be able to successfully integrate acquired businesses or achieve the expected synergies as a result of such acquisitions or divestitures. The process of integrating an acquired company or business can be complex and costly and may create unforeseen operating difficulties including ineffective integration of underwriting, risk management, claims handling, finance, information technology and actuarial practices. Difficulties integrating an acquired business may also result in the acquired business performing differently than we expected including through the loss of customers or in our failure to realize anticipated increased premium growth or expense-related efficiencies. We could be adversely affected by the acquisition due to unanticipated performance issues and additional expense, unforeseen liabilities, transaction-related charges, downgrades of third-party rating agencies, diversion of management time and resources to integration challenges, loss of key employees, regulatory requirements, exposure to tax liabilities, amortization of expenses related to intangibles and charges for impairment of long-term assets or goodwill. In addition, we may be adversely impacted by uncertainties related to reserve estimates of the
acquired company and its design and operation of internal controls over financial reporting. We may be unable to distribute as much capital to the holding company as planned due to regulatory restrictions or other reasons that may adversely affect our liquidity.
In addition, in the case of business or asset dispositions, we may have continued financial exposure to the divested businesses through reinsurance, indemnification or other financial arrangements following the transaction. We may also retain a position in securities of the acquirer that purchased the divested business, which subjects us to risks related to the price of the equity securities and our ability to monetize such securities. The expected benefits of acquired or divested businesses may not be realized and involve additional uncertainties and risks that may negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Difficulty in attracting and retaining talented and qualified personnel may adversely affect the execution of our business strategies.
Our ability to attract, develop and retain talented employees, managers and executives is critical to our success. There is significant competition within and outside the insurance and financial services industry for qualified employees, particularly for individuals with highly specialized knowledge in areas such as underwriting, actuarial, data and analytics, technology and digital commerce and investment management. Our continued ability to compete effectively in our businesses and to expand into new business areas depends on our ability to attract new employees and to retain and motivate our existing employees. The loss of any one or more key employees, including executives, managers and employees with strong technological, analytical and other specialized skills, may adversely impact the execution of our business objectives or result in loss of important institutional knowledge. Our inability to attract and retain key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be able to protect our intellectual property and may be subject to infringement claims.
We rely on a combination of contractual rights and copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret laws to establish and protect our intellectual property. Although we use a broad range of measures to protect our intellectual property rights, third parties may infringe or misappropriate our intellectual property. We may have to litigate to enforce and protect our intellectual property and to determine its scope, validity or enforceability, which could divert significant resources and may not prove successful. Litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights may not be successful and cost a significant amount of money. The inability to secure or enforce the protection of our intellectual property assets could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to compete. We also may be subject to costly litigation in the event that another party alleges our operations or activities infringe upon their intellectual property rights, including patent rights, or violate license usage rights. Any such intellectual property claims and any resulting litigation could result in significant expense and liability for damages, and in some circumstances we could be enjoined from providing certain products or services to our customers, or
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utilizing and benefiting from certain patent, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets or licenses, or alternatively could be required to enter into costly licensing arrangements with third parties, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Regulatory and Legal Risks
Regulatory and legislative developments could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
We are subject to extensive laws and regulations that are complex, subject to change and often conflict in their approach or intended outcomes. Compliance with these laws and regulations can increase cost, affect our strategy, and constrain our ability to adequately price our products.
In the U.S., regulatory initiatives and legislative developments may significantly affect our operations and prospects in ways that we cannot predict. For example, further reforms to the Affordable Care Act, and potential modifications of the Dodd-Frank Act could have unanticipated consequences for the Company and its businesses. It is unclear whether and to what extent Congress will continue to make changes to the Dodd-Frank Act, and how those changes might impact the Company, its business, financial conditions, results of operations and liquidity.
Our U.S. insurance subsidiaries are regulated by the insurance departments of the states in which they are domiciled, licensed or authorized to conduct business. State regulations generally seek to protect the interests of policyholders rather than an insurer or the insurer’s stockholders and other investors. U.S. state laws grant insurance regulatory authorities broad administrative powers with respect to, among other things, licensing and authorizing lines of business, approving policy forms and premium rates, setting statutory capital and reserve requirements, limiting the types and amounts of certain investments and restricting underwriting practices. State insurance departments also set constraints on domestic insurer transactions with affiliates and dividends and, in many cases, must approve affiliate transactions and extraordinary dividends as well as strategic transactions such as acquisitions and divestitures.
Our international insurance subsidiaries are subject to the laws and regulations of the relevant jurisdictions in which they operate, including the requirements of the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority in the U.K; the National Bank of Belgium and the Financial Services and Markets Authority in Belgium; and the Commissariat Aux Assurances in Luxembourg. Our Lloyd’s Syndicate is also subject to management and supervision by the Council of Lloyd’s, which has wide discretionary powers to regulate members’ underwriting at Lloyd’s, as well as regulations imposed by overseas regulators where the Lloyd’s Syndicate conducts business.
In addition, future regulatory initiatives could be adopted at the federal, state and international level that could impact the profitability of our businesses. For example, the NAIC and state insurance regulators are continually reexamining existing laws and regulations, specifically focusing on modifications to U.S.
statutory accounting principles, interpretations of existing laws and the development of new laws and regulations. The NAIC continues to enhance the U.S. system of insurance solvency regulation, with a particular focus on group supervision, risk-based capital, accounting and financial reporting, enterprise risk management and reinsurance which could, among other things, affect statutory measures of capital sufficiency, including risk-based capital ratios.
In addition, changes in laws or regulations, particularly relating to privacy and data security and potential limitations on predictive models, such as use of certain underwriting rating variables, may materially impede our ability to execute on business strategies and/or our ability to be competitive. Any proposed or future legislation or NAIC initiatives, if adopted, may be more restrictive on our ability to conduct business than current regulatory requirements or may result in higher costs or increased statutory capital and reserve requirements. In addition, the Federal Reserve Board and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors ("IAIS") continue to advance the development of insurance group capital standards. As of January 1, 2020, the IAIS Insurance Capital Standard entered a five-year monitoring period at the end of which insurance firms are required to be in compliance with such standards. While the Company would not currently be subject to either of these capital standard regimes, it is possible that, in the future, standards similar to what is being contemplated by the Federal Reserve Board or the IAIS could apply to the Company. Working through the NAIC, U.S. state insurance regulators have developed a group capital calculation for use in solvency-monitoring activities. The calculation is intended to provide additional analytical information to the lead state for use in assessing group risks and capital adequacy to complement the current holding company analysis in the U.S. The next step is for the revised NAIC Model Act and Regulation to go to the states for adoption. The Covered Agreement between the U.S. and European Union, as well as the Covered Agreement between the U.S. and the U.K., provide a 60-month period (expiring September 22, 2022) for the U.S. to implement a "worldwide group capital calculation" for U.S. groups. If this deadline is not met, European Union member states and the U.K. each could potentially subject U.S. groups doing business in the EU and the U.K. to their own group supervision requirements, possibly including imposition of Solvency II's group capital standard.
Further, a particular regulator or enforcement authority may interpret a legal, accounting, or reserving issue differently than we have, exposing us to different or additional regulatory risks. The application of these regulations and guidelines by insurers involves interpretations and judgments that may be challenged by state insurance departments and other regulators. The result of those potential challenges could require us to increase levels of regulatory capital and reserves or incur higher operating and/or tax costs.
In addition, our asset management businesses are also subject to extensive regulation in the various jurisdictions where they operate. These laws and regulations are primarily intended to protect investors in the securities markets or investment advisory clients and generally grant supervisory authorities broad administrative powers. Compliance with these laws and regulations is costly, time consuming and personnel intensive, and may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
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Our insurance business is sensitive to significant changes in the legal environment that could adversely affect The Hartford’s results of operations or financial condition or harm its businesses.
Like any major P&C insurance company, litigation is a routine part of The Hartford’s business - both in defending and indemnifying our insureds and in litigating insurance coverage disputes. The Hartford accounts for such activity by establishing unpaid loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. Significant changes in the legal environment could cause our ultimate liabilities to change from our current expectations. Such changes could be judicial in nature, like trends in the size of jury awards, developments in the law relating to tort liability or the liability of insurers, and rulings concerning the scope of insurance coverage or the amount or types of damages covered by insurance. In addition, changes in federal or state laws and regulations relating to the liability of insurers or policyholders, including state laws expanding “bad faith” liability and state “reviver” statutes, extending statutes of limitations for certain sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims, could result in changes in business practices, additional litigation, or could result in unexpected losses, including increased frequency and severity of claims. It is impossible to forecast such changes reliably, much less to predict how they might affect our loss reserves or how those changes might adversely affect our ability to price our insurance products appropriately. Thus, significant judicial or legislative developments could adversely affect The Hartford’s business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws and tax rates or regulations could have a material adverse effect on our profitability and financial condition. The Company’s federal and state tax returns reflect certain items such as tax-exempt bond interest, tax credits, and insurance reserve deductions. There is an increasing risk that, in the context of deficit reduction or overall tax reform in the U.S., federal and/or state tax legislation could modify or eliminate these items, impacting the Company, its investments, investment strategies, and/or its policyholders. In addition, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s efforts around Global Pillars I and II dealing with possible new digital taxes and global minimum taxes, if enacted, could increase the Company’s overall tax burden, adversely affecting the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operation.
On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation commonly referred to as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" ("TCJA"). There is a risk that Congress could enact future legislation that may change or eliminate the provisions of TCJA or affect how the provisions apply to the Company including a corporate tax rate increase or other changes that may affect the manner in which insurance companies are taxed. Moreover we could continue to see states enact changes to their tax laws including the state impacts of TCJA, such as limitations on interest deductions and income earned by foreign affiliates, which, in turn, could adversely affect the Company's business and financial results. Among other risks, there is risk that
these additional clarifications could increase taxes on the Company, further increase administrative costs, make the sale of our products more costly and/or make our products less competitive.
Regulatory requirements could delay, deter or prevent a takeover attempt that stockholders might consider in their best interests.
Before a person can acquire control of a U.S. insurance company, prior written approval must be obtained from the insurance commissioner of the state where the domestic insurer is domiciled. Prior to granting approval of an application to acquire control of a domestic insurer, the state insurance commissioner will consider such factors as the financial strength of the applicant, the acquirer's plans for the future operations of the domestic insurer, and any such additional information as the insurance commissioner may deem necessary or appropriate for the protection of policyholders or in the public interest. Generally, state statutes provide that control over a domestic insurer is presumed to exist if any person, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, holds with the power to vote, or holds proxies representing 10 percent or more of the voting securities of the domestic insurer or its parent company. Because a person acquiring 10 percent or more of our common stock would indirectly control the same percentage of the stock of our U.S. insurance subsidiaries, the insurance change of control laws of various U.S. jurisdictions would likely apply to such a transaction. Other laws or required approvals pertaining to one or more of our existing subsidiaries, or a future subsidiary, may contain similar or additional restrictions on the acquisition of control of the Company. These laws and similar rules applying to subsidiaries domiciled outside of the United States may discourage potential acquisition proposals and may delay, deter, or prevent a change of control, including transactions that our Board of Directors and some or all of our stockholders might consider to be desirable.
Changes in accounting principles and financial reporting requirements could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.
As an SEC registrant, we are currently required to prepare our financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, as promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"). Accordingly, we are required to adopt new guidance or interpretations which may have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition that is either unexpected or has a greater impact than expected. For a description of changes in accounting standards that are currently pending and, if known, our estimates of their expected impact, see Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
34
Item 2. PROPERTIES
As of December 31, 2020, The Hartford owned building space totaling approximately 1.8 million square feet consisting principally of 1.77 million square feet for its home office complex in Hartford, Connecticut and other properties within the greater Hartford, Connecticut area, and approximately 22 thousand square feet in Belgium. In addition, we lease offices throughout North America, Europe and other overseas locations to house administrative, claims handling, sales and other business operations. As of December 31, 2020, The Hartford leased
approximately 1.5 million square feet throughout North America, 22 thousand square feet in London and 11 thousand square feet in other overseas and European branches. All of the properties owned or leased are used by one or more of all five reporting segments, depending on the location. For more information on reporting segments, see Part I, Item 1, Business Reporting Segments. The Company believes its properties and facilities are suitable and adequate for current operations.
Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
For a discussion regarding The Hartford’s legal proceedings, see the information contained under “Litigation,” including “COVID-19 Pandemic Business Income Insurance Coverage Litigation” and “Asbestos and Environmental Claims,” in Note 15 - Commitments and Contingencies of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
35
Part II - Item 5. Market for the Hartford's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Item 5. MARKET FOR THE HARTFORD’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
The Hartford’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the trading symbol “HIG”. As of February 18, 2021, the Company had approximately 10,150 registered holders of record of the Company's common stock. A substantially greater number of holders of our common stock are “street name” holders or beneficial holders, whose shares are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.
The Hartford's cash dividends paid on common stock and expected payment of future cash dividends are discussed in the Summary of Capital Resources and Liquidity and Liquidity Requirements and Sources of Capital - Dividends sections of Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Capital Resources and Liquidity.
For information related to securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans, see Part III, Item 12, Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
The Company did not repurchase any shares during the three months ended December 31, 2020.
In December 2020, the Company announced a $1.5 billion share repurchase authorization by the Board of Directors which is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022. During the period from January 1, 2021 through February 18, 2021, the Company repurchased 1.1 million shares for $56. The Company's prior share repurchase program, which was authorized by the Board of Directors in February 2019, expired on December 31, 2020. The timing of any future repurchases will be dependent upon several factors, including the market price of the Company's securities, the Company's capital position, consideration of the effect of any repurchases on the Company's financial strength or credit ratings, and other considerations.
Total Return to Stockholders
The following tables present The Hartford’s annual return percentage and five-year total return on its common stock including reinvestment of dividends in comparison to the S&P 500 and the S&P Insurance Composite Index.
| Annual Return Percentage | |||||||||||||||||
| For the years ended | |||||||||||||||||
| Company/Index | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||||||||||||
| The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. | 11.81 | % | 20.25 | % | (19.24 | %) | 39.71 | % | (16.98 | %) | |||||||
| S&P 500 Index | 11.96 | % | 21.83 | % | (4.38 | %) | 31.49 | % | 18.40 | % | |||||||
| S&P Insurance Composite Index | 17.58 | % | 16.19 | % | (11.21 | %) | 29.38 | % | (0.44 | %) | |||||||
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Part II - Item 5. Market for the Hartford's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
| Cumulative Five-Year Total Return | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Base | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Period | For the years ended | |||||||||||||||||||
| Company/Index | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. | $ | 100 | $ | 111.81 | $ | 134.45 | $ | 108.58 | $ | 151.70 | $ | 125.94 | ||||||||
| S&P 500 Index | $ | 100 | $ | 111.96 | $ | 136.40 | $ | 130.42 | $ | 171.49 | $ | 203.04 | ||||||||
| S&P Insurance Composite Index | $ | 100 | $ | 117.58 | $ | 136.62 | $ | 121.31 | $ | 156.95 | $ | 156.26 | ||||||||
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
(Dollar amounts in millions, except for per share data, unless otherwise stated)
The Hartford provides projections and other forward-looking information in the following discussions, which contain many forward-looking statements, particularly relating to the Company’s future financial performance. These forward-looking statements are estimates based on information currently available to the Company, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to the cautionary statements set forth on pages 4 and 5 of this Form 10-K. Actual results are likely to differ, and in the past have differed, materially from those forecast by the Company, depending on the outcome of various factors, including, but not limited to, those set forth in the following discussion and in Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors, and those identified from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Hartford undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
On September 30, 2020, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to sell all of the issued and outstanding equity of Navigators Holdings (Europe) N.V., a Belgium holding company, and its subsidiaries, Bracht, Deckers & Mackelbert N.V. (“BDM”) and Assurances Contintales Contintale Verzekeringen N.V. (“ASCO”), (collectively referred to as "Continental Europe Operations").
On May 23, 2019, the Company completed the acquisition of Navigators Group, a specialty underwriter.
For discussion of acquisitions, dispositions and reclassifications, see Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Hartford defines increases or decreases greater than or equal to 200% as “NM” or not meaningful.
For discussion of the earliest of the three years included in the financial statements of the current filing, refer to Part 2, Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in The Hartford’s 2019 Form 10-K Annual Report.
Index
| Description | Page | ||||
Throughout the MD&A, we use certain terms and abbreviations, the more commonly used are summarized in the Acronyms section.
KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND RATIOS
The Company considers the measures and ratios in the following discussion to be key performance indicators for its businesses. Management believes that these ratios and measures are useful in understanding the underlying trends in The Hartford’s businesses. However, these key performance indicators should only be used in conjunction with, and not in lieu of, the results presented in the segment discussions that follow in this MD&A. These ratios and measures may not be comparable to other performance measures used by the Company’s competitors.
Definitions of Non-GAAP and Other Measures and Ratios
Assets Under Management (“AUM”)- Include mutual fund and ETP assets. AUM is a measure used by the Company's Hartford Funds segment because a significant portion of the Company’s mutual fund and ETP revenues are based upon asset values. These revenues increase or decrease with a rise or fall in AUM whether caused by changes in the market or through net flows.
Book Value per Diluted Share (excluding AOCI)- This is a non-GAAP per share measure that is
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
calculated by dividing (a) common stockholders' equity, excluding AOCI, after tax, by (b) common shares outstanding and dilutive potential common shares. The Company provides this measure to enable investors to analyze the amount of the Company's net worth that is primarily attributable to the Company's business operations. The Company believes that excluding AOCI from the numerator is useful to investors because it eliminates the effect of items that can fluctuate significantly from period to period, primarily based on changes in interest rates. Book value per diluted share is the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure.
Combined Ratio- The sum of the loss and loss adjustment expense ratio, the expense ratio and the policyholder dividend ratio. This ratio is a relative measurement that describes the related cost of losses and expenses for every $100 of earned premiums. A combined ratio below 100 demonstrates underwriting profit; a combined ratio above 100 demonstrates underwriting losses.
Core Earnings- The Hartford uses the non-GAAP measure core earnings as an important measure of the Company’s operating performance. The Hartford believes that core earnings provides investors with a valuable measure of the performance of the Company’s ongoing businesses because it reveals trends in our insurance and financial services businesses that may be obscured by including the net effect of certain items. Therefore, the following items are excluded from core earnings:
•Certain realized capital gains and losses - Some realized capital gains and losses are primarily driven by investment decisions and external economic developments, the nature and timing of which are unrelated to the insurance and underwriting aspects of our business. Accordingly, core earnings excludes the effect of all realized gains and losses that tend to be highly variable from period to period based on capital market conditions. The Hartford believes, however, that some realized capital gains and losses are integrally related to our insurance operations, so core earnings includes net realized gains and losses such as net periodic settlements on credit derivatives. These net realized gains and losses are directly related to an offsetting item included in the income statement such as net investment income.
•Restructuring and other costs - Costs incurred as part of a restructuring plan are not a recurring operating expense of the business.
•Loss on extinguishment of debt - Largely consisting of make-whole payments or tender premiums upon paying debt off before maturity, these losses are not a recurring operating expense of the business.
•Gains and losses on reinsurance transactions - Gains or losses on reinsurance, such as those entered into upon sale of
a business or to reinsure loss reserves, are not a recurring operating expense of the business.
•Integration and transaction costs in connection with an acquired business - As transaction costs are incurred upon acquisition of a business and integration costs are completed within a short period after an acquisition, they do not represent ongoing costs of the business.
•Change in loss reserves upon acquisition of a business - These changes in loss reserves are excluded from core earnings because such changes could obscure the ability to compare results in periods after the acquisition to results of periods prior to the acquisition.
•Deferred gain resulting from retroactive reinsurance and subsequent changes in the deferred gain - Retroactive reinsurance agreements economically transfer risk to the reinsurers and including the full benefit from retroactive reinsurance in core earnings provides greater insight into the economics of the business.
•Change in valuation allowance on deferred taxes related to non-core components of pre-tax income - These changes in valuation allowances are excluded from core earnings because they relate to non-core components of pre-tax income, such as tax attributes like capital loss carryforwards.
•Results of discontinued operations - These results are excluded from core earnings for businesses sold or held for sale because such results could obscure the ability to compare period over period results for our ongoing businesses.
In addition to the above components of net income available to common stockholders that are excluded from core earnings, preferred stock dividends declared, which are excluded from net income available to common stockholders, are included in the determination of core earnings. Preferred stock dividends are a cost of financing more akin to interest expense on debt and are expected to be a recurring expense as long as the preferred stock is outstanding.
Net income (loss) and net income (loss) available to common stockholders are the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measures to core earnings. Core earnings should not be considered as a substitute for net income (loss) or net income (loss) available to common stockholders and does not reflect the overall profitability of the Company's business. Therefore, The Hartford believes that it is useful for investors to evaluate net income (loss), net income (loss) available to common stockholders, and core earnings when reviewing the Company's performance.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Reconciliation of Net Income to Core Earnings
| For the years ended December 31, | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |||||||||
| Net income | $ | 1,737 | $ | 2,085 | $ | 1,807 | |||||
| Preferred stock dividends | 21 | 21 | 6 | ||||||||
| Net income available to common stockholders | $ | 1,716 | $ | 2,064 | $ | 1,801 | |||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income available to common stockholders to core earnings: | |||||||||||
| Net realized capital losses (gains) excluded from core earnings, before tax | 18 | (389) | 118 | ||||||||
| Restructuring and other costs, before tax | 104 | — | — | ||||||||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt, before tax | — | 90 | 6 | ||||||||
| Loss on reinsurance transactions, before tax | — | 91 | — | ||||||||
| Pension settlement, before tax | — | — | — | ||||||||
| Integration and transaction costs associated with acquired business, before tax | 51 | 91 | 47 | ||||||||
| Change in loss reserves upon acquisition of a business, before tax | — | 97 | — | ||||||||
| Change in deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance, before tax | 312 | 16 | — | ||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | (115) | 2 | (75) | ||||||||
| Loss (income) from discontinued operations, net of tax | — | — | (322) | ||||||||
| Core earnings | $ | 2,086 | $ | 2,062 | $ | 1,575 | |||||
Core Earnings Margin- The Hartford uses the non-GAAP measure core earnings margin to evaluate, and believes it is an important measure of, the Group Benefits segment's operating performance. Core earnings margin is calculated by dividing core earnings by revenues, excluding buyouts and realized gains (losses). Net income margin, calculated by dividing net income by revenues, is the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure. The Company believes that core earnings margin provides investors with a valuable measure of the performance of Group Benefits because it reveals trends in the business that may be obscured by the effect of buyouts and realized gains (losses) as well as other items excluded in the calculation of core earnings. Core earnings margin should not be considered as a substitute for net income margin and does not reflect the overall profitability of Group Benefits. Therefore, the Company believes it is important for investors to evaluate both core earnings margin and net income margin when reviewing performance. A reconciliation of net income margin to core earnings margin is set forth in the Results of Operations section within MD&A - Group Benefits.
Current Accident Year Catastrophe Ratio- A component of the loss and loss adjustment expense ratio, represents the ratio of catastrophe losses incurred in the current accident year (net of reinsurance) to earned premiums. For U.S. events, a catastrophe is an event that causes $25 or more in industry insured property losses and affects a significant number of property and casualty policyholders and insurers, as defined by the Property Claim Services office of Verisk. For international events, the Company's approach is similar, informed, in part, by how Lloyd's defines catastrophes. Lloyd's is an insurance market-place operating worldwide. Lloyd's does not underwrite risks. The Company accepts risks as the sole member of its Lloyd's Syndicate. The current accident year catastrophe ratio includes the effect of catastrophe losses, but does not include the effect of reinstatement premiums.
Expense Ratio- For the underwriting segments of Commercial Lines and Personal Lines is the ratio of underwriting expenses less fee income, to earned premiums. Underwriting expenses include the amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs ("DAC") and insurance operating costs and expenses, including certain centralized services costs and bad debt expense. DAC include commissions, taxes, licenses and fees and other incremental direct underwriting expenses and are amortized over the policy term.
The expense ratio for Group Benefits is expressed as the ratio of insurance operating costs and other expenses including amortization of intangibles and amortization of DAC, to premiums and other considerations, excluding buyout premiums.
The expense ratio for Commercial Lines, Personal Lines and Group Benefits does not include integration and other transaction costs associated with an acquired business.
Fee Income- Is largely driven from amounts earned as a result of contractually defined percentages of assets under management in our Hartford Funds business. These fees are generally earned on a daily basis. Therefore, the growth in assets under management either through positive net flows or favorable market performance will have a favorable impact on fee income. Conversely, either negative net flows or unfavorable market performance will reduce fee income.
Gross New Business Premium- Represents the amount of premiums charged, before ceded reinsurance, for policies issued to customers who were not insured with the Company in the previous policy term. Gross new business premium plus gross renewal written premium less ceded reinsurance equals total written premium.
Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Ratio- A measure of the cost of claims incurred in the calendar year divided by earned premium and includes losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred for both the current and prior
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
accident years. Among other factors, the loss and loss adjustment expense ratio needed for the Company to achieve its targeted ROE fluctuates from year to year based on changes in the expected investment yield over the claim settlement period, the timing of expected claim settlements and the targeted returns set by management based on the competitive environment.
The loss and loss adjustment expense ratio is affected by claim frequency and claim severity, particularly for shorter-tail property lines of business, where the emergence of claim frequency and severity is credible and likely indicative of ultimate losses. Claim frequency represents the percentage change in the average number of reported claims per unit of exposure in the current accident year compared to that of the previous accident year. Claim severity represents the percentage change in the estimated average cost per claim in the current accident year compared to that of the previous accident year. As one of the factors used to determine pricing, the Company’s practice is to first make an overall assumption about claim frequency and severity for a given line of business and then, as part of the rate-making process, adjust the assumption as appropriate for the particular state, product or coverage.
Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Ratio before Catastrophes and Prior Accident Year Development- A measure of the cost of non-catastrophe loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred in the current accident year divided by earned premiums. Management believes that the current accident year loss and loss adjustment expense ratio before catastrophes is a performance measure that is useful to investors as it removes the impact of volatile and unpredictable catastrophe losses and prior accident year development.
Loss Ratio, excluding Buyouts- Utilized for the Group Benefits segment and is expressed as a ratio of benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses, excluding those related to buyout premiums, to premiums and other considerations, excluding buyout premiums. Since Group Benefits occasionally buys a block of claims for a stated premium amount, the Company excludes this buyout from the loss ratio used for evaluating the profitability of the business as buyouts may distort the loss ratio. Buyout premiums represent takeover of open claim liabilities and other non-recurring premium amounts.
Mutual Fund and Exchange-Traded Product Assets- Are owned by the shareholders of those products and not by the Company and, therefore, are not reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements except in instances where the Company seeds new investment products and holds an investment in the fund for a period of time. Mutual fund and ETP assets are a measure used by the Company primarily because a significant portion of the Company’s Hartford Funds segment revenues are based upon asset values. These revenues increase or decrease with a rise or fall in AUM whether caused by changes in the market or through net flows.
Net New Business Premium- Represents the amount of premiums charged, after ceded reinsurance, for policies issued to customers who were not insured with the Company in the previous policy term. Net new business premium plus renewal written premium equals total written premium.
Policies in Force- Represents the number of policies with coverage in effect as of the end of the period. The number of
policies in force is a growth measure used for Personal Lines and standard commercial lines (small commercial and middle market lines within middle & large commercial) within Commercial Lines and is affected by both new business growth and policy count retention.
Premium Retention- Represents renewal premium written in the current period divided by total premium written in the prior period.
Policy Count Retention- Represents the ratio of the number of policies renewed during the period divided by the number of policies available to renew. The number of policies available to renew represents the number of policies, net of any cancellations, written in the previous policy term. Policy count retention is affected by a number of factors, including the percentage of renewal policy quotes accepted and decisions by the Company to non-renew policies because of specific policy underwriting concerns or because of a decision to reduce premium writings in certain classes of business or states. Policy count retention is also affected by advertising and rate actions taken by competitors.
Policyholder Dividend Ratio- The ratio of policyholder dividends to earned premium.
Prior Accident Year Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Ratio- Represents the increase (decrease) in the estimated cost of settling catastrophe and non-catastrophe claims incurred in prior accident years as recorded in the current calendar year divided by earned premiums.
Reinstatement Premiums- Represents additional ceded premium paid for the reinstatement of the amount of reinsurance coverage that was reduced as a result of the Company ceding losses to reinsurers.
Renewal Earned Price Increase (Decrease)- Written premiums are earned over the policy term, which is six months for certain Personal Lines automobile business and twelve months for substantially all of the remainder of the Company’s Property and Casualty business. Since the Company earns premiums over the six to twelve month term of the policies, renewal earned price increases (decreases) lag renewal written price increases (decreases) by six to twelve months.
Renewal Written Price Increase (Decrease)-For Commercial Lines, represents the combined effect of rate changes, amount of insurance and individual risk pricing decisions per unit of exposure on commercial lines policies that renewed. For Personal Lines, renewal written price increases represent the total change in premium per policy since the prior year on those policies that renewed and includes the combined effect of rate changes, amount of insurance and other changes in exposure. For Personal Lines, other changes in exposure include, but are not limited to, the effect of changes in number of drivers, vehicles and incidents, as well as changes in customer policy elections, such as deductibles and limits. The rate component represents the change in rate filed with and approved by state regulators during the period and the amount of insurance represents the change in the value of the rating base, such as model year/vehicle symbol for automobiles, building replacement costs for property and wage inflation for workers’ compensation. A number of factors affect renewal written price increases (decreases) including
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
expected loss costs as projected by the Company’s pricing actuaries, rate filings approved by state regulators, risk selection decisions made by the Company’s underwriters and marketplace competition. Renewal written price changes reflect the property and casualty insurance market cycle. Prices tend to increase for a particular line of business when insurance carriers have incurred significant losses in that line of business in the recent past or the industry as a whole commits less of its capital to writing exposures in that line of business. Prices tend to decrease when recent loss experience has been favorable or when competition among insurance carriers increases. Renewal written price statistics are subject to change from period to period, based on a number of factors, including changes in actuarial estimates and the effect of subsequent cancellations and non-renewals, and modifications made to better reflect ultimate pricing achieved.
Return on Assets ("ROA"), Core Earnings- The Company uses this non-GAAP financial measure to evaluate, and believes is an important measure of, the Hartford Funds segment’s operating performance. ROA, core earnings is calculated by dividing annualized core earnings by a daily average AUM. ROA is the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP measure. The Company believes that ROA, core earnings, provides investors with a valuable measure of the performance of the Hartford Funds segment because it reveals trends in our business that may be obscured by the effect of items excluded in the calculation of core earnings. ROA, core earnings, should not be considered as a substitute for ROA and does not reflect the overall profitability of our Hartford Funds business. Therefore, the Company believes it is important for investors to evaluate both ROA, and ROA, core earnings when reviewing the Hartford Funds segment performance. A reconciliation of ROA to ROA, core earnings is set forth in the Results of Operations section within MD&A - Hartford Funds.
Underlying Combined Ratio-This non-GAAP financial measure of underwriting results represents the combined ratio before catastrophes, prior accident year development and current accident year change in loss reserves upon acquisition of
a business. Combined ratio is the most directly comparable GAAP measure. The underlying combined ratio represents the combined ratio for the current accident year, excluding the impact of current accident year catastrophes and current accident year change in loss reserves upon acquisition of a business. The Company believes this ratio is an important measure of the trend in profitability since it removes the impact of volatile and unpredictable catastrophe losses and prior accident year loss and loss adjustment expense reserve development. The changes to loss reserves upon acquisition of a business are excluded from underlying combined ratio because such changes could obscure the ability to compare results in periods after the acquisition to results of periods prior to the acquisition as such trends are valuable to our investors' ability to assess the Company's financial performance. A reconciliation of combined ratio to underlying combined ratio is set forth in the Results of Operations section within MD&A - Commercial Lines and Personal Lines.
Underwriting Gain (Loss)- The Hartford's management evaluates profitability of the Commercial and Personal Lines segments primarily on the basis of underwriting gain or loss. Underwriting gain (loss) is a before tax non-GAAP measure that represents earned premiums less incurred losses, loss adjustment expenses and underwriting expenses. Net income (loss) is the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Underwriting gain (loss) is influenced significantly by earned premium growth and the adequacy of The Hartford's pricing. Underwriting profitability over time is also greatly influenced by The Hartford's underwriting discipline, as management strives to manage exposure to loss through favorable risk selection and diversification, effective management of claims, use of reinsurance and its ability to manage its expenses. The Hartford believes that the measure underwriting gain (loss) provides investors with a valuable measure of profitability, before tax, derived from underwriting activities, which are managed separately from the Company's investing activities.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Reconciliation of Net Income to Underwriting Gain (Loss)
| For the years ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |||||||||||||||
| Commercial Lines | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 856 | $ | 1,192 | $ | 1,212 | |||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to underwriting gain (loss): | |||||||||||||||||
| Net servicing income | (4) | (2) | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| Net investment income | (1,160) | (1,129) | (997) | ||||||||||||||
| Net realized capital losses (gains) | 60 | (271) | 43 | ||||||||||||||
| Other expense | 35 | 38 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Loss on reinsurance transaction | — | 91 | — | ||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 176 | 270 | 267 | ||||||||||||||
| Underwriting gain (loss) | $ | (37) | $ | 189 | $ | 525 | |||||||||||
| Personal Lines | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | 718 | $ | 318 | $ | (32) | |||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to underwriting gain (loss): | |||||||||||||||||
| Net servicing income | (14) | (13) | (16) | ||||||||||||||
| Net investment income | (157) | (179) | (155) | ||||||||||||||
| Net realized capital losses (gains) | 5 | (43) | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Other expense | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 184 | 76 | (19) | ||||||||||||||
| Underwriting gain (loss) | $ | 737 | $ | 160 | $ | (214) | |||||||||||
| P&C Other Ops | |||||||||||||||||
| Net Income | $ | (168) | $ | 61 | $ | 15 | |||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to underwriting gain (loss): | |||||||||||||||||
| Net investment income | (55) | (84) | (90) | ||||||||||||||
| Net realized capital losses (gains) | 1 | (20) | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Other expense (income) | (1) | — | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) | (46) | 12 | (7) | ||||||||||||||
| Underwriting loss | $ | (269) | $ | (31) | $ | (77) | |||||||||||
Written and Earned Premiums- Written premium represents the amount of premiums charged for policies issued, net of reinsurance, during a fiscal period. Premiums are considered earned and are included in the financial results principally on a pro rata basis over the policy period. Management believes that written premium is a performance measure that is useful to investors as it reflects current trends in the Company’s sale of property and casualty insurance products. Written and earned premium are recorded net of ceded reinsurance premium.
Traditional life and disability insurance type products, such as those sold by Group Benefits, collect premiums from policyholders in exchange for financial protection for the policyholder from a specified insurable loss, such as death or disability. These premiums, together with net investment income earned, are used to pay the contractual obligations under these insurance contracts. Two major factors, new sales and persistency, impact premium growth. Sales can increase or decrease in a given year based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, customer demand for the Company’s product offerings, pricing competition, distribution channels and the
Company’s reputation and ratings. Persistency refers to the percentage of premium remaining in-force from year-to-year.
THE HARTFORD'S OPERATIONS
The Hartford conducts business principally in five reporting segments including Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds, as well as a Corporate category. The Company includes in the Corporate category reserves for run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities, restructuring costs, capital raising activities (including equity financing, debt financing and related interest expense), transaction expenses incurred in connection with an acquisition, purchase accounting adjustments related to goodwill, and other expenses not allocated to the reporting segments. Corporate also includes investment management fees and expenses related to managing third party business, including management of the invested assets of Talcott Resolution Life, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Talcott Resolution").
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Talcott Resolution is the holding company of the life and annuity business that was sold in May 2018. In addition, Corporate includes a 9.7% ownership interest in the legal entity that acquired the life and annuity business sold.
The Company derives its revenues principally from: (a) premiums earned for insurance coverage provided to insureds; (b) management fees on mutual fund and ETP assets; (c) net investment income; (d) fees earned for services provided to third parties; and (e) net realized capital gains and losses. Premiums charged for insurance coverage are earned principally on a pro rata basis over the terms of the related policies in-force.
The profitability of the Company's property and casualty insurance businesses over time is greatly influenced by the Company’s underwriting discipline, which seeks to manage exposure to loss through favorable risk selection and diversification, its management of claims, its use of reinsurance, the size of its in force block, actual mortality and morbidity experience, and its ability to manage its expense ratio which it accomplishes through economies of scale and its management of acquisition costs and other underwriting expenses. Pricing adequacy depends on a number of factors, including the ability to obtain regulatory approval for rate changes, proper evaluation of underwriting risks, the ability to project future loss cost frequency and severity based on historical loss experience adjusted for known trends, the Company’s response to rate actions taken by competitors, its expense levels and expectations about regulatory and legal developments. The Company seeks to price its insurance policies such that insurance premiums and future net investment income earned on premiums received will cover underwriting expenses and the ultimate cost of paying claims reported on the policies and provide for a profit margin. For many of its insurance products, the Company is required to obtain approval for its premium rates from state insurance departments and the Lloyd's Syndicate's ability to write business is subject to Lloyd's approval for its premium capacity each year. Most of Personal Lines written premium is associated with our exclusive licensing agreement with AARP. This agreement provides an important competitive advantage given the size of the 50 plus population and the strength of the AARP brand. During the second quarter of 2020, the Company extended this agreement through December 31, 2032.
Similar to property and casualty, profitability of the group benefits business depends, in large part, on the ability to evaluate and price risks appropriately and make reliable estimates of mortality, morbidity, disability and longevity. To manage the pricing risk, Group Benefits generally offers term insurance policies, allowing for the adjustment of rates or policy terms in order to minimize the adverse effect of market trends, loss costs, declining interest rates and other factors. However, as policies are typically sold with rate guarantees of up to three years, pricing for the Company’s products could prove to be inadequate if loss and expense trends emerge adversely during the rate guarantee period or if investment returns are lower than expected at the time the products were sold. For some of its products, the Company is required to obtain approval for its premium rates from state insurance departments. New and renewal business for group benefits business, particularly for long-term disability, are priced using an assumption about expected investment yields over time. While the Company employs asset-liability duration matching strategies to mitigate risk and may use interest-rate sensitive derivatives to hedge its
exposure in the Group Benefits investment portfolio, cash flow patterns related to the payment of benefits and claims are uncertain and actual investment yields could differ significantly from expected investment yields, affecting profitability of the business. In addition to appropriately evaluating and pricing risks, the profitability of the Group Benefits business depends on other factors, including the Company’s response to pricing decisions and other actions taken by competitors, its ability to offer voluntary products and self-service capabilities, the persistency of its sold business and its ability to manage its expenses which it seeks to achieve through economies of scale and operating efficiencies.
The financial results of the Company’s mutual fund and ETP businesses depend largely on the amount of assets under management and the level of fees charged based, in part, on asset share class and product type. Changes in assets under management are driven by the two main factors of net flows and the market return of the funds, which are heavily influenced by the return realized in the equity and bond markets. Net flows are comprised of new sales less redemptions by mutual fund and ETP shareholders. Financial results are highly correlated to the growth in assets under management since these products generally earn fee income on a daily basis.
The investment return, or yield, on invested assets is an important element of the Company’s earnings since insurance products are priced with the assumption that premiums received can be invested for a period of time before benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses are paid. Due to the need to maintain sufficient liquidity to satisfy claim obligations, the majority of the Company’s invested assets have been held in available-for-sale securities, including, among other asset classes, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, government debt, short-term debt, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities and collateralized loan obligations. The primary investment objective for the Company is to maximize economic value, consistent with acceptable risk parameters, including the management of credit risk and interest rate sensitivity of invested assets, while generating sufficient net of tax income to meet policyholder and corporate obligations. Investment strategies are developed based on a variety of factors including business needs, regulatory requirements and tax considerations.
Impact of COVID-19 on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity
Impact to revenues
Earned premiums
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to the economy of the U.S. and other countries in which we operate. Due to government restrictions that have prevented some businesses from offering goods and services to their customers and due to shelter-in-place guidelines that have reduced business activity, many of our customers, especially small businesses, have had to curtail their operations or have found they are unable to meet cash flow needs due to declining business volume, causing some to lay off workers. As one of the largest providers of small business insurance in the U.S., in 2020, we experienced a 3% year over year decline in our small commercial written premium although trends improved in the second half of 2020. In addition
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
to the expected decline in small commercial written and earned premium, other business lines in Commercial Lines have also been negatively affected due to government-mandated restrictions and stay-at-home guidelines reducing business activity and due to consumers having less disposable income or less willingness to spend on the products and services that our commercial lines policyholders sell. Excluding the effect of the Navigators acquisition, Commercial Lines written premium declined $290, or 4%, year over year driven by lower new business and due to endorsements or other changes to in-force policies that decrease premiums to reflect reduced exposures.
Within Commercial Lines, workers’ compensation written premium declined year over year, partly due to declining payrolls as a result of the economic effects of COVID-19.
Contributing to a 6% decline in Personal Lines written premium in 2020 was the effect of increased shopping behaviors, and lower new business levels arising out of the competitive marketplace. In addition, The Hartford provided a 15 percent refund on policyholders’ April, May and June personal automobile insurance premiums which reduced Personal Lines written and earned premiums by $81 in the second quarter of 2020. In Group Benefits, fully insured ongoing premium decreased 2% in 2020 resulting primarily from lower insured exposure on in-force policies. Because of the economic stress caused by COVID-19, we also experienced a higher amount of uncollectible premiums receivable in 2020. As a result, to reflect our higher expectation of credit losses, The Hartford increased its allowance for credit losses ("ACL") on premiums receivable by $40 in the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.
Net investment income and realized capital gains (losses)
Total net investment income decreased in 2020 primarily due to a lower yield on fixed maturity investments resulting from lower reinvestment rates and lower yields on floating rate securities, partially offset by a higher level of invested assets, due in part to the acquisition of Navigators Group. In an effort to stimulate the economy, central banks have reduced benchmark interest rates to near zero, impacting our yields on floating rate securities and reinvestment rates. From late March to mid-May, 2020, the Company temporarily reinvested receipts of interest and proceeds from maturing fixed maturity investments in liquid, short-term investments. While the Company resumed investing in fixed maturities in May, 2020, lower interest rates since the pandemic began have generally resulted in lower investment yields on newly invested funds. A prolonged period of lower interest rates could depress the Company's net investment income such that to earn the same level of return on equity we may have to charge higher premiums for the insurance products we sell unless loss costs similarly lessen.
Net realized capital gains (losses) on equity securities for the year ended December 31, 2020 totaled $(214) before tax, consisting of unrealized mark-to-market gains (losses) on equity securities held and net realized gains (losses) on equity securities sold, net of realized gains on equity derivative hedges. While equity markets in the last nine months of 2020 increased more than the value they lost during the first quarter, economic conditions remain uncertain and if equity markets were to experience similar declines as occurred in the first quarter of 2020, we may incur more net realized capital losses in future periods.
Net realized capital losses for the year ended December 31, 2020 also included $47 of increases in the allowance for credit losses, partially offset by reversals of the allowance due to improvements in market value or sales, and $5 of intent-to-sell impairments. The increase in the allowance for credit losses in the twelve month period included increases of $28 on available for sale fixed maturities and increases of $19 on commercial mortgage loans. If it takes a prolonged period for the economy to recover or if the impacts of the economic downturn are deeper than anticipated, we could experience further credit losses and intent-to-sell impairments, particularly with highly leveraged companies and issuers in the energy, commercial real estate, and travel and leisure sectors, resulting in further net realized capital losses.
Impact to direct benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses from COVID-19 claims
For the year ended December 31, 2020, we recorded direct COVID-19 incurred losses in P&C of $278, reflecting management’s best estimate of the ultimate cost of settling COVID-19 claims incurred, including $141 for property claims, $66 for workers’ compensation, net of favorable frequency on other workers' compensation claims, and $71 of incurred losses largely concentrated in financial lines such as D&O and E&O and in surety and marine.
Nearly all of our property insurance policies require direct physical loss or damage to property and contain standard exclusions that we believe preclude coverage for COVID-19 related claims, and the vast majority of such policies contain exclusions for virus-related losses. Included in the $141 of COVID-19 property incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses in the twelve month period were $101 of losses arising from a small number of property policies that do not require direct physical loss or damage and from policies intended to cover specific business needs, including crisis management and performance disruption, as well as a reserve of $40 for legal defense costs. Given the significant business disruptions that have occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has experienced increased property claims, resulting in increased litigation activity and legal expenses. Within Property & Casualty, we incur COVID-19 workers’ compensation losses when it is determined that workers were exposed to COVID-19 out of and in the course of their employment and in other cases where states have passed laws providing for the presumption of coverage for certain industry classes, including health care and other essential workers. While current accident year losses for workers’ compensation for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased by $180 due to COVID-19 claims, this has been partially offset by lower claim frequency of non-COVID-19 related workers’ compensation claims due to reduced business activity, resulting in a net increase in incurred losses of $66. Favorable non-COVID-19 workers’ compensation claim frequency could continue through 2021 though possibly to a lesser extent if more business activity resumes. The Company could incur additional COVID-19 direct incurred losses in P&C through much of 2021, particularly for workers’ compensation and financial lines.
Within Group Benefits, the Company experienced excess mortality in its group life business of $239 in 2020, primarily caused by direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19. Within the group disability business, in 2020 the Company recognized $29 of
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
COVID-19 direct losses from short-term disability claims, more than offset by $38 of favorable frequency on other short-term disability claims.
Other impacts from COVID-19 and resulting economic downturn
Apart from impacts on the investment portfolio, net investment income and net realized capital gains (losses), in 2020, the Company incurred a number of other insurance business impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn as follows:
•For the year ended December 31, 2020, we recognized an estimated decrease in current accident incurred losses in Personal Lines automobile of $218 due to a significant reduction in miles driven since the pandemic began, though miles driven has begun to increase again. In the second quarter of 2020, Personal Lines written and earned premiums were reduced by $81 due to providing automobile policyholders with premium refunds or credits in recognition of the decrease in miles driven.
•The Company experienced the impacts of lower premium retention, including the impact of a lower exposure base on workers' compensation premium.
•From April through approximately July of 2020, the Company waived late payment fees for a period of time for business and personal insurance customers and temporarily suspended the policy cancellation process for policyholders of our Commercial Lines, Personal Lines and Group Benefits segments with the period of policy cancellations for non-payment varying by state.
•Because of the economic stress caused by COVID-19 and partly due to the extension of billing terms, we expect a higher amount of uncollectible premiums receivable. As a result, to reflect our higher expectation of credit losses, The Hartford increased its ACL on premiums receivable by $40 in the year ended December 31, 2020.
•Apart from the increase in the premiums receivable allowance, we have experienced a decline in insurance operating costs and other expenses partly due to lower travel and employee benefits costs and lower operating costs associated with lower earned premium volumes.
Considering the impacts of COVID-19, the Company evaluated the impact of market factors on the fair value of the reporting units using the income approach and determined the estimated fair values do not indicate a goodwill impairment for any reporting unit. The annual goodwill assessment for the reporting units was completed as of October 31, 2020, and resulted in no write-downs of goodwill for the year ended December 31, 2020.
For information about additional resources the Company has to manage capital and liquidity during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, refer to the Capital Resources & Liquidity section of MD&A.
For additional information about the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn, see the risk factor "The pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19 has disrupted our operations and may have a material adverse impact
on our business results, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity" in Item 1A of Part I.
Common stockholders’ equity
Apart from the direct loss and premium impacts of COVID-19 on net income, we could also experience a reduction in AOCI within common stockholders’ equity. The net unrealized gain position on our portfolio of fixed maturities, AFS increased by $1.4 billion from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020, due to an increase in valuations resulting from a decline in interest rates. If credit spreads widen going forward or if interest rates increase from the level they were at as of December 31, 2020, we would recognize a decline in the fair value of fixed maturities, AFS in future periods through a reduction of AOCI within common stockholders’ equity.
In December 2020, the Company announced a $1.5 billion equity repurchase authorization by the Board of Directors which is effective from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2022. Any future repurchase of shares is dependent on market conditions and other factors including the extent to which COVID-19 impacts our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. For further information, see Note 16 - Equity of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Operational Transformation and Cost Reduction Plan
In recognition of the need to become more cost efficient and competitive along with enhancing the experience we provide to agents and customers, on July 30, 2020, the Company announced an operational transformation and cost reduction plan it refers to as Hartford Next. Through reduction of its headcount, IT investments to further enhance our capabilities, and other activities, relative to 2019, the Company expects to achieve a reduction in annual insurance operating costs and other expenses of approximately $500 by 2022. The Hartford Next program will contribute to our goal of reducing the 2022 P&C expense ratio by about 2.0 to 2.5 points, reducing the 2022 Group Benefits expense ratio by about 1.5 to 2.0 points and reducing our 2022 claim expense ratio by approximately 0.5 point.
To achieve those expected savings, we expect to incur approximately $410, with $153 expensed over the last six months of 2020, and expected expenses of $110 in 2021, $77 in 2022 and $70 after 2022, with the expenses after 2022 consisting mostly of amortization of internal use software and capitalized real estate costs. The estimated costs of approximately $410 includes an expected $54 in capitalized development costs for internal use software to be amortized over the useful life of the software, typically 3 years, and approximately $23 of capitalized real estate assets to be amortized over their useful lives. Included in the estimated costs of $410, we expect to incur restructuring costs of approximately $158, including $73 of employee severance, and approximately $85 of other costs, including consulting expenses and the cost to retire certain IT applications.
Restructuring costs are reported as a charge to net income but not in core earnings. All other costs of the Hartford Next program will be included in insurance operating costs and other expenses in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Relative to 2019 full year actual expenses, the Company recognized a net increase in insurance operating costs and other expenses of approximately
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
$47 over the last six months of 2020 and expects a net expense reduction of approximately $240 in 2021 and approximately $423 in 2022.
The following table presents Hartford Next program costs incurred, including restructuring costs, and expense savings realized in 2020 from the inception of the program on July 30, 2020 through December 31, 2020, and expected costs and expense savings in each year through the expected completion of the program on December 31, 2022:
| Hartford Next Costs and Expense Savings | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Estimate for 2021 | Estimate for 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Employee severance | $ | 73 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||
| IT costs to retire applications | 2 | 10 | 14 | |||||||||||
| Professional fees and other expenses | 29 | 23 | 7 | |||||||||||
| Estimated restructuring costs | 104 | 33 | 21 | |||||||||||
| Non-capitalized IT costs | 30 | 56 | 33 | |||||||||||
| Other costs | 19 | 19 | 15 | |||||||||||
| Amortization of capitalized IT development costs [1] | — | 1 | 5 | |||||||||||
| Amortization of capitalized real estate [2] | — | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||
| Estimated costs within core earnings | 49 | 77 | 56 | |||||||||||
| Total Hartford Next program costs | 153 | 110 | 77 | |||||||||||
| Cumulative savings relative to 2019 beginning July 1, 2020 | (106) | (350) | (500) | |||||||||||
| Net expense (savings) before tax | $ | 47 | $ | (240) | $ | (423) | ||||||||
| Net expense (savings) before tax: | ||||||||||||||
| To be accounted for within core earnings | $ | (57) | $ | (273) | $ | (444) | ||||||||
| Restructuring costs recognized outside of core earnings | 104 | 33 | 21 | |||||||||||
| Net expense (savings) before tax | $ | 47 | $ | (240) | $ | (423) | ||||||||
[1] Does not include approximately $48 of IT asset amortization after 2022.
[2] Does not include approximately $19 of real estate amortization after 2022.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
2020 Financial Highlights
| Net Income Available to Common Stockholders | Net Income Available to Common Stockholders per Diluted Share | Book Value per Diluted Share | ||||||||||||
| Þ | Decreased $348 or 17% | Þ | Decreased $0.90 or 16% | Ý | Increased $6.54 or 15% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | A change from net realized capital gains in the 2019 period to losses in the 2020 period | - | Decrease in net income | + | Increase in common stockholders' equity largely due to net income in excess of stockholder dividends and an increase in AOCI, primarily driven by an increase in net unrealized capital gains on available for sale securities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | Decrease in weighted average shares outstanding | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | $220, after tax, of P&C COVID-19 claims including property, financial lines and workers’ compensation, net of favorable workers’ compensation frequency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | An increase in current accident year catastrophes | + | Decrease in dilutive shares outstanding | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | A decrease in net investment income | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Higher mortality within group life driven by COVID-19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Restructuring costs related to the Hartford Next initiative | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | Loss on reinsurance and loss on extinguishment of debt in 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | Greater net favorable prior accident year development | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | Lower non-COVID-19 current accident year non-catastrophe property losses, lower personal automobile claim frequency, net of premium refunds, and lower P&C operating expenses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment Yield, After Tax | Property & Casualty Combined Ratio | Group Benefits Net Income Margin | ||||||||||||
| Þ | Decreased 40 bps | Þ | Improved 0.8 points | Þ | Decreased 2.4 points | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Lower reinvestment rates and lower yield on variable rate securities due to the decline in interest rates | - | Lower current accident year loss ratio in Personal Lines, due to lower automobile claim frequency | - | Higher mortality in group life, driven by the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Lower net investment income | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | More favorable prior accident year development with 2020 reserve reductions for catastrophes partially offset by reserve increases for A&E and sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims | - | A decrease in net realized capital gains | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | A lower group disability loss ratio, driven by lower claim incidence and an increase in favorable prior incurral year development | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Lower expense ratio mostly driven by lower variable incentive compensation, staffing levels, and travel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | Higher current accident year catastrophes, largely due to losses from civil unrest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| + | Higher current accident year loss ratio in Commercial Lines driven by COVID-19 losses, partially offset by lower non-catastrophe property losses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The Consolidated Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and the related Notes as well as with the segment operating results sections of the MD&A.
Consolidated Results of Operations
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Earned premiums | $ | 17,288 | $ | 16,923 | $ | 15,869 | 2 | % | 7 | % | |||||||||||||
| Fee income | 1,277 | 1,301 | 1,313 | (2 | %) | (1 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net investment income | 1,846 | 1,951 | 1,780 | (5 | %) | 10 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) | (14) | 395 | (112) | (104 | %) | NM | |||||||||||||||||
| Other revenues | 126 | 170 | 105 | (26 | %) | 62 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 20,523 | 20,740 | 18,955 | (1 | %) | 9 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses | 11,805 | 11,472 | 11,165 | 3 | % | 3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs | 1,706 | 1,622 | 1,384 | 5 | % | 17 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Insurance operating costs and other expenses | 4,480 | 4,580 | 4,281 | (2 | %) | 7 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Loss on extinguishment of debt | — | 90 | 6 | (100 | %) | NM | |||||||||||||||||
| Loss on reinsurance transactions | — | 91 | — | (100 | %) | NM | |||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | 236 | 259 | 298 | (9 | %) | (13 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of other intangible assets | 72 | 66 | 68 | 9 | % | (3 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Restructuring and other costs | 104 | — | — | NM | — | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Total benefits, losses and expenses | 18,403 | 18,180 | 17,202 | 1 | % | 6 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Income from continuing operations, before tax | 2,120 | 2,560 | 1,753 | (17 | %) | 46 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 383 | 475 | 268 | (19 | %) | 77 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Income from continuing operations, net of tax | 1,737 | 2,085 | 1,485 | (17 | %) | 40 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Income from discontinued operations, net of tax | — | — | 322 | — | % | (100 | %) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 1,737 | 2,085 | 1,807 | (17 | %) | 15 | % | ||||||||||||||||
| Preferred stock dividends | 21 | 21 | 6 | — | % | NM | |||||||||||||||||
| Net income available to common stockholders | $ | 1,716 | $ | 2,064 | $ | 1,801 | (17 | %) | 15 | % | |||||||||||||
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to year ended December 31, 2019
Net income available to common stockholders decreased by $348 primarily driven by a $409 before tax change from net realized capital gains in the 2019 period to net realized capital losses in the 2020 period, $278 before tax of P&C COVID-19 claims in the 2020 period, higher mortality in group life, mostly driven by COVID-19, a $143 before tax increase in current accident year catastrophes, a $105 before tax decrease in net investment income, and $104 before tax of restructuring costs, partially offset by lower Personal Lines automobile claim frequency in the 2020 period net of premium credits given to policyholders in second quarter 2020, lower non-catastrophe property losses, a decrease in P&C insurance operating costs, higher net favorable P&C prior accident year development, and the effect of charges in 2019, including the Navigators ADC premium paid of $91 before tax and a $90 before tax loss on debt extinguishment.
For a discussion of the Company's operating results by segment, see MD&A - Segment Operating Summaries. In addition, for further discussion of impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to the Impact of COVID-19 on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity section of this MD&A.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Revenue
Earned Premiums
[1]For the years ended 2020 and 2019, the total includes $9 and $10, respectively, recorded in Corporate other revenue.
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to year ended December 31, 2019
Earned premiums increased primarily due to:
•An increase in Property and Casualty reflecting a 7% increase in Commercial Lines driven by the Navigators Group acquisition, partially offset by a 6% decline in Personal Lines. Driving part of the decrease in Personal Lines earned premiums was the impact of the Company offering a 15 percent credit on policyholders’ April, May and June personal automobile insurance premiums totaling $81.
•A 1% decrease in Group Benefits, principally driven by a decline in group life due to lower insured exposure on in-force policies.
Fee income decreased due to:
•Lower fee income in Hartford Funds largely due to a shift in mix of assets to lower fee generating funds, lower installment fee income in P&C and lower fee income on administrative services only business in Group Benefits.
Other revenues decreased primarily due to a decrease in income generated from the Talcott Resolution investment and less transition services revenue received related to the sale of the life and annuity business in 2018.
Net Investment Income
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to year ended December 31, 2019
Net investment income decreased primarily due to:
•Lower yield on fixed maturity investments resulting from lower reinvestment rates and lower yields on floating rate securities, partially offset by a higher level of invested assets, due in part to the acquisition of Navigators Group.
Net realized capital gains (losses) decreased from net gains in the 2019 period to net losses in the 2020 period, primarily driven by:
•Depreciation in the value of equity securities due to the significant decline in equity market levels in the first quarter of 2020 as well as realized losses upon sales of equity securities, partially offset by net realized gains upon termination of derivatives used to hedge against a decline in equity market levels.
•A loss of $48, before tax, on sale of the Company’s Continental Europe Operations, which the Company agreed to sell in September of 2020, net credit losses recognized on fixed maturities and an increase in the ACL on mortgage loans, partially offset by slightly higher net gains on sales of fixed maturity securities.
For further discussion of investment results, see MD&A - Investment Results, Net Realized Capital Gains and MD&A - Investment Results, Net Investment Income.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Benefits, losses and expenses
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to year ended December 31, 2019
Losses and LAE Incurred for P&C
Benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses increased due to:
•An increase in incurred losses for Property & Casualty which was driven by an increase in Commercial Lines, partially offset by a decrease in Personal Lines, and was attributable to:
–An increase in Property & Casualty current accident year ("CAY") loss and loss adjustment expenses before catastrophes due to the effect on incurred losses of earned premium from the Navigators Group acquisition and COVID-19 incurred losses of $278 which is net of favorable frequency of workers’ compensation claims due to reduced business activity and lower payrolls. Partially offsetting the increase were lower weather-related non-COVID-19 non-catastrophe property claims and lower claim frequency in personal automobile due to shelter-in-place guidelines reducing miles driven.
–An increase in current accident year catastrophe losses of $143 before tax. Current accident year catastrophe losses for 2020 were primarily from civil unrest, a number of hurricanes and tropical storms, Pacific Coast wildfires and Northeast windstorms as well as tornado, wind and hail events in the South, Midwest and Central Plains. Catastrophe losses in the 2019 period were primarily from tornado, wind and hail events in the South, Midwest and Mountain West and winter storms across the country as well as from hurricanes and tropical storms in the Southeast. For additional information, see MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property & Casualty Insurance Product Reserves, Net of Reinsurance.
–Partially offset by more favorable Property & Casualty net prior accident year reserve development of $71, before tax. Prior accident year reserve development in the 2020 period was a favorable $136 before tax, with $529 of reserve reductions related to catastrophes, including decreases in estimated losses arising from wind and hail events in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and from the 2017 and 2018 California wildfires, including a $289 before tax subrogation benefit from PG&E. Reserve development in 2020 also included a $254 before tax increase in reserves for sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims, a $208 before tax increase in A&E reserves and a $102 before tax increase in reserves on Navigators related to 2018 and prior accident years. While $220 of A&E and $102 of Navigators’ reserve development has been economically ceded to NICO, the Company recognized a $312 deferred gain under retroactive reinsurance accounting with $10 of the $220 ceded A&E losses recognized as a benefit to income in 2020. Prior accident year development in 2019 primarily included reserve decreases for workers’ compensation, small commercial package business, catastrophes, personal lines automobile liability, and uncollectible reinsurance, partially offset by increases in general liability and professional liability, including increases in Navigators Group reserves upon acquisition of the business, and commercial lines automobile liability. For further discussion, see MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property & Casualty Insurance Product Reserves, Net of Reinsurance.
Losses and LAE Incurred for Group Benefits
•Losses and LAE increased in Group Benefits driven by higher mortality on group life claims, primarily caused by direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19, partially offset by the impact of a lower group disability loss ratio driven by lower claim incidence and increased favorable prior incurral year development.
For further discussion of impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to the impact of COVID-19 on our financial
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
condition, results of operations and liquidity section of this MD&A
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs increased from the prior year period primarily due to an increase in Commercial Lines mainly attributable to the impact of the Navigators Group acquisition, partially offset by decreases in Personal Lines and Group Benefits consistent with the decline in earned premium in those segments.
Insurance operating costs and other expenses decreased due to:
•A reduction in incentive compensation and employee travel and benefits costs, a reduction in contingent consideration of $12 before tax in Hartford Funds associated with the acquisition of Lattice, and expense reductions from the Company’s Hartford Next operational and transformation cost reduction plan.
•Partially offsetting the decrease in expenses were a $40 before tax increase in the ACL on uncollectible premiums receivable in 2020 due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 and higher information technology costs within
Group Benefits and middle & large commercial, partially offset by Personal Lines technology expenses incurred in 2019. In addition, 2020 included a full year of operating costs incurred due to the Navigators Group acquisition in May of 2019, partially offset by lower integration and transaction costs in 2020.
Restructuring and other costs are due to the Company's Hartford Next operational transformation and cost reduction plan which includes $73 of incurred severance costs.
For further discussion of impacts resulting from the Hartford Next initiative, see MD&A - The Hartford's Operations, Operational Transformation and Cost Reduction Plan and Note 23 - Restructuring and Other Costs of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Income tax expense decreased primarily due to a decline in income before tax.
For further discussion of income taxes, see Note 17 - Income Taxes of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
INVESTMENT RESULTS
| Composition of Invested Assets | |||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2020 | December 31, 2019 | ||||||||||||||||
| Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent | ||||||||||||||
| Fixed maturities, available-for-sale ("AFS"), at fair value | $ | 45,035 | 79.7 | % | $ | 42,148 | 79.5 | % | |||||||||
| Equity securities, at fair value | 1,438 | 2.5 | % | 1,657 | 3.1 | % | |||||||||||
| Mortgage loans (net of ACL of $38 and $0) | 4,493 | 7.9 | % | 4,215 | 8.0 | % | |||||||||||
| Limited partnerships and other alternative investments | 2,082 | 3.7 | % | 1,758 | 3.3 | % | |||||||||||
| Other investments [1] | 201 | 0.4 | % | 331 | 0.6 | % | |||||||||||
| Short-term investments | 3,283 | 5.8 | % | 2,921 | 5.5 | % | |||||||||||
| Total investments | $ | 56,532 | 100.0 | % | $ | 53,030 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||
[1] Primarily consists of equity fund investments, overseas deposits, consolidated investment funds and derivative instruments which are carried at fair value.
December 31, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019
Fixed maturities, AFS increased primarily due to net additions of corporate securities and an increase in valuations as a result of a decline in interest rates.
Short-term investments are slightly higher in order to fund asset purchase commitments at year end 2020, which were settled in January 2021.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
| Net Investment Income | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For the years ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Before tax) | Amount | Yield [1] | Amount | Yield [1] | Amount | Yield [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed maturities [2] | $ | 1,442 | 3.4 | % | $ | 1,559 | 3.8 | % | $ | 1,459 | 3.9 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Equity securities | 39 | 3.7 | % | 46 | 3.4 | % | 32 | 3.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Mortgage loans | 172 | 3.9 | % | 165 | 4.4 | % | 141 | 4.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Limited partnerships and other alternative investments | 222 | 12.3 | % | 232 | 14.4 | % | 205 | 13.2 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Other [3] | 42 | 32 | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment expense | (71) | (83) | (77) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total net investment income | $ | 1,846 | 3.6 | % | $ | 1,951 | 4.1 | % | $ | 1,780 | 4.0 | % | ||||||||||||||
| Total net investment income excluding limited partnerships and other alternative investments | $ | 1,624 | 3.3 | % | $ | 1,719 | 3.7 | % | $ | 1,575 | 3.7 | % | ||||||||||||||
[1]Yields calculated using annualized net investment income divided by the monthly average invested assets at amortized cost as applicable, excluding repurchase agreement and securities lending collateral, if any, and derivatives book value.
[2]Includes net investment income on short-term investments.
[3]Primarily includes changes in fair value of certain equity fund investments and income from derivatives that qualify for hedge accounting and are used to hedge fixed maturities.
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Total net investment income decreased primarily due to a lower yield on fixed maturity investments resulting from lower reinvestment rates and lower yields on floating rate securities, partially offset by a higher level of invested assets, due in part to the acquisition of Navigators Group.
Annualized net investment income yield, excluding limited partnerships and other alternative investments and non-routine items on fixed maturities, which primarily include make-whole payments and prepayment fees, partially offset by paydowns, was down primarily due to lower reinvestment and short-term rates.
Average reinvestment rate, on fixed maturities and mortgage loans, excluding certain U.S. Treasury securities, for the
year-ended December 31, 2020, was 2.5% which was below the average yield of sales and maturities of 3.4% for the same period. The average reinvestment rate for the year-ended December 31, 2019 was 3.4% which was below the average yield of sales and maturities of 4.0%.
For the 2021 calendar year, we expect the annualized net investment income yield, excluding limited partnerships and other alternative investments and non-routine items on fixed maturities, to be lower than the portfolio yield earned for the year ended December 31, 2020, due to a lower yield on short-term investments and lower reinvestment rates. The estimated impact on net investment income yield is subject to change due to evolving market conditions and active portfolio management.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
| Net Realized Capital Gains (Losses) | |||||||||||
| For the years ended December 31, | |||||||||||
| (Before tax) | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | ||||||||
| Gross gains on sales | $ | 255 | $ | 234 | $ | 114 | |||||
| Gross losses on sales | (50) | (56) | (172) | ||||||||
| Equity securities [1] | (214) | 254 | (48) | ||||||||
| Net credit losses on fixed maturities, AFS [2] | (28) | ||||||||||
| Change in ACL on mortgage loans [3] | (19) | ||||||||||
| Intent-to-sell impairments [4] | (5) | — | — | ||||||||
| Net other-than-temporary impairment ("OTTI") losses recognized in earnings | (3) | (1) | |||||||||
| Valuation allowances on mortgage loans | 1 | — | |||||||||
| Other, net [5] | 47 | (35) | (5) | ||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) | $ | (14) | $ | 395 | $ | (112) | |||||
[1]The net unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities included in net realized capital gains (losses) related to equity securities still held as of December 31, 2020, were $53 for the year-ended December 31, 2020. The net unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities included in net realized capital gains (losses) related to equity securities still held as of December 31, 2019, were $164 for the year-ended December 31, 2019. The net unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities included in net realized capital gains (losses) related to equity securities still held as of December 31, 2018, were $(80) for the year-ended December 31, 2018.
[2]Due to the adoption of accounting guidance for credit losses on January 1, 2020, realized capital losses previously reported as OTTI are now presented as credit losses which are net of any recoveries. For further information refer to Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies. In addition, see Credit Losses on Fixed Maturities, AFS within the Investment Portfolio Risks and Risk Management section of the MD&A.
[3]Represents the change in ACL recorded during the period following the adoption of accounting guidance for credit losses on January 1, 2020. For further information refer to Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies. In addition, see ACL on Mortgage Loans within the Investment Portfolio Risks and Risk Management section of the MD&A.
[4]See Intent-to-Sell Impairments within the Investment Portfolio Risks and Risk Management section of the MD&A.
[5]Includes gains (losses) on non-qualifying derivatives for 2020, 2019, and 2018 of $104, $(24), and $(12), respectively, gains (losses) from transactional foreign currency revaluation of $(1), $(9) and $1, respectively, and a loss of $48 from the sale of the Continental Europe Operations for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Year ended December 31, 2020
Gross gains and losses on sales were primarily driven by issuer-specific sales of corporate securities and tax-exempt municipal bonds, rebalancing within the foreign government sector, and sales of U.S. treasury securities for duration and/or liquidity management.
Equity securities net losses were driven by mark-to-market losses due to the decline in equity market levels in the first quarter and losses incurred on sales across multiple issuers as the Company reduced its exposure to equity securities, partially offset by mark-to-market equity gains given recent equity market performance and tighter credit spreads, which resulted in price appreciation of preferred equities.
Other, net gains are primarily due to $75 of realized gains on terminated derivatives used to hedge against a decline in equity market levels and $21 of gains on interest rate derivatives due to a decline in interest rates. These gains were partially offset by a loss of $48, before tax, on the sale of the Company’s Continental Europe Operations which the Company agreed to sell in September of 2020.
Year ended December 31, 2019
Gross gains and losses on sales were primarily driven by issuer-specific selling of corporate securities, continued reduction of tax-exempt municipal bonds and sales of U.S. treasuries for duration management.
Equity securities net gains were primarily driven by appreciation of equity securities due to higher equity market levels.
Other, net losses includes losses on interest rate derivatives of $34 due to higher rates, losses on equity derivatives of $17 due
to an increase in domestic equity markets, and losses of $9 due to foreign currency revaluation. These losses were partially offset by gains on credit derivatives of $27 due to credit spread tightening.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ, and in the past have differed, from those estimates.
The Company has identified the following estimates as critical in that they involve a higher degree of judgment and are subject to a significant degree of variability:
•property and casualty insurance product reserves, net of reinsurance;
•group benefit long-term disability ("LTD") reserves, net of reinsurance;
•evaluation of goodwill for impairment;
•valuation of investments and derivative instruments including evaluation of credit losses on fixed maturities, AFS and ACL on mortgage loans; and
•contingencies relating to corporate litigation and regulatory matters.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Certain of these estimates are particularly sensitive to market conditions, and deterioration and/or volatility in the worldwide debt or equity markets could have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. In developing these estimates management makes subjective and complex judgments that are inherently uncertain and subject to material change as facts and circumstances develop. Although variability is inherent in these estimates, management believes the amounts provided are appropriate based upon the facts available upon compilation of the financial statements.
Property & Casualty Insurance Product Reserves
P&C Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves, Net of Reinsurance, by Segment as of December 31, 2020
Loss and LAE Reserves, Net of Reinsurance as of December 31, 2020
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | % Total Reserves-net | ||||||||||||||||
| Workers’ compensation | $ | 10,886 | $ | — | $ | — | $ | 10,886 | 45.6% | |||||||||||
| General liability | 4,105 | — | — | 4,105 | 17.2% | |||||||||||||||
| Marine | 279 | — | — | 279 | 1.2% | |||||||||||||||
| Package business [1] | 1,852 | — | — | 1,852 | 7.7% | |||||||||||||||
| Commercial property | 475 | — | — | 475 | 2.0% | |||||||||||||||
| Automobile liability | 1,066 | 1,399 | — | 2,465 | 10.3% | |||||||||||||||
| Automobile physical damage | 13 | 25 | — | 38 | 0.1% | |||||||||||||||
| Professional liability | 1,184 | — | — | 1,184 | 5.0% | |||||||||||||||
| Bond | 381 | — | — | 381 | 1.5% | |||||||||||||||
| Homeowners | — | 372 | — | 372 | 1.6% | |||||||||||||||
| Asbestos and environmental | 139 | 10 | 789 | 938 | 3.9% | |||||||||||||||
| Assumed reinsurance | 218 | — | 87 | 305 | 1.3% | |||||||||||||||
| All other | 189 | 2 | 426 | 617 | 2.6% | |||||||||||||||
| Total reserves-net | 20,787 | 1,808 | 1,302 | 23,897 | 100.0% | |||||||||||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables | 4,271 | 28 | 1,426 | 5,725 | ||||||||||||||||
| Total reserves-gross | $ | 25,058 | $ | 1,836 | $ | 2,728 | $ | 29,622 | ||||||||||||
[1]Commercial Lines policy packages that include property and general liability coverages are generally referred to as the package line of business.
For descriptions of the coverages provided under the lines of business shown above, see Part I - Item1, Business.
Overview of Reserving for Property and Casualty Insurance Claims
It typically takes many months or years to pay claims incurred under a property and casualty insurance product; accordingly, the Company must establish reserves at the time the loss is incurred. Most of the Company’s policies provide for occurrence-based
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
coverage where the loss is incurred when a claim event happens like an automobile accident, house or building fire or injury to an employee under a workers’ compensation policy. Some of the Company's policies, mostly for directors and officers insurance and errors and omissions insurance, are claims-made policies where the loss is incurred in the period the claim event is reported to the Company even if the loss event itself occurred in an earlier period.
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves provide for the estimated ultimate costs of paying claims under insurance policies written by the Company, less amounts paid to date. These reserves include estimates for both claims that have been reported and those that have not yet been reported, and include estimates of all expenses associated with processing and settling these claims. Case reserves are established by a claims handler on each individual claim and are adjusted as new information becomes known during the course of handling the claim. Incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) reserves represent the difference between the estimated ultimate cost of all claims and the actual loss and loss adjustment expenses reported to the Company by claimants (“reported losses”). Reported losses represent cumulative loss and loss adjustment expenses paid plus case reserves for outstanding reported claims. For most lines, Company actuaries evaluate the total reserves (IBNR and case reserves) on an accident year basis. An accident year is the calendar year in which a loss is incurred, or, in the case of claims-made policies, the calendar year in which a loss is reported. For certain lines acquired from the Navigators Group book of business, total reserves are evaluated on a policy year basis and then converted to accident year. A policy year is the calendar year in which a policy incepts.
Factors that Change Reserve Estimates- Reserve estimates can change over time because of unexpected changes in the external environment. Inflation in claim costs, such as with medical care, hospital care, automobile parts, wages and home and building repair, would cause claims to settle for more than they are initially reserved. Changes in the economy can cause an increase or decrease in the number of reported claims (claim frequency). For example, an improving economy could result in more automobile miles driven and a higher number of automobile reported claims, or a change in economic conditions can lead to more or less workers’ compensation reported claims. An increase in the number or percentage of claims litigated can increase the average settlement amount per claim (claim severity). Changes in the judicial environment can affect interpretations of damages and how policy coverage applies which could increase or decrease claim severity. Over time, judges or juries in certain jurisdictions may be more inclined to determine liability and award damages. New legislation can also change how damages are defined or change the statutes of limitations for the filing of civil suits, resulting in greater claim frequency or severity. In addition, new types of injuries may arise from exposures not contemplated when the policies were written. Past examples include pharmaceutical products, silica, lead paint, sexual molestation and sexual abuse and construction defects.
Reserve estimates can also change over time because of changes in internal Company operations. A delay or acceleration in handling claims may signal a need to increase or reduce reserves from what was initially estimated. New lines of business may have loss development patterns that are not well established. Changes in the geographic mix of business, changes in the mix of business
by industry and changes in the mix of business by policy limit or deductible can increase the risk that losses will ultimately develop differently than the loss development patterns assumed in our reserving. In addition, changes in the quality of risk selection in underwriting and changes in interpretations of policy language could increase or decrease ultimate losses from what was assumed in establishing the reserves.
In the case of assumed reinsurance, all of the above risks apply. The Company assumes property and casualty risks from other insurance companies as part of its Global Re business acquired from Navigators Group and from certain pools and associations. Global Re, which is a part of the global specialty business, mostly assumes property, casualty, surety, agriculture, and marine risks and, until recently, assumed accident and health insurance risks. Changes in the case reserving and reporting patterns of insurance companies ceding to The Hartford can create additional uncertainty in estimating the reserves. Due to the inherent complexity of the assumptions used, final claim settlements may vary significantly from the present estimates of direct and assumed reserves, particularly when those settlements may not occur until well into the future.
Reinsurance Recoverables- Through both facultative and treaty reinsurance agreements, the Company cedes a share of the risks it has underwritten to other insurance companies. The Company records reinsurance recoverables for loss and loss adjustment expenses ceded to its reinsurers representing the anticipated recovery from reinsurers of unpaid claims, including IBNR.
The Company estimates the portion of losses and loss adjustment expenses to be ceded based on the terms of any applicable facultative and treaty reinsurance, including an estimate of IBNR for losses that will ultimately be ceded.
The Company provides an allowance for uncollectible reinsurance, reflecting management’s best estimate of reinsurance cessions that may be uncollectible in the future due to reinsurers’ unwillingness or inability to pay. The allowance for uncollectible reinsurance comprises an ACL and an allowance for disputed balances. The ACL primarily considers the credit quality of the Company's reinsurers while the allowance for disputes considers recent outcomes in arbitration and litigation in disputes between reinsurers and cedants and recent commutation activity between reinsurers and cedants that may signal how the Company’s own reinsurance claims may settle. Where its reinsurance contracts permit, the Company secures funding of future claim obligations with various forms of collateral, including irrevocable letters of credit, secured trusts, funds held accounts and group-wide offsets. The allowance for uncollectible reinsurance was $105 as of December 31, 2020, comprised of $44 related to Commercial Lines, $1 related to Personal Lines and $60 related to Property & Casualty Other Operations.
The Company’s estimate of reinsurance recoverables, net of an allowance for uncollectible reinsurance, is subject to similar risks and uncertainties as the estimate of the gross reserve for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses for direct and assumed exposures.
Review of Reserve Adequacy- The Hartford regularly reviews the appropriateness of reserve levels at the line of business or more detailed level, taking into consideration the variety of trends that impact the ultimate settlement of claims.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
For Property & Casualty Other Operations, asbestos and environmental (“Run-off A&E”) reserves are reviewed by type of event rather than by line of business.
Reserve adjustments, which may be material, are reflected in the operating results of the period in which the adjustment is determined to be necessary. In the judgment of management, information currently available has been properly considered in establishing the reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses and in recording the reinsurance recoverables for ceded unpaid losses.
Reserving Methodology
The following is a discussion of the reserving methods used for the Company's property and casualty lines of business other than asbestos and environmental.
Reserves are set by line of business within the operating segments. A single line of business may be written in more than one segment. Lines of business for which reported losses emerge over a long period of time are referred to as long-tail lines of business. Lines of business for which reported losses emerge more quickly are referred to as short-tail lines of business. The Company’s shortest-tail lines of business are homeowners, commercial property, marine and automobile physical damage. The longest tail lines of business include workers’ compensation, general liability, professional liability and assumed reinsurance. For short-tail lines of business, emergence of paid loss and case reserves is credible and likely indicative of ultimate losses. For long-tail lines of business, emergence of paid losses and case reserves is less credible in the early periods after a given accident year and, accordingly, may not be indicative of ultimate losses.
Use of Actuarial Methods and Judgments- The Company’s reserving actuaries regularly review reserves for both current and prior accident years using the most current claim data. A variety of actuarial methods and judgments are used for most lines of business to arrive at selections of estimated ultimate losses and loss adjustment expenses. New methods may be added for specific lines over time to inform these selections where appropriate. The reserve selections incorporate input, as appropriate, from claims personnel, pricing actuaries and operating management about reported loss cost trends and other factors that could affect the reserve estimates. Most reserves are reviewed fully each quarter, including loss and loss adjustment expense reserves for homeowners, commercial property, marine, automobile physical damage, automobile liability, package property business, and workers’ compensation. Other reserves, including most general liability and professional liability lines, are reviewed semi-annually. Certain additional reserves are also reviewed semi-annually or annually, including reserves for losses incurred in accident years older than twelve years for Personal Lines and older than twenty years for Commercial Lines, as well as reserves for bond, assumed reinsurance, latent exposures such as construction defects, and unallocated loss adjustment expenses. For reserves that are reviewed semi-annually or annually, management monitors the emergence of paid and reported losses in the intervening quarters and, if necessary, performs a reserve review to determine whether the reserve estimate should change.
An expected loss ratio is used in initially recording the reserves for both short-tail and long-tail lines of business. This expected loss ratio is determined by starting with the average loss ratio of
recent prior accident years and adjusting that ratio for the effect of expected changes to earned pricing, loss frequency and severity, mix of business, ceded reinsurance and other factors. For short-tail lines, IBNR for the current accident year is initially recorded as the product of the expected loss ratio for the period, earned premium for the period and the proportion of losses expected to be reported in future calendar periods for the current accident period. For long-tailed lines, IBNR reserves for the current accident year are initially recorded as the product of the expected loss ratio for the period and the earned premium for the period, less reported losses for the period.
As losses emerge or develop in periods subsequent to a given accident year, reserving actuaries use other methods to estimate ultimate unpaid losses in addition to the expected loss ratio method. These primarily include paid and reported loss development methods, frequency/severity techniques and the Bornhuetter-Ferguson method (a combination of the expected loss ratio and paid development or reported development method). Within any one line of business, the methods that are given more influence vary based primarily on the maturity of the accident year, the mix of business and the particular internal and external influences impacting the claims experience or the methods. The output of the reserve reviews are reserve estimates representing a range of actuarial indications.
Reserve Discounting- Most of the Company’s property and casualty insurance product reserves are not discounted. However, the Company has discounted liabilities funded through structured settlements and has discounted a portion of workers’ compensation reserves that have a fixed and determinable payment stream. For further discussion of these discounted liabilities, see Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Differences Between GAAP and Statutory Basis Reserves- As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, U.S. property and casualty insurance product reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance recoverables, reported under U.S. GAAP were lower than net reserves reported on a statutory basis, primarily due to reinsurance recoverables on two ceded retroactive reinsurance agreements that are recorded as a reduction of other liabilities under statutory accounting. One of the retroactive reinsurance agreements covers substantially all adverse development on asbestos and environmental reserves subsequent to 2016 and the other covers adverse development on Navigators Insurers' existing net loss and allocated loss adjustment reserves as of December 31, 2018. Under both agreements, the Company cedes to NICO, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. ("Berkshire").
Reserving Methods by Line of Business- Apart from Run-off A&E which is discussed in the following section on Property & Casualty Other Operations, below is a general discussion of which reserving methods are preferred by line of business. Because the actuarial estimates are generated at a much finer level of detail than line of business (e.g., by distribution channel, coverage, accident period), other methods than those described for the line of business may also be employed for a coverage and accident year within a line of business. Also, as circumstances change, the methods that are given more influence will change.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Preferred Reserving Methods by Line of Business
| Commercial property, homeowners and automobile physical damage | These short-tailed lines are fast-developing and paid and reported development techniques are used as these methods use historical data to develop paid and reported loss development patterns, which are then applied to cumulative paid and reported losses by accident period to estimate ultimate losses. In addition to paid and reported development methods, for the most immature accident months, the Company uses frequency and severity techniques and the initial expected loss ratio. The advantage of frequency/severity techniques is that frequency estimates are generally easier to predict and external information can be used to supplement internal data in estimating average severity. | ||||
| Personal automobile liability | For personal automobile liability, and bodily injury in particular, in addition to traditional paid and reported development methods, the Company relies on frequency/severity techniques and Berquist-Sherman techniques. Because the paid development technique is affected by changes in claim closure patterns and the reported development method is affected by changes in case reserving practices, the Company uses Berquist-Sherman techniques which adjust these patterns to reflect current settlement rates and case reserving practices. The Company generally uses the reported development method for older accident years and a combination of reported development, frequency/severity and Berquist-Sherman methods for more recent accident years. For older accident periods, reported losses are a good indicator of ultimate losses given the high percentage of ultimate losses reported to date. For more recent periods, the frequency/severity techniques are not affected as much by changes in case reserve practices and changing disposal rates and the Berquist-Sherman techniques specifically adjust for these changes. | ||||
| Commercial automobile liability | The Company performs a variety of techniques, including the paid and reported development methods and frequency/severity techniques. For older, more mature accident years, the Company primarily uses reported development techniques. For more recent accident years, the Company relies on several methods that incorporate expected loss ratios, reported loss development, paid loss development, frequency/severity, case reserve adequacy, and claim settlement rates. | ||||
| Professional liability | Reported and paid loss development patterns for this line tend to be volatile. Therefore, the Company typically relies on frequency and severity techniques. | ||||
| General liability, bond and large deductible workers’ compensation | For these long-tailed lines of business, the Company generally relies on the expected loss ratio and reported development techniques. The Company generally weights these techniques together, relying more heavily on the expected loss ratio method at early ages of development and shifting more weight onto the reported development method as an accident year matures. For certain general liability lines the Company uses a Berquist-Sherman technique to adjust for changes in claim reserving patterns. The Company also uses various frequency/severity methods aimed at capturing large loss development. | ||||
| Workers’ compensation | Workers’ compensation is the Company’s single largest reserve line of business and a wide range of methods are used. Due to the long-tailed nature of workers' compensation, the selection of methods is driven by expected loss ratio methods ("ELR") at early evaluations with emphasis shifting first to Bornhuetter-Ferguson methods, then to paid and reported development methods (with more reliance placed on paid methods), and finally to methods that are responsive to the inventory of open claims. Across these techniques, there are adjustments related to changes in emergence patterns across years, projections of future cost inflation, outlier claims, and analysis of larger states. | ||||
| Marine | For marine liability, the Company generally relies on the expected loss ratio, Berquist-Sherman, and reported development techniques. The Company generally weights these techniques together, relying more heavily on the expected loss ratio method at early ages of development and then shifts towards Berquist-Sherman and then more towards the reported development method as an accident year matures. For marine property segments, the Company relies on a Berquist-Sherman method for early development ages then shifts to reported development techniques. | ||||
| Assumed reinsurance and all other | Standard methods, such as expected loss ratio, Berquist-Sherman and reported development techniques are applied. These methods and analyses are informed by underlying treaty by treaty analyses supporting the expected loss ratios, and cedant data will often inform the loss development patterns. In some instances, reserve indications may also be influenced by information gained from claims and underwriting audits. For the A&H business where the reporting is quick and treaties are not written evenly throughout the year, policy quarter analyses are performed to avoid potential distortions. Policy quarter and policy year loss reserve estimates are then converted to an accident year basis. | ||||
| Allocated loss adjustment expenses ("ALAE") | For some lines of business (e.g., professional liability, assumed reinsurance, and the acquired Navigators Group book of business), ALAE and losses are analyzed together. For most lines of business, however, ALAE is analyzed separately, using paid development techniques and a ratio of paid ALAE to paid loss is applied to loss reserves to estimate unpaid ALAE. | ||||
| Unallocated loss adjustment expenses ("ULAE") | ULAE is analyzed separately from loss and ALAE. For most lines of business, future ULAE costs to be paid are projected based on an expected claim handling cost per claim year, the anticipated claim closure pattern and the ratio of paid ULAE to paid loss is applied to estimated unpaid losses. For some lines, a simplified paid-to-paid approach is used. | ||||
In the final step of the reserve review process, senior reserving actuaries and senior management apply their judgment to determine the appropriate level of reserves considering the actuarial indications and other factors not contemplated in the actuarial indications. Those factors include, but are not limited to, the assessed reliability of key loss trends and assumptions used in the current actuarial indications, the maturity of the accident
year, pertinent trends observed over the recent past, the level of volatility within a particular line of business, and the improvement or deterioration of actuarial indications in the current period as compared to the prior periods. The Company also considers the magnitude of the difference between the actuarial indication and the recorded reserves.
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Based on the results of the quarterly reserve review process, the Company determines the appropriate reserve adjustments, if any, to record. In general, adjustments are made more quickly to more mature accident years and less volatile lines of business. Such adjustments of reserves are referred to as “prior accident year development”. Increases in previous estimates of ultimate loss costs are referred to as either an increase in prior accident year reserves or as unfavorable reserve development. Decreases in previous estimates of ultimate loss costs are referred to as either a decrease in prior accident year reserves or as favorable reserve development. Reserve development can influence the comparability of year over year underwriting results.
For a discussion of changes to reserve estimates recorded in 2020, see Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Current Trends Contributing to Reserve Uncertainty
The Hartford is a multi-line company in the property and casualty insurance business. The Hartford is, therefore, subject to reserve uncertainty stemming from changes in loss trends and other conditions which could become material at any point in time. As market conditions and loss trends develop, management must assess whether those conditions constitute a long-term trend that should result in a reserving action (i.e., increasing or decreasing the reserve).
General liability- Within Commercial Lines, including the acquired Navigators Group book of business, and Property & Casualty Other Operations, the Company has exposure to general liability claims, including from bodily injury, property damage and product liability. Reserves for these exposures can be particularly difficult to estimate due to the long development pattern and uncertainty about how cases will settle. In particular, the Company has exposure to bodily injury claims that is the result of long-term or continuous exposure to harmful products or substances. Examples include, but are not limited to, pharmaceutical products, silica, talcum powder, head injuries and lead paint. The Company also has exposure to claims from construction defects, where property damage or bodily injury from negligent construction is alleged. In addition, the Company has exposure to claims asserted against religious institutions, and other organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, relating to sexual molestation and sexual abuse. State “reviver” statutes, extending statutes of limitations for certain sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims, could result in additional litigation or could result in unexpected sexual molestation and sexual abuse losses. Such exposures may involve potentially long latency periods and may implicate coverage in multiple policy periods, which can raise complex coverage issues with significant effects on the ultimate scope of coverage. Such exposures may also be impacted by insured bankruptcies. These factors make reserves for such claims more uncertain than other bodily injury or property damage claims. With regard to these exposures, the Company monitors trends in litigation, the external environment including legislation, the similarities to other mass torts and the potential impact on the Company’s reserves. Additionally, uncertainty in estimated claim severity causes reserve variability, particularly with respect to changes in internal claim handling and case reserving practices.
Workers’ compensation- Included in both small commercial and in middle & large commercial, workers’ compensation is the Company’s single biggest line of business and the property and casualty line of business with the longest pattern of loss emergence. To the extent that patterns in the frequency of settlement payments deviate from historical patterns, loss reserve estimates would be less reliable. Medical costs make up approximately 50% of workers’ compensation payments. As such, reserve estimates for workers’ compensation are particularly sensitive to changes in medical inflation, the changing use of medical care procedures and changes in state legislative and regulatory environments. In addition, a deteriorating economic environment can reduce the ability of an injured worker to return to work and lengthen the time a worker receives disability benefits. In National Accounts, reserves for large deductible workers’ compensation insurance require estimating losses attributable to the deductible amount that will be paid by the insured; if such losses are not paid by the insured due to financial difficulties, the Company is contractually liable.
Commercial Lines automobile- Uncertainty in estimated claim severity causes reserve variability for commercial automobile losses including reserve variability due to changes in internal claim handling and case reserving practices as well as due to changes in the external environment.
Directors' and officers' insurance- Uncertainty regarding the number and severity of class action suits can result in reserve volatility for both directors' and officers' insurance claims. Additionally, the Company’s exposure to losses under directors’ and officers’ insurance policies, both domestically and internationally, is primarily in excess layers, making estimates of loss more complex.
Personal Lines automobile- While claims emerge over relatively shorter periods, estimates can still vary due to a number of factors, including uncertain estimates of frequency and severity trends. Severity trends are affected by changes in internal claim handling and case reserving practices as well as by changes in the external environment. Changes in claim practices increase the uncertainty in the interpretation of case reserve data, which increases the uncertainty in recorded reserve levels. Severity trends have increased in recent accident years, in part driven by more expensive parts associated with new automobile technology, causing additional uncertainty about the reliability of past patterns. In addition, the introduction of new products and class plans has led to a different mix of business by type of insured than the Company experienced in the past. Such changes in mix increase the uncertainty of the reserve projections, since historical data and reporting patterns may not be applicable to the new business.
Assumed reinsurance- While the pricing and reserving processes can be challenging and idiosyncratic for insurance companies, the inherent uncertainties of setting prices and estimating such reserves are even greater for the reinsurer. This is primarily due to the longer time between the date of an occurrence and the reporting of claims to the reinsurer, the diversity of development patterns among different types of reinsurance treaties or contracts, the necessary reliance on the ceding companies for information regarding reported claims and differing pricing and reserving practices among ceding companies. In addition, trends that have affected development of liabilities in the past may not necessarily occur or impact liability
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
development in the same manner or to the same degree in the future. As a result, actual losses and LAE may deviate, perhaps substantially, from the expected estimates.
International business- In addition to several of the line-specific trends listed above, the International business acquired through the Navigators Group book of business may have additional uncertainty due to geopolitical, foreign currency, and trade dispute risks.
COVID-19 impacts- As further explained under "Impacts of COVID-19" within The Hartford's Operations section of MD&A, through December 31, 2020, the Company incurred $278 of COVID-19 claims in P&C, including in workers' compensation, property and financial lines. Under workers’ compensation, we could experience a continuation of COVID-19 incurred losses, particularly due to laws or directives in certain states that require coverage of COVID-19 claims for health care and other essential workers based on a presumption that they contracted the virus while working. We could also incur losses on general liability policies if claimants can successfully assert that insureds were negligent from protecting employees, customers and others from exposure though we do not expect this exposure to be significant. Under commercial property policies, we have reserved for business interruption claims that pertain to policies in middle & large commercial and in global specialty which do not require direct physical loss or property damage. We have also experienced an increase in COVID-19 related claims under director's and officer's insurance policies. In other cases, particularly in small commercial, where there are policy exclusions and the requirement that there be direct physical loss or damage to the property, we have not recorded loss reserves as there is no coverage though we have recorded a reserve for legal defense costs.
In addition to the direct impacts of COVID-19 mentioned above, we are monitoring for indirect impacts as well. In our commercial surety lines there continues to be the potential for elevated frequency and severity due to an increase in the number of bankruptcies, especially in small businesses and impacted industries such as hospitality, entertainment and transportation. In construction surety, there is the potential for elevated losses from contractors who experience project shutdowns or payment delays, which negatively impact their cash flows, or result in disruptions in their supply chains, labor shortages or inflation in the cost of materials.
Reserve estimates for COVID-19 claims are difficult to estimate. In establishing reserves for COVID-19 incurred claims through December 31, 2020, we have provided IBNR at a higher percentage of ultimate estimated incurred losses than usual as we expect longer claim reporting patterns given the economic effects of COVID-19. For example, we expect longer delays than usual between the time a worker is treated and the date the claim is eventually submitted for workers' compensation coverage. Reserve estimates for D&O, E&O and employment practices liability are subject to significant uncertainty given that estimates must be made of the expected ultimate severity of claims that have recently been reported. Several lines have experienced a decline in frequency during the pandemic months; however, uncertainty remains with respect to severity given the pandemic's potential impact on economic activity, driving behaviors, and the healthcare and legal systems. Changes in the legal environment and litigation process, including but not limited
to court delays and closings, may also have potential impacts on development patterns for liability lines.
Impact of Key Assumptions on Reserves
As stated above, the Company’s practice is to estimate reserves using a variety of methods, assumptions and data elements within its reserve estimation process. The Company does not consistently use statistical loss distributions or confidence levels around its reserve estimate and, as a result, does not disclose reserve ranges.
Across most lines of business, the most important reserve assumptions are future loss development factors applied to paid or reported losses to date. The trend in loss cost frequency and severity is also a key assumption, particularly in the most recent accident years, where loss development factors are less credible.
The following discussion discloses possible variation from current estimates of loss reserves due to a change in certain key indicators of potential losses. For automobile liability lines in both Personal Lines and Commercial Lines, the key indicator is the annual loss cost trend, particularly the severity trend component of loss costs. For workers’ compensation and general liability, loss development patterns are a key indicator, particularly for more mature accident years. For workers’ compensation, paid loss development patterns have been impacted by medical cost inflation and other changes in loss cost trends. For general liability, incurred loss development patterns have been impacted by, among other things, emergence of new types of claims (e.g., construction defect claims) and a shift in the mixture between smaller, more routine claims and larger, more complex claims.
Each of the impacts described below is estimated individually, without consideration for any correlation among key indicators or among lines of business. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to take each of the amounts described below and add them together in an attempt to estimate volatility for the Company’s reserves in total. For any one reserving line of business, the estimated variation in reserves due to changes in key indicators is a reasonable estimate of possible variation that may occur in the future, likely over a period of several calendar years. The variation discussed is not meant to be a worst-case scenario, and, therefore, it is possible that future variation may be more than the amounts discussed below.
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| Possible Change in Key Indicator | Reserves, Net of Reinsurance December 31, 2020 | Estimated Range of Variation in Reserves | |||||||||
Personal Automobile Liability | +/- 2.5. points to the annual assumed change in loss cost severity for the two most recent accident years | $1.4 billion | +/-$70 | ||||||||
| Commercial Automobile Liability | +/- 2.5 points to the annual assumed change in loss cost severity for the two most recent accident years | $1.1 billion | +/-$30 | ||||||||
| Workers' Compensation | 2% change in paid loss development patterns | $10.9 billion | +/- $400 | ||||||||
| General Liability | 8% change in reported loss development patterns | $4.1 billion | +/- $450 | ||||||||
Reserving for Asbestos and Environmental Claims
How A&E Reserves are Set- The process for establishing reserves for asbestos and environmental claims first involves estimating the required reserves gross of ceded reinsurance and then estimating reinsurance recoverables.
In establishing reserves for gross asbestos claims, the Company evaluates its insureds’ estimated liabilities for such claims by examining exposures for individual insureds and assessing how coverage applies. The Company considers a variety of factors, including the jurisdictions where underlying claims have been brought, past, pending and anticipated future claim activity, the level of plaintiff demands, disease mix, past settlement values of similar claims, dismissal rates, allocated loss adjustment expense, and potential impact of other defendants being in bankruptcy.
Similarly, the Company reviews exposures to establish gross environmental reserves. The Company considers several factors in estimating environmental liabilities, including historical values of similar claims, the number of sites involved, the insureds’ alleged activities at each site, the alleged environmental damage, the respective shares of liability of potentially responsible parties, the appropriateness and cost of remediation, the nature of governmental enforcement activities or mandated remediation efforts and potential impact of other defendants being in bankruptcy.
After evaluating its insureds’ probable liabilities for asbestos and/or environmental claims, the Company evaluates the insurance coverage in place for such claims. The Company considers its insureds’ total available insurance coverage, including the coverage issued by the Company. The Company also considers relevant judicial interpretations of policy language, the nature of how policy limits are enforced on multi-year policies and applicable coverage defenses or determinations, if any.
The estimated liabilities of insureds and the Company’s exposure to the insureds depends heavily on an analysis of the relevant legal issues and litigation environment. This analysis is conducted by the Company’s lawyers and is subject to applicable privileges.
For both asbestos and environmental reserves, the Company also analyzes its historical paid and reported losses and expenses year by year, to assess any emerging trends, fluctuations or characteristics suggested by the aggregate paid and reported activity. The historical losses and expenses are analyzed on both a direct basis and net of reinsurance.
Once the gross ultimate exposure for indemnity and allocated loss adjustment expense is determined for its insureds by each policy year, the Company calculates its ceded reinsurance projection based on any applicable facultative and treaty reinsurance and the Company’s experience with reinsurance collections. See the section that follows entitled A&E Adverse Development Cover that discusses the impact the reinsurance agreement with NICO may have on future adverse development of asbestos and environmental reserves, if any.
Uncertainties Regarding Adequacy of A&E Reserves- A number of factors affect the variability of estimates for gross asbestos and environmental reserves including assumptions with respect to the frequency of claims, the average severity of those claims settled with payment, the dismissal rate of claims with no payment, resolution of coverage disputes with our policyholders and the expense to indemnity ratio. Reserve estimates for gross asbestos and environmental reserves are subject to greater variability than reserve estimates for more traditional exposures.
The process of estimating asbestos and environmental reserves remains subject to a wide variety of uncertainties, which are detailed in Note 15 - Commitments and Contingencies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company believes that its current asbestos and environmental reserves are appropriate. Future developments could continue to cause the Company to change its estimates of its gross asbestos and environmental reserves. Losses ceded under the adverse development cover ("A&E ADC") with NICO in excess of the ceded premium paid of $650 have resulted in a deferred gain resulting in a timing difference between when gross reserves are increased and when reinsurance recoveries are recognized. This timing difference results in a charge to net income until such periods when the recoveries are recognized. Consistent with past practice, the Company will continue to monitor its reserves in Property & Casualty Other Operations regularly, including its annual reviews of asbestos liabilities, reinsurance recoverables, the allowance for uncollectible reinsurance, and environmental liabilities. Where future developments indicate, we will make appropriate adjustments to the reserves at that time.
Total P&C Insurance Product Reserves Development
In the opinion of management, based upon the known facts and current law, the reserves recorded for the Company’s property and casualty insurance products at December 31, 2020 represent the Company’s best estimate of its ultimate liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses related to losses covered by policies written by the Company. However, because of the significant uncertainties surrounding reserves, it is possible that management’s estimate of the ultimate liabilities for these claims
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may change in the future and that the required adjustment to currently recorded reserves could be material to the Company’s results of operations and liquidity.
Rollforward of Property and Casualty Insurance Product Liabilities for Unpaid Losses and LAE for the Year Ended December 31, 2020
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | |||||||||||||||||
| Beginning liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, gross | $ | 23,363 | $ | 2,201 | $ | 2,697 | $ | 28,261 | ||||||||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables [1] | 4,029 | 68 | 1,178 | 5,275 | ||||||||||||||||
| Beginning liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net | 19,334 | 2,133 | 1,519 | 22,986 | ||||||||||||||||
| Provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 5,493 | 1,695 | — | 7,188 | ||||||||||||||||
| Current accident year ("CAY") catastrophes | 397 | 209 | — | 606 | ||||||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development ("PYD") [2] | 44 | (438) | 258 | (136) | ||||||||||||||||
| Total provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses | 5,934 | 1,466 | 258 | 7,658 | ||||||||||||||||
| Change in deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance included in other liabilities [2] | (102) | — | (210) | (312) | ||||||||||||||||
| Payments | (4,348) | (1,791) | (265) | (6,404) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net reserves transferred to liabilities held for sale | (45) | — | — | (45) | ||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency adjustment | 14 | — | — | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ending liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net | 20,787 | 1,808 | 1,302 | 23,897 | ||||||||||||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables | 4,271 | 28 | 1,426 | 5,725 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ending liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, gross | $ | 25,058 | $ | 1,836 | $ | 2,728 | $ | 29,622 | ||||||||||||
| Earned premiums and fee income | $ | 8,940 | $ | 3,042 | ||||||||||||||||
| Loss and loss expense paid ratio [3] | 48.6 | 58.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Loss and loss expense incurred ratio | 66.5 | 48.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development (pts) [4] | 0.5 | (14.6) | ||||||||||||||||||
[1]Includes a cumulative effect adjustment of $1 and $(1) for Commercial Lines and Property & Casualty Other Operations respectively, representing an adjustment to the ACL recorded on adoption of accounting guidance for credit losses on January 1, 2020. See Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.
[2]Prior accident year development does not include the benefit of a portion of losses ceded under the Navigators and A&E ADC which, under retroactive reinsurance accounting, is deferred and is recognized over the period the ceded losses are recovered in cash from NICO. For additional information regarding the two adverse development cover reinsurance agreements, refer to Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
[3]The “loss and loss expense paid ratio” represents the ratio of paid losses and loss adjustment expenses to earned premiums and fee income.
[4]“Prior accident year development (pts)” represents the ratio of prior accident year development to earned premiums.
| Current Accident Year Catastrophe Losses for the Year Ended December 31, 2020, Net of Reinsurance | |||||||||||
Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Total | |||||||||
| Wind and hail | $ | 167 | $ | 97 | $ | 264 | |||||
| Civil Unrest | 105 | — | 105 | ||||||||
| Hurricanes and Tropical Storms | 96 | 51 | 147 | ||||||||
| Wildfires | 21 | 61 | 82 | ||||||||
| Other | 8 | — | 8 | ||||||||
| Total catastrophe losses | $ | 397 | $ | 209 | $ | 606 | |||||
In December, 2019, the judge overseeing the bankruptcy of PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (together, “PG&E”) approved an $11 billion settlement of insurance subrogation claims to resolve all such claims arising
from the 2017 Northern California wildfires and 2018 Camp wildfire. That settlement was contingent upon, among other things, the judge entering an order confirming PG&E’s chapter 11 bankruptcy plan (“PG&E Plan”) incorporating the settlement
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
agreement. On June 20, 2020, the bankruptcy court judge approved the PG&E Plan and PG&E subsequently transferred the $11 billion settlement amount to a trust designed to allocate and distribute the settlement among subrogation holders, including certain of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries. In the second quarter of 2020, the Company recorded an estimated $289
subrogation benefit though the ultimate amount it collects will depend on how the Company’s ultimate paid claims subject to subrogation compare to other insurers’ ultimate paid claims subject to subrogation. In 2020, the Company received distributions, net of attorney costs, of $227.
| Unfavorable (Favorable) Prior Accident Year Development for the Year Ended December 31, 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | |||||||||||
| Workers’ compensation | $ | (110) | $ | — | $ | — | $ | (110) | ||||||
| Workers’ compensation discount accretion | 35 | — | — | 35 | ||||||||||
| General liability | 237 | — | — | 237 | ||||||||||
| Marine | 3 | — | — | 3 | ||||||||||
| Package business | (58) | — | — | (58) | ||||||||||
| Commercial property | (4) | — | — | (4) | ||||||||||
| Professional liability | (14) | — | — | (14) | ||||||||||
| Bond | (19) | — | — | (19) | ||||||||||
| Assumed reinsurance | (6) | — | — | (6) | ||||||||||
| Automobile liability | 27 | (61) | — | (34) | ||||||||||
| Homeowners | — | 7 | — | 7 | ||||||||||
| Net asbestos reserves | — | — | (2) | (2) | ||||||||||
| Net environmental reserves | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Catastrophes | (149) | (380) | — | (529) | ||||||||||
| Uncollectible reinsurance | — | — | (8) | (8) | ||||||||||
| Other reserve re-estimates, net | — | (4) | 58 | 54 | ||||||||||
| Prior accident year development before change in deferred gain | (58) | (438) | 48 | (448) | ||||||||||
| Change in deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance included in other liabilities | 102 | — | 210 | 312 | ||||||||||
| Total prior accident year development | $ | 44 | $ | (438) | $ | 258 | $ | (136) | ||||||
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Rollforward of Property and Casualty Insurance Product Liabilities for Unpaid Losses and LAE for the Year Ended December 31, 2019
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | |||||||||||
| Beginning liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, gross | $ | 19,455 | $ | 2,456 | $ | 2,673 | $ | 24,584 | ||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables | 3,137 | 108 | 987 | 4,232 | ||||||||||
| Beginning liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net | 16,318 | 2,348 | 1,686 | 20,352 | ||||||||||
| Navigators Group acquisition | 2,001 | — | — | 2,001 | ||||||||||
| Provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses | ||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 4,913 | 2,087 | — | 7,000 | ||||||||||
| Current accident year catastrophes | 323 | 140 | — | 463 | ||||||||||
| Prior accident year development [1] | (44) | (42) | 21 | (65) | ||||||||||
| Total provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses | 5,192 | 2,185 | 21 | 7,398 | ||||||||||
| Change in deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance included in other liabilities [1] | (16) | — | — | (16) | ||||||||||
| Payments | (4,161) | (2,400) | (187) | (6,748) | ||||||||||
| Foreign currency adjustment | (1) | — | — | (1) | ||||||||||
| Ending liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net | 19,333 | 2,133 | 1,520 | 22,986 | ||||||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables | 4,030 | 68 | 1,177 | 5,275 | ||||||||||
| Ending liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, gross | $ | 23,363 | $ | 2,201 | $ | 2,697 | $ | 28,261 | ||||||
| Earned premiums and fee income | $ | 8,325 | $ | 3,235 | ||||||||||
| Loss and loss expense paid ratio [2] | 50.0 | 74.2 | ||||||||||||
| Loss and loss expense incurred ratio | 62.6 | 68.3 | ||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development (pts) [3] | (0.5) | (1.3) | ||||||||||||
[1]Prior accident year development does not include the benefit of a portion of losses ceded under the Navigators ADC which, under retroactive reinsurance accounting, is deferred and recognized over the period the ceded losses are recovered in cash from NICO. For additional information regarding the Navigators ADC agreement, refer to Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
[2]The “loss and loss expense paid ratio” represents the ratio of paid losses and loss adjustment expenses to earned premiums and fee income.
[3]“Prior accident year development (pts)” represents the ratio of prior accident year development to earned premiums.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
| Current Accident Year Catastrophe Losses for the Year Ended December 31, 2019, Net of Reinsurance | |||||||||||
Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Total | |||||||||
| Wind and hail | $ | 157 | $ | 102 | $ | 259 | |||||
| Winter storms | 54 | 18 | 72 | ||||||||
| Tropical storms | 18 | 5 | 23 | ||||||||
| Hurricanes | 20 | 4 | 24 | ||||||||
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 8 | ||||||||
| Tornadoes | 53 | 7 | 60 | ||||||||
| Typhoons | 16 | — | 16 | ||||||||
| Other | 1 | — | 1 | ||||||||
| Total catastrophe losses | $ | 323 | $ | 140 | $ | 463 | |||||
| Unfavorable (Favorable) Prior Accident Year Development for the Year Ended December 31, 2019 | ||||||||||||||
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | |||||||||||
| Workers’ compensation | $ | (120) | $ | — | $ | — | $ | (120) | ||||||
| Workers’ compensation discount accretion | 33 | — | — | 33 | ||||||||||
| General liability | 61 | — | — | 61 | ||||||||||
| Marine | 8 | — | — | 8 | ||||||||||
| Package business | (47) | — | — | (47) | ||||||||||
| Commercial property | (11) | — | — | (11) | ||||||||||
| Professional liability | 29 | — | — | 29 | ||||||||||
| Bond | (3) | — | — | (3) | ||||||||||
| Assumed reinsurance | 3 | — | — | 3 | ||||||||||
| Automobile liability | 27 | (38) | — | (11) | ||||||||||
| Homeowners | — | 3 | — | 3 | ||||||||||
| Net asbestos reserves | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Net environmental reserves | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Catastrophes | (40) | (2) | — | (42) | ||||||||||
| Uncollectible reinsurance | (5) | — | (25) | (30) | ||||||||||
| Other reserve re-estimates, net | 5 | (5) | 46 | 46 | ||||||||||
| Total prior accident year development | (60) | (42) | 21 | (81) | ||||||||||
| Change in deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance included in other liabilities | 16 | — | — | 16 | ||||||||||
| Total prior accident year development | $ | (44) | $ | (42) | $ | 21 | $ | (65) | ||||||
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Rollforward of Property and Casualty Insurance Product Liabilities for Unpaid Losses and LAE for the Year Ended December 31, 2018
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | |||||||||||
| Beginning liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, gross | $ | 18,893 | $ | 2,294 | $ | 2,588 | $ | 23,775 | ||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables | 3,147 | 71 | 739 | 3,957 | ||||||||||
| Beginning liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net | 15,746 | 2,223 | 1,849 | 19,818 | ||||||||||
| Provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses | ||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 4,037 | 2,249 | — | 6,286 | ||||||||||
| Current accident year catastrophes | 275 | 546 | — | 821 | ||||||||||
| Prior accident year development | (200) | (32) | 65 | (167) | ||||||||||
| Total provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses | 4,112 | 2,763 | 65 | 6,940 | ||||||||||
| Payments | (3,540) | (2,638) | (228) | (6,406) | ||||||||||
| Ending liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net | 16,318 | 2,348 | 1,686 | 20,352 | ||||||||||
| Reinsurance and other recoverables | 3,137 | 108 | 987 | 4,232 | ||||||||||
| Ending liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, gross | $ | 19,455 | $ | 2,456 | $ | 2,673 | $ | 24,584 | ||||||
| Earned premiums and fee income | $ | 7,081 | $ | 3,439 | ||||||||||
| Loss and loss expense paid ratio [1] | 50.0 | 76.7 | ||||||||||||
| Loss and loss expense incurred ratio | 58.4 | 81.3 | ||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development (pts) [2] | (2.8) | (0.9) | ||||||||||||
[1]The “loss and loss expense paid ratio” represents the ratio of paid losses and loss adjustment expenses to earned premiums and fee income.
[2]“Prior accident year development (pts)” represents the ratio of prior accident year development to earned premiums.
| Current Accident Year Catastrophe Losses for the Year Ended December 31, 2018, Net of Reinsurance | |||||||||||
Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Total | |||||||||
| Wind and hail | $ | 124 | $ | 164 | $ | 288 | |||||
| Winter storms | 50 | 25 | 75 | ||||||||
| Flooding | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
| Volcanic eruption | — | 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| Wildfire | 56 | 384 | 440 | ||||||||
| Hurricanes | 71 | 23 | 94 | ||||||||
| Massachusetts gas explosion | 1 | — | 1 | ||||||||
| Earthquake | — | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| Total catastrophe losses | 303 | 600 | 903 | ||||||||
| Less: reinsurance recoverable under the property aggregate treaty [1] | (28) | (54) | (82) | ||||||||
| Net catastrophe losses | $ | 275 | $ | 546 | $ | 821 | |||||
[1]Refers to reinsurance recoverable under the Company's Property Aggregate treaty. For further information on the treaty, refer to Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Enterprise Risk Management — Insurance Risk.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
| Unfavorable (Favorable) Prior Accident Year Development for the Year Ended December 31, 2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty Insurance | |||||||||||
| Workers’ compensation | $ | (164) | $ | — | $ | — | $ | (164) | ||||||
| Workers’ compensation discount accretion | 40 | — | — | 40 | ||||||||||
| General liability | 52 | — | — | 52 | ||||||||||
| Package business | (26) | — | — | (26) | ||||||||||
| Commercial property | (12) | — | — | (12) | ||||||||||
| Professional liability | (12) | — | — | (12) | ||||||||||
| Bond | 2 | — | — | 2 | ||||||||||
| Automobile liability | (15) | (18) | — | (33) | ||||||||||
| Homeowners | — | (25) | — | (25) | ||||||||||
| Net asbestos reserves | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Net environmental reserves | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Catastrophes | (67) | 18 | — | (49) | ||||||||||
| Uncollectible reinsurance | — | — | 22 | 22 | ||||||||||
| Other reserve re-estimates, net | 2 | (7) | 43 | 38 | ||||||||||
| Total prior accident year development | $ | (200) | $ | (32) | $ | 65 | $ | (167) | ||||||
For discussion of the factors contributing to unfavorable (favorable) prior accident year reserve development, refer to Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Property & Casualty Other Operations
Net reserves and reserve activity in Property & Casualty Other Operations are categorized and reported as asbestos, environmental, and “all other”. The “all other” category of reserves covers a wide range of insurance and assumed reinsurance coverages, including, but not limited to, potential liability for construction defects, lead paint, silica, pharmaceutical products, head injuries, sexual molestation and sexual abuse and other long-tail liabilities. In addition to various insurance and assumed reinsurance exposures, "all other" includes unallocated loss adjustment expense reserves. "All other" also includes the Company’s allowance for uncollectible reinsurance. When the Company commutes a ceded reinsurance contract or settles a ceded reinsurance dispute, net reserves for the related cause of loss (including asbestos, environmental or all other) are increased for the portion of the allowance for uncollectible reinsurance attributable to that commutation or settlement.
P&C Other Operations
Total Reserves, Net of Reinsurance
Asbestos and Environmental Reserves
The vast majority of the Company's exposure to A&E relates to policy coverages provided prior to 1986, reported within the P&C Other Operations segment (“Run-off A&E”). In addition, since 1986, the Company has written asbestos and environmental exposures under general liability policies and pollution liability under homeowners policies, which are reported in the Commercial Lines and Personal Lines segments.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Run-off A&E Summary as of December 31, 2020
| Asbestos | Environmental | Total A&E | ||||||||||||
| Gross | ||||||||||||||
| Direct | $ | 1,252 | $ | 449 | $ | 1,701 | ||||||||
| Assumed Reinsurance | 460 | 67 | 527 | |||||||||||
| Total | 1,712 | 516 | 2,228 | |||||||||||
| Ceded- other than NICO | (444) | (97) | (541) | |||||||||||
| Ceded - NICO A&E ADC "Run-off"[1] | (566) | (332) | (898) | |||||||||||
| Net | $ | 702 | $ | 87 | $ | 789 | ||||||||
[1]Including $898 of ceded losses for Run-off A&E and a ($38) reduction in ceded losses for Commercial Lines and Personal Lines, cumulative net incurred losses of $860 have been ceded to NICO under an adverse development cover reinsurance agreement. See the section that follows entitled A&E Adverse Development Cover for additional information.
Rollforward of Run-off A&E Losses and LAE
| Asbestos | Environmental | |||||||||||||
| 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| Beginning liability — net | $ | 874 | $ | 120 | ||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred | (2) | — | ||||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses paid | (172) | (33) | ||||||||||||
| Reclassification of allowance for uncollectible insurance [1] | 2 | — | ||||||||||||
| Ending liability — net | $ | 702 | $ | 87 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | ||||||||||||||
| Beginning liability — net | $ | 984 | $ | 151 | ||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses paid | (111) | (32) | ||||||||||||
| Reclassification of allowance for uncollectible insurance [1] | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Ending liability — net | $ | 874 | $ | 120 | ||||||||||
| 2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Beginning liability — net | $ | 1,143 | $ | 182 | ||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses paid | (159) | (31) | ||||||||||||
| Ending liability — net | $ | 984 | $ | 151 | ||||||||||
[1] Related to the reclassification of an allowance for uncollectible reinsurance from the "all other" category of P&C Other Operations reserves.
A&E Adverse Development Cover
Effective December 31, 2016, the Company entered into an A&E ADC reinsurance agreement with NICO, a subsidiary of Berkshire, to reduce uncertainty about potential adverse development. Under the A&E ADC, the Company paid a reinsurance premium of $650 for NICO to assume adverse net loss and allocated loss adjustment expense reserve development up to $1.5 billion above the Company’s existing net A&E reserves
as of December 31, 2016 of approximately $1.7 billion, including both Run-off A&E and A&E reserves in Commercial Lines and Personal Lines. The $650 reinsurance premium was placed in a collateral trust account as security for NICO’s claim payment obligations to the Company. The Company has retained the risk of collection on amounts due from other third-party reinsurers and continues to be responsible for claims handling and other administrative services, subject to certain conditions. The A&E ADC covers substantially all the Company’s A&E reserve development up to the reinsurance limit.
Under retroactive reinsurance accounting, net adverse A&E reserve development after December 31, 2016 will result in an offsetting reinsurance recoverable up to the $1.5 billion limit. Cumulative ceded losses up to the $650 reinsurance premium paid have been recognized as a dollar-for-dollar offset to direct losses incurred. Cumulative ceded losses exceeding the $650 reinsurance premium paid have resulted in a deferred gain. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has incurred a cumulative $860 in adverse development on A&E reserves that have been ceded under the A&E ADC treaty with NICO, including $898 for Run-off A&E reserves and ($38) for A&E reserves in Commercial Lines and Personal Lines. As such, $640 of coverage is available for future adverse net reserve development, if any. As a result, the Company has recorded a $210 deferred gain within other liabilities, representing the difference between the reinsurance recoverable of $860 and ceded premium paid of $650. The deferred gain is recognized over the claim settlement period in the proportion of the amount of cumulative ceded losses collected from the reinsurer to the estimated ultimate reinsurance recoveries. Consequently, until periods when the deferred gain is recognized as a benefit to earnings, cumulative adverse development of asbestos and environmental claims will result in charges against earnings, which may be significant.
Net and Gross Survival Ratios
Net and gross survival ratios are a measure of the quotient of the carried reserves divided by average annual payments (net of reinsurance and on a gross basis) and is an indication of the number of years that carried reserves would last (i.e. survive) if future annual payments were consistent with the calculated historical average.
Since December 31, 2016, asbestos and environmental net reserves have been declining since all adverse development has been ceded to NICO, up to a limit of $1.5 billion and the deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance has been recorded within other liabilities rather than in net loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. Recoveries from NICO will not be collected until the Company has cumulative loss payments of more than the $1.7 billion carrying value of net reserves as of December 31, 2016. Accordingly, the payment of losses without any current collection of recoveries from NICO has reduced the Company’s net loss reserves which decreases the net survival ratios such that, unadjusted, the net survival ratios would not be representative of the true number of years of average loss payments covered by the reserves. Therefore, the net survival ratios presented in the table below are calculated before considering the effect of the A&E ADC reinsurance agreement but net of other reinsurance in place.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Net and Gross Survival Ratios
| Asbestos | Environmental | |||||||||||||
| One year net survival ratio [1] | 7.3 | 12.7 | ||||||||||||
| Three year net survival ratio [1] | 8.6 | 13.1 | ||||||||||||
| One year gross survival ratio | 6.8 | 13.2 | ||||||||||||
| Three year gross survival ratio | 8.6 | 12.5 | ||||||||||||
[1] As of December 31, 2020, the one year net survival ratios after considering the reduction in reserves for losses ceded to the ADC were 4.1 and 2.6 for asbestos and environmental, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, the three year net survival ratios after considering the ADC were 4.7 and 2.7, respectively.
Run-off A&E Paid and Incurred Losses and LAE Development
| Asbestos | Environmental | |||||||||||||
| Paid Losses & LAE | Incurred Losses & LAE | Paid Losses & LAE | Incurred Losses & LAE | |||||||||||
| 2020 | ||||||||||||||
Gross | $ | 252 | $ | 170 | $ | 40 | $ | 141 | ||||||
| Ceded- other than NICO | (80) | (40) | (7) | (35) | ||||||||||
| Ceded - NICO A&E ADC | — | (132) | — | (106) | ||||||||||
| Net | $ | 172 | $ | (2) | $ | 33 | $ | — | ||||||
| 2019 | ||||||||||||||
| Gross | $ | 131 | $ | 115 | $ | 39 | $ | 95 | ||||||
| Ceded- other than NICO | (20) | (39) | (7) | (39) | ||||||||||
| Ceded - NICO A&E ADC | — | (76) | — | (56) | ||||||||||
| Net | $ | 111 | $ | — | $ | 32 | $ | — | ||||||
| 2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Gross | $ | 213 | $ | 249 | $ | 47 | $ | 83 | ||||||
| Ceded- other than NICO | (54) | (85) | (16) | (12) | ||||||||||
| Ceded - NICO A&E ADC | — | (164) | — | (71) | ||||||||||
| Net | $ | 159 | $ | — | $ | 31 | $ | — | ||||||
Annual Reserve Reviews
Review of Asbestos and Environmental Reserves
The Company performs its regular comprehensive annual review of asbestos and environmental reserves in the fourth quarter, including both Run-off A&E (P&C Other Operations) and asbestos and environmental reserves included in Commercial Lines and Personal Lines. As part of the evaluation of asbestos and environmental reserves in the fourth quarter of 2020, the Company reviewed all of its open direct domestic insurance accounts exposed to asbestos and environmental liability, as well as assumed reinsurance accounts.
2020 comprehensive annual reviews
As a result of the 2020 fourth quarter review, the Company increased estimated asbestos reserves before NICO reinsurance in P&C Other Operations by $130, primarily due to an increase in the rate of asbestos claims settlements for both mesothelioma
and non-mesothelioma claims. In addition, average settlement values and defense costs were higher than anticipated, driven by elevated plaintiff demands. Overall, the number of claim filings in the period covered by the 2020 study was roughly flat with the 2019 study, driven by an increase in non-mesothelioma claim filings, while the number of mesothelioma claim filings decreased as expected. The increase in asbestos reserves was offset by $132 reinsurance recoverable under the NICO treaty, recognizing ($2) in reserve releases not subject to the NICO treaty.
As a result of the 2020 fourth quarter review, the Company increased estimated environmental reserves before NICO reinsurance in P&C Other Operations by $106, primarily due to an increasing number of claims and suits alleging contamination from or exposure to per & polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS"). In addition, higher than anticipated remediation costs and legal defense costs also contributed to the reserve increase. The increase in environmental reserves was offset by a $106 reinsurance recoverable under the NICO treaty.
The total $236 increase in asbestos and environmental reserves in P&C Other Operations was offset by a $238 reinsurance recoverable under the NICO treaty, with a ($2) release in asbestos reserves not subject to the NICO treaty. Including a reduction of asbestos and environmental reserves in Commercial Lines and Personal Lines, the net increase in A&E reserves ceded to the A&E ADC in 2020 was $220 offset by a $220 increase in reinsurance recoverables under the NICO treaty. However, since cumulative losses ceded to the A&E ADC of $860 exceed the $650 of ceded premium paid, the Company recognized a $210 increase in deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance, resulting in the Company recording a charge to earnings of $208 in 2020, consisting of the $210 deferred gain net of the $2 of favorable development on A&E reserves not subject to the NICO treaty.
2019 comprehensive annual reviews
During the 2019 fourth quarter review, the Company increased estimated asbestos reserves before NICO reinsurance in P&C Other Operations by $76, primarily due to an increase in average settlement values, most notably from mesothelioma claims, driven by elevated plaintiff demands. In addition, cost-sharing agreements and settlements with certain insureds reduced the uncertainty of the Company’s asbestos liability but resulted in a reserve increase. Partially offsetting the adverse development was a decrease in the number of claim filings, most notably from mesothelioma claims. The increase in reserves was offset by a $76 reinsurance recoverable under the NICO treaty.
As a result of the 2019 fourth quarter review, the Company increased estimated environmental reserves before NICO reinsurance in P&C Other Operations by $56, primarily due to regulatory remediation requirements that changed in 2019 for certain sites polluted by coal ash and resulted in more costly and extensive remediation plans, a higher than anticipated number of claims associated with PFAS, and increased defense and cleanup costs associated with Superfund sites. The increase in environmental reserves was offset by a $56 reinsurance recoverable under the NICO treaty.
The total $132 increase in asbestos and environmental reserves in P&C Other Operations was offset by a $132 reinsurance recoverable under the NICO treaty. Including a reduction of asbestos and environmental reserves in Commercial Lines and Personal Lines, the net increase in A&E reserves in 2019 was $117 offset by a $117 increase in reinsurance recoverables under the NICO treaty.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
For information regarding the 2018 comprehensive annual review, refer to Part 2, Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in The Hartford’s 2019 Form 10-K Annual Report.
Major Categories of Asbestos Accounts
Direct asbestos exposures include both Known and Unallocated Direct Accounts.
•Known Direct Accounts- includes both Major Asbestos Defendants and Non-Major Accounts, and represent approximately 71% of the Company's total Direct gross asbestos reserves as of December 31, 2020 compared to approximately 73% as of December 31, 2019. Major Asbestos Defendants have been defined as the “Top 70” accounts in Tillinghast's published Tiers 1 and 2 and Wellington accounts, while Non-Major accounts are comprised of all other direct asbestos accounts and largely represent smaller and more peripheral defendants. Major Asbestos Defendants have the fewest number of asbestos accounts.
•Unallocated Direct Accounts- includes an estimate of the reserves necessary for asbestos claims related to direct insureds that have not previously tendered asbestos claims to the Company and exposures related to liability claims that may not be subject to an aggregate limit under the applicable policies. These exposures represent approximately 29% of the Company's Direct gross asbestos reserves as of December 31, 2020 compared to approximately 27% as of December 31, 2019.
Review of "All Other" Reserves in Property & Casualty Other Operations
Prior year development on all other reserves resulted in increases of $50, $21 and $65, respectively for calendar years 2020, 2019 and 2018. Included in the 2020 adverse reserve development was a $35 increase in reserves for unallocated loss adjustment expenses ("ULAE"), primarily due to an increase in expected aggregate claim handling costs associated with asbestos and environmental claims, as well as higher than anticipated unallocated loss adjustment expenses in recent years, prompting an increase in the projected run rate expense. In addition, elevated claim activity related to certain mass torts and assumed residual value policies contributed to the overall reserve increases, offset by favorable development from previously disputed or potentially uncollectible reinsurance.
The Company provides an allowance for uncollectible reinsurance, reflecting management’s best estimate of
reinsurance cessions that may be uncollectible in the future due to reinsurers’ unwillingness or inability to pay. In performing its assessment, the Company evaluates the collectibility of the reinsurance recoverables and the adequacy of the allowance for uncollectible reinsurance associated with older, long-term casualty liabilities reported in Property & Casualty Other Operations. In conducting these evaluations, the company used its most recent detailed evaluations of ceded liabilities reported in the segment. The Company analyzed the overall credit quality of the Company’s reinsurers, recent trends in arbitration and litigation outcomes in disputes between cedants and reinsurers, and recent developments in commutation activity between reinsurers and cedants. As of 2020, 2019, and 2018 the allowance for uncollectible reinsurance for Property & Casualty Other Operations totaled $60, $71 and $105, respectively. Due to the inherent uncertainties as to collection and the length of time before reinsurance recoverables become due, particularly for older, long-term casualty liabilities, it is possible that future adjustments to the Company’s reinsurance recoverables, net of the allowance, could be required.
Impact of Re-estimates on Property and Casualty Insurance Product Reserves
Estimating property and casualty insurance product reserves uses a variety of methods, assumptions and data elements. Ultimate losses may vary materially from the current estimates. Many factors can contribute to these variations and the need to change the previous estimate of required reserve levels. Prior accident year reserve development is generally due to the emergence of additional facts that were not known or anticipated at the time of the prior reserve estimate and/or due to changes in interpretations of information and trends.
The table below shows the range of annual reserve re-estimates experienced by The Hartford over the past ten years. The amount of prior accident year development (as shown in the reserve rollforward) for a given calendar year is expressed as a percent of the beginning calendar year reserves, net of reinsurance. The ranges presented are significantly influenced by the facts and circumstances of each particular year and by the fact that only the last ten years are included in the range. Accordingly, these percentages are not intended to be a prediction of the range of possible future variability. For further discussion of the potential for variability in recorded loss reserves, see Preferred Reserving Methods by Line of Business and Impact of Key Assumptions on Reserves sections.
Range of Prior Accident Year Unfavorable (Favorable) Development for the Ten Years Ended December 31, 2020
| Commercial Lines | Personal Lines | Property & Casualty Other Operations | Total Property & Casualty [1] | |||||||||||
| Annual range of prior accident year unfavorable (favorable) development for the ten years ended December 31, 2020 | (1.3%) - 1.0% | (20.5%) - 8.3% | 0.9% - 17.0% | (0.8%) - 2.4% | ||||||||||
[1]Excluding the reserve increases for asbestos and environmental reserves, over the past ten years, reserve re-estimates for total property and casualty insurance ranged from (1.5%) to 1.0%.
The potential variability of the Company’s property and casualty insurance product reserves would normally be expected to vary
by segment and the types of loss exposures insured by those segments. Illustrative factors influencing the potential reserve
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
variability for each of the segments are discussed under Critical Accounting Estimates for Property & Casualty Insurance Product Reserves and Asbestos and Environmental Reserves. See the section entitled Property & Casualty Other Operations, Annual Reserve Reviews about the impact that the A&E ADC retroactive reinsurance agreement with NICO may have on net reserve changes of asbestos and environmental reserves going forward.
The following table summarizes the effect of reserve re-estimates, net of reinsurance, on calendar year operations for the
ten-year period ended December 31, 2020. The total of each column details the amount of reserve re-estimates made in the indicated calendar year and shows the accident years to which the re-estimates are applicable. The amounts in the total column on the far right represent the cumulative reserve re-estimates during the ten year period ended December 31, 2020 for the indicated accident year in each row. This table does not include Navigators Group reserve re-estimates for periods prior to the acquisition of the business on May 23, 2019.
Effect of Net Reserve Re-estimates on Calendar Year Operations
| Calendar Year | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Accident Year | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 & Prior | $ | 367 | $ | (40) | $ | 25 | $ | 330 | $ | 350 | $ | 316 | $ | 87 | $ | (37) | $ | 38 | $ | 499 | $ | 1,935 | |||||||||||||
| 2011 | 36 | 148 | (4) | 12 | (6) | 6 | 11 | (19) | (10) | 174 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | 19 | — | (55) | (35) | (12) | (15) | (15) | (25) | (138) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | (98) | (43) | (29) | (33) | (2) | (26) | (8) | (239) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | (14) | 20 | (19) | (54) | (29) | (25) | (121) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | 191 | (41) | (93) | 19 | (9) | 67 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | (29) | 14 | (11) | (29) | (55) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 9 | (116) | (169) | (276) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | 78 | (268) | (190) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | (92) | (92) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in net reserves [1] [2] | $ | 367 | $ | (4) | $ | 192 | $ | 228 | $ | 250 | $ | 457 | $ | (41) | $ | (167) | $ | (81) | $ | (136) | $ | 1,065 | |||||||||||||
[1]For the 2020 and 2019 calendar years, net favorable prior accident year development recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Operations was $(448) rather than $(136) and $65 rather than $81, respectively, as shown in this table as the Company recognized a $312 and $16 deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance. For additional information regarding the two adverse development cover reinsurance agreements, refer to Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
[2]For calendar years before 2017, the 2010 and prior accident year development includes adverse development for A&E reserves. Beginning with the 2017 calendar year, A&E reserve development has been ceded to NICO.
The commentary below explains, by accident year, the total prior accident year development recognized over the past 10 years.
Accident years 2010 and Prior
The net increases in estimates of ultimate losses for accident years 2010 and prior are driven mostly by increased reserves for asbestos and environmental reserves, and also by increased estimates for customs bonds, sexual molestation and sexual abuse and other mass torts claims.
Partially offsetting these reserve increases was favorable development in general liability and personal automobile liability.
Accident year 2011
Unfavorable changes in estimates of ultimate losses on accident year 2011 were primarily related to workers' compensation and commercial automobile liability. Workers' compensation loss cost trends were higher than initially expected as an increase in frequency outpaced a moderation of severity trends. Unfavorable commercial automobile liability reserve re-estimates were driven by higher frequency of large loss bodily injury claims.
Accident years 2012 and 2013
Estimates of ultimate losses were decreased for accident years 2012 and 2013 due to favorable frequency and/or medical severity trends for workers’ compensation and favorable professional liability claim emergence. Favorable emergence of property lines of business, including catastrophes, for the 2013 accident year, is partially offset by increased reserves in automobile liability due to increased severity of large claims.
Accident years 2014 and 2015
Changes in estimates of ultimate losses for accident years 2014 and 2015 were largely driven by unfavorable frequency and severity trends for personal and commercial automobile liability, increased severity of liability claims on package business and increased estimated severity on the acquired Navigators Group book of business related to U.S. construction, premises liability, products liability and excess casualty offset by favorable frequency and medical severity trends for workers' compensation.
Accident year 2016
Estimates of ultimate losses were decreased for the 2016 accident year largely due to reserve decreases on short-tail lines of business, where results emerge more quickly, and workers’ compensation due to lower estimated claim severity, somewhat offset by unfavorable reserve estimates for higher hazard general liability exposures due to increased frequency and severity trends, higher estimated severity in middle & large commercial and on the acquired Navigators Group book of business related to U.S. construction, premises liability, products liability and excess casualty.
Accident year 2017
Ultimate loss estimates were decreased for the 2017 accident year mainly due to release of reserves related to catastrophes, lower reserve estimates in personal automobile liability due to emergence of lower estimated severity and lower reserve estimates for workers’ compensation related to lower than previously estimated claim severity , somewhat offset by
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
increases in estimates of ultimate losses in general liability and bond. Partially offsetting was an increase to general liability reserves that was related to high hazard exposures which experienced increased frequency and severity trends. In addition, unfavorable bond reserve re-estimates were driven by large claims. On the Navigators Group book of business, reserve increases for professional liability were related to large syndicate D&O losses.
Accident year 2018
Ultimate loss estimates were decreased for the 2018 accident year mainly due to reduction in estimated catastrophe reserves for California wildfires and for various wind and hail events. Reserve estimates were also reduced, to a lesser extent, for personal automobile liability which decreased due to lower than previously expected claim severity. These reserve decreases were slightly offset by increases in commercial automobile liability, professional liability and general liability. Commercial automobile liability reserve increases were related to higher estimated severity on middle & large commercial. Increases in general liability reserves for middle market and complex liability claims were also largely due to higher than previously expected severity. On the Navigators Group book of business, reserve increases for professional liability were related to large loss activity and increased estimated severity on directors and officers reserves.
Accident year 2019
Ultimate loss estimates were decreased for the 2019 accident year mainly due to favorable emergence of property lines of business, mainly related to catastrophes, slightly offset by increases in commercial automobile liability reserves due to higher than expected large losses in middle & large commercial.
Group Benefit LTD Reserves, Net of Reinsurance
The Company establishes reserves for group life and accident & health contracts, including long-term disability coverage, for both reported claims and claims related to insured events that the Company estimates have been incurred but have not yet been reported. As long-term disability reserves are long-tail claim liabilities, they are discounted because the payment pattern and the ultimate costs are reasonably fixed and determinable on an individual claim basis. The Company held $6,494 and $6,616 of LTD unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Reserving Methodology
How Reserves are Set - A Disabled Life Reserve ("DLR") is calculated for each LTD claim. The DLR for each claim is the expected present value of all future benefit payments starting with the known monthly gross benefit which is reduced for estimates of the expected claim recovery due to return to work or claimant death, offsets from other income including offsets from Social Security benefits, and discounting where the discount rate is tied to expected investment yield at the time the claim is incurred. Estimated future benefit payments represent the monthly income benefit that is paid until recovery, death or expiration of benefits. Claim recoveries are estimated based on claim characteristics such as age and diagnosis and represent an estimate of benefits that will terminate, generally as a result of the claimant returning to work or being deemed able to return to work. For claims recently closed due to recovery, a portion of the
DLR is retained for the possibility that the claim reopens upon further evidence of disability. In addition, a reserve for estimated unpaid claim expenses is included in the DLR.
The DLR also includes a liability for potential payments to pending claimants beyond the elimination period who have not yet been approved for LTD. In these cases, the present value of future benefits is reduced for the likelihood of claim denial based on Company experience.
Estimates for incurred but not reported ("IBNR") claims are made by applying completion factors to expected emerged experience by line of business. Included within IBNR are bulk reserves for claims reported but still within the waiting period until benefits are paid, typically 3 or 6 months depending on the contract. Completion factors are derived from standard actuarial techniques using triangles that display historical claim count emergence by incurral month. These estimates are reviewed for reasonableness and are adjusted for current trends and other factors expected to cause a change in claim emergence. The reserves include an estimate of unpaid claim expenses, including a provision for the cost of initial set-up of the claim once reported.
For all products, including LTD, there is a period generally ranging from two to twelve months, depending on the product and line of business, where emerged claims for an incurral year are not yet credible enough to be a basis for estimating reserves. In these cases, the ultimate loss is estimated using earned premium multiplied by an expected loss ratio based on pricing assumptions of claim incidence, claim severity, and earned pricing.
Impact of Key Assumptions on Reserves
The key assumptions affecting our group life and accident & health reserves including disability include:
Discount Rate - The discount rate is the interest rate at which expected future claim cash flows are discounted to determine the present value. A higher selected discount rate results in a lower reserve. If the discount rate is higher than our future investment returns, our invested assets will not earn enough investment income to cover the discount accretion on our claim reserves which would negatively affect our profits. For each incurral year, the discount rates are estimated based on investment yields expected to be earned net of investment expenses. The incurral year is the year in which the claim is incurred and the estimated settlement pattern is determined. Once established, discount rates for each incurral year are unchanged except that LTD reserves assumed from the acquisition of Aetna's U.S. group life and disability business are all discounted using rates as of the November 1, 2017 acquisition date. The weighted average discount rate on LTD reserves was 3.4% in 2020 and 2019. Had the discount rate for each incurral year been 10 basis points lower at the time they were established, our LTD unpaid loss and loss adjustment expense reserves would be higher by $29, pretax, as of December 31, 2020.
Claim Termination Rates (inclusive of mortality, recoveries, and expiration of benefits) - Claim termination rates are an estimate of the rate at which claimants will cease receiving benefits during a given calendar year. Terminations result from a number of factors, including death, recoveries and expiration of benefits. The probability that benefits will terminate in each future month
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for each claim is estimated using a predictive model that uses past Company experience, contract provisions, job characteristics and other claimant-specific characteristics such as diagnosis, time since disability began, and age. Actual claim termination experience will vary from period to period. Over the past 9 years, claim termination rates for a single incurral year have generally increased and have ranged from 6% below to 7% above current assumptions over that time period. For a single recent incurral year (such as 2020), a one percent decrease in our assumption for LTD claim termination rates would increase our reserves by $9. For all incurral years combined, as of December 31, 2020, a one percent decrease in our assumption for our LTD claim termination rates would increase our Group Benefits unpaid losses and loss adjustment expense reserves by $22.
Impact of COVID-19 on 2020 Results of Operations
Within Group Benefits, the Company experienced excess mortality in its group life business of $239 in 2020, primarily caused by direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19. Within the group disability business, in 2020 the Company recognized $29 of COVID-19 direct losses from short-term disability claims, more than offset by $38 of favorable frequency on other short-term disability claims.
Current Trends Contributing to Reserve Uncertainty
We hedge our interest rate exposure over a three year period at the time we price and sell long-term disability policies and our weighted average discount rate assumption for the 2020 incurral year is up slightly from that of the 2019 incurral year.
While we have not seen a significant change in claim recovery patterns to date, in future periods, because of COVID-19, we could experience a delay in the Social Security Administration’s processing of disability claims and a delay in physicians approving a disability claimant’s ability to return to work, resulting in lower expected claim terminations or recoveries, including Social Security offsets. Also, due to the effects on the economy, including higher unemployment, we could experience an increase in claim incidence on long-term disability claims.
Evaluation of Goodwill for Impairment
Goodwill balances are reviewed for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events occur or circumstances change that would indicate that a triggering event for a potential impairment has occurred. Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted updated accounting guidance on recognition and measurement of goodwill impairment, as required. The updated guidance requires recognition and measurement of goodwill impairment based on the excess of the carrying value of the reporting unit over its estimated fair value, up to the amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill.
The estimated fair value of each reporting unit incorporates multiple inputs into discounted cash flow calculations including assumptions that market participants would make in valuing the reporting unit. Assumptions include levels of economic capital, future business growth, earnings projections, assets under management for Hartford Funds and the weighted average cost of capital used for purposes of discounting. Decreases in business
growth, decreases in earnings projections and increases in the weighted average cost of capital will all cause a reporting unit’s fair value to decrease, increasing the possibility of impairment.
A reporting unit is defined as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment. The Company’s reporting units, for which goodwill has been allocated consist of Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds.
The carrying value of goodwill was $1,911 as of December 31, 2020 and was comprised of $659 for Commercial Lines, $119 for Personal Lines, $861 for Group Benefits, and $272 for Hartford Funds.
The annual goodwill assessment for the reporting units was completed as of October 31, 2020, and resulted in no write-downs of goodwill for the year ended December 31, 2020. All reporting units passed the annual impairment test with a significant margin. For information regarding the 2019 and 2018 impairment tests see Note 11 - Goodwill & Other Intangible Assets of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Due to the continuing impacts in the economy because of the COVID-19 pandemic, near-term expected net cash flows over the forecast period reflect estimated COVID-19 claims and economic effects of the pandemic. Considering the impacts of COVID-19, if the weighted average cost of capital used for purposes of discounting increases significantly or if the economic downturn worsens or persists for an extended period and the Company's actual and forecasted operating results deteriorate, the Company may determine it is more likely than not that a reporting unit's fair value is below its carrying value, including goodwill, which could result in an impairment of goodwill.
Valuation of Investments and Derivative Instruments
Fixed Maturities, Equity Securities, Short-term Investments, and Derivatives
The Company generally determines fair values using valuation techniques that use prices, rates, and other relevant information evident from market transactions involving identical or similar instruments. Valuation techniques also include, where appropriate, estimates of future cash flows that are converted into a single discounted amount using current market expectations. The Company uses a "waterfall" approach comprised of the following pricing sources which are listed in priority order: quoted prices, prices from third-party pricing services, internal matrix pricing, and independent broker quotes. The fair value of derivative instruments are determined primarily using a discounted cash flow model or option model technique and incorporate counterparty credit risk. In some cases, quoted market prices for exchange-traded transactions and transactions cleared through central clearing houses ("OTC-cleared") may be used and in other cases independent broker quotes may be used. For further discussion, see the Fixed Maturities, Equity Securities, Short-term Investments and Derivatives section in Note 5 - Fair Value Measurements of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Evaluation of Credit Losses on Fixed Maturities, AFS and ACL on Mortgage Loans
Each quarter, a committee of investment and accounting professionals evaluates investments to determine if a credit loss is present for fixed maturities, AFS or an ACL is required for mortgage loans. This evaluation is a quantitative and qualitative process, which is subject to risks and uncertainties. For further discussion of the accounting policies, see the Significant Investment Accounting Policies Section in Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. For a discussion of credit losses recorded, see the Credit Losses on Fixed Maturities, AFS and Intent-to-Sell Impairments and ACL on Mortgage Loans sections within the Investment Portfolio Risks and Risk Management section of the MD&A.
Contingencies Relating to Corporate Litigation and Regulatory Matters
Management evaluates each contingent matter separately. A loss is recorded if probable and reasonably estimable. Management establishes reserves for these contingencies at its “best estimate,”
or, if no one 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 range of losses.
The Company has a quarterly monitoring process involving legal and accounting professionals. Legal personnel first identify outstanding corporate litigation and regulatory matters posing a reasonable possibility of loss. These matters are then jointly reviewed by accounting and legal personnel to evaluate the facts and changes since the last review in order to determine if a provision for loss should be recorded or adjusted, the amount that should be recorded, and the appropriate disclosure. The outcomes of certain contingencies currently being evaluated by the Company, which relate to corporate litigation and regulatory matters, are inherently difficult to predict, and the reserves that have been established for the estimated settlement amounts are subject to significant changes. Management expects that the ultimate liability, if any, with respect to such lawsuits, after consideration of provisions made for estimated losses, will not be material to the consolidated financial condition of the Company. In view of the uncertainties regarding the outcome of these matters, as well as the tax-deductibility of payments, it is possible that the ultimate cost to the Company of these matters could exceed the reserve by an amount that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations and liquidity in a particular quarterly or annual period.
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SEGMENT OPERATING SUMMARIES
| COMMERCIAL LINES | ||
Results of Operations
Underwriting Summary
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Written premiums | $ | 8,969 | $ | 8,452 | $ | 7,136 | 6 | % | 18 | % | |||||||
| Change in unearned premium reserve | 59 | 162 | 89 | (64 | %) | 82 | % | ||||||||||
| Earned premiums | 8,910 | 8,290 | 7,047 | 7 | % | 18 | % | ||||||||||
| Fee income | 30 | 35 | 34 | (14 | %) | 3 | % | ||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses | |||||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 5,488 | 4,913 | 4,037 | 12 | % | 22 | % | ||||||||||
| Current accident year catastrophes [1] | 397 | 323 | 275 | 23 | % | 17 | % | ||||||||||
| Prior accident year development [1] | 44 | (44) | (200) | NM | 78 | % | |||||||||||
| Total losses and loss adjustment expenses | 5,929 | 5,192 | 4,112 | 14 | % | 26 | % | ||||||||||
| Amortization of DAC | 1,397 | 1,296 | 1,048 | 8 | % | 24 | % | ||||||||||
| Underwriting expenses | 1,594 | 1,600 | 1,369 | — | % | 17 | % | ||||||||||
| Amortization of other intangible assets | 28 | 18 | 4 | 56 | % | NM | |||||||||||
| Dividends to policyholders | 29 | 30 | 23 | (3 | %) | 30 | % | ||||||||||
| Underwriting (loss) gain | (37) | 189 | 525 | (120 | %) | (64 | %) | ||||||||||
| Net servicing income | 4 | 2 | 2 | 100 | % | — | % | ||||||||||
| Net investment income [2] | 1,160 | 1,129 | 997 | 3 | % | 13 | % | ||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) [2] | (60) | 271 | (43) | (122 | %) | NM | |||||||||||
| Loss on reinsurance transaction | — | (91) | — | 100 | % | NM | |||||||||||
| Other (expenses) | (35) | (38) | (2) | 8 | % | NM | |||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 1,032 | 1,462 | 1,479 | (29 | %) | (1 | %) | ||||||||||
| Income tax expense [3] | 176 | 270 | 267 | (35 | %) | 1 | % | ||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 856 | $ | 1,192 | $ | 1,212 | (28 | %) | (2 | %) | |||||||
[1]For discussion of current accident year catastrophes and prior accident year development, see MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property and Casualty Insurance Product Reserves Development, Net of Reinsurance and Note 12- Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
[2]For discussion of consolidated investment results, see MD&A - Investment Results.
[3]For discussion of income taxes, see Note 17 - Income Taxes of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Premium Measures
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | ||||||||||||
| Small Commercial: | ||||||||||||||
| Net new business premium | $ | 557 | $ | 646 | $ | 600 | ||||||||
| Policy count retention | 84 | % | 83 | % | 82 | % | ||||||||
| Renewal written price increases | 2.0 | % | 1.8 | % | 2.5 | % | ||||||||
| Renewal earned price increases | 2.3 | % | 1.9 | % | 3.8 | % | ||||||||
| Premium retention | 84 | % | 85 | % | 84 | % | ||||||||
| Policies in-force as of end of period (in thousands) | 1,283 | 1,291 | 1,271 | |||||||||||
| Middle Market [1]: | ||||||||||||||
| Net new business premium | $ | 479 | $ | 584 | $ | 540 | ||||||||
| Policy count retention | 78 | % | 80 | % | 78 | % | ||||||||
| Renewal written price increases | 7.4 | % | 3.8 | % | 2.0 | % | ||||||||
| Renewal earned price increases | 6.4 | % | 2.7 | % | 1.7 | % | ||||||||
| Premium retention | 77 | % | 84 | % | 83 | % | ||||||||
| Policies in-force as of end of period (in thousands) | 59 | 62 | 64 | |||||||||||
| Global Specialty: | ||||||||||||||
| Global specialty gross new business premium [2] | $ | 752 | ||||||||||||
| U.S. global specialty renewal written price increases | 17.6 | % | ||||||||||||
| U.S. global specialty renewal earned price increases | 13.1 | % | ||||||||||||
[1]Middle market disclosures exclude loss sensitive and programs businesses.
[2]Excludes Global Re and Continental Europe Operations and is before ceded reinsurance.
Underwriting Ratios
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio | |||||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 61.6 | 59.3 | 57.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | ||||||||||||
| Current accident year catastrophes | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 0.6 | — | ||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development | 0.5 | (0.5) | (2.8) | 1.0 | 2.3 | ||||||||||||
| Total loss and loss adjustment expense ratio | 66.5 | 62.6 | 58.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | ||||||||||||
| Expense ratio | 33.5 | 34.7 | 33.9 | (1.2) | 0.8 | ||||||||||||
| Policyholder dividend ratio | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | (0.1) | 0.1 | ||||||||||||
| Combined ratio | 100.4 | 97.7 | 92.6 | 2.7 | 5.1 | ||||||||||||
| Impact of current accident year catastrophes and prior year development | (5.0) | (3.4) | (1.1) | (1.6) | (2.3) | ||||||||||||
| Impact of current accident year change in loss reserves upon acquisition of a business [1] | — | (0.3) | — | 0.3 | (0.3) | ||||||||||||
| Underlying combined ratio | 95.5 | 94.0 | 91.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 | ||||||||||||
[1]Upon acquisition of Navigators Group and a review of Navigators Insurers reserves, the year ended December 31, 2019 included $68 of prior accident year reserve increases and $29 of current accident year reserve increases which were excluded for the purposes of the underlying combined ratio calculation.
2021 Outlook
The Company expects higher Commercial Lines written premiums in 2021, with growth across small commercial, middle & large commercial, and global specialty. In small commercial, policy retention is expected to remain strong with new business growth across all lines of business. Assuming the economy recovers with the rollout of vaccines, we expect an increase in insured exposures, including from higher payrolls on workers’ compensation policies. In middle & large commercial, assuming a continued economic recovery, we expect written premium
growth in our general industries book of business driven by new business growth and an increase in insured exposures and that we will generate new business growth in specialized industries as well as with large and complex solutions. In global specialty, premium growth in 2021 is expected primarily in wholesale and financial lines benefiting from written pricing increases.
In 2021, management expects positive renewal written pricing in all lines of business except workers' compensation, with workers' compensation pricing expected to be flat to slightly positive in middle market and down in small commercial. In small commercial
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and middle & large commercial, high-single digit rate increases are expected to continue in commercial auto, general liability and property. In global specialty, in 2021, we expect written pricing increases in the high teens in international, low double-digits in wholesale and high single digits in US financial lines. Written pricing increases in 2021 in lines other than workers’ compensation are driven by a number of factors including the effects of social inflation, increased catastrophe losses due to changing weather patterns, and a prolonged low interest rate environment, that puts added pressure on the need for underwriting profits to make up for the lost investment yield.
The Company expects the Commercial Lines combined ratio will be between approximately 93.5 and 95.5 for 2021, compared to 100.4 in 2020, primarily due to lower current accident year catastrophe losses expected in 2021 and lower COVID-19 incurred claims. The underlying combined ratio is expected to be lower as fewer COVID-19 claims are expected in 2021 as we emerge from the pandemic. Apart from lower expected COVID-19 claims, earned pricing increases in excess of moderate increases in loss costs in most lines will be partially offset by continued margin compression in small commercial workers’ compensation, while the expense ratio is expected to improve by nearly a point. Current accident year catastrophes are assumed to be 3.1 points of the combined ratio in 2021 compared to 4.5 points in 2020.
Net Income
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Net income decreased primarily due to a change from an underwriting gain in 2019 to an underwriting loss in 2020 and a change from net realized capital gains in 2019 to net realized capital losses in 2020, partially offset by higher net investment income. Also partially offsetting the decline in net income was $91 before tax of ADC ceded premium in the prior year period. For further discussion of investment results, see MD&A - Investment Results.
Underwriting Gain (Loss)
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Underwriting loss in 2020 compared with an underwriting gain in 2019 with the underwriting loss in 2020 primarily due to COVID-19 incurred losses in property, workers’ compensation and financial and other lines, higher current accident year catastrophes, a change from net favorable prior accident year development in 2019 to net unfavorable prior accident year development in 2020 and the effect of lower earned premiums excluding the effect of the Navigators acquisition. Underwriting expenses were down slightly as a decrease in incentive compensation, benefits costs, commissions and travel costs were largely offset by the inclusion of Navigators for a full twelve months in 2020, an increase in the ACL on premiums receivable in 2020 due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 and the effect of a reduction in state taxes and assessments in 2019. In 2020, the acquisition of Navigators Group contributed to an increase in earned premiums with a corresponding increase to losses and loss adjustment expenses, amortization of DAC and underwriting expenses.
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Earned Premiums
[1]Other of $43, $42, and $45 for 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively, is included in the total.
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Earned premiums increased in 2020 with the increase in reflecting a full twelve months of premium from the acquisition of Navigators Group. Excluding Navigators, earned premiums declined in 2020, with decreases in both small commercial and in middle & large commercial.
Written premiums increased in 2020 with the growth attributable to the acquisition of Navigators Group. Excluding Navigators, written premiums declined in 2020 due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, including lower new business across most lines as well as reductions in estimated audit premiums and endorsements reducing premium in workers’ compensation due to a declining exposure base, partially offset by continued written pricing increases in all lines except workers' compensation.
In small commercial, renewal written price increases were slightly higher in 2020 than 2019, with mid-single digit to high single-digit rate increases in most lines, largely offset by written pricing decreases in workers’ compensation. In middle market, higher written pricing increases in 2020 were mostly due to double digit rate increases in middle market automobile and specialty excess liability lines and mid-single digit to high single-digit rate increases in most other middle market lines. In global specialty, our US wholesale book achieved an approximate 25% renewal written price increase, led by excess casualty, property and
automobile. The international lines also achieved strong price increases, led by D&O.
New business premium decreased in 2020 in most lines driven by lower quote volume due to the economic effects of COVID-19 and a competitive pricing environment, though to a lesser extent in the second half of 2020. Also contributing to the decrease in new business in small commercial was the effect of new business from the 2018 Foremost renewal rights agreement in 2019.
•Small commercial written premium declined in 2020 driven by a decrease in workers compensation, partially offset by growth in package business.
•Middle & large commercial written premium decreased in 2020 driven by lower new business and premium retention across all lines, partially offset by the acquisition of Navigators Group. Middle & large commercial premium decreases in 2020 were primarily driven by declines in general industries, driven by underwriting actions to improve the profitability of that book, as well as in industry verticals and national accounts, partially offset by growth in specialty and commercial excess lines.
•Global specialty written premium increased in 2020 with the increase driven by the acquisition of Navigators Group. Apart from Navigators Group, written premium decreased slightly in 2020 due to a decline in wholesale and bond business, partially offset by growth in professional liability.
| Current Accident Year Loss and LAE Ratio before Catastrophes | ||
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Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Current Accident Year Loss and LAE ratio before catastrophes increased in 2020, primarily due to COVID-19 incurred losses, net of favorable non-COVID-19 workers' compensation frequency as well as a slightly higher loss ratio in small commercial workers' compensation, partially offset by lower non-catastrophe property losses and margin improvement in the Navigators book, primarily in wholesale and global re.
2020 included COVID-19 incurred losses of $278 before tax, including losses of $141 in property, $66 in workers’ compensation, net of favorable frequency on other workers' compensation claims, and $71 in financial and other lines.
Included in the $141 of COVID-19 property incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses in 2020 were $101 of losses arising from a small number of property policies that do not require direct physical loss or damage and from policies intended to cover specific business needs, including crisis management and performance disruption. In addition, we recorded a reserve of $40 for legal defense costs in 2020. Workers’ compensation COVID-19 incurred losses in 2020 were driven by claims in both states with presumptive coverage and in other states where the claimant must prove their COVID-19 illness was contracted at work. Financial lines COVID-19 claims in 2020 were primarily driven by exposures in D&O, E&O and employment practices liability and the recessionary impacts on the surety book of business.
Catastrophes and Unfavorable (Favorable) Prior Accident Year Development
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019 Current accident year catastrophe losses for 2020 were primarily from civil unrest, a number of hurricanes and tropical storms, Pacific Coast wildfires, and Northeast windstorms as well as tornado, wind and hail events in the South, Midwest and Central Plains. Catastrophe losses for 2019 were primarily from tornado, wind and hail events in various areas of the Midwest, Mountain West and Southeast and, to a lesser extent, winter storms in the northern plains, Midwest and Northeast.
Prior accident year development was a net unfavorable $44 before tax in 2020 compared to a net favorable $44 before tax in the comparable 2019 period. Net unfavorable reserve development for 2020 included reserve increases for general liability driven primarily by increases in reserves for sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims, and increases in commercial automobile liability reserves, partially offset by net reserve decreases for catastrophes, workers' compensation and package business. Favorable development on prior year catastrophe reserves in 2020 was due to recognizing a $29 before tax subrogation benefit from a settlement with PG&E over certain of the 2017 and 2018 California wildfires and a reduction in estimated catastrophe losses from a number of wind and hail events that occurred in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Prior accident year development in 2020 also included $102 of reserve increases related to Navigators Group on 2018 and prior accident years that was economically ceded to NICO but for which the benefit was not recognized in earnings as it has been recorded as a deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance. Net reserve decreases for 2019 were primarily related to lower loss reserve estimates for workers' compensation claims, package business reserves and catastrophes, partially offset by a $68 before tax increase to Navigators Group reserves upon acquisition of the business and increases in reserves for automobile liability and general liability. The increase in Navigators Group reserves upon acquisition of the business principally related to higher reserve estimates for general liability, professional liability and marine.
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| PERSONAL LINES | ||
Results of Operations
Underwriting Summary
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Written premiums | $ | 2,936 | $ | 3,131 | $ | 3,276 | (6 | %) | (4 | %) | |||||||
| Change in unearned premium reserve | (72) | (67) | (123) | (7 | %) | 46 | % | ||||||||||
| Earned premiums | 3,008 | 3,198 | 3,399 | (6 | %) | (6 | %) | ||||||||||
| Fee income | 34 | 37 | 40 | (8 | %) | (8 | %) | ||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses | |||||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 1,695 | 2,087 | 2,249 | (19 | %) | (7 | %) | ||||||||||
| Current accident year catastrophes [1] | 209 | 140 | 546 | 49 | % | (74 | %) | ||||||||||
| Prior accident year development [1] | (438) | (42) | (32) | NM | (31 | %) | |||||||||||
| Total losses and loss adjustment expenses | 1,466 | 2,185 | 2,763 | (33 | %) | (21 | %) | ||||||||||
| Amortization of DAC | 244 | 259 | 275 | (6 | %) | (6 | %) | ||||||||||
| Underwriting expenses | 591 | 625 | 611 | (5 | %) | 2 | % | ||||||||||
| Amortization of other intangible assets | 4 | 6 | 4 | (33 | %) | 50 | % | ||||||||||
| Underwriting gain (loss) | 737 | 160 | (214) | NM | 175 | % | |||||||||||
| Net servicing income [2] | 14 | 13 | 16 | 8 | % | (19 | %) | ||||||||||
| Net investment income [3] | 157 | 179 | 155 | (12 | %) | 15 | % | ||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) [3] | (5) | 43 | (7) | (112 | %) | NM | |||||||||||
| Other expenses | (1) | (1) | (1) | — | % | — | % | ||||||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | 902 | 394 | (51) | 129 | % | NM | |||||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) [4] | 184 | 76 | (19) | 142 | % | NM | |||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | 718 | $ | 318 | $ | (32) | 126 | % | NM | ||||||||
[1]For discussion of current accident year catastrophes and prior accident year development, see MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property and Casualty Insurance Product Reserves, Net of Reinsurance.
[2]Includes servicing revenues of $81, $83, and $84 for 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively and includes servicing expenses of $67, $70, and $68 for 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively.
[3]For discussion of consolidated investment results, see MD&A - Investment Results.
[4]For discussion of income taxes, see Note 17 - Income Taxes of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Written and Earned Premiums
| Written Premiums | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | ||||||||||||
| Product Line | |||||||||||||||||
| Automobile | $ | 2,003 | $ | 2,176 | $ | 2,273 | (8 | %) | (4 | %) | |||||||
| Homeowners | 933 | 955 | 1,003 | (2 | %) | (5 | %) | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | 2,936 | $ | 3,131 | $ | 3,276 | (6 | %) | (4 | %) | |||||||
| Earned Premiums | |||||||||||||||||
| Product Line | |||||||||||||||||
| Automobile | $ | 2,058 | $ | 2,221 | $ | 2,369 | (7 | %) | (6 | %) | |||||||
| Homeowners | 950 | 977 | 1,030 | (3 | %) | (5 | %) | ||||||||||
| Total | $ | 3,008 | $ | 3,198 | $ | 3,399 | (6 | %) | (6 | %) | |||||||
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Premium Measures
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |||||||||
| Policies in-force end of period (in thousands) | |||||||||||
| Automobile | 1,369 | 1,422 | 1,510 | ||||||||
| Homeowners | 826 | 877 | 927 | ||||||||
| New business written premium | |||||||||||
| Automobile | $ | 223 | $ | 220 | $ | 169 | |||||
| Homeowners | $ | 63 | $ | 73 | $ | 46 | |||||
| Policy count retention | |||||||||||
| Automobile | 86 | % | 85 | % | 82 | % | |||||
| Homeowners | 86 | % | 85 | % | 83 | % | |||||
| Renewal written price increase | |||||||||||
| Automobile | 2.4 | % | 4.6 | % | 7.2 | % | |||||
| Homeowners | 6.4 | % | 6.5 | % | 9.7 | % | |||||
| Renewal earned price increase | |||||||||||
| Automobile | 3.4 | % | 5.5 | % | 9.6 | % | |||||
| Homeowners | 5.7 | % | 8.4 | % | 9.3 | % | |||||
| Premium retention | |||||||||||
| Automobile [1] | 82 | % | 87 | % | 85 | % | |||||
| Homeowners | 91 | % | 89 | % | 90 | % | |||||
[1] Premium retention for automobile decreased in the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 largely due to $81 of premium credits given to automobile policyholders. Excluding the impact of the premium credits, automobile premium retention would have been 86% in the twelve month period ended December 31, 2020.
Underwriting Ratios
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio | |||||||||||||||||
| Current accident year before catastrophes | 56.3 | 65.3 | 66.2 | (9.0) | (0.9) | ||||||||||||
| Current accident year catastrophes | 6.9 | 4.4 | 16.1 | 2.5 | (11.7) | ||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development | (14.6) | (1.3) | (0.9) | (13.3) | (0.4) | ||||||||||||
| Total loss and loss adjustment expense ratio | 48.7 | 68.3 | 81.3 | (19.6) | (13.0) | ||||||||||||
| Expense ratio | 26.8 | 26.7 | 25.0 | 0.1 | 1.7 | ||||||||||||
| Combined ratio | 75.5 | 95.0 | 106.3 | (19.5) | (11.3) | ||||||||||||
| Impact of current accident year catastrophes and prior year development | 7.7 | (3.1) | (15.2) | 10.8 | 12.1 | ||||||||||||
| Underlying combined ratio | 83.1 | 91.9 | 91.2 | (8.8) | 0.7 | ||||||||||||
Product Combined Ratios
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Automobile | |||||||||||||||||
| Combined ratio | 85.5 | 96.6 | 98.6 | (11.1) | (2.0) | ||||||||||||
| Underlying combined ratio | 88.0 | 97.9 | 98.2 | (9.9) | (0.3) | ||||||||||||
| Homeowners | |||||||||||||||||
| Combined ratio | 54.2 | 91.7 | 124.3 | (37.5) | (32.6) | ||||||||||||
| Underlying combined ratio | 72.5 | 78.3 | 75.1 | (5.8) | 3.2 | ||||||||||||
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2021 Outlook
Written premium is expected to be relatively flat in 2021 compared with 2020 despite $81 of premium credits issued in 2020 as non-renewal of premium more than offsets new business. While new business conversions are expected to increase, new business premium is expected to be relatively flat as the Company begins to transition from 12-month automobile policies to 6-month automobile policies for AARP members as we roll out our new automobile and homeowners products in certain states.
In 2021, the Company expects written pricing increases in 2021 to be in the low single digits for automobile and high-single digits for homeowners. Rate increases in automobile will likely continue to moderate as lower claim frequency due to shelter-in-place guidelines during the pandemic is reflected in rate filings.
The Company expects the combined ratio for Personal Lines will be between approximately 94.0 and 96.0 for 2021 compared to 75.5 in 2020 as 2020 benefited from lower claim frequency due to fewer miles driven as a result of the pandemic as well as from favorable prior accident year development. The underlying combined ratio for Personal Lines is expected to be higher due to an increase in the current accident year loss and loss adjustment expense ratio before catastrophes in both automobile and homeowners. Current accident year catastrophes are assumed to be 7.2 points of the combined ratio in 2021 compared with 6.9 points in 2020. For automobile, we expect the underlying combined ratio to increase as automobile claim frequency rises again as we emerge from the pandemic. The underlying combined ratio for homeowners is also expected to increase in 2021, primarily driven by a return to a higher, more normal, level of non-catastrophe weather loss experience, partially offset by the effect of earned pricing increases.
Net Income (Loss)
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Net income increased by $400, primarily due to favorable prior accident year catastrophe reserve development in the 2020 period, lower non-catastrophe current accident year losses in automobile and homeowners, and lower underwriting expenses, partially offset by an increase in current accident year catastrophes, a reduction in earned premium, including the effect of $81 in premium credits given to automobile policyholders in the second quarter of 2020, a change to net realized capital losses in the 2020 period and lower net investment income.
Underwriting Gain (Loss)
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Underwriting gain in 2020 increased primarily due to favorable prior accident year development in the 2020 period driven by a reduction in prior year catastrophe reserves, lower current accident year losses in automobile due to effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a reduction in non-catastrophe weather losses in homeowners, and lower underwriting expenses, partially offset by a reduction in earned premium, including the effect of $81 in premium credits given to automobile policyholders in the second quarter of 2020.
Earned Premiums
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Earned premiums decreased in 2020, reflecting a decline in written premium over the prior twelve months in both Agency and in AARP Direct and, the effect of $81 of premium credits given to automobile policyholders in the second quarter of 2020 in recognition of shelter-in-place guidelines that have resulted in a decline in miles driven.
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Written premiums decreased in 2020 in AARP Direct and Agency. For automobile, written premium in 2020 included a reduction for the $81 of premium credits given to policyholders in the second quarter. Written premium for both automobile and homeowners declined as the amount of non-renewed premium exceeded the new business premium. New business increased slightly in automobile and declined in homeowners.
Renewal written pricing increases were lower in 2020 in automobile in response to moderating loss cost trends. For homeowners, while written pricing increases had moderated during the first half of 2020, written pricing increases were higher in the second half of 2020 due to the rate need arising from catastrophe and other property claims experience.
Policy count retention increased for both automobile and homeowners reflecting the effect of moderating renewal written price increases during all of 2020 for automobile and during the first six months of 2020 for homeowners.
Premium retention for automobile decreased in 2020 mostly due to the $81 of automobile premium credits given to policyholders in the second quarter of 2020. Premium retention for homeowners improved in 2020 driven by renewal rate increases, partially offset by a decline in policy count retention in the second half of 2020.
Policies in-force decreased in 2020 in both automobile and homeowners, driven by not generating enough new business to offset the loss of non-renewed policies.
Current Accident Year Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Ratio before Catastrophes
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Current accident year loss and LAE ratio before catastrophes decreased in 2020 in both automobile and homeowners. For automobile, the loss and loss adjustment expense ratio benefited from earned pricing increases and from lower claim frequency, primarily driven by shelter-in-place guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For homeowners, the primary driver was fewer non-catastrophe weather claims.
Current Accident Year Catastrophes and Unfavorable (Favorable) Prior Accident Year Development
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Current accident year catastrophe losses for the year ended December 31, 2020 were primarily from a number of hurricanes and tropical storms, Pacific Coast wildfires and Northeast windstorms as well as tornado, wind and hail events in the South, Midwest and Central Plains. Catastrophe losses for 2019 primarily included winter storms across the country and tornado, wind and hail events in the South, Midwest, and Mountain West.
Prior accident year development was favorable in 2020, principally due to a reduction in catastrophe loss reserves and, to a lesser extent, lower than previously expected AARP Direct automobile liability claim severity for the 2017 to 2019 accident years. The reduction in catastrophe loss reserves was
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driven by lower estimated losses for the 2017 and 2018 California wildfires, including a $260 subrogation benefit from PG&E, as well as a reduction in losses for various 2017, 2018 and 2019 wind and hail events. Prior accident year development was
favorable in 2019 primarily due to a decrease in automobile liability reserves for the 2017 accident year.
| PROPERTY & CASUALTY OTHER OPERATIONS | ||
Results of Operations
Underwriting Summary
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Written Premiums | $ | — | $ | — | $ | (4) | — | % | 100 | % | |||||||
| Change in unearned premium reserve | — | (2) | (4) | 100 | % | 50 | % | ||||||||||
| Earned premiums | — | 2 | — | (100 | %) | NM | |||||||||||
| Losses and loss adjustment expenses | |||||||||||||||||
| Prior accident year development [1] | 258 | 21 | 65 | NM | (68 | %) | |||||||||||
| Total losses and loss adjustment expenses | 258 | 21 | 65 | NM | (68 | %) | |||||||||||
| Underwriting expenses | 11 | 12 | 12 | (8 | %) | — | % | ||||||||||
| Underwriting loss | (269) | (31) | (77) | NM | 60 | % | |||||||||||
| Net investment income [2] | 55 | 84 | 90 | (35 | %) | (7 | %) | ||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) [2] | (1) | 20 | (4) | (105 | %) | NM | |||||||||||
| Other income (expenses) | 1 | — | (1) | NM | 100 | % | |||||||||||
| Income (loss) before income taxes | (214) | 73 | 8 | NM | NM | ||||||||||||
| Income tax expense (benefit) [3] | (46) | 12 | (7) | NM | NM | ||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) | $ | (168) | $ | 61 | $ | 15 | NM | NM | |||||||||
[1]For discussion of prior accident year development, see MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property and Casualty Insurance Product Reserves, Net of Reinsurance.
[2]For discussion of consolidated investment results, see MD&A - Investment Results.
[3]For discussion of income taxes, see Note 17 - Income Taxes of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Net Income (Loss)
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Net loss in 2020 changed from net income in 2019, primarily due to an increase in net unfavorable prior accident year development, a decrease in net investment income and a change from net realized capital gains to net realized capital losses.
Unfavorable prior accident year development in 2020 primarily included a $208 charge for increases in A&E reserves and a $35 increase in ULAE reserves which was largely driven by the higher estimate for A&E claims. Before NICO reinsurance, A&E reserves were increased by $236 in P&C Other Operations, including $130 for asbestos and $106 for environmental. Cumulative adverse A&E reserve development on both ongoing operations and P&C Other Operations totaled $860 through December 31, 2020 and since this amount exceeds ceded premium paid for the A&E ADC of $650, the Company recognized a $210 deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance in 2020, all recognized within P&C Other Operations.
Asbestos Reserves prior accident year development in 2020 before NICO reinsurance of $130 was primarily due to a higher rate of claim settlements, particularly with certain larger, national defendants, higher than expected average settlement values and defense costs, and an increase in the Company's
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estimated share of liability under pending or potential cost sharing agreements and settlements.
Environmental Reserves prior accident year development in 2020 before NICO reinsurance of $106 was
primarily due to an increasing number of claims and suits alleging contamination from or exposure to per & polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS"), and increased defense and cleanup costs associated with Superfund sites.
| GROUP BENEFITS | ||
Results of Operations
Operating Summary
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Premiums and other considerations | $ | 5,536 | $ | 5,603 | $ | 5,598 | (1 | %) | — | % | |||||||
| Net investment income [1] | 448 | 486 | 474 | (8 | %) | 3 | % | ||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) [1] | 22 | 34 | (47) | (35 | %) | 172 | % | ||||||||||
| Total revenues | 6,006 | 6,123 | 6,025 | (2 | %) | 2 | % | ||||||||||
| Benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses | 4,137 | 4,055 | 4,214 | 2 | % | (4 | %) | ||||||||||
| Amortization of DAC | 50 | 54 | 45 | (7 | %) | 20 | % | ||||||||||
| Insurance operating costs and other expenses | 1,308 | 1,311 | 1,282 | — | % | 2 | % | ||||||||||
| Amortization of other intangible assets | 40 | 41 | 60 | (2 | %) | (32 | %) | ||||||||||
| Total benefits, losses and expenses | 5,535 | 5,461 | 5,601 | 1 | % | (2 | %) | ||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 471 | 662 | 424 | (29 | %) | 56 | % | ||||||||||
| Income tax expense [2] | 88 | 126 | 84 | (30 | %) | 50 | % | ||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 383 | $ | 536 | $ | 340 | (29 | %) | 58 | % | |||||||
[1]For discussion of consolidated investment results, see MD&A - Investment Results.
[2]For discussion of income taxes, see Note 17 - Income Taxes of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Premiums and Other Considerations
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Fully insured — ongoing premiums | $ | 5,305 | $ | 5,416 | $ | 5,418 | (2 | %) | — | % | |||||||
| Buyout premiums | 56 | 7 | 5 | NM | 40 | % | |||||||||||
| Fee income | 175 | 180 | 175 | (3 | %) | 3 | % | ||||||||||
| Total premiums and other considerations | $ | 5,536 | $ | 5,603 | $ | 5,598 | (1 | %) | — | % | |||||||
| Fully insured ongoing sales, excluding buyouts | $ | 717 | $ | 647 | $ | 704 | 11 | % | (8 | %) | |||||||
Ratios, Excluding Buyouts
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Group disability loss ratio | 66.1 | % | 67.3 | % | 73.1 | % | (1.2) | (5.8) | |||||||||
| Group life loss ratio | 87.5 | % | 79.5 | % | 78.4 | % | 8.0 | 1.1 | |||||||||
| Total loss ratio | 74.5 | % | 72.3 | % | 75.3 | % | 2.2 | (3.0) | |||||||||
| Expense ratio [1] | 25.2 | % | 24.5 | % | 24.0 | % | 0.7 | 0.5 | |||||||||
[1] Integration and transaction costs related to the acquisition of Aetna's U.S. group life and disability business are not included in the expense ratio.
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Margin
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Net income margin | 6.4 | % | 8.8 | % | 5.6 | % | (2.4) | 3.2 | |||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income margin to core earnings margin: | |||||||||||||||||
| Net realized capital losses (gains) excluded from core earnings, before tax | (0.4 | %) | (0.5 | %) | 0.9 | % | 0.1 | (1.4) | |||||||||
| Integration and transaction costs associated with acquired business, before tax | 0.3 | % | 0.6 | % | 0.8 | % | (0.3) | (0.2) | |||||||||
| Income tax benefit | — | % | — | % | (0.3 | %) | 0.0 | 0.3 | |||||||||
| Impact of excluding buyouts from denominator of core earnings margin | 0.1 | % | — | % | — | % | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||||
| Core earnings margin | 6.4 | % | 8.9 | % | 7.0 | % | (2.5) | 1.9 | |||||||||
2021 Outlook
The Company expects Group Benefits fully insured ongoing premiums to increase modestly in 2021 due to modestly higher book persistency and continued strong sales which is expected to offset continued lagging employment levels as a result of the pandemic. In 2021, the segment's net income margin is expected to be between 3.5% and 4.5%, compared to a net income margin of 6.4% in 2020. The expected decrease in net income margin largely reflects downward pressure on pricing due to recent historical favorable claim incidence, an expectation of less favorable claim incidence and recoveries on long-term disability claims in 2021 and lower expected investment yields, partially offset by an expectation of lower excess mortality caused by COVID-19 though that is subject to significant uncertainty. The expected net income margin of 3.5% to 4.5% assumes excess mortality of $160 before tax, largely in the first half of 2021 with the most significant portion in the first quarter of 2021. Margins on long-term disability business are expected to decline as the favorable long-term disability loss trends begin to reverse due to economic factors and as price competition intensifies, partly driven by customer behavior to seek multiple bids for renewal. Margins on group life business in 2021 will largely depend on how long COVID-19 infections continue in 2021 pending the timing of distribution and citizen acceptance of vaccines. Management expects that the 2021 core earnings margin, which does not include the effect of net realized capital gains (losses) or integration costs associated with the acquired business, will be in the range of 3.7% to 4.7%, down from a 2020 core earnings margin of 6.4%.
Net Income
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Net income decreased primarily due to higher mortality in group life, and, to a lesser extent, lower net investment income, and lower net realized capital gains, partially offset by modestly higher recoveries and lower claim incidence on group disability claims. The increased mortality in group life included $239 of claims deemed to be excess mortality due to direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19. Lower net investment income was primarily driven by lower reinvestment rates and, to a lesser extent, lower income from limited partnership and other alternative investments.
Insurance operating costs and other expenses were relatively flat in 2020 as higher information technology ("IT") and other costs related to improving the customer experience were largely offset by lower incentive compensation, employee benefits, travel costs, and lower integration costs.
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Fully Insured Ongoing Premiums
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Fully insured ongoing premiums decreased in 2020 with a decrease in both group disability and group life with the declines resulting primarily from lower insured exposure on in-force policies. Premiums for voluntary business increased primarily due to strong sales and persistency.
Fully insured ongoing sales, excluding buyouts increased in 2020 with increases in both group disability and group life.
Ratios
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Total loss ratio increased 2.2 points in 2020 reflecting a higher group life loss ratio, partially offset by a lower group disability loss ratio. The group life loss ratio increased 8.0 points primarily due to a higher current incurral year loss ratio driven by higher mortality, including $239 of excess mortality due to the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19. Prior incurral year development for group life was more favorable due to favorable mortality emergence on the prior incurral year recognized in the three month period ended March 31, 2020, partially offset by the reserve assumption update related to late reported death claims. The group disability loss ratio decreased 1.2 points with a 0.6 point improvement in the current incurral year loss ratio and 0.3 points of more favorable prior incurral year development. The current incurral year group disability loss ratio improved 0.6 points as lower claim incidence more than offset 1.0 points ($29) of COVID-19 short-term disability and New York Paid Family Leave claims. The more favorable prior incurral year development in group disability was driven by higher claim recoveries and continued improving claim incidence, partially offset by the favorable impacts in 2019 from the long term disability reserve assumption update.
Expense ratio increased 0.7 points in 2020. The expense ratio increased largely due to the decline in premiums and other considerations as higher IT and other costs related to improving the customer experience was largely offset by lower incentive compensation, employee benefits, and travel costs.
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| HARTFORD FUNDS | ||
Results of Operations
Operating Summary
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Fee income and other revenue | $ | 989 | $ | 999 | $ | 1,032 | (1 | %) | (3 | %) | |||||||
| Net investment income | 4 | 7 | 5 | (43 | %) | 40 | % | ||||||||||
| Net realized capital gains (losses) | 8 | 5 | (4) | 60 | % | NM | |||||||||||
| Total revenues | 1,001 | 1,011 | 1,033 | (1 | %) | (2 | %) | ||||||||||
| Amortization of DAC | 14 | 12 | 16 | 17 | % | (25 | %) | ||||||||||
| Operating costs and other expenses | 773 | 813 | 831 | (5 | %) | (2 | %) | ||||||||||
| Total benefits, losses and expenses | 787 | 825 | 847 | (5 | %) | (3 | %) | ||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 214 | 186 | 186 | 15 | % | — | % | ||||||||||
| Income tax expense [1] | 44 | 37 | 38 | 19 | % | (3 | %) | ||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 170 | $ | 149 | $ | 148 | 14 | % | 1 | % | |||||||
| Daily average total Hartford Funds segment AUM | $ | 120,908 | $ | 117,914 | $ | 116,876 | 3 | % | 1 | % | |||||||
| Return on Assets ("ROA") [2] | 14.1 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 1.6 | (0.1) | ||||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile ROA to ROA, core earnings: | |||||||||||||||||
| Effect of net realized capital (gains) losses, excluded from core earnings, before tax | (0.7) | (0.3) | 0.4 | (0.4) | (0.7) | ||||||||||||
| Effect of income tax expense (benefit) | 0.1 | — | (0.1) | 0.1 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||
| Return on Assets ("ROA"), core earnings [2] | 13.5 | 12.2 | 12.9 | 1.3 | (0.7) | ||||||||||||
[1]For discussion of income taxes, see Note 17 - Income Taxes of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
[2]Represents annualized earnings divided by a daily average of assets under management, as measured in basis points.
Hartford Funds Segment AUM
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Mutual Fund and ETP AUM - beginning of period | $ | 112,533 | $ | 91,557 | $ | 99,090 | 23 | % | (8 | %) | |||||||
| Sales - mutual fund | 28,604 | 22,479 | 22,198 | 27 | % | 1 | % | ||||||||||
| Redemptions - mutual fund | (31,412) | (23,624) | (23,888) | (33 | %) | 1 | % | ||||||||||
| Net flows - ETP | (276) | 1,332 | 1,404 | (121 | %) | (5 | %) | ||||||||||
| Net Flows - mutual fund and ETP | (3,084) | 187 | (286) | NM | 165 | % | |||||||||||
| Change in market value and other | 15,178 | 20,789 | (7,247) | (27 | %) | NM | |||||||||||
| Mutual Fund and ETP AUM - end of period | 124,627 | 112,533 | 91,557 | 11 | % | 23 | % | ||||||||||
| Talcott Resolution life and annuity separate account AUM [1] | 14,809 | 14,425 | 13,283 | 3 | % | 9 | % | ||||||||||
| Hartford Funds AUM - end of period | $ | 139,436 | $ | 126,958 | $ | 104,840 | 10 | % | 21 | % | |||||||
[1]Represents AUM of the life and annuity business sold in May 2018 that is still managed by the Company's Hartford Funds segment.
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Mutual Fund AUM by Asset Class
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | Increase (Decrease) From 2019 to 2020 | Increase (Decrease) From 2018 to 2019 | |||||||||||||
| Equity | $ | 82,123 | $ | 71,629 | $ | 56,986 | 15 | % | 26 | % | |||||||
| Fixed Income | 17,034 | 16,130 | 14,467 | 6 | % | 11 | % | ||||||||||
| Multi-Strategy Investments [1] | 22,645 | 21,332 | 18,233 | 6 | % | 17 | % | ||||||||||
| Exchange-traded products | 2,825 | 3,442 | 1,871 | (18 | %) | 84 | % | ||||||||||
| Mutual Fund and ETP AUM | $ | 124,627 | $ | 112,533 | $ | 91,557 | 11 | % | 23 | % | |||||||
[1]Includes balanced, allocation, and alternative investment products.
2021 Outlook
Assuming continued growth in equity markets in 2021, the Company expects net income for Hartford Funds to increase from 2020 to 2021. From its diversified lineup of mutual funds and ETFs, the Company expects strong sales, though net flows are more uncertain given market volatility and historical redemption rates.
Net Income
Year ended December 31, 2020 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019
Net income increased primarily due to lower operating costs and other expenses driven by a $12 before tax decrease in Lattice contingent consideration in 2020, a $7 before tax increase in Lattice contingent consideration in 2019 and a reduction in travel
costs. Fee income and other revenues decreased slightly as the effect of a continued shift to lower fee generating assets was largely offset by higher daily average assets under management. See Note 5 - Fair Value Measurements of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the Lattice contingent consideration.
Hartford Funds AUM
December 31, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019
Hartford Funds AUM increased compared to the prior
year due to an increase in market values, partially offset by net outflows, along with the continued runoff of AUM related to the Talcott Resolution life and annuity separate account AUM.
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