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Employee Benefits
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Employee Benefits Employee Benefits
Chevron has defined benefit pension plans for many employees. The company typically prefunds defined benefit plans as required by local regulations or in certain situations where prefunding provides economic advantages. In the United States, all qualified plans are subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act minimum funding standard. The company does not typically fund U.S. nonqualified pension plans that are not subject to funding requirements under laws and regulations because contributions to these pension plans may be less economic and investment returns may be less attractive than the company’s other investment alternatives.
The company also sponsors other postretirement employee benefit (OPEB) plans that provide medical and dental benefits, as well as life insurance for some active and qualifying retired employees. The plans are unfunded, and
the company and the retirees share the costs. For the company’s main U.S. medical plan, the increase to the pre-Medicare company contribution for retiree medical coverage is limited to no more than 4 percent each year. Certain life insurance benefits are paid by the company.
The components of net periodic benefit costs for 2019 and 2018 are as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
September 30
 
Nine Months Ended
September 30
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
 
(Millions of dollars)
Pension Benefits
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United States
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
101

 
$
120

 
$
304

 
$
360

Interest cost
100

 
93

 
298

 
278

Expected return on plan assets
(141
)
 
(159
)
 
(423
)
 
(477
)
Amortization of prior service costs (credits)
—

 
—

 
1

 
1

Amortization of actuarial losses (gains)
60

 
76

 
179

 
228

Settlement losses
87

 
128

 
207

 
260

Total United States
207

 
258

 
566

 
650

International
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
34

 
36

 
105

 
109

Interest cost
49

 
49

 
153

 
155

Expected return on plan assets
(56
)
 
(62
)
 
(171
)
 
(193
)
Amortization of prior service costs (credits)
3

 
2

 
9

 
8

Amortization of actuarial losses (gains)
4

 
6

 
15

 
23

Settlement losses
—

 
3

 
1

 
3

Total International
34

 
34

 
112

 
105

Net Periodic Pension Benefit Costs
$
241

 
$
292

 
$
678

 
$
755

Other Benefits*
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
9

 
$
10

 
$
27

 
$
31

Interest cost
24

 
24

 
72

 
72

Amortization of prior service costs (credits)
(7
)
 
(7
)
 
(21
)
 
(21
)
Amortization of actuarial losses (gains)
(1
)
 
4

 
(2
)
 
11

Net Periodic Other Benefit Costs
$
25

 
$
31

 
$
76

 
$
93

_ ___________________________________
* Includes costs for U.S. and international OPEB plans. Obligations for plans outside the United States are not significant relative to the company’s total OPEB obligation.
Through September 30, 2019, a total of $1.2 billion was contributed to employee pension plans (including $1.07 billion to the U.S. plans). Contribution amounts are dependent upon plan investment returns, changes in pension obligations, regulatory requirements and other economic factors. Additional funding may ultimately be required if investment returns are insufficient to offset increases in plan obligations.
During the first nine months of 2019, the company contributed $128 million to its OPEB plans. The company anticipates contributing approximately $47 million during the remainder of 2019.