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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation | Description of Business Aflac Incorporated (the Parent Company) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Company) primarily sell supplemental health and life insurance in the United States and Japan. The Company's insurance business is marketed and administered through American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac), which operates in the United States (Aflac U.S.) and as a branch in Japan (Aflac Japan). American Family Life Assurance Company of New York (Aflac New York) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Aflac. Most of Aflac's policies are individually underwritten and marketed through independent agents. Additionally, Aflac U.S. markets and administers group products through Continental American Insurance Company (CAIC), branded as Aflac Group Insurance. Our insurance operations in the United States and our branch in Japan service the two markets for our insurance business. Aflac Japan's revenues, including realized gains and losses on its investment portfolio, accounted for 75% of the Company's total revenues in the three-month periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. The percentage of the Company's total assets attributable to Aflac Japan was 85% at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013. Basis of Presentation We prepare our financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These principles are established primarily by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). In these Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, references to GAAP issued by the FASB are derived from the FASB Accounting Standards Codification TM (ASC). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates when recording transactions resulting from business operations based on currently available information. The most significant items on our balance sheet that involve a greater degree of accounting estimates and actuarial determinations subject to changes in the future are the valuation of investments, deferred policy acquisition costs, liabilities for future policy benefits and unpaid policy claims, and income taxes. These accounting estimates and actuarial determinations are sensitive to market conditions, investment yields, mortality, morbidity, commission and other acquisition expenses, and terminations by policyholders. As additional information becomes available, or actual amounts are determinable, the recorded estimates will be revised and reflected in operating results. Although some variability is inherent in these estimates, we believe the amounts provided are adequate. The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Parent Company, its subsidiaries and those entities required to be consolidated under applicable accounting standards. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company contain all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, which are necessary to fairly present the consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, and the consolidated statements of earnings, comprehensive income (loss), shareholders' equity and cash flows for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. As a result, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our annual report to shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2013.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements | Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists: In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance to amend the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The new guidance essentially states that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. However, to the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. This accounting standard applies to all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods and requires prospective presentation for all comparative periods presented. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our financial statements. Fees paid to the federal government by health insurers: In July 2011, the FASB issued guidance on the accounting for fees owed by health insurers as mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (the Acts). The Acts impose an annual fee on health insurers for each calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 2014. A health insurer's portion of the annual fee is payable by September 30 of the applicable calendar year once the entity provides health insurance for any U.S. health risk in that year. The annual fee for the health insurance industry will be allocated to individual health insurers based on the ratio of the amount of an entity's net premiums written during the preceding calendar year to the amount of health insurance for any U.S. health risk that is written during the preceding calendar year. The accounting guidance specifies that the liability for the fee should be estimated and recorded in full in the applicable calendar year in which the fee is payable with a corresponding deferred cost that is amortized to expense using a straight-line method of allocation unless another method better allocates the fee over the calendar year that it is payable. This guidance is effective for calendar years beginning after December 31, 2013. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.
Description of Accounting Pronouncements Pending Adoption | Accounting Pronouncements Pending Adoption Receivables -Troubled debt restructurings by creditors: In January 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance for troubled debt restructurings clarifying when an in substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and when a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2014. The adoption of this guidance will not have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the business description and basis of presentation concepts. Business description describes the nature and type of organization including but not limited to organizational structure as may be applicable to holding companies, parent and subsidiary relationships, business divisions, business units, business segments, affiliates and information about significant ownership of the reporting entity. Basis of presentation describes the underlying basis used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS). + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure for a new accounting pronouncement that has been issued but not yet adopted. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 11.M) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26874127&loc=d3e31137-122693 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 11 -Section M + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy pertaining to new accounting pronouncements that may impact the entity's financial reporting. Includes, but is not limited to, quantification of the expected or actual impact. + References No definition available. + Details
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