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General (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2020
General [Abstract] |
Basis of presentation | Basis of presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Allstate Corporation (the “Corporation”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, primarily Allstate Insurance Company (“AIC”), a property and casualty insurance company with various property and casualty and life and investment subsidiaries, including Allstate Life Insurance Company (“ALIC”) (collectively referred to as the “Company” or “Allstate”). These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The condensed consolidated financial statements and notes as of September 30, 2020 and for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 are unaudited. The condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. These condensed consolidated financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. The results of operations for the interim periods should not be considered indicative of results to be expected for the full year. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
New Accounting Pronouncements | Adopted accounting standard Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments Effective January 1, 2020 the Company adopted new Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance related to the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments that primarily affected mortgage loans, bank loans and reinsurance recoverables. Upon adoption of the guidance, the Company recorded a total allowance for expected credit losses of $289 million, pre-tax. After consideration of existing valuation allowances maintained prior to adopting the new guidance, the Company increased its valuation allowances for credit losses to conform to the new requirements which resulted in recognizing a cumulative effect decrease in retained income of $88 million, after-tax, at the date of adoption. The measurement of credit losses for available-for-sale fixed income securities measured at fair value is not affected except that credit losses recognized are limited to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost and the credit loss adjustment is recognized through a valuation allowance which may change over time but once recorded cannot subsequently be reduced to an amount below zero. Previously these credit loss adjustments were recorded as other-than-temporary impairments and were not reversed once recorded. Changes to significant accounting policies Measurement of credit losses The Company carries an allowance for expected credit losses for all financial assets measured at amortized cost and considers past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts and reports the financial assets on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position at amortized cost, net of credit loss allowances (“amortized cost, net”). The Company also carries a credit loss allowance for fixed income securities where applicable and, when amortized cost is reported, it is net of credit loss allowances. For additional information, refer to the Investments, Reinsurance recoverables, Indemnification recoverables and Premium installment receivable topics of this section. The Company also estimates a credit loss allowance for commitments to fund mortgage loans, bank loans and agent loans unless they are unconditionally cancellable by the Company. The related allowance is reported in other liabilities and accrued expenses.
Allowance for credit losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
($ in millions) |  | September 30, 2020 |  | June 30, 2020 |  | March 31, 2020 |  | January 1, 2020
Fixed income securities |  | $ | 8 |  |  | $ | 7 |  |  | $ | 4 |  |  | $ | — |
Mortgage loans |  | 85 |  |  | 86 |  |  | 85 |  |  | 45 |
Other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Bank loans |  | 61 |  |  | 76 |  |  | 79 |  |  | 53 |
Agent loans |  | 5 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 5 |  |  | 5 |
Investments |  | 159 |  |  | 174 |  |  | 173 |  |  | 103 |
Premium installment receivables |  | 153 |  |  | 139 |  |  | 96 |  |  | 91 |
Reinsurance recoverables |  | 75 |  |  | 74 |  |  | 74 |  |  | 74 |
Other assets |  | 22 |  |  | 23 |  |  | 18 |  |  | 18 |
Assets |  | 409 |  |  | 410 |  |  | 361 |  |  | 286 |
Commitments to fund mortgage loans, bank loans and agent loans |  | 2 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 3 |
Liabilities |  | 2 |  |  | 3 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 3 |
Total |  | $ | 411 |  |  | $ | 413 |  |  | $ | 365 |  |  | $ | 289 |
Investments Fixed income securities include bonds, asset-backed securities (“ABS”) and mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”). MBS includes residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities. Fixed income securities, which may be sold prior to their contractual maturity, are designated as available-for-sale (“AFS”) and are carried at fair value. The difference between amortized cost, net and fair value, net of deferred income taxes and related life and annuity deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”), deferred sales inducement costs (“DSI”) and reserves for life-contingent contract benefits, is reflected as a component of AOCI. The Company excludes accrued interest receivable from the amortized cost basis of its AFS fixed income securities. Net investment income for AFS fixed income securities includes the impact of accreting the credit loss allowance for the time value of money. Mortgage loans, bank loans and agent loans are carried at amortized cost, net, which represent the amount expected to be collected. The Company excludes accrued interest receivable from the amortized cost basis of its mortgage, bank and agent loans. Credit loss allowances are estimates of expected credit losses, established for loans upon origination or purchase, and are established considering all relevant information available, including past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts over the life of the loans. Loans are evaluated on a pooled basis when they share similar risk characteristics; otherwise, they are evaluated individually. The changes in the credit loss allowances related to fixed income securities, mortgage loans, bank loans and agent loans are reported in realized capital gains and losses. Realized capital gains and losses on investment sales are determined on a specific identification basis and exclude credit losses already recognized through an allowance. Reinsurance recoverables The Company evaluates reinsurer counterparty credit risk and records reinsurance recoverables net of credit loss allowances. The Company assesses counterparty credit risk for individual reinsurers separately when more relevant or on a pooled basis when shared risk characteristics exist. The evaluation considers the credit quality of the reinsurer and the period over which the recoverable balances are expected to be collected. The Company considers factors including past events, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in the development of the estimate of credit loss allowances. Allowances for property and casualty and life reinsurance recoverables are established primarily through risk-based evaluations. The property and casualty recoverable evaluation considers the credit rating of the reinsurer, the period over which the reinsurance recoverable balances are expected to be recovered and other relevant factors including historical experience of reinsurer failures. Reinsurers in liquidation or in default status are evaluated individually using the Company’s historical liquidation recovery assumptions and any other relevant information available including the most recent public information related to the financial condition or liquidation status of the reinsurer. For life reinsurance recoverables, the Company uses a probability of default and loss given default model developed independently of the Company to estimate current expected credit losses. The life reinsurance recoverable evaluation utilizes factors including historical industry factors based on the probability of liquidation, and incorporates current loss given default factors reflective of the industry. The Company monitors the credit ratings of reinsurer counterparties and evaluates the circumstances surrounding credit rating changes as inputs into its credit loss assessments. Uncollectible reinsurance recoverable balances are written off against the allowances when there is no reasonable expectation of recovery. The changes in the allowances are reported in property and casualty insurance claims and claims expense and life contract benefits. Indemnification recoverables The Company participates in various indemnification programs, including industry pools and facilities, which are reimbursement mechanisms that assess participating insurers for expected insured claims, reimburse participating insurers for qualifying paid claims and permit participating insurers to recoup amounts assessed directly from insureds. The amounts reported as indemnification recoverables include amounts paid and due from indemnitors as well as estimates of amounts expected to be recovered from indemnitors on insurance liabilities that have been incurred but not yet paid. The design and function of these indemnification programs does not result in the retention of insurance or reinsurance risk by the indemnitor. Based on the Company’s evaluation of these programs on an individual basis, the establishment of credit loss allowances is not warranted at this time. The Company has not experienced any historical credit losses related to its indemnification programs. The Company continues to monitor these programs to determine whether any changes from historical experience have emerged or are expected to emerge or whether there have been any changes in the design or administration of the programs that would require establishment of credit loss allowances. Premium installment receivables Premium installment receivables represent premiums written and not yet collected, net of the credit loss allowance for uncollectible premiums. These receivables are primarily outstanding for one year or less. The Company utilizes historical internal data including aging analyses to estimate allowances under current conditions and for the forecast period. The Company regularly evaluates and updates the data and adjusts its allowance as appropriate. The increase in the provision for credit losses primarily related to customer enrollment in the Allstate Special Payment plan implemented in response to the Coronavirus, starting in March 2020.
Rollforward of credit loss allowance for premium installment receivables |  |
($ in millions) |  | Three months ended September 30, 2020 |  | Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Beginning balance |  | $ | 139 |  |  | $ | 91 |
Increase in the provision for credit losses |  | 65 |  |  | 201 |
Write-off of uncollectible premium installment receivable amounts |  | (51 | ) |  | (139 | )
Ending balance |  | $ | 153 |  |  | $ | 153 |
Pending accounting standards Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans In August 2018, the FASB issued amendments to modify certain disclosure requirements for defined benefit plans. New disclosures include the weighted-average interest crediting rates for cash balance plans and other plans with interest crediting rates and explanations for significant gains and losses related to changes in the benefit obligation during the reporting period. Disclosures to be eliminated include amounts expected to be reclassified out of AOCI and into the income statement in the coming year and the anticipated impact of a one-percentage point change in the assumed health care cost trend rate on service and interest cost and on the accumulated benefit obligation. The amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The impacts of adoption are to the Company’s disclosures only. Accounting for Long-Duration Insurance Contracts In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance revising the accounting for certain long-duration insurance contracts. The new guidance introduces material changes to the measurement of the Company’s reserves for traditional life, life-contingent immediate annuities and certain voluntary accident and health insurance products. Under the new guidance, measurement assumptions, including those for mortality, morbidity and policy terminations, will be required to be reviewed and updated at least annually. The effect of updating measurement assumptions other than the discount rate are required to be measured on a retrospective basis and reported in net income. In addition, reserves under the new guidance are required to be discounted using an upper-medium grade fixed income instrument yield that is updated through OCI at each reporting date. Current GAAP requires the measurement of reserves to utilize assumptions set at policy issuance unless updated current assumptions indicate that recorded reserves are deficient. The new guidance also requires DAC and other capitalized balances currently amortized in proportion to premiums or gross profits to be amortized on a constant level basis over the expected term for all long-duration insurance contracts. DAC will not be subject to loss recognition testing but will be reduced when actual lapse experience exceeds expected experience. The new guidance will no longer require adjustments to DAC and DSI related to unrealized gains and losses on investment securities supporting the related business. All market risk benefit product features will be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in net income with the exception of changes in the fair value attributable to changes in the reporting entity’s own credit risk, which are required to be recognized in OCI. Substantially all of the Company’s market risk benefits relate to variable annuities that are reinsured, and therefore these impacts are not expected to be material to the Company. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, thereby requiring restatement of prior periods presented. Early adoption is permitted. The FASB decided to defer the effective date to periods beginning after December 15, 2022 and require restatement of only one prior period if early adoption is elected. The FASB decision is final but pending publication. The new guidance will be applied to affected contracts and DAC on the basis of existing carrying amounts at the earliest period presented or retrospectively using actual historical experience as of contract inception. The new guidance for market risk benefits is required to be adopted retrospectively. The Company is evaluating the anticipated impacts of applying the new guidance to both retained income and AOCI. The requirements of the new guidance represent a material change from existing GAAP, however, the underlying economics of the business and related cash flows are unchanged. The Company anticipates the financial statement impact of adopting the new guidance to be material, largely attributed to the impact of transitioning to a discount rate based on an upper-medium grade fixed income investment yield. The Company expects the most significant impacts will occur in the run-off annuity segment. The revised accounting for DAC will be applied prospectively using the new model and any DAC effects existing in AOCI as a result of applying existing GAAP at the date of adoption will be eliminated. Simplifications to the Accounting for Income Taxes In December 2019, the FASB issued amendments to simplify the accounting for income taxes. The amendments eliminate certain exceptions in the existing guidance including those related to intraperiod tax allocation and deferred tax liability recognition when a subsidiary meets the criteria to apply the equity method of accounting. The amendments require recognition of the effect of an enacted change in tax laws or rates in the interim period that includes the enactment date, provide an option to not allocate taxes to a legal entity that is not subject to tax as well as other minor changes. The amendments are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The new guidance specifies which amendments should be applied prospectively, retrospectively, or on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained income as of the beginning of the year of adoption. The impact of adoption is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial position.
Fair Value Measurement | Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The hierarchy for inputs used in determining fair value maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that observable inputs be used when available. Assets and liabilities recorded on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position at fair value are categorized in the fair value hierarchy based on the observability of inputs to the valuation techniques as follows: Level 1: Assets and liabilities whose values are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active market that the Company can access. Level 2: Assets and liabilities whose values are based on the following:
(a) | Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
(b) | Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; or
(c) | Valuation models whose inputs are observable, directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3: Assets and liabilities whose values are based on prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. Unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s estimates of the assumptions that market participants would use in valuing the assets and liabilities. The availability of observable inputs varies by instrument. In situations where fair value is based on internally developed pricing models or inputs that are unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. The degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is typically greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. In many instances, valuation inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. The category level in the fair value hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including during periods of market disruption. In periods of market disruption, the ability to observe prices and inputs may be reduced for many instruments. The Company is responsible for the determination of fair value and the supporting assumptions and methodologies. The Company gains assurance that assets and liabilities are appropriately valued through the execution of various processes and controls designed to ensure the overall reasonableness and consistent application of valuation methodologies, including inputs and assumptions, and compliance with accounting standards. For fair values received from third parties or internally estimated, the Company’s processes and controls are designed to ensure that the valuation methodologies are appropriate and consistently applied, the inputs and assumptions are reasonable and consistent with the objective of determining fair value, and the fair values are accurately recorded. For example, on a continuing basis, the Company assesses the reasonableness of individual fair values that have stale security prices or that exceed certain thresholds as compared to previous fair values received from valuation service providers or brokers or derived from internal models. The Company performs procedures to understand and assess the methodologies, processes and controls of valuation service providers. In addition, the Company may validate the reasonableness of fair values by comparing information obtained from valuation service providers or brokers to other third-party valuation sources for selected securities. The Company performs ongoing price validation procedures such as back-testing of actual sales, which corroborate the various inputs used in internal models to market observable data. When fair value determinations are expected to be more variable, the Company validates them through reviews by members of management who have relevant expertise and who are independent of those charged with executing investment transactions. The Company has two types of situations where investments are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy:
(1) | Specific inputs significant to the fair value estimation models are not market observable. This primarily occurs in the Company’s use of broker quotes to value certain securities where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market observable, and the use of valuation models that use significant non-market observable inputs.
(2) | Quotes continue to be received from independent third-party valuation service providers and all significant inputs are market observable; however, there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for the asset when compared to normal market activity such that the degree of market observability has declined to a point where categorization as a Level 3 measurement is considered appropriate. The indicators considered in determining whether a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for a specific asset has occurred include the level of new issuances in the primary market, trading volume in the secondary market, the level of credit spreads over historical levels, applicable bid-ask spreads, and price consensus among market participants and other pricing sources.
Certain assets are not carried at fair value on a recurring basis, including mortgage loans, bank loans, agent loans and policy loans and are only included in the fair value hierarchy disclosure when the individual investment is reported at fair value. In determining fair value, the Company principally uses the market approach which generally utilizes market transaction data for the same or similar instruments. To a lesser extent, the Company uses the income approach which involves determining fair values from discounted cash flow methodologies. For the majority of Level 2 and Level 3 valuations, a combination of the market and income approaches is used. Summary of significant inputs and valuation techniques for Level 2 and Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis Level 2 measurements
• | Fixed income securities:
U.S. government and agencies, municipal, corporate - public and foreign government: The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields and credit spreads. Corporate - privately placed: Privately placed are valued using a discounted cash flow model that is widely accepted in the financial services industry and uses market observable inputs and inputs derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data. The primary inputs to the discounted cash flow model include an interest rate yield curve, as well as published credit spreads for similar assets in markets that are not active that incorporate the credit quality and industry sector of the issuer. Corporate - privately placed also includes redeemable preferred stock that are valued using quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields, underlying stock prices and credit spreads. ABS and MBS: The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields, collateral performance and credit spreads. Certain ABS are valued based on non-binding broker quotes whose inputs have been corroborated to be market observable. Residential MBS include prepayment speeds as a primary input for valuation.
• | Equity securities: The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices or quoted net asset values for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active.
• | Short-term: The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields and credit spreads.
• | Other investments: Free-standing exchange listed derivatives that are not actively traded are valued based on quoted prices for identical instruments in markets that are not active.
Over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives, including interest rate swaps, foreign currency swaps, total return swaps, foreign exchange forward contracts, certain options and certain credit default swaps, are valued using models that rely on inputs such as interest rate yield curves, implied volatilities, index price levels, currency rates, and credit spreads that are observable for substantially the full term of the contract. The valuation techniques underlying the models are widely accepted in the financial services industry and do not involve significant judgment. Level 3 measurements
• | Fixed income securities:
Municipal: Comprise municipal bonds that are not rated by third-party credit rating agencies. The primary inputs to the valuation of these municipal bonds include quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that exhibit less liquidity relative to those markets supporting Level 2 fair value measurements, contractual cash flows, benchmark yields and credit spreads. Also included are municipal bonds valued based on non-binding broker quotes where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market observable and municipal bonds in default valued based on the present value of expected cash flows. Corporate - public and privately placed, ABS and MBS: Primarily valued based on non-binding broker quotes where the inputs have not been corroborated to be market observable. Other inputs for corporate fixed income securities include an interest rate yield curve, as well as published credit spreads for similar assets that incorporate the credit quality and industry sector of the issuer.
• | Equity securities: The primary inputs to the valuation include quoted prices or quoted net asset values for identical or similar assets in markets that exhibit less liquidity relative to those markets supporting Level 2 fair value measurements.
• | Short-term: For certain short-term investments, amortized cost is used as the best estimate of fair value.
• | Other investments: Certain OTC derivatives, such as interest rate caps, certain credit default swaps and certain options (including swaptions), are valued using models that are widely accepted in the financial services industry. These are categorized as Level 3 as a result of the significance of non-market observable inputs such as volatility. Other primary inputs include interest rate yield curves and credit spreads.
• | Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in certain life and annuity contracts are valued internally using models widely accepted in the financial services industry that determine a single best estimate of fair value for the embedded derivatives within a block of contractholder liabilities. The models primarily use stochastically determined cash flows based on the contractual elements of embedded derivatives, projected option cost and applicable market data, such as interest rate yield curves and equity index volatility assumptions. These are categorized as Level 3 as a result of the significance of non-market observable inputs.
Investments excluded from the fair value hierarchy Limited partnerships carried at fair value, which do not have readily determinable fair values, use NAV provided by the investees and are excluded from the fair value hierarchy. These investments are generally not redeemable by the investees and generally cannot be sold without approval of the general partner. The Company receives distributions of income and proceeds from the liquidation of the underlying assets of the investees, which usually takes place in years 4-9 of the typical contractual life of 10-12 years.

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