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Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | 1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is a holding company for insurance and financial services subsidiaries that provide property and casualty insurance, group life and disability products and mutual funds and exchange-traded products to individual and business customers (collectively, “The Hartford”, the “Company”, “we” or “our”). On May 23, 2019, the Company completed the previously announced acquisition of The Navigators Group, Inc. ("Navigators Group"), a global specialty underwriter, for $70 a share, or $2.137 billion in cash, including transaction expenses. On May 31, 2018, Hartford Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, completed the sale of the issued and outstanding equity of Hartford Life, Inc. (“HLI”), a holding company, for its life and annuity operating subsidiaries. On November 1, 2017, Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company ("HLA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, completed the acquisition of Aetna's U.S. group life and disability business through a reinsurance transaction. On May 10, 2017, the Company completed the sale of its United Kingdom ("U.K.") property and casualty run-off subsidiaries. For further discussion of these transactions, see Note 2 - Business Acquisitions and Note 21 - Business Dispositions and Discontinued Operations of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) which differ materially from the accounting practices prescribed by various insurance regulatory authorities. Consolidation The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., and entities in which the Company directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest. Entities in which the Company has significant influence over the operating and financing decisions but does not control are reported using the equity method. All intercompany transactions and balances between The Hartford and its subsidiaries and affiliates that are not held for sale have been eliminated. Discontinued Operations The results of operations of a component of the Company are reported in discontinued operations when certain criteria are met as of the date of disposal, or earlier if classified as held-for-sale. When a component is identified for discontinued operations reporting, amounts for prior periods are retrospectively reclassified as discontinued operations. Components are identified as discontinued operations if they are a major part of an entity's operations and financial results such as a separate major line of business or a separate major geographical area of operations. Use of 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 the 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 from those estimates. The most significant estimates include those used in determining property and casualty and group long-term disability insurance product reserves, net of reinsurance; evaluation of goodwill for impairment; valuation of investments and derivative instruments; valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and contingencies relating to corporate litigation and regulatory matters. Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year financial information to conform to the current year presentation. In particular, the restricted cash has been reclassified out of cash to a separate line on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Adoption of New Accounting Standards Reclassification of Effect of Tax Rate Change from AOCI to Retained Earnings On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's ("FASB") new guidance for the effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities related to items recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ("Tax Reform") enacted on December 22, 2017. Tax Reform reduced the federal tax rate applied to the Company’s deferred tax balances from 35% to 21% on enactment. Under U.S. GAAP, the Company recorded the total effect of the change in enacted tax rates on deferred tax balances as a charge to income tax expense within net income during the fourth quarter of 2017, including the change in deferred tax balances related to components of AOCI. The new accounting guidance permitted the Company to reclassify the “stranded” tax effects out of AOCI and into retained earnings that resulted from recording the tax effects of unrealized investment gains, unrecognized actuarial losses on pension and other postretirement benefit plans, and cumulative translation adjustments at a 35% tax rate because the 14 point reduction in tax rate was recognized in net income instead of other comprehensive income. On adoption, the Company recorded a reclassification of $88 from AOCI to retained earnings. As a result of the reclassification, in the first quarter of 2018, the Company reduced the estimated loss on sale recorded in income from discontinued operations by $193, net of tax, for the increase in AOCI related to the assets held for sale. The reduction in the loss on sale resulted in a corresponding increase in assets held for sale and AOCI as of January 1, 2018 and the AOCI associated with assets held for sale was removed from the balance sheet when the sale closed on May 31, 2018. Additionally, as of January 1, 2018, the Company reclassified $105 of stranded tax effects related to continuing operations which reduced AOCI and increased retained earnings. Financial Instruments- Recognition and Measurement On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted updated guidance issued by the FASB for the recognition and measurement of financial instruments through a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balances of retained earnings and AOCI. The new guidance requires investments in equity securities to be measured at fair value with any changes in valuation reported in net income except for investments that are consolidated or are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The new guidance also requires a deferred tax asset resulting from net unrealized losses on fixed maturities, available-for-sale that are recognized in AOCI to be evaluated for recoverability in combination with the Company’s other deferred tax assets. Under prior guidance, the Company reported equity securities, available-for-sale ("AFS"), at fair value with changes in fair value reported in other comprehensive income. As of January 1, 2018, the Company reclassified from AOCI to retained earnings net unrealized gains of $83, after tax, related to equity securities having a fair value of $1.0 billion. In addition, $10 of net unrealized gains net of shadow DAC related to discontinued operations were reclassified from AOCI to retained earnings of the life and annuity business held for sale, which increased the estimated loss on sale in 2018 by the same amount. Beginning in 2018, the Company reports equity securities at fair value with changes in fair value reported in net realized capital gains and losses. Revenue Recognition On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the FASB’s updated guidance for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers, which excludes insurance contracts and financial instruments. Revenue subject to the guidance is recognized when, or as, goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that an entity is expected to receive in exchange for those goods or services. For all but certain revenues associated with our Hartford Funds business, the updated guidance is consistent with previous guidance for the Company’s transactions and did not have an effect on the Company’s financial position, cash flows or net income. The updated guidance also updated criteria for determining when the Company acts as a principal or an agent. The Company determined that it is the principal for some of its mutual fund distribution service contracts and, upon adoption, reclassified distribution costs of $188 for the year ended December 31, 2017, that were previously netted against fee income to insurance operating costs and other expenses. Qualitative information about the nature, timing of recognition and cash flows for the Company’s revenues subject to the updated guidance is disclosed below under Significant Accounting Policies-Revenue Recognition and quantitative information is disclosed in Note 4 - Segment Information of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Hedging Activities On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the FASB's updated guidance for hedge accounting through a cumulative effect adjustment of less than $1 to reclassify cumulative ineffectiveness on cash flow hedges from retained earnings to AOCI. The updates allow hedge accounting for new types of interest rate hedges of financial instruments and simplify documentation requirements to qualify for hedge accounting. In addition, any gain or loss from hedge ineffectiveness is reported in the same income statement line with the effective hedge results and the hedged transaction. For cash flow hedges, the ineffectiveness is recognized in earnings only when the hedged transaction affects earnings; otherwise, the ineffectiveness gains or losses remain in AOCI. Under previous accounting, total hedge ineffectiveness was reported separately in realized capital gains and losses apart from the hedged transaction. The adoption did not affect the Company’s financial position or cash flows or have a material effect on net income. Leases On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the FASB’s updated lease guidance. Under the updated guidance, lessees with operating leases are required to recognize a liability for the present value of future minimum lease payments with a corresponding asset for the right of use of the property. Prior to the new guidance, future minimum lease payments on operating leases were commitments that were not recognized as liabilities on the balance sheet. Leases are classified as financing or operating leases. Where the lease is economically similar to a purchase because The Hartford obtains control of the underlying asset, the lease is classified as a financing lease and the Company recognizes amortization of the right of use asset and interest expense on the liability. Where the lease provides The Hartford with only the right to control the use of the underlying asset over the lease term and the lease term is greater than one year, the lease is an operating lease and the lease cost is recognized as rental expense over the lease term on a straight-line basis. Leases with a term of one year or less are also expensed over the lease term but not recognized on the balance sheet. On adoption, The Hartford recorded a lease payment obligation of $160 for outstanding leases and a right of use asset of $150, which is net of $10 in lease incentives received, with no change to comparative periods. As permitted by the new guidance, as of the implementation date, the Company did not reassess whether expired or existing contracts are leases or contain leases, did not change the classification of expired or existing operating leases, and did not reassess initial direct costs for existing leases to determine if deferred costs should be written-off or recorded on adoption. The adoption did not impact net income or cash flows. Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards Goodwill The FASB issued updated guidance on testing goodwill for impairment. The updated guidance requires recognition and measurement of goodwill impairment based on the excess of the carrying value of the reporting unit compared to its estimated fair value, with the amount of the impairment not to exceed the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. Under existing guidance, if the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company allocates the fair value of the reporting unit to all of the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit to determine an implied goodwill value. An impairment loss is then recognized for the excess, if any, of the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill compared to the implied goodwill value. The Company will adopt the updated guidance January 1, 2020 on a prospective basis as required. The Company would not have recognized a goodwill impairment loss for the years presented had the updated guidance been in effect. Since the estimated fair value of the reporting unit will no longer be allocated to the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit to determine an implied goodwill value, under the updated guidance changes in market-based factors are more likely to result in a goodwill impairment, whether a reporting unit's fair value is estimated using an income approach or a market approach. For example, changes in the weighted average cost of capital that is used to discount expected cash flows under the income approach or changes in market-based factors such as peer company price to earnings multiples or price to book multiples under a market approach can significantly affect changes to the estimated fair value of each reporting unit and such changes could result in impairments that have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Financial Instruments - Credit Losses The FASB issued updated guidance for recognition and measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance will replace the “incurred loss” approach with an “expected loss” model for recognizing credit losses for financial instruments carried at other than fair value. Under the new model, an allowance for credit losses ("ACL") will be recorded based on an estimate of credit losses expected over the life of financial instruments carried at other than fair value, such as mortgage loans, reinsurance recoverables and receivables. Under the current accounting model an ACL is recognized using an incurred loss approach. The new guidance also requires that we estimate a liability for credit losses ("LCL") on off-balance-sheet credit exposures such as financial guarantees and mortgage loan commitments that the Company cannot unconditionally cancel. Credit losses on fixed maturities AFS carried at fair value will continue to be measured based on the present value of expected future cash flows; however, the losses will be recognized through an ACL and no longer as an adjustment to the amortized cost. Recoveries of impairments on fixed maturities AFS will be recognized as reversals of the ACL and no longer accreted as investment income through an adjustment to the investment yield. The ACL on fixed maturities AFS cannot cause the net carrying value to be below fair value and, therefore, it is possible that future increases in fair value due to decreases in market interest rates could cause the reversal of a valuation allowance and increase net income. The new guidance also requires purchased financial assets with a more-than-insignificant amount of credit deterioration since original issuance to be recorded based on contractual amounts due with an initial allowance recorded at the date of purchase. The Company will adopt the guidance effective January 1, 2020, through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings of $18, representing a net increase to the ACL and LCL, after-tax, upon adoption. No ACL will be recognized at adoption for fixed maturities, AFS; rather, these investments will be evaluated for an ACL prospectively. Reserve for Future Policy Benefits The FASB issued new guidance on accounting for long-duration insurance contracts. The Company’s long-duration insurance contracts include paid-up life insurance and whole-life insurance policies resulting from conversion from group life policies and run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities with total future policy benefit reserves of $635 as of December 31, 2019. Under existing guidance, a reserve for future policy benefits is calculated as the present value of future benefits and related expenses less the present value of any future premiums using assumptions “locked in” at the time the policies were issued, including discount rate, lapse rate, mortality, and expense assumptions. Under existing guidance, assumptions are only updated if there is an expected premium deficiency. The new guidance will require that underlying cash flow assumptions (such as for lapse rate, mortality and expenses) be reviewed and updated at least annually in the same quarter each year. The new guidance also requires that the discount rate assumption be updated each quarter and be based on an upper-medium grade (low-credit-risk) fixed-income investment yield. The change in the reserve estimate as a result of updating cash flow assumptions will be recognized in net income. The change in the reserve estimate as a result of updating the discount rate assumption will be recognized in other comprehensive income. Because reserves will be based on updated assumptions and no longer locked in at contract inception, there will no longer be a test for premium deficiency. The new guidance will be effective January 1, 2022, and will be applied to balances in place as of the earliest period presented. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not yet determined the method or timing for adoption or estimated the effect on the Company’s financial statements. Significant Accounting Policies The Company’s significant accounting policies are as follows: Revenue Recognition Premium Revenue from Direct Insurance and Assumed Reinsurance Property and casualty premiums are earned on a pro rata basis over the policy period and include accruals for policies that have been written by agents but not yet reported to us, as well as ultimate premium revenue anticipated under auditable and retrospectively rated policies. We estimate the amount of premium not yet reported based on current and historical trends of the business being written. Such estimates are regularly reviewed and updated and any resulting adjustments are included in the current year's results. Unearned premiums represent the premiums applicable to the unexpired terms of policies in force. Group life, disability and accident premiums are generally due from policyholders and recognized as revenue on a pro rata basis over the period of the contracts. An estimated allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded on the basis of periodic evaluations of balances due from insureds, management’s experience and current economic conditions. The Company charges off any balances that are determined to be uncollectible. The allowance for doubtful accounts included in premiums receivable and agents’ balances in the Consolidated Balance Sheets was $145 and $135 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Revenue from Non-Insurance Contracts with Customers Installment fees are charged on property and casualty insurance contracts for billing the insurance customer in installments over the policy term. These fees are recognized in fee income as earned on collection. Insurance servicing revenues within Personal Lines consist of up-front commissions earned for collecting premiums and processing claims on insurance policies for which The Hartford does not assume underwriting risk, predominantly related to the National Flood Insurance Plan program. These insurance servicing revenues are recognized over the period of the flood program's policy terms. Group Benefits earns fee income from employers for the administration of underwriting, implementation and claims processing for employer self-funded plans and for leave management services. Fees are recognized as services are provided and collected monthly. Hartford Funds provides investment management, administrative and distribution services to mutual funds and exchange-traded products. The Company assesses investment advisory, distribution and other asset management fees primarily based on the average daily net asset values from mutual funds and exchange-traded products, which are recorded in the period in which the services are provided and are collected monthly. Fluctuations in domestic and international markets and related investment performance, volume and mix of sales and redemptions of mutual funds or exchange-traded products, and other changes to the composition of assets under management are all factors that ultimately have a direct effect on fee income earned. Hartford Funds other fees primarily include transfer agent fees, generally assessed as a charge per account, and are recognized as fee income in the period in which the services are provided with payments collected monthly. Corporate investment management and other fees are primarily for managing third party invested assets, including management of the invested assets of The Hartford’s former life and annuity business. These fees, calculated based on the average quarterly net asset values, are recorded in the period in which the services are provided and are collected quarterly. Fluctuations in markets and interest rates and other changes to the composition of assets under management are all factors that ultimately have a direct effect on fee income earned. Corporate transition service revenues consist of operational services provided to The Hartford’s former life and annuity business that are provided for a limited period following sale. The transition service revenues are recognized as other revenues in the period in which the services are provided with payments collected monthly. Dividends to Policyholders Policyholder dividends are paid to certain property and casualty policyholders. Policies that receive dividends are referred to as participating policies. Participating dividends to policyholders are accrued and reported in insurance operating costs and other expenses and other liabilities using an estimate of the amount to be paid based on underlying contractual obligations under policies and applicable state laws. Net written premiums for participating property and casualty insurance policies represented 9%, 10% and 10% of total net written premiums for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Participating dividends to property and casualty policyholders were $30, $23 and $35 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. There were no additional amounts of income allocated to participating policyholders. Investments Overview The Company’s investments in fixed maturities include bonds, structured securities, redeemable preferred stock and commercial paper. Most of these investments are classified as AFS and are carried at fair value. The after tax difference between fair value and cost or amortized cost is reflected in stockholders’ equity as a component of AOCI. Effective January 1, 2018, equity securities are measured at fair value with any changes in valuation reported in net income. For further information, see Financial Instruments - Recognition and Measurement discussion above. Fixed maturities for which the Company elected the fair value option are classified as FVO, generally certain securities that contain embedded credit derivatives, and are carried at fair value with changes in value recorded in realized capital gains and losses. Mortgage loans are recorded at the outstanding principal balance adjusted for amortization of premiums or discounts and net of valuation allowances. Short-term investments are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. Limited partnerships and other alternative investments are reported at their carrying value and are primarily accounted for under the equity method with the Company’s share of earnings included in net investment income. Recognition of income related to limited partnerships and other alternative investments is delayed due to the availability of the related financial information, as private equity and other funds are generally on a three-month delay and hedge funds on a one-month delay. Accordingly, income for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017 may not include the full impact of current year changes in valuation of the underlying assets and liabilities of the funds, which are generally obtained from the limited partnerships. Other investments primarily consist of investments of consolidated investment funds for which the Company has provided seed money and reports the underlying investments at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized in income consistent with accounting requirements for investment companies. Also included in Other investments are derivative instruments which are carried at fair value and overseas deposits which are measured at fair value using the net asset value as a practical expedient. Net Realized Capital Gains and Losses Net realized capital gains and losses from investment sales are reported as a component of revenues and are determined on a specific identification basis. Net realized capital gains and losses also result from fair value changes in fixed maturities, FVO, equity securities, and derivatives contracts that do not qualify, or are not designated, as a hedge for accounting purposes. Impairments and mortgage loan valuation allowances are recognized as net realized capital losses in accordance with the Company’s impairment and mortgage loan valuation allowance policies as discussed in Note 6 -Investments of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Effective January 1, 2020, the Company will record changes in the ACL on fixed maturities, AFS as a component of net realized capital gains and losses. For further information, see Financial Instruments - Credit Losses discussion above. Net Investment Income Interest income from fixed maturities and mortgage loans is recognized when earned on the constant effective yield method based on estimated timing of cash flows. Most premiums and discounts on fixed maturities are amortized to the maturity date. Premiums on callable bonds may be amortized to call dates based on call prices. For securitized financial assets subject to prepayment risk, yields are recalculated and adjusted periodically to reflect historical and/or estimated future prepayments using the retrospective method; however, if these investments are impaired and for certain other asset-backed securities, any yield adjustments are made using the prospective method. Prepayment fees and make-whole payments on fixed maturities and mortgage loans are recorded in net investment income when earned. For equity securities, dividends are recognized as investment income on the ex-dividend date. Limited partnerships and other alternative investments primarily use the equity method of accounting to recognize the Company’s share of earnings. For impaired fixed maturities, the Company accretes the new amortized cost to the estimated future cash flows over the expected remaining life of the investment by prospectively adjusting the effective yield, if necessary. The Company’s non-income producing investments were not material for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. Effective January 1, 2020, the Company will no longer record impairments for credit losses as adjustments to the amortized cost of the fixed maturity, unless there is an intent to sell before recovery from impairment, but rather will record an ACL. Future changes in the ACL resulting from improvements in expected future cash flows will not be recorded as adjustments to yield through net investment income but will be recorded through net realized capital gains (losses). For fixed maturities with an ACL, net investment income will be recognized at the original effective rate and accretion of the ACL will be recognized through net realized capital gains (losses). For further information, see Financial Instruments - Credit Losses discussion above. Derivative Instruments Overview The Company utilizes a variety of over-the-counter ("OTC") derivatives, derivatives cleared through central clearing houses ("OTC-cleared") and exchange traded derivative instruments as part of its overall risk management strategy as well as to enter into replication transactions. The types of instruments may include swaps, caps, floors, forwards, futures and options to achieve one of four Company-approved objectives:
• | to hedge risk arising from interest rate, equity market, commodity market, credit spread and issuer default, price or currency exchange rates or volatility;
• | to manage liquidity;
• | to control transaction costs;
• | to enter into synthetic replication transactions.
Interest rate and credit default swaps involve the periodic exchange of cash flows with other parties, at specified intervals, calculated using agreed upon rates or other financial variables and notional principal amounts. Generally, little to no cash or principal payments are exchanged at the inception of the contract. Typically, at the time a swap is entered into, the cash flow streams exchanged by the counterparties are equal in value. The Company clears certain interest rate swap and credit default swap derivative transactions through central clearing houses. OTC-cleared derivatives require initial collateral at the inception of the trade in the form of cash or highly liquid securities, such as U.S. Treasuries and government agency investments. Central clearing houses also require additional cash as variation margin based on daily market value movements. For information on collateral, see the derivative collateral arrangements section in Note 7 - Derivatives of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. In addition, OTC-cleared transactions include price alignment amounts either received or paid on the variation margin, which are reflected in realized capital gains and losses or, if characterized as interest, in net investment income. Forward contracts are customized commitments that specify a rate of interest or currency exchange rate to be paid or received on an obligation beginning on a future start date and are typically settled in cash. Financial futures are standardized commitments to either purchase or sell designated financial instruments, at a future date, for a specified price and may be settled in cash or through delivery of the underlying instrument. Futures contracts trade on organized exchanges. Margin requirements for futures are met by pledging securities or cash, and changes in the futures’ contract values are settled daily in cash. Option contracts grant the purchaser, for a premium payment, the right to either purchase from or sell to the issuer a financial instrument at a specified price, within a specified period or on a stated date. The contracts may reference commodities, which grant the purchaser the right to either purchase from or sell to the issuer commodities at a specified price, within a specified period or on a stated date. Option contracts are typically settled in cash. Foreign currency swaps exchange an initial principal amount in two currencies, agreeing to re-exchange the currencies at a future date, at an agreed upon exchange rate. There may also be a periodic exchange of payments at specified intervals calculated using the agreed upon rates and exchanged principal amounts. The Company’s derivative transactions conducted in insurance company subsidiaries are used in strategies permitted under the derivative use plans required by the State of Connecticut, the State of Illinois and the State of New York insurance departments. Accounting and Financial Statement Presentation of Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Derivative instruments are recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value and are reported in Other Investments and Other Liabilities. For balance sheet presentation purposes, the Company has elected to offset the fair value amounts, income accruals, and related cash collateral receivables and payables of OTC derivative instruments executed in a legal entity and with the same counterparty or under a master netting agreement, which provides the Company with the legal right of offset. On the date the derivative contract is entered into, the Company designates the derivative as (1) a hedge of the fair value of a recognized asset or liability (“fair value” hedge), (2) a hedge of the variability in cash flows of a forecasted transaction or of amounts to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability (“cash flow” hedge), (3) a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation (“net investment” hedge) or (4) held for other investment and/or risk management purposes, which primarily involve managing asset or liability related risks and do not qualify for hedge accounting. The Company currently does not designate any derivatives as fair value or net investment hedges. Cash Flow Hedges - Changes in the fair value of a derivative that is designated and qualifies as a cash flow hedge, including foreign-currency cash flow hedges, are recorded in AOCI and are reclassified into earnings when the variability of the cash flow of the hedged item impacts earnings. Gains and losses on derivative contracts that are reclassified from AOCI to current period earnings are included in the line item in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in which the cash flows of the hedged item are recorded. Periodic derivative net coupon settlements are recorded in the line item of the Consolidated Statements of Operations in which the cash flows of the hedged item are recorded. Cash flows from cash flow hedges are presented in the same category as the cash flows from the items being hedged in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Other Investment and/or Risk Management Activities - The Company’s other investment and/or risk management activities primarily relate to strategies used to reduce economic risk or replicate permitted investments and do not receive hedge accounting treatment. Changes in the fair value, including periodic derivative net coupon settlements, of derivative instruments held for other investment and/or risk management purposes are reported in current period earnings as net realized capital gains and losses. Hedge Documentation and Effectiveness Testing To qualify for hedge accounting treatment, a derivative must be highly effective in mitigating the designated changes in fair value or cash flow of the hedged item. At hedge inception, the Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking each hedge transaction. The documentation process includes linking derivatives that are designated as fair value, cash flow, or net investment hedges to specific assets or liabilities on the balance sheet or to specific forecasted transactions and defining the effectiveness testing methods to be used. The Company also formally assesses both at the hedge’s inception and ongoing on a quarterly basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions have been and are expected to continue to be highly effective in offsetting changes in fair values, cash flows or net investment in foreign operations of hedged items. Hedge effectiveness is assessed primarily using quantitative methods as well as using qualitative methods. Quantitative methods include regression or other statistical analysis of changes in fair value or cash flows associated with the hedge relationship. Qualitative methods may include comparison of critical terms of the derivative to the hedged item. Discontinuance of Hedge Accounting The Company discontinues hedge accounting prospectively when (1) it is determined that the qualifying criteria are no longer met; (2) the derivative is no longer designated as a hedging instrument; or (3) the derivative expires or is sold, terminated or exercised. When hedge accounting is discontinued because it is determined that the derivative no longer qualifies as an effective fair value hedge, the derivative continues to be carried at fair value on the balance sheet with changes in its fair value recognized in current period earnings. Changes in the fair value of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk is no longer adjusted through current period earnings and the existing basis adjustment is amortized to earnings over the remaining life of the hedged item through the applicable earnings component associated with the hedged item. When cash flow hedge accounting is discontinued because the Company becomes aware that it is not probable that the forecasted transaction will occur, the derivative continues to be carried on the balance sheet at its fair value, and gains and losses that were accumulated in AOCI are recognized immediately in earnings. In other situations in which hedge accounting is discontinued, including those where the derivative is sold, terminated or exercised, amounts previously deferred in AOCI are reclassified into earnings when earnings are impacted by the hedged item. Embedded Derivatives The Company purchases investments that contain embedded derivative instruments. When it is determined that (1) the embedded derivative possesses economic characteristics that are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics of the host contract and (2) a separate instrument with the same terms would qualify as a derivative instrument, the embedded derivative is bifurcated from the host for measurement purposes. The embedded derivative, which is reported with the host instrument in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, is carried at fair value with changes in fair value reported in net realized capital gains and losses. Credit Risk of Derivative Instruments Credit risk is defined as the risk of financial loss due to uncertainty of an obligor’s or counterparty’s ability or willingness to meet its obligations in accordance with agreed upon terms. Credit exposures are measured using the market value of the derivatives, resulting in amounts owed to the Company by its counterparties or potential payment obligations from the Company to its counterparties. The Company generally requires that OTC derivative contracts, other than certain forward contracts, be governed by International Swaps and Derivatives Association agreements which are structured by legal entity and by counterparty, and permit right of offset. Some agreements require daily collateral settlement based upon agreed upon thresholds. For purposes of daily derivative collateral maintenance, credit exposures are generally quantified based on the prior business day’s market value and collateral is pledged to and held by, or on behalf of, the Company to the extent the current value of the derivatives is greater than zero, subject to minimum transfer thresholds. The Company also minimizes the credit risk of derivative instruments by entering into transactions with high quality counterparties primarily rated A or better, which are monitored and evaluated by the Company’s risk management team and reviewed by senior management. OTC-cleared derivatives are governed by clearing house rules. Transactions cleared through a central clearing house reduce risk due to their ability to require daily variation margin and act as an independent valuation source. In addition, the Company monitors counterparty credit exposure on a monthly basis to ensure compliance with Company policies and statutory limitations. Cash and Restricted Cash Cash represents cash on hand and demand deposits with banks or other financial institutions. Restrictions on cash primarily relate to funds that are held to support regulatory and contractual obligations. Reinsurance The Company cedes insurance to affiliated and unaffiliated insurers in order to limit its maximum losses and to diversify its exposures and provide statutory surplus relief. Such arrangements do not relieve the Company of its primary liability to policyholders. Failure of reinsurers to honor their obligations could result in losses to the Company. The Company also assumes reinsurance from other insurers and is a member of and participates in reinsurance pools and associations. Assumed reinsurance refers to the Company’s acceptance of certain insurance risks that other insurance companies or pools have underwritten. Reinsurance accounting is followed for ceded and assumed transactions that provide indemnification against loss or liability relating to insurance risk (i.e. risk transfer). To meet risk transfer requirements, a reinsurance agreement must include insurance risk, consisting of underwriting and timing risk, and a reasonable possibility of a significant loss to the reinsurer. If the ceded and assumed transactions do not meet risk transfer requirements, the Company accounts for these transactions as financing transactions. Premiums, benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses reflect the net effects of ceded and assumed reinsurance transactions. Included in other assets are prepaid reinsurance premiums, which represent the portion of premiums ceded to reinsurers applicable to the unexpired terms of the reinsurance contracts. Reinsurance recoverables are balances due from reinsurance companies for paid and unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses and are presented net of an allowance for uncollectible reinsurance. Changes in the allowance for uncollectible reinsurance are reported in benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company evaluates the financial condition of its reinsurers and concentrations of credit risk. Reinsurance is placed with reinsurers that meet strict financial criteria established by the Company. Retroactive reinsurance agreements, including adverse development covers, are reinsurance agreements under which our reinsurer agrees to reimburse us as a result of past insurable events. For these agreements, the consideration paid in excess of the estimated ultimate losses recoverable under the agreement at inception is recognized as a loss on reinsurance transaction. The benefit of subsequent adverse development ceded up to the total consideration paid is recognized as ceded losses and loss adjustment expenses. The excess of the estimated amounts ultimately recoverable under the agreement over the consideration paid is recognized as a deferred gain liability and amortized into income over the period the ceded losses are recovered in cash from the reinsurer. The amount of the deferred gain liability is recalculated each period based on cumulative recoveries not yet collected relative to the latest estimate of ultimate losses recoverable. Ceded loss reserves under retroactive agreements were $747 and $523, and the deferred gain liability reported in other liabilities was $16 and $0, as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In any given period, the change in deferred gain included in net income includes amortization of the deferred gain based on the percentage of ultimate ceded losses collected plus any change in the deferred gain liability due to changes in the estimated ultimate losses recoverable. The effect on income from change in the deferred gain was a charge to earnings of $16 for the year ended December 31, 2019. There was no change in the deferred gain in 2018 or 2017. Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs DAC represents costs that are directly related to the acquisition of new and renewal insurance contracts and incremental direct costs of contract acquisition that are incurred in transactions with independent third parties or in compensation to employees. Such costs primarily include commissions, premium taxes, costs of policy issuance and underwriting, and certain other expenses that are directly related to successfully issued contracts. For property and casualty insurance products and group life, disability and accident contracts, costs are deferred and amortized ratably over the period the related premiums are earned. Deferred acquisition costs are reviewed to determine if they are recoverable from future income, and if not, are charged to expense. Anticipated investment income is considered in the determination of the recoverability of DAC. Income Taxes The Company recognizes taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred taxes for the tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years the temporary differences are expected to reverse. A deferred tax provision is recorded for the tax effects of differences between the Company's current taxable income and its income before tax under generally accepted accounting principles in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. For deferred tax assets, the Company records a valuation allowance that is adequate to reduce the total deferred tax asset to an amount that will more likely than not be realized. Goodwill Goodwill represents the excess of the cost to acquire a business over the fair value of net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is 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. The goodwill impairment test follows a two-step process. In the first step, the fair value of a reporting unit is compared to its carrying value. 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. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the impairment test is performed for purposes of measuring the impairment. In the second step, the fair value of the reporting unit is allocated to all of the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit to determine an implied goodwill value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds the implied goodwill value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. Effective January 1, 2020, the goodwill impairment measurement will be based on the first step only and, as such, goodwill will be impaired up to the amount that the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value. For further information, see Goodwill discussion above. Management’s determination of the 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 required to support the business, future business growth, earnings projections, the weighted average cost of capital used for purposes of discounting and, for the Hartford Funds segment, assets under management. 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 impairments. Intangible Assets Acquired intangible assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets include purchased customer relationship and agency or other distribution rights and licenses measured at fair value at acquisition. The Company amortizes finite-lived other intangible assets over their useful lives generally on a straight-line basis over the period of expected benefit, ranging from 1 to 15 years. Management revises amortization periods if it believes there has been a change in the length of time that an intangible asset will continue to have value. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are not subject to amortization. Intangible assets are assessed for impairment generally when events or circumstances indicate a potential impairment and at least annually for indefinite-lived intangibles. Finite-lived intangible assets are impaired if the carrying amount is not recoverable from undiscounted cash flows. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are impaired if the carrying amount exceeds fair value. Impaired intangible assets are written down to fair value. Property and Equipment Property and equipment, which includes capitalized software, is carried at cost net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is based on the estimated useful lives of the various classes of property and equipment and is determined principally on the straight-line method. Accumulated depreciation was $1.9 billion and $1.6 billion as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Depreciation expense was $283, $232, and $197 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses For property and casualty and group life and disability insurance and assumed reinsurance products, the Company establishes reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses to provide for the estimated costs of paying claims under insurance policies written by the Company. These reserves include estimates for both claims that have been reported and those that have been incurred but not reported ("IBNR"), and include estimates of all losses and loss adjustment expenses associated with processing and settling these claims. Estimating the ultimate cost of future losses and loss adjustment expenses is an uncertain and complex process. This estimation process is based significantly on the assumption that past developments are an appropriate predictor of future events, and involves a variety of actuarial techniques that analyze experience, trends and other relevant factors. The effects of inflation are implicitly considered in the reserving process. A number of complex factors influence the uncertainties involved with the reserving process including social and economic trends and changes in the concepts of legal liability and damage awards. Accordingly, final claim settlements may vary from the present estimates, particularly when those payments may not occur until well into the future. The Company regularly reviews the adequacy of its estimated losses and loss adjustment expense reserves by reserve line within the various reporting segments. Adjustments to previously established reserves are reflected in the operating results of the period in which the adjustment is determined to be necessary. Such adjustments could possibly be significant, reflecting any variety of new and adverse or favorable trends. Most of the Company’s property and casualty insurance products reserves are not discounted. However, the Company has discounted to present value certain reserves for indemnity payments that are due to claimants under workers’ compensation policies because the payment pattern and the ultimate costs are reasonably fixed and determinable on an individual claim basis. The discount rate is based on the risk free rate for the expected claim duration as determined in the year the claims were incurred. The Company also has discounted liabilities for structured settlement agreements that provide fixed periodic payments to claimants. These structured settlements include annuities purchased to fund unpaid losses for permanently disabled claimants. These structured settlement liabilities are discounted to present value using the rate implicit in the purchased annuities and the purchased annuities are accounted for within reinsurance recoverables. Group life and disability contracts with long-tail claim liabilities are discounted because the payment pattern and the ultimate costs are reasonably fixed and determinable on an individual claim basis. The discount rates are estimated based on investment yields expected to be earned on the cash flows net of investment expenses and expected credit losses. The Company establishes discount rates for these reserves in the year the claims are incurred (the incurral year) which is when the estimated settlement pattern is determined. The discount rate for life and disability reserves acquired from Aetna's U.S. group life and disability business were based on interest rates in effect at the acquisition date of November 1, 2017. For further information about how unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses are established, see Note 11 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Foreign Currency Foreign currency translation gains and losses are reflected in stockholders’ equity as a component of AOCI. The Company’s foreign subsidiaries’ balance sheet accounts are translated at the exchange rates in effect at each year end and income statement accounts are translated at the average rates of exchange prevailing during the year. The national currencies of the international operations are generally their functional currencies; however, the U.S. dollar is the functional currency of Lloyd's Syndicate 1221 ("Lloyd's Syndicate"), the Lloyd's Syndicate for which the Company is the sole corporate member, in the U.K. Gains and losses resulting from the remeasurement of foreign currency transactions are reflected in earnings in realized capital gains (losses) in the period in which they occur.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the basis of presentation and significant accounting policies concepts. 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). Accounting policies describe all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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