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Liability for Unpaid Claims | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Insurance [Abstract] |
Liability for Unpaid Claims Disclosure | Changes in the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses are as follows:
| 2014 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
| (in millions of dollars)
Balance at January 1 | $ | 24,535.6 |  |  | $ | 24,567.1 |  |  | $ | 24,586.5 |
Less Reinsurance Recoverable | 2,072.8 |  |  | 2,006.0 |  |  | 2,042.6 |
Net Balance at January 1 | 22,462.8 |  |  | 22,561.1 |  |  | 22,543.9 |
Incurred Related to |  |  |  |  |
Current Year | 4,851.5 |  |  | 4,751.9 |  |  | 4,946.2 |
Prior Years |  |  |  |  |
Interest | 1,214.7 |  |  | 1,230.0 |  |  | 1,247.6 |
All Other Incurred | (13.5 | ) |  | (44.7 | ) |  | (175.7 | )
Foreign Currency | (138.7 | ) |  | 41.2 |  |  | 101.1 |
Total Incurred | 5,914.0 |  |  | 5,978.4 |  |  | 6,119.2 |
Paid Related to |  |  |  |  |
Current Year | (1,702.3 | ) |  | (1,657.3 | ) |  | (1,715.4 | )
Prior Years | (4,547.4 | ) |  | (4,419.4 | ) |  | (4,386.6 | )
Total Paid | (6,249.7 | ) |  | (6,076.7 | ) |  | (6,102.0 | )
Net Balance at December 31 | 22,127.1 |  |  | 22,462.8 |  |  | 22,561.1 |
Plus Reinsurance Recoverable | 2,066.9 |  |  | 2,072.8 |  |  | 2,006.0 |
Balance at December 31 | $ | 24,194.0 |  |  | $ | 24,535.6 |  |  | $ | 24,567.1 |
The majority of the net balances are related to disability claims with long-tail payouts on which interest earned on assets backing liabilities is an integral part of pricing and reserving. Interest accrued on prior year reserves has been calculated on the opening reserve balance less one-half year's cash payments at our average reserve discount rate used during 2014, 2013, and 2012. "Incurred Related to Prior Years - All Other Incurred" for the years shown in the preceding chart includes the reserve adjustments as discussed in the following paragraphs, which create variances year over year. Excluding those adjustments, the variability exhibited year over year is caused primarily by the level of claim resolutions in the period relative to the long-term expectations reflected in the reserves. Our claim resolution rate assumption used in determining reserves is our expectation of the resolution rate we will experience over the life of the block of business and will vary from actual experience in any one period, both favorably and unfavorably. 2014 Long-term Care Reserve Increase Policy reserves for our long-term care block of business are determined using the gross premium valuation method and, prior to the fourth quarter of 2014, were valued based on assumptions established as of December 31, 2011, the date of the initial loss recognition. Gross premium valuation assumptions do not change after the date of loss recognition unless reserves are again determined to be deficient. We undertake a review of policy reserve adequacy annually during the fourth quarter of each year, or more frequently if appropriate, using best estimate assumptions as of the date of the review. Included in our fourth quarter of 2014 review was an analysis of our reserve assumptions, including those for the discount rate, mortality and morbidity rates, persistency, and premium rate increases. Our analysis of reserve discount rate assumptions considered the continued historic low interest rate environment, future market expectations, and our view of future portfolio yields. The assumptions we established in 2011 were set at a level that we estimated would be sustainable in a low interest rate environment for three to five years, with improvements in market yields beginning after the third year. Since that time, however, interest rates have continued to hover near historic lows, and credit spreads have tightened. Our assumption update for mortality incorporates the last three years of Company-specific experience and emerging trends as well as industry data, where available and appropriate, and reflects improvements in life expectancies beyond what was initially anticipated in 2011. Our morbidity assumptions were updated to reflect trends from our own emerging Company experience in claim incidence and terminations, as well as trends based on available and appropriate industry data and studies. Our premium rate increase assumptions were updated to reflect progress-to-date and our on-going rate increase strategy. Based on our analysis, as of December 31, 2014 we lowered the discount rate assumption to reflect the low interest rate environment and our revised expectation of future investment portfolio yield rates. Our revised assumptions anticipate the low interest rate environment persisting for the next three to five years, with a return to more historical averages over the following five year period. We updated our mortality assumptions to reflect emerging experience due to an increase in life expectancies which increases the ultimate number of people who will utilize long-term care benefits and also lengthens the amount of time a claimant may receive long-term care benefits. We changed our morbidity assumptions to reflect emerging industry experience as well as our own Company experience, and we updated our projection of future premium rate increase approvals. Using our revised best estimate assumptions, as of December 31, 2014 we determined that our policy and claim reserves should be increased $698.2 million to reflect our current estimate of future benefit obligations. Of this amount, $85.8 million was related to claim reserves, which can be attributed to prior year incurred claims, thereby impacting the results shown in the preceding chart. 2013 Unclaimed Death Benefits Reserve Increase Beginning in 2011, a number of state regulators began requiring insurers to cross-check specified insurance policies with the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File to identify potential matches. If a potential match was identified, insurers were requested to determine if benefits were due, locate beneficiaries, and make payments where appropriate. We initiated this process where requested, and in 2012 we began implementing this process in all states on a forward-looking basis. In addition to implementing this on a forward-looking basis, in 2013 we began an initiative to search for potential claims from previous years. During 2013, we completed our assessment of benefits which we estimate will be paid under this initiative, and as such, established $95.5 million of additional claim reserves for payment of these benefits. Claim reserves were increased $49.1 million for Unum US group life, $26.3 million for Unum US voluntary life, and $20.1 million for Colonial Life voluntary life. The reserves established were attributed to prior year incurred claims, thereby impacting the results shown in the preceding chart. 2013 Group Life Waiver of Premium Benefit Reserve Reduction Within our Unum US segment, we offer group life insurance coverage which consists primarily of renewable term life insurance and includes a provision for waiver of premium, if disabled. The group life waiver of premium benefit (group life waiver) provides for continuation of life insurance coverage when an insured, or the employer on behalf of the insured, is no longer paying premium because the employee is not actively at work due to a disability. The group life waiver claim reserve is the present value of future anticipated death benefits reflecting the probability of death while remaining disabled. Claim reserves are calculated using assumptions based on past experience adjusted for current trends and any other factors that would modify past experience and are subject to revision as current claim experience emerges and alters our view of future expectations. The two fundamental assumptions in the development of the group life waiver reserve are mortality and recovery. Our emerging experience and that which continues to emerge within the industry indicate an increase in life expectancies, which decreases the ultimate anticipated death benefits to be paid under the group life waiver benefit. Emerging experience also reflects an improvement in claim recovery rates, which also lessens the likelihood of payment of a death benefit while the insured is disabled. During 2013, we completed a review of our assumptions and modified our mortality and claim recovery assumptions for our Unum US group life waiver reserves and, as a result, reduced claim reserves by $85.0 million. Of this amount, approximately $78.0 million was attributed to prior year incurred claims, thereby impacting the results shown in the preceding chart. Reconciliation A reconciliation of policy and contract benefits and reserves for future policy and contract benefits as reported in our consolidated balance sheets to the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses is as follows:
| December 31
| 2014 |  | 2013 |  | 2012
| (in millions of dollars)
Policy and Contract Benefits | $ | 1,529.3 |  |  | $ | 1,511.0 |  |  | $ | 1,484.6 |
Reserves for Future Policy and Contract Benefits | 45,929.4 |  |  | 43,099.1 |  |  | 44,694.4 |
Total | 47,458.7 |  |  | 44,610.1 |  |  | 46,179.0 |
Less: |  |  |  |  |
Life Reserves for Future Policy and Contract Benefits | 7,850.9 |  |  | 7,740.5 |  |  | 7,571.1 |
Accident and Health Active Life Reserves | 9,263.5 |  |  | 8,225.5 |  |  | 7,763.3 |
Unrealized Adjustment to Reserves for Future Policy and Contract Benefits | 6,150.3 |  |  | 4,108.5 |  |  | 6,277.5 |
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claim Adjustment Expenses | $ | 24,194.0 |  |  | $ | 24,535.6 |  |  | $ | 24,567.1 |
The unrealized adjustment to reserves for future policy and contract benefits reflects the changes that would be necessary to policyholder liabilities if the unrealized investment gains and losses related to the corresponding available-for-sale securities had been realized. Changes in this adjustment are reported as a component of other comprehensive income or loss.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for liabilities related to future policy benefits and unpaid claims and claim adjustments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 13 -Article 7 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482485&loc=d3e14764-158437 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482852&loc=d3e14931-158439 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482485&loc=d3e14754-158437 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.13(a)(1),(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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