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Contingencies and Commitments | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Contingencies and Commitments [Abstract] |
Contingencies and Commitments | 13. Contingencies and Commitments ﻿ Contingencies ﻿ Regulatory and Litigation Matters ﻿ Regulatory bodies, such as state insurance departments, the SEC, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and other regulatory bodies regularly make inquiries and conduct examinations or investigations concerning our compliance with, among other things, insurance laws, securities laws, laws governing the activities of broker-dealers, registered investment advisors and unclaimed property laws. ﻿ LNC is involved in various pending or threatened legal or regulatory proceedings, including purported class actions, arising from the conduct of business both in the ordinary course and otherwise. In some of the matters, very large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive and treble damages, are sought. Modern pleading practice in the U.S. permits considerable variation in the assertion of monetary damages or other relief. Jurisdictions may permit claimants not to specify the monetary damages sought or may permit claimants to state only that the amount sought is sufficient to invoke the jurisdiction of the trial court. In addition, jurisdictions may permit plaintiffs to allege monetary damages in amounts well exceeding verdicts obtained in the jurisdiction for similar matters. This variability in pleadings, together with the actual experiences of LNC in litigating or resolving through settlement numerous claims over an extended period of time, demonstrates to management that the monetary relief which may be specified in a lawsuit or claim bears little relevance to its merits or disposition value. ﻿ Due to the unpredictable nature of litigation, the outcome of a litigation matter and the amount or range of potential loss at particular points in time is normally difficult to ascertain. Uncertainties can include how fact finders will evaluate documentary evidence and the credibility and effectiveness of witness testimony, and how trial and appellate courts will apply the law in the context of the pleadings or evidence presented, whether by motion practice, or at trial or on appeal. Disposition valuations are also subject to the uncertainty of how opposing parties and their counsel will themselves view the relevant evidence and applicable law. ﻿ We establish liabilities for litigation and regulatory loss contingencies when information related to the loss contingencies shows both that it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. It is possible that some matters could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures or establish accruals in amounts that could not be estimated as of December 31, 201 7. While the potential future charges could be material in the particular quarterly or annual periods in which they are recorded, based on information currently known by management, management does not believe any such charges are likely to have a material adverse effect on LNC’s financial condition. ﻿ For some matters, the Company is able to estimate a reasonably possible range of loss. For such matters in which a loss is probable, an accrual has been made. For such matters where a loss is believed to be reasonably possible, but not probable, no accrual has been made. Accordingly, the estimate contained in this paragraph reflects two types of matters. For some matters included within this estimate, an accrual has been made, but there is a reasonable possibility that an exposure exists in excess of the amount accrued. In these cases, the estimate reflects the reasonably possible range of loss in excess of the accrued amount. For other matters included within this estimation, no accrual has been made because a loss, while potentially estimable, is believed to be reasonably possible but not probable. In these cases, the estimate reflects the reasonably possible loss or range of loss. As of December 31, 201 7, we estimate the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses to be up to approximately $50 million. ﻿ For other matters, we are not currently able to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss. We are often unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss until developments in such matters have provided sufficient information to support an assessment of the range of possible loss, such as quantification of a damage demand from plaintiffs, discovery from other parties and investigation of factual allegations, rulings by the court on motions or appeals, analysis by experts and the progress of settlement negotiations. On a quarterly and annual basis, we review relevant information with respect to litigation contingencies and update our accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible losses or ranges of loss based on such reviews. ﻿ Certain reinsurers have sought rate increases on certain yearly renewable term treaties. We are disputing the requested rat e increases under these treaties. We have initiated and will initiate arbitration proceedings, as necessary, under these treaties in order to protect our contractual rights. Additionally, reinsurers may initiate arbitration proceedings against us. We believe it is unlikely the outcome of these disputes will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. For more information about reinsurance, see Note 9. ﻿ Cost of Insurance Litigation ﻿ Glover v. Connecticut General Life Insurance Company and The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, No. 3:16cv00827, is a putative class action that was served on LNL on June 8, 2016. Plaintiff is the owner of a universal life insurance policy who alleges that LNL charged more for non- guaranteed cost of insurance than permitted by the policy. Plaintiff seeks to represent all universal life and variable universal life policyholders who owned policies containing non-guaranteed cost of insurance provisions that are similar to those of Plaintiff’s policy and seeks damages on behalf of all such policyholders. We are vigorously defending this matter. ﻿ Helen Hanks v. The Lincoln Life and Annuity Company of New York (“LLANY”) and Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company (“Voya”), filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 16cv6399, is a putative class action that was served on LLANY on August 12, 2016. Plaintiff owns a universal life policy originally issued by Aetna (now Voya) and alleges that (i) Voya breached the terms of the policy when it increased non-guaranteed cost of insurance rates on Plaintiff’s policy; and (ii) LLANY, as reinsurer and administrator of Plaintiff’s policy, engaged in wrongful conduct related to the cost of insurance increase and was unjustly enriched as a result. Plaintiff seeks to represent all owners of Aetna life insurance policies that were subject to non-guaranteed cost of insurance rate increases in 2016 and seeks damages on their behalf. We are vigorously defending this matter. ﻿ EFG Bank AG, Cayman Branch, et al. v. The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, No. 2:17-cv-02592, is a civil action filed on February 1, 2017. Plaintiffs own Legend Series universal life insurance policies originally issued by Jefferson-Pilot (now LNL). Plaintiffs allege that LNL breached the terms of policyholders’ contracts when it increased cost of insurance rates beginning in 2016. We are vigorously defending this matter. ﻿ Swenson, et al. v. The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York, Lincoln National Corporation, Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, and Voya Financial, Inc., filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 1:17-cv-04843, is a civil action filed on February 1, 2017. Plaintiffs own universal life insurance policies originally issued by Aetna (now Voya). Plaintiffs alleged that LNL breached the terms of policyholders’ contracts when it increased cost of insurance rates beginning in 2016. Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed this action without prejudice on November 14, 2017. ﻿ In re: Lincoln National COI Litigation, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Master File No. 16-cv-06605-GJP, is a consolidated litigation matter related to multiple putative class action filings that were consolidated by an order dated March 20, 2017. In addition to consolidating a number of existing matters, the order also covers any future cases filed in the same district related to the same subject matter. Plaintiffs own universal life insurance policies originally issued by Jefferson-Pilot (now LNL). Plaintiffs allege that LNL and LNC breached the terms of policyholders’ contracts by increasing non-guaranteed cost of insurance rates beginning in 2016. Plaintiffs seek to represent classes of policyowners and seek damages on their behalf. We are vigorously defending this matter. ﻿ Tutor v. Lincoln National Corporation and The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, No. 2:17-cv-04150, is a putative class action filed on September 18, 2017. Plaintiff owns a universal life insurance policy originally issued by former Jefferson-Pilot (now LNL). Plaintiff alleges that LNL and LNC breached the terms of policyholders’ contracts by increasing non-guaranteed cost of insurance rates beginning in 2017. We are vigorously defending this matter. ﻿ Commitments ﻿ Operating Leases Certain subsidiaries of ours lease their home office properties. In 2017, we extended t he Radnor lease wit h a new term expiring in 2024. Additionally, i n 2017, we extended the Fort Wayne lease with a new term expiring in 2029. In 2016, a lease commenced in Atlanta, Georgia at our RiverEdge Summit location and the lease shall expire in 2027. Furthermore, in 2016, we renegotiated the Hartford lease with a new term expiring in 2028. ﻿ Total rental expense on operating leases for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, was $43 million, $44 million and $42 million, respectively. Future minimum rental commitments (in millions) as of December 31, 2017, were as follows: ﻿
﻿ |  |  |
﻿ |  |  |
﻿2018 | $ | 40 |
﻿2019 |  | 40 |
﻿2020 |  | 33 |
﻿2021 |  | 33 |
﻿2022 |  | 30 |
﻿Thereafter |  | 80 |
﻿Total | $ | 256 |
Capital Leases ﻿ In 2017 and 2016, we entered into sale-leaseback transactions on $62 million and $85 million, respectively, (net of amortization) of assets. These transactions have been classified as capital leases on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. These assets will continue to be amortized on a straight-line basis over the assets’ remaining lives. Total accumulated amortization related to these leased assets as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, was $101 million and $92 million, respectively. Future minimum lease payments under capital leases (in millions) as of December 31, 201 7, were as follows: ﻿
﻿ |  |  |
﻿ |  |  |
﻿2018 | $ | 7 |
﻿2019 |  | 90 |
﻿2020 |  | 52 |
﻿2021 |  | 62 |
﻿2022 |  | 63 |
﻿Thereafter |  | 28 |
﻿Total minimum lease payments |  | 302 |
﻿Less: Amount representing interest |  | 26 |
﻿Present value of minimum lease payments | $ | 276 |
﻿ Football Stadium Naming Rights Commitment ﻿ In 2002, we entered into an agreement with the Philadelphia Eagles to name the Eagles’ new stadium Lincoln Financial Field. In exchange for the naming rights, we agreed to pay $140 million over a 20-year period through annual payments to the Philadelphia Eagles, which average approximately $7 million per year. The total amount includes a maximum annual increase related to the Consumer Price Index. This future commitment has not been recorded as a liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheets as it is being accounted for in a manner consistent with the accounting for operating leases under the Leases Topic of the FASB ASC. ﻿ Vulnerability from Concentrations ﻿ As of December 31, 2017, we did not have a concentration of: business transactions with a particular customer or lender; sources of supply of labor or services used in the business; or a market or geographic area in which business is conducted that makes us vulnerable to an event that is at least reasonably possible to occur in the near term and which could cause a severe impact to our financial condition. Although we do not have any significant concentration of customers, our American Legacy Variable Annuity (“ALVA”) product offered in our Annuities segment is significant to this segment. The ALVA product accounted for 14%, 21% and 18% of Annuities’ variable annuity product deposits in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and represented approximately 40%, 41% and 42% of the segment’s total variable annuity product account values as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. In addition, fund choices for certain of our other variable annuity products offered in our Annuities segment include American Fund Insurance Series SM (“AFIS”) funds. For the Annuities segment, AFIS funds accounted for 20%, 23% and 20% of variable annuity product deposits in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and represented 47%, 47% and 48% of the segment’s total variable annuity product account values as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. ﻿ Other Contingency Matters State guaranty funds assess insurance companies to cover losses to contract holders of insolvent or rehabilitated companies. Mandatory assessments may be partially recovered through a reduction in future premium taxes in some states. We have accrued for expected assessments and the related reductions in future state premium taxes, which net to assessments (recoveries) of $(16) million and $(9) million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. ﻿

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