Note 8: Investment Income and Gains and Losses

The following table includes total investment income from all operations:


	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
In millions	2012		2011		2012		2011
Net investment income:
Fixed-maturity	$	47	$	88	$	160	$	284
Short-term investments		1		1		5		5
Other investments		2		3		7		10
Consolidated VIEs		17		17		51		53

Net investment income		67		109		223		352
Realized gains and losses:
Fixed-maturity:
Gains		42		46		94		117
Losses		(12)		(56)		(190)		(133)

Net		30		(10)		(96)		(16)
Other investments:
Gains		-		-		6		9
Losses		(2)		(1)		(16)		(1)

Net		(2)		(1)		(10)		8

Total net realized gains (losses)⁽¹⁾		28		(11)		(106)		(8)

Total investment income	$	95	$	98	$	117	$	344

(1) -

These balances are included in the “Net gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value and foreign exchange” and “Net investment losses related to other-than-temporary impairments” line items on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.

Net investment income is generated as a result of the ongoing management of the Company’s investment portfolios. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, net investment income decreased compared to the same periods of 2011 due to a lower asset base in 2012.

Total net realized gains (losses) for the three months ended September 30, 2012 increased compared to the same period of 2011 primarily due to lower other-than-temporary impairment losses. For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, total net realized losses increased compared to the same period of 2011 primarily due to other-than-temporary impairment losses that were recognized on securities impaired to fair value due to the Company’s intent to sell these securities and losses on sales of securities in the Company’s asset/liability products investment portfolio.

The portion of certain other-than-temporary impairment losses on fixed-maturity securities that does not represent credit losses is recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). For these impairments, the net amount recognized in earnings represents the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the net present value of its projected future discounted cash flows prior to impairment. Any remaining difference between the fair value and amortized cost is recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The following table presents the amount of credit loss impairments recognized in earnings on fixed-maturity securities held by MBIA as of the dates indicated, for which a portion of the other-than-temporary impairment losses was recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), and the corresponding changes in such amounts:


In millions	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
Credit Losses Recognized in Earnings Related to Other-Than-Temporary Impairments	2012			2011			2012			2011
Beginning balance	$	269		$	283		$	341		$	262
Additions for credit loss impairments recognized in the current period on securities not previously impaired		-			5			-			5
Additions for credit loss impairments recognized in the current period on securities previously impaired		5			6			8			32
Reductions for credit loss impairments previously recognized on securities sold during the period		(2	)		(5	)		(18	)		(10	)
Reductions for credit loss impairments previously recognized on securities impaired to fair value during the period⁽¹⁾		(52	)		-			(111	)		-

Ending balance	$	220		$	289		$	220		$	289

(1) -

Represents circumstances where the Company determined in the current period that it intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security before recovery of the security’s amortized cost.

For ABS (e.g., RMBS and CDOs), the Company estimated expected future cash flows of each security by estimating the expected future cash flows of the underlying collateral and applying those collateral cash flows, together with any credit enhancements such as subordination interests owned by third parties, to the security. The expected future cash flows of the underlying collateral are determined using the remaining contractual cash flows adjusted for future expected credit losses (which consider current delinquencies and nonperforming assets, future expected default rates and collateral value by vintage and geographic region) and prepayments. The expected cash flows of the security are then discounted at the interest rate used to recognize interest income on the security to arrive at a present value amount. The following table presents a summary of the significant inputs considered in determining the measurement of the credit loss component recognized in earnings for each significant class of ABS for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011:


	Nine Months Ended September 30,
Asset-backed Securities	2012		2011
Expected size of losses^(1):
Range⁽²⁾		12.13% to 97.70%		1.59% to 100.00%
Weighted average⁽³⁾		88.48%		64.58%
Current subordination levels^(4):
Range⁽²⁾		0.00% to 0.00%		0.00% to 29.46%
Weighted average⁽³⁾		0.00%		0.00%
Prepayment speed (annual constant prepayment rate)^(5):
Range⁽²⁾		0.00% to 30.91%		0.00% to 100.00%
Weighted average⁽³⁾		12.16%		15.62%

(1) - Represents future expected credit losses on impaired assets expressed as a percentage of total outstanding balance.

(2) - Represents the range of inputs/assumptions based upon the individual securities within each category.

(3) - Calculated by weighting the relevant input/assumption for each individual security by the outstanding notional of the security.

(4) - Represents current level of credit protection (subordination) for the securities, expressed as a percentage of the balance of the collateral group backing the bond.

(5) - Values represent high and low points of lifetime vectors of constant prepayment rates.

Net unrealized gains (losses), including the portion of other-than-temporary impairments included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), reported within shareholders’ equity consisted of:


In millions	As of September 30, 2012		As of December 31, 2011
Fixed-maturity:
Gains	$	337	$	262
Losses		(191)		(459)
Foreign exchange		17		(5)

Net		163		(202)
Other investments:
Gains		-		1
Losses		-		(19)

Net		-		(18)

Total		163		(220)
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)		35		(86)

Unrealized gains (losses), net	$	128	$	(134)

The change in net unrealized gains (losses), including the portion of other-than-temporary impairments, presented in the table above consisted of:


In millions	As of September 30, 2012		As of December 31, 2011
Fixed-maturity	$	365	$	386
Other investments		18		(6)

Total		383		380
Deferred income tax charged (credited)		121		122

Change in unrealized gains (losses), net	$	262	$	258