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Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Business, Basis of Presentation, and Significant Accounting Policies
1. Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Athene Holding Ltd. (AHL), a Bermuda exempted company, together with its subsidiaries (collectively, Athene, we, our, us, or the Company), is a leading financial services company that specializes in issuing, reinsuring and acquiring retirement savings products in the United States (US) and internationally. We are a direct subsidiary of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (AGM, and together with its subsidiaries other than us or our subsidiaries, Apollo). See Note 3 – Business Combination for further information regarding our merger with Apollo.

We conduct business primarily through the following consolidated subsidiaries:

Our non-US reinsurance subsidiaries, to which AHL’s other insurance subsidiaries and third-party ceding companies directly and indirectly reinsure a portion of their liabilities, including Athene Life Re Ltd. (ALRe), a Bermuda exempted company, Athene Annuity Re Ltd. (AARe) and Athene Life Re International Ltd. (ALReI); and
Athene USA Corporation, an Iowa corporation (together with its subsidiaries, AUSA).

In addition, we consolidate certain variable interest entities (VIEs) for which we have determined we are the primary beneficiary. See Note 6 – Variable Interest Entities for further information on VIEs.

Consolidation and Basis of Presentation—We have prepared the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (US GAAP) for interim financial information and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and regulations for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, considered necessary for fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Interim operating results are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the entire year.

For entities that are consolidated, but not wholly owned, we allocate a portion of the income or loss and corresponding equity to the owners other than us. We include the aggregate of the income or loss and corresponding equity that is not owned by us in noncontrolling interests in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 has been derived from the audited financial statements, with necessary unaudited adjustments made for the implementation of targeted improvements to the accounting for long-duration contracts, and does not include all of the information and footnotes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. Therefore, these condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. The preparation of financial statements requires the use of management estimates. Actual results may differ from estimates used in preparing the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Significant Accounting Policies

Reinsurance—We assume and cede insurance and investment contracts under coinsurance, funds withheld coinsurance (funds withheld) and modified coinsurance (modco). We follow reinsurance accounting for transactions that provide indemnification against loss or liability relating to insurance risk (risk transfer). To meet risk transfer requirements, a reinsurance agreement must transfer insurance risk arising from uncertainties about both underwriting and timing risks. Cessions under reinsurance do not discharge our obligations as the primary insurer unless the requirements of assumption reinsurance have been met. We generally have the right of offset on reinsurance contracts, but have elected to present reinsurance settlement amounts due to and from us on a gross basis.

For assets and liabilities ceded under reinsurance agreements, we generally apply the same measurement guidance for our directly issued or assumed contracts. Ceded amounts are recorded within reinsurance recoverable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. For reinsurance of in-force contracts that pass risk transfer, the issue year used for the purpose of measuring the reinsurance recoverable is dependent on the effective date of the reinsurance agreement, which may differ from the issue year for the direct or assumed contract. The issue year informs the locked-in discount rate used for the purposes of interest accretion. This may result in different discount rates used for the direct or assumed reserves and ceded reserves when reinsuring an in-force block of insurance contracts. For flow reinsurance of insurance contracts that pass risk transfer, the contracts have the same cash flow assumptions as the direct or assumed contracts when the terms are consistent between those respective contracts and the ceded reinsurance agreement. When we recognize an immediate loss due to the present value of future benefits and expenses exceeding the present value of future gross premiums, a gain is recognized on the corresponding reinsurance recoverable to the extent it does not result in gain recognition at treaty inception. Likewise, where the direct or assumed reserve has been floored to zero, the corresponding reinsurance recoverable will be consistently set to zero. See –Future Policy Benefits below for further information.
Accounting for reinsurance requires the use of assumptions, particularly related to the future performance of the underlying business and the potential impact of counterparty credit risks. We attempt to minimize our counterparty credit risk through the structuring of the terms of our reinsurance agreements, including the use of trusts, and monitor credit ratings of counterparties for signs of declining credit quality. When a ceding company does not report information on a timely basis, we record accruals based on the best available information at the time, which includes the reinsurance agreement terms and historical experience. We periodically compare actual and anticipated experience to the assumptions used to establish reinsurance assets and liabilities.

Assets and liabilities assumed or ceded under coinsurance, funds withheld or modco are presented gross on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. For investment contracts, the change in the direct or assumed and ceded reserves are presented net in interest sensitive contract benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss). For insurance contracts, the change in the direct or assumed and ceded reserves and benefits are presented net in future policy and other policy benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss), except for changes related to the discount rate which are presented net in other comprehensive income (loss) (OCI) on the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). For market risk benefits, the change in the direct or assumed and ceded reserves are presented net in market risk benefits remeasurement (gains) losses on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss), except for changes related to instrument-specific credit risk on direct and assumed contracts which are presented net in OCI on the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss).

For the reinsurance of existing in-force blocks that transfer significant insurance risk, the difference between the assets received or paid and the liabilities assumed or ceded represents the net cost of reinsurance at the inception of the reinsurance agreement. The net cost of reinsurance is amortized on a basis consistent with the methodologies and assumptions used to amortize deferred acquisition costs (DAC) and deferred sales inducements (DSI).

Deferred Acquisition Costs, Deferred Sales Inducements and Value of Business Acquired

Deferred Acquisition Costs and Deferred Sales Inducements – Costs related directly to the successful acquisition of new, or the renewal of existing, insurance or investment contracts are deferred. These costs consist of commissions and policy issuance costs, as well as sales inducements credited to policyholder account balances, and are included in deferred acquisition costs, deferred sales inducements and value of business acquired on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. These costs are not capitalized until they are incurred.

Deferred costs related to universal life-type policies and investment contracts with significant revenue streams from sources other than investment of the policyholder funds are grouped into cohorts based on issue year and contract type and amortized on a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts. The cohorts and assumptions used for the amortization of deferred costs are consistent with those used in estimating the related liabilities for these contracts. The constant level basis generally is the initial premium or deposit and is projected based on assumptions related to policyholder behavior, including lapses and mortality, over the expected term of the contracts. Each reporting period, we replace expected experience with actual experience to determine the related amortization expense. Changes to projected experience are recognized in amortization expense prospectively over the remaining contract term. Amortization of DAC and DSI is included in amortization of deferred acquisition costs, deferred sales inducements and value of business acquired on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss).

Deferred costs related to investment contracts without significant revenue streams from sources other than investment of the policyholder funds are amortized using the effective interest method. The effective interest method amortizes the deferred costs by discounting the future liability cash flows at a break-even rate. The break-even rate is solved for such that the present value of future liability cash flows is equal to the net liability at the inception of the contract. The deferred costs represent the difference between the net and gross liability and the change relates to amortization for the period.

Value of Business Acquired (VOBA) – We establish VOBA for blocks of insurance contracts acquired through the acquisition of insurance entities and through application of pushdown accounting related to our merger with AGM. We record the fair value of the liabilities assumed in two components: reserves and VOBA. Reserves are established using our best estimate assumptions as of the business combination date. VOBA is the difference between the fair value of the liabilities and the reserves. VOBA can be either positive or negative and is amortized in relation to respective policyholder liabilities. Significant assumptions that impact VOBA amortization are consistent with those that impact the measurement of policyholder liabilities. We perform periodic tests to determine if positive VOBA remains recoverable. If we determine that positive VOBA is not recoverable, we would record a cumulative charge to the current period. Any negative VOBA is recorded to the same financial statement line on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as the associated reserves. Positive VOBA is recorded in deferred acquisition costs, deferred sales inducements and value of business acquired on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

See Note 8 – Deferred Acquisition Costs, Deferred Sales Inducements and Value of Business Acquired for further information.
Interest Sensitive Contract Liabilities—Universal life-type policies and investment contracts include traditional deferred annuities, indexed annuities consisting of fixed indexed and index-linked variable annuities in the accumulation phase, funding agreements, immediate annuities without significant mortality risk (which include pension group annuities without life contingencies), universal life insurance, and other investment contracts inclusive of assumed endowments without significant mortality risk. We carry liabilities for traditional deferred annuities, indexed annuities, funding agreements and universal life insurance at the account balances without reduction for potential surrender or withdrawal charges, except for a block of universal life business ceded to Global Atlantic Financial Group Limited (together with its subsidiaries, Global Atlantic), which we carry at fair value. Liabilities for immediate annuities without significant mortality risk are calculated as the present value of future liability cash flows and policy maintenance expenses discounted at contractual interest rates. Certain of our contracts are offered with additional contract features that meet the definition of a market risk benefit. See –Market Risk Benefits below for further information.

Unearned revenue liabilities are established when amounts are assessed against the policyholder for services to be provided in future periods. These balances are amortized consistent with the methodologies and assumptions used to amortize DAC and DSI.

Changes in interest sensitive contract liabilities, excluding deposits and withdrawals, are recorded in interest sensitive contract benefits or product charges on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss). Interest sensitive contract liabilities are not reduced for amounts ceded under reinsurance agreements which are reported as reinsurance recoverable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Future Policy Benefits—We issue contracts classified as long-duration, which include term and whole life, accident and health, disability, and immediate annuities with life contingencies (which include pension group annuities with life contingencies). Liabilities for nonparticipating long-duration contracts are established as the estimated present value of benefits we expect to pay to or on behalf of the policyholder and related expenses less the present value of the net premiums to be collected, referred to as the net premium ratio. The contracts are grouped into cohorts based on issue year and contract type, with an exception for pension group annuities, which are generally assessed at the group annuity contract level. Contracts with different issuance years are not combined. Contracts acquired in a business combination are grouped into a single cohort by contract type, except for pension group annuities, which follow the group annuity contract level.

Liabilities for nonparticipating long-duration contracts are established using accepted actuarial valuation methods which require the use of assumptions related to discount rate, expenses, longevity, mortality, morbidity, persistency and other policyholder behavior. We base certain key assumptions, such as longevity, mortality and morbidity, on industry standard data adjusted to align with actual company experience, if needed. We have elected to use expense assumptions that are locked in at issuance for each cohort. All other cash flow assumptions are established at contract issuance and reviewed annually or more frequently if actual experience suggests a revision is necessary. The effects of changes in cash flow assumptions impacting the net premium ratio are recorded as remeasurement changes in the period in which they are made. As cash flow assumptions are reviewed at least annually, there is no provision for adverse deviation included within the liability.

Actual experience is recognized in the period in which the experience arises. Actual experience is then incorporated into the net premium ratio for all products and cohorts on a quarterly basis. When the net premium ratio is revised, whether to incorporate actual experience each reporting period or for the review of cash flow assumptions, the liability is recalculated as of the beginning of the period, discounted at the original contract issuance discount rate, and compared with the carrying amount of the liability as of the same date to determine the current period change. The current period change in the liability is recognized as a remeasurement gain or loss.

To the extent the present value of benefits and expenses exceeds the present value of gross premiums, we will cap the net premium ratio at 100% by increasing the corresponding liability and recognizing an immediate loss through the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss). The liability is never recorded at an amount less than zero for the cohort.

The liability for nonparticipating long-duration contracts is discounted using an upper-medium grade fixed income instrument yield aligned to the duration of the liability. In determining reference portfolio of instruments, we have used a single A equivalent level rate and maximized the use of observable data to the extent possible for the duration of our liabilities. The discount rate is required to be updated at the end of each reporting period for the remeasurement of the liability but is locked-in for each cohort for the purpose of interest accretion expense.
Changes in the value of the liability for nonparticipating long-duration contracts due to changes in the discount rate are recognized as a component of OCI on the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). The change in the liability for the remeasurement gain or loss and all other changes in the liability are recorded in future policy and other policy benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss).

Future policy benefits include liabilities for no-lapse guarantees on universal life insurance and fixed indexed universal life insurance that do not meet the criteria to be classified and accounted for as a market risk benefit. We establish future policy benefits for no-lapse guarantees by estimating the expected value of death benefits paid after policyholder account balances have been exhausted. We recognize these benefits proportionally over the life of the contracts based on total actual and expected assessments. The methods we use to estimate the liabilities have assumptions about policyholder behavior, mortality, expected yield on investments supporting the liability and market conditions affecting policyholder account balance growth.
For the liabilities associated with no-lapse guarantees, each reporting period we update expected excess benefits and assessments with actual excess benefits and assessments and adjust the liability balances due to the OCI effects of unrealized investment gains and losses on available-for-sale (AFS) securities. We also periodically revise the key assumptions used in the calculation of the liabilities that result in revisions to the expected excess benefits and assessments. The effects of changes in assumptions are recorded as unlocking in the period in which the changes are made. Changes in the liabilities associated with no-lapse guarantees, other than the adjustment for the OCI effects of unrealized investment gains and losses on AFS securities, are recorded in future policy and other policy benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss).

Future policy benefits are not reduced for amounts ceded under reinsurance agreements which are reported as reinsurance recoverable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Market Risk Benefits—Market risk benefits represent contracts or contract features that both provide protection to the contract holder from, and expose the insurance entity to, other-than-nominal capital market risk. We issue and reinsure deferred annuity contracts which contain guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits (GLWB) and guaranteed minimum death benefit (GMDB) riders that meet the criteria for, and are classified as, market risk benefits.

Market risk benefits are measured at fair value at the contract level and may be recorded as a liability or an asset, which are included in market risk benefits or other assets, respectively, on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Multiple market risk benefits on a contract are treated as a single, compound market risk benefit. At contract inception, we assess the fees and assessments that are collectible from the policyholder and allocate them to the extent they are attributable to the market risk benefit. These attributed fees are used in the valuation of the market risk benefits and are never negative or exceed total explicit fees collectible from the policyholder. If the fees are sufficient to cover the projected benefits, a non-option based valuation model is used. If the fees are insufficient to cover the projected benefits, an option-based valuation model is used to compute the market risk benefit liability at contract inception, with an equal and offsetting adjustment recognized in interest sensitive contract liabilities.

Changes in fair value of market risk benefits are recorded in market risk benefits remeasurement (gains) losses on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss), excluding portions attributed to changes in instrument-specific credit risk, which are recorded in OCI on the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). Market risk benefits are not reduced for market risk benefits ceded under reinsurance agreements. Ceded market risk benefits are measured at fair value and recorded within reinsurance recoverable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Upon annuitization of the contract or the extinguishment of the account balance, the market risk benefit, related annuity contract and unamortized deferred costs are derecognized, including amounts within AOCI. A payout annuity is then established for GLWBs.

Recognition of Revenues and Related Expenses—Revenues for universal life-type policies and investment contracts, including surrender and market value adjustments, costs of insurance, policy administration, GMDB, GLWB and no-lapse guarantee charges, are earned when assessed against policyholder account balances during the period. Interest credited to policyholder account balances and the change in fair value of embedded derivatives within fixed indexed annuity contracts is included in interest sensitive contract benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss).

Premiums for long-duration contracts, including products with fixed and guaranteed premiums and benefits, are recognized as revenue when due from policyholders. When premiums are due over a significantly shorter period than the period over which benefits are provided, such as immediate annuities with life contingencies (which includes pension group annuities), a deferred profit liability is established equal to the excess of the gross premium over the net premium. The deferred profit liability is recognized in future policy benefits on the condensed consolidated balance sheets and amortized into income in relation to applicable policyholder liabilities through future policy and other policy benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss).

When the net premium ratio for the corresponding future policy benefit is updated for actual experience and changes to projected cash flow assumptions, the deferred profit liability is retrospectively recalculated from the contract issuance date through the beginning of the current reporting period. The revised deferred profit liability is compared to the beginning of the period carrying amount to determine the change to be recognized as a remeasurement gain or loss within future policy and other policy benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income (loss). Unlike the related future policy benefit, the deferred profit liability will not be remeasured for changes in discount rates each reporting period. Negative VOBA balances associated with payout contracts involving life contingencies, including pension group annuities, are accounted for in a manner similar to the deferred profit liability.

All insurance-related revenue is reported net of reinsurance ceded.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2023-02)

The amendments in this update introduce the option of applying the proportional amortization method (PAM) to account for investments made primarily for the purpose of receiving income tax credits or other income tax benefits when certain requirements are met. Currently, PAM only applies to low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) investments. The guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2024; however, early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement.

Fair Value Measurement — Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions (ASU 2022-03)

This amendment clarifies guidance that a restriction that is a characteristic of the holding entity, rather than a characteristic of the equity security itself, should not be considered in its fair value measurement. As a result, we are required to measure the fair value of equity securities subject to contractual restrictions attributable to the holding entity on the basis of the market price of the same equity security without those contractual restrictions. Companies are not permitted to recognize a contractual sale restriction attributable to the holding entity as a separate unit of account. The guidance also requires disclosures for these equity securities. The guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2024; however, early adoption is permitted. We will apply the guidance prospectively and recognize in earnings any adjustments required as a result of the adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new pronouncement.

Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Insurance – Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (ASU 2020-11, ASU 2019-09, ASU 2018-12)

These updates amend four key areas pertaining to the accounting and disclosures for long-duration insurance and investment contracts and are commonly referred to as long-duration targeted improvements (LDTI).
The update requires cash flow assumptions used to measure the liability for future policy benefits to be updated at least annually and no longer allows a provision for adverse deviation. The remeasurement of the liability associated with the update of assumptions is required to be recognized in net income. Loss recognition testing is eliminated for traditional and limited-payment contracts. The update also requires the discount rate used in measuring the liability to be an upper-medium grade fixed income instrument yield, which is to be updated at each reporting date. The change in liability due to changes in the discount rate is to be recognized in other comprehensive income.
The update simplifies the amortization of DAC and other balances amortized in proportion to premiums, gross profits or gross margins, requiring such balances to be amortized on a constant level basis over the expected term of the contracts. Deferred costs are required to be written off for unexpected contract terminations but are not subject to impairment testing.
The update requires certain contract features meeting the definition of market risk benefits to be measured at fair value. Among the features included in this definition are GLWB and GMDB riders attached to our annuity products. The change in fair value of the market risk benefits is to be recognized in net income, excluding the portion attributable to changes in instrument-specific credit risk which is recognized in other comprehensive income.
The update also introduces disclosure requirements around the liability for future policy benefits, policyholder account balances, market risk benefits, separate account liabilities and deferred acquisition costs. This includes disaggregated rollforwards of these balances and information about significant inputs, judgments, assumptions and methods used in their measurement.

We adopted LDTI as of January 1, 2023 and, for all provisions of the update, applied a retrospective transition approach using a transition date of January 1, 2022, the date of our merger with AGM. At the merger date, VOBA balances were established as the difference between the fair value of the liabilities and the reserves established as of this date. Upon transition to LDTI, the liability for future policy benefits and contractual features that meet the criteria for market risk benefits were adjusted to conform to LDTI, with an offsetting adjustment made to positive or negative VOBA. No adjustments were recorded to AOCI or retained deficit as of the transition date. See Note 2 – Adoption of Accounting Pronouncement for the effects of LDTI adoption on our 2022 condensed consolidated financial statements.

Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) (Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2022-06, ASU 2021-01, ASU 2020-04)

We adopted ASU 2020-04 and ASU 2021-01 and elected to apply certain of the practical expedients related to contract modifications, hedge accounting relationships, and derivative modifications pertaining to discounting, margining, or contract price alignment. The main purpose of the practical expedients is to ease the administrative burden of accounting for contracts impacted by reference rate reform, and these elections did not have, and are not expected to have, a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. ASU 2022-06 amended and deferred the sunset date of Topic 848 from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2024, after which we will no longer be permitted to apply the expedients provided in Topic 848. We will continue to evaluate the impact of reference rate reform on contract modifications and hedging relationships.