The Company may be required to establish an additional valuation allowance against the deferred income tax assets if the Company’s business does not generate sufficient taxable income or if the Company’s tax planning strategies are modified. Increases in the deferred tax valuation allowance could have a material adverse effect on results of operations and financial condition.
Changes in reserve estimates may reduce profitability and/or increase reserves ceded to reinsurers.
Reserves for future policy benefits, valuation and amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”), value of business acquired (“VOBA”), valuation of investments and derivatives, impairments, income taxes, and contingencies.
The Company’s use of derivatives is limited mainly to economic hedging to reduce the Company’s exposure to cash flow variability of assets and liabilities, interest rate risk, credit risk, exchange rate risk, and market risk. It is the Company’s policy not to offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments and fair value amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral or the obligation to return cash collateral arising from derivative instruments recognized at fair value executed with the same counterparty under a master netting arrangement.
Separate account assets and liabilities generally represent funds maintained to meet specific investment objectives of contract owners who bear the investment risk, subject, in limited cases, to certain minimum guarantees. Investment income and investment gains and losses generally accrue directly to such contract owners. The assets of each account are legally segregated and are not subject to claims that arise out of any other business of the Company or its affiliates.
Information about the Company’s fixed maturity securities holdings, including securities pledged, by NAIC designations is set forth in the following tables. Corresponding rating agency designation does not directly translate to NAIC designation, but represents the Company’s best estimate of comparable ratings from rating agencies, including Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch. If no rating is available from a rating agency, then an internally developed rating is used.
Unrealized capital losses (including noncredit impairments) in fixed maturities, including securities pledged to creditors, for IG and BIG securities by duration, based on NAIC designations, were as follows at December 31, 2011 and 2010.
The Company also records for its fixed indexed annuity (“FIA”) contracts an embedded derivative liability for interest payments to contractholders above the minimum guaranteed interest rate, in accordance with U.S. GAAP for derivative instruments and hedging activities. The guarantee is treated as an embedded derivative and is required to be reported separately from the host contract. The fair value of the obligation is calculated based on actuarial and capital market assumptions related to the projected cash flows, including benefits and related contract charges, over the anticipated life of the related contracts. The cash flow estimates are produced by best estimate assumptions. These derivatives are classified as Level 3 assets in the fair value hierarchy.
With a fixed maturity: Fair value is estimated by discounting cash flows, including associated expenses for maintaining the contracts, at rates, which are market risk-free rates augmented by credit spreads on current Company credit default swaps. The
of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the maximum potential future exposure to the Company on the sale of credit protection under credit default swaps was $108.8 and $308.1, respectively.
Beginning in the first quarter of 2011, the Company implemented a reversion to the mean technique of estimating its short-term equity market return assumptions. This change in estimate was applied prospectively in first quarter 2011. The reversion to the mean technique is a common industry practice in which DAC and VOBA unlocking for short-term equity returns only occurs if equity market performance falls outside established parameters.
Commencing in 2011, ING introduced a new long-term equity and deferred bonus plan, the Long-Term Sustainable Performance Plan (“LSPP”). The terms applicable to an award under the LSPP will be set out in a grant agreement which is signed by the participant when he or she accepts the award. The LSPP will provide employees of the Company who are selected by the ING Executive Board with performance shares and will also require deferral of discretionary incentive bonus awards in excess of EUR 100,000. The performance shares awarded under the LSPP will be a contingent grant of ING ADR units and on settlement, the participant will have the right to either receive ING ADR units in kind or a cash amount equal to the closing price per ING share on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Market on the settlement date times the number of vested ADR units, subject to achievement during the vesting period of performance targets based on return of equity and employee engagement. The excess bonus amount
Administrative Services Agreement between the Company, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York (“RLNY”), an affiliate, and other U.S. insurance company affiliates dated March 1, 2003, amended effective August 1, 2004, in which the Company and affiliates provide services to RLNY. For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, revenue related to the agreement was $3.1, $2.1, and $3.1, respectively.
Services agreement between the Company, Security Life of Denver Insurance Company (“SLD”), an affiliate, and IIM whereby IIM provides administrative, management, professional, advisory, consulting and other services to the Company and SLD with respect to its Financial Products unit. For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, the Company incurred expenses of $3.6, $4.8, and $7.6, respectively.
As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company had off-balance sheet commitments to purchase investments equal to their fair value of $255.3 and $529.2, respectively.