For discussion of the earliest of the three years included in the financial statements of the current filing, refer to Part 2, Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in The Hartford’s 2019 Form 10-K Annual Report.
•Change in valuation allowance on deferred taxes related to non-core components of pre-tax income - These changes in valuation allowances are excluded from core earnings because they relate to non-core components of pre-tax income, such as tax attributes like capital loss carryforwards.
Net New Business Premium- Represents the amount of premiums charged, after ceded reinsurance, for policies issued to customers who were not insured with the Company in the previous policy term. Net new business premium plus renewal written premium equals total written premium.
Impact to direct benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses from COVID-19 claims
In recognition of the need to become more cost efficient and competitive along with enhancing the experience we provide to agents and customers, on July 30, 2020, the Company announced an operational transformation and cost reduction plan it refers to as Hartford Next. Through reduction of its headcount, IT investments to further enhance our capabilities, and other activities, relative to 2019, the Company expects to achieve a reduction in annual insurance operating costs and other expenses of approximately $500 by 2022. The Hartford Next program will contribute to our goal of reducing the 2022 P&C expense ratio by about 2.0 to 2.5 points, reducing the 2022 Group Benefits expense ratio by about 1.5 to 2.0 points and reducing our 2022 claim expense ratio by approximately 0.5 point.
To achieve those expected savings, we expect to incur approximately $410, with $153 expensed over the last six months of 2020, and expected expenses of $110 in 2021, $77 in 2022 and $70 after 2022, with the expenses after 2022 consisting mostly of amortization of internal use software and capitalized real estate costs. The estimated costs of approximately $410 includes an expected $54 in capitalized development costs for internal use software to be amortized over the useful life of the software, typically 3 years, and approximately $23 of capitalized real estate assets to be amortized over their useful lives. Included in the estimated costs of $410, we expect to incur restructuring costs of approximately $158, including $73 of employee severance, and approximately $85 of other costs, including consulting expenses and the cost to retire certain IT applications.
[1] Does not include approximately $48 of IT asset amortization after 2022.
•Lower fee income in Hartford Funds largely due to a shift in mix of assets to lower fee generating funds, lower installment fee income in P&C and lower fee income on administrative services only business in Group Benefits.
Net realized capital gains (losses) decreased from net gains in the 2019 period to net losses in the 2020 period, primarily driven by:
Uncertainties Regarding Adequacy of A&E Reserves- A number of factors affect the variability of estimates for gross asbestos and environmental reserves including assumptions with respect to the frequency of claims, the average severity of those claims settled with payment, the dismissal rate of claims with no payment, resolution of coverage disputes with our policyholders and the expense to indemnity ratio. Reserve estimates for gross asbestos and environmental reserves are subject to greater variability than reserve estimates for more traditional exposures.
[2]Prior accident year development does not include the benefit of a portion of losses ceded under the Navigators and A&E ADC which, under retroactive reinsurance accounting, is deferred and is recognized over the period the ceded losses are recovered in cash from NICO. For additional information regarding the two adverse development cover reinsurance agreements, refer to Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Net reserves and reserve activity in Property & Casualty Other Operations are categorized and reported as asbestos, environmental, and “all other”. The “all other” category of reserves covers a wide range of insurance and assumed reinsurance coverages, including, but not limited to, potential liability for construction defects, lead paint, silica, pharmaceutical products, head injuries, sexual molestation and sexual abuse and other long-tail liabilities. In addition to various insurance and assumed reinsurance exposures, "all other" includes unallocated loss adjustment expense reserves. "All other" also includes the Company’s allowance for uncollectible reinsurance. When the Company commutes a ceded reinsurance contract or settles a ceded reinsurance dispute, net reserves for the related cause of loss (including asbestos, environmental or all other) are increased for the portion of the allowance for uncollectible reinsurance attributable to that commutation or settlement.
Unfavorable changes in estimates of ultimate losses on accident year 2011 were primarily related to workers' compensation and commercial automobile liability. Workers' compensation loss cost trends were higher than initially expected as an increase in frequency outpaced a moderation of severity trends. Unfavorable commercial automobile liability reserve re-estimates were driven by higher frequency of large loss bodily injury claims.
Prior accident year development was a net unfavorable $44 before tax in 2020 compared to a net favorable $44 before tax in the comparable 2019 period. Net unfavorable reserve development for 2020 included reserve increases for general liability driven primarily by increases in reserves for sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims, and increases in commercial automobile liability reserves, partially offset by net reserve decreases for catastrophes, workers' compensation and package business. Favorable development on prior year catastrophe reserves in 2020 was due to recognizing a $29 before tax subrogation benefit from a settlement with PG&E over certain of the 2017 and 2018 California wildfires and a reduction in estimated catastrophe losses from a number of wind and hail events that occurred in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Prior accident year development in 2020 also included $102 of reserve increases related to Navigators Group on 2018 and prior accident years that was economically ceded to NICO but for which the benefit was not recognized in earnings as it has been recorded as a deferred gain on retroactive reinsurance. Net reserve decreases for 2019 were primarily related to lower loss reserve estimates for workers' compensation claims, package business reserves and catastrophes, partially offset by a $68 before tax increase to Navigators Group reserves upon acquisition of the business and increases in reserves for automobile liability and general liability. The increase in Navigators Group reserves upon acquisition of the business principally related to higher reserve estimates for general liability, professional liability and marine.
Assuming continued growth in equity markets in 2021, the Company expects net income for Hartford Funds to increase from 2020 to 2021. From its diversified lineup of mutual funds and ETFs, the Company expects strong sales, though net flows are more uncertain given market volatility and historical redemption rates.
2020 was designated by the Property Claim Services office of Verisk as a catastrophe event will cede to our property catastrophe aggregate cover. Such losses are not expected to be covered by the property catastrophe occurrence treaties because the unrest occurred in non-contiguous areas though the Company has property per risk and property quota share reinsurance that would cover certain losses related to the civil unrest. For our property catastrophe treaty incepting January 1, 2021, losses from most cyber events are not covered.
Premiums receivable and agents' balances Premiums receivable and agents’ balances, net of an ACL, were $4,268 and $4,384, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. For a discussion regarding collectibility of these balances, see Note 8 - Premiums Receivable and Agents' Balances of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company also has derivative counterparty exposure policies which limit the Company’s exposure to credit risk. The Company monitors counterparty exposure on a monthly basis to ensure compliance with Company policies and statutory limitations. The Company’s policies with respect to derivative counterparty exposure establishes market-based credit limits, favors long-term financial stability and creditworthiness of the counterparty and typically requires credit enhancement/credit risk reducing agreements, which are monitored and evaluated by the Company’s risk management team and reviewed by senior management.
The carrying value of assets related to the businesses included in the table above was $12.1 billion and $12.0 billion, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and included fixed maturities, commercial mortgage loans and short-term investments. The assets are monitored and managed within set duration guidelines and are evaluated on a daily basis, as well as annually, using scenario simulation techniques in compliance with regulatory requirements.
[1]Includes securities with pools of loans issued by the Small Business Administration which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Under significant economic stress scenarios that could arise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has the ability to meet short-term cash requirements, if needed, by borrowing under its revolving credit facility or by having its insurance subsidiaries take collateralized advances under a facility with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (“FHLBB”). The Company could also choose to have its insurance subsidiaries sell certain highly liquid, high quality fixed maturities or the Company could issue debt in the public markets under its shelf registration. No borrowings or advances have occurred to date.
The Hartford endeavors to maintain a capital structure that provides financial and operational flexibility to its insurance subsidiaries, ratings that support its competitive position in the financial services marketplace (see the "Ratings" section below for further discussion), and stockholder returns. As a result, the Company may from time to time raise capital from the issuance of debt, common equity, preferred stock, equity-related debt or
The Company’s subsidiaries, Hartford Fire Insurance Company (“Hartford Fire”) and HLA, are members of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (“FHLBB”). Membership allows these subsidiaries access to collateralized advances, which may be short- or long-term with fixed or variable rates. Advances may be used to support general corporate purposes, which would be presented as short- or long-term debt, or to earn incremental investment income, which would be presented in other liabilities consistent with other collateralized financing transactions. As of December 31, 2020, there were no advances outstanding. The Connecticut Department of Insurance permits Hartford Fire and HLA to pledge up to $1.2 billion and $0.6 billion in qualifying assets, respectively, without prior approval, to secure FHLBB advances in 2021. For further information regarding the Company's collateralized advances with Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, see Note 14 - Debt of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
The following tables represent the fixed maturity holdings, including the aforementioned cash and short-term investments available to meet liquidity needs, for each of the Company’s insurance operations.
[6]Includes cash collateral of $30 which the Company has accepted in connection with the Company’s derivative instruments. Since the timing of the return of the collateral is uncertain, the return of the collateral has been included in the payments due in less than 1 year.
On June 19, 2020, A.M. Best raised its financial strength rating on Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company ("HLA") to A+ from A. The upgrade is reflective of the support provided by The Hartford, as well as the group benefits business' growing contribution to consolidated revenue and earnings and the overall diversification it provides.