Reserves are reestimated quarterly and periodically throughout the year, by combining historical results with current actual results to calculate new development factors. This process incorporates the historic and latest actual trends, and other underlying changes in the data elements used to calculate reserve estimates. New development factors are likely to differ from previous development factors used in prior reserve estimates because actual results (claims reported or settled, losses paid, or changes to case reserves) occur differently than the implied assumptions contained in the previous development factor calculations. If claims reported, paid losses, or case reserve changes are greater or less than the levels estimated by previous development factors, reserve reestimates increase or decrease. When actual development of these data elements is different than the historical development pattern used in a prior period reserve estimate, a new reserve is determined. The difference between indicated reserves based on new reserve estimates and recorded reserves (the previous estimate) is the amount of reserve reestimate and is recognized as an increase or decrease in property-liability insurance claims and claims expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Total Property-Liability net reserve reestimates, after-tax, as a percent of net income available to common shareholders were favorable 2.0%, 3.5%, and 18.7% in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The 3-year average of net reserve reestimates as a percentage of total reserves was a favorable 1.7% for Property-Liability, a favorable 2.5% for Allstate Protection and an unfavorable 6.2% for Discontinued Lines and Coverages, each of these results being consistent within a reasonable actuarial tolerance for our respective businesses. A more detailed discussion of reserve reestimates is presented in the Property-Liability Claims and Claims Expense Reserves section of this document.
Reserve estimates by their nature are very complex to determine and subject to significant judgments, and do not represent an exact determination for each outstanding claim. As actual claims, paid losses and/or case reserve results emerge, our estimate of the ultimate cost to settle may be materially greater or less than previously estimated amounts.
Other mass torts describes direct excess and reinsurance general liability coverage provided for cumulative injury losses other than asbestos and environmental. Workers' compensation and commercial and other include run-off from discontinued direct primary, direct excess and reinsurance commercial insurance operations of various coverage exposures other than asbestos and environmental. Reserves are based on considerations similar to those described above, as they relate to the characteristics of specific individual coverage exposures.
policy termination assumptions are based on our experience and industry experience. Expense assumptions include the estimated effects of inflation and expenses to be incurred beyond the premium-paying period. These assumptions are established at the time the policy is issued, are consistent with assumptions for determining DAC amortization for these policies, and are generally not changed during the policy coverage period. However, if actual experience emerges in a manner that is significantly adverse relative to the original assumptions, adjustments to DAC or reserves may be required resulting in a charge to earnings which could have a material effect on our operating results and financial condition. We periodically review the adequacy of reserves and recoverability of DAC for these policies on an aggregate basis using actual experience. In the event actual experience is significantly adverse compared to the original assumptions and a premium deficiency is determined to exist, any remaining unamortized DAC balance must be expensed to the extent not recoverable and the establishment of a premium deficiency reserve may be required. In 2014, 2013 and 2012, our reviews concluded that no premium deficiency adjustments were necessary, primarily due to projected profit from traditional life insurance more than offsetting the projected losses in immediate annuities with life contingencies. We will continue to monitor the experience of our traditional life insurance and immediate annuities. We anticipate that mortality, investment and reinvestment yields, and policy terminations are the factors that would be most likely to require premium deficiency adjustments to these reserves or related DAC.
• Allstate Protection will continue to focus on its strategy of offering differentiated products and services to our customers while maintaining pricing discipline. • We expect that volatility in the level of catastrophes we experience will contribute to variation in our underwriting results; however, this volatility will be mitigated due to our catastrophe management actions, including the purchase of reinsurance. • We will continue our evolution to a trusted advisor model, enabling agencies to more fully deliver on the Allstate brand customer value proposition. • We will continue to modernize our operating model to efficiently deliver our customer value propositions. • We will invest in building long-term growth platforms.
Expense ratio for Allstate Protection decreased 0.4 points in 2014 compared to 2013. The impact of specific costs and expenses on the expense ratio are shown in the following table.
Maturities of and interest payments on institutional products included a $1.75 billion maturity in 2013. There are $85 million of institutional products outstanding as of December 31, 2014.
Interest credited to contractholder funds decreased 28.1% or $359 million in 2014 compared to 2013. Excluding results of the LBL business for second through fourth quarter 2013 of $270 million, interest credited to contractholder funds decreased $89 million in 2014 compared to 2013, primarily due to lower average contractholder funds and lower interest crediting rates. Interest credited to contractholder funds decreased 2.9% or $38 million in 2013 compared to 2012, primarily due to lower average contractholder funds and lower interest crediting rates, partially offset by the valuation change on derivatives embedded in equity-indexed annuity contracts that reduced interest credited expense in 2012. Valuation changes on derivatives embedded in equity-indexed annuity contracts that are not hedged increased interest credited to contractholder funds by $22 million in 2014 compared to a $24 million increase in 2013 and a $126 million decrease in 2012. During third quarter 2012, we reviewed the significant valuation inputs for these embedded derivatives and reduced the projected option cost to reflect management's current and anticipated crediting rate setting actions, which were informed by the existing and projected low interest rate environment and are consistent with our strategy to reduce exposure to spread-based business. The reduction in projected interest rates resulted in a reduction of contractholder funds and interest credited expense by $169 million in 2012.
Our annual comprehensive review of assumptions underlying estimated future gross profits for our interest-sensitive life, fixed annuities and other investment contracts covers assumptions for persistency, mortality, expenses, investment returns, including capital gains and losses, interest crediting rates to policyholders, and the effect of any hedges in all product lines. In 2014, the review resulted in a deceleration of DAC amortization (credit to income) of $8 million. Amortization deceleration of $10 million related to interest-sensitive life insurance and was primarily due to a
Allstate's domestic property-liability and life insurance subsidiaries prepare their statutory-basis financial statements in conformity with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the insurance department of the applicable state of domicile. Statutory surplus is a measure that is often used as a basis for determining dividend paying capacity, operating leverage and premium growth capacity, and it is also reviewed by rating agencies in determining
The Corporation has access to additional borrowing to support liquidity as follows:
• A commercial paper facility with a borrowing limit of $1.00 billion to cover short-term cash needs. As of December 31, 2014, there were no balances outstanding and therefore the remaining borrowing capacity was $1.00 billion; however, the outstanding balance can fluctuate daily. • Our $1.00 billion unsecured revolving credit facility is available for short-term liquidity requirements and backs our commercial paper facility. In April 2014, we amended the maturity date of this facility to April 2019 and also amended our option to extend the expiration by one year at the first and second anniversary of the amendment, upon approval of existing or replacement lenders. The facility is fully subscribed among 12 lenders with the largest commitment being $115 million. The commitments of the lenders are several and no lender is responsible for any other lender's commitment if such lender fails to make a loan under the facility. This facility contains an increase provision that would allow up to an additional $500 million of borrowing. This facility has a financial covenant requiring that we not exceed a 37.5% debt to capitalization ratio as defined in the agreement. This ratio was 11.6% as of December 31, 2014. Although the right to borrow under the facility is not subject to a minimum rating requirement, the costs of maintaining the facility and borrowing under it are based on the ratings of our senior unsecured, unguaranteed long-term debt. There were no borrowings under the credit facility during 2014. The total amount outstanding at any point in time under the combination of the commercial paper program and the credit facility cannot exceed the amount that can be borrowed under the credit facility. • A universal shelf registration statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2012. We can use this shelf registration to issue an unspecified amount of debt securities, common stock (including 482 million shares of treasury stock as of December 31, 2014), preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and securities of trust subsidiaries. The specific terms of any securities we issue under this registration statement will be provided in the applicable prospectus supplements.
We have agreements in place for services we conduct, generally at cost, between subsidiaries relating to insurance, reinsurance, loans and capitalization. All material intercompany transactions have appropriately been eliminated in consolidation. Intercompany transactions among insurance subsidiaries and affiliates have been approved by the appropriate departments of insurance as required.
or currency exchange rates. The Company's primary market risk exposures are to changes in interest rates, credit spreads and equity prices. Interest rate risk is the risk that the Company will incur a loss due to adverse changes in interest rates relative to the interest rate characteristics of its interest bearing assets and liabilities. This risk arises from many of the Company's primary activities, as it invests substantial funds in interest-sensitive assets and issues interest-sensitive liabilities. Interest rate risk includes risks related to changes in U.S. Treasury yields and other key risk-free reference yields. Credit spread risk is the risk that the Company will incur a loss due to adverse changes in credit spreads. This risk arises from many of the Company's primary activities, as the Company invests substantial funds in spread-sensitive fixed income assets. Equity price risk is the risk that the Company will incur losses due to adverse changes in the general levels of the equity markets.
Investments in limited partnership interests, including interests in private equity/debt funds, real estate funds and other funds, where the Company's interest is so minor that it exercises virtually no influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for in accordance with the cost method of accounting; all other investments in limited partnership interests are accounted for in accordance with the equity method of accounting ("EMA").
Goodwill impairment evaluations indicated no impairment as of December 31, 2014 or 2013.
less cost to sell, a loss is recognized. Assets and liabilities related to a business classified as held for sale are segregated in the Consolidated Statement of Position in the period in which the business is classified as held for sale.
The local currency of the Company's foreign subsidiaries is deemed to be the functional currency of the country in which these subsidiaries operate. The financial statements of the Company's foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect at the end of a reporting period for assets and liabilities and at average exchange rates during the period for results of operations. The unrealized gains and losses from the translation of the net assets are recorded as unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments and included in accumulated other comprehensive income. Changes in unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments are included in other comprehensive income. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are reported in operating costs and expenses and have not been material.
• Assets held for sale: Comprise U.S. government and agencies, municipal, corporate, foreign government, ABS, RMBS and CMBS fixed income securities, and short-term investments. The valuation is based on the respective asset type as described above.
The following table summarizes the Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and non-recurring basis as of December 31, 2013:
Incurred claims and claims expense represents the sum of paid losses and reserve changes in the calendar year. This expense includes losses from catastrophes of $1.99 billion, $1.25 billion and $2.35 billion in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, net of reinsurance and other recoveries (see Note 10). Catastrophes are an inherent risk of the property-liability insurance business that have contributed to, and will continue to contribute to, material year-to-year fluctuations in the Company's results of operations and financial position.
The Company ceded premiums earned of $437 million, $471 million and $531 million under catastrophe reinsurance agreements in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
The preferred stock ranks senior to the Company's common stock with respect to the payment of dividends and liquidation rights. The Company will pay dividends on the preferred stock on a noncumulative basis only when, as and if declared by the Company's board of directors (or a duly authorized committee of the board) and to the extent that the Company has legally available funds to pay dividends. If dividends are declared on the preferred stock, they will be payable quarterly in arrears at an annual fixed rate. Dividends on the preferred stock are not cumulative. Accordingly, in the event dividends are not declared on the preferred stock for payment on any dividend payment date, then those dividends will cease to be payable. If the Company has not declared a dividend before the dividend payment date for any dividend period, the Company has no obligation to pay dividends for that dividend period, whether or not dividends are declared for any future dividend period. No dividends may be paid or declared on the Company's common stock and no shares of the Company's common stock may be repurchased unless the full dividends for the latest completed dividend period on the preferred stock have been declared and paid or provided for.
The Company continues to monitor its lawsuits, regulatory inquiries, and other legal proceedings for further developments that would make the loss contingency both probable and estimable, and accordingly accruable, or that could affect the amount of accruals that have been previously established. There may continue to be exposure to loss in excess of any amount accrued. Disclosure of the nature and amount of an accrual is made when there have been sufficient legal and factual developments such that the Company's ability to resolve the matter would not be impaired by the disclosure of the amount of accrual.