Prior to November 17, 2017, our common stock was comprised of two tracking stocks, FNF Group common stock and FNFV Group common stock.
Market volatility has affected and may continue to affect our business and financial performance in varying ways. Volatility can pressure sales and reduce demand as consumers hesitate to make financial decisions. To enhance the attractiveness and profitability of our products and services, we continually monitor the behavior of our customers, as evidenced by annuitization rates and lapse rates, which vary in response to changes in market conditions. See Item 1A of Part I of this Annual Report for further discussion of risk factors that could affect market conditions.
We have audited Fidelity National Financial, Inc. and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Fidelity National Financial, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on the COSO criteria.
(3)Net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1 million, $1 million, and $(2) million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively.
(6)Net of income tax expense of $4 million and less than $1 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2018, respectively.
We are also involved in certain entities that are considered variable interest entities ("VIEs") as defined under GAAP. Our involvement with VIEs is primarily to invest in assets that allow us to gain exposure to a broadly diversified portfolio of asset classes. A VIE is an entity that does not have sufficient equity to finance its own activities without additional financial support
For certain security types, additional inputs may be used, or some of the inputs described above may not be applicable. The significant input used in the fair value measurement of equity securities for which the market approach valuation technique is employed is yield for comparable securities. Increases or decreases in the yields would result in lower or higher, respectively, fair value measurements. For broker-quoted only securities, quotes from market makers or broker-dealers are obtained from sources recognized to be market participants. We believe the broker quotes are prices at which trades could be executed based on historical trades executed at broker-quoted or slightly higher prices.
We review the fair value hierarchy classifications each reporting period. Changes in the observability of the valuation attributes may result in a reclassification of certain financial assets or liabilities. Such reclassifications are reported as transfers in and out of Level 3, or between other levels, at the beginning fair value for the reporting period in which the changes occur. The transfers into and out of Level 3 were related to changes in the primary pricing source and changes in the observability of external information used in determining the fair value.
(1) Change in fair value of reinsurance related embedded derivatives is due to held for sale unaffiliated third party business under the fair value option election, and activity related to the FGL Insurance and Kubera reinsurance treaty.
index credit. We manage the cost of these purchases through the terms of our FIA contracts, which permit us to change caps, spreads or participation rates, subject to guaranteed minimums, on each contract’s anniversary date. The change in the fair value of the call options and futures contracts is generally designed to offset the portion of the change in the fair value of the FIA embedded derivative related to index performance through the current credit period. The call options and futures contracts are marked to fair value with the change in fair value included as a component of Recognized gains and losses, net. The change in fair value of the call options and futures contracts includes the gains and losses recognized at the expiration of the instrument term or upon early termination and the changes in fair value of open positions.
Pursuant to statutory requirements of the various states in which our insurers are domiciled, such insurers must maintain certain levels of minimum capital and surplus. Required levels of minimum capital and surplus are not significant to the insurers individually or in the aggregate. Each of our insurers has complied with the minimum statutory requirements as of December 31, 2020.
FGL insurance, FGL NY Insurance and Raven Re's respective statutory capital and surplus satisfies the applicable minimum regulatory requirements.
Most of our leases include one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term by varying amounts. The exercise of lease renewal options is at our sole discretion. We do not include options to renew in our measurement of lease assets and lease liabilities as they are not considered reasonably assured of exercise.
The following table summarizes information related to stock options outstanding and exercisable as of December 31, 2020:
The discount rate used to determine the benefit obligation as of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was 1.85% and 2.79%, respectively. As of the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the projected benefit obligation was $153 million and $160 million, respectively, and the fair value of plan assets was $157 million and $150 million, respectively. The net pension liability and net periodic expense included in our financial position and results of operations relating to the Pension Plan is not considered material for any period presented.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 Financial Instruments - Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (Topic 326). The amendments in this ASU introduce broad changes to accounting for credit impairment of financial instruments. The primary updates include the introduction of a new current expected credit loss ("CECL") model that is based on expected rather than incurred losses and amendments to the accounting for impairment of fixed maturity securities available for sale. The method used to measure estimated credit losses for fixed maturity available-for-sale securities will be unchanged from current GAAP; however, the amendments require credit losses to be recognized through an allowance
rather than as a reduction to the amortized cost of those securities. We adopted ASC 326 using the modified retrospective method for all financial assets measured at amortized cost. Results for reporting period beginning after December 15, 2019 are presented under ASC 326 while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. We adopted this standard using the prospective transition approach for debt securities for which other than temporary impairment had been recognized prior to January 1, 2020. As a result, the amortized cost basis remains the same before and after the effective date of ASC 326. The effective interest rate on these debt securities was not changed. Amounts previously recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income as of January 1, 2020 relating to improvements in cash flows expected to be collected will be accreted into income over the remaining life of the asset. Recoveries of amounts previously written off relating to improvements in cash flows after January 1, 2020 will be recorded in earnings when received. See Note E Investments for further discussion of the adoption as it relates to our fixed maturity securities available for sale.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04 Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance simplifies the measurement of goodwill impairment by removing step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires the determination of the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit. The new guidance requires goodwill impairment to be measured as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. We have adopted this standard as of January 1, 2020 and are applying this guidance on a prospective basis. The overall effect of Topic 350 had no impact to the Consolidated Financial Statements upon adoption.