To qualify for hedge accounting, at the inception of the hedging relationship, the Company formally documents its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking the hedging transaction, as well as its designation of the hedge as either (a) a hedge of the exposure to changes in the estimated fair value of a recognized asset or liability or an identified portion thereof that is attributable to a particular risk ("fair value hedge") or (b) a hedge of a forecasted transaction or of the variability of cash flows that is attributable to interest rate risk to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability ("cash flow hedge"). In this documentation, the
period and current year results. Other differences are temporary, reversing over time, such as the valuation of insurance reserves, and create deferred tax assets and liabilities.
This standard, issued in August 2016, addresses diversity in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The amendments provide guidance on eight specific cash flow issues.
Assumptions used to measure the liability for future policy benefits for nonparticipating traditional and limited payment insurance contracts
The Company diversifies its commercial mortgage loan portfolio by geographic region and property type to reduce concentration risk. The Company manages risk when originating commercial mortgage loans by generally lending only up to 75% of the estimated fair value of the underlying real estate. Subsequently, the Company continuously evaluates mortgage loans based on relevant current information including a review of loan-specific credit quality, property characteristics and market trends. The components to evaluate debt service coverage are received and reviewed at least annually to determine the level of risk.
Derivatives: Derivatives are carried at fair value, which is determined using the Company's derivative accounting system in conjunction with observable key financial data from third party sources, such as yield curves, exchange rates, S&P 500 Index prices, London Interbank Offered Rates ("LIBOR") and Overnight Index Swap ("OIS") rates. The Company uses OIS for valuations of collateralized interest rate derivatives, which are obtained from third-party sources. For those derivatives that are unable to be valued by the accounting system, the Company typically utilizes values established by third-party brokers. Counterparty credit risk is considered and incorporated in the Company's valuation process through counterparty credit rating requirements and monitoring of overall exposure. It is the Company's policy to transact only with investment grade counterparties with a credit rating of A- or better. The Company's nonperformance risk is also considered and incorporated in the Company's valuation process. Valuations for the Company's futures and interest rate forward contracts are based on unadjusted quoted prices from an active exchange and, therefore, are classified as Level 1. The Company also has certain credit default swaps and options that are priced by third party vendors or by using models that primarily use market observable inputs, but contain inputs that are not observable to market participants, which have been classified as Level 3.The remaining derivative instruments are valued based on market observable inputs and are classified as Level 2.
(4) See the Benefit Plans Note to these Consolidated Financial Statements for amounts reported in Net Periodic (Benefit) Costs.
Voya Services Company sponsors the Voya Savings Plan (the "Savings Plan"). Substantially all employees of Voya Services Company and its affiliates (excluding certain employees, including but not limited to Career Agents) are eligible to participate, including the Company's employees other than Company agents. Career Agents are certain, full-time insurance salespeople who have entered into a career agent agreement with the Company and certain other individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria ("Career Agents"). The Savings Plan is a tax qualified defined contribution plan. Savings Plan benefits are not guaranteed by the PBGC. The Savings Plan allows eligible participants to defer into the Savings Plan a specified percentage of eligible compensation on a pre-tax basis. Voya Services Company matches such pre-tax contributions, up to a maximum of 6% of eligible compensation. Matching contributions are subject to a 4-year graded vesting schedule. Contributions made to the Savings Plan are subject to certain limits imposed by applicable law. The costs allocated to the Company for the Savings Plan were $10, $11 and $10, for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and are included in Operating expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
In 2019, the Company is expected to contribute $6 to the SERPs and Agents Non-Qualified Plan.
The Company maintains a reciprocal loan agreement with Voya Financial, an affiliate, to facilitate the handling of unanticipated short-term cash requirements that arise in the ordinary course of business. Under this agreement, which became effective in June 2001 and expires on April 1, 2021, either party can borrow from the other up to 3.0% of the Company's statutory admitted assets as of the preceding December 31. During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, interest on any borrowing by either the Company or Voya Financial was charged at a rate based on the prevailing market rate for similar third-party borrowings for securities.