Many of these risks and uncertainties have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those described in the Economic and Investment Risk Factors, Litigation and Regulation Risk Factors, and Reinsurance and Counterparty Risk Factors.
•Provide regular communications to producers with updates on our operations and service, contacts for support, available resources, and expectations;
•Approved procedures for suspected and confirmed employee cases of COVID-19 that include notification, quarantine and cleaning practices that are in line with the current CDC guidelines.
Increased Role of Advanced Technology: The use of mobile technology has changed the way consumers want to conduct their business, including real-time access to information. Many customers expect to complete transactions in a digital format instead of traditional methods that require a phone call or submission of paper forms. Social media and other customer-facing technologies also reshape the way companies communicate and collaborate with key stakeholders, and new tools exist to better collect and analyze information for potential business opportunities and better management of risks. For example, we have mobile-enabled all internet-based access and leveraged social media channels to reach out to potential customers to promote awareness of the company, including the products and services offered. We expect that technology will continue to evolve, offering new and more effective ways to reach and service our customers and shareholders. We evaluate available and evolving technologies and incorporate those we believe offer appropriate benefits to the company and its customers.
We offer our personal and commercial property and casualty lines of business primarily through our multiple line agencies. We favor a balanced, focused and collaborative approach to both growth and profitability through the development of successful agencies.
Competitive Pressures: The property and casualty insurance industry remains highly competitive. Despite the competitive environment, we expect to identify profitable opportunities through our strong distribution channels, expanding geographic coverage, marketing efforts, new product development and pricing sophistication.
A description of these critical accounting estimates is presented below. Also, see the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Tabular Claims Reserves-This method is used to calculate the reserves for long-term care and disability income blocks of business. These reserves rely on published valuation continuance tables created using industry experience regarding assumptions of continued morbidity and subsequent recovery. Reserves are calculated by applying these continuance tables, along with appropriate company experience adjustments, to the stream of contractual benefit payments. These expected benefit payments are discounted at the required interest rate.
Since our estimate for the allowance for credit losses relies on management judgment and is sensitive to factors outside of our control, as noted above, there are inherent uncertainties within the estimates. As a result, the changes in the allowance for credit losses could materially impact our consolidated financial statements.
•An increase in the allowance for credit losses due to the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
(1)These are weighted amounts representing 10% of single and excess premiums.
For 2020, the companies to which we have ceded reinsurance for the Health segment are shown below (in thousands, except percentages):
•Earnings from our personal and specialty market products increased. The biggest increase came from our personal auto products attributable to fewer miles driven by policyholders and favorable claim development somewhat offset by approximately $16.8 million of COVID-19 relief policy credits we issued to policyholders
(1)Life and annuity obligations include undiscounted estimated claim, benefit, surrender and commission obligations offset by expected future premiums and deposits on in-force insurance policies and annuity contracts. All amounts are gross of any reinsurance recoverable. Estimated claim, benefit and surrender obligations are based on mortality and lapse assumptions comparable with historical experience. Estimated payments on interest-sensitive life and annuity obligations include interest credited to those products. The interest crediting rates are derived by deducting current product spreads from a constant investment yield. As a result, the estimated obligations for insurance liabilities included in the table exceed the liabilities recorded in the liability for future policy benefits and policy and contract claims. Due to the significance of the assumptions used, the amounts presented could materially differ from actual payments. Separate account obligations have not been included in the table since those obligations are not part of the general account obligations and will be funded by cash flows from separate account assets. The general account obligations for insurance liabilities will be funded by cash flows from general account assets and future premiums and deposits. Participating policyholder dividends payable consists of liabilities related to dividends payable in the following calendar year and are presented in the less than one-year category. All estimated cash payments are net of estimated future premiums on policies currently in-force net of future policyholder dividends payable. The participating policyholders’ share obligation included in other policyholder funds and the timing and amount of the ultimate participating policyholder obligation is subject to significant uncertainty and the amount of the participating policyholder obligation is based upon a long-term projection of the performance of the participating policy block.
•We tested the effectiveness of management’s controls over the valuation of embedded derivative liabilities, including those over the development, selection, and implementation of the assumptions related to lapse rate and equity volatility.
On July 1, 2020, American National Insurance Company, a Texas insurance company (“ANICO”), completed its previously announced holding company reorganization. As a result of such reorganization, ANICO became a wholly owned subsidiary of American National Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ANAT”), and ANAT replaced ANICO as the publicly held company. Consequently, all filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from July 2, 2020 forward will be filed by ANAT under CIK No. 0001801075. For purposes of filing this Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, the accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been titled “American National Group, Inc.” to reflect the current name of the public registrant, with the parenthetical notation “formerly American National Insurance Company” to reflect the reporting entity for the prior periods covered therein. Upon the effective date of the holding company reorganization, ANAT retired 3,945,249 shares of common stock that were held in treasury at ANICO prior to the reorganization. The amount of retired treasury stock in excess of par value was charged to retained earnings. Before and after the reorganization, the issuer had 50,000,000 authorized shares of common stock and 26,887,200 common shares outstanding. As a result of the reorganization, each share of ANICO common stock, par value $1.00 per share, was automatically converted into one duly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of ANAT common stock, par value $0.01 per share. As a result of the reorganization, the directors and officers of ANICO became directors and officers of ANAT. There is no change in the ultimate ownership of the organization and business operations will continue from our current office locations and companies. ANAT, through its consolidated subsidiaries (collectively “American National” or the "Company”) offers a broad portfolio of insurance products, including individual and group life insurance, annuities, health insurance, and property and casualty insurance. Business is conducted in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) are settled in cash, resulting in classifying RSUs as a liability award. The liability is remeasured each reporting period through the vesting date and is adjusted for changes in fair value. The compensation liability related to the RSUs is reported as “Other Liabilities” in the consolidated statements of financial position.
When the discounted cash flow method is used to determine the allowance for credit losses, management's estimates incorporate expected prepayments, if any. Model inputs are considered reasonable and supportable for three years. A mean reversion is applied in years four and five. Credit loss allowance is not measured on accrued interest receivable because the balance is written off to net investment income in a timely manner, within 90 days. Changes in the allowance for credit losses are recognized through the consolidated statement of operations as changes in estimated credit loss.
•Equity volatility assumptions begin with current market volatilities and grow to long-term values. Increases to the assumed volatility will increase the fair value of liabilities, as future projections will produce higher increases in the linked index. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the one-year implied volatility used to estimate embedded derivative value was 17.6% and 11.3%, respectively.
The fair value hierarchy measurements of the financial instruments are shown below (in thousands):
RSU awards to our directors and advisory directors are settled in cash based upon the market price of our common stock after one-year or earlier upon death, disability or retirement from service after age 65. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, 8,250 RSUs were granted and will vest on May 1, 2021 and will be settled in cash.
Dividends are paid on a quarterly basis. We paid a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share for each quarter for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, and we expect to continue to pay regular cash dividends, although there is no assurance as to future dividends because they depend on future earnings, capital requirements and financial conditions.
Such speculation warrants caution, as the frequency of large damage awards, which bear little or no relation to the economic damages incurred by plaintiffs in some jurisdictions, continues to create the potential for an unpredictable judgment in any given lawsuit. These lawsuits are in various stages of development, and future facts and circumstances could result in management changing its conclusions. It is possible that, if the defenses in these lawsuits are not successful, and the judgments are greater than management can anticipate, the resulting liability could have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, liquidity, or results of operations. With respect to the existing litigation, management currently believes that the possibility of a material judgment adverse to American National is remote and no estimate of range can be made for loss contingencies that are at least reasonably possible but not accrued.