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Reinsurance Group of America

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FY2020 Annual Report · Reinsurance Group of America
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A N N U A L
R E P O R T

 
 
To Our Shareholders: 

COVID-19  has  brought disruption,  strain,  and  sorrow  for  millions  of  people  around  the  world,  and  my 

heart  goes  out  to  all  who  have  lost  a  friend,  family  member,  or  loved  one  during  the  pandemic.  This 

difficult period has reaffirmed RGA’s vital role in an industry that safeguards families’ financial futures 

during times of uncertainty and loss. Throughout 2020, RGA’s operational and financial resilience was 

put to the test, and I am incredibly proud of how our employees and our business have responded by 

continuing to deliver on our promises to our clients, our investors, and the communities in which we live 

and work.  

Despite  absorbing  an  estimated  $720  million  in  COVID-19-related  claim  costs,  RGA  generated  net 

income of $415 million in 2020, or $6.31 per diluted share, down from the previous year’s $870 million, 

or $13.62 per diluted share. RGA’s recurring revenue model proved resilient, producing record highs in 

annual net premiums of $11.7 billion and total revenues of $14.6 billion. Strong performance in several 

segments, including Global Financial Solutions across all regions, Asia Pacific across all product lines, 

and  group  and  individual  health  operations  in  the  U.S.,  offset  underperformance  in  other  areas,  once 

again demonstrating the value of RGA’s diversified global platform. 

The negative financial impact of the pandemic manifested most acutely in the U.S. individual mortality 

business, where estimated COVID-19-related claim costs totaled approximately $545 million. Excluding 

claims attributed to COVID-19, the individual mortality experience was generally favorable for the year. 

On  the  U.S.  group  side,  a  long-term  strategy  built  around  disciplined,  consistent  pricing  paid  off  as 

favorable  experience  generated  robust  earnings  growth.  Along  with  strong  performances  in  U.S. 

individual health and Latin America operations, this somewhat mitigated losses driven by COVID-19, and 

the U.S. and Latin America’s traditional segment overall reported a pre-tax loss of $298 million in 2020, 

compared with pre-tax income of $265 million in 2019.  

Canada’s traditional business surpassed $1 billion in net premiums for the third consecutive year. Pre-

tax income totaled $134 million for the segment, compared with $168 million the prior year, reflecting a 

modest  impact  of  COVD-19-related  claim  costs  on  financial  results.  RGA  remains  a  market  leader  in 

Canada and is well-positioned to build on established partnerships while advancing new approaches to 

serving clients and consumers.  

I 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The traditional segment in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (“EMEA”) overcame COVID-19-related claim 

costs to generate $27 million in pre-tax income, compared to $80 million in 2019. Net premiums increased 

8% over the prior year to reach $1.6 billion. The EMEA team’s ongoing digital distribution initiatives gained 

new traction amid lockdown measures and social distancing protocols. A large single-premium in-force 

block transaction in the Middle East highlighted a strong year overall in the region.  

Asia Pacific operations exceeded all key financial targets in 2020. In the segment’s traditional business, 

favorable underwriting experience in Asia and improved results in Australia drove positive earnings as 

pre-tax  income  totaled  $174  million,  compared  with $105  million in  2019.  A  commitment  to  enabling 

clients to better serve their consumers, even amid the many challenges of the pandemic, accelerated 

product  innovation  in  Asia.  In  Australia,  a  multi-year  strategy  of  disciplined  focus  on  returning  the 

operations to long-term sustainability continued to build momentum. 

Global Financial Solutions (“GFS”) recorded another excellent year, generating pre-tax income of $633 

million in 2020 after establishing a record-high $659 million the prior year. As insurers continued to adapt 

to  more  demanding  solvency  requirements,  changing  accounting  standards,  and  new  and  ongoing 

economic pressures, RGA partnered with clients to develop customized financial solutions for improving 

capital efficiency and promoting long-term stability and growth. GFS in EMEA increased pre-tax income 

by 16% to reach $258 million and executed its largest-ever longevity swap of approximately $6.7 billion 

in  longevity  benefits  with  a  major  retirement  fund  in  the  U.K.  In  North  America,  highlights  included 

outstanding results for the U.S. stable value business and solid earnings growth in Canada. The Asia 

Pacific GFS team saw years of strategic foundational work produce a breakout year as pre-tax income 

more than doubled, from $23 million in 2019 to $59 million in 2020. 

To  protect  the  enterprise’s  strong  balance  sheet  against  the  many  uncertainties  of  the  pandemic  and 

worldwide economic volatility, RGA executed a successful public stock offering on June 2 to raise $500 

million. This proactive and prudent strategy provided additional capital buffers to ensure ongoing stability, 

immediate flexibility, and long-term sustainability for RGA and our client partners. RGA ended 2020 with 

an excess capital position of approximately $1.3 billion. 

As  stay-at-home  measures  accelerated  the  adoption  of  digital  processes  and  alternative  evidence 

sources, RGAX served as a trusted partner for insurers forced to rapidly adjust to virtual engagement 

and  an  increasingly  data-driven  industry  environment.  RGAX’s  portfolio  of  tech-enabled  insurance 

services  expanded  to  new  clients  and  new  markets  in  2020,  while  the  group’s  innovation  teams 

II 

 
 
 
 
 
connected clients to insurtech partners to pursue future-focused solutions – all backed by the strength, 

experience, and expertise of RGA.  

Taken  together,  RGA’s  many  business  accomplishments  from  the  past  year  demonstrate  our  agility, 

resilience,  and  consistency.  In  the  face  of  extreme  circumstances,  we  were  able  to  execute  on  our 

strategy and deliver positive results for our clients, partners, and investors. While I am very proud of these 

achievements and the hard work they represent, what best defined 2020 and made it a truly inspiring 

time to be a part of the global RGA family were the many ways we came together as an organization to 

support one another and the communities we serve.  

At the enterprise level, the RGA Foundation granted $1.5 million and matched all employee contributions 

to  support  COVID-19  charitable  efforts  and  frontline  healthcare  workers  in  our  home  communities 

worldwide.  Following  racial  unrest  in  the  U.S.  and  the  events  that  unfolded  around  the  world,  RGA 

strengthened  its  ongoing  commitment  to  diversity  and  inclusion  by  creating  diversity  councils  and 

extending contribution matching to organizations dedicated to racial justice. As the insurance industry 

struggled  with  the  threat  of  COVID-19,  RGA  experts  stepped  up  to  provide  hundreds  of  webcasts, 

research papers, and articles to battle uncertainty with knowledge. And to promote the wellbeing of our 

workforce  members  and  their  families,  teams  throughout  the  organization  worked  tirelessly  to  ensure 

their colleagues had the services, resources, and support they needed in trying times.  

I would like to thank RGA employees, as well as our clients, shareholders, and partners, for making 2020 

a successful year in the face of so much adversity. I look forward to continuing to grow this remarkable 

company together and advancing the important work of RGA and the insurance industry. 

Anna Manning 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

III 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This  2020  Annual  Report  contains  forward-looking  statements  within  the  meaning  of  the  Private 
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, among others, statements relating to projections of 
the  strategies,  earnings,  revenues,  income  or  loss,  ratios,  future  financial  performance,  and  growth 
potential of RGA (which we refer to in the previous paragraphs as “we,” “us” or “our”). The words “intend,” 
“expect,”  “project,”  “estimate,”  “predict,”  “anticipate,”  “should,”  "believe,”  and  other  similar  expressions 
also  are  intended  to  identify  forward-looking  statements.  Forward-looking  statements  are  inherently 
subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and 
actual  results,  performance,  and  achievements  could  differ  materially  from  those  set  forth  in, 
contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. See “Item 7 - Management’s Discussion 
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-
Looking Statements” of RGA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, included herein. 

IV 

 
 
 
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K 

☒

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the fiscal year ended 

December 31, 2020 

☐

Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Commission file number 1-11848 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED 
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Missouri
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization)

43-1627032
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

16600 Swingley Ridge Road, Chesterfield, Missouri 

(Address of principal executive offices) 

      63017 
                       (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (636) 736-7000 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
Common Stock, par value $0.01
6.20% Fixed-To-Floating Rate Subordinated 
Debentures due 2042
5.75% Fixed-To-Floating Rate Subordinated 
Debentures due 2056

Trading Symbol(s)
RGA

Name of each exchange on which registered
New York Stock Exchange

RZA

RZB

New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes x  No ☐ 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ☐  No x
Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  (1)  has  filed  all  reports  required  to  be  filed  by  Section  13  or  15(d)  of  the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to 
file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x  No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted 
pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period 
that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes x  No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller 
reporting  company,  or  an  emerging  growth  company.  See  the  definitions  of  “large  accelerated  filer,”  “accelerated  filer,” 
“smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer x       Accelerated filer 	☐        Non-accelerated filer  ☐        Smaller reporting company  ☐		
Emerging growth company  ☐ 
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period 
for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  
☐ 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of
the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C.
7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. x 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company.  Yes ☐  No x
The  aggregate  market  value  of  the  stock  held  by  non-affiliates  of  the  registrant,  based  upon  the  closing  sale  price  of  the 
common stock on June 30, 2020, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange was approximately $5.3 billion.

As of January 31, 2021, 67,972,976 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Part III of this Form 10-K incorporates by reference certain information from the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement for 
the  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  (the  “Proxy  Statement”)  to  be  held  in  May  2021,  to  be  filed  by  the  Registrant  with  the 
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A not later than 120 days after the year ended December 31, 
2020.

2

REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Item

1

1A    

1B

2

3

4

5

6

7

7A

8

9

9A

9B

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Business

Risk Factors

Unresolved Staff Comments

Properties

Legal Proceedings

Mine Safety Disclosures

PART I

PART II

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholders Matters, and Issuer Purchases of 
Equity Securities

Selected Financial Data

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

Controls and Procedures

Other Information

PART III

Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance

Executive Compensation
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder 
Matters

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

PART IV

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

Form 10-K Summary

Page

4

21

35

35

35

35

36

38

39

88

89

158

158

160

160

162

162

163

163

164

164

3

 
 
Item 1.         BUSINESS

A.

Overview

Reinsurance  Group  of  America,  Incorporated  (“RGA”)  is  an  insurance  holding  company  that  was  formed  on 
December  31,  1992.  The  consolidated  financial  statements  herein  include  the  assets,  liabilities,  and  results  of  operations  of 
RGA and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned, and is referred to as the “Company”, “we”, “us” and “our” in this 
Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The  Company  is  a  leading  global  provider  of  traditional  life  and  health  reinsurance  and  financial  solutions  with 
operations  in  the  U.S.,  Latin  America,  Canada,  Europe,  the  Middle  East,  Africa,  Asia  and  Australia.  Reinsurance  is  an 
arrangement under which an insurance company, the “reinsurer,” agrees to indemnify another insurance company, the “ceding 
company,”  for  all  or  a  portion  of  the  insurance  and/or  investment  risks  underwritten  by  the  ceding  company.  Reinsurance  is 
designed to:

i.

reduce  the  net  amount  at  risk  on  individual  risks,  thereby  enabling  the  ceding  company  to  increase  the  volume  of   
business it can underwrite, as well as increase the maximum risk it can underwrite on a single risk; 

ii.

enhance the ceding company’s financial strength and surplus position; 

iii. stabilize operating results by leveling fluctuations in the ceding company’s loss experience; and 

iv. assist the ceding company in meeting applicable regulatory requirements.

The Company has the following geographic-based and business-based operational segments: 

• U.S. and Latin America; 

• Canada; 

• Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”); 

• Asia Pacific; and 

• Corporate and Other. 

Geographic-based  operations  are  further  segmented  into  traditional  and  financial  solutions  businesses.  The  Company’s 
segments primarily write traditional reinsurance and financial solutions business that is wholly or partially retained in one or 
more of RGA’s reinsurance subsidiaries. See “Segments” for more information concerning the Company’s operating segments.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on RGA’s Business

The  COVID-19  pandemic  in  2020  and  the  response  thereto  caused  increases  in  mortality,  morbidity  and  other 
insurance risks, as well as a global slowdown of economic activity including worldwide travel restrictions, prohibitions of non-
essential work activities, disruption and shutdown of businesses and greater uncertainty in global financial markets, all of which 
impacted  the  Company’s  financial  performance  in  2020.  The  extent  to  which  the  Company’s  future  results  continue  to  be 
affected  by  COVID-19  will  largely  depend  on,  among  other  factors,  country-specific  circumstances,  measures  by  public  and 
private institutions, COVID-19’s impact on all other causes of death and the timing and adoption of effective treatments and 
vaccines for COVID-19. Given these many variables, the Company cannot reliably predict the future impact of the pandemic on 
its business, results of operations and financial condition. For a further discussion of the risks, uncertainties and actions taken in 
response  to  COVID-19,  refer  to  Item  1A  "Risk  Factors"  and  Item  7  "Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial 
Condition and Results of Operations.”

Traditional Reinsurance

Traditional  reinsurance  includes  individual  and  group  life  and  health,  disability,  long-term  care  and  critical  illness 

reinsurance. 

• Life reinsurance primarily refers to reinsurance of individual or group-issued term, whole life, universal life, and joint 

and last survivor insurance policies. 

• Health and disability reinsurance primarily refers to reinsurance of individual or group health policies. 

• Long-term  care  reinsurance  provides  benefits  in  the  event  a  person  is  no  longer  able  to  perform  some  specified 

activities of daily living.  

• Critical illness reinsurance provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness.

Traditional  reinsurance  is  written  on  a  facultative  or  automatic  treaty  basis.  Facultative  reinsurance  is  individually 
underwritten  by  the  reinsurer  for  each  policy  to  be  reinsured,  with  the  pricing  and  other  terms  established  based  upon  rates 

4

negotiated  in  advance.  Facultative  reinsurance  is  normally  purchased  by  ceding  companies  for  medically  impaired  lives, 
unusual risks, or liabilities in excess of the binding limits specified in their automatic reinsurance treaties.

An automatic reinsurance treaty provides that the ceding company will cede risks to a reinsurer on specified blocks of 
policies where the underlying policies meet the ceding company’s underwriting criteria. In contrast to facultative reinsurance, 
the reinsurer does not approve each individual policy being reinsured. Automatic reinsurance treaties generally provide that the 
reinsurer will be liable for a portion of the risk associated with the specified policies written by the ceding company. Automatic 
reinsurance treaties specify the ceding company’s binding limit, which is the maximum amount of risk on a given life that can 
be ceded automatically to the reinsurer and that the reinsurer must accept. The binding limit may be stated either as a multiple 
of the ceding company’s retention or as a stated dollar amount.

Facultative and automatic reinsurance may be written as yearly renewable term, coinsurance, modified coinsurance or 

coinsurance with funds withheld. 

•

•

Yearly renewable term treaty – The reinsurer assumes primarily the mortality or morbidity risk. 

Coinsurance arrangement – Depending upon the terms of the contract, the reinsurer may share in the risk of loss due to 
mortality or morbidity, lapses, and the investment risk, if any, inherent in the underlying policy.

• Modified coinsurance and coinsurance with funds withheld – Differ from coinsurance arrangements in that the assets 

supporting the reserves are retained by the ceding company.

Generally, the amount of life and health reinsurance ceded is stated on an excess or a quota share basis. Reinsurance 
on an excess basis covers amounts in excess of an agreed-upon retention limit. Retention limits vary by ceding company and 
also  may  vary  by  the  age  or  underwriting  classification  of  the  insured,  the  product,  and  other  factors.  Under  quota  share 
reinsurance, the ceding company states its retention in terms of a fixed percentage of the risk with the remainder to be ceded to 
one or more reinsurers up to the maximum binding limit.

Many reinsurance agreements include recapture rights that permit the ceding company to reassume all or a portion of 
the risk formerly ceded to the reinsurer after an agreed-upon period of time or in some cases due to deterioration in the financial 
condition  or  ratings  of  the  reinsurer.  Recapture  of  business  previously  ceded  does  not  affect  premiums  ceded  prior  to  the 
recapture of such business, but would reduce premiums in subsequent periods. The potential adverse effects of recapture rights 
are mitigated by the following factors: (i) recapture rights vary by treaty and the risk of recapture is a factor that is considered 
when pricing a reinsurance agreement; (ii) ceding companies generally may exercise their recapture rights only to the extent 
they have increased their retention limits for the reinsured policies; (iii) ceding companies generally must recapture all of the 
policies eligible for recapture under the agreement in a particular year if any are recaptured, which prevents a ceding company 
from  recapturing  only  the  most  profitable  policies;  and  (iv)  the  ceding  company  is  sometimes  required  to  pay  a  fee  to  the 
reinsurer upon recapture. In addition, when a ceding company recaptures reinsured policies, the reinsurer generally releases the 
reserves it maintained to support the recaptured portion of the policies.

Financial Solutions

Financial  solutions  include  longevity  reinsurance,  asset-intensive  reinsurance,  capital  solutions  and  stable  value 

products.  

Asset-Intensive Reinsurance

Asset-intensive  reinsurance  refers  to  transactions  with  a  significant  investment  component,  which  qualify  as 
reinsurance under U. S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Asset-intensive reinsurance allows the Company’s 
clients to manage their investment risk and available capital to pursue new growth opportunities.

An ongoing partnership with clients is important with asset-intensive reinsurance because of the active management 
involved  in  this  type  of  reinsurance.  This  active  management  includes  investment  decisions,  investment  and  claims 
management,  and  the  determination  of  non-guaranteed  elements.  Some  examples  of  asset-intensive  reinsurance  are:  fixed 
deferred  annuities,  immediate/payout  annuities,  indexed  annuities,  unit-linked  variable  annuities,  universal  life,  corporate-
owned life insurance and bank-owned life insurance, unit-linked variable life, immediate/payout annuities, whole life, disabled 
life reserves, and extended term insurance.

Longevity Reinsurance 

RGA’s  longevity  reinsurance  products  are  reinsurance  contracts  from  which  the  Company  earns  premium  for 
assuming  the  longevity  risk  of  pension  plans  and  other  annuity  products  that  have  been  insured  by  third  parties.  In  many 
countries,  companies  are  increasingly  interested  in  reducing  their  exposure  to  longevity  risk  related  to  employee  retirement 
benefits and individual annuities. This concern comes from both the absolute size of the risk and also through the volatility that 
changes in life expectancy can have on their reported earnings. In addition, insurance companies that offer lifetime annuities are 

5

 
 
seeking ways to manage their current exposure, while also recognizing the potential to take on more risk from employers and 
individuals. 

The Company has entered into transactions on existing longevity business for clients in the U.S., Europe and Canada. 
These have been arrangements with traditional insurance companies, as well as customized arrangements for banks dealing with 
pension schemes.

Stable Value Products

The Company provides guaranteed investment contracts to retirement plans that include investment-only, stable value 
wrap  products.  The  assets  are  owned  by  the  trustees  of  such  plans,  who  invest  the  assets  under  the  terms  of  investment 
guidelines to which the Company agrees. The contracts contain a guarantee of a minimum rate of return on participant balances 
supported  by  the  underlying  assets,  and  a  guarantee  of  liquidity  to  meet  certain  participant-initiated  plan  cash  flow 
requirements.

Capital Solutions

Capital solutions includes financial reinsurance and fee-based transactions which assist ceding companies in meeting 
applicable  regulatory  requirements  by  enhancing  the  ceding  companies’  financial  strength  and  regulatory  surplus  position. 
Financial reinsurance and fee-based transactions do not qualify as reinsurance under GAAP due to the remote-risk nature of the 
transactions and are reported in accordance with deposit accounting guidelines or other applicable accounting guidelines.

B.

Corporate Structure

As a holding company, RGA is separate and distinct from its subsidiaries and has no significant business operations of 
its own. Therefore, it relies on capital raising efforts, interest income on undeployed corporate investments and dividends from 
its insurance companies and other subsidiaries as the principal source of cash flow to meet its obligations, pay dividends and 
repurchase common stock. Information regarding the cash flow and liquidity needs of RGA may be found in Part II, Item 7, 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources.  
Regulation

The  following  table  provides  the  jurisdiction  of  the  regulatory  authority  for  RGA’s  primary  operating  and  captive 

subsidiaries:

Subsidiary

Regulatory Authority Jurisdiction

RGA Reinsurance Company (“RGA Reinsurance”)

Parkway Reinsurance Company (“Parkway Re”)

Rockwood Reinsurance Company (“Rockwood Re”)

Castlewood Reinsurance Company (“Castlewood Re”)

Chesterfield Reinsurance Company (“Chesterfield Re”)

Reinsurance Company of Missouri, Incorporated (“RCM”)

Timberlake Reinsurance Company II (“Timberlake Re”)

RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada (“RGA Canada”)
RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd. (“RGA Barbados”)

RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Americas”)

Manor Reinsurance, Ltd. (“Manor Re”)

RGA Atlantic Reinsurance Company Ltd. (“RGA Atlantic”)

RGA Worldwide Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Worldwide”)

RGA Global Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Global”)

RGA Reinsurance Company of Australia Limited (“RGA Australia”)

RGA International Reinsurance Company dac (“RGA International”)

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

Missouri

South Carolina

Canada

Barbados

Bermuda

Barbados

Barbados

Barbados

Bermuda

Australia

Ireland

RGA Reinsurance Company of South Africa, Limited (“RGA South Africa”)

Aurora National Life Assurance Company (“Aurora National”)

Omnilife Insurance Company, Limited

South Africa

California

United Kingdom

Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries are subject to regulations in the other jurisdictions in which they are licensed or 
authorized  to  do  business.  Insurance  laws  and  regulations,  among  other  things,  establish  minimum  capital  requirements  and 
limit the amount of dividends, distributions, and intercompany payments that affiliates can make without regulatory approval. 
Additionally,  insurance  laws  and  regulations  impose  restrictions  on  the  amounts  and  types  of  investments  that  insurance 
companies may hold. New capital standards (discussed below) are being developed and are likely to be applied to one or more 
of the Company’s subsidiaries to either require more capital and/or limit the extent to which some forms of existing capital may 
be counted in an evaluation of financial strength by its regulators.

6

U.S. Regulation

Insurance Regulation

The insurance laws and regulations, as well as the level of supervisory authority that may be exercised by the various 

state insurance departments, vary by jurisdiction. These laws and regulations generally: 

•

•

•

Grant broad powers to supervisory agencies or regulators to examine and supervise insurance companies and insurance 
holding companies with respect to every significant aspect of the conduct of the insurance business. This includes the 
power to pre-approve the execution or modification of contractual arrangements. 

Require  insurance  companies  to  meet  certain  solvency  standards  and  asset  tests,  to  maintain  minimum  standards  of 
financial strength and to file certain reports with regulatory authorities (including information concerning their capital 
structure, ownership and financial condition).  

Subject insurers to potential assessments for amounts paid by guarantee funds. 

RGA  Reinsurance,  Chesterfield  Re  and  RCM  are  subject  to  the  state  of  Missouri’s  adoption  of  the  National  Association  of 
Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) Model Audit Rule, which requires an insurer to have an annual audit by an independent 
certified public accountant, provide an annual management report of internal control over financial reporting, file the resulting 
reports with the Director of Insurance and maintain an audit committee. Aurora National is subject to similar regulation by the 
State of California.  

The  Insurance  Holding  Company  System  Regulatory  Acts  in  the  U.S.  permit  the  Missouri  regulator  to  request  and 
consider similar information in its regulation of the solvency of and capital standards for RGA Reinsurance, Chesterfield Re 
and  RCM.  In  addition,  the  California  regulator  is  permitted  to  request  and  consider  in  its  regulation  of  the  solvency  of  and 
capital standards for Aurora National, information about the operations of other subsidiaries of RGA and the extent to which 
contagion risk posed by those operations may also exist. 

In addition, RGA is subject to a supervisory college, conducted by its group supervisor the Missouri Department of 
Commerce and Insurance (“MDCI”).  The supervisory college is comprised of insurance regulators of the major jurisdictions in 
which  RGA  has  established  insurance  branches  and  subsidiaries.  Since  the  inception  of  the  supervisory  college  in  October 
2012,  the  MDCI  has  conducted  regular  in-person  supervisory  college  meetings  in  addition  to  numerous  regulator-only 
conference calls. These meetings bring about requests for information from RGA’s regulators as they monitor RGA’s solvency, 
governance and overall management.  While the supervisory college has the ability to impose limitations on the activities of the 
insurance subsidiaries of RGA, particularly since RGA has met the requirements to become an internationally active insurance 
group,  no  such  limitations  have  been  imposed  to  date.    The  existence  of  the  supervisory  college  generally  helps  RGA’s 
regulators understand its business to a greater degree and encourages a more global view by RGA of its own regulation.

RGA’s reinsurance subsidiaries are required to file statutory financial statements in each jurisdiction in which they are 
licensed and may be subject to onsite, periodic examinations by the insurance regulators of the jurisdictions in which each is 
licensed,  authorized,  or  accredited.  To  date,  none  of  the  regulators’  reports  related  to  the  Company’s  periodic  examinations 
have contained material adverse findings.

Although  some  of  the  rates  and  policy  terms  of  U.S.  direct  insurance  agreements  are  regulated  by  state  insurance 
departments, the rates, policy terms, and conditions of reinsurance agreements generally are not subject to regulation by any 
regulatory  authority,  which  is  also  true  outside  of  the  U.S.  In  the  U.S.,  however,  the  NAIC  Model  Law  on  Credit  for 
Reinsurance, which has been adopted in most states, imposes certain requirements for an insurer to take reserve credit for risk 
ceded to a reinsurer. Generally, the reinsurer is required to be licensed, accredited or certified in the insurer’s state of domicile, 
or post security for reserves transferred to the reinsurer in the form of letters of credit or assets placed in trust. A forthcoming 
alternative  will  allow  a  U.S.  domiciled  insurer  to  obtain  credit  for  the  reserves  it  cedes  to  what  will  be  termed  a  “reciprocal 
reinsurer.”  A reciprocal reinsurer is a reinsurer that is domiciled in a jurisdiction that observes the standards established in the 
U.S.-EU-Covered  Agreement  or  a  similar  bi-lateral  trade  agreement  dealing  with  reinsurance.  Insurers  ceding  business  to 
reciprocal reinsurers will be permitted to take reserve credit without the reinsurer having to establish security. The NAIC Life 
and  Health  Reinsurance  Agreements  Model  Regulation,  which  has  been  adopted  in  most  states,  imposes  additional 
requirements for insurers to claim reserve credit for reinsurance ceded (excluding yearly renewable term reinsurance and non-
proportional  reinsurance).  These  requirements  include  bona  fide  risk  transfer,  an  insolvency  clause,  written  agreements,  and 
filing of reinsurance agreements involving in force business, among other things. Outside of the U.S., rules for reinsurance and 
requirements for minimum risk transfer are less specific and are less likely to be published as rules, but nevertheless standards 
can be imposed to varying extents.

U.S.  Valuation  of  Life  Policies  Model  Regulation  (commonly  referred  to  as  Regulation  XXX),  implemented  in  the 
U.S. for various types of life insurance business, significantly increased the level of reserves that U.S. life insurance and life 
reinsurance companies must hold on their statutory financial statements for various types of life insurance business, primarily 

7

certain level premium term life products. The reserve levels required under Regulation XXX are normally in excess of reserves 
required  under  GAAP.  In  situations  where  primary  insurers  have  reinsured  business  to  reinsurers  that  are  unlicensed  and 
unaccredited in the U.S., the reinsurer must provide collateral equal to its reinsurance reserves in order for the ceding company 
to receive statutory financial statement credit. Reinsurers have historically utilized letters of credit for the benefit of the ceding 
company,  or  have  placed  assets  in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  the  ceding  company,  or  have  used  other  structures  as  the  primary 
forms of collateral. An exception to this requirement will soon exist for reinsurance ceded to reciprocal reinsurers.

RGA Reinsurance is the primary subsidiary of the Company subject to Regulation XXX. In order to manage the effect 
of  Regulation  XXX  on  its  statutory  financial  statements,  RGA  Reinsurance  has  retroceded  a  majority  of  Regulation  XXX 
reserves  to  unaffiliated  and  affiliated  unlicensed  reinsurers  and  special  purpose  reinsurers,  or  captives.  RGA  Reinsurance’s 
statutory  capital  may  be  significantly  reduced  if  the  unaffiliated  or  affiliated  reinsurer  is  unable  to  provide  the  required 
collateral to support RGA Reinsurance’s statutory reserve credits and RGA Reinsurance cannot find an alternative source for 
the collateral. The NAIC has requirements for life insurers using special purpose reinsurers.  While RGA Reinsurance’s reserve 
financing  arrangements  using  special  purpose  reinsurers  or  “captive  reinsurers”  are  permitted,  the  rules  place  limitations  on 
RGA  Reinsurance’s  ability  to  utilize  captive  reinsurers  to  finance  reserve  growth  related  to  future  business.  Such  limitations 
have  caused  the  Company  to  utilize  alternative  retrocession  strategies,  primarily  involving  the  use  of  a  certified  reinsurer  as 
discussed below.

Based on the growth of the Company’s business and the pattern of reserve levels under Regulation XXX associated 
with term life business and other statutory reserve requirements, the amount of ceded reserve credits is expected to grow, albeit, 
with the implementation of principles-based reserves in the U.S. growth is expected at slower rates than in the immediate past. 
This growth will require the Company to obtain additional letters of credit, put additional assets in trust, or utilize other funding 
mechanisms to support reserve credits. If the Company is unable to support the reserve credits, the regulatory capital levels of 
several of its subsidiaries may be significantly reduced, while the regulatory capital requirements for these subsidiaries would 
not  change.  The  reduction  in  regulatory  capital  could  affect  the  Company’s  ability  to  write  new  business  and  retain  existing 
business.

Affiliated  captives  are  commonly  used  in  the  insurance  industry  to  help  manage  statutory  reserve  and  collateral 
requirements  and  are  often  domiciled  in  the  same  state  as  the  insurance  company  that  sponsors  the  captive.  The  NAIC  has 
analyzed  the  insurance  industry’s  use  of  affiliated  captive  reinsurers  to  satisfy  certain  reserve  requirements  and  has  adopted 
measures to promote uniformity in both the approval and supervision of such reinsurers. Current standards addressing the use of 
captive reinsurers allow captives organized prior to 2016 to continue in accordance with their currently approved plans.  State 
insurance regulators that regulate the Company’s domestic insurance companies have placed additional restrictions on the use 
of newly established captive reinsurers, which may increase costs and add complexity.  As a result, the Company may need to 
alter the type and volume of business it reinsures, increase prices on those products, raise additional capital to support higher 
regulatory reserves or implement higher cost strategies.

In the U.S., the introduction of the certified reinsurer has provided an alternative way to manage regulatory reserves 
and  collateral  requirements.  In  2014,  RGA  Americas  was  designated  as  a  certified  reinsurer  by  the  MDCI.  This  designation 
allows the Company to retrocede business to RGA Americas in lieu of using captives for collateral requirements. Beginning in 
2017,  the  NAIC  approved  principles-based  reserving  for  U.S.  insurers;  however,  implementation  required  approval  by  the 
states.  To achieve this, the NAIC amended the standard valuation law to adopt life principles-based reserving (PBR) that was 
effective January 1, 2017, allowing a three-year adoption period. The Company adopted PBR in 2020, and PBR reserves are 
determined based on the terms of the reinsurance agreement which may differ from those of the direct policies. The Company 
has chosen not to establish captives subject to the new regulations as it evaluates the impact of the regulations on new captives, 
and how these new captives fit into the Company’s overall risk management and financing programs.

Reinsurers  may  place  assets  in  trust  to  satisfy  collateral  requirements  for  certain  treaties.  In  addition,  the  Company 
holds securities in trust to satisfy collateral requirements under certain third-party reinsurance treaties. Under certain conditions 
in some treaties, the Company may be obligated to move reinsurance from one subsidiary of RGA to another subsidiary, post 
additional  collateral  for  the  ceding  insurer  or  allow  the  ceding  insurer  to  cancel  the  reinsurance.  These  conditions  include 
change  in  control,  level  of  capital  or  ratings  of  the  subsidiary,  insolvency,  nonperformance  under  a  treaty,  or  loss  of  the 
subsidiary’s reinsurance license. If the Company is ever required to perform under these obligations, the risk to the consolidated 
company  under  the  reinsurance  treaties  would  not  change;  however,  additional  capital  may  be  required  due  to  the  change  in 
jurisdiction  of  the  subsidiary  reinsuring  the  business  and  may  create  a  strain  on  liquidity,  possibly  causing  a  reduction  in 
dividend payments or hampering the Company’s ability to write new business or retain existing business. In the event that a 
treaty is terminated, the future profits related to the terminated treaty may be lost.

RGA Reinsurance, Chesterfield Re, Parkway Re, Rockwood Re, Castlewood Re and RCM prepare statutory financial 
statements in conformity with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the State of Missouri. Timberlake Re prepares 
statutory financial statements in conformity with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the State of South Carolina.  
Aurora National prepares its statutory financial statements in conformity with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by 

8

 
the State of California.  Each of these states require domestic insurance companies to prepare their statutory financial statements 
in accordance with the NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures manual subject to any deviations permitted by each state’s 
insurance  commissioner.  The  Company’s  non-U.S.  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  the  regulations  and  reporting  requirements  of 
their respective countries of domicile. 

Capital Requirements

Risk-Based Capital (“RBC”) guidelines promulgated by the NAIC are applicable to RGA Reinsurance, RCM, Aurora 
National,  and  Chesterfield  Re,  and  identify  minimum  capital  requirements  based  upon  business  levels  and  asset  mix.  These 
subsidiaries maintain capital levels in excess of the amounts required by the applicable guidelines. Timberlake Re, Parkway Re, 
Rockwood Re and Castlewood Re’s capital requirements are determined solely by their licensing orders issued by their states of 
domicile. Pursuant to its licensing order issued by the South Carolina Department of Insurance, Timberlake Re only calculates 
RBC as a means of demonstrating its ability to pay principal and interest on its surplus note issued to Timberlake Financial, 
L.L.C. (“Timberlake Financial”). It is not otherwise subject to the RBC guidelines. Similarly, Parkway Re, Rockwood Re and 
Castlewood Re are not subject to the requirements of the NAIC’s RBC guidelines. A decline in the RBC of one or more of the 
Company’s U.S. insurers can cause the appearance of less capitalization in its U.S. insurers, individually, or when considered as 
a group.  

While the NAIC is still developing its group capital calculation and has not yet articulated the ways in which it intends 
U.S. states to use the calculation, the calculation is expected to be used to assess the adequacy of capital within an insurance 
group domiciled in the U.S., particularly for groups such as RGA that are designated an Internationally Active Insurance Group 
(“IAIG”) by the group supervisor. The Company cannot currently predict the effect that any proposed or future group capital 
standard will have on its financial condition or operations or the financial condition or operations of its subsidiaries.

Regulations  in  international  jurisdictions  also  require  certain  minimum  capital  levels,  and  subject  the  companies 
operating in such jurisdictions, to oversight by the applicable regulatory bodies. RGA’s subsidiaries meet the minimum capital 
requirements  in  their  respective  jurisdictions.  The  International  Association  of  Insurance  Supervisors  continues  work  on  its 
insurance capital standard.  While the insurance capital standard is a model for capital standards and not a standard that must be 
followed on its own in any jurisdiction, it is likely to influence capital requirements for insurers around the world and may lead 
to a need for additional capital in one or more of RGA’s subsidiaries.  The Company cannot predict the effect that any proposed 
or future legislation or rulemaking in the countries in which it operates may have on the financial condition or operations of the 
Company or its subsidiaries.

Insurance Holding Company Regulations

RGA Reinsurance, Chesterfield Re, Parkway Re, Rockwood Re, Castlewood Re and RCM are subject to regulation 
under  the  insurance  and  insurance  holding  company  statutes  of  Missouri.  Aurora  National  is  subject  to  regulation  under  the 
insurance  and  insurance  holding  company  statutes  of  California.  These  insurance  holding  company  laws  and  regulations 
generally require insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries of insurance holding companies to register and file with the home state 
regulator  certain  reports  describing,  among  other  information,  capital  structure,  ownership,  financial  condition,  certain 
intercompany  transactions,  and  general  business  operations.  The  insurance  holding  company  statutes  and  regulations  also 
require prior approval of, or in certain circumstances, prior notice to the home state regulator of, certain material intercompany 
transfers of assets, as well as certain transactions between insurance companies, their parent companies and affiliates.

Under current Missouri and California insurance laws and regulations, no person may acquire any voting security or 
security convertible into a voting security of an insurance holding company, such as RGA, if as a result of the acquisition such 
person would “control” the insurance holding company. “Control” is presumed to exist under Missouri and California law if a 
person directly or indirectly owns or controls 10% or more of the voting securities of another person. Changes in control of an 
insurer  are  not  permitted  under  the  laws  of  these  states  unless:  (i)  certain  filings  are  made  with  the  home  state  regulator, 
(ii)  certain  requirements  are  met,  including  a  public  hearing,  and  (iii)  approval  or  exemption  is  granted  by  the  home  state 
regulator.  Additionally, revisions to the insurance holding company regulations of Missouri and California require increased 
disclosure to regulators of matters within the RGA group of companies.

Restrictions on Dividends and Distributions

Current  Missouri  law,  applicable  to  RCM  and  its  subsidiaries,  RGA  Reinsurance  and  Chesterfield  Re,  permits  the 
payment of dividends or distributions that together with dividends or distributions paid during the preceding twelve months do 
not exceed the greater of (i) 10% of statutory capital and surplus as of the preceding December 31, or (ii) statutory net gain 
from  operations  for  the  preceding  calendar  year.  Any  proposed  dividend  in  excess  of  this  amount  is  considered  an 
“extraordinary dividend” and may not be paid until it has been approved, or a 30-day waiting period has passed during which it 
has not been disapproved, by the Director of the MDCI. Additionally, dividends may be paid only to the extent the insurer has 
unassigned surplus (as opposed to contributed surplus). The regulatory limitations and other restrictions described herein could 
limit  the  Company’s  financial  flexibility  in  the  future  should  it  choose  to  or  need  to  use  subsidiary  dividends  as  a  funding 

9

 
source for its obligations.  See Note 11 – “Financial Condition and Net Income on a Statutory Basis – Significant Subsidiaries” 
in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the Company’s dividend restrictions.

The California Insurance Holding Company Act defines an extraordinary dividend consistent with the definition found 
in the Missouri Insurance Holding Company Act and imposes an identical restriction upon the ability of Aurora National to pay 
dividends  to  RGA  Reinsurance.    In  contrast  to  both  the  Missouri  and  the  California  Insurance  Holding  Company  Acts,  the 
NAIC  Model  Insurance  Holding  Company  System  Regulatory  Act  defines  an  extraordinary  dividend  as  a  dividend  or 
distribution that together with dividends or distributions paid during the preceding twelve months exceeds the lesser of (i) 10% 
of statutory capital and surplus as of the preceding December 31, or (ii) statutory net gain from operations for the preceding 
calendar year. The Company is unable to predict whether, when, or if, Missouri will enact a new regulation for extraordinary 
dividends.

Missouri  insurance  laws  and  regulations  also  require  that  the  statutory  surplus  of  Chesterfield  Re,  RCM  and  RGA 
Reinsurance following any dividend or distribution be reasonable in relation to their outstanding liabilities and adequate to meet 
their financial needs. The Director of the MDCI may call for a rescission of the payment of a dividend or distribution by these 
entities  that  would  cause  their  statutory  surplus  to  be  inadequate  under  the  standards  of  the  Missouri  insurance  regulations.  
California insurance laws and regulations impose the same restrictions on Aurora National as to the dividends or distributions 
that are made.

Pursuant  to  the  South  Carolina  Director  of  Insurance,  Timberlake  Re  may  declare  dividends  subject  to  a  minimum 
Total Adjusted Capital threshold, as defined by the NAIC’s RBC regulation. As of December 31, 2020, Timberlake Re met the 
minimum required threshold. Any dividends paid by Timberlake Re would be paid to Timberlake Financial, which in turn is 
subject to contractual limitations on the amount of dividends it can pay to RCM.

Dividend  payments  from  non-U.S.  operations  are  subject  to  similar  restrictions  established  by  local  regulators.  The 
non-U.S. regulatory regimes also commonly limit the dividend payments to the parent to a portion of the prior year’s statutory 
income, as determined by the local accounting principles. The regulators of the Company’s non-U.S. operations may also limit 
or  prohibit  profit  repatriations  or  other  transfers  of  funds  to  the  U.S.  if  such  transfers  are  deemed  to  be  detrimental  to  the 
solvency or financial strength of the non-U.S. operations, or for other reasons. Most of the non-U.S. operating subsidiaries are 
second tier subsidiaries that are owned by various non-U.S. holding companies. The capital and rating considerations applicable 
to the first tier subsidiaries may also impact the dividend flow to RGA.

Default or Liquidation

In  the  event  that  RGA  defaults  on  any  of  its  debt  or  other  obligations,  or  becomes  the  subject  of  bankruptcy, 
liquidation,  or  reorganization  proceedings,  the  creditors  and  stockholders  of  RGA  will  have  no  right  to  proceed  against  the 
assets  of  any  of  the  subsidiaries  of  RGA.  If  any  of  RGA’s  reinsurance  subsidiaries  were  to  be  liquidated  or  dissolved,  the 
liquidation or dissolution would be conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the appropriate governing body in 
the state or country of the subsidiary’s domicile. The creditors of any such reinsurance company, including, without limitation, 
holders of its reinsurance agreements and state guaranty associations (if applicable), would be entitled to payment in full from 
such assets before RGA, as a direct or indirect stockholder, would be entitled to receive any distributions or other payments 
from the remaining assets of the liquidated or dissolved subsidiary.

Federal Regulation

Since  the  2010  enactment  of  the  Dodd-Frank  Wall  Street  Reform  and  Consumer  Protection  Act,  there  has  been 
renewed  interest  by  the  U.S.  federal  government  in  the  manner  in  which  insurance  and  reinsurance  is  regulated.  Under  the 
Dodd-Frank Act, the Federal Insurance Office within the U.S. Treasury Department has negotiated a “covered agreement” with 
the  European  Union.  The  covered  agreement,  while  promoting  the  recognition  of  U.S.  state  insurance  regulators  as  group 
supervisors of U.S.-based global reinsurers such as RGA, also provides for an elimination of the collateral that reinsurers based 
in the European Union by 2022, and by NAIC’s anticipated extension of the rules, to those reinsurers based in Bermuda and 
Switzerland, the elimination of the collateral that reinsurers domiciled in those jurisdictions must currently post in favor of U.S. 
ceding insurers.  This agreement, coupled with new state credit for reinsurance laws, has the potential to lower the cost at which 
RGA Reinsurance’s competitors are able to provide reinsurance to U.S. insurers.  Additionally under the Dodd-Frank Act, one 
or more of RGA’s client ceding insurers domiciled in the U.S. may from time-to-time be designated for solvency supervision 
by the Federal Reserve.  

Insurers can be designated systemically important so as to warrant the imposition of an additional layer of regulation 
over  already  existing  state  regulation.  While  it  is  not  expected  that  any  RGA  entity  would  be  deemed  to  be  systemically 
important  and  become  subject  to  this  additional  scrutiny,  the  reinsurance  programs  RGA  maintains  with  the  insurers  so 
designated as systemically important are subject to scrutiny by the Federal Reserve. While no U.S. insurers or reinsurers are 
currently designated systemically important, it is possible that one or more of RGA’s clients will be given this designation in 
the future leading to additional scrutiny of those clients’ reinsurance programs by the Federal Reserve.  

10

 
 
With the potential regulation of some U.S. domiciled insurers by the U.S. government, it is possible that the scope of 
the federal government’s ability to regulate insurers and reinsurers will be expanded.  It is not possible to predict the effect of 
such decisions or changes in law on the operation of the Company, but the Dodd-Frank Act makes it more likely than in the 
past that insurance or reinsurance may be regulated at the federal level.  A shift in regulation from the state to the federal level 
may bring into question the continued validity of the McCarran-Ferguson Act, which exempts the “business of insurance” from 
most  federal  laws,  including  anti-trust  laws.  With  the  McCarran-Ferguson  Act  exemption  for  the  business  of  insurance,  a 
reinsurer may set rate, underwriting and claims handling standards for its ceding company clients to follow.

Environmental Considerations

Federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations apply to the Company’s ownership and operation of real 
property. Inherent in owning and operating real property are the risks of hidden environmental liabilities and the costs of any 
required clean-up. Under the laws of certain states, contamination of a property may give rise to a lien on the property to secure 
recovery  of  the  costs  of  clean-up.  In  several  states,  this  lien  has  priority  over  the  lien  of  an  existing  mortgage  against  such 
property.  In  addition,  in  some  states  and  under  the  federal  Comprehensive  Environmental  Response,  Compensation,  and 
Liability  Act  of  1980  (“CERCLA”),  the  Company  may  be  liable,  in  certain  circumstances,  as  an  “owner”  or  “operator,”  for 
costs of cleaning-up releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances at a property mortgaged to it. The Company also 
risks environmental liability when it forecloses on a property mortgaged to it, although federal legislation provides for a safe 
harbor  from  CERCLA  liability  for  secured  lenders  that  foreclose  and  sell  the  mortgaged  real  estate,  provided  that  certain 
requirements are met. However, there are circumstances in which actions taken could still expose the Company to CERCLA 
liability. Application of various other federal and state environmental laws could also result in the imposition of liability on the 
Company for costs associated with environmental hazards.

In  addition  to  conducting  an  environmental  assessment  while  underwriting  a  mortgage  loan,  the  Company  routinely 
conducts  environmental  assessments  prior  to  taking  title  to  real  estate  through  foreclosure  on  real  estate  collateralizing 
mortgages that it holds. Although unexpected environmental liabilities can always arise, the Company seeks to minimize this 
risk by undertaking these environmental assessments and complying with its internal procedures, and as a result, the Company 
believes that any costs associated with compliance with environmental laws and regulations or any clean-up of properties would 
not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.

International Regulation

RGA’s  international  insurance  operations  are  principally  regulated  by  insurance  regulatory  authorities  in  the 
jurisdictions  in  which  they  are  located  or  operate  branch  offices.    The  regulation  includes  minimum  capital,  solvency  and 
governance  requirements.  The  authority  of  RGA’s  international  operations  to  conduct  business  is  subject  to  licensing 
requirements,  inspections  and  approvals  and  these  authorizations  are  subject  to  modification  and  revocation.  Periodic 
examinations of the insurance company books and records, financial reporting requirements, risk management processes and 
governance procedures are among the techniques used by regulators to supervise RGA’s non-U.S. insurance businesses. The 
regulators of RGA’s non-U.S. insurance companies, and the California Department of Insurance are also invited to be part of 
the supervisory college held by the MDCI, RGA’s group supervisor.

The Company’s subsidiaries domiciled in Bermuda are subject to extensive regulation and supervision by the Bermuda 
Monetary  Authority  (“BMA”).    Such  regulation  includes  rules  regarding  privacy,  anti-money  laundering,  bank  secrecy,  anti-
corruption  and  foreign  asset  control  in  addition  to  insurance  regulation.  To  that  end,  the  BMA  has  broad  powers  to  regulate 
business activities of the Company’s Bermuda domiciled subsidiaries, mandate capital and surplus requirements, regulate trade 
and  claims  practices  and  require  strong  enterprise  risk  management  and  corporate  governance  activities.  The  Company’s 
subsidiaries  domiciled  in  Barbados  are  subject  to  regulation  and  supervision  by  the  Financial  Services  Commission  in 
Barbados.  Recently enacted economic substance requirements in Bermuda and Barbados may place additional requirements, 
including reporting requirements, on the Company’s subsidiaries domiciled in those countries in order to demonstrate purpose 
and governance of those entities and their operations to greater levels than required in the past.  

Much like the adoption of the Dodd-Frank Act in the U.S., regulators around the world continue to consider ways to 
avoid a recurrence of the causes of the 2008 – 2009 financial crisis.  A group leading this effort is the Financial Stability Board 
(“FSB”).  The FSB consists of representatives of national financial authorities of the G20 nations.  The G20 and the FSB and 
related  governmental  bodies  have  developed  proposals  to  address  issues  such  as  group  supervision,  capital  and  solvency 
standards, systemic economic risk and corporate governance, including executive compensation and many other related issues 
associated with the financial crisis.  At the direction of the FSB, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (“IAIS”) 
has developed a model framework for the supervision of Internationally Active Insurance Groups (“IAIG”) that contemplates 
“group-wide supervision” across national boundaries.  RGA now qualifies as an IAIG bringing about requirements for RGA to 
conduct  a  group-wide  risk  and  solvency  assessment  to  monitor  and  manage  its  overall  solvency.    At  this  time  RGA  cannot 
predict  what  additional  capital  requirements,  compliance  costs  or  other  burdens  these  requirements  would  impose  on  it,  if 
adopted  for  the  evaluation  of  a  U.S.-  domiciled  insurance  group.  There  is  also  the  potential  for  inconsistent  or  conflicting 

11

 
regulation of the RGA group of companies as lawmakers and regulators in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously pursue these 
initiatives.

Additionally,  RGA  International,  operating  in  the  European  Economic  Area  (“EEA”),  is  subject  to  the  Solvency  II 
measures  developed  by  the  European  Insurance  and  Occupational  Pensions  Authority  and  will  be  required  to  abide  by  the 
evolving risk management practices, capital standards and disclosure requirements of the Solvency II framework. Additionally, 
the  Company’s  clients  located  in  the  EEA  will  need  to  abide  by  these  standards  in  operating  their  insurance  businesses, 
including the management of their ceded reinsurance. Currently, insurers and reinsurers located in the EEA are operating under 
Solvency II. The Company expects Solvency II to have a significant influence on not only the regulation of solvency measures 
applied to insurers and reinsurers operating within the EEA, but the Company also expects the solvency regulation measures to 
influence  future  regulatory  structures  of  countries  outside  of  the  EEA,  including  Japan.  Influences  of  the  Solvency  II  –  type 
framework are already present in the insurance regulation of Bermuda and China and currently influence the solvency measures 
imposed upon RGA Global and RGA Americas.

As  a  result  of  the  2016  Brexit  referendum,  under  which  the  United  Kingdom  (“UK”)  exited  the  European  Union 
effective January 31, 2020, the regulatory approval of RGA International as a reinsurer of insurance business written by UK 
domiciled  insurers  remains  susceptible  to  termination  after  the  end  of  2020.  While  it  currently  appears  that  any  post  Brexit 
insurance regulation in the UK will permit the separate registration of RGA International as a branch in the UK, there exists 
questions  as  to  what  requirements  will  be  imposed  upon  reinsurers  domiciled  outside  of  the  UK  after  implementation  of  the 
Brexit initiative.

New  and  proposed  restrictions  in  many  European  and  Asian  countries  on  RGA’s  ability  to  transfer  data  from  one 
country  to  another  also  threaten  to  make  its  operations  less  efficient.  In  Europe,  the  General  Data  Protection  Regulation 
(“GDPR”),  which  establishes  uniform  data  privacy  laws  across  the  European  Union  (“EU”)  is  effective  for  all  EU  member 
states and is extraterritorial in that it applies to EU entities, as well as entities established in the EU that offer goods or services 
to data subjects in the EU or monitor consumer behavior that takes place in the EU. The GDPR anticipates the processing of 
data for reinsurance and other purposes and applies standards and rules that covered entities must establish and monitor with 
respect to such processing and use.  Many of the  restrictions enacted by jurisdictions outside of the EU either do not anticipate 
the  processing  of  data  for  reinsurance  purposes  at  all  or  place  costly  restrictions  on  the  ability  of  a  reinsurer  to  service  its 
business by requiring processing to be done within the borders of the country in which the insured consumer resides.

Additionally,  some  countries  limit  the  amount  of  insurance  business  that  can  be  ceded  to  foreign  reinsurers. 
Requirements of this type are proposed from time-to-time in developing markets. These forced localization requirements have 
the impact of limiting the amount of reinsurance business RGA can conduct in those countries without the participation of a 
local reinsurer.

RGA expects the scope and extent of regulation outside of the U.S., as well as group regulatory oversight generally, to 

continue to increase.

Privacy and Cybersecurity Regulation

Various jurisdictions in which the Company’s subsidiaries and their clients operate have established laws protecting 
the privacy and handling of consumers’ private data. The area of cybersecurity has also come under increased scrutiny from 
insurance  regulators.  These  laws  and  regulations  vary  country  to  country  and  state  to  state,  but  they  generally  require  the 
establishment  of  programs  to  detect  and  prevent  unauthorized  access  to  personal  data  and  to  mitigate  theft  of  personal  data. 
They  also  may  require  the  Company,  among  other  things,  to  notify  client  insurers  or  individuals  of  any  security  breach 
involving protected data, and to provide individuals with the right to access personal data and with the right to be forgotten. 

In the U.S. the NAIC adopted the Insurance Data Security Model Law which establishes standards for data security 
and  for  the  investigation  of  and  notification  of  insurance  regulators  of  cybersecurity  events  involving  unauthorized  access  to 
certain  private  information  belonging  to  insureds.  To  date,  this  Model  Law  has  not  been  widely  adopted,  but  the  Company 
expects  further  adoption  in  the  future.  The  cybersecurity  regulation  in  New  York  is  applicable  to  many  of  the  Company’s 
clients, and it requires the Company to demonstrate the existence and soundness of its cybersecurity program to those clients. 
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) grants all California residents the right to know what information a 
business  has  collected  from  them  and  the  sourcing  and  sharing  of  that  information.  The  CCPA  also  gives  the  California 
consumer the right to have a business delete their personal information with some exceptions. The California restrictions, and 
related exceptions became effective on January 1, 2020. The Company expects that the exceptions will apply to a significant 
portion  of  its  business.  Laws  and  regulations  similar  to  the  New  York  cybersecurity  regulation  and  the  CCPA,  as  well  as 
measures similar to the NAIC’s Insurance Data Security Model Law are likely to be adopted by more U.S. states in the near 
future, if not by the U.S. federal government.

In addition, new and proposed privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations in many European and Asian countries 
restrict RGA’s ability to transfer data and impose other requirements on holders of data.  In Europe, the General Data Protection 

12

 
 
 
Regulation (“GDPR”), which establishes uniform data privacy laws across the European Union (“EU”) is effective for all EU 
member states and is extraterritorial in that it applies to EU entities, as well as entities established in the EU that offer goods or 
services  to  data  subjects  in  the  EU  or  monitor  consumer  behavior  that  takes  place  in  the  EU.  The  GDPR  anticipates  the 
processing of data for reinsurance and other purposes and applies standards and rules that covered entities must establish and 
monitor with respect to such processing and use. Many of the restrictions enacted by jurisdictions outside of the EU either do 
not anticipate the processing of data for reinsurance purposes at all or place costly restrictions on the ability of a reinsurer to 
service its business by requiring processing to be done within the borders of the country in which the insured consumer resides.

Ratings

Insurer  financial  strength  ratings,  sometimes  referred  to  as  claims  paying  ratings,  represent  the  opinions  of  rating 
agencies  regarding  the  financial  ability  of  an  insurance  company  to  meet  its  obligations  under  an  insurance  policy.  The 
Company’s insurer financial strength ratings as of the date of this filing are listed in the table below for each rating agency that 
meets with the Company’s management on a regular basis. As of the date of this filing, the Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) and 
A.M. Best Company (“A.M. Best”) ratings listed below are on stable outlook, and the Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) 
rating is on negative outlook.

Insurer Financial Strength Ratings
RGA Reinsurance Company

RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada
RGA International Reinsurance Company dac

RGA Global Reinsurance Company, Ltd.

RGA Reinsurance Company of Australia Limited

RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd.

RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd.

RGA Atlantic Reinsurance Company Ltd.

Omnilife Insurance Company Limited

A.M. Best (1)     Moody’s (2)    

A+

A+
Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

A+

A+

Not Rated

A1

Not Rated
Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

Not Rated

S&P (3)
AA-

AA-
AA-

AA-

AA-

AA-

AA-

Not Rated

A+

(1) An A.M. Best insurer financial strength rating of “A+” (superior) is the second highest out of sixteen possible ratings and is assigned to companies that 

have, in A.M. Best’s opinion, a superior ability to meet their ongoing insurance obligations.

(2) A  Moody’s  insurer  financial  strength  rating  of  “A1”  (good)  is  the  fifth  highest  rating  out  of  twenty-one  possible  ratings  and  indicates  that  Moody’s 
believes the insurance company offers good financial security; however, elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime 
in the future.

(3) A S&P insurer financial strength rating of “AA-” (very strong) is the fourth highest rating out of twenty-two possible ratings. According to S&P’s rating 
scale, a rating of “AA-” means that, in S&P’s opinion, the insurer has very strong financial security characteristics.  A S&P  insurer financial strength 
rating of “A+” (strong) is the fifth highest rating out of twenty-two possible ratings. According to S&P’s rating scale, a rating of “A+” means that, in 
S&P’s opinion, the insurer has strong financial security characteristics.

The ability to write reinsurance partially depends on a reinsurer’s financial condition and its financial strength ratings. 
These ratings are based on a company’s ability to pay policyholder obligations and are not directed toward the protection of 
investors.  A  ratings  downgrade  could  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  ability  to  compete.  See  Item  1A  –  “Risk  Factors”  for 
more on the potential effects of a ratings downgrade.

Underwriting

Automatic. The Company’s management determines whether to write automatic reinsurance business by considering 
many factors, including the types of risks to be covered; the ceding company’s retention limit and binding authority, product, 
and  pricing  assumptions;  and  the  ceding  company’s  underwriting  standards,  financial  strength  and  distribution  systems.  For 
automatic business, the Company ensures that the underwriting standards, procedures and guidelines of its ceding companies 
are priced appropriately and consistent with the Company’s expectations. To this end, the Company conducts periodic reviews 
of the ceding companies’ underwriting and claims personnel and procedures.

Facultative.  The  Company  has  developed  underwriting  policies,  procedures  and  standards  with  the  objective  of 
controlling  the  quality  of  business  written  as  well  as  its  pricing.  The  Company’s  underwriting  process  emphasizes  close 
collaboration  between  its  underwriting,  actuarial,  and  administration  departments.  Management  periodically  updates  these 
underwriting  policies,  procedures,  and  standards  to  account  for  changing  industry  conditions,  market  developments,  and 
changes occurring in the field of medical technology. These policies, procedures, and standards are documented in electronic 
underwriting manuals made available to all the Company’s underwriters. The Company regularly performs internal reviews of 
both its underwriters and underwriting process.

The Company’s management determines whether to accept facultative reinsurance business on a prospective insured 
by reviewing the application, medical information and other underwriting information appropriate to the age of the prospective 
insured and the face amount of the application. An assessment of medical and financial history follows with decisions based on 

13

underwriting knowledge, manual review and consultation with the Company’s medical directors as necessary. Many facultative 
applications involve individuals with multiple medical impairments, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, 
which require a complex underwriting/mortality assessment. The Company employs medical directors and medical consultants 
to assist its underwriters in making these assessments.

Pricing

The Company has pricing actuaries dedicated in every geographic market and in every product category who develop 
reinsurance  treaty  rates  following  the  Company’s  policies,  procedures  and  standards.  Biometric  assumptions  are  based 
primarily  on  the  Company’s  own  mortality,  morbidity  and  persistency  experience,  reflecting  industry  and  client-specific 
experience.  Economic  and  asset-related  pricing  assumptions  are  based  on  current  and  long-term  market  conditions  and  are 
developed by actuarial and investment personnel with appropriate experience and expertise.  The Company’s view of short- and 
long-term risks are reflected in pricing consistent with its internal capital model. For transactional business with material day-
one invested assets there is diligence on the expected asset portfolio that is reflected in the pricing assumption. For transactional 
business focusing on tail risk the Company has policies and procedures related to views on transaction-specific tail risk events. 
A transaction process ensures that the business reflects the input of internal areas of expertise in deal teams and has procedures 
for escalation based on the size and nature of the risks.  Management has established a high-level oversight of the processes and 
results  of  these  activities,  which  includes  peer  reviews  in  every  market  as  well  as  centralized  procedures  and  processes  for 
reviewing and auditing pricing activities.

Operations

The  Company’s  business  has  been  primarily  obtained  directly,  rather  than  through  brokers.  The  Company  has  an 

experienced sales and marketing staff that works to provide responsive service and maintain existing relationships.

The  Company’s  administration,  auditing,  valuation  and  finance  departments  are  responsible  for  treaty  compliance 
auditing,  financial  analysis  of  results,  generation  of  internal  management  reports,  and  periodic  audits  of  administrative  and 
underwriting practices. A significant effort is focused on periodic audits of administrative and underwriting practices, and treaty 
compliance of clients.

The Company’s claims departments review and verify reinsurance claims, obtain the information necessary to evaluate 
claims, and arrange for timely claims payments. Claims are subjected to a detailed review process to ensure that the risk was 
properly  ceded,  the  claim  complies  with  the  contract  provisions,  and  the  ceding  company  is  current  in  the  payment  of 
reinsurance premiums to the Company. In addition, the claims departments monitor both specific claims and the overall claims 
handling procedures of ceding companies.

Customer Base

The Company provides reinsurance products primarily to the largest life insurance companies in the world. In 2020, 
the Company’s five largest clients generated approximately $2.7 billion or 21.1% of the Company’s gross premiums and other 
revenues. In addition, 27 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $100 million or more, and 
the aggregate gross premiums and other revenues from these clients represented approximately 42.4% of the Company’s gross 
premiums and other revenues. No individual client generated 10% or more of the Company’s total gross premiums and other 
revenues.  For  the  purpose  of  this  disclosure,  companies  that  are  within  the  same  insurance  holding  company  structure  are 
combined.

Competition

New  reinsurance  opportunities  continue  to  be  highly  price  competitive;  however,  companies  that  consistently  win 
business are financially strong, provide flexible terms and conditions, have a positive reputation, deliver excellent service, and 
demonstrate  execution  certainty  and  a  long-term  commitment  to  the  business  underwritten.  The  Company’s  competition 
includes other reinsurance companies, providers of financial services, and private equity firms. The Company believes that its 
primary global reinsurance competitors are the following, or their affiliates: Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re, SCOR Global 
Re,  Athene,  Global  Atlantic,  Wilton  Re  and  Protective  Life.  In  addition,  the  Company  may  compete  with  Pacific  Life, 
Prudential  Financial,  and  Canada  Life  in  select  risk  acquisition.  Within  the  reinsurance  industry,  the  competitors  can  change 
from year to year and by region.

Human Capital Resources

The  Company’s  global  team  of  approximately  3,600  employees  as  of  December  31,  2020,  in  over  25  countries, 
consistently develops innovative solutions for its clients, delivers long-term returns for its investors, and creates a meaningful 
impact  in  the  communities  where  its  employees  live  and  work.  Driving  the  Company’s  success  is  a  shared  commitment  to 
pursuing work that matters, to serving an industry with a strong social mission, and to creating durable sustainable long-term 
value for all its stakeholders. 

14

 
The Company’s purpose has been especially evident while it protects the financial security of individuals and families 
affected  by  COVID-19.  Hundreds  of  millions  of  people  worldwide  rely  on  the  financial  protection  that  insurance  companies 
provide in times of uncertainty, and the Company remains committed to helping its clients fulfill the insurance industry’s noble 
purpose. 

Effects of COVID-19 on the Company’s Workforce

The Company responded to the pandemic with decisive and swift action. Over 95% of its global employees quickly 
became  remote  workers,  and  remote  working  in  several  geographies  will  continue  to  be  the  norm  for  at  least  part  of  2021. 
While where the Company’s employees work has changed, its employees continue to be committed and highly productive. 

Throughout  2020,  the  Company  increased  its  focus  on  the  physical  and  mental  well-being  of  its  employees.  The 
Company  created  and  implemented  its  Care  Strategy  to  ensure  a  sense  of  community  and  enhance  collaboration  among  its 
global  teams  while  working  remotely  and  social  distancing.  The  Company’s  Care  Strategy  addressed  many  diverse  topics 
affecting the Company’s employees including health and wellness (professionally and personally), how to work effectively in a 
virtual workplace, and how to manage dispersed teams.

The Company’s Culture

Work  at  the  Company  is  undertaken  in  a  culture  that  is  highly  collaborative,  which  encourages  innovation  and 
entrepreneurship  and  demands  the  highest  integrity.    The  Company’s  culture  of  combining  technical  expertise  with  curiosity 
and creativity in partnership with its clients defines the way the Company works internally and externally.

From  the  beginning,  the  Company  was  built  on  trust.  Nearly  50  years  later,  trusted  relationships  –  starting  with  the 
Company’s employees and extending to its clients, partners, and investors – remain the foundation of its success. In 2019, the 
company-wide  engagement  survey  demonstrated  employees’  trust  in  what  the  Company  does.  Trust  throughout  the  global 
workforce at the Company rated higher than 90% of the hundreds of other companies participating in the survey, which was 
conducted by a globally recognized workforce consulting firm. The Company honors its commitments to its employees, who in 
turn enable the Company to fulfill its commitments to its clients, shareholders, and society.

Overall, the Company’s employee engagement ranked in the top quartile globally, according to the 2019 survey. The 
Company’s  engagement  score  is  equal  when  seen  along  global  gender  lines.  The  engagement  score  for  U.S.  employees  in 
under-represented groups is within one percentage point of the Company’s overall average. Results from the global engagement 
survey,  together  with  high  employee  retention  rates,  highlight  the  commitment  of  the  Company’s  board  of  directors  and 
executive leadership team to the Company’s employees and the employees’ commitment to the Company.

Talent Attraction, Retention and Development

The Company must continue to attract, develop and retain exceptional talent in order to continue producing innovative 
solutions for its clients.  The Company seeks talent capable of combining logic with curiosity and who will live its values every 
day. The Company’s focus on employee retention has resulted in a three-year average annual voluntary attrition rate of 6.7% 
globally. The Company’s new-hire one-year total attrition rate is only 3%. 

The Company invests significant resources to ensure its employees continually learn and grow throughout all stages of 
their  careers  with  the  Company.  Technical  expertise  is  critical  to  the  Company’s  organization  and  a  focus  on  professional 
development is one of the pillars within its development philosophy. The Company couples this with development of effective 
interpersonal and leadership skills. The Company has crafted a suite of programs and workshops for individual contributors as 
well as for those in management and leadership roles. The Company also invests in international assignments, aimed at both 
developing the individual and enhancing the contribution to its businesses.

Compensation and Benefits and Pay Equity

The  Company  is  committed  to  fostering  a  culture  that  is  inclusive,  collaborative,  and  socially  responsible.  The 

Company is strengthened by its diverse workforce and recognizes that its employees are its greatest asset.

The  Company’s  compensation  programs,  comprised  of  salary  together  with  short  and  long-term  incentives,  strike  a 
balance between external market competitiveness and internal equity, balancing global consistency with local market variations. 
This balance is achieved through consistent application of program standards on a global basis, while targeting compensation at 
competitive levels in the markets where it competes for talent.

The Company’s benefit programs are designed to support and enhance its employees’ total reward package. Benefits 
are  aligned  with  local  market  practices  and  include  healthcare,  retirement  and  savings,  education  assistance,  flexible  work 
programs, employee assistance programs, wellness programs, and parental leave programs, amongst others.

The  Company  has  long  been  committed  to  ensuring  equal  pay  for  equal  work.  A  Company-wide  pay  equity  study, 
conducted by a third-party consultant, considered the average pay of females to males in comparable roles. The study analyzed 

15

 
the  pay  practices  of  all  U.S.  and  non-U.S.  employees  in  countries  with  more  than  50  employees  (representing  83%  of  the 
Company’s employees worldwide). The results concluded that women at the Company are paid 100.1% of what men are paid 
for  comparable  jobs.  In  addition,  in  the  U.S.,  when  using  the  same  methodology  of  comparable  roles,  the  average  non-
Caucasian to Caucasian pay ratio was 100.9%.

The Company is committed to 100% gender and racial pay equity, and will continue to review pay equity annually, 
and take action as required, to ensure its compensation program remains aligned with its commitment to diversity, equity, and 
inclusion. Ensuring the Company’s compensation practices are equitable is imperative to maintain the Company’s culture and 
to ensure fair treatment of its employees.  

Corporate Social Responsibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The  Company  believes  that  creating  long-term  value  for  its  stakeholders  implicitly  requires  enacting  and  executing 
sustainable  business  practices  and  strategies  that,  while  delivering  competitive  returns,  also  take  into  account  environmental, 
social  and  governance  ("ESG")  issues.  The  Company  strives  to  govern  in  a  sustainable  manner  that  recognizes  the  need  for 
strong governance, effective management systems and robust controls alongside its long-term operational goals and strategies. 
The  Company  understands  that  it  has  a  responsibility  to  monitor  and  control  its  ecological  and  societal  impact  and  adopt 
responsible  practices  on  ESG  issues  in  addition  to  its  obligations  regarding  corporate  strategy,  risks,  opportunities,  and 
performance.

The  Company  strives  to  cultivate  an  environment  in  which  diverse  experiences  and  perspectives  are  welcomed  and 
employees feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion topics. The Company’s diversity, equity, 
and inclusion initiatives are focused in four areas: (i) developing leadership capabilities to better enable an inclusive workplace; 
(ii) retaining and engaging its workforce; (iii) increasing diversity in the talent pipeline; and (iv) further embedding diversity, 
equity  and  inclusion  in  its  culture.  97%  of  the  Company’s  global  employees  have  undertaken  Everyday  (Unconscious)  Bias 
training.  The Company’s education and accountability initiatives are the foundation of its efforts to promote diversity, equity 
and inclusion.

The Company’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Councils proactively leverage diverse teams around the world and serve 
as  thought  leaders  for  the  Company  to  advance  diversity,  equity,  and  inclusion.  They  work  to  implement  the  Company’s 
diversity,  equity,  and  inclusion  strategy  and  policies  and  advise  on  the  Company’s  diversity  and  inclusion  needs  and  the 
progress of these initiatives globally. 

C.

Segments

The Company obtains substantially all of its revenues through reinsurance agreements that cover a portfolio of life and 
health insurance products, including term life, credit life, universal life, whole life, group life and health, joint and last survivor 
insurance, critical illness, disability, longevity as well as asset-intensive (e.g., annuities), financial reinsurance and other capital 
motivated solutions. Generally, the Company, through various subsidiaries, has provided reinsurance for mortality, morbidity, 
lapse  and  investment-related  risks  associated  with  such  products.  With  respect  to  asset-intensive  products,  the  Company  has 
also provided reinsurance for investment-related risks. 

Additional information regarding the operations of the Company’s segments and geographic operations is contained in 

Note 15 – “Segment Information” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

U.S. and Latin America Operations

The  U.S.  and  Latin  America  operations  market  traditional  life  and  health  reinsurance,  reinsurance  of  asset-intensive 
products, financial reinsurance and other capital motivated solutions, primarily to U.S. life insurance companies.  The U.S. and 
Latin America operations include business generated by its offices in the U.S., Mexico and Brazil. The offices in Mexico and 
Brazil provide services to clients in other Latin American countries.

Traditional Reinsurance

The U.S. and Latin America Traditional segment provides individual and group life and health reinsurance to domestic 
clients  for  a  variety  of  products  through  yearly  renewable  term  agreements,  coinsurance,  and  modified  coinsurance.  This 
business  has  been  accepted  under  many  different  rate  scales,  with  rates  often  tailored  to  suit  the  underlying  product  and  the 
needs of the ceding company. Premiums typically vary for smokers and non-smokers, males and females, and may include a 
preferred underwriting class discount. Reinsurance premiums are paid in accordance with the treaty, regardless of the premium 
mode for the underlying primary insurance. This business is made up of facultative and automatic treaty business. 

Automatic business is generated pursuant to treaties that generally require the underlying policies to meet the ceding 
company’s  underwriting  criteria,  although  in  certain  cases  such  policies  may  be  rated  substandard.  In  contrast  to  facultative 
reinsurance, reinsurers do not engage in underwriting assessments of each risk assumed through an automatic treaty.

16

As the Company does not apply its underwriting standards to each policy ceded to it under automatic treaties, the U.S. 
and Latin America operations generally require ceding companies to retain a portion of the business written on an automatic 
basis, thereby increasing the ceding companies’ incentives to underwrite risks with due care and, when appropriate, to contest 
claims diligently.

The  U.S.  and  Latin  America  facultative  reinsurance  operation  involves  the  assessment  of  the  risks  inherent  in 
(i)  multiple  impairments,  such  as  heart  disease,  high  blood  pressure,  and  diabetes;  (ii)  cases  involving  large  policy  face 
amounts;  and  (iii)  financial  risk  cases  (i.e.  cases  involving  policies  disproportionately  large  in  relation  to  the  financial 
characteristics of the proposed insured).  The U.S. and Latin America operations’ marketing efforts have focused on developing 
facultative  relationships  with  client  companies  because  management  believes  facultative  reinsurance  represents  a  substantial 
segment of the reinsurance activity of many large insurance companies and also serves as an effective means of expanding the 
U.S. and Latin America operations’ automatic business. 

Only  a  portion  of  approved  facultative  applications  ultimately  result  in  reinsurance,  as  applicants  for  impaired  risk 
policies often submit applications to several primary insurers, which in turn seek facultative reinsurance from several reinsurers. 
Ultimately, only one insurance company and one reinsurer are likely to obtain the business. The Company tracks the percentage 
of declined and placed facultative applications on a client-by-client basis and generally works with clients to seek to maintain 
such percentages at levels deemed acceptable. As the Company applies its underwriting standards to each application submitted 
to  it  facultatively,  it  generally  does  not  require  ceding  companies  to  retain  a  portion  of  the  underlying  risk  when  business  is 
written on a facultative basis.

In addition, several of the Company’s U.S. and Latin America clients have purchased life insurance policies insuring 
the  lives  of  their  executives.  These  policies  have  generally  been  issued  to  fund  deferred  compensation  plans  and  have  been 
reinsured with the Company. 

Financial Solutions – Asset-Intensive Reinsurance

The  Company’s  U.S.  and  Latin  America  Asset-Intensive  operations  primarily  concentrate  on  the  investment  risk 
within  underlying  annuities  and  other  investment  oriented  products.  These  reinsurance  agreements  are  mostly  structured  as 
coinsurance, with some on a coinsurance with funds withheld, or modified coinsurance of primarily investment risk such that 
the Company recognizes profits or losses primarily from the spread between the investment earnings and amounts credited on 
the underlying contract liabilities. 

The Company also provides guaranteed investment contracts to retirement plans that include investment-only, stable 
value wrap products. The assets are owned by the trustees of such plans, who invest the assets under the terms of investment 
guidelines to which the Company agrees. The contracts contain a guarantee of a minimum rate of return on participant balances 
supported  by  the  underlying  assets,  and  a  guarantee  of  liquidity  to  meet  certain  participant-initiated  plan  cash  flow 
requirements.

The  Company  primarily  targets  highly  rated,  financially  secure  companies  as  clients  for  asset-intensive  business. 
These  companies  may  wish  to  limit  their  own  exposure  to  certain  products  or  blocks  of  business.  Ongoing  asset/liability 
analysis  is  required  for  the  management  of  asset-intensive  business.  The  Company’s  analysis  is  a  cross  discipline  analysis 
between  the  Company’s  underwriting,  actuarial,  investment  and  other  departments  throughout  the  organization  and  is 
completed in conjunction with an asset/liability analysis performed by the ceding companies.

Financial Solutions – Capital Solutions

The Company’s U.S. and Latin America Capital Solutions operations assist ceding companies in meeting applicable 
regulatory  requirements  while  enhancing  their  financial  strength  and  regulatory  surplus  position.  The  Company  assumes 
regulatory insurance liabilities from the ceding companies. In addition, the Company has committed to provide statutory reserve 
or asset support to third parties by funding loans or assuming real estate leases if certain defined events occur.  Generally, such 
amounts  are  offset  by  receivables  from  ceding  companies  that  are  repaid  by  the  future  regulatory  profits  from  the  reinsured 
block of business. The Company structures its financial reinsurance and other capital solution transactions so that the projected 
future profits of the underlying reinsured business significantly exceed the amount of regulatory surplus provided to the ceding 
company.

The Company primarily targets highly rated insurance companies for capital solutions business.  A careful analysis is 
performed before providing any regulatory surplus enhancement to the ceding company. This analysis is intended to ensure that 
the Company understands the risks of the underlying insurance product and that the transaction has a high likelihood of being 
repaid through the future regulatory profits of the underlying business. If the future regulatory profits of the business are not 
sufficient to repay the Company or if the ceding company becomes financially distressed and is unable to make payments under 
the treaty, the Company may incur losses. A staff of actuaries and accountants track experience for each treaty on a quarterly 
basis in comparison to models of expected results.

17

Customer Base

The U.S. and Latin America operations market life reinsurance and financial solutions primarily to U.S. life insurance 
companies.  The treaties underlying this business generally are terminable by either party on 90 days written notice, but only 
with respect to future new business. Existing business generally is not terminable, unless the underlying policies terminate or 
are  recaptured.  In  2020,  the  five  largest  clients  generated  approximately  $1.8  billion  or  27.8%  of  U.S.  and  Latin  America 
operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. In addition, 51 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other 
revenues of $20 million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums from these clients represented approximately 65.6% of U.S. 
and Latin America operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within 
the same insurance holding company structure are combined.

Canada Operations

The  Company  operates  in  Canada  primarily  through  RGA  Canada.  RGA  Canada  employs  its  own  underwriting, 

actuarial, claims, pricing, accounting, systems, marketing and administrative staff in offices located in Montreal and Toronto.

Traditional Reinsurance

RGA Canada assists clients with capital management and mortality and morbidity risk management and is primarily 
engaged  in  individual  life  reinsurance,  and  to  a  lesser  extent  creditor,  group  life  and  health,  critical  illness  and  disability 
reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements.  Creditor insurance covers the outstanding balance on 
personal, mortgage or commercial loans in the event of death, disability or critical illness and is generally shorter in duration 
than individual life insurance.

The  business  is  generally  composed  of  facultative  and  automatic  treaty  business.    Automatic  business  is  generated 
pursuant to treaties that generally require the underlying policies to meet the ceding company’s underwriting criteria, although 
in  certain  cases  such  policies  may  be  rated  substandard.  In  contrast  to  facultative  reinsurance,  reinsurers  do  not  engage  in 
underwriting assessments of each risk assumed through an automatic treaty.

RGA Canada generally requires ceding companies to retain a portion of the business written on an automatic basis, 
thereby increasing the ceding companies’ incentives to underwrite risks with due care and, when appropriate, to contest claims 
diligently.

Facultative reinsurance involves the assessment of the risks from a medical and financial perspective. RGA Canada is 

recognized as a leader in facultative reinsurance, and this has served to maintain a strong market share on automatic business.

RGA Canada supports over half the companies active in the living benefits and group insurance markets.  Solid claims 

management expertise and innovative product development capabilities support a growing share of these markets.

Financial Solutions 

The  Company’s  Canada  Financial  Solutions  operations  primarily  concentrates  on  the  investment  and  longevity  risk 
within  underlying  annuities  and  other  investment  oriented  products.  These  reinsurance  agreements  are  mostly  structured  as 
coinsurance, with some on a coinsurance with funds withheld, or modified coinsurance of primarily investment risk such that 
the Company recognizes profits or losses primarily from the spread between the investment earnings and amounts credited on 
the  underlying  contract  liabilities.  Canada’s  Financial  Solutions  operations  also  provide  capital  solutions  to  assist  ceding 
companies in meeting applicable regulatory requirements while enhancing their financial strength and regulatory position.

The  Company  primarily  targets  highly  rated,  financially  secure  companies  as  clients  for  its  financial  solutions 
business.  These  companies  may  wish  to  limit  their  own  exposure  to  certain  products  or  blocks  of  business.  Ongoing  asset/
liability  analysis  is  required  for  the  management  of  asset-intensive  business.  The  Company’s  analysis  is  a  cross  discipline 
analysis between the Company’s underwriting, actuarial, investment and other departments throughout the organization and is 
completed in conjunction with an asset/liability analysis performed by the ceding companies.

Customer Base

Clients include most of the life insurers in Canada, although the number of life insurers is much smaller compared to 
the U.S. In 2020, the five largest clients generated approximately $721 million or 60.1% of Canada operation’s gross premiums 
and other revenues. In addition, 11 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $20 million or 
more,  and  the  aggregate  gross  premiums  and  other  revenues  from  these  clients  represented  approximately  35.3%  of  Canada 
operation’s  gross  premiums  and  other  revenues.  For  the  purpose  of  this  disclosure,  companies  that  are  within  the  same 
insurance holding company structure are combined.

18

Europe, Middle East and Africa Operations

The Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) operations serve clients from subsidiaries, licensed branch offices and/
or representative offices primarily located in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Middle East, the Netherlands, Poland, South 
Africa, Spain and the UK.  EMEA’s office in the Middle East is located in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”).

EMEA’s operations in the UK, Continental Europe, South Africa and the Middle East employ their own underwriting, 
actuarial,  claims,  pricing,  accounting,  marketing  and  administration  staffs  with  additional  support  services  provided  by  the 
Company’s staff in the U.S. and Canada.

Traditional Reinsurance

The  principal  types  of  reinsurance  for  this  segment  include  individual  and  group  life  and  health,  critical  illness, 
disability  and  underwritten  annuities.  Traditional  reinsurance  in  the  UK,  South  Africa,  Italy  and  Germany  consists 
predominantly of long term contracts, which are not terminable for existing risk without recapture or natural expiry, whereas in 
other markets within the region contracts are predominantly short term, renewing annually. 

Financial Solutions

The  Company’s  EMEA  Financial  Solutions  segment  includes  longevity,  asset-intensive  and  financial  reinsurance.  
Longevity  reinsurance  takes  the  form  of  closed  block  annuity  reinsurance  and  longevity  swap  structures.  Asset-intensive 
business  for  this  segment  consists  of  coinsurance  of  payout  annuities.  Financial  reinsurance  assists  ceding  companies  in 
meeting  applicable  regulatory  requirements  while  enhancing  their  financial  strength.    These  transactions  do  not  qualify  as 
reinsurance under U.S. GAAP, due to the low risk nature of transactions and are reported in accordance with deposit accounting 
guidelines.  

Customer Base

In 2020, the five largest clients generated approximately $910 million or 45.0% of EMEA operation’s gross premiums 
and other revenues.  In addition, 20 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $20 million or 
more,  and  the  aggregate  gross  premiums  and  other  revenues  from  these  clients  represented  approximately  37.6%  of  EMEA 
operation’s  gross  premiums  and  other  revenues.  For  the  purpose  of  this  disclosure,  companies  that  are  within  the  same 
insurance holding company structure are combined.

Asia Pacific Operations

The  Asia  Pacific  operations  serve  clients  from  subsidiaries,  licensed  branch  offices  and/or  representative  offices  in 

Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. 

The Asian offices provide full reinsurance services with additional support services provided by the Company’s staff 
in  the  U.S.  and  Canada.    In  addition,  a  regional  team  based  in  Hong  Kong  has  been  established  in  recent  years  to  provide 
support  to  the  Asian  offices  to  accommodate  business  growth  in  the  region.  RGA  Australia  employs  its  own  underwriting, 
actuarial, claims, pricing, accounting, systems, marketing, and administration service.

Traditional Reinsurance

The  principal  types  of  reinsurance  for  this  segment  written  through  yearly  renewable  term  and  coinsurance  treaties 

include: 

•

•

•

•

Individual and group life and health, 

Critical illness, which provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of pre-defined critical illness

Disability, which provides income replacement benefits in the event the policyholder becomes disabled due to accident 
or illness

Superannuation  which 
the  Australian  government  mandated  compulsory  retirement  savings  program. 
Superannuation funds accumulate retirement funds for employees, and, in addition, typically offer life and disability 
insurance coverage. 

is 

Reinsurance  agreements  may  be  either  facultative  or  automatic  agreements  covering  primarily  individual  risks  and,  in  some 
markets, group risks. 

Financial Solutions

The Asia Pacific Financial Solutions segment includes financial reinsurance, asset-intensive and certain disability, and 
life  and  health  blocks  that  contain  material  investment  risks.  Financial  reinsurance  assists  ceding  companies  in  meeting 
applicable regulatory requirements while enhancing their financial strength.  These transactions do not qualify as reinsurance 
under GAAP, due to the remote risk nature of transactions and are reported in accordance with deposit accounting guidelines.  

19

Asset-intensive  business  for  this  segment  primarily  concentrates  on  the  investment  risk  within  underlying  annuities  and  life 
insurance  policies.    These  reinsurance  agreements  are  mostly  structured  to  take  on  investment  risk  such  that  the  Company 
recognizes  profits  or  losses  primarily  from  the  spread  between  the  investment  earnings  and  the  interest  credited  on  the 
underlying annuity contract liabilities. 

Customer Base

In  2020,  the  five  largest  clients  generated  approximately  $1.4  billion  or  46.9%  of  Asia  Pacific  operation’s  gross 
premiums and other revenues. In addition, 24 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $20 
million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums and other revenues from these clients represented approximately 38.2% of 
Asia Pacific operation’s gross premiums and other revenues.  For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within the 
same insurance holding company structure are combined.

Corporate and Other

Corporate  and  Other  revenues  primarily  include  investment  income  from  unallocated  invested  assets,  investment 
related gains and losses and service fees. Corporate and Other expenses consist of the offset to capital charges allocated to the 
operating  segments  within  the  policy  acquisition  costs  and  other  insurance  income  line  item,  unallocated  overhead  and 
executive  costs,  interest  expense  related  to  debt,  and  the  investment  income  and  expense  associated  with  the  Company’s 
collateral  finance  and  securitization  transactions  and  service  business  expenses.    Additionally,  Corporate  and  Other  includes 
results  from  certain  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  such  as  RGAx,  and  joint  ventures  that,  among  other  activities,  develop  and 
market  technology,  and  provide  consulting  and  outsourcing  solutions  for  the  insurance  and  reinsurance  industries.    The 
Company has increased its investment and expenditures in this area in an effort to both support its clients and accelerate the 
development  of  new  solutions  and  services  to  increase  customer  engagement  within  the  life  insurance  industry  and  hence 
generate new future revenue streams.

D.

Financial Information About Foreign Operations

The Company’s foreign operations are primarily in Canada, Asia Pacific, EMEA and Latin America. Revenue, income 
(loss) before income taxes, which include investment related gains (losses), interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and 
identifiable assets attributable to these geographic regions are identified in Note 15 – “Segment Information” in the Notes to 
Consolidated Financial Statements. Although there are risks inherent to foreign operations, such as currency fluctuations and 
restrictions on the movement of funds, as described in Item 1A – “Risk Factors”, the Company’s financial position and results 
of operations have not been materially adversely affected thereby to date.

E.

Available Information

Copies of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-
K, and amendments to those reports are available free of charge through the Company’s website (www.rgare.com) as soon as 
reasonably  practicable  after  the  Company  electronically  files  such  reports  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission 
(www.sec.gov). Information provided on such websites does not constitute part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

20

Item 1A.         RISK FACTORS

In the Risk Factors below, we refer to the Company as “we,” “us,” or “our.” Investing in our securities involves certain 
risks.  Any  of  the  following  risks  could  materially  adversely  affect  our  business,  financial  condition  or  results  of  operations. 
These risks are not exclusive, and additional risks to which we are subject include, but are not limited to, the factors mentioned 
under  “Cautionary  Note  Regarding  Forward-Looking  Statements”  in  Item  7  below  and  the  risks  of  our  businesses  described 
elsewhere  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K.  Many  of  these  risks  are  interrelated  and  occur  under  similar  business  and 
economic conditions, and the occurrence of certain of them may in turn cause the emergence, or exacerbate the effect, of others. 
Such  a  combination  could  materially  increase  the  severity  of  the  impact  on  our  business,  liquidity,  financial  condition  and 
results of operations.

Risks Related to COVID-19

Our business, results of operations and financial condition have been, and will likely continue to be, adversely affected 
by the COVID-19 pandemic and the response thereto.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased mortality rates in certain jurisdictions and populations. Additionally, 
the COVID-19 pandemic and the response thereto has caused significant disruption in the international and U.S. economies and 
financial markets and has severely impacted, and will likely continue to severely impact, global economic conditions, resulting 
in  substantial  volatility  in  the  global  financial  markets,  increased  unemployment  and  operational  challenges  such  as  the 
temporary closures of businesses, sheltering-in-place directives and increased remote work protocols. Governments and central 
banks around the world have reacted to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic by implementing stimulus and liquidity 
programs  and  cutting  interest  rates  and  are  considering  taking  similar  additional  actions,  though  it  is  unclear  whether  any  of 
these  actions  will  be  successful  in  countering  the  economic  disruption.  Depending  on  the  length  of  the  pandemic,  the 
availability, effectiveness and use of treatments and vaccines, and the extent and success of actions by governments and central 
banks, the adverse mortality rates and impact on the global economy may deepen, and our results of operations and financial 
condition  in  future  quarters  will  continue  to  be  adversely  affected.  The  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the  response  thereto  has 
adversely affected, and/or will likely adversely affect, us in the following areas:

Insurance  risks,  including  mortality  and  morbidity  claims.  At  this  time,  we  cannot  predict  the  ultimate  number  of 
claims  and  financial  impact  resulting  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the  response  thereto.  Actual  claims  and  financial 
impact  from  these  events  could  vary  materially  from  current  estimates  due  to  several  factors,  including  the  inherent 
uncertainties in making such determinations and the evolving nature of the pandemic and the availability, effectiveness and use 
of  treatments  and  vaccines.  Furthermore,  the  long-term  health  consequences  for  individuals  who  have  recovered  from 
COVID-19 and the related impact, if any, on mortality and morbidity are all unknown.	Mortality or morbidity experience that is 
less  favorable  than  the  assumptions  used  in  pricing  our  reinsurance  agreements,  as  a  result  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  or 
otherwise, has negatively impacted and in the future could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations. 
In addition, increased economic uncertainty and increased unemployment resulting from the economic impacts of the pandemic 
may  result  in  policyholders  seeking  sources  of  liquidity  and  withdrawing  at  rates  greater  than  previously  expected.  If 
policyholder lapse and surrender rates significantly exceed expectations, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, 
results of operations and financial condition.

Degradation of general economic conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic and the extraordinary measures put in place to 
address it have caused significant economic and financial turmoil both in the U.S. and around the world. These conditions are 
expected to continue in the near term and may worsen. Our results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and statutory 
capital position are materially affected by conditions in the global capital markets and economy generally. Depending on the 
length of the pandemic, the availability, effectiveness and use of treatments and vaccines, and the extent and success of actions 
by governments and central banks to counter the economic disruption, the adverse impact on the global economy may deepen, 
and our business, results of operations and financial condition will continue to be adversely affected. 

Investment results. Our investment portfolio (and, specifically, the valuations of investment assets we hold) has been, 
and may continue to be, adversely affected as a result of market developments from the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty 
regarding  its  outcome  and  related  impacts  on  the  economy.  Moreover,  changes  in  interest  rates,  reduced  liquidity  in  the 
financial markets or a continued slowdown in U.S. or global economic conditions have and in the future may also adversely 
affect  the  values  and  cash  flows  of  these  assets.  Our  corporate  fixed  income  portfolio  has  been  and  in  the  future  may  be 
adversely  impacted  by  delayed  principal  or  interest  payments,  ratings  downgrades,  increased  bankruptcies  and  credit  spread 
widening in distressed industries and individual companies. Our investments in mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities 
have been and in the future could be negatively affected by delays or failures of borrowers to make payments of principal and 
interest  when  due  or  delays  or  moratoriums  on  foreclosures  or  enforcement  actions  with  respect  to  delinquent  or  defaulted 
mortgages.  Further,  a  continued  low  interest  rate  environment,  including  as  a  result  of  market  developments  from 
the COVID-19 pandemic and the response thereto, would continue to put downward pressure on the average yield earned on 
our  investments,  negatively  impacting  our  investment  income  and  results  of  operations  in  the  future.  Market  dislocations, 

21

 
 
decreases in observable market activity or unavailability of information, in each case, arising from the pandemic, may restrict 
our  access  to  key  inputs  used  to  derive  certain  estimates  and  assumptions  made  in  connection  with  financial  reporting  or 
otherwise,  including  estimates  and  changes  in  long  term  macro-economic  assumptions  relating  to  accounting  for  current 
expected credit losses, more commonly referred to as “CECL.”

Capital, liquidity and collateral. The severe impact on global economic conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic 
and the response thereto has negatively impacted and in the future could negatively impact our financial condition, including 
possible constraints on our capital and liquidity, as well as a higher cost of capital and possible changes or downgrades to our 
credit  ratings.  The  current  disruptions,  uncertainty  and  volatility  in  the  capital  and  credit  markets  may  limit  our  access  to 
capital, and limit the availability of collateral, required to operate our business, most significantly our reinsurance operations. 
The  availability  of  collateral  and  the  related  cost  of  such  collateral  affects  the  type  and  volume  of  business  we  reinsure  and 
could increase our costs. 

Possible  ratings  downgrade.  A  downgrade  in  our  ratings  or  in  the  ratings  of  our  reinsurance  subsidiaries,  whether 
caused  by  company-specific  factors  or  factors  related  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  general  economic  conditions  and/or  the 
insurance industry could adversely affect us. A downgrade in the rating of RGA or any of our rated subsidiaries could increase 
our cost of capital and adversely affect our ability to raise capital to facilitate operations and growth. Upon certain downgrade 
events, some of our reinsurance contracts would either permit our client ceding insurers to terminate such reinsurance contracts 
or  require  us  to  post  collateral  to  secure  our  obligations  under  these  reinsurance  contracts,  either  of  which  could  negatively 
impact  our  ability  to  conduct  business  and  our  results  of  operations.  Any  downgrade  in  the  ratings  of  our  reinsurance 
subsidiaries  could  also  adversely  affect  their  ability  to  sell  products,  retain  existing  business  and  compete  for  attractive 
acquisition  opportunities.  Actions  taken  by  ratings  agencies,  including  as  a  result  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  the  response 
thereto  and  the  significant  economic  and  financial  turmoil  caused  thereby,  may  result  in  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
business, results of operations and financial condition.

Adverse  legislative  or  regulatory  action.  Government  actions,  both  in  the  U.S.  and  internationally,  to  address  and 
contain the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may adversely affect us. Such actions could result in additional regulation or 
restrictions  affecting  the  conduct  of  our  business  in  the  future.  For  example,  our  clients  may  be  subject  to  legislative  and 
regulatory action that impacts their ability to collect premiums or cancel policies, which may affect our clients’ performance 
under reinsurance agreements with us. It is also possible that changes in economic conditions and steps taken by governments 
in response to COVID-19 could require an increase in taxes, which would adversely impact our results of operations.

Premiums and other income. We expect the impact of COVID-19 on general economic activity to negatively impact 
our premiums, fee income and market-related revenues. The pandemic and government directives around the world responding 
thereto has negatively impacted and in the future may further negatively impact our ability to generate new business premiums 
and may delay our planned entry into, or expansion of, investments in new and emerging markets. 

Operations.  We  are  taking  precautions  to  protect  the  safety  and  well-being  of  our  employees,  service  providers  and 
clients. However, no assurance can be given that the steps being taken will be adequate or appropriate. Our operations could be 
disrupted  if  key  members  of  our  senior  management  or  a  significant  percentage  of  our  workforce,  or  the  workforce  of  our 
service  providers  or  clients,  are  unable  to  continue  to  work  because  of  illness,  government  directives  or  otherwise.  Having 
shifted  to  remote  work  arrangements,  we  may  experience  reductions  in  our  operating  effectiveness  and  face  increased 
operational  risk,  including  but  not  limited  to  cybersecurity  attacks  or  data  security  incidents.  In  addition,  we  rely  on  the 
performance  of  others,  including  our  insurance  company  clients,  retrocessionaires  and  service  providers,  and  their  failure  to 
perform in a satisfactory manner as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response thereto could negatively affect our 
operations

As a result of the above risks, COVID-19 and the response thereto could continue to materially and adversely impact 
our  business,  results  of  operation  and  financial  condition.    The  extent  to  which  COVID-19,  and  the  related  global  economic 
crisis, will affect our businesses, results of operations and financial condition, and capital and liquidity over time, will depend 
on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic and 
any  recovery  period,  the  availability,  effectiveness  and  use  of  treatments  and  vaccines,  future  actions  taken  by  governmental 
authorities,  central  banks  and  other  third  parties  in  response  to  the  pandemic,  and  the  effects  on  our  clients,  counterparties, 
employees  and  third-party  service  providers.  Moreover,  the  effects  of  COVID-19  and  the  response  thereto  will  heighten  the 
other risks described below and in any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form-10Q or Current Report on Form 8-K.

We utilize assumptions, estimates and models to evaluate the potential impact on our business, results of operations and 
financial condition as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response thereto. If actual events differ materially 
from those assumptions, estimates or models, our potential exposure to mortality claims and investment portfolio losses 
could be materially higher than those reflected in our capital plans, and our business, financial condition, and results of 
operations could be materially adversely affected.

22

 
 
 
 
 
We utilize assumptions, estimates and models to evaluate the potential impact on our business, results of operations 
and  financial  condition  as  a  result  of  COVID-19  and  the  response  thereto,  including  developing  scenarios  to  evaluate  our 
potential  exposure  to  mortality  claims,  potential  investment  portfolio  losses  and  other  risks  associated  with  our  assets  and 
liabilities. The scenarios and related analyses are subject to various assumptions, professional judgment, uncertainties and the 
inherent  limitations  of  any  statistical  analysis,  including  the  use  and  quality  of  historical  internal  and  industry  data. 
Consequently,  actual  losses  may  differ  materially  from  what  the  scenarios  may  illustrate.  This  potential  difference  could  be 
even greater for events with limited or no modeled annual frequency, such as COVID-19 and the response thereto.

More specifically, we evaluate our potential exposure to mortality claims by developing a range of scenarios involving 
assumptions and estimates relating to a number of variables, such as country-specific circumstances, measures by public and 
private institutions, impacts of COVID-19 on all other causes of death, the development and timing of effective treatments for 
COVID-19  and  the  effectiveness  and  adoption  of  vaccines  for  COVID-19,  comorbidities,  number  of  deaths  by  region  or 
country (and the variability thereof), the duration and pattern of the pandemic, geography-specific institutional and individual 
mitigation  efforts,  medical  capacity,  and  other  factors.  We  also  estimated  adjustments  to  reflect,  among  other  factors,  the 
favorable age distribution of our insured population and the better health profile and socio-economic status of insured lives as 
compared  to  the  general  population.  However,  a  number  of  other  factors  have  not  been  considered,  such  as  smoking  status, 
residential  population  density,  geography-specific  testing  and  interventions  and  their  effectiveness  or  geography,  culture  or 
other country-specific factors. Further, the scenarios do not consider impacts on morbidity claims. Each assumption, estimate or 
risk not included in the scenarios introduces uncertainty. We also evaluate potential losses from our investment portfolio due to 
the  pandemic  based  on  stress  scenarios  based  on  assumptions  and  estimates  relating  to  a  range  of  factors  that  are  subject  to 
significant uncertainties, including, among others, the magnitude and duration of the economic downturn, ratings downgrades, 
bankruptcies and credit spread widening. In addition, we may not achieve the earnings generation that we expect, and we may 
not be able to issue additional debt or access other capital management tools on terms satisfactory to us, or at all. Actual events 
may differ materially from those assumptions and estimates; consequently, we could incur losses exceeding those reflected in 
our scenarios and related analysis, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially adversely 
affected.

We  are  operating  in  an  unprecedented  period  of  uncertainty,  and  while  we  are  attempting  to  evaluate  how  the 
COVID-19 pandemic is impacting general population deaths, whether specifically attributed to COVID-19 or otherwise, and 
how  such  deaths  will  translate  into  mortality  claims  for  our  business  over  time,  we  are  unable  to  predict  the  number  of 
COVID-19 deaths that will ultimately occur worldwide, in any particular geography or in our insured population, or potential 
losses  in  our  investment  portfolio.  Further,  we  do  not  currently  have  enough  information  to  ascertain  the  likelihood  of  the 
assumptions  or  estimates  related  to  our  mortality  and  investment  loss  scenarios.  Accordingly,  any  of  our  scenarios  do  not 
represent forecasts or projections of actual future events or performance. They should not be construed as financial guidance, 
and should not be relied on as such.

As a result of the factors, uncertainties and contingencies described above, our reliance on assumptions, estimates and 
data used to evaluate our potential exposure to mortality claims and potential losses from our investment portfolio related to the 
COVID-19 pandemic are subject to a high degree of uncertainty that could result in actual losses that are materially different 
from  those  reflected  in  the  scenarios  used  to  develop  our  capital  plans,  and  our  business,  financial  condition,  and  results  of 
operations could be materially adversely affected.

Risks Related to Our Business

We  make  assumptions  when  pricing  our  products  relating  to  mortality,  morbidity,  lapsation,  investment  returns  and 
expenses,  and  significant  deviations  in  experience  could  negatively  affect  our  financial  condition  and  results  of 
operations.

Our  life  reinsurance  contracts  expose  us  to  mortality,  morbidity  and  lapse  risk.  Our  risk  analysis  and  underwriting 
processes are designed with the objective of controlling the quality of the business and establishing appropriate pricing for the 
risks we assume. Among other things, these processes rely heavily on our underwriting, our analysis of mortality, longevity and 
morbidity trends, lapse rates, expenses and our understanding of medical impairments and their effect on mortality, longevity or 
morbidity.

We  expect  mortality,  longevity,  morbidity  and  lapse  experience  to  fluctuate  somewhat  from  period  to  period,  but 
believe  they  should  remain  reasonably  predictable  over  a  period  of  many  years.  Mortality,  longevity,  morbidity  or  lapse 
experience that is less favorable than the rates that we used in pricing a reinsurance agreement may cause our net income to be 
less than otherwise expected because the premiums we receive for the risks we assume may not be sufficient to cover the claims 
and profit margin. Furthermore, even if the total benefits paid over the life of the contract do not exceed the expected amount, 
unexpected increases in the incidence of deaths or illness can cause us to pay more benefits in a given reporting period than 
expected, adversely affecting our net income in any particular reporting period. Likewise, adverse experience could impair our 
ability to offset certain unamortized deferred acquisition costs and adversely affect our net income in any particular reporting 
period. We perform annual tests to establish that deferred policy acquisition costs remain recoverable at all times. These tests 

23

 
 
 
 
 
require  us  to  make  a  significant  number  of  assumptions.  If  our  financial  performance  significantly  deteriorates  to  the  point 
where a premium deficiency exists, a cumulative charge to current operations will be recorded, which may adversely affect our 
net income in a particular reporting period.

We  regularly  review  our  reserves  and  associated  assumptions  as  part  of  our  ongoing  assessment  of  our  business 
performance and risks. If we conclude that our reserves are insufficient to cover actual or expected policy and contract benefits 
and  claim  payments  as  a  result  of  changes  in  experience,  assumptions  or  otherwise,  we  would  be  required  to  increase  our 
reserves and incur charges in the period in which we make the determination. The amounts of such increases may be significant 
and this could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and may require us to generate or 
fund additional capital in our businesses.

Our financial condition and results of operations may also be adversely affected if our actual investment returns and 
expenses  differ  from  our  pricing  and  reserve  assumptions.  Changes  in  economic  conditions  may  lead  to  changes  in  market 
interest rates or changes in our investment strategies, either of which could cause our actual investment returns and expenses to 
differ from our pricing and reserve assumptions.

Changes in accounting standards may adversely affect our reported results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with GAAP.  If we are required to adopt 
revised accounting standards in the future, it may adversely affect our reported results of operations and financial condition. For 
a  discussion  of  the  impact  of  accounting  pronouncements  issued  but  not  yet  implemented,  see  ”New  Accounting 
Pronouncements”  in  Note  2  -  “Significant  Accounting  Principles  and  Pronouncements”  in  the  Notes  to  the  Consolidated 
Financial Statements.  In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued guidance that will significantly change 
the accounting for long-duration insurance contracts. This guidance will become effective for the Company on January 1, 2023. 
We  are  still  evaluating  the  impact  this  guidance  will  have  on  our  consolidated  financial  statements,  but  it  could  negatively 
impact our reported profitability, financial position and financial ratios. In addition, the required adoption of new accounting 
standards may result in significant incremental costs associated with initial implementation and ongoing compliance.

Our reinsurance subsidiaries are highly regulated, and changes in these regulations could negatively affect our business.

Our  reinsurance  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  government  regulation  in  each  of  the  jurisdictions  in  which  they  are 
licensed or authorized to do business.  Governmental agencies have broad administrative power to regulate many aspects of the 
reinsurance business, which may include reinsurance terms and capital adequacy.  These agencies are concerned primarily with 
the  protection  of  policyholders  and  their  direct  insurers  rather  than  shareholders  or  holders  of  debt  securities  of  reinsurance 
companies.  Moreover, insurance laws and regulations, among other things, establish minimum capital requirements and limit 
the amount of dividends, tax distributions and other payments our reinsurance subsidiaries can make without prior regulatory 
approval, and impose restrictions on the amount and type of investments we may hold.  

We operate in the United States and in many jurisdictions around the world.  We are subject to the laws and insurance 
regulations  of  the  United  States.  Additionally,  a  substantial  portion  of  our  operations  occur  outside  of  the  U.S.  These 
international  businesses  are  subject  to  the  insurance,  tax  and  other  laws  and  regulations  in  the  countries  in  which  they  are 
organized and in which they operate. These laws and regulations may apply heightened scrutiny to non-domestic companies, 
which  can  adversely  affect  our  operations,  liquidity,  profitability  and  regulatory  capital.  Foreign  governments  and  regulatory 
bodies from time to time consider legislation and regulations that could subject us to new or different requirements and such 
changes could negatively impact our operations in the relevant jurisdictions.  See “Item 1.  Business – B. Corporate Structure - 
Regulation” for a summary of certain U.S. state and federal laws and foreign laws and regulations applicable to our business.  
Our  failure  to  comply  with  these  and  other  laws  and  regulations  could  subject  us  to  penalties  from  governmental  or  self-
regulatory  authorities,  costs  associated  with  remedying  any  such  failure  or  related  claims,  harm  to  our  business  relationships 
and  reputation,  or  interrupt  our  operations,  any  of  which  could  negatively  impact  our  financial  position  and  results  of 
operations.

A  downgrade  in  our  ratings  or  in  the  ratings  of  our  reinsurance  subsidiaries  could  adversely  affect  our  ability  to 
compete.

Our  financial  strength  and  credit  ratings  are  important  factors  in  our  competitive  position.  Rating  organizations 
periodically review the financial performance and condition of insurers, including our reinsurance subsidiaries. These ratings 
are  based  on  an  insurance  company’s  ability  to  pay  its  obligations  and  are  not  directed  toward  the  protection  of  investors. 
Rating  organizations  assign  ratings  based  upon  several  factors.  While  most  of  the  factors  considered  relate  to  the  rated 
company, some of the factors relate to general economic conditions and circumstances outside the rated company’s control. The 
various rating agencies periodically review and evaluate our capital adequacy in accordance with their established guidelines 
and capital models. In order to maintain our existing ratings, we may commit from time to time to manage our capital at levels 
commensurate with such guidelines and models. If our capital levels are insufficient to fulfill any such commitments, we could 
be  required  to  reduce  our  risk  profile  by,  for  example,  retroceding  some  of  our  business  or  by  raising  additional  capital  by 

24

 
 
 
 
 
 
issuing debt, hybrid or equity securities. Any such actions could have a material adverse impact on our earnings and financial 
condition or materially dilute our shareholders’ equity ownership interests.

Any downgrade in the ratings of our reinsurance subsidiaries could adversely affect their ability to sell products, retain 
existing  business,  and  compete  for  attractive  acquisition  opportunities.  The  ability  of  our  subsidiaries  to  write  reinsurance  is 
influenced by their ratings. Ratings are subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating organization. A 
rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities, and each rating should be evaluated independently of any other 
rating.

We  believe  that  the  rating  agencies  consider  the  financial  strength  and  flexibility  of  a  parent  company  and  its 
consolidated  operations  when  assigning  a  rating  to  a  particular  subsidiary  of  that  company.  A  downgrade  in  the  rating  or 
outlook of RGA, among other factors, could adversely affect our ability to raise and then contribute capital to our subsidiaries 
for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  their  operations  and  growth.  A  downgrade  could  also  increase  our  own  cost  of  capital.  For 
example,  the  facility  fee  and  interest  rate  for  our  syndicated  revolving  credit  facility  are  based  on  our  senior  long-term  debt 
ratings.  A  decrease  in  those  ratings  could  result  in  an  increase  in  costs  for  that  credit  facility  and  others.  Also,  if  there  is  a 
downgrade in the rating of RGA, or any of our rated subsidiaries, some of our reinsurance contracts would either permit our 
client  ceding  insurers  to  terminate  such  reinsurance  contracts  or  require  us  to  post  collateral  to  secure  our  obligations  under 
these  reinsurance  contracts.  Accordingly,  we  believe  a  ratings  downgrade  of  RGA,  or  any  of  our  rated  subsidiaries,  could 
negatively impact our ability to conduct business.

We  cannot  assure  you  that  actions  taken  by  ratings  agencies  would  not  result  in  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, it is unclear what effect, if any, a ratings change would have 
on the price of our securities in the secondary market.

The  availability  and  cost  of  collateral,  including  letters  of  credit,  asset  trusts  and  other  credit  facilities,  as  well  as 
regulatory  changes  relating  to  the  use  of  captive  insurance  companies,  could  adversely  affect  our  business,  financial 
condition or results of operations.

Regulatory  reserve  requirements  in  various  jurisdictions  in  which  we  operate  may  be  significantly  higher  than  the 
reserves  required  under  GAAP.  Accordingly,  we  reinsure,  or  retrocede,  business  to  affiliated  and  unaffiliated  reinsurers  to 
reduce the amount of regulatory reserves and capital we are required to hold in certain jurisdictions.

As  described  in  “Item  1.  Business  –  B.  Corporate  Structure  –  Regulation  –  U.S.  Regulation”,  Regulation  XXX  and 
principles-based reserves (commonly referred to as PBR) requires U.S. life insurance companies to hold a relatively high level 
of regulatory reserves on their financial statements for various types of life insurance business.  Based on the assumed growth 
rate in our current business plan and the increased level of regulatory reserves associated with some of this business, we expect 
the amount of our required regulatory reserves and our need to finance these reserves may continue to grow. Changes in laws 
and  regulations  and  our  ability  to  retrocede  certain  business  may  impact  our  reserving  requirements  and  thus  our  financial 
condition and results of operations.

As a general matter, for us to reduce regulatory reserves on business that we retrocede, the affiliated or unaffiliated 
reinsurer must provide an equal amount of regulatory-compliant collateral. The availability of collateral and the related cost of 
such collateral in the future could affect the type and volume of business we reinsure and could increase our costs. We may 
need to raise additional capital to support higher regulatory reserves, which could increase our overall cost of capital. If we, or 
our retrocessionaires, are unable to obtain or provide sufficient collateral to support our statutory ceded reserves, we may be 
required to increase regulatory reserves. In turn, this reserve increase could significantly reduce our statutory capital levels and 
adversely  affect  our  ability  to  satisfy  required  regulatory  capital  levels,  unless  we  are  able  to  raise  additional  capital  to 
contribute  to  our  operating  subsidiaries.  Furthermore,  term  life  insurance  is  a  particularly  price-sensitive  product,  and  any 
increase  in  insurance  premiums  charged  on  these  products  by  life  insurance  companies,  in  order  to  compensate  them  for  the 
increased  statutory  reserve  requirements  or  higher  costs  of  insurance  they  face,  may  result  in  a  significant  loss  of  volume  in 
their life insurance operations, which could, in turn, adversely affect our life reinsurance operations. We cannot assure you that 
we will be able to implement actions to mitigate the effect of increasing regulatory reserve requirements.

In addition, we maintain credit and letter of credit facilities with various financial institutions as a potential source of 
collateral  and  excess  liquidity.  Our  ability  to  utilize  these  facilities  is  conditioned  on  our  satisfaction  of  covenants  and  other 
requirements  contained  in  the  facilities.  Our  ability  to  utilize  these  facilities  is  also  subject  to  the  continued  willingness  and 
ability of the lenders to provide funds or issue letters of credit. Our failure to comply with the covenants in these facilities, or 
the failure of the lenders to meet their commitments, would restrict our ability to access these facilities when needed, adversely 
affecting our liquidity, financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in the equity markets, interest rates and volatility affect the profitability of variable annuities with guaranteed 
living benefits that we reinsure, which may have a material adverse effect on our business and profitability.

25

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We  reinsure  variable  annuity  products  that  include  guaranteed  minimum  living  benefits.  These  include  guaranteed 
minimum  withdrawal  benefits,  guaranteed  minimum  accumulation  benefits  and  guaranteed  minimum  income  benefits.  The 
amount of reserves related to these benefits is based on their fair value and is affected by changes in equity markets, interest 
rates  and  volatility.  Accordingly,  strong  equity  markets,  increases  in  interest  rates  and  decreases  in  volatility  will  generally 
decrease the fair value of the liabilities underlying the benefits.

Conversely, a decrease in the equity markets along with a decrease in interest rates and an increase in volatility will 
generally result in an increase in the fair value of the liabilities underlying the benefits, which increases the amount of reserves 
that we must carry. Such an increase in reserves would result in a charge to our earnings in the quarter in which we increase our 
reserves.  We  maintain  a  customized  dynamic  hedging  program  that  is  designed  to  mitigate  the  risks  associated  with  income 
volatility around the change in reserves on guaranteed benefits. However, hedge positions may not be effective to fully offset 
changes in the carrying value of the guarantees due to, among other things, the time lag between changes in such values and 
corresponding changes in the hedge positions, high levels of volatility in the equity and derivatives markets, extreme swings in 
interest  rates,  unexpected  contract  holder  behavior,  and  divergence  between  the  performance  of  the  underlying  funds  and 
hedging indices. These factors, individually or collectively, may have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, capital levels, 
financial condition or results of operations.

RGA is an insurance holding company, and our ability to pay principal, interest and dividends on securities is limited.

RGA is an insurance holding company, with our principal assets consisting of the stock of our reinsurance company 
subsidiaries, and substantially all of our income is derived from those subsidiaries. Our ability to pay principal and interest on 
any debt securities or dividends on any preferred or common stock depends, in part, on the ability of our reinsurance company 
subsidiaries,  our  principal  sources  of  cash  flow,  to  declare  and  distribute  dividends  or  advance  money  to  RGA.  We  are  not 
permitted to pay common stock dividends or make payments of interest or principal on securities that rank equal or junior to 
our  subordinated  debentures  and  junior  subordinated  debentures,  until  we  pay  any  accrued  and  unpaid  interest  on  such 
debentures.  Our  reinsurance  company  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  various  statutory  and  regulatory  restrictions,  applicable  to 
insurance companies generally, that limit the amount of cash dividends, loans and advances that those subsidiaries may pay to 
us. Covenants contained in certain of our debt agreements also restrict the ability of certain subsidiaries to pay dividends and 
make other distributions or loans to us. In addition, we cannot assure you that more stringent dividend restrictions will not be 
adopted, as discussed above under “Our reinsurance subsidiaries are highly regulated, and changes in these regulations could 
negatively affect our business.”

As a result of our insurance holding company structure, upon the insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or 
other winding-up of one of our reinsurance subsidiaries, all creditors of that subsidiary would be entitled to payment in full out 
of the assets of such subsidiary before we, as shareholder, would be entitled to any payment. Our subsidiaries would have to 
pay their direct creditors in full before our creditors, including holders of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities of 
RGA, could receive any payment from the assets of such subsidiaries.

We are exposed to foreign currency risk.

We  are  a  multi-national  company  with  operations  in  numerous  countries  and,  as  a  result,  are  exposed  to  foreign 
currency risk to the extent that exchange rates of foreign currencies are subject to adverse change over time. The U.S. dollar 
value of our net investments in foreign operations, our foreign currency transaction settlements and the periodic conversion of 
the  foreign-denominated  earnings  to  U.S.  dollars  (our  reporting  currency)  are  each  subject  to  adverse  foreign  exchange  rate 
movements.  A  significant  portion  of  our  revenues  and  our  fixed  maturity  securities  available-for-sale  are  denominated  in 
currencies  other  than  the  U.S.  dollar.  We  use  hedging  strategies  and  foreign-denominated  revenues  and  investments  to  fund 
foreign-denominated  expenses  and  liabilities  when  possible  to  mitigate  exposure  to  foreign  currency  fluctuations,  but  these 
mitigation efforts may not be successful.

Our international operations involve inherent risks.

A  significant  portion  of  our  net  premiums  come  from  our  operations  outside  of  the  U.S.  One  of  our  strategies  is  to 
grow these international operations. International operations subject us to various inherent risks. We may not be able to manage 
the growth of these operations effectively, particularly given the recent rates of growth.  Our international operations expose us 
to  mortality  and  morbidity  experience,  and  supply  and  demand  for  our  products  that  are  specific  to  these  markets  as  well  as 
altered exposure to epidemic and pandemic risks that may be difficult to anticipate. In addition to the regulatory and foreign 
currency risks identified above, other related risks include uncertainty arising out of foreign government sovereignty over our 
international operations, potentially uncertain or adverse tax consequences (including the repatriation of earnings from our non-
U.S. subsidiaries) and potential reduction in opportunities resulting from market access restrictions. 

Some of our international operations are in emerging markets where these risks are heightened, and we anticipate that 
we will continue to do business in such markets. Our pricing assumptions may be less predictable in emerging markets, and 
deviations  in  actual  experience  from  these  assumptions  could  impact  our  profitability  in  these  markets.  Additionally,  lack  of 

26

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
legal  certainty  and  stability  in  the  emerging  markets  exposes  us  to  increased  risk  of  disruption  and  adverse  or  unpredictable 
actions by regulators and may make it more difficult for us to enforce our contracts, which may negatively impact our business.

The decision by the UK to exit the European Union (“EU”), or Brexit, created significant uncertainty about the future 
of insurance and reinsurance regulation in the UK as well as the terms upon which a reinsurer will be permitted to access the 
UK market or operate to serve other markets from within the UK. The effects of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the 
implementation of agreements between the EU and UK in connection therewith on our business or our investment portfolios 
remains uncertain at this time. It is possible that there will be greater restrictions, requirements and regulatory complexities on 
reinsurance  provided  in  the  UK  by  entities  located  outside  of  the  UK,  which  may  adversely  affect  our  business,  financial 
condition  or  results  of  operations.  Furthermore,  Brexit  could  adversely  affect  European  and  worldwide  economic  conditions 
and  could  contribute  to  greater  instability  in  the  global  financial  markets  before  and  after  the  terms  of  the  UK’s  future 
relationship with the EU are settled. 

We cannot assure you that we will be able to manage the risks associated with our international operations effectively 

or that they will not have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We depend on the performance of others, and their failure to perform in a satisfactory manner would negatively affect 
us.

In the normal course of business, we seek to limit our exposure to losses from our reinsurance contracts by ceding a 
portion  of  the  reinsurance  to  other  insurance  enterprises  or  retrocessionaires.  We  cannot  assure  you  that  these  insurance 
enterprises or retrocessionaires will be able to fulfill their obligations to us. We are also subject to the risk that our clients will 
be unable to fulfill their obligations to us under our reinsurance agreements with them.

We rely upon our insurance company clients to provide timely, accurate information. We may experience volatility in 
our earnings as a result of erroneous or untimely reporting from our clients. We also rely on original underwriting decisions 
made  by  our  clients  and  cannot  assure  you  that  our  clients’  processes  will  adequately  control  business  quality  or  establish 
appropriate pricing.

For some reinsurance agreements, the ceding company withholds and legally owns and manages assets equal to the net 
statutory reserves, and we reflect these assets as funds withheld at interest on our balance sheet. If a ceding company was to 
become insolvent, we would need to assert a claim on the assets supporting our reserve liabilities. We attempt to mitigate our 
risk  of  loss  by  offsetting  amounts  for  claims  or  allowances  that  we  owe  the  ceding  company  with  amounts  that  the  ceding 
company owes to us. We are subject to the investment performance on the withheld assets, although we do not directly control 
them. We help to set, and monitor compliance with, the investment guidelines followed by these ceding companies. However, 
to the extent that such investment guidelines are not appropriate, or to the extent that the ceding companies do not adhere to 
such guidelines, our risk of loss could increase, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of 
operations.  For  additional  information  on  funds  withheld  at  interest,  see  “Investments  –  Funds  Withheld  at  Interest”  in 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

We use the services of third parties such as asset managers, software vendors and administrators to perform various 
functions that are important to our business. For instance, we have engaged third party investment managers to manage certain 
assets  where  our  investment  management  expertise  is  limited,  who  we  rely  on  to  provide  investment  advice  and  execute 
investment  transactions  that  are  within  our  investment  policy  guidelines.  Our  third-party  service  providers  rely  on  their 
computer systems and their ability to maintain the security, confidentiality, integrity and privacy of those systems and the data 
residing on such systems. Our service providers may be subject to cybersecurity attacks and may not sufficiently protect their 
information technology and related data, which may impact their ability to provide us services and protect our data, which may 
subject us to losses and harm our reputation. Poor performance on the part of these outside vendors could negatively affect our 
operations and financial performance.

As  with  all  financial  services  companies,  our  ability  to  conduct  business  depends  on  consumer  confidence  in  the 
industry  and  our  financial  strength.  Actions  of  competitors,  and  financial  difficulties  of  other  companies  in  the  industry,  and 
related adverse publicity, could undermine consumer confidence and harm our reputation and business.

Epidemics and pandemics, natural and man-made disasters, catastrophes and events, including terrorist attacks, could 
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Epidemics, pandemics, such as COVID-19, as well as natural disasters, climate change and terrorist attacks, and other 
catastrophes and events can adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations because they exacerbate 
mortality  and  morbidity  risk.  The  likelihood,  timing,  and  severity  of  these  events  cannot  be  predicted.  A  pandemic  or  other 
disaster could have a major impact on the global economy or the economies of particular countries or regions, including travel, 
trade, tourism, the health system, food supply, consumption, and overall economic output. Additionally, any such events could 
have a material negative impact on the financial markets, potentially impacting the value and liquidity of our invested assets, 

27

 
 
 
 
 
 
access to capital markets and credit, and the business of our clients. In addition, a pandemic or other disaster that affected our 
employees or the employees of companies with which we do business could disrupt our business operations. The effectiveness 
of external parties, including governmental and non-governmental organizations, in combating the spread and severity of such 
an event could have a material impact on the losses we experience. These events could cause a material adverse effect on our 
results  of  operations  in  any  period  and,  depending  on  their  severity,  could  also  materially  and  adversely  affect  our  financial 
condition.

Additionally,  the  impact  of  an  increase  in  global  average  temperatures  could  cause  changes  in  weather  patterns, 
resulting in more severe and more frequent natural disasters such as forest fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and storm surges 
and may impact disease incidence and severity, food and water supplies and the general health of impacted populations. These 
climate  change  trends  are  expected  to  continue  in  the  future  and  may  impact  nearly  all  sectors  of  the  economy  to  varying 
degrees.  We  cannot  predict  the  long-term  impacts  of  climate  change  for  the  Company  and  our  clients,  but  such  events  may 
adversely impact our mortality and morbidity rates and also may impact asset prices, financial markets and general economic 
conditions.

We operate in a highly competitive and dynamic industry and competition, tax law changes, an economic downturn and 
other factors could adversely affect our business.

The reinsurance industry is highly competitive, and we encounter significant competition in all lines of business from 
other  reinsurance  companies,  as  well  as  competition  from  other  providers  of  financial  services.  Our  competitors  vary  by 
geographic market, and many of our competitors have greater financial resources than we do. Our ability to compete depends 
on,  among  other  things,  pricing  and  other  terms  and  conditions  of  reinsurance  agreements,  our  ability  to  maintain  strong 
financial strength ratings, and our service and experience in the types of business that we underwrite. 

We compete based on the strength of our underwriting operations, insights on mortality trends, our ability to efficiently 
execute transactions, our client relationships and our responsive service. We believe our quick response time to client requests 
for individual underwriting quotes, our underwriting expertise and our ability to structure solutions to meet clients’ needs are 
important  elements  to  our  strategy  and  lead  to  other  business  opportunities  with  our  clients.  Our  business  will  be  adversely 
affected if we are unable to maintain these competitive advantages.

The  insurance  and  reinsurance  industries  are  subject  to  ongoing  changes  from  market  pressures  brought  about  by 
customer  demands,  changes  in  law,  changes  in  economic  conditions  such  as  interest  rates  and  investment  performance, 
technological innovation, marketing practices and new providers of insurance and reinsurance solutions. Failure to anticipate 
market trends or to differentiate our products and services may affect our ability to grow or maintain our current position in the 
industry.  A  failure  by  the  insurance  industry  to  meet  evolving  consumer  demands,  including  demands  to  address  disparate 
impacts that may exist against certain groups in insurers’ underwriting and sales models, could adversely affect the insurance 
industry  and  our  operating  results.  Similarly,  our  failure  to  meet  the  changing  demands  of  our  insurance  company  clients 
through innovative product development, effective distribution channels and investments in technology could negatively impact 
our  financial  performance  over  the  long-term.  Additionally,  our  failure  to  adjust  our  strategies  in  response  to  changing 
economic  conditions  could  impact  our  competitive  position  and  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial 
condition and results of operations.

If the U.S. Internal Revenue Code is revised to reduce benefits associated with the tax-deferred status of certain life 
insurance and annuity products, or to increase the tax-deferred status of competing products, all life insurance companies would 
be  adversely  affected  with  respect  to  their  ability  to  sell  such  products,  and,  depending  on  grandfathering  provisions,  by  the 
surrenders of existing annuity contracts and life insurance policies. In addition, life insurance products are often used to fund 
estate tax obligations. If Congress adopts legislation in the future to reduce or eliminate the estate tax, our U.S. life insurance 
company customers could face reduced demand for some of their life insurance products, which in turn could negatively affect 
our reinsurance business. We cannot predict whether any tax legislation impacting corporate taxes or insurance products will be 
enacted, what the specific terms of any such legislation will be or whether any such legislation would have a material adverse 
effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

A  general  economic  downturn  or  a  downturn  in  the  capital  markets  could  adversely  affect  the  market  for  many  life 
insurance and annuity products. Factors such as consumer spending, business investment, government spending, the volatility 
and  strength  of  the  capital  markets,  deflation  and  inflation  affect  the  economic  environment  and  thus  the  profitability  of  our 
business.  An  economic  downturn  may  yield  higher  unemployment  and  lower  family  income,  corporate  earnings,  business 
investment and consumer spending, and could result in decreased demand for life insurance and annuity products. Because we 
obtain  substantially  all  our  revenues  through  reinsurance  arrangements  that  cover  a  portfolio  of  life  insurance  products  and 
annuities, our business would be harmed if the market for annuities or life insurance was adversely affected. Therefore, adverse 
changes in the economy could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We could be subject to additional income tax liabilities.

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We  are  subject  to  income  taxes  in  the  U.S.  and  numerous  foreign  jurisdictions.  Tax  laws,  regulations  and 
administrative practices in various jurisdictions may be subject to significant change, with or without notice, due to economic, 
political and other conditions, and significant judgment is required in evaluating and estimating our provision and accruals for 
these taxes. 

The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS continue to issue guidance under the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 
(“U.S. Tax Reform”) that may result in interpretations different from ours. Foreign governments may enact tax laws in response 
to U.S. Tax Reform that could result in further changes to global taxation and materially affect our financial position and results 
of  operations.  In  addition  a  number  of  countries  are  actively  pursuing  changes  to  their  tax  laws  applicable  to  multinational 
corporations. 

Acquisitions and significant transactions involve varying degrees of risk that could affect our profitability.

We have made, and may in the future make, acquisitions, either of selected blocks of business or other companies. The 
success of these acquisitions depends on, among other factors, our ability to appropriately price and evaluate the risks of the 
acquired business, as well as the availability of funding sufficient to meet increased capital needs, the ability to fund cash flow 
shortages that may occur if anticipated revenues are not realized or are delayed and the possibility that the value of investments 
acquired in an acquisition may be lower than expected or may diminish due to credit defaults or changes in interest rates and 
that  liabilities  assumed  may  be  greater  than  expected  (due  to,  among  other  factors,  less  favorable  than  expected  mortality  or 
morbidity experience).  Additionally, acquisitions may expose us to other operational challenges and various risks, including 
the  ability  to  integrate  the  acquired  business  operations  and  data  with  our  systems.  A  failure  to  successfully  manage  the 
operational  challenges  and  risks  associated  with  or  resulting  from  significant  transactions,  including  acquisitions,  could 
adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our risk management policies and procedures could leave us exposed to unidentified or unanticipated risk, which could 
negatively affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our  risk  management  policies  and  procedures,  designed  to  identify,  monitor  and  manage  both  internal  and  external 
risks,  may  not  adequately  predict  future  exposures,  which  could  be  significantly  greater  than  expected.  In  addition,  these 
identified  risks  may  not  be  the  only  risks  facing  us.  Additional  risks  and  uncertainties  not  currently  known  to  us,  or  that  we 
currently deem to be immaterial, may adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

There are inherent limitations to risk management strategies because there may exist, or develop in the future, risks 
that we have not appropriately anticipated or identified. If our risk management framework proves ineffective, we may suffer 
unexpected losses and could be materially adversely affected. As our businesses change and the markets in which we operate 
evolve, our risk management framework may not evolve at the same pace as those changes. As a result, there is a risk that new 
business  strategies  may  present  risks  that  are  not  appropriately  identified,  monitored  or  managed.  In  times  of  market  stress, 
unanticipated  market  movements  or  unanticipated  claims  experience  resulting  from  adverse  mortality,  morbidity  or 
policyholder  behavior,  the  effectiveness  of  our  risk  management  strategies  may  be  limited,  resulting  in  losses.  In  addition, 
under  difficult  or  less  liquid  market  conditions,  our  risk  management  strategies  may  be  less  effective  and/or  more  expensive 
because other market participants may be using the same or similar strategies to manage risk under the same challenging market 
conditions. 

Past or future misconduct by our employees or employees of our vendors could result in violations of law, regulatory 
sanctions and serious reputational or financial harm and the precautions we take to prevent and detect this activity may not be 
effective. There can be no assurance that our controls and procedures designed to monitor associates’ business decisions and 
prevent us from taking excessive or inappropriate risks will be effective. We review our compensation policies and practices as 
part of our overall risk management program, but it is possible that our compensation policies and practices could inadvertently 
incentivize excessive or inappropriate risk taking, which could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our 
results of operations or financial condition.

The failure in cyber or other information security systems, including a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality, 
integrity or privacy of sensitive data residing on such systems, as well as the occurrence of unanticipated events affecting 
our disaster recovery systems and business continuity planning, could impair our ability to conduct business effectively.

Our business is highly dependent upon the effective operation of our computer systems. The failure of our computer 
systems or disaster recovery capabilities for any reason could cause significant interruptions in our operations and result in a 
failure  to  maintain  the  security,  confidentiality,  integrity  or  privacy  of  sensitive  or  personal  data  related  to  our  customers, 
insured individuals or employees. Like other global companies, we have experienced threats to our data and systems from time 
to  time.  However,  we  have  not  detected  or  identified  any  evidence  to  indicate  we  have  experienced  a  material  breach  of 
cybersecurity. Administrative and technical controls, security measures and other preventative actions we take to reduce the risk 
of such incidents and protect our information technology may not be sufficient to prevent physical and electronic break-ins, and 

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similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with our computer systems. Such a failure could harm our reputation, subject 
us to investigations, litigation, regulatory sanctions and other claims and expenses, lead to loss of customers and revenues and 
otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We rely on our computer systems for a variety of business functions across our global operations, including for the 
administration  of  our  business,  underwriting,  claims,  performing  actuarial  analysis  and  maintaining  financial  records.  We 
depend  heavily  upon  these  computer  systems  to  provide  reliable  service,  data  and  reports.  Upon  a  disaster  such  as  a  natural 
catastrophe,  epidemic,  industrial  accident,  blackout,  computer  virus,  terrorist  attack  or  war,  unanticipated  problems  with  our 
disaster  recovery  systems  could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  our  ability  to  conduct  business  and  on  our  financial 
condition  and  results  of  operations,  particularly  if  those  problems  affect  our  computer-based  data  processing,  transmission, 
storage and retrieval systems and destroy valuable data. While we maintain liability insurance for cybersecurity and network 
interruption losses, our insurance may not be sufficient to protect us against all losses. In addition, if a significant number of our 
managers were unavailable upon a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct business could be severely compromised. These 
interruptions also may interfere with our clients’ ability to provide data and other information to us, and our employees’ ability 
to perform their job responsibilities.

Failure to protect the confidentiality of information could adversely affect our reputation and have a material adverse 
effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Many  jurisdictions  in  which  we  operate  have  enacted  laws  to  safeguard  the  privacy  and  security  of  personal 
information.  Additionally,  various  government  agencies  have  established  rules  protecting  the  privacy  and  security  of  such 
information. These laws and rules vary greatly by jurisdiction. Some of our employees have access to personal information of 
policy  holders.  We  rely  on  internal  controls  to  protect  the  confidentiality  of  this  information.  It  is  possible  that  an  employee 
could, intentionally or unintentionally, disclose or misappropriate confidential information or our data could be the subject of a 
cybersecurity  attack.  If  we  fail  to  maintain  adequate  internal  controls  or  if  our  employees  fail  to  comply  with  our  policies, 
misappropriation  or  intentional  or  unintentional  inappropriate  disclosure  or  misuse  of  client  information  could  occur.  Such 
internal control inadequacies or non-compliance could materially damage our reputation or lead to civil or criminal penalties, 
which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, 
we  analyze  customer  data  to  better  manage  our  business.  There  has  been  increased  scrutiny,  including  from  U.S.  state 
regulators, regarding the use of “big data” techniques. We cannot predict what, if any, actions may be taken with regard to “big 
data,”  but  any  inquiries  could  cause  reputational  harm  and  any  limitations  could  have  a  material  impact  on  our  business, 
financial condition and results of operations.

Managing key employee attraction, retention and succession is critical to our success. 

Our success depends in large part upon our ability to identify, hire, retain and motivate highly skilled employees. We 
would be adversely affected if we fail to adequately plan for the succession of our senior management and other key employees. 
While we have succession plans and long-term compensation plans designed to retain our existing employees and attract and 
retain additional qualified personnel in the future, our succession plans may not operate effectively and our compensation plans 
cannot guarantee that the services of these employees will continue to be available to us.

Litigation and regulatory investigations and actions may result in financial losses or harm our reputation.

We are, and in the future may be, subject to litigation and regulatory investigations or actions in the ordinary course of 
our business. A substantial legal liability or a significant federal, state or other regulatory action against us, as well as regulatory 
inquiries or investigations, could harm our reputation, result in material fines or penalties, result in significant legal costs and 
otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Regulatory inquiries and 
litigation may also cause volatility in the price of stocks of companies in our industry or in our stock price. Material pending 
litigation and regulatory matters affecting us, if any, are discussed in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements – Note 12 Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees.”

Risks Related to Our Investments

Adverse capital and credit market conditions and access to credit facilities may significantly affect our ability to meet 
liquidity needs, access to capital and cost of capital.

The capital and credit markets experience varying degrees of volatility and disruption. In some periods, the markets 
have exerted downward pressure on availability of liquidity and credit capacity for certain issuers. We need liquidity to make 
our  benefit  payments,  to  pay  our  operating  expenses,  interest  on  our  debt  and  dividends  on  our  capital  stock  and  to  replace 
certain  maturing  liabilities.  Without  sufficient  liquidity,  we  will  be  forced  to  curtail  our  operations,  and  our  business  will  be 
adversely affected. The principal sources of our liquidity are reinsurance premiums under reinsurance treaties and cash flows 
from our investment portfolio and other assets. Sources of liquidity in normal markets also include proceeds from the issuance 

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of a variety of short- and long-term instruments, including medium- and long-term debt, subordinated and junior subordinated 
debt securities, capital securities and common stock.

If current resources do not satisfy our needs, we may have to seek additional financing. The availability of additional 
financing will depend on a variety of factors such as market conditions, the general availability of equity and credit, the volume 
of trading activities, the overall availability of credit to the financial services industry, our credit ratings and credit capacity, as 
well  as  the  possibility  that  customers  or  lenders  could  develop  a  negative  perception  of  our  long-  or  short-term  financial 
prospects.  Similarly,  our  access  to  funds  may  be  impaired  if  regulatory  authorities  or  rating  agencies  take  negative  actions 
against us. Our internal sources of liquidity may prove to be insufficient, and in such case, we may not be able to successfully 
obtain additional financing on favorable terms, or at all.

Disruptions,  uncertainty  or  volatility  in  the  capital  and  credit  markets  may  limit  our  ability  to  replace  maturing 
liabilities  in  a  timely  manner,  satisfy  statutory  capital  requirements,  generate  fee  income  and  market-related  revenue  to  meet 
liquidity needs and access the capital necessary to grow our business. As such, we may be forced to delay raising capital, issue 
shorter  tenor  securities  than  we  prefer,  or  bear  an  unattractive  cost  of  capital,  which  could  decrease  our  profitability  and 
significantly  reduce  our  financial  flexibility.  Further,  our  ability  to  finance  our  statutory  reserve  requirements  depends  on 
market conditions. If market capacity is limited for a prolonged period, our ability to obtain new funding for such purposes may 
be  hindered  and,  as  a  result,  our  ability  to  write  additional  business  in  a  cost-effective  manner  may  be  limited  or  otherwise 
adversely affected.

We  also  rely  on  our  unsecured  credit  facilities,  including  our  $850  million  syndicated  credit  facility,  as  potential 
sources  of  liquidity.  Our  credit  facilities  contain  administrative,  reporting,  legal  and  financial  covenants,  and  our  syndicated 
credit  facility  includes  requirements  to  maintain  a  specified  minimum  consolidated  net  worth  and  a  minimum  ratio  of 
consolidated indebtedness to total capitalization. If we were unable to access our credit facilities it could materially impact our 
capital position. The availability of these facilities could be critical to our credit and financial strength ratings and our ability to 
meet our obligations as they come due in a market when alternative sources of credit are unavailable.

Difficult  conditions  in  the  global  capital  markets  and  the  economy  generally  may  materially  adversely  affect  our 
business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our  results  of  operations,  financial  condition,  cash  flows  and  statutory  capital  position  are  materially  affected  by 
conditions  in  the  global  capital  markets  and  the  economy  generally,  both  in  the  U.S.  and  elsewhere  around  the  world.  Poor 
economic conditions, volatility and disruptions in capital markets or financial asset classes and geopolitical upheaval (including 
trade  disputes)  can  have  an  adverse  effect  on  our  business  because  our  investment  portfolio  and  some  of  our  liabilities  are 
sensitive to changing market factors. Additionally, disruptions in one market or asset class can also spread to other markets or 
asset classes.

Concerns  over  U.S.  fiscal  policy  and  the  trajectory  of  the  U.S.  national  debt  could  have  severe  repercussions  to  the 
U.S. and global credit and financial markets, further exacerbate concerns over sovereign debt and disrupt economic activity in 
the U.S. and elsewhere. As a result, our access to, or cost of, liquidity may deteriorate. As a result of uncertainty regarding U.S. 
national debt, the market value of some of our investments may decrease, and our capital adequacy could be adversely affected. 
Political  and  economic  uncertainties  and  weakness  and  disruption  of  the  financial  markets  around  the  world,  such  as 
geopolitical upheaval (including trade disputes) and deteriorating economic and political relationships between countries, the 
impacts  of  the  decision  of  Great  Britain  to  leave  the  European  Union  (“Brexit”),  the  solvency  of  certain  European  Union 
member  states  and  of  financial  institutions  that  have  significant  direct  or  indirect  exposure  to  debt  issued  by  such  countries, 
have led and may continue to lead to concerns over capital markets access. In addition, there are ongoing risks around the world 
related to interest rate fluctuations, slowing global growth, commodity prices and the devaluation of certain currencies. These 
events and continuing market upheavals may have an adverse effect on us, in part because we have a large investment portfolio 
and are also dependent upon customer behavior. Our revenues may decline in such circumstances and our profit margins may 
erode. In addition, upon prolonged market events, such as the global credit crisis, we could incur significant investment-related 
losses. Even in the absence of a market downturn, we are exposed to substantial risk of loss due to market volatility. 

If our investment strategy is unsuccessful, we could suffer losses.

The success of our investment strategy is crucial to the success of our business. We structure our investments to match 
our anticipated liabilities under reinsurance treaties to the extent we believe necessary. If our calculations with respect to these 
reinsurance liabilities are incorrect, or if we improperly structure our investments to match such liabilities, we could be forced 
to liquidate investments prior to maturity at a significant loss.

Our investment guidelines limit non-investment grade fixed maturity securities in our investment portfolio. While any 
investment  carries  some  risk,  the  risks  associated  with  lower-rated  securities  are  greater  than  the  risks  associated  with 
investment grade securities. The risk of loss of principal or interest through default is greater because lower-rated securities are 
usually  unsecured  and  are  often  subordinated  to  an  issuer’s  other  obligations.  Additionally,  the  issuers  of  these  securities 

31

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
frequently  have  relatively  high  debt  levels  and  are  thus  more  sensitive  to  difficult  economic  conditions,  specific  corporate 
developments and rising interest rates, which could impair an issuer’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment 
on  such  lower-rated  securities.  As  a  result,  the  market  price  of  these  securities  may  be  quite  volatile,  and  the  risk  of  loss  is 
greater.

The success of any investment activity is affected by general economic conditions, including the level and volatility of 
interest rates and the extent and timing of investor participation in such markets, which may adversely affect the markets for 
interest rate sensitive securities, mortgages and equity securities. Unexpected volatility or illiquidity in the markets in which we 
directly or indirectly hold positions could adversely affect us.

Interest rate fluctuations could negatively affect the income we derive from the difference between the interest rates we 
earn on our investments and interest we pay under our reinsurance contracts.

Significant changes in interest rates expose reinsurance companies to the risk of reduced investment income or actual 
losses  based  on  the  difference  between  the  interest  rates  earned  on  investments  and  the  credited  interest  rates  paid  on 
outstanding reinsurance contracts. Both rising and declining interest rates can negatively affect the income we derive from these 
interest rate spreads. During periods of rising interest rates, we may be contractually obligated to reimburse our clients for the 
greater amounts they credit on certain interest-sensitive products. However, we may not have the ability to immediately acquire 
investments with interest rates sufficient to offset the increased crediting rates on our reinsurance contracts. During periods of 
falling interest rates, our investment earnings will be lower because new investments in fixed maturity securities will likely bear 
lower  interest  rates.  We  may  not  be  able  to  fully  offset  the  decline  in  investment  earnings  with  lower  crediting  rates  on 
underlying  annuity  products  related  to  certain  of  our  reinsurance  contracts.  Our  asset/liability  management  programs  and 
procedures may not reduce the volatility of our income when interest rates are rising or falling, and thus we cannot assure you 
that changes in interest rates will not affect our interest rate spreads.

Changes  in  interest  rates  may  also  affect  our  business  in  other  ways.  Higher  interest  rates  may  result  in  increased 
surrenders on interest-based products of our clients, which may affect our fees and earnings on those products. Lower interest 
rates may result in lower sales of certain insurance and investment products of our clients, which would reduce the demand for 
our reinsurance of these products. If interest rates remain low for an extended period, it may adversely affect our cash flows, 
financial condition and results of operations.

The liquidity and value of some of our investments may become significantly diminished.

There  may  be  illiquid  markets  for  certain  investments  we  hold  in  our  investment  portfolio.  These  include  privately-
placed  fixed  maturity  securities,  options  and  other  derivative  instruments,  mortgage  loans,  policy  loans,  limited  partnership 
interests, and real estate equity, such as real estate joint ventures and funds. Additionally, markets for certain of our investments 
that are currently liquid may experience reduced liquidity during periods of market volatility or disruption. If we were forced to 
sell  certain  of  our  investments  into  illiquid  markets,  prices  may  be  lower  than  our  carrying  value  in  such  investments.  This 
could result in realized losses which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition, as 
well  as  our  financial  ratios,  which  could  affect  compliance  with  our  credit  instruments  and  rating  agency  capital  adequacy 
measures.

We could be forced to sell investments at a loss to cover policyholder withdrawals, recaptures of reinsurance treaties or 
other events.

Some  of  the  products  offered  by  our  insurance  company  customers  allow  policyholders  and  contract  holders  to 
withdraw  their  funds  under  defined  circumstances.  Our  reinsurance  subsidiaries  manage  their  liabilities  and  configure  their 
investment  portfolios  to  provide  and  maintain  sufficient  liquidity  to  support  anticipated  withdrawal  demands  and  contract 
benefits  and  maturities  under  reinsurance  treaties  with  these  customers.  While  our  reinsurance  subsidiaries  own  a  significant 
amount of liquid assets, a portion of their assets are relatively illiquid. Unanticipated withdrawal or surrender activity could, 
under some circumstances, require our reinsurance subsidiaries to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms, which could have an 
adverse effect on us. Reinsurance agreements may provide for recapture rights on the part of our insurance company customers. 
Recapture rights permit these customers to reassume all or a portion of the risk formerly ceded to us after an agreed-upon time, 
usually ten years, subject to various conditions.

Recapture  of  business  previously  ceded  does  not  affect  premiums  ceded  prior  to  the  recapture,  but  may  result  in 
immediate payments to our insurance company customers and a charge to income for costs that we deferred when we acquired 
the  business  but  are  unable  to  recover  upon  recapture.  Under  some  circumstances,  payments  to  our  insurance  company 
customers could require our reinsurance subsidiaries to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms.

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Defaults, downgrades or other events impairing the value of our fixed maturity securities portfolio may reduce our 
earnings.

We are subject to the risk that the issuers, or guarantors, of fixed maturity securities we own may default on principal 
and interest payments they owe us. Fixed maturity securities represent a substantial portion of our total cash and invested assets. 
The  occurrence  of  a  major  or  prolonged  economic  downturn,  acts  of  corporate  malfeasance,  widening  risk  spreads,  or  other 
events that adversely affect the issuers or guarantors of these securities could cause the value of our fixed maturity securities 
portfolio  and  our  net  income  to  decline  and  the  default  rate  of  the  fixed  maturity  securities  in  our  investment  portfolio  to 
increase.  A  ratings  downgrade  affecting  issuers  or  guarantors  of  particular  securities,  or  similar  trends  that  could  worsen  the 
credit quality of issuers, such as the corporate issuers of securities in our investment portfolio, could also have a similar effect. 
With economic uncertainty, credit quality of issuers or guarantors could be adversely affected. Any event reducing the value of 
these securities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

The defaults or deteriorating credit of other financial institutions could adversely affect us.

We  have  exposure  to  many  different  industries  and  counterparties,  and  routinely  execute  transactions  with 
counterparties  in  the  financial  services  industry,  including  brokers  and  dealers,  insurance  companies,  commercial  banks, 
investment banks, investment funds and other institutions. Many of these transactions expose us to credit risk upon default of 
our counterparty. In addition, with respect to secured and other transactions that provide for us to hold collateral posted by the 
counterparty, our credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral we hold cannot be liquidated at prices sufficient to recover 
the  full  amount  of  our  exposure.  We  also  have  exposure  to  these  financial  institutions  in  the  form  of  unsecured  debt 
instruments,  derivative  transactions  and  equity  investments.  There  can  be  no  assurance  that  losses  or  impairments  to  the 
carrying  value  of  these  assets  would  not  materially  and  adversely  affect  our  business,  financial  condition  or  results  of 
operations.

Defaults  on  our  mortgage  loans  or  the  mortgage  loans  underlying  our  investments  in  mortgage-backed  securities  and 
volatility in performance of our investments in real-estate related assets may adversely affect our profitability.

A portion of our investment portfolio consists of assets linked to real estate, including mortgage loans on commercial 
properties,  lifetime  mortgages,  investments  in  commercial  mortgage-backed  securities  (“CMBS”),  and  residential  mortgage-
backed  securities  (“RMBS”).  Delinquency  and  defaults  by  third  parties  in  the  payment  or  performance  of  their  obligations 
underlying  these  assets  could  reduce  our  investment  income  and  realized  investment  gains  or  result  in  the  recognition  of 
investment  losses.  Mortgage  loans  are  stated  on  our  balance  sheet  at  unpaid  principal  balance,  adjusted  for  any  unamortized 
premium or discount, deferred fees or expenses, and are net of valuation allowances established as of the balance sheet date. 
Such valuation allowances are based on the excess carrying value of the loan over the present value of expected future cash 
flows discounted at the loan’s original effective interest rate, the value of the loan’s collateral if the loan is in the process of 
foreclosure  or  is  otherwise  collateral-dependent,  or  the  loan’s  market  value  if  the  loan  is  being  sold.  CMBS  and  RMBS  are 
stated on our balance sheet at fair value. The performance of our mortgage loan investments and our investments in CMBS and 
RMBS, however, may fluctuate in the future. An increase in the default rate of our mortgage loan investments or the mortgage 
loans underlying our investments in CMBS and RMBS could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results 
of operations.

Further,  any  geographic  or  sector  concentration  of  our  mortgage  loans  or  the  mortgage  loans  underlying  our 
investments in CMBS and RMBS may have adverse effects on our investment portfolios and consequently on our consolidated 
results  of  operations  or  financial  condition.  Events  or  developments  that  have  a  negative  effect  on  any  particular  geographic 
region or sector may have a greater adverse effect on our investment portfolios to the extent that the portfolios are concentrated. 
Moreover, our ability to sell assets relating to such particular groups of related assets may be limited if other market participants 
are seeking to sell at the same time.

Our  valuation  of  fixed  maturity  and  equity  securities  and  derivatives  include  methodologies,  estimations  and 
assumptions that are subject to differing interpretations and could result in changes to investment valuations that may 
have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Fixed  maturity,  equity  securities  and  short-term  investments,  which  are  primarily  reported  at  fair  value  on  the 
consolidated  balance  sheets,  represent  the  majority  of  our  total  cash  and  invested  assets.  As  described  in  Item  8.  “Financial 
Statements  and  Supplementary  Data  –  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  –  Note  6  “Fair  Value  of  Assets  and 
Liabilities”,  we  have  categorized  these  securities  into  a  three-level  hierarchy,  based  on  the  priority  of  the  inputs  to  the 
respective valuation technique. 

During periods of market disruption, including periods of significantly rising or high interest rates, rapidly widening 
credit spreads or illiquidity, it may be difficult to value certain of our securities if trading becomes less frequent or market data 
becomes less observable. There may be certain asset classes that were in active markets with significant observable data that 
become  illiquid  due  to  the  financial  environment.  As  such,  valuations  may  include  inputs  and  assumptions  that  are  less 

33

 
 
 
 
 
 
observable or require greater estimation resulting in values that may be different than the value at which the investments may be 
ultimately  sold.  Further,  rapidly  changing  or  disruptive  credit  and  equity  market  conditions  could  materially  impact  the 
valuation of securities as reported within our consolidated financial statements and the period-to-period changes in value could 
vary significantly. Decreases in value may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

The  reported  value  of  our  investments,  including  our  relatively  illiquid  asset  classes  and,  at  times,  our  high-quality, 
generally liquid asset classes, do not necessarily reflect the lowest current market price for the asset. If we were forced to sell 
certain of our assets in disruptive or volatile market conditions, there can be no assurance that we will be able to sell them for 
the prices at which we have recorded them and we may be forced to sell them at significantly lower prices.

The  determination  of  the  amount  of  allowances  and  impairments  taken  on  our  investments  is  highly  subjective  and 
could materially affect our financial condition or results of operations.

The  determination  of  the  amount  of  allowances  and  impairments  vary  by  investment  type  and  is  based  upon  our 
periodic evaluation and assessment of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and 
assessments  are  revised  as  conditions  change  and  new  information  becomes  available.  Management  updates  its  evaluations 
regularly and reflects changes in allowances and impairments in operations as such evaluations are revised. For example, the 
cost  of  our  fixed  maturity  securities  is  adjusted  for  impairments  in  value  deemed  to  be  impaired  in  the  period  in  which  the 
determination  is  made.  The  assessment  of  whether  impairments  have  occurred  is  based  on  management’s  case-by-case 
evaluation  of  the  underlying  reasons  for  the  decline  in  fair  value.  Inherent  in  management’s  evaluation  of  the  security  are 
assumptions and estimates about the operations of the issuer and its future earnings potential. There can be no assurance that 
our management has accurately assessed the level of impairments taken, or allowances reflected in our financial statements and 
their potential impact on regulatory capital. Furthermore, additional impairments or additional allowances may be needed in the 
future.

Our  investments  are  reflected  within  the  consolidated  financial  statements  utilizing  different  accounting  bases  and 
accordingly  we  may  not  have  recognized  differences,  which  may  be  significant,  between  cost  and  fair  value  in  our 
consolidated financial statements.

Certain  of  our  principal  investments  are  in  fixed  maturity  securities,  short-term  investments,  mortgage  loans,  policy 
loans, funds withheld at interest and other invested assets. The carrying value of such investments is described in “Investments” 
in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Polices  and  Pronouncements”  in  the  Notes  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements.     
Investments not carried at fair value in our consolidated financial statements – principally, mortgage loans, policy loans, real 
estate  joint  ventures  and  other  limited  partnerships  –  may  have  fair  values  that  are  substantially  higher  or  lower  than  the 
carrying  value  reflected  in  our  consolidated  financial  statements.  Each  of  such  asset  classes  is  regularly  evaluated  for 
impairment under the accounting guidance appropriate to the respective asset class.

Phasing out of London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) after 2021 may adversely affect the value of certain of our 
LIBOR-based assets and liabilities.

It is anticipated that LIBOR will be discontinued by the end of 2021. The ICE Benchmark Administrated Limited is 
currently consulting regarding the potential for continuing the 1, 3, 6 and 12 month LIBOR on U.S. dollars until June 2023. At 
this  time,  it  is  not  possible  to  predict  how  markets  will  respond  and  the  effect  that  the  discontinuation  of  LIBOR  and  the 
implementation of new benchmark rates will have on new or existing financial instruments to which we have exposure. Interest 
rates  on  our  LIBOR-based  and  other  floating-rate  assets  and  liabilities  may  be  adversely  affected.  Further,  any  uncertainty 
regarding  replacements  for  LIBOR  as  a  benchmark  interest  rate  could  adversely  affect  the  trading  market  for  and  value  of 
LIBOR-based  and  other  floating-rate  securities,  including  certain  of  our  assets  and  liabilities.  We  are  not  able  to  predict  the 
impact of such changes on our cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

We may not pay dividends on our common stock.

Our  shareholders  may  not  receive  dividends.  All  future  payments  of  dividends  are  at  the  discretion  of  our  board  of 
directors and will depend on our earnings, capital requirements, insurance regulatory conditions, operating conditions and such 
other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. The amount of dividends that we can pay will depend in part on the 
operations  of  our  reinsurance  subsidiaries.  Under  certain  circumstances,  we  may  be  contractually  prohibited  from  paying 
dividends on our common stock due to restrictions associated with certain of our debt securities.

Certain provisions in our articles of incorporation and bylaws, in Missouri law and in applicable insurance laws, may 
delay or prevent a change in control, which could adversely affect the price of our common stock.

Certain provisions in our articles of incorporation and bylaws, as well as Missouri corporate law and state insurance 
laws,  may  delay  or  prevent  a  change  of  control  of  RGA,  which  could  adversely  affect  the  price  of  our  common  stock.  Our 

34

 
 
 
 
 
 
articles  of  incorporation  and  bylaws  contain  some  provisions  that  may  make  the  acquisition  of  control  of  RGA  without  the 
approval  of  our  board  of  directors  more  difficult,  including  provisions  relating  to  the  nomination,  election  and  removal  of 
directors and limitations on actions by our shareholders. In addition, Missouri law also imposes some restrictions on mergers 
and  other  business  combinations  between  RGA  and  holders  of  20%  or  more  of  our  outstanding  common  stock.  These 
provisions may have unintended anti-takeover effects, including to delay or prevent a change in control of RGA, which could 
adversely affect the price of our common stock.

Before a person can acquire control of a U.S. insurance company, prior written approval must be obtained from the 
insurance commission of the state where the domestic insurer is domiciled. Under U.S. state insurance laws and regulations, 
any person acquiring 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of a corporation, such as our common stock, is presumed 
to  have  acquired  control  of  that  corporation  and  its  subsidiaries.    Similar  laws  in  other  countries  where  we  operate  limit  our 
ability  to  effect  changes  of  control  for  subsidiaries  organized  in  such  jurisdictions  without  the  approval  of  local  insurance 
regulatory officials. Prior to granting approval of an application to directly or indirectly acquire control of a domestic or foreign 
insurer,  an  insurance  regulator  in  any  jurisdiction  may  consider  such  factors  as  the  financial  strength  of  the  applicant,  the 
integrity  of  the  applicant’s  board  of  directors  and  executive  officers,  the  applicant’s  plans  for  the  future  operations  of  the 
domestic insurer and any anti-competitive results that may arise from the consummation of the acquisition of control.

Issuing additional shares may dilute the value or affect the price of our common stock.

Our board of directors has the authority, without action or vote of the shareholders, to issue any or all authorized but 
unissued  shares  of  our  common  stock,  including  securities  convertible  into,  or  exchangeable  for,  our  common  stock  and 
authorized  but  unissued  shares  under  our  equity  compensation  plans.  In  the  future,  we  may  issue  such  additional  securities, 
through public or private offerings, in order to raise additional capital. Any such issuance will dilute the percentage ownership 
of shareholders and may dilute the per share projected earnings or book value of our common stock. In addition, option holders 
may exercise their options at any time when we would otherwise be able to obtain additional equity capital on more favorable 
terms.

The  occurrence  of  various  events  may  adversely  affect  the  ability  of  RGA  and  its  subsidiaries  to  fully  utilize  any  net 
operating losses (“NOLs”) and other tax attributes.

RGA  and  its  subsidiaries  may,  from  time  to  time,  have  a  substantial  amount  of  NOLs  and  other  tax  attributes,  for 
U.S. federal income tax purposes, to offset taxable income and gains. If a corporation experiences an ownership change, it is 
generally subject to an annual limitation, which limits its ability to use its NOLs and other tax attributes. Events outside of our 
control may cause RGA (and, consequently, its subsidiaries) to experience an “ownership change” under Sections 382 and 383 
of the Internal Revenue Code and the related Treasury regulations, and limit the ability of RGA and its subsidiaries to utilize 
fully  such  NOLs  and  other  tax  attributes.  If  we  were  to  experience  an  ownership  change,  we  could  potentially  have  higher 
U.S. federal income tax liabilities than we would otherwise have had, which would negatively impact our financial condition 
and results of operations.

Item 1B.         UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

The Company has no unresolved staff comments from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Item 2.         PROPERTIES

The Company’s corporate headquarters is located at an owned site in Chesterfield, Missouri.  In addition the Company 
leases office space in 49 locations throughout the world.  Most of the Company’s leases have terms of three to five years; while 
some leases have longer terms, none exceed 15 years. 

The Company believes that its existing facilities, including both owned and leased, are in good operating condition and 

suitable for the conduct of its business.

Item 3.         LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The  Company  is  subject  to  litigation  in  the  normal  course  of  its  business.  The  Company  currently  has  no  material 
litigation. A legal reserve is established when the Company is notified of an arbitration demand or litigation or is notified that 
an arbitration demand or litigation is imminent, it is probable that the Company will incur a loss as a result and the amount of 
the probable loss is reasonably capable of being estimated.

Item 4.         MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

35

 
 
 
PART II

Item 5.         MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER 
MATTERS, AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Insurance companies are subject to statutory regulations that restrict the payment of dividends. See Item 1 under the 
caption  Regulation  –  “Restrictions  on  Dividends  and  Distributions.”  See  Item  8,  Note  17  –  “Equity”  in  the  Notes  to 
Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  information  regarding  board-approved  stock  repurchase  plans.  See  Item  12  for 
information about the Company’s compensation plans.

Reinsurance  Group  of  America,  Incorporated  common  stock  is  traded  on  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange  (NYSE) 
under  the  symbol  “RGA”.  On  January  31,  2021,  there  were  23,305  stockholders  of  record  of  RGA’s  common  stock  and  68 
million shares outstanding. 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table summarizes RGA’s repurchase activity of its common stock during the quarter ended December 

31, 2020:

October 1, 2020 -
October 31, 2020

November 1, 2020 -
November 30, 2020

December 1, 2020 -
December 31, 2020

Total Number of 
Shares
Purchased (1)

Average Price 
Paid per   
Share

Total Number of 
Shares
Purchased as Part of
Publicly 
Announced Plans
or Programs

Maximum Number (or
Approximate Dollar
Value) of Shares that 
May
Yet Be Purchased 
Under
the Plan or Program

—  $ 

7,127  $ 

3,622  $ 

— 

118.26 

116.53 

—  $ 

167,573,148 

—  $ 

167,573,148 

—  $ 

167,573,148 

(1) RGA had no repurchases of common stock under its share repurchase program for October, November and December 2020.  The Company net settled - 
issuing 0, 21,131 and 9,493 shares from treasury and repurchased from recipients 0, 7,127 and 3,622 shares in October, November and December 2020, 
respectively, in settlement of income tax withholding requirements incurred by the recipients of equity incentive awards.

On  January  24,  2019,  RGA’s  board  of  directors  authorized  a  share  repurchase  program  for  up  to  $400  million  of 
RGA’s outstanding common stock.  On May 6, 2020, the Company announced that it has suspended stock repurchases until 
further notice. The resumption and pace of repurchase activity depends on various factors such as the level of available cash, 
the  impact  of  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic,  an  evaluation  of  the  costs  and  benefits  associated  with  alternative  uses  of 
excess capital, such as acquisitions and in force reinsurance transactions, and RGA’s stock price.

36

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comparison of 5-Year Cumulative Total Return

The  graph  below  shows  the  performance  of  the  Company’s  common  stock  for  the  period  beginning  December  31, 
2014, and ending December 31, 2020, assuming $100 was invested on December 31, 2014. The graph compares the cumulative 
total return on the Company’s common stock, based on the market price of the common stock and assuming reinvestment of 
dividends,  with  the  cumulative  total  return  of  companies  in  the  Standard  &  Poor’s  (“S&P”)  500  Stock  Index  and  the  S&P’s 
Insurance  (Life/Health)  Index.  The  indices  are  included  for  comparative  purposes  only.  They  do  not  necessarily  reflect 
management’s  opinion  that  such  indices  are  an  appropriate  measure  of  the  relative  performance  of  the  Company’s  common 
stock and are not intended to forecast or be indicative of future performance of the common stock.

Base Period

12/15

12/16

12/17

12/18

12/19

12/20

Cumulative Total Return

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated
S & P 500

$ 

S & P Life & Health Insurance

100.00  $ 
100.00 

100.00 

149.47  $ 
111.96 

124.86 

187.71  $ 
136.40 

145.37 

171.34  $ 
130.42 

115.17 

202.69  $ 
171.49 

141.88 

147.83 
203.04 

128.43 

37

Comparison of 5-Year Cumulative Total ReturnReinsurance Group of America, IncorporatedS&P 500S&P Life & Health Insurance12/1512/1612/1712/1812/1912/20$80$100$120$140$160$180$200$220 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 6.         SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

The following selected financial data has been derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. 
The  consolidated  statement  of  income  data  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020,  2019  and  2018,  and  the  consolidated 
balance  sheet  data  at  December  31,  2020  and  2019  have  been  derived  from  the  Company’s  audited  consolidated  financial 
statements included elsewhere herein. The consolidated statement of income data for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 
2016, and the consolidated balance sheet data at December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, have been derived from the Company’s 
audited  consolidated  financial  statements  not  included  herein.  The  selected  financial  data  shown  below  should  be  read  in 
conjunction  with  “Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of  Operations”  and  the 
consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere herein.

Selected Consolidated Financial and Operating Data
(in millions, except per share and operating data)

Income Statement Data
Revenues:

Net premiums
Investment income, net of related expenses
Investment related gains (losses), net:

Impairments and change in allowance for credit 
losses on fixed maturity securities

Other investment related gains (losses), net

Total investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance 
expenses

Other operating expenses

Interest expense

Collateral finance and securitization expense

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Provision for income taxes(1)

Net income
Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share
Weighted average diluted shares, in thousands

Dividends per share on common stock
Balance Sheet Data

Total investments

Total assets
Policy liabilities(2)
Long-term debt

Collateral finance and securitization notes

Total stockholders’ equity

Total stockholders’ equity per share
Operating Data (in billions)

As of or For the Years Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

$ 

11,694  $ 
2,575 

11,297  $ 
2,520 

10,544  $ 
2,139 

9,841  $ 
2,155 

9,249 
1,912 

(21) 
(12) 

(33) 

360 

(31) 
122 

91 

392 

(28) 
(142) 

(170) 

363 

(43) 
211 

168 

352 

(39) 
133 

94 

267 

14,596 

14,300 

12,876 

12,516 

11,522 

11,075 

704 

1,261 

816 

170 

17 

14,043 

553 

138 

10,197 

697 

1,204 

868 

173 

29 

13,168 

1,132 

262 

9,319 

425 

1,323 

786 

147 

30 

12,030 

846 

130 

8,519 

502 

1,467 

710 

146 

29 

11,373 

1,143 

(679) 

415  $ 

870  $ 

716  $ 

1,822  $ 

6.35  $ 

13.88  $ 

11.25  $ 

28.28  $ 

6.31 

65,835 

13.62 

63,882 

11.00 

65,094 

27.71 

65,753 

2.80  $ 

2.60  $ 

2.20  $ 

1.82  $ 

72,400  $ 

66,555  $ 

54,204  $ 

51,691  $ 

84,656 

61,142 

3,573 

388 

14,352 

211.19 

76,731 

57,094 

2,981 

598 

11,601 

185.17 

64,535 

48,933 

2,788 

682 

8,450 

134.53 

60,515 

43,583 

2,788 

784 

9,570 

148.48 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

7,993 

365 

1,311 

645 

138 

26 

10,478 

1,044 

343 

701 

10.91 

10.79 

64,989 

1.56 

44,841 

53,098 

37,874 

3,089 

841 

7,093 

110.31 

3,063 

405 

Assumed ordinary life reinsurance in force

$ 

3,481  $ 

3,480  $ 

3,329  $ 

3,297  $ 

Assumed new business production

390 

377 

407 

395 

(1)

2017  reflects  adjustments  related  to  the  initial  adoption  of  U.S.  Tax  Reform.    See  Note  9  –  “Income  Tax”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements for additional information.

(2) Policy liabilities include future policy benefits, interest-sensitive contract liabilities, and other policy claims and benefits.

38

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 7.         MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Index to Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Overview

Industry Trends
Critical Accounting Policies

Consolidated Results of Operations
Results of Operations by Segment

U.S. and Latin America Operations

Canada Operations

Europe, Middle East and Africa Operations
Asia Pacific Operations

Corporate and Other
Liquidity and Capital Resources

Page

40

41

43

44

49

53

53

57

59
61

64

65

39

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 
1995 including, among others, statements relating to projections of the future operations, strategies, earnings, revenues, income 
or  loss,  ratios,  financial  performance  and  growth  potential  of  the  Company.  Forward-looking  statements  often  contain  words 
and  phrases  such  as  “intend,”  “expect,”  “project,”  “estimate,”  “predict,”  “anticipate,”  “should,”  “believe”  and  other  similar 
expressions.  Forward-looking  statements  are  based  on  management’s  current  expectations  and  beliefs  concerning  future 
developments  and  their  potential  effects  on  the  Company.  Forward-looking  statements  are  not  a  guarantee  of  future 
performance  and  are  subject  to  risks  and  uncertainties,  some  of  which  cannot  be  predicted  or  quantified.  Future  events  and 
actual results, performance, and achievements could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by or underlying the 
forward-looking statements.

The  effects  of  the  ongoing  novel  coronavirus  (“COVID-19”)  pandemic  and  the  response  thereto  on  economic 
conditions,  the  financial  markets  and  insurance  risks,  and  the  resulting  effects  on  the  Company’s  financial  results,  liquidity, 
capital  resources,  financial  metrics,  investment  portfolio  and  stock  price,  could  cause  actual  results  and  events  to  differ 
materially  from  those  expressed  or  implied  by  forward-looking  statements.  Further,  any  estimates,  projections,  illustrative 
scenarios or frameworks used to plan for potential effects of the pandemic are dependent on numerous underlying assumptions 
and estimates that may not materialize. Additionally, numerous other important factors (whether related to, resulting from or 
exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise) could also cause actual results and events to differ materially from those 
expressed or implied by forward-looking statements including, without limitation: (1) adverse changes in mortality, morbidity, 
lapsation or claims experience, (2) inadequate risk analysis and underwriting, (3) adverse capital and credit market conditions 
and  their  impact  on  the  Company’s  liquidity,  access  to  capital  and  cost  of  capital,  (4)  changes  in  the  Company’s  financial 
strength and credit ratings and the effect of such changes on the Company’s future results of operations and financial condition, 
(5)  the  availability  and  cost  of  collateral  necessary  for  regulatory  reserves  and  capital,  (6)  requirements  to  post  collateral  or 
make  payments  due  to  declines  in  market  value  of  assets  subject  to  the  Company’s  collateral  arrangements,  (7)  action  by 
regulators who have authority over the Company’s reinsurance operations in the jurisdictions in which it operates, (8) the effect 
of the Company parent’s status as an insurance holding company and regulatory restrictions on its ability to pay principal of and 
interest on its debt obligations, (9) general economic conditions or a prolonged economic downturn affecting the demand for 
insurance  and  reinsurance  in  the  Company’s  current  and  planned  markets,  (10)  the  impairment  of  other  financial  institutions 
and  its  effect  on  the  Company’s  business,  (11)  fluctuations  in  U.S.  or  foreign  currency  exchange  rates,  interest  rates,  or 
securities  and  real  estate  markets,  (12)  market  or  economic  conditions  that  adversely  affect  the  value  of  the  Company’s 
investment  securities  or  result  in  the  impairment  of  all  or  a  portion  of  the  value  of  certain  of  the  Company’s  investment 
securities, that in turn could affect regulatory capital, (13) market or economic conditions that adversely affect the Company’s 
ability  to  make  timely  sales  of  investment  securities,  (14)  risks  inherent  in  the  Company’s  risk  management  and  investment 
strategy,  including  changes  in  investment  portfolio  yields  due  to  interest  rate  or  credit  quality  changes,  (15)  the  fact  that  the 
determination of allowances and impairments taken on the Company’s investments is highly subjective, (16) the stability of and 
actions  by  governments  and  economies  in  the  markets  in  which  the  Company  operates,  including  ongoing  uncertainties 
regarding the amount of U.S. sovereign debt and the credit ratings thereof, (17) the Company’s dependence on third parties, 
including  those  insurance  companies  and  reinsurers  to  which  the  Company  cedes  some  reinsurance,  third-party  investment 
managers  and  others,  (18)  financial  performance  of  the  Company’s  clients,  (19)  the  threat  of  natural  disasters,  catastrophes, 
terrorist attacks, epidemics or pandemics anywhere in the world where the Company or its clients do business, (20) competitive 
factors  and  competitors’  responses  to  the  Company’s  initiatives,  (21)  development  and  introduction  of  new  products  and 
distribution  opportunities,  (22)  execution  of  the  Company’s  entry  into  new  markets,  (23)  integration  of  acquired  blocks  of 
business  and  entities,  (24)  interruption  or  failure  of  the  Company’s  telecommunication,  information  technology  or  other 
operational systems, or the Company’s failure to maintain adequate security to protect the confidentiality or privacy of personal 
or sensitive data and intellectual property stored on such systems, (25) adverse litigation or arbitration results, (26) the adequacy 
of  reserves,  resources  and  accurate  information  relating  to  settlements,  awards  and  terminated  and  discontinued  lines  of 
business, (27) changes in laws, regulations, and accounting standards applicable to the Company or its business, (28) the effects 
of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 may be different than expected and (29) other risks and uncertainties described in this 
document and in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Forward-looking  statements  should  be  evaluated  together  with  the  many  risks  and  uncertainties  that  affect  the 
Company’s business, including those mentioned in this document and described in the periodic reports the Company files with 
the  SEC.  These  forward-looking  statements  speak  only  as  of  the  date  on  which  they  are  made.  The  Company  does  not 
undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even though the Company’s situation may change in the 
future.  For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained 
in the forward-looking statements, you are advised to see Item 1A – “Risk Factors”.

40

Overview

The Company is among the leading global providers of life reinsurance and financial solutions, with $3.5 trillion of 
life reinsurance in force and assets of $84.7 billion as of December 31, 2020.  Traditional reinsurance includes individual and 
group  life  and  health,  disability,  and  critical  illness  reinsurance.  Financial  solutions  includes  longevity  reinsurance,  asset-
intensive  reinsurance,  capital  solutions,  including  financial  reinsurance  and  stable  value  products.  The  Company  derives 
revenues  primarily  from  renewal  premiums  from  existing  reinsurance  treaties,  new  business  premiums  from  existing  or  new 
reinsurance treaties, fee income from financial solutions business and income earned on invested assets.

The Company’s underwriting expertise and industry knowledge has allowed it to expand into international markets and 
now has operations in over 25 countries including locations in Canada, the Asia Pacific region, Europe, the Middle East, Africa 
and  Latin  America.  The  Company  generally  starts  operations  from  the  ground  up  in  new  markets  as  opposed  to  acquiring 
existing  operations,  and  it  often  enters  new  markets  to  support  its  clients  as  they  expand  internationally.  Based  on  the 
compilation  of  information  from  competitors’  annual  reports,  the  Company  believes  it  is  the  second-largest  global  life  and 
health  reinsurer  in  the  world  based  on  2019  life  and  health  reinsurance  revenues.  The  Company  conducts  business  with  the 
majority  of  the  largest  U.S.  and  international  life  insurance  companies.  The  Company  has  also  developed  its  capacity  and 
expertise in the reinsurance of longevity risks, asset-intensive products (primarily annuities and corporate-owned life insurance) 
and  financial  reinsurance.  More  recently,  the  Company  has  increased  its  investment  and  expenditures  in  client  service  and 
technology-oriented initiatives to both support its clients and generate new future revenue streams. 

Historically,  the  Company’s  primary  business  has  been  traditional  life  reinsurance,  which  involves  reinsuring  life 
insurance policies that are often in force for the remaining lifetime of the underlying individuals insured, with premiums earned 
typically  over  a  period  of  10  to  30  years  or  longer.  Each  year,  however,  a  portion  of  the  business  under  existing  treaties 
terminates  due  to,  among  other  things,  lapses  or  voluntary  surrenders  of  underlying  policies,  deaths  of  the  insured,  and  the 
exercise  of  recapture  options  by  ceding  companies.  The  Company  has  expanded  its  financial  solutions  business,  including 
significant asset-intensive and longevity risk transactions, which allow its clients to take advantage of growth opportunities and 
manage their capital, longevity and investment risk.

The Company’s long-term profitability largely depends on the volume and amount of death- and health-related claims 
incurred and the ability to adequately price the risks it assumes. While death claims are reasonably predictable over a period of 
many  years,  claims  become  less  predictable  over  shorter  periods  and  are  subject  to  significant  fluctuation  from  quarter  to 
quarter and year to year.  For longevity business, the Company’s profitability depends on the lifespan of the underlying contract 
holders  and  the  investment  performance  for  certain  contracts.  Additionally,  the  Company  generates  profits  on  investment 
spreads associated with the reinsurance of investment type contracts and generates fees from financial reinsurance transactions, 
which are typically shorter duration than its traditional life reinsurance business. The Company believes its sources of liquidity 
are sufficient to cover potential claims payments on both a short-term and long-term basis.

Segment Presentation

The  Company  has  geographic-based  and  business-based  operational  segments.  Geographic-based  operations  are 

further segmented into traditional and financial solutions businesses. 

The Company allocates capital to its segments based on an internally developed economic capital model, the purpose 
of which is to measure the risk in the business and to provide a consistent basis upon which capital is deployed. The economic 
capital model considers the unique and specific nature of the risks inherent in RGA’s businesses. As a result of the economic 
capital allocation process, a portion of investment income is credited to the segments based on the level of allocated capital. In 
addition,  the  segments  are  charged  for  excess  capital  utilized  above  the  allocated  economic  capital  basis.  This  charge  is 
included in policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses. Segment investment performance varies with the composition 
of investments and the relative allocation of capital to the operating segments.

Segment  revenue  levels  can  be  significantly  influenced  by  currency  fluctuations,  large  transactions,  mix  of  business 
and  reporting  practices  of  ceding  companies,  and  therefore  may  fluctuate  from  period  to  period.  Although  reasonably 
predictable over a period of years, segment claims experience can be volatile over shorter periods. 

41

The following table sets forth the Company’s premiums attributable to each of its segments for the periods indicated 

on both a gross assumed basis and net of premiums ceded to third parties:

Gross and Net Premiums by Segment

(in millions)

2020

Gross

Net

Year Ended December 31,
2019

Gross

Net

2018

Gross

Net

$ 

6,423  $ 
53 
6,476 

5,838  $ 
53 
5,891 

6,320  $ 
39 
6,359 

5,729  $ 
39 
5,768 

6,127  $ 
27 
6,154 

1,106 
83 
1,189 

1,579 
430 
2,009 

2,787 
180 
2,967 

1,052 
83 
1,135 

1,555 
252 
1,807 

2,681 
180 
2,861 

1,332 
89 
1,421 

1,494 
366 
1,860 

2,652 
146 
2,798 

1,066 
89 
1,155 

1,442 
218 
1,660 

2,568 
146 
2,714 

1,071 
43 
1,114 

1,449 
339 
1,788 

2,346 
1 
2,347 

5,534 
27 
5,561 

1,024 
43 
1,067 

1,424 
195 
1,619 

2,296 
1 
2,297 

— 
12,641  $ 

— 
11,694  $ 

— 
12,438  $ 

— 
11,297  $ 

— 
11,403  $ 

— 
10,544 

$ 

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total U.S. and Latin America

Canada:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total Canada

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total Europe, Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific:
Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total Asia Pacific

Corporate and Other

Total

The following table sets forth selected information concerning assumed life reinsurance business in force and assumed 

new business volume by segment for the periods indicated. The terms “in force” and “new business” refer to insurance policy 
face amounts or net amounts at risk.

Reinsurance Business In Force and New Business by Segment

(in billions)

2020

As of December 31,
2019

2018

In Force

New Business

In Force

New Business

In Force

New Business

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total U.S. and Latin America

Canada:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total Canada

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total Europe, Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific:
Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total Asia Pacific

Total

$ 

1,611.6  $ 
5.3 
1,616.9 

114.9  $ 
— 
114.9 

1,619.6  $ 
5.1 
1,624.7 

115.8  $ 
3.2 
119.0 

1,610.1  $ 
2.1 
1,612.2 

445.2 
— 
445.2 

864.4 
— 
864.4 

40.8 
— 
40.8 

184.3 
— 
184.3 

417.1 
— 
417.1 

776.4 
— 
776.4 

40.4 
— 
40.4 

147.4 
— 
147.4 

383.5 
— 
383.5 

716.3 
— 
716.3 

553.7 
0.5 
554.2 
3,480.7  $ 

$ 

49.6 
— 
49.6 
389.6  $ 

662.0 
— 
662.0 
3,480.2  $ 

69.7 
— 
69.7 
376.5  $ 

616.9 
0.3 
617.2 
3,329.2  $ 

106.5 
— 
106.5 

43.1 
— 
43.1 

190.2 
— 
190.2 

66.9 
— 
66.9 
406.7 

42

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reinsurance  business  in  force  reflects  the  addition  or  acquisition  of  new  life  reinsurance  business,  offset  by 
terminations  (e.g.,  life  and  group  contract  terminations,  lapses  of  underlying  policies,  deaths  of  insureds,  and  recapture), 
changes in foreign currency exchange, and any other changes in the amount of insurance in force. As a result of terminations 
and other changes, assumed in force amounts at risk of $389.1 billion, $225.5 billion, and $374.8 billion were released in 2020, 
2019 and 2018, respectively. 

See “Results of Operations by Segment” below for further information about the Company’s segments.

Industry Trends

The  Company  believes  life  and  health  insurance  companies  will  continue  to  partner  with  reinsurance  companies  to 
manage risk, achieve new growth, assist with capital efficiency, develop solutions across the value chain and to help navigate 
through changes in regulatory and accounting standards. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of insurance 
products  in  general  and  the  Company  believes  reinsurers  will  continue  to  be  an  integral  part  of  the  life  and  health  insurance 
market due to their ability to efficiently aggregate a significant volume of life insurance in force, creating economies of scale 
and  greater  diversification  of  risk.  As  a  result  of  having  larger  amounts  of  mortality  and  morbidity  experience  data  at  their 
disposal compared to primary life insurance companies, reinsurers tend to have more comprehensive insights into mortality and 
morbidity  trends,  creating  more  efficient  pricing  for  mortality  and  morbidity  risk.  The  Company  also  believes  the  following 
trends  in  the  life  and  health  insurance  industry  will  continue  to  create  demand  for  both  traditional  reinsurance  and  financial 
solutions.

Cession Rates. The percentage of new life and health business being reinsured in North America has recently began to 
increase  following  a  period  of  decline,  due  to  strong  recurring  production  coupled  with  in-force  opportunities  and  an  aging 
population,  which  increases  the  need  for  living  benefit  morbidity  products.  Cession  rates  in  the  Company’s  international 
markets are expected to continue increasing as middle-class growth and wealth creation drive additional insurance growth. The 
COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the insurance protection gap and may lead to increased cession rates as insurance companies 
address the gap.  

Products  and  Distribution  Channels.  New  products  and  distribution  channels  from  accelerated  underwriting  and 
insurtech, are expected to contribute to the growth of the insurance market globally and provide opportunities for reinsurers. 
The COVID-19 pandemic will likely hasten the transformation of the insurance and reinsurance industry and accelerate the shift 
to digital platforms and distribution channels. 

Insured Populations. The aging population in North America and elsewhere, and the growth in the middle class in the 
Company’s  international  markets,  are  increasing  demand  for  insurance  products  and  for  financial  products  among  “baby 
boomers”  who  are  concerned  about  protecting  their  peak  income  stream  and  are  considering  retirement  and  estate  planning. 
This trend is likely to result in continuing demand for annuity products and life insurance policies, larger face amounts of life 
insurance policies and higher mortality and longevity risk taken by life insurers, all of which should fuel the need for insurers to 
seek reinsurance coverage. Additionally, in many countries, companies are increasingly interested in reducing their exposure to 
longevity risk related to employee retirement plans.              

Economic,  Regulatory  and  Accounting  Changes.  The  low  interest  rate  environment  puts  pressure  on  new  business 
opportunities for asset intensive blocks; however, the Company believes that the demand for reinsuring these blocks of business 
will  continue.  In  addition,  regulatory,  accounting,  and  economic  changes  across  the  globe  are  creating  opportunities  for 
reinsurance to:

• manage risk-based capital by shifting mortality and other risks to reinsurers, thereby reducing amounts of reserves and 

capital the life and health insurance companies need to maintain;
release capital to pursue new business initiatives;
unlock the capital supporting, and value embedded in, non-core product lines; and
exit certain lines of business.

•
•
•

Consolidation  and  Reorganization  within  the  Life  Reinsurance  and  Life  Insurance  Industry.  There  are  fewer 
competitors  in  the  traditional  life  reinsurance  industry  as  a  result  of  consolidations  in  the  industry.  As  a  consequence,  the 
Company  believes  there  will  be  business  opportunities  for  the  remaining  life  reinsurers,  particularly  those  with  a  significant 
market presence and strong ratings.  However, competition from new entrants for large in-force blocks, particularly for asset-
intensive  blocks,  has  increased  in  recent  years.  Additionally,  merger  and  acquisition  transactions  within  the  life  insurance 
industry will likely continue to occur, which we believe will increase the demand for reinsurance products to facilitate these 
transactions and manage risk.

43

              The Company hopes to continue to capitalize on industry trends by ensuring it is well positioned to meet its clients’ 
needs through the following initiatives:

                    Continue  Growth  of  Traditional  Reinsurance.  The  Company’s  strategy  includes  continuing  to  grow  each  of  the 
following components of its traditional operations:

•

•

•

North America. Based on discussions with the Company’s clients, an industry survey and informal knowledge about 
the industry, the Company believes it is a leader in facultative underwriting in North America. The Company intends 
to  maintain  that  status  by  emphasizing  its  underwriting  standards,  prompt  response  on  quotes,  competitive  pricing, 
capacity,  value  added  services  and  flexibility  in  meeting  customer  needs.  The  Company  believes  its  facultative 
business  has  allowed  it  to  develop  close,  long-standing  client  relationships  and  generate  additional  business 
opportunities  with  its  facultative  clients.  In  addition,  the  Company  intends  to  maintain  its  presence  in  the  North 
American automatic reinsurance market by leveraging its mortality expertise and breadth of products and services to 
gain additional market share.

International  Markets.  International  markets  continue  to  offer  opportunities  for  long-term  growth,  and  the  Company 
intends to capitalize on these opportunities by growing its presence in select markets. Many of the markets where the 
Company does business, or may enter in the future, are not utilizing life reinsurance at the same levels as the North 
American market.  Therefore, the Company believes these markets represent opportunities for increasing reinsurance 
penetration. In particular, markets such as Japan, Southeast Asia and South Korea are beginning to realize the benefits 
that reinsurers bring to the life insurance market. Markets such as China and India represent longer-term opportunities 
for  growth  as  the  underlying  direct  life  insurance  markets  grow  to  meet  the  needs  of  expanding  middle-class 
populations.  Additionally,  the  Company  believes  that  regulatory  changes  in  many  of  its  markets  may  cause  ceding 
companies  to  reduce  counterparty  exposure  to  their  existing  life  reinsurers  and  reinsure  more  business,  creating 
opportunities  for  the  Company.  More  recently,  the  Company  has  experienced  significant  growth  in  health  related 
product offerings, such as critical illness, most notably in select Asian markets.

In Force Block Reinsurance. Increasingly, there are opportunities to grow the business by reinsuring in force blocks, as 
insurers  and  reinsurers  seek  to  exit  various  non-core  businesses  and  increase  financial  flexibility  to,  among  other 
things,  redeploy  capital  and  pursue  merger  and  acquisition  activity.  The  Company  continually  seeks  these  types  of 
opportunities.

Continue Growth in Financial Solutions.

•

•

Asset-intensive and Longevity Reinsurance. In recent years, the Company has experienced growth in asset-intensive 
and  longevity  reinsurance.  The  Company  intends  to  continue  leveraging  its  existing  client  relationships  and 
reinsurance  expertise  to  create  customized  reinsurance  products  and  other  capital  solutions.  Industry  trends, 
particularly the consolidation and reorganization that occurred among life insurance companies, changes in products 
and  product  distribution  and  new  solvency  requirements,  are  expected  to  enhance  existing  opportunities  for  asset-
intensive  and  longevity  reinsurance.  To  date,  most  of  the  Company’s  asset-intensive  reinsurance  business  has  been 
written  in  the  U.S.,  the  UK  and  Japan;  however,  additional  opportunities  in  other  markets  continue  to  develop.  The 
Company also provides longevity reinsurance in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Capital  Solutions.  The  Company  provides  capital  solutions  customized  for  each  client,  country,  and  product.  The 
Company’s  culture  of  collaboration  and  innovation  makes  it  well  positioned  to  react  to  regulatory  and  accounting 
changes  in  all  of  its  clients’  markets,  which  we  believe  may  create  demand  for  increased  product  development  and 
more capital solutions.

Build on the Company’s History of Innovation.

•

The  Company  has  a  history  of  innovation,  expertise  and  a  relentless  focus  on  its  clients.  As  such,  the  Company 
continues  to  build  a  diverse  and  experienced  team  while  partnering  with  insurance  companies,  data  and  technology 
providers  and  insurtech  entrepreneurs  to  develop  and  market  technology  and  provide  consulting  and  outsourcing 
solutions. While this is currently a small, but growing, part of the Company’s operations, these initiatives may lead to 
new revenue streams, new opportunities across the industry value chain and new business innovations that could have 
a transformational impact on the insurance industry and the Company. 

Critical Accounting Policies

The Company’s accounting policies are described in Note 2 – “Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements” 
in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements.  The  Company  believes  its  most  critical  accounting  policies  include  the 
establishment of premiums receivable; amortization of deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”); the establishment of liabilities for 
future policy benefits and incurred but not reported claims; the valuation of investments and investment allowance for credit 
losses  and  impairments;  the  valuation  of  embedded  derivatives;  and  accounting  for  income  taxes.  The  balances  of  these 

44

accounts require extensive use of assumptions and estimates, particularly related to the future performance of the underlying 
business.

Differences in experience compared with the assumptions and estimates utilized in establishing premiums receivable, 
the justification of the recoverability of DAC, in establishing reserves for future policy benefits and claim liabilities, or in the 
determination of impairments to investment securities can have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations and 
financial condition.

Premiums Receivable

Premiums  are  accrued  when  due  and  in  accordance  with  information  received  from  the  ceding  company.  When  the 
Company enters into a new reinsurance agreement, it records accruals based on the terms of the reinsurance treaty. Similarly, 
when a ceding company fails to report information on a timely basis, the Company records accruals based on the terms of the 
reinsurance treaty as well as historical experience. Other management estimates include adjustments for increased insurance in 
force  on  existing  treaties,  lapsed  premiums  given  historical  experience,  the  financial  health  of  specific  ceding  companies, 
collateral value and the legal right of offset on related amounts (i.e. allowances and claims) owed to the ceding company. Under 
the legal right of offset provisions in its reinsurance treaties, the Company can withhold payments for allowances and claims 
from unpaid premiums.

Deferred Acquisition Costs

Costs of acquiring new business, which vary with and are directly related to the production of new business, have been 
deferred  to  the  extent  that  such  costs  are  deemed  recoverable  from  future  premiums  or  gross  profits.  Such  costs  include 
commissions and allowances as well as certain costs of policy issuance and underwriting. Non-commission costs related to the 
acquisition of new and renewal insurance contracts may be deferred only if they meet the following criteria:

•

•

•

Incremental direct costs of a successful contract acquisition.

Portions  of  employees’  salaries  and  benefits  directly  related  to  time  spent  performing  specified  acquisition 
activities for a contract that has been acquired or renewed.

Other costs directly related to the specified acquisition or renewal activities that would not have been incurred had 
that acquisition contract transaction not occurred.

The  Company  tests  the  recoverability  for  each  year  of  business  at  issue  before  establishing  additional  DAC.  The 
Company  also  performs  annual  tests  to  establish  that  DAC  remain  recoverable  at  all  times,  and  if  financial  performance 
significantly deteriorates to the point where a deficiency exists, a cumulative charge to current operations will be recorded. No 
such adjustments related to DAC recoverability were made in 2020, 2019 and 2018.

DAC related to traditional life insurance contracts are amortized with interest over the premium-paying period of the 
related policies in proportion to the ratio of individual period premium revenues to total anticipated premium revenues over the 
life of the policy. Such anticipated premium revenues are estimated using the same assumptions used for computing liabilities 
for future policy benefits.

DAC  related  to  interest-sensitive  life  and  investment-type  contracts  is  amortized  over  the  lives  of  the  contracts,  in 
relation to the present value of estimated gross profits (“EGP”) from mortality, investment income, and expense margins. The 
EGP  for  asset-intensive  products  include  the  following  components:  (1)  estimates  of  fees  charged  to  policyholders  to  cover 
mortality, surrenders and maintenance costs, less amount of risk upon death; (2) expected interest rate spreads between income 
earned and amounts credited to policyholder accounts; and (3) estimated costs of administration. EGP is also reduced by the 
Company’s estimate of future losses due to defaults in fixed maturity securities as well as the change in reserves for embedded 
derivatives. DAC is sensitive to changes in assumptions regarding these EGP components, and any change in such assumptions 
could have an effect on the Company’s profitability.

The  Company  periodically  reviews  the  EGP  valuation  model  and  assumptions  so  that  the  assumptions  reflect  best 
estimates  of  future  experience.  Two  assumptions  are  considered  to  be  most  significant:  (1)  estimated  interest  spread,  and 
(2) estimated future policy lapses.  As of December 31, 2020, the Company had $255 million of DAC related to asset-intensive 
products, all within the U.S. and Latin America Financial Solutions segment.  The following table reflects the possible change 
that would occur in a given year if assumptions, as a percentage of current DAC related to asset-intensive products, are changed 
as illustrated:

45

 
 
 
Quantitative Change in Significant Assumptions

One-Time Increase in
DAC

One-Time Decrease in
DAC

Estimated interest spread increasing (decreasing) 25 basis points from the current spread

Estimated future policy lapse rates decreasing (increasing) 20% on a permanent basis 
(including surrender charges)

4.77%

2.13%

(6.35)%

(2.07)%

In  general,  a  change  in  assumption  that  improves  the  Company’s  expectations  regarding  EGP  is  going  to  have  the 
effect of deferring the amortization of DAC into the future, thus increasing earnings and the current DAC balance. DAC can be 
no  greater  than  the  initial  DAC  balance  plus  interest  and  would  be  subject  to  recoverability  testing,  which  is  ignored  for 
purposes  of  this  analysis.  Conversely,  a  change  in  assumption  that  decreases  EGP  will  have  the  effect  of  speeding  up  the 
amortization  of  DAC,  thus  reducing  earnings  and  lowering  the  DAC  balance.  The  Company  also  adjusts  DAC  to  reflect 
changes in the unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale fixed maturity securities since these changes affect EGP. This 
adjustment to DAC is reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income.

The  DAC  associated  with  the  Company’s  non-asset-intensive  business  is  less  sensitive  to  changes  in  estimates  for 
investment  yields,  mortality  and  lapses.  In  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  the  estimates  include 
provisions for the risk of adverse deviation and are not adjusted unless experience significantly deteriorates to the point where a 
premium deficiency exists.

The following table displays DAC balances for the Traditional and Financial Solutions segments as of December 31, 

2020:

(dollars in millions)

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

U.S. and Latin America

Canada

Europe, Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific

Total

$ 

$ 

1,816  $ 

255  $ 

195 

264 

1,045 

— 

— 

41 

3,320  $ 

296  $ 

2,071 

195 

264 

1,086 

3,616 

As of December 31, 2020, the Company estimates that all of its DAC balance is collateralized by surrender fees due to 

the Company and the reduction of policy liabilities, in excess of termination values, upon surrender or lapse of a policy.

Liabilities for Future Policy Benefits and Incurred but not Reported Claims

Liabilities for future policy benefits under long-duration life insurance policies (policy reserves) are computed based 
upon  expected  investment  yields,  mortality  and  withdrawal  (lapse)  rates,  and  other  assumptions,  including  a  provision  for 
adverse  deviation  from  expected  claim  levels.  Liabilities  for  policy  claims  and  benefits  for  short-duration  contracts  are 
accounted for based on actuarial estimates of the amount of loss inherent in that period’s claims, including losses incurred for 
which  claims  have  not  been  reported.  Short-duration  contract  loss  estimates  rely  on  actuarial  observations  of  ultimate  loss 
experience  for  similar  historical  events.    The  Company  primarily  relies  on  its  own  valuation  and  administration  systems  to 
establish  policy  reserves.  The  policy  reserves  the  Company  establishes  may  differ  from  those  established  by  the  ceding 
companies due to the use of different mortality and other assumptions. However, the Company relies upon its ceding company 
clients  to  provide  accurate  data,  including  policy-level  information,  premiums  and  claims,  which  is  the  primary  information 
used to establish reserves. The Company’s administration departments work directly with clients to help ensure information is 
submitted in accordance with the reinsurance contracts. Additionally, the Company performs periodic audits of the information 
provided  by  clients.  The  Company  establishes  reserves  for  processing  backlogs  with  a  goal  of  clearing  all  backlogs  within  a 
ninety-day  period.  The  backlogs  are  usually  due  to  data  errors  the  Company  discovers  or  computer  file  compatibility  issues, 
since much of the data reported to the Company is in electronic format and is uploaded to its computer systems.

The  Company  periodically  reviews  actual  historical  experience  and  relative  anticipated  experience  compared  to  the 
assumptions  used  to  establish  aggregate  policy  reserves.  Further,  the  Company  establishes  premium  deficiency  reserves  if 
actual  and  anticipated  experience  indicates  that  existing  aggregate  policy  reserves,  together  with  the  present  value  of  future 
gross premiums, are not sufficient to cover the present value of future benefits, settlement and maintenance costs and to recover 
unamortized acquisition costs. The premium deficiency reserve is established through a charge to income, as well as a reduction 
to  unamortized  acquisition  costs  and,  to  the  extent  there  are  no  unamortized  acquisition  costs,  an  increase  to  future  policy 
benefits.  Because  of  the  many  assumptions  and  estimates  used  in  establishing  reserves  and  the  long-term  nature  of  the 
Company’s  reinsurance  contracts,  the  reserving  process,  while  based  on  actuarial  science,  is  inherently  uncertain.  If  the 
Company’s assumptions, particularly on mortality, are inaccurate, its reserves may be inadequate to pay claims and there could 
be a material adverse effect on its results of operations and financial condition.

46

  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Claims  payable  for  incurred  but  not  reported  losses  for  long-duration  life  policies  are  determined  using  case-basis 
estimates  and  lag  studies  of  past  experience.  The  time  lag  from  the  date  of  the  claim  or  death  to  the  date  when  the  ceding 
company  reports  the  claim  to  the  Company  can  be  several  months  and  can  vary  significantly  by  ceding  company,  business 
segment and product type. Incurred but not reported claims are estimates on an undiscounted basis, using actuarial estimates of 
historical claims expense, adjusted for current trends and conditions. These estimates are continually reviewed and the ultimate 
liability may vary significantly from the amount recognized, which are reflected in net income in the period in which they are 
determined.

Claims  payable  for  incurred  but  not  reported  losses  for  disability,  medical  and  other  short-duration  contracts  are 
determined using actuarial methods based on historical claim patterns as well as estimated changes in cost trends. The Company 
also reviews and evaluates how prior periods’ estimates are developed when estimating the accrual for the current period.  To 
the extent appropriate, changes in such development are recorded as a change to the current period expense.  Historically, the 
amount  of  the  claim  development  adjustment  made  in  subsequent  reporting  periods  for  prior  period  estimates  has  been  in  a 
reasonable range given the Company’s normal claim fluctuations.

Valuation of Investments, Allowance for Credit Losses and Impairments

The  Company  primarily  invests  in  fixed  maturity  securities,  mortgage  loans,  short-term  investments,  and  other 
invested assets. For investments reported at fair value, the Company utilizes, when available, fair values based on quoted prices 
in active markets that are regularly and readily obtainable. Generally, these are very liquid investments and the valuation does 
not  require  management  judgment.  When  quoted  prices  in  active  markets  are  not  available,  fair  value  is  based  on  market 
valuation techniques, market comparable pricing and the income approach. The Company may utilize information from third 
parties,  such  as  pricing  services  and  brokers,  to  assist  in  determining  the  fair  value  for  certain  investments;  however, 
management  is  ultimately  responsible  for  all  fair  values  presented  in  the  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements.  This 
includes responsibility for monitoring the fair value process, ensuring objective and reliable valuation practices and pricing of 
assets  and  liabilities,  and  approving  changes  to  valuation  methodologies  and  pricing  sources.  The  selection  of  the  valuation 
technique(s)  to  apply  considers  the  definition  of  an  exit  price  and  the  nature  of  the  investment  being  valued  and  significant 
expertise and judgment is required.

Fixed maturity securities are classified as available-for-sale and are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses 
on fixed maturity securities classified as available-for-sale, less applicable deferred income taxes as well as related adjustments 
to deferred acquisition costs, if applicable, are reflected as a direct charge or credit to accumulated other comprehensive income 
(“AOCI”) in stockholders’ equity on the consolidated balance sheets.

See  “Investments”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  and  Note  6  –  “Fair  Value  of 
Assets and Liabilities” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the valuation 
of the Company’s investments.

Mortgage loans on real estate are carried at unpaid principal balances, net of any unamortized premium or discount and 
valuation allowances. For a discussion regarding the valuation allowance for mortgage loans see “Allowance for Credit Losses 
and  Impairments”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  in  the  Notes  to  the  Consolidated 
Financial Statements.

In  addition,  investments  are  subject  to  impairment  reviews  to  identify  when  a  decline  in  value  necessitates  the 
recording of an allowance for credit losses or an impairment for non-credit factors. Impairment losses for non-credit factors are 
recognized  in  AOCI  whereas  allowances  for  credit  losses  are  recognized  in  investment  related  gains  (losses),  net.  See 
“Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  and  Impairments”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  in  the 
Notes  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  a  discussion  of  the  policies  regarding  allowance  for  credit  losses  and 
impairments.

Valuation of Embedded Derivatives

The  Company  reinsures  certain  annuity  products  that  contain  terms  that  are  deemed  to  be  embedded  derivatives, 
primarily  equity-indexed  annuities  and  variable  annuities  with  guaranteed  minimum  benefits.  The  Company  assesses  each 
identified embedded derivative to determine whether it is required to be bifurcated under the general accounting principles for 
Derivatives and Hedging. If the instrument would not be reported in its entirety at fair value and it is determined that the terms 
of the embedded derivative are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics of the host contract, and that a 
separate instrument with the same terms would qualify as a derivative instrument, the embedded derivative is bifurcated from 
the  host  contract  and  accounted  for  as  a  freestanding  derivative.  Such  embedded  derivatives  are  carried  on  the  consolidated 
balance sheets at fair value with the host contract.

Additionally, reinsurance treaties written on a modified coinsurance or funds withheld basis are subject to the general 
accounting  principles  for  Derivatives  and  Hedging  related  to  embedded  derivatives.  The  majority  of  the  Company’s  funds 
withheld at interest balances are associated with its reinsurance of annuity contracts, the majority of which are subject to the 

47

general  accounting  principles  for  Derivatives  and  Hedging  related  to  embedded  derivatives.  Management  believes  the 
embedded  derivative  feature  in  each  of  these  reinsurance  treaties  is  similar  to  a  total  return  swap  on  the  assets  held  by  the 
ceding companies.

The  valuation  of  the  various  embedded  derivatives  requires  complex  calculations  based  on  actuarial  and  capital 
markets inputs and assumptions related to estimates of future cash flows and interpretations of the primary accounting guidance 
continue to evolve in practice. The valuation of embedded derivatives is sensitive to the investment credit spread environment. 
Changes in investment credit spreads are also affected by the application of a credit valuation adjustment (“CVA”).  The fair 
value  calculation  of  an  embedded  derivative  in  an  asset  position  utilizes  a  CVA  based  on  the  ceding  company’s  credit  risk. 
Conversely, the fair value calculation of an embedded derivative in a liability position utilizes a CVA based on the Company’s 
credit risk. Generally, an increase in investment credit spreads, ignoring changes in the CVA, will have a negative impact on the 
fair value of the embedded derivative (decrease in income).  See “Derivative Instruments” in Note 2 – “Significant Accounting 
Policies  and  Pronouncements”  and  Note  6  –  “Fair  Value  of  Assets  and  Liabilities”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements for additional information regarding the valuation of the Company’s embedded derivatives.

Income Taxes

The  U.S.  consolidated  tax  return  includes  the  operations  of  RGA  and  all  eligible  subsidiaries.  Certain  RGA 
subsidiaries file separate U.S. income tax returns as these companies are currently ineligible for inclusion in the consolidated 
federal tax return. The Company’s foreign subsidiaries are taxed under applicable local statutes.

The Company provides for federal, state and foreign income taxes currently payable, as well as those deferred due to 
temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and the reported amounts, and are recognized in net income 
or in certain cases in other comprehensive income. The Company’s accounting for income taxes represents management’s best 
estimate  of  various  events  and  transactions  considering  the  laws  enacted  as  of  the  reporting  date.    U.S.  Tax  Reform  creates 
additional  complexity  due  to  various  provisions  that  require  management  judgment  and  assumptions,  which  are  subject  to 
change.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured by applying the relevant jurisdictions’ enacted tax rate for the period in 
which the temporary differences are expected to reverse to the temporary difference change for that period.  The Company will 
establish a valuation allowance if management determines, based on available information, that it is more likely than not that 
deferred  income  tax  assets  will  not  be  realized.    The  Company  has  deferred  tax  assets  including  those  related  to  foreign  tax 
credits, net operating and capital losses.  The Company has projected its ability to utilize its deferred tax assets and established a 
valuation allowance on the portion of the deferred tax assets the Company believes more likely than not will not be realized.

Significant  judgment  is  required  in  determining  whether  valuation  allowances  should  be  established  as  well  as  the 

amount of such allowances.  When making such a determination, consideration is given to, among other things, the following:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

taxable income in prior carryback years

future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences;

future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards; and

tax planning strategies.

Any  such  changes  could  significantly  affect  the  amounts  reported  in  the  consolidated  financial  statements  in  the  year  these 
changes occur.

The Company made a policy election to account for global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) as a period cost.

The Company reports uncertain tax positions in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.  In order to 
recognize the benefit of an uncertain tax position, the position must meet the more likely than not criteria of being sustained.  
Unrecognized  tax  benefits  due  to  tax  uncertainties  that  do  not  meet  the  more  likely  than  not  criteria  are  included  within 
liabilities and are charged to earnings in the period that such determination is made.  The Company classifies interest related to 
tax uncertainties as interest expense whereas penalties related to tax uncertainties are classified as a component of income tax.

See Note 9 – “Income Tax” for further discussion.

48

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Results of Operations

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic and the response thereto continues to cause increases in mortality, morbidity 
and other insurance risks, as well as significant disruption in the international and U.S. economies and financial markets. The 
extent to which the Company’s future results continue to be affected by COVID-19 and the response thereto will largely depend 
on, among other factors, country-specific circumstances, measures by public and private institutions, COVID-19’s impact on all 
other causes of death and the timing of effective treatments and/or vaccines for COVID-19. Given these many variables, the 
Company cannot reliably predict the future impact of the pandemic on its business, results of operations and financial condition. 
In addition, clients’ ability to write new business in this environment may result in a slowdown in the Company’s new business 
temporarily;  however,  much  of  the  Company’s  premiums  and  other  revenues  are  contractually  recurring  for  many  years  to 
come.

The safety and well-being of the Company’s employees and clients continues to be a priority. The Company’s business 
continuity plans are still activated and the actions taken during 2020 to protect both employees and clients, such as working 
from home, restricting travel, conducting meetings remotely, and reinforcing the importance of face coverings, good hygiene 
and  social  distancing,  also  continue.  The  Company’s  offices  worldwide  are  at  a  minimum  adhering  to  local  government 
mandates  and  guidelines  regarding  occupancy  levels;  however,  in  certain  situations  the  Company’s  guidelines  are  more 
restrictive than those of local governments.

The  Company  has  not  currently  experienced  any  significant  disruptions  to  its  daily  operations,  despite  most  of  its 
workforce  working  remotely.  Expenses  incurred  to  implement  its  business  continuity  plans,  including  work  from  home 
arrangements,  are  not  material  and  have  been  more  than  offset  by  reduced  travel  and  other  expenses  during  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2020. However, COVID-19 may heighten operational risks and related impacts, which may include a reduction 
in  new  business  volumes  from  slower  sales,  impacts  to  the  Company’s  workforce  productivity  due  to  travel  restrictions, 
temporary  office  closures  and  increased  remote  working  situations,  and  potential  client  delays  in  paying  premiums  and 
reporting claims. The Company is heavily reliant on timely reporting from its clients and other third parties. While operational 
risks, including privacy and cybersecurity risks, are heightened during remote working situations, the Company has increased 
communication  and  training  related  to  these  risks  for  all  its  workforce  and  continues  to  monitor  its  programs,  processes  and 
procedures designed to manage these risks.

An infectious pandemic negatively impacts the profitability of the Company’s life and health business due to increased 
claims; however, given the many variables and uncertainties in the amounts and timing of claims, the Company is unable to 
reliably predict the ultimate claims it will experience as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These variables and uncertainties 
include age, gender, comorbidities, other insured versus general population characteristics, geography-specific institutional and 
individual  mitigating  actions,  medical  capacity,  and  other  factors.  To  date,  general  population  COVID-19  deaths  have  been 
heavily concentrated in individuals aged 70 and older and with pre-existing comorbidities. The Company’s insured population 
has lower exposure to older ages than the general population and covers a generally healthier population due to underwriting 
and socioeconomic factors of those purchasing insurance. In addition, the Company’s longevity business may act as a modest 
offset to excess life insurance claims. 

The  Company’s  COVID-19  projection  and  financial  impact  models  continue  to  be  updated  and  refined  based  on 
updated external data and the Company’s claim experience to date and are subject to the many variables and uncertainties noted 
above. The financial impact of COVID-19 on the Company is currently projected to be at the low end of previous estimates for 
the  same  level  of  general  population  deaths  as  there  continues  to  be  significant  differences  between  general  and  insured 
population mortality. The U.S. is the key driver of mortality claim costs, followed by the UK and Canada. For the year ending 
December 31, 2020, the Company estimates it has incurred approximately $720 million of COVID-19 related life and health 
claim costs, including amounts incurred but not reported, with approximately $590 million of that amount being associated with 
the U.S. and Latin America Traditional segment. The Company estimates that every additional 10,000 population deaths in the 
U.S.,  UK,  or  Canada  as  a  result  of  COVID-19  would  result  in  the  following  corresponding  excess  mortality  claims  of 
approximately:

•

•

•

$15 million to $25 million in the U.S.;

$4 million to $6 million in the UK; and 

$10 million to $15 million in Canada.

The global financial markets continue to be in a state of uncertainty due to COVID-19 mandated economic shutdowns 
and  historically  large  and  rapid  central  bank  and  fiscal  policies  meant  to  offset  the  economic  impact  of  the  pandemic.  The 
economic weakness and uncertainty caused by these events may also adversely affect the Company’s financial performance. All 
investments  held  by  the  Company,  directly  or  in  a  funds  withheld  at  interest  reinsurance  arrangement,  are  monitored  for 
conformance  with  the  Company’s  stated  investment  policy  limits  as  well  as  any  limits  prescribed  by  the  applicable 

49

jurisdiction’s  insurance  laws  and  regulations.  The  current  market  environment  may  result  in  certain  investments  being 
downgraded which can affect conformance with these limits. The level of potential impairments will depend on broad economic 
conditions and the pace at which global economies recover from the effects of COVID-19 and the response thereto. In addition, 
the  Company  may  experience  a  short-term  decrease  in  cash  flows  from  its  commercial  mortgage  loan  portfolio  as  it  assists 
borrowers that are affected by the current economic environment. See “Investments” for more information.

The Company’s liquidity is monitored and managed on a daily basis to ensure all current and future liquidity demands 
can be met, and that it maintains access to liquidity resources to meet even extreme tail risk liquidity needs. In addition, RGA 
maintains a number of arm’s length arrangements for mobilizing liquidity throughout the group. The Company has enhanced 
liquidity  by  holding  more  cash  received  in  the  course  of  its  normal  operating  and  investing  activities.  The  Company  also 
suspended common stock repurchases until further notice.

Key liquidity resources to the group include:

•

•

•

•

Holdings of cash and cash equivalents of $3.4 billion;

Cash flows from investments, which include approximately $2.4 billion per year;

Access to $850 million of cash and letters of credits through a syndicated credit facility; and 

Access to over $500 million of cash through the membership in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines.

In  order  to  further  enhance  its  capital  and  liquidity  position,  the  Company  executed  two  capital  market  transactions 
during  2020.  On  June  5,  2020,  the  Company  completed  an  offering  of  its  common  stock  and  received  net  proceeds  of 
approximately $481 million. On June 9, 2020, the Company completed the offering of $600 million aggregate principal amount 
of its 3.150% Senior Notes due 2030 (the “Senior Notes”), which will be used to repay the $400 million 5.000% senior notes 
due  2021  and  for  general  corporate  purposes.  The  public  offering  price  of  the  Senior  Notes  was  99.472%  of  the  principal 
amount, and the Company received net proceeds of approximately $593 million.

Additional  sources  of  liquidity  for  RGA’s  operating  subsidiaries  include  near-term  reinsurance  cash  flows,  sales  of 

invested assets, and potentially other forms of borrowing.

RGA’s  operating  subsidiaries  continue  to  be  well  capitalized  and  the  Company  continues  to  monitor  its  solvency 
position  under  multiple  capital  regimes  on  a  regular  basis  while  considering  both  its  developing  experience  and  economic 
conditions.  In  addition,  the  Company  utilizes  its  internal  capital  model  to  assess  its  ability  to  meet  its  long-term  obligations 
under a range of stress scenarios on a consolidated basis. This internal capital model is also used as the capital basis for RGA’s 
consolidated Own Risk and Solvency Assessment.

The Company’s primary reinsurance subsidiaries’ financial strength ratings are strong, with all having an S&P rating 
of AA-, and some of those also having an A.M. Best rating of A+ and a Moody’s rating of A1. In addition, even though the 
COVID-19 pandemic and the economic environment may impact the Company’s insurance subsidiaries’ various capital ratios 
and  solvency  measures,  RGA  believes  its  subsidiaries  would  remain  financially  solvent  under  more  extreme  pandemic 
scenarios.

Results of Operations – 2020 compared to 2019

A  discussion  regarding  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020, 
compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, is presented below. A discussion regarding our financial condition and results 
of operations for year ended December 31, 2019, compared to the year ended December 31, 2018, can be found under Item 7 in 
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on February 27, 2020, which is 
available  free  of  charge  on  the  SEC’s  website  at  www.sec.gov  and  our  Investor  Relations  website  at  www.rgare.com.  
Information provided on such websites does not constitute part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

50

The following table summarizes net income for the periods presented.

Revenues
Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net:

Impairments and change in allowance for credit losses on fixed maturity securities
Other investment related gains (losses), net

Total investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Interest expense

Collateral finance and securitization expense

Total benefits and expenses
Income before income taxes

Provision for income taxes

Net income

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

For the years ended December 31,                

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

(Dollars in millions, except per share data)

$ 

11,694  $ 

11,297  $ 

2,575 

2,520 

(21) 

(12) 

(33) 

360 

(31) 

122 

91 

392 

14,596 

14,300 

11,075 

704 

1,261 

816 

170 

17 
14,043 

553 

138 

10,197 

697 

1,204 

868 

173 

29 
13,168 

1,132 

262 

$ 

$ 

415  $ 

870  $ 

6.35  $ 

6.31 

13.88 

13.62 

397 

55 

10 

(134) 

(124) 

(32) 

296 

878 

7 

57 

(52) 

(3) 

(12) 
875 

(579) 

(124) 

(455) 

The decrease in income in 2020 was primarily the result of the following:

•

•

•

Increased  mortality  claims  in  the  U.S.  and  Latin  America,  Canada  and  Europe,  Middle  East  and  Africa  (“EMEA”) 
traditional segments, primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The  unfavorable  mortality  claims  were  partially  offset  by  an  improvement  in  claim  experience  in  Australia,  and  an 
increase in income before taxes in the Company’s Financial Solution business.

As discussed in “Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic” above, the Company estimates it has incurred approximately 
$720  million  of  COVID-19  related  life  and  health  claim  costs,  including  amounts  incurred  but  not  reported,  with 
approximately $590 million of that amount being associated with the U.S. and Latin America segment.

The Company did experience a higher incidence of older age death claims in the U.S. during 2020. While the cause of 
death  information  is  not  yet  available  for  all  claims,  the  Company’s  analysis  attributes  excess  claim  costs  primarily  to 
COVID-19 or COVID-19 related factors and therefore additional analysis and information from clients will allow the Company 
to refine the impact of COVID-19 on the current year’s results. 

Foreign currency fluctuations can result in variances in the financial statement line items. Foreign currency exchange 
fluctuation  did  not  have  a  material  impact  on  income  before  taxes  in  2020.  Unless  otherwise  stated,  all  amounts  discussed 
below are net of foreign currency fluctuations.  

Premiums and business growth

The increase in premiums is primarily due to growth in life reinsurance in force. Consolidated assumed life insurance 
in force increased to $3,480.7 billion as of December 31, 2020, from $3,480.2 billion as of December 31, 2019, due to new 
business production and in force transactions offset by an increase in lapses and mortality claims in the current year primarily 
attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company added new business production, measured by face amount of insurance 
in force, of $389.6 billion, and $376.5 billion during 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

Investment income, net of related expenses and investment related gains and losses

The  increase  in  investment  income,  net  of  related  expenses  is  primarily  attributable  to  an  increase  in  the  average 
invested asset base partially offset by a decline in investment yield and lower variable investment income associated with joint 
venture and limited partnership investments:

51

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•

•

The average invested assets at amortized cost, excluding spread related business, totaled $30.8 billion and $28.3 billion 
in 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

The average yield earned on investments, excluding spread related business, was 4.00% and 4.56% in 2020 and 2019, 
respectively.  

A  continued  low  interest  rate  environment,  in  addition  to  higher  cash  and  cash  equivalents  balances  held  by  the 
Company during the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to put downward pressure on this yield in future reporting periods. The 
average  yield  will  vary  from  year  to  year  depending  on  several  variables,  including  the  prevailing  risk-fee  interest  rate  and 
credit spread environment, prepayment fees and make-whole premiums, changes in the mix of the underlying investments and 
cash  and  cash  equivalents  balances.  Variable  investment  income  from  joint  ventures  and  limited  partnerships  will  also  vary 
from  year  to  year  and  can  be  highly  variable  based  on  the  timing  of  dividends  and  distributions  on  certain  investments. 
Investment  income  is  allocated  to  the  operating  segments  based  upon  average  assets  and  related  capital  levels  deemed 
appropriate to support segment operations.

 Changes in the fair value of these embedded derivatives (decreased) and increased investment related gains (losses) by 
$(62) million and $11 million in 2020 and 2019, respectively. In addition, during 2020, the Company incurred $77 million of 
investment  related  losses  as  result  of  impairments  and  increases  in  the  credit  allowances  related  to  available-for-sale  fixed 
maturity securities, mortgage loans, and limited partnerships. The impairment and the credit losses are primarily attributable to 
the economic disruption caused by COVID-19. See the Investment section within Management Discussion and Analysis, Note 
4  –  “Investments”  and  Note  5  –  “Derivative  Instruments”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  additional 
information on the impairment losses and derivatives.

The  effective  tax  rate  on  a  consolidated  basis  was  24.9%  and  23.1%  for  2020  and  2019,  respectively.    The  2020 
increase to the effective tax rate over the U.S. Statutory income tax rate of 21% was primarily the result of income earned in 
jurisdictions with tax rates higher than the U.S., GILTI primarily due to RGA Canada’s income, and a change in corporate tax 
rate in the UK. These increases were partially offset by foreign tax credit utilization and bases differences in Australia.  The 
2019  increase  to  the  effective  tax  rate  over  the  U.S.  Statutory  income  tax  rate  of  21%  was  primarily  related  to  valuation 
allowance increases in various jurisdictions which were partially offset by bases differences in Australia.  See Note 9 – “Income 
Tax” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the Company’s consolidated effective tax 
rate.

52

Impact of certain derivatives

The Company recognizes in consolidated income, any changes in the fair value of embedded derivatives on modco or 
funds  withheld  treaties,  EIAs  and  variable  annuities  with  guaranteed  minimum  benefit  riders.  The  Company  utilizes 
freestanding derivatives to minimize the income statement volatility due to changes in the fair value of embedded derivatives 
associated with guaranteed minimum benefit riders. The following table presents the effect of embedded derivatives and related 
freestanding derivatives on income before income taxes for the periods indicated (dollars in millions):

Twelve months ended December 31,

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

Modco/Funds withheld:

Unrealized gains (losses)

Deferred acquisition costs/retrocession

Net effect

EIAs:

Unrealized gains (losses)

Deferred acquisition costs/retrocession

Net effect

Guaranteed minimum benefit riders:

Unrealized gains (losses)

Related freestanding derivatives, net of deferred acquisition costs/retrocession

Net effect

$ 

(62)  $ 

11  $ 

22 

(40) 

(20) 

8 

(12) 

9 

1 

10 

(15) 

(4) 

(46) 

23 

(23) 

5 

(7) 

(2) 

Net effect after related freestanding derivatives

$ 

(42)  $ 

(29)  $ 

(73) 

37 

(36) 

26 

(15) 

11 

4 

8 

12 

(13) 

Results of Operations by Segment

U.S. and Latin America Operations

The U.S. and Latin America operations include business generated by the Company’s offices in the U.S., Mexico and 
Brazil.  The  offices  in  Mexico  and  Brazil  provide  services  to  clients  in  other  Latin  American  countries.  The  U.S.  and  Latin 
America  operations  consist  of  two  major  segments:  Traditional  and  Financial  Solutions.  The  Traditional  segment  primarily 
specializes in the reinsurance of individual mortality-risk, health and long-term care and to a lesser extent, group reinsurance. 
The  Financial  Solutions  segment  consists  of  Asset-Intensive  and  Capital  Solutions.  Asset-Intensive  within  the  Financial 
Solutions  segment  includes  coinsurance  of  annuities  and  corporate-owned  life  insurance  policies  and  to  a  lesser  extent,  fee-
based  synthetic  guaranteed  investment  contracts,  which  include  investment-only,  stable  value  contracts.  Capital  Solutions 
within  the  Financial  Solutions  segment  primarily  involves  assisting  ceding  companies  in  meeting  applicable  regulatory 
requirements by enhancing the ceding companies’ financial strength and regulatory surplus position through relatively low risk 
reinsurance and other transactions. Typically, these transactions do not qualify as reinsurance under GAAP, due to the low-risk 
nature of the transactions, therefore only the related net fees are reflected in other revenues on the consolidated statements of 
income.

The following table summarizes income before income taxes for the Company’s U.S. and Latin America operations 

for the periods presented:

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums
Investment income, net of related expenses
Investment related gains (losses), net
Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits
Interest credited
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses
Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses
Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

5,891  $ 
1,713 
(50) 
226 
7,780 

6,107 
636 
871 
169 
7,783 

5,768  $ 
1,700 
57 
254 
7,779 

5,458 
618 
851 
189 
7,116 

$ 

(3)  $ 

663  $ 

123 
13 
(107) 
(28) 
1 

649 
18 
20 
(20) 
667 
(666) 

53

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The decrease in income before income taxes was the result of a significant increase in claims and other policy benefits 
in  the  U.S.  Traditional  segment.  Also  contributing  to  the  decrease,  though  to  a  much  lesser  extent,  were  lower  investment 
related gains (losses), net as a result of a decrease in fair value of the embedded derivatives related to modco/funds withheld 
treaties in the U.S. Financial Solutions. The significant increase in claims was primarily related to a significant increase in claim 
frequency within the individual mortality business. While the cause of death is not yet available for all claims, the Company 
believes  the  excess  claim  costs  are  primarily  attributable  to  COVID-19  or  COVID-19  related  factors  as  the  Company  did 
experience a higher incidence of older age death claims in the U.S. during 2020.

Traditional Reinsurance

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)

Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Key metrics:

Life insurance in force

Claims and other policy benefits as a percentage of net premiums (“loss ratios”)

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses as a percentage of net premiums

Other operating expenses as a percentage of net premiums

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

5,838 

$ 

5,729 

$ 

714 

(11) 

19 

6,560 

5,906 

73 

748 

131 

6,858 

769 

(18) 

20 

6,500 

5,261 

78 

752 

144 

6,235 

$ 

(298) 

$ 

265 

$ 

$1,611.6 billion

$1,619.6 billion

 101.2 %

 12.8 %

 2.2 %

 91.8 %

 13.1 %

 2.5 %

109 

(55) 

7 

(1) 

60 

645 

(5) 

(4) 

(13) 

623 

(563) 

The decrease in income before income taxes for the U.S. and Latin America Traditional segment was primarily due to 
unfavorable claims experience within the Individual Mortality business. In addition, the segment earned less investment income 
in the current year.

Revenues

•

•

The increase in net premiums was primarily due to organic growth as well as new sales.  The segment added new life 
business production, measured by face amount of insurance in force, of $114.9 billion, and $115.8 billion during 2020 
and 2019, respectively.

The decrease in net investment income was due to a decrease in variable investment income as well as higher cash and 
cash equivalents balances in the current year to fund increased claim payments from COVID-19 related deaths. The 
decrease was partially offset by a higher invested asset base.

Benefits and expenses

•

The increase in the loss ratio for 2020 was primarily due to unfavorable claims experience in the individual mortality 
line of business, attributed primarily to the COVID-19 pandemic. As explained above, while the cause of death is not 
yet  available  for  all  claims,  the  Company  estimates  that  approximately  $590  million  of  excess  claims  for  the  year 
ended December 31, 2020 were attributable to COVID-19 or COVID-19 related factors.

•

The decrease in other operating expenses was primarily due to lower incentive-based compensation accruals.

54

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Solutions

For the year ended December 31,

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

Asset-
Intensive

Capital 
Solutions

Total

Asset-
Intensive

Capital 
Solutions

Total

Asset-
Intensive

Capital 
Solutions

Total

(dollars in millions)

Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related 
expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other 
insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

$ 

53  $  —  $ 

53 

$ 

39 

$  —  $ 

39 

$ 

14  $  —  $ 

994 

(39) 

103 

1,111 

201 

563 

118 

28 

5 

— 

104 

109 

— 

— 

5 

10 

999 

(39) 

207 

927 

75 

137 

4 

— 

97 

931 

75 

234 

1,220 

1,178 

101 

1,279 

201 

563 

123 

38 

925 
295 

197 

540 

93 

33 

863 
315 

$ 

— 

— 

6 

12 

18 
83  $ 

$ 

197 

540 

99 

45 

881 
398 

67 

(114) 

(34) 

(67) 

4 

23 

25 

(5) 

1 

— 

7 

8 

— 

— 

(1) 

(2) 

14 

68 

(114) 

(27) 

(59) 

4 

23 

24 

(7) 

47 
(114)  $ 

$ 

(3) 
11  $ 

44 
(103) 

Total benefits and expenses
Income before income taxes

910 
201  $ 

$ 

15 
94  $ 

Asset-intensive

The  decrease  in  income  before  income  taxes  for  the  US  and  Latin  America  Financial  Solutions’  Asset-intensive 
segment  was  primarily  due  to  lower  investment  related  gains  (losses),  net  in  coinsurance  portfolios  and  the  decrease  in  fair 
value of the embedded derivatives related to modco/funds withheld treaties.

The invested asset base supporting this segment decreased to $23.5 billion as of December 31, 2020 from $24.0 billion 

as of December 31, 2019. 

•

•

The decrease in the asset base was primarily due to a decline in fixed annuity account values. 

As  of  December  31,  2020,  and  2019,  $3.2  billion  and  $3.5  billion,  respectively,  of  the  invested  assets  were  funds 
withheld at interest, of which greater than 90% is associated with one client. 

Impact of certain derivatives

Income from the asset-intensive business tends to be volatile due to changes in the fair value of certain derivatives, 
including embedded derivatives associated with reinsurance treaties structured on a modco or funds withheld basis, as well as 
embedded  derivatives  associated  with  the  Company’s  reinsurance  of  EIAs  and  variable  annuities  with  guaranteed  minimum 
benefit riders. Fluctuations occur period to period primarily due to changing investment conditions including, but not limited to, 
interest  rate  movements  (including  risk-free  rates  and  credit  spreads),  implied  volatility,  the  Company’s  own  credit  risk  and 
equity  market  performance,  all  of  which  are  factors  in  the  calculations  of  fair  value.  Therefore,  management  believes  it  is 
helpful to distinguish between the effects of changes in these derivatives, net of related hedging activity, and the primary factors 
that  drive  profitability  of  the  underlying  treaties,  namely  investment  income,  fee  income  (included  in  other  revenues),  and 
interest credited. These fluctuations are considered unrealized by management and do not affect current cash flows, crediting 
rates or spread performance on the underlying treaties.

The following table summarizes the asset-intensive results and quantifies the impact of these embedded derivatives for 
the periods presented. Revenues before certain derivatives, benefits and expenses before certain derivatives, and income before 
income taxes and certain derivatives, should not be viewed as substitutes for GAAP revenues, GAAP benefits and expenses, 
and GAAP income before income taxes.

55

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Total revenues

Less:

Embedded derivatives – modco/funds withheld treaties

Guaranteed minimum benefit riders and related free standing derivatives

Revenues before certain derivatives

Benefits and expenses:

Total benefits and expenses

Less:

Embedded derivatives – modco/funds withheld treaties

Guaranteed minimum benefit riders and related free standing derivatives

Equity-indexed annuities

Benefits and expenses before certain derivatives

Income (loss) before income taxes:

Income before income taxes

Less:

Embedded derivatives – modco/funds withheld treaties

Guaranteed minimum benefit riders and related free standing derivatives
Equity-indexed annuities

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

1,111  $ 

1,178  $ 

(51) 

47 

1,115 

910 

(22) 

37 

12 

883 

201 

(29) 

10 
(12) 

29 

(5)   

1,154 

863 

15 

(3)   

23 

828 

315 

14 

(2)   
(23)   

326  $ 

(67) 

(80) 

52 

(39) 

47 

(37) 

40 

(11) 

55 

(114) 

(43) 

12 
11 

(94) 

Income before income taxes and certain derivatives

$ 

232  $ 

Embedded  Derivatives  –  Modco/Funds  Withheld  Treaties  –  Represents  the  change  in  the  fair  value  of  embedded 
derivatives  on  funds  withheld  at  interest  associated  with  treaties  written  on  a  modco  or  funds  withheld  basis.  The  fair  value 
changes of embedded derivatives on funds withheld at interest associated with treaties written on a modco or funds withheld 
basis are reflected in revenues, while the related impact on deferred acquisition expenses is reflected in benefits and expenses.  
The Company’s utilization of a credit valuation adjustment did not have a material effect on the change in fair value of these 
embedded derivatives for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The change in fair value of the embedded derivatives – modco/funds withheld treaties decreased income before 
income taxes by $29 million in 2020.  The decrease in 2020 was primarily the result of widening credit spreads, partially offset 
by lower interest rates, both of which were primarily attributable to the recent disruption in the global financial markets caused 
by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Guaranteed Minimum Benefit Riders – Represents the impact related to guaranteed minimum benefits associated with 
the Company’s reinsurance of variable annuities. The fair value changes of the guaranteed minimum benefits along with the 
changes in fair value of the free standing derivatives (interest rate swaps, financial futures and equity options), purchased by the 
Company to substantially hedge the liability are reflected in revenues, while the related impact on deferred acquisition expenses 
is reflected in benefits and expenses.  Changes in fair values of the embedded derivatives on guaranteed minimum benefits are 
net  of  an  increase  (decrease)  in  investment  related  gains  (losses),  net  of  $77  million  and  ($5)  million  for  2020  and  2019, 
respectively, associated with the Company’s utilization of a credit valuation adjustment.

The change in fair value of the guaranteed minimum benefits, after allowing for changes in the associated free standing 
derivatives, increased income before income taxes by $10 million in 2020.  The increase in income for 2020 is primarily due to 
the  increase  in  credit  valuation  adjustment,  which  was  primarily  attributable  to  the  recent  disruption  in  the  global  financial 
markets  caused  by  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  partially  offset  by  the  annual  update  of  best  estimate  actuarial  assumptions  to 
account for lower policyholder lapse experience. 

Equity-Indexed  Annuities  –  Represents  changes  in  the  liability  for  equity-indexed  annuities  in  excess  of  changes  in 
account  value,  after  adjustments  for  related  deferred  acquisition  expenses.  The  change  in  fair  value  of  embedded  derivative 
liabilities associated with equity-indexed annuities increased (decreased) income before income taxes by $(12) million in 2020, 
primarily due to declining interest rates.

Discussion and analysis before certain derivatives

•

•

Income  before  income  taxes  and  certain  derivatives  decreased  by  $94  million  in  2020,  which  was  primarily  due  to 
lower investment related gains (losses), net in coinsurance portfolios. 

Revenue before certain derivatives decreased by $39 million in 2020, primarily due to lower investment related gains 
(losses), net, partially offset by full year contributions from asset-intensive transactions executed in 2019.

56

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•

Benefits  and  expenses  before  certain  derivatives  increased  by  $55  million  in  2020,  primarily  due  to  full  year 
contributions from asset-intensive transactions executed in 2019. 

Capital Solutions

The increase in income before income taxes for the U.S. and Latin America Capital Solutions’ business for the year 
ended December 31, 2020 was primarily due to new transactions offsetting the termination of certain agreements, as well as 
organic  growth  on  existing  transactions.    Fees  earned  from  this  business  can  vary  significantly  depending  on  the  size  of  the 
transactions and the timing of their completion and, therefore, can fluctuate from period to period.

•

•

At  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  amount  of  business  assumed  from  client  companies,  as  measured  by  pre-tax 
statutory  surplus,  risk  based  capital  and  other  financial  reinsurance  structures,  was  $19.9  billion,  and  $18.2  billion, 
respectively.  

The increases in 2020 were primarily attributed to new transactions offsetting the termination of certain agreements, as 
well as organic growth on existing transactions. 

Canada Operations

The  Company  conducts  reinsurance  business  in  Canada  primarily  through  RGA  Canada,  which  assists  clients  with 
capital  management  activity  and  mortality  and  morbidity  risk  management.  The  Canada  operations  are  primarily  engaged  in 
Traditional reinsurance, which consists mainly of traditional individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group 
life  and  health,  critical  illness  and  disability  reinsurance.  Creditor  insurance  covers  the  outstanding  balance  on  personal, 
mortgage  or  commercial  loans  in  the  event  of  death,  disability  or  critical  illness  and  is  generally  shorter  in  duration  than 
traditional individual life insurance. The Canada Financial Solutions segment consists of longevity and capital solutions.

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

1,135  $ 

1,155  $ 

208 

— 

9 

1,352 

977 

— 

181 

39 

208 

14 

8 

1,385 

937 

— 

226 

39 

$ 

1,197 

155  $ 

1,202 

183  $ 

(20) 

— 

(14) 

1 

(33) 

40 

— 

(45) 

— 

(5) 

(28) 

•

The  decrease  in  income  before  income  taxes  in  2020  is  primarily  due  to  less  favorable  individual  life  mortality 
experience compared to 2019 and the impact of COVID-19 related claims.

• While  foreign  currency  fluctuations  can  result  in  variances  in  the  financial  statement  line  items,  fluctuation  in  the 
Canadian dollar did not result in a material change in income before income taxes in 2020. Unless otherwise stated, all 
amounts discussed below are net of foreign currency fluctuations.  

57

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Traditional Reinsurance

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Key metrics:

Life insurance in force

Loss ratios
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses as a percentage of net premiums

Other operating expenses as a percentage of net premiums

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

1,052 

$ 

1,066 

$ 

207 

— 

1 

1,260 

909 

— 

180 

37 

1,126 

205 

14 

1 

1,286 

857 

— 

224 

37 

1,118 

$ 

134 

$ 

168 

$ 

$445.3 billion

$417.1 billion

 86.4 %
 17.1 %

 3.5 %

 80.4 %
 21.0 %

 3.5 %

(14) 

2 

(14) 

— 

(26) 

52 

— 

(44) 

— 

8 

(34) 

The  decrease  in  income  before  income  taxes  for  2020  is  primarily  due  to  less  favorable  individual  life  mortality 

experience compared to 2019.

Revenues 

•

•

•

The decrease in net premiums was primarily due to a reduction in the base of the offshore creditor business and a non-
recurring payment received in the third quarter of 2019 relating to a block of existing business, partially offset by a 
new inforce block transaction effective January 1, 2020.  

The segment added new life business production, measured by face amount of insurance in force, of $40.8 billion, and 
$40.4 billion during 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The increase in net investment income was primarily due to an increase in the invested asset base due to growth in the 
underlying  business  volume  partially  offset  by  a  decline  in  interest  rates.  The  change  in  investment  related  gains 
(losses) is primarily attributable to changes in the fair value of credit default derivatives.

Benefits and expenses

•

•

The increase in the loss ratio for 2020 was primarily due to less favorable individual mortality experience as compared 
to  2019.  In  addition,  while  the  cause  of  death  is  not  yet  available  for  all  claims,  the  Company  estimates  that 
approximately $20 million of excess claims for the year ended December 31, 2020, were attributable to COVID-19 or 
COVID-19 related factors.

The  decrease  in  policy  acquisition  expenses  was  the  result  of  a  reduction  in  creditor  business  which  has  higher 
allowances  than  other  business.  In  addition,  the  amortization  patterns  of  previously  capitalized  amounts,  which  are 
subject to the form of the reinsurance agreement and the underlying insurance policies may vary. 

58

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Solutions

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

83  $ 

89  $ 

1 

— 

8 

92 

68 

— 

1 

2 

71 

3 

— 

7 

99 

80 

— 

2 

2 

84 

$ 

21  $ 

15  $ 

(6) 

(2) 

— 

1 

(7) 

(12) 

— 

(1) 

— 

(13) 

6 

The increase in income before income taxes was primarily a result of favorable mortality experience on the longevity 

business in 2020 and two new transactions completed at the end of 2019.

Europe, Middle East and Africa Operations

The Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) operations include business primarily generated by offices in France, 
Germany,  Ireland,  Italy,  the  Middle  East,  the  Netherlands,  Poland,  South  Africa,  Spain  and  the  United  Kingdom  (“UK”). 
EMEA  consists  of  two  major  segments:  Traditional  and  Financial  Solutions.  The  Traditional  segment  primarily  provides 
reinsurance through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements on a variety of life, health and critical illness products.  
Reinsurance agreements may be facultative or automatic agreements covering primarily individual risks and, in some markets, 
group  risks.  The  Financial  Solutions  segment  consists  of  reinsurance  and  other  transactions  associated  with  longevity  closed 
blocks, payout annuities, capital management solutions and financial reinsurance. 

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums
Investment income, net of related expenses
Investment related gains (losses), net
Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits
Interest credited
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses
Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses
Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

1,807  $ 
265 
15 
17 
2,104 

1,541 
11 
123 
144 
1,819 

1,660  $ 
268 
9 
33 
1,970 

1,354 
26 
126 
161 
1,667 

$ 

285  $ 

303  $ 

147 
(3) 
6 
(16) 
134 

187 
(15) 
(3) 
(17) 
152 
(18) 

•

•

The decrease in income before income taxes compared to the same period in 2019 was primarily due to poor mortality 
experience  mainly  from  the  impact  of  COVID-19,  partially  offset  by  favorable  performance  in  the  closed  block 
longevity business and a decrease in other operating expenses. 

Foreign  currency  fluctuations  can  result  in  variances  in  the  financial  statement  line  items.  Foreign  currency 
fluctuations primarily in the British pound and South African rand resulted in a $5 million increase in income before 
income taxes in 2020. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts discussed below are net of foreign currency fluctuations.

59

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Traditional Reinsurance

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums
Investment income, net of related expenses
Investment related gains (losses), net
Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits
Interest credited
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses
Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses
Income before income taxes

Key metrics:

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

$ 

1,555 
72 
— 
6 
1,633 

1,389 
— 
119 
98 
1,606 
27 

$ 

$ 

1,442 
73 
— 
5 
1,520 

1,205 
— 
114 
121 
1,440 
80 

$ 

$ 

113 
(1) 
— 
1 
113 

184 
— 
5 
(23) 
166 
(53) 

Life insurance in force
Loss ratios
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses as a percentage of net premiums
Other operating expenses as a percentage of net premiums

$864.3 billion
 89.3 %
 7.7 %
 6.3 %

$776.4 billion
 83.6 %
 7.9 %
 8.4 %

The decrease in income before income taxes is primarily due to less favorable individual life mortality experience, as 
well as poor morbidity experience, driven in part by COVID-19 related claims, compared to 2019. The decrease in income was 
partially offset by an increase in net premiums.

Revenues 

•

•

The increase in net premiums was primarily due to an increase in business volume from new and existing treaties.  

The segment added new life business production, measured by face amount of insurance in force, of $184.3 billion, 
and $147.4 billion during 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Benefits and expenses

•

•

The increase in the loss ratio for 2020 was primarily due to unfavorable mortality experience primarily attributable to 
COVID-19. While the cause of death is not yet available for all claims, the Company estimates that approximately $75 
million of excess claims for the year ended December 31, 2020, were attributable to COVID-19 or COVID-19 related 
factors.

The  decrease  in  other  operating  expenses  is  primarily  due  to  reduced  incentive-based  compensation  and  travel 
expenses primarily attributable to COVID-19.

Financial Solutions

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums
Investment income, net of related expenses
Investment related gains (losses), net
Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits
Interest credited
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses
Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses
Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

$ 

252  $ 
193 
15 
11 
471 

152 
11 
4 
46 
213 
258  $ 

218  $ 
195 
9 
28 
450 

149 
26 
12 
40 
227 
223  $ 

34 
(2) 
6 
(17) 
21 

3 
(15) 
(8) 
6 
(14) 
35 

The increase in income before income taxes is primarily due to favorable termination experience on closed longevity 

blocks.

60

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues 

•

•

The increase in net premiums was primarily due to higher new business volumes of closed longevity business.

The decrease in other revenues primarily relates to fees from a treaty that terminated in the fourth quarter of 2019 and 
a one-time fee received related to a new payout annuity transaction completed in the second quarter of 2019.

Benefits and expenses

•

The  decrease  in  benefits  and  expenses  is  primarily  due  to  a  reduction  in  interest  credited.  Interest  credited  in  this 
segment  relates  to  amounts  credited  to  the  contract  holders  of  unit-linked  products.  This  amount  will  fluctuate 
according  to  contract  holder  investment  selections,  equity  returns  and  interest  rates.  The  effect  on  interest  credited 
related to unit-linked products is substantially offset by a corresponding change in investment income.

Asia Pacific Operations

The  Asia  Pacific  operations  include  business  generated  by  its  offices  principally  in  Australia,  China,  Hong  Kong, 
India,  Japan,  Malaysia,  New  Zealand,  Singapore,  South  Korea  and  Taiwan.  The  Traditional  segment’s  principal  types  of 
reinsurance include individual and group life and health, critical illness, disability and superannuation.  Reinsurance agreements 
may  be  facultative  or  automatic  agreements  covering  primarily  individual  risks,  and  in  some  markets,  group  risks.  
Superannuation  is  the  Australian  government  mandated  compulsory  retirement  savings  program.  Superannuation  funds 
accumulate  retirement  funds  for  employees,  and,  in  addition,  typically  offer  life  and  disability  insurance  coverage.  The 
Financial Solutions segment includes financial reinsurance, asset-intensive and certain disability and life blocks. 

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)

Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

2,861  $ 

2,714  $ 

192 

13 

49 

3,115 

2,450 

49 

198 

185 

2,882 

150 

9 

36 

2,909 

2,448 

31 

117 

185 

2,781 

$ 

233  $ 

128  $ 

147 

42 

4 

13 

206 

2 

18 

81 

— 

101 

105 

•

•

The increase in income before income taxes as compared to the same period in 2019 was the result of favorable claims 
experience as compared to the prior year across the segment, as well as income from new business growth within the 
Financial Solutions business. 

Foreign currency fluctuations can result in variances in the financial statement line items, foreign currency fluctuations 
primarily in the Japanese yen and Taiwan dollar resulted in a $5 million increase in income before income taxes in 
2020. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts discussed below are net of foreign currency fluctuations. 

61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Traditional Reinsurance

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)

Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Key metrics:

Life insurance in force

Loss ratios

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses as a percentage of net premiums

Other operating expenses as a percentage of net premiums

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

2,681 

$ 

2,568 

$ 

113 

3 

3 

6 

125 

(24) 

— 

75 

5 

56 

69 

107 

3 

15 

2,806 

2,293 

— 

167 

172 

2,632 

104 

— 

9 

2,681 

2,317 

— 

92 

167 

2,576 

$ 

174 

$ 

105 

$ 

$553.7 billion

$662.0 billion

 85.5 %

 6.2 %

 6.4 %

 90.2 %

 3.6 %

 6.5 %

The  increase  in  income  before  income  taxes  is  primarily  the  result  of  net  favorable  claims  experience  across  the 

segment and an increase in premiums.

Revenues

•

•

The  increase  in  net  premiums  was  primarily  due  to  new  business  growth  in  Asia,  partially  offset  by  premium 
reductions  in  Australia  group  business  as  a  result  of  the  non-renewal  of  two  large  group  treaties  effective  June  30, 
2020.

The segment added new life business production, measured by face amount of insurance in force, of $49.6 billion, and 
$69.7 billion during 2020 and 2019, respectively due to new business production and in force transactions offset by an 
increase in recaptures, primarily in Australia, and policy lapses. 

•

The increase in other revenues is primarily related to an increase in recapture fees and foreign currency gains.

Benefits and expenses

•

•

The decrease in the loss ratio for 2020 was primarily due to favorable claims experience across the segment offsetting 
excess claims incurred as result of COVID. While the cause of death is not yet available for all claims, the Company 
estimates  that  approximately  $36  million  of  claims  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  were  attributable  to 
COVID-19 or COVID-19 related factors.

Policy  acquisition  costs  and  other  insurance  expenses  increased  as  compared  to  2019  primarily  due  to  experience 
adjustments in 2019 that reduced policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses in 2019. The level of policy 
acquisition costs and other insurance expenses fluctuates periodically due to timing of client company reporting and 
variations  in  the  mixture  of  business.  In  addition,  as  the  segment  grows,  renewal  premiums,  which  have  lower 
allowances than first-year premium, represent a greater percentage of the total premiums. 

62

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Solutions

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)

Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

180  $ 

146  $ 

85 

10 

34 

309 

157 

49 

31 

13 

250 

46 

9 

27 

228 

131 

31 

25 

18 

205 

$ 

59  $ 

23  $ 

34 

39 

1 

7 

81 

26 

18 

6 

(5) 

45 

36 

The increase in income before income taxes is primarily due to the growth of asset intensive and financial reinsurance 
business  in  Asia.    The  amount  of  reinsurance  assumed  from  client  companies,  as  measured  by  pre-tax  statutory  surplus,  risk 
based  capital  and  other  financial  reinsurance  structures  was  $2.9  billion  and  $3.9  billion  at  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively.  Fees  earned  from  this  business  can  vary  significantly  depending  on  the  size,  complexity,  and  timing  of  the 
transactions and, therefore, can fluctuate from period to period.

Revenues

•

•

The increase in net premiums is attributable to new asset-intensive transactions in Asia.

The  increase  in  net  investment  income  is  due  to  an  increase  in  the  invested  asset  base,  partially  offset  by  lower 
investment yields.

Benefits and expenses

•

The  increase  in  claims  and  other  policy  benefits  is  the  result  of  new  asset-intensive  transactions  in  Asia,  and  an 
increase in interest credited which is offset by an increase in investment income.

63

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate and Other

Corporate  and  Other  revenues  primarily  include  investment  income  from  unallocated  invested  assets,  investment 
related gains and losses and service fees. Corporate and Other expenses consist of the offset to capital charges allocated to the 
operating  segments  within  the  policy  acquisition  costs  and  other  insurance  income  line  item,  unallocated  overhead  and 
executive  costs,  interest  expense  related  to  debt,  and  the  investment  income  and  expense  associated  with  the  Company’s 
collateral  finance  and  securitization  transactions  and  service  business  expenses.    Additionally,  Corporate  and  Other  includes 
results  from  certain  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  such  as  RGAx,  and  joint  ventures  that,  among  other  activities,  develop  and 
market  technology,  and  provide  consulting  and  outsourcing  solutions  for  the  insurance  and  reinsurance  industries.  The 
Company has increased its investment and expenditures in this area in an effort to both support its clients and accelerate the 
development  of  new  solutions  and  services  to  increase  consumer  engagement  within  the  life  insurance  industry  and  hence 
generate new future revenue streams.

For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in millions)
Revenues:

Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues
Benefits and expenses:

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance income

Other operating expenses

Interest expense

Collateral finance and securitization expense

Total benefits and expenses

Loss before income taxes

2020

2019

2020 vs 2019

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

197 

(11) 

59 

245 

— 

8 

(112) 

279 

170 

17 

362 

194 

2 

61 

257 

— 

22 

(116) 

294 

173 

29 

402 

$ 

(117)  $ 

(145)  $ 

— 

3 

(13) 

(2) 

(12) 

— 

(14) 

4 

(15) 

(3) 

(12) 

(40) 

28 

The decrease in loss before income taxes is primarily due to a decrease in total benefits and expenses, which is offset 
by increases in investment related losses. The increase in investment related losses in 2020 was primarily due to an increase in 
the  valuation  allowance  on  mortgage  loans  of  $16  million,  primarily  attributable  to  the  economic  uncertainty  caused  by 
COVID-19,  and  decreases  in  the  fair  value  of  equity  securities,  partially  offset  by  gains  on  sale  activity  and  favorable 
fluctuations in the fair value of derivatives. 

The decrease in total benefits and expenses is primarily attributable to the following:

•

•

•

Reduced interest credited a reduction in interest rates on certain FHLB guaranteed investment contracts

A  decrease  in  collateral  finance  and  securitization  expense  primarily  attributable  due  to  lower  interest  rates  on 
collateral finance and securitization transactions

A reduction in other operating expenses primarily due to lower incentive-based compensation expense as well as lower 
travel expenses.

64

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

The Company believes that cash flows from the source of funds available to it will provide sufficient cash flows for 
the next twelve months to satisfy the current liquidity requirements of the Company under various scenarios that include the 
potential  risk  of  early  recapture  of  reinsurance  treaties,  market  events  and  higher  than  expected  claims.  The  Company  is 
currently holding higher cash and cash equivalents levels in response to COVID-19. The Company performs periodic liquidity 
stress  testing  to  ensure  its  asset  portfolio  includes  sufficient  high  quality  liquid  assets  that  could  be  utilized  to  bolster  its 
liquidity  position  under  stress  scenarios.  These  assets  could  be  utilized  as  collateral  for  secured  borrowing  transactions  with 
various third parties or by selling the securities in the open market if needed. The Company’s liquidity requirements have been 
and will continue to be funded through net cash flows from operations. However, in the event of significant unanticipated cash 
requirements  beyond  normal  liquidity  needs,  the  Company  has  multiple  liquidity  alternatives  available  based  on  market 
conditions  and  the  amount  and  timing  of  the  liquidity  need.  These  alternatives  include  the  sale  of  invested  assets  subject  to 
market conditions, borrowings under committed credit facilities, secured borrowings, and if necessary issuing long-term debt, 
preferred securities or common equity. 

Current Market Environment

The Company’s average investment yield, excluding spread related business, for 2020 was at 4.00%, 56 basis points 
below  the  comparable  2019  rate.  However,  the  current  interest  rate  environment  continues  to  put  downward  pressure  on  the 
Company’s investment yield. The Company’s insurance liabilities, in particular its annuity products, are sensitive to changing 
market factors.  Due to decreases in risk free interest rates, gross unrealized gains on fixed maturity securities available-for-sale 
increased from $4.5 billion at December 31, 2019 to $7.4 billion at December 31, 2020. Gross unrealized losses increased from 
$110 million at December 31, 2019 to $197 million at December 31, 2020.  

The Company continues to be in a position to hold any investment security showing an unrealized loss until recovery, 
provided  it  remains  comfortable  with  the  credit  of  the  issuer.    As  indicated  above,  gross  unrealized  gains  on  investment 
securities  of  $7.4  billion  remain  well  in  excess  of  gross  unrealized  losses  of  $197  million  as  of  December  31,  2020.  The 
Company  does  not  rely  on  short-term  funding  or  commercial  paper  and  to  date  it  has  experienced  no  liquidity  pressure,  nor 
does it anticipate such pressure in the foreseeable future.  

The Company projects its reserves to be sufficient and it would not expect to write down deferred acquisition costs or 
be  required  to  take  any  actions  to  augment  capital,  even  if  interest  rates  remain  at  current  levels  for  the  next  five  years, 
assuming all other factors remain constant. While the Company has felt the pressures of sustained low interest rates and volatile 
equity  markets  and  may  continue  to  do  so,  its  business  and  results  of  operations  are  not  overly  sensitive  to  these  risks.  
Mortality  and  morbidity  risks  continue  to  be  the  most  significant  risk  for  the  Company.    Although  management  believes  the 
Company’s  current  capital  base  is  adequate  to  support  its  business  at  current  operating  levels,  it  continues  to  monitor  new 
business opportunities and any associated new capital needs that could arise from the changing financial landscape.

The Holding Company

RGA is an insurance holding company whose primary uses of liquidity include, but are not limited to, the immediate 
capital needs of its operating companies, dividends paid to its shareholders, repurchase of common stock and interest payments 
on its indebtedness.  The primary sources of RGA’s liquidity include proceeds from its capital-raising efforts, interest income 
on undeployed corporate investments, interest income received on surplus notes with RGA Reinsurance, RCM and Rockwood 
Re and dividends from operating subsidiaries. As the Company continues its growth efforts, RGA will continue to be dependent 
upon  these  sources  of  liquidity.  See  “Part  IV  –  Item  15(a)(2)  Financial  Statement  Schedules  –  Schedule  II  –  Condensed 
Financial Information of Registrant” for more information regarding RGA’s financial information.

RGA,  through  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  has  committed  to  provide  statutory  reserve  support  to  third  parties,  in 
exchange  for  a  fee,  by  funding  loans  if  certain  defined  events  occur.    Such  statutory  reserves  are  required  under  the  U.S. 
Valuation  of  Life  Policies  Model  Regulation  (commonly  referred  to  as  Regulation  XXX  for  term  life  insurance  policies  and 
Regulation A-XXX for universal life secondary guarantees).  The third-parties have recourse to RGA should the subsidiary fail 
to provide the required funding, however, as of December 31, 2020, the Company does not believe that it will be required to 
provide  any  funding  under  these  commitments  as  the  occurrence  of  the  defined  events  is  considered  remote.  See  Note  12  – 
“Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a table that presents these 
commitments by period and maximum obligation.

RGA established an intercompany revolving credit facility where certain subsidiaries can lend to or borrow from each 
other  and  from  RGA  in  order  to  manage  capital  and  liquidity  more  efficiently.  The  intercompany  revolving  credit  facility, 
which  is  a  series  of  demand  loans  among  RGA  and  its  affiliates,  is  permitted  under  applicable  insurance  laws.  This  facility 
reduces  overall  borrowing  costs  by  allowing  RGA  and  its  operating  companies  to  access  internal  cash  resources  instead  of 

65

 
 
 
incurring  third-party  transaction  costs.  The  statutory  borrowing  and  lending  limit  for  RGA’s  Missouri-domiciled  insurance 
subsidiaries is currently 3% of the insurance company’s admitted assets as of its most recent year-end. There were borrowings 
of $153 million and $196 million outstanding under the intercompany revolving credit facility as of December 31, 2020, and 
2019,  respectively.  In  addition  to  loans  associated  with  the  intercompany  revolving  credit  facility,  RGA  and  its  subsidiaries, 
RGA Americas and RGA International Division Sydney Office Pty Limited, provided loans to RGA Australian Holdings Pty 
Limited with a total outstanding balance of $46 million and $42 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

During  2020,  RGA  established  an  intercompany  derivative  cash  collateral  pool  where  RGA  and  certain  subsidiaries 
pool  derivative  cash  collateral  into  a  single  concentration  account.  This  derivative  cash  collateral  pool  allows  RGA  and  its 
affiliates to lend or borrow cash from the concentration account in order to more efficiently meet its collateral obligations under 
their  respective  derivative  transactions.    Cash  surplus  in  RGA  or  its  affiliates  accounts  is  transferred  to  the  concentration 
account  and  any  deficit  is  funded  by  the  concentration  account,  thereby  creating  a  loan  balance.  RGA  and  its  subsidiaries 
participating in the pool are paid or charged an arm’s length interest rate based on its net loan balance with the concentration 
account.

Undistributed  earnings  of  the  Company’s  foreign  subsidiaries  are  generally  targeted  for  reinvestment  outside  of  the 
U.S.  As of December 31, 2020, the amount of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments held by the Company’s 
subsidiaries that are taxed in a foreign jurisdiction was $937 million.  The GILTI and Subpart F provisions of U.S. Tax Reform 
generally eliminate U.S. federal income tax deferral on earnings of foreign subsidiaries, while the dividend received deduction 
generally  allows  for  tax-free  repatriation  of  any  untaxed  earnings.  Therefore,  the  Company  does  not  expect  to  incur  any 
material incremental U.S. federal income tax on repatriation of these earnings. Incremental foreign withholding taxes are not 
expected to be material. 

RGA  endeavors  to  maintain  a  capital  structure  that  provides  financial  and  operational  flexibility  to  its  subsidiaries, 
credit ratings that support its competitive position in the financial services marketplace, and shareholder returns. As part of the 
Company’s capital deployment strategy, it has in recent years repurchased shares of RGA common stock and paid dividends to 
RGA  shareholders,  as  authorized  by  the  board  of  directors.  In  January  2017,  RGA’s  board  of  directors  authorized  a  share 
repurchase  program,  with  no  expiration  date,  to  repurchase  up  to  $400  million  of  RGA’s  outstanding  common  stock.  On 
January  24,  2019,  RGA’s  board  of  directors  authorized  a  share  repurchase  program  for  up  to  $400  million  of  RGA’s 
outstanding common stock. The authorization was effective immediately and does not have an expiration date.  In connection 
with this new authorization, the board of directors terminated the stock repurchase authority granted in 2017. On May 6, 2020, 
the Company announced that it has suspended stock repurchases until further notice. The resumption and pace of repurchase 
activity  depends  on  various  factors  such  as  the  level  of  available  cash,  the  impact  of  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic,  an 
evaluation  of  the  costs  and  benefits  associated  with  alternative  uses  of  excess  capital,  such  as  acquisitions  and  in  force 
reinsurance  transactions,  and  RGA’s  stock  price.  Details  underlying  dividend  and  share  repurchase  program  activity  were  as 
follows (in millions, except share data):

Dividends to shareholders
Repurchases of common stock (1)
Total amount paid to shareholders

Number of shares repurchased (1)
Average price per share

2020

2019

2018

182  $ 

153 

335  $ 

163  $ 

80 

243  $ 

140 

284 

424 

1,074,413 

142.05  $ 

546,614 

146.00  $ 

1,932,055 

146.75 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(1) Excludes shares utilized to execute and settle certain stock incentive awards.

RGA  declared  dividends  totaling  $2.80  per  share  in  2020.  All  future  payments  of  dividends  are  at  the  discretion  of 
RGA’s board of directors and will depend on the Company’s earnings, capital requirements, insurance regulatory conditions, 
operating conditions, and other such factors as the board of directors may deem relevant. The amount of dividends that RGA 
can pay will depend in part on the operations of its reinsurance subsidiaries.

See  Note  13  –  “Debt”  and  Note  17  –  “Equity”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  additional 

information regarding the Company’s securities transactions.

Statutory Dividend Limitations

RCM, RGA Reinsurance and Chesterfield Re are subject to Missouri statutory provisions that restrict the payment of 
dividends. They may not pay dividends in any 12-month period in excess of the greater of the prior year’s statutory net gain 
from operations or 10% of statutory capital and surplus at the preceding year-end, without regulatory approval. Aurora National 
is  subject  to  California  statutory  provisions  that  are  identical  to  those  imposed  by  Missouri  regarding  the  ability  of  Aurora 
National to pay dividends to RGA Reinsurance. The applicable statutory provisions only permit an insurer to pay a shareholder 
dividend from unassigned surplus. Any dividends paid by RGA Reinsurance would be paid to RCM, its parent company, which 

66

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
in  turn  has  restrictions  related  to  its  ability  to  pay  dividends  to  RGA.  Chesterfield  Re  would  pay  dividends  to  its  immediate 
parent  Chesterfield  Financial,  which  would  in  turn  pay  dividends  to  RCM,  subject  to  the  terms  of  the  indenture  for  the 
embedded value securitization transaction, in which Chesterfield Financial cannot declare or pay any dividends so long as any 
private placement notes are outstanding. The MDCI allows RCM to pay a dividend to RGA to the extent RCM received the 
dividend  from  its  subsidiaries,  without  limitation  related  to  the  level  of  unassigned  surplus.  Dividend  payments  from  other 
subsidiaries are subject to regulations in the jurisdiction of domicile, which are generally based on their earnings and/or capital 
level. 

The  dividend  limitations  for  RCM,  RGA  Reinsurance  and  Chesterfield  Re  are  based  on  statutory  financial  results. 
Statutory  accounting  practices  differ  in  certain  respects  from  accounting  principles  used  in  financial  statements  prepared  in 
conformity  with  GAAP.  Significant  differences  include  the  treatment  of  deferred  acquisition  costs,  deferred  income  taxes, 
required investment reserves, reserve calculation assumptions and surplus notes.

Dividend  payments  from  non-U.S.  operations  are  subject  to  similar  restrictions  established  by  local  regulators.  The 
non-U.S. regulatory regimes also commonly limit the dividend payments to the parent to a portion of the prior year’s statutory 
income, as determined by the local accounting principles. The regulators of the Company’s non-U.S. operations may also limit 
or  prohibit  profit  repatriations  or  other  transfers  of  funds  to  the  U.S.  if  such  transfers  are  deemed  to  be  detrimental  to  the 
solvency or financial strength of the non-U.S. operations, or for other reasons. Most of the non-U.S. operating subsidiaries are 
second tier subsidiaries that are owned by various non-U.S. holding companies. The capital and rating considerations applicable 
to the first tier subsidiaries may also impact the dividend flow to RGA.

Debt

Certain of the Company’s debt agreements contain financial covenant restrictions related to, among others, liens, the 
issuance and disposition of stock of restricted subsidiaries, minimum requirements of consolidated net worth, maximum ratios 
of debt to capitalization and change of control provisions. The Company is required to maintain a minimum consolidated net 
worth, as defined in the debt agreements, of $5.3 billion, calculated as of the last day of each fiscal quarter. Also, consolidated 
indebtedness, calculated as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, cannot exceed 35% of the sum of the Company’s consolidated 
indebtedness  plus  adjusted  consolidated  stockholders’  equity.  A  material  ongoing  covenant  default  could  require  immediate 
payment of the amount due, including principal, under the various agreements. Additionally, the Company’s debt agreements 
contain  cross-acceleration  covenants,  which  would  make  outstanding  borrowings  immediately  payable  in  the  event  of  non-
payment of certain other indebtedness when demanded, and any other event which results in the acceleration of the maturity of 
such other indebtedness.

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  Company  had  $3.6  billion  and  $3.0  billion,  respectively,  in  outstanding 
borrowings under its debt agreements and was in compliance with all covenants under those agreements. As of December 31, 
2020 and 2019, the average interest rate on long-term debt outstanding was 4.54% and 4.82%, respectively.  The ability of the 
Company  to  make  debt  principal  and  interest  payments  depends  on  the  earnings  and  surplus  of  its  subsidiaries,  investment 
earnings  on  undeployed  capital  proceeds,  available  liquidity  at  the  holding  company,  and  the  Company’s  ability  to  raise 
additional funds. 

On  June  9,  2020,  RGA  issued  3.15%  Senior  Notes  due  June  15,  2030,  with  a  face  amount  of  $600  million.  This 
security has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The net proceeds were approximately $593 million 
and will be used in part to repay the Company’s $400 million 5.00% Senior Notes due in 2021, and the remainder will be used 
for general corporate purposes. Capitalized issue costs were approximately $5 million.

On  May  15,  2019,  RGA  issued  3.9%  Senior  Notes  due  May  15,  2029  with  a  face  amount  of  $600  million.  This 
security has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The net proceeds were approximately $594 million 
and were used in part to repay upon maturity the Company’s $400 million 6.45% Senior Notes that matured in November 2019. 
The remainder will be used for general corporate purposes. Capitalized issue costs were approximately $5 million.

The Company enters into derivative agreements with counterparties that reference either the Company’s debt rating or 
its  financial  strength  rating.  If  either  rating  is  downgraded  in  the  future,  it  could  trigger  certain  terms  in  the  Company’s 
derivative  agreements,  which  could  negatively  affect  overall  liquidity.  For  the  majority  of  the  Company’s  derivative 
agreements,  there  is  a  termination  event,  should  the  long-term  senior  debt  ratings  drop  below  either  BBB+  (S&P)  or  Baa1 
(Moody’s) or the financial strength ratings drop below either A- (S&P) or A3 (Moody’s).

The  Company  may  borrow  up  to  $850  million  in  cash  and  obtain  letters  of  credit  in  multiple  currencies  on  its 
syndicated  revolving  credit  facility  that  matures  in  August  2023.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  had  no  cash 
borrowings outstanding and $21 million in issued, but undrawn, letters of credit under this facility. 

Based on the historic cash flows and the current financial results of the Company, management believes RGA’s cash 

flows will be sufficient to enable RGA to meet its obligations for at least the next 12 months.

67

 
 
Letters of Credit

The Company has obtained bank letters of credit in favor of various affiliated and unaffiliated insurance companies 
from which the Company assumes business. These letters of credit represent guarantees of performance under the reinsurance 
agreements  and  allow  ceding  companies  to  take  statutory  reserve  credits.  Certain  of  these  letters  of  credit  contain  financial 
covenant  restrictions  similar  to  those  described  in  the  “Debt”  discussion  above.  At  December  31,  2020,  there  were 
approximately  $23  million  of  outstanding  bank  letters  of  credit  in  favor  of  third  parties.  Additionally,  in  accordance  with 
applicable regulations, the Company utilizes letters of credit to secure statutory reserve credits when it retrocedes business to its 
affiliated subsidiaries. The Company cedes business to its affiliates to help reduce the amount of regulatory capital required in 
certain  jurisdictions,  such  as  the  U.S.  and  the  UK.  The  Company  believes  the  capital  required  to  support  the  business  in  the 
affiliates reflects more realistic expectations than the original jurisdiction of the business, where capital requirements are often 
considered  to  be  quite  conservative.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  $1.5  billion  in  letters  of  credit  from  various  banks  were 
outstanding, but undrawn, backing reinsurance between the various subsidiaries of the Company. See Note 13 – “Debt” in the 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding the Company’s letter of credit facilities.

Collateral Finance and Securitization Notes and Statutory Reserve Funding

The Company uses various internal and third-party reinsurance arrangements and funding sources to manage statutory 
reserve strain, including reserves associated with the U.S. Valuation of Life Policies Model Regulation (commonly referred to 
as  Regulation  XXX)  and  principles-based  reserves  (commonly  referred  to  PBR),  and  the  associated  collateral  requirements. 
Assets in trust and letters of credit are often used as collateral in these arrangements. 

Regulation  XXX,  implemented  in  the  U.S.  for  various  types  of  life  insurance  business  beginning  January  1,  2000, 
significantly increased the level of reserves that U.S. life insurance and life reinsurance companies must hold on their statutory 
financial statements for various types of life insurance business, primarily certain level premium term life products. The reserve 
levels  required  under  Regulation  XXX  increase  over  time  and  are  normally  in  excess  of  reserves  required  under  GAAP.  In 
situations  where  primary  insurers  have  reinsured  business  to  reinsurers  that  are  unlicensed  and  unaccredited  in  the  U.S.,  the 
reinsurer must provide collateral equal to its reinsurance reserves in order for the ceding company to receive statutory financial 
statement credit. In order to manage the effect of Regulation XXX on its statutory financial statements, RGA Reinsurance has 
retroceded a majority of Regulation XXX reserves to unaffiliated and affiliated reinsurers, both licensed and unlicensed.

Effective in 2017, PBR is permitted in the U.S.  During 2016, the NAIC amended the standard valuation law to adopt 
life PBR that was effective January 1, 2017, allowing a three-year adoption period. The Company adopted PBR in 2020. Under 
PBR, reserves are determined based on terms of the reinsurance agreement which may differ from those of the direct policies.  

RGA Reinsurance’s statutory capital may be significantly reduced if the unlicensed unaffiliated or affiliated reinsurer 
is  unable  to  provide  the  required  collateral  to  support  RGA  Reinsurance’s  statutory  reserve  credits  and  RGA  Reinsurance 
cannot find an alternative source for collateral.

The  Company  has  issued  both  collateral  finance  and  securitization  notes.    The  consolidated  balance  sheets  include 
outstanding notes of $388 million and $598 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.  See Note 14 – “Collateral 
Finance and Securitization Notes” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the 
Company’s collateral finance and securitization notes.

The demand for financing of the ceded reserve credits associated with the Company’s assumed term life business has 
grown at a slower rate in recent years.  The Company has been able to utilize its certified reinsurer, RGA Americas, as a means 
of reducing the burden of financing PBR, Regulation XXX and other types of reserves.  The Company’s PBR and Regulation 
XXX  statutory  reserve  requirements  associated  with  term  life  business  and  other  statutory  reserve  requirements  continues  to 
require the Company to obtain additional letters of credit, put additional assets in trust, or utilize other funding mechanisms to 
support reserve credits.  If the Company is unable to support the reserve credits, the regulatory capital levels of several of its 
subsidiaries  may  be  significantly  reduced,  while  the  regulatory  capital  requirements  for  these  subsidiaries  would  not  change. 
The  reduction  in  regulatory  capital  would  not  directly  affect  the  Company’s  consolidated  shareholders’  equity  under  GAAP; 
however, it could affect the Company’s ability to write new business and retain existing business.

Affiliated  captives  are  commonly  used  in  the  insurance  industry  to  help  manage  statutory  reserve  and  collateral 
requirements.  The  NAIC  analyzed  the  insurance  industry’s  use  of  affiliated  captive  reinsurers  to  satisfy  certain  reserve 
requirements  and  in  2014  adopted  measures  to  promote  uniformity  in  both  the  approval  and  supervision  of  such  captives 
reinsuring  business  subject  to  Regulation  XXX,  allowing  current  captives  to  continue  in  accordance  with  their  currently 
approved  plans.  Reinsuring  business  subject  to  the  additional  provisions  of  Actuarial  Guideline  48  increases  costs  and  adds 
complexity.  

68

In  the  U.S.,  the  introduction  of  the  certified  reinsurer  has  provided  an  alternative  way  to  manage  collateral 
requirements.  In  2014,  RGA  Americas  was  designated  as  a  certified  reinsurer  by  the  MDCI.  This  designation  allows  the 
Company to retrocede business to RGA Americas in lieu of using captives for collateral requirements.  Therefore, the Company 
has chosen not to establish captives subject to Actuarial Guideline 48. 

It is also possible that the NAIC could place limits on the recognition of the Company’s capital held in related party 
captives when adopting its group capital calculation.  Doing so would adversely impact the amount of capital that the group 
would  otherwise  be  able  to  recognize  and  report  as  capital  resident  in  the  group,  potentially  requiring  the  Company  to 
restructure or change the financing of its captives.

Assets in Trust

The Company enters into reinsurance treaties in the ordinary course of business.  In some cases, if the credit rating 
and/or defined statutory measures of the Company declines to certain levels, the reinsurance treaty would require the Company 
to post collateral or additional collateral to secure the Company’s obligations under such reinsurance treaty, obtain guarantees, 
permit the ceding company to recapture such reinsurance treaty, or some other negotiated remedy.  As of December 31, 2020,  
neither  the  Company  nor  its  subsidiaries  have  been  required  to  post  additional  collateral  or  have  had  a  reinsurance  treaty 
recaptured as a result of a credit downgrade or a defined statutory measure decline.

In  addition,  certain  reinsurance  treaties  require  the  Company  to  place  assets  in  trust  at  the  time  of  closing  to 
collateralize  its  obligations  to  the  ceding  company.      Assets  placed  in  trust  continue  to  be  owned  by  the  Company,  but  their 
beneficial ownership and use are restricted based on the terms of the trust agreement.  Securities with an amortized cost of $3.2 
billion  were  held  in  trust  for  the  benefit  of  the  Company’s  subsidiaries  to  satisfy  collateral  requirements  for  reinsurance 
business at December 31, 2020. Additionally, securities with an amortized cost of $27.7 billion as of December 31, 2020, were 
held  in  trust  to  satisfy  collateral  requirements  under  certain  third-party  reinsurance  treaties.  Under  certain  conditions,  the 
Company may be obligated to move reinsurance from one subsidiary to another subsidiary, post additional collateral or make 
payments under a given reinsurance treaty. These conditions include change in control or ratings of the subsidiary, insolvency, 
nonperformance  under  a  reinsurance  treaty,  or  loss  of  license  or  other  regulatory  authorization  of  such  subsidiary.  If  the 
Company  was  ever  required  to  move  reinsurance  from  one  subsidiary  to  another  subsidiary,  the  risk  to  the  Company  on  a 
consolidated  basis  under  the  reinsurance  treaties  would  not  change;  however,  additional  collateral  may  need  to  be  posted  or 
additional capital may be required due to the change in jurisdiction of the subsidiary reinsuring the business, which could lead 
to a strain on liquidity.

Proceeds from the notes issued by Timberlake Financial and RGA’s direct investment in Timberlake Financial were 
deposited into a series of trust accounts as collateral and are not available to satisfy the general obligations of the Company. As 
of  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  held  deposits  in  trust  and  in  custody  of  $571  million  for  this  purpose,  which  is  not 
included in the figures above. A reserve account has been established to cover interest payments on notes issued by Chesterfield 
Financial that are not available to satisfy the general obligations of the Company.  As of December 31, 2020, the Company held 
deposits  in  trust  of  $10  million  for  this  purpose,  which  is  not  included  in  the  figures  above.    See  “Collateral  Finance  and 
Securitization  Notes  and  Statutory  Reserve  Funding”  above  for  additional  information  on  the  Timberlake  Financial  and 
Chesterfield Financial notes.

Reinsurance Operations

Reinsurance  treaties,  whether  facultative  or  automatic,  generally  provide  recapture  provisions.  Most  U.S.-based 
reinsurance  treaties  include  a  recapture  right  for  ceding  companies,  generally  after  10  years.  Outside  of  the  U.S.,  treaties 
primarily include a mutually agreed-upon recapture provision. Recapture rights permit the ceding company to reassume all or a 
portion of the risk formerly ceded to the reinsurer. In some situations, the Company has the right to place assets in trust for the 
benefit of the ceding company in lieu of recapture. Additionally, certain treaties may grant recapture rights to ceding companies 
in the event of a significant decrease in RGA Reinsurance’s NAIC risk based capital ratio or financial strength rating. The RBC 
ratio  trigger  varies  by  treaty,  with  the  majority  between  125%  and  225%  of  the  NAIC’s  company  action  level.  Financial 
strength rating triggers vary by reinsurance treaty with the majority of the triggers reached if the Company’s financial strength 
rating falls five notches from its current rating of “AA-” to the “BBB” level on the S&P scale. Recapture of business previously 
ceded  does  not  affect  premiums  ceded  prior  to  the  recapture  of  such  business,  but  would  reduce  premiums  in  subsequent 
periods. Upon recapture, the Company would reflect a net gain or loss on the settlement of the assets and liabilities associated 
with the reinsurance treaty. In some cases, the ceding company is required to pay the Company a recapture fee. 

Guarantees

The Company has issued guarantees to third parties on behalf of its subsidiaries for the payment of amounts due under 
certain reinsurance treaties, securities borrowing arrangements, financing arrangements and office lease obligations, whereby if 
a  subsidiary  fails  to  meet  an  obligation,  the  Company  or  one  of  its  other  subsidiaries  will  make  a  payment  to  fulfill  the 
obligation. In limited circumstances, treaty guarantees are granted to ceding companies in order to provide additional security, 

69

 
 
particularly in cases where the Company’s subsidiary is relatively new, unrated, or not of significant size, relative to the ceding 
company.  Potential guaranteed amounts of future payments will vary depending on production levels and underwriting results. 
Guarantees  related  to  borrowed  securities  provide  additional  security  to  third  parties  should  a  subsidiary  fail  to  return  the 
borrowed securities when due.  The Company has issued payment guarantees on behalf of two of its subsidiaries in the event 
the subsidiaries fail to make payment under their office lease obligations.  See Note 12 – “Commitments, Contingencies and 
Guarantees” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a table that presents the amounts for guarantees, by type, 
issued by the Company.

In  addition,  the  Company  indemnifies  its  directors  and  officers  pursuant  to  its  charters  and  by-laws.  Since  this 
indemnity  generally  is  not  subject  to  limitation  with  respect  to  duration  or  amount,  the  Company  does  not  believe  that  it  is 
possible to determine the maximum potential amount due under this indemnity in the future.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The  Company  has  commitments  to  fund  investments  in  limited  partnerships,  joint  ventures,  commercial  mortgage 
loans, lifetime mortgages, private placement investments and bank loans, including revolving credit agreements.  See Note 12 – 
“Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on 
the Company’s commitments to fund investments and other off-balance sheet arrangements.

The Company has not engaged in trading activities involving non-exchange-traded contracts reported at fair value, nor 
has  it  engaged  in  relationships  or  transactions  with  persons  or  entities  that  derive  benefits  from  their  non-independent 
relationship with the Company.

Cash Flows

The Company’s principal cash inflows from its reinsurance operations include premiums and deposit funds received 
from ceding companies. The primary liquidity concerns with respect to these cash flows are early recapture of the reinsurance 
contract  by  the  ceding  company  and  lapses  of  annuity  products  reinsured  by  the  Company.  The  Company’s  principal  cash 
inflows  from  its  invested  assets  result  from  investment  income  and  the  maturity  and  sales  of  invested  assets.  The  primary 
liquidity  concerns  with  respect  to  these  cash  inflows  relates  to  the  risk  of  default  by  debtors  and  interest  rate  volatility.  The 
Company manages these risks very closely. See “Investments” and “Interest Rate Risk” below.

Additional sources of liquidity to meet unexpected cash outflows in excess of operating cash inflows and current cash 
and  equivalents  on  hand  include  selling  short-term  investments  or  fixed  maturity  securities  and  drawing  funds  under  a 
syndicated revolving credit facility, under which the Company had availability of $850 million as of December 31, 2020. The 
Company also has $509 million of funds available through collateralized borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des 
Moines (“FHLB”) as of December 31, 2020.  As of December 31, 2020, the Company could have borrowed these additional 
amounts without violating any of its existing debt covenants.

The  Company’s  principal  cash  outflows  relate  to  the  payment  of  claims  liabilities,  interest  credited,  operating 
expenses, income taxes, dividends to shareholders, purchases of treasury stock, and principal and interest under debt and other 
financing obligations. The Company seeks to limit its exposure to loss on any single insured and to recover a portion of benefits 
paid by ceding reinsurance to other insurance enterprises or reinsurers under excess coverage and coinsurance contracts (See 
Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  of  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements).  The 
Company  performs  annual  financial  reviews  of  its  retrocessionaires  to  evaluate  financial  stability  and  performance.  The 
Company  has  never  experienced  a  material  default  in  connection  with  retrocession  arrangements,  nor  has  it  experienced  any 
difficulty  in  collecting  claims  recoverable  from  retrocessionaires;  however,  no  assurance  can  be  given  as  to  the  future 
performance  of  such  retrocessionaires  nor  to  the  recoverability  of  future  claims.  The  Company’s  management  believes  its 
current sources of liquidity are adequate to meet its cash requirements for the next 12 months.

70

Summary of Primary Sources and Uses of Liquidity and Capital 

The Company’s primary sources and uses of liquidity and capital are summarized as follows (dollars in millions):

Sources:

Net cash provided by operating activities
Proceeds from offering of common stock, net
Proceeds from long-term debt issuance
Exercise of stock options, net
Change in cash collateral for derivatives and other arrangements
Cash provided by changes in universal life and other

investment type policies and contracts

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

Total sources

Uses:

Net cash used in investing activities
Dividends to stockholders
Repayment of collateral finance and securitization notes
Debt issuance costs
Principal payments of long-term debt
Purchases of treasury stock
Change in cash collateral for derivatives and other arrangements
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

Total uses

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

For the years ended December 31,
2019

2018

2020

$ 

$ 

3,322 
481 
598 
1 
— 

773 
63 
5,238 

2,680 
182 
214 
5 
3 
163 
32 
— 
3,279 
1,959 

$ 

$ 

2,307 
— 
599 
6 
— 

200 
11 
3,123 

2,638 
163 
91 
5 
403 
101 
163 
— 
3,564 
(441) 

$ 

$ 

1,581 
— 
— 
3 
44 

170 
— 
1,798 

637 
140 
96 
— 
3 
300 
— 
36 
1,212 
586 

Cash  Flows  from  Operations  –  The  principal  cash  inflows  from  the  Company’s  reinsurance  activities  come  from 
premiums,  investment  and  fee  income,  annuity  considerations  and  deposit  funds.  The  principal  cash  outflows  relate  to  the 
liabilities associated with various life and health insurance, annuity and disability products, operating expenses, income tax and 
interest on outstanding debt obligations. The primary liquidity concern with respect to these cash flows is the risk of shortfalls 
in premiums and investment income, particularly in periods with abnormally high claims levels.

Cash  Flows  from  Investments  –  The  principal  cash  inflows  from  the  Company’s  investment  activities  come  from 
repayments  of  principal  on  invested  assets,  proceeds  from  sales  and  maturities  of  invested  assets,  and  settlements  of 
freestanding  derivatives.  The  principal  cash  outflows  relate  to  purchases  of  investments,  issuances  of  policy  loans  and 
settlements of freestanding derivatives.  The Company typically has a net cash outflow from investing activities because cash 
inflows from insurance operations are reinvested in accordance with its asset/liability management discipline to fund insurance 
liabilities.  The  Company  closely  monitors  and  manages  these  risks  through  its  credit  risk  management  process.  The  primary 
liquidity concerns with respect to these cash flows are the risk of default by debtors and market disruption, which could make it 
difficult for the Company to sell investments.

Financing Cash Flows – The principal cash inflows from the Company’s financing activities come from issuances of 
debt and equity securities, and deposit funds associated with universal life and other investment type policies and contracts. The 
principal  financing  cash  outflows  are  the  repayments  of  debt,  payments  of  dividends  to  stockholders,  purchases  of  treasury 
stock,  and  withdrawals  associated  with  universal  life  and  other  investment  type  policies  and  contracts.  A  primary  liquidity 
concern with respect to these cash flows is the risk of early contractholder and policyholder withdrawal.

71

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contractual Obligations 

The following table displays the Company’s contractual obligations, including obligations arising from its reinsurance 

business (in millions):

Future policy benefits

(1)

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities
Long-term debt, including interest

(2)

Collateral finance and securitization notes, including interest
Other policy claims and benefits

Operating leases

Limited partnership interests and joint ventures

Payables for collateral received under derivative transactions

Other investment related commitments

Total

Total

Less than 1 Year

1-3 Years

4-5 Years

After 5 Years

Payment Due by Period

$ 

14,145  $ 

(358)  $ 

(1,372)  $ 

(1,276)  $ 

37,123 

6,239 

407 

6,413 

92 

678 

98 

436 

2,926 

154 

115 

6,413 

14 

678 

98 

436 

5,936 

569 

169 

— 

28 

— 

— 

— 

4,892 

630 

51 

— 

21 

— 

— 

— 

17,151 

23,369 

4,886 

72 

— 

29 

— 

— 

— 

$ 

65,631  $ 

10,476  $ 

5,330  $ 

4,318  $ 

45,507 

(1) Future policy benefits are primarily related to the Company’s reinsurance of life and health insurance products. The amounts presented in the table above 
represent the estimated benefit obligations as they become due, and also include estimated future premiums on policies in force, allowances and other 
amounts  due  to  or  from  the  ceding  companies  as  the  result  of  the  Company’s  assumptions  of  mortality,  morbidity,  policy  lapse  and  surrender  risk  as 
appropriate  to  the  respective  product.  All  estimated  cash  payments  presented  in  the  table  above  are  undiscounted  as  to  interest  and  gross  of  any 
reinsurance  recoverable.    The  discounted  liability  amount  of  $31.5  billion  included  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  exceeds  the  sum  of  the 
undiscounted  estimated  cash  flows  of  $14.1  billion  shown  above.  The  difference  is  substantially  due  to  net  obligations  including  estimated  future 
premiums exceeding estimated policy benefit payments and allowances due to the nature of certain reinsurance treaties, which generally have increasing 
premium rates that exceed the increasing benefit payments. In addition, differences will arise due to changes in the projection of future benefit payments 
compared with those developed when the reserve was established.  Total payments may vary materially from prior years due to the assumption of new 
reinsurance treaties or as a result of changes in projections of future experience.

(2)

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities include amounts related to the Company’s reinsurance of asset-intensive products, primarily deferred annuities and 
corporate-owned  life  insurance.  The  amounts  in  the  table  above  represent  the  estimated  obligations  as  they  become  due  both  to  and  from  ceding 
companies  relating  to  activity  of  the  underlying  policyholders.  All  amounts  presented  above  are  undiscounted  as  to  interest,  and  include  assumptions 
related to surrenders, withdrawals, premium persistency, partial withdrawals, surrender charges, annuitizations, mortality, future interest credited rates and 
policy loan utilization. The sum of the obligations shown for all years in the table of $37.1 billion exceeds the liability amount of $23.3 billion included 
on the consolidated balance sheets, and the difference is primarily related to the lack of discounting and to liabilities related to accounting conventions, 
which are not contractually due and are therefore excluded.

Excluded from the table above are net deferred income tax liabilities, unrecognized tax benefits, and accrued interest 
related to unrecognized tax benefits of $3.6 billion, for which the Company cannot reliably determine the timing of payment. 
Current income tax payable is also excluded from the table.

The  net  funded  status  of  the  Company’s  qualified  and  nonqualified  pension  and  other  postretirement  liabilities 
included within other liabilities has been excluded from the amounts presented in the table above. As of December 31, 2020, 
the Company had a net unfunded balance of $178 million related to qualified and nonqualified pension and other postretirement 
liabilities. See Note 10 – “Employee Benefit Plans” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to 
the Company’s obligations and funding requirements for pension and other postretirement benefits.

Asset / Liability Management

The  Company  actively  manages  its  cash  and  invested  assets  using  an  approach  that  is  intended  to  balance  quality, 
diversification,  asset/liability  matching,  liquidity  and  investment  return.  The  goals  of  the  investment  process  are  to  optimize 
after-tax, risk-adjusted investment income and after-tax, risk-adjusted total return while managing the assets and liabilities on a 
cash flow and duration basis.

The  Company  has  established  target  asset  portfolios  for  its  operating  segments,  which  represent  the  investment 
strategies  intended  to  profitably  fund  its  liabilities  within  acceptable  risk  parameters.  These  strategies  include  objectives  and 
limits for effective duration, yield curve sensitivity and convexity, liquidity, asset sector concentration and credit quality.

The Company’s asset-intensive products are primarily supported by investments in fixed maturity securities reflected 
on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and under funds withheld arrangements with the ceding company. Investment 
guidelines are established to structure the investment portfolio based upon the type, duration and behavior of products in the 
liability portfolio so as to achieve targeted levels of profitability. The Company manages the asset-intensive business to provide 
a  targeted  spread  between  the  interest  rate  earned  on  investments  and  the  interest  rate  credited  to  the  underlying  interest-
sensitive  contract  liabilities.  The  Company  periodically  reviews  models  projecting  different  interest  rate  scenarios  and  their 
effect on profitability. Certain of these asset-intensive agreements, primarily in the U.S. and Latin America Financial Solutions 
operating segment, are generally funded by fixed maturity securities that are withheld by the ceding company.

72

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Company’s liquidity position (cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments) was $3.6 billion and $1.5 
billion  at  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  Liquidity  needs  are  determined  from  valuation  analysis  conducted  by 
operational units and are driven by product portfolios. Periodic evaluations of demand liabilities and short-term liquid assets are 
designed to adjust specific portfolios, as well as their durations and maturities, in response to anticipated liquidity needs.

See  “Securities  Borrowing,  Lending  and  Other”  in  Note  4  –  “Investments”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements  for  information  related  to  the  Company’s  securities  borrowing,  lending  and  repurchase/reverse  repurchase 
programs.  In  addition  to  its  security  agreements  with  third  parties,  certain  RGA  subsidiaries  have  entered  into  intercompany 
securities lending agreements to more efficiently source securities for lending to third parties and to provide for more efficient 
regulatory capital management.

The Company is a member of the FHLB and holds $89 million of FHLB common stock, which is included in other 
invested  assets  on  the  Company’s  consolidated  balance  sheets.  The  Company  has  entered  into  funding  agreements  with  the 
FHLB under guaranteed investment contracts whereby the Company has issued the funding agreements in exchange for cash 
and  for  which  the  FHLB  has  been  granted  a  blanket  lien  on  the  Company’s  commercial  and  residential  mortgage-backed 
securities and commercial mortgage loans used to collateralize the Company’s obligations under the funding agreements. The 
Company  maintains  control  over  these  pledged  assets,  and  may  use,  commingle,  encumber  or  dispose  of  any  portion  of  the 
collateral  as  long  as  there  is  no  event  of  default  and  the  remaining  qualified  collateral  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  collateral 
maintenance  level.  The  funding  agreements  and  the  related  security  agreements  represented  by  this  blanket  lien  provide  that 
upon any event of default by the Company, the FHLB’s recovery is limited to the amount of the Company’s liability under the 
outstanding  funding  agreements.  The  amount  of  the  Company’s  liability  for  the  funding  agreements  with  the  FHLB  under 
guaranteed  investment  contracts  was  $1.9  billion  and  $1.4  billion  at  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively,  which  is 
included  in  interest  sensitive  contract  liabilities  on  the  Company’s  consolidated  balance  sheets.  The  advances  on  these 
agreements are collateralized primarily by commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage loans, 
and  U.S.  Treasury  and  government  agency  securities.  The  amount  of  collateral  exceeds  the  liability  and  is  dependent  on  the 
type of assets collateralizing the guaranteed investment contracts.

Investments

Management of Investments

The Company’s investment and derivative strategies involve matching the characteristics of its reinsurance products 
and other obligations and to seek to closely approximate the interest rate sensitivity of the assets with estimated interest rate 
sensitivity  of  the  reinsurance  liabilities.  The  Company  achieves  its  income  objectives  through  strategic  and  tactical  asset 
allocations, security and derivative strategies within an asset/liability management and disciplined risk management framework. 
Derivative strategies are employed within the Company’s risk management framework to help manage duration, currency, and 
other  risks  in  assets  and/or  liabilities  and  to  replicate  the  credit  characteristics  of  certain  assets.  For  a  discussion  of  the 
Company’s risk management process, see “Market and Credit Risk” in the “Enterprise Risk Management” section below.

The  Company’s  portfolio  management  groups  work  with  the  Enterprise  Risk  Management  function  to  develop  the 
investment policies for the assets of the Company’s domestic and international investment portfolios. All investments held by 
the  Company,  directly  or  in  a  funds  withheld  at  interest  reinsurance  arrangement,  are  monitored  for  conformance  with  the 
Company’s stated investment policy limits as well as any limits prescribed by the applicable jurisdiction’s insurance laws and 
regulations. See Note 4 – “Investments” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding 
the Company’s investments.

Effects of COVID-19

The Company’s investment portfolios have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by the recent disruption 
in the global financial markets caused by COVID-19 and uncertainty regarding its outcome. Changes in interest rates, increased 
market volatility or a continued slowdown in U.S. or global economic conditions may also adversely affect the values and cash 
flows of these assets in future periods. The Company’s corporate fixed income portfolio may be adversely impacted by ratings 
downgrades, increased bankruptcies and credit spread widening in distressed industries. The Company has exposure to some of 
the  asset  classes  and  industries  most  affected  by  the  COVID-19  pandemic  such  as  commercial  mortgage  loans,  emerging 
market debt, energy, and airlines; however, the Company’s primary exposure in these asset classes is of high quality assets. The 
Company recognized impairments on limited partnership investments and available-for-sale securities, and increased the credit 
allowance for its available-for-sale securities primarily related to high-yield and emerging market debt securities during the year 
ended December 31, 2020. The Company also increased the valuation allowance on its commercial mortgage loan portfolio as 
result of the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Company’s borrowers.

73

Portfolio Composition

The Company had total cash and invested assets of $75.8 billion and $68.0 billion as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, 

respectively, as illustrated below (dollars in millions):

Fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale

$ 

56,735 

 74.8 % $ 

51,121 

 75.3 %

2020

% of Total 

2019

% of Total 

Equity securities

Mortgage loans on real estate

Policy loans

Funds withheld at interest

Short-term investments

Other invested assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Total cash and invested assets

Investment Yield

132 

5,787 

1,258 

5,432 

227 

2,829 

3,408 

 0.2 

 7.6 

 1.7 

 7.2 

 0.3 

 3.7 

 4.5 

320 

5,706 

1,319 

5,662 

64 

2,363 

1,449 

 0.5 

 8.3 

 1.9 

 8.3 

 0.1 

 3.5 

 2.1 

$ 

75,808 

 100.0 % $ 

68,004 

 100.0 %

The  following  table  presents  consolidated  average  invested  assets  at  amortized  cost,  net  investment  income  and 
investment yield, excluding spread related business. Spread related business is primarily associated with contracts on which the 
Company  earns  an  interest  rate  spread  between  assets  and  liabilities.  To  varying  degrees,  fluctuations  in  the  yield  on  other 
spread  related  business  is  generally  subject  to  corresponding  adjustments  to  the  interest  credited  on  the  liabilities  (dollars  in 
millions).

Average invested assets at amortized cost

$ 

30,787 

$ 

28,300 

$ 

2020

2019

1,231 

1,291 

Net investment income

Investment yield (ratio of net investment
income to average invested assets)

 4.00 %

 4.56 %

 4.45 %

(56) bps

2018

26,641 

1,185 

Increase /(Decrease)

2020

2019

 8.8 %

 (4.6) %

 6.2 %

 8.9 %

11 bps

Investment  yield  decreased  between  2019  and  2020  due  to  the  low  interest  rate  environment  combined  with  higher 
cash and cash equivalents balances held by the Company during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as decreased income from 
joint ventures and limited partnerships. Investment yield increased between 2018 and 2019 due to increased income from joint 
ventures and limited partnerships.

Fixed Maturity Securities Available-for-Sale

See “Fixed Maturity Securities Available-for-Sale” in Note 4 – “Investments” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial 
Statements for tables that provide the amortized cost, allowance for credit losses (as of December 31, 2020), unrealized gains 
and losses and estimated fair value of these securities by type as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The  Company  holds  various  types  of  fixed  maturity  securities  available-for-sale  and  classifies  them  as  corporate 
securities  (“Corporate”),  Canadian  and  Canadian  provincial  government  securities  (“Canadian  government”),  residential 
mortgage-backed  securities  (“RMBS”),  asset-backed  securities  (“ABS”),  commercial  mortgage-backed  securities  (“CMBS”), 
U.S.  government  and  agencies  (“U.S.  government”),  state  and  political  subdivisions,  and  other  foreign  government, 
supranational  and  foreign  government-sponsored  enterprises  (“Other  foreign  government”).  RMBS,  ABS  and  CMBS  are 
collectively “structured securities.” As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, approximately 94.0% and 95.5%, respectively, of the 
Company’s consolidated investment portfolio of fixed maturity securities were investment grade.

Important factors in the selection of investments include diversification, quality, yield, call protection and total rate of 
return potential.  The relative importance of these factors is determined by market conditions and the underlying reinsurance 
liability and existing portfolio characteristics. The Company owns floating rate securities that represent approximately 5.6% and 
6.3% of the total fixed maturity securities as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These investments have a higher 
degree of income variability than the other fixed income holdings in the portfolio due to fluctuations in interest payments. The 
Company  holds  floating  rate  investments  to  match  specific  floating  rate  liabilities  primarily  reflected  in  the  consolidated 
balance sheets as collateral finance notes, as well as to enhance asset management strategies.

The  largest  asset  class  in  which  fixed  maturity  securities  were  invested  was  corporate  securities,  which  represented 
approximately  63.9%  and  61.4%  of  total  fixed  maturity  securities  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  See 
“Corporate Fixed Maturity Securities” in Note 4 – “Investments” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for tables 
showing the major sector types, which comprise the corporate fixed maturity holdings as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

74

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company’s investments in Canadian government securities represented 9.1% 
and 9.0%, respectively, of the fair value of total fixed maturity securities. These assets are primarily high quality, long duration 
provincial strip bonds, the valuation of which is closely linked to the interest rate curve. These assets are longer in duration and 
held primarily for asset/liability management to meet Canadian regulatory requirements.  

The  Company  references  rating  agency  designations  in  some  of  its  investments  disclosures.  These  designations  are 
based on the ratings from nationally recognized statistical rating organizations, primarily Moody’s, S&P and Fitch. Structured 
securities held by the Company’s insurance subsidiaries that maintain the NAIC statutory basis of accounting utilize the NAIC 
rating methodology. The NAIC assigns designations to publicly traded as well as privately placed securities. The designations 
assigned by the NAIC range from class 1 to class 6, with designations in classes 1 and 2 generally considered investment grade 
(BBB  or  higher  rating  agency  designation).  NAIC  designations  in  classes  3  through  6  are  generally  considered  below 
investment grade (BB or lower rating agency designation).

The quality of the Company’s available-for-sale fixed maturity securities portfolio, as measured at fair value and by 
the percentage of fixed maturity securities invested in various ratings categories, relative to the entire available-for-sale fixed 
maturity securities portfolio as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows (dollars in millions):

NAIC
Designation
1
2

3

4

5

6

Rating Agency
Designation

AAA/AA/A
BBB

BB

B

CCC and lower

In or near default

Amortized Cost

$ 

29,770  $ 
16,440 

2,480 

713 

131 

14 

2020

Estimated 
Fair Value

34,589 
18,751 

2,588 

697 

102 

8 

% of Total

Amortized Cost

 60.9 % $ 
 33.1 

30,100  $ 
14,366 

 4.6 

 1.2 

 0.2 

 — 

1,706 

514 

36 

31 

2019

Estimated 
Fair Value

% of Total

33,284 
15,514 

1,748 

518 

23 

34 

 65.2 %
 30.3 

 3.4 

 1.0 

 — 

 0.1 

Total

$ 

49,548  $ 

56,735 

 100.0 % $ 

46,753  $ 

51,121 

 100.0 %

The  Company’s  fixed  maturity  portfolio  includes  structured  securities.  The  following  table  shows  the  types  of 

structured securities the Company held as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

2020

Estimated
Fair Value    

Amortized Cost

% of Total

Amortized Cost

2019

Estimated
Fair Value    

% of Total

RMBS:

Agency

Non-agency

Total RMBS

ABS:

Collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”)

ABS, excluding CLOs

Total ABS

CMBS

Total

$ 

686  $ 

1,049 

1,735 

1,707 

1,392 

3,099 

1,790 

$ 

6,624  $ 

744 

1,073 

1,817 

1,689 

1,403 

3,092 

1,868 

6,777 

 11.0 % $ 

742  $ 

 15.8 

 26.8 

 24.9 

 20.7 

 45.6 

 27.6 

1,597 

2,339 

1,750 

1,223 

2,973 

1,841 

 100.0 % $ 

7,153  $ 

777 

1,621 

2,398 

1,743 

1,235 

2,978 

1,899 

7,275 

 10.6 %

 22.3 

 32.9 

 24.0 

 17.0 

 41.0 

 26.1 

 100.0 %

The  Company’s  RMBS  portfolio  includes  agency-issued  pass-through  securities  and  collateralized  mortgage 
obligations. Agency-issued pass-through securities are guaranteed or otherwise supported by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage 
Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association, or the Government National Mortgage Association.  The principal risks 
inherent in holding RMBS are prepayment and extension risks, which will affect the timing of when cash will be received and 
are dependent on the level of mortgage interest rates. Prepayment risk is the unexpected increase in principal payments from the 
expected, primarily as a result of owner refinancing. Extension risk relates to the unexpected slowdown in principal payments 
from the expected. In addition, non-agency RMBS face credit risk should the borrower be unable to pay the contractual interest 
or principal on their obligation. The Company monitors its mortgage-backed securities to mitigate exposure to the cash flow 
uncertainties associated with these risks.

The  Company’s  ABS  portfolio  primarily  consists  of  CLOs,  single-family  rentals,  container  leasing,  railcar  leasing, 
aircraft  and  student  loans.  The  principal  risks  in  holding  ABS  are  structural,  credit,  capital  market  and  interest  rate  risks. 
Structural risks include the securities’ cash flow priority in the capital structure and the inherent prepayment sensitivity of the 
underlying  collateral.  Credit  risks  include  the  adequacy  and  ability  to  realize  proceeds  from  the  collateral.  Credit  risks  are 
mitigated  by  credit  enhancements  that  include  excess  spread,  over-collateralization  and  subordination.  Capital  market  risks 
include general level of interest rates and the liquidity for these securities in the marketplace.

75

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  Company’s  CMBS  portfolio  primarily  consists  of  large  pool  securitizations  that  are  diverse  by  property  type, 
borrower  and  geographic  dispersion.  The  principal  risks  in  holding  CMBS  are  structural  and  credit  risks.  Structural  risks 
include  the  securities’  cash  flow  priority  in  the  capital  structure  and  the  inherent  prepayment  sensitivity  of  the  underlying 
collateral.  Credit  risks  include  the  adequacy  and  ability  to  realize  proceeds  from  the  collateral.  The  Company  focuses  on 
investment  grade  rated  tranches  that  provide  additional  credit  support  beyond  the  equity  protection  in  the  underlying  loans. 
These assets are viewed as an attractive alternative to other fixed income asset classes.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had $197 million and $110 million, respectively, of gross unrealized 
losses related to its fixed maturity securities. The Company monitors its fixed maturity securities to determine impairments in 
value and evaluates factors such as financial condition of the issuer, payment performance, compliance with covenants, general 
market and industry sector conditions, current intent and ability to hold securities, and various other subjective factors. Based 
on management’s judgment, securities determined to have expected credit losses will record an allowance for credit losses in 
the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost.

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate

The Company’s mortgage loan portfolio consists of U.S., Canada and UK based investments primarily in commercial 
offices,  light  industrial  properties  and  retail  locations.  The  mortgage  loan  portfolio  is  diversified  by  geographic  region  and 
property  type  as  discussed  further  under  “Mortgage  Loans  on  Real  Estate”  in  Note  4  –  “Investments”  in  the  Notes  to 
Consolidated Financial Statements. Most of the mortgage loans in the Company’s portfolio range in size up to $30 million, with 
the  average  mortgage  loan  investment  as  of  December  31,  2020,  totaling  approximately  $10  million.  For  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2020,  the  Company  increased  its  valuation  allowance  on  its  commercial  mortgage  loan  portfolio  by 
approximately $38 million as a result of the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the Company’s borrowers. 
The  Company  continues  to  monitor  and  evaluate  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  its  investment  portfolio  and  is 
working  closely  with  its  borrowers  to  evaluate  any  short-term  cash  flow  issues.  For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  the 
Company modified the payment terms of approximately 52 commercial mortgage loans, with a carrying value of approximately 
$660 million in response to COVID-19. These loans met the criteria established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 
Security Act (the “CARES Act”), and were not considered a troubled debt restructuring. In accordance with the CARES Act 
criteria,  these  loans  were  not  more  than  30  days  past  due  at  December  31,  2019,  and  the  modifications  included  deferral  or 
delayed payments of principal or interest on the loan. 

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  Company’s  recorded  investment  in  mortgage  loans,  gross  of  unamortized 
deferred  loan  origination  fees  and  expenses  and  valuation  allowances,  were  distributed  geographically  as  follows  (dollars  in 
millions):

U.S. Region:

West

South

Midwest

Northeast

Subtotal - U.S.

Canada

United Kingdom

Total

2020

2019

Recorded
Investment

% of Total

Recorded
Investment

% of Total

$ 

$ 

2,253 

2,040 

1,027 

277 

5,597 

188 

76 

5,861 

 38.5 % $ 

 34.8 

 17.5 

 4.7 

 95.5 

 3.2 

 1.3 

 100.0 % $ 

2,302 

1,929 

996 

262 

5,489 

182 

56 

5,727 

 40.2 %

 33.6 

 17.4 

 4.6 

 95.8 

 3.2 

 1.0 

 100.0 %

See  “Allowance  for  Credit  Losses  and  Impairments”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and 
Pronouncements”  and  “Mortgage  Loans  on  Real  Estate”  in  Note  4  –  “Investments”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements for information regarding the Company’s policy for valuation allowances and impairments on mortgage loans.

76

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impairments and Allowance for Credit Losses

The Company’s determination of whether a decline in value necessitates the recording of an allowance for credit losses 
includes  an  analysis  of  whether  the  issuer  is  current  on  its  contractual  payments,  evaluating  whether  it  is  probable  that  the 
Company will be able to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the security and analyzing the overall 
ability of the Company to recover the amortized cost of the investment.  See “Allowance for Credit Losses and Impairments” in 
Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  for  additional  information.  The  table  below  summarizes 
impairment losses and changes in allowance for credit losses on fixed maturity securities, other impairment losses and changes 
in the mortgage loan provision for 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):

Impairments and change in allowance for credit losses on fixed maturity securities

Other impairment losses

Change in mortgage loan provision

Total

2020

2019

2018

$ 

$ 

21  $ 

18 

38 

77  $ 

31  $ 

11 

1 

43  $ 

28 

10 

2 

40 

The impairments and change in allowance for credit losses on fixed maturity securities in 2020 were primarily due to  
high-yield  and  emerging  market  debt  securities  as  a  result  of  the  uncertainty  in  the  global  markets  due  to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic. The fixed maturity impairment losses for 2019 and 2018 were primarily due to emerging market and high-yield debt 
exposures.  The  other  impairment  losses  in  2020  were  primarily  due  to  impairments  on  limited  partnerships.    The  other 
impairment losses in 2019 and 2018 were primarily due to impairments on real estate joint ventures and limited partnerships. 
The  change  in  mortgage  loan  provision  in  2020  was  due  to  an  increase  in  the  mortgage  loan  valuation  allowance  due  to  the 
current market conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

See “Unrealized Losses for Fixed Maturity Securities Available-for-Sale” in Note 4 – “Investments” in the Notes to 
Consolidated Financial Statements for tables that present the estimated fair value and gross unrealized losses for securities that 
have estimated fair values below amortized cost by class and grade, as well as the length of time the related estimated fair value 
has remained below amortized cost as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company classified approximately 5.9% and 6.1%, respectively, of its fixed 
maturity securities in the Level 3 category (refer to Note 6 – “Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities” in the Notes to Consolidated 
Financial  Statements  for  additional  information).  These  securities  primarily  consist  of  private  placement  corporate  securities, 
bank loans and Canadian provincial strips with inactive trading markets.

See  “Securities  Borrowing,  Lending  and  Repurchase  Agreements”  in  Note  4  –  “Investments”  in  the  Notes  to 
Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  information  related  to  the  Company’s  securities  borrowing,  lending  and  repurchase/
reverse repurchase programs.

Policy Loans

The  majority  of  policy  loans  are  associated  with  one  client.  These  policy  loans  present  no  credit  risk  because  the 
amount  of  the  loan  cannot  exceed  the  obligation  due  the  ceding  company  upon  the  death  of  the  insured  or  surrender  of  the 
underlying policy. The provisions of the treaties in force and the underlying policies determine the policy loan interest rates. 
The Company earns a spread between the interest rate earned on policy loans and the interest rate credited to corresponding 
liabilities.

Funds Withheld at Interest

For reinsurance agreements written on a modified coinsurance basis and certain agreements written on a coinsurance 
basis, assets equal to the net statutory reserves are withheld and legally owned and managed by the ceding company, and are 
reflected  as  funds  withheld  at  interest  on  the  Company’s  consolidated  balance  sheets.  In  the  event  of  a  ceding  company’s 
insolvency, the Company would need to assert a claim on the assets supporting its reserve liabilities. However, the risk of loss 
to  the  Company  is  mitigated  by  its  ability  to  offset  amounts  it  owes  the  ceding  company  for  claims  or  allowances  against 
amounts  owed  by  the  ceding  company.    Interest  accrues  to  the  total  funds  withheld  at  interest  assets  at  rates  defined  by  the 
treaty terms. The Company is subject to the investment performance on the withheld assets, although it does not directly control 
them. These assets are primarily fixed maturity investment securities and pose risks similar to the fixed maturity securities the 
Company owns. To mitigate this risk, the Company helps set the investment guidelines followed by the ceding company and 
monitors compliance.  Ceding companies with funds withheld at interest had an average financial strength rating of “A” as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019. Certain ceding companies maintain segregated portfolios for the benefit of the Company.

The  majority  of  the  Company’s  funds  withheld  at  interest  balances  are  associated  with  its  reinsurance  of  annuity 
contracts.  The  funds  withheld  receivable  balance  for  segregated  portfolios  is  subject  to  the  general  accounting  principles  for 
Derivatives and Hedging related to embedded derivatives. 

77

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Under these principles, the Company’s funds withheld receivable under certain reinsurance arrangements incorporate 
credit risk exposures that are unrelated or only partially related to the creditworthiness of the obligor and include an embedded 
derivative feature that is not clearly and closely related to the host contract. Therefore, the embedded derivative feature must be 
measured  at  fair  value  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  and  changes  in  fair  value  reported  in  income.  See  “Embedded 
Derivatives”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements for further discussion.

Based on data provided by ceding companies as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, funds withheld at interest totaled 

(dollars in millions):

Underlying Security Type:
Segregated portfolios

Non-segregated portfolios

Embedded derivatives(1)
Other

Total funds withheld at interest

2020

2019

Carrying Value

Estimated
Fair Value

Carrying Value

Estimated
Fair Value

$ 

$ 

3,097  $ 

2,195 

84 

56 

3,481  $ 

2,195 

— 

56 

3,455  $ 

2,071 

136 

— 

3,799 

2,071 

— 

— 

5,432  $ 

5,732  $ 

5,662  $ 

5,870 

(1) Represents the fair value of embedded derivatives related to reinsurance written on a modco or funds withheld basis and subject to the general accounting 
principles for Derivatives and Hedging related to embedded derivatives for the segregated portfolios. When the segregated portfolios are presented on a 
fair value basis in the “Estimated Fair Value” column, the calculation of a separate embedded derivative is not applicable.

Based on data provided by the ceding companies as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, segregated portfolios contained 
primarily  corporate,  municipal,  government  and  structured  securities  as  well  as  derivative  securities  and  reverse  repurchase 
obligations.    These  assets  pose  risks  similar  to  the  fixed  maturity  securities  the  Company  directly  owns.  Derivatives  consist 
primarily of S&P 500 options that are used to hedge liabilities and interest credited for EIAs reinsured by the Company.  The 
securities  held  within  the  segregated  portfolios  are  primarily  investment-grade,  with  an  average  rating  of  “A.”    The  average 
maturity  for  investments  held  within  the  segregated  portfolios  of  funds  withheld  at  interest  is  ten  years  or  more.    Interest 
accrues to the total funds withheld at interest assets at rates defined by the treaty terms and the Company estimated the yields 
were approximately 5.40%, 5.59% and 5.43% for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  Changes 
in  these  estimated  yields  are  affected  by  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  equity  options  held  in  the  funds  withheld  portfolio 
associated  with  EIAs.  Additionally,  under  certain  treaties  the  Company  is  subject  to  the  investment  performance  on  the 
withheld  assets,  although  it  does  not  directly  control  them.  To  mitigate  this  risk,  the  Company  helps  set  the  investment 
guidelines followed by the ceding companies and monitors compliance.

Other Invested Assets

Other invested assets include limited partnership interests, joint ventures (other than operating joint ventures), lifetime 
mortgages, derivative contracts, fair value option (“FVO”) contractholder-directed unit-linked investments and FHLB common 
stock.  See “Other Invested Assets” in Note 4 – “Investments” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a table that 
presents the carrying value of the Company’s other invested assets by type as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The  Company  utilizes  derivative  financial  instruments  to  protect  the  Company  against  possible  changes  in  the  fair 
value of its investment portfolio as a result of interest rate changes, to hedge against risk of changes in the purchase price of 
securities,  to  hedge  liabilities  associated  with  the  reinsurance  of  variable  annuities  with  guaranteed  living  benefits  and  to 
manage the portfolio’s effective yield, maturity and duration. In addition, the Company utilizes derivative financial instruments 
to  reduce  the  risk  associated  with  fluctuations  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates.  The  Company  uses  exchange-traded, 
centrally cleared, and customized over-the-counter derivative financial instruments.

See Note 5 – “Derivative Instruments” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a table that presents the 

notional amounts and fair value of investment related derivative instruments held as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

The Company may be exposed to credit-related losses in the event of non-performance by counterparties to derivative 
financial  instruments.  Generally,  the  credit  exposure  of  the  Company’s  derivative  contracts  is  limited  to  the  fair  value  and 
accrued interest of non-collateralized derivative contracts in an asset position at the reporting date.  As of December 31, 2020, 
the Company had credit exposure of $19 million.

The  Company  manages  its  credit  risk  related  to  over-the-counter  derivatives  by  entering  into  transactions  with 
creditworthy counterparties, maintaining collateral arrangements and through the use of master agreements that provide for a 
single  net  payment  to  be  made  by  one  counterparty  to  another  at  each  due  date  and  upon  termination.  As  exchange-traded 
futures  are  affected  through  regulated  exchanges,  and  positions  are  marked  to  market  on  a  daily  basis,  the  Company  has 
minimal  exposure  to  credit-related  losses  in  the  event  of  nonperformance  by  counterparties.  See  Note  5  –  “Derivative 

78

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Instruments”  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  more  information  regarding  the  Company’s  derivative 
instruments.

The Company holds $935 million and $775 million of lifetime mortgages, net of valuation allowances, as of December 
31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively  in  beneficial  interests  in  lifetime  mortgages  in  the  UK.  Investment  income  includes  $44 
million, $34 million and $19 million in interest income earned on lifetime mortgages for the years ended December 31, 2020, 
2019 and 2018, respectively. Lifetime mortgages represent loans provided to individuals 55 years of age and older secured by 
the  borrower’s  residence.  Lifetime  mortgages  are  comparable  to  a  home  equity  loan  by  allowing  the  borrower  to  utilize  the 
equity  in  their  home  as  collateral.  The  amount  of  the  loan  is  dependent  on  the  appraised  value  of  the  home  at  the  time  of 
origination, the borrower's age and interest rate. Unlike a home equity loan, no payment of principal or interest is required until 
the  death  of  the  borrower  or  sale  of  the  home.  Lifetime  mortgages  may  also  be  either  fully  funded  at  origination,  or  the 
borrower  can  request  periodic  funding  similar  to  a  line  of  credit.    Lifetime  mortgages  are  subject  to  risks,  including  market, 
credit, interest rate, liquidity, operational, reputational and legal risks. 

Enterprise Risk Management

RGA  maintains  a  dedicated  Enterprise  Risk  Management  (“ERM”)  function  that  is  responsible  for  analyzing  and 
reporting the Company’s risks on an aggregated basis; facilitating monitoring to ensure the Company’s risks remain within its 
appetites and limits; and ensuring, on an ongoing basis, that RGA’s ERM objectives are met. This includes ensuring proper risk 
controls are in place; risks are effectively identified, assessed, and managed; and key risks to which the Company is exposed are 
disclosed to appropriate stakeholders. The ERM function plays an important role in fostering the Company’s risk management 
culture and practices.

Enterprise Risk Management Structure and Governance

The  board  of  directors  (“the  Board”)  oversees  enterprise  risk  through  its  Risk  Committee,  which  oversees  the 
management of the Company’s ERM program and policies. The Risk Committee receives regular reports and assessments that 
describe  the  Company’s  key  risk  exposures  and  include  quantitative  and  qualitative  assessments  and  information  about 
breaches, exceptions, and waivers.

The  Company’s  Global  Chief  Risk  Officer  (“CRO”)  reports  to  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  (“CEO”)  and  has  direct 
access to the Board through the Risk Committee with formal reporting occurring quarterly. The CRO leads the dedicated ERM 
function and is supported by a dedicated risk management staff as well as a network of Business Unit Chief Risk Officers and 
Risk Owners throughout the business unit who are responsible for the analysis and management of risks within their scope. A 
Lead  Risk  Owner  is  assigned  to  each  risk  to  take  overall  responsibility  to  monitor  and  assess  the  risk  consistently  across  all 
markets.

In addition to leading the ERM function, the CRO also chairs the Company’s Risk Management Steering Committee 
(“RMSC”), which is made up of senior management executives, including the CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), and 
the Chief Operating Officer, among others. The RMSC provides oversight for the Insurance, Market and Credit, Capital, and 
Operational risk committees and retains direct risk oversight responsibilities for the following:

•

•

•

•

Company’s global ERM framework, activities, and issues.

Identification, assessments, and management of all established and emerging strategic risk exposures.

Risk  appetite  statement,  including  the  ongoing  alignment  of  the  risk  appetite  statement  with  the  Company’s 
strategy and capital plans. 

Review, revise and approve RGA group-level strategic risk limits consistent with the risk appetite statement

The Insurance, Market and Credit, Capital, and Operational risk committees have direct oversight accountability for 
their  respective  risk  areas  including  the  identification,  assessments,  and  management  of  established  and  emerging  risk 
exposures and the review and approval of RGA group-level risk limits 

To ensure appropriate oversight of enterprise-wide risk management issues without unnecessary duplication, as well as 
to  foster  cross-committee  communication  and  coordination  regarding  risk  issues,  chairs  of  the  risk  committees  attend  the 
RMSC meetings. In addition to the risk committees, their sub-committees and working groups, some RGA operating entities 
have risk management committees that oversee relevant risks related to segment-level risk limits. 

Enterprise Risk Management Framework 

RGA’s ERM framework provides a platform to assess the risk / return profiles of risks throughout the organization to 
enable enhanced decision making by business leaders. The ERM framework also guides the development and implementation 
of mitigation strategies to reduce exposures to these risks to acceptable levels.

79

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RGA’s ERM framework includes the following elements:

•.

•.

•.

•.

•.

Risk Culture: Risk management is an integral part of the Company’s culture and is embedded in RGA’s business 
processes  in  accordance  with  RGA’s  risk  philosophy.  As  the  cornerstone  of  the  ERM  framework,  a  culture  of 
prudent risk management reinforced by senior management plays a preeminent role in the effective management 
of risks assumed by RGA. 

Risk Appetite Statement: A general and high level overview of the risk profile RGA aims to achieve to meet its 
strategic  objectives.  This  statement  is  then  supported  by  more  granular  risk  limits  guiding  the  businesses  to 
achieve this Risk Appetite Statement. 

Risk Limits: Risk Limits establish the maximum amount of defined risk that the Company is willing to assume to 
remain within the Company’s overall risk appetite. These risks have been identified by the management of the 
Company as relevant to manage the overall risk profile of the Company while allowing achievement of strategic 
objectives. 

Risk Assessment Process: RGA uses qualitative and quantitative methods to assess key risks through a portfolio 
approach, which analyzes established and emerging risks in conjunction with other risks.

Business  Specific  Limits/Controls:  These  limits/controls  provide  additional  safeguards  against  undesired  risk 
exposures  and  are  embedded  in  business  processes.  Examples  include  maximum  retention  limits,  pricing  and 
underwriting reviews, per issuer limits, concentration limits, and standard treaty language.

Proactive risk monitoring and reporting enable early detection and mitigation of emerging risks. The RMSC and its 
subcommittees monitor adherence to risk limits through the ERM function, which reports regularly to the RMSC and the Risk 
Committee.  The  frequency  of  monitoring  is  tailored  to  the  volatility  assessment  and  relative  priority  of  each  risk.  Risk 
escalation  channels  coupled  with  open  communication  lines  enhance  the  mitigations  explained  above.  The  Company  has 
devoted significant resources to developing its ERM program and expects to continue to do so in the future. Nonetheless, the 
Company’s policies and procedures to identify, manage, and monitor risks may not be fully effective. Many of the Company’s 
methods  for  managing  risk  are  based  on  historical  information,  which  may  not  be  a  good  predictor  of  future  risk  exposures, 
such as the risk of a pandemic causing a large number of deaths. Management of operational, legal, and regulatory risk relies on 
policies and procedures that may not be fully effective under all scenarios.

Risk Categories – The Company groups its risks into the following categories: Insurance risk, Market and Credit risk, Capital 
risk, Operational risk and Strategic risk.  Specific risk assessments and descriptions can be found below and in Item 1A – “Risk 
Factors.”

Insurance Risk

Insurance risk is the risk of lower or negative earnings and potentially a reduction in enterprise value due to a greater 
amount of benefits and related expenses paid than expected, or from non-market related adverse policyholder or client behavior.  
The Company uses multiple approaches to managing insurance risk: active insurance risk assessment and pricing appropriately 
for  the  risks  assumed,  transferring  undesired  risks,  and  managing  the  retained  exposure  prudently.  These  strategies  are 
explained below.

The  global  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  the  response  thereto  has  had  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the 
Company’s  earnings  and  continues  to  develop  rapidly.  While  COVID-19  vaccines  have  begun  to  be  distributed  in  some 
countries, the Company’s future results may continue to be adversely impacted by COVID-19 and the response thereto, with the 
extent influenced by the speed of vaccination, measures by public and private institutions, and timing and adoption of effective 
treatments, among other factors. The Company continues to actively assess the impacts of COVID-19 and the response thereto 
on its business and update and refine its COVID-19 projection and financial impact models to manage its insurance risk through 
the pandemic. 

Insurance Risk Assessment and Pricing

The Company has developed extensive expertise in assessing insurance risks that ultimately forms an integral part of 
ensuring that it is compensated commensurately for the risks it assumes and that it does not overpay for the risks it transfers to 
third parties. This expertise includes a vast array of market and product knowledge supported by a large information database of 
historical experience that is closely monitored. Analysis and experience studies derived from this database help form the basis 
for  the  Company’s  pricing  assumptions  that  are  used  in  developing  rates  for  new  risks.  If  actual  mortality  or  morbidity 
experience is materially adverse, some reinsurance treaties allow for increases to future premium rates.

80

 
 
Mis-estimation of any key risk can threaten the long term viability of the enterprise. Further, the pricing process is a 
key  operational  risk  and  significant  effort  is  applied  to  ensuring  the  appropriateness  of  pricing  assumptions.  Some  of  the 
safeguards  the  Company  uses  to  ensure  proper  pricing  are:  experience  studies,  strict  underwriting,  sensitivity  and  scenario 
testing,  pricing  guidelines  and  controls,  authority  limits  and  internal  and  external  pricing  reviews.  In  addition,  the  ERM 
function provides pricing oversight that includes periodic pricing audits.

Risk Transfer

To  minimize  volatility  in  financial  results  and  reduce  the  impact  of  large  losses,  the  Company  transfers  some  of  its 

insurance risk to third parties using vehicles such as retrocession and catastrophe coverage.

Individual Exposure Retrocession

In the normal course of business, the Company seeks to limit its exposure to loss on any single insured and to recover 
a portion of claims paid by ceding reinsurance to other insurance enterprises (or retrocessionaires) under excess coverage and 
coinsurance contracts. In individual life markets, the Company retains a maximum of $8 million of coverage per individual life. 
In  certain  limited  situations  the  Company  has  retained  more  than  $8  million  per  individual  life.  The  Company  enters  into 
agreements  with  other  reinsurers  to  mitigate  the  residual  risk  related  to  the  over-retained  policies.  Additionally,  due  to  some 
lower face amount reinsurance coverages provided by the Company in addition to individual life, such as group life, disability 
and  health,  under  certain  circumstances,  the  Company  could  potentially  incur  claims  totaling  more  than  $8  million  per 
individual life.

Catastrophic Excess Loss Retrocession

The Company seeks to limit its exposure to loss on its assumed catastrophic excess of loss reinsurance agreements by 
ceding a portion of its exposure to multiple retrocessionaires through retrocession line slips or directly to retrocession markets. 
The Company’s policy is to retain a maximum of $20 million of catastrophic loss exposure per agreement and to retrocede up 
to $40 million additional loss exposures to the retrocession markets. The Company limits its exposure on a country-by-country 
(and state-by-state in the U.S.) basis by managing its total exposure to all catastrophic excess of loss agreements bound within a 
given  country  to  established  maximum  aggregate  exposures.  The  maximum  exposures  are  established  and  managed  both  on 
gross amounts issued prior to including retrocession and for amounts net of exposures retroceded.

Catastrophe Coverage

The  Company  accesses  the  markets  each  year  for  annual  catastrophic  coverages  and  reviews  current  coverage  and 
pricing of current and alternate designs. The coverage may vary from year to year based on the Company’s perceived value of 
such protection. The current policy covers events involving 5 or more insured deaths from a single occurrence and covers $100 
million of claims in excess of the Company’s $25 million deductible.

Managing Retained Exposure

The  Company  retains  most  of  the  inbound  insurance  risk.  The  Company  manages  the  retained  exposure  proactively 
using various mitigating factors such as diversification and limits. Diversification is the primary mitigating factor of short term 
volatility  risk,  but  it  also  mitigates  adverse  impacts  of  changes  in  long  term  trends  and  catastrophic  events.  The  Company’s 
insured populations are dispersed globally, diversifying the insurance exposure because factors that cause actual experience to 
deviate  materially  from  expectations  do  not  affect  all  areas  uniformly  and  synchronously  or  in  close  sequence.  A  variety  of 
limits mitigate retained insurance risk. Examples of these limits include geographic exposure limits, which set the maximum 
amount  of  business  that  can  be  written  in  a  given  country,  and  jumbo  limits,  which  prevent  excessive  coverage  on  a  given 
individual.

In the event that mortality or morbidity experience develops in excess of expectations, some reinsurance treaties allow 
for increases to future premium rates. Other treaties include experience refund provisions, which may also help reduce RGA’s 
mortality risk.

RGA has various methods to manage its insurance risks, including access to the capital and reinsurance markets.

Market and Credit Risk

Market and Credit risk is the risk of lower or negative earnings and potentially a reduction in enterprise value due to 

changes in the market prices of asset and liabilities.

Interest Rate Risk

Interest  Rate  risk  is  the  risk  that  changes  in  the  level  and  volatility  of  nominal  interest  rates  affect  the  profitability, 
value  or  solvency  position  of  the  Company.  This  includes  credit  spread  changes  and  inflation  but  excludes  credit  quality 
deterioration.  This  risk  arises  from  many  of  the  Company’s  primary  activities,  as  the  Company  invests  substantial  funds  in 
interest-sensitive  assets,  primarily  fixed  maturity  securities,  and  also  has  certain  interest-sensitive  contract  liabilities.  A 

81

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
prolonged period where market yields are significantly below the book yields of the Company’s asset portfolio puts downward 
pressure  on  portfolio  book  yields.    The  Company  has  been  proactive  in  its  investment  strategies,  reinsurance  structures  and 
overall asset-liability management practices to reduce the risk of unfavorable consequences in this type of environment.

The  Company  manages  interest  rate  risk  to  optimize  the  return  on  the  Company’s  capital  and  to  preserve  the  value 
created  by  its  business  operations  within  certain  constraints.  For  example,  certain  management  and  monitoring  processes  are 
designed to minimize the effect of sudden and/or sustained changes in interest rates on fair value, cash flows, and net interest 
income. The Company manages its exposure to interest rates principally by managing the relative matching of the cash flows of 
its liabilities and assets.

The following table presents the account values, the weighted average interest-crediting rates and minimum guaranteed 

rate ranges for the contracts containing guaranteed rates by major class of interest-sensitive product as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Interest Sensitive Contract Liability
Traditional individual fixed annuities

Equity-indexed annuities

Individual variable annuity contracts

Guaranteed investment contracts

Universal life – type policies

Account Value

2020

2019

$ 

11,493  $ 

11,211 

3,398 

120 

1,886 

4,313 

3,523 

120 

1,360 

4,387 

Current Weighted-Average
Interest Crediting Rate

2020

3.16%

2.76

2.99

1.44

3.78

2019

3.27%

3.47

2.93

2.77

3.76

Minimum Guaranteed
Rate Ranges

2020

2019

0.01 – 5.50%

0.50 – 5.50%

0.10 – 3.00

1.50 – 3.00

0.34 – 3.48

2.00 – 6.00

0.10 – 3.00

1.50 – 3.00

1.75 – 3.48

2.00 – 6.00

The following table presents the account values by each minimum guaranteed rate, rounded to the nearest percentage, 

by class of interest-sensitive product as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Account Value as of December 31, 2020

Interest Sensitive Contract Liability

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

Total

Traditional individual fixed annuities

$ 

1,424  $ 

864  $ 

4,733  $ 

2,104  $ 

2,348  $ 

20  $ 

11,493 

Equity-indexed annuities

Individual variable annuity contracts

Guaranteed investment contracts

Universal life – type policies

946 

— 

1,541 

— 

1,807 

2 

187 

724 

645 

118 

158 

317 

— 

— 

— 

3,204 

— 

— 

— 

58 

— 

— 

— 

10 

3,398 

120 

1,886 

4,313 

Account Value as of December 31, 2019

Interest Sensitive Contract Liability

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

Total

Traditional individual fixed annuities

$ 

937  $ 

763  $ 

5,065  $ 

2,149  $ 

2,277  $ 

20  $ 

11,211 

Equity-indexed annuities

Individual variable annuity contracts

Guaranteed investment contracts

Universal life – type policies

789 

— 

— 

— 

2,002 

2 

1,192 

714 

732 

118 

168 

320 

— 

— 

— 

3,278 

— 

— 

— 

54 

— 

— 

— 

21 

3,523 

120 

1,360 

4,387 

The spread profits on the Company’s fixed annuity and interest-sensitive whole life, universal life (“UL”) and fixed 
portion of variable universal life insurance policies are at risk if interest rates decline and remain relatively low for a period of 
time, which has generally been the case in recent years. Should interest rates remain at current levels, which are significantly 
lower than those existing prior to the declines of recent years, the average earned rate of return on the Company’s annuity and 
UL  investment  portfolios  will  continue  to  decline.  Declining  portfolio  yields  may  cause  the  spreads  between  investment 
portfolio yields and the interest rate credited to contract holders to deteriorate as the Company’s ability to manage spreads can 
become limited by minimum guaranteed rates on annuity and UL policies. In 2020, minimum guaranteed rates on non-variable 
annuity and UL policies generally ranged from 0.01% to 6.00%, with an average guaranteed rate of approximately 2.94%.  In 
2019,  minimum  guaranteed  rates  on  non-variable  annuity  and  UL  policies  generally  ranged  from  0.10%  to  6.00%,  with  an 
average guaranteed rate of approximately 3.10%.

Interest rate spreads are managed for near term income through a combination of crediting rate actions and portfolio 
management. Certain annuity products contain crediting rates that reset annually, of which $10.0 billion of account balances are 
not  subject  to  surrender  charges  as  of  both  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  with  substantially  all  of  these  already  at  their 
minimum  guaranteed  rates.  As  such,  certain  management  and  monitoring  processes  are  designed  to  minimize  the  effect  of 
sudden and/or sustained changes in interest rates on fair value, cash flows, and net interest income.

The Company’s exposure to interest rate price risk and interest rate cash flow risk is reviewed on a quarterly basis. 
Interest rate price risk exposure is measured using interest rate sensitivity analysis to determine the change in fair value of the 

82

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company’s financial instruments in the event of a hypothetical change in interest rates. Interest rate cash flow risk exposure is 
measured  using  interest  rate  sensitivity  analysis  to  determine  the  Company’s  variability  in  cash  flows  in  the  event  of  a 
hypothetical change in interest rates.

Interest  rate  sensitivity  analysis  is  used  to  measure  the  Company’s  interest  rate  price  risk  by  computing  estimated 
changes  in  fair  value  of  fixed  rate  assets  and  liabilities  in  the  event  of  a  hypothetical  100  basis  point  change  (increase  or 
decrease)  in  market  interest  rates.  The  Company  does  not  have  fixed  rate  instruments  classified  as  trading  securities.  The 
Company’s  projected  net  decrease  in  fair  value  of  financial  instruments  in  the  event  of  a  100  basis  point  increase  in  market 
interest rates at its fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $0.9 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively.

The calculation of fair value is based on the net present value of estimated discounted cash flows expected over the life 
of  the  market  risk  sensitive  instruments,  using  market  prepayment  assumptions  and  market  rates  of  interest  provided  by 
independent broker quotations and other public sources, with adjustments made to reflect the shift in the treasury yield curve as 
appropriate.

The interest rate sensitivity relating to the Company’s fixed maturity securities is assessed using hypothetical scenarios 
that assume positive and negative 50 and 100 basis point parallel shifts in the yield curves.  This analysis assumes that the U.S., 
Canada and other pertinent countries’ yield curve shifts are of equal direction and magnitude.  Change in value of individual 
securities is estimated consistently under each scenario using a commercial valuation tool.  The Company’s actual experience 
may differ from the results noted below particularly due to assumptions utilized or if events differ from those included in the 
methodology.    The  following  tables  summarize  the  results  of  this  analysis  for  fixed  maturity  securities  in  the  Company’s 
investment portfolio as of the dates indicated (dollars in millions):

December 31, 2020:

Total estimated fair value

Interest Rate Analysis of Estimated Fair Value of Fixed Maturity Securities
-
56,735 

-100 bps

59,404 

62,286 

-50 bps

$ 

$ 

$ 

50 bps

100 bps

$ 

54,278 

$ 

52,033 

% Change in estimated fair value from base

$ Change in estimated fair value from base

 9.8 %

 4.7 %

 — %

 (4.3) %

 (8.3) %

$ 

5,551 

$ 

2,669 

$ 

— 

$ 

(2,457) 

$ 

(4,702) 

December 31, 2019:

Total estimated fair value

% Change in estimated fair value from base

$ Change in estimated fair value from base

-100 bps

-50 bps

$ 

55,702 

$ 

53,332 

 9.0 %

 4.3 %

$ 

4,581 

$ 

2,211 

$ 

$ 

-
51,121 

50 bps

100 bps

$ 

49,071 

$ 

47,180 

 — %

 (4.0) %

 (7.7) %

— 

$ 

(2,050) 

$ 

(3,941) 

Interest  rate  sensitivity  analysis  is  also  used  to  measure  the  Company’s  interest  rate  cash  flow  risk  by  computing 
estimated  changes  in  the  expected  cash  flows  for  floating  rate  assets  and  liabilities  over  a  one  year  period  following  an 
instantaneous, parallel, hypothetical 100 basis point change (increase or decrease) in market interest rates. The Company does 
not have variable rate instruments classified as trading securities. The Company’s projected decrease in cash flows associated 
with  floating  rate  instruments  in  the  event  of  an  instantaneous  100  basis  point  decrease  in  market  interest  rates  for  its  fiscal 
years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 was $34 million and $32 million, respectively.

Computations  of  prospective  effects  of  hypothetical  interest  rate  changes  are  based  on  numerous  assumptions,  and 
should not be relied on as indicative of future results. Further, the computations do not contemplate any actions management 
could undertake in response to changes in interest rates.  Certain shortcomings are inherent in the method of analysis presented 
in  the  computation  of  the  estimated  fair  value  of  fixed  maturity  securities  and  the  estimated  cash  flows  of  floating  rate 
instruments, which constitute forward-looking statements. Actual values may differ materially from those projections presented 
due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, market conditions varying from assumptions used in the calculation of 
the fair value. 

In order to reduce the exposure to changes in fair values from interest rate fluctuations, the Company has developed 
strategies to manage the net interest rate sensitivity of its assets and liabilities. In addition, from time to time, the Company has 
utilized the swap market to manage the sensitivity of fair values to interest rate fluctuations.

Inflation can also have direct effects on the Company’s assets and liabilities. The primary direct effect of inflation is 
the increase in operating expenses. A large portion of the Company’s operating expenses consists of salaries, which are subject 
to wage increases at least partly affected by the rate of inflation. 

The Company reinsures annuities with benefits indexed to the cost of living. Some of these benefits are hedged with a 

combination of CPI swaps and indexed bonds when material.

Long-term care products have an inflation component linked to the future cost of such services.  If health care costs 
increase at a much larger rate than what is prevalent in the nominal interest rates available in the markets, the Company may not 
earn enough investment yield to pay future claims on such products.

83

 
 
 
 
 
On  July  27,  2017,  the  Financial  Conduct  Authority  (the  “FCA”)  announced  that  it  intends  to  stop  persuading  or 
compelling  banks  to  submit  London  Interbank  Offered  Rates  (“LIBOR”)  after  December  31,  2021.  In  addition,  separate 
workstreams  are  underway  in  several  markets  to  reform  existing  reference  rates  and  provide  a  fall  back  rate  upon 
discontinuation of LIBOR.  During 2019, the Alternative Rates Committee of the Federal Reserve Board proposed the Secured 
Overnight  Financing  Rate  (“SOFR”)  as  an  alternative  rate  to  replace  U.S.  Dollar  LIBOR,  and  the  European  Central  Bank 
recommended  the  Euro  Short-term  Rate  (“ESTER”)  as  the  new  risk-free  rate.  Other  jurisdictions  are  conducting  similar 
exercises as well. The Company is currently assessing the effects of the discontinuation of LIBOR on existing contracts that 
extend beyond 2021, by analyzing contractual fallback provisions, evaluating alternative rate ramifications, and assessing the 
effects on current hedging strategies.  

Real Estate Risk

Real  estate  risk  is  the  risk  that  changes  in  the  level  and  volatility  of  real  estate  market  valuations  may  impact  the 
profitability, value or solvency position of the Company. The Company has investments in direct real estate equity and debt 
instruments collateralized by real estate (“real estate loans”).  Real estate equity risks include significant reduction in valuations, 
which could be caused by downturns in the broad economy or in specific geographic regions or sectors.  In addition, real estate 
loan risks include defaults, borrower or tenant bankruptcy and reduced liquidity. Real estate loan risks are partially mitigated by 
the  excess  of  the  value  of  the  property  over  the  loan  principle,  which  provides  a  buffer  should  the  value  of  the  real  estate 
decrease. The Company manages its real estate loan risk by diversifying by property type and geography and through exposure 
limits.

Equity Risk

Equity risk is the risk that changes in the level and volatility of equity market valuations affect the profitability, value 
or solvency position of the Company. This risk includes variable annuity and other equity linked exposures and asset related 
equity  exposure.  The  Company  assumes  equity  risk  from  alternative  investments,  fixed  indexed  annuities  and  variable 
annuities.  The Company uses derivatives to hedge its exposure to movements in equity markets that have a direct correlation 
with certain of its reinsurance products.

Alternative Investments

Alternative investments are investments in non-traditional asset classes that primarily back the Company’s capital and 
surplus  as  well  as  certain  long-term  illiquid  liability  portfolios.  Alternative  investments  generally  include:  hedge  funds, 
emerging  markets  debt,  distressed  debt,  commodities,  infrastructure,  tax  credits,  and  equities,  both  public  and  private.  The 
Company mitigates its exposure to alternative investments by limiting the size of the alternative investments holding and using 
per-issuer investment limits.

Fixed Indexed Annuities

The Company reinsures fixed indexed annuities (“FIAs”).  Credits to FIA contracts are affected by changes in equity 
markets. Thus the fair value of the benefit is primarily a function of index returns and volatility. The Company hedges most of 
the underlying FIA equity exposure with derivatives.

Variable Annuities

The  Company  reinsures  variable  annuities  including  those  with  guaranteed  minimum  death  benefits  (“GMDB”), 
guaranteed  minimum  income  benefits  (“GMIB”),  guaranteed  minimum  accumulation  benefits  (“GMAB”)  and  guaranteed 
minimum  withdrawal  benefits  (“GMWB”).  Strong  equity  markets,  increases  in  interest  rates  and  decreases  in  equity  market 
volatility will generally decrease the fair value of the liabilities underlying the benefits. Conversely, a decrease in the equity 
markets along with a decrease in interest rates and an increase in equity market volatility will generally result in an increase in 
the fair value of the liabilities underlying the benefits, which has the effect of increasing reserves and lowering earnings. The 
Company maintains a customized dynamic hedging program that is designed to substantially mitigate the risks associated with 
income  volatility  around  the  change  in  reserves  on  guaranteed  benefits,  ignoring  the  Company’s  own  credit  risk  assessment. 
However,  the  hedge  positions  may  not  fully  offset  the  changes  in  the  carrying  value  of  the  guarantees  due  to,  among  other 
things, time lags, high levels of volatility in the equity and derivative markets, extreme changes in interest rates, unexpected 
contract holder behavior, and divergence between the performance of the underlying funds and hedging indices. These factors, 
individually or collectively, may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s net income, financial condition or liquidity. 

84

 
 
 
 
The  table  below  provides  a  summary  of  variable  annuity  account  values  and  the  fair  value  of  the  guaranteed  benefits  as 
December 31, 2020 and 2019.

(dollars in millions)
No guaranteed minimum benefits

GMDB only

GMIB only

GMAB only

GMWB only

GMDB / WB

Other

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

665  $ 

872 

24 

4 

1,132 

275 

18 

Total variable annuity account values

Fair value of liabilities associated with living benefit riders

$ 

$ 

2,990  $ 

155  $ 

711 

837 

23 

4 

1,123 

278 

18 

2,994 

163 

Credit Risk

Credit  risk,  which  includes  default  risk,  is  risk  of  loss  due  to  credit  quality  deterioration  of  an  individual  financial 
asset,  derivative  or  non-derivative  contract  or  instrument.  Credit  quality  deterioration  may  or  may  not  be  accompanied  by  a 
ratings downgrade. Generally, the credit exposure for an asset is limited to the fair value, net of any collateral received, at the 
reporting date.

Investment Credit Risk

Investment credit risk is credit risk related to invested assets.  The Company manages investment credit risk using per-
issuer investment limits. In addition to per-issuer limits, the Company also limits the total amounts of investments per rating 
category.  An  automated  compliance  system  checks  for  compliance  for  all  investment  positions  and  sends  warning  messages 
when  there  is  a  breach.  The  Company  manages  its  credit  risk  related  to  over-the-counter  derivatives  by  entering  into 
transactions  with  creditworthy  counterparties,  maintaining  collateral  arrangements  and  through  the  use  of  master  agreements 
that  provide  for  a  single  net  payment  to  be  made  by  one  counterparty  to  another  at  each  due  date  and  upon  termination.  As 
futures  are  transacted  through  regulated  exchanges,  and  positions  are  marked  to  market  on  a  daily  basis,  the  Company  has 
minimal exposure to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance by counterparties to such derivative instruments.

The Company enters into various collateral arrangements, which require both the posting and accepting of collateral in 
connection  with  its  derivative  instruments.  Collateral  agreements  contain  attachment  thresholds  that  vary  depending  on  the 
posting party’s financial strength ratings. Additionally, a decrease in the Company’s financial strength rating to a specified level 
results in potential settlement of the derivative positions under the Company’s agreements with its counterparties.  A committee 
is responsible for setting rules and approving and overseeing all transactions requiring collateral.  See “Credit Risk” in Note 5 – 
“Derivative Instruments” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on credit risk related to 
derivatives.

Counterparty Risk

Counterparty risk is the potential for the Company to incur losses due to a client, retrocessionaire, or partner becoming 

distressed or insolvent. This includes run-on-the-bank risk and collection risk.

   Run-on-the-Bank

Run-on-the-Bank is the potential risk that a client’s in force block incurs substantial surrenders and/or lapses due to 
credit impairment, reputation damage or other market changes affecting the counterparty. Policyholder surrenders and/or lapses 
substantially higher than expected could result in inadequate in force business to recover cash paid out for acquisition costs.

   Collection Risk

For clients and retrocessionaires, collection risk includes their inability to satisfy a reinsurance agreement because the 
right  of  offset  is  disallowed  by  the  receivership  court;  the  reinsurance  contract  is  rejected  by  the  receiver,  resulting  in  a 
premature termination of the contract; and/or the security supporting the transaction becomes unavailable to the Company.

The Company manages counterparty risk by limiting the total exposure to a single counterparty and by only initiating 
contracts  with  creditworthy  counterparties.  In  addition,  some  of  the  counterparties  have  set  up  trusts  and  letters  of  credit, 
reducing the Company’s exposure to these counterparties.

Generally, the Company’s insurance subsidiaries retrocede amounts in excess of their retention to the Company’s other 
insurance subsidiaries. External retrocessions are arranged through the Company’s retrocession pools for amounts in excess of 
its  retention.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  all  retrocession  pool  members  in  this  excess  retention  pool  rated  by  the  A.M.  Best 

85

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Company were rated “A-” or better. A rating of “A-” is the fourth highest rating out of sixteen possible ratings. For a majority 
of the retrocessionaires that were not rated, letters of credit or trust assets have been received by the Company as additional 
security. In addition, the Company performs annual financial and in force reviews of its retrocessionaires to evaluate financial 
stability and performance.

The  Company  has  never  experienced  a  material  default  in  connection  with  retrocession  arrangements,  nor  has  it 
experienced any material difficulty in collecting claims recoverable from retrocessionaires; however, no assurance can be given 
as to the future performance of such retrocessionaires or as to the recoverability of any such claims.

   Aggregate Counterparty Limits

In  addition  to  investment  credit  limits  and  counterparty  limits,  the  Company  maintains  aggregate  counterparty  risk 
limits  that  include  counterparty  exposures  from  reinsurance,  financing  and  investment  activities  at  an  aggregated  level  to 
control total exposure to a single counterparty. Counterparty risk aggregation is important because it enables the Company to 
capture risk exposures at a comprehensive level and under more extreme circumstances compared to analyzing the components 
individually.

All counterparty exposures are calculated on a quarterly basis, reviewed by management and monitored by the ERM 

function.

Capital Risk

Capital risk is the risk of lower/negative earnings, potential reduction in enterprise value, and/or the loss of ability to 
conduct  business  due  to  insufficient  financial  capacity,  including  not  having  the  appropriate  amount  of  group  or  entity-level 
capital  to  conduct  business  today  or  in  the  future.  The  Company  monitors  capital  risk  exposure  using  relevant  bases  of 
measurement including but not limited to economic, rating agency, and regulatory methodologies. Additionally, the Company 
regularly assesses risk related to collateral, foreign currency, financing, liquidity and tax.

Collateral Risk

Collateral  risk  is  the  risk  that  collateral  will  not  be  available  at  expected  costs  or  in  the  capacity  required  to  meet 
current and future needs. The Company monitors risks related to interest rate movement, collateral requirements and position 
and capital markets environment. Collateral demands and resources continue to be actively managed with available collateral 
sources being more than sufficient to cover stress level collateral demands. 

Foreign Currency Risk

Foreign currency risk is the risk of changes in level and volatility of currency exchange rates affect the profitability, 
value  or  solvency  position  of  the  Company.  The  Company  manages  its  exposure  to  foreign  currency  risk  principally  by 
currency  matching  invested  assets  with  the  underlying  liabilities  to  the  extent  practical.  The  Company  has  in  place  net 
investment  hedges  for  a  portion  of  its  investments  in  its  Canadian  operations  to  reduce  excess  exposure  to  that  currency. 
Translation  differences  resulting  from  translating  foreign  subsidiary  balances  to  U.S.  dollars  are  reflected  in  stockholders’ 
equity on the consolidated balance sheets.

The  Company  generally  does  not  hedge  the  foreign  currency  exposure  of  its  subsidiaries  transacting  business  in 
currencies other than their functional currency (transaction exposure). However, the Company has entered into cross currency 
swaps to manage exposure to specific currencies. The majority of the Company’s foreign currency transactions are denominated 
in  Australian  dollars,  British  pounds,  Canadian  dollars,  Euros,  Japanese  yen,  Korean  won,  and  the  South  African  rand.    The 
maximum amount of assets held in a specific currency (with the exception of the U.S. dollar) is measured relative to risk targets 
and is monitored regularly.

The  Company  does  not  hedge  the  income  statement  risk  associated  with  translating  foreign  currencies.  The  foreign 
exchange risk sensitivity of the Company’s consolidated pre-tax income is assessed using hypothetical test scenarios.  Actual 
results may differ from the results noted below particularly due to assumptions utilized or if events occur that were not included 
in  the  methodology.  For  more  information  on  this  risk,  see  “Item  1A  –  Risk  Factors  –  Risks  Related  to  Our  Business.”    In 
general,  a  weaker  U.S.  dollar  relative  to  foreign  currencies  has  a  favorable  impact  on  the  Company’s  income  before  income 
taxes.  The following tables summarize the impact on the Company’s reported income before income taxes of an immediate 
favorable or unfavorable change in each of the foreign exchange rates to which the Company has exposure	(dollars in millions):

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Income before income taxes

% change of income before income taxes from base

$ change of income before income taxes from base

Unfavorable

-10%

-5%

-

Favorable

+5%

+10%

494 

$ 

523 

$ 

553 

 10.7 %

 5.4 %

(59) 

$ 

(30) 

$ 

 — %

— 

$ 

$ 

583 

 5.4 %

30 

$ 

$ 

612 

 10.7 %

59 

$ 

$ 

86

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Year Ended December 31, 2019

Income before income taxes

% change of income before income taxes from base

$ change of income before income taxes from base

Financing Risk

Unfavorable

-10%

-5%

$ 

$ 

1,072 

$ 

1,102 

$ 

 5.3 %

 2.6 %

(60) 

$ 

(30) 

$ 

Favorable

-
1,132 

 — %

— 

$ 

$ 

+5%

1,162 

 2.6 %

30 

$ 

$ 

+10%

1,191 

 5.3 %

60 

Financing risk is the risk that capital will not be available at expected costs or in the capacity required. The Company 
continues  to  monitor  financing  risks  related  to  regulatory  financing,  contingency  financing,  and  debt  capital  and  sees  no 
immediate issues with its current structures, capacity and plans.

Liquidity Risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company is unable to meet payment obligations at expected costs or in the capacity 
required. The Company’s traditional liquidity demands include items such as claims, expenses, debt financing and investment 
purchases, which are largely known or can be reasonably forecasted. The Company regularly performs liquidity risk modeling, 
including both market and Company specific stresses, to assess the sufficiency of available resources. 

Tax Risk

Tax risk is the risk that current and future tax positions are different than expected. The Company monitors tax risks 
related  to  the  evolving  tax  and  regulatory  environment,  business  transactions,  legal  entity  reorganizations,  tax  compliance 
obligations, and financial reporting.

Operational Risk

Operational  risk  is  the  risk  of  lower/negative  earnings  and  a  potential  reduction  in  enterprise  value  caused  by 
unexpected losses associated with inadequacy or failure on the part of internal processes, people and systems, or from external 
events.  The Company regularly monitors and assesses the risks related to business conduct and governance, fraud, privacy, and 
cybersecurity,  business  disruption,  and  business  operations.  Various  insurance,  market  and  credit,  capital,  and  strategy  risk 
obligations  and  concerns  often  intersect  with  the  Company’s  core  operational  process  risk  areas.  Given  the  scope  of  the 
Company’s business and the number of countries in which it operates, this set of risks has the potential to affect the business 
locally, regionally, or globally. Operational risks are core to managing the Company’s brand and market confidence as well as 
maintaining its ability to acquire and retain the appropriate expertise to execute and operate the business. 

Business Conduct and Governance Risk

Business conduct and governance is the risk related to management oversight, compliance, market conduct, and legal 
matters.  The  Company’s  Compliance  Risk  Management  Program  facilitates  a  proactive  evaluation  of  present  and  potential 
compliance risks associated with both local and enterprise-wide regulatory requirements as well as compliance with Company 
policies and procedures.  

Fraud Risk

Fraud risk is the risk related to the deliberate abuse of and/or taking of Company assets in order to secure gain for the 
perpetrator or inflict harm on the Company or other victim. Ongoing monitoring and an annual fraud risk assessment enables 
the Company to continually evaluate potential fraud risks within the organization. 

Privacy Risk

Privacy  risk  is  the  risk  of  non-compliance  with  privacy  regulations  and  laws.  The  Company’s  privacy  program, 
processes,  and  procedures  are  designed  to  protect  personal  information  related  to  its  customers,  insured  individuals  or  its 
employees.  The Company’s privacy program facilitates a proactive evaluation of present and potential privacy risks associated 
with both local and enterprise-wide regulatory requirements as well as compliance with Company policies and procedures.

Cybersecurity Risk

Cybersecurity risk is the risk of theft, loss, unauthorized disclosure, or unauthorized use of physical or electronic assets 
resulting  in  a  loss  of  confidentiality,  loss  of  revenue,  poor  reputational  exposure,  or  regulatory  fines.  The  Company’s 
cybersecurity  program,  processes,  and  procedures  are  designed  to  prevent  unauthorized  physical  and  electronic  theft  and  the 
disclosure  of  confidential  and  personal  data  related  to  its  customers,  insured  individuals  or  its  employees.    The  Company 
employs technology, administrative related processes and procedural controls, security measures and other preventative actions 
to reduce the risk of such incidents.

87

 
 
 
 
 
 
Business Disruption Risk

Business  disruption  risk  is  the  risk  of  impairment  to  operational  capabilities  due  to  the  unavailability  of  people, 
systems,  and/or  facilities.  The  Company’s  global  business  continuity  process  enables  associates  to  identify  potential  impacts 
that  threaten  operations  by  providing  the  framework,  policies  and  procedures  and  required  recurring  training  for  how  the 
Company  will  recover  and  restore  interrupted  critical  functions,  within  a  predetermined  time,  after  a  disaster  or  extended 
disruption, until its normal facilities are restored.

Business Operations Risk

Business operations risk is the risk related to business processes and procedures. Business operations risk includes risk 
associated with the processing of transactions, data use and management, monitoring and reporting, the integrity and accuracy 
of models, the use of third parties, and the delivery of advisory services.

Human Capital Risk

Human  capital  risk  is  related  to  workforce  management,  including  talent  acquisition,  development,  retention,  and 
employment relations/regulations. The Company actively monitors human capital risks using multiple practices that include but 
are not limited to human resource and compliance policies and procedures, regularly reviewing key risk indicators, performance 
evaluations, compensation and benefits benchmarking, succession planning, employee engagement surveys and associate exit 
interviews.

Strategic Risk

Strategic  risk  relates  to  the  planning,  implementation,  and  management  of  the  Company’s  business  plans  and 
strategies, including the risks associated with: the global environment in which it operates; future law and regulation changes; 
political risks; and relationships with key external parties. 

Strategy Risk

Strategy risk is the risk related to the design and execution of the Company’s strategic plan, including risks associated 
with merger and acquisition activity. Strategy risks are addressed by a robust multi-year planning process, regular business unit 
level assessments of strategy execution and active benchmarking of key performance and risk indicators across the Company’s 
portfolios of businesses. The Company’s risk appetites and limits are set to be consistent with strategic objectives. 

External Environment Risk

External  environment  risk  relates  to  external  competition,  macro  trends,  and  client  needs.  Macro  characteristics  that 

drive market opportunities, risk and growth potential, the competitive landscape and client feedback are closely monitored. 

Key Relationships Risk

Key relationships risk relates to areas of important interactions with parties external to the Company. The Company’s 
reputation  is  a  critical  asset  in  successfully  conducting  business  and  therefore  relationships  with  its  primary  stakeholders 
(including but not limited to business partners, shareholders, clients, rating agencies, and regulators) are all carefully monitored.

Political and Regulatory Risk

Political  and  regulatory  risk  relates  to  future  law  and  regulation  changes  and  the  impact  of  political  changes  or 
instability on the Company’s ability to achieve its objectives. Regulatory and political developments and related risks that may 
affect the Company are identified, assessed and monitored as part of regular oversight activities. 

New Accounting Standards

See  “New  Accounting  Pronouncements”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and  Pronouncements”  in  the 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item 7A.        QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Information required by Item 7A is contained in Item 7 under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 

Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Market and Credit Risk”

88

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 8.        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES

Index to Consolidated Financial Statements

Annual Financial Statements:

Financial Statements as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018:

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Statements of Income

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements:

Note 1  Business and Basis of Presentation

Note 2  Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements

Note 3  Earnings per Share

Note 4  Investments

Note 5  Derivative Instruments

Note 6  Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities

Note 7  Reinsurance

Note 8  Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

Note 9  Income Tax

Note 10  Employee Benefit Plans

Note 11  Financial Condition and Net Income on a Statutory Basis - Significant Subsidiaries

Note 12  Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees

Note 13  Debt

Note 14  Collateral Finance and Securitization Notes

Note 15  Segment Information

Note 16  Policy Claims and Benefits

Note 17  Equity

Note 18  Quarterly Results of Operations

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Page

90

91

92

93

94

95

95

108

108

116

122

131

133

133

136

139

141

143

144

145

148

151

155

156

89

REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in millions, except share data)

December 31,
2020

December 31,
2019

$ 

56,735  $ 

51,121 

132 

5,787 

1,258 

5,432 

227 

2,829 

72,400 

3,408 

511 

2,842 

983 

3,616 

896 

320 

5,706 

1,319 

5,662 

64 

2,363 

66,555 

1,449 

493 

2,940 

904 

3,512 

878 

84,656  $ 

76,731 

31,453  $ 

23,276 

6,413 

598 

3,263 

1,340 

3,573 

388 

70,304 

— 

1 

2,406 

8,148 

(1,562) 

5,359 

14,352 

28,672 

22,711 

5,711 

557 

2,712 

1,188 

2,981 

598 

65,130 

— 

1 

1,937 

7,952 

(1,426) 

3,137 

11,601 

76,731 

$ 

84,656  $ 

$ 

$ 

Assets

Fixed maturity securities:

Available-for-sale at fair value (amortized cost of $49,548 and $46,753; allowance for credit losses of $20 at 
December 31, 2020)
Equity securities, at fair value

Mortgage loans on real estate (net of allowances of $64 and $12)
Policy loans

Funds withheld at interest

Short-term investments

Other invested assets

Total investments

Cash and cash equivalents

Accrued investment income

Premiums receivable and other reinsurance balances

Reinsurance ceded receivables

Deferred policy acquisition costs

Other assets

Total assets

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Future policy benefits

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities

Other policy claims and benefits

Other reinsurance balances

Deferred income taxes

Other liabilities

Long-term debt

Collateral finance and securitization notes

Total liabilities

Commitments and contingent liabilities (See Note 12)

Stockholders’ Equity:

Preferred stock (par value $.01 per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding)

Common stock (par value $0.01 per share; 140,000,000 shares authorized;
shares issued: 85,310,598 at December 31, 2020 and 79,137,758 at December 31, 2019)
Additional paid-in-capital

Retained earnings

Treasury stock, at cost – 17,353,697 and 16,481,656 shares
Accumulated other comprehensive income

Total stockholders’ equity

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

90

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(in millions, except per share amounts)

Revenues
Net premiums

Investment income, net of related expenses

Investment related gains (losses), net:

Impairments and change in allowance for credit losses on fixed maturity securities
Other investment related gains (losses), net

Total investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Total revenues

Benefits and expenses

Claims and other policy benefits

Interest credited

Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses

Other operating expenses

Interest expense

Collateral finance and securitization expense

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Provision for income taxes

Net income

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

For  the years ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

$ 

11,694  $ 

11,297  $ 

2,575 

2,520 

(21) 

(12) 

(33) 

360 

(31) 

122 

91 

392 

10,544 

2,139 

(28) 

(142) 

(170) 

363 

14,596 

14,300 

12,876 

11,075 

704 

1,261 

816 

170 

17 

14,043 

553 

138 

10,197 

697 

1,204 

868 

173 

29 

13,168 

1,132 

262 

$ 

$ 

415  $ 

870  $ 

6.35  $ 

6.31 

13.88  $ 

13.62 

9,319 

425 

1,323 

786 

147 

30 

12,030 

846 

130 

716 

11.25 

11.00 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

91

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(in millions)

Comprehensive income (loss)

Net Income

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

Foreign currency translation adjustments

Net unrealized investment gains (losses)

Defined benefit pension and postretirement plan adjustments

Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax

Total comprehensive income (loss)

For the years ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

$ 

415  $ 

870  $ 

716 

23 

2,201 

(2) 

2,222 

77 

2,443 

(19) 

2,501 

$ 

2,637  $ 

3,371  $ 

(80) 

(1,344) 

— 

(1,424) 

(708) 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

92

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(in millions except per share amounts)

Common
Stock

Additional 
Paid In Capital

Retained
Earnings

Treasury
Stock

Accumulated 
Other 
Comprehensive 
Income

Total

Balance, December 31, 2017

Adoption of new accounting standards

Net income

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

Dividends to stockholders, $2.20 per share

Purchase of treasury stock

Reissuance of treasury stock

Balance, December 31, 2018

Adoption of new accounting standards

Net income

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

Dividends to stockholders, $2.60 per share

Purchase of treasury stock

Reissuance of treasury stock

Balance, December 31, 2019

Adoption of new accounting standards

Net income

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

Dividends to stockholders, $2.80 per share

Issuance of common stock, net of expenses

Purchase of treasury stock

Reissuance of treasury stock

Balance, December 31, 2020

1 

1,871 

1 

1 

28 

1,899 

38 

1,937 

481 

6,736 

1 

716 

(140) 

(28) 

7,285 

— 

870 

(163) 

(40) 

7,952 

(12) 

415 

(182) 

(300) 

31 

(1,371) 

(101) 

46 

(1,426) 

(1,102) 

2,064  $ 

9,570 

(4) 

(3) 

716 

(1,424) 

(1,424) 

636 

2,501 

(140) 

(300) 

31 

8,450 

— 

870 

2,501 

(163) 

(101) 

44 

3,137 

11,601 

2,222 

(12) 

415 

2,222 

(182) 

481 

(163) 

(10) 

(12) 

(25) 

(163) 

27 

$ 

1  $ 

2,406  $ 

8,148  $ 

(1,562)  $ 

5,359  $ 

14,352 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

93

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW
(in millions)

Cash flows from operating activities

Net income
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

For  the years ended December 31,
2019

2018

2020

$ 

415  $ 

870  $ 

716 

Change in operating assets and liabilities:

Accrued investment income
Premiums receivable and other reinsurance balances
Deferred policy acquisition costs
Reinsurance ceded receivable balances
Future policy benefits, other policy claims and benefits, and
other reinsurance balances
Deferred income taxes
Other assets and other liabilities, net

Amortization of net investment premiums, discounts and other
Depreciation and amortization expense
Investment related (gains) losses, net
Other, net

Net cash provided by operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities

Sales of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale
Maturities of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale
Sales of equity securities
Principal payments on mortgage loans on real estate
Principal payments on policy loans
Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale
Purchases of equity securities
Cash invested in mortgage loans on real estate
Cash invested in policy loans
Cash invested in funds withheld at interest
Purchase of businesses, net of cash acquired of $27 and $5
Purchases of property and equipment
Change in short-term investments
Change in other invested assets
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities

Dividends to stockholders
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net
Repayment of collateral finance and securitization notes
Proceeds from long-term debt issuance
Debt issuance costs
Principal payments of long-term debt
Purchases of treasury stock
Exercise of stock options, net
Change in cash collateral for derivative positions and other arrangements
Deposits on universal life and other investment type policies and contracts
Withdrawals on universal life and other investment type policies and contracts

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Change in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:

Interest paid
Income taxes paid, net of refunds

Non-cash investing activities:
Transfer of invested assets
Right-of-use assets acquired through operating leases

Purchase of a business:

Assets acquired, excluding cash acquired
Liabilities assumed

Net cash (received) paid on purchase

(11) 
162 
(95) 
(115) 

2,819 
(16) 
225 
(46) 
49 
33 
(98) 
3,322 

6,514 
973 
181 
661 
102 
(9,619) 
(22) 
(780) 
(41) 
(131) 
— 
(28) 
(155) 
(335) 
(2,680) 

(182) 
481 
(214) 
598 
(5) 
(3) 
(163) 
1 
(32) 
1,576 
(803) 
1,254 
63 
1,959 
1,449 
3,408  $ 

166  $ 
108  $ 

93  $ 
23  $ 

—  $ 
— 
—  $ 

(4) 
110 
(198) 
(178) 

1,537 
211 
113 
(55) 
49 
(91) 
(57) 
2,307 

13,214 
907 
98 
490 
82 
(15,664) 
(312) 
(1,216) 
(42) 
(60) 
4 
(34) 
199 
(304) 
(2,638) 

(163) 
— 
(91) 
599 
(5) 
(403) 
(101) 
6 
(163) 
1,309 
(1,109) 
(121) 
11 
(441) 
1,890 
1,449  $ 

180  $ 
44  $ 

6,275  $ 
1  $ 

8  $ 

(12) 
(4)  $ 

7 
(764) 
(107) 
66 

1,593 
77 
(163) 
(57) 
45 
170 
(2) 
1,581 

9,340 
627 
46 
445 
57 
(9,724) 
(13) 
(1,019) 
(45) 
(54) 
(32) 
(29) 
129 
(365) 
(637) 

(140) 
— 
(96) 
— 
— 
(3) 
(300) 
3 
44 
864 
(694) 
(322) 
(36) 
586 
1,304 
1,890 

170 
142 

4,636 
— 

70 
(38) 
32 

$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 
$ 

$ 

$ 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

94

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated
Notes to consolidated financial statements
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 

Note 1   BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Business

Reinsurance  Group  of  America,  Incorporated  (“RGA”)  is  an  insurance  holding  company  that  was  formed  on  December  31, 
1992.  The  consolidated  financial  statements  herein  include  the  assets,  liabilities,  and  results  of  operations  of  RGA  and  its 
subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned (collectively, the “Company”).

The Company is engaged in providing traditional reinsurance, which includes individual and group life and health, disability, 
and  critical  illness  reinsurance.  The  Company  also  provides  financial  solutions,  which  includes  longevity  reinsurance,  asset-
intensive products, primarily annuities, financial reinsurance, capital solutions and stable value products.

Reinsurance  is  an  arrangement  under  which  an  insurance  company,  the  reinsurer,  agrees  to  indemnify  another  insurance 
company, the ceding company, for all or a portion of the insurance risks underwritten by the ceding company. Reinsurance is 
designed to 

(i) reduce the net amount at risk on individual risks, thereby enabling the ceding company to increase the volume of 
business it can underwrite, as well as increase the maximum risk it can underwrite on a single risk; 

(ii) enhance the ceding company’s financial strength and surplus position; 

iii) stabilize operating results by leveling fluctuations in the ceding company’s loss experience; and 

(iv) assist the ceding company in meeting applicable regulatory requirements.

Basis of Presentation

The  consolidated  financial  statements  of  the  Company  have  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  U.S.  generally  accepted 
accounting  principles  (“GAAP”).  The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  GAAP  requires  management  to 
make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosures of contingent assets 
and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting 
period. The most significant estimates include those used in determining deferred policy acquisition costs, premiums receivable, 
future  policy  benefits,  incurred  but  not  reported  claims,  income  taxes,  valuation  of  investments  and  investment  impairments, 
and  valuation  of  embedded  derivatives.  Actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  the  estimates  and  assumptions  used  by 
management.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of RGA and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly 
owned,  and  any  variable  interest  entities  where  the  Company  is  the  primary  beneficiary.  The  Company  evaluates  variable 
interest  entities  in  accordance  with  the  general  accounting  principles  for  Consolidation.  Entities  in  which  the  Company  has 
significant influence over the operating and financing decisions but are not required to be consolidated are reported under the 
equity method of accounting. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

There  were  no  subsequent  events  that  would  require  disclosure  or  adjustments  to  the  accompanying  consolidated  financial 
statements through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued.

Note 2   SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND PRONOUNCEMENTS

Investments

Fixed Maturity Securities

Fixed  maturity  securities  classified  as  available-for-sale  are  reported  at  fair  value  and  are  so  classified  based  upon  the 
possibility  that  such  securities  could  be  sold  prior  to  maturity  if  that  action  enables  the  Company  to  execute  its  investment 
philosophy and appropriately match investment results to operating and liquidity needs.

Unrealized gains and losses on fixed maturity securities classified as available-for-sale, less applicable deferred income taxes as 
well as related adjustments to deferred acquisition costs, if applicable, are reflected as a direct charge or credit to accumulated 
other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) in stockholders’ equity. 

Investment income is recognized as it accrues or is legally due. Realized gains and losses on sales of investments are included 
in investment related gains (losses), net, as are impairments and change in allowance for credit losses. The cost of investments 
sold is primarily determined based upon the specific identification method.

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Equity Securities

Equity securities are carried at fair value and realized and unrealized gains and losses are included in investment related gains 
(losses), net.

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate

Mortgage  loans  on  real  estate  are  carried  at  unpaid  principal  balances,  net  of  any  unamortized  premium  or  discount, 
unamortized  balance  of  loan  origination  fees  and  expenses,  and  valuation  allowances.  Interest  income  is  accrued  on  the 
principal  amount  of  the  mortgage  loan  based  on  its  contractual  interest  rate.  Amortization  of  premiums,  discounts,  and  loan 
origination fees are recorded using the effective yield method. The Company accrues interest on loans until it is probable the 
Company  will  not  receive  interest  or  the  loan  is  90  days  past  due.  Interest  income,  amortization  of  premiums,  accretion  of 
discounts, amortization of loan origination fees and prepayment fees are reported in investment income, net of related expenses.

Policy Loans

Policy  loans  are  reported  at  the  unpaid  principal  balance.  Interest  income  on  such  loans  is  recorded  as  earned  using  the 
contractually agreed-upon interest rate. These policy loans present no credit risk because the amount of the loan cannot exceed 
the obligation due the ceding company upon the death of the insured or surrender of the underlying policy.

Funds Withheld at Interest

Funds  withheld  at  interest  represent  amounts  contractually  withheld  by  ceding  companies  in  accordance  with  reinsurance 
agreements. For agreements written on a modified coinsurance (“modco”) basis and agreements written on a coinsurance funds 
withheld basis, assets that support the net statutory reserves or as defined in the treaty, are withheld and legally owned by the 
ceding  company.  Interest,  recorded  in  investment  income,  net  of  related  expenses  in  the  consolidated  statements  of  income, 
accrues to these assets at calculated rates as defined by the treaty terms.  Changes in the value of the equity options held within 
the funds withheld portfolio associated with equity-indexed annuity treaties are reflected in investment income, net of related 
expenses.

Short-term Investments

Short-term investments represent investments with remaining maturities of one year or less, but greater than three months, at 
the time of acquisition and are stated at estimated fair value or amortized cost, which approximates estimated fair value. Interest 
on short-term investments is recorded in investment income, net of related expenses.

Other Invested Assets

In  addition  to  derivative  contracts  discussed  below,  other  invested  assets  include  Federal  Home  Loan  Bank  of  Des  Moines 
(“FHLB”) common stock, limited partnership interests, joint ventures (other than operating joint ventures), lifetime mortgages 
and contractholder-directed investments.  FHLB common stock are carried at cost as required by GAAP.  Limited partnership 
interests  which  based  on  their  nature  and  structure  do  not  meet  the  characteristics  of  an  equity  security  under  applicable 
accounting standards, are primarily carried at cost. Joint ventures and certain limited partnerships are reported using the equity 
method of accounting.  

Lifetime mortgages are carried at unpaid principal balances, net of any unamortized premium or discount, unamortized balance 
of  loan  origination  fees  and  expenses,  and  valuation  allowances.    Interest  income  is  accrued  on  the  principal  amount  of  the 
lifetime mortgage based on its contractual interest rate.   

The fair value option (“FVO”) was elected for contractholder-directed investments supporting unit-linked variable annuity type 
liabilities  that  do  not  qualify  for  presentation  and  reporting  as  separate  accounts.  Changes  in  estimated  fair  value  of  these 
securities are included in investment income, net of related expenses.

Securities Borrowing, Lending and Repurchase Agreements

The  Company  participates  in  securities  borrowing  programs  whereby  securities,  which  are  not  reflected  on  the  Company’s 
consolidated  balance  sheets,  are  borrowed  from  third  parties.  The  borrowed  securities  are  used  to  provide  collateral  under 
affiliated  reinsurance  transactions.  The  Company  is  generally  required  to  maintain  a  minimum  of  100%  to  105%  of  the  fair 
value, or par value under certain programs, of the borrowed securities as collateral. The collateral generally consists of rights to 
reinsurance  treaty  cash  flows.  If  cash  flows  from  the  reinsurance  treaties  are  insufficient  to  maintain  the  minimum  collateral 
requirement, the Company may substitute cash or securities to meet the requirement. 

The  Company  participates  in  securities  lending  and  repurchase/reverse  repurchase  programs  whereby  securities,  reflected  as 
investments  on  the  Company’s  consolidated  balance  sheets,  are  loaned  or  pledged  to  a  third  party.  In  return,  the  Company 
receives securities as collateral from the third parties, generally in an amount equal to a minimum of 100% to 105% of the fair 
value  of  the  securities  lent  or  pledged.  The  securities  received  as  collateral  are  not  reflected  on  the  Company’s  consolidated 
balance sheets. 

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Allowance for Credit Losses and Impairments

Fixed Maturity Securities

The Company identifies fixed maturity securities that could result in a credit loss by monitoring market events that could impact 
issuers’  credit  ratings,  business  climates,  management  changes,  litigation,  government  actions  and  other  similar  factors.  The 
Company also monitors late payments, pricing levels, rating agency actions, key financial ratios, financial statements, revenue 
forecasts and cash flow projections as indicators of credit issues.

The  Company  reviews  all  securities  on  a  case-by-case  basis  to  determine  whether  a  decline  in  value  exists  and  whether  an 
allowance for credit losses or impairment for non-credit losses should be recognized. The Company considers relevant facts and 
circumstances  in  evaluating  whether  a  security  is  impaired  due  to  credit  or  non-credit  components.  Relevant  facts  and 
circumstances considered include: (1) the reasons for the decline in fair value; (2) the issuer’s financial position and access to 
capital; and (3) the Company’s intent to sell a security or whether it is more likely than not it will be required to sell the security 
before the recovery of its amortized cost that, in some cases, may extend to maturity. 

Beginning  on  January  1,  2020,  with  the  Company’s  adoption  of  Financial  Instruments  –  Credit  Losses,  credit  losses  are 
recognized  through  an  allowance  account.  Prior  to  January  1,  2020,  credit  losses  were  recognized  as  a  reduction  to  the 
amortized cost. Credit impairments and changes in the allowance for credit losses on fixed maturity securities are reflected in 
investment related gains (losses), net on the consolidated statements of income. Non-credit impairment losses are recognized in 
accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (“AOCI”).  See  “New  Accounting  Pronouncements”  in  Note  2  –  “Significant 
Accounting Policies and Pronouncements” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion on the effect of 
the adoption of the standard on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Impairment  losses  on  fixed  maturity  securities  recognized  in  the  financial  statements  are  dependent  on  the  facts  and 
circumstances related to the specific security. If the Company intends to sell a security or it is more likely than not that it would 
be required to sell a security before the recovery of its amortized cost, less any recorded credit loss, it recognizes an impairment 
loss in investment related gains (losses), net for the difference between amortized cost and fair value.

The  Company  estimates  the  amount  of  the  credit  loss  component  of  a  fixed  maturity  security  impairment  as  the  difference 
between  amortized  cost  and  the  present  value  of  the  expected  cash  flows  of  the  security.  The  Company  excludes  accrued 
interest  from  the  amortized  cost  and  the  present  value  of  the  expected  cash  flows  of  the  security.    The  present  value  is 
determined  using  the  best  estimate  cash  flows  discounted  at  the  effective  interest  rate  implicit  to  the  security  at  the  date  of 
purchase  or  the  current  yield  to  accrete  an  asset-backed  or  floating  rate  security.  The  techniques  and  assumptions  for 
establishing  the  best  estimate  cash  flows  vary  depending  on  the  type  of  security.  The  asset-backed  securities’  cash  flow 
estimates  are  based  on  security-specific  facts  and  circumstances  that  may  include  collateral  characteristics,  expectations  of 
delinquency  and  default  rates,  loss  severity  and  prepayment  speeds  and  structural  support,  including  subordination  and 
guarantees. 

The  Company  writes  off  uncollectible  fixed  maturity  securities  when  (1)  it  has  sufficient  information  to  determine  that  the 
issuer of the security is insolvent or (2) it has received notice that the issuer of the security has filed for bankruptcy, and the 
collectability of the asset is expected to be adversely impacted by the bankruptcy.

In periods after an impairment loss is recognized for non-credit loss components on a fixed maturity security, the Company will 
report the impaired security as if it had been purchased on the date it was impaired and will continue to estimate the present 
value of the estimated cash flows of the security. 

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate

Beginning on January 1, 2020, with the Company’s adoption of Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, valuation allowances on 
mortgage loans are computed on an expected loss basis using a model that utilizes probability of default and loss given default 
methods over the lifetime of the loan. Within the reasonable and supportable forecast period (i.e. typically two years), valuation 
allowances  for  mortgage  loans  are  established  based  on  several  pool-level  loan  assumptions,  defaults  and  loss  severity,  loss 
expectations  for  loans  with  similar  risk  characteristics  and  industry  statistics.    These  evaluations  are  revised  as  conditions 
change and new information becomes available. The evaluation also includes the impact of expected changes in future macro-
economic  conditions.  The  Company  reverts  to  historical  loss  information  for  periods  beyond  which  it  believes  it  is  able  to 
develop or obtain reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions. See “New Accounting Pronouncements” 
in Note 2 – “Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a 
discussion on the effect of the adoption of the standard on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Prior to January 1, 2020, valuation allowances on mortgage loans were computed on an incurred loss basis based upon several 
loan  factors,  including  the  Company’s  historical  experience  for  loan  losses,  defaults  and  loss  severity,  loss  expectations  for 
loans  with  similar  risk  characteristics  and  industry  statistics.  These  evaluations  were  revised  as  conditions  changed  and  new 
information became available. In addition to historical experience, management considered qualitative factors that included the 

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impact of changing macro-economic conditions, which may or may not have been reflected in the loan portfolio performance, 
and the quality of the loan portfolio.

Any interest accrued or received on the net carrying amount of the impaired loan is included in investment income or applied to 
the  principal  of  the  loan,  depending  on  the  assessment  of  the  collectability  of  the  loan.  Mortgage  loans  deemed  to  be 
uncollectible or that have been foreclosed are charged off against the valuation allowances and subsequent recoveries, if any, 
are credited to the valuation allowances. Changes in valuation allowances are reported in investment related gains (losses), net 
on the consolidated statements of income.

Other Invested Assets

The Company considers its cost method investments for impairment when the carrying value of these investments exceeds the 
net asset value. The Company takes into consideration the severity and duration of this excess when deciding if the cost method 
investment is impaired. For equity method investments (including real estate joint ventures), the Company considers financial 
and other information provided by the investee, other known information and inherent risks in the underlying investments, as 
well as future capital commitments, in determining whether an impairment has occurred.

Derivative Instruments

Overview

The Company utilizes a variety of derivative instruments including swaps, options, forwards and futures, primarily to manage 
or  hedge  interest  rate  risk,  credit  risk,  inflation  risk,  foreign  currency  risk,  market  volatility  and  various  other  market  risks 
associated with its business. The Company does not invest in derivatives for speculative purposes. It is the Company’s policy to 
enter into derivative contracts primarily with highly rated parties. See Note 5 – “Derivative Instruments” for additional detail on 
the Company’s derivative positions.

Accounting and Financial Statement Presentation of Derivatives

Derivatives are carried on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets primarily in other invested assets or other liabilities, at 
fair  value.  Certain  derivatives  are  subject  to  master  netting  provisions  and  reported  as  a  net  asset  or  liability.  On  the  date  a 
derivative contract is executed, the Company designates the derivative as (1) a fair value hedge, (2) a cash flow hedge, (3) a net 
investment  hedge  in  a  foreign  operation  or  (4)  free-standing  derivatives  held  for  other  risk  management  purposes,  which 
primarily involve managing asset or liability risks associated with the Company’s reinsurance treaties that do not qualify for 
hedge accounting.

Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  free-standing  derivative  instruments,  which  do  not  receive  accounting  hedge  treatment,  are 
primarily reflected in investment related gains (losses), net.

Changes in the fair value of non-investment free-standing derivative instruments (e.g. mortality and longevity swaps), which do 
not receive accounting hedge treatment, are reflected in other revenues.

Hedge Documentation and Hedge Effectiveness

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 (i) a 
fair value hedge; (ii) a cash flow hedge; or (iii) a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation. In this documentation, the 
Company sets forth how the hedging instrument is expected to hedge the designated risks related to the hedged item and sets 
forth  the  method  that  will  be  used  to  retrospectively  and  prospectively  assess  the  hedging  instrument’s  effectiveness  and  the 
method that will be used to measure ineffectiveness. A derivative designated as a hedging instrument must be assessed as being 
highly effective in offsetting the designated risk of the hedged item. Hedge effectiveness is formally assessed at inception and 
periodically throughout the life of the designated hedging relationship.

Under a fair value hedge, changes in the fair value of the hedging derivative, including amounts measured as ineffective, and 
changes in the fair value of the hedged item related to the designated risk being hedged, are reported within investment related 
gains (losses), net. The fair values of the hedging derivatives are exclusive of any accruals that are separately reported in the 
consolidated statements of income within investment income or interest expense to match the location of the hedged item.

Under a cash flow hedge, changes in the fair value of the hedging derivative measured as effective are reported within AOCI 
and  the  deferred  gains  or  losses  on  the  derivative  are  reclassified  into  the  consolidated  statements  of  income  when  the 
Company’s earnings are affected by the variability in cash flows of the hedged item. The fair values of the hedging derivatives 
are exclusive of any accruals that are separately reported in the consolidated statements of income within investment income or 
interest expense to match the location of the hedged item.

In a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation, changes in the fair value of the hedging derivative that are measured as 
effective  are  reported  within  AOCI  consistent  with  the  translation  adjustment  for  the  hedged  net  investment  in  the  foreign 

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operation. Changes in the fair value of the hedging instrument measured as ineffective are reported within investment related 
gains (losses), net.

The  Company  discontinues  hedge  accounting  prospectively  when:  (i)  it  is  determined  that  the  derivative  is  no  longer  highly 
effective  in  offsetting  changes  in  the  estimated  fair  value  or  cash  flows  of  a  hedged  item;  (ii)  the  derivative  expires,  is  sold, 
terminated, or exercised; (iii) it is no longer probable that the hedged forecasted transaction will occur; or (iv) the derivative is 
de-designated as a hedging instrument.

When  hedge  accounting  is  discontinued  because  it  is  determined  that  the  derivative  is  not  highly  effective,  the  derivative 
continues  to  be  carried  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  at  fair  value,  with  changes  in  fair  value  recognized  in  investment 
related gains (losses), net. The carrying value of the hedged asset or liability under a fair value hedge is no longer adjusted for 
changes in its estimated fair value due to the hedged risk, and the cumulative adjustment to its carrying value is amortized into 
income over the remaining life of the hedged item. Provided the hedged forecasted transaction occurrence is still probable, the 
changes in estimated fair value of derivatives recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”) related to discontinued 
cash  flow  hedges  are  released  into  the  consolidated  statements  of  income  when  the  Company’s  earnings  are  affected  by  the 
variability in cash flows of the hedged item.

When  hedge  accounting  is  discontinued  because  it  is  no  longer  probable  that  the  forecasted  transactions  will  occur  on  the 
anticipated date or within two months of that date, the derivative continues to be carried in the consolidated balance sheets at its 
estimated  fair  value,  with  changes  in  estimated  fair  value  recognized  currently  in  investment  related  gains  (losses),  net. 
Deferred  gains  and  losses  of  a  derivative  recorded  in  OCI  pursuant  to  the  discontinued  cash  flow  hedge  of  a  forecasted 
transaction that is no longer probable are recognized immediately in investment related gains (losses), net.

In  all  other  situations  in  which  hedge  accounting  is  discontinued,  the  derivative  is  carried  at  its  estimated  fair  value  in  the 
consolidated balance sheets, with changes in its estimated fair value recognized in the current period as investment related gains 
(losses), net.

Embedded Derivatives

The  Company  reinsures  certain  annuity  products  that  contain  terms  that  are  deemed  to  be  embedded  derivatives,  primarily 
equity-indexed annuities and variable annuities with guaranteed minimum benefits. The Company assesses reinsurance contract 
terms  to  identify  embedded  derivatives,  which  are  required  to  be  bifurcated  under  the  general  accounting  principles  for 
Derivatives and Hedging. If the contract is not reported for in its entirety at fair value and it is determined that the terms of the 
embedded derivative are not clearly and closely related to the economic characteristics of the host contract, and that a separate 
instrument with the same terms would qualify as a derivative instrument, the embedded derivative is bifurcated from the host 
contract and accounted for separately.

Embedded  derivatives  are  carried  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  at  fair  value  in  the  same  line  item  as  the  host  contract. 
Changes in the fair value of embedded derivatives associated with equity-indexed annuities are reflected in interest credited on 
the consolidated statements of income and changes in the fair value of embedded derivatives associated with variable annuity 
guaranteed minimum benefits are reflected in investment related gains (losses), net on the consolidated statements of income. 
See  “Interest-Sensitive  Contract  Liabilities”  below  for  additional  information  on  embedded  derivatives  related  to  equity-
indexed  and  variable  annuities.  The  Company  has  implemented  an  economic  hedging  strategy  to  mitigate  the  volatility 
associated  with  its  reinsurance  of  variable  annuity  guaranteed  minimum  benefits.  The  hedging  strategy  is  designed  such  that 
changes in the fair value of the hedge contracts, primarily futures, swap contracts and options, move in the opposite direction of 
changes in the fair value of the embedded derivatives. While the Company actively manages its hedging program, the hedges 
that are in place may not be totally effective in offsetting the embedded derivative changes due to the many variables that must 
be managed and the Company may see a corresponding increase or decrease in the net liability. The Company has elected not to 
assess this hedging strategy for hedge accounting treatment.

Additionally, reinsurance treaties written on a modco or funds withheld basis are subject to the general accounting principles for 
Derivatives  and  Hedging  related  to  embedded  derivatives.  The  Company’s  funds  withheld  at  interest  balances  are  primarily 
associated with its reinsurance treaties structured on a modco or funds withheld basis, the majority of which were subject to the 
general  accounting  principles  for  Derivatives  and  Hedging  related  to  embedded  derivatives.  Management  believes  the 
embedded  derivative  feature  in  each  of  these  reinsurance  treaties  is  similar  to  a  total  return  swap  on  the  assets  held  by  the 
ceding companies. The valuation of embedded derivatives is sensitive to the investment credit spread environment. Changes in 
investment  credit  spreads  are  also  affected  by  the  application  of  a  credit  valuation  adjustment  (“CVA”).    The  fair  value 
calculation  of  an  embedded  derivative  in  an  asset  position  utilizes  a  CVA  based  on  the  ceding  company’s  credit  risk. 
Conversely, the fair value calculation of an embedded derivative in a liability position utilizes a CVA based on the Company’s 
credit risk. Generally, an increase in investment credit spreads, ignoring changes in the CVA, will have a negative impact on the 
fair value of the embedded derivative (decrease in income).  The fair value of the embedded derivatives is included in the funds 
withheld at interest line item on the consolidated balance sheets. The change in the fair value of the embedded derivatives is 
recorded in investment related gains (losses), net on the consolidated statements of income.

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The Company has entered into various financial reinsurance treaties on a funds withheld and modco basis. These treaties do not 
transfer significant insurance risk and are recorded on a deposit method of accounting with the Company earning a net fee. As a 
result of the experience refund provisions contained in these treaties, the value of the embedded derivatives in these contracts is 
currently  considered  immaterial.  The  Company  monitors  the  performance  of  these  treaties  on  a  quarterly  basis.  Significant 
adverse performance or losses on these treaties may result in a loss associated with the embedded derivative.

Fair Value Measurements

General  accounting  principles  for  Fair  Value  Measurements  and  Disclosures  define  fair  value,  establish  a  framework  for 
measuring  fair  value,  establish  a  fair  value  hierarchy  based  on  the  inputs  used  to  measure  fair  value  and  enhance  disclosure 
requirements  for  fair  value  measurements.  In  compliance  with  these  principles,  the  Company  has  categorized  its  assets  and 
liabilities,  based  on  the  priority  of  the  inputs  to  the  valuation  technique,  into  a  three  level  hierarchy  or  separately  for  assets 
measured  using  the  net  asset  value  (“NAV”).  The  fair  value  hierarchy  gives  the  highest  priority  to  quoted  prices  in  active 
markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1), the second highest priority to quoted prices in markets that are not active or 
inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). 

If the inputs used to measure fair value fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the category level is based on the lowest 
priority level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of the asset or liability.

See Note 6 – “Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities” for further details on the Company’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair 
value.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on deposit and highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an original maturity of 
three months or less.

Premiums Receivable

Premiums are accrued when due and in accordance with information received from the ceding company. When the Company 
enters  into  a  new  reinsurance  agreement,  it  records  accruals  based  on  the  terms  of  the  reinsurance  treaty.  Similarly,  when  a 
ceding  company  fails  to  report  information  on  a  timely  basis,  the  Company  records  accruals  based  on  the  terms  of  the 
reinsurance treaty as well as historical experience. Other management estimates include adjustments for increased in force on 
existing treaties, lapsed premiums given historical experience, the financial health of specific ceding companies, collateral value 
and the legal right of offset on related amounts (i.e. allowances and claims) owed to the ceding company. Under the legal right 
of  offset  provisions  in  its  reinsurance  treaties,  the  Company  can  withhold  payments  for  allowances  and  claims  from  unpaid 
premiums. Based on its review of these factors and historical experience, the Company did not believe a provision for doubtful 
accounts was necessary as of December 31, 2020 or 2019.

Reinsurance Ceded Receivables

The  Company  generally  reports  retrocession  activity  on  a  gross  basis.    Amounts  paid  or  deemed  to  have  been  paid  for 
reinsurance  are  reflected  in  reinsurance  ceded  receivables.  The  cost  of  reinsurance  related  to  long-duration  contracts  is 
recognized over the terms of the reinsured policies on a basis consistent with the reporting of those policies.

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

Costs of acquiring new business, which vary with and are directly related to the production of new business, have been deferred 
to the extent that such costs are deemed recoverable from future premiums or gross profits. Such costs include commissions and 
allowances as well as certain costs of policy issuance and underwriting. Non-commission costs related to the acquisition of new 
and renewal insurance contracts may be deferred only if they meet the following criteria:

•

•

•

Incremental direct costs of a successful contract acquisition

Portions  of  employees’  salaries  and  benefits  directly  related  to  time  spent  performing  specified  acquisition 
activities for a contract that has been acquired or renewed

Other costs directly related to the specified acquisition or renewal activities that would not have been incurred had 
that acquisition contract transaction not occurred

The Company tests the recoverability for each year of business at issue before establishing additional deferred acquisition costs 
(“DAC”). The Company also performs annual tests to establish that DAC are expected to remain recoverable, and if financial 
performance significantly deteriorates to the point where a deficiency exists, a cumulative charge to current operations will be 
recorded. No such adjustments related to DAC recoverability were made in 2020, 2019 and 2018.

DAC related to traditional life insurance contracts are amortized with interest over the premium-paying period of the related 
policies in proportion to the ratio of individual period premium revenues to total anticipated premium revenues over the life of 

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the  policy.  Such  anticipated  premium  revenues  are  estimated  using  the  same  assumptions  used  for  computing  liabilities  for 
future policy benefits.

DAC related to interest-sensitive life and investment-type policies are amortized over the lives of the policies, in proportion to 
the gross profits realized from mortality, investment income less interest credited, and expense margins.

Other Reinsurance Balances

The Company assumes and retrocedes financial reinsurance contracts that do not expose it to a reasonable possibility of loss 
from insurance risk. These contracts are reported as deposits and are included in other reinsurance assets/liabilities. The amount 
of  revenue  reported  in  other  revenues  on  these  contracts  represents  fees  and  the  cost  of  insurance  under  the  terms  of  the 
reinsurance agreement. Assets and liabilities are reported on a net or gross basis, depending on the specific details within each 
treaty.  Reinsurance  agreements  reported  on  a  net  basis,  where  a  legal  right  of  offset  exists,  are  generally  included  in  other 
reinsurance balances on the consolidated balance sheets. Balances resulting from the assumption and/or subsequent transfer of 
benefits and obligations resulting from cash flows related to variable annuities have also been classified as other reinsurance 
balance assets and/or liabilities. Other reinsurance assets are included in premiums receivable and other reinsurance balances 
while other reinsurance liabilities are included in other reinsurance balances.

Acquired Intangibles

Goodwill and Value of Business Acquired

Goodwill,  reported  in  other  assets,  is  not  amortized  into  results  of  operations,  but  instead  is  reviewed  at  least  annually  for 
impairment and written down only in the periods in which the recorded value of goodwill exceeds its fair value. Goodwill as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, totaled $7 million. The value of business acquired (“VOBA”) is amortized in proportion to the 
ratio of annual premium revenues to total anticipated premium revenues or in relation to the present value of estimated profits. 
Anticipated  premium  revenues  have  been  estimated  using  assumptions  consistent  with  those  used  in  estimating  reserves  for 
future policy benefits. The carrying value is reviewed at least annually for indicators of impairment in value. Carrying value of 
VOBA,  net  of  accumulated  amortization,  was  approximately  $4  million  and  $5  million  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively, and is reported in other assets. Amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, was 
$0.5 million, $0.7 million, and $0.4 million, respectively.  Future amortization of VOBA is not material.

Value of Distribution Agreements and Customer Relationships Acquired

Value  of  distribution  agreements  (“VODA”)  is  reported  in  other  assets  and  represents  the  present  value  of  future  profits 
associated with the expected future business derived from the distribution agreements. Value of customer relationships acquired 
(“VOCRA”) is also reported in other assets and represents the present value of the expected future profits associated with the 
expected future business acquired through existing customers of the acquired company or business.  VODA is amortized over a 
useful life of 15 years and the VOCRA is also amortized over a 15 year period in proportion to expected revenues generated, 
with amortization included in policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses. Each year the Company reviews VODA 
and VOCRA to determine the recoverability of these balances. VODA and VOCRA totaled approximately $25 million and $33 
million, including accumulated amortization of $96 million and $88 million, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.  
VODA and VOCRA amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 was $8 million, $8 million 
and $8 million, respectively. Amortization of the VODA and VOCRA is estimated to be $7 million, $6 million, $6 million and 
$6 million during 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively, with the VODA and VOCRA expected to be fully amortized by the 
end of 2024.

Other Acquired Intangible Assets

Other  acquired  intangibles  are  reported  in  other  assets  and  primarily  represent  intangibles  and  licenses  acquired  through  the 
Company’s acquisition of service and technology oriented companies in an effort to both support its clients and generate new 
future revenue streams. Other acquired intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful 
life of 10 to 15 years, with amortization included in other operating expenses. Each year the Company reviews other acquired 
intangibles to determine the recoverability of these balances.  Other acquired intangibles totaled approximately $30 million and 
$34  million,  including  accumulated  amortization  of  $12  million  and  $8  million,  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively.  Other acquired intangibles amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, was $4 
million, $4 million and $4 million, respectively. Amortization of other acquired intangibles is estimated to be $4 million during 
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Property, Equipment, Leasehold Improvements and Computer Software

Property,  equipment  and  leasehold  improvements,  which  are  included  in  other  assets,  are  stated  at  cost,  less  accumulated 
depreciation.  Depreciation  is  determined  using  the  straight-line  method  over  the  estimated  useful  lives  of  the  assets,  as 
appropriate.  The  estimated  life  is  generally  40  years  for  company  occupied  real  estate  property,  from  one  to  seven  years  for 
leasehold  improvements,  and  from  three  to  seven  years  for  all  other  property  and  equipment.  The  cost  basis  of  property, 

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equipment  and  leasehold  improvements  was  $260  million  and  $244  million  at  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively. 
Accumulated depreciation of property, equipment and leasehold improvements was $116 million and $99 million at December 
31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Related depreciation expense was $17 million, $18 million and $18 million for the years ended 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

Computer software, which is included in other assets, is stated at cost, less accumulated amortization. Purchased software costs, 
as  well  as  certain  internal  and  external  costs  incurred  to  develop  internal-use  computer  software  during  the  application 
development stage, are capitalized. Amortization of software costs is recorded on a straight-line basis over periods ranging from 
three to ten years. Carrying values are reviewed at least annually for indicators of impairment in value. Unamortized computer 
software costs were $147 million and $151 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Amortization expense was 
$32 million, $31 million, and $27 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The Company 
recognized capital project write-offs of $5 million, $4 million and $5 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

Operating Joint Ventures

The  Company  has  made  investments  in  certain  joint  ventures  that  are  strategic  in  nature  and  made  other  than  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  generating  investment  income.  These  investments  are  reported  under  the  equity  method  of  accounting  and  are 
included  in  other  assets.  The  Company’s  share  of  earnings  from  these  joint  ventures  is  reported  in  other  revenues  on  the 
consolidated statements of income.  The Company’s investments in operating joint ventures do not have a material effect on the 
Company’s results of operations and financial condition, and as a result no additional disclosures have been presented.

Future Policy Benefits

Liabilities for future benefits on life policies are established in an amount adequate to meet the estimated future obligations on 
policies  in  force.  Liabilities  for  future  policy  benefits  under  long-duration  life  insurance  policies  have  been  computed  based 
upon expected investment yields, mortality and withdrawal (lapse) rates, and other assumptions. These assumptions include a 
margin for adverse deviation and vary with the characteristics of the plan of insurance, year of issue, age of insured, and other 
appropriate  factors.  Interest  rates  range  from  3.0%  to  6.0%.  The  mortality  and  withdrawal  assumptions  are  based  on  the 
Company’s  experience  as  well  as  industry  experience  and  standards.  In  establishing  reserves  for  future  policy  benefits,  the 
Company  assigns  policy  liability  assumptions  to  particular  timeframes  (eras)  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  consistent  with  the 
underlying  assumptions  and  economic  conditions  at  the  time  the  risks  are  assumed.  The  Company  maintains  a  consistent 
approach to setting the provision for adverse deviation between eras.

Liabilities  for  future  benefits  on  longevity  business,  including  annuities  in  the  payout  phase,  are  established  in  an  amount 
adequate  to  meet  the  estimated  future  obligations  on  policies  in  force.  Liabilities  for  future  benefits  related  to  the  longevity 
business, including annuities in the payout phase have been calculated using expected mortality, investment yields, and other 
assumptions.  These  assumptions  include  a  margin  for  adverse  deviation  and  vary  with  the  characteristics  of  the  plan  of 
insurance, year of issue, age of insured, and other appropriate factors. The mortality assumptions are based on the Company’s 
experience  as  well  as  industry  experience  and  standards.  A  deferred  profit  liability  is  established  when  the  gross  premium 
exceeds the net premium.

The  Company  periodically  reviews  actual  and  anticipated  experience  compared  to  the  assumptions  used  to  establish  policy 
benefits.  The  Company  establishes  premium  deficiency  reserves  if  actual  and  anticipated  experience  indicates  that  existing 
policy liabilities together with the present value of future gross premiums will not be sufficient to cover the present value of 
future benefits, settlement and maintenance costs and to recover unamortized acquisition costs.  Anticipated investment income 
is considered in the calculation of premium deficiency losses for short-duration contracts.  The premium deficiency reserve is 
established  by  a  charge  to  income,  as  well  as  a  reduction  in  unamortized  acquisition  costs  and,  to  the  extent  there  are  no 
unamortized acquisition costs, an increase in future policy benefits.

The  reserving  process  includes  normal  periodic  reviews  of  assumptions  used  and  adjustments  of  reserves  to  incorporate  the 
refinement of the assumptions. Any such adjustments relate only to policies assumed in recent periods and the adjustments are 
reflected by a cumulative charge or credit to current operations.

The Company reinsures disability products in various markets. Liabilities for future benefits on disability policies’ active lives 
are  established  in  an  amount  adequate  to  meet  the  estimated  future  obligations  on  policies  in  force.  These  reserves  are  the 
amounts that, with the additional premiums to be received and interest thereon compounded annually at certain assumed rates, 
are calculated to be sufficient to meet the various policy and contract obligations as they mature.

The Company establishes future policy benefits for guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”) relating to the reinsurance 
of  certain  variable  annuity  contracts  by  estimating  the  expected  value  of  death  benefits  in  excess  of  the  projected  account 
balance  and  recognizing  the  excess  proportionally  over  the  accumulation  period  based  on  total  expected  assessments.  The 
Company regularly evaluates estimates used and adjusts the additional liability balance, with a related charge or credit to claims 
and  other  policy  benefits,  if  actual  experience  or  other  evidence  suggests  that  earlier  assumptions  should  be  revised.  The 

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assumptions used in estimating the GMDB liabilities are consistent with those used for amortizing DAC, and are thus subject to 
the same variability and risk. The Company’s GMDB liabilities at December 31, 2020 and 2019, were not material.

Interest-Sensitive Contract Liabilities

Liabilities  for  future  benefits  on  interest-sensitive  life  and  investment-type  contract  liabilities  are  carried  at  the  accumulated 
contract holder values without reduction for potential surrender or withdrawal charges. The Company reinsures asset-intensive 
products, including annuities and corporate-owned life insurance. The investment portfolios for these products are segregated 
for  management  purposes  within  the  general  account  of  the  respective  legal  entity.  The  liabilities  under  asset-intensive 
insurance contracts or reinsurance contracts reinsured on a coinsurance basis are included in interest-sensitive contract liabilities 
on the consolidated balance sheets. Asset-intensive contracts principally include individual fixed annuities in the accumulation 
phase, single premium immediate annuities, equity-indexed annuities, individual variable annuities, corporate-owned life and 
interest-sensitive  whole  life  insurance  contracts.  Interest-sensitive  contract  liabilities  are  equal  to  (i)  policy  account  values, 
which  consist  of  an  accumulation  of  gross  premium  payments;  (ii)  credited  interest  less  expenses,  mortality  charges,  and 
withdrawals;  and  (iii)  fair  value  adjustments  relating  to  business  combinations.  Liabilities  for  immediate  annuities  are 
calculated as the present value of the expected cash flows, with the locked-in discount rate determined such that there is no gain 
or loss at inception. Additionally, certain annuity contracts the Company reinsures contain terms, such as guaranteed minimum 
benefits  and  equity  participation  options,  which  are  deemed  to  be  embedded  derivatives  and  are  accounted  for  based  on  the 
general accounting principles for Derivatives and Hedging. 

The  Company  establishes  liabilities  for  guaranteed  minimum  living  benefits  relating  to  certain  variable  annuity  products  as 
follows:

•

•

•

Guaranteed  minimum  income  benefits  (“GMIB”)  provide  the  contract  holder,  after  a  specified  period  of  time 
determined  at  the  time  of  issuance  of  the  variable  annuity  contract,  with  a  minimum  level  of  income  (annuity) 
payments. Under the reinsurance treaty, the Company makes a payment to the ceding company equal to the GMIB net 
amount-at-risk  at  the  time  of  annuitization  and  thus  these  contracts  meet  the  net  settlement  criteria  of  the  general 
accounting  principles  for  Derivatives  and  Hedging  and  the  Company  assumes  no  mortality  risk.  Accordingly,  the 
GMIB is considered an embedded derivative, which is measured at fair value separately from the host variable annuity 
product.

Guaranteed  minimum  withdrawal  benefits  (“GMWB”)  guarantee  the  contract  holder  a  return  of  their  purchase 
payment  via  partial  withdrawals,  even  if  the  account  value  is  reduced  to  zero,  provided  that  the  contract  holder’s 
cumulative withdrawals in a contract year do not exceed a certain limit. The initial guaranteed withdrawal amount is 
equal  to  the  initial  benefit  base  as  defined  in  the  contract  (typically,  the  initial  purchase  payments  plus  applicable 
bonus amounts). The GMWB is also an embedded derivative, which is measured at fair value separately from the host 
variable annuity product.

Guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits (“GMAB”) provide the contract holder, after a specified period of time 
determined at the time of issuance of the variable annuity contract, with a minimum accumulation of their purchase 
payments  even  if  the  account  value  is  reduced  to  zero.  The  initial  guaranteed  accumulation  amount  is  equal  to  the 
initial benefit base as defined in the contract (typically, the initial purchase payments plus applicable bonus amounts). 
The GMAB is also an embedded derivative, which is measured at fair value separately from the host variable annuity 
product.

For  GMIB,  GMWB  and  GMAB,  the  initial  benefit  base  is  increased  by  additional  purchase  payments  made  within  a  certain 
time period and decreased by benefits paid and/or withdrawal amounts. After a specified period of time, the benefit base may 
also increase as a result of an optional reset as defined in the contract.

The  fair  values  of  the  GMIB,  GMWB  and  GMAB  embedded  derivative  liabilities  are  reflected  in  interest-sensitive  contract 
liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets and are calculated based on actuarial and capital market assumptions related to the 
projected cash flows, including benefits and related contract charges over the lives of the contracts. These projected cash flows 
incorporate  expectations  concerning  policyholder  behavior,  such  as  lapses,  withdrawals  and  benefit  selections,  and  capital 
market assumptions such as interest rates and equity market volatilities. In measuring the fair value of GMIBs, GMWBs and 
GMABs, the Company attributes a portion of the fees collected from the policyholder equal to the present value of expected 
future  guaranteed  minimum  income,  withdrawal  and  accumulation  benefits  (at  inception).  The  changes  in  fair  value  are 
reported in investment related gains (losses), net. Any additional fees represent “excess” fees and are reported in other revenues 
on the consolidated statements of income. These variable annuity guaranteed living benefits may be more costly than expected 
in  volatile  or  declining  equity  markets  or  falling  interest  rate  markets,  causing  an  increase  in  interest-sensitive  contract 
liabilities, negatively affecting net income.

The  Company  reinsures  equity-indexed  annuity  contracts.  These  contracts  allow  the  contract  holder  to  elect  an  interest  rate 
return  or  an  equity  market  component  where  interest  credited  is  based  on  the  performance  of  common  stock  market  indices, 

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such as the S&P 500 Index®, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, or the NASDAQ. The equity market option is considered an 
embedded  derivative,  similar  to  a  call  option,  which  is  reflected  at  fair  value  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  in  interest-
sensitive contract liabilities. The fair value of embedded derivatives is computed based on a projection of future equity option 
costs using a budget methodology, discounted back to the balance sheet date using current market indicators of volatility and 
interest  rates.  Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  the  embedded  derivatives  are  included  as  a  component  of  interest  credited  on  the 
consolidated statements of income.

The Company reviews its estimates of actuarial liabilities for interest-sensitive contract liabilities and compares them with its 
actual experience. Differences between actual experience and the assumptions used in pricing these guarantees and benefits and 
in the establishment of the related liabilities result in variances in profit and could result in losses. The effects of changes in 
such estimated liabilities are included in the results of operations in the period in which the changes occur.

Other Policy Claims and Benefits

Claims payable for incurred but not reported losses are determined using case-basis estimates and lag studies of past experience. 
The  time  lag  from  the  date  of  the  claim  or  death  to  when  the  ceding  company  reports  the  claim  to  the  Company  can  vary 
significantly by ceding company, business segment and product type, but generally averages around 3.2 months. Incurred but 
not reported claims are estimates on an undiscounted basis, using actuarial estimates of historical claims expense, adjusted for 
current trends and conditions. These estimates are continually reviewed and the ultimate liability may vary significantly from 
the amount recognized, which are reflected in claims and other policy benefits  in the period in which they are determined.

Other Liabilities

Other  liabilities  primarily  include  investments  in  transit,  separate  accounts,  employee  benefits,  cash  collateral  received  on 
derivative positions and current federal income taxes payable.

Income Taxes

The  U.S.  consolidated  tax  return  includes  the  operations  of  RGA  and  all  eligible  subsidiaries.  Certain  RGA  subsidiaries  file 
separate U.S. income tax returns as these companies are currently ineligible for inclusion in the consolidated federal tax return. 
The Company’s foreign subsidiaries are taxed under applicable local statutes.

The Company provides for federal, state and foreign income taxes currently payable, as well as those deferred due to temporary 
differences  between  the  tax  basis  of  assets  and  liabilities  and  the  reported  amounts,  and  are  recognized  in  net  income  or  in 
certain cases in OCI. The Company’s accounting for income taxes represents management’s best estimate of various events and 
transactions considering the laws enacted as of the reporting date.  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“U.S. Tax Reform”) 
creates additional complexity due to various provisions that require management judgment and assumptions, which are subject 
to change.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured by applying the relevant jurisdictions’ enacted tax rate for the period in which 
the  temporary  differences  are  expected  to  reverse  to  the  temporary  difference  change  for  that  period.  The  Company  will 
establish a valuation allowance if management determines, based on available information, that it is more likely than not that 
deferred  income  tax  assets  will  not  be  realized.    The  Company  has  deferred  tax  assets  including  those  related  to  foreign  tax 
credits, net operating, and capital losses.  The Company has projected its ability to utilize its deferred tax assets and established 
a valuation allowance on the portion of the deferred tax assets the Company believes more likely than not will not be realized.

Significant judgment is required in determining whether valuation allowances should be established as well as the amount of 
such allowances.  When making such a determination, consideration is given to, among other things, the following:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

taxable income in prior carryback years

future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences; 

future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards; and

tax planning strategies.

Any  such  changes  could  significantly  affect  the  amounts  reported  in  the  consolidated  financial  statements  in  the  year  these 
changes occur.

The Company made a policy election to account for global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) as a period cost.

The  Company  reports  uncertain  tax  positions  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles.    In  order  to 
recognize the benefit of an uncertain tax position, the position must meet the more likely than not criteria of being sustained.  
Unrecognized tax benefits due to tax uncertainties that do not meet the more likely than not criteria are included within income 
tax liabilities and are charged to earnings in the period that such determination is made.  The Company classifies interest related 

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to tax uncertainties as interest expense whereas penalties related to tax uncertainties are classified as a component of income 
tax.

See Note 9 – “Income Tax” for further discussion.

Collateral Finance and Securitization Notes

Collateral finance and securitization notes represent private placement asset-backed structured financing transactions. Collateral 
finance notes are issued on specified insurance policies reinsured by the Company’s regulated subsidiaries. Transaction costs, 
primarily interest expense, are reflected in collateral finance and securitization expense. See Note 14 – “Collateral Finance and 
Securitization Notes” for additional information.

Foreign Currency Translation

Assets, liabilities and results of foreign operations are recorded based on the functional currency of each foreign operation. The 
determination  of  the  functional  currency  is  based  on  economic  facts  and  circumstances  pertaining  to  each  foreign  operation. 
The Company’s material functional currencies are the U.S. dollar, Canadian dollar, British pound, Australian dollar, Japanese 
yen, Korean won, Euro and South African rand.  The translation of the functional currency into U.S. dollars is performed for 
balance sheet accounts using current exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and for revenue and expense accounts 
using  weighted-average  exchange  rates  during  each  year.  Gains  or  losses,  net  of  applicable  deferred  income  taxes,  resulting 
from  such  translation  are  included  in  accumulated  currency  translation  adjustments,  in  AOCI  until  the  underlying  functional 
currency operation is sold or substantially liquidated. 

Recognition of Revenues and Related Expenses – Long-Duration Products

Life and health premiums are recognized as revenue when due from the insured, and are reported net of amounts retroceded. 
Benefits  and  expenses  are  reported  net  of  amounts  retroceded  and  are  associated  with  earned  premiums  so  that  profits  are 
recognized over the life of the related contract. This association is accomplished through the provision for future policy benefits 
and  the  amortization  of  deferred  policy  acquisition  costs.  Other  revenue  includes  items  such  as  treaty  recapture  fees,  fees 
associated with financial reinsurance and policy changes on interest-sensitive and investment-type products that the Company 
reinsures. Any fees that are collected in advance of the period benefited are deferred and recognized over the period benefited.

For  certain  reinsurance  transactions  involving  in  force  blocks  of  business,  the  ceding  company  pays  a  premium  equal  to  the 
initial required reserve (future policy benefit). In such transactions, for income statement presentation, the Company nets the 
expense associated with the establishment of the reserve against the premiums from the transaction.

Revenues  for  interest-sensitive  and  investment-type  products  consist  of  investment  income,  policy  charges  for  the  cost  of 
insurance,  policy  administration,  and  surrenders  that  have  been  assessed  against  policy  account  balances  during  the  period. 
Interest-sensitive contract liabilities for these products represent policy account balances before applicable surrender charges. 
Policy benefits and claims that are charged to expenses include claims incurred in the period in excess of related policy account 
balances  and  interest  credited  to  policy  account  balances.  Interest  is  credited  to  policyholder  account  balances  according  to 
terms of the policies or contracts.

For  each  of  its  reinsurance  contracts,  the  Company  must  determine  if  the  contract  provides  indemnification  against  loss  or 
liability relating to insurance risk, in accordance with GAAP. The Company must review all contractual features, particularly 
those  that  may  limit  the  amount  of  insurance  risk  to  which  the  Company  is  subject  or  features  that  delay  the  timely 
reimbursement  of  claims.  If  the  Company  determines  that  a  contract  does  not  expose  it  to  a  reasonable  possibility  of  a 
significant loss from insurance risk, the Company records the contract on a deposit method of accounting with any net amount 
receivable  reflected  as  an  asset  within  premiums  receivable  and  other  reinsurance  balances,  and  any  net  amount  payable 
reflected as a liability within other reinsurance balances. Fees earned on the contracts are reflected as other revenues, rather than 
premiums.

Recognition of Revenues and Related Expenses – Short-Duration Products

The Company provides reinsurance of medical, disability, life and other products for a fixed period of short-duration, typically 
one to three years. Under the short-duration insurance accounting model:

•

•

Premiums are recognized over the coverage period in proportion to the amount of insurance protection provided.

Claims or benefits are recognized when insured events occur, based on the ultimate cost to settle the claim, and are 
adjusted to reflect changes in estimates during the life of the contract. The estimated cost to settle the claim is based on 
actuarial assumptions for similar claims. The Company also establishes an incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) liability 
based on historical reporting patterns.

•

Eligible deferred acquisition costs are capitalized and amortized in proportion to premium.

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Equity Based Compensation

The  Company  expenses  the  fair  value  of  stock  awards  included  in  its  incentive  compensation  plans.  The  fair  value  of  the 
awards  is  expensed  over  the  performance  or  service  period,  which  generally  corresponds  to  the  vesting  period,  and  is 
recognized  as  an  increase  to  additional  paid-in-capital  in  stockholders’  equity,  and  stock-based  compensation  expense  is 
reflected in other operating expenses.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is calculated based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. 
Diluted earnings per share include the dilutive effects assuming the exercise or issuance of stock awards.
New Accounting Pronouncements

Changes  to  the  general  accounting  principles  are  established  by  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board  (“FASB”)  in  the 
form  of  accounting  standards  updates  to  the  FASB  Accounting  Standards  CodificationTM.  Accounting  standards  updates  not 
listed  below  were  assessed  and  determined  to  be  either  not  applicable  or  are  expected  to  have  minimal  impact  on  the 
Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Description

Date of Adoption

Effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements

Standards adopted:

liabilities  arising  from 

Leases
This  new  standard,  based  on  the  principle  that  entities  should 
leases,  does  not 
recognize  assets  and 
significantly  change  the  lessees’  recognition,  measurement  and 
presentation of expenses and cash flows from the previous accounting 
standard.  Leases  are  classified  as  finance  or  operating.  The  new 
standard’s primary change is the requirement for entities to recognize 
a lease liability for payments and a right of use asset representing the 
right  to  use  the  leased  asset  during  the  term  of  operating  lease 
arrangements.  Lessees  are  permitted  to  make  an  accounting  policy 
election to not recognize the asset and liability for leases with a term 
of  twelve  months  or  less.  Lessors’  accounting  is  largely  unchanged 
from the previous accounting standard. In addition, the new standard 
expands  the  disclosure  requirements  of  lease  arrangements.  Early 
adoption is permitted.
Derivatives and Hedging
This  updated  guidance  improves  the  financial  reporting  of  hedging 
relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk 
management  activities  in  its  financial  statements  and  make  certain 
targeted  improvements  to  simplify  the  application  of  the  hedge 
accounting  in  current  GAAP  related  to  the  assessment  of  hedge 
effectiveness.  Early adoption is permitted.

Financial Instruments – Credit Losses
This  guidance  adds  to  U.S.  GAAP  an  impairment  model,  known  as 
the  current  expected  credit  loss  (“CECL”)  model  that  is  based  on 
expected  losses  rather  than  incurred  losses.  For  traditional  and  other 
receivables,  held-to-maturity  debt  securities, 
loans  and  other 
instruments  entities  will  be  required  to  use  the  new  forward-looking 
“expected loss” model that generally will result in earlier recognition 
of  allowance  for  losses.  For  available-for-sale  debt  securities  with 
unrealized  losses,  entities  will  measure  credit  losses  similar  to  what 
they  do  today,  except  the  losses  will  be  recognized  through  an 
allowance  for  credit  losses  and  adjusted  each  period  for  changes  in 
credit risks. Early adoption is permitted.

January 1, 2019

This  guidance  was  adopted  by  applying  the  optional  transition 
method.  The adoption of the standard did not have a material 
impact  on  the  Company’s  results  of  operations  or  financial 
position.  The adoption of the updated guidance resulted in the 
Company recognizing a right-to-use asset and lease liability of 
$55  million  included  in  other  assets  and  other  liabilities, 
respectively, in the consolidated balance sheets.

January 1, 2019

January 1, 2020

This guidance was adopted by applying a modified retrospective 
approach  to  existing  hedging  relationships  as  of  the  date  of 
adoption.    The  adoption  of  the  new  standard  did  not  have  a 
material  impact  on  the  Company’s  results  of  operations  or 
financial position. Upon adoption of the guidance, the Company 
recorded an immaterial adjustment to retained earnings as of the 
beginning  of  the  first  reporting  period  in  which  the  guidance 
was effective and modified some disclosures.

For  asset  classes  within  the  scope  of  the  CECL  model,  this 
guidance  was  adopted  through  a  cumulative-effect  adjustment 
to retained earnings (that is, a modified-retrospective approach).  
For available-for-sale debt securities, this guidance was applied 
prospectively.  The allowance for credit losses increased when 
this  guidance  was  adopted  to  include  expected  losses  over  the 
lifetime  of  commercial  mortgages  and  other  loans,  including 
reasonable  and  supportable  forecasts  and  expected  changes  in 
future  economic  conditions.  The  overall  impact  was  an 
approximate  $15  million  pre-tax  increase  in  the  allowance  for 
credit  losses.    This  increase  was  reflected  as  a  decrease  to 
opening retained earnings, net of income taxes, as of January 1, 
2020.

106

Fair Value Measurement
This guidance is part of the FASB’s disclosure framework project and 
eliminates certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurement, 
requires  entities  to  disclose  new  information  and  modifies  existing 
disclosure requirements. Early adoption is permitted.

January 1, 2020

Reference Rate Reform
This  guidance  eases  the  potential  burden  in  accounting  for,  or 
recognizing the effects of, reference rate reform on financial reporting, 
which  includes  the  transition  away  from  the  London  Interbank 
Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). The ASU provides optional expedients and 
exceptions  for  applying  GAAP  modification  to  contracts  and  hedge 
accounting relationships affected by reference rate reform on financial 
reporting. Under the new guidance, a change in the reference rate for a 
contract  that  meets  certain  criteria  will  be  accounted  for  as  a 
continuation of that contract rather than the creation of a new contract. 
The  new  guidance  applies  to  debt,  insurance  contracts,  leases, 
derivative contracts and other arrangements.

January 1, 2020

Certain  disclosure  changes  in  the  new  guidance  were  applied 
prospectively in the year of adoption.  The remaining changes in 
the  new  guidance  were  applied  retrospectively  to  all  periods 
presented in the year of adoption.  

As  of  December  31,  2019,  the  Company  early  adopted  the 
guidance  that  removed  the  requirements  relating  to  transfers 
between fair value hierarchy levels and certain disclosures about 
valuation  processes  for  Level  3  fair  value  measurements.    The 
Company adopted the remainder of the guidance on January 1, 
2020. The adoption of the new guidance was not material to the 
Company’s financial position.

The  reference  rate  reform  is  not  expected  to  have  material 
accounting consequences. The Company has established a team 
that  is  currently  assessing  the  effects  of  the  discontinuation  of 
LIBOR  on  existing  contracts  that  extend  beyond  2021,  by 
analyzing contractual fallback provisions, evaluating alternative 
rate  ramifications  and  assessing  the  effects  on  current  hedging 
strategies, systems and operations.

Standards not yet adopted:

Description

Financial Services – Insurance
This  guidance  significantly  changes  how  insurers  account  for  long-
duration  insurance  contracts.    The  new  guidance  also  significantly 
expands  the  disclosure  requirements  of  long-duration  insurance 
contracts.  The new guidance will be effective for annual and interim 
reporting  periods  beginning  January  1,  2023.  Below  are  the  most 
significant areas of change:

Cash  flow  assumptions  for  measuring  liability  for  future  policy 
benefits  The  new  guidance  requires  insurers  to  review,  and  if 
necessary,  update  the  cash  flow  assumptions  used  to  measure 
liabilities  for  future  policy  benefits  periodically.    The  change  in  the 
liability estimate as a result of updating cash flow assumptions will be 
recognized in net income.

Discount  rate  assumption  for  measuring  liability  for  future  policy 
benefits  The  new  guidance  requires  insurers  to  update  the  discount 
rate assumption used to measure liabilities for future policy benefits at 
each reporting period, and the discount rate utilized must be based on 
an upper-medium grade fixed income instrument yield.  The change in 
the  liability  estimate  as  a  result  of  updating  the  discount  rate 
assumption will be recognized in other comprehensive income.

Market  risk  benefits  The  new  guidance  created  a  new  category  of 
benefit  features  called  market  risk  benefits  that  will  be  measured  at 
fair  value  with  changes  in  fair  value  attributable  to  a  change  in  the 
instrument-specific  credit  risk  recognized  in  other  comprehensive 
income.

Amortization  of  deferred  acquisition  costs  (“DAC”)  and  other 
balances  The  new  guidance  requires  DAC  and  other  balances  to  be 
amortized  on  a  constant  level  basis  over  the  expected  term  of  the 
related contracts.

Anticipated Date 
of Adoption

Effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements

January 1, 2023

See  each  significant  area  of  change  below  for  the  method  of 
adoption  and  expected  impact  to  the  Company’s  results  of 
operations and financial position.

Cash flow assumptions for measuring liability for future policy 
benefits  The  Company  will  likely  adopt  this  guidance  on  a 
modified retrospective basis as of the earliest period presented 
in the year of adoption.  The Company is  currently  evaluating 
the  impact  of  this  amendment  on  its  results  of  operations  and 
financial  position  but  anticipates  the  updated  guidance  will 
likely have a material impact.

Discount  rate  assumption  for  measuring  liability  for  future 
policy benefits The Company will likely adopt this guidance on 
a modified retrospective basis as of the earliest period presented 
in the year of adoption.  The Company is  currently  evaluating 
the  impact  of  this  amendment  on  its  results  of  operations  and 
financial  position  but  anticipates  the  updated  guidance  will 
likely have a material impact.

Market risk benefits The Company will adopt this guidance on 
a  retrospective  basis  as  of  the  earliest  period  presented  in  the 
year  of  adoption.    The  Company  is  currently  evaluating  the 
impact  of  this  amendment  on  its  results  of  operations  and 
financial  position  but  anticipates  the  updated  guidance  will 
likely have a material impact.

Amortization  of  deferred  acquisition  costs  (“DAC”)  and  other 
balances  The  Company  will  likely  adopt  this  guidance  on  a 
modified retrospective basis as of the earliest period presented 
in the year of adoption.  The Company is  currently  evaluating 
the  impact  of  this  amendment  on  its  results  of  operations  and 
financial  position  but  anticipates  the  updated  guidance  will 
likely have a material impact.

107

Note 3   EARNINGS PER SHARE

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share on net income (in millions, except per 
share information):

Earnings:

Net income (numerator for basic and diluted calculations)

$ 

415  $ 

870  $ 

2020

2019

2018

Shares:

Weighted average outstanding shares (denominator for basic calculations)

Equivalent shares from outstanding stock awards

Diluted shares (denominator for diluted calculations)

Earnings per share:

Basic

Diluted

65.4 

0.4 

65.8 

62.7 

1.2 

63.9 

$ 

6.35  $ 

6.31 

13.88  $ 

13.62 

716 

63.7 

1.4 

65.1 

11.25 

11.00 

The calculation of common equivalent shares does not include the impact of stock awards with a conversion price that exceeds 
the average stock price for the earnings period, as the result would be antidilutive. The calculation of common equivalent shares 
also excludes the impact of outstanding performance contingent shares, as the conditions necessary for their issuance have not 
been satisfied as of the end of the reporting period. Approximately 0.4 million, 0.2 million, and 0.1 million outstanding stock 
awards  and  approximately  0.3  million,  0.3  million  and  0.4  million  performance  contingent  shares  were  excluded  from  the 
calculation of common equivalent shares during 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Note 4  INVESTMENTS

Fixed Maturity Securities Available-for-Sale

The  Company  holds  various  types  of  fixed  maturity  securities  available-for-sale  and  classifies  them  as  corporate  securities 
(“Corporate”),  Canadian  and  Canadian  provincial  government  securities  (“Canadian  government”),  residential  mortgage-
backed  securities  (“RMBS”),  asset-backed  securities  (“ABS”),  commercial  mortgage-backed  securities  (“CMBS”),  U.S. 
government  and  agencies  (“U.S.  government”),  state  and  political  subdivisions,  and  other  foreign  government,  supranational 
and  foreign  government-sponsored  enterprises  (“Other  foreign  government”).  RMBS,  ABS  and  CMBS  are  collectively 
“structured securities.”

The following tables provide information relating to investments in fixed maturity securities by type as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019 (dollars in millions):

December 31, 2020:

Available-for-sale:

Corporate

Canadian government

RMBS

ABS

CMBS

U.S. government

State and political subdivisions

Other foreign government

Total fixed maturity securities

Amortized
Cost

Allowance for 
Credit Losses

Unrealized
Gains

Unrealized
Losses

Estimated
Fair Value

% of Total

$ 

31,963  $ 

17  $ 

4,356  $ 

94  $ 

36,208 

 63.9 %

3,145 

1,735 

3,099 

1,790 

1,242 

1,237 

5,337 

— 

— 

— 

3 

— 

— 

— 

1,995 

84 

35 

102 

196 

157 

479 

— 

2 

42 

21 

1 

4 

33 

5,140 

1,817 

3,092 

1,868 

1,437 

1,390 

5,783 

$ 

49,548  $ 

20  $ 

7,404  $ 

197  $ 

56,735 

 9.1 

 3.2 

 5.4 

 3.3 

 2.5 

 2.4 

 10.2 

 100.0 %

108

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2019:

Available-for-sale:

Corporate

Canadian government

RMBS

ABS

CMBS

U.S. government

State and political subdivisions

Other foreign government

Total fixed maturity securities

Amortized
Cost

Unrealized
Gains

Unrealized
Losses

Estimated
Fair Value

% of Total

$ 

29,205  $ 

2,269  $ 

81  $ 

31,393 

 61.4 %

3,016 

2,339 

2,973 

1,841 

2,096 

1,074 

4,209 

1,596 

62 

19 

61 

57 

93 

321 

— 

3 

14 

3 

1 

3 

5 

4,612 

2,398 

2,978 

1,899 

2,152 

1,164 

4,525 

 9.0 

 4.7 

 5.8 

 3.7 

 4.2 

 2.3 

 8.9 

$ 

46,753  $ 

4,478  $ 

110  $ 

51,121 

 100.0 %

The Company enters into various collateral arrangements with counterparties that require both the pledging and acceptance of 
fixed maturity securities as collateral. Pledged fixed maturity securities are included in fixed maturity securities, available-for-
sale in the consolidated balance sheets. Fixed maturity securities received as collateral are held in separate custodial accounts 
and are not recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Subject to certain constraints, the Company is permitted by 
contract to sell or repledge collateral it receives; however, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, none of the collateral received 
had  been  sold  or  repledged.  The  Company  also  holds  assets  in  trust  to  satisfy  collateral  requirements  under  derivative 
transactions  and  certain  third-party  reinsurance  treaties.    The  following  table  includes  fixed  maturity  securities  pledged  and 
received as collateral and assets in trust held to satisfy collateral requirements under derivative transactions and certain third-
party reinsurance treaties as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Fixed maturity securities pledged as collateral

Fixed maturity securities received as collateral

Assets in trust held to satisfy collateral requirements

2020

2019

Amortized
Cost

Estimated 
Fair Value

Amortized
Cost

Estimated 
Fair Value

$ 

148  $ 

162 

$ 

113  $ 

n/a

27,675 

1,784 

31,179 

n/a

27,290 

116 

727 

29,239 

The Company monitors its concentrations of financial instruments on an ongoing basis and mitigates credit risk by maintaining 
a diversified investment portfolio that limits exposure to any one issuer.  The Company’s exposure to concentrations of credit 
risk from single issuers greater than 10% of the Company’s stockholders’ equity included securities of the U.S. government and 
its agencies, as well as the securities disclosed below, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Fixed maturity securities guaranteed or issued by:

Government of Japan

Canadian province of Quebec

Canadian province of Ontario

2020

2019

Amortized
Cost

Estimated 
Fair Value

Amortized
Cost

Estimated 
Fair Value

$ 

1,493  $ 

1,303 

1,054 

1,491 

2,474 

1,528 

$ 

813  $ 

1,205 

1,014 

852 

2,163 

1,379 

The  amortized  cost  and  estimated  fair  value  of  fixed  maturity  securities  classified  as  available-for-sale  as  of  December  31, 
2020, are shown by contractual maturity in the table below (dollars in millions). Actual maturities can differ from contractual 
maturities  because  borrowers  may  have  the  right  to  call  or  prepay  obligations  with  or  without  call  or  prepayment  penalties. 
Structured securities are shown separately in the table below as they are not due at a single maturity date.

Available-for-sale:

Due in one year or less

Due after one year through five years

Due after five years through ten years

Due after ten years

Structured securities

Total

Amortized Cost

Estimated Fair Value

$ 

$ 

1,351  $ 

8,248 

10,676 

22,649 

6,624 

49,548  $ 

1,362 

8,797 

11,956 

27,843 

6,777 

56,735 

109

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate Fixed Maturity Securities

The  tables  below  show  the  major  sectors  of  the  Company’s  corporate  fixed  maturity  holdings  as  of  December  31,  2020  and 
2019 (dollars in millions):

December 31, 2020:

Finance

Industrial

Utility

Total

December 31, 2019:

Finance

Industrial

Utility

Total

Amortized Cost

Estimated
Fair Value

% of Total

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

11,785  $ 

16,274 

3,904 

31,963  $ 

Amortized Cost

Estimated
Fair Value

10,896  $ 

14,692 

3,617 

29,205  $ 

13,236 

18,435 

4,537 

36,208 

11,653 

15,803 

3,937 

31,393 

 36.6 %

 50.9 

 12.5 

 100.0 %

 37.2 %

 50.3 

 12.5 

 100.0 %

% of Total

Allowance for Credit Losses and Impairments – Fixed Maturity Securities Available-for-Sale

As discussed in Note 2 – “Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements,” allowances for credit losses on fixed maturity 
securities are recognized in investment related gains (losses), net on the consolidated statements of income. For these securities, 
the net amount recognized represents the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the net present value of its 
projected future cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate implicit in the fixed maturity security prior to the allowance 
for credit losses. Any remaining difference between the fair value and amortized cost is recognized in AOCI.

The following table presents the rollforward of the allowance for credit losses in fixed maturity securities by type for the year 
ended December 31, 2020 (dollars in millions):

Balance, beginning of period

Credit losses recognized on securities for which credit losses were not previously recorded

Reductions for securities sold during the period

Balance, end of period

Unrealized Losses for Fixed Maturity Securities Available-for-Sale

Corporate

CMBS

Other 
Foreign 
Government

Total

$ 

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

36 

(19) 

3 

— 

2 

(2) 

17  $ 

3  $ 

—  $ 

— 

41 

(21) 

20 

The following table presents the total gross unrealized losses for the 877 and 1,072 fixed maturity securities as of December 31, 
2020  and  2019,  where  the  estimated  fair  value  had  declined  and  remained  below  amortized  cost  by  the  indicated  amount 
(dollars in millions):

Less than 20%

20% or more for less than six months

20% or more for six months or greater

Total

2020

2019

Gross 
Unrealized 
Losses

% of Total    

Gross 
Unrealized 
Losses

% of Total    

$ 

$ 

133 

42 

22 

197 

 67.5 % $ 

 21.3 

 11.2 

 100.0 % $ 

76 

20 

14 

110 

 69.1 %

 18.2 

 12.7 

 100.0 %

The Company’s determination of whether a decline in value necessitates the recording of an allowance for credit losses includes 
an analysis of whether the issuer is current on its contractual payments, evaluating whether it is probable that the Company will 
be  able  to  collect  all  amounts  due  according  to  the  contractual  terms  of  the  security  and  analyzing  the  overall  ability  of  the 
Company to recover the amortized cost of the investment.

110

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  tables  present  the  estimated  fair  values  and  gross  unrealized  losses  for  fixed  maturity  securities  that  have 
estimated  fair  values  below  amortized  cost  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019  (dollars  in  millions).  These  investments  are 
presented by class and grade of security, as well as the length of time the related fair value has remained below amortized cost. 

December 31, 2020:

Investment grade securities:

Corporate

RMBS

ABS

CMBS

U.S. government

State and political subdivisions

Other foreign government

Total investment grade securities

Below investment grade securities:

Corporate

ABS

CMBS

Other foreign government

Total below investment grade 
securities

Less than 12 months

12 months or greater

Total

Estimated
Fair Value    

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Estimated
Fair Value    

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Estimated
Fair Value    

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

$ 

930  $ 

29  $ 

70  $ 

5  $ 

1,000  $ 

294 

1,096 

160 

27 

66 

973 

3,546 

375 

20 

91 

36 

522 

2 

17 

6 

1 

1 

27 

83 

49 

13 

15 

3 

80 

— 

570 

— 

— 

16 

— 

656 

81 

4 

— 

28 

113 

769  $ 

— 

11 

— 

— 

3 

— 

19 

11 

1 

— 

3 

15 

294 

1,666 

160 

27 

82 

973 

4,202 

456 

24 

91 

64 

635 

34  $ 

4,837  $ 

34 

2 

28 

6 

1 

4 

27 

102 

60 

14 

15 

6 

95 

197 

Total fixed maturity securities

$ 

4,068  $ 

163  $ 

December 31, 2019:

Investment grade securities:

Corporate

RMBS

ABS

CMBS

U.S. government

State and political subdivisions

Other foreign government

Total investment grade securities

Below investment grade securities:

Corporate

ABS

CMBS

Other foreign government

Total below investment grade 
securities

Total fixed maturity securities

Less than 12 months

12 months or greater

Total

Estimated
Fair Value    

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Estimated
Fair Value    

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

Estimated
Fair Value    

Gross
Unrealized
Losses

$ 

1,936  $ 

29  $ 

293  $ 

7  $ 

2,229  $ 

367 

773 

253 

49 

103 

278 

3,759 

220 

— 

— 

— 

220 

2 

5 

3 

1 

2 

4 

46 

38 

— 

— 

— 

38 

84 

739 

— 

— 

12 

— 

1,128 

100 

— 

— 

10 

110 

1 

9 

— 

— 

1 

— 

18 

7 

— 

— 

1 

8 

451 

1,512 

253 

49 

115 

278 

4,887 

320 

— 

— 

10 

330 

$ 

3,979  $ 

84  $ 

1,238  $ 

26  $ 

5,217  $ 

36 

3 

14 

3 

1 

3 

4 

64 

45 

— 

— 

1 

46 

110 

The Company has no intention to sell, nor does it expect to be required to sell, the securities outlined in the table above, as of 
the dates indicated.  However, unforeseen facts and circumstances may cause the Company to sell fixed maturity securities in 
the ordinary course of managing its portfolio to meet certain diversification, credit quality and liquidity guidelines.  Changes in 
unrealized losses are primarily driven by changes in interest rates.

111

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment Income, Net of Related Expenses

Major categories of investment income, net of related expenses, consist of the following (dollars in millions):

Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale

$ 

1,928  $ 

1,786  $ 

1,529 

2020

2019

2018

Equity securities

Mortgage loans on real estate

Policy loans

Funds withheld at interest

Short-term investments and cash and cash equivalents

Other invested assets

Investment income

   Investment expense

Investment income, net of related expenses

$ 

Investment Related Gains (Losses), Net

6 

282 

56 

279 

7 

109 

2,667 

(92) 

2,575  $ 

8 

255 

58 

297 

28 

184 

2,616 

(96) 

2,520  $ 

Investment related gains (losses), net, consist of the following (dollars in millions):

Fixed maturity securities available for sale:
     Impairments and change in allowance for credit losses

     Gain on investment activity

     Loss on investment activity

Net gains (losses) on equity securities

Other impairment losses and change in mortgage loan provision

Derivatives and other, net

Total investment related gains (losses), net

$ 

$ 

2020

2019

2018

(21)  $ 

(31)  $ 

114 

(82) 

(15) 

(56) 

27 
(33)  $ 

151 

(50) 

16 

(12) 

17 
91  $ 

4 

214 

59 

310 

14 

99 

2,229 

(90) 

2,139 

(28) 

65 

(159) 

(20) 

(12) 

(16) 
(170) 

As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  held  non-income  producing  securities  with  amortized  costs,  net  of  allowances,  of 
$71  million  and  estimated  fair  values  of  $63  million.  As  of  December  31,  2019,  the  Company  held  non-income  producing 
securities with amortized costs of $47 million and estimated fair values of $51 million. Generally, securities are non-income 
producing  when  principal  or  interest  is  not  paid  primarily  as  a  result  of  bankruptcies  or  credit  defaults,  but  also  include 
securities where amortization has been discontinued. 

Securities Borrowing, Lending and Repurchase Agreements

The following table includes the amount of borrowed securities, loaned securities, and securities received as collateral as part of 
the securities lending program, and repurchased/reverse repurchased securities pledged and received as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Borrowed securities

Securities lending:

Securities loaned

Securities received

Repurchase program/reverse repurchase program:

Securities pledged

Securities received

2020

2019

Amortized
Cost

Estimated 
Fair Value

Amortized
Cost

Estimated 
Fair Value

$ 

118  $ 

161 

$ 

339  $ 

94 

 n/a 

653 

 n/a 

105 

102 

711 

669 

98 

n/a

356 

n/a

369 

104 

107 

384 

370 

The Company did not hold cash collateral for securities lending and the repurchase program/reverse repurchase programs as of 
December 31, 2020. The Company held cash collateral for securities lending and the repurchase program/reverse repurchase 
programs of $1 million as of December 31, 2019.  No cash or securities have been pledged by the Company for its securities 
borrowing program as of December 31, 2020 and 2019. 

112

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following tables present information on the Company’s securities lending and repurchase/reverse repurchase transactions 
as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively (dollars in millions). Collateral associated with certain borrowed securities is 
not included within the tables as the collateral pledged to each counterparty is the right to reinsurance treaty cash flows.

December 31, 2020

Remaining Contractual Maturity of the Agreements

Overnight and 
Continuous

Up to 30 Days

30-90 Days

Greater than 90 
Days

Total

Securities lending transactions:

Corporate

Total

Repurchase/reverse repurchase transactions:

Corporate

Other foreign government

Total

Total transactions

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

105  $ 

105 

417 

294 

711 

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

816  $ 

Gross amount of recognized liabilities for securities lending and repurchase/reverse repurchase transactions in preceding table

Amounts related to agreements not included in offsetting disclosure

$ 

$ 

December 31, 2019

Remaining Contractual Maturity of the Agreements

Overnight and 
Continuous

Up to 30 Days

30-90 Days

Greater than 90 
Days

Total

Securities lending transactions:

Corporate

Total

Repurchase/reverse repurchase transactions:

Corporate

Other foreign government

Total

Total transactions

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

104  $ 

104 

286  $ 

98 

384 

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

488  $ 

Gross amount of recognized liabilities for securities lending and repurchase/reverse repurchase transactions in preceding table

Amounts related to agreements not included in offsetting disclosure

$ 

$ 

105 

105 

417 

294 

711 

816 

771 

45 

104 

104 

286 

98 

384 

488 

478 

10 

The  Company  has  elected  to  offset  amounts  recognized  as  receivables  and  payables  resulting  from  the  repurchase/reverse 
repurchase programs.  After the effect of offsetting, there was no liability presented on the consolidated balance sheets as of 
December 31, 2020.  After the effect of offsetting, the net amount presented on the consolidated balance sheets was a liability 
of  $1 million as of December 31,  2019.  As of December 31, 2020, the Company did not have payables resulting from cash 
received  as  collateral  associated  with  a  repurchase/reverse  repurchase  agreements.  As  of  December  31,  2019,  the  Company 
recognized  payables  resulting  from  cash  received  as  collateral  associated  with  a  repurchase/reverse  repurchase  agreements. 
Amounts owed to and due from the counterparties may be settled in cash or offset, in accordance with the agreements.

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate

As of December 31, 2020, mortgage loans were geographically dispersed throughout the U.S. with the largest concentrations in 
California  (14.6%),  Texas  (14.1%)  and  Washington  (8.4%)  and  include  loans  secured  by  properties  in  Canada  (3.2%)  and 
United Kingdom (1.3%).  The recorded investment in mortgage loans on real estate presented below is gross of unamortized 
deferred loan origination fees and expenses, and valuation allowances.

113

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table presents the distribution of the Company’s recorded investment in mortgage loans by property type as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Property type:

Office

Retail

Industrial

Apartment

Other commercial

Recorded investment

Unamortized balance of loan origination fees and expenses

Valuation allowances

Total mortgage loans on real estate

2020

2019

Carrying Value

Percentage of
Total

Carrying Value

Percentage of
Total

$ 

$ 

1,702 

1,711 

1,210 

808 

430 

5,861 

(10) 

(64) 

5,787 

 29.0 % $ 

 29.3 

 20.6 

 13.8 

 7.3 

 100.0 %  

$ 

1,771 

1,686 

1,169 

766 

335 

5,727 

(9) 

(12) 

5,706 

 31.0 %

 29.4 

 20.4 

 13.4 

 5.8 

 100.0 %

The following table presents the maturities of the Company’s recorded investment in mortgage loans as of December 31, 2020 
and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Due within five years

Due after five years through ten years

Due after ten years

Total

2020

2019

Recorded
Investment

% of Total 

Recorded
Investment

% of Total 

$ 

$ 

2,276 

2,768 

817 

5,861 

 38.8 % $ 

 47.3 

 13.9 

 100.0 % $ 

1,841 

2,944 

942 

5,727 

 32.2 %

 51.4 

 16.4 

 100.0 %

The following tables set forth certain key credit quality indicators of the Company’s recorded investment in mortgage loans as 
of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Debt Service Ratios

Recorded Investment

>1.20x

1.00x - 1.20x

<1.00x

Construction loans

Total

% of Total 

December 31, 2020:

Loan-to-Value Ratio

0% - 59.99%

60% - 69.99%

70% - 79.99%

80% or greater

Total

December 31, 2019:

Loan-to-Value Ratio

0% - 59.99%

60% - 69.99%

70% - 79.99%

80% or greater

Total

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

2,774  $ 

106  $ 

17  $ 

12  $ 

2,013 

555 

189 

62 

49 

21 

33 

13 

17 

— 

— 

— 

5,531  $ 

238  $ 

80  $ 

12  $ 

2,909 

2,108 

617 

227 

5,861 

 49.6 %

 36.0 

 10.5 

 3.9 

 100.0 %

Debt Service Ratios

Recorded Investment

>1.20x

1.00x - 1.20x

<1.00x

Construction loans

Total

% of Total 

3,025  $ 

52  $ 

7  $ 

—  $ 

1,841 

492 

96 

53 

13 

61 

11 

39 

37 

— 

— 

— 

5,454  $ 

179  $ 

94  $ 

—  $ 

3,084 

1,905 

544 

194 

5,727 

 53.8 %

 33.3 

 9.5 

 3.4 

 100.0 %

114

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table sets forth credit quality grades by year of origination of the Company’s recorded investment in mortgage 
loans as of December 31, 2020 (dollars in millions):

December 31, 2020:

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Prior

Total

Recorded Investment

Year of Origination

Internal credit quality grade:

High investment grade

$ 

411  $ 

616  $ 

493  $ 

336  $ 

574  $ 

1,008  $ 

Investment grade

Average

Watch list

In or near default

Total

352 

— 

— 

— 

496 

— 

— 

— 

399 

— 

— 

— 

407 

19 

— 

— 

249 

37 

— 

— 

368 

55 

4 

37 

3,438 

2,271 

111 

4 

37 

$ 

763  $ 

1,112  $ 

892  $ 

762  $ 

860  $ 

1,472  $ 

5,861 

The following table presents the current and past due composition of the Company’s recorded investment in mortgage loans as 
of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

31-60 days past due

Total past due

Current

Total

2020

2019

$ 

$ 

15  $ 

15 

5,846 

5,861  $ 

— 

— 

5,727 

5,727 

The following table presents the recorded investment in mortgage loans, by method of measuring impairment, and the related 
valuation allowances, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Mortgage loans:

Individually measured for impairment

Collectively measured for impairment

Recorded investment

Valuation allowances:

Individually measured for impairment

Collectively measured for impairment

Total valuation allowances

2020

2019

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

37  $ 

5,824 

5,861  $ 

—  $ 

64 

64  $ 

17 

5,710 

5,727 

— 

12 

12 

The  following  table  presents  information  regarding  the  Company’s  loan  valuation  allowances  for  mortgage  loans  as  of 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):

Balance, beginning of period

Adoption of new accounting standard

Provision

Balance, end of period

2020

2019

2018

$ 

$ 

12  $ 

14 

38 

64  $ 

11  $ 

— 

1 

12  $ 

9 

— 

2 

11 

The  following  table  presents  information  regarding  the  portion  of  the  Company’s  mortgage  loans  that  were  impaired  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Unpaid Principal
Balance

Recorded
Investment

Related
Allowance

Carrying Value

December 31, 2020:

Impaired mortgage loans with no valuation allowance recorded

Impaired mortgage loans with valuation allowance recorded

Total impaired mortgage loans

December 31, 2019:

Impaired mortgage loans with no valuation allowance recorded

Impaired mortgage loans with valuation allowance recorded

Total impaired mortgage loans

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

37  $ 

— 

37  $ 

17  $ 

— 

17  $ 

37  $ 

— 

37  $ 

17  $ 

— 

17  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

37 

— 

37 

17 

— 

17 

115

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  table  presents  the  Company’s  average  investment  balance  of  impaired  mortgage  loans  and  the  related  interest 
income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):

2020

2019

2018

Average
Investment

(1)

Interest
Income

Average
Investment

(1)

Interest
Income

Average
Investment

(1)

Interest
Income

Impaired mortgage loans with no valuation 
allowance recorded

Impaired mortgage loans with valuation allowance 
recorded

Total

$ 

$ 

25  $ 

1  $ 

20  $ 

1  $ 

24  $ 

— 

25  $ 

— 

1  $ 

— 

20  $ 

— 

1  $ 

— 

24  $ 

1 

— 

1 

(1) Average recorded investment represents the average loan balances as of the beginning of period and all subsequent quarterly end of period balances.

The  Company  did  not  acquire  any  impaired  mortgage  loans  during  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020  and  2019.  The 
Company  had  no  mortgage  loans  that  were  on  a  nonaccrual  status  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019.  For  the  year  ended 
December  31,  2020,  the  Company  modified  the  payment  terms  of  approximately  52  commercial  mortgage  loans,  with  a 
carrying  value  of  approximately  $660  million  in  response  to  COVID-19.  These  loans  met  the  criteria  established  in  the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) and were not considered a troubled debt restructuring. 
In accordance with the CARES Act criteria, these loans were not more than 30 days past due at December 31, 2019, and the 
modifications included deferral or delayed payments of principal or interest on the loan. 

Policy Loans

The majority of policy loans are associated with one client. These policy loans present no credit risk as the amount of the loan 
cannot exceed the obligation due to the ceding company upon the death of the insured or surrender of the underlying policy. 
The provisions of the treaties in force and the underlying policies determine the policy loan interest rates. The Company earns a 
spread between the interest rate earned on policy loans and the interest rate credited to corresponding liabilities.

Funds Withheld at Interest

As of December 31, 2020, $3.2 billion of the funds withheld at interest balance is associated with one client. For reinsurance 
agreements written on a modco basis and certain agreements written on a coinsurance funds withheld basis, assets equal to the 
net statutory reserves are withheld and legally owned and managed by the ceding company and are reflected as funds withheld 
at interest. In the event of a ceding company’s insolvency, the Company would need to assert a claim on the assets supporting 
its reserve liabilities. However, the risk of loss to the Company is mitigated by its ability to offset amounts it owes the ceding 
company for claims or allowances against amounts owed to the Company from the ceding company.

Other Invested Assets

Other  invested  assets  include  limited  partnership  interests,  joint  ventures  (other  than  operating  joint  ventures),  lifetime 
mortgages, derivative contracts and fair value option (“FVO”) contractholder-directed unit-linked investments. Other invested 
assets also includes FHLB common stock, which is included in Other in the table below. The allowance for credit losses for 
lifetime mortgages as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019, was $2 million. Carrying values of these assets as of December 31, 
2020 and 2019 are as follows (dollars in millions):

Limited partnership interests and real estate joint ventures

Lifetime mortgages

Derivatives

FVO contractholder-directed unit-linked investments

Other

Total other invested assets

2020

2019

1,367  $ 

935 

140 

289 

98 

2,829  $ 

1,134 

775 

117 

260 

77 

2,363 

$ 

$ 

Note 5   DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

See Note 2 – “Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements” for a detailed discussion of the accounting treatment for 
derivative  instruments,  including  embedded  derivatives  and  Note  6  –  “Fair  Value  of  Assets  and  Liabilities”  for  additional 
disclosures related to the fair value hierarchy for derivative instruments, including embedded derivatives.

116

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Types of Derivatives Used by the Company

Credit Derivatives

The  Company  sells  protection  under  single  name  credit  default  swaps  and  credit  default  swap  index  tranches  to  diversify  its 
credit risk exposure in certain portfolios and, in combination with purchasing securities, to replicate characteristics of similar 
investments based on the credit quality and term of the credit default swap. Credit default triggers for indexed reference entities 
and  single  name  reference  entities  are  defined  in  the  contracts.  The  Company’s  maximum  exposure  to  credit  loss  equals  the 
notional value for credit default swaps. In the event of default of a referencing entity, the Company is typically required to pay 
the protection holder the full notional value less a recovery amount determined at auction.

The  Company  also  purchases  credit  default  swaps  to  reduce  its  risk  against  a  drop  in  bond  prices  due  to  credit  concerns  of 
certain  bond  issuers.  If  a  credit  event,  as  defined  by  the  contract,  occurs,  the  Company  is  able  to  put  the  bond  back  to  the 
counterparty at par.

Equity Derivatives

Exchange-traded  equity  futures  are  used  primarily  to  economically  hedge  liabilities  embedded  in  certain  variable  annuity 
products.  With  exchange-traded  equity  futures  transactions,  the  Company  agrees  to  purchase  or  sell  a  specified  number  of 
contracts, the value of which is determined by the relevant stock indices, and to post variation margin on a daily basis in an 
amount equal to the difference between the daily estimated fair values of those contracts. The Company enters into exchange-
traded equity futures with regulated futures commission merchants that are members of the exchange.

Equity index options are used by the Company primarily to hedge minimum guarantees embedded in certain variable annuity 
products. To hedge against adverse changes in equity indices volatility, the Company buys put options. The contracts are net 
settled in cash based on differentials in the indices at the time of exercise and the strike price.

Foreign Currency Derivatives

Foreign  currency  swaps  are  used  by  the  Company  to  reduce  the  risk  from  fluctuations  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates 
associated  with  its  assets  and  liabilities  denominated  in  foreign  currencies.  With  a  foreign  currency  swap  transaction,  the 
Company agrees with another party to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between one currency and another at a 
forward exchange rate calculated by reference to an agreed upon principal amount. The principal amount of each currency is 
exchanged at the termination of the currency swap by each party.  The Company uses foreign currency swaps in hedges of net 
investments in foreign operations and fair value hedges.  

Foreign  currency  forwards  are  used  by  the  Company  to  reduce  the  risk  from  fluctuations  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates 
associated  with  its  assets  and  liabilities  denominated  in  foreign  currencies.  With  a  foreign  currency  forward  transaction,  the 
Company agrees with another party to deliver a specified amount of an identified currency at a specified future date. The price 
is agreed upon at the time of the contract and payment for such a contract is made in a different currency at the specified future 
date. The Company uses foreign currency forwards in hedges of net investments in foreign operations and non-qualifying hedge 
relationships.

Interest Rate Derivatives

Interest rate swaps are used by the Company primarily to reduce market risks from changes in interest rates, to alter interest rate 
exposure arising from mismatches between assets and liabilities (duration mismatches) and to manage the risk of cash flows of 
liabilities that are variable based on a benchmark rate.  With an interest rate swap, the Company agrees with another party to 
exchange,  at  specified  intervals,  the  difference  between  two  rates,  which  can  be  either  fixed-rate  or  floating-rate  interest 
amounts, tied to an agreed-upon notional principal amount. These transactions are executed pursuant to master agreements that 
provide for a single net payment or individual gross payments at each due date. The Company utilizes interest rate swaps in 
cash flow and non-qualifying hedging relationships.

Other Derivatives

Consumer price index (“CPI”) swaps are used by the Company primarily to economically hedge liabilities embedded in certain 
insurance products where value is directly affected by changes in a designated benchmark consumer price index. With a CPI 
swap transaction, the Company agrees with another party to exchange the actual amount of inflation realized over a specified 
period  of  time  for  a  fixed  amount  of  inflation  determined  at  inception.  These  transactions  are  executed  pursuant  to  master 
agreements that provide for a single net payment or individual gross payments to be made by the counterparty at each due date. 
Most of these swaps will require a single payment to be made by one counterparty at the maturity date of the swap.

The  Company  has  entered  into  longevity  swaps  in  the  form  of  out-of-the-money  options,  which  provide  protection  against 
changes  in  mortality  improvement  to  retirement  plans  and  insurers  of  such  plans.  With  a  longevity  swap  transaction,  the 
Company  agrees  with  another  party  to  exchange  a  proportion  of  a  notional  value.  The  proportion  is  determined  by  the 

117

difference between a predefined benefit, and the realized benefit plus the future expected benefit, calculated by reference to a 
population index for a fixed premium. 

Mortality  swaps  have  been  used  by  the  Company  to  hedge  risk  from  changes  in  mortality  experience  associated  with  its 
reinsurance of life insurance risk. The Company agrees with another party to exchange, at specified intervals, a proportion of a 
notional value determined by the difference between a predefined expected and realized claim amount on a designated index of 
reinsured lives, for a fixed percentage (premium) each term.

The Company sells fee-based synthetic guaranteed investment contracts (“GICs”) to retirement plans that include investment-
only,  stable  value  contracts.  The  assets  are  owned  by  the  trustees  of  such  plans,  who  invest  the  assets  under  the  terms  of 
investment  guidelines  to  which  the  Company  agrees.  The  contracts  contain  a  guarantee  of  a  minimum  rate  of  return  on 
participant balances supported by the underlying assets, and a guarantee of liquidity to meet certain participant-initiated plan 
cash flow requirements. These contracts are reported as derivatives and recorded at fair value.

The  Company  has  certain  embedded  derivatives  that  are  required  to  be  separated  from  their  host  contracts  and  reported  as 
derivatives.  Host  contracts  include  reinsurance  treaties  structured  on  a  modco  or  funds  withheld  basis.  Additionally,  the 
Company  reinsures  equity-indexed  annuity  and  variable  annuity  contracts  with  benefits  that  are  considered  embedded 
derivatives, including guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits, guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits, and guaranteed 
minimum income benefits.  The changes in fair values of embedded derivatives on equity-indexed annuities described below 
relate to changes in the fair value associated with capital market and other related assumptions.  The Company’s utilization of a 
credit  valuation  adjustment  increased  the  fair  value  of  its  embedded  derivatives  by  approximately  $70  million  for  the  year 
ended December 31, 2020, and did not have a material effect on the change in fair value for the years ended December 31, 2019 
and 2018.

Summary of Derivative Positions

Derivatives, except for embedded derivatives and longevity and mortality swaps, are included in other invested assets or other 
liabilities, at fair value. Longevity and mortality swaps, which have been discontinued or matured in 2019, are included in other 
assets or other liabilities, at fair value.  Embedded derivative assets and liabilities on modco or funds withheld arrangements are 
included  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  with  the  host  contract  in  funds  withheld  at  interest,  at  fair  value.  Embedded 
derivative liabilities on indexed annuity and variable annuity products are included on the consolidated balance sheets with the 
host contract in interest-sensitive contract liabilities, at fair value.  The following table presents the notional amounts and gross 
fair  value  of  derivative  instruments  prior  to  taking  into  account  the  netting  effects  of  master  netting  agreements  as  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Derivatives not designated as 
hedging instruments:

Interest rate swaps

Financial futures
Foreign currency swaps

Foreign currency forwards

CPI swaps

Credit default swaps

Equity options

Synthetic GICs
Embedded derivatives in:

Modco or funds withheld 
arrangements

Indexed annuity products

Variable annuity products

Total non-hedging derivatives
Derivatives designated as hedging 
instruments:

Interest rate swaps

Foreign currency swaps

Foreign currency forwards

Total hedging derivatives

Total derivatives

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Primary Underlying 
Risk

Notional

Amount

Carrying Value/Fair Value

Assets

Liabilities

Notional

Amount

Carrying Value/Fair Value

Assets

Liabilities

Interest rate

Equity
Foreign currency

Foreign currency

CPI

Credit

Equity

Interest rate

Foreign currency/
Interest rate

Foreign currency

Foreign currency

$ 

1,084  $ 

93  $ 

1  $ 

909  $ 

70  $ 

258 

150 

347 
612 

1,517 

395 
16,644 

— 

— 

— 

21,007 

802 

234 

1,255 

2,291 

— 

— 

4 
11 

13 

29 
— 

58 

— 

— 

208 

3 

8 

10 

21 

— 

18 

2 
19 

— 

— 
— 

— 

752 

155 

947 

24 

1 

15 

40 

307 

150 

175 
441 

1,306 

364 
13,823 

— 

— 

— 

17,475 

535 

342 

1,094 

1,971 

— 

— 

1 
— 

5 

15 
— 

121 

— 

— 

212 

1 

17 

28 

46 

3 

— 

9 

— 
28 

— 

— 
— 

— 

767 

163 

970 

29 

2 

2 

33 

$ 

23,298  $ 

229  $ 

987  $ 

19,446  $ 

258  $ 

1,003 

118

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fair Value Hedges

The  Company  designates  and  reports  certain  foreign  currency  swaps  to  hedge  the  foreign  currency  fair  value  exposure  of 
foreign currency denominated assets as fair value hedges when they meet the requirements of the general accounting principles 
for Derivatives and Hedging. The gain or loss on the hedged item attributable to a change in foreign currency and the offsetting 
gain or loss on the related foreign currency swaps as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were (dollars in millions):

Type of Fair Value Hedge

Hedged Item

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020:
Foreign currency swaps

Foreign-denominated fixed maturity securities

For the Year Ended December 31, 2019:
Foreign currency swaps

Foreign-denominated fixed maturity securities

For the Year Ended December 31, 2018:
Foreign currency swaps

Foreign-denominated fixed maturity securities

Cash Flow Hedges

Gains (Losses) 
Recognized for 
Derivatives

Gains (Losses) 
Recognized for 
Hedged Items

Investment Related Gains (Losses)

$ 

$ 

$ 

8  $ 

(4)  $ 

(11)  $ 

(10) 

— 

12 

Certain derivative instruments are designated as cash flow hedges when they meet the requirements of the general accounting 
principles  for  Derivatives  and  Hedging.  The  Company  designates  and  accounts  for  the  following  as  cash  flow  hedges:  (i) 
certain  interest  rate  swaps,  in  which  the  cash  flows  of  assets  and  liabilities  are  variable  based  on  a  benchmark  rate;  and  (ii) 
certain interest rate swaps, in which the cash flows of assets are denominated in different currencies, commonly referred to as 
cross-currency swaps.

The following table presents the components of AOCI, before income tax, and the consolidated income statement classification 
where the gain or loss is recognized related to cash flow hedges for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars 
in millions):

Amounts Included in AOCI

Balance December 31, 2017

Gains (losses) deferred in other comprehensive income (loss)

Amounts reclassified to investment income

Amounts reclassified to interest expense

Balance December 31, 2018

Gains (losses) deferred in other comprehensive income (loss)

Amounts reclassified to investment income

Amounts reclassified to interest expense

Balance December 31, 2019

Gains (losses) deferred in other comprehensive income (loss)

Amounts reclassified to investment income

Amounts reclassified to interest expense

Balance December 31, 2020

$ 

$ 

3 

6 

— 

— 

9 

(34) 

— 

(1) 

(26) 

(27) 

— 

4 

(49) 

As  of  December  31,  2020,  approximately  $6  million  of  before-tax  deferred  net  losses  on  derivative  instruments  recorded  in 
AOCI  are  expected  to  be  reclassified  to  interest  expense  during  the  next  twelve  months.  For  the  same  time  period, 
approximately  $1  million  of  before-tax  deferred  net  gains  expected  to  be  reclassified  to  investment  income  during  the  next 
twelve months.

119

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  table  presents  the  effect  of  derivatives  in  cash  flow  hedging  relationships  on  the  consolidated  statements  of 
income and the consolidated statements of stockholders’ equity for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars 
in millions):

Derivative Type

For the year ended December 31, 2020:

Interest rate

Foreign currency/Interest rate

Total

For the year ended December 31, 2019:

Interest rate

Foreign currency/Interest rate

Total

For the year ended December 31, 2018:

Interest rate

Foreign currency/Interest rate

Total

Gains (Losses) 
Deferred in OCI

Gains (Losses) Reclassified into Income from OCI

Investment Related 
Gains (Losses)

Investment Income

Interest Expense

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(33)  $ 

6 

(27)  $ 

(32)  $ 

(2) 

(34)  $ 

12  $ 

(6) 

6  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

(4) 

— 

(4) 

1 

— 

1 

— 

— 

— 

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, there were no material amounts reclassified into earnings relating to 
instances in which the Company discontinued cash flow hedge accounting because the forecasted transaction did not occur by 
the  anticipated  date  or  within  the  additional  time  period  permitted  by  the  authoritative  guidance  for  the  accounting  for 
derivatives and hedging.
Hedges of Net Investments in Foreign Operations

The Company uses foreign currency swaps and foreign currency forwards to hedge a portion of its net investment in certain 
foreign operations against adverse movements in exchange rates. The following table illustrates the Company’s net investments 
in foreign operations (“NIFO”) hedges for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):

Type of NIFO Hedge

2020

2019

2018

Derivative Gains (Losses) Deferred in AOCI

For the year ended

Foreign currency swaps

Foreign currency forwards

Total

$ 

$ 

1  $ 

(30) 

(29)  $ 

(9)  $ 

(24) 

(33)  $ 

31 

56 

87 

The cumulative foreign currency translation gain recorded in AOCI related to these hedges was $139 million and $168 million 
as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. If a hedged foreign operation was sold or substantially liquidated, the amounts 
in AOCI would be reclassified to the consolidated statements of income. A pro rata portion would be reclassified upon partial 
sale of a hedged foreign operation. There were no sales or substantial liquidations of net investments in foreign operations that 
would  have  required  the  reclassification  of  gains  or  losses  from  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  into 
investment income during the periods presented.

Non-qualifying Derivatives and Derivatives for Purposes Other Than Hedging

The Company uses various other derivative instruments for risk management purposes that either do not qualify or have not 
been  qualified  for  hedge  accounting  treatment.  The  gain  or  loss  related  to  the  change  in  fair  value  for  these  derivative 
instruments  is  recognized  in  investment  related  gains  (losses),  net  in  the  consolidated  statements  of  income,  except  where 
otherwise noted. 

120

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A  summary  of  the  effect  of  non-hedging  derivatives,  including  embedded  derivatives,  on  the  Company’s  consolidated 
statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 is as follows (dollars in millions):

Type of Non-hedging Derivative
Interest rate swaps

Financial futures

Foreign currency swaps

Foreign currency forwards

Consumer price index swaps

Credit default swaps

Equity options

Longevity swaps

Mortality swaps

Subtotal

Embedded derivatives in:

Income Statement 
Location of Gains (Losses)

Investment related gains (losses), net

$ 

Investment related gains (losses), net

Investment related gains (losses), net

Investment related gains (losses), net

Investment related gains (losses), net

Investment related gains (losses), net

Investment related gains (losses), net

Other revenues

Other revenues

Modco or funds withheld arrangements

Investment related gains (losses), net

Indexed annuity products

Variable annuity products

Total non-hedging derivatives

Credit Derivatives

Interest credited

Investment related gains (losses), net

Gains (Losses) for the Years Ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

76  $ 

(47) 

(7) 

5 

16 

16 

— 

— 

— 

59 

(62) 

(30) 

8 

65  $ 

(46) 

— 

1 

(18) 

30 

(40) 

13 

(1) 

4 

11 

(57) 

5 

(21) 

21 

(4) 

— 

(10) 

(2) 

7 

9 

— 

— 

(13) 

27 

(15) 

(1) 

$ 

(25)  $ 

(37)  $ 

The  following  table  presents  the  estimated  fair  value,  maximum  amount  of  future  payments  and  weighted  average  years  to 
maturity of credit default swaps sold by the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Rating Agency Designation of 
Referenced Credit Obligations
AAA/AA+/AA/AA-/A+/A/A-

(1)

Single name credit default swaps

Subtotal

BBB+/BBB/BBB-

Single name credit default swaps

Credit default swaps referencing indices

Subtotal

BB+/BB/BB-

Single name credit default swaps

Subtotal

Total

2020

Maximum
Amount of Future
Payments under
Credit Default
Swaps(2)

Estimated Fair
Value of Credit
Default Swaps

Weighted
Average
Years to
Maturity(3)

Estimated Fair
Value of Credit
Default Swaps

2019

Maximum
Amount of Future
Payments under
Credit Default
Swaps(2)

Weighted
Average
Years to
Maturity(3)

$ 

11  $ 

11 

2 

— 

2 

— 

— 

$ 

13  $ 

287 

287 

15.0

15.0

$ 

2  $ 

2 

232 

988 

1,220 

10 

10 

1,517 

1.6

3.9

3.5

0.7

0.7

5.6

3 

— 

3 

— 

— 

$ 

5  $ 

142 

142 

291 

873 

1,164 

— 

— 

1,306 

1.7

1.7

1.9

4.7

4.0

0.0

0.0

3.7

(1) The rating agency designations are based on ratings from Standard and Poor’s (“S&P”).

(2) Assumes the value of the referenced credit obligations is zero.

(3) The weighted average years to maturity of the credit default swaps is calculated based on weighted average notional amounts.

Netting Arrangements and Credit Risk

Certain  of  the  Company’s  derivatives  are  subject  to  enforceable  master  netting  arrangements  and  reported  as  a  net  asset  or 
liability in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company nets all derivatives that are subject to such arrangements.

The Company has elected to include all derivatives, except embedded derivatives, in the tables below, irrespective of whether 
they  are  subject  to  an  enforceable  master  netting  arrangement  or  a  similar  agreement.  See  Note  4  –  “Investments”  for 
information  regarding  the  Company’s  securities  borrowing,  lending,  and  repurchase/reverse  repurchase  programs.  See 
“Embedded Derivatives” above for information regarding the Company’s bifurcated embedded derivatives.

121

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table provides information relating to the netting of the Company’s derivative instruments as of December 31, 
2020 and December 31, 2019 (dollars in millions):

Gross Amounts
Recognized

Gross Amounts
Offset in the
Balance Sheet

Net Amounts
Presented in the
Balance Sheet

Financial 
Instruments(1)

Cash Collateral
Pledged/
Received

Net Amount

Gross Amounts Not
Offset in the Balance Sheet

$ 

$ 

171  $ 

80 

137  $ 

73 

(31)  $ 

(31) 

(20)  $ 

(20) 

140  $ 

49 

117  $ 

53 

(30)  $ 

(146) 

—  $ 

(92) 

(98)  $ 

(47) 

(119)  $ 

(52) 

12 

(144) 

(2) 

(91) 

December 31, 2020:

Derivative assets

Derivative liabilities

December 31, 2019:

Derivative assets

Derivative liabilities

(1)

Includes initial margin posted to a central clearing partner.

The Company may be exposed to credit-related losses in the event of non-performance by counterparties to derivative financial 
instruments.  Generally,  the  credit  exposure  of  the  Company’s  derivative  contracts  is  limited  to  the  fair  value  and  accrued 
interest  of  non-collateralized  derivative  contracts  in  an  asset  position  at  the  reporting  date.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  the 
Company had credit exposure of $19 million.

Derivatives may be exchange-traded or they may be privately negotiated contracts, which are referred to as over-the-counter 
(“OTC”) derivatives.  Certain of the Company’s OTC derivatives are cleared and settled through central clearing counterparties 
(“OTC cleared”) and others are bilateral contracts between two counterparties.  The Company manages its credit risk related to 
OTC  derivatives  by  entering  into  transactions  with  creditworthy  counterparties,  maintaining  collateral  arrangements  and 
through the use of master netting agreements that provide for a single net payment to be made by one counterparty to another at 
each due date and upon termination.  The Company is only exposed to the default of the central clearing counterparties for OTC 
cleared  derivatives,  and  these  transactions  require  initial  and  daily  variation  margin  collateral  postings.  Exchange-traded 
derivatives  are  settled  on  a  daily  basis,  thereby  reducing  the  credit  risk  exposure  in  the  event  of  non-performance  by 
counterparties to such financial instruments.

Note 6     FAIR VALUE OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Fair Value Measurement

General accounting principles for Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures define fair value as the exchange price that would 
be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or 
liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. These principles also establish a fair 
value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs 
when measuring fair value and describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Active markets are defined as having the 
following characteristics for the measured asset/liability: (i) many transactions, (ii) current prices, (iii) price quotes not varying 
substantially among market makers, (iv) narrow bid/ask spreads and (v) most information publicly available. The Company’s 
Level 1 assets and liabilities are traded in active exchange markets.

Level 2 – Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in 
markets  that  are  not  active;  or  market  standard  valuation  techniques  and  assumptions  that  use  significant  inputs  that  are 
observable  or  can  be  corroborated  by  observable  market  data  for  substantially  the  full  term  of  the  assets  or  liabilities.  Such 
observable inputs include benchmarking prices for similar assets in active, liquid markets, quoted prices in markets that are not 
active  and  observable  yields  and  spreads  in  the  market.  The  Company’s  Level  2  assets  and  liabilities  include  investment 
securities with quoted prices that are traded less frequently than exchange-traded instruments and derivative contracts whose 
values are determined using market standard valuation techniques. Level 2 valuations are generally obtained from third party 
pricing services for identical or comparable assets or liabilities or through the use of valuation methodologies using observable 
market inputs. Prices from servicers are validated through analytical reviews and assessment of current market activity.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the 
related  assets  or  liabilities.  Level  3  assets  and  liabilities  include  those  whose  value  is  determined  using  market  standard 
valuation  techniques  described  above.  When  observable  inputs  are  not  available,  the  market  standard  techniques  for 
determining the estimated fair value of certain securities that trade infrequently, and therefore have little transparency, rely on 
inputs that are significant to the estimated fair value and that are not observable in the market or cannot be derived principally 
from  or  corroborated  by  observable  market  data.  These  unobservable  inputs  can  be  based  in  large  part  on  management 
judgment  or  estimation  and  cannot  be  supported  by  reference  to  market  activity.  Even  though  unobservable,  management 

122

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
believes  these  inputs  are  based  on  assumptions  deemed  appropriate  given  the  circumstances  and  consistent  with  what  other 
market participants would use when pricing similar assets and liabilities. Prices are determined using valuation methodologies 
such  as  discounted  cash  flow  models  and  other  similar  techniques  that  require  management’s  judgment  or  estimation  in 
developing inputs that are consistent with those other market participants would use when pricing similar assets and liabilities. 
Non-binding  broker  quotes,  which  are  utilized  when  pricing  service  information  is  not  available,  are  reviewed  for 
reasonableness  based  on  the  Company’s  understanding  of  the  market,  and  are  generally  considered  Level  3.  Under  certain 
circumstances, based on its observations of transactions in active markets, the Company may conclude the prices received from 
independent third party pricing services or brokers are not reasonable or reflective of market activity. In those instances, the 
Company would apply internally developed valuation techniques to the related assets or liabilities. Additionally, the Company’s 
embedded derivatives, all of which are associated with reinsurance treaties, and longevity and mortality swaps are classified in 
Level 3 since their values include significant unobservable inputs.

When inputs used to measure the fair value of an asset or liability fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the level within 
which  the  fair  value  measurement  is  categorized  is  based  on  the  lowest  level  input  that  is  significant  to  the  fair  value 
measurement in its entirety, except for fair value measurements using NAV. For example, a Level 3 fair value measurement 
may include inputs that are observable (Levels 1 and 2) and unobservable (Level 3). Therefore, gains and losses for such assets 
and  liabilities  categorized  within  Level  3  may  include  changes  in  fair  value  that  are  attributable  to  both  observable  inputs 
(Levels 1 and 2) and unobservable inputs (Level 3).

Assets and Liabilities by Hierarchy Level

Assets  and  liabilities  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019  are  summarized  below 
(dollars in millions):

December 31, 2020:

Assets:

Fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale:

Corporate

Canadian government

RMBS

ABS

CMBS

U.S. government

State and political subdivisions

Other foreign government

Total fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale

Equity securities

Funds withheld at interest – embedded derivatives & other

Cash equivalents
Short-term investments

Other invested assets:

Derivatives

FVO contractholder-directed unit-linked investments

Total other invested assets

Total

Liabilities:

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities – embedded derivatives

Other liabilities:

Derivatives

Total

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Fair Value Measurements Using:

$ 

36,208  $ 

—  $ 

33,179  $ 

3,029 

5,140 

1,817 

3,092 

1,868 

1,437 

1,390 

5,783 

56,735 

132 

114 

1,478 

197 

140 
289 

429 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,312 

— 

— 

1,312 

79 

— 

1,478 

32 

— 
224 

224 

5,140 

1,814 

2,896 

1,813 

111 

1,381 

5,766 

52,100 

— 

— 

— 

150 

140 
65 

205 

— 

3 

196 

55 

14 

9 

17 

3,323 

53 

114 

— 

15 

— 
— 

— 

$ 

$ 

$ 

59,085  $ 

3,125  $ 

52,455  $ 

3,505 

907  $ 

49 

956  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

49 

49  $ 

907 

— 

907 

123

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2019:

Assets:

Fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale:

Corporate

Canadian government

RMBS

ABS

CMBS

U.S. government

State and political subdivisions

Other foreign government

Total fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale

Equity securities

Funds withheld at interest – embedded derivatives

Cash equivalents

Short-term investments

Other invested assets:

Derivatives

FVO contractholder-directed unit-linked investments

Total other invested assets

Total

Liabilities:

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities – embedded derivatives

Other liabilities:

Derivatives

Total

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Fair Value Measurements Using:

$ 

31,393  $ 

—  $ 

29,207  $ 

2,186 

4,612 

2,398 

2,978 

1,899 

2,152 

1,164 

4,525 

51,121 

320 

121 

274 

32 

117 
260 

377 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2,030 

— 

— 

2,030 

243 

— 

274 

4 

— 
207 

207 

3,908 

2,349 

2,865 

1,853 

106 

1,155 

4,509 

45,952 

— 

— 

— 

26 

117 
53 

170 

704 

49 

113 

46 

16 

9 

16 

3,139 

77 

121 

— 

2 

— 
— 

— 

$ 

$ 

$ 

52,245  $ 

2,758  $ 

46,148  $ 

3,339 

930  $ 

53 

983  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

—  $ 

53 

53  $ 

930 

— 

930 

The Company may utilize information from third parties, such as pricing services and brokers, to assist in determining the fair 
value  for  certain  assets  and  liabilities;  however,  management  is  ultimately  responsible  for  all  fair  values  presented  in  the 
Company’s  financial  statements.  This  includes  responsibility  for  monitoring  the  fair  value  process,  ensuring  objective  and 
reliable valuation practices and pricing of assets and liabilities, and approving changes to valuation methodologies and pricing 
sources. The selection of the valuation technique(s) to apply considers the definition of an exit price and the nature of the asset 
or liability being valued and significant expertise and judgment is required.

The Company performs initial and ongoing analysis and review of the various techniques utilized in determining fair value to 
ensure  that  they  are  appropriate  and  consistently  applied,  and  that  the  various  assumptions  are  reasonable.  The  Company 
analyzes  and  reviews  the  information  and  prices  received  from  third  parties  to  ensure  that  the  prices  represent  a  reasonable 
estimate  of  the  fair  value  and  to  monitor  controls  around  pricing,  which  includes  quantitative  and  qualitative  analysis  and  is 
overseen  by  the  Company’s  investment  and  accounting  personnel.  Examples  of  procedures  performed  include,  but  are  not 
limited  to,  review  of  pricing  trends,  comparison  of  a  sample  of  executed  prices  of  securities  sold  to  the  fair  value  estimates, 
comparison of fair value estimates to management’s knowledge of the current market, and ongoing confirmation that third party 
pricing services use, wherever possible, market-based parameters for valuation. In addition, the Company utilizes both internal 
and external cash flow models to analyze the reasonableness of fair values utilizing credit spread and other market assumptions, 
where appropriate. As a result of the analysis, if the Company determines there is a more appropriate fair value based upon the 
available  market  data,  the  price  received  from  the  third  party  is  adjusted  accordingly.  The  Company  also  determines  if  the 
inputs  used  in  estimated  fair  values  received  from  pricing  services  are  observable  by  assessing  whether  these  inputs  can  be 
corroborated by observable market data.

For  assets  and  liabilities  reported  at  fair  value,  the  Company  utilizes,  when  available,  fair  values  based  on  quoted  prices  in 
active markets that are regularly and readily obtainable. Generally, these are very liquid investments and the valuation does not 
require management judgment. When quoted prices in active markets are not available, fair value is based on market valuation 
techniques, market comparable pricing and the income approach. The use of different techniques, assumptions and inputs may 
have  a  material  effect  on  the  estimated  fair  values  of  the  Company’s  securities  holdings.  For  the  periods  presented,  the 
application of market standard valuation techniques applied to similar assets and liabilities has been consistent.

The methods and assumptions the Company uses to estimate the fair value of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a 
recurring basis are summarized below.

124

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fixed Maturity Securities – The fair values of the Company’s publicly-traded fixed maturity securities are generally based on 
prices  obtained  from  independent  pricing  services.  Prices  from  pricing  services  are  sourced  from  multiple  vendors,  and  a 
vendor  hierarchy  is  maintained  by  asset  type  based  on  historical  pricing  experience  and  vendor  expertise.  The  Company 
generally receives prices from multiple pricing services for each security, but ultimately uses the price from the vendor that is 
highest in the hierarchy for the respective asset type. To validate reasonableness, prices are periodically reviewed as explained 
above.  Consistent  with  the  fair  value  hierarchy  described  above,  securities  with  quotes  from  pricing  services  are  generally 
reflected  within  Level  2,  as  they  are  primarily  based  on  observable  pricing  for  similar  assets  and/or  other  market  observable 
inputs. If the pricing information received from third party pricing services is not reflective of market activity or other inputs 
observable in the market, the Company may challenge the price through a formal process with the pricing service.

If the Company ultimately concludes that pricing information received from the independent pricing service is not reflective of 
fair value, non-binding broker quotes are used, if available. If the Company concludes that the values from both pricing services 
and  brokers  are  not  reflective  of  fair  value,  an  internally  developed  valuation  may  be  prepared;  however,  this  occurs 
infrequently.  Internally  developed  valuations  or  non-binding  broker  quotes  are  also  used  to  determine  fair  value  in 
circumstances where vendor pricing is not available. These valuations may use significant unobservable inputs, which reflect 
the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset. Observable market data 
may not be available in certain circumstances such as market illiquidity and credit events related to the security. Pricing service 
overrides, internally developed valuations and non-binding broker quotes are generally based on significant unobservable inputs 
and are reflected as Level 3 in the valuation hierarchy.

The  inputs  used  in  the  valuation  of  corporate  and  government  securities  include,  but  are  not  limited  to  standard  market 
observable inputs that are derived from, or corroborated by, market observable data including market yield curve, duration, call 
provisions, observable prices and spreads for similar publicly traded or privately placed issues that incorporate the credit quality 
and  industry  sector  of  the  issuer.  For  internal  pricing  of  private  placements  and  structured  securities,  valuation  is  based 
primarily  on  matrix  pricing  or  other  similar  techniques  using  standard  market  inputs  including  spreads  for  actively  traded 
securities, spreads off benchmark yields, expected prepayment speeds and volumes, current and forecasted loss severity, rating, 
weighted  average  coupon,  weighted  average  maturity,  average  delinquency  rates,  geographic  region,  debt  service  coverage 
ratios and issuance-specific information including, but not limited to: collateral type, payment terms of the underlying assets, 
payment priority within the tranche, structure of the security, deal performance and vintage of loans.

When observable inputs are not available, the market standard valuation techniques for determining the estimated fair value of 
certain  types  of  securities  that  trade  infrequently,  and  therefore  have  little  or  no  price  transparency,  rely  on  inputs  that  are 
significant  to  the  estimated  fair  value  that  are  not  observable  in  the  market  or  cannot  be  derived  principally  from  or 
corroborated by observable market data, such as market illiquidity. Other significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value 
measurement of the Company’s private debt investments include a multiple of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and 
amortization (“EBITDA”). These unobservable inputs can be based in large part on management judgment or estimation, and 
cannot be supported by reference to market activity. Even though unobservable, these inputs are based on assumptions deemed 
appropriate  given  the  circumstances  and  are  believed  to  be  consistent  with  what  other  market  participants  would  use  when 
pricing such securities.

Embedded Derivatives & Other – The fair value of embedded derivative liabilities, including those calculated by third parties, 
are monitored through the use of attribution reports to quantify the effect of underlying sources of fair value change, including 
capital  market  inputs  based  on  policyholder  account  values,  interest  rates  and  short-term  and  long-term  implied  volatilities, 
from  period  to  period.  Actuarial  assumptions  are  based  on  experience  studies  performed  internally  in  combination  with 
available industry information and are reviewed on a periodic basis, at least annually.

For embedded derivative liabilities associated with the underlying products in reinsurance treaties, primarily equity-indexed and 
variable annuity treaties, the Company utilizes a discounted cash flow model, which includes an estimate of future equity option 
purchases and an adjustment for a CVA. The variable annuity embedded derivative calculations are performed by third parties 
based  on  methodology  and  input  assumptions  provided  by  the  Company.  To  validate  the  reasonableness  of  the  resulting  fair 
value, the Company’s internal actuaries perform reviews and analytical procedures on the results. The capital market inputs to 
the model, such as equity indexes, short-term equity volatility and interest rates, are generally observable. The valuation also 
requires certain significant inputs, which are generally not observable and accordingly, the valuation is considered Level 3 in 
the fair value hierarchy, 

The  fair  value  of  embedded  derivatives  associated  with  funds  withheld  reinsurance  treaties  is  determined  based  upon  a  total 
return  swap  technique  with  reference  to  the  fair  value  of  the  investments  held  by  the  ceding  company  that  support  the 
Company’s funds withheld at interest asset with an adjustment for a CVA. The fair value of the underlying assets is generally 
based on market observable inputs using industry standard valuation techniques. The valuation also requires certain significant 
inputs, which are generally not observable and accordingly, the valuation is considered Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

125

Other assets elected at fair value include assets where inputs are not observable in the market and are considered Level 3 in the 
fair value hierarchy.

Equity Securities – Equity securities consist principally of exchange-traded funds and common and preferred stock of publicly 
and privately traded companies. The fair values of publicly traded equity securities are primarily based on quoted market prices 
in  active  markets  and  are  classified  within  Level  1  in  the  fair  value  hierarchy.  Non-binding  broker  quotes  and  internally 
developed evaluations for equity securities are generally based on significant unobservable inputs and are reflected as Level 3 
in the fair value hierarchy.

Credit Valuation Adjustment – The Company uses a structural default risk model to estimate a CVA. The input assumptions are 
a combination of externally derived and published values (default threshold and uncertainty), market inputs (interest rate, equity 
price per share, debt per share, equity price volatility) and insurance industry data (Loss Given Default), adjusted for market 
recoverability.

Cash  Equivalents  and  Short-Term  Investments  –  Cash  equivalents  and  short-term  investments  include  money  market 
instruments and other highly liquid debt instruments. Money market instruments are generally valued using unadjusted quoted 
prices in active markets that are accessible for identical assets and are primarily classified as Level 1. The fair value of certain 
other cash equivalents and short-term investments, such as bonds with original maturities twelve months or less, are based upon 
other market observable data and are typically classified as Level 2. However, certain short-term investments may incorporate 
significant unobservable inputs resulting in a Level 3 classification. Various time deposits, certificates of deposit and sweeps 
carried as cash equivalents or short-term investments are not measured at estimated fair value and therefore are excluded from 
the tables presented.

FVO  Contractholder-Directed  Unit-Linked  Investments  –  FVO  contractholder-directed  investments  supporting  unit-linked 
variable annuity type liabilities primarily consist of exchange-traded funds and, to a lesser extent, fixed maturity securities and 
cash  and  cash  equivalents.    The  fair  values  of  the  exchange-traded  securities  are  primarily  based  on  quoted  market  prices  in 
active markets and are classified within Level 1 of the hierarchy.  The fair value of the fixed maturity contractholder-directed 
securities  is  determined  on  a  basis  consistent  with  the  methodologies  described  above  for  fixed  maturity  securities  and  are 
classified within Level 2 of the hierarchy.

Derivative Assets and Derivative Liabilities – All of the derivative instruments utilized by the Company, except for longevity 
and mortality swaps, are classified within Level 2 on the fair value hierarchy. These derivatives are principally valued using an 
income approach. Valuations of interest rate contracts are based on present value techniques, which utilize significant inputs 
that  may  include  the  swap  yield  curve,  London  Interbank  Offered  Rate  (“LIBOR”)  basis  curves,  Overnight  Index  Swaps 
(“OIS”)  curves,  and  repurchase  rates.  Valuations  of  foreign  currency  contracts  are  based  on  present  value  techniques,  which 
utilize significant inputs that may include the swap yield curve, LIBOR basis curves, currency spot rates, and cross currency 
basis  curves.  Valuations  of  credit  contracts,  are  based  on  present  value  techniques,  which  utilize  significant  inputs  that  may 
include  the  swap  yield  curve,  credit  curves,  and  recovery  rates.  Valuations  of  equity  market  contracts,  are  based  on  present 
value techniques, which utilize significant inputs that may include the swap yield curve, spot equity index levels, and dividend 
yield curves. Valuations of equity market contracts, option-based, are based on option pricing models, which utilize significant 
inputs that may include the swap yield curve, spot equity index levels, dividend yield curves, and equity volatility.

Longevity and Mortality Swaps – The Company utilizes a discounted cash flow model to estimate the fair value of longevity 
and mortality swaps. The fair value of these swaps includes an accrual for premiums payable and receivable. Some inputs to the 
valuation model are generally observable, such as interest rates and actual population mortality experience. The valuation also 
requires  significant  inputs  that  are  generally  not  observable  and,  accordingly,  the  valuation  is  considered  Level  3  in  the  fair 
value hierarchy.

126

Quantitative Information Regarding Internally-Priced Assets and Liabilities

The  following  table  presents  quantitative  information  about  significant  unobservable  inputs  used  in  Level  3  fair  value 
measurements that are developed internally by the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Estimated Fair Value

2020

2019

Valuation

Technique

Unobservable

Range (Weighted Average)

Input

2020

2019

$ 

37  $ 

1,070 

Market comparable 
securities

87 

14 

— 

10 

58 

Market comparable 
securities

101 

Market comparable 
securities

Market comparable 
securities

Market comparable 
securities

16 

16 

32 

121  Total return swap

Liquidity premium

0-1% (1%)

0-2% (1%)

EBITDA Multiple

5.2x-11.2x (7.1x)

5.2x-7.1x (6.7x)

Liquidity premium

1-18% (1%)

0-4% (1%)

Liquidity premium

0-1% (1%)

0-1% (1%)

Liquidity premium

Liquidity premium

0%

0%

0-1% (1%)

4%

EBITDA Multiple

6.9x-10.6x (7.9x)

6.9x-9.3x (7.8x)

Mortality

Lapse
Withdrawal

CVA

Crediting rate

0-100%  (3%)

0-100%  (2%)

0-35%  (13%)
0-5%  (3%)

0-5%  (1%)

2-4%  (2%)

0-35%  (13%)
0-5%  (3%)

0-5%  (1%)

2-4%  (2%)

Assets:

Corporate

ABS

U.S. government

Other foreign government

Equity securities

Funds withheld at interest – 
embedded derivatives

Liabilities:

Interest-sensitive contract 
liabilities – embedded 
derivatives – indexed annuities

752 

768  Discounted cash flow

Mortality

Lapse

Withdrawal

Option budget
projection

Interest-sensitive contract 
liabilities – embedded 
derivatives – variable annuities

155 

163  Discounted cash flow

Mortality

Lapse

Withdrawal

CVA

0-100% (3%)

0-35% (13%)

0-5% (3%)

0-100% (2%)

0-35% (13%)

0-5% (3%)

2-4% (2%)

2-4% (2%)

0-100% (2%)

0-25% (4%)

0-7% (5%)

0-5% (1%)

0-100%(1%)

0-25% (5%)

0-7% (5%)

0-5% (1%)

Long-term volatility

0-27% (13%)

0-27% (12%)

127

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Changes in Level 3 Assets and Liabilities

Assets  and  liabilities  transferred  into  Level  3  are  due  to  a  lack  of  observable  market  transactions  and  price  information. 
Transfers  out  of  Level  3  are  primarily  the  result  of  the  Company  obtaining  observable  pricing  information  or  a  third  party 
pricing quotation that appropriately reflects the fair value of those assets and liabilities. 

The reconciliations for all assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs 
(Level 3) are as follows (dollars in millions): 

For the year ended 
December 31, 2020:

Fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale

Corporate

Foreign 
govt

Structured 
securities

U.S. and 
local govt

Equity 
securities

Short-term 
investments

Funds 
withheld at 
interest –
embedded 
derivatives 
& other

Other 
assets – 
longevity 
and  
mortality 
swaps

Interest –
sensitive 
contract 
liabilities 
embedded 
derivatives

Fair value, beginning of period

$ 

2,186  $  720  $ 

208  $ 

25  $ 

77  $ 

2  $ 

121  $ 

—  $ 

(930) 

Total gains/losses (realized/
unrealized)
Included in earnings, net:

Investment income, net of 
related expenses

Investment related gains 
(losses), net

Interest credited
Included in other 
comprehensive income

Other revenues
Purchases(1)
Sales(1)
Settlements(1)
Transfers into Level 3

Transfers out of Level 3

Fair value, end of period

2 

  — 

(22) 

  — 

— 

  — 

28 

— 

1 

  — 

1,193 

  — 

(182) 

  — 

(229) 

  — 

57 

  — 

(4) 

(704) 

— 

— 

— 

(7) 

— 

149 

(5) 

(59) 

38 

(70) 

— 

— 

— 

1 

— 

— 

— 

(3) 

— 

— 

— 

(13) 

— 

— 

— 

3 

— 

— 

— 

(14) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

17 

— 

(3) 

— 

(1) 

(4) 

(63) 

— 

— 

— 

60 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

8 

(30) 

— 

— 

(32) 

— 

77 

— 

— 

$ 

3,029  $ 

17  $ 

254  $ 

23  $ 

53  $ 

15  $ 

114  $ 

—  $ 

(907) 

Total gains/losses (realized/unrealized) recorded for the period relating to those Level 3 assets and liabilities that were still held at the end of the period
Included in earnings, net:

Investment income, net of 
related expenses

Investment related gains 
(losses), net

Other revenues

Interest credited

Included in other comprehensive 
income

$ 

—  $  —  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

(4)  $ 

—  $ 

— 

(23) 

  — 

— 

— 

  — 

  — 

(34) 

1 

— 

— 

— 

(8) 

— 

— 

— 

1 

(13) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(63) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(2) 

— 

(107) 

— 

128

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the year ended 
December 31, 2019:

Fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale

Foreign 
govt

Structured 
securities

U.S. and 
local govt

Equity 
securities

Short-term 
investments

Corporate
$ 

1,331  $  533  $ 

Fair value, beginning of period
Total gains/losses (realized/
unrealized)
Included in earnings, net:

Investment income, net of 
related expenses

Investment related gains 
(losses), net

Interest credited
Included in other 
comprehensive income

Other revenues
Purchases(1)
Sales(1)
Settlements(1)
Transfers into Level 3
Transfers out of Level 3

1 

15 

(11) 
— 

  — 
  — 

48 
— 
1,050 
(81) 
(194) 
43 
(1) 

162 
  — 
10 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 

Funds 
withheld at 
interest –
embedded 
derivatives

Other 
assets – 
longevity 
and  
mortality 
swaps

Interest –
sensitive 
contract 
liabilities 
embedded 
derivatives

103  $ 

28  $ 

33  $ 

2  $ 

110  $ 

48  $ 

(945) 

— 

— 
— 

4 
— 
85 
(1) 
(63) 
86 
(6) 
208  $ 

— 

— 
— 

1 
— 
— 
— 
(4) 
— 
— 
25  $ 

— 

12 
— 

— 
— 
33 
(1) 
— 
— 
— 
77  $ 

— 

— 
— 

(1) 
— 
30 
(1) 
(1) 
— 
(27) 

2  $ 

— 

11 
— 

— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
121  $ 

— 

— 
— 

(2) 
12 
— 
— 
(58) 
— 
— 
—  $ 

— 

5 
(57) 

— 
— 
(17) 
— 
84 
— 
— 
(930) 

Fair value, end of period

$ 

2,186  $  720  $ 

Total gains/losses (realized/unrealized) recorded for the period relating to those Level 3 assets and liabilities that were still held at the end of the period
Included in earnings, net:

Investment income, net of 
related expenses

Investment related gains 
(losses), net

Other revenues
Interest credited

$ 

2  $ 

15  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

(11) 
— 
— 

  — 
  — 
  — 

— 
— 
— 

— 
— 
— 

12 
— 
— 

— 
— 
— 

11 
— 
— 

— 
— 
— 

(3) 
— 
(140) 

For the year ended 
December 31, 2018:

Fixed maturity securities – available-for-sale

Corporate

Foreign 
govt

Structured 
securities

U.S. and 
local govt

Equity 
securities

Short-term 
investments

Funds 
withheld at 
interest –
embedded 
derivatives

Other 
assets – 
longevity 
and  
mortality 
swaps

Interest –
sensitive 
contract 
liabilities 
embedded 
derivatives

Fair value, beginning of period

$ 

1,337  $  599  $ 

235  $ 

64  $ 

—  $ 

3  $ 

122  $ 

39  $ 

(1,014) 

Total gains/losses (realized/
unrealized)

Included in earnings, net:

Investment income, net of 
related expenses

Investment related gains 
(losses), net

Interest credited
Included in other 
comprehensive income
Other revenues
Purchases(1)
Sales(1)
Settlements(1)
Transfers into Level 3

Transfers out of Level 3

Fair value, end of period

(1) 

14 

(5) 

  — 

— 

  — 

(33) 

(80) 

— 

  — 

509 

  — 

(106) 

  — 

(273) 

  — 

10 

  — 

— 

2 

— 

(3) 

— 

94 

(7) 

(62) 

78 

(107) 

  — 

(234) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(5) 

10 

(41) 

— 

(13) 

— 

— 

— 

14 

(7) 

— 

39 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

3 

— 

(1) 

— 

(3) 

— 

(12) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(2) 

9 

— 

— 

2 

— 

— 

— 

(15) 

27 

— 

— 

(19) 

— 

76 

— 

— 

$ 

1,331  $  533  $ 

103  $ 

28  $ 

33  $ 

2  $ 

110  $ 

48  $ 

(945) 

Total gains/losses (realized/unrealized) recorded for the period relating to those Level 3 assets and liabilities that were still held at the end of the period
Included in earnings, net:

Investment income, net of 
related expenses
Investment related gains 
(losses), net

Other revenues

Interest credited

$ 

(1)  $ 

14  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

— 

(6) 

  — 

— 

— 

  — 

  — 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(16) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(12) 

— 

— 

— 

9 

— 

(22) 

— 

(49) 

129

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) The  amount  reported  within  purchases,  sales  and  settlements  is  the  purchase  price  (for  purchases)  and  the  sales/settlement  proceeds  (for  sales  and 
settlements) based upon the actual date purchased or sold/settled. Items purchased and sold/settled in the same period are excluded from the rollforward. 
The Company had no issuances during the period.

Nonrecurring Fair Value Measurements

The  following  table  presents  information  for  assets  measured  at  an  estimated  fair  value  on  a  nonrecurring  basis  during  the 
periods presented and still held at the reporting date (for example, when there is evidence of impairment).  The estimated fair 
values for these assets were determined using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

(dollars in millions)
Limited partnership interests and real estate joint ventures(1)

Carrying Value After Measurement

Net Investment Gains (Losses)

At December 31,

2020

2019

Years ended December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

20  $ 

18 

$ 

(17)  $ 

(11) 

(1)

Impairments on these investments were recognized at estimated fair value determined using the net asset values of the Company’s ownership interest as 
provided in the financial statements of the investees. Real estate joint ventures were recognized at estimated fair value determined using historical and 
forecasted information for specific properties, including net operating income, occupancy, and sales levels. The market for these investments has limited 
activity and price transparency.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The  following  table  presents  the  carrying  amounts  and  estimated  fair  values  of  the  Company’s  financial  instruments,  which 
were  not  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis,  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019  (dollars  in  millions).  This  table 
excludes any payables or receivables for collateral under repurchase agreements and other transactions. The estimated fair value 
of the excluded amount approximates carrying value as they equal the amount of cash collateral received/paid.  

December 31, 2020:
Assets:

Estimated Fair

Fair Value Measurement Using:

Carrying Value (1)

Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

NAV

Mortgage loans on real estate

$ 

5,787  $ 

6,167  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

6,167  $ 

Policy loans

Funds withheld at interest

Cash and cash equivalents

Short-term investments

Other invested assets
Accrued investment income

Liabilities:

1,258 

5,292 

1,930 

30 

1,482 

511 

1,258 

5,676 

1,930 

30 

1,601 

511 

— 

— 

1,930 

30 

5 

— 

1,258 

— 

— 

— 

89 

511 

— 

5,676 

— 

— 

1,018 

— 

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities
Long-term debt

Collateral finance and securitization notes

$ 

18,106  $ 

19,683  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

19,683  $ 

3,573 

388 

3,901 

351 

— 

— 

— 

— 

3,901 

351 

December 31, 2019:
Assets:

Mortgage loans on real estate

$ 

5,706  $ 

5,935  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

5,935  $ 

Policy loans

Funds withheld at interest

Cash and cash equivalents

Short-term investments

Other invested assets
Accrued investment income

Liabilities:

1,319 
5,526 

1,175 

32 

1,259 

493 

1,319 
5,870 

1,175 

32 

1,278 

493 

— 
— 

1,175 

32 

5 

— 

1,319 
— 

— 

— 

68 

493 

— 
5,870 

— 

— 

803 

— 

Interest-sensitive contract liabilities
Long-term debt

Collateral finance and securitization notes

$ 

19,163  $ 

21,542  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

21,542  $ 

2,981 

598 

3,179 

551 

— 

— 

— 

— 

3,179 

551 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

489 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 
— 

— 

— 

402 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(1) Carrying  values  presented  herein  may  differ  from  those  in  the  Company’s  consolidated  balance  sheets  because  certain  items  within  the  respective 

financial statement captions may be measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate – The fair value of mortgage loans on real estate is estimated by discounting cash flows, both 
principal  and  interest,  using  current  interest  rates  for  mortgage  loans  with  similar  credit  ratings  and  similar  remaining 
maturities. As such, inputs include current treasury yields and spreads, which are based on the credit rating and average life of 
the loan, corresponding to the market spreads. The valuation of mortgage loans on real estate is considered Level 3 in the fair 
value hierarchy.

130

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Policy Loans – Policy loans typically carry an interest rate that is adjusted annually based on an observable market index and 
therefore carrying value approximates fair value. The valuation of policy loans is considered Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Funds Withheld at Interest – The carrying value of funds withheld at interest approximates fair value except where the funds 
withheld are specifically identified in the agreement. When funds withheld are specifically identified in the agreement, the fair 
value is based on the fair value of the underlying assets that are held by the ceding company. Ceding companies use a variety of 
sources and pricing methodologies, which are not transparent to the Company and may include significant unobservable inputs, 
to value the securities that are held in distinct portfolios, therefore the valuation of these funds withheld assets are considered 
Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

Cash  and  Cash  Equivalents  and  Short-term  Investments  –  The  carrying  values  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents  and  short-term 
investments approximate fair values due to the short-term maturities of these instruments and are considered Level 1 in the fair 
value hierarchy.

Other  Invested  Assets  –  This  primarily  includes  limited  partnership  interests  accounted  for  using  the  cost  method,  FHLB 
common  stock,  cash  collateral  and  lifetime  mortgages.    The  fair  value  of  limited  partnership  interests  and  other  investments 
accounted  for  using  the  cost  method  is  determined  using  the  NAV  of  the  Company’s  ownership  interest  as  provided  in  the 
financial statements of the investees. The fair value of the Company’s common stock investment in the FHLB is considered to 
be the carrying value and it is considered Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value of the Company’s cash collateral is 
considered to be the carrying value and considered to be Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value of the Company’s 
lifetime mortgage loan portfolio, considered Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy, is estimated by discounting cash flows, both 
principal  and  interest,  using  a  risk-free  rate  plus  an  illiquidity  premium.    The  cash  flow  analysis  considers  future  expenses, 
changes in property prices, and actuarial analysis of borrower behavior, mortality and morbidity.

Accrued  Investment  Income  –  The  carrying  value  for  accrued  investment  income  approximates  fair  value  as  there  are  no 
adjustments made to the carrying value. This is considered Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Interest-Sensitive Contract Liabilities – The carrying and fair values of interest-sensitive contract liabilities reflected in the table 
above  exclude  contracts  with  significant  mortality  risk.  The  fair  value  of  the  Company’s  interest-sensitive  contract  liabilities 
utilizes  a  market  standard  technique  with  both  capital  market  inputs  and  policyholder  behavior  assumptions,  as  well  as  cash 
values  adjusted  for  recapture  fees.  The  capital  market  inputs  to  the  model,  such  as  interest  rates,  are  generally  observable. 
Policyholder behavior assumptions are generally not observable and may require use of significant management judgment. The 
valuation of interest-sensitive contract liabilities is considered Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

Long-term Debt/Collateral Finance and Securitization Notes – The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt, and collateral 
finance and securitization notes is generally estimated by discounting future cash flows using market rates currently available 
for debt with similar remaining maturities and reflecting the credit risk of the Company, including inputs when available, from 
actively  traded  debt  of  the  Company  or  other  companies  with  similar  credit  quality.  The  valuation  of  long-term  debt,  and 
collateral  finance  and  securitization  notes  is  generally  obtained  from  brokers  and  is  considered  Level  3  in  the  fair  value 
hierarchy.

Note 7   REINSURANCE

In the normal course of business, the Company seeks to limit its exposure to loss on any single insured and to recover a portion 
of  benefits  paid  by  ceding  reinsurance  to  other  insurance  or  reinsurance  companies  under  excess  coverage  and  coinsurance 
contracts.  In the individual life markets, the Company retains a maximum of $8 million of coverage per individual life.  Claims 
in excess of this retention amount are retroceded to retrocessionaires; however, the Company remains fully liable to the ceding 
company for the entire amount of risk it assumes.  In certain limited situations the Company has retained more than $8 million 
per individual policy. The Company enters into agreements with other reinsurers to mitigate the residual risk related to the over-
retained policies. Additionally, due to some lower face amount reinsurance coverage provided by the Company in addition to 
individual life, such as group life, disability and health, under certain circumstances, the Company could potentially incur net 
claims totaling more than $8 million per individual life.    

Retrocession  reinsurance  treaties  do  not  relieve  the  Company  from  its  obligations  to  direct  writing  companies.  Failure  of 
retrocessionaires  to  honor  their  obligations  could  result  in  losses  to  the  Company.  The  Company  regularly  evaluates  the 
financial  condition  of  the  insurance  and  reinsurance  companies  from  which  it  assumes  and  to  which  it  cedes  reinsurance.  
Consequently,  allowances  would  be  established  for  amounts  deemed  uncollectible.  At  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  no 
allowances were deemed necessary.  

Retrocessions are arranged through the Company’s retrocession pools for amounts in excess of the Company’s retention limit. 
As  of  December  31,  2020,  all  rated  retrocession  pool  participants  followed  by  the  A.M.  Best  Company  were  rated  “A- 
(excellent)” or better.  The Company verifies retrocession pool participants’ ratings on a quarterly basis.  For a majority of the 
retrocessionaires that were not rated, security in the form of letters of credit or trust assets has been posted.  In addition, the 
Company performs annual financial reviews of its retrocessionaires to evaluate financial stability and performance.  In addition 

131

to  its  third  party  retrocessionaires,  various  RGA  reinsurance  subsidiaries  retrocede  amounts  in  excess  of  their  retention  to 
affiliated subsidiaries.

The  following  table  presents  information  for  the  Company’s  ceded  reinsurance  receivable  assets,  including  the  respective 
amount and A.M. Best rating for each reinsurer representing in excess of five percent of the total as of December 31, 2020 and 
2019 (dollars in millions):

Reinsurer
Reinsurer A

Reinsurer B

Reinsurer C

Reinsurer D

Reinsurer E

Other reinsurers

Total

A.M. Best Rating

Amount

% of Total

Amount

% of Total

2020

2019

A+

A+

A

A++

A+

$ 

$ 

420 

216 

64 

55 

46 

182 

983 

 42.7 % $ 

 22.0 

 6.5 

 5.6 

 4.7 

 18.5 

 100.0 % $ 

367 

208 

84 

53 

43 

149 

904 

 40.6 %

 23.0 

 9.3 

 5.9 

 4.8 

 16.4 

 100.0 %

Included in the total ceded reinsurance receivables balance were $278 million and $223 million of claims recoverable, of which 
$10 million and $15 million were in excess of 90 days past due, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

The effect of reinsurance on net premiums is as follows (dollars in millions):

Years ended December 31,
Direct insurance

Reinsurance assumed

Reinsurance ceded

Net premiums

2020

2019

2018

$ 

$ 

58  $ 

76  $ 

12,583 

(947) 

12,150 

(929) 

11,694  $ 

11,297  $ 

The effect of reinsurance on claims and other policy benefits as follows (dollars in millions):

Years ended December 31,
Direct insurance

Reinsurance assumed

Reinsurance ceded

Net claims and other policy benefits

2020

2019

2018

$ 

$ 

97  $ 

113  $ 

11,931 

(953) 

11,404 

(1,320) 

11,075  $ 

10,197  $ 

63 

11,341 

(860) 

10,544 

107 

9,997 

(785) 

9,319 

The effect of reinsurance on life insurance in force is shown in the following schedule (dollars in millions):

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Direct

Assumed

Ceded

Net

Assumed/Net %

$ 

1,990  $ 

3,480,692  $ 

184,625  $ 

1,316 

1,363 

3,480,206 

3,329,181 

192,864 

186,172 

3,298,057 

3,288,658 

3,144,372 

 105.5 %

 105.8 

 105.9 

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, the Company provided approximately $24.3 billion and $22.7 billion of financial 
reinsurance,  as  measured  by  pre-tax  statutory  surplus,  risk  based  capital  and  other  financial  reinsurance  structures,  to  other 
insurance  companies  under  financial  reinsurance  or  capital  solutions  transactions  to  assist  ceding  companies  in  meeting 
applicable  regulatory  requirements.  Generally,  such  financial  reinsurance  is  provided  by  the  Company  committing  cash  or 
assuming insurance liabilities, which are collateralized by future profits on the reinsured business. The Company earns a fee 
based on the amount of net outstanding financial reinsurance. 

Reinsurance  treaties,  whether  facultative  or  automatic,  may  provide  for  recapture  rights  on  the  part  of  the  ceding  company. 
Recapture  rights  permit  the  ceding  company  to  reassume  all  or  a  portion  of  the  risk  formerly  ceded  to  the  reinsurer  after  an 
agreed-upon  period  of  time,  generally  10  years,  or  in  some  cases  due  to  changes  in  the  financial  condition  or  ratings  of  the 
reinsurer. Recapture of business previously ceded does not affect premiums ceded prior to the recapture of such business but 
would  reduce  premiums  in  subsequent  periods.  Additionally,  some  reinsurance  treaties  give  the  ceding  company  the  right  to 
require the Company to place assets in trust for their benefit to support the ceding company’s statutory reserve credits, in the 
event  of  a  downgrade  of  the  Company’s  credit  ratings  and  or  other  statutory  measure  to  specified  levels,  generally  non-
investment grade levels, or if minimum levels of financial condition are not maintained. As of December 31, 2020, neither the 
Company nor its subsidiaries have been required to post additional collateral or have had a reinsurance treaty recaptured as a 
result of credit downgrade or defined statutory measure decline.

Certain reinsurance treaties require the reinsurer to place assets in trust to collateralize the reinsurer’s obligation to the ceding 
company.  Assets placed in trust continue to be owned by the Company, but their use is restricted based on the terms of the trust 

132

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
agreement.  Securities with an amortized cost of $3.7 billion and $3.3 billion were held in trust for the benefit of the Company’s 
subsidiaries  to  satisfy  collateral  requirements  for  reinsurance  business  at  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.   
Additionally,  securities  with  an  amortized  cost  of  $27.7  billion  and  $27.3  billion  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019, 
respectively,  were  held  in  trust  to  satisfy  collateral  requirements  under  certain  third-party  reinsurance  treaties.  Under  certain 
conditions,  the  Company  may  be  obligated  to  move  reinsurance  from  one  subsidiary  to  another  subsidiary,  post  additional 
collateral  or  make  payments  under  a  given  reinsurance  treaty.  These  conditions  include  change  in  control  or  ratings  of  the 
subsidiary, insolvency, nonperformance under a reinsurance treaty, or loss of license or other regulatory authorization of such 
subsidiary. If the Company was ever required to move reinsurance from one subsidiary to another subsidiary, the risk to the 
Company on a consolidated basis under the reinsurance treaties would not change; however, additional collateral may need to 
be posted or additional capital may be required due to the change in jurisdiction of the subsidiary reinsuring the business, which 
could lead to a strain on liquidity.

Note 8   DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS

The following reflects the amounts of policy acquisition costs deferred and amortized (dollars in millions): 

Years ended December 31,
Balance, beginning of year

Capitalization

Amortization (including interest)

Change in value of embedded derivatives

Attributed to unrealized investment gains (losses)

Foreign currency translation

Balance, end of year

2020

2019

2018

$ 

3,512  $ 

3,398  $ 

478 

(405) 

22 

(26) 

35 

526 

(315) 

(15) 

(97) 

15 

$ 

3,616  $ 

3,512  $ 

3,240 

608 

(438) 

14 

27 

(53) 

3,398 

Some reinsurance agreements involve reimbursing the ceding company for allowances and commissions in excess of first-year 
premiums.  These  amounts  represent  acquisition  costs  and  are  capitalized  to  the  extent  deemed  recoverable  from  the  future 
premiums  and  amortized  against  future  profits  of  the  business.  This  type  of  agreement  presents  a  risk  to  the  extent  that  the 
business  lapses  faster  than  originally  anticipated,  resulting  in  future  profits  being  insufficient  to  recover  the  Company’s 
investment. 

Note 9   INCOME TAX

The  effective  tax  rate  for  2020  was  higher  than  the  U.S.  Statutory  rate  of  21%  primarily  as  a  result  of  income  earned  in 
jurisdictions  with  tax  rates  higher  than  the  U.S.,  GILTI  tax  primarily  due  to  RGA  Canada's  income,  and  a  change  in  the 
corporate  tax  rate  in  the  UK.    These  increases  were  partially  offset  by  foreign  tax  credit  utilization  and  bases  differences  in 
Australia.  The  effective  tax  rate  for  2019  was  higher  than  the  U.S.  Statutory  rate  of  21%  primarily  as  a  result  of  valuation 
allowance increases in various jurisdictions which were partially offset by foreign bases differences in Australia. The effective 
tax rate for 2018 was lower than the U.S. Statutory rate of 21% primarily as a result of U.S. Tax Reform release of a valuation 
allowance on foreign tax credits and foreign bases differences, which was partially offset by tax expense related to GILTI tax 
and valuation allowance increases.  See the table below for additional information.  

Pre-tax income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 consists of the following (dollars in millions): 

Pre-tax income - U.S.

Pre-tax income - foreign

Total pre-tax income

2020

2019

2018

$ 

$ 

79  $ 

474 

553  $ 

871  $ 

261 

1,132  $ 

626 

220 

846 

133

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The provision for income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 consists of the following (dollars 
in millions):

Current income tax expense (benefit):

U.S.

U.S. Tax Reform

Foreign

Total current

Deferred income tax expense (benefit):

U.S.

U.S. Tax Reform

Foreign

Total deferred

2020

2019

2018

$ 

75  $ 

(9)  $ 

— 

79 

154 

(60) 

— 

44 

(16) 

— 

60 

51 

182 

— 

29 

211 

Total provision for income taxes

$ 

138  $ 

262  $ 

78 

(68) 

43 

53 

63 

6 

8 

77 

130 

The Company’s effective tax rate differed from the U.S. federal income tax statutory rate of 21% as a result of the following for 
the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):

Tax provision at U.S. statutory rate
Increase (decrease) in income taxes resulting from:

U.S. Tax Reform
Tax rate differences on income in other jurisdictions
Differences in tax basis in foreign jurisdictions
Deferred tax valuation allowance
Amounts related to uncertain tax positions
Equity based compensation
Corporate rate changes
GILTI, net of credits
Subpart F for non-full inclusion companies
Foreign tax credits
Return to provision adjustments
Other, net

Total provision for income taxes

Effective tax rate

2020

2019

2018

$ 

116 

$ 

238 

$ 

178 

— 
21 
(32) 
10 
10 
(1) 
13 
13 
— 
(7) 
(4) 
(1) 
138 
 24.9 %

$ 

— 
2 
(23) 
56 
8 
(8) 
(1) 
— 
1 
(6) 
(6) 
1 
262 
 23.1 %

$ 

(62) 
4 
(23) 
23 
1 
(6) 
1 
10 
1 
(3) 
(1) 
7 
130 
 15.4 %

$ 

Total income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows (dollars in millions):

Provision for income taxes

Income tax from OCI and additional paid-in-capital:

Net unrealized holding gain (loss) on debt and equity securities recognized for 
financial reporting purposes

Foreign currency translation
Unrealized pension and post retirement
   Total income taxes provided

$ 

$ 

2020

2019

2018

138  $ 

262  $ 

130 

611 
(9) 
(1) 
739  $ 

681 
3 
(5) 
941  $ 

(368) 
19 
— 
(219) 

134

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and liabilities at 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, are presented in the following tables (dollars in millions):

2020

2019

Deferred income tax assets:
Nondeductible accruals
Net operating loss carryforward
Capital loss and tax credit carryforwards

Subtotal
Valuation allowance

Total deferred income tax assets

Deferred income tax liabilities:
Deferred acquisition costs
Policy reserves and other reinsurance liabilities
Invested assets
Outside basis difference foreign subsidiaries
Foreign currency translation
Anticipated future tax credit reduction
Other

Total deferred income tax liabilities

Net deferred income tax liabilities

Balance sheet presentation of net deferred income tax liabilities:

Included in other assets
Included in deferred income taxes

Net deferred income tax liabilities

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

92  $ 
254 
— 
346 
(251) 
95 

775 
1,105 
1,043 
354 
40 
20 
2 
3,339 
3,244  $ 

19  $ 

3,263 
3,244  $ 

95 
330 
38 
463 
(236) 
227 

675 
1,208 
645 
308 
52 
26 
1 
2,915 
2,688 

24 
2,712 
2,688 

As of December 31, 2020, the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets was $251 million. During 2020, there was a $20 
million increase to the valuation allowance related to the tax losses of RGA Reinsurance Company of Australia Limited ("RGA 
Australia"). RGA Australia's tax loss primarily relates to income on internal retrocession that is not taxable in RGA Australia.  
The  RGA  Australia  deferred  tax  asset  has  been  reduced  to  the  amount  more  likely  than  not  to  be  realized  considering  the 
projected future earnings. The valuation allowance increased further due to losses in jurisdictions that do not have a history of 
income  and  changes  in  foreign  currency  translation  during  the  year.  These  increases  were  partially  offset  by  a  valuation 
allowance release related to U.S. Foreign Tax Credit utilization and income in jurisdictions with valuation allowances. 

As of December 31, 2019, the valuation allowance against deferred tax assets was $236 million. During 2019, there was a $44 
million increase to the valuation allowance related to the tax losses of RGA Australia. RGA Australia's tax loss primarily relates 
to income on internal retrocession that is not taxable in RGA Australia.  The RGA Australia deferred tax asset has been reduced 
to  the  amount  more  likely  than  not  to  be  realized  considering  the  projected  future  earnings.  The  valuation  allowance  also 
increased  due  to  losses  in  jurisdictions  where  the  company  does  not  have  a  recent  history  of  earnings,  including  China  and 
Spain.  These  increases  were  partially  offset  by  a  release  of  a  valuation  allowance  in  New  Zealand  due  to  taxable  income  in 
recent years. 

The earnings of substantially all of the Company's foreign subsidiaries have been permanently reinvested in foreign operations. 
The  Company  has  provided  for  future  tax  on  the  full  inclusion  companies  where  the  Company  cannot  assert  permanent 
reinvestment.  At December 31, 2020 and 2019, the financial reporting basis in excess of the tax basis for which no deferred 
taxes  have  been  recognized  was  approximately  $2.7  billion  and  $1.6  billion,  respectively.    As  U.S.  Tax  Reform  generally 
eliminates  U.S.  federal  income  taxes  on  dividends  from  foreign  subsidiaries,  the  Company  does  not  expect  to  incur  material 
income taxes if these funds were repatriated.  

During  2020,  2019,  and  2018,  the  Company  received  federal  and  foreign  income  tax  refunds  of  approximately  $59  million, 
$22  million,  and  $2  million,  respectively.    The  Company  made  cash  income  tax  payments  of  approximately  $167  million, 
$66 million, and $144 million, in 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively. 

The following table presents consolidated net operating losses (“NOL”) as of December 31, 2020 (dollars in millions):

NOL with no expiration and with no valuation allowance

NOL with a full valuation allowance

NOL with no expiration and a partial valuation allowance

NOL with expiration dates between 2033 & 2040 with no valuation allowance

Total net operating loss carryforwards

2020

103 

131 

646 

20 

900 

$ 

$ 

135

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
These  net  operating  losses,  other  than  the  net  operating  losses  for  which  there  is  a  valuation  allowance,  are  expected  to  be 
utilized in the normal course of business during the period allowed for carryforwards and in any event, are not expected to be 
lost, due to the application of tax planning strategies that management would utilize.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company had foreign tax credit carryforwards of $32 million in Ireland for which there is a full 
valuation allowance.

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state and foreign jurisdictions.  The Company 
is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service and is subject to audit by taxing authorities in other foreign 
jurisdictions  in  which  the  Company  has  significant  business  operations.  The  income  tax  years  under  examination  vary  by 
jurisdiction.   The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 
2017, Canadian tax authorities for years prior to 2016 and with a few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to state and 
foreign income tax examinations by tax authorities for years prior to 2015. 

As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s total amount of unrecognized tax benefits is $342 million and the total amount of 
unrecognized  tax  benefits  that  would  affect  the  effective  tax  rate,  if  recognized,  is  $155  million.    Management  believes  it  is 
reasonably possible that the unrecognized tax benefit could decrease by up to $312 million over the next 12 months if statutes 
expire.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 
and 2018, is as follows (dollars in millions):

Beginning balance, January 1

Acquisition accounting

Additions for tax positions of prior years

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

Additions for tax positions of current year
Settlements with tax authorities
Ending balance, December 31

Total Unrecognized Tax Benefits

2020

2019

2018

333  $ 

325  $ 

— 

281 

(278) 
6 
— 

— 

264 

(262) 
6 
— 

342  $ 

333  $ 

321 

1 

256 

(257) 
4 
— 

325 

$ 

$ 

The  Company  recognized  interest  expense  (benefit)  associated  with  uncertain  tax  positions  in  2020,  2019  and  2018  of  $11 
million, $12 million, and $(3) million, respectively.  As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had $34 million and $23 
million, respectively, of accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits.  There are no penalties accrued as of December 
31, 2020 or December 31, 2019.

Note 10   EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Certain subsidiaries of the Company are sponsors or administrators of both qualified and non-qualified defined benefit pension 
plans (“Pension Plans”). The largest of these plans is a non-contributory qualified defined benefit pension plan sponsored by 
RGA  Reinsurance  Company  (“RGA  Reinsurance”)  that  covers  U.S.  employees.  The  benefits  under  the  Pension  Plans  are 
generally based on years of service and compensation levels. Effective January 1, 2020, the qualified defined benefit pension 
plan and some of the non-qualified defined benefit pension plans were closed to new employees. 

The Company also provides select health care and life insurance benefits for certain retired employees. The health care benefits 
are provided through a self-insured welfare benefit plan. Employees become eligible for these benefits if they meet minimum 
age and service requirements. The retiree’s cost for health care benefits varies depending upon the credited years of service.  
Effective  January  1,  2017,  employees  hired  in  the  U.S.  are  not  eligible  for  retiree  health  care  benefits.  The  effect  of  the 
amendment  was  recorded  in  2016  in  AOCI  and  is  being  amortized  through  prior  service  cost.  Virtually  all  retirees,  or  their 
beneficiaries, contribute a portion of the total cost of postretirement health benefits. Prepaid benefit costs and accrued benefit 
liabilities are included in other assets and other liabilities, respectively.

136

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A December 31 measurement date is used for all of the defined benefit and postretirement plans. The status of these plans as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019 is summarized below (dollars in millions):

Change in benefit obligation:

Benefit obligation at beginning of year

Service cost

Interest cost

Participant contributions

Actuarial (gains) losses

Benefits paid

Foreign exchange translations and other adjustments

December 31,

Pension Benefits

Other Benefits

2020

2019

2020

2019

$ 

220  $ 

179  $ 

87  $ 

14 

6 

— 

25 

(12) 

1 

13 

7 

— 

28 

(8) 

1 

3 

2 

— 

(9) 

(2) 

— 

Benefit obligation at end of year

$ 

254  $ 

220  $ 

81  $ 

Change in plan assets:

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year

Actual return on plan assets

Employer contributions

Participant contributions

Benefits paid and expenses

Fair value of plan assets at end of year

Funded status at end of year

December 31,

Pension Benefits

Other Benefits

2020

2019

2020

2019

$ 

$ 

$ 

133  $ 

103  $ 

—  $ 

18 

18 

— 

(12) 

157  $ 

(97)  $ 

21 

17 

— 

(8) 

133  $ 

(87)  $ 

— 

2 

— 

(2) 

—  $ 

(81)  $ 

Aggregate fair value of plan assets

Aggregate projected benefit 
obligations

Under funded

$ 

$ 

Qualified Plans

2020

2019

December 31,
Non-Qualified Plans(1)
2019
2020

Total

2020

2019

157  $ 

133  $ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

157  $ 

160 

(3)  $ 

139 

(6)  $ 

94 

(94)  $ 

81 

(81)  $ 

254 

(97)  $ 

(1) For non-qualified plans, there are no required funding levels.

Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income:
Net actuarial loss
Net prior service cost (credit)

Total

$ 

$ 

71  $ 
— 

71  $ 

59  $ 
— 

59  $ 

29  $ 
(8) 

21  $ 

December 31,

Pension Benefits

Other Benefits

2020

2019

2020

2019

67 

3 

3 

— 

15 

(1) 

— 

87 

— 

— 

1 

— 

(1) 

— 

(87) 

133 

220 

(87) 

39 
(9) 

30 

The following table presents information for qualified and non-qualified pension plans with a projected benefit obligation in 
excess of plan assets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Projected benefit obligation

Fair value of plan assets

2020

2019

$ 

254  $ 

157 

220 

133 

The following table presents information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets as of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

Accumulated benefit obligation

Fair value of plan assets

2020

2019

$ 

243  $ 

157 

212 

133 

137

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The components of net periodic benefit cost, included in other operating expenses on the consolidated statements of income, 
and other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income were as follows (dollars in 
millions):

Net periodic benefit cost:

Service cost

Interest cost

Expected return on plan assets

Amortization of net actuarial losses

Amortization of prior service cost (credit)

Settlements

Net periodic benefit cost

Other changes in plan assets and benefit 
obligations recognized in other 
comprehensive income:

Net actuarial (gains) losses

Amortization of net actuarial (losses)

Amortization of prior service (cost) credit

Settlements

Foreign exchange translations and other 
adjustments

Total recognized in other comprehensive 
income

Total recognized in net periodic benefit 
cost and other comprehensive income

Pension Benefits

Other Benefits

2020

2019

2018

2020

2019

2018

$ 

14  $ 

13  $ 

13  $ 

3  $ 

3  $ 

6 

(9) 

5 

— 

— 

16 

17 

(5) 

— 

— 

— 

12 

7 

(7) 

4 

— 

— 

17 

14 

(4) 

— 

— 

— 

10 

5 

(8) 

4 

— 

— 

14 

13 

(4) 

— 

— 

— 

9 

2 

— 

2 

(1) 

— 

6 

(8) 

(2) 

1 

— 

— 

(9) 

3 

— 

1 

(1) 

— 

6 

14 

(1) 

1 

— 

— 

14 

$ 

28  $ 

27  $ 

23  $ 

(3)  $ 

20  $ 

3 

2 

— 

2 

(1) 

— 

6 

(7) 

(2) 

1 

— 

— 

(8) 

(2) 

During  2021,  the  Company  expects  to  contribute  $18  million  and  $2  million  to  the  pension  plans  and  other  benefit  plans, 
respectively.

The  following  benefit  payments,  which  reflect  expected  future  service  as  appropriate,  are  expected  to  be  paid  (dollars  in 
millions):

2021

2022

2023

2024
2025

2026-2030

Assumptions

Pension Benefits    

Other Benefits    

$ 

11  $ 

14 

14 

15 

16 

92 

2 

2 

2 

2 

3 

18 

Weighted  average  assumptions  used  to  determine  the  accumulated  benefit  obligation  and  net  benefit  cost  or  income  were  as 
follows:

Discount rate used to determine 
benefit obligation

Discount rate used to determine net 
benefit cost or income

Expected long-term rate of return on 
plan assets

Rate of compensation increases

Pension Benefits

Other Benefits

2020

2019

2018

2020

2019

2018

 2.22 %

 3.03 %

 7.00 %

 4.69 %

 3.05 %

 4.03 %

 7.00 %

 4.61 %

 4.02 %

 3.41 %

 7.35 %

 4.17 %

 2.41 %

 3.17 %

 — %

 — %

 3.17 %

 4.17 %

 — %

 — %

 4.17 %

 3.56 %

 — %

 — %

The expected rate of return on plan assets is based on anticipated performance of the various asset sectors in which the plan 
invests, weighted by target allocation percentages. Anticipated future performance is based on long-term historical returns of 
the plan assets by sector, adjusted for the long-term expectations on the performance of the markets. While the precise expected 
return derived using this approach may fluctuate from year to year, the policy is to hold this long-term assumption constant as 

138

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
long as it remains within reasonable tolerance from the derived rate. This process is consistent for all plan assets as all the assets 
are invested in mutual funds.

The  assumed  health  care  cost  trend  rates  used  in  measuring  the  accumulated  non-pension  post-retirement  benefit  obligation 
were as follows:

Health care cost trend rates assumed for next year

Ultimate cost trend rate

Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate

Plan Assets

As of December 31,

2020

2019

 7.00 %

 4.50 %

2026

 8.00 %

 4.50 %

2026

Target allocations of U.S. qualified pension plan assets are determined with the objective of maximizing returns and minimizing 
volatility of net assets through adequate asset diversification and partial liability immunization. Adjustments are made to target 
allocations based on the Company’s assessment of the effect of economic factors and market conditions. The target allocations 
for  plan  assets  are  60%  equity  securities  and  40%  debt  securities  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019.  The  Company’s  plan 
assets are primarily invested in mutual funds. The mutual funds include holdings of S&P 500 securities, large-cap securities, 
mid-cap securities, small-cap securities, international securities, corporate debt securities, U.S. and other government securities, 
mortgage-related securities and cash.

Equity and debt securities are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate risk, credit risk and overall market volatility. Due to 
the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, changes in the values of investment securities will occur and any 
change would affect the amounts reported in the financial statements.

The  fair  values  of  the  Company’s  qualified  pension  plan  assets  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019  are  summarized  below 
(dollars in millions):

Mutual Funds(1)
Cash

Total

December 31, 2020

Fair Value Measurement Using:

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$ 

$ 

157  $ 

— 

157  $ 

157  $ 

— 

157  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

(1) Mutual funds were invested 27% in U.S. equity funds, 39% in U.S. fixed income funds, 18% in non-U.S. equity funds and 16% in other.

Mutual Funds(2)
Cash

Total

December 31, 2019

Fair Value Measurement Using:

Total

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

$ 

$ 

133  $ 

— 

133  $ 

133  $ 

— 

133  $ 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(2) Mutual funds were invested 27% in U.S. equity funds, 39% in U.S. fixed income funds, 18% in non-U.S. equity funds and 16% in other.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company classified all of its qualified pension plan assets in the Level 1 category as 
quoted prices in active markets are available for these assets. See Note 6 – “Fair Value of Asset and Liabilities” for additional 
detail on the fair value hierarchy.

Savings and Investment Plans

Certain subsidiaries of RGA also sponsor savings and investment plans under which a portion of employee contributions are 
matched.  Subsidiary  contributions  to  these  plans  were  $19  million,  $16  million  and  $15  million  in  2020,  2019  and  2018, 
respectively.

Note 11    FINANCIAL CONDITION AND NET INCOME ON A STATUTORY BASIS – SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES

The  domestic  and  foreign  insurance  subsidiaries  of  RGA  prepare  their  statutory  financial  statements  in  conformity  with 
statutory accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the applicable state insurance department or local regulatory authority, 
which may vary materially from statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Prescribed statutory accounting practices in the 
U.S.  include  publications  of  the  National  Association  of  Insurance  Commissioners  (“NAIC”),  as  well  as  state  laws,  local 
regulations  and  general  administrative  rules.  The  differences  between  statutory  financial  statements  and  financial  statements 
prepared in accordance with GAAP vary between jurisdictions. The principal differences between GAAP and NAIC are that 

139

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
statutory financial statements do not reflect deferred policy acquisition costs and limit deferred tax assets, life benefit reserves 
predominately  use  interest  rate  and  mortality  assumptions  prescribed  by  the  NAIC  and  local  regulatory  agencies,  bonds  are 
generally carried at amortized cost and reinsurance assets and liabilities are presented net of reinsurance.

Statutory net income, and capital and surplus of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries, determined in accordance with statutory 
accounting practices prescribed by the applicable state insurance department or local regulatory authority are as follows (dollars 
in millions):

RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd.

$ 

8,249  $ 

6,283  $ 

879  $ 

1,049  $ 

Statutory Capital & Surplus

Statutory Net Income (Loss)

2020

2019

2020

2019

2018

Reinsurance Company of Missouri

RGA Reinsurance (U.S.)

RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd.

RGA International Reinsurance Company dac

RGA Atlantic Reinsurance Company Ltd.

RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada

RGA Australia

Other insurance subsidiaries

2,136 

2,131 

1,835 

1,460 

1,441 

886 

535 

2,496 

2,125 

2,150 

1,553 

1,087 

1,511 

713 

447 

2,233 

4 

(133) 

268 

52 

175 

152 

42 

357 

75 

280 

234 

37 

243 

(225) 

15 

291 

209 

(25) 

660 

49 

21 

256 

(38) 

(37) 

324 

Each  U.S.  domestic  insurance  subsidiary’s  state  of  domicile  imposes  minimum  risk-based  capital  (“RBC”)  requirements  that 
were  developed  by  the  NAIC.  The  formulas  for  determining  the  amount  of  RBC  specify  various  weighting  factors  that  are 
applied  to  financial  balances  or  various  levels  of  activity  based  on  the  perceived  degree  of  risk.  Regulatory  compliance  is 
determined  by  a  ratio  of  total  adjusted  capital,  as  defined  by  the  NAIC,  to  authorized  control  level  RBC,  as  defined  by  the 
NAIC. Companies below specific trigger points or ratios are classified within certain levels, each of which requires specified 
corrective  action.  Each  of  RGA’s  U.S.  domestic  insurance  subsidiaries  exceeded  the  minimum  RBC  requirements  for  all 
periods presented herein. These requirements do not represent a significant constraint for the payment of dividends by RGA’s 
U.S. domestic insurance companies.

The licensing orders of the Company’s special purpose companies stipulate a minimum amount of capital required based on the 
purpose of the entity and the underlying business. These companies are subject to enhanced oversight by the regulator which 
includes filing detailed plans of operations before commencing operations or making material changes to existing agreements or 
entering  into  new  agreements.  Each  of  the  Company’s  Special  Purpose  Life  Reinsurance  Captives  (“SPLRC”)  exceeded  the 
minimum capital requirements for all periods presented herein.

The Company’s foreign insurance subsidiaries prepare financial statements in accordance with local regulatory requirements. 
The  regulatory  authorities  in  these  foreign  jurisdictions  establish  some  form  of  minimum  regulatory  capital  and  surplus 
requirements.  All  of  the  Company’s  foreign  insurance  subsidiaries  have  regulatory  capital  and  surplus  that  exceed  the  local 
minimum  requirements.  These  requirements  do  not  represent  a  significant  constraint  for  the  payment  of  dividends  by  the 
Company’s foreign insurance companies.

The  state  of  domicile  of  certain  of  the  Company’s  SPLRCs  follow  prescribed  accounting  practices  differing  from  NAIC 
statutory  accounting  practices  (“NAIC  SAP”)  applicable  to  their  statutory  financial  statements.  Specifically,  these  prescribed 
practices require that surplus note interest accrued but not approved for payment be reported as a direct reduction of surplus and 
an addition to the surplus note balance. Under NAIC SAP, surplus note interest is not to be reported until approved for payment 
and is reported as a reduction of net investment income in the Summary of Operations. In addition, these prescribed practices 
allow the SPLRC to reflect letters of credit issued for its benefit as an admitted asset and a direct credit to unassigned surplus. 
Under NAIC SAP, letters of credit issued on behalf of the reporting company are not reported on the balance sheet.

A  reconciliation  of  the  Company’s  surplus  between  NAIC  SAP  and  practices  prescribed  by  the  state  of  domicile  is  shown 
below (dollars in millions):

Prescribed practice – surplus note
Prescribed practice – letters of credit

Surplus (deficit) – NAIC SAP

December 31,

2020

2019

$ 

$ 

577  $ 
(461) 

116  $ 

652 
(576) 

76 

Reinsurance  Company  of  Missouri  (“RCM”),  RGA  Reinsurance  and  Chesterfield  Reinsurance  Company  (“Chesterfield  Re”) 
are subject to Missouri statutory provisions that restrict the payment of dividends. They may not pay dividends in any 12-month 
period in excess of the greater of the prior year’s statutory net gain from operations or 10% of statutory capital and surplus at 
the preceding year-end, without regulatory approval.  Aurora National Life Assurance Company (“Aurora National”) is subject 

140

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
to California statutory provisions that are identical to those imposed by Missouri regarding the ability of Aurora National to pay 
dividends to RGA Reinsurance.  The applicable statutory provisions only permit an insurer to pay a shareholder dividend from 
unassigned  surplus.  As  of  January  1,  2020,  RGA  Reinsurance  could  pay  maximum  dividends,  without  prior  approval,  of 
approximately $213 million. Any dividends paid by RGA Reinsurance would be paid to RCM, its parent company, which in 
turn has restrictions related to its ability to pay dividends to RGA. 

Chesterfield Re would pay dividends to its immediate parent Chesterfield Financial Holdings LLC, (“Chesterfield Financial”), 
which  would  in  turn  pay  dividends  to  RCM,  subject  to  the  terms  of  the  indenture  for  the  embedded  value  securitization 
transaction,  in  which  Chesterfield  Financial  cannot  declare  or  pay  any  dividends  so  long  as  any  private  placement  notes  are 
outstanding. The Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance allows RCM to pay a dividend to RGA to the extent RCM 
received  the  dividend  from  its  subsidiaries,  without  limitation  related  to  the  level  of  unassigned  surplus.  Dividend  payments 
from  other  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  regulations  in  the  jurisdiction  of  domicile,  which  are  generally  based  on  their  earnings 
and/or capital level.

Dividend payments from non-U.S. operations are subject to similar restrictions established by local regulators. The non-U.S. 
regulatory regimes also commonly limit the dividend payments to the parent to a portion of the prior year’s statutory income, as 
determined by the local accounting principles. The regulators of the Company’s non-U.S. operations may also limit or prohibit 
profit  repatriations  or  other  transfers  of  funds  to  the  U.S.  if  such  transfers  are  deemed  to  be  detrimental  to  the  solvency  or 
financial strength of the non-U.S. operations, or for other reasons. Most of the non-U.S. operating subsidiaries are second tier 
subsidiaries that are owned by various non-U.S. holding companies. The capital and rating considerations applicable to the first 
tier subsidiaries may also impact the dividend flow to RGA.

There are no regulatory restrictions that limit the payment of dividends by RGA, except those generally applicable to Missouri 
corporations.  Dividends  are  payable  by  Missouri  corporations  only  under  the  circumstances  specified  in  The  General  and 
Business Corporation Law of Missouri. RGA would not be permitted to pay common stock dividends if there is any accrued 
and unpaid interest on its subordinated debentures and its junior subordinated debentures. Furthermore, the ability of RGA to 
pay dividends is dependent on business conditions, income, cash requirements of the Company, receipt of dividends from its 
subsidiaries, financial covenant provisions and other relevant factors.

Note 12    COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES

Commitments

Funding of Investments

The  Company’s  commitments  to  fund  investments  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019  are  presented  in  the  following  table 
(dollars in millions):

Limited partnership interests and joint ventures

Mortgage loans on real estate

Bank loans and private placements

Lifetime mortgages

2020

2019

$ 

678  $ 

199 

194 

43 

685 

243 

181 

87 

The Company anticipates that the majority of its current commitments will be invested over the next five years; however, these 
commitments could become due any time at the request of the counterparties.  Bank loans and private placements are included 
in fixed maturity securities available-for-sale. 

The Company has a liability for expected credit losses associated with unfunded commitments of approximately $2 million as 
of December 31, 2020, which is included in other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

In 2013, the Company executed a series of incentive agreements with the County of St. Louis, Missouri (the “County”). Under 
these agreements, the Company transferred ownership in its newly constructed world headquarters to the County in exchange 
for  taxable  industrial  revenue  bonds  (the  “bonds”),  in  a  series  of  bond  issuances  during  2013  and  2014,  with  a  maximum 
amount  of  $150  million.  As  a  result,  the  Company  was  able  to  reduce  the  cost  of  constructing  and  operating  its  world 
headquarters by reducing certain state and local tax expenditures. The Company simultaneously leased the world headquarters 
from the County and has an option to purchase the world headquarters for a nominal fee upon tendering the bonds back to the 
County.  The  payments  due  to  the  Company  under  the  terms  of  the  bonds  and  the  amounts  owed  by  the  Company  under  the 
terms of the lease agreement qualify for the right of offset under GAAP. As such, neither the bonds nor the lease obligation is 
recorded on the consolidated balance sheets as an asset or liability, respectively. The world headquarters is recorded as an asset 
of the Company in “Other assets” on the consolidated balance sheets.

141

 
 
 
 
 
 
Contingencies

Litigation

The  Company  is  subject  to  litigation  in  the  normal  course  of  its  business;  however,  the  Company  currently  has  no  material 
litigation. A legal reserve is established when the Company is notified of an arbitration demand or litigation or is notified that 
an arbitration demand or litigation is imminent, it is probable that the Company will incur a loss as a result and the amount of 
the probable loss is reasonably capable of being estimated.

Other Contingencies

The Company indemnifies its directors and officers as provided in its charters and by-laws. Since this indemnity generally is 
not subject to limitation with respect to duration or amount, the Company does not believe that it is possible to determine the 
maximum potential amount due under this indemnity in the future.

Guarantees

Statutory Reserve and Solvency Support

The  Company  has  committed  to  provide  statutory  reserve  support  to  third-parties,  in  exchange  for  a  fee,  by  funding  loans  if 
certain defined events occur. Such statutory reserves are required under the U.S. Valuation of Life Policies Model Regulation 
(commonly referred to as Regulation XXX for term life insurance policies and Regulation A-XXX for universal life secondary 
guarantees). In addition, RGA has also committed to provide capital support to a third-party, in exchange for a fee, by agreeing 
to assume real estate leases in the event of a severe and prolonged decline in the commercial lease market.  Upon assumption of 
a  lease,  RGA  would  recognize  a  right  to  use  asset  and  lease  obligation.    As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  does  not 
believe  that  it  will  be  required  to  provide  any  funding  under  these  commitments  as  the  occurrence  of  the  defined  events  is 
considered remote.  The following table presents the maximum potential obligation for these commitments as of December 31, 
2020 (dollars in millions):

Commitment Period
2034
2035
2036
2037
2038
2039

Other Guarantees

$ 

Maximum Potential 
Obligation

1,243 
2,666 
3,599 
2,850 
2,300 
11,350 

RGA  has  issued  guarantees  to  third  parties  on  behalf  of  its  subsidiaries  for  the  payment  of  amounts  due  under  certain 
reinsurance  treaties,  securities  borrowing  and  repurchase  arrangements,  financing  arrangements  and  office  lease  obligations, 
whereby  if  a  subsidiary  fails  to  meet  an  obligation,  RGA  or  one  of  its  other  subsidiaries  will  make  a  payment  to  fulfill  the 
obligation.  In  limited  circumstances,  treaty  guarantees  are  granted  to  ceding  companies  in  order  to  provide  them  additional 
security,  particularly  in  cases  where  RGA’s  subsidiary  is  relatively  new,  unrated,  or  not  of  a  significant  size,  relative  to  the 
ceding  company.  Liabilities  supported  by  the  treaty  guarantees,  before  consideration  for  any  legally  offsetting  amounts  due 
from the guaranteed party are reflected on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets in a policy related liability.  Potential 
guaranteed amounts of future payments will vary depending on production levels and underwriting results. Guarantees related 
to  securities  borrowing  and  repurchase  arrangements  provide  additional  security  to  third  parties  should  a  subsidiary  fail  to 
provide securities when due.  RGA’s guarantees issued as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are reflected in the following table 
(dollars in millions):

Treaty guarantees
Treaty guarantees, net of assets in trust
Securities borrowing and repurchase arrangements
Financing arrangements

$ 

2020

2019

1,934  $ 
961 
133 
— 

1,821 
891 
275 
42 

142

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Note 13     DEBT

Long-Term Debt

The Company’s long-term debt consists of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in millions):

$400 million 5.00% Senior Notes due 2021

$400 million 4.70% Senior Notes due 2023

$400 million 3.95% Senior Notes due 2026

$600 million 3.90% Senior Notes due 2029

$600 million 3.15% Senior Notes due 2030

$100 million 4.09% Promissory Note due 2039

$400 million 6.20% Subordinated Debentures due 2042

$400 million 5.75% Subordinated Debentures due 2056

$400 million Variable Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2065

Sub-total

Unamortized issuance costs

Long-term Debt

2020

2019

$ 

400  $ 

399 

400 

599 

597 

83 

400 

400 

319 

3,597 

(24) 

3,573  $ 

$ 

400 

399 

400 

599 

— 

86 

400 

400 

319 

3,003 

(22) 

2,981 

RGA  has  entered  into  an  interest  rate  swap  on  its  Variable  Rate  Junior  Subordinated  Debentures  that  effectively  fixes  the 
interest rate on these securities at 4.82% until December 2037.

On June 9, 2020, RGA issued 3.15% Senior Notes due June 15, 2030, with a face amount of $600 million. This security has 
been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The net proceeds were approximately $593 million and will be 
used in part to repay the Company’s $400 million 5.00% Senior Notes due in 2021, and the remainder will be used for general 
corporate purposes. Capitalized issue costs were approximately $5 million.

On May 15, 2019, RGA issued 3.9% Senior Notes due May 15, 2029 with a face amount of $600 million. This security has 
been  registered  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission.  The  net  proceeds  were  approximately  $594  million  and  was 
used  in  part  to  repay  upon  maturity  the  Company’s  $400  million  6.45%  Senior  Notes  that  matured  in  November  2019.  The 
remainder will be used for general corporate purposes. Capitalized issue costs were approximately $5 million.

Certain of the Company’s debt agreements contain financial covenant restrictions related to, among others, liens, the issuance 
and disposition of stock of restricted subsidiaries, minimum requirements of consolidated net worth, maximum ratios of debt to 
capitalization and change of control provisions. A material ongoing covenant default could require immediate payment of the 
amount  due,  including  principal,  under  the  various  agreements.  Additionally,  the  Company’s  debt  agreements  contain  cross-
default covenants, which would make outstanding borrowings immediately payable in the event of a material uncured covenant 
default  under  any  of  the  agreements,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  non-payment  of  indebtedness  when  due  for  an  amount  in 
excess of the amounts set forth in those agreements, bankruptcy proceedings, or any other event that results in the acceleration 
of  the  maturity  of  indebtedness.  As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  Company  had  $3,597  million  and  $3,003  million, 
respectively,  in  outstanding  borrowings  under  its  debt  agreements  and  was  in  compliance  with  all  covenants  under  those 
agreements.  As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the average interest rate on long-term debt outstanding was 4.54% and 4.82%, 
respectively.

The ability of the Company to make debt principal and interest payments depends on the earnings and surplus of subsidiaries, 
investment  earnings  on  undeployed  capital  proceeds,  and  the  Company’s  ability  to  raise  additional  funds.    Future  principal 
payments due on long-term debt, excluding discounts, as of December 31, 2020, were as follows (dollars in millions):

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Thereafter

Calendar Year

Long-term debt

$ 

403  $ 

3  $ 

403  $ 

3  $ 

4  $ 

2,787 

Credit and Committed Facilities

The Company has obtained bank letters of credit in favor of various affiliated and unaffiliated insurance companies from which 
the Company assumes business. These letters of credit represent guarantees of performance under the reinsurance agreements 
and  allow  ceding  companies  to  take  statutory  reserve  credits.  Certain  of  these  letters  of  credit  contain  financial  covenant 
restrictions. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were approximately $23 million and $62 million, respectively, of undrawn 
outstanding bank letters of credit in favor of third parties. Additionally, the Company utilizes letters of credit primarily to secure 
reserve  credits  when  it  retrocedes  business  to  its  affiliated  subsidiaries.  The  Company  cedes  business  to  its  affiliates  to  help 
reduce  the  amount  of  regulatory  capital  required  in  certain  jurisdictions  such  as  the  U.S.  and  the  United  Kingdom.  As  of 
December 31, 2020 and 2019, $1,508 million and $1,224 million, respectively, in undrawn letters of credit from various banks 

143

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
were outstanding, primarily backing reinsurance between the various subsidiaries of the Company. The banks providing letters 
of credit to the Company are included on the NAIC list of approved banks.

The Company maintains eight committed credit facilities, a syndicated revolving credit facility and seven letter of credit 
facilities. The committed credit facilities have a combined capacity of $1,132 million while the syndicated revolving credit 
facility is for $850 million and the remaining credit facilities have a capacity of $932 million. The Company may borrow cash 
and obtain letters of credit in multiple currencies under its syndicated revolving credit facility. The following table provides 
additional information on the Company’s existing committed credit facilities as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in 
millions):

Amount Utilized(1)
December 31,

$ 

Current Capacity

Maturity Date

2020

2019

Basis of Fees

75 
100 

150 
107 

500 
100 (2)
100 

850 

June 2021

$ 

51  $ 

August 2021

September 2021

March 2022

May 2022

December 2022

May 2023

August 2023

100 

150 

107 

210 

100 

75 

21 

15  Fixed

—  Fixed

—  Fixed

99  Fixed

375  Debt rating and utilization %

105  Fixed

61  Fixed

20  Senior unsecured long-term debt rating

(1) Represents issued but undrawn letters of credit. There was no cash borrowed for the periods presented.

(2) Foreign currency denominated facility, amounts presented are in U.S. dollars.

Fees associated with the Company’s other letters of credit are not fixed for periods in excess of one year and are based on the 
Company’s ratings and the general availability of these instruments in the marketplace.  Total fees expensed associated with the 
Company’s letters of credit were $10 million, $8 million and $10 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 
2018, respectively, and are included in policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses.

Note 14     COLLATERAL FINANCE AND SECURITIZATION NOTES

Collateral Finance Notes

In 2006, RGA’s subsidiary, Timberlake Financial L.L.C. (“Timberlake Financial”), issued $850 million of Series A Floating 
Rate  Insured  Notes,  due  June  2036,  in  a  private  placement.  The  notes  were  issued  to  fund  the  collateral  requirements  for 
statutory  reserves  required  by  Regulation  XXX  on  specified  term  life  insurance  policies  reinsured  by  RGA  Reinsurance  and 
retroceded to Timberlake Re. Proceeds from the notes, along with a $113 million direct investment by RGA, were deposited 
into a series of accounts that collateralize the notes and are not available to satisfy the general obligations of the Company. As 
of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively,  the  Company  held  assets  in  trust  and  in  custody  of  $572  million  and  $694 
million, of which $40 million and $58 million were held in a Debt Service Coverage account to cover interest payments on the 
notes. Interest on the notes accrues at an annual rate of 1-month LIBOR plus a base rate margin, payable monthly, and totaled 
$3 million, $9 million and $9 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

In 2015, RGA’s subsidiary, RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd. (“RGA Barbados”) obtained CAD$200.0 million of 
collateral financing from a third party that matured in May 2020, enabling RGA Barbados to support collateral requirements for 
Canadian  reinsurance  transactions.    The  obligation  is  reflected  on  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  in  collateral  finance  and 
securitization notes. Interest on the collateral financing is payable quarterly and accrues at 3-month Canadian Dealer Offered 
Rate plus a margin and totaled $2 million, $5 million and $5 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

In 2015, RGA’s subsidiary, RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Americas”), entered into a collateral financing 
transaction  pursuant  to  which  it  issued  a  CAD$150  million  note  and,  in  return,  obtained  a  CAD$150  million  demand  note 
issued by a designated series of a Delaware master trusts.  The demand note matured in October 2020 and was used to support 
collateral requirements for Canadian reinsurance transactions.  

Securitization Notes

In  2014,  RGA’s  subsidiary,  Chesterfield  Financial  Holdings  LLC,  (“Chesterfield  Financial”),  issued  $300  million  of  asset-
backed notes due December 2024 in a private placement.  The notes were issued as part of an embedded value securitization 
transaction covering a closed block of policies assumed by RGA Reinsurance and retroceded to Chesterfield Re.  Proceeds from 
the notes, along with a direct investment by the Company, were applied by Chesterfield Financial to (i) pay certain transaction-
related expenses, (ii) establish a reserve account owned by Chesterfield Financial and pledged to the indenture trustee for the 
benefit of the holders of the notes (primarily to cover interest payments on the notes), and (iii) to fund an initial stock purchase 

144

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
from  and  capital  contribution  to  Chesterfield  Re  to  capitalize  Chesterfield  Re  and  to  finance  the  payment  of  a  ceding 
commission by Chesterfield Re to RGA Reinsurance under the retrocession agreement.  As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, 
the Company held deposits in trust of $10 million and $15 million, respectively, to cover interest payments on the notes, which 
are not available to satisfy the general obligations of the Company.  Interest on the notes accrues at an annual rate of 4.50%, 
payable quarterly, and totaled $7 million, $8 million and $10 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The notes represent 
senior, secured indebtedness of Chesterfield Financial.  Limited support is provided by RGA for temporary potential liquidity 
events at Chesterfield Financial and for temporary potential statutory capital and surplus events at Chesterfield Re.  Otherwise, 
there  is  no  legal  recourse  to  RGA  or  its  other  subsidiaries.    The  notes  are  not  insured  or  guaranteed  by  any  other  person  or 
entity.

The Company’s collateral finance and securitization notes consist of the following as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars 
in millions):

Timberlake Financial

RGA Barbados

Chesterfield Financial

Unamortized issuance costs

Total

2020

2019

247  $ 

— 

143 

(2) 

388  $ 

313 

127 

161 

(3) 

598 

$ 

$ 

Note 15     SEGMENT INFORMATION

The  Company  has  geographic-based  and  business-based  operational  segments.  Geographic-based  operations  are  further 
segmented into traditional and financial solutions businesses. 

The U.S. and Latin America Traditional segment provides individual and group life and health reinsurance to domestic clients 
for a variety of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. The U.S. and Latin 
America  Financial  Solutions  segment  includes  asset-intensive  products  that  concentrate  on  the  investment  risk  within 
underlying annuities and corporate-owned life insurance policies, financial reinsurance, and capital solutions that assists ceding 
companies  in  meeting  applicable  regulatory  requirements  while  enhancing  their  financial  strength  and  regulatory  surplus 
position.

The Canada Traditional segment is primarily engaged in individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group life 
and health, critical illness and disability reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. The Canada 
Financial Solutions segment concentrates on assisting clients with longevity risk transfer structures within underlying annuities 
and pension benefit obligations, and provides capital solutions to assist clients in meeting applicable regulatory requirements 
while enhancing their financial strength and regulatory surplus position through financial reinsurance and other capital solutions 
structures.

The Europe, Middle East and Africa Traditional segment provides individual and group life and health products through yearly 
renewable term and coinsurance agreements, reinsurance of critical illness coverage that provides a benefit in the event of the 
diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness and underwritten annuities. The Europe, Middle East and Africa Financial Solutions 
segment  provides  longevity,  asset-intensive  and  financial  reinsurance.  Longevity  reinsurance  takes  the  form  of  closed  block 
annuity reinsurance and longevity swap structures. 

The  Asia  Pacific  Traditional  segment  provides  individual  and  group  life  and  health  reinsurance,  critical  illness  coverage, 
disability and superannuation through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. The Asia Pacific Financial Solutions 
segment provides financial reinsurance, asset-intensive and certain disability and life blocks.

Corporate and Other revenues primarily include investment income from unallocated invested assets, investment related gains 
and  losses  and  service  fees.  Corporate  and  Other  expenses  consist  of  the  offset  to  capital  charges  allocated  to  the  operating 
segments within the policy acquisition costs and other insurance income line item, unallocated overhead and executive costs, 
interest expense related to debt, and the investment income and expense associated with the Company’s collateral finance and 
securitization  transactions  and  service  business  expenses.  Additionally,  Corporate  and  Other  includes  results  from  certain 
wholly-owned subsidiaries, such as RGAx, and joint ventures that, among other activities, develop and market technology, and 
provide  consulting  and  outsourcing  solutions  for  the  insurance  and  reinsurance  industries.    The  Company  has  increased  its 
investment and expenditures in this area in an effort to both support its clients and accelerate the development of new solutions 
and services to increase consumer engagement within the life industry.

The  accounting  policies  of  the  segments  are  the  same  as  those  described  in  Note  2  –  “Significant  Accounting  Policies  and 
Pronouncements.”  The  Company  measures  segment  performance  primarily  based  on  profit  or  loss  from  operations  before 

145

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
income  taxes.  There  are  no  intersegment  reinsurance  transactions  and  the  Company  does  not  have  any  material  long-lived 
assets.

The Company allocates capital to its segments based on an internally developed economic capital model, the purpose of which 
is  to  measure  the  risk  in  the  business  and  to  provide  a  basis  upon  which  capital  is  deployed.  The  economic  capital  model 
considers the unique and specific nature of the risks inherent in the Company’s businesses. As a result of the economic capital 
allocation  process,  a  portion  of  investment  income  is  attributed  to  the  segments  based  on  the  level  of  allocated  capital.  In 
addition,  the  segments  are  charged  for  excess  capital  utilized  above  the  allocated  economic  capital  basis.  This  charge  is 
included in policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses.

Information related to revenues, income (loss) before income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and assets 
of the Company’s operations are summarized below (dollars in millions):

For the years ended December 31,
Revenues:

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Canada:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Corporate and Other

Total

For the years ended December 31,
Income (loss) before income taxes:

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Corporate and Other

Total

For the years ended December 31,
Interest expense:

Corporate and Other

Total

2020

2019

2018

$ 

6,560  $ 

6,500  $ 

1,220 

7,780 

1,260 
92 

1,352 

1,633 

471 

2,104 

2,806 

309 

3,115 

245 

1,279 

7,779 

1,286 
99 

1,385 

1,520 

450 

1,970 

2,681 

228 

2,909 

257 

14,596  $ 

14,300  $ 

2020

2019

2018

(298)  $ 

295 

(3) 

134 

21 
155 

27 

258 

285 

174 

59 

233 

265  $ 

398 

663 

168 

15 
183 

80 

223 

303 

105 

23 

128 

(117) 
553  $ 

(145) 
1,132  $ 

2020

2019

2018

170  $ 

170  $ 

173  $ 

173  $ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

146

6,296 

907 

7,203 

1,224 
49 

1,273 

1,495 

350 

1,845 

2,417 

54 

2,471 

84 

12,876 

286 

251 

537 

112 

10 
122 

55 

197 

252 

178 

(6) 

172 

(237) 
846 

147 

147 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
Depreciation and amortization:

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Corporate and Other

Total

2020

2019

2018

$ 

291  $ 

90 

381 

291  $ 

143 

434 

24 

— 

24 

46 

1 

47 

94 

20 

114 

23 

20 

— 

20 

56 

1 

57 

60 

16 

76 

22 

$ 

589  $ 

609  $ 

The table above includes amortization of DAC, including the effect from investment related gains and losses. 

For the years ended December 31,
Assets:

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Total

Corporate and Other

Total

2020

2019

$ 

20,071  $ 

25,433 

45,504 

4,682 

13 

4,695 

4,763 

7,292 

12,055 

8,197 

4,299 

12,496 

$ 

9,906 
84,656  $ 

273 

95 

368 

22 

— 

22 

45 

— 

45 

115 

2 

117 

22 

574 

19,353 

25,117 

44,470 

4,361 

64 

4,425 

4,032 

6,502 

10,534 

6,800 

2,557 

9,357 

7,945 
76,731 

Companies in which the Company has significant influence over the operating and financing decisions but are not required to 
be consolidated, are reported on the equity basis of accounting. The equity in the net income of such investments is not material 
to the results of operations or financial position of individual segments or the Company taken as a whole. Capital expenditures 
of each reporting segment were immaterial in the periods noted.

No individual client generated 10% or more of the Company’s total gross premiums and other revenues on a consolidated basis 
in  2020,  2019  and  2018.  For  the  purpose  of  this  disclosure,  companies  that  are  within  the  same  insurance  holding  company 
structure are combined. 

147

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 16   POLICY CLAIMS AND BENEFITS

Liabilities for Unpaid Claims and Claim Expense

The  Company  uses  several  actuarial  methods  to  compute  incurred-but-not  reported  liabilities.  These  methods  use  historical 
claim reporting patterns to develop a triangle of reported claim amounts. The claim triangle is then used to develop the ultimate 
claims  amount  and  the  incurred-but-not  reported  liabilities.  Expected  claim  methods  use  exposure  data  such  as  premiums  to 
develop  the  ultimate  claim  amount.  The  final  method  blends  the  estimates  from  the  development  and  the  expected  claim 
methods.  There were no significant changes in methodologies during 2020. 

The  following  tables  provide  information  on  incurred  and  paid  claims  development,  net  of  retrocession,  for  short-duration 
reinsurance contracts for the Company’s U.S. and Latin America and Asia Pacific Traditional segments, which primarily relate 
to  group  life  and  health  (including  disability)  business.  The  short-duration  business  for  the  Company’s  other  segments  is 
immaterial.  Liabilities  for  claims  and  claims  adjustment  expenses,  net  of  reinsurance  equals  total  incurred  claims  less 
cumulative paid claims plus outstanding liabilities prior to 2012. 

The Company provides reinsurance on large quota share transactions. It is common industry practice for cedants to provide loss 
information on a bulk basis without comprehensive claim details.  Additionally, a claim under aggregate stop loss coverage may 
be  the  result  of  thousands  of  claims,  but  the  Company  only  pays  the  excess  amount.  Therefore,  it  is  impractical  to  provide 
meaningful claim count detail by accident year in the tables shown below.

U.S. and Latin America
(dollars in millions)

As of
December 31, 2020

Total of Incurred-but-Not-
Reported Liabilities Plus 
Expected Development on 
Reported Claims

Accident 
Year

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Accident 
Year

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustments, Net of Reinsurance (1)

For the Years Ended December 31,

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

3 

8 

30 

197 

$ 

323  $ 

309  $ 

297  $ 

298  $ 

299  $ 

298  $ 

297  $ 

297  $ 

296  $ 

349 

333 

408 

339 

411 

460 

337 

396 

461 

501 

336 

397 

465 

500 

485 

336 

396 

462 

501 

514 

538 

337 

399 

462 

497 

509 

538 

491 

335 

399 

463 

497 

504 

524 

473 

469 

 Total

$ 

3,960 

Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expense, Net of Reinsurance (1)

For the Years Ended December 31,

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

$ 

109  $ 

222  $ 

244  $ 

252  $ 

258  $ 

264  $ 

268  $ 

272  $ 

114 

249 

129 

277 

305 

146 

286 

337 

361 

185 

292 

349 

407 

393 

190 

297 

356 

422 

437 

403 

183 

302 

364 

431 

451 

448 

415 

180 

275 

305 

368 

437 

460 

462 

465 

372 

159 

All outstanding claims prior to 2012, net of reinsurance  

Liabilities for claims and claim adjustment expense, net of reinsurance

$ 

131 

788 

Total $ 

3,303 

(1)

2012-2019 Unaudited.

148

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asia Pacific

(dollars in millions)

As of

December 31, 2020

Total of Incurred-but-Not-
Reported Liabilities Plus 
Expected Development on 
Reported Claims

Accident 
Year

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Accident 
Year
2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustments, Net of Reinsurance (1)

For the Years Ended December 31,

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

$ 

227  $ 

305  $ 

309  $ 

313  $ 

321  $ 

332  $ 

338  $ 

343  $ 

345  $ 

320 

342 

302 

332 

328 

304 

329 

290 

281 

248 

343 

296 

273 

225 

232 

358 

310 

292 

232 

234 

277 

361 

312 

291 

240 

234 

295 

277 

359 

313 

292 

240 

237 

290 

286 

163 

Total $ 

2,525 

Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expense, Net of Reinsurance (1)

5 

7 

9 

14 

15 

21 

50 

82 

84 

2012

2013

2014

For the Years Ended December 31,
2016

2015

2017

2018

2019

2020

$ 

54  $ 

148  $ 

202  $ 

243  $ 

266  $ 

284  $ 

300  $ 

310  $ 

54 

157 

38 

229 

148 

53 

258 

194 

129 

42 

285 

225 

183 

107 

39 

309 

250 

221 

145 

95 

35 

322 

265 

242 

167 

126 

116 

42 

318 

332 

276 

255 

182 

149 

160 

111 

26 

All outstanding claims prior to 2012, net of reinsurance  

Liabilities for claims and claim adjustment expense, net of reinsurance

$ 

90 

806 

Total $ 

1,809 

(1)

2012-2019 Unaudited.

The following is unaudited supplementary information about average historical claims duration as of December 31, 2020:

Average Annual Payout of Incurred Claims by Age, Net of Reinsurance

Years

U.S. and Latin America

Asia Pacific

1

 35.2 %

 15.2 %

2

 42.2 %

 27.6 %

3

 8.8 %

 16.1 %

4

 2.9 %

 10.3 %

5

 1.9 %

 7.2 %

6

 1.6 %

 5.3 %

7

 1.3 %

 4.0 %

8

 1.2 %

 2.8 %

9

 1.2 %

 2.4 %

149

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reconciliation  of  the  Disclosure  of  Incurred  and  Paid  Claims  Development  to  the  Liability  for  Unpaid  Claims  and  Claims 
Adjustment Expenses

The  reconciliation  of  the  net  incurred  and  paid  claims  development  tables  to  the  liability  for  claims  and  claim  adjustment 
expense in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2020, is as follows (dollars in millions):

Liabilities for claims and claim adjustment expense, net of reinsurance:

U.S. and Latin America

Asia Pacific

Liabilities for claims and claim adjustment expense, net of reinsurance

Adjustments to reconcile to total policy claims and future policy benefits:

Reinsurance recoverable

Effect of discounting

Unallocated claims adjustment expense

Total adjustments

Other short-duration contracts:

Canada

Europe, Middle East and Africa 

Other 

2020

$ 

Liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expense – short-duration
Liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expense – long-duration

Total liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expense (included in future policy benefits and other policy-related 
balances)

$ 

788 

806 

1,594 

12 

(120) 

7 

(101) 

90 

587 

277 

2,447 
5,109 

7,556 

Rollforward of Claims and Claim Adjustment Expenses

The  liability  for  unpaid  claims  is  reported  in  future  policy  benefits  and  other  policy-related  balances  within  the  Company’s 
consolidated balance sheets.  Activity associated with unpaid claims is summarized below (dollars in millions):

Balance at beginning of year

Less: reinsurance recoverable

Net balance at beginning of year

Incurred:

Current year

Prior years

Total incurred

Payments:

Current year

Prior years

Total payments

Other changes:

Interest accretion
Foreign exchange adjustments

Total other changes

Net balance at end of year

Plus: reinsurance recoverable

Balance at end of year

2020

2019

2018

$ 

6,786  $ 

(564) 

6,222 

6,585  $ 

(433) 

6,152 

11,195 

123 

11,318 

(5,617) 

(5,204) 

(10,821) 

36 
160 

196 

6,915 

641 

10,307 

154 

10,461 

(5,140) 

(5,305) 

(10,445) 

33 
21 

54 

6,222 

564 

$ 

7,556  $ 

6,786  $ 

5,896 

(456) 

5,440 

10,049 

131 

10,180 

(4,602) 

(4,692) 

(9,294) 

25 
(199) 

(174) 

6,152 

433 

6,585 

Incurred claims associated with prior periods are primarily due to events, related to long-duration business, which were incurred 
in  prior  periods  but  were  reported  in  the  current  period,  and  to  a  lesser  extent,  the  development  of  short-duration  business 
claims  for  prior  years  being  different  than  were  anticipated  when  the  liabilities  for  unpaid  claims  were  originally  estimated. 
These trends have been considered in establishing the current year liability for unpaid claims.

150

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 17   EQUITY

On June 5, 2020, the Company completed a public offering of 6,172,840 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, at 
a public offering price of $81.00 per share. The Company received net proceeds of approximately $481 million. The Company
granted the underwriters an option to purchase from the Company, within 30 days after the Underwriting Agreement dated June
2, 2020, up to an additional 925,926 shares of common stock at the offering price of $81.00 per share. The underwriters’ option
was not exercised and expired on July 2, 2020. The Company anticipates using the net proceeds of the offering for general 
corporate purposes.

Common Stock

The  changes  in  number  of  common  stock  shares,  issued,  held  in  treasury  and  outstanding  are  as  follows  for  the  periods 
indicated:

Balance, December 31, 2017

Common Stock acquired
Stock-based compensation (1)

Balance, December 31, 2018
Common Stock acquired
Stock-based compensation (1)

Balance, December 31, 2019

Equity offering

Common Stock acquired
Stock-based compensation (1)

Balance, December 31, 2020

Issued

Held In Treasury

Outstanding

79,137,758 

— 

— 

79,137,758 

— 

— 

79,137,758 

6,172,840 

— 

— 

85,310,598 

14,685,663 

1,932,055 

(294,328) 

16,323,390 

546,614 

(388,348) 

16,481,656 

— 

1,074,413 

(202,372) 

17,353,697 

64,452,095 

(1,932,055) 

294,328 

62,814,368 

(546,614) 

388,348 

62,656,102 

6,172,840 

(1,074,413) 

202,372 

67,956,901 

(1) Represents net shares issued from treasury pursuant to the Company’s stock-based compensation programs.

Common Stock Held in Treasury

Common stock held in treasury is accounted for at average cost.  Gains resulting from the reissuance of “Common stock held in 
treasury” are credited to “Additional paid-in capital.”  Losses resulting from the reissuance of “Common stock held in treasury” 
are  charged  first  to  “Additional  paid-in  capital”  to  the  extent  the  Company  has  previously  recorded  gains  on  treasury  share 
transactions, then to “Retained earnings.”

On  January  24,  2019,  RGA’s  board  of  directors  authorized  a  share  repurchase  program  for  up  to  $400  million  of  RGA’s 
outstanding common stock.  The authorization was effective immediately and does not have an expiration date. In connection 
with this authorization, the board of directors terminated the stock repurchase authority granted in 2017.  On May 6, 2020, the 
Company  announced  that  it  has  suspended  stock  repurchases  until  further  notice.  The  resumption  and  pace  of  repurchase 
activity  depends  on  various  factors  such  as  the  level  of  available  cash,  the  impact  of  the  ongoing  COVID-19  pandemic,  an 
evaluation  of  the  costs  and  benefits  associated  with  alternative  uses  of  excess  capital,  such  as  acquisitions  and  in  force 
reinsurance transactions, and RGA’s stock price.

The  following  table  summarizes  the  Company’s  current  share  repurchase  program  activity  for  the  year  ended  2020  (dollar 
amounts in millions, except for the number of shares and per share amounts):

Year of Repurchase

2020

2019

Shares Repurchased

Amount Paid

Average Per Share

1,074,413  $ 

546,614  $ 

153  $ 

80  $ 

142.05 

146.00 

151

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The  following  table  presents  the  components  of  the  Company’s  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 (dollars in millions):

For the year ended December 31, 2020:

Foreign currency translation adjustments:

Change arising during year
Foreign currency swap

Net foreign currency translation adjustments

Unrealized gains on investments:(1)

Unrealized net holding gains arising during the year
Less: Reclassification adjustment for net gains realized in net income
Net unrealized gains

Change in impairments on fixed maturity securities
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits:
Net prior service cost arising during the year
Net gain (loss) arising during the period

Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net

Other comprehensive income (loss)

For the year ended December 31, 2019:

Foreign currency translation adjustments:

Change arising during year

Foreign currency swap

Net foreign currency translation adjustments

Unrealized gains on investments:(1)

Unrealized net holding gains arising during the year

Less: Reclassification adjustment for net gains realized in net income

Net unrealized gains

Change in impairments on fixed maturity securities

Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits:

Net prior service cost arising during the year

Net gain arising during the period

Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net

Other comprehensive income (loss)

For the year ended December 31, 2018:

Foreign currency translation adjustments:

Change arising during year
Foreign currency swap

Net foreign currency translation adjustments

Unrealized gains on investments:(1)

Unrealized net holding gains arising during the year

Less: Reclassification adjustment for net gains realized in net income

Net unrealized gains

Change in impairments on fixed maturity securities

Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits:

Net prior service cost arising during the year

Net gain arising during the period

Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Before-Tax Amount

Tax (Expense) Benefit

After-Tax Amount

43  $ 
(29) 
14 

2,812 
(8) 
2,820 
(8) 

(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
2,823  $ 

3  $ 
6 
9 

(614) 
(1) 
(613) 
2 

— 
1 
1 
(601)  $ 

46 
(23) 
23 

2,198 
(9) 
2,207 
(6) 

(1) 
(1) 
(2) 
2,222 

Before-Tax Amount

Tax (Expense) Benefit

After-Tax Amount

113  $ 

(33) 

80 

3,208 

84 

3,124 

— 

(1) 

(23) 

(24) 

(10)  $ 

7 

(3) 

(698) 

(17) 

(681) 

— 

— 

5 

5 

3,180  $ 

(679)  $ 

103 

(26) 

77 

2,510 

67 

2,443 

— 

(1) 

(18) 

(19) 

2,501 

Before-Tax Amount

Tax (Expense) Benefit

After-Tax Amount

(148)  $ 
87 

(61) 

(1,834) 

(122) 

(1,712) 

— 

(1) 

1 

— 

(1)  $ 
(18) 

(19) 

394 

26 

368 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(149) 
69 

(80) 

(1,440) 

(96) 

(1,344) 

— 

(1) 

1 

— 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

$ 

(1,773)  $ 

349  $ 

(1,424) 

(1)

Includes cash flow hedges. See Note 5 for additional information on cash flow hedges.

152

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A  summary  of  the  components  of  net  unrealized  appreciation  (depreciation)  of  balances  carried  at  fair  value  is  as  follows 
(dollars in millions):

For the years ended December 31,
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:

Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale
Other investments(1)

Effect on unrealized appreciation on:
Deferred policy acquisition costs

Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)

2020

2019

2018

$ 

$ 

2,837  $ 
29 

(54) 
2,812  $ 

3,258  $ 
(37) 

(98) 
3,123  $ 

(1,759) 
20 

27 
(1,712) 

(1)

Includes cash flow hedges. See Note 5 for additional information on cash flow hedges.

The balance of and changes in each component of AOCI were as follows (dollars in millions):

Balance, December 31, 2017

OCI before reclassifications

Amounts reclassified from AOCI

Deferred income tax benefit (expense)
Adoption of new accounting standard

Balance, December 31, 2018

OCI before reclassifications

Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)

Balance, December 31, 2019

OCI before reclassifications

Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)

Balance, December 31, 2020

Accumulated
Currency
Translation
Adjustments

Unrealized 
Appreciation 
(Depreciation) 
of Investments (1)

Pension and
Postretirement
Benefits

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)

(86) 

(60) 

— 

(19) 
(4) 

(169) 

80 

— 

(3) 

(92) 

14 

— 

9 

2,201 

(1,861) 

148 

368 
— 

856 

3,306 

(182) 

(681) 

3,299 

2,854 

(42) 

(611) 

(51) 

(5) 

5 

— 
— 

(51) 

(28) 

4 

5 

(70) 

(9) 

6 

1 

$ 

(69)  $ 

5,500  $ 

(72)  $ 

2,064 

(1,926) 

153 

349 
(4) 

636 

3,358 

(178) 

(679) 

3,137 

2,859 

(36) 

(601) 

5,359 

(1)

Includes cash flow hedges of $(49), $(26) and $9 as of December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. See Note 5 for additional information on cash 
flow hedges.

The following table presents the amounts of AOCI reclassifications for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 (dollars in 
millions):

Details about AOCI Components
Net unrealized investment gains (losses):
Net unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities
Cash flow hedges – Interest rate
Cash flow hedges – Currency/Interest rate
Cash flow hedges – Forward bond purchase commitments

Deferred policy acquisition costs attributed to unrealized gains and 
losses

Total

Provision for income taxes

Net unrealized gains (losses), net of tax

Amortization of defined benefit plan items:
Prior service cost (credit)
Actuarial gains/(losses)

Total

Provision for income taxes

Amortization of defined benefit plans, net of tax

Total reclassifications for the period

(1) See Note 5 for information on cash flow hedges.

(2) See Note 8 for information on deferred policy acquisition costs.

(3) See Note 10 for information on employee benefit plans.

Amount Reclassified from AOCI

2020

2019

Affected Line Item in 
Statement of Income

(8)  $ 
(4) 
— 
— 

54 
42 
(12) 
30  $ 

1  $ 
(7) 
(6) 
1 
(5)  $ 

25  $ 

84 
1 
— 
— 

Investment related gains (losses), net
(1)
(1)
(1)

(2)

(3)
(3)

97 
182 
(38) 
144 

1 
(5) 
(4) 
1 
(3) 

141 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

153

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Equity Based Compensation

The Company adopted the RGA Flexible Stock Plan (the “Plan”) in February 1993, as amended, and the Flexible Stock Plan for 
Directors (the “Directors Plan”) in January 1997, as amended, (collectively, the “Stock Plans”). The Stock Plans provide for the 
award  of  benefits  (collectively  “Benefits”)  of  various  types,  including  stock  options,  stock  appreciation  rights  (“SARs”), 
restricted  stock,  performance  shares,  cash  awards,  and  other  stock-based  awards,  to  key  employees,  officers,  directors  and 
others  performing  significant  services  for  the  benefit  of  the  Company  or  its  subsidiaries.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  shares 
authorized for the granting of Benefits under the Plan and the Directors Plan totaled 14,960,077 and 412,500 respectively. The 
Company uses treasury shares or shares made available from authorized but unissued shares to support the future exercise of 
options or settlement of awards granted under its stock plans.

Equity-based compensation expense of $(12) million, $39 million, and $30 million related to grants or awards under the Stock 
Plans was recognized in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The decrease in equity compensation expense for the year ended 
December  31,  2020,  is  attributable  to  the  reduction  in  the  estimated  financial  performance  measures  results  associated  with 
performance-based  stock  awards,  primarily  due  to  the  adverse  impact  of  COVID-19  on  the  Company’s  financial  results.  
Equity-based  compensation  expense  is  principally  related  to  the  issuance  of  performance  contingent  restricted  units,  stock 
appreciation rights and restricted stock.

In general, stock awards granted under the Plan become exercisable over vesting periods ranging from one to five years. SARs 
are generally granted with a conversion price equal to the stock’s fair value at the date of grant and expire 10 years after the 
date of grant. There are no options outstanding under the Directors Plan during the periods presented. Information with respect 
to grants under the Stock Plans are as follows.

Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

The following table presents a summary of stock option and SAR activity:

Outstanding at December 31, 2019

Granted

Exercised

Forfeited

Outstanding at December 31, 2020

Awards exercisable

Number of Options 
and SARs

Weighted-Average 
Exercise/Conversion 
Price

Aggregate Intrinsic 
Value (in millions)

2,031,797  $ 

455,455  $ 

(312,345)  $ 

(6,512)  $ 

2,168,395  $ 

1,695,704  $ 

92.63 

117.96 

61.70 

126.50 

102.30  $ 

95.68  $ 

43.5 

43.5 

The intrinsic value of awards exercised was $15 million, $31 million, and $26 million for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

Range of Exercise Prices
$50.00 - $89.99
$90.00 - $99.99

$100.00 - $139.99

$140.00 +

Totals

Number 
Outstanding as
of 12/31/2020

Awards Outstanding
Weighted-Average
Remaining
Contractual Life (years)

Awards Exercisable

Weighted-
Average Exercise
Price

Number
Exercisable as of
12/31/2020

Weighted-Average
Exercise Price

503,239 

711,645 

608,599 

344,912 

2,168,395 

2.0

4.8

8.4

7.7

5.6

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

62.41 

92.55 

120.90 

147.80 

102.30 

503,239  $ 

711,645  $ 

269,284  $ 

211,536  $ 

1,695,704  $ 

62.41 

92.55 

124.74 

148.37 

95.68 

The following table presents the weighted average assumptions used to determine the fair value of SARs issued:

For the years ended December 31,

2020

2019

2018

Dividend yield

Risk-free rate of return

Expected volatility

Expected life (years)

 2.37 %

 0.69 %

 18.8 %

7.0

 1.65 %

 2.67 %

 18.2 %

6.0

Weighted average exercise price of stock options granted

Weighted average fair value of stock options granted

$ 

$ 

117.85 

15.14 

$ 

$ 

145.25 

26.59 

$ 

$ 

 1.33 %

 2.79 %

 21.4 %

7.0

150.87 

36.31 

The Black-Scholes model was used to determine the fair value recognized in the financial statements of SARs that have been 
granted.  The  Company  used  daily  historical  volatility  when  calculating  a  SAR’s  value.  The  benchmark  rate  is  based  on 
observed  interest  rates  for  instruments  with  maturities  similar  to  the  expected  term  of  the  stock  options.  Dividend  yield  is 

154

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
determined based on historical dividend distributions compared to the price of the underlying common stock as of the valuation 
date and held constant over the life of the stock options. The Company estimated expected life using the historical average years 
to exercise or cancellation. 

Performance Contingent Units

Performance contingent units (“PCUs”), are units that, if they vest, are multiplied by a performance factor to produce a number 
of final PCUs that are paid in the Company’s common stock.  Each PCU represents the right to receive up to two shares of 
Company common stock, depending on the results of certain performance measures over a three-year period. The compensation 
expense related to the PCUs is recognized ratably over the requisite performance period. Performance shares are accounted for 
as  equity  awards,  but  are  not  credited  with  dividend-equivalents  for  actual  dividends  paid  on  the  Company’s  common  stock 
during the performance period.

Restricted Stock Units

In general, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) become payable at the end of a three- or ten-year vesting period.  Each RSU, if they 
vest,  represents  the  right  to  receive  one  share  of  Company  common  stock.  RSUs  awarded  under  the  plan  generally  have  no 
strike price and are included in the Company’s shares outstanding.

The following table presents a summary of Performance Share and Restricted Stock Unit activity:

Outstanding at December 31, 2019

Granted

Change in units based on performance factor

Paid

Forfeited
Outstanding at December 31, 2020 (1)

Performance 
Contingent Units    

Restricted Stock 
Units

325,851 

175,047 

(67,847) 

(138,785) 

(3,137) 

291,129 

62,194 

37,135 

— 

(20,232) 

(2,707) 

76,390 

(1) Amount outstanding at December 31, 2020, includes the amount of shares to be issued under RSUs expected to vest and number of shares to be issued 
under PCUs at target performance. The PCU amount of shares do not reflect potential increases or decreases that may result from the performance factor, 
except for the 2018 – 2020 PCU grants, which vested as of December 31, 2020.

During 2020, the Company issued 175,047 PCUs to key employees at a weighted average fair value per unit of $117.85.  In 
May 2020 and May 2019, RGA’s board of directors approved a 132% and 135% share payout for each PCU granted in 2017 
and 2016, resulting in the issuance of 138,785 and 248,789 shares of common stock from treasury, respectively.

As of December 31, 2020, the total compensation cost of non-vested awards not yet recognized in the financial statements was 
$6.2 million. It is estimated that these costs will vest over a weighted average period of 1.2 years.

The majority of the awards granted each year under the board-approved incentive compensation package and Directors Plan are 
made in the first quarter of each year.

Note 18   QUARTERLY RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

Years Ended December 31,

(in millions, except per share data)
2020
Total Revenues

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Net Income

Earnings Per Share:

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

2019
Total Revenues

Total benefits and expenses

Income before income taxes

Net Income

Earnings Per Share:

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

March 31,

June 30, 

September 30,

December 31,

Three Months Ended

3,204  $ 

3,300 

(96) 

(88) 

(1.41)  $ 

(1.41) 

3,606  $ 

3,643  $ 

3,411 

195 

158 

3,358 

285 

213 

2.49  $ 

2.48 

3.13  $ 

3.12 

4,143 

3,974 

169 

132 

1.95 

1.94 

March 31,

June 30,

September 30, 

December 31,

3,420  $ 

3,467  $ 

3,628  $ 

3,203 

217 

170 

3,207 

260 

202 

3,281 

347 

263 

2.70  $ 

2.65 

3.23  $ 

3.18 

4.19  $ 

4.12 

3,785 

3,477 

308 

235 

3.75 

3.68 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

155

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated
Chesterfield, Missouri

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  Reinsurance  Group  of  America,  Incorporated  and 
subsidiaries  (the  "Company")  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  and  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  income, 
comprehensive income, stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, 
and the related notes, and the schedules listed in the Index at Item 15 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In 
our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company 
as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period 
ended December 31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on the criteria established in 
Internal  Control  -  Integrated  Framework  (2013)  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway 
Commission and our report dated February 26, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over 
financial reporting. 

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on 
the financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be 
independent  with  respect  to  the  Company  in  accordance  with  the  U.S.  federal  securities  laws  and  the  applicable  rules  and 
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to 
error  or  fraud.  Our  audits  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of  material  misstatement  of  the  financial 
statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that  respond  to  those  risks.  Such  procedures  included 
examining,  on  a  test  basis,  evidence  supporting  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements.  Our  audits  also 
included  evaluating  the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the 
overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current-period audit of the financial statements that 
were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that 
are  material  to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging,  subjective,  or  complex  judgments.  The 
communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and 
we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on 
the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.

Fair Value - Level 3 Fixed Maturity Securities - Refer to Note 6 to the financial statements 

Critical Audit Matter Description

The  Company  has  certain  fixed  maturity  securities  that  are  not  actively  traded  and  classified  as  Level  3  assets.  Since  such 
securities trade infrequently and have little or no price transparency, the Company’s market standard valuation techniques for 
determining the estimated fair value of such securities rely on inputs that are significant to the estimated fair value that are not 
observable in the market or cannot be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data. The determination of 
these  unobservable  inputs  involve  significant  management  judgment  and  estimation  and  typically  cannot  be  supported  by 
reference to market activity.

Auditing of unobservable inputs used by management to estimate the fair value of Level 3 securities required a high degree of 
auditor judgement and an increased extent of effort, including the involvement of our fair value specialists.

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our audit procedures related to the proprietary models and unobservable inputs used by management to estimate the fair value 
of Level 3 securities included the following, among others: 

156

• We tested the effectiveness of controls, including those surrounding the valuation of Level 3 securities.
• We obtained an understanding and evaluated the appropriateness of the Company’s pricing sources.
•

For  a  selection  of  securities,  we  compared  the  accuracy  of  the  Company’s  estimated  fair  value  price  to  a  price 
independently developed by our fair value specialists.

Actuarial Assumptions - Refer to Notes 1, 6, and 8 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

The estimated valuation of future policy benefits, embedded derivatives, and the amortization of deferred acquisition costs are 
measured based on actuarial methodologies and underlying economic and future policyholder behavior assumptions. 

Significant  judgment  was  involved  in  the  setting  of  the  future  policyholder  behavior  assumptions  used  to  determine  the 
estimated valuation of future policy benefits, embedded derivatives and the amortization of deferred acquisition costs. These 
assumptions include mortality, longevity, and withdrawal (lapse).  

Given the significant estimation uncertainty and complexity of the Company’s actuarial assumptions, auditing these estimates 
required  a  high  degree  of  auditor  judgment  and  an  increased  extent  of  effort,  including  the  involvement  of  our  actuarial 
specialists.

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our  audit  procedures  related  to  the  assumptions  used  by  management  to  estimate  the  valuation  of  future  policy  benefits  and 
embedded derivatives and the amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs included the following, among others: 

• We tested the effectiveness of controls, including those related to the performance of experience studies and the setting of 

best estimate assumptions. 

• We tested the accuracy and completeness of the underlying data that served as the basis for the estimated assumptions.
• With  the  assistance  of  our  actuarial  specialists,  we  assessed  the  reasonableness  of  assumptions  used  in  developing  the 
estimates  by  comparing  conclusions  reached  by  management  to  the  related  experience  study  results  and  industry 
experience, as applicable.

Premiums receivable and other reinsurance balances - Refer to Note 1 to the financial statements

Critical Audit Matter Description

Premiums are accrued when due and in accordance with information received from the ceding company.  When the Company 
enters into a new reinsurance agreement, the methodology to record estimated premiums receivables is based on the terms of 
the reinsurance treaty. Similarly, when a ceding company fails to report information on a timely basis, the methodology used by 
the Company to record estimated premiums receivables is based on the terms of the reinsurance treaty and historical experience. 
Other  management  estimates  include  adjustments  to  the  premiums  receivable  for  increased  in  force  in  existing  treaties  and 
lapsed  premiums  based  on  historical  experience.  Given  the  significant  judgment  used  in  determining  estimated  premium 
receivable, auditing the actual methodologies and estimates required a high degree of auditor judgment and an increased extent 
of effort.

How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit

Our audit procedures related to management’s estimation of premiums receivable included the following, among others:

• We tested the effectiveness of controls that address management’s estimation of accrued premiums receivable.
• We tested management’s historical accuracy of estimation by comparing a selection of premiums received during the 

•

year to previously-reported premiums receivable.
For  a  selection  of  management’s  premiums  receivable  estimates,  we  compared  our  independently-developed 
expectation to management’s estimate.

• We utilized statistical analysis to identify outliers in the population for further testing.  

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

St. Louis, Missouri
February 26, 2021 

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2000.

157

Item 9.        CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING 
                   AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

Item 9A.        CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

The  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  the  Chief  Financial  Officer  have  evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  the  design  and 
operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e) as of the end of the 
period covered by this report. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer concluded 
that these disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

There  was  no  change  in  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  defined  in  Exchange  Act  Rule 
13a-15(f) during the quarter ended December 31, 2020, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, 
the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.  As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of our workforce 
began  working  remotely  in  March  2020.  These  changes  to  the  working  environment  did  not  have  a  material  effect  on  our 
internal  controls  over  financial  reporting  during  the  most  recent  quarter.  The  Company  continues  to  monitor  and  assess  the 
COVID-19 situation on its internal controls to minimize the impact on their design and operating effectiveness.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial 
reporting. In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required to assess the expected benefits 
and related costs of control procedures. The objectives of internal control include providing management with reasonable, but 
not absolute, assurance that assets are safeguarded against loss from unauthorized use or disposition, and that transactions are 
executed  in  accordance  with  management’s  authorization  and  recorded  properly  to  permit  the  preparation  of  consolidated 
financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Financial management has documented and evaluated the effectiveness of the internal control of the Company as of 
December 31, 2020 pertaining to financial reporting in accordance with the criteria established in “Internal Control – Integrated 
Framework (2013)” by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

In  the  opinion  of  management,  the  Company  maintained  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of 

December 31, 2020.

Deloitte  &  Touche  LLP,  an  independent  registered  public  accounting  firm,  has  issued  an  attestation  report  on  the 

effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

158

 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated
Chesterfield, Missouri

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Reinsurance Group of Americas Incorporated and subsidiaries 
(the “Company”) as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) 
issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  (COSO).  In  our  opinion,  the  Company 
maintained,  in  all  material  respects,  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2020,  based  on 
criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by COSO.

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB),  the  consolidated  financial  statements  as  of  and  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  of  the  Company  and  our 
report  dated  February  26,  2021,  expressed  an  unqualified  opinion  on  those  consolidated  financial  statements  and  financial 
statement schedules.

Basis of Opinion

The  Company’s  management  is  responsible  for  maintaining  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and  for  its 
assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting,  included  in  the  accompanying  Management’s 
Annual  Report  on  Internal  Control  over  Financial  Reporting.  Our  responsibility  is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  Company’s 
internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are 
required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable 
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  was  maintained  in  all 
material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk 
that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the 
assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit 
provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the 
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally 
accepted  accounting  principles.  A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  includes  those  policies  and  procedures 
that  (1)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail,  accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the  transactions  and 
dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit 
preparation  of  financial  statements  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  and  that  receipts  and 
expenditures  of  the  company  are  being  made  only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the 
company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use,  or 
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because  of  its  inherent  limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Also, 
projections  of  any  evaluation  of  effectiveness  to  future  periods  are  subject  to  the  risk  that  controls  may  become  inadequate 
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

St. Louis, Missouri
February 26, 2021 

159

Item 9B.         OTHER INFORMATION

None.

Part III

Item 10.         DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Information with respect to Directors of the Company is found in the Proxy Statement under the captions “Board of 
Directors - Item 1 - Election of Directors,” “- Director Qualifications and Nomination,” “Stock Ownership - Delinquent Section 
16(a) Reports,” “Corporate Governance - Overview,” and “- Board Committees” and is incorporated herein by reference.

Executive Officers

The following is certain additional information concerning each individual who is an executive officer of the Company 

or its primary U.S.-based operating subsidiary, RGA Reinsurance Company.

Leslie Barbi, 54, is Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer of the Company. She is also a member of the 
Company’s  Executive  Committee.  Prior  to  joining  RGA  in  2020,  Ms.  Barbi  served  as  Executive  Officer  –  Senior  Vice 
President,  Head  of  Public  Investments  for  Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company.  Prior  to  that,  she  was  the  Senior 
Managing Director, Head of Public Fixed Income at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Earlier in her career, 
Ms.  Barbi  held  senior  positions  at  Goldman  Sachs  Asset  Management  and  at  Pacific  Investment  Management  Company 
(PIMCO).

Dennis  Barnes,  Jr.,  52,  is  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  RGAX,  the  Company’s  innovation  accelerator.  He  is  also  a 
member of the Company’s Executive Committee. Prior to joining RGA, he founded Marketing Direct, Inc. (“MDI”) in 1997. In 
2010, MDI was acquired by WPP, the world’s largest provider of marketing and communication services. At WPP, Mr. Barnes 
served as President of Wunderman St. Louis and Chief Client Officer of Wunderman Health.

Gay Burns, 54, is Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Company. She is also Chairperson 
of the RGA Foundation and a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. Prior to joining RGA in 2011, she served as 
Managing Director, Talent Development and Managing Director, Global HR Operations for Swiss Re. Prior to that, Ms. Burns 
was a human resources executive with Employer’s Reinsurance Corporation, a General Electric subsidiary.

Lawrence S. Carson, 49, is Executive Vice President, Global Financial Solutions (“GFS”) unit, which is responsible 
for all of RGA’s financial reinsurance, asset-intensive reinsurance and bulk longevity business worldwide. He is also a member 
of the Company’s Executive Committee. Most recently, Mr. Carson was Executive Vice President and Chief Actuary of GFS. 
Prior to joining RGA in 1999, he was with the actuarial firm of Milliman and Robertson (now Milliman Inc.), where he worked 
on demutualizations, mergers and acquisitions valuations, and market conduct class-action settlements. Previously, he was with 
Equitable Life Assurance Society. Mr. Carson is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

Tony Cheng, 47, is Executive Vice President, Head of Asia for RGA Reinsurance Company. He is also a member of 
RGA’s  Executive  Committee.  He  joined  RGA  in  1997  as  Chief  Actuary  of  Malaysian  Life  Reinsurance  Group  Berhad,  the 
Company’s  joint  venture  with  the  Life  Insurance  Association  of  Malaysia.  In  2004,  Mr.  Cheng  was  named  Chief  Executive 
Officer  of  the  Hong  Kong  office,  responsible  for  all  business  activity  in  Hong  Kong  and  Southeast  Asia,  and  in  2011,  was 
appointed Senior Vice President, Asia, an expanded role incorporating overall management of RGA Asia. 

Olav Cuiper, 63, is Executive Vice President and Head of EMEA. He is also a member of the Executive Committee. 
Prior  to  joining  RGA  in  2009,  he  was  Managing  (statutory)  Director  Europe  for  Fortis  Insurance  International.  Before  then, 
Mr.  Cuiper  was  Managing  (statutory)  Director  of  Group  Life/Institutional  Clients  for  Delta  Lloyd  Insurance  NV.  His  work 
experience  also  includes  business  development  positions  with  Sedgwick/Mercer  and  with  Goudse  Verzekeringen  in  the 
Netherlands. Mr. Cuiper also serves as a director and officer of several RGA subsidiaries.

Alka Gautam, 53, is Executive Vice President of the Company and President and Chief Executive Officer of RGA Life 
Reinsurance Company of Canada (“RGA Canada”). She is responsible for RGA’s Technology and Operational Effectiveness 
divisions and leads all business activities for RGA Canada. She is also a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to joining 
RGA Canada in 2000, Ms. Gautam was at KPMG for 10 years. She became RGA Canada’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief 
Risk Officer in 2006, was named its Chief Operating Officer in 2014, and in 2015 was named RGA Canada’s President and 
Chief Executive Officer.

John W. Hayden, 54, is Executive Vice President, Controller.  Mr. Hayden joined the Company in 2000 and held the 
position of Vice President, SEC Reporting and Investor Relations prior to his current role.  Before coming to RGA, Mr. Hayden 
served in a finance position at General American Life Insurance Company and prior to that position, he was a senior manager at 
KPMG LLP, in the financial services audit practice, specializing in the insurance industry.  Mr. Hayden also serves as a director 
and officer of several RGA subsidiaries.

160

Ron  Herrmann,  56,  is  Executive  Vice  President,  Head  of  U.S.  &  Latin  American  Markets  of  RGA  Reinsurance 
Company. He joined the Company in December 2020 and is a member of RGA’s Executive Committee. Prior to joining RGA, 
Mr. Herrmann served as Head of both Individual Life and Employee Benefits at Equitable. Prior to that he held senior positions 
at Prudential and The Hartford, as well as senior sales and sales management roles at Chubb Corporation, John Hancock Life 
Insurance  Company,  and  Metropolitan  Life.  Mr.  Herrmann  is  a  Certified  Financial  Planner  and  a  member  of  Leadership  for 
Advanced Life Underwriting. He sits on the American Council of Life Insurers' Life Insurance Committee as well as the Group 
Executive Insurance Council.

William L. Hutton, 61, is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.  He is responsible 
for legal services provided throughout the RGA enterprise.  Mr. Hutton joined the Company in 2001 and held several positions 
in the legal function before becoming General Counsel in 2011.  Prior to joining the Company, he served as counsel at General 
American  Life  Insurance  Company  and  was  in  private  practice  with  two  law  firms  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.    Mr.  Hutton  also 
serves as an officer of several RGA subsidiaries.

Todd C. Larson, 57, is Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of the Company. He is also a member 
of the Company’s Executive Committee.  Mr. Larson joined the Company in May 1995 as Controller and held several positions 
in the finance function, including the position of Executive Vice President, Corporate Finance and Treasurer, before becoming 
Global  Chief  Risk  Officer  in  July  2014.    Mr.  Larson  assumed  the  role  of  Chief  Financial  Officer  in  May  2016.    Mr.  Larson 
previously was Assistant Controller at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company from 1994 through 1995 and prior to that 
position was an accountant for KPMG LLP from 1985 through 1993.  Mr. Larson also serves as a director and officer of several 
RGA subsidiaries.

Anna Manning, 62, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.  She is also a member of the Company’s 
Executive Committee.  Prior to her current role, Ms. Manning held the position of Senior Executive Vice President, Structured 
Solutions, which includes the Company’s Global Financial Solutions and Global Acquisitions businesses.  Ms. Manning joined 
the Company in 2007 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for RGA International Corporation, followed by 
four years as Executive Vice President of U.S. Markets.  Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Manning spent 19 years in actuarial 
consulting at Tillinghast Towers Perrin, following an actuarial career in the Canadian marketplace at Manulife Financial from 
1981  through  1988.    She  holds  a  B.Sc.  in  Actuarial  Science  from  the  University  of  Toronto,  is  a  Fellow  of  the  Canadian 
Institute of Actuaries (“FCIA”), and a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

Alain  Néemeh,  53,  is  Senior  Executive  Vice  President,  Chief  Operating  Officer.    He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Company’s Executive Committee.  Prior to his current role, Mr. Néemeh was Senior Executive Vice President, Global Life and 
Health, a position he held since 2015. From 2006 to 2014, Mr. Néemeh was President and Chief Executive Officer of RGA Life 
Reinsurance Company of Canada (“RGA Canada”). In addition, from 2012, Mr. Néemeh had executive responsibility for the 
Company’s Australia and New Zealand operations. Prior to 2006, he served as Executive Vice President, Operations, and Chief 
Financial  Officer  of  RGA  Canada  from  2001,  having  joined  the  finance  area  in  1997  from  KPMG  LLP,  where  he  provided 
audit  and  other  services  to  a  variety  of  clients  in  the  financial  services,  manufacturing  and  retail  sectors.  Mr.  Néemeh  also 
serves as a director and officer of several RGA subsidiaries.

Jonathan Porter, 50, is Executive Vice President and Global Chief Risk Officer. He is also a member of the Company’s 
Executive Committee.  Mr. Porter is responsible for the Company’s global enterprise risk management and corporate pricing 
oversight. Prior to his current role, Mr. Porter previously served in positions of Senior Vice President, Global Analytics and In-
Force  Management  and  Chief  Pricing  Actuary  of  International  Markets.  Before  joining  the  Company  in  2008,  Mr.  Porter 
worked for Manulife Financial as Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Life Insurance. Mr. Porter holds FSA and FCIA designations. 
Mr. Porter also serves as a director and officer of several RGA subsidiaries.

Corporate Governance

The Company has adopted a Code of Conduct (the “Code”), a Directors’ Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the 
“Directors’ Code”), and a Financial Management Code of Professional Conduct (the “Financial Management Code”). The Code 
applies  to  all  employees  and  officers  of  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries.  The  Directors’  Code  applies  to  directors  of  the 
Company  and  its  subsidiaries.  The  Financial  Management  Code  applies  to  the  Company’s  chief  executive  officer,  chief 
financial  officer,  corporate  controller,  primary  financial  officers  in  each  business  unit,  and  all  professionals  in  finance  and 
finance-related departments. The Company intends to satisfy its disclosure obligations under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K by posting 
on its website information about amendments to, or waivers from a provision of the Financial Management Code that applies to 
the  Company’s  chief  executive  officer,  chief  financial  officer,  and  corporate  controller.  Each  of  the  three  Codes  described 
above is available on the Company’s website at www.rgare.com.

Also  available  on  the  Company’s  website  are  the  following  other  items:  Corporate  Governance  Guidelines,  Audit 
Committee  Charter,  Compensation  Committee  Charter,  Investment  Committee  Charter,  Nominating  and  Governance 
Committee Charter and Risk Committee Charter (collectively “Governance Documents”).

161

 
The  Company  will  provide  without  charge  upon  written  or  oral  request,  a  copy  of  any  of  the  Codes  of  Conduct  or 
Governance  Documents.  Requests  should  be  directed  to  Investor  Relations,  Reinsurance  Group  of  America,  Incorporated, 
16600  Swingley  Ridge  Road,  Chesterfield,  MO  63017,  by  electronic  mail  (investrelations@rgare.com)  or  by  telephone 
(636-736-2068).

In accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company’s board of directors has established a standing 
audit  committee.  The  board  of  directors  has  determined,  in  its  judgment,  that  all  of  the  members  of  the  audit  committee  are 
independent within the meaning of SEC regulations and the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The 
board of directors has determined, in its judgment, that all members of the Audit Committee (Ms. Guinn (chair), Mr. Gauthier, 
Mr. Tulin and Mr. Van Wyk) are qualified as audit committee financial experts within the meaning of SEC regulations and the 
board has determined that each of them has accounting and related financial management expertise within the meaning of the 
listing  standards  of  the  NYSE.  The  audit  committee  charter  provides  that  members  of  the  audit  committee  may  not 
simultaneously serve on the audit committee of more than two other public companies unless such member demonstrates that 
he or she has the ability to devote the time and attention that are required to serve on multiple audit committees.

Item 11.         EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information  on  this  subject  is  found  in  the  Proxy  Statement  under  the  captions  “Compensation  Discussion  and 
Analysis,”  “Compensation  Tables  and  Other  Matters,”  “Compensation  Committee  Report,”  “Board  of  Directors  –  Director 
Compensation” and “Corporate Governance – Board Committees” and is incorporated herein by reference. 

Item 12.         SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND 
MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDERS MATTERS

Information  on  this  subject  is  found  in  the  Proxy  Statement  under  the  caption  “Stock  Ownership  –  Securities 

Ownership of Directors, Management and Certain Beneficial Owners” and is incorporated herein by reference. 

The following table summarizes information regarding securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation 

plans:

Number of securities to be issued
upon exercise of outstanding
options, warrants and rights

Weighted-average exercise
price of outstanding  options,
warrants and rights

Number of securities remaining
available for future issuance
under equity compensation plans
(excluding securities reflected in
column (a))

Plan Category

(a)

(b)

(c)

Equity compensation plans approved by 
security holders

Equity compensation plans not approved by 
security holders

Total

2,578,615(1)

— 
2,578,615(1)

$102.30(2)(3)

— 
$102.30(2)(3)

1,146,776(4)

— 
1,146,776(4)

(1)

Includes the number of securities to be issued upon exercises or settlement of Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Units, and Performance Contingent 
Units  under  the  following  plans:  Flexible  Stock  Plan  –  2,535,914;  and  Phantom  Stock  Plan  for  Directors  –  42,701.  The  number  of  Performance 
Contingent Units represents the number of shares that would be issued based on target performance, reduced for cancellations and adjustments through 
December 31, 2020.  The actual number of shares issued at the end of each performance period will range between 0% and 200% of the target number of 
units granted, based on a measure of the actual performance of the Company relative to stated goals.

(2) Does  not  include  291,129  performance  contingent  units  outstanding  under  the  Flexible  Stock  Plan  or  42,701  phantom  units  outstanding  under  the 
Phantom Stock Plan for Directors because those securities do not have an exercise price (i.e. a unit is a hypothetical share of Company common stock 
with a value equal to the fair market value of the common stock).

(3) Reflects the blended weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options under the Flexible Stock Plan $102.30.

(4)

Includes the number of securities remaining available for future issuance under the following plans: Flexible Stock Plan – 1,087,415; Flexible Stock Plan 
for Directors – 38,284; and Phantom Stock Plan for Directors – 21,077.

On  January  24,  2019,  RGA’s  board  of  directors  authorized  a  share  repurchase  program  for  up  to  $400  million  of 
RGA’s outstanding common stock.  The authorization was effective immediately and does not have an expiration date. On May 
6, 2020 the Company announced that it has suspended stock purchases until further notice.

162

 
 
 
Item 13.         CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR 
INDEPENDENCE

Information  on  this  subject  is  found  in  the  Proxy  Statement  under  the  captions  “Corporate  Governance  –  Certain 

Relationships and Related Person Transactions,” and – “Overview” and is incorporated herein by reference. 

Item 14.         PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

Information  on  this  subject  is  found  in  the  Proxy  Statement  under  the  caption  “Item  5  –  Ratification  of 

Appointment of Independent Auditor” and is incorporated herein by reference. 

163

Item 15.         EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

(a)

1.     Financial Statements

The following consolidated statements are included within Item 8 under the following captions:

Index
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Consolidated Statements of Income
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

2.     Schedules, Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated and Subsidiaries

Schedule

I
II
III
IV
V

Summary of Investments
Condensed Financial Information of the Registrant
Supplementary Insurance Information
Reinsurance
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

Page
90
91
92
93
94
95-155
156

Page
165
166-167
168-169
170
171

All other schedules specified in Regulation S-X are omitted for the reason that they are not required, are not applicable, 

or that equivalent information has been included in the consolidated financial statements, and notes thereto, appearing in Item 8.

3.     Exhibits

See the Index to Exhibits on page 173.

Item 16.         FORM 10-K SUMMARY

None.

164

 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
SCHEDULE I-SUMMARY OF INVESTMENTS-OTHER THAN
INVESTMENTS IN RELATED PARTIES
December 31, 2020 
(in millions)

Type of Investment
Fixed maturity securities:

Amortized Cost

Estimated Fair Value

Amount at Which 
Shown in the Balance 
Sheets(1)

United States government and government agencies and authorities

$ 

1,242  $ 

1,437  $ 

State and political subdivisions
Foreign governments(2)
Public utilities

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities

All other corporate bonds

Total fixed maturity securities

Equity securities

Mortgage loans on real estate

Policy loans

Funds withheld at interest

Short-term investments

Other invested assets

Total investments

$ 

$ 

$ 

1,237 

8,482 

3,904 

6,624 

28,059 

49,548  $ 

1,390 

10,923 

4,537 

6,777 

31,671 

56,735  $ 

155  $ 

132  $ 

5,787 

1,258 

5,432 

227 

2,829 

65,236 

1,437 

1,390 

10,923 

4,537 

6,777 

31,671 

56,735 

132 

5,787 

1,258 

5,432 

227 

2,829 

$ 

72,400 

(1) Fixed maturity securities are classified as available-for-sale and carried at fair value.

(2)

Includes fixed maturities directly issued by foreign governments, supranational and foreign government-sponsored enterprises.

165

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
SCHEDULE II—CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE REGISTRANT
December 31,
(in millions)

2020

2019

2018

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

Assets:

Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale, at fair value

Short-term and other investments

Cash and cash equivalents

Investment in subsidiaries

Loans to subsidiaries

Other assets

Total assets

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity:
Long-term debt – unaffiliated(1)
Long-term debt – affiliated(2)
Other liabilities

Stockholders’ equity

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

Interest / dividend income(3)
Investment related gains (losses), net

Operating expenses

Interest expense

Income (loss) before income tax and undistributed earnings of subsidiaries

Income tax expense (benefit)

Net income (loss) before undistributed earnings of subsidiaries

Equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries

Net income

Other comprehensive income (loss)

Total comprehensive income

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

642  $ 

172 

494 

16,937 

1,010 

326 

19,581  $ 

3,569  $ 
500 

1,160 

14,352 

19,581  $ 

525 

19 

10 

14,486 

1,010 

270 

16,320 

2,974 
500 

1,244 

11,602 

16,320 

472  $ 

308  $ 

14 

(59) 

(202) 

225 

(21) 

246 

169 

415 

(29) 

4 

(55) 

(206) 

51 

(33) 

84 

786 

870 

(33) 

$ 

386  $ 

837  $ 

576 

(5) 

(36) 

(181) 

354 

(37) 

391 

325 

716 

21 

737 

The condensed financial information of RGA (the “Parent Company”) should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of RGA and its 
subsidiaries  and  the  notes  thereto  (the  “Consolidated  Financial  Statements”).  These  condensed  unconsolidated  financial  statements  reflect  the  results  of 
operations, financial position and cash flows for RGA. Investments in subsidiaries are accounted for using the equity method of accounting.

(1) Long-term debt – unaffiliated consists of the following:

$400 million 5.00% Senior Notes due 2021

$400 million 4.70% Senior Notes due 2023

$400 million 3.95% Senior Notes due 2026

$600 million 3.90% Senior Notes due 2029

$600 million 3.15% Senior Notes due 2030

$400 million 6.20% Subordinated Debentures due 2042

$400 million 5.75% Subordinated Debentures due 2056

$400 million Variable Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2065

Subtotal

Unamortized debt issuance costs

Total

2020

2019

$ 

400  $ 

399 

400 

599 

598 

400 

400 

398 

3,594 

(25) 

3,569  $ 

$ 

400 

399 

400 

599 

— 

400 

400 

398 

2,996 

(22) 

2,974 

(2) Long-term debt – affiliated in 2020 and 2019 consists of $500 million of subordinated debt issued to various operating subsidiaries.

(3)

Interest/dividend  income  includes  $340  million  and  $175  million  of  cash  dividends  received  from  consolidated  subsidiaries  in  2020  and  2019, 
respectively. 

166

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
SCHEDULE II—CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE REGISTRANT (continued)
December 31,
(in millions)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Operating activities:

Net income

Equity in earnings of subsidiaries

Other, net

Net cash provided by operating activities

Investing activities:

Sales of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale

Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale

Change in short-term investments

Change in other invested assets

Capital contributions to subsidiaries

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

Financing activities:

Dividends to stockholders

Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net

Purchases of treasury stock

Exercise of stock options, net

Change in cash collateral for derivative positions and other arrangements

Principal payments on debt

Proceeds from unaffiliated long-term debt issuance

Debt issuance costs

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

Change in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

Supplementary information:

Interest paid

Income taxes paid, net of refunds

2020

2019

2018

$ 

415  $ 

870  $ 

(169) 

(170) 

76 

358 

(400) 

(165) 

(26) 
(78) 

(311) 

(182) 

481 

(163) 

1 

(11) 

— 

598 

(5) 

719 

484 

10 

(786) 

72 

156 

576 

(494) 

— 

— 
(96) 

(14) 

(163) 

— 

(101) 

6 

(92) 

(397) 

599 

(5) 

(153) 

(11) 

21 

$ 

$ 

$ 

494  $ 

10  $ 

187  $ 

23  $ 

192  $ 

9  $ 

716 

(325) 

37 

428 

482 

(383) 

— 

— 
(82) 

17 

(140) 

— 

(300) 

3 

(2) 

— 

— 

— 

(439) 

6 

15 

21 

176 

93 

167

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
SCHEDULE III—SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE INFORMATION
(in millions)

Deferred Policy
Acquisition Costs

As of December 31,
Future Policy Benefits  and
Interest-Sensitive Contract
Liabilities

Other Policy Claims and
Benefits Payable

2020

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Corporate and Other

Total

2019

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Corporate and Other

Total

$ 

1,816  $ 

255 

195 

— 

264 

— 

1,045 

41 

— 

12,245  $ 

23,104 

3,474 

16 

1,379 

5,881 

3,568 

4,187 

875 

$ 

$ 

3,616  $ 

54,729  $ 

1,806  $ 

313 

200 

— 

250 

— 

927 

16 

— 

11,969  $ 

23,728 

3,260 

23 

1,197 

5,703 

2,837 

2,215 

451 

$ 

3,512  $ 

51,383  $ 

2,578 

18 

292 

4 

1,389 

66 

2,059 

2 

5 

6,413 

2,143 

18 

219 

42 

1,109 

51 

2,121 

2 

6 

5,711 

168

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
SCHEDULE III—SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE INFORMATION (continued)
(in millions)

2020

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Corporate and Other

Total

2019

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Corporate and Other

Total

2018

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:

Traditional

Financial Solutions

Corporate and Other

Total

Premium Income

Net Investment
Income

Year ended December 31,
Policyholder
Benefits and
Interest Credited

Amortization of
DAC

Other Expenses (1)

$ 

5,838  $ 

53 

1,052 

83 

1,555 

252 

2,681 

180 

— 

714  $ 

999 

207 

1 

72 

193 

107 

85 

197 

5,979  $ 

200  $ 

764 

909 

68 

1,389 

163 

2,293 

206 

8 

52 

16 

— 

31 

— 

65 

19 

— 

679 

109 

201 

3 

186 

50 

274 

25 

354 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

11,694  $ 

2,575  $ 

11,779  $ 

383  $ 

1,881 

5,729  $ 

39 

769  $ 

931 

1,066 

89 

1,442 

218 

2,568 

146 

— 

205 

3 

73 

195 

104 

46 

194 

5,339  $ 

199  $ 

737 

857 

80 

1,205 

175 

2,317 

162 

22 

31 

12 

— 

36 

— 

36 

16 

— 

697 

113 

249 

4 

199 

52 

223 

27 

380 

11,297  $ 

2,520  $ 

10,894  $ 

330  $ 

1,944 

5,534  $ 

27 

730  $ 

706 

1,024 

43 

1,424 

195 

2,296 

1 

— 

199 

2 

66 

134 

96 

40 

166 

5,131  $ 

442 

848 

37 

1,233 

116 

1,885 

40 

12 

180  $ 

109 

13 

— 

27 

— 

92 

2 

— 

698 

106 

251 

2 

179 

37 

262 

19 

308 

$ 

10,544  $ 

2,139  $ 

9,744  $ 

423  $ 

1,862 

(1)

Includes policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses, excluding amortization of DAC.  Also includes other operating expenses, interest expense, 
and collateral finance and securitization expense.

169

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED 
SCHEDULE IV—REINSURANCE 
(in millions) 

2020
Life insurance in force
Premiums

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:
Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total

2019
Life insurance in force
Premiums

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:
Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total

2018
Life insurance in force
Premiums

U.S. and Latin America:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Canada:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Europe, Middle East and Africa:

Traditional
Financial Solutions

Asia Pacific:
Traditional
Financial Solutions

Total

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

As of or for the Year ended December 31,

Gross Amount

Ceded to Other
Companies

Assumed from
Other Companies

Net Amounts

Percentage of
Amount Assumed
to Net

1,990  $ 

184,625  $ 

3,480,692  $ 

3,298,057 

 105.5 %

23  $ 
3 

585  $ 
— 

— 
— 

32 
— 

— 

54 
— 

24 
178 

106 

— 
58  $ 

— 
947  $ 

6,399  $ 
50  $ 

1,106  $ 
83  $ 

1,548  $ 
430  $ 

2,787  $ 

180  $ 
12,583  $ 

5,837 
53 

1,052 
83 

1,556 
252 

2,681 

180 
11,694 

 109.6 %
 94.3 

 105.1 
 100.0 

 99.5 
 170.6 

 104.0 

 100.0 
 107.6 

1,316  $ 

192,864  $ 

3,480,206  $ 

3,288,658 

 105.8 %

6,291 
37 

1,120 
89 

1,449 
366 

29  $ 
2 

591  $ 
— 

54 
— 

52 
148 

— 
— 

45 
— 

— 
— 
76  $ 

84 
— 
929  $ 

2,652 
146 
12,150  $ 

5,729 
39 

1,066 
89 

1,442 
218 

2,568 
146 
11,297 

 109.8 %
 95.4 

 105.0 
 100.0 

 100.6 
 167.9 

 103.2 
 100.0 
 107.5 

1,363  $ 

186,172  $ 

3,329,181  $ 

3,144,372 

 105.9 %

32  $ 
5 

593  $ 
— 

6,095  $ 
22 

— 
— 

26 
— 

— 
— 
63  $ 

47 
— 

26 
144 

1,071 
43 

1,424 
339 

50 
— 
860  $ 

2,346 
1 
11,341  $ 

5,534 
27 

1,024 
43 

1,424 
195 

2,296 
1 
10,544 

 110.2 %
 82.7 

 104.6 
 100.0 

 100.0 
 173.5 

 102.2 
 100.0 
 107.6 

170

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA, INCORPORATED
SCHEDULE V—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
(in millions)

Description

2020

Valuation allowance for deferred income taxes
Valuation allowance for mortgage loans (1)
Valuation allowance for fixed maturity 
securities available-for-sale

2019

Valuation allowance for deferred income taxes

Valuation allowance for mortgage loans
2018

Valuation allowance for deferred income taxes

Valuation allowance for mortgage loans

$ 

$ 

$ 

Additions

Balance at
Beginning of
Period

  Charged to Costs

and Expenses

Charged to Other  
Accounts

Deductions

Balance at End of 
Period

236  $ 

(4)  $ 

19  $ 

—  $ 

12 

— 

181  $ 

11 

227  $ 
9 

38 

41 

56  $ 

1 

(34)  $ 
2 

14 

— 

(1)  $ 

— 

(12)  $ 
— 

— 

21 

—  $ 

— 

—  $ 
— 

251 

64 

20 

236 

12 

181 
11 

(1) Upon adoption of Financial Instruments – Credits Losses on January 1, 2020, the Company increased the valuation allowance for mortgage loans by $14 

million. The increase was reflected as a decrease to opening retained earnings, net of income taxes.

171

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  Section  13  or  15  (d)  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  the  registrant  has  duly 

caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated.

By:

/s/ Anna Manning

  Anna Manning

President and Chief Executive Officer

  Date:     February 26, 2021

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons 

on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities indicated on February 26, 2021.

                         Signatures                    

Title

/s/ J. Cliff Eason        
J. Cliff Eason

/s/ Anna Manning

  Anna Manning

/s/ Pina Albo

  Pina Albo

   February 26, 2021*

Chairman of the Board and Director

   February 26, 2021

President, Chief Executive Officer and 
Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

   February 26, 2021*

Director

/s/ Christine R. Detrick

   February 26, 2021*

Director

  Christine R. Detrick

/s/ John J. Gauthier
John J. Gauthier

/s/ Patricia L. Guinn

  Patricia L. Guinn

   February 26, 2021*

Director

   February 26, 2021*

Director

/s/ Hazel M. McNeilage

   February 26, 2021*

Director

  Hazel M. McNeilage

/s/ Stephen T. O’Hearn
Stephen T. O’Hearn

February 26, 2021*

Director

/s/ Frederick J. Sievert

   February 26, 2021*

Director

  Frederick J. Sievert

/s/ Shundrawn Thomas
Shundrawn Thomas

/s/ Stanley B. Tulin

  Stanley B. Tulin

/s/ Steven C. Van Wyk 
Steven C. Van Wyk

/s/ Todd C. Larson

  Todd C. Larson

February 26, 2021*

Director

   February 26, 2021*

Director

   February 26, 2021*

Director

   February 26, 2021

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer (Principal Financial
and Accounting Officer)

*

  By: /s/ Todd C. Larson

   February 26, 2021

Todd C. Larson         Attorney-in-fact

172

 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
Exhibit
Number

3.1(i)

3.1(ii)

3.2

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

4.10

4.11

Index to Exhibits

Description

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, effective as of May 21, 2020, incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 3.1(i) to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 22, 2020 (File No. 1-11848)

Certificate of Designation Termination, effective as of May 21, 2020, incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 3.1(ii) to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 22, 2020 (File No. 1-11848)

Amended and Restated Bylaws, effective as of May 23, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 
to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 24, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)

Form of stock certificate for RGA’s common stock, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to RGA’s 
Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on November 17, 2008 (File No. 1-11848)

Form of Senior Indenture between RGA and The Bank of New York, as Trustee, incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed on February 9, 2001, as amended 
(File No. 333-55304) (the “Original S-3”)

Third Supplemental Senior Indenture, dated as of November 6, 2009, between RGA and The Bank of 
New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee to The Bank of New York, incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 9, 2009 (File No. 
1-11848)

Fourth Supplemental Senior Indenture, dated as of May 27, 2011, between RGA and The Bank of New 
York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor trustee to The Bank of New York, incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 31, 2011 (File No. 1-11848)

Indenture, dated as of August 21, 2012, between RGA and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust 
Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K 
filed on August 21, 2012 (File No. 1-11848)

First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 21, 2012, between RGA and The Bank of New York 
Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on 
Form 8-K filed on August 21, 2012 (File No. 1-11848)

Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 24, 2013, between RGA and The Bank of New 
York Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on 
Form 8-K filed on September 24, 2013 (File No. 1-11848)

Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 8, 2016, between RGA and The Bank of New York 
Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on 
Form 8-K filed on June 8, 2016 (File No. 1-11848)

Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 8, 2016, between the Company and The Bank of New 
York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Current 
Report on Form 8-K filed on June 8, 2016 (File No. 1-11848)

Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 15, 2019, between the Company and The Bank of New 
York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current 
Report on Form 8-K filed on May 15, 2019 (File No. 1-11848)

Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 9, 2020, between the Company and The Bank of New 
York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current 
Report on Form 8-K filed on June 9, 2020 (File No. 1-11848)

173

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.12

4.13

4.14

10.1

10.2

10.3

10.4

10.5

10.6

10.7

10.8

10.9

10.10

10.11

Form of Junior Subordinated Indenture between RGA and The Bank of New York, as Trustee, 
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Original S-3 (File No. 333-55304)

Form of Second Supplemental Junior Subordinated Indenture between RGA and The Bank of New 
York, as Trustee, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on 
December 9, 2005 (File No. 1-11848)

Description of Securities, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.13 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for 
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, filed on February 27, 2020 (File No. 1-11848)

Credit Agreement, dated as of August 21, 2018, by and among RGA, the lenders named therein, U.S. 
Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, Bank of 
America, N.A.; JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.; and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as Joint 
Syndication Agents and Barclays Bank PLC; HSBC Bank USA, National Association; KeyBank 
National Association; Mizuho Bank, Ltd.; MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Royal Bank of Canada; and Sumitomo 
Mitsui Banking Corporation as Co-Documentation Agents, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 22, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)

Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2017, by and between RGA and Crédit 
Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Current Report 
on Form 8-K filed May 19, 2017 (File No. 1-11848)

First Amendment to Letter of Credit Reimbursement Agreement, dated as of June 14, 2019, by and 
between Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated and Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment 
Bank, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 18, 2019 
(File No. 1-11848)

RGA Annual Bonus Plan, effective February 20, 2020, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to 
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2020, filed on May 7, 2020 (file No. 
1-11848)*

RGA Flexible Stock Plan as amended and restated effective July 1, 1998 and as further amended by 
Amendment on March 16, 2000, Second Amendment on May 28, 2003, Third Amendment on May 26, 
2004, Fourth Amendment on May 23, 2007, Fifth Amendment on May 21, 2008, Sixth Amendment on 
May 8, 2011, Seventh Amendment on May 18, 2011, and Eighth Amendment on May 15, 2013, 
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 
30, 2013, filed on August 5, 2013 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of RGA Flexible Stock Plan Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement, incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 10, 2004 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of RGA Flexible Stock Plan Performance Contingent Share Agreement, incorporated by reference 
to Exhibit 10.2 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2012, filed on May 7, 
2012 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of RGA Flexible Stock Plan Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement, incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 25, 2011 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of RGA Flexible Stock Plan Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement, incorporated by 
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2012, filed 
on May 7, 2012 (File No. 1-11848)*

RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.9 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed on 
February 27, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of Performance Contingent Share Agreement under RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and 
restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2018, filed on May 4, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

174

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10.12

10.13

10.14

10.15

10.16

10.17

10.18

10.19

10.20

10.21

10.22

10.23

10.24

10.25

Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement under RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and 
restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2018, filed on May 4, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement under RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and 
restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2018, filed on August 3, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of Performance Contingent Share Agreement under RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and 
restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2019, filed on May 3, 2019 (File No. 1-11848)* 

Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement under RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and 
restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2019, filed on May 3, 2019 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement under RGA Flexible Stock Plan, as amended and 
restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2019, filed on May 3, 2019 (File No. 1-11848)*

RGA Flexible Stock Plan for Directors, as amended and restated effective May 28, 2003, incorporated 
by reference to Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for the annual meeting of shareholders on May 28, 
2003, filed on April 10, 2003 (File No. 1-11848)*

RGA Flexible Stock Plan for Directors, as amended and restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 
2017, filed on February 27, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

RGA Phantom Stock Plan for Directors, as amended effective January 1, 2003, incorporated by 
reference to Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for the annual meeting of shareholders on May 28, 2003, 
filed on April 10, 2003*

RGA Phantom Stock Plan for Directors, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2016, incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 
2015, filed on November 4, 2015 (File No. 1-11848)*

RGA Phantom Stock Plan for Directors, as amended and restated effective May 23, 2017, incorporated 
by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 
2017, filed on February 27, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

Offer Letter, dated October 29, 2015, between RGA and Anna Manning, incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 24, 2015 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement, effective December 1, 2015, between RGA and 
Anna Manning, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on 
November 24, 2015 (File No. 1-11848)*

Form of Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement, effective December 1, 2015, between RGA and 
Alain Néemeh, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on 
November 24, 2015 (File No. 1-11848)*

Letter Agreement, dated as of July 25, 2019, by and between the Company and Anna Manning, 
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended 
September 30, 2019, filed on November 1, 2019 (File No. 1-11848)*

175

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10.26

10.27

10.28

10.29

10.30

21.1

23.1

24.1

31.1

31.2

32.1

32.2

RGA Reinsurance Company Augmented Benefit Plan, as amended, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.20 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed on February 
27, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

RGA Reinsurance Company Executive Deferred Savings Plan, as amended, incorporated by reference to 
Exhibit 10.21 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed on 
February 27, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

Canadian Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan for Executive Employees of RGA Life Reinsurance 
Company of Canada, as amended and restated as of August 1, 2015, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 
10.22 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed on February 
27, 2018 (File No. 1-11848)*

Directors’ Compensation Summary Sheet, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.23 to Annual Report 
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed on February 27, 2018 (File No. 
1-11848)*

Form of Directors’ Indemnification Agreement, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 to Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, filed on February 27, 2018 (File No. 
1-11848)*

Subsidiaries of RGA

Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

Powers of Attorney for Messrs. Eason, Gauthier, O’Hearn, Sievert, Thomas, Tulin and Van Wyk and 
Mses. Albo, Detrick, Guinn and McNeilage

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to 
section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to 
section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to 
section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to 
section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

176

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
101.INS

XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because 
its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document

101.SCH

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document

101.CAL

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document

101.LAB

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document

101.PRE

101.DEF

104

   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document

Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibits 101).

* Represents a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement required to be filed as an exhibit to this form 
pursuant to Item 15 of this Report.

177

 
 
 
 
Shareholder Information 

Transfer Agent: 
Computershare  
P.O. Box 505000 
Louisville, KY 40233 
T 866-204-0209 
http://www.computershare.com/investor 

Independent Auditors: 
Deloitte and Touche LLP 

Annual Report on Form 10-K: 
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated files with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission an Annual Report 
(Form 10-K). 

Shareholders may obtain a copy of the Form 10-K without 
charge by writing to: 

Jeff Hopson 
Senior Vice President – Investor Relations 
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated 
16600 Swingley Ridge Road 
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017-1706 
U.S.A. 

Shareholders may contact us through our internet site at 
http://www.rgare.com or may email us at 
investrelations@rgare.com 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The security of experience. The power of innovation.

16600 Swingley Ridge Road
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017-1706  U.S.A.

www.rgare.com