hig-20211231
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021
or
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 001-13958
THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, Connecticut06155
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(860)547-5000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 (b) OF THE ACT:
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share HIG The New York Stock Exchange
6.10% Notes due October 1, 2041 HIG 41 The New York Stock Exchange
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 (g) OF THE ACT:
None
Indicate by check mark:
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. ☑
The aggregate market value of the shares of Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2021 was approximately $22 billion, based on the closing price of $61.97 per share of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2021.
As of February 17, 2022, there were outstanding 331,646,836 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the registrant.
Documents Incorporated by Reference
Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2022 annual meeting of stockholders are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K.
THE HARTFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP, INC.
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item Description Page
Part I
1 BUSINESS 6
1A. RISK FACTORS 22
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS None
3 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS 36
4 MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES Not Applicable
Part II
6 RESERVED None
7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK [a]
8 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA [b]
9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 122
9B. OTHER INFORMATION None
Part III
10 DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE OF THE HARTFORD 124
11 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION [c]
13 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE [d]
14 PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES [e]
Part IV
15 EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES 126
EXHIBITS INDEX 233
16 FORM 10-K SUMMARY Not Applicable
[a] The information required by this item is set forth in the Enterprise Risk Management section of Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and is incorporated herein by reference.
[b] See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Schedules elsewhere herein.
[c] The information called for by Item 11 will be set forth in the Proxy Statement under the subcaptions "Compensation Discussion and Analysis", "Executive Compensation", "Director Compensation", "Report of the Compensation and Management Development Committee", and "Compensation and Management Development Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation" and is incorporated herein by reference.
[d] Any information called for by Item 13 will be set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption and subcaption "Board and Governance Matters" and "Director Independence" and is incorporated herein by reference.
[e] The information called for by Item 14 will be set forth in the Proxy Statement under the caption "Audit Matters" and is incorporated herein by reference.
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Forward-looking Statements
Certain of the statements contained herein are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” and similar references to future periods.
Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions regarding future economic, competitive, legislative and other developments and their potential effect upon The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company" or "The Hartford"). Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results could differ materially from expectations depending on the evolution of various factors, including the risks and uncertainties identified below, as well as factors described in such forward-looking statements; or in Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors, in Part II, Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and those identified from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
•Risks relating to the continued COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts to the Company's insurance and product-related, regulatory/legal, recessionary and other global economic, capital and liquidity and operational risks
•Risks Relating to Economic, Political and Global Market Conditions:
◦challenges related to the Company’s current operating environment, including global political, economic and market conditions, and the effect of financial market disruptions, economic downturns, changes in trade regulation including tariffs and other barriers or other potentially adverse macroeconomic developments on the demand for our products and returns in our investment portfolios;
◦market risks associated with our business, including changes in credit spreads, equity prices, interest rates, inflation rate, foreign currency exchange rates and market volatility;
◦the impact on our investment portfolio if our investment portfolio is concentrated in any particular segment of the economy;
◦the impacts of changing climate and weather patterns on our businesses, operations and investment portfolio including on claims, demand and pricing of our products, the availability and cost of reinsurance, our modeling data used to evaluate and manage risks of catastrophes and severe weather events, the value of our investment portfolios and credit risk with reinsurers and other counterparties;
◦the risks associated with the discontinuance of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") on the securities we hold or may have issued, other financial instruments and any other assets and liabilities whose value is tied to LIBOR;
•Insurance Industry and Product-Related Risks:
◦the possibility of unfavorable loss development, including with respect to long-tailed exposures;
◦the significant uncertainties that limit our ability to estimate the ultimate reserves necessary for asbestos and environmental claims;
◦the possibility of another pandemic, civil unrest, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disaster that may adversely affect our businesses;
◦weather and other natural physical events, including the intensity and frequency of thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, wildfires, flooding, winter storms, hurricanes and tropical storms, as well as climate change and its potential impact on weather patterns;
◦the possible occurrence of terrorist attacks and the Company’s inability to contain its exposure as a result of, among other factors, the inability to exclude coverage for terrorist attacks from workers' compensation policies and limitations on reinsurance coverage from the federal government under applicable laws;
◦the Company’s ability to effectively price its property and casualty policies, including its ability to obtain regulatory consents to pricing actions or to non-renewal or withdrawal of certain product lines;
◦actions by competitors that may be larger or have greater financial resources than we do;
◦technological changes, including usage-based methods of determining premiums, advancements in automotive safety features, the development of autonomous vehicles, and platforms that facilitate ride sharing,
◦the Company's ability to market, distribute and provide insurance products and investment advisory services through current and future distribution channels and advisory firms;
◦the uncertain effects of emerging claim and coverage issues;
•Financial Strength, Credit and Counterparty Risks:
◦risks to our business, financial position, prospects and results associated with negative rating actions or downgrades in the Company’s financial strength and credit ratings or negative rating actions or downgrades relating to our investments;
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◦capital requirements which are subject to many factors, including many that are outside the Company’s control, such as National Association of Insurance Commissioners ("NAIC") risk based capital formulas, rating agency capital models, Funds at Lloyd's and Solvency Capital Requirement, which can in turn affect our credit and financial strength ratings, cost of capital, regulatory compliance and other aspects of our business and results;
◦losses due to nonperformance or defaults by others, including credit risk with counterparties associated with investments, derivatives, premiums receivable, reinsurance recoverables and indemnifications provided by third parties in connection with previous dispositions;
◦the potential for losses due to our reinsurers' unwillingness or inability to meet their obligations under reinsurance contracts and the availability, pricing and adequacy of reinsurance to protect the Company against losses;
◦state and international regulatory limitations on the ability of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries to declare and pay dividends;
•Risks Relating to Estimates, Assumptions and Valuations:
◦risk associated with the use of analytical models in making decisions in key areas such as underwriting, pricing, capital management, reserving, investments, reinsurance and catastrophe risk management;
◦the potential for differing interpretations of the methodologies, estimations and assumptions that underlie the Company’s fair value estimates for its investments and the evaluation of intent-to-sell impairments and allowance for credit losses on available-for-sale securities and mortgage loans;
◦the potential for impairments of our goodwill;
•Strategic and Operational Risks:
◦the Company’s ability to maintain the availability of its systems and safeguard the security of its data in the event of a disaster, cyber or other information security incident or other unanticipated event;
◦the potential for difficulties arising from outsourcing and similar third-party relationships;
◦the risks, challenges and uncertainties associated with capital management plans, expense reduction initiatives and other actions;
◦risks associated with acquisitions and divestitures, including the challenges of integrating acquired companies or businesses, which may result in our inability to achieve the anticipated benefits and synergies and may result in unintended consequences;
◦difficulty in attracting and retaining talented and qualified personnel, including key employees, such as executives, managers and employees with strong technological, analytical and other specialized skills;
◦the Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and defend against claims of infringement;
•Regulatory and Legal Risks:
◦the cost and other potential effects of increased federal, state and international regulatory and legislative developments, including those that could adversely impact the demand for the Company’s products, operating costs and required capital levels;
◦unfavorable judicial or legislative developments;
◦the impact of changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws;
◦regulatory requirements that could delay, deter or prevent a takeover attempt that stockholders might consider in their best interests; and
◦the impact of potential changes in accounting principles and related financial reporting requirements.
Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this document speaks only as of the date of the filing of this Form 10-K. Factors or events that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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Item 1.
BUSINESS
(Dollar amounts in millions, except for per share data, unless otherwise stated)
GENERAL
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “The Hartford”, the “Company”, “we”, or “our”) is a holding company for a group of subsidiaries that provide property and casualty ("P&C") insurance, group benefits insurance and services, and mutual funds and exchange-traded products to individual and business customers in the United States as well as in the United Kingdom and other international locations. The Hartford is headquartered in Connecticut and its oldest subsidiary, Hartford Fire Insurance Company, dates back to 1810. At December 31, 2021, total assets and total stockholders’ equity of The Hartford were $76.6 billion and $17.8 billion, respectively.
ORGANIZATION
The Hartford strives to maintain and enhance its position as a market leader within the financial services industry. The Company sells diverse and innovative products through multiple distribution channels to individuals and businesses and is considered a leading property and casualty and employee group benefits insurer. The Hartford Stag logo is one of the most recognized symbols in the financial services industry.
As a holding company, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is separate and distinct from its subsidiaries and has no significant business operations of its own. The holding company relies on the 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 The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. may be found in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) — Capital Resources and Liquidity.
PURPOSE and STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
The Hartford’s mission is to provide people with the support and protection they need to pursue their unique ambitions, seize opportunity, and prevail through unexpected challenge. Our strategy to maximize value creation for all stakeholders focuses on advancing underwriting excellence, emphasizing digital capabilities, maximizing distribution channels, optimizing organizational efficiency, and advancing environmental, social and governance ("ESG") leadership.
We endeavor to maintain and enhance our position as a market leader by leveraging our core strengths of underwriting excellence, risk management, claims, product development and distribution. We are investing in claims, analytics, data science and digital capabilities to strengthen our existing competitive advantages.
An ethics, people, and performance-driven culture drives our values. We have proactive positions on ESG issues important to our sustainability, and our capacity to deliver long-term stockholder value.
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2022 Priorities
As we enter 2022, our strategy remains consistent and we are focused on the following priorities across our businesses:
•Advancing leading underwriting capabilities across our portfolio to offer expanded products and services;
•Emphasizing digital, data and analytics, and data science that enhance the customer experience and improve the underwriting and claims decision making;
•Maximizing distribution channels and product breadth to increase market share;
•Optimizing organizational efficiency with a focus on continuous improvement. For information on the Company’s operational transformation and cost reduction plan (called “Hartford Next”), refer to The Hartford’s Operations section of Part II - Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. Before considering investments in new products and technology, we are on track to achieve a reduction in annual insurance operating costs and other expenses of approximately $540 in 2022 and $625 in 2023, relative to 2019;
•Balancing capital deployment for organic growth, investments in the business, and return to stockholders through dividends and share repurchases; and
•Continuing to advance ESG leadership in order to attract and retain top talent and enhance value to stockholders. For more information on retaining and attracting talent through our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, refer to the Human Capital Resources section of Part 1, Item 1.
Within our businesses, we will continue to pursue objectives specific to each, including:
Commercial Lines
•Benefiting from a firm pricing environment in most property and liability lines while navigating continued pricing pressure in workers’ compensation by staying disciplined in our underwriting;
•Successfully leveraging our broader underwriting capabilities, product breadth, risk appetite and expanded access to cross-sell global specialty product lines to customers of small commercial and middle & large commercial, and grow specialized verticals in middle & large commercial;
•Accelerating use of data, digital technology and voice of customer to transform and differentiate our business; and
•Expanding distribution to match customers’ preferred access points.
Personal Lines
•Continuing to transform our products, regain competitive momentum, and grow top-line through the continued rollout of our new automobile and homeowners product, Prevail, which is tailored to the
mature market and includes digital service capabilities that provide real time transaction support;
•Transforming underwriting to improve member experience and reduce expense;
•Driving new business growth in AARP Direct through direct marketing initiatives designed to increase conversion rates; and
•Expanding use of telematics and investing in digital capabilities.
Group Benefits
•Continuing to grow revenues through strong sales and persistency;
•Expanding absence/leave management capabilities and pursuing product innovation to meet the rapidly evolving needs of employers and employees;
•Continuing to grow market share of voluntary product offerings, including supplemental health coverage, as well as new state paid family and medical leave;
•Completing the implementation of our disability and leave management claims platform, The Hartford Ability Advantage, to enhance the overall customer experience and accommodate the Company’s leave management programs; and
•Investing in data and analytics to enhance risk management and reinvent processes at the intersection of data, analytics, artificial intelligence and technology.
Hartford Funds
•Driving organic growth across key distribution channels;
•Working with subadvisors to launch products to meet the needs of financial advisors and their clients.
REPORTING SEGMENTS
The Hartford conducts business principally in five reporting segments including Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds, as well as a Corporate category. The Company includes in the Corporate category reserves for run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities, restructuring costs, capital raising activities (including equity financing, debt financing and related interest expense), transaction expenses incurred in connection with acquisitions, certain M&A costs, purchase accounting adjustments related to goodwill and other expenses not allocated to the reporting segments. Corporate also includes investment management fees and expenses related to managing third party business, including management of a portion of the invested assets of Talcott Resolution Life, Inc. and its subsidiaries as well as certain affiliates. Talcott Resolution Life, Inc. is the holding company of the life and annuity business that we sold in May 2018. In addition, up until June 30, 2021, Corporate included a 9.7% ownership interest in Hopmeadow Holdings LP, the legal entity that acquired Talcott Resolution in May 2018
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(Hopmeadow Holdings, LP, Talcott Resolution Life Inc., and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to as “Talcott Resolution”).
2021 Revenues of $22,390 by Segment
[1]Includes Revenue of $88 for Property & Casualty Other Operations and $137 for Corporate.
The following discussion describes the principal products and services, marketing and distribution, and competition of The Hartford's reporting segments. For further discussion of the reporting segments, including financial disclosures of revenues by product line, net income (loss), and assets for each reporting segment, see Note 4 - Segment Information of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|COMMERCIAL LINES
2021 Earned Premiums of $9,541 by Line of Business
2021 Earned Premiums of $9,541 by Product
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Principal Products and Services
Package Business Covers both property and general liability damages.
Through its three lines of business of small commercial, middle & large commercial, and global specialty, Commercial Lines offers its products and services to businesses in the United States ("U.S.") and internationally. Commercial Lines generally consists of products written for small businesses and middle market companies as well as national and multi-national accounts, largely distributed through retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents and global and specialty reinsurance brokers. The majority of Commercial Lines written premium is generated by small commercial and middle market lines, which provide coverage options and customized pricing based on the policyholder’s individual risk characteristics. Small commercial and middle market lines within middle & large commercial are generally referred to as standard commercial lines.
Small commercial provides coverages for small businesses, which the Company generally considers to be businesses with an annual payroll under $20, revenues under $50 and property values less than $20 per location. Primary coverages provided include workers' compensation, property, general liability and commercial automobile. Within small commercial, both property and general liability coverages are offered under a single package policy, marketed under the Spectrum name. Small commercial also provides excess and surplus lines coverage to small businesses including umbrella, general liability, property and other coverages.
Middle & large commercial business provides insurance coverages to medium-sized and national accounts businesses, which are companies whose payroll, revenue and property values exceed the small business definition. In addition to offering standard commercial lines products, including workers' compensation, property, general liability and commercial automobile products, middle & large commercial includes program business which provides tailored programs, primarily to customers with common risk characteristics. On national accounts, a significant portion of the business is written through large deductible programs. Other programs written within middle & large commercial are retrospectively-rated where the ultimate premium collected from the insured is adjusted based on how incurred losses for the policy year develop over time, subject to a minimum and maximum premium. Also within middle & large commercial, the Company writes captive programs business, which provides tailored programs to those seeking a loss sensitive solution where premiums are adjustable based on loss experience.
Lines of business written by small commercial and middle & large commercial are subject to rate regulation and written pricing increases or decreases partly in response to loss cost trends. Workers’ compensation rates are based on loss experience and are informed by data submitted through the National Council on Compensation Insurance ("NCCI"). Workers’ compensation rates have been under downward pressure for the industry due to favorable loss cost trends in
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recent years, including due to lower claim frequency that occurred during the pandemic.
Global specialty provides a variety of customized insurance products, including property, liability, marine, professional liability, and bond. The vast majority of the business written by our Navigators Group insurance subsidiaries is reported in the global specialty business unit.
Marketing and Distribution
Commercial Lines provides insurance products and services through the Company’s regional offices, branches and sales and policyholder service centers throughout the United States and, to a lesser extent, overseas, principally in the United Kingdom. The products are marketed and distributed using independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents and global and specialty reinsurance brokers, with business also sold direct-to-consumer. In addition, the Company offers insurance products to customers of payroll service providers through its relationships with major national payroll companies in the United States and to members of affinity organizations. As the sole corporate member of Lloyd's Syndicate 1221 ("Lloyd's Syndicate"), the Company has the exclusive right to underwrite business up to an approved level of premium in the Lloyd’s market.
In the United States, independent agents, brokers and wholesalers are consolidating and this trend is expected to continue. This will likely result in a larger proportion of written premium being concentrated among fewer agents, brokers and wholesalers. These distribution partners are leveraging data and analytics for bargaining power.
Competition
Small Commercial
In small commercial, The Hartford competes against large national carriers, regional carriers and direct writers. Competitors include stock companies, mutual companies and other underwriting organizations. The small commercial market remains highly competitive and fragmented as carriers seek to differentiate themselves through product expansion, price, enhanced service and leading technology. Larger carriers such as The Hartford are continually advancing their pricing sophistication and ease of doing business with agents and customers through the use of technology, analytics and other capabilities that improve the process of evaluating a risk, quoting new business and servicing customers. The Company also continuously enhances digital capabilities as customers and distributors demand more access and convenience, and expands product and underwriting capabilities to accommodate both larger accounts and a broader risk appetite.
Existing competitors and new entrants, including start-up and non-traditional carriers, are actively looking to expand sales of business insurance products to small businesses through increasing their underwriting appetite, deepening their relationships with distribution partners, and through on-line and direct-to-consumer marketing. Carriers that can quote business in an automated way have a competitive advantage by shortening the time from quoting to issuance. Through its ICON quoting tool, The Hartford quotes over 70% of its Spectrum package business and workers’ compensation new business policies without human intervention.
Middle & Large Commercial
Middle & large commercial business is considered “high touch” and involves individual underwriting and pricing decisions. Competition in this market includes stock companies, mutual companies, alternative risk sharing groups and other underwriting organizations. In addition, some larger brokers are now becoming competitors through acquisition of managing general agents or managing general underwriters. Carriers in this marketplace seek to differentiate their product offerings, including by leveraging their umbrella and excess liability underwriting capacity to sell other lines of business. The pricing of middle market and national accounts is prone to significant volatility over time due to changes in individual account characteristics and exposure, as well as legislative and macro-economic forces. National and regional carriers participate in the middle & large commercial insurance sector, resulting in a competitive environment where pricing and policy terms are critical to securing new business and retaining existing accounts. Within this competitive environment, The Hartford is working to deepen its product and underwriting capabilities, leverage its sales and underwriting talent and expand its use of data analytics and third party data to make risk selection and pricing decisions. In product development and related areas such as claims and risk engineering, the Company has extended its capabilities in industry verticals, such as energy, construction, technology and life sciences.
Through business partners, the Company offers business insurance coverages to exporters and other U.S. companies with a physical presence overseas. The Hartford’s middle & large commercial business will leverage the investments in product, underwriting, and technology to better match price to individual risk as the firm pursues responsible growth strategies to deliver target returns.
For specialty casualty businesses within middle & large commercial, pricing competition continues to be significant, particularly for the larger individual accounts. As a means to mitigate the cost of insurance on larger accounts, more insureds may opt for loss-sensitive products, including retrospectively rated contracts, in lieu of guaranteed cost policies.
Global Specialty
Global specialty competes against multi-national insurance and reinsurance companies, writing marine, property, excess casualty, professional liability, bond and assumed reinsurance. Global specialty writes many surplus lines of business which are lines of business not written through standard products licensed or admitted in a state. Since 2010, surplus lines has accounted for an increasing share of total commercial lines industry direct written premiums.
Customers served by the global specialty marketplace expect tailored policy language for their unique risks and, increasingly, are looking for a single insurance carrier to meet all their coverage needs. The Company has been successful in cross-selling global specialty product lines acquired through the Navigators Insurance Group acquisition to customers of small commercial and of middle & large commercial and seeks to expand cross-sell opportunities in the future. The Hartford competes on the basis of its underwriting capabilities where it uses data and actuarial insights to enhance risk selection. The Company seeks to drive greater efficiency, shorten the quoting process and improve the customer’s experience through
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expanded use of digital capabilities. While global specialty benefitted from firm market conditions in 2020 and 2021, more capital has entered the specialty lines marketplace, increasing competition and putting downward pressure on rates.
Lloyd's Syndicate and London market business have been under financial stress in recent years due to a perceived lack of adequate pricing and an excessive focus on growth at the expense of underwriting discipline in those markets, combined with a significant increase in the level of catastrophe activity. As such, syndicates and London market carriers, including The Hartford, have taken pricing and underwriting actions to improve
profitability. Lloyd's, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulatory Authority in the U.K., has been implementing changes to improve performance of the syndicates including a more rigorous approach to the approval of syndicate business plans. Additionally, Lloyd’s has also introduced recent changes which require that members limit the amount of tier 2 capital (e.g. letters of credit) that can be used to meet syndicate solvency capital requirements. For further discussion, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Capital Resources and Liquidity.
|PERSONAL LINES
2021 Earned Premiums of $2,954 by Line of Business
2021 Earned Premiums of $2,954 by Product
Principal Products and Services
Personal Lines provides automobile, homeowners and personal umbrella coverages to individuals across the United States, mostly through a program designed exclusively for members of AARP (“AARP Program”). The Hartford's automobile and homeowners products provide coverage options and pricing tailored to a customer's individual risk. The Hartford has individual customer relationships with AARP Program policyholders and, as a group, they represent a significant portion of the total Personal Lines' business. Business sold to AARP members, either direct or through independent agents, amounted to earned premiums of $2.7 billion, $2.8 billion and
$2.9 billion in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The AARP relationship provides The Company with a competitive advantage to capitalize on the continued growth of the over age-50 population.
During 2021, the Company began introducing its new product, Prevail, which is being rolled out for new business on a state-by-state basis through 2022 and into 2023 and was in seven states as of December, 2021. Prevail is tailored to the mature market and includes digital service capabilities that provide real time transaction support. Among other things, overall rate levels, price segmentation, rating factors and underwriting procedures
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are being updated through the introduction of Prevail. Personal Lines works with carrier partners to provide risk protection options for AARP members with needs beyond the company’s current product offering.
Marketing and Distribution
Personal Lines reaches diverse customers through multiple distribution channels, including direct-to-consumer and independent agents. The direct-to-consumer channel continues to represent a larger share of the automobile insurance market, accounting for more than one-third of premiums. In direct-to-consumer, Personal Lines markets its products through a mix of media, including direct mail, digital marketing, television as well as digital and print advertising. Through the agency channel, Personal Lines provides products and services to customers through a network of independent agents in the standard personal lines market, primarily serving mature, preferred consumers. These independent agents are not employees of the Company.
Personal Lines has made significant investments in offering direct and agency-based customers the opportunity to interact with the company on-line, including via mobile devices. In addition, its technology platform for telephone sales centers enables sales representatives to provide an enhanced experience for direct-to-consumer customers, positioning the Company to offer unique capabilities to AARP’s member base.
Most of Personal Lines' sales are associated with its exclusive licensing arrangement with AARP, with the current agreement in place through December 31, 2032, to market automobile, homeowners and personal umbrella coverages to AARP's approximately 37 million members, primarily direct but also through independent agents. This relationship with AARP, which has been in place since 1984, provides Personal Lines with an important competitive advantage given the increase in the population of those over age 50 and the strength of the AARP brand.
New business premium growth partly depends on the rate that consumers shop for insurance and while shopping rates have generally rebounded since the depths of the pandemic, they have rebounded more slowly in the 50-plus age segment. Prior to May 2021, in most states, new business automobile and home policies were issued to AARP members with a lifetime continuation agreement endorsement, providing that the policies will be renewed as long as certain terms are met, such as timely payment of premium and maintaining a driver’s license in good standing. However, beginning in May 2021, Personal Lines no longer offers the lifetime continuation agreement to new business home and automobile policies. The endorsement will remain on renewal policies with original new business effective dates prior to May 2021.
In addition to selling to AARP members, Personal Lines offers its automobile and homeowners products to non-AARP customers, primarily through the independent agent channel within select underwriting markets where we believe we have a competitive advantage. Personal Lines leverages its agency channel to target AARP members and other customer segments that value the advice of an independent agent and recognize the differentiated experience the Company provides. In particular, the Company has taken action to distinguish its brand and improve profitability in the independent agent channel with fewer and more highly partnered agents.
Competition
The personal lines automobile and homeowners insurance markets are highly competitive. Personal lines insurance is written by insurance companies of varying sizes that compete principally on the basis of price, product, service, including claims handling, the insurer's ratings and brand recognition. Companies with strong ratings, recognized brands, direct sales capability and economies of scale will have a competitive advantage. Larger carriers have the advantage of economies of scale with the top ten personal lines insurers accounting for approximately 70% of market share.
In recent years, insurers have increased their advertising in the direct-to-consumer market in an effort to gain new business and retain profitable business. The growth of direct-to-consumer sales, including by new entrants to the marketplace, continues to outpace sales in the agency distribution channel.
Insurers that distribute products principally through agency channels compete by offering commissions and additional incentives to attract new business. To distinguish themselves in the marketplace, top tier insurers are offering on-line and self-service capabilities that make it easier for agents and consumers to do business with the insurer. A large majority of agents have been using “comparative rater” tools that allow the agent to compare premium quotes among several insurance companies. The use of comparative rater tools increases price competition. Insurers that are able to capitalize on their brand and reputation, differentiate their products and deliver strong customer service are more likely to be successful in this market.
The use of data mining and predictive modeling is used by more and more carriers to target the most profitable business, and carriers have further segmented their pricing plans to expand market share in what they believe to be the most profitable segments. The Company continues to invest in capabilities to better utilize data and analytics, and thereby, refine and manage underwriting and pricing. Carriers, including The Hartford, have invested in telematics capabilities to enable better risk selection and pricing segmentation in response to changes in driving patterns. In 43 states, the Hartford offers its telematics program, TrueLane, which offers discounts for good driving behavior based on such attributes as braking, speed, distracted driving, and acceleration.
Also, new automobile technology advancements, including lane departure warnings, backup cameras, automatic braking and active collision alerts, are being deployed rapidly and are expected to improve driver safety and reduce the likelihood of vehicle collisions. However, these features include expensive parts, potentially increasing average claim severity.
In 2021, inflation had an increasing impact on the industry. Supply chain pressures, advanced vehicle technology, and a tight labor market have increased the cost of automobile repairs and supply chain issues are also resulting in higher costs to repair homes.
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|P&C OTHER OPERATIONS
Property & Casualty Other Operations includes certain property and casualty operations, managed by the Company, that have discontinued writing new business and includes substantially all of the Company's pre-1986 asbestos and environmental ("A&E") exposures. For a discussion of coverages provided under
policies written with exposure to A&E prior to 1986, reported within the P&C Other Operations segment (“Run-off A&E”), run-off assumed reinsurance and all other non-A&E exposures, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Critical Accounting Estimates, Property & Casualty Insurance Product Reserves.
|GROUP BENEFITS
2021 Premiums and Fee Income of $5,687
Principal Products and Services
Group insurance typically covers an entire group of people under a single contract, most typically the employees of a single employer or members of an association.
Group Benefits provides group life, disability and other group coverages to members of employer groups, associations and affinity groups through direct insurance policies and provides reinsurance to other insurance companies. In addition to employer paid coverages, the segment offers voluntary product coverages which are offered through employee payroll deductions. Group Benefits also offers disability underwriting, administration, and claims processing to self-funded employer plans. In addition, the segment offers a single-company leave management solution, which integrates work absence data from the insurer’s short-term and long-term group disability and
workers’ compensation insurance business with its leave management administration services.
Statutory paid family leave ("PFL") and paid family medical leave ("PFML") programs are a source of growth as the Company offers fully insured coverage or administers self-insured coverage for some of these programs. As of 2021, nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted PFL programs and additional states are considering adopting paid family leave or paid family and medical leave programs.
Group Benefits generally offers term insurance policies, allowing for the adjustment of rates or policy terms at renewal in order to minimize the adverse effect of market trends, loss costs, declining interest rates and other factors. Policies are typically
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sold with one, two or three-year rate guarantees depending upon the product and market segment.
Marketing and Distribution
The Group Benefits distribution network is managed through a regional sales office system to distribute its group insurance products and services through a variety of distribution outlets including brokers, consultants, third-party administrators and trade associations. Additionally, the segment has relationships with several private exchanges which offer its products to employer groups. Technology providers, including human resources platform vendors, are taking an increasingly prominent role in influencing customer decisions that also influence selection of the group benefits insurance provider.
Competition
Group Benefits competes with numerous insurance companies and financial intermediaries marketing insurance products. The market for group benefits is expected to grow as the COVID-19 pandemic has driven new demand for employee benefits among both employees and employers. For example, there is increased interest in benefits addressing mental health and wellness, caregiving costs and remote work considerations.
In order to differentiate itself, Group Benefits uses its risk management expertise and economies of scale to derive a competitive advantage. Competitive factors include the extent of products offered, price, the quality of customer and claims handling services, and the Company's relationship with third-party distributors and private exchanges. Active price competition continues in the marketplace, resulting in multi-year rate guarantees being offered to customers. Top tier insurers in
the marketplace also offer on-line and self-service capabilities to third party distributors and consumers. The relatively large size and underwriting capacity of the Group Benefits business provides a competitive advantage over smaller competitors.
The Company's market presence has increased in recent years, benefiting from our industry leading digital technology and integrated absence management and claims platform.
Additionally, as employers continue to focus on reducing the cost of employee benefits, we expect more companies to offer voluntary products paid for by employees. Across the industry, the sale of voluntary product offerings, including supplemental health coverage, is growing at a faster rate than employer-provided benefits. Competitive factors affecting the sale of voluntary products include the breadth of products, product education, enrollment capabilities and overall customer service. The Company, as well its competitors, are investing in technology to offer digital capabilities, and to improve product offerings and service levels, particularly with voluntary products.
We offer voluntary products including critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity coverage to employees through our Employee Choice Benefits programs, and travel accident coverage for employers and other organizations. The Company's enhanced enrollment and marketing tools, such as My Tomorrow©, are providing additional opportunities to educate individual participants about supplementary benefits and deepen their knowledge about product selection.
In addition to providing group disability, leave management and life insurance, we offer integrated claim, leave and benefits administration with The Hartford's Ability Advantage platform.
|HARTFORD FUNDS
Hartford Funds Segment Assets Under Management ("AUM") of $157,895 as of December 31, 2021
Mutual Fund AUM as of December 31, 2021
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Principal Products and Services
The Hartford Funds segment provides investment management, administration, product distribution and related services to investors through a diverse set of investment products in domestic and international markets. Hartford Funds' comprehensive range of products and services assist clients in achieving their desired investment objectives. AUM are separated into three distinct categories referred to as mutual funds, ETP and Talcott Resolution life and annuity separate accounts, which relate to the life and annuity business sold in May 2018. The Hartford Funds segment will continue to manage the mutual fund assets of Talcott Resolution, though these assets are expected to continue to decline over time.
Marketing and Distribution
Our funds and ETPs are sold through national and regional broker-dealer organizations, independent financial advisers, defined contribution plans, financial consultants, bank trust groups and registered investment advisers. Our distribution
team is organized to sell primarily in the United States. The investment products for Talcott Resolution are not actively distributed.
Competition
The investment management industry is mature and highly competitive. Firms are differentiated by investment performance, range of products offered, brand recognition, financial strength, proprietary distribution channels, quality of service and level of fees charged relative to quality of investment products. The Hartford Funds segment competes with a large number of asset management firms and other financial institutions and differentiates itself through superior fund performance, product breadth, strong distribution and competitive fees. In recent years demand for lower cost passive investment strategies has outpaced demand for actively managed strategies and has taken market share from active managers.
|CORPORATE
The Company includes in the Corporate category investment management fees and expenses related to managing third party business, including management of a portion of the invested assets of Talcott Resolution, reserves for run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreement liabilities, restructuring costs, capital raising activities (including equity financing, debt financing and related interest expense), transaction expenses incurred in connection with an acquisition, certain M&A costs, purchase accounting adjustments related to
goodwill and other expenses not allocated to the reporting segments.
Additionally, until June 30, 2021 the Corporate category included a 9.7% ownership interest in the legal entity that acquired Talcott Resolution. For discussion of this sale, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A — The Hartford's Operations.
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RESERVES
Total Reserves as of December 31, 2021 [1]
[1]Includes reserves for future policy benefits and other policyholder funds and benefits payable of $596 and $687, respectively, of which $399 and $426, respectively, relate to the Group Benefits segment with the remainder related to run-off structured settlement and terminal funding agreements within Corporate.
The reserve for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses includes a liability for unpaid losses, including those that have been incurred but not yet reported, as well as estimates of all expenses associated with processing and settling these insurance claims, including reserves related to both Property & Casualty and Group Benefits.
Total Property & Casualty Reserves as of December 31, 2021
Further discussion of The Hartford’s property and casualty insurance product reserves, including run-off asbestos and environmental claims reserves within P&C Other Operations, may be found in Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Critical Accounting Estimates — Property and Casualty Insurance Product Reserves. Additional discussion may be found in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, including in the Company’s accounting policies for insurance product reserves within Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies and in Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Total Group Benefits Reserves as of December 31, 2021 [1]
[1]Includes short duration contract reserves of $129 for short-term disability and $39 of supplemental health as well as reserves for future policy benefits that includes $286 of paid up life reserves and policy reserves on life policies, $96 of reserves for conversions to individual life and $17 of other reserves.
Group Benefits reserves include unpaid loss and loss adjustments expenses for long-term disability, group life and other lines of business as well as reserves for other policyholder funds and reserves for future policy benefits. Other policyholder funds and benefits payable represent deposits from policyholders where the company does not have insurance risk but is subject to investment risk. Reserves for future policy benefits represent life-contingent reserves for which the company is subject to insurance and investment risk.
Discussion of The Hartford's Group Benefits long-term disability reserves may be found in Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Critical Accounting Estimates — Group Benefits Long-term Disability ("LTD") Reserves, Net of Reinsurance. Additional discussion may be found in Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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UNDERWRITING FOR P&C AND GROUP BENEFITS
The Company underwrites the risks it insures in order to manage exposure to loss through favorable risk selection and diversification. Risk modeling is used to manage, within specified limits, the aggregate exposure taken in each line of business and across the Company. For property and casualty business, aggregate exposure limits are set by geographic zone and peril. Products are priced according to the risk characteristics of the insured’s exposures. Rates charged for Personal Lines products are filed with the states in which we write business. Rates for Commercial Lines products are also filed with the states but the premium charged may be modified based on the insured’s relative risk profile and workers’ compensation policies may be subject to modification based on prior loss experience. Pricing for Group Benefits products, including long-term disability and life insurance, is also based on an underwriting of the risks and a projection of estimated losses, including consideration of investment income.
Pricing adequacy depends on a number of factors, including the ability to obtain regulatory approval for rate changes, proper evaluation of underwriting risks, the ability to project future loss cost frequency and severity based on historical loss experience adjusted for known trends, the Company’s response to rate actions taken by competitors, its expense levels and expectations about regulatory and legal developments. The Company seeks to price its insurance policies such that insurance premiums and future net investment income earned on premiums received will cover underwriting expenses and the ultimate cost of paying claims reported on the policies and provide for a profit margin. For many of its insurance products, the Company is required to obtain approval for its premium rates from state insurance departments and the Lloyd's Syndicate's ability to write business is subject to Lloyd's approval for its premium capacity each year.
Geographic Distribution of Earned Premium (% of total)
Location Commercial Lines Personal Lines Group Benefits Total
California 8 % 2 % 2 % 12 %
New York 5 % 1 % 3 % 9 %
Texas 4 % 1 % 2 % 7 %
Florida 3 % 1 % 1 % 5 %
[1]No other single state or country accounted for 5% or more of the Company's consolidated earned premium in 2021.
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION FOR P&C AND GROUP BENEFITS
Claims administration includes the functions associated with the receipt of initial loss notices, claims adjudication and estimates, legal representation for insureds where appropriate, establishment of case reserves, payment of losses and notification to reinsurers. These activities are performed by approximately 6,600 claim professionals handling 50 states, Washington D.C and 2 international locations, organized to meet the specific claim service needs for our various product offerings. Our combined workers’ compensation and Group Benefits units enable us to leverage synergies for improved outcomes.
Claim payments for benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses are the largest expenditure for the Company.
REINSURANCE
For discussion of reinsurance, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Enterprise Risk Management and Note 9 - Reinsurance of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Hartford Investment Management Company (“HIMCO”) is an SEC registered investment advisor and manages the Company's investment operations. HIMCO provides customized investment strategies for The Hartford's investment portfolio, as well as for The Hartford's pension plan and institutional clients, including certain assets of Talcott Resolution.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the fair value of HIMCO’s total assets under management was approximately $105.4 billion and $106.1 billion, respectively, including $43.6 billion and $45.9 billion, respectively, that were held in HIMCO managed third party accounts and $4.7 billion and $4.6 billion, respectively, that support the Company's pension and other postretirement benefit plans.
Management of The Hartford's Investment Portfolio
HIMCO manages the Company's investment portfolios to maximize economic value and generate the returns necessary to support The Hartford’s various product obligations, within internally established objectives, guidelines and risk tolerances. The portfolio objectives and guidelines are developed based upon the asset/liability profile, including duration, convexity and other characteristics within specified risk tolerances. The risk tolerances considered include, but are not limited to, asset sector, credit issuer allocation limits, and maximum portfolio limits for below investment grade holdings. The Company attempts to minimize adverse impacts to the portfolio and the
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Company’s results of operations from changes in economic conditions through asset diversification, asset allocation limits, asset/liability duration matching and the use of derivatives. For further discussion of HIMCO’s portfolio management approach, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A — Enterprise Risk Management.
The Hartford's Investment Portfolio of $57.7 billion as of December 31, 2021
ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company has insurance, operational and financial risks. For discussion on how The Hartford manages these risks, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management.
REGULATION
State and Foreign Insurance Laws
State insurance laws are intended to supervise and regulate insurers with the goal of protecting policyholders and ensuring the solvency of the insurers. As such, the insurance laws and regulations grant broad authority to state insurance departments (“Departments”) to oversee and regulate the business of insurance. The Departments monitor the financial stability of an insurer by requiring insurers to maintain certain solvency standards and minimum capital and surplus requirements; invested asset requirements; state deposits of securities; guaranty fund premiums; restrictions on the size of risks which may be insured under a single policy; and adequate reserves and other necessary provisions for unearned premiums, unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses and other liabilities, both reported and unreported. In addition, the Departments perform periodic market and financial examinations of insurers and require insurers to file annual and other reports on the financial condition of the companies. Policyholder protection is also regulated by the Departments through licensing of insurers, sales employees, agents and brokers and others; approval of
premium rates and policy forms; and claims administration requirements.
Many states also have laws regulating insurance holding company systems. These laws require insurance companies, which are formed and chartered in the state (“Domestic Insurers”), to register with the state department of insurance (referred to as their “domestic state or regulator”) and file information concerning the operations of companies within the holding company system that may materially affect the operations, management or financial condition of the insurers within the system. Insurance holding company regulations principally relate to (i) state insurance approval of the acquisition of Domestic Insurers, (ii) prior review or approval of certain transactions between the domestic insurer and its affiliates, and (iii) regulation of dividends made by the domestic insurer. All transactions within a holding company system affecting Domestic Insurers must be determined to be fair and equitable.
The extent of financial services regulation on business outside the United States varies significantly among the countries in which The Hartford operates. Foreign financial services providers in certain countries are faced with greater restrictions than domestic competitors domiciled in that particular jurisdiction. Our International operations include a Lloyd’s Syndicate which is required to meet the minimum market standards set by Lloyd’s, as well as UK Prudential Regulation Authority (“PRA”) and UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) regulatory requirements. Pursuant to Solvency II, both Lloyd’s and the PRA focus on the adequacy of capital held and solvency of an insurer against the risk profile and management of the authorized insurer in setting capital requirements
Federal and State Securities and Financial Regulation Laws
The Company sells and distributes its mutual funds through a broker dealer subsidiary, and is subject to regulation promulgated and enforced by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the SEC and/or, in some instances, state securities administrators. Other subsidiaries operate as investment advisers registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers’ Act of 1940, as amended, and are registered as investment advisers under certain state laws, as applicable. Because federal and state laws and regulations are primarily intended to protect investors in securities markets, they generally grant regulators broad rulemaking and enforcement authority. Some of these regulations include, among other things, regulations impacting sales methods, trading practices, suitability of investments, use and safekeeping of customers’ funds, corporate governance, capital, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.
Failure to comply with federal and state laws and regulations may result in fines, the issuance of cease-and-desist orders or suspension, termination or limitation of the activities of our operations and/or our employees.
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
We rely on a combination of contractual rights and copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret laws to establish and protect our intellectual property.
We have a trademark portfolio that we consider important in the marketing of our products and services, including, among others, the trademarks of The Hartford name, the Stag Logo and the combination of these two trademarks. The duration of trademark registrations may be renewed indefinitely subject to country-specific use and registration requirements. We regard our trademarks as highly valuable assets in marketing our products and services and vigorously seek to protect them against infringement. In addition, we own a number of patents and patent applications relating to on-line quoting, insurance related processing, insurance telematics, proprietary interface platforms, and other matters, some of which may be important to our business operations. Patents are of varying duration depending on filing date, and will typically expire at the end of their natural term.
HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES
The Hartford has approximately 18,100 employees as of December 31, 2021.
Management, including the CEO and Chief Human Resources Officer ("CHRO"), establishes the hiring and compensation practices for our company. The Board is periodically updated on key employee engagement and employee relations measures, including our annual employee survey results. In addition, the Board’s Compensation and Management Development Committee (“Compensation Committee”) is responsible for reviewing performance and approving compensation paid to senior leaders, and, among other things, the oversight of succession planning, pay equity practices, and diversity, equity and inclusion ("DEI") initiatives. Our Human Resources team, led by our CHRO, supports the Compensation Committee in the execution of its responsibilities. In addition to the day-to-day support and counseling they provide to our leaders, managers and employees, the Human Resources team also monitors key indicators to keep a pulse on trends across our employee population including employee engagement, employee relations matters, career mobility, talent acquisition, and retention.
Talent Attraction, Retention and Development
The Hartford prioritizes building a diverse workforce and an inclusive and equitable work environment where employees are respected, inspired to perform at their best, and are recognized for their contributions. We believe that the combination of a diverse workforce and an operating culture that actively embraces different experiences, perspectives and insights results in better decisions, outcomes and experiences for both our customers and employees. We persistently work to improve the employee experience in support of our continuing strategic
objective to attract, retain and develop the best talent in the industry.
Our commitment to a robust talent pool starts at the top. The Board of Directors engages with the Compensation Committee annually to review executive level talent, consider key pipeline talent and conduct succession planning. In addition, our leadership team conducts a comprehensive annual Talent Review process across our organization each year.
In 2021, we achieved top quartile employee engagement and performance enablement scores as measured by an independent third party survey through continued focus on management effectiveness, collaboration, innovation and well-being, as well as DEI.
To keep pace with the evolving expectations of employees and external candidates, we focus on a broad array of actions, including:
•Providing career growth and development opportunities by enhancing our talent management systems, including succession planning, executive recruitment, training, development and retention strategies; and
•Holding leaders accountable for their talent decisions and measuring progress against business line-specific DEI goals (including a talent mobility scorecard), reviewed periodically by the CEO and executive leadership team.
For entry-level roles in the organization, we recruit at colleges and universities, partner with both internal and external recruiters, and offer a range of training and development programs, including:
•The Hartford’s Leadership Development program which provides curriculum to enhance leadership skill sets for all participants – from first-time leaders through our executive ranks;
•The Hartford’s Apprenticeship Program which prepares students for careers in insurance; and
•Our HartCode Academy Developer Training Program which provides employees with Information Technology ("IT") application development skills, providing a pipeline of diverse IT talent from across the Company.
Pay and Benefits
Compensation and Pay Equity
We offer competitive pay and benefits to our employees, with a performance-based, variable compensation structure making up a larger share of the total compensation paid to executives and senior leaders in the organization. Variable compensation includes an annual bonus plan and long-term incentive awards. Annual bonus payouts are informed by whether the Company achieves core earnings above or below a target level that is determined from the annual operating plan set at the beginning of each year and reviewed and approved by the Compensation Committee. Long-term incentive awards include restricted stock units, performance shares and, for the most senior executives, stock options. Additional information about The Hartford’s variable compensation programs is provided in the Company’s Proxy Statement.
To help ensure pay equity, we use an independent third party compensation specialist firm to conduct statistical pay equity
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analyses for our U.S. employees each year – a three-step process that includes analysis before, during and after the annual compensation planning cycle. This analysis enables us to identify unexplained pay disparities, conduct additional research to determine reasons for these differences and take appropriate actions to address the disparities if necessary.
The Compensation Committee is updated annually on our compensation equity processes and status.
The Hartford also engages in a number of additional practices to ensure pay fairness, including:
•Centralized compensation function ensuring consistent programs and practices across the enterprise;
•Enterprise-wide framework for evaluating and aligning roles and compensation levels based on job responsibilities, market competitiveness, strategic importance of the role, and other relevant factors;
•Prohibition against asking external job applicants for current or historical compensation information;
•A practice to disclose to applicants and employees the salary ranges for all posted positions;
•Individual compensation decisions that consider each employee’s experience, proficiency, and performance;
•Training for managers and human resources business partners on performance assessment and compensation planning; and
•Multiple levels of review and approval required for all compensation decisions.
We are committed to our extensive, long-standing policies and practices to ensure fair pay across the organization, while also staying attuned to external best practices and insights, and leveraging input from subject matter experts. We evaluate our performance every year, and as markets and talent pools shift over time we work to evolve our practices accordingly.
Employee Health and Wellness
The Hartford offers a comprehensive benefits package and award-winning wellness programs to help our employees live healthy lives and achieve their full potential. Our extensive benefits include:
•Medical plan options;
•Dental and vision coverage options;
•401(k) plan with company non-elective and matching contributions;
•Paid time off ("PTO") with at least 19 days of annual eligibility to start;
•Paid holidays;
•Flexible work schedules, including remote work arrangements;
•Tuition reimbursement;
•Family medical leave;
•Parental leave;
•Adoption support program;
•Organ and bone marrow donation leave policy; and
•Employee assistance program.
The Company also offers a medical advocacy program and well-being programs including nutrition counseling, weight management, sleep improvement, fitness reimbursement and more.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The Hartford seeks to be an insurance industry leader in having a diverse workforce and promoting an equitable and inclusive workplace, enabling us to attract and leverage top talent to meet our business goals. We are committed to ethical conduct and a bias-free workplace for all employees as we continue building, enhancing and sustaining an inclusive supportive culture that reflects the diversity of our customer base.
We continue to invest in and accelerate a wide range of strategies to improve representation of talent that’s demographically underrepresented in the insurance industry, including targeted initiatives to improve the representation of women and people of color, and education to help employees understand, identify and mitigate bias.
We are proud to have taken additional steps to hold our leaders accountable for making progress against our DEI goals. To that end, the Company required each business and functional area, in partnership with our human resources team, to create and adopt individualized DEI plans with specific DEI goals. Leaders meet with the CEO twice a year to review progress against those goals and final results are then considered as part of the annual performance assessment process. The Company has demonstrated its commitment to DEI progress through its active involvement in organizations such as the CEO Action for Racial Equity and Catalyst CEO Champions for Change and has been recognized for its commitment to inclusive workplaces by a number of organizations.
Our 2021 performance share grants under the Company’s long-term incentive plan included a performance share modifier tied to the company's workforce representation goals. The modifier will determine whether an increase or decrease of 10% on performance share awards is warranted based upon performance against predetermined year-end 2023 representation goals for women and people of color in executive level roles. This change will be described in greater detail in our 2022 proxy statement. The Compensation and Management Development Committee's intent is to include the modifier with 2024 and 2027 performance share awards to encourage progress toward the Company's 2030 representation goals.
Building a diverse workforce and creating an equitable and inclusive culture is a top priority and a business imperative. We recognize that this work is central to leading, governing and managing risks better. As of December 31, 2021, women and people of color represent 61% and 30% of our workforce, respectively. The Board of Directors is updated annually on the Company’s DEI efforts.
We have nine Employee Resource Groups (“ERG’s”) that are voluntary participation groups led by employees, dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. These groups focus on the development and success of the Company’s employees through education, networking, mentorship and community volunteer opportunities. As of December 31, 2021, we had 106
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local ERG chapters, and over 50% of employees were members of at least one ERG. In 2021, over 6,000 employees participated in Courageous Conversations, a program to allow employees to respectfully exchange perspectives, that ultimately contributes to a more inclusive workplace. Additionally, the Empower program is an enterprise leadership program designed to accelerate the readiness and encourage sponsorship of high performing, high potential people of color.
For more information on the Company’s human capital including our commitments, goals, initiatives and progress, as well as our employee demographics, refer to The Hartford’s Sustainability Highlight Report available on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at: https://ir.thehartford.com. The Hartford’s 2021 Sustainability Highlight Report is expected to be published prior to the Company’s annual meeting in May 2022.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company’s Internet address is www.thehartford.com. Our 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, without charge, on the investor relations section of our website, https://ir.thehartford.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Reports filed with the SEC may be viewed at www.sec.gov. References in this report to our website address are provided only as a convenience and do not constitute, and should not be viewed as, an incorporation by reference of the information contained on, or available through, the website. Therefore, such information should not be considered part of this report.
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Item 1A.
RISK FACTORS
In deciding whether to invest in The Hartford, you should carefully consider the following risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity and could also impact the trading price of our securities. These risks are not exclusive, and additional risks to which we are subject include, but are not limited to, the factors mentioned under “Forward-Looking Statements” above and the risks of our businesses described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following risk factors have been organized by category for ease of use, however many of the risks may have impacts in more than one category. 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 of these risks on our business, results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
The pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19 could continue to impact our business and may have a material adverse impact on our business results, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity.
The global spread of COVID-19 has continued to cause significant market uncertainty and economic disruption. The extent to which COVID-19 continues to impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity will depend on future developments which are highly uncertain and cannot be easily predicted including: the potential spread of new COVID-19 variants; the effectiveness of vaccines; natural immunity and current or emerging therapeutic treatments in preventing infection, serious illness and death; the percentage of those infected who are of working age; and the strain on the health care system preventing timely treatment of chronic illnesses. Additional uncertainty exists regarding governmental, business and individual actions that have been and may continue to be taken in response to the pandemic; the impact of the pandemic on economic activity and actions taken in response; potential legislative, regulatory, and judicial responses to the pandemic pertaining specifically to insurance underwriting and claims; the effect on our customers and customers’ demand for our products; our ability to sell our products and our ability to use historical experience to assist our decision making in areas including underwriting, pricing, capital management and investments.
Below are several key effects of COVID-19 on the Company’s business results, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity:
•Insurance and Product Related Risk - The Company may continue to incur increased loss costs under insurance policies that we have written including for workers’ compensation, group life insurance, short-term disability, general liability, surety, director and officer liability, and employment practices liability, as well as property business.
In addition, the Company’s Group Benefits business has issued group life policies to employers and associations, which may continue to result in increased death claims due to claims where COVID-19 is specifically listed as the cause of death and indirect impacts of the pandemic such as causes of death due to patients deferring regular treatments of chronic conditions (together, referred to as "excess mortality"). We may also continue to experience higher short-term disability and paid family leave claims from employees and covered individuals who have been affected by COVID-19.
Under general liability or umbrella policies, we may have exposure to increased claims for indemnification from our insureds who may be found liable for negligently having exposed third parties to COVID-19 at a place of business, home or other premise. In our commercial surety lines, there is the potential for elevated frequency and severity due to an increase in the number of bankruptcies, especially in small businesses and impacted industries such as hospitality, entertainment and transportation. In construction surety, there is the potential for elevated losses if contractors experience project shutdowns or payment delays, which could negatively impact their cash flows, or result in disruptions in their supply chains, labor shortages or inflation in the cost of materials. We may also have increased allegations under director and officer and employment practices liability policies for inadequate disclosures, mismanagement of resources, and hiring/lay off actions relating to COVID-19.
Nearly all of our property insurance policies require direct physical loss or damage to property and contain standard exclusions that we believe preclude coverage for COVID-19 related claims, and the vast majority of such policies contain exclusions for virus-related losses. Nevertheless, the Company and certain of its writing companies have been served as defendants in lawsuits seeking insurance coverage under commercial insurance policies for alleged losses resulting from the shutdown or suspension of our insureds’ businesses due to the spread of COVID-19. While the Company and its subsidiaries deny the allegations and are defending vigorously and while almost none of the plaintiffs have submitted proofs of loss or otherwise quantified or factually supported any allegedly covered loss, it is possible that adverse outcomes, if any, in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated operating results.
•Regulatory/Legal Risk - There could be legal and regulatory responses to concerns about COVID-19 and related public health issues that will impact our business, including the possible extension of insurance coverage beyond our policy language, such as for business interruption, civil authority and other claims. Further, policyholders may elect to litigate coverage issues which would lead to increased costs to the Company. For additional information on legislative and regulatory risks,
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see Part I, Item 2, MD&A - Capital Resources and Liquidity, Contingencies, Legislative and Regulatory Developments.
•Recessionary and other Global Economic Risk - If vaccines and other treatments are not effective at preventing serious illness or death from any new COVID-19 variants that arise, governments may reinstitute containment efforts, including curtailing access to businesses, including many of the Company’s insureds. In addition, disruption of the supply chain or other factors caused by the pandemic could result in an economic downturn and, as a result, potentially increase policy lapses and non-renewals and reduce demand for new business. In an economic downturn, employers may reduce work forces, resulting in lower premiums for the Company’s workers’ compensation and group benefit products. As such, the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic stress could reduce earned premiums.
In addition, in an economic downturn or in periods of a decline in real estate valuations, the Company could experience credit losses on various asset balances, including receivables and the principal amount of various invested assets, including fixed maturities and mortgage loans. In addition to credit losses on invested assets, The Company could experience declines in the value of available for sale debt securities if credit spreads were to widen significantly, which would reduce stockholders’ equity. In addition, disruption in equity markets could result in net realized or unrealized losses on our equity securities carried at fair value or reduce net investment income in future periods from our non-fixed income investment portfolio, including from private equity, hedge fund and real estate partnership investments. The Company could also experience higher reinsurance costs and/or more limited availability of reinsurance coverage. Reinsurance treaties renewed by the Company subsequent to July 1, 2020 exclude coverage for losses arising from communicable diseases.
Also, market volatility may cause us to change our existing hedging strategies resulting in economic loss. If markets become less liquid and/or experience lower trading volumes, it may be more difficult to value certain investment securities that we hold. Additionally, the Company may determine that an impairment has occurred when assessing its goodwill and other intangible assets, which would result in reduced earnings in the period that the impairment is recorded.
•Capital and Liquidity Risk - We may also experience capital and liquidity pressures including the need to provide additional capital to certain insurance subsidiaries, reductions in the amount of available dividend capacity from our subsidiaries and the need to post more collateral due to declining investment valuations or due to requirements under derivative agreements. Further, among other possible actions, we may choose not to repurchase shares and may decide to invest proceeds from maturing fixed maturities in short-term investments which earn lower returns.
•Operational Risk - The Company also faces operational risks as a result of COVID-19. The Company has limited the number of employees working in its offices, resulting in the vast majority of employees working from home as of
February 2022. While the Company has the technology in place to enable hybrid and remote arrangements and to facilitate communication with insureds, intermediaries, claimants and other third parties, there is a risk that business operations will be disrupted due to, among other things, cybersecurity attacks or data security incidents, higher than anticipated web traffic and call volumes as well as lack of sufficient broadband internet connectivity for employees and third parties working from home. In addition, if large numbers of our employees contract COVID-19 and are unable to perform their duties due to illness, it may result in periods of inadequate staffing. If any of those disruptions become significant, results could include, among other impacts, delays in settling claims, processing new business, renewals, cancellations and endorsements for insureds, billing and collecting premiums, transacting with reinsurers, contracting with and paying vendors, and disruptions to investment operations.
We rely on vendors, including some located overseas, for a number of services including IT development, IT maintenance support and various business processes, including, among others, certain claims administration, policy administration, and other operational functions. As the COVID-19 virus has affected virtually all parts of the world, our vendors could also experience disruptions to their operations and while we have contingency plans for some level of disruption, there can be no assurance that issues vendors experience with their business processes would not have a material effect on our own operations.
For all of the reasons discussed above, the global public health and economic impacts caused by the COVID 19 pandemic could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Risks Relating to Economic, Political and Global Market Conditions
Unfavorable economic, political and global market conditions may adversely impact our business and results of operations.
The Company’s investment portfolio and insurance business are sensitive to changes in economic, political and global capital market conditions, such as the effect of a weak economy, including labor supply shortages, and changes in credit spreads, equity prices, interest rates, inflation, foreign currency exchange rates, and shifts in demand and supply of U.S. dollars. Weak economic conditions, such as high unemployment, low labor force participation, lower family income, a weak real estate market, lower business investment and lower consumer spending may adversely affect the demand for insurance and financial products and lower the Company’s profitability in some cases. In addition, political instability, politically motivated violence or civil unrest, may increase the frequency and severity of insured losses. In addition, a deterioration in global economic
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conditions and/or geopolitical conditions, including due to military action, trade wars, tariffs or other actions with respect to international trade agreements or policies, has the potential to, among other things, reduce demand for our products, reduce exposures we insure, drive higher inflation that could increase the Company’s loss costs and result in increased incidence of claims, particularly for workers’ compensation and disability claims. The Company’s investment portfolio includes limited partnerships and other alternative investments and equity securities for which changes in value are reported in earnings. These investments may be adversely impacted by economic volatility, including real estate market deterioration, which could impact our net investment returns and result in an adverse impact on operating results.
Below are several key factors impacted by changes in economic, political, and global market conditions and their potential effect on the Company’s business and results of operations:
•Credit Spread Risk - Credit spread exposure is reflected in the market prices of fixed income instruments where lower rated securities generally trade at a higher credit spread. If issuer credit spreads increase or widen, the market value of our investment portfolio may decline. If the credit spread widening is significant and occurs over an extended period of time, the Company may recognize credit losses, resulting in decreased earnings. If credit spreads tighten significantly, the Company’s net investment income associated with new purchases of fixed maturities may be reduced. In addition, the value of credit derivatives under which the Company assumes exposure or purchases protection are impacted by changes in credit spreads, with losses occurring when credit spreads widen for assumed exposure or when credit spreads tighten if credit protection has been purchased.
•Equity Markets Risk - A decline in equity markets may result in net realized or unrealized losses on our equity securities carried at fair value or reduce net investment income in future periods from our non-fixed income investment portfolio, including from private equity, hedge fund and real estate partnership investments, and lower earnings from Hartford Funds where fee income is earned based upon the fair value of the assets under management. Equity markets are unpredictable. In the past few years, equity markets have been volatile, which could be indicative of a greater risk of a decline. For additional information on equity market sensitivity, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk- Equity Risk.
•Interest Rate Risk -Global economic conditions may result in the persistence of a low interest rate environment which would continue to pressure our net investment income and could result in lower margins on certain products. For additional information on interest rate sensitivity, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk - Interest Rate Risk
New and renewal business for our property and casualty and group benefits products is priced considering prevailing interest rates. As interest rates decline, in order to achieve the same economic return, we would have to increase product prices to offset the lower anticipated investment income earned on invested premiums. Conversely, as interest rates rise, pricing targets will tend to decrease to
reflect higher anticipated investment income. Our ability to effectively react to such changes in interest rates may affect our competitiveness in the marketplace, and in turn, could reduce written premium and earnings. For additional information on interest rate sensitivity, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk - Interest Rate Risk.
In addition, due to the long-term nature of the liabilities within our Group Benefits operations, particularly for long-term disability, declines in interest rates over an extended period of time would result in our having to reinvest at lower yields. On the other hand, a rise in interest rates, in the absence of other countervailing changes, would reduce the market value of our investment portfolio. A decline in market value of invested assets due to an increase in interest rates could also limit our ability to realize tax benefits from recognized capital losses.
•Inflation Risk - Inflation is a risk to our property and casualty business because, in many cases, claims are paid out many years after a policy is written and premium is collected for the risk. Supply chain issues arising from conditions due to the pandemic have contributed to inflation in the cost of labor and repairs for insurance claims paid to insureds and third parties. A greater than expected increase in inflation related to the cost of medical services and repairs over the claim settlement period can result in higher claim costs than what was estimated at the time the policy was written. Inflation can also affect consumer spending and business investment which can reduce the demand for our products and services. In addition, sustained inflation may result in an increase in interest rates, which would result in a reduction in the fair value of our investment portfolio.
•Changes in the Labor Market - Evolving labor market conditions, including increased competition for talent, could make it difficult to hire and retain employees and could increase compensation and benefit expense. New technologies may lead to changes in skill sets needed from the workforce, resulting in difficulty in attracting, developing and retaining employees. If insured businesses cannot hire enough qualified people to sell products and services to customers, economic activity may be depressed and lower insured exposure, hindering the Company's growth.
•Foreign Currency Exchange Rate - Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may impact our non-U.S. dollar denominated investments and foreign subsidiaries. As the Company has expanded its international operations, exposure to exchange rate fluctuations has increased. We hold cash and fixed maturity securities denominated in foreign currencies, including British Pounds and Canadian dollars, among others, and also have other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies such as premiums receivable and loss reserves. While the Company predominately uses asset-liability matching, including the use of derivatives, to hedge certain of these exposures to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, these actions do not eliminate the risk that
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changes in the exchange rates of foreign currencies to the U.S. dollar could result in financial loss to the Company, including realized or unrealized losses resulting from currency revaluation and increases to regulatory capital requirements for foreign subsidiaries that have net assets that are not denominated in their local currency. For additional information on foreign exchange risk, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk.
Concentration of our investment portfolio increases the potential for significant losses.
The concentration of our investment portfolios in any particular industry, collateral type, group of related industries or geographic sector could have an adverse effect on our investment portfolios and consequently on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity. Events or developments that have a negative impact on any particular industry, collateral type, group of related industries or geographic region may have a greater adverse effect on our investment portfolio to the extent that the portfolio is concentrated rather than diversified.
Further, if issuers of securities or loans we hold are acquired, merge or otherwise consolidate with other issuers of securities or loans held by the Company, our investment portfolio’s credit concentration risk to issuers could increase for a period of time, until the Company is able to sell securities to get back in compliance with the established investment credit policies.
Changing climate and weather patterns may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.
Climate change presents risks to us as an insurer, investor and employer. Climate models indicate that rising temperatures will likely result in rising sea levels over the decades to come and may increase the frequency and intensity of natural catastrophes and severe weather events. Extreme weather events such as abnormally high temperatures may result in increased losses associated with our property, automobile, workers’ compensation and group benefits businesses. Changing climate patterns may also increase the duration, frequency and intensity of heat/cold waves, which may result in increased claims for property damage, business interruption and losses under workers’ compensation, group disability and group life coverages. Precipitation patterns across the U.S. are projected to change, which if realized, may increase risks of flash floods and wildfires. If third parties assert that climate change-related risks and damages are caused by insured businesses, or arise from alleged mismanagement at insured businesses, we may experience increased claims under general liability and management liability policies. Additionally, there may be an impact on the demand, price and availability of automobile and homeowners insurance, and there is a risk of higher reinsurance costs or more limited availability of reinsurance coverage. Changes in climate conditions may also cause our underlying modeling data to not adequately reflect frequency and severity, limiting our ability to effectively evaluate and manage risks of catastrophes and severe weather events. Among other impacts, this could result in not charging enough premiums or not obtaining timely state approvals for rate increases to cover the risks we insure. We may also experience
significant interruptions to the Company’s systems and operations that hinder our ability to sell and service business, manage claims and operate our business.
In addition, climate change-related risks may adversely impact the value of the investments that we hold, resulting in potential realized or unrealized losses on our invested assets. Our decision to invest in certain securities, loans, or other investments may also be impacted by changes in climate patterns due to:
•changes in supply/demand for traditional sources of energy (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas);
•advances in low-carbon technology and renewable energy development;
•effects of extreme weather events on the physical and operational exposure of industries and issuers; and
•internal investment guidelines and policies related to the global energy transition.
The effects of climate change could also lead to increased credit risk of other counterparties we transact business with, including reinsurers. Rising sea levels may lead to decreases in real estate values in coastal areas, reducing premium and demand for commercial property and homeowners insurance and adversely impacting the value of our real estate-related investments. Additionally, government policies or regulations to slow climate change, such as emission controls or technology mandates, may have an adverse impact on sectors such as utilities, transportation and manufacturing, affecting demand for our products and our investments in these sectors. Moreover, regulators may undertake actions to minimize the effects of climate change on consumers, which could affect coverage provided under insurance contracts and administrative process.
These emerging regulatory initiatives, or other climate-related policies we adopt, may result in non-renewal of business or not underwriting or investing in certain industry sectors.
Because there is significant variability associated with the impacts of climate change, we cannot predict how physical, legal, regulatory and social responses may impact our business.
The discontinuance of LIBOR may adversely affect the value of certain investments we hold and floating rate securities we have issued, and any other assets or liabilities whose value may be tied to LIBOR.
LIBOR is an indicative measure of the average interest rate at which major global banks could borrow from one another. LIBOR is used as a benchmark or reference rate in certain derivatives and floating rate fixed maturities that are part of our investment portfolio, as well as two classes of junior subordinated debentures that we have issued and are currently outstanding.
In July 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") announced that by the end of 2021 it intended to stop persuading or compelling banks to report information used to set LIBOR. Since 2017, actions by regulators have resulted in efforts to establish alternative reference rates to LIBOR in several major currencies. The Alternative Reference Rate
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Committee, a group of private-market participants convened by the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, has recommended the Secured Overnight Funding Rate (“SOFR”) as its preferred alternative rate for U.S. dollar LIBOR. SOFR is a measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight, collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities, and is based on directly observable U.S. Treasury-backed repurchase transactions. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing daily SOFR in April 2018. Development and adoption of broadly accepted methodologies for transitioning from LIBOR, an unsecured forward-looking rate, to SOFR, a secured rate based on historical transactions, is ongoing.
On March 5, 2021, the FCA announced that publication of certain LIBOR settings in currencies other than U.S. dollars would cease immediately after December 31, 2021, and that publication of U.S. dollar LIBOR on a representative basis would cease for the one-week and two-month settings immediately after December 31, 2021 and for the remaining U.S. dollar settings immediately after June 30, 2023. Although the most widely used settings of U.S. dollar LIBOR continue to be published and used in existing transactions, regulatory pressures and other factors have resulted in a general decline in new U.S. dollar LIBOR-based transactions.
The Company continues to monitor and assess the potential impacts of the discontinuation of LIBOR, which will vary depending on (1) existing contract language to determine a LIBOR replacement rate, referred to as “fallback provisions”, in individual contracts, (2) the effects of certain legislation providing for LIBOR replacement rates or otherwise affecting contractual fallback provisions and (3) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and widely adopt new reference rates and fallback provisions for both existing and new products or instruments. At this time, it is not possible to predict how markets will respond to these new rates and the effect that the discontinuation of LIBOR might have on new or existing financial instruments. If LIBOR ceases to exist or is found by regulators to no longer be representative, outstanding contracts with interest rates tied to LIBOR may be adversely affected and impact our results of operations through a reduction in value of some of our LIBOR referenced floating rate investments, an increase in the interest we pay on our outstanding junior subordinated debentures, or an adverse impact to hedge effectiveness of derivatives or availability of hedge accounting. Additionally, any discontinuation of or transition from LIBOR may impact pricing, valuation and risk analytic processes and hedging strategies.
For additional information on the Company’s financial instruments that are tied to LIBOR, see Part II, Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation, Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Risk.
Insurance Industry and Product Related Risks
Unfavorable loss development may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
We establish property and casualty loss reserves to cover our estimated liability for the payment of all unpaid losses and loss expenses incurred with respect to premiums earned on our policies. Loss reserves are estimates of what we expect the ultimate settlement and administration of claims will cost, less what has been paid to date. These estimates are based upon actuarial projections and on our assessment of currently available data, as well as estimates of claims severity and frequency, legal theories of liability and other factors. For risks due to evolving changes in social, economic and environmental conditions, see the Risk Factor, “Unexpected and unintended claim and coverage issues under our insurance contracts may adversely impact our financial performance.”
Loss reserve estimates are refined periodically as experience develops and claims are reported and settled, potentially resulting in increases to our reserves. Increases in reserves would be recognized as an expense during the periods in which these determinations are made, thereby adversely affecting our results of operations for those periods. In addition, since reserve estimates of aggregate loss costs for prior years are used in pricing our insurance products, inaccurate reserves can lead to our products not being priced adequately to cover actual losses and related loss expenses in order to generate a profit.
We continue to receive A&E claims, the vast majority of which relate to policies written before 1986. Estimating the ultimate gross reserves needed for unpaid losses and related expenses for asbestos and environmental claims is particularly difficult for insurers and reinsurers. The actuarial tools and other techniques used to estimate the ultimate cost of more traditional insurance exposures tend to be less precise when used to estimate reserves for some A&E exposures.
Moreover, the assumptions used to estimate gross reserves for A&E claims, such as claim frequency over time, average severity, and how various policy provisions will be interpreted, are subject to significant uncertainty. It is also not possible to predict changes in the legal and legislative environment and their effect on the future development of A&E claims. These factors, among others, make the variability of gross reserves estimates for these longer-tailed exposures significantly greater than for other more traditional exposures.
Effective December 31, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement with National Indemnity Company (“NICO”), a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“Berkshire”) whereby the Company is reinsured for subsequent adverse development on substantially all of its net A&E reserves up to an aggregate net limit of $1.5 billion. We remain directly liable to claimants and if the reinsurer does not fulfill its obligations under the agreement or if future adverse development exceeds the $1.5 billion aggregate limit, we may need to increase our recorded net reserves which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. For
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additional information related to risks associated with the adverse development cover, see Note 12 - Reserve for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
We are vulnerable to losses from catastrophes, both natural and man-made.
Our insurance operations expose us to claims arising out of catastrophes. Catastrophes can be caused by various unpredictable natural events, including, among others, earthquakes, hurricanes, hailstorms, severe winter weather, wind storms, fires, tornadoes, and pandemics. Catastrophes can also be man-made, such as terrorist attacks, civil unrest, cyber-attacks, explosions or infrastructure failures.
The geographic distribution of our business subjects us to catastrophe exposure for events occurring in a number of areas, including, but not limited to: hurricanes in Florida, the Gulf Coast, the Northeast and the Atlantic coast regions of the United States; tornadoes and hail in the Midwest and Southeast; earthquakes in geographical regions exposed to seismic activity; wildfires in the West; and the spread of disease, which can occur throughout multiple geographic locations. We are also exposed to catastrophe losses in other parts of the world through our global specialty business. Any increases in the values and concentrations of insureds and property in these areas would increase the severity of catastrophic events in the future. In addition, changes in climate and/or weather patterns may increase the frequency and/or intensity of severe weather and natural catastrophe events potentially leading to increased insured losses. Potential examples include, but are not limited to:
•an increase in the frequency or intensity of wind and thunderstorm and tornado/hailstorm events due to increased convection in the atmosphere,
•more frequent and larger wildfires in certain geographies,
•higher incidence of deluge flooding, and
•the potential for an increase in frequency and severity of hurricane events.
Insufficient incorporation of climatic trends into widely used catastrophe models and internal tools to assess risk from natural catastrophe perils could lead to ineffective evaluation and management of catastrophe risk. For a further discussion of climate-related risks, see the above-referenced Risk Factor,“Changing climate and weather patternsmay adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operation.”
Our businesses also have exposure to global or nationally occurring pandemics caused by highly infectious and potentially fatal diseases spread through human, animal or plant populations.
In the event of one or more catastrophes, policyholders may be unable to meet their obligations to pay premiums on our insurance policies. Further, our liquidity could be constrained by a catastrophe, or multiple catastrophes. In addition, in part because accounting rules do not permit insurers to reserve for such catastrophic events until they occur, claims from catastrophic events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. The amount we charge for catastrophe exposure may be
inadequate if the frequency or severity of catastrophe losses changes over time or if the models we use to estimate the exposure prove inadequate. In addition, regulators or legislators could limit our ability to charge adequate pricing for catastrophe exposures or shift more responsibility for covering risk.
Terrorism is an example of a significant man-made caused potential catastrophe. Private sector catastrophe reinsurance is limited and generally unavailable for terrorism losses caused by attacks with nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. In addition, workers' compensation policies generally do not have exclusions or limitations for terrorism losses. Reinsurance coverage from the federal government under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program (the "Program") Reauthorization Act of 2019 (“TRIPRA 2019”) is also limited and only applies for certified acts of terrorism that exceed a certain threshold of industry losses. Accordingly, the effects of a terrorist attack in the geographic areas we serve may result in claims and related losses for which we do not have adequate reinsurance. TRIPRA 2019 also requires that the federal government create the following reports, which could lead to additional legislation or regulation: (1) Treasury Department to include in its biennial report on the effectiveness of the Program an evaluation of the availability and affordability of terrorism risk insurance for places of worship; and (2) Government Accountability Office report to analyze and address the vulnerabilities and potential costs of cyber terrorism, to assess adequacy of coverage under the Program, and to make recommendations for future legislative changes to address evolving cyber terrorism risks. Further, the continued threat of terrorism and the occurrence of terrorist attacks, as well as heightened security measures and military action in response to these threats and attacks or other geopolitical or military crises, may cause significant volatility in global financial markets, disruptions to commerce and reduced economic activity. These consequences could have an adverse effect on the value of the assets in our investment portfolio. Terrorist attacks also could disrupt our operation centers. In addition, TRIPRA 2019 expires on December 31, 2027 and if the U.S. Congress does not reauthorize the program or significantly reduces the government’s share of covered terrorism losses, the Company’s exposure to terrorism losses could increase materially unless it can purchase alternative terrorism reinsurance protection in the private markets at affordable prices or takes actions to materially reduce its exposure in lines of business subject to terrorism risk. For a further discussion of TRIPRA, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Enterprise Risk Management - Insurance Risk Management, Reinsurance as a Risk Management Strategy.
Cyber risk exposure exists through stand-alone cyber policies as well as cyber coverage endorsements on some property, general liability, management liability and directors and officers policies. Increasing frequency of cyber attacks and the evolving nature of cyber risk taking place across the globe may potentially lead to increased insured losses across the industry and for the businesses we insure. Our insureds may be increasingly exposed to cyber-related attacks with insured losses to property (including data and systems), breach of data, ransom payments and business interruption.
As a result, it is possible that any, or a combination of all, of these factors related to a catastrophe, or multiple catastrophes, whether natural or man-made, can have a material adverse
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effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
Pricing for our products is subject to our ability to adequately assess risks, estimate losses and comply with state and international insurance regulations.
We seek to price our property and casualty and group benefits insurance policies such that insurance premiums and future net investment income earned on premiums received will provide for an acceptable profit in excess of underwriting expenses and the cost of paying claims. Pricing adequacy depends on a number of factors, including proper evaluation of underwriting risks, the ability to project future claim costs, our expense levels, net investment income realized, our response to rate actions taken by competitors, legal and regulatory developments, including in international markets, and the ability to obtain regulatory approval for rate changes.
State insurance departments regulate many of the premium rates we charge and also propose rate changes for the benefit of the property and casualty consumer at the expense of the insurer, which may not allow us to reach targeted levels of profitability. Moreover, regulators may seek to prohibit or constrain the use of certain underwriting and rating factors, which may affect our ability to price risks. In addition to regulating rates, certain states have enacted laws that require a property and casualty insurer to participate in assigned risk plans, reinsurance facilities, joint underwriting associations and other residual market plans. State regulators also require that an insurer offer property and casualty coverage to all consumers and often restrict an insurer's ability to charge the price it might otherwise charge or restrict an insurer's ability to offer or enforce specific policy deductibles. In these markets, we may be compelled to underwrite significant amounts of business at lower than desired rates or accept additional risk not contemplated in our existing rates, participate in the operating losses of residual market plans or pay assessments to fund operating deficits of state-sponsored funds, possibly leading to lower returns on equity. The laws and regulations of many states also limit an insurer's ability to withdraw from one or more lines of insurance in the state, except pursuant to a plan that is approved by the state's insurance department. Additionally, certain states require insurers to participate in guaranty funds for impaired or insolvent insurance companies. These funds periodically assess losses against all insurance companies doing business in the state. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. For more on international regulatory risks, see the Risk Factor, “Regulatory and legislative developments could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.”
Additionally, the property and casualty and group benefits insurance markets have been historically cyclical, experiencing periods characterized by relatively high levels of price competition, less restrictive underwriting standards, more expansive coverage offerings, multi-year rate guarantees and declining premium rates, followed by periods of relatively low levels of competition, more selective underwriting standards, more coverage restrictions and increasing premium rates. In all of our property and casualty and group benefits insurance product lines, there is a risk that the premium we charge may
ultimately prove to be inadequate as reported losses emerge. In addition, there is a risk that regulatory constraints, price competition or incorrect pricing assumptions could prevent us from achieving targeted returns. Inadequate pricing could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Competitive activity, use of predictive analytics, or technological changes may adversely affect our market share, demand for our products, or our financial results.
The industries in which we operate are highly competitive. Our principal competitors are other property and casualty insurers, group benefits providers and providers of mutual funds and exchange-traded products. Competitors may expand their risk appetites in products and services where The Hartford currently enjoys a competitive advantage. Larger competitors with more capital and new entrants to the market could result in increased pricing pressures on a number of our products and services and may harm our ability to maintain or increase our profitability. For example, larger competitors, including those formed through consolidation or who may acquire new entrants to the market, such as insurtech firms, may have lower operating costs and an ability to absorb greater risk while maintaining their financial strength ratings, thereby allowing them to price their products more competitively. In addition, a number of insurers are making use of predictive analytics to, among other things, improve pricing accuracy, be more targeted in marketing, strengthen customer relationships and provide more customized loss prevention services. If they are able to use predictive analytics and other data and/or adopt innovative new technologies more effectively than we are, it may give them a competitive advantage. Because of the highly competitive nature of the industries we compete in, there can be no assurance that we will continue to compete effectively with our industry rivals, or that competitive pressure will not have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our business could also be affected by technological changes, including further advancements in automotive safety features, the development of autonomous or “self-driving” vehicles, and platforms that facilitate ride sharing. These technologies could impact the frequency or severity of losses, disrupt the demand for certain of our products, or reduce the size of the automobile insurance market as a whole. The risks we insure are also affected by the increased use of technology in homes and businesses, including technology used in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and security systems and the introduction of more automated loss control measures. Increased use of advanced analytics and automation in the workplace could potentially affect the demand for workers' compensation insurance products over time. In addition, our business may be disrupted due to failures of accelerated technological changes, including our automation of minimally complex tasks, which may adversely impact our business and results of operations. While there is substantial uncertainty about the timing, penetration and reliability of such technologies, and the legal frameworks that may apply, such as to autonomous vehicles, any such impacts could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
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We may experience difficulty in marketing and providing insurance products and investment advisory services through distribution channels and advisory firms.
We distribute our insurance products, mutual funds and ETPs through a variety of distribution channels and financial intermediaries, including brokers, independent agents, wholesale agents, reinsurance brokers, broker-dealers, banks, registered investment advisors, affinity partners, our own internal sales force and other third-party organizations. In some areas of our business, we generate a significant portion of our business through third-party arrangements. For example, we market personal lines products in large part through an exclusive licensing arrangement with AARP that continues through December 31, 2032. Our ability to distribute products through the AARP program may be adversely impacted by membership levels and the pace of membership growth. In addition, the independent agent and broker distribution channel is consolidating which could result in a larger proportion of written premium being concentrated among fewer agents and brokers, potentially increasing our cost of acquiring new business. While we periodically seek to renew or extend third party arrangements, there can be no assurance that our relationship with these third parties will continue or that the economics of these relationships won't change to make them less financially attractive to the Company. An interruption in our relationship with certain of these third parties could materially affect our ability to market our products and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Unexpected and unintended claim and coverage issues under our insurance contracts may adversely impact our financial performance.
Changes in industry practices and in legal, judicial, social and other environmental conditions, technological advances or fraudulent activities, may require us to pay claims we did not intend to cover when we wrote the policies. Social, economic, political and environmental issues, including rising income inequality, climate change, prescription drug use and addiction, exposures to new substances or those substances previously considered to be safe and found to have latent exposure, along with the use of social media to proliferate messaging around such issues, has expanded the theories for reporting claims, which may increase our claims administration and/or litigation costs. State and local governments' increased efforts aimed to respond to the costs and concerns associated with these types of issues, may also lead to expansive, new theories for reporting claims or may lead to the passage of "reviver" statutes that extend the statute of limitations for the reporting of these claims, including statutes passed in certain states with respect to sexual molestation and sexual abuse claims. In addition, these and other social, economic, political and environmental issues may either extend coverage beyond our underwriting intent or increase the frequency or severity of claims. Some of these changes, advances or activities may not become apparent until some time after we have issued insurance contracts that are affected by the changes, advances or activities and/or we may be unable to compensate for such losses through future pricing
and underwriting. As a result, the full extent of liability under our insurance contracts may not be known for many years after a contract is issued, and this liability may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity at the time it becomes known.
Financial Strength, Credit and Counterparty Risks
Downgrades in our financial strength or credit ratings may make our products less attractive, increase our cost of capital and inhibit our ability to refinance our debt.
Financial strength and credit ratings are important in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies. Rating agencies assign ratings based upon several factors. While most of the factors relate to the rated company, others relate to the views of the rating agency (including its assessment of the strategic importance of the rated company to the insurance group), general economic conditions, and circumstances outside the rated company's control. In addition, rating agencies may employ different models and formulas to assess the financial strength of a rated company, and from time to time rating agencies have altered these models. Changes to the models or factors used by the rating agencies to assign ratings could adversely impact a rating agency's judgment of its internal rating and the publicly issued rating it assigns us.
Our financial strength ratings, which are intended to measure our ability to meet policyholder obligations, are an important factor affecting public confidence in most of our products and, as a result, our competitiveness. A downgrade or a potential downgrade in the rating of our financial strength or of one of our principal insurance subsidiaries could affect our competitive position and reduce future sales of our products.
Our credit ratings also affect our cost of capital. A downgrade or a potential downgrade of our credit ratings could make it more difficult or costly to refinance maturing debt obligations, to support business growth at our insurance subsidiaries and to maintain or improve the financial strength ratings of our principal insurance subsidiaries. These events could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. For a further discussion of potential impacts of ratings downgrades on derivative instruments, including potential collateral calls, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Capital Resources and Liquidity - Derivative Commitments.
The amount of capital that we must hold to maintain our financial strength and credit ratings and meet other requirements can vary significantly from time to time and is sensitive to a number of factors outside of our control.
We conduct the vast majority of our business through licensed insurance company subsidiaries. In the United States, statutory accounting standards and statutory capital and reserve requirements for these entities are prescribed by the applicable
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insurance regulators and the NAIC. The minimum capital we must hold is based on risk-based capital (“RBC”) formulas for both life and property and casualty companies. The RBC formula for life companies is applicable to our group benefits business and establishes capital requirements relating to insurance, business, asset, credit, interest rate and off-balance sheet risks. The RBC formula for property and casualty companies sets required statutory surplus levels based on underwriting, asset and credit and off-balance sheet risks.
Countries in which our international insurance subsidiaries are incorporated or deemed commercially domiciled are subject to regulatory requirements as defined by the regulatory jurisdiction, including Solvency II. In addition, our Lloyd’s member company must maintain required Funds at Lloyd's ("FAL") to meet the capital requirements of its syndicate. The FAL is determined based on the syndicate’s Solvency Capital Requirement (“SCR”) under the Solvency II capital adequacy model plus an economic capital assessment determined by the Lloyd’s Franchise Board (which is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Lloyd's market).
In any particular year, statutory surplus amounts, RBC ratios, FAL and SCR may increase or decrease depending on a variety of factors, some of which are outside the Company's control, including:
•the amount of statutory income or losses generated by our insurance subsidiaries;
•the amount of additional capital our insurance subsidiaries must hold to support business growth;
•the amount of dividends or distributions paid to the holding company;
•changes in equity market levels;
•the value of certain fixed-income and equity securities in our investment portfolio;
•the value of certain derivative instruments;
•changes in interest rates;
•admissibility of deferred tax assets;
•changes to the regulatory capital formulas; and
•regulatory changes to accounting guidance for determining capital adequacy.
Among other factors, rating agencies consider the level of statutory capital and surplus of our U.S. insurance subsidiaries as well as the level of a measure of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") capital held by the Company in determining the Company's financial strength and credit ratings. Rating agencies may implement changes to their capital formulas that have the effect of increasing the amount of capital we must hold in order to maintain our current ratings. If our capital resources are insufficient to maintain a particular rating by one or more rating agencies, we may need to raise capital through public or private equity or debt financing. If we were not to raise additional capital, either at our discretion or because we were unable to do so, our financial strength and credit ratings might be downgraded by one or more rating agencies.
Losses due to nonperformance or defaults by counterparties can have a material adverse effect on the value of our investments, reduce our profitability or sources of liquidity.
We have credit risk with counterparties associated with investments, derivatives, premiums receivable, reinsurance recoverables and indemnifications provided by third parties in connection with previous dispositions. Among others, our counterparties include issuers of fixed maturity and equity securities we hold, borrowers of mortgage loans we hold, customers, trading counterparties, counterparties under swaps and other derivative contracts, reinsurers, clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses and other financial intermediaries and guarantors. These counterparties may default on their obligations to us due to bankruptcy, insolvency, lack of liquidity, adverse economic conditions, operational failure, fraud, government intervention and other reasons. In addition, for exchange-traded derivatives, such as futures, options and "cleared" over-the-counter derivatives, the Company is generally exposed to the credit risk of the relevant central counterparty clearing house. Defaults by these counterparties on their obligations to us could have a material adverse effect on the value of our investments, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. Additionally, if the underlying assets supporting the structured securities we invest in default on their payment obligations, our securities will incur losses.
The availability of reinsurance and our ability to recover under reinsurance contracts may not be sufficient to protect us against losses.
As an insurer, we frequently use reinsurance to reduce the effect of losses that may arise from, among other things, catastrophes and other risks that can cause unfavorable results of operations. In addition, our assumed reinsurance business purchases retrocessional coverage for a portion of the risks it assumes. Under these reinsurance arrangements, other insurers assume a portion of our losses and related expenses; however, we remain liable as the direct insurer on all risks reinsured. Consequently, ceded reinsurance arrangements do not eliminate our obligation to pay claims, and we are subject to our reinsurers' credit risk with respect to our ability to recover amounts due from them. The inability or unwillingness of any reinsurer or retrocessionaire to meet its financial obligations to us, including the impact of any insolvency or rehabilitation proceedings involving a reinsurer or retrocessionaire that could affect the Company's access to collateral held in trust, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
In addition, should the availability and cost of reinsurance change materially, we may have to pay higher reinsurance costs, accept an increase in our net liability exposure, reduce the amount of business we write, or access to the extent possible other alternatives to reinsurance, such as use of the capital markets. Further, due to the inherent uncertainties as to collection and the length of time before reinsurance recoverables will be due, it is possible that future adjustments to the Company’s reinsurance recoverables, net of the allowance, could be required, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or liquidity in a particular quarterly or annual period.
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Our ability to declare and pay dividends is subject to limitations.
The payment of future dividends on our capital stock is subject to the discretion of our board of directors, which considers, among other factors, our operating results, overall financial condition, credit-risk considerations and capital requirements, as well as general business and market conditions. Our board of directors may only declare such dividends out of funds legally available for such payments. Moreover, our common stockholders are subject to the prior dividend rights of any holders of depositary shares representing preferred stock then outstanding. The terms of our outstanding junior subordinated debt securities prohibit us from declaring or paying any dividends or distributions on our capital stock or purchasing, acquiring, or making a liquidation payment on such stock, if we have given notice of our election to defer interest payments and the related deferral period has not yet commenced or a deferral period is continuing.
Moreover, as a holding company that is separate and distinct from our insurance subsidiaries, we have no significant business operations of our own. Therefore, we rely on dividends from our insurance company subsidiaries and other subsidiaries as the principal source of cash flow to meet our obligations. Subsidiary dividends fund payments on our debt securities and the payment of dividends to stockholders on our capital stock. Connecticut state laws and certain other U.S. jurisdictions in which we operate limit the payment of dividends and require notice to and approval by the state insurance commissioner for the declaration or payment of dividends above certain levels. The laws and regulations of the countries in which our international insurance subsidiaries are incorporated or deemed commercially domiciled, as well as requirements of the Council of Lloyd’s, also impose limitations on the payment of dividends which, in some instances, are more restrictive. Dividends paid from our insurance subsidiaries are further dependent on their cash requirements. In addition, in the event of liquidation or reorganization of a subsidiary, prior claims of a subsidiary’s creditors may take precedence over the holding company’s right to a dividend or distribution from the subsidiary except to the extent that the holding company may be a creditor of that subsidiary. For further discussion on dividends from insurance subsidiaries, see Part II, Item 7, MD&A - Capital Resources & Liquidity.
Risks Relating to Estimates, Assumptions and Valuations
Actual results could materially differ from the analytical models we use to assist our decision making in key areas such as underwriting, pricing, capital management, reserving, investments, reinsurance and catastrophe risks.
We use models to help make decisions related to, among other things, underwriting, pricing, capital allocation, reserving, investments, reinsurance, and catastrophe risk. Both proprietary
and third party models we use incorporate numerous assumptions and forecasts about the future level and variability of interest rates, capital requirements, loss frequency and severity, currency exchange rates, policyholder behavior, equity markets and inflation, among others. The models are subject to the inherent limitations of any statistical analysis as the historical internal and industry data and assumptions used in the models may not be indicative of what will happen in the future. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from our modeled results. The profitability and financial condition of the Company substantially depends on the extent to which our actual experience is consistent with assumptions we use in our models and ultimate model outputs. If, based upon these models or other factors, we misprice our products or our estimates of the risks we are exposed to prove to be materially inaccurate, our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity may be adversely affected.
The valuation of our securities and investments and the determination of allowances and credit losses are highly subjective and based on methodologies, estimations and assumptions that are subject to differing interpretations and market conditions.
Estimated fair values of the Company’s investments are based on available market information and judgments about financial instruments, including estimates of the timing and amounts of expected future cash flows and the credit standing of the issuer or counterparty. During periods of market disruption, it may be difficult to value certain of our securities if trading becomes less frequent and/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. In addition, there may be certain securities whose fair value is based on one or more unobservable inputs, even during normal market conditions. As a result, the determination of the fair values of these securities may include inputs and assumptions that require more estimation and management judgment and the use of complex valuation methodologies. These fair values may differ materially from the value at which the investments may be ultimately sold. Further, rapidly changing or unprecedented credit and equity market conditions could materially impact the valuation of securities and the period-to-period changes in value could vary significantly. Decreases in value could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity.
Similarly, management’s decision on whether to record an allowance for credit losses is subject to significant judgments and assumptions regarding changes in general economic conditions, the issuer's financial condition or future recovery prospects, estimated future cash flows, the expected recovery period and the accuracy of third party information used in internal assessments. As a result, management’s evaluations and assessments are highly judgmental and its projections of future cash flows over the life of certain securities may ultimately prove incorrect as facts and circumstances change.
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If our businesses do not perform well, we may be required to recognize an impairment of our goodwill.
Goodwill represents the excess of the amounts we paid to acquire subsidiaries and other businesses over the fair value of their net assets at the date of acquisition. We test goodwill at least annually for impairment. Impairment testing is performed based upon estimates of the fair value of the “reporting unit” to which the goodwill relates. The reporting unit is the operating segment or a business one level below an operating segment if discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by management at that level. The fair value of the reporting unit could decrease if new business, customer retention, profitability or other drivers of performance differ from expectations. If it is determined that the goodwill has been impaired, the Company must write down the goodwill by the amount of the impairment, with a corresponding charge to net income (loss). These write downs could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
Strategic and Operational Risks
Our businesses may suffer and we may incur substantial costs if we are unable to access our systems and safeguard the security of our data in the event of a disaster, cyber breach or other information security incident.
We use technology to process, store, retrieve, evaluate and utilize customer and company data and information. Our information technology and telecommunications systems, in turn, interface with and rely upon third-party systems. We and our third party vendors must be able to access our systems to provide insurance quotes, process premium payments, make changes to existing policies, file and pay claims, administer mutual funds, provide customer support, manage our investment portfolios, report on financial results and perform other necessary business functions.
Systems failures or outages could compromise our ability to perform these business functions in a timely manner, which could harm our ability to conduct business and hurt our relationships with our business partners and customers. In the event of a disaster such as a natural catastrophe, a pandemic, civil unrest, an industrial accident, a cyber-attack, a blackout, a terrorist attack (including conventional, nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological) or war, systems upon which we rely may be inaccessible to our employees, customers or business partners for an extended period of time. Even if our employees and business partners are able to report to work, they may be unable to perform their duties for an extended period of time if our data or systems used to conduct our business are disabled or destroyed.
Our systems have been, and will likely continue to be, subject to viruses or other malicious codes, unauthorized access, cyber-attacks (such as ransomware and denial of service), cyber frauds or other computer related penetrations. The frequency and sophistication of such threats continue to increase as well.
While, to date, The Hartford is not aware of having experienced a material breach of our cyber security systems, administrative, internal accounting and technical controls as well as other preventive actions may be insufficient to prevent physical and electronic break-ins, denial of service, cyber-attacks, business email compromises, ransomware or other security breaches to our systems or those of third parties with whom we do business. Such an event could compromise our confidential information as well as that of our clients and third parties, impede or interrupt our business operations and result in other negative consequences, including remediation costs, loss of revenue, additional regulatory scrutiny and litigation and reputational damage. In addition, we routinely transmit to third parties personal, confidential and proprietary information, which may be related to employees and customers, by email and other electronic means, along with receiving and storing such information on our systems. Although we attempt to protect privileged and confidential information, we may be unable to secure the information in all events, especially with clients, vendors, service providers, counterparties and other third parties who may not have appropriate controls to protect confidential information.
Our businesses must comply with regulations to control the privacy of customer, employee and third party data, and state, federal and international regulations regarding data privacy, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation and California Consumer Privacy Act, are becoming increasingly more onerous. A misuse or mishandling of confidential or proprietary information could result in legal liability, regulatory action and reputational harm.
Third parties, including third party administrators and cloud-based systems, are also subject to cyber-attacks and breaches of confidential information, along with the other risks outlined above, any one of which may result in our incurring substantial costs and other negative consequences, including a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. While we maintain cyber liability insurance that provides both third party liability and first party insurance coverages, our insurance may not be sufficient to protect against all loss.
Performance problems due to outsourcing and other third-party relationships may compromise our ability to conduct business.
We outsource certain business and administrative functions and rely on third-party vendors to perform certain functions or provide certain services on our behalf and have a significant number of information technology and business processes outsourced with a single vendor. If we are unable to reach agreement in the negotiation of contracts or renewals with certain third-party providers, or if such third-party providers experience disruptions in their processes or with relied upon vendors, or if they do not perform as anticipated, we may be unable to meet our obligations to customers and claimants, incur higher costs and lose business which may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. For other risks associated with our outsourcing of certain functions, see the Risk Factor, “Our businesses may suffer and we may incur substantial costs if we are unable to access our systems and safeguard the security of our data in the event of a disaster, cyber breach or other information security incident.”
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Our ability to execute on capital management plans, expense reduction initiatives and other actions is subject to material challenges, uncertainties and risks.
The ability to execute on capital management plans is subject to material challenges, uncertainties and risks. From time to time, our capital management plans may include the repurchase of common stock, the paydown of outstanding debt or both. We may not achieve all of the benefits we expect to derive from these plans. For an equity repurchase plan approved by the Board, such capital management plan would be subject to execution risks, including, among others, risks related to market fluctuations, investor interest and potential legal constraints that could delay execution at an otherwise optimal time. There can be no assurance that we will fully execute any such plan. In addition, we may not be successful in keeping our businesses cost efficient. We may take future actions, including acquisitions, divestitures or restructurings that may involve additional uncertainties and risks that negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
Acquisitions and divestitures may not produce the anticipated benefits and may result in unintended consequences, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
We may not be able to successfully integrate acquired businesses or achieve the expected synergies as a result of such acquisitions or divestitures. The process of integrating an acquired company or business can be complex and costly and may create unforeseen operating difficulties including ineffective integration of underwriting, risk management, claims handling, finance, information technology and actuarial practices. Difficulties integrating an acquired business may also result in the acquired business performing differently than we expected including through the loss of customers or in our failure to realize anticipated increased premium growth or expense-related efficiencies. We could be adversely affected by the acquisition due to unanticipated performance issues and additional expense, unforeseen liabilities, transaction-related charges, downgrades by third-party rating agencies, diversion of management time and resources to integration challenges, loss of key employees, regulatory requirements, exposure to tax liabilities, amortization of expenses related to intangibles and charges for impairment of long-term assets or goodwill. In addition, we may be adversely impacted by uncertainties related to reserve estimates of the acquired company and its design and operation of internal controls over financial reporting. We may be unable to distribute as much capital to the holding company as planned due to regulatory restrictions or other reasons that may adversely affect our liquidity.
In addition, in the case of business or asset dispositions, we may have continued financial exposure to the divested businesses through reinsurance, indemnification or other financial arrangements following the transaction. The expected benefits of acquired or divested businesses may not be realized and involve additional uncertainties and risks that may negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.