REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA INC

Market risk benefits are contracts or contract features that both provide protection to the contract holder from other-than-nominal capital market risk and expose the Company to other-than-nominal capital market risk. Market risk benefits are measured at fair value using an option-based valuation model based on current net amounts at risk, market data, Company experience, and other factors. Changes in fair value are recognized in net income each period with the exception of the portion of the change in fair value due to a change in the liability’s instrument-specific credit risk, which is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss).

Market risk benefits include the following contract features on certain annuity products that provide minimum guarantees to policyholders:

•Guaranteed minimum income benefits (“GMIB”) provide the contract holder, after a specified period of time determined at the time of issuance of the variable annuity contract, with a minimum level of income (annuity) payments. Under the reinsurance treaty, the Company makes a payment to the ceding company equal to the GMIB net amount-at-risk at the time of annuitization.

•Guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits (“GMWB”) guarantee the contract holder a return of their purchase payment via partial withdrawals, even if the account value is reduced to zero, provided that the contract holder’s cumulative withdrawals in a contract year do not exceed a certain limit. The initial guaranteed withdrawal amount is equal to the initial benefit base as defined in the contract (typically, the initial purchase payments plus applicable bonus amounts).

•Guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits (“GMAB”) provide the contract holder, after a specified period of time determined at the time of issuance of the variable annuity contract, with a minimum accumulation of their purchase payments even if the account value is reduced to zero. The initial guaranteed accumulation amount is equal to the initial benefit base as defined in the contract (typically, the initial purchase payments plus applicable bonus amounts).

•Guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”) provides the beneficiary a guaranteed minimum amount upon the death of the contract holder, regardless of the account balance.

The fair values of the GMIB, GMWB, GMDB and GMAB contract features are reflected in market risk benefits and are calculated based on actuarial and capital market assumptions related to the projected cash flows, including benefits and related contract charges over the lives of the contracts. These projected cash flows incorporate expectations concerning policyholder behavior, such as lapses, withdrawals and benefit selections, and capital market assumptions such as interest rates and equity market volatilities. In measuring the fair value of GMIBs, GMWBs, GMABs and GMDBs, the Company attributes a portion of the fees collected from the policyholder equal to the present value of expected future guaranteed minimum income, withdrawal and accumulation and death benefits (at inception). The changes in fair value are reported in market risk benefits remeasurement (gains) losses. Any additional fees represent “excess” fees and are reported in other revenues. These variable annuity guaranteed living and death benefits may be more costly than expected in volatile or declining equity markets or falling interest rate markets, causing an increase in market risk benefit liabilities.