REINSURANCE GROUP OF AMERICA INC
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Feb 21, 2025.
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FY2024 · Filed Feb 21, 2025
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Item 1. Business
| A. | Overview |
|---|
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (“RGA”) is an insurance holding company that was formed on December 31, 1992. The consolidated financial statements herein include the assets, liabilities, and results of operations of RGA and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned, and is referred to as the “Company”, “we”, “us” and “our” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The Company is a leading global provider of traditional life and health reinsurance and financial solutions with operations in the U.S., Latin America, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. Reinsurance is an arrangement under which an insurance company, the “reinsurer,” agrees to indemnify another insurance company, the “ceding company,” for all or a portion of the insurance and/or investment risks underwritten by the ceding company. Reinsurance is designed to:
i. reduce the net amount at risk on individual risks, thereby enabling the ceding company to increase the volume of business it can underwrite, as well as increase the maximum risk it can underwrite on a single risk;
ii. enhance the ceding company’s financial strength and surplus position;
iii. stabilize operating results by leveling fluctuations in the ceding company’s loss experience; and
iv. assist the ceding company in meeting applicable regulatory requirements.
The Company has the following geographic-based and business-based operational segments:
U.S. and Latin America;
Canada;
Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”);
Asia Pacific; and
Corporate and Other.
Geographic-based operations are further segmented into traditional and financial solutions businesses. The Company’s segments primarily write traditional reinsurance and financial solutions business that is wholly or partially retained in one or more of RGA’s reinsurance subsidiaries. See “Segments” for more information concerning the Company’s operating segments.
Traditional reinsurance includes individual and group life and health, disability, long-term care and critical illness reinsurance, as further described below:
Life reinsurance primarily refers to reinsurance of individual or group-issued term, whole life, universal life, and joint and last survivor insurance policies.
Health and disability reinsurance primarily refers to reinsurance of individual or group health policies.
Long-term care reinsurance provides benefits in the event a person is no longer able to perform some specified activities of daily living.
Critical illness reinsurance provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness.
Traditional reinsurance is written on a facultative or automatic treaty basis. Facultative reinsurance is individually underwritten by the reinsurer for each policy to be reinsured, with the pricing and other terms established based upon rates negotiated in advance. Facultative reinsurance is normally purchased by ceding companies for medically impaired lives, unusual risks, or liabilities in excess of the binding limits specified in their automatic reinsurance treaties.
An automatic reinsurance treaty provides that the ceding company will cede risks to a reinsurer on specified blocks of policies where the underlying policies meet the ceding company’s underwriting criteria. In contrast to facultative reinsurance, the reinsurer does not approve each individual policy being reinsured. Automatic reinsurance treaties generally provide that the reinsurer will be liable for a portion of the risk associated with the specified policies written by the ceding company. Automatic reinsurance treaties specify the ceding company’s binding limit, which is the maximum amount of risk on a given life that can be ceded automatically to the reinsurer and that the reinsurer must accept. The binding limit may be stated either as a multiple of the ceding company’s retention or as a stated dollar amount.
Facultative and automatic reinsurance may be written as yearly renewable term, coinsurance, modified coinsurance or coinsurance with funds withheld, as further described below:
Yearly renewable term treaty – The reinsurer assumes primarily the mortality or morbidity risk.
Coinsurance arrangement – Depending upon the terms of the contract, the reinsurer may share in the risk of loss due to mortality or morbidity, lapses, and the investment risk, if any, inherent in the underlying policy.
Modified coinsurance and coinsurance with funds withheld agreements – Differ from coinsurance arrangements in that the assets supporting the reserves are retained by the ceding company.
Generally, the amount of life and health reinsurance ceded is stated on an excess or a quota share basis. Reinsurance on an excess basis covers amounts in excess of an agreed-upon retention limit. Retention limits vary by ceding company and also may vary by the age or underwriting classification of the insured, the product, and other factors. Under quota share reinsurance, the ceding company states its retention in terms of a fixed percentage of the risk with the remainder to be ceded to one or more reinsurers up to the maximum binding limit.
Many reinsurance agreements include recapture rights that permit the ceding company to reassume all or a portion of the risk formerly ceded to the reinsurer after an agreed-upon period of time or in some cases due to deterioration in the financial condition or ratings of the reinsurer. Recapture of business previously ceded does not affect premiums ceded prior to the recapture of such business, but would reduce premiums in subsequent periods. The potential adverse effects of recapture rights are mitigated by the following factors: (i) recapture rights vary by treaty and the risk of recapture is a factor that is considered when pricing a reinsurance agreement; (ii) ceding companies generally may exercise their recapture rights only to the extent they have increased their retention limits for the reinsured policies; (iii) ceding companies generally must recapture all of the policies eligible for recapture under the agreement in a particular year if any are recaptured, which prevents a ceding company from recapturing only the most profitable policies; and (iv) the ceding company is sometimes required to pay a fee to the reinsurer upon recapture. In addition, when a ceding company recaptures reinsured policies, the reinsurer releases the reserves it maintained to support the recaptured portion of the policies.
Financial solutions include asset-intensive reinsurance, longevity reinsurance, stable value products, pension risk transfer (“PRT”) transactions and capital solutions.
Asset-Intensive Reinsurance
Asset-intensive reinsurance refers to transactions with a significant investment component, which qualify as reinsurance under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Asset-intensive reinsurance allows the Company’s clients to manage their investment risk and available capital to pursue new growth opportunities.
An ongoing partnership with clients is important with asset-intensive reinsurance because of the active management involved in this type of reinsurance. This active management may include investment decisions, investment and claims management, and the determination of non-guaranteed elements. Some examples of asset-intensive reinsurance are fixed deferred annuities, indexed products, unit-linked variable annuities, universal life, corporate-owned life insurance and bank-owned life insurance, unit-linked variable life, immediate/payout annuities, whole life, disabled life reserves, and extended term insurance.
Longevity Reinsurance
RGA’s longevity reinsurance products are reinsurance contracts from which the Company earns premium for assuming the longevity risk of pension plans and other annuity products that have been insured by third parties. In many countries, companies are increasingly interested in reducing their exposure to longevity risk related to employee retirement benefits and individual annuities. This concern comes from both the absolute size of the risk and also through the volatility that changes in life expectancy can have on their reported earnings. In addition, insurance companies that offer lifetime annuities are seeking ways to manage their current exposure, while also recognizing the potential to take on more risk from employers and individuals.
The Company has entered into reinsurance transactions on existing longevity business for clients in the U.S., Europe and Canada. These have been arrangements with traditional insurance companies, as well as customized arrangements for companies with pension plan liabilities. The Company also works with partners to provide pension plan sponsors solutions that enable them to diversify and protect the benefits provided to the annuitants.
Stable Value Products
The Company provides guaranteed investment contracts to retirement plans that include investment-only, stable value wrap products. The assets are owned by the trustees of such plans, who invest the assets under the terms of investment guidelines to which the Company agrees. The contracts contain a guarantee of a minimum rate of return on participant balances supported by the underlying assets, and a guarantee of liquidity to meet certain participant-initiated plan cash flow requirements.
Capital Solutions
Capital solutions includes financial reinsurance and fee-based transactions which assist ceding companies in meeting applicable regulatory requirements by enhancing the ceding companies’ financial strength and regulatory surplus position. While low risk, these transactions do meet the risk transfer guidelines under National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) reporting rules, providing protection against significantly adverse changes in the business. Financial reinsurance and fee-based transactions do not qualify as reinsurance under GAAP due to the remote-risk nature of the transactions and are reported in accordance with deposit accounting guidelines or other applicable accounting guidelines.
| B. | Corporate Structure |
|---|
As a holding company, RGA is separate and distinct from its subsidiaries and has no significant business operations of its own. Therefore, it relies on capital raising efforts, interest income on undeployed corporate investments and dividends from its insurance companies and other subsidiaries as the principal source of cash flow to meet its obligations, pay dividends and repurchase common stock. Information regarding the cash flow and liquidity needs of RGA may be found in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources.
Regulation
The following table provides the jurisdiction of the regulatory authority for RGA’s primary operating and captive subsidiaries:
| Subsidiary | Regulatory Authority Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| RGA Reinsurance Company (“RGA Reinsurance”) | Missouri |
| Rockwood Reinsurance Company (“Rockwood Re”) | Missouri |
| Castlewood Reinsurance Company (“Castlewood Re”) | Missouri |
| Chesterfield Reinsurance Company (“Chesterfield Re”) | Missouri |
| RGA Life and Annuity Insurance Company (“RGA Life and Annuity”) | Missouri |
| RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada (“RGA Canada”) | Canada |
| RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd. (“RGA Barbados”) | Barbados |
| RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Americas”) | Bermuda |
| Manor Reinsurance, Ltd. (“Manor Re”) | Barbados |
| RGA Worldwide Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Worldwide”) | Barbados |
| RGA Global Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (“RGA Global”) | Bermuda |
| RGA Reinsurance Company of Australia Limited (“RGA Australia”) | Australia |
| RGA International Reinsurance Company dac (“RGA International”) | Ireland |
| Aurora National Life Assurance Company (“Aurora National”) | Missouri |
| Omnilife Insurance Company, Limited | United Kingdom |
| Hodge Life Assurance Company Limited | United Kingdom |
Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries and branches are subject to regulations in the other jurisdictions in which they are licensed or authorized to do business. Insurance laws and regulations, among other things, establish minimum capital requirements and limit the amount of dividends, distributions, and intercompany payments that affiliates can make without regulatory approval. Additionally, insurance laws and regulations impose restrictions on the amounts and types of investments that insurance companies may hold. New capital standards (discussed below) are being developed and are likely to be applied to one or more of the Company’s subsidiaries to either require more capital and/or limit the extent to which some forms of existing capital may be counted in an evaluation of financial strength by its regulators.
U.S. Regulation
Insurance Regulation
The insurance laws and regulations, as well as the level of supervisory authority that may be exercised by the various state insurance departments, vary by jurisdiction. These laws and regulations generally:
Grant broad powers to supervisory agencies or regulators to examine and supervise insurance companies and insurance holding companies with respect to every significant aspect of the conduct of the insurance business. This includes the power to pre-approve the execution or modification of contractual arrangements.
Require insurance companies to meet certain solvency standards and asset tests, to maintain minimum standards of financial strength and to file certain reports with regulatory authorities (including information concerning their capital structure, ownership and financial condition).
Subject insurers to potential assessments for amounts paid by guarantee funds.
RGA Reinsurance, Aurora National, Chesterfield Re and RGA Life and Annuity are subject to the state of Missouri’s adoption of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) Model Audit Rule, which requires an insurer to have an annual audit by an independent certified public accountant, provide an annual management report of internal control over financial reporting, file the resulting reports with the Director of Insurance and maintain an audit committee under certain conditions.
The Insurance Holding Company System Regulatory Acts in the U.S. permit the Missouri regulator to request and consider similar information in its regulation of the solvency of and capital standards for RGA Reinsurance, Aurora National, Chesterfield Re and RGA Life and Annuity. Information about the operations of other subsidiaries of RGA and the extent to which contagion risk posed by those operations may also exist.
In addition, RGA is subject to a supervisory college, conducted by its group supervisor the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (“MDCI”). The supervisory college is comprised of insurance regulators of the major jurisdictions in which RGA has established insurance branches and subsidiaries. Since the inception of the supervisory college in October 2012, the MDCI has conducted regular in-person supervisory college meetings in addition to numerous regulator-only conference calls. These meetings generate requests from RGA’s regulators for information as they monitor RGA’s solvency, governance and overall management. While the supervisory college has the ability to impose limitations on the activities of the insurance subsidiaries of RGA, particularly since RGA has been designated by its group supervisor as an Internationally Active Insurance Group (“IAIG”), no such limitations have been imposed to date. The existence of the supervisory college generally helps regulators understand RGA’s business to a greater degree and encourages a more global view by RGA of its own regulation.
RGA’s reinsurance subsidiaries and branches are required to file statutory financial statements in each jurisdiction in which they are licensed and may be subject to onsite, periodic examinations by the insurance regulators of the jurisdictions in which each is licensed, authorized, or accredited. To date, none of the regulators’ reports related to the Company’s periodic examinations have contained material adverse findings.
Although some of the rates and policy terms of U.S. direct insurance agreements are regulated by state insurance departments, the rates, policy terms, and conditions of reinsurance agreements generally are not subject to regulation by any regulatory authority, which is also true outside of the U.S. In the U.S., however, the NAIC Model Law on Credit for Reinsurance, which has been adopted in most states, including Missouri, imposes certain requirements for an insurer to take reserve credit for risk ceded to a reinsurer. Generally, the reinsurer is required to be licensed, accredited or certified in the insurer’s state of domicile or the reinsurer must be domiciled in a jurisdiction that is found by the U.S. regulators to observe the standards established in the U.S. – E.U. Covered Agreement, i.e., a “reciprocal jurisdiction reinsurer”. Otherwise, the reinsurer must post security for reserves transferred to the reinsurer in the form of letters of credit or assets placed in trust. Insurers ceding business to reciprocal jurisdiction reinsurers are permitted to take reserve credit without the reinsurer having to establish security. The NAIC Life and Health Reinsurance Agreements Model Regulation, which has been adopted in most states, including Missouri, imposes additional requirements for insurers to claim reserve credit for reinsurance ceded (excluding yearly renewable term reinsurance and non-proportional reinsurance). These requirements include bona fide risk transfer, an insolvency clause, written agreements, and filing of reinsurance agreements involving in force business, among other things. Outside of the U.S., rules for reinsurance and requirements for minimum risk transfer are less specific and are less likely to be published as rules, but nevertheless standards can be imposed to varying extents.
U.S. Valuation of Life Policies Model Regulation (commonly referred to as Regulation XXX) for various types of life insurance business, significantly increased the level of reserves that U.S. life insurance and life reinsurance companies must maintain on their statutory financial statements for various types of life insurance business, primarily certain level premium term life products. The reserve levels required under Regulation XXX are normally in excess of reserves required under GAAP.
In situations where primary insurers have reinsured business to reinsurers that are unlicensed and unaccredited in the U.S., the reinsurer must provide collateral equal to its reinsurance reserves in order for the ceding company to receive statutory financial statement credit. Reinsurers have historically utilized letters of credit for the benefit of the ceding company, or have placed assets in trust for the benefit of the ceding company, or have used other structures as the primary forms of collateral. An exception to this requirement is expected to exist for reinsurance ceded to reciprocal jurisdiction reinsurers.
RGA Reinsurance is the primary subsidiary of the Company subject to Regulation XXX. In order to manage the effect of Regulation XXX on its statutory financial statements, RGA Reinsurance has retroceded a majority of Regulation XXX reserves to unaffiliated and affiliated unlicensed reinsurers and special purpose reinsurers, or captives. RGA Reinsurance’s statutory capital may be significantly reduced if the unaffiliated or affiliated reinsurer is unable to provide the required collateral to support RGA Reinsurance’s statutory reserve credits and RGA Reinsurance cannot find an alternative source for the collateral. The NAIC has requirements for life insurers using special purpose reinsurers. Current standards addressing the use of captive reinsurers allow captives organized prior to 2016 to continue in accordance with their currently approved plans. State insurance regulators that regulate domestic insurance companies have placed additional restrictions on the use captive reinsurers established after 2015, which may increase costs and add complexity. While RGA Reinsurance’s reserve financing arrangements using special purpose reinsurers or “captive reinsurers” are permitted, the rules place limitations on RGA Reinsurance’s ability to utilize captive reinsurers to finance reserve growth related to future business. As a result, RGA Reinsurance may need to alter the type and volume of business it reinsures, increase prices on those products, raise additional capital to support higher regulatory reserves or implement higher cost strategies, primarily involving the use of a certified reinsurer or reciprocal jurisdiction reinsurer as discussed below.
Based on the growth of the Company’s business and the pattern of reserve levels under Regulation XXX associated with term life business and other statutory reserve requirements, the amount of ceded reserve credits is expected to grow, albeit, with the implementation of principles-based reserves in the U.S., reserve growth is proceeding at slower rates than in the immediate past. This growth will require the Company to retrocede business to affiliated or unaffiliated parties, to obtain additional letters of credit, put additional assets in trust, or utilize other funding mechanisms to support reserve credits. If the Company is unable to support the reserve credits, the regulatory capital levels of several of its subsidiaries may be significantly reduced, while the regulatory capital requirements for these subsidiaries would not change. The reduction in regulatory capital could affect the Company’s ability to write new business and retain existing business.
Affiliated captives are commonly used in the insurance industry to help manage statutory reserve and collateral requirements and are often domiciled in the same state as the insurance company that sponsors the captive. The NAIC has analyzed the insurance industry’s use of affiliated captive reinsurers to satisfy certain reserve requirements and has adopted measures to promote uniformity in both the approval and supervision of such reinsurers. Current standards addressing the use of captive reinsurers allow captives organized prior to 2016 to continue in accordance with their currently approved plans. Standards imposed upon the use of captive insurers for transactions after 2015 increase costs and add complexity to the use of captive insurers. As a result, the Company may need to alter the type and volume of business it reinsures, increase prices on those products, raise additional capital to support higher regulatory reserves or implement higher cost strategies.
In the U.S., a certified reinsurer designation provides an alternative way to manage regulatory reserves and collateral requirements. In 2014, RGA Americas was designated as a certified reinsurer by the MDCI. In 2022, RGA Americas was designated as a reciprocal jurisdiction reinsurer by MDCI. These designations allow certain of the Company’s U.S. domiciled operating company subsidiaries to retrocede business to RGA Americas in lieu of using captives for collateral requirements. Beginning in 2017, the NAIC approved principles-based reserving (“PBR”) for U.S. insurers. The Company adopted PBR in 2020, and PBR reserves are determined based on the terms of the reinsurance agreement which may differ from those of the direct policies.
Reinsurers may place assets in trust to satisfy collateral requirements for certain treaties. In addition, the Company holds securities in trust to satisfy collateral requirements under certain third-party reinsurance treaties. Under certain conditions in some treaties, the Company may be obligated to move reinsurance from one subsidiary of RGA to another subsidiary, post additional collateral for the ceding insurer or allow the ceding insurer to cancel the reinsurance. These conditions include change in control, level of capital or ratings of the subsidiary, insolvency, nonperformance under a treaty, or loss of the subsidiary’s reinsurance license. If the Company is ever required to perform under these obligations, the risk to the consolidated company under the reinsurance treaties would not change; however, additional capital may be required due to the change in jurisdiction of the subsidiary reinsuring the business and may create a strain on liquidity, possibly causing a reduction in dividend payments or hampering the Company’s ability to write new business or retain existing business. In the event that a treaty is terminated, the future profits related to the terminated treaty may be lost.
RGA Reinsurance, Aurora National, Chesterfield Re, Rockwood Re, Castlewood Re and RGA Life and Annuity prepare statutory financial statements in conformity with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the State of Missouri. The state of Missouri requires domestic insurance companies to prepare their statutory financial statements in accordance with the NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures manual subject to any deviations permitted by each state’s insurance commissioner. The Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries are subject to the regulations and reporting requirements of their respective countries of domicile.
Capital Requirements
Risk-Based Capital (“RBC”) guidelines promulgated by the NAIC are applicable to RGA Reinsurance, RGA Life and Annuity, Aurora National, and Chesterfield Re, and identify minimum capital requirements based upon business levels and asset mix. These subsidiaries maintain capital levels in excess of the amounts required by the applicable guidelines. Rockwood Re and Castlewood Re’s capital requirements are determined solely by their licensing orders issued by the MDCI and are not subject to the RBC guidelines. As to RGA Reinsurance, RGA Life and Annuity, Aurora National and Chesterfield Re, a decline in the RBC of one or more of the Company’s U.S. insurers can cause the appearance of less capitalization in its U.S. insurers, individually, or when considered as a group.
Since December of 2020, amendments to the NAIC Model Insurance Holding Company Act, as adopted by the U.S. States, including the state of Missouri, require U.S. based insurance groups to file an annual Group Capital Calculation (“GCC”). The Missouri General Assembly adopted the GCC requirement in 2021. The Company filed its first GCC report with the MDCI in 2022 for the year ending December 31, 2021, and has been required to file annually thereafter. The NAIC has yet to articulate all of the ways in which it intends the U.S. states to use the GCC. It is clear that the calculation is expected to be used to assess the adequacy of capital within an insurance group domiciled in the U.S., particularly for groups such as RGA that are designated an IAIG by the group supervisor. The Company cannot currently predict the effect that any proposed or future group capital standard will have on its financial condition or operations or the financial condition or operations of its subsidiaries.
Regulations in international jurisdictions also require certain minimum capital levels, and subject the companies operating in such jurisdictions, to oversight by the applicable regulatory bodies. RGA’s subsidiaries meet the minimum capital requirements in their respective jurisdictions. In December of 2024 the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (“IAIS”) found that the U.S.’s aggregation method, utilized in the Group Capital Calculation, would produce comparable outcomes to those produced by the IAIS’ Insurance Capital Standard thus obviating the need for RGA to calculate the Insurance Capital Standard in addition to the Group Capital Calculation. As a result of this finding, RGA is not expected to be required to calculate the Insurance Capital Standard in the future. The Insurance Capital Standard, nevertheless, is a model for capital standards and while the Insurance Capital Standard is not a standard that must be followed on its own in any jurisdiction, it is likely to influence capital requirements for insurers around the world and may lead to a need for additional capital in one or more of RGA’s subsidiaries. The Company cannot predict the effect that any proposed or future legislation or rule making in the countries in which it operates may have on the financial condition or operations of the Company or its subsidiaries.
Insurance Holding Company Regulations
RGA Reinsurance, Aurora National, Chesterfield Re and RGA Life and Annuity are subject to regulation under the insurance and insurance holding company statutes of Missouri. The Missouri insurance holding company laws and regulations generally require insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries of insurance holding companies to register and file with the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance certain reports describing, among other information, capital structure, ownership, financial condition, certain intercompany transactions, and general business operations. The insurance holding company statutes and regulations also require prior approval of, or in certain circumstances, prior notice to the home state regulator of, certain material intercompany transfers of assets, as well as certain transactions between insurance companies, their parent companies and affiliates.
Under current Missouri insurance laws and regulations, no person may acquire any voting security or security convertible into a voting security of an insurance holding company, such as RGA, if as a result of the acquisition such person would “control” the insurance holding company. “Control” is presumed to exist under Missouri and California law if a person directly or indirectly owns or controls 10% or more of the voting securities of another person. Changes in control of an insurer are not permitted under the laws of these states unless: (i) certain filings are made with the home state regulator, (ii) certain requirements are met, including a public hearing, and (iii) approval or exemption is granted by the home state regulator. Additionally, revisions to the insurance holding company regulations of Missouri require increased disclosure to regulators of matters within the RGA group of companies.
Restrictions on Dividends and Distributions
Current Missouri law, applicable to RGA Life and Annuity and its subsidiaries, RGA Reinsurance, Aurora National and Chesterfield Re, permits the payment of dividends or distributions by each company that together with dividends or distributions paid during the preceding twelve months by that company do not exceed the greater of (i) 10% of the insurer’s statutory capital and surplus as of the preceding December 31, or (ii) the insurer’s statutory net gain from operations for the preceding calendar year. Any proposed dividend in excess of this amount is considered an “extraordinary dividend” and may not be paid until it has been approved, or a 30-day waiting period has passed during which it has not been disapproved, by the Director of the MDCI. Additionally, dividends may be paid only to the extent the insurer has unassigned surplus (as opposed to contributed surplus). The regulatory limitations and other restrictions described herein could limit the Company’s financial flexibility in the future should it choose to or need to use subsidiary dividends as a funding source for its obligations. See Note 16 – “Financial Condition and Net Income on a Statutory Basis” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the Company’s dividend restrictions.
In contrast to the Missouri Insurance Holding Company Act, the NAIC Model Insurance Holding Company System Regulatory Act defines an extraordinary dividend as a dividend or distribution that together with dividends or distributions paid during the preceding twelve months exceeds the lesser of (i) 10% of statutory capital and surplus as of the preceding December 31, or (ii) statutory net gain from operations for the preceding calendar year. The Company is unable to predict whether, when, or if, Missouri will enact a new regulation for extraordinary dividends.
Missouri insurance laws and regulations also require that the statutory surplus of Chesterfield Re, Aurora National, RGA Life and Annuity and RGA Reinsurance following any dividend or distribution be reasonable in relation to their outstanding liabilities and adequate to meet their financial needs. The Director of the MDCI may call for a rescission of the payment of a dividend or distribution by these entities that would cause their statutory surplus to be inadequate under the standards of the Missouri insurance regulations.
Dividend payments from non-U.S. operations are subject to similar restrictions established by local regulators. The non-U.S. regulatory regimes also commonly limit the dividend payments to the parent to a portion of the prior year’s statutory income, as determined by the local accounting principles. The regulators of the Company’s non-U.S. operations may also limit or prohibit profit repatriations or other transfers of funds to the U.S. if such transfers are deemed to be detrimental to the solvency or financial strength of the non-U.S. operations, or for other reasons. Most of the non-U.S. operating subsidiaries are second tier subsidiaries that are owned by various non-U.S. holding companies. The capital and rating considerations applicable to the first tier subsidiaries may also impact the dividends paid to RGA.
Default or Liquidation
In the event that RGA defaults on any of its debt or other obligations, or becomes the subject of bankruptcy, liquidation, or reorganization proceedings, the creditors and stockholders of RGA will have no right to proceed against the assets of any of the subsidiaries of RGA. If any of RGA’s reinsurance subsidiaries were to be liquidated or dissolved, the liquidation or dissolution would be conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the appropriate governing body in the state or country of the subsidiary’s domicile. The creditors of any such company would be entitled to payment in full from such assets before RGA, as a direct or indirect stockholder, would be entitled to receive any distributions or other payments from the remaining assets of the liquidated or dissolved subsidiary.
Federal Regulation
Since the 2010 enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”), the U.S. federal government has paid greater attention to the manner in which insurance and reinsurance is regulated, particularly when U.S. insurers and reinsurers are doing business outside of the U.S. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the Federal Insurance Office within the U.S. Department of the Treasury has negotiated a “covered agreement” with the European Union, as well as a similar “covered agreement” with the United Kingdom (“UK”) (together, the “Covered Agreements”). The Covered Agreements, while promoting the recognition of U.S. state insurance regulators as group supervisors of U.S.-based global reinsurers such as RGA, also provides for an elimination of the collateral that has to be posted by reinsurers based in the European Union, the UK and by the NAIC’s anticipated extension of the rules, to those reinsurers based in additional jurisdictions that seek evaluation by the NAIC for treatment comparable to that given to members of the European Union and the UK. The extension of the Covered Agreements treatment to additional jurisdictions will provide for the elimination of the collateral that reinsurers domiciled in those jurisdictions must currently post in favor of U.S. ceding insurers. The Covered Agreements, coupled with new state credit for reinsurance laws, have the potential to lower the cost at which RGA Reinsurance’s competitors are able to provide reinsurance to U.S. insurers. Additionally, under the Dodd-Frank Act, one or more of RGA’s client ceding insurers domiciled in the U.S. may from time-to-time be designated systemically important by the Federal Reserve.
Insurers that are designated systemically important can be subject to the imposition of an additional layer of regulation over already existing state regulation. No RGA entity has been deemed to be systemically important; however, if RGA were to be designated as systemically important, it would be subject to scrutiny by the Federal Reserve. Moreover, if insurers reinsured by RGA were to be designated as systemically important, the reinsurance programs RGA maintains with those insurers could be subject to scrutiny by the Federal Reserve. While no U.S. insurers or reinsurers are currently designated as systemically important entities, and the international designation of “Globally Systemically Important Insurers” has been suspended by the Financial Stability Board, it remains possible that one or more of RGA’s clients will be given this designation in the future leading to additional scrutiny of those clients’ reinsurance programs by the Federal Reserve.
With the potential regulation of some U.S. domiciled insurers by the U.S. government, it is possible that the scope of the federal government’s ability to regulate insurers and reinsurers will be expanded. It is not possible to predict the effect of such decisions or changes in law on the operation of the Company, but the Dodd-Frank Act makes it more likely than in the past that insurance or reinsurance may to some extent become regulated at the federal level. A shift in regulation from the state to the federal level may bring into question the continued validity of the McCarran-Ferguson Act, which exempts the “business of insurance” from most federal laws, including anti-trust laws. With the McCarran-Ferguson Act exemption for the business of insurance, a reinsurer may set rate, underwriting and claims handling standards for its ceding company clients to follow.
Environmental Considerations Related to Real Property Ownership, Development and Mortgage Investment
Federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations apply to the Company’s ownership and operation of real property. Inherent in owning and operating real property are the risks of hidden environmental liabilities and the costs of any required clean-up. Under the laws of certain states, contamination of a property may give rise to a lien on the property to secure recovery of the costs of clean-up. In several states, this lien has priority over the lien of an existing mortgage against such property. In addition, in some states and under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”), the Company may be liable, in certain circumstances, as an “owner” or “operator,” for costs of cleaning-up releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances at a property mortgaged to it. The Company also risks environmental liability when it forecloses on a property mortgaged to it, although federal legislation provides for a safe harbor from CERCLA liability for secured lenders that foreclose and sell the mortgaged real estate, provided that certain requirements are met. However, there are circumstances in which actions taken could still expose the Company to CERCLA liability. Application of various other federal and state environmental laws could also result in the imposition of liability on the Company for costs associated with environmental hazards.
In addition to conducting an environmental assessment while underwriting mortgage loans, the Company routinely conducts environmental assessments prior to taking title to real estate through foreclosure on real estate collateralizing mortgages that it holds. Although unexpected environmental liabilities can always arise, the Company seeks to minimize this risk by undertaking these environmental assessments and complying with its internal procedures, and as a result, the Company believes that any costs associated with compliance with environmental laws and regulations or any clean-up of properties would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.
Environmental, Social and Governance
Insurance regulators are considering imposing new rules regarding how insurers incorporate and report about environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) considerations into their operational decisions, underwriting, and investment decisions. Currently, efforts are aimed at testing underwriting models for bias. Other current ESG initiatives are aimed at reviewing the investment portfolios of insurers and requiring discussions regarding ESG topics between insurers and their regulators. It is possible that rules governing insurance underwriting and factors utilized by insurers in the selection of risks may be altered in the future in a way that impacts the profitability of RGA’s business. The extent to which ESG concerns may impact RGA in the future is uncertain, but RGA has incorporated ESG factors and goals into its current strategic plan, operations, and risk assessment processes.
International Regulation
RGA’s international insurance operations are principally regulated by insurance regulatory authorities in the jurisdictions in which they are located or operate branch offices. These regulations include minimum capital, solvency and governance requirements. The authority of RGA’s international operations to conduct business is subject to licensing requirements, inspections and approvals and these authorizations are subject to modification and revocation. Periodic examinations of the insurance company books and records, financial reporting requirements, risk management processes and governance procedures are among the techniques used by regulators to supervise RGA’s non-U.S. insurance businesses. The regulators of RGA’s non-U.S. insurance companies are also invited to be part of the supervisory college held by the MDCI, RGA’s group supervisor.
Bermuda’s Insurance Act 1978 (the “Bermuda Insurance Act”) distinguishes between insurers carrying on long-term business, insurers carrying on special purpose business and insurers carrying on general business. There are five classifications of insurers carrying on long-term business, ranging from Class A insurers to Class E insurers. Taking a risk-based approach to regulation that looks at the nature, scale and complexity of an insurer’s business, the Bermuda Monetary Authority (“BMA”) typically applies less regulatory oversight to Class A captive insurers and greater regulatory oversight to Class E commercial insurers. The Company’s subsidiaries domiciled in Bermuda are licensed for long-term business and are classified as Class E insurers and are therefore subject to extensive regulation and supervision by the BMA. Such regulation includes rules regarding anti-corruption, compliance with internationals sanctions regimes, foreign asset control, corporate governance, financial conduct and cybersecurity in addition to prudential insurance regulation. To that end, the BMA has broad powers to regulate business activities of the Company’s Bermuda domiciled subsidiaries, mandate capital and surplus requirements, regulate trade and claims practices and require strong enterprise risk management and corporate governance activities.
The Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries, as Class E insurers, file annual statutory financial statements and annual audited financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. within four months of the end of each fiscal year, unless such deadline is specifically extended. The Bermuda Insurance Act prescribes rules for the preparation of the statutory financial statements. In addition, the Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries are required to file with the BMA a capital and solvency return along with its annual statutory financial return, as well as quarterly financial returns.
The Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries must at all times maintain a minimum solvency margin (“MSM”) and an enhanced capital requirement (“ECR”) in accordance with the provisions of the Bermuda Insurance Act. If either the minimum MSM or ECR is not met then the Bermuda Insurance Act mandates certain actions and filings with the BMA including the filing of a written report detailing the circumstances giving rise to the failure and the manner and time within which the insurer intends to rectify the failure. The BMA has embedded an economic balance sheet (“EBS”) framework as part of the Bermuda Solvency Capital Requirement (“BSCR”) that forms the basis for an insurer’s ECR. As Class E insurers, the Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries’ ECR is established by reference to the Class E BSCR model, which provides a risk-based method for determining an insurer’s capital requirements by taking into account the risk characteristics of different aspects of the insurer’s business. The BSCR formula establishes capital requirements for different categories of risk such as fixed income investment risk, equity investment risk, long-term interest rate/liquidity risk, currency risk, concentration risk, credit risk, operational risk and nine categories of long-term insurance risk. Depending on the risk category, the capital requirement is either determined by applying shocks or by applying prescribed factors, where such shocks and factors were developed by the BMA and were calibrated at 99% Tail Value-at-Risk (“TVaR”) over a one-year time horizon.
Under the Bermuda Insurance Act, the Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries are prohibited from declaring or paying a dividend if they are not meeting their ECR or MSM requirements or if the declaration or payment of the dividend would cause such a breach. Failing to meet the MSM requirement on the last day of any financial year prohibits a company from declaring or paying any dividends during the next financial year without the approval of the BMA. Additional actions and filings may be required before a company can declare and pay a dividend depending on its prior year statutory capital and surplus. The restrictions on declaring or paying dividends and distributions under the Bermuda Insurance Act are in addition to those under Bermuda’s Companies Act 1981 (the “Companies Act”). Under the Companies Act, the Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries may not declare or pay a dividend, or make a distribution out of contributed surplus, if there are reasonable grounds for believing that: (1) the company is, or would after the payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due, or (2) the realizable value of the company’s assets would thereby be less than its liabilities. Additionally, the BMA reviews agreements involving the reinsurance of in force business in advance of execution.
The Company’s subsidiaries domiciled in Barbados are subject to regulation and supervision by the Financial Services Commission in Barbados. Recently enacted economic substance requirements in Bermuda and Barbados may place additional requirements, including reporting requirements, on the Company’s subsidiaries domiciled in those countries in order to demonstrate purpose and governance of those entities and their operations to greater levels than required in the past.
Much like the adoption of the Dodd-Frank Act in the U.S., regulators around the world continue to consider ways to avoid a recurrence of the causes of the 2008 – 2009 financial crisis. A group leading this effort is the Financial Stability Board (“FSB”). The FSB consists of representatives of national financial authorities of the G20 nations. The G20, the FSB and related governmental bodies have developed proposals to address issues such as group supervision, capital and solvency standards, systemic economic risk and corporate governance, including executive compensation and many other related issues associated with the financial crisis. At the direction of the FSB, the IAIS has developed a model framework for the supervision of IAIGs that contemplates “group-wide supervision” across national boundaries. On current findings, the U.S. Group Capital Calculation has been accepted as the group-wide risk and solvency assessment to monitor and manage its overall solvency. RGA cannot predict what additional capital requirements, compliance costs or other burdens may be imposed on it in the future. There is also the potential for inconsistent or conflicting regulation of the RGA group of companies if lawmakers and regulators should in the future pursue initiatives.
Additionally, RGA International, operating in the European Economic Area (“EEA”), is subject to the Solvency II measures developed by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and will be required to abide by the evolving risk management practices, capital standards and disclosure requirements of the Solvency II framework. Additionally, the Company’s clients located in the EEA also abide by these standards in operating their insurance businesses, including the management of their ceded reinsurance. Solvency II has a significant influence on the regulation of solvency measures applied to insurers and reinsurers operating within the EEA, and the Company also expects the solvency regulation measures to influence future regulatory structures of countries outside of the EEA, including Japan. Influences of the Solvency II – type framework are already present in the insurance regulation of Bermuda and China and currently influence the solvency measures imposed upon RGA Global and RGA Americas.
Additionally, some countries limit the amount of insurance business that can be ceded to foreign reinsurers. Requirements of this type are proposed from time-to-time in developing markets. These forced localization requirements have the impact of limiting the amount of reinsurance business RGA can conduct in those countries without the participation of a local reinsurer.
RGA expects the scope and extent of regulation outside of the U.S., as well as group regulatory oversight, to continue to increase.
Privacy and Cybersecurity Regulation
Various jurisdictions in which the Company’s subsidiaries and their clients operate have established laws protecting the privacy and handling of consumers’ private data. The area of cybersecurity has also come under increased scrutiny from insurance regulators. These laws and regulations vary country to country and state to state, but they generally require the establishment of programs to detect and prevent unauthorized access to personal data and to mitigate theft of personal data. They also may require the Company, among other things, to notify client insurers or individuals of any security breach involving protected data, and to provide individuals with the right to access personal data and with the right to be forgotten.
In the U.S. the NAIC adopted the Insurance Data Security Model Law which establishes standards for data security and for the investigation of and notification of insurance regulators of cybersecurity events involving unauthorized access to certain private information belonging to insureds. To date, this Model Law has not been widely adopted, but the Company expects further adoption in the future or potential revision of the Model Law so that it may be adopted in a broader number of states. The cybersecurity regulation in New York is applicable to many of the Company’s clients, and it requires the Company to demonstrate the existence and soundness of its cybersecurity program to those clients. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) grants all California residents the right to know what information a business has collected from them and the sourcing and sharing of that information. The CCPA also gives the California consumer the right to have a business delete their personal information with some exceptions. The California restrictions, and related exceptions became effective on January 1, 2020. The Company expects that the exceptions will apply to a significant portion of its business. Laws and regulations similar to the New York cybersecurity regulation and the CCPA, as well as measures similar to the NAIC’s Insurance Data Security Model Law are likely to be adopted by more U.S. states in the near future, if not by the U.S. federal government.
In addition, privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulations in many European and Asian countries restrict RGA’s ability to transfer data and impose other requirements on holders of data. In Europe, the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which establishes uniform data privacy laws across the European Union (“EU”) is effective for all EU member states and is extraterritorial in that it applies to EU entities, as well as entities established in the EU that offer goods or services to data subjects in the EU or monitor consumer behavior that takes place in the EU. The GDPR anticipates the processing of data for reinsurance and other purposes and applies standards and rules that covered entities must establish and monitor with respect to such processing and use. Many of the restrictions enacted by jurisdictions outside of the EU either do not anticipate the processing of data for reinsurance purposes at all or place costly restrictions on the ability of a reinsurer to service its business by requiring processing to be done within the borders of the country in which the insured consumer resides. Further adoptions of laws patterned after the GDPR are expected around the world.
Ratings
Insurer financial strength ratings, sometimes referred to as claims paying ratings, represent the opinions of rating agencies regarding the financial ability of an insurance company to meet its obligations under an insurance policy. Credit ratings, sometimes referred to as senior debt ratings, represent the opinions of rating agencies regarding RGA’s ability to meet the terms of its debt obligations. The Company’s insurer financial strength ratings and RGA’s senior debt ratings as of the date of this filing are listed in the table below for each rating agency that meets with the Company’s management on a regular basis. As of the date of this filing, the Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”), A.M. Best Company (“A.M. Best”), and the Moody’s Ratings (“Moody’s”) ratings listed below are on stable outlook.
| Insurer Financial Strength Ratings | A.M. Best (1) | Moody’s (2) | S&P (3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RGA Reinsurance Company | A+ | A1 | AA- |
| RGA Life and Annuity Insurance Company | A+ | AA- | |
| RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada | A+ | AA- | |
| RGA International Reinsurance Company dac | AA- | ||
| RGA Global Reinsurance Company, Ltd. | AA- | ||
| RGA Reinsurance Company of Australia Limited | AA- | ||
| RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd. | AA- | ||
| RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd. | A+ | AA- | |
| RGA Worldwide Reinsurance Company, Ltd. | AA- | ||
| Aurora National Life Assurance Company | A+ | ||
| Omnilife Insurance Company Limited | A+ | ||
| Senior Debt Rating | |||
| RGA | a- | Baal | A |
(1)An A.M. Best insurer financial strength rating of “A+” (superior) is the second highest out of sixteen possible ratings and is assigned to companies that have, in A.M. Best’s opinion, a superior ability to meet their ongoing insurance obligations. A.M. Best long-term issuer credit ratings range from “aaa” (exceptional) to “c” (Poor).
(2)A Moody’s insurer financial strength rating of “A1” (good) is the fifth highest rating out of twenty-one possible ratings and indicates that Moody’s believes the insurance company offers good financial security; however, elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future. Moody’s long-term issuer credit ratings range from “Aaa” (highest) to “C” (default).
(3)An S&P insurer financial strength rating of “AA-” (very strong) is the fourth highest rating out of twenty-two possible ratings. According to S&P’s rating scale, a rating of “AA-” means that, in S&P’s opinion, the insurer has very strong financial security characteristics. An S&P insurer financial strength rating of “A+” (strong) is the fifth highest rating out of twenty-two possible ratings. According to S&P’s rating scale, a rating of “A+” means that, in S&P’s opinion, the insurer has strong financial security characteristics. S&P’s long-term issuer credit ratings range from “AAA” (extremely strong) to “D” (default).
The ability to write reinsurance partially depends on a reinsurer’s financial condition and its issuer financial strength ratings. These ratings are based on a company’s ability to pay policyholder obligations and are not directed toward the protection of investors. Credit ratings are important for the Company’s ability to raise capital through the issuance of debt and for the cost of such financing. A ratings downgrade could adversely affect the Company’s ability to compete. See Item 1A – “Risk Factors” for more on the potential effects of a ratings downgrade.
Underwriting
Automatic. The Company’s management determines whether to write automatic reinsurance business by considering many factors, including the types of risks to be covered; the ceding company’s retention limit and binding authority, product, and pricing assumptions; and the ceding company’s underwriting standards, financial strength and distribution systems. For automatic business, the Company ensures that the underwriting standards, procedures and guidelines of its ceding companies are priced appropriately and consistent with the Company’s expectations. To this end, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the ceding companies’ underwriting and claims personnel and procedures.
Facultative. The Company has developed underwriting policies, procedures and standards with the objective of controlling the quality of business written as well as its pricing. The Company’s underwriting process emphasizes close collaboration between its underwriting, actuarial, and administration departments. Management periodically updates these underwriting policies, procedures, and standards to account for changing industry conditions, market developments, and changes occurring in the field of medical technology. These policies, procedures, and standards are documented in electronic underwriting manuals made available to all the Company’s underwriters. The Company regularly performs internal reviews of both its underwriters and underwriting process.
The Company’s management determines whether to accept facultative reinsurance business on a prospective insured by reviewing the application, medical information and other underwriting information appropriate to the age of the prospective insured and the face amount of the application. An assessment of medical and financial history follows with decisions based on underwriting knowledge, manual review and consultation with the Company’s medical directors as necessary. Many facultative applications involve individuals with multiple medical impairments, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, which require a complex underwriting/mortality assessment. The Company employs medical directors and medical consultants to assist its underwriters in making these assessments.
Pricing
The Company has pricing actuaries dedicated to every geographic market and to every product category who develop reinsurance treaty rates following the Company’s policies, procedures and standards. Biometric assumptions are based primarily on the Company’s own mortality, morbidity and persistency experience, reflecting industry and client-specific experience. Economic and asset-related pricing assumptions are based on current and long-term market conditions and are developed by actuarial and investment personnel with appropriate experience and expertise. The Company’s view of short- and long-term risks are reflected in pricing consistent with its internal capital model. For transactional business with material day-one invested assets there is diligence on the expected asset portfolio that is reflected in the pricing assumption. For transactional business focusing on tail risk, the Company has policies and procedures related to views on transaction-specific tail risk events. A transaction process ensures that the business reflects the input of internal areas of expertise in transaction teams and has procedures for escalation based on the size and nature of the risks. Management has established a high-level oversight of the processes and results of these activities, which includes peer reviews in every market as well as centralized procedures and processes for reviewing and auditing pricing activities.
Operations
The Company’s business has been primarily obtained directly, rather than through brokers. The Company has an experienced sales and marketing staff that works to provide responsive service and maintain existing relationships.
The Company’s administration, auditing, valuation and finance departments are responsible for treaty compliance auditing, financial analysis of results, generation of internal management reports, and periodic audits of administrative and underwriting practices. A significant effort is focused on periodic audits of administrative and underwriting practices, and treaty compliance of clients.
The Company’s claims departments review and verify reinsurance claims, obtain the information necessary to evaluate claims, and arrange for timely claims payments. Claims are subjected to a detailed review process to ensure that the risk was properly ceded, the claim complies with the contract provisions, and the ceding company is current in the payment of reinsurance premiums to the Company. In addition, the claims departments monitor both specific claims and the overall claims handling procedures of ceding companies.
The Company provides reinsurance products primarily to the largest life insurance companies in the world. In 2024, excluding premiums from single premium pension risk transfer transactions, the Company’s five largest clients generated approximately $2.9 billion or 18% of the Company’s gross premiums and other revenues. In addition, 40 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $100 million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums and other revenues from these clients represented approximately 48% of the Company’s gross premiums and other revenues. No individual client generated 10% or more of the Company’s total gross premiums and other revenues. For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within the same insurance holding company structure are combined.
Competition
New reinsurance opportunities continue to be highly price competitive; however, companies that consistently win business are financially strong, provide flexible terms and conditions, have a positive reputation, deliver excellent service, and demonstrate execution certainty and a long-term commitment to the business underwritten. The Company competes globally with other reinsurance companies, traditional insurance providers, private equity firms and other financial services companies.
Human Capital Resources
The Company continuously strives to fulfill its purpose; to make financial protection accessible to all. The Company’s global team of approximately 4,100 employees consistently develop innovative solutions for its clients, deliver long-term returns for its investors, and create a meaningful impact in the communities where its employees live and work. Driving the Company’s success is a shared commitment to pursue work that matters, to serve an industry with a strong social mission, and to create sustainable long-term value for all its stakeholders.
The Company’s Culture
The Company’s people, the way they work, and the culture they cultivate are all key differentiators. The Company fosters a purpose-driven culture of client-centricity, trustworthiness, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. A collaborative environment where teamwork and mutual support is evidenced is highly valued. Employees are encouraged to work together across departments and regions to achieve common goals and drive the Company's growth and continued success. Innovation is at the heart of RGA’s culture. The Company is committed to continuous improvement, high-performance and encourages employees to think creatively and explore new ideas. This innovative mindset helps the Company stay ahead in the competitive reinsurance industry.
The Company is dedicated to the professional growth and development of its employees, offering various learning options, mentorship opportunities, and career development resources to help employees reach their full potential. The Company strives to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. This inclusive culture helps attract and retain a diverse workforce, which is essential for driving innovation and growth.
Talent Attraction, Development and Retention
As a global reinsurer, the Company’s continued growth and vitality is built on attracting, developing and retaining exceptional, world-class talent. The Company prides itself on creating a positive environment and experience for all employees, while remaining disciplined in its pursuit to achieve enterprise goals to enable execution of our business strategy and continue offering innovative solutions for its clients. The Company’s focus on employee engagement and retention has resulted in a three-year average annual voluntary attrition rate of approximately 6.3% globally.
The Company’s Talent Acquisition Center of Excellence provides best-in-class recruiting experiences globally. This center aims to attract high-quality talent at all levels, from executives to interns. They use data, metrics and technology to enhance its recruitment strategies, ensuring it meets the evolving talent demands of the industry.
The Company prioritizes the development and growth of its employees with development being central to the performance management approach. New global values and competencies introduced in 2023 preceded the 2024 launch of a refreshed performance management approach that emphasizes continuous coaching and quality feedback to inspire and motivate a higher level of performance across the enterprise. This more meaningful approach aligns individual career conversations and development plans with the Company’s enterprise strategy, fostering a purpose-driven culture of client-centricity, trustworthiness, innovation, inclusivity and accountability.
To retain top talent, the Company offers competitive rewards packages and ensures employees feel valued and respected. Their retention strategy focuses on aligning rewards with demonstrated performance, contributions and impact, which helps maintain high employee engagement and supports the execution of their enterprise strategy. Additionally, the Company offers ample benefits to support wellbeing broadly for employees and their families.
The Company’s approach is designed to attract the best talent, foster and support their development, and inspire exceptional performance throughout the Company, creating a sense of belonging and purpose for all employees.
Compensation, Benefits and Pay Equity
The Company is committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible. The Company is strengthened by its diverse workforce and recognizes that its employees are its greatest asset.
The Company’s compensation programs, comprised of salary together with short and long-term incentives, strike a balance between external market competitiveness and internal equity, balancing global consistency with local market variations. This balance is achieved through consistent application of program standards on a global basis, while targeting compensation at competitive levels in the markets where the Company competes for talent.
The Company’s benefit programs are an integral part of its employees’ total reward package. Benefits are aligned with local market practices and include healthcare, retirement and savings, education assistance, flexible work programs, employee assistance programs, wellness programs, and parental leave programs, amongst others.
The Company has long been committed to ensuring equal pay for equal work. The annual pay equity study, conducted by a third-party consultant, considered the average pay of females to males in comparable roles. The study analyzed the pay practices of all U.S. and non-U.S. employees in countries with more than 50 employees, representing approximately 93.5% of the Company’s employees worldwide, comparing the average base salary, base salary plus target bonus, and base salary plus target bonus plus target long-term incentive (where applicable) of females to males in comparable roles. Each year the results vary slightly due to changes in the employee population. Results decreased slightly this year with women paid on average 98.2% of what men are paid for comparable jobs for base salary, 97.9% for base salary plus target bonus and 98% for base salary plus target bonus plus target long-term incentive basis. In addition, in the U.S., when using the same methodology of comparable roles, the average non-Caucasian to Caucasian pay ratio was 101.3% for comparable jobs for base salary which represented a slight decrease, and 101.5% for both base salary plus target bonus and base salary plus target bonus plus target long-term incentives which remained stable from the previous year.
The Company is committed to gender and racial pay equity and will continue to review pay equity annually, and take action as required, to ensure its compensation programs remain aligned with its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Ensuring the Company’s compensation practices are equitable is imperative to maintain the Company’s culture and to ensure fair treatment of its employees.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Inclusion
The Company believes that creating long-term value for its stakeholders implicitly requires enacting and executing sustainable business practices and strategies while delivering competitive returns. The Company strives to govern itself in a sustainable manner that recognizes the need for strong governance, effective management systems and robust controls alongside its long-term operational goals and strategies. The Company understands that it has a responsibility to monitor and control its ecological and societal impact in addition to its obligations regarding corporate strategy, risks, opportunities, and performance.
The Company strives to cultivate an inclusive environment in which diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are welcomed and employees feel comfortable and encouraged to share their viewpoints, ideas, and solutions. The Company’s inclusion initiatives are focused in four areas: (i) fostering diverse talent; (ii) advancing diversity and inclusion in the industry and communities where the Company operates; (iii) establishing accountability and measurement throughout the Company; and (iv) building an inclusive workplace. Additionally, employees are offered a variety of development experiences to strengthen dignity and respect in the workplace. Training offerings include Unconscious Bias, Communicating with Dignity, and Fearless Futures. The Company has integrated training into its leadership development offerings and has expanded educational resources to include Growth Mindset and Mitigating Bias in Interviews.
The Company’s Inclusion Councils proactively leverage diverse teams around the world and serve as thought leaders for the Company to advance workplace practices, benefits, and programs. These include caregiver benefits, employee wellbeing, mental health advocacy and career development for employees. They work to implement the Company’s recruitment plans, offer community for historically marginalized groups, and contribute to charitable giving and volunteerism. Importantly, these Councils foster unity, celebration and engagement across our globally distributed workforce.
The Company’s Sustainability Report offers additional information across the areas of: Business Ethics & Responsible Practices; Responsible Investment Approach; Sustainable Innovation for Social Impact; Culture of Care; and Environmental Stewardship. RGA’s Sustainability Report can be found in the Company’s Investor section of its website at www.rgare.com. The contents of the Company’s Sustainability Report and related supplemental information are not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or in any other report or document the Company files with the SEC.
| C. | Segments |
|---|
The Company obtains substantially all of its revenues through reinsurance agreements that cover a portfolio of life and health insurance products, including term life, credit life, universal life, whole life, group life and health, joint and last survivor insurance, critical illness, disability, longevity as well as asset-intensive (e.g., annuities), financial reinsurance and other capital motivated solutions. Generally, the Company, through various subsidiaries, has provided reinsurance for mortality, morbidity, lapse and investment-related risks associated with such products. With respect to asset-intensive products, the Company has also provided reinsurance for investment-related risks.
Additional information regarding the operations of the Company’s segments and geographic operations is contained in Note 19 – “Segment Information” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
U.S. and Latin America Operations
The U.S. and Latin America operations market traditional life and health reinsurance, reinsurance of asset-intensive products, financial reinsurance, and other capital motivated solutions, primarily to U.S. life insurance companies.
The U.S. and Latin America Traditional segment provides individual and group life and health reinsurance, including long term care, to domestic clients for a variety of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. This business has been accepted under many different rate scales, with rates often tailored to suit the underlying product and the needs of the ceding company. Premiums typically vary for smokers and non-smokers, males and females, and may include a preferred underwriting class discount. Reinsurance premiums are paid in accordance with the treaty, regardless of the premium mode for the underlying primary insurance. This business is made up of facultative and automatic treaty business.
Automatic business is generated pursuant to treaties that generally require the underlying policies to meet the ceding company’s underwriting criteria, although in certain cases such policies may be rated substandard. In contrast to facultative reinsurance, reinsurers do not engage in underwriting assessments of each risk assumed through an automatic treaty.
As the Company does not apply its underwriting standards to each policy ceded to it under automatic treaties, the U.S. and Latin America operations generally require ceding companies to retain a portion of the business written on an automatic basis, thereby increasing the ceding companies’ incentives to underwrite risks with due care and, when appropriate, to contest claims diligently.
The U.S. and Latin America facultative reinsurance operation involves the assessment of the risks inherent in (i) multiple impairments, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes; (ii) cases involving large policy face amounts; and (iii) financial risk cases (i.e., cases involving policies disproportionately large in relation to the financial characteristics of the proposed insured). The U.S. and Latin America operations’ marketing efforts have focused on developing facultative relationships with client companies because management believes facultative reinsurance represents a substantial segment of the reinsurance activity of many large insurance companies and also serves as an effective means of expanding the U.S. and Latin America operations’ automatic business.
Only a portion of approved facultative applications ultimately result in reinsurance, as applicants for impaired risk policies often submit applications to several primary insurers, which in turn seek facultative reinsurance from several reinsurers. Ultimately, only one insurance company and one reinsurer are likely to obtain the business. The Company tracks the percentage of declined and placed facultative applications on a client-by-client basis and generally works with clients to seek to maintain such percentages at levels deemed acceptable. As the Company applies its underwriting standards to each application submitted to it facultatively, it generally does not require ceding companies to retain a portion of the underlying risk when business is written on a facultative basis.
Financial Solutions – Asset-Intensive Reinsurance
The Company’s U.S. and Latin America Asset-Intensive operations primarily concentrate on the investment risk within underlying annuities and other investment oriented products. These reinsurance agreements are mostly structured as coinsurance, with some on a coinsurance with funds withheld, or modified coinsurance of primarily investment risk such that the Company recognizes profits or losses primarily from the spread between the investment earnings and amounts credited on the underlying contract liabilities.
The Company also provides guaranteed investment contracts to retirement plans that include investment-only, stable value wrap products. The assets are owned by the trustees of such plans, who invest the assets under the terms of investment guidelines to which the Company agrees. The contracts contain a guarantee of a minimum rate of return on participant balances supported by the underlying assets, and a guarantee of liquidity to meet certain participant-initiated plan cash flow requirements.
The Company primarily targets highly rated, financially secure companies as clients for asset-intensive business. These companies may wish to limit their own exposure to certain products or blocks of business. Ongoing asset/liability analysis is required for the management of asset-intensive business. The Company’s analysis is a cross discipline analysis between the Company’s underwriting, actuarial, investment and other departments throughout the organization and is completed in conjunction with an asset/liability analysis performed by the ceding companies.
The Company, working with partners, provides pension plan sponsors solutions that enable them to diversify and protect the benefits provided to the annuitants.
Financial Solutions – Capital Solutions
The Company’s U.S. and Latin America Capital Solutions operations assist ceding companies in meeting applicable regulatory requirements while enhancing their financial strength and regulatory surplus position. The Company assumes regulatory insurance liabilities from the ceding companies. In addition, the Company has committed to provide statutory reserve or asset support to third parties by funding loans or assuming real estate leases if certain defined events occur. Generally, such amounts are offset by receivables from ceding companies that are repaid by the future regulatory profits from the reinsured block of business. The Company structures its financial reinsurance and other capital solution transactions so that the projected future profits of the underlying reinsured business significantly exceed the amount of regulatory surplus provided to the ceding company.
The Company primarily targets highly rated insurance companies for capital solutions business. A careful analysis is performed before providing any regulatory surplus enhancement to the ceding company. This analysis is intended to ensure that the Company understands the risks of the underlying insurance product and that the transaction has a high likelihood of being repaid through the future regulatory profits of the underlying business. If the future regulatory profits of the business are not sufficient to repay the Company or if the ceding company becomes financially distressed and is unable to make payments under the treaty, the Company may incur losses. A staff of actuaries and accountants track experience for each treaty on a quarterly basis in comparison to models of expected results.
The U.S. and Latin America operations market life reinsurance and financial solutions primarily to U.S. life insurance companies. The treaties underlying this business generally are terminable by either party on 90 days written notice, but only with respect to future new business. Existing business generally is not terminable, unless the underlying policies terminate or are recaptured. In 2024, excluding premiums from single premium pension risk transfer transactions, the five largest clients generated approximately $1.8 billion or 23% of U.S. and Latin America operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. In addition, 51 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $25 million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums from these clients represented approximately 67% of U.S. and Latin America operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within the same insurance holding company structure are combined.
Canada Operations
The Company operates in Canada primarily through RGA Canada. RGA Canada employs its own underwriting, actuarial, claims, pricing, accounting, systems, marketing and administrative staff in offices located in Montreal and Toronto.
RGA Canada assists clients with capital management and mortality and morbidity risk management and is primarily engaged in individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group life and health, critical illness and disability reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. Creditor insurance covers the outstanding balance on personal, mortgage or commercial loans in the event of death, disability or critical illness and is generally shorter in duration than individual life insurance.
The business is generally composed of facultative and automatic treaty business. Automatic business is generated pursuant to treaties that generally require the underlying policies to meet the ceding company’s underwriting criteria, although in certain cases such policies may be rated substandard. In contrast to facultative reinsurance, reinsurers do not engage in underwriting assessments of each risk assumed through an automatic treaty.
RGA Canada generally requires ceding companies to retain a portion of the business written on an automatic basis, thereby increasing the ceding companies’ incentives to underwrite risks with due care and, when appropriate, to contest claims diligently.
Facultative reinsurance involves the assessment of the risks from a medical and financial perspective. RGA Canada is recognized as a leader in facultative reinsurance, and this has served to maintain a strong market share on automatic business.
The Company’s Canada Financial Solutions operations primarily concentrates on the investment and longevity risk within underlying annuities and other investment oriented products. These reinsurance agreements are mostly structured as coinsurance, with some on a coinsurance with funds withheld, or modified coinsurance of primarily investment risk such that the Company recognizes profits or losses primarily from the spread between the investment earnings and amounts credited on the underlying contract liabilities. Canada’s Financial Solutions operations also provide capital solutions to assist ceding companies in meeting applicable regulatory requirements while enhancing their financial strength and regulatory position.
The Company primarily targets highly rated, financially secure companies as clients for its financial solutions business. These companies may wish to limit their own exposure to certain products or blocks of business. Ongoing asset/liability analysis is required for the management of asset-intensive business. The Company’s analysis is a cross discipline analysis between the Company’s underwriting, actuarial, investment and other departments throughout the organization and is completed in conjunction with an asset/liability analysis performed by the ceding companies.
Clients include most of the life insurers in Canada, although the number of life insurers is much smaller compared to the U.S. In 2024, the five largest clients generated approximately $907 million or 59% of Canada operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. In addition, 10 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $25 million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums and other revenues from these clients represented approximately 35% of Canada operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within the same insurance holding company structure are combined.
Europe, Middle East and Africa Operations
The Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) operations serve clients from subsidiaries, licensed branch offices and/or representative offices primarily located in the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. EMEA’s office in the Middle East is located in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”).
EMEA’s operations in the UK, Continental Europe, South Africa and the Middle East employ their own underwriting, actuarial, claims, pricing, accounting, marketing and administration staffs with additional support services provided by the Company’s staff in other geographical locations.
The principal types of reinsurance for this segment include individual and group life and health, critical illness, disability and underwritten annuities. Traditional reinsurance in the UK, South Africa, Italy and Germany consists predominantly of long term contracts, which are not terminable for existing risk without recapture or natural expiry, whereas in other markets within the region contracts are predominantly short term, renewing annually.
The Company’s EMEA Financial Solutions segment includes longevity, asset-intensive and financial reinsurance. Longevity reinsurance takes the form of closed block annuity reinsurance and longevity swap structures. Asset-intensive business for this segment consists of coinsurance of payout annuities. Financial reinsurance assists ceding companies in meeting applicable regulatory requirements while enhancing their financial strength. Financial reinsurance transactions do not qualify as reinsurance under U.S. GAAP, due to the low risk nature of the transactions and are reported in accordance with deposit accounting guidelines.
In 2024, the five largest clients generated approximately $1.2 billion or 41% of EMEA operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. In addition, 23 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $25 million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums and other revenues from these clients represented approximately 41% of EMEA operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within the same insurance holding company structure are combined.
Asia Pacific Operations
The Asia Pacific operations serve clients from subsidiaries, licensed branch offices and/or representative offices throughout Asia and Australia.
The Asian offices provide full reinsurance services with additional support services provided by the Company’s staff in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, a regional team based in Hong Kong has been established to provide support to the Asian offices to accommodate business growth in the region. RGA Australia employs its own underwriting, actuarial, claims, pricing, accounting, systems, marketing, and administration service.
The principal types of reinsurance for this segment written through yearly renewable term and coinsurance treaties include:
Individual and group life and health;
Critical illness, which provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of pre-defined critical illness;
Disability, which provides income replacement benefits in the event the policyholder becomes disabled due to accident or illness;
Superannuation which is the Australian government mandated compulsory retirement savings program. Superannuation funds accumulate retirement funds for employees, and, in addition, typically offer life and disability insurance coverage.
Reinsurance agreements may be either facultative or automatic agreements covering primarily individual risks and, in some markets, group risks.
The Asia Pacific Financial Solutions segment includes financial reinsurance, asset-intensive and certain disability, and life and health blocks that contain material investment risks. Financial reinsurance assists ceding companies in meeting applicable regulatory requirements while enhancing their financial strength. Financial reinsurance transactions do not qualify as reinsurance under GAAP, due to the remote risk nature of the transactions and are reported in accordance with deposit accounting guidelines. Asset-intensive business for this segment primarily concentrates on the investment risk within underlying annuities and life insurance policies. Asset-intensive transactions are mostly structured to take on investment risk such that the Company recognizes profits or losses primarily from the spread between the investment earnings and the interest credited on the underlying annuity contract liabilities.
In 2024, the five largest clients generated approximately $1.5 billion or 44% of Asia Pacific operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. In addition, 27 other clients each generated annual gross premiums and other revenues of $25 million or more, and the aggregate gross premiums and other revenues from these clients represented approximately 42% of Asia Pacific operation’s gross premiums and other revenues. For the purpose of this disclosure, companies that are within the same insurance holding company structure are combined.
Corporate and Other
Corporate and Other revenues primarily include investment income from unallocated invested assets, investment related gains and losses and service fees. Corporate and Other expenses consist of the offset to capital charges allocated to the operating segments within the policy acquisition costs and other insurance income line item, unallocated overhead and executive costs, interest expense related to debt and service business expenses. Additionally, Corporate and Other includes results from certain wholly-owned subsidiaries that, among other activities, develop and market technology and provide consulting and outsourcing solutions for the insurance and reinsurance industries. The Company invests in this area in an effort to both support its clients and accelerate the development of innovative solutions and services to increase consumer engagement within the life insurance industry and hence generate new future revenue streams.
| D. | Financial Information About Foreign Operations |
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The Company’s foreign operations are primarily in Canada, Asia Pacific, EMEA and Latin America. Revenue, income (loss) before income taxes, which include investment related gains (losses), interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and identifiable assets attributable to these geographic regions are identified in Note 19 – “Segment Information” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Although there are risks inherent to foreign operations, such as currency fluctuations and restrictions on the movement of funds, as described in Item 1A – “Risk Factors”, the Company’s financial position and results of operations have not been materially adversely affected thereby to date.
| E. | Available Information |
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Copies of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports are available free of charge through the Company’s website (www.rgare.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company electronically files such reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). Information provided on such websites does not constitute part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.