Brighthouse Financial Inc

We establish, and carry as liabilities, actuarially determined amounts that are calculated to meet policy obligations or to provide for future annuity and life insurance benefit payments. Amounts for actuarial liabilities are computed and reported in the financial statements in conformity with GAAP. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Summary of Critical Accounting Estimates” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Policyholder Liabilities” included in our 2023 Annual Report for more details on policyholder liabilities.

Future Policy Benefits

We establish liabilities for future amounts payable under insurance policies. See Note 3 of the Notes to the Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Policyholder Account Balances

Policyholder account balance liabilities are established for products with an explicit account value and generally equal to the balance accrued to the contract holder, which includes accrued interest credited, but excludes the impact of any applicable charge that may be incurred upon surrender. See Note 3 of the Notes to the Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Market Risk Benefits

We issue certain variable annuity products with guaranteed minimum benefits (“GMxB”) that provide the policyholder a minimum return based on their initial deposit (i.e., the Benefit Base) less withdrawals. In some cases, the Benefit Base may be increased by additional deposits, bonus amounts, accruals or optional market value step-ups. Variable annuity guaranteed benefits are classified as MRBs and measured at fair value. Certain index-linked annuity products may also have GMxBs classified as MRBs. See Note 4 of the Notes to the Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.”

Select information that management considers relevant to understanding our variable annuity risk management strategy has been included below.

Net Amount at Risk

The net amount at risk (“NAR”) for the guaranteed minimum income benefits (“GMIB”) is the amount (if any) that would be required to be added to the total account value to purchase a lifetime income stream, based on current annuity rates, equal to the minimum amount provided under the guaranteed benefit. This amount represents our potential economic exposure to such guarantees in the event all contract holders were to annuitize on the balance sheet date, even though the guaranteed amount under the contract may not be annuitized until after the waiting period of the contract.

The NAR for the guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits (“GMWB”) is the amount of guaranteed benefits in excess of the account values (if any) as of the balance sheet date and assumes utilization of benefits by all contract holders as of the balance sheet date. Only a small portion of the Benefit Base is available for withdrawal on an annual basis.

The NAR for the guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits (“GMAB”) is the amount of guaranteed benefits in excess of the account values (if any) as of the balance sheet date and assumes utilization of benefits by all contract holders as of the balance sheet. The NAR for the GMAB is not available until the GMAB maturity date.

The NAR for the guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”) is the amount of death benefit in excess of the account value (if any) as of the balance sheet date. It represents the amount of the claim we would incur if death claims were made on all contracts on the balance sheet date and includes any additional contractual claims associated with riders purchased to assist with covering income taxes payable upon death.

Our variable annuity account value and NAR by type of GMxB were as follows at:

(1)The “Death Benefit NAR” and “Living Benefit NAR” are not additive at the contract level.

(2)In-the-money is defined as any contract with a living benefit NAR in excess of zero.

(3)Enhanced Death Benefit (“EDB”).

Reserves

Under GAAP, variable annuity guarantees are classified as MRBs, measured at estimated fair value, and are reported in market risk benefit assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, with changes reported in change in market risk benefits on the consolidated statements of operations, except for changes related to nonperformance risk, which are reported in other comprehensive income on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). Additionally, the index protection and accumulation features of Shield annuities are accounted for as embedded derivatives, measured at estimated fair value, and are reported in policyholder account balances on the consolidated balance sheets, with changes reported in net derivative gains (losses) on the consolidated statements of operations. These liabilities were valued at $10.0 billion at June 30, 2024.

Our variable annuity MRBs by type of GMxB were as follows at:

The estimated fair value of these guarantees can change significantly due to changes in equity market performance, equity market volatility or interest rates. Fair values are also affected by our assumptions around mortality, separate account returns and policyholder behavior, including lapse, annuitization and withdrawal rates. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business — Guarantees within certain of our annuity products may decrease our earnings, decrease our capitalization, increase the volatility of our results, result in higher risk management costs and expose us to increased market risk” included in our 2023 Annual Report.

Derivatives Hedging Variable Annuity Guarantees

The gross notional amount and estimated fair value of the derivatives hedging our in-force variable annuity guarantees and ULSG business viewed in aggregate in our interest rate hedging program were as follows at:

(1)The gross notional amounts presented do not necessarily represent the relative economic coverage provided by derivative instruments because certain positions were closed out by entering into offsetting positions that are not netted in the above table.

(2)Hybrid options have equity exposure in addition to interest rate exposure.

The gross notional amount and estimated fair value of the derivatives held in our variable annuity hedging program were as follows at:

(1)The gross notional amounts presented do not necessarily represent the relative economic coverage provided by option instruments because certain positions were closed out by entering into offsetting positions that are not netted in the above table.

Period-to-period changes in the estimated fair value of these hedges affect our net income, as well as stockholders’ equity and these effects can be material in any given period. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Our Business — Our variable annuity exposure risk management strategy may not be effective, may result in significant volatility in our profitability measures or may negatively affect our statutory capital,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Summary of Critical Accounting Estimates” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Risk Management Strategies” included in our 2023 Annual Report.