UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
| x | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003
OR
| ¨ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 333-69620
GE LIFE AND ANNUITY ASSURANCE COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Virginia | 54-0283385 | |||
| (State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |||
| 6610 West Broad Street Richmond, Virginia |
23230 | (804) 281-6000 | ||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | (Registrants telephone number, including area code) | ||
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT: None.
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: None.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x
At March 5, 2004, 25,651 shares of voting common stock, which constitute all of the outstanding common equity, with a par value of $1,000.00 per share were outstanding.
Aggregate market value of the outstanding common equity held by nonaffiliates of the registrant at March 5, 2004. None.
REGISTRANT MEETS THE CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS I (1)(a) and (b) OF FORM 10-K AND IS THEREFORE FILING THIS FORM 10-K WITH THE REDUCED DISCLOSURE FORMAT.
| Page | ||||
| Item 1. |
Business | 3 | ||
| Item 2. |
Properties | 16 | ||
| Item 3. |
Legal Proceedings | 16 | ||
| Item 4. |
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders | 17 | ||
| Item 5. |
Market for the Registrants Common Equity and Related Shareholder Matters | 17 | ||
| Item 6. |
Selected Financial Data | 17 | ||
| Item 7. |
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition | 17 | ||
| Item 7A. |
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk, Interest Rate and Currency Risk Management | 30 | ||
| Item 8. |
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data | 31 | ||
| Item 9. |
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosures | 64 | ||
| Item 10. |
Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant | 64 | ||
| Item 11. |
Executive Compensation | 64 | ||
| Item 12. |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management | 64 | ||
| Item 13. |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions | 64 | ||
| Item 14. |
Controls and Procedures | 64 | ||
| Item 15. |
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K | 64 | ||
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GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company (the Company, we, us, or our unless context otherwise requires) is a stock life insurance company operating under a charter granted by the Commonwealth of Virginia on March 21, 1871 as The Life Insurance Company of Virginia. General Electric Capital Corporation (GE Capital) acquired us from Aon Corporation on April 1, 1996. GE Capital subsequently contributed us to its wholly owned subsidiary, GE Financial Assurance Holdings, Inc., (GE Financial Assurance) and ultimately the majority of the outstanding common stock to General Electric Capital Assurance Company (GECA or GE Capital Assurance). As part of an internal reorganization of GE Financial Assurances insurance subsidiaries, the Harvest Life Insurance Company (Harvest) merged into us on January 1, 1999. At this time we were renamed GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company. Harvests former parent, Federal Home Life Insurance Company (Federal), received our common stock in exchange for its interest in Harvest.
We principally offer annuity contracts, guaranteed investment contracts, funding agreements, and life insurance. We do business in the District of Columbia and all states, except New York. Our principal offices are located at 6610 West Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23230.
We are one of a number of subsidiaries of GE Financial Assurance, a holding company that, through its subsidiaries, provides consumers financial security solutions by selling a wide variety of insurance, investment and retirement products, primarily in North America. Our product offerings are divided along two segments of consumer needs: (1) Retirement Income and Investments and (2) Protection. We also have a Corporate and Other segment, which consists primarily of net realized investment gains (losses), interest and other financing expenses, and unallocated corporate income and expenses.
As an integral part of GE Financial Assurance, we are able to leverage the strengths of an international organization. We do so to offer consumers a wide variety of products through the convenience of diverse distribution channels. In addition, we are able to utilize GE Financial Assurances centers of excellence to provide world-class customer service within a competitive cost structure.
Our financial information, including the information contained in this report filed on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to the above mentioned reports, will be made available upon request. Alternatively, reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may be viewed or obtained at the SEC Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., or at the SECs Internet site at www.sec.gov.
Ownership
At December 31, 2003, all of our outstanding common stock was owned directly and indirectly by GE Financial Assurance. GE Financial Assurance acquired approximately three percent of our outstanding common stock, pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement, dated November 18, 2003 by and between Phoenix Life Insurance Company and GE Financial Assurance. GE Capital Assurance and Federal both indirect subsidiaries of GE Financial Assurance, own approximately eighty-five percent and twelve percent of our outstanding common stock, respectively. GE Financial Assurance is a wholly owned, direct subsidiary of GEI, Inc., which in turn is a wholly owned direct subsidiary of GE Capital, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Electric Capital Services, Inc., which in turn is a wholly owned direct subsidiary of General Electric Company (GE). At December 31, 2003, all of our outstanding non-voting preferred stock was owned by Brookfield Life Assurance Company Limited (BLAC) as a result of a contribution on November 7, 2003 of our preferred shares by GE Financial Assurance. BLAC is a wholly owned direct subsidiary of GE Financial Assurance.
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On November 18, 2003, GE issued a press release announcing its intention to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) of a new company named Genworth Financial, Inc. (Genworth) that will comprise most of its life and mortgage insurance operations, including GELAAC. GE filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2004 and expects to complete the IPO in the first half of 2004, subject to market conditions and receipt of various regulatory approvals.
Strategy
We believe that changes in demographics such as the increased number of baby boomers entering middle and late middle age, longer life expectancies due to healthy lifestyles and medical advances, and the reduction in government and employer-sponsored benefit programs have increased, and will continue to increase, the demand for innovative products and services to solve financial needs and challenges. Our strategy is designed to take advantage of these trends by offering a broad array of insurance and investment products and services to meet key consumer financial needs at each stage of life. We do this through two primary channels of distribution.
Our approach is to maintain distinct product and distribution capabilities designed to deliver innovative products and services that help consumers invest, protect, and retire. Most of our products are targeted at middle- to upper-income consumers. To date, we have operated entirely in the United States.
Our strategy is to be a consumer retirement income and personal protection provider through (i) intense customer focus, (ii) core growth of product capabilities, distribution reach, and service content, and (iii) cost and speed effectiveness. These elements are further supported by a strong foundation of operating fundamentals. Our strategy consists of the following elements:
| | Customer Focus. We focus on two sets of customers: (1) consumers and (2) distribution partners/producers. Our core concept is to be customer needs driven and to simplify consumers financial lives. To accomplish this, we offer not only products but also financial planning tools and education to enable personalized solutions that provide options and choices for consumers and their advisors. By providing financial solutions for every stage of a consumers life, either directly or through our affiliates, we believe we will differentiate ourselves from our competitors and create an affinity with customers that will translate into lifetime relationships. Our products are designed to enable the growing retired population to convert their invested assets into reliable retirement income. |
| | Growth. This element begins with our focus on driving core business growth, building our distribution capabilities, and maintaining a broad range of fresh, innovative products and services. We focus on key customer groups and distribution channels that are well positioned to maximize marketplace penetration. We believe that our customers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in assessing their needs for savings, insurance, and retirement. Our products and services are designed to meet needs based on input from consumers and the distributors who service them. To obtain this input, we endeavor to create and maintain direct contact with both our key consumer and distribution groups. We see branding as increasingly important in the competitive financial services industry. We therefore actively promote the GE brand, which is highly attractive to consumers and distributors. |
Our distribution strategy is focused on penetrating our targeted markets through three types of distribution methods: financial intermediaries, independent producers, and dedicated sales specialists.
Through each distribution method, we believe core growth will be driven by the following factors:
| | strong product development; |
| | disciplined marketing and sales; |
| | expansion of specific distribution relationships; and |
| | selective cross marketing of products. |
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In addition, we believe our commitment to technology investments has allowed us to capitalize on two fundamental opportunities to further accelerate our growth:
(1) making our existing businesses and ways of serving consumers more effective by being faster and more cost efficient; and
(2) creating entirely new product and service capabilities or processes to build new ways of reaching consumers and our distributors.
Although our primary focus is on increasing our sales of existing products by enhancing our marketing, new product development and service capabilities, and driving distribution efficiency, we will continue to consider opportunities to enter new markets. We believe entry into these new markets will be accomplished through:
| | development of new products for sale through existing or new channels; |
| | creation of new distribution segments; and |
| | alliances with entities with presence in attractive markets or distribution channels. |
| | Cost and Speed Competitiveness. We recognize that consolidation in the financial services industry will create fewer, but larger, competitors. Our ability to effectively compete will be dependent upon many factors, including our ability to maintain or achieve operating scale and reduce our expenses through areas such as eliminating duplicate functions, utilizing affiliates in lower cost locations (such as India) to centralize back office processes, leveraging buying power, and the use of enhanced technology to achieve operational efficiencies. In addition, we believe the speed and responsiveness of business processes is critical to being competitive. While we believe that the diversity of GE Financial Assurances distribution channels is also a competitive advantage, we recognize the need to coordinate our efforts with our affiliates to provide a unified face to our customers and distributors. We are committed to service excellence through the implementation of quality initiatives and technology to provide timely and efficient response to all consumer inquiries, needs, and requests. In addition, we are continuously analyzing means by which we can leverage technology. We believe the benefits from this initiative include improved customer service, expanded product and service offerings, and increased operating efficiency for both our customers and us. We believe that our continued success will be predicated upon our ability to achieve game-changing efficiencies through the use of new technologies, digital processes, and the Internet. |
| | Strong Foundation of Operating Fundamentals. Our dedication to providing quality products to our customers rests on maintaining a strong risk management, compliance and controllership focus. We believe this focus provides a solid foundation for our successful execution of our business strategy. Risk management, compliance and controllership processes and practices have been a long-standing strength of ours. We have developed processes and practices appropriate for our operating businesses by leveraging the experience of the GE system. We maintain a dynamic system of internal controls designed to ensure financial reporting, appropriate design of products and management of in force blocks of business, sound investment management, adherence to compliances and regulatory practices, protection of physical and intellectual property, and efficient use of resources. |
Operating Segments
During the fourth quarter 2003, we redefined our operating segments. Management realigned the business on a product line and market basis to intensify its focus on return on equity, optimum deployment of capital and distribution effectiveness. As a result of this change, our operations are conducted under two reporting segments corresponding to customer needs: 1) Retirement Income and Investments and 2) Protection.
We also have a Corporate and Other segment, which consists primarily of net realized investment gains (losses), interest and other financing expenses, and unallocated corporate income and expenses.
Retirement Income and Investments Segment
Through our Retirement Income and Investments segment, we offer deferred annuities (variable and fixed), guaranteed investment contracts (GICs) and funding agreements, and variable life insurance. We offer these
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products to a broad range of consumers, generally aged 45 and older, who want to accumulate tax-deferred assets for retirement, desire a tax-efficient source of income during their retirement, and seek to protect against outliving their assets during retirement.
Products
Deferred Annuities
Premiums related to single and flexible premium deferred annuities are reported as deposit liabilities in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).
Variable Annuities. A variable annuity has an accumulation period and a payout period. Variable annuities allow the contractholder to allocate all or a portion of his account value to separate accounts that invest in investment accounts that are distinct from our general account and track the performance of available underlying mutual funds. Assets held in separate accounts supporting variable annuity contracts aggregated $7,765.8 million, $6,962.6 million, and $8,739.5 million, at December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. Our deposit liabilities not held in the separate account for variable annuities (i.e., amounts included in future annuity and contract benefits on the Consolidated Balance Sheets) were $2,689.3 million, $1,929.3 million, and $1,319.3 million as of December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001, respectively. Our deposits received for variable annuities during these same periods were $1,822.6 million, $1,595.2 million, and $2,278.7 million, respectively.
Our variable annuity contracts permit the contractholder to withdraw all or part of the premiums paid, plus the amount credited to his account, subject to contract terms such as surrender charges. The cash surrender value of a variable annuity contract depends upon the value of the assets that have been allocated to the contract, how long those assets have been in the contract and the investment performance of the mutual funds to which the contractholder has allocated assets.
Variable annuities provide us with fee-based revenue in the form of expense charges and, in some cases, mortality charges. These fees equal a percentage of the contractholders assets in the separate account and typically range from 1.15% to 1.70% per annum. We also receive fees charged on assets allocated to our separate account to cover administrative costs, as well as a portion of the management fees from the underlying mutual funds in which assets are invested.
We also offer variable annuities with fixed account options and with bonus features. Variable annuities with fixed account options enable the contractholder to allocate a portion of his account value to the fixed account, which pays a fixed interest crediting rate. The portion of the account value allocated to the fixed account option represents general account liability for us and functions similarly to a traditional fixed annuity, whereas for the portion allocated to the separate account, the contractholder bears the investment risk. Our variable annuities with bonus features entitle the contractholder to an additional increase to his account value upon making a deposit. However, variable annuities with bonus features are subject to different surrender charge schedules and expense charges than variable annuities without the bonus feature.
Variable annuity contracts provide for a guaranteed minimum death benefit, or GMDB, which provides the contractholders survivors a minimum account value upon the contractholders death. Our contractholders have the option to purchase at an additional charge a GMDB rider, which provides for richer death benefits. As of December 31, 2003, the account value of our variable annuities with GMDBs was approximately $10.5 billion, with related death benefit exposure of approximately $1.6 billion. We have reinsured approximately 63% of the account value and 86% of this in-force exposure. Assuming every contractholder died on December 31, 2003, as of that date, contracts with GMDB features not covered by reinsurance had an account value of $3.9 billion and a related death benefit exposure of $234 million net amount at risk. In addition to reinsurance, we establish reserves equal to the accumulated value of the charges for the benefit less any actual death benefit claims paid to date. We have self-insured the GMDB benefits over time, and we have no reinsurance coverage for policies issued after January 2003. In May 2003, we provided consumers with more choices by unbundling the types of GMDBs available and have priced each benefit separately. We will continue to monitor the importance of individual features and their pricing to meet customer needs that conform to company performance expectations.
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We continually review potential new variable annuity products and pursue only those where we believe we can achieve targeted returns in light of the risks involved. For example, unlike several of our competitors, we have not offered variable annuity products with traditional guaranteed minimum income benefits, or GMIBs, or with guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits, or GMABs. Traditional GMIB products guarantee a specified minimum appreciation rate for a period of time after annuity payments commence. GMAB products guarantee a customers account will be no less than the original investment at the end of the specified accumulation period, plus a specified interest rate.
Although we do not offer traditional GMIBs or GMABs, we have been able to capitalize on the demand for products with guarantees through our GE Retirement Answer product, or GERA, which we launched in April 2002. GERA is a variable deferred annuity that has a minimum 10-year scheduled accumulation period for customers who desire guaranteed minimum income streams at the end of an accumulation period. If a contractholder makes the required scheduled deposits, he is guaranteed a minimum income stream at the end of the accumulation period. The actual income stream may exceed the guaranteed minimum based upon the performance of the underlying portolios in the separate account. Based on key product design features, some of which have patents pending, we believe GERA allows us to provide our customers a guaranteed income annuity product that mitigates a number of the risks that accompany guaranteed minimum income benefits offered by many of our competitors.
Fixed Annuities. We offer fixed single premium deferred annuities, or SPDAs, which provides for a single premium payment at time of issue, an accumulation period and an annuity payout period at some future date. During the accumulation period, we credit the account value of the annuity with interest earned at an interest rate, called the crediting rate. The crediting rate is guaranteed initially for a period of one to seven years, at the contractholders option, and thereafter is subject to change based upon competitive factors, prevailing market rates and product profitability. Each contract also has a minimum guaranteed crediting rate. Our fixed annuity contracts are funded by our general account, and the accrual of interest during the accumulation period is generally on a tax-deferred basis to the owner. The majority of our fixed annuity contractholders retain their contracts for 5-10 years. After the period specified in the annuity contract, the contractholder may elect to take the proceeds of the annuity as a single payment or over time.
Our fixed annuity contracts permit the contractholder at any time during the accumulation period to withdraw all or part of the single premium paid, plus the amount credited to his account, subject to contract provisions such as surrender charges that vary depending upon the terms of the product. The contracts impose surrender charges that typically vary from 5.0% to 8.0% of the account value, starting in the year of deposit and decreasing to zero over a 5- to 7-year period. The contractholder also may withdraw annually up to 10% of the account value without penalty. Approximately $302.5 million, or 35% of the total account value of our fixed annuities as of December 31, 2003, were subject to surrender charges. Our deposit liabilities for fixed annuities as of December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001 were $864.3 million, $944.9 million, and $1,030.0 million, respectively. Our deposits received for these same periods were $5.6 million, $59.2 million, and $99.2 million, respectively.
At least once each month, we set an interest crediting rate for newly issued SPDAs. We maintain the initial crediting rate for a minimum period of one year or the guarantee period, whichever is longer. Thereafter, we may adjust the crediting rate no more frequently than once per year for any given SPDA contract. Our in-force fixed annuity products (other than MVAs) generally have minimum guaranteed crediting rates ranging from 3.5% to 4.0% for the life of the contract, and currently we are crediting rates between 3.5% and 6.1% on a majority of those products. The most frequent minimum guaranteed crediting rate as of December 31, 2003, was 4.0%.
A subset of our fixed annuities is the fixed market value adjusted deferred annuity (MVA). This annuity is an SPDA with an MVA feature that increases or decreases the surrender value of the contract in the event that a contractholder surrenders the annuity prior to the end of the guarantee term. The MVA reflects changes in interest rates since the beginning of the guarantee term, thereby protecting us from losses due to higher interest rates at the
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time of surrender. Our MVA annuities generally have terms of 5, 7, 8, and 10 years. Interest rates credited on our in-force MVA policies ranged from 3.0% to 6.5% during 2003. In 2003, issued MVA policies had surrender charges of 6.0% of the account value starting in the year of policy issue and will decrease to zero at the annuity commencement date (generally age 90 or 10 years after issue). The owner may withdraw the previous 12 months of interest without penalty. At least once each month, we establish an interest-crediting rate for new MVA policies. In determining our interest-crediting rate on new policies, management considers our competitive position, prevailing market rates, and the profitability of the MVA annuity product. After policy issue, we maintain the initial crediting rate for the guarantee period. Thereafter, the policy may renew into any guarantee term from those that we offer. The minimum guaranteed crediting rate for the MVA annuity product is 3% for the life of the policy. The fixed MVA annuity was a new product in 2002. Our deposit liabilities as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 were $53.3 million and $47.9 million, respectively. Our deposits received for these same periods were $5.9 million and $47.1 million, respectively.
Guaranteed Investment Contracts and Funding Agreements
We offer guaranteed investment contracts, or GICs, and funding agreements, which are deposit-type products that pay a guaranteed return to the contractholder on specified dates. GICs are purchased by ERISA-qualified plans, including 401(k) plans. Funding agreements are purchased by institutional accredited investors for various kinds of funds and accounts that are not ERISA-qualified. Purchasers of funding agreements include money market funds, bank common trust funds and other corporate and trust accounts, and private investors in the U.S. and other countries. Our deposit liabilities for GICs and funding agreements as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 were $4,052 million and $5,263 million, respectively. Our new deposits received for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 were $520.8 million and $724.9 million, respectively.
Substantially all our GICs allow for the payment of benefits at contract value to ERISA plan participants prior to contract maturity in the event of death, disability, retirement, or change in investment election. We carefully underwrite these risks before issuing a GIC to a plan and historically have been able to effectively manage our exposure to these benefit payments. Our GICs typically credit interest at a fixed interest rate and have a fixed-maturity generally ranging from two to six years. Contractholders may terminate our GICs upon 90 days notice, but subject to an adjustment to the contract value for changes in the level of interest rates from the time the GIC was issued. These options have rarely been exercised.
Our funding agreements generally credit interest on deposits at a floating rate tied to an external market index. To hedge our exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, we invest the proceeds backing floating-rate funding agreements in floating-rate assets. Some of our funding agreements are purchased by money market funds, bank common trust funds and other short-term investors. These funding agreements typically are renewed annually, and generally contain put provisions, through which either we or the contractholder has an option to terminate the funding agreement for any reason after giving notice within the contracts specified notice period, which is generally 90 days but can be less than 30 days. GE Capital has agreed to guarantee our obligations under funding agreements that were issued prior to November 18, 2003 and certain renewals with a final maturity on or before June 30, 2005. As of December 31, 2003, the aggregate amount outstanding of these funding agreements was approximately $1,187 million, of which those with put option notice periods of 90 days was $875 million, and those with put option notice periods of 30 days was $200 million. We issue the remainder of our funding agreements to trust accounts to back medium-term notes purchased by investors. These funding agreements contain no early termination provisions and typically are issued for terms of one to seven years. As of December 31, 2003, the aggregate amount of these types of funding agreements was $436.0 million.
The risk management process for funding agreements requires controls on both the liabilities and the assets supporting this product. The liabilities have limits on exposure to a customer, on put exposure to individual customers and on the overall portfolio put exposure. Further, we have established limits for exposure to asset types, maturity terms, index mismatch, and quality ratings. Collectively, we believe these risk management approaches provide for sound product line liquidity.
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Variable Life Insurance
We offer variable life insurance products that provide insurance coverage through a policy that gives the policyholder flexibility in investment choices and, in some products, in premium payments and coverage amounts. Our variable life products enable the policyholder to allocate all or a portion of his premiums to separate accounts that invest in investment accounts that are distinct from our general account and track the performance of selected mutual funds, including funds from Fidelity Investments, AIM Investments, and GE Mutual Funds. There is no guaranteed minimum rate of return in these subaccounts, and the policyholder bears the entire risk associated with the performance of these subaccounts. Some of our variable life insurance products also permit the policyholder to allocate all or a portion of his account value to our general account, in which case we credit interest at specified rates, subject to certain guaranteed minimums, which are comparable to the minimum rates in effect for our fixed annuities.
Similar to our variable annuity products, we collect specified mortality and expense charges, fees charged on assets allocated to the separate account to cover administrative services and costs, and a portion of the management fees from the various underlying mutual funds in which the assets are invested. We collect cost of insurance charges on our variable life insurance products to compensate us for the mortality risk of the guaranteed death benefit, particularly in the early years of the policy when the death benefit is significantly higher than the value of the policyholders account.
Protection Segment
Through our Protection segment, we offer universal life insurance, interest-sensitive whole life insurance, and accident and health insurance. Life insurance products provide protection against financial hardship after the death of an insured by providing cash payment to the beneficiaries of the policyholder. Customers use accident and health insurance to protect their income and assets from the adverse economic impacts of significant health care costs.
Products
Life Insurance
We offer permanent life insurance products that provide protection for the entire life of the insured and allow for cash value accumulation. These products include interest-sensitive whole life (ISWL) and universal life insurance (UL). Our life insurance policies provide a death benefit payable upon death of the insured. Owners of permanent insurance pay premiums that are applied to their account value, net of any expense charges. We deduct cost of insurance charges, which vary by age, gender, plan, and class of insurance from the account value. We determine our cost of insurance each year in advance, which is subject to a maximum stated in each policy. The owner may access their account value through policy loans, partial withdrawals, or full surrender of the policy. Some withdrawals and surrenders are subject to surrender charges. Our premiums collected on life insurance in-force for the years ended December 31, 2003, 2002, and 2001 were $211.1 million, $211.8 million, and $238.8 million, respectively. First year premiums received for these same periods were $26.5 million, $28.1 million, and $37.5 million, respectively.
We credit the policyholder account value for ISWL and UL policies with interest at an interest rate we determine in advance and generally guarantee for a policy year at a time. Policies have a minimum credited interest rate, which varies by policy and ranges from 4.0% to 5.5%. ISWL and UL differ in two major ways. ISWL requires the contractholder to pay a fixed premium we determine each year, while UL allows a contractholder to determine the amount of premium to be paid, subject to certain minimum and maximum values. Also, the ISWL death benefit is fixed at issue, while the contractholder may decrease and (subject to evidence of good health) increase the death benefit on a UL policy.
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Accident and Health Insurance
The primary product in this line is Medicare supplement insurance. Our Medicare supplement insurance provides coverage for Medicare-qualified expenses that are not covered by Medicare because of applicable deductible or maximum limits. These products are sold to individuals through dedicated sales specialists.
Product/Service Centers
Our primary product service centers for creating and servicing our products are located in Richmond and Lynchburg, Virginia.
We leverage GE Financial Assurances international presence to support these service centers through an affiliates operations in India. The Indian operations provide call center support, internet assistance, and new business administration to promote cost efficiencies and to enhance customer service.
Financial Strength
Ratings with respect to financial strength have become an important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies. Ratings are important to maintaining public confidence in us and our ability to market our products. The following reflects ratings for each of the rating agencys opinion of our financial strength, operating performance, and ability to meet our obligations to policyholders.
| A.M. Best Rating |
S&P Rating |
Moodys Rating | ||
| A+ (superior) |
AA- (very strong) | Aa3 (excellent) |
A.M. Best states that its A+ (superior) rating is assigned to those companies that have, in its opinion, a superior ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders. The A+ (superior) rating is the second-highest of fifteen ratings assigned by A.M. Best, which range from A++ (superior) to F (in liquidation).
S&P states that an insurer rated AA (very strong) has very strong financial security characteristics that outweigh any vulnerabilities, and is highly likely to have the ability to meet financial commitments. The AA range is the second-highest of the four ratings ranges that meet these criteria, and also is the second-highest of nine financial strength rating ranges assigned by S&P, which range from AAA to R. A plus (+) or minus (-) shows relative standing in a rating category.
Moodys states that insurance companies rated Aa (excellent) offer excellent financial security. Moodys states that companies in this group constitute what are generally known as high-grade companies. The Aa range is the second-highest of nine financial strength rating ranges assigned by Moodys, which range from Aaa to C. Numeric modifiers are used to refer to the ranking within the group, with 1 being the highest and 3 being the lowest.
A.M. Best, S&P, and Moodys review their ratings periodically and we cannot assure you that we will maintain our current ratings in the future. Other agencies may also rate our company on a solicited or an unsolicited basis.
Marketing and Distribution
We distribute our products through an extensive and diversified distribution network comprised of the following channels:
| | Financial intermediaries, including banks, securities brokerage firms, and independent broker/dealers; |
| | Independent producers, including brokerage general agencies, affluent market producer groups and specialized brokers; and |
| | Dedicated sales specialists, including long-term care sales agents and affiliated networks of both accountants and personal financial advisers. |
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We believe this access to a variety of distribution channels enables us to respond effectively to changing consumer needs and distribution trends. We have strategically positioned our multi-channel distribution network to capture a broad share of the distributor and consumer markets and to accommodate different consumer preferences in how to purchase insurance and financial services products.
GE Financial Assurance has developed a web portal called GEFinancialPro.com for our distribution channels and for those of our affiliates. This web portal improves productivity for financial intermediaries and agents by enabling business submissions, account tracking, and status updates through the Internet. In addition, GE Financial Assurance has developed GEFinancialService.com, for intermediaries and consumers. This site provides similar services for these customers, giving them the ability to change information like addresses and their investment accounts online.
Financial Intermediaries
Financial Intermediaries. Banks and securities brokerage firms are a significant channel for our fixed and variable annuities, and life insurance products. This channel is focused on the growing retirement income market and has increased the sales force to capture a larger share of the variable annuity marketplace. Approximately 20% of our variable annuity product sales in 2003 were through two national stock brokerage firms. However, we do not believe that the loss of such business would have a long-term adverse effect on our business and operations due to our competitive position in the marketplace, the availability of business from other distributors, the growth of the independent broker-dealer and financial planner channels, and our mix and penetration of other products.
Independent Producers
BGAs. We, as well as our affiliates, distribute many of our products through more than 250 independent insurance brokerage firms located throughout the United States. These BGAs market our products through licensed insurance agents or brokers, who also represent other companies. We believe our consistent commitment to this system has helped us earn a reputation as a leading provider of insurance products among BGAs.
Financial Planners, Accountants, and Affluent Market Producer Groups. We sell some of our products through financial planners, accountants, and affluent market producer groups. These groups emphasize providing investment and insurance products to middle and upper income individuals. We believe that financial planners, accountants, and affluent market producer groups present a sound opportunity for growth within the intermediary distribution channel.
Specialized Brokers. We sell GICs via fund managers, employee benefit investment advisors, directly to large employee benefit plans, and through GIC brokers. We sell funding agreements directly, as well as through brokers.
Dedicated Sales Specialists
Our dedicated sales forces consist primarily of non-employees who sell some of our products on an exclusive basis. All non-employee dedicated sales force agents are affiliated with an insurance agency. We compensate dedicated sales forces primarily on a commission basis.
These agents develop customized solutions for customers future financial requirements by using our annuity and life insurance products. They offer customers financial profiles to assist their understanding and development of financial objectives. They identify prospective customers through:
| | direct mail solicitation; |
| | educational seminars; |
| | policyholder referrals; and |
| | targeted promotions linked to our national advertising campaigns. |
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Competition
We operate in a highly competitive environment. We believe GE Financial Assurance has assembled a unique collection of products and distribution channels, in which we participate. Many other companies actively compete for sales in our markets, including other major insurers, banks, other financial institutions, mutual fund and money asset management firms, and specialty providers. In many of our product lines, we face competition from competitors that have greater market share or breadth of distribution, offer a broader range of products, services or features, assume a greater level of risk, have lower profitability expectations, or have higher claims paying ratings than we do. Many competitors offer similar products and use similar distribution channels. The substantial expansion of banks and insurance companies distribution capacities and expansion of product features in recent years has intensified pressure on margins and production levels and has increased the level of competition in many of our business lines.
We believe competition is based on several factors, including product features, customer service, brand reputation, penetration of key distribution channels, breadth of product offering, product innovations, and price.
Risk Management, Compliance, and Controllership
Risk management is a critical part of our business, and we have adopted rigorous risk management processes in virtually every aspect of our operation, including product development, underwriting, investment management, asset-liability management, and technology development projects. For example, our commitment to risk management processes, compliance, and controllership processes include requiring underwriting of all new products and reviews of all existing product performance, both of which are reviewed by a team of risk managers and actuaries. In addition, both internal and external periodic reviews of our products, internal processes, and pricing strategies are conducted. We also have obtained Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA) certification and have committed to engrain compliance into each and every business function that touches our customers. Our compliance objective is not to just comply with rules and regulations but also demonstrate a level of business integrity that instills consumer trust in our products and in the insurance industry in general. In recognition of this commitment, we have received the American Council of Life Insurers highest award for integrity, the ACLI Integrity First Award, two of the last three years.
We maintain a dynamic system of disclosure controls and procedures, including internal controls over financial reporting designed to ensure reliable financial record-keeping, transparent financial reporting and disclosure, and protection of physical and intellectual property. We utilize internal auditors who conduct various audits each year. Senior management oversees the scope and results of these reviews. We continuously reinforce key employee responsibilities around the world through GEs integrity policies, which requires compliance with law and policy, including financial integrity and avoiding conflicts of interest. These integrity policies are provided to each employee. The team of internal auditors conducts extensive inquires into compliance with these policies. A strong compliance culture requires employees to raise any concerns and prohibits retribution for doing so. All employees, including top management, are accountable for compliance with integrity policies.
We are keenly aware of the importance of full and open presentation of our financial position and operating results. To facilitate this, we maintain a Disclosure Committee, which consists of senior executives who possess exceptional knowledge of our business. We have asked this Committee to evaluate our disclosure controls and procedures, as well as the completeness and accuracy of our financial disclosures, and to report their findings to us.
Underwriting and Pricing
Insurance underwriting involves a determination of the type and amount of risk that an insurer is willing to accept. Our underwriters evaluate each policy application on the basis of the information provided by the applicant and others. We follow detailed and uniform underwriting practices and procedures, including using certified digital
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underwriting applications, designed to properly assess and quantify risks before issuing coverage to qualified applicants. The long-term profitability of our products is affected by the degree to which future experience deviates from these assumptions. We generally do not underwrite individual lives in our annuity products, other than some income annuities. Instead, we price our products based upon our expected investment returns and our expectations for mortality, longevity, and persistency for the group of our contractholders as a whole, taking into account mortality improvements in the general population and our historical experience. We price variable and immediate deferred annuities by analyzing longevity and persistency risk, volatility of expected earnings on our assets under management, and the expected time to retirement. We price our GICs using pricing models that estimate both expected cash flows and likely variance from those expectations caused by reallocations of assets by plan participants. We price fixed income annuities using our mortality experience and assumptions regarding continued improvement in annuitant longevity, as well as assumptions regarding investment yields at the time of issue and thereafter.
Reserves
We calculate and maintain as liabilities actuarially determined reserves that are calculated to meet our future obligations. Future benefit liabilities for traditional long-duration life insurance contracts and accident and health insurance are based on assumptions with regard to interest, mortality, morbidity, and voluntary withdrawal, and are determined at the date of issue of the policy or date of acquisitions, and may include margins for adverse deviation. These assumptions are appropriate for the contracts being valued, and are computed such that, the reserve amounts, together with additions from premiums to be received and with interest on such reserves compounded annually at certain assumed rates, are expected to be sufficient to meet our policy obligations for withdrawal, morbidity, and death.
Future benefit liabilities for non-traditional long duration contracts such as interest sensitive life, variable annuities, and variable life insurance, are generally based on policyholder account values, to include premiums collected, interest credited, deduction of policy charges, and market performance. Reserves for guaranteed minimum death benefits for variable annuities are based on accumulated charges less claims. Reserves include contract reserves, unearned premiums, due and unpaid premiums, premium deposits, claims reported but not yet paid, and claims incurred but not reported.
The stability of non-traditional long duration contract reserves on contracts such as interest sensitive life, variable annuities, and variable life insurance is enhanced by policy restrictions on the withdrawal of funds. Withdrawals in excess of allowable penalty-free amounts are generally assessed a surrender charge during a penalty period ranging up to 10 years. Depending on the product, the basis for surrender charges can be a percentage of premium, a percentage of accumulation value, or a factor related to face amount of insurance. Such percentages and factors generally decrease gradually during the penalty period. Surrender charges are set at levels to protect us from loss on early terminations. This lengthens the effective duration of policy liabilities and improves our ability to maintain profitability on such policies. For traditional long duration contracts, funds are either not available for withdrawal or are based on fully withdrawable fixed tables of surrender values.
Reinsurance
We follow the industry practice of reinsuring (ceding) portions of our insurance risks with reinsurance companies. The use of reinsurance permits us to write policies in amounts larger than the risk we are willing to retain and also to continue writing a larger volume of new business. The maximum amount of individual life insurance we normally retain on any one insured with an issue age up to and including 75 is $1 million and for issue ages over 75 is $100,000. Certain accident and health insurance policies are reinsured on either a quota share or excess of loss basis. We also used reinsurance for our GMDB options offered in variable annuities. We cede insurance primarily on an automatic basis, under which risks are ceded to a reinsurer on specific blocks of business where the underlying risks meet certain predetermined criteria. To a lesser extent, we cede insurance risks on a facultative basis, under which the reinsurers prior approval is required on each risk reinsured. Use of reinsurance does not discharge us, as the insurer, from liability on the insurance ceded. We, as the insurer, are required to pay the full amount of our
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insurance obligations even in circumstances where we are entitled or able to receive payments from our reinsurer. At December 31, 2003, we had approximately 41% and 31%, respectively, of our variable annuity and life insurance net at risk exposures reinsured with one company.
Regulation
General Regulation at State Level
Our insurance business is subject to comprehensive state regulation and supervision throughout the United States. The laws of the various jurisdictions establish supervisory agencies with broad administrative powers with respect to, among other things, licensing to transact business, licensing agents, admitting of assets, regulating premium rates, approving policy forms, regulating unfair trade and claims practices, establishing reserve requirements and solvency standards, fixing maximum interest rate on life insurance policy loans and minimum rates for accumulation of surrender values, restricting certain transactions between affiliates, and regulating the type, amounts, and valuations of investments permitted.
State statutory and regulatory restrictions limit the amount of dividends or distributions an insurance company may pay to its shareholders without regulatory approval.
Virginia, our state of domicile, allows insurance companies domiciled in the state to pay dividends up to the lesser of 10% of prior year statutory surplus or 100% of prior year statutory net gain from operations. Dividends paid or distributed within any twelve consecutive months in excess of the prescribed limits are deemed extraordinary and require formal approval by the Commonwealth of Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance (the Commission).
Virginia insurance laws provide that no person may acquire control of us without the prior approval of the Commission. Any person who acquires beneficial ownership of 10% or more of our voting securities would be presumed to have acquired control. However, the Commission may, upon application, determine otherwise.
We are required to file detailed annual statements with the Commission and with insurance supervisory departments in each of the jurisdictions in which we do business. Our operations and accounts are subject to examination by these departments at regular intervals. We prepare statutory financial statements in accordance with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Commission, our principal insurance regulator. Prescribed statutory accounting practices include publications of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), as well as state laws, regulations, and general administrative rules.
The NAIC has established risk-based capital (RBC) standards to determine the amount of Total Adjusted Capital (as defined by NAIC) that an insurance company must have, taking into account the risk characteristics of such companys investments and liabilities. The formula establishes a standard of capital adequacy that is related to risk. The RBC formula establishes capital requirements for four categories of risk: asset risk, insurance risk, interest rate risk and business risk. For each category, the capital requirements are determined by applying specified factors to various assets, premium, reserve and other items, with the factor being higher for items with greater underlying risk and lower for items with less risk. The formula is used by insurance regulators as an early warning tool to identify deteriorating or weakly capitalized companies for the purpose of initiating regulatory action. At December 31, 2003, the company had total adjusted capital in excess of amounts requiring company action or any level of regulatory action at any prescribed RBC Level.
Regulatory Initiatives
State insurance regulators and the NAIC are continually re-examining existing laws and regulations, with a specific focus on insurance company investments and solvency issues, risk-adjusted capital guidelines, interpretation of existing laws, development of new laws, implementation of non-statutory guidelines, and circumstances under which dividends may be paid.
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These initiatives may be adopted by the various states in which we are licensed. However, the ultimate content and timing of any statutes and regulations adopted by the states cannot be determined at this time. It is impossible to predict the future impact of changing state and federal regulations on our operations. In addition, there can be no assurance that existing or future insurance-related laws and regulations will not become more restrictive.
Regulation at Federal Level
Although the federal government does not directly regulate the business of insurance, federal legislation and administrative policies in several areas, including financial services regulation, pension regulation, and federal taxation, can significantly and adversely affect the insurance industry and our business.
For example, the federal government has from time to time considered other legislative or regulatory changes that could affect us. This includes:
| | legislation relating to the deferral of taxation on the accretion of value within certain annuity and life insurance products; |
| | changes in ERISA regulations; and |
| | the alteration of the federal income tax structure. |
The ultimate effect of any of these changes, if implemented, is uncertain. However, both the persistency of our existing products and our ability to sell products may be materially impacted in the future.
Another example is the implementation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA established various requirements related to health benefit plans including medical, dental, and long-term care insurance plans. It generally applies to insurers, providers, and employers. When enacted in 1996, its initial focus was on health benefit plan portability. HIPAA also contains administrative simplification and privacy provisions that were designed to encourage the electronic exchange of health care information and the protection of personal health information. The privacy provisions are to be implemented through regulations issued by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, which regulations were issued in December 2000. HIPAA provides for significant fines and other penalties for wrongful disclosure of protected health information. We have modified certain aspects of our infrastructure and procedures to comply with the new requirements.
Securities Laws
Some of our policies and contracts are subject to regulation under the federal securities laws administered by the SEC and certain state securities laws. Some of our separate accounts are registered as unit investment trusts under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Some of our annuity contracts and all of our variable life insurance policies are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Distribution of our variable products is subject to broker-dealer regulation by the SEC and the NASD, Inc.
Federal and state securities laws and regulations are primarily intended to benefit owners of our variable annuity and variable life insurance products. These laws and regulations generally grant supervisory agencies broad administrative powers, including the power to limit or restrict the carrying on of business for failure to comply with these laws and regulations. In such event, the possible sanctions that may be imposed include suspension of individual employees, suspension or revocation of one or more registered separate accounts registration as an investment company, censure, and fines.
ERISA
We provide certain products and services to certain employee benefit plans that are subject to ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. As such, our activities are subject to the restrictions imposed by ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code, including the requirement under ERISA that fiduciaries must perform their duties
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solely in the interests of ERISA plan participants and beneficiaries and the requirement under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code that fiduciaries may not cause a covered plan to engage in certain prohibited transactions with persons who have certain relationships with respect to such plans. The applicable provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code are subject to enforcement by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Internal Revenue Service and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
U.S. Patriot Act
The USA Patriot Act of 2001, or the Patriot Act, enacted in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, contains anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws and mandates the implementation of various new regulations applicable to broker/dealers and other financial services companies including insurance companies. The Patriot Act seeks to promote cooperation among financial institutions, regulators and law enforcement entities in identifying parties that may be involved in terrorism or money laundering. Anti-money laundering laws outside of the U.S. contain similar provisions. The increased obligations of financial institutions to identify their customers, watch for and report suspicious transactions, respond to requests for information by regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies, and share information with other financial institutions, require the implementation and maintenance of internal practices, procedures and controls. We believe that we have implemented, and that we maintain, appropriate internal practices, procedures and controls to enable us to comply with the provisions of the Patriot Act.
Privacy of consumer information
U.S. federal and state laws and regulations require financial institutions, including insurance companies, to protect the security and confidentiality of consumer financial information and to notify consumers about their policies and practices relating to their collection and disclosure of consumer information and their policies relating to protecting the security and confidentiality of that information. Similarly, federal and state laws and regulations also govern the disclosure and security of consumer health information. In particular, regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulate the disclosure and use of protected health information by health insurers and others, the physical and procedural safeguards employed to protect the security of that information, and the electronic transmission of such information. Congress and state legislatures are expected to consider additional legislation relating to privacy and other aspects of consumer information.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements include statements which represent our belief regarding potential investments gains and losses, recoverability of intangible assets, the effects of competition, the impact of adopting accounting rules, the risk profile of our products, the effectiveness of our liability assets management program, and the adequacy of reserves. These statements are based on our current expectation and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive market, and regulatory factors, many of which are beyond our control. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
We conduct our business from various facilities, all of which are leased except for one building in Richmond, Virginia, which we own.
We, like other insurance companies, are involved in lawsuits, including class action lawsuits. In some class action and other lawsuits involving insurance companies, substantial damages have been sought and/or material
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settlement payments have been made. Except for the McBride case described below, the ultimate outcome of which, and any effect on us, cannot be determined at this time, management believes that at the present time there are no pending or threatened lawsuits that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
We were named as a defendant in a lawsuit, McBride v. Life Insurance Co. of Virginia dba GE Life and Annuity Assurance Co., related to the sale of universal life insurance policies. The complaint was filed on November 1, 2000 as a class action on behalf of all persons who purchased certain of our universal life insurance policies and alleges improper practices in connection with the sale and administration of universal life policies. The plaintiffs sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. On December 1, 2000, we removed the case to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. No class has been certified. We have vigorously denied liability with respect to the plaintiffs allegations. Nevertheless, to avoid the risks and costs associated with protracted litigation and to resolve our differences with policyholders, we agreed in principle on October 8, 2003, to settle the case on a nationwide class action basis. The settlement provides benefits to the class, and allows us to continue to serve our customers needs undistracted by disruptions caused by litigation. The settlement documents have not been finalized, nor has any proposed settlement been submitted to the proposed class or for court approval, and a final settlement is not certain. In the third quarter of 2003, we accrued $50 million in reserves relating to this litigation, which represents our best estimate of bringing this matter to conclusion. The precise amount of payments in this matter cannot be estimated because they are dependent upon court approval of the class and related settlement, the number of individuals who ultimately will seek relief in the claim form process of any approved class settlement, the identity of such claimants and whether they are entitled to relief under the settlement terms and the nature of the relief to which they are entitled.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
Information omitted in accordance with General Instruction I (2)(c).
Item 5. Market For the Registrants Common Equity and Related Shareholder Matters
At December 31, 2003, all of our common stock, our sole class of common equity on the date hereof, is owned by GE Financial Assurance, GE Capital Assurance, and Federal. Accordingly, there is no public trading market for our common equity.
As previously discussed, our ability to pay dividends is restricted by state insurance law (See Regulation, General Regulation at State Level).
Item 6. Selected Financial Data
Information omitted in accordance with General Instruction I (2)(a).
Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition
The following analysis of the consolidated financial condition and results of our operations should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto included herein.
Operating Results
Year Ended December 31, 2003 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2002
Overview. Net earnings in 2003 were $19.7 million, a $96.1 million, or 83%, decrease from 2002. The decrease is partially due to a reserve accrual of $50.0 million ($33.0 million after tax) associated with a settlement agreement in principle that we reached on October 8, 2003, in connection with a putative class action lawsuit. Additionally, the timing of the equity market changes in 2003 as compared to 2002 adversely impacted our product fee revenues. Lower interest rates during the year have resulted in lower investment yields on our fixed maturity portfolio, partially offset by reduced interest crediting rates on certain of our contracts and policies.
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Net investment income. Net investment income decreased $62.2 million, or 10.4%, to $538.0 million in 2003 from $600.2 million in the prior year. These decreases are primarily a result of a decrease in weighted average investment yields to 4.67% in 2003 from 5.23% in 2002 due to the overall declining interest rate environment.
Net realized investment gains. Net realized investment gains (losses) consist of gross realized investment gains and gross realized investment (losses), including charges related to impairments. Net realized investment gains (losses) decreased $51.4 million to $3.9 million in 2003 from $55.3 million in 2002. For 2003, gross realized gains and (losses) were $80.2 million and $(76.3) million, respectively. Realized losses for 2003 included $26.4 million of impairments that were primarily attributable to fixed-maturity and equity securities. For 2002, gross realized gains and (losses) were $181.1 million and $(125.8) million, respectively. Included in these gains were $17.6 million related to a securitization transaction conducted by our indirect parent. Realized losses for 2002 included $77.4 million of impairments, primarily attributable to fixed-maturity and equity securities that included $29.5 million of impairments on securities issued by WorldCom Inc. and its affiliates.
Cost of Insurance Cost of insurance increased $27.3 million, or 21.7% to $153.1 million in 2003 from $125.8 million in 2002. The increase was primarily due to premium refunds received from a terminated reinsurance treaty.
Variable product fees. Variable product fees decreased $7.6 million, or 6.7%, to $106.3 million in 2003 from $113.9 million in 2002. The decrease in variable product fees primarily resulted from a decrease in the daily average separate account values
Other income Other income decreased $9.4 million, or 20.9%, to $35.5 million in 2003 from $44.9 million in 2002. The decrease was partly attributable to lower surrender fee income on variable annuity products.
Interest credited. Interest credited represents interest credited on behalf of policyholder and contractholder general account balances. Interest credited decreased $51.5 million, or 11.1%, to $410.6 million for 2003 from $462.1 million for 2002. This decrease was primarily attributable to the decline in GICs and funding agreements product liabilities and crediting rates, offset in part by an increase in int