Allstate (ALL)

Off-balance-sheet financial instruments and unconsolidated investments in VIEs

       The contractual amounts and fair values of off-balance-sheet financial instruments at December 31 are as follows:

       In the preceding table, the contractual amounts represent the amount at risk if the contract is fully drawn upon, the counterparty defaults and the value of any underlying security becomes worthless. Unless noted otherwise, the Company does not require collateral or other security to support off-balance-sheet financial instruments with credit risk.

       Commitments to invest generally represent commitments to acquire financial interests or instruments. The Company enters into these agreements to allow for additional participation in certain limited partnership investments. Because the equity investments in the limited partnerships are not actively traded, it is not practical to estimate the fair value of these commitments.

       Commitments to extend mortgage loans are agreements to lend to a borrower provided there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. The Company enters into these agreements to commit to future loan fundings at a predetermined interest rate. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses. Commitments to extend mortgage loans, which are secured by the underlying properties, are valued based on estimates of fees charged by other institutions to make similar commitments to similar borrowers.

       Private placement commitments represent conditional commitments to purchase private placement debt and equity securities at a specified future date. The Company regularly enters into these agreements in the normal course of business. The fair value of these commitments generally cannot be estimated on the date the commitment is made as the terms and conditions of the underlying private placement securities are not yet final.

       Other loan commitments primarily represent commitments of the Allstate Bank to fund loans to insurance agents of AIC. These commitments have predetermined or floating interest rates and have varying expiration dates or other termination clauses. The fair value of these commitments is insignificant.

       The Company established two VIEs that are not consolidated because the Company is not the primary beneficiary. The VIEs hold investments on behalf of unrelated third party investors that are managed by Allstate Investment Management Company, a subsidiary of the Company. Their assets primarily consist of investment securities and cash, and the liabilities consist primarily of long-term debt. The Company's maximum loss exposure related to the VIEs is the amortized cost of its investment. Information on each VIE as of December 31, 2009 is listed in the following table.