ALL » Topics » We are subject to market risk and declines in credit quality which may adversely impact investment income and cause additional realized losses

This excerpt taken from the ALL 10-K filed Feb 25, 2010.

We are subject to market risk and declines in credit quality which may adversely impact investment income, cause additional realized losses, and cause increased unrealized losses

       Although we continually reevaluate our risk mitigation and return optimization programs, we remain subject to the risk that we will incur losses due to adverse changes in interest rates, credit spreads, equity prices, commodity prices or foreign currency exchange rates. Our primary market risk exposures are to changes in interest rates, credit spreads and equity prices and, to a lesser degree, changes in foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices. We are subject to potential declines in credit quality related to specific issuers or specific industries or related to a general weakening in the economy, which are typically reflected through credit spreads. Credit spread is the additional yield on fixed income securities above the risk-free rate (typically defined as the yield on U.S. Treasury securities) that market participants require to compensate them for assuming credit, liquidity and/or prepayment risks. Credit spreads vary (i.e. increase or decrease) in response to the market's perception of risk and liquidity in a specific issuer or specific sector. Although we use derivative financial instruments to manage these risks, the effectiveness of such instruments is subject to the same risks.

       A decline in market interest rates or credit spreads could have an adverse effect on our investment income as we invest cash in new investments that may earn less than the portfolio's average yield. In a declining interest rate environment, borrowers may prepay or redeem securities more quickly than expected as they seek to refinance at lower rates. A decline could also lead us to purchase longer-term or riskier assets in order to obtain adequate investment yields resulting in a duration gap when compared to the duration of liabilities. An increase in market interest rates or credit spreads could have an adverse effect on the value of our investment portfolio by decreasing the fair values of the

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fixed income securities that comprise a substantial majority of our investment portfolio. A declining equity market could also cause the investments in our pension plans to decrease or decreasing interest rates could cause the funding target and the projected benefit obligation of our pension plans or the accumulated benefit obligation of our other postretirement benefit plans to increase, either or both resulting in a decrease in the funded status of the plans and a reduction of shareholders' equity, increases in pension and other postretirement benefit expense and increases in required contributions to the pension plans. A decline in the quality of our investment portfolio as a result of adverse economic conditions or otherwise could cause additional realized losses on securities, including realized losses relating to equity and derivative strategies.

These excerpts taken from the ALL 10-K filed Feb 26, 2009.

We are subject to market risk and declines in credit quality which may adversely impact investment income and cause additional realized losses

        Although we continually reevaluate our proactive risk mitigation and return optimization programs, we remain subject to the risk that we will incur losses due to adverse changes in equity prices, interest rates, commodity prices or foreign currency exchange rates. Our primary market risk exposures are to changes in interest rates and equity prices and, to a lesser degree, changes in foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices. In addition, we are subject to potential declines in credit quality, either related to issues specific to certain industries or to a general weakening in the economy. Although to some extent we use derivative financial instruments to manage these risks, the effectiveness of such instruments is subject to the same risks.

        A decline in market interest rates could have an adverse effect on our investment income as we invest cash in new investments that may yield less than the portfolio's average rate. In a declining interest rate environment, borrowers may prepay or redeem securities more quickly than expected as they seek to refinance at lower rates. A decline could also lead us to purchase longer-term or riskier assets in order to obtain adequate investment yields resulting in a duration gap when compared to the duration of liabilities. An increase in market interest rates could have an adverse effect on the value of our investment portfolio by decreasing the fair values of the fixed income securities that comprise a substantial majority of our investment portfolio. A declining equity market could also cause the investments in our pension plans to decrease or decreasing interest rates could cause the funding target and the projected benefit obligation of our pension plans or the accumulated benefit obligation of our other post retirement benefit plans to increase, either or both resulting in a decrease in the funded status of the plans and a reduction of shareholders' equity, increases in pension expense and increases in required contributions to the pension plans. A decline in the quality of our investment portfolio as a result of adverse economic conditions or otherwise could cause additional realized losses on securities, including realized losses relating to equity and derivative strategies.

We are subject to market risk and declines in credit quality which may adversely impact investment income and cause additional realized losses



        Although we continually reevaluate our proactive risk mitigation and return optimization programs, we remain subject to the risk that
we will incur losses due to adverse changes in equity prices, interest rates, commodity prices or foreign currency exchange rates. Our primary market risk exposures are to changes in interest rates
and equity prices and, to a lesser degree, changes in foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices. In addition, we are subject to potential declines in credit quality, either related to
issues specific to certain industries or to a general weakening in the economy. Although to some extent we use derivative financial instruments to manage these risks, the effectiveness of such
instruments is subject to the same risks.



        A
decline in market interest rates could have an adverse effect on our investment income as we invest cash in new investments that may yield less than the portfolio's average rate. In a
declining interest rate environment, borrowers may prepay or redeem securities more quickly than expected as they seek to refinance at lower rates. A decline could also lead us to purchase
longer-term or riskier assets in order to obtain adequate investment yields resulting in a duration gap when compared to the duration of liabilities. An increase in market interest rates
could have an adverse effect on the value of our investment portfolio by decreasing the fair values of the fixed income securities that comprise a substantial majority of our investment portfolio. A
declining equity market could also cause the investments in our pension plans to decrease or decreasing interest rates could cause the funding target and the projected benefit obligation of our
pension plans or the accumulated benefit obligation of our other post retirement benefit plans to increase, either or both resulting in a decrease in the funded status of the plans and a reduction of
shareholders' equity, increases in pension expense and increases in required contributions to the pension plans. A decline in the quality of our investment portfolio as a result of adverse economic
conditions or otherwise could cause additional realized losses on securities, including realized losses relating to equity and derivative strategies.



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