ALL, §1A diff (2017 → 2018)

Item 1A. Risk Factors In addition to the normal risks of business, significant risks and uncertainties, including those listed below, apply to us as an insurer, investor and provider of other products and financial services. Risks have been categorized as follows: • Insurance Industry • Financial • Investment • Operational • Regulatory and Legal • Strategic These cautionary statements should be considered carefully together with other factors discussed elsewhere in this document, in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or in materials incorporated therein by reference. Insurance Industry Risks Catastrophes and severe weather events may subject property and casualty businesses to significant losses Our property and casualty business may be exposed to catastrophic events caused by various events, some of which may be exacerbated by climate change, such as wildfires, tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, solar flares, terrorism or industrial accidents which could cause operating results to vary significantly from one period to the next, despite our catastrophe management programs. Our auto and property insurance business may incur catastrophe losses in excess of: (1) those experienced in prior years, (2) the average expected level used in pricing, (3) current reinsurance coverage limits or (4) loss estimates from external hurricane and earthquake models at various levels of probability. For example, historical catastrophe experience includes losses relating to named storm Sandy in 2012 totaling $1.2 billion, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 totaling $3.6 billion and the Northridge earthquake of 1994 totaling $2.1 billion. We are also exposed to assessments from the California Earthquake Authority, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, various state-created insurance facilities, and to losses that could surpass the capitalization of these facilities. Settlement of catastrophes have historically been financed from operating cash flows, including very large catastrophes that had complicated issues resulting in settlement delays, however, our liquidity could be constrained by a catastrophe, or multiple catastrophes, which could result in extraordinary losses or a downgrade of our debt or financial strength ratings. Property and casualty businesses are subject to claims arising from weather events such as winter storms, rain, hail and high winds. The incidence and severity of weather conditions are largely unpredictable. There is generally an increase in the frequency and severity of auto and property claims when severe weather conditions occur. The extent of losses from a catastrophe is a function of the total amount of insured exposure affected by the event, the severity of the event and the coverage provided, which can be both property and casualty coverages. Increases in the value and geographic concentration of insured property, the number of policyholders exposed to certain events and the effects of inflation could increase the severity of claims from catastrophic events in the future. For example, the specific geographic location impacted by tornadoes is inherently random and unpredictable and the specific location impacted by a tornado may or may not be highly populated and may or may not have a high concentration of our insured exposures. Property and casualty results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected due to limitations in the analytical models used to assess and predict the exposure to catastrophe losses Along with others in the insurance industry, models developed internally and by third party vendors are used along with our own historical data in assessing property insurance exposure to catastrophe losses. These models assume various conditions and probability scenarios. Such models do not necessarily accurately predict future losses or measure losses currently incurred. Further, the accuracy of such models may be negatively impacted by changing climate conditions. Catastrophe models use historical information and scientific research about natural events, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, as well as detailed information about our in-force business. This information is used in connection with pricing and risk management activities. However, since actual catastrophic events vary considerably, there are limitations with respect to its usefulness in predicting losses in any reporting period. Other limitations are evident in significant variations in estimates between models, material increases and decreases in results due to model changes and refinements of the underlying data elements and actual conditions that are not yet well understood or may not be properly incorporated into the models. Our catastrophe management strategy may adversely affect premium growth Due to catastrophe risk management efforts, the size of our homeowners business has been negatively impacted in the past and may be negatively impacted if further actions are taken. Homeowners premium growth rates and retention could be adversely impacted by adjustments to our business structure, size and underwriting practices in markets with significant severe weather and catastrophe risk exposure. Unexpected increases in the frequency or severity of property and casualty claims may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition The property and casualty businesses may experience volatility in claim frequency from time to time, and short-term trends may not continue over the longer term. Changes in auto claim frequency may result from changes in mix of business, miles driven, weather, distracted driving or other macroeconomic 18 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K factors. A significant increase in claim frequency could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Changes in bodily injury claim severity are impacted by inflation in medical costs, litigation trends and precedents, regulation and the overall safety of automobile travel. Changes in auto property damage claim severity are driven primarily by inflation in the cost to repair vehicles, including parts and labor rates, the mix of vehicles that are declared total losses, model year mix as well as used car values. Changes in homeowners claim severity are driven by inflation in the construction industry, building materials and home furnishings, changes in the mix of loss type, and by other economic and environmental factors, including short-term supply imbalances for services and supplies in areas affected by catastrophes. Increases in claim severity can arise from unexpected events that are inherently difficult to predict. Although various loss management initiatives are pursued to mitigate future increases in claim severity, there can be no assurances that these initiatives will successfully identify or reduce the effect of future increases in claim severity. Changes in the level of price competition and the use of underwriting standards in the property and casualty businesses may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition The personal property-liability market is highly competitive with carriers competing through advertising, price and customer service and distribution. Companies can choose to alter underwriting standards, lower prices and increase advertising, which could result in diminished growth or profitability for Allstate. In addition, external factors such as weather or macro-economic conditions can impact the frequency or cost of losses, which impact market dynamics. A downturn in the growth or profitability of the property and casualty businesses could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Pricing for our products is subject to our ability to adequately assess risks, estimate losses and comply with state insurance regulations. Inadequate pricing could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, we may increase premium rates and adopt tighter underwriting standards, which may result in a decline in new business and renewals. We may offer discounts for new customers and adopt less restrictive underwriting standards, which may lead to increased new business and renewals and higher losses. In either event, our competitive position, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely impacted. Reinsurance may be unavailable at current levels and prices, which may limit our ability to write new business Market conditions beyond our control impact the availability and cost of the reinsurance we purchase. No assurances can be made that reinsurance will remain continuously available to us to the same extent and on the same terms and rates as is currently available. Our personal lines catastrophe reinsurance program was designed, utilizing our risk management methodology, to address our exposure to catastrophes nationwide. For example, our ability to afford reinsurance to reduce our catastrophe risk in designated areas may be dependent upon our ability to adjust premium rates for its cost, and there are no assurances that the terms and rates for our current reinsurance program will continue to be available in future years. If we were unable to maintain our current level of reinsurance or purchase new reinsurance protection in amounts that we consider sufficient at acceptable prices, we would have to either accept an increase in our catastrophe exposure, reduce our insurance writings, or develop or seek other alternatives. Reinsurance subjects us to counterparty risk and may not be adequate to protect us against losses arising from ceded insurance, which could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition The collectability of reinsurance recoverables is subject to uncertainty arising from a number of factors, including changes in market conditions, whether insured losses meet the qualifying conditions of the reinsurance contract, duration of the collections and whether reinsurers, their affiliates, or certain regulatory bodies have the financial capacity and willingness to make payments under the terms of a reinsurance treaty or contract. Additionally, reinsurance placed in the catastrophe bond market may not provide the same level of coverage as reinsurance placed in the traditional market. Any disruption, volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets may decrease our ability to access such market on favorable terms or at all. Our inability to recover from a reinsurer could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Changing climate and weather conditions may adversely affect our financial condition, profitability or cash flows Climate change may affect the occurrence of certain natural events, such as an increase in the frequency or severity of wind and thunderstorm events, eruptions of volcanoes and tornado or hailstorm events due to increased convection in the atmosphere; more frequent wildfires in certain geographies; higher incidence of deluge flooding and the potential for an increase in severity of the hurricane events due to higher sea surface temperatures. Additionally, there may be an impact on the demand, price and availability of automobile and homeowners insurance, reinsurance coverages as well as the value of our investment portfolio. Due to significant variability associated with future changing climate conditions we are unable to predict the impact climate change will have on our businesses. Underwriting changes and actual experience could materially affect profitability and financial condition of our life, voluntary benefits and annuity businesses Our product pricing includes long-term assumptions regarding investment returns, mortality, morbidity, persistency and operating costs and expenses of the business. We establish target returns The Allstate Corporation 19 2018 Form 10-K Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures for each product based upon these factors and the average amount of capital we must hold to support in-force contracts taking into account rating agencies and regulatory requirements. We monitor and manage pricing and overall sales mix to achieve target new business returns on a portfolio basis, which could result in the discontinuation or de-emphasis of products and a decline in sales. Profitability from new business emerges over a period of years depending on the nature and life of the product and is subject to variability as actual results may differ from pricing assumptions. Additionally, many of our products have fixed or guaranteed terms that limit our ability to increase revenues or reduce benefits, including credited interest, once the product has been issued. Many voluntary benefits employer contracts are renewed annually. There is a risk that employers may be able to obtain more favorable terms from competitors than they could by renewing coverage with us. These competitive pressures may adversely affect the persistency of these products, as well as our ability to sell products. Profitability depends on the sufficiency of premiums and contract charges to cover mortality and morbidity benefits, the adequacy of investment spreads, the persistency of policies, the management of market and credit risks associated with investments, and the management of operating costs and expenses within anticipated pricing allowances. Legislation and regulation of the insurance marketplace and products could also affect our profitability and financial condition. Actual claims incurred may exceed current reserves established for claims including claims relating to asbestos, environmental and other discontinued lines, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition Recorded claim reserves, including case reserves and incurred but not reported claims reserves (“IBNR”), are based on our best estimates of losses after considering known facts and interpretations of the circumstances, including settlement agreements. Additionally, models that rely on the assumption that past loss development patterns will persist into the future are used. Internal factors are considered including our experience with similar cases, actual claims paid, historical trends involving claim payment patterns, pending levels of unpaid claims, loss management programs, product mix, contractual terms and changes in claim reporting and settlement practices. External factors are also considered, such as court decisions, changes in law and litigation imposing unintended coverage. We also consider benefits, such as disallowing the use of benefit payment schedules, requiring coverage designed to cover losses that occur in a single policy period to losses that develop continuously over multiple policy periods or requiring the availability of multiple limits. Regulatory requirements and economic conditions are also considered. Since reserves are estimates of the unpaid portion of losses that have occurred, including IBNR losses, the establishment of appropriate reserves, including reserves for catastrophes, is an inherently uncertain and complex process that is continually refined to reflect current estimation processes and practices. The ultimate cost of losses may vary materially from recorded reserves and such variance may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition as the reserves and reinsurance recoverables are reestimated. Furthermore, the process of estimating asbestos, environmental and other discontinued lines liabilities is inherently uncertain. The process is complicated by legal issues concerning, among other things, the interpretation of various insurance policy provisions, whether losses are covered or were intended to be covered and whether losses could be recoverable through retrospectively determined premium, reinsurance or other contractual agreements. Asbestos-related bankruptcies and litigation are complex, lengthy proceedings that involve substantial uncertainty for insurers. Actuarial techniques, databases and reinsurance assumptions used in estimating asbestos, environmental and other discontinued lines net loss reserves may prove to be inadequate indicators of the extent of probable loss. Ultimate net losses from these discontinued lines could materially exceed established loss reserves and expected recoveries and have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition as the reserves are reestimated. Changes in reserve estimates for our life, voluntary benefits and annuity businesses may adversely affect our results of operations The reserve for life-contingent contract benefits payable under insurance policies, including traditional life insurance, life-contingent immediate annuities and voluntary accident and health insurance products, is computed on the basis of long-term actuarial assumptions of future investment yields, mortality, morbidity, persistency and expenses. Future investment yields may be lower than our current projections. Mortality may continue to improve due to medical advancements, resulting in policyholders living longer than anticipated. We periodically review the adequacy of these reserves and if future experience differs significantly from assumptions, adjustments to reserves and amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) may be required that could have a material effect on our results of operations. We also review these policies for circumstances where projected profits would be recognized in early years followed by projected losses in later years. If this circumstance exists, we will be required to accrue a liability during the period of profits to offset the losses at such time as the future losses are expected to commence. Prior to fourth quarter 2017, we evaluated our traditional life insurance products and immediate annuities with life contingencies on an aggregate basis. In conjunction with the segment changes that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2017, traditional life insurance products, immediate annuities with life contingencies, and voluntary accident and health insurance products are reviewed individually. This increases the risk that 20 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K we will have to record a premium deficiency adjustment in the future for immediate annuities with life contingencies. Changes to accounting guidance for long-duration insurance contracts such as traditional life, life-contingent immediate annuities and certain voluntary accident and health insurance products may have a material effect on reserves and shareholders’ equity and could adversely impact financial strength ratings. For a description of changes in accounting standards see Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements. Changes in estimates of profitability on interest-sensitive life products may adversely affect our profitability and financial condition DAC related to interest-sensitive life contracts is amortized in proportion to actual historical gross profits and estimated future gross profits (“EGP”) over the estimated lives of the contracts. The principal assumptions for determining the amount of EGP are mortality, persistency, expenses, investment returns, including capital gains and losses on assets supporting contract liabilities, interest crediting rates to contractholders, and the effects of any hedges. Updates to these assumptions, commonly referred to as “DAC unlocking,” could result in accelerated amortization of DAC and thereby adversely affect our profitability and financial condition. In addition, assumption changes impact the reserve for secondary guarantees on interest-sensitive life insurance and could also lead to volatility in net income. Financial Risks Conditions in the global economy and capital markets could adversely affect our business and results of operations Conditions in the global economy and capital markets could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. This includes high and sustained unemployment in certain regions and lower labor participation rates in others, reduced consumer spending, low economic growth, lower residential and commercial real estate prices, substantial increases in delinquencies on consumer debt, the relatively low availability of credit and ineffective central bank monetary policies. Stressed conditions, volatility and disruptions in global capital markets, particular markets or financial asset classes could adversely affect our investment portfolio. Disruptions in one market or asset class can also spread to other markets or asset classes. In addition, events in the U.S. or foreign markets, such as the United Kingdom’s planned exit from the European Union (“EU”) in March 2019, can impact the global economy and capital markets. The impact of such events is difficult to predict. In the years since the financial crisis, the central banks of most developed countries have pursued highly accommodative monetary policies. Higher volatility and less certainty in capital markets may continue as the U.S. Federal Reserve, through the Federal Open Market Committee, raises interest rates and as global monetary policies diverge. On July 27, 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”), which regulates the London interbank offered rate (“LIBOR”), announced that the FCA will no longer persuade or compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR after 2021. This announcement indicates that the continuation of LIBOR on the current basis is not guaranteed after 2021, and LIBOR may be discontinued or modified by 2021. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York began publishing the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) in April 2018 as an alternative for LIBOR. SOFR is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. A transition away from the widespread use of LIBOR to SOFR or another benchmark rate may occur over the course of the next few years. We have exposure to LIBOR-based financial instruments, such as securities we have issued or may issue in the future, including our floating rate senior notes and subordinated debentures, and LIBOR-based securities and derivatives held in our investment portfolio. Certain of our contracts allow for the use of an alternative benchmark rate if LIBOR is no longer available. At this time, we cannot predict the overall effect of the modification or discontinuation of LIBOR or the establishment of alternative benchmark rates. Protectionist trade policy actions, such as tariffs and quotas, could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition through an increase in claim severity. Such trade policy actions could also adversely affect our investment results, as an increase in the scope and size of tariffs could disrupt global supply chains and increase inflationary pressures which may have an adverse effect on economic activity. General economic conditions could adversely affect us by impacting consumer behavior and pressuring investment results. Consumer behavior changes may include decreased demand for our products; for example, if consumers purchase fewer automobiles, sales of auto insurance may decline. Also, if consumers become more cost conscious, they may choose lower levels of auto and homeowners insurance. In addition, holders of interest-sensitive life insurance and annuity products may engage in an elevated level of discretionary withdrawals of contractholder funds. Investment results could be adversely affected as deteriorating financial and business conditions affect the issuers of the securities in the investment portfolio. A downgrade in financial strength ratings may have an adverse effect on our competitive position, the marketability of our product offerings, liquidity, access to and cost of borrowing, results of operations and financial condition Financial strength ratings are important factors in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies and generally have an effect on an insurance company’s business. Rating agencies continuously review our financial performance and condition. They could downgrade or change the The Allstate Corporation 21 2018 Form 10-K Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures outlook on our ratings due to a change in the financial profile of one of our insurance companies, a change in a rating agency’s determination of the amount of risk-adjusted capital required to maintain a particular rating, an increase in the perceived risk of our investment portfolio, a reduced confidence in management or our business strategy, as well as a number of other considerations that may or may not be under our control. The insurance financial strength ratings of Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Life Insurance Company, Allstate Assurance Company and The Allstate Corporation’s senior debt ratings from A.M. Best, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s are subject to continuous review and the retention of current ratings cannot be assured. A downgrade in any of these ratings could have a material effect on our sales, competitiveness, retention, the marketability of our product offerings, liquidity, access to and cost of borrowing, results of operations and financial condition. Adverse capital and credit market conditions may significantly affect our ability to meet liquidity needs or obtain credit on acceptable terms In periods of extreme volatility and disruption in the capital and credit markets, liquidity and credit capacity may be severely restricted. In such circumstances, our ability to obtain capital to fund operating expenses, financing costs, capital expenditures or acquisitions may be limited, and the cost of any such capital may be significant. Our access to additional financing depends on a variety of factors such as market conditions, the general availability of credit, the overall availability of credit to our industry, our credit ratings and credit capacity, as well as lenders’ perception of our long- or short-term financial prospects. Similarly, our access to funds may be impaired if regulatory authorities or rating agencies take negative actions. If a combination of these factors were to occur, our internal sources of liquidity may prove to be insufficient, and in such case, we may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on favorable terms. We may be required to recognize impairments in the value of our goodwill, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition Goodwill represents the excess of amounts paid for acquiring businesses over the fair value of the net assets acquired. Goodwill is evaluated for impairment annually, or more frequently if conditions warrant, by comparing the carrying value, attributed equity, of a reporting unit to its estimated fair value. Market declines or other events impacting the fair value of a reporting unit could result in a goodwill impairment, resulting in a charge to income. Such a charge could have an adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. The realization of deferred tax assets is subject to uncertainty The realization of our deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance, if any, is based on the assumption that we will be able to fully utilize the deductions that are ultimately recognized for tax purposes. However, actual results may differ from our assumptions if adequate levels of taxable income are not attained. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends may affect our liquidity and ability to meet our obligations The Allstate Corporation is a holding company with no significant operations. Its principal assets are the stock of its subsidiaries and its directly held short-term cash and securities portfolios. Its liabilities include debt and pension and other postretirement benefit obligations related to Allstate Insurance Company employees. State insurance regulatory authorities limit the payment of dividends by insurance subsidiaries, as described in Note 16 of the consolidated financial statements. The limitations are based on statutory income and surplus. In addition, competitive pressures generally require the subsidiaries to maintain insurance financial strength ratings. These restrictions and other regulatory requirements affect the ability of the subsidiaries to make dividend payments. Limits on the ability of the subsidiaries to pay dividends could adversely affect holding company liquidity, including the ability to pay dividends to shareholders, service debt or complete share repurchase programs in the timeframe expected. Management views enterprise capital as a combination of statutory surplus and invested assets at the parent holding company level. Deterioration in statutory surplus or earnings, from developments such as catastrophe losses, or changes in market conditions or interest rates, could adversely affect holding company liquidity by impacting the amount of dividends from subsidiaries or the utilization of invested assets at the holding company to increase statutory surplus or for other corporate purposes. Following the reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018 related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Legislation”), the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) approved a change in the risk-based capital (“RBC”) formula on June 28, 2018, to reflect the impact of the Tax Legislation on year-end 2018 RBC calculations for life insurers. Since RBC requirements are determined net of tax, the decrease in the federal tax rate results in an increase in the amount of after-tax RBC required to be held by our insurance subsidiaries. Changes in capital requirements could decrease deployable capital and potentially reduce future dividends paid by our life subsidiary companies. In addition, the NAIC has formed a working group for the development of a group capital calculation covering all entities of the insurance company group using a methodology based on aggregated risk-based capital. Although we do not expect potential revisions to impact our current dividend plans, any increase in the amount of capital or reserves our insurance subsidiaries are required to hold 22 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K could reduce the amount of future dividends such subsidiaries are able to distribute to the holding company. Any reduction in the RBC ratios of our insurance subsidiaries could also adversely affect their financial strength ratings as determined by statistical rating agencies. Our ability to pay dividends or repurchase stock is subject to limitations under terms of certain of our securities The terms of the outstanding subordinated debentures prohibit us from declaring or paying any dividends or distributions on our common or preferred stock or redeeming, purchasing, acquiring, or making liquidation payments on our common stock or preferred stock if we have elected to defer interest payments on the subordinated debentures, subject to certain limited exceptions. We are prohibited from declaring or paying dividends on preferred stock if we fail to meet specified capital adequacy, net income or shareholders’ equity levels. The prohibition is subject to an exception permitting us to declare dividends out of the net proceeds of common stock issued by us during the 90 days prior to the date of declaration even if we fail to meet such levels. We may not repurchase or pay dividends on common stock during any dividend period while our preferred stock is outstanding, unless the full preferred stock dividends for the preceding dividend period have been declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof has been set aside and any declared but unpaid preferred stock dividends for any prior period have been paid, subject to certain limited exceptions. The authorized number of directors then constituting the board of directors will be increased by two, to be elected by the holders of preferred stock together with the holders of all other affected classes and series of voting parity stock, voting as a single class, if and when dividends on preferred stock have not been declared and paid in full for at least six quarterly dividend periods, subject to certain conditions. Investment Risks Our investment portfolios are subject to market risk and declines in credit quality, which may adversely affect investment income and cause realized and unrealized losses We continually reevaluate investment management strategies since we are subject to the risk of loss due to adverse changes in interest rates, credit spreads, equity prices, currency exchange rates and the liquidity of investments. Such adverse changes may occur due to changes in monetary policy and the economic climate, the liquidity of a market or market segment, investor return expectations and/or risk tolerance, insolvency or financial distress of key market makers or participants, or changes in market perceptions of credit worthiness. The performance and value of our investment portfolios are also subject to market risk related to investments in real estate, loans and securities collateralized by real estate. Moreover, some of our investment strategies target individual investments with unique risks that are less highly correlated with broad market risks. Although we expect these investments to increase total portfolio returns over time, their performance may vary from and under-perform relative to the market. Our investment portfolios are subject to risks associated with potential declines in credit quality related to specific issuers or specific industries and a general weakening of the economy, which are typically reflected through credit spreads. Credit spread is the additional yield on fixed income securities and loans above the risk-free rate, typically referenced 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 in response to the market’s perception of risk and liquidity in a specific issuer or specific sector. Additionally, credit spreads are influenced by the credit ratings, and the reliability of those ratings, published by external rating agencies. Although we have the ability to use derivative financial instruments to manage these risks, the effectiveness of such instruments varies with liquidity and other conditions that may impact derivative and bond markets. Adverse economic conditions or other factors could cause declines in the quality and valuation of our investment portfolios that would result in realized and unrealized losses. The concentration of our investment portfolios in any particular issuer, industry, collateral type, group of related industries, geographic sector or risk type could have an adverse effect on our investment portfolios and consequently on our results of operations and financial condition. A decline in market interest rates or credit spreads could have an adverse effect on investment income as we invest cash in new investments that may earn less than the portfolio’s average yield. In a low interest rate environment, borrowers may prepay or redeem securities more quickly than expected as they seek to refinance at lower rates. Sustained low interest rates could also lead to purchases of longer-term or riskier assets in order to obtain adequate investment yields, which could also result in a duration gap when compared to the duration of liabilities. Alternatively, longer-term assets may be sold and reinvested in shorter-term assets that may have lower yields in anticipation of rising interest rates. An increase in market interest rates or credit spreads or a decrease in liquidity could have an adverse effect on the value of our investment portfolios by decreasing the fair values of the fixed income securities that comprise a substantial majority of our investment portfolios. Declining equity markets and/or increases in interest rates or credit spreads could also cause the value of the investments in our pension plans to decrease. Declines in interest rates could cause the funding ratio to decline and the value of the obligations for our pension and postretirement plans to increase. These factors could decrease the funded status of our pension and postretirement plans, increasing the likelihood or magnitude of future benefit expense and contributions. The Allstate Corporation 23 2018 Form 10-K Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures The amount and timing of net investment income from our performance-based investments, which primarily includes limited partnership interests, can fluctuate significantly as a result of the underlying investments’ performance. Additionally, the timing of capital contributions and distributions depends on particular events, schedules for making distributions, and cash needs related to the investments. As a result, the amount of net investment income recognized and cash contributed to or received from these investments can vary substantially from quarter to quarter. Significant volatility or market downturns could adversely impact net investment income, valuation and returns on these investments. Additionally, these investments are less liquid than similar, publicly-traded investments. A decline in market liquidity could impact our ability to sell these investments. The determination of the amount of realized capital losses recorded for impairments of our investments includes subjective judgments and could materially impact our results of operations and financial condition The determination of the amount of realized capital losses recorded for impairments vary by investment type and is based upon our ongoing evaluation and assessment of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and assessments are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. We update our evaluations regularly and reflect changes in other-than-temporary impairments in our results of operations. The assessment of whether other-than-temporary impairments have occurred is based on our case-by-case evaluation of the underlying reasons for the decline in fair value. Our conclusions on such assessments are judgmental and include assumptions and projections of future cash flows and price recovery which may ultimately prove to be incorrect as assumptions, facts and circumstances change. Furthermore, historical trends may not be indicative of future impairments and additional impairments may need to be recorded in the future. The determination of the fair value of our fixed income and equity securities includes subjective judgments and could materially impact our results of operations and financial condition In determining fair values, we principally use the market approach which utilizes market transaction data for the same or similar instruments. The degree of judgment involved in determining fair values is inversely related to the availability of market observable information. The fair value of assets may differ from the actual amount received upon the sale of an asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Moreover, the use of different valuation assumptions may have a material effect on the assets’ fair values. The difference between amortized cost and fair value for fixed income securities, net of deferred income taxes and related life and annuity DAC, deferred sales inducement costs and reserves for life-contingent contract benefits, is reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in shareholders’ equity. Changing market conditions could materially affect the determination of the fair value of securities and, as a result, unrealized net capital gains and losses associated with fixed income securities and realized capital gains and losses associated with equity securities recorded in net income could vary significantly. Changes in market interest rates or performance-based investment returns may lead to a significant decrease in the profitability of our annuity business Our ability to manage the in force spread-based products, such as fixed annuities, is dependent upon maintaining profitable spreads between investment returns and interest crediting rates. When market interest rates decrease or remain at low levels, proceeds from investments that have matured or have been prepaid or sold may be reinvested at lower yields, reducing investment spread. Lowering interest crediting rates on some products in such an environment can partially offset decreases in investment yield. However, these changes could be limited by regulatory minimum rates or contractual minimum rate guarantees on many contracts and may not match the timing or magnitude of changes in investment yields. Increases in market interest rates can have negative effects, for example by increasing the attractiveness of other investments to our customers, which can lead to increased surrenders at a time when fixed income investment asset values are lower as a result of the increase in interest rates. This could lead to the sale of fixed income securities at a loss. In addition, changes in market interest rates impact the valuation of derivatives embedded in equity-indexed annuity contracts that are not hedged, which could lead to volatility in net income. Additionally, the amount of net investment income from performance-based investments backing the immediate annuity liabilities can vary substantially from quarter to quarter. Significant volatility or market downturns could adversely impact net investment income, valuation, returns, and collectability of undistributed appreciation. We have certain international limited partnership investments that could be impacted by investment, economic, regulatory and legal risks that could adversely affect our operating results. Operational Risks New or changing technologies could cause a disruption in our business model that may materially impact our results of operations and financial condition Investments are being made in data analytics and telematics to broaden the customer value proposition for the personal automobile transportation system. If we are not effective in anticipating the impact on our business of changing technology, including automotive technology, and the regulatory impacts of such technology, our ability to successfully operate may be impaired. We may not be able to respond effectively to changing technology, which could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Telematics on-board diagnostic devices have been 24 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K identified as a potential means for an unauthorized person to interact with a vehicle’s computer system resulting in theft or damage, which could affect our ability to use and sell these technologies successfully. The failure in cyber or other information security controls, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems and business continuity planning, could result in a loss or disclosure of confidential information, damage to our reputation, additional costs and impairment of our ability to conduct business effectively We depend heavily on computer systems, mathematical algorithms and data to perform necessary business functions. We collect, use, store or transmit an increasingly large amount of confidential, proprietary, and other information (including personal information of customers, claimants or employees) in connection with the operation of our business. Despite our implementation of a variety of security measures, we are increasingly exposed to the risk that our computer systems could be subject to cyberattacks and unauthorized access, such as physical and electronic break-ins or unauthorized tampering. We have experienced threats to our data and systems, including malware and computer virus attacks, unauthorized access, system failures and disruptions. Events such as these could jeopardize the information processed and stored in, and transmitted through, our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our operations, which could result in damage to our reputation, financial losses, litigation, increased costs, regulatory penalties and/or customer dissatisfaction or loss. These risks may increase in the future as we continue to expand internet and mobile strategies, develop additional remote connectivity solutions to serve our employees and customers, develop and expand products and services designed to protect our customers’ digital footprint, and build and maintain an integrated digital enterprise. Third parties to whom we outsource certain of our functions are also subject to these risks. While we review and assess our third party providers’ cybersecurity controls, as appropriate, and make changes to our business processes to manage these risks, we cannot assure that our attempts to keep such information confidential will always be successful. Our increased use of third party services (e.g. cloud technology and software as a service) can make it more difficult to identify and respond to cyberattacks in any of the above situations due to the dynamic nature of these technologies. These risks could increase as vendors adopt and use more cloud-based software services rather than software services which can be run within our data centers. Personal information, as described above, is subject to an increasing number of federal, state, local and international laws and regulations regarding privacy and data security, as well as contractual commitments. The European Commission adopted the General Data Protection Regulation, which greatly increases the jurisdictional reach of its laws and adds a broad array of requirements for handling personal data, such as the public disclosure of significant data breaches, privacy impact assessments, data portability and the appointment of data protection officers. Further, the New York State Department of Financial Services has issued cybersecurity regulations for financial services institutions, including banking and insurance entities, that impose a variety of detailed security measures on covered entities. The NAIC has also adopted the Insurance Data Security Model Law, which, if adopted as state legislation, would establish standards for data security and for the investigation of and notification to insurance commissioners of cybersecurity events. See the Regulation section, Privacy Regulation and Data Security, for additional information. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with such obligations may result in governmental enforcement actions and fines, litigation, or public statements against us by consumer advocacy groups or others, and could cause our employees and customers to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation and business. Our cyber and information security program is continually enhanced in order to be resilient against emerging threats and improve our ability to detect and respond to attempts to gain unauthorized access to our data and systems. Cybersecurity system changes we implement that are designed to update and enhance our protective measures to address new threats may increase the risk of a system or process failure or the creation of a gap in our security measures due to the complexity and interconnectedness of our systems and processes. Any such failure or gap could adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations or financial condition. From time to time, the Company and the Audit Committee engage independent advisors to assess and consult on cybersecurity matters. We also perform an on-going assessment of the quality of our program and identify opportunities to strengthen our cybersecurity controls. However, due to the increasing frequency and sophistication of such cyberattacks and changes in technology, there can be no assurance that a cyberattack will not take place with negative consequences, including an adverse effect to our business, results of operations and financial condition. The occurrence of a disaster, such as a natural catastrophe, pandemic, industrial accident, blackout, terrorist attack, war, cyberattack, computer virus, insider threat, unanticipated problems with our disaster recovery systems, or a support failure from external providers, could have an adverse effect on our ability to conduct business and on our results of operations and financial condition, particularly if those events affect our computer-based data processing, transmission, storage, and retrieval systems or destroy data. If a significant number of employees were unavailable in the event of a disaster, our ability to effectively conduct business could be severely compromised. Our systems are also subject to compromise from internal threats. Our policies, procedures and technical safeguards may be insufficient to prevent or detect improper access to The Allstate Corporation 25 2018 Form 10-K Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures confidential, personal or proprietary information by employees, vendors and other third parties who may have otherwise legitimate access to our systems. We also have business process and information technology operations in Canada, India and the United Kingdom that are subject to operating, regulatory and political risks in those countries. Any of these may result in our incurring substantial costs and other negative consequences, including an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Misconduct or fraudulent acts by employees, agents and third parties may adversely affect our profitability and financial condition The insurance industry is inherently susceptible to both past and future misconduct or fraudulent activities by its employees, representative agents, vendors, customers and other third parties. These activities could include, but are not limited to, fraud against the company, its employees and its customers through illegal or prohibited activities, unauthorized acts or representations, unauthorized use or disclosure of personal or proprietary information, deception, and misappropriation of funds or other benefits. Management has implemented a risk management framework and a supporting system of internal controls that seeks to provide oversight and monitoring of key activities, designed control and technology systems to mitigate such exposures, and regularly conducts assessments and measurements of certain, key supporting controls. However, the system of controls may not sufficiently contemplate all potential exposures and the performance of these controls may not be consistently executed in a manner necessary to sufficiently mitigate these risks. As a result, we could be exposed to financial loss, disruption of business, regulatory assessments and reputational harm. These impacts have the potential to have a material adverse effect on our profitability and financial condition. A large-scale pandemic, the continued threat or occurrence of terrorism or military actions may have an adverse effect on the level of claim losses we incur, the value of our investment portfolio, our competitive position, marketability of product offerings, liquidity and results of operations A large-scale pandemic, the continued threat or occurrence of terrorism, within the U.S. and abroad, or military and other actions, and heightened security measures in response to these types of threats may cause significant volatility and losses in our investment portfolio from declines in the equity markets and from interest rate changes in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, and result in loss of life, property damage, disruptions to commerce and reduced economic activity. Some of the assets in our investment portfolio may be adversely affected by declines in the equity markets and reduced economic activity caused by a large-scale pandemic or the continued threat of terrorism. Additionally, a large-scale pandemic or terrorist act could have a material effect on sales, profitability, competitiveness, marketability of product offerings, liquidity and operating results. Loss of key vendor relationships or failure of a vendor to protect our data, confidential and proprietary information, or personal information of our customers, claimants or employees could affect our operations We rely on services and products provided by many vendors in the U.S. and abroad. These include, for example, vendors of computer hardware and software, and vendors and/or outsourcing of services such as claim adjustment services, human resource benefits management services and investment management services. In the event that any vendor suffers a bankruptcy or otherwise becomes unable to continue to provide products or services, or fails to protect our confidential, proprietary, and other information (including personal information of customers, claimants or employees), we may suffer operational impairments and financial losses. We may be subject to the risks and costs associated with intellectual property infringement, misappropriation and third party claims We rely on a combination of contractual rights and copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret laws to establish and protect our intellectual property. Although we use a broad range of measures to protect intellectual property rights, third parties may infringe or misappropriate intellectual property. We may have to litigate to enforce and protect intellectual property and to determine its scope, validity or enforceability, which could divert significant resources and prove unsuccessful. An inability to protect intellectual property could have a material effect on our business. We may be subject to claims by third parties for patent, trademark or copyright infringement or breach of usage rights. Any such claims and any resulting litigation could result in significant expense and liability. If third party providers or we are found to have infringed a third-party intellectual property right, either of us could be enjoined from providing certain products or services or from utilizing and benefiting from certain methods, processes, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets or licenses. Alternatively, we could be required to enter into costly licensing arrangements with third parties or implement a costly work-around. Any of these scenarios could have a material effect on our business and results of operations. Regulatory and Legal Risks A regulatory environment that requires rate increases to be approved and that can dictate underwriting practices and mandate participation in loss sharing arrangements may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition From time to time, political events and positions affect the insurance market, including efforts to suppress rates to a level that may not allow us to reach targeted levels of profitability. For example, if our loss ratio compares favorably to that of the industry, state or provincial regulatory authorities may impose rate rollbacks, require us to pay premium refunds to policyholders, or challenge or otherwise delay our 26 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K efforts to raise rates even if the property and casualty industry generally is not experiencing regulatory challenges to rate increases. Such challenges affect approval for rate changes that may be required to achieve targeted levels of profitability and returns on equity. Moreover, our ability to purchase reinsurance required to reduce catastrophe risk in designated areas may be dependent upon the ability to adjust rates for its cost. If we are unsuccessful, our results of operations could be negatively impacted. In addition, certain states have enacted laws that require an insurer conducting business in that state to participate in assigned risk plans, reinsurance facilities and joint underwriting associations. Certain states also require the insurer to offer coverage to all consumers, often restricting an insurer’s ability to charge the price it might otherwise charge. In these markets, we may be compelled to underwrite significant amounts of business at lower-than-desired rates, possibly leading to an unacceptable return on equity. Alternatively, as the facilities recognize a financial deficit, they could have the ability to assess participating insurers, adversely affecting our results of operations and financial condition. Laws and regulations of many states also limit an insurer’s ability to withdraw from one or more lines of insurance, except pursuant to a plan that is approved by the state insurance department. Certain states require an insurer to participate in guaranty funds for impaired or insolvent insurance companies. These funds periodically assess losses against all insurance companies doing business in the state. Our results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected by any of these factors. Regulatory reforms, and the more stringent application of existing regulations, may make it more expensive for us to conduct our business The federal government has enacted comprehensive regulatory reforms for financial services entities. As part of a larger effort to strengthen the regulation of the financial services market, certain reforms are applicable to the insurance industry. The Federal Insurance Office (“FIO”) and Financial Stability Oversight Council were established and the federal government may enact reforms that affect the state insurance regulatory framework. We can make no assurances regarding the potential impact of state or federal measures that change the nature or scope of insurance and financial regulation. Such regulatory reforms, additional legislative or regulatory requirements and any further stringent enforcement of existing regulations, including increased privacy and cybersecurity regulations, may make it more expensive for us to conduct business and limit our ability to grow or to achieve profitability. Changes in tax laws may affect our operations, decrease sales and profitability of products and adversely affect our financial condition Under current federal and state income tax law, certain products, primarily life insurance, receive beneficial tax treatment. This favorable treatment may give some products a competitive advantage over noninsurance products. Congress and various state legislatures occasionally consider legislation that could reduce or eliminate the beneficial policyholder tax treatment currently applicable to life insurance. Congress and state legislatures also consider proposals to reduce the taxation of certain products or investments that may compete with life insurance. Legislation that increases the taxation on insurance products or reduces the taxation on competing products could lessen the advantage or create a disadvantage for some products by making them less competitive. Such proposals, if adopted, could impact the demand for certain of our life insurance products that offer income tax deferrals and may have a material effect on our profitability and financial condition and could result in the surrender of some existing contracts and policies. We may not be able to mitigate the capital impact associated with statutory reserving and capital requirements, potentially resulting in a need to increase prices, reduce sales of certain products, and/or accept a return on equity below original levels assumed in pricing Regulatory capital and reserving requirements affect the amount of capital required to be maintained by our subsidiary insurance companies. Changes to capital or reserving requirements or regulatory interpretations may result in additional capital held in our insurance companies. To support statutory reserves for certain life insurance products, we currently utilize reinsurance and captive reserve financing solutions for financing a portion of our statutory reserve requirements deemed to be non-economic. Changes to capital or reserving requirements or an inability to continue existing financing as a result of market conditions or otherwise could require us to increase prices, reduce our sales of certain products, and/or accept a return on equity below original levels assumed in pricing. Changes in accounting standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other standard-setting bodies may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition Our financial statements are subject to the application of generally accepted accounting principles, which are periodically revised, interpreted and/or expanded. Accordingly, we may be required to adopt new guidance or interpretations, which may have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition that is either unexpected or has a greater impact than expected and could adversely impact financial strength ratings. For a description of changes in accounting standards that are currently pending and, if known, our estimates of their expected impact, see Note 2 of the consolidated financial statements. Losses from legal and regulatory actions may be material to our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition We are involved in various legal actions, including class action litigation challenging a range of company The Allstate Corporation 27 2018 Form 10-K Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures practices and coverage provided by our insurance products, some of which involve claims for substantial or indeterminate amounts. We are also involved in various regulatory actions and inquiries, including market conduct exams by state insurance regulatory agencies. In the event of an unfavorable outcome in any of these matters, the ultimate liability may be in excess of amounts currently accrued, if any, and may be material to our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. The aggregate estimate of the range of reasonably possible loss in excess of the amount accrued, if any, disclosed in Note 14 of the consolidated financial statements is not an indication of expected loss, if any. We are subject to extensive regulation and potential further restrictive regulation may increase operating costs and limit growth As insurance companies, broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment companies and other types of companies, many of our subsidiaries are subject to extensive laws and regulations that are complex and subject to change. Changes may lead to additional expenses, increased legal exposure, increased required reserves or capital, and limit our ability to grow or to achieve targeted profitability. Moreover, laws and regulations are administered and enforced by a number of governmental authorities, each of which exercises a degree of interpretive latitude, including state insurance regulators; state securities administrators; state attorneys general as well as federal agencies including the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Labor Relations Board. Consequently, we are subject to the risk that compliance with any particular regulator’s or enforcement authority’s interpretation of a legal issue may not result in compliance with another’s interpretation of the same issue, particularly when compliance is judged in hindsight. In addition, there is risk that any particular regulator’s or enforcement authority’s interpretation of a legal issue may change over time to our detriment. There is also a risk that changes in the overall legal environment may cause us to change our views regarding the actions we need to take from a legal risk management perspective. This would necessitate changes to our practices that may adversely impact our business. Furthermore, in some cases, these laws and regulations are designed to protect or benefit the interests of a specific constituency rather than a range of constituencies. For example, state insurance laws and regulations are generally intended to protect or benefit purchasers or users of insurance products, not holders of securities that we issue. These laws and regulations may limit our ability to grow or to improve the profitability of our business. Our participation in indemnification programs, including certain state-mandated industry pools and facilities, subjects us to the risk that reimbursement for qualifying claims and claims expenses may not be received, which could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition We have exposure associated with the Michigan Catastrophic Claim Association (“MCCA”), a state-mandated indemnification mechanism for qualified personal injury protection losses that exceed a retention level which is adjusted upward every other MCCA fiscal year based on a formula. We have exposure associated with the New Jersey Property-Liability Insurance Guaranty Association (“PLIGA”), which provides indemnification to insurers for certain qualifying medical benefits portion of personal injury protection coverage paid in excess of certain levels. We have exposure associated with the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility (“NCRF”), which provides automobile liability indemnification protection to insurers providing coverage to drivers that insurers in the private market are not otherwise willing to insure. The MCCA and NCRF are currently operating with a statutory surplus deficit. Our indemnification recoverables on paid and unpaid claims from the MCCA, PLIGA and NCRF was $5.40 billion, $461 million and $86 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2018. The MCCA is funded by annually assessing participating member companies actively writing motor vehicle coverage in Michigan on a per vehicle basis. The MCCA’s calculation of the annual assessment is based upon the total of members’ actuarially determined present value of expected payments on lifetime claims by all persons expected to be catastrophically injured in that year and ultimately qualify for MCCA reimbursement, its operating expenses, and adjustments for the amount of excesses or deficiencies in prior assessments. The MCCA indemnifies qualifying claims of all current and former member companies (whether or not actively writing motor vehicle coverage in Michigan) for qualifying claims and claims expenses incurred while the member companies were actively writing the mandatory personal injury protection coverage in Michigan. The MCCA annual assessments fund current operations and member company reimbursements. The MCCA is permitted by law to fund on a discounted basis and continues to choose to use this approach, although, the MCCA has an obligation to indemnify its members for 100% of the loss sustained under personal injury protection. There is currently no method by which insurers are able to obtain the benefit of managed care programs to reduce claims costs through the MCCA. Member companies actively writing automobile coverage in Michigan include the MCCA annual assessments in determining the level of premiums to charge insureds in the state. The MCCA is financially structured to meet its future indemnification obligations as its cash and invested assets at June 30, 2018 were $20.54 billion or 90% of its discounted loss and loss adjustment expense reserves of $22.86 billion and it continues to be authorized to annually assess member companies 28 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K for their incurred indemnifiable claims, the MCCA’s annual operating expenses, and any amounts necessary to recoup prior year assessment differences. The MCCA’s current fiscal year private passenger per vehicle assessment is $192 comprising $161 for current fiscal year claims and expenses and $31 for deficit recoupment. The MCCA has a statutory accounting permitted practice that has been granted by the Michigan Department of Insurance to discount its liabilities for loss and loss adjustment expense. As of June 30, 2018, the date of the most recent statutory financial reports, the permitted practice reduced the MCCA’s accumulated deficit of $50.17 billion by $47.25 billion to $2.92 billion. Calculation of the pre-funding discount is dependent on actuarial estimates and investment funding decisions. As of December 31, 2017, our auto market share in Michigan was 8.2%. On May 17, 2018, member companies of the MCCA were notified of the ratification of amendments to the MCCA’s Plan of Operation. The amendments were designed to clarify the MCCA’s preapproval requirements for certain actions and activities involving benefits provided to covered claimants, including the preapproval of any agreement that sets attendant care rates or residential care facility rates and the preapproval of all nonemergency medical flights. The amendments also require timely notification to the MCCA by member companies of the filing of a lawsuit by claimants. In addition, the amendments address members’ filing inadequate or untimely claim reports, requests for reimbursement payments without required documentation, and the treatment of recoveries obtained from third-parties involving claims for which members have received reimbursement from the MCCA. The amendments became effective on October 1, 2018. At this time, we are unable to determine whether, or to what extent, the amendments, or the exercise of the amendments, will delay or result in denials of the indemnification of members’ ultimate loss and therefore whether or to what extent there could be a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Other legislative proposals to change the MCCA operation in the future are put forth periodically. Technological changes such as autonomous or partially autonomous vehicles or technologies that facilitate ride sharing could significantly impact the number of vehicles in use or the extent of customer needs for vehicle insurance. Although the timing and extent of the technology changes and their impact on the numbers of motor vehicle insurance policies and the extent of their coverage in Michigan are uncertain, these changes may result in a diminished number of insured vehicles over which MCCA assessments can be recovered. To the extent the MCCA assessment to members results in a premium insufficient to reimburse its ultimate obligation on existing claims to member companies, our ability to obtain the 100% indemnification of ultimate loss could be impaired. This could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Impacts from the Covered Agreement may involve changes in state insurance laws that may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition Existing laws in 15 states require some form of collateral to be posted for the benefit of the ceding insurer when an assuming reinsurer is not domiciled in the ceding company’s state of domicile. In the remaining states, laws governing reinsurance typically require an assuming reinsurer to post an amount of collateral, based on an independently determined financial strength rating and other factors including whether a particular reinsurer has achieved certified status. Under Dodd-Frank, a Covered Agreement may pre-empt state insurance laws that are inconsistent with its terms. The Covered Agreement signed by the U.S. and EU on September 22, 2017, provides states with five years to conform their laws with its terms to avoid preemption. The Covered Agreement between the U.S. and EU will eliminate the requirement for all EU reinsurers that meet certain minimum requirements to post collateral. The elimination of existing collateral requirements could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition for reinsurance agreements recorded after the effective date of the Covered Agreement if reinsurers fail to pay our ceded reinsurance claims. Strategic Risks Our future growth and profitability are dependent in part on our ability to successfully operate in an industry that is highly competitive and that may be impacted by new or changing technologies Many of our primary competitors have well-established national reputations and market similar products. We have invested in growth strategies by utilizing unique customer value propositions and business models for each of our market facing businesses. If we are unsuccessful in generating new business, retaining a sufficient number of customers, retaining or acquiring key relationships or renewing contracts within our voluntary benefits or service businesses, our ability to maintain or increase premiums written or the ability to sell our products could be adversely impacted. In addition, if we experience unexpected increases in underlying costs, such as the frequency or severity of claims costs, it could result in decreases in profitability and lead to price increases. This, in turn, could negatively impact our competitive position leading to a decline in new and renewal business. Further, technological advancements and innovation are occurring in distribution, underwriting and operations at a rapid pace. If we are unable to timely adapt to or bring such advancements and innovations to market, the quality of our products, our relationships with customers and agents, and our business prospects may be materially affected. The additional information that we obtain as a result of such advancements and innovation may require us to modify our assumptions, models, or reserves. Changes in technology related to collection and analysis of data regarding customers could, in these ways or others, expose us to regulatory or legal actions and may have The Allstate Corporation 29 2018 Form 10-K Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations, and financial condition. Many of our competitors are also using analytics to improve pricing accuracy, be more targeted in marketing, strengthen customer relationships and provide more customized services. They may obtain a competitive advantage if they are able to use analytics more effectively than us. Our ability to adequately and effectively price our products and services is affected by, among other things, the evolving nature of consumer needs and preferences, pricing surcharges and discounts, market dynamics and the broader use of telematics-based rate segmentation and changes in consumer demand due to improvements in telematics technology. Also, our business could be affected by potential technological changes, such as autonomous or partially autonomous vehicles or technologies that facilitate ride, car or home sharing. Such changes could disrupt the demand for products from current customers, create coverage issues or impact the frequency or severity of losses, or reduce the size of the automobile insurance market, causing our auto insurance business to decline. Since auto insurance constitutes a significant portion of our overall business, we may be more sensitive than other insurers and more adversely affected by trends that could decrease auto insurance rates or reduce demand for auto insurance over time. Technological changes may also impact the ways in which we interact and do business with our customers. For example, changing customer preferences may drive a need to redesign our products or distribution model and the way we interact with customers. We may not be able to respond effectively to these changes, which could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Because of the competitive nature of the markets in which we operate, there can be no assurance that we will continue to compete effectively within the industry, or that competitive pressures will not have a materially unfavorable effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition. This includes competition for producers such as exclusive and independent agents and their licensed sales professionals. Growth and retention may be materially affected if we are unable to attract and retain effective producers or if those producers are unable to attract and retain their licensed sales professionals or customers. Similarly, growth and retention may be impacted if customer preferences change, including customer demand for direct distribution channels or an increase in point-of-sale distribution channels. Furthermore, certain competitors operate using a different company structure and therefore may have dissimilar profitability and return targets. Our ability to successfully operate may also be impaired if we are not effective in developing the talent and skills of our human resources, attracting and assimilating new executive talent into our organization, retaining experienced and qualified employees or deploying human resource talent consistently to achieve our business goals. Factors that affect our ability to attract and retain such employees include our compensation and benefits and our reputation as a successful business with a culture of fairly hiring, training and promoting qualified employees. Competition from within the insurance industry and from businesses outside the insurance industry, including the technology industry, for qualified employees has often been intense and we have experienced increased competition in hiring and retaining employees. The unexpected loss of key personnel in business units, control functions, information technology, operations or other areas could have a material adverse impact on our business because of the loss of their skills, knowledge of our products and offerings and years of industry experience and, in some cases, the difficulty of promptly finding qualified replacement personnel. The potential benefits of our sophisticated risk segmentation process may not be fully realized Sophisticated pricing and underwriting methods have allowed us to offer competitive pricing to attract and retain more customers while continuing to operate profitably. However, because many of our competitors seek to adopt underwriting criteria and sophisticated pricing models similar to those we use, our competitive advantage could decline or be lost. The review of such pricing models by regulators and special interest groups may require changes to such models. In addition, competitive pressures could force us to modify these sophisticated pricing models. We cannot be assured that these sophisticated pricing models will accurately reflect the level of losses that we will ultimately incur. Acquisitions or divestitures of businesses may not produce anticipated benefits resulting in operating difficulties, unforeseen liabilities or asset impairments, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition The ability to achieve certain anticipated financial benefits from the acquisition of SquareTrade Holding Company, Inc., InfoArmor, Inc. or other businesses depends in part upon our ability to successfully grow the businesses consistent with our anticipated acquisition economics. Financial results could be adversely affected by unanticipated performance issues, unforeseen liabilities, transaction-related charges, diversion of management time and resources to acquisition integration challenges or growth strategies, loss of key employees, amortization of expenses related to intangibles, charges for impairment of long-term assets or goodwill and indemnifications. In addition, acquired businesses may not perform as projected, cost savings anticipated from the acquisition may not materialize, and costs associated with the integration may be greater than anticipated. As a result, if we do not manage these transitions effectively and bring innovations to market with the requisite speed, the quality of our products as well as our relationships with customers and agents may result in the company not achieving returns on its investment at the level projected at acquisition. We also may divest businesses from time to time. These transactions may result in continued financial 30 www.allstate.com Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors and Other Disclosures 2018 Form 10-K involvement in the divested businesses, such as through reinsurance, guarantees or other financial arrangements, following the transaction. Nonperformance or decline in the financial strength ratings by those divested businesses could affect our future financial results through an increase in policy lapses, decreased future premiums, additional payment obligations, higher costs or asset write-downs. We reinsure life insurance and payout annuity business from Lincoln Benefit Life Company (“LBL”). Premiums and contract charges assumed from LBL totaled $690 million in 2018. A decline in LBL’s financial strength ratings could adversely affect our results of operations by decreasing future premiums. Reducing our concentration in spread-based business and exiting certain distribution channels may adversely affect annuity reported results We have been reducing our concentration in spread-based business since 2008 and discontinued offering fixed annuities effective January 1, 2014. We also exited the independent master brokerage agencies and structured settlement annuity brokers distribution channels in 2013 and sold LBL on April 1, 2014. The reduction in sales of these products has and will continue to reduce investment portfolio levels. It may also affect the settlement of contract benefits, including sales of assets with unrealized capital losses and affect insurance reserves deficiency testing. Item 1B.