Prudential 2001 Annual Report Download - page 159

Prudential Financial, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
21. Commitments and Guarantees, Contingencies and Litigation (continued)
purchase and sell mortgage loans, the underfunded portion of commitments to fund investments in private
placement securities and unused credit card and home equity lines.
In connection with the Company’s consumer banking business, loan commitments for credit cards, home equity
lines of credit and other lines of credit include agreements to lend up to specified limits to customers. It is
anticipated that commitment amounts will only be partially drawn down based on overall customer usage patterns
and, therefore, do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Company evaluates each credit decision
on such commitments at least annually and has the ability to cancel or suspend such lines at its option. The total
available lines of credit card, home equity and other commitments were $1,415 million, of which $569 million
remains available at December 31, 2001.
Other commitments primarily include commitments to purchase and sell mortgage loans and the unfunded portion
of commitments to fund investments in private placement securities. These mortgage loans and private
commitments were $2,029 million, of which $1,083 million remain available at December 31, 2001.
The Company also provides financial guarantees incidental to other transactions and letters of credit that guarantee
the performance of customers to third parties. These credit-related financial instruments have off-balance sheet
credit risk because only their origination fees, if any, and accruals for probable losses, if any, are recognized until
the obligation under the instrument is fulfilled or expires. These instruments can extend for several years, and
expirations are not concentrated in any period. The Company seeks to control credit risk associated with these
instruments by limiting credit, maintaining collateral where customary and appropriate and performing other
monitoring procedures. At December 31, 2001, financial guarantees and letters of credit issued by the Company
were $341 million.
Contingencies
On September 19, 2000, the Company sold Gibraltar Casualty Company (“Gibraltar Casualty”), a subsidiary
engaged in the commercial property and casualty insurance business, to Everest Re Group, Ltd. (“Everest”). Upon
closing of the sale, the Company entered into a stop-loss reinsurance agreement with Everest whereby the Company
will reinsure Everest for up to 80% of the first $200 million of any adverse loss development in excess of Gibraltar
Casualty’s carried reserves as of the closing of the sale. As of December 31, 2001, no liability has been recorded in
connection with this agreement.
The Company’s property and casualty operations are subject to rate and other laws and regulations covering a range
of trade and claim settlement practices. State insurance regulatory authorities have broad discretion in approving an
insurer’s proposed rates. A significant portion of the Company’s automobile insurance is written in the state of New
Jersey. Under certain circumstances, New Jersey insurance laws require an insurer to provide a refund or credit to
policyholders based upon the profits earned on automobile insurance.
It is possible that the results of operations or the cash flow of the Company in a particular quarterly or annual period
could be materially affected as a result of payments in connection with the matters discussed above depending, in
part, upon the results of operations or cash flow for such period. Management believes, however, that ultimate
payments in connection with these matters should not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial
position.
Litigation
The Company is subject to legal and regulatory actions in the ordinary course of its businesses. Pending legal and
regulatory actions include proceedings relating to aspects of our businesses and operations that are specific to the
Company and proceedings that are typical of the businesses in which the Company operates, including in both cases
businesses that have either been divested or placed in wind-down status. Some of these proceedings have been
brought on behalf of various alleged classes of complainants. In certain of these matters, the plaintiffs are seeking
large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages.
In particular, the Company has been subject to substantial regulatory actions and civil litigation involving individual
life insurance sales practices. In 1996, the Company entered into settlement agreements with relevant insurance
regulatory authorities and plaintiffs in the principal life insurance sales practices class action lawsuit covering
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