Prudential 2001 Annual Report Download - page 160

Prudential Financial, Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
21. Commitments and Guarantees, Contingencies and Litigation (continued)
policyholders of individual permanent life insurance policies issued in the United States from 1982 to 1995.
Pursuant to the settlements, the Company agreed to various changes to its sales and business practices controls, to a
series of fines, and to provide specific forms of relief to eligible class members. Virtually all claims by class
members filed in connection with the settlements have been resolved and virtually all aspects of the remediation
program have been satisfied. While the approval of the class action settlement is now final, the Company remains
subject to oversight and review by insurance regulators and other regulatory authorities with respect to its sales
practices and the conduct of the remediation program. The U.S. District Court has also retained jurisdiction as to all
matters relating to the administration, consummation, enforcement and interpretation of the settlements.
As of December 31, 2001, the Company remained a party to approximately 44 individual sales practices actions
filed by policyholders who “opted out” of the class action settlement relating to permanent life insurance policies
the Company issued in the United States between 1982 and 1995. In addition, there were 19 sales practices actions
pending that were filed by policyholders who were members of the class and who failed to “opt out” of the class
action settlement. The Company believes that those actions are governed by the class settlement release and expects
them to be enjoined and/or dismissed. Additional suits may be filed by class members who “opted out” of the class
settlement or who failed to “opt out” but nevertheless seek to proceed against the Company. A number of the
plaintiffs in these cases seek large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages. Some
of these actions are brought on behalf of multiple plaintiffs. It is possible that substantial punitive damages might be
awarded in any of these actions and particularly in an action involving multiple plaintiffs.
The Company believes that its reserves related to sales practices, as of December 31, 2001, are adequate. No
incremental provisions were recorded in 2001 or 2000. In 1999, 1998, 1997 and 1996, the Company recorded
provisions in its Consolidated Statements of Operations of $100 million, $1,150 million, $2,030 million and $1,125
million, respectively, to provide for estimated remediation costs, and additional sales practices costs including
related administrative costs, regulatory fines, penalties and related payments, litigation costs and settlements,
including settlements associated with the resolution of claims of deceptive sales practices asserted by policyholders
who elected to “opt-out” of the class action settlement and litigate their claims against the Company separately and
other fees and expenses associated with the resolution of sales practices issues.
The following table summarizes the Company’s charges for the estimated total costs of sales practices remedies and
additional sales practices costs and related liability balances as of the dates indicated:
Year Ended December 31,
2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
(In Millions)
Liability balance at beginning of period ........................................ $253 $891 $3,058 $2,553 $ 963 $ —
Charges to expense
Remedy costs ........................................................ — (54) (99) 510 1,640 410
Additional sales practices costs........................................... — 54 199 640 390 715
Total charges to expense .............................................. — — 100 1,150 2,030 1,125
Amounts paid or credited
Remedy costs ........................................................ 71 448 1,708 147 — —
Additional sales practices costs........................................... 130 190 559 498 440 162
Total amounts paid or credited ......................................... 201 638 2,267 645 440 162
Liability balance at end of period ............................................. $ 52 $253 $ 891 $3,058 $2,553 $ 963
In 1996, the Company recorded in its Consolidated Statement of Operations the cost of $410 million before taxes as
a guaranteed minimum remediation expense pursuant to the settlement agreement. Management had no better
information available at that time upon which to make a reasonable estimate of the losses associated with the
settlement. Charges were also recorded in 1996 for estimated additional sales practices costs totaling $715 million
before taxes.
In 1997, management increased the estimated liability for the cost of remedying policyholder claims by $1,640
million before taxes. This increase was based on additional information derived from claim sampling techniques, the
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