The Hartford 2012 Annual Report Download - page 124

Table of Contents
Dividends
On February 28, 2013, The Hartford’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per common share payable on April 1, 2013 to common
shareholders of record as of March 11, 2013 and a dividend of $18.125 on each share of Series F preferred stock payable on April 1, 2013 to shareholders of
record as of March 15, 2013. There are no current restrictions on the HFSG Holding Company's ability to pay dividends to its shareholders. For a discussion
of restrictions on dividends to the HFSG Holding Company from its insurance subsidiaries, see "Dividends from Insurance Subsidiaries" below. For a
discussion of potential restrictions on the HFSG Holding Company's ability to pay dividends, see the risk factor "Our ability to declare and pay dividends is
subject to limitations."
Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits
While the Company has significant discretion in making voluntary contributions to the U. S. qualified defined benefit pension plan, the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and further amended by the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of
2008, and Internal Revenue Code regulations mandate minimum contributions in certain circumstances. The Company made contributions to the U. S.
qualified defined benefit pension plan of $200 in each of 2012, 2011 and 2010. No contributions were made to the other postretirement plans in 2012, 2011
and 2010. The Company’s 2012 required minimum funding contribution was immaterial. The Company presently anticipates contributing approximately
$100 to its U. S. qualified defined benefit pension plan in 2013, based upon certain economic and business assumptions. These assumptions include, but are
not limited to, equity market performance, changes in interest rates and the Company’s other capital requirements. The Company does not have a required
minimum funding contribution for the U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan for 2013 and the funding requirements for all of the pension plans are
expected to be immaterial.
Dividends from Insurance Subsidiaries
Dividends to the HFSG Holding Company from its insurance subsidiaries are restricted. The payment of dividends by Connecticut-domiciled insurers is
limited under the insurance holding company laws of Connecticut. These laws require notice to and approval by the state insurance commissioner for the
declaration or payment of any dividend, which, together with other dividends or distributions made within the preceding twelve months, exceeds the greater of
(i) 10% of the insurer’s policyholder surplus as of December 31 of the preceding year or (ii) net income (or net gain from operations, if such company is a life
insurance company) for the twelve-month period ending on the thirty-first day of December last preceding, in each case determined under statutory insurance
accounting principles. In addition, if any dividend of a Connecticut-domiciled insurer exceeds the insurer’s earned surplus, it requires the prior approval of the
Connecticut Insurance Commissioner. The insurance holding company laws of the other jurisdictions in which The Hartford’s insurance subsidiaries are
incorporated (or deemed commercially domiciled) generally contain similar (although in certain instances somewhat more restrictive) limitations on the
payment of dividends. Dividends paid to HFSG Holding Company by its life insurance subsidiaries are further dependent on cash requirements of HLI and
other factors. The Company’s property-casualty insurance subsidiaries are permitted to pay up to a maximum of approximately $1.4 billion in dividends to
HFSG Holding Company in 2013 without prior approval from the applicable insurance commissioner. The life insurance subsidiaries' dividend limitation
under the holding company laws of Connecticut is $577 in 2013. However, because the life insurance subsidiaries' earned surplus is negative as of December
31, 2012, the life insurance subsidiaries will not be permitted to pay any dividends in 2013 without prior approval from the Connecticut Insurance
Commissioner. In addition to statutory limitations on paying dividends, the Company also takes other items into consideration when determining dividends
from subsidiaries. These considerations include, but are not limited to expected earnings and capitalization of the subsidiary, regulatory capital requirements
and liquidity requirements of the individual operating company. In 2013, HFSG Holding Company anticipates receiving approximately $800 in dividends
from its property-casualty insurance subsidiaries, net of dividends to fund interest payments on an intercompany note between Hartford Holdings, Inc. and
Hartford Fire Insurance Company and no regular dividends from the life insurance subsidiaries. On February 5, 2013 the Company received approval from
the State of Connecticut Insurance Department for a $1.2 billion extraordinary dividend from its Connecticut domiciled life insurance subsidiaries. This
dividend was paid on February 22, 2013. In 2012, HFSG Holding Company and HLI received no dividends from the life insurance subsidiaries, and HFSG
Holding Company received $1.0 billion in dividends from its property-casualty insurance subsidiaries. The amounts received from its property-casualty
insurance subsidiaries included $156 related to funding interest payments on an intercompany note between Hartford Holdings Inc. and Hartford Fire
Insurance Company and $841 used in conjunction with other resources at the HFSG Holding Company principally to fund dividends, interest, capital
contributions to subsidiaries and debt maturities.
Other Sources of Capital for the HFSG Holding Company
The Hartford endeavors to maintain a capital structure that provides financial and operational flexibility to its insurance subsidiaries, ratings that support its
competitive position in the financial services marketplace (see the “Ratings” section below for further discussion), and shareholder returns. As a result, the
Company may from time to time raise capital from the issuance of equity, equity-related debt or other capital securities and is continuously evaluating strategic
opportunities. The issuance of common equity, equity-related debt or other capital securities could result in the dilution of shareholder interests or reduced net
income due to additional interest expense.
123