Note 7 Debt and contingent capital instruments

The Group enters into long- and short-term debt arrangements to obtain funds for general corporate use and specific transaction financing. The Group defines short-term debt as debt having a maturity at the balance sheet date of not greater than one year and long-term debt as having a maturity of greater than one year. Interest expense is classified accordingly.

The Group’s debt as of 31 December was as follows:

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USD millions

2011

2012

Senior financial debt

279

793

Senior operational debt

3 848

2 819

Short-term debt – financial and operational debt

4 127

3 612

 

 

 

Senior financial debt

2 976

4 952

Senior operational debt

4 854

1 704

Subordinated financial debt

3 587

4 302

Subordinated operational debt

5 124

5 328

Long-term debt – financial and operational debt

16 541

16 286

 

 

 

Total carrying value

20 668

19 898

Total fair value

20 022

20 106

The Group uses debt for general corporate purposes and to fund discrete pools of operational leverage and financial intermediation assets. Operational leverage and financial intermediation are subject to asset and liability matching, resulting in little to no risk that the assets will be insufficient to service and settle the liabilities. Debt used for operational leverage and financial intermediation is treated as operational debt and excluded by the rating agencies from financial leverage calculations. Certain debt positions are limited recourse, meaning the debtors’ claims are limited to assets underlying the financing. As of 31 December 2011 and 2012, debt related to operational leverage and financial intermediation amounted to USD 13.8 billion (thereof USD 6.3 billion limited recourse) and USD 9.9 billion (thereof USD 6.1 billion limited recourse), respectively.

Maturity of long-term debt

As of 31 December, long-term debt as reported above had the following maturities:

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USD millions

2011

2012

1

Balance was reclassified to short-term debt.

Due in 2013

1 605

01

Due in 2014

1 735

1 763

Due in 2015

691

708

Due in 2016

2 304

2 136

Due in 2017

1 403

1 428

Due after 2017

8 803

10 251

Total carrying value

16 541

16 286

Senior long-term debt

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Maturity

Instrument

Issued in

Currency

Nominal in millions

Interest rate

Book value in USD millions

1

Assumed in the acquisition of Insurance Solutions.

2014

EMTN

2009

EUR

600

7.00%

818

2014

EMTN

2010

CHF

250

1.75%

273

2014

EMTN

2009

CHF

500

3.25%

551

2014

EMTN

2009

CHF

50

2.94%

55

2015

EMTN

2001

CHF

150

4.00%

164

2015

EMTN

2010

CHF

500

2.00%

544

2016

Credit-linked note

2007

USD

46

1M Libor

46

2017

EMTN

2011

CHF

600

2.13%

651

2019

Senior notes1

1999

USD

400

6.45%

515

2022

Senior notes

2012

USD

250

2.88%

248

2026

Senior notes1

1996

USD

600

7.00%

886

2030

Senior notes1

2000

USD

350

7.75%

579

2042

Senior notes

2012

USD

500

4.25%

488

Various

Payment undertaking agreements

various

USD

610

various

838

Total senior debt as of 31 December 2012

6 656

Total senior debt as of 31 December 2011

7 830

Subordinated long-term debt

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Maturity

Instrument

Issued in

Currency

Nominal in millions

Interest rate

first call in

Book value in USD millions

2042

Subordinated fixed-to-floating rate loan note

2012

EUR

500

6.63%

2022

649

2047

Subordinated private placement
(amortising, limited recourse)

2007

GBP

1 381

4.90%

 

2 245

2057

Subordinated private placement
(amortising, limited recourse)

2007

GBP

1 897

4.76%

 

3 083

 

Subordinated perpetual loan note

2006

EUR

1 000

5.25%

2016

1 315

 

Subordinated perpetual loan note

2006

USD

752

6.85%

2016

752

 

Subordinated perpetual loan note

2007

GBP

500

6.30%

2019

810

 

2 subordinated perpetual loan notes

2007

AUD

750

various

2017

776

Total subordinated debt as of 31 December 2012

9 630

Total subordinated debt as of 31 December 2011

8 711

Interest expense on long-term debt and contingent capital instruments

Interest expense on long-term debt for the years ended 31 December was as follows:

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USD millions

2011

2012

Senior financial debt

80

161

Senior operational debt

282

109

Subordinated financial debt

230

238

Subordinated operational debt

256

251

Total

848

759

Interest expense on contingent capital instruments for the year ended 31 December 2012 was USD 56 million.

Long-term debt issued in 2012

In July 2012, Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd issued a 30-year subordinated fixed-to-floating rate loan note which is callable after 10 years. The instrument has a face value of EUR 500 million, with a fixed coupon of 6.625% per annum until the first optional redemption date (1 September 2022).

In December 2012, Swiss Re Treasury (US) Corporation, an indirect subsidiary of Swiss Re Ltd, issued two tranches of senior notes, maturing in 2022 and 2042, respectively. The 2022 notes have a face value of USD 250 million, with a fixed coupon of 2.875%. The 2042 notes have a face value of USD 500 million, with a fixed coupon of 4.25%. The notes are guaranteed by Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd.

Contingent capital instruments issued in 2012

In February 2012, Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd issued a perpetual subordinated note with stock settlement. The instrument has a face value of CHF 320 million, with a fixed coupon of 7.25% per annum until the first optional redemption date (1 September 2017).

In March 2012, Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd issued a perpetual subordinated capital instrument with stock settlement. The instrument has a face value of USD 750 million, with a fixed coupon of 8.25% per annum until the first optional redemption date (1 September 2018).

Both instruments may be converted, at the option of the issuer, into Swiss Re Ltd shares at any time at market or within six months following a solvency event at a pre-set floor price. These instruments are referred to in these financial statements as “contingent capital instruments”.