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14 Benefit plans

Defined benefit pension plans and post-retirement benefits

The Group sponsors various funded defined benefit pension plans. Employer contributions to the plans are charged to income on a basis which recognises the costs of pensions over the expected service lives of employees covered by the plans. The Group’s funding policy for these plans is to contribute annually at a rate that is intended to maintain a level percentage of compensation for the employees covered. A full valuation is prepared at least every three years.

The Group also provides certain healthcare and life insurance benefits for retired employees and their dependants. Employees become eligible for these benefits when they become eligible for pension benefits.

The measurement date of these plans is 31 December for each year presented.

Amounts recognised in “Other assets” and “Accrued expenses and other liabilities” in the Group’s balance sheet as of 31 December were as follows:

Amounts recognised in accumulated other comprehensive income, gross of tax, as of 31 December were as follows:

Components of net periodic benefit cost

The components of pension and post-retirement cost for the years ended 31 December were as follows:

Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognised in other comprehensive income for the years ended 31 December were as follows:

The estimated net loss and prior service credit for the defined benefit pension plans that will be amortised from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost in 2019 are USD 56 million and USD 15 million, respectively. The estimated net gain and prior service credit for the other defined post-retirement benefits that will be amortised from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost in 2019 are USD 2 million and USD 15 million, respectively.

The accumulated benefit obligation (the current value of accrued benefits excluding future salary increases) for pension benefits was USD 6 335 million and USD 6 043 million as of 31 December 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets as of 31 December were as follows:

Principal actuarial assumptions

The expected long-term rates of return on plan assets are based on long-term expected inflation, interest rates, risk premiums and targeted asset category allocations. The estimates take into consideration historical asset category returns.

Assumed healthcare cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the healthcare plans. A one percentage point change in assumed healthcare cost trend rates would have had the following effects for 2018:

Plan asset allocation by asset category

The actual asset allocation by major asset category for defined benefit pension plans as of the respective measurement dates in 2017 and 2018 was as follows:

Actual asset allocation is determined by a variety of current economic and market conditions and considers specific asset class risks.

Equity securities include Swiss Re common stock of USD 6 million (0.1% of total plan assets) and USD 4 million (0.1% of total plan assets) as of 31 December 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The Groupʼs pension plan investment strategy is to match the maturity profiles of the assets and liabilities in order to reduce the future volatility of pension expense and funding status of the plans. This involves balancing investment portfolios between equity and fixed income securities. Tactical allocation decisions that reflect this strategy are made on a quarterly basis.

Assets measured at fair value

For a description of the different fair value levels and valuation techniques see Note 8 “Fair value disclosures”.

Certain items reported as pension plan assets at fair value in the following table are not within the scope of Note 8, namely two positions: real estate and an insurance contract.

Real estate positions classified as level 1 and level 2 are exchange-traded real estate funds where a market valuation is readily available. Real estate reported on level 3 is property-owned by the pension funds. These positions are accounted for at the capitalised income value. The capitalisation based on sustainable recoverable earnings is conducted at interest rates that are determined individually for each property, based on the property’s location, age and condition. If properties are intended for disposal, the estimated selling costs and taxes are recognised in provisions. Sales gains or losses are allocated to income from real estate when the contract is concluded.

The fair value of the insurance contract is based on the fair value of the assets backing the contract.

As of 31 December, the fair values of pension plan assets by level of input were as follows:

Assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (level 3)

For the years ended 31 December, the reconciliation of fair value of pension plan assets using significant unobservable inputs were as follows:

Expected contributions and estimated future benefit payments

The employer contributions expected to be made in 2019 to the defined benefit pension plans are USD 122 million and to the post-retirement benefit plan are USD 17 million.

As of 31 December 2018, the projected benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, not adjusted for transfers in and for employees’ voluntary contributions, are as follows:

Defined contribution pension plans

The Group sponsors a number of defined contribution plans to which employees and the Group make contributions. The accumulated balances are paid as a lump sum at the earlier of retirement, termination, disability or death. The amount expensed in 2017 and 2018 was USD 81 million and USD 85 million, respectively.