Unfavorable economic, political and global market conditions may adversely impact our business and results of operations.
The Company’s investment portfolio, Hartford Funds business, and insurance businesses are sensitive to changes in economic, political and global capital market conditions, such as the effect of a weak economy, including:
- labor supply shortages
- low labor force participation
- lower family income
- high unemployment
- changes in interest rate levels
- changes in credit spreads
- equity market disruptions
- rising inflation
- changes in foreign currency exchange rates
- a weak real estate market
- lower business investment
- lower consumer spending
In an economic downturn, these factors may adversely affect the demand for insurance and financial products, insurance loss costs, valuation and returns on the investment portfolio, and lower the Company's profitability in some cases, including adverse impacts to our net investment income and operating results.
The Company could experience credit losses on various asset balances, including receivables and the principal amount of various invested assets, including fixed maturities and mortgage loans. In addition to credit losses on invested assets, the Company could experience declines in the value of available for sale debt securities if credit spreads were to widen significantly, which would reduce stockholders’ equity. In addition, disruption in equity markets could result in net realized or unrealized losses on our equity securities carried at fair value or reduce net investment income in future periods from our non-fixed income investment portfolio, including from limited partnerships and other alternative investments. The Company could also experience higher reinsurance costs and/or more limited availability of reinsurance coverage.
Furthermore, political instability, politically motivated violence or civil unrest, may increase the frequency and severity of insured losses. In addition, a deterioration in global economic conditions and/or geopolitical conditions, including due to military action, trade wars, tariffs or other actions with respect to international trade agreements or policies, has the potential to, among other things, reduce demand for our products, reduce exposures we insure, drive higher inflation that could increase the Company’s loss costs and result in increased incidence of claims, particularly for workers’ compensation and disability claims. If current regional and/or global conflicts were to expand, there could be insurance losses or adverse economic impacts.
Below are several key factors impacted by changes in economic, political, and global market conditions and their potential effect on the Company’s business and results of operations:
- Credit Spread Risk - Credit spread exposure is reflected in the market prices of fixed income instruments where lower rated securities generally trade at a higher credit spread. If issuer credit spreads increase or widen, the market value of our investment portfolio may decline. If the credit spread widening is significant and occurs over an extended period of time, the Company may recognize credit losses, resulting in decreased earnings. If credit spreads tighten significantly, the Company’s net investment income associated with new purchases of fixed maturities may be reduced. In addition, the value of credit derivatives under which the Company assumes exposure or purchases protection are impacted by changes in credit spreads, with losses occurring when credit spreads widen for assumed exposure or when credit spreads tighten if credit protection has been purchased.
- Equity Markets Risk - A decline in equity markets may result in net realized losses on sales of equity securities, unrealized losses on equity securities held at fair value, reduce net investment income in future periods from our non-fixed income investment portfolio, including from limited partnerships and other alternative investments, or lower earnings from Hartford Funds where fee income is earned based upon the fair value of the assets under management. For additional information on equity market sensitivity, see
The Company could experience credit losses on various asset balances, including receivables and the principal amount of various invested assets, including fixed maturities and mortgage loans. In addition to credit losses on invested assets, the Company could experience declines in the value of available for sale debt securities if credit spreads were to widen significantly, which would reduce stockholders’ equity. In addition, disruption in equity markets could result in net realized or unrealized losses on our equity securities carried at fair value or reduce net investment income in future periods from our non-fixed income investment portfolio, including from limited partnerships and other alternative investments. The Company could also experience higher reinsurance costs and/or more limited availability of reinsurance coverage.
Furthermore, political instability, politically motivated violence or civil unrest, may increase the frequency and severity of insured losses. In addition, a deterioration in global economic conditions and/or geopolitical conditions, including due to military action, trade wars, tariffs or other actions with respect to international trade agreements or policies, has the potential to, among other things, reduce demand for our products, reduce exposures we insure, drive higher inflation that could increase the Company’s loss costs and result in increased incidence of claims, particularly for workers’ compensation and disability claims. If current regional and/or global conflicts were to expand, there could be insurance losses or adverse economic impacts.
Below are several key factors impacted by changes in economic, political, and global market conditions and their potential effect on the Company’s business and results of operations:
- Credit Spread Risk - Credit spread exposure is reflected in the market prices of fixed income instruments where lower rated securities generally trade at a higher credit spread. If issuer credit spreads increase or widen, the market value of our investment portfolio may decline. If the credit spread widening is significant and occurs over an extended period of time, the Company may recognize credit losses, resulting in decreased earnings. If credit spreads tighten significantly, the Company’s net investment income associated with new purchases of fixed maturities may be reduced. In addition, the value of credit derivatives under which the Company assumes exposure or purchases protection are impacted by changes in credit spreads, with losses occurring when credit spreads widen for assumed exposure or when credit spreads tighten if credit protection has been purchased.
- Equity Markets Risk - A decline in equity markets may result in net realized losses on sales of equity securities, unrealized losses on equity securities held at fair value, reduce net investment income in future periods from our non-fixed income investment portfolio, including from limited partnerships and other alternative investments, or lower earnings from Hartford Funds where fee income is earned based upon the fair value of the assets under management. For additional information on equity market sensitivity, see
In deciding whether to invest in The Hartford, you should carefully consider the following risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity and could also impact the trading price of our securities. These risks are not exclusive, and additional risks to which we are subject include, but are not limited to, the factors mentioned under “Forward-Looking Statements” above and the risks of our businesses described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following risk factors have been organized by category for ease of use, however many of the risks may have impacts in more than one category. The occurrence of certain of them may, in turn, cause the emergence or exacerbate the effect of others. Such a combination could materially increase the severity of the impact of these risks on our business, results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
Risks Relating to Economic, Political and Global Market Conditions
Unfavorable economic, political and global market conditions may adversely impact our business and results of operations.
The Company’s investment portfolio, Hartford Funds business, and insurance businesses are sensitive to changes in economic, political and global capital market conditions, such as the effect of a weak economy, including:
- labor supply shortages
- low labor force participation
- lower family income
- high unemployment
- changes in interest rate levels
- changes in credit spreads
- equity market disruptions
- rising inflation
- changes in foreign currency exchange rates
- a weak real estate market
- lower business investment
- lower consumer spending
In an economic downturn, these factors may adversely affect the demand for insurance and financial products, insurance loss costs, valuation and returns on the investment portfolio, and lower the Company's profitability in some cases, including adverse impacts to our net investment income and operating results.
In deciding whether to invest in The Hartford, you should carefully consider the following risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity and could also impact the trading price of our securities. These risks are not exclusive, and additional risks to which we are subject include, but are not limited to, the factors mentioned under “Forward-Looking Statements” above and the risks of our businesses described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following risk factors have been organized by category for ease of use, however many of the risks may have impacts in more than one category. The occurrence of certain of them may, in turn, cause the emergence or exacerbate the effect of others. Such a combination could materially increase the severity of the impact of these risks on our business, results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.