Item 1.    Business

Protective Life Corporation (the "Company") is a holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with subsidiaries that provide financial services primarily in the United States through the production, distribution, and administration of insurance and investment products. Founded in 1907, Protective Life Insurance Company ("PLICO") is the Company's largest operating subsidiary. Unless the context otherwise requires, the "Company," "we," "us," or "our" refers to the consolidated group of Protective Life Corporation and its subsidiaries.

On February 1, 2015, The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited. a kabushiki kaisha organized under the laws of Japan (now known as Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc., "Dai-ichi Life"), acquired 100% of the Company's outstanding shares of common stock through the merger of DL Investment (Delaware), Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life, with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving entity (the "Merger"). As a result of the Merger, the Company is a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life.

The Company operates several operating segments, each having a strategic focus. An operating segment is distinguished by products, channels of distribution, and/or other strategic distinctions. The Company's operating segments are Life Marketing, Acquisitions, Annuities, Stable Value Products, and Asset Protection. The Company has an additional segment referred to as Corporate and Other which consists of net investment income not assigned to the segments above (including the impact of carrying liquidity) and expenses not attributable to the segments above (including interest on certain corporate debt). This segment also includes earnings from several non-strategic or runoff lines of business, various financing and investment related transactions, and the operations of several small subsidiaries. The Company periodically evaluates operating segments and makes adjustments to our segment reporting as needed.

Additional information concerning the Company and its operating segments may be found in Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations , and Note 25, Operating Segments to consolidated financial statements included in this report.

In the following paragraphs, the Company reports sales and other statistical information. These statistics are used to measure the relative progress of its marketing and acquisition efforts, but may not have an immediate impact on reported segment or consolidated adjusted operating income. Sales data for traditional life insurance is based on annualized premiums, while universal life sales are based on annualized planned premiums, or "target" premiums if lesser, plus 6% of amounts received in excess of target premiums and 10% of single premiums. "Target" premiums for universal life are those premiums upon which full first year commissions are paid. Sales of annuities are measured based on the amount of purchase payments received less surrenders occurring within twelve months of the purchase payments. Stable value contract sales are measured at the time the purchase payments are received. Sales within the Asset Protection segment are based on the amount of single premiums and fees received.

These statistics are derived from various sales tracking and administrative systems and are not derived from the Company's financial reporting systems or financial statements. These statistics attempt to measure only some of the many factors that may affect future profitability, and therefore, are not intended to be predictive of future profitability.

Life Marketing

The Life Marketing segment markets fixed universal life ("UL"), indexed universal life ("IUL"), variable universal life ("VUL"), bank-owned life insurance ("BOLI"), and level premium term insurance ("traditional") products on a national basis, primarily through networks of independent insurance agents and brokers, broker-dealers, financial institutions, independent marketing organizations, and affinity groups.

The following table presents the Life Marketing segment's sales as defined above:

Acquisitions

The Acquisitions segment focuses on acquiring, converting, and servicing policies from other insurance companies. The segment's primary focus is on life insurance policies and annuity products that were sold to individuals. The level of the segment's acquisition activity is predicated upon many factors, including available capital, operating capacity, potential return on capital, and market dynamics. The Company expects acquisition opportunities to continue to be available. However, the Company believes it may face increased competition and evolving capital requirements that may affect the environment and the form of future acquisitions.

Most acquisitions completed by the Acquisitions segment have not included the acquisition of an active sales force, thus policies acquired through the segment are typically blocks of business where no new policies are being marketed. Therefore, earnings and account values are expected to decline as the result of lapses, deaths, and other terminations of coverage, unless new acquisitions are made. The segment's revenues and earnings may fluctuate from year to year depending upon the level of acquisition activity. In transactions where some marketing activity was included, the Company may cease future marketing efforts, redirect those efforts to another segment of the Company, or elect to continue marketing new policies as a component of other segments.

The Company believes that its focused and disciplined approach to the acquisition process and its experience in the assimilation, conservation, and servicing of acquired policies provides a significant competitive advantage. On occasion, the Company's other operating segments have acquired companies and/or blocks of policies, such as the recent acquisition of USWC Holding Company ("US Warranty") which is included in the Asset Protection segment. These acquisitions are not included in the Acquisitions segment. The results of these acquisitions are included in the respective segment's financial results.

On January 15, 2016, PLICO completed a reinsurance transaction with Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company (“GLAIC”). Effective January 1, 2016, PLICO entered into a reinsurance agreement under the terms of which PLICO coinsures certain term life insurance business of GLAIC. This transaction allowed the Company to invest its capital and increase the scale of its Acquisitions segment.

Annuities

The Annuities segment markets fixed and variable annuity ("VA") products. These products are primarily sold through broker-dealers, financial institutions, and independent agents and brokers.

The Company's variable annuities offer the policyholder the opportunity to invest in various investment accounts and offer optional features that guarantee the death and withdrawal benefits of the underlying annuity.

The Company's fixed annuities include indexed annuities, single premium deferred annuities, and single premium immediate annuities. The Company's fixed annuities also include modified guaranteed annuities which guarantee an interest rate for a fixed period. Contract values for these annuities are "market-value adjusted" upon surrender prior to maturity. In certain interest rate environments, these products afford the Company with a measure of protection from the effects of changes in interest rates.

The demand for annuity products is related to the general level of interest rates, performance of the equity markets, and perceived risk of insurance companies. The following table presents fixed annuity and VA sales:

Stable Value Products

The Stable Value Products segment sells fixed and floating rate funding agreements directly to the trustees of municipal bond proceeds, money market funds, bank trust departments, and other institutional investors. During 2015, the Company terminated its funding agreement-backed notes program registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and established a new unregistered funding agreement-backed notes program. Under this program, which complements our overall asset-liability management, the segment issues funding agreements which are purchased by an unaffiliated and unconsolidated

trust, which in turn sells notes to institutional investors in both domestic and international markets. The terms of the funding agreements are similar to those of the notes.

The segment also issues funding agreements to the Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB") and markets guaranteed investment contracts ("GICs") to 401(k) and other qualified retirement savings plans. GICs are contracts which specify a return on funds for a specified period and often provide flexibility for withdrawals at book value in keeping with the benefits provided by the plan. The demand for GICs is related to the relative attractiveness of the "fixed rate" investment option in a 401(k) plan compared to the equity-based investment options which may be available to plan participants.

The segment's products complement the Company's overall asset/liability management in that the terms may be tailored to the needs of PLICO as the seller of the contracts. The Company's emphasis is on a consistent and disciplined approach to product pricing and asset/liability management, careful underwriting of early withdrawal risks, and maintaining low distribution and administration costs. Most GICs and funding agreements the Company has written have maturities of one to twelve years.

The following table presents Stable Value Products sales:

Asset Protection

The Asset Protection segment markets extended service contracts and credit life and disability insurance to protect consumers' investments in automobiles, recreational vehicles ("RV"), watercraft, and powersports. In addition, the segment markets a guaranteed asset protection ("GAP") product. GAP coverage covers the difference between the loan pay-off amount and an asset's actual cash value in the case of a total loss. The segment's products are primarily marketed through a national network of approximately 8,500 automobile, marine, and RV dealers. A network of direct employee sales representatives and general agents distribute these products to the dealer market.

On December 1, 2016, the Company, through its primary operating subsidiary, PLICO, acquired US Warranty and its affiliated operating subsidiaries via a stock purchase agreement. US Warranty, whose primary operating subsidiary is United States Warranty Corp., currently markets vehicle service contracts, GAP coverage, and a suite of ancillary automotive maintenance and protection products nationwide. This acquisition is expected to provide the Company's Asset Protection segment and US Warranty with expanded market reach, enhanced product and operational capabilities, and higher collective growth potential.

The following table presents the insurance and related product sales measured by the amount of single premiums and fees received:

In 2016, all of the segment's sales were through the automobile, RV, marine, and powersports dealer distribution channel and approximately 75.1% of the segment's sales were extended service contracts. A portion of the sales and resulting premiums are reinsured with producer-affiliated reinsurers.

Corporate and Other

The Corporate and Other segment primarily consists of net investment income on assets supporting our equity capital, unallocated corporate overhead and expenses not attributable to the segments above (including interest on corporate debt). This segment includes earnings from several non-strategic or runoff lines of business, various financing and investment related transactions, and the operations of several small subsidiaries. The results of this segment may fluctuate from year to year.

Investments

As of December 31, 2016 (Successor Company), the Company's investment portfolio was approximately $50.7 billion. The types of assets in which the Company may invest are influenced by various state insurance laws which prescribe qualified investment assets. Within the parameters of these laws, the Company invests in assets giving consideration to such factors as liquidity and capital needs, investment quality, investment return, matching of assets and liabilities, and the overall composition of the investment portfolio by asset type and credit exposure. On February 1, 2015, immediately before the Merger, the fair value of the Company's investment portfolio was significantly above the carrying value primarily due to low market interest rates. As a result of purchase accounting applied as of February 1, 2015, the carrying value of the Company's investment portfolio was adjusted to fair value which resulted in a drop in the overall yield of the Company's investment portfolio for the successor period. For further information regarding the Company's investments, the maturity of and the concentration of risk among the Company's invested assets, derivative financial instruments, and liquidity, see Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Note 6, Investment Operations , and Note 8, Derivative Financial Instruments to the consolidated financial statements included in this report, and Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .

The following table presents the investment results from continuing operations of the Company:

Mortgage Loans

The Company invests a portion of its investment portfolio in commercial mortgage loans. As of December 31, 2016 (Successor Company), the Company's mortgage loan holdings were approximately $6.1 billion. The Company has specialized in making loans on credit-oriented commercial properties, credit-anchored strip shopping centers, senior living facilities, and apartments. The Company's underwriting procedures relative to its commercial loan portfolio are based, in the Company's view, on a conservative and disciplined approach. The Company concentrates on a small number of commercial real estate asset types associated with the necessities of life (retail, multi-family, senior living, professional office buildings, and warehouses). The Company believes these asset types tend to weather economic downturns better than other commercial asset classes in which it has chosen not to participate. The Company believes this disciplined approach has helped to maintain a relatively low delinquency and foreclosure rate throughout its history. The majority of the Company's mortgage loan portfolio was underwritten and funded by the Company. From time to time, the Company may acquire loans in conjunction with an acquisition. For more information regarding the Company's investment in mortgage loans, refer to Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and Note 10, Mortgage Loans to the consolidated financial statements included herein.

The Company's ratings are subject to review and change by the rating organizations at any time and without notice. A downgrade or other negative action by a ratings organization with respect to the financial strength ratings of the Company's insurance subsidiaries could adversely affect sales, relationships with distributors, the level of policy surrenders and withdrawals, competitive position in the marketplace, and the cost or availability of reinsurance. The rating agencies may take various actions, positive or negative, with respect to the financial strength ratings of the Company's insurance subsidiaries, including as a result of the Company's status as a subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life.

Rating organizations also publish credit ratings for the issuers of debt securities, including the Company. Credit ratings are indicators of a debt issuer's ability to meet the terms of debt obligations in a timely manner. These ratings are important in the debt issuer's overall ability to access credit markets and other types of liquidity. Ratings are not recommendations to buy the Company's securities or products. A downgrade or other negative action by a ratings organization with respect to our credit rating could limit the Company's access to capital markets, increase the cost of issuing debt, and a downgrade of sufficient magnitude, combined with other negative factors, could require the Company to post collateral. The rating agencies may take various actions, positive or negative, with respect to the Company's debt ratings, including as a result of the Company's status as a subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life.

The ratio of voluntary terminations of individual life insurance to mean individual life insurance in-force, which is determined by dividing the amount of insurance terminated due to lapses during the year by the mean of the insurance in-force at the beginning and end of the year, adjusted for the timing of major acquisitions is as follows:

Underwriting

The underwriting policies of the Company's insurance subsidiaries are established by management. With respect to individual insurance, the subsidiaries use information from the application, and in some cases, third party medical information providers, inspection reports, credit reports, attending physician statements and/or the results of a medical exam to determine whether a policy should be issued as applied for, other than applied for, or rejected. Substandard risks may be referred to reinsurers for evaluation. The Company does utilize a "simplified issue" approach for certain policies which are primarily sold through the Asset Protection segment. In the case of "simplified issue" policies, coverage is rejected if the responses to certain health questions contained in the application, or the applicant's inability to make an unqualified health certification, indicate adverse health of the applicant.

The Company's insurance subsidiaries generally require blood samples to be drawn with individual insurance applications above certain face amounts based on the applicant's age. Blood samples are tested for a wide range of chemical values and are screened for antibodies to certain viruses. Applications also contain questions permitted by law regarding certain viruses which must be answered by the proposed insureds.

The Company utilizes an advanced underwriting system, TeleLife®, for certain product lines in life business. TeleLife® streamlines the application process through a telephonic interview of the applicant, schedules medical exams, accelerates the underwriting process and the ultimate issuance of a policy mostly through electronic means, and reduces the number of attending physician statements.

The Company's maximum retention limit on directly issued business is $5,000,000 for any one life on certain of its traditional life and universal life products.

Reinsurance Ceded

The Company's insurance subsidiaries cede life insurance to other insurance companies. The ceding insurance company remains liable with respect to ceded insurance should any reinsurer fail to meet the obligations assumed by it. The Company has also reinsured guaranteed minimum death benefit ("GMDB") claims relative to certain of its VA contracts.

For approximately 10 years prior to mid-2005, the Company entered into reinsurance contracts in which the Company ceded approximately 90% of its newly written traditional life insurance business on a first dollar quota share basis under coinsurance contracts. In mid-2005, the Company substantially discontinued coinsuring its newly written traditional life insurance and moved to yearly renewable term ("YRT") reinsurance. The amount of insurance retained by the Company on any one life on traditional life insurance was $500,000 in years prior to mid-2005. In 2005, this retention amount was increased to $1,000,000 for certain policies, and during 2008, was increased to $2,000,000 for certain policies. During 2016, the retention amount was increased to $5,000,000.

For approximately 15 years prior to 2012, the Company reinsured 90% of the mortality risk on the majority of its newly written universal life insurance on a YRT basis. During 2012, the Company moved to reinsure only amounts in excess of its $2,000,000 retention, which was increased to $5,000,000 during 2016, for the majority of its newly written universal life insurance.

Policy Liabilities and Accruals

The applicable insurance laws under which the Company's insurance subsidiaries operate require that each insurance company report policy liabilities to meet future obligations on the outstanding policies. These liabilities are calculated in accordance with applicable law. These liabilities along with additional premiums to be received and the compounded interest earned on those premiums are considered to be sufficient to meet the various policy and contract obligations as they mature. These laws specify that the liabilities shall not be less than liabilities calculated using certain named mortality tables and interest rates.

The policy liabilities and accruals carried in the Company's financial reports presented on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") differ from those specified by the laws of the various states and carried in the insurance subsidiaries' statutory financial statements (presented on the basis of statutory accounting principles mandated by state insurance regulations). For policy liabilities other than those for universal life policies, annuity contracts, GICs, and funding agreements, these differences arise from the use of mortality and morbidity tables and interest rate assumptions which are deemed to be more appropriate for financial reporting purposes than those required for statutory accounting purposes. The GAAP policy liabilities also include lapse assumptions in the calculation and use the net level premium method on all business which differs from policy liabilities calculated for statutory financial statements. Policy liabilities for universal life policies, annuity contracts, GICs, and funding agreements are generally carried in the Company's financial reports at the account value of the policy or contract plus accrued interest.

Federal Taxes

In general, existing law exempts policyholders from current taxation on the increase in value of their life insurance and annuity products during these products’ accumulation phase. This favorable tax treatment gives certain of the Company's products a competitive advantage over non-insurance products. If tax laws are revised such that there is an elimination or scale-back of this tax deferral, or competing non-insurance products are granted similar tax deferrals, then the relative attractiveness of the Company's products may be reduced or eliminated.

The Company is subject to corporate income, excise, franchise, and premium taxes. It currently benefits from certain special tax benefits, such as deductions relating to its variable products' separate accounts and its future policy benefits and claims. Legislation could be enacted that would cause the Company to lose some or all of these deductions and therefore incur additional tax expense. In addition, life insurance products are often used to fund estate tax obligations. Changes to estate tax laws may affect the demand for life insurance products. There is general uncertainty regarding the taxes to which the Company and its products will be subject to in the future. The Company cannot predict what changes to tax law will occur.

The Company's insurance subsidiaries are taxed in a manner similar to other life insurance companies in the industry. Certain restrictions apply to the inclusion of recently-acquired life insurance companies into the Company's consolidated income tax return. Additionally, restrictions on the amount of life insurance income that can be offset by non-life-insurance losses may cause the Company's income tax expense to increase.

The Company's decreased reliance on reinsurance for newly written traditional life products results in a net reduction of current taxes, offset by an increase in deferred taxes. The Company allocates the benefits of reduced current taxes to the Life Marketing and Acquisition segments. The profitability and competitive position of certain products is dependent on the continuation of existing tax law and the Company's ability to generate future taxable income.

Recently there has been a significant amount of discussion regarding reforming the federal income tax system. There is general uncertainty regarding the manner in which taxable income will be determined, and the rate at which such income will be taxed, in the future. The Company cannot predict whether changes to tax law will occur, or if they do occur, whether such changes will adversely affect the Company, its business, or its policyholders.

Competition

Life and health insurance is a mature and highly competitive industry. In recent years, the industry has experienced a decline in life insurance sales, though the aging population has increased the demand for retirement savings products. The Company encounters significant competition in all lines of business from other insurance companies, many of which have greater financial resources than the Company and which may have a greater market share, offer a broader range of products, services or features, assume a greater level of risk, have lower operating or financing costs, or have lower profitability expectations. The Company also faces competition from other providers of financial services. Competition could result in, among other things, lower sales or higher lapses of existing products.

The Company's ability to compete is dependent upon, among other things, its ability to attract and retain distributors to market its insurance and investment products, its ability to develop competitive and profitable products, its ability to maintain low unit costs, and its maintenance of adequate ratings from rating agencies.

As technology evolves, a comparison of a particular product of any company for a particular customer with competing products for that customer is more readily available, which could lead to increased competition as well as agent or customer behavior, including persistency, which differs from past behavior.

Risk Management

Risk management is a critical part of the Company's business, and the Company has adopted risk management processes in multiple aspects of its operations, including product development and management, business acquisitions, underwriting, investment management, asset-liability management, and technology. The Company's Enterprise Risk Management office, under

the direction of the Chief Risk Officer, along with other departments, management groups and committees, have responsibilities for managing different risks throughout the Company. Risk management includes the assessment of risk, a decision process which includes determining which risks are acceptable and the monitoring and management of identified risks on an ongoing basis. The primary objective of these risk management processes is to determine the acceptable level of variations the Company experiences from its expected results and to implement strategies designed to limit such variations to these levels.

Regulation

The Company is subject to government regulation in each of the states in which it conducts business. In many instances, the regulatory models emanate from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners ("NAIC"). Such regulation is vested in state agencies having broad administrative and in some instances discretionary power dealing with many aspects of the Company's business, which may include, among other things, premium rates and increases thereto, underwriting practices, reserve requirements, marketing practices, advertising, privacy, policy forms, reinsurance reserve requirements, insurer use of captive reinsurance companies, acquisitions, mergers, capital adequacy, claims practices and the remittance of unclaimed property. In addition, some state insurance departments may enact rules or regulations with extra-territorial application, effectively extending their jurisdiction to areas such as permitted insurance company investments that are normally the province of an insurance company's domiciliary state regulator.

The Company's insurance subsidiaries are required to file periodic reports with the regulatory agencies in each of the jurisdictions in which they do business, and their business and accounts are subject to examination by such agencies at any time. Under the rules of the NAIC, insurance companies are examined periodically (generally every three to five years) by one or more of the regulatory agencies on behalf of the states in which they do business. At any given time, a number of financial and/or market conduct examinations of the Company's subsidiaries may be ongoing. From time to time, regulators raise issues during examinations or audits for the Company's subsidiaries that could, if determined adversely, have a material adverse impact on the Company. To date, no such insurance department examinations have produced any significant adverse findings regarding any of the Company's insurance company subsidiaries.

Under the insurance guaranty fund laws of most states, insurance companies doing business therein can be assessed up to prescribed limits for policyholder losses incurred by insolvent companies. From time to time, companies may be asked to contribute amounts beyond prescribed limits. It is possible that the Company could be assessed with respect to product lines not offered by the Company. In addition, legislation may be introduced in various states with respect to guaranty fund assessment laws related to insurance products, including long term care insurance and other specialty products, that alters future premium tax offsets received in connection with guaranty fund assessments. The Company cannot predict the amount, nature or timing of any future assessments or legislation, any of which could have a material and adverse impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, many states, including the states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled, have enacted legislation or adopted regulations regarding insurance holding company systems. These laws require registration of and periodic reporting by insurance companies domiciled within the jurisdiction which control or are controlled by other corporations or persons so as to constitute an insurance holding company system. These laws also affect the acquisition of control of insurance companies as well as transactions between insurance companies and companies controlling them. Most states, including Tennessee, where PLICO is domiciled, require administrative approval of the acquisition of control of an insurance company domiciled in the state or the acquisition of control of an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiary is incorporated in the state. In Tennessee, the acquisition of 10% of the voting securities of an entity is deemed to be the acquisition of control for the purpose of the insurance holding company statute and requires not only the filing of detailed information concerning the acquiring parties and the plan of acquisition, but also administrative approval prior to the acquisition. Holding company legislation has been adopted in certain states where the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled, which subjects the subsidiaries to increased reporting requirements. Holding company legislation has also been proposed in additional states, which, if adopted, will subject any domiciled subsidiaries to additional reporting and supervision requirements.

The states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled also impose certain restrictions on the subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends to the Company. These restrictions are based in part on the prior year's statutory income and surplus. In general, dividends up to specified levels are considered ordinary and may be paid without prior approval. Dividends in larger amounts are considered extraordinary and are subject to approval by the insurance commissioner of the state of domicile. The maximum amount that would qualify as ordinary dividends to the Company by its insurance subsidiaries in 2017 is approximately, in the aggregate, $423.7 million. No assurance can be given that more stringent restrictions will not be adopted from time to time by states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled; such restrictions could have the effect, under certain circumstances, of significantly reducing dividends or other amounts payable to the Company by such subsidiaries without prior approval by state regulatory authorities.

State insurance regulators and the NAIC regularly re-examine existing laws and regulations applicable to insurance companies and their products. Changes in these laws and regulations, or in interpretations thereof, are often made for the benefit of the consumer and may lead to additional expense for the insurer. Some NAIC pronouncements, particularly as they affect accounting issues, take effect automatically in various states without affirmative action by those states. The Uniform Laws Commission’s revisions to model regulations affecting unclaimed property have prompted states to re-examine and, in some cases, change their own unclaimed property laws. These laws have resulted in exams conducted by the NAIC and on a state-by-state basis and could result in findings that adversely affect the Company. Additionally, regulatory actions with prospective impact can potentially have a significant adverse impact on currently sold products.

At the federal level, bills are routinely introduced in both chambers of the United States Congress which could affect life insurers. In the past, Congress has considered legislation that would impact insurance companies in numerous ways, such as

providing for an optional federal charter or a federal presence for insurance, preempting state law in certain respects regarding the regulation of reinsurance, increasing federal oversight in areas such as consumer protection and solvency regulation, setting tax rates, and other matters. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form legislation will be enacted and, if so, the impact of such legislation on the Company.

The Company is also subject to various conditions and requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the "Healthcare Act"). The Healthcare Act makes significant changes to the regulation of health insurance and may affect the Company in various ways. The Healthcare Act may affect small blocks of business the Company has offered or acquired over the years that are, or are deemed to constitute, health insurance. The Healthcare Act may also affect the benefit plans the Company sponsors for employees or retirees and their dependents, the Company's expense to provide such benefits, the tax liabilities of the Company in connection with the provision of such benefits, and the Company's ability to attract or retain employees. In addition, the Company may be subject to regulations, guidance or determinations emanating from the various regulatory authorities authorized under the Healthcare Act. The Healthcare Act, any amendments or modifications thereto, or any regulatory pronouncement made thereunder, could have a significant impact on the Company.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act ("Dodd-Frank") made sweeping changes to the regulation of financial services entities, products and markets. Certain provisions of Dodd-Frank are or may become applicable to the Company, its competitors or those entities with which the Company does business. Such provisions include, but are not limited to, the establishment of consolidated federal regulation and resolution authority over systemically important financial services firms, the establishment of the Federal Insurance Office, changes to the regulation and standards applicable to broker-dealers and investment advisors, changes to the regulation of reinsurance, changes to regulations affecting the rights of shareholders, the imposition of additional regulation over credit rating agencies, and the imposition of concentration limits on financial institutions that restrict the amount of credit that may be extended to a single person or entity. Since the enactment of Dodd-Frank, many regulations have been enacted and others are likely to be adopted in the future that will have an impact upon the Company.

Dodd-Frank also created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB"), an independent division of the Department of Treasury with jurisdiction over credit, savings, payment, and other consumer financial products and services, other than investment products already regulated by the SEC or the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Certain of the Company's subsidiaries sell products that may be regulated by the CFPB, and the CFPB’s jurisdiction over non-banks may affect the Company’s lending practices. In addition, Dodd-Frank includes a framework of regulation of over-the-counter ("OTC") derivatives markets which requires clearing of certain types of transactions which have been or are currently traded OTC by the Company. The Company uses derivatives to mitigate a wide range of risks in connection with its business, including those arising from its variable annuity products with guaranteed benefit features. The derivative clearing requirements of Dodd-Frank could continue to have an impact on the Company.

The Company is subject to regulations adopted by the United States Department of Labor that affect a variety of products and services provided to employee benefit plans and individual investors that are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"). The regulations significantly expand the definition of “investment advice” and increase the circumstances in which the Company and broker-dealers, insurance agencies and other financial institutions that sell the Company’s products could be deemed a “fiduciary” when providing investment advice with respect to ERISA plans or Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”). The Department of Labor also issued amendments to long-standing exemptions from the provisions of ERISA and the Code that prohibit fiduciaries from engaging in certain types of transactions (“Prohibited Transaction Exemptions”) and adopted new Prohibited Transaction Exemptions. These amended and new Prohibited Transaction Exemptions appear to increase significantly the conditions that must be satisfied by fiduciaries in order to receive traditional forms of commission, such as sales commissions, for sales of insurance products to ERISA plans, plan participants and IRAs. The Department of Labor has also provided interpretive guidance with respect to these new regulations, and may provide additional guidance, which may limit the dampening effect that the new regulations may ultimately have upon sales of certain of our products. Speculation regarding possible delays in the implementation of the new regulations has created uncertainty among distributors of our products, and this uncertainty continues to have an impact upon sales. Our current distributors may limit the number of products they offer, including the types of products offered by the Company. The Company may find it necessary to change sales representative and/or broker compensation, to limit the assistance or advice it can provide to owners of the Company’s annuities, to replace or engage additional distributors, or otherwise change the manner in which it designs and supports sales of its annuities. In addition, the Company continues to incur expenses in connection with initial and ongoing compliance obligations with respect to such rules, and in the aggregate these expenses may be significant.

Certain life insurance policies, contracts, and annuities offered by the Company’ are subject to regulation under the federal securities laws administered by the SEC. The federal securities laws contain regulatory restrictions and criminal, administrative, and private remedial provisions. From time to time, the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") examine or investigate the activities of broker-dealers and investment advisors, including the Company's affiliated broker-dealers and investment advisors. These examinations or investigations often focus on the activities of the registered representatives and registered investment advisors doing business through such entities and the entities’ supervision of those persons.

Other types of regulation that could affect the Company and its subsidiaries include insurance company investment laws and regulations, state statutory accounting practices, antitrust laws, minimum solvency requirements, enterprise risk requirements, state securities laws, federal privacy laws, cybersecurity regulation, technology and data regulations, insurable interest laws, federal anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, employment and immigration laws and, because the Company owns and operates real property, state, federal, and local environmental laws.The Company may also be subject to regulations influenced by or related to international regulatory authorities or initiatives. The Company's sole stockholder, Dai-ichi Life, is subject to regulation by the Japanese Financial Services Authority ("JFSA"). Under applicable laws and regulations, Dai-ichi Life is required to provide notice to or obtain the consent of the JFSA prior to taking certain actions or engaging in certain transactions, either directly or indirectly

through its subsidiaries, including the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. Domestically, the NAIC may be influenced by the initiatives or regulatory structures or schemes of international regulatory bodies, and those initiatives or regulatory structures or schemes may not translate readily into the regulatory structures or schemes of the legal system (including the interpretation or application of standards by juries) under which U.S. insurers must operate. Changes in laws and regulations or in interpretations thereof, or to initiatives or regulatory structures or schemes of international regulatory bodies, which are applicable to the Company could have a significant adverse impact on the Company.

Additional issues related to regulation of the Company and its insurance subsidiaries are discussed in Item 1A, Risk Factors, and in Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations , included herein.

Employees

As of December 31, 2016 , the Company had approximately 2,719 employees, of which 2,667 were full-time and 52 were part-time employees. Included in the total were approximately 1,526 employees in Birmingham, Alabama, of which 1,517 were full-time and 11 were part-time employees. The Company believes its relations with its employees are satisfactory. Most employees are covered by contributory major medical, dental, vision, group life, and long-term disability insurance plans. The cost of these benefits to the Company in 2016 was approximately $15.4 million. In addition, substantially all of the employees may participate in a defined benefit pension plan and 401(k) plan. The Company matches employee contributions to its 401(k) plan. See Note 17, Stock-Based Compensation and Note 18, Employee Benefit Plans to our consolidated financial statements for additional information.

Available Information

The Company files reports with the SEC, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other reports as required. The public may read and copy any materials the Company files with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The Company is an electronic filer and the SEC maintains an internet site at www.sec.gov that contains the reports, proxy and information statements, and other information filed electronically by the Company.

The Company makes available free of charge through its website, www.protective.com, the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The information found on the Company's website is not part of this or any other report filed with or furnished to the SEC. The Company will furnish such documents to anyone who requests such copies in writing. Requests for copies should be directed to: Financial Information, Protective Life Corporation, P.O. Box 2606, Birmingham, Alabama 35202, Telephone (205) 268-3912, Fax (205) 268-3642.

We also make available to the public current information, including financial information, regarding the Company and our affiliates on the Financial Information page of our website, www.protective.com. We encourage investors, the media and others interested in us and our affiliates to review the information posted on our website. The information found on the Company's website is not part of this or any other report filed with or furnished to the SEC.

The Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct, which applies to all directors, officers and employees of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. The Code of Business Conduct incorporates a code of ethics that applies to the principal executive officer and all financial officers of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Code of Conduct is available on the Company's website, www.protective.com.

Executive Officers

As of December 31, 2016 , the Company's executive officers were as follows:

All executive officers are elected annually and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. None of the executive officers are related to any director of the Company or to any other executive officer.

Mr. Johns has been Chairman of the Board of the Company since January 2003, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since December 2001. He has been a director of the Company since May 1997. From August 1996 to January 2016, Mr. Johns also served as President of the Company. Mr. Johns has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1993.

Mr. Bielen has been President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since January 2016. From June 2007 to January 2016, Mr. Bielen served as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. From August 2006 to June 2007, Mr. Bielen served as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and Treasurer of the Company. Mr. Bielen became a director of the Company on February 1, 2015. Mr. Bielen has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1991.

Mr. Adams has been Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Company since January 2016. From April 2006 to January 2016, Mr. Adams served as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the Company.

Mr. Drew has been Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Company since August 2016. From 2006 to August 2016, Mr. Drew served as Managing Shareholder of Maynard Cooper & Gale, P.C., a Birmingham, Alabama based law firm, where Mr. Drew worked from 1988 until July 2016.

Ms. Long has been Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary of the Company since August 2016. From January 2016 to August 2016, Ms. Long served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel, and Secretary of the Company. From March 2007 to August 2016, Ms. Long served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of the Company. Ms. Long has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1994.

Mr. Temple has been Executive Vice President, Finance and Risk of the Company since November 2016. From January 2016 to November 2016, Mr. Temple served as Executive Vice President, Finance and Risk, and Chief Risk Officer of the Company. From December 2012 to January 2016, Mr. Temple served as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of the Company. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Temple served as Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at Unum Group, an insurance company in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Mr. Thigpen has been Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of the Company since June 2007. From January 2002 to June 2007, Mr. Thigpen served as Senior Vice President and Chief Mortgage and Real Estate Officer of the Company. Mr. Thigpen has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1984.

Mr. Walker has been Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Controller of the Company since January 2016. From March 2004 to January 2016, Mr. Walker served as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of the Company. Mr. Walker has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 2002.

Certain of these executive officers also serve as executive officers and/or directors of various of the Company's subsidiaries.

Item 1A.    Risk Factors

The operating results of companies in the insurance industry have historically been subject to significant fluctuations. The factors which could affect the Company's future results include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions and known trends and uncertainties which are discussed more fully below.

General Risk Factors

The Company is controlled by Dai-ichi Life, which has the ability to make important decisions affecting our business.

As of February 1, 2015, the date of completion of our merger, all of our common stock is owned by Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited. (now known as Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc., “Dai-ichi Life”). As the holder of 100% of our voting stock, Dai-ichi Life is entitled to elect all of our directors, to approve any action requiring the approval of the holders of our voting stock, including adopting amendments to our certificate of incorporation and approving mergers or sales of substantially all of our assets, and to prevent any transaction that requires the approval of stockholders. Dai-ichi Life has effective control over our affairs, policies and operations, such as the appointment of management, future issuances of our securities, the payments of distributions by us, if any, in respect of our common stock, the incurrence of debt by us, and the entering into of extraordinary transactions, and Dai-ichi Life's interests may not in all cases be aligned with the interests of investors, including holders of our debt securities. Additionally, our credit agreement and indentures permit us to pay dividends and make other restricted payments to Dai-ichi Life under certain circumstances, and Dai-ichi Life may have an interest in our doing so. In addition, Dai-ichi Life has no obligation to provide us with any additional debt or equity financing.

The Company is exposed to risks related to natural and man-made disasters and catastrophes, diseases, epidemics, pandemics, malicious acts, cyber-attacks, terrorist acts and climate change, which could adversely affect the Company’s operations and results.

While the Company has obtained insurance, implemented risk management and contingency plans, and taken preventive measures and other precautions, no predictions of specific scenarios can be made nor can assurance be given that there are not scenarios that could have an adverse effect on the Company. A natural or man-made disaster or catastrophe, including a severe weather or geological event such as a storm, tornado, fire, flood, earthquake, disease, epidemic, pandemic, malicious act, cyber-attack, terrorist act, or the occurrence of climate change, could cause the Company’s workforce to be unable to engage in operations at one or more of its facilities or result in short- or long-term interruptions in the Company’s business operations, any of which could be material to the Company’s operating results for a particular period. Certain of these events could also adversely affect the mortality, morbidity, or other experience of the Company or its reinsurers and have a significant negative impact on the Company. In addition, claims arising from the occurrence of such events or conditions could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Such events or conditions could also have an adverse effect on lapses and surrenders of existing policies, as well as sales of new policies. In addition, such events or conditions could result in a decrease or halt in economic activity in large geographic areas, adversely affecting the Company’s business within such geographic areas and/or the

general economic climate. Such events or conditions could also result in additional regulation or restrictions on the Company in the conduct of its business. The possible macroeconomic effects of such events or conditions could also adversely affect the Company’s asset portfolio, as well as many other aspects of the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations. The Company’s risk management efforts and other precautionary plans and activities may not adequately predict the impact on the Company from such events.

A disruption affecting the electronic systems of the Company or those on whom the Company relies could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.

In conducting its business, the Company relies extensively on various electronic systems, including computer systems, networks, data processing and administrative systems, and communication systems. The Company's business partners, counterparties, service providers and distributors also rely on such systems, as do securities exchanges and financial markets that are important to the Company's ability to conduct its business. These systems or their functionality could be disabled, disrupted, damaged or destroyed by intentional or unintentional acts or events such as cyber-attacks, viruses, sabotage, unauthorized tampering, physical or electronic break-ins or other security breaches, acts of war or terrorism, human error, system failures, failures of power or water supply, or the loss or malfunction of other utilities or services. They may also be disabled, disrupted, damaged or destroyed by natural events such as storms, tornadoes, fires, floods or earthquakes. While the Company and others on whom it depends try to identify threats and implement measures to protect their systems, such protective measures may not be sufficient. Disruption, damage or destruction of any of these systems could cause the Company or others on whom the Company relies to be unable to conduct business for an extended period of time or could result in significant expenditures to replace, repair or reinstate functionality, which could materially adversely impact the Company's business and its financial condition and results of operations.

Confidential information maintained in the systems of the Company or other parties upon which the Company relies could be compromised or misappropriated, damaging the Company's business and reputation and adversely affecting its financial condition and results of operations.

In the course of conducting its business, the Company retains confidential information, including information about its customers and proprietary business information. The Company retains confidential information in various electronic systems, including computer systems, networks, data processing and administrative systems, and communication systems. The Company maintains physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect the information and it relies on commercial technologies to maintain the security of its systems and to maintain the security of its transmission of such information to other parties, including its business partners, counterparties and service providers. The Company’s business partners, counterparties and service providers likewise maintain confidential information, including, in some cases, customer information, on behalf of the Company. An intentional or unintentional breach or compromise of the security measures of the Company or such other parties could result in the disclosure, misappropriation, misuse, alteration or destruction of the confidential information retained by or on behalf of the Company, or the inability of the Company to conduct business for an indeterminate amount of time. Any of these events or circumstances could damage the Company’s business and reputation, and adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations by, among other things, causing harm to the Company’s business operations, reputation and customers, deterring customers and others from doing business with the Company, subjecting the Company to significant regulatory, civil, and criminal liability, and requiring the Company to incur significant legal and other expenses.

Despite our efforts to ensure the integrity of our systems, it is possible that we may not be able to anticipate and implement effective preventative or detective measures against security breaches of all types because the techniques used change frequently or are not recognized until launched and because cyber-attacks can originate from a wide variety of sources or parties. Those parties may also attempt to fraudulently induce employees, customers or other users of our system to deliberately or inadvertently disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our data or that of our customers or clients.

Cyber threats and related legal and regulatory standards applicable to our business are rapidly evolving and may subject the Company to heightened legal standards, new theories of liability and material claims and penalties that we cannot currently predict or anticipate.  As cyber threats and applicable legal standards continue to evolve, the Company may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures and computer systems, and to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities. If the Company experiences security events or other technological failures, it may be subject to regulatory inquiries or proceedings, litigation or reputational damage or be required to pay claims, fines or penalties. While the Company has experienced cyber-attacks in the past, and to date the Company has not suffered any material harm or loss relating to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches at the Company or its counterparties, there can be no assurance that the Company will not suffer such losses in the future.

The Company's results and financial condition may be negatively affected should actual experience differ from management's assumptions and estimates.

In the conduct of business, the Company makes certain assumptions regarding mortality, morbidity, persistency, expenses, interest rates, equity markets, tax, business mix, casualty, contingent liabilities, investment performance, and other factors appropriate to the type of business it expects to experience in future periods. These assumptions are used to estimate the amounts of deferred policy acquisition costs, policy liabilities and accruals, future earnings, and various components of the Company's balance sheet. These assumptions are also used in the operation of the Company's business in making decisions crucial to the success of the Company, including the pricing of products and expense structures relating to products. The Company's actual experience, as well as changes in estimates, is used to prepare the Company's financial statements. To the extent the Company's actual experience and changes in estimates differ from original estimates, the Company's financial condition may be adversely affected.

Mortality, morbidity, and casualty assumptions incorporate underlying assumptions about many factors. Such factors may include, for example, how a product is distributed, for what purpose the product is purchased, the mix of customers purchasing the products, persistency and lapses, future progress in the fields of health and medicine, and the projected level of used vehicle values. Actual mortality, morbidity, and/or casualty experience may differ from expectations. In addition, continued activity in the viatical, stranger-owned, and/or life settlement industry could cause the Company's level of lapses to differ from its assumptions about persistency and lapses, which could negatively impact the Company's performance.

The calculations the Company uses to estimate various components of its balance sheet and statements of income are necessarily complex and involve analyzing and interpreting large quantities of data. The Company currently employs various techniques for such calculations and relies, in certain instances, on third parties to make or assist in making such calculations. From time to time it develops and implements more sophisticated administrative systems and procedures capable of facilitating the calculation of more precise estimates. The systems and procedures that the Company develops and the Company's reliance upon third parties could result in errors in the calculations that impact our financial statements or affect our financial condition.

Assumptions and estimates involve judgment, and by their nature are imprecise and subject to changes and revisions over time. Accordingly, the Company’s results may be affected, positively or negatively, from time to time, by actual results differing from assumptions, by changes in estimates, and by changes resulting from implementing more sophisticated administrative systems and procedures that facilitate the calculation of more precise estimates.

The Company may not realize its anticipated financial results from its acquisitions strategy.

The Company’s Acquisitions segment focuses on the acquisitions of companies and business operations, and the coinsurance of blocks of insurance business, all of which have increased the Company’s earnings. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will have future suitable opportunities for, or sufficient capital available to fund, such transactions. If our competitors have access to capital on more favorable terms or at a lower cost, our ability to compete for acquisitions may be diminished. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to realize any projected operating efficiencies or achieve the anticipated financial results from such transactions.

The Company may be unable to complete an acquisition transaction. Completion of an acquisition transaction may be more costly or take longer than expected, or may have a different or more costly financing structure than initially contemplated. In addition, the Company may not be able to complete or manage multiple acquisition transactions at the same time, or the completion of such transactions may be delayed or be more costly than initially contemplated. The Company, its affiliates, or other parties to the transaction may be unable to obtain regulatory approvals required to complete an acquisition transaction. If the Company identifies and completes suitable acquisitions, it may not be able to successfully integrate the business in a timely or cost-effective manner, or retain key personnel and business relationships necessary to achieve anticipated financial results. In addition, there may be unforeseen liabilities that arise in connection with businesses or blocks of insurance business that the Company acquires or reinsures. Additionally, in connection with its acquisition transactions that involve reinsurance, the Company assumes, or otherwise becomes responsible for, the obligations of policies and other liabilities of other insurers. Any regulatory, legal, financial, or other adverse development affecting the other insurer could also have an adverse effect on the Company.

Assets allocated to the MONY Closed Block benefit only the holders of certain policies; adverse performance of Closed Block assets or adverse experience of Closed Block liabilities may negatively affect the Company.

On October 1, 2013, the Company completed the acquisition of MONY Life Insurance Company ("MONY") from AXA Financial, Inc. MONY was converted from a mutual insurance company to a stock corporation in accordance with its Plan of Reorganization dated August 14, 1998, as amended. In connection with its demutualization, an accounting mechanism known as a closed block (the “Closed Block”) was established for the benefit of policyholders who owned certain individual insurance policies of MONY in force as of the date of demutualization. Please refer to Note 5, MONY Closed Block of Business , to the consolidated financial statements for a more detailed description of the Closed Block.

Assets allocated to the Closed Block inure solely to the benefit of the Closed Block’s policyholders and will not revert to the benefit of the Company. However, if the Closed Block has insufficient funds to make guaranteed policy benefit payments, such payments must be made from assets outside the Closed Block. Adverse financial or investment performance of the Closed Block, or adverse mortality or lapse experience on policies in the Closed Block, may require MONY to pay policyholder benefits using assets outside the Closed Block, which events could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations and negatively affect the Company’s risk-based capital ratios. In addition, regulatory actions could require payment of dividends to policyholders in a larger amount than is anticipated by the Company, which could have a material adverse impact on the Company.

The Company is dependent on the performance of others.

The Company’s results may be affected by the performance of others because the Company has entered into various arrangements involving other parties. For example, most of the Company’s products are sold through independent distribution channels, variable annuity deposits are invested in funds managed by third parties, and certain modified coinsurance assets are managed by third parties. The Company also enters into derivative transactions with various counterparties and clearinghouses. The Company may rely upon third parties to administer certain portions of its business or business that it reinsures. Additionally, the Company’s operations are dependent on various technologies, some of which are provided and/or maintained by other parties. Any of the other parties upon which the Company depends may default on their obligations to the Company due to bankruptcy, insolvency, lack of liquidity, adverse economic conditions, operational failure, fraud, or other reasons. Such defaults could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Certain of these other parties may act on behalf of the Company or represent the Company in various capacities. Consequently, the Company may be held responsible for obligations that arise from the acts or omissions of these other parties. As with all financial services companies, the Company’s ability to conduct business is dependent upon consumer confidence in the industry and its products. Actions of competitors and financial difficulties of other companies in the industry could undermine consumer confidence and adversely affect retention of existing business and future sales of the Company’s insurance and investment products.

The Company's risk management policies, practices, and procedures could leave it exposed to unidentified or unanticipated risks, which could negatively affect its business or result in losses.

The Company has developed risk management policies and procedures and expects to continue enhancing them in the future. Nonetheless, the Company's policies and procedures to identify, monitor, and manage both internal and external risks may not predict future exposures, which could be different or significantly greater than expected.

These identified risks may not be the only risks facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Company, or those that it currently deems to be immaterial, may adversely affect its business, financial condition and/or operating results.

The Company's strategies for mitigating risks arising from its day-to-day operations may prove ineffective resulting in a material adverse effect on its results of operations and financial condition.

The Company's performance is highly dependent on its ability to manage risks that arise from a large number of its day-to-day business activities, including, but not limited to, policy pricing, reserving and valuation, underwriting, claims processing, policy administration and servicing, administration of reinsurance, execution of its investment and hedging strategy, financial and tax reporting, and other activities, many of which are very complex. The Company also may rely on third parties for such activities. The Company seeks to monitor and control its exposure to risks arising out of or related to these activities through a variety of internal controls, management review processes, and other mechanisms. However, the occurrence of unanticipated risks, or the occurrence of risks of a greater magnitude than expected, including those arising from a failure in processes, procedures or systems implemented by the Company or a failure on the part of employees or third parties upon which the Company relies in this regard, may have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

Events that damage our reputation could adversely impact our business, results of operations or financial condition.     

There are events which could harm our reputation, including, but not limited to, regulatory investigations, legal proceedings, and cyber or other information security events. Depending on the severity of damage to our reputation, our sales of new business and/or retention of existing business could be negatively impacted, and our ability to compete for acquisition transactions or engage in financial transactions may be diminished, all of which could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

Risks Related to the Financial Environment

Interest rate fluctuations and sustained periods of low or high interest rates could negatively affect the Company's interest earnings and spread income, or otherwise impact its business.

Significant changes in interest rates expose the Company to the risk of not earning anticipated interest on products without significant account balances, or not realizing anticipated spreads between the interest rate earned on investments and the credited interest rates paid on in-force policies and contracts that have significant account balances. Both rising and declining interest rates as well as sustained periods of low interest rates could negatively affect the Company's interest earnings and spread income.

Lower interest rates may also result in lower sales of certain of the Company's life insurance and annuity products. Additionally, during periods of declining or low interest rates, certain previously issued life insurance and annuity products may be relatively more attractive investments to consumers, resulting in increased premium payments on products with flexible premium features, repayment of policy loans and increased persistency, or a higher percentage of insurance policies remaining in force from year to year during a period when the Company's investments earn lower returns. Certain of the Company's life insurance and annuity products guarantee a minimum credited interest rate, and the Company could become unable to earn its spread income or may earn less interest on its investments than it is required to credit to policyholders should interest rates decrease significantly and/or remain low for sustained periods. Additionally, the profitability of certain of the Company's life insurance products that do not have significant account balances could be reduced should interest rates decrease significantly and/or remain low for sustained periods.

The Company's expectations for future interest earnings and spreads are important components in amortization of deferred acquisition costs ("DAC") and value of business acquired ("VOBA"), and significantly lower interest earnings or spreads may accelerate amortization, thereby reducing net income in the affected reporting period. Sustained periods of low interest rates could also result in an increase in the valuation of the future policy benefit or policyholder account balance liabilities associated with the Company's products.

Higher interest rates may create a less favorable environment for the origination of mortgage loans and decrease the investment income the Company receives in the form of prepayment fees, make-whole payments, and mortgage participation income. Higher interest rates would also adversely affect the market value of fixed-income securities within the Company's

investment portfolio. Higher interest rates may also increase the cost of debt and other obligations of the Company having floating rate or rate reset provisions and may result in fluctuations in sales of annuity products. During periods of increasing market interest rates, the Company may offer higher crediting rates on interest-sensitive products, such as universal life insurance and fixed annuities, and it may increase crediting rates on in-force products to keep these products competitive. In addition, rapidly rising interest rates may cause increased policy surrenders, withdrawals from life insurance policies and annuity contracts, and requests for policy loans as policyholders and contract holders shift assets into higher yielding investments. Increases in crediting rates, as well as surrenders and withdrawals, could have an adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations, including earnings, equity (including accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ("AOCI")), and statutory risk-based capital ratios.

Additionally, the Company's asset/liability management programs and procedures incorporate assumptions about the relationship between short-term and long-term interest rates (i.e., the slope of the yield curve) and relationships between risk-adjusted and risk-free interest rates, market liquidity, and other factors. The effectiveness of the Company's asset/liability management programs and procedures may be negatively affected whenever actual results differ from these assumptions. In general, the Company's results of operations improve when the yield curve is positively sloped (i.e., when long-term interest rates are higher than short-term interest rates), and will be adversely affected by a flat or negatively sloped curve.

The Company's investments are subject to market and credit risks. These risks could be heightened during periods of extreme volatility or disruption in financial and credit markets.

The Company's invested assets and derivative financial instruments are subject to risks of credit defaults and changes in market values. These risks could be heightened during periods of extreme volatility or disruption in the financial and credit markets, including as a result of social or political unrest or instability domestically or abroad. A widening of credit spreads will increase the unrealized losses in the Company's investment portfolio. The factors affecting the financial and credit markets could lead to other-than-temporary impairments of assets in the Company's investment portfolio.

The value of the Company's commercial mortgage loan portfolio depends in part on the financial condition of the tenants occupying the properties that the Company has financed. The value of the Company's investment portfolio, including its portfolio of government debt obligations, debt obligations of those entities with an express or implied governmental guarantee and debt obligations of other issuers holding a large amount of such obligations, depends in part on the ability of the issuers or guarantors of such debt to maintain their credit ratings and meet their contractual obligations. Factors that may affect the overall default rate on, and market value of, the Company's invested assets, derivative financial instruments, and mortgage loans include interest rate levels, financial market performance, general economic conditions, and conditions affecting certain sectors of the economy, as well as particular circumstances affecting the individual tenants, borrowers, issuers and guarantors.

Significant continued financial and credit market volatility, changes in interest rates and credit spreads, credit defaults, real estate values, market illiquidity, declines in equity prices, acts of corporate malfeasance, ratings downgrades of the issuers or guarantors of these investments, and declines in general economic conditions and conditions affecting certain sectors of the economy, either alone or in combination, could have a material adverse impact on the Company's results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows through realized losses, impairments, changes in unrealized loss positions, and increased demands on capital, including obligations to post additional capital and collateral. In addition, market volatility can make it difficult for the Company to value certain of its assets, especially if trading becomes less frequent. Valuations may include assumptions or estimates that may have significant period-to-period changes that could have an adverse impact on the Company's results of operations or financial condition.

Equity market volatility could negatively impact the Company's business.

Volatility in equity markets may discourage prospective purchasers of variable separate account products, such as variable annuities, that have returns linked to the performance of equity markets and may cause some existing customers to withdraw cash values or reduce investments in those products. The amount of policy fees received from variable products is affected by the performance of the equity markets, increasing or decreasing as markets rise or fall. Decreases in policy fees could materially and adversely affect the profitability of our variable annuity products.

Equity market volatility can also affect the profitability of variable products in other ways, in particular as a result of death benefit and withdrawal benefit guarantees in these products. The estimated cost of providing guaranteed minimum death benefits ("GMDB") and guaranteed living withdrawal benefits ("GLWB") incorporates various assumptions about the overall performance of equity markets over certain time periods. Periods of significant and sustained downturns in equity markets or increased equity market volatility could result in an increase in the valuation of the future policy benefit or policyholder account balance liabilities associated with such products, resulting in a reduction to net income and an adverse impact to the statutory capital and risk-based capital ratios of the Company's insurance subsidiaries.

The amortization of DAC relating to variable products and the estimated cost of providing GMDB and GLWB incorporate various assumptions about the overall performance of equity markets over certain time periods. The rate of amortization of DAC and the cost of providing GMDB and GLWB could increase if equity market performance is worse than assumed.

The Company's use of derivative financial instruments within its risk management strategy may not be effective or sufficient.

The Company uses derivative financial instruments within its risk management strategy to mitigate risks to which it is exposed, including the adverse effects of domestic and/or international credit and/or equity market and/or interest rate levels, foreign exchange risks, or volatility on its fixed indexed annuity and variable annuity products with guaranteed benefit features.

These derivative financial instruments may not effectively offset the changes in the carrying value of the guarantees due to, among other things, the time lag between changes in the value of such guarantees and the changes in the value of the derivative financial instruments purchased by the Company, extreme credit and/or equity market and/or interest rate levels or volatility, contract holder behavior that differs from the Company’s expectations, and divergence between the performance of the underlying funds of such variable annuity products with guaranteed benefit features and the indices utilized by the Company in estimating its exposure to such guarantees.

The Company may also use derivative financial instruments within its risk management strategy to mitigate risks arising from its exposure to investments in individual issuers or sectors of issuers and to mitigate the adverse effects of distressed domestic and/or international credit and/or equity markets and/or interest rate levels or volatility on its overall financial condition or results of operations.

The use of derivative financial instruments by the Company may have an adverse impact on the level of statutory capital and the risk-based capital ratios of the Company's insurance subsidiaries. The Company employs strategies in the use of derivative financial instruments that are intended to mitigate such adverse impacts, but the Company's strategies may not be effective.

The Company may also choose not to hedge, in whole or in part, these or other risks that it has identified, due to, for example, the availability and/or cost of a suitable derivative financial instrument or, in reaction to extreme credit, equity market and/or interest rate levels or volatility. Additionally, the Company's estimates and assumptions made in connection with its use of any derivative financial instrument may fail to reflect or correspond to its actual long-term exposure in respect to identified risks. Derivative financial instruments held or purchased by the Company may also otherwise be insufficient to hedge the risks in relation to the Company's obligations. In addition, the Company may fail to identify risks, or the magnitude thereof, to which it is exposed. The Company is also exposed to the risk that its use of derivative financial instruments within its risk management strategy may not be properly designed and/or may not be properly implemented as designed.

The Company is also subject to the risk that its derivative counterparties or clearinghouse may fail or refuse to meet their obligations to the Company under derivative financial instruments. If the Company's derivative counterparties or clearinghouse fail or refuse to meet their obligations to the Company in this regard, the Company's efforts to mitigate risks to which it is subject through the use of such derivative financial instruments may prove to be ineffective or inefficient.

The above factors, either alone or in combination, may have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

Credit market volatility or disruption could adversely impact the Company's financial condition or results from operations.

Significant volatility or disruption in domestic or foreign credit markets, including as a result of social or political unrest or instability, could have an adverse impact in several ways on either the Company's financial condition or results from operations. Changes in interest rates and credit spreads could cause market price and cash flow variability in the fixed-income instruments in the Company's investment portfolio. Significant volatility and lack of liquidity in the credit markets could cause issuers of the fixed-income securities in the Company's investment portfolio to default on either principal or interest payments on these securities. Additionally, market price valuations may not accurately reflect the underlying expected cash flows of securities within the Company's investment portfolio.

The Company's statutory surplus is also impacted by widening credit spreads as a result of the accounting for the assets and liabilities on its fixed market value adjusted ("MVA") annuities. Statutory separate account assets supporting the fixed MVA annuities are recorded at fair value. In determining the statutory reserve for the fixed MVA annuities, the Company is required to use current crediting rates based on U.S. Treasuries. In many capital market scenarios, current crediting rates based on U.S. Treasuries are highly correlated with market rates implicit in the fair value of statutory separate account assets. As a result, the change in the statutory reserve from period to period will likely substantially offset the change in the fair value of the statutory separate account assets. However, in periods of volatile credit markets, actual credit spreads on investment assets may increase sharply for certain sub-sectors of the overall credit market, resulting in statutory separate account asset market value losses. Credit spreads are not consistently fully reflected in crediting rates based on U.S. Treasuries, and the calculation of statutory reserves will not substantially offset the change in fair value of the statutory separate account assets resulting in reductions in statutory surplus. This situation would result in the need to devote significant additional capital to support fixed MVA annuity products.

Volatility or disruption in the credit markets could also impact the Company's ability to efficiently access financial solutions for purposes of issuing long-term debt for financing purposes, its ability to obtain financial solutions for purposes of supporting certain traditional and universal life insurance products for capital management purposes, or result in an increase in the cost of existing securitization structures.

The ability of the Company to implement financing solutions designed to fund a portion of statutory reserves on both the traditional and universal life blocks of business is dependent upon factors such as the ratings of the Company, the size of the blocks of business affected, the mortality experience of the Company, the credit markets, and other factors. The Company cannot predict the continued availability of such solutions or the form that the market may dictate. To the extent that such financing solutions were desired but are not available, the Company's financial position could be adversely affected through impacts including, but not limited to, higher borrowing costs, surplus strain, lower sales capacity, and possible reduced earnings.

The Company's ability to grow depends in large part upon the continued availability of capital.

The Company deploys significant amounts of capital to support its sales and acquisitions efforts. Although the Company believes it has sufficient capital to fund its immediate capital needs, the amount of capital available can vary significantly from period to period due to a variety of circumstances, some of which are not predictable, foreseeable, or within the Company's control. Furthermore, our sole stockholder is not obligated to provide us with additional capital. A lack of sufficient capital could have a material adverse impact on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

A ratings downgrade or other negative action by a ratings organization could adversely affect the Company.

Various Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (“rating organizations”) review the financial performance and condition of insurers, including the Company’s insurance subsidiaries, and publish their financial strength ratings as indicators of an insurer’s ability to meet policyholder and contract holder obligations. While financial strength ratings are not a recommendation to buy the Company’s securities or products, these ratings are important to maintaining public confidence in the Company, its products, its ability to market its products, and its competitive position. A downgrade or other negative action by a ratings organization with respect to the financial strength ratings of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries or the debt ratings of the Company could adversely affect the Company in many ways, including, but not limited to, reducing new sales of insurance and investment products, adversely affecting relationships with distributors and sales agents, increasing the number or amount of policy surrenders and withdrawals of funds, requiring a reduction in prices for the Company’s insurance products and services in order to remain competitive, and adversely affecting the Company’s ability to obtain reinsurance at a reasonable price, on reasonable terms or at all. A downgrade of sufficient magnitude could result in the Company, its insurance subsidiaries, or both being required to collateralize reserves, balances or obligations under certain contractual obligations, including reinsurance, funding, swap, and securitization agreements. A downgrade of sufficient magnitude could also result in the termination of certain funding and swap agreements.

Rating organizations also publish credit ratings for issuers of debt securities, including the Company. Credit ratings are indicators of a debt issuer’s ability to meet the terms of debt obligations in a timely manner. These ratings are important to the Company’s overall ability to access credit markets and other types of liquidity. Credit ratings are not recommendations to buy the Company’s securities or products. Downgrades of the Company’s credit ratings, or an announced potential downgrade or other negative action, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial conditions and results of operations in many ways, including, but not limited to, limiting the Company’s access to capital markets, increasing the cost of debt, impairing its ability to raise capital to refinance maturing debt obligations, limiting its capacity to support the growth of its insurance subsidiaries, requiring it to pay higher amounts in connection with certain existing or future financing arrangements or transactions, and making it more difficult to maintain or improve the current financial strength ratings of its insurance subsidiaries. A downgrade of sufficient magnitude, in combination with other factors, could require the Company to post collateral pursuant to certain contractual obligations.

Rating organizations assign ratings based upon several factors. While most of the factors relate to the rated company, some of the factors relate to the views of the rating organization, general economic conditions, ratings of parent companies, and circumstances outside the rated company’s control. Factors identified by rating agencies that could lead to negative rating actions with respect to the Company or its insurance subsidiaries include, but are not limited to, weak growth in earnings, a deterioration of earnings (including deterioration due to spread compression in interest-sensitive lines of business), significant impairments in investment portfolios, heightened financial leverage, lower interest coverage ratios, risk-based capital ratios falling below ratings thresholds, a material reinsurance loss, underperformance of an acquisition, and the rating of a parent company. In addition, rating organizations use various models and formulas to assess the strength of a rated company, and from time to time rating organizations have, in their discretion, altered the models. Changes to the models could impact the rating organizations’ judgment of the rating to be assigned to the rated company. Rating organizations may take various actions, positive or negative, with respect to our debt ratings and financial strength ratings of our insurance subsidiaries, including as a result of our status as a subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life. Any negative action by a ratings agency could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations. The Company cannot predict what actions the rating organizations may take, or what actions the Company may take in response to the actions of the rating organizations.

The Company could be forced to sell investments at a loss to cover policyholder withdrawals.

Many of the products offered by the Company allow policyholders and contract holders to withdraw their funds under defined circumstances. The Company manages its liabilities and configures its investment portfolios so as to provide and maintain sufficient liquidity to support expected withdrawal demands and contract benefits and maturities. While the Company owns a significant amount of liquid assets, a certain portion of its assets are relatively illiquid. If the Company experiences unexpected withdrawal or surrender activity, it could exhaust its liquid assets and be forced to liquidate other assets, perhaps at a loss or on other unfavorable terms. If the Company is forced to dispose of assets at a loss or on unfavorable terms, it could have an adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, the degree of which would vary in relation to the magnitude of the unexpected surrender or withdrawal activity.

Disruption of the capital and credit markets could negatively affect the Company's ability to meet its liquidity and financing needs.

The Company needs liquidity to meet its obligations to its policyholders and its debt holders, and to pay its operating expenses. The Company's sources of liquidity include insurance premiums, annuity considerations, deposit funds, cash flow from

investments and assets, and other income from its operations. In normal credit and capital market conditions, the Company's sources of liquidity also include a variety of short-term and long-term borrowing arrangements, including issuing debt securities.

The Company’s business is dependent on the capital and credit markets, including confidence in such markets. When the credit and capital markets are disrupted and confidence is eroded the Company may not be able to borrow money, including through the issuance of debt securities, or the cost of borrowing or raising capital may be prohibitively high. If the Company’s internal sources of liquidity are inadequate during such periods, the Company could suffer negative effects from not being able to borrow money, or from having to do so on unfavorable terms. The negative effects could include being forced to sell assets at a loss, a lowering of the Company’s credit ratings and the financial strength ratings of its insurance subsidiaries, and the possibility that customers, lenders, ratings agencies, or regulators develop a negative perception of the Company’s financial prospects, which could lead to further adverse effects on the Company.

Difficult general economic conditions could materially adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations.

The Company's business and results of operations could be materially affected by difficult general economic conditions. Stressed economic conditions and volatility and disruptions in capital markets, particular markets or financial asset classes can have an adverse effect on the Company due to the size of the Company's investment portfolio and the sensitive nature of insurance liabilities to changing market factors. Disruptions in one market or asset class can also spread to other markets or asset classes. Volatility in financial markets can also affect the Company's business by adversely impacting general levels of economic activity, employment and customer behavior.

Like other financial institutions, and particularly life insurers, the Company may be adversely affected by these conditions. The presence of these conditions could have an adverse impact on the Company by, among other things, decreasing demand for its insurance and investment products, and increasing the level of lapses and surrenders of its policies. The Company and its subsidiaries could also experience additional ratings downgrades from ratings agencies, unrealized losses, significant realized losses, impairments in its investment portfolio, and charges incurred as a result of mark-to-market and fair value accounting principles. If general economic conditions become more difficult, the Company's ability to access sources of capital and liquidity may be limited.

Economic trends may worsen in 2017, thus contributing to increased volatility and diminished expectations for the economy, markets, and financial asset classes. The Company cannot predict the occurrence of economic trends or the likelihood or timing of improvement in such trends.

The Company may be required to establish a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations, financial condition, and capital position.

Deferred tax assets are attributable to certain differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets represent future savings of taxes that would otherwise be paid in cash. In general, the realization of the deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of sufficient future ordinary and capital taxable income. If it is determined that a certain deferred tax asset cannot be realized, then a deferred tax valuation allowance must be established, with a corresponding charge to either adjusted operating income or other comprehensive income (depending on the nature of the deferred tax asset).

Based on the Company's current assessment of future taxable income, including available tax planning opportunities, the Company anticipates that it is more likely than not that it will generate sufficient taxable income to realize its material deferred tax assets net of any existing valuation allowance. The Company has recognized valuation allowances of $9.2 million and $7.4 million as of December 31, 2016 (Successor Company) and December 31, 2015 (Successor Company), respectively, related to state operating loss carryforwards which are more likely than not to expire unutilized. If future events differ from the Company's current forecasts, an additional valuation allowance may need to be established, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations, financial condition, or capital position.

The Company could be adversely affected by an inability to access its credit facility.

The Company relies on its credit facility as a potential source of liquidity. The availability of these funds could be critical to the Company’s credit and financial strength ratings and its ability to meet obligations, particularly when alternative sources of credit or liquidity are either difficult to access or costly. The availability of the Company’s credit facility is dependent in part on the ability of the lenders to provide funds under the facility. The Company’s credit facility contains various affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, including covenants requiring the Company to maintain a specified minimum consolidated net worth. The Company’s right to make borrowings under the facility is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions, including its compliance with all covenants. The Company’s failure to comply with the covenants in the credit facility could restrict its ability to access this credit facility when needed. The Company’s inability to access some or all of the line of credit under the credit facility could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations.

The Company could be adversely affected by an inability to access FHLB lending.

The Company is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank (the “FHLB”) of Cincinnati and the FHLB of New York. Membership provides the Company with access to FHLB financial services, including advances that provide an attractive funding source for short-term borrowing and for the sale of funding agreements. In recent years, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) has released advisory bulletins addressing concerns associated with insurance company (as opposed to federally-backed bank) access to FHLB financial services, the state insurance regulatory framework and FHLB creditor status in the event of member

insurer insolvency. In response to FHFA actions, FHLB members, the NAIC and trade groups developed model legislation that would subject insurers accessing FHLB funding to collateral requirements similar to those applicable to federally insured depository institutions. While members of the FHLB and NAIC were not able to agree on certain points, legislation based on this model has been introduced and adopted in several states and is not being opposed by the NAIC. It is unclear at this time whether or to what extent additional or new legislation or regulatory action regarding continued access to FHLB financial services will be enacted or adopted. Any developments that limit access to FHLB financial services could have a material adverse effect on the Company.

The Company's financial condition or results of operations could be adversely impacted if the Company's assumptions regarding the fair value and future performance of its investments differ from actual experience.

The Company makes assumptions regarding the fair value and expected future performance of its investments. Expectations that the Company's investments in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities will continue to perform in accordance with their contractual terms are based on assumptions a market participant would use in determining the current fair value and consider the performance of the underlying assets. It is reasonably possible that the underlying collateral of these investments will perform worse than current market expectations and that such reduced performance may lead to adverse changes in the cash flows on the Company's holdings of these types of securities. In addition, expectations that the Company's investments in corporate securities and/or debt obligations will continue to perform in accordance with their contractual terms are based on evidence gathered through its normal credit surveillance process. It is possible that issuers of the Company's investments in corporate securities and/or debt obligations will perform worse than current expectations. The occurrence of any of the foregoing events could lead the Company to recognize write-downs within its portfolio of mortgage and asset-backed securities or its portfolio of corporate securities and/or debt obligations. It is also possible that such unanticipated events would lead the Company to dispose of such investments and recognize the effects of any market movements in its financial statements. The Company also makes certain assumptions when utilizing internal models to value certain of its investments. It is possible that actual results will differ from the Company's assumptions. Such events could result in a material change in the value of the Company's investments.

Adverse actions of certain funds or their advisers could have a detrimental impact on the Company's ability to sell its variable life and annuity products, or maintain current levels of assets in those products.

Certain of the Company's insurance subsidiaries have arrangements with various open-end investment companies, or "mutual funds", and the investment advisers to those mutual funds, to offer the mutual funds as investment options in the Company's variable life and annuity products. It is possible that the termination of one or more of those arrangements by a mutual fund or its adviser could have a detrimental impact on the company's ability to sell its variable life and annuity products, or maintain current levels of assets in those products, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

The amount of statutory capital or risk-based capital that the Company has and the amount of statutory capital or risk-based capital that it must hold to maintain its financial strength and credit ratings and meet other requirements can vary significantly from time to time and such amounts are sensitive to a number of factors outside of the Company’s control.

The Company primarily conducts business through licensed insurance company subsidiaries. Insurance regulators have established regulations that provide minimum capitalization requirements based on risk-based capital formulas for life and property and casualty companies. The risk-based capital formula for life insurance companies establishes capital requirements relating to insurance, business, asset, interest rate, and certain other risks. The risk-based capital formula for property and casualty companies establishes capital requirements relating to asset, credit, underwriting, and certain other risks.

In any particular year, statutory surplus amounts and risk-based capital ratios may increase or decrease depending on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the amount of statutory income or losses generated by the Company’s insurance subsidiaries (which itself is sensitive to equity market and credit market conditions), the amount of additional capital its insurance subsidiaries must hold to support business growth, changes in the Company’s statutory reserve requirements, the Company’s ability to secure capital market solutions to provide statutory reserve relief, changes in equity market levels, the value of certain fixed-income and equity securities in its investment portfolio, the credit ratings of investments held in its portfolio, including those issued by, or explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by, a government, the value of certain derivative instruments, changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, credit market volatility, changes in consumer behavior, and changes to the NAIC risk-based capital formula. Most of these factors are outside of the Company’s control. The Company’s financial strength and credit ratings are significantly influenced by the statutory surplus amounts and risk-based capital ratios of its insurance company subsidiaries. Rating agencies may implement changes to their internal models that have the effect of increasing or decreasing the amount of statutory capital the Company must hold in order to maintain its current ratings. In addition, rating agencies may downgrade the investments held in the Company’s portfolio, which could result in a reduction of the Company’s capital and surplus and/or its risk-based capital ratio.

In scenarios of equity market declines, the amount of additional statutory reserves or risk-based capital the Company is required to hold for its variable product guarantees may increase at a rate greater than the rate of change of the markets. Increases in reserves or risk-based capital could result in a reduction to the Company’s capital, surplus, and/or risk-based capital ratio. Also, in environments where there is not a correlative relationship between interest rates and spreads, the Company’s market value adjusted annuity product can have a material adverse effect on the Company’s statutory surplus position.

The Company operates as a holding company and depends on the ability of its subsidiaries to transfer funds to it to meet its obligations.

The Company operates as a holding company for its insurance and other subsidiaries and does not have any significant operations of its own. The Company's primary sources of funding are dividends from its operating subsidiaries, revenues from investment, data processing, legal, and management services rendered to subsidiaries, investment income, and external financing. These funding sources support the Company's general corporate needs including its debt service. If the funding the Company receives from its subsidiaries is insufficient for it to fund its debt service and other holding company obligations, it may be required to raise funds through the incurrence of debt, or the sale of assets.

The states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled impose certain restrictions on the subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends and make other payments to the Company. State insurance regulators may prohibit the payment of dividends or other payments to the Company by its insurance subsidiaries if they determine that the payments could be adverse to the insurance subsidiary or its policyholders or contract holders.

Industry and Regulatory Related Risks

The business of the Company is highly regulated and is subject to routine audits, examinations and actions by regulators, law enforcement agencies and self-regulatory organizations.

The Company is subject to government regulation in each of the states in which it conducts business. In many instances, the regulatory models emanate from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”). Such regulation is vested in state agencies having broad administrative and in some instances discretionary power dealing with many aspects of the Company’s business, which may include, among other things, premium rates and increases thereto, underwriting practices, reserve requirements, marketing practices, advertising, privacy, policy forms, reinsurance reserve requirements, insurer use of captive reinsurance companies, acquisitions, mergers, capital adequacy, claims practices and the remittance of unclaimed property. In addition, some state insurance departments may enact rules or regulations with extra-territorial application, effectively extending their jurisdiction to areas such as permitted insurance company investments that are normally the province of an insurance company’s domiciliary state regulator.

At any given time, a number of financial, market conduct, or other examinations or audits of the Company’s subsidiaries may be ongoing. It is possible that any examination or audit may result in payments of fines and penalties, payments to customers, or both, as well as changes in systems or procedures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are required to obtain state regulatory approval for rate increases for certain health insurance products. The Company’s profits may be adversely affected if the requested rate increases are not approved in full by regulators in a timely fashion.

State insurance regulators and the NAIC regularly re-examine existing laws and regulations applicable to insurance companies and their products. Changes in these laws and regulations, or in interpretations thereof, are often made for the benefit of the consumer and may lead to additional expense for the insurer and, thus, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. At the federal level, bills are routinely introduced in both chambers of the United States Congress that could affect life insurers. In the past, Congress has considered legislation that would impact insurance companies in numerous ways, such as providing for an optional federal charter or a federal presence for insurance, preempting state law in certain respects regarding the regulation of reinsurance, increasing federal oversight in areas such as consumer protection and solvency regulation, setting tax rates, and other matters. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form legislation will be enacted and, if so, whether the enacted legislation will positively or negatively affect the Company or whether any effects will be material.

The Company may be subject to regulations of, or regulations influenced by, international regulatory authorities or initiatives.

The NAIC and the Company’s state regulators may be influenced by the initiatives of international regulatory bodies, and those initiatives may not translate readily into the legal system under which U.S. insurers must operate. There is increasing pressure to conform to international standards due to the globalization of the business of insurance and the most recent financial crisis. In addition to developments at the NAIC and in the United States, the Financial Stability Board (“FSB”), consisting of representatives of national financial authorities of the G20 nations, and the G20 have issued a series of proposals intended to produce significant changes in how financial companies, particularly companies that are members of large and complex financial groups, should be regulated.

The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (“IAIS”), at the direction of the FSB, has published an evolving methodology for identifying “global systemically important insurers” (“G-SIIs”) and high-level policy measures that will apply to G-SIIs. The FSB, working with national authorities and the IAIS, has designated nine insurance groups as G-SIIs. The IAIS is working on the policy measures which include higher capital requirements and enhanced supervision. Although neither the Company nor Dai-ichi Life has been designated as a G-SII, the list of designated insurers will be updated annually by the FSB. It is possible that the greater size and reach of the combined group as a result of the Company becoming a subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life, or a change in the methodologies or their application, could lead to the combined group’s designation as a G-SII.

The IAIS is also in the process of developing a common framework for the supervision of internationally active insurance groups (“IAIGs”), which is targeted to be implemented in 2019. Under the proposed framework, insurance groups deemed to be IAIGs may be required by their regulators to comply with new global capital requirements, which may exceed the sum of state or other local capital requirements. In addition, the IAIS is developing a model framework for the supervision of IAIGs that

contemplates “group wide supervision” across national boundaries, which requires each IAIG to conduct its own risk and solvency assessment to monitor and manage its overall solvency. It is likely that, as a result of the Merger, the combined group will be deemed an IAIG, in which case it may be subject to supervision and capital requirements beyond those applicable to any competitors who are not designated as an IAIG.

The Company’s sole stockholder, Dai-ichi Life, is also subject to regulation by the Japanese Financial Services Authority (“JFSA”). Under applicable laws and regulations, Dai-ichi Life is required to provide notice to or obtain the consent of the JFSA prior to taking certain actions or engaging in certain transactions, either directly or indirectly through its subsidiaries, including the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, which could limit the ability of the Company to engage in certain transactions or business initiatives.

While it is not yet known how or the extent to which the Company will be impacted by these regulations, the Company may experience increased costs of compliance, increased disclosure, less flexibility in capital management, and more burdensome regulation and capital requirements for specific lines of business. In addition, such regulations could impact the business of the Company and its reserve and capital requirements, financial condition or results of operations.

NAIC actions, pronouncements and initiatives may affect the Company’s product profitability, reserve and capital requirements, financial condition or results of operations.

Although some NAIC pronouncements, particularly as they affect accounting, reserving and risk-based capital issues, may take effect automatically without affirmative action taken by the states, the NAIC is not a governmental entity and its processes and procedures do not comport with those to which governmental entities typically adhere. Therefore, it is possible that actions could be taken by the NAIC that become effective without the procedural safeguards that would be present if governmental action was required. In addition, with respect to some financial regulations and guidelines, states sometimes defer to the interpretation of the insurance department of a non-domiciliary state. Neither the action of the domiciliary state nor the action of the NAIC is binding on a non-domiciliary state. Accordingly, a state could choose to follow a different interpretation. The Company is also subject to the risk that compliance with any particular regulator’s interpretation of a legal, accounting or actuarial issue may result in non-compliance with another regulator’s interpretation of the same issue, particularly when compliance is judged in hindsight. There is an additional risk that any particular regulator’s interpretation of a legal, accounting or actuarial issue may change over time to the Company’s detriment, or that changes to the overall legal or market environment may cause the Company to change its practices in ways that may, in some cases, limit its growth or profitability. Statutes, regulations, interpretations, and instructions may be applied with retroactive impact, particularly in areas such as accounting, reserve and risk-based capital requirements. Also, regulatory actions with prospective impact can potentially have a significant impact on currently sold products.

The NAIC has announced more focused inquiries on certain matters that could have an impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Such inquiries concern, for example, examination of statutory accounting disclosures for separate accounts, insurer use of captive reinsurance companies, variable annuity reserves and capital treatment, certain aspects of insurance holding company reporting and disclosure, reinsurance, cybersecurity practices, and risk-based capital calculations. In addition, the NAIC continues to consider various initiatives to change and modernize its financial and solvency requirements and regulations. It has adopted principles-based reserving methodologies for life insurance and annuity reserves, but additional formulas and/or guidance relevant to the new standard are being developed. The NAIC is also considering changes to accounting and risk-based capital regulations, governance practices of insurers, and other items. The Company cannot currently estimate what impact these more focused inquiries or proposed changes, if they occur, will have on its product mix, product profitability, reserve and capital requirements, financial condition or results of operations.

The Company’s use of captive reinsurance companies to finance statutory reserves related to its term and universal life products and to reduce volatility affecting its variable annuity products may be limited or adversely affected by regulatory action, pronouncements and interpretations.

The Company currently uses affiliated captive reinsurance companies in various structures to finance certain statutory reserves based on a regulation entitled “Valuation of Life Insurance Policies Model Regulation,” commonly known as “Regulation XXX,” and a supporting guideline entitled “The Application of the Valuation of Life Insurance Policies Model Regulation,” commonly known as “Guideline AXXX,” which are associated with term life insurance and universal life insurance with secondary guarantees, respectively, as well as to reduce the volatility in statutory risk-based capital associated with certain guaranteed minimum withdrawal and death benefit riders associated with certain of the Company’s variable annuity products.

The NAIC has adopted Actuarial Guideline XLVIII ("AG48") and the substantially similar "Term and Universal Life Insurance Reserve Financing Model Regulation" (the "Reserve Model") which establish national standards for new reserve financing arrangements for term life insurance and universal life insurance with secondary guarantees. AG48 and the Reserve Model govern collateral requirements for captive reinsurance arrangements. In order to obtain reserve credit, AG48 and the Reserve Model require a minimum level of funds, consisting of primary and other securities, to be held by or on behalf of ceding insurers as security under each captive life reinsurance treaty. As a result of AG48 and the Reserve Model, the implementation of new captive structures in the future may be less capital efficient, lead to lower product returns and/or increased product pricing, or result in reduced sales of certain products. In some circumstances, AG48 and the Reserve Model could impact the Company’s ability to engage in certain reinsurance transactions with non-affiliates.    

The Financial Condition (E) Committee of the NAIC established a Variable Annuity Issues Working Group ("VAIWG") in 2015 to oversee the NAIC’s efforts to study and address regulatory issues resulting in variable annuity captive reinsurance transactions. The VAIWG developed a Framework for Change (the “Framework”) which was adopted in 2015. The Framework suggests numerous changes to current NAIC rules and regulations that are intended to decrease incentives for insurers to establish

variable annuities captives, which changes could potentially be applied to both in-force and new business. The Framework proposes that various NAIC groups consider and adopt recommended changes to current rules and regulations (with a targeted effective date in 2018) and that, upon adoption, domestic regulators request that insurers ceding business to variable annuity captives recapture such business and dissolve such captives. The VAIWG received a draft proposal for changes in late 2016. If the proposal is adopted, changes in the regulation of variable annuities and variable annuity captives could adversely affect our future financial condition and results of operations.

The NAIC adopted revisions to the Part A Laws and Regulations Preamble (the "Preamble") of the NAIC Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation Program that will include within the definition of “multi-state insurer” certain insurer-owned captives and special purpose vehicles that are single-state licensed but assume reinsurance from cedants operating in multiple states. The revised definition will subject certain captives, including XXX/AXXX captives, variable annuity and long-term care captives, to all of the accreditation standards applicable to other traditional multi-state insurers, including standards related to capital and surplus requirements, risk-based capital requirements, investment laws and credit for reinsurance laws. Although we do not expect the revised definition to affect our existing life insurance captives (or our ability to engage in life insurance captive transactions in the future), such application will likely prevent us from engaging in variable annuity captive transactions on the same or a similar basis as in the past and, if applied retroactively, would likely cause us to recapture business from and unwind our existing variable annuity captive (“VA Captive”).

While the recapture of business from our existing VA Captive, caused either by actions of the VAIWG or the effect of the Preamble, would not have a material adverse effect on the Company given current market conditions, in the future the Company could experience fluctuations in its risk-based capital ratio due to market volatility if it were prohibited from engaging in similar transactions or required to unwind its existing VA Captive, which could adversely affect our future financial condition and results of operations.

Any regulatory action or change in interpretation that materially adversely affects the Company’s use or materially increases the Company’s cost of using captives or reinsurers for the Affected Business, either retroactively or prospectively, could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations. If the Company were required to discontinue its use of captives for intercompany reinsurance transactions on a retroactive basis, adverse impacts would include early termination fees payable with respect to certain structures, diminished capital position and higher cost of capital. Additionally, finding alternative means to support policy liabilities efficiently is an unknown factor that would be dependent, in part, on future market conditions and the Company’s ability to obtain required regulatory approvals. On a prospective basis, discontinuation of the use of captives could impact the types, amounts and pricing of products offered by the Company’s insurance subsidiaries.

Laws, regulations and initiatives related to unreported deaths and unclaimed property and death benefits may result in operational burdens, fines, unexpected payments or escheatments.

Since 2012, various states have enacted laws that require life insurers to search for unreported deaths. The National Conference of Insurance Legislators (“NCOIL”) has adopted the Model Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act (the “Unclaimed Benefits Act”) and legislation or regulations have been enacted in numerous states that are similar to the Unclaimed Benefits Act, although each state’s version differs in some respects. The Unclaimed Benefits Act, if adopted by any state, imposes new requirements on insurers to periodically compare their life insurance and annuity contracts and retained asset accounts against the U.S. Social Security Administration's Death Master File or similar databases (a "Death Database"), investigate any potential matches to confirm the death and determine whether benefits are due, and to attempt to locate the beneficiaries of any benefits that are due or, if no beneficiary can be located, escheat the benefit to the state as unclaimed property. Other states in which the Company does business may also consider adopting legislation similar to the Unclaimed Benefits Act. The Company cannot predict whether such legislation will be proposed or enacted in additional states. Additionally, the NAIC Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits (A) Working Group is developing a model unclaimed property law that overlaps with the NCOIL-based laws already adopted in numerous states.

The Uniform Laws Commission has adopted revisions to the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act in a manner likely to impact state unclaimed property laws and requirements, though it is not clear at this time to what extent or whether requirements will conflict with otherwise imposed search requirements. Other life insurance industry associations and regulatory associations are also considering these matters. Certain states have amended or may amend their unclaimed property laws to require insurers to compare in-force and certain terminated life insurance policies, annuity contracts, and retained asset accounts against a Death Database, to investigate potential matches to determine whether the named insured is deceased, to attempt to locate and pay beneficiaries any unclaimed benefits required to be paid, and, if no beneficiary can be located, to escheat policy benefits to the appropriate state as unclaimed property. The enactment of such unclaimed property laws may require the Company to incur significant expenses, including benefits with respect to terminated policies for which no reserves are currently held and unanticipated operational expenses. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations.

A number of state treasury departments and administrators of unclaimed property have audited life insurance companies for compliance with unclaimed property laws. The focus of the audits has been to determine whether there have been maturities of policies or contracts, or policies that have exceeded limiting age with respect to which death benefits or other payments under the policies should be treated as unclaimed property that should be escheated to the state. In addition, the audits have sought to identify unreported deaths of insureds. There is no clear basis in previously existing law for treating an unreported death as giving rise to a policy benefit that would be subject to unclaimed property procedures. A number of life insurers, however, have entered into resolution agreements with state treasury departments and administrators of unclaimed property under which the life insurers agreed to procedures for comparing their previously issued life insurance and annuity contracts and retained asset accounts against a Death Database, treating confirmed deaths as giving rise to a death benefit under their policies, locating beneficiaries and paying

them the benefits and interest, escheating the benefits and interest, in some cases at a negotiated rate, to the state if the beneficiary could not be found, and paying penalties to the state, if required. The amounts publicly reported to have been paid to beneficiaries and/or escheated to the states have been substantial.

The NAIC has established an Investigations of Life/Annuity Claims Settlement Practices (D) Task Force to coordinate targeted multi-state examinations of life insurance companies on claims settlement practices. The state insurance regulators on the Task Force have initiated targeted multi-state examinations of life insurance companies with respect to the companies’ claims paying practices and use of a Death Database to identify unreported deaths in their life insurance policies, annuity contracts and retained asset accounts. There is no clear basis in previously existing law for requiring a life insurer to search for unreported deaths in order to determine whether a benefit is owed. A number of life insurers, however, have entered into settlement or consent agreements with state insurance regulators under which the life insurers agreed to implement systems and procedures for periodically comparing their life insurance and annuity contracts and retained asset accounts against a Death Database, treating confirmed deaths as giving rise to a death benefit under their policies, locating beneficiaries and paying them the benefits and interest, escheating the benefits and interest to the state if the beneficiary could not be found, and paying penalties to the state, if required. It has been publicly reported that the life insurers have paid substantial administrative and/or examination fees to the insurance regulators in connection with the settlement or consent agreements.

Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries as well as certain other insurance companies from whom the Company has coinsured blocks of life insurance and annuity policies are subject to unclaimed property audits and/or targeted multi-state examinations by insurance regulators similar to those described above. It is possible that the audits, examinations and/or the enactment of state laws similar to the Unclaimed Benefits Act could result in additional payments to beneficiaries, additional escheatment of funds deemed abandoned under state laws, payment of administrative penalties and/or examination fees to state authorities, and changes to the Company’s procedures for identifying unreported deaths and escheatment of abandoned property. It is possible any such additional payments and any costs related to changes in Company procedures could materially impact the Company’s financial results from operations. It is also possible that life insurers, including the Company, may be subject to claims, regulatory actions, law enforcement actions, and civil litigation arising from their prior business practices, unclaimed property practices or related audits and examinations. Any resulting liabilities, payments or costs, including initial and ongoing costs of changes to the Company’s procedures or systems, could be significant and could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.

During December 2012, the West Virginia Treasurer filed actions against the Company’s subsidiaries Protective Life Insurance Company and West Coast Life Insurance Company in West Virginia state court ( State of West Virginia ex rel. John D. Perdue v. Protective Life Insurance Company ; State of West Virginia ex rel. John D. Perdue v. West Coast Life Insurance Company ; Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss granted on December 27, 2013; Notice of Appeal filed on January 27, 2014; dismissal reversed by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals on June 16, 2015; Petition for Rehearing filed by Defendant insurance companies denied on September 21, 2015). The actions, which also name numerous other life insurance companies, allege that the companies violated the West Virginia Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, seek to compel compliance with the Act, and seek payment of unclaimed property, interest, and penalties. While the legal theory or theories that may give rise to liability in the West Virginia Treasurer litigation are uncertain, it is possible that other jurisdictions may pursue similar actions. The Company does not currently believe that losses, if any, arising from the West Virginia Treasurer litigation will be material. The Company cannot, however, predict whether other jurisdictions will pursue similar actions or, if they do, whether such actions will have a material impact on the Company’s financial results from operations.

The Company is subject to insurance guaranty fund laws, rules and regulations that could adversely affect the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

Under insurance guaranty fund laws in most states, insurance companies doing business therein can be assessed up to prescribed limits for policyholder losses incurred by insolvent companies. From time to time, companies may be asked to contribute amounts beyond prescribed limits. It is possible that the Company could be assessed with respect to product lines not offered by the Company. In addition, legislation may be introduced in various states with respect to guaranty fund assessment laws related to insurance products, including long term care insurance and other specialty products, that alters future premium tax offsets received in connection with guaranty fund assessments. The Company cannot predict the amount, nature or timing of any future assessments or legislation, any of which could have a material and adverse impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

The Company is subject to insurable interest laws, rules and regulations that could adversely affect the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

The purchase of life insurance products is limited by state insurable interest laws, which in most jurisdictions require that the purchaser of life insurance name a beneficiary that has some interest in the sustained life of the insured. To some extent, the insurable interest laws present a barrier to the life settlement, or “stranger-owned” industry, in which a financial entity acquires an interest in life insurance proceeds, and efforts have been made in some states to liberalize the insurable interest laws. To the extent these laws are relaxed, the Company’s lapse assumptions may prove to be incorrect, which could adversely affect the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

The Healthcare Act and related regulations could adversely affect the results of operations or financial condition of the Company.

The Company is subject to various conditions and requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the “Healthcare Act”). The Healthcare Act makes significant changes to the regulation of health insurance and may affect the Company in various ways. The Healthcare Act may affect the small blocks of business the Company has offered or acquired over

the years that are, or are deemed to constitute, health insurance. The Healthcare Act may also affect the benefit plans the Company sponsors for employees or retirees and their dependents, the Company’s expense to provide such benefits, the tax liabilities of the Company in connection with the provision of such benefits, and the Company’s ability to attract or retain employees. In addition, the Company may be subject to regulations, guidance or determinations emanating from the various regulatory authorities authorized under the Healthcare Act. The Company cannot predict the effect that the Healthcare Act, any amendments or modifications thereto, or any regulatory pronouncement made thereunder, will have on its results of operations or financial condition.

Laws, rules and regulations promulgated in connection with the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act may adversely affect the results of operations or financial condition of the Company.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank”) enacted in July 2010 made sweeping changes to the regulation of financial services entities, products and markets. Certain provisions of Dodd-Frank are or may become applicable to the Company, its competitors or those entities with which the Company does business. Such provisions include, but are not limited to: the establishment of consolidated federal regulation and resolution authority over systemically important financial services firms, the establishment of the Federal Insurance Office, changes to the regulation and standards applicable to broker-dealers and investment advisors, changes to the regulation of reinsurance, changes to regulations affecting the rights of shareowners, and the imposition of additional regulation over credit rating agencies, and the imposition of concentration limits on financial institutions that restrict the amount of credit that may be extended to a single person or entity. Since the enactment of Dodd-Frank, many regulations have been enacted and others are likely to be adopted in the future that will have an impact upon the Company. Dodd-Frank also created the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “FSOC”), which has issued a final rule and interpretive guidance setting forth the methodology by which it will determine whether a non-bank financial company is a systemically important financial institution (“SIFI”). A non-bank financial company, such as the Company, that is designated as a SIFI by the FSOC will become subject to supervision by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). The Company is not currently supervised by the Federal Reserve as a SIFI. Such supervision could impact the Company’s requirements relating to capital, liquidity, stress testing, limits on counterparty credit exposure, compliance and governance, early remediation in the event of financial weakness and other prudential matters, and in other ways the Company currently cannot anticipate. FSOC-designated non-bank financial companies will also be required to prepare resolution plans, so-called “living wills,” that set out how they could most efficiently be liquidated if they endangered the U.S. financial system or the broader economy. The FSOC has conducted multiple rounds of SIFI designation consideration. However, this process is still new, and the FSOC continues to make changes to its process for designating a company as a SIFI. The FSOC has made its initial SIFI designations, and the Company was not designated as such. However, the Company could be considered and designated at any time. Because the process is in its initial stages, the Company is at this time unable to predict the impact on an entity that is supervised as a SIFI by the Federal Reserve Board. The Company is not able to predict whether the capital requirements or other requirements imposed on SIFIs may impact the requirements applicable to the Company even if it is not designated as a SIFI. The uncertainty about regulatory requirements could influence the Company’s product line or other business decisions with respect to some product lines.

Additionally, Dodd-Frank created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), an independent division of the Department of Treasury with jurisdiction over credit, savings, payment, and other consumer financial products and services, but excluding investment products already regulated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFPB has supervisory authority over certain non-banks whose activities or products it determines pose risks to consumers, and issued a rule in 2016 amending regulations under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act that requires the Company to, among other things, collect and disclose extensive data related to its lending practices. At this time, the rule relates to reporting data relative to Company loans made on multi-family apartments, seniors living housing, manufactured housing communities and any mixed-use properties which contain a residential component. It is unclear at this time how burdensome compliance with this or other rules promulgated under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act will become.

Certain of the Company’s subsidiaries sell products that may be regulated by the CFPB. CFPB continues to bring enforcement actions involving a growing number of issues, including actions brought jointly with state Attorneys General, which could directly or indirectly affect the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Additionally, the CFPB is exploring the possibility of helping Americans manage their retirement savings and is considering the extent of its authority in that area. The Company is unable at this time to predict the impact of these activities on the Company.

Dodd-Frank includes a framework of regulation of over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives markets which requires clearing of certain types of transactions which have been or are currently traded OTC by the Company. The types of transactions to be cleared are expected to increase in the future. The new framework could potentially impose additional costs, including increased margin requirements and additional regulation on the Company. Increased margin requirements on the Company’s part, combined with restrictions on securities that will qualify as eligible collateral, could continue to reduce its liquidity and require an increase in its holdings of cash and government securities with lower yields causing a reduction in income. The Company uses derivative financial instruments to mitigate a wide range of risks in connection with its businesses, including those arising from its variable annuity products with guaranteed benefit features. The derivative clearing requirements of Dodd-Frank could continue to increase the cost of the Company’s risk mitigation and expose it to the risk of a default by a clearinghouse with respect to the Company’s cleared derivative transactions.

Numerous provisions of Dodd-Frank require the adoption of implementing rules and/or regulations. The process of adopting such implementing rules and/or regulations have in some instances been delayed beyond the timeframes imposed by Dodd-Frank. Until the various final regulations are promulgated pursuant to Dodd-Frank, the full impact of the regulations on the Company will remain unclear. In addition, Dodd-Frank mandates multiple studies, which could result in additional legislation or regulation applicable to the insurance industry, the Company, its competitors or the entities with which the Company does business. Legislative or regulatory requirements imposed by or promulgated in connection with Dodd-Frank may impact the Company in many ways, including but not limited: placing the Company at a competitive disadvantage relative to its competition or other

financial services entities, changing the competitive landscape of the financial services sector and/or the insurance industry, making it more expensive for the Company to conduct its business, requiring the reallocation of significant company resources to government affairs, legal and compliance-related activities, or causing historical market behavior or statistics utilized by the Company in connection with its efforts to manage risk and exposure to no longer be predictive of future risk and exposure or otherwise have a material adverse effect on the overall business climate as well as the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Regulations issued by the Department of Labor on April 6, 2016, expanding the definition of “investment advice fiduciary” under ERISA and creating and revising several prohibited transaction exemptions for investment activities in light of that expanded definition, may have a material adverse impact on our ability to sell annuities and other products, to retain in-force business and on our financial condition or results of operation.

Broker-dealers, insurance agencies and other financial institutions sell the Company’s annuities to employee benefit plans governed by provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) and Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”) that are governed by similar provisions under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). Consequently, our activities and those of the firms that sell the Company’s products are subject to restrictions that require ERISA fiduciaries to perform their duties solely in the interests of ERISA plan participants and beneficiaries, and that prohibit ERISA fiduciaries from causing a covered plan or retirement account to engage in certain prohibited transactions absent an exemption. In general, the prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the Code restrict the receipt of compensation from third parties in connection with the provision of investment advice to ERISA plans and participants and IRAs.

On April 6, 2016, the Department of Labor issued new regulations expanding the definition of “investment advice fiduciary” under ERISA. These new regulations increase the number of circumstances in which the Company and broker-dealers, insurance agencies and other financial institutions that sell the Company’s products could be deemed a fiduciary when providing investment advice with respect to ERISA plans or IRAs. The Department of Labor also issued amendments to long-standing exemptions from the provisions of ERISA and the Code that prohibit fiduciaries from engaging in certain types of transactions (“Prohibited Transaction Exemptions”) and adopted new Prohibited Transaction Exemptions. These amended and new Prohibited Transaction Exemptions appear to increase significantly the conditions that must be satisfied by fiduciaries in order to receive traditional forms of commission, such as sales commissions, for sales of insurance products to ERISA plans, plan participants and IRAs.

The Department of Labor has provided interpretive guidance with respect to these new regulations, and may provide additional guidance, which may limit the dampening effect that the new regulations may ultimately have upon sales of certain of our products. Speculation regarding possible delays in the implementation of the new regulations has created uncertainty among distributors of our products, and this uncertainty continues to have an impact upon sales. Our current distributors may limit the number of products they offer, including the types of products offered by the Company. The Company may find it necessary to change sales representative and/or broker compensation, to limit the assistance or advice it can provide to owners of the Company’s annuities, to replace or engage additional distributors, or otherwise change the manner in which it designs and supports sales of its annuities. In addition, the Company continues to incur expenses in connection with initial and ongoing compliance obligations with respect to such rules, and in the aggregate these expenses may be significant. The foregoing could have a material adverse impact on our ability to sell annuities and other products, to retain in-force business, and on our financial condition or results of operations.

The Company may be subject to regulation, investigations, enforcement actions, fines and penalties imposed by the SEC, FINRA and other federal and international regulators in connection with its business operations .

Certain life insurance policies, contracts, and annuities offered by the Company are subject to regulation under the federal securities laws administered by the SEC. The federal securities laws contain regulatory restrictions and criminal, administrative, and private remedial provisions. From time to time, the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) examine or investigate the activities of broker-dealers and investment advisors, including the Company’s affiliated broker-dealers and investment advisors. These examinations or investigations often focus on the activities of the registered representatives and registered investment advisors doing business through such entities and the entities’ supervision of those persons. It is possible that any examination or investigation could lead to enforcement action by the regulator and/or may result in payments of fines and penalties, payments to customers, or both, as well as changes in systems or procedures of such entities, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, the SEC is reviewing the standard of conduct applicable to brokers, dealers, and investment advisers when those entities provide personalized investment advice about securities to retail customers. FINRA has also issued a report addressing how its member firms might identify and address conflicts of interest including conflicts related to the introduction of new products and services and the compensation of the member firms’ associated persons. These regulatory initiatives could have an impact on Company operations and the manner in which broker-dealers and investment advisers distribute the Company’s products.

The Company may also be subject to regulation by governments of the countries in which it currently does, or may in the future, do, business, as well as regulation by the U.S. Government with respect to its operations in foreign countries, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Penalties for violating the various laws governing the Company’s business in other countries may include restrictions upon business operations, fines and imprisonment, both within the U.S. and abroad. U.S. enforcement of anti-corruption laws continues to increase in magnitude, and penalties may be substantial.

The Company is subject to conditions and requirements set forth in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”), which places restrictions on the use of automated telephone and facsimile machines. Class action lawsuits alleging violations of

the act have been filed against a number of companies, including life insurance carriers. These class action lawsuits contain allegations that defendant carriers were vicariously liable for the alleged wrongful conduct of agents who violated the TCPA. Some of the class actions have resulted in substantial settlements against other insurers. Any such actions against the Company could result in a material adverse effect upon our financial condition or results of operations.

Other types of regulation that could affect the Company and its subsidiaries include, but are not limited to, insurance company investment laws and regulations, state statutory accounting and reserving practices, antitrust laws, minimum solvency requirements, enterprise risk requirements, state securities laws, federal privacy laws, cybersecurity regulation, technology and data regulations, insurable interest laws, federal anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, employment and immigration laws (including laws in Alabama where over half of the Company’s employees are located), and because the Company owns and operates real property, state, federal, and local environmental laws. Under some circumstances, severe penalties may be imposed for breach of these laws.

The Company cannot predict what form any future changes to laws and/or regulations affecting participants in the financial services sector and/or insurance industry, including the Company and its competitors or those entities with which it does business, may take, or what effect, if any, such changes may have.

Changes to tax law or interpretations of existing tax law could adversely affect the Company and its ability to compete with non-insurance products or reduce the demand for certain insurance products.

In general, existing law exempts policyholders from current taxation on the increase in value of most insurance and annuity products during these products’ accumulation phase. This favorable tax treatment provides some of the Company’s products with a competitive advantage over products offered by non-insurance companies. To the extent that the law is revised to either reduce the tax-deferred status of life insurance and annuity products, or to establish the tax-deferred status of competing products, then all life insurance companies, including the Company’s subsidiaries, would be adversely affected with respect to their ability to sell their products. Furthermore, such changes would generally cause increased surrenders of existing life insurance and annuity products. For example, a change in law that further restricts the deductibility of interest expense when a business owns a life insurance product would result in increased surrenders of these products.

The Company is subject to corporate income, excise, franchise, and premium taxes. Current tax law provides certain benefits to the Company, such as the dividends-received deduction, the deferral of current taxation on derivatives' and securities' economic income, and the deduction for future policy benefits and claims. Legislation has been proposed which would either materially change or eliminate these benefits. In general, these proposals would cause the Company to pay higher current taxes, offset (in whole or in part) by a reduction in its deferred taxes. However, the proposal regarding the dividends-received deduction would cause the Company's net income, comprehensive income, and shareowner’s equity to decrease. Whether these proposals will be enacted, and if so, whether they will be enacted as described above, is uncertain.

The Company's mid-2005 transition from relying on reinsurance for newly-written traditional life products to reinsuring some of these products' reserves into its captive insurance companies resulted in a net reduction in its current taxes, offset by an increase in its deferred taxes. The resulting benefit of reduced current taxes is attributed to the applicable life products and is an important component of the profitability of these products. The profitability and competitive position of these products is dependent on the continuation of current tax law and the ability to generate taxable income.

Recently, there has been a significant amount of discussion regarding reforming the federal income tax system. There is general uncertainty regarding the manner in which taxable income will be determined, as well as the rate at which such income will be taxed, in the future. The Company cannot predict whether changes to tax law will occur, or, if they do occur, whether such changes will adversely affect the Company, its business, or its policyholders.

Financial services companies are frequently the targets of legal proceedings, including class action litigation, which could result in substantial judgments.

A number of judgments have been returned against insurers, broker-dealers, and other providers of financial services involving, among other things, sales, underwriting practices, product design, product disclosure, product administration, denial or delay of benefits, charging excessive or impermissible fees, recommending unsuitable products to customers, breaching fiduciary or other duties to customers, refund or claims practices, alleged agent misconduct, failure to properly supervise representatives, relationships with agents or other persons with whom the company does business, payment of sales or other contingent commissions, and other matters. Often these legal proceedings have resulted in the award of substantial judgments that are disproportionate to the actual damages, including material amounts of punitive non-economic compensatory damages. In some states, juries, judges, and arbitrators have substantial discretion in awarding punitive and non-economic compensatory damages, which creates the potential for unpredictable material adverse judgments or awards in any given legal proceeding. Arbitration awards are subject to very limited appellate review. In addition, in some legal proceedings, companies have made material settlement payments. In some instances, substantial judgments may be the result of a party's perceived ability to satisfy such judgments as opposed to the facts and circumstances regarding the claims.

Group health coverage issued through associations and credit insurance coverages have received some negative publicity in the media as well as increased regulatory consideration and review and litigation. The Company has a small closed block of group health insurance coverage that was issued to members of an association.

A number of lawsuits and investigations regarding the method of paying claims have been initiated against life insurers. The Company offers payment methods that may be similar to those that have been the subject of such lawsuits and investigations.

The Company, like other financial services companies in the ordinary course of business, is involved in legal proceedings and regulatory actions. The occurrence of such matters may become more frequent and/or severe when general economic conditions have deteriorated. The Company may be unable to predict the outcome of such matters and may be unable to provide a reasonable range of potential losses. Given the inherent difficulty in predicting the outcome of such matters, it is possible that an adverse outcome in certain such matters could be material to the Company's results for any particular reporting period.

The financial services and insurance industries are sometimes the target of law enforcement investigations and the focus of increased regulatory scrutiny.

The financial services and insurance industries are sometimes the target of law enforcement and regulatory investigations relating to the numerous laws and regulations that govern such companies. Some companies have been the subject of law enforcement or other actions resulting from such investigations. Resulting publicity about one company may generate inquiries into or litigation against other financial service providers, even those who do not engage in the business lines or practices at issue in the original action. It is impossible to predict the outcome of such investigations or actions, whether they will expand into other areas not yet contemplated, whether they will result in changes in regulation, whether activities currently thought to be lawful will be characterized as unlawful, or the impact, if any, of such scrutiny on the financial services and insurance industry or the Company. From time to time, the Company receives subpoenas, requests, or other inquires and responds to them in the ordinary course of business.

New accounting rules, changes to existing accounting rules, or the grant of permitted accounting practices to competitors could negatively impact the Company.

The Company is required to comply with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). A number of organizations are instrumental in the development and interpretation of GAAP such as the SEC, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”). GAAP is subject to constant review by these organizations and others in an effort to address emerging accounting rules and issue interpretative accounting guidance on a continual basis. The Company can give no assurance that future changes to GAAP will not have a negative impact on the Company. GAAP includes the requirement to carry certain assets and liabilities at fair value. These fair values are sensitive to various factors including, but not limited to, interest rate movements, credit spreads, and various other factors. Because of this sensitivity, changes in these fair values may cause increased levels of volatility in the Company’s financial statements.

The FASB is working on several projects that could result in significant changes to GAAP. Furthermore, the SEC is considering whether and how to incorporate International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") into the U.S. financial reporting system. While the SEC has indicated that it does not intend to take action on IFRS in the near term, these potential changes would impose special demands on issuers in the areas of governance, employee training, internal controls, contract fulfillment and disclosure. Such changes would affect how we manage our business, as it will likely affect business processes such as the design of products and compensation plans. The Company is unable to predict whether, and if so, when the FASB projects will be adopted and/or implemented, or the degree to which IFRS will be incorporated into the U.S. financial reporting system.

In addition, the Company’s insurance subsidiaries are required to comply with statutory accounting principles (“SAP”). SAP and various components of SAP (such as actuarial reserving methodology) are subject to constant review by the NAIC and its task forces and committees as well as state insurance departments in an effort to address emerging issues and otherwise improve or alter financial reporting. Certain NAIC pronouncements related to accounting and reporting matters take effect automatically without affirmative action by the states, and various proposals either are currently or have previously been pending before committees and task forces of the NAIC, some of which, if enacted, would negatively affect the Company. The NAIC is also currently working to reform model regulation in various areas. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form reforms will be enacted by state legislatures and, if so, whether the enacted reforms will positively or negatively affect the Company. In addition, the NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures manual provides that state insurance departments may permit insurance companies domiciled therein to depart from SAP by granting them permitted accounting practices. The Company cannot predict whether or when the insurance departments of the states of domicile of its competitors may permit them to utilize advantageous accounting practices that depart from SAP, the use of which is not permitted by the insurance departments of the states of domicile of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries. With respect to regulations and guidelines, states sometimes defer to the interpretation of the insurance department of the state of domicile. Neither the action of the domiciliary state nor action of the NAIC is binding on a state. Accordingly, a state could choose to follow a different interpretation. The Company can give no assurance that future changes to SAP or components of SAP or the grant of permitted accounting practices to its competitors will not have a negative impact on the Company. For additional information regarding pending NAIC reforms, please see Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .

If our business does not perform well, we may be required to recognize an impairment of our goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets which could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price in an acquisition over the estimated fair value of net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events or circumstances such as adverse changes in the business climate indicate that the fair value of the operating unit may be less than the carrying value of that operating unit. We perform our annual goodwill impairment testing during the fourth quarter of each year based upon data as of the close of the third quarter. Impairment testing is performed using the fair value approach, which requires the use of estimates and judgment, at the operating segment level.

The estimated fair value of the operating segment is impacted by the performance of the business, which may be adversely impacted by prolonged market declines or other circumstances. If it is determined that the goodwill has been impaired, we must

write down the goodwill by the amount of the impairment, with a corresponding charge to net income. Such write downs could have an adverse effect on our results of operations or financial position. See Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Critical Accounting Policies - Goodwill , and notes 2 and 12 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements for additional information.

The Company's indefinite lived intangible assets represent the value of the Company's insurance licenses on the date of the Merger. These assets are not amortized but are tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that the fair value of the indefinite lived intangibles is less than the carrying value. We perform our annual impairment testing of indefinite lived intangibles during the fourth quarter of each year. Impairment testing is performed using the fair value approach, which requires the use of estimates and judgment. If it is determined that the indefinite lived intangibles have been impaired, we must write them down by the amount of the impairment, with a corresponding charge to net income. Such write downs could have an adverse effect on our results of operations or financial position.

The use of reinsurance introduces variability in the Company's statements of income.

The timing of premium payments to and receipt of expense allowances from reinsurers differs from the Company's receipt of customer premium payments and incurrence of expenses. These timing differences introduce variability in certain components of the Company's statements of income and may also introduce variability in the Company's quarterly financial results.

The Company's reinsurers could fail to meet assumed obligations, increase rates, terminate agreements or be subject to adverse developments that could affect the Company.

The Company and its insurance subsidiaries cede material amounts of insurance and transfer related assets to other insurance companies through reinsurance. However, notwithstanding the transfer of related assets or other issues, the Company remains liable with respect to ceded insurance should any reinsurer fail to meet the assumed obligations. Therefore, the failure, insolvency, or inability or unwillingness to pay under the terms of the reinsurance agreement with the Company of one or more of the Company’s reinsurers could negatively impact the Company’s earnings and financial position.

The Company’s results and its ability to compete are affected by the availability and cost of reinsurance. Premium rates charged by the Company are based, in part, on the assumption that reinsurance will be available at a certain cost. Certain reinsurers may attempt to increase the rates they charge the Company for reinsurance, including rates for new policies the Company is issuing and rates related to policies that the Company has already issued. The Company may not be able to increase the premium rates it charges for policies it has already issued, and for competitive reasons it may not be able to raise the premium rates it charges for new policies to offset the increase in rates charged by reinsurers. If the cost of reinsurance were to increase, if reinsurance were to become unavailable, if alternatives to reinsurance were not available to the Company, or if a reinsurer should fail to meet its obligations, the Company could be adversely affected.

The number of life reinsurers has remained relatively constant in recent years. If the reinsurance market contracts in the future, the Company’s ability to continue to offer its products on terms favorable to it could be adversely impacted.

In addition, reinsurers face challenges regarding illiquid credit and/or capital markets, investment downgrades, rating agency downgrades, deterioration of general economic conditions, and other factors negatively impacting the financial services industry. If reinsurers, including those with significant exposure to international markets and European Union member states, are unable to meet their obligations, the Company would be adversely impacted.

The Company has implemented a reinsurance program through the use of captive reinsurers. Under these arrangements, a captive owned by the Company serves as the reinsurer, and the consolidated books and tax returns of the Company reflects a liability consisting of the full reserve amount attributable to the reinsured business. The success of the Company’s captive reinsurance program is dependent on a number of factors outside the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, continued access to financial solutions, a favorable regulatory environment, and the overall tax position of the Company. If the captive reinsurance program is not successful, the Company’s financial condition could be adversely impacted.

The Company's policy claims fluctuate from period to period resulting in earnings volatility.

The Company's results may fluctuate from period to period due to fluctuations in the amount of policy claims received. In addition, certain of the Company's lines of business may experience higher claims if the economy is growing slowly or in recession, or if equity markets decline. Also, insofar as the Company continues to retain a larger percentage of the risk of newly written life insurance products than it has in the past, its financial results may have greater variability due to fluctuations in mortality results.

The Company operates in a mature, highly competitive industry, which could limit its ability to gain or maintain its position in the industry and negatively affect profitability.

The insurance industry is a mature and highly competitive industry. In recent years, the industry has experienced reduced growth in life insurance sales. The Company encounters significant competition in all lines of business from other insurance companies, many of which have greater financial resources and higher ratings than the Company and which may have a greater market share, offer a broader range of products, services or features, assume a greater level of risk, have lower operating or financing costs, or have different profitability expectations than the Company. The Company also faces competition from other providers of financial services. Competition could result in, among other things, lower sales or higher lapses of existing products. Consolidation and expansion among banks, insurance companies, distributors, and other financial service companies with which

the Company does business could also have an adverse effect on the Company's financial condition and results of operations if such companies require more favorable terms than previously offered to the Company or if such companies elect not to continue to do business with the Company following consolidation or expansion.

The Company's ability to compete is dependent upon, among other things, its ability to attract and retain distribution channels to market its insurance and investment products, its ability to develop competitive and profitable products, its ability to maintain low unit costs, and its maintenance of adequate ratings from rating agencies. As technology evolves, comparison of a particular product of any company for a particular customer with competing products for that customer is more readily available, which could lead to increased competition as well as agent or customer behavior, including persistency that differs from past behavior.

The Company's ability to maintain competitive unit costs is dependent upon the level of new sales and persistency of existing business.

The Company's ability to maintain competitive unit costs is dependent upon a number of factors, such as the level of new sales, persistency of existing business, and expense management. A decrease in sales or persistency without a corresponding reduction in expenses may result in higher unit costs. Additionally, a decrease in persistency of existing business may result in higher or more rapid amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and thus higher unit costs and lower reported earnings. Although many of the Company's products contain surrender charges, the charges decrease over time and may not be sufficient to cover the unamortized deferred policy acquisition costs with respect to the insurance policy or annuity contract being surrendered. Some of the Company's products do not contain surrender charge features and such products can be surrendered or exchanged without penalty. A decrease in persistency may also result in higher claims.

The Company may not be able to protect its intellectual property and may be subject to infringement claims.

The Company relies on a combination of contractual rights and copyright, trademark, patent, and trade secret laws to establish and protect its intellectual property. Although the Company uses a broad range of measures to protect its intellectual property rights, third parties may infringe or misappropriate its intellectual property. The Company may have to litigate to enforce and protect its copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, and know-how or to determine their scope, validity, or enforceability, which represents a diversion of resources that may be significant in amount and may not prove successful. The loss of intellectual property protection or the inability to secure or enforce the protection of the Company's intellectual property assets could have a material adverse effect on its business and ability to compete.

The Company also may be subject to costly litigation in the event that another party alleges its operations or activities infringe upon that party's intellectual property rights. Third parties may have, or may eventually be issued, patents that could be infringed by the Company's products, methods, processes, or services. Any party that holds such a patent could make a claim of infringement against the Company. The Company may also be subject to claims by third parties for infringement of copyright and trademarks, violation of trade secrets, or breach of license usage rights. Any such claims and any resulting litigation could result in significant liability for damages. If the Company were found to have infringed third party patent or other intellectual property rights, it could incur substantial liability, and in some circumstances could be enjoined from providing certain products or services to its customers or utilizing and benefiting from certain methods, processes, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, or licenses, or alternatively could be required to enter into costly licensing arrangements with third parties, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2.    Properties

The Company's home office is located at 2801 Highway 280 South, Birmingham, Alabama. The Company owns two buildings consisting of 310,000 square feet. The first building was constructed in 1974 and the second building was constructed in 1982. Additionally, the Company leases a third 310,000 square-foot building constructed in 2004. Parking is provided for approximately 2,594 vehicles.

The Company leases administrative and marketing office space in 20 cities, including 24,090 square feet in Birmingham (excluding the home office building), with most leases being for periods of three to ten years. The aggregate annualized rent is approximately $6.7 million.

The Company believes its properties are adequate and suitable for the Company's business as currently conducted and are adequately maintained. The above properties do not include properties the Company owns for investment only.

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings

To the knowledge and in the opinion of management, there are no material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of our properties is the subject. For additional information regarding legal proceedings see Item 1A, Risk Factors, and Note 16, Commitments and Contingencies, of the notes to the consolidated financial statements, each included herein.

Item 4.    Mine Safety Disclosure—Not Applicable