12. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill represents the future economic benefits arising from assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level, which is defined as a segment or one level below, and the test is performed annually, or more frequently if circumstances indicate an impairment may have occurred. When a business is transferred from one reporting unit to another, goodwill from the original reporting unit is allocated among reporting units based on the fair value of business transferred, relative to business retained by a reporting unit.
Goodwill impairment is first assessed using qualitative factors to determine if it is more likely than not that the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the qualitative assessment is not performed, or the assessment is performed and the results indicate a potential impairment, a quantitative assessment is completed. We estimate the fair value of each reporting unit which involves management judgment and maybe based on one or a combination of approaches including discounted expected future cash flows, market-based earnings multiples of the unit’s peer companies, external appraisals or, in the case of reporting units being considered for sale, third-party indications of fair value, if available.
If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, goodwill associated with that reporting unit potentially is impaired and the amount of the impairment is recognized in income.
The following table presents the changes in goodwill:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | General Insurance | | | | |
| (in millions) | | North America
Commercial | | International
Commercial | | Global
Personal | | Other
Operations | | Total |
| Balance at January 1, 2024: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Goodwill - gross | | $ | 4,285 | | | $ | 2,028 | | | $ | 502 | | | $ | 17 | | | $ | 6,832 | |
| Accumulated impairments | | (2,216) | | | (947) | | | (237) | | | (10) | | | (3,410) | |
| Net goodwill | | 2,069 | | | 1,081 | | | 265 | | | 7 | | | 3,422 | |
| Increase (decrease) due to: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dispositions | | — | | | — | | | (22) | | | — | | | (22) | |
| Foreign exchange and other | | — | | | (25) | | | (2) | | | — | | | (27) | |
| Balance at December 31, 2024: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Goodwill - gross | | 4,285 | | | 2,003 | | | 478 | | | 17 | | | 6,783 | |
| Accumulated impairments | | (2,216) | | | (947) | | | (237) | | | (10) | | | (3,410) | |
| Net goodwill | | 2,069 | | | 1,056 | | | 241 | | | 7 | | | 3,373 | |
| Increase (decrease) due to: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| Foreign exchange and other | | — | | | 58 | | | 4 | | | — | | | 62 | |
| Balance at December 31, 2025: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Goodwill - gross | | 4,285 | | | 2,061 | | | 482 | | | 17 | | | 6,845 | |
| Accumulated impairments | | (2,216) | | | (947) | | | (237) | | | (10) | | | (3,410) | |
| Net goodwill | | $ | 2,069 | | | $ | 1,114 | | | $ | 245 | | | $ | 7 | | | $ | 3,435 | |
Other intangible assets consist of both indefinite lived and finite lived intangible assets. Indefinite lived intangible assets are not subject to amortization and primarily include Lloyd’s syndicate capacity and brand names. Finite lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives and are presented net of accumulated amortization; these assets primarily include distribution networks and Everest renewal rights. For details on the Everest transaction, see Note 1. The Company tests indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or circumstances suggest that the carrying value of an intangible asset may exceed the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition. If this condition exists and the carrying value of an intangible asset exceeds its fair value, the excess is recognized as an impairment and is recorded as a charge against net income (loss).
The Other intangible assets and Value of distribution network acquired were $684 million and $370 million at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.
About Goodwill & Intangibles Disclosures
Goodwill and intangible asset disclosures reveal the premium paid in acquisitions and how management assesses whether that premium retains its value. Since goodwill is no longer amortized under US GAAP, the annual impairment test is the only mechanism that adjusts carrying values downward — making the assumptions behind that test critically important for investors.
Key signals: a history of goodwill impairments suggests management consistently overpays for acquisitions. Watch the gap between reporting unit fair value and carrying amount — when fair value exceeds carrying amount by less than 10-20%, a small decline in business performance could trigger a write-down. For finite-lived intangibles, examine useful life assumptions across customer relationships, technology, and trade names; aggressive estimates inflate near-term earnings. Compare total intangibles-to-total-assets ratios against peers to assess acquisition dependency. Rising goodwill as a percentage of equity can signal balance sheet fragility.