Note 8 - Debt - Continued Northwind Holdings’ ability to meet its obligations to pay principal, interest, and other amounts due on the Northwind notes will be dependent principally on its receipt of dividends from Northwind Reinsurance Company (Northwind Re), the sole subsidiary of Northwind Holdings. Northwind Re reinsured the risks attributable to specified individual disability insurance policies issued by or reinsured by Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company, Unum Life Insurance Company of America, and The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company (collectively, the ceding insurers) pursuant to separate reinsurance agreements between Northwind Re and each of the ceding insurers. The ability of Northwind Re to pay dividends to Northwind Holdings will depend on its satisfaction of applicable regulatory requirements and the performance of the reinsured policies. Recourse for the payment of principal, interest and other amounts due on the Northwind notes is limited to the collateral for the Northwind notes and the other assets, if any, of Northwind Holdings. The collateral consists of a first priority, perfected security interest in (a) the debt service coverage account (DSCA) that Northwind Holdings is required to maintain in accordance with the indenture pursuant to which the Northwind notes were issued (the Northwind indenture), (b) the capital stock of Northwind Re and the dividends and distributions on such capital stock, and (c) Northwind Holdings' rights under the transaction documents related to the Northwind notes to which Northwind Holdings is a party. At December 31, 2019, the amount in the DSCA was $64.3 million. None of Unum Group, the ceding insurers, Northwind Re, or any other affiliate of Northwind Holdings is an obligor or guarantor with respect to the Northwind notes. Northwind Holdings is required to repay a portion of the outstanding principal under the Northwind notes at par on the quarterly scheduled payment dates under the Northwind notes in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) a targeted amortization amount as defined in the Northwind indenture and (ii) the amount of the remaining available funds in the DSCA minus an amount equal to the minimum balance that is required to be maintained in the DSCA under the Northwind indenture, provided that Northwind Holdings has sufficient funds available to pay its other expenses, including interest payments on the Northwind notes, and to maintain the minimum balance in the DSCA as required under the Northwind indenture. Northwind Holdings made principal payments on the Northwind notes of $60.0 million in each of 2019, 2018, and 2017. In 2017, we purchased and retired the remaining $3.4 million of principal on our senior secured floating rate notes acquired through our purchase of Starmount Life Insurance Company. In conjunction with this retirement, we also terminated the interest rate swap associated with the hedge of these notes and recorded a $0.1 million loss in our consolidated statements of income as a component of net realized investment gains and losses. See Note 4 for further discussion on the interest rate swap. During 2019 we purchased and retired (i) $30.3 million aggregate principal amount of our 7.190% medium-term notes due 2028; (ii) $30.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 7.250% senior notes due 2028; and (iii) $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 3.000% senior notes due 2021. In September 2019, we issued $450.0 million of 4.500% senior notes due 2049. The notes are callable at or above par and rank equally in the right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. In June 2019, we issued $400.0 million of 4.000% senior notes due 2029. The notes are callable at or above par and rank equally in the right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. In July 2018, our $200.0 million 7.000% senior unsecured notes matured. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, we had $250.0 million notional amount of an interest rate swap which effectively converts certain of our unsecured senior notes into floating rate debt. Under this agreement, we receive a fixed rate of interest and pay a variable rate of interest, based off of three-month LIBOR. See Note 4 for further information on the interest rate swap. Fair Value Hedges Unsecured Notes 165 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued Unum Group and Subsidiaries