Recently Issued Accounting Standards

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

NOTE 5 – RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

Accounting Guidance Adopted

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, “Presentation of Comprehensive Income” (ASC 220).  The new standard requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either a continuous statement of comprehensive income or two separate but consecutive statements.  Under the continuous statement approach, the statement would include the components and total of net income, the components and total of other comprehensive income and the total of comprehensive income.  Under the two statement approach, the first statement would include the components and total of net income and the second statement would include the components and total of other comprehensive income.  The ASU does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income.  The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2012, and has historically presented all components of comprehensive income in a separate but consecutive statement after a statement including the components and total of net income; therefore, the adoption of this standard had no effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12, “Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in ASU 2011-05.” The new standard indefinitely defers the requirement in ASU 2011-05 to present reclassification adjustments from other comprehensive income to net income on the face of the financial statements.  During the deferral period, entities will still need to comply with the existing requirements for the presentation of reclassification adjustments. The amendment was effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011.  The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2012. The adoption of the new standard had no effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, “Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirement in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs” (ASC 820).  The new standard does not extend the use of fair value but, rather, provides guidance about how fair value should be applied where it already is required and permitted under IFRS or U.S. GAAP.  For U.S. GAAP, most of the changes are clarifications of existing guidance or wording changes to align with IFRS 13. The new guidance was effective on a prospective basis for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption not permitted.  In the period of adoption, a reporting entity is required to disclose a change, if any, in valuation technique and related inputs that result from applying the new standard and to quantify the total effect, if practicable. The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2012. The adoption of the new standard had no effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In October 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-26, “Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts” (ASC 944). The new standard modifies the types of policy acquisition costs that can be capitalized and are eligible for deferral. Specifically, the new guidance limits deferrable costs to those that are incremental direct costs of contract acquisition and certain costs related to acquisition activities performed by the insurer, such as underwriting, policy issuance and processing, inspection costs and broker commissions. The ASU defines incremental direct costs as those costs that result directly from and were essential to the contract acquisition and would not have been incurred absent the acquisition. Accordingly, under the new guidance, deferrable acquisition costs are limited to costs related to successful contract acquisitions. Acquisition costs that are not eligible for deferral are to be charged to expense in the period incurred. The new standard became effective for interim periods and annual fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, and allows for prospective or retrospective application. 

The Company adopted the new standard on January 1, 2012, prospectively. As a result of adopting ASU 2010-26, approximately $300,000 of unamortized deferred policy acquisition costs as of January 1, 2012, deferred under the prior guidance have been determined to be no longer deferrable and will be recognized in expense over the original amortization period. As of September 30, 2012, deferred policy acquisition costs were $3,928,234, but would have been $4,225,021 under the previous guidance. Deferred policy acquisition cost amortization was $1,659,945 and $5,128,473 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, compared to $1,778,105 and $5,322,970 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.