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Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Notes to Financial Statements  
Contingencies

 

NOTE 10 – CONTINGENCIES

The Company, by virtue of the nature of the business conducted by it, becomes involved in numerous legal proceedings as either plaintiff or defendant. The Company is also required to resort to legal proceedings from time to time in order to enforce collection of premiums, commissions, or fees for the services rendered to customers or to their agents. These routine items of litigation do not materially affect the Company and are handled on a routine basis by the Company through its counsel.

 

The Company establishes reserves for lawsuits, regulatory actions, and other contingencies for which the Company is able to estimate its potential exposure and believes a loss is probable. For loss contingencies believed to be reasonably possible, the Company discloses the nature of the loss contingency and an estimate of the possible loss, range of loss, or a statement that such an estimate cannot be made.

 

Likewise, the Company is sometimes named as a cross-defendant in litigation, which is principally directed against an insured who was issued a policy of insurance directly or indirectly through the Company. Incidental actions related to disputes concerning the issuance or non-issuance of individual policies are sometimes brought by customers or others. These items are also handled on a routine basis by the counsel, and they do not generally affect the operations of the Company. Management is confident that the ultimate outcome of pending litigation should not have an adverse effect on the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial position. The Company vigorously defends itself unless a reasonable settlement appears appropriate.

 

One of the Company’s agents, which was appointed in 2008 to assist the Company in implementing its Trucking Program, failed to pay the net premium and policy fees due Unifax, the exclusive general agent for Crusader. The agent was initially late in paying its February 2009 production that was due to Unifax on April 15, 2009. In May 2009, as a result of the agent’s failure to timely pay its balance due to Unifax, the Company terminated its agency agreement and assumed ownership and control of that agent’s policy expirations written with the Company. The Company subsequently commenced legal proceedings against the agent corporation, its three principals (who personally guaranteed the agent’s obligations), and a fourth individual for the recovery of the balance due and any related recovery costs incurred. All related recovery costs have been expensed as incurred. The agent corporation and two of its principals filed bankruptcy. The corporation was adjudicated bankrupt. The Company obtained judgments, non-dischargeable in bankruptcy, for the full amount due from the two principals who filed bankruptcy. The other principal stipulated to a judgment of $1,200,000, and that person has not filed for bankruptcy. The claim against the fourth individual was resolved. The Company collected $0 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, and $0 and $75,000 during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. As of September 30, 2015, and December 31, 2014, the agent’s balance due to Unifax was $1,181,272. As of September 30, 2015, and December 31, 2014, the Company’s bad debt reserve associated with this matter was $1,181,272, which represents 100% of the balance due to Unifax. Although the receivable is fully reserved for financial reporting purposes at September 30, 2015, the Company continues to pursue collection of the judgments from the three principals.