Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

13. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Matters

The Company is subject to loss contingencies related to litigation, claims, investigations and legal and administrative cases and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company evaluates these contingencies based on information currently available, including advice of counsel. The Company establishes accruals for those matters when a loss contingency is considered probable and the related amount is reasonably estimable. Any accruals are periodically reviewed and may be adjusted as circumstances change. A portion of the Company’s exposure with respect to loss contingencies may be offset by applicable insurance coverage. In determining the amounts of any accruals or estimates of possible loss contingencies, the Company does not take into account the availability of insurance coverage. When it is practicable, the Company estimates loss contingencies for possible litigation and claims, whether or not there is an accrued probable loss. When the Company is able to estimate such probable losses, and when it estimates that it is reasonably possible it could incur losses in excess of amounts accrued, the Company is required to make a disclosure of the aggregate estimation. As available information changes, however, the matters for which the Company is able to estimate, as well as the estimates themselves, will be adjusted accordingly.

Assessments of litigation and claims exposures are difficult due to many factors that involve inherent unpredictability. Those factors include the following: the varying stages of the proceedings, particularly in the early stages; unspecified, unsupported, or uncertain damages; damages other than compensatory, such as punitive damages; a matter presenting

meaningful legal uncertainties, including novel issues of law; multiple defendants and jurisdictions; whether discovery has begun or is complete; whether meaningful settlement discussions have commenced; and whether the claim involves a class action and if so, how the class is defined. As a result of some of these factors, the Company may be unable to estimate reasonably possible losses with respect to some or all of the pending and threatened litigation and claims asserted against the Company.

The Company is involved in information-gathering requests and investigations (both formal and informal), as well as reviews, examinations and proceedings (collectively, “Inquiries”) by various governmental regulatory agencies, law enforcement authorities and self-regulatory bodies regarding certain of its businesses, business practices and policies, as well as the conduct of persons with whom it does business. Additional Inquiries will arise from time to time. In connection with those Inquiries, the Company receives document requests, subpoenas and other requests for information. The Inquiries could develop into administrative, civil or criminal proceedings or enforcement actions that could result in consequences that have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows as a whole. Such consequences could include adverse judgments, findings, settlements, penalties, fines, orders, injunctions, restitution, or alterations in the Company’s business practices, and could result in additional expenses and collateral costs, including reputational damage.

On June 8, 2022, WR Investments, LP (“WR”) filed claims against Hilltop Securities, et al. through FINRA Dispute Resolution, Midwest Region. WR alleges it suffered a $13.0 million loss in its sale of subordinated bonds related to a portfolio of senior living facilities sold by an affiliate of WR. Hilltop Securities believes the claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend against such claims. There can be no assurance, however, that Hilltop Securities will be successful. At present, Hilltop Securities is unable to estimate the probability or amount of potential losses, if any, related to these claims.

In September 2020, PrimeLending received an investigative inquiry from the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia regarding PrimeLending’s float down option. At this time, the United States Attorney has requested certain materials with respect to this matter, and PrimeLending is fully cooperating with such requests.

While the final outcome of litigation and claims exposures or of any Inquiries is inherently unpredictable, management is currently of the opinion that the outcome of pending and threatened litigation and inquiries will not, except related to specific matters disclosed above, have a material effect on the Company’s business, consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows as a whole. However, in the event of unexpected future developments, it is reasonably possible that an adverse outcome in any matter, including the matters discussed above, could be material to the Company’s business, consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows for any particular reporting period of occurrence.

Indemnification Liability Reserve

The mortgage origination segment may be responsible to agencies, investors, or other parties for errors or omissions relating to its representations and warranties that each loan sold meets certain requirements, including representations as to underwriting standards and the validity of certain borrower representations in connection with the loan. If determined to be at fault, the mortgage origination segment either repurchases the affected loan from or indemnifies the claimant against loss. The mortgage origination segment has established an indemnification liability reserve for such probable losses.

Generally, the mortgage origination segment first becomes aware that an agency, investor, or other party believes a loss has been incurred on a sold loan when it receives a written request from the claimant to repurchase the loan or reimburse the claimant’s losses. Upon completing its review of the claimant’s request, the mortgage origination segment establishes a specific claims reserve for the loan if it concludes its obligation to the claimant is both probable and reasonably estimable.

An additional reserve has been established for probable agency, investor or other party losses that may have been incurred, but not yet reported to the mortgage origination segment based upon a reasonable estimate of such losses.

Factors considered in the calculation of this reserve include, but are not limited to, the total volume of loans sold exclusive of specific claimant requests, actual claim settlements and the severity of estimated losses resulting from future claims, and the mortgage origination segment’s history of successfully curing defects identified in claim requests. In addition, the mortgage origination segment has considered that GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC have imposed certain restrictions on loans the agencies will accept under a forbearance agreement resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which could increase the magnitude of indemnification losses on these loans.

While the mortgage origination segment’s sales contracts typically include borrower early payment default repurchase provisions, these provisions have not been a primary driver of claims to date, and therefore, are not a primary factor considered in the calculation of this reserve.

At June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the mortgage origination segment’s indemnification liability reserve totaled $23.8 million and $27.4 million, respectively. The provision for indemnification losses was $0.8 million and $2.5 million during the three months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and $1.2 million and $5.5 million during the six months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The following tables provide for a rollforward of claims activity for loans put-back to the mortgage origination segment based upon an alleged breach of a representation or warranty with respect to a loan sold and related indemnification liability reserve activity (in thousands).

	Representation and Warranty Specific Claims
	Activity - Origination Loan Balance
	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2022		2021		2022		2021
Balance, beginning of period	$	30,271	$	30,137	$	31,407	$	30,085
Claims made		18,216		8,575		28,058		13,687
Claims resolved with no payment		(3,454)		(1,956)		(7,974)		(4,870)
Repurchases		(16,318)		(3,446)		(22,776)		(5,257)
Indemnification payments		—		(547)		—		(882)
Balance, end of period	$	28,715	$	32,763	$	28,715	$	32,763
	Indemnification Liability Reserve Activity
	Three Months Ended June 30,				Six Months Ended June 30,
	2022		2021		2022		2021
Balance, beginning of period	$	27,250	$	24,261	$	27,424	$	21,531
Additions for new sales		762		2,858		1,515		5,865
Repurchases		(4,211)		(274)		(4,775)		(398)
Early payment defaults		(51)		(25)		(122)		(36)
Indemnification payments		—		(122)		—		(264)
Change in reserves for loans sold in prior years		—		(326)		(292)		(326)
Balance, end of period	$	23,750	$	26,372	$	23,750	$	26,372
	June 30,		December 31,
	2022		2021
Reserve for Indemnification Liability:
Specific claims	$	829	$	345
Incurred but not reported claims		22,921		27,079
Total	$	23,750	$	27,424

Although management considers the total indemnification liability reserve to be appropriate, there may be changes in the reserve over time to address incurred losses due to unanticipated adverse changes in the economy and historical loss patterns, discrete events adversely affecting specific borrowers or industries, and/or actions taken by institutions or investors. The impact of such matters is considered in the reserving process when probable and estimable.