Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(a) Changes to significant accounting policies

We have made no material changes to our significant accounting policies as reported in our 2011 Form 10-K.

On January 1, 2012, two new Accounting Standards Updates became effective: ASU No. 2010-26, Financial Services—Insurance (Topic 944): Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts and ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income. The amendments in ASU No. 2010-26 addressed diversity in practice regarding the interpretation of which costs relating to the acquisition of new or renewal insurance contracts qualify for deferral; they clarified which costs should be deferred and which costs should be expensed when incurred. The amendments in ASU No. 2011-05 gave entities the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The two pronouncements did not require us to change our significant accounting policies; therefore, they did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

(b) Fair value assumptions

The carrying amounts for the following financial instrument categories approximate their fair values at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 because of their short-term nature: cash and cash equivalents, accrued investment income, premiums receivable, reinsurance recoverable, reinsurance payable, and accounts payable and accrued expenses. The carrying amounts of notes receivable and notes payable also approximate their fair values as the interest rate on the note payable is variable and the note receivable, which we record at fair value using a discounted cash flow methodology, is due in approximately two years.

(c) Pending Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2011-12, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05. The amendments in ASU No. 2011-12 delay the effective date of certain provisions in ASU No. 2011-05 that relate to reclassification items until such time as the FASB has time to re-deliberate the presentation of those items. All other provisions of ASU No. 2011-05 take effect on the date originally noted in that ASU.