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Investments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]  
Investments Investments
Investments available for sale consist of the following:
December 31, 2020 (In thousands)Amortized
Cost
Unrealized
Gains
Unrealized
Losses
Fair Value
U.S. Treasury securities$259,378 $9,088 $(22)$268,444 
U.S. agency securities17,930 155 — 18,085 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities963,670 33,205 (970)995,905 
Municipal debt securities (1)513,870 37,662 (15)551,517 
Non-U.S. government securities56,045 5,562 — 61,607 
Corporate debt securities (2)1,070,027 56,864 (379)1,126,512 
Residential and commercial mortgage securities391,921 18,641 (1,280)409,282 
Asset-backed securities452,527 3,246 (1,056)454,717 
Money market funds679,322 — (18)679,304 
Total investments available for sale$4,404,690 $164,423 $(3,740)$4,565,373 
December 31, 2019 (In thousands)Amortized
Cost
Unrealized
Gains
Unrealized
Losses
Fair Value
U.S. Treasury securities$239,087 $3,526 $(407)$242,206 
U.S. agency securities33,620 36 (51)33,605 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities836,710 13,956 (2,332)848,334 
Municipal debt securities (1)339,511 22,245 (118)361,638 
Non-U.S. government securities52,230 2,812 (47)54,995 
Corporate debt securities (2)856,638 24,255 (592)880,301 
Residential and commercial mortgage securities282,840 6,542 (1,101)288,281 
Asset-backed securities326,589 857 (1,421)326,025 
Money market funds315,360 — 315,362 
Total investments available for sale$3,282,585 $74,231 $(6,069)$3,350,747 
_______________________________________________________________________________
 December 31,December 31,
(1) The following table summarizes municipal debt securities as of :20202019
Special revenue bonds76.8 %74.5 %
General obligation bonds20.3 21.3 
Certificate of participation bonds 2.3 3.4 
Tax allocation bonds0.6 0.8 
Total100.0 %100.0 %
 December 31,December 31,
(2) The following table summarizes corporate debt securities as of :20202019
Financial34.9 %34.4 %
Consumer, non-cyclical19.1 20.1 
Communications9.3 10.3 
Energy8.2 8.3 
Consumer, cyclical8.0 7.6 
Technology6.1 4.8 
Utilities5.9 6.2 
Industrial5.3 4.2 
Basic materials3.1 4.1 
Government0.1 — 
Total100.0 %100.0 %
The amortized cost and fair value of investments available for sale at December 31, 2020, by contractual maturity, are shown below. Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. Because most U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities, residential and commercial mortgage securities and asset-backed securities provide for periodic payments throughout their lives, they are listed below in separate categories.
(In thousands)Amortized
Cost
Fair
Value
U.S. Treasury securities:  
Due in 1 year$78,956 $79,335 
Due after 1 but within 5 years130,312 134,802 
Due after 5 but within 10 years49,125 53,165 
Due after 10 years985 1,142 
Subtotal259,378 268,444 
U.S. agency securities:  
Due in 1 year8,906 8,958 
Due after 1 but within 5 years9,024 9,127 
Subtotal17,930 18,085 
Municipal debt securities:  
Due in 1 year6,881 6,892 
Due after 1 but within 5 years91,122 95,567 
Due after 5 but within 10 years235,030 254,387 
Due after 10 years180,837 194,671 
Subtotal513,870 551,517 
Non-U.S. government securities:
Due in 1 year— — 
Due after 1 but within 5 years22,710 24,257 
Due after 5 but within 10 years24,246 27,680 
Due after 10 years9,089 9,670 
Subtotal56,045 61,607 
Corporate debt securities:  
Due in 1 year148,292 149,617 
Due after 1 but within 5 years576,987 602,286 
Due after 5 but within 10 years322,649 350,632 
Due after 10 years22,099 23,977 
Subtotal1,070,027 1,126,512 
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities963,670 995,905 
Residential and commercial mortgage securities391,921 409,282 
Asset-backed securities452,527 454,717 
Money market funds679,322 679,304 
Total investments available for sale$4,404,690 $4,565,373 

Gross gains and losses realized on the sale of investments available for sale were as follows:
 Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)202020192018
Realized gross gains$5,608 $5,238 $2,201 
Realized gross losses2,482 1,746 883 
The fair value of investments available for sale in an unrealized loss position and the related unrealized losses for which no allowance for credit loss has been recorded were as follows:
 Less than 12 months12 months or moreTotal
December 31, 2020 (In thousands)Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
U.S. Treasury securities$28,776 $(22)$— $— $28,776 $(22)
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities152,671 (924)3,007 (46)155,678 (970)
Municipal debt securities3,838 (15)— — 3,838 (15)
Corporate debt securities141,803 (379)— — 141,803 (379)
Residential and commercial mortgage securities
63,203 (777)9,516 (503)72,719 (1,280)
Asset-backed securities124,165 (483)65,897 (573)190,062 (1,056)
Money market funds99,995 (18)— — 99,995 (18)
Total$614,451 $(2,618)$78,420 $(1,122)$692,871 $(3,740)
 Less than 12 months12 months or moreTotal
December 31, 2019 (In thousands)Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Fair
Value
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
U.S. Treasury securities$29,013 $(331)$42,981 $(76)$71,994 $(407)
U.S. agency securities— — 25,605 (51)25,605 (51)
U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities101,684 (1,042)113,866 (1,290)215,550 (2,332)
Municipal debt securities10,651 (112)624 (6)11,275 (118)
Non-U.S. government securities9,664 (47)— — 9,664 (47)
Corporate debt securities83,013 (576)14,531 (16)97,544 (592)
Residential and commercial mortgage securities
59,341 (1,059)3,442 (42)62,783 (1,101)
Asset-backed securities78,813 (202)109,536 (1,219)188,349 (1,421)
Total$372,179 $(3,369)$310,585 $(2,700)$682,764 $(6,069)

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, we held 363 and 365 individual investment securities, respectively, that were in an unrealized loss position. We assess our intent to sell these securities and whether we will be required to sell these securities before the recovery of their amortized cost basis when determining whether to record an impairment on the securities in an unrealized loss position. In assessing whether the decline in the fair value at December 31, 2020 of any of these securities resulted from a credit loss or other factors, we made inquiries of our investment managers to determine that each issuer was current on its scheduled interest and principal payments. We reviewed the credit rating of these securities noting that over 98% of the securities at December 31, 2020 had investment-grade ratings. We concluded that gross unrealized losses noted above are principally associated with the changes in credit spreads subsequent to purchase rather than due to credit impairment. We recorded impairments of $0.4 million in the year ended December 31, 2020 and other-than-temporary impairments of $0.3 million in the year ended December 31, 2019 on securities in an unrealized loss position. The impairments resulted from our intent to sell these securities subsequent to the reporting dates. There were no other-than-temporary impairments in the year ended December 31, 2018.

The Company's other invested assets at December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 totaled $88.9 million and $78.9 million, respectively. Other invested assets are comprised of limited partnership interests which are accounted for under the equity method of accounting with changes in value reported in other income. Due to the timing of receiving financial information from these partnerships, the results are generally reported on a one month or quarter lag.

The fair value of investments deposited with insurance regulatory authorities to meet statutory requirements was $9.7 million at December 31, 2020 and $9.4 million at December 31, 2019. In connection with its insurance and reinsurance activities, Essent Re is required to maintain assets in trusts for the benefit of its contractual counterparties. The fair value of the investments on deposit in these trusts was $1.1 billion at December 31, 2020 and $805.5 million at December 31, 2019. Essent Guaranty is required to maintain assets on deposit in connection with its fully collateralized reinsurance agreements (see Note
5). The fair value of the assets on deposit was $8.5 million at December 31, 2020 and $6.4 million at December 31, 2019. Essent Guaranty is also required to maintain assets on deposit for the benefit of the sponsor of a fixed income investment commitment. The fair value of the assets on deposit was $12.0 million at December 31, 2020 and $6.4 million at December 31, 2019.

Net investment income consists of:
 Year Ended December 31,
(In thousands)202020192018
Fixed maturities$83,313 $82,194 $63,053 
Short-term investments1,669 5,049 3,873 
Gross investment income84,982 87,243 66,926 
Investment expenses(4,895)(3,701)(2,835)
Net investment income$80,087 $83,542 $64,091