Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of National General Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “NGHC”) and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X as promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, previously filed with the SEC on February 20, 2020. The balance sheet at December 31, 2019, has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date.

These interim condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim period and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative, if annualized, of those to be expected for the full year. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of Adirondack Insurance Exchange, a New York reciprocal insurer, and New Jersey Skylands Insurance Association, a New Jersey reciprocal insurer (together with Mountain Valley Indemnity Company, a subsidiary of Adirondack Insurance Exchange, the “Reciprocal Exchanges” or “Exchanges”); variable interest entities (“VIE”) of which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company has no ownership interest in the Reciprocal Exchanges but is paid a fee to manage their business operations and has the ability to direct their activities through its wholly-owned management companies. The Reciprocal Exchanges are property and casualty insurers.

A detailed description of the Company’s significant accounting policies and management judgments is located in the notes to the audited consolidated financial statements, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Adopted During 2020

Standard

Description

Date of Adoption

Effect on the Company

ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and related amendments.

This standard changed the impairment model to a new forward-looking expected loss model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. The standard requires immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of many financial assets, which generally results in earlier recognition of allowances for credit losses on loans and other financial instruments. Many of the loss estimation techniques applied prior the adoption of the standard are still permitted, although the inputs to those techniques changed to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. The Company continues to use judgement to determine which loss estimation method is appropriate for its circumstances. The standard became effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and requires using a modified retrospective approach, recognizing a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the standard is effective.

January 1, 2020

The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 using the modified retrospective approach and recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment, net of tax of $1,010 to the opening balance of retained earnings and increased the allowance for premiums receivable, reinsurance recoverable and deferred taxes by the same amount.

ASU 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.

This standard established a one-step process for testing the value of the goodwill which an entity carries. ASU 2017-04 requires the goodwill impairment to be measured as the excess of the reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value.

January 1, 2020

The adoption of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

With the exception of the adopted accounting pronouncements discussed above, there have been no recent accounting pronouncements, or quantitative or qualitative progress made toward implementation of outstanding accounting pronouncements during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, as compared to those described in Note 2, “Significant Accounting Policies” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, that are of significance, or potential significance, to the Company.

Investment Impairments

The Company conducts a periodic review to identify and evaluate invested assets that may have credit impairments. Beginning on January 1, 2020, credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities are recognized through an allowance account. See Note 4, “Investments” for additional information.

The Company reports accrued investment income separately from debt securities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, and has elected not to measure an allowance for credit losses. Accrued investment

income is written off by reversing interest income through net investment income at the time the issuer of the bond defaults or is expected to default on payments.

Uncollectible debt securities are written off to net gain (loss) on investments when the Company determines that no additional payments of principal or interest will be received.

Premiums and Other Receivables

The Company recognizes earned premium on a pro rata basis over the terms of the policies, generally periods of six or twelve months. Unearned premiums represent the portion of premiums written applicable to the unexpired terms of the policies. Premium refunds are recorded against gross premium written.

Premiums and other receivables are reported net of an allowance for expected credit losses. The allowance is based upon the Company’s ongoing review of amounts outstanding, historical loss data, including delinquencies and write-offs, current and forecasted economic conditions, and other relevant factors. The Company uses a loss-rate method to estimate the expected credit losses. Credit risk is partially mitigated by the Company’s ability to cancel the policy if the policyholder does not pay the premium.

Reinsurance Recoverable

Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are estimated in a manner consistent with the associated claim liability. The Company reports its reinsurance recoverable net of an allowance for estimated uncollectible reinsurance. The allowance is based upon the Company’s ongoing review of amounts outstanding, length of collection periods, changes in reinsurer credit standing, applicable coverage defenses, and other relevant factors. The Company evaluates and monitors the financial condition of its reinsurers under voluntary reinsurance arrangements to minimize its exposure to significant losses from reinsurer insolvencies.