Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

Fair value measurements

Fair value was estimated for each class of financial instrument for which it was practical to estimate fair value. Fair value is defined as the price in the principal market that would be received for an asset to facilitate an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Market participants are assumed to be independent, knowledgeable, able and willing to transact an exchange and not acting under duress. Fair value hierarchy disclosures are based on the quality of inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). Adjustments to transaction prices or quoted market prices may be required in illiquid or disorderly markets in order to estimate fair value.

The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are defined as follows:

Level 1 - Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities traded in active markets.

Level 2 - Inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability and market-corroborated inputs.

Level 3 - Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable for the asset or liability and are significant to the fair value measurement.

Fair values of the Company's investment portfolio are estimated using unadjusted prices obtained by its investment manager from third party pricing services, where available. For securities where the Company is unable to obtain fair values from a pricing service or broker, fair values are estimated using information obtained from the Company's investment manager. Management performs several procedures to ascertain the reasonableness of investment values included in the condensed consolidated financial statements including 1) obtaining and reviewing internal control reports from the Company's investment manager that obtains fair values from third party pricing services, 2) discussing with the Company's investment manager its process for reviewing and validating pricing obtained from outside pricing services and 3) reviewing the security pricing received from the Company's investment manager and monitoring changes in unrealized gains and losses. The Company has evaluated the various types of securities in its investment portfolio to determine an appropriate fair value hierarchy level based upon trading activity and the observability of market inputs.

The following tables present the balances of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, by level within the fair value hierarchy.

	March 31, 2019
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in thousands)
Assets
Fixed maturities:
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government agencies	$	112	$	—	$	—	$	112
Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions	—		130,160		—		130,160
Corporate and other securities	—		110,123		—		110,123
Commercial mortgage and asset-backed securities	—		164,412		—		164,412
Residential mortgage-backed securities	—		135,971		—		135,971
Total fixed maturities	112		540,666		—		540,778
Equity securities:
Exchange traded funds	43,834		—		—		43,834
Nonredeemable preferred stock	—		20,647		—		20,647
Total equity securities	43,834		20,647		—		64,481
Total	$	43,946	$	561,313	$	—	$	605,259

	December 31, 2018
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
	(in thousands)
Assets
Fixed maturities:
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government agencies	$	611	$	—	$	—	$	611
Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions	—		154,600		—		154,600
Corporate and other securities	—		96,752		—		96,752
Commercial mortgage and asset-backed securities	—		149,867		—		149,867
Residential mortgage-backed securities	—		108,421		—		108,421
Total fixed maturities	611		509,640		—		510,251
Equity securities:
Exchange traded funds	38,987		—		—		38,987
Nonredeemable preferred stock	—		18,724		—		18,724
Total equity securities	38,987		18,724		—		57,711
Total	$	39,598	$	528,364	$	—	$	567,962

There were no transfers into or out of Level 1 and Level 2 during the three months ended March 31, 2019. There were no assets or liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of March 31, 2019 or December 31, 2018.

Due to the relatively short-term nature of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, receivables and payables, their carrying amounts are reasonable estimates of fair value.