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Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements 
Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.


Reclassification

The Company has reclassified certain amounts in its 2010 statements of consolidated operations and cash flows to conform to the 2011 presentation. None of these reclassifications had an effect on the Company’s consolidated net earnings, total stockholders’ equity or cash flows.

Principles of Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements consist of Kingstone and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include KICO and its subsidiaries, CMIC Properties, Inc. (“CMIC Properties”) and 15 Joys Lane, LLC (“15 Joys Lane”), which together own the land and building from which KICO operates. All material intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2010, the FASB issued new guidance concerning the accounting for costs associated with acquiring or renewing insurance contracts. This guidance generally follows the model of that for loan origination costs. Under the new guidance, only direct incremental costs associated with successful insurance contract acquisitions or renewals are deferrable. The Company adopted this guidance retrospectively effective January 1, 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity.

 

In April 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-03, “Reconsideration of Effective Control for Repurchase Agreements” (“ASU 2011-03”). ASU 2011-03 provides amendments to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) No. 860 “Transfers and Servicing”, which remove from the assessment of effective control (1) the criterion requiring the transferor to have the ability to repurchase or redeem the financial assets on substantially the agreed terms, even in the event of default by the transferee, and (2) the collateral maintenance implementation guidance related to that criterion. The amendments in this update are effective prospectively for transactions or modifications of existing transactions that occur on or after the beginning of the first interim or annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2011, with early adoption not permitted.


In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, “Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS” (“ASU 2011-04”). ASU 2011-04 provides amendments to ASC No. 820 “Fair Value Measurement”, which results in a consistent definition of fair value and common requirements for measurement of and disclosure of fair value between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. Some of the amendments clarify the FASB’s intent about the application of existing fair value measurement requirements, while others change a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The amendments in this update are effective prospectively during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption not permitted.

 

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, “Presentation of Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2011-05”). ASU 2011-05 provides amendments to ASC No. 220 “Comprehensive Income”, which require an entity 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 amendments in this update are effective retrospectively for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The Company has not elected to early adopt ASU 2011-05.

 

In September 2011, the FASB issued amended guidance on testing goodwill for impairment. This guidance is providing the option to first assess qualitative factors, such as macroeconomic conditions and industry and market considerations, to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If indicated by the qualitative assessment, then it is necessary to perform the two−step goodwill impairment test. If the option is not elected, the guidance requiring the two−step goodwill impairment test is unchanged. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The impact of adoption is not expected to be material to the Company’s results of operations and financial position.

 

The Company has determined that all other recently issued accounting pronouncements will not have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows, or do not apply to its operations.