ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Abstract]

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

The Company has available-for-sale securities and receives an allocation of the actuarial losses and net prior service credits associated with Employers Mutual’s pension and postretirement benefit plans, both of which generate accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) amounts.  The following table reconciles, by component, the beginning and ending balances of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax.

	Accumulated other comprehensive income by component
($ in thousands)	Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for- sale securities			Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit obligations			Total
Balance at December 31, 2013	$	48,376		$	10,634		$	59,010
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	34,663			(5,560		)	29,103
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	(4,677		)	(1,774		)	(6,451		)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	29,986			(7,334		)	22,652
Balance at December 31, 2014	78,362			3,300			81,662
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	(13,037		)	(3,949		)	(16,986		)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income	(4,956		)	(1,287		)	(6,243		)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(17,993		)	(5,236		)	(23,229		)
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	60,369		$	(1,936	)	$	58,433

The following tables display amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income and into net income during the three years ended December 31, 2015.

($ in thousands)	Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income
Accumulated other comprehensive income components	Year ended December 31, 2015			Affected line item in the consolidated statements of income
Unrealized gains on investments:
Reclassification adjustment for realized investment gains included in net income	$	7,624		Net realized investment gains
Deferred income tax expense	(2,668		)	Income tax expense, current
Net reclassification adjustment	4,956
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit obligations:
Reclassification adjustment for amounts amortized into net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost (income):
Net actuarial loss	(1,327		)	(1)
Prior service credit	3,307			(1)
Total before tax	1,980
Deferred income tax expense	(693		)	Income tax expense, current
Net reclassification adjustment	1,287
Total reclassification adjustment	$	6,243

(1) These reclassified components of accumulated other comprehensive income are included in the computation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost (income) (see Note 12, Employee Retirement Plans, for additional details).

($ in thousands)	Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income
Accumulated other comprehensive income components	Year ended December 31, 2014			Affected line item in the consolidated statements of income
Unrealized gains on investments:
Reclassification adjustment for realized investment gains included in net income	$	7,195		Net realized investment gains
Deferred income tax expense	(2,518		)	Income tax expense, current
Net reclassification adjustment	4,677
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit obligations:
Reclassification adjustment for amounts amortized into net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost (income):
Net actuarial loss	(578		)	(1)
Prior service credit	3,307			(1)
Total before tax	2,729
Deferred income tax expense	(955		)	Income tax expense, current
Net reclassification adjustment	1,774
Total reclassification adjustment	$	6,451

(1) These reclassified components of accumulated other comprehensive income are included in the computation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost (income) (see Note 12, Employee Retirement Plans, for additional details).

($ in thousands)	Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income
Accumulated other comprehensive income components	Year ended December 31, 2013			Affected line item in the consolidated statements of income
Unrealized gains on investments:
Reclassification adjustment for realized investment gains included in net income	$	8,997		Net realized investment gains
Deferred income tax expense	(3,149		)	Income tax expense, current
Net reclassification adjustment	5,848
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit obligations:
Reclassification adjustment for amounts amortized into net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost (income):
Net actuarial loss	(2,895		)	(1)
Prior service credit	708			(1)
Total before tax	(2,187		)
Deferred income tax expense	765			Income tax expense, current
Net reclassification adjustment	(1,422		)
Total reclassification adjustment	$	4,426

(1) These reclassified components of accumulated other comprehensive income are included in the computation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost (income) (see Note 12, Employee Retirement Plans, for additional details).