Financial Instruments within the Fair Value Hierarchy (Table Text Block)

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]

Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis

13. Fair Value Measurements

Fair values of cash equivalents approximate carrying value due to the short period of time to maturity. Fair values of short term investments, investments available-for-sale, long term investments, mortgage loans and notes on real estate, and interest rate swap contracts are based on quoted market prices, dealer quotes or discounted cash flows. Fair values of trade receivables approximate their recorded value.

Our financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of temporary cash investments, trade receivables, reinsurance recoverables and notes receivable. Limited credit risk exists on trade receivables due to the diversity of our customer base and their dispersion across broad geographic markets. We place our temporary cash investments with financial institutions and limit the amount of credit exposure to any one financial institution.

We have mortgage receivables, which potentially expose us to credit risk. The portfolio of notes is principally collateralized by self-storage facilities and commercial properties. We have not experienced any material losses related to the notes from individual or groups of notes in any particular industry or geographic area. The estimated fair values were determined using the discounted cash flow method and using interest rates currently offered for similar loans to borrowers with similar credit ratings.

The carrying amount of long term debt and short term borrowings are estimated to approximate fair value as the actual interest rate is consistent with the rate estimated to be currently available for debt of similar term and remaining maturity.

Other investments including short term investments are substantially current or bear reasonable interest rates. As a result, the carrying values of these financial instruments approximate fair value.

Assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value on the condensed consolidated balance sheets and are measured and classified based upon a three tiered approach to valuation. ASC 820 - Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure (“ASC 820”) requires that financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair value be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

Level 1 - Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;  

Level 2 - Quoted prices for identical or similar financial instruments in markets that are not considered to be active, or similar financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly, or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable, or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data through correlation or other means; and

Level 3 - Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and are unobservable. These reflect management's assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in pricing the asset or liability.

A financial instrument's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following table represents the financial assets and liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2013, that are subject to ASC 820 and the valuation approach applied to each of these items.

		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
		(Unaudited)
		(In thousands)
Assets
Short-term investments	$	628,725	$	628,725	$	-	$	-
Fixed maturities - available for sale		1,057,763		961,045		95,573		1,145
Preferred stock		18,449		18,449		-		-
Common stock		38,128		38,128		-		-
Derivatives		1,970		-		1,970		-
Total	$	1,745,035	$	1,646,347	$	97,543	$	1,145
Liabilities
Guaranteed residual values of TRAC leases	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
Derivatives		39,875		-		39,875		-
Total	$	39,875	$	-	$	39,875	$	-