Dividends

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

The following table presents shareholder dividends paid:


	Year Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
	(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Total paid	$	140,226	$	139,640	$	139,071
Per share paid	$	2.5325	$	2.5225	$	2.5125

The Insurance Companies are subject to the financial capacity guidelines established by their domiciliary states. The payment of dividends from statutory unassigned surplus of the Insurance Companies is restricted, subject to certain statutory limitations. As of December 31, 2021, the insurance subsidiaries of the Company are permitted to pay approximately $252 million in dividends in 2022 to Mercury General without the prior approval of the DOI of domiciliary states. The above statutory regulations may have the effect of indirectly limiting the ability of the Company to pay shareholder dividends. During 2021, 2020, and 2019, the Insurance Companies paid Mercury General ordinary dividends of $191 million, $121 million, and $114 million, respectively.

On February 11, 2022, the Board of Directors declared a $0.6350 quarterly dividend payable on March 30, 2022 to shareholders of record on March 16, 2022.