Recently Issued Accounting Standards

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2023

Recently Issued Accounting Standards [Abstract]

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Note 2. Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued accounting standards update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). The updated guidance applies a new credit loss model (current expected credit losses or CECL) for determining credit-related impairments for financial instruments measured at amortized cost (including reinsurance recoverables, premium and other receivables) and requires an entity to estimate the credit losses expected over the life of an exposure or pool of exposures. The estimate of expected credit losses should consider historical information, current information, as well as reasonable and supportable forecasts, including estimates of prepayments. The expected credit losses, and subsequent adjustments to such losses, are recorded through an allowance account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial asset, with the net carrying value of the financial asset presented on the consolidated balance sheet at the amount expected to be collected.

The updated guidance also amends the previous other-than-temporary impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities by requiring the recognition of impairments relating to credit losses through an allowance account and limits the amount of credit loss to the difference between a security’s amortized cost basis and its fair value. In addition, the length of time a security has been in an unrealized loss position will no longer impact the determination of whether a credit loss exists.

The Company adopted the updated guidance as of January 1, 2023. The updated guidance was applied by a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings as of January 1, 2023, the beginning of the period of adoption. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the recognition of an after-tax cumulative effect adjustment of $0.1 million to reflect the impact of recognizing expected credit losses, as compared to incurred credit losses recognized under the previous guidance. This adjustment is primarily associated with reinsurance recoverables, premium and other receivables. The cumulative effect adjustment decreased retained earnings as of January 1, 2023 and increased the allowance for estimated uncollectible reinsurance.

Impact of Adoption on Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

Reinsurance Recoverables

The following table presents the balances of reinsurance recoverables, net of the allowance for estimated uncollectible reinsurance, at January 1, 2023 and March 31, 2023, and the changes in the allowance for estimated uncollectible reinsurance for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

	At and for the three months ended, March 31, 2023
(in thousands)	Reinsurance Recoverables, Net of Allowance for Estimated Uncollectible Reinsurance		Allowance for Estimated Uncollectible Reinsurance
Balance, beginning of period	$	25,913	$	—
Cumulative effect of adoption of updated accounting guidance for  credit losses at January 1, 2023		—		75
Current period change for estimated uncollectible reinsurance		—		(6	)
Write-offs of uncollectible reinsurance recoverables		—		—
Balance, end of period	$	24,916	$	69

Insurance Premium and Other Receivables

The following table presents the balances of insurance premiums and other, net of the allowance for expected credit losses, at January 1, 2023 and March 31, 2023, and the changes in the allowance for doubtful accounts/expected credit losses for the three months ended March 31, 2023.

	At and for the three months ended, March 31, 2023
(in thousands)	Insurance Premiums and Other, Net of Expected Credit Losses		Allowance for Doubtful Accounts/Expected Credit Losses
Balance, beginning of period	$	15,386	$	177
Cumulative effect of adoption of updated accounting guidance for  credit losses at January 1, 2023		—		—
Current period change for expected credit losses		—		20
Write-offs of uncollectible insurance premiums and other receivables		—		—
Balance, end of period	$	11,555	$	197

Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards

For more information regarding accounting standards that the Company has not yet adopted, see the “Recently Issued Accounting Standards - Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards” section of Note 1 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2022 Annual Report.

Accounting Policies

The following accounting policies have been updated to reflect the Company’s adoption of Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, as described above.

Credit Impairments of Fixed Maturities

The Company’s investments in fixed maturities, which include bonds and redeemable preferred stocks, are classified as “available-for-sale” and, accordingly, are carried at fair value with the after-tax difference from amortized cost, less Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”), as adjusted if applicable, reflected in shareholders’ equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. The Company’s equity securities, which include common and non-redeemable preferred stocks, are carried at fair value with changes in fair value reported in net income. The fair values of fixed maturities and equity securities are largely determined from publicly quoted market prices, when available, or independent broker quotations. Values that are not determined using quoted market prices inherently involve a greater degree of judgment and uncertainty and therefore ultimately greater price volatility than the value of securities with publicly quoted market prices.

Prior to January 1, 2023, the Company applied other than temporary impairment (“OTTI”) guidance for securities in an unrealized loss position. An OTTI was recognized in earnings within realized investment gains (losses) when it was anticipated that the amortized cost would not be recovered. When either: (i) the Company had the intent to sell the security, or (ii) it was more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell the security before recovery, the reduction of amortized cost and the OTTI recognized in earnings was the entire difference between the security’s amortized cost and estimated fair value. If neither of these conditions existed, the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the present value of projected future cash flows expected to be collected was recognized as a reduction of amortized cost and an OTTI in earnings. If the estimated fair value was less than the present value of projected future cash flows expected to be collected, this portion of the decline in value related to other-than-credit factors was recorded in OCI.

On January 1, 2023, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 using a modified retrospective approach. Under ASU 2016-13, for securities in an unrealized loss position, a credit loss is recognized in earnings within realized investment gains (losses) when it is anticipated that the amortized cost will not be recovered. When either: (i) the Company has the intent to sell the security; or (ii) it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery, the reduction of amortized cost and the loss recognized in earnings is the entire difference between the security’s amortized cost and estimated fair value. If neither of these conditions exists, the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the present value of projected future cash flows expected to be collected is recognized as a credit loss by establishing an ACL with a corresponding charge to earnings in realized investment gains (losses). However, the ACL is limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost. This limitation is known as the “fair value floor.” If the estimated fair value is less than the present value of projected future cash flows expected to be collected, this portion of the decline in value related to other-than-credit factors (“noncredit loss”) is recorded in OCI.

Reinsurance Recoverables

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries from time to time purchase reinsurance from unaffiliated insurers and reinsurers to reduce their potential liability on individual risks and to protect against catastrophic losses. In a reinsurance transaction, an insurance company transfers, or “cedes,” a portion or all of its exposure on insurance policies to a reinsurer. The reinsurer assumes the exposure in return for a portion of the premiums. The ceding of insurance does not legally discharge the insurer from primary liability for the full amount of the policies written by it, and the ceding company will incur a loss if the reinsurer fails to meet its obligations under the reinsurance agreement.

Amounts currently recoverable under reinsurance agreements are included in reinsurance receivables and amounts currently payable are included in other liabilities. Assets and liabilities relating to reinsurance agreements with the same reinsurer may be recorded net on the balance sheet, if a right of offset exists within the reinsurance agreement. In the event that reinsurers do not meet their obligations to the Company under the terms of the reinsurance agreements, reinsurance recoverable balances could become uncollectible. In such instances, reinsurance recoverable balances are stated net of allowances for uncollectible reinsurance.

Insurance Premiums and Other Receivables

Receivables amounts due from insureds and agents are evaluated periodically for collectibility. Allowances for expected credit losses are established, as and when a loss has been determined probable, against the related receivable. An allowance for expected credit loss is recognized by the Company when determined on a specific account basis and a general provision for loss is made based on the Company’s historical and expected experience.