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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Note 8 – Commitments and Contingencies

The insurance industry has experienced a number of civil jury verdicts which have been returned against life and health insurers in the jurisdictions in which the Company does business involving the insurers' sales practices, alleged agent misconduct, failure to properly supervise agents, and other matters.  Some of the lawsuits have resulted in the award of substantial judgments against the insurer, including material amounts of punitive damages.  In some states, juries have substantial discretion in awarding punitive damages in these circumstances.  In the normal course of business, the Company is involved from time to time in various legal actions and other state and federal proceedings.  Management is of the opinion that the ultimate disposition of the matters will not have a materially adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial position.

Under the insurance guaranty fund laws in most states, insurance companies doing business in a participating state can be assessed up to prescribed limits for policyholder losses incurred by insolvent or failed insurance companies.  Although the Company cannot predict the amount of any future assessments, most insurance guaranty fund laws currently provide that an assessment may be excused or deferred if it would threaten an insurer's financial strength.  Mandatory assessments may be partially recovered through a reduction in future premium tax in some states. The Company does not believe such assessments will be materially different from amounts already provided for in the condensed consolidated financial statements, though the Company has no control over such assessments.

Within the Company’s trading accounts, certain trading securities carried as liabilities represent securities sold short.  A gain, limited to the price at which the security was sold short, or a loss, potentially unlimited in size, will be recognized upon the termination of the short sale.

The following table represents the total funding commitments and the unfunded commitment as of December 31, 2019 related to certain investments:

 
Total Funding
Commitment
 
Unfunded
Commitment
RLF III, LLC
$
4,000,000
 
$
398,120
Sovereign’s Capital, LP Fund I
 
500,000
  
20,000
Sovereign's Capital, LP Fund II
 
1,000,000
  
158,596
Sovereign's Capital, LP Fund III
 
1,000,000
  
800,000
Barton Springs Music, LLC
 
1,750,000
  
302,250

During 2006, the Company committed to invest in RLF III, LLC (“RLF”), which makes land-based investments in undervalued assets. RLF makes capital calls as funds are needed for continued land purchases.

During 2012, the Company committed to invest in Sovereign’s Capital, LP Fund I (“Sovereign’s”), which invests in companies in emerging markets. Sovereign’s makes capital calls to investors as funds are needed.

During 2015, the Company committed to invest in Sovereign’s Capital, LP Fund II (“Sovereign’s II”), which invests in companies in emerging markets. Sovereign’s II makes capital calls to investors as funds are needed.

During 2018, the Company committed to invest in Sovereign’s Capital, LP Fund III (“Sovereign’s III”), which invests in companies in emerging markets. Sovereign’s III makes capital calls to investors as funds are needed.

During 2018, the Company committed to invest in Barton Springs Music, LLC (“Barton”), which invests in music royalties.  Barton makes capital calls to its investors as funds are needed to acquire the royalty rights.