NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES

Investments

Investments in Fixed Maturities include bonds, notes and redeemable preferred stocks. Investments in Fixed Maturities are classified as available for sale and reported at fair value. Net Investment Income, including amortization of purchased premiums and accretion of market discounts, on Investments in Fixed Maturities is recognized as interest over the period that it is earned using the effective yield method.

Investments in Equity Securities include common and non-redeemable preferred stocks and other equity interests and are reported at fair value. Investments in common and non-redeemable preferred stocks with readily determinable fair values are classified as available for sale. Dividend income on investments in common and non-redeemable preferred stocks is recognized on the ex-dividend date. Other equity interests primarily consist of exchange traded funds and interests in limited liability companies and limited partnerships in which the Company’s interests are deemed minor. The Company’s share of distributed earnings from other equity interests is recognized as dividend income when received.

Unrealized appreciation or depreciation, net of applicable deferred income taxes, on fixed maturities and equity securities classified as available for sale is reported in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) included in Shareholders’ Equity.

Equity Method Limited Liability Investments include investments in limited liability investment companies and limited partnerships in which the Company’s interests are not deemed minor and are accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Continued)

Fair Value Option Investments include investments in certain hedge funds, which the Company has elected the fair value option (“FVO”) to account for such investments. Under the FVO method of accounting, the Company reports changes in the fair value of such investments in Net Investment Income in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The hedge funds are designed to preserve liquidity, while providing higher returns than Kemper would otherwise expect to earn had it invested in other short-term investments.

Short-term Investments include certificates of deposits and other fixed maturities that mature within one year from the date of purchase, U.S. Treasury bills, money market mutual funds, overnight interest bearing accounts, and repurchase agreements. Short-term Investments are reported at cost, which approximates fair value.

Other Investments primarily include loans to policyholders and real estate. Loans to policyholders are carried at unpaid principal balance. Real estate is carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Real estate is depreciated over the estimated useful life of the asset using the straight-line method of depreciation. Real estate is evaluated for impairment when events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. An impairment loss on real estate is recognized when the carrying value exceeds the sum of undiscounted projected future cash flows as well as the fair value, or, in the case of a property classified as held for sale, when the carrying value exceeds the fair value, net of costs to sell.

Gains and losses on sales of investments are computed on the specific identification method and are reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income in the period in which the sales occur. The Company regularly reviews its investment portfolio for factors that may indicate that a decline in fair value of an investment is other than temporary. Losses are computed on the specific identification method and reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income in the period that the decline is determined to be other than temporary. The portion of an impairment of an investment in a fixed maturity attributed to a credit loss is reported in Net Impairment Losses Recognized in Earnings in the Consolidated Statements of Income, with the portion of the impairment that is not attributed to a credit loss reported in AOCI.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company uses a hierarchical framework which prioritizes and ranks the market observability of inputs used in fair value measurements. Market price observability is affected by a number of factors, including the type of asset or liability and the characteristics specific to the asset or liability being measured. Assets and liabilities with readily available, active, quoted market prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices generally are deemed to have a higher degree of market price observability and a lesser degree of judgment used in measuring fair value. The Company classifies the inputs used to measure fair value into one of three levels as follows:


•	Level 1 — Quoted prices in an active market for identical assets or liabilities;


•	Level 2 — Observable inputs other than Level 1, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, and model-derived prices whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable; and


•	Level 3 — Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability being measured.

Observable inputs are based on market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs are based on the Company’s market assumptions. Unobservable inputs require significant management judgment or estimation. In some cases, the inputs used to measure an asset or liability may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those cases, the fair value measurement is categorized in its entirety in the same level of the fair value hierarchy as the lowest level of input that is significant to the entire measurement. Such determination requires significant management judgment. However, in accordance with GAAP, the Company is not permitted to use management judgment to adjust quoted market prices in an active market.

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

Costs directly associated with the successful acquisition of business, principally commissions and certain premium taxes and policy issuance costs, are deferred. Costs deferred on property and casualty insurance contracts and short duration health insurance contracts are amortized over the period in which premiums are earned. Costs deferred on traditional life insurance products and other long-duration insurance contracts are primarily amortized over the anticipated premium-paying period of the related policies in proportion to the ratio of the annual premiums to the total premiums anticipated, which is estimated using the same assumptions used in calculating policy reserves.

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Continued)

Goodwill

The cost of an acquired entity over the fair value of net assets acquired is reported as Goodwill. Goodwill is not amortized, but rather is tested for recoverability annually or when certain triggering events require testing.

Insurance Reserves

Reserves for losses and LAE on property and casualty insurance coverage and health insurance coverage represent the estimated claim cost and loss adjustment expense necessary to cover the ultimate net cost of investigating and settling all losses incurred and unpaid at the end of any given accounting period. Such estimates are based on individual case estimates for reported claims and estimates for incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) losses, including expected development on reported claims. These estimates are adjusted in the aggregate for ultimate loss expectations based on historical experience patterns and current economic trends, with any change in the estimated ultimate liabilities being reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income in the period of change. Changes in such estimates may be material.

For traditional life insurance products, the reserves for future policy benefits are estimated on the net level premium method using assumptions as of the issue date for mortality, interest, policy lapses and expenses, including provisions for adverse mortality. These assumptions vary by such characteristics as plan, age at issue and policy duration. Mortality assumptions are based on the Company’s historical experience and industry standards. Interest rate assumptions principally range from 3% to 7%. Lapse rate assumptions are based on actual and industry experience. Insurance Reserves for life insurance products are comprised of reserves for future policy benefits plus an estimate of the Company’s liability for unpaid life insurance claims and claims adjustment expenses, which includes an estimate for IBNR life insurance claims. Prior to the third quarter of 2016, except when required by applicable law, the Company did not utilize the database of reported deaths maintained by the Social Security Administration or any other comparable database (a “Death Master File” or “DMF”) in its operations, including to determine its IBNR liability for life insurance products. Instead of using such a database, the Company calculated its IBNR liability for life insurance products using Company-specific historical information, which included analyzing average paid claims and the average lag between date of death and the date reported to the Company for claims for which proof of death had been provided. In the third quarter of 2016, the Company initiated a voluntary enhancement of its claims handling procedures for its life insurance policies. The Company is now utilizing a DMF to identify potential situations where the Company has yet to be notified of an insured’s death and, as appropriate, initiating an outreach process to identify and contact beneficiaries and settle claims. Policyholders’ Benefits and Incurred Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses for the year ended December 31, 2016 include a charge of $77.8 million to recognize the initial impact of using a DMF in the Company’s operations, including to determine its IBNR liability for unpaid claims and claims adjustment expenses for life insurance products.

Other Receivables

Other Receivables primarily include reinsurance recoverables and accrued investment income. Reinsurance Recoverables were $106.4 million and $108.3 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Accrued Investment Income was $70.8 million and $68.5 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Other Assets

Other Assets primarily include property and equipment, internal use software, insurance licenses acquired in business combinations, the value of other intangible assets acquired, corporate-owned life insurance and prepaid expenses.

Property and equipment is depreciated over the useful lives of the assets, generally using the straight-line or double declining balance methods of depreciation depending on the asset involved.

Internal use software is amortized over the useful life of the asset using the straight-line method of amortization. Write-offs of Long-lived Assets for the year ended December 31, 2015 was a charge of $11.1 million to write off the costs of a computer software development project that was abandoned by the Company’s Property & Casualty Insurance segment. Write-offs of Long-lived Assets for the year ended December 31, 2014 was a charge of $54.6 million to write off certain software for the Company’s Property & Casualty Insurance segment after the Company determined that it was no longer probable that the software would be fully implemented.

Insurance licenses acquired in business combinations and other indefinite life intangibles are not amortized, but rather tested periodically for recoverability.

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Continued)

Corporate-owned life insurance is reported at cash surrender value with changes due to cost of insurance and investment experience reported in Other Income in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company accounts for the present value of the future profits embedded in life insurance in force acquired (“Life VIF”) based on actuarial estimates of the present value of estimated net cash flows. Life VIF was $28.9 million and $32.5 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Life VIF is amortized using the effective interest method using interest rates consistent with the rates in the underlying insurance contracts. The Company estimates that it will record Life VIF amortization, net of interest, of $3.1 million in 2017, $2.8 million in 2018, $2.4 million in 2019, $2.0 million in 2020 and $1.8 million in 2021. The Company evaluates the Life VIF for recoverability annually.

The Company accounts for the present value of the future profits embedded in Property and Casualty Insurance Customer Relationships Acquired (“P&C Customer Relationships”) based on the present value of estimated future cash flows from the customer relationships acquired. P&C Customer Relationships was $9.0 million and $11.2 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. P&C Customer Relationships is amortized using the effective interest method. P&C Customer Relationships is tested for recoverability using undiscounted projections of future cash flows and written down to estimated fair value if the carrying value exceeds the sum of such projections of undiscounted cash flows.

The Company accounts for the present value of the future profits embedded in Property and Casualty Insurance Broker Relationships Acquired (“P&C Broker Relationships”) based on the present value of estimated future cash flows from the broker relationships acquired. P&C Broker Relationships was $16.8 million and $18.1 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. P&C Broker Relationships is amortized on a straight-line basis over 15 years. P&C Broker Relationships is tested for recoverability using undiscounted projections of future cash flows and written down to estimated fair value if the carrying value exceeds the sum of such projections of undiscounted cash flows.

Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities

Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities primarily include accrued salaries and commissions, pension benefits, postretirement medical benefits and accrued taxes, licenses and fees.

Recognition of Earned Premiums and Related Expenses

Property and casualty insurance and short duration health insurance premiums are deferred when written and recognized and earned ratably over the periods to which the premiums relate. Unearned Premiums represent the portion of the premiums written related to the unexpired portion of policies in force which has been deferred and is reported as a liability. The Company performs a premium deficiency analysis typically at a product line level, namely automobile insurance, homeowners insurance and other insurance, which is consistent with the manner in which the Company acquires and services policies and measures profitability. Anticipated investment income is excluded from such analysis. A premium deficiency is recognized when the sum of expected claim costs, claim adjustment expenses, unamortized deferred policy acquisition costs and maintenance costs exceeds the related unearned premiums by first reducing related deferred policy acquisition costs to an amount, but not below zero, at which the premium deficiency would not exist. If a premium deficiency remains after first reducing deferred policy acquisition costs, a premium deficiency reserve is established and reported as a liability in the Company’s financial statements. The Company’s deferred policy acquisition costs in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2016 and 2015 include reductions of $9.7 million and $9.0 million, respectively, due to premium deficiencies with respect to Alliance United’s personal automobile book of business.

Traditional life insurance premiums are recognized as revenue when due. Policyholders’ benefits are associated with related premiums to result in recognition of profits over the periods for which the benefits are provided using the net level premium method.

Policyholders’ Benefits and Incurred Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses include provisions for future policy benefits under life and certain accident and health insurance contracts and provisions for reported claims, estimates for IBNR claims and loss adjustment expenses. Benefit payments in excess of policy account balances are expensed.

Reinsurance

In the normal course of business, Kemper’s insurance subsidiaries reinsure certain risks above certain retention levels with other insurance enterprises. These reinsurance agreements do not relieve Kemper’s insurance subsidiaries of their legal obligations to the policyholder. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are included in Other Receivables.

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Continued)

Gains related to long-duration reinsurance contracts are deferred and amortized over the life of the underlying reinsured policies. Losses related to long-duration reinsurance contracts are recognized immediately. Any gain or loss associated with reinsurance agreements for which Kemper’s insurance subsidiaries have been legally relieved of their obligations to the policyholder is recognized in the period of relief.

Income Taxes

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance, if any, is maintained for the portion of deferred income tax assets that the Company does not expect to recover. Increases, if any, in the valuation allowance for deferred income tax assets are recognized as income tax expense. Decreases, if any, in the valuation allowance for deferred income tax assets are recognized as income tax benefit. The effect on deferred income tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period in which the change is enacted.

The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, in an income tax return. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense.

Change in Accounting and Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Effective January 1, 2016, the Company changed its method for estimating the interest and service cost components of expense recognized for its pension and other postretirement employee benefit plans. As a result, the Company elected to use a full yield curve approach to estimate these components of benefit cost by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used in the determination of the benefit obligation to the relevant projected cash flows. Prior to 2016, the interest and service cost components were estimated using a single weighted-average discount rate derived from the yield curve used to measure the projected benefit obligation or accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, as relevant, at the beginning of the period. The change provides a more precise measurement of interest and service costs by improving the correlation between projected benefit cash flows to the corresponding spot yield curve rates. The Company has accounted for this change as a change in accounting estimate that is inseparable from a change in accounting principle and, accordingly, recognized the effect prospectively in 2016. The change in method for estimating the interest and service cost components decreased pension expense for the year ended December 31, 2016 by approximately $2.7 million, but had no impact on the measurement of benefit obligations.

In February 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The amendments in ASU 2015-02 affect reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. Specifically, the amendments modify the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities (“VIEs”) or voting interest entities while also eliminating the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. ASU 2015-02 may also affect the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships. The Company's adoption and initial application as of January 1, 2016 resulted in no changes to the legal entities that the Company consolidates.

In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-07 Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent). ASU 2015-07 removes the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient. The amendments also remove the requirement to make certain disclosures for all investments that are eligible to be measured at fair value using the net asset value per share practical expedient. Rather, those disclosures are limited to investments for which the entity has elected to measure the fair value using that practical expedient. The Company adopted ASU 2015-07 in the first quarter of 2016 and applied its provisions on a retrospective basis. Except for the change in disclosure requirements, adoption of ASU 2015-07 did not impact the Company’s financial statements. The presentation of certain prior year amounts and disclosures have been reclassified to conform to the presentation for the current year.

In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-09, Financial Services—Insurance (Topic 944): Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts. ASU 2015-09 requires insurers to provide additional disclosures about short-duration insurance contracts, focusing

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Continued)

particularly on the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses. Insurers are required to disclose tables showing incurred and paid claims development information by accident year for the number of years that claims typically remain outstanding, although not to exceed ten years, as well as a reconciliation of this information to the balance sheet. Additional disclosures are also required on the total of IBNR liabilities, including expected development on reported claims, reserving methodologies, quantitative information about claim frequency, qualitative description of the methodologies used for determining claim frequency and average annual percentage payout of incurred claims by age. ASU 2015-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 31, 2015 and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Except for the additional disclosure requirements, adoption of ASU 2015-09 did not impact the Company’s financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. ASU 2016-01 addresses certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. Most significantly, ASU 2016-01 requires companies to measure equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee) at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. However, an entity may choose to measure equity investments that do not have readily-determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus

changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. ASU 2016-01 also simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily-determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment. When a qualitative assessment indicates that impairment exists, an entity is required to measure the investment at fair value.

ASU 2016-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company currently records its Investments in Equity Securities at fair value with net unrealized appreciation or depreciation reported in AOCI in Shareholders’ Equity. The Company’s Investments in Equity Securities include securities with readily-determinable fair values and securities without readily-determinable fair values. Until the Company adopts ASU 2016-01 and makes its elections for Investments in Equity Securities that do not have readily-determinable fair values, it cannot determine the impact of the adoption on its consolidated balance sheet. Subsequent to adoption, ASU 2016-01 is expected to cause increased volatility in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), by amending the Accounting Standards

Codification (“ASC”) and creating a new topic on accounting for leases. ASU 2016-02 introduces a lessee model that requires most leases to be reported on the balance sheet of a lessee. ASU 2016-02 also aligns many of the underlying principles of the new lessor model with those in ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, the FASB’s new revenue recognition standard (e.g., those related to evaluating when profit can be recognized). Furthermore, ASU 2016-02 addresses other concerns related to the current leases model. For example, ASU 2016-02 eliminates the requirement in current GAAP for an entity to use bright-line tests in determining lease classification. ASU 2016-02 also requires lessors to increase the transparency of their exposure to changes in value of their residual assets and how they manage that exposure. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those years with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods with early adoption permitted. The Company does not anticipate adoption to have a material impact on its financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that utilizes expected credit losses to provide for an allowance for credit losses for financial instruments and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The amendments in this ASU require a financial asset (or a group of financial assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial asset(s) to present the net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. The income statement includes the measurement of credit losses for newly recognized financial assets, as well as the expected increases or decreases of expected credit losses that have taken place during the period. Credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities are measured in a manner similar to current GAAP, although the ASU requires that they be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down. In situations where the estimate of credit loss on an available-for-sale

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CHANGES (Continued)

debt security declines, entities will be able to record the reversal to income in the current period, which GAAP currently prohibits. ASU 2016-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods with early adoption permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2018 and interim periods within such year. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance on its financial statements.

The Company has adopted all recently issued accounting pronouncements with effective dates prior to January 1, 2017. There were no adoptions of such accounting pronouncements in 2016 that had a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. With the possible exceptions of ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, the Company does not expect the adoption of all other recently issued accounting pronouncements with effective dates after December 31, 2016 to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.