Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of State Auto Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries (“State Auto Financial” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, all adjustments (consisting of normal, recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine month period ended September 30, 2018, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2018. The balance sheet at December 31, 2017, has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, (the “2017 Form 10-K”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the 2017 Form 10-K.

Adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU-2016-01 to improve certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure of financial instruments. Specifically the guidance (i) requires equity investments, including equity securities and limited partnership interests, that are not accounted for under the equity method of accounting or result in consolidation to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings, (ii) simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment, (iii) eliminates the requirement to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost, (iv) requires the use of the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes, (v) requires an entity to present separately in other comprehensive income the portion of the total change in fair value of a liability resulting from a change in  the instrument-specific credit risk when the entity has elected to measure the liability at fair value in accordance with the fair value option, (vi) requires separate presentation of financial assets and liabilities by measurement category and form on the balance sheet or the notes to the financial statements, and (vii) clarifies that the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to an available for sale security should be evaluated with other deferred tax assets. The guidance was effective beginning January 1, 2018. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the recognition of $60.8 million of net unrealized gains (net of tax) as a cumulative effect adjustment that increased retained earnings as of January 1, 2018 and decreased accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) by the same amount. Changes in the fair value of equity securities and other invested assets previously identified as available-for-sale are reported in "net investment (loss) gain" in the condensed consolidated statements of income. At December 31, 2017, equity securities and other invested assets were classified as available-for-sale on the Company's balance sheet; however, upon adoption, the guidance eliminated the available-for-sale balance sheet classification for equity securities and other invested assets.

Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02 that addresses certain stranded income tax effects in AOCI resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”). Current guidance requires the effect of a change in tax laws or rates on deferred tax balances to be reported in income from continuing operations in the accounting period that includes the period of enactment, even if the related income tax effects were originally charged or credited directly to AOCI. The amount of the reclassification would include the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate on the gross deferred tax amounts and related valuation allowances, if any, at the date of the enactment of TCJA related to items in AOCI. The updated guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and is to be applied retrospectively to each period in which the effect of the TCJA related to items remaining in AOCI are recognized or at the beginning of the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted the updated guidance effective January 1, 2018 and elected to reclassify the income tax effects of the TCJA from AOCI to retained earnings as of January 1, 2018. This reclassification resulted in a decrease in retained earnings of $4.0 million as of January 1, 2018 and an increase in AOCI by the same amount.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 that requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Insurance contracts do not fall within the scope of this new guidance. The guidance was effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2018. The adoption of the guidance did not impact how the Company recognizes revenue; thus, there was no impact to its results of operations or consolidated financial position.

Statement of Cash Flows - Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments

In August 2016, the FASB issued 2016-15 that addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing existing diversity in practice. The new guidance is effective beginning January 1, 2018. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2018 and it did not impact the Company's cash flows.

Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07 on how to present the components of net periodic benefit costs in the income statement for pension plans and other post-retirement benefit plans. The new guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this guidance effective beginning January 1, 2018 and it did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, consolidated financial position, or cash flows.

Pending Adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that amended previous guidance on lease accounting. The new guidance requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP. The guidance is effective beginning January 1, 2019 and it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, consolidated financial position or cash flows.

For information regarding other accounting pronouncements that the Company has not yet adopted, see the “Pending Adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements” section of Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the 2017 Form 10-K.