Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Fair Value Measurements [Abstract]

Fair Value Measurements

Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements

In accordance with fair value guidance, we applied the following fair value hierarchy in order to measure fair value for assets and liabilities:

Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets that we can access. Financial assets utilizing Level 1 inputs primarily include certain U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies and Australian government and semi government securities.

Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and inputs, other than quoted prices, that are observable in the marketplace for the financial instrument. The observable inputs are used in valuation models to calculate the fair value of the financial instruments. Financial assets utilizing Level 2 inputs primarily include certain municipal and corporate bonds.

Level 3 – Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or value drivers are unobservable. Level 3 inputs reflect our own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in pricing an asset or liability. Financial assets utilizing Level 3 inputs include certain state and auction rate (backed by student loans) securities. Non-financial assets which utilize Level 3 inputs include real estate acquired through claim settlement.

To determine the fair value of securities available-for-sale in Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, independent pricing sources have been utilized. One price is provided per security based on observable market data. To ensure securities are appropriately classified in the fair value hierarchy, we review the pricing techniques and methodologies of the independent pricing sources and believe that their policies adequately consider market activity, either based on specific transactions for the issue valued or based on modeling of securities with similar credit quality, duration, yield and structure that were recently traded. A variety of inputs are utilized by the independent pricing sources including benchmark yields, reported trades, non-binding broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data including data published in market research publications. Inputs may be weighted differently for any security, and not all inputs are used for each security evaluation. Market indicators, industry and economic events are also considered. This information is evaluated using a multidimensional pricing model. Quality controls are performed by the independent pricing sources throughout this process, which include reviewing tolerance reports, trading information and data changes, and directional moves compared to market moves. This model combines all inputs to arrive at a value assigned to each security. In addition, on a quarterly basis, we perform quality controls over values received from the pricing sources which include reviewing tolerance reports, trading information and data changes, and directional moves compared to market moves. We have not made any adjustments to the prices obtained from the independent pricing sources.

Assets classified as Level 3 are as follows:

● Securities available-for-sale classified in Level 3 are not readily marketable and are valued using internally developed models based on the present value of expected cash flows. Our Level 3 securities, at December 31, 2012, primarily consisted of auction rate securities for which observable inputs or value drivers were unavailable. Due to limited market information, we utilized a discounted cash flow ("DCF") model to derive an estimate of fair value of these assets at December 31, 2012. The DCF model for estimating the fair value of the auction rate securities as of December 31, 2012 was based on the following key assumptions:

o Nominal credit risk as substantially all of the underlying collateral of these securities is ultimately guaranteed by the United States Department of Education;

o Time to liquidity through December 31, 2013;

o Continued receipt of contractual interest; and

o Discount rates ranging from 16.87% to 18.35%, which include a spread for liquidity risk.

During the first three months of 2013 we sold our remaining auction rate securities. At March 31, 2013, the majority of the $3 million balance of Level 3 securities is state premium tax credit investments. The state premium tax credit investments have an average maturity of under 5 years, credit ratings of AA+ or higher, and their balance reflects their remaining scheduled payments discounted at an average annual rate of 7.5%.

● Real estate acquired through claim settlement is fair valued at the lower of our acquisition cost or a percentage of appraised value. The percentage applied to appraised value is based upon our historical sales experience adjusted for current trends.

Fair value measurements for assets measured at fair value included the following as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

	Fair Value		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
	(In thousands)
March 31, 2013
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	$	884,735	$	884,735	$	-	$	-
Obligations of U.S. states and political subdivisions		799,442		-		796,485		2,957
Corporate debt securities		1,703,180		-		1,703,180		-
Asset-backed securities		330,739		-		330,739		-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		427,960		-		427,960		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		231,663		-		231,663		-
Collateralized loan obligations		19,901		-		19,901		-
Debt securities issued by foreign sovereign governments		140,142		140,142		-		-
Total debt securities		4,537,762		1,024,877		3,509,928		2,957
Equity securities		2,928		2,607		-		321
Total investments	$	4,540,690	$	1,027,484	$	3,509,928	$	3,278
Real estate acquired (1)	$	7,524	$	-	$	-	$	7,524
December 31, 2012
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	$	866,251	$	866,251	$	-	$	-
Obligations of U.S. states and political subdivisions		812,394		-		809,264		3,130
Corporate debt securities		1,480,941		-		1,463,827		17,114
Asset-backed securities		324,436		-		324,436		-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		450,909		-		450,909		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		150,342		-		150,342		-
Debt securities issued by foreign sovereign governments		142,066		142,066		-		-
Total debt securities		4,227,339		1,008,317		3,198,778		20,244
Equity securities		2,936		2,615		-		321
Total investments	$	4,230,275	$	1,010,932	$	3,198,778	$	20,565
Real estate acquired (1)	$	3,463	$	-	$	-	$	3,463

(1) Real estate acquired through claim settlement, which is held for sale, is reported in Other Assets on the consolidated balance sheet.

There were no transfers of securities between Level 1 and Level 2 during the first three months of 2013 or 2012.

For assets measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 is as follows:

	Obligations of U.S. States and Political Subdivisions			Corporate Debt Securities			Equity Securities		Total Investments			Real Estate Acquired
	(In thousands)
Balance at December 31, 2012	$	3,130		$	17,114		$	321	$	20,565		$	3,463
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses):
Included in earnings and reported as realized investment gains (losses), net		-			(225	)		-		(225	)		-
Included in earnings and reported as losses incurred, net		-			-			-		-			(1,302	)
Purchases		30			-			-		30			8,014
Sales		(203	)		(16,889	)		-		(17,092	)		(2,651	)
Transfers into Level 3		-			-			-		-			-
Transfers out of Level 3		-			-			-		-			-
Balance at March 31, 2013	$	2,957		$	-		$	321	$	3,278		$	7,524
Amount of total losses included in earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2013 attributable to the change in unrealized losses on assets still held at March 31, 2013	$	-		$	-		$	-	$	-		$	-

	Obligations of U.S. States and Political Subdivisions			Corporate Debt Securities			Equity Securities		Total Investments			Real Estate Acquired
	(In thousands)
Balance at December 31, 2011	$	114,226		$	60,228		$	321	$	174,775		$	1,621
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses):
Included in earnings and reported as realized investment gains (losses), net		(1,950	)		(381	)		-		(2,331	)		-
Included in earnings and reported as losses incurred, net		-			-			-		-			(316	)
Included in other comprehensive income		1,869			277			-		2,146			-
Purchases		27			-			-		27			2,082
Sales		(18,656	)		(9,006	)		-		(27,662	)		(1,047	)
Transfers into Level 3		-			-			-		-			-
Transfers out of Level 3		-			-			-		-			-
Balance at March 31, 2012	$	95,516		$	51,118		$	321	$	146,955		$	2,340
Amount of total losses included in earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2012 attributable to the change in unrealized losses on assets still held at March 31, 2012	$	-		$	-		$	-	$	-		$	-

Additional fair value disclosures related to our investment portfolio are included in Note 7 – "Investments." Fair value disclosures related to our debt are included in Note 3 – "Debt."