Fair Value Measurements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

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 tax credit investments. 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.

Our financial assets that are classified as Level 3 securities are primarily state premium tax credit investments.  The state premium tax credit investments have an average maturity of under 5 years, credit ratings of AA+, and their balance reflects their remaining scheduled payments discounted at an average annual rate of 7.3%.

Our non-financial assets that are classified as Level 3 securities consist of real estate acquired through claim settlement that 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, 2014 and December 31, 2013:

	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, 2014
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	$	535,048	$	535,048	$	-	$	-
Obligations of U.S. states and political subdivisions		906,127		-		903,749		2,378
Corporate debt securities		2,184,750		-		2,184,750		-
Asset-backed securities		393,511		-		393,511		-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		353,525		-		353,525		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		282,561		-		282,561		-
Collateralized loan obligations		60,434		-		60,434		-
Debt securities issued by foreign sovereign governments		42,570		42,570		-		-
Total debt securities		4,758,526		577,618		4,178,530		2,378
Equity securities		2,955		2,634		-		321
Total investments	$	4,761,481	$	580,252	$	4,178,530	$	2,699
Real estate acquired (1)	$	11,137	$	-	$	-	$	11,137

	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)
December 31, 2013
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies	$	639,590	$	639,590	$	-	$	-
Obligations of U.S. states and political subdivisions		921,367		-		918,944		2,423
Corporate debt securities		2,171,415		-		2,171,415		-
Asset-backed securities		400,486		-		400,486		-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		358,537		-		358,537		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		271,383		-		271,383		-
Collateralized loan obligations		60,295				60,295
Debt securities issued by foreign sovereign governments		40,852		40,852		-		-
Total debt securities		4,863,925		680,442		4,181,060		2,423
Equity securities		2,894		2,573		-		321
Total investments	$	4,866,819	$	683,015	$	4,181,060	$	2,744
Real estate acquired (1)	$	13,280	$	-	$	-	$	13,280

(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 2014 or 2013.

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, 2014 and 2013 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, 2013	$	2,423		$	-	$	321	$	2,744		$	13,280
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses):
Included in earnings and reported as losses incurred, net		-			-		-		-			(1,160	)
Purchases		30			-		-		30			8,010
Sales		(75	)		-		-		(75	)		(8,993	)
Transfers into Level 3		-			-		-		-			-
Transfers out of Level 3		-			-		-		-			-
Balance at March 31, 2014	$	2,378		$	-	$	321	$	2,699		$	11,137
Amount of total losses included in earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2014 attributable to the change in unrealized losses on assets still held at March 31, 2014	$	-		$	-	$	-	$	-		$	-

	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	$	-		$	-		$	-	$	-		$	-

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.”