Note 4 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Available for sale securities, trading securities and certain other assets are recorded at fair value. All changes in the fair value of trading securities and certain other assets are included in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. All changes in the fair value of available for sale securities are recorded in AOCI. There were no significant changes to our fair value methodologies during the nine months ended September 30, 2015.

In accordance with GAAP, we established a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements based on the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level I measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level III measurements). The level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the measurement in its entirety. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are defined below:


Level I	— Unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;


Level II	— Prices or valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities; and


Level III	— Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable. Level III inputs are used to measure fair value only to the extent that observable inputs are not available.

The level of market activity used to determine the fair value hierarchy is based on the availability of observable inputs market participants would use to price an asset or a liability, including market value price observations. We provide a qualitative description of the valuation techniques and inputs used for Level II recurring and non-recurring fair value measurements in our audited annual financial statements as of December 31, 2014. For a complete understanding of those valuation techniques and inputs used as of September 30, 2015, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2014 Form 10-K.

The following is a list of those assets that are measured at fair value by hierarchy level as of September 30, 2015:



(In millions)	Level I		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets at Fair Value
Investment Portfolio:
U.S. government and agency securities	$	729.1	$	—	$	—	$	729.1
State and municipal obligations	—		332.5		—		332.5
Money market instruments	819.7		—		—		819.7
Corporate bonds and notes	—		1,287.7		—		1,287.7
RMBS	—		285.6		—		285.6
CMBS	—		462.4		—		462.4
Other ABS	—		354.3		—		354.3
Foreign government and agency securities	—		35.7		—		35.7
Equity securities	19.0		45.5		0.5		65.0
Other investments (1)	—		1.0		—		1.0
Total Investments at Fair Value (2)	1,567.8		2,804.7		0.5		4,373.0
Total Assets at Fair Value	$	1,567.8	$	2,804.7	$	0.5	$	4,373.0

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(1)	Comprising short-term certificates of deposit.


(2)	Does not include certain other invested assets ($3.8 million), primarily invested in limited partnerships, accounted for as cost-method investments and not measured at fair value.

At September 30, 2015, total Level III assets of $0.5 million accounted for less than 0.1% of total assets measured at fair value. This investment was purchased during the three months ended June 30, 2015, and there were no related gains or losses recorded during the quarter. There were no Level III liabilities.

The following is a list of those assets that are measured at fair value by hierarchy level as of December 31, 2014:



(In millions)	Level I		Level II		Total
Assets at Fair Value
Investment Portfolio:
U.S. government and agency securities	$	836.9	$	3.0	$	839.9
State and municipal obligations	—		362.8		362.8
Money market instruments	600.3		—		600.3
Corporate bonds and notes	—		992.8		992.8
RMBS	—		132.3		132.3
CMBS	—		246.8		246.8
Other ABS	—		185.5		185.5
Foreign government and agency securities	—		37.7		37.7
Equity securities (1)	164.0		51.6		215.6
Other investments (2)	—		1.0		1.0
Total Investments at Fair Value (3)	1,601.2		2,013.5		3,614.7
Total Assets at Fair Value	$	1,601.2	$	2,013.5	$	3,614.7

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(1)	Comprising broadly diversified domestic equity mutual funds and certain common stocks included within Level I and various preferred stocks invested across numerous companies and industries included within Level II.


(2)	Comprising short-term certificates of deposit.


(3)	Does not include certain other invested assets ($14.6 million), primarily invested in limited partnerships, accounted for as cost-method investments and not measured at fair value. Also excludes investments classified as assets held for sale of $495.1 million, $839.2 million and $102.6 million, with fair values categorized in Level I, Level II and Level III, respectively.

At December 31, 2014, there were no Level III assets other than those classified as assets held for sale, and total Level III liabilities of $3.8 million accounted for 100% of total liabilities measured at fair value.

There were no transfers between Level I and Level II for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 or 2014. There were also no transfers involving Level III assets or liabilities for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, all of our other ABS securities were transferred from Level III to Level II, as third-party pricing became available.

Other Fair Value Disclosure

The carrying value and estimated fair value of other selected assets and liabilities not carried at fair value on our condensed consolidated balance sheets were as follows as of the dates indicated:



	September 30, 2015					December 31, 2014
(In millions)	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value			Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
Assets:
Other invested assets	$	3.8	$	7.6	(1)	$	14.6	$	20.5	(1)
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	1,230.2		1,558.7		(1)	1,192.3		1,859.3		(1)

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(1)	These estimated fair values would be classified in Level II of the fair value hierarchy.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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