Note 13 - Commitments and Contingencies (Note)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

We are routinely involved in a number of legal actions and proceedings, including litigation and other disputes arising in the ordinary course of our business. Legal and regulatory matters such as those discussed below and in our 2020 Form 10-K could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, injunctions, restitutions or other relief that could require significant expenditures or have other effects on our business. Management believes, based on current knowledge and after consultation with counsel, that the outcome of any currently pending or threatened actions will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition. The outcome of litigation and other legal and regulatory matters and proceedings is inherently uncertain, and it is possible that one or more of the matters currently pending or threatened could have an adverse effect on our liquidity, financial condition or results of operations for any particular period.

On August 31, 2018, Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper (“Nationstar”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Radian Guaranty related to certain insurance coverage and premium refund decisions made by Radian Guaranty. Effective June 26, 2020, Radian Guaranty and Nationstar entered into a Confidential Settlement Agreement and Release (the “Nationstar Settlement”) to fully resolve, among other things, all claims and counterclaims in this litigation. Implementation of the Nationstar Settlement, which was subject to the condition precedent that the GSEs consent to the Nationstar Settlement, became effective on March 1, 2021, and the litigation was subsequently dismissed with prejudice. Pursuant to the Nationstar Settlement, among other things: (i) Radian made a cash settlement payment to Nationstar on March 5, 2021 and (ii) each party agreed to release the other with respect to all known or unknown claims with respect to the certificates subject to this litigation as well as with respect to all other certificates issued under certain policies on loans serviced by Nationstar for which Radian decided claims prior to January 1, 2019. See Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2020 Form 10-K for additional background on this matter. The implementation of the Nationstar Settlement did not have a material impact on our mortgage insurance reserves for this proceeding.

We also are periodically subject to reviews and audits, as well as inquiries, information-gathering requests and investigations, by regulatory entities. In connection with these matters, from time to time we receive requests and subpoenas seeking information and documents related to aspects of our business.

Our Master Policies establish the timeline within which any suit or action arising from any right of an insured under the policy generally must be commenced. In general, any suit or action arising from any right of an insured under the policy must be commenced within two years after such right first arose for primary insurance and within three years for certain other policies, including certain Pool Mortgage Insurance policies. Although we believe that our Loss Mitigation Activities are justified under our policies, from time to time we face challenges from certain lender and servicer customers regarding our Loss Mitigation Activities. These challenges could result in additional arbitration or judicial proceedings and we may need to reassume the risk on, and increase loss reserves for, the associated policies or pay additional claims.

The legal and regulatory matters discussed above could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, injunctions, restitutions or other relief that could require significant expenditures or have other effects on our business in excess of amounts we have established as reserves for such matters.

Lease Liability

Our lease liability represents the present value of future lease payments over the lease term. Our operating lease liability was $54.3 million and $53.4 million as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively, and is classified in other liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. See Note 9 for additional information on our operating lease right-of-use assets, including an impairment recognized in the second quarter of 2021 related to a decision to sublease the office space in our former corporate headquarters.

See Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2020 Form 10-K for further information regarding our commitments and contingencies and our accounting policies for contingencies.