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Fair Value
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Fair Value
 
Financial instruments carried at fair value
Our available-for-sale and equity securities are recorded at fair value, which is the price that would be received to sell the asset in an orderly transaction between willing market participants as of the measurement date.
 
Valuation techniques used to derive the fair value of our available-for-sale and equity securities are based upon observable and unobservable inputs.  Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources.  Unobservable inputs reflect our own assumptions regarding fair market value for these securities.  Financial instruments are categorized based upon the following characteristics or inputs to the valuation techniques:

Level 1 – Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity can access at the measurement date.

Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
 
Estimates of fair values for our investment portfolio are obtained primarily from a nationally recognized pricing service.  Our Level 1 securities are valued using an exchange traded price provided by the pricing service. Pricing service valuations for Level 2 securities include multiple verifiable, observable inputs including benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers, and reference data.  Pricing service valuations for Level 3 securities are based upon proprietary models and are used when observable inputs are not available or in illiquid markets.
 
Although virtually all of our prices are obtained from third party sources, we also perform internal pricing reviews, including evaluating the methodology and inputs used to ensure that we determine the proper classification level of the financial instrument and reviewing securities with price changes that vary significantly from current market conditions or independent price sources.  Price variances are investigated and corroborated by market data and transaction volumes. We have reviewed the pricing methodologies of our pricing service as well as other observable inputs and believe that the prices adequately consider market activity in determining fair value. 

In limited circumstances we adjust the price received from the pricing service when, in our judgment, a better reflection of fair value is available based upon corroborating information and our knowledge and monitoring of market conditions such as a disparity in price of comparable securities and/or non-binding broker quotes.  In other circumstances, certain securities are internally priced because prices are not provided by the pricing service.
 
When a price from the pricing service is not available, values are determined by obtaining broker/dealer quotes and/or market comparables. When available, we obtain multiple quotes for the same security. The ultimate value for these securities is determined based upon our best estimate of fair value using corroborating market information. As of March 31, 2023, nearly all of our available-for-sale and equity securities were priced using a third party pricing service.
The following tables present our fair value measurements on a recurring basis by asset class and level of input as of: 
March 31, 2023
(in thousands)TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Available-for-sale securities:
Corporate debt securities$568,531 $$564,028 $4,503 
Collateralized debt obligations105,027 105,027 
Commercial mortgage-backed securities66,432 60,017 6,415 
Residential mortgage-backed securities157,302 157,269 33 
Other debt securities18,374 18,374 
Total available-for-sale securities915,666 904,715 10,951 
Equity securities:
Financial services sector59,484 496 54,789 4,199 
Utilities sector6,261 6,261 
Energy sector4,068 4,068 
Consumer sector2,235 2,235 
Technology sector500 500 
Communications sector267 267 
Industrial sector148 148 
Total equity securities72,963 496 67,768 4,699 
Total$988,629 $496 $972,483 $15,650 


December 31, 2022
(in thousands)TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3
Available-for-sale securities:
Corporate debt securities$553,382 $$549,696 $3,686 
Collateralized debt obligations102,537 102,537 
Commercial mortgage-backed securities66,054 55,144 10,910 
Residential mortgage-backed securities150,415 146,231 4,184 
Other debt securities22,273 22,273 
Total available-for-sale securities894,661 875,881 18,780 
Equity securities:
Financial services sector61,084 57,305 3,779 
Utilities sector5,708 5,708 
Energy sector3,576 3,576 
Consumer sector1,854 1,854 
Communications sector338 338 
Total equity securities72,560 68,781 3,779 
Total$967,221 $$944,662 $22,559 
We review the fair value hierarchy classifications each reporting period. Transfers between hierarchy levels may occur due to changes in available market observable inputs.
Level 3 Assets – 2023 Year-to-Date Change:
(in thousands)Beginning balance at December 31, 2022
Included in earnings(1)
Included
in other
comprehensive
income
PurchasesSales
Transfers into
Level 3(2)
Transfers out of Level 3(2)
Ending balance at March 31, 2023
Available-for-sale securities:
Corporate debt securities$3,686 $(28)$85 $753 $(645)$1,498 $(846)$4,503 
Commercial mortgage-backed securities10,910 (191)217 589 137 (5,247)6,415 
Residential mortgage-backed securities4,184 (5)96 (87)33 (4,188)33 
Total available-for-sale securities18,780 (224)398 1,342 (732)1,668 (10,281)10,951 
Equity securities3,779 (38)958 4,699 
Total Level 3 securities$22,559 $(262)$398 $2,300 $(732)$1,668 $(10,281)$15,650 

Level 3 Assets – 2022 Year-to-Date Change:
(in thousands)Beginning balance at December 31, 2021
Included in earnings(1)
Included
in other
comprehensive
income
PurchasesSales
Transfers into
Level 3(2)
Transfers out of Level 3(2)
Ending balance at March 31, 2022
Available-for-sale securities:
Corporate debt securities$5,256 $13 $(55)$3,984 $(508)$3,549 $(1,312)$10,927 
Commercial mortgage-backed securities15,728 (116)(839)(500)1,460 (5,136)10,597 
Residential mortgage-backed securities8,814 25 (336)(2,755)(5,536)212 
Total available-for-sale securities29,798 (78)(1,230)3,984 (3,763)5,009 (11,984)21,736 
Equity securities2,083 (66)2,017 
Total Level 3 securities$31,881 $(144)$(1,230)$3,984 $(3,763)$5,009 $(11,984)$23,753 
(1)These amounts are reported as net investment income and net realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains for each of the periods presented above.
(2)Transfers into and/or (out) of Level 3 are primarily attributable to the availability of market observable information and the re-evaluation of the observability of pricing inputs.


Financial instruments not carried at fair value
The following table presents the carrying values and fair values of financial instruments categorized as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy that are recorded at carrying value as of:
March 31, 2023December 31, 2022
(in thousands)Carrying valueFair valueCarrying valueFair value
Agent loans (1)
$68,054 $62,452 $69,476 $62,954 
(1)The discount rate used to calculate fair value at March 31, 2023 is reflective of a decrease in the BB+ financial yield curve from December 31, 2022.