Related Party

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party

Related Party

Management fee

A management fee is retained for services we provide under the subscriber's agreement with subscribers at the Exchange. The fee is a percentage of direct and affiliated assumed premiums written by the Exchange. This percentage rate is determined at least annually by our Board of Directors but cannot exceed 25%. The management fee rate charged the Exchange was 25% in 2023, 2022 and 2021. The Board of Directors elected to maintain the fee at 25% beginning January 1, 2024.

There is no provision in the subscriber's agreement for termination of our appointment as attorney-in-fact by the subscribers at the Exchange and the appointment is not affected by a policyholder's disability or incapacity.

Insurance holding company system

Most states have enacted legislation that regulates insurance holding company systems, defined as two or more affiliated persons, one or more of which is an insurer. The Exchange has the following wholly owned property and casualty subsidiaries: Erie Insurance Company, Erie Insurance Company of New York, Erie Insurance Property & Casualty Company and Flagship City Insurance Company, and a wholly owned life insurance company, Erie Family Life Insurance Company. Indemnity and the Exchange, and its wholly owned subsidiaries, meet the definition of an insurance holding company system.

Transactions within a holding company system affecting the member insurers of the holding company system must be fair and reasonable and any charges or fees for services performed must be reasonable.  Approval by the applicable insurance commissioner is required prior to the consummation of certain transactions affecting the members within a holding company system.

Shared facilities

We leased the home office from the Exchange until December 31, 2021, at which time we purchased the home office properties from the Exchange at the appraised value of $97.5 million to align the ownership interest of these facilities with the functions being performed at the home office campus, which are mainly Indemnity's management operations. Lease expense totaled $6.1 million in 2021. Operating expenses, including utilities, cleaning, repairs, real estate taxes, property insurance, and leasehold improvements totaled $15.7 million in 2021. The Exchange and its subsidiaries reimbursed us for rent costs and related operating expenses of shared facilities used to perform administrative services, which are allocated based upon square footage occupied. Reimbursements related to the use of this space totaled $4.8 million in 2021.

Effective July 1, 2021, the Exchange and its subsidiaries entered into a service agreement with Indemnity to use space in Indemnity-owned properties. The home office was added to this agreement effective January 1, 2022. The amount charged is based on rental rates of like property in Erie, Pennsylvania and the square footage occupied. Income earned from the Exchange and its subsidiaries for the use of space totaled $2.6 million, $2.2 million and $0.2 million in 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively. Operating expenses for Indemnity-owned properties under this service agreement include utilities, cleaning, repairs, real estate taxes, property insurance, and leasehold improvements. These expenses totaled $20.0 million, $19.5 million, and $0.8 million in 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively.  The Exchange and its subsidiaries reimbursed us for operating expenses of shared facilities used to perform administrative services, which are allocated based upon square footage occupied. Reimbursements related to the use of this space totaled $5.2 million, $4.1 million, and $0.1 million in 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively.

Other loans receivable

In December 2023, we issued two senior secured loans totaling $13.6 million to fund a real estate development project supporting revitalization efforts in our community. Ownership in the project consists of related party investors, including affiliate entities and two Indemnity directors, as well as other unrelated investors. The loans, net of current expected credit loss allowances, are reported in "Other assets" in our Statement of Financial Position, with changes in credit loss allowances totaling $7.3 million reported in "Net impairment (losses) recoveries recognized in earnings" in our Statement of Operations.

The first loan issued for $4.6 million accrues paid-in-kind interest at a fixed rate of 5% and matures December 15, 2027, with both principal and accrued interest due at maturity. The second loan issued for $9.0 million accrues paid-in-kind interest at a fixed rate of 5% and matures December 15, 2033, with both principal and accrued interest due at maturity.