Fair Value (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Fair value measurements by level for assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The following tables summarize fair value measurements by level for assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

As of March 31, 2013:

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3

U.S. government obligations	$	75,562	$	75,562	$	-	$	-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		23,190		-		23,190		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		12,444		-		12,444		-
State and municipal obligations		179,854		-		179,854		-
Corporate securities		117,835		-		107,362		10,473
Options embedded in convertible securities		1,882		-		1,882		-
Foreign government obligations		21,854		-		21,854		-
Total fixed maturities		432,621		75,562		346,586		10,473
Equity securities		115,377		115,377		-		-
Short term		3,740		3,740		-		-
Cash equivalents		80,032		-		80,032		-
	$	631,770	$	194,679	$	426,618	$	10,473

As of December 31, 2012:

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3

U.S. government obligations	$	70,742	$	70,742	$	-	$	-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		25,040		-		25,040		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		11,828		-		11,828		-
State and municipal obligations		194,865		-		194,865		-
Corporate securities		118,945		-		107,263		11,682
Options embedded in convertible securities		1,651		-		1,651		-
Foreign government obligations		22,598		-		22,598		-
Total fixed maturities		445,669		70,742		363,245		11,682
Equity securities		107,582		107,582		-		-
Short term		4,201		4,201		-		-
Cash equivalents		64,450		-		64,450		-
	$	621,902	$	182,525	$	427,695	$	11,682

Reconciliation of beginning and ending balances of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using level 3 inputs

The Level 3 assets consist of an investment portfolio of insurance-linked securities. The insurance-linked securities are valued using the average of estimated market quotes from multiple insurance-linked securities brokers. The broker quotes include Level 3 inputs which are significant to the valuation of the insurance-linked securities and vary by 0-3% from each other. There was no Level 3 sales, no transfers into Level 3 and no transfers out of Level 3 during 2013 or 2012. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs is as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and for the year ended December 31, 2012:

	2013			2012
Beginning of period balance	$	11,682		$	17,050
Net realized and unrealized gain included in
earnings or changes in net assets		403			1,653
Purchases		258			400
Settlements		(1,870	)		(7,421	)
End of period balance	$	10,473		$	11,682

Summary of the carrying value and fair value by level of financial instruments

A summary of the carrying value and fair value by level of financial instruments not recorded at fair value on the Company's consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are as follows:

	Carrying		Fair Value
	Value		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total

March 31, 2013
Assets: Limited partnerships	$	62,668	$	-	$	-	$	62,668	$	62,668
Liabilities: Short-term borrowings		10,000		-		10,000		-		10,000

December 31, 2012
Assets: Limited partnerships		59,954		-		-		59,954		59,954
Liabilities: Short-term borrowings		10,000		-		10,000		-		10,000

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments, assets, and liabilities. Such certain disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate) and (2) the methodology and assumptions used in developing such estimates of fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 14

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph c(2), d, e, f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph b-d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13467-108611

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 19

-Subparagraph a, b, c(1), d(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6447952&loc=d3e13220-108610

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 157

-Paragraph 32

-Subparagraph a, c(1), c(2), c(3), d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13476-108611

Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 30

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14172-108612

+ Details

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the fair value measurement of liabilities using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes attributable to the following: (1) total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets), and gains or losses recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets) are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (2) purchases, sales, issues, and settlements (each type disclosed separately); and (3) transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 (for example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs) by class of liability.

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