OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORP - Quarter Report: 2007 March (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C.
20549
FORM
10-Q
[X] Quarterly
report
pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
for the quarterly period ended: March
31,
2007 or
[
] Transition
report
pursuant to section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
Commission
File
Number: 001-10607
OLD
REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
(Exact
name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
|
No.
36-2678171
|
|
(State
or
other jurisdiction of
incorporation
or organization)
|
(IRS
Employer
Identification No.)
|
307
North
Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
|
60601
|
|
(Address
of
principal executive office)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
Registrant's
telephone number, including area code: 312-346-8100
Indicate
by check
mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed
by
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding
12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file
such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the
past
90 days. Yes:x
No:¨
Indicate
by check
mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,
or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large
accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one).
Large
accelerated
filer x Accelerated
filer
¨ Non-accelerated
filer ¨
Indicate
by check
mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Exchange Act
Rule
12b-2). Yes:¨
No:x
Class
|
Shares
Outstanding
March
31,
2007
|
|
Common
Stock
/ $1 par value
|
231,398,391
|
There
are 32 pages
in this report
OLD
REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
Report
on Form 10-Q
/ March 31, 2007
INDEX
PAGE
NO.
|
|
PART
I
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
|
|
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
3
|
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
|
4
|
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
|
5
|
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
6
|
NOTES
TO
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
7
-
10
|
MANAGEMENT
ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL POSITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
|
11
-
28
|
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK
|
29
|
CONTROLS
AND
PROCEDURES
|
29
|
PART
II
OTHER
INFORMATION:
|
|
ITEM
1A -
RISK FACTORS
|
30
|
ITEM
6 -
EXHIBITS
|
30
|
SIGNATURE
|
31
|
EXHIBIT
INDEX
|
32
|
2
Old
Republic International Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
($
in
Millions, Except Share Data)
(Unaudited)
|
||||
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
|||
2007
|
2006
|
|||
Assets
|
||||
Investments:
|
||||
Available
for
sale:
|
||||
Fixed
maturity securities (at fair value)(cost: $6,948.9 and
$6,873.8)
|
$ 6,927.8
|
$
6,832.6
|
||
Equity
securities (at fair value)(cost: $533.5 and $534.7)
|
670.7
|
669.1
|
||
Short-term
investments (at fair value which approximates cost)
|
560.2
|
493.6
|
||
Miscellaneous
investments
|
56.5
|
52.7
|
||
Total
|
8,215.4
|
8,048.1
|
||
Other
investments
|
8.1
|
7.9
|
||
Total investments
|
8,223.5
|
8,056.1
|
||
Other
Assets:
|
||||
Cash
|
82.3
|
71.6
|
||
Securities
and indebtedness of related parties
|
24.7
|
21.8
|
||
Accrued
investment income
|
101.4
|
102.9
|
||
Accounts
and
notes receivable
|
891.5
|
962.1
|
||
Federal
income tax recoverable: Current
|
-
|
15.5
|
||
Prepaid
federal income taxes
|
536.5
|
468.4
|
||
Reinsurance
balances and funds held
|
74.1
|
74.2
|
||
Reinsurance
recoverable: Paid
losses
|
71.8
|
58.6
|
||
Policy
and
claim reserves
|
2,169.6
|
2,172.7
|
||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs
|
253.1
|
264.9
|
||
Sundry
assets
|
342.8
|
342.9
|
||
4,548.3
|
4,556.1
|
|||
Total Assets
|
$
12,771.9
|
$
12,612.2
|
||
Liabilities,
Preferred Stock, and Common Shareholders' Equity
|
||||
Liabilities:
|
||||
Losses,
claims and settlement expenses
|
$
5,593.2
|
$
5,534.7
|
||
Unearned
premiums
|
1,198.5
|
1,209.4
|
||
Other
policyholders’ benefits and funds
|
188.3
|
188.6
|
||
Total policy liabilities and accruals
|
6,980.0
|
6,932.8
|
||
Commissions,
expenses, fees and taxes
|
221.9
|
243.5
|
||
Reinsurance
balances and funds
|
308.1
|
314.4
|
||
Federal
income tax payable: Current
|
31.9
|
-
|
||
Deferred
|
477.8
|
469.4
|
||
Debt
|
138.8
|
144.3
|
||
Sundry
liabilities
|
141.1
|
138.4
|
||
Commitments
and contingent liabilities
|
||||
Total Liabilities
|
8,300.0
|
8,243.0
|
||
Preferred
Stock:
|
||||
Convertible
preferred stock (1)
|
-
|
-
|
||
Common
Shareholders’ Equity:
|
||||
Common
stock
(1)
|
231.3
|
231.0
|
||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
330.3
|
319.5
|
||
Retained
earnings
|
3,847.0
|
3,773.9
|
||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
|
63.0
|
44.6
|
||
Total Common Shareholders’ Equity
|
4,471.8
|
4,369.2
|
||
Total Liabilities, Preferred Stock, and Common Shareholders’
Equity
|
$
12,771.9
|
$
12,612.2
|
||
(1) At
March 31, 2007
and December 31, 2006, there were 75,000,000 shares of $0.01 par value preferred
stock authorized, of which no shares were outstanding. As of the same dates,
there were 500,000,000 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value, authorized,
of
which 231,398,391 at March 31, 2007 and 231,047,890 at December 31, 2006 were
issued and outstanding. At March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, there were
100,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, $1.00 par value, authorized, of
which no shares were issued.
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
3
Old
Republic International Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Statements of Income (Unaudited)
($
in
Millions, Except Share Data)
Quarters
Ended
March
31,
|
|||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||
Revenues:
|
|||||
Net
premiums
earned
|
$
814.2
|
$
784.4
|
|||
Title,
escrow, and other fees
|
55.5
|
59.3
|
|||
Total premiums and fees
|
869.8
|
843.8
|
|||
Net
investment income
|
91.5
|
82.7
|
|||
Other
income
|
9.4
|
8.8
|
|||
Total operating revenues
|
970.9
|
935.3
|
|||
Realized
investment gains
|
2.9
|
7.5
|
|||
Total revenues
|
973.9
|
942.9
|
|||
Benefits,
Claims and Expenses:
|
|||||
Benefits,
claims, and settlement expenses
|
419.5
|
364.0
|
|||
Dividends
to
policyholders
|
2.7
|
1.4
|
|||
Underwriting,
acquisition, and other expenses
|
393.6
|
403.1
|
|||
Interest
and
other charges
|
2.2
|
2.4
|
|||
Total expenses
|
818.2
|
770.9
|
|||
Income
before
income taxes
|
155.6
|
171.9
|
|||
Income
Taxes:
|
|||||
Current
|
49.1
|
45.4
|
|||
Deferred
(Credits)
|
(1.3)
|
9.0
|
|||
Total
|
47.8
|
54.5
|
|||
Net
Income
|
$
107.7
|
$
117.4
|
|||
Net
Income Per Share:
|
|||||
Basic
|
$
.47
|
$
.51
|
|||
Diluted
|
$
.46
|
$
.51
|
|||
Average shares outstanding: Basic
|
231,388,190
|
229,835,408
|
|||
Diluted
|
233,614,450
|
231,999,922
|
|||
Dividends
Per Common Share:
|
|||||
Cash
|
$
.15
|
$
.14
|
|||
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
4
Old
Republic International Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)
($
in
Millions)
Quarters
Ended
March
31,
|
||||
2007
|
2006
|
|||
Net
income as reported
|
$
107.7
|
$
117.4
|
||
Other
comprehensive income (loss):
|
||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment
|
.6
|
-
|
||
Unrealized gains (losses) on securities:
|
||||
Unrealized
gains (losses) arising during period
|
29.7
|
(65.6)
|
||
Less:
elimination of pretax realized gains
|
||||
included
in income as reported
|
2.9
|
7.5
|
||
Pretax
unrealized gains (losses) on securities
|
||||
carried
at market value
|
26.7
|
(73.1)
|
||
Deferred
income taxes (credits)
|
9.3
|
(25.6)
|
||
Net
unrealized gains (losses) on securities
|
17.3
|
(47.5)
|
||
Amortization
of pension loss and prior service cost
included
in
net periodic pension cost, net of deferred income taxes
|
.4
|
-
|
||
Net
adjustments
|
18.4
|
(47.6)
|
||
Comprehensive
income
|
$
126.2
|
$
69.8
|
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
5
Old
Republic International Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
($
in
Millions)
Quarters
Ended
|
||||
March
31,
|
||||
2007
|
2006
|
|||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
||||
Net
income
|
$
107.7
|
$
117.4
|
||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to
|
||||
net cash provided by operating activities:
|
||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs
|
11.8
|
2.8
|
||
Premiums
and
other receivables
|
70.6
|
(15.7))
|
||
Unpaid
claims
and related items
|
72.0
|
86.7
|
||
Other
policyholders’ benefits and funds
|
(21.5)
|
2.4
|
||
Income
taxes
|
46.1
|
(82.2))
|
||
Prepaid
federal income taxes
|
(68.1)
|
77.3
|
||
Reinsurance
balances and funds
|
(19.4)
|
5.4
|
||
Realized
investment gains
|
(2.9)
|
(7.5))
|
||
Accounts
payable, accrued expenses and other
|
.6
|
(2.1))
|
||
Total
|
197.1
|
184.6
|
||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
||||
Fixed
maturity securities:
|
||||
Maturities
and early calls
|
168.8
|
139.2
|
||
Sales
|
14.3
|
21.3
|
||
Sales
of:
|
||||
Equity
securities
|
3.4
|
-
|
||
Other
investments
|
.6
|
14.0
|
||
Fixed
assets
for company use
|
.2
|
.3
|
||
Purchases
of:
|
||||
Fixed
maturity securities
|
(266.2)
|
(278.8))
|
||
Other
investments
|
(.7)
|
(.1))
|
||
Fixed
assets
for company use
|
(3.8)
|
(3.9))
|
||
Net
decrease
(increase) in short-term investments
|
(66.2)
|
(50.8))
|
||
Other-net
|
(2.1)
|
(1.1))
|
||
Total
|
(151.7)
|
(159.9))
|
||
|
||||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
||||
Issuance
of
common shares
|
5.4
|
3.7
|
||
Redemption
of
debentures and notes
|
(5.5)
|
(.4))
|
||
Dividends
on
common shares
|
(34.7)
|
(32.1))
|
||
Other-net
|
-
|
(.5))
|
||
Total
|
(34.6)
|
(29.4))
|
||
Increase
(decrease) in cash
|
10.6
|
(4.7))
|
||
Cash,
beginning of period
|
71.6
|
68.3
|
||
Cash,
end of
period
|
$
82.3
|
$
63.5
|
||
Supplemental
cash flow information:
|
||||
Cash
paid
during the period for: Interest
|
$
.3
|
$
.3
|
||
Income taxes
|
$
1.3
|
$
136.4
|
||
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
6
OLD
REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
NOTES
TO
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
($
in Millions,
Except Share Data)
1.
Accounting
Policies and Basis of Presentation:
The
accompanying
consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) as described in the Company’s
latest annual report to shareholders or otherwise disclosed herein. The
financial accounting and reporting process relies on estimates and on the
exercise of judgment, but in the opinion of management all adjustments,
consisting only of normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation
of the results were recorded for the interim periods. Amounts shown in the
consolidated financial statements and applicable notes are stated (except as
otherwise indicated and as to share data) in millions, which amounts may not
add
to totals shown due to truncation. Necessary reclassifications are made in
prior
periods’ financial statements whenever appropriate to conform to the most
current presentation.
In
July 2006, the
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation No.
48,
Accounting
for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes
(FIN 48) which
became effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2007. FIN 48 provides
recognition criteria and a related measurement model for uncertain tax positions
taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns. The adoption of FIN 48
did
not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
The Company views its income tax exposures as consisting of timing differences
whereby the ultimate deductibility of a tax position is highly certain but
the
timing of its deductibility is uncertain. Such differences relate principally
to
the timing of deductions for loss and premium reserves. As in prior
examinations, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could assert that claim reserve
deductions were overstated thereby reducing taxable income in any particular
year. The Company believes that it establishes the aforementioned reserves
fairly and consistently at each balance sheet date, and that it would succeed
in
defending its tax position in these regards. Because of the impact of deferred
tax accounting, other than possible interest and penalties, the resulting
accelerated payment of tax to the IRS would not affect the annual effective
tax
rate. The Company classifies interest and penalties as income tax expense in
the
consolidated statement of income. The IRS has audited the Company’s consolidated
Federal income tax returns through year end 2003 and no significant adjustments
ultimately resulted.
2.
Common
Share Data:
(a)
Earnings Per
Share - The following table provides a reconciliation of the income and number
of shares used in basic and diluted earnings per share
calculations.
|
Quarters
Ended
March
31,
|
||
2007
|
2006
|
||
Numerator:
|
|||
Net
Income
|
$
107.7
|
$
117.4
|
|
Numerator
for
basic earnings per share -
|
|||
income
available to common stockholders
|
107.7
|
117.4
|
|
Numerator
for
diluted earnings per share -
|
|||
income
available to common stockholders
|
|||
after
assumed
conversions
|
$
107.7
|
$
117.4
|
|
Denominator:
|
|||
Denominator
for basic earnings per share -
|
|||
weighted-average shares (1)
|
231,388,190
|
229,835,408
|
|
Effect
of
dilutive securities - stock options
|
2,226,260
|
2,164,514
|
|
Denominator
for diluted earnings per share -
|
|||
adjusted
weighted-average shares and
|
|||
assumed
conversions (1)
|
233,614,450
|
231,999,922
|
|
Earnings
per
share: Basic
|
$
.47
|
$
.51
|
|
Diluted
|
$
.46
|
$
.51
|
(1)
Common share
data has been retroactively adjusted to reflect all stock dividends and splits
declared through March 31, 2007.
7
3. Unrealized
Appreciation/(Depreciation) of Investments:
Cumulative
net
unrealized gains on investments included in a separate account in common
shareholders’ equity amounted to $83.9 at March 31, 2007. Unrealized
appreciation of investments, before applicable deferred income taxes of $45.0
at
March 31, 2007 included gross unrealized gains and (losses) of $205.5 and
($76.4), respectively.
For
the quarters
ended March 31, 2007 and 2006, net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of
investments, net of deferred income tax credits, amounted to $17.3 and ($47.5),
respectively.
4.
Pension
Plans:
The
Company has
three defined benefit pension plans covering a portion of its work force. The
three plans are the Old Republic International Salaried Employees Restated
Retirement Plan (the Old Republic Plan), the Bituminous Casualty Corporation
Retirement Income Plan (the Bituminous Plan) and the Old Republic National
Title
Group Pension Plan (the Title Plan). The plans are defined benefit plans
pursuant to which pension payments are based primarily on years of service
and
employee compensation near retirement. All three plans are closed to new
employees. It is the Company’s policy to fund the plans’ costs as they accrue.
Plan assets are comprised principally of bonds, common stocks and short-term
investments.
The
measurement
dates used to determine pension measurements are December 31 for the Old
Republic Plan and the Bituminous Plan and September 30 for the Title
Plan.
The
components of
estimated net periodic pension cost for the plans consisted of the
following:
Quarters
Ended
March
31,
|
|||
2007
|
2006
|
||
Service
cost
|
$
2.3
|
$
2.3
|
|
Interest
cost
|
3.4
|
3.2
|
|
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(3.9)
|
(3.6)
|
|
Recognized
loss
|
.8
|
.8
|
|
Net
cost
|
$
2.6
|
$
2.6
|
|
The
companies are
not expecting to make any cash or non-cash contributions to their pension plans
in calendar year 2007.
5. Information
About Segments of Business:
The
Company
conducts its operations through three major regulatory segments, namely its
General Insurance (property and liability insurance), Mortgage Guaranty and
Title Insurance Groups. The Company includes the results of its small life
&
health insurance business with those of its corporate and minor service
operations. Each of the Company’s segments underwrites and services only those
insurance coverages which may be written by it pursuant to state insurance
regulations and corporate charter provisions. Segment results exclude net
realized investment gains or losses as these are aggregated in consolidated
totals. The contributions of Old Republic’s insurance industry segments to
consolidated totals are shown in the following table.
8
Quarters
Ended
March
31,
|
|||
2007
|
2006
|
||
General
Insurance Group:
|
|||
Net
premiums
earned
|
$
521.7
|
$
459.9
|
|
Net
investment income and other income
|
68.0
|
56.9
|
|
Total
revenues before realized gains or losses
|
$
589.7
|
$
516.9
|
|
Income
before
taxes and realized investment gains or losses (1)
|
$
102.9
|
$
97.0
|
|
Income
tax
expense on above
|
$
31.0
|
$
29.7
|
|
Mortgage
Guaranty Group:
|
|||
Net
premiums
earned
|
$
118.0
|
$
109.0
|
|
Net
investment income and other income
|
21.3
|
22.2
|
|
Total
revenues before realized gains or losses
|
$
139.4
|
$
131.2
|
|
Income
before
taxes and realized investment gains or losses
|
$
48.3
|
$
60.1
|
|
Income
tax
expense on above
|
$
15.7
|
$
19.7
|
|
Title
Insurance Group:
|
|||
Net
premiums
earned
|
$
154.5
|
$
194.1
|
|
Title,
escrow
and other fees
|
55.5
|
59.3
|
|
Sub-total
|
210.1
|
253.4
|
|
Net
investment income and other income
|
7.1
|
6.8
|
|
Total
revenues before realized gains or losses
|
$
217.2
|
$
260.3
|
|
Income
before
taxes (credits) and realized investment gains or losses (1)
|
$
.7
|
$
7.6
|
|
Income
tax
expense (credits) on above
|
$
(.2)
|
$
2.3
|
|
Consolidated
Revenues:
|
|||
Total
revenues of above Company segments
|
$
946.3
|
$
908.5
|
|
Other
sources
(2)
|
33.3
|
32.5
|
|
Consolidated
net realized investment gains
|
2.9
|
7.5
|
|
Elimination
of intersegment revenues (3)
|
(8.8)
|
(5.7)
|
|
Consolidated
revenues
|
$
973.9
|
$
942.9
|
|
Consolidated
Income Before Taxes:
|
|||
Total
income
before taxes and realized investment
|
|||
gains
or
losses of above Company segments
|
$
151.9
|
$
164.7
|
|
Other
sources
- net (2)
|
.6
|
(.3)
|
|
Consolidated
net realized investment gains
|
2.9
|
7.5
|
|
Consolidated
income before income taxes
|
$
155.6
|
$
171.9
|
|
Consolidated
Income Tax Expense:
|
|||
Total
income
tax expense of above Company segments
|
$
46.5
|
$
51.9
|
|
Other
sources
- net (2)
|
.2
|
-
|
|
Income
tax
expense on consolidated net
realized
investment gains
|
1.0
|
2.6
|
|
Consolidated
income tax expense
|
$
47.8
|
$
54.5
|
|
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
||
2007
|
2006
|
||
Consolidated
Assets:
|
|||
General
|
$
9,507.5
|
$
9,363.5
|
|
Mortgage
|
2,263.4
|
2,189.6
|
|
Title
|
778.7
|
772.7
|
|
Other
- net
(1)
|
222.1
|
286.3
|
|
Consolidated
|
$
12,771.9
|
$
12,612.2
|
__________
In
the above
tables, net premiums earned on a GAAP basis differ slightly from statutory
amounts due to certain differences in calculations of unearned premium reserves
under each accounting method.
(1) Income
before taxes
is reported net of interest charges on intercompany financing arrangements
with
Old Republic’s holding company parent of $4.2 and $.3 incurred by the General
Insurance Group and Title Insurance Group, respectively, during the quarter
ended March 31, 2007 and $.2 incurred by the General Insurance Group during
the
quarter ended March 31, 2006.
(2) Represents
amounts
for Old Republic’s holding company parent, minor corporate services
subsidiaries, and a small life and health insurance operation.
(3) Represents
consolidation eliminating adjustments.
9
6.
Commitments
and Contingent Liabilities:
Legal
proceedings
against the Company arise in the normal course of business and usually pertain
to claim matters related to insurance policies and contracts issued by its
insurance subsidiaries. Other legal proceedings are discussed
below.
Purported
class
actions have been filed against the Company’s principal title insurance
subsidiary, Old Republic National Title Insurance Company (“ORNTIC”) in state
courts in Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The
plaintiffs allege that, pursuant to rate schedules filed by ORNTIC or by state
rating bureaus with the state insurance regulators, ORNTIC was required to,
but
failed to give consumers reissue credits on the premiums charged for title
insurance covering mortgage refinancing transactions. Substantially similar
lawsuits have been filed against other unaffiliated title insurance companies
in
these and other states as well. The actions seek damages and declaratory and
injunctive relief. ORNTIC has reached a tentative settlement in Florida for
an
amount not to exceed $1.2, exclusive of attorneys’ fees and costs. ORNTIC
intends to defend vigorously against the actions in the other states as well
but, at this stage in the litigation, the Company cannot estimate the ultimate
costs it may incur as the actions proceed to their conclusions.
An
action was filed
in the Federal District court for South Carolina against the Company’s
wholly-owned mortgage guaranty insurance subsidiary, Republic Mortgage Insurance
Company (“RMIC”). Similar lawsuits have been filed against the other six private
mortgage insurers in different Federal District Courts. The action against
RMIC
sought certification of a nationwide class of consumers who were allegedly
required to pay for private mortgage insurance at a cost greater than RMIC’s
“best available rate”. The action alleges that the decision to insure their
loans at a higher rate was based on the consumers’ credit scores and constituted
an “adverse action” within the meaning, and in violation of the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, that requires notice, allegedly not given, to the consumers.
The
action sought statutory and punitive damages, as well as other costs. A
settlement agreement was reached in the action on November 29, 2006 and is
expected to receive final court approval shortly. While the ultimate cost of
the
settlement will depend upon the number of consumers who participate, the Company
reasonably expects the cost to be under $1.0.
10
OLD
REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
MANAGEMENT
ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL POSITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Quarters
Ended March 31, 2007 and 2006
($
in Millions,
Except Share Data)
OVERVIEW
|
This
management
analysis of financial position and results of operations pertains to the
consolidated accounts of Old Republic International Corporation (“Old Republic”
or “the Company”). The Company conducts its operations through three major
regulatory segments, namely, its General (property and liability), Mortgage
Guaranty, and Title insurance segments. A small life and health insurance
business, accounting for approximately 2% of both consolidated revenues for
the
quarter ended March 31, 2007 and consolidated assets as of March 31, 2007,
is
included within the corporate and other caption of this financial report. The
consolidated accounts are presented on the basis of generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”). This management analysis should be read in
conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the footnotes
appended to them.
The
insurance
business is distinguished from most others in that the prices (premiums) charged
for various coverages are set without certainty of the ultimate benefit and
claim costs that will emerge or be incurred, often many years after issuance
of
a policy. This basic fact casts Old Republic’s business as a long-term
undertaking which is managed with a primary focus on the achievement of
favorable underwriting results over time. In addition to operating income
stemming from Old Republic’s basic underwriting and related services functions,
significant revenues are obtained from investable funds generated by those
functions as well as from retained shareholders’ capital. In managing investable
funds the Company aims to assure stability of income from interest and
dividends, protection of capital, and sufficient liquidity to meet insurance
underwriting and other obligations as they become payable in the future.
Securities trading and the realization of capital gains are not objectives.
The
investment philosophy is therefore best characterized as emphasizing value,
credit quality, and relatively long-term holding periods. The Company’s ability
to hold both fixed maturity and equity securities for long periods of time
is
enabled by the scheduling of maturities in contemplation of an appropriate
matching of assets and liabilities.
In
light of the
above factors, the Company’s affairs are managed for the long run, without
regard to the arbitrary strictures of quarterly or even annual reporting periods
that American industry must observe. In Old Republic’s view, short reporting
time frames do not comport well with the long-term nature of much of its
business, driven as it is by a strong focus on the fundamental underwriting
and
related service functions of the Company. Management believes that Old
Republic’s operating results and financial condition can best be evaluated by
observing underwriting and overall operating performance trends over succeeding
five to ten year intervals. Such time intervals are likely to encompass one
or
two economic and/or underwriting cycles, and provide appropriate time frames
for
such cycles to run their course and for reserved claim costs to be quantified
with greater finality and effect.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
|
First
quarter 2007
consolidated earnings benefited from greater General Insurance operating
revenues and profits that were mainly attributable to a book of liability
insurance business acquired in late 2006. Higher year-over-year claim costs
in
the Company’s Mortgage Guaranty line, and a much greater operating expense ratio
in Title Insurance were major offsetting factors. Additionally, consolidated
results for the first three months of 2007 were impacted by incrementally higher
stock option expenses of approximately $4.2 (or 1 cent per share after taxes).
Similar costs were registered in the second quarter of 2006. As a result of
these varying business developments and trends, net operating earnings per
share
dropped by 8.2% in this year’s first quarter, compared to a year ago, while net
income per share was down by a greater 9.8% due to lower realized investment
gains.
11
Consolidated
Results - The
major
components of Old Republic’s consolidated results were as follows for the
periods shown:
Quarters
Ended March 31,
|
|||||||||
2007
|
2006
|
Change
|
|||||||
Operating
revenues:
|
|||||||||
General
insurance
|
$
589.7
|
$
516.9
|
14.1%
|
||||||
Mortgage
guaranty
|
139.4
|
131.2
|
6.2
|
||||||
Title
insurance
|
217.2
|
260.3
|
-16.6
|
||||||
Corporate
and
other
|
24.5
|
26.8
|
|||||||
Total
|
$
970.9
|
$
935.3
|
3.8%
|
||||||
Pretax
operating income (loss):
|
|||||||||
General
insurance
|
$
102.9
|
$
97.0
|
6.1%
|
||||||
Mortgage
guaranty
|
48.3
|
60.1
|
-19.6
|
||||||
Title
insurance
|
.7
|
7.6
|
-90.8
|
||||||
Corporate
and
other
|
.6
|
(.3)
|
|||||||
Sub-total
|
152.6
|
164.4
|
-7.1
|
||||||
Realized
investment gains (losses):
|
|||||||||
From
sales
|
2.9
|
7.5
|
|||||||
From
impairments
|
-
|
-
|
|||||||
Net
realized
investment gains
|
2.9
|
7.5
|
|||||||
Consolidated
pretax income
|
155.6
|
171.9
|
-9.5
|
||||||
Income
taxes
|
47.8
|
54.5
|
-12.2
|
||||||
Net
income
|
$
107.7
|
$
117.4
|
-8.2%
|
||||||
Consolidated
underwriting ratio:
|
|||||||||
Benefits
and
claims ratio
|
48.6%
|
43.3%
|
|||||||
Expense
ratio
|
43.6
|
46.5
|
|||||||
Composite
ratio
|
92.2%
|
89.8%
|
|||||||
Components
of diluted net income per share:
|
|||||||||
Net
operating
income
|
$
0.45
|
$
0.49
|
-8.2%
|
||||||
Net
realized
investment gains
|
0.01
|
0.02
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
0.46
|
$
0.51
|
-9.8%
|
||||||
The
above table
shows Old Republic’s consolidated results in terms of both operating and net
income to highlight the effects of investment gain or loss recognition and
non-recurring items on period-to-period comparisons. Operating income, however,
does not replace net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of
total profitability.
The
recognition of
investment gains or losses can be highly discretionary and arbitrary due to
such
factors as the timing of individual securities sales, recognition of estimated
losses from write-downs for impaired securities, tax-planning considerations,
and changes in investment management judgments relative to the direction of
securities markets or the future prospects of individual investees or industry
sectors. Likewise, non-recurring items which may emerge from time to time,
can
distort the comparability of the Company’s operating performance from
period-to-period. Accordingly, management uses net operating income, a non-GAAP
financial measure, to evaluate and better explain operating performance, and
believes its use enhances an understanding of Old Republic’s basic business
results.
General
Insurance Results - Old
Republic’s
General Insurance Group continued to post favorable earnings comparisons in
this
year’s first quarter. Key indicators of that performance follow:
Quarters
Ended March 31,
|
|||||
2007
|
2006
|
Change
|
|||
Net
premiums
earned
|
$
521.7
|
$
459.9
|
13.4%
|
||
Net
investment income
|
62.8
|
52.9
|
18.7
|
||
Pretax
operating income
|
$
102.9
|
$
97.0
|
6.1%
|
||
Claims
ratio
|
64.5%
|
64.5%
|
|||
Expense
ratio
|
26.9
|
25.9
|
|||
Composite ratio
|
91.4%
|
90.4%
|
Substantially
all
general insurance premium growth in this year’s first quarter stemmed from the
previously noted new book of liability insurance. Premiums from other sources
were slightly higher quarter-over-quarter, reflecting a moderately declining
rate environment and the attendant difficulty it poses in retaining or
attracting business which meets the Company’s underwriting standards.
Nonetheless, Old Republic’s composite ratio, the most widely accepted indicator
of underwriting performance in the industry, continued at a very favorable
level
for the 20th consecutive quarter. Net investment income grew on the strength
of
a greater invested asset base and slightly higher investment
yields.
12
Mortgage
Guaranty Results -
This segment
delivered reasonably good operating results in the face of a continued rise
in
claim costs. Key indicators of the most recent quarterly performance are
shown
below:
Quarters
Ended March 31,
|
|||||
2007
|
2006
|
Change
|
|||
Net
premiums
earned
|
$
118.0
|
$
109.0
|
8.2%
|
||
Net
investment income
|
18.9
|
19.1
|
-1.3
|
||
Pretax
operating income
|
$
48.3
|
$
60.1
|
-19.6%
|
||
Claims
ratio
|
54.4%
|
38.8%
|
|||
Expense
ratio
|
20.8
|
23.7
|
|||
Composite ratio
|
75.2%
|
62.5%
|
For
this year’s
first quarter, mortgage guaranty premium revenue trends were moderately
positive, responding to higher new insurance written, improved persistency
in
the traditional primary channel, and year-over-year growth in bulk insurance
production. Underwriting margins, however, slipped to 24.8% in the first three
months of 2007 compared to 37.5% in the same period of 2006. While the expense
ratio reflected favorable comparisons with year-ago-levels, the claims ratio
rose significantly due primarily to increasing loss severity. Net investment
income was essentially unchanged quarter-over-quarter inasmuch as the invested
asset base has remained basically flat principally due to higher shareholder
dividend payments by this segment’s insurance subsidiaries.
Title
Insurance Results -
Old Republic’s
Title Insurance segment registered a continuing drop in profitability in this
year’s first quarter. Key indicators of that performance follow:
Quarters
Ended March 31,
|
|||||
2007
|
2006
|
Change
|
|||
Net
premiums
and fees earned
|
$
210.1
|
$
253.4
|
-17.1%
|
||
Net
investment income
|
6.7
|
6.8
|
-.9
|
||
Pretax
operating income
|
$
0.7
|
$
7.6
|
-90.8%
|
||
Claims
ratio
|
6.0%
|
6.2%
|
|||
Expense
ratio
|
96.8
|
93.4
|
|||
Composite ratio
|
102.8%
|
99.6%
|
In
the midst of a
continuing downturn in the housing and related mortgage lending industries,
the
Company’s title business experienced further reductions in premium and fee
revenues. As has been the case for several quarters, direct production
facilities in the Western United States have experienced the greatest adverse
impact. Overall title premium and fee revenues dropped by 17.1% in this year’s
first quarter, while operating expenses fell by a lesser 14.0%. Following
significant efforts to reduce operating costs, substantial challenges remain
in
redressing the imbalance between operating revenues and certain relatively
fixed
costs. In combination with a relatively flat claims ratio, these fluctuations
produced the negative underwriting margins evidenced by the composite ratio
of
102.8% in this year’s first quarter. At this juncture, the Company believes that
current market conditions affecting the title industry are unlikely to improve
much before 2008.
Corporate
and Other Operations - Old
Republic’s
small life and health business, and the net costs associated with the parent
holding company and its corporate services subsidiaries produced pretax income
of $0.6 in the first quarter of 2007 and a pretax loss of $0.3 in the first
quarter of 2006. Period-to-period variability in the results of these relatively
minor elements of Old Republic’s operations usually stems from the volatility
inherent to the Company’s small scaled life and health business, and
fluctuations in the timing of expense recognition related to such variable
costs
as stock option expenses.
Cash,
Invested Assets, and Shareholders’ Equity - The
following table
reflects Old Republic’s consolidated cash and invested assets as well as
shareholders’ equity at the dates shown:
March
31,
|
|||||
2007
|
2006
|
Change
|
|||
Cash
and
invested assets
|
$
8,407.4
|
$
7,469.2
|
12.6%
|
||
Shareholders’
equity:
|
|||||
Total
|
4,471.8
|
4,066.8
|
10.0
|
||
Per share
|
$
19.33
|
$
17.69
|
9.3%
|
||
Composition
of shareholders’ equity per share:
|
|||||
Equity before items below
|
$
19.06
|
$
17.63
|
8.1%
|
||
Unrealized investment gains or losses
and
other
accumulated comprehensive income
|
0.27
|
0.06
|
|||
Total
|
$
19.33
|
$
17.69
|
9.3%
|
13
The
investment
portfolio reflects a current allocation of approximately 84% to fixed-maturity
securities, and 8% to equities most of which are committed to several indexed
stock portfolios. As has been the case for many years, Old Republic’s invested
assets are managed in consideration of enterprise-wide risk management
objectives, and to assure solid funding of its subsidiaries’ long-term
obligations to insurance policyholders and other beneficiaries. As a result,
it
contains little or no exposure to real estate investments, mortgage-backed
securities, derivatives, junk bonds, illiquid private equity investments,
or
mortgage loans.
Substantially
all
the changes in the shareholders’ equity account for the first three months of
2007 and 2006 reflect earnings retained in excess of dividend payments. Cash
flow from operating activities of $197.1 for the first three months of 2007
compares with the $184.6 registered in the same period of 2006.
TECHNICAL
MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
|
CRITICAL
ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
|
The
Company’s
annual and interim financial statements incorporate a large number and types
of
estimates relative to matters which are highly uncertain at the time the
estimates are made. The estimation process required of an insurance enterprise
is by its very nature highly dynamic inasmuch as it necessitates a continual
process of evaluating, analyzing, and quantifying factual data as it becomes
known to the Company. As a result, actual experienced outcomes can differ
from
the estimates made at any point in time, and thus affect future periods’
reported revenues, expenses, net income, and financial condition.
Old
Republic
believes that its most critical accounting estimates relate to: a) the
determination of other-than-temporary impairments in the value of fixed maturity
and equity investments; b) the establishment of deferred acquisition costs
which
vary directly with the production of insurance premiums; c) the recoverability
of reinsured paid and/or outstanding losses; and d) the reserves for losses
and
loss adjustment expenses. The major assumptions and methods used in the
establishment of these estimates are discussed in the Company’s 2006 Annual
Report on Form 10K.
CHANGES
IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES
|
In
July 2006, the
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued its Interpretation No.
48
(“FIN 48”), Accounting
for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes,
which became
effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2007. FIN 48 provides
recognition criteria and a related measurement model for uncertain tax positions
taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns. FIN 48 requires that
a
position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return be recognized in the
financial statements when it is more likely than not that the position would
be
sustained upon examination by tax authorities. The adoption of FIN 48 did
not
have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. As
indicated in Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the
Company believes that the major uncertainties relating to its tax position
pertain to timing differences in the recognition of taxable income. Accordingly,
the annual effective tax rate, other than possible interest and penalties,
would
be largely unaffected as an increase in currently due income taxes would
likely
be offset by a corresponding deferred income tax adjustment.
FINANCIAL
POSITION
|
The
Company’s
financial position at March 31, 2007 reflected increases in assets, liabilities,
and common shareholders’ equity of 1.3%, .7% and 2.3%, respectively, when
compared to the immediately preceding year-end. Cash and invested assets
represented 65.8% and 65.3% of consolidated assets as of March 31, 2007 and
December 31, 2006, respectively. Consolidated operating cash flow was positive
at $197.1 in the first quarter of 2007 compared to $184.6 in the same period
of
2006. As of March 31, 2007, the invested asset base increased 2.1% to $8,223.5
principally as a result of positive operating cash flow.
During
the first
quarters of 2007 and 2006, the Company committed substantially all investable
funds to short to intermediate-term fixed maturity securities. At both March
31,
2007 and 2006, approximately 99% of the Company’s investments consisted of
marketable securities. Old Republic continues to adhere to its long-term
policy
of investing primarily in investment grade, marketable securities. Investable
funds have not been directed to so-called "junk bonds" or types of securities
categorized as derivatives. At March 31, 2007, the Company had $4.3 of fixed
maturity investments in default as to principal and/or interest.
Relatively
high
short-term maturity investment positions continued to be maintained as of
March
31, 2007. Such positions reflect a large variety of seasonal and
intermediate-term factors including current operating needs, expected operating
cash flows, quarter-end cash flow seasonality, and investment strategy
considerations. Accordingly, the future level of short-term investments will
vary and respond to the interplay of these factors and may, as a result,
increase or decrease from current levels.
The
Company does
not own or utilize derivative financial instruments for the purpose of hedging,
enhancing the overall return of its investment portfolio, or reducing the
cost
of its debt obligations. With regard to its equity portfolio, the Company
does
not own any options nor does it engage in any type of option writing.
Traditional investment management tools and techniques are employed to address
the yield and valuation exposures of the invested assets base. The long-term
fixed maturity investment portfolio is managed so as to limit various risks
inherent in the bond market. Credit risk is addressed through asset
diversification and the purchase of investment grade securities. Reinvestment
rate risk is reduced by concentrating on non-callable issues, and by taking
asset-liability matching considerations into account. Purchases of mortgage
and
asset backed securities, which have variable principal prepayment options,
are
generally avoided. Market value risk is limited through the purchase of bonds
of
intermediate maturity. The combination of these investment management practices
is expected to produce a more stable long-term fixed maturity investment
portfolio that is not subject to extreme interest rate sensitivity and principal
deterioration.
14
The
market value of
the Company’s long-term fixed maturity investment portfolio is sensitive,
however, to fluctuations in the level of interest rates, but not materially
affected by changes in anticipated cash flows caused by any prepayments. The
impact of interest rate movements on the long-term fixed maturity investment
portfolio generally affects net unrealized gains or losses. As a general rule,
rising interest rates enhance currently available yields but typically lead
to a
reduction in the fair value of existing fixed maturity investments. By contrast,
a decline in such rates reduces currently available yields but usually serves
to
increase the fair value of the existing fixed maturity investment portfolio.
All
such changes in fair value are reflected, net of deferred income taxes, directly
in the shareholders’ equity account, and as a separate component of the
statement of comprehensive income. Given the Company’s inability to forecast or
control the movement of interest rates, Old Republic sets the maturity spectrum
of its fixed maturity securities portfolio within parameters of estimated
liability payouts, and focuses the overall portfolio on high quality
investments. By so doing, Old Republic believes it is reasonably assured of
its
ability to hold securities to maturity as it may deem necessary in changing
environments, and of ultimately recovering their aggregate cost.
Possible
future
declines in fair values for Old Republic’s bond and stock portfolios would
affect negatively the common shareholders’ equity account at any point in time,
but would not necessarily result in the recognition of realized investment
losses. The Company reviews the status and market value changes of each of
its
investments on at least a quarterly basis during the year, and estimates of
other than temporary impairments in the portfolio’s value are evaluated and
established at each quarterly balance sheet date. In reviewing investments
for
other than temporary impairment, the Company, in addition to a security’s market
price history, considers the totality of such factors as the issuer’s operating
results, financial condition and liquidity, its ability to access capital
markets, credit rating trends, most current audit opinion, industry and
securities markets conditions, and analyst expectations to reach its
conclusions. Sudden market value declines caused by such adverse developments
as
newly emerged or imminent bankruptcy filings, issuer default on significant
obligations, or reports of financial accounting developments that bring into
question the validity of previously reported earnings or financial condition,
are recognized as realized losses as soon as credible publicly available
information emerges to confirm such developments. Accordingly, the recognition
of losses from other than temporary value impairments is subject to a great
deal
of judgment as well as turns of events over which the Company can exercise
little or no control. In the event the Company’s estimate of other than
temporary impairments is insufficient at any point in time, future periods’ net
income would be affected adversely by the recognition of additional realized
or
impairment losses, but its financial condition would not necessarily be affected
adversely inasmuch as such losses, or a portion of them, could have been
recognized previously as unrealized losses.
The
following
tables show certain information relating to the Company’s fixed maturity and
equity portfolios as of the dates shown:
Credit
Quality Ratings of Fixed Maturity Securities (1)
|
||||
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
|||
2007
|
2006
|
|||
Aaa
|
33.5%
|
32.9%
|
||
Aa
|
19.1
|
19.0
|
||
A
|
26.0
|
26.4
|
||
Baa
|
19.8
|
20.1
|
||
Total
investment grade
|
98.4
|
98.4
|
||
All
other
(2)
|
1.6
|
1.6
|
||
Total
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
(1)
|
Credit
quality ratings used are those assigned primarily by Moody’s; other
ratings are assigned by Standard & Poor’s and converted to equivalent
Moody’s ratings classifications.
|
(2) “All
other”
includes non-investment grade or non-rated small issues of tax-exempt
bonds.
15
Gross
Unrealized Losses Stratified by Industry Concentration for Non-Investment
Grade Fixed Maturity Securities
|
|||||
March
31,
2007
|
|||||
Amortized
Cost
|
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
|
||||
Fixed
Maturity Securities by Industry Concentration:
|
|||||
Service
|
$
20.8
|
$
.9
|
|||
Consumer
Durables
|
17.6
|
.8
|
|||
Retail
|
18.2
|
.7
|
|||
Finance
|
17.5
|
.3
|
|||
Consumer
Non-durables
|
5.0
|
-
|
|||
Total
|
$
78.9
|
(3)
|
$
2.8
|
(3) Represents
1.1% of
the total fixed maturity securities portfolio.
Gross
Unrealized Losses Stratified by Industry Concentration for Investment
Grade Fixed Maturity Securities
|
|||||||
March
31,
2007
|
|||||||
Amortized
Cost
|
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
|
||||||
Fixed
Maturity Securities by Industry Concentration:
|
|||||||
Municipals
|
$
1,434.9
|
$
14.6
|
|||||
Utilities
|
461.2
|
10.4
|
|||||
Consumer
Non-durables
|
253.1
|
4.2
|
|||||
Industrials
|
276.3
|
3.4
|
|||||
Other
(includes 17 industry groups)
|
1,999.7
|
32.4
|
|||||
Total
|
$
4,425.2
|
(4)
|
$
65.3
|
(4) Represents
63.7% of
the total fixed maturity securities portfolio.
Gross
Unrealized Losses Stratified by Industry Concentration for Equity
Securities
|
|||||
March
31,
2007
|
|||||
Cost
|
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
|
||||
Equity
Securities by Industry Concentration:
|
|||||
Banking
|
$
11.0
|
$
1.1
|
|||
Insurance
|
10.8
|
1.1
|
|||
Consumer
Durables
|
3.5
|
.4
|
|||
Health
Care
|
3.9
|
.4
|
|||
Other
(3
industry groups)
|
15.6
|
.5
|
|||
Total
|
$
45.0
|
(5)
|
$
3.5
|
(6)
|
(5) Represents
8.5% of
the total equity securities portfolio.
(6)
|
Represents
.7% of the cost of the total equity securities portfolio, while gross
unrealized gains represent 26.4% of the
portfolio.
|
Gross
Unrealized Losses Stratified by Maturity Ranges For All Fixed Maturity
Securities
|
|||||||||
March
31,
2007
|
|||||||||
Amortized
Cost
|
|||||||||
of
Fixed
Maturity Securities
|
Gross
Unrealized Losses
|
||||||||
All
|
Non-
Investment
Grade
Only
|
All
|
Non-
Investment
Grade
Only
|
||||||
Maturity
Ranges:
|
|||||||||
Due
in one
year or less
|
$
382.1
|
$
6.1
|
$
2.4
|
$
-
|
|||||
Due
after one
year through five years
|
1,820.1
|
57.2
|
26.7
|
1.4
|
|||||
Due
after
five years through ten years
|
2,286.7
|
15.5
|
38.7
|
1.3
|
|||||
Due
after ten years
|
15.2
|
-
|
.1
|
-
|
|||||
Total
|
$
4,504.2
|
$
78.9
|
$
68.1
|
$
2.8
|
16
Gross
Unrealized Losses Stratified by Duration and Amount of Unrealized
Losses
|
|||||||||||||
March
31,
2007
|
|||||||||||||
Amount
of
Gross Unrealized Losses
|
|||||||||||||
Less
than
20%
of
Cost
|
20%
to
50%
of
Cost
|
More
than
50%
of
Cost
|
Total
Gross
Unrealized
Loss
|
||||||||||
Number
of
Months in Loss Position:
|
|||||||||||||
Fixed
Maturity Securities:
|
|||||||||||||
One
to six
months
|
$
3.9
|
$
-
|
$
-
|
$
3.9
|
|||||||||
Seven
to
twelve months
|
2.5
|
-
|
-
|
2.5
|
|||||||||
More
than
twelve months
|
61.6
|
-
|
-
|
61.6
|
|||||||||
Total
|
$68.1 |
$
-
|
$
-
|
$
68.1
|
|||||||||
Equity
Securities:
|
|||||||||||||
One
to six
months
|
$
1.1
|
$
-
|
$
-
|
$
1.1
|
|||||||||
Seven
to
twelve months
|
.1
|
.8
|
-
|
.9
|
|||||||||
More
than
twelve months
|
.4
|
1.0
|
-
|
1.4
|
|||||||||
Total
|
$
1.7
|
$
1.8
|
$
-
|
$ 3.5
|
|||||||||
Number
of
Issues in Loss Position:
|
|||||||||||||
Fixed
Maturity Securities:
|
|||||||||||||
One
to six
months
|
297
|
-
|
-
|
297
|
|||||||||
Seven
to
twelve months
|
79
|
-
|
-
|
79
|
|||||||||
More
than
twelve months
|
803
|
-
|
-
|
803
|
|||||||||
Total
|
1,179
|
-
|
-
|
1,179
|
(7)
|
||||||||
Equity
Securities:
|
|||||||||||||
One
to six
months
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
|||||||||
Seven
to
twelve months
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
|||||||||
More
than
twelve months
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
|||||||||
Total
|
10
|
3
|
-
|
13
|
(7)
|
(7)
|
At
March 31,
2007 the number of issues in an unrealized loss position represent
61.3%
as to fixed maturities, and 15.9% as to equity securities of the
total
number of such issues held by the
Company.
|
The
aging of issues
with unrealized losses employs closing market price comparisons with an issue’s
original cost. The percentage reduction from original cost reflects the decline
as of a specific point in time (March 31, 2007 in the previous table) and,
accordingly, is not indicative of a security’s value having been consistently
below its cost at the percentages and throughout the periods shown.
Age
Distribution of Fixed Maturity Securities
|
|||||
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||
Maturity
Ranges:
|
|||||
Due
in one
year or less
|
10.7%
|
9.6%
|
|||
Due
after one
year through five years
|
43.6
|
44.4
|
|||
Due
after
five years through ten years
|
45.4
|
45.6
|
|||
Due
after ten
years through fifteen years
|
.3
|
.4
|
|||
Due
after
fifteen years
|
-
|
-
|
|||
Total
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
|||
Average
Maturity in Years
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
|||
Duration
(8)
|
3.9
|
3.9
|
(8)
|
Duration
is
used as a measure of bond price sensitivity to interest rate changes.
A
duration of 3.9 as of March 31, 2007 implies that a 100 basis point
parallel increase in interest rates from current levels would result
in a
possible decline in the market value of the long-term fixed maturity
investment portfolio of approximately
3.9%.
|
17
Composition
of Unrealized Gains (Losses)
|
|||||
March
31,
|
December
31,
|
||||
2007
|
2006
|
||||
Fixed
Maturity Securities:
|
|||||
Amortized
cost
|
$
6,948.9
|
$
6,873.8
|
|||
Estimated
fair value
|
6,927.8
|
6,832.6
|
|||
Gross
unrealized gains
|
47.1
|
46.6
|
|||
Gross
unrealized losses
|
|
(68.1)
|
(87.8)
|
||
Net
unrealized losses
|
$
(21.0)
|
$
(41.2)
|
|||
Equity
Securities:
|
|||||
Cost
|
$
533.5
|
$
534.7
|
|||
Estimated
fair value
|
670.7
|
669.1
|
|||
Gross
unrealized gains
|
140.7
|
136.1
|
|||
Gross
unrealized losses
|
(3.5)
|
(1.8)
|
|||
Net
unrealized gains
|
$
137.1
|
$
134.3
|
Among
other major
assets, substantially all of the Company’s receivables are not past due.
Reinsurance recoverable balances on paid or estimated unpaid losses are deemed
recoverable from solvent reinsurers or have otherwise been reduced by allowances
for estimated amounts unrecoverable. Deferred policy acquisition costs are
estimated by taking into account the variable costs of producing specific types
of insurance policies, and evaluating their recoverability on the basis of
recent trends in claims costs. The Company’s deferred policy acquisition cost
balances have not fluctuated substantially from period-to-period and do not
represent significant percentages of assets or shareholders’
equity.
The
parent holding
company meets its liquidity and capital needs principally through dividends
paid
by its subsidiaries. The insurance subsidiaries' ability to pay cash dividends
to the parent company is generally restricted by law or subject to approval
of
the insurance regulatory authorities of the states in which they are domiciled.
The Company can receive up to $533.6 in dividends from its subsidiaries in
2007
without the prior approval of regulatory authorities. The liquidity achievable
through such permitted dividend payments is more than adequate to cover the
parent holding company’s currently expected cash outflows represented mostly by
interest on outstanding debt and quarterly cash dividend payments to
shareholders. In addition, Old Republic can access the commercial paper market
for up to $150.0 to meet unanticipated liquidity needs of which $19.0 was
outstanding at March 31, 2007.
Old
Republic’s
total capitalization of $4,610.7 at March 31, 2007 consisted of debt of $138.8
and common shareholders' equity of $4,471.8. Changes in the common shareholders’
equity account reflect primarily the retention of earnings in excess of dividend
requirements. Old Republic has paid cash dividends to its shareholders without
interruption since 1942, and has increased the annual rate in each of the past
25 years. The annual dividend rate is typically reviewed and approved by the
Board of Directors in the first quarter of each year. In establishing each
year’s cash dividend rate the Company does not follow a strict formulaic
approach and favors a gradual rise in the annual dividend rate that is largely
reflective of long-term consolidated operating earnings trends. Accordingly,
each year’s dividend rate is set judgmentally in consideration of such key
factors as the dividend paying capacity of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries,
the trends in average annual statutory and GAAP earnings for the six most recent
calendar years, and the long-term expectations for the Company’s consolidated
business. At its February, 2007 meeting, the Board of Directors approved a
new
quarterly cash dividend rate of 16 cents per share effective in the second
quarter of 2007, up from 15 cents per share, subject to the usual quarterly
authorizations.
At
its May, 2006
meeting, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the reacquisition of up to
$500.0 of common shares as market conditions warrant during the two year period
from that date; no stock had been acquired through March 31, 2007 pursuant
to
this authorization.
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
|
Revenues:
Premiums & Fees
|
Pursuant
to GAAP
applicable to the insurance industry, revenues are associated with the related
benefits, claims, and expenses.
Substantially
all
general insurance premiums are reflected in income on a pro-rata basis. Earned
but unbilled premiums are generally taken into income on the billing date,
while
adjustments for retrospective premiums, commissions and similar charges or
credits are accrued on the basis of periodic evaluations of current underwriting
experience and contractual obligations. Nearly all of the Company’s mortgage
guaranty premiums stem from monthly installment policies. Accordingly, such
premiums are generally written and earned in the month coverage is effective.
With respect to minor numbers of annual or single premium policies, earned
premiums are largely recognized on a pro-rata basis over the terms of the
policies. Title premium and fee revenues stemming from the Company’s direct
operations (which include branch offices of its title insurers and wholly owned
subsidiaries of the Company) represent
approximately 34% of 2007 consolidated title business revenues. Such premiums
are generally recognized as income at the escrow closing date which approximates
the policy effective date. Fee income related to escrow and other closing
services is recognized when the related services have been performed and
completed. The remaining 66% of consolidated title premium and fee revenues
is
produced by independent title agents and underwritten title companies. Rather
than making estimates that could be subject to significant variance from actual
premium and fee production, the Company recognizes revenues from those sources
upon receipt. Such receipts can reflect a three to four month lag relative
to
the effective date of the underlying title policy, and are offset concurrently
by production expenses and claim reserve provisions.
18
The
major sources
of Old Republic’s earned premiums and fees for the periods shown were as
follows:
General
|
Mortgage
|
Title
|
Other
|
Total
|
%
Change
from
prior
period
|
||||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
|||||||||||
2004
|
$
1,623.0
|
$
403.2
|
$
1,025.2
|
$
64.6
|
$
3,116.1
|
6.1%
|
|||||
2005
|
1,805.2
|
429.5
|
1,081.8
|
70.3
|
3,386.9
|
8.7
|
|||||
2006
|
1,902.1
|
444.3
|
980.0
|
74.1
|
3,400.5
|
.4
|
|||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
459.9
|
109.0
|
253.4
|
21.3
|
843.8
|
7.0
|
|||||
2007
|
$
521.7
|
$
118.0
|
$
210.1
|
$
19.9
|
$
869.8
|
3.1%
|
Earned
premiums in
the General Insurance Group grew by 13.4% and 6.7% in the first quarters of
2007
and 2006, respectively. Substantially all general insurance premium growth
in
this year’s first quarter stemmed from a book of liability insurance business
acquired in late 2006. Mortgage guaranty premium revenue trends for the first
quarter of 2007 reflect higher new insurance written, improved traditional
primary business persistency, and growth in bulk insurance production. Title
Group premium and fee revenues decreased by 17.1% in the first quarter of 2007
due to a continued reduction in real estate transaction volume substantially
occurring in the segment’s direct operations, most of which are concentrated in
the Western United States.
19
The
percentage
allocation of net premiums earned for major insurance coverages in the General
Insurance Group was as follows:
Type
of
Coverage
|
|||||||||||
Commercial
Automobile
(mostly
trucking)
|
Workers’
Compensation
|
Financial
Indemnity
|
Inland
Marine
and
Property
|
General
Liability
|
Other
|
||||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
|||||||||||
2004
|
37.9%
|
21.8%
|
11.8%
|
11.3%
|
5.8%
|
11.4%
|
|||||
2005
|
39.2
|
21.9
|
10.3
|
11.0
|
5.4
|
12.2
|
|||||
2006
|
39.8
|
21.7
|
11.0
|
10.7
|
5.1
|
11.7
|
|||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
39.8
|
22.6
|
11.1
|
10.8
|
4.7
|
11.0
|
|||||
2007
|
36.4%
|
25.3%
|
11.8%
|
9.4%
|
7.7%
|
9.4%
|
The
following
tables provide information on risk exposure trends for Old Republic’s Mortgage
Guaranty Group.
New
Insurance Written
|
Traditional
Primary
|
Bulk
|
Other
|
Total
|
||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
$
24,749.4
|
$
4,487.8
|
$
7,324.7
|
$
36,562.0
|
||||
2005
|
20,554.5
|
9,944.3
|
498.2
|
30,997.1
|
||||
2006
|
17,187.0
|
13,716.7
|
583.7
|
31,487.5
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
3,892.5
|
3,256.9
|
51.3
|
7,200.7
|
||||
2007
|
$
4,618.7
|
$
3,935.8
|
$
177.0
|
$
8,731.5
|
New
Risk
Written
|
||||||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
$
6,100.2
|
$
112.4
|
$
89.9
|
$
6,302.5
|
||||
2005
|
5,112.4
|
1,053.1
|
11.7
|
6,177.4
|
||||
2006
|
4,246.8
|
1,146.6
|
12.2
|
5,405.7
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
969.3
|
208.1
|
.9
|
1,178.3
|
||||
2007
|
$
1,115.6
|
$
302.6
|
$
6.0
|
$
1,424.3
|
Net
Risk
In Force
|
||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
$
15,452.2
|
$
834.8
|
$
580.9
|
$
16,868.0
|
||||
2005
|
14,711.2
|
1,758.8
|
586.1
|
17,056.2
|
||||
2006
|
14,582.1
|
2,471.1
|
578.9
|
17,632.2
|
||||
As
of March
31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
14,587.0
|
1,823.7
|
586.8
|
16,997.6
|
||||
2007
|
$
14,718.2
|
$
2,557.1
|
$
542.8
|
$
17,818.1
|
Analysis
of Risk in
Force:
By
Fair
Isaac & Company (“FICO”) Scores:
|
FICO
less
than
620
|
FICO
620
to
680
|
FICO
greater
than
680
|
Unscored/
Unavailable
|
||||
Traditional
Primary
|
||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
8.6%
|
31.1%
|
51.4%
|
8.9%
|
||||
2005
|
8.3
|
31.8
|
53.1
|
6.8
|
||||
2006
|
8.5
|
32.6
|
54.6
|
4.3
|
||||
As
of March
31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
8.3
|
32.1
|
53.5
|
6.1
|
||||
2007
|
8.6%
|
32.8%
|
54.5%
|
4.1%
|
||||
Bulk(1)
|
||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
11.5%
|
45.4%
|
40.9%
|
2.2%
|
||||
2005
|
21.2
|
38.7
|
38.7
|
1.4
|
||||
2006
|
24.1
|
35.7
|
39.8
|
.4
|
||||
As
of March
31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
19.6
|
37.9
|
41.8
|
.7
|
||||
2007
|
24.3%
|
35.8%
|
39.6%
|
.3%
|
20
By
Loan to
Value (“LTV”) Ratio:
|
LTV
less
than
85
|
LTV
85
to
90
|
LTV
90
to
95
|
LTV
Greater
than
95
|
||||
Traditional
Primary
|
||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
5.7%
|
36.8%
|
42.0%
|
15.5%
|
||||
2005
|
5.4
|
37.7
|
39.1
|
17.8
|
||||
2006
|
5.0
|
37.4
|
36.0
|
21.6
|
||||
As
of March
31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
5.3
|
37.8
|
38.5
|
18.4
|
||||
2007
|
4.9%
|
37.0%
|
35.1%
|
23.0%
|
||||
Bulk(1)
|
||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
66.4%
|
16.9%
|
12.9%
|
3.8%
|
||||
2005
|
57.3
|
27.4
|
11.6
|
3.7
|
||||
2006
|
63.4
|
23.1
|
9.0
|
4.5
|
||||
As
of March
31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
59.0
|
26.9
|
10.8
|
3.3
|
||||
2007
|
62.6%
|
22.7%
|
9.3%
|
5.4%
|
By
Type of
Loan Documentation:
|
Full
Documentation
|
Reduced
Documentation
|
||
Traditional
Primary
|
||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||
2004
|
93.2%
|
6.8%
|
||
2005
|
90.6
|
9.4
|
||
2006
|
89.4
|
10.6
|
||
As
of March
31:
|
||||
2006
|
90.4
|
9.6
|
||
2007
|
89.2%
|
10.8%
|
||
Bulk
(1)
|
||||
As
of
December 31:
|
||||
2004
|
34.0%
|
66.0%
|
||
2005
|
51.9
|
48.1
|
||
2006
|
51.9
|
48.1
|
||
As
of March
31:
|
||||
2006
|
49.4
|
50.6
|
||
2007
|
50.9%
|
49.1%
|
(1)
Bulk pool risk
in-force, which represented 42.5% of total bulk risk in-force at March 31,
2007,
has been allocated pro-rata based on insurance in-force.
Premium
and
Persistency Trends:
Earned
Premiums
|
Persistency
|
|||||||
Direct
|
Net
|
Traditional
Primary
|
Bulk
(1)
|
|||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
$
483.6
|
$
403.2
|
64.5%
|
55.7%
|
||||
2005
|
508.0
|
429.5
|
65.5
|
59.5
|
||||
2006
|
524.7
|
444.3
|
73.1
|
70.5
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
128.9
|
109.0
|
66.6
|
65.3
|
||||
2007
|
$
139.2
|
$
118.0
|
73.7%
|
70.5%
|
||||
(1)
Due to
the relative immaturity of the bulk business, the above trends may
prove
to be highly volatile.
|
The
following table
shows the percentage distribution of Title Group premium and fee revenues by
production sources:
Direct
Operations
|
Independent
Title
Agents
&
Other
|
|||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||
2004
|
38.1%
|
61.9%
|
||
2005
|
37.1
|
62.9
|
||
2006
|
32.3
|
67.7
|
||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||
2006
|
29.9
|
70.1
|
||
2007
|
33.8%
|
66.2%
|
21
Revenues:
Net Investment Income
|
Net
investment
income is affected by trends in interest and dividend yields for the types
of
securities in which the Company’s funds are invested during individual reporting
periods. The following tables reflect the segmented and consolidated invested
asset bases as of the indicated dates, and the investment income earned and
resulting yields on such assets. Since the Company can exercise little control
over market values, yields are evaluated on the basis of investment income
earned in relation to the amortized cost of the underlying invested assets,
though yields based on the market values of such assets are also shown in the
statistics below.
Market
|
Invested
|
||||||||||||
Invested
Assets at Cost
|
Value
|
Assets
at
|
|||||||||||
General
|
Mortgage
|
Title
|
Corporate
and
Other
|
Total
|
Adjust-
ment
|
Market
Value
|
|||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
|||||||||||||
2005
|
$
4,694.8
|
$
1,515.4
|
$
616.8
|
$
326.4
|
$
7,153.5
|
$
76.6
|
$
7,230.2
|
||||||
2006
|
5,524.8
|
1,571.6
|
611.1
|
246.6
|
7,954.3
|
101.8
|
8,056.1
|
||||||
As
of March
31:
|
|||||||||||||
2006
|
4,829.0
|
1,498.2
|
604.4
|
376.1
|
7,307.8
|
3.5
|
7,311.4
|
||||||
2007
|
$
5,707.3
|
$
1,573.0
|
$
617.5
|
$
197.0
|
$
8,095.0
|
$
128.5
|
$
8,223.5
|
Net
Investment Income
|
Yield
at
|
||||||||||||
General
|
Mortgage
|
Title
|
Corporate
and
Other
|
Total
|
Cost
|
Market
|
|||||||
Years
Ended
|
|
||||||||||||
December 31:
|
|||||||||||||
2004
|
$
183.4
|
$
67.7
|
$
25.5
|
$
14.0
|
$
290.8
|
4.64%
|
4.42%
|
||||||
2005
|
197.0
|
70.1
|
26.0
|
16.9
|
310.1
|
4.51
|
4.40
|
||||||
2006
|
221.5
|
74.3
|
26.9
|
18.7
|
341.6
|
4.52
|
4.47
|
||||||
Quarters
Ended
|
|||||||||||||
March 31,
|
|||||||||||||
2006
|
52.9
|
19.1
|
6.8
|
3.7
|
82.7
|
4.57
|
4.55
|
||||||
2007
|
$
62.8
|
$
18.9
|
$
6.7
|
$
3.0
|
$
91.5
|
4.56%
|
4.50%
|
Consolidated
net
investment income grew by 10.7% when compared to the same 2006 period. This
revenue source was affected by a rising invested asset base caused by positive
consolidated operating cash flows, by a concentration of investable assets
in
interest-bearing securities, and by changes in market yields. Yield trends
reflect the relatively short maturity of Old Republic’s fixed maturity
securities portfolio as well as a lower yield environment during the past
several years.
Revenues:
Net Realized Gains
|
The
Company's
investment policies have not been designed to maximize or emphasize the
realization of investment gains. Rather, these policies aim to assure a stable
source of income from interest and dividends, protection of capital, and
provision of sufficient liquidity to meet insurance underwriting and other
obligations as they become payable in the future. Dispositions of fixed maturity
securities arise mostly from scheduled maturities and early calls; for the
first
quarters of 2007 and 2006, 92.2% and 86.7%, respectively, of all such
dispositions resulted from these occurrences. Dispositions of equity securities
at a realized gain or loss reflect such factors as ongoing assessments of
issuers’ business prospects, rotation among industry sectors, and tax planning
considerations. Additionally, the amount of net realized gains and losses
registered in any one accounting period are affected by the aforementioned
assessments of securities’ values for other than temporary impairment. As a
result of the interaction of all these factors and considerations, net realized
investment gains or losses can vary significantly from period-to-period, and
in
the Company’s view are not indicative of any particular trend or result in the
basics of its insurance business.
22
The
following table
reflects the composition of net realized gains or losses for the periods shown.
As previously reported, relatively greater realized gains in equity securities
in 2004 and 2005 resulted largely from sales of substantial portions of actively
managed equity holdings and reinvestment of proceeds in index-style investment
portfolios.
Realized
Gains on Disposition of:
|
Impairment
Losses on:
|
||||||||||||
Fixed
maturity
securities
|
Equity
securities
and
miscell-
aneous
investments
|
Total
|
Fixed
maturity securities
|
Equity
securities
and
miscell-
aneous
investments
|
Total
|
Net
realized
gains
|
|||||||
Years
Ended
December
31:
|
|||||||||||||
2004
|
$
4.6
|
$
48.5
|
$
53.2
|
$
-
|
$
(5.2)
|
$
(5.2)
|
$
47.9
|
||||||
2005
|
4.5
|
69.6
|
74.1
|
(2.7)
|
(6.5)
|
(9.2)
|
64.9
|
||||||
2006
|
2.0
|
16.9
|
19.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
19.0
|
||||||
Quarters
Ended
March
31:
|
|||||||||||||
2006
|
1.1
|
6.3
|
7.5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7.5
|
||||||
2007
|
$
.7
|
$
2.2
|
$
2.9
|
$ -
|
$
-
|
$
-
|
$
2.9
|
Expenses:
Benefits and Claims
|
In
order to achieve
a necessary matching of premium and fee revenues and expenses, the Company
records the benefits, claims and related settlement costs that have been
incurred during each accounting period. Total claim costs are affected by the
amount of paid claims and the adequacy of reserve estimates established for
current and prior years’ claim occurrences at each balance sheet
date.
The
following table
shows a breakdown of gross and net of reinsurance claim reserve estimates for
major types of insurance coverages as of March 31, 2007 and December 31,
2006:
March
31,
2007
|
December
31,
2006
|
||||||
Gross
|
Net
|
Gross
|
Net
|
||||
Claim
and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves:
|
|||||||
Commercial
automobile (mostly trucking)
|
$
997.2
|
$
810.1
|
$
977.7
|
$
810.9
|
|||
Workers'
compensation
|
2,084.4
|
1,210.8
|
2,093.2
|
1,175.7
|
|||
General
liability
|
1,145.3
|
550.1
|
1,123.8
|
537.3
|
|||
Other
coverages
|
617.4
|
406.4
|
610.0
|
400.7
|
|||
Unallocated
loss adjustment expense reserves
|
148.2
|
99.0
|
147.0
|
97.8
|
|||
Total
general
insurance reserves
|
4,992.7
|
3,076.6
|
4,951.8
|
3,022.6
|
|||
Mortgage
guaranty
|
270.7
|
270.0
|
248.6
|
247.9
|
|||
Title
|
271.0
|
271.0
|
278.4
|
278.4
|
|||
Life
and
health
|
30.9
|
24.3
|
28.4
|
21.6
|
|||
Unallocated
loss adjustment expense reserves -other
coverages
|
27.6
|
27.6
|
27.2
|
27.2
|
|||
Total
claim
and loss adjustment expense reserves
|
$
5,593.2
|
$
3,669.8
|
$
5,534.7
|
$
3,598.0
|
|||
Asbestosis
and environmental claim reserves included
in the above general insurance reserves:
|
|||||||
Amount
|
$
192.8
|
$
154.6
|
$
194.9
|
$
157.8
|
|||
% of total general insurance reserves
|
3.9%
|
5.0%
|
3.9%
|
5.2%
|
The
Company’s
reserve for loss and loss adjustment expenses represents the accumulation of
estimates of ultimate losses, including incurred but not reported losses and
loss adjustment expenses. The establishment of claim reserves by the Company’s
insurance subsidiaries is a reasonably complex and dynamic process influenced
by
a large variety of factors as further discussed below. Consequently, reserves
established are a reflection of the opinions of a large number of persons,
of
the application and interpretation of historical precedent and trends, of
expectations as to future developments, and of management’s judgment in
interpreting all such factors. At any point in time the Company is exposed
to
possibly higher or lower than anticipated claim costs and the resulting changes
in estimates are recorded in operations of the periods during which they are
made. Increases to prior reserve estimates are often referred to as unfavorable
development whereas any changes that decrease previous estimates of the
Company’s ultimate liability are referred to as favorable
development.
Overview
of
Loss Reserving Process
Most
of Old
Republic’s consolidated claim and related expense reserves stem from its
general
insurance
business. At March
31, 2007, such reserves accounted for 89.3% and 83.8% of consolidated gross
and
net of reinsurance reserves, respectively, while similar reserves at December
31, 2006 represented 89.5% and 84.0% of the respective consolidated amounts.
23
The
Company’s
reserve setting process reflects the nature of its insurance business and the
decentralized basis upon which it is conducted. Old Republic’s general
insurance
operations
encompass a large variety of lines or classes of commercial insurance; it has
negligible exposure to personal lines such as homeowners or private passenger
automobile insurance that exhibit wide diversification of risks, significant
frequency of claim occurrences, and high degrees of statistical credibility.
Additionally, the Company’s insurance subsidiaries do not provide significant
amounts of insurance protection for premises; most of its property insurance
exposures relate to cargo, incidental property, and insureds’ inland marine
assets. Consequently, the wide variety of policies issued and commercial
insurance customers served require that loss reserves be analyzed and
established in the context of the unique or different attributes of each block
or class of business produced by the Company. For example, accident liability
claims emanating from insured trucking companies or from general aviation
customers become known relatively quickly, whereas claims of a general liability
nature arising from the building activities of a construction company may emerge
over extended periods of time. Similarly, claims filed pursuant to errors and
omissions or directors and officers’ (“E&O/D&O”) liability coverages are
usually not prone to immediate evaluation or quantification inasmuch as many
such claims may be litigated over several years and their ultimate costs may
be
affected by the vagaries of judged or jury verdicts. Approximately 87% of the
general
insurance
group’s claim
reserves stem from liability insurance coverages for commercial customers which
typically require more extended periods of investigation and at times protracted
litigation before they are finally settled. As a consequence of these and other
factors, Old Republic does not utilize a single, overarching loss reserving
approach.
The
Company
prepares periodic analyses of its loss reserve estimates for its significant
insurance coverages. It establishes point estimates for most losses on an
insurance coverage line-by-line basis for individual subsidiaries, sub-classes,
individual accounts, blocks of business or other unique concentrations of
insurance risks such as directors and officers’ liability, that have similar
attributes. Actuarially or otherwise derived ranges of reserve levels are not
utilized as such in setting these reserves. Instead the reported reserves
encompass the Company’s best point estimates at each reporting date and the
overall reserve level at any point in time therefore represents the compilation
of a very large number of reported reserve estimates and the results of a
variety of formula calculations largely driven by statistical analysis of
historical data. Reserve releases or additions are implicitly covered by the
point estimates incorporated in total reserves at each balance sheet date.
The
Company does not project future variability or make an explicit provision for
uncertainty when determining its best estimate of loss reserves, although,
as
discussed below, over the most recent ten-year period management’s estimates
have developed slightly favorably on an overall basis.
Overall
loss
reserves consist of liability estimates for claims that have been reported
(“case”) to the Company’s insurance subsidiaries and reserves for claims that
have been incurred but not yet reported (“IBNR”) or whose ultimate costs may not
become fully apparent until a future time. Additionally, the Company establishes
unallocated loss adjustment expense reserves for loss settlement costs that
are
not directly related to individual claims. Such reserves are based on prior
years’ cost experience and trends, and are intended to cover the unallocated
costs of claim departments’ administration of case and IBNR claims over time.
Long-term, disability-type workers’ compensation reserves are discounted to
present value based on interest rates that range from 3.5% to 4.0%.
A
large variety of
statistical analyses and formula calculations are utilized to provide for IBNR
claim costs as well as additional costs that can arise from such factors as
monetary and social inflation, changes in claims administration processes,
changes in reinsurance ceded and recoverability levels, and expected trends
in
claim costs and related ratios. Typically, such formulas take into account
so-called link ratios that represent prior years’ patterns of incurred or paid
loss trends between succeeding years, or past experience relative to
progressions of the number of claims reported over time and ultimate average
costs per claim.
Overall,
reserves
pertaining to several hundred large individual commercial insurance accounts
that exhibit sufficient statistical credibility, and at times may be subject
to
retrospective premium rating plans or the utilization of varying levels or
types
of self-insured retentions through captive insurers and similar risk management
mechanisms are established on an account by account basis using case reserves
and applicable formula-driven methods. Large account reserves are usually set
and analyzed for groups of coverages such as workers compensation, commercial
auto and general liability that are typically underwritten jointly for many
customers. For certain so-called long-tail categories of insurance such as
retained or assumed excess liability or excess workers’ compensation, officers
and directors’ liability, and commercial umbrella liability relative to which
claim development patterns are particularly long, more volatile, and immature
in
their early stages of development, the Company judgmentally establishes the
most
current accident years’ loss reserves on the basis of expected loss ratios.
Expected loss ratios typically reflect the projected loss ratio from prior
accident years, adjusted for the effect of actual and anticipated rate changes,
actual and anticipated changes in coverage, reinsurance, or mix of business,
and
other anticipated changes in external factors such as trends in loss costs
or
the legal and claims environment. Expected loss ratios are generally used for
the two to three most recent accident years depending on the individual class
or
category of business. As actual claims data emerges in succeeding interim and
annual periods, the original accident year loss ratio assumptions are validated
or otherwise adjusted sequentially through the application of statistical
projection techniques such as the Bornhuetter/Ferguson method which utilizes
data from the more mature experience of prior years to arrive at a likely
indication of more recent years’ loss trends and costs.
Mortgage
guaranty
insurance loss
reserves are
based on statistical calculations that take into account the number of reported
insured mortgage loan defaults as of each balance sheet date, as well as
experience-based estimates of IBNR. Further, such loss reserve estimates also
take into account a large number of variables including trends in claim
severity, potential salvage recoveries, expected cure rates for reported loan
defaults at various stages of default, and judgments relative to future
employment levels, housing market activity, and mortgage loan interest costs,
demand, and extensions.
24
Title
insurance and
related escrow
services loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are established as point
estimates to cover the projected settlement costs of known as well as IBNR
losses, concurrently with the recognition of premium and escrow service
revenues. Reserves for known claims are based on an assessment of the facts
available to the Company during the settlement process. The point estimates
covering all claim reserves take into account IBNR claims based on past
experience and evaluations of such variables as changing trends in the types
of
policies issued, changes in real estate markets and interest rate environments,
and changing levels of loan refinancing, all of which can have a bearing on
the
emergence, number, and ultimate costs of claims.
Incurred
Loss Experience
Management
is of
the opinion that the Company’s overall reserving practices have been
consistently applied over many years. For at least the past ten years,
previously established aggregate reserves have produced reasonable estimates
of
the cumulative ultimate net costs of claims incurred. However, there are no
guarantees that such outcomes will continue, and accordingly, no representation
is made that ultimate net claim and related costs will not develop in future
years to be greater or lower than currently established reserve estimates.
In
management’s opinion, however, such potential development is not likely to have
a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, although it
could have a material effect on its consolidated results of operations for
any
one annual or interim reporting period. See further discussion in the Company’s
2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K, under Item 1A - Risk Factors.
The
percentage of
net claims, benefits and related settlement expenses incurred as a percentage
of
premiums and related fee revenues of the Company’s three major operating
segments and for its consolidated results were as follows:
General
|
Mortgage
|
Title
|
Consolidated
|
|||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
65.9%
|
35.5%
|
5.8%
|
42.0%
|
||||
2005
|
66.9
|
37.2
|
6.0
|
43.3
|
||||
2006
|
65.9
|
42.8
|
5.9
|
45.3
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
64.5
|
38.8
|
6.2
|
43.3
|
||||
2007
|
64.5%
|
54.4%
|
6.0%
|
48.6%
|
The
percentage of
net claims, benefits and related settlement expenses measured against premiums
earned by major general
insurance
coverage types
were as follows:
Type
of
Coverage
|
|||||||||||
Commercial
Automobile (mostly trucking)
|
Workers’
Compensation
|
Financial
Indemnity
|
Inland
Marine
and Property
|
General
Liability
|
Other
|
||||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
|||||||||||
2004
|
66.5%
|
72.4%
|
47.6%
|
56.2%
|
108.6%
|
59.3%
|
|||||
2005
|
67.2
|
78.9
|
48.9
|
52.2
|
97.4
|
58.5
|
|||||
2006
|
75.3
|
74.6
|
41.5
|
55.0
|
57.5
|
54.8
|
|||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
|||||||||||
2006
|
72.0
|
73.5
|
44.1
|
51.8
|
74.6
|
53.4
|
|||||
2007
|
75.9%
|
68.8%
|
51.9%
|
50.9%
|
48.2%
|
60.9%
|
The
general
insurance
portion of the
claims ratio reflects reasonably consistent trends for all reporting periods.
To
a large extent this major cost factor reflects pricing and risk selection
improvements that have been applied since 2001, together with elements of
reduced loss severity and frequency. During the three most recent calendar
years, the general
insurance
group experienced
favorable development of prior year loss reserves primarily stemming from the
commercial automobile and the E&O/D&O (financial indemnity) lines of
business; this was partially offset by unfavorable development in excess workers
compensation coverages and for ongoing development of asbestos and environmental
(“A&E”) exposures (general liability). Unfavorable developments attributable
to A&E claim reserves are due to periodic re-evaluations of such reserves as
well as reclassifications of other coverages’ reserves, typically workers
compensation, deemed to be assignable to A&E types of losses.
Except
for a small
portion that emanates from ongoing primary insurance operations, a large
majority of the A&E claim reserves posted by Old Republic stem mainly from
its participations in assumed reinsurance treaties and insurance pools which
were discontinued fifteen or more years ago and have since been in run-off
status. With respect to the primary portion of gross A&E reserves, Old
Republic administers the related claims through its claims personnel as well
as
outside attorneys, and posted reserves reflect its best estimates of ultimate
claim costs. Claims administration for the assumed portion of the Company’s
A&E exposures is handled by the claims departments of unrelated primary or
ceding reinsurance companies. While the Company performs periodic reviews of
certain claim files managed by third parties, the overall A&E reserves it
establishes respond to the paid claim and case reserve activity reported to
the
Company as well as available industry statistical data such as so-called
survival ratios. Such ratios represent the number of years’ average paid losses
for the three or five most recent calendar years that are encompassed by an
insurer’s A&E reserve level at any point in time. According to this
simplistic appraisal of an insurer’s A&E loss reserve level, Old Republic’s
average five year survival ratios stood at 7.3 years (gross) and 10.6 years
(net
of reinsurance) as of March 31, 2007 and 7.6 years (gross) and 10.9 years (net
of reinsurance) as of December 31, 2006. Fluctuations in this ratio between
years can be caused by the inconsistent pay out patterns associated with these
types of claims. Incurred net losses for A&E claims have averaged 3.4% of
general
insurance
group net incurred
losses for the five years ended December 31, 2006.
25
The
mortgage
guaranty
claims ratios have
continued to rise in recent years, principally reflecting higher paid losses,
as
well as expectations of greater claim frequency and severity. The most recent
quarterly claim ratio comparisons reflect a significant increase due primarily
to increasing loss severity.
Average
mortgage
guaranty
paid claims, and
certain delinquency ratio data as of the end of the periods shown are listed
below:
Average
Paid
Claim Amount (1)
|
Delinquency
Ratio
|
|||||||
Traditional
Primary
|
Bulk
(2)
|
Traditional
Primary
|
Bulk
(2)
|
|||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
$
23,920
|
$
19,885
|
4.11%
|
4.59%
|
||||
2005
|
24,255
|
20,639
|
4.67
|
3.67
|
||||
2006
|
25,989
|
21,846
|
4.41
|
3.29
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
26,121
|
17,364 |
4.12
|
3.42
|
||||
2007
|
$
28,076
|
$
28,192
|
4.22%
|
3.51%
|
||||
(1)
Amounts
are in whole dollars.
|
||||||||
(2)
Due to
the relative immaturity of the bulk business, the above trends may
prove
to be highly volatile.
|
Traditional
Primary Delinquency Ratios for Top Ten States (3):
|
|||||||||||||||||||
FL
|
|
TX
|
|
GA
|
|
IL
|
|
OH
|
|
PA
|
|
MN
|
|
SC
|
|
NC
|
|
MI
|
|
As
of
December 31:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2004
|
3.2%
|
|
5.0%
|
|
5.6%
|
|
3.8%
|
|
7.6%
|
|
4.4%
|
|
3.5%
|
|
5.0%
|
|
4.9%
|
|
6.1%
|
2005
|
3.1
|
|
5.7
|
|
5.9
|
|
4.2
|
|
8.3
|
|
4.7
|
|
4.0
|
|
5.4
|
|
4.9
|
|
7.3
|
2006
|
2.7
|
|
4.5
|
|
6.1
|
|
4.5
|
|
7.8
|
|
4.8
|
|
5.4
|
|
4.8
|
|
4.6
|
|
8.2
|
As
of March
31:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
2.4
|
|
4.9
|
|
5.2
|
|
3.9
|
|
7.6
|
|
4.2
|
|
4.1
|
|
4.5
|
|
4.3
|
|
6.7
|
2007
|
3.2%
|
|
4.1%
|
|
5.9%
|
|
4.2%
|
|
7.5%
|
|
4.3%
|
|
5.7%
|
|
4.3%
|
|
3.9%
|
|
8.3%
|
Bulk
Delinquency Ratios for Top Ten States (3):
|
|||||||||||||||||||
FL
|
TX
|
GA
|
IL
|
OH
|
PA
|
CA
|
NJ
|
AZ
|
NY
|
||||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2004
|
2.5%
|
6.1%
|
7.0%
|
5.2%
|
13.3%
|
6.5%
|
1.3%
|
3.3%
|
3.6%
|
4.9%
|
|||||||||
2005
|
1.9
|
5.5
|
5.8
|
3.0
|
8.4
|
5.3
|
.9
|
3.7
|
.9
|
4.3
|
|||||||||
2006
|
1.6
|
4.0
|
4.4
|
4.2
|
9.3
|
5.1
|
1.6
|
3.5
|
1.0
|
4.4
|
|||||||||
As
of March
31:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
1.5
|
4.8
|
5.2
|
3.7
|
8.5
|
5.1
|
.9
|
3.9
|
.9
|
4.5
|
|||||||||
2007
|
2.0%
|
4.1%
|
4.2%
|
4.1%
|
9.0%
|
5.2%
|
2.0%
|
3.8%
|
1.6%
|
4.7%
|
|||||||||
Total
Delinquency Ratios for Top Ten States (includes “other” business)
(3):
|
|||||||||||||||||||
FL
|
TX
|
GA
|
IL
|
OH
|
PA
|
CA
|
NJ
|
NC
|
MI
|
||||||||||
As
of
December 31:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2004
|
2.7%
|
4.8%
|
5.1%
|
2.5%
|
7.2%
|
4.1%
|
1.1%
|
3.7%
|
3.5%
|
5.3%
|
|||||||||
2005
|
2.4
|
5.3
|
5.3
|
2.8
|
7.5
|
4.3
|
.9
|
3.7
|
3.8
|
6.4
|
|||||||||
2006
|
2.0
|
4.1
|
5.2
|
3.1
|
7.3
|
4.3
|
1.4
|
3.6
|
3.3
|
7.2
|
|||||||||
As
of March
31:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2006
|
1.9
|
4.6
|
4.7
|
2.7
|
7.0
|
3.9
|
.9
|
3.7
|
3.3
|
6.0
|
|||||||||
2007
|
2.4%
|
3.9%
|
5.1%
|
2.9%
|
7.1%
|
4.0%
|
1.6%
|
3.6%
|
3.1%
|
7.3%
|
|||||||||
(3)
As
determined by risk in force as of March 31, 2007, these 10 states
represent approximately 49%, 60%, and 50%, of traditional primary,
bulk,
and total risk in force,
respectively.
|
The
title
insurance
loss ratios remain
in the low single digits due to a continuation of favorable trends in claims
frequency and severity for business underwritten since 1992 in
particular.
Reinsurance
Programs
To
maintain premium
production within its capacity and limit maximum losses and risks for which
it
might become liable under its policies, Old Republic may cede a portion or
all
of its premiums and liabilities on certain classes of insurance, individual
policies, or blocks of business to other insurers and reinsurers. Further
discussion of the Company’s reinsurance programs can be found in Part 1 of the
Company’s 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K on pages 13 and 14.
26
Expenses:
Underwriting Acquisition and Other
Expenses
|
The
following table
sets forth the expense ratios registered by each major business segment and
in
consolidation for the periods shown:
General
|
Mortgage
|
Title
|
Consolidated
|
|||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
24.8%
|
25.6%
|
90.5%
|
47.3%
|
||||
2005
|
24.6
|
22.4
|
88.2
|
45.2
|
||||
2006
|
24.4
|
22.5
|
93.6
|
44.7
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
25.9
|
23.7
|
93.4
|
46.5
|
||||
2007
|
26.9%
|
20.8%
|
96.8%
|
43.6%
|
Expense
ratios for
the Company as a whole have remained basically stable for the periods reported
upon. Variations in these consolidated ratios reflect a continually changing
mix
of coverages sold and attendant costs of producing business in the Company’s
three business segments. To a significant degree, expense ratios for both the
general and title insurance segments are mostly reflective of variable costs,
such as commissions or similar charges, that rise or decline along with
corresponding changes in premium and fee income, as well as changes in general
operating expenses which can contract or expand in differing proportions due
to
varying levels of operating efficiencies and expense management opportunities
in
the face of changing market conditions.
The
General
Insurance Group’s expense ratio reflects the benefits of well-controlled
production and administrative expense management in the face of a greater
revenue base. The
decrease in the
Mortgage Guaranty Group’s ratio for the first quarter of 2007 reflects the
benefit of greater 2007 earned premiums and the absence of state income taxes
incurred in the first quarter of 2006 that resulted from the release of
contingency reserves. The increase in the Title Insurance Group’s expense ratio
for the first quarter of 2007 results from a decline in revenues from direct
operations, most of which are concentrated in the Western United States, to
a
level lower than necessary to support the fixed portion of the operating expense
structure.
Expenses:
Total
|
The
composite
ratios of the above net claims, benefits and underwriting expenses that reflect
the sum total of all the factors enumerated above have been as
follows:
General
|
Mortgage
|
Title
|
Consolidated
|
|||||
Years
Ended
December 31:
|
||||||||
2004
|
90.7%
|
61.1%
|
96.3%
|
89.3%
|
||||
2005
|
91.5
|
59.6
|
94.2
|
88.5
|
||||
2006
|
90.3
|
65.3
|
99.5
|
90.0
|
||||
Quarters
Ended March 31:
|
||||||||
2006
|
90.4
|
62.5
|
99.6
|
89.8
|
||||
2007
|
91.4%
|
75.2%
|
102.8%
|
92.2%
|
Expenses:
Income Taxes
|
The
effective
consolidated income tax rates were 30.8% and 31.7% in the first quarters of
2007
and 2006, respectively. The rates reflect primarily the varying proportions
of
pretax operating income derived from partially tax-sheltered investment income
(principally state and municipal tax-exempt interest) on the one hand, and
the
combination of fully taxable investment income, realized investment gains or
losses, and underwriting and service income, on the other hand.
27
OTHER
INFORMATION
|
Reference
is here
made to “Information About Segments of Business” appearing elsewhere
herein.
Historical
data
pertaining to the operating results, liquidity, and other performance indicators
applicable to an insurance enterprise such as Old Republic are not necessarily
indicative of results to be achieved in succeeding years. In addition to the
factors cited below, the long-term nature of the insurance business, seasonal
and annual patterns in premium production and incidence of claims, changes
in
yields obtained on invested assets, changes in government policies and free
markets affecting inflation rates and general economic conditions, and changes
in legal precedents or the application of law affecting the settlement of
disputed and other claims can have a bearing on period-to-period comparisons
and
future operating results.
Some
of the
statements made in this report and other Company-published reports, as well
as
oral statements or commentaries made by the Company’s management in conference
calls following earnings releases, can constitute “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Of
necessity, any such forward-looking statements, commentaries, or inferences
involve assumptions, uncertainties, and risks that may affect the Company’s
future performance. With regard to Old Republic’s General Insurance segment, its
results can be affected, in particular, by the level of market competition,
which is typically a function of available capital and expected returns on
such
capital among competitors, the levels of interest and inflation rates, and
periodic changes in claim frequency and severity patterns caused by natural
disasters, weather conditions, accidents, illnesses, work-related injuries,
and
unanticipated external events. Mortgage Guaranty and Title Insurance results
can
be affected by similar factors and, most particularly, by changes in national
and regional housing demand and values, the availability and cost of mortgage
loans, employment trends, and default rates on mortgage loans. Mortgage Guaranty
results, in particular, may also be affected by various risk-sharing
arrangements with business producers, as well as the risk management and pricing
policies of government sponsored enterprises. Life and health insurance earnings
can be affected by the levels of employment and consumer spending, variations
in
mortality and health trends, and changes in policy lapsation rates. At the
parent holding company level, operating earnings or losses are generally
reflective of the amount of debt outstanding and its cost, interest income
on
temporary holdings of short-term investments, and period-to-period variations
in
the costs of administering the Company’s widespread operations.
Any
forward-looking
statements or commentaries speak only as of their dates. Old Republic undertakes
no obligation to publicly update or revise any and all such comments, whether
as
a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, and accordingly they
may not be unduly relied upon.
28
OLD
REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
Item
3 -
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk
Market
risk
represents the potential for loss due to adverse changes in the fair value
of
financial instruments as a result of changes in interest rates, equity prices,
foreign exchange rates and commodity prices. Old Republic’s primary market risks
consist of interest rate risk associated with investments in fixed maturities
and equity price risk associated with investments in equity securities. The
Company has no material foreign exchange or commodity risk.
Old
Republic’s
market risk exposures at March 31, 2007, have not materially changed from those
identified in the Company’s 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item
4 -
Controls and Procedures
Evaluation
of
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The
Company’s
principal executive officer and its principal financial officer have evaluated
the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period
covered by this quarterly report. Based upon their evaluation, the principal
executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and
15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) are effective for the
above
referenced evaluation period.
Changes
in
Internal Control
During
the three
month period ended March 31, 2007, there were no changes in internal control
over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely
to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting.
Management’s
Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
The
Company’s
internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles. The Company’s internal control over
financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain
to
the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company; (ii)
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are
being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors
of
the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or
timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the
Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial
statements.
Because
of its
inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent
or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness
to
future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the
policies or procedures may deteriorate.
29
OLD
REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
FORM
10-Q
PART
II -
OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1A - Risk
Factors
There
have been no
material changes with respect to the risk factors disclosed in the Company’s
2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item
6 -
Exhibits
(a)
Exhibits
31.1 Certification
by
Aldo C. Zucaro, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and
15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
31.2 Certification
by
Karl W. Mueller, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and
15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
32.1 Certification
by
Aldo C. Zucaro, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 1350, Chapter
63 of
Title 18, United States Code, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2 Certification
by
Karl W. Mueller, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 1350, Chapter
63
of Title 18, United States Code, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
30
SIGNATURE
Pursuant
to the
requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto
duly
authorized.
Old
Republic
International Corporation
|
|||||
(Registrant)
|
|||||
Date:
|
May
4,
2007
|
||||
/s/
Karl W. Mueller
|
|||||
Karl
W.
Mueller
Senior
Vice
President and
Chief
Financial Officer
|
31
EHIBIT
INDEX
Exhibit
|
||
No.
|
Description
|
|
31.1
|
Certification
by Aldo C. Zucaro, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)
and
15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of
2002.
|
|
31.2
|
Certification
by Karl W. Mueller, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a)
and 15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002.
|
|
32.1
|
Certification
by Aldo C. Zucaro, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 1350,
Chapter 63 of Title 18, United States Code, as adopted pursuant to
Section
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
by Karl W. Mueller, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section
1350,
Chapter 63 of Title 18, United States Code, as adopted pursuant to
Section
906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
|
|