SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP INC - Quarter Report: 2010 September (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
x QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION
13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the
quarterly period ended: September 30, 2010
or
¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION
13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the
transition period from to
Commission
File Number: 001-33067
SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP,
INC.
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New Jersey
|
22-2168890
|
|
(State
or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
|
|
40
Wantage Avenue
|
||
Branchville, New Jersey
|
07890
|
|
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
(973)
948-3000
|
(Registrant’s
Telephone Number, Including Area
Code)
|
(Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)
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 report), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yesx
No ¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on
its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding
12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit
and post such files).
Yesx
No ¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting
company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated
filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one):
Large
accelerated filer x
|
Accelerated
filer ¨
|
|
Non-accelerated
filer ¨
|
Smaller
reporting company ¨
|
(Do not
check if a smaller reporting company)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes ¨ No
x
As of
September 30, 2010, there were 53,512,025 shares of common stock, par value
$2.00 per share, outstanding.
SELECTIVE
INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
Table of
Contents
Page
No.
|
||||
PART I.
|
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
|||
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements
|
|||
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2010 (Unaudited)
|
||||
and
December 31, 2009
|
1
|
|||
Unaudited
Consolidated Statements of Income for the
|
||||
Quarter
and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2010 and 2009
|
2
|
|||
Unaudited
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the
|
||||
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2010 and 2009
|
3
|
|||
Unaudited
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow for the
|
||||
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2010 and 2009
|
4
|
|||
Notes
to Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
|
5
|
|||
Item
2.
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
|
|||
and
Results of Operations
|
||||
Forward-Looking
Statements
|
26
|
|||
Introduction
|
26
|
|||
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
|
26
|
|||
Financial
Highlights of Results for Third Quarter 2010 and Nine Months
2010
|
27
|
|||
Results
of Operations and Related Information by Segment
|
29
|
|||
Federal
Income Taxes
|
51
|
|||
Financial
Condition, Liquidity, and Capital Resources
|
51
|
|||
Ratings
|
53
|
|||
Accounting
Pronouncements to be Adopted
|
54
|
|||
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
|
54
|
|||
Contractual
Obligations and Contingent Liabilities and Commitments
|
54
|
|||
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
|
55
|
||
Item
4.
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
55
|
||
PART II.
|
OTHER INFORMATION
|
|||
Item
1.
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
55
|
||
Item
1A.
|
Risk
Factors
|
56
|
||
Item
2.
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
59
|
||
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
60
|
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
||||||||
SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
|
Unaudited
|
|||||||
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
September 30,
|
December 31,
|
||||||
($ in thousands, except share amounts)
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||
ASSETS
|
||||||||
Investments:
|
||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities, held-to-maturity – at carry value
|
||||||||
(fair
value: $1,440,143 – 2010; $1,740,211 – 2009)
|
$ | 1,372,698 | 1,710,403 | |||||
Fixed
maturity securities, available-for-sale – at fair value
|
||||||||
(amortized
cost: $2,006,685 – 2010; $1,616,456 – 2009)
|
2,115,049 | 1,635,869 | ||||||
Equity
securities, available-for-sale – at fair value
|
||||||||
(cost
of: $55,051 – 2010; $64,390 – 2009)
|
63,116 | 80,264 | ||||||
Short-term
investments (at cost which approximates fair value)
|
265,043 | 213,848 | ||||||
Other
investments
|
154,728 | 140,667 | ||||||
Total
investments
|
3,970,634 | 3,781,051 | ||||||
Cash
|
422 | 811 | ||||||
Interest
and dividends due or accrued
|
36,283 | 34,651 | ||||||
Premiums
receivable, net of allowance for uncollectible
|
||||||||
accounts
of: $4,856 – 2010; $5,880 – 2009
|
460,394 | 446,577 | ||||||
Reinsurance
recoverables, net
|
307,105 | 276,018 | ||||||
Prepaid
reinsurance premiums
|
115,745 | 105,522 | ||||||
Current
federal income tax
|
24,760 | 17,662 | ||||||
Deferred
federal income tax
|
79,799 | 111,038 | ||||||
Property
and equipment – at cost, net of accumulated
|
||||||||
depreciation
and amortization of: $149,255 – 2010; $141,251 –
2009
|
41,832 | 46,287 | ||||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs
|
218,590 | 218,601 | ||||||
Goodwill
|
7,849 | 7,849 | ||||||
Other
assets
|
71,108 | 68,760 | ||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 5,334,521 | 5,114,827 | |||||
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
||||||||
Liabilities:
|
||||||||
Reserve
for losses and loss expenses
|
$ | 2,809,797 | 2,745,799 | |||||
Unearned
premiums
|
880,698 | 844,847 | ||||||
Notes
payable
|
262,326 | 274,606 | ||||||
Accrued
salaries and benefits
|
101,464 | 103,802 | ||||||
Other
liabilities
|
187,920 | 143,398 | ||||||
Total
liabilities
|
$ | 4,242,205 | 4,112,452 | |||||
Stockholders’
Equity:
|
||||||||
Preferred
stock of $0 par value per share:
|
||||||||
Authorized
shares 5,000,000; no shares issued or outstanding
|
$ | - | - | |||||
Common
stock of $2 par value per share
|
||||||||
Authorized
shares 360,000,000
|
||||||||
Issued: 96,189,223
– 2010; 95,822,959 – 2009
|
192,378 | 191,646 | ||||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
241,472 | 231,933 | ||||||
Retained
earnings
|
1,159,496 | 1,138,978 | ||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income (loss)
|
48,220 | (12,460 | ) | |||||
Treasury
stock – at cost (shares: 42,677,198 – 2010; 42,578,779 –
2009)
|
(549,250 | ) | (547,722 | ) | ||||
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
1,092,316 | 1,002,375 | ||||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
||||||||
Total
liabilities and stockholders’ equity
|
$ | 5,334,521 | 5,114,827 |
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited interim consolidated
financial statements.
1
SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
|
||||||||||||||||
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
|
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
premiums earned
|
$ | 354,709 | 355,906 | 1,063,101 | 1,078,090 | |||||||||||
Net
investment income earned
|
32,986 | 36,585 | 104,237 | 78,670 | ||||||||||||
Net
realized gains (losses):
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
realized investment gains (losses)
|
2,864 | (741 | ) | 13,960 | 3,515 | |||||||||||
Other-than-temporary
impairments
|
(4,091 | ) | (5,833 | ) | (16,326 | ) | (45,467 | ) | ||||||||
Other-than-temporary
impairments on fixed maturity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
recognized
in other comprehensive income
|
1,284 | 1,591 | (905 | ) | 1,650 | |||||||||||
Total
net realized gains (losses)
|
57 | (4,983 | ) | (3,271 | ) | (40,302 | ) | |||||||||
Other
income
|
1,950 | 2,667 | 6,465 | 7,758 | ||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
389,702 | 390,175 | 1,170,532 | 1,124,216 | ||||||||||||
Expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Losses
and loss expenses incurred
|
245,019 | 242,032 | 739,142 | 733,275 | ||||||||||||
Policy
acquisition costs
|
114,042 | 114,520 | 346,143 | 342,148 | ||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
4,559 | 4,751 | 14,056 | 14,618 | ||||||||||||
Other
expenses
|
4,022 | 7,045 | 18,636 | 21,083 | ||||||||||||
Total
expenses
|
367,642 | 368,348 | 1,117,977 | 1,111,124 | ||||||||||||
Income
from continuing operations, before federal income tax
|
22,060 | 21,827 | 52,555 | 13,092 | ||||||||||||
Federal
income tax expense (benefit):
|
||||||||||||||||
Current
|
(1,691 | ) | (426 | ) | 8,475 | 3,818 | ||||||||||
Deferred
|
4,920 | 1,647 | (1,435 | ) | (13,740 | ) | ||||||||||
Total
federal income tax expense (benefit)
|
3,229 | 1,221 | 7,040 | (9,922 | ) | |||||||||||
Net
income from continuing operations
|
18,831 | 20,606 | 45,515 | 23,014 | ||||||||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations, net of tax of $(4,147) for
Third
|
||||||||||||||||
Quarter
2009 and $(4,106) for Nine Months 2009
|
- | (7,599 | ) | - | (7,196 | ) | ||||||||||
Loss
on disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax of $(880)
for
|
||||||||||||||||
Third
Quarter 2010 and $(2,019) for Nine Months 2010
|
(1,634 | ) | - | (3,749 | ) | - | ||||||||||
Total
discontinued operations, net of tax
|
(1,634 | ) | (7,599 | ) | (3,749 | ) | (7,196 | ) | ||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 17,197 | 13,007 | 41,766 | 15,818 | |||||||||||
Earnings
per share:
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic
net income from continuing operations
|
0.35 | 0.39 | 0.85 | 0.44 | ||||||||||||
Basic
net loss from disposal of discontinued operations
|
(0.03 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.07 | ) | (0.14 | ) | ||||||||
Basic
net income
|
$ | 0.32 | 0.25 | 0.78 | 0.30 | |||||||||||
Diluted
net income from continuing operations
|
0.35 | 0.38 | 0.84 | 0.43 | ||||||||||||
Diluted
net loss from disposal of discontinued operations
|
(0.03 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.07 | ) | (0.13 | ) | ||||||||
Diluted
net income
|
$ | 0.32 | 0.24 | 0.77 | 0.30 | |||||||||||
Dividends
to stockholders
|
$ | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.39 | 0.39 |
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited interim consolidated
financial statements.
2
SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
|
||||||||||||||||
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF
|
||||||||||||||||
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
||||||||||||||||
Nine Months ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||||
Common
stock:
|
||||||||||||||||
Beginning
of year
|
$ | 191,646 | 190,527 | |||||||||||||
Dividend
reinvestment plan
|
||||||||||||||||
(shares: 81,471
– 2010; 96,265 – 2009)
|
163 | 193 | ||||||||||||||
Stock
purchase and compensation plans
|
||||||||||||||||
(shares: 284,793
– 2010; 274,517 – 2009)
|
569 | 549 | ||||||||||||||
End
of period
|
192,378 | 191,269 | ||||||||||||||
Additional
paid-in capital:
|
||||||||||||||||
Beginning
of year
|
231,933 | 217,195 | ||||||||||||||
Dividend
reinvestment plan
|
1,098 | 1,136 | ||||||||||||||
Stock
purchase and compensation plans
|
8,441 | 9,873 | ||||||||||||||
End
of period
|
241,472 | 228,204 | ||||||||||||||
Retained
earnings:
|
||||||||||||||||
Beginning
of year
|
1,138,978 | 1,128,149 | ||||||||||||||
Cumulative
effect adjustment due to adoption of other-than-temporary
|
||||||||||||||||
impairment
guidance under ASC 320, net of deferred income tax
|
- | 2,380 | ||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
41,766 | 41,766 | 15,818 | 15,818 | ||||||||||||
Cash
dividends to stockholders ($0.39 per share – 2010;
|
||||||||||||||||
$0.39
per share – 2009)
|
(21,248 | ) | (20,932 | ) | ||||||||||||
End
of period
|
1,159,496 | 1,125,415 | ||||||||||||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income (loss):
|
||||||||||||||||
Beginning
of year
|
(12,460 | ) | (100,666 | ) | ||||||||||||
Cumulative-effect
adjustment due to adoption of other-than-temporary
|
||||||||||||||||
impairment
guidance under ASC 320, net of deferred income tax
|
- | (2,380 | ) | |||||||||||||
Other
comprehensive income (loss), increase (decrease) in:
|
||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
gains on investment securities:
|
||||||||||||||||
Non-credit
portion of other-than-temporary impairment losses
|
||||||||||||||||
recognized
in other comprehensive income, net of deferred income tax
|
3,026 | (998 | ) | |||||||||||||
Other
net unrealized gains on investment securities, net of
|
||||||||||||||||
deferred
income tax
|
55,556 | 91,529 | ||||||||||||||
Total
unrealized gains on investment securities
|
58,582 | 58,582 | 90,531 | 90,531 | ||||||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans, net of deferred income tax
|
2,098 | 2,098 | 1,377 | 1,377 | ||||||||||||
End
of period
|
48,220 | (11,138 | ) | |||||||||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
102,446 | 107,726 | ||||||||||||||
Treasury
stock:
|
||||||||||||||||
Beginning
of year
|
(547,722 | ) | (544,712 | ) | ||||||||||||
Acquisition
of treasury stock
|
||||||||||||||||
(shares: 98,419
– 2010; 172,937 – 2009)
|
(1,528 | ) | (2,709 | ) | ||||||||||||
End
of period
|
(549,250 | ) | (547,421 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
$ | 1,092,316 | 986,329 |
Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. also has authorized, but not issued, 5,000,000 shares of
preferred stock, without par value, of which 300,000 shares have been designated
Series A junior preferred stock, without par value.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited interim consolidated
financial statements.
3
SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
|
||||||||
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW
|
Nine Months ended
|
|||||||
September 30,
|
||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||
Operating
Activities
|
||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ | 41,766 | 15,818 | |||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
activities:
|
||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
23,175 | 21,045 | ||||||
Loss
on disposal of discontinued operations
|
3,749 | - | ||||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
9,774 | 9,178 | ||||||
Undistributed
(income) losses of equity method investments
|
(6,338 | ) | 26,744 | |||||
Net
realized losses
|
3,271 | 40,302 | ||||||
Postretirement
life curtailment benefit
|
- | (4,217 | ) | |||||
Unrealized
gain on trading securities
|
- | (262 | ) | |||||
Goodwill
impairment
|
- | 12,214 | ||||||
Deferred
tax benefit
|
(1,435 | ) | (17,666 | ) | ||||
Changes
in assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||
Increase
in reserves for losses and loss expenses, net of reinsurance
recoverables
|
32,912 | 47,631 | ||||||
Increase
in unearned premiums, net of prepaid reinsurance and advance
premiums
|
25,123 | 39,121 | ||||||
(Increase)
decrease in net federal income tax recoverable
|
(5,079 | ) | 13,252 | |||||
Increase
in premiums receivable
|
(13,817 | ) | (10,275 | ) | ||||
Decrease
(increase) in deferred policy acquisition costs
|
11 | (11,375 | ) | |||||
(Increase)
decrease in interest and dividends due or accrued
|
(1,491 | ) | 1,038 | |||||
Decrease
in accrued salaries and benefits
|
(2,749 | ) | (10,920 | ) | ||||
Decrease
in accrued insurance expenses
|
(6,872 | ) | (4,242 | ) | ||||
Sale
of trading securities
|
- | 2,831 | ||||||
Other-net
|
1,284 | (2,905 | ) | |||||
Net
adjustments
|
61,518 | 151,494 | ||||||
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
103,284 | 167,312 | ||||||
Investing
Activities
|
||||||||
Purchase
of fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity
|
- | (158,827 | ) | |||||
Purchase
of fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale
|
(699,133 | ) | (757,538 | ) | ||||
Purchase
of equity securities, available-for-sale
|
(47,930 | ) | (75,856 | ) | ||||
Purchase
of other investments
|
(14,348 | ) | (13,466 | ) | ||||
Purchase
of short-term investments
|
(1,409,971 | ) | (1,600,685 | ) | ||||
Sale
of subsidiary
|
681 | - | ||||||
Sale
of fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity
|
- | 5,819 | ||||||
Sale
of fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale
|
157,823 | 470,202 | ||||||
Sale
of short-term investments
|
1,358,779 | 1,561,901 | ||||||
Redemption
and maturities of fixed maturity securities,
held-to-maturity
|
238,923 | 197,095 | ||||||
Redemption
and maturities of fixed maturity securities,
available-for-sale
|
251,875 | 88,402 | ||||||
Sale
of equity securities, available-for-sale
|
76,277 | 125,211 | ||||||
Proceeds
from other investments
|
18,468 | 23,149 | ||||||
Purchase
of property and equipment
|
(4,062 | ) | (4,139 | ) | ||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(72,618 | ) | (138,732 | ) | ||||
Financing
Activities
|
||||||||
Dividends
to stockholders
|
(19,516 | ) | (19,833 | ) | ||||
Acquisition
of treasury stock
|
(1,528 | ) | (2,709 | ) | ||||
Principal
payment of notes payable
|
(12,300 | ) | (12,300 | ) | ||||
Net
proceeds from stock purchase and compensation plans
|
3,084 | 2,914 | ||||||
Excess
tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements
|
(795 | ) | (1,125 | ) | ||||
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(31,055 | ) | (33,053 | ) | ||||
Net
decrease in cash and cash equivalents
|
(389 | ) | (4,473 | ) | ||||
Net
decrease in cash and cash equivalents from discontinued
operations
|
- | (1,609 | ) | |||||
Net
decrease in cash from continuing operations
|
(389 | ) | (2,864 | ) | ||||
Cash
from continuing operations, beginning of year
|
811 | 3,606 | ||||||
Cash
from continuing operations, end of period
|
$ | 422 | 742 |
The accompanying notes are an integral
part of these unaudited interim consolidated financial
statements.
4
NOTES
TO UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE
1. Organization
Selective
Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, (collectively referred to as
“we,” “us,” or “our”) offers property and casualty insurance
products. Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (referred to as the
“Parent”) was incorporated in New Jersey in 1977 and its main offices are
located in Branchville, New Jersey. The Parent’s common stock is
publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol
“SIGI.”
We
classify our business into two operating segments:
|
·
|
Insurance
Operations, which sells property and casualty insurance products and
services primarily in 22 states in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S.;
and
|
|
·
|
Investments.
|
NOTE
2. Basis of
Presentation
These
interim unaudited consolidated financial statements (“Financial Statements”)
include the accounts of the Parent and its subsidiaries, and have been prepared
in conformity with: (i) U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(“GAAP”); and (ii) the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. The
preparation of Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported financial statement balances,
as well as the disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities. Actual results could differ from those
estimates. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions
between the Parent and its subsidiaries are eliminated in
consolidation.
These
Financial Statements reflect all adjustments that, in our opinion, are normal,
recurring, and necessary for a fair presentation of our results of operations
and financial condition. The Financial Statements cover the third
quarters ended September 30, 2010 (“Third Quarter 2010”) and September 30, 2009
(“Third Quarter 2009”) and the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010
(“Nine Months 2010”) and September 30, 2009 (“Nine Months 2009”). The
Financial Statements do not include all of the information and disclosures
required by GAAP and the SEC for audited financial
statements. Results of operations for any interim period are not
necessarily indicative of results for a full year. Consequently, the
Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated
financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2009 (“2009 Annual Report”).
NOTE
3. Reclassification
Certain
prior year amounts in these Financial Statements and related footnotes have been
reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. Such
reclassifications had no effect on our net income, stockholders’ equity, or cash
flows.
NOTE
4. Adoption of Accounting
Pronouncements
In
December 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued
Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Update 2009-16, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860)
– Accounting for Transfers of Financial Assets. This
guidance: (i) eliminates the concept of a qualifying “special-purpose
entity” (ii) alters the requirements for transferring assets off of the
reporting company’s balance sheet; (iii) requires additional disclosure about a
transferor’s involvement in transferred assets; and (iv) eliminates special
treatment of guaranteed mortgage securitizations. The adoption of
this guidance, which was effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15,
2009, did not impact our financial condition or results of
operations.
In
December 2009, the FASB issued ASC Update 2009-17, Consolidations (Topic
810) – Improvements to Financial Reporting by Enterprises Involved with Variable
Interest Entities. This
guidance requires the reporting entity to perform a qualitative analysis that
results in a variable interest entity (“VIE”) being consolidated if the
reporting entity: (i) has the power to direct activities of the VIE
that significantly impact the VIE’s financial performance; and (ii) has an
obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits that may be significant to the
VIE. This guidance further requires enhanced disclosures, including
disclosure of significant judgments and assumptions as to whether a VIE must be
consolidated, and how involvement with a VIE affects the company’s financial
statements. The adoption of this guidance, which was effective for
fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2009, did not impact our financial
condition or results of operations.
5
In
January 2010, the FASB issued ASC Update 2010-06, Fair Value Measurements and
Disclosures (Topic 820 – Improving Disclosures about Fair Value
Measurements. This guidance requires: (i) separate
disclosure of significant transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair
value hierarchy and reasons for the transfers; (ii) disclosure, on a gross
basis, of purchases, sales, issuances, and net settlements within Level 3 of the
fair value hierarchy; (iii) disclosures by class of assets and liabilities; and
(iv) a description of the valuation techniques and inputs used to measure fair
value for both recurring and nonrecurring fair value
measurements. This guidance is effective for reporting periods
beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the Level 3 disclosure
requirements, which will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December
15, 2010 and interim periods within those fiscal years. We have
included the disclosures required by this guidance in our notes to the
consolidated financial statements, where appropriate.
Accounting
Pronouncements to be Adopted
In
October 2010, the FASB issued ASU Update 2010-26, Financial Services-Insurance (Topic
944) – Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance
Contracts. This guidance requires that only costs that are
incremental or directly related to the successful acquisition of new or renewal
insurance contracts are to be capitalized as a deferred acquisition
cost. This would include, among other items, sales commissions paid
to agents, premium taxes, and the portion of employee salaries and benefits
directly related to time spent on acquired contracts. This guidance
is effective, either with a prospective or retrospective application, for
interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early
adoption permitted. Although we are currently evaluating the impact
of this guidance, we anticipate that a significant portion of our deferred
policy acquisition costs balance may be eliminated under the newly issued
guidance, resulting in a reduction to GAAP equity. Deferred policy
acquisition cost totaled $218.6 million as of September 30, 2010.
NOTE
5. Statements of Cash
Flow
Our cash
paid (received) during the period for interest and federal income tax was as
follows:
Nine Months ended September 30,
|
||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||
Cash
paid (received) during the period for:
|
||||||||
Interest
|
$ | 11,620 | 11,879 | |||||
Federal
income tax
|
14,000 | (8,500 | ) |
6
NOTE
6. Investments
(a) The
carrying value, unrecognized holding gains and losses, and fair values of
held-to-maturity (“HTM”) fixed maturity securities were as follows:
September 30, 2010
|
Net
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
|
Unrecognized
|
Unrecognized
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Amortized
|
Gains
|
Carrying
|
Holding
|
Holding
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Cost
|
(Losses)
|
Value
|
Gains
|
Losses
|
Value
|
||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies
|
$ | 94,677 | 4,904 | 99,581 | 7,530 | - | 107,111 | |||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of state and political
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
subdivisions
|
995,521 | 24,989 | 1,020,510 | 38,314 | (213 | ) | 1,058,611 | |||||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
87,145 | (3,974 | ) | 83,171 | 10,945 | - | 94,116 | |||||||||||||||||
Asset-backed
securities (“ABS”)
|
14,165 | (2,574 | ) | 11,591 | 1,591 | (424 | ) | 12,758 | ||||||||||||||||
Commercial
mortgage-backed
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
securities
(“CMBS”)1
|
64,355 | (6,009 | ) | 58,346 | 7,438 | (1,375 | ) | 64,409 | ||||||||||||||||
Residential
mortgage-backed
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
securities
(“RMBS”)2
|
98,000 | 1,499 | 99,499 | 3,639 | - | 103,138 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
HTM fixed maturity securities
|
$ | 1,353,863 | 18,835 | 1,372,698 | 69,457 | (2,012 | ) | 1,440,143 |
December 31, 2009
|
Net
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
|
Unrecognized
|
Unrecognized
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Amortized
|
Gains
|
Carrying
|
Holding
|
Holding
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Cost
|
(Losses)
|
Value
|
Gains
|
Losses
|
Value
|
||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies
|
$ | 139,278 | 5,555 | 144,833 | 1,694 | (549 | ) | 145,978 | ||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of state and political
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
subdivisions
|
1,167,461 | 33,951 | 1,201,412 | 14,833 | (5,450 | ) | 1,210,795 | |||||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
104,854 | (6,028 | ) | 98,826 | 9,665 | (913 | ) | 107,578 | ||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
32,025 | (5,707 | ) | 26,318 | 3,920 | (82 | ) | 30,156 | ||||||||||||||||
CMBS1
|
110,812 | (19,171 | ) | 91,641 | 7,407 | (3,658 | ) | 95,390 | ||||||||||||||||
RMBS2
|
146,124 | 1,249 | 147,373 | 3,153 | (212 | ) | 150,314 | |||||||||||||||||
Total
HTM fixed maturity securities
|
$ | 1,700,554 | 9,849 | 1,710,403 | 40,672 | (10,864 | ) | 1,740,211 |
1 CMBS
includes government guaranteed agency securities with a carrying value of $9.9
million at September 30, 2010 and $10.8 million at December 31,
2009.
2 RMBS
includes government guaranteed agency securities with a carrying value of $4.0
million at September 30, 2010 and $3.9 million at December 31,
2009.
Unrecognized
holding gains/losses of HTM securities are not reflected in the consolidated
financial statements, as they represent market value fluctuations from the later
of: (i) the date a security is designated as HTM; or (ii) the date
that an other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) charge is recognized on an HTM
security, through the date of the balance sheet. Our HTM securities
had an average duration of 3.4 years as of September 30, 2010 and 3.5 years as
of December 31, 2009.
7
(b) The
cost/amortized cost, unrealized gains (losses), and fair value of
available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities were as follows:
September 30, 2010
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost/
|
||||||||||||||||
Amortized
|
Unrealized
|
Unrealized
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Cost
|
Gains
|
Losses
|
Value
|
||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies1
|
$ | 318,805 | 11,829 | - | 330,634 | |||||||||||
Foreign
government
|
7,908 | 632 | - | 8,540 | ||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
446,716 | 33,610 | (5 | ) | 480,321 | |||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
820,970 | 48,628 | (113 | ) | 869,485 | |||||||||||
ABS
|
23,334 | 897 | (218 | ) | 24,013 | |||||||||||
CMBS2
|
98,338 | 6,783 | (3,079 | ) | 102,042 | |||||||||||
RMBS3
|
290,614 | 11,117 | (1,717 | ) | 300,014 | |||||||||||
AFS
fixed maturity securities
|
2,006,685 | 113,496 | (5,132 | ) | 2,115,049 | |||||||||||
AFS
equity securities
|
55,051 | 8,065 | - | 63,116 | ||||||||||||
Total
AFS securities
|
$ | 2,061,736 | 121,561 | (5,132 | ) | 2,178,165 |
December 31, 2009
|
||||||||||||||||
Cost/
|
||||||||||||||||
Amortized
|
Unrealized
|
Unrealized
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Cost
|
Gains
|
Losses
|
Value
|
||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies1
|
$ | 473,750 | 2,994 | (1,210 | ) | 475,534 | ||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
359,517 | 20,419 | (137 | ) | 379,799 | |||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
365,500 | 15,330 | (1,246 | ) | 379,584 | |||||||||||
ABS
|
17,638 | 358 | (17 | ) | 17,979 | |||||||||||
CMBS2
|
102,514 | 1,854 | (677 | ) | 103,691 | |||||||||||
RMBS3
|
297,537 | 2,457 | (20,712 | ) | 279,282 | |||||||||||
AFS
fixed maturity securities
|
1,616,456 | 43,412 | (23,999 | ) | 1,635,869 | |||||||||||
AFS
equity securities
|
64,390 | 16,484 | (610 | ) | 80,264 | |||||||||||
Total
AFS securities
|
$ | 1,680,846 | 59,896 | (24,609 | ) | 1,716,133 |
1 U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the Federal
Depositary Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) with a fair value of $121.7 million at
September 30, 2010 and $136.2 million at December 31, 2009.
2 CMBS
includes government guaranteed agency securities with a fair value of $74.7
million at September 30, 2010 and $94.6 million at December 31,
2009.
3 RMBS
includes government guaranteed agency securities with a fair value of $93.5
million at September 30, 2010 and $105.2 million at December 31,
2009.
Unrealized
gains/losses represent market value fluctuations from the later
of: (i) the date of security is designated as AFS; or (ii) the date
that an OTTI charge is recognized on an AFS security, through the date of the
balance sheet. These unrealized gains and losses are recorded in
accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) on the Consolidated Balance
Sheets.
During
Nine Months 2010, 34 securities with a carrying value of $85.1 million in a net
unrecognized gain position of $4.6 million were reclassified from the HTM
category to AFS due to recent credit rating downgrades by either Moody’s
Investors Service (“Moody’s”) or Standard and Poor’s Financial Services
(“S&P”). These unexpected rating downgrades raised significant
concerns about the issuers’ credit worthiness, which changed our intention to
hold these securities to maturity.
8
(c) The
following tables summarize, for all securities in a net unrealized/unrecognized
loss position at September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, the fair value and
gross pre-tax net unrealized/unrecognized loss by asset class, and by length of
time those securities have been in a net loss position:
September 30, 2010
|
Less than 12 months
|
12 months or longer1
|
||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Fair Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
Fair Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
||||||||||||
AFS securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
$ | 505 | (5 | ) | - | - | ||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
41,792 | (113 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||
ABS
|
- | - | 933 | (218 | ) | |||||||||||
CMBS
|
- | - | 11,048 | (3,079 | ) | |||||||||||
RMBS
|
24,297 | (109 | ) | 30,116 | (1,608 | ) | ||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
66,594 | (227 | ) | 42,097 | (4,905 | ) | ||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Subtotal
|
$ | 66,594 | (227 | ) | 42,097 | (4,905 | ) |
Less than 12 months
|
12 months or longer1
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Unrecognized
|
Unrecognized
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
Gains
(Losses)3
|
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
Gains
(Losses)3
|
||||||||||||||||||
HTM securities
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
subdivisions
|
$ | 5,579 | (264 | ) | 249 | 33,546 | (2,508 | ) | 1,404 | |||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
- | - | - | 5,872 | (927 | ) | 774 | |||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
534 | (547 | ) | (414 | ) | 6,723 | (1,972 | ) | 1,270 | |||||||||||||||
CMBS
|
3,640 | 36 | (38 | ) | 5,510 | (1,993 | ) | (1,337 | ) | |||||||||||||||
RMBS
|
- | - | - | 94 | (39 | ) | - | |||||||||||||||||
Subtotal
|
$ | 9,753 | (775 | ) | (203 | ) | 51,745 | (7,439 | ) | 2,111 | ||||||||||||||
Total
AFS and HTM
|
$ | 76,347 | (1,002 | ) | (203 | ) | 93,842 | (12,344 | ) | 2,111 |
9
December 31, 2009
|
Less than 12 months1
|
12 months or longer1
|
||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
||||||||||||
AFS securities
|
||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies4
|
$ | 187,283 | (1,210 | ) | - | - | ||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
8,553 | (120 | ) | 3,059 | (17 | ) | ||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
74,895 | (829 | ) | 10,550 | (417 | ) | ||||||||||
ABS
|
2,983 | (17 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||
CMBS
|
36,447 | (637 | ) | 3,960 | (40 | ) | ||||||||||
RMBS
|
78,328 | (514 | ) | 53,607 | (20,198 | ) | ||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
388,489 | (3,327 | ) | 71,176 | (20,672 | ) | ||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
3,828 | (214 | ) | 5,932 | (396 | ) | ||||||||||
Subtotal
|
$ | 392,317 | (3,541 | ) | 77,108 | (21,068 | ) |
Less than 12 months1
|
12 months or longer1
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Unrecognized
|
Unrecognized
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
Gains
(Losses)3
|
Fair
Value
|
Unrealized
Losses2
|
Gains
(Losses)3
|
||||||||||||||||||
HTM securities
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies4
|
$ | 29,459 | - | (317 | ) | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
46,671 | (598 | ) | 85 | 74,360 | (4,315 | ) | 1,631 | ||||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
6,124 | (1,170 | ) | 1,068 | 19,233 | (4,751 | ) | 3,441 | ||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
- | - | - | 10,403 | (4,633 | ) | 2,197 | |||||||||||||||||
CMBS
|
316 | (538 | ) | (190 | ) | 24,984 | (15,650 | ) | (604 | ) | ||||||||||||||
RMBS
|
5,068 | - | (146 | ) | 5,892 | (1,062 | ) | 127 | ||||||||||||||||
Subtotal
|
$ | 87,638 | (2,306 | ) | 500 | 134,872 | (30,411 | ) | 6,792 | |||||||||||||||
Total
AFS and HTM
|
$ | 479,955 | (5,847 | ) | 500 | 211,980 | (51,479 | ) | 6,792 |
1 The
month count for aging of unrealized losses was reset back to historical
unrealized loss month counts for securities impacted by the adoption of OTTI
guidance in Second Quarter 2009 and for securities that were transferred from an
AFS to HTM category.
2 Gross
unrealized losses include non-OTTI unrealized amounts and OTTI losses recognized
in AOCI. In addition, this column includes remaining unrealized gain
or loss amounts on securities that were transferred to an HTM designation in the
first quarter of 2009 for those securities that are in a net
unrealized/unrecognized loss position.
3
Unrecognized holding gains/(losses) represent market value fluctuations from the
later of: (i) the date of a security is designated as HTM; or (ii)
the date that an OTTI charge is recognized on a HTM security.
4 U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the
FDIC.
Unrealized/unrecognized
losses decreased by $38.6 million compared to December 31, 2009 due
to: (i) the general improvement in the overall marketplace for our
fixed maturity securities portfolio, which is reflected in the reduction in the
number of securities in an unrealized/unrecognized loss position; and (ii) the
sale of certain fixed maturity securities that resulted in a decrease to
unrealized/unrecognized losses of $14.3 million. For further
discussion on realized gains and losses, see section (i) of this note
below.
We have
reviewed the securities in the tables above in accordance with our OTTI policy,
which is discussed in Note 2. “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in
Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual
Report. At September 30, 2010, securities that had an
unrealized/unrecognized loss position for more than 12 months amounted to $10.2
million, primarily driven by a $6.4 million unrealized/unrecognized loss in our
CMBS portfolio. This includes: (i) $4.0 million of
non-credit OTTI charges recognized in AOCI that were generated concurrently with
credit-related charges; and (ii) $2.4 million of securities with an average
decline in fair value of 20% of their amortized cost. Evaluations
were performed on the securities which indicated that the impairments were
temporary. All scheduled principal and interest payments have been
received to date. The remaining $3.8 million of
unrealized/unrecognized losses are comprised of 45 securities, 14 of which are
RMBS. Declines in the fair value of these 45 securities averaged 5%
of their amortized cost.
10
We do not
have the intent to sell any securities in an unrealized/unrecognized loss
position nor do we believe we will be required to sell these securities, and
therefore we have concluded that they are temporarily impaired as of September
30, 2010. This conclusion reflects our current judgment as to the
financial position and future prospects of the entity that issued the investment
security and underlying collateral. If our judgment about an
individual security changes in the future, we may ultimately record a credit
loss after having originally concluded that one did not exist, which could have
a material impact on our net income and financial position in future
periods.
(d) Fixed
maturity securities at September 30, 2010, by contractual maturity, are shown
below. Mortgage-backed securities are included in the maturity tables
using the estimated average life of each security. Expected
maturities may differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the
right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment
penalties.
Listed
below are HTM fixed maturity securities at September 30, 2010:
($ in thousands)
|
Carrying Value
|
Fair Value
|
||||||
Due
in one year or less
|
$ | 201,742 | 202,505 | |||||
Due
after one year through five years
|
732,566 | 767,509 | ||||||
Due
after five years through 10 years
|
417,911 | 447,037 | ||||||
Due
after 10 years
|
20,479 | 23,092 | ||||||
Total
HTM fixed maturity securities
|
$ | 1,372,698 | 1,440,143 |
Listed
below are AFS fixed maturity securities at September 30, 2010:
($ in thousands)
|
Fair Value
|
|||
Due
in one year or less
|
$ | 91,156 | ||
Due
after one year through five years
|
1,258,704 | |||
Due
after five years through 10 years
|
719,254 | |||
Due
after 10 years
|
45,935 | |||
Total
AFS fixed maturity securities
|
$ | 2,115,049 |
(e) The
following table outlines a summary of our other investment portfolio by strategy
and the remaining commitment amount associated with each strategy:
Other Investments
|
Carrying Value
|
September 30,
2010
|
||||||||||
September 30,
|
December 31,
|
Remaining
|
||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Commitment
|
|||||||||
Alternative
Investments
|
||||||||||||
Energy/Power
Generation
|
$ | 34,212 | 32,996 | 11,139 | ||||||||
Secondary
Private Equity
|
28,605 | 20,936 | 21,184 | |||||||||
Mezzanine
Financing
|
23,409 | 20,323 | 26,119 | |||||||||
Private
Equity
|
23,235 | 21,525 | 15,427 | |||||||||
Distressed
Debt
|
20,380 | 19,201 | 4,611 | |||||||||
Real
Estate
|
15,709 | 16,856 | 12,192 | |||||||||
Venture
Capital
|
6,341 | 5,752 | 1,400 | |||||||||
Total
Alternative Investments
|
151,891 | 137,589 | 92,072 | |||||||||
Other
Securities
|
2,837 | 3,078 | - | |||||||||
Total
Other Investments
|
$ | 154,728 | 140,667 | 92,072 |
The
increase in other investments of $14.1 million at September 30, 2010 compared to
December 31, 2009 was primarily due to the $14.3 million increase in the value
of our alternative investments, which included fundings under our existing
commitments of $3.2 million, net of distributions
received. Alternative investments are reported to us on a quarter
lag, and therefore the increase was driven primarily by improved equity and
credit markets as well as increased stability in the financial markets during
the first half of 2010.
11
For a
description of our seven alternative investment strategies outlined above, refer
to Note 5. “Investments” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary
Data.” of our 2009 Annual Report. Our seven alternative investment
strategies employ low or moderate levels of leverage and generally use hedging
only to reduce foreign exchange or interest rate volatility. At this
time, our alternative investment strategies do not include hedge
funds. We cannot redeem our investments with the general partners of
these investments; however, occasionally these partnerships do trade on the
secondary market. Once liquidation is triggered by clauses within the
limited partnership agreements or at the funds’ stated end date, we will receive
our final allocation of capital and any earned appreciation of the underlying
investments, assuming we have not divested ourselves of our partnership
interests prior to that time. We currently receive distributions from
these alternative investments through the realization of the underlying
investments in the limited partnerships. We anticipate that the
general partners of these alternative investments will liquidate their
underlying investment portfolios through 2023.
(f) At
September 30, 2010, we had one fixed maturity security, with a carrying value of
$15.8 million that was pledged as collateral for our outstanding borrowing with
the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (“FHLBI”). This borrowing,
which has an outstanding principal balance of $13.0 million, is included in
“Notes payable” on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. In accordance with the
terms of our agreement with the FHLBI, we retain all rights regarding this
security, which is included in the “U.S. government and government agencies”
classification of our AFS fixed maturity securities portfolio.
(g) The
components of net investment income earned were as follows:
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities
|
$ | 31,741 | 34,747 | 97,914 | 106,980 | |||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
347 | 551 | 1,279 | 1,562 | ||||||||||||
Trading
securities
|
- | - | - | 262 | ||||||||||||
Short-term
investments
|
134 | 237 | 367 | 1,161 | ||||||||||||
Other
investments
|
2,400 | 2,713 | 11,216 | (26,451 | ) | |||||||||||
Investment
expenses
|
(1,636 | ) | (1,663 | ) | (6,539 | ) | (4,844 | ) | ||||||||
Net
investment income earned
|
$ | 32,986 | 36,585 | 104,237 | 78,670 |
Net
investment income, before tax, decreased by $3.6 million for Third Quarter 2010
compared to Third Quarter 2009, and increased by $25.6 million for Nine Months
2010 compared to Nine Months 2009. For Third Quarter, the decrease
was primarily driven by a $3.0 million decrease in income on our fixed maturity
securities due to lower yields as compared to the prior year. The
improvement in Nine Months 2010 was primarily attributable to an increase in
income on the alternative investment portion of our other investment portfolio
compared to a loss on these investments in the comparable period during 2009,
partially offset by: (i) lower fixed maturity reinvestment yields;
and (ii) increased investment expense related to severance payments and contract
termination costs as a result of our decision to outsource the management of our
investment portfolio.
Our
alternative investments, which are included in “Other investments” in the table
above, are accounted for under the equity method and primarily consist of
investments in limited partnerships. The improvement in the returns
on these investments is reflective of improved equity and credit markets, as
well as increased stability in the financial markets.
12
(h) The
following tables summarize OTTI by asset type for the periods
indicated:
Third Quarter 2010
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Included in Other
Comprehensive
Income (“OCI”)
|
Recognized in
Earnings
|
|||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities
|
||||||||||||
CMBS
|
$ | 2,116 | 1,245 | 871 | ||||||||
RMBS
|
150 | 39 | 111 | |||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
2,266 | 1,284 | 982 | |||||||||
Equity
securities
|
1,825 | - | 1,825 | |||||||||
OTTI
losses
|
$ | 4,091 | 1,284 | 2,807 |
Third Quarter 2009
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Included in OCI
|
Recognized in
Earnings
|
|||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities
|
||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
$ | - | - | - | ||||||||
ABS
|
68 | - | 68 | |||||||||
CMBS
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
RMBS
|
5,473 | 1,591 | 3,882 | |||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
5,541 | 1,591 | 3,950 | |||||||||
Equity
securities
|
292 | - | 292 | |||||||||
OTTI
losses
|
$ | 5,833 | 1,591 | 4,242 |
Nine Months 2010
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Included in OCI
|
Recognized in
Earnings
|
|||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities
|
||||||||||||
ABS
|
$ | 158 | 127 | 31 | ||||||||
CMBS
|
5,561 | (807 | ) | 6,368 | ||||||||
RMBS
|
8,110 | (225 | ) | 8,335 | ||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
13,829 | (905 | ) | 14,734 | ||||||||
Equity
securities
|
2,497 | - | 2,497 | |||||||||
OTTI
losses
|
$ | 16,326 | (905 | ) | 17,231 |
Nine Months 2009
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Included in OCI
|
Recognized in
Earnings
|
|||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities
|
||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
$ | 1,270 | - | 1,270 | ||||||||
ABS
|
1,595 | (826 | ) | 2,421 | ||||||||
CMBS
|
1,417 | 706 | 711 | |||||||||
RMBS
|
39,447 | 1,770 | 37,677 | |||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
43,729 | 1,650 | 42,079 | |||||||||
Equity
securities
|
1,738 | - | 1,738 | |||||||||
OTTI
losses
|
$ | 45,467 | 1,650 | 43,817 |
13
The
following tables set forth, for the periods indicated, credit loss impairments
on fixed maturity securities for which a portion of the OTTI charge was
recognized in OCI, and the corresponding changes in such amounts:
Third Quarter 2010
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
|||
Balance,
June 30, 2010
|
$ | 20,343 | ||
Addition
for the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was not previously
recognized
|
192 | |||
Reductions
for securities sold during the period
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the amount previously recognized in OCI was
recognized in earnings because of intention or potential
requirement to sell before recovery of amortized
cost
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the entire amount previously recognized in OCI
was recognized in earnings due to a decrease in cash flows
expected
|
(3,254 | ) | ||
Additional
increases to the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was
previously recognized
|
530 | |||
Accretion
of credit loss impairments previously recognized due to an increase in
cash flows expected to be collected
|
- | |||
Balance,
September 30, 2010
|
$ | 17,811 |
Third Quarter 2009
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
|||
Balance,
June, 30, 2009
|
$ | 11,643 | ||
Addition
for the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was not previously
recognized
|
72 | |||
Reductions
for securities sold during the period
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the amount previously recognized in OCI was
recognized in earnings because of intention or potential
requirement to sell before recovery of amortized
cost
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the entire amount previously recognized in OCI
was recognized in earnings due to a decrease in cash flows
expected
|
- | |||
Additional
increases to the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was
previously recognized
|
- | |||
Accretion
of credit loss impairments previously recognized due to an increase in
cash flows expected to be collected
|
- | |||
Balance,
September 30, 2009
|
$ | 11,715 |
Nine Months 2010
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
|||
Balance,
December 31, 2009
|
$ | 22,189 | ||
Addition
for the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was not previously
recognized
|
2,326 | |||
Reductions
for securities sold during the period
|
(2,990 | ) | ||
Reductions
for securities for which the amount previously recognized in OCI was
recognized in earnings because of intention or potential
requirement to sell before recovery of amortized
cost
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the entire amount previously recognized in OCI
was recognized in earnings due to a decrease in cash flows
expected
|
(7,906 | ) | ||
Additional
increases to the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was
previously recognized
|
4,192 | |||
Accretion
of credit loss impairments previously recognized due to an increase in
cash flows expected to be collected
|
- | |||
Balance,
September 30, 2010
|
$ | 17,811 |
Nine Months 2009
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
|||
Balance,
March 31, 2009
|
$ | - | ||
Credit
losses remaining in retained earnings after adoption of OTTI accounting
guidance
|
9,719 | |||
Addition
for the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was not previously
recognized
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities sold during the period
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the amount previously recognized in OCI was
recognized in earnings because of intention or potential
requirement to sell before recovery of amortized
cost
|
- | |||
Reductions
for securities for which the entire amount previously recognized in OCI
was recognized in earnings due to a decrease in cash flows
expected
|
- | |||
Additional
increases to the amount related to credit loss for which an OTTI was
previously recognized
|
1,996 | |||
Accretion
of credit loss impairments previously recognized due to an increase in
cash flows expected to be collected
|
- | |||
Balance,
September 30, 2009
|
$ | 11,715 |
14
The
following is a discussion surrounding the OTTI charges that were recognized in
earnings in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 as outlined in the table
above:
|
·
|
$0.1
million and $8.3 million of RMBS credit OTTI charges in Third Quarter and
Nine Months 2010, respectively. The Third Quarter 2010 charges
related to declines in the related cash flows of the underlying
collateral. Based on our analysis, we do not believe it is
probable that we will receive all contractual cash flows for these
securities. In addition to the Third Quarter 2010 charges,
losses in Nine Months 2010 were largely driven by impairments on two
securities in the first quarter of 2010 that we intended to
sell. We sold these securities in Second Quarter
2010.
|
|
·
|
$0.9
million and $6.4 million of CMBS credit OTTI charges in Third Quarter and
Nine Months 2010, respectively. These charges were related to
reductions in the related cash flows of the underlying collateral of these
securities. These charges were primarily associated with
securities that had been previously impaired but, over time, have shown
little, if any, improvement in valuations, poor net operating income
performance of the underlying properties, and, in some cases, an increase
in over 60-day delinquency rates. For Third Quarter 2010, these
securities had, on average, unrealized/unrecognized loss positions of more
than 60% of their amortized cost. Based on our analysis, we do
not believe it is probable that we will receive all contractual cash flows
for these securities.
|
|
·
|
$1.8
million and $2.5 million of equity OTTI charges in Third Quarter and Nine
Months 2010, respectively. These charges were driven primarily
by a change in our intent to hold these securities to recovery in the near
term as we lower our exposure to equities and pursue a more index-neutral
position for this asset class in the near term, providing greater sector
and sponsor diversification.
|
The
following is a discussion surrounding the credit-related OTTI charges taken in
Third Quarter and Nine Months 2009 as outlined in the table above:
|
·
|
$3.9
million and $37.7 million of RMBS credit OTTI charges in Third Quarter and
Nine Months 2009, respectively. As of September 30, 2009, we
had the intention to sell one security in a loss position and, as a
result, recorded an OTTI charge in Third Quarter 2009 for the related $3.8
million unrealized loss position on this security. Additional
charges taken during the year related to securities that experienced
declines in the cash flows of their underlying
collateral. Based on our assumptions of the expected default
rates and loss severities, we did not believe it was probable that we
would receive all contractual cash flows for these
securities.
|
|
·
|
There
were no CMBS credit OTTI charges in Third Quarter 2009 and $0.7 million
for Nine Months 2009. These charges related to declines in the
related cash flows of the underlying collateral. For these
securities, based on our assumptions of the expected default rates and
loss severities, we did not believe it was probable that we would receive
all contractual cash flows for these
securities.
|
|
·
|
$0.1
million and $2.4 million of ABS credit OTTI charges in Third Quarter and
Nine Months 2009, respectively. These charges related primarily
to two bonds from the same issuer that were previously written down, which
experienced a technical default in the first quarter of 2009 by violating
indenture covenants. There was no payment default on these
securities, but we believed a payment default was imminent and had
recorded impairment charges for these securities. These charges
also include additional credit impairment losses on another security that
was previously written down in 2008 which, based on our assumptions of the
conditional default rates and loss severities, indicated that it was
probable that we would not receive all contractual cash flows for this
security.
|
|
·
|
$1.3
million for Nine Months 2009 of corporate debt credit OTTI
charges. In assessing corporate debt securities for OTTI, we
evaluate, among other things, the issuer’s ability to meet its debt
obligations, the value of the company, and, if applicable, the value of
specific collateral securing the position. These charges were
primarily related to a financial institution issuer that we believed to be
on the verge of bankruptcy. This security was sold in Third
Quarter 2009 at an additional loss of $1.1
million.
|
|
·
|
$0.3
million and $1.7 million of equity charges in Third Quarter and Nine
Months 2009, respectively, related to securities issued by two banks, one
energy company, a membership warehouse chain of stores, and one bank
exchange traded fund. We believed the share price weakness of
these securities was more reflective of general overall financial market
conditions, as we were not aware of any significant deterioration in the
fundamentals of these four companies. However, the length of
time these securities had been in an unrealized loss position, and the
overall distressed trading levels of many banking stocks in the financial
services sector, coal stocks in the energy sector, and retail/wholesale
store stocks made a recovery to our cost basis unlikely in the near
term.
|
15
(i) The
components of net realized losses, excluding OTTI charges, were as
follows:
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
HTM
fixed maturity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
$ | 123 | 81 | 535 | 219 | |||||||||||
Losses
|
(296 | ) | (236 | ) | (746 | ) | (530 | ) | ||||||||
AFS
fixed maturity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
2,961 | 4,154 | 7,743 | 17,752 | ||||||||||||
Losses
|
(15 | ) | (4,441 | ) | (7,604 | ) | (13,400 | ) | ||||||||
AFS
equity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
912 | 551 | 15,086 | 29,257 | ||||||||||||
Losses
|
(821 | ) | - | (1,054 | ) | (27,744 | ) | |||||||||
Other
Investments
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Losses
|
- | (850 | ) | - | (2,039 | ) | ||||||||||
Total
other net realized investment gains (losses)
|
2,864 | (741 | ) | 13,960 | 3,515 | |||||||||||
Total
OTTI charges recognized in earnings
|
(2,807 | ) | (4,242 | ) | (17,231 | ) | (43,817 | ) | ||||||||
Total
net realized gains (losses)
|
$ | 57 | (4,983 | ) | (3,271 | ) | (40,302 | ) |
Realized
gains and losses on the sale of investments are determined on the basis of the
cost of the specific investments sold. Proceeds from the sale of AFS
securities were $49.7 million in Third Quarter 2010 and $234.1 million in Nine
Months 2010. In addition to calls and maturities, the net realized gain,
excluding OTTI charges, in Third Quarter 2010 was driven by the sale of AFS
fixed maturity securities, primarily corporate holdings. In addition,
as part of our transition to the newly hired external investment managers, in
Third Quarter 2010, we changed our intent regarding certain equity holdings that
we sold to lower our equity exposure and pursue a more index-neutral position
for this asset class in the near term, providing greater sector and sponsor
diversification. The sale of these equity holdings resulted in gross
realized gains of $0.9 million and gross realized losses of $0.8
million.
In
addition to the Third Quarter 2010 realized gains discussed above, Nine Months
2010 realized gains were driven by: (i) the sale of energy-focused
AFS equity securities in the second quarter of 2010 to mitigate portfolio risk
and sector exposure; and (ii) sales in the first quarter of 2010 that were
predominantly associated with tax planning strategies. These gains
were largely offset by realized losses on certain AFS fixed maturity securities
in the second quarter of 2010 that our new investment managers, during their
initial review of the portfolio, had recommended that we sell. This
recommendation was due to ongoing credit concerns of the underlying investments
coupled with strategically positioning the portfolio to generate maximum yield
while balancing risk objectives.
During
the second quarter of 2009, A.M. Best Company (“A.M. Best”) changed our ratings
outlook from “Stable” to “Negative” due, in part, to concerns over the risk in
our investment portfolio. To reduce this risk, we sold
$31.1 million of equity securities in the second quarter of 2009 for a net
loss of $0.6 million, which included gross gains of $7.7 million and
gross losses of $8.3 million. In addition, certain equity
securities were sold in the first quarter of 2009, resulting in a net realized
gain of approximately $0.6 million, comprised of $19.7 million in realized
gains and $19.1 million in realized losses. These securities were sold in an
effort to reduce overall portfolio risk and was in response to an overall
year-to-date market decline of approximately 24% by the end of the first week of
March. In addition, the Parent’s market capitalization at that time
had decreased more than 50% since the latter part of January, which we believed
to be due partially to investment community views of our equity and equity-like
investments. Our equity-like investments include alternative
investments, many of which report results to us on a one quarter
lag. Consequently, we believed that the investment community would
wait to evaluate our results based on the knowledge they had of the previous
quarter’s general market conditions. As a result, we determined it
was prudent to mitigate a portion of our overall equity exposure. In
determining which securities were to be sold, we contemplated, among other
things, security-specific considerations with respect to downward earnings
trends corroborated by recent analyst reports, primarily in the energy,
commodity, and pharmaceutical sectors.
16
NOTE
7. Fair Values
Measurements
The
following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our
financial instruments as of September 30, 2010 and December 31,
2009:
September 30, 2010
|
December 31, 2009
|
|||||||||||||||
Carrying
|
Fair
|
Carrying
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Amount
|
Value
|
Amount
|
Value
|
||||||||||||
Financial
Assets
|
||||||||||||||||
Fixed
maturity securities:
|
||||||||||||||||
HTM
|
$ | 1,372,698 | 1,440,143 | 1,710,403 | 1,740,211 | |||||||||||
AFS
|
2,115,049 | 2,115,049 | 1,635,869 | 1,635,869 | ||||||||||||
Equity
securities, AFS
|
63,116 | 63,116 | 80,264 | 80,264 | ||||||||||||
Short-term
investments
|
265,043 | 265,043 | 213,848 | 213,848 | ||||||||||||
Receivable
for proceeds related to sale of Selective
|
||||||||||||||||
HR
Solutions Inc. (“Selective HR”)
|
5,239 | 5,239 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Financial
Liabilities
|
||||||||||||||||
Notes
payable:1
|
||||||||||||||||
7.25%
Senior Notes
|
49,903 | 50,221 | 49,900 | 49,505 | ||||||||||||
6.70%
Senior Notes
|
99,423 | 93,600 | 99,406 | 90,525 | ||||||||||||
7.50%
Junior Notes
|
100,000 | 99,920 | 100,000 | 83,680 | ||||||||||||
2.90%
borrowings from FHLBI
|
13,000 | 13,684 | 13,000 | 13,000 | ||||||||||||
8.87%
Senior Notes Series B
|
- | - | 12,300 | 12,300 | ||||||||||||
Total
notes payable
|
$ | 262,326 | 257,425 | 274,606 | 249,010 |
1 Our
notes payable are subject to certain debt covenants that were met in their
entirety in 2009 and Nine Months 2010. For further discussion
regarding the debt covenants, refer to Note 10, “Indebtedness” in Item 8.
“Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” in our 2009 Annual
Report.
Assets
The fair
value of our investment portfolio is generated using various valuation
techniques and is placed into the fair value hierarchy considering the
following: (i) the highest priority is given to quoted prices in
active markets for identical assets (Level 1); (ii) the next highest priority is
given to quoted prices in markets that are not active or inputs that are
observable either directly or indirectly, including quoted prices for similar
assets in markets that are not active and other inputs that can be derived
principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data for substantially
the full term of the assets (Level 2); and (iii) the lowest priority is given to
unobservable inputs supported by little or no market activity and that reflect
our assumptions about the exit price, including assumptions that market
participants would use in pricing the asset (Level 3). An asset’s
classification within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of
significant input to its valuation.
For
discussion regarding the techniques used to value our investment portfolio,
refer to Note 2. “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in Item 8.
“Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” in our 2009 Annual
Report. The fair values of the fixed maturity securities classified
as Level 3 are estimated using non-binding broker quotes. The fair
value of the receivable for proceeds related to the sale of Selective HR is
estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis with updated worksite lives and
retention assumptions. For discussion of the sale of Selective HR,
refer to Note 15. “Discontinued Operations.”
Liabilities
The
techniques used to value our notes payable are as follows:
|
·
|
The
fair values of the 7.25% Senior Notes due November 15, 2034, the 6.70%
Senior Notes due November 1, 2035, and the 7.5% Junior Subordinated Notes
due September 27, 2066, are based on quoted market
prices.
|
|
·
|
The
fair value of the 2.90% borrowings from FHLBI is estimated using a
discounted cash flow analysis based on a current borrowing rate provided
by the FHLBI consistent with the remaining term of the
borrowing.
|
|
·
|
The
fair value of the 8.87% Senior Notes as of December 31, 2009 that matured
on May 4, 2010 was estimated to be its carrying value due to the close
proximity of this note’s maturity date to the balance sheet
date.
|
17
The
following tables provide quantitative disclosures of our financial assets that
were measured at fair value at September 30, 2010 and December 31,
2009:
September 30, 2010
|
Fair Value Measurements Using
|
|||||||||||||||
Quoted Prices in
|
||||||||||||||||
Assets
|
Active Markets for
|
Significant Other
|
Significant
|
|||||||||||||
Measured at
|
Identical Assets/
|
Observable
|
Unobservable
|
|||||||||||||
Fair Value
|
Liabilities
|
Inputs
|
Inputs
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
at 9/30/10
|
(Level 1)
|
(Level 2)
|
(Level 3)
|
||||||||||||
Description
|
||||||||||||||||
Measured
on a recurring basis:
|
||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies1
|
$ | 330,634 | 106,541 | 224,093 | - | |||||||||||
Foreign
government
|
8,540 | - | 8,540 | - | ||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
480,321 | - | 480,321 | - | ||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
869,485 | - | 869,485 | - | ||||||||||||
ABS
|
24,013 | - | 21,276 | 2,737 | ||||||||||||
CMBS
|
102,042 | - | 101,712 | 330 | ||||||||||||
RMBS
|
300,014 | - | 300,014 | - | ||||||||||||
Total
AFS fixed maturity securities
|
2,115,049 | 106,541 | 2,005,441 | 3,067 | ||||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
63,116 | 63,116 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Short-term
investments
|
265,043 | 265,043 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Measured
on a non-recurring basis:
|
||||||||||||||||
CMBS,
HTM
|
1,847 | - | - | 1,847 | ||||||||||||
RMBS,
HTM
|
94 | - | 94 | - | ||||||||||||
Receivable
for proceeds related to sale of Selective HR
|
5,239 | - | - | 5,239 | ||||||||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 2,450,388 | 434,700 | 2,005,535 | 10,153 |
1 U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the
FDIC.
December 31, 2009
|
Fair Value Measurements Using
|
|||||||||||||||
Quoted Prices in
|
||||||||||||||||
Assets
|
Active Markets for
|
Significant Other
|
Significant
|
|||||||||||||
Measured at
|
Identical Assets/
|
Observable
|
Unobservable
|
|||||||||||||
Fair Value
|
Liabilities
|
Inputs
|
Inputs
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
at 12/31/09
|
(Level 1)
|
(Level 2)
|
(Level 3)
|
||||||||||||
Description
|
||||||||||||||||
Measured
on a recurring basis:
|
||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies1
|
$ | 475,534 | 52,361 | 423,173 | - | |||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
379,799 | - | 379,799 | - | ||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
379,584 | - | 379,584 | - | ||||||||||||
ABS
|
17,979 | - | 17,979 | - | ||||||||||||
CMBS
|
103,691 | - | 103,691 | - | ||||||||||||
RMBS
|
279,282 | - | 279,282 | - | ||||||||||||
Total
AFS fixed maturity securities
|
1,635,869 | 52,361 | 1,583,508 | - | ||||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
80,264 | 80,264 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Short-term
investments
|
213,848 | 213,848 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Measured
on a non-recurring basis:
|
||||||||||||||||
ABS,
HTM
|
2,412 | - | 2,412 | - | ||||||||||||
CMBS,
HTM
|
5,400 | - | 5,400 | - | ||||||||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 1,937,793 | 346,473 | 1,591,320 | - |
1 U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the
FDIC.
The
following assets were written down to fair value on a non-recurring basis as of
September 30, 2010:
|
·
|
As
the result of our OTTI analysis, we impaired approximately $1.9 million of
HTM securities down to fair value, which are typically not carried at fair
value.
|
|
·
|
Due
to changes in assumptions regarding worksite life generation and
retention, we reduced the value of our receivable for the expected
proceeds from the sale of Selective HR, which we are scheduled to receive
over the course of a 10-year period. This fair value was
determined using Level 3 pricing. The reduction in this
receivable is included in “Loss on disposal of discontinued operations” on
the Consolidated Statement of
Income.
|
18
The
following table provides a summary of the changes in fair value of securities
using Level 3 inputs for Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010. The
transfers of the CMBS, AFS securities between levels in the fair value hierarchy
in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 were driven primarily by the availability
and nature of the broker quotes used at the valuation dates:
Third Quarter 2010
($ in thousands)
|
ABS, AFS
|
CMBS, AFS
|
TOTAL
|
|||||||||
Fair
value, June 30, 2010
|
$ | - | 3,253 | 3,253 | ||||||||
Total
net gains (losses) for the period included in:
|
||||||||||||
Other comprehensive
income1
|
- | 1,799 | 1,799 | |||||||||
Net income2
|
- | 55 | 55 | |||||||||
Purchases,
sales, issuances, and settlements (net)
|
2,737 | (137 | ) | 2,600 | ||||||||
Net transfers in
and/or out of Level 33
|
- | (4,640 | ) | (4,640 | ) | |||||||
Fair
value, September 30, 2010
|
$ | 2,737 | 330 | 3,067 |
Nine Months 2010
($ in thousands)
|
ABS, AFS
|
CMBS, AFS
|
TOTAL
|
|||||||||
Fair
value, December 31, 2009
|
$ | - | - | - | ||||||||
Total
net gains (losses) for the period included in:
|
||||||||||||
Other comprehensive
income1
|
- | 1,799 | 1,799 | |||||||||
Net income2
|
- | 55 | 55 | |||||||||
Purchases,
sales, issuances, and settlements (net)
|
2,737 | (137 | ) | 2,600 | ||||||||
Net transfers in
and/or out of Level 33
|
- | (1,387 | ) | (1,387 | ) | |||||||
Fair
value, September 30, 2010
|
$ | 2,737 | 330 | 3,067 |
1 Amounts
are reported in “Other net unrealized gains on investment securities, net of
deferred income tax” on the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’
Equity.
2
Amounts are reported in “Net realized investment gains (losses)” on the
Consolidated Statements of
Income.
3
Transfers between levels in the fair value hierarchy are recognized at the end
of the reporting period.
NOTE
8. Reinsurance
The
following table contains a listing of direct, assumed, and ceded reinsurance
amounts by income statement caption. For more information concerning
reinsurance, refer to Note 8. “Reinsurance” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data.” in our 2009 Annual Report.
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Premiums
written:
|
||||||||||||||||
Direct
|
$ | 431,312 | 435,169 | 1,274,061 | 1,294,019 | |||||||||||
Assumed
|
15,372 | 11,250 | 21,561 | 18,611 | ||||||||||||
Ceded
|
(79,570 | ) | (69,701 | ) | (206,893 | ) | (194,866 | ) | ||||||||
Net
|
$ | 367,114 | 376,718 | 1,088,729 | 1,117,764 | |||||||||||
Premiums
earned:
|
||||||||||||||||
Direct
|
$ | 413,759 | 413,007 | 1,238,912 | 1,244,840 | |||||||||||
Assumed
|
9,158 | 5,944 | 20,858 | 16,677 | ||||||||||||
Ceded
|
(68,208 | ) | (63,045 | ) | (196,669 | ) | (183,427 | ) | ||||||||
Net
|
$ | 354,709 | 355,906 | 1,063,101 | 1,078,090 | |||||||||||
Losses
and loss expenses incurred:
|
||||||||||||||||
Direct
|
$ | 277,111 | 264,650 | 834,431 | 793,995 | |||||||||||
Assumed
|
6,612 | 4,134 | 11,535 | 11,207 | ||||||||||||
Ceded
|
(38,704 | ) | (26,752 | ) | (106,824 | ) | (71,927 | ) | ||||||||
Net
|
$ | 245,019 | 242,032 | 739,142 | 733,275 |
19
The
ceded premiums and losses related to our involvement with the National Flood
Insurance Program (“NFIP”), in which all of our Flood premiums, losses, and loss
expenses are ceded to the NFIP, are as follows:
National Flood Insurance Program
|
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Ceded
premiums written
|
$ | (57,838 | ) | (48,375 | ) | (148,296 | ) | (137,205 | ) | |||||||
Ceded
premiums earned
|
(47,240 | ) | (43,432 | ) | (137,220 | ) | (127,858 | ) | ||||||||
Ceded
losses and loss expenses incurred
|
$ | (11,227 | ) | (8,729 | ) | (54,303 | ) | (19,829 | ) |
NOTE
9. Segment
Information
We
have classified our operations into two segments, the disaggregated results of
which are reported to and used by senior management to manage our
operations:
|
·
|
Insurance
Operations, which is evaluated based on statutory underwriting results
(net premiums earned, incurred losses and loss expenses, policyholders
dividends, policy acquisition costs, and other underwriting expenses), and
statutory combined ratios; and
|
|
·
|
Investments,
which is evaluated based on net investment income and net realized gains
and losses.
|
Our
segments may, from time-to-time, provide services to each other in the normal
course of business. These service transactions included transactions
with our discontinued operations, Selective HR prior to its sale, and totaled
$2.3 million in Third Quarter 2009 and $6.9 million in Nine Months
2009. These transactions were eliminated in all consolidated
statements. For discussion of the 2009 sale of Selective HR, refer to Note 15.
“Discontinued Operations.” In computing the results of each segment,
we do not make adjustments for interest expense, net general corporate expenses,
or federal income taxes. We do not maintain separate investment
portfolios for the segments and therefore, do not allocate assets to the
segments. In addition, we do not aggregate any of our operating
segments.
The
following summaries present revenues from continuing operations (net investment
income and net realized losses on investments in the case of the Investments
segment) and pre-tax income from continuing operations for the individual
segments:
Revenue from continuing operations by segment
|
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
Operations:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
premiums earned:
|
||||||||||||||||
Commercial
automobile
|
$ | 73,440 | 75,513 | 220,932 | 226,698 | |||||||||||
Workers
compensation
|
63,165 | 64,742 | 189,875 | 201,709 | ||||||||||||
General
liability
|
83,250 | 88,280 | 252,438 | 274,357 | ||||||||||||
Commercial
property
|
49,558 | 49,880 | 150,188 | 147,735 | ||||||||||||
Business
owners’ policy
|
16,400 | 15,804 | 48,838 | 46,565 | ||||||||||||
Bonds
|
4,884 | 4,634 | 14,315 | 13,817 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
2,528 | 2,426 | 7,548 | 7,188 | ||||||||||||
Total
commercial lines
|
293,225 | 301,279 | 884,134 | 918,069 | ||||||||||||
Personal
automobile
|
35,927 | 33,319 | 105,490 | 99,205 | ||||||||||||
Homeowners
|
22,544 | 18,613 | 64,163 | 53,337 | ||||||||||||
Other
|
3,013 | 2,695 | 9,314 | 7,479 | ||||||||||||
Total
personal lines
|
61,484 | 54,627 | 178,967 | 160,021 | ||||||||||||
Total
net premiums earned
|
354,709 | 355,906 | 1,063,101 | 1,078,090 | ||||||||||||
Miscellaneous
income
|
1,916 | 2,657 | 6,413 | 7,720 | ||||||||||||
Total
Insurance Operations revenues
|
356,625 | 358,563 | 1,069,514 | 1,085,810 | ||||||||||||
Investments:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
investment income
|
32,986 | 36,585 | 104,237 | 78,670 | ||||||||||||
Net
realized gain (loss) on investments
|
57 | (4,983 | ) | (3,271 | ) | (40,302 | ) | |||||||||
Total
investment revenues
|
33,043 | 31,602 | 100,966 | 38,368 | ||||||||||||
Total
all segments
|
389,668 | 390,165 | 1,170,480 | 1,124,178 | ||||||||||||
Other
income
|
34 | 10 | 52 | 38 | ||||||||||||
Total
revenues from continuing operations
|
$ | 389,702 | 390,175 | 1,170,532 | 1,124,216 |
20
Income from continuing operations, before federal income tax
|
Quarter ended
|
Nine Months ended
|
||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
Operations:
|
||||||||||||||||
Commercial
lines underwriting
|
$ | (26 | ) | 2,171 | (7,693 | ) | 10,185 | |||||||||
Personal
lines underwriting
|
(3,907 | ) | (2,313 | ) | (14,006 | ) | (7,258 | ) | ||||||||
Underwriting
(loss) income, before federal income tax
|
(3,933 | ) | (142 | ) | (21,699 | ) | 2,927 | |||||||||
GAAP
combined ratio
|
101.1 | % | 100.0 | 102.0 | % | 99.7 | ||||||||||
Statutory
combined ratio
|
100.3 | % | 99.8 | 101.4 | % | 99.6 | ||||||||||
Investments:
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
investment income
|
32,986 | 36,585 | 104,237 | 78,670 | ||||||||||||
Net
realized gain (loss) on investments
|
57 | (4,983 | ) | (3,271 | ) | (40,302 | ) | |||||||||
Total
investment income, before federal income tax
|
33,043 | 31,602 | 100,966 | 38,368 | ||||||||||||
Total
all segments
|
29,110 | 31,460 | 79,267 | 41,295 | ||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(4,559 | ) | (4,751 | ) | (14,056 | ) | (14,618 | ) | ||||||||
General
corporate and other expenses
|
(2,491 | ) | (4,882 | ) | (12,656 | ) | (13,585 | ) | ||||||||
Income
from continuing operations, before federal income tax
|
$ | 22,060 | 21,827 | 52,555 | 13,092 |
NOTE
10. Federal Income Taxes
Federal
income taxes from continuing operations increased by: (i) $2.0
million for Third Quarter 2010, to an expense of $3.2 million, compared to an
expense of $1.2 million for Third Quarter 2009; and (ii) $17.0 million for Nine
Months 2010, to an expense of $7.0 million compared to a benefit of $9.9 million
for Nine Months 2009. These increases, which are attributable to an
increase in net investment income earned coupled with a reduction in net
realized losses, resulted in an effective tax rate of approximately 15% for
Third Quarter 2010 compared to an effective tax rate of 6% for Third Quarter
2009. The effective tax rate was 13% for Nine Months 2010, and the
tax benefit in Nine Months 2009 of $9.9 million resulted in an effective tax
rate of (76)%. The Nine Months 2009 tax benefit resulted from lower
pre-tax income associated with the decline in investment income and an increase
in net realized losses. Our effective tax rate for continuing
operations differs from the federal corporate rate of 35% primarily as a result
of tax-advantaged investment income.
21
NOTE
11. Retirement Plans
The
following tables show the costs of the Retirement Income Plan for Selective
Insurance Company of America (“Retirement Income Plan”) and the retirement life
insurance component (“Retirement Life Plan”) of the Selective Insurance Company
of America Welfare Benefits Plan. For more information concerning
these plans, refer to Note 16. “Retirement Plans” in Item 8. “Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual Report.
Retirement Income Plan
|
Retirement Life Plan
|
|||||||||||||||
Quarter ended September 30,
|
Quarter ended September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Components
of Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
|
||||||||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$ | 1,842 | 1,531 | - | - | |||||||||||
Interest
cost
|
2,950 | 2,695 | 80 | 79 | ||||||||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(2,811 | ) | (2,243 | ) | - | - | ||||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized prior service cost
|
38 | 38 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized net loss
|
1,016 | 1,202 | 1 | - | ||||||||||||
Net
periodic cost
|
$ | 3,035 | 3,223 | 81 | 79 | |||||||||||
Retirement Income Plan
|
Retirement Life Plan
|
|||||||||||||||
Nine Months ended
September 30,
|
Nine Months ended
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Components
of Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
|
||||||||||||||||
Service
cost
|
$ | 5,784 | 5,538 | - | 32 | |||||||||||
Interest
cost
|
8,965 | 8,237 | 238 | 270 | ||||||||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
(8,437 | ) | (6,977 | ) | - | - | ||||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized prior service cost (credit)
|
113 | 113 | - | (44 | ) | |||||||||||
Amortization
of unrecognized net loss
|
3,111 | 3,437 | 4 | - | ||||||||||||
Curtailment
benefit
|
- | - | - | (4,217 | ) | |||||||||||
Net
periodic cost (benefit)
|
$ | 9,536 | 10,348 | 242 | (3,959 | ) | ||||||||||
Weighted-Average
Expense Assumptions
|
||||||||||||||||
for
the years ended December 31:
|
||||||||||||||||
Discount
rate
|
5.93 | % | 6.24 | 5.93 | % | 6.24 | ||||||||||
Expected
return on plan assets
|
8.00 | % | 8.00 | - | % | - | ||||||||||
Rate
of compensation increase
|
4.00 | % | 4.00 | 4.00 | % | 4.00 |
In the
first quarter of 2009, Selective Insurance Company of America eliminated the
benefits under the Retirement Life Plan to active employees. This
elimination resulted in a curtailment to the plan, the benefit of which was $4.2
million in Nine Months 2009 and was comprised of: (i) a $2.8 million
reversal of the Retirement Life Plan liability; and (ii) a $1.4 million reversal
of prior service credits and net actuarial losses included in Accumulated Other
Comprehensive Loss.
We
presently anticipate contributing $8.0 million to the Retirement Income Plan in
2010, $6.8 million of which has been funded as of September 30,
2010.
22
NOTE
12. Comprehensive Income
The
components of comprehensive income, both gross and net of tax, for Third Quarter
2010 and Third Quarter 2009 are as follows:
Third
Quarter 2010
|
||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Tax
|
Net
|
|||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 19,546 | 2,349 | 17,197 | ||||||||
Components
of other comprehensive income:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized gains on
securities:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
holding gains during the period
|
45,871 | 16,055 | 29,816 | |||||||||
Portion
of OTTI recognized in OCI
|
(1,237 | ) | (433 | ) | (804 | ) | ||||||
Amortization
of net unrealized gains on HTM securities
|
(1,383 | ) | (484 | ) | (899 | ) | ||||||
Reclassification
adjustment for losses included in net
|
||||||||||||
income
|
2,454 | 859 | 1,595 | |||||||||
Net
unrealized gains
|
45,705 | 15,997 | 29,708 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans:
|
||||||||||||
Reversal
of amortization items:
|
||||||||||||
Net
actuarial loss
|
1,017 | 355 | 662 | |||||||||
Prior
service credit
|
38 | 14 | 24 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
1,055 | 369 | 686 | |||||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$ | 66,306 | 18,715 | 47,591 |
Third
Quarter 2009
|
||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Tax
|
Net
|
|||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 10,081 | (2,926 | ) | 13,007 | |||||||
Components
of other comprehensive income:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
gains on securities:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
holding gains during the period
|
44,637 | 15,624 | 29,013 | |||||||||
Portion
of OTTI recognized in OCI
|
(1,508 | ) | (528 | ) | (980 | ) | ||||||
Amortization
of net unrealized gains on HTM securities
|
(3,976 | ) | (1,392 | ) | (2,584 | ) | ||||||
Reclassification
adjustment for losses included in net
|
||||||||||||
income
|
7,375 | 2,581 | 4,794 | |||||||||
Net
unrealized gains
|
46,528 | 16,285 | 30,243 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans:
|
||||||||||||
Reversal
of amortization items:
|
||||||||||||
Net
actuarial loss
|
1,202 | 421 | 781 | |||||||||
Prior
service credit
|
38 | 13 | 25 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
1,240 | 434 | 806 | |||||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$ | 57,849 | 13,793 | 44,056 |
23
The
components of comprehensive income, both gross and net of tax, for Nine Months
2010 and Nine Months 2009 are as follows:
Nine
Months 2010
|
||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Tax
|
Net
|
|||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 46,787 | 5,021 | 41,766 | ||||||||
Components
of other comprehensive income:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized gains on
securities:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
holding gains during the period
|
92,569 | 32,399 | 60,170 | |||||||||
Portion
of OTTI recognized in OCI
|
4,655 | 1,629 | 3,026 | |||||||||
Amortization
of net unrealized gains on HTM securities
|
(7,938 | ) | (2,778 | ) | (5,160 | ) | ||||||
Reclassification
adjustment for losses included in net
|
||||||||||||
income
|
840 | 294 | 546 | |||||||||
Net
unrealized gains
|
90,126 | 31,544 | 58,582 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans:
|
||||||||||||
Reversal
of amortization items:
|
||||||||||||
Net
actuarial loss
|
3,115 | 1,090 | 2,025 | |||||||||
Prior
service credit
|
113 | 40 | 73 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
3,228 | 1,130 | 2,098 | |||||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$ | 140,141 | 37,695 | 102,446 |
Nine
Months 2009
|
||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Gross
|
Tax
|
Net
|
|||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 1,790 | (14,028 | ) | 15,818 | |||||||
Components
of other comprehensive income:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
gains on securities:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
holding gains during the period
|
100,912 | 35,320 | 65,592 | |||||||||
Portion
of OTTI recognized in OCI
|
(1,535 | ) | (537 | ) | (998 | ) | ||||||
Amortization
of net unrealized gains on HTM securities
|
427 | 149 | 278 | |||||||||
Reclassification
adjustment for losses included in net
|
||||||||||||
income
|
39,475 | 13,816 | 25,659 | |||||||||
Net
unrealized gains
|
139,279 | 48,748 | 90,531 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans:
|
||||||||||||
Reversal
of amortization items:
|
||||||||||||
Net
actuarial loss
|
3,437 | 1,203 | 2,234 | |||||||||
Curtailment
benefit
|
(1,387 | ) | (485 | ) | (902 | ) | ||||||
Prior
service credit
|
69 | 24 | 45 | |||||||||
Defined
benefit pension plans
|
2,119 | 742 | 1,377 | |||||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$ | 143,188 | 35,462 | 107,726 |
The
balances of, and changes in, each component of AOCI (net of taxes) as of
September 30, 2010 are as follows:
September 30, 2010
|
Defined
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Net Unrealized Gain (Loss)
|
Benefit
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||||
OTTI
|
HTM
|
All
|
Pension
|
Accumulated
|
||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Related
|
Related
|
Other
|
Plans
|
OCI
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance,
December 31, 2009
|
$ | (8,009 | ) | 11,937 | 25,410 | (41,798 | ) | (12,460 | ) | |||||||||||
Changes
in component during period
|
3,026 | 2,057 | 53,499 | 2,098 | 60,680 | |||||||||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2010
|
$ | (4,983 | ) | 13,994 | 78,909 | (39,700 | ) | 48,220 |
NOTE
13. Commitments and
Contingencies
At
September 30, 2010, we had contractual obligations to invest up to an additional
$92.1 million in other investments that expire at various dates through
2023. There is no certainty that any such additional investment will
be required.
24
NOTE
14. Litigation
In the
ordinary course of conducting business, we are named as defendants in various
legal proceedings. Most of these proceedings are claims litigation
involving our seven insurance subsidiaries (the “Insurance Subsidiaries”) as
either: (i) liability insurers defending or providing indemnity for
third-party claims brought against insureds; or (ii) insurers defending
first-party coverage claims brought against them. We account for such
activity through the establishment of unpaid loss and loss adjustment expense
reserves. We expect that the ultimate liability, if any, with respect
to such ordinary-course claims litigation, after consideration of provisions
made for potential losses and costs of defense, will not be material to our
consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash
flows.
Our
Insurance Subsidiaries also are involved from time to time in other legal
actions, some of which assert claims for substantial amounts. These
actions include, among others, putative state class actions seeking
certification of a state or national class. Such putative class
actions have alleged, for example, improper reimbursement of medical providers
paid under workers compensation and personal and commercial automobile insurance
policies. Our Insurance Subsidiaries also are involved from time to
time in individual actions in which extra-contractual damages, punitive damages,
or penalties are sought, such as claims alleging bad faith in the handling of
insurance claims. We believe that we have valid defenses to these
cases. We expect that the ultimate liability, if any, with respect to
such lawsuits, after consideration of provisions made for estimated losses, will
not be material to our consolidated financial condition. Nonetheless,
given the large or indeterminate amounts sought in certain of these actions, and
the inherent unpredictability of litigation, an adverse outcome in certain
matters could, from time to time, have a material adverse effect on our
consolidated results of operations or cash flows in particular quarterly or
annual periods.
NOTE
15. Discontinued
Operations
In
December 2009, we sold 100% of our interest in Selective HR, which had
historically comprised the human resource administration outsourcing segment of
our operations. We sold our interest in Selective HR for proceeds
scheduled to be received over a 10-year period based on the ability of the
purchaser to retain and generate new worksite lives though our independent
agency distribution channel. In Third Quarter 2010 and Nine Months
2010, we recorded an after-tax charge of $1.6 million and $3.7 million,
respectively, primarily due to our revaluation of the contingent proceeds,
including assumptions regarding worksite life generation and retention, bringing
our estimated sales price to approximately $6.9 million of which $1.7 million
has been received as of September 30, 2010 as compared to $12.3 million at
December 31, 2009.
The
following tables reflect the reclassification of the operating results of
Selective HR as a discontinued operation as of September 30, 2009:
($ in thousands)
|
Third
Quarter
2009
|
Nine
Months
2009
|
||||||
Net
revenue
|
$ | 10,641 | 34,414 | |||||
Pre-tax
loss
|
(11,746 | ) | (11,302 | ) | ||||
After-tax
loss
|
(7,599 | ) | (7,196 | ) |
Intercompany
transactions related to the discontinued operations are as follows as of
September 30, 2009:
($ in thousands)
|
Third
Quarter
2009
|
Nine
Months
2009
|
||||||
Net
revenue
|
$ | 2,318 | 6,857 |
25
ITEM
2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Forward-Looking
Statements
In this
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we discuss and make statements regarding our
intentions, beliefs, current expectations, and projections regarding our
company’s future operations and performance. Such statements are
“forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
often identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “will,”
“should,” and “intends” and their negatives. We caution prospective
investors that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance. Risks and uncertainties are inherent in our future
performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, but
are not limited to, those discussed under Item 1A. “Risk Factors”
below. These risk factors may not be exhaustive. We
operate in a continually changing business environment and new risk factors may
emerge from time to time. We can neither predict such new risk
factors nor can we assess the impact, if any, of such new risk factors on our
businesses or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause
actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any
forward-looking statements in this report. In light of these risks,
uncertainties, and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this
report might not occur. We make forward-looking statements based on
currently available information and assume no obligation to update these
statements due to changes in underlying factors, new information, future
developments, or otherwise.
Introduction
We offer
property and casualty insurance products through our various
subsidiaries. We classify our businesses into two operating
segments: (i) Insurance Operations, which consists of commercial
lines (“Commercial Lines”) and personal lines (“Personal Lines”); and (ii)
Investments.
The
purpose of the Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) is to provide
an understanding of the consolidated results of operations and financial
condition and known trends and uncertainties that may have a material impact in
future periods. Consequently, investors should read the MD&A in
conjunction with the consolidated financial statements in our annual report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 (“2009 Annual
Report”).
In the
MD&A, we will discuss and analyze the following:
·
|
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates;
|
·
|
Financial
Highlights of Results for Third Quarter 2010 and Nine Months
2010;
|
·
|
Results
of Operations and Related Information by
Segment;
|
·
|
Federal
Income Taxes;
|
·
|
Financial
Condition, Liquidity, and Capital
Resources;
|
·
|
Ratings;
|
·
|
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements; and
|
·
|
Contractual
Obligations and Contingent Liabilities and
Commitments.
|
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
These
unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include amounts based on our
informed estimates and judgments for those transactions that are not yet
complete. Such estimates and judgments affect the reported amounts in
the consolidated financial statements. Those estimates and judgments
most critical to the preparation of the financial statements involved the
following: (i) reserves for losses and loss expenses; (ii) deferred
policy acquisition costs; (iii) pension and post-retirement benefit plan
actuarial assumptions; (iv) other-than-temporary investment impairments; and (v)
reinsurance. These estimates and judgments require the use of
assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain and, therefore, are subject
to change as facts and circumstances develop. If different estimates
and judgments had been applied, materially different amounts might have been
reported in the financial statements. For additional information
regarding our critical accounting policies, refer to our 2009 Annual Report,
pages 42 through 51.
26
Financial
Highlights of Results for Third Quarter 2010 and Nine Months
20101
Quarter ended
|
Change
|
Nine Months ended
|
Change
|
||||||||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
% or
|
September 30,
|
% or
|
||||||||||||||||||||
(Shares and $ in thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
|||||||||||||||||
GAAP
measures:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 389,702 | 390,175 | - |
%
|
$ | 1,170,532 | 1,124,216 | 4 |
%
|
|||||||||||||
Pre-tax
net investment income
|
32,986 | 36,585 | (10 | ) | 104,237 | 78,670 | 32 | ||||||||||||||||
Pre-tax
net income
|
19,546 | 10,081 | 94 | 46,787 | 1,790 | 2,514 | |||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
17,197 | 13,007 | 32 | 41,766 | 15,818 | 164 | |||||||||||||||||
Diluted
net income per share
|
0.32 | 0.24 | 33 | 0.77 | 0.30 | 157 | |||||||||||||||||
Diluted
weighted-average outstanding shares2
|
54,573 | 53,548 | 2 | 54,390 | 53,312 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
GAAP
combined ratio
|
101.1 | % | 100.0 | 1.1 |
pts
|
102.0 | % | 99.7 | 2.3 |
pts
|
|||||||||||||
Statutory
combined ratio
|
100.3 | % | 99.8 | 0.5 | 101.4 | % | 99.6 | 1.8 | |||||||||||||||
Annualized
return on average equity
|
6.4 | % | 5.4 | 1.0 | 5.3 | % | 2.2 | 3.1 | |||||||||||||||
Non-GAAP
measures:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating
income3
|
$ | 18,794 | 23,845 | (21 |
)%
|
$ | 47,641 | 49,211 | (3 |
)%
|
|||||||||||||
Diluted operating
income per share3
|
0.35 | 0.44 | (20 | ) | 0.88 | 0.92 | (4 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Annualized
operating return on average equity3
|
7.0 | 9.9 | (2.9 |
)pts
|
6.1 | 7.0 | (0.9 |
)pts
|
1 Refer to
the Glossary of Terms attached to our 2009 Annual Report as Exhibit 99.1 for
definitions of terms used in this financial review.
2 Diluted
weighted-average shares outstanding represents weighted-average common shares
outstanding adjusted for the impact of dilutive common stock equivalents, if
any.
3
Operating income is used as an important financial measure by us,
analysts, and investors, because the realization of investment gains and losses
on sales in any given period is largely discretionary as to
timing. In addition, these realized investment gains and losses, as
well as other-than-temporary impairments (“OTTI”) that are charged to earnings,
and the results of discontinued operations, could distort the analysis of
trends. See below for a reconciliation of operating income to net
income in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
(“GAAP”).
Net
income increased by $9.5 million, pre-tax, and $4.2 million, after-tax, in Third
Quarter 2010 compared to Third Quarter 2009 primarily due to:
|
·
|
Net
realized gains, pre-tax, which increased by $5.0 million, to a net
realized gain of $0.1 million. Realized gains associated with
the sale of certain securities increased $3.6 million when compared to the
same period last year, from a $0.7 million loss in Third Quarter 2009 to a
$2.9 million gain in Third Quarter 2010 while realized losses resulting
from OTTI charges decreased $1.4 million. These improvements
were a reflection of overall market improvements in the valuations of
certain securities as well as increased liquidity in the financial
markets. OTTI charges for the period were $2.8 million pre-tax,
compared to $4.2 million last year. See Note 6. “Investments”
in Item 1. “Financial Statements” of this Form 10-Q for additional
information on net realized gains and
losses.
|
|
·
|
Discontinued
operations experienced a pre-tax loss of $2.5 million, which was $9.2
million less than the loss in the prior year. The loss this
quarter was the result of a reduction in our anticipated proceeds related
to receivables associated with certain contingencies that have been
modified to reflect lower levels of post sale worksite life retention and
new business. During Third Quarter 2009, our discontinued
operations experienced a pre-tax loss of $11.7 million, which reflected a
goodwill impairment charge that was based on the valuation of the pending
sale of Selective HR Solutions, Inc. (“Selective HR”) at that
time. For additional information concerning the discontinuance
and sale of Selective HR, see Note 15. “Discontinued Operations” in Item
1. “Financial Statements” of this Form
10-Q.
|
Partially
offsetting these items are:
|
·
|
Pre-tax
underwriting losses, which increased by $3.8 million, to $3.9 million,
primarily attributable to an increase of $10.0 million in catastrophe
losses partially offset by an increase of $4 million in favorable prior
year casualty reserve development of $12 million compared to $8 million in
Third Quarter 2009.
|
|
·
|
Pre-tax
net investment income earned, which decreased by $3.6 million, to $33.0
million, primarily driven by reduced fixed maturity security income
resulting from lower reinvestment
yields.
|
27
Net
income increased by $45.0 million, pre-tax, and $25.9 million, after-tax, in
Nine Months 2010 compared to Nine Months 2009 primarily due to:
|
·
|
An
improvement in net realized losses of $37.0 million, pre-tax, driven by
lower pre-tax non-cash OTTI charges of $17.2 million compared to $43.8
million in the prior year. In addition, net realized gains
resulting from sales increased by $10.4 million, to $14.0 million,
compared to Nine Months 2009. See Note 6. “Investments” in Item
1. “Financial Statements” of this Form 10-Q for additional information on
net realized gains and losses.
|
|
·
|
Pre-tax
net investment income earned, which increased by $25.6 million, to $104.2
million, primarily driven by income of $11.1 million on the alternative
investment portion of our investment portfolio compared to a loss on these
investments of $26.7 million in the prior year. This increase
was also partially offset by lower fixed maturity security income of $9.1
million resulting from lower reinvestment yields, coupled with increased
investment expenses due to approximately $2.1 million of costs incurred
related to our decision to outsource our investment portfolio management
operations. For additional information on our other investment
portfolio and a discussion of the related strategies associated with this
portfolio, see Note 5. “Investments” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual
Report.
|
Partially
offsetting these items are:
·
|
Pre-tax
underwriting losses, which increased by $24.6 million, to $21.7 million
compared to pre-tax underwriting income of $2.9 million in the prior year,
primarily attributable to an increase of $43.6 million in catastrophe
losses partially offset by an increase of $9 million related to favorable
prior year casualty development of $32 million compared to $23 million in
the prior year.
|
Tax
expense from continuing operations was $7.0 million in Nine Months 2010 compared
to a benefit of $9.9 million in Nine Months 2009. This increase was
primarily driven by the increase in the components of net income from continuing
operations as discussed above.
The
following table reconciles operating income and net income for the periods
presented above:
Quarter ended
September 30,
|
Nine Months ended
September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands, except per share
amounts)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
$ | 18,794 | 23,845 | 47,641 | 49,211 | |||||||||||
Net
realized gain (losses), after tax
|
37 | (3,239 | ) | (2,126 | ) | (26,197 | ) | |||||||||
Loss
from discontinued operations, after tax
|
- | (7,599 | ) | - | (7,196 | ) | ||||||||||
Loss
on disposal of discontinued operations, after tax
|
(1,634 | ) | - | (3,749 | ) | - | ||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 17,197 | 13,007 | 41,766 | 15,818 | |||||||||||
Diluted
operating income per share
|
$ | 0.35 | 0.44 | 0.88 | 0.92 | |||||||||||
Diluted
net realized losses per share
|
- | (0.06 | ) | (0.04 | ) | (0.49 | ) | |||||||||
Diluted
loss on discontinued operations per share
|
(0.03 | ) | (0.14 | ) | (0.07 | ) | (0.13 | ) | ||||||||
Diluted
net income per share
|
$ | 0.32 | 0.24 | 0.77 | 0.30 |
Operating
income in Third Quarter 2010 decreased due to the following, which were
discussed in more detail above: (i) an increase in underwriting
losses; and (ii) a decrease in net investment income. Operating
income decreased in Nine Months 2010 primarily attributable to an increase in
underwriting losses, partially offset by an increase in net investment
income.
28
Results
of Operations and Related Information by Segment
Insurance
Operations
Our
Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance business
through seven insurance subsidiaries (the “Insurance
Subsidiaries”). Our Insurance Operations segment sells property and
casualty insurance products and services primarily in 22 states in the Eastern
and Midwestern U.S. through approximately 980 independent insurance
agencies. Our Insurance Operations segment consists of two
components: (i) Commercial Lines, which markets primarily to
businesses and represents approximately 82% of net premium written (“NPW”); and
(ii) Personal Lines, which markets primarily to individuals and represents
approximately 18% of NPW. The underwriting performance of these lines
is generally measured by four different statutory ratios: (i) loss
and loss expense ratio; (ii) underwriting expense ratio; (iii) dividend ratio;
and (iv) combined ratio. For further details regarding these ratios,
see the discussion in the “Insurance Operations” section of Item 1. “Business.”
of our 2009 Annual Report.
Summary
of Insurance Operations
All Lines
|
Quarter ended
|
Change
|
Nine Months ended
|
Change
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
September 30,
|
% or
|
September 30,
|
% or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||||
GAAP
Insurance Operations Results:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPW
|
$ | 367,114 | 376,718 | (3 | ) |
%
|
1,088,729 | 1,117,764 | (3 | ) |
%
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
premiums earned (“NPE”)
|
354,709 | 355,906 | - | 1,063,101 | 1,078,090 | (1 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Less:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Losses
and loss expenses incurred
|
245,019 | 242,032 | 1 | 739,142 | 733,275 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net
underwriting expenses incurred
|
112,895 | 113,025 | - | 342,791 | 339,620 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
to policyholders
|
728 | 991 | (27 | ) | 2,867 | 2,268 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
(loss) income
|
$ | (3,933 | ) | (142 | ) | (2,670 | ) |
%
|
(21,699 | ) | 2,927 | (841 | ) |
%
|
||||||||||||
GAAP
Ratios:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
and loss expense ratio
|
69.1 | % | 68.0 | 1.1 |
pts
|
69.5 | % | 68.0 | 1.5 |
pts
|
||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
expense ratio
|
31.8 | % | 31.7 | 0.1 | 32.2 | % | 31.5 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
to policyholders ratio
|
0.2 | % | 0.3 | (0.1 | ) | 0.3 | % | 0.2 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||||
Combined
ratio
|
101.1 | % | 100.0 | 1.1 | 102.0 | % | 99.7 | 2.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Statutory
Ratios:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
and loss expense ratio
|
68.9 | % | 68.1 | 0.8 | 69.5 | % | 68.0 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
expense ratio
|
31.2 | % | 31.4 | (0.2 | ) | 31.6 | % | 31.4 | 0.2 | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends
to policyholders ratio
|
0.2 | % | 0.3 | (0.1 | ) | 0.3 | % | 0.2 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||||
Combined
ratio
|
100.3 | % | 99.8 | 0.5 |
pts
|
101.4 | % | 99.6 | 1.8 |
pts
|
|
·
|
NPW
decreased in both Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 compared to Third
Quarter and Nine Months 2009 due to economic conditions despite Commercial
Lines renewal pure price increases of 2.8% in Third Quarter 2010 and 3.1%
in Nine Months 2010. Through Nine Months 2010, we have
experienced the most significant NPW decreases in our general liability
and workers compensation lines of business, which have experienced reduced
levels of exposure given the reductions in payroll and sales consistent
with the soft economy. These factors are reflected in the
following:
|
|
o
|
Reductions
in new business premiums of $13.1 million, to $66.6 million, in Third
Quarter 2010 and $30.1 million, to $214.8 million, in Nine Months
2010;
|
|
o
|
Audit
and endorsement return premium of $13.3 million and $49.5 million in Third
Quarter and Nine Months 2010, respectively, compared to $18.0 million and
$55.2 million in the comparable periods in 2009;
and
|
|
o
|
Reductions
in net renewals of $5.3 million, to $319.5 million, in Third Quarter 2010
and $8.3 million, to $958.5 million, in Nine Months
2010.
|
|
·
|
NPE
decreases in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 compared to the same
periods last year are consistent with the fluctuation in NPW for the
12-month period ended September 30, 2010 as compared to the 12-month
period ended September 30,
2009.
|
29
|
·
|
For
Third Quarter 2010 compared to Third Quarter 2009, the GAAP loss and loss
expense ratio increased by 1.1 points due to an increase in property
losses of $13.7 million, which included increased catastrophe losses of
$10.0 million, or 2.9 points, to $12.0 million, in Third Quarter
2010. The catastrophe losses in Third Quarter 2010 were driven
primarily by wind and thunderstorm events in several
states. This was partially offset by favorable prior year
casualty development of approximately $12 million, or 3.3 points, compared
to approximately $8 million, or 2.3 points, in Third Quarter
2009. The development in Third Quarter 2010 was primarily due
to favorable results in our 2008 and 2009 accident years on our commercial
automobile line of business and our 2008 and prior accident years for our
general liability line of business. This favorable development
was partially offset by unfavorable development in our workers
compensation line due to pressure in our 2008 and 2009 accident years
resulting from higher claim severity. The favorable development
in Third Quarter 2009 was driven by our 2006 and prior accident years on
our general liability line of
business.
|
The
1.5-point increase in the GAAP loss and loss expense ratio for Nine Months 2010
compared to Nine Months 2009 was primarily attributable to an increase in
catastrophe losses of $43.6 million, or 4.1 points, to $52.1 million in Nine
Months 2010. Partially offsetting this increase for Nine Months 2010
was: (i) favorable casualty prior year development of approximately
$32 million, or 3.1 points, in Nine Months 2010 compared to approximately $23
million, or 2.2 points, in Nine Months 2009; (ii) a decrease in non-catastrophe
property losses of $4.0 million, or 0.2 points; and (iii) reduction of loss
costs due to the mix of business. The Nine Months 2010 and 2009
development follows the same trends as the Third Quarter 2010 and Third Quarter
2009 development mentioned above.
|
·
|
The
GAAP underwriting expense ratio in Third Quarter 2010 was relatively flat
compared to the same period in the prior year. For Nine Months
2010, the underwriting expense ratio increased by 0.7 points compared to
the same period in the prior year primarily due to declines in earned
premium.
|
Insurance
Operations Outlook
The
commercial lines insurance sector remains very competitive and commercial lines
pricing power is weak overall. We continue to work to maintain a
balance between increasing rate and maintaining retention. A recent
report from the Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (“CLIPS”) showed that
industry pricing declined by 0.9% during the second quarter of
2010. Some industry analysts predict that property and casualty
insurance rates will harden later in 2011 as a result of: (i)
declining reserve releases; (ii) increasing industrywide combined ratios; and
(iii) reduced investment returns in the current low interest rate environment
that are unable to support deteriorating underwriting results. Other
industry analysts remain more pessimistic as to when commercial lines pricing
and industry results will improve. Despite the competitive
environment, our Commercial Lines renewal pure price increased 2.8% in Third
Quarter 2010 and 3.1% in Nine Months 2010. Retention increased one
point in Third Quarter 2010, to 75%, and was flat in Nine Months 2010 at 76%, as
compared to the same periods in the prior year. We modified our
pricing strategy earlier this year to focus our pricing efforts to improve
profitability on our worst performing business while focusing on retention of
our best performing business.
Our
Personal Lines operations continue to experience NPW growth driven by: (i)
ongoing rate increases that went into effect during 2009 and 2010, which are
expected to generate an additional $20.3 million in annual premium; (ii) higher
levels of new business premium of $7.1 million, to $46.9 million through Nine
Months 2010; and (iii) maintaining strong retention at 82% through Nine Months
2010.
30
The
overall outlook on the industry for 2010 from key rating agencies is as
follows:
|
·
|
A.M.
Best Company (“A.M. Best”) – A.M. Best is maintaining a stable
outlook on the industry looking forward, as balance sheets have remained
strong despite weak underwriting results. The industry
experienced an increase in net income in the first half of 2010, compared
to the same period in 2009, driven by improved investment results, but
partially offset by unusually high catastrophe-related
losses. NPW for the first six months of 2010 were essentially
flat compared to the same period in 2009. NPW declines are
stabilizing as a result of growth in personal lines; however, premium
volume continues to be challenged by competitive market conditions in
commercial lines, excess capacity, and weak macroeconomic
conditions. The industry posted a combined ratio of
101.9% during the period, which is a result of higher than expected
catastrophe losses primarily driven by wind and hail events across the
country, offset by favorable prior year reserve
development. A.M. Best noted that, while there has been a
gradual increase in pricing in personal lines, there is no clear sign of a
turnaround in pricing trends for commercial lines. They
acknowledge that challenging market conditions, low investment yields, and
the overall weak economic environment will make it difficult for
property/casualty insurers to improve profitability in the near term, but
believe the industry is sufficiently capitalized to withstand any further
volatility in the financial markets. A.M. Best notes that 2010
could be the first year that NPW increases since 2006, but also cautions
that recent releases of reserves could lead to reserve deficiencies in the
industry in future periods.
|
|
·
|
Fitch
Ratings (“Fitch”) – During the first quarter of 2010, Fitch
projected that they would be maintaining their negative outlook on the
industry over the next year, reflecting lingering economic and financial
uncertainty. In addition, Fitch projects an industry-wide
statutory combined ratio of 104.0% for 2010, reflecting their belief that
underwriting results will not improve significantly as they project
premiums will have insignificant growth. Fitch anticipates that
underwriting results will be impacted by higher expense ratios and less
favorable reserve development, partially offset by a return to historical
average catastrophe loss
experience.
|
|
·
|
Moody’s
Investors Service (“Moody’s”) – Moody’s expects profitability in
the remainder of 2010 to continue to be pressured by the soft pricing
environment, lower investment yields, and swings in catastrophe losses and
reserve development. Net income for the industry in the second
quarter of 2010 was slightly below the second quarter of 2009, driven by
significant catastrophe losses that added approximately five points to the
industry combined ratio, partially offset by favorable prior year reserve
development. Moody’s has noted a significant increase in share
repurchases in the industry in the first half of 2010 compared to the same
period in 2009, which may be a sign of capital
stability.
|
Our
Commercial Lines business reported a statutory combined ratio of 99.8% and
100.5% for Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010, respectively and our Personal
Lines business reported a statutory combined ratio of 103.2% and 105.9% for the
same periods. The Personal Lines statutory combined ratio included
8.0 points and 9.2 points of catastrophe losses in Third Quarter and Nine Months
2010, respectively, which reflects much higher levels than we have historically
experienced. In an effort to write profitable business in the current
commercial and personal lines market conditions, we continue to implement a
defined plan of improving risk selection and mitigating higher frequency trends
to complement our strong agency relationships and unique field-based
model.
Our focus
for 2010 continues to include the following:
|
·
|
Continuing
to concentrate on our long-term strategy to improve profitability by
diversifying our mix of business and writing more non-contractor classes
of business, which typically experience lower volatility during economic
downturns. Through Nine Months 2010, non-contractor new
business comprised 67% of Commercial Lines new business, up from 62% in
Nine Months 2009.
|
|
·
|
Deploying
second generation Commercial Lines predictive modeling tools that give our
underwriters additional information, enabling them to make better
decisions regarding individual account underwriting. These
tools also provide us with increased pricing granularity, allowing our
agents the ability to compete for the most attractive
accounts.
|
|
·
|
Continuing
to manage our book of business by balancing anticipated Commercial Lines
pure price increases with retention in a very competitive
marketplace.
|
|
·
|
Personal
Lines rate increases for 2010, which we believe could generate $14.9
million in additional premium annually. Despite increases to our
rates over the past several years, Personal Lines policy retention
increased by three points, to 82%, and new policy counts increased nearly
17% from a year ago.
|
31
|
·
|
Implementing
our Claims Strategic Program, which focuses on enhancing areas
of: (i) workers compensation best practices and targeted case
management; (ii) litigation management; (iii) fraud detection and recovery
recognition through use of advanced systems analytics; (iv) claims
automation; and (v) vendor management. We believe that these
initiatives will allow us to maintain our reputation for superior claims
service while enabling us to leverage our current resources to increase
the effectiveness and efficiency of the claims
area.
|
|
·
|
Sales
management efforts, including our market planning tools. Our
market planning tools allow us to identify and strategically appoint
additional independent agencies and hire or redeploy agency management
specialists (“AMS”) in under-penetrated territories. Our agency
count now stands at approximately 980 agencies across our
footprint. These independent insurance agencies are serviced by
approximately 90 field-based AMSs who make hands-on underwriting decisions
on a daily basis. In addition, we use our predictive modeling
and business analytics to build tools that help our agents identify
potential new customers.
|
|
·
|
Technology
that allows agents and our field teams to input business seamlessly into
our systems, including our One & Done®
small business system and our xSELerate®
straight-through processing system. Average premiums of
approximately $306,000 per workday were processed through our One &
Done®
small business system during Nine Months 2010, up 4% from Nine Months
2009. These technology-based systems complement our existing
underwriting group, giving them more time to focus on underwriting more
technical accounts.
|
32
Review
of Underwriting Results by Line of Business
Commercial
Lines Results
Commercial
Lines
|
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
GAAP
Insurance Operations Results:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPW
|
$ | 297,004 | 314,428 | (6 | )% | 895,795 | 946,499 | (5 | ) % | |||||||||||||||
NPE
|
293,225 | 301,279 | (3 | ) | 884,134 | 918,069 | (4 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Less:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Losses
and loss expenses incurred
|
197,046 | 202,256 | (3 | ) | 598,123 | 613,822 | (3 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net
underwriting expenses incurred
|
95,477 | 95,861 | - | 290,837 | 291,794 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
to policyholders
|
728 | 991 | (27 | ) | 2,867 | 2,268 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
(loss) income
|
$ | (26 | ) | 2,171 | (101 | )% | (7,693 | ) | 10,185 | (176 | ) % | |||||||||||||
GAAP
Ratios:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
and loss expense ratio
|
67.2 | % | 67.1 |
0.1
|
pts | 67.7 | % | 66.9 |
0.8
|
pts | ||||||||||||||
Underwriting
expense ratio
|
32.6 | % | 31.9 | 0.7 | 32.9 | % | 31.8 | 1.1 | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends
to policyholders ratio
|
0.2 | % | 0.3 | (0.1 | ) | 0.3 | % | 0.2 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||||
Combined
ratio
|
100.0 | % | 99.3 | 0.7 | 100.9 | % | 98.9 | 2.0 | ||||||||||||||||
Statutory
Ratios:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
and loss expense ratio
|
67.1 | % | 67.1 | - | 67.5 | % | 66.9 | 0.6 | ||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
expense ratio
|
32.4 | % | 32.1 | 0.3 | 32.7 | % | 31.8 | 0.9 | ||||||||||||||||
Dividends
to policyholders ratio
|
0.3 | % | 0.3 | - | 0.3 | % | 0.2 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||
Combined
ratio
|
99.8 | % | 99.5 |
0.3
|
pts | 100.5 | % | 98.9 |
1.6
|
pts |
|
·
|
NPW
decreased in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 compared to the same
periods last year due to the continued economic weakness and an ongoing
very competitive insurance marketplace. We have experienced the
most significant decreases in our general liability, workers compensation,
and commercial automobile lines of business due to reduced levels of
exposure. This decrease is evidenced by the
following:
|
|
o
|
Audit
and endorsement return premium during Third Quarter 2010 improved by $4.8
million, to a return premium of $13.4 million, compared to Third Quarter
2009 and improved by $5.1 million, to a return premium of $50.0 million,
during Nine Months 2010 compared to Nine Months
2009;
|
|
o
|
Reductions
in direct new business of $13.8 million, or 22%, to $50.2 million in the
Third Quarter 2010 and $37.2 million, or 18%, to $167.9 million in Nine
Months 2010 compared to the same periods last year;
and
|
|
o
|
Reductions
in net renewals of $12.3 million, or 4%, to $264.6 million, in Third
Quarter 2010 compared to Third Quarter 2009. Net
renewals decreased by $21.8 million, or 3%, to $808.4 million in Nine
Months 2010. These decreases were partially offset by renewal pure price
increases of 2.8% in Third Quarter 2010 compared to 1.5% in Third Quarter
2009 and increases of 3.1% during Nine Months 2010 compared to increases
of 0.4% in Nine Months 2009.
|
|
·
|
NPE
decreased in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010, consistent with the
fluctuation in NPW for the 12-month period ended September 30, 2010 as
compared to the 12-month period ended September 30,
2009.
|
|
·
|
The
GAAP loss and loss expense ratio in Third Quarter 2010 compared to Third
Quarter 2009 remained relatively flat; however loss activity included
catastrophe losses of $7.0 million, or 2.4 points, in Third Quarter 2010
compared to catastrophe losses of $1.5 million, or 0.5 points, in Third
Quarter 2009. Third Quarter 2010 catastrophe losses were driven
by four wind and thunderstorm events. Partially offsetting the
increases in losses was approximately $12 million, or 4.0 points, of
favorable casualty prior year development in Third Quarter 2010 compared
to approximately $8 million, or 2.7 points, in Third Quarter
2009. The development in Third Quarter 2010 was primarily due
to favorable results in our commercial automobile and general liability
lines, partially offset by adverse development in our workers compensation
line. The development in Third Quarter 2009 was primarily due
to favorable results in our 2006 and prior accident years for our general
liability line.
|
33
The
0.8-point increase in the GAAP loss and loss expense ratio in Nine Months 2010
compared to Nine Months 2009 was primarily attributable to: (i)
catastrophe losses of $35.7 million, or 4.0 points, in Nine Months 2010 compared
to catastrophe losses of $6.2 million, or 0.7 points, in Nine Months 2009; and
(ii) adverse loss trends in our workers’ compensation line of business in the
most recent accident year. Partially offsetting these increases was
favorable casualty prior year development of $33 million, or 3.8 points, in Nine
Months 2010, compared to favorable casualty prior year development of
approximately $21 million, or 2.3 points, in Nine Months 2009. The
development in Nine Months 2010 was primarily due to favorable results in our
commercial automobile and general liability lines, partially offset by adverse
prior year development in our workers compensation line. The
development in Nine Months 2009 was primarily due to favorable activity in our
workers’ compensation line of business for the 2007 and prior accident years
partially offset by unfavorable development in this line for the 2008 accident
year.
|
·
|
The
GAAP underwriting expense ratio increases in Third Quarter and Nine Months
2010 compared to the same periods last year were primarily attributable to
declines in premiums earned discussed
above.
|
The
following is a discussion of our most significant commercial lines of
business:
General
Liability
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPW
|
$ | 84,141 | 88,886 | (5 | )% | 257,188 | 281,119 | (9 | )% | |||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPE
|
83,249 | 88,280 | (6 | ) | 252,438 | 274,357 | (8 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Statutory
combined ratio
|
99.1 | % | 103.9 |
(4.8
|
)pts | 95.1 | % | 104.0 |
(8.9
|
)pts | ||||||||||||||
%
of total statutory commercial NPW
|
29 | % | 28 | 29 | % | 30 |
NPW for
this line of business decreased in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 compared
to the same periods last year as a result of the continued current economic
weakness and competitive nature of the insurance
marketplace. The decrease in Third Quarter 2010 was primarily
driven by: (i) net renewal decreases of $3.8 million, or 5%, to
$76.4 million; and (ii) new business decreases of $3.7 million, or 21%, to $13.8
million. In addition, endorsement and audit return premium
was $5.3 million compared to $8.0 million in Third Quarter 2009.
The NPW
decrease in Nine Months 2010 was primarily driven by: (i) net renewal
decreases of $12.5 million, or 5%, to $240.9 million; (ii) new business
decreases of $9.9 million, or 18%, to $45.3 million; and (iii) an increase in
endorsement and audit return premium of $21.4 million in Nine Months 2010,
compared to return premium of $20.9 million in the same period a year
ago. As of September 30, 2010, approximately 50% of this line of
business’s premium is subject to audit, whereby actual exposure units (usually
sales or payroll) are compared to estimates and a return premium, or additional
premium, transaction occurs.
The
decrease in the statutory combined ratio for Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010
compared to the same period in the prior year was driven by favorable prior year
reserve development in accident years 2008 and prior of approximately $5
million, or 6.2 points, in Third Quarter 2010 and $24 million, or 9.6 points, in
Nine Months 2010, compared to favorable prior year development of approximately
$4 million, or 4.5 points, in Third Quarter 2009 and favorable prior year
development of approximately $2 million, or 0.9 points, in Nine Months
2009.
34
Workers
Compensation
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPW
|
$ | 57,997 | 66,101 | (12 | )% | 187,540 | 202,973 | (8 | )% | |||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPE
|
61,179 | 64,742 | (6 | ) | 187,889 | 201,709 | (7 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Statutory
combined ratio
|
130.2 | % | 110.9 | 19.3 | pts | 124.4 | % | 101.2 | 23.2 | pts | ||||||||||||||
%
of total statutory commercial NPW
|
20 | % | 21 | 21 | % | 21 |
In Third
Quarter and Nine Months 2010, NPW on this line decreased compared to the same
periods last year, primarily driven by a reduction in exposure due to the soft
economy. This is reflected in: (i) net renewal decreases
of $7.2 million, or 11%, to $56.6 million in Third Quarter 2010, and $7.7
million, or 4%, to $182.8 million in Nine Months 2010; and (ii) new business
decreases of $3.3 million, or 24%, to $10.4 million in Third Quarter 2010,
and $13.6 million, or 27%, to $36.9 million in Nine Months
2010. These decreases were partially offset by: (i)
renewal pure price increases of 2.3% in Third Quarter 2010 compared to increases
of 1.6% in Third Quarter 2009, and increases of 2.2% in Nine Months 2010
compared to increases of 0.2% in Nine Months 2009; and (ii) endorsement and
audit return premium which was $7.6 million in Third Quarter 2010 and $26.1
million in Nine Months 2010, compared to $9.6 million and $30.2 million in Third
Quarter and Nine Months 2009, respectively.
The
increase in the statutory combined ratio of this line in Third Quarter and Nine
Months 2010 compared to the same periods last year reflect: (i)
unfavorable prior year reserve development of approximately $3 million, or 4.9
points, in Third Quarter 2010 and unfavorable prior year development of
approximately $17 million, or 9.0 points, in Nine Months 2010 compared to
favorable development of approximately $2 million, or 3.1 points, in Third
Quarter 2009 and favorable development of approximately $13 million, or 6.4
points, in Nine Months 2009; (ii) increased loss cost estimates in the current
accident year; and (iii) continued pressure on NPE driven by endorsement and
audit return premium.
The
unfavorable prior year reserve development in Third Quarter 2010 is primarily
associated with increased severity in the 2008 and 2009 accident
years. For Nine Months 2010, the prior year reserve development was
driven by favorable emergence in the 2007 and prior accident years.
Commercial
Automobile
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPW
|
$ | 75,425 | 80,183 | (6 | )% | 223,680 | 236,229 | (5 | )% | |||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPE
|
73,440 | 75,513 | (3 | ) | 220,932 | 226,698 | (3 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Statutory
combined ratio
|
83.3 | % | 98.5 | (15.2 | )pts | 87.4 | % | 97.9 | (10.5 | )pts | ||||||||||||||
%
of total statutory commercial NPW
|
26 | % | 26 | 25 | % | 25 |
The
decrease in NPW in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 compared to the same
periods last year was primarily driven by: (i) net renewals that
decreased by $3.5 million, or 5%, to $61.8 million in Third Quarter 2010 and
$9.6 million, or 5%, to $185.2 million in Nine Months 2010; and (ii) new
business decreases of $3.2 million, or 23%, to $10.3 million in Third Quarter
2010 and $6.2 million, or 15%, to $35.8 million in Nine Months 2010.
The
decrease in the statutory combined ratio for Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010
compared to the same periods last year was primarily driven by favorable
casualty prior year reserve development of approximately: (i) $11
million, or 14.3 points, in Third Quarter 2010, due to lower than anticipated
severity primarily in the 2008 and 2009 accident years; and (ii) $27 million, or
12.2 points, in Nine Months 2010, due to lower than anticipated severity
primarily in the 2005 through 2009 accident years. This is compared
to favorable casualty prior year development in Third Quarter 2009 of
approximately $2 million, or 2.6 points, and favorable casualty prior year
development of approximately $7 million, or 2.9 points, in Nine Months 2009, due
to favorable emergence in accident years 2007 and prior.
35
Commercial
Property
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPW
|
$ | 53,764 | 55,522 | (3 | )% | 153,405 | 155,972 | (2 | )% | |||||||||||||||
Statutory
NPE
|
49,558 | 49,879 | (1 | ) | 150,188 | 147,735 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
Statutory
combined ratio
|
90.2 | % | 81.2 |
9.0
|
Pts | 96.3 | % | 86.8 |
9.5
|
pts | ||||||||||||||
%
of total statutory commercial NPW
|
18 | % | 18 | 17 | % | 16 |
NPW
for this line of business decreased in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010
compared to Third Quarter and Nine Months 2009 due to new business premium
decreases of $2.8 million, or 24%, to $8.5 million in Third Quarter 2010, and
$6.5 million, or 19%, to $28.0 million in Nine Months 2010. These
decreases were partially offset by net renewal increases of
$1.1 million, or 2%, to $48.8 million in Third Quarter 2010, and
$3.7 million, or 3%, to $137.3 million in Nine Months 2010. These net
renewal increases were driven by renewal pure price increases of 1.9% in Third
Quarter 2010 compared to increases of 1.0% in Third Quarter 2009, and increases
of 2.2% in Nine Months 2010 compared to decreases of 0.2% in Nine Months
2009.
The
increase in the statutory combined ratio for Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010
compared to same periods last year was driven by an increase in catastrophe
losses of $4.4 million, or 9.0 points, to $5.6 million, in Third Quarter 2010,
and an increase of $25.0 million, or 16.6 points, to $29.4 million, in Nine
Months 2010. This increased level of catastrophe losses is due
largely to a high frequency of catastrophic events in our footprint area, the
most significant of which occurred in the first and second quarters of
2010. While Third Quarter 2010 catastrophe losses returned to more
normalized levels, the quarter included adverse development on some of the
earlier storms primarily related to hail damage. The catastrophe
losses in Nine Months 2010 were partially offset by decreases in non-catastrophe
property losses of $9.4 million, or 7.0 points.
36
Personal Lines
Results
Personal
Lines
|
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
GAAP
Insurance Operations Results:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPW
|
$ | 70,110 | 62,290 | 13 | % | 192,934 | 171,265 | 13 | % | |||||||||||||||
NPE
|
61,484 | 54,627 | 13 | 178,967 | 160,021 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
Less:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Losses
and loss expenses incurred
|
47,973 | 39,776 | 21 | 141,019 | 119,453 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net
underwriting expenses incurred
|
17,418 | 17,164 | 1 | 51,954 | 47,826 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
loss
|
$ | (3,907 | ) | (2,313 | ) | (69 | )% | (14,006 | ) | (7,258 | ) | (93 | )% | |||||||||||
GAAP
Ratios:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
and loss expense ratio
|
78.0 | % | 72.8 |
5.2
|
pts | 78.8 | % | 74.6 |
4.2
|
pts | ||||||||||||||
Underwriting
expense ratio
|
28.4 | % | 31.4 | (3.0 | ) | 29.0 | % | 29.9 | (0.9 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Combined
ratio
|
106.4 | % | 104.2 | 2.2 | 107.8 | % | 104.5 | 3.3 | ||||||||||||||||
Statutory
Ratios:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
and loss expense ratio
|
78.0 | % | 72.9 | 5.2 | 78.8 | % | 74.6 | 4.2 | ||||||||||||||||
Underwriting
expense ratio
|
25.2 | % | 28.9 | (3.8 | ) | 27.1 | % | 29.0 | (1.9 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Combined
ratio
|
103.2 | % | 101.8 |
1.4
|
pts | 105.9 | % | 103.6 |
2.3
|
pts |
|
·
|
NPW
increased in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010 compared to Third Quarter
and Nine Months 2009 primarily due
to:
|
|
o
|
32
rate increases, 26 of which are 5% or more, that went into effect across
our Personal Lines footprint during Nine Months 2010 and are expected to
generate an additional $13.6 million in annual
premium;
|
|
o
|
New
business direct premium written increases of $0.6 million, or 4%, to $16.4
million for Third Quarter 2010 and $7.1 million, or 18%, to $46.9 million
for Nine Months 2010; and
|
|
o
|
Net
renewal direct premium written increases of $7.0 million, or 15%, to $54.8
million for Third Quarter 2010 and $13.6 million, or 10%, to $150.2
million for Nine Months 2010, which includes a policy retention increase
of three points, to 82%, in Nine Months
2010.
|
|
·
|
NPE
increases in Third Quarter and Nine Months 2010, compared to the same
periods last year, are consistent with the fluctuation in NPW for the
12-month period ended September 30, 2010 as compared to the 12-month
period ended September 30, 2009.
|
|
·
|
The
5.2-point increase in the GAAP loss and loss expense ratio in Third
Quarter 2010 compared to Third Quarter 2009 was primarily attributable to
increased property losses of $7.7 million, or 9.3 points, which included
an increase in catastrophe losses of $4.5 million, or 7.2 points, driven
by several wind and thunderstorm events. This was partially
offset by premium earned outpacing loss
costs.
|
The
4.2-point increase in the GAAP loss and loss expense ratio for Nine Months 2010
compared to Nine Months 2009 was attributable to an increase in catastrophe
losses of $14.1 million, or 7.7 points. This increase was partially
offset by premium earned outpacing loss costs.
|
·
|
The
decrease in the GAAP underwriting expense ratio in Third Quarter and Nine
Months 2010 compared to Third Quarter and Nine Months 2009 was
attributable to an increase in premiums that has outpaced increases in
underwriting expenses.
|
37
We
continue to work to achieve the necessary rate increases across our footprint
states to improve profitability. In addition, our strategy on this
line includes: (i) writing new policies in our expansion states; (ii)
continued diversification in our territory structure; and (iii) providing the
excellent service that our policyholders and agents demand. The rate
increases that we anticipate obtaining in 2010 are expected to generate an
additional $14.9 million in annual premium. Policy retention continues to
be positive, despite increases to our rates over the past several years.
We believe that this increase in policy retention reflects the hardening of the
personal lines market as well as: (i) the ability of our pricing
tools to comprehensively analyze where rate increases are appropriate; and (ii)
our strategy to obtain high retention, low frequency accounts in our core book
of business.
Reinsurance
We have
successfully completed negotiations of our July 1, 2010 excess of loss treaties
with highlights as follows:
Property Excess of
Loss
The
Property Excess of Loss treaty (“Property Treaty”) was renewed with the same
terms as the expiring treaty providing for per risk coverage of $28.0 million in
excess of a $2.0 million retention.
|
·
|
The
per occurrence cap on the total program is $64.0
million.
|
|
·
|
The
first layer continues to have unlimited reinstatements. The annual
aggregate limit for the second, $20.0 million in excess of $10.0 million,
layer remains at $80.0 million.
|
|
·
|
Consistent
with the prior year treaty, the Property Treaty excludes nuclear,
biological, chemical, and radiological terrorism
losses.
|
|
·
|
The
renewal treaty rate decreased by
2%.
|
Casualty Excess of
Loss
The
Casualty Excess of Loss treaty (“Casualty Treaty”) was renewed with the same
terms as the expiring treaty providing the following per occurrence
coverage:
|
·
|
The
first layer provides coverage for 85% of up to $3.0 million in excess of a
$2.0 million retention.
|
|
·
|
The
next five layers provide coverage for 100% of up to $85.0 million in
excess of $5.0 million.
|
|
·
|
Consistent
with the prior year, the Casualty Treaty excludes nuclear, biological,
chemical, and radiological terrorism losses. Annual aggregate
terrorism limits, net of co-participation, remained the same at $198.8
million.
|
|
·
|
The
renewal treaty rate increased by
9%.
|
38
Investments
Overall
market expectations for U.S. growth have been revised downward from earlier in
the year and unemployment is expected to be a concern over the next several
years. In spite of this economic news, valuations in our overall
investment portfolio have improved during Nine Months 2010.
Credit
quality of our fixed maturity securities portfolio remains high, with an average
S&P rating of “AA.” This is primarily due to the large allocation
of the fixed maturity securities portfolio to high-quality municipal bonds,
agency residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), and government and
agency obligations. Although we maintain a high-quality municipal
bond portfolio at an average S&P rating of “AA”, we continue to closely
monitor this portfolio given the general uncertainty about states and
municipalities and the ability of such issuers to fulfill their obligations in
light of ongoing budget constraints. In addition, we are currently
diversifying into investment-grade corporate bonds as part of our overall
investment strategy due to the currently more attractive risk/return
characteristics of this sector. Our recent increased allocation to
corporate bonds reduced the overall portfolio S&P rating in Third Quarter
2010 from “AA+.” Exposure to non-investment grade bonds represents
only 1% of the total fixed maturity securities portfolio. We have 20
non-investment grade rated securities in the investment portfolio with a total
fair value of $37.2 million and an unrealized/unrecognized loss balance of $2.9
million as of September 30, 2010.
In early
2010, we decided to outsource our investment management operations to two
external investment managers. This transition was successfully
completed and is now fully operational. This outsourcing does not
indicate a change to our overall investment strategy, only a change in the
execution model. We expect to benefit from broader sector-specific
knowledge, advanced risk management tools, and greater flexibility in trade
execution.
Our
investment philosophy includes certain return and risk objectives for the fixed
maturity securities and equity portfolios. The primary objective of
the fixed maturity securities portfolio return is to maximize after-tax
investment yield and income while balancing risk. A secondary
objective is to meet or exceed a weighted-average benchmark of public fixed
income indices. The equity portfolio return objective is to meet or
exceed a weighted-average benchmark of public equity indices while balancing
risk. Although yield and income generation remain the key drivers to
our investment strategy, our overall philosophy is to invest with a long-term
horizon along with a “buy-and-hold” principle.
The
following table presents information regarding our investment
portfolio:
Quarter
ended
|
Change
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Change
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
%
or
|
September
30,
|
%
or
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
2010
|
2009
|
Points
|
||||||||||||||||||
Total
invested assets
|
$ | 3,970,634 | 3,766,696 | 5 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Net
investment income – before tax
|
$ | 32,986 | 36,585 | (10 | )% | 104,237 | 78,670 | 32 | ||||||||||||||||
Net
investment income – after tax
|
25,305 | 28,382 | (11 | ) | 80,058 | 65,392 | 22 | |||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
gain during the period – before tax
|
45,704 | 46,528 | (2 | ) | 90,126 | 139,279 | (35 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
gain during the period – after tax
|
29,708 | 30,243 | (2 | ) | 58,582 | 90,531 | (35 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net
realized gains (losses) – before tax
|
57 | (4,983 | ) | 101 | (3,271 | ) | (40,302 | ) | 92 | |||||||||||||||
Net
realized gains (losses) – after tax
|
37 | (3,239 | ) | 101 | (2,126 | ) | (26,197 | ) | 92 | |||||||||||||||
Effective
tax rate
|
23.3 | % | 22.4 |
0.9
|
pts | 23.2 | % | 16.9 |
6.3
|
pts | ||||||||||||||
Annual
after-tax yield on fixed maturity securities
|
2.8 | % | 3.4 | (0.6 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Annual
after-tax yield on investment portfolio
|
2.8 | % | 2.4 | 0.4 |
39
Total Invested
Assets
Our
investment portfolio totaled $4.0 billion at September 30, 2010, an increase of
5% compared to September 30, 2009. This increase was driven primarily by cash
flows generated from insurance operations and valuation improvements within the
fixed maturity securities portfolio, which resulted in an $89.0 million
improvement in unrealized gains, bringing the portfolio from a $38.2 million
gain position at September 30, 2009 to an $127.2 million gain position at
September 30, 2010.
Our
investment portfolio consists primarily of fixed maturity investments (88%), but
also contains short-term investments (7%), other investments (4%), and equity
securities (1%). We structure our portfolio conservatively with a
focus on: (i) asset diversification; (ii) investment quality; (iii)
liquidity, particularly to meet the cash obligations of our Insurance Operations
segment; (iv) consideration of taxes; and (v) preservation of
capital. We believe that we have a high quality and liquid investment
portfolio. The duration of the fixed maturity securities portfolio as
of September 30, 2010, including short-term investments, was an average of 3.5
years compared to the Insurance Subsidiaries’ liability duration of
approximately 3.6 years, which was relatively consistent with the prior
year. The current duration of the fixed maturity securities portfolio
is within our historical range, and is monitored and managed to maximize yield
and limit interest rate risk. We manage liquidity with a laddered
maturity structure and an appropriate level of short-term investments to avoid
liquidation of available-for-sale (“AFS”) fixed maturities in the ordinary
course of business. We typically have a long investment time horizon
and every purchase or sale is made with the intent of improving future
investment returns while balancing capital preservation.
As of
September 30, 2010, alternative investments represented 4% of our total invested
assets. In addition to the capital that we have already invested to
date, we are contractually obligated to invest up to an additional $92.1 million
in these alternative investments through commitments that currently expire at
various dates through 2023. See Note 6. “Investments” in Item 1.
“Financial Statements” of this Form 10-Q and Note 5. “Investments” in Item 8.
“Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual Report for
quantitative data on our alternative investments portfolio by
strategy.
As
mentioned above, our fixed maturity securities portfolio carries a weighted
average credit rating of “AA” despite ratings migration over the past year due
to general economic conditions and our recent heavier allocation to
investment-grade corporate bonds. The following table presents the
credit ratings of our fixed maturity securities portfolio:
Fixed Maturity
|
September
30,
|
December
31,
|
||||||
Security Rating
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||
Aaa/AAA
|
48 | % | 57 | % | ||||
Aa/AA
|
25 | % | 25 | % | ||||
A/A
|
21 | % | 14 | % | ||||
Baa/BBB
|
5 | % | 3 | % | ||||
Ba/BB
or below
|
1 | % | 1 | % | ||||
Total
|
100 | % | 100 | % |
To manage
and mitigate exposure to losses, we and our external investment managers analyze
our mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) both at the time of purchase and as part
of the ongoing portfolio evaluation. This analysis may include loan
level reviews of average FICO® scores, loan-to-value
ratios, geographic spread of the assets securing the bond, delinquencies in
payments for the underlying mortgages, gains/losses on sales, evaluations of
projected cash flows under various economic and default scenarios, as well as
other information that aids in determining the health of the underlying
assets. Other considerations include the overall credit environment,
economic conditions, total projected return on the investment, and overall asset
allocation of the portfolio in our decisions to purchase or sell structured
securities. For additional information regarding credit risk
associated with our portfolio, see Item 7A. “Quantitative and Qualitative
Disclosures About Market Risk.” in our 2009 Annual Report.
40
The
following table summarizes the fair value, unrealized gain (loss) balances, and
the weighted average credit qualities of our AFS fixed maturity securities at
September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009:
September
30, 2010
|
December
31, 2009
|
|||||||||||||||||
Average
|
Average
|
|||||||||||||||||
Fair
|
Unrealized
|
Credit
|
Fair
|
Unrealized
|
Credit
|
|||||||||||||
($ in millions)
|
Value
|
Gain (Loss)
|
Quality
|
Value
|
Gain (Loss)
|
Quality
|
||||||||||||
AFS
Fixed Maturity Portfolio:
|
||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government obligations1
|
$ | 330.6 | 11.9 |
AAA
|
$ | 475.6 | 1.8 |
AAA
|
||||||||||
Foreign
government obligations
|
8.5 | 0.6 |
AA-
|
- | - |
-
|
||||||||||||
State
and municipal obligations
|
480.3 | 33.6 |
AA+
|
379.8 | 20.3 |
AA+
|
||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
869.5 | 48.5 |
A+
|
379.6 | 14.1 |
A+
|
||||||||||||
MBS
|
402.1 | 13.1 |
AA+
|
382.9 | (17.1 | ) |
AA+
|
|||||||||||
Asset-backed
securities (“ABS”)
|
24.0 | 0.7 |
AA+
|
18.0 | 0.3 |
AA+
|
||||||||||||
Total
AFS fixed maturity portfolio
|
$ | 2,115.0 | 108.4 |
AA
|
$ | 1,635.9 | 19.4 |
AA+
|
||||||||||
State
and Municipal Obligations:
|
||||||||||||||||||
General
obligations
|
$ | 281.8 | 19.5 |
AA+
|
$ | 222.6 | 11.0 |
AA+
|
||||||||||
Special
revenue obligations
|
198.5 | 14.1 |
A+
|
157.2 | 9.3 |
AA+
|
||||||||||||
Total
state and municipal obligations
|
$ | 480.3 | 33.6 |
AA+
|
$ | 379.8 | 20.3 |
AA+
|
||||||||||
Corporate
Securities:
|
||||||||||||||||||
Financial
|
$ | 261.7 | 11.5 |
A+
|
$ | 67.4 | 3.0 |
AA-
|
||||||||||
Industrials
|
74.1 | 6.2 |
A-
|
46.6 | 2.2 |
A
|
||||||||||||
Utilities
|
49.7 | 2.4 |
A-
|
18.9 | 0.9 |
A-
|
||||||||||||
Consumer
discretion
|
70.2 | 3.9 |
A
|
26.3 | 1.3 |
A-
|
||||||||||||
Consumer
staples
|
87.2 | 5.0 |
A-
|
51.6 | 1.4 |
A
|
||||||||||||
Healthcare
|
132.1 | 8.7 |
AA-
|
52.8 | 1.7 |
AA-
|
||||||||||||
Materials
|
45.3 | 2.5 |
A-
|
20.7 | 0.8 |
A-
|
||||||||||||
Energy
|
39.9 | 2.4 |
A+
|
42.4 | 1.3 |
AA-
|
||||||||||||
Information
technology
|
47.8 | 2.0 |
A+
|
10.8 | 0.1 |
AA
|
||||||||||||
Telecommunications
services
|
37.5 | 1.5 |
A
|
14.6 | 0.5 |
A
|
||||||||||||
Other
|
24.0 | 2.4 |
A
|
27.5 | 0.9 |
A
|
||||||||||||
Total
corporate securities
|
$ | 869.5 | 48.5 |
A+
|
$ | 379.6 | 14.1 |
A+
|
||||||||||
MBS:
|
||||||||||||||||||
Government
guaranteed agency CMBS
|
$ | 74.7 | 5.7 |
AAA
|
$ | 94.6 | 1.1 |
AAA
|
||||||||||
Non-agency
CMBS
|
27.3 | (2.0 | ) |
A-
|
9.0 | 0.1 |
AA-
|
|||||||||||
Government
guaranteed agency RMBS
|
93.6 | 3.4 |
AAA
|
105.2 | 0.1 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||
Other
agency RMBS
|
160.2 | 7.4 |
AAA
|
119.8 | 1.9 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||
Non-agency
RMBS
|
36.0 | (1.1 | ) |
A-
|
30.2 | (12.8 | ) |
A-
|
||||||||||
Alternative-A
(“Alt-A”) RMBS
|
10.3 | (0.3 | ) |
AAA
|
24.1 | (7.5 | ) |
A-
|
||||||||||
Total
MBS
|
$ | 402.1 | 13.1 |
AA+
|
$ | 382.9 | (17.1 | ) |
AA+
|
|||||||||
ABS:
|
||||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
$ | 23.1 | 0.9 |
AAA
|
$ | 18.0 | 0.3 |
AA+
|
||||||||||
Sub
prime ABS2,
3
|
0.9 | (0.2 | ) |
D
|
- | - |
-
|
|||||||||||
Total
ABS
|
$ | 24.0 | 0.7 |
AA+
|
$ | 18.0 | 0.3 |
AA+
|
1 U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the Federal
Depositary Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).
2 We
define sub-prime exposure as exposure to direct and indirect investments in
non-agency residential mortgages with average FICO®
scores below 650.
3 Subprime
ABS includes one security which is currently expected to default on its
obligations according to the rating agencies.
41
The
following tables provide information regarding our held-to-maturity (“HTM”)
fixed maturity securities and their credit qualities at September 30, 2010 and
December 31, 2009:
September 30, 2010
($ in millions)
|
Fair
Value
|
Carry
Value
|
Unrecognized
Holding Gain
(Loss)
|
Unrealized
Gain (Loss) in
Accumulated
OCI
|
Total
Unrealized/
Unrecognized
Gain (Loss)
|
Average
Credit
Quality
|
|||||||||||||||
HTM
Portfolio:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government obligations1
|
$ | 107.1 | 99.6 | 7.5 | 4.9 | 12.4 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||||
State
and municipal obligations
|
1,058.6 | 1,020.5 | 38.1 | 25.0 | 63.1 |
AA-
|
|||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
94.1 | 83.2 | 10.9 | (4.0 | ) | 6.9 |
A-
|
||||||||||||||
MBS
|
167.5 | 157.8 | 9.7 | (4.5 | ) | 5.2 |
AA+
|
||||||||||||||
ABS
|
12.8 | 11.6 | 1.2 | (2.6 | ) | (1.4 | ) |
A
|
|||||||||||||
Total
HTM portfolio
|
$ | 1,440.1 | 1,372.7 | 67.4 | 18.8 | 86.2 |
AA-
|
||||||||||||||
State
and Municipal Obligations:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
General
obligations
|
$ | 286.1 | 277.2 | 8.9 | 11.2 | 20.1 |
AA-
|
||||||||||||||
Special
revenue obligations
|
772.5 | 743.3 | 29.2 | 13.8 | 43.0 |
AA-
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
state and municipal obligations
|
$ | 1,058.6 | 1,020.5 | 38.1 | 25.0 | 63.1 |
AA-
|
||||||||||||||
Corporate
Securities:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Financial
|
$ | 29.4 | 25.4 | 4.0 | (2.4 | ) | 1.6 |
BBB+
|
|||||||||||||
Industrials
|
23.1 | 19.3 | 3.8 | (1.3 | ) | 2.5 |
BBB+
|
||||||||||||||
Utilities
|
17.6 | 16.2 | 1.4 | (0.1 | ) | 1.3 |
A-
|
||||||||||||||
Consumer
discretion
|
12.8 | 12.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
A+
|
|||||||||||||||
Consumer
staples
|
5.4 | 4.9 | 0.5 | (0.1 | ) | 0.4 |
A
|
||||||||||||||
Materials
|
2.2 | 1.9 | 0.3 | (0.1 | ) | 0.2 |
BBB-
|
||||||||||||||
Energy
|
3.6 | 3.3 | 0.3 | (0.2 | ) | 0.1 |
BBB-
|
||||||||||||||
Total
corporate securities
|
$ | 94.1 | 83.2 | 10.9 | (4.0 | ) | 6.9 |
A-
|
|||||||||||||
MBS:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Government
guaranteed agency CMBS
|
$ | 10.2 | 9.9 | 0.3 | - | 0.3 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||||
Other
agency CMBS
|
3.6 | 3.6 | - | - | - |
AA
|
|||||||||||||||
Non-agency
CMBS
|
50.5 | 44.8 | 5.7 | (6.0 | ) | (0.3 | ) |
AA+
|
|||||||||||||
Government
guaranteed agency RMBS
|
4.4 | 4.0 | 0.4 | - | 0.4 |
AA
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
agency RMBS
|
98.7 | 95.4 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 4.8 |
AA
|
|||||||||||||||
Non-agency
RMBS
|
0.1 | 0.1 | - | - | - |
AA
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
MBS
|
$ | 167.5 | 157.8 | 9.7 | (4.5 | ) | 5.2 |
AA+
|
|||||||||||||
ABS:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
$ | 9.9 | 9.1 | 0.8 | (1.1 | ) | (0.3 | ) |
A
|
||||||||||||
Alt-A
ABS
|
2.9 | 2.5 | 0.4 | (1.5 | ) | (1.1 | ) |
A+
|
|||||||||||||
Total
ABS
|
$ | 12.8 | 11.6 | 1.2 | (2.6 | ) | (1.4 | ) |
A
|
42
December 31, 2009
($ in millions)
|
Fair
Value
|
Carry
Value
|
Unrecognized
Holding Gain
(Loss)
|
Unrealized Gain
(Loss) in
Accumulated
OCI
|
Total
Unrealized/
Unrecognized
Gain (Loss)
|
Average
Credit
Quality
|
|||||||||||||||
HTM
Portfolio:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government obligations1
|
$ | 146.0 | 144.8 | 1.2 | 5.6 | 6.8 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||||
State
and municipal obligations
|
1,210.8 | 1,201.4 | 9.4 | 33.9 | 43.3 |
AA
|
|||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
107.5 | 98.8 | 8.7 | (6.0 | ) | 2.7 |
A-
|
||||||||||||||
MBS
|
245.7 | 239.1 | 6.6 | (17.9 | ) | (11.3 | ) |
AA+
|
|||||||||||||
ABS
|
30.2 | 26.3 | 3.9 | (5.7 | ) | (1.8 | ) |
AA-
|
|||||||||||||
Total
HTM portfolio
|
$ | 1,740.2 | 1,710.4 | 29.8 | 9.9 | 39.7 |
AA+
|
||||||||||||||
State
and Municipal Obligations:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
General
obligations
|
$ | 301.5 | 300.8 | 0.7 | 14.7 | 15.4 |
AA+
|
||||||||||||||
Special
revenue obligations
|
909.3 | 900.6 | 8.7 | 19.2 | 27.9 |
AA
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
state and municipal obligations
|
$ | 1,210.8 | 1,201.4 | 9.4 | 33.9 | 43.3 |
AA
|
||||||||||||||
Corporate
Securities:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Financial
|
$ | 35.4 | 31.8 | 3.6 | (4.0 | ) | (0.4 | ) |
A
|
||||||||||||
Industrials
|
29.1 | 25.7 | 3.4 | (2.0 | ) | 1.4 |
A-
|
||||||||||||||
Utilities
|
16.5 | 16.3 | 0.2 | (0.1 | ) | 0.1 |
A-
|
||||||||||||||
Consumer
discretion
|
6.3 | 6.0 | 0.3 | - | 0.3 |
BBB+
|
|||||||||||||||
Consumer
staples
|
14.6 | 13.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 |
AA-
|
|||||||||||||||
Materials
|
2.1 | 1.9 | 0.2 | (0.1 | ) | 0.1 |
BBB-
|
||||||||||||||
Energy
|
3.5 | 3.2 | 0.3 | (0.3 | ) | - |
BB+
|
||||||||||||||
Total
corporate securities
|
$ | 107.5 | 98.8 | 8.7 | (6.0 | ) | 2.7 |
A-
|
|||||||||||||
MBS
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Government
guaranteed agency CMBS
|
$ | 11.1 | 10.8 | 0.3 | - | 0.3 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||||
Other
agency CMBS
|
3.8 | 3.8 | - | 0.1 | 0.1 |
AAA
|
|||||||||||||||
Non-agency
CMBS
|
80.5 | 77.1 | 3.4 | (19.2 | ) | (15.8 | ) |
AA+
|
|||||||||||||
Government
guaranteed agency RMBS
|
4.2 | 3.9 | 0.3 | (0.2 | ) | 0.1 |
AAA
|
||||||||||||||
Other
agency RMBS
|
140.2 | 137.7 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 5.0 |
AAA
|
|||||||||||||||
Non-agency
RMBS
|
5.9 | 5.8 | 0.1 | (1.1 | ) | (1.0 | ) |
AAA
|
|||||||||||||
Total
MBS
|
$ | 245.7 | 239.1 | 6.6 | (17.9 | ) | (11.3 | ) |
AA+
|
||||||||||||
ABS:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
$ | 27.3 | 24.3 | 3.0 | (4.8 | ) | (1.8 | ) |
AA
|
||||||||||||
Alt-A
ABS
|
1.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | (0.5 | ) | 0.3 |
CC
|
||||||||||||||
Sub-prime
ABS2
|
1.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | (0.4 | ) | (0.3 | ) |
A
|
|||||||||||||
Total
ABS
|
$ | 30.2 | 26.3 | 3.9 | (5.7 | ) | (1.8 | ) |
AA-
|
1U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the
FDIC.
2 We
define sub-prime exposure as exposure to direct and indirect investments in
non-agency residential mortgages with average FICO®
scores below 650.
A portion
of our AFS and HTM municipal bonds contain insurance
enhancements. The following table provides information regarding
these insurance-enhanced securities as of September 30, 2010:
Insurers
of Municipal Bond Securities
|
Ratings
|
Ratings
|
|||||
with
|
without
|
||||||
($
in thousands)
|
Fair
Value
|
Insurance
|
Insurance
|
||||
National
Public Finance Guarantee Corporation, a subsidiary of MBIA,
Inc.
|
$ | 400,411 |
AA-
|
A+
|
|||
Assured
Guaranty
|
257,453 |
AA+
|
AA-
|
||||
Ambac
Financial Group, Inc.
|
107,870 |
AA-
|
AA-
|
||||
Other
|
21,523 |
AA
|
AA-
|
||||
Total
|
$ | 787,257 |
AA
|
AA-
|
43
The
following table details the top 10 state exposures of the municipal bond portion
of our fixed maturity securities portfolio at September 30, 2010:
State
Exposures of Municipal Bonds
|
General
|
Special
|
Fair
|
Average
Credit
|
|||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Obligation
|
Revenue
|
Value
|
Quality
|
|||||||||
Texas
|
$ | 109,945 | 65,549 | 175,494 |
AA
|
||||||||
Washington
|
48,679 | 47,407 | 96,086 |
A+
|
|||||||||
Florida
|
515 | 82,404 | 82,919 |
A+
|
|||||||||
Arizona
|
7,071 | 70,483 | 77,554 |
AA
|
|||||||||
North
Carolina
|
42,567 | 28,930 | 71,497 |
AA+
|
|||||||||
New
York
|
- | 70,463 | 70,463 |
AA+
|
|||||||||
Illinois
|
20,865 | 46,612 | 67,477 |
AA
|
|||||||||
Ohio
|
21,579 | 38,318 | 59,897 |
AA
|
|||||||||
Colorado
|
36,040 | 23,331 | 59,371 |
A+
|
|||||||||
Other
|
251,384 | 452,121 | 703,505 |
AA
|
|||||||||
$ | 538,645 | 925,618 | 1,464,263 |
AA
|
|||||||||
Advanced
refunded/escrowed to maturity bonds
|
29,250 | 45,420 | 74,670 |
AA
|
|||||||||
Total
|
$ | 567,895 | 971,038 | 1,538,933 |
AA
|
Special
revenue fixed income securities of municipalities (referred to as “special
revenue bonds”) generally do not have the “full faith and credit” backing of the
municipal or state governments, as do general obligation bonds, but special
revenue bonds have a dedicated revenue stream for repayment which can, in many
instances, provide a higher quality credit profile than general obligation
bonds. As such, we believe our special revenue bond portfolio is
appropriate for the current environment. The following table provides
further quantitative details on our special revenue bonds:
September 30, 2010
($ in thousands)
|
Market
Value
|
% of Special
Revenue
Bonds
|
Average
Rating
|
||||||
Essential
Services:
|
|||||||||
Transportation
|
$ | 194,474 | 21 | % |
AA-
|
||||
Water
and Sewer
|
179,973 | 19 | % |
AA
|
|||||
Electric
|
109,244 | 12 | % |
AA-
|
|||||
Total
Essential Services
|
483,691 | 52 | % |
AA
|
|||||
Education
|
144,444 | 16 | % |
AA
|
|||||
Special
Tax
|
116,898 | 13 | % |
AA-
|
|||||
Housing
|
83,827 | 9 | % |
AA-
|
|||||
Other:
|
|||||||||
Leasing
|
35,655 | 4 | % |
AA
|
|||||
Hospital
|
20,122 | 2 | % |
A+
|
|||||
Other
|
40,981 | 4 | % |
AA-
|
|||||
Total
Other
|
96,758 | 10 | % |
AA-
|
|||||
Total
Special Revenue Bonds
|
$ | 925,618 | 100 | % |
AA-
|
For
details regarding our special revenue bond sectors, see Item 7A. “Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.” of our 2009 Annual
Report.
44
Net Investment
Income
Net
investment income, before tax, decreased by $3.6 million for Third Quarter 2010
compared to Third Quarter 2009, and increased by $25.6 million for Nine Months
2010 compared to Nine Months 2009. For Third Quarter 2010, the
decrease was primarily driven by a $3.0 million decrease in income on our fixed
maturity securities due to lower yields as compared to the prior
year. The improvement in Nine Months 2010 was primarily attributable
to an increase in income on the alternative investment portion of our other
investment portfolio compared to a loss on these investments in the comparable
period during 2009, partially offset by: (i) lower fixed maturity
reinvestment yields; and (ii) increased investment expense related to severance
payments as a result of our decision to outsource the management of our
investment portfolio.
Our
alternative investments, which are accounted for under the equity method,
primarily consist of investments in limited partnerships, the majority of which
report results to us on a one quarter lag. The improvement in the
returns on these investments is reflective of improved equity and credit
markets, as well as increased stability in the financial markets.
Realized Gains and
Losses
Realized Gains and Losses
(excluding OTTI)
Realized
gains and losses, by type of security excluding OTTI charges, are determined on
the basis of the cost of specific investments sold and are credited or charged
to income. The components of net realized losses at September 30 were
as follows:
Quarter
ended
|
Nine
Months ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
HTM
fixed maturity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
$ | 123 | 81 | 535 | 219 | |||||||||||
Losses
|
(296 | ) | (236 | ) | (746 | ) | (530 | ) | ||||||||
AFS
fixed maturity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
2,961 | 4,154 | 7,743 | 17,752 | ||||||||||||
Losses
|
(15 | ) | (4,441 | ) | (7,604 | ) | (13,400 | ) | ||||||||
AFS
equity securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
912 | 551 | 15,086 | 29,257 | ||||||||||||
Losses
|
(821 | ) | - | (1,054 | ) | (27,744 | ) | |||||||||
Other
Investments
|
||||||||||||||||
Gains
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Losses
|
- | (850 | ) | - | (2,039 | ) | ||||||||||
Total
other net realized investment gains (losses)
|
2,864 | (741 | ) | 13,960 | 3,515 | |||||||||||
Total
OTTI charges recognized in earnings
|
(2,807 | ) | (4,242 | ) | (17,231 | ) | (43,817 | ) | ||||||||
Total
net realized gains (losses)
|
$ | 57 | (4,983 | ) | (3,271 | ) | (40,302 | ) |
45
The
following table presents the period of time that securities sold at a loss were
continuously in an unrealized loss position prior to sale:
Period
of Time in an
|
Quarter
ended
|
Quarter
ended
|
||||||||||||||
Unrealized
Loss Position
|
September
30, 2010
|
September
30, 2009
|
||||||||||||||
Fair
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||||
Value
on
|
Realized
|
Value
on
|
Realized
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Sale Date
|
Loss
|
Sale Date
|
Loss
|
||||||||||||
Fixed
maturities:
|
||||||||||||||||
0 –
6 months
|
$ | - | - | 9,119 | 4,200 | |||||||||||
7 –
12 months
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Greater
than 12 months
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturities
|
- | - | 9,119 | 4,200 | ||||||||||||
Equities:
|
||||||||||||||||
0 –
6 months
|
6,326 | 332 | - | - | ||||||||||||
7 –
12 months
|
3,173 | 489 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Total
equity securities
|
9,499 | 821 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Total
|
$ | 9,499 | 821 | 9,119 | 4,200 |
Period
of Time in an
|
Nine
Months ended
|
Nine
Months ended
|
||||||||||||||
Unrealized
Loss Position
|
September
30, 2010
|
September
30, 2009
|
||||||||||||||
Fair
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||||
Value
on
|
Realized
|
Value
on
|
Realized
|
|||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Sale Date
|
Loss
|
Sale Date
|
Loss
|
||||||||||||
Fixed
maturities:
|
||||||||||||||||
0 –
6 months
|
$ | 11,462 | 463 | 53,284 | 6,660 | |||||||||||
7 –
12 months
|
- | - | 38,292 | 3,424 | ||||||||||||
Greater
than 12 months
|
10,257 | 7,098 | 36,418 | 3,247 | ||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturities
|
21,719 | 7,561 | 127,994 | 13,331 | ||||||||||||
Equities:
|
||||||||||||||||
0 –
6 months
|
10,454 | 565 | 27,313 | 20,308 | ||||||||||||
7 –
12 months
|
3,173 | 489 | 8,230 | 7,436 | ||||||||||||
Total
equity securities
|
13,627 | 1,054 | 35,543 | 27,744 | ||||||||||||
Other
investments
|
||||||||||||||||
7 –
12 months
|
- | - | 4,816 | 1,189 | ||||||||||||
Total
other investments
|
- | - | 4,816 | 1,189 | ||||||||||||
Total
|
$ | 35,346 | 8,615 | 168,353 | 42,264 |
For a
discussion of realized gains and losses, see Note 6. “Investments” in Item 1.
“Financial Statements” of this Form 10-Q.
46
Other-than-Temporary
Impairments
The
following table provides information regarding our OTTI charges recognized in
earnings:
Quarter
ended
|
Nine
Months ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
HTM
securities
|
||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
$ | - | 68 | 31 | 2,421 | |||||||||||
CMBS
|
90 | - | 4,215 | 711 | ||||||||||||
RMBS
|
102 | - | 419 | - | ||||||||||||
Total
HTM securities
|
192 | 68 | 4,665 | 3,132 | ||||||||||||
AFS
securities
|
||||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
- | - | - | 1,270 | ||||||||||||
CMBS
|
781 | - | 2,153 | - | ||||||||||||
RMBS
|
9 | 3,882 | 7,916 | 37,677 | ||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity AFS securities
|
790 | 3,882 | 10,069 | 38,947 | ||||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
1,825 | 292 | 2,497 | 1,738 | ||||||||||||
Total
AFS securities
|
2,615 | 4,174 | 12,566 | 40,685 | ||||||||||||
Total
OTTI charges recognized in earnings
|
$ | 2,807 | 4,242 | 17,231 | 43,817 |
We
regularly review our entire investment portfolio for declines in fair
value. If we believe that a decline in the value of a particular
investment is other than temporary, we record it as an OTTI through realized
losses in earnings for the credit-related portion and through unrealized losses
in other comprehensive income (“OCI”) for the non-credit related
portion. If there is a decline in fair value of an equity security
that we do not intend to hold, or if we determine the decline is other than
temporary, we write down the cost of the investment to fair value and record the
charge through earnings as a component of realized losses.
For
discussion of our OTTI methodology, see Note 2. “Summary of Significant
Accounting Policies” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”
of our 2009 Annual Report. In addition, for significant inputs used
to measure OTTI and qualitative information regarding these charges, see Note 6.
“Investments,” included in Item 1. “Financial Statements” of this Form
10-Q.
47
Unrealized/Unrecognized
Losses
The
following table summarizes the aggregate fair value and gross pre-tax
unrealized/unrecognized losses recorded, by asset class and by length of time,
for all securities that have continuously been in an unrealized/unrecognized
loss position at September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009:
September
30, 2010
|
0 – 6 months
|
7 – 11 months
|
12 months or longer 1
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Fair Value
|
Net
Unrecognized
Unrealized
Losses
|
Fair Value
|
Net
Unrecognized
Unrealized
Losses
|
Fair Value
|
Net
Unrecognized
Unrealized
Losses
|
||||||||||||||||||
AFS securities
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
$ | 505 | (5 | ) | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
41,792 | (113 | ) | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
- | - | - | - | 933 | (218 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
CMBS
|
- | - | - | - | 11,048 | (3,079 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
RMBS
|
24,297 | (109 | ) | - | - | 30,116 | (1,608 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
66,594 | (227 | ) | - | - | 42,097 | (4,905 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||
Subtotal
|
$ | 66,594 | (227 | ) | - | - | 42,097 | (4,905 | ) | |||||||||||||||
HTM securities
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
$ | 4,105 | (7 | ) | 1,474 | (8 | ) | 33,546 | (1,104 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
- | - | - | - | 5,872 | (153 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
534 | (961 | ) | - | - | 6,723 | (702 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
CMBS
|
3,640 | (2 | ) | - | - | 5,510 | (3,330 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
RMBS
|
- | - | - | - | 94 | (39 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Subtotal
|
$ | 8,279 | (970 | ) | 1,474 | (8 | ) | 51,745 | (5,328 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total
AFS and HTM
|
$ | 74,873 | (1,197 | ) | 1,474 | (8 | ) | 93,842 | (10,233 | ) |
48
December 31, 2009
|
0 – 6 months
|
7 – 11 months1
|
12 months or longer 1
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Fair
Value
|
Net
Unrecognized
Unrealized
Losses
|
Fair
Value
|
Net
Unrecognized
Unrealized
Losses
|
Fair
Value
|
Net
Unrecognized
Unrealized
Losses
|
||||||||||||||||||
AFS securities
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies2
|
$ | 187,283 | (1,210 | ) | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
8,553 | (120 | ) | - | - | 3,059 | (17 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
74,895 | (829 | ) | - | - | 10,550 | (417 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
2,983 | (17 | ) | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
CMBS
|
36,447 | (637 | ) | - | - | 3,960 | (40 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
RMBS
|
77,674 | (493 | ) | 654 | (21 | ) | 53,607 | (20,198 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity securities
|
387,835 | (3,306 | ) | 654 | (21 | ) | 71,176 | (20,672 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Equity
securities
|
3,828 | (214 | ) | - | - | 5,932 | (396 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Sub-total
|
$ | 391,663 | (3,520 | ) | 654 | (21 | ) | 77,108 | (21,068 | ) | ||||||||||||||
HTM securities
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government and government agencies2
|
$ | 19,746 | (29 | ) | 9,713 | (288 | ) | - | - | |||||||||||||||
Obligations
of states and political subdivisions
|
40,904 | (332 | ) | 5,767 | (181 | ) | 74,360 | (2,684 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Corporate
securities
|
6,124 | (102 | ) | - | - | 19,233 | (1,310 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
ABS
|
- | - | - | - | 10,403 | (2,436 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
CMBS
|
- | - | 316 | (728 | ) | 24,984 | (16,254 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
RMBS
|
5,068 | (146 | ) | - | - | 5,892 | (935 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Sub-total
|
$ | 71,842 | (609 | ) | 15,796 | (1,197 | ) | 134,872 | (23,619 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total
AFS and HTM
|
$ | 463,505 | (4,129 | ) | 16,450 | (1,218 | ) | 211,980 | (44,687 | ) |
1 The
month count for aging of unrealized losses was reset back to historical
unrealized loss month counts for securities impacted by the adoption of OTTI
accounting guidance issued in 2009.
2 U.S.
government includes corporate securities fully guaranteed by the
FDIC
Gross
pre-tax unrealized/unrecognized losses decreased for our fixed maturity
securities portfolio as compared to December 31, 2009, primarily driven
by: (i) a general improvement in the overall marketplace; and (ii)
$14.3 million of fixed maturity security sales. For further details
regarding these sales, see Note 6. “Investments” in Item 1. “Financial
Statements” of this Form 10-Q. As of September 30, 2010, 72 fixed
maturity securities and no equity securities were in an unrealized loss position
with no individual security having an unrealized/unrecognized loss balance of
more than $2 million. At December 31, 2009, 173 fixed maturity
securities and six equity securities were in an unrealized loss
position.
We have
reviewed the securities in the tables above in accordance with our OTTI policy,
which is discussed in Note 2. “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in
Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual
Report. For qualitative information regarding our conclusion as to
why these impairments are deemed temporary, see Note 6. “Investments,” in Item
1. “Financial Statements” of this Form 10-Q.
49
Contractual
Maturities
The
following table presents amortized cost and fair value regarding our AFS fixed
maturities that were in an unrealized loss position at September 30, 2010 by
contractual maturity:
Contractual
Maturities
|
Amortized
|
Fair
|
||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Cost
|
Value
|
||||||
One
year or less
|
$ | 10,901 | 9,492 | |||||
Due
after one year through five years
|
58,481 | 55,682 | ||||||
Due
after five years through ten years
|
44,441 | 43,517 | ||||||
Due
after ten years
|
- | - | ||||||
Total
|
$ | 113,823 | 108,691 |
The
following table presents information regarding our HTM fixed maturities that
were in an unrealized/unrecognized loss position at September 30, 2010 by
contractual maturity:
Contractual
Maturities
|
Amortized
|
Fair
|
||||||
($ in thousands)
|
Cost
|
Value
|
||||||
One
year or less
|
$ | 9,865 | 8,483 | |||||
Due
after one year through five years
|
44,217 | 39,959 | ||||||
Due
after five years through ten years
|
12,234 | 11,577 | ||||||
Due
after ten years
|
1,488 | 1,479 | ||||||
Total
|
$ | 67,804 | 61,498 |
Investments
Outlook
Overall
market expectations for U.S. growth have been revised downward from the optimism
seen earlier in the year and unemployment is expected to be a concern over
the next several years. The Federal Reserve is currently evaluating a
new round of stimulus and their actions are expected to be designed to improve
the economy’s near-term performance while balancing the impact of long-term
inflationary conditions. Consensus is building that the Federal
Reserve will announce additional purchases of U.S. treasury securities in the
fourth quarter of 2010 with the intention of driving yields on those securities
lower, which is intended to increase consumer spending and return to more
normalized levels of inflation.
The
outsourcing of our fixed income and equity investment portfolios to external
investment managers was successfully completed. Our overall
investment strategy has not changed, only the execution model. We are
benefiting from broader sector-specific knowledge, advanced risk management
tools, and greater flexibility in trade execution.
Our fixed
income strategy remains focused on maintaining sufficient liquidity while
maximizing yield within acceptable risk tolerances. We will invest in
high quality instruments, while striving to reduce risk, including additions to
investment grade corporate bonds with diversified maturities to manage
incremental interest rate risk.
We have
lowered our exposure to equities and will be pursuing a more index-neutral
position for this asset class, in the near term, providing greater sector and
sponsor diversification.
Our
current outlook for the alternative investment strategy is positive despite the
volatility in investment income over the past two years. Performance
of the alternatives portfolio has rebounded as the merger and acquisition
environment has improved and financing has become available. In the
near term, given the volatility we have experienced in the recent past, we
remain cautious and may investigate potential opportunities to limit our
exposure in the alternative investment class through the use of a secondary
market.
50
Federal
Income Taxes
Federal
income taxes from continuing operations increased by: (i) $2.0
million for Third Quarter 2010, to an expense of $3.2 million, compared to an
expense of $1.2 million for Third Quarter 2009; and (ii) $17.0 million for Nine
Months 2010, to an expense of $7.0 million, compared to a benefit of $9.9
million for Nine Months 2009. These increases, which are attributable
to an increase in net investment income earned coupled with a reduction in net
realized losses, resulted in an effective tax rate of approximately 15% for
Third Quarter 2010 compared to an effective tax rate of 6% for Third Quarter
2009. The effective tax rate was 13% for Nine Months 2010, and the
tax benefit in Nine Months 2009 of $9.9 million resulted in an effective tax
rate of (76)%. The Nine Months 2009 tax benefit resulted from lower
pre-tax income associated with the decline in investment income and an increase
in net realized losses. Our effective tax rate for continuing
operations differs from the federal corporate rate of 35% primarily as a result
of tax-advantaged investment income.
Financial
Condition, Liquidity, and Capital Resources
Capital
resources and liquidity reflect our ability to generate cash flows from business
operations, borrow funds at competitive rates, and raise new capital to meet
operating and growth needs.
Liquidity
We manage
liquidity with a focus on generating sufficient cash flows to meet the
short-term and long-term cash requirements of our business
operations. Our cash and short-term investment position was $265
million at September 30, 2010, primarily comprised of $53 million at Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. (the “Parent”) and $212 million at the Insurance
Subsidiaries.
We
continually evaluate our liquidity levels in light of market conditions and,
given the financial market volatility over the past two years, we have continued
to maintain higher than historical cash and short-term investment
balances. During the second quarter of 2010, we intentionally
increased our cash and short-term position as the Company transitioned the
portfolio to its new external investment managers. During Third
Quarter 2010, our outside managers began deploying funds to purchase investments
and as a result, although still higher than historical levels, our cash and
short-term investment position decreased compared to the prior
quarter. Short-term investments are maintained in AAA rated money
market funds approved by the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners.
Sources
of cash for the Parent have consisted of dividends from the Insurance
Subsidiaries, borrowings under its line of credit and loan agreements with our
Indiana-domiciled Insurance Subsidiaries (“Indiana Subsidiaries”), and the
issuance of stock and debt securities. We continue to monitor these
sources, giving consideration to our long-term liquidity and capital
preservation strategies. The Parent had no private or public
issuances of stock or debt during Nine Months 2010. In addition,
there were no borrowings under its line of credit or any additional borrowings
from its Indiana Subsidiaries.
We
currently anticipate the Insurance Subsidiaries paying approximately $48 million
of dividends to the Parent in 2010, of which $36.0 million was paid through
Third Quarter 2010, compared to our allowable ordinary maximum dividend amount
of approximately $101 million. Any dividends to the Parent continue
to be subject to the approval and/or review of the insurance regulators in the
respective domiciliary states under insurance holding company acts, and are
generally payable only from earned surplus as reported in the statutory annual
statements of those subsidiaries as of the preceding December
31. Although past dividends have historically been met with
regulatory approval, there is no assurance that future dividends that may be
declared will be approved given current conditions. For additional
information regarding dividend restrictions, refer to Note 10. “Indebtedness”
and Note 11. “Stockholders’ Equity” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual Report.
51
The
Indiana Subsidiaries are members in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis
(“FHLBI”), which provides these companies with access to additional
liquidity. The Indiana Subsidiaries’ aggregate investment of $0.8
million provides them with the ability to borrow up to 20 times the total amount
of the FHLBI common stock purchased, at comparatively low borrowing
rates. The Parent’s line of credit agreement permits collateralized
borrowings by the Indiana Subsidiaries from the FHLBI so long as the aggregate
amount borrowed does not exceed 10% of the respective Indiana Subsidiary’s
admitted assets from the preceding calendar year. For additional
information regarding the Parent’s line of credit, refer to the section below
entitled “Short-term Borrowings.” The Indiana Department of Insurance
has approved lending agreements from the Indiana Subsidiaries to the
Parent. At September 30, 2010, the outstanding borrowings of the
Indiana Subsidiaries from the FHLBI were $13 million in fixed rate borrowings
after pledging the required collateral. These funds have been loaned
to the Parent under the approved lending agreements. For additional
information regarding the required collateral, refer to Note 10. “Indebtedness”
in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual
Report.
The
Insurance Subsidiaries also generate liquidity through insurance float, which is
created by collecting premiums and earning investment income before losses are
paid. The period of the float can extend over many
years. While current market conditions have limited the liquidity in
our fixed maturity investments regarding sales, our laddered portfolio, in which
some issues are always maturing, continues to provide a source of cash flows for
claim payments in the ordinary course of business. The duration of the fixed
maturity securities portfolio, including short-term investments, was 3.5 years
as of September 30, 2010, while the liabilities of the Insurance Subsidiaries
have a duration of approximately 3.6 years. In addition, the
Insurance Subsidiaries purchase reinsurance coverage for protection against any
significantly large claims or catastrophes that may occur during the
year.
The
liquidity generated from the sources discussed above is used, among other
things, to pay dividends to our shareholders. Dividends on shares of
the Parent’s common stock are declared and paid at the discretion of the Board
of Directors (the “Board”) based on our operating results, financial condition,
capital requirements, and other relevant factors. Our ability to
declare dividends was restricted by covenants contained in our 8.87% Senior
Notes that matured on May 4, 2010. All such covenants were met during
2010. For further information regarding our notes payable and the
related covenants, see Note 10. “Indebtedness,” included in Item 8. “Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual Report.
Our
ability to meet our interest and principal repayment obligations on our debt, as
well as our ability to continue to pay dividends to our stockholders is
dependent on liquidity at the Parent coupled with the ability of the Insurance
Subsidiaries to pay dividends, if necessary, and/or the availability of other
sources of liquidity to the Parent. Our next principal repayment of
$13 million is due in 2014, with the next principal repayment occurring beyond
that in 2034. Restrictions on the ability of the Insurance
Subsidiaries to declare and pay dividends, without alternative liquidity
options, could materially affect our ability to service our debt and pay
dividends on common stock.
Short-term
Borrowings
Our $30
million line of credit (“Line of Credit”) is syndicated between Wachovia Bank
N.A., a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company, as administrative agent, and
Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T). This Line of Credit,
which can be increased to $50 million with the approval of both lending parties,
provides the Parent with an additional source of liquidity, if
needed. The Line of Credit is not used in our daily cash management
but is available if circumstances arise where additional short-term liquidity is
necessary. The interest rate on our Line of Credit varies and is
based on, among other factors, the Parent’s debt ratings from S&P and
Moody’s. The Line of Credit expires on August 11, 2011. We
continue to monitor current news regarding the banking industry, in general, and
our lending partners, in particular, as, according to the syndicated line of
credit agreement, the obligations of the lenders to make loans and to make
payments are several and not joint. There were no balances
outstanding under this credit facility as of September 30, 2010 or at any time
during Nine Months 2010.
The Line
of Credit agreement contains representations, warranties, and covenants that are
customary for credit facilities of this type, including, without limitation,
financial covenants under which we are obligated to maintain a minimum
consolidated net worth, minimum combined statutory surplus, and maximum ratio of
consolidated debt to total capitalization, as well as covenants limiting our
ability to: (i) merge or liquidate; (ii) incur debt or liens; (iii)
dispose of assets; (iv) make investments and acquisitions; (v) repurchase common
stock; and (vi) engage in transactions with affiliates.
52
The table
below outlines information regarding certain of the covenants in the Line of
Credit:
Required as of
September 30, 2010
|
Actual as of
September 30, 2010
|
|||
Consolidated
net worth
|
$798.9
million
|
$1.1
billion
|
||
Statutory
surplus
|
Not
less than $750 million
|
$1.0
billion
|
||
Debt-to-capitalization
ratio
|
Not
to exceed 30%
|
19.4%
|
||
A.M. Best financial strength
rating
|
|
Minimum of A-
|
|
A+
|
Capital
Resources
Capital
resources provide protection for policyholders, furnish the financial strength
to support the business of underwriting insurance risks, and facilitate
continued business growth. At September 30, 2010, we had statutory
surplus of $1.0 billion and GAAP stockholders’ equity of $1.1
billion. We had total debt of $262.3 million at September 30, 2010,
which equates to a debt-to-capital ratio of approximately 19.4%.
Our cash
requirements include, but are not limited to, principal and interest payments on
various notes payable and dividends to stockholders, payment of claims, payment
of commitments under limited partnership agreements and capital expenditures, as
well as other operating expenses, which include agents’ commissions, labor
costs, premium taxes, general and administrative expenses, and income
taxes. For further details regarding our cash requirements, refer to
the section below entitled “Contractual Obligations and Contingent Liabilities
and Commitments.”
We
continually monitor our cash requirements and the amount of capital resources
that we maintain at the holding company and operating subsidiary
levels. As part of our long-term capital strategy, we strive to
maintain an approximate 25% debt-to-capital ratio and a premiums-to-surplus
ratio sufficient to maintain an “A+” (Superior) financial strength rating from
A.M. Best for the Insurance Subsidiaries. Our premiums-to-surplus
ratio was 1.4x and 1.5x on September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009,
respectively. Based on our analysis and market conditions, we may
take a variety of actions, including, but not limited to, contributing capital
to our subsidiaries in our Insurance Operations, issuing additional debt and/or
equity securities, repurchasing shares of the Parent’s common stock, and
increasing stockholders’ dividends.
We
continue to maintain liquidity at the Insurance Subsidiary
levels. Our capital management strategy is intended to protect the
interests of the policyholders of the Insurance Subsidiaries and the Parent’s
stockholders, while enhancing our financial strength and underwriting
capacity.
Book
value per share increased to $20.41 as of September 30, 2010 from $18.83 as of
December 31, 2009, primarily driven by: (i) unrealized gains on our
investment portfolio, which led to an increase in book value per share of $1.09;
and (ii) net income, which led to an increase in book value per share of
$0.78. Partially offsetting these increases was the impact of
dividends paid to our shareholders, which resulted in decreases in book value
per share of $0.40.
Ratings
We are
rated by major rating agencies, which issue opinions on our financial strength,
operating performance, strategic position, and ability to meet policyholder
obligations. We believe that our ability to write insurance business
is most influenced by our rating from A.M. Best, which was reaffirmed in the
second quarter of 2010 as “A+ (Superior),” their second highest of 15 ratings,
with a “negative” outlook. They cited our strong capitalization,
solid level of operating profitability, and established presence within our
targeted regional markets. We have been rated “A” or higher by A.M.
Best for the past 80 years, with our current rating of “A+ (Superior)” being in
place for the last 49 consecutive years. The financial strength
reflected by our A.M. Best rating is a competitive advantage in the marketplace
and influences where independent insurance agents place their
business. A downgrade from A.M. Best, could: (i) affect
our ability to write new business with customers and/or agents, some of whom are
required (under various third party agreements) to maintain insurance with a
carrier that maintains a specified A.M. Best minimum rating; or (ii) be an
event of default under our line of credit.
53
Our
ratings by other major rating agencies are as follows:
|
·
|
S&P
Insurance Rating Services — Our “A” financial strength rating was
reaffirmed in Third Quarter 2010. S&P cited our strong
competitive position in Mid-Atlantic markets, effective use of
well-developed predictive modeling, strong financial flexibility,
conservative financial leverage, and strong agency
relationships. At the same time, S&P revised our outlook to
“stable” from “negative,” citing strong cycle management, careful risk
selection, improved capital adequacy, and continuing price increases
across most commercial and personal lines along with strong
retention.
|
|
·
|
Moody’s
— Our “A2” financial strength rating was reaffirmed in the third quarter
of 2008, citing our strong regional franchise with good independent agency
support, along with our conservative balance sheet, moderate financial
leverage, and consistent profitability. At the same time,
Moody’s revised our outlook from “positive” to “stable” reflecting an
increasingly competitive commercial lines market and continued weakness in
our personal lines book of
business.
|
|
·
|
Fitch
Ratings — Our “A+” rating was reaffirmed in Third Quarter 2010, citing our
disciplined underwriting culture, conservative balance sheet, good
capitalization, strong independent agency relationships, strong loss
reserve position, and improved diversification through our continued
efforts to reduce our concentration in New Jersey. At the same
time, Fitch revised our outlook to “stable” from
“negative”.
|
Our
S&P and Moody’s financial strength ratings affect our ability to access
capital markets. In addition, our interest rate under our Line of
Credit varies based on the Parent’s debt ratings from S&P and
Moody’s. There can be no assurance that our ratings will continue for
any given period of time or that they will not be changed. It is
possible that positive or negative ratings actions by one or more of the rating
agencies may occur in the future. We review our financial debt
agreements for any potential rating triggers that could dictate a material
change in terms if our credit ratings were to change.
Accounting
Pronouncements to be Adopted
In
October 2010, the FASB issued ASU Update 2010-26, Financial Services-Insurance (Topic
944) – Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance
Contracts. This guidance requires that only costs that are
incremental or directly related to the successful acquisition of new or renewal
insurance contacts are to be capitalized as a deferred acquisition
cost. This would include, among other items, sales commissions paid
to agents, premium taxes, and the portion of employee salaries and benefits
directly related to time spent on acquired contracts. This guidance
is effective, either with a prospective or retrospective application, for
interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early
adoption permitted. Although we are currently evaluating the impact
of this guidance, we anticipate that a significant portion of our deferred
policy acquisition costs balance may be eliminated under the newly issued
guidance, resulting in a reduction to GAAP equity. Deferred policy
acquisition cost totaled $218.6 million as of September 30, 2010.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
At
September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, we did not have any relationships with
unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such entities often referred
to as structured finance or special purpose entities, which would have been
established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or
for other contractually narrow or limited purposes. As such, we are
not exposed to any financing, liquidity, market, or credit risk that could arise
if we had engaged in such relationships.
Contractual
Obligations and Contingent Liabilities and Commitments
Our
future cash payments associated with loss and loss expense reserves, and
contractual obligations pursuant to operating leases for office space and
equipment, and notes payable have not materially changed since December 31,
2009. We expect to have the capacity to repay and/or refinance these
obligations as they come due.
At
September 30, 2010, we had contractual obligations that expire at various dates
through 2023 that may require us to invest up to an additional $92.1 million in
other investments. There is no certainty that any such additional
investment will be required. We have issued no material guarantees on
behalf of others and have no trading activities involving non-exchange traded
contracts accounted for at fair value. We have no material
transactions with related parties other than those disclosed in Note 18.
“Related Party Transactions” included in Item 8. “Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data.” of our 2009 Annual Report.
54
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
There
have been no material changes in the information about market risk set forth in
our 2009 Annual Report.
ITEM
4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Our
management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls
and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”)), as of the end
of the period covered by this report. Based on such evaluation, our
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of
the end of such period, our disclosure controls and procedures
are: (i) effective in recording, processing, summarizing, and
reporting information on a timely basis that we are required to disclose in the
reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act; and (ii) effective in
ensuring that information that we are required to disclose in the reports that
we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our
management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,
as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure. No changes in our internal control over financial
reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act)
occurred during Third Quarter or Nine Months 2010 that materially affected, or
are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
PART
II - OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM
1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
In the
ordinary course of conducting business, we are named as defendants in various
legal proceedings. Most of these proceedings are claims litigation
involving our Insurance Subsidiaries as either: (i) liability
insurers defending or providing indemnity for third-party claims brought against
insureds; or (ii) insurers defending first-party coverage claims brought against
them. We account for such activity through the establishment of
unpaid loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. We expect that the
ultimate liability, if any, with respect to such ordinary-course claims
litigation, after consideration of provisions made for potential losses and
costs of defense, will not be material to our consolidated financial condition,
results of operations, or cash flows.
Our
Insurance Subsidiaries also are involved from time to time in other legal
actions, some of which assert claims for substantial amounts. These
actions include, among others, putative state class actions seeking
certification of a state or national class. Such putative class
actions have alleged, for example, improper reimbursement of medical providers
paid under workers compensation and personal and commercial automobile insurance
policies. Our Insurance Subsidiaries also are involved from time to
time in individual actions in which extra-contractual damages, punitive damages,
or penalties are sought, such as claims alleging bad faith in the handling of
insurance claims. We believe that we have valid defenses to these
cases. We expect that the ultimate liability, if any, with respect to
such lawsuits, after consideration of provisions made for estimated losses, will
not be material to our consolidated financial condition. Nonetheless,
given the large or indeterminate amounts sought in certain of these actions, and
the inherent unpredictability of litigation, an adverse outcome in certain
matters could, from time to time, have a material adverse effect on our
consolidated results of operations or cash flows in particular quarterly or
annual periods.
55
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Certain
risk factors exist that can have a significant impact on our business,
liquidity, capital resources, results of operations, and financial
condition. The impact of these risk factors could also impact certain
actions that we take as part of our long-term capital strategy including, but
not limited to, contributing capital to our subsidiaries in our Insurance
Operations, issuing additional debt and/or equity securities, repurchasing
shares of the Parent’s common stock, or changing stockholders’
dividends. We operate in a continually changing business environment
and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Consequently, we can
neither predict such new risk factors nor assess the impact, if any, they might
have on our business in the future.
There
have been no material changes from the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A. “Risk
Factors” in our 2009 Annual Report except for the modification of the following
risk factors:
We
are heavily regulated and changes in regulation may reduce our profitability and
limit our growth.
Our
Insurance Operations are heavily regulated and subject to extensive laws and
regulations that are subject to change. By virtue of the
McCarran-Ferguson Act, Congress has traditionally ceded insurance regulation to
the various states. We, however, are subject to federal regulators,
such as the SEC, for securities issues, and the Federal Trade Commission, for
privacy issues. We also are subject to non-governmental regulators,
such as the NASDAQ Stock Market and the New York Stock Exchange, where we list
our securities. Many of these regulators, to some degree, have
overlap with each other on various matters. They also have different
regulations on the same legal issues that are subject to their individual
interpretative discretion. Consequently, we have the risk that one
regulator’s position may conflict with another regulator’s position on the same
issue. As compliance is generally reviewed in hindsight, we also are
subject to the risk that interpretations will change over time.
The
primary public policy behind state insurance regulation is the protection of
policyholders and claimants over all other constituencies, including
shareholders. By virtue of the McCarran-Ferguson Act, Congress has
traditionally delegated insurance regulation to the various
states. For Insurance Subsidiaries, the primary regulators of their
business and financial condition are the departments of insurance in the states
in which they are organized and are licensed. The broad regulatory,
administrative, and supervisory powers of the various state departments of
insurance include:
|
·
|
Related
to our financial condition, review and approval of such matters as minimum
capital and surplus requirements, standards of solvency, security
deposits, methods of accounting, form and content of statutory financial
statements, reserves for unpaid loss and loss expenses, reinsurance,
payment of dividends and other distributions to shareholders, periodic
financial examinations and annual and other report
filings.
|
|
·
|
Related
to our general business, review and approval of such matters as
certificates of authority and other insurance company licenses, licensing
and compensation of agents, premium rates (which may not be excessive,
inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory), policy forms, policy
terminations, reporting of statistical information regarding our premiums
and losses, periodic market conduct examinations, unfair trade practices,
participation in mandatory shared market mechanisms, such as assigned risk
pools and reinsurance pools, participation in mandatory state guaranty
funds, and mandated continuing workers compensation coverage
post-termination of employment.
|
|
·
|
Related
to our ownership of the Insurance Subsidiaries, we are required to
register as an insurance holding company system and report information
concerning all of our operations that may materially affect the
operations, management, or financial condition of the
insurers. As an insurance holding company, the appropriate
state regulatory authority may: (i) examine us or our insurance
subsidiaries at any time; (ii) require disclosure or prior approval of
material transactions of any of the insurance subsidiaries with us or each
other; and (iii) require prior approval or notice of certain transactions,
such as payment of dividends or distributions to
us.
|
Although
the federal government traditionally has not regulated insurance, federal
legislation and administrative policies do affect us, including the Terrorism
Risk Insurance Act of 2002 and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program
Reauthorization Act of 2007, Office of Foreign Assets Control, and various
privacy laws, including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Credit Reporting
Act, the Drivers Privacy Protection Act, and the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act. As a result of issuing workers compensation
policies, we also are subject to Mandatory Medicare Secondary Payer Reporting
under the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007.
56
In July
2010, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act"). Among other things, the
Dodd-Frank Act, created a Financial Stability and Oversight Council that may
designate certain insurance companies and insurance holding companies as nonbank
financial companies subject to prudential regulation by the Board of Governors
of the U.S. Federal Reserve (the "Federal Reserve Board of Governors") on a
variety of issues, including capital requirements, leverage limits, liquidity
requirements, and examinations. If the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
deems any nonbank financial company under its supervision to pose a grave threat
to the financial stability of the United States, it may limit the company's
ability to enter into merger transactions, restrict its ability to offer
financial products, require it to terminate one or more activities, or impose
conditions on the manner in which it conducts activities.
The
Dodd-Frank Act also established a Federal Insurance Office in the U.S. Treasury
Department to monitor all aspects of the insurance industry and lines of
business other than certain health insurance, certain long-term care insurance,
and crop insurance. The director of the Federal Insurance Office will have
the ability to recommend that an insurance company or an insurance holding
company be subject to heightened prudential standards. The Dodd-Frank Act
also provides in certain instances for the pre-emption of state laws regulating
reinsurance and other limited insurance matters. At this time, it is not
possible to predict with any degree of certainty whether any other proposed
legislation or regulatory changes will be adopted or what impact, if any, the
Dodd-Frank Act or any other such legislation or changes could have on our
business, financial condition or results of operations.
We
are subject to the risk that legislation will be passed significantly changing
insurance regulation and adversely impacting our business, our financial
condition, and our results of operations.
As a
result of the financial markets crises in 2008 and 2009, the issues regarding
the AIG scandal, and public concerns over health insurance, there have been a
number of legislative proposals discussed and introduced in Congress that could
result in the federal government becoming directly involved in the regulation of
insurance:
|
·
|
Repeal of the
McCarran-Ferguson Act. While proposals for
McCarran-Ferguson Act repeal recently have been primarily directed at
health insurers, if enacted and applicable to property and casualty
insurers, such repeal would significantly reduce our ability to compete
and materially affect our results of operations because we rely on the
anti-trust exemptions the law provides to obtain loss data from third
party aggregators such as ISO to predict future
losses.
|
|
·
|
National Catastrophe
Funds. Various legislative proposals have been
introduced that would establish a federal reinsurance catastrophic fund as
a federal backstop for future natural disasters. These bills
generally encourage states to create catastrophe funds by creating a
federal backstop for states that create the funds. While
homeowners' insurance is primarily handled at the state level, the federal
government may decide to play a role, including the establishment of a
national catastrophic fund.
|
|
·
|
Reform of the National
Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”). There have been
legislative proposals to reform the NFIP by: (i) expanding
coverage to include coverage for losses from wind damage; and (ii)
forgiving the nearly $20 billion in debt amassed by the NFIP from the
catastrophic storms of 2004 and 2005. We believe that the
expansion of coverage to include wind losses would significantly increase
the cost and availability of NFIP insurance. On September 30,
2010 President Obama signed S 3814 into law extending the National Flood
Insurance Program through September 30,
2011.
|
We cannot
predict whether any of these or any related proposal will be adopted, or what
impact, if any, such proposals, could have on our business, financial condition
or results of operations if enacted.
57
There
can be no assurance that the Dodd-Frank Act or any other actions of the U.S.
Government, Federal Reserve, and other governmental and regulatory bodies to
reform the financial markets and provide future financial stability, will
achieve their intended effect.
A primary
objective of the Dodd-Frank Act, which was signed into law on July 21, 2010, is
to reform the financial markets and provide future financial
stability. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act heightens
supervision and regulation of financial institutions, requires strengthened
capital levels, tightens oversight of credit rating agencies, requires an
overhaul of the regulation of the derivatives market, and reforms and requires
more transparency in governance and executive compensation. The
Dodd-Frank Act covers almost every aspect of financial regulation and analysis
of its practical implications is in its early stages. Implementation
of the Dodd-Frank Act will require an extraordinary amount of rulemaking and
regulators are given significant discretion. Consequently, its final
shape and practical impact are, in many respects, still to be
determined. As a result, it is presently unclear the full impact this
legislation will have on our operations.
However,
if, even in the short-term, the Dodd-Frank Act is not perceived by the investing
public as a means to effectively reform and provide stability to the financial
markets, it could result in a further deterioration of investor confidence in
the U.S. economy and financial markets, which could further increase constraints
on the liquidity available in the banking system and financial markets and
increase pressure on the price of our fixed income securities and equity
portfolios. These results could materially and adversely affect our
results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, and the trading price of
the Parent’s Common Stock. In the event of future material
deterioration in business conditions, we may need to raise additional capital or
consider other transactions to manage its capital position and
liquidity.
In
addition, we are subject to extensive laws and regulations that are administered
and enforced by a number of different governmental authorities and
non-governmental self-regulatory agencies. In light of the current
economic conditions, some of these authorities have implemented, or may in the
future implement, new or enhanced regulatory requirements intended to restore
confidence in financial institutions and reduce the future economic events like
those of the recent past. These authorities may also seek to exercise
their supervisory and enforcement authority in new or more robust
ways. Such events could affect the way we conduct our business and
manage our capital, and may require us to satisfy increased capital
requirements. These developments, if they occurred could materially
affect our results of operations, financial conditions, and
liquidity.
58
ITEM
2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
AND USE OF PROCEEDS
The
following table provides information regarding our purchases of the Parent’s
common stock in Third Quarter 2010:
Total
Number of
|
Maximum
Number
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
Number of
|
Average
|
Shares
Purchased
|
of
Shares that May Yet
|
|||||||||||||
Shares
|
Price
Paid
|
as
Part of Publicly
|
Be
Purchased Under the
|
|||||||||||||
Period
|
Purchased1
|
per Share
|
Announced Programs
|
Announced Programs
|
||||||||||||
July
1 – 31, 2010
|
- | $ | - | - | - | |||||||||||
August
1 – 31, 2010
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||||||||
September
1 – 30, 2010
|
603 | 16.20 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Total
|
603 | 16.20 | - | - |
1
|
During
Third Quarter 2010, 603 shares were purchased from employees in connection
with the vesting of restricted stock. These repurchases were
made in connection with satisfying tax withholding obligations with
respect to those employees and were purchased at the closing price on the
dates of purchase. These shares were not purchased as part of
any publicly announced program.
|
59
ITEM
6. EXHIBITS
(a) Exhibits:
Exhibit No.
|
||
* 10.1
|
Selective
Insurance Company of America Deferred Compensation Plan (2005), as Amended
and Restated Effective as of January 1, 2010.
|
|
* 11
|
Statement
Re: Computation of Per Share Earnings.
|
|
* 31.1
|
Rule
13a-14(a) Certification of the Chief Executive Officer of Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. (Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002).
|
|
* 31.2
|
Rule
13a-14(a) Certification of the Chief Financial Officer of Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. (Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002).
|
|
* 32.1
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
|
|
* 32.2
|
Certification
of Chief Financial Officer of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
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**
101.INS
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XBRL
Instance Document.
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**
101.SCH
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XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.
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**
101.CAL
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XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
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**
101.LAB
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XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.
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**
101.PRE
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XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.
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**
101.DEF
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XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
Document.
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* Filed
herewith
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**
Furnished and not filed herewith
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SIGNATURES
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.
SELECTIVE
INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
Registrant
By: /s/ Gregory E.
Murphy
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October
28, 2010
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Gregory
E. Murphy
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||
Chairman
of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
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||
By: /s/ Dale A.
Thatcher
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October
28, 2010
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Dale
A. Thatcher
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Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
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||
(principal
accounting officer and principal financial officer)
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60