UNICO AMERICAN CORP - Annual Report: 2008 (Form 10-K)
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
Annual
report pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
For
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008
|
Commission
File No. 0-3978
|
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada
|
95-2583928
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
|
(IRS
Employer Identification No.)
|
23251
Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills, California
|
91364
|
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
|
(Zip
Code)
|
Registrant's telephone
number, including area code: (818) 591-9800
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Common
Stock, No Par Value
|
NASDAQ
Stock Market LLC
|
(Title
of each class)
|
Name
Of Each Exchange On Which
Registered
|
Securities
registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act:
None
(Title
of Class)
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes No
X
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes No X
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the past 90 days. Yes X No
__
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best
of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy of information statements
incorporated by reference as Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. X
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 the definitions of “large accelerated filer,”
“accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act.
Large
accelerated filer __ Accelerated
filer __ Non-accelerated
filer ___ Smaller reporting
company X
(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
The
aggregate market value of registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held
by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2008, the last business day of
Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was
$28,473,038.
5,567,627
Number
of shares of common stock outstanding as of March 26, 2009
Portions
of the definitive proxy statement that Registrant intends to file pursuant to
Regulation 14(A) by a date no later than 120 days after December 31, 2008, to be
used in connection with the annual meeting of shareholders, are incorporated
herein by reference into Part III hereof. If such definitive proxy
statement is not filed in the 120-day period, the information called for by Part
III will be filed as an amendment to this Form 10-K not later than the end of
the 120-day period.
1
PART I
Item
1. Business.
Unico
American Corporation is an insurance holding company that underwrites property
and casualty insurance through its insurance company subsidiary; provides
property, casualty, and health insurance through its agency subsidiaries; and
through its other subsidiaries provides insurance premium financing and
membership association services. Unico American Corporation is
referred to herein as the "Company" or "Unico" and such references include both
the corporation and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly
owned. Unico was incorporated under the laws of Nevada in
1969.
Descriptions
of the Company’s operations in the following paragraphs are categorized between
the Company’s major segment, its insurance company operation, and all other
revenues from insurance operations. The insurance company operation
is conducted through Crusader Insurance Company (Crusader), Unico’s property and
casualty insurance company. Insurance company revenues and other
revenues from insurance operations for the years ended December 31, 2008,
December 31, 2007, and December 31, 2006, are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Revenues
|
Percent
of
Total
Company
Revenues
|
Total
Revenues
|
Percent
of
Total
Company
Revenues
|
Total
Revenues
|
Percent
of
Total
Company
Revenues
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Insurance
company revenues
|
$ | 40,527,988 | 86.7 | % | $ | 44,137,213 | 87.6 | % | $ | 48,942,568 | 89.1 | % | ||||||||||||
Other revenues from insurance operations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross
commissions and fees:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Health
insurance program
commission
income
|
2,754,293 | 5.9 | % | 2,320,161 | 4.9 | % | 1,634,438 | 3.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
Policy
fee income
|
2,239,306 | 4.8 | % | 2,482,006 | 4.7 | % | 2,837,810 | 5.2 | % | |||||||||||||||
Daily
automobile rental insurance
program:
Commission
|
403,943 | 0.9 | % | 390,659 | 0.8 | % | 371,317 | 0.7 | % | |||||||||||||||
Claim
administration fees
|
- | - | - | - | 4,035 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
Association
operations
membership
and fee income
|
300,214 | 0.6 | % | 309,712 | 0.6 | % | 300,527 | 0.5 | % | |||||||||||||||
Other
commission and fee income
|
8,315 | - | 13,095 | - | 38,030 | 0.1 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Total
gross commission and
fee
income
|
5,706,071 | 12.2 | % | 5,515,633 | 11.0 | % | 5,186,157 | 9.5 | % | |||||||||||||||
Investment
income
|
61,434 | 0.1 | % | 152,002 | 0.3 | % | 100,955 | 0.2 | % | |||||||||||||||
Finance
charges and fees earned
|
460,422 | 1.0 | % | 553,997 | 1.1 | % | 678,740 | 1.2 | % | |||||||||||||||
Other
income
|
13,529 | - | 14,050 | - | 7,786 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
other revenues from
insurance
operations
|
6,241,456 | 13.3 | % | 6,235,682 | 12.4 | % | 5,973,638 | 10.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 46,769,444 | 100.0 | % | $ | 50,372,895 | 100.0 | % | $ | 54,916,206 | 100.0 | % |
INSURANCE COMPANY
OPERATION
General
The
insurance company operation is conducted through Crusader Insurance
Company. Crusader is a multiple line property and casualty insurance
company that began transacting business on January 1, 1985. Since
2004, all Crusader business was written in the state of
California. During the year ended December 31, 2008, 98% of
Crusader’s business was commercial multiple peril
policies. Commercial multiple peril policies provide a combination of
property and liability coverage for businesses. Commercial property
coverage insures against loss or damage to buildings, inventory and equipment
from natural disasters, including hurricanes, windstorms, hail, water,
explosions, severe winter weather, and other events such as theft and vandalism,
fires, storms, and financial loss due to business interruption resulting from
covered property damage. However, Crusader does not write earthquake
coverage. Commercial liability coverages insure against third party
liability from accidents occurring on the insured’s premises or arising out of
its operation. In addition to commercial multiple peril policies,
Crusader also writes separate policies to insure commercial property and
commercial liability risk on a mono-line basis. As of December 31,
2008, Crusader was licensed as an admitted insurance carrier in the states of
Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
2
The
insurance marketplace continues to be intensely competitive as more insurers are
competing for the same customers. Many of Crusader’s competitors
price their insurance at rates that the Company believes are inadequate to
support any profit. Nonetheless, Crusader believes that it can grow
its sales and profitability by continuing to focus upon three key areas of its
operations: (1) product development, (2) improved service to retail brokers, and
(3) appointment of captive and independent retail agents. During 2008, Crusader
began to introduce many product changes such as to its rates, eligibility
guidelines, rules and coverage forms. Improved service to retail
brokers is primarily focused upon transacting business through the internet, as
well as providing more options to make the brokers’ time more efficiently spent
with us (i.e., as opposed to spending time with our competitors). In
an effort to increase sales, in October 2008 the Company hired a marketing
manager, bringing the total number of employees dedicated exclusively to
marketing to three. Those representatives are charged with the
responsibility of identifying product development opportunities, with promoting
the Company and its products to the insurance brokerage community, and with the
duty to appoint retail agents so as to introduce the Crusader brand at the
consumer’s level of distribution (i.e., retail). Crusader appointed
twelve retail agents as of December 31, 2008, and plans to have approximately
twenty-four by the end of year 2009. Presently, it is expected that
each such retail agent should be able to reach an annual sales volume of
approximately one to two million dollars of Crusader’s products within three to
five years of their appointment by the Company.
All of
Crusader’s business is produced by Unifax Insurance Systems, Inc. (Unifax), its
sister corporation. Unifax has substantial experience with these
classes of business. The commissions paid by Crusader to Unifax are
eliminated as intercompany transactions and are not reflected in the previous
table. Crusader is licensed in property and casualty and disability
lines of insurance by the California Department of Insurance.
Reinsurance
A
reinsurance transaction occurs when an insurance company transfers (cedes) a
portion of its exposure on policies written by it to a reinsurer that assumes
that risk for a premium (ceded premium). Reinsurance does not legally
discharge the Company from primary liability under its policies. If
the reinsurer fails to meet its obligations, the Company must nonetheless pay
its policy obligations.
Crusader’s
primary excess of loss reinsurance agreements since January 1, 1998, are as
follows:
Loss Year(s)
|
Reinsurer(s)
|
A.M.
Best Rating
|
Retention
|
Annual
Aggregate Deductible
|
2005
– 2008
|
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
&
Hannover Ruckversicherungs AG
|
A
A
|
$300,000
|
$500,000
|
2004
|
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
&
Hannover Ruckversicherungs AG
|
A
A
|
$250,000
|
$500,000
|
2003
|
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
&
Hannover Ruckversicherungs AG
&
QBE Reinsurance Corporation
|
A
A
A
|
$250,000
|
$500,000
|
2002
|
Partner
Reinsurance Company of the U.S.
|
A+
|
$250,000
|
$675,000
|
2000
- 2001
|
Partner
Reinsurance Company of the U.S.
|
A+
|
$250,000
|
$500,000
|
1998
- 1999
|
General
Reinsurance Corporation
|
A++
|
$250,000
|
$750,000
|
Prior to
January 1, 1998, National Reinsurance Corporation (acquired by General
Reinsurance Corporation in 1996) charged a provisional rate on exposures up to
$500,000 that was subject to adjustment and was based on the amount of losses
ceded, limited by a maximum percentage that could be charged. That
provisionally rated treaty was cancelled on a runoff basis and replaced by a
flat rated treaty on January 1, 1998.
3
In 2008
Crusader retained a participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of
20% in its 1st layer ($700,000 in excess of $300,000), 15% in its 2nd layer
($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 0% in its property and casualty clash
treaty. In 2007 Crusader retained a participation in its excess of
loss reinsurance treaties of 15% in its 1st layer ($700,000 in excess of
$300,000), 15% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 15% in
its property clash treaty. In 2006 and 2005 Crusader retained a
participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of 10% in its 1st layer
($700,000 in excess of $300,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of
$1,000,000), and 30% in its property and casualty clash treaties. In 2004 Crusader retained
a participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of 10% in its 1st
layer ($750,000 in excess of $250,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in
excess of $1,000,000), and 30% in its property and casualty clash
treaties. In 2003 Crusader retained a participation in its excess of
loss reinsurance treaties of 5% in its 1st layer ($750,000 in excess of
$250,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 30% in
its property and casualty clash treaties.
The 2008
and 2007 excess of loss treaties do not provide for a contingent
commission. Crusader’s 2006 1st layer
primary excess of loss treaty provides for a contingent commission equal to 20%
of the net profit, if any, accruing to the reinsurer. The first
accounting period for the contingent commission covers the period from January
1, 2006, through December 31, 2006. The 2005 excess of loss treaties
do not provide for a contingent commission. Crusader’s 2004 and 2003 1st layer
primary excess of loss treaties provide for a contingent commission to the
Company equal to 45% of the net profit, if any, accruing to the
reinsurer. The first accounting period for the contingent commission
covers the period from January 1, 2003, through December 31,
2004. For each accounting period as described above, the Company will
calculate and report to the reinsurers its net profit (excluding incurred but
not reported losses), if any, within 90 days after 36 months following the end
of the first accounting period, and within 90 days after the end of each 12
month period thereafter until all losses subject to the agreement have been
finally settled. Any contingent commission payment received is
subject to return based on future development of ceded losses and loss
adjustment expenses. In March 2007, the Company received an advance
of $1 million from its reinsurer, and in February 2008, the Company received an
additional $2,419,940 to be applied against future contingent commission earned,
if any. Based on the Company’s ceded losses and loss adjustment
expenses (including ceded incurred but not reported losses) as of December 31,
2008, the Company recorded $2,500,211 of these payments as an advance from its
reinsurer and it is included in “Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities” in the
consolidated balance sheets. Thus, the Company recognized $919,729 of
contingent commission, of which $666,174 was recognized in the year ended
December 31, 2008, and $253,555 was recognized in the year ended December 31,
2007.
Crusader
also has catastrophe reinsurance from various highly rated California authorized
and unauthorized reinsurance companies. These reinsurance agreements
help protect Crusader against liabilities in excess of certain retentions,
including major or catastrophic losses that may occur from any one or more of
the property and/or casualty risks which Crusader insures. The
Company has no reinsurance recoverable balances in dispute.
The
Company evaluates each of its ceded reinsurance contracts at their inception to
determine if there is a sufficient risk transfer to allow the contract to be
accounted for as reinsurance under current accounting literature. As
of December 31, 2008, all such ceded contracts are accounted for as risk
transfer reinsurance.
The
aggregate amount of earned premium ceded to the reinsurers was $8,771,069 for
the year ended December 31, 2008, $11,532,308 for the year ended December
31, 2007, and $13,758,424 for the year ended December 31, 2006.
On most
of the premium that Crusader cedes to the reinsurer, the reinsurer pays a
commission to Crusader that includes a reimbursement of the cost of acquiring
the portion of the premium that is ceded. Crusader does not currently
assume any reinsurance. The Company intends to continue obtaining
reinsurance although the availability and cost may vary from time to
time. The unpaid losses ceded to the reinsurer are recorded as an
asset on the balance sheet.
Unpaid Losses and Loss
Adjustment Expenses
Crusader
maintains reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses with respect to both
reported and unreported losses. When a claim for loss is reported to
the Company, a reserve is established for the expected cost to settle the claim,
including estimates of any related legal expense and other costs associated with
resolving the claim. These reserves are called “case based”
reserves. In addition, the Company also sets up reserves at the end
of each reporting period for losses that have occurred but have not yet been
reported to the Company. These incurred but not reported losses are
referred to as “IBNR” reserves.
4
Crusader
establishes reserves for reported losses based on historical experience, upon
case-by-case evaluation of facts surrounding each known loss, and the related
policy provisions. The amount of reserves for unreported losses is
estimated by analysis of historical and statistical information. The
ultimate liability of Crusader may be greater or less than estimated
reserves. Reserves are monitored and adjusted when appropriate and
are reflected in the statement of operations in the period of
adjustment. Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses are
estimated to cover the future amounts needed to pay claims and related expenses
with respect to insured events that have occurred.
The
process of establishing loss and loss adjustment expense reserves involves
significant judgment. The following table shows the development of
the unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses for fiscal years 1998 through
2008. The top line of the table shows the estimated liability for
unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses recorded at the balance sheet date
for each of the indicated years. This liability represents the
estimated amount of losses and loss adjustment expenses for losses arising in
the current and prior years that are unpaid at the balance sheet
date. The table shows the reestimated amount of the previously
recorded liability based on experience as of the end of each succeeding
year. The estimate is increased or decreased, as more information
becomes known. The Company believes that its loss and loss adjustment
expense reserves are properly stated. When subsequent loss and loss
adjustment expense development justifies changes in reserving practices, the
Company responds accordingly.
5
The
following table reflects redundancies and deficiencies in Crusader’s net loss
and loss adjustment expense reserves. As of December 31, 2008, all
periods stated in the table prior to 2002 reflected a cumulative
deficiency. The 2002 through 2007 periods reflect a cumulative
redundancy. See discussion of losses and loss adjustment expenses in
Item 7 - “Management’s Discussion and Analysis - Results of Operations -
Insurance Company Operation.”
When
evaluating the information in the following table, it should be noted that each
amount includes the effects of all changes in amounts of prior periods;
therefore, the cumulative redundancy or deficiency represents the aggregate
change in the estimates over all prior years. Conditions and trends
that have affected development of liability in the past may not necessarily
occur in the future. Accordingly, it may not be appropriate to
extrapolate future deficiencies or redundancies based on this
table.
CRUSADER
INSURANCE COMPANY
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ANALYSIS
OF LOSS AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSE DEVELOPMENT
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Year
Ended December 31
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reserve
for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses
|
$ | 40,374,232 | $ | 37,628,165 | $ | 34,546,026 | $ | 49,786,215 | $ | 53,596,945 | $ | 58,883,861 | $ | 67,349,989 | $ | 76,235,467 | $ | 70,076,430 | $ | 66,305,287 | $ | 58,839,017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Paid Cumulative as of
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1
Year Later
|
15,393,167 | 18,745,224 | 20,841,417 | 23,010,615 | 21,326,688 | 18,546,279 | 14,626,446 | 17,257,218 | 18,136,958 | 20,255,356 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2
Years Later
|
28,570,117 | 34,905,359 | 37,976,277 | 39,463,106 | 35,883,729 | 28,289,327 | 26,374,067 | 30,280,022 | 32,708,859 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3
Years Later
|
38,923,545 | 46,072,688 | 49,053,708 | 46,256,431 | 40,808,763 | 35,508,898 | 34,031,644 | 39,459,338 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4
Years Later
|
45,425,709 | 53,153,491 | 52,821,183 | 49,157,040 | 44,116,477 | 39,577,949 | 37,471,168 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5
Years Later
|
50,526,164 | 56,021,297 | 54,919,573 | 51,678,787 | 46,382,760 | 41,417,614 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6
Years Later
|
52,588,830 | 57,247,843 | 56,715,300 | 53,604,855 | 47,272,911 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7
Years Later
|
53,482,116 | 58,801,974 | 58,428,481 | 53,834,453 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8
Years Later
|
54,659,842 | 60,000,165 | 58,528,260 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9
Years Later
|
55,763,935 | 60,075,050 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10
Years Later
|
55,842,233 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reserves Reestimated as of
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1
Year Later
|
39,132,945 | 41,898,796 | 53,872,376 | 57,577,066 | 56,348,531 | 58,048,427 | 63,525,526 | 64,064,784 | 65,958,329 | 62,748,486 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2
Years Later
|
43,164,627 | 56,423,375 | 59,746,880 | 60,629,814 | 57,237,770 | 54,623,000 | 51,981,027 | 60,840,795 | 61,135,905 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3
Years Later
|
52,349,735 | 59,486,543 | 62,172,320 | 60,974,567 | 55,430,550 | 50,602,947 | 49,959,618 | 57,688,373 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4
Years Later
|
54,291,547 | 61,791,428 | 62,369,460 | 59,745,610 | 53,154,847 | 49,959,618 | 47,537,734 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5
Years Later
|
56,619,057 | 62,174,813 | 61,894,587 | 58,289,479 | 53,047,154 | 47,848,145 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6
Years Later
|
57,151,258 | 61,983,908 | 61,192,597 | 58,677,307 | 51,628,155 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7
Years Later
|
56,935,245 | 61,875,465 | 61,975,092 | 57,039,089 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8
Years Later
|
56,906,786 | 62,659,129 | 60,565,031 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9
Years Later
|
57,572,353 | 61,392,495 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10
Years Later
|
56,668,561 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cumulative
Redundancy (Deficiency)
|
$ | (16,294,329 | ) | $ | (23,764,330 | ) | $ | (26,019,005 | ) | $ | (7,252,874 | ) | $ | 1,968,790 | $ | 11,035,716 | $ | 19,812,255 | $ | 18,547,094 | $ | 8,940,525 | $ | 3,556,801 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Gross
Liability for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment
Expenses
|
$ | 41,513,945 | $ | 41,592,489 | $ | 45,217,369 | $ | 60,534,295 | $ | 74,905,284 | $ | 78,139,090 | $ | 87,469,000 | $ | 101,914,548 | $ | 93,596,117 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 78,654,590 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ceded
Liability for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment
Expenses
|
(1,139,713 | ) | (3,964,324 | ) | (10,671,343 | ) | (10,748,080 | ) | (21,308,339 | ) | (19,255,229 | ) | (20,119,011 | ) | (25,679,081 | ) | (23,519,687 | ) | (28,425,424 | ) | (19,815,573 | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Net
Liability for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment
Expenses
|
$ | 40,374,232 | $ | 37,628,165 | $ | 34,546,026 | $ | 49,786,215 | $ | 53,596,945 | $ | 58,883,861 | $ | 67,349,989 | $ | 76,235,467 | $ | 70,076,430 | $ | 66,305,287 | $ | 58,839,017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross
Liability Reestimated
|
$ | 81,932,784 | $ | 89,440,233 | $ | 92,269,584 | $ | 87,966,882 | $ | 74,860,735 | $ | 69,189,276 | $ | 67,381,960 | $ | 78,646,420 | $ | 81,030,149 | $ | 85,453,563 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ceded
Liability Reestimated
|
(25,264,223 | ) | (28,047,738 | ) | (31,704,553 | ) | (30,927,793 | ) | (23,232,580 | ) | (21,341,131 | ) | (19,844,226 | ) | (20,958,047 | ) | (19,894,244 | ) |
(22,705,077
|
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net
Liability Reestimated
|
$ | 56,668,561 | $ | 61,392,495 | $ | 60,565,031 | $ | 57,039,089 | $ | 51,628,155 | $ | 47,848,145 | $ | 47,537,734 | $ | 57,688,373 | $ | 61,135,905 | $ | 62,748,486 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross
Reserve Redundancy (Deficiency)
|
$ | (40,418,839 | ) | $ | (47,847,744 | ) | $ | (47,052,215 | ) | $ | (27,432,587 | ) | $ | 44,549 | $ | 8,949,814 | $ | 20,087,040 | $ | 23,268,128 | $ | 12,565,968 | $ | 9,277,148 |
6
Net Premium Written to
Policyholders' Surplus Ratio
The
following table shows, for the periods indicated, Crusader's statutory ratios of
net premiums written to statutory policyholders' surplus. Since each
property and casualty insurance company has different capital needs, an
"acceptable" ratio of net premium written to policyholders' surplus for one
company may be inapplicable to another. While there is no statutory
requirement applicable to Crusader that establishes a permissible net premium to
surplus ratio, guidelines established by the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners (NAIC) provide that such ratio should generally be no greater than
3 to 1.
Twelve months ended December
31
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Statutory:
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
premiums written
|
$ | 31,175,204 | $ | 33,412,745 | $ | 38,166,864 | $ | 46,030,707 | $ | 51,089,573 | ||||||||||
Policyholders’
surplus
|
$ | 64,736,230 | $ | 57,862,334 | $ | 50,023,768 | $ | 36,586,441 | $ | 29,436,343 | ||||||||||
Ratio
|
0.5
to 1
|
0.6
to 1
|
0.8
to 1
|
1.3
to 1
|
1.7
to 1
|
Crusader’s
results are reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles (GAAP). These results differ from its financial results
reported in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles (SAP) as prescribed
or permitted by insurance regulatory authorities. Crusader is
required to file financial statements with insurance regulatory authorities
prepared on a SAP basis.
SAP
differs in certain respects from GAAP. The more significant of these
differences that apply to Crusader are:
|
·
|
Under
GAAP, policy acquisition costs such as commissions, premium taxes and
other variable costs incurred in connection with writing new and renewal
business are capitalized and amortized on a pro rata basis over the period
in which the related premiums are earned, rather than expensed as incurred
as required by SAP.
|
|
·
|
Certain
assets included in balance sheets under GAAP are designated as
“non-admitted assets” and are charged directly against statutory surplus
under SAP. Non-admitted assets include primarily premium
receivables that are outstanding over 90 days, federal deferred tax assets
in excess of statutory limitations, furniture, equipment, leasehold
improvements, and prepaid expenses.
|
|
·
|
Under
GAAP, amounts related to ceded reinsurance are shown gross as prepaid
reinsurance premiums and reinsurance recoverable, rather than netted
against unearned premium reserves and loss and loss adjustment expense
reserves, respectively, as required by
SAP.
|
|
·
|
Under
GAAP, fixed maturity securities that are classified as available-for-sale
are reported at estimated fair values, rather than at amortized cost or
the lower of amortized cost or market, depending on the specific type of
security as required by SAP.
|
|
·
|
The
differing treatment of income and expense items results in a corresponding
difference in federal income tax expense. Under GAAP reporting,
changes in deferred income taxes are reflected as an item of income tax
benefit or expense. As required by SAP, federal income taxes
are recorded when payable and deferred taxes, subject to limitations, are
recognized but only to the extent that they do not exceed 10% of statutory
surplus. Changes in deferred taxes are recorded directly to
statutory surplus.
|
Regulation
The
insurance company operation is subject to regulation by the California
Department of Insurance (the insurance department) and by the department of
insurance of other states in which Crusader is licensed. The
insurance department has broad regulatory, supervisory, and administrative
powers. These powers relate primarily to the standards of solvency
which must be met and maintained; the licensing of insurers and their agents;
the nature and limitation of insurers' investments; the prior approval of rates,
rules and forms; the issuance of securities by insurers; periodic financial and
market conduct examinations of the affairs of insurers; the annual and other
reports required to be filed on the financial condition and results of
operations of such insurers or for other purposes; and the establishment of
reserves required to be maintained for unearned premiums, losses, and other
purposes. The regulations and supervision by the insurance department
are designed principally for the benefit of policyholders and not for the
insurance company shareholders. The insurance department’s Market
Conduct Division is responsible for conducting periodic examinations of
companies to ensure compliance with California Insurance Code and California
Code of Regulations with respect to rating, underwriting and claims handling
practices. The most recent Market Conduct Examination of Crusader
covered rating and underwriting practices in California during the period from
December 15, 2005, through April 10, 2006. No significant issues were
reported as a result of that examination. The insurance department
also conducts periodic financial examinations of Crusader. The
insurance department completed a financial examination of Crusader’s December
31, 2004, statutory financial statements. No significant issues were
reported as a result of that examination.
7
In
December 1993, the NAIC adopted a Risk-Based Capital (RBC) Model Law for
property and casualty companies. The RBC Model Law is intended to
provide standards for calculating a variable regulatory capital requirement
related to a company's current operations and its risk exposures (asset risk,
underwriting risk, credit risk and off-balance sheet risk). These
standards are intended to serve as a diagnostic solvency tool for regulators
that establishes uniform capital levels and specific authority levels for
regulatory intervention when an insurer falls below minimum capital
levels. The RBC Model Law specifies four distinct action levels at
which a regulator can intervene with increasing degrees of authority over a
domestic insurer if its RBC is equal to or less than 200% of its computed
authorized control level RBC. A company's RBC is required to be
disclosed in its statutory annual statement. The RBC is not intended
to be used as a rating or ranking tool nor is it to be used in premium rate
making or approval. Crusader’s adjusted capital at December 31, 2008,
was 849% of authorized control level risk-based capital.
The
following table sets forth the different levels of risk-based capital that may
trigger regulatory involvement and the corresponding actions that may
result.
LEVEL
|
TRIGGER
|
CORRECTIVE ACTION
|
|
Company
Action Level
|
Adjusted
Capital less than 200% of Authorized Control Level
|
The
insurer must submit a comprehensive plan to the insurance
commissioner
|
|
Regulatory
Action Level
|
Adjusted
Capital less than 150% of Authorized Control Level
|
In
addition to above, insurer is subject to examination, analysis, and
specific corrective action.
|
|
Authorized
Control Level
|
Adjusted
Capital less than 100% of Authorized Control Level
|
In
addition to both of the above, insurance commissioner may place insurer
under regulatory control.
|
|
Mandatory
Control Level
|
Adjusted
Capital less than 70% of Authorized Control Level
|
Insurer
must be placed under regulatory
control.
|
Insurance
Regulatory Information System (IRIS) was developed by a committee of state
insurance regulators primarily to assist state insurance departments in
executing their statutory mandate to oversee the financial condition of
insurance companies. IRIS helps those companies that merit highest
priority in the allocation of the regulators’ resources on the basis of 13
financial ratios that are calculated annually. The analytical phase
is a review of annual statements and the financial ratios. The ratios
and trends are valuable in pointing to companies likely to experience financial
difficulties but are not themselves indicative of adverse financial
condition. The ratio and benchmark comparisons are mechanically
produced and are not intended to replace the state insurance departments’ own
in-depth financial analysis or on-site examinations.
An
unusual range of ratio results has been established from studies of the ratios
of companies that have become insolvent or have experienced financial
difficulties. In the analytical phase, companies that receive four or
more financial ratio values outside the usual range are analyzed in order to
identify those companies that appear to require immediate regulatory
action. Subsequently, a more comprehensive review of the ratio
results and an insurer’s annual statement is performed to confirm that an
insurer’s situation calls for increased or close regulatory
attention. In 2008, the Company was not outside the usual values on
any of the thirteen IRIS ratio tests.
California Insurance
Guarantee Association
The
California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) was created to provide for
payment of claims for which insolvent insurers of most casualty lines are liable
but which cannot be paid out of such insurers’ assets. The Company is
subject to assessment by CIGA for its pro-rata share of such claims based on
premiums written in the particular line in the year preceding the assessment by
insurers writing that line of insurance in California. Such
assessments are based upon estimates of losses to be incurred in liquidating an
insolvent insurer. Under the current California Insurance Code, in a
particular year, the Company cannot be assessed an amount greater than 2% of its
premiums written in the preceding year. Assessments are recouped
through a mandated surcharge to policyholders the year after the
assessment. No assessment was made by CIGA for the 2008, 2007, or the
2006 calendar years.
8
Holding Company
Act
Crusader
is subject to regulation by the insurance department pursuant to the provisions
of the California Insurance Holding Company System Regulatory Act (the "Holding
Company Act"). Pursuant to the Holding Company Act, the insurance
department may examine the affairs of Crusader at any time. Certain
transactions defined to be of an "extraordinary" type may not be effected
without the prior approval of the insurance department. Such
transactions include, but are not limited to, sales, purchases, exchanges, loans
and extensions of credit, and investments made within the immediately preceding
12 months involving the lesser of 3% of admitted assets or 25% of policyholders’
surplus as of the preceding December 31. An extraordinary transaction
also includes a dividend which, together with other dividends or distributions
made within the preceding twelve months, exceeds the greater of 10% of the
insurance company's policyholders' surplus as of the preceding December 31 or
the insurance company's net income for the preceding calendar
year. An insurance company is also required to notify the insurance
department of any dividend after declaration, but prior to payment.
The
Holding Company Act also provides that the acquisition or change of “control” of
a California domiciled insurance company or of any person who controls such an
insurance company cannot be consummated without the prior approval of the
Insurance Commissioner. In general, a presumption of “control” arises
from the ownership of voting securities and securities that are convertible into
voting securities, which in the aggregate constitute 10% or more of the voting
securities of a California insurance company or a person who controls a
California insurance company, such as Crusader. A person seeking to
acquire “control,” directly or indirectly, of the Company must generally file
with the Insurance Commissioner an application for change of control containing
certain information required by statute and published regulations and provide a
copy of the application to the Company. The Holding Company Act also
effectively restricts the Company from consummating certain reorganization or
mergers without prior regulatory approval. The Company is in
compliance with the Holding Company Act.
Rating
Insurance
companies are rated to provide both industry participants and insurance
consumers with meaningful information on specific insurance
companies. Higher ratings generally indicate financial stability and
a strong ability to pay claims. These ratings are based upon factors
relevant to policyholders and are not directed toward protection of
investors. Such ratings are neither a rating of securities nor a
recommendation to buy, hold or sell any security and may be revised or withdrawn
at any time. Ratings focus primarily on the following
factors: capital resources, financial strength, demonstrated
management expertise in the insurance business, credit analysis, systems
development, market segment position and growth opportunities, marketing, sales
conduct practices, investment operations, minimum policyholders’ surplus
requirements and capital sufficiency to meet projected growth, as well as access
to such traditional capital as may be necessary to continue to meet standards
for capital adequacy.
The
claims-paying abilities of insurers are rated to provide both insurance
consumers and industry participants with comparative information on specific
insurance companies. Claims-paying ratings are important for the
marketing of certain insurance products. A higher rating generally
indicates greater financial strength and a stronger ability to pay
claims.
Effective
January 27, 2009, A.M. Best Company has upgraded Crusader’s financial strength
rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good) and revised Crusader’s rating
outlook to stable from
positive. In addition, Crusader’s Issuer Credit Rating was upgraded to a-
(Excellent) from bbb+ (Good).
Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
of 2002
On
November 26, 2002, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (The Act) was signed
by President Bush. On December 22, 2005, the United States’
government extended The Act, which was set to expire on December 31, 2005, for
two more years. On December 26, 2007, the United States government
extended The Act through December 31, 2014. The Act establishes a
program within the Department of the Treasury in which the Federal Government
will share the risk of loss from acts of terrorism with the insurance
industry. Federal participation will be triggered when the Secretary
of the Treasury, in concurrence with the Secretary of State and the Attorney
General of the United States, certifies an act to be an act of
terrorism. No act shall be certified as an act of terrorism unless
the terrorist act results in aggregate losses in excess of $5
million.
9
Under The
Act, the federal government will pay 85% of covered terrorism losses exceeding
the statutorily established deductible. All property and casualty
insurance companies are required to participate in the program to the extent
that they must make available property and casualty insurance coverage for
terrorism that does not differ materially from the terms, amounts, and other
coverage limitations applicable to losses arising from events other than acts of
terrorism.
The
Company does not write policies on properties considered a target of terrorist
activities such as airports, large hotels, large office structures, amusement
parks, landmark defined structures, or other large scale public
facilities. In addition, there is not a high concentration of
policies in any one area where increased exposure to terrorist threats
exist. Consequently, the Company believes its exposure relating to
acts of terrorism is low. In 2008, Crusader received $155,631 in
terrorism coverage premium from approximately 9% of its
policyholders. Crusader’s 2008 terrorism deductible was
$9,732,395. Crusader’s 2009 terrorism deductible is
$8,544,153.
OTHER INSURANCE
OPERATIONS
General Agency
Operations
Unifax
primarily sells and services commercial multiple peril business insurance
policies for Crusader in California.
Bedford
Insurance Services, Inc., (Bedford) sells and services daily automobile rental
policies in most states for a non-affiliated insurer.
As
general agents, these subsidiaries market, rate, underwrite, inspect and issue
policies, bill and collect insurance premiums, and maintain accounting and
statistical data. Unifax is the exclusive general agent for
Crusader. Unifax and Bedford are non-exclusive general agents for
non-affiliated insurance companies. The Company's marketing is
conducted through advertising to independent insurance agents and
brokers. For its services, the general agent receives a commission
(based on the premium written) from the insurance company and, in some cases, a
policy fee from the customer. These subsidiaries all hold licenses
issued by the California Department of Insurance and other states where
applicable.
Insurance Premium Finance
Operation
The
Company’s subsidiary, American Acceptance Corporation (AAC) is a licensed
insurance premium finance company that provides insurance purchasers with the
ability to pay their insurance premiums on an installment basis. The
premium finance company pays the insurance premium to the insurance company in
return for a premium finance note from the insured. These notes are
paid off by the insured in nine monthly installments and are secured by the
unearned premiums held by the insurance company. AAC provides premium
financing solely for Crusader policies that are produced by Unifax in
California.
Association
Operation
The
Company's subsidiary, Insurance Club, Inc., dba AAQHC, An Administrator (AAQHC)
(formally American Association of Quality Health Care), is a membership
association and a third party administrator. AAQHC provides various
consumer benefits to its members, including participation in group medical and
dental insurance policies that it negotiates. AAQHC also provides
services as a third party administrator and is licensed by the California
Department of Insurance. For these services, AAQHC receives
membership and fee income from its members.
Health Insurance
Operations
The
Company's subsidiary, American Insurance Brokers, Inc. (AIB), markets health
insurance in California through non-affiliated insurance companies for
individuals and groups. The services provided consist of marketing,
billing and collection, accounting, and customer service. For these
services AIB receives commissions from insurance companies. Most of
the business is produced through independent insurance agents and
brokers. AIB holds licenses issued by the California Department of
Insurance.
10
INVESTMENTS
The
investments of the Company are made by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer
under the supervision of an investment committee appointed by the Company’s
Board of Directors. The Company’s investment guidelines on equity
securities limit investments in equity securities to a maximum of $2,000,000 in
aggregate. The Company’s investment guidelines on fixed maturities
limit those investments to high-grade obligations with a maximum term of eight
years. The maximum investment authorized in any one issuer is
$2,000,000 and the maximum in any one U.S. government agency or U.S. government
sponsored enterprise is $3,000,000. This dollar limitation excludes
bond premiums paid in excess of par value and U.S. government or U.S. government
guaranteed issues. Investments in municipal securities are primarily
pre-refunded and secured by U.S. treasury securities. The short-term
investments are either U.S. government obligations, FDIC insured, or are in an
institution with a Moody's rating of P2 and/or a Standard & Poor's rating of
A1. All of the Company's fixed maturity investment securities are
rated and readily marketable and could be liquidated without any material
adverse financial impact.
COMPETITION
General
The
property and casualty insurance industry is highly competitive in the areas of
price, coverage, and service. It is highly cyclical, characterized by
periods of high premium rates and shortages of underwriting capacity followed by
periods of severe price competition and excess capacity.
The
profitability of insurers is affected by many factors including rate and
coverage competition, the frequency of claims and their average cost, natural
disasters, state regulations, interest rates, crime rates, general business
conditions, and court decisions redefining and expanding the extent of coverage
and granting higher compensation awards. One of the challenging and
unique features of the property and casualty business is the fact that, since
premiums are collected before losses are paid, its products are normally priced
before its costs are known.
Insurance Company and
General Agency Operations (Property and Casualty)
The
Company's property and casualty insurance business continues to experience a
competitive marketplace. There are many substantial competitors who
have larger resources, operate in more states, and insure coverages in more
lines and in higher limits than the Company. In addition, Crusader
competes not only with other insurance companies but also with other general
agencies. Many of those general agencies offer more products than the
Company. The principal method of competition among competitors is
based on price. While the Company attempts to meet such competition
with competitive prices, its emphasis is on service, promotion, and
distribution. Additional information regarding competition in the
insurance marketplace is discussed in the Item 7 -“Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Results of
Operations.”
Insurance Premium Financing
Operation
The
insurance premium financing operation currently finances policies written only
through its sister company, Unifax. Consequently, AAC’s growth is
primarily dependent on the growth of Crusader and Unifax business. In
addition, the competitive pricing, the quality of its service, and the ease and
convenience of financing with AAC have made its profitability
possible.
Health Insurance
Operations
Competition
in the health insurance business is intense. In 2008 and 2007
approximately 82% and 80% of the Company’s health insurance business was from
the CIGNA HealthCare medical and dental plan programs,
respectively. CIGNA’s plans consist of small group medical and dental
policies and individual dental policies. In May 2006, CIGNA
HealthCare began offering new small group medical insurance policies in the
state of California. Currently, all new CIGNA small group medical
insurance policies are written through AIB and all CIGNA small group medical
insurance policyholders are members of AAQHC. In November 2008, AIB
entered into a General Agent Contract with Blue Shield of California who will
pay AIB override commissions for all business submitted to them. In
June 2009, CIGNA plans to substantially reduce the medical plans offered to
Small Group Employers in the state of California from sixteen current plans to
four. All new employer groups and existing employer groups, on their
anniversary date, will have the option to choose from the four available
plans. AIB will be assisting its CIGNA policyholders in obtaining new
coverage in one of the four CIGNA plans or with other contracted
carriers. This reduction in CIGNA medical plans offered to Small
Group Employers in the state of California may result in a decrease in AIB
commission income and AAQHC fee income. AAQHC will continue to
underwrite and administer all remaining CIGNA business, including dental plans
for Individuals and Small Group Employers.
11
EMPLOYEES
On March
6, 2009, the Company employed 105 persons at its facility located in Woodland
Hills, California. The Company has no collective bargaining
agreements and believes its relations with its employees are
excellent.
Item 1A. Risk
Factors.
The
Company is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, the outcome of which may
impact future results of operations and financial condition. These
risks are as follows:
Changes and general economic
conditions may have an adverse effect on the Company’s revenues and
profitability.
The
Company’s revenues and profitability may be impacted by national and local
economic conditions, particularly in the state of
California. Unfavorable changes in economic conditions such as
recessions, increased levels of unemployment and inflation may reduce the
Company’s revenue through policy cancellations, modifications or
non-renewals. The recent turmoil in the economy and the disruption in
the financial markets may impair the ability of customers to pay premiums as
they become due, reduce the amount of coverage that customers may seek and may
limit the amount of premiums the Company may charge for
insurance. The Company is not able to predict the duration and
severity of the current disruption in the financial markets and adverse economic
conditions, both nationally and in the state of California.
Loss and loss adjustment
expense reserves are based on estimates and may not be sufficient to cover
future losses.
Loss and
loss adjustment expense reserves represent an estimate of amounts needed to pay
and administer claims with respect to insured events that have occurred,
including events that have incurred which have not yet been reported to the
Company. There is a high level of uncertainty inherent in the
evaluation of the required losses and loss adjustment expense reserves for the
Company. The long-tailed nature of liability claims and the
volatility of jury awards exacerbate that uncertainty. The Company
sets loss and loss adjustment expense reserves at each balance sheet date at
management’s best estimate of the ultimate payments that it anticipates will be
made to settle all losses incurred and related loss adjustment expenses incurred
as of that date for both reported and unreported losses. The ultimate
cost of claims is dependent upon future events, the outcomes of which are
affected by many factors. Company claim reserving procedures and
settlement philosophy, current and perceived social and economic inflation,
current and future court rulings and jury attitudes, improvements in medical
technology, and many other economic, scientific, legal, political, and social
factors all can have significant effects on the ultimate costs of
claims. Changes in Company operations and management philosophy also
may cause actual developments to vary from the past. Since the
emergence and disposition of claims are subject to uncertainties, the net
amounts that will ultimately be paid to settle claims may vary significantly
from the estimated amounts provided for in the accompanying consolidated
financial statements. Any adjustments to reserves are reflected in
the operating results of the periods in which they are made.
The Company’s success
depends on its ability to accurately underwrite risks and to charge adequate
premiums to policyholders.
The
Company’s financial condition, liquidity and results of operations depend in
large part on the Company’s ability to underwrite and set premiums accurately
for the risks it faces. Premium rate adequacy is necessary to
generate sufficient premium to offset losses, loss adjustment expenses,
underwriting expenses, and to earn a profit. In order to price its
products accurately, the Company must collect and properly analyze a substantial
volume of data; develop, test and apply appropriate rating formulas; closely
monitor and timely recognize changes in trends; and project both severity and
frequency of losses with reasonable accuracy. The Company’s ability
to undertake these efforts successfully is subject to a number of risks and
uncertainties, including, without limitation:
12
|
•
|
Availability
of sufficient reliable data.
|
|
•
|
Incorrect
or incomplete analysis of available data.
|
||
•
|
Uncertainties
inherent in estimates and assumptions.
|
||
•
|
Selection
and application of appropriate rating formulae or other pricing
methodologies.
|
||
•
|
Adoption
of successful pricing strategies.
|
||
•
|
Prediction
of policyholder retention (e.g., policy life
expectancy).
|
||
•
|
Unanticipated
court decisions, legislation or regulatory action.
|
||
•
|
Ongoing
changes in the Company’s claim settlement practices.
|
||
|
•
|
Unexpected
inflation.
|
|
|
•
|
Social
changes, particularly those affecting litigious
inclinations.
|
Such
risks may result in the Company’s pricing being based on outdated, inadequate,
or inaccurate data, or inappropriate analyses, assumptions, or methodologies,
and may cause the Company to estimate incorrectly future changes in the
frequency or severity of claims. As a result, the Company could under
price risks, which would negatively affect the Company’s margins, or it could
overprice risks, which could reduce the Company’s volume and
competitiveness. In either event, the Company’s operating results,
financial condition, and cash flow could be materially adversely
affected.
Inability to obtain
reinsurance or to collect on ceded reinsurance could adversely affect the
Company’s ability to write new policies.
The
availability, amount and cost of reinsurance depend on market conditions and may
vary significantly. Any decrease in the amount of the Company’s
reinsurance will increase the risk of loss and could materially adversely affect
its business and financial condition. Ceded reinsurance does not
discharge the Company’s direct obligations under the policies it
writes. The Company remains liable to its policyholders even if the
Company is unable to make recoveries that it believes it’s entitled to under the
reinsurance contracts. Losses may not be recovered from the
reinsurers until claims are paid.
The insurance business is
subject to extensive regulation and legislative changes, which may impact the
manner in which the company operates its business.
The
insurance business is subject to extensive regulation by the California
Department of Insurance. The California Department of Insurance has
broad regulatory powers implemented to protect policyholders, not stockholders
or other investors. These powers include, among other things, the
ability to:
•
|
Place
limitations on the Company’s investments and dividends.
|
||
|
•
|
Place
limitations on the Company’s ability to transact business with its
affiliates.
|
|
|
•
|
Establish
standards of solvency including minimum reserves and capital surplus
requirements.
|
|
|
•
|
Prescribe
the form and content of, and to examine, the Company’s financial
statements.
|
Federal
legislation currently does not directly impact the property and casualty
business, but the business can be indirectly affected by changes in federal
regulations. In addition, the U.S. Congress and other federal
agencies from time to time consider whether federal regulation of U. S. insurers
is necessary. The Company is unable to predict whether such laws will
be enacted and how and to what extent this could affect our
business.
This
extensive regulation may affect the cost or demand for the Company’s products
and may limit the ability to obtain rate increases or to take other actions that
the Company might desire to do in order to increase its
profitability.
A downgrade in the financial
strength rating of the insurance company could reduce the amount of business it
may be able to write.
Rating
agencies rate insurance companies based on financial strength as an indication
of an ability to pay claims. Effective January 27, 2009, A.M. Best
Company has upgraded Crusader’s financial strength rating to A- (Excellent) from
B++ (Good) and revised Crusader’s rating outlook to stable from
positive. In addition, Crusader’s Issuer Credit Rating was upgraded
to a- (Excellent) from bbb+ (Good). The financial strength rating
of A.M. Best is subject to periodic review using, among other things,
proprietary capital adequacy models, and is subject to revision or withdrawal at
any time. Insurance financial strength ratings are directed toward
the concerns of policyholders and insurance agents and are not intended for the
protection of investors. Any downgrade in the Company’s A.M. Best
rating could cause a reduction in the number of policies it writes and could
have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and
financial position.
13
Intense competition could
adversely affect the ability to sell policies at premium rates the Company deems
adequate.
The
Company faces significant competition which, at times, is intense. If
the Company is unable to compete effectively, its business and financial
condition could be materially adversely affected. Competition in the
property and casualty marketplace is based on many factors including premiums
charged, services provided, financial strength ratings assigned by independent
rating agencies, speed of claims payments, reputation, perceived financial
strength, and general experience. The Company competes with regional
and national insurance companies. Some competitors have greater
financial, marketing, and management resources than the
Company. Intense competitive pressure on prices can result from the
actions of even a single large competitor. The Company uses its own
proprietary premium rates to determine the price for its property and casualty
policies.
The Company’s earnings may
be affected by changes in interest rates.
Investment
income is an important component of the Company’s revenues and net
income. The ability to achieve investment objectives is affected by
factors that are beyond the Company’s control. Interest rates are
highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies and
domestic and international economic and political conditions. Any
significant decline in investment income as a result of falling interest rates
or general market conditions would have an adverse effect on net income and, as
a result, on the Company’s stockholders' equity and policyholders'
surplus.
The
outlook of the Company’s investment income is dependent on the future direction
of interest rates and the amount of cash flows from operations that are
available for investment. The fair values of fixed maturity
investments that are "available-for-sale" fluctuate with changes in interest
rates and cause fluctuations in the stockholders' equity.
The Company’s geographic
concentration ties its performance to the business, economic, and regulatory
conditions in California.
The
Company’s insurance business is concentrated in California (100% of gross
written premium in 2005 through 2008). Accordingly, unfavorable
business, economic or regulatory conditions in the state of California could
negatively impact the Company’s performance. In addition, California
is exposed to severe natural perils, such as
earthquakes and fires, along with the possibility of terrorist
acts. Accordingly, the Company could suffer losses as a result of
catastrophic events.
The Company relies on
independent insurance agents and brokers.
The
failure or inability of independent insurance agents and brokers to market the
Company’s insurance programs successfully could have a material adverse effect
on its business, financial condition and results of
operations. Independent brokers are not obligated to promote the
Company’s insurance programs and may sell competitors' insurance
programs. The Company’s business largely depends on the marketing
efforts of independent brokers and on the Company’s ability to offer insurance
programs and services that meet the requirements of those brokers’
customers.
Litigation may have an
adverse effect on the Company’s business.
The
insurance industry is the target of an increasing number of class action
lawsuits and other types of litigation, some of which involve claims for
substantial and/or indeterminate amounts and the outcomes of which are
unpredictable. This litigation is based on a variety of issues
including insurance and claim settlement practices. Although the
Company has not been the target of any specific class action lawsuits, it is
possible that a suit of this type could have a negative impact on the Company’s
business.
The Company relies on its
information technology systems to manage many aspects of its business and any
failure of these systems to function properly or any interruption in their
operation could result in a material adverse effect on the Company’s business,
financial condition and results of operations.
The
Company depends on the accuracy, reliability, and proper functioning of its
information technology systems. The Company relies on these
information technology systems to effectively manage many aspects of its
business, including underwriting, policy acquisition, claims processing and
handling, accounting, reserving and actuarial processes and policies, and
maintaining its policyholder data. The failure of hardware or
software that supports the Company’s information technology systems or the loss
of data contained in the systems could disrupt its business and could result in
decreased premiums, increased overhead costs, and inaccurate reporting, all of
which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial
condition, and results of operations. In addition, despite system
redundancy, the implementation of security measures and the existence of a
disaster recovery plan for the Company’s information technology systems, these
systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption from events such
as:
14
|
•
|
Earthquake,
fire, flood and other natural disasters.
|
|
•
|
Terrorist
attacks and attacks by computer viruses or hackers.
|
||
•
|
Power
loss.
|
||
•
|
Unauthorized
access.
|
||
•
|
Computer
systems or data network failure.
|
It is
possible that a system failure, accident, or security breach could result in a
material disruption to the Company’s business. In addition,
substantial costs may be incurred to remedy the damages caused by these
disruptions. To the extent that a critical system fails or is not
properly implemented and the failure cannot be corrected in a timely manner, the
Company may experience disruptions to the business that could have a material
adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations.
The Company’s disclosure
controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all acts of
fraud.
The
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are designed to reasonably ensure
that information required to be disclosed in reports filed or submitted under
the Securities Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management and is
recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified
in the SEC’s rules and forms. The Company’s management believes that
any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no
matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not
absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are
met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, they
cannot provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of
fraud, if any, within the Company have been prevented or
detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that
judgments in decision making can be faulty and that breakdowns can occur because
of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be
circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more
people, or by an unauthorized override of the controls. The design of
any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the
likelihood of future events, and the Company cannot ensure that any design will
succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future
conditions. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in a
cost effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and
may not be detected.
Failure to maintain an
effective system of internal control over financial reporting may have an
adverse effect on the Company’s stock price.
Section 404
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the related rules and regulations
promulgated by the SEC require the Company to include in its Form 10-K a
report by its management regarding the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting. The report includes, among other
things, an assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting as of the end of its fiscal year, including a statement
as to whether or not the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is
effective. This assessment must include disclosure of any material
weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting identified
by management. Areas of the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting may require improvement from time to time. If management is
unable to assert that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is
effective now or in any future period, investors may lose confidence in the
accuracy and completeness of the Company’s financial reports, which could have
an adverse effect on its stock price.
The ability of the Company
to attract, develop and retain talented employees, managers, and executives, and
to maintain appropriate staffing levels, is critical to the Company’s
success.
The
Company must hire and train new employees and retain current employees to handle
its operations. The failure of the Company to successfully hire and
retain a sufficient number of skilled employees could result in the Company
having to slow the growth of its business. In addition, the failure
to adequately staff its claims department could result in decreased quality of
the Company’s claims operations. The Company’s success also depends
heavily upon the continued contributions of its executive officers, both
individually and as a group. The Company’s future performance will be
substantially dependent on its ability to retain and motivate its management
team. The loss of the services of any of the Company’s executive
officers could prevent the Company from successfully implementing its business
strategy, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business,
financial condition, and results of operations.
15
Item
1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not
applicable.
Item
2. Properties.
The
Company presently occupies a 46,000 square foot office building located at 23251
Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills, California, under a master lease expiring
March 31, 2012. Erwin Cheldin, the Company's president, chairman, and
principal stockholder, is the owner of the building. The Company
signed an extension to the lease with a 4% increase in rent effective April 1,
2007. The lease provides for an annual gross rent of $1,066,990 from
April 1, 2007, through March 31, 2012. In addition, the lease
extension provides for two, five-year options with a rent increase of 5% for
each option period. The Company believes that at the inception of the
lease agreement and at each subsequent extension, the terms of the lease were at
least as favorable to the Company as could have been obtained from
non-affiliated third parties. The Company utilizes for its own
operations approximately 100% of the space it leases.
Item 3. Legal
Proceedings.
The
Company, by virtue of the nature of the business conducted by it, becomes
involved in numerous legal proceedings in which it may be named as either
plaintiff or defendant. Incidental actions are sometimes brought by
customers or others that relate to disputes concerning the issuance or
non-issuance of individual insurance policies or other matters. In
addition, the Company resorts to legal proceedings from time to time in order to
enforce collection of premiums, commissions, or fees for the services rendered
to customers or to their agents. These routine items of litigation do
not materially affect the Company’s operations and are handled on a routine
basis through its counsel.
Item
4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security
Holders.
None
PART II
Item 5. Market
for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters
and
Issuer Purchases of Equity
Securities.
The
Company's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol
"UNAM." The high and low sales prices (by quarter) during the last
two comparable twelve-month periods are as follows:
Quarter Ended
|
High Price
|
Low
Price
|
||||||
March
31, 2007
|
$ | 14.25 | $ | 11.55 | ||||
June
30, 2007
|
$ | 13.45 | $ | 10.97 | ||||
September
30, 2007
|
$ | 14.03 | $ | 9.93 | ||||
December
31, 2007
|
$ | 11.90 | $ | 9.94 | ||||
March
31, 2008
|
$ | 10.34 | $ | 8.80 | ||||
June
30, 2008
|
$ | 10.42 | $ | 8.57 | ||||
September
30, 2008
|
$ | 9.29 | $ | 7.63 | ||||
December
31, 2008
|
$ | 9.03 | $ | 6.63 |
As of
December 31, 2008, the approximate number of shareholders of record of the
Company's common stock was 353. In addition, the Company estimates
beneficial owners of the Company’s common stock held in the name of nominees to
be approximately 560. Total shareholders are estimated to be
approximately 913.
16
The Board
of Directors last declared a cash dividend on the Company’s common stock in
2002. On March 23, 2009, the Board of Directors declared a cash
dividend of $0.18 per common share payable on May 1, 2009, to shareholders of
record on April 10, 2009. Declaration of future cash dividends will
be subject to the Company’s profitability and its cash
requirements. Because the Company is a holding company and operates
through its subsidiaries, its cash flow and, consequently, its ability to pay
dividends are dependent upon the earnings and cash requirements of its
subsidiaries and the distribution of those earnings to the
Company. Also, the ability of Crusader to pay dividends to the
Company is subject to certain regulatory restrictions under the Holding Company
Act (see Item 1 – “Business - Insurance Company Operation - Holding Company
Act”). Presently, without prior regulatory approval, Crusader may pay
a dividend in any twelve (12) month period to its parent equal to the greater of
(a) 10% of Crusader's statutory policyholders' surplus or (b) Crusader's
statutory net income for the preceding calendar year. Based on
Crusader’s statutory net income for the year ended December 31, 2008, the
maximum dividend that could be made by Crusader to Unico without prior
regulatory approval in 2009 is $7,067,715.
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to purchases of
common stock of the Company during the quarter ended December 31, 2008, by the
Company.
Period
|
Total
Number
of
Shares
Purchased
|
Average
Price
Paid
Per Share
|
Total
Number
of
Shares
Purchased
as Part
Of
Publicly
Announced
Plans
or Programs(1)
|
Maximum
Number
of
Shares
that
May Yet Be
Purchased
Under the
Plans or Programs(1)
|
||||||||||||
October
1, 2008 through October
31, 2008
|
30,477 | $ | 8.21 | 30,477 | 24,483 | |||||||||||
November
1, 2008 through November
30, 2008
|
4,351 | $ | 7.58 | 4,351 | 20,132 | |||||||||||
December
1, 2008 through December
31, 2008
|
4,665 | $ | 7.50 | 4,665 | 515,467 | |||||||||||
Total
|
39,493 | $ | 8.05 | 39,493 | 515,467 |
(1)
|
In
April 2000, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had
authorized the purchase in the open market from time to time of up to an
aggregate of 315,000 shares of the common stock of the
Company. On August 8, 2000, the Board of Directors authorized
the purchase of an additional 315,000 shares and on September 6, 2000, the
Board of Directors authorized the purchase of another 315,000 shares of
the common stock of the Company in the open market from time to
time. On December 19, 2008, the Board of Directors
authorized an additional stock repurchase program to acquire up to 500,000
shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market from time to
time. This brought the total shares of the Company’s common
stock authorized to be repurchased to 1,445,000 shares since the year 2000
(see Note 16 of “Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements”). The programs have no expiration date and may be
terminated by the Board of Directors at any time. During the
twelve months ended December 31, 2008, the Company repurchased 51,092
shares of the Company’s common stock at a cost of $416,583 of which
$25,108 was allocated to capital and $391,475 was allocated to retained
earnings. As of December 31, 2008, under the stock repurchase
programs previously adopted by the Company, the Company had remaining
authority to repurchase up to an aggregate of 515,467 shares of common
stock. During the months of January and February 2009, the Company
purchased and retired an additional 6,688 shares of its common stock at a
total cost of $51,866. The Company has or will retire all stock
purchased.
|
17
Performance
Graph
The
following graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return on the
Company's Common Stock with the cumulative total return of equity securities
traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
System (NASDAQ) and a peer group consisting of all NASDAQ property and casualty
companies. The comparison assumes $100.00 was invested on December
31, 2003, in the Company's Common Stock and in each of the comparison groups,
and assumes reinvestment of dividends. It should be noted that this
graph represents historical stock price performance and is not necessarily
indicative of any future stock price performance.
12/31/03
|
12/31/04
|
12/31/05
|
12/31/06
|
12/31/07
|
12/31/08
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Unico
American Corp.
|
100.00 | 170.22 | 167.51 | 234.35 | 183.67 | 146.95 | ||||||||||||||||||
NASDAQ
Market Index
|
100.00 | 108.84 | 111.16 | 122.11 | 132.42 | 63.80 | ||||||||||||||||||
Peer
Group Index
|
100.00 | 117.23 | 137.17 | 151.77 | 145.71 | 123.42 |
Item 6. Selected
Financial Data.
During
the first quarter of 2008, the Company identified an error associated with the
Company’s policy fee income. The error arose from the recognition of
non-refundable policy fee income at policy inception rather than over the policy
term in accordance with the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 104,
“Revenue Recognition,” and EITF 00-21, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple
Deliverables.”
The
Company made an assessment of the materiality of this item on the Company’s
historical financial statements in accordance with SAB No. 99,
“Materiality,” and
concluded that the error was immaterial to all periods. The Company
also concluded that had the error been adjusted when it was identified within
the first quarter of 2008, the impact of such an adjustment would have been
material to its first quarter 2008 financial statements and was expected to be
material to its full year 2008 financial statements.
Accordingly,
in accordance with SAB No. 108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year
Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial
Statements,” the prior year’s balance sheet, the consolidated statements of
operations, comprehensive income, and cash flows have been revised to correct
the immaterial error and to reflect the corrected balances as of that date (see
Note 1 of “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”).
18
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 46,769,444 | $ | 50,372,895 | $ | 54,916,206 | $ | 61,364,024 | $ | 62,006,124 | ||||||||||
Total costs and expenses | 38,784,978 | 40,299,742 | 36,563,395 | 50,716,092 | 53,230,852 | |||||||||||||||
Income before taxes | $ | 7,984,466 | $ | 10,073,153 | $ | 18,352,811 | $ | 10,647,932 | $ | 8,775,272 | ||||||||||
Net income | $ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | $ | 6,834,795 | $ | 5,749,357 | ||||||||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | 0.94 | $ | 1.20 | $ | 2.14 | $ | 1.24 | $ | 1.05 | ||||||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.93 | $ | 1.18 | $ | 2.11 | $ | 1.22 | $ | 1.03 | ||||||||||
Cash dividends per share | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
Total assets | $ | 184,602,976 | $ | 193,775,861 | $ | 188,244,584 | $ | 186,807,528 | $ | 173,142,336 | ||||||||||
Stockholders’ equity | $ | 76,958,255 | $ | 69,103,103 | $ | 60,011,570 | $ | 48,086,104 | $ | 41,251,309 |
Item
7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations.
Overview
General
Unico
American Corporation is an insurance holding company that underwrites property
and casualty insurance through its insurance company subsidiary; provides
property, casualty, health and life insurance through its agency subsidiaries;
insurance premium financing; and membership association services.
The
Company’s net income was $5,283,016 in 2008, $6,712,444 in 2007, and $11,925,466
in 2006.
This
overview discusses some of the relevant factors that management considers in
evaluating the Company's performance, prospects and risks. It is not
all-inclusive and is meant to be read in conjunction with the entirety of the
management discussion and analysis, the Company's financial statements and notes
thereto, and all other items contained within the report on this Annual Report
on Form 10-K.
Revenue and Income
Generation
The
Company receives its revenue primarily from earned premium derived from the
insurance company operations, commission and fee income generated from the
insurance agency operations, finance charges and fee income from the premium
finance operations, and investment income from cash generated primarily from the
insurance company operation. The insurance company operation
generates approximately 87% of the Company’s total revenue. The
Company’s remaining operations constitute a variety of specialty insurance
services, each with unique characteristics and individually not material to
consolidated revenues.
Insurance Company
Operation
The
property and casualty insurance industry is highly competitive and includes many
insurers, ranging from large companies offering a wide variety of products
worldwide to smaller, specialized companies in a single state or region offering
only a single product. Many of the Company's existing or potential
competitors have considerably greater financial and other resources, have a
higher rating assigned by independent rating organizations such as A.M. Best
Company, have greater experience in the insurance industry and offer a broader
line of insurance products than the Company. As of December 31, 2008,
Crusader was licensed as an admitted insurance carrier in the states of Arizona,
California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. However, all Crusaders’
business was written in the State of California. During the year
ended December 31, 2008, 98% of Crusader’s business was commercial multiple
peril policies. Effective January 27, 2009, A.M. Best Company
upgraded Crusader’s financial strength rating to A- (Excellent) from B++ (Good),
and revised Crusader’s rating outlook to stable from positive. In
addition, Crusader’s Issuer Credit Rating was upgraded to a- (Excellent) from
bbb+ (Good).
A primary
challenge of the property and casualty insurance company operation is contending
with the fact that the Company sells its products before the ultimate costs are
actually known. That is, when pricing its products, the Company must
forecast the ultimate claim and loss adjustment costs. In addition,
factors such as changes in regulations and legal environment, among other
things, can all impact the accuracy of such cost.
19
The
property and casualty insurance industry is characterized by periods of soft
market conditions, in which premium rates are stable or falling and insurance is
readily available, and by periods of hard market conditions, in which premium
rates rise, coverage may be more difficult to find, and insurers’ profits
increase. The Company believes that the California property and
casualty insurance market has transitioned to a “soft market” in the last few
years. The Company cannot determine how long the existing market
conditions will continue nor in which direction they might
change. Despite the increased competition in the property and
casualty marketplace, the Company believes that rate adequacy is more important
than premium growth and that underwriting profit (net earned premium less losses
and loss adjustment expenses and policy acquisition costs) is its primary
goal. Nonetheless, Crusader believes that it can grow its sales and
profitability by continuing to focus upon three key areas of its operations: (1)
product development, (2) improved service to retail brokers, and (3) appointment
of captive and independent retail agents. Crusader’s underwriting
profit (before income taxes) is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Net
premium earned
|
$ | 33,949,695 | $ | 37,129,665 | 42,933,789 | |||||||
Less:
|
||||||||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses
|
20,592,730 | 22,182,237 | 17,826,979 | |||||||||
Policy
acquisition costs
|
8,261,324 | 8,465,047 | 9,250,989 | |||||||||
Total
|
28,854,054 | 30,647,284 | 27,077,968 | |||||||||
Underwriting profit (before
income taxes)
|
$ | 5,095,641 | $ | 6,482,381 | $ | 15,855,821 |
The
following table provides an analysis of the losses and loss adjustment
expenses:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Losses and loss adjustment
expenses
|
||||||||||||
Current
accident year
|
24,149,531 | 26,300,338 | 29,997,662 | |||||||||
Favorable
development of all prior accident years
|
3,556,801 | 4,118,101 | 12,170,683 | |||||||||
Total
loss and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 20,592,730 | $ | 22,182,237 | $ | 17,826,979 |
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses were 61% of net premium earned for the year ended
December 31, 2008, compared to 60% of net premium earned for the year ended
December 31, 2007, and compared to 42% of net premium earned for the year ended
December 31, 2006.
Other
Operations
The
Company’s other operations generate commissions, fees, and finance charges from
various insurance products. The events that have the most significant
economic impact are as follows:
Unifax
primarily sells and services insurance policies for Crusader. The
commissions paid by Crusader to Unifax are eliminated as intercompany
transactions and are not reflected as income in the financial
statements. Policy fee income for the twelve months ended December
31, 2008, decreased 10% as compared to the prior year. The decrease
in policy fee income is a result of a decrease in the number of policies issued
during the twelve months ended December 31, 2008, as compared to
2007.
AIB sells
and services health insurance policies for individual/family and small business
groups and receives commissions based on the premiums that it
writes. Commission income increased 19% for the year ended December
31, 2008, compared to 2007. The increase is primarily due to the
increase in sales of small group medical insurance offered through CIGNA
HealthCare. All CIGNA small group medical insurance policyholders are
members of AAQHC. In November 2008, AIB entered into a General
Agent Contract with Blue Shield of California who will pay AIB override
commissions for all business submitted to them. In June 2009, CIGNA
plans to substantially reduce the medical plans offered to Small Group Employers
in the state of California, from sixteen current plans to four. All
new employer groups and existing employer groups, on their anniversary date,
will have the option to choose from the four available plans. AIB
will be assisting its CIGNA policyholders in obtaining new coverage in one of
the four CIGNA plans or with other contracted carriers. This
reduction in CIGNA medical plans offered to Small Group Employers in the state
of California may result in a decrease in AIB commission income and AAQHC fee
income. AAQHC will continue to underwrite and administer all
remaining CIGNA business, including dental plans for Individuals and Small Group
Employers.
20
AAQHC
provides various consumer benefits to its members, including participation in
group health care insurance policies. For these services, AAQHC
receives membership and fee income from its members. Membership and
fee income decreased 3% in the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to
2007. The decrease is a result of a decrease in the number of
members.
AAC
provides premium financing for Crusader policies that are produced by Unifax in
California. Finance charges and fees earned by AAC during 2008
decreased 17% as compared to 2007. The decrease is primarily a result
of a 11% decrease in the number of loans issued in 2008 compared to
2007. Average premium financed by AAC decreased to $2,653 in 2008
from $2,769 in 2007.
The daily
automobile rental insurance program is produced by Bedford Insurance Services,
Inc. Bedford receives a commission from a non-affiliated insurance
company based on premium written. Commission in the daily automobile
rental insurance program increased 3% as compared to 2007.
Investments and
Liquidity
The
Company generates revenue from its investment portfolio, which consisted of
approximately $145.0 million (at amortized cost) as of December 31, 2008, and
$147.3 million (at amortized cost) as of December 31,
2007. Investment income for the twelve months ended December 31,
2008, decreased $1.0 million (14%) as compared to the twelve months ended
December 31, 2007. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in
the Company’s annualized yield on average invested assets to 4.0% in 2008 from
4.6% in 2007. The decrease in the annualized yield on average
invested assets is a result of lower yields in the marketplace on both new and
reinvested assets. Due to the current interest rate environment,
management believes it is prudent to purchase fixed maturity investments with
maturities of five years or less and with minimal credit risk.
As of
December 31, 2008, the weighted average maturity of the Company’s fixed maturity
investments was 2.1 years compared to 2.0 years and 1.3 years as of December 31,
2007, and December 31, 2006, respectively.
Liquidity and Capital
Resources
Due to
the nature of the Company's business (insurance and insurance services) and
whereas Company growth does not normally require material reinvestments of
profits into property or equipment, the cash flow generated from operations
usually results in improved liquidity for the Company. Because the
Company is a holding company and operates through its subsidiaries, its cash
flow is dependent upon the earnings of its subsidiaries and the distributions of
those earnings to the Company.
Cash flow
used by operations in the year ended December 31, 2008, was $1,675,603, a
decrease in cash flow of $1,561,963 compared to the cash flow for the year
ending December 31, 2007. In 2008 the Company primarily utilized the
cash from the maturity of its fixed maturity investments to purchase $63.6
million of fixed maturity securities.
Cash flow
used by operations in the year ended December 31, 2007, was $113,640, a decrease
in cash flow of $6,411,534 compared to the cash flow for the year ending
December 31, 2006. In 2007 the Company primarily utilized the cash
from the maturity of its fixed maturity investments to purchase $69.7 million of
fixed maturity securities.
The most
significant liquidity risk faced by the Company is adverse development of the
insurance company’s loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. Based
on the Company’s current loss and loss expense reserves and expected current and
future payments, the Company believes that there are no current liquidity
issues. However, no assurance can be given that the Company’s
estimate of ultimate loss and loss adjustment expense reserves will be
sufficient.
Crusader
generates a significant amount of cash as a result of its holdings of unearned
premium reserves, its reserves for loss payments, and its capital and
surplus. Crusader's loss and loss adjustment expense payments are the
most significant cash flow requirement of the Company. These payments
are continually monitored and projected to ensure that the Company has the
liquidity to cover these payments without the need to liquidate its
investments. Cash and investments (at amortized cost) at December 31,
2008, were $145,070,097 compared to $147,457,231 at December 31,
2007. Crusader's cash and investments at December 31, 2008, was
98% of the total held by the Company, compared to 97% of the total held by the
Company at December 31, 2007.
21
The
Company's investments are as follows:
December 31, 2008
|
December 31, 2007
|
December 31, 2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Amount
|
%
|
Amount
|
%
|
Amount
|
%
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Fixed
maturities (at amortized cost)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Certificates
of deposit
|
$ | 400,000 | - | $ | 400,000 | - | $ | 400,000 | - | |||||||||||||||
U.S.
treasury securities
|
124,526,227 | 92 | 130,211,428 | 93 | 127,553,801 | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||
Industrial
and miscellaneous (taxable)
|
10,614,127 | 8 | 9,365,735 | 7 | 12,523,393 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
State
and municipal (tax exempt)
|
- | - | 15,045 | - | 15,134 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity investments
|
135,540,354 | 100 | 139,992,208 | 100 | 140,492,328 | 100 | ||||||||||||||||||
Short-term
cash investments (at cost)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Certificates
of deposit
|
200,000 | 2 | 200,000 | 3 | 200,000 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
Commercial
paper
|
- | - | 3,887,322 | 53 | 1,665,000 | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||
Bank
money market accounts
|
3,312,140 | 35 | 444,781 | 6 | 210,270 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
U.S.
government money market fund
|
5,585,395 | 59 | 2,425,807 | 33 | 411,206 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
Short-term
U.S. treasury bills
|
399,953 | 4 | 393,768 | 5 | 4,322,048 | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||
Bank
savings accounts
|
4,545 | - | 4,481 | - | 11,483 | - | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
short-term cash investments
|
9,502,033 | 100 | 7,356,159 | 100 | 6,820,007 | 100 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
investments
|
$ | 145,042,387 | $ | 147,348,367 | $ | 147,312,335 |
In
accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 115, “Accounting
for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities,” (SFAS No. 115), the
Company is required to classify its investment securities into one of three
categories: held-to-maturity, available-for-sale, or trading
securities. Although all of the Company's investment in fixed
maturity securities are classified as available-for-sale and the Company may
sell investment securities from time to time in response to economic and market
conditions, its investment guidelines place primary emphasis on buying and
holding high-quality investments to maturity.
The
Company’s investment guidelines on equity securities limit investments in equity
securities to an aggregate maximum of $2,000,000. The Company’s
investment guidelines on fixed maturities limit those investments to high-grade
obligations with a maximum term of eight years. The maximum
investment authorized in any one issuer is $2,000,000 and the maximum in any one
U.S. government agency or U.S. government sponsored enterprise is
$3,000,000. This dollar limitation excludes bond premiums paid in
excess of par value and U.S. government or U.S. government guaranteed
issues. Investments in municipal securities are primarily
pre-refunded and secured by U.S. treasury securities. The short-term
investments are either U.S. government obligations, FDIC insured, or are in an
institution with a Moody's rating of P2 and/or a Standard & Poor's rating of
A1. All of the Company's fixed maturity securities are rated and
readily marketable and could be liquidated without any material adverse
financial impact.
The
investment marketplace in general, and in certain asset classes specifically,
has been impacted by volatility as a result of uncertainty in the credit markets
that began in 2007 and continued throughout 2008. The Company’s fixed
maturity investment portfolio as of December 31, 2008, consisted of 92% U.S.
treasury securities and 8% highly rated industrial and miscellaneous taxable
issues bonds. As of December 31, 2008, the Company’s industrial and
miscellaneous taxable bonds were all rated “A” or better by Standard &
Poors.
Crusader's
statutory capital and surplus as of December 31, 2008, was $64,736,230, an
increase of $6,873,896 (12%) from December 31, 2007. Crusader's
statutory capital and surplus as of December 31, 2007, was $57,862,334, an
increase of $7,838,566 (16%) from December 31, 2006.
No
dividends were declared or paid by Crusader to Unico in 2008, 2007, or
2006. Based on Crusader’s statutory net income for the year ended
December 31, 2008, the maximum dividend that could be made by Crusader to Unico
without prior regulatory approval in 2009 is $7,067,715.
22
In April
2000, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had authorized the
purchase in the open market from time to time of up to an aggregate of 315,000
shares of the common stock of the Company. On August 8, 2000, the
Board of Directors authorized the purchase of an additional 315,000 shares and
on September 6, 2000, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase of another
315,000 shares of the common stock of the Company in the open market from time
to time. On December 19, 2008, the Board of Directors authorized
an additional stock repurchase program to acquire up to 500,000 shares of the
Company’s common stock in the open market from time to time. This
brought the total shares of the Company’s common stock authorized to be
repurchased to 1,445,000 shares since the year 2000 (see Note 16 of “Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements”). The programs have no expiration
date and may be terminated by the Board of Directors at any
time. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2008, the Company
repurchased 51,092 shares of the Company’s common stock at a cost of $416,583 of
which $25,108 was allocated to capital and $391,475 was allocated to retained
earnings. As of December 31, 2008, under the stock repurchase
programs previously adopted by the Company, the Company had remaining authority
to repurchase up to an aggregate of 515,467 shares of common stock. During the
months of January and February 2009, the Company purchased and retired an
additional 6,688 shares of its common stock at a total cost of
$51,866. The Company has or will retire all stock
purchased.
Although
material capital expenditures may also be funded through borrowings, the Company
believes that its cash and short-term investments at year end, net of trust
restrictions of $236,104, statutory deposits of $700,000, and California
insurance company statutory dividend restrictions applicable to Crusader plus
the cash to be generated from operations, should be sufficient to meet its
operating requirements during the next twelve months without the necessity of
borrowing funds.
As a
California insurance company, Crusader is obligated to pay a premium tax on
gross premiums written in all states that Crusader is
admitted. Premium taxes are deferred and amortized as the related
premiums are earned. The premium tax is in lieu of state franchise
taxes and is not included in the provision for state taxes.
The
Company has certain obligations to make future payments under contracts and
credit-related financial instruments and commitments. At December 31,
2008, certain long-term aggregate contractual obligations and credit-related
commitments are summarized as follows:
Contractual Obligations
|
Total
|
Within 1 Year
|
1-3 Years
|
3-5 Years
|
After 5 years
|
|||||||||||||||
Building
lease
|
$ | 3,467,717 | $ | 1,066,990 | $ | 2,133,980 | $ | 266,747 | - | |||||||||||
Loss
and loss adjustment expense
reserves*
|
78,654,590 | 25,394,793 | 31,233,425 | 12,029,444 | $ | 9,996,928 | ||||||||||||||
Total
|
$ | 82,122,307 | $ | 26,461,783 | $ | 33,367,405 | $ | 12,296,191 | $ | 9,996,928 |
|
*
Unlike many other forms of contractual obligations, loss and loss
adjustment expense reserves do not have definitive due dates and the
ultimate payment dates are subject to a number of variables and
uncertainties. As a result, the total loss and loss adjustment
expense reserve payments to be made by period, as shown above, are
estimates.
|
Results of
Operations
General
The
Company had net income of $5,283,016 for the year ended December 31, 2008,
compared to net income of $6,712,444 for the year ended December 31, 2007, and
net income of $11,925,466 for the year ended December 31,
2006. Total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2008, was
$46,769,444 compared to $50,372,895 for the year ended December 31, 2007, and
$54,916,206 for the year ended December 31, 2006.
For the
year ended December 31, 2008, the Company had income before taxes of $7,984,466
compared to income before taxes of $10,073,153 in the year ended December 31,
2007, a decrease of $2,088,687 (21%) in income before taxes. The
decrease in income before taxes was primarily due to a decrease of $1,386,740 in
the underwriting profit (net earned premium less losses and loss adjustment
expenses and policy acquisition costs), and a decrease of $956,385 in investment
income.
For the
year ended December 31, 2007, the Company had income before taxes of $10,073,153
compared to income before taxes of $18,352,811 in the year ended December 31,
2006, a decrease in income before taxes of $8,279,658 (45%). The
decrease in income before tax was primarily due to a decrease of $9,373,440 in
the underwriting profit (net earned premium less losses and loss adjustment
expenses and policy acquisition costs).
The
effect of inflation on the net income of the Company during the years ended
December 31, 2008, 2007, and 2006 was not significant.
23
The
Company derives revenue from various sources as discussed below:
Insurance Company
Operation
Premium
and loss information of Crusader are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Gross
written premium
|
$ | 39,940,270 | $ | 44,970,399 | $ | 51,913,967 | ||||||
Net
written premium (net of reinsurance ceded)
|
$ | 31,175,204 | $ | 33,412,745 | $ | 38,166,864 | ||||||
Earned
premium before reinsurance ceded
|
$ | 42,720,764 | $ | 48,661,973 | $ | 56,692,213 | ||||||
Earned
premium (net of reinsurance ceded)
|
$ | 33,949,695 | $ | 37,129,665 | $ | 42,933,789 | ||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 20,592,730 | $ | 22,182,237 | $ | 17,826,979 | ||||||
Gross
unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 78,654,590 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 93,596,117 | ||||||
Net
unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 58,839,017 | $ | 66,305,287 | $ | 70,076,430 |
Crusader’s
primary line of business is commercial multiple peril policies. This
line of business represented approximately 98% of Crusader’s total written
premium for the year ended December 31, 2008, 96% for the year ended December
31, 2007, and 97% for the year ended December 31, 2006.
As of
December 31, 2008, Crusader was licensed as an admitted insurance company in the
states of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington and is approved as
a non-admitted surplus lines writer in other states.
Premiums
For the
year ended December 31, 2008, gross written premium decreased by $5,030,129
(11%) over 2007. For the year ended December 31, 2007, gross written
premium decreased by $6,943,568 (13%) over 2006. The decrease in
written premium in both 2008 and 2007 reflected heightened competition and
management’s continued emphasis on rate adequacy and underwriting
discipline. The Company cannot determine how long the existing market
condition will continue, nor in which direction it might change.
The
insurance marketplace continues to be intensely competitive as more insurers are
competing for the same customers. Many of Crusader’s competitors
price their insurance at rates that the Company believes are inadequate to
support any profit. Nonetheless, Crusader believes that it can grow
its sales and profitability by continuing to focus upon three key areas of its
operations: (1) product development, (2) improved service to retail brokers, and
(3) appointment of captive and independent retail agents. During
2008, Crusader began to introduce many product changes such as to its rates,
eligibility guidelines, rules and coverage forms. Improved service to
retail brokers is primarily focused upon transacting business through the
internet, as well as providing more options to make the brokers’ time more
efficiently spent with us (i.e., as opposed to spending time with our
competitors). In October 2008, the Company hired a marketing manager, bringing
the total number of employees dedicated exclusively to marketing to
three. Those representatives are charged with the responsibility of
identifying product development opportunities, promoting the Company and its
products to the insurance brokerage community, and with the duty to appoint
retail agents so as to introduce the Crusader brand at the consumer’s level of
distribution (i.e., retail). Crusader appointed twelve retail agents
as of December 31, 2008, and plans to have approximately twenty-four by the end
of year 2009. Presently it is expected that each such retail agent
should be able to reach an annual sales volume of approximately one to two
million dollars of Crusader’s products within three to five years of their
appointment by the Company.
The
Company writes annual policies and, therefore, earns written premium daily over
the one-year policy term. Premium earned before reinsurance decreased
$5,941,209 (12%) in the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to the year ended
December 31, 2007, and decreased $8,030,240 (14%) in the year ended December 31,
2007, compared to the year ended December 31, 2006. The decrease in
earned premium before reinsurance in both 2008 and 2007 is a direct result of
the decrease in written premium in 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Earned
ceded premium for the 12 months ended December 31, 2008, decreased $2,761,239
(24%) to $8,771,069 compared to $11,532,308 for the 12 months ended December 31,
2007. Earned ceded premium for the 12 months ended December 31, 2007,
decreased $2,226,116 (16%) to $11,532,308 compared to $13,758,424 for the 12
months ended December 31, 2006. Earned ceded premiums as a percentage
of direct earned premiums were 21% in 2008, and 24% for 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
24
The
Company evaluates each of its ceded reinsurance contracts at its inception to
determine if there is a sufficient risk transfer to allow the contract to be
accounted for as reinsurance under current accounting literature. As
of December 31, 2008, all such ceded contracts are accounted for as risk
transfer reinsurance. The earned premium ceded consists of both
premium ceded under the Company’s current reinsurance contracts and premium
ceded to the Company’s provisionally rated reinsurance contracts.
In 2008
Crusader retained a participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of
20% in its 1st layer ($700,000 in excess of $300,000), 15% in its 2nd layer
($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 0% in its property and casualty clash
treaty. In 2007 Crusader retained a participation in its excess of
loss reinsurance treaties of 15% in its 1st layer ($700,000 in excess of
$300,000), 15% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 15% in
its property clash treaty. In 2006 and 2005 Crusader retained a
participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of 10% in its 1st layer
($700,000 in excess of $300,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of
$1,000,000), and 30% in its property and casualty clash treaties. In 2004 Crusader retained
a participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of 10% in its 1st
layer ($750,000 in excess of $250,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in
excess of $1,000,000), and 30% in its property and casualty clash
treaties. In 2003 Crusader retained a participation in its excess of
loss reinsurance treaties of 5% in its 1st layer ($750,000 in excess of
$250,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 30% in
its property and casualty clash treaties.
The 2008
and 2007 excess of loss treaties do not provide for a contingent
commission. Crusader’s 2006 1st layer
primary excess of loss treaty provides for a contingent commission equal to 20%
of the net profit, if any, accruing to the reinsurer. The first
accounting period for the contingent commission covers the period from January
1, 2006, through December 31, 2006. The 2005 excess of loss treaties
do not provide for a contingent commission. Crusader’s 2004 and 2003 1st layer
primary excess of loss treaties provide for a contingent commission to the
Company equal to 45% of the net profit, if any, accruing to the
reinsurer. The first accounting period for the contingent commission
covers the period from January 1, 2003, through December 31,
2004. For each accounting period as described above, the Company will
calculate and report to the reinsurers its net profit (excluding incurred but
not reported losses), if any, within 90 days after 36 months following the end
of the first accounting period, and within 90 days after the end of each 12
month period thereafter until all losses subject to the agreement have been
finally settled. Any contingent commission payment received is
subject to return based on future development of ceded losses and loss
adjustment expenses. In March 2007, the Company received an advance
of $1 million from its reinsurer and in February 2008, the Company received an
additional $2,419,940 to be applied against future contingent commission earned,
if any. Based on the Company’s ceded losses and loss adjustment
expenses (including ceded incurred but not reported losses) as of December 31,
2008, the Company recorded $2,500,211 of these payments as an advance from its
reinsurer and it is included in “Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities” in the
consolidated balance sheets. Thus, the Company recognized $919,729 of
contingent commission, of which $666,174 was recognized in the year ended
December 31, 2008, and $253,555 was recognized in the year ended December 31,
2007.
Crusader’s
direct earned premium, earned ceded premium, and ceding commission are as
follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Direct
earned premium
|
$ | 42,720,764 | $ | 48,661,973 | $ | 56,692,213 | ||||||
Earned
ceded premium
|
||||||||||||
Excluding
provisionally rated ceded premium
|
8,850,878 | 11,560,877 | 13,825,061 | |||||||||
Provisionally
rated ceded premium
|
(79,809 | ) | (28,569 | ) | (66,637 | ) | ||||||
Total
earned ceded premium
|
8,771,069 | 11,532,308 | 13,758,424 | |||||||||
Ceding
commission
|
2,642,665 | 3,547,595 | 4,376,474 | |||||||||
Earned
ceded premium, net of ceding commission
|
$ | 6,128,404 | $ | 7,984,713 | $ | 9,381,950 | ||||||
Ratios
to direct earned premium
|
||||||||||||
Direct
ceded premium
|
21 | % | 24 | % | 24 | % | ||||||
Earned
ceded premium, net of ceding commission
|
14 | % | 16 | % | 17 | % |
25
Losses and Loss Adjustment
Expenses
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses and loss ratio are as follows:
Year Ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Net
earned premium
|
$ | 33,949,695 | $ | 37,129,665 | $ | 42,933,789 | ||||||
Net
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
||||||||||||
Provision for insured events of current year
|
24,149,531 | 26,300,338 | 29,997,662 | |||||||||
(Decrease) in provision for events of prior years
|
(3,556,801 | ) | (4,118,101 | ) | (12,170,683 | ) | ||||||
Total net losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 20,592,730 | $ | 22,182,237 | $ | 17,826,979 | ||||||
Loss
ratio
|
60.7 | % | 59.7 | % | 41.5 | % |
Expected
losses and loss adjustment expenses are determined based on earned
premiums. The portion of the premium dollar expected to pay claims
costs is referred to as the expected loss and loss adjustment expense
ratio. Accident years 2006 through 2008 had substantially the same
expected loss and loss adjustment expense ratio. The Company’s
emerging loss and loss adjustment expense ratios for each accident year are
reviewed in detail at the end of each quarter as part of the reserve diagnostics
testing.
The
combined ratio is the sum of (1) the net ratio of losses and loss adjustment
expenses incurred (including a provision for incurred-but-not-reported losses
“IBNR”) to net premiums earned (loss ratio) and (2) the ratio of policy
acquisition costs to net premiums earned (expense ratio). The
following table shows the loss ratios, expense ratios, and combined ratios of
Crusader as derived from data prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Loss
ratio
|
60.7 | % | 59.7 | % | 41.5 | % | ||||||
Expense
ratio
|
24.3 | % | 22.8 | % | 21.5 | % | ||||||
Combined
ratio
|
85.0 | % | 82.5 | % | 63.0 | % |
As
indicated in the above table, the loss ratio for the year ended December 31,
2008, increased to 60.7% from 59.7% in 2007 and 41.5% in 2006. The
slight increase in the 2008 loss ratio was primarily due to a slight decrease in
the amount of favorable development of prior years’ losses recognized in 2008 as
compared to 2007. During 2008, the Company recognized $3,556,801 of
favorable development of prior years’ losses as compared to $4,118,101 of
favorable developments of prior years’ losses recognized during
2007. Generally, if the combined ratio is below 100%, an insurance
company has an underwriting profit; if it is above 100%, a company has an
underwriting loss.
The
Company’s net losses and loss adjustment expenses for the calendar year ended
December 31, 2008, were $20,592,730. This amount is comprised of
accident year 2008 net losses and loss adjustment expenses of $24,149,531 less
favorable development of prior accident years of $3,556,801. The
Company’s net losses and loss adjustment expenses for the calendar year ended
December 31, 2007, were $22,182,237. This amount is comprised of
accident year 2007 net losses and loss adjustment expenses of $26,300,338 less
favorable development of prior accident years of $4,118,101. The
Company’s net losses and loss adjustment expenses for the calendar year ended
December 31, 2006, were $17,826,979. This amount is comprised of
accident year 2006 net losses and loss adjustment expenses of $29,997,662 less
favorable development of prior accident years of $12,170,683.
26
The
favorable (adverse) development by accident year is as follows:
Year
ended
December 31, 2008
|
Year
ended
December 31, 2007
|
Year
ended
December 31, 2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Accident Year
|
Favorable
(Adverse) Development
|
%
of Total
|
Favorable
(Adverse) Development
|
%
of Total
|
Favorable
Development
|
%
of Total
|
||||||||||||||||||
Prior
to 2001
|
$ | 1,409,873 | 40 | % | $ | (782,496 | ) | (19 | )% | $ | 701,989 | 6 | % | |||||||||||
2001
|
228,157 | 6 | % | 394,667 | 10 | % | 754,141 | 6 | % | |||||||||||||||
2002
|
(219,217 | ) | (6 | )% | 495,521 | 12 | % | 819,572 | 7 | % | ||||||||||||||
2003
|
106,459 | 3 | % | 1,121,647 | 27 | % | 1,744,350 | 14 | % | |||||||||||||||
2004
|
896,422 | 25 | % | 792,070 | 19 | % | 7,524,447 | 62 | % | |||||||||||||||
2005
|
730,534 | 21 | % | 1,202,580 | 29 | % | 626,184 | 5 | % | |||||||||||||||
2006
|
1,670,003 | 47 | % | 894,112 | 22 | % | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
2007
|
(1,265,430 | ) | (36 | )% | - | - | - | - | ||||||||||||||||
Total
prior accident years
|
$ | 3,556,801 | 100 | % | $ | 4,118,101 | 100 | % | $ | 12,170,683 | 100 | % |
As
reflected in the above table, the amount of favorable development recognized
during the year ended December 31, 2008, decreased $561,300 (14%) to
$3,556,801 from $4,118,101 in 2007. The amount of favorable
development recognized during the year ended December 31, 2007, decreased
$8,052,582 (66%) to $4,118,101 from $12,170,683 in 2006 primarily from the
accident year 2004.
The
favorable development in the above table is not necessarily indicative of the
results that may be expected in future periods.
Any
reduction in losses and loss adjustment expenses from redundancies in the
Company’s December 31, 2008, reserves over actual future payments, and/or any
additional losses and loss adjustment expenses from actual future payments that
exceed the Company’s reserves, will be recognized in the consolidated statements
of operations of future accounting periods. The Company’s current
expected loss and loss adjustment expense ratio assumption closely approximates
the Company’s historical average loss and loss adjustment expense
ratio. A difference between the Company’s current expected loss and
loss adjustment expense ratio assumption and the actual loss and loss adjustment
expense ratio for a given accident year will ultimately result in a dollar
change (either higher or lower) that is a multiple of the earned premium for
that year. The actual loss and loss adjustment expense ratio has been
within five percentage points of the current expected loss and loss adjustment
expense ratio in four of the Company’s twenty-four years. Since the
Company’s net earned premium in 2008 was $33,949,695, a difference between the
accident year 2008 actual and current expected loss and loss adjustment expense
ratios of only five percentage points will ultimately impact losses and loss
adjustment expenses by $1,697,485. The actual loss and loss
adjustment expense ratio has been within ten percentage points of the current
expected loss and loss adjustment expense ratio in nine of the Company’s
twenty-four years. A difference of ten percentage points on accident
year 2008 will ultimately impact losses and loss adjustment expenses by
$3,394,970. The actual loss and loss adjustment expense ratio has
been within twenty percentage points of the current expected loss and loss
adjustment expense ratio in seventeen of the Company’s twenty-four
years. A twenty percentage point difference between the accident year
2008 actual and the current expected loss and loss adjustment expense ratios
will ultimately impact losses and loss adjustment expenses by
$6,789,939. In addition, accident years 2008 and prior are still
developing. Future development on those years might either offset or
add to any future development that emerges on accident year 2008.
Reserves for Losses and Loss
Adjustment Expenses
The
Company's liability for unpaid loss and loss adjustment expense (reserves)
consists of case reserves and reserves for incurred but not reported (IBNR)
claims. Case reserves are established by claims personnel based on a
review of the facts known at the time the claim is reported and are subsequently
revised as more information about a claim becomes known. IBNR is
computed using various actuarial methods and techniques and includes (1)
reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses on claims that have occurred
but for which claims have not yet been reported to the Company, and (2) a
provision for expected future development on case reserves for information not
currently known.
27
The
Company’s loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Direct
reserves
|
||||||||||||
Case
reserves
|
$ | 18,720,695 | $ | 26,129,055 | $ | 21,796,117 | ||||||
IBNR
reserves
|
59,933,895 | 68,601,656 | 71,800,000 | |||||||||
Total
direct reserves
|
$ | 78,654,590 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 93,596,117 | ||||||
Reserves
net of reinsurance
|
||||||||||||
Case
reserves
|
$ | 17,365,877 | $ | 21,450,234 | $ | 18,776,430 | ||||||
IBNR
reserves
|
41,473,140 | 44,855,053 | 51,300,000 | |||||||||
Total
net reserves
|
$ | 58,839,017 | $ | 66,305,287 | $ | 70,076,430 |
Reserves
for losses and loss adjustment expenses before reinsurance for each of
Crusader’s lines of business were as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line of Business
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
CMP
|
$ | 73,339,513 | 93.2 | % | $ | 90,126,649 | 95.1 | % | $ | 90,604,178 | 96.8 | % | ||||||||||||
Other
Liability
|
5,271,612 | 6.7 | % | 4,524,684 | 4.8 | % | 2,736,790 | 2.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
Other
|
43,465 | 0.1 | % | 79,378 | 0.1 | % | 255,149 | 0.3 | % | |||||||||||||||
Total
|
$ | 78,654,590 | 100.0 | % | $ | 94,730,711 | 100.0 | % | $ | 93,596,117 | 100.0 | % |
The
Company‘s consolidated financial statements include estimated reserves for
unpaid losses and related loss adjustment expenses of the insurance company
operation. The Company sets loss and loss adjustment expense reserves
at each balance sheet date at management’s best estimate of the ultimate
payments that it anticipates will be made to settle all losses incurred and all
related loss adjustment expenses incurred as of that date, for both reported and
unreported claims.
Analysis of the roll forward
of reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses.
The
following table provides an analysis of the roll forward of Crusader’s losses
and loss adjustment expenses, including a reconciliation of the ending balance
sheet liability for the periods indicated:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Reserve
for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses
at
beginning of year – net of reinsurance
|
$ | 66,305,287 | $ | 70,076,430 | $ | 76,235,467 | ||||||
Incurred
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for insured events of current year
|
24,149,531 | 26,300,338 | 29,997,662 | |||||||||
Decrease
in provision for events of prior years
|
(3,556,801 | ) | (4,118,101 | ) | (12,170,683 | ) | ||||||
Total
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
20,592,730 | 22,182,237 | 17,826,979 | |||||||||
Payments
|
||||||||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses attributable to
insured
events of the current year
|
7,803,644 | 7,816,422 | 6,728,798 | |||||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses attributable to
insured
events of prior years
|
20,255,356 | 18,136,958 | 17,257,218 | |||||||||
Total
payments
|
28,059,000 | 25,953,380 | 23,986,016 | |||||||||
Reserve
for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses
at
end of year – net of reinsurance
|
58,839,017 | 66,305,287 | 70,076,430 | |||||||||
Reinsurance
recoverable on unpaid losses and loss
adjustment
expenses at end of year
|
19,815,573 | 28,425,424 | 23,519,687 | |||||||||
Reserve
for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses at
end
of year per balance sheet, gross of reinsurance *
|
$ | 78,654,590 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 93,596,117 |
28
*In
accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 113,
“Accounting and Reporting for Reinsurance of Short-Duration and Long-Duration
Contracts,” reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses and loss adjustment
expenses are reported for GAAP as assets rather than netted against the
corresponding liability for such items on the consolidated balance
sheet.
The
Company’s net loss and loss adjustment expense reserve was $58,839,017 as of
December 31, 2008. Since underwriting profit is a significant part of
income, a small percentage change in reserve estimates may result in a
substantial effect on future reported earnings. Such changes might
result from a variety of factors, including claims costs emerging in a different
pattern than the average historical development patterns. Considering
the continuum of possible development patterns, none of which is necessarily
more or less likely than the next, one must consider the varying probabilities
that the development pattern is off in varying degrees. If future
development ultimately ends up being five percent different than the Company’s
2008 reserve, approximately $2.9 million would be reflected in future periods as
an increase or decrease in the provision for events of prior years and would be
recognized in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations in future
periods. A variance of five percent of net loss and loss adjustment
expense reserves is not an unlikely scenario. Similarly, a variance
of ten percent of the Company’s 2008 reserves would be reflected in
approximately $5.9 million in future periods as an increase or decrease in the
provision for events of prior years and would be recognized in the Company’s
consolidated statements of operations in future periods. This is also
not an unlikely scenario. Differences of more than ten percent are
also possible, though not quite as likely as differences of ten percent or
less.
Other Insurance
Operations
Health Insurance
Program
Commission
income from the health insurance sales is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Commission
income
|
$ | 2,754,293 | $ | 2,320,161 | $ | 1,634,438 |
AIB
markets health insurance in California through non-affiliated insurance
companies for individuals and groups. For these services, AIB
receives commission based on the premiums that it writes. Commission
income for the year ended December 31, 2008, increased $434,132 (19%), compared
to the year ended December 31, 2007. Commission income for the year ended
December 31, 2007, increased $685,723 (42%), compared to the year ended December
31, 2006. The increase is primarily due to the increase in sales of
small group medical insurance offered through CIGNA HealthCare. In
May 2006, CIGNA HealthCare began offering new small group medical insurance
policies in the state of California. All CIGNA small group medical
insurance policyholders are members of AAQHC. In November 2008, AIB
entered into a General Agent Contract with Blue Shield of California who will
pay AIB override commissions for all business submitted to them. In
June 2009, CIGNA plans to substantially reduce the medical plans offered to
Small Group Employers in the state of California, from sixteen current plans to
four. All new employer groups and existing employer groups, on their
anniversary date, will have the option to choose from the four available
plans. AIB will be assisting its CIGNA policyholders in obtaining new
coverage in one of the four CIGNA plans or with other contracted
carriers. This reduction in CIGNA medical plans offered to Small
Group Employers in the state of California may result in a decrease in AIB
commission income and AAQHC fee income. AAQHC will continue to
underwrite and administer all remaining CIGNA business, including dental plans
for Individuals and Small Group Employers.
Association
Operation
Membership
and fee income from the association program of AAQHC is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Membership
and fee income
|
$ | 300,214 | $ | 309,712 | $ | 300,527 |
Membership
and fee income for the year ended December 31, 2008, decreased $9,498 (3%),
compared to the year ended December 31, 2007. Membership and fee
income for the year ended December 31, 2007, increased $9,185 (3%), compared to
the year ended December 31, 2006.
29
Policy Fee
Income
Unifax
sells and services insurance policies for Crusader. The policy fee
charged to the policyholder by Unifax is recognized as income in the
consolidated financial statements. Unifax’s policy fee income is as
follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Policy
fee income
|
$ | 2,239,306 | $ | 2,482,006 | $ | 2,837,810 | ||||||
Policies
issued
|
12,539 | 13,536 | 15,186 |
Policy
fee income for the year ended December 31, 2008, decreased $242,700 (10%) as
compared to the year ended December 31, 2007. The 10% decrease in
policy fee income is primarily a result of a 997 (7%) decrease in the number of
policies issued during 2008 as compared to 2007.
Policy
fee income for the year ended December 31, 2007, decreased $355,804 (13%) as
compared to the year ended December 31, 2006. The 13% decrease in
policy fee income is primarily a result of a 1,650 (11%) decrease in the number
of policies issued during 2007 as compared to 2006.
Daily Automobile Rental
Insurance Program
The daily
automobile rental insurance program is produced by Bedford for a non-affiliated
insurance company.
Commission
and fee income from the daily automobile rental insurance program are as
follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Rental
program commission
|
$ | 345,350 | $ | 344,120 | $ | 317,679 | ||||||
Contingent
commission
|
58,593 | 46,539 | 53,638 | |||||||||
Total
commission
|
403,943 | 390,659 | 371,317 | |||||||||
Claim
administration fee
|
- | - | 4,035 | |||||||||
Total
commission and fee income
|
$ | 403,943 | $ | 390,659 | $ | 375,352 |
The daily
automobile rental insurance program commission and fee income for the year ended
December 31, 2008, increased $13,284 (3%) compared to the year ended December
31, 2007. For the year ended December 31, 2007, commission and fee
income increased $15,307 (4%) compared to the year ended December 31,
2006. The daily automobile rental insurance program commission and
fee income excluding claim administration fee and contingent commission
increased $1,230 (0%) to $345,350 in 2008, from $344,120 in 2007. The
daily automobile rental insurance program commission and fee income excluding
claim administration fee and contingent commission increased $26,441 (8%) to
$344,120 in 2007 from $317,679 in 2006. Premium written in 2008 and
2007 remained comparable to premium written in 2007. Premium written
in 2007 increased 8% compared to premium written in 2006. The daily
automobile rental insurance program is still impacted by the intense price
competition in the marketplace during the periods covered by this
report. The Company cannot determine how long the existing market
conditions will continue, nor in which direction they might
change. To avoid underwriting losses for the non-affiliated insurance
company that it represents, Bedford continues to produce business only at rates
that it believes to be adequate.
Primarily
due to declining sales, in April 2006 Bedford hired a new general manager who
had substantial experience in the daily automobile rental insurance
business. Due to the fact that Bedford’s sales objectives were not
achieved, it ended the employment of the general manager in January
2008. During 2007, the Company negotiated with the non-affiliated
insurance company the need to approve and implement various product enhancements
that Bedford recommended. The negotiations did not result in any
significant enhancements.
30
Other Commission and Fee
Income
Other
commission and fee income are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Earthquake
program commission income
|
$ | 8,175 | $ | 13,018 | $ | 37,914 | ||||||
Miscellaneous
commission and fee income
|
140 | 77 | 116 | |||||||||
Total
other commission and fee income
|
$ | 8,315 | $ | 13,095 | $ | 38,030 |
Unifax
began producing commercial earthquake insurance policies in California for
non-affiliated insurance companies in 1999. Unifax receives a
commission from these insurance companies based on premium
written. Commission income on the earthquake program for the year
ended December 31, 2008, decreased $4,703 (36%) compared to
2007. Commission income on the earthquake program for the year ended
December 31, 2007, decreased $24,896 (66%) compared to
2006. Effective February 1, 2009, this program was
terminated.
The
commissions paid by Crusader to Unifax are eliminated as intercompany
transactions and are not reflected in commission income or commission
expense.
Premium Finance
Program
Premium
finance charges and late fees earned from financing policies are as
follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Premium
finance charges and fees earned
|
$ | 460,422 | $ | 553,997 | $ | 678,740 | ||||||
New
loans
|
2,523 | 2,835 | 3,596 |
AAC
provides premium financing for Crusader policies produced by Unifax in
California. The growth of this program is dependent and directly
related to the growth of Crusader's written premium and AAC’s ability to market
its competitive rates and service. Premium finance charges and fees
earned decreased $93,575 (17%) in the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to
2007 primarily due to the fact that there were 312 (11%) fewer loans financed in
the current year. Premium finance charges and fees earned decreased
$124,743 (18%) in the year ended December 31, 2007, compared to 2006 primarily
due to the fact that there were 761 (21%) fewer loans financed in the current
year. During 2008, 28% of all Unifax policies were financed and 81%
of those policies were financed by AAC. During 2007, 28% of all
Unifax policies were financed and 72% of those policies were financed by
AAC. During 2006, 32% of all Unifax policies were financed and 75% of
those policies were financed by AAC.
Investment Income and Net
Realized Gains
Investment
income and net realized gains are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Average
invested assets * – at amortized cost
|
$ | 146,195,377 | $ | 147,330,351 | $ | 143,957,963 | ||||||
Interest
income
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
company operations
|
$ | 5,829,304 | $ | 6,695,121 | $ | 5,903,462 | ||||||
Other
operations
|
61,434 | 152,002 | 100,955 | |||||||||
Realized
gains
|
6,306 | - | 2,617 | |||||||||
Total
investment income and realized gains
|
$ | 5,897,044 | $ | 6,847,123 | $ | 6,007,034 | ||||||
Yield
on average invested assets
|
4.03 | % | 4.65 | % | 4.17 | % |
* The
average is based on the beginning and ending balance of the amortized cost of
the invested assets for each respective year.
31
In the
year ended December 31, 2008, the Company’s average invested assets (at
amortized value) decreased $1,134,974 (1%) compared to the year ended December
31, 2007. In the year ended December 31, 2008, investment income
earned, excluding realized gains, decreased $956,385 (14%) compared to the year
ended December 31, 2007. The yield on average invested assets
decreased to 4.03% in 2008 from 4.65% in 2007. The decrease in the
yield on average invested assets is primarily the result of a decrease in the
average return on new and reinvested assets in the Company’s investment
portfolio. Due to the current interest rate environment, management
believes it is prudent to purchase fixed maturity investments with maturities of
five years or less and with minimal credit risk. Thus, the weighted
average maturity of the Company’s fixed maturity investments as of December 31,
2008, was 2.1 years compared to 2.0 years as of December 31,
2007. The Company’s invested assets (at amortized value) as of
December 31, 2008, were $145,042,387 as compared to $147,348,367 as of
December 31, 2007.
In the
year ended December 31, 2007, while the Company’s average invested assets (at
amortized value) increased $3,372,388 (2%) compared to the year ended December
31, 2006, investment income earned, excluding realized gains, increased $842,706
(14%) compared to the year ended December 31, 2006. The yield on
average invested assets increased to 4.65% in 2007 from 4.17% in
2006. The increase in the yield on average invested assets is
primarily the result of an increase in the average return on new and reinvested
assets in the Company’s investment portfolio. The weighted average
maturity of the Company’s fixed maturity investments as of December 31, 2007,
was 2.0 years compared to 1.3 years as of December 31, 2006. The
Company’s invested assets (at amortized value) as of December 31, 2007,
were $147,348,367 as compared to $147,312,335 as of December 31,
2006. However, the average invested assets increased in the year
ending December 31, 2007, as compared to 2006, primarily as a result of the
significant increase in invested assets during the year ended December 31,
2006.
The par
value, amortized cost, estimated market value and weighted average yield of
fixed maturity investments at December 31, 2008, by contractual maturity are as
follows. Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities
because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or
without penalties.
Maturities by Calendar Year
|
Par Value
|
Amortized Cost
|
Fair Value
|
Weighted
Average Yield
|
||||||||||||
December
31, 2009
|
$ | 42,700,000 | $ | 42,875,272 | $ | 43,496,590 | 4.14 | % | ||||||||
December
31, 2010
|
36,200,000 | 36,266,842 | 37,107,077 | 2.46 | % | |||||||||||
December
31, 2011
|
9,250,000 | 9,340,981 | 10,182,031 | 4.15 | % | |||||||||||
December
31, 2012
|
38,000,000 | 37,965,533 | 42,318,438 | 4.43 | % | |||||||||||
December
31, 2013
|
9,100,000 | 9,091,726 | 9,867,844 | 3.26 | % | |||||||||||
Total
|
$ | 135,250,000 | $ | 135,540,354 | $ | 142,971,980 | 3.71 | % |
The
following table sets forth the composition of the investment portfolio of the
Company at the dates indicated:
(Amounts
in Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
As of December 31
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Amortized
|
Fair
|
Amortized
|
Fair
|
Amortized
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Type of Security
|
Cost
|
Value
|
Cost
|
Value
|
Cost
|
Value
|
||||||||||||||||||
Certificates
of deposit
|
$ | 400 | $ | 400 | $ | 400 | $ | 400 | $ | 400 | $ | 400 | ||||||||||||
U.S.
treasury securities
|
124,526 | 131,939 | 130,211 | 133,014 | 127,554 | 127,192 | ||||||||||||||||||
Industrial
and miscellaneous taxable bonds
|
10,614 | 10,633 | 9,366 | 9,467 | 12,523 | 12,558 | ||||||||||||||||||
State
and municipal tax-exempt bonds
|
- | - | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturity investments
|
135,540 | 142,972 | 139,992 | 142,896 | 140,492 | 140,165 | ||||||||||||||||||
Short-term
cash investments
|
9,502 | 9,502 | 7,356 | 7,356 | 6,820 | 6,820 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
investments
|
$ | 145,042 | $ | 152,474 | $ | 147,348 | $ | 150,252 | $ | 147,312 | $ | 146,985 |
32
The
following table summarizes for all fixed maturities in an unrealized loss
position at December 31, 2008, the aggregate fair value and gross unrealized
loss by length of time those fixed maturities have been continuously in an
unrealized loss. No securities were sold at a loss during 2008, 2007,
or 2006.
Year
Ended
|
Amortized
|
Gross
|
||||||||||
December 31
|
Cost
|
Fair Value
|
Unrealized Loss
|
|||||||||
2008
|
||||||||||||
0-6
months
|
$ | 5,590,110 | $ | 5,524,385 | $ | 65,725 | ||||||
7-12
months
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Over
12 months
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Total
|
$ | 5,590,110 | $ | 5,524,385 | $ | 65,725 | ||||||
2007
|
||||||||||||
0-6
months
|
$ | 7,080,404 | $ | 7,071,870 | $ | 8,534 | ||||||
7-12
months
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Over
12 months
|
2,917,362 | 2,909,775 | 7,587 | |||||||||
Total
|
$ | 9,997,766 | $ | 9,981,645 | $ | 16,121 |
At
December 31, 2008, the fixed maturity investments with a gross unrealized loss
for continuous periods of 0 to 6 months consisted of three investment grade
industrial securities.
At
December 31, 2007, the fixed maturity investments with a gross unrealized loss
for continuous periods of 0 to 6 months consisted of U.S. treasury
securities. The fixed maturity investments with a gross unrealized
loss position for a continuous period over 12 months consisted of U.S. treasury
securities, investment grade industrial securities, and pre-refunded municipal
bonds.
The
Company monitors its investments closely. If an unrealized loss is
determined to be other than temporary, it is written off as a realized loss
through the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company’s
methodology of assessing other-than-temporary impairments is based on
security-specific analysis as of the balance sheet date and considers various
factors including the length of time to maturity and the extent to which the
fair value has been less than the cost, the financial condition and the
near-term prospects of the issuer, and whether the debtor is current on its
contractually obligated interest and principal payments. The Company
has the ability and intent to hold its fixed maturity investments for a period
of time sufficient to allow the Company to recover its costs. The
Company has concluded that the gross unrealized losses of $65,725 at December
31, 2008, were temporary in nature. However, facts and circumstances
may change which could result in a decline in fair value considered to be other
than temporary. The Company sold one fixed maturity investment in the
year ended December 31, 2008, with net realized gain in the amount of
$6,306. The Company did not sell any fixed maturity investments in
the year ended December 31, 2007.
Operating
Expenses
Policy Acquisition Costs are
as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Policy
acquisition costs
|
$ | 8,261,324 | $ | 8,465,047 | $ | 9,250,989 | ||||||
Ratio
to net earned premium (GAAP ratio)
|
24 | % | 23 | % | 22 | % |
Policy
acquisition costs consist of commissions, premium taxes, inspection fees, and
certain other underwriting costs that are directly related to and vary with the
production of Crusader insurance policies. These costs include both
Crusader expenses and allocated expenses of other Unico
subsidiaries. On certain reinsurance treaties, Crusader receives a
ceding commission from its reinsurer that represents a reimbursement of the
acquisition costs related to the premium ceded. No ceding commission
is received on facultative, catastrophe, or provisionally rated ceded
premium. Policy acquisition costs, net of ceding commission, are
deferred and amortized as the related premiums are earned. No
significant change in the ratio of policy acquisition cost to net earned premium
were noted in the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
33
Salaries and Employee Benefits
are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Total
salaries and employee benefits incurred
|
$ | 9,625,571 | $ | 9,785,770 | $ | 9,913,740 | ||||||
Less: charged
to losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
(1,418,031 | ) | (1,409,391 | ) | (1,320,508 | ) | ||||||
Less: capitalized
to policy acquisition costs
|
(2,576,512 | ) | (2,666,816 | ) | (2,731,683 | ) | ||||||
Net amount charged to operating expenses
|
$ | 5,631,028 | $ | 5,709,563 | $ | 5,861,549 |
Total
salaries and employee benefits incurred for the year ended December 31, 2008,
decreased $160,199 (2%) compared to the year ended December 31,
2007. The decrease in total salaries and employee benefits incurred
is primarily a result of a lower number of employees as compared to the prior
year offset by general salary increases and increases in employee benefits
costs.
Total
salaries and employee benefits incurred for the year ended December 31, 2007,
decreased $127,970 (1%) compared to the year ended December 31,
2006. The decrease in total salaries and employee benefits incurred
is primarily a result of a lower number of employees as compared to the prior
year offset by general salary increases and increases in employee benefits
costs.
Commissions to Agents/Brokers
are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Commission
to agents/brokers
|
$ | 1,279,821 | $ | 1,002,771 | $ | 611,200 |
Commissions
to agents/brokers (not including commissions on Crusader policies that are
reflected in policy acquisition costs) are generally related to gross commission
income from the health insurance program, the daily automobile rental insurance
program, and the earthquake program. Commissions to agents and
brokers increased $277,050 (28%) for the year ended
December 31, 2008, as compared to the year ended December 31,
2007. The increase is primarily the result of the increase in written
premium in the health insurance program and is related to the increase in
commission income from that program.
Commissions
to agents and brokers increased $391,571 (64%) for the year ended December 31,
2007, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2006. The increase
is primarily the result of the increase in written premium in the health
insurance program and is related to the increase in commission income from that
program.
Other Operating Expenses are
as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Other
operating expenses
|
$ | 3,020,075 | $ | 2,940,124 | $ | 3,012,678 |
Other
operating expenses generally do not change significantly with changes in
production. This is true for both increases and decreases in
production. Other operating expenses increased $79,951 (3%) for the
year ended December 31, 2008, compared to the year ended December 31,
2007. Other operating expenses decreased $72,554 (2%) for the year
ended December 31, 2007, compared to the year ended December 31,
2006.
Income
Taxes
Income
tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2008, was $2,701,450 compared to an
income tax expense of $3,360,709 for the year ended December 31,
2007. The effective combined income tax rates for 2008 and 2007 were
34% and 33%, respectively. The pre-tax income decreased $2,088,687
(21%) for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to the year ended December
31, 2007, which resulted in a decreased income tax expense in 2008.
34
The
income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2007, was $3,360,709 compared
to an income tax expense of $6,427,345 for the year ended December 31,
2006. The effective combined income tax rates for 2007 and 2006 were
33% and 35%, respectively. The pre-tax income decreased $8,279,658
for the year ended December 31, 2007, compared to the year ended December 31,
2006, which resulted in a decreased income tax expense in 2007.
Recently Issued Accounting
Standards
In May
2008, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No.
162, “The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” (SFAS No.
162). SFAS No. 162 identifies the sources of accounting principles
and the framework for selecting the principles to be used in the preparation of
financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in
conformity with GAAP (GAAP hierarchy). The current GAAP hierarchy, as
set forth in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Statement on Auditing Standards No. 69, “The Meaning of Present Fairly in
Conformity With Generally Accepted Accounting Principles,” has been criticized
because (1) it is directed to the auditor rather than the entity, (2) it is
complex, and (3) it ranks FASB Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts,
which are subject to the same level of due process as FASB Statements of
Financial Accounting Standards, below industry practices that are widely
recognized as generally accepted but that are not subject to due process. SFAS
No. 162 shall be effective 60 days following the Securities and Exchange
Commission’s approval of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
amendments to U.S. Auditing Standards Section 411, “The Meaning of Present
Fairly in Conformity With Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.” SFAS No.
162 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated
financial statements.
Effective
January 1, 2008, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 157 “Fair Value Measurements,” (SFAS No. 157) for financial assets and
liabilities. In December 2007, the FASB provided a one-year deferral of
SFAS No. 157 for non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except
those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value on a recurring basis, at
least annually. SFAS No. 157 redefines fair values as the price that would
be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly
transaction between market participants at the measurement date, establishes a
framework for measuring fair value in GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair
value measurements. Specifically, SFAS No. 157 establishes a three-level
hierarchy for fair value measurements based upon the nature of the inputs to the
valuation of an asset or liability. SFAS No. 157 applies where other
accounting pronouncements require or permit fair value measurements. In
October 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position No. 157-3 “Determining the
Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active”
(FSP FAS 157-3), which clarifies the application of SFAS No. 157 in a market
that is not active and provides an example to illustrate key considerations in
determining the fair value of a financial asset when the market for that
financial asset is not active. Such considerations include inputs to
broker quotes, assumptions regarding future cash flows and use of risk-adjusted
discount rates. The adoption of FSP FAS No. 157-3 did not have a material
impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities - Including an Amendment of FASB
Statement No. 115.” SFAS No. 159 permits an entity to
measure certain financial assets and financial liabilities at fair
value. The main objective of SFAS No. 159 is to improve
financial reporting by allowing entities to mitigate volatility in reported
earnings caused by the measurement of related assets and liabilities using
different attributes, without having to apply complex hedge accounting
provisions. Entities that elect the fair value option will report
unrealized gains and losses in earnings at each subsequent reporting
date. SFAS No. 159 establishes presentation and disclosure
requirements to help financial statement users understand the effect of the
entity’s election on its earnings but does not eliminate disclosure requirements
of other accounting standards. SFAS No. 159 is expected to
expand the use of fair value measurement, which is consistent with the FASB’s
long-term measurement objectives for accounting for financial
instruments. SFAS No. 159 is effective as of the beginning of
the first fiscal year that begins after November 15, 2007. The
Company adopted SFAS No. 159 as of the beginning of 2008 by not electing the
fair value option for any of its financial assets or liabilities.
In
December 2007, FASB Statements No. 141 (revised 2007), “Business
Combinations” (SFAS No. 141R) was issued. SFAS No. 141R replaces FASB
Statement No. 141, “Business Combinations.” SFAS No. 141R
requires the acquiring entity in a business combination to recognize all (and
only) the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the transaction;
establishes the acquisition-date fair value as the measurement objective for all
assets acquired and liabilities assumed; and requires the acquirer to disclose
additional information regarding the nature and financial effect of the business
combination. The Company will adopt SFAS No. 141R for any business
combinations initiated after December 31, 2008.
35
There
were no other accounting standards issued during 2008 that are expected to have
a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial
statements.
Significant Accounting
Policies
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management
to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of certain
assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at
the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and
expenses during the reporting period. While every effort is made to
ensure the integrity of such estimates, actual results could
differ.
Management
believes the Company’s current critical accounting policies comprise the
following:
Losses and Loss Adjustment
Expenses
The
preparation of the Company’s financial statements requires judgments and
estimates. The most significant is the estimate of loss reserves as
required by SFAS No. 60, “Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises” and
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 5 (SFAS No. 5), “Accounting for
Contingencies.”
Management
makes its best estimate of the liability for unpaid claims costs as of the end
of each fiscal quarter. Due to the inherent uncertainties in
estimating the Company’s unpaid claims costs, actual loss and loss adjustment
expense payments should be expected to vary, perhaps significantly, from any
estimate made prior to the settling of all claims. Variability is
inherent in establishing loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, especially
for a small insurer like the Company. For any given line of
insurance, accident year, or other group of claims, there is a continuum of
possible reserve estimates, each having its own unique degree of propriety or
reasonableness. Due to the complexity and nature of the insurance
claims process, there are potentially an infinite number of reasonably likely
scenarios. The Company does not specifically identify reasonably
likely scenarios other than utilizing management’s best estimate. In
addition to applying the various standard methods to the data, an extensive
series of diagnostic tests of the resultant reserve estimates are applied to
determine management’s best estimate of the unpaid claims
liability. Among the statistics reviewed for each accident year are
loss and loss adjustment expense development patterns, frequencies (expected
claim counts), severities (average cost per claim), loss and loss adjustment
expense ratios to premium, and loss adjustment expense ratios to
loss. When there is clear evidence that the actual claims costs
emerged are different than expected for any prior accident year, the claims cost
estimates for that year are revised accordingly.
Some
lines of insurance are commonly referred to as "long-tail" lines because of the
extended time required before claims are ultimately settled. Lines of
insurance in which claims are settled relatively quickly are called "short-tail"
lines. It is generally more difficult to estimate loss reserves for
long-tail lines because of the long period of time that elapses between the
occurrence of a claim and its final disposition and the difficulty of estimating
the settlement value of the claim. The Company’s short-tail lines
consist of its property coverages and its long-tail lines consist of its
liability coverages. However, compared to other long-tail liability
lines that are not underwritten by the Company, such as workers’ compensation,
professional liability, umbrella liability, and medical malpractice, the
Company’s liability claims tend to be settled relatively quicker.
The
Company underwrites four statutory annual statement lines of
business: (1) commercial multiple peril, (2) liability other than
automobile and products, (3) fire, and (4) allied lines. Commercial
multiple peril policies comprised 98% and 96% of the Company’s 2008 and 2007
premium volume, respectively. Commercial multiple peril policies
include both property and liability coverages. For all of the
Company’s coverages and lines of business, the Company’s actuarial loss and loss
adjustment expense reserving methods require assumptions that can be grouped
into two key categories: (1) expected loss and loss adjustment expense, required
by the expected loss ratio and Bornhuetter-Ferguson methods, and (2) expected
development patterns, required by the loss development and Bornhuetter-Ferguson
methods.
The
Company also segregates most of its business into smaller homogeneous categories
primarily for management’s internal detailed business review and
analysis. These homogeneous categories used by the Company include
various combinations and special groupings of its lines of business, programs
types, states, and coverages. Some categories exclude certain items
and/or others include certain items. Not all categories are defined
in the same way. This analysis includes the tracking of historical
claims costs and development patterns separately for each of these uniquely
designed categories. Generally, neither the liability development
patterns nor the property development patterns vary significantly by
category.
36
The
accurate establishment of loss and loss adjustment expense reserves is a
difficult process, as there are many factors that can ultimately affect the
final settlement of a claim and, therefore, the reserve that is
needed. Estimates are based on a variety of industry data and on the
Company’s current and historical accident year claims data, including but not
limited to reported claim counts, open claim counts, closed claim counts, closed
claim counts with payments, paid losses, paid loss adjustment expenses, case
loss reserves, case loss adjustment expense reserves, earned premiums and policy
exposures, salvage and subrogation, and unallocated loss adjustment expenses
paid. Many other factors, including changes in reinsurance, changes
in pricing, changes in policy forms and coverage, changes in underwriting and
risk selection, legislative changes, results of litigation and inflation are
also taken into account.
At the
end of each fiscal quarter, the Company’s reserves are re-evaluated for each
accident year (i.e., for all claims incurred within each year) by a committee
consisting of the Company’s executive vice president, the Company’s chief
financial officer, and an independent consulting actuary. The Company
uses the loss ratio method to estimate ultimate claims costs for the current
accident year. The current accident year IBNR reserves are initially
determined by multiplying earned premiums for the year by the expected loss and
loss adjustment expense ratio, then subtracting the current accident year’s
cumulative incurred (paid plus case reserves) to date. This method is
subject to adjustment based upon actual results incurred during the reporting
period. This initial IBNR reserve is adjusted as subsequent
development of that accident year takes place.
The
Company also applies several additional standard actuarial methods to the
historical claims costs data to estimate its unpaid claims liability for each
accident year. The additional standard methods include loss
development methods and Bornhuetter-Ferguson methods, both of which can be
applied to paid loss and loss adjustment expense (claims costs), reported
incurred (paid plus case reserve) claims costs, and/or claim
counts. These methodologies do not vary by tail length; however,
certain parameters do vary. In particular, loss development factors
for short-tail property claims are different than for long-tail liability
claims.
Development
patterns generally do not tend to change materially over
time. Generally, the Company has very little property claim
development subsequent to the end of an accident year. Although
liability claims may take ten or more years to fully develop, most of the
development occurs in the first five to six years subsequent to the end of the
accident year. However, liability claims are substantially developed
by two years subsequent to the end of the accident year. Other than
the change in the expected loss and loss adjustment expense ratio assumption
discussed above, the Company’s reserving methodology assumptions have not
changed in the years presented and the only significant effect on the Company’s
financial statements has resulted from estimated costs being adjusted as actual
costs emerge.
The
Company’s actuarially based loss and loss adjustment expense reserve methodology
does not include an implicit or explicit provision for
uncertainty. Insurance claims costs are inherently
uncertain. There is not a precise means of quantifying a provision
for uncertainty when determining an appropriate liability for unpaid claims
costs. Rather, the potential for claims costs being less than
estimated and the potential for claims costs being more than estimated are
considered when selecting the parameters to be used in the application of the
actuarial methods and when testing the estimates for
reasonableness. Management believes that its recorded loss and loss
adjustment expense reserve makes reasonable provision for its liability for
unpaid claims costs.
The
information that management uses to arrive at its best reserve estimate comes
from many sources within the Company, including its accounting, legal, claims,
and underwriting departments. Informed managerial judgment is applied
throughout the reserving process. In addition, time can be a critical
part of reserving determinations since the longer the span between the incidence
of a loss and the payment or settlement of the claim, the more variable the
ultimate settlement amount can be. Accordingly, short-tail claims,
such as property damage claims, tend to be more reasonably predictable than
long-tail liability claims. The liability for unpaid losses and loss
adjustment expenses is based upon the accumulation of individual case estimates
for losses reported prior to the close of the accounting period plus estimates
based on experience and industry data for development of case estimates and for
unreported losses and loss adjustment expenses. Since the emergence
and disposition of claims are subject to uncertainties, the net amounts that
will ultimately be paid to settle claims may vary significantly from the
estimated amounts provided for in the accompanying consolidated financial
statements. Any adjustments to reserves are reflected in the
operating results of the periods in which they are made. Management
believes that the aggregate reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses are
reasonable and adequate to cover the cost of claims, both reported and
unreported.
37
The
Company must estimate its ultimate losses and loss adjustment expenses using a
very small claim population size. At the beginning of 2008, the
Company had 739 open claim files. During 2008, 995 new claim files
were opened and 1,077 claim files were closed, leaving 657 open claim files at
the end of 2008. Due to the small size of the Company and the related
small population of claims, the Company’s losses and loss adjustment expenses
for any accident year can vary significantly from the initial
expectations. Due to the small number of claims, changes in claim
frequency and/or severity can materially affect the Company’s reserve
estimate. The potential variability from management’s best estimate
cannot be measured from any meaningful statistical basis due to the numerous
uncertainties in the claims reserving process and the small population of
claims.
At each
quarterly review, actual claims costs that emerge are compared with the claims
costs that were expected to emerge during that development
period. Sometimes the previous claims costs estimates prove to have
been too high; sometimes they prove to have been too low. In the case
of the Company, the estimates proved to be too high in each of the past three
years. The favorable development in 2006 through 2008 underscores the
inherent uncertainty in insurance claims costs, especially for a very small
insurer.
Calendar year ended December
31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Net
reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses
at beginning of year
|
$ | 66,305,287 | $ | 70,076,430 | $ | 76,235,467 | ||||||
Net
(decrease) in provision for events of prior years
|
$ | (3,556,801 | ) | $ | (4,118,101 | ) | $ | (12,170,683 | ) | |||
Percent
of development to beginning reserves
|
(5.4 | %) | (5.9 | %) | (16.0 | %) |
The
differences between actual and expected claims costs are typically not due to
one specific factor, but a combination of many factors such as the period of
time between the initial occurrence and the final settlement of the claim,
current and perceived social and economic inflation, and many other economic,
legal, political, and social factors. Because of these and other
factors, actual loss and loss adjustment expense payments should be expected to
vary, perhaps significantly, from any estimate made prior to the settling of all
claims. Any adjustments to reserves are reflected in the operating
results of the periods in which they are made. Management believes
that the aggregate reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses are
reasonable and adequate to cover the cost of claims, both reported and
unreported.
Reinsurance
The
Company’s recoverable from reinsurers represents an estimate of the amount of
future loss and loss adjustment expense payments that will be recoverable from
the Company’s reinsurers. These estimates are based upon estimates of
the ultimate losses and loss adjustment expenses that the Company expects to
incur and the portion of those losses that are expected to be allocable to
reinsurers based upon the terms of the reinsurance agreements. Given
the uncertainty of the ultimate amounts of losses and loss adjustment expenses,
the estimates may vary significantly from the eventual outcome. The
Company’s estimate of the amounts recoverable from reinsurers is regularly
reviewed and updated by management as new data becomes available. The
Company’s assessment of the collectibility of the recorded amounts recoverable
from reinsurers is based primarily upon public financial statements and rating
agency data. Any adjustments necessary are reflected in the current
operations. The Company evaluates each of its ceded reinsurance
contracts at their inception to determine if there is sufficient risk transfer
to allow the contract to be accounted for as reinsurance under current
accounting literature. At December 31, 2008, all such ceded contracts
are accounted for as risk transfer reinsurance.
38
The
following tables provide the effect of reinsurance on the Company’s financial
statements:
The
effect of ceded reinsurance on financial position is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Ceded loss and loss adjustment expense incurred on
excess of loss treaties *
|
||||||||||||
Ceded
paid loss and loss adjustment expense
|
$ | 7,268,387 | $ | 3,287,750 | $ | 5,148,736 | ||||||
Change
in ceded case loss reserves
|
(3,324,003 | ) | 1,659,134 | (959,394 | ) | |||||||
Change
in ceded IBNR reserves
|
(5,285,848 | ) | 3,246,603 | (1,200,000 | ) | |||||||
Total
ceded loss and loss adjustment expense incurred
|
$ | (1,341,464 | ) | $ | 8,193,487 | $ | 2,989,342 | |||||
Ceded loss and loss adjustment expense recoverable
on excess of loss treaties
|
||||||||||||
Ceded
case loss and loss adjustment expense reserves recoverable
|
$ | 1,354,818 | $ | 4,678,821 | $ | 3,019,687 | ||||||
Ceded
IBNR reserves recoverable
|
18,460,755 | 23,746,603 | 20,500,000 | |||||||||
Total
ceded loss and loss adjustment expense reserves recoverable
|
$ | 19,815,573 | $ | 28,425,424 | $ | 23,519,687 |
*There
were no catastrophe losses incurred during the period covered by this
table.
The
effect of ceded reinsurance on results of operations is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Direct
earned premium
|
$ | 42,720,764 | $ | 48,661,973 | $ | 56,692,213 | ||||||
Earned
ceded premium
|
||||||||||||
Excluding
provisionally rated ceded premium
|
8,850,878 | 11,560,877 | 13,825,061 | |||||||||
Provisionally
rated ceded premium
|
(79,809 | ) | (28,569 | ) | (66,637 | ) | ||||||
Total
earned ceded premium
|
8,771,069 | 11,532,308 | 13,758,424 | |||||||||
Ceding
commission
|
2,642,665 | 3,547,595 | 4,376,474 | |||||||||
Earned
ceded premium, net of ceding commission
|
$ | 6,128,404 | $ | 7,984,713 | $ | 9,381,950 | ||||||
Ratios
to direct earned premium
|
||||||||||||
Direct
ceded premium
|
21 | % | 24 | % | 24 | % | ||||||
Earned
ceded premium, net of ceding commission
|
14 | % | 16 | % | 17 | % |
The effect of ceded reinsurance on cash flow is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Changes
in reinsurance recoverable from statements of cash flows
|
$ | 8,813,303 | $ | (4,955,568 | ) | $ | 3,602,749 |
The
Company’s reinsurance strategy is to reduce volatility in its expected loss and
loss adjustment expense results by protecting the Company against liabilities in
excess of certain retentions, including major or catastrophic losses that may
occur from any one or more of the property and/or casualty risks which it
insures. On an annual basis, or sooner if warranted, the Company
evaluates whether any changes to its retention, participation, or retained
limits are necessary.
The
Company currently only writes business in the state of
California. The types of businesses and the coverage limits written
by the Company are not considered difficult lines for obtaining
reinsurance. In addition, because the major catastrophe exposure is
primarily from riots and fire following earthquakes, the Company does not
anticipate significant limitations on its ability to cede future losses on a
basis consistent with its historical results.
39
Investments
In
accordance with SFAS No. 115, the Company is required to classify its
investments in debt and equity securities into one of three categories:
held-to-maturity, available-for-sale or trading securities.
The
Company’s fixed maturity investments are classified as available-for-sale and
are stated at market value. Although all of the Company's investments
are classified as available-for-sale and the Company may sell investment
securities from time to time in response to economic and market conditions, its
investment guidelines place primary emphasis on buying and holding high-quality
investments to maturity. Short-term investments are carried at cost,
which approximates market value. Investments in equity securities are
carried at market value. The unrealized gains or losses from fixed
maturities and equity securities are reported as “accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss),” which is a separate component of stockholders’
equity, net of any deferred tax effect. When a decline in value of a
fixed maturity or equity security is considered other than temporary, a loss is
recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Realized
gains and losses are included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations based
on the specific identification method.
Related Party
Transactions
The
Company presently occupies a 46,000 square foot office building located at 23251
Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills, California, under a master lease expiring
March 31, 2012. Erwin Cheldin, the Company's president, chairman, and
principal stockholder, is the owner of the building. The Company
signed an extension to the lease with a 4% increase in rent effective April 1,
2007. The lease provides for an annual gross rent of $1,025,952
through March 31, 2007, and $1,066,990 from April 1, 2007 through March 31,
2012. In addition, the lease extension provides for two, five-year
options with a rent increase of 5% for each option period. The
Company believes that at the inception of the lease agreement and at each
subsequent extension, the terms of the lease were at least as favorable to the
Company as could have been obtained from non-affiliated third
parties. The Company utilizes for its own operations approximately
100% of the space it leases.
Forward Looking
Statements
Certain
statements contained herein, including the sections entitled “Business,” “Legal
Proceedings” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations,” that are not historical facts are forward
looking. These statements, which may be identified by forward looking
words or phrases such as “anticipate,” “appear,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“expect,” “intend,” “may,” plan,” “should,” and “would” involve risks and
uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the
Company. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to
differ materially from these forward looking statements. Factors
which could cause actual results to differ materially include those described
under Item 1 – “Business - Competition” and Item 1A – “Risk Factors” premium
rate adequacy relating to competition or regulation; actual versus estimated
claim experience; the outcome of rate change filings with regulatory
authorities; acceptance by insureds of rate changes; adequacy of rate changes;
changes in Crusader’s A.M. Best rating; regulatory changes or developments; the
outcome of regulatory proceedings; unforeseen calamities; general market
conditions; and the Company’s ability to introduce new profitable
products.
Item
7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market
Risk.
The
Company’s consolidated balance sheet includes a substantial amount of invested
assets whose fair values are subject to various market risk exposures including
interest rate risk and equity price risk.
The
Company’s invested assets at December 31, 2008 and 2007, consisted of the
following:
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Fixed
maturity bonds (at amortized cost)
|
$ | 135,140,354 | $ | 139,592,208 | ||||
Short-term
cash investments (at cost)
|
9,502,033 | 7,356,159 | ||||||
Certificates
of deposit - over 1 year (at cost)
|
400,000 | 400,000 | ||||||
Total
invested assets
|
$ | 145,042,387 | $ | 147,348,367 |
40
The
Company’s interest rate risk is primarily in its fixed maturity bond
portfolio. As market interest rates decrease, the value of the
portfolio increases with the opposite holding true in rising interest rate
environments. In addition, the longer the maturity, the more
sensitive the asset is to market interest rate fluctuations. The
Company limits this risk by investing in securities with maturities no greater
than eight years. In addition, although fixed maturity bonds are
classified as available-for-sale, the Company’s investment guidelines place
primary emphasis on buying and holding high-quality bonds to
maturity. Because fixed maturity bonds are primarily held to
maturity, the change in the market value of these bonds resulting from interest
rate movements is unrealized and no gains or losses are recognized in the
Consolidated Statements of Operations. Unrealized gains and losses
are reported as separate components of stockholders’ equity, net of any deferred
tax effect. As of December 31, 2008, the Company’s unrealized gains
(net of unrealized losses) before income taxes on its fixed maturity bond
portfolio were $7,431,626 compared to unrealized gains (net of unrealized
losses) before income taxes of $2,903,264 as of December 31,
2007. Given a hypothetical parallel increase of 100 basis points in
interest rates, the fair value of the fixed maturity bond portfolio as of
December 31, 2008, would decrease by approximately $4,052,000. This
decrease would not be reflected in the statements of operations except to the
extent that the securities were sold or the decrease was deemed to be other than
temporary.
The
Company’s short-term investments and certificates of deposit have only minimal
interest rate risk.
41
Item 8. Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data.
INDEX
TO
CONSOLIDATED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page
|
|
Number
|
|
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
43
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2008, and 2007
|
44
|
Consolidated
Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007, and
2006
|
45
|
Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31,
2008,
2007,
and 2006
|
46
|
Consolidated
Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December
31,
2008,
2007, and 2006
|
47
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007, and
2006
|
48
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
49
|
42
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board
of Directors and Stockholders
Unico
American Corporation:
We have
audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Unico American
Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the
related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, changes in
stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year
period ended December 31, 2008. These consolidated financial statements are
the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our
audits.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our
opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly,
in all material respects, the financial position of Unico American Corporation
and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the results of their
operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period
ended December 31, 2008, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles.
KPMG LLP
Los Angeles, California
March 30,
2009
43
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
December
31
|
December
31
|
|||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
||||||||
Investments
|
||||||||
Available
for sale:
|
||||||||
Fixed
maturities, at fair value (amortized cost: December
31, 2008 $135,540,354;
December 31, 2007 $139,992,208)
|
$ | 142,971,980 | $ | 142,895,472 | ||||
Short-term
investments, at cost
|
9,502,033 | 7,356,159 | ||||||
Total
Investments
|
152,474,013 | 150,251,631 | ||||||
Cash
|
27,710 | 108,864 | ||||||
Accrued
investment income
|
1,301,238 | 1,554,741 | ||||||
Premiums
and notes receivable, net
|
4,680,779 | 5,066,646 | ||||||
Reinsurance
recoverable:
|
||||||||
Paid
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
114,734 | 318,186 | ||||||
Unpaid
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
19,815,573 | 28,425,424 | ||||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs
|
5,219,892 | 5,722,847 | ||||||
Property
and equipment (net of accumulated depreciation)
|
359,553 | 557,234 | ||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
- | 686,910 | ||||||
Other
assets
|
609,484 | 1,083,378 | ||||||
Total
Assets
|
$ | 184,602,976 | $ | 193,775,861 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'
EQUITY
|
||||||||
LIABILITIES
|
||||||||
Unpaid
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 78,654,590 | $ | 94,730,711 | ||||
Unearned
premiums
|
19,962,118 | 22,742,612 | ||||||
Advance
premium and premium deposits
|
1,192,553 | 2,159,290 | ||||||
Income
taxes payable
|
558,604 | - | ||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
795,088 | - | ||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
6,481,768 | 5,040,145 | ||||||
Total
Liabilities
|
$ | 107,644,721 | $ | 124,672,758 | ||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
||||||||
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
|
||||||||
Common
stock, no par – authorized 10,000,000 shares, issued and outstanding
shares 5,574,315 at December 31, 2008, and 5,625,308 at December 31,
2007
|
$ | 3,569,099 | $ | 3,594,207 | ||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive income
|
4,904,873 | 1,916,154 | ||||||
Retained
earnings
|
68,484,283 | 63,592,742 | ||||||
Total
Stockholders’ Equity
|
$ | 76,958,255 | $ | 69,103,103 | ||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
|
$ | 184,602,976 | $ | 193,775,861 |
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
44
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
REVENUES
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
Company Revenues
|
||||||||||||
Premium
earned
|
$ | 42,720,764 | $ | 48,661,973 | $ | 56,692,213 | ||||||
Premium
(ceded)
|
(8,771,069 | ) | (11,532,308 | ) | (13,758,424 | ) | ||||||
Net
premium earned
|
33,949,695 | 37,129,665 | 42,933,789 | |||||||||
Investment
income
|
5,829,304 | 6,695,121 | 5,903,462 | |||||||||
Realized
investment gains
|
6,306 | - | 2,617 | |||||||||
Other
income
|
742,683 | 312,427 | 102,700 | |||||||||
Total
Insurance Company Revenues
|
40,527,988 | 44,137,213 | 48,942,568 | |||||||||
Other
Revenues from Insurance Operations
|
||||||||||||
Gross
commissions and fees
|
5,706,071 | 5,515,633 | 5,186,157 | |||||||||
Investment
income
|
61,434 | 152,002 | 100,955 | |||||||||
Finance
charges and fees earned
|
460,422 | 553,997 | 678,740 | |||||||||
Other
income
|
13,529 | 14,050 | 7,786 | |||||||||
Total
Revenues
|
46,769,444 | 50,372,895 | 54,916,206 | |||||||||
EXPENSES
|
||||||||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses
|
20,592,730 | 22,182,237 | 17,826,979 | |||||||||
Policy
acquisition costs
|
8,261,324 | 8,465,047 | 9,250,989 | |||||||||
Salaries
and employee benefits
|
5,631,028 | 5,709,563 | 5,861,549 | |||||||||
Commissions
to agents/brokers
|
1,279,821 | 1,002,771 | 611,200 | |||||||||
Other
operating expenses
|
3,020,075 | 2,940,124 | 3,012,678 | |||||||||
Total
Expenses
|
38,784,978 | 40,299,742 | 36,563,395 | |||||||||
Income
Before Taxes
|
7,984,466 | 10,073,153 | 18,352,811 | |||||||||
Income
Tax Expense
|
2,701,450 | 3,360,709 | 6,427,345 | |||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
PER
SHARE DATA:
|
||||||||||||
Basic
|
||||||||||||
Earnings
Per Share
|
$ | 0.94 | $ | 1.20 | $ | 2.14 | ||||||
Weighted
Average Shares
|
5,614,730 | 5,614,025 | 5,567,883 | |||||||||
Diluted Earnings
Per Share
|
||||||||||||
Earnings
Per Share
|
$ | 0.93 | $ | 1.18 | $ | 2.11 | ||||||
Weighted
Average Shares
|
5,656,010 | 5,681,893 | 5,652,901 | |||||||||
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
45
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Other
changes in comprehensive income, net of tax:
|
||||||||||||
Unrealized
gains on securities classified as
|
||||||||||||
available-for-sale
arising during the period
|
2,988,719 | 2,132,228 | 166,150 | |||||||||
Comprehensive
Income
|
$ | 8,271,735 | $ | 8,844,672 | $ | 12,091,616 |
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
46
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006
Accumulated
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Other
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Common Shares
|
Comprehensive
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Issued
and
|
Income
|
Retained
|
||||||||||||||||||
Outstanding
|
Amount
|
(Losses)
|
Earnings
|
Total
|
||||||||||||||||
Balance - December 31,
2005
|
5,496,315 | $ | 2,720,487 | $ | (382,224 | ) | $ | 45,065,433 | $ | 47,403,696 | ||||||||||
Net
shares issued for exercise of stock
options
|
95,750 | 313,132 | - | - | 313,132 | |||||||||||||||
Tax
benefit from disqualified incentive stock options
|
- | 203,126 | 203,126 | |||||||||||||||||
Shares
canceled or adjusted
|
54 | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
Change
in comprehensive income, net
of deferred income tax
|
- | - | 166,150 | - | 166,150 | |||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
- | - | - | 11,925,466 | 11,925,466 | |||||||||||||||
Balance - December 31,
2006
|
5,592,119 | $ | 3,236,745 | $ | (216,074 | ) | $ | 56,990,899 | $ | 60,011,570 | ||||||||||
Net
shares issued for exercise of
stock
options
|
42,672 | 301,336 | - | - | 301,336 | |||||||||||||||
Tax
benefit from disqualified incentive stock options
|
- | 60,786 | - | - | 60,786 | |||||||||||||||
Shares
repurchased
|
(9,483 | ) | (4,660 | ) | - | (110,601 | ) | (115,261 | ) | |||||||||||
Change
in comprehensive income, net
of deferred income tax
|
- | - | 2,132,228 | - | 2,132,228 | |||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
- | - | - | 6,712,444 | 6,712,444 | |||||||||||||||
Balance - December 31,
2007
|
5,625,308 | $ | 3,594,207 | $ | 1,916,154 | $ | 63,592,742 | $ | 69,103,103 | |||||||||||
Shares
canceled or adjusted
|
99 | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
Shares
repurchased
|
(51,092 | ) | (25,108 | ) | - | (391,475 | ) | (416,583 | ) | |||||||||||
Change
in comprehensive income, net
of deferred income tax
|
- | - | 2,988,719 | - | 2,988,719 | |||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
- | - | - | 5,283,016 | 5,283,016 | |||||||||||||||
Balance - December 31,
2008
|
5,574,315 | $ | 3,569,099 | $ | 4,904,873 | $ | 68,484,283 | $ | 76,958,255 |
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
47
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash from operations
|
||||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
212,028 | 238,876 | 238,834 | |||||||||
Bond
amortization, net
|
286,907 | (34,171 | ) | (66,447 | ) | |||||||
Net
realized gain on sale of fixed maturities
|
(6,306 | ) | - | (2,617 | ) | |||||||
Changes
in assets and liabilities
|
||||||||||||
Premium,
notes and investment income receivable
|
639,370 | 982,948 | 343,736 | |||||||||
Reinsurance
recoverable
|
8,813,303 | (4,955,568 | ) | 3,602,749 | ||||||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs
|
502,955 | 707,418 | 925,914 | |||||||||
Other
assets
|
47,984 | 47,038 | (53,261 | ) | ||||||||
Unpaid
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
(16,076,121 | ) | 1,134,594 | (8,318,431 | ) | |||||||
Unearned
premium
|
(2,780,494 | ) | (3,691,575 | ) | (4,184,860 | ) | ||||||
Advance
premium and premium deposits
|
(966,737 | ) | 357,047 | 341,453 | ||||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
1,441,623 | 245,062 | (614,364 | ) | ||||||||
Tax
benefit from disqualified incentive stock options
|
- | (60,786 | ) | (203,126 | ) | |||||||
Income
taxes current/deferred
|
926,869 | (1,796,967 | ) | 2,362,848 | ||||||||
Net
Cash Provided (Used) by Operating Activities
|
(1,675,603 | ) | (113,640 | ) | 6,297,894 | |||||||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
||||||||||||
Purchase
of fixed maturity investments
|
(63,594,497 | ) | (69,740,710 | ) | (68,914,691 | ) | ||||||
Proceeds
from maturity of fixed maturity investments
|
67,260,000 | 70,275,000 | 63,589,500 | |||||||||
Proceeds
from sale of fixed maturity investments
|
505,750 | - | 1,004,000 | |||||||||
Net
increase in short-term investments
|
(2,145,874 | ) | (536,152 | ) | (2,318,488 | ) | ||||||
Additions
to property and equipment
|
(14,347 | ) | (57,030 | ) | (153,410 | ) | ||||||
Net
Cash Provided (Used) by Investing Activities
|
2,011,032 | (58,892 | ) | (6,793,089 | ) | |||||||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
||||||||||||
Repurchase
of common stock
|
(416,583 | ) | (115,261 | ) | - | |||||||
Proceeds
from exercise of stock options
|
- | 301,336 | 313,132 | |||||||||
Tax
benefit from disqualified incentive stock options
|
- | 60,786 | 203,126 | |||||||||
Net
Cash Provided (Used) by Financing Activities
|
(416,583 | ) | 246,861 | 516,258 | ||||||||
Net
increase (decrease) in cash
|
(81,154 | ) | 74,329 | 21,063 | ||||||||
Cash
at beginning of year
|
108,864 | 34,535 | 13,472 | |||||||||
Cash
at End of Year
|
$ | 27,710 | $ | 108,864 | $ | 34,535 | ||||||
Supplemental
cash flow information
|
||||||||||||
Cash
paid during the period for:
|
||||||||||||
Interest
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Income
taxes
|
$ | 1,800,240 | $ | 5,150,701 | $ | 4,325,651 |
See
accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
48
NOTE 1 - SUMMARY OF
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Nature of
Business
Unico
American Corporation is an insurance holding company that underwrites property
and casualty insurance through its insurance company subsidiary; provides
property, casualty, and health insurance through its agency subsidiaries; and
provides insurance premium financing and membership association services through
its other subsidiaries. Unico American Corporation is referred to
herein as the "Company" or "Unico" and such references include both the
corporation and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned, unless
otherwise indicated. Unico was incorporated under the laws of Nevada
in 1969.
Principles of
Consolidation
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Unico
American Corporation and its subsidiaries. All significant
intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in
consolidation.
Basis of
Presentation
The
consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S.
generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). As described in Note
13, the Company's insurance subsidiary also files financial statements with
regulatory agencies prepared on a statutory basis of accounting that differs
from GAAP.
Use of
Estimates
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management
to make estimates and assumptions that affect its reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and its disclosure of any contingent assets and liabilities at the
date of its financial statements, as well as its reported amounts of revenues
and expenses during the reporting period. While every effort is made
to ensure the integrity of such estimates, actual results may
differ.
Immaterial Correction To
Previously Reported Amounts
During
the first quarter of 2008, the Company identified an error associated with the
Company’s policy fee income. The error arose from the recognition of
non-refundable policy fee income at policy inception rather than over the policy
term in accordance with the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 104, Revenue Recognition, and EITF
00-21, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables.”
The
Company made an assessment of the materiality of this item on the Company’s
historical financial statements in accordance with SAB No. 99, “Materiality,”
and concluded that the error was immaterial to all periods. The
Company also concluded that had the error been adjusted when it was identified
within the first quarter of 2008, the impact of such an adjustment would have
been material to its first quarter 2008 financial statements and was expected to
be material to its full year 2008 financial statements.
Accordingly,
in accordance with SAB No. 108, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year
Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial
Statements,” the prior year’s consolidated balance sheets, consolidated
statements of operations, consolidated statements of comprehensive income,
consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity , and the
consolidated statements of cash flows herein have been revised to correct the
immaterial error and to reflect the corrected balances as of that
date.
The line
items in the financial statements that are impacted by this error are detailed
in the tables below.
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
For the year ended December 31,
2007
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
$ | 295,026 | $ | 391,884 | $ | 686,910 | ||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
$ | 3,887,546 | $ | 1,152,599 | $ | 5,040,145 | ||||||
Retained
earnings
|
$ | 64,353,457 | $ | (760,715 | ) | $ | 63,592,742 |
49
Consolidated
Statements of Operations
For the year ended December 31,
2007
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Gross
commission and fees
|
$ | 5,366,031 | $ | 149,602 | $ | 5,515,633 | ||||||
Income
tax provision
|
$ | 3,309,844 | $ | 50,865 | $ | 3,360,709 | ||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 6,613,707 | $ | 98,737 | $ | 6,712,444 | ||||||
For the year ended December 31,
2006
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Gross
commission and fees
|
$ | 4,987,332 | $ | 198,825 | $ | 5,186,157 | ||||||
Income
tax provision
|
$ | 6,359,745 | $ | 67,600 | $ | 6,427,345 | ||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 11,794,241 | $ | 131,225 | $ | 11,925,466 |
Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Income
For the year ended December 31,
2007
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 6,613,707 | $ | 98,737 | $ | 6,712,444 | ||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$ | 8,745,935 | $ | 98,737 | $ | 8,844,672 | ||||||
For the year ended December 31,
2006
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 11,794,241 | $ | 131,225 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Comprehensive
income
|
$ | 11,960,391 | $ | 131,225 | $ | 12,091,616 |
Statement
of Comprehensive Income
For the year ended December 31,
2007
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Retained
Earnings - Balance as of 12/31/2006
|
$ | 57,850,351 | $ | (859,452 | ) | $ | 56,990,899 | |||||
Net
income
|
$ | 6,613,707 | $ | 98,737 | $ | 6,712,444 | ||||||
For the year ended December 31,
2006
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Retained
Earnings - Balance as of 12/31/2005
|
$ | 48,394,373 | $ | (990,677 | ) | $ | 47,403,696 | |||||
Net
income
|
$ | 11,794,241 | $ | 131,225 | $ | 11,925,466 |
50
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
For the year ended December 31,
2007
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 6,613,707 | $ | 98,737 | $ | 6,712,444 | ||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
$ | 394,664 | $ | (149,602 | ) | $ | 245,062 | |||||
Income
taxes current/deferred
|
$ | (1,847,832 | ) | $ | 50,865 | $ | (1,796,967 | ) | ||||
For the year ended December 31,
2006
|
||||||||||||
As previously reported
|
Correction
|
As corrected
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 11,794,241 | $ | 131,225 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
$ | (415,539 | ) | $ | (198,825 | ) | $ | (614,364 | ) | |||
Income
taxes current/deferred
|
$ | 2,295,248 | $ | 67,600 | $ | 2,362,848 |
Investments
Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157 “Fair Value Measurements,” (SFAS No.
157) was adopted by the Company as of January 1, 2008. SFAS No.
157 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation
techniques used to measure fair value. The fair value of a financial
instrument is the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to
transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at
the measurement date (the exit price). Financial assets and financial
liabilities recorded on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value are
categorized based on the reliability of inputs to the valuation techniques as
follows:
Level 1 -
Financial assets and financial liabilities whose values are based on unadjusted
quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.
Level 2 -
Financial assets and financial liabilities whose values are based on quoted
prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for
identical or similar assets or liabilities in non-active markets; or valuation
models whose inputs are observable, directly or indirectly, for substantially
the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3 -
Financial assets and financial liabilities whose values are based on prices or
valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable and
significant to the overall fair value measurement. These inputs reflect the
Company’s estimates of the assumptions that market participants would use in
valuing the financial assets and financial liabilities.
The
hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs and the lowest priority
to Level 3 inputs. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may
fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such
cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value
measurement in its entirety falls has been determined based on the lowest level
input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its
entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a
particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment
and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.
The
Company’s fixed maturities investments are all classified within Level 1 of the
fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices, broker
or dealer quotations, or alternative pricing sources in active markets for
identical assets with reasonable levels of price transparency. Fair
value measurements are not adjusted for transaction costs.
All of
the Company’s fixed maturity investments are classified as available-for-sale
and are stated at fair value. Although all of the Company's
investments are classified as available-for-sale and the Company may sell
investment securities from time to time in response to economic and market
conditions, its investment guidelines place primary emphasis on buying and
holding high-quality investments to maturity. Short-term investments
are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. The unrealized
gains or losses from fixed maturities are reported as “accumulated other
comprehensive income (loss),” which is a separate component of stockholders’
equity, net of any deferred tax effect. When a decline in value of a
fixed maturity or equity security is considered other than temporary, a loss is
recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Realized
gains and losses, if any, are included in the Consolidated Statements of
Operations based on the specific identification method.
51
The
Company had unrealized investment gain, net of deferred taxes of $4,904,873 as
of December 31, 2008, and unrealized investment gains, net of deferred taxes of
$1,916,154 as of December 31, 2007.
Property and
Equipment
Property
and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated
depreciation. Depreciation is computed using straight line methods
over three to seven years.
Income
Taxes
The
provision for federal income taxes is computed on the basis of income as
reported for financial reporting purposes. Deferred income taxes
reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying
amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the
amounts used for income tax purposes, and are measured using the enacted tax
rates and laws expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those
temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Income
tax expense provisions increase or decrease in the same period in which a change
in tax rates is enacted.
In June
2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation
No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, an Interpretation of FASB
Statement No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes” (FIN 48). This
interpretation clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes
recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements in accordance with FASB
Statement No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” FIN 48 prescribes a
recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement
recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a
tax return. This interpretation also provides guidance on
derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim
periods, disclosure, and transition. This interpretation became
effective January 1, 2007. The Company had no unrecognized tax
benefits and recognized no additional liability or reduction in deferred tax
assets as a result of the adoption of FIN 48 effective January 1,
2007. In addition, the Company had not accrued interest and penalties
related to unrecognized tax benefits. However, if interest and penalties would
need to be accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits, such amounts would be
recognized as a component of federal income tax expense. As of
December 31, 2008, the Company had no unrecognized tax benefits and no
additional liabilities or reduction in deferred tax asset as a result of the
adoption of FIN 48 effective January 1, 2007.
The
Company and its subsidiaries file federal and state income tax
returns. Management does not believe that the ultimate outcome of any
future examinations of open tax years will have a material impact on the
Company’s results of operations. Tax years that remain subject to
examination by major taxing jurisdictions are 2007 through 2008 for federal
income taxes and 2004 through 2008 for California state income
taxes. On April 30, 2008, the Company was notified by the Internal
Revenue Service that the Company’s consolidated federal income tax return on
Form 1120 for the tax year ended December 31, 2006, was selected for
examination. On December 18, 2008, the Company was notified by the
Internal Revenue Service that its Form 1120 for the tax year ended December 31,
2006, was accepted with no change.
Fair Value of Financial
Instruments
The
Company has used the following methods and assumptions in estimating its fair
value disclosures:
|
·
|
Investment
Securities -
Fair values for fixed maturity securities are obtained from a national
quotation service. The fair values for equity securities are
based on quoted market prices.
|
|
·
|
Cash
and Short-Term Investments - The carrying amounts reported in the balance
sheet for these instruments approximate their fair
values.
|
|
·
|
Premiums
and Notes Receivable - The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet
for these instruments approximate their fair
values.
|
Earnings Per
Share
Basic
earnings per share exclude the impact of common share equivalents and are based
upon the weighted average common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings
per share utilize the average market price per share when applying the treasury
stock method in determining common share dilution. When dilutive,
outstanding stock options are treated as common share equivalents for purposes
of computing diluted earnings per share and represent the difference between
basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding. In loss
periods, options are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per
share, as the inclusion of such options would have an anti-dilutive
effect.
52
Revenue
Recognition
a. General Agency
Operations
Commissions
due the Company are recognized as income on the effective date of the insurance
policies. Policy fee income is recognized on a pro-rata basis over
the terms of the policies.
b. Insurance
Company Operations
Premiums
are earned on a pro-rata basis over the terms of the
policies. Premiums applicable to the unexpired terms of policies in
force are recorded as unearned premiums. The Company earns a
commission on policies that are ceded to its reinsurers. This
commission is considered earned on a pro-rata basis over the terms of the
policies.
c. Insurance
Premium Financing Operations
Premium
finance interest is charged to policyholders who choose to finance insurance
premiums. Interest is charged at rates that vary with the amount of
premium financed. Premium finance interest is recognized using a
method that approximates the interest (actuarial) method.
Losses and Loss Adjustment
Expenses
The
liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses is based upon the
accumulation of individual case estimates for losses reported prior to the close
of the accounting period plus estimates based on experience and industry data
for development of case estimates and for unreported losses and loss adjustment
expenses.
There is
a high level of uncertainty inherent in the evaluation of the required loss and
loss adjustment expense reserves for the Company. The long-tailed
nature of liability claims and the volatility of jury awards exacerbate that
uncertainty. The Company sets loss and loss adjustment expense
reserves at each balance sheet date at management’s best estimate of the
ultimate payments that it anticipates will be made to settle all losses incurred
and related expenses incurred as of that date for both reported and unreported
losses. The ultimate cost of claims is dependent upon future events,
the outcomes of which are affected by many factors. Company claim
reserving procedures and settlement philosophy, current and perceived social and
economic inflation, current and future court rulings and jury attitudes,
improvements in medical technology, and many other economic, scientific, legal,
political, and social factors all can have significant effects on the ultimate
costs of claims. Changes in Company operations and management
philosophy also may cause actual developments to vary from the
past. Since the emergence and disposition of claims are subject to
uncertainties, the net amounts that will ultimately be paid to settle claims may
vary significantly from the estimated amounts provided for in the accompanying
consolidated financial statements. Any adjustments to reserves are
reflected in the operating results of the periods in which they are
made. Management believes that the aggregate reserves for losses and
loss adjustment expenses are reasonable and adequate to cover the cost of
claims, both reported and unreported.
Restricted
Funds
Restricted
funds are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Premium
trust funds (1)
|
$ | 236,104 | $ | 1,172,913 | ||||
Assigned
to state agencies (2)
|
700,000 | 700,000 | ||||||
Total
restricted funds
|
$ | 936,104 | $ | 1,872,913 |
|
(1)
|
As
required by law, the Company segregates from its operating accounts the
premiums collected from insureds which are payable to insurance companies
into separate trust accounts. These amounts are included in
cash and short-term investments.
|
|
(2)
|
Included
in fixed maturity investments are statutory deposits assigned to and held
by the California State Treasurer and the Insurance Commissioner of the
State of Nevada. These deposits are required for writing
certain lines of business in California and for admission in states other
than California.
|
53
Deferred Policy Acquisition
Costs
Policy
acquisition costs consist of costs associated with the production of insurance
policies such as commissions, premium taxes, and certain other underwriting
expenses that vary with and are primarily related to the production of the
insurance policy. Policy acquisition costs are deferred and amortized
as the related premiums are earned and are limited to their estimated realizable
value based on the related unearned premiums plus investment income less
anticipated losses and loss adjustment expenses. Ceding commission
applicable to the unexpired terms of policies in force is recorded as unearned
ceding commission, which is included in deferred policy acquisition
costs.
Reinsurance
The
Company cedes reinsurance to provide for greater diversification of business to
allow management to control exposure to potential losses arising from large
risks by reinsuring certain levels of risk in various areas of exposure, to
reduce the loss that may arise from catastrophes, and to provide additional
capacity for growth. Prepaid reinsurance premiums and reinsurance
receivables are reported as assets and represent ceded unearned premiums and
reinsurance recoverable on both paid and unpaid losses,
respectively. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are estimated in a
manner consistent with the claim liability associated with the reinsured
policies. The Company evaluates each of its ceded reinsurance contracts at their
inception to determine if there is a sufficient risk transfer to allow the
contract to be accounted for as reinsurance under current accounting
literature. As of December 31, 2008, all such ceded contracts are
accounted for as risk transfer reinsurance.
Segment
Reporting
Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards No. 131, “Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related Information,” establishes standards for the way
information about operating segments is reported in financial
statements. The Company has identified its insurance company
operation as its primary reporting segment. Revenues from this
segment comprised 87% of consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31,
2008, 88% of consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2007, and 89%
for the year ended December 31, 2006. The Company’s remaining
operations constitute a variety of specialty insurance services, each with
unique characteristics and individually insignificant to consolidated
revenues.
The
insurance company operation is conducted through the Company’s wholly owned
subsidiary Crusader Insurance Company (Crusader), which as of December 31, 2008,
was licensed as an admitted insurance carrier in the states of Arizona,
California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Crusader is a
multiple-line property and casualty insurance company, which began transacting
business on January 1, 1985. For the year ended December 31, 2008,
98% of Crusader’s business was commercial multiple peril (CMP) insurance
policies. CMP policies provide a combination of property and
liability coverage for businesses. Commercial property coverages
insure against loss or damage to buildings, inventory and equipment from natural
disasters, including hurricanes, windstorms, hail, water, explosions, severe
winter weather, and other events such as theft and vandalism, fires and storms
and financial loss due to business interruption resulting from covered property
damage. However, Crusader does not write earthquake
coverage. Commercial liability coverages insure against third party
liability from accidents occurring on the insured’s premises or arising out of
its operations, such as injuries sustained from products sold or the operation
of the insured premises. In addition to commercial multiple peril
policies, Crusader also writes separate policies to insure commercial property
and commercial liability risks on a mono-line basis.
54
Revenues,
income before income taxes and assets by segment are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Revenues
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
company operation
|
$ | 40,527,988 | $ | 44,137,213 | $ | 48,942,568 | ||||||
Other
insurance operations
|
17,315,124 | 18,673,945 | 20,294,473 | |||||||||
Intersegment
elimination (1)
|
(11,073,668 | ) | (12,438,263 | ) | (14,320,835 | ) | ||||||
Total
other insurance operations
|
6,241,456 | 6,235,682 | 5,973,638 | |||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 46,769,444 | $ | 50,372,895 | $ | 54,916,206 | ||||||
Income before income taxes
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
company operation
|
$ | 10,369,791 | $ | 11,865,603 | $ | 19,589,474 | ||||||
Other
insurance operations
|
(2,385,325 | ) | (1,792,450 | ) | (1,236,663 | ) | ||||||
Total
income before income taxes
|
$ | 7,984,466 | $ | 10,073,153 | $ | 18,352,811 | ||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||
Insurance
company operation
|
$ | 171,700,199 | $ | 177,278,243 | $ | 167,475,047 | ||||||
Intersegment
eliminations (2)
|
(1,658,771 | ) | (1,537,590 | ) | (1,711,026 | ) | ||||||
Total
insurance company operation
|
170,041,428 | 175,740,653 | 165,764,021 | |||||||||
Other
insurance operations
|
14,561,548 | 18,035,208 | 22,480,563 | |||||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 184,602,976 | $ | 193,775,861 | $ | 188,244,584 |
(1) Intersegment
revenue eliminations reflect commissions paid by Crusader to
Unifax.
(2) Intersegment
asset eliminations reflect the elimination of Crusader receivables and Unifax
payables.
Concentration of
Risks
In 2008
and 2007, 100% of Crusader’s gross premium written was derived from
California. In 2008 approximately 82% of the $2,754,293 commission
and fee income from the Company’s health insurance program was from CIGNA
HealthCare medical and dental plan programs. In 2007 approximately
79% of the $2,320,161 commission and fee income from the Company’s health
insurance program was from CIGNA HealthCare medical and dental plan
programs.
At
December 31, 2008, the Company’s reinsurance recoverable on paid and unpaid
losses and loss adjustment expenses of $19,930,307 were as follows:
Name of Reinsurer
|
A.M.
Best
Rating
|
Amount
Recoverable
|
||||||
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
|
A | $ | 10,883,579 | |||||
Hannover
Ruckversicherungs AG
|
A | 5,600,417 | ||||||
Partners
Reinsurance Company of the U.S.
|
A | + | 2,526,231 | |||||
General
Reinsurance Corporation
|
A | ++ | 488,671 | |||||
QBE
Reinsurance Corporation
|
A | 431,409 | ||||||
Total
|
$ | 19,930,307 |
Stock-Based
Compensation
Effective
January 1, 2006, the Company adopted Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment” (SFAS
No. 123R), using the modified prospective transition method and, therefore,
has not restated results from prior periods. Under this transition
method, share-based compensation expense for 2006 includes compensation expense
for all share-based compensation awards granted but not vested prior to
January 1, 2006, based on the grant-date fair value estimated in accordance
with the original provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation.” Share-based
compensation expense for all share-based payment awards granted or modified on
or after January 1, 2006, is based on the grant-date fair value estimated
in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123R.
55
Prior to
January 1, 2006, the Company applied the intrinsic-value based method of
accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25,
“Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations
including FASB Interpretation No. 44, “Accounting for Certain Transactions
Involving Stock Compensation,” an interpretation of APB Opinion No. 25, to
account for its fixed-plan stock options. Under this method,
compensation expense was recorded on the date of grant only if the current
market price of the underlying stock exceeded the exercise
price. FASB Statement No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation,” (SFAS 123), and FASB Statement No. 148, “Accounting for Stock
Based Compensation – Transition and Disclosure,” an amendment of SFAS 123,
established accounting and disclosure requirements using a fair-value based
method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation plans. As
permitted by existing accounting standards, the Company elected to continue to
apply the intrinsic-value based method of accounting described above and has
adopted only the disclosure requirements of SFAS 123, as amended for applicable
periods prior to 2006. In December 2004, FASB Statement No. 123R
(SFAS 123R) which revised SFAS 123 was issued and was adopted by the Company in
2006 (see Note 14).
On
December 30, 2005, the Company accelerated the vesting of all of its outstanding
stock-based compensation awards granted under the Company’s 1999 Omnibus Stock
Plan. All accelerated options were “in the money.” The number of
shares covered by the options accelerated totaled 67,500 of which 37,500 were
originally scheduled to vest on January 1, 2006, and 30,000 were originally
scheduled to vest on January 1, 2007. The Company accelerated vesting
of the options in order to minimize the compensation costs associated with the
adoption of SFAS 123R. All accelerated options were granted to
long-term management employees who were not expected to leave the Company prior
to the originally scheduled vesting date. The estimated compensation
cost which would be excluded from future periods as a result of the acceleration
of the vesting of the options was approximately $89,100. There were
no options granted during 2008 and 2007 and there were no unvested options as of
January 1, 2006, on adoption of SFAS 123R; as a result, there were no
compensation expenses recorded for the years ended December 31, 2007, and
December 31, 2008.
Reinsurance
The
Company cedes reinsurance to provide for greater diversification of business, to
allow management to control exposure to potential losses arising from large
risks by reinsuring certain levels of risk in various areas of exposure, to
reduce the loss that may arise from catastrophes, and to provide additional
capacity for growth. The Company evaluates each of its ceded reinsurance
contracts at its inception to determine if there is a sufficient risk transfer
to allow the contract to be accounted for as reinsurance under current
accounting literature. As of December 31, 2008, all such ceded
contracts are accounted for as risk transfer reinsurance. Prepaid
reinsurance premiums and reinsurance receivables are reported as assets and
represent ceded unearned premiums and reinsurance recoverable on both paid and
unpaid losses, respectively. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are
estimated in a manner consistent with the claim liability associated with the
reinsured policies.
Recently Issued Accounting
Standards
In May
2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, “The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles” (SFAS No. 162). SFAS No. 162 identifies the
sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting the principles
to be used in the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental
entities that are presented in conformity with GAAP (GAAP
hierarchy). The current GAAP hierarchy, as set forth in the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 69, “The Meaning of Present Fairly in Conformity With Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles,” has been criticized because (1) it is directed
to the auditor rather than the entity, (2) it is complex, and (3) it ranks FASB
Statements of Financial Accounting Concepts, which are subject to the same level
of due process as FASB Statements of Financial Accounting Standards, below
industry practices that are widely recognized as generally accepted but that are
not subject to due process. SFAS No. 162 shall be effective 60 days following
the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board amendments to U.S. Auditing Standards Section 411,
“The Meaning of Present Fairly in Conformity With Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles.” SFAS No. 162 is not expected to have a material impact on the
Company’s consolidated financial statements.
56
Effective
January 1, 2008, the Company adopted SFAS No. 157 for financial assets and
liabilities. In December 2007, the FASB provided a one-year deferral of
SFAS No. 157 for non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except
those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value on a recurring basis, at
least annually. SFAS No. 157 redefines fair values as the price that would
be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly
transaction between market participants at the measurement date, establishes a
framework for measuring fair value in GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair
value measurements. Specifically, SFAS No. 157 establishes a three-level
hierarchy for fair value measurements based upon the nature of the inputs to the
valuation of an asset or liability. SFAS No. 157 applies where other
accounting pronouncements require or permit fair value measurements. In
October 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position No. 157-3 “Determining the
Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active”
(FSP FAS 157-3), which clarifies the application of SFAS No. 157 in a market
that is not active and provides an example to illustrate key considerations in
determining the fair value of a financial asset when the market for that
financial asset is not active. Such considerations include inputs to
broker quotes, assumptions regarding future cash flows and use of risk-adjusted
discount rates. The adoption of FSP FAS No. 157-3 did not have a material
impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities - Including an Amendment of FASB
Statement No. 115.” SFAS No. 159 permits an entity to
measure certain financial assets and financial liabilities at fair
value. The main objective of SFAS No. 159 is to improve
financial reporting by allowing entities to mitigate volatility in reported
earnings caused by the measurement of related assets and liabilities using
different attributes, without having to apply complex hedge accounting
provisions. Entities that elect the fair value option will report
unrealized gains and losses in earnings at each subsequent reporting
date. SFAS No. 159 establishes presentation and disclosure
requirements to help financial statement users understand the effect of the
entity’s election on its earnings, but does not eliminate disclosure
requirements of other accounting standards. SFAS No. 159 is
expected to expand the use of fair value measurement, which is consistent with
the FASB’s long-term measurement objectives for accounting for financial
instruments. SFAS No. 159 is effective as of the beginning of
the first fiscal year that begins after November 15, 2007. The
Company adopted SFAS No. 159 as of the beginning of 2008 by not electing the
fair value option for any of its financial assets or liabilities.
In
December 2007, FASB Statements No. 141 (revised 2007), “Business
Combinations” (SFAS No. 141R) was issued. SFAS No. 141R replaces FASB
Statement No. 141, “Business Combinations.” SFAS No. 141R
requires the acquiring entity in a business combination to recognize all (and
only) the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the transaction;
establishes the acquisition-date fair value as the measurement objective for all
assets acquired and liabilities assumed; and requires the acquirer to disclose
additional information regarding the nature and financial effect of the business
combination. The Company will adopt SFAS No. 141R for any business
combinations initiated after December 31, 2008.
There
were no other accounting standards issued during 2008 that are expected to have
a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial
statements.
NOTE 2 – ADVANCE PREMIUM AND
PREMIUM DEPOSITS
The
insurance company operation records a liability for advance premium that
represents the written premium on policies that have been submitted to the
Company and are bound, billed, and recorded prior to their effective date of
coverage. These advance premiums are not included in written premium
or in the liability for unearned premium.
Some of
the Company’s health and life programs require payments of premium prior to the
effective date of coverage; and, accordingly, invoices are sent out as early as
two months prior to the coverage effective date. Insurance premiums
received for coverage months effective after the balance sheet date are recorded
as advance premiums. The Company received deposits to guarantee the
payment of premiums for past coverage months on its daily automobile rental
program. These deposits are required when information such as gross
receipts or number of rental cars is required to compute the actual premium due
but is not available until after the coverage month.
57
NOTE 3
- INVESTMENTS
The
amortized cost and estimated fair values of investments in fixed maturities by
categories are as follows:
Gross
|
Gross
|
Estimated
|
||||||||||||||
Amortized
|
Unrealized
|
Unrealized
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||
Cost
|
Gains
|
Losses
|
Value
|
|||||||||||||
December 31, 2008
|
||||||||||||||||
Available
for sale:
|
||||||||||||||||
Fixed maturities
|
||||||||||||||||
Certificates
of deposit
|
$ | 400,000 | - | - | $ | 400,000 | ||||||||||
U.S.
treasury securities
|
124,526,227 | $ | 7,412,273 | - | 131,938,500 | |||||||||||
Industrial
and miscellaneous taxable bonds
|
10,614,127 | 85,078 | $ | 65,725 | 10,633,480 | |||||||||||
Total
fixed maturities
|
$ | 135,540,354 | $ | 7,497,351 | $ | 65,725 | $ | 142,971,980 | ||||||||
December 31, 2007
|
||||||||||||||||
Available
for sale:
|
||||||||||||||||
Fixed maturities
|
||||||||||||||||
Certificates
of deposit
|
$ | 400,000 | - | - | $ | 400,000 | ||||||||||
U.S.
treasury securities
|
130,211,428 | $ | 2,811,090 | $ | 8,591 | 133,013,927 | ||||||||||
State
and municipal tax-exempt bonds
|
15,045 | - | 5 | 15,040 | ||||||||||||
Industrial
and miscellaneous taxable bonds
|
9,365,735 | 108,295 | 7,525 | 9,466,505 | ||||||||||||
Total
fixed maturities
|
$ | 139,992,208 | $ | 2,919,385 | $ | 16,121 | $ | 142,895,472 |
A summary
of the unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments carried at fair
value and the applicable deferred federal income taxes are shown
below:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Gross
unrealized appreciation of fixed maturities:
|
$ | 7,497,351 | $ | 2,919,385 | $ | 147,107 | ||||||
Gross
unrealized (depreciation) of fixed maturities:
|
(65,725 | ) | (16,121 | ) | (474,493 | ) | ||||||
Net
unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments
|
7,431,626 | 2,903,264 | (327,386 | ) | ||||||||
Deferred
federal tax income (expense)
|
(2,526,753 | ) | (987,110 | ) | 111,312 | |||||||
Net
unrealized appreciation (depreciation), net
of deferred income taxes
|
$ | 4,904,873 | $ | 1,916,154 | $ | (216,074 | ) |
The
amortized cost and estimated fair value of fixed maturity investments at
December 31, 2008, by contractual maturity are as follows. Expected
maturities will differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have
the right to call or prepay obligations with or without penalties.
Amortized
|
Estimated
|
|||||||
Cost
|
Fair Value
|
|||||||
Due
in one year or less
|
$ | 42,875,272 | $ | 43,496,590 | ||||
Due
after one year through five years
|
92,665,082 | 99,475,390 | ||||||
Due
after five years through ten years
|
- | - | ||||||
Total
fixed maturities
|
$ | 135,540,354 | $ | 142,971,980 |
58
The
following table illustrates the gross unrealized losses included in the
Company’s investment portfolio and the fair value of those securities,
aggregated by investment category. The table also illustrates the
length of time that they have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as
of December 31, 2008, and December 31, 2007.
Year
Ended
|
Amortized
|
Gross
|
||||||||||
December 31
|
Cost
|
Fair Value
|
Unrealized Loss
|
|||||||||
2008
|
||||||||||||
0-6
months
|
$ | 5,590,110 | $ | 5,524,385 | $ | 65,725 | ||||||
7-12
months
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Over
12 months
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Total
|
$ | 5,590,110 | $ | 5,524,385 | $ | 65,725 | ||||||
2007
|
||||||||||||
0-6
months
|
$ | 7,080,404 | $ | 7,071,870 | $ | 8,534 | ||||||
7-12
months
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Over
12 months
|
2,917,362 | 2,909,775 | 7,587 | |||||||||
Total
|
$ | 9,997,766 | $ | 9,981,645 | $ | 16,121 |
At
December 31, 2008, the fixed maturity investments with a gross unrealized loss
for continuous periods of 0 to 6 months consisted of three investment grade
industrial securities.
At
December 31, 2007, the fixed maturity investments with a gross unrealized loss
for continuous periods of 0 to 6 months consisted of U.S. treasury
securities. The fixed maturity investments with a gross unrealized
loss position for a continuous period over 12 months consisted of U.S. treasury
securities, investment grade industrial securities, and pre-refunded municipal
bonds.
The
Company monitors its investments closely. If an unrealized loss is
determined to be other than temporary, it is written off as a realized loss
through the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company’s
methodology of assessing other-than-temporary impairments is based on
security-specific analysis as of the balance sheet date and considers various
factors including the length of time to maturity and the extent to which the
fair value has been less than the cost, the financial condition and the
near-term prospects of the issuer, and whether the debtor is current on its
contractually obligated interest and principal payments. The Company
has the ability and intent to hold its fixed maturity investments for a period
of time sufficient to allow the Company to recover its costs. The
Company has concluded that the gross unrealized losses of $65,725 at December
31, 2008, were temporary in nature. However, facts and circumstances
may change, which could result in a decline in fair value considered to be other
than temporary. The Company sold one fixed maturity investment in the
year ended December 31, 2008, with net realized gain in the amount of
$6,306. The Company did not sell any fixed maturity investment in the
year ended December 31, 2007.
Short-term
investments have an initial maturity of one year or less and consist of the
following:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
U.S.
government money market fund
|
$ | 5,585,395 | $ | 2,425,807 | ||||
Commercial
paper
|
- | 3,887,322 | ||||||
Short-term
U.S. treasury bills
|
399,953 | 393,768 | ||||||
Bank
money market accounts
|
3,312,140 | 444,781 | ||||||
Certificates
of deposit
|
200,000 | 200,000 | ||||||
Bank
savings accounts
|
4,545 | 4,481 | ||||||
Total
short-term investments
|
$ | 9,502,033 | $ | 7,356,159 |
The
Company manages its own investment portfolio. A summary of net
investment and related income is as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Fixed
maturities
|
$ | 5,730,182 | $ | 6,448,349 | $ | 5,824,510 | ||||||
Realized
gains on fixed maturities
|
6,306 | - | 2,617 | |||||||||
Short-term
investments
|
160,556 | 398,774 | 179,907 | |||||||||
Total
investment income
|
$ | 5,897,044 | $ | 6,847,123 | $ | 6,007,034 |
59
NOTE 4 - PROPERTY AND
EQUIPMENT (NET OF ACCUMULATED DEPRECIATION)
Property
and equipment consist of the following:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Furniture,
fixtures, computer, and office equipment
|
$ | 2,142,902 | $ | 2,407,480 | ||||
Accumulated
depreciation
|
1,783,349 | 1,850,246 | ||||||
Net
property and equipment
|
$ | 359,553 | $ | 557,234 |
Depreciation
is computed using straight line methods over 3 to 7 years.
NOTE 5 - PREMIUMS,
COMMISSIONS AND NOTES RECEIVABLE, NET
Premiums,
commissions and notes receivable, net, are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Premiums
and commission receivable
|
$ | 2,278,608 | $ | 2,118,434 | ||||
Premium
finance notes receivable
|
2,407,568 | 2,957,604 | ||||||
Total
premiums and notes receivable
|
4,686,176 | 5,076,038 | ||||||
Less
allowance for doubtful accounts
|
5,397 | 9,392 | ||||||
Net
premiums and notes receivable
|
$ | 4,680,779 | $ | 5,066,646 |
Premiums
and notes receivable are substantially secured by unearned premiums and funds
held as security for performance.
Bad debt
expense for the year ended December 31, 2008, and the year ended December 31,
2007, were $6,439 and $15,253, respectively. Premium finance notes
receivable represent the balance due to the Company's premium finance subsidiary
from policyholders who elected to finance their premiums over the policy
term. These notes are net of unearned finance charges.
NOTE 6 - UNPAID LOSSES AND
LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES
The
Company’s loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Direct
reserves
|
||||||||||||
Case
reserves
|
$ | 18,720,695 | $ | 26,129,055 | $ | 21,796,117 | ||||||
IBNR
reserves
|
59,933,895 | 68,601,656 | 71,800,000 | |||||||||
Total
direct reserves
|
$ | 78,654,590 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 93,596,117 | ||||||
Reserves
net of reinsurance
|
||||||||||||
Case
reserves
|
$ | 17,365,877 | $ | 21,450,234 | $ | 18,776,430 | ||||||
IBNR
reserves
|
41,473,140 | 44,855,053 | 51,300,000 | |||||||||
Total
net reserves
|
$ | 58,839,017 | $ | 66,305,287 | $ | 70,076,430 |
Reserves
for losses and loss adjustment expenses before reinsurance for each of
Crusader’s lines of business were as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line of Business
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
CMP
|
$ | 73,339,513 | 93.2 | % | $ | 90,126,649 | 95.1 | % | $ | 90,604,178 | 96.8 | % | ||||||||||||
Other
Liability
|
5,271,612 | 6.7 | % | 4,524,684 | 4.8 | % | 2,736,790 | 2.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
Other
|
43,465 | 0.1 | % | 79,378 | 0.1 | % | 255,149 | 0.3 | % | |||||||||||||||
Total
|
$ | 78,654,590 | 100.0 | % | $ | 94,730,711 | 100.0 | % | $ | 93,596,117 | 100.0 | % |
60
The
Company‘s consolidated financial statements include estimated reserves for
unpaid losses and related loss adjustment expenses of the insurance company
operation. The Company sets loss and loss adjustment expense reserves
at each balance sheet date at management’s best estimate of the ultimate
payments that it anticipates will be made to settle all losses incurred and all
related loss adjustment expenses incurred as of that date, for both reported and
unreported claims.
The
following table provides an analysis of the roll forward of Crusader’s losses
and loss adjustment expenses, including a reconciliation of the ending balance
sheet liability for the periods indicated:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Reserve
for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses at
beginning of year – net of reinsurance
|
$ | 66,305,287 | $ | 70,076,430 | $ | 76,235,467 | ||||||
Incurred
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for insured events of current year
|
24,149,531 | 26,300,338 | 29,997,662 | |||||||||
Decrease
in provision for events of prior years
|
(3,556,801 | ) | (4,118,101 | ) | (12,170,683 | ) | ||||||
Total
losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
20,592,730 | 22,182,237 | 17,826,979 | |||||||||
Payments
|
||||||||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses attributable to insured
events of the current year
|
7,803,644 | 7,816,422 | 6,728,798 | |||||||||
Losses
and loss adjustment expenses attributable to insured
events of prior years
|
20,255,356 | 18,136,958 | 17,257,218 | |||||||||
Total
payments
|
28,059,000 | 25,953,380 | 23,986,016 | |||||||||
Reserve
for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses at
end of year – net of reinsurance
|
58,839,017 | 66,305,287 | 70,076,430 | |||||||||
Reinsurance
recoverable on unpaid losses and loss adjustment
expenses at end of year
|
19,815,573 | 28,425,424 | 23,519,687 | |||||||||
Reserve
for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses at end
of year per balance sheet, gross of reinsurance *
|
$ | 78,654,590 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 93,596,117 |
* In
accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 113,
“Accounting and Reporting for Reinsurance of Short-Duration and Long-Duration
Contracts,” reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses and loss adjustment
expenses are reported for GAAP as assets rather than netted against the
corresponding liability for such items on the consolidated balance
sheet.
The
Company’s net loss and loss adjustment expense reserve was $58,839,017 as of
December 31, 2008. Since underwriting profit is a significant part of
income, a small percentage of change in reserve estimates may result in a
substantial effect on future reported earnings. Such changes might
result from a variety of factors, including claims costs emerging in a different
pattern than the average historical development patterns. Considering
the continuum of possible development patterns, none of which is necessarily
more or less likely than the next, one must consider the varying probabilities
that the development pattern is off in varying degrees. If future
development ultimately ends up being five percent different than the Company’s
2008 reserve, approximately $2.9 million would be reflected in future periods as
an increase or decrease in the provision for events of prior years and would be
recognized in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations in future
periods. A variance of five percent of net loss and loss adjustment
expense reserves is not an unlikely scenario. Similarly, a variance
of ten percent of the Company’s 2008 reserves would be reflected in
approximately $5.9 million in future periods as an increase or decrease in the
provision for events of prior years and would be recognized in the Company’s
Consolidated Statements of Operations in future periods. This is also
not an unlikely scenario. Differences of more than ten percent are
also possible, though not quite as likely as differences of ten percent or
less.
61
NOTE 7 - DEFERRED POLICY
ACQUISITION COSTS
The
following table provides an analysis of the roll forward of Crusader’s deferred
policy acquisition costs:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs at beginning of year
|
$ | 5,722,847 | $ | 6,430,265 | $ | 7,356,179 | ||||||
Policy
acquisition costs incurred during year
|
7,758,369 | 7,757,629 | 8,325,075 | |||||||||
Policy
acquisition costs amortized during year
|
(8,261,324 | ) | (8,465,047 | ) | (9,250,989 | ) | ||||||
Deferred
policy acquisition costs at end of year
|
$ | 5,219,892 | $ | 5,722,847 | $ | 6,430,265 |
Deferred
policy acquisition costs consist of commissions (net of ceding commission),
premium taxes, inspection fees, and certain other underwriting costs, which are
related to and vary with the production of Crusader policies. Policy
acquisition costs are deferred and amortized as the related premiums are
earned. Deferred acquisition costs are reviewed to determine if they
are recoverable from future income, including investment income.
NOTE 8 - LEASE COMMITMENT TO
RELATED PARTY
The lease
commitment provides for the following minimum annual rental
commitments:
Year ending
|
||||
December
31, 2009
|
$ | 1,066,990 | ||
December
31, 2010
|
1,066,990 | |||
December
31, 2011
|
1,066,990 | |||
December
31, 2012 (through March 31, 2012)
|
266,747 | |||
Total
minimum payments
|
$ | 3,467,717 |
The
Company presently occupies an office building located at 23251 Mulholland Drive,
Woodland Hills, California, under a master lease expiring March 31,
2012. Erwin Cheldin, the Company's president, chairman, and principal
stockholder, is the owner of the building. The Company signed an
extension to the lease with a 4% increase in rent effective April 1,
2007. The lease provides for an annual gross rent of $1,066,990 from
April 1, 2007, through March 31, 2012. In addition, the lease
extension provides for two, five-year options with a rent increase of 5% for
each option period. The Company believes that at the inception of the
lease agreement and at each subsequent extension, the terms of the lease were at
least as favorable to the Company as could have been obtained from
non-affiliated third parties. The Company utilizes for its own
operations approximately 100% of the space it leases. The total rent
expense under this lease agreement was $1,066,990 for the year ended December
31, 2008, $1,056,730 for the year ended December 31, 2007, and $1,025,952 for
the year ended December 31, 2006.
NOTE 9 - ACCRUED EXPENSES
AND OTHER LIABILITIES
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities consist of the following:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Premium
payable
|
$ | 1,547,471 | $ | 1,757,368 | ||||
Unearned
contingent commission on reinsurance treaty
|
2,500,211 | 746,445 | ||||||
Unearned
policy fee income
|
1,067,973 | 1,152,599 | ||||||
Profit
sharing plan contributions
|
680,171 | 702,000 | ||||||
Accrued
salaries
|
447,820 | 430,165 | ||||||
Commission
payable
|
131,656 | 160,104 | ||||||
Other
|
106,466 | 91,464 | ||||||
Total
accrued expenses and other liabilities
|
$ | 6,481,768 | $ | 5,040,145 |
NOTE 10 - COMMITMENT AND
CONTINGENCIES
The
Company, by virtue of the nature of the business conducted by it, becomes
involved in numerous legal proceedings as either plaintiff or
defendant. The Company is also required to resort to legal
proceedings from time to time in order to enforce collection of premiums,
commissions, or fees for the services rendered to customers or to their
agents. These routine items of litigation do not materially affect
the Company and are handled on a routine basis by the Company through its
general counsel.
62
Likewise,
the Company is sometimes named as a cross-defendant in litigation, which is
principally directed against an insurer who was issued a policy of insurance
directly or indirectly through the Company. Incidental actions are
sometimes brought by customers or others, which relate to disputes concerning
the issuance or non-issuance of individual policies. These items are
also handled on a routine basis by the Company's general counsel, and they do
not materially affect the operations of the Company. Management is
confident that the ultimate outcome of pending litigation should not have an
adverse effect on the Company's consolidated results of operations or financial
position.
NOTE 11 -
REINSURANCE
A
reinsurance transaction occurs when an insurance company transfers (cedes) a
portion of its exposure on policies written by it to a reinsurer that assumes
that risk for a premium (ceded premium). Reinsurance does not legally
discharge the Company from primary liability under its policies. If
the reinsurer fails to meet its obligations, the Company must nonetheless pay
its policy obligations.
Crusader’s
primary excess of loss reinsurance agreements since January 1, 1998, are as
follows:
Loss Year(s)
|
Reinsurer(s)
|
A.M.
Best Rating
|
Retention
|
Annual
Aggregate Deductible
|
|||||||||||
2005
– 2008
|
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
&
Hannover Ruckversicherungs AG
|
A
A
|
$ | 300,000 | $ | 500,000 | |||||||||
2004
|
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
&
Hannover Ruckversicherungs AG
|
A
A
|
$ | 250,000 | $ | 500,000 | |||||||||
2003
|
Platinum
Underwriters Reinsurance, Inc.
&
Hannover Ruckversicherungs AG
&
QBE Reinsurance Corporation
|
A
A
A
|
$ | 250,000 | $ | 500,000 | |||||||||
2002
|
Partner
Reinsurance Company of the U.S.
|
A | + | $ | 250,000 | $ | 675,000 | ||||||||
2000
- 2001
|
Partner
Reinsurance Company of the U.S.
|
A | + | $ | 250,000 | $ | 500,000 | ||||||||
1998
- 1999
|
General
Reinsurance Corporation
|
A | ++ | $ | 250,000 | $ | 750,000 |
Prior to
January 1, 1998, National Reinsurance Corporation (acquired by General
Reinsurance Corporation in 1996) charged a provisional rate on exposures up to
$500,000 that was subject to adjustment and was based on the amount of losses
ceded, limited by a maximum percentage that could be charged. That
provisionally rated treaty was cancelled on a runoff basis and replaced by a
flat rated treaty on January 1, 1998.
In 2008
Crusader retained a participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of
20% in its 1st layer ($700,000 in excess of $300,000), 15% in its 2nd layer
($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 0% in its property and casualty clash
treaty. In 2007 Crusader retained a participation in its excess of
loss reinsurance treaties of 15% in its 1st layer ($700,000 in excess of
$300,000), 15% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 15% in
its property clash treaty. In 2006 and 2005 Crusader retained a
participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of 10% in its 1st layer
($700,000 in excess of $300,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of
$1,000,000), and 30% in its property and casualty clash treaties. In 2004 Crusader retained
a participation in its excess of loss reinsurance treaties of 10% in its 1st
layer ($750,000 in excess of $250,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in
excess of $1,000,000), and 30% in its property and casualty clash
treaties. In 2003 Crusader retained a participation in its excess of
loss reinsurance treaties of 5% in its 1st layer ($750,000 in excess of
$250,000), 10% in its 2nd layer ($1,000,000 in excess of $1,000,000), and 30% in
its property and casualty clash treaties.
63
The 2008
and 2007 excess of loss treaties do not provide for a contingent
commission. Crusader’s 2006 1st layer
primary excess of loss treaty provides for a contingent commission equal to 20%
of the net profit, if any, accruing to the reinsurer. The first
accounting period for the contingent commission covers the period from January
1, 2006, through December 31, 2006. The 2005 excess of loss treaties
do not provide for a contingent commission. Crusader’s 2004 and 2003 1st layer
primary excess of loss treaties provide for a contingent commission to the
Company equal to 45% of the net profit, if any, accruing to the
reinsurer. The first accounting period for the contingent commission
covers the period from January 1, 2003, through December 31,
2004. For each accounting period as described above, the Company will
calculate and report to the reinsurers its net profit (excluding incurred but
not reported losses), if any, within 90 days after 36 months following the end
of the first accounting period, and within 90 days after the end of each 12
month period thereafter until all losses subject to the agreement have been
settled. Any contingent commission payment received is subject to
return based on future development of ceded losses and loss adjustment
expenses. In March 2007, the Company received an advance of $1
million from its reinsurer; and in February 2008 the Company received an
additional $2,419,940 to be applied against future contingent commission earned,
if any. Based on the Company’s ceded losses and loss adjustment
expenses (including ceded incurred but not reported losses) as of December 31,
2008, the Company recorded $2,500,211 of these payments as an advance from its
reinsurer and it is included in “Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities” in the
consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2008, the Company
recognized $919,729 of contingent commission, of which $666,174 was recognized
in the year ended December 31, 2008, and $253,555 was recognized in the year
ended December 31, 2007.
Crusader
also has catastrophe reinsurance from various highly rated California authorized
and unauthorized reinsurance companies. These reinsurance agreements
help protect Crusader against liabilities in excess of certain retentions,
including major or catastrophic losses that may occur from any one or more of
the property and/or casualty risks which Crusader insures. The
Company has no reinsurance recoverable balances in dispute.
The
Company evaluates each of its ceded reinsurance contracts at its inception to
determine if there is a sufficient risk transfer to allow the contract to be
accounted for as reinsurance under current accounting literature. As
of December 31, 2008, all such ceded contracts are accounted for as risk
transfer reinsurance.
The
aggregate amount of earned premium ceded to the reinsurers was $8,771,069 for
the year ended December 31, 2008; $11,532,308 for the year ended December
31, 2007; and $13,758,424 for the year ended December 31, 2006.
On most
of the premium that Crusader cedes to the reinsurer, the reinsurer pays a
commission to Crusader that includes a reimbursement of the cost of acquiring
the portion of the premium that is ceded. Crusader does not currently
assume any reinsurance. The Company intends to continue obtaining
reinsurance although the availability and cost may vary from time to
time. The unpaid losses ceded to the reinsurer are recorded as an
asset on the balance sheet.
The
effect of reinsurance on premiums written, premiums earned, and incurred losses
are as follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Premiums
written:
|
||||||||||||
Direct
business
|
$ | 39,940,270 | $ | 44,970,399 | $ | 51,913,967 | ||||||
Reinsurance
assumed
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Reinsurance
ceded
|
(8,765,066 | ) | (11,557,654 | ) | (13,747,103 | ) | ||||||
Net
premiums written
|
$ | 31,175,204 | $ | 33,412,745 | $ | 38,166,864 | ||||||
Premiums
earned:
|
||||||||||||
Direct
business
|
$ | 42,720,764 | $ | 48,661,973 | $ | 56,692,213 | ||||||
Reinsurance
assumed
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Reinsurance
ceded
|
(8,771,069 | ) | (11,532,308 | ) | (13,758,424 | ) | ||||||
Net
premiums earned
|
$ | 33,949,695 | $ | 37,129,665 | $ | 42,933,789 | ||||||
Incurred
losses and loss adjustment expenses:
|
||||||||||||
Direct
|
$ | 19,251,266 | $ | 30,375,724 | $ | 20,816,321 | ||||||
Assumed
|
- | - | - | |||||||||
Ceded
|
1,341,464 | (8,193,487 | ) | (2,989,342 | ) | |||||||
Net
incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses
|
$ | 20,592,730 | $ | 22,182,237 | $ | 17,826,979 |
Earned
reinsurance ceded premium as a percentage of direct earned premium was 21% in
2008, 24% in 2007 and 24% in 2006.
64
NOTE 12 - RETIREMENT
PLANS
Profit Sharing
Plan
During
the fiscal year ended March 31, 1986, the Company adopted the Unico American
Corporation Profit Sharing Plan. Company employees who are at least
21 years of age and have been employed by the Company for at least two years are
participants in this plan. Pursuant to the terms of this plan, the
Company annually contributes to the account of each participant an amount equal
to a percentage of the participant's eligible compensation as determined by the
Board of Directors. Participants must be employed by the Company on
the last day of the plan year to be eligible for
contribution. Participants are entitled to receive distribution of
benefits under this plan upon retirement, termination of employment, death, or
disability.
Money Purchase
Plan
During
the year ended December 31, 1999, the Company adopted the Unico American
Corporation Money Purchase Plan. This plan covers the present
executive officers of the Company. Pursuant to the terms of this
plan, the Company annually contributes to the account of each participant an
amount equal to a percentage of the participant's eligible compensation as
determined by the Board of Directors. However, amounts contributed to
the Unico American Corporation Profit Sharing Plan will be considered first in
determining the actual amount available under the Internal Revenue Service
maximum contribution limits. Participants must be employed by the
Company on the last day of the plan year to be eligible for
contribution. Participants are entitled to receive distribution of
benefits under this plan upon retirement, termination of employment, death, or
disability.
Retirement
plan expenses were as follows:
Year
ended December 31, 2008
|
$ | 852,305 | ||
Year
ended December 31, 2007
|
$ | 901,742 | ||
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
$ | 896,063 |
NOTE 13 - STATUTORY CAPITAL
AND SURPLUS
Crusader
is required to file an annual statement with insurance regulatory authorities
prepared on an accounting basis prescribed or permitted by such authorities
(statutory). Statutory accounting practices differ in certain
respects from GAAP. The more significant of these differences for
statutory accounting are (a) premium income is taken into earnings over the
periods covered by the policies, whereas the related acquisition and commission
costs are expensed when incurred; (b) fixed maturity securities are reported at
amortized cost, or the lower of amortized cost or fair value, depending on the
quality of the security as specified by the NAIC; (c) equity securities are
valued by the NAIC as required by Statutory Accounting Principles; d)
non-admitted assets are charged directly against surplus; (e) loss reserves and
unearned premium reserves are stated net of reinsurance; and (f) federal income
taxes are recorded when payable and deferred taxes, subject to limitations, are
recognized but only to the extent that they do not exceed 10% of statutory
surplus; changes in deferred taxes are recorded directly to surplus as regards
policyholders. Additionally, the cash flow presentation is not
consistent with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and reconciliation
from net income to cash provided by operations is not
presented. Comprehensive income is not presented under statutory
accounting.
Crusader
Insurance Company statutory capital and surplus are as follows:
As
of December 31, 2008
|
$ | 64,736,230 | ||
As
of December 31, 2007
|
$ | 57,862,334 |
Crusader
Insurance Company statutory net income is as follows:
Year
ended December 31, 2008
|
$ | 7,067,715 | ||
Year
ended December 31, 2007
|
$ | 8,194,562 | ||
Year
ended December 31, 2006
|
$ | 13,396,732 |
The
California Department of Insurance (the Insurance Department) conducts periodic
financial examinations of Crusader. The Insurance Department has
completed a financial examination of Crusader’s December 31, 2004, statutory
financial statements. A final report on the examination was issued by
the Insurance Department on May 10, 2006. No significant issues were
reflected in the final report.
65
The
Company believes that Crusader's statutory capital and surplus were sufficient
to support the insurance premiums written based on guidelines established by the
NAIC.
Crusader
is restricted in the amount of dividends it may pay to its parent in any twelve
(12) month period without prior approval of the California Department of
Insurance. Presently, without prior approval, Crusader may pay a
dividend in any twelve (12) month period to its parent equal to the greater of
(a) 10% of Crusader's statutory policyholders' surplus or (b) Crusader's
statutory net income for the preceding calendar year. Based on
Crusader’s statutory net income for the year ended December 31, 2008, the
maximum dividend that could be made by Crusader to Unico without prior
regulatory approval in 2009 is $7,067,715. There were no dividends
paid by Crusader to Unico in 2008, 2007, or in 2006.
In
December 1993, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
adopted a Risk-Based Capital (RBC) Model Law for property and casualty
companies. The RBC Model Law is intended to provide standards for
calculating a variable regulatory capital requirement related to a company's
current operations and its risk exposures (asset risk, underwriting risk, credit
risk, and off-balance sheet risk). These standards are intended to
serve as a diagnostic solvency tool for regulators that establishes uniform
capital levels and specific authority levels for regulatory intervention when an
insurer falls below minimum capital levels. The RBC Model Law
specifies four distinct action levels at which a regulator can intervene with
increasing degrees of authority over a domestic insurer if its RBC is equal to
or less than 200% of its computed authorized control level RBC. A
company's RBC is required to be disclosed in its statutory annual
statement. The RBC is not intended to be used as a rating or ranking
tool nor is it to be used in premium rate making or
approval. Crusader’s adjusted capital at December 31, 2008, was 849%
of authorized control level risk-based capital.
Insurance
Regulatory Information System (IRIS) was developed by a committee of state
insurance regulators primarily to assist state insurance departments in
executing their statutory mandate to oversee the financial condition of
insurance companies. IRIS helps those companies that merit highest
priority in the allocation of the regulators’ resources on the basis of 13
financial ratios that are calculated annually. The analytical phase
is a review of annual statements and the financial ratios. The ratios
and trends are valuable in pointing to companies likely to experience financial
difficulties but are not themselves indicative of adverse financial
condition. The ratio and benchmark comparisons are mechanically
produced and are not intended to replace the state insurance department’s own
in-depth financial analysis or on-site examinations.
An
unusual range of ratio results has been established from studies of the ratios
of companies that have become insolvent or have experienced financial
difficulties. In the analytical phase, companies that receive four or
more financial ratio values outside the usual range are analyzed in order to
identify those companies that appear to require immediate regulatory
action. Subsequently, a more comprehensive review of the ratio
results and the insurer’s annual statement is performed to confirm that an
insurer’s situation calls for increased or close regulatory
attention. In 2008, the Company was not outside the usual values on
any of the thirteen IRIS ratio tests.
NOTE 14 - STOCK
PLANS
The
Company’s 1999 Omnibus Stock Plan that covers 500,000 shares of the Company’s
common stock (subject to adjustment in the case of stock splits, reverse stock
splits, stock dividends, etc.) was approved by shareholders on June 4,
1999. On August 26, 1999, the Company granted 135,000 incentive stock
options. As of December 31, 2008, 60,000 of those options were
outstanding and exercisable, 30,000 options had been exercised, and 45,000
options had been terminated. These options expire 10 years from the
date of the grant.
On
December 18, 2002, the Company granted 182,000 incentive stock options under the
Company’s 1999 Omnibus Stock Plan. On December 30, 2005, the Company
accelerated the vesting of 37,500 options that were originally scheduled to vest
on January 1, 2006, and 30,000 options that were originally scheduled to vest on
January 1, 2007 (see Note 1). As of December 31, 2008, 64,650 of
those options were outstanding and exercisable, 114,850 options had been
exercised, and 2,500 options had been terminated. These options
expire 10 years from the date of the grant.
66
The
changes in the number of common shares under option are summarized as
follows:
Options
|
Weighted
Average Exercise
Price
|
|||||||
Outstanding
at December 31, 2005
|
268,000 | $ | 5.286 | |||||
Options
granted
|
- | - | ||||||
Options
exercised
|
(95,750 | ) | 3.270 | |||||
Options
terminated
|
- | - | ||||||
Outstanding
at December 31, 2006
|
172,250 | 6.407 | ||||||
Options
granted
|
- | - | ||||||
Options
exercised
|
(42,600 | ) | 6.331 | |||||
Options
terminated
|
(5,000 | ) | 9.250 | |||||
Outstanding
at December 31, 2007
|
124,650 | 6.065 | ||||||
Options
granted
|
- | - | ||||||
Options
exercised
|
- | - | ||||||
Options
terminated
|
- | - | ||||||
Outstanding
at December 31, 2008
|
124,650 | $ | 6.065 |
Options
exercisable were 124,650 at December 31, 2008, at a weighted average exercise
price of $6.065; 124,650 at December 31, 2007, at a weighted average exercise
price of $6.065; 172,250 at December 31, 2006, at a weighted average exercise
price of $6.407. Aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding and
currently exercisable options at December 31, 2008, was $266,069.
The
following table summarizes information regarding the stock options outstanding
at December 31, 2008:
Exercise
Price
|
Number
of Options Outstanding
|
Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual Life (Years)
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price of Outstanding Options
|
Number
of Options Exercisable
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price of Exercisable Options
|
|||||||||||||||||
$ | 9.25 | 60,000 | 0.65 | $ | 9.25 | 60,000 | $ | 9.25 | ||||||||||||||
$ | 3.11 | 64,650 | 3.96 | $ | 3.11 | 64,650 | $ | 3.11 |
NOTE 15 - TAXES ON
INCOME
The
provision for taxes on income consists of the following:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Current
provision:
|
||||||||||||
Federal
|
$ | 2,750,054 | $ | 3,221,567 | $ | 6,137,538 | ||||||
State
|
9,040 | 8,701 | 11,537 | |||||||||
Total
federal and state
|
2,759,094 | 3,230,268 | 6,149,075 | |||||||||
Deferred
|
(57,644 | ) | 130,441 | 278,270 | ||||||||
Provision
for taxes
|
$ | 2,701,450 | $ | 3,360,709 | $ | 6,427,345 |
The
income tax provision reflected in the consolidated statements of operations is
different than the expected federal income tax on income as shown in the
following table:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Computed
income tax expense
|
$ | 2,714,718 | $ | 3,424,872 | $ | 6,239,956 | ||||||
Tax
effect of:
|
||||||||||||
State
tax, net of federal tax benefit
|
(40,524 | ) | (40,339 | ) | 90,623 | |||||||
Federal
tax in excess of 34%
|
- | - | 173,196 | |||||||||
Tax
exempt income
|
(132 | ) | (265 | ) | (3,184 | ) | ||||||
Other
|
27,388 | (23,559 | ) | (73,246 | ) | |||||||
Income
tax per financial statements
|
$ | 2,701,450 | $ | 3,360,709 | $ | 6,427,345 |
67
The
deferred income tax expense related to the unrealized gains on securities
classified as available-for-sale was $1,539,643 for the year ended December 31,
2008, $1,098,420 for the year ended December 31, 2007 and $85,592 for the year
ended December 31, 2006.
The
components of the net federal income tax asset included in the financial
statements as required by the assets and liability method are as
follows:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Deferred
tax assets:
|
||||||||
Discount
on loss reserves
|
$ | 2,000,939 | $ | 1,989,844 | ||||
Unearned
premiums
|
1,382,477 | 1,562,626 | ||||||
Unearned
policy fee income
|
363,111 | 391,884 | ||||||
State
income tax deductible in future periods
|
228,879 | 185,701 | ||||||
Other
|
134,655 | 348,101 | ||||||
Total
deferred tax assets
|
$ | 4,110,061 | $ | 4,478,156 | ||||
Deferred
tax liabilities:
|
||||||||
Deferred
acquisition costs
|
$ | 1,774,763 | $ | 1,945,768 | ||||
Unrealized
gain on investments
|
2,526,753 | 987,110 | ||||||
State
tax on undistributed insurance company earnings
|
515,692 | 659,821 | ||||||
Tax
depreciation in excess of book depreciation
|
86,592 | 129,540 | ||||||
Other
|
1,349 | 69,007 | ||||||
Total
deferred tax liabilities
|
$ | 4,905,149 | $ | 3,791,246 | ||||
Net
deferred tax assets (liabilities)
|
$ | (795,088 | ) | $ | 686,910 |
Although
realization is not assured, management believes it is more likely than not that
all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The amount of the
deferred tax assets considered realizable could be reduced in the near term if
estimates of future taxable income during the carryforward period are
reduced.
The
Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries file consolidated federal and state
income tax returns. Pursuant to the tax allocation agreement,
Crusader Insurance Company and American Acceptance Corporation are allocated
taxes, or in the case of losses tax credits, at current corporate rates based on
their own taxable income or loss. The Company files income tax
returns under U.S. federal and various state jurisdictions. The
Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal income tax examination by tax
authorities for years before 2007 and state income tax examination for years
before 2004. There are no ongoing examinations of income tax returns
by federal or state tax authorities.
As a
California insurance company, Crusader is obligated to pay a premium tax on
gross premiums written in all states that Crusader is
admitted. Premium taxes are deferred and amortized as the related
premiums are earned. The premium tax is in lieu of state franchise
taxes and is not included in the provision for state taxes.
NOTE 16 – REPURCHASE OF
COMMON STOCK - EFFECT ON STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
In April
2000, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had authorized the
purchase in the open market from time to time of up to an aggregate of 315,000
shares of the common stock of the Company. On August 8, 2000, the
Board of Directors authorized the purchase of an additional 315,000 shares and
on September 6, 2000, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase of another
315,000 shares of the common stock of the Company in the open market from time
to time. On December 19, 2008, the Board of Directors authorized
an additional stock repurchase program to acquire up to 500,000 shares of the
Company’s common stock in the open market from time to time. This
brought the total shares of the Company’s common stock authorized to be
repurchased to 1,445,000 shares since the year 2000. The programs
have no expiration date and may be terminated by the Board of Directors at any
time. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2008, the Company
repurchased 51,092 shares of the Company’s common stock at a cost of $416,583 of
which $25,108 was allocated to capital and $391,475 was allocated to retained
earnings. As of December 31, 2008, under the stock repurchase
programs previously adopted by the Company, the Company had remaining authority
to repurchase up to an aggregate of 515,467 shares of common stock. During the
months of January and February 2009, the Company purchased and retired an
additional 6,688 shares of its common stock at a total cost of
$51,866. The Company has or will retire all stock
purchased.
68
NOTE 17 - EARNINGS PER
SHARE
A
reconciliation of the numerator and denominator used in the basic and diluted
earnings per share calculation is presented below:
Year ended December 31
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Basic Earnings Per Share
|
||||||||||||
Net
income numerator
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding denominator
|
5,614,730 | 5,614,025 | 5,567,883 | |||||||||
Per
share amount
|
$ | 0.94 | $ | 1.20 | $ | 2.14 | ||||||
Diluted Earnings Per Share
|
||||||||||||
Net
income numerator
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
5,614,730 | 5,614,025 | 5,567,883 | |||||||||
Effect
of diluted securities
|
41,280 | 67,868 | 85,018 | |||||||||
Diluted
shares outstanding denominator
|
5,656,010 | 5,681,893 | 5,652,901 | |||||||||
Per
share amount
|
$ | 0.93 | $ | 1.18 | $ | 2.11 |
NOTE 18 - SELECTED QUARTERLY
FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)
Summarized
unaudited quarterly financial data for each of the calendar years 2008 and 2007
is as follows.
Comparable Period by Quarter
Ended
|
||||||||||||||||
March 31
|
June 30
|
September 30
|
December 31
|
|||||||||||||
Calendar Year 2008
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 12,268,120 | $ | 11,822,394 | $ | 11,529,132 | $ | 11,149,798 | ||||||||
Income
before taxes
|
$ | 1,446,301 | $ | 1,166,186 | $ | 2,192,290 | $ | 3,179,689 | ||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 959,990 | $ | 780,960 | $ | 1,445,340 | $ | 2,096,726 | ||||||||
Earnings
per share:Basic
|
$ | 0.17 | $ | 0.14 | $ | 0.26 | $ | 0.38 | ||||||||
Diluted
|
$ | 0.17 | $ | 0.14 | $ | 0.26 | $ | 0.37 | ||||||||
Calendar Year 2007
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues originally reported
|
$ | 12,845,975 | $ | 12,638,966 | $ | 12,480,249 | $ | 12,258,103 | ||||||||
Immaterial
error correction *
|
51,077 | 60,072 | 18,467 | 19,986 | ||||||||||||
Total
revenue, as adjusted
|
$ | 12,897,052 | $ | 12,699,038 | $ | 12,498,716 | $ | 12,278,089 | ||||||||
Income
before taxes originally reported
|
$ | 2,525,361 | $ | 2,451,914 | $ | 2,172,297 | $ | 2,773,979 | ||||||||
Immaterial
error correction *
|
51,077 | 60,072 | 18,467 | 19,986 | ||||||||||||
Income
before taxes, as adjusted
|
$ | 2,576,438 | $ | 2,511,986 | $ | 2,190,764 | $ | 2,793,965 | ||||||||
Net
income originally reported
|
$ | 1,688,588 | $ | 1,626,324 | $ | 1,534,251 | $ | 1,764,544 | ||||||||
Immaterial
error correction *
|
33,711 | 39,648 | 12,188 | 13,190 | ||||||||||||
Net
income, as adjusted
|
$ | 1,722,299 | $ | 1,665,972 | $ | 1,546,439 | $ | 1,777,734 | ||||||||
Earnings
per share:Basic
|
||||||||||||||||
Earnings
per share originally reported
|
$ | 0.30 | $ | 0.29 | $ | 0.27 | $ | 0.32 | ||||||||
Earnings
per share: Basic, as adjusted
|
$ | 0.31 | $ | 0.30 | $ | 0.27 | $ | 0.32 | ||||||||
Earnings
per share: Diluted
|
||||||||||||||||
Earnings
per share originally reported
|
$ | 0.30 | $ | 0.29 | $ | 0.27 | $ | 0.31 | ||||||||
Earnings
per share: Diluted, as adjusted
|
$ | 0.30 | $ | 0.29 | $ | 0.27 | $ | 0.31 |
* See
Note 1
69
Item 9. Changes
in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None
Item
9A(T). Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
The
Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that
information required to be disclosed in the Company’s reports filed under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized
and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange
Commission rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and
communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer
and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions
regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure
controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures,
no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance
of achieving the desired control objectives, and therefore management was
required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost benefit relationship of
possible controls and procedures.
As
required by Securities and Exchange Commission Rules, the Company carried out an
evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s
management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s
Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the
Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered
by this report. Based on the foregoing, the Company’s Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure
controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance
level.
Changes in Internal Control
over Financial Reporting
There has
been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during
the Company’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is
reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting. The Company’s process for evaluating controls
and procedures is continuous and encompasses constant improvement of the design
and effectiveness of established controls and procedures and the remediation of
any deficiencies that may be identified during this process.
Management’s Report on
Internal Control over Financial Reporting
The
management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s
internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to the
Company’s management and board of directors regarding the preparation and fair
presentation of published financial statements.
All
internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent
limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective
can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement
preparation and presentation.
The
Company’s management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008. In
making this assessment, it used the criteria set forth by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in “Internal Control
- Integrated Framework.” Based upon its assessment, the Company’s
management believes that, as of December 31, 2008, the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting is effective based on these
criteria. This annual report does not include an attestation report
of the Company's registered public accounting firm regarding internal control
over financial reporting. Management's report was not subject to
attestation by the Company's registered public accounting firm pursuant to
temporary rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission that permit the
Company to provide only management's report in this annual report.
70
Item 9B. Other
Information.
None
PART III
Item
10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate
Governance.
Information
in response to Item 10 is incorporated by reference from the Company's
definitive proxy statement to be used in connection with the Company's Annual
Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item
11. Executive Compensation.
Information
in response to Item 11 is incorporated by reference from the Company's
definitive proxy statement to be used in connection with the Company's Annual
Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item 12. Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
Matters.
Information
in response to Item 12 is incorporated by reference from the Company's
definitive proxy statement to be used in connection with the Company's Annual
Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item 13. Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director
Independence.
Information
in response to Item 13 is incorporated by reference from the Company's
definitive proxy statement to be used in connection with the Company's Annual
Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
Item
14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Information
in response to Item 14 is incorporated by reference from the Company's
definitive proxy statement to be used in connection with the Company's Annual
Meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Instruction G(3) of Form 10-K.
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits
and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) Financial Statements, Schedules and
Exhibits:
1. Financial
statements:
The
consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008,
are contained herein as listed in the Index to Consolidated Financial Statements
on page 42.
2. Financial
schedules:
Index
to Consolidated Financial Statements
Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firms’ Report on Financial Statement
Schedules
Schedule
II - Condensed Financial Information of
Registrant
Schedule
III - Supplemental Insurance
Information
Schedules
other than those listed above are omitted, since they are not applicable, not
required, or the information required being set forth is included in the
consolidated financial statements or notes.
71
3. Exhibits:
|
3.1
|
Articles
of Incorporation of Registrant, as amended. (Incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31,
1984.)
|
|
3.2
|
By-Laws
of Registrant, as amended effective April 1,
2009.
|
|
10.1
|
Unico
American Corporation Profit Sharing Plan &
Trust. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March
31, 1985.)*
|
|
10.2
|
The
Lease dated July 31, 1986, between Unico American Corporation and Cheldin
Management Company. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to
Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March
31, 1987.)
|
|
10.3
|
The
Lease Amendment #1 dated February 22, 1995, between Unico American
Corporation and Cheldin Management Company amending the lease dated July
31, 1986. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to
Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March
31, 1995.)
|
|
10.4
|
The
Lease Amendment #2 dated March,23, 2007, between Unico American
Corporation and Cheldin Management Company amending the lease dated July
31, 1986.
|
|
10.5
|
1999
Omnibus Stock Plan of Unico American Corporation (Incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit A to Registrant’s Proxy Statement for its Annual
Meeting of Shareholders held June 4,
2000.)*
|
|
10.6
|
Employment
Agreement effective December 15, 2007, by and between the Registrant and
Cary L. Cheldin. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to
Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 21,
2008)*
|
|
10.7
|
Employment
Agreement effective May 15, 2006, by and between the Registrant and George
C. Gilpatrick. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to
Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 31,
2006.)*
|
|
10.8
|
Employment
Agreement effective December 15, 2007, by and between the Registrant and
Lester A. Aaron. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to
Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 21,
2008)*
|
|
21
|
Subsidiaries
of Registrant. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 22
to Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March
31, 1984.)
|
|
23
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - KPMG
LLP.
|
|
31.1
|
Certificate
of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or
Rule 15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
|
|
31.2
|
Certificate
of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) or
Rule 15d-14(a), as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
|
|
32.1
|
Certification
of Chief Executive Officer 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 pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted
pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
|
*
Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or
arrangement.
|
72
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
Date: March
26, 2009
UNICO AMERICAN CORPORATION
By: /s/ Erwin
Cheldin
Erwin Cheldin
Chairman of the Board
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
/s/ Erwin
Cheldin
Erwin
Cheldin
|
Chairman
of the Board, President
and Chief Executive
Officer, (Principal
Executive Officer)
|
March
26, 2009
|
/s/ Lester A.
Aaron
Lester
A. Aaron
|
Treasurer,
Chief Financial Officer
and Director (Principal
Accounting and Principal
Financial Officer)
|
March
26, 2009
|
/s/ Cary L.
Cheldin
Cary
L. Cheldin
|
Executive
Vice President and
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
/s/ Terry L.
Kinigstein
Terry
L. Kinigstein
|
Vice
President, Secretary and
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
/s/ George C.
Gilpatrick
|
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
George
C. Gilpatrick
|
||
/s/
Jon P.
Kocourek
|
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
Jon
P. Kocourek
|
||
/s/ David A.
Lewis
|
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
David
A. Lewis
|
||
/s/ Warren D.
Orloff
|
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
Warren
D. Orloff
|
||
/s/ Donald B.
Urfrig
|
Director
|
March
26, 2009
|
Donald
B. Urfrig
|
73
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED
PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board
of Directors and Stockholders
Unico
American Corporation:
Under
date of March 30, 2009, we reported on the consolidated balance sheets of
Unico American Corporation and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 and
2007, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive
income, changes in stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in
the three-year period ended December 31, 2008, as contained in the 2008
annual report to stockholders. These consolidated financial statements and our
report thereon are incorporated by reference in the annual report on
Form 10-K for the year 2008. In connection with our audits of the
aforementioned consolidated financial statements, we also audited the related
financial statement schedules as listed under Item 15(a)2. These financial
statement schedules are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statement schedules
based on our audits.
In our
opinion, such financial statement schedules, when considered in relation to the
basic consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly, in all
material respects, the information set forth therein.
KPMG LLP
Los Angeles, California
March 30, 2009
74
SCHEDULE
II
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
BALANCE
SHEETS - PARENT COMPANY ONLY
December
31
|
December
31
|
|||||||
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
||||||||
Investments
|
||||||||
Short-term
investments
|
$ | 2,786 | $ | 2,725 | ||||
Total
investments
|
2,786 | 2,725 | ||||||
Cash
|
12,982 | 5,743 | ||||||
Investments
in subsidiaries
|
86,551,577 | 83,407,324 | ||||||
Property
and equipment (net of accumulated depreciation)
|
359,553 | 557,234 | ||||||
Other
assets
|
153,916 | 509,170 | ||||||
Total
Assets
|
$ | 87,080,814 | $ | 84,482,196 | ||||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’
EQUITY
|
||||||||
LIABILITIES
|
||||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
$ | 86,969 | $ | 123,646 | ||||
Payables
to subsidiaries (net of receivables) (1)
|
9,476,986 | 15,255,447 | ||||||
Income
taxes payable
|
558,604 | - | ||||||
Total
Liabilities
|
$ | 10,122,559 | $ | 15,379,093 | ||||
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
||||||||
Common
stock
|
$ | 3,569,099 | $ | 3,594,207 | ||||
Accumulated
other comprehensive
|
4,904,873 | 1,916,154 | ||||||
Retained
earnings
|
68,484,283 | 63,592,742 | ||||||
Total
Stockholders’ Equity
|
$ | 76,958,255 | $ | 69,103,103 | ||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
$ | 87,080,814 | $ | 84,482,196 |
|
(1)
The Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries file consolidated federal
and combined California income tax returns. Pursuant to a tax
allocation agreement, Crusader Insurance Company and American Acceptance
Corporation are allocated taxes, or in the case of losses, tax credits at
current corporate rates based on their own taxable income or
loss. The payable to subsidiaries includes their income tax
receivable or liability included in the consolidated
return.
|
The
condensed financial information should be read in conjunction with the
consolidated financial statements and notes. See accompanying report
of independent registered accounting firm.
75
SCHEDULE
II (continued)
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
STATEMENTS
OF OPERATIONS - PARENT COMPANY ONLY
FOR THE
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
REVENUES
|
||||||||||||
Net
investment income
|
$ | 729 | $ | 1,735 | $ | 529 | ||||||
Other
income
|
13,100 | 14,078 | 7,663 | |||||||||
Total
Revenue
|
13,829 | 15,813 | 8,192 | |||||||||
EXPENSES
|
||||||||||||
General
and administrative expenses
|
3,333 | 8,552 | 1,818 | |||||||||
Income
before equity in net income of subsidiaries
|
10,496 | 7,261 | 6,374 | |||||||||
Equity
in net income of subsidiaries
|
5,272,520 | 6,705,183 | 11,919,092 | |||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 |
The
Company and its subsidiaries file a consolidated federal income tax
return.
Unico
received cash dividends from American Acceptance Corporation of $1,000,000 and
$400,000 in the years ended December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007,
respectively.
Unico was
reimbursed certain expenses by its subsidiaries. These expenses
included depreciation and amortization of $212,028, $238,876, and $238,833 for
the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007, and 2006, respectively.
The
condensed financial information should be read in conjunction with the
consolidated financial statements and notes. See accompanying report
of independent registered accounting firm.
76
SCHEDULE
II (continued)
UNICO
AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND
SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED
FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT
STATEMENTS
OF CASH FLOWS - PARENT COMPANY ONLY
FOR THE
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 5,283,016 | $ | 6,712,444 | $ | 11,925,466 | ||||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash
from
operations
|
||||||||||||
Undistributed
equity in net income of subsidiaries
|
(5,272,520 | ) | (6,705,183 | ) | (11,919,092 | ) | ||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
212,028 | 238,876 | 238,833 | |||||||||
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
|
(36,677 | ) | (41,974 | ) | 9,268 | |||||||
Accrued
investment and other income
|
- | 5,000 | 7,902 | |||||||||
Tax
benefit from disqualified incentive stock options
|
- | (60,785 | ) | (203,126 | ) | |||||||
Other
assets
|
355,254 | (319,826 | ) | 281,098 | ||||||||
Net
cash provided (used) from operations
|
541,101 | (171,448 | ) | 340,349 | ||||||||
Cash
flows from investing activities
|
||||||||||||
Decrease
(increase) in short-term investments
|
(61 | ) | 7,016 | (383 | ) | |||||||
Additions
to property and equipment
|
(14,347 | ) | (57,030 | ) | (153,409 | ) | ||||||
Net
cash used by investing activities
|
(14,408 | ) | (50,014 | ) | (153,792 | ) | ||||||
Cash
flows from financing activities
|
||||||||||||
Proceeds
from exercise of stock options
|
- | 301,336 | 313,132 | |||||||||
Tax
benefit from disqualified incentive stock options
|
- | 60,785 | 203,126 | |||||||||
Repurchase
of common stock
|
(416,583 | ) | (115,261 | ) | - | |||||||
Net
change in payables and receivables from subsidiaries
|
(102,871 | ) | (25,470 | ) | (704,017 | ) | ||||||
Net
cash provided (used) by financing activities
|
(519,454 | ) | 221,390 | (187,759 | ) | |||||||
Net
(decrease) in cash
|
7,239 | (72 | ) | (1,202 | ) | |||||||
Cash
at beginning of year
|
5,743 | 5,815 | 7,017 | |||||||||
Cash
at end of year
|
$ | 12,982 | $ | 5,743 | $ | 5,815 |
The
condensed financial information should be read in conjunction with the
consolidated financial statements and notes. See accompanying report
of independent registered accounting firm.
77
SCHEDULE III
UNICO AMERICAN CORPORATION
AND SUBSIDIARIES
SUPPLEMENTARY
INSURANCE INFORMATION
Future
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Benefits,
|
Benefits,
|
Amortization
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deferred
|
Losses,
|
Claims,
|
of
Deferred
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Policy
|
and
Loss
|
Net
|
Losses
and
|
Policy
|
Other
|
Net
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Acquisition
|
Adjustment
|
Unearned
|
Premium
|
Investment
|
Settlement
|
Acquisition
|
Operating
|
Premium
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cost
|
Expenses
|
Premiums
|
Revenue
|
Income
|
Expenses
|
Costs
|
Costs
|
Written
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Year
Ended
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December
31, 2008
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Property
&
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casualty
|
$ | 5,219,892 | $ | 78,654,590 | $ | 19,962,118 | $ | 33,949,695 | $ | 5,829,304 | $ | 20,592,730 | $ | 8,261,324 | $ | 586,556 | $ | 31,175,204 | ||||||||||||||||||
Year
Ended
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December
31, 2007
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Property
&
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casualty
|
$ | 5,722,847 | $ | 94,730,711 | $ | 22,742,612 | $ | 37,129,665 | $ | 6,695,121 | $ | 22,182,237 | $ | 8,465,047 | $ | 1,032,591 | $ | 33,412,745 | ||||||||||||||||||
Year
Ended
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December
31, 2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Property
&
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Casualty
|
$ | 6,430,265 | $ | 93,596,117 | $ | 26,434,187 | $ | 42,933,789 | $ | 5,906,079 | $ | 17,826,979 | $ | 9,250,989 | $ | 1,691,629 | $ | 38,166,864 |
78