STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

Non-qualified Employee Stock Award Plan

The United Fire Group, Inc. 2008 Stock Plan (the "2008 Stock Plan") authorized the issuance of restricted and unrestricted stock awards, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, incentive stock options, and non-qualified stock options for up to 1,900,000 shares of UFG common stock to employees. In May 2014, the Registrant's shareholders approved an additional 1,500,000 shares of United Fire common stock issuable at any time and from time to time pursuant to the 2008 Stock Plan, among other amendments, and renamed such plan as the United Fire Group, Inc. Stock Plan, (as amended, the "Stock Plan"). At March 31, 2016, there were 1,246,178 authorized shares remaining available for future issuance. The Stock Plan is administered by the Board of Directors, which determines those employees who will receive awards, when awards will be granted, and the terms and conditions of the awards. The Board of Directors may also take any action it deems necessary and appropriate for the administration of the Stock Plan. Pursuant to the Stock Plan, the Board of Directors may, at its sole discretion, grant awards to our employees who are in positions of substantial responsibility with United Fire.

Options granted pursuant to the Stock Plan are granted to buy shares of United Fire's common stock at the market value of the stock on the date of grant. All outstanding option awards vest and are exercisable in installments of 20.0 percent of the number of shares covered by the option award each year from the grant date, unless the Board of Directors authorizes the acceleration of vesting. To the extent not exercised, vested option awards accumulate and are exercisable by the awardee, in whole or in part, in any subsequent year included in the option period, but not later than 10 years from the grant date. Restricted and unrestricted stock awards granted pursuant to the Stock Plan are granted at the market value of our common stock on the date of the grant. Restricted stock units fully vest after 3 years or 5 years from the date of issuance, unless accelerated upon the approval of the Board of Directors, at which time United Fire common stock will be issued to the awardee.

The activity in the Stock Plan is displayed in the following table:



Authorized Shares Available for Future Award Grants	Three Months Ended March 31, 2016		From Inception to March 31, 2016
Beginning balance	1,394,578		1,900,000
Additional shares authorized	—		1,500,000
Number of awards granted	(249,000	)	(2,611,928	)
Number of awards forfeited or expired	100,600		458,106
Ending balance	1,246,178		1,246,178
Number of option awards exercised	138,389		788,908
Number of unrestricted stock awards granted	870		7,215
Number of restricted stock awards vested	18,394		36,970

Non-qualified Non-employee Director Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan

The United Fire Group, Inc. 2005 Non-Qualified Non-Employee Director Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan (the "Director Plan") authorizes the issuance of restricted stock awards and non-qualified stock options to purchase shares of United Fire's common stock to non-employee directors. At March 31, 2016, we had 87,938 authorized shares available for future issuance.

The Board of Directors has the authority to determine which non-employee directors receive awards, when options and restricted stock shall be granted, the option price, the option expiration date, the date of grant, the vesting schedule of options or whether the options shall be immediately vested, the terms and conditions of options and restricted stock (other than those terms and conditions set forth in the plan) and the number of shares of common stock to be issued pursuant to an option agreement or restricted stock agreement (subject to limits set forth in the plan). The Board of Directors may also take any action it deems necessary and appropriate for the administration of the Director Plan.

The activity in the Director Plan is displayed in the following table:



Authorized Shares Available for Future Award Grants	Three Months Ended March 31, 2016	From Inception to March 31, 2016
Beginning balance	69,938	300,000
Number of awards granted	—	(236,065	)
Number of awards forfeited or expired	18,000	24,003
Ending balance	87,938	87,938
Number of option awards exercised	14,987	29,794
Number of restricted stock awards vested	—	20,171

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, we recognized stock-based compensation expense of $976 and $553, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period of the stock options.

As of March 31, 2016, we had $9,154 in stock-based compensation expense that has yet to be recognized through our results of operations. We expect this compensation to be recognized over the remainder of 2016 and subsequent years according to the following table, except with respect to awards that are accelerated by the Board of Directors, in which case we will recognize any remaining compensation expense in the period in which the awards are accelerated.



2016	$	2,214
2017	2,775
2018	2,260
2019	1,193
2020	640
2021	72
Total	$	9,154