COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company issues financial instruments with off balance sheet risk in the normal course of the business of meeting the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. These instruments may involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets.

The Company’s extent of involvement and maximum potential exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of these instruments.

The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for financial instruments included on its consolidated balance sheets. At June 30, 2017, the amount of unadvanced commitments on impaired loans was insignificant.

The contractual amounts of off-balance-sheet financial instruments as of June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, are as follows:



(in thousands)	June 30, 2017		December 31, 2016
Commitments to extend credit	$	1,232,326	$	1,075,170
Letters of credit	81,154		78,954

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments usually have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses, may have significant usage restrictions, and may require payment of a fee. Of the total commitments to extend credit at June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, approximately $119 million and $90 million, respectively, represent fixed rate loan commitments. Since certain of the commitments may expire without being drawn upon or may be revoked, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Company evaluates each customer’s credit worthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company upon extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the borrower. Collateral held varies, but may include accounts receivable, inventory, premises and equipment, and real estate. Other liabilities include $0.3 million for estimated losses attributable to the unadvanced commitments at June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016.

Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance or payment of a customer to a third party. These standby letters of credit are issued to support contractual obligations of the Company’s customers. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as the risk involved in extending loans to customers. As of June 30, 2017, the approximate remaining term of standby letters of credit range from 1 month to 4 years and 3 months.

Contingencies

The Company and its subsidiaries are, from time to time, parties to various legal proceedings arising out of their businesses. Management believes there are no such proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or its subsidiaries which, if determined adversely, would have a material adverse effect on the business, consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.