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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Practices (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Practices [Abstract]  
Critical Accounting Policies
(A)  Critical Accounting Policies

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Future events and their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty. Therefore, the determination of estimates requires the exercise of judgment. Actual results inevitably will differ from those estimates, and such differences may be material to the financial statements.

The most significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of our financial statements include estimates associated with management’s evaluation of the determination of (i) liability for unpaid losses and LAE, (ii) the amount and recoverability of amortization of DPAC, and (iii) estimates for our reserves with respect to finance contracts, premiums receivable and deferred income taxes. Various assumptions and other factors underlie the determination of these significant estimates, which are described in greater detail in Footnote 2 of the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, which we included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K which was filed with the SEC on March 16, 2015.

We believe that there were no significant changes in those critical accounting policies and estimates during the six months ended June 30, 2015. Senior management has reviewed the development and selection of our critical accounting policies and estimates and their disclosure in this Form 10-Q with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors.

The process of determining significant estimates is fact-specific and takes into account factors such as historical experience, current and expected economic conditions, and in the case of unpaid losses and LAE, an actuarial valuation. Management regularly reevaluates these significant factors and makes adjustments where facts and circumstances dictate. In selecting the best estimate, we utilize various actuarial methodologies. Each of these methodologies is designed to forecast the number of claims we will be called upon to pay and the amounts we will pay on average to settle those claims. In arriving at our best estimate, our actuaries consider the likely predictive value of the various loss development methodologies employed in light of underwriting practices, premium rate changes and claim settlement practices that may have occurred, and weight the credibility of each methodology. Our actuarial methodologies take into account various factors, including, but not limited to, paid losses, liability estimates for reported losses, paid allocated LAE, salvage and other recoveries received, reported claim counts, open claim counts and counts for claims closed with and without payment for loss.

Accounting for loss contingencies pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance involves the existence of a condition, situation or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as to possible loss that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future event(s) occur or fail to occur. Additionally, accounting for a loss contingency requires management to assess each event as probable, reasonably possible or remote. Probable is defined as the future event or events are likely to occur. Reasonably possible is defined as the chance of the future event or events occurring is more than remote but less than probable, while remote is defined as the chance of the future event or events occurring is slight. An estimated loss in connection with a loss contingency shall be recorded by a charge to current operations if both of the following conditions are met: First, the amount can be reasonably estimated, and second, the information available prior to issuance of the financial statements indicates that it is probable that a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements. It is implicit in this condition that it is probable that one or more future events will occur confirming the fact of the loss or incurrence of a liability.

We are required to review the contractual terms of all our reinsurance purchases to ensure compliance with FASB issued guidance. The guidance establishes the conditions required for a contract with a reinsurer to be accounted for as reinsurance and prescribes accounting and reporting standards for those contracts. Contracts that do not result in the reasonable possibility that the reinsurer may realize a significant loss from the insurance risk assumed generally do not meet the conditions for reinsurance accounting and must be accounted for as deposits. The guidance also requires us to disclose the nature, purpose and effect of reinsurance transactions, including the premium amounts associated with reinsurance assumed and ceded. It also requires disclosure of concentrations of credit risk associated with reinsurance receivables and prepaid reinsurance premiums.
 
FASB issued guidance addresses accounting and reporting for (a) investments in equity securities that have readily determinable fair values and (b) all investments in debt securities. We account for our investment securities consistent with FASB issued guidance that requires our securities to be classified into one of three categories: (i) held-to-maturity, (ii) trading securities or (iii) available-for-sale.

Investments classified as held-to-maturity include debt securities wherein the Company’s intent and ability are to hold the investment until maturity and are carried at amortized cost without consideration to unrealized gains or losses. Investments classified as trading securities include debt and equity securities bought and held primarily for sale in the near term and are carried at fair value with unrealized holding gains and losses included in current period operations. Investments classified as available-for-sale include debt and equity securities that are not classified as held-to-maturity or as trading security investments and are carried at fair value with unrealized holding gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate component of shareholders’ equity, namely “Other Comprehensive Income.”

A decline in the fair value of an available-for-sale security below cost that is deemed other-than-temporary results in a charge to income, resulting in the establishment of a new cost basis for the security. Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted, respectively, over the life of the related debt security as an adjustment to yield using a method that approximates the effective interest method. Dividends and interest income are recognized when earned. Realized gains and losses are included in earnings and are derived using the specific-identification method for determining the cost of securities sold.

Financial instruments, which potentially expose us to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of investments, premiums receivable, amounts due from reinsurers on paid and unpaid losses and finance contracts. We have not experienced significant losses related to premiums receivable from individual policyholders or groups of policyholders in a particular industry or geographic area. We believe no credit risk beyond the amounts provided for collection losses is inherent in our premiums receivable or finance contracts. In order to reduce credit risk for amounts due from reinsurers, we seek to do business with financially sound reinsurance companies and regularly review the financial strength of all reinsurers used. Additionally, our credit risk in connection with our reinsurers is frequently mitigated by the establishment of irrevocable clean letters of credit in favor of FNIC.

The fair value of our investments is estimated based on prices published by financial services or quotations received from securities dealers and is reflective of the interest rate environment that existed as of the close of business on June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014. Changes in interest rates subsequent to June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 may affect the fair value of our investments.

The carrying amounts for the following financial instrument categories approximate their fair values at June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 because of their short-term nature: cash and short-term investments, premiums receivable, finance contracts, due from reinsurers, revolving credit outstanding, claims payments outstanding, accounts payable and accrued expenses.
Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements
(B) Impact of New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-09, Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944): Disclosures about Short-Duration-Contracts. The amendments in this ASU apply to all insurance entities that issue short-duration contracts as defined in Topic 944, Financial Services—Insurance. The amendments require insurance entities to disclose for annual reporting periods the following information about the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses: (1) Incurred and paid claims development information by accident year, on a net basis after risk mitigation through reinsurance, for the number of years for which claims incurred typically remain outstanding (that need not exceed 10 years, including the most recent reporting period presented in the statement of financial position). Each period presented in the disclosure about claims development that precedes the current reporting period is considered to be supplementary information. (2) A reconciliation of incurred and paid claims development information to the aggregate carrying amount of the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses, with separate disclosure of reinsurance recoverable on unpaid claims for each period presented in the statement of financial position. (3) For each accident year presented of incurred claims development information, the total of incurred-but-not-reported liabilities plus expected development on reported claims included in the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses, accompanied by a description of reserving methodologies (as well as any changes to those methodologies). (4) For each accident year presented of incurred claims development information, quantitative information about claim frequency (unless it is impracticable to do so) accompanied by a qualitative description of methodologies used for determining claim frequency information (as well as any changes to these methodologies). (5) For all claims except health insurance claims, the average annual percentage payout of incurred claims by age (that is, history of claims duration) for the same number of accident years as presented in (3) and (4) above. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016.
 
In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-05, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement (“ASU 2015-05”). ASU 2015-05 provides guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract.  The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and, earlier adoption is permitted.  The adoption of the amendments in this ASU will not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (“ASU 2015-02”). ASU 2015-02 amends the consolidation requirements and significantly changes the consolidation analysis required. The amendments in this ASU affect reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. Specifically, the amendments: (i) modify the evaluation of whether limited partnership and similar legal entities are VIEs ,(ii) eliminate the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, (iii) affect the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships, and (iv) provide a scope exception from consolidation guidance for reporting entities with interests in legal entities that are required to comply with or operate in accordance with requirements that are similar to those in Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Act of 1940 for registered money market funds. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and, earlier adoption is permitted. The adoption of the amendments in this ASU will not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In June 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-12: Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period, a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force. The amendments in this ASU apply to all reporting entities that grant their employees share-based payments in which the terms of the award provide that a performance target that affects vesting could be achieved after the requisite service period. That is the case when an employee is eligible to retire or otherwise terminate employment before the end of the period in which a performance target (for example, an initial public offering or a profitability target) could be achieved and still be eligible to vest in the award if and when the performance target is achieved. The amendments in the ASU require that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. Current U.S. GAAP does not contain explicit guidance on whether to treat a performance target that could be achieved after the requisite service period as a performance condition that affects vesting or as a non-vesting condition that affects the grant-date fair value of an award. The amendments in this ASU provide explicit guidance for those awards. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and, earlier adoption is permitted. The adoption of the amendments in this ASU will not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
 
In July 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2013-11: Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists. Topic 740, Income Taxes, does not include explicit guidance on the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists, and there is diversity in practice in the presentation of unrecognized tax benefit in those instances. The objective of the amendments in this ASU is to eliminate that diversity in practice. The ASU applies to all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carry forward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the operating date. The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013 and early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date and   retrospective application is permitted. The adoption of the amendments in this ASU did not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02: Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The objective of this ASU is to improve the reporting of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The amendments require an entity to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income if the amount being reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in its entirety in net income. For other amounts that are not required to be reclassified to net income in the same reporting period, an entity is required to cross-reference other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. The amendments in the ASU do not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in financial statements. The ASU is effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The adoption of these amendments did not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-01: Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The objective of this ASU is to clarify the scope of offsetting disclosures and to address implementation issues with ASU No. 2011-11, Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The amendments clarify that the scope of ASU 2011-11 applies to derivatives accounted for in accordance with Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, including bifurcated embedded derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending transactions.  An entity is required to apply the amendments for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. An entity should provide the required disclosures retrospectively for all comparative periods. The adoption of these amendments did not have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
 
Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by FASB, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”), and the SEC did not or are not believed by management to have a material impact on the Company’s present or future financial statements.
Stock Options
(C) Stock Options

Pursuant to FASB issued guidance, compensation cost recognized during the six months ended June 30, 2015 includes compensation cost for all share-based payments granted subsequent to January 1, 2006, based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the guidance.
Earnings per Share
(D) Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share (“Basic EPS”) is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period presented. Diluted earnings per share (“Diluted EPS”) is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and common stock equivalents outstanding during the period presented.
Reclassifications
(E) Reclassifications

No material reclassification of the 2014 financial statements was necessary to conform to the 2015 presentation.