SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 8-K
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CURRENT REPORT
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Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
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Exchange Act of 1934
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Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 7, 2011
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[Missing Graphic Reference]
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ProAssurance Corporation
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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001-16533
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63-1261433
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(State of Incorporation)
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(Commission File No.)
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(IRS Employer I.D. No.)
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100 Brookwood Place, Birmingham, Alabama
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35209
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(Address of Principal Executive Office )
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(Zip code)
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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (205) 877-4400
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
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¨
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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¨
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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¨
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act
(17CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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¨
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-(c) under the Exchange Act
(17CFR 240.13e-(c))
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Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure
Attached as Exhibit 99.1, and incorporated into this Item 7.01 by reference, is our news release relating to the dividend referred to in Item 8.01 below.
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Item 8.01 Other Events
On September 7, 2011, our Board of Directors initiated a cash dividend policy and declared an initial quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share. The record date for the dividend is September 29, 2011 and the payment date is October 13, 2011.Under the dividend policy, our Board of Directors anticipates a total annual dividend of $1.00 per share, to be paid in equal quarterly installments, commencing with the dividend announced today. However, any decision to pay future cash dividends is subject to the Board’s final determination after a comprehensive review of the company’s financial performance, future expectations and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.
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Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
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99.1 News release issued on September 7, 2011, announcing ProAssurance’s initiation of a cash dividend policy and declaration of an initial quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share.
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We are furnishing Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K solely for the purpose of incorporation by reference into Items 7.01 and 9.01. This exhibit shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liability of such section, nor shall such information be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, regardless of the general incorporation language of such filing, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.
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SIGNATURE
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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Date: September 7, 2011
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PROASSURANCE CORPORATION
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by: /s/ Frank B. O’Neil
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Frank B. O’Neil
Senior Vice-President
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For More Information Contact:
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Frank B. O’Neil
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Sr. Vice President, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
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800-282-6242 • 205-877-4461 • foneil@ProAssurance.com
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the expected benefits from completed and proposed acquisitions may not be achieved or may be delayed longer than expected due to business disruption, loss of customers and employees, increased operating costs or inability to achieve cost savings, and assumption of greater than expected liabilities, among other reasons;
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general economic conditions, either nationally or in our market areas, that are different than anticipated;
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regulatory, legislative and judicial actions or decisions that could affect our business plans or operations;
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the enactment or repeal of tort reforms;
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formation or dissolution of state-sponsored medical professional liability insurance entities that could remove or add sizable groups of physicians from the private insurance market;
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the impact of deflation or inflation;
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changes in the interest rate environment;
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changes in our capital position and the amount of cash we are able to generate from operations and investments may limit our ability to pay future dividends;
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changes in U.S. laws or government regulations regarding financial markets or market activity that may affect the U.S. economy and our business;
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changes in the ability of the U.S. government to meet its obligations that may affect the U.S. economy and our business;
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performance of financial markets affecting the fair value of our investments or making it difficult to determine the value of our investments;
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changes in accounting policies and practices that may be adopted by our regulatory agencies and the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board;
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changes in laws or government regulations affecting medical professional liability insurance or the financial community;
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the effects of changes in the health care delivery system, including, but not limited to, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;
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uncertainties inherent in the estimate of loss and loss adjustment expense reserves and reinsurance, and changes in the availability, cost, quality, or collectability of insurance/reinsurance;
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the results of litigation, including pre- or post-trial motions, trials and/or appeals we undertake;
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an allegation of bad faith which may arise from our handling of any particular claim, including failure to settle;
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loss of independent agents;
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changes in our organization, compensation and benefit plans;
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our ability to retain and recruit senior management;
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our ability to purchase reinsurance and collect recoveries from our reinsurers;
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assessments from guaranty funds;
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our ability to achieve continued growth through expansion into other states or through acquisitions or business combinations;
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changes to the ratings assigned by rating agencies to our insurance subsidiaries, individually or as a group; and
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insurance market conditions may alter the effectiveness of our current business strategy and affect our revenues.
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