Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

The Company’s fixed maturity available for sale securities, equity securities and its arbitrage trading account securities are carried at fair value. Fair value is defined 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.” The Company utilizes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels, as follows:

Level 1 - Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 2 - Quoted prices for similar assets or valuations based on inputs that are observable.

Level 3 - Estimates of fair value based on internal pricing methodologies using unobservable inputs. Unobservable inputs are only used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available.

Substantially all of the Company’s fixed maturity securities were priced by independent pricing services. The prices provided by the independent pricing services are estimated based on observable market data in active markets utilizing pricing models and processes, which may include benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers, sector groupings, matrix pricing and reference data. The pricing services may prioritize inputs differently on any given day for any security based on market conditions, and not all inputs are available for each security evaluation on any given day. The pricing services used by the Company have indicated that they will only produce an estimate of fair value if objectively verifiable information is available. The determination of whether markets are active or inactive is based upon the volume and level of activity for a particular asset class. The Company reviews the prices provided by pricing services for reasonableness and periodically performs independent price tests of a sample of securities to ensure proper valuation.

If prices from independent pricing services are not available for fixed maturity securities, the Company estimates the fair value. For Level 2 securities, the Company utilizes pricing models and processes which may include benchmark yields, sector groupings, matrix pricing, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, bids, offers and reference data. Where broker quotes are used, the Company generally requests two or more quotes and sets a price within the range of quotes received based on its assessment of the credibility of the quote and its own evaluation of the security. The Company generally does not adjust quotes received from brokers. For securities traded only in private negotiations, the Company determines fair value based primarily on the cost of such securities, which is adjusted to reflect prices of recent placements of securities of the same issuer, financial projections, credit quality and business developments of the issuer and other relevant information.

For Level 3 securities, the Company generally uses a discounted cash flow model to estimate the fair value of fixed maturity securities. The cash flow models are based upon assumptions as to prevailing credit spreads, interest rate and interest rate volatility, time to maturity and subordination levels. Projected cash flows are discounted at rates that are adjusted to reflect illiquidity, where appropriate.

The following tables present the assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 by level:


(In thousands)	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
September 30, 2020
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities available for sale:
U.S. government and government agency	$	697,432	$	—	$	697,432	$	—
State and municipal	3,625,395		—		3,625,395		—
Mortgage-backed securities	1,082,379		—		1,082,379		—
Asset-backed securities	3,306,439		—		3,306,439		—
Corporate	4,239,540		—		4,239,540		—
Foreign government	869,344		—		869,344		—
Total fixed maturity securities available for sale	13,820,529		—		13,820,529		—
Equity securities:
Common stocks	160,858		152,508		—		8,350
Preferred stocks	274,445		—		265,117		9,328
Total equity securities	435,303		152,508		265,117		17,678
Arbitrage trading account	595,727		307,915		287,812		—
Total	$	14,851,559	$	460,423	$	14,373,458	$	17,678
Liabilities:
Trading account securities sold but not yet purchased	$	19,254	$	19,254	$	—	$	—


December 31, 2019
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities available for sale:
U.S. government and government agency	$	786,931	$	—	$	786,931	$	—
State and municipal	3,895,632		—		3,895,632		—
Mortgage-backed securities	1,625,594		—		1,625,594		—
Asset-backed securities	2,790,630		—		2,790,630		—
Corporate	4,156,415		—		4,156,415		—
Foreign government	847,076		—		847,076		—
Total fixed maturity securities available for sale	14,102,278		—		14,102,278		—
Equity securities:
Common stocks	166,805		157,752		—		9,053
Preferred stocks	313,815		—		307,310		6,505
Total equity securities	480,620		157,752		307,310		15,558
Arbitrage trading account	400,809		381,061		19,748		—
Total	$	14,983,707	$	538,813	$	14,429,336	$	15,558
Liabilities:
Trading account securities sold but not yet purchased	$	36,143	$	36,143	$	—	$	—

The following tables summarize changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and for the year ended December 31, 2019:


	Gains (Losses) Included in:
(In thousands)	Beginning Balance		Earnings (Losses)		Other Comprehensive Income		Impairments		Purchases		(Sales)		Paydowns / Maturities		Transfers In / (Out)		Ending Balance

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020
Assets:




Equity securities:
Common stocks	$	9,053	$	363	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	(1,066)	$	—	$	—	$	8,350
Preferred stocks	6,505		(177)		—		—		3,000		—		—		—		9,328
Total	$	15,558	$	186	$	—	$	—	$	3,000	$	(1,066)	$	—	$	—	$	17,678





Year Ended December 31, 2019
Assets:
Fixed maturities securities available for sale:
Asset-backed securities	$	99	$	(26)	$	61	$	—	$	—	$	(134)	$	—	$	—	$	—

Total	99		(26)		61		—		—		(134)		—		—		—
Equity securities:
Common stocks	8,596		2,005				—		—		(1,548)		—		—		9,053
Preferred stocks	3,945		(42)		—		—		2,602		—		—		—		6,505
Total	12,541		1,963		—		—		2,602		(1,548)		—		—		15,558
Arbitrage trading account	17,308		(8,731)		—		—		14,767		(38,233)		—		14,889		—
Total	$	29,948	$	(6,794)	$	61	$	—	$	17,369	$	(39,915)	$	—	$	14,889	$	15,558
Liabilities:
Trading account securities sold but not yet purchased	$	793	$	133	$	—	$	—	$	7,609	$	(8,535)	$	—	$	—	$	—

For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, there were no securities transferred into or out of Level 3. For the year ended December 31, 2019, there were two common stocks transferred into Level 3 in the arbitrage trading account where publicly traded prices were no longer available, and both were sold by year end.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The following table presents the carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments:


	September 30, 2020				December 31, 2019
(In thousands)	Carrying Value		Fair Value		Carrying Value		Fair Value
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities	$	13,893,046	$	13,907,561	$	14,180,961	$	14,194,955
Equity securities	435,303		435,303		480,620		480,620
Arbitrage trading account	595,727		595,727		400,809		400,809
Loans receivable	84,771		86,530		91,799		94,613
Cash and cash equivalents	2,571,447		2,571,447		1,023,710		1,023,710
Trading account receivables from brokers and clearing organizations	252,223		252,223		423,543		423,543

Liabilities:
Due to broker	58,893		58,893		27,116		27,116
Trading account securities sold but not yet purchased	19,254		19,254		36,143		36,143
Subordinated debentures	1,443,736		1,530,810		1,198,704		1,274,088
Senior notes and other debt	1,629,077		1,898,483		1,427,575		1,582,290

The estimated fair values of the Company’s fixed maturity securities, equity securities and arbitrage trading account securities are based on various valuation techniques that rely on fair value measurements as described in Note 15. The fair value of loans receivable are estimated by using current institutional purchaser yield requirements for loans with similar credit characteristics, which is considered a Level 2 input. The fair value of the senior notes and other debt and the subordinated debentures is based on spreads for similar securities, which is considered a Level 2 input.

In October 2020, the Company redeemed $350 million aggregate principal amount of 5.625% subordinated debentures due 2053.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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