10-Q 1 d522766d10q.htm FORM 10-Q Form 10-Q
Table of Contents

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

 

þ   

Quarterly Report Pursuant To Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities

Exchange Act Of 1934

   For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2013
¨   

Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities

Exchange Act of 1934

   For the transition period from                                          to                                         
                                                                Commission file no. 001-35834

Tower Group International, Ltd.

 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Bermuda     N/A

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation

or organization)

   

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Crown House 4 Par-la-Ville Road

Hamilton, HM 08

    N/A
(Address of principal executive offices)     (Zip Code)

 

     (441) 279-6611     
   (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code   

 

     Tower Group, Inc., 120 Broadway, 31st Floor, New York, NY     
   (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)   

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. þ Yes  ¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T ( § 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). þ Yes  ¨ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer ¨ Non-accelerated filer ¨ Smaller reporting company ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ¨ Yes þ No

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date: 57,432,150 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, as of May 7, 2013.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q

For the Period Ended March 31, 2013

INDEX

 

     Page   

PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION

  

Item 1. Financial Statements of Tower Group International, Ltd.

  

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) – March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012

     1   

Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) – Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

     2   

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) – Three Months Ended March  31, 2013 and 2012

     3   

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (Unaudited) – Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

     4   

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) – Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

     5   

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

     6   

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     31   

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

     52   

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

     52   

PART II OTHER INFORMATION

  

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

     52   

Item 1A. Risk Factors

     52   

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

     58   

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

     58   

Item 6. Exhibits

     59   

SIGNATURES

     60   


Table of Contents

Part I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)

 

     March 31,      December 31,  
($ in thousands, except par value and share amounts)    2013      2012  

Assets

     

Investments - Tower

     

Available-for-sale investments, at fair value:

     

Fixed-maturity securities (amortized cost of $2,012,436 and $1,926,236)

   $       2,137,108      $ 2,065,148  

Equity securities (cost of $135,135 and $144,204)

     139,794        140,695  

Short-term investments (cost of $28,485 and $4,749)

     28,822        4,750  

Other invested assets

     58,941        57,786  

Investments - Reciprocal Exchanges

     

Available-for-sale investments, at fair value:

     

Fixed-maturity securities (amortized cost of $255,780 and $263,950)

     270,964        280,563  

Equity securities (cost of $2,751 and $5,144)

     2,914        5,563  

Total investments

     2,638,543        2,554,505  

Cash and cash equivalents (includes $5,604 and $9,782 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     229,946        100,293  

Investment income receivable (includes $2,768 and $2,610 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     29,490        25,332  

Investment in unconsolidated affiliate

     68,411        70,830  

Premiums receivable (includes $43,655 and $44,285 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     418,161        422,112  

Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses (includes $5,913 and $682 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     49,668        17,609  

Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses (includes $27,554 and $52,389 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     887,188        496,192  

Prepaid reinsurance premiums (includes $18,424 and $17,803 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     234,181        63,923  

Deferred acquisition costs, net (includes $9,933 and $11,364 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     199,137        180,941  

Intangible assets (includes $6,725 and $6,854 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     104,550        106,768  

Goodwill

     269,589        241,458  

Funds held by reinsured companies

     829,659        137,545  

Other assets (includes $5,753 and $2,042 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     430,108        331,506  

Total assets

   $ 6,388,631      $ 4,749,014  

Liabilities

     

Loss and loss adjustment expenses (includes $127,926 and $135,791 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

   $ 2,429,857      $ 1,895,073  

Unearned premium (includes $99,962 and $103,216 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     1,123,022        920,859  

Reinsurance balances payable (includes $5,734 and $6,979 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     39,227        40,569  

Funds held under reinsurance agreements (includes $0 and $500 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     634,080        98,581  

Other liabilities (includes $46,475 and $21,054 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     463,303        292,239  

Deferred income taxes (includes $19,818 and $19,793 relating to Reciprocal Exchanges)

     29,677         36,464  

Debt

     450,470        449,731  

Total liabilities

     5,169,636        3,733,516  

Contingencies (Note 16)

     -            -    

Stockholders’ equity

     

Common stock ($0.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized, 57,432,150 and 53,048,011 shares issued, and 57,432,150 and 43,513,678 shares outstanding)

     574        530  

Treasury stock (0 and 9,534,333 shares)

     -        (181,435

Paid-in-capital

     812,156        780,036  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     78,377        83,406  

Retained earnings

     306,192        298,299  

Tower Group International, Ltd. stockholders’ equity

     1,197,299        980,836  

Noncontrolling interests

     21,696        34,662  

Total stockholders’ equity

     1,218,995        1,015,498  

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 6,388,631      $ 4,749,014  

See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended  
     March 31,  
(in thousands, except per share amounts)    2013     2012  

Revenues

    

Net premiums earned

   $     420,486     $     420,158  

Ceding commission revenue

     14,151       5,163  

Insurance services revenue

     128       497  

Policy billing fees

     3,150       3,134  

Net investment income

     30,317       33,943  

Net realized investment gains (losses):

    

Other-than-temporary impairments

     (489     (2,976

Other net realized investment gains

     7,540       6,304  

Total net realized investment gains

     7,051       3,328  

Total revenues

     475,283       466,223  

Expenses

    

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

     274,680       267,493  

Commission expense

     88,398       80,385  

Other operating expenses

     84,393       77,071  

Acquisition-related transaction costs

     19,056       1,262  

Interest expense

     7,808       8,611  

Total expenses

     474,335       434,822  

Other income

    

Equity income in unconsolidated affiliate

     1,192       -   

Income before income taxes

     2,140       31,401  

Income tax expense (benefit)

     (1,673     9,224  

Net income

   $ 3,813     $ 22,177  

Less: Net income (loss) attributable to Noncontrolling interests

     (11,281     3,011  

Net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd.

   $ 15,094     $ 19,166  

Earnings per share attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd. stockholders:

    

Basic

   $ 0.33     $ 0.43  

Diluted

   $ 0.33     $ 0.43  

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

    

Basic

     45,912       44,451  

Diluted

     45,984       44,535  

Dividends declared and paid per common share

   $ 0.17     $ 0.17  

See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended  
     March 31,  
(in thousands)    2013     2012  

Net income

   $ 3,813     $ 22,177  

Other comprehensive income (loss) before tax

    

Gross unrealized investment holding gains (losses) arising during periods

     (371     24,972  

Less: Reclassification adjustment for investment (gains) losses included in net income

     (7,051     (3,328

Cumulative translation adjustment

     (3,611     —     

Deferred gain (loss) on cash flow hedge

     1,598       (231

Other comprehensive income (loss) before tax

     (9,435     21,413  

Income tax benefit (expense) related to items of other comprehensive income (loss)

     2,721       (6,738

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax

   $ (6,714   $ 14,675  

Comprehensive income

   $ (2,901   $ 36,852  

Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Noncontrolling interests

     (12,966 )      6,385  

Comprehensive income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd.

   $ 10,065     $ 30,467  

See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

(Unaudited)

 

    Common Stock     Treasury     Paid-in     Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
    Retained     Noncontrolling     Total
Stockholders’
 
(in thousands)   Shares     Amount     Stock     Capital     Income (loss)     Earnings     Interests     Equity  

Balance at December 31, 2011

    52,626     $ 527       $    (158,185)      $ 772,876     $ 63,053     $     355,528     $ 27,380     $ 1,061,179  

Dividends declared

    -        -               -        -       (7,398)        -        (7,398)   

Stock based compensation

    364       3       (2,142)        2,025       -       -        -        (114)   

Repurchase of common stock

    -        -               -        -       -        -        -   

Net income

    -        -               -        -       19,166       3,011       22,177  

Transfer of assets to Reciprocal Exchange

    -        -               (1,778)        -       -        1,778       -   

Other comprehensive income

    -        -               -        11,291       -        3,384       14,675  

Balance at March 31, 2012

    52,990     $ 530     $ (160,327)      $ 773,123     $ 74,344     $ 367,296     $ 35,553     $ 1,090,519  

Balance at December 31, 2012

    53,048     $ 530     $ (181,435)      $ 780,036     $ 83,406     $ 298,299     $ 34,662     $ 1,015,498  

Dividends declared

    -        -               -        -       (7,201)        -        (7,201)   

Stock based compensation

    240       3       (5,853)        11,561       -       -        -        5,711  

Merger Transaction with Canopius Bermuda

    14,026       140              207,207       -       -        -        207,347  

Extinguishment of treasury stock in connection
with Merger Transaction

    (9,882)        (99)        187,288        (187,189)        -       -        -        -   

Termination of convertible senior notes hedge and warrants

    -        -               541       -       -        -        541  

Net income (loss)

    -        -               -        -       15,094       (11,281)        3,813  

Other comprehensive income (loss)

    -        -               -        (5,029)        -        (1,685)        (6,714)   

Balance at March 31, 2013

    57,432     $ 574     $      $ 812,156     $ 78,377     $ 306,192     $ 21,696     $ 1,218,995  

See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)

 

      Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:

    

Net income

   $ 3,813     $ 22,177  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operations:

    

Gain on investment in acquired unconsolidated affiliate

     (1,192     -   

Net realized investment (gains) losses

     (7,051     (3,328

Depreciation and amortization

     9,493       9,111  

Amortization of bond premium or discount

     3,262       2,462  

Amortization of restricted stock

     12,281       2,025  

Deferred income taxes

     (5,831     2,674  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

    

Investment income receivable

     (4,158     (2,568

Premiums receivable

     3,951       (9,206

Reinsurance recoverable

     45,672       33,327  

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

     (17,827     1,298  

Deferred acquisition costs, net

     (12,378     (2,793

Funds held by reinsured companies

     6,705       (19,773

Other assets

     33,180        42,288  

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

     (95,829     (34,674

Unearned premium

     32,200       4,226  

Reinsurance balances payable

     (1,342     (1,440

Funds held under reinsurance agreements

     (25,215     (995

Other liabilities

     (32,841     (13,946

Net cash flows provided by (used in) operations

     (53,107     30,865  

Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities:

    

Cash acquired in Merger Transaction

     134,741       -   

Purchase of fixed assets

     (5,866     (10,553

Purchase - fixed-maturity securities

     (124,322     (586,772

Purchase - equity securities

     (365,055     (399,789

Short-term investments, net

     2,746       -   

Purchase of other invested assets

     (1,155     (3,492

Sale of fixed-maturity securities

     123,684       605,206  

Maturity of fixed-maturity securities

     52,233       34,684  

Sale - equity securities

     375,180       368,145  

Change in restricted cash

     1,134       -   

Net cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities

     193,320       7,429  

Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities:

    

Proceeds from convertible senior notes hedge termination

     2,380       -   

Payment for warrants termination

     (1,000     -   

Issuance of common stock under stock-based compensation programs

     2       3  

Excess tax benefits from share-based payment arrangements

     1,111       225  

Treasury stock acquired-net employee share-based compensation

     (5,853     (2,141

Dividends paid

     (7,200     (7,398

Net cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities

     (10,560     (9,311

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     129,653       28,983  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     100,293       114,098  

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $             229,946     $             143,081  

See accompanying notes to the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

Note 1—Nature of Business

Tower Group International, Ltd. (the “Company” or “Tower”) offers a broad range of commercial, specialty and personal property and casualty insurance products and services through its subsidiaries to businesses and to individuals. On March 13, 2013, the Company and Tower Group, Inc. (“TGI”) completed a merger transaction under which the company, formerly known as Canopius Holdings Bermuda Limited (“Canopius Bermuda”), was re-named Tower Group International, Ltd. and became the ultimate parent company (“Merger Transaction”). The Company’s common shares are publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “TWGP”, which was also the symbol of TGI common shares on that exchange prior to the Merger Transaction. See “Note 3 – Merger Transaction” for further discussion of the Merger Transaction and the Company’s succession to TGI as registrant.

The Company is currently re-evaluating its internal reporting structure due to the recently completed Merger Transaction, the results of which may require a change to its segment reporting. Until this re-evaluation is completed, the Company’s operations, including those acquired in connection with the Merger Transaction, continue to be reported within its three business segments as follows:

 

   

Commercial Insurance (“Commercial”) Segment offers a broad range of standard and specialty commercial lines property and casualty insurance products to businesses distributed through a network of retail and wholesale agents and program underwriting agents on both an admitted and non-admitted basis. This segment also includes assumed reinsurance;

 

   

Personal Insurance (“Personal”) Segment offers a broad range of personal lines property and casualty insurance products to individuals distributed through a network of retail and wholesale agents; and

 

   

Insurance Services (“Services”) Segment provides underwriting, claims and reinsurance brokerage services to insurance companies.

See “Note 15 – Segment Information”, for further information on the composition of the Company’s operating and reportable segments.

Note 2—Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The Merger Transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition, under which TGI was identified and treated as the accounting acquirer. As such, the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of TGI and its insurance subsidiaries, managing general agencies and management companies as its historical financial statements, with the results of Tower Group International, Ltd., as accounting acquiree, being included from March 13, 2013, the effective date of the Merger Transaction. The unaudited consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of Adirondack Insurance Exchange, a New York reciprocal insurer, and New Jersey Skylands Insurance Association, a New Jersey reciprocal insurer (together, the “Reciprocal Exchanges”). The Company does not own the Reciprocal Exchanges but manages their business operations through its wholly-owned management companies.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements included in this report have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Form 10-Q and Article 10 of SEC Regulation S-X. The principles for condensed interim financial information do not require the inclusion of all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with TGI’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2012 and notes thereto included in TGI’s Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K which was filed on March 13, 2013. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) but, in the opinion of management, such financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Moreover, the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013.

Intercompany transactions

In the first quarter 2012, the Company transferred a licensed insurance subsidiary shell to the Reciprocal Exchanges and received cash for its statutory book value. At the date of the transfer, the Company’s GAAP carrying basis in this subsidiary exceeded the statutory book value and the transfer resulted in a loss to the Company of $1.8 million. Since this was a non-recurring transaction between entities under common control, assets were transferred at historical book value. The difference in the consideration paid and the book value of the assets transferred was treated as an adjustment to equity. This transaction had no effect on consolidated stockholders’ equity.

Reclassifications and Adjustments

Since the Company accounted for the Merger Transaction as a reverse acquisition and recapitalization, it has retroactively restated Common Stock, Treasury Stock and Paid-in-Capital accounts and earnings per share for periods prior to the Merger Transaction to reflect the historical capitalization of TGI, adjusted for the 1.1330 conversion ratio as discussed in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”. Certain other reclassifications have also been made to prior years’ financial information to conform to the current year presentation. Refer to Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis, the Consolidated Results of Operations discussion for out-of-period adjustments recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2013.

The table below reflects the previously reported and restated stockholders’ equity accounts resulting from the Merger Transaction:

 

     As previously     Revised  
($ in thousands, except share amounts)    Reported     Amount  

As of December 31, 2012

    

Common stock

   $ 469     $ 530  

Treasury stock

     (181,435     (181,435

Paid-in-capital

     780,097       780,036  

For the three-months ended March 31, 2012

    

Earnings (Loss) per Share:

    

Basic

   $ 0.49     $ 0.43  

Diluted

     0.49       0.43  

Weighted average common shares outstanding

    

Basic

     39,233       44,451  

Diluted

     39,307       44,535  

See “Note 14 – Earnings (loss) per Share” for the computation of the earnings per share.

Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting guidance adopted in 2012 and 2013

In July 2012, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued amended guidance on testing indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. This guidance is intended to reduce the cost and complexity of the annual impairment test by allowing an entity to utilize more qualitative factors and is effective for annual and interim tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. The Company will consider this guidance in connection with the annual impairment testing of its indefinite-lived intangible assets, which is performed annually in the fourth quarter based on data as of September 30. This guidance does not affect existing guidance on recognition or measurement of impairment losses on indefinite-lived intangible assets, and as such it will not affect the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2013, the FASB issued amended guidance on the presentation of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income in one place, either on the face of the income statement or in the footnotes to the financial statements. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 on a prospective basis as prescribed by the amended guidance. As all of the information that this guidance requires to be disclosed is already presented elsewhere in the Company’s financial statements under existing GAAP, and it does not affect the classification, recognition or measurement of items within other comprehensive income, the adoption will not affect the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 3 – Merger Transaction

On August 20, 2012, TGI closed on its previously announced $74.9 million acquisition of a 10.7% stake in Canopius Group Limited (“Canopius Group”), a privately owned Lloyd’s insurance holding company domiciled in Guernsey, Channel Islands. In connection with this acquisition, TGI also entered into an agreement dated April 25, 2012 (the “Master Transaction Agreement”) under which Canopius Group committed to assist TGI with the establishment of a presence at Lloyd’s of London through a special purpose syndicate (“SPS Transaction Right and Acquisition Right”) (subject to required approvals) and granted TGI an option (the “Merger Option”) to combine with Canopius Bermuda. On July 30, 2012, TGI announced that it had exercised the Merger Option and executed an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Original Merger Agreement”) with Canopius Bermuda pursuant to which a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canopius Bermuda would acquire all of TGI’s common stock. TGI paid Canopius Group a fee of $1,000,000 to exercise the Merger Option. On November 8, 2012, the Original Merger Agreement was amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger to reflect changes to the merger consideration to be received by TGI stockholders (the Original Merger Agreement as so amended, the “Merger Agreement”).

Prior to the Merger Transaction date, Canopius Group priced on March 6, 2013, a private sale of 100% of the shares of Canopius Bermuda to third party investors for net consideration for $205,862,755. This investment resulted in 14,025,737 shares being issued in the private placement immediately preceding the merger.

On March 13, 2013, Canopius Bermuda and TGI consummated the Merger Transaction contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Canopius Bermuda was re-named Tower Group International, Ltd. and became the ultimate parent company of TGI, with TGI becoming its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, among other things, (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of TGI common stock was cancelled and automatically converted into the right to receive 1.1330 common shares of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Shares”), (ii) each outstanding option to acquire TGI common stock, whether vested or unvested and whether granted under TGI’s 2008 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan or otherwise, automatically vested, free of any forfeiture conditions, and constituted a fully vested option to acquire that number of Common Shares (rounded down to the nearest whole number) equal to the number of shares of TGI common stock subject to such option multiplied by 1.1330, on the same terms and conditions (other than vesting and performance conditions) as were applicable to such TGI stock option immediately prior to the Merger Transaction, with the exercise price of such option adjusted to be the original exercise price divided by 1.1330, and (iii) substantially all issued and outstanding shares of TGI restricted stock, whether granted under TGI’s 2008 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan or otherwise, automatically vested, free of any forfeiture conditions, and was converted into the right to receive, as soon as reasonably practicable after the effective time, 1.1330 Common Shares.

Immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Common Shares to the former TGI stockholders in the Merger Transaction, approximately 57,432,150 Common Shares were outstanding, of which 76% was held by the former TGI stockholders. The remaining 24% of Common Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the Merger Transaction was held by third party investors. As the Company is the successor issuer to TGI, succeeding to the attributes of TGI as registrant, including TGI’s SEC file number, its Common Shares trade on the same exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, and under the same trading symbol, “TWGP,” that the shares of TGI common stock traded on and under prior to the Merger Transaction.

The Merger Transaction is expected to advance the Company’s strategy and create a more efficient global, diversified specialty insurance company consisting of commercial, specialty and personal lines, reinsurance and international specialty products. In addition, the establishment of a Bermuda domicile will provide the Company with an international platform through which it has access to the U.S., Bermuda and the Lloyd’s of London (“Lloyds”) markets.

Accounting for the Merger Transaction

The Company has accounted for the Merger Transaction as a reverse acquisition in which TGI, the legal acquiree, was identified and treated as the accounting acquirer and Tower Group International, Ltd., the legal acquirer, was identified and treated as the accounting acquiree. The identification of the accounting acquirer and acquiree in the Merger Transaction was primarily based on the fact that immediately following the close of the Merger Transaction there was a change in control of the Company with TGI designees to the Company’s Board of Directors comprising all of its directors and TGI’s former senior management comprising the Company’s entire senior management team. In accordance with accounting guidance for reverse acquisitions, the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company following the Merger Transaction have been issued under the name of the Company, as the legal parent, but reflect a continuation of the financial statements of TGI, as the accounting acquirer, with one exception, which was the retroactive adjustment of TGI’s historical legal capital to reflect the transaction as a recapitalization of TGI’s historical capital accounts. On the effective date of the Merger Transaction, the assets and liabilities of Tower Group International, Ltd. were accounted for under the acquisition method, under which they have been reflected at their respective acquisition date fair values.

 

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Table of Contents

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Prior to the Merger Transaction, Canopius Bermuda restructured its insurance operations as contemplated in the Master Transaction Agreement. This restructuring occurred primarily through the execution of retrocession agreements with an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of Canopius Group to retrocede a percentage of Lloyd’s of London Syndicate 4444 (“Syndicate 4444”) business for the Year of Account (“YOA”) 2012, YOA 2011 and prior years, which Canopius Bermuda assumed from Canopius Group. Syndicate 4444 is an insurance syndicate managed by Canopius Group. The Company will account for these retrocession agreements in accordance with prospective accounting treatment, and will report the assumed and ceded assets and liabilities on a gross basis on the consolidated balance sheet.

In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Master Transaction Agreement, prior to the Merger Transaction, TGI entered into a commutation agreement whereby the TGI commuted Syndicate 4444 YOA 2012 and YOA 2011 business TGI previously reinsured from Canopius Group. There was no gain or loss recognized on this commutation.

The following provides details of the purchase consideration, the fair values of the respective assets acquired and liabilities assumed and the resulting amount of goodwill recorded in connection with the Merger Transaction.

The purchase consideration was determined based on the total consideration received by Canopius Group for its sale of 100% of its equity ownership of Canopius Bermuda, and the proceeds received for the issuance and exercise of the Merger Option from TGI.

 

($ in thousands)        

Consideration received by Canopius Group from the third party sale

   $ 205,863   

Fair value of Merger Option received in connection with TGI’s investment in Canopius Group

     484   

Exercise price of Merger Right received from TGI upon exercise

     1,000   

Total preliminary purchase consideration

   $         207,347   

 

($ in thousands)        

Assets

  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 134,741  

Investments

     26,485  

Reinsurance recoverables

     468,727  

Prepaid reinsurance

     152,431  

Funds held by reinsured companies

     698,819  

Other assets

     75,219  

Liabilities

  

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

     630,613  

Unearned premiums

     169,963  

Funds held under reinsurance agreements

     560,714  

Other liabilities

     15,916  

Net assets acquired

   $         179,216  

Purchase Consideration

     207,347  

Goodwill

   $ 28,131  

As the Merger Transaction was completed in close proximity to the end of the first quarter of 2013, values of certain assets and liabilities in the above table are preliminary, and as such they may be subject to adjustment as additional information is obtained. Once completed, any adjustments resulting from these valuations may impact the amounts recorded for individual assets acquired and liabilities assumed, as well as the residual goodwill.

Direct costs of the acquisition were expensed as incurred. During the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Company recognized approximately $19.1 million of such costs, all of which have been classified within “acquisition-related transaction costs” on the consolidated statement of operations. Such costs included $11.4 million in compensation expense (of which accelerated vesting of restricted stock was $10.3 million) and $7.7 million in legal and accounting fees.

The resulting goodwill recognized in connection with the Merger Transaction is mainly derived from the synergies and economies of scale expected to result from the combined operations of the Company, as well as intangible assets that did not qualify for separate recognition. The goodwill presented in the table above will be allocated to the Commercial Insurance reporting unit. In 2012, TGI’s goodwill impairment test indicated that a greater risk of future impairment existed for this reporting unit. As of March 31, 2013, management assessed the increase to goodwill along with the increase to each of the

 

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Table of Contents

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

reporting unit’s fair values, and concluded the goodwill was not impaired. The Company’s re-evaluation of its internal reporting structure which may require a change to its segment reporting and further subsequent goodwill assessments could result in impairment of goodwill. Volatile financial markets can have an impact on earnings, discount assumptions, liquidity and market capitalization which could all have an unfavorable impact on the valuation of goodwill.

The fair value of loss and loss adjustment expenses includes $19.1 million of reserves for risk premiums (“risk premiums”). The risk premium was determined using a cash flow model. This model used an estimate of net nominal future cash flows related to liabilities for losses and loss adjustment expenses that a market participant would expect as of the date of the transaction. These future cash flows were adjusted for the time value of money at a risk free rate and a risk margin to compensate an acquirer for bearing the risk associated with the liabilities.

Since the effective date of the Merger Transaction on March 13, 2013 through March 31, 2013, the operations of the acquired business accounted for approximately $6.6 million and $3.0 million of the Company’s consolidated revenues and net income, respectively.

The following unaudited pro forma financial information presents the consolidated revenues and net income of the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, as if the Merger Transaction had been completed as of January 1, 2012.

 

     Three Months Ended  
     March 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013      2012  

Revenues

   $ 478,427      $ 469,367  

Net Income

     22,805         26,961   

Note 4–Variable Interest Entities (“VIEs”)

Through its management companies, Tower is the attorney-in-fact for the Reciprocal Exchanges and has the ability to direct their activities. The Reciprocal Exchanges are policyholder-owned insurance carriers organized as unincorporated associations. Each policyholder insured by the Reciprocal Exchanges shares risk with the other policyholders.

In the event of dissolution, policyholders would share any residual unassigned surplus in the same proportion as the amount of insurance purchased but are not subject to assessment for any deficit in unassigned surplus of the Reciprocal Exchanges. Tower receives management fee income for the services provided to the Reciprocal Exchanges. The assets of the Reciprocal Exchanges can be used only to settle the obligations of the Reciprocal Exchanges and general creditors to their liabilities have no recourse to Tower as the primary beneficiary.

In addition, Tower holds the surplus notes issued by the Reciprocal Exchanges when they were originally capitalized. The obligation to repay principal and interest on the surplus notes is subordinated to the Reciprocal Exchanges’ other liabilities including obligations to policyholders and claimants for benefits under insurance policies. Principal and interest on the surplus notes are payable only with regulatory approval. The Company has no ownership interest in the Reciprocal Exchanges.

The Company determined that each of the Reciprocal Exchanges qualifies as a VIE and that the Company is the primary beneficiary as it has both the power to direct the activities of the Reciprocal Exchanges that most significantly impact their economic performance and the risk of economic loss through its ownership of the surplus notes. Accordingly, the Company consolidates these Reciprocal Exchanges and eliminates all intercompany balances and transactions with Tower.

For the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Reciprocal Exchanges recognized total revenues, total expenses and net income (loss) of $47.3 million, $58.6 million and $(11.3) million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2012, the Reciprocal Exchanges recognized total revenues, total expenses and net income of $50.2 million, $47.2 million and $3.0 million, respectively.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 5—Investments

The cost or amortized cost and fair value of the Company’s investments in fixed maturity and equity securities, gross unrealized gains and losses, and other-than-temporary impairment losses (“OTTI”) as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are summarized as follows:

 

($ in thousands)    Cost or
Amortized
Cost
     Gross
Unrealized
Gains
     Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Fair Value      Unrealized
OTTI
Losses (1)
 

March 31, 2013

             

U.S. Treasury securities

   $       315,281      $ 1,486      $ (35   $         316,732      $ -   

U.S. Agency securities

     105,081        4,056        (132     109,005        -   

Municipal bonds

     642,188        47,034        (291     688,931        -   

Corporate and other bonds

             

Finance

     222,601        20,881        (427     243,055        -   

Industrial

     390,344        23,408        (807     412,945        -   

Utilities

     60,134        2,798        (469     62,463        -   

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     207,944        28,337        (360     235,921        (121

Residential mortgage-backed securities

             

Agency backed securities

     253,535        9,478        (814     262,199        -   

Non-agency backed securities

     37,257        4,394        (27     41,624        -   

Asset-backed securities

     33,851        1,346        -        35,197        -   

Total fixed-maturity securities

     2,268,216        143,218        (3,362     2,408,072        (121

Preferred stocks, principally financial sector

     28,879        632        (334     29,177        -   

Common stocks, principally financial and industrial sectors

     109,007        5,985        (1,461     113,531        -   

Short-term investments

     28,485        350        (13     28,822        -   

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 2,434,587      $ 150,185      $ (5,170   $ 2,579,602      $ (121

Tower

   $ 2,176,056      $ 133,986      $ (4,318   $ 2,305,724      $ (121

Reciprocal Exchanges

     258,531        16,199        (852     273,878        -   

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 2,434,587      $ 150,185      $ (5,170   $ 2,579,602      $ (121

December 31, 2012

             

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 183,462      $ 1,500      $ (13   $ 184,949      $ -  

U.S. Agency securities

     98,502        4,351        (76     102,777        -   

Municipal bonds

     633,373        52,914        (244     686,043        -   

Corporate and other bonds

             

Finance

     233,849        21,293        (95     255,047        -   

Industrial

     412,465        26,556        (868     438,153        -   

Utilities

     51,698        2,958        (191     54,465        -   

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     211,819        30,375        (141     242,053        -   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

             

Agency backed securities

     283,652        12,326        (262     295,716        -   

Non-agency backed securities

     38,615        3,575        (34     42,156        (6

Asset-backed securities

     42,751        1,615        (14     44,352        -   

Total fixed-maturity securities

     2,190,186        157,463        (1,938     2,345,711        (6

Preferred stocks, principally financial sector

     31,272        730        (481     31,521        -   

Common stocks, principally industrial and financial sectors

     118,076        953        (4,292     114,737        -   

Short-term investments

     4,749        1        -        4,750        -   

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 2,344,283      $ 159,147      $ (6,711   $ 2,496,719      $ (6

Tower

   $ 2,075,189      $ 141,614      $ (6,210   $ 2,210,593      $ (6

Reciprocal Exchanges

     269,094        17,533        (501     286,126        -   

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 2,344,283      $ 159,147      $ (6,711   $ 2,496,719      $ (6

(1) Represents the gross unrealized loss on other-than-temporarily impaired securities recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

In accordance with Lloyd’s operating guidelines, the Company deposits funds at Lloyd’s to support underwriting operations. These funds are available only to fund claims obligations. These restricted assets consisted of approximately $33.9 million of cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2013. In addition, the Company had $481.7 million and $481.5 million of cash and cash equivalents and investments as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, held by counterparties as collateral or in trusts to support letters of credit issued on the Company’s behalf, reinsurance liabilities on certain assumed reinsurance treaties, collateral posted for certain leases and other purposes.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The Company also deposits funds with various state and governmental authorities in the U.S. For a discussion of the Company’s deposits with state and governmental authorities, see “Note 6 – Investments” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in TGI’s Amendment No. 1 to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Major categories of net investment income are summarized as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Income

    

Fixed-maturity securities

   $ 20,973     $ 25,412  

Equity securities

     6,484       7,636  

Cash and cash equivalents

     51       290  

Other invested assets

     4,256       1,925  

Other

     327       57  

Total

     32,091       35,320  

Expenses

    

Investment expenses

     (1,774     (1,377

Net investment income

   $ 30,317     $ 33,943  

Tower

     29,980       32,257  

Reciprocal Exchanges

     2,380       3,349  

Elimination of interest on Reciprocal Exchange surplus notes

     (2,043     (1,663

Net investment income

   $ 30,317     $ 33,943  

Proceeds from the sale of fixed-maturity securities were $191.7 million and $606.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Proceeds from the sale of equity securities were $375.2 million and $368.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Gross realized gains, losses and impairment write-downs on investments are summarized as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Fixed-maturity securities

    

Gross realized gains

   $ 7,364     $ 13,991  

Gross realized losses

     (190     (2,858
     7,174       11,133  

Equity securities

    

Gross realized gains

     4,236       1,546  

Gross realized losses

     (4,813     (6,375
     (577     (4,829

Other

    

Gross realized gains

     1,755       -   

Gross realized losses

     (812     -   
       943       -   

Net realized gains (losses) on investments

     7,540       6,304  

Other-than-temporary impairment losses:

    

Fixed-maturity securities

     (24     (117

Equity securities

     (465     (2,859

Total other-than-temporary impairment losses recognized in earnings

     (489     (2,976

Total net realized investment gains (losses)

   $ 7,051     $ 3,328  

Tower

   $ 6,433     $ 1,138  

Reciprocal Exchanges

     618       2,190  

Total net realized investment gains (losses)

   $ 7,051     $ 3,328  

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Management may dispose of a particular security due to changes in facts and circumstances related to the invested asset that have arisen since the last analysis supporting management’s determination whether or not it intended to sell the security, and if not, whether it is more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis.

Impairment Review

Management regularly reviews the Company’s fixed-maturity and equity security portfolios in accordance with its impairment policy to evaluate the necessity of recording impairment losses for OTTI. The determination of OTTI is a subjective process and different judgments and assumptions could affect the timing of loss realization.

Management, in conjunction with its outside portfolio managers, analyzes its non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) using default loss models based on the performance of the underlying loans. Performance metrics include delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, anticipated cash flow prepayments and cumulative losses incurred. The expected losses for a mortgage pool are compared to the break-even loss, which represents the point at which the Company’s tranche begins to experience losses.

The commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) holdings are evaluated using analytical techniques and various metrics including the level of subordination, debt-service-coverage ratios, loan-to-value ratios, delinquencies, defaults and foreclosures.

For the non-structured fixed-maturity securities (U.S. Treasury and Agency securities, municipal bonds, and corporate debt), unrealized losses are reviewed to determine whether full recovery of principal and interest will be received. The estimate of expected cash flows is determined by projecting a recovery value and a recovery time frame and assessing whether further principal and interest will be received. The determination of recovery value incorporates an issuer valuation assumption utilizing one or a combination of valuation methods as deemed appropriate by management. The present value of the cash flows is determined by applying the effective yield of the security at the date of acquisition (or the most recent implied rate used to accrete the security if the implied rate has changed as a result of a previous impairment) and an estimated recovery time frame. For securities for which the issuer is financially troubled but not in bankruptcy, that time frame is generally longer. Included in the present value calculation are expected principal and interest payments; however, for securities for which the issuer is classified as bankrupt or in default, the present value calculation assumes no interest payments and a single recovery amount. In situations for which a present value of cash flows cannot be estimated, a write-down to fair value is recorded.

In estimating the recovery value, significant judgment is involved in the development of assumptions relating to a number of factors related to the issuer including, but not limited to, revenue, margin and earnings projections, the likely market or liquidation values of assets, potential additional debt to be incurred pre- or post- bankruptcy/restructuring, the ability to shift existing or new debt to different priority layers, the amount of restructuring/bankruptcy expenses, the size and priority of unfunded pension obligations, litigation or other contingent claims, the treatment of intercompany claims and the likely outcome with respect to inter-creditor conflicts.

The evaluation of equity securities includes management’s intent and ability to hold the security to recovery. Management will record OTTI in those situations where it does not intend to hold the security to recovery or if the security is not expected to recover in value in the near term.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The following table shows the fixed-maturity and equity securities OTTI amounts for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

     Three Months Ended  
     March 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Corporate and other bonds

   $ -     $ (89

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     (24     -   

Residential mortgage-backed securities

     -        (28

Equities

     (465     (2,859

Other-than-temporary-impairments

     (489     (2,976

Portion of loss recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     -        -   

Impairment losses recognized in earnings

   $ (489   $ (2,976

Tower

   $ (489   $ (2,976

Reciprocal Exchanges

     -        -   

Impairment losses recognized in earnings

   $ (489   $ (2,976

The following table provides a rollforward of the cumulative amounts of credit OTTI for securities still held showing the amounts that have been included in earnings on a pretax basis for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

     Three Months Ended  
     March 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013      2012  

Balance, January 1,

   $ 4,492      $ 12,666  

Additional credit losses recognized during the period, related to securities for which:

     

No OTTI has been previously recognized

     24        89  

OTTI has been previously recognized

     -         28  

Reductions due to:

     

Securities sold during the period (realized)

     -         (6,699

Balance, March 31,

   $ 4,516      $ 6,084  

Unrealized Losses

There are 225 securities at March 31, 2013, including fixed maturities and equity securities, which account for the gross unrealized loss, none of which is deemed by management to be OTTI. Temporary losses on corporate and other bonds result from purchases made in a lower yield spread environment. In addition, there have been some ratings downgrades on certain of these securities. After analyzing the credit quality, balance sheet strength and company outlook, management believes these securities will recover in value. The structured securities that had significant unrealized losses resulted primarily from declines in both residential and commercial real estate prices. To the extent projected cash flows on structured securities change adversely, they would be considered OTTI, and an impairment loss would be recognized in the current period. Management considered all relevant factors, including expected recoverability of cash flows, in assessing whether a loss was other-than-temporary. The Company does not intend to sell these fixed maturity securities, and it is not more likely than not that these securities will be sold before recovering their cost basis.

For all fixed-maturity securities in an unrealized loss position at March 31, 2013, the Company has received all contractual interest payments (and principal if applicable). Based on the continuing receipt of cash flow and the foregoing analyses, management expects continued timely payments of principal and interest and considers the losses to be temporary.

The unrealized loss position associated with the fixed-maturity portfolio was $3.4 million as of March 31, 2013, consisting primarily of corporate bonds and mortgage-backed securities of $2.9 million. The total fixed-maturity portfolio of gross unrealized losses included 202 securities which were, in aggregate, approximately 1.0% below amortized cost. Of the 202 fixed maturity investments identified, 20 have been in an unrealized loss position for more than 12 months. The total unrealized loss on these investments at March 31, 2013 was $0.03 million. Management does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired.

For common stocks, there were 16 securities in a loss position at March 31, 2013 totaling $1.5 million. Management evaluated the financial condition of the common stock issuers, the severity and duration of the impairment, and the Company’s ability and intent to hold to recovery. The evaluation consisted of a detailed review, including but not limited to some or all of the following

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

factors for each security: the current S&P rating, analysts’ reports, past earnings trends and analysts’ earnings expectations for the next 12 months, liquidity, near-term financing risk, and whether the company was currently paying dividends on its equity securities. Management does not consider these investments to be other-than-temporarily impaired.

The following table presents information regarding invested assets that were in an unrealized loss position at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 by amount of time in a continuous unrealized loss position:

 

                                                                                                                 
     Less than 12 Months     12 Months or Longer     Total  
     Fair      Unrealized     Fair      Unrealized     Aggregate      Unrealized  
($ in thousands)    Value      Losses     Value      Losses     Fair Value      Losses  

March 31, 2013

               

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 190,145      $ (35   $ -       $ -      $ 190,145      $ (35

U.S. Agency securities

     22,282        (132     -         -        22,282        (132

Municipal bonds

     24,848        (282     252        (9     25,100        (291

Corporate and other bonds

               

Finance

     22,358        (427     -         -        22,358        (427

Industrial

     49,396        (805     348        (2     49,744        (807

Utilities

     25,245        (469     7        -        25,252        (469

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     27,602        (360     -         -        27,602        (360

Residential mortgage-backed securities

               

Agency backed

     63,720        (814     23        -        63,743        (814

Non-agency backed

     -         -        547        (27     547        (27

Asset-backed securities

     -         -        -         -        -         -   

Total fixed-maturity securities

     425,596        (3,324     1,177        (38     426,773        (3,362

Preferred stocks

     5,169        (31     6,651        (303     11,820        (334

Common stocks

     41,600        (1,461     -         -        41,600        (1,461

Short-term investments

     26,822        (13     -         -        26,822        (13

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 499,187      $ (4,829   $ 7,828      $ (341   $ 507,015      $ (5,170

Tower

   $ 442,594      $ (3,992   $ 7,627      $ (326   $ 450,221      $ (4,318

Reciprocal Exchanges

     56,593        (837     201        (15     56,794        (852

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 499,187      $ (4,829   $ 7,828      $ (341   $ 507,015      $ (5,170

December 31, 2012

               

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 44,347      $ (13   $ -       $ -      $ 44,347      $ (13

U.S. Agency securities

     22,345        (76     -         -        22,345        (76

Municipal bonds

     21,532        (235     251        (9     21,783        (244

Corporate and other bonds

               

Finance

     17,853        (95     -         -        17,853        (95

Industrial

     53,576        (667     4,188        (201     57,764        (868

Utilities

     20,143        (191     7        -        20,150        (191

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     23,223        (141     95        -        23,318        (141

Residential mortgage-backed securities

               

Agency backed

     59,009        (261     25        (1     59,034        (262

Non-agency backed

     815        (6     588        (28     1,403        (34

Asset-backed securities

     1,499        (2     4,232        (12     5,731        (14

Total fixed-maturity securities

     264,342        (1,687     9,386        (251     273,728        (1,938

Preferred stocks

     9,716        (155     5,724        (326     15,440        (481

Common stocks

     55,560        (4,292     -         -        55,560        (4,292

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 329,618      $ (6,134   $ 15,110      $ (577   $ 344,728      $ (6,711

Tower

   $ 271,609      $ (5,732   $ 13,338      $ (478   $ 284,947      $ (6,210

Reciprocal Exchanges

     58,009        (402     1,772        (99     59,781        (501

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 329,618      $ (6,134   $ 15,110      $ (577   $ 344,728      $ (6,711

Management evaluated the severity of the impairment in relation to the carrying values for the securities referred to above and considered all relevant factors in assessing whether the loss was other-than-temporary. Management does not intend to sell its fixed-maturity securities, and it is not more likely than not that fixed maturity and equity securities will be sold until there is a recovery of fair value to the original cost basis; which may be at maturity for the fixed income securities.

 

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Table of Contents

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Fixed-Maturity Investment—Time to Maturity

The following table shows the amortized cost and fair value of the fixed-maturity portfolio by contractual time to maturity at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

 

                                                                                                                                   
     Tower      Reciprocal Exchanges      Total  
($ in thousands)    Amortized
Cost
     Fair
Value
     Amortized
Cost
     Fair
Value
     Amortized
Cost
     Fair
Value
 

March 31, 2013

                 

Remaining Time to Maturity

                 

Less than one year

   $ 22,678      $ 23,060      $ 2,000      $ 2,008      $ 24,678      $ 25,068  

One to five years

     636,015        656,679        40,795        42,693        676,810        699,372  

Five to ten years

     556,748        594,311        76,334        79,921        633,082        674,232  

More than 10 years

     343,277        372,547        57,782        61,912        401,059        434,459  

Mortgage and asset-backed securities

     453,718        490,511        78,869        84,430        532,587        574,941  

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 2,012,436      $ 2,137,108      $ 255,780      $ 270,964      $ 2,268,216      $ 2,408,072  

December 31, 2012

                 

Remaining Time to Maturity

                 

Less than one year

   $ 30,082      $ 30,614      $ 2,678      $ 2,715      $ 32,760      $ 33,329  

One to five years

     489,939        510,523        45,576        47,275        535,515        557,798  

Five to ten years

     564,556        607,711        76,480        80,009        641,036        687,720  

More than 10 years

     346,410        380,045        57,628        62,542        404,038        442,587  

Mortgage and asset-backed securities

     495,249        536,255        81,588        88,022        576,837        624,277  

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 1,926,236      $ 2,065,148      $ 263,950      $ 280,563      $ 2,190,186      $ 2,345,711  

Other Invested Assets

The following table shows the composition of the other invested assets as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

 

     March 31,      December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013      2012  

Limited partnerships, equity method

   $ 24,517      $ 23,864  

Real estate, amortized cost

     7,223        7,422  

Securities reported under the fair value option

     25,000        25,000  

Other

     2,201        1,500  

Total

   $ 58,941      $ 57,786  

Securities reported under the fair value option include two securities for which the Company has elected the fair value option. This election was made to simplify the accounting for these instruments which contain embedded derivatives and other features.

The fair value of the limited partnerships in the table above approximates their carrying value under the equity method of accounting. The significant inputs used to determine fair value of these limited partnerships are considered Level 3 pursuant to the fair value hierarchy. See “Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements” below. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had future funding commitments of $28.2 million to these limited partnerships.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 6—Fair Value Measurements

GAAP establishes a three-level hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). If the inputs used to measure the assets or liabilities fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the classification is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of the asset or liability. Classification of assets and liabilities within the hierarchy considers the markets in which the assets and liabilities are traded, including during periods of market disruption, and the reliability and transparency of the assumptions used to determine fair value. The hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available. The levels of the hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 — Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities traded in active markets. Included are those equity securities that are traded on active exchanges, such as the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

Level 2 — Inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability and market-corroborated inputs. Included are investments in U.S. Treasury and Agency securities and, together with municipal bonds, corporate debt securities, commercial mortgages, residential mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. Additionally, interest-rate swap contracts utilize Level 2 inputs in deriving fair values.

Level 3 — Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable in the market for the asset or liability and are significant to the fair value measurement. Material assumptions and factors considered in pricing investment securities may include projected cash flows, collateral performance including delinquencies, defaults and recoveries, and any market clearing activity or liquidity circumstances in the security or similar securities that may have occurred since the prior pricing period.

The availability of observable inputs varies and is affected by a wide variety of factors. When the valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires significantly more judgment. The degree of judgment exercised by management in determining fair value is greatest for investments categorized as Level 3. For investments in this category, management considers prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date. In periods of market dislocation, as characterized by current market conditions, the ability to observe stable prices and inputs may be reduced for many instruments. This condition could cause a security to be reclassified between levels.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

As at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company’s financial instruments carried at fair value are allocated among levels as follows:

 

($ in thousands)    Level 1      Level 2     Level 3      Total  

March 31, 2013

          

Fixed-maturity securities

          

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ -       $ 316,732     $ -       $ 316,732  

U.S. Agency securities

     -         109,005       -         109,005  

Municipal bonds

     -         688,931       -         688,931  

Corporate and other bonds

     -         718,463       -         718,463  

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     -         235,921       -         235,921  

Residential mortgage-backed securities

          

Agency

     -         262,199       -         262,199  

Non-agency

     -         41,624       -         41,624  

Asset-backed securities

     -         35,197       -         35,197  

Total fixed-maturities

     -         2,408,072       -         2,408,072  

Equity securities

     142,708        -        -         142,708  

Short-term investments

     -         28,822       -         28,822  

Total investments at fair value

     142,708        2,436,894       -         2,579,602  

Other invested assets (1)

     -         -        25,000        25,000  

Other liabilities

             -   

Interest rate swap contracts

     -         (8,203     -         (8,203

Debt and equity securities sold, not yet purchased

     -         (22,513     -         (22,513

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 142,708      $ 2,406,178     $ 25,000      $ 2,573,886  

Tower

   $ 139,794      $ 2,135,214     $ 25,000      $ 2,300,008  

Reciprocal Exchanges

     2,914        270,964       -         273,878  

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 142,708      $ 2,406,178     $ 25,000      $ 2,573,886  

December 31, 2012

          

Fixed-maturity securities

          

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ -       $ 184,949     $ -       $ 184,949  

U.S. Agency securities

     -         102,777       -         102,777  

Municipal bonds

     -         686,043       -         686,043  

Corporate and other bonds

     -         747,665       -         747,665  

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     -         242,053       -         242,053  

Residential mortgage-backed securities

          

Agency

     -         295,716       -         295,716  

Non-agency

     -         42,156       -         42,156  

Asset-backed securities

     -         44,352       -         44,352  

Total fixed-maturities

     -         2,345,711       -         2,345,711  

Equity securities

     146,258        -        -         146,258  

Short-term investments

     -         4,750       -         4,750  

Total investments at fair value

     146,258        2,350,461       -         2,496,719  

Other invested assets (2)

     -         -        25,000        25,000  

Other liabilities

          

Interest rate swap contracts

     -         (9,016     -         (9,016

Debt and equity securities sold, not yet purchased

     -         (17,101     -         (17,101

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 146,258      $ 2,324,344     $ 25,000      $ 2,495,602  

Tower

   $ 140,695      $ 2,043,780     $ 25,000      $ 2,209,475  

Reciprocal Exchanges

     5,563        280,564       -         286,127  

Total, December 31, 2012

   $     146,258      $     2,324,344     $     25,000      $     2,495,602  

(1) $25.0 million of the $58.9 million Other invested assets reported on the consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2013 is reported at fair value. The remaining $33.9 million of Other invested assets is reported under the equity method of accounting or at amortized cost.

(2) $25.0 million of the $57.8 million Other invested assets reported on the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2012 is reported at fair value. The remaining $32.8 million of Other invested assets is reported under the equity method of accounting or at amortized cost.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

As of March 31, 2013, substantially all of the investment portfolio recorded at fair value was priced based upon quoted market prices or other observable inputs. For investments in active markets, the Company used the quoted market prices provided by the outside pricing services to determine fair value. In circumstances where quoted market prices were unavailable, the Company used fair value estimates based upon other observable inputs including matrix pricing, benchmark interest rates, market comparables and other relevant inputs. When observable inputs were adjusted to reflect management’s best estimate of fair value, such fair value measurements are considered a lower level measurement in the GAAP fair value hierarchy.

The Company’s process to validate the market prices obtained from the outside pricing sources includes, but is not limited to, periodic, evaluation of model pricing methodologies and analytical reviews of certain prices. The Company also periodically performs testing of the market to determine trading activity, or lack of trading activity, as well as market prices. Several securities sold during the quarter were “back-tested” (i.e., the sales price is compared to the previous month end reported market price to determine reasonableness of the reported market price). If management believes that the price provided from the pricing source is distressed, management will use a valuation method that reflects an orderly transaction between market participants, generally a discounted cash flow method that incorporates relevant interest rate, risk and liquidity factors.

The ability to observe stable prices and inputs may be reduced for highly-customized and illiquid instruments which had been the case for certain non-agency residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities in previous periods.

Substantially all of the portfolio valuations at March 31, 2013 classified as Level 1 or Level 2 in the above table are priced by utilizing the services of several independent pricing services that provide the Company with a price quote for each security. There were no adjustments made to the prices obtained from the independent pricing sources and dealers on securities classified as Level 1 or Level 2.

In 2013 and 2012, there were no transfers of investments between Level 1 and Level 2 or between Level 2 and Level 3.

The fair values of the interest rate swaps were derived using an industry standard swap valuation model with market based inputs for swaps having similar characteristics.

The fair values of the debt and equity securities sold, not yet purchased were derived by using quoted prices for similar securities in active markets. These instruments resulted in net realized gains (losses) of $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

The Company holds two securities which are reported in other invested assets and have been classified as Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Management utilizes a discounted cash flow analysis to derive the fair values. For one security, which matures in 2015 and whose cash flows are supported by underlying short-term loans, the significant unobservable inputs include the underlying short-term loans’ probability of default and loss severity, and a discount for the security’s lack of marketability. Increases in the probability of default and loss severity assumptions (which generally move directionally with each other) would have the effect of decreasing the fair value of this security. The Company obtains credit ratings on the underlying short-term loans quarterly and considers these ratings when updating its assumptions. The second security is an equity instrument which entitles the Company to residual interests of a finite life special purpose vehicle. The significant unobservable inputs include the estimated losses to be incurred by the vehicle and the equity instrument’s lack of marketability. The Company obtains quarterly financial data from the vehicle and evaluates the estimated incurred loss figure. An increase in the vehicle’s estimated incurred losses would have the effect of decreasing the instrument’s fair value.

Management is responsible for the determination of the value of the investments carried at fair value and the supporting methodologies and assumptions. Management has reviewed the pricing techniques and methodologies of the independent pricing sources and believes that their policies adequately consider market activity, either based on specific transactions for the issue valued or based on modeling of securities with similar credit quality, duration, yield and structure that were recently traded. Management monitors security-specific valuation trends and discusses material changes or the absence of expected changes with the portfolio managers to understand the underlying factors and inputs and to validate the reasonableness of pricing. Management also back-tests the prices on numerous sales of securities during the year to validate the previous pricing provided as well as utilizes other pricing sources to validate the pricing provided by the Company’s primary provider of the majority of the non-U.S. Treasury securities and non-agency securities included in Level 2.

 

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Table of Contents

Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The following table summarizes the changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 for Tower (the Reciprocal Exchanges have no Level 3 assets):

 

 

         Three Months Ended  
         March 31,  
($ in thousands)         2013      2012  

Beginning balance, January 1

  $                      25,000      $                 25,000  

Total gains (losses)-realized / unrealized - included in net income

         -        (86

Ending balance, March 31,

  $      25,000      $ 24,914  

Note 7 – Reinsurance

Impact of Reinsurance on Premiums

The table below shows direct, assumed and ceded premiums for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
($ in thousands)    Direct     Assumed     Ceded     Net  

2013

        

Premiums written

   $ 444,909     $ 105,514     $ 98,032     $ 452,391  

Change in unearned premiums

     (16,128     (44,983     (29,206     (31,905

Premiums earned

   $ 428,781     $ 60,531     $ 68,826     $ 420,486  

2012

        

Premiums written

   $ 404,840     $ 62,521     $ 41,678     $ 425,683  

Change in unearned premiums

     27,169       (31,394     1,300       (5,525

Premiums earned

   $     432,009     $     31,127     $     42,978     $     420,158  

Note 8 – Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense

The following table provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending consolidated balances for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expense (“LAE”) for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013          2012  
($ in thousands)    Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
    Total           Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
    Total  

Balance at January 1,

   $ 1,759,282     $ 135,791     $ 1,895,073        $ 1,495,839     $ 136,274     $ 1,632,113  

Less reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses

     (443,803     (52,389     (496,192          (308,411     (11,253     (319,664
     1,315,479       83,402       1,398,881          1,187,428       125,021       1,312,449  

Net reserves, at fair value, of acquired entities

     161,886       -       161,886          -       -       -  

Incurred related to:

               

Current year

     239,210       28,827       268,037          229,994       24,531       254,525  

Prior years unfavorable/(favorable) development

     72       6,571       6,643            13,256       (288     12,968  

Total incurred

     239,282       35,398       274,680          243,250       24,243       267,493  

Paid related to:

               

Current year

     103,324       17,721       121,045          79,504       17,428       96,932  

Prior years

     171,026        707        171,733            158,829       12,123       170,952  

Total paid

     274,350        18,428        292,778            238,333       29,551       267,884  

Net balance at end of period

     1,442,297        100,372        1,542,669          1,192,345       119,713       1,312,058  

Add reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses

     859,634       27,554       887,188            262,476       22,905       285,381  

Balance at March 31,

   $     2,301,931     $     127,926     $     2,429,857          $     1,454,821     $     142,618     $     1,597,439  

Incurred losses and LAE for the three months ended March 31, 2013 attributable to events of prior years were $6.6 million including the Reciprocal Exchanges and $0.1 million excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The consolidated net loss ratio, which includes the Reciprocal Exchanges, was 65.3% and 63.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, the net loss ratio was 63.1% and 64.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Prior year development is based upon numerous estimates by line of business and accident year. The Company’s management continually monitors claims activity to assess the appropriateness of carried case and incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) reserves, giving consideration to Company and industry trends.

Included in the reserves for the loss and LAE reserves at both March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are $8.4 million of tabular reserve discount for workers’ compensation and excess workers’ compensation claims.

As of March 31, 2013 the Company had $19.1 million of unamortized reserve for risk premium related to the Merger Transaction. The reserve for risk premium is included in unpaid losses and LAE. There was no unamortized reserve for risk premium recorded as of December 31, 2012.

Note 9—Stockholders’ Equity

Shares of Common Stock Issued

As previously discussed in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”, the Merger Transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition with TGI treated as the accounting acquirer. Accordingly, TGI’s historical common stock balance immediately prior to the Merger is the historical common stock of TGI adjusted for the number of shares issued in the Merger Transaction by the Company to TGI shareholders (i.e., TGI’s outstanding shares immediately prior to the Merger Transaction multiplied by the conversion ratio of 1.1330).

Canopius Bermuda had 14,025,737 outstanding common shares outstanding on March 13, 2013 which were sold by Canopius Group to third-party investors in connection with the Merger Transaction.

For the three months ended March 31, 2013, no new common shares were issued as the result of employee stock option exercises. For the three months ended March 31, 2013, 240,293 new common shares were issued after the Merger Transaction as the result of the Company’s restricted stock grants. For the three months ended March 31, 2012, no new common shares were issued as the result of employee stock option exercises and 363,894 new common shares, (adjusted for the 1.1330 conversion ratio), were issued as the result of restricted stock grants.

For the three months ended March 31, 2013, 340,707 shares of common stock were purchased from employees in connection with the vesting of restricted stock issued under the 2008 Long Term Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”). For the three months ended March 31, 2012, 109,743 shares of common stock were purchased from employees in connection with the vesting of restricted stock issued under the Plan. The shares were withheld at the direction of employees as permitted under the Plan in order to pay the expected amount of tax liability owed by the employees from the vesting of those shares. In addition, for the three months ended March 31, 2013, 6,848 shares of common stock were surrendered as a result of restricted stock forfeitures. For the three months ended March 31, 2012, 4,852 shares of common stock were surrendered as a result of restricted stock forfeitures.

In connection with the Merger Transaction, all Treasury shares held by TGI were cancelled. There were no Treasury shares of the Company held at March 31, 2013.

Dividends Declared

Dividends on common stock of $7.2 million and $7.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, were declared and paid.

On May 7, 2013, the Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.165 per share payable on June 21, 2013 to stockholders of record as of June 10, 2013.

The quarterly dividend of $0.165 per share is equivalent to TGI’s historical quarterly dividend of $0.1875 per share adjusted for the conversion ratio of 1.1330 resulting from the Merger Transaction.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 10—Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The following table provides a summary of changes in accumulated other comprehensive income, by component, for the three months ended March 31, 2013, with all amounts reflected net of income taxes and noncontrolling interest:

 

($ in thousands)    Unrealized
gains (losses)
on available for
sale securities
    Gains
(losses) on
cash flow
hedges
    Cumulative
translation
adjustments
    Total  

Balance at December 31, 2012

   $     88,062     $     (5,860   $     1,204     $     83,406  

Other comprehensive income before reclassifications, net of tax

     452       514       (2,347     (1,381

Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax

     (4,181     533       -       (3,648

Net current period other comprehensive income

     (3,729     1,047       (2,347     (5,029

Balance at March 31, 2013

   $     84,333     $     (4,813   $     (1,143   $     78,377  

The following provides a summary of the items that have been reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income in their entirety during the three months ended March 31, 2013, including the line item on the consolidated statement of operations on which the impact is reflected. Unrealized gains (losses) on available for sale securities are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income when a security is sold or when a non-credit impairment is recorded. Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income when the related hedged item (subordinated debentures floating rate interest payments) are recorded in the statement of operations.

 

($ in thousands)
Accumulated other comprehensive income components    Amounts reclassified
from accumulated other
comprehensive income
     Affected line item in the consolidated statement of operations

Unrealized gains (losses) on available for sale securities

   $                     (6,432)       Other net realized investment gains
     2,251       Income tax expense
  

 

 

    
   $ (4,181)       Total net of income taxes
  

 

 

    

Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges interest rate swaps

   $ 820       Interest expense
  

 

 

    
     (287)      Income tax expense
  

 

 

    
   $ 533       Total net of income taxes
  

 

 

    

Note 11—Debt

The Company’s borrowings consisted of the following at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

 

         March 31, 2013          December 31, 2012  
($ in thousands)         Carrying
Value
    

Fair

Value

          Carrying
Value
    

Fair

Value

 

Credit facility

  $      70,000      $ 70,000     $      70,000      $ 70,000  

Convertible senior notes

       145,412        156,375          144,673        152,063  

Subordinated debentures

         235,058        236,875            235,058        232,678  

Total

  $              450,470      $         463,250     $      449,731      $         454,741  

The fair value of the convertible senior notes are determined utilizing recent transaction prices for these securities between third-party market participants. The fair value of the subordinated debentures are based on discounted cash flow analysis. The significant inputs used for fair value are considered Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

Total interest expense incurred, including interest expense on the funds held liabilities, was $7.8 million and $8.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Subordinated Debentures

The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have issued trust preferred securities through wholly-owned Delaware statutory business trusts. The trusts use the proceeds of the sale of the trust preferred securities and common securities that the Company

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

acquired from the trusts to purchase junior subordinated debentures from the Company with terms that match the terms of the trust preferred securities. Interest on the junior subordinated debentures and the trust preferred securities is payable quarterly. In some cases, the interest rate is fixed for an initial period of five years after issuance and then floats with changes in the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and in other cases the interest rate floats with LIBOR without any initial fixed-rate period. As of March 31, 2013, The Company had outstanding par of $235.1 million relating to the subordinated debentures.

Interest Rate Swaps

In October 2010, the Company entered into interest rate swap contracts (the “Swaps”) with $190 million notional value to manage interest costs and cash flows associated with the floating rate subordinated debentures. The Swaps have terms of five years. The Swaps convert the subordinated debentures to rates ranging from 5.1% to 5.9%. As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Swaps had a fair value of $8.2 million and $9.0 million in a liability position, respectively, and are reported in Other Liabilities.

The Company has designated and accounts for the Swaps as cash flow hedges. The Swaps are considered to have no ineffectiveness and changes in their fair values are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”), net of tax. For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, $0.5 million and $0.5 million, respectively, were reclassified from AOCI to interest expense for the effects of the hedges. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had collateral on deposit with the counterparty amounting to $8.3 million pursuant to a Credit Support Annex.

Credit Facility

On April 3, 2013, an increase in borrowing capacity up to $220 million became effective pursuant to the second amendment to the credit agreement and consent by and between TGI and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent for the lenders party to the credit agreement, dated as of November 26, 2012, and the limited waiver and amendment agreement, dated as of March 3, 2013. This second amendment and consent also addressed the change in control covenant, which was triggered upon completion of the Merger Transaction. The maturity date and borrowing fees were not changed in this amendment.

TGI may request that the facility be increased by an amount not to exceed $50 million. The credit facility contains customary covenants for facilities of this type, including restrictions on indebtedness and liens, limitations on mergers, dividends and the sale of assets, and requirements to maintain certain consolidated net worth, debt to capitalization ratios, minimum risk-based capital and minimum statutory surplus. The credit facility also provides for customary events of default, including failure to pay principal when due, failure to pay interest or fees within three days after becoming due, failure to comply with covenants, any representation or warranty made by TGI or the Company as a guarantor being false in any material respect, default under certain other indebtedness, certain insolvency or receivership events affecting the TGI or the Company as guarantor and its material subsidiaries, the occurrence of certain material judgments, or a change in control of the Company, and upon an event of default, the administrative agent (subject to the consent of the requisite percentage of the lenders) may immediately terminate the obligations to make loans and to issue letters of credit, declare the Company’s obligations under the credit facility to become immediately due and payable, and require the Company to deposit in a collateral account cash collateral with a value equal to the then outstanding amount of the aggregate face amount of any outstanding letters of credit. The Company was in compliance with all covenants under the credit facility at March 31, 2013.

The Company had $70.0 million outstanding as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The weighted average interest rate on the amount outstanding as of March 31, 2013 was 2.0%.

Convertible Senior Notes

In September 2010, the Company issued $150.0 million principal amount of 5.0% convertible senior notes (“the Notes”), which mature on September 15, 2014. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing March 15, 2011. The original terms of the Notes allowed Holders to convert their Notes into cash or common shares, at the Company’s option, at any time on or after March 15, 2014 or earlier under certain circumstances determined by: (i) the market price of the Company’s stock, (ii) the trading price of the Notes, or (iii) the occurrence of specified corporate transactions. Upon conversion, the Company intends to settle its obligation either entirely or partially in cash. Upon completion of the merger, the change in control provision of the Indenture was triggered and the Holders were allowed, at their option, to convert their notes into cash or common shares of Tower Group International, Limited. As required by the terms of the Indenture, the Company filed a Fundamental Company Change Notice (“Change Notice”) to the Holders on March 23, 2013.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The Change Notice provided Holders the option to convert the Notes into cash or common shares up to and including April 26, 2013. There were no bonds tendered or converted as a result of the Change Notice filing.

The adjusted conversion rate at March 31, 2013 is 42.2491 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Notes (equivalent to a conversion price of $23.67 per share), subject to further adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events, including the following: if Tower issues shares of common stock as a dividend or distribution on shares of the common stock , or if Tower effects a share split or share combination; if Tower issues to all or substantially all holders of common stock any rights, options or warrants entitling them, for a period of not more than 45 calendar days after the announcement date of such issuance, to subscribe for or purchase shares of the common stock at a price per share that is less than the average of the last reported sales price of the common stock for the ten consecutive trading day period ending on the date of announcement of such issuance; if Tower distributes shares of its capital stock, other indebtedness, other assets or property of Tower or rights, options or warrants to acquire capital stock or other securities of Tower, to all or substantially all holders of capital stock; if any cash dividend or distribution is made to all or substantially all holders of the common stock, other than a regular quarterly cash dividend that does not exceed $0.110 per share; if Tower makes a payment in respect of a tender offer or exchange offer for common stock, and the cash and value of any other consideration included in the payment per share of common stock exceeds the last reported sale price of the common stock on the trading day next succeeding the last day on which the tenders or exchange may be made.

As a result of the Merger, it was determined that a fundamental change occurred that would permit the debt holders to tender their bonds to the Company at par plus any accrued and unpaid interest or to convert such debt. Notice of the fundamental change was sent to the debt holders on March 22, 2013, and such notice permitted the debt holders to redeem or convert the securities until April 26, 2013. There were no bonds tendered or converted as a result of the fundamental change.

The proceeds from the issuance of the Notes were allocated to the liability component and the embedded conversion option, or equity component. The equity component was reported as an adjustment to paid-in-capital, net of tax, and is reflected as an original issue discount (“OID”). After considering the contractual interest payments and amortization of the original issue discount, the Notes’ effective interest rate is 7.2%. Transaction costs of $0.4 million associated with the equity component were netted with the equity component in paid-in-capital. Interest expense, including amortization of deferred origination costs, recognized on the Notes was $2.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

The following table shows the amounts recorded for the Notes as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

 

     March 31,     December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Liability component

    

Outstanding principal

   $ 150,000     $ 150,000  

Unamortized OID

     (4,588     (5,327

Liability component

     145,412       144,673  

Equity component, net of tax

   $ 7,469     $ 7,469  

To the extent the market value per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds the conversion price, the Company will use the “treasury stock” method in calculating the dilutive effect on earnings per share.

Convertible Senior Notes Hedge and Warrant Transactions

In connection with the offering of the Notes, the Company also entered into convertible senior notes hedge transactions (the “Note Hedges” or “purchased call options”) and warrant transactions (the “Warrants”) with respect to its common stock with financial institutions. The Note Hedges and Warrants were intended generally to reduce the potential dilution of the Company’s common stock and to offset potential cash payments in excess of the principal of the Notes upon conversion. The Note Hedges and Warrants were separate transactions, entered into by the Company with the financial institutions, and were not part of the terms of the Notes.

In March 2013, as a result of the Merger Transaction, the Company terminated the Note Hedges and Warrants. The Company received $2.4 million and paid $1.0 to terminate the Note Hedges and Warrants, respectively. The effects of the terminations and an associated tax adjustment of $0.8 million were recorded directly to paid-in-capital in stockholders’ equity.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 12—Stock Based Compensation

2008 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan (“2008 LTEP”)

In 2008, the Company’s Board of Directors adopted and its stockholders approved the 2008 LTEP, which amended and revised the 2004 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan.

The 2008 LTEP provides for the granting of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code), stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards, performance shares and other cash or share-based awards. The maximum amount of share-based awards authorized is 2,325,446 of which 28,216 are available for future grants as of March 31, 2013.

2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“2013 LTIP”)

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors has established, beginning in 2013 and subject to stockholder approval, a new Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2013 LTIP”), to replace the Company’s existing 2008 Long Term Equity Compensation Plan.

Restricted Stock

The following table provides an analysis of restricted stock activity for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (historical share counts and fair values have been adjusted for the 1.1330 share conversion ratio, as discussed more fully in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013      2012  
      Number
of Shares
    Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
     Number
of Shares
    Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value
 

Outstanding, January 1

     1,015,902     $ 20.19        1,120,091        $ 20.69  

Granted

     240,293       18.08        363,894          20.37  

Vested

     (950,773     20.44        (428,687        21.08  

Forfeitures

     (6,848     20.51        (4,852          20.80  

Outstanding, March 31,

     298,574     $ 17.67        1,050,446          $ 20.38  

On March 13, 2013, 525,548 shares vested as a result of the Merger Transaction.

Stock Options

The following table provides an analysis of stock option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (historical share counts and fair values have been adjusted for the 1.1330 share conversion ratio, as discussed more fully in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013      2012  
      Number of
Shares
     Average
Exercise
Price
     Number of
Shares
     Average
Exercise
Price
 

Outstanding, January 1

     969,307      $ 17.78        969,312      $ 17.78  

Exercised

     -        -        -        -  

Forfeitures and expirations

     -        -        -        -  

Outstanding, March 31

     969,307      $ 17.78        969,312      $ 17.78  

Exercisable, March 31

     969,307      $ 17.78        969,312      $ 17.78  

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Stock Based Compensation Expense

The following table provides an analysis of stock based compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013      2012  

Restricted stock

     

Expense, net of tax

   $ 7,982      $ 1,464  

Value of shares vested

     9,485        5,622  

Value of unvested shares

     5,509        20,796  

Stock options

     

Intrinsic value of outstanding options

     1,149        2,704  

Intrinsic value of vested outstanding options

     1,149        2,704  

Unrecognized compensation expense

     

Unvested restricted stock, net of tax

     5,509        12,791  

Weighted average years over which expense will be recognized

     3.9        2.8  

Note 13—Income Taxes

Under current Bermuda Law the Company is not required to pay any taxes on Bermuda based income or capital gains. The Company has received an undertaking from the Minister of Finance in Bermuda that in the event of such taxes being imposed, the Company will be exempted from taxation until the year 2035 pursuant to the Bermuda Exempted Undertakings Tax Protection Act of 1966. The Company’s United States based subsidiaries are subject to federal, state and local taxes, as applicable, on income and capital gains earned by those subsidiaries.

The Company and Tower Reinsurance, Ltd. (“TRL”), its Bermuda reinsurance subsidiary, are deemed to have permanent establishments in Bermuda. The Bermuda companies have not and do not expect to conduct business that is through a permanent establishment in the U.S. All transactions between Tower’s U.S. based subsidiaries and the Bermuda companies are subject to transfer pricing rules. The Company has executed certain reinsurance treaties and service agreements between its U.S. based subsidiaries and TRL and management believes these arrangements to be conducted at current market rates and in accordance with transfer pricing rules.

Income (loss) before income tax and income tax expense (benefit) by taxing jurisdiction are presented in the table below for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively:

 

     March 31, 2013    March 31, 2012
     U.S.              U.S.     
($ in thousands)    Tower    Reciprocal    Non - U.S.    Total    Tower    Reciprocal    Total

Income (loss) before income tax

     $ (13,339 )      $ (11,281 )      $ 26,760        $ 2,140        $ 27,773        $ 3,628        $ 31,401  

Income tax expense (benefit)

     $ (1,673 )      $ -        $ -        $ (1,673 )      $ 8,607        $ 617        $ 9,224  

Effective tax rate

       12.5%          -          -          -78.2%          31.0%          17.0%          29.4%  

The Company calculates an estimated annual effective tax rate on its U.S. taxed subsidiaries. Tower U.S. Company’s annualized effective tax rate differs from the U.S. statutory rate due to costs associated with tax exempt interest and dividends received deductions. For interim reporting purposes, Tower U.S. has calculated its effective tax rate for the full year of 2013 by adjusting for discrete items related to the Tower-Canopius merger transaction. Accordingly, Tower U.S. Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2013 is 12.5%. The Reciprocal Exchange entities’ effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2013 is zero due to a full valuation allowance.

The United States also imposes an excise tax on insurance and reinsurance premiums paid to non-U.S. insurers or reinsurers with respect to risks located in the United States. The rates of tax, unless reduced by an applicable U.S. tax treaty, are four percent for non-life insurance premiums and one percent for life insurance and all reinsurance premiums. The Company incurs federal excise taxes on certain of its reinsurance transactions, including amounts ceded through intercompany transactions.

Note 14—Earnings per Share

Undistributed net earnings (net income less dividends declared during the period) are allocated to both common stock and unvested share-based payment awards (“unvested restricted stock”). Because the common shareholders and unvested restricted stock holders share in dividends on a 1:1 basis, the earnings per share on undistributed earnings is equivalent. Undistributed earnings are allocated to all outstanding share-based payment awards, including those for which the requisite service period is not expected to be rendered.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The following table shows the computation of the earnings per share (historical earnings per share amounts have been adjusted for the 1.1330 share conversion ratio, as discussed more fully in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”):

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
(in thousands, except per share amounts)    2013      2012  

Numerator

     

Net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd.

   $ 15,094      $ 19,166  

Denominator

     

Weighted average common shares outstanding

     45,912        44,451  

Effect of dilutive securities:

     

Stock options

     72        84  

Weighted average common and potential dilutive shares outstanding

     45,984        44,535  

Earnings per share attributable to Tower stockholders - basic

     

Common stock:

     

Distributed earnings

   $ 0.17      $ 0.17  

Undistributed earnings

     0.16        0.26  

Total - basic

     0.33        0.43  

Earnings per share attributable to Tower stockholders - diluted

   $ 0.33      $ 0.43  

The computation of diluted earnings per share excludes outstanding options and other common stock equivalents in periods where inclusion of such potential common stock instruments would be anti-dilutive. For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 190,500 and, 188,900, respectively, options to purchase Company shares were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because the exercise price of the options was greater than the average market price.

Note 15—Segment Information

The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in TGI’s summary of significant accounting policies in its Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The Company is currently re-evaluating its internal reporting structure due to the recently completed Merger Transaction, the result of which may require changes to its segment reporting. Until this re-evaluation is completed, the Company’s operations, including those acquired in connection with the Merger Transaction, continue to be reported within its three business segments, Commercial Insurance, Personal Insurance and Insurance Services.

The Personal Insurance segment includes revenues and expenses associated with the Reciprocal Exchanges, including fees paid to Tower for underwriting, claims, investment management and other services provided pursuant to management services agreements with the Reciprocal Exchanges. The Insurance Services segment reports revenues earned by Tower from the Reciprocal Exchanges as management fee income, which is calculated as a percentage of the Reciprocal Exchanges’ gross written premiums. The effects of these management services agreements between Tower and the Reciprocal Exchanges are eliminated in consolidation to derive consolidated net income. However, the management fee income is reported in net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd. and included in basic and diluted earnings per share.

Segment performance is evaluated based on segment profit, which excludes investment income, realized gains and losses, interest expense, income taxes and incidental corporate expenses. Assets, other than intangibles and goodwill, are not allocated to segments because investments and assets other than intangible assets and goodwill are considered in total by management for decision-making purposes.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Business segment results are as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Commercial Insurance Segment

    

Revenues

    

Premiums earned

   $ 306,325     $ 297,835  

Ceding commission revenue

     3,287       10  

Policy billing fees

     1,370       1,513  

Total revenues

     310,982       299,358  

Expenses

    

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

     195,311       201,438  

Underwriting expenses

     112,032       103,142  

Total expenses

     307,343       304,580  

Underwriting profit (loss)

   $ 3,639     $ (5,222

Personal Insurance Segment

    

Revenues

    

Premiums earned

   $ 114,161     $ 122,323  

Ceding commission revenue

     10,864       5,153  

Policy billing fees

     1,780       1,621  

Total revenues

     126,805       129,097  

Expenses

    

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

     79,369       66,055  

Underwriting expenses

     60,230       53,852  

Total expenses

     139,599       119,907  

Underwriting profit (loss)

   $ (12,794   $ 9,190  

Tower

   $ (167   $ 9,438  

Reciprocal Exchanges

     (12,627     (248

Total underwriting profit (loss)

   $ (12,794   $ 9,190  

Insurance Services Segment

    

Revenues

    

Management fee income

   $ 7,161     $ 6,862  

Other revenue

     128       497  

Total revenues

     7,289       7,359  

Expenses

    

Other expenses

     4,621       4,463  

Total expenses

     4,621       4,463  

Insurance services pretax income

   $ 2,668     $ 2,896  

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The following table reconciles revenue by segment to consolidated revenues:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Commercial insurance segment

   $ 310,982     $ 299,358  

Personal insurance segment

     126,805       129,097  

Insurance services segment

     7,289       7,359  

Total segment revenues

     445,076       435,814  

Elimination of management fee income

     (7,161     (6,862

Net investment income

     30,317       33,943  

Net realized gains (losses) on investments, including other-than-temporary impairments

     7,051       3,328  

Consolidated revenues

   $ 475,283     $ 466,223  

The following table reconciles the results of the Company’s individual segments to consolidated income before income taxes:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Commercial insurance segment underwriting profit (loss)

   $ 3,639     $ (5,222

Personal insurance segment underwriting profit (loss)

     (12,794     9,190  

Insurance services segment pretax income

     2,668       2,896  

Net investment income

     30,317       33,943  

Net realized gains on investments, including other-than-temporary impairments

     7,051       3,328  

Corporate expenses

     (3,069     (2,861

Acquisition-related transaction costs

     (19,056     (1,262

Interest expense

     (7,808     (8,611

Other income

     1,192       -   

Income before income taxes

   $ 2,140     $ 31,401  

Note 16—Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. The Company does not believe that the resolution of any currently pending legal proceedings, either individually or taken as a whole, will have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations or financial condition.

 

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Tower Group International, Ltd.

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 17—Subsequent Events

Share Repurchase Program

As part of Tower’s capital management strategy, Tower’s Board of Directors approved on May 7, 2013 a $50 million share repurchase program. Purchases will be made from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

TGI’s previously approved share repurchase program expired in March 2013.

 

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” elsewhere in this Form 10-Q may include forward-looking statements that reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These statements include forward-looking statements both with respect to us specifically and to the insurance sector in general. Statements that include the words “outlook,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “will” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements for purposes of the Federal securities laws or otherwise.

All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under “Risk Factors” and the following:

 

   

ineffectiveness or obsolescence of our business strategy due to changes in current or future market conditions;

 

   

developments that may delay or limit our ability to enter new markets as quickly as we anticipate;

 

   

increased competition on the basis of pricing, capacity, coverage terms or other factors;

 

   

greater frequency or severity of claims and loss activity, including as a result of natural or man-made catastrophic events, than our underwriting, reserving or investment practices anticipate based on historical experience or industry data;

 

   

the effects of acts of terrorism or war;

 

   

developments in the world’s financial and capital markets that could adversely affect the performance of our investments;

 

   

changes in regulations or laws applicable to us, our subsidiaries, brokers or customers, including regulatory limitations and restrictions on the declaration and payment of dividends and capital adequacy standards;

 

   

changes in acceptance of our products and services, including new products and services;

 

   

changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance and failure of our reinsurers to pay claims timely or at all;

 

   

changes in the percentage of our premiums written that we cede to reinsurers;

 

   

decreased demand for our insurance or reinsurance products;

 

   

loss of the services of any of our executive officers or other key personnel;

 

   

the effects of mergers, acquisitions or divestitures;

 

   

changes in rating agency policies or practices;

 

   

changes in our financial strength or credit ratings could impact the cost of, and our ability to obtain, capital or our ability to attract and retain customers;

 

   

changes in legal theories of liability under our insurance policies;

 

   

changes in accounting policies or practices;

 

   

risks and uncertainties associated with technology, data security or outsourced services that could negatively impact our ability to conduct our business or adversely impact our reputation;

 

   

changes in general economic conditions, including inflation, interest rates and other factors which could impact our performance and the performance of our investment portfolio;

 

   

disruptions in Tower’s business arising from the integration of acquired businesses into Tower and the anticipation of potential or pending acquisitions or mergers; and

 

   

currently pending or future litigation or governmental proceedings.

 

   

a lack of opportunities to increase writings in Tower’s reinsurance lines of business and in specific areas of the reinsurance market;

 

   

changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage;

 

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declining demand for reinsurance due to increased retentions by cedents and other factors; and

 

   

the Bermudian regulatory system, and potential changes thereto.

The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we project. Any forward-looking statements you read in this Form 10-Q reflect our views as of the date of this Form 10-Q with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or individuals acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Before making an investment decision, you should specifically consider all of the factors identified in this Form 10-Q that could cause actual results to differ.

Overview

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to assist readers in understanding the interim consolidated results of operations and financial condition of Tower Group International, Ltd. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Tower”) and should be read in conjunction with the interim consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included under Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q, as well as the MD&A contained in Tower Group, Inc.’s (“TGI’s”) Amendment No. 1 to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed with the SEC on March 13, 2013. References to “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to the business of Tower.

Tower is a global, diversified insurance company that offers a broad range of commercial, specialty and personal property and casualty insurance products and services through its subsidiaries to businesses in various industries and to individuals. On March 13, 2013, the Company and TGI completed a merger transaction under which the Company, formerly known as Canopius Holdings Bermuda Limited, was re-named Tower Group International, Ltd. and became the ultimate parent company of TGI (“Merger Transaction”). The Merger Transaction was accounted for as a reverse acquisition, under which TGI was identified and treated as the accounting acquirer. As such, the Company’s unaudited historical consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of TGI and its insurance subsidiaries, managing general agencies and management companies as its historical financial statements, with the results of Tower Group International, Ltd., as accounting acquiree, also being included from March 13, 2013 forward. In connection with the Merger Transaction, we now have an international platform with access to the U.S., Bermuda and the Lloyd’s of London (“Lloyd’s”) markets. See further discussion under “Merger Transaction” below and in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction” to the consolidated financial statements included under Part I, Item 1 of this Form 10-Q.

We provide coverage for many different market sectors, including non-standard risks that do not fit the underwriting criteria of standard risk carriers due to factors such as type of business, location and premium per policy. We provide these products both an admitted and excess and surplus (“E&S”) basis. Effective with the Merger Transaction, we have retained a net economic interest in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 underwriting years of account of Lloyd’s Syndicate 4444 in the form of participation via quota share reinsurance arrangements for each year. Syndicate 4444 underwrites a number of risks globally including those pertaining to certain open market commercial, marine and energy and other specialty property and casualty exposures.

We are currently re-evaluating our internal reporting structure due to the recently completed Merger Transaction, the results of which may require a change to our segment reporting. Until this re-evaluation is completed, our operations, including those acquired in connection with the Merger Transaction, continue to be reported within our three business segments: Commercial Insurance, Personal Insurance and Insurance Services. Each of these segments is described below.

Our Commercial Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance products through several business units that serve customers in general commercial and specialty markets. Our commercial lines products include commercial multiple-peril (provides both property and liability insurance), monoline general liability (insures bodily injury or property damage liability), commercial umbrella, monoline property (insures buildings, contents or business income), workers’ compensation, fire and allied lines, inland marine, commercial automobile policies and assumed reinsurance.

Our Personal Insurance segment offers a broad range of products designed to fit the insurance needs of most personal lines customers. This segment includes the business written in the Reciprocal Exchanges. Our personal lines products consist of homeowners, personal automobile, package and umbrella policies. In the first quarter of 2012, Tower sold one of its insurance subsidiaries to the Reciprocal Exchanges. As a result, the Reciprocal Exchanges have expanded their licensing and increased their capacity to write business.

 

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In our Insurance Services segment, we generate management fees primarily from the services provided to the Reciprocal Exchanges and other fees generated by our managing general agencies.

Highlights

2013 First Quarter Consolidated Results of Operations

 

   

Net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd. of $15.1 million, or $0.33 per share basic and diluted

 

   

Net earned premium of $420.5 million

 

   

Net investment income of $30.3 million

 

   

Operating cash outflows of ($53.1) million

Merger Transaction

On August 20, 2012, TGI closed on its previously announced $74.9 million acquisition of a 10.7% stake in Canopius Group Limited (“Canopius Group”), a privately owned Lloyd’s insurance holding company domiciled in Guernsey, Channel Islands. In connection with this acquisition, which was agreed to on April 25, 2012, TGI also entered into an agreement dated April 25, 2012 (the “Master Transaction Agreement”) under which Canopius Group committed to assist TGI with the establishment of a presence at Lloyd’s of London through a special purpose syndicate (“SPS Transaction Right and Acquisition Right”) (subject to required approvals) and granted TGI an option (the “Merger Option”) to combine with Canopius Bermuda. On July 30, 2012, TGI announced that it had exercised the Merger Option and executed an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Original Merger Agreement”) with Canopius Bermuda pursuant to which a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canopius Bermuda would acquire all of TGI’s common stock. TGI paid Canopius Group a fee of $1,000,000 to exercise the Merger Option. On November 8, 2012, the Original Merger Agreement was amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger to reflect changes to the merger consideration to be received by TGI stockholders (the Original Merger Agreement as so amended, the “Merger Agreement”).

Prior to the Merger Transaction date, Canopius Group priced on March 6, 2013, a private sale of 100% of the shares of Canopius Bermuda to third party investors for net consideration for $205,862,755. This investment resulted in 14,025,737 shares being issued in the private placement immediately preceding the Merger.

On March 13, 2013, Canopius Bermuda and TGI consummated the Merger Transaction contemplated by Merger Agreement, Canopius Bermuda was re-named Tower Group International, Ltd. and became the ultimate parent company of TGI, with TGI becoming its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, among other things, (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of TGI common stock was cancelled and automatically converted into the right to receive 1.1330 common shares of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Shares”), (ii) each outstanding option to acquire TGI common stock, whether vested or unvested and whether granted under TGI’s 2008 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan or otherwise, automatically vested, free of any forfeiture conditions, and constituted a fully vested option to acquire that number of Common Shares (rounded down to the nearest whole number) equal to the number of shares of TGI common stock subject to such option multiplied by 1.1330, on the same terms and conditions (other than vesting and performance conditions) as were applicable to such TGI stock option immediately prior to the Merger Transaction , with the exercise price of such option adjusted to be the original exercise price divided by 1.1330, and (iii) substantially all issued and outstanding shares of TGI restricted stock, whether granted under TGI’s 2008 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan or otherwise, automatically vested, free of any forfeiture conditions, and was converted into the right to receive, as soon as reasonably practicable after the effective time, 1.1330 Common Shares.

Immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Common Shares to the former TGI stockholders in the Merger Transaction, approximately 57,432,150 Common Shares were outstanding, of which 76% was held by the former TGI stockholders. The remaining 24% of Common Shares outstanding immediately after giving effect to the Merger Transaction was held by third party investors. As the Company is the successor issuer to TGI, succeeding to the attributes of TGI as registrant, including TGI’s SEC file number, its Common Shares trade on the same exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, and under the same trading symbol, “TWGP,” that the shares of TGI common stock traded on and under prior to the Merger Transaction.

The Merger Transaction is expected to advance our strategy and create a more efficient global, diversified specialty insurance company consisting of commercial, specialty and personal lines, reinsurance and international specialty products. In addition, the establishment of a Bermuda domicile will provide us with an international platform through which to access the U.S., Bermuda and Lloyd’s markets.

 

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Operating Income

Operating income excludes realized gains and losses and acquisition-related transaction costs, net of tax. This is a common performance measurement for property and casualty insurance companies and we believe its use enhances the understanding of our results of operations by highlighting the underlying profitability of our insurance business separately from our investment results and merger and acquisition expenses. Additionally, this measure is a key internal management performance standard. Operating income should not be considered a substitute for net income, which reflects the overall profitability of the business on a GAAP basis.

The following table provides a reconciliation of operating income to its most directly comparable GAAP measure, net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd. Operating income is used to calculate operating earnings per share and operating return on average equity:

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Operating income

   $ 25,872     $ 20,618  

Net realized gains (losses) on investments, excluding gains (losses) attributable to Reciprocal Exchanges

     6,433       (648

Acquisition-related transaction costs

     (19,056     (1,262

Income tax

     1,845       458  

Net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd.

   $ 15,094     $ 19,166  

Critical Accounting Estimates

As of March 31, 2013, there were no material changes to our critical accounting estimates; refer to TGI’s Amendment No. 1 to its 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete discussion of critical accounting estimates.

Critical Accounting Policies and New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

See “Note 2—Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation” for information related to our significant accounting policies, including details of policies that were adopted during the three months ended March 31, 2013.

 

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Consolidating Supplemental Information

The following tables present the consolidating financial statements as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 and for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

                                                                                                   
     March 31, 2013  
($ in thousands)    Tower      Reciprocal
Exchanges
    Eliminations     Total  

Assets

         

Investments

         

Available-for-sale investments, at fair value:

         

Fixed-maturity securities

   $ 2,137,108      $ 270,964     $ -     $ 2,408,072  

Equity securities

     139,794        2,914       -       142,708  

Short-term investments

     28,822        -       -       28,822  

Other invested assets

     136,141        -       (77,200     58,941  

Total investments

     2,441,865        273,878       (77,200     2,638,543  

Cash and cash equivalents

     224,342        5,604       -       229,946  

Investment income receivable

     45,090        2,768       (18,368     29,490  

Investment in unconsolidated affiliate

     68,411        -       -       68,411  

Premiums receivable

     374,506        45,945       (2,290     418,161  

Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses

     43,755        6,957       (1,044     49,668  

Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses

     859,635        30,681       (3,128     887,188  

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

     215,757        22,439       (4,015     234,181  

Deferred acquisition costs, net

     189,204        9,933       -       199,137  

Intangible assets

     97,825        6,725       -       104,550  

Goodwill

     269,589        -       -       269,589  

Funds held by reinsured companies

     829,659        -       -       829,659  

Other assets

     444,925        1,783       (16,600     430,108  

Total assets

   $ 6,104,563      $ 406,713     $ (122,645   $ 6,388,631  

Liabilities

         

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

   $ 2,301,931      $ 131,054     $ (3,128   $ 2,429,857  

Unearned premium

     1,023,060        103,977       (4,015     1,123,022  

Reinsurance balances payable

     33,493        9,068       (3,334     39,227  

Funds held under reinsurance agreements

     634,080        -       -       634,080  

Other liabilities

     451,996        46,475       (35,168     463,303  

Deferred income taxes

     9,859        19,818       -       29,677  

Debt

     450,470        77,000       (77,000     450,470  

Total liabilities

     4,904,889        387,392       (122,645     5,169,636  

Stockholders’ equity

         

Common stock

     574        -       -       574  

Paid-in-capital

     812,156        27,238       (27,238     812,156  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     78,377        13,856       (13,856     78,377  

Retained earnings

     306,192        (21,773     21,773       306,192  

Noncontrolling interests

     2,375        -       19,321       21,696  

Total stockholders’ equity

     1,199,674        19,321       -       1,218,995  

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 6,104,563      $ 406,713     $ (122,645   $ 6,388,631  

 

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     December 31, 2012  
($ in thousands)    Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
     Eliminations     Total  

Assets

         

Investments

         

Available-for-sale investments, at fair value:

         

Fixed-maturity securities

   $ 2,065,148     $ 280,563      $ -     $ 2,345,711  

Equity securities

     140,695       5,563        -       146,258  

Short-term investments

     4,750       -        -       4,750  

Other invested assets

     134,986       -        (77,200     57,786  

Total investments

     2,345,579       286,126        (77,200     2,554,505  

Cash and cash equivalents

     90,511       9,782        -       100,293  

Investment income receivable

     39,439       2,610        (16,717     25,332  

Investment in unconsolidated affiliate

     70,830       -        -       70,830  

Premiums receivable

     377,827       47,031        (2,746     422,112  

Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses

     16,927       2,503        (1,821     17,609  

Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses

     443,803       55,839        (3,450     496,192  

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

     46,120       21,143        (3,340     63,923  

Deferred acquisition costs, net

     169,577       11,364        -       180,941  

Intangible assets

     99,914       6,854        -       106,768  

Goodwill

     241,458       -        -       241,458  

Funds held by reinsured companies

     137,545       -        -       137,545  

Other assets

     349,490       1,868        (19,852     331,506  

Total assets

   $ 4,429,020     $ 445,120      $ (125,126   $ 4,749,014  

Liabilities

         

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

   $ 1,759,282     $ 139,241      $ (3,450   $ 1,895,073  

Unearned premium

     817,643       106,556        (3,340     920,859  

Reinsurance balances payable

     33,590       11,546        (4,567     40,569  

Funds held under reinsurance agreements

     98,081       500        -       98,581  

Other liabilities

     271,185       57,823        (36,769     292,239  

Deferred income taxes

     16,671       19,793        -       36,464  

Debt

     449,731       77,000        (77,000     449,731  

Total liabilities

     3,446,183       412,459        (125,126     3,733,516  

Stockholders’ equity

         

Common stock

     530       -        -       530  

Treasury stock

     (181,435     -        -       (181,435

Paid-in-capital

     780,036       9,400        (9,400     780,036  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     83,406       15,525        (15,525     83,406  

Retained earnings

     298,299       7,736        (7,736     298,299  

Noncontrolling interests

     2,001       -        32,661       34,662  

Total stockholders’ equity

     982,837       32,661        -       1,015,498  

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 4,429,020     $ 445,120      $ (125,126   $ 4,749,014  

 

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     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  
($ in thousands)    Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
   

Elimina-

tions

    Total     Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
    Elimina-
tions
    Total  

Net premiums written

   $ 415,265     $ 37,126     $ -     $ 452,391     $ 387,591     $ 38,093     $ -     $ 425,684  

Revenues

                

Net premiums earned

   $ 379,484     $ 41,002     $ -     $ 420,486     $ 378,669     $ 41,489     $ -     $ 420,158  

Ceding commission revenue

     12,453       2,991       (1,293     14,151       2,078       3,085       -       5,163  

Insurance services revenue

     7,289       -       (7,161     128       7,359       -       (6,862     497  

Policy billing fees

     2,847       303       -       3,150       3,002       132       -       3,134  

Net investment income

     29,584       2,380       (1,647     30,317       32,257       3,349       (1,663     33,943  

Total net realized investment gains

                

(losses)

     6,433       618       -       7,051       1,138       2,190       -       3,328  

Total revenues

     438,090       47,294       (10,101     475,283       424,503       50,245       (8,525     466,223  

Expenses

                

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

     239,282       35,398       -       274,680       243,249       24,244       -       267,493  

Commission expense

     81,389       8,302       (1,293     88,398       72,612       7,773       -       80,385  

Other operating expenses

     78,331       13,223       (7,161     84,393       70,996       12,937       (6,862     77,071  

Acquisition-related transaction costs

     19,056       -       -       19,056       1,262       -       -       1,262  

Interest expense

     7,803       1,652       (1,647     7,808       8,611       1,663       (1,663     8,611  

Total expenses

     425,861       58,575       (10,101     474,335       396,730       46,617       (8,525     434,822  

Other income (expense)

                

Equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated affiliate

     1,192       -       -       1,192       -       -       -       -  

Income (loss) before income taxes

     13,421       (11,281     -       2,140       27,773       3,628       -       31,401  

Income tax expense (benefit)

     (1,673     -       -       (1,673     8,607       617       -       9,224  

Net income (loss)

   $ 15,094     $ (11,281   $ -     $ 3,813     $ 19,166     $ 3,011     $ -     $ 22,177  

Ratios

                                                                

Net calendar year loss and LAE

     63.1     86.3       65.3     64.2     58.4       63.7

Net underwriting expenses

     36.0     44.5       36.9     34.6     42.2       35.5

Net Combined

     99.1     130.8       102.2     98.8     100.6       99.2

Return on Average Equity

     5.7                             7.4                        

Consolidated Results of Operations

Our results of operations are discussed below in two parts, consolidated results of operations and the results of each of our three segments.

Consolidated Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

Total revenues. Total revenues increased by $9.1 million or 1.9 % for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. The increase is mostly attributable to an increase in assumed reinsurance business, ceding commission revenue and realized capital gains offset in part by increased reinsurance cessions in the personal lines and commercial segments and by lower investment income.

Premiums earned. Gross premiums earned for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $489.3 million and $463.1 million for the same period in 2012. The increase of $26.2 million or 5.7 % for the three months ended March 31, 2013 is mainly due to assumed earned premium growth of $28.4 million.

Ceded premiums earned increased $25.8 million to $68.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 from $43.0 million in 2012, mostly due to an increase in reinsurance protection purchased to reduce exposure concentrated in the Northeast. The Company reinsures its program business through quota share treaties and purchases excess per risk and catastrophe reinsurance for all property lines.

Overall, net premiums earned were consistent for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

Commission and fee income. Commission and fee income, comprised of ceding commission revenue, insurance services revenue and policy billing fees, increased by $8.6 million to $17.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. The increase is due to greater commission revenue from increased reinsurance cessions.

Net investment income and net realized gains (losses). For the three months ended March 31, 2013, net investment income decreased $3.6 million or 10.7% compared to the same period in 2012 primarily due to lower reinvestment rates.

 

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Operating cash invested in fixed income securities in 2013 and in 2012 has been affected by an extended low interest rate environment. Investments in high-yield securities and dividend paying equity securities continue to be made to help maintain overall portfolio yield and to partially mitigate the impact of the lower interest rate environment. The tax equivalent yield at amortized cost was 4.1% at March 31, 2013 compared to 4.7% at March 31, 2012.

For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, OTTI losses of $0.5 million and $3.0 million were recorded in net income. Net realized investment gains for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were $7.5 million and $6.3 million, respectively. These gains and losses are a function of individual securities selected for sale when cash needs arise in the ordinary course of business or when market dictates disposals pursuant to our investment policy.

Loss and loss adjustment expenses. The consolidated net loss ratio, which includes the Reciprocal Exchanges, was 65.3% and 63.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, the net loss ratio was 63.1% and 64.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Reciprocal Exchanges’ net loss ratio was 86.3% and 58.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Incurred losses and LAE for the three months ended March 31, 2013 attributable to insured events of prior years were unfavorable by $6.6 million. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, the incurred losses and LAE from prior accident years were $0.1 million. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, there was net adverse loss development of $3.8 million in the Commercial Insurance segment offset by $3.7 million favorable development in the Personal Insurance segment for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

Incurred losses and LAE for the three months ended March 31, 2012 attributable to insured events of prior years were $13.0 million. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, the incurred losses and LAE from prior accident years were $13.3 million. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, there was net adverse loss development of $11.9 million in Commercial Insurance and $1.3 million in Personal Insurance for the three months ended March 31, 2012. During the quarter, our actuaries updated their annual review of loss development factors to reflect loss data observed through December 31, 2011. The unfavorable development in Commercial Insurance arose from changes in estimated ultimate losses for accident years 2010 and prior based on reserve studies completed during the quarter and reported loss development during the three months ended March 31, 2012. The majority of these changes arose from updated loss development factors affecting reserve estimates for discontinued program business in the workers compensation, other liability and auto liability lines. There was also higher than expected loss development in program business during the three months ended March 31, 2012. The unfavorable development in Personal Insurance was mostly from Automobile Physical Damage and attributable to accident year 2011.

Commission and Operating expenses. Operating expenses, which include direct and ceding commission expenses and other operating expenses, were $172.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013, an increase of 9.7% compared to the same period in the prior year. This increase is primarily due to: (i) greater commission expense related to increased business production, and a change in business mix with a greater proportion of production from assumed premiums written which have a higher commission rate compared to direct premiums written, and (ii) an increase in operating expenses related to improving information technology systems and infrastructure to support growth.

The consolidated gross underwriting expense ratio increased to 34.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 from 33.2% in the same period in 2012. The commission portion of the gross underwriting expense ratio increased to 18.1% for the three month period March 31, 2013 compared to 17.4% in 2012. The gross other underwriting expense (“OUE”) ratio was 16.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to 15.9% in the prior year.

Acquisition-related transaction costs. Acquisition-related transaction costs were $19.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared to $1.3 million in the same period of prior year. Acquisition-related transaction costs consists primarily of compensation related expenses and legal and other professional fees. Acquisition-related transaction costs include $11.4 million in compensation expenses (of which vesting acceleration of restricted stock was $10.3 million) and costs of $6.4 million in legal and other professional fees, related to the Merger Transaction, which closed on March 13, 2013, as described in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”.

Interest expense. Interest expense decreased by $0.8 million to $7.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared to the same period in 2012. The decline is mainly due to a portion of our debt instruments converting from a fixed rate to a lower floating rate.

Income tax expense. Tower uses the effective tax rate method in computing its interim tax provision. The Company’s income tax provision resulted in an effective tax rate on U.S. income before taxes including the Reciprocal Exchanges of 6.8%. Such rate was reduced in the first quarter by the decrease in U.S. sourced pre-tax operating income and by the Company’s acquisition related transaction costs associated with the Merger Transaction. In addition, a full valuation allowance is recorded on the Reciprocal Exchanges and no income tax benefit was recognized on their first quarter 2013 pre-tax losses. Excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, Tower’s U.S. based income had an effective tax rate of 12.5% in the first quarter 2013.

The Company had a tax rate of 29.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2012, all of which pertained to its U.S. business.

 

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Net income and return on average equity. Net income attributable to Tower Group International, Ltd. and annualized return on average equity were $15.1 million and 5.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to $19.2 million and annualized return on average equity of 7.4% for the same period in 2012. The return on average equity is calculated by dividing annualized net income by average stockholders’ equity. Average stockholders’ equity was $1,059.8 million and $1,044.4 million at March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The decrease in net income and annualized return on equity for the three months ended March 31, 2013 is primarily due to higher commission and other operating expenses and acquisition-related transaction costs offset by higher commission income. In addition, in 2013 the Company recorded of out-of-period adjustments that originated in 2012. These adjustments increased net income $1.1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2013, and have been reported within Expenses and Other income in the statement of operations.

 

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Commercial Insurance Segment Results of Operations

 

     Three Months Ended March 31.  
($ in thousands)        2013             2012             Change             Percent      

Net premiums written

   $ 377,458     $ 320,205     $ 57,253       17.9

Revenues

        

Net premiums earned

   $ 306,325     $ 297,835     $ 8,490       2.9

Ceding commission revenue

     3,287       10       3,277       32770.0

Policy billing fees

     1,370       1,513       (143     -9.5

Total revenue

     310,982       299,358       11,624       3.9

Expenses

        

Net loss and loss adjustment expenses

     195,311       201,438       (6,127     -3.0

Underwriting expenses

        

Direct commission expenses

     62,844       56,130       6,714       12.0

Other underwriting expenses

     49,188       47,012       2,176       4.6

Total underwriting expenses

     112,032       103,142       8,890       8.6

Underwriting profit (loss)

   $ 3,639     $ (5,222   $ 8,861       -169.7

Ratios

                                

Net calendar year loss and LAE

     63.8     67.6    

Net underwriting expenses

     35.1     34.1    

Total GAAP Combined

     98.9     101.7                

Commercial Insurance Segment Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

Premiums. Gross premiums written for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $406.5 million compared to $337.0 million during the same period in 2012. The increase in the three months ended March 31, 2013 of $69.5 million is primarily attributable to our growth in assumed business of $56.8 million. Gross premiums earned were $331.7 million for the three month period ended March 31, 2013 as compared to $316.0 million during the same period in 2012. The increase in gross premiums earned is a result of the increased writings in our assumed reinsurance over the last twelve months.

Ceded premiums written for the three months ended March 31, 2013 increased to $29.1 million from $16.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The Company reinsures through quota share treaties premiums written on certain of its program business. In addition, we also purchase excess per risk and catastrophe reinsurance for all property lines. Ceded earned premiums were $25.4 million and $18.2 million for the three month periods ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The increase in ceded premiums in 2013 is attributable primarily to increased written premiums on certain program business which is then reinsured through the quota share treaties of which some are risk sharing with the program writers. In addition, the Company’s catastrophe reinsurance premiums increased in 2013 compared to 2012.

Net premiums written for the three months ended March 31, 2013 increased $57.3 million and net premiums earned for the three months ended March 31, 2013 increased $8.5 million compared to the same periods in 2012. These changes are attributed to the gross and ceded premium changes discussed above.

Our renewal retention rate excluding programs was 82.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to 77.3% during the same period in 2012. Premiums on renewed commercial business, other than programs, increased 6.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. Excluding programs, policies-in-force for our commercial business, which is predominantly small business, decreased 0.4% as of March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

Ceding commission revenue. Ceding commission revenue increased for the three months ended March 31, 2013 by $3.3 million compared to the same period in 2012. The increase was a result of increased premium on programs with specific quota share reinsurance. We also recognized a change in loss ratio on a prior year’s quota share treaty which reduced ceding commission revenue by $0.5 million during the three month period ended March 31, 2013 compared to $2.7 million during the same period in 2012.

Net loss and loss adjustment expenses. The net calendar year loss ratios were 63.8% and 67.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The accident year loss ratios for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were 62.5% and 63.6%, respectively. Estimates of prior accident year loss and loss adjustment expenses increased by $3.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013, which was primarily attributed to greater than expected reported loss emergence for commercial automobile liability.

 

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For the three months ended March 31, 2012, we recorded net adverse loss development of $11.9 million as a result of our actuaries updating their annual review of loss development factors to reflect loss data observed through December 31, 2011. The unfavorable development arose from changes in estimated ultimate losses for accident years 2010 and prior based on reserve studies completed during the quarter, and the majority of these changes arose from the updated loss development factors.

Underwriting expenses. Underwriting expenses, which include direct commissions and other underwriting expenses, increased by $8.9 million or 8.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2013, compared to the same period in 2012. The net underwriting expense ratio increased 1.0 percentage points for the three months ended March 31, 2013 from 2012.

The gross underwriting expense ratio was 33.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to 32.2% in the same period in 2012. The commission portion of the gross underwriting expense ratio, which is expressed as a percentage of gross premiums earned, was 18.9% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to 17.8% for the same period in 2012. The increase is primarily due to the assumed reinsurance business which has a higher commission ratio. The OUE ratio, including BB&T, was 14.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to 14.4% for the same period in 2012.

Underwriting loss and combined ratio. The net combined ratios were 98.9% for the quarter ended March 31, 2013 compared to 101.7% for the same period in 2012. The improvement in the combined ratio resulted from the decrease in the loss ratio partially offset in a slight increase in the underwriting expense ratio, as described above.

 

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Personal Insurance Segment Results of Operations

 

                                                                                                                                                                               
     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012              
($ in thousands)    Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
    Total     Tower     Reciprocal
Exchanges
    Total     Change     Percent  

Net premiums written

   $ 37,807     $ 37,126     $ 74,933     $ 67,386     $ 38,093     $ 105,479     $ (30,546     -29.0

Revenues

                

Net premiums earned

   $ 73,159     $ 41,002     $ 114,161     $ 80,834     $ 41,489     $ 122,323     $ (8,162     -6.7

Ceding commission revenue

     9,165       1,699       10,864       2,068       3,085       5,153       5,711       110.8

Policy billing fees

     1,477       303       1,780       1,489       132       1,621       159       9.8

Total revenue

     83,801       43,004       126,805       84,391       44,706       129,097       (2,292     -1.8

Expenses

                

Net loss and loss adjustment expenses

     43,971       35,398       79,369       41,811       24,244       66,055       13,314       20.2

Underwriting expenses

                

Direct commission expenses

     18,544       7,010       25,554       16,481       7,773       24,254       1,300       5.4

Other underwriting expenses

     21,453       13,223       34,676       16,661       12,937       29,598       5,078       17.2

Total underwriting expenses

     39,997       20,233       60,230       33,142       20,710       53,852       6,378       11.8

Underwriting profit (loss)

   $ (167   $ (12,627   $ (12,794   $ 9,438     $ (248   $ 9,190     $ (21,984     -239.2

Ratios

                                                    

Net calendar year loss and LAE

     60.1     86.3     69.5     51.7     58.4     54.0    

Net underwriting expenses

     40.1     44.5     41.7     36.6     42.2     38.5    

Total GAAP Combined

     100.2     130.8     111.2     88.3     100.6     92.5    

Personal Insurance Segment Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

Premiums. Gross premiums written for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $143.9 million compared to $130.3 million in 2012, an increase of $13.6 million, or 10.4%. Gross premiums earned increased $10.5 million to $157.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 from $147.1 million for the same period in the prior year. This increase is primarily attributed to an increase in homeowners business.

Ceded premiums written for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $69.0 million, an increase of $44.1 million compared to $24.9 million in 2012. The Company reinsures a portion of its homeowners and umbrella business through quota share reinsurance treaties. The Company also purchased catastrophe reinsurance for certain property business. The increase in 2013 is attributable to a new homeowners quota treaty effective January 2013 which included an unearned premium portfolio. Ceded premiums earned increased $18.7 million to $43.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 from $24.8 million for the same period in the prior year.

Net premiums written for the three months ended March 31,2013 decreased $30.5 million compared to the same period in 2012. Net premiums earned for the three months ended March 31, 2013 decreased $8.2 million compared to the same period in 2012. These changes are mainly attributable to the increase in ceded business as a result of the new treaty described above.

Our personal lines renewal retention rate was 90.0% and 87.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Written premiums on renewed business increased by 4.6% during the three months ended March 31, 2013. Policies-in-force increased 2.1% as of March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

Ceding commission revenue. Ceding commission revenue increased by $5.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2012. The increase was the result of a new homeowner’s quota share reinsurance treaty.

Net loss and loss adjustment expenses. For Personal Insurance, the net calendar year loss ratios were 69.5% and 54.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The accident year loss ratios for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were 67.0% and 53.1%, respectively. Estimates of prior accident year loss and loss expenses increased by $2.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013.

For Tower personal lines, excluding the Reciprocal Exchanges, the net calendar year loss ratios were 60.1% and 51.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The accident year loss ratios for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were 65.2% and 50.1%, respectively. There was net favorable development of $3.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013. For the three months ended March 31, 2012, Tower personal lines reported $1.3 million of adverse loss development relating mostly to Automobile Physical Damage.

 

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The Reciprocal Exchanges’ net calendar year loss ratios were 86.3% and 58.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The accident year loss ratios for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 were 70.3% and 59.1%, respectively. Estimates of prior accident year loss and loss adjustment expenses increased by $6.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 primarily attributed to an increase in estimated claims related expenses.

Underwriting expenses. Underwriting expenses, which include direct commissions and other underwriting expenses, increased $6.4 million or 11.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. The net underwriting expense ratio increased 3.2 percentage points in the three month period ended March 31, 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

The gross underwriting expense ratio was 37.1% and 35.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The commission portion of the gross underwriting expense ratio was 16.2% and 16.5% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The gross OUE ratio, which includes BB&T, was 20.9% and 19.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Underwriting profit and combined ratio. The net combined ratios were 111.2% for the quarter ended March 31, 2013 compared to 92.5% for the same period in 2012. The increase in the combined ratio resulted from an increase in the loss ratio of the Personal lines business, by $6.6 million in adverse development in the Reciprocal business, and by an increase in the underwriting expense ratio, as described above.

 

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Insurance Services Segment Results of Operations

 

                                                               
     Three Months Ended March 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013      2012      Change     Percent  

Revenue

          

Management fee income

   $ 7,161      $ 6,862      $ 299       4.4

Other revenue

     128        497        (369     -74.2

Total revenue

     7,289        7,359        (70     -1.0

Expenses

          

Other expenses

     4,621        4,463        158       3.5

Total expenses

     4,621        4,463        158       3.5

Insurance services pre-tax income

   $ 2,668      $ 2,896      $ (228     -7.9

Insurance Services Segment Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

Total revenue. Total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2013 remained relatively unchanged from the total revenues in the same period in the prior year. This revenue is primarily related to management fee income earned by Tower for underwriting, investment management and other services provided to the Reciprocal Exchanges.

Total expenses. Insurance Services segment expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 remained relatively the unchanged compared to the expenses for the same period ended March 31, 2012. Most of these expenses are associated with providing services pursuant to the management services agreement between Tower and the Reciprocal Exchanges.

 

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Investments

Portfolio Summary

The following table presents a breakdown of the amortized cost, aggregate fair value and unrealized gains and losses by investment type as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012:

 

     Cost or      Gross      Gross Unrealized Losses            % of  
($ in thousands)    Amortized
Cost
     Unrealized
Gains
     Less than 12
Months
    More than 12
Months
    Fair
Value
     Fair
Value
 

March 31, 2013

               

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 315,281      $ 1,486      $ (35   $ -      $ 316,732        12.3

U.S. Agency securities

     105,081        4,056        (132     -        109,005        4.2

Municipal bonds

     642,188        47,034        (282     (9     688,931        26.7

Corporate and other bonds

     673,079        47,087        (1,701     (2     718,463        27.9

Commercial, residential and asset-backed securities

     532,587        43,555        (1,174     (27     574,941        22.3

Total fixed-maturity securities

     2,268,216        143,218        (3,324     (38     2,408,072        93.4

Equity securities

     137,886        6,617        (1,492     (303     142,708        5.5

Short-term investments

     28,485        350        (13     -        28,822        1.1

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 2,434,587      $ 150,185      $ (4,829   $ (341   $ 2,579,602        100.0

Tower

   $ 2,176,056      $ 133,986      $ (3,992   $ (326   $ 2,305,724     

Reciprocal Exchanges

     258,531        16,199        (837     (15     273,878     

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 2,434,587      $ 150,185      $ (4,829   $ (341   $ 2,579,602     

December 31, 2012

               

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 183,462      $ 1,500      $ (13   $ -      $ 184,949        7.4

U.S. Agency securities

     98,502        4,351        (76     -        102,777        4.1

Municipal bonds

     633,373        52,914        (235     (9     686,043        27.5

Corporate and other bonds

     698,012        50,807        (954     (200     747,665        29.9

Commercial, residential and

    asset-backed securities

     576,837        47,891        (409     (42     624,277        25.0

Total fixed-maturity securities

     2,190,186        157,463        (1,687     (251     2,345,711        93.9

Equity securities

     149,348        1,683        (4,447     (326     146,258        5.9

Short-term investments

     4,749        1        -        -        4,750        0.2

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 2,344,283      $ 159,147      $ (6,134   $ (577   $ 2,496,719        100.0

Tower

   $ 2,075,189      $ 141,614      $ (5,732   $ (478   $ 2,210,593     

Reciprocal Exchanges

     269,094        17,533        (402     (99     286,126     

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 2,344,283      $ 159,147      $ (6,134   $ (577   $ 2,496,719     

 

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Credit Rating of Fixed-Maturity Securities

The average credit rating of our fixed-maturity securities, using ratings assigned to securities by Standard & Poor’s, was [A+] at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012. The following table shows the ratings distribution of our fixed-maturity portfolio:

 

     Tower     Reciprocal Exchanges  
($ in thousands)    Fair Value      Percentage
of Fair
Value
    Fair Value      Percentage
of Fair
Value
 

March 31, 2013

          

Rating

          

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 300,074        14.0   $ 16,658        6.1

AAA

     162,502        7.6     42,386        15.6

AA

     859,109        40.2     57,270        21.1

A

     394,046        18.4     85,321        31.6

BBB

     178,155        8.3     36,610        13.5

Below BBB

     243,222        11.5     32,719        12.1

Total

   $ 2,137,108        100.0   $ 270,964        100.0

December 31, 2012

          

Rating

          

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 159,457        7.7   $ 25,494        9.1

AAA

     166,982        8.1     43,114        15.4

AA

     897,692        43.4     58,425        20.8

A

     383,957        18.6     85,116        30.3

BBB

     214,024        10.4     35,364        12.6

Below BBB

     243,036        11.8     33,050        11.8

Total

   $         2,065,148                100.0   $         280,563                100.0

Municipal Bonds

As of March 31, 2013, our municipal bonds consisted of state general obligations, municipal general obligations and special revenue bonds. Municipal bonds by state at March 31, 2013 are as follows:

 

     State General      Municipal General      Special         
     Obligations      Obligations      Revenue Bonds      Total  
     Amortized      Fair      Amortized      Fair      Amortized      Fair      Amortized      Fair  
($ in thousands)    Cost      Value      Cost      Value      Cost      Value      Cost      Value  

Texas

   $ 18,752      $ 20,098      $ 5,889      $ 6,463      $ 70,988      $ 77,117      $ 95,629      $ 103,678  

New York

     11,478        12,423        10,501        11,261        43,711        46,500        65,690        70,184  

Florida

     5,547        5,939        2,504        2,733        30,917        34,143        38,968        42,815  

California

     13,766        15,072        16,572        17,048        9,186        10,175        39,524        42,295  

Washington

     15,235        15,938        7,057        7,360        9,222        9,977        31,514        33,275  

Illinois

     8,544        9,228        6,717        7,094        10,741        11,862        26,002        28,184  

Other

     72,614        76,372        62,428        65,530        209,819        226,598        344,861        368,500  

Total

   $ 145,936      $   155,070      $   111,668      $   117,489      $   384,584      $   416,372      $   642,188      $   688,931  

No one jurisdiction within “Other” in the table above exceeded 4% of the total fair value of municipal bonds. As of March 31, 2013, the special revenue bonds are supported primarily by water and sewer utilities, electric utilities, college revenues and highway tolls.

Fair Value Consideration

Under GAAP, 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 (an “exit price”). GAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between inputs based on market data from independent sources (“observable inputs”) and a reporting entity’s internal assumptions based upon the best information available when external market data are limited or unavailable (“unobservable inputs”).

As of March 31, 2013, substantially all of the investment portfolio recorded at fair value was priced based upon quoted market prices or other observable inputs. For investments in active markets, we used the quoted market prices provided by the outside pricing services to determine fair value. In circumstances where quoted market prices were unavailable, we used fair value estimates based upon other observable inputs including matrix pricing, benchmark interest rates, market comparables and other relevant inputs. When observable inputs were adjusted to reflect management’s best estimate of fair value, such fair value measurements are considered a lower level measurement in the GAAP fair value hierarchy.

 

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The ability to observe stable prices and inputs may be reduced for highly-customized and illiquid instruments which had been the case for certain non-agency residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities in previous periods. At March 31, 2013, two securities included in other invested assets were priced in Level 3 with a fair value of $25.0 million or 1.0% of Tower’s total assets carried at fair value, (the Reciprocal Exchanges had no Level 3 assets). See “Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements” to the consolidated financial statements provides a description of the valuation methodology utilized to value Level 3 assets, how the valuation methodology is validated and an analysis of the change in fair value of Level 3 assets.

As more fully described in “Note 5 – Investments” to our consolidated financial statements, “Investments—Impairment Review,” we completed a detailed review of all our securities in a continuous loss position, including but not limited to residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, and concluded that the unrealized losses in these asset classes are the result of a decrease in value due to technical spread widening and broader market sentiment.

Unrealized Losses

The fair value of our fixed maturity portfolio is directly affected by changes in interest rates and credit spreads. We regularly review both our fixed-maturity and equity portfolios to evaluate the necessity of recording impairment losses for other-than temporary declines in the fair value of investments.

For those fixed-maturity investments deemed not to be in an OTTI position, we believe that the gross unrealized investment loss was primarily caused by purchases made in a lower yield environment. We expect cash flows from operations to be sufficient to meet our liquidity requirements and, therefore, we do not intend to sell these fixed maturity securities and we do not believe that we will be required to sell these securities before recovering their cost basis. For equity securities not considered OTTI, we believe we have the ability to hold these investments until a recovery of fair value to our cost basis.

 

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The following table presents information regarding our invested assets that were in an unrealized loss position at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 by amount of time in a continuous unrealized loss position:

 

     Less than 12 Months     12 Months or Longer     Total  
     Fair      Unrealized     Fair      Unrealized     Aggregate      Unrealized  
($ in thousands)    Value      Losses     Value      Losses     Fair Value      Losses  

March 31, 2013

               

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 190,145      $ (35   $ -       $ -      $ 190,145      $ (35

U.S. Agency securities

     22,282        (132     -         -        22,282        (132

Municipal bonds

     24,848        (282     252        (9     25,100        (291

Corporate and other bonds

               

Finance

     22,358        (427     -         -        22,358        (427

Industrial

     49,396        (805     348        (2     49,744        (807

Utilities

     25,245        (469     7        -        25,252        (469

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     27,602        (360     -         -        27,602        (360

Residential mortgage-backed securities

               

Agency backed

     63,720        (814     23        -        63,743        (814

Non-agency backed

     -         -        547        (27     547        (27

Asset-backed securities

     -         -        -         -        -         -   

Total fixed-maturity securities

     425,596        (3,324     1,177        (38     426,773        (3,362

Preferred stocks

     5,169        (31     6,651        (303     11,820        (334

Common stocks

     41,600        (1,461     -         -        41,600        (1,461

Short-term investments

     26,822        (13     -         -        26,822        (13

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 499,187      $ (4,829   $ 7,828      $ (341   $ 507,015      $ (5,170

Tower

   $ 442,594      $ (3,992   $ 7,627      $ (326   $ 450,221      $ (4,318

Reciprocal Exchanges

     56,593        (837     201        (15     56,794        (852

Total, March 31, 2013

   $ 499,187      $ (4,829   $ 7,828      $ (341   $ 507,015      $ (5,170

December 31, 2012

               

U.S. Treasury securities

   $ 44,347      $ (13   $ -       $ -      $ 44,347      $ (13

U.S. Agency securities

     22,345        (76     -         -        22,345        (76

Municipal bonds

     21,532        (235     251        (9     21,783        (244

Corporate and other bonds

               

Finance

     17,853        (95     -         -        17,853        (95

Industrial

     53,576        (667     4,188        (201     57,764        (868

Utilities

     20,143        (191     7        -        20,150        (191

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     23,223        (141     95        -        23,318        (141

Residential mortgage-backed securities

               

Agency backed

     59,009        (261     25        (1     59,034        (262

Non-agency backed

     815        (6     588        (28     1,403        (34

Asset-backed securities

     1,499        (2     4,232        (12     5,731        (14

Total fixed-maturity securities

     264,342        (1,687     9,386        (251     273,728        (1,938

Preferred stocks

     9,716        (155     5,724        (326     15,440        (481

Common stocks

     55,560        (4,292     -         -        55,560        (4,292

Total, December 31, 2012

   $ 329,618      $ (6,134   $ 15,110      $ (577   $ 344,728      $ (6,711

Tower

   $ 271,609      $ (5,732   $ 13,338      $ (478   $ 284,947      $ (6,210

Reciprocal Exchanges

     58,009        (402     1,772        (99     59,781        (501

Total, December 31, 2012

   $   329,618      $   (6,134   $   15,110      $ (577   $ 344,728      $   (6,711

 

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The following table shows the fair value, unrealized loss amount and percentage below amortized cost and the ratio of fair value by security rating as of March 31, 2013:

 

            Unrealized Loss                                
                  Percent of     Fair Value by Security Rating  
     Fair            Amortized                             BB or  
($ in thousands)    Value          Amount     Cost     AAA     AA     A     BBB     Lower  

U.S. Treasury securities

   $  190,145      $ (35     0     0     100     0     0     0

U.S. Agency securities

     22,282        (132     -1     0     100     0     0     0

Municipal bonds

     25,100        (291     -1     12     58     14     16     0

Corporate and other bonds

     97,354        (1,703     -2     0     4     25     37     34

Commercial mortgage-backed securities

     27,602        (360     -1     55     0     38     7     0

Residential mortgage-backed securities

     64,290        (841     -1     0     99     1     0     0

Equities

     53,420        (1,795     -3     0     0     9     22     69

Short-term investments

     26,822        (13     0     0     100     0     0     0

NR indicates that equity securities are not rated

See “Note 5—Investments” in our consolidated financial statements for further information about impairment testing and other-than-temporary impairments.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Tower is organized as a Bermudian holding company (the “Holding Company”) with multiple intermediate holding companies, 13 insurance subsidiaries and several management companies. The Holding Company’s principal liquidity needs include interest on debt and stockholder dividends. The Holding Company’s principal sources of liquidity include dividends and other permitted payments from our subsidiaries, subject to limitations imposed by regulators. Our U.S. holding Company, Tower Group Inc. (“TGI”), also obtains financing through borrowings under our bank credit facility and sales of securities. Cash flows from the management companies are not subject to regulatory restrictions.

As of December 31, 2012, the amount of distributions that our insurance subsidiaries could pay to Tower without approval of their domiciliary insurance departments was $33.5 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2013, no dividends were paid from the insurance subsidiaries. In addition, as of December 31, 2012, we could return capital of $43.0 million from CastlePoint Re without permission from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (“BMA”). CastlePoint Re paid a $10.0 million return of capital to TGI during the three month period ended March 31, 2013.

In March 2013, Tower Reinsurance Ltd. (“TRL”), the Bermuda domiciled reinsurance entity the Company acquired through its merger transaction, had surplus of approximately $533.8 million. Generally, an insurer or reinsurer could return capital up to 15% of its previously reported annual statutory capital. As a result of the merger transaction, we would seek approval from the BMA before returning TRL capital to the Holding Company.

We believe that the cash flow generated by the operating activities of our subsidiaries, combined with other available capital sources, will provide sufficient funds for us to meet our liquidity needs over the next twelve months. Beyond the next twelve months, cash flow available to us may be influenced by a variety of factors, including general economic conditions and conditions in the insurance and reinsurance markets, as well as fluctuations from year-to-year in claims experience.

We have the intent and ability to hold any temporarily impaired fixed maturity securities until the anticipated date that these temporary impairments are recovered.

Book Value per Common Share

Book value per common share represents Tower Group International, Ltd. stockholders’ equity divided by the number of common shares outstanding. Management uses growth in book value per common share as a key measure of the value generated for our common shareholders each period and believes that book value per common share is a key driver of TWGP’s share price over time. Book value per common share is impacted by, among other factors, our underwriting results, investment returns and share repurchase activity, which has an accretive or dilutive impact on book value per common share depending on the purchase price. (Historical share counts have been adjusted for 1.1330 share conversion ratio, as discussed more fully in “Note 3 – Merger Transaction”.)

 

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     March 31,      December 31,  
(in thousands, except per share data)    2013      2012  

Calculation of book value per common share:

     

Tower Group International, Ltd. stockholders’ equity

   $ 1,197,299      $ 980,836  

Common shares outstanding

     57,432        43,514  

Book value per common share

   $ 20.85      $ 22.54  

Capital

Our capital resources consist of funds deployed or available to be deployed to support our business operations. At March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, our capital resources were as follows:

 

     March 31,     December 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013     2012  

Outstanding under credit facility

   $ 70,000     $ 70,000  

Subordinated debentures

     235,058       235,058  

Convertible Senior Notes

     145,412       144,673  

Tower Group International, Ltd. stockholders’ equity

     1,197,299       980,836  

Total capitalization

   $ 1,647,769     $ 1,430,567  

Ratio of debt to total capitalization

     27.3     31.4

We monitor our capital adequacy to support our business on a regular basis. The future capital requirements of our business will depend on many factors, including our ability to write new business successfully and to establish premium rates and reserves at levels sufficient to cover losses. Our ability to underwrite is largely dependent upon the quality of our claims paying and financial strength ratings as evaluated by independent rating agencies. In particular, we require (1) sufficient capital to maintain our financial strength ratings, at a level considered necessary by management to enable our insurance subsidiaries to compete, and (2) sufficient capital to enable our insurance subsidiaries to meet the capital adequacy tests performed by statutory agencies in the United States and Bermuda.

Our $220 million credit facility, which matures on February 15, 2016 is used for general corporate purposes. We may seek to raise additional capital or may seek to return additional capital to our stockholders through share repurchases, cash dividends or other methods (or a combination of such methods). Any such determination will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will be dependent upon our profits, financial requirements and other factors, including legal restrictions, rating agency requirements, credit facility limitations and such other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant.

Cash Flows

The primary sources of consolidated cash flows are from the insurance subsidiaries’ gross premiums collected, ceding commissions from quota share reinsurers, loss payments by reinsurers, investment income and proceeds from the sale or maturity of investments. Funds are used by the insurance subsidiaries for loss payments and loss adjustment expenses. The insurance subsidiaries also use funds for ceded premium payments to reinsurers, which are paid on a net basis after subtracting losses paid on reinsured claims and reinsurance commissions on our net business, commissions to producers, salaries and other underwriting expenses as well as to purchase investments, fixed assets and to pay dividends to the Holding Company. The management companies’ primary sources of cash are management fees for acting as the attorneys-in-fact for the Reciprocal Exchanges.

The reconciliation of net income to cash provided from operations is generally influenced by the collection of premiums in advance of paid losses, the timing of reinsurance, issuing company settlements and loss payments.

 

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Cash flow and liquidity are categorized into three sources: (1) operating activities; (2) investing activities; and (3) financing activities, which are shown in the following table:

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
($ in thousands)    2013      2012  

Cash provided by (used in):

     

Operating activities

   $ (53,107)       $ 30,865       

Investing activities

     193,320         7,429       

Financing activities

     (10,560)         (9,311)       

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     129,653         28,983       

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year

     100,293         114,098       

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 229,946       $ 143,081       

Comparison of Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 and 2012

For the three months ended March 31, 2013, net cash used in operating activities was $53.1 million compared to cash provided by operation of $30.9 million for the same period in 2012. The decrease in operating cash flow is largely due to loss payments associated with Superstorm Sandy. Net paid loss and LAE (after considering cash receipts from reinsurers) for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were $292.8 million compared to $267.9 million in the same period in 2012. In addition, the Company’s outstanding drafts as of December 31, 2012 resulting from loss payments made in the fourth quarter of 2012 not yet presented for payment decreased by $23.7 million in the first quarter 2013 as cash settlements occurred. In the three months ended March 31, 2012, operating cash flow also included a reduction in collateral of $19.8 million.

Net cash flows provided by investing activities were $193.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to $7.4 million provided in the three months ended March 31, 2012. The majority of this increase is due to the $134.7 million of cash consolidated on March 13, 2013 resulting from the Merger Transaction. In addition, the Company sold certain of its investment securities during the quarter to provide liquidity for the settlement of loss and LAE claims. First quarter 2013 claims increased as a result of Superstorm Sandy.

The net cash flows used in financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2013 are primarily the result of use of cash for dividends of $7.2 million and $5.9 million used to acquire treasury stock associated with employee shared-based compensation programs. In the three months ended March 31, 2012, the Company used $7.4 million and $2.1 million, respectively, for dividends and acquiring treasury stock associated with employee shared-based compensation programs. The Company did not repurchase any common stock in the three months ended March 31, 2013 or 2012.

Cash flow needs at the Holding Company level are primarily for dividends to our stockholders, interest and principal payments on our outstanding debt and payments under the credit facility.

Insurance Subsidiaries

The insurance subsidiaries maintain sufficient liquidity to pay claims, operating expenses and meet other obligations. We monitor the expected claims payment needs and maintain a sufficient portion of our invested assets in cash and cash equivalents to enable us to fund the claims payments without having to sell longer-duration investments. As necessary, we adjust the holdings of short-term investments and cash and cash equivalents to provide sufficient liquidity to respond to changes in the anticipated pattern of claims payments.

The insurance subsidiaries are required by law to maintain a certain minimum level of policyholders’ surplus on a statutory basis. Policyholders’ surplus is calculated by subtracting total liabilities from total assets. The NAIC maintains risk-based capital (“RBC”) requirements for property and casualty insurance companies. RBC is a formula that attempts to evaluate the adequacy of statutory capital and surplus in relation to investments and insurance risks. The formula is designed to allow the state Insurance Departments to identify potential weakly capitalized companies. Under the formula, a company determines its risk-based capital by taking into account certain risks related to the insurer’s assets (including risks related to its investment portfolio and ceded reinsurance) and the insurer’s liabilities (including underwriting risks related to the nature and experience of its insurance business). Applying the RBC requirements as of March 31, 2013, the insurance subsidiaries’ risk-based capital exceeded the minimum level that would trigger regulatory attention.

Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

For a discussion of accounting standards, see “Note 2 – Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation” of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Market risk is the risk that we will incur losses in our investments due to adverse changes in market rates and prices. Market risk is directly influenced by the volatility and liquidity in the market in which the related underlying assets are invested. We believe that the way we manage them, and sensitivity to changes in interest rates, changes in credit quality of issuers of investment securities, and changes in equity price risks are summarized in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations as of December 31, 2012, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. There have been no material changes in the three months ended March  31, 2013.

Item 4.         Controls and Procedures

(a)     Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, based on their evaluation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e)), concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective for the purposes set forth in the definition thereof in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(e) as of March 31, 2013.

Because of its inherent limitations, our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree or compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

(b)     Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

As noted in Note 3 – Merger Transaction, we have completed the Merger Transaction and we are in the process of evaluating our internal control process to incorporate the operations in Bermuda.

Part II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. The Company does not believe that the resolution of any currently pending legal proceedings, either individually or taken as a whole, will have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations or financial condition.

In addition to litigation arising from the policies we issue, as with any company actively engaged in business, from time to time we may be involved in litigation involving non-policyholders such as vendors or other third parties with whom we have entered into contracts and out of which disputes have arisen, or litigation arising from employment-related matters, such as actions by employees claiming unlawful treatment or improper termination.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

The risk factors set forth below should be considered in conjunction with the risks discussed in Tower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 13, 2013, under the heading “Risk Factors.”

Risks Related to the Merger

The integration of the U.S. businesses conducted by TGI prior to the merger and the business conducted by the Company outside of the U.S. will create numerous risks and uncertainties, which could adversely affect the Company’s operating results or prevent the Company from realizing the expected benefits of the merger.

 

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Strategic transactions like the merger create numerous uncertainties and risks and require significant efforts and expenditures. TGI will transition from a standalone public Delaware corporation to being part of a combined company organized in Bermuda. This combination will entail many changes, including the integration of TGI with the Company, and changes in systems and other operations. These activities are complex, and the Company may encounter unexpected difficulties or incur unexpected costs, including

 

   

the diversion of the Company management’s attention to integration of operations and corporate and administrative infrastructures

 

   

difficulties in achieving anticipated business opportunities and growth prospects from combining the U.S. businesses conducted by TGI prior to the merger and the business conducted by the Company outside of the U.S ;

 

   

difficulties in the integration of operations and systems;

 

   

challenges in keeping existing insureds and cedents and obtaining new insureds and cedents; and

 

   

challenges in attracting and retaining key personnel.

If any of these factors impairs the Company’s ability to integrate the U.S. operations of TGI prior to the merger with the operations of the Company outside of the U.S. successfully or on a timely basis, the Company may not be able to realize the anticipated business opportunities and growth prospects from combining the businesses. In addition, the Company may be required to spend additional time or money on integration that otherwise would be spent on the development and expansion of its business.

In addition, the market price of the Company common shares may decline following the business combination, including if the integration of TGI and Company is unsuccessful, takes longer than expected or fails to achieve financial benefits to the extent anticipated by financial analysts or investors, or the effect of the business combination on the financial results of the combined company is otherwise not consistent with the expectations of financial analysts or investors.

As a result of the merger, the Company will continue to incur additional direct and indirect costs.

The Company will continue to incur additional costs and expenses in connection with and as a result of the merger. These costs and expenses include professional fees to comply with Bermuda corporate and tax laws and financial reporting requirements, costs and expenses incurred in connection with holding meetings of the Company Board of Directors and certain executive management meetings outside of the United States, as well as any additional costs the Company may incur going forward as a result of its new corporate structure. There can be no assurance that these costs will not exceed the costs historically borne by TGI and CHBL.

The market price of the Company’s common shares and the Company’s earnings per share may decline as a result of the merger.

The market price of the Company’s common shares may decline as a result of, among other things, the merger if the Company does not achieve the perceived benefits of the merger as rapidly or to the extent anticipated by financial or industry analysts or if the effect of the merger on the Company’s financial results is not consistent with the expectations of financial or industry analysts. In addition, the failure to achieve expected benefits and unanticipated costs relating to the merger could reduce the Company’s future earnings per share.

As the Company expands the operations of its Bermuda reinsurance subsidiaries, the Company will be increasingly exposed to the risks facing similarly situated Bermuda-based property and casualty reinsurers generally.

As the Company expands the operations of its Bermuda reinsurance subsidiaries following the merger, it will be increasingly exposed to the many and significant risks facing similarly situated Bermuda-based property and casualty reinsurers, including but not limited to:

 

   

the possibility that pricing changes in the reinsurance industry may make it more difficult for the Company to effectively compete or produce attractive returns;

 

   

the possibility of severe or unanticipated losses from natural or man-made catastrophes;

 

   

the effectiveness of the Company’s loss limitation methods with respect to reinsurance it underwrites;

 

   

the cyclical nature of the reinsurance industry;

 

   

the levels of new and renewal business achieved and the premium environment;

 

   

a lack of opportunities to increase writings in the Company’s reinsurance lines of business and in specific areas of the reinsurance market;

 

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the inherent uncertainties of establishing reserves for loss and loss adjustment expenses, and the Company’s reliance on industry loss estimates and those generated by modeling techniques;

 

   

unanticipated adjustments to premium estimates;

 

   

changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage;

 

   

the amount and timing of reinsurance recoverables and reimbursements the Company actually receives from its reinsurers; and

 

   

declining demand for reinsurance due to increased retentions by cedents and other factors.

We may be adversely affected by foreign currency fluctuations.

We report our financial information in U.S. dollars. We limit, when possible, capital levels in local currencies, subject to the satisfaction of minimum regulatory requirements and the support of our local insurance operations. In addition, we enter into reinsurance and insurance contracts where we are obligated to pay losses in currencies other than U.S. dollars. The principal currency creating foreign exchange risk is the British pound sterling. Currently, less than 5 percent of our net assets are denominated in foreign currencies. We may experience losses resulting from fluctuations in the values of non-U.S. currencies, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

The Bermudian regulatory system, and potential changes thereto, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business.

Bermuda statutes, regulations and policies of the Bermuda Monetary Authority, or the BMA, require Bermuda reinsurers to maintain minimum levels of statutory capital, surplus and liquidity, to meet solvency standards, to obtain prior approval of ownership and transfer of shares (in certain circumstances) and to submit to certain periodic examinations of its financial condition. These statutes and regulations may, in effect, restrict the ability of Bermuda-based reinsurance subsidiaries of the Company, such as Tower Reinsurance Ltd. (“TRL”), to write insurance and reinsurance policies, to make certain investments and to distribute funds.

Risks Relating to Our Common Shares

The rights of our shareholders are governed by Bermuda law, which has material and sometimes adverse differences relative to the corporate law of other jurisdictions, including Delaware.

The rights of our shareholders are governed by applicable Bermuda law, including the Bermuda Companies Act of 1981 (the “ Companies Act “), and by the Company’s memorandum of association and amended and restated bye-laws (the “Company’s bye-laws “).

The Companies Act differs in some material respects from laws generally applicable to Delaware corporations and their stockholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant provisions of the Companies Act, which includes, where relevant, information on modifications adopted under the Company’s bye-laws that differ in certain respects from Delaware corporate law. Because the following statements are summaries, they do not discuss all aspects of Bermuda law that may be relevant to the Company and its shareholders.

Interested Directors. Under Bermuda law and the Company’s bye-laws, a transaction entered into by the Company, in which a director has an interest, will not be voidable by the Company, and such director will not be accountable to the Company for any benefit realized under that transaction, provided the nature of the interest is disclosed at the first opportunity at a meeting of the Board of Directors, or in writing, to the Board of Directors. In addition, the Company’s bye-laws allow a director to be taken into account in determining whether a quorum is present and to vote on a transaction in which that director has an interest following a declaration of the interest under the Companies Act, unless the majority of the disinterested directors determine otherwise. Under Delaware law, the transaction would not be voidable if:

 

   

the material facts as to the interested director’s relationship or interests were disclosed or were known to the Board and the Board in good faith authorized the transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors;

 

   

the material facts were disclosed or were known to the stockholders entitled to vote on such transaction and the transaction was specifically approved in good faith by vote of the majority of shares entitled to vote thereon; or

 

   

the transaction was fair as to the corporation at the time it was authorized, approved or ratified.

Business Combinations with Large Shareholders or Affiliates. As a Bermuda company, the Company may enter into business combinations with its large shareholders or one or more wholly owned subsidiaries, including asset sales and other transactions in which a large shareholder or a wholly owned subsidiary receives, or could receive, a financial benefit that is greater than that received, or to be received, by other shareholders or other wholly owned subsidiaries, without obtaining prior approval from the Company’s shareholders and without special approval from the Company’s Board of Directors. Under Bermuda law, amalgamations and mergers require the approval of the Board of the Directors, and except in the case of amalgamations or mergers with and between wholly owned subsidiaries, shareholder approval. However, when the affairs of a Bermuda company are being conducted in a manner that is oppressive or prejudicial to the interests of some shareholders, one or more shareholders may apply to a Bermuda court, which may make an order as it sees fit, including an order regulating the conduct of the company’s affairs in the future or ordering the purchase of the shares of any shareholders by other shareholders or the company. If the Company were

 

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a Delaware company, it would need prior approval from the Board of Directors or a supermajority of its stockholders to enter into a business combination with an interested shareholder for a period of three years from the time the person became an interested stockholder, unless the Company opted out of the relevant Delaware statute. Bermuda law and the Company’s bye-laws would require the Board’s approval and, in some instances, shareholder approval of such transactions.

Shareholders’ Suits. The rights of shareholders under Bermuda law are not as extensive as the rights of shareholders in many U.S. jurisdictions. Class actions and derivative actions are generally not available to shareholders under the laws of Bermuda. However, the Bermuda courts ordinarily would be expected to follow English case law precedent, which would permit a shareholder to commence a derivative action in the Company’s name to remedy a wrong done to the Company where an act is alleged to be beyond its corporate power, is illegal or would result in the violation of its memorandum of association or bye-laws. Furthermore, consideration would be given by the court to acts that are alleged to constitute (i) fraud against the minority shareholders or (ii) an act that required the approval of a greater percentage of the Company’s shareholders than actually approved it. The winning party in such an action generally would be able to recover a portion of attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the action. the Company’s bye-laws provide that shareholders waive all claims or rights of action that they might have, individually or in the right of the Company, against any director or officer for any act or failure to act in the performance of such director’s or officer’s duties, except with respect to any fraud or dishonesty of the director or officer or to recover any gain, personal profit or advantage to which the director or officer is not legally entitled. Class actions and derivative actions generally are available to stockholders under Delaware law for, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste and actions not taken in accordance with applicable law. In such actions, the court has discretion to permit the winning party to recover attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the action.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers. Under Bermuda law and the Company’s bye-laws, the Company is required to indemnify its directors, officers, any other person appointed to a committee of the Board (and their respective heirs, executors or administrators) to the fullest extent permitted by law against all liabilities, actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses, incurred or sustained by such persons by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in the (actual or alleged) conduct of the Company’s business or in the discharge of their duties; provided that such indemnification shall not extend to any matter that would render such indemnification void under the Companies Act. Under Delaware law, a corporation may indemnify a director or officer of the corporation against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in defense of an action, suit or proceeding by reason of such position if (i) such director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, such director or officer had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

Anti-takeover provisions in the Company’s bye-laws could delay or deter a takeover attempt that shareholders might consider to be desirable and may make it more difficult to replace members of the Company’s Board of Directors.

The Company’s bye-laws contain provisions that may entrench directors and make it more difficult for shareholders to replace directors even if the shareholders consider it beneficial to do so. In addition, these provisions could delay or prevent a change of control that a shareholder might consider favorable. For example, these provisions may prevent a shareholder from receiving the benefit from any premium over the market price of the Company’s common shares offered by a bidder in a potential takeover. Even in the absence of an attempt to effect a change in management or a takeover attempt, these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of the Company’s common shares if they are viewed as discouraging changes in management and takeover attempts in the future.

The Company’s shareholders may have difficulty effecting service of process on the Company or enforcing judgments against the Company in the United States.

The Company is organized under the laws of Bermuda and a portion of the Company’s business will be based in Bermuda. In addition, certain of the Company’s directors and officers may reside in Bermuda or other jurisdictions outside of the United States. As such, the Company has been advised that there is doubt as to whether a holder of the Company common shares would be able to (i) enforce, in the courts of Bermuda, judgments of U.S. courts against persons who reside in Bermuda based upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or (ii) bring an original action in the Bermuda courts to enforce liabilities against the Company or its directors and officers who reside outside of the United States, based solely upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws.

Further, the Company has been advised that there is no treaty in effect between the United States and Bermuda providing for the enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, and there are grounds upon which Bermuda courts may not enforce judgments of U.S. courts. Because judgments of U.S. courts are not automatically enforceable in Bermuda, it may be difficult for the Company’s shareholders to recover against the Company based on such judgments.

 

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U.S. Federal and Bermuda Tax Risks Related to Purchasing and Owning Shares of the Company.

The merger may have adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences on the Company under certain circumstances.

Section 7874 of the Code addresses “inversion” transactions, which refer in relevant part to transactions in which a U.S. corporation becomes a subsidiary of a foreign corporation. This section provides that in certain instances such foreign corporation may be treated as a domestic corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Because the former holders of TGI common stock did not acquire 80 percent or more of the stock (by vote or value) of the Company by reason of the merger (the “ ownership test “), we believe that the Company should not be treated as a domestic corporation under section 7874 of the Code. Nevertheless, it is possible that the IRS could assert that section 7874 of the Code applies to treat the Company as a domestic corporation following the merger. Such IRS position, if sustained, would result in significant tax liability to the Company and other adverse tax consequences. There is limited guidance regarding the application of the section 7874 provisions, including the ownership test. Moreover, new statutory and/or regulatory provisions under section 7874 of the Code (or otherwise) could be enacted or promulgated that adversely affect the Company’s status as a foreign corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes, and any such provisions could have retroactive application to the Company.

The Company and the Company’s Bermuda subsidiaries may become subject to Bermuda taxes after March 31, 2035.

Bermuda currently imposes no income tax on corporations. Canopius Bermuda has obtained an assurance from the Bermuda Minister of Finance under The Exempted Undertakings Tax Protection Act 1966 of Bermuda, that if any legislation is enacted in Bermuda that would impose tax computed on profits or income, or computed on any capital asset, gain or appreciation, or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax, then the imposition of any such tax will not be applicable to the Company or its Bermuda subsidiaries, until March 31, 2035. We cannot assure you that the Company or its Bermuda subsidiaries will not be subject to any Bermuda tax after that date.

The Company and the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries may be subject to U.S. tax, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

We believe that the Company and its non-U.S. subsidiaries have operated, and intend to continue to operate, in such a manner as to minimize the risk that we or our subsidiaries would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the United States (and, in the case of those non-U.S. subsidiaries qualifying for treaty protection, in such a manner as to minimize the risk that any of such non-U.S. subsidiaries would be considered to be doing business through a permanent establishment in the United States), and therefore subject to U.S. federal net income taxes or branch profits taxes. However, because there is uncertainty as to the activities that constitute being engaged in a trade or business within the United States, and what constitutes a permanent establishment under the applicable tax treaties, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend successfully that the Company or one or more of its non-U.S. subsidiaries is or has been engaged in a trade or business, or is or has been carrying on business through a permanent establishment, in the United States.

Dividends paid by the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries to the Company will be subject to a 30 percent withholding tax.

Foreign corporations are generally subject to U.S. income tax imposed by withholding on certain “fixed or determinable annual or periodic gains, profits and income” derived from sources within the U.S. (such as dividends and certain interest), subject to exemption under the Code or reduction by applicable treaties. The income tax treaty between the United States of America and Bermuda, as amended, does not reduce the U.S. withholding rate on such U.S.-source income. The non-treaty rate of U.S. withholding tax is currently 30 percent. Accordingly, dividends and interest, if any, paid by the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries to the Company will be subject to a 30 percent U.S. withholding tax.

The reinsurance agreements between the Company and the Company’s U.S. subsidiaries may be subject to recharacterization or other adjustment for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and operating results.

Under section 845 of the Code, the IRS may allocate income, deductions, assets, reserves, credits and any other items related to a reinsurance agreement among certain related parties, recharacterize such items, or make any other adjustment, in order to reflect the proper source, character or amount of the items for each party. In addition, if a reinsurance contract has a significant tax avoidance effect on any party to the contract, the IRS may make adjustments with respect to such party to eliminate the tax avoidance effect. No regulations have been issued under section 845 of the Code. Accordingly, the application of such provisions to the Company and its subsidiaries is uncertain and we cannot predict what impact, if any, such provisions may have on the Company or its subsidiaries either before or after completion of the merger.

If the Company is classified as a passive foreign investment company (a “PFIC”) your taxes could increase.

If the Company is classified as a PFIC, such classification would have material adverse tax consequences for U.S. persons that directly or indirectly own the Company’s shares, including subjecting such U.S. persons to a greater tax liability than might otherwise apply. We believe that the Company should not be, and currently do not expect the Company to become, a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes; however, no assurance can be given that the Company is not and will not become a PFIC.

 

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There are currently no regulations regarding the application of the PFIC provisions to an insurance company. New regulations or pronouncements interpreting or clarifying these provisions may be forthcoming. We cannot predict what impact, if any, such guidance would have on persons subject to U.S. federal income tax that directly or indirectly own the Company’s shares. Moreover, if the Company is a PFIC for any years in which dividends are paid or for the preceding year, such dividends will not be eligible for the reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax applicable to “qualified dividends.”

If you own or are treated as owning 10 percent or more of the Company’s shares and the Company or one or more of its non-U.S. subsidiaries is classified as a controlled foreign corporation (a “CFC”), your taxes could increase.

Each United States person (as defined in section 957(c) of the Code) who (i) owns (directly, indirectly through non-U.S. persons, or constructively by application of certain attribution rules (“constructively”)) 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of a non-U.S. corporation at any time during a taxable year (a “ 10 percent U.S. Shareholder “) and (ii) owns (directly or indirectly through non-U.S. persons) shares of such non-U.S. corporation on the last day of such taxable year, must include in its gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes its pro rata share of the CFC’s “subpart F income,” even if the subpart F income is not distributed, if such non-U.S. corporation has been a CFC for an uninterrupted period of 30 days or more during such taxable year. A non-U.S. corporation is considered a CFC if 10 percent U.S. Shareholders own (directly, indirectly through non-U.S. persons, or constructively) more than 50 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting shares of such non-U.S. corporation or more than 50 percent of the total value of all shares of such corporation. For purposes of taking into account subpart F insurance income, a CFC also generally includes a non-U.S. insurance company in which more than 25 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares or more than 25 percent of the total value of all shares is owned (directly, indirectly through non-U.S. persons or constructively) by 10 percent U.S. Shareholders, on any day during the taxable year of such corporation. We cannot assure you that the Company or its non-U.S. subsidiaries will not be classified as CFCs. Furthermore, due to the attribution provisions of the Code regarding determination of beneficial ownership, you may be a 10 percent U.S. Shareholder even though you do not directly own 10 percent or more of the total combined voting power of the Company.

If one or more of the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries is determined to have related person insurance income (“RPII”), you may be subject to U.S. taxation on your pro rata share of such income.

If the Company is directly, indirectly through non-U.S. persons or constructively owned 25 percent or more by U.S. persons and the RPII of any of the Company’s non-U.S. insurance subsidiaries were to equal or exceed 20 percent of such subsidiary’s gross insurance income in any taxable year and direct or indirect insureds (and persons related to such insureds within the meaning of section 953(c)(6) of the Code) owned, directly or indirectly through entities (including the Company), 20 percent or more of the voting power or value of such non-U.S. insurance subsidiary, then a U.S. person who owns any of the Company’s shares (directly or indirectly through non-U.S. persons) on the last day of the taxable year would be required to include in its income for U.S. federal income tax purposes such person’s pro rata share of such subsidiary’s RPII for the entire taxable year, generally determined as if such RPII were distributed proportionately only to U.S. persons at that date regardless of whether such income is distributed. The amount of RPII earned by the Company’s non-U.S. insurance subsidiaries (generally, premium and related investment income from the direct or indirect insurance or reinsurance of any direct or indirect U.S. holder of common shares or any person related to such holder within the meaning of section 953(c)(6) of the Code) will depend on a number of factors, including the identity of persons directly or indirectly insured or reinsured by such non-U.S. insurance subsidiaries. The gross RPII of each of the Company’s non-U.S. insurance subsidiaries is not expected in the foreseeable future to equal or exceed 20 percent of such subsidiary’s gross insurance income. No assurance can be given that this will be the case because some of the factors that determine the existence or extent of RPII may be beyond the Company’s knowledge and/or control.

The RPII rules provide that if a U.S. person disposes of shares in a non-U.S. insurance corporation in which U.S. persons own 25 percent or more of the shares (even if the amount of RPII is less than 20 percent of such corporation’s gross insurance income and the ownership of its shares by direct or indirect insureds and related persons is less than the 20 percent threshold), any gain from the disposition will generally be treated as ordinary income to the extent of such U.S. person’s share of the corporation’s undistributed earnings and profits that were accumulated during the period that such U.S. person owned the shares (whether or not such earnings and profits are attributable to RPII). In addition, such U.S. person will be required to comply with certain reporting requirements, regardless of the number of shares owned by such U.S. person. Although the Company will not itself be directly engaged in the insurance business, TRL will be so engaged and other non-U.S. subsidiaries of the Company may be so engaged. As a result, it is possible that these RPII rules will apply to disposition of the Company shares. The RPII provisions have never been interpreted by the courts or the U.S. Treasury Department in final regulations, and regulations interpreting the RPII provisions of the Code exist only in proposed form. It is not certain whether these regulations will be adopted in their proposed form or what changes or clarifications might ultimately be made thereto or whether any such changes, as well as any interpretation or application of RPII by the IRS, the courts or otherwise, might have retroactive effect. The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to impose, among other things, additional reporting requirements with respect to RPII. Accordingly, the meaning of the RPII provisions and the application of those provisions to the Company and its non-U.S. subsidiaries are uncertain.

 

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U.S. tax-exempt organizations that own the Company’s shares may recognize unrelated business taxable income.

A U.S. tax-exempt organization may recognize unrelated business taxable income if a portion of the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries’ insurance income is attributed to such organization. In general, insurance income will be attributed to a U.S. tax-exempt stockholder if either the Company is a CFC and such tax-exempt stockholder is a 10 percent U.S. Shareholder or there is RPII and the exceptions described above do not apply.

U.S. tax-exempt investors should consult their tax advisors as to the U.S. tax consequences of an investment in the Company shares.

Changes in U.S. federal income tax law could be retroactive and may subject the Company or its non-U.S. subsidiaries to U.S. federal income taxation.

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress intended to eliminate certain perceived tax advantages of companies (including insurance companies) that have legal domiciles outside the United States but have certain U.S. connections. There are currently pending legislative proposals which, if enacted, could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its shareholders. It is possible that broader-based or new legislative proposals could emerge in the future that could have an adverse effect on the Company, its non-U.S. subsidiaries and its shareholders.

The tax laws and interpretations regarding whether a company is engaged in a U.S. trade or business or whether a company is a CFC or PFIC or has RPII or subject to the inversion tax rules are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. There are currently no regulations regarding the application of the PFIC rules to an insurance company. Additionally, the regulations regarding RPII are still in proposed form and the regulations regarding inversion transactions are in temporary form. New regulations or pronouncements interpreting or clarifying such rules will likely be forthcoming from the IRS. We are not able to predict if, when or in what form such guidance will be provided and whether such guidance will be applied on a retroactive basis.

There is uncertainty regarding the application of the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) to the Company and its subsidiaries.

FATCA requires certain foreign financial institutions and other foreign entities to undertake due diligence procedures to identify and provide information about shareholders and accounts held by US persons. In cases of non-compliance, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed. The application of FATCA to the Company, its subsidiaries and their operations is uncertain.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

In the first quarter of 2013, the Company purchased 340,707 shares of its common stock from employees in connection with the vesting of restricted stock issued in connection with its 2008 Long Term Equity Compensation Plan (the “Plan”). The shares were withheld at the direction of the employees as permitted under the Plan in order to pay the minimum amount of tax liability owed by the employee from the vesting of those shares.

TGI’s previously approved share repurchase program expired in March 2013.

The following table summarizes the Company’s stock repurchases for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

 

Period    Total
Number
of Shares
Purchased (1)
     Average
Price Paid
per Share (2)
     Total Number
of Shares
Purchased as Part
of Publically
Announced  Repurchase
Plans or Programs
     Maximum Number
(or Approximate
Dollar Value) of
Shares that May Yet
be Purchased Under
the Repurchase Plans
 

First quarter

           

January 1 -31, 2013

     -       $ -         -       $ -   

February 1 -28, 2013

     -         -         -         -   

March 1 -31, 2013

     340,707         17.18        -         5,852,783  

Subtotal first quarter

     340,707         17.18        -         5,852,783  

 

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(1)  Includes 340,707 shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding amounts due from employees upon the receipt of previously restricted shares.
(2)  Including commissions.

Item 6. Exhibits

 

Exhibit 31.1    Chief Executive Officer - Certification pursuant to Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Section 302
Exhibit 31.2    Chief Financial Officer - Certification pursuant to Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Section 302
Exhibit 32    Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer - Certification pursuant to Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Section 906
EX-101    INSTANCE DOCUMENT
EX-101    SCHEMA DOCUMENT
EX-101    CALCULATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101    LABELS LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101    PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101    DEFINITION LINKBASE DOCUMENT

 

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Signatures

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, thereunto duly authorized.

 

    Tower Group International, Ltd.  
   

Registrant

 
Date: May 10, 2013     /s/ Michael H. Lee
    Michael H. Lee
   

Chairman of the Board,

President and Chief Executive Officer

Date: May 10, 2013

    /s/ William E. Hitselberger
    Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

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