Statutory Accounting

Our U.S. insurance subsidiaries prepare statutory-basis financial statements in accordance with the accounting practices prescribed or permitted by their respective state’s department of insurance, which is a comprehensive basis of accounting other than GAAP. We did not use any prescribed or permitted statutory accounting practices (individually or in the aggregate) that resulted in reported statutory surplus or capital that was significantly different from the statutory surplus or capital that would have been reported had National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ statutory accounting practices been followed. The following table presents Essent Guaranty’s and Essent PA’s statutory net income, statutory surplus and contingency reserve liability as of and for the years ended December 31:



(In thousands)	2015		2014		2013
Essent Guaranty
Statutory net income	$	172,688	$	118,204	$	49,838
Statutory surplus	522,172		465,226		346,406
Contingency reserve liability	315,058		179,221		79,921

Essent PA
Statutory net income	$	15,200	$	13,299	$	5,926
Statutory surplus	47,139		42,672		34,528
Contingency reserve liability	27,502		16,909		6,857

Net income determined in accordance with statutory accounting practices differs from GAAP. In 2015, the more significant differences between net income determined under statutory accounting practices and GAAP for Essent Guaranty and Essent PA relate to policy acquisition costs and income taxes. Under statutory accounting practices, policy acquisition costs are expensed as incurred while such costs are capitalized and amortized to expense over the life of the policy under GAAP. As discussed in Note 11, we are eligible for a tax deduction, subject to certain limitations for amounts required by state law or regulation to be set aside in statutory contingency reserves when we purchase T&L Bonds. Under statutory accounting practices, this deduction reduces the tax provision recorded by Essent Guaranty and Essent PA and, as a result, increases statutory net income and surplus as compared to net income and equity determined in accordance with GAAP.

At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the statutory capital of our U.S. insurance subsidiaries, which is defined as the total of statutory surplus and contingency reserves, was well in excess of the statutory capital necessary to satisfy their regulatory requirements.

Effective December 31, 2015, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, at the direction of the FHFA, implemented new coordinated Private Mortgage Insurer Eligibility Requirements, which we refer to as the "PMIERs." The PMIERs represent the standards by which private mortgage insurers are eligible to provide mortgage insurance on loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The PMIERs include financial strength requirements incorporating a risk-based framework that require approved insurers to have a sufficient level of liquid assets from which to pay claims. The PMIERs also include enhanced operational performance expectations and define remedial actions that apply should an approved insurer fail to comply with these requirements. As of December 31, 2015, Essent Guaranty, our GSE-approved mortgage insurance company, was in compliance with the PMIERs.

Statement of Statutory Accounting Principles No. 58, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance, requires mortgage insurers to establish a special contingency reserve for statutory accounting purposes included in total liabilities equal to 50% of earned premium for that year. During 2015, Essent Guaranty increased its contingency reserve by $135.8 million and Essent PA increased its contingency reserve by $10.6 million. This reserve is required to be maintained for a period of 120 months to protect against the effects of adverse economic cycles. After 120 months, the reserve is released to unassigned funds. In the event an insurer’s loss ratio in any calendar year exceeds 35%, however, the insurer may, after regulatory approval, release from its contingency reserves an amount equal to the excess portion of such losses. Essent Guaranty and Essent PA did not release any amounts from their contingency reserves in 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Under The Insurance Act 1978, as amended, and related regulations of Bermuda (the "Insurance Act"), Essent Re is required to annually prepare statutory financial statements and a statutory financial return in accordance with the financial reporting provisions of the Insurance Act, which is a basis other than GAAP. The Insurance Act also requires that Essent Re maintain minimum share capital and must ensure that the value of its general business assets exceeds the amount of its general business liabilities by an amount greater than the prescribed minimum solvency margins and enhanced capital requirement pertaining to its general business. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, all such requirements were met.

The statutory capital and surplus and statutory income for Essent Re at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was as follows:



	December 31, 2015				December 31, 2014
(In thousands)	Actual		Required		Actual		Required
Statutory capital and surplus:	$	213,036	$	1,000	$	152,601	$	1,000

Statutory net income:	$	26,679			$	2,420

Statutory capital and surplus and net income determined in accordance with statutory accounting practices differs from GAAP. In 2015, the more significant differences from GAAP for Essent Re relate to policy acquisition costs and accounting for insurance and certain reinsurance policies issued in connection with the ACIS program. Under statutory accounting practices, deferred policy acquisition costs are designated as nonadmitted and are excluded from the balance sheet and charged directly to surplus. Under GAAP, such deferred costs are amortized to expense over the life of the policy. Under statutory accounting practices, the insurance and reinsurance policies issued in connection with the ACIS program are accounted for as insurance with premium received recorded as premiums earned. Under GAAP, the insurance and certain reinsurance policies for the ACIS program are accounted for as derivatives with the fair value of these policies reported as an asset or liability and changes in the fair value of these policies reported in earnings as a component of other income.