Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

The accounting standards related to fair value measurements define fair value, establish a framework for measuring fair value, outline a fair value hierarchy based on inputs used to measure fair value, and enhance disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. These standards do not change existing guidance as to whether or not an instrument is carried at fair value. The Company has determined that its fair value measurements are in accordance with the requirements of these accounting standards.

The Company’s invested assets are carried at their fair value and are categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy:

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Level 1 – inputs utilize quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

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Level 2 – inputs utilize other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for similar assets, either directly or indirectly.

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Level 3 – inputs are unobservable for the asset, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset.

In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls has been determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset.

The following table presents information about the Company’s invested assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques utilized by the Company to determine such fair value.


	Fair Value Measurements
As of September 30, 2023 (Dollars in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Fixed maturities:
U.S. treasuries	$	445,171	$	—	$	—	$	445,171
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		—		26,215		—		26,215
Mortgage-backed securities		—		58,153		949		59,102
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		—		78,760		—		78,760
Asset-backed securities		—		200,974		—		200,974
Corporate bonds		—		319,056		1,431		320,487
Foreign corporate bonds		—		156,386		—		156,386
Total fixed maturities		445,171		839,544		2,380		1,287,095
Equity securities		—		15,765		1,189		16,954
Total assets measured at fair value	$	445,171	$	855,309	$	3,569	$	1,304,049


	Fair Value Measurements
As of December 31, 2022 (Dollars in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Assets:
Fixed maturities:
U.S. treasuries	$	344,103	$	—	$	—	$	344,103
Obligations of states and political subdivisions		—		31,595		—		31,595
Mortgage-backed securities		—		61,156		960		62,116
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		—		98,664		—		98,664
Asset-backed securities		—		189,073		327		189,400
Corporate bonds		—		336,767		2,013		338,780
Foreign corporate bonds		—		183,540		—		183,540
Total fixed maturities		344,103		900,795		3,300		1,248,198
Equity securities		—		16,249		1,271		17,520
Total assets measured at fair value	$	344,103	$	917,044	$	4,571	$	1,265,718

The securities classified as Level 1 in the above tables consist of U.S. treasuries actively traded on an exchange.

The securities classified as Level 2 in the above tables consist primarily of fixed maturities and equity securities. Based on the typical trading volumes and the lack of quoted market prices for fixed maturities, security prices are derived through recent reported trades for identical or similar securities making adjustments through the reporting date based upon available market observable information. If there are no recent reported trades, matrix or model processes are used to develop a security price where future cash flow expectations are developed based upon collateral performance and discounted at an estimated market rate. Included in the pricing of asset-backed securities, collateralized mortgage obligations, and mortgage-backed securities are estimates of the rate of future prepayments of principal over the remaining life of the securities. Such estimates are derived based on the characteristics of the underlying structure and prepayment speeds previously experienced at the interest rate levels projected for the underlying collateral.

The investments classified as Level 3 in the above table consist of fixed maturities and equity securities with unobservable inputs.

The following table presents changes in Level 3 investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the quarters and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:


	Quarters Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2023			2022			2023			2022
Beginning balance	$	3,787		$	4,350		$	4,571		$	2,769
Total gains (realized / unrealized):
Included in accumulated other comprehensive income		3			(45	)		10			(29	)
Included in earnings attributable to realized gains / losses		24			(4	)		(148	)		(175	)
Transfers into level 3		—			—			—			857
Amortization of bond premium and discount, net		1			2			5			4
Purchases		182			596			295			2,075
Sales		(428	)		(652	)		(1,164	)		(1,254	)
Ending balance		3,569			4,247			3,569			4,247
Gains (losses) included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains (losses) related to assets still held at end of reporting period	$	31		$	(4	)	$	(131	)	$	(19	)

Fair Value of Alternative Investments

Other invested assets consist of limited partnerships whose carrying value approximates fair value. The following table provides the fair value and future funding commitments related to these investments at September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.


	September 30, 2023				December 31, 2022
(Dollars in thousands)	Fair Value		Future Funding Commitment		Fair Value		Future Funding Commitment
European Non-Performing Loan Fund, LP (1)	$	4,110	$	14,214	$	4,832	$	14,214
Mortgage Debt Fund, LP (2)		9,064		—		9,771		—
Global Debt Fund, LP (3)		23,694		—		23,573		—
Total	$	36,868	$	14,214	$	38,176	$	14,214

(1)

This limited partnership invests in distressed securities and assets through senior and subordinated, secured and unsecured debt and equity, in both public and private large-cap and middle-market companies. The Company does not have the ability to sell or transfer its limited partnership interest without consent from the general partner. The Company does not have the contractual option to redeem its limited partnership interest but receives distributions based on the liquidation of the underlying assets.

(2)

This limited partnership invests in REIT qualifying assets such as mortgage loans, investor property loans, and commercial mortgage loans. The Company does not have the ability to sell or transfer its limited partnership interest without consent from the general partner. The Company does not have the contractual option to redeem its limited partnership interest but receives distributions based on the liquidation of the underlying assets.

(3)

This limited partnership invests in performing, stressed or distressed securities and loans across the global fixed income markets. The Company does have the contractual option to withdraw all or a portion of its limited partnership interest by providing notice to the fund.

Limited Liability Companies and Limited Partnerships with ownership interest exceeding 3%

The Company uses the equity method to account for investments in limited liability companies and limited partnerships where its ownership interest exceeds 3%. The equity method of accounting for an investment in limited liability companies and limited partnerships requires that its cost basis be updated to account for the income or loss earned on the investment. In the Fair Value of Alternative Investments table above, all of the investments are booked on a one quarter lag due to non-availability of data at the time the financial statements are prepared. The investment income (loss) associated with the limited liability companies and limited partnerships whose ownership interest exceeds 3% is reflected in the consolidated statements of operations in the amounts of $0.1 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and $0.8 million and ($5.2) million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Pricing

The Company’s pricing vendors provide prices for all investment categories except for investments in limited liability companies and limited partnerships. Two primary vendors are utilized to provide prices for equity and fixed maturity securities.

The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used by the Company’s pricing vendors for investment securities carried at fair value:

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Equity security prices are received from primary and secondary exchanges.

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Corporate and agency bonds are evaluated by utilizing a spread to a benchmark curve. Bonds with similar characteristics are grouped into specific sectors. Inputs for both asset classes consist of trade prices, broker quotes, the new issue market, and prices on comparable securities.

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Data from commercial vendors is aggregated with market information, then converted into an option adjusted spread (“OAS”) matrix and prepayment model used for collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMO”). CMOs are categorized with mortgage-backed securities in the tables listed above. For asset-backed securities, spread data is derived from trade prices, dealer quotations, and research reports. For both asset classes, evaluations utilize standard inputs plus new issue data, and collateral performance. The evaluated pricing models incorporate cash flows, broker quotes, market trades, historical prepayment speeds, and dealer projected speeds.

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For obligations of state and political subdivisions, an attribute-based modeling system is used. The pricing model incorporates trades, market clearing yields, market color, and fundamental credit research.

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U.S. treasuries are evaluated by obtaining feeds from a number of live data sources including primary and secondary dealers as well as inter-dealer brokers.

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For mortgage-backed securities, various external analytical products are utilized and purchased from commercial vendors.

The Company performs certain procedures to validate whether the pricing information received from the pricing vendors is reasonable, to ensure that the fair value determination is consistent with accounting guidance, and to ensure that its assets are properly classified in the fair value hierarchy. The Company’s procedures include, but are not limited to:

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Reviewing periodic reports provided by the Investment Manager that provides information regarding rating changes and securities placed on watch. This procedure allows the Company to understand why a particular security’s market value may have changed or may potentially change.

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Understanding and periodically evaluating the various pricing methods and procedures used by the Company’s pricing vendors to ensure that investments are properly classified within the fair value hierarchy.

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On a quarterly basis, the Company corroborates investment security prices received from its pricing vendors by obtaining pricing from a second pricing vendor for a sample of securities.

During the quarters and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company has not adjusted quotes or prices obtained from the pricing vendors.

- Definition

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

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