Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

The Company’s financial instruments include assets and liabilities carried at fair value, as well as assets and liabilities carried at cost or amortized cost but disclosed at fair value in its consolidated financial statements. In determining fair value, the market approach is generally applied, which uses prices and other relevant data based on market transactions involving identical or comparable assets and liabilities.

The Company uses data primarily provided by third-party investment managers or pricing vendors to determine the fair value of its investments. Periodic analyses are performed on prices received from third parties to determine whether the prices are reasonable estimates of fair value. The analyses include a review of month-to-month price fluctuations and, as needed, a comparison of pricing services’ valuations to other pricing services’ valuations for the identical security.

The Company classifies its financial instruments into the following three-level hierarchy:

Level 1 - Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets at the measurement

date.

Level 2 - Inputs are other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability through

corroboration with market data at the measurement date.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in

pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date.

The following methods and assumptions were used in estimating the fair value disclosures for financial instruments in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and in these notes:

U.S. government securities, mutual funds and common stock

The Company uses unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments in an active exchange to measure fair value which represent Level 1 inputs.

Preferred stocks, municipal securities, corporate securities and miscellaneous

The Company uses a pricing model that utilizes market-based inputs such as trades in an illiquid market for a particular security or trades in active markets for securities with similar characteristics. The model considers other inputs such as benchmark yields, issuer spreads, security terms and conditions, and other market data. These represent Level 2 fair value inputs.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities, residential mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities

The Company uses a pricing model that utilizes market-based inputs that may include dealer quotes, market spreads, and yield curves. It may evaluate individual tranches in a security by determining cash flows using the security’s terms and conditions, collateral performance, credit information benchmark yields and estimated prepayments. These represent Level 2 fair value inputs.

Mortgage loans

Mortgage loans have variable interest rates and are collateralized by real property. The Company determines fair value of mortgage loans using the income approach utilizing inputs that are observable and unobservable (Level 3). The unobservable input consists of the spread applied to a prime rate used to discount cash flows. The spread represents the incremental cost of capital based on the borrower’s ability to make future payments and the value of the collateral relative to the loan balance and is subject to judgement and uncertainty.

The following table sets forth the range and weighted average, weighted by relative fair value, of the spread as of December 31, 2023:



	December 31, 2023
High	9.50	%
Low	3.25	%
Weighted average	7.05	%

The following tables set forth the Company’s investments within the fair value hierarchy at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022:


December 31, 2023
($ in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale:
U.S. government securities	$	44,166	$	—	$	—	$	44,166
Corporate securities and miscellaneous	—		383,420		—		383,420
Municipal securities	—		92,778		—		92,778
Residential mortgage-backed securities	—		281,626		—		281,626
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	—		29,934		—		29,934
Other asset-backed securities	—		185,727		—		185,727
Total fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale	44,166		973,485		—		1,017,651
Fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity:
Other asset-backed securities	—		—		41,017		41,017
Total fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity	—		—		41,017		41,017
Common stocks:
Consumer discretionary	2,313		—		—		2,313
Consumer staples	14,015		—		—		14,015
Energy	3,187		—		—		3,187
Finance	24,267		—		—		24,267
Industrial	12,170		—		—		12,170
Information technology	5,192		—		—		5,192
Materials	3,782		—		—		3,782
Other	2,499		—		—		2,499
Total common stocks	67,425		—		—		67,425
Preferred stocks:
Consumer staples	—		433		—		433
Finance	—		5,061		—		5,061
Industrial	—		1,052		—		1,052
Other	—		812		—		812
Total preferred stocks	—		7,358		—		7,358
Mutual funds:
Fixed income	5,405		—		—		5,405
Equity	37,546		—		—		37,546
Commodity	515		—		—		515
Total mutual funds	43,466		—		—		43,466
Total equity securities	110,891		7,358		—		118,249
Mortgage loans	—		—		50,070		50,070
Short-term investments	270,226		—		—		270,226
Total investments	$	425,283	$	980,843	$	91,087	$	1,497,213


December 31, 2022
($ in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
Fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale:
U.S. government securities	$	48,541	$	—	$	—	$	48,541
Corporate securities and miscellaneous	—		235,129		—		235,129
Municipal securities	—		57,727		—		57,727
Residential mortgage-backed securities	—		119,856		—		119,856
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	—		36,495		—		36,495
Other asset-backed securities	—		109,824		—		109,824
Total fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale	48,541		559,031		—		607,572
Fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity:
Other asset-backed securities	—		—		46,771		46,771
Total fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity	—		—		46,771		46,771
Common stocks:
Consumer discretionary	1,948		—		—		1,948
Consumer staples	12,036		—		—		12,036
Energy	3,241		—		—		3,241
Finance	22,636		—		—		22,636
Industrial	9,452		—		—		9,452
Information technology	2,284		—		—		2,284
Materials	2,820		—		—		2,820
Other	1,579		—		—		1,579
Total common stocks	55,996		—		—		55,996
Preferred stocks:
Consumer staples	—		117		—		117
Finance	—		7,085		—		7,085
Industrial	—		1,020		—		1,020
Other	—		549		—		549
Total preferred stocks	—		8,771		—		8,771
Mutual funds:
Fixed income	5,068		—		—		5,068
Equity	49,773		—		—		49,773
Commodity	561		—		—		561
Total mutual funds	55,402		—		—		55,402
Total equity securities	111,398		8,771		—		120,169
Mortgage loans	—		—		52,842		52,842
Short-term investments	121,158		—		—		121,158
Total investments	$	281,097	$	567,802	$	99,613	$	948,512

The following table sets forth the changes in the fair value of instruments carried at fair value with a Level 3 measurement during the year ended December 31, 2023:


($ in thousands)	Mortgage Loans
Balance at December 31, 2022	$	52,842
Total losses for the period recognized in net investment gains (losses)	(385)
Issuances	27,642
Settlements	(30,029)
Balance at December 31, 2023	$	50,070
Total losses for the period recognized in net investment gains (losses) attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets held as of period end	$	(426)

The Company measures certain assets, including investments in indirect loans and loan collateral, equity method investments and other invested assets, at fair value on a nonrecurring basis only when they are deemed to be impaired.

In addition to the preceding disclosures on assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets, the Company is also required to disclose the fair values of certain other financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate fair value. Estimated fair value amounts, defined as the quoted market price of a financial instrument, have been determined using available market information and other appropriate valuation methodologies. However, considerable judgements are required in developing the estimates of fair value where quoted market prices are not available. Accordingly, these estimates are not necessarily indicative of the amounts that could be realized in a current market exchange. The use of different market assumptions or estimating methodologies may have an effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

The following methods and assumptions were used in estimating the fair value disclosures of other financial instruments:

Fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity: Fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity consists of senior and junior notes with target rates of return. As of December 31, 2023, the Company determined the fair value of these instruments using the income approach utilizing inputs that are unobservable (Level 3).

Notes payable: The carrying value approximates the estimated fair value for notes payable as the notes payable accrue interest at current market rates plus a spread. The Company determines fair value using the income approach utilizing inputs that are observable (Level 2).

Subordinated debt: Subordinated debt consists of two debt instruments, the Junior Subordinated Interest Debentures, due September 15, 2036, and Unsecured Subordinated Notes, due May 24, 2039. The carrying value of the Junior Subordinated Interest Debentures approximates the estimated fair value as the instrument accrues interest at current market rates plus a spread. Unsecured Subordinated Notes have a fixed interest rate. The Company determines the fair value of these instruments using the income approach utilizing inputs that are observable (Level 2).

The following table sets forth the Company’s carrying and fair values of notes payable and subordinated debt as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022:


	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
($ in thousands)	Carrying Value		Fair Value		Carrying Value		Fair Value
Notes payable
Term loan	$	—	$	—	$	50,000	$	50,000
Revolving credit facility	50,000		50,000		—		—
Notes payable	$	50,000	$	50,000	$	50,000	$	50,000
Subordinated debt
Junior subordinated interest debentures	$	59,186	$	59,794	$	59,137	$	59,794
Unsecured subordinated notes	19,504		21,378		19,472		18,934
Subordinated debt, net of debt issuance costs	$	78,690	$	81,172	$	78,609	$	78,728

Other financial instruments qualify as insurance-related products and are exempt from fair value disclosure requirements.

- 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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