Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

CONSOLIDATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for annual financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of National Western Life Group, Inc. ("NWLGI") and its wholly owned subsidiaries (“Company”) as of March 31, 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019. Such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. It is recommended that these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 which is accessible free of charge through the Company's internet site at www.nwlgi.com or the Securities and Exchange Commission internet site at www.sec.gov. The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2019 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date.

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NWLGI and its wholly owned subsidiaries: National Western Life Insurance Company ("NWLIC" or "National Western"), Regent Care San Marcos Holdings, LLC, NWL Services, Inc., and N.I.S. Financial Services, Inc. ("NIS"). National Western's wholly owned subsidiaries include The Westcap Corporation, NWL Financial, Inc., NWLSM, Inc., Braker P III, LLC, and Ozark National Life Insurance Company ("Ozark National"). The results of operations for Ozark National and NIS include their respective business activity subsequent to their acquisition effective January 31, 2019. All significant intercorporate transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include: (1) liabilities for future policy benefits, (2) valuation of derivative instruments, (3) recoverability and amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs ("DPAC"), deferred sales inducements ("DSI") and the value of business acquired ("VOBA"), (4) valuation allowances for deferred tax assets, (5) goodwill, (6) allowances for credit losses and other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities, (7) commitments and contingencies, and (8) credit loss and valuation allowances for mortgage loans and real estate. During the first quarter of 2019, the Company incorporated accounting estimates for business combinations, value of business acquired, and fair value measurement as a result of its acquisition of Ozark National and NIS.

Revision of Prior Period Consolidated Financial Statements

During the first quarter of 2020, management identified an understatement of an excess benefit reserve on a specific block of policies that dated back to the first quarter of 2004 with the adoption of the Statement of Position 03-1, Accounting and Reporting by Insurance Enterprises for Certain Nontraditional Long-Duration Contracts and for Separate Accounts (SOP 03-1). Management concluded that this error was not material to previously issued consolidated financial statements and would be corrected through a revision to the comparative consolidated balance sheet presented for the year ended December 31, 2019. The impact of this revision as of December 31, 2019 was an increase to the future policy benefits liability of $15.0 million, a decrease to deferred federal income tax liability of $3.2 million, and a decrease to retained earnings of $11.8 million.

The table below shows the unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities that were reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019.



Affected Line Item in the Statements of Earnings	Amount Reclassified From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2020		2019
	(In thousands)

Other net investment gains (losses)	$	761	1,099
Net OTTI losses recognized in earnings	—		—
Earnings before Federal income taxes	761		1,099
Federal income taxes	160		231

Net earnings	$	601	868