Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Insurance

We have accrued liabilities for estimated workers’ compensation and other casualty claims incurred based upon claim reserves plus an estimate for loss development and incurred but not reported claims. We self-insure a significant portion of expected losses relating to workers’ compensation, general liability and automobile liability, with a self-insured retention of $1.0 million. Insurance is purchased over our retention to reduce our exposure to catastrophic events. Estimates are recorded for potential and incurred outstanding liabilities for workers’ compensation, auto and general liability claims and claims that are incurred but not reported. Estimates are based on adjusters’ estimates, historical experience and statistical methods commonly used within the insurance industry that we believe are reliable. We have also engaged a third-party actuary to perform a review of our accrued liability for these claims as well as potential funded losses in our captive insurance company. Insurance estimates include certain assumptions and management judgments regarding the frequency and severity of claims, claim development and settlement practices and the selection of estimated loss among estimates derived using different methods. Unanticipated changes in these factors may produce materially different amounts of expense that would be reported under these programs.

On October 1, 2020, we elected to utilize a wholly owned insurance captive to insure the self-insured retention for our workers’ compensation, general liability and automobile liability insurance programs. All accrued liabilities associated with periods from October 1, 2017 through current were transferred to the captive.

We maintain excess property and casualty programs with third-party insurers in an effort to limit the financial impact of significant events covered under these programs. Our operating subsidiaries pay premiums to both the excess and reinsurance carriers and our captive for the estimated losses based on an external actuarial analysis. These premiums held by our wholly owned captive are currently held in a restricted account, resulting in a transfer of risk from our operating subsidiaries to the captive.

We also maintain a self-insurance program for managing employee medical claims in excess of employee deductibles. As claims are paid, the liability is relieved. We also maintain third party insurance stop-loss coverage for individual medical claims exceeding a certain minimum threshold. In addition, we maintain $1.2 million of umbrella insurance coverage for annual aggregate medical claims exceeding approximately $11.5 million.

Our accruals for automobile, workers’ compensation and medical claims were as follows at the dates indicated (in thousands):


	September 30,		December 31,
	2022		2021

Pre-funded premiums for losses incurred but not reported	$	96	$	50
Accrued automobile and workers’ compensation claims	4,174		4,127
Accrued medical claims	1,718		1,100

Litigation

From time to time as incidental to our operations, we may become involved in various lawsuits and/or disputes. As an operator of an extensive trucking fleet, we are a party to motor vehicle accidents, worker compensation claims and other items of general liability as would be typical for the industry. We are presently unaware of any claims against us that are either outside the scope of insurance coverage or that may exceed the level of insurance coverage and could potentially represent a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.