MORTGAGE LOANS

Mortgage Loans

The Company invests a portion of its investment portfolio in commercial mortgage loans. As of September 30, 2017, the Company’s mortgage loan holdings were approximately $6.5 billion. The Company has specialized in making loans on credit-oriented commercial properties, credit-anchored strip shopping centers, senior living facilities, and apartments. The Company’s underwriting procedures relative to its commercial loan portfolio are based, in the Company’s view, on a conservative and disciplined approach. The Company concentrates on a small number of commercial real estate asset types associated with the necessities of life (retail, multi-family, senior living, professional office buildings, and warehouses). The Company believes that these asset types tend to weather economic downturns better than other commercial asset classes in which it has chosen not to participate. The Company believes this disciplined approach has helped to maintain a relatively low delinquency and foreclosure rate throughout its history. The majority of the Company's mortgage loans portfolio was underwritten by the Company. From time to time, the Company may acquire loans in conjunction with an acquisition.

The Company's commercial mortgage loans are stated at unpaid principal balance, adjusted for any unamortized premium or discount, and net of valuation allowances. Interest income is accrued on the principal amount of the loan based on the loan's contractual interest rate. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts is recorded using the effective yield method. Interest income, amortization of premiums and discounts and prepayment fees are reported in net investment income.

Certain of the mortgage loans have call options that occur within the next 12 years. However, if interest rates were to significantly increase, the Company may be unable to exercise the call options on its existing mortgage loans commensurate with the significantly increased market rates. As of September 30, 2017, assuming the loans are called at their next call dates, approximately $54.7 million of principal would become due for the remainder of 2017, $976.2 million in 2018 through 2022, $124.6 million in 2023 through 2027, and $9.9 million thereafter.

The Company offers a type of commercial mortgage loan under which the Company will permit a loan-to-value ratio of up to 85% in exchange for a participating interest in the cash flows from the underlying real estate. As of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, approximately $715.2 million and $595.2 million, respectively, of the Company’s total mortgage loans principal balance have this participation feature. Cash flows received as a result of this participation feature are recorded as interest income. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company recognized $14.2 million, $25.7 million, $3.3 million, and $15.8 million, respectively, of participating mortgage loan income.

As of September 30, 2017, approximately $3.1 million of invested assets consisted of nonperforming mortgage loans, restructured mortgage loans, or mortgage loans that were foreclosed and were converted to real estate properties. The Company does not expect these investments to adversely affect its liquidity or ability to maintain proper matching of assets and liabilities. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recognized two troubled debt restructurings as a result of the Company granting a concession to a borrower which included loan terms unavailable from other lenders. These concessions were the result of agreements between the creditor and the debtor. The Company did not identify any loans whose principal was permanently impaired during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

The Company’s mortgage loan portfolio consists of two categories of loans: 1) those not subject to a pooling and servicing agreement and 2) those subject to a contractual pooling and servicing agreement. As of September 30, 2017, $3.1 million of mortgage loans not subject to a pooling and servicing agreement were nonperforming mortgage loans, restructured, or mortgage loans that were foreclosed and were converted to real estate properties. The Company did not foreclose on any nonperforming loans not subject to a pooling and servicing agreement during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

As of September 30, 2017, none of the loans subject to a pooling and servicing agreement were nonperforming or restructured. The Company did not foreclose on any nonperforming loans subject to a pooling and servicing agreement during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

As of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, the Company had an allowance for mortgage loan credit losses of $1.1 million and $0.7 million, respectively. Due to the Company’s loss experience and nature of the loan portfolio, the Company believes that a collectively evaluated allowance would be inappropriate. The Company believes an allowance calculated through an analysis of specific loans that are believed to have a higher risk of credit impairment provides a more accurate presentation of expected losses in the portfolio and is consistent with the applicable guidance for loan impairments in ASC Subtopic 310. Since the Company uses the specific identification method for calculating the allowance, it is necessary to review the economic situation of each borrower to determine those that have higher risk of credit impairment. The Company has a team of professionals that monitors borrower conditions such as payment practices, borrower credit, operating performance, and property conditions, as well as ensuring the timely payment of property taxes and insurance. Through this monitoring process, the Company assesses the risk of each loan. When issues are identified, the severity of the issues are assessed and reviewed for possible credit impairment. If a loss is probable, an expected loss calculation is performed and an allowance is established for that loan based on the expected loss. The expected loss is calculated as the excess carrying value of a loan over either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s original effective interest rate, or the current estimated fair value of the loan’s underlying collateral. A loan may be subsequently charged off at such point that the Company no longer expects to receive cash payments, the present value of future expected payments of the renegotiated loan is less than the current principal balance, or at such time that the Company is party to foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings associated with the borrower and does not expect to recover the principal balance of the loan.

A charge off is recorded by eliminating the allowance against the mortgage loan and recording the renegotiated loan or the collateral property related to the loan as investment real estate on the balance sheet, which is carried at the lower of the appraised fair value of the property or the unpaid principal balance of the loan, less estimated selling costs associated with the property.



	For The Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2017
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Beginning balance, December 31, 2016	$	724
Charge offs	(5,653		)
Recoveries	(731		)
Provision	6,715
Ending balance, September 30, 2017	$	1,055

It is the Company’s policy to cease to carry accrued interest on loans that are over 90 days delinquent. For loans less than 90 days delinquent, interest is accrued unless it is determined that the accrued interest is not collectible. If a loan becomes over 90 days delinquent, it is the Company’s general policy to initiate foreclosure proceedings unless a workout arrangement to bring the loan current is in place. For loans subject to a pooling and servicing agreement, there are certain additional restrictions and/or requirements related to workout proceedings, and as such, these loans may have different attributes and/or circumstances affecting the status of delinquency or categorization of those in nonperforming status. An analysis of the delinquent loans is shown in the following chart.



					Greater
	30-59 Days		60-89 Days		than 90 Days		Total
As of September 30, 2017	Delinquent		Delinquent		Delinquent		Delinquent
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Commercial mortgage loans	$	2,293	$	—	$	869	$	3,162
Number of delinquent commercial mortgage loans	2		—		1		3

As of December 31, 2016
Commercial mortgage loans	$	3,669	$	—	$	—	$	3,669
Number of delinquent commercial mortgage loans	4		—		—		4

The Company’s commercial mortgage loan portfolio consists of mortgage loans that are collateralized by real estate. Due to the collateralized nature of the loans, any assessment of impairment and ultimate loss given a default on the loans is based upon a consideration of the estimated fair value of the real estate. The Company limits accrued interest income on impaired loans to 90 days of interest. Once accrued interest on the impaired loan is received, interest income is recognized on a cash basis. For information regarding impaired loans, please refer to the following chart:



			Unpaid				Average		Interest		Cash Basis
	Recorded		Principal		Related		Recorded		Income		Interest
As of September 30, 2017	Investment		Balance		Allowance		Investment		Recognized		Income
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Commercial mortgage loans:
With no related allowance recorded	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
With an allowance recorded	1,924		1,924		1,055		1,924		18		27

As of December 31, 2016
Commercial mortgage loans:
With no related allowance recorded	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
With an allowance recorded	1,819		1,819		724		1,819		96		96

Mortgage loans that were modified in a troubled debt restructuring as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 were as follows:



	Number of Contracts	Pre-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment		Post-Modification Outstanding Recorded Investment
	(Dollars In Thousands)
As of September 30, 2017
Troubled debt restructuring:
Commercial mortgage loans	2	$	1,134	$	1,134

As of December 31, 2016
Troubled debt restructuring:
Commercial mortgage loans	1	$	468	$	468