6. INVESTMENT OPERATIONS

Net realized gains (losses) for all other investments are summarized as follows:

	For The						For The
	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Fixed maturities	$	22,244		$	10,546		$	49,812		$	42,136
Equity securities	—			—			—			2,367
Impairments on fixed maturity securities	(2,354		)	(7,421		)	(5,405		)	(13,918		)
Impairments on equity securities	—			(1,260		)	—			(3,347		)
Modco trading portfolio	(17,225		)	(25,960		)	110,067			(167,982		)
Other investments	(5,135		)	(3,854		)	(7,383		)	(10,262		)
Total realized gains (losses) - investments	$	(2,470	)	$	(27,949	)	$	147,091		$	(151,006	)

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, gross realized gains on investments available-for-sale (fixed maturities, equity securities, and short-term investments) were $22.5 million and $50.6 million and gross realized losses were $2.5 million and $5.9 million, including $2.3 million and $5.1 million of impairment losses, respectively.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, gross realized gains on investments available-for-sale (fixed maturities, equity securities, and short-term investments) were $11.7 million and $48.5 million and gross realized losses were $9.6 million and $20.6 million, including $8.5 million and $16.7 million of impairment losses, respectively.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company sold securities in an unrealized gain position with a fair value (proceeds) of $494.0 million and $1.1 billion, respectively. The gain realized on the sale of these securities was $22.5 million and $50.6 million, respectively.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company sold securities in an unrealized gain position with a fair value (proceeds) of $332.1 million and $1.1 billion, respectively. The gain realized on the sale of these securities was $11.7 million and $48.5 million, respectively.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company sold securities in an unrealized loss position with a fair value (proceeds) of $2.3 million and $6.7 million, respectively. The losses realized on the sale of these securities were $0.3 million and $0.8 million, respectively. These securities were sold in conjunction with the Company’s overall asset liability management process.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company sold securities in an unrealized loss position with a fair value (proceeds) of $7.0 million and $64.2 million, respectively. The losses realized on the sale of these securities were $1.1 million and $4.0 million, respectively. These securities were sold in conjunction with the Company’s overall asset liability management process.

The amortized cost and fair value of the Company’s investments classified as available-for-sale as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, are as follows:

			Gross		Gross					Total OTTI
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair		Recognized
	Cost		Gains		Losses			Value		in OCI(1)
	(Dollars In Thousands)
2014
Fixed maturities:
Bonds
Residential mortgage-backed securities	$	1,405,611	$	51,344	$	(14,116	)	$	1,442,839	$	7,945
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	1,137,642		43,744		(5,863		)	1,175,523		—
Other asset-backed securities	869,136		13,476		(34,273		)	848,339		(105		)
U.S. government-related securities	1,563,337		43,178		(22,305		)	1,584,210		—
Other government-related securities	19,004		3,016		—			22,020		1
States, municipals, and political subdivisions	1,371,113		243,943		(2,349		)	1,612,707		—
Corporate bonds	25,006,020		2,498,860		(117,362		)	27,387,518		—
	31,371,863		2,897,561		(196,268		)	34,073,156		7,841
Equity securities	722,684		31,185		(16,495		)	737,374		—
Short-term investments	102,976		—		—			102,976		—
	$	32,197,523	$	2,928,746	$	(212,763	)	$	34,913,506	$	7,841
2013
Fixed maturities:
Bonds
Residential mortgage-backed securities	$	1,435,349	$	34,255	$	(24,536	)	$	1,445,068	$	979
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	963,461		26,900		(19,705		)	970,656		—
Other asset-backed securities	926,396		15,135		(69,548		)	871,983		(51		)
U.S. government-related securities	1,529,818		32,150		(54,078		)	1,507,890		—
Other government-related securities	49,171		2,257		(1		)	51,427		—
States, municipals, and political subdivisions	1,315,457		103,663		(8,291		)	1,410,829		—
Corporate bonds	24,630,156		1,510,233		(391,813		)	25,748,576		—
	30,849,808		1,724,593		(567,972		)	32,006,429		928
Equity securities	611,473		6,068		(36,332		)	581,209		—
Short-term investments	80,582		—		—			80,582		—
	$	31,541,863	$	1,730,661	$	(604,304	)	$	32,668,220	$	928

(1)These amounts are included in the gross unrealized gains and gross unrealized losses columns above.

The amortized cost and fair value of the Company’s investments classified as held-to-maturity as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, are as follows:

			Gross		Gross					Total OTTI
	Amortized		Unrealized		Unrealized			Fair		Recognized
	Cost		Gains		Losses			Value		in OCI
	(Dollars In Thousands)
2014
Fixed maturities:
Other	$	415,000	$	38,741	$	—		$	453,741	$	—
	$	415,000	$	38,741	$	—		$	453,741	$	—
2013
Fixed maturities:
Other	$	365,000	$	—	$	(29,324	)	$	335,676	$	—
	$	365,000	$	—	$	(29,324	)	$	335,676	$	—

During the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company did not record any other-than-temporary impairments on held-to-maturity securities. The Company’s held-to-maturity securities had no gross unrecognized holding losses for the period ended September 30, 2014 and $29.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. The Company does not consider these unrecognized holding losses to be other-than-temporary based on certain positive factors associated with the securities which include credit ratings, financial health of the issuer, continued access of the issuer to capital markets and other pertinent information

As of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the Company had an additional $2.8 billion and $2.8 billion of fixed maturities, $24.1 million and $21.2 million of equity securities, and $75.3 million and $52.4 million of short-term investments classified as trading securities, respectively.

The amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity fixed maturities as of September 30, 2014, by expected maturity, are shown below. Expected maturities of securities without a single maturity date are allocated based on estimated rates of prepayment that may differ from actual rates of prepayment.

	Available-for-sale				Held-to-maturity
	Amortized		Fair		Amortized		Fair
	Cost		Value		Cost		Value
	(Dollars In Thousands)				(Dollars In Thousands)
Due in one year or less	$	1,043,243	$	1,057,235	$	—	$	—
Due after one year through five years	4,532,064		4,824,318		—		—
Due after five years through ten years	8,876,101		9,336,733		—		—
Due after ten years	16,920,455		18,854,870		415,000		453,741
	$	31,371,863	$	34,073,156	$	415,000	$	453,741

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded pre-tax other-than-temporary impairments of investments of $1.1 million and $2.0 million, all of which related to fixed maturities, respectively. Credit impairments recorded in earnings during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 were $2.3 million and $5.4 million, respectively. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, $1.2 million and $3.4 million of non-credit losses previously recorded in other comprehensive income were recorded in earnings as credit losses, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, there were no other-than-temporary impairments related to fixed maturities or equity securities that the Company intended to sell or expected to be required to sell.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company recorded pre-tax other-than-temporary impairments of investments of $6.7 million and $9.8 million, of which $5.4 million and $6.4 million related to fixed maturities and $1.3 million and $3.4 million related to equity securities, respectively. Credit impairments recorded in earnings during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 were $8.7 million and $17.3 million, respectively. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, $2.0 million and $7.5 million of non-credit losses previously recorded in other comprehensive income were recorded in earnings as credit losses, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, there were no other-than-temporary impairments related to fixed maturities or equity securities that the Company intended to sell or expected to be required to sell.

The following chart is a rollforward of available-for-sale credit losses on fixed maturities held by the Company for which a portion of other-than-temporary impairments were recognized in other comprehensive income (loss):

	For The						For The
	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2014			2013			2014			2013
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Beginning balance	$	17,938		$	51,814		$	41,674		$	121,237
Additions for newly impaired securities	—			1,663			—			3,278
Additions for previously impaired securities	626			4,840			1,653			7,894
Reductions for previously impaired securities due to a change in expected cash flows	(3,640		)	(6,537		)	(28,403		)	(73,392		)
Reductions for previously impaired securities that were sold in the current period	—			—			—			(7,237		)
Ending balance	$	14,924		$	51,780		$	14,924		$	51,780

The following table includes the gross unrealized losses and fair value of the Company’s investments that are not deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired, aggregated by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position as of September 30, 2014:

	Less Than 12 Months					12 Months or More					Total
	Fair		Unrealized			Fair		Unrealized			Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Loss			Value		Loss			Value		Loss
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Residential mortgage-backed securities	$	148,721	$	(7,759	)	$	88,407	$	(6,357	)	$	237,128	$	(14,116	)
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	123,244		(1,534		)	124,578		(4,329		)	247,822		(5,863		)
Other asset-backed securities	109,657		(5,537		)	551,045		(28,736		)	660,702		(34,273		)
U.S. government-related securities	374,160		(7,835		)	348,899		(14,470		)	723,059		(22,305		)
Other government-related securities	—		—			—		—			—		—
States, municipalities, and political subdivisions	880		(6		)	40,936		(2,343		)	41,816		(2,349		)
Corporate bonds	2,218,375		(54,092		)	995,498		(63,270		)	3,213,873		(117,362		)
Equities	90,797		(1,305		)	128,255		(15,190		)	219,052		(16,495		)
	$	3,065,834	$	(78,068	)	$	2,277,618	$	(134,695	)	$	5,343,452	$	(212,763	)

RMBS have a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $6.4 million as of September 30, 2014. Factors such as the credit enhancement within the deal structure, the average life of the securities, and the performance of the underlying collateral support the recoverability of these investments.

CMBS have a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $4.3 million as of September 30, 2014. Factors such as the credit enhancement within the deal structure, the average life of the securities, and the performance of the underlying collateral support the recoverability of these investments.

The other asset-backed securities have a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $28.7 million as of September 30, 2014. This category predominately includes student-loan backed auction rate securities, the underlying collateral, of which is at least 97% guaranteed by the Federal Family Education Loan Program (“FFELP”). These unrealized losses have occurred within the Company’s auction rate securities (“ARS”) portfolio since the market collapse during 2008. At this time, the Company has no reason to believe that the U.S. Department of Education would not honor the FFELP guarantee, if it were necessary.

The U.S. government-related category has gross unrealized losses greater than twelve months of $14.5 million as of September 30, 2014. These declines were entirely related to changes in interest rates.

The corporate bonds category has gross unrealized losses less than and greater than twelve months of $54.1 million and $63.3 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2014. These declines were primarily related to changes in interest rates during the period. The aggregate decline in market value of these securities was deemed temporary due to positive factors supporting the recoverability of the respective investments. Positive factors considered include credit ratings, the financial health of the issuer, the continued access of the issuer to capital markets, and other pertinent information.

The equities category has a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $15.2 million as of September 30, 2014. The aggregate decline in market value of these securities was deemed temporary due to factors supporting the recoverability of the respective investments. Positive factors include credit ratings, the financial health of the issuer, the continued access of the issuer to the capital markets, and other pertinent information.

The Company does not consider these unrealized loss positions to be other-than-temporary, based on the factors discussed and because the Company has the ability and intent to hold these investments until the fair values recover, and does not intend to sell or expect to be required to sell the securities before recovering the Company’s amortized cost of the securities.

	Less Than 12 Months					12 Months or More					Total
	Fair		Unrealized			Fair		Unrealized			Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Loss			Value		Loss			Value		Loss
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Residential mortgage-backed securities	$	332,812	$	(14,050	)	$	209,818	$	(10,486	)	$	542,630	$	(24,536	)
Commercial mortgage-backed securities	429,228		(18,467		)	13,840		(1,238		)	443,068		(19,705		)
Other asset-backed securities	175,846		(14,555		)	497,512		(54,993		)	673,358		(69,548		)
U.S. government-related securities	891,698		(53,508		)	6,038		(570		)	897,736		(54,078		)
Other government-related securities	10,161		(1		)	—		—			10,161		(1		)
States, municipalities, and political subdivisions	172,157		(8,113		)	335		(178		)	172,492		(8,291		)
Corporate bonds	7,480,163		(353,069		)	271,535		(38,744		)	7,751,698		(391,813		)
Equities	376,776		(27,861		)	21,764		(8,471		)	398,540		(36,332		)
	$	9,868,841	$	(489,624	)	$	1,020,842	$	(114,680	)	$	10,889,683	$	(604,304	)

RMBS had a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $10.5 million as of December 31, 2013. Factors such as the credit enhancement within the deal structure, the average life of the securities, and the performance of the underlying collateral support the recoverability of these investments.

CMBS had a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $1.2 million as of December 31, 2013. Factors such as the credit enhancement within the deal structure, the average life of the securities, and the performance of the underlying collateral support the recoverability of these investments.

The other asset-backed securities had a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $55.0 million as of December 31, 2013. This category predominately includes student-loan backed auction rate securities, the underlying collateral, of which is at least 97% guaranteed by the FFELP. These unrealized losses have occurred within the Company’s ARS portfolio since the market collapse during 2008. At this time, the Company has no reason to believe that the U.S. Department of Education would not honor the FFELP guarantee, if it were necessary.

The corporate bonds category had gross unrealized losses less than and greater than twelve months of $353.1 million and $38.7 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2013. These declines were primarily related to changes in interest rates during the period. The aggregate decline in market value of these securities was deemed temporary due to positive factor supporting the recoverability of the respective investments. Positive factors considered include credit ratings, the financial health of the issuer, the continued access of the issuer to capital markets, and other pertinent information.

The equities category had a gross unrealized loss greater than twelve months of $8.5 million as of December 31, 2013. The aggregate decline in market value of these securities was deemed temporary due to factors supporting the recoverability of the respective investments. Positive factors include credit ratings, the financial health of the issuer, the continued access of the issuer to the capital markets, and other pertinent information.

As of September 30, 2014, the Company had securities in its available-for-sale portfolio which were rated below investment grade of $1.7 billion and had an amortized cost of $1.6 billion. In addition, included in the Company’s trading portfolio, the Company held $322.6 million of securities which were rated below investment grade. Approximately $785.5 million of the below investment grade securities were not publicly traded.

The change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax, on fixed maturity and equity securities, classified as available-for-sale is summarized as follows:

	For The						For The
	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2014			2013			2014		2013
	(Dollars In Thousands)
Fixed maturities	$	(143,278	)	$	(155,839	)	$	1,004,483	$	(1,175,521	)
Equity securities	(3,784		)	(12,791		)	29,220		(17,393		)

Variable Interest Entities

The Company holds certain investments in entities in which its ownership interests could possibly be considered variable interests under Topic 810 of the FASB ASC (excluding debt and equity securities held as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity). The Company reviews the characteristics of each of these applicable entities and compares those characteristics to applicable criteria to determine whether the entity is a Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”). If the entity is determined to be a VIE, the Company then performs a detailed review to determine whether the interest would be considered a variable interest under the guidance. The Company then performs a qualitative review of all variable interests with the entity and determines whether the Company is the primary beneficiary. ASC 810 provides that an entity is the primary beneficiary of a VIE if the entity has 1) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, and 2) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Based on this analysis, the Company had an interest in one wholly owned subsidiary, Red Mountain, LLC (“Red Mountain”), that continued to be classified as a VIE as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013. The activity most significant to Red Mountain is the issuance of a note in connection with a financing transaction involving Golden Gate V Vermont Captive Insurance Company (“Golden Gate V”) and the Company in which Golden Gate V issued non-recourse funding obligations to Red Mountain and Red Mountain issued the note to Golden Gate V. Credit enhancement on the Red Mountain Note is provided by an unrelated third party. For details of this transaction, see Note 9, Debt and Other Obligations. The Company had the power, via its 100% ownership through an affiliate, to direct the activities of the VIE, but did not have the obligation to absorb losses related to the primary risks or sources of variability to the VIE. The variability of loss would be borne primarily by the third party in its function as provider of credit enhancement on the Red Mountain Note. Accordingly, it was determined that the Company is not the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The Company’s risk of loss related to the VIE is limited to its investment of $10,000. Additionally, PLC has guaranteed the VIE’s payment obligation for the credit enhancement fee to the unrelated third party provider. As of September 30, 2014 no payments have been made or required related to this guarantee.