10) Reinsurance, Commitments and Contingencies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]
10) Reinsurance, Commitments and Contingencies	10) Reinsurance, Commitments and Contingencies Reinsurance The Company follows the procedure of reinsuring risks in excess of a specified limit, which ranged from $25,000 to $100,000 during the years 2020 and 2019. The Company is liable for these amounts in the event such reinsurers are unable to pay their portion of the claims. The Company has also assumed insurance from other companies having insurance in force amounting to approximately $96,000,000 and approximately $99,000,000 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Mortgage Loan Loss Settlements Future loan losses can be extremely difficult to estimate. However, the Company believes that its reserve methodology and its current practice of property preservation allow it to estimate potential losses on loans sold. The estimated liability for indemnification losses is included in other liabilities and accrued expenses and, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the balances were $20,584,000 and $4,046,000, respectively. The Company believes that the final loan loss reserve as of December 31, 2020, represents its best estimate for adequate loss reserves on loans sold. Mortgage Loan Loss Litigation Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release with Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. From 2004 to early 2008, SecurityNational Mortgage Company (“SecurityNational Mortgage”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, originated “limited documentation” or “reduced documentation” loans which were sold to certain affiliates of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (“Lehman Holdings”). Certain of these loans became the subject of disputes between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings and certain Lehman Holdings affiliates. Lehman Holdings filed a Petition for Relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in 2008. In May of 2011, SecurityNational Mortgage filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against certain Lehman Holdings affiliates. In June of 2011, Lehman Holdings filed a complaint in Federal District Court against SecurityNational Mortgage, both of which were later resolved. In 2016, certain other pending loan disputes between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings became the subject of an unsuccessful, non-binding alternate dispute resolution mediation proceeding. Thereafter, in 2016, Lehman Holdings filed an adversary proceeding complaint against approximately 150 mortgage loan originators, including SecurityNational Mortgage, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, which included seeking damages relating to the alleged obligations of the defendants under indemnification provisions of alleged agreements, in amounts to be determined at trial, including interest, attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by Lehman Holdings in enforcing the obligations of the defendants. The complaint was later amended with the latest amended complaint filed against SecurityNational Mortgage on December 27, 2016, seeking damages to be determined at trial, including interest, attorneys’ fees and costs. This complaint involved approximately 135 mortgage loans, there being millions of dollars allegedly in dispute. These claims against SecurityNational Mortgage were asserted as a result of Lehman Holdings’ earlier settlements with the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). In 2018, Lehman Holdings filed a separate adversary proceeding complaint against SecurityNational Mortgage. This adversary proceeding allegedly involved approximately 577 mortgage loans relative to private securitization trusts (“RMBS Loans”) and millions of dollars in damages. Thereafter, Lehman Holdings made a filing that effectively reduced the number of RMBS Loans to 248. This proceeding was in addition to the above-referenced proceeding involving the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage loans. As with the above-referenced proceeding, damages were sought including interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees. SecurityNational Mortgage, as well as other defendants, have been involved in written discovery, and production of documents relative to the cases, and the filing of motions. The deposition phase of the cases was yet to begin, as well as the later expert witness phase. Those phases would require substantial expenditures of legal fees and costs. On February 1, 2021, SecurityNational Mortgage executed a settlement agreement with Lehman Holdings in relation to these two adversary proceedings wherein all mortgage loan related claims were resolved, thereby ending all liabilities asserted by Lehman Holdings and conclusively ending all proceedings between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings. In accordance with GAAP, the full amount of SecurityNational Mortgage’s settlement payment has been accounted for in the Company’s loan loss reserve as of December 31, 2020. Non-Cancelable Leases The Company leases office space and equipment under various non-cancelable agreements. See Note 24 regarding leases. Other Contingencies and Commitments The Company has entered into commitments to fund construction and land development loans and has also provided financing for land acquisition and development. As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s commitments were approximately $185,751,000, for these loans of which $115,898,000 had been funded. The Company advances funds once the work has been completed and an independent inspection is made. The maximum loan commitment ranges between 50% and 80% of appraised value. The Company receives fees and interest for these loans and the interest rate is generally fixed 5.50% to 8.00% per annum. Maturities range between six and eighteen months. The Company belongs to a captive insurance group for certain casualty insurance, worker compensation and liability programs. Insurance reserves are maintained relative to these programs. The level of exposure from catastrophic events is limited by the purchase of stop-loss and aggregate liability reinsurance coverage. When estimating the insurance liabilities and related reserves, the captive insurance management considers a number of factors, which include historical claims experience, demographic factors, severity factors and valuations provided by independent third-party actuaries. If actual claims or adverse development of loss reserves occurs and exceed these estimates, additional reserves may be required. The estimation process contains uncertainty since captive insurance management must use judgment to estimate the ultimate cost that will be incurred to settle reported claims and unreported claims for incidents incurred but not reported as of the balance sheet date. The Company is a defendant in various other legal actions arising from the normal conduct of business. Management believes that none of the actions will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. Based on management’s assessment and legal counsel’s representations concerning the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes, no amounts have been accrued for the above claims in the consolidated financial statements. The Company is not a party to any other material legal proceedings outside the ordinary course of business or to any other legal proceedings, which, if adversely determined, would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

10) Reinsurance, Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

10) Reinsurance, Commitments and Contingencies

Reinsurance

The Company follows the procedure of reinsuring risks in excess of a specified limit, which ranged from $25,000 to $100,000 during the years 2020 and 2019. The Company is liable for these amounts in the event such reinsurers are unable to pay their portion of the claims. The Company has also assumed insurance from other companies having insurance in force amounting to approximately $96,000,000 and approximately $99,000,000 at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Mortgage Loan Loss Settlements

Future loan losses can be extremely difficult to estimate. However, the Company believes that its reserve methodology and its current practice of property preservation allow it to estimate potential losses on loans sold. The estimated liability for indemnification losses is included in other liabilities and accrued expenses and, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the balances were $20,584,000 and $4,046,000, respectively. The Company believes that the final loan loss reserve as of December 31, 2020, represents its best estimate for adequate loss reserves on loans sold.

Mortgage Loan Loss Litigation

Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release with Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

From 2004 to early 2008, SecurityNational Mortgage Company (“SecurityNational Mortgage”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, originated “limited documentation” or “reduced documentation” loans which were sold to certain affiliates of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (“Lehman Holdings”). Certain of these loans became the subject of disputes between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings and certain Lehman Holdings affiliates. Lehman Holdings filed a Petition for Relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in 2008. In May of 2011, SecurityNational Mortgage filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against certain Lehman Holdings affiliates. In June of 2011, Lehman Holdings filed a complaint in Federal District Court against SecurityNational Mortgage, both of which were later resolved. In 2016, certain other pending loan disputes between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings became the subject of an unsuccessful, non-binding alternate dispute resolution mediation proceeding.

Thereafter, in 2016, Lehman Holdings filed an adversary proceeding complaint against approximately 150 mortgage loan originators, including SecurityNational Mortgage, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, which included seeking damages relating to the alleged obligations of the defendants under indemnification provisions of alleged agreements, in amounts to be determined at trial, including interest, attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by Lehman Holdings in enforcing the obligations of the defendants. The complaint was later amended with the latest amended complaint filed against SecurityNational Mortgage on December 27, 2016, seeking damages to be determined at trial, including interest, attorneys’ fees and costs. This complaint involved approximately 135 mortgage loans, there being millions of dollars allegedly in dispute. These claims against SecurityNational Mortgage were asserted as a result of Lehman Holdings’ earlier settlements with the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Corporation (“Freddie Mac”).

In 2018, Lehman Holdings filed a separate adversary proceeding complaint against SecurityNational Mortgage. This adversary proceeding allegedly involved approximately 577 mortgage loans relative to private securitization trusts (“RMBS Loans”) and millions of dollars in damages. Thereafter, Lehman Holdings made a filing that effectively reduced the number of RMBS Loans to 248. This proceeding was in addition to the above-referenced proceeding involving the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage loans. As with the above-referenced proceeding, damages were sought including interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees.

SecurityNational Mortgage, as well as other defendants, have been involved in written discovery, and production of documents relative to the cases, and the filing of motions. The deposition phase of the cases was yet to begin, as well as the later expert witness phase. Those phases would require substantial expenditures of legal fees and costs.

On February 1, 2021, SecurityNational Mortgage executed a settlement agreement with Lehman Holdings in relation to these two adversary proceedings wherein all mortgage loan related claims were resolved, thereby ending all liabilities asserted by Lehman Holdings and conclusively ending all proceedings between SecurityNational Mortgage and Lehman Holdings. In accordance with GAAP, the full amount of SecurityNational Mortgage’s settlement payment has been accounted for in the Company’s loan loss reserve as of December 31, 2020.

Non-Cancelable Leases

The Company leases office space and equipment under various non-cancelable agreements. See Note 24 regarding leases.

Other Contingencies and Commitments

The Company has entered into commitments to fund construction and land development loans and has also provided financing for land acquisition and development. As of December 31, 2020, the Company’s commitments were approximately $185,751,000, for these loans of which $115,898,000 had been funded. The Company advances funds once the work has been completed and an independent inspection is made. The maximum loan commitment ranges between 50% and 80% of appraised value. The Company receives fees and interest for these loans and the interest rate is generally fixed 5.50% to 8.00% per annum. Maturities range between six and eighteen months.

The Company belongs to a captive insurance group for certain casualty insurance, worker compensation and liability programs. Insurance reserves are maintained relative to these programs. The level of exposure from catastrophic events is limited by the purchase of stop-loss and aggregate liability reinsurance coverage. When estimating the insurance liabilities and related reserves, the captive insurance management considers a number of factors, which include historical claims experience, demographic factors, severity factors and valuations provided by independent third-party actuaries. If actual claims or adverse development of loss reserves occurs and exceed these estimates, additional reserves may be required. The estimation process contains uncertainty since captive insurance management must use judgment to estimate the ultimate cost that will be incurred to settle reported claims and unreported claims for incidents incurred but not reported as of the balance sheet date.

The Company is a defendant in various other legal actions arising from the normal conduct of business. Management believes that none of the actions will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. Based on management’s assessment and legal counsel’s representations concerning the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes, no amounts have been accrued for the above claims in the consolidated financial statements.

The Company is not a party to any other material legal proceedings outside the ordinary course of business or to any other legal proceedings, which, if adversely determined, would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.