Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of operations	Nature of Operations Midwest Holding Inc. (“Midwest,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) was incorporated in Nebraska on October 31, 2003 for the primary purpose of operating a financial services company. The Company redomesticated from the State of Nebraska to the state of Delaware on August 27, 2020. The Company is in the life and annuity insurance business and operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries, American Life & Security Corp. (“American Life”), and 1505 Capital LLC (“1505 Capital”) as well as through its sponsored captive reinsurance company, Seneca Reinsurance Company, LLC (“Seneca Re”). American Life is a Nebraska-domiciled life insurance company, which is also commercially domiciled in Texas, that is currently licensed to sell, underwrite, and market life insurance and annuity products in 21 states and the District of Columbia. On April 2, 2019, we obtained a 51% ownership in 1505 Capital, a Delaware limited liability company, that was established in 2018 to provide financial and investment advisory and management services to clients and related investment activities. On June 15, 2020, we purchased the remaining 49% ownership in 1505 Capital for $500,000. 1505 Capital’s financial results have been consolidated with the Company’s since the date of its acquisition. Effective March 12, 2020, Seneca Reinsurance Company, LLC (“Seneca Re”), a Vermont limited liability company, was formed by Midwest to operate as a sponsored captive insurance company for the purpose of insuring and reinsuring various types of risks of its participants through one or more protected cells and to conduct any other business or activity that is permitted for sponsored captive insurance companies under Vermont insurance regulations. On March 30, 2020, Seneca Re received its Certification of Authority to transact the business of a captive insurance company. On May 12, 2020, Midwest contributed $300,000 to Seneca Re for a 100% ownership interest. As of May 13, 2020, Seneca Re established Seneca Protected Cell 2020-01, a protected cell of Seneca Re (“SRC1”). Effective December 21, 2020, Seneca Re converted SRC1 to Seneca Incorporated Cell, LLC 2020-01. Midwest contributed $3,000,000 to capitalize SRC1. Crestline Management, L.P. (“Crestline Management”), a Delaware limited partnership, through an affiliated entity (see below) owns approximately 11.9% of Midwest’s voting common stock. On July 24, 2020, the Nebraska Department of Insurance (“NDOI”) issued its non-disapproval of the Funds Withheld Coinsurance and Modified Coinsurance Agreement with Seneca Incorporated Cell, LLC 2020-02 (“SRC2”) of Seneca Re, now known as Crestline Re SP1. Effective December 8, 2020, American Life entered into a novation agreement with SRC2 and Crestline Re SPC, an exempted segregated portfolio company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, for and on behalf of Crestline Re SP1, a segregated portfolio company of Crestline Re SPC, under which the above-described reinsurance, trust and related asset management agreements were novated and replaced with substantially similar agreements entered into by American Life and Crestline Re SP1. On April 24, 2020, Midwest entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Crestline Assurance Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Crestline Assurance”) Xenith, and Vespoint, and Pursuant to the Agreement, Crestline Assurance purchased 444,444 shares of the Company’s voting common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“common stock”), at a purchase price of $22.50 per share for $10.0 million. Also, effective as of April 24, 2020, in a separate transaction, Midwest sold 231,655 shares of common stock to various investors at $22.50 per share for $5.227 million. Under the agreement, the Company contributed $5.0 million to American Life. Also, effective April 24, 2020, American life entered into a Master Letter Agreement with Seneca Re and Crestline Management regarding a flow of annuity reinsurance and related asset management, whereby Crestline Management agreed to provide reinsurance funding for a quota share percentage of 25% of the liabilities of American Life arising from its multi-year guaranteed annuities (“MYGA”) and a quota share percentage of 40% for American Life’s fixed indexed annuity (“FIA”) products. This agreement expires on April 24, 2023. In December 2020, the Company completed a public offering of its voting common stock for gross proceeds of $70,000,000 (see Note 17). In connection therewith, the Company's voting common stock was approved for listing and began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market upon the closing of the public offering. Management evaluates the Company as one reporting segment in the life insurance industry. The Company is primarily engaged in the underwriting and marketing of annuity products and life insurance through American Life, and then reinsuring such products with third-party reinsurers, and since May 13, 2020, with SRC1. The Company’s historical product offerings consisted of a multi-benefit life insurance policy that combined cash value life insurance with a tax deferred annuity and a single premium term life product. These product offerings were underwritten, marketed, and managed as a group of similar products on an overall portfolio basis. American Life presently offers five products, two MYGA, a FIA, and two bonus plans associated with the FIA product. It is not presently offering any traditional life insurance products.
Basis of presentation	Basis of Presentation These consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 and year ended December 31, 2020 have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation and certain immaterial reclassifications have been made to the prior period results to conform to the current period’s presentation with no impact on results of operations or total stockholders’ equity. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and noted thereto for the year ended December 31, 2020 included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K.
Investments	Investments All fixed maturities owned by the Company are considered available-for-sale and are included in the consolidated financial statements at their fair value as of the financial statement date. Premiums and discounts on fixed maturity debt instruments are amortized using the scientific-yield method over the term of the bonds. Realized gains and losses on securities sold during the year are determined using the specific identification method. Unrealized holding gains and losses, net of applicable income taxes, are included in accumulated other comprehensive income. Declines in the fair value of available-for-sale securities below their amortized cost are evaluated to assess whether any other-than-temporary impairment loss should be recorded. In determining if these losses are expected to be other-than-temporary, the Company considers severity of impairment, duration of impairment, forecasted recovery period, industry outlook, the financial condition of the issuer, issuer credit ratings, and the intent and ability of the Company to hold the investment until the recovery of the cost. The recognition of other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities is dependent on the facts and circumstances related to the specific security. If the Company intends to sell a security or it is more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell a security prior to recovery of the amortized cost, the difference between amortized cost and fair value is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income as an impairment. If the Company does not expect to recover the amortized basis, does not plan to sell the security, and if it is not more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell a security before the recovery of its amortized cost, the recognition of the impairment is bifurcated. The Company recognizes the credit loss portion as realized losses and the noncredit loss portion in accumulated other comprehensive loss. The credit component of other-than-temporary impairment is determined by comparing the net present value of projected cash flows with the amortized cost basis of the debt security. The net present value is calculated by discounting the Company’s best estimate of projected future cash flows at the effective interest rate implicit in the fixed income security at the date of acquisition. Cash flow estimates are driven by assumptions regarding probability of default, including changes in credit ratings, and estimates regarding timing and amount of recoveries associated with a default. The Company had no impairment recognized as of March 31, 2021. As of year-ended December 31, 2020, the Company analyzed the securities portfolio and determined that an impairment of approximately $35,000 should be recorded for one security, an impairment of $500,000 was recognized on a preferred stock, and a valuation allowance of $776,973 established on one lease. The valuation allowance on the lease of $776,973 was released as of March 31, 2021 due to the sale of the investment. The remaining investments were not impaired as of December 31, 2020. Investment income consists of interest, dividends, gains and losses from equity method investments, and real estate income, which are recognized on an accrual basis along with the amortization of premiums and discounts. Certain available-for-sale investments are maintained as collateral under funds withheld and modified coinsurance agreements but the assets and total returns or losses on the asset portfolios belong to the third-party reinsurers. American Life has treaties with several third-party reinsurers that have funds withheld and modified coinsurance provisions. In a modified coinsurance arrangement (“Modco”), the ceding entity retains the assets equal to the modified coinsurance reserves retained. In a funds withheld coinsurance agreement (“FW”), assets that would normally be paid over to a reinsurer are withheld by the ceding company to permit statutory credit for unauthorized reinsurers to reduce the potential credit risk. The unrealized gains/losses on those investments are passed through to the third-party reinsurers as either a realized gain or loss on the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
Mortgage loans on real estate, held for investment	Mortgage loans on real estate, held for investment Mortgage loans on real estate, held for investment are carried at unpaid principal balances. Interest income on mortgage loans on real estate, held for investment, is recognized in net investment income at the contract interest rate when earned. A mortgage loan is considered to be impaired when it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the mortgage agreement. Valuation allowances on mortgage loans are established based upon losses expected by management to be realized in connection with future dispositions or settlements of mortgage loans, including foreclosures. The Company establishes valuation allowances for estimated impairments on an individual loan basis as of the balance sheet date. Such valuation allowances are based on the excess carrying value of the loan over the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s original effective interest rate. These evaluations are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. No such valuation allowance was established for the as of March 31, 2021 or as of December 31, 2020, respectively.
Investment escrow	Investment escrow The Company held in escrow $3,317,043 and $3,174,047 as of March 31, 2021 and of December 31, 2020, respectively. The cash was used to settle other invested assets that closed in April 2021 and January 2021, respectively.
Other invested assets	Other invested assets The Company purchases and sells equipment leases in its investment portfolio. Other invested assets also includes loans held for investments. The Company entered into a fund investment on November 3,2020 for $15.8 million with an additional $3.9 million invested on December 16, 2020. At December 31, 2020, we had a $19.7 million investment in the fund. Effective January of 2021, this investment was repackaged into a special purpose vehicle between American Life and PF Collinwood Holdings, LLC (“PFC”) with American Life owning 100% of the entity. Subsequent to the repackaging of the fund investment into the special purpose vehicle, the classification of the investment remains in other invested assets.
Derivative Instruments	Derivative Instruments Derivatives are used to hedge the risks experienced in our ongoing operations, such as equity, interest rate, and cash flow risks, or for other risk management purposes, which primarily involve managing liability risks associated with our indexed annuity products and reinsurance agreements. Derivatives are financial instruments whose values are derived from interest rates, foreign exchange rates, financial indices, or other underlying notional amounts. Derivative assets and liabilities are carried at fair value on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. To qualify for hedge accounting, at the inception of the hedging relationship, we would formally document our designation of the hedge as a cash flow or fair value hedge and our risk management objective and strategy for undertaking the hedging transaction. In this documentation, we would identify how the hedging instrument is expected to hedge the designated risks related to the hedged item, the method that would be used to retrospectively and prospectively assess the hedging instrument’s effectiveness and the method which would be used to measure ineffectiveness. A derivative designated as a hedging instrument must be assessed as being highly effective in offsetting the designated risk of the hedged item. Hedge effectiveness is formally assessed at inception and periodically throughout the life of the designated hedging relationship. During the last quarter of 2020, the Company began investing in foreign currency futures to hedge the fluctuations in the foreign currency. The formal documentation and hedge effectiveness was also not completed at the date we entered into those futures contracts; therefore, they do not qualify for hedge accounting. The futures fair market values were recorded on our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss as realized gains or (losses). Additionally, reinsurance agreements written on a funds withheld or Modco basis contain embedded derivatives on our fixed indexed annuity product. Gains or (losses) associated with the performance of assets maintained in the modified coinsurance deposit and funds withheld accounts are reflected as realized gains or (losses) in Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
Equity Securities	Equity Securities Equity securities at March 31, 2021 and 2020 consist of mutual funds. Equity securities are carried at fair value with the change in fair value recorded through realized gains and losses on the statement of operations.
Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Preferred stock of a non-affiliated company was purchased for $500,000 during the third quarter of 2019. An impairment analysis of the preferred stock was performed as of June 30, 2020, due to a change in valuation of an invested asset held by the non-affiliated company. The investment asset had collateral supporting the investment that was less than the book value of the asset; therefore, the Company impaired the full amount of $500,000 as of December 31, 2020. This was recorded as a reduction of the asset on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and a bad debt expense on the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. There was no additional impairment of this preferred stock as of March 31, 2021. The Company authorized a series of transactions between American Life and Ascona Group Holdings Ltd (“AGH”). One of the transactions involved the acquisition of Pound Sterling (“GBP”) 3,345,022 of preferred equity in Ascona Group Holdings Limited (“the Preferred Equity”) along with warrants bearing no initial assigned value (the “Warrants” as of September 28, 2020. American Life initially created a special purpose vehicle called Ascona Asset Holding LLC (“AAH”) to hold the Preferred Equity and Warrants, and later created Ascona Collinwood HoldCo LLC (“ACH”) to be the sole member of AAH. American Life and Crestline Re SP1 own 74% and 26%, respectively, of ACH.
Notes receivable	Notes receivable The Company held in notes receivable as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, a note of $5,737,608 and $5,665,487, respectively, between American Life and a third-party that was rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”). This note is being carried at the fair market value.
Policy loans	Policy loans Policy loans are carried at unpaid principal balances. Interest income on policy loans is recognized in net investment income at the contract interest rate when earned. No valuation allowance is established for these policy loans as the amount of the loan is fully secured by the death benefit of the policy and cash surrender value.
Cash and cash equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers all liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company held approximately GBP 47,621 and GBP 505,349 in several of our custody accounts, respectively. The USD equivalent held was approximately $65,703 and $690,787, respectively. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company held approximately EUR 527,981 and 87,633, respectively. The USD equivalent held was approximately $620,536 and $107,000, respectively. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, we had realized losses of approximately $75,000 and gains of approximately $45,000, respectively, related to the change in the foreign currency exchange rate of the GBP and Euro that were recorded in realized (losses) gains on investments in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. The Company had money market investments of approximately $61.2 million and $100.6 million at March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.
Deferred acquisition costs	Deferred acquisition costs Deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”) consist of incremental direct costs, net of amounts ceded to third-party reinsurers, that result directly from and are essential to the contract acquisition transaction and would not have been incurred by the Company had the contract acquisition not occurred. These costs are capitalized, to the extent recoverable, and amortized over the life of the premiums produced. The Company evaluates the types of acquisition costs it capitalizes. The Company capitalizes agent compensation and benefits and other expenses that are directly related to the successful acquisition of contracts. The Company also capitalizes expenses directly related to activities performed by the Company, such as underwriting, policy issuance, and processing fees incurred in connection with successful contract acquisitions. Recoverability of deferred acquisition costs is evaluated periodically by comparing the current estimate of the present value of expected pretax future profits to the unamortized asset balance. If this current estimate is less than the existing balance, the difference is charged to expense. The Company performs a recoverability analysis annually in the fourth quarter unless events occur which require an immediate review. The Company determined that no events occurred in the three months ended March 31, 2021 that suggest a review should be undertaken. The Company performed a recoverability analysis during the fourth quarter of 2020 and determined that all DAC balances were recoverable as of December 31, 2020.
Property and equipment	Property and equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost net of accumulated depreciation. Annual depreciation is primarily computed using straight-line methods for financial reporting and straight-line and accelerated methods for tax purposes. Furniture and equipment is depreciated over 3 to 7 years and computer software and equipment is generally depreciated over 3 years. Depreciation expense totaled $12,334 and $10,316 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Accumulated depreciation totaled $1,035,668 and $1,023,334 as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Replacements and improvements which extend the useful life of the asset are capitalized. The net book value of assets sold or retired are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in earnings. Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized if the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable and exceeds estimated future undiscounted cash flows of the asset. A recognized impairment loss reduces the carrying amount of the asset to its fair value. Management has determined that no such events occurred in the three months ended March 31, 2021 that would indicate the carrying amounts may not be recoverable.
Reinsurance	Reinsurance In the normal course of business, the Company seeks to limit any single exposure to losses on large risks by purchasing reinsurance. The amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets as reinsurance recoverable include amounts billed to reinsurers on losses paid as well as estimates of amounts expected to be recovered from reinsurers on insurance liabilities that have not yet been paid. Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses are estimated based upon assumptions consistent with those used in establishing the liabilities related to the underlying reinsured contracts. Insurance liabilities are reported gross of reinsurance recoverable. Management believes the recoverables are appropriately established. The Company generally strives to diversify its credit risks related to reinsurance ceded. Reinsurance premiums are generally reflected in income in a manner consistent with the recognition of premiums on the reinsured contracts. Reinsurance does not extinguish the Company’s primary liability under the policies written. Therefore, the Company regularly evaluates the financial condition of its reinsurers including their activities with respect to claim settlement practices and commutations, and establishes allowances for uncollectible reinsurance recoverable as appropriate. There were no allowances established as of March 31, 2021 or December 31, 2020. We expect to reinsure substantially all of our new insurance policies with a variety of reinsurers in exchange for upfront ceding commissions, expense reimbursements and administrative fees. Under these reinsurance agreements, we expect there will be a monthly or quarterly settlement of premiums, claims, surrenders, collateral, and other administration fees. We believe this will help preserve American Life’s capital while supporting its growth because American Life will have lower capital requirements when its business is reinsured due to lower overall financial exposure versus retaining the insurance policy business itself. See Note 8 below for further discussion of our reinsurance activities. There are two main categories of reinsurance transactions: 1) “indemnity,” where we cede a portion of our risk but retain the legal responsibility to our policyholders should our reinsurers not meet their financial obligations; and 2) “assumption,” where we transfer the risk and legal responsibilities to the reinsurers. The reinsurers are required to acquire the appropriate regulatory and policyholder approvals to convert indemnity policies to assumption policies. Our reinsurers may be domestic or foreign capital markets investors or traditional reinsurance companies seeking to assume U.S. insurance business. We plan to mitigate the credit risk relating to reinsurers generally by requiring other financial commitments from the reinsurers to secure the reinsured risks (such as posting substantial collateral). It should be noted that under indemnity reinsurance agreements American Life remains exposed to the credit risk of its reinsurers. If one or more reinsurers become insolvent or are otherwise unable or unwilling to pay claims under the terms of the applicable reinsurance agreement, American Life retains legal responsibility to pay policyholder claims, which, in such event would likely materially and adversely affect the capital and surplus of American Life. As indicated above under “Nature of operations,” Midwest formed Seneca Re in early 2020. On April 15, 2020, Midwest entered into an operating agreement with Seneca Re and as of December 31, 2020, Seneca Re has one incorporated cell, Seneca Incorporated Cell, LLC 2020-01 (“SRC1”) which was consolidated in our financial statements. Effective December 8, 2020, American Life entered into a novation agreement with SRC2 and Crestline Re SPC, an exempted segregated portfolio company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, for and on behalf of Crestline Re SP1, an exempted segregated portfolio company of Crestline Re SPC, under which the above-described reinsurance, trust and related asset management agreements were novated and replaced with substantially similar agreements entered into by American Life and Crestline Re SP1. Some reinsurers are not and may not be “accredited” or qualified as reinsurers under Nebraska Law. In order to enter into reinsurance agreements with such reinsurers and to reduce potential credit risk, American Life holds a deposit or withholds funds from the reinsurer or requires the reinsurer to maintain a trust that holds assets backing up the reinsurer’s obligation to pay claims on the business it assumes. The reinsurer may also appoint an investment manager for such funds, which in some cases may be our investment adviser subsidiary, 1505 Capital, to manage these assets pursuant to guidelines adopted by us that are consistent with state investment statutes and reinsurance regulations. American Life currently has treaties with several third-party reinsurers and one related party reinsurer. Of the third-party reinsurers, only three have funds withheld or modified coinsurance provisions. In a modified coinsurance arrangement, the ceding entity retains the assets equal to the modified coinsurance reserves retained. In a funds withheld coinsurance agreement, assets that would normally be paid over to a reinsurer are withheld by the ceding company to permit statutory credit for unauthorized reinsurers, to reduce the potential credit risk. Under those provisions with third-party reinsurers, the assets backing the treaties are maintained by American Life as investments but the assets and total returns or losses on the investments are owned by the reinsurers. Under GAAP, this arrangement is considered an embedded derivative as discussed in Note 5 below. As a result of recent market volatility, assets carried as investments on American Life’s financial statements for the third-party reinsurers contained unrealized gains of approximately $2.5 million and $2.9 million as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The terms of the contracts with the third-party reinsurers provide that unrealized gains on the portfolios accrue to the third-party reinsurers. Accordingly, the unrealized gains on the assets held by American Life were offset by a gain in the embedded derivative of $400,000 and a loss $2.9 million as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. We account for this unrealized loss pass-through by recording equivalent realized losses on our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss and in amount payable to our third-party reinsurers on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Benefit reserves	Benefit reserves The Company establishes liabilities for amounts payable under insurance policies, including traditional life insurance and annuities. Generally, amounts are payable over an extended period of time. Liabilities for future policy benefits of traditional life insurance have been computed by a net level premium method based upon estimates at the time of issue for investment yields, mortality and withdrawals. These estimates include provisions for experience less favorable than initially expected. Mortality assumptions are based on industry experience expressed as a percentage of standard mortality tables.
Policy claims	Policy claims Policy claims are based on reported claims plus estimated incurred but not reported claims developed from trends of historical data applied to current exposure.
Deposit-type contracts	Deposit-type contracts Deposit-type contracts consist of amounts on deposit associated with deferred annuities, premium deposit funds and supplemental contracts without life contingencies.
Deferred gain on coinsurance transactions	Deferred gain on coinsurance transactions American Life has entered into four reinsurance contracts where it has earned or is earning ceding commissions. These ceding commissions are recorded as a deferred liability and amortized over the life of the business ceded. American Life receives commission, administrative, and option allowances from reinsurance transactions that represent recovery of acquisition costs. These allowances first reduce the DAC associated with the reinsured blocks of business with the remainder being included in the deferred gain on coinsurance transactions that is also being amortized.
Income taxes	Income taxes The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. federal and various state jurisdictions. Tax regulations within each jurisdiction are subject to the interpretation of the related tax laws and regulations and require significant judgment to apply. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, or local tax examinations by tax authorities for the years before 2016. The Company is not currently under examination for any open years. The provision for income taxes is based on income as reported in the financial statements. The income tax provision is calculated under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets are recorded based on the differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities at the enacted tax rates. The principal assets and liabilities giving rise to such differences are investments, insurance reserves, and deferred acquisition costs. A deferred tax asset valuation allowance is established when there is uncertainty that such assets would be realized. The Company has no uncertain tax positions that it believes are more-likely-than not that the benefit will not to be realized. When applicable, the Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties in income tax expense.
Revenue recognition and related expenses	Revenue recognition and related expenses Amounts received as payment for annuities are recognized as deposits to policyholder account balances and included in future insurance policy benefits. Revenues from these contracts are comprised of fees earned for administrative and contract-holder services and cost of insurance, which are recognized over the period of the contracts, and included in revenue. Deposits are shown as a financing activity in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Revenues from ceding commissions on traditional life and annuity products are deferred on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and amortized over the life of the policies. Revenues on traditional life insurance products consist of direct and assumed premiums reported as earned when due. Liabilities for future policy benefits are provided and acquisition costs are amortized by associating benefits and expenses with earned premiums to recognize related profits over the life of the contracts. Acquisition costs are amortized over the expected life of the annuity contracts. Revenues on service fees and third-party administration fees are recorded as income when incurred.
Comprehensive loss	Comprehensive loss Comprehensive loss is comprised of net (loss) income and other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) includes unrealized gains and losses from marketable securities classified as available for sale and unrealized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions, net of applicable taxes. American Life has treaties with several third-party reinsurers that have funds withheld and modified coinsurance provisions. Under those provisions, the assets backing the treaties are maintained by American Life as collateral but are owned by the third-party reinsurers, thus, the total return on the asset portfolio belongs to the third-party reinsurers. Under GAAP this is considered an embedded derivative as discussed in Note 5 below. As a result of recent market volatility, the investments carried by American Life for the third-party reinsurers contained unrealized gains of approximately $2.5 million and $2.9 million as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. The terms of the contracts with the third-party reinsurers provided that unrealized gains on the portfolios accrue to the third-party reinsurers. We account for this gain pass through by booking equivalent embedded derivative realized losses or gains in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. Accordingly, as of March 31, 2021 and 2020, such gains of $400,000 and of $23.2 million, respectively, were recorded. The remaining investments retained by American Life as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, had unrealized gains of approximately $5.9 million and $5.1 million, respectively, that included unrealized gains from assets held for SRC1. Basic (loss) earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 was ($0.43) and $10.55, respectively, which included the aforementioned gain of $400,000 and $23.2 million, respectively. Basic loss per share for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 without the aforementioned gain was ($0.55) and ($0.83), respectively. Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made on the Statements of Comprehensive Loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020. These reclassifications do not impact the overall Net loss or Net loss per common shares line items of the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made on the Statements of Comprehensive Loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020. These reclassifications do not impact the overall Net loss or Net loss per common shares line items of the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020.
Adoption of New Accounting Standards	Adoption of New Accounting Standards In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-1, Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments-Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)-Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments in this update clarify certain interactions between the guidance to account for certain equity securities under Topic 321, the guidance to account for investments under the equity method of accounting in Topic 323, and the guidance in Topic 815, which could change how an entity accounts for an equity security under the measurement alternative or a forward contract or purchased option to purchase securities that, upon settlement of the forward contract or exercise of the purchased option, would be accounted for under the equity method of accounting or the fair value option in accordance with Topic 825, Financial Instruments. This amendment was adopted effective January 1, 2021. As of March 31, 2021, the Company does not have any equity method transactions or options to purchases securities that would fall under this update; therefore, there is no impact to the Company at this time. Future adoption of New Accounting Standards In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10, Financials Services Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (topic 842). The board developed a philosophy to extend and simplify how effective dates are staggered between larger public companies and all other entities. For business entities that meet the definition of a smaller reporting company (“SRC”), the amendments in ASU 2018-12 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018‑12, Financial Services-Insurance (Topic 944). This update 1) modifies the timeliness of recognizing changes in the liability for future policy benefits and modifies the rate used to discount future cash flows, 2) simplifies the accounting for certain market-based options or guarantees associated with deposit contracts, 3) simplifies the amortization of deferred acquisition costs, and 4) addresses the effectiveness of the required disclosures. This ASU becomes effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2023. We anticipate that the adoption of ASU 2018‑12 will have a broad impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and will require us to make changes to certain of our processes, systems and controls. We are unable to determine the impact at this time of ASU No. 2018‑12 as we are still in the process of evaluating the standard. In December 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-12, Financial Services—Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts, as amended by ASU 2019-09, Financial Services —Insurance (Topic 944). The new guidance (i) prescribes the discount rate to be used in measuring the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited payment long-duration contracts, and requires assumptions for those liability valuations to be updated after contract inception, (ii) requires more market-based product guarantees on certain separate account and other account balance long-duration contracts to be accounted for at fair value, (iii) simplifies the amortization of DAC for virtually all long-duration contracts, and (iv) introduces certain financial statement presentation requirements, as well as significant additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures. The new standard becomes effective after December 15, 2023 , and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 for companies eligible as smaller reporting companies. Early application of the amendments in Update 2018-12 is permitted. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018‑10, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses. The amendments in this update include items brought to the Board’s attention by stakeholders to clarify the guidance in the amendments in ASU 2016‑13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) which was issued in June 2016. These updated amendments clarify that receivables arising from operating leases are not within the scope of Subtopic 326‑20. Under ASU 2016‑13, this replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to perform credit loss estimates. This update changes the methodology from an incurred loss to an expected credit loss. An allowance for the expected credit loss will be set up and the net income will be impacted. The credit losses will be evaluated in the current period and an adjustment to the allowance can be made. The new standard becomes effective after December 15, 2022. We are currently evaluating the impact of our pending adoption of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements.