Principles of Consolidation

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Disclosure Text Block [Abstract]

Note 2. Principles of Consolidation

Note 2. Principles of Consolidation

We apply ASC 810 - Consolidation (“ASC 810”) in our principles of consolidation. ASC 810 addresses arrangements where a company does not hold a majority of the voting or similar interests of a variable interest entity (“VIE”). A company is required to consolidate a VIE if it has determined it is the primary beneficiary. ASC 810 also addresses the policy when a company owns a majority of the voting or similar rights and exercises effective control.

As promulgated by ASC 810, a VIE is not self-supportive due to having one or both of the following conditions: (i) it has an insufficient amount of equity for it to finance its activities without receiving additional subordinated financial support or (ii) its owners do not hold the typical risks and rights of equity owners. This determination is made upon the creation of a variable interest and is re-assessed on an on-going basis should certain changes in the operations of a VIE, or its relationship with the primary beneficiary trigger a reconsideration under the provisions of ASC 810. After a triggering event occurs the most recent facts and circumstances are utilized in determining whether or not a company is a VIE, which other company(s) have a variable interest in the entity, and whether or not the company's interest is such that it is the primary beneficiary.

We will continue to monitor our relationships with the other entities regarding who is the primary beneficiary, which could change based on facts and circumstances of any reconsideration events.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2013 SAC Holding II fully repaid the $75.0 million outstanding principal balance on its junior note with AMERCO. Pursuant to ASC 810-10-35-4, we considered this a redetermination event which resulted in AMERCO no longer having a variable interest in SAC Holding II. Further, we determined that the repayment of the junior note had no impact on the existing individual operating entity management agreements thereby affirming our finding that these agreements do not constitute variable interests due to the presence of contractual 'kick-out' rights. As a result, the reconsideration event had no effect on the consolidation analysis, and thus we have no basis under ASC 810 to consolidate SAC Holding II.

Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Description of Legal Entities

AMERCO is the holding company for:

U-Haul International, Inc (“U-Haul”),

Amerco Real Estate Company (“Real Estate”),

Repwest Insurance Company (“Repwest”), and

Oxford Life Insurance Company (“Oxford”).

Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refers to AMERCO and all of its legal subsidiaries.

Description of Operating Segments

AMERCO has three reportable segments. They are Moving and Storage, Property and Casualty Insurance and Life Insurance.

The Moving and Storage operating segment includes AMERCO, U-Haul, and Real Estate and the wholly-owned subsidiaries of U-Haul and Real Estate. Operations consist of the rental of trucks and trailers, sales of moving supplies, sales of towing accessories, sales of propane, and the rental of fixed and mobile self-storage spaces to the “do-it-yourself” mover and management of self-storage properties owned by others. Operations are conducted under the registered trade name U-Haul^® throughout the United States and Canada.

The Property and Casualty Insurance operating segment includes Repwest and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and ARCOA risk retention group (“ARCOA”). The Property and Casualty Insurance operating segment provides loss adjusting and claims handling for U-Haul through regional offices across North America. The Property and Casualty Insurance operating segment also underwrites components of the Safemove, Safetow, Super Safemove and Safestor protection packages to U-Haul customers. The business plan for the Property and Casualty Insurance operating segment includes offering property and casualty products in other U-Haul related programs. ARCOA is a group captive insurer owned by us and our wholly-owned subsidiaries whose purpose is to provide insurance products related to the moving and storage business.

The Life Insurance operating segment includes Oxford and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Life Insurance operating segment provides life and health insurance products primarily to the senior market through the direct writing and reinsuring of life insurance, Medicare supplement and annuity policies.