Dividends

The following table presents shareholder dividends paid in total and per share:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2013		2012		2011
	(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Total paid	$	134,776	$	134,105	$	132,142
Per share	$	2.4525	$	2.4425	$	2.41

The Insurance Companies are subject to the financial capacity guidelines established by their domiciliary states. The payment of dividends from statutory unassigned surplus of the Insurance Companies is restricted, subject to certain statutory limitations. For 2014, the insurance subsidiaries of the Company are permitted to pay approximately $260 million in dividends to Mercury General without the prior approval of the DOI of domiciliary states. The above statutory regulations may have the effect of indirectly limiting the ability of the Company to pay shareholder dividends. During 2013, 2012, and 2011, the Insurance Companies paid the Company ordinary dividends of $120 million, $145 million, and $0, respectively, and extraordinary dividends of $0, $0, and $270 million, respectively.

On February 7, 2014, the Board of Directors declared a $0.6150 quarterly dividend payable on March 31, 2014 to shareholders of record on March 17, 2014.