Dividends

The following table presents shareholder dividends paid:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2016		2015		2014
	(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Total paid	$	137,201	$	136,386	$	135,496
Per share paid	$	2.4825	$	2.4725	$	2.4625

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. As of December 31, 2016, the insurance subsidiaries of the Company are permitted to pay approximately $144 million in dividends in 2017 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 2016, 2015, and 2014, the Insurance Companies paid Mercury General ordinary dividends of $111 million, $133 million, and $225 million, respectively.

On February 3, 2017, the Board of Directors declared a $0.6225 quarterly dividend payable on March 30, 2017 to shareholders of record on March 16, 2017.