Dividends

The following table presents shareholder dividends paid:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015
	(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Total paid	$	137,886	$	137,201	$	136,386
Per share paid	$	2.4925	$	2.4825	$	2.4725

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, 2017, the insurance subsidiaries of the Company are permitted to pay approximately $167 million in dividends in 2018 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 2017, 2016, and 2015, the Insurance Companies paid Mercury General ordinary dividends of $109 million, $111 million, and $133 million, respectively.

On February 2, 2018, the Board of Directors declared a $0.6250 quarterly dividend payable on March 29, 2018 to shareholders of record on March 15, 2018.