Recent Accounting Pronouncements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Text Block]

Note 2 — Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) (Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2013-02). Effective January 1, 2013, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (“FASB”) updated guidance on the reporting of items of AOCI reclassified to net income. The updated guidance requires disclosures of the effect of items reclassified out of AOCI into net income on each individual line item in the statement of income. See Note 14 for the Company's updated disclosures.

Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities (ASU 2011-11). The FASB's new requirements to disclose information on both a gross and net basis for certain derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and lending transactions that are either offset in accordance with specific criteria or subject to a master netting or similar arrangement became effective January 1, 2013. There were no effects to the Company's financial statements because no transactions or arrangements were subject to these new disclosure requirements.

Fees Paid to the Federal Government by Health Insurers (ASU 2011-06). In 2011, the FASB issued accounting guidance for the health insurance industry assessment (the “fee”) mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (“Health Care Reform”). The fee will be levied on health insurers beginning in 2014 based on a ratio of an insurer's net health insurance premiums written for the previous calendar year compared to the U.S. health insurance industry total. In addition, because these fees will generally not be tax deductible, the Company's effective tax rate is expected to be adversely impacted in future periods. Under the guidance, the liability for the fee will be estimated and recorded in full each year beginning in 2014 when health insurance is first provided. A corresponding deferred cost will be recorded and amortized over the calendar year. The amount of the fees is expected to be material, although the Company is unable to estimate the impact of these fees on shareholders' net income and the effective tax rate.