Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Reference should be made to the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" of Investors Title Company's ("the Company") Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 for a complete description of the Company's significant accounting policies.

Principles of Consolidation – The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts and operations of Investors Title Company and its subsidiaries (Investors Title Insurance Company, National Investors Title Insurance Company, Investors Title Exchange Corporation, Investors Title Accommodation Corporation, Investors Title Management Services, Inc., Investors Title Commercial Agency, LLC, Investors Capital Management Company, and Investors Trust Company), and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been included. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions – The preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions used.

Subsequent Events - The Company has evaluated and concluded that there were no material subsequent events requiring adjustment to or disclosure in its consolidated financial statements.

    Recently Issued Accounting Standards – In January 2010, the FASB updated the requirements for fair value measurements and disclosures to provide for additional disclosures related to transfers in and out of fair value hierarchy Levels 1 and 2, and to require companies to present purchases, sales, issuances and settlements of Level 3 securities on a gross rather than net basis. Refer to Note 6 for a discussion of valuation hierarchy levels. The new disclosures are clarifications of existing disclosures and are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except that the disclosures requiring the presentation of Level 3 securities trading activity on a gross basis are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. This update did not have an impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

Pending Accounting Standards – In May 2011, the FASB updated requirements for measuring and disclosing fair value information, resulting in common principles and requirements in accordance with GAAP and IFRS. For public entities, this guidance becomes effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early application by public entities is not permitted. Management does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

      In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("the FASB") updated requirements relating to the presentation of comprehensive income. The objectives of this accounting update are to facilitate convergence of GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), to improve the comparability, consistency, and transparency of financial reporting and to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. The main provisions of the guidance require that all nonowner changes in stockholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. For public entities, this update becomes effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Management does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Change in Estimate. The Company's premium revenues from certain agency operations include accruals based on estimates using historical information, as well as other relevant trends and data.  The accruals for premiums are necessary because of the lag between policy effective dates and the reporting of these transactions to the Company by the agents.  In addition to accruing these earned but unreported agency premiums, the Company also accrues agent commission expenses, premium taxes and income taxes, and records a provision for claim losses at the prevailing provision rate as of the balance sheet date. 

      During the third quarter of 2011, the Company performed a study of certain agency transactions to more accurately gauge the lag time between policy effective dates and the reporting of these transactions to the Company by the agents.  Based on the results of this study, the Company reevaluated and refined the estimate for this accrual, which resulted in an increase in accrued premiums receivable. The Company believes that this adjustment is properly reflected as a change in accounting estimate in the third quarter of 2011.  The approximate impact of this change in estimate for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 were increases of $3,004,000 in net premiums written, $2,554,000 in commissions to agents, $60,000 in premium taxes, $90,000 in the provision for claims, $102,000 in the provision for income taxes and $198,000 in net income, or approximately $0.09 per share, compared with the amounts that would have been recorded under the Company's prior estimate.The net income and earnings per share effects exclude certain fixed expenses.