Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles Of Consolidation

     Principles of Consolidation. The accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts and operations of Investors Title Company and its subsidiaries, and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information, with the instructions to Form 10-Q and with Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. Earnings attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interest are recorded on the Consolidated Statement of Income for majority-owned subsidiaries. The redeemable noncontrolling interest representing the portion of equity not related to the Company's ownership interest is recorded as redeemable equity in a separate section of the Consolidated Balance Sheets. 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, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012.

Use Of Estimates And Assumptions

     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

     Subsequent Events. On November 12, 2002, the Company's Board of Directors adopted a shareholders' rights plan, pursuant to which the Board of Directors authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one stock purchase right for each outstanding share of common stock of the Company to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 2, 2002. Subsequently issued shares of common stock also carry stock purchase rights. Unless terminated or redeemed by the Board of Directors, the stock purchase rights become exercisable based upon certain limited conditions related to acquisitions of the Company's common stock, tender offers and certain business combinations involving the Company. On October 31, 2012, the shareholders' rights plan was amended to, among other things, extend the expiration date of the plan from November 11, 2012 to October 31, 2022 and increase the exercise price of the stock purchase rights from $80 per unit to $220 per unit. In connection with the amendments to the shareholders' rights plan, the Board of Directors of the Company also amended the Company's Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of shares designated under the rights plan as Series A Participating Preferred Stock from 100,000 shares to 200,000 shares.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

     Recently Issued Accounting Standards. 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 became effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company complied with this update, and it did not have an impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

     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 became effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company complied with this update, and it did not have an impact on the Company's financial condition or results of operations.

Pending Accounting Standards

     Pending Accounting Standards. In June 2011, the FASB updated requirements relating to the presentation of comprehensive income. In December 2011, the FASB issued a subsequent update to defer those changes in the June 2011 update that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments. All other requirements of the June 2011 update are not affected by the December 2011 update. The amendments are being made to allow the FASB time to redeliberate whether to present on the face of the financial statements the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the components of net income and other comprehensive income for all periods presented.