Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Commitments and Contingencies

Contingencies-Between July 14, 2011 and July 21, 2011, securities class action complaints were filed against the Company and certain of its officers in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.  The complaints assert claims against (i) the Company and the Company's CEO and CFO for alleged violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder and (ii) the Company's CEO and CFO as alleged controlling persons.  The complaints generally allege false statements in earnings reports, SEC filings, press releases, and other public statements that allegedly caused the Company's stock to trade at artificially inflated prices. Plaintiff seeks an unspecified amount of damages.  The New York action has been transferred to Georgia and has been consolidated with the Georgia action, now styled In re: Ebix, Inc. Securities Litigation, Civil Action No. 1:11-CV-02400-RSW (N.D. Ga.).  In September 2011, a related derivative complaint was filed against the Company and each of its Directors in the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia, styled Nauman v. Raina, et al., Civil Action File No. 2011-cv-205276. The derivative action has been stayed pending resolution of the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss in the federal action. A Consolidated Amended Complaint (“CAC”) was filed by Plaintiffs on November 28, 2011, in the federal action. On January 12, 2012, the Company filed a Motion to Dismiss the CAC, which raises various defenses that the CAC fails to state a claim. Plaintiffs filed their Response on February 23, 2012. On March 26, 2012 the Company filed a Reply Memorandum in Further Support of the Motion to Dismiss. The Company believes that the complaints are legally insufficient, and we intend to seek dismissal.

In the normal course of business, the Company is involved in various other claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. In the opinion of management, the ultimate likely disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Lease Commitments—The Company leases office space under non-cancelable operating leases with expiration dates ranging through 2019, with various renewal options. Capital leases range from three to five years and are primarily for computer equipment. There were multiple assets under various individual capital leases at March 31, 2012 and 2011. Rental expense for office facilities and certain equipment subject to operating leases for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 was $1.3 million and $963 thousand, respectively.

Self Insurance—For most of the Company’s U.S. employees the Company is currently self-insured for its health insurance program and has a stop loss policy that limits the individual liability to $100 thousand per person and the aggregate liability to 125% of the expected claims based upon the number of participants and historical claims. As of March 31, 2012, the amount accrued on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet for the self-insured component of the Company’s employee health insurance was $384 thousand. The maximum potential estimated cumulative liability for the annual contract period, which ends in September 2012, is $2.5 million.