Basis of Presentation And Significant Estimates

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Significant Estimates

NOTE 1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ESTIMATES

The Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of Kemper Corporation (“Kemper”) and its subsidiaries (individually and collectively referred to herein as the “Company”). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

In the first quarter of 2014, the Company realigned its property and casualty insurance businesses. As a result of the realignment, the property and casualty insurance businesses are being reported as a single business segment named the Property & Casualty Insurance segment. The Company has reclassified certain prior-year amounts in its segment results in the Consolidated Financial Statements to conform to the current year presentation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure 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 materially differ from those estimates and assumptions.

The fair values of the Company’s Investments in Fixed Maturities, Investments in Equity Securities, Fair Value Option Investments, Short-term Investments, Trading Securities and Debt are estimated using a hierarchal framework which prioritizes and ranks market price observability. The carrying amounts reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets approximate fair value for Cash, Short-term Investments and certain other assets and other liabilities because of their short-term nature. The actual value at which financial instruments could actually be sold or settled with a willing buyer or seller may differ from estimated fair values depending on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, current and future economic conditions, the quantity sold or settled, the presence of an active market and the availability of a willing buyer or seller.

The process of estimating and establishing reserves for losses and LAE for property and casualty insurance is inherently uncertain, and the actual ultimate net cost of known and unknown claims may vary materially from the estimated amounts reserved. The reserving process is particularly imprecise for claims involving long-tailed exposures, which may not be discovered or reported until years after the insurance policy period has ended. Management considers a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, past claims experience, current claim trends and relevant legal, economic and social conditions, in estimating reserves. A change in any one or more factors is likely to result in the ultimate net claim costs to differ from the estimated reserve. Changes in such estimates may be material and would be recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements when such estimates change.

The process of determining whether an asset is impaired or recoverable relies on projections of future cash flows, operating results and market conditions. Projections are inherently uncertain, and, accordingly, actual future cash flows may differ materially from projected cash flows. As a result, the Company’s assessment of the impairment of long-lived assets is susceptible to the risk inherent in making such projections.