The Company has financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk established in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk extending beyond amounts recognized in the financial statements.

The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved with extending loans to customers. The Company uses the same credit underwriting policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as for on-balance sheet instruments.

March 31,

2020

December 31,

2019

Commitments to extend credit

863,534

820,282

Standby letters of credit

20,416

21,911

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the agreement. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses which may require payment of a fee. Commitments may expire without being drawn upon; therefore, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. Each customer’s creditworthiness is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if any, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the borrower. Standby letters of credit are conditional lending commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. These standby letters of credit are primarily issued to support private borrowing arrangements. The credit risk involved in issuing standby letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers.

At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the allowance for credit losses for unfunded commitments totaled $2.6 million and $0, respectively, and was included in other liabilities on the Company's consolidated statements of financial condition. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, credit loss expense for unfunded commitments was $493 thousand and $0, respectively.

In the ordinary course of business, there are various threatened and pending legal proceedings against the Company. Management believes that the aggregate liability, if any, arising from such litigation would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.