Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL ASSETS AND FINANCIAL LIABILITIES

Our available-for-sale securities consists of fixed maturity and equity securities which are recorded at fair value in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.  The change in the fair value of these investments, unless deemed to be other-than-temporarily impaired, is recorded as a component of other comprehensive income.

We are permitted to elect to measure financial instruments and certain other items at fair value, with the change in fair value recorded in earnings.  We elected not to measure any eligible items using the fair value option.

Accounting standards define fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or would be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, and establishes a framework to make the measurement of fair value more consistent and comparable.  In determining fair value, we primarily use prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets.

The Company categorizes assets and liabilities carried at their fair value based upon a fair value hierarchy:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 1 assets and liabilities consist of money market fund deposits and certain of our marketable debt and equity instruments, including equity instruments offsetting deferred compensation, that are traded in an active market with sufficient volume and frequency of transactions.

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets with insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (less active markets); or model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 2 assets include certain of our marketable debt and equity instruments with quoted market prices that are traded in less active markets or priced using a quoted market price for similar instruments. Level 2 assets also include marketable equity instruments with security-specific restrictions that would transfer to the buyer, marketable debt instruments priced using indicator prices which represent non-binding market consensus prices that can be corroborated by observable market quotes, as well as derivative contracts and debt instruments priced using inputs that are observable in the market or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.  Marketable debt instruments in this category generally include commercial paper, bank time deposits, repurchase agreements for fixed-income instruments, and a majority of floating-rate notes, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of fair value of assets or liabilities.

Level 3 assets and liabilities include marketable debt instruments, non-marketable equity investments, derivative contracts, and company issued debt whose values are determined using inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the values of the instruments being measured. Level 3 assets also include marketable debt instruments that are priced using indicator prices that we were unable to corroborate with observable market quotes.

Marketable debt instruments in this category generally include asset-backed securities and certain of our floating-rate notes, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds.

Assets/Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2013 are summarized in the following table by the type of inputs applicable to the fair value measurements (unaudited) (in thousands):

	Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Financial Assets
Fixed maturities available-for-sale
Corporate debt securities	$	36,615	$	—	$	36,615	$	—
Trust preferred securities	590		—		590		—
Mortgage backed securities	8,643		—		8,643		—
Private label mortgage backed securities	7,149		—		7,149		—
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	18,379		—		18,379		—
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S.    Government corporations and agencies	8,383		8,383		—		—
Trading securities	40		40		—		—
Equity securities available-for-sale	5,829		4,985		—		844
Total Financial Assets	$	85,628	$	13,408	$	71,376	$	844
Financial Liabilities
Interest rate swap	$	1,443	$	—	$	—	$	1,443
Total Financial Liabilities	$	1,443	$	—	$	—	$	1,443

The methods and assumptions the Company uses to estimate the fair value of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below.

Fixed maturities available-for-sale — The fair values of the Company’s public fixed maturity securities are generally based on prices obtained from independent pricing services. Consistent with the fair value hierarchy described above, securities with validated quotes from pricing services are generally reflected within Level 2, as they are primarily based on observable pricing for similar assets and/or other market observable inputs.

Trading securities — Trading securities consist primarily of mutual funds whose fair values are determined consistent with similar instruments described above under “Fixed Maturity Securities” and below under “Equity Securities” and “Derivative Instruments.”

Equity securities — Equity securities consist principally of investments in common and preferred stock of publicly traded companies and privately traded securities. The fair values of our publicly traded equity securities are based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets and are classified within Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. Estimated fair values for our privately traded equity securities require a substantial level of judgment. Privately traded equity securities are classified within Level 3.

Interest rate swaps — Interest rate swaps are recorded at fair value either as assets, within other assets or as liabilities, within other liabilities. The fair values of our interest rate swaps are provided by a third party broker and are classified within Level 3.

As of March 31, 2013, Level 3 fair value measurements of assets include $844,000 of equity securities in a local community bank whose value is based on an evaluation of the financial statements of the entity. The Company does not develop the unobservable inputs used in measuring fair value.

As of March 31, 2013, Level 3 fair value measurements of liabilities include $1,443,000 net fair value of various interest rate swap agreements whose value is based on analysis provided by a third party broker. The Company does not develop the unobservable inputs used in measuring fair value. Additional information regarding the interest rate swap agreements is provided in Note 7.

The table below presents a reconciliation for all assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the three months endedMarch 31, 2013 (in thousands):

For the three months ended March 31, 2013 (unaudited)	Equity Securities Available-for-Sale		Interest Rate Swap
Beginning balance	$	829	$	(1,521	)
Total gains or losses (realized and unrealized):
Included in earnings	—		—
Included in other comprehensive income	15		78
Purchases:	—		—
Sales:	—		—
Issuances:	—		—
Settlements:	—		—
Transfers in/(out) of Level 3	—		—
Ending balance	$	844	$	(1,443	)
The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets and liabilities still held as of March 31, 2013:	$	—	$	—

For the three months endedMarch 31, 2013, there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair values on a nonrecurring basis.

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2012 are summarized in the following table by the type of inputs applicable to the fair value measurements (in thousands):

	Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using
Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Financial Assets
Fixed maturities available-for-sale
Corporate debt securities	$	33,737	$	—	$	33,737	$	—
Trust preferred securities	587		—		587		—
Mortgage backed securities	8,685		—		8,685		—
Private label mortgage backed securities	7,964		—		7,964		—
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	17,516		—		17,516		—
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S.    Government corporations and agencies	7,805		7,805		—		—
Trading securities	40		40		—		—
Equity securities available-for-sale	5,132		4,303		—		829
Total Financial Assets	$	81,466	$	12,148	$	68,489	$	829
Financial Liabilities
Interest rate swap	$	1,521	$	—	$	—	$	1,521
Total Financial Liabilities	$	1,521	$	—	$	—	$	1,521

The table below presents a reconciliation for all assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the year ended December 31, 2012 (in thousands):

For the year ended December 31, 2012	Equity Securities Available-for-Sale		Interest Rate Swap
Beginning balance	$	642	$	(1,196	)
Total gains or losses (realized and unrealized):
Included in earnings	—		—
Included in other comprehensive income	44		(325		)
Purchases:	143		—
Sales:	—		—
Issuances:	—		—
Settlements:	—		—
Transfers in/(out) of Level 3	—		—
Ending balance	$	829	$	(1,521	)
The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets and liabilities still held as of December 31, 2012:	$	—	$	—

For the year ended December 31, 2012, there were no assets or liabilities measured at fair values on a nonrecurring basis.

The Company is exposed to certain risks in the normal course of its business operations.  The primary risk that is managed through the use of derivatives is interest rate risk on floating rate borrowings.  This risk is managed through the use of interest rate swap agreements which are designated as cash flow hedges.  For cash flow hedges, the effective portion of the gain or loss on the interest rate swap is included as a component of other comprehensive income and reclassified into earnings in the same period during which the hedged transaction is recognized in earnings.  The Company does not hold or issue derivatives that are not designated as hedging instruments.  See Note 7 for additional information about the interest rate swap agreements.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate fair value of each class of financial instrument for which it is practical to estimate that value:

Cash and cash equivalents — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Mortgage loans — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value due to the restrictive nature and limited marketability of the mortgage notes.

Policy loans — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Company owned life insurance — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Other invested assets — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Other policyholder funds — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Debt — the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

The carrying amount and estimate fair value of the Company’s financial instruments as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are as follows (in thousands):

	March 31, 2013				December 31, 2012
	(UNAUDITED)
	Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value
Assets and related instruments
Mortgage loans	$	381	$	381	$	383	$	383
Policy loans	1,324		1,324		1,317		1,317
Company owned life insurance	5,981		5,981		5,931		5,931
Other invested assets	3,707		3,707		3,777		3,777
Liabilities and related instruments
Other policyholder funds	1,412		1,412		1,417		1,417
Short-term notes payable and current portion of long-term debt	1,292		1,292		1,292		1,292
Long-term debt	25,639		25,639		25,339		25,339