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Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies
Note 2.  Significant Accounting Policies
 
Basis of presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of Indemnity together with its affiliate companies in which Indemnity holds a majority voting or economic interest.
 
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and 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 differ from those estimates.
 
In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods have been included.  Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2014.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2014.

Principles of consolidation
We consolidate the Exchange as a variable interest entity for which Indemnity is the primary beneficiary.  All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  The required presentation of noncontrolling interests is reflected in the consolidated financial statements.  Noncontrolling interests represent the ownership interests of the Exchange, all of which are held by parties other than Indemnity (i.e. the Exchange’s subscribers (policyholders)).  Noncontrolling interests also include the Exchange subscribers’ ownership interest in EFL.
 
Presentation of assets and liabilities – While the assets of the Exchange are presented separately in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position, the Exchange’s assets can only be used to satisfy the Exchange’s liabilities or for other unrestricted activities.  Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation, does not require separate presentation of the Exchange’s assets; however, because the shareholders of Indemnity have no rights to the assets of the Exchange and, conversely, the Exchange has no rights to the assets of Indemnity, we have presented the invested assets of the Exchange separately on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position along with the remaining consolidated assets reflecting the Exchange’s portion parenthetically.  Liabilities are required under ASC 810, Consolidation, to be presented separately for the Exchange on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as the Exchange’s creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of Indemnity.
 
Rights of shareholders of Indemnity and subscribers (policyholders) of the Exchange – The shareholders of Indemnity, through the management fee, have a controlling financial interest in the Exchange; however, they have no other rights to or obligations arising from assets and liabilities of the Exchange.  The shareholders of Indemnity own its equity but have no rights or interest in the Exchange’s (noncontrolling interest) income or equity.  The noncontrolling interest equity represents the Exchange’s equity held for the interest of its subscribers (policyholders), who have no rights or interest in the Indemnity shareholder interest income or equity.
 
All intercompany assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses between Indemnity and the Exchange have been eliminated in the Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
Pending accounting pronouncements
In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01, Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects.  This guidance permits reporting entities to make an accounting policy election to account for their investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the proportional amortization method if certain conditions are met.  Generally, investors in qualified affordable housing project investments expect to receive substantially all of their return through the receipt of tax credits and other tax benefits.  ASU 2014-01 allows for the recording of the investment performance net of taxes as a component of income tax expense to more fairly represent the economics of the investments and provide users with a better understanding of the returns from such investments.  The qualifications to make this accounting election were also made less restrictive.  ASU 2014-01 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted.  While we are currently evaluating whether to make the accounting election and whether the election would be made for early adoption, such election is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.