Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Product liability. Polaris is subject to product liability claims in the normal course of business. The Company carries excess insurance coverage for product liability claims. Polaris self-insures product liability claims before the policy date and up to the purchased insurance coverage after the policy date. The estimated costs resulting from any losses are charged to operating expenses when it is probable a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable. The Company utilizes historical trends and actuarial analysis, along with an analysis of current claims, to assist in determining the appropriate loss reserve levels. At September 30, 2020, the Company had an accrual of $65.6 million for the probable payment of pending claims related to product liability litigation associated with Polaris products. This accrual is included as a component of other accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheets.

Litigation. The Company is a defendant in lawsuits and subject to other claims arising in the normal course of business, including matters related to intellectual property, commercial matters, and product liability claims. In addition, as of September 30, 2020, the Company is party to three putative class actions pending against the Company in the United States.

Two class actions allege that certain Polaris products caused economic losses resulting from unresolved fire hazards and excessive heat hazards. The third class action alleges that Polaris violated various California consumer protection laws related to rollover protection structure certification. The Company is unable to provide an evaluation of the likelihood that a loss will be incurred or an estimate of the range of possible loss on the putative class actions.

In the opinion of management, it is presently unlikely that any legal proceedings pending against or involving the Company will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. However, in many of these matters, it is inherently difficult to determine whether a loss is probable or reasonably possible or to estimate the size or range of the possible loss given the variety of potential outcomes of actual and potential claims, the uncertainty of future rulings, the behavior or incentives of adverse parties, and other factors outside of the control of the Company. Accordingly, the Company’s loss reserve may change from time to time, and actual losses could exceed the amounts accrued by an amount that could be material to our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows in any particular reporting period.

Regulatory. In the normal course of business, the Company’s products are subject to extensive laws and regulations relating to safety, environmental and other regulations promulgated by the United States federal government and individual states, as well as international regulatory authorities. Failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in fines, penalties or other costs.