Fair Value (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Fair value measurements by level for assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The following tables summarize fair value measurements by level for assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

As of December 31, 2012:

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3

U.S. government obligations	$	70,742	$	70,742	$	-	$	-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		25,040		-		25,040		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		11,828		-		11,828		-
State and municipal obligations		194,865		-		194,865		-
Corporate securities		118,945		-		107,263		11,682
Options embedded in convertible securities		1,651		-		1,651		-
Foreign government obligations		22,598		-		22,598		-
Total fixed maturities		445,669		70,742		363,245		11,682
Equity securities		107,582		107,582		-		-
Short term		4,201		4,201		-		-
Cash equivalents		64,450		-		64,450		-
	$	621,902	$	182,525	$	427,695	$	11,682

As of December 31, 2011:

Description	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3

U.S. government obligations	$	73,137	$	73,137	$	-	$	-
Government sponsored entities		349		-		349		-
Residential mortgage-backed securities		21,872		-		21,872		-
Commercial mortgage-backed securities		11,300		-		11,300		-
State and municipal obligations		190,035		-		190,035		-
Corporate securities		90,141		-		73,091		17,050
Options embedded in convertible securities		1,505		-		1,505		-
Foreign government obligations		21,121		-		21,121		-
Total fixed maturities		409,460		73,137		319,273		17,050
Equity securities		88,085		88,085		-		-
Short term		3,675		2,982		693		-
Cash equivalents		81,756		-		81,756		-
	$	582,976	$	164,204	$	401,722	$	17,050

Reconciliation of beginning and ending balances of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using level 3 inputs

The Level 3 assets consist of a portfolio of insurance-linked securities. The insurance-linked securities are valued using the average of estimated market quotes from multiple insurance-linked securities brokers. The broker quotes include Level 3 inputs which are significant to the valuation of the insurance-linked securities. There were no Level 3 sales, no transfers into Level 3 and no transfers out of Level 3 during 2012 or 2011. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs is as follows for the years ended December 31:

	2012			2011
Beginning of period balance	$	17,050		$	17,242
Total gains or losses (realized or unrealized)
included in income		1,653			387
Purchases		400			6,522
Settlements		(7,421	)		(7,101	)
End of period balance	$	11,682		$	17,050

A summary of the carrying value and fair value by level of financial instruments

A summary of the carrying value and fair value by level of financial instruments not recorded at fair value on the Company's consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2012 is as follows:

	Carrying		Fair Value
	Value		Level 1		Level II		Level III		Total
Assets:
Limited partnerships	$	59,954	$	-	$	-	$	59,954	$	59,954

Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings		10,000		-		10,000		-		10,000

A summary of the carrying value and fair value by level of financial instruments not recorded at fair value on the Company's consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2011 is as follows:

	Carrying		Fair
	Value		Value
Assets:
Limited partnerships	$	54,705	$	54,705

Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings		10,000		10,000

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments, assets, and liabilities. Such certain disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate) and (2) the methodology and assumptions used in developing such estimates of fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 14

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph c(2), d, e, f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph b-d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13467-108611

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 19

-Subparagraph a, b, c(1), d(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6447952&loc=d3e13220-108610

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 157

-Paragraph 32

-Subparagraph a, c(1), c(2), c(3), d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13476-108611

Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 30

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14172-108612

+ Details

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of the fair value measurement of liabilities using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes attributable to the following: (1) total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets), and gains or losses recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets) are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (2) purchases, sales, issues, and settlements (each type disclosed separately); and (3) transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 (for example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs) by class of liability.

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