Investment income and other gains and losses. Income from investments and gross realized investment and other gains and losses are detailed below:



	2017		2016		2015
	($000 omitted)
Investment income:
Debt securities	17,222		16,476		15,181
Short-term investments, cash equivalents and other	1,710		2,449		1,669
	18,932		18,925		16,850
Realized investment and other gains (losses) – net:
Realized gains	4,997		9,882		5,948
Realized losses	(2,790	)	(10,548	)	(7,317	)
	2,207		(666	)	(1,369	)

Proceeds from the sales of investments available-for-sale were $76.9 million, $81.1 million and $69.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Expenses assignable to investment income were insignificant, and there were no significant investments that did not produce income for all years presented.

In 2017, realized investment and other gains - net included $3.2 million of net realized gains from the sale of investments available-for-sale, partially offset by $0.8 million of net realized loss due to an increase in the fair value of a contingent consideration liability related to a prior acquisition.

In 2016, realized investment and other losses - net included $3.4 million of realized loss related to the exit of a service offering and $3.3 million of realized losses from sale of certain businesses within ancillary services operations, partially offset by $4.0 million of net realized gains from the sale of investments available-for-sale and $1.2 million of realized gain on a cost-basis investment transaction.

In 2015, realized investment and other losses – net included realized losses of $2.7 million relating to other-than-temporary impairment of investment in equity securities available-for-sale, $1.8 million impairment of other intangible assets and $1.4 million relating to office closure costs, partially offset by realized gains of $2.4 million from the sale of debt and equity investments available-for-sale and $1.5 million from the sale of office buildings.