Fair value measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]

Fair value measurements

Fair value measurements. The Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures Topic (Topic 820) of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal, or most advantageous, market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Topic 820 establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs when possible.

The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:

• Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;

• Level 2 – observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data; and

• Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair values of the assets or liabilities, including certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.

As of September 30, 2018, financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below:

	Level 1	Level 2	Fair value measurements
	($000 omitted)
Investments in securities:
Debt securities:
Municipal	—	61,703	61,703
Corporate	—	340,919	340,919
Foreign	—	209,329	209,329
U.S. Treasury Bonds	—	12,471	12,471
Equity securities	37,667	—	37,667
	37,667	624,422	662,089

As of December 31, 2017, financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below:

	Level 1	Level 2	Fair value measurements
	($000 omitted)
Investments in securities:
Debt securities:
Municipal	—	72,669	72,669
Corporate	—	357,933	357,933
Foreign	—	228,237	228,237
U.S. Treasury Bonds	—	12,602	12,602
Equity securities	37,914	—	37,914
	37,914	671,441	709,355

As of September 30, 2018, Level 1 financial instruments consist of equity securities. Level 2 financial instruments consist of municipal, governmental, and corporate bonds, both U.S. and foreign. In accordance with the Company’s policies and guidelines which incorporate relevant statutory requirements, the Company’s third-party registered investment manager invests only in securities rated as investment grade or higher by the major rating services, where observable valuation inputs are significant. The fair value of the Company's investments in available-for-sale securities are primarily determined using a third-party pricing service provider. The third-party pricing service provider calculates the fair values using both market approach and model valuation methods, as well as pricing information obtained from brokers, dealers and custodians. Management ensures the reasonableness of the third-party service valuations by comparing them with pricing information from the Company's investment manager.

There were no transfers of investments between levels during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.