Investments | 5. Investments The following tables show the cost or amortized cost, gross unrealized gains and losses, and fair value of the Company’s fixed income and equity securities: September 30, 2017 Cost or Amortized Gross Unrealized Gross Unrealized Fair Value Fixed income securities: U.S. Government and agencies $ 6,796 $ 223 $ (35 ) $ 6,984 Obligations of states and political subdivisions 82,429 1,901 (109 ) 84,221 Corporate securities 90,089 1,051 (57 ) 91,083 Residential mortgage-backed securities 31,707 209 (143 ) 31,773 Commercial mortgage-backed securities 7,483 100 (12 ) 7,571 Asset-backed securities 15,748 30 (21 ) 15,757 Total fixed income securities 234,252 3,514 (377 ) 237,389 Equity securities: Basic materials 1,085 93 (18 ) 1,160 Communications 3,151 1,089 (131 ) 4,109 Consumer, cyclical 4,643 3,321 (94 ) 7,870 Consumer, non-cyclical 6,350 3,546 (130 ) 9,766 Energy 1,809 91 (190 ) 1,710 Financial 1,592 184 — 1,776 Industrial 5,311 3,471 (74 ) 8,708 Technology 4,868 4,105 (235 ) 8,738 Total equity securities 28,809 15,900 (872 ) 43,837 Total investments $ 263,061 $ 19,414 $ (1,249 ) $ 281,226 December 31, 2016 Cost or Amortized Gross Unrealized Gross Unrealized Fair Value Fixed income securities: U.S. Government and agencies $ 5,834 $ 260 $ (44 ) $ 6,050 Obligations of states and political subdivisions 68,915 882 (401 ) 69,396 Corporate securities 50,610 1,028 (468 ) 51,170 Residential mortgage-backed securities 22,750 102 (215 ) 22,637 Commercial mortgage-backed securities 8,033 104 (41 ) 8,096 Asset-backed securities 4,118 17 (14 ) 4,121 Total fixed income securities 160,260 2,393 (1,183 ) 161,470 Equity securities: Basic materials 90 13 (1 ) 102 Communications 1,307 1,601 (81 ) 2,827 Consumer, cyclical 1,665 3,646 (50 ) 5,261 Consumer, non-cyclical 2,015 2,411 (208 ) 4,218 Energy 1,053 234 — 1,287 Financial 314 277 — 591 Industrial 2,251 2,766 — 5,017 Technology 2,816 3,855 (57 ) 6,614 Total equity securities 11,511 14,803 (397 ) 25,917 Total investments $ 171,771 $ 17,196 $ (1,580 ) $ 187,387 The amortized cost and estimated fair value of fixed income securities by contractual maturity are shown below. Actual maturities could differ from contractual maturities because issuers of the securities may have the right to call or prepay certain obligations, which may or may not include call or prepayment penalties. September 30, 2017 Amortized Cost Fair Value Due to mature: One year or less $ 15,884 $ 15,957 After one year through five years 84,260 85,799 After five years through ten years 68,934 70,189 After ten years 10,236 10,343 Mortgage / asset-backed securities 54,938 55,101 Total fixed income securities $ 234,252 $ 237,389 December 31, 2016 Amortized Cost Fair Value Due to mature: One year or less $ 10,935 $ 11,069 After one year through five years 45,904 46,891 After five years through ten years 55,430 55,619 After ten years 13,090 13,037 Mortgage / asset-backed securities 34,901 34,854 Total fixed income securities $ 160,260 $ 161,470 Fixed income securities with a market value of $3,535 at September 30, 2017 and $3,530 at December 31, 2016 were deposited with various state regulatory agencies as required by law. The Company has not pledged any assets to secure any obligations. The investment category and duration of the Company’s gross unrealized losses on fixed income securities and equity securities were as follows: September 30, 2017 Less than 12 Months Greater than 12 months Total Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fixed income securities: U.S. Government and agencies $ 2,491 $ (35 ) $ — $ — $ 2,491 $ (35 ) Obligations of states and political subdivisions 9,907 (35 ) 4,188 (74 ) 14,095 (109 ) Corporate securities 17,757 (42 ) 1,048 (15 ) 18,805 (57 ) Residential mortgage-backed securities 12,193 (107 ) 1,194 (36 ) 13,387 (143 ) Commercial mortgage-backed securities 1,422 (12 ) — — 1,422 (12 ) Asset-backed securities 8,729 (13 ) 657 (8 ) 9,386 (21 ) Total fixed income securities 52,499 (244 ) 7,087 (133 ) 59,586 (377 ) Equity securities: Basic materials 376 (18 ) — — 376 (18 ) Communications 728 (43 ) 126 (88 ) 854 (131 ) Consumer, cyclical 293 (21 ) 146 (73 ) 439 (94 ) Consumer, non-cyclical 2,021 (124 ) 318 (6 ) 2,339 (130 ) Energy 892 (190 ) — — 892 (190 ) Industrial 708 (74 ) — — 708 (74 ) Technology 1,212 (143 ) 149 (92 ) 1,361 (235 ) Total equity securities 6,230 (613 ) 739 (259 ) 6,969 (872 ) Total investments $ 58,729 $ (857 ) $ 7,826 $ (310 ) $ 66,555 $ (1,249 ) December 31, 2016 Less than 12 Months Greater than 12 months Total Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fair Unrealized Fixed income securities: U.S. Government and agencies $ 2,750 $ (44 ) $ — $ — $ 2,750 $ (44 ) Obligations of states and political subdivisions 16,559 (396 ) 245 (5 ) 16,804 (401 ) Corporate securities 13,479 (175 ) 2,006 (293 ) 15,485 (468 ) Residential mortgage-backed securities 15,692 (215 ) — — 15,692 (215 ) Commercial mortgage-backed securities 2,513 (41 ) — — 2,513 (41 ) Asset-backed securities 2,291 (14 ) — — 2,291 (14 ) Total fixed income securities 53,284 (885 ) 2,251 (298 ) 55,535 (1,183 ) Equity securities: Basic materials 32 (1 ) — — 32 (1 ) Communications 167 (81 ) — — 167 (81 ) Consumer, cyclical 63 (5 ) 174 (45 ) 237 (50 ) Consumer, non-cyclical 239 (208 ) — — 239 (208 ) Technology 543 (57 ) — — 543 (57 ) Total equity securities 1,044 (352 ) 174 (45 ) 1,218 (397 ) Total investments $ 54,328 $ (1,237 ) $ 2,425 $ (343 ) $ 56,753 $ (1,580 ) We frequently review our investment portfolio for declines in fair value which are other than temporary. Our process for identifying declines in the fair value of investments that are other than temporary involves consideration of several factors. These factors include (i) the time period in which there has been a significant decline in value, (ii) an analysis of the liquidity, business prospects and overall financial condition of the issuer, (iii) the significance of the decline, and (iv) our intent and ability to hold the investment for a sufficient period of time for the value to recover. When our analysis of the above factors results in the conclusion that declines in fair values are other than temporary, the cost of the securities is written down to fair value and the previously unrealized loss is therefore reflected as a realized capital loss on investment. The Company recorded impairments of $124 in the three months ended September 30, 2017 and impairments of $330 in the nine months ended September 30, 2017. The Company did not record any impairments in the three months or nine months ended September 30, 2016. As of September 30, 2017, we held 135 fixed income securities with unrealized losses. As of December 31, 2016, we held 129 fixed income securities with unrealized losses. In conjunction with our outside investment advisors, we analyzed the credit ratings of the securities as well as the historical monthly amortized cost to fair value ratio of securities in an unrealized loss position. This analysis yielded no fixed income securities which had fair values less than 80% of amortized cost for the preceding 12-month period. Net investment income consisted of the following: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Fixed income securities $ 1,703 $ 1,274 $ 4,664 $ 3,677 Equity securities 79 90 242 297 Real estate 234 319 695 661 Cash and cash equivalents 6 — — — Total gross investment income 2,022 1,683 5,601 4,635 Investment expenses 473 712 1,462 1,349 Net investment income $ 1,549 $ 971 $ 4,139 $ 3,286 Net realized capital gain on investments consisted of the following: Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Gross realized gains $ 2,104 $ 5,073 $ 3,284 $ 5,587 Gross realized losses, excluding other than (95 ) (77 ) (114 ) (372 ) Other than temporary impairment losses (124 ) — (330 ) — Net realized capital gain on investments $ 1,885 $ 4,996 $ 2,840 $ 5,215 |