A subsidiary of the Company offers a CSO product in Texas, and another subsidiary offered a CSO product in Ohio until April 2019, to assist consumers in obtaining credit with unaffiliated third-party lenders. Ohio House Bill 123 (“HB123”) prohibits CSO transactions in Ohio on or after April 28, 2019, at which time, the Ohio CSO product was no longer offered. Total gross finance receivables for which the Company has recorded an accrual for third-party lender losses totaled $3,782 and $12,096 at September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, respectively, and the corresponding guaranteed consumer loans are disclosed as an off-balance sheet arrangement. The total gross finance receivables for the Ohio CSO product consist of $57 and $7,143 in medium-term loans at September 30, 2020, and December 31, 2019, respectively. The total gross finance receivables for the Texas CSO product consist of $3,725 and $4,953 in short-term loans at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The provision for short-term third-party lender losses of $1,977 and $4,593 for the three months and nine months ending September 30, 2020 is net of debt sales of $69 and $172, respectively. The provision for short-term third-party lender losses of $3,198 and $6,256 for the three months and nine months ending September 30, 2019 is net of debt sales of $59 and $308, respectively.
For the Ohio CSO Program, the Company was required to purchase $32 and $180 of short-term loans and $-0- and $4,070 of medium-term loans during the three months, and $153 and $12,389 of short-term loans and $1,364 and $7,143 of medium-term loans during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, and 2019, respectively. As these loans were in default when purchased, they met the Company’s policy and were fully charged-off at acquisition. The Company recognized recoveries of $93 and $263 of short-term and $171 and $1,172 of medium-term collections on these loans during the three months, and $265 and $9,595 of short-term and $1,008 and $1,749 of medium-term collections on these loans during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
For the Texas CSO Program, the Company was required to purchase $3,369 and $4,715 of short-term loans during the three months, and $10,000 and $10,699 of short-term loans during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As these loans were in default when purchased, they met the Company’s policy and were fully charged-off at acquisition. The Company recognized recoveries of $1,580 and $1,349 of short-term collections on these loans during the three months, and $5,252 and $3,865 of short-term collections on these loans during the nine months ended September 30, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
Additionally, certain subsidiaries of ours entered debt buying agreements with other third parties whereby the subsidiaries will purchase certain delinquent loans. Total gross finance receivables for which the Company recorded a debt buyer liability was $20,500 and $28,444 and the amount reserved for the debt buyer liability was $2,359 and $3,474 as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The purchase price for any delinquent loan is equal to an agreed upon percentage of the unpaid principal balance and accrued interest and fees. The Company records these at fair value and the difference between the purchase price and expected recoverability is charged through the provision for loan losses. The Company has determined the fair value at repurchase based on a historical review of collections on defaulted or delinquent loans. The Company will sell to a third-party or will charge-off the remaining balance after a certain time period of collections activity.
Under the debt buying agreements, the Company’s subsidiaries purchased $2,183 and $8,427 of loans and recognized recoveries of $1,097 and $3,195 of collections on these loans during the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2020, and purchased $2,990 and $3,499 of loans and recognized recoveries of $346 and $414 of collections on these loans during the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.
Changes in the accrual for the debt buyer liability for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2020, and 2019, were as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Three Months Ended September 30, | | Nine Months Ended September 30, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2020 | | 2019 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance, beginning of period | $ | 3,442 | | $ | 3,823 | | $ | 3,474 | | $ | - |
Debt buyer defaults (loans purchased) | | (2,183) | | | (2,989) | | | (8,427) | | | (3,498) |
Provision for new loans, including changes in estimates | | 1,100 | | | 4,278 | | | 7,312 | | | 8,610 |
Balance, end of period | $ | 2,359 | | $ | 5,112 | | $ | 2,359 | | $ | 5,112 |
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