Fair Value of Financial Instruments | Note 3 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments The Company is required under GAAP to disclose estimated fair values for certain financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities. Fair values of the Company’s insurance contracts other than annuity contracts are not required to be disclosed. However, the estimated fair values of liabilities under all insurance contracts are taken into consideration in the Company’s overall management of interest rate risk through the matching of investment maturities with amounts due under insurance contracts. Information regarding the three-level hierarchy presented below and the valuation methodologies utilized by the Company to estimate fair values at a point in time is included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, specifically in “Note 3 Fair Value of Financial Instruments”. Financial Instruments Measured and Carried at Fair Value The following table presents the Company’s fair value hierarchy for those assets and liabilities measured and carried at fair value on a recurring basis. At June 30, 2015, these Level 3 invested assets comprised 2.5 Fair Value Measurements at Carrying Fair Reporting Date Using Amount Value Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 June 30, 2015 Financial Assets Investments Fixed maturities U.S. Government and federally sponsored agency obligations: Mortgage-backed securities $ 526,426 $ 526,426 $ - $ 526,426 $ - Other, including U.S. Treasury securities 602,587 602,587 16,251 586,336 - Municipal bonds 1,648,449 1,648,449 - 1,618,780 29,669 Foreign government bonds 66,690 66,690 - 66,690 - Corporate bonds 2,642,268 2,642,268 10,207 2,559,337 72,724 Other mortgage-backed securities 1,410,638 1,410,638 - 1,325,938 84,700 Total fixed maturities 6,897,058 6,897,058 26,458 6,683,507 187,093 Equity securities 99,318 99,318 85,543 13,769 6 Short-term investments 117,779 117,779 117,779 - - Other investments 11,946 11,946 - 11,946 - Totals 7,126,101 7,126,101 229,780 6,709,222 187,099 Separate Account (variable annuity) assets (1) 1,905,298 1,905,298 1,905,298 - - Financial Liabilities Other policyholder funds, embedded derivatives 26,719 26,719 - - 26,719 December 31, 2014 Financial Assets Investments Fixed maturities U.S. Government and federally sponsored agency obligations: Mortgage-backed securities $ 535,726 $ 535,726 $ - $ 535,726 $ - Other, including U.S. Treasury securities 538,199 538,199 17,857 520,342 - Municipal bonds 1,647,822 1,647,822 - 1,634,194 13,628 Foreign government bonds 59,536 59,536 - 59,536 - Corporate bonds 2,834,749 2,834,749 10,524 2,749,508 74,717 Other mortgage-backed securities 1,277,058 1,277,058 - 1,194,109 82,949 Total fixed maturities 6,893,090 6,893,090 28,381 6,693,415 171,294 Equity securities 110,655 110,655 92,140 18,509 6 Short-term investments 142,039 142,039 142,039 - - Other investments 12,458 12,458 - 12,458 - Totals 7,158,242 7,158,242 262,560 6,724,382 171,300 Separate Account (variable annuity) assets (1) 1,813,557 1,813,557 1,813,557 - - Financial Liabilities Other policyholder funds, embedded derivatives 20,049 20,049 - - 20,049 (1) Separate Account (variable annuity) liabilities are set equal to Separate Account (variable annuity) assets. The Company did not have any transfers between Levels 1 and 2 during the six months ended June 30, 2015. The following tables present reconciliations for the periods indicated for all Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. Financial Financial Assets Liabilities(1) Municipal Corporate Other Total Equity Total Beginning balance, April 1, 2015 $ 13,885 $ 72,278 $ 72,594 $ 158,757 $ 6 $ 158,763 $ 22,040 Transfers into Level 3 (2) 16,326 3,834 14,719 34,879 - 34,879 - Transfers out of Level 3 (2) - (1,350) - (1,350) - (1,350) - Total gains or losses Net realized gains (losses) included in net income - - - - - - (28) Net unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (485) (1,436) (438) (2,359) - (2,359) - Purchases - - - - - - - Issuances - - - - - - 4,948 Sales - (476) - (476) - (476) - Settlements - - - - - - - Paydowns, maturities and distributions (57) (126) (2,175) (2,358) - (2,358) (241) Ending balance, June 30, 2015 $ 29,669 $ 72,724 $ 84,700 $ 187,093 $ 6 $ 187,099 $ 26,719 Beginning balance, January 1, 2015 $ 13,628 $ 74,717 $ 82,949 $ 171,294 $ 6 $ 171,300 $ 20,049 Transfers into Level 3 (2) 16,326 5,729 15,180 37,235 - 37,235 - Transfers out of Level 3 (2) - (1,350) (9,664) (11,014) - (11,014) - Total gains or losses Net realized gains (losses) included in net income - - - - - - (467) Net unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (105) (1,084) (435) (1,624) - (1,624) - Purchases - - - - - - - Issuances - - - - - - 7,912 Sales - (476) - (476) - (476) - Settlements - - - - - - - Paydowns, maturities and distributions (180) (4,812) (3,330) (8,322) - (8,322) (775) Ending balance, June 30, 2015 $ 29,669 $ 72,724 $ 84,700 $ 187,093 $ 6 $ 187,099 $ 26,719 (1) Represents embedded derivatives, all related to the Company’s fixed indexed annuity (“FIA”) products, reported in Other Policyholder Funds in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. ( 2) Transfers into and out of Level 3 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014 were attributable to changes in the availability of observable market information for individual fixed maturity securities. The Company’s policy is to recognize transfers into and transfers out of the levels as having occurred at the end of the reporting period in which the transfers were determined. Financial Financial Assets Liabilities(1) Municipal Corporate Other Total Equity Total Beginning balance April 1, 2014 $ 12,779 $ 60,204 $ 52,551 $ 125,534 $ 6 $ 125,540 $ 2,747 Transfers into Level 3 (2) - 12,452 - 12,452 - 12,452 - Transfers out of Level 3 (2) - - - - - - - Total gains or losses Net realized gains (losses) included in net income - - (26) (26) - (26) 57 Net unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income 337 1,546 108 1,991 - 1,991 - Purchases - - - - - - - Issuances - - - - - - 4,121 Sales - - - - - - - Settlements - - - - - - - Paydowns, maturities and distributions (62) (276) (111) (449) - (449) (10) Ending balance, June 30, 2014 $ 13,054 $ 73,926 $ 52,522 $ 139,502 $ 6 $ 139,508 $ 6,915 Beginning balance, January 1, 2014 $ 2,694 $ 60,826 $ 46,009 $ 109,529 $ 6 $ 109,535 $ - Transfers into Level 3 (2) 10,056 12,452 7,109 29,617 - 29,617 - Transfers out of Level 3 (2) - - (519) (519) - (519) - Total gains or losses Net realized gains (losses) included in net income - - (26) (26) - (26) 69 Net unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income 434 2,560 292 3,286 - 3,286 - Purchases - - - - - - - Issuances - - - - - - 6,856 Sales - - - - - - - Settlements - - - - - - - Paydowns, maturities and distributions (130) (1,912) (343) (2,385) - (2,385) (10) Ending balance, June 30, 2014 $ 13,054 $ 73,926 $ 52,522 $ 139,502 $ 6 $ 139,508 $ 6,915 (1) Represents embedded derivatives, all related to the Company’s FIA products, reported in Other Policyholder Funds in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. ( 2) Transfers into and out of Level 3 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 were attributable to changes in the availability of observable market information for individual fixed maturity securities. The Company’s policy is to recognize transfers into and transfers out of the levels as having occurred at the end of the reporting period in which the transfers were determined. At June 30, 2015 and 2014, there were no realized gains or losses included in earnings that were attributable to changes in the fair value of Level 3 assets still held. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, realized gains/(losses) of $ 28 467 (57) (69) The valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement for financial assets classified as Level 3 are subject to the control processes as described in “Note 3 Fair Value of Financial Instruments Investments” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. Generally, valuation for fixed maturity securities include spread pricing, matrix pricing and discounted cash flow methodologies; include inputs such as quoted prices for identical or similar securities that are less liquid; and are based on lower levels of trading activity than securities classified as Level 2. The valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement for equity securities classified as Level 3 use similar valuation techniques and significant unobservable inputs as fixed maturities. The sensitivity of the estimated fair values to changes in the significant unobservable inputs for fixed maturities and equity securities included in Level 3 generally relate to interest rate spreads, illiquidity premiums and default rates. Significant spread widening in isolation will adversely impact the overall valuation, while significant spread tightening will lead to substantial valuation increases. Significant increases (decreases) in illiquidity premiums in isolation will result in substantially lower (higher) valuations. Significant increases (decreases) in expected default rates in isolation will result in substantially lower (higher) valuations. Financial Instruments Not Carried at Fair Value; Disclosure Required The Company has various other financial assets and financial liabilities used in the normal course of business that are not carried at fair value, but for which fair value disclosure is required. Fair Value Measurements at Carrying Fair Reporting Date Using Amount Value Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 June 30, 2015 Financial Assets Investments Other investments $ 146,988 $ 151,416 $ - $ - $ 151,416 Financial Liabilities Fixed annuity contract liabilities 3,928,353 3,841,621 - - 3,841,621 Policyholder account balances on interest-sensitive life contracts 77,067 81,095 - - 81,095 Other policyholder funds 582,570 582,570 - 500,081 82,489 Short-term debt 113,000 113,000 - 113,000 - Long-term debt 124,969 129,750 129,750 - - December 31, 2014 Financial Assets Investments Other investments $ 145,409 $ 149,792 $ - $ - $ 149,792 Financial Liabilities Fixed annuity contract liabilities 3,774,457 3,691,123 - - 3,691,123 Policyholder account balances on interest-sensitive life contracts 77,415 81,461 - - 81,461 Other policyholder funds 586,689 586,689 - 500,080 86,609 Short-term debt 38,000 38,000 - 38,000 - Long-term debt 199,939 209,495 209,495 - - |