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, 2015, 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, 2016, these Level 3 invested assets comprised 2.7% of the Company’s total investment portfolio fair value. Fair Value Measurements at Carrying Fair Reporting Date Using Amount Value Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 June 30, 2016 Financial Assets Investments Fixed maturities U.S. Government and federally sponsored agency obligations: Mortgage-backed securities $ 510,304 $ 510,304 $ - $ 506,474 $ 3,830 Other, including U.S. Treasury securities 548,512 548,512 13,985 534,527 - Municipal bonds 1,745,764 1,745,764 - 1,698,117 47,647 Foreign government bonds 79,094 79,094 - 79,094 - Corporate bonds 2,887,186 2,887,186 8,873 2,804,905 73,408 Other mortgage-backed securities 1,710,852 1,710,852 - 1,618,101 92,751 Total fixed maturities 7,481,712 7,481,712 22,858 7,241,218 217,636 Equity securities 123,163 123,163 109,339 13,818 6 Short-term investments 153,328 153,328 152,830 498 - Other investments 15,825 15,825 - 15,825 - Totals 7,774,028 7,774,028 285,027 7,271,359 217,642 Financial Liabilities Investment contract and life policy reserves, embedded derivatives 50 50 - 50 - Other policyholder funds, embedded derivatives 47,706 47,706 - - 47,706 December 31, 2015 Financial Assets Investments Fixed maturities U.S. Government and federally sponsored agency obligations: Mortgage-backed securities $ 504,414 $ 504,414 $ - $ 504,414 $ - Other, including U.S. Treasury securities 546,111 546,111 14,258 531,853 - Municipal bonds 1,708,943 1,708,943 - 1,678,564 30,379 Foreign government bonds 73,617 73,617 - 73,617 - Corporate bonds 2,779,415 2,779,415 10,195 2,701,645 67,575 Other mortgage-backed securities 1,478,840 1,478,840 - 1,403,374 75,466 Total fixed maturities 7,091,340 7,091,340 24,453 6,893,467 173,420 Equity securities 99,797 99,797 86,088 13,703 6 Short-term investments 174,152 174,152 169,764 4,388 - Other investments 14,001 14,001 - 14,001 - Totals 7,379,290 7,379,290 280,305 6,925,559 173,426 Financial Liabilities Investment contract and life policy reserves, embedded derivatives 14 14 - 14 - Other policyholder funds, embedded derivatives 39,021 39,021 - - 39,021 Financial Financial Assets Liabilities(1) Municipal Bonds Corporate Bonds Mortgage- Backed Securities(2) Total Fixed Maturities Equity Securities Total Beginning balance, April 1, 2016 $ 46,493 $ 70,071 $ 83,821 $ 200,385 $ 6 $ 200,391 $ 42,085 Transfers into Level 3 (3) - 5,017 12,984 18,001 - 18,001 - Transfers out of Level 3 (3) - - - - - - - Total gains or losses Net realized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial assets - (657 ) - (657 ) - (657 ) - Net realized (gains) losses included in net income related to financial liabilities - - - - - - 1,324 Net unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income 1,297 1,393 229 2,919 - 2,919 - Purchases - - - - - - - Issuances - - - - - - 4,993 Sales - - - - - - - Settlements - - - - - - - Paydowns, maturities and distributions (143 ) (2,416 ) (453 ) (3,012 ) - (3,012 ) (696 ) Ending balance, June 30, 2016 $ 47,647 $ 73,408 $ 96,581 $ 217,636 $ 6 $ 217,642 $ 47,706 Beginning balance, January 1, 2016 $ 30,379 $ 67,575 $ 75,466 $ 173,420 $ 6 $ 173,426 $ 39,021 Transfers into Level 3 (3) 14,751 11,076 24,626 50,453 - 50,453 - Transfers out of Level 3 (3) - - - - - - - Total gains or losses Net realized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial assets - (657 ) - (657 ) - (657 ) - Net realized (gains) losses included in net income related to financial liabilities - - - - - - 1,998 Net unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income 2,781 1,781 222 4,784 - 4,784 - Purchases - - - - - - - Issuances - - - - - - 8,484 Sales - - - - - - - Settlements - - - - - - - Paydowns, maturities and distributions (264 ) (6,367 ) (3,733 ) (10,364 ) - (10,364 ) (1,797 ) Ending balance, June 30, 2016 $ 47,647 $ 73,408 $ 96,581 $ 217,636 $ 6 $ 217,642 $ 47,706 (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) Includes U.S. Government and federally sponsored agency obligations for mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage-backed securities. (3) Transfers into and out of Level 3 during the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 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 Bonds Corporate Bonds Other Mortgage- Backed Securities Total Fixed Maturities Equity Securities 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 related to financial assets - - - - - - - Net realized (gains) losses included in net income related to financial liabilities - - - - - - (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 related to financial assets - - - - - - - Net realized (gains) losses included in net income related to financial liabilities - - - - - - (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 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 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, 2016 and 2015, 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, 2016, realized losses of ($1,324) and ($1,998), respectively, were included in earnings that were attributable to the changes in the fair value of Level 3 liabilities (embedded derivatives) still held; for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, the respective amounts were $28 and $467. 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, 2015. Generally, valuation techniques 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 those used for 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 relates 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, 2016 Financial Assets Investments Other investments $ 149,784 $ 154,287 $ - $ - $ 154,287 Financial Liabilities Investment contract and life policy reserves, fixed annuity contracts 4,204,207 4,078,236 - - 4,078,236 Investment contract and life policy reserves, account values on life contracts 78,194 82,109 - - 82,109 Other policyholder funds 651,008 651,008 - 575,233 75,775 Long-term debt 247,083 262,723 262,723 - - December 31, 2015 Financial Assets Investments Other investments $ 148,759 $ 153,228 $ - $ - $ 153,228 Financial Liabilities Investment contract and life policy reserves, fixed annuity contracts 4,072,102 4,049,840 - - 4,049,840 Investment contract and life policy reserves, account values on life contracts 77,429 81,360 - - 81,360 Other policyholder funds 653,631 653,631 - 575,104 78,527 Long-term debt 246,975 252,700 252,700 - - |