Note 14 - Commitments and Contingencies Level 1 (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

We are routinely involved in a number of legal and regulatory claims, assertions, actions, reviews, audits, inquiries and investigations by various regulatory entities involving compliance with laws or other regulations, the outcome of which are uncertain. These legal proceedings could result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, injunctions, restitutions or other relief that could require significant expenditures or have other effects on our business. In accordance with applicable accounting standards and guidance, we establish accruals only when we determine both that it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss is reasonably estimable. We accrue the amount that represents our best estimate of the probable loss; however, if we can only determine a range of estimated losses, we accrue an amount within the range that, in our judgment, reflects the most likely outcome, and if none of the estimates within the range is more likely, we accrue the minimum amount of the range.

In the course of our regular review of pending legal and regulatory matters, we determine whether it is reasonably possible that a potential loss may have a material impact on our liquidity, results of operations or financial condition. If we determine such a loss is reasonably possible, we disclose information relating to such potential loss, including an estimate or range of loss or a statement that such an estimate cannot be made. On a quarterly basis, we review relevant information with respect to loss contingencies and update our accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible losses or range of losses based on such reviews. We are often unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss until developments in such matters have provided sufficient information to support an assessment of the range of possible loss, such as quantification of a damage demand from plaintiffs, discovery from other parties and investigation of factual allegations, rulings by the court on motions or appeals, analysis by experts, and the progress of settlement negotiations. In addition, we generally make no disclosures for loss contingencies that are determined to be remote. For matters for which we disclose an estimated loss, the disclosed estimate reflects the reasonably possible loss or range of loss in excess of the amount accrued, if any.

Loss estimates are inherently subjective, based on currently available information, and are subject to management’s judgment and various assumptions. Due to the inherently subjective nature of these estimates and the uncertainty and unpredictability surrounding the outcome of legal and other proceedings, actual results may differ materially from any amounts that have been accrued.

As described in Note 10, on September 4, 2014 we received formal Notices of Deficiency from the IRS related to certain losses and deductions resulting from our investment in a portfolio of non-economic REMIC residual interests. As previously disclosed, we contested adjustments resulting from the examination by the IRS of our 2000 through 2007 consolidated federal income tax returns. In July 2018, we finalized a settlement with the IRS related to the adjustments we had been contesting. This settlement with the IRS resolved the issues and concluded all disputes related to the IRS Matter. In 2018, under the terms of the settlement, Radian utilized its “qualified deposits” with the U.S. Treasury to settle its $31 million obligation to the IRS, and in 2019, the Company expects the IRS to refund to Radian the remaining $58 million that was previously on deposit.

On December 22, 2016, Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC and Homeward Residential, Inc. (collectively, “Ocwen”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Radian Guaranty (the “Complaint”) alleging breach of contract and bad faith claims and seeking monetary damages and declaratory relief. Ocwen has also initiated similar legal proceedings against several other mortgage insurers. On December 17, 2016, Ocwen separately filed a parallel arbitration petition against Radian Guaranty before the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) asserting substantially the same allegations (the “Arbitration”). Ocwen’s filings together listed 9,420 mortgage insurance certificates issued under multiple insurance policies, including Pool Insurance policies, as subject to the dispute. On June 5, 2017, Ocwen filed an amended complaint and an amended petition (collectively, the “Amended Filings”) with both the court and the AAA, respectively, together listing 8,870 certificates as subject to the dispute. On April 11, 2018, the parties entered into a confidential agreement with respect to all certificates subject to the dispute. The confidential agreement resolved certain categories of claims involved in the dispute and, on April 12, 2018, the parties filed a stipulation of voluntary dismissal of the federal court proceeding and the trial judge issued an Order dismissing all claims and counterclaims subject to the parties’ agreement. Radian Guaranty was not required to make any payment in connection with this confidential agreement. Pursuant to the confidential agreement, the parties: (1) dismissed the federal court proceeding; (2) narrowed the scope of the dispute to Ocwen’s breach of contract claims

seeking payment of insurance benefits on approximately 2,500 certificates that Ocwen was previously pursuing through the Amended Filings; and (3) agreed to resolve the remaining dispute through the Arbitration. Radian Guaranty believes that Ocwen’s allegations and claims in the legal proceedings described above are without merit and legally deficient, and plans to defend these claims vigorously. We are not able to estimate a reasonably possible loss, if any, or range of loss in this matter because of the current preliminary stage of the Arbitration.

On August 31, 2018, Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper (“Nationstar”) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Radian Guaranty (the “Complaint”) alleging breach of contract, bad faith, and unjust enrichment claims and seeking monetary damages and declaratory relief. The Complaint lists 3,014 mortgage insurance certificates issued under multiple insurance policies as subject to disputes involving insurance coverage decisions. The Complaint further lists 2,231 mortgage insurance certificates issued under multiple insurance policies as subject to disputes involving premium refund requests. Radian Guaranty believes that Nationstar’s allegations and claims in the legal proceedings described above are without merit and legally deficient, and plans to defend these claims vigorously. We are not able to estimate a reasonably possible loss, if any, or range of loss in this matter because of the preliminary stage of the litigation.

We also are periodically subject to reviews and audits, as well as inquiries, information-gathering requests and investigations. In connection with these matters, from time to time we receive requests and subpoenas seeking information and documents related to aspects of our business.

Our Master Policies establish the timeline within which any suit or action arising from any right of an insured under the policy generally must be commenced. In general, any suit or action arising from any right of an insured under the policy must be commenced within two years after such right first arose for primary insurance and within three years for certain other policies, including certain Pool Insurance policies. Although we believe that our Loss Mitigation Activities are justified under our policies, we continue to face challenges from certain lender and servicer customers regarding our Loss Mitigation Activities, which have resulted in some reversals of our decisions regarding Rescissions, Claim Denials or Claim Curtailments. We are currently in discussions with these customers regarding Loss Mitigation Activities and our claim payment practices, which if not resolved, could result in arbitration or judicial proceedings and we may need to reassume the risk on, and increase loss reserves for, those policies or pay additional claims. See Note 11 for further information.

Further, there are loans in our total defaulted portfolio (in particular, our older defaulted portfolio) for which actions or proceedings (such as foreclosure that provide the insured with title to the property) may not have been commenced within the outermost deadline in our Prior Master Policy. We are evaluating these loans regarding this potential violation and our corresponding rights under the Prior Master Policy. While we can provide no assurance regarding the ultimate resolution of these issues, it is possible that arbitration or legal proceedings could result.

Other

Securities regulations became effective in 2005 that impose enhanced disclosure requirements on issuers of ABS (including mortgage-backed securities). To allow our customers to comply with these regulations at that time, we typically were required, depending on the amount of credit enhancement we were providing, to provide: (i) audited financial statements for the insurance subsidiary participating in the transaction or (ii) a full and unconditional holding company-level guarantee for our insurance subsidiaries’ obligations in such transactions. Radian Group has guaranteed two structured transactions for Radian Guaranty involving $87.8 million of remaining credit exposure as of December 31, 2018.

We provide contract underwriting as an outsourced service to our customers. Under our current contract underwriting program the remedy we offer is limited indemnification to our contract underwriting customers only with respect to those loans that we simultaneously underwrite for both secondary market compliance and for potential mortgage insurance eligibility. In 2018, payments for losses related to contract underwriting remedies were de minimis. In 2018, our provision for contract underwriting expenses was de minimis and our reserve for contract underwriting obligations at December 31, 2018 was $0.2 million. We monitor this risk and negotiate our underwriting fee structure and recourse agreements on a client-by-client basis. We also routinely audit the performance of our contract underwriters.

We lease office space for use in our operations. The lease agreements, which expire periodically through August 2032, contain provisions for scheduled periodic rent increases. Net rental expense in connection with these leases totaled $9.7 million in 2018, $5.7 million in 2017 and $5.0 million in 2016. The commitment for non-cancelable operating leases in future years is as follows:



(In thousands)
2019	$	11,310
2020	10,847
2021	10,165
2022	10,100
2023	10,251
Thereafter	56,317
Total	$	108,990

At December 31, 2018, there were no future minimum receipts expected from sublease rental payments.