Dividends

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

The following table presents shareholder dividends paid:


	Year Ended December 31,
	2020		2019		2018
	(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Total paid	$	139,640	$	139,071	$	138,478
Per share paid	$	2.5225	$	2.5125	$	2.5025

The Insurance Companies are subject to the financial capacity guidelines established by their domiciliary states. The payment of dividends from statutory unassigned surplus of the Insurance Companies is restricted, subject to certain statutory limitations. As of December 31, 2020, the insurance subsidiaries of the Company are permitted to pay approximately $222 million in dividends in 2021 to Mercury General without the prior approval of the DOI of domiciliary states. The above statutory regulations may have the effect of indirectly limiting the ability of the Company to pay shareholder dividends. During 2020, 2019, and 2018, the Insurance Companies paid Mercury General ordinary dividends of $121 million, $114 million, and $135 million, respectively.

On February 12, 2021, the Board of Directors declared a $0.6325 quarterly dividend payable on March 31, 2021 to shareholders of record on March 17, 2021.