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Fair Values Of Financial Instruments | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Values Of Financial Instruments [Abstract] |
Fair Values Of Financial Instruments |
19. | Fair Values of Financial Instruments
The Company determines fair value amounts for financial instruments using available third-party market information. When such information is not available, the Company determines the fair value amounts using appropriate valuation methodologies. Nonfinancial instruments such as real estate, property and equipment, deferred policy acquisition costs, deferred income taxes and loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are excluded from the fair value disclosure. Cash and Cash Equivalents—The carrying amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets for these financial instruments approximate their fair values. Investments—The fair values for fixed maturity and equity securities are based on quoted market prices where available. For those securities not actively traded, fair values were obtained from a third-party investment manager. Short Term Investments—The carrying amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets for these financial instruments approximate their fair value. Subordinated Debt Securities—The carrying value of the Company's subordinated debt securities approximates the estimated fair value of the obligations as the interest rates on these securities are comparable to rates that the Company believes it presently would incur on comparable borrowings. The following table summarizes the carrying or reported values and corresponding fair values for financial instruments:
|  | December 31, |
| 2011 |  |  | 2010 |
| Carrying Amount |  |  | Fair Value |  |  | Carrying Amount |  |  | Fair Value |
|  | (In thousands) |
Assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed maturity securities—held to maturity |  | $ | 646,048 |  |  | $ | 685,242 |  |  | $ | 663,345 |  |  | $ | 683,463 |
Fixed maturity securities—available for sale |  |  | 100,742 |  |  |  | 100,742 |  |  |  | 21,649 |  |  |  | 21,649 |
Equity securities |  |  | 12,240 |  |  |  | 12,240 |  |  |  | 1,773 |  |  |  | 1,773 |
Cash and cash equivalents |  |  | 45,536 |  |  |  | 45,536 |  |  |  | 60,966 |  |  |  | 60,966 |
Short-term investments |  |  | 46,944 |  |  |  | 46,944 |  |  |  | 78,770 |  |  |  | 78,770 |
Liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Subordinated debt securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ACT I |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 10,310 |  |  |  | 10,310 |
ACT II |  |  | 25,780 |  |  |  | 25,780 |  |  |  | 25,780 |  |  |  | 25,780 |
The Company carries available-for-sale securities at fair value in our consolidated financial statements and determines fair value measurements and disclosure in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure The Company determined the fair values of its financial instruments based on the fair value hierarchy established in ASC Topic 820, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The standard defines fair value, describes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. Fair value is defined in ASC Topic 820 as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Fair value is the price to sell an asset or transfer a liability and, therefore, represents an exit price, not an entry price. Fair value is the exit price in the principal market (or, if lacking a principal market, the most advantageous market) in which the reporting entity would transact. Fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement, and, as such, is determined based on the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The exit price objective of a fair value measurement applies regardless of the reporting entity's intent and/or ability to sell the asset or transfer the liability at the measurement date. ASC Topic 820 requires the use of valuation techniques that are consistent with the market approach, the income approach and/or the cost approach. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets and liabilities. The income approach uses valuation techniques to convert future amounts, such as cash flows or earnings, to a single present amount on a discounted basis. The cost approach is based on the amount that currently would be required to replace the service capacity of an asset, also known as current replacement cost. Valuation techniques used to measure fair value are to be consistently applied. In ASC Topic 820, inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk, for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value (such as a pricing model) and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable:
| • |  | Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity.
| • |  | Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.
Valuation techniques used to measure fair value are intended to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. ASC Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the use of inputs used in valuation techniques into the following three levels:
| • |  | Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.
| • |  | Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.
| • |  | Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Unobservable inputs are to be used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.
In general, fair value is based upon quoted market prices, where available. If such quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed models that primarily use, as inputs, observable market-based parameters. The fair values of the Company's investments are based upon prices provided by an independent pricing service. The Company has reviewed these prices for reasonableness and has not adjusted any prices received from the independent provider. Securities reported at fair value utilizing Level 1 inputs represent assets whose fair value is determined based upon observable unadjusted quoted market prices for identical assets in active markets. Level 2 securities represent assets whose fair value is determined using observable market information such as previous day trade prices, quotes from less active markets or quoted prices of securities with similar characteristics. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:
|  | December 31, 2011 |
|  | Level 1 Inputs |  |  | Level 2 Inputs |  |  | Level 3 Inputs |  |  | Total Fair Value |
|  | (in thousands) |
Securities available for sale—equity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Domestic common stock |  | $ | 11,460 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 11,460 |
Securities available for sale—fixed maturity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
States and political subdivisions |  |  | — |  |  |  | 57,761 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 57,761 |
Corporate bonds |  |  | — |  |  |  | 42,981 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 42,981 |
Total available for sale—fixed maturity |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 100,742 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 100,742 |
Total available for sale |  | $ | 11,460 |  |  | $ | 100,742 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 112,202 |
|  | December 31, 2010 |
|  | Level 1 Inputs |  |  | Level 2 Inputs |  |  | Level 3 Inputs |  |  | Total Fair Value |
|  | (in thousands) |
Securities available for sale—equity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Domestic common stock |  | $ | 683 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 683 |
Securities available for sale—fixed maturity |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. Government agencies |  |  | 5,840 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 5,840 |
Corporate bonds |  |  | 8,601 |  |  |  | 7,208 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 15,809 |
Total available for sale—fixed maturity |  | $ | 14,441 |  |  | $ | 7,208 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 21,649 |
Total available for sale |  | $ | 15,124 |  |  | $ | 7,208 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 22,332 |
In addition, the Company held common securities in unconsolidated variable interest entities of $780,000 at December 31, 2011 and $1,090,000 at December 31, 2010, which are carried at cost. At December 31, 2011, the Company held one security measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis due to a recognized impairment of $169,000. The security is valued using Level 2 inputs and had a value of $563,621 at December 31, 2011.

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the fair value measurement of assets and liabilities which includes [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity. Such assets and liabilities may be measured on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. The disclosures which may be required or desired include: (1) for assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis, disclosure may include: (a) the fair value measurements at the reporting date; (b) the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3); (c) for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances, separately presenting changes during the period attributable to the following: (i) total gains or losses for the period (realized and unrealized), segregating those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets), and a description of where those gains or losses included in earnings (or changes in net assets) are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (ii) purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements (net); (iii) transfers in and transfers out of Level 3 (for example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs); (d) the amount of the total gains or losses for the period in subparagraph (c) (i) above included in earnings (or changes in net assets) that are attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets and liabilities still held at the reporting date and a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported in the statement of income (or activities); (e) the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes in valuation techniques, if any, during the period and (2) for assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis (for example, impaired assets) disclosure may include, in addition to (a) above: (a) the reasons for the fair value measurements recorded; (b) the same as (b) above; (c) for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), a description of the inputs and the information used to develop the inputs; and (d) the valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value and a discussion of changes, if any, in the valuation technique(s) used to measure similar assets and/or liabilities in prior periods. Where the quoted price in an active market for the identical liability is not available, the Level 1 input is the quoted price of an identical liability when traded as an asset. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19279-110258 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 32 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 33 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 10 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19296-110258 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19207-110258 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 6 -Footnote 4 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19190-110258 + Details
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