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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies

NOTE 2 – SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The significant accounting policies followed by the Company are summarized as follows:

Cash and Cash Equivalents. The Company includes in cash equivalents all short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and have an original maturity of three months or less. These amounts are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. The Company excludes any net negative cash balances from cash and cash equivalents that the Company has with any single financial institution. These amounts represent outstanding checks not yet presented to the financial institution and are reclassified to liabilities and presented as book overdraft in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents. The Company classifies amounts of cash and cash equivalents that are restricted in terms of their use and withdrawal separately on the face the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See “—Note 5 (Insurance Operations),” for a discussion of the nature of the restrictions.

 

Investment Securities, Available for Sale. Investment securities available for sale consist of fixed maturities, equity securities and short-term investments with maturities of greater than three months. Investment securities available for sale are recorded at fair value on the consolidated balance sheet. Unrealized gains and losses on securities available for sale are excluded from earnings and reported as a component of other comprehensive income, net of related deferred taxes until reclassified to earnings upon the consummation of sales transaction with an unrelated third party or when the decline in fair value is deemed other than temporary.

The assessment of whether the impairment of a security’s fair value is other than temporary is performed using a portfolio review as well as a case-by-case review considering a wide range of factors. There are a number of assumptions and estimates inherent in evaluating impairments and determining if they are other than temporary, including: 1) the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for an anticipated recovery in value; 2) the expected recoverability of principal and interest; 3) the extent and length of time to which the fair value has been less than amortized cost for fixed maturity securities or cost for equity securities and short-term investments referred to as severity and duration; 4) the financial condition, near-term and long-term prospects of the issue or issuer, including relevant industry conditions and trends, and implications of rating agency actions and offering prices referred to as credit quality; and 5) the specific reasons that a security is in a significant unrealized loss position, including market conditions which could affect liquidity. Additionally, once assumptions and estimates are made, any number of changes in facts and circumstances could cause the Company to subsequently determine that an impairment is other than temporary, including: 1) general economic conditions that are worse than previously forecasted or that have a greater adverse effect on a particular issuer or industry sector than originally estimated; 2) changes in the facts and circumstances related to a particular issue or issuer’s ability to meet all of its contractual obligations; and 3) changes in facts and circumstances obtained that causes a change in our ability or intent to hold a security to maturity or until it recovers in value. Management’s intent and ability to hold securities is a determination that is made at each respective balance sheet date giving consideration to factors known to management for each individual issuer of securities such as credit quality and other publicly available information.

Gains and losses realized on the disposition of investment securities available for sale are determined on the FIFO basis and credited or charged to income. Premium and discount on investment securities are amortized and accreted using the interest method and charged or credited to investment income.

 

Investment Real Estate. Investment real estate is recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the assets. Real estate taxes, interest and other costs incurred during development and construction of non-income producing properties are capitalized.  Income and expenses from income producing real estate are reported under net investment income. Investment real estate is evaluated for impairment when events or circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable.  

Premiums Receivable. Generally, premiums are collected prior to providing risk coverage, minimizing the Company’s exposure to credit risk. The Company performs a policy level evaluation to determine the extent the premiums receivable balance exceeds the unearned premiums balance. The Company then ages this exposure to establish an allowance for doubtful accounts based on prior experience. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had recorded allowances for doubtful accounts in the amounts of $527 thousand and $344 thousand, respectively.

Property and Equipment. Property and equipment is recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is provided on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the assets. Estimated useful life of all property and equipment ranges from three to twenty-seven-and-one-half years. Expenditures for improvements are capitalized and depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset. Routine repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Website development costs are capitalized and amortized over their estimated useful life. The Company reviews its property and equipment annually and whenever changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Recognition of Premium Revenues. The Company recognizes revenue when realized or realizable and earned. Property and liability premiums are recognized as revenue on a pro rata basis over the policy term. The portion of premiums that will be earned in the future is deferred and reported as unearned premiums. The Company believes that its revenue recognition policies conform to GAAP. In the event policyholders cancel their policies, unearned premiums represent amounts that the Insurance Entities would refund policyholders. Accordingly, the Company determines unearned premiums by calculating the pro rata amount that would be due to the policyholders at a given point in time based upon the premiums owed over the life of each policy.

Recognition of Commission Revenue and Policy Fees. Commission revenue generated from agency operations and the Managing General Agent (MGA)’s policy fee on all new and renewal insurance policies are recognized as income upon policy inception. Brokerage commission revenue earned on ceded reinsurance is recognized over the term of the reinsurance agreements.

Recognition of Policyholder Payment Plan Fee Revenue. The Company offers its policyholders the option of paying their policy premiums in full at inception or in two or four installment payments. The Company charges fees to its policyholders that elect to pay their premium in installments and records such fees as revenue when the policyholder makes the installment payment election and the Company bills the fees to the policyholder. These fees are included in Other Revenue in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income.

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs. Certain costs incurred in connection with the successful acquisition and renewal of insurance business are deferred and amortized over the terms of the policies to which they are related. A portion of reinsurance ceding commissions received are deferred and amortized over the effective period of the related insurance policies. Deferred policy acquisition costs and deferred ceding commissions are netted for balance sheet presentation purposes.

 

Goodwill. Goodwill arising from the acquisition of a business is initially measured at cost and not subject to amortization. We assess goodwill for potential impairments at the end of each fiscal year, or during the year if an event or other circumstance indicates that we may not be able to recover the carrying amount of the asset. Goodwill is included under Other Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Insurance Liabilities. Unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”) are provided for as claims are incurred. The provision for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses includes: (1) the accumulation of individual case estimates for claims and claim adjustment expenses reported prior to the close of the accounting period; (2) estimates for unreported claims based on industry data; and (3) estimates of expenses for investigating and adjusting claims based on the experience of the Company and the industry.

Inherent in the estimates of ultimate claims are expected trends in claim severity, frequency and other factors that may vary as claims are settled. The amount of uncertainty in the estimates for casualty coverage is significantly affected by such factors as the amount of claims experience relative to the development period, knowledge of the actual facts and circumstances and the amount of insurance risk retained. In addition, the Company’s policyholders are currently concentrated in South Florida, which is periodically subject to adverse weather conditions, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. The methods for making such estimates and for establishing the resulting liability are periodically reviewed, and any adjustments are reflected in current earnings.

Provision for Premium Deficiency. It is the Company’s policy to evaluate and recognize losses on insurance contracts when estimated future claims and maintenance costs under a group of existing contracts will exceed anticipated future premiums. No accruals for premium deficiency were considered necessary as of December 31, 2016 and 2015.

Reinsurance. Ceded written premium is recorded upon the effective date of the reinsurance contracts and earned over the contract period. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are estimated in a manner consistent with the provisions of the reinsurance agreements and consistent with the establishment of the liability of the Company. Allowances are established for amounts deemed uncollectible if any.

Income Taxes. Income tax provisions are based on the asset and liability method. Deferred federal and state income taxes have been provided for temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements, net of valuation allowance if any. The Company reviews its deferred tax assets for recoverability.

Income (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing the Company’s net income (loss) available to common stockholders, by the weighted-average number of shares of Common Stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing the Company’s net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of Common Stock outstanding during the period and the impact of all dilutive potential common shares, primarily preferred stock, unvested shares and options. The dilutive impact of stock options and unvested shares is determined by applying the treasury stock method and the dilutive impact of the preferred stock is determined by applying the “if converted” method.

Fair Value Measurements. The Company’s policy is to record transfers of assets and liabilities, if any, between Level 1 and Level 2 at their fair values as of the end of each reporting period, consistent with the date of the determination of fair value.

Share-based Compensation. The Company accounts for share-based compensation based on the estimated grant-date fair value. The Company recognizes these compensation costs in general and administrative expenses and generally amortizes them on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is the vesting term. Individual tranches of performance-based awards are amortized separately since the vesting of each tranche is subject to independent annual measures. The fair value of stock option awards are estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the grant-date assumptions discussed in “—Note 9 (Share-Based Compensation).” The fair value of the restricted share grants are determined based on the market price on the date of grant.

Statutory Accounting. UPCIC and APPCIC prepare statutory financial statements in conformity with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (the “FLOIR”). The FLOIR requires that insurance companies domiciled in Florida prepare their statutory financial statements in accordance with the Manual (the “Manual”), as modified by the FLOIR. Accordingly, the admitted assets, liabilities and capital and surplus of UPCIC and APPCIC as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and the results of operations and cash flows, for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, have been determined in accordance with statutory accounting principles, but adjusted to GAAP for purposes of these financial statements. The statutory accounting principles are designed primarily to demonstrate the ability to meet obligations to policyholders and claimants and, consequently, differ in some respects from GAAP.

New Accounting Pronouncements

 

In May 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance addressing enhanced disclosure requirements for insurers relating to short-duration insurance contract claims and the unpaid claims liability rollforward for short-duration contracts. The disclosures are intended to provide users of financial statements with more transparent information about an insurance entity’s initial claim estimates and subsequent adjustments to those estimates, the methodologies and judgments used to estimate claims, and the timing, frequency, and severity of claims. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early application is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2016. The adoption of this guidance results in additional disclosures but did not impact the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity.