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Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Significant Accounting Policies | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (a)Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash Our cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash include demand deposits with financial institutions, cash that is held in trust for assumed business, cash held in deposit accounts to satisfy state statutory deposit requirements, and short-term, highly liquid instruments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased. (b)Investments We currently classify all of our investments in fixed maturities and short-term investments as available-for-sale, and report them, our equity securities and limited partnership investments at fair value. Subsequent to our acquisition of available-for-sale securities, we record changes in value through the date of disposition as unrealized holding gains and losses, net of tax effects, and include them as a component of comprehensive income (loss). We include realized gains and losses, which we calculate using the specific-identification method for determining the cost of securities sold, in net income. We amortize any premium or discount on fixed maturities over the remaining maturity period of the related securities using the effective interest method, and we report the amortization in net investment income. We recognize dividends and interest income when earned. Quarterly, we perform an assessment of our investments to determine if any are impaired as the result of a credit loss. An investment is impaired when the fair value of the investment declines to an amount less than the cost or amortized cost of that investment. For each fixed-income security in an unrealized loss position, if we determine that we intend to sell the security or that it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the security before recovery of the cost or amortized cost basis for reasons such as liquidity needs, contractual or regulatory requirements, the security’s entire decline in fair value is recorded in earnings. If our management decides not to sell the fixed-income security and it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell the fixed-income security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, we evaluate whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. This is typically indicated by a change in the rating of the security assigned by a rating agency, and any adverse conditions specifically related to the security or industry, among other factors. If the assessment indicates that a credit loss may exist, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses will be recorded in earnings. Credit loss is limited to the difference between a security's amortized cost basis and its fair value. Any additional impairment not recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income (loss). A large portion of our investment portfolio consists of fixed maturities, which may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates as a result of governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. A rise in interest rates would decrease the net unrealized holding gains of our investment portfolio, offset by our ability to earn higher rates of return on funds reinvested. Conversely, a decline in interest rates would increase the net unrealized holding gains of our investment portfolio, offset by lower rates of return on funds reinvested. (c)Fair Value See Note 4 in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion regarding the fair value measurement of our investments at December 31, 2021 and 2020. (d)Allowance for Expected Credit Losses See Note 13 in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion regarding the allowance for expected credit losses at December 31, 2021 and 2020. (e)Premiums We recognize premiums as revenue, net of ceded reinsurance amounts, on a daily pro rata basis over the contract period of the related policies that are in force. For any portion of premiums not earned at the end of the reporting period, we record an unearned premium liability. Premiums receivable represents amounts due from our policyholders for billed premiums and related policy fees. We perform a policy-level evaluation to determine the extent to which the balance of premium receivable exceeds the balance of unearned premium. We then estimate expected credit losses based on historical trends, average default rates, current economic conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions that affect the collectability of the reported amounts. Once these conditions have been examined, we establish an allowance for credit losses for any amounts not expected to be collected. When we receive payments on amounts previously charged off, we credit our expected credit loss expense in the period we receive the payment. The balances of our allowance for uncollectible premiums totaled $32,000 and $140,000 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. When we receive premium payments from policyholders prior to the effective date of the related policy, we record an advance premiums liability. On the policy effective date, we reduce the advance premiums liability and record the premiums as described above. (f)Policy Acquisition Costs We incur policy acquisition costs that vary with, and are directly related to, the production of new business. We capitalize policy acquisition costs to the extent recoverable, then we amortize those costs over the contract period of the related policy. Such costs include, but are not limited to: incremental direct costs of contract acquisition, such as commissions; premium taxes; and other essential direct costs that would not have been incurred had a policy not been acquired or renewed. At each reporting date, we determine whether we have a premium deficiency. A premium deficiency would result if the sum of our expected losses, deferred policy acquisition costs, reinsurance costs, and policy maintenance costs (such as costs to store records and costs incurred to collect premiums and pay commissions) exceeded our related unearned premiums plus investment income. Should we determine that a premium deficiency exists, we would write off the unrecoverable portion of deferred policy acquisition costs and record a liability to the extent the deficiency exceeded the deferred policy acquisition costs. We did not have a premium deficiency at December 31, 2021 or 2020. (g)Debt Issuance Costs We record our debt issuance costs associated with a recognized debt liability as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the corresponding debt liability. These costs are then amortized over the life of the liability using the effective interest method. (h)Long-lived Assets i)Property and Equipment We record our property and equipment at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. We use the straight-line method of calculating depreciation over the estimated useful lives of the assets. We periodically review estimated useful lives and, where appropriate, we make changes prospectively. We charge maintenance and repair costs to expense as incurred. ii)Capitalized Software We capitalize certain direct development costs associated with internal-use software. We amortize the capitalized software costs related to our data warehouse, claims systems and policy administration systems over their expected seven-year useful lives. See Note 7 in our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of our property, equipment and capitalized software that were held during 2021 and 2020. iii)Impairment of Long-lived Assets We annually review our long-lived assets, or more frequently when impairment indicators exist, including intangible assets, to determine if their carrying amounts are recoverable. If the non-discounted future cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the assets are less than their carrying amounts, we reduce their carrying amounts to fair value and recognize an impairment loss. (i)Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses Our reserves for unpaid losses represent the estimated ultimate cost of settling all reported claims plus all claims we incurred related to insured events that have occurred as of the reporting date, but that policyholders have not yet reported to us. We estimate our reserves for unpaid losses using individual case-basis estimates for reported claims and actuarial estimates for incurred but not reported (IBNR) claims, and we continually review and adjust our estimated losses as necessary based on our historical experience and as we obtain new information. If our unpaid loss reserves prove to be deficient or redundant, we increase or decrease the liability in the period in which we identify the difference, thereby impacting net income (loss). Though our estimate of the ultimate cost of settling all reported and unreported claims may change at any point in the future, a reasonable possibility exists that our estimate may vary significantly in the near term from the estimated amounts included in our consolidated financial statements. On our Consolidated Balance Sheets, we report our reserves for unpaid losses gross of the amounts related to unpaid losses recoverable from reinsurers. On our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss), we report losses net of amounts ceded to reinsurers. We do not discount our loss reserves for financial statement purposes. (j)Segment Reporting Operating segments are components of our business about which separate financial information is available and evaluated by our Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM) in decisions regarding resource allocations and financial performance assessments. Generally, financial information is required to be reported on the basis that is used internally for evaluating segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources to each segment. Segments are determined based on differences in products, internal reporting, and how operational decisions are made. For the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we disclosed one operating segment. During the final quarter of 2021, Management assessed whether it was appropriate to continue disclosing our business as one operating segment. The following events were taken into consideration: •During the first quarter of 2021, claims litigation in the state of Florida for the personal residential insurance industry hit record highs. During the second quarter of 2021, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 76 in order to combat the increased litigation trends seen throughout the personal residential insurance industry. In response to these two events, we began to focus efforts around our personal lines segment and how we could improve financial results by combating the litigious environment. •In the third quarter of 2021, the Company hired Brooke Shirazi as Chief Underwriting Officer. Mrs. Shirazi was hired for her specific knowledge of personal residential property underwriting with her focus on the Florida homeowners business. During the fourth quarter of 2021, she began implementing plans to help improve the financial results of our personal lines business. •During the fourth quarter of 2021, we transitioned the business of two of our Northeast states, Connecticut and Rhode Island, to HCPCI. We will complete the transition of our New Jersey and Massachusetts book of business in 2022. In addition, we entered into a renewal rights agreement with HCPCI for our three Southeast states, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. We have entered into quota share reinsurance agreements with HCPCI for each of these states until the transition is complete. This aligns with our CODM’s desire to refocus the capital of the company and bring our product mix closer to an even split between personal lines and commercial lines. Based on the outlined events that have taken place in 2021, and the fact that our CODM is now analyzing information and allocating capital and resources differently than in prior years, we believe that it is appropriate to present our commercial lines and personal lines business as two segments moving forward. We are required to report a measure of each of these segments profit or loss, certain revenue and expense items, and segment assets. We are also required to reconcile total segment profit or losses, total segment revenues, total segment assets, and other amounts disclosed for segments to the corresponding amounts in our consolidated financial statements. See N ote 3 in our notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the financial presentation of our operating segments. (k)Goodwill Goodwill is the excess of cost over the estimated fair value of net assets acquired. We attribute all goodwill associated with our acquisitions to two reporting units. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least annually or more frequently if events or circumstances, such as adverse changes in the business climate, indicate that there may be justification for conducting an interim test. The goodwill impairment process requires a comparison of the estimated fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value. We test goodwill for impairment by performing a qualitative assessment. If the assessment indicates that an impairment may exist, a quantitative assessment is performed. In performing the quantitative impairment test, we use a discounted cash flow valuation approach. The discounted cash flow valuation approach requires judgments about revenues, operating earnings projections, capital market assumptions and discount rates. The key inputs, judgments and assumptions necessary in determining estimated fair value of the reporting units include projected operating earnings, current book value, the level of economic capital required to support the mix of business, long-term growth rates, comparative market multiples, control premium, the account value of in-force business, projections of new and renewal business, as well as margins on such business, the level of interest rates, credit spreads, equity market levels, and the discount rate that we believe is appropriate for the respective reporting unit. The valuation methodology utilized is subject to key judgments and assumptions that are sensitive to change. Estimates of fair value are inherently uncertain and represent only management’s reasonable expectation regarding future developments. These estimates and the judgments and assumptions upon which the estimates are based will, in all likelihood, differ in some respects from actual future results. Declines in the estimated fair value of our reporting units could result in goodwill impairments in future periods which could materially adversely affect our results of operations or financial position. For the 2021 annual goodwill impairment tests we utilized the qualitative assessment for our commercial lines reporting unit and both the qualitative and quantitative assessments for our personal lines reporting unit, determining that the goodwill was not impaired for either of our reporting units. For the 2020 annual goodwill impairment tests, we utilized the quantitative assessment for both of our reporting units and determined that the goodwill was not impaired. For the 2019 annual goodwill impairment tests, under the prior guidance, we utilized the qualitative assessment for both of our reporting units and determined it was not more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting units tested using the applicable methods was less than their carrying amount and, therefore goodwill was not impaired for either period. (l)Intangible Assets Identifiable intangible assets that are amortized generally represent the cost of client relationships, trade names and agency agreements acquired. In valuing these assets, we make assumptions regarding useful lives and projected growth rates, and significant judgment is required. We periodically review identifiable intangibles for impairment as events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. If the carrying amounts of the assets exceed their respective fair values, additional impairment tests are performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. Non-amortizing intangible assets generally represent the cost of insurance licenses acquired. Non-amortizing intangible assets are tested for impairment in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year by comparing the fair value of the licenses acquired to their carrying values. We established fair value for purposes of impairment testing using the income approach. If the carrying value of a license acquired exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to that excess. For 2021, 2020 and 2019, we determined that the fair values of the intangible assets were not impaired. (m)Leases We evaluate if a leasing arrangement exists upon inception of a contract. A contract contains a lease if the contract conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant or equipment for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Identified property, plant or equipment for all of our leases are physically distinct and explicitly identified. In addition, we assess whether a contract implicitly contains the right to control the use of a tangible asset that is not already owned. Our leases expire at various dates and may contain renewal options. Our leases do not contain termination options. The exercise of lease renewal options are at our sole discretion and are only included in the determination of the lease term if we are reasonably certain to exercise the option. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or restrictive covenants. Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are based on the present value of the minimum lease payments over the lease term. We have elected the practical expedient related to lease and non-lease components, as an accounting policy election for our office equipment leases, which allows a lessee to not separate non-lease from lease components and instead account for consideration received in a contract as a single lease component. We have also elected the practical expedients to exclude leases considered to be short-term and with values that fall under our capitalization threshold. A portion of our lease agreements include variable lease payments which are not recorded in the initial measurement of the lease liability and right-of-use asset balances. For our parking lot lease, base rental payments may be escalated according to annual changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The escalated rental payments based on the estimated CPI at the lease commencement date are included within minimum rental payments; however, changes in CPI are considered variable in nature and are recognized as variable lease costs in the period in which the obligation is incurred. Our office equipment lease agreements may include variable payments based on usage of the equipment. We utilized discount rates to determine the present value of the lease payments based on information available at the commencement date of the lease. We used an incremental borrowing rate based on factors such as lease term to determine the appropriate present value of future lease payments as the rate implicit in the lease is not always readily available. When determining the incremental borrowing rate, we considered the rate of interest we would pay on a secured borrowing in an amount equal to the lease payments for the underlying asset under similar terms. (n)Income Taxes We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. We measure deferred tax assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which we expect to recover or settle those temporary differences. Should a change in tax rates occur, we recognize the effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities in operations in the period that includes the enactment date. Refer to Note 14 for additional information. Realization of our deferred income tax assets depends upon our generation of sufficient future taxable income. We recognize the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more likely than not threshold, the amount recognized in the consolidated financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant taxing authority. On March 27, 2020, former President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. Among other things, the CARES Act included technical corrections to the effective date language in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted on December 22, 2017. We assessed all provisions of the CARES Act and determined that two provisions needed further analysis to determine the impact to our business. First, the TCJA simplified the definition of "qualified improvement property" and removed the 15-year life for cost recovery, resulting in a 39-year life which excluded the assets from being eligible for bonus depreciation. The CARES Act reinstated the 15-year recovery period effective as if it had been included in the TCJA, making the change applicable to property placed in service after December 31, 2017. After performing our assessment, we concluded that this provision had no impact to our financial statements. Second, the TCJA eliminated the two-year carryback period and provided for indefinite carryforward of net operating losses against future tax periods, with the future deduction limited to 80% of taxable income before consideration of net operating loss deduction. The CARES Act amended the law for net operating losses generated in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2021. Net operating losses generated by a corporation during these taxable years now have a five-year carryback period. In addition, these losses can be carried forward to future taxable years without being subject to the 80% limitation. As a result of the CARES Act, we were able to convert potential deferred tax assets related to net operating losses to a current receivable, generating a $12,566,000 tax benefit for difference in tax rate. The Company’s initial assessment at June 30, 2020 was a tax benefit of $5,263,000. The additional benefit stemmed from 2020 operations. We did not incur any material tax penalties or income-tax-related interest during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 or 2019. (o)Advertising Costs We expense all advertising costs as an operating expense when we incur those costs. For the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, we incurred advertising costs of $910,000, $1,212,000, and $1,426,000, respectively. (p)Earnings Per Share (EPS) We report both basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share. To calculate basic earnings per share, we divide net loss attributable to UIHC common stockholders (net loss less the net income attributable to NCI) by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. We calculate diluted earnings per share using the Treasury method by dividing net loss attributable to UIHC common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock, common stock equivalents, and restricted shares outstanding during the period. Common share equivalents are only included when they are dilutive. (q)Concentrations of Risk Our current operations subject us to the following concentrations of risk: •a concentration of revenue because we write primarily homeowners policies; •a geographic concentration resulting from the fact that, though we operate in nine states (after the transition of Connecticut and Rhode Island), we still write approximately 64% of our gross written premium in Florida as of December 31, 2021; •a group concentration of credit risk with regard to our reinsurance recoverable, since all of our reinsurers engage in similar activities and have similar economic characteristics that could cause their ability to repay us to be similarly affected by changes in economic or other conditions; and •a concentration of credit risk with regard to our cash, because we choose to deposit all of our cash at five financial institutions. We mitigate our geographic and group concentrations of risk by entering into reinsurance contracts with financially-stable reinsurers, and by securing irrevocable letters of credit from reinsurers when necessary. With regard to our cash balances held at financial institutions, we had $254,989,000 and $320,514,000 in excess of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance limits at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. (r)Managing General Agent Fees and Policy Fees Our policy fees consist of the managing general agent (MGA) fee and a pay-plan fee. We defer MGA fees as unearned revenue and recognize revenue on a pro rata basis over the term of the underlying policies. We record pay-plan fees, which are charged to all policyholders that pay premium in more than one installment, as income when collected. We report all policy-related fees as other revenue on our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. (s)Reinsurance We follow industry practice of reinsuring a portion of our risks. Reinsurance involves transferring, or “ceding”, all or a portion of the risk exposure on policies we write to another insurer, known as a reinsurer. To the extent that our reinsurers are unable to meet the obligations they assume under our reinsurance agreements, we remain liable for the entire insured loss. Our reinsurance agreements are short-term, prospective contracts. We record an asset, ceded unearned premiums, and a liability, reinsurance payable, for the entire contract amount upon commencement of our new reinsurance agreements. We amortize our ceded unearned premiums over the 12-month contract period. We record provisional ceding commissions that we receive in connection with our reinsurance contracts for the 2021 and 2020 underwriting years as an offset to deferred acquisitions costs. Ceding commissions received in connection with our reinsurance contracts for the 2019 underwriting year were recorded as an offset to deferred acquisition costs to the extent that they related to compensation for acquisition costs that were incurred that are deferrable. The remaining provisional ceding commissions related to 2019 were recorded as unearned reinsurance commission and were recognized as an offset to other acquisition costs based in proportion to the premiums earned or coverage provided by the reinsurance contracts. We record amounts recoverable from our reinsurers on paid losses plus an estimate of amounts recoverable on unpaid losses. The estimate of amounts recoverable on unpaid losses is a function of our liability for unpaid losses associated with the reinsured policies; therefore, the amount changes in conjunction with any changes to our estimate of unpaid losses. Though our estimate of amounts recoverable from reinsurers on unpaid losses may change at any point in the future because of its relation to our reserves for unpaid losses, a reasonable possibility exists that our estimate may change significantly in the near term from the amounts included in our consolidated financial statements. We estimate uncollectible amounts receivable from reinsurers based on an assessment of factors including the creditworthiness of the reinsurers and the adequacy of collateral obtained, where applicable. As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, our ending credit loss allowance related to reinsurance recoverables was $563,000, and $386,000, respectively. (t)Assessments We record guaranty fund and other insurance-related assessments imposed upon us as an expense in the period the regulatory agency imposes the assessment. To recover Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA) assessments, we calculate and begin collecting a policy surcharge that will allow us to collect the entire assessment over a 12-month period, based on our estimate of the number of policies we expect to write. We then submit an information only filing, pursuant to Florida Statute 631.57(3)(h), to the insurance regulatory authority requesting formal approval of the policy FIGA surcharge. The process may be repeated in successive 12-month periods until we collect the entire assessment. We record the recoveries as revenue in the period that we collect the cash. While current regulations allow us to recover from policyholders the amount of assessments imposed upon us, our payment of the assessments and our recoveries may not offset each other in the same fiscal period in our consolidated financial statements. Where permitted by law or regulatory authority, we collect assessments imposed upon policyholders as a policy surcharge and we record the amounts collected as a liability until we remit the amounts to the regulatory agency that imposed the assessment. During 2021, we received an assessment notice from the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association (LIGA). LIGA is assessing property and casualty insurers $100,000,000 to cover the cost of two regional insurance companies facing insolvency. This assessment will be 1% of 2020 and 2021 direct written premiums, this will total approximately $1,887,000 for our insurance subsidiaries, and will be recoupable over 10 years in the form of tax credits. In addition, during 2021, we received an assessment notice from the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA). This assessment will be 0.7% on the direct written premium of all Florida lines of business during 2022. During 2020, we did not receive any significant assessments from regulatory authorities in the states in which our insurance subsidiaries operate. (u)Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Policies In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12). This update enhances and simplifies various aspects of the income tax guidance, including intra-period tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2021. The newly adopted guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. Pending Policies We have evaluated pending accounting pronouncements and do not believe any would have an impact on the operations or financial reporting of our company.

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