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Commitments And Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments And Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings – The Company and its subsidiaries are involved in legal proceedings that are incidental to their business. In the Company’s opinion, based on the present status of these proceedings, any potential liability of the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to these legal proceedings, will not, in the aggregate, be material to the Company’s consolidated financial condition or operations.

Regulation – The Company’s title insurance and trust subsidiaries are regulated by various federal, state and local governmental agencies and are subject to various audits, examinations, and inquiries. It is the opinion of management based on its present expectations that findings from these audits, examinations, and inquiries will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

Escrow and Trust Deposits – As a service to its customers, the Company, through ITIC, administers escrow and trust deposits representing earnest money received under real estate contracts, escrowed funds received under escrow agreements, undisbursed amounts received for settlement of mortgage loans and indemnities against specific title risks. These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets; however, the Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.
     
Like-Kind Exchanges Proceeds – In administering tax-deferred property exchanges, the Company’s subsidiary, Investors Title Exchange Corporation (“ITEC”), serves as a qualified intermediary for exchanges, holding the net sales proceeds from relinquished property to be used for purchase of replacement property. Another Company subsidiary, Investors Title Accommodation Corporation (“ITAC”), serves as exchange accommodation titleholder and, through limited liability companies that are wholly owned subsidiaries of ITAC, holds property for exchangers in reverse exchange transactions. Like-kind exchange deposits and reverse exchange property totaled approximately $223.6 million and $214.6 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. These amounts are not considered assets of the Company and, therefore, are excluded from the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets; however, the Company remains contingently liable for transfers of property, disbursements of proceeds and the return on the proceeds at the agreed upon interest rate. Exchange services revenues include earnings on these deposits; therefore, investment income is included as a component of non-title services on the Consolidated Statements of Operations rather than other investment income. Like-kind exchange funds are primarily invested in money market and other short-term investments.

COVID-19 – An outbreak of a coronavirus ("COVID-19" or "the virus") has emerged and in March 2020 the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic.  This contagious disease outbreak has continued to spread across the globe and is impacting worldwide economic activity and financial markets. The pandemic has had a negative impact on the real estate market and the value of marketable securities, including those held by the Company. In response, the U.S. government and its agencies have taken a number of significant measures to provide monetary stimulus. Such actions include an unscheduled cut to the federal funds rate, the introduction of new programs to preserve market liquidity, extended unemployment and sick leave benefits, low-interest loans for working capital access and payroll assistance, and other relief measures for both workers and businesses. The Company is fully operational and has not had any reductions in workforce. A large portion of the Company's workforce is performing their job functions remotely.  The Company has not taken stimulus relief funding or added any other forms of debt.