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Investments
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Investments [Abstract]  
Investments
Note 9. 
Investments

The following tables set forth the carrying value, gross unrealized gains, gross unrealized losses and amortized cost of the Company's investments, aggregated by type and industry, as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.
 
Investments were comprised of the following:
 
   
March 31, 2012
 
   
Carrying
Value
  
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
  
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
  
Amortized
Cost
 
Fixed maturities:
            
Bonds:
            
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities
 $29,344  $3,149  $6  $26,201 
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  17,215   1,948   -   15,267 
Corporate securities:
                
Utilities and telecom
  17,020   2,172   -   14,848 
Financial services
  39,755   1,196   663   39,222 
Other business - diversified
  60,032   3,981   463   56,514 
Other consumer - diversified
  47,136   4,781   205   42,560 
Total corporate securities
  163,943   12,130   1,331   153,144 
Redeemable preferred stocks:
                
Utilities and telecom
  1,561   61   -   1,500 
Financial services
  4,961   28   76   5,009 
Other consumer - diversified
  193   -   -   193 
Total redeemable preferred stocks
  6,715   89   76   6,702 
Total fixed maturities
  217,217   17,316   1,413   201,314 
Equity securities:
                
Common and non-redeemable preferred stocks:
                
Utilities and telecom
  1,147   183   -   964 
Financial services
  5,558   798   29   4,789 
Other business - diversified
  122   75   -   47 
Other consumer - diversified
  2,056   379   -   1,677 
Total equity securities
  8,883   1,435   29   7,477 
Other invested assets
  560   -   -   560 
Policy loans
  2,255   -   -   2,255 
Real estate
  38   -   -   38 
Investments in unconsolidated trusts
  1,238   -   -   1,238 
Total investments
 $230,191  $18,751  $1,442  $212,882 

   
December 31, 2011
 
   
Carrying
Value
  
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
  
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
  
Amortized
Cost
 
Fixed maturities:
            
Bonds:
            
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities
 $35,922  $4,186  $-  $31,736 
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  17,030   1,757   -   15,273 
Corporate securities:
                
Utilities and telecom
  18,598   2,736   -   15,862 
Financial services
  34,900   725   1,346   35,521 
Other business - diversified
  56,553   5,043   152   51,662 
Other consumer - diversified
  46,908   6,170   12   40,750 
Total corporate securities
  156,959   14,674   1,510   143,795 
Redeemable preferred stocks:
                
Utilities and telecom
  2,668   168   -   2,500 
Financial services
  4,576   29   462   5,009 
Other consumer - diversified
  193   -   -   193 
Total redeemable preferred stocks
  7,437   197   462   7,702 
Total fixed maturities
  217,348   20,814   1,972   198,506 
Equity securities:
                
Common and non-redeemable preferred stocks:
                
Utilities and telecom
  1,203   239   -   964 
Financial services
  5,148   558   199   4,789 
Other business - diversified
  115   68   -   47 
Other consumer - diversified
  1,882   205   -   1,677 
Total equity securities
  8,348   1,070   199   7,477 
Other invested assets
  567   -   -   567 
Policy loans
  2,246   -   -   2,246 
Real estate
  38   -   -   38 
Investments in unconsolidated trusts
  1,238   -   -   1,238 
Total investments
 $229,785  $21,884  $2,171  $210,072 
 
The amortized cost and carrying value of fixed maturities at March 31, 2012 by contractual maturity were as follows.  Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

   
March 31, 2012
 
   
Carrying
Value
  
Amortized
Cost
 
Due in one year or less
 $1,784  $1,749 
Due after one year through five years
  5,147   4,721 
Due after five years through ten years
  32,761   30,974 
Due after ten years
  176,369   162,876 
Varying maturities
  1,156   994 
Totals
 $217,217  $201,314 
 
The following table sets forth the carrying value, amortized cost, and net unrealized gains or losses of the Company's investments aggregated by industry as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

   
March 31, 2012
  
December 31, 2011
 
   
Carrying
Value
  
Amortized
Cost
  
Unrealized
Gains
  
Carrying
Value
  
Amortized
Cost
  
Unrealized
Gains
(Losses)
 
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities
 $29,344  $26,201  $3,143  $35,922  $31,736  $4,186 
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
  17,215   15,267   1,948   17,030   15,273   1,757 
Utilities and telecom
  19,728   17,312   2,416   22,469   19,326   3,143 
Financial services
  50,274   49,020   1,254   44,624   45,319   (695)
Other business - diversified
  60,154   56,561   3,593   56,668   51,709   4,959 
Other consumer - diversified
  49,385   44,430   4,955   48,983   42,620   6,363 
Other investments
  4,091   4,091   -   4,089   4,089   - 
Investments
 $230,191  $212,882  $17,309  $229,785  $210,072  $19,713 


The following tables present the Company's unrealized loss aging for securities by type and length of time the security was in a continuous unrealized loss position as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

   
March 31, 2012
 
   
Less than 12 months
  
12 months or longer
  
Total
 
   
Fair
Value
  
Unrealized
Losses
  
Fair Value
  
Unrealized
Losses
  
Fair
Value
  
Unrealized
Losses
 
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities
 $541  $6  $-  $-  $541  $6 
Corporate securities
  35,600   1,029   1,698   302   37,298   1,331 
Redeemable preferred stocks
  -   -   2,843   76   2,843   76 
Common and non-redeemable preferred stocks
  2,996   20   258   9   3,254   29 
Total temporarily impaired securities
 $39,137  $1,055  $4,799  $387  $43,936  $1,442 
 
   
December 31, 2011
 
   
Less than 12 months
  
12 months or longer
  
Total
 
   
Fair
Value
  
Unrealized
Losses
  
Fair Value
  
Unrealized
Losses
  
Fair
Value
  
Unrealized
Losses
 
Corporate securities
 $30,675  $1,112  $1,602  $398  $32,277  $1,510 
Redeemable preferred stocks
  -   -   2,807   462   2,807   462 
Common and non-redeemable preferred stocks
  824   176   1,245   23   2,069   199 
Total temporarily impaired securities
 $31,499  $1,288  $5,654  $883  $37,153  $2,171 
 
The evaluation for an other than temporary impairment is a quantitative and qualitative process, which is subject to risks and uncertainties in the determination of whether declines in the fair value of investments are other than temporary. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among other things, changes in general economic conditions, an issuer's financial condition or near term recovery prospects and the effects of changes in interest rates. In evaluating a potential impairment, the Company considers, among other factors, management's intent and ability to hold these securities until price recovery, the nature of the investment and the expectation of prospects for the issuer and its industry, the status of an issuer's continued satisfaction of its obligations in accordance with their contractual terms, and management's expectation as to the issuer's ability and intent to continue to do so, as well as ratings actions that may affect the issuer's credit status.

As of March 31, 2012, securities in an unrealized loss position primarily included certain of the Company's investments in fixed maturities within the financial services sector. The Company does not currently intend to sell nor does it expect to be required to sell any of the securities in an unrealized loss position. Based upon the Company's expected continuation of receipt of contractually required principal and interest payments and its intent and ability to retain the securities until price recovery, as well as the Company's evaluation of other relevant factors, including those described above, the Company has deemed these securities to be temporarily impaired as of March 31, 2012.

The following describes the fair value hierarchy and provides information as to the extent to which the Company uses fair value to measure the value of its financial instruments and information about the inputs used to value those financial instruments. The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs in the valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels.

Level 1
Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. The Company's financial instruments valued using Level 1 criteria include cash equivalents and exchange traded common stocks.

Level 2
Observable inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, for an asset or liability or prices for similar assets or liabilities. The Company's financial instruments valued using Level 2 criteria include significantly all of its fixed maturities, which consist of U.S. Treasury securities and U.S. Government securities, municipal bonds, and certain corporate fixed maturities, as well as its non-redeemable preferred stocks. In determining fair value measurements using Level 2 criteria, the Company utilizes various external pricing sources.

Level 3
Valuations that are derived from techniques in which one or more of the significant inputs are unobservable (including assumptions about risk). The Company's financial instruments valued using Level 3 criteria include certain fixed maturities and a zero cost interest rate collar. Fair value is based on criteria that use assumptions or other data that are not readily observable from objective sources. As of March 31, 2012, the value of the Company's fixed maturities valued using Level 3 criteria was $1,974 and the value of the zero cost interest rate collar was a liability of $723 (See Note 5). The use of different criteria or assumptions regarding data may have yielded different valuations.
 
As of March 31, 2012, financial instruments carried at fair value were measured on a recurring basis as summarized below:
 
   
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets
for Identical
Assets
  
Significant
Other
Observable
 Inputs
  
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
    
   
(Level 1)
  
(Level 2)
  
(Level 3)
  
Total
 
Assets:
            
Fixed maturities
 $-  $215,243  $1,974  $217,217 
Equity securities
  3,536   5,347   -   8,883 
Cash equivalents
  18,257   -   -   18,257 
Total
 $21,793  $220,590  $1,974  $244,357 
Liabilities:
                
Derivative
 $-  $-  $723  $723 

As of December 31, 2011, financial instruments carried at fair value were measured on a recurring basis as summarized below:
 
   
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets
for Identical
Assets
  
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
  
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
    
   
(Level 1)
  
(Level 2)
  
(Level 3)
  
Total
 
Assets:
            
Fixed maturities
 $-  $215,313  $2,035  $217,348 
Equity securities
  3,374   4,974   -   8,348 
Cash equivalents
  19,519   -   -   19,519 
Total
 $22,893  $220,287  $2,035  $245,215 
Liabilities:
                
Derivative
 $-  $-  $876  $876 

The following is a roll-forward of the financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the three month period ended March 31, 2012.
 
   
Fixed
Maturities
  
Derivative
(Liability)
 
Balance, December 31, 2011
 $2,035  $(876)
Total unrealized gains (losses) included in comprehensive income
  (61)   153 
Balance, March 31, 2012
 $1,974  $(723)
 
The Company's fixed maturities valued using Level 3 inputs consist solely of issuances of pooled debt obligations of multiple, smaller financial services companies. They are not actively traded and valuation techniques used to measure fair value are based on future estimated cash flows (based on current cash flows) discounted at reasonable estimated rates of interest.  There are no assumed prepayments and/or default probability assumptions as a majority of these instruments contain certain U.S. government agency strips to support repayment of the principal.  Other qualitative and quantitative information received from the original underwriter of the pooled offerings is also considered, as applicable. As the derivative is an interest rate collar, changes in valuation are more closely correlated with changes in interest rates and, accordingly, values are estimated using projected cash flows at current interest rates discounted at a reasonably estimated rate of interest.  At March 31, 2012, the value of the derivative was determined based on the difference between the contractual rate of 4.77% and the current 3-month LIBOR rate of 0.48%.  Fair value quotations are also obtained and considered, as applicable, from the counterparty to the transaction.