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Dividend Restriction and Risk Based Capital
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Dividend Restriction and Risk Based Capital

21. Dividend Restriction and Risk Based Capital

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are subject to statutory and regulatory restrictions, applicable to insurance companies, imposed by the states of domicile, which limit the amount of cash dividends or distributions that they may pay and was approximately $306,100 and $253,000 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. During 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company received a dividend of approximately $5,800, $5,000 and $4,500, respectively, from one of its subsidiaries.

Property and casualty insurance companies in the United States are subject to certain Risk-Based Capital (“RBC”) requirements as specified by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Under such requirements, the amount of capital and surplus maintained by a property and casualty insurance company is to be determined on various risk factors. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, the capital and surplus of the Company’s eight insurance subsidiaries domiciled in the United States exceeded the RBC requirements.