v2.4.0.6
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities on Recurring Basis
The following table presents the level within the fair value hierarchy at which the Company’s financial assets and financial liabilities are measured on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2012:
 
(Amounts in Thousands)
Total
 
Level 1
 
Level 2
 
Level 3
Assets:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

U.S. treasury securities
$
48,341

 
$
48,341

 
$

 
$

U.S. government agencies
46,305

 

 
46,305

 

Municipal bonds
265,011

 

 
265,011

 

Corporate bonds and other bonds:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Finance
773,474

 

 
773,474

 

Industrial
330,269

 

 
330,269

 

Utilities
35,228

 

 
35,228

 

Commercial mortgage backed securities
10,209

 

 
10,209

 

Residential mortgage backed securities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Agency backed
332,027

 

 
332,027

 

Non-agency backed
6,759

 

 
6,759

 

Equity securities
18,318

 
18,318

 

 

Short term investments
485

 
485

 

 

Other investments
14,324

 

 

 
14,324

Life settlement contracts
171,476

 

 

 
171,476

 
$
2,052,226

 
$
67,144

 
$
1,799,282

 
$
185,800

Liabilities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Equity securities sold but not yet purchased, market
$
43

 
$
43

 
$

 
$

Fixed maturity securities sold but not yet purchased, market
57,155

 
57,155

 

 

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase, at contract value
226,098

 

 
226,098

 

Life settlement contract profit commission
9,550

 

 

 
9,550

Derivatives
4,973

 

 
4,973

 

 
$
297,819

 
$
57,198

 
$
231,071

 
$
9,550

Changes in Fair Value of Level 3 Financial Assets And Liabilities
The following table provides a summary of changes in fair value of the Company’s Level 3 financial assets and liabilities for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011:
 
(Amounts in Thousands)
 
Balance as of June 30, 2012
 
Net income
 
Other comprehensive income
 
Purchases and issuances
 
Sales and settlements
 
Net transfers into (out of) Level 3
 
Balance as of September 30,
2012
Other investments
 
$
15,103

 
$
1,491

 
$

 
$
315

 
$
(2,585
)
 
$

 
$
14,324

Life settlement contracts
 
151,092

 
10,758

 

 
9,626

 

 

 
171,476

Life settlement contract profit commission
 
(11,465
)
 
1,915

 

 

 

 

 
(9,550
)
Derivatives
 
(4,472
)
 

 
(501
)
 

 

 
4,973

 

Total
 
$
150,258

 
$
14,164

 
$
(501
)
 
$
9,941

 
$
(2,585
)
 
$
4,973

 
$
176,250

  
(Amounts in Thousands)
 
Balance as of December 31,
2011
 
Net income
 
Other comprehensive income
 
Purchases and issuances
 
Sales and settlements
 
Net transfers into (out of) Level 3
 
Balance as of September 30,
2012
Other investments
 
$
14,588

 
$
(2,861
)
 
$
4,535

 
$
1,062

 
$
(3,000
)
 
$

 
$
14,324

Life settlement contracts
 
131,387

 
26,174

 

 
23,989

 
(10,074
)
 

 
171,476

Life settlement contract profit commission
 
(12,022
)
 
2,472

 

 

 

 

 
(9,550
)
Derivatives
 
(3,508
)
 

 
(1,465
)
 

 

 
4,973

 

Total
 
$
130,445

 
$
25,785


$
3,070

 
$
25,051

 
$
(13,074
)
 
$
4,973

 
$
176,250

 
(Amounts in Thousands)
 
Balance as of June 30,
2011
 
Net income
 
Other comprehensive income
 
Purchases and issuances
 
Sales and settlements
 
Net transfers into (out of) Level 3
 
Balance as of September 30,
2011
Other investments
 
$
22,008

 
$

 
$
(1,348
)
 
$
5,672

 
$
(5,128
)
 
$

 
$
21,204

Life settlement contracts
 
108,710

 
17,188

 

 
6,298

 
(10,530
)
 

 
121,666

Life settlement contract profit commission
 
(9,267
)
 
(3,369
)
 

 

 

 

 
(12,636
)
Total
 
$
121,451

 
$
13,819

 
$
(1,348
)
 
$
11,970

 
$
(15,658
)
 
$

 
$
130,234

 
(Amounts in Thousands)
 
Balance as of December 31,
2010
 
Net income
 
Other comprehensive income
 
Purchases and issuances
 
Sales and settlements
 
Net transfers into (out of) Level 3
 
Balance as of September 30,
2011
Other investments
 
$
21,514

 
$
661

 
$
(1,725
)
 
$
6,538

 
$
(5,784
)
 
$

 
$
21,204

Life settlement contracts
 
22,155

 
75,209

 

 
34,832

 
(10,530
)
 

 
121,666

Life settlement contract profit commission
 
(4,711
)
 
(7,925
)
 

 

 

 

 
(12,636
)
Total
 
$
38,958

 
$
67,945

 
$
(1,725
)
 
$
41,370

 
$
(16,314
)
 
$

 
$
130,234

Fair Value of Portfolio of Life Insurance Policies
The following summarizes data utilized in estimating the fair value of the portfolio of life insurance policies as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 and, as described in Note 5, only includes data for policies to which the Company assigned value at those dates:
 
 
September 30,
2012
 
December 31,
2011
Average age of insured
79 years

 
77 years

Average life expectancy, months (1)
143 months

 
155 months

Average face amount per policy (Amounts in Thousands)
$
6,818

 
$
6,703

Fair value discount rate
7.5
%
 
7.5
%
Internal rate of return (2)
15.9
%
 
14.1
%
  
(1)
Standard life expectancy as adjusted for insured’s specific circumstances.
(2)
Internal rate of return includes a risk premium which represents risk adjustments applied to the estimated present value of cash flows based on the following factors: (i) the volatility in life expectancy of insureds and the associated level of future premium payments and (ii) the projected risk of non-payment, including the financial health of the insurance carrier, the possibility of legal challenges from the insurance carrier or others and the possibility of regulatory changes that may affect payment.
These assumptions are, by their nature
Increase or (Decrease) in Carrying Value of Investment in Life Insurance Policies
These assumptions are, by their nature, inherently uncertain and the effect of changes in estimates may be significant. The fair value measurements used in estimating the present value calculation are derived from valuation techniques generally used in the industry that include inputs for the asset that are not based on observable market data. The extent to which the fair value could reasonable vary in the near term has been quantified by evaluating the effect of changes in significant underlying assumptions used to estimate the fair value amount. If the life expectancies were increased or decreased by 4 months and the discount factors were increased or decreased by 1% while all other variables are held constant, the carrying value of the investment in life insurance policies would increase or (decrease) by the unaudited amounts summarized below as of September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011:
 
 
Change in life expectancy
(Amounts in Thousands)
Plus 4 Months
 
Minus 4 Months
Investment in life policies:
 

 
 

September 30, 2012
$
(25,386
)
 
$
28,250

December 31, 2011
$
(18,778
)
 
$
20,785

 
 
Change in discount rate
(Amounts in Thousands)
Plus 1%
 
Minus 1%
Investment in life policies:
 

 
 

September 30, 2012
$
(17,167
)
 
$
20,030

December 31, 2011
$
(13,802
)
 
$
15,804