We and our insurance subsidiaries share administrative headquarters with Donegal Mutual in a building in Marietta, Pennsylvania that Donegal Mutual owns. Donegal Mutual charges us and our insurance subsidiaries for an appropriate portion of the building expenses under an inter-company allocation agreement. The Marietta headquarters has approximately 230,000 square feet of office space. Southern owns a facility of approximately 10,000 square feet in Glen Allen, Virginia. Le Mars owns a facility of approximately 25,500 square feet in Le Mars, Iowa, Peninsula owns a facility of approximately 14,600 square feet in Salisbury, Maryland and Sheboygan owns a facility of approximately 8,800 square feet in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin.
In May 2011, DFSC and Union National Financial Corporation (“UNNF”) merged, with DFSC as the surviving company in the merger. Under the merger agreement, Province Bank FSB, which DFSC owned, and Union National Community Bank, which UNNF owned, also merged and began doing business as Union Community Bank FSB (“UCB”). UCB became a state savings bank in 2013. UCB had 13 branch offices in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and $512.8 million in assets at December 31, 2013. Donegal Mutual contributed $22.1 million and we contributed $20.6 million to DFSC as additional capital to facilitate the mergers. We use the equity method of accounting for our investment in DFSC. Under the equity method, we record our investment at cost, with adjustments for our share of DFSC’s earnings and losses as well as changes in DFSC’s equity due to DFSC’s unrealized gains and losses.
In February 2009, our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program, pursuant to which we may purchase up to 300,000 shares of our Class A common stock at prices prevailing from time to time in the open market subject to the provisions of Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Rule 10b-18 and in privately negotiated transactions. We purchased 24,240 and 135,064 shares of our Class A common stock under this program during 2013 and 2012, respectively. At December 31, 2013, we had the authority remaining to purchase 4,068 shares under this program.
At our annual meeting of stockholders on April 18, 2013, our stockholders approved an amendment to our certificate of incorporation that increased the number of shares of our Class A common stock we have the authority to issue from 30.0 million shares to 40.0 million shares.
Liabilities for losses and loss expenses are estimates at a given point in time of the amounts an insurer expects to pay with respect to policyholder claims based on facts and circumstances then known. At the time of establishing its estimates, an insurer recognizes that its ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses will exceed or be less than such estimates. Our insurance subsidiaries base their estimates of liabilities for losses and loss expenses on assumptions as to future loss trends, expected claims severity, judicial theories of liability and other factors. However, during the loss adjustment period, our insurance subsidiaries may learn additional facts regarding individual claims, and, consequently, it often becomes necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to refine and adjust their estimates of liability. We reflect any adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ liabilities for losses and loss expenses in our consolidated results of operations in the period in which our insurance subsidiaries make the changes in estimates.
Reserve estimates can change over time because of unexpected changes in assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment and, to a lesser extent, assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ internal operations. For example, our insurance subsidiaries have experienced a decrease in claims frequency on workers’ compensation claims during the past several years while claims severity has gradually increased. These trend changes give rise to greater uncertainty as to the pattern of future loss settlements on workers’ compensation claims. Related uncertainties regarding future trends include the cost of medical technologies and procedures and changes in the utilization of medical procedures. Assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment include the absence of significant changes in tort law and the legal environment that increase liability exposure, consistency in judicial interpretations of insurance coverage and policy provisions and the rate of loss cost inflation. Internal assumptions include consistency in the recording of premium and loss statistics, consistency in the recording of claims, payment and case reserving methodology, accurate measurement of the impact of rate changes and changes in policy provisions, consistency in the quality and characteristics of business written within a given line of business and consistency in reinsurance coverage and collectability of reinsured losses, among other items. To the extent our insurance subsidiaries determine that underlying factors impacting their assumptions have changed, our insurance subsidiaries attempt to make appropriate adjustments for such changes in their reserves. Accordingly, our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses will likely differ from the amount recorded at December 31, 2013. For every 1% change in our insurance subsidiaries’ estimate for loss and loss expense reserves, net of reinsurance recoverable, the effect on our pre-tax results of operations would be approximately $2.7 million.
The establishment of appropriate liabilities is an inherently uncertain process and we can provide no assurance that our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability will not exceed our insurance subsidiaries’ loss and loss expense reserves and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we cannot predict the timing, frequency and extent of adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ estimated future liabilities, since the historical conditions and events that serve as a basis for our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of ultimate claim costs may change. As is the case for substantially all property and casualty insurance companies, our insurance subsidiaries have found it necessary in the past to increase their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses in certain periods and, in other periods, their estimates of future liabilities have exceeded their actual liabilities. Changes in our insurance subsidiaries’ estimate of their liability for losses and loss expenses generally reflect actual payments and their evaluation of information received since the prior reporting date. Our
Our insurance subsidiaries’ liability for losses and loss expenses by major line of business at December 31, 2013 and 2012 consisted of the following:
We have evaluated the effect on our insurance subsidiaries’ loss and loss expense reserves and our stockholders’ equity in the event of reasonably likely changes in the variables we consider in establishing loss and loss expense reserves. We established the range of reasonably likely changes based on a review of changes in accident year development by line of business and applied it to our insurance subsidiaries’ loss reserves as a whole. The selected range does not necessarily indicate
We make estimates concerning the valuation of our investments and the recognition of other-than-temporary declines in the value of our investments. For equity securities, we write down the investment to its fair value and we reflect the amount of the write-down as a realized loss in our results of operations when we consider the decline in value of an individual investment to be other than temporary. We individually monitor all investments for other-than-temporary declines in value. Generally, we assume there has been an other-than-temporary decline in value if an individual equity security has depreciated in value by more than 20% of original cost and has been in such an unrealized loss position for more than six months. We held four equity securities that were in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2013. Based upon our analysis of general market conditions and underlying factors impacting these equity securities, we considered these declines in value to be temporary. With respect to a debt security that is in an unrealized loss position, we first assess if we intend to sell the debt security. If we determine we intend to sell the debt security, we recognize the impairment loss in our results of operations. If we do not intend to sell the debt security, we determine whether it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the security prior to recovery. If we determine it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery, we recognize an impairment loss in our results of operations. If we determine it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery, we then evaluate whether a credit loss has occurred. We determine whether a credit loss has occurred by comparing the amortized cost of the debt security to the present value of the cash flows we expect to collect. If we expect a cash flow shortfall, we consider that a credit loss has occurred. If we determine that a credit loss has occurred, we consider the impairment to be other than temporary. We then recognize the amount of the impairment loss related to the credit loss in our results of operations, and we recognize the remaining portion of the impairment loss in our other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes. In addition, we may write down securities in an unrealized loss position based on a number of other factors, including when the fair value of an investment is significantly below its cost, when the financial condition of the issuer of a security has deteriorated, the occurrence of industry, company or geographic events that have negatively impacted the value of a security and rating agency downgrades. We held 216 debt securities that were in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2013. Based upon our analysis of general market conditions and underlying factors impacting these debt securities, we considered these declines in value to be temporary. We did not recognize any impairment losses in 2013, 2012 or 2011.
Despite headwinds from economic uncertainty, challenging insurance market conditions and unusually adverse weather conditions that affected our results in recent years, we believe that our focused business strategy, including our insurance subsidiaries’ disciplined underwriting practices, have positioned us well for 2014 and beyond.
results is difficult to predict with any significant reliability. We evaluate the performance of our commercial lines and personal lines segments primarily based upon the underwriting results of our insurance subsidiaries as determined under statutory accounting practices (“SAP”), which our management uses to measure performance for the total business of our insurance subsidiaries.
We evaluate our insurance operations by monitoring certain key measures of growth and profitability. In addition to using GAAP-based performance measurements, we also utilize certain non-GAAP financial measures that we believe are valuable in managing our business and for comparison to our peers. These non-GAAP measures are underwriting (loss) income, statutory combined ratio and net premiums written. An insurance company’s statutory combined ratio is a standard measure of underwriting profitability. This ratio is the sum of the ratio of calendar-year incurred losses and loss expenses to premiums earned; the ratio of expenses incurred for commissions, premium taxes and underwriting expenses to premiums written and the ratio of dividends to policyholders to premiums earned. The statutory combined ratio does not reflect investment income, federal income taxes or other non-operating income or expense. A ratio of less than 100 percent generally indicates underwriting profitability. The statutory combined ratio differs from the GAAP combined ratio. In calculating the GAAP combined ratio, installment payment fees are not deducted from incurred expenses and the expense ratio is based on premiums earned instead of premiums written. The following table sets forth our insurance subsidiaries’ statutory combined ratios by major line of business for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011:
For 2013, our net investment income was $18.8 million, a $1.4 million decrease from 2012. An increase in our average invested assets from $795.9 million in 2012 to $799.1 million in 2013 was offset by a decrease in our annualized average rate of return to 2.4% in 2013, compared to 2.5% in 2012.
Our insurance subsidiaries’ loss ratio, which is the ratio of incurred losses and loss expenses to premiums earned, was 66.6% in 2013, compared to 70.1% in 2012. Our insurance subsidiaries’ commercial lines loss ratio increased to 67.1% in 2013, compared to 65.5% in 2012. This increase resulted primarily from the commercial automobile loss ratio increasing to 73.0% in 2013, compared to 63.8% in 2012, and the commercial multi-peril ratio increasing to 61.5% in 2013, compared to 60.2% in 2012. The personal lines loss ratio decreased to 66.3% in 2013, compared to 72.8% in 2012, primarily as a result of a decrease in the homeowners loss ratio to 57.7% in 2013, compared to 66.1% in 2012, as a result of a decrease in weather-related claims. Our insurance subsidiaries experienced unfavorable loss reserve development of approximately $10.4 million during 2013 in their reserves for prior accident years, compared to unfavorable loss reserve development of approximately $7.6 million during 2012. The change in loss reserve development patterns occurred primarily within our insurance subsidiaries’ workers’ compensation, commercial automobile, commercial multi-peril and personal automobile reserves.
Our insurance subsidiaries’ net premiums earned increased to $475.0 million for 2012, an increase of $43.5 million, or 10.1%, over 2011, reflecting increases in net premiums written during 2011 and 2012. Our insurance subsidiaries earn premiums and recognize them as income over the terms of the policies they issue. Such terms are generally one year or less in duration. Therefore, increases or decreases in net premiums earned generally reflect increases or decreases in net premiums written in the preceding twelve-month period compared to the same period one year earlier.
Our interest expense in 2012 was $2.4 million, compared to $2.1 million in 2011. The higher interest expense in 2012 reflected an increase in our borrowings under our line of credit.
Liquidity is a measure of an entity’s ability to secure enough cash to meet its contractual obligations and operating needs as they arise. Our major sources of funds from operations are the net cash flows generated from our insurance subsidiaries’ underwriting results, investment income and maturing investments.
Atlantic States is a member of the FHLB of Pittsburgh. Through its membership, Atlantic States has the ability to issue debt to the FHLB of Pittsburgh in exchange for cash advances. During 2013, Atlantic States issued secured debt in the principal amount of $15.0 million to the FHLB of Pittsburgh in exchange for cash advances in the amount of $15.0 million. The interest rate on the advances was .26% at December 31, 2013. Atlantic States then loaned $15.0 million to us. We used the proceeds of our loan from Atlantic States to fund our prepayment of our subordinated debentures. Atlantic States had no outstanding borrowings with the FHLB of Pittsburgh at December 31, 2012.
Cash dividends declared to stockholders totaled $13.0 million, $12.3 million and $12.0 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. There are no regulatory restrictions on our payment of dividends to our stockholders, although there are state law restrictions on the payment of dividends from our insurance subsidiaries to us. Our insurance subsidiaries are required by law to maintain certain minimum surplus on a statutory basis and are subject to regulations under which their payment of dividends from statutory surplus is restricted and may require prior approval of their domiciliary insurance regulatory authorities. Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to risk-based capital (“RBC”) requirements. The amount of statutory capital and surplus necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to satisfy regulatory requirements, including the RBC requirements, was not significant in relation to our insurance subsidiaries’ statutory capital and surplus at December 31, 2013. In 2014, amounts available for distribution as dividends to us from our insurance subsidiaries without prior approval of their domiciliary insurance regulatory authorities are $18.7 million from Atlantic States, $4.2 million from Southern, $2.8 million from Le Mars, $4.2 million from Peninsula, $1.1 million from Sheboygan and $4.1 million from MICO, or a total of approximately $35.1 million.
At December 31, 2013 and 2012, our investment portfolio of primarily investment-grade bonds, common stock, short-term investments and cash totaled $819.4 million and $826.2 million, respectively, representing 59.1% and 61.8%, respectively, of our total assets (see “Business - Investments” for more information).
The carrying value of our fixed maturity investments represented 81.4% and 91.3% of our total invested assets at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
Our fixed maturity investments consisted of high-quality marketable bonds, of which 100.0% and 99.0% were rated at investment-grade levels at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
At December 31, 2013, the net unrealized gain on available-for-sale fixed maturity investments, net of deferred taxes, amounted to $8.7 million, compared to $25.6 million at December 31, 2012.
At December 31, 2013, the net unrealized gain on our equity securities, net of deferred taxes, amounted to $165,573, compared to $61,149 at December 31, 2012.
Our insurance subsidiaries establish their property and casualty insurance premium rates before they know the amount of losses and loss settlement expenses or the extent to which inflation may impact such expenses. Consequently, our insurance subsidiaries attempt, in establishing rates, to anticipate the potential impact of inflation.
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - Consolidated Financial Statements
At December 31, 2013, Donegal Mutual held approximately 37% of our outstanding Class A common stock and approximately 76% of our outstanding Class B common stock. This ownership provides Donegal Mutual with approximately 65% of the total voting power of our common stock. Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual have interrelated operations due to a pooling agreement and other intercompany agreements and transactions. While each company maintains its separate corporate existence, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual conduct business together as the Donegal Insurance Group. As such, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries share the same business philosophy, the same management, the same employees and the same facilities and offer the same types of insurance products.
In preparing our consolidated financial statements, our management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the balance sheet and revenues and expenses for the period. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
We classify our debt and equity securities into the following categories:
Investments - We present our investments in available-for-sale fixed maturity and equity securities at estimated fair value. The estimated fair value of a security may differ from the amount that could be realized if we sold the security in a forced transaction. In addition, the valuation of fixed maturity investments is more subjective when markets are less liquid, increasing the potential that the estimated fair value does not reflect the price at which an actual transaction would occur. We utilize nationally recognized independent pricing services to estimate fair values for our fixed maturity and equity investments. We generally obtain one price per security. The pricing services utilize market quotations for fixed maturity and equity securities that have quoted prices in active markets. For fixed maturity securities that generally do not trade on a daily basis, the pricing services prepare estimates of fair value measurements based predominantly on observable market inputs. The pricing services do not use broker quotes in determining the fair values of our investments. Our investment personnel review the estimates of fair value the pricing services provide to determine if the estimates obtained are representative of fair values based upon their general knowledge of the market, their research findings related to unusual fluctuations in value and their comparison of such values to execution prices for similar securities. Our investment personnel monitor the market and are familiar with current trading ranges for similar securities and pricing of specific investments. Our investment personnel review all pricing estimates that we receive from the pricing services against their expectations with respect to pricing based on fair market curves, security ratings, coupon rates, security type and recent trading activity. Our investment personnel review documentation with respect to the pricing services’ pricing methodology that they obtain periodically to determine if the primary pricing sources, market inputs and pricing frequency for various security types are reasonable. We refer to Note 5 - Fair Value Measurements for more information regarding our methods and assumptions in estimating fair values.
We defer our insurance subsidiaries’ policy acquisition costs, consisting primarily of commissions, premium taxes and certain other underwriting costs, reduced by ceding commissions, that vary with and relate directly to the production of business. We amortize these deferred policy acquisition costs over the period in which our insurance subsidiaries earn the premiums. The method we follow in computing deferred policy acquisition costs limits the amount of such deferred costs to their estimated realizable value, which gives effect to the premium to be earned, related investment income, losses and loss expenses and certain other costs we expect to incur as our insurance subsidiaries earn the premium. Estimates in the calculation of policy acquisition costs have not shown material variability because of uncertainties in applying accounting principles or as a result of sensitivities to changes in key assumptions.
Liabilities for losses and loss expenses are estimates at a given point in time of the amounts an insurer expects to pay with respect to policyholder claims based on facts and circumstances then known. At the time of establishing its estimates, an insurer recognizes that its ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses will exceed or be less than such estimates. Our insurance subsidiaries base their estimates of liabilities for losses and loss expenses on assumptions as to future loss trends and expected claims severity, judicial theories of liability and other factors. However, during the loss adjustment period, our insurance subsidiaries may learn additional facts regarding certain claims, and consequently, it often becomes necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to refine and adjust their estimates of liability. We reflect any adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ liabilities for losses and loss expenses in our operating results in the period in which our insurance subsidiaries record the changes in estimates.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to enhance their underwriting results by carefully selecting the product lines they underwrite. Our insurance subsidiaries’ personal lines products include standard and preferred risks in private passenger automobile and homeowners lines. Our insurance subsidiaries’ commercial lines products primarily include business offices, wholesalers, service providers, contractors, artisans and light manufacturing operations. Our insurance subsidiaries have limited exposure to asbestos and other environmental liabilities. Our insurance subsidiaries write no medical malpractice liability risks.
Our insurance subsidiaries rely upon reinsurance agreements to limit their maximum net loss from large single risks or risks in concentrated areas and to increase their capacity to write insurance. Reinsurance does not relieve our insurance subsidiaries from liability to their respective policyholders. To the extent that a reinsurer cannot pay losses for which it is liable under the terms of a reinsurance agreement with one of our insurance subsidiaries, our insurance subsidiaries retain continued liability for such losses. However, in an effort to reduce the risk of non-payment, our insurance subsidiaries require all of their reinsurers to have an A.M. Best rating of A- or better or, with respect to foreign reinsurers, to have a financial condition that, in the opinion of management, is equivalent to a company with an A.M. Best rating of A- or better. We refer to Note 10 - Reinsurance for more information regarding our reinsurance agreements.
We measure all share-based payments to employees, including grants of stock options, using a fair-value-based method and record such expense in our results of operations. In determining the expense we record for stock options granted to directors and employees of our subsidiaries and affiliates, we estimate the fair value of each option award on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The significant assumptions we utilize in applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model are the risk-free interest rate, expected term, dividend yield and expected volatility.
We calculate basic earnings per share by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock.
the respective line items of net income, either on the face of the statement where the entity presents net income or in the notes to the entity’s financial statements,. For other amounts that GAAP does not require an entity to reclassify to net income in their entirety, the guidance requires an entity to cross-reference such amounts to other disclosures GAAP requires that provide additional detail about those amounts. The guidance was effective for interim and annual reporting periods after December 15, 2012. We adopted this new guidance as of January 1, 2013. Our adoption of this new guidance did not impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
The following amounts represent reinsurance Atlantic States assumed from the pool during 2013, 2012 and 2011:
Donegal Mutual and Le Mars have a quota-share reinsurance agreement whereby Le Mars assumes 100% of the premiums and losses related to certain products Donegal Mutual offers in certain Midwestern states, which provide the availability of complementary products to Le Mars’ commercial accounts. Until October 31, 2012, Donegal Mutual and Southern had a quota-share reinsurance agreement whereby Southern assumed 100% of the premiums and losses related to personal lines products Donegal Mutual offered in Virginia through the use of its automated policy quoting and issuance system. The following amounts represent reinsurance Southern and Le Mars assumed from Donegal Mutual pursuant to the quota-share reinsurance agreements during 2013, 2012 and 2011:
The following amounts represent reinsurance that our insurance subsidiaries ceded to Donegal Mutual pursuant to these reinsurance agreements during 2013, 2012 and 2011:
The following amounts represent the effect of affiliated reinsurance transactions on net premiums our insurance subsidiaries earned during 2013, 2012 and 2011:
We set forth below the amortized cost and estimated fair value of fixed maturities at December 31, 2013 by contractual maturity. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
The amortized cost of fixed maturities on deposit with various regulatory authorities at December 31, 2013 and 2012 amounted to $10,553,953 and $10,565,116, respectively.
Investments in affiliates consisted of the following at December 31, 2013 and 2012:
We account for investments in our affiliates using the equity method of accounting. Under this method, we record our investment at cost, with adjustments for our share of our affiliates’ earnings and losses as well as changes in our affiliates’ equity due to unrealized gains and losses. Our investments in affiliates at December 31, 2013 represented our 48.2% ownership interest in DFSC. In May 2011, DFSC merged with UNNF, with DFSC as the surviving company in the merger. Under the merger agreement, Province Bank FSB, which DFSC owned, and Union National Community Bank, which UNNF owned, also merged and began doing business as UCB. Donegal Mutual contributed $22.1 million and we contributed $20.6 million to DFSC as additional capital to facilitate the mergers. We made an additional equity investment in DFSC in the amount of $100,000 during 2012.
We present below gross realized gains and losses from investments, including those we classified as held to maturity, and the change in the difference between fair value and cost of investments:
We make estimates concerning the valuation of our investments and the recognition of other-than-temporary declines in the value of our investments. For equity securities, we write down the investment to its fair value, and we reflect the amount of the write-down as a realized loss in our results of operations when we consider the decline in value of an individual investment to be other than temporary. We individually monitor all investments for other-than-temporary declines in value. Generally, we assume there has been an other-than-temporary decline in value if an individual equity security has depreciated in value by more than 20% of original cost and has been in such an unrealized loss position for more than six months. We held four equity securities that were in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2013. Based upon our analysis of general market conditions
and underlying factors impacting these equity securities, we considered these declines in value to be temporary. With respect to a debt security that is in an unrealized loss position, we first assess if we intend to sell the debt security. If we determine we intend to sell the debt security, we recognize the impairment loss in our results of operations. If we do not intend to sell the debt security, we determine whether it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery. If we determine it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery, we recognize an impairment loss in our results of operations. If we determine it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery, we then evaluate whether a credit loss has occurred. We determine whether a credit loss has occurred by comparing the amortized cost of the debt security to the present value of the cash flows we expect to collect. If we expect a cash flow shortfall, we consider that a credit loss has occurred. If we determine that a credit loss has occurred, we consider the impairment to be other than temporary. We then recognize the amount of the impairment loss related to the credit loss in our results of operations, and we recognize the remaining portion of the impairment loss in our other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes. In addition, we may write down securities in an unrealized loss position based on a number of other factors, including when the fair value of an investment is significantly below its cost, when the financial condition of the issuer of a security has deteriorated, the occurrence of industry, company or geographic events that have negatively impacted the value of a security and rating agency downgrades. We held 216 debt securities that were in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2013. Based upon our analysis of general market conditions and underlying factors impacting these debt securities, we considered these declines in value to be temporary.
We account for financial assets using a framework that establishes a hierarchy that ranks the quality and reliability of inputs, or assumptions, used in the determination of fair value and we classify financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value in one of the following three categories:
We present our investments in available-for-sale fixed maturity and equity securities at estimated fair value. The estimated fair value of a security may differ from the amount that could be realized if we sold the security in a forced transaction. In addition, the valuation of fixed maturity investments is more subjective when markets are less liquid, increasing the potential that the estimated fair value does not reflect the price at which an actual transaction would occur. We utilize nationally recognized independent pricing services to estimate fair values or obtain market quotations for substantially all of our fixed maturity and equity investments. We generally obtain one price per security. The pricing services utilize market quotations for fixed maturity and equity securities that have quoted prices in active markets. For fixed maturity securities that generally do not trade on a daily basis, the pricing services prepare estimates of fair value measurements based predominantly on observable market inputs. The pricing services do not use broker quotes in determining the fair values of our investments. Our investment personnel review the estimates of fair value the pricing services provide to determine if the estimates we obtain are representative of fair values based upon their general knowledge of the market, their research findings related to unusual fluctuations in value and their comparison of such values to execution prices for similar securities. Our investment personnel monitor the market and are familiar with current trading ranges for similar securities and pricing of specific investments. Our investment personnel review all pricing estimates that we receive from the pricing services against their expectations with respect to pricing based on fair market curves, security ratings, coupon rates, security type and recent trading activity. Our investment personnel review documentation with respect to the pricing services’ pricing methodology that they obtain periodically to determine if the primary pricing sources, market inputs and pricing frequency for various security types are reasonable. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, we received one estimate per security from one of the pricing services, and we priced substantially all of our Level 1 and Level 2 investments using those prices. In our review of the estimates the pricing services provided at December 31, 2013 and 2012, we did not identify any discrepancies, and we did not make any adjustments to the estimates the pricing services provided.
We present our cash and short-term investments at estimated fair value. The carrying values in the balance sheet for premium receivables and reinsurance receivables and payables for premiums and paid losses and loss expenses approximate their fair values. The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet for our subordinated debentures and borrowings under lines of credit approximate their fair values. We classify these items as Level 3. We evaluate our assets and liabilities on a recurring basis to determine the appropriate level at which to classify them for each reporting period.
Property and equipment at December 31, 2013 and 2012 consisted of the following:
Depreciation expense for 2013, 2012 and 2011 amounted to $783,897, $944,632 and $1.0 million, respectively.
The establishment of an appropriate liability for losses and loss expenses is an inherently uncertain process, and we can provide no assurance that our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability will not exceed their loss and loss expense reserves and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we cannot predict the timing, frequency and extent of adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ estimated future liabilities, because the historical conditions and events that serve as a basis for our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of ultimate claim costs may change. As is the case for substantially all property and casualty insurance companies, our insurance subsidiaries have found it necessary in the past to increase their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses in certain periods, and, in other periods, their estimates have exceeded their actual liabilities. Changes in our insurance subsidiaries’ estimate of their liability for losses and loss expenses generally reflect actual payments and their evaluation of information received since the prior reporting date.
MICO has an agreement with the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of Indianapolis. Through its membership, MICO has the ability to issue debt to the FHLB of Indianapolis in exchange for cash advances. There were no outstanding borrowings at December 31, 2013 or 2012. The table below presents the amount of FHLB of Indianapolis stock MICO purchased, collateral pledged and assets related to MICO’s agreement at December 31, 2013.
On October 29, 2003, we received $10.0 million in net proceeds from the issuance of subordinated debentures. The debentures had a maturity date of October 29, 2033 and were callable at our option, at par. The debentures carried an interest rate equal to the three-month LIBOR rate plus 3.85%. On January 28, 2013, we prepaid these subordinated debentures in full and liquidated our investment in the statutory trust.
On May 24, 2004, we received $5.0 million in net proceeds from the issuance of subordinated debentures. The debentures had a maturity date of May 24, 2034 and were callable at our option, at par. The debentures carried an interest rate equal to the three-month LIBOR rate plus 3.85%. On February 25, 2013, we prepaid these subordinated debentures in full and liquidated our investment in the statutory trust.
The following amounts represent the effect of reinsurance on premiums written for 2013, 2012 and 2011:
Our effective tax rate is different from the amount computed at the statutory federal rate of 35% for 2013, 2012 and 2011. The reasons for such difference and the related tax effects are as follows:
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2013 and 2012 are as follows:
We provide a valuation allowance when we believe it is more likely than not that we will not realize some portion of the tax asset. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, we established a valuation allowance of $440,778 related to a portion of the net operating loss carryforward of Le Mars that we acquired on January 1, 2004. We determined that we were not required to establish a valuation allowance for the other net deferred tax assets of $39.6 million and $37.6 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, since it is more likely than not that we will realize these deferred tax assets through reversals of existing temporary differences, future taxable income and the implementation of tax-planning strategies.
In February 2009, our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program, pursuant to which we may purchase up to 300,000 shares of our Class A common stock at market prices prevailing from time to time in the open market subject to the provisions of Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Rule 10b-18 and in privately negotiated transactions. We purchased 24,240 and 135,064 shares of our Class A common stock under this program during 2013 and 2012, respectively. At December 31, 2013, we had the authority remaining to purchase 4,068 shares under this program.
On July 18, 2013, our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program pursuant to which we have the authority to purchase up to 500,000 additional shares of our Class A common stock at prices prevailing from time to time in the open market subject to the provisions of SEC Rule 10b-18 and in privately negotiated transactions. We did not purchase shares under this program during 2013.
At December 31, 2013, our treasury stock consisted of 940,862 and 72,465 shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively. At December 31, 2012, our treasury stock consisted of 916,622 and 72,465 shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively.
During 1996, we adopted an Equity Incentive Plan for Directors. During 2001, we adopted a nearly identical plan that made 355,556 shares of Class A common stock available for issuance to our directors and those of our subsidiaries and affiliates. During 2007, we adopted a nearly identical plan that made 400,000 shares of Class A common stock available for issuance to our directors and the directors of our subsidiaries and affiliates. During 2011, we adopted a nearly identical plan that made 400,000 shares of Class A common stock available for issuance to our directors and the directors of our subsidiaries and affiliates. During 2013, we adopted a nearly identical plan that made 600,000 shares of Class A common stock available for issuance to our directors and the directors of our subsidiaries and affiliates. We may make awards in the form of stock options. The plan also provides for the issuance of 400 shares of restricted stock on the first business day of January in each year to each of our directors and each director of Donegal Mutual who does not serve as one of our directors. We issued 6,800, 6,800 and 5,598 shares of restricted stock on January 2, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted during 2012 was $2.85. We calculated this fair value based upon a risk-free interest rate of .43%, expected life of five years, expected volatility of 33% and expected dividend yield of 3%.
The weighted-average grant date fair value of options granted during 2011 was $1.90. We calculated this fair value based upon a risk-free interest rate of .75%, expected life of five years, expected volatility of 31% and expected dividend yield of 4%.
We charged compensation expense for our stock compensation plans against income before income taxes of $547,374, $420,735 and $283,811 for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, with a corresponding income tax benefit of $186,107, $143,050 and $96,496. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, our total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation granted under our stock compensation plans was $1.1 million and $1.2 million, respectively. We expect to recognize this cost over a weighted average period of 1.0 years.
During 2013, we received cash from option exercises under all stock compensation plans of $9.7 million. We realized actual tax benefits for the tax deductions from option exercises of share-based compensation of $531,159 for 2013. During 2012, we received cash from option exercises under all stock compensation plans of $1.1 million. We realized actual tax benefits for the tax deductions from option exercises of share-based compensation of $52,422 for 2012. We did not receive any cash from option exercises in 2011. No further shares are available for future option grants for plans in effect prior to 2013.
Shares available for future option grants at December 31, 2013 totaled 2,556,500 shares under all plans.
The following table summarizes information about fixed stock options outstanding at December 31, 2013:
Our principal source of cash for payment of dividends is dividends from our insurance subsidiaries. State insurance laws require our insurance subsidiaries to maintain certain minimum capital and surplus amounts on a statutory basis. Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to regulations that restrict the payment of dividends from statutory surplus and may require prior approval of their domiciliary insurance regulatory authorities. Our insurance subsidiaries are also subject to risk based capital (“RBC”) requirements that may further impact their ability to pay dividends. Our insurance subsidiaries’ statutory capital and surplus at December 31, 2013 exceeded the amount of statutory capital and surplus necessary to satisfy regulatory requirements, including the RBC requirements, by a significant margin. Amounts available for distribution to us as dividends from our insurance subsidiaries without prior approval of insurance regulatory authorities in 2014 are $18.7 million from Atlantic States, $4.2 million from Southern, $2.8 million from Le Mars, $4.2 million from Peninsula, $1.1 million from Sheboygan and $4.1 million from MICO, or a total of approximately $35.1 million.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Donegal Group Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the related consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2013. These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We did not audit the financial statements of Donegal Financial Services Corporation (a 48.2 percent owned investee company). The Company’s investment in Donegal Financial Services Corporation at December 31, 2013 and 2012, was $35,685,433 and $36,770,530, respectively, and its equity in earnings of Donegal Financial Services Corporation was $2,907,867 and $4,533,257 for the years 2013 and 2012, respectively. The financial statements of Donegal Financial Services Corporation were audited by other auditors whose report has been furnished to us, and our opinion, insofar as it relates to the amounts included for Donegal Financial Services Corporation, is based solely on the report of the other auditors.
In our opinion, based on our audits and the report of the other auditors, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Donegal Group Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2013, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Oversight Board (United States), Donegal Group Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013 based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (1992) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), and our report dated March 14, 2014 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.