The table below reconciles the non-GAAP measures or ratios to its most directly comparable GAAP measure or ratio. The Company believes the non-GAAP measures or ratios are useful to investors when evaluating the Company’s underwriting performance as trends in the Company’s Personal Lines may be obscured by prior accident year adjustments. These non-GAAP measures or ratios should not be considered as a substitute for its most directly comparable GAAP measure or ratio and does not reflect the overall underwriting profitability of the Company.
The increase in the expense ratio was also due to the 2015 expense ratio benefitting from accounting adjustments related to the purchase of American Reliable.
At December 31, 2017, the Company held agency mortgage-backed securities with a market value of $81.2 million. Excluding the agency mortgage-backed securities, the average duration of the Company’s fixed maturities portfolio was 3.2 years as of December 31, 2017, compared with 1.9 years as of December 31, 2016. Including cash and short-term investments, the average duration of the Company’s fixed maturities portfolio, excluding agency mortgage-backed securities, was 3.0 years as of December 31, 2017 compared with 1.8 years as of December 31, 2016. Changes in interest rates can cause principal payments on certain investments to extend or shorten which can impact duration. At December 31, 2017, the Company’s embedded book yield on its fixed maturities, not including cash, was 2.7% compared with 2.1% at December 31, 2016. The embedded book yield on the $95.1 million of municipal bonds in the Company’s portfolio, which includes $93.5 million of taxable municipal bonds, was 3.0% at December 31, 2017, compared to an embedded book yield of 2.7% on the Company’s municipal bond portfolio of $156.4 million at December 31, 2016.
Some of the statements under “Business,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this report may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Security Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that reflect the Company’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “project,” “plan,” “seek,” “intend,” or “anticipate” or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, and include discussions of strategy, financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, expectations or consequences of identified transactions or natural disasters, and statements about the future performance, operations, products and services of the companies.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Global Indemnity Limited (the Company) as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes and the financial statement schedules listed in the Index at Item 15 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The Company regularly reviews the collectability of reinsurance receivables. An allowance for uncollectible reinsurance receivable is recognized based on the financial strength of the reinsurers and the length of time any balances are past due. Any changes in the allowance resulting from this review are included in net losses and loss adjustment expenses on the consolidated statements of operations during the period in which the determination is
The following table presents details of the Company’s intangible assets arising from the American Reliable acquisition as of December 31, 2015:
Obligations of states and political subdivisions - As of December 31, 2017, gross unrealized losses related to obligations of states and political subdivisions were $0.274 million. Of this amount, $0.125 million have been in an unrealized loss position for twelve months or greater and are rated investment grade or better. All factors that influence performance of the municipal bond market are considered in evaluating these securities. The aforementioned factors include investor expectations, supply and demand patterns, and current versus historical yield and spread relationships. The analysis relies on the output of fixed income credit analysts, as well as dedicated municipal bond analysts who perform extensive in-house fundamental analysis on each issuer, regardless of their rating by the major agencies.
Foreign bonds - As of December 31, 2017, gross unrealized losses related to foreign bonds were $0.545 million. Of this amount, $0.240 million have been in an unrealized loss position for twelve months or greater and are rated investment grade or better. For this asset class, detailed financial models are maintained that include a projection of each issuer’s future financial performance, including prospective debt servicing capabilities, capital structure composition, and the value of the collateral. The analysis incorporates the macroeconomic environment, industry conditions in which the issuer operates, the issuer’s current competitive
securities were tax-free municipal bonds, which represented approximately 0.1% of the Company’s total cash and invested assets, net of payable/ receivable for securities purchased and sold. These securities had an average rating of “AA.” None of these bonds are pre-refunded with U.S. treasury securities, nor would they have carried a lower credit rating had they not been insured.
For the Company’s material debt arrangements, the current fair value of the Company’s debt at December 31, 2017 and 2016 was as follows:
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, indefinite lived intangible assets, which are comprised of tradenames, trademarks, and state insurance licenses, were $19.0 million. The Company reviewed internal business unit
Financial results for the year ended December 31, 2017 reflect provisional amounts related to the December 22, 2017 enactment of the TCJA. These provisional estimates are based on the Company’s initial analysis and current interpretation of the legislation. Given the complexity of the legislation, anticipated guidance from the U.S. Treasury, and the potential for additional guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Financial Accounting Standards Board, these estimates may be adjusted during 2018.
$7.9 million and $8.1 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, which can be carried forward indefinitely. The 163(j) carryforward is for disqualified interest paid or accrued to a related entity that is not subject to U.S. tax.
Prior to 2001, the Company underwrote multi-peril business insuring general contractors, developers, and sub-contractors primarily involved in residential construction that has resulted in significant exposure to construction defect (“CD”) claims. The Company’s reserves for CD claims are established based upon management’s best estimate in consideration of known facts, existing case law and generally accepted actuarial methodologies. However, due to the inherent uncertainty concerning this type of business, the ultimate exposure for these claims may vary significantly from the amounts currently recorded. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, gross reserves for CD claims were $43.8 million and $54.5 million, respectively, and net reserves for CD claims were $40.2 million and $48.6 million, respectively.
(1) - the weighted average per share exercise price on these shares outstanding is variable. See note below under Chief Executive Officer for additional information.
The Company maintains a 401(k) defined contribution plan that covers all eligible U.S. employees. Under this plan, the Company matches 100% of the first 6% contributed by an employee. Vesting on contributions made by the Company is immediate. Total expenses for the plan were $1.9 million, $1.9 million, and $2.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively.
Under the Companies Act, Global Indemnity Reinsurance may only declare or pay a dividend if it has no reasonable grounds for believing that it is, or would after the payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due, or if the realizable value of its assets would not be less than the aggregate of its liabilities and its issued share capital and share premium accounts. Global Indemnity Reinsurance is also prohibited, without the approval of the BMA, from reducing by 15% or more its total statutory capital or 25% or more of its total statutory capital and surplus as set out in its previous year’s statutory financial statements, and any application for such approval must include such information as the BMA may require. Based upon the total statutory capital plus the statutory surplus as set out in its 2017 statutory financial statements that will be filed in 2018, Global Indemnity Reinsurance could pay a dividend of up to $227.1 million without requesting BMA approval. Global Indemnity Reinsurance is dependent on receiving distributions from its subsidiaries in order to pay the full dividend in cash. In 2017, Global Indemnity Reinsurance declared a dividend of $120.0 million to its parent, Global Indemnity. Of this amount, $100.0 million was paid to Global Indemnity in December, 2017. As of December 31, 2017, accrued dividends were $20.0 million.