Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Crawford & Company (www.crawfordandcompany.com) is the the world's largest publicly traded independent provider of claims management solutions to insurance companies and self-insured entities, with an expansive global network serving clients in more than 70 countries. The Crawford Solution® offers comprehensive, integrated claims services, business process outsourcing and consulting services for major product lines including property and casualty claims management; workers' compensation claims and medical management; and legal settlement administration.
The global claims management services market is highly competitive and comprised of a large number of companies of varying size and that offer a varied scope of services. The demand from insurance companies and self-insured entities for services provided by independent claims service firms like us is largely dependent on industry-wide claims volumes, which are affected by, among other things, the insurance underwriting cycle, weather-related events, general economic activity, overall employment levels, and workplace injury rates. Demand is also impacted by decisions insurance companies and self-insured entities make with respect to the level of claims outsourced to independent claim service firms as opposed to those handled by their own in-house claims adjusters. In addition, our ability to retain clients and maintain or increase case referrals is also dependent in part on our ability to continue to provide high-quality, competitively priced services and effective sales efforts.
Unallocated corporate and shared costs and credits include expenses and credits related to our chief executive officer and Board of Directors, certain provisions for bad debt allowances or subsequent recoveries such as those related to bankrupt clients, defined benefit pension costs or credits for our frozen U.S. pension plan, certain unallocated professional fees, and certain self-insurance costs and recoveries that are not allocated to our individual operating segments.
International case volumes by region for 2016 and 2015 were as follows:
The 2015 increase in U.S. Contractor Connection cases was due to the ongoing expansion of our contractor network and to the continued trend of insurance carriers moving high-frequency, low-complexity property cases directly to our contractor managed repair networks.
The dollar amount of these expenses increased from $133.9 million in 2014 to $149.7 million in 2015. There was an average of 1,489 FTEs (including 454 catastrophe adjusters) in 2015 compared with an average of 1,403 (including 317 catastrophe adjusters) in 2014. The increase in expenses and FTEs in 2015 was primarily due to the higher compensation costs and the increase in personnel required to service the outsourcing project referred to above.
At December 31, 2016, we were not party to any off-balance sheet arrangements, other than operating leases, which could materially impact our operations, financial condition, or cash flows. We have certain material obligations under operating lease agreements to which we are a party. In accordance with GAAP, these operating lease obligations and the related leased assets are not reported on our consolidated balance sheets.
The key assumptions used in estimating the fair value of our reporting units utilizing the income approach include the discount rate and the terminal growth rate. The discount rate utilized in estimating the fair value of our International reporting unit in 2016 was 16.5%, reflecting our assessment of a market participant's view of the risks associated with the projected cash flows. The terminal growth rate used in the analysis was 2.0%. The assumptions used in estimating the fair values are based on currently available data and management's best estimates of revenues and cash flows and, accordingly, a change in market conditions or other factors could have a material effect on the estimated values. There are inherent uncertainties related to the assumptions used and to management's application of these assumptions.
We sponsor various defined benefit pension plans in the U.S. and U.K. that cover a substantial number of current and former employees in each location. We utilize the services of independent actuaries to help us estimate our pension obligations and measure pension costs. Our U.S.Qualified Plan was frozen on December 31, 2002. Our U.K. Plans were closed to new employees as of October 31, 1997, but existing participants may still accrue additional limited benefits based on salary levels existing at the close date. Benefits payable under our U.S. Qualified Plan are generally based on career compensation; however, no additional benefits accrue on our frozen U.S. Qualified Plan after December 31, 2002. Benefits payable under the U.K. Plans are generally based on an employee's salary at the time the applicable plan was closed. Our funding policy is to make cash contributions in amounts sufficient to maintain the plans on an actuarially sound basis, but not in excess of amounts deductible under applicable income tax regulations. Note 8, "Retirement Plans," of our accompanying audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K provides details about the assumptions used in determining the funded status of the plans, the unrecognized actuarial gain/(loss), the components of net periodic benefit cost, benefit payments expected to be made in the future and plan asset allocations.
The principal assumptions used in accounting for our defined benefit pension plans are the discount rate, the expected long-term return on plan assets, and the mortality expectations for plan participants. The discount rate assumptions reflect the rates at which the benefit obligations could be effectively settled. Our discount rates were determined with the assistance of actuaries, who calculate the yield on a theoretical portfolio of high-grade corporate bonds (rated Aa or better) with cash flows that generally match our expected benefit payments in future years. At December 31, 2016, the discount rate used to compute the benefit obligations of the U.S. and U.K. defined benefit pension plans were 4.15% and 2.65%, respectively.
We review our employee demographic assumptions annually and update the assumptions as necessary. During 2016, we revised the mortality assumptions for the U.S. plans to incorporate the new set of mortality tables issued by the Society of Actuaries, adjusted to reflect Company-specific experience and future expectations. This resulted in a $7.2 million decrease in the projected benefit obligation for the U.S. plans.
We account for certain income and expense items differently for financial reporting and income tax purposes. Provisions for deferred taxes are made in recognition of these temporary differences. The most significant differences relate to revenue recognition, accrued compensation and pensions, self-insurance, and depreciation and amortization.
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and marketable securities with original maturities of three months or less. The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates book value due to their short-term nature. At December 31, 2016, cash and cash equivalents included time deposits of approximately $715,000 that were in financial institutions outside the U.S.
At December 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with the financial covenants under the Credit Facility. If the Company does not meet the covenant requirements in the future, it would be in default under the Credit Facility. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the lenders may terminate the loan commitments, accelerate all loans and exercise any of their rights under the Credit Facility and ancillary loan documents.
The expected long-term rates of return on plan assets were based on the plans' asset mix, historical returns on equity securities and fixed income investments, and an assessment of expected future returns. The expected long-term rates of return on plan assets assumption used to determine 2017 net periodic pension cost are estimated to be 6.30% and 5.85% for the U.S.Qualified Plan and U.K. plans, respectively. If actual long-term rates of return differ from those assumed or if the Company used materially different assumptions, actual funding obligations could differ materially from these estimates. Due to the frozen status of the U.S. plan and closed status of the U.K. plans, increases in compensation rates are not material to the computations of benefit obligations or net periodic benefit cost.
There were no transfers of assets between fair value levels during the years ended December 31, 2016 or 2015. The categorization of assets and liabilities within the fair value hierarchy and the measurement techniques are reviewed quarterly. Any transfers between levels are deemed to have occurred at the end of the quarter.
The Company has an option, beginning on January 1, 2022 and expiring on December 31, 2023, to acquire the remaining 15% outstanding membership interest of WeGoLook. In the event the Company does not exercise the option, beginning on January 1, 2024, the minority members shall have the right to require the Company to acquire the minority members’ interest on or before December 31, 2024. In addition, at the time of the exercise of the option or the put, the minority members may be entitled to additional consideration depending on whether certain financial targets are achieved between closing and December 31, 2021.