Net Realized Gains on Sales of Investments were $33.1 million in 2016, compared to $52.1 million in 2015. See MD&A, “Investment Results,” under the sub-caption “Net Realized Gains on Sales of Investments” beginning on page 46 for additional discussion. Net Impairment Losses Recognized in Earnings for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 were $32.7 million and $27.2 million, respectively. See MD&A, “Investment Results,” under the sub-caption “Net Impairment Losses Recognized in Earnings” beginning on page 47 for additional discussion. The Company cannot predict when or if similar investment gains or losses may occur in the future.
The Property & Casualty Insurance segment’s effective income tax rate differs from the federal statutory income tax rate due primarily to tax-exempt investment income, dividends received deductions and estimated indemnification recoveries recognized in earnings pursuant to the Alliance United purchase agreement. Tax-exempt investment income and dividends received deductions were $22.6 million in 2015, compared to $20.9 million in 2014. Indemnification recoveries result in an adjustment
Earned Premiums on nonstandard personal automobile insurance increased by $242.2 million in 2016, compared to 2015. Excluding the impact from Alliance United, Earned Premiums increased by $6.3 million as higher average earned premium accounted for an increase of $15.3 million, while lower volume accounted for a decrease of $9.0 million. Incurred losses and LAE were $726.7 million, or 88.6% of earned premiums, in 2016, compared to $518.0 million, or 89.7% of earned premiums, in 2015. Excluding Alliance United, incurred losses and LAE were $243.3 million, or 78.2% of related earned premiums, in 2016, compared to $257.0 million, or 84.3% of related earned premiums, in 2015. Excluding the impact of Alliance United, incurred losses and LAE as a percentage of earned premiums decreased due to lower underlying losses and LAE as a percentage of earned premiums and a lower level of adverse loss and LAE reserve development, partially offset by higher incurred catastrophe losses and LAE (excluding reserve development). Excluding Alliance United, underlying losses and LAE as a percentage of related earned premiums were 75.9% in 2016, compared to 81.2% in 2015, which was an improvement of 5.3 percentage points due primarily to higher average earned premium, lower frequency of claims across all coverages on non-California policies and lower severity of property losses on California policies, partially offset by higher frequency of claims on most coverages on California policies and higher severity of bodily injury losses on non-California policies. Catastrophe losses
Earned premiums on life insurance decreased by $13.5 million in 2015, compared to 2014, due in part to the $7.6 million adjustment recorded in 2015 to correct deferred premium reserves on certain limited pay life insurance policies. Excluding the adjustment, earned premiums on life insurance decreased by $5.9 million as a decrease of $8.9 million from life insurance products offered by KHSC was partially offset by an increase of $3.0 million from life insurance products offered by Reserve National due in part to the impact of the expansion of its distribution channels. Policyholders’ benefits on life insurance were $274.9 million in 2015, compared to $268.7 million in 2014, an increase of $6.2 million due primarily to higher death claims and a lower lapse ratio related to insurance policies issued by KHSC and higher volume of insurance from policies issued by Reserve National. Insurance Expenses increased by $7.1 million in 2015, compared to 2014, due primarily to higher legal costs and costs incurred in connection with a project to digitize historical records, partially offset by lower salary expenses from a lower level of field staff managers and district managers resulting from a consolidation of KHSC field operations substantially completed in the first quarter of 2015 and lower agent incentive conference expense.
The following table summarizes the fair value of the Company’s investments in governmental fixed maturities at December 31, 2016 and 2015:
losses and LAE are indicated by the most recent data. In some cases, the methodologies produce a cluster of estimates with a tight band of indicated possible outcomes. In other cases, however, the methodologies produce conflicting results and wider bands of indicated possible outcomes, and the Company’s actuaries perform additional analyses before making their final selections. However, such bands do not necessarily constitute a range of outcomes, nor does the Company’s management or the Company’s actuaries calculate a range of outcomes.
in net income in the period recognized, whereas adverse development is recognized and reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements when the Company increases its previous estimate of ultimate losses and LAE and results in a decrease in net income.
With respect to Investments in Equity Securities, the Company concluded that the unrealized losses on its investments at December 31, 2015 were temporary based on various factors, including the relative short length and magnitude of the losses and overall market volatility, as well as, the debt-like characteristics of investments in certain other equity interests.
The determination of individual case reserves differs by line of business. For preferred personal automobile insurance, homeowners insurance and other personal insurance, case reserves are set by adjusters and are based on the adjusters’ estimates of the amount for which the claims will ultimately be paid. For non-standard personal automobile insurance and commercial automobile insurance, case reserves are set primarily using statistical reserves that are based on studies of historical average paid amounts by state, coverage and product. However, when such reserves exceed certain thresholds they are set manually by adjusters.
The assumptions used in the Black-Scholes pricing model for Tandem Awards granted during the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 are presented below.
Tandem Award activity for the year ended December 31, 2016 is presented below.
The grant-date fair values of time-based restricted stock and time-based RSU awards are determined using the closing price of Kemper common stock on the date of grant. Activity related to nonvested time-based restricted stock and nonvested time-based RSUs for the year ended December 31, 2016 is presented below.
The grant date fair values of the performance-based restricted stock and performance-based RSU awards with a market performance condition are determined using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The Monte Carlo simulation model produces a risk-neutral simulation of the daily returns on the common stock of Kemper and each of the other companies included in the peer group. Returns generated by the simulation depend on the risk-free interest rate used and the volatilities of, and the correlation between, these stocks. The model simulates stock prices and dividend payouts to the end of the three-year performance period. Total shareholder returns are generated for each of these stocks based on the simulated prices and dividend payouts. The total shareholder returns are then ranked, and Kemper’s simulated ranking is converted to a payout percentage based on the terms of the performance-based restricted stock and performance-based RSU awards. The payout percentage is applied to the simulated stock price at the end of the performance period, reinvested dividends are added back, and the total is discounted to the valuation date at the risk-free rate. This process is repeated approximately ten thousand times, and the grant date fair value is equal to the average of the results from these trials.
The number of shares of Kemper common stock that were excluded from the calculations of Equity-based Compensation Equivalent Shares and Weighted-average Unrestricted Shares and Equivalent Shares Outstanding Assuming Dilution for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 because the exercise prices for the options exceeded the average market price is presented below.
Trinity and Capitol County Mutual Fire Insurance Company (“Capitol”) are parties to a quota share reinsurance agreement whereby Trinity assumes 100% of the business written by Capitol, subject to a cap, for ceded losses for dwelling coverage. Earned Premiums assumed by Trinity from Capitol were $21.3 million, $21.8 million and $21.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Capitol is a mutual insurance company and, accordingly, is owned by its policyholders. Trinity and Old Reliable Casualty Company (“ORCC”), a subsidiary of Capitol, are parties to a quota share reinsurance agreement whereby Trinity assumes 100% of the business written by ORCC, subject to a cap for ceded losses for dwelling coverage. Earned Premiums assumed by Trinity from ORCC were $6.2 million, $6.5 million and $6.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
The valuation of assets measured at fair value in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2015 is summarized below.
In the third quarter of 2016, the Company voluntarily began implementing a comprehensive process to compare its life insurance records against one or more death verification databases to determine if any of its insureds may be deceased. See Note 2, “Summary of Accounting Policies and Accounting Changes,” to the Consolidated Financial Statements for discussion of the estimated financial impact of such voluntary action recognized in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Any attempt to estimate the ultimate outcomes of the aforementioned initiatives entails uncertainties including, but not limited to (i) the scope and interpretation of DMF statutes, including the matching criteria and methodologies to be used in comparing policy records against a DMF, (ii) the universe of policies affected, (iii) the results of audits, examinations and other actions by regulators and (iv) related litigation.