Segment Information
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment Information
Segment Information
We manage our business based on product line and have three operating segments: Personal Auto, Commercial Auto and Classic Collector (our reportable segments are Personal Auto and Commercial Auto).
Our Personal Auto product provides coverage to individuals for liability to others for bodily injury and property damage and for physical damage to an insured's own vehicle from collision and various other perils. In addition, some states require policies to provide for first party personal injury protection, frequently referred to as no-fault coverage.
Our Commercial Auto product provides coverage to businesses for liability to others for bodily injury and property damage and for physical damage to vehicles from collision and various other perils. We primarily target businesses with fleets of 10 or fewer vehicles and average 1.9 vehicles per policy. We avoid businesses that are involved in what we consider to be hazardous operations or interstate commerce.
Our Classic Collector product provides coverage to individuals with classic or antique automobiles for liability to others for bodily injury and property damage and for physical damage to an insured's own vehicle from collision and various other perils.
All segment revenues are generated from external customers. The following table provides revenues by segment and a reconciliation to "Total revenues" as reported on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings ($ in thousands):
 
Three months ended
 
March 31,
Gross written premium:
2018
 
2017
Personal Auto
$
370,193

 
$
324,352

Commercial Auto
47,739

 
42,785

Classic Collector
3,660

 
3,565

Total gross written premium
421,592

 
370,702

 
 
 
 
Ceded reinsurance:
 
 
 
Personal Auto
(2,077
)
 
(983
)
Commercial Auto
(1,379
)
 
(1,412
)
Classic Collector
(260
)
 
(213
)
Total ceded reinsurance
(3,716
)
 
(2,608
)
 
 
 
 
Net written premium:
 
 
 
Personal Auto
368,116

 
323,369

Commercial Auto
46,360

 
41,373

Classic Collector
3,400

 
3,352

Total net written premium
417,876

 
368,094

 
 
 
 
Change in unearned premium:
 
 
 
Personal Auto
(57,817
)
 
(20,983
)
Commercial Auto
(6,532
)
 
(6,170
)
Classic Collector
460

 
428

Total change in unearned premium
(63,889
)
 
(26,726
)
 
 
 
 
Earned premium:
 
 
 
Personal Auto
310,298

 
302,386

Commercial Auto
39,828

 
35,203

Classic Collector
3,860

 
3,780

Total earned premium
353,987

 
341,368

 
 
 
 
Installment and other fee income:
 
 
 
Personal Auto
24,281

 
23,937

Commercial Auto
3,114

 
2,802

Classic Collector
0

 
0

Total installment and other fee income
27,395

 
26,739

 
 
 
 
Net investment income
9,786

 
8,695

Net realized gains on investments
(2,832
)
 
509

Other income
430

 
275

Total revenues
$
388,766

 
$
377,587


Our management uses underwriting income and combined ratios calculated on a statutory accident year basis as primary measures of profitability. Statutory accident year underwriting income is calculated by subtracting losses and loss adjustment expenses and commissions and other underwriting expenses (including bad debt charge-offs on agents' balances and premium receivables) from the total of earned premium and installment and other fee income. The statutory accident year combined ratio represents the sum of the following ratios: (i) losses and LAE incurred, excluding development from prior accident years, as a percentage of net earned premium; and (ii) underwriting expenses incurred, including bad debt and net of fees, as a percentage of net written premium.
The primary differences between the calculation of the statutory accident year used by management and the statutory calendar year combined ratios is the exclusion of bad debt charge-offs and the inclusion of development on prior accident year loss and LAE reserves.
Certain expenses are treated differently under statutory accounting principles. Under GAAP, commissions, premium taxes and other variable costs incurred in connection with successfully writing new and renewal business are capitalized as deferred policy acquisition costs and amortized on a pro rata basis over the period in which the related premium is earned. On a statutory basis, these items are expensed as incurred. Additionally, bad debt charge-offs on agents' balances and premium receivables are included in the GAAP combined ratios.
The following tables present the underwriting income and combined ratio on a statutory accident year basis with reconciliations to "Earnings before income taxes" as presented on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings ($ in thousands). We do not allocate assets or "Provision for income taxes" to operating segments.
 
Three months ended March 31, 2018
 
Personal Auto
 
Commercial Auto
 
Classic Collector
 
Total
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
Statutory accident year underwriting income
$
6,311

 
94.8
%
 
$
812

 
95.2
%
 
$
613

 
88.1
%
 
$
7,737

 
94.7
%
Bad debt charge-offs
3,363

 
 
 
392

 
 
 
(44
)
 
 
 
3,711

 
 
Favorable (unfavorable) development on prior accident years
10,555

 
 
 
(1,362
)
 
 
 
(337
)
 
 
 
8,856

 
 
Statutory calendar year underwriting income
20,229

 
90.5
%
 
(158
)
 
97.8
%
 
233

 
98.2
%
 
20,304

 
91.3
%
Statutory-to-GAAP underwriting income differences
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6,005

 
 
GAAP calendar year underwriting income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26,309

 
92.6
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9,786

 
 
Net realized gains on investments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(2,832
)
 
 
Other income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
430

 
 
Interest expense
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(3,509
)
 
 
Corporate general and administrative expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(4,743
)
 
 
Other expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(505
)
 
 
Earnings before income taxes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
24,937

 
 
(1) Management includes the provision for uncollectible accounts in the underwriting income and combined ratio on both statutory accident year and GAAP calendar year bases.
 
Three months ended March 31, 2017
 
Personal Auto
 
Commercial Auto
 
Classic Collector
 
Total
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
 
Pre-tax Profit (Loss)
 
Combined Ratio (1)
Statutory accident year underwriting income
$
1,594

 
98.3
%
 
$
629

 
95.3
%
 
$
335

 
95.3
%
 
$
2,558

 
98.0
%
Bad debt charge-offs
2,251

 
 
 
291

 
 
 
10

 
 
 
2,552

 
 
Favorable (unfavorable) development on prior accident years
6,986

 
 
 
(874
)
 
 
 
256

 
 
 
6,368

 
 
Statutory calendar year underwriting income
10,831

 
95.2
%
 
45

 
97.1
%
 
602

 
88.3
%
 
11,478

 
95.4
%
Statutory-to-GAAP underwriting income differences
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14

 
 
GAAP calendar year underwriting income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11,492

 
96.6
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net investment income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8,695

 
 
Net realized gains on investments
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
509

 
 
Other income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
275

 
 
Interest expense
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(3,512
)
 
 
Corporate general and administrative expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(2,271
)
 
 
Other expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(322
)
 
 
Earnings before income taxes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
14,868

 
 
(1) Management includes the provision for uncollectible accounts in the underwriting income and combined ratio on both statutory accident year and GAAP calendar year bases.