RESTRICTED CASH Restricted cash and cash equivalents consists of the following (in thousands): | | | | | | | | | | March 31,
2015 | | December 31,
2014 | Cash in escrow for surety bonds (a) | $ | 2,453 |
| | $ | 2,453 |
| Cash in escrow for corporate purchasing card program | — |
| | 100 |
| Cash in escrow from sale of LendingTree Loans (b) | 16,107 |
| | 16,106 |
| Other | 57 |
| | 57 |
| Total restricted cash and cash equivalents | $ | 18,617 |
| | $ | 18,716 |
|
| | (a) | State laws and regulations generally require businesses which engage in mortgage brokering activity to maintain a mortgage broker or similar license. Mortgage brokering activity is generally defined to include, among other things, receiving valuable consideration for offering assistance to a buyer in obtaining a residential mortgage or soliciting financial and mortgage information from the public and providing that information to an originator of residential mortgage loans. All states require that the Company maintain surety bonds for potential claims. |
| | (b) | Home Loan Center, Inc. ("HLC"), a subsidiary of the Company, continues to be liable for certain indemnification obligations, repurchase obligations and premium repayment obligations following the sale of substantially all of the operating assets of its LendingTree Loans business in the second quarter of 2012. |
|