UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
☑
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024
OR
☐
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from _________________ to _________________
Commission file number 0-15341
DONEGAL GROUP INC .
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
23-2424711
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
1195 River Road , Marietta , Pennsylvania
17547
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: ( 800 ) 877-0600
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class
Trading Symbols
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value
DGICA
The NASDAQ Global Select Market
Class B Common Stock, $.01 par value
DGICB
The NASDAQ Global Select Market
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act: Yes ☐. No ☑.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐. No ☑.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months
(or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑. No ☐.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this
chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☑. No
☐.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See
definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer ☐
Accelerated filer ☑
Non-accelerated filer ☐
Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting
under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. Yes ☑ .
No ☐.
If
securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐ .
Indicate by check mark
whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to Section 240.10D-1(b).
☐.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ . No ☑.
State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the
average bid and asked price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. $ 207,861,925 .
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date: 30,062,059 shares of Class A common stock and 5,576,775 shares of Class B
common stock outstanding on March 3, 2025.
Documents Incorporated by Reference
The registrant incorporates by reference portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement relating to registrant’s annual meeting of stockholders to be held April
17, 2025 into Part III of this report.
DONEGAL GROUP INC.
INDEX TO FORM 10-K REPORT
Page
PART I
Item 1.
Business
1
Item 1A.
Risk Factors
26
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments
40
Item 1C.
Cybersecurity
40
Item 2.
Properties
41
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings
41
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures
41
PART II
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
41
Item 6.
[Reserved]
43
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
44
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
60
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
62
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
107
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures
107
Item 9B.
Other Information
107
Item 9C.
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdiction that Prevent Inspections.
107
PART III
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
109
Item 11.
Executive Compensation
109
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
109
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
109
Item 14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services
109
PART IV
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules
110
Item 16.
Form 10-K Summary
112
(i)
Index
PART I
Item 1.
Business.
Introduction
Donegal Group Inc., or DGI, is an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiaries and affiliates offer property and casualty insurance in 21 Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, Southern and Southwestern states. DGI
has no significant business operations and is separate and distinct from its insurance subsidiaries. As used in this Form 10-K Report, the terms “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Donegal Group Inc. and its insurance subsidiaries. Our Class A common
stock and our Class B common stock trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols “DGICA” and “DGICB,” respectively.
Donegal Mutual Insurance Company, or Donegal Mutual, organized us as an insurance holding company on August 26, 1986. At December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual held approximately 44% of our outstanding Class A common
stock and approximately 84% of our outstanding Class B common stock. Donegal Mutual’s ownership provides Donegal Mutual with approximately 70% of the combined voting power of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock and our outstanding
shares of Class B common stock. Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual have interrelated operations due to an intercompany pooling agreement and other intercompany agreements and transactions we describe in Note 3 of the Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements. While maintaining the separate corporate existence of each company, our insurance subsidiaries conduct business together with Donegal Mutual and its insurance subsidiaries as the Donegal Insurance Group. The
Donegal Insurance Group is not a legal entity, is not an insurance company and does not issue or administer insurance policies. Rather, it is a trade name that refers to the group of insurance companies that are affiliated with Donegal Mutual.
At December 31, 2024, we had three segments: our investment function, our commercial lines of insurance and our personal lines of insurance. We set forth financial information about these segments in Note 19 of the
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. The commercial lines products of our insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of commercial automobile, commercial multi-peril and workers’ compensation policies. The personal lines products of our
insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of homeowners and private passenger automobile policies.
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual provide their policyholders with a selection of insurance products and pursue profitability by adhering to a strict underwriting discipline. Our insurance subsidiaries
derive a substantial portion of their insurance business from smaller to mid-sized regional communities. We believe this focus provides our insurance subsidiaries with competitive advantages in terms of local market knowledge, marketing,
underwriting, claims servicing and policyholder service. At the same time, we believe our insurance subsidiaries have cost advantages over many smaller regional insurers that result from economies of scale our insurance subsidiaries realize
through centralized accounting, administrative, data processing, investment and other services.
We believe we have a substantial opportunity, as a well-capitalized regional insurance holding company with a solid business strategy, to grow profitably and compete effectively with larger national property and
casualty insurers. Our downstream holding company structure, with Donegal Mutual holding approximately 70% of the combined voting power of our common stock, has proven its effectiveness and success over the 38 years of our existence. Over that
time period, we have grown significantly in terms of revenue and financial strength, and the Donegal Insurance Group has developed an excellent reputation as a regional group of property and casualty insurers.
Between 1998 and 2017, we and Donegal Mutual completed seven transactions involving acquisitions of property and casualty insurance companies or participation in the business of property and casualty insurance
companies through Donegal Mutual’s entry into quota-share reinsurance agreements with them. We are currently placing less emphasis on pursuing acquisitions because Donegal Mutual and we believe there are significant opportunities for profitable
organic growth in our desired markets and classes of business within our current geographical footprint.
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Available Information
You may obtain our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, including this Form 10-K Report, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, our current reports on Form 8-K, our proxy statement and our other filings pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, without charge by viewing our website at www.donegalgroup.com . You may also view our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the charters of
the executive committee, the audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating committee of our board of directors on our website. Upon request to our corporate secretary, we will also provide printed copies of any of these
documents to you without charge. We have provided the address of our website solely for the information of investors. We do not intend the reference to our website address to be an active link or to otherwise incorporate the contents of our
website into this Form 10-K Report. In addition to our website, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) maintains an Internet site at www.sec.gov that contains our reports, proxy and
information statements and other information that we electronically file with, or furnish to, the SEC.
History and Organizational Structure
In the mid-1980’s, Donegal Mutual, as a mutual insurance company, recognized the desirability of developing additional sources of capital and surplus so it could remain competitive, expand its business and ensure
its long-term viability. Accordingly, Donegal Mutual determined that the implementation of a downstream holding company structure was a viable business strategy to accomplish that objective. Thus, in 1986, Donegal Mutual formed us as a
downstream holding company, and we incorporated in the state of Delaware as Donegal Group Inc. After Donegal Mutual formed us, we in turn formed Atlantic States Insurance Company, or Atlantic States, as our wholly owned property and casualty
insurance company subsidiary.
In connection with the formation of Atlantic States and the establishment of our downstream insurance holding company system, Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States entered into a proportional reinsurance agreement, or
pooling agreement. Under the pooling agreement, Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States contribute substantially all of their respective premiums, losses and loss expenses to the underwriting pool, and the underwriting pool, acting through Donegal
Mutual, then allocates 80% of the pooled business to Atlantic States. Thus, Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States share the underwriting results of the pooled business in proportion to their respective participation in the underwriting pool.
The member companies of the Donegal Insurance Group, which include our insurance subsidiaries, share a combined business plan to enhance market penetration and underwriting profitability objectives. We believe
Donegal Mutual’s majority interest in the combined voting power of our Class A common stock and of our Class B common stock fosters our ability to implement our business philosophies, enjoy management continuity, maintain superior employee
relations and provide a stable environment within which we can grow our businesses.
The products the member companies of the Donegal Insurance Group offer are generally complementary, which permits the Donegal Insurance Group to offer a broad range of products in a given market and to expand the
Donegal Insurance Group’s ability to service an entire personal lines or commercial lines account. Distinctions within the products the member companies of the Donegal Insurance Group offer generally allow the member companies to manage certain
risk segments through variations in coverage, policy terms and pricing. As a result, the underwriting profitability of the business the individual companies write directly will vary. However, the underwriting pool homogenizes the risk
characteristics of all business that Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States write directly and all business that Donegal Mutual assumes from its affiliates and places into the underwriting pool. The business Atlantic States derives from the
underwriting pool represents a significant percentage of our total consolidated revenues.
As the capital of Atlantic States and our other insurance subsidiaries has increased, the underwriting capacity of our insurance subsidiaries has increased proportionately. The size of the underwriting pool has
also increased substantially. Therefore, as we originally planned in the mid-1980s, Atlantic States has successfully raised the capital necessary to support the growth of its direct business as well as to accept increases in its allocation of
business from the underwriting pool. The portion of the underwriting pool allocated to Atlantic States has increased from an initial allocation of 35% in 1986 to an 80% allocation since March 1, 2008. We do not anticipate any further change in
the pooling agreement between Atlantic States and Donegal Mutual, including any change in the percentage participation of Atlantic States in the underwriting pool.
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In addition to Atlantic States, our insurance subsidiaries are Michigan Insurance Company, or MICO, The Peninsula Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Peninsula Indemnity Company, or collectively,
Peninsula, and Southern Insurance Company of Virginia, or Southern. Donegal Mutual has a 100% quota-share reinsurance agreement with Southern Mutual Insurance Company, or Southern Mutual, and Donegal Mutual places its assumed business from
Southern Mutual into the underwriting pool. Donegal Mutual wholly owns and has a 100% quota-share reinsurance agreement with Mountain States Indemnity Company and Mountain States Commercial Insurance Company (collectively, the “Mountain States
insurance subsidiaries”), and Donegal Mutual places its assumed business from the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries into the underwriting pool.
The following chart depicts our organizational structure, including all of our property and casualty insurance subsidiaries and affiliates:
(1)
Because of the different relative voting power of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock, our public stockholders hold approximately 30% of the combined voting power of our Class A common stock and our Class B common
stock and Donegal Mutual holds approximately 70% of the combined voting power of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock.
Relationship with Donegal Mutual
Donegal Mutual provides facilities, management and other services to us and our insurance subsidiaries. In addition, Donegal Mutual purchases and maintains the information technology systems that support the
business of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries. Donegal Mutual allocates certain related expenses to Atlantic States in accordance with the relative participation of Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States in the pooling agreement. Our
insurance subsidiaries other than Atlantic States reimburse Donegal Mutual for allocated costs of services Donegal Mutual provides on their behalf based on their proportion of the total direct premiums written of the Donegal Insurance Group and
other metrics. Allocated expenses from Donegal Mutual for services it provided to Atlantic States and our other insurance subsidiaries totaled $224.6 million, $219.0 million and $199.2 million for 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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Donegal Mutual is the employer of record for all personnel who provide services for our insurance subsidiaries. Donegal Mutual strives to maintain a culture that is based on integrity and respect, with an
environment designed to facilitate excellent service to the agents and customers of the Donegal Insurance Group. At December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual had 851 employees, of which 423 were based in its Marietta, Pennsylvania headquarters and 428
were based in regional offices or were permanent remote employees. There were 833 full-time employees and 18 part-time employees. The majority of Donegal Mutual’s employees follow a hybrid schedule that includes working several days in their
assigned office to allow for enhanced collaboration and interaction with other employees. Donegal Mutual targets employee compensation that is competitive and consistent with an employee’s position, knowledge, experience and skill level.
Donegal Mutual provides annual wage increases that are based on merit. Donegal Mutual provides an annual cash incentive plan for all of its employees that provides an opportunity for Donegal Mutual’s employees to earn a bonus as a percentage of
their annual wages that varies based on the level of underwriting profit Donegal Insurance Group achieves for a calendar year. In addition, Donegal Mutual provides to its full-time employees a comprehensive employee benefits program, including
medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, and a 401(k) retirement plan that includes company matching provisions. Donegal Mutual also provides substantial training, development and wellness programs and resources to its employees.
Our insurance subsidiaries have a catastrophe reinsurance agreement with Donegal Mutual, pursuant to which Donegal Mutual provides coverage for losses related to any catastrophic occurrence over a set retention of
$3.0 million ($2.0 million for 2022) for each participating insurance subsidiary, with a combined retention of $6.0 million ($5.0 million for 2022) for a catastrophe involving a combination of participating insurance subsidiaries, up to the
amount Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries retain under catastrophe reinsurance agreements with unaffiliated reinsurers. The purpose of the catastrophe reinsurance agreement is to lessen the effects of an accumulation of losses
arising from one event to levels that are appropriate given each subsidiary’s size, underwriting profile and surplus.
Donegal Mutual had a quota-share reinsurance agreement with MICO for policies effective through December 31, 2021. The purpose of the quota-share reinsurance agreement with MICO was to transfer to Donegal Mutual
25% of the premiums and losses related to MICO’s business. Donegal Mutual placed its assumed business from MICO into the underwriting pool. Donegal Mutual and MICO terminated this reinsurance agreement on a run-off basis effective January 1,
2022. As a result, MICO retains 100% of its net premiums and losses beginning with policies effective as of that date.
Donegal Mutual had a quota-share reinsurance agreement with Peninsula for policies effective through December 31, 2021. The purpose of the quota-share reinsurance agreement with Peninsula was to transfer to Donegal
Mutual 100% of the premiums and losses related to the workers’ compensation product line of Peninsula in certain states. Donegal Mutual placed its assumed business from Peninsula into the underwriting pool. Donegal Mutual and Peninsula
terminated this reinsurance agreement on a run-off basis effective January 1, 2022. As a result, Peninsula retains 100% of its net workers’ compensation premiums and losses beginning with policies effective as of that date.
We and Donegal Mutual have maintained a coordinating committee since our formation in 1986. The coordinating committee consists of two members of our board of directors, neither of whom is a member of Donegal
Mutual’s board of directors, and two members of Donegal Mutual’s board of directors, neither of whom is a member of our board of directors. The purpose of the coordinating committee is to establish and maintain a process for an ongoing
evaluation of the transactions between Donegal Mutual, our insurance subsidiaries and us. The coordinating committee considers the fairness of each intercompany transaction to Donegal Mutual and its policyholders and to us and our stockholders.
A new agreement or any change to a previously approved agreement must receive coordinating committee approval. The approval process for a new agreement between Donegal Mutual and us or one of our insurance
subsidiaries or a change in such an agreement is as follows:
•
both of our members on the coordinating committee must determine that the new agreement or the change in an existing agreement is fair and equitable to us and in the best interests of our stockholders;
•
both of Donegal Mutual’s members on the coordinating committee must determine that the new agreement or the change in an existing agreement is fair and equitable to Donegal Mutual and in the best interests of its policyholders;
•
our board of directors must approve the new agreement or the change in an existing agreement; and
•
Donegal Mutual’s board of directors must approve the new agreement or the change in an existing agreement.
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The coordinating committee also meets annually to review each existing agreement between Donegal Mutual and us or our insurance subsidiaries, including all reinsurance agreements between Donegal Mutual and our
insurance subsidiaries. The purpose of this annual review is to examine the results of the agreements over the past year and, in the case of reinsurance agreements, over several years and to determine if the results of the existing agreements
remain fair and equitable to us and our stockholders and fair and equitable to Donegal Mutual and its policyholders or if Donegal Mutual and we should mutually agree to certain adjustments to the terms of the agreements. In the case of
reinsurance agreements, the annual adjustments typically relate to the reinsurance premiums and loss retention amounts. These agreements are ongoing in nature and will continue in effect throughout 2025 in the ordinary course of our business.
Our members on the coordinating committee, as of the date of this Form 10-K Report, are Barry C. Huber and David C. King. Mr. King replaced Richard D. Wampler, II, who did not stand for re-election as a director,
in April 2024. Donegal Mutual’s members on the coordinating committee as of such date are Michael W. Brubaker and Michael K. Callahan. We refer to our proxy statement for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held on April 17, 2025 for
further information about the members of the coordinating committee.
We believe our relationships with Donegal Mutual offer us and our insurance subsidiaries a number of competitive advantages, including the following:
•
enabling our stable management, the consistent underwriting discipline of our insurance subsidiaries, external growth, long-term profitability and financial strength;
•
creating operational and expense synergies from the combination of resources and integrated operations of the Donegal Insurance Group;
•
producing more stable and uniform underwriting results for our insurance subsidiaries over extended periods of time than we could achieve without our relationship with Donegal Mutual;
•
providing opportunities for growth because of the ability of Donegal Mutual to affiliate and enter into reinsurance agreements with, or otherwise acquire control of, mutual insurance companies and place the business it assumes into
the underwriting pool; and
•
providing Atlantic States with a significantly larger underwriting capacity because of the underwriting pool Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States have maintained since 1986.
In the first quarter of 2025, our board of directors and the board of directors of Donegal Mutual each undertook a review of the relationships between Donegal Mutual and DGI and determined that continuing the
current relationships and the current corporate structure of Donegal Mutual and DGI is in the best interests of DGI and its various constituencies.
Business Strategy
We and Donegal Mutual are focused on several primary strategies, including achieving sustained excellent financial performance, strategically modernizing our operations and processes to transform our business,
capitalizing on opportunities to grow profitably and providing superior experiences to our agents, policyholders and employees. Our strategies are designed to provide financial security to the policyholders of Donegal Mutual and our respective
insurance subsidiaries and, ultimately, to provide value to our stockholders. The annual net premiums earned of our insurance subsidiaries have increased from $301.5 million in 2006 to $936.7 million in 2024, a compound annual growth rate of
6.5%.
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The combined ratio of our insurance subsidiaries and that of the United States property and casualty insurance industry as computed using United States generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, and
statutory accounting principles, or SAP, for the years 2020 through 2024 are shown in the following table:
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
Our GAAP combined ratio
98.6
%
104.4
%
103.3
%
101.0
%
96.0
%
Our SAP combined ratio
98.3
104.2
103.3
100.8
95.4
Industry SAP combined ratio (1)
98.9
101.9
103.1
100.0
98.8
(1)
As reported (projected for 2024) by A.M. Best Company.
We and Donegal Mutual believe we can continue to expand our insurance operations over time primarily through organic growth. Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual seek to increase their premium base by
making quality independent agency appointments, enhancing their competitive position within each agency, providing a comprehensive suite of insurance products and developing and maintaining automated systems to improve service, communications
and efficiency.
A detailed review of our business strategies follows:
•
Achieving sustained excellent financial performance.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to achieve excellent financial performance through a combination of consistent investment income and underwriting profitability. Underwriting profitability is a fundamental component
of our long-term financial strength because it allows our insurance subsidiaries to generate profits without relying exclusively on their investment income for profitability.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to enhance their underwriting results by:
•
carefully selecting the product lines, classes of business and individual risks they underwrite;
•
executing localized strategies to achieve a mix of business they expect will generate targeted margins of profitability;
•
monitoring premium rate adequacy and adjusting premium rates to achieve targeted growth, returns and retention levels;
•
utilizing enhanced underwriting and technology tools to inform underwriting decisions and determine coverage availability;
•
utilizing data analytics and predictive modeling tools to inform risk selection and pricing decisions;
•
utilizing economic capital modeling tools to carefully manage the geographic concentration of risks they underwrite; and
•
evaluating their claims history on a regular basis to ensure the adequacy of their underwriting guidelines and product pricing.
Our insurance subsidiaries maintain discipline in their pricing by effecting rate increases to sustain or improve their underwriting results without unduly affecting their customer retention. In addition to
appropriate pricing, our insurance subsidiaries seek to ensure that their premium rates are adequate relative to the risk exposures they insure. Our insurance subsidiaries review loss trends on a regular basis to identify changes in the
frequency and severity of their claims and to assess the adequacy of their rates and underwriting standards. Our insurance subsidiaries utilize integrated risk-specific catastrophe model results, a tool to estimate probable maximum fire loss,
embedded building valuation models and aerial imagery enhanced by artificial intelligence to enhance their review and pricing of commercial property risks. Our insurance subsidiaries also carefully monitor and audit the information they use to
price their policies for the purpose of enabling them to receive an adequate level of premiums for the risk they assume. For example, our insurance subsidiaries audit the payroll data of their workers’ compensation customers to verify that the
assumptions used to price a particular policy were accurate. By implementing appropriate rate increases and understanding the risks our insurance subsidiaries agree to insure, our insurance subsidiaries seek to achieve consistent underwriting
profitability.
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Our insurance subsidiaries monitor the performance of the product lines they underwrite and the geographies in which they offer their insurance products. Our insurance subsidiaries take specific actions to
remediate underperforming product lines or geographies that include pricing increases, underwriting adjustments, reunderwriting initiatives as well as discontinuing a given product or withdrawing from a geography when our insurance subsidiaries
determine they cannot reasonably expect to generate targeted profitability over time. For example, our insurance subsidiaries exited the commercial lines markets in the states of Georgia and Alabama, including the non-renewal of all commercial
lines accounts in those states, during 2023 and 2024. Our insurance subsidiaries took this action after determining that they could not reasonably expect to generate targeted profitability within a reasonable period of time for commercial lines
of business in those states.
Our insurance subsidiaries have no material exposures to asbestos or environmental liabilities. Our insurance subsidiaries seek to provide more than one policy to a given personal lines or commercial lines customer
because this “account selling” strategy diversifies their risk and has historically improved their underwriting results. Our insurance subsidiaries also use reinsurance to manage their exposure and limit their maximum net loss from large single
risks or risks in concentrated areas.
Our insurance subsidiaries maintain stringent expense controls under direct supervision of their senior management. We centralize the processing and administrative activities of our insurance subsidiaries to
realize operating synergies and better expense control. Our insurance subsidiaries utilize technology to automate much of their underwriting, claims and billing processes and to facilitate agency and policyholder communications on an efficient,
timely and cost-effective basis. During 2024, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries initiated a formal expense reduction initiative that included actions to optimize staffing levels, take advantage of technology-driven efficiency gains,
align agency compensation to desired outcomes and reduce third-party vendor costs in several operational areas. This initiative will continue into 2025 to achieve targeted expense reduction goals. Our insurance subsidiaries have increased their
annual premium per employee, a measure of efficiency that our insurance subsidiaries use to evaluate their operations, from approximately $470,000 in 1999 to approximately $1.4 million in 2024.
Return on invested assets is an important element of the financial results of our insurance subsidiaries. The investment strategy of our insurance subsidiaries is to generate an appropriate amount of after-tax
income on invested assets while limiting the potential impact of equity market volatility and minimizing credit risk through investments in high-quality securities. As a result, our insurance subsidiaries seek to invest a high percentage of
their assets in diversified, highly rated and marketable fixed-maturity instruments. The fixed-maturity portfolios of our insurance subsidiaries consist of both taxable and tax-exempt securities. Our insurance subsidiaries maintain a portion of
their portfolios in short-term securities to provide liquidity for the payment of claims and operation of their respective businesses. Our insurance subsidiaries maintain a small percentage (2.6% at December 31, 2024) of their portfolios in
equity securities.
•
Strategically modernizing our operations and processes to transform our business.
We have an enterprise analytics department that is focused on integrating data and analytics into strategy and decision-making at all levels of our organization. The enterprise analytics team is responsible for
core functions of rate-making, predictive analytics, data management and business intelligence. These responsibilities include the development and expansion of risk-based pricing segmentation, analytical innovation, predictive modeling
solutions, formal data strategies, performance monitoring and enhanced reporting mechanisms. We developed and began executing a pricing and analytics roadmap that will continue to deliver data-driven insights to our underwriters. This roadmap
includes ongoing development and enhancement of quality tools that allow us to operationalize pricing and underwriting predictive models, integrate internal and external data for better-informed pricing and underwriting decisions and enhance
the automation and precision of our rate indication methodology. Our enterprise analytics team is continuing to develop new tools and solutions that are enhancing our product portfolio management capabilities, competitive intelligence, pricing
sophistication and utilization of data to monitor and manage our operations. The team also generates reporting and analyses that enable us to draw business insights from data that drive actions to improve performance.
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We are focused on process excellence and have prepared a multi-year roadmap for addressing those opportunities. We are also expanding our data management capabilities to continually ensure the data upon which we
rely for our business decisions and financial reporting is complete, accurate and secure. We have assigned an innovation task force the responsibility to research emerging technologies and identify potential technology solutions that might
assist us in achieving our business strategies.
In 2018, Donegal Mutual initiated a multi-year systems modernization project to replace its remaining legacy systems, streamline business processes and workflows and enhance data analytics and modeling
capabilities. In February 2020, Donegal Mutual implemented the first release of new systems related to the project, and our insurance subsidiaries began to issue workers’ compensation policies from the new systems in the second quarter of 2020.
In August 2021, Donegal Mutual implemented the second release of new systems related to the project, including a new agency portal and the rating, underwriting and policy issuance capabilities necessary to support the launch of new personal
lines products, and our insurance subsidiaries began to issue new personal lines products from the new systems in the fourth quarter of 2021. In 2023, Donegal Mutual implemented two additional major releases of new systems, which included three
commercial lines of business with enhanced straight-through-processing capabilities as well as dwelling fire and conversion of legacy homeowners renewal policies in two initial states. In 2024, Donegal Mutual implemented another major release
that included dwelling fire and conversion of legacy homeowners renewal policies in the remaining eight states. During 2025, Donegal Mutual expects to implement new systems for the remaining lines of business the Donegal Insurance Group issues
currently and for the conversion of remaining legacy renewal policies of the Donegal Insurance Group. Donegal Mutual plans to perform the conversion of legacy renewal policies on a state-by-state basis, currently projecting full completion in
2026.
In 2023, Donegal Mutual began a multi-year data modernization initiative to implement a comprehensive cloud-based data infrastructure that will support critical
future business processes and strategies. This agile infrastructure will scale dynamically based on business demands and deliver real-time insights. The platform will enable highly efficient data processing through modular, metadata-driven
frameworks, ensuring accelerated and reliable future data delivery within a secure, governed and compliant repository. It will also incorporate robust security features, such as multi-factor authentication and data encryption, as well as
other advanced data security and privacy measures. The platform will also facilitate seamless integration with analytics functions, artificial intelligence and machine learning models, and enable innovative business use cases for technologies
such as Generative Artificial Intelligence (“Gen AI”). Donegal Mutual implemented concurrently a formal data management program that aligns critical business processes and strategies with our technology. We expect these data-related
investments will ensure easily accessible data for management reporting, position us to further enhance our data analytics, enable the future addition of new data sources and mitigate data integrity risk.
During 2024, we began exploring Gen AI capabilities by engaging with third-party experts to evaluate and identify potential opportunities to adopt this transformative technology. We focused our initial activities
on fostering awareness of associated risks, developing expertise, establishing strategic partnerships and preparing for future advancements. We expect to leverage capabilities that already exist within our new data infrastructure platform and
prioritize solutions that allow traceability, auditability and explainability of outputs. We expect to explore use cases that enhance the efficiency of our internal processes and have no current plans to utilize GenAI in any automated
underwriting, pricing or claim adjudication functions.
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•
Capitalizing on opportunities to grow profitably.
Continued expansion of our insurance subsidiaries within their existing markets will be a key source of their continued premium growth, and maintaining an effective network of independent agencies is integral to
this expansion. Our insurance subsidiaries seek to be among the top three insurers within each of the independent agencies for the lines of business our insurance subsidiaries write by providing a consistent, competitive and stable market for
their products. We believe that the consistency of the product offerings of our insurance subsidiaries enables our insurance subsidiaries to compete effectively for independent agents with other insurers whose product offerings may fluctuate
based on industry conditions. Our insurance subsidiaries offer a competitive compensation program to their independent agents that rewards them for producing profitable growth and maintaining profitable books of business with our insurance
subsidiaries.
Our insurance subsidiaries execute a combined annual business plan with Donegal Mutual and its insurance subsidiaries. Within the past several years, we enhanced the annual planning process to ensure that we are
directing efforts and resources toward geographic regions, market segments, product lines and classes of business that will give us the best opportunities to achieve sustained growth and profitability. As part of the planning process, we
perform a detailed analysis of internal and external data with respect to each state within our operating regions. We assess state-specific marketing dynamics and opportunities, including an evaluation of the historical experience of our
insurance subsidiaries. We then assign a strategic posture for each state and develop action plans to execute state-specific strategies for growth or reduction of premiums, agency distribution and enhanced profit generation over the next
several years. As part of our property exposure management, we implemented tools that have allowed us to assign a strategic posture at a county level within each state. Our insurance subsidiaries utilize these tools to further manage and refine
their concentrations of property risk exposure and to enhance their geographic risk diversification. We expect this strategy will reduce over time the overall impact of losses from severe weather events to the results of our insurance
subsidiaries.
In recent years, the consolidation of independent agencies has accelerated, resulting in the acquisition of independent agencies from which our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual currently receive business
by national cluster groups and aggregators. We have expanded our national accounts team that is responsible for the management and expansion of our relationships with these national agency groups. The national accounts team serves as a
centralized point of contact for these groups and works directly with our regional sales and marketing teams to support and develop relationships with independent agents affiliated with national agency groups. We believe our relationships with
existing and emerging national agency groups will continue to expand and that these groups represent a significant opportunity for profitable future growth.
•
Delivering a superior experience to our agents and policyholders.
Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries strive to maintain technology comparable to that of their larger competitors. “Ease of doing business” is a critically important component of an insurer’s value to an
independent agency. Our insurance subsidiaries provide fully automated underwriting and policy issuance portals that substantially ease data entry and facilitate the quoting and issuance of policies for the independent agents of our insurance
subsidiaries. As a result, applications of the independent agents for our insurance subsidiaries can result in policy issuance without further re-entry of information. These systems also interface with the agency management systems of the
independent agents of our insurance subsidiaries. In addition, we utilize agency relationship management tools to enhance the abilities of our insurance subsidiaries to manage their agency relationships and facilitate their agency
communications and interactions.
Our insurance subsidiaries also provide their independent agents with ongoing support to enable them to better attract and service customers, including:
•
training programs;
•
marketing support;
•
availability of a personal lines service center that provides comprehensive service for our personal lines policyholders;
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•
availability of a commercial lines small business unit to monitor straight-through processing results and enhance turnaround time for responses to agents for less complicated commercial risks;
•
availability of a commercial lines service center, which is an optional service enhancement for agencies who prefer that we interact directly with their customers for mid-term policy coverage changes and other service requests; and
•
accessibility to and regular interactions with marketing and underwriting personnel and senior management of our insurance subsidiaries.
Our insurance subsidiaries appoint independent agencies with a strong underwriting and growth track record. We believe that our insurance subsidiaries will drive continued long-term growth by carefully selecting,
motivating and supporting their independent agencies.
We believe that excellent policyholder service is important in attracting new policyholders and retaining existing policyholders. Our insurance subsidiaries work closely with their independent agents to provide a
consistently responsive level of claims service, underwriting and customer support. Our insurance subsidiaries seek to respond expeditiously and effectively to address customer and independent agent inquiries in a number of ways, including:
•
availability of a customer call center, secure website and mobile application for claims reporting;
•
availability of a secure website and mobile application for access to policy information and documents, payment processing and other features;
•
timely replies to information requests and policy submissions; and
•
prompt responses to, and processing of, claims.
•
Acquiring property and casualty insurance companies to augment the organic growth of our insurance subsidiaries.
We have been an effective consolidator of smaller “main street” property and casualty insurance companies. We are currently placing less emphasis on pursuing acquisitions because Donegal Mutual and we believe there
are significant opportunities for profitable organic growth in our desired markets and classes of business within our current geographic footprint. Between 1998 and 2017, we and Donegal Mutual completed seven transactions involving acquisitions
of property and casualty insurance companies or participation in the business of property and casualty insurance companies through Donegal Mutual’s entry into quota-share reinsurance agreements with them. While Donegal Mutual and we generally
engage in preliminary discussions with potential direct or indirect acquisition candidates from time to time, neither Donegal Mutual nor we make any public disclosure regarding a proposed acquisition until Donegal Mutual or we have entered into
a definitive acquisition agreement.
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The following table highlights our and Donegal Mutual’s history of insurance company acquisitions and affiliations since 1998:
Company Name
State of Domicile
Year Control Acquired
Method of Acquisition/Affiliation
Southern Heritage Insurance
Company (1)
Georgia
1998
Purchase of stock by us in 1998.
Le Mars Mutual Insurance
Company of Iowa and then Le Mars Insurance Company (1)
Iowa
2002
Surplus note investment by Donegal Mutual in 2002; conversion to stock company in 2004; acquisition of stock by us in 2004.
Peninsula Insurance Group
Maryland
2004
Purchase of stock by us in 2004.
Sheboygan Falls Mutual Insurance Company and then Sheboygan Falls Insurance Company (1)
Wisconsin
2007
Contribution note investment by Donegal Mutual in 2007; conversion to stock company in 2008; acquisition of stock by us in 2008.
Southern Mutual Insurance
Company (2)
Georgia
2009
Surplus note investment by Donegal Mutual and quota-share reinsurance in 2009.
Michigan Insurance Company
Michigan
2010
Purchase of stock by us in 2010.
Mountain States Mutual Casualty Company (3)
New Mexico
2017
Merger with and into Donegal Mutual in 2017.
(1)
To reduce administrative and compliance costs and expenses, these subsidiaries subsequently merged into one of our existing insurance subsidiaries.
(2)
Control acquired by Donegal Mutual.
(3)
Donegal Mutual completed the merger of Mountain States Mutual Casualty Company with and into Donegal Mutual effective May 25, 2017. Donegal Mutual was the surviving company in the merger, and Mountain States insurance subsidiaries
became insurance subsidiaries of Donegal Mutual upon completion of the merger. Donegal Mutual also entered into a 100% quota-share reinsurance agreement with the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries on the merger date. Beginning with
policies effective in 2021, Donegal Mutual places the business of the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries into the underwriting pool.
Competition
The property and casualty insurance industry is highly competitive on the basis of both price and service. Numerous companies compete for business in the geographic areas where our insurance subsidiaries operate.
Many of these other insurance companies are substantially larger and have greater financial resources than those of our insurance subsidiaries. In addition, because our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual market their respective insurance
products exclusively through independent insurance agencies, most of which represent multiple insurance companies, our insurance subsidiaries face competition within agencies, as well as competition to appoint and retain qualified independent
agents. Insurance companies that are substantially larger than our insurance subsidiaries benefit from access to larger pools of data upon which to base their underwriting and pricing decisions as well as realize cost synergies their larger
scale affords to them. Insurance companies that market their products directly to end consumers generally incur lower relative acquisition costs compared to those of our insurance subsidiaries.
Products and Underwriting
We report the results of our insurance operations in two segments: commercial lines of insurance and personal lines of insurance. The commercial lines our insurance subsidiaries write consist primarily of
commercial automobile, commercial multi-peril and workers’ compensation insurance. The personal lines our insurance subsidiaries write consist primarily of private passenger automobile and homeowners insurance. We describe these lines of
insurance in greater detail below:
Commercial
•
Commercial automobile — policies that provide protection against liability for bodily injury and property damage arising from automobile accidents and protection against loss from damage to automobiles owned by the insured.
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•
Commercial multi-peril — policies that provide protection to businesses against many perils, usually combining liability and physical damage coverages.
•
Workers’ compensation — policies employers purchase to provide benefits to employees for injuries sustained during employment. The workers’ compensation laws of each state determine the extent of the coverage we provide.
Personal
•
Private passenger automobile — policies that provide protection against liability for bodily injury and property damage arising from automobile accidents and protection against loss from damage to automobiles owned by the insured.
•
Homeowners — policies that provide coverage for damage to residences and their contents from a broad range of perils, including fire, lightning, windstorm and theft. These policies also cover liability of the insured arising from
injury to other persons or their property while on the insured’s property and under other specified conditions.
In recent years, we have made intentional investments in systems, products and capabilities to enable us to grow our business profitably. We are executing state-specific strategies that include accelerating
commercial lines growth in states and classes of business where we see opportunities for profitable growth and reducing exposures in states and classes of business we have targeted for profit improvement. While we expect to place greater
emphasis on commercial growth for the foreseeable future, we desire to maintain a profitable book of personal business to provide enhanced stability across our product portfolio and enhance our brand value to our independent agents. Donegal
Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries offer personal lines products in ten states through a modern, user-friendly online agency portal. These products feature comprehensive coverage options, modernized rating methodology, enhanced pricing
segmentation, application of predictive analytical models and utilization of third-party data to augment pricing and risk selection. Due to ongoing inflationary pressures on loss costs, we carefully managed personal lines exposure growth in
2024, intentionally slowing the writing of new personal lines opportunities while implementing premium rate increases throughout the year. In 2025, we plan to continue writing reduced levels of new personal lines accounts, while implementing
premium rate increases to offset projected loss frequency and severity trends and managing exposures to achieve targeted profitability within our personal lines segment.
The following table sets forth the net premiums written of our insurance subsidiaries by line of insurance for the periods indicated:
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
(dollars in thousands)
Amount
%
Amount
%
Amount
%
Commercial lines:
Automobile
$
184,989
19.6
%
$
174,741
19.5
%
$
167,774
19.9
%
Workers’ compensation
103,533
11.0
107,598
12.0
111,892
13.3
Commercial multi-peril
213,959
22.7
195,632
21.8
200,045
23.7
Other
45,439
4.9
50,458
5.7
51,135
6.0
Total commercial lines
547,920
58.2
528,429
59.0
530,846
62.9
Personal lines:
Automobile
243,036
25.8
215,957
24.1
181,129
21.5
Homeowners
140,613
14.9
139,688
15.6
120,087
14.2
Other
10,712
1.1
11,623
1.3
11,468
1.4
Total personal lines
394,361
41.8
367,268
41.0
312,684
37.1
Total business
$
942,281
100.0
%
$
895,697
100.0
%
$
843,530
100.0
%
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The commercial lines and personal lines underwriting departments of our insurance subsidiaries evaluate and select those risks that they believe will enable our insurance subsidiaries to achieve an underwriting
profit. Within each of the underwriting departments, our insurance subsidiaries have dedicated product development and management teams responsible for the development of quality products at competitive prices to promote growth and
profitability as well as the enhancement of our current products to meet targeted customer needs.
In order to achieve underwriting profitability on a consistent basis, our insurance subsidiaries:
•
assess and select primarily standard and preferred risks;
•
adhere to disciplined underwriting guidelines;
•
seek to price risks appropriately based on exposure, risk characteristics, utilization of predictive models and application of underwriting judgment; and
•
utilize various types of risk management and loss control services.
Our insurance subsidiaries also review their existing portfolio of insured accounts to determine whether certain risks or classes of business continue to meet their underwriting guidelines and margin expectations.
If a given account or class of business no longer meets those underwriting guidelines or margin expectations, our insurance subsidiaries will take appropriate action regarding that account or class of business, including raising premium rates
or non-renewing policies to the extent applicable laws and regulations permit.
Distribution
Our insurance subsidiaries market their products primarily in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, Southern and Southwestern regions through approximately 2,100 independent insurance agencies. At December 31, 2024, the
Donegal Insurance Group actively wrote business in 21 states (Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin). Donegal Mutual includes the business it writes directly and assumes from the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries in five Southwestern states (Arizona, Colorado,
New Mexico, Texas and Utah) in the pooling agreement between Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States. We believe the relationships of our insurance subsidiaries with their independent agents are valuable in identifying, obtaining and retaining
profitable business. Our insurance subsidiaries maintain a stringent agency selection procedure that emphasizes appointing agencies with proven marketing strategies for the development of profitable business, and our insurance subsidiaries only
appoint agencies with a strong underwriting history and potential growth capabilities. Our insurance subsidiaries also regularly evaluate the independent agencies that represent them based on their profitability and performance in relation to
the objectives of our insurance subsidiaries. Our insurance subsidiaries seek to be among the top three insurers within each of their agencies for the lines of business our insurance subsidiaries write.
The following table sets forth the percentage of direct premiums our insurance subsidiaries write, including 80% of the direct premiums Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States include in the underwriting pool, in each
of the states where they conducted a significant portion of their business in 2024:
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Pennsylvania
37.6
%
Michigan
15.9
Maryland
8.2
Delaware
6.6
Virginia
6.1
Ohio
4.0
Wisconsin
2.9
Indiana
2.7
Georgia
2.6
North Carolina
2.3
Texas
2.2
Other
8.9
Total
100.0
%
Our insurance subsidiaries employ a number of policies and procedures that we believe enable them to attract, retain and motivate their independent agents. We believe that the consistency of the product offerings
of our insurance subsidiaries enables our insurance subsidiaries to compete effectively for independent agents with other insurers whose product offerings may fluctuate based upon industry conditions. Our multi-year systems modernization
project is further enhancing the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to conduct business with their independent agents and to develop and implement new products. Our insurance subsidiaries have a competitive compensation program for their
independent agents that includes base commissions, growth incentive plans and a profit-sharing plan, under which the independent agents may earn additional commissions based upon the volume of premiums produced and the profitability of the
business our insurance subsidiaries receive from that agency. We have an agency stock purchase plan that allows our independent agents to purchase our Class A common stock at a discount to market prices to further align the interests of our
independent agents with the interests of our stockholders.
Our insurance subsidiaries encourage their independent agents to focus on “account selling,” or serving all of a particular insured’s property and casualty insurance needs, which our insurance subsidiaries believe
generally results in more favorable loss experience than covering a single risk for an individual insured.
As part of the effort of our insurance subsidiaries to maintain acceptable underwriting results, they conduct annual reviews of agencies that have failed to meet their underwriting profitability criteria. The
review process includes an analysis of the underwriting and re-underwriting practices of the agency, the completeness and accuracy of the applications the agency submits, the adequacy of the training of the agency’s staff and the agency’s
record of adherence to the underwriting guidelines and service standards of our insurance subsidiaries. Based on the results of this review process, the marketing and underwriting personnel of our insurance subsidiaries develop, together with
the agency, a plan to improve its underwriting profitability. Our insurance subsidiaries monitor the agency’s compliance with the plan and take other measures as required in the judgment of our insurance subsidiaries, including the termination,
to the extent applicable laws and regulations permit, of agencies that are unable to achieve acceptable underwriting profitability.
Technology
Donegal Mutual owns and manages the technology that our insurance subsidiaries utilize on a daily basis. The technology is comprised of highly integrated agency-facing and back-end processing systems that operate
within an advanced, modernized infrastructure that provides high service levels for performance, reliability, security and availability. Donegal Mutual maintains disaster recovery and backup systems and tests these systems on a regular basis.
Our insurance subsidiaries bear their proportionate share of information services expenses based on their respective percentage of the total net premiums written of the Donegal Insurance Group.
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The business strategy and ultimate success of our insurance subsidiaries depends on the effectiveness of efficient and integrated business systems and technology infrastructure. These systems enable our insurance
subsidiaries to provide quality service to agents and policyholders by processing business in a timely and dependable manner, communicate and share data with agents and provide a variety of methods for the payment of premiums. These systems
also allow for the accumulation and analysis of data and information for the management of our insurance subsidiaries. Donegal Mutual is currently in the midst of a multi-year effort to modernize certain of its key infrastructure
and applications systems we describe in more detail under “Business - Business Strategy - Strategically modernizing our operations and processes to transform our business.”
The modernized proficiency of these integrated technology systems facilitates high service levels for the agents and policyholders of our insurance subsidiaries, increased efficiencies in processing the business of
our insurance subsidiaries and lower operating costs. Key components of these technology systems include agency interface systems, automated policy management systems, a claims processing system and a billing administration system. The agency
interface systems provide our insurance subsidiaries with a comprehensive single source to facilitate data sharing both to and from agents’ systems. The agency interface systems also integrate with our automated policy management systems to
provide agents with an integrated means of generating underwritten quotes and automatically issuing policies that meet the underwriting guidelines of our insurance subsidiaries with limited or no intervention by their personnel. The claims
processing system allows our insurance subsidiaries to process claims efficiently and in an automated environment. The billing administration system allows our insurance subsidiaries to process premium billing and collection efficiently and in
an automated environment.
We believe Donegal Mutual’s agency-facing technology systems compare well against those of many national property and casualty insurance carriers in terms of feature capabilities and service levels.
Claims
The management of claims is a critical component of the philosophy of our insurance subsidiaries to achieve underwriting profitability on a consistent basis and is fundamental to the successful operations of our
insurance subsidiaries and their dedication to excellent service. Our senior claims management oversees the claims processing units of each of our insurance subsidiaries to assure consistency in the claims settlement process.
The claims departments of our insurance subsidiaries rigorously manage claims to assure that they settle legitimate claims quickly and fairly and that they identify questionable claims for defense. They provide
various means of claims reporting on a 24-hours a day, seven-days a week basis, including toll-free numbers and electronic reporting through our website and mobile application. The claims departments strive to respond to notifications of claims
promptly, generally within the day reported. By responding promptly to claims, they provide quality customer service and we believe minimize the ultimate cost of the claims. They engage independent adjusters as needed to handle claims in areas
in which the typical volume of claims is not sufficient to justify the hiring of field staff. They also employ private investigators, structural experts and outside legal counsel to supplement their internal staff and to assist in the
investigation of claims. Our insurance subsidiaries have a special investigative unit primarily staffed by former law enforcement officers that attempts to identify and prevent fraud and abuse and to investigate questionable claims.
The management of the claims departments of our insurance subsidiaries develops and implements policies and procedures for the establishment of adequate claim reserves. Our insurance subsidiaries employ an
actuarial staff that regularly reviews their reserves for incurred but not reported claims. The management and staff of the claims departments resolve policy coverage issues, manage and process reinsurance recoveries and handle salvage and
subrogation matters. The litigation and personal injury sections of our insurance subsidiaries manage all claims litigation. Claims above certain thresholds require management review and settlement authorization. Our insurance subsidiaries
provide their claims adjusters reserving and settlement authority based upon their experience and demonstrated abilities. Larger or more complicated claims require consultation and approval of senior claims department management.
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Liabilities for Losses and Loss Expenses
Liabilities for losses and loss expenses are estimates at a given point in time of the amounts an insurer expects to pay with respect to incurred policyholder claims based on facts and circumstances the insurer
knows at that point in time. For example, legislative, judicial and regulatory actions may expand coverage definitions, retroactively mandate coverage or otherwise require our insurance subsidiaries to pay losses for damages that their policies
explicitly excluded or did not intend to cover. At the time of establishing its estimates, an insurer recognizes that its ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses will exceed or be less than such estimates. Our insurance subsidiaries
base their estimates of liabilities for losses and loss expenses on assumptions as to future loss trends, expected claims severity, judicial theories of liability and other factors. However, during the loss adjustment period, our insurance
subsidiaries may learn additional facts regarding individual claims, and, consequently, it often becomes necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to refine and adjust their estimates for these liabilities. We reflect any adjustments to the
liabilities for losses and loss expenses of our insurance subsidiaries in our consolidated results of operations in the period in which our insurance subsidiaries make adjustments to their estimates.
Our insurance subsidiaries maintain liabilities for the payment of losses and loss expenses with respect to both reported and unreported claims. Our insurance subsidiaries establish these liabilities for the
purpose of covering the ultimate costs of settling all losses, including investigation and litigation costs. Our insurance subsidiaries base the amount of their liability for reported losses primarily upon a case-by-case evaluation of the type
of risk involved, knowledge of the circumstances surrounding each claim and the insurance policy provisions relating to the type of loss the policyholder incurred. Our insurance subsidiaries determine the amount of their liability for
unreported claims and loss expenses on the basis of historical information by line of insurance. Our insurance subsidiaries account for inflation in the reserving function through analysis of costs and trends and reviews of historical reserving
results. Our insurance subsidiaries monitor their liabilities closely and recompute them periodically using new information on reported claims and a variety of statistical techniques. Our insurance subsidiaries do not discount their liabilities
for losses and loss expenses.
Reserve estimates can change over time because of unexpected changes in assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment and, to a lesser extent, assumptions related to our insurance
subsidiaries’ internal operations. For example, our insurance subsidiaries have experienced an increase in claims severity and a lengthening of the claim settlement periods on bodily injury claims during the past several years. In addition, the
COVID-19 pandemic and related government mandates and restrictions resulted in various changes from historical claims reporting and settlement trends during 2020 and resulted in significant increases in loss costs in subsequent years due to a
number of factors, including supply chain disruption, higher new and used automobile values, increases in the cost of replacement automobile parts and rising labor rates. These continuing trend changes caused significant disruption to
historical loss patterns and give rise to greater uncertainty as to the pattern of future loss settlements. Related uncertainties regarding future trends include social inflation, availability and cost of replacement automobile parts and
building materials, availability and cost of skilled labor, the rate of specialized plaintiff attorney involvement in claims, plaintiff attorney utilization of litigation financing and the cost of medical technologies and procedures.
Assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment include the absence of significant changes in tort law and the legal environment that increase liability exposure, consistency in judicial interpretations of insurance
coverage and policy provisions and the rate of loss cost inflation. Internal assumptions include consistency in the recording of premium and loss statistics, consistency in the recording of claims, payment and case reserving methodology,
accurate measurement of the impact of rate changes and changes in policy provisions, consistency in the quality and characteristics of business written within a given line of business and consistency in reinsurance coverage and collectability
of reinsured losses, among other items. To the extent our insurance subsidiaries determine that underlying factors impacting their assumptions have changed, our insurance subsidiaries make adjustments in their reserves that they consider
appropriate for such changes. Accordingly, our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses will likely differ from the amount recorded at December 31, 2024. For every 1% change in our insurance subsidiaries’
loss and loss expense reserves, net of reinsurance recoverable, the effect on our pre-tax results of operations would be approximately $7.0 million.
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The establishment of appropriate liabilities is an inherently uncertain process and we can provide no assurance that our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability will not exceed our insurance subsidiaries’ loss
and loss expense reserves and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we cannot predict the timing, frequency and extent of adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ estimated future
liabilities, because the historical conditions and events that serve as a basis for our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of ultimate claim costs may change. As is the case for substantially all property and casualty insurance companies, our
insurance subsidiaries have found it necessary in the past to increase their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses in certain periods and, in other periods, their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses
have exceeded their actual liabilities for losses and loss expenses. Changes in our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of their liability for losses and loss expenses generally reflect actual payments and their evaluation of information received
subsequent to the prior reporting period. Our insurance subsidiaries recognized a decrease in their liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years of $15.0 million, $16.7 million and $44.8 million in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Our insurance subsidiaries made no significant changes in their reserving philosophy or claims management personnel, and they have made no significant offsetting changes in estimates that increased or decreased their loss and loss expense
reserves in those years. The 2024 development represented 2.2% of the December 31, 2023 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the commercial multi-peril, personal automobile and homeowner lines
of business, offset partially by higher-than-expected loss emergence in the workers’ compensation and commercial automobile lines of business, for accident years prior to 2024. The majority of the 2024 development related to decreases in the
liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO. The 2023 development represented 2.5% of the December 31, 2022 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the
personal automobile and commercial automobile lines of business for accident years prior to 2023. The majority of the 2023 development related to decreases in the liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and
MICO. The 2022 development represented 7.2% of the December 31, 2021 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the personal automobile and commercial automobile lines of business for accident years
prior to 2022. The majority of the 2022 development related to decreases in the liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO.
Excluding the impact of severe weather events and the COVID-19 pandemic, our insurance subsidiaries have noted stable amounts in the number of claims incurred and the number of claims outstanding at period ends
relative to their premium base in recent years across most of their lines of business. However, the amount of the average claim outstanding has increased gradually over the past several years due to various factors such as increased property
and automobile repair and replacement costs, rising medical loss costs and increased litigation trends. We have also experienced a general slowing of settlement rates in litigated claims and lengthening of repair completion times for property
and automobile claims. Our insurance subsidiaries could have to make further adjustments to their estimates in the future. However, on the basis of our insurance subsidiaries’ internal procedures, which analyze, among other things, their prior
assumptions, their experience with similar cases and historical trends such as reserving patterns, loss payments, pending levels of unpaid claims and product mix, as well as court decisions, economic conditions and public attitudes, we believe
that our insurance subsidiaries have made adequate provision for their liability for losses and loss expenses.
Atlantic States’ participation in the underwriting pool with Donegal Mutual exposes Atlantic States to adverse loss development on the business that Donegal Mutual contributes to the underwriting pool. However,
pooled business represents the predominant percentage of the net underwriting activity of both companies, and Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States share proportionately any adverse risk development relating to the pooled business. The business in
the underwriting pool is homogeneous, and each company has a pro-rata share of the entire underwriting pool. Since the predominant percentage of the business of Atlantic States and Donegal Mutual is pooled and the results shared by each company
according to its participation level under the terms of the pooling agreement, the intent of the underwriting pool is to produce a more uniform and stable underwriting result from year to year for each company than either would experience
individually and to spread the risk of loss between the companies.
Differences between liabilities reported in our financial statements prepared on a GAAP basis and our insurance subsidiaries’ financial statements prepared on a SAP basis result from anticipating salvage and
subrogation recoveries for GAAP but not for SAP. These differences amounted to $36.0 million, $32.4 million and $28.7 million at December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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The following table sets forth a reconciliation of the beginning and ending GAAP net liability of our insurance subsidiaries for unpaid losses and loss expenses for the periods indicated:
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2024
2023
2022
Gross liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses at beginning of year
$
1,126,157
$
1,121,046
$
1,077,620
Less reinsurance recoverable
437,014
451,184
451,261
Cumulative effect of adoption of updated accounting guidance for credit losses at January 1
—
1,132
—
Net liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses at beginning of year
689,143
670,994
626,359
Provision for net losses and loss expenses for claims incurred in the current year
619,090
625,831
608,900
Change in provision for estimated net losses and loss expenses for claims incurred in prior years
(14,972
)
(16,653
)
(44,821
)
Total incurred
604,118
609,178
564,079
Net losses and loss expense payments for claims incurred during:
The current year
319,196
330,290
302,272
Prior years
269,701
260,739
218,304
Total paid
588,897
591,029
520,576
Net liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses at end of year
704,364
689,143
669,862
Plus reinsurance recoverable
416,621
437,014
451,184
Gross liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses at end of year
$
1,120,985
$
1,126,157
$
1,121,046
The following table sets forth the development of the liability for net unpaid losses and loss expenses of our insurance subsidiaries from 2014 to 2024. Loss data in the table includes business Atlantic States
received from the underwriting pool.
“Net liability at end of year for unpaid losses and loss expenses” sets forth the estimated liability for net unpaid losses and loss expenses recorded at the balance sheet date for each of the indicated years. This
liability represents the estimated amount of net losses and loss expenses for claims arising in the current and all prior years that are unpaid at the balance sheet date, including losses incurred but not reported.
The “Net liability re-estimated as of” portion of the table shows the re-estimated amount of the previously recorded liability based on experience for each succeeding year. The estimate increases or decreases as
payments are made and more information becomes known about the severity of the remaining unpaid claims. For example, the 2014 liability has developed a deficiency after ten years because we expect the re-estimated net losses and loss expenses
to be $22.2 million more than the estimated liability we initially established in 2014 of $292.3 million.
The “Cumulative deficiency (excess)” shows the cumulative deficiency or excess at December 31, 2024 of the liability estimate shown on the top line of the corresponding column. A deficiency in liability means that
the liability established in prior years was less than the amount of actual payments and currently re-estimated remaining unpaid liability. An excess in liability means that the liability established in prior years exceeded the amount of actual
payments and currently re-estimated unpaid liability remaining.
The “Cumulative amount of liability paid through” portion of the table shows the cumulative net losses and loss expense payments made in succeeding years for net losses incurred prior to the balance sheet date. For
example, the 2014 column indicates that at December 31, 2024 payments equal to $306.0 million of the currently re-estimated ultimate liability for net losses and loss expenses of $314.5 million had been made.
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Index
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Net liability at end of
year for unpaid
losses and loss
expenses
$
292,301
$
322,054
$
347,518
$
383,401
$
475,398
$
506,906
$
557,189
$
626,359
$
669,862
$
689,143
$
704,364
Net liability re-estimated as of:
One year later
299,501
325,043
354,139
419,032
462,466
493,961
525,981
581,538
653,209
674,171
Two years later
299,919
329,115
375,741
413,535
450,862
479,927
498,724
564,326
638,428
Three years later
304,855
338,118
376,060
404,902
440,168
463,441
490,177
550,972
Four years later
307,840
339,228
372,230
398,560
432,027
459,835
480,865
Five years later
310,354
338,020
370,960
396,695
431,115
455,494
Six years later
310,380
338,200
372,346
396,748
429,865
Seven years later
311,594
339,625
371,859
396,167
Eight years later
313,354
340,191
372,477
Nine years later
313,539
340,800
Ten years later
314,490
Cumulative
deficiency
(excess)
22,189
18,746
24,959
12,766
(45,533
)
(51,412
)
(76,324
)
(75,387
)
(31,434
)
(14,972
)
Cumulative amount of liability paid through:
One year later
$
131,779
$
149,746
$
163,005
$
175,883
$
195,956
$
172,497
$
182,223
$
218,304
$
260,739
$
269,701
Two years later
206,637
228,506
250,678
276,331
275,993
276,069
297,860
346,107
405,216
Three years later
251,654
274,235
306,338
317,447
335,310
343,912
374,043
426,648
Four years later
274,248
300,715
324,628
342,583
371,231
393,068
418,283
Five years later
287,178
309,630
337,946
362,061
394,251
414,690
Six years later
292,327
315,105
349,496
372,584
404,251
Seven years later
295,106
321,777
355,809
378,937
Eight years later
300,306
326,617
359,527
Nine years later
303,708
329,651
Ten years later
306,019
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Gross liability at end of year
$
606,665
$
676,672
$
814,665
$
869,674
$
962,007
$
1,077,620
$
1,121,046
$
1,126,157
$
1,120,985
Reinsurance recoverable
259,147
293,271
339,266
362,768
404,818
451,261
451,184
437,014
416,621
Net liability at end of
year
347,518
383,401
475,398
506,906
557,189
626,359
669,862
689,143
704,364
Gross re-estimated liability
621,200
674,826
751,479
787,575
869,571
938,746
1,011,779
1,072,359
Re-estimated recoverable
248,723
278,659
321,614
332,081
388,706
387,774
373,351
398,188
Net re-estimated liability
372,477
396,167
429,865
455,494
480,865
550,972
638,428
674,171
Gross cumulative deficiency (excess)
14,535
(1,846
)
(63,186
)
(82,099
)
(92,436
)
(138,874
)
(109,267
)
(53,798
)
-19-
Index
Third-Party Reinsurance
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual purchase certain third-party reinsurance on a combined basis. Our insurance subsidiaries use several different reinsurers, all of which, consistent with the
requirements of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual, have an A.M. Best rating of A- (Excellent) or better or, with respect to foreign reinsurers, have a financial condition that, in the opinion of our management, is equivalent to a
company with at least an A- (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best.
The external reinsurance our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual purchased for 2024 included:
•
excess of loss reinsurance, under which Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries recovered losses over a set retention of $4.0 million for all property losses and $3.0 million for all liability and workers’ compensation losses
for 2024 (set retention of $4.0 million for all property losses, $6.0 million for all liability losses except workers’ compensation losses and $3.0 million for all workers’ compensation losses for 2025); and
•
catastrophe reinsurance, under which Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries recovered 100% of an accumulation of many losses resulting from a single event, including natural disasters, over a set retention of $25.0 million up
to aggregate losses of $175.0 million ($200.0 million for 2025) per occurrence.
For property insurance, our insurance subsidiaries had excess of loss reinsurance that provided for coverage of $36.0 million per loss over a set retention of $4.0 million
(no change for 2025). For liability insurance, our insurance subsidiaries had excess of loss reinsurance that provided for coverage of $72.0 million per occurrence over a set retention of $3.0 million ($69.0 million per occurrence over a set
retention of $6.0 million for 2025). For workers’ compensation insurance, our insurance subsidiaries had excess of loss reinsurance that provided for coverage of $17.0 million on any one life over a set retention of $3.0 million (no change for
2025).
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual also purchased facultative reinsurance to cover certain exposures, including property exposures that exceeded the limits provided by their respective treaty
reinsurance.
Investments
At December 31, 2024, 95.6% of all debt securities our insurance subsidiaries held had an investment-grade rating. The investment portfolios of our insurance subsidiaries did not contain any mortgage loans or any
non-performing assets at December 31, 2024.
The following table shows the composition of the debt securities (at carrying value) in the investment portfolios of our insurance subsidiaries, excluding short-term investments, by rating at December 31, 2024:
(dollars in thousands)
December 31, 2024
Rating (1)
Amount
Percent
U.S. Treasury and U.S. agency securities (2)
$
474,882
35.9
%
Aaa or AAA
25,112
1.9
Aa or AA
345,547
26.1
A
222,934
16.8
BBB
198,041
15.0
BB
58,478
4.4
Allowance for expected credit losses
(1,388
)
(0.1
)
Total
$
1,323,606
100.0
%
(1)
Ratings assigned by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Corporation.
(2)
Includes mortgage-backed securities of $304.5 million.
Our insurance subsidiaries invest in both taxable and tax-exempt securities as part of their strategy to maximize after-tax income. Tax-exempt securities made up approximately 16.6%, 18.2% and 19.9% of the
fixed-maturity securities in the combined investment portfolios of our insurance subsidiaries at December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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Index
The following table shows the classification of our investments and the investments of our insurance subsidiaries at December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 (at carrying value):
December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Percent of
Percent of
Percent of
(dollars in thousands)
Amount
Total
Amount
Total
Amount
Total
Fixed maturities (1) :
Held to maturity:
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
86,579
6.3
%
$
91,517
6.9
%
$
103,362
7.9
%
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
371,896
26.9
376,898
28.4
382,097
29.3
Corporate securities
236,550
17.0
201,847
15.2
190,949
14.6
Mortgage-backed securities
10,689
0.8
9,235
0.7
12,031
1.0
Total held to maturity
705,714
51.0
679,497
51.2
688,439
52.8
Available for sale:
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
83,793
6.0
85,419
6.4
63,521
4.9
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
37,404
2.7
38,116
2.9
40,156
3.1
Corporate securities
202,932
14.7
196,793
14.8
202,838
15.5
Mortgage-backed securities
293,763
21.2
269,020
20.3
217,277
16.6
Total available for sale
617,892
44.6
589,348
44.4
523,792
40.1
Total fixed maturities
1,323,606
95.6
1,268,845
95.6
1,212,231
92.9
Equity securities (2)
36,808
2.6
25,903
2.0
35,105
2.7
Short-term investments (3)
24,558
1.8
32,306
2.4
57,321
4.4
Total investments
$
1,384,972
100.0
%
$
1,327,054
100.0
%
$
1,304,657
100.0
%
(1)
We refer to Notes 1 and 4 to our Consolidated Financial Statements. We value those fixed maturities we classify as held to maturity at amortized cost; we value those fixed maturities we classify as available for sale at fair value.
The total fair value of fixed maturities we classified as held to maturity was $631.6 million at December 31, 2024, $611.5 million at December 31, 2023 and $598.0 million at December 31, 2022. The amortized cost of fixed maturities we
classified as available for sale was $652.6 million at December 31, 2024, $629.7 million at December 31, 2023 and $571.9 million at December 31, 2022.
(2)
We value equity securities at fair value. The total cost of equity securities was $24.7 million at December 31, 2024, $18.8 million at December 31, 2023 and $30.8 million at December 31, 2022.
(3)
We value short-term investments at cost, which approximates fair value.
-21-
Index
The following table sets forth the maturities (at carrying value) in the fixed maturity portfolio of our insurance subsidiaries at December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:
December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Percent
of
Percent
of
Percent
of
(dollars in thousands)
Amount
Total
Amount
Total
Amount
Total
Due in (1) :
One year or less
$
56,914
4.3
%
$
54,392
4.3
%
$
39,094
3.2
%
Over one year through three years
210,184
15.9
130,158
10.3
107,689
8.9
Over three years through five years
175,577
13.3
141,994
11.2
133,068
11.0
Over five years through ten years
318,912
24.1
347,035
27.3
357,114
29.5
Over ten years through fifteen years
208,445
15.7
201,585
15.9
191,118
15.8
Over fifteen years
50,503
3.8
116,747
9.2
154,840
12.7
Mortgage-backed securities
304,459
23.0
278,260
21.9
229,308
18.9
Allowance for expected credit losses
(1,388
)
(0.1
)
(1,326
)
(0.1
)
—
—
$
1,323,606
100.0
%
$
1,268,845
100.0
%
$
1,212,231
100.0
%
(1)
Based on stated maturity dates with no prepayment assumptions. Actual maturities will differ because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
As shown above, our insurance subsidiaries held investments in mortgage-backed securities having a carrying value of $304.5 million at December 31, 2024. The mortgage-backed securities consist primarily of
investments in governmental agency balloon pools with stated maturities between one and 33 years. The stated maturities of these investments limit the exposure of our insurance subsidiaries to extension risk in the event that interest rates
rise and prepayments decline. Our insurance subsidiaries perform an analysis of the underlying loans when evaluating a mortgage-backed security for purchase, and they select those securities that they believe will provide a return that properly
reflects the prepayment risk associated with the underlying loans.
The following table sets forth the investment results of our insurance subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Year Ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)
2024
2023
2022
Invested assets (1)
$
1,356,013
$
1,315,855
$
1,290,752
Investment income (2)
44,918
40,853
34,016
Average yield
3.3
%
3.1
%
2.6
%
Average tax-equivalent yield
3.4
3.2
2.7
(1)
Average of the aggregate invested amounts at the beginning and end of the period.
(2)
Investment income is net of investment expenses and does not include investment gains or losses or provision for income taxes.
A.M. Best Rating
Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries have an A.M. Best rating of A (Excellent), based upon the respective current financial condition and historical statutory results of operations of Donegal Mutual and
our insurance subsidiaries. We believe that the A.M. Best rating of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries is an important factor in their marketing of their products to their agents and customers. A.M. Best’s ratings are industry
ratings based on a comparative analysis of the financial condition and operating performance of insurance companies. A.M. Best’s classifications are A++ and A+ (Superior), A and A- (Excellent), B++ and B+ (Good), B and B- (Fair), C++ and C+
(Marginal), C and C- (Weak), D (Poor), E (Under Regulatory Supervision), F (Liquidation) and S (Suspended). A.M. Best bases its ratings upon factors relevant to the payment of claims of policyholders and are not directed toward the protection
of investors in insurance companies. According to A.M. Best, the “Excellent” rating that the Donegal Insurance Group maintains is assigned to those companies that, in A.M. Best’s opinion, have an excellent ability to meet their ongoing
insurance obligations.
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Index
Regulation
The supervision and regulation of insurance companies consists primarily of the laws and regulations of the various states in which the insurance companies transact business, with the primary regulatory authority
being the insurance regulatory authorities in the state of domicile of the insurance company. Such supervision and regulation relate to numerous aspects of an insurance company’s business and financial condition. The primary purpose of such
supervision and regulation is the protection of policyholders. The authority of the state insurance departments includes the establishment of standards of solvency that insurers must meet and maintain, the licensing of insurers and insurance
agents to do business, the nature of, and limitations on, investments, premium rates for property and casualty insurance, the provisions that insurers must make for current losses and future liabilities, the deposit of securities for the
benefit of policyholders, the approval of policy forms, notice requirements for the cancellation of policies and the approval of certain changes in control. State insurance departments also conduct periodic examinations of the affairs of
insurance companies and require the filing of annual and other reports relating to the financial condition of insurance companies.
In addition to state-imposed insurance laws and regulations, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or the NAIC, maintains a risk-based capital system, or RBC, for assessing the adequacy of the
statutory capital and surplus of insurance companies that augments the states’ current fixed dollar minimum capital requirements for insurance companies. At December 31, 2024, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual each exceeded the
minimum levels of statutory capital the RBC rules require by a substantial margin.
Generally, every state has guaranty fund laws under which insurers licensed to do business in that state can be assessed on the basis of premiums written by the insurer in that state in order to fund policyholder
liabilities of insolvent insurance companies. Under these laws in general, an insurer is subject to assessment, depending upon its market share of a given line of business, to assist in the payment of policyholder claims against insolvent
insurers. Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual have made accruals for their portion of assessments related to such insolvencies based upon the most current information furnished by the guaranty associations.
We are part of an insurance holding company system of which Donegal Mutual is the ultimate controlling person. All of the states in which our insurance companies and Donegal Mutual maintain a domicile have
legislation that regulates insurance holding company systems. Each insurance company in the insurance holding company system must register with the insurance supervisory agency of its state of domicile and furnish information concerning the
operations of companies within the insurance holding company system that may materially affect the operations, management or financial condition of the insurers within the system. Pursuant to these laws, the respective insurance departments in
which our subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual maintain a domicile may examine our insurance subsidiaries or Donegal Mutual at any time, require disclosure of material transactions by the holding company with another member of the insurance holding
company system and require prior notice or prior approval of certain transactions, such as “extraordinary dividends” from the insurance subsidiaries to the holding company. We have insurance subsidiaries domiciled in Michigan, Pennsylvania and
Virginia.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Holding Companies Act, which generally applies to Donegal Mutual, us and our insurance subsidiaries, requires that all transactions within an insurance holding company system to which an
insurer is a party must be fair and reasonable and that any charges or fees for services performed must be reasonable. Any management agreement, service agreement, cost sharing arrangement and material reinsurance agreement must be filed with
the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, or the Department, and is subject to the Department’s review. We have filed with the Department the pooling agreement between Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States that established the underwriting pool and
all material agreements between Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries.
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Index
Approval of the applicable insurance commissioner is also required prior to consummation of transactions affecting the control of an insurer. In virtually all states, including the states where our insurance
subsidiaries are domiciled, the acquisition of 10% or more of the outstanding capital stock of an insurer or its holding company or the intent to acquire such an interest creates a rebuttable presumption of a change in control. Pursuant to an
order issued in April 2003, the Department approved Donegal Mutual’s ownership of up to 70% of our outstanding Class A common stock and Donegal Mutual’s ownership of up to 100% of our outstanding Class B common stock.
Our insurance subsidiaries have the legal obligation under state insurance laws to participate in involuntary insurance programs for automobile insurance, as well as other property and casualty insurance lines, in
the states in which they conduct business. These programs include joint underwriting associations, assigned risk plans, fair access to insurance requirements plans, reinsurance facilities, windstorm plans and tornado plans. Legislation
establishing these programs requires all companies that write lines covered by these programs to provide coverage, either directly or through reinsurance, for insureds who are unable to obtain insurance in the voluntary market. The legislation
creating these programs usually allocates a pro rata portion of risks attributable to such insureds to each company on the basis of the direct premiums it has written in that state or the number of automobiles it insures in that state.
Generally, state law requires participation in these programs as a condition to obtaining a certificate of authority. Our loss ratio on insurance we write under these involuntary programs has traditionally been significantly greater than our
loss ratio on insurance we voluntarily write in those states.
Regulatory requirements, including RBC requirements, may impact our insurance subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends. The amount of statutory capital and surplus necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to satisfy
regulatory requirements, including RBC requirements, was not significant in relation to our insurance subsidiaries’ statutory capital and surplus at December 31, 2024. Generally, the maximum amount that one of our insurance subsidiaries may pay
to us as ordinary dividends during any year after notice to, but without prior approval of, the insurance commissioner of its domiciliary state is limited to a stated percentage of that subsidiary’s statutory capital and surplus at December 31
of the preceding fiscal year or the net income of that subsidiary for its preceding fiscal year. Our insurance subsidiaries paid dividends to us of $15.0 million and $13.0 million in 2024 and 2023, respectively. Our insurance subsidiaries did
not pay any dividends to us in 2022. At December 31, 2024, the amount of ordinary dividends our insurance subsidiaries could pay to us during 2025, without the prior approval of their respective domiciliary insurance commissioners, is shown in
the following table.
Name of Insurance Subsidiary
Ordinary Dividend Amount
Atlantic States
$
40,741,454
MICO
7,822,780
Peninsula
4,734,260
Southern
—
Total
$
53,298,494
Donegal Mutual Insurance Company
Donegal Mutual organized as a mutual fire insurance company in Pennsylvania in 1889. At December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual had admitted assets of $762.5 million and policyholders’ surplus of $397.6 million. At
December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual had total liabilities of $364.9 million, including reserves for net losses and loss expenses of $160.2 million and unearned premiums of $74.4 million. Donegal Mutual’s investment portfolio of $574.1 million at
December 31, 2024 consisted primarily of investment-grade bonds of $206.3 million and its investment in our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock. At December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual owned 13,152,372 shares, or approximately 44%,
of our Class A common stock, which Donegal Mutual carried on its books at $176.4 million, and 4,708,570 shares, or approximately 84%, of our Class B common stock, which Donegal Mutual carried on its books at $63.1 million. We present Donegal
Mutual’s financial information in accordance with SAP as the NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual requires. Donegal Mutual does not, nor is it required to, prepare financial statements in accordance with GAAP.
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Index
Information about Our Executive Officers
The following table sets forth information regarding the executive officers of Donegal Mutual and the Registrant as of the date of this Form 10-K Report:
Name
Age
Position
Kevin G. Burke
59
President and Chief Executive Officer of us since 2015; President and Chief Executive Officer of Donegal Mutual since 2018; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Donegal Mutual from 2014
to 2018; Senior Vice President of Human Resources of Donegal Mutual and us from 2005 to 2014; other positions from 2000 to 2005.
W. Daniel DeLamater
52
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2024; Senior Vice President of us from 2022 to 2024; Senior Vice President and Head of Field Operations & National Accounts of Donegal Mutual
from 2022 to 2024; Senior Vice President of National Accounts for Donegal Mutual from 2020 to 2022; President of Southern Mutual Insurance Company since 2016; other positions at Southern Mutual Insurance Company from 2000 to 2016.
Jeffery T. Hay
50
Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2025; Senior Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer of Donegal Mutual and Senior Vice President of us from
2021 to 2025; Senior Director of Willis Towers Watson from 2018 to 2021; Head of Personal Lines Product Management of The Hartford from 2015 to 2018; other positions at The Hartford from 2005 to 2015.
Jeffrey D. Miller
60
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2014; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Donegal Mutual and us from 2005 to 2014; other positions from
1993 to 2005.
Sanjay Pandey
58
Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2025; Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Donegal Mutual and us from 2013 to 2025; other positions
from 2000 to 2013.
Kristi S. Altshuler
44
Senior Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer of us since 2020; Senior Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer of Donegal Mutual since 2019; Director of Willis Towers Watson from 2018 to 2019;
Director of Pricing Innovation of USAA from 2014 to 2018; other positions at USAA from 2001 to 2014.
David B. Bawel
38
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2024; Vice President of Financial Reporting and Analysis of Donegal Mutual and Vice President of us from 2018 to 2024;
Assistant Vice President of Internal Audit of Donegal Mutual from 2012 to 2018.
Noland R. Deas, Jr.
57
Senior Vice President of Field Operations & National Accounts of Donegal Mutual and Senior Vice President of us since 2024; Senior Regional Vice President of Donegal Mutual from 2022 to 2024 and
Regional Vice President of Donegal Mutual from 2020 to 2022; other positions with Donegal Mutual from 2006 to 2020.
William A. Folmar
66
Senior Vice President of Claims of Donegal Mutual and Senior Vice President of us since 2019; Vice President of Claims of Donegal Mutual from 2010 to 2019; other positions from 1998 to 2010.
Rick J. Hecker
37
Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Donegal Mutual and us since 2025; Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Conestoga Title Insurance Company from 2022 to 2024; Vice President and General
Counsel of Conestoga Title Insurance Company from 2021 to 2022.
Christina M. Hoffman
50
Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2019; Senior Vice President of Internal Audit of Donegal Mutual and Senior Vice President of us from 2013 to 2019; Vice
President of Internal Audit of Donegal Mutual and Vice President of us from 2009 to 2013.
David W. Sponic
60
Senior Vice President of Personal Lines of Donegal Mutual and Senior Vice President of us since 2022; Vice President of Personal Lines of Donegal Mutual from 2008 to 2022; other positions from 1990 to
2008.
V. Anthony Viozzi
51
Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2012; Vice President of Investments of Donegal Mutual and us from 2007 to 2012.
Daniel J. Wagner
64
Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Donegal Mutual and us since 2005; other positions from 1987 to 2005.
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Index
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Form 10-K Report and the documents we incorporate by reference in this Form 10-K Report contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include certain discussions relating to underwriting, premium and investment income volumes, business strategies, reserves, profitability, our expense reduction initiatives, Donegal Mutual’s ongoing information
systems and data modernization implementations, business relationships and our other business activities during 2024 and beyond. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,”
“would,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “objective,” “project,” “predict,” “potential,” “goal” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about future events and our
current assumptions, and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those we anticipate or imply by our forward-looking statements. We cannot
control or predict many of the factors that could determine our future financial condition or results of operations. Such factors may include those we describe under “Risk Factors.” The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K
Report reflect our views and assumptions only as of the date of this Form 10-K Report. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update, and we assume no responsibility for updating, any forward-looking statements we have made. We qualify
all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
Item 1A.
Risk Factors.
Risk Factors
Risks Relating to the Property and Casualty Insurance Industry
Industry trends, such as increasing loss severity due to higher rates of litigation against the insurance industry and individual insurers, the willingness of courts to expand
covered causes of loss, rising jury awards, escalating medical, automobile and property repair costs and other factors may contribute to increased costs and result in ultimate loss settlements that exceed the reserves of our insurance
subsidiaries.
Loss severity in the property and casualty insurance industry has increased in recent years, principally driven by factors such as distracted driving, larger court judgments, higher jury awards and increasing
medical and automobile and property repair costs, including increases due to inflation and supply chain disruption. In addition, many classes of complainants have brought legal actions and proceedings, some of which may be funded by third-party
litigation financing, that tend to increase the size of judgments. The propensity of policyholders and third-party claimants to utilize specialized plaintiff firms and litigate and the willingness of courts to expand causes of loss and the size
of awards, to eliminate exclusions and to increase coverage limits may result in ultimate settlements of current and future losses that exceed the loss reserves of our insurance subsidiaries.
Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to catastrophe losses and losses from other severe weather events, which are unpredictable and may adversely affect our results of
operations, liquidity and financial condition.
The underwriting results of our insurance subsidiaries are subject to weather and other conditions that may adversely affect our financial condition, liquidity or results of operations. Because the occurrence and
severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable and may vary significantly from year to year and region to region, our historical results of operations may not be indicative of our future results of operations. Our property and casualty
insurance operations expose us to claims arising from catastrophic events affecting multiple policyholders. Such catastrophic events consist of various natural disasters, including, but not limited to, hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes,
windstorms, hailstorms, fires and wildfires, flooding, landslides, earthquakes, severe winter weather events and man-made disasters such as terrorist attacks, explosions and infrastructure failures. Historically, our insurance subsidiaries have
experienced weather-related losses from hurricanes and tropical storms in Mid-Atlantic and Southern states, tornadoes and hailstorms in Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Southern states and severe winter weather events in Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern
states.
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Losses from catastrophic events are a function of both the extent of our insurance subsidiaries’ exposures, the frequency and severity of the events themselves and the level of reinsurance coverage our insurance
subsidiaries purchase. The increased frequency and severity of weather-related catastrophes and other losses, such as from wildfires and flooding, incurred by the industry in recent years may be indicative of changing weather patterns due to
climate change. Should those patterns continue to emerge, increased weather-related catastrophes in the states in which our insurance subsidiaries operate would lead to higher overall losses that they may be unable to offset through pricing
actions.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to reduce their exposure to catastrophe losses through their underwriting strategies and their purchase of catastrophe reinsurance. Advancements in economic capital modeling and
catastrophe risk modeling assist our insurance subsidiaries in measuring risk concentrations and inform their reinsurance purchase decisions. Nevertheless, reinsurance may prove inadequate under certain circumstances. While the emerging science
regarding climate change and its connection to extreme weather events continues to be studied, climate change, to the extent it produces rising temperatures and changes in weather patterns, could affect the frequency and severity of weather
events and other losses and thus impact the affordability and availability of catastrophe reinsurance coverage for our insurance subsidiaries. Our insurance subsidiaries’ ability to appropriately manage catastrophe risk depends partially on
catastrophe models, which may be affected by inaccurate or incomplete data, the uncertainty of the frequency and severity of future events and the uncertain impact of changing climate conditions that tend to occur gradually over time.
Changing climate conditions could lead to new or revised regulations with which our insurance subsidiaries would have to comply. Such regulations could impact the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to manage
their exposures in areas impacted by increased weather activity, require our insurance companies to alter the terms and conditions of their policies or impact the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to obtain sufficient pricing increases to
offset higher loss activity.
Our insurance subsidiaries must establish premium rates and loss and loss expense reserves from forecasts of the ultimate costs they expect will arise from risks underwritten
during the policy period, and the profitability of our insurance subsidiaries could be adversely affected if their premium rates or reserves are insufficient to satisfy their ultimate costs.
One of the distinguishing features of the property and casualty insurance industry is that it prices its products before it knows its costs, since insurers generally establish their premium rates before they know
the amount of losses they will incur. Accordingly, our insurance subsidiaries establish premium rates from forecasts of the ultimate costs they expect to arise from risks they have underwritten during the policy period. Proposed increases in
premium rates are subject to regulatory approval on a state-by-state basis, and there is a lag between the time that our insurance subsidiaries file for such approval and the date upon which our insurance subsidiaries can implement any such
approved premium rate increase across their book of business for a product in a particular state. The premium rates our insurance subsidiaries charge may not be sufficient to cover the ultimate losses they incur. Further, our insurance
subsidiaries must establish reserves for losses and loss expenses as balance sheet liabilities based upon estimates involving actuarial and statistical projections at a given time of what our insurance subsidiaries expect their ultimate
liability to be. Significant periods of time often elapse between the occurrence of an insured loss, the reporting of the loss and the settlement of that loss. It is possible that our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability could exceed
these estimates because of the future development of known losses, the existence of losses that have occurred but are currently unreported and larger than historical settlements of pending and unreported claims. The process of estimating
reserves is inherently judgmental and can be influenced by a number of factors, including the following:
•
trends in claim frequency and severity;
•
changes in operations;
•
emerging economic and social trends;
•
economic and social inflation; and
•
changes in the regulatory and litigation environments.
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If our insurance subsidiaries determine that their reserves are insufficient to cover their ultimate liability, they will increase their reserves. An increase in reserves results in an increase in losses and a
reduction in net income for the period in which our insurance subsidiaries recognize a deficiency in reserves. Accordingly, an increase in reserves may adversely impact the business, liquidity, financial condition and results of operations of
our insurance subsidiaries.
The financial results of our insurance subsidiaries depend primarily on their ability to underwrite risks effectively and to charge adequate rates to policyholders.
The financial condition, cash flows and results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries depend on their ability to underwrite and set rates accurately for a full spectrum of risks across a number of lines of
insurance. Rate adequacy is necessary to generate sufficient premium to pay losses, loss adjustment expenses and underwriting expenses and to realize a profit.
The ability to underwrite and set rates effectively is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those related to:
•
the availability of sufficient, reliable data;
•
the ability to conduct a complete and accurate analysis of available data;
•
the ability to recognize in a timely manner changes in trends and to project both the severity and frequency of losses with reasonable accuracy;
•
uncertainties generally inherent in estimates and assumptions;
•
the ability to project changes in certain operating expense levels with reasonable certainty;
•
the development, selection and application of appropriate rating formulae or other pricing methodologies;
•
the effective development, governance and appropriate use of modeling tools to assist with correctly and consistently achieving the intended results in underwriting and pricing;
•
the ability to innovate with new pricing strategies and the success of those innovations upon implementation;
•
the ability to secure regulatory approval of premium rates on an adequate and timely basis;
•
the ability to predict policyholder retention accurately;
•
unanticipated court decisions, legislation or regulatory action;
•
unanticipated changes in our claim settlement practices;
•
changes in driving patterns for auto exposures;
•
changes in weather patterns for property exposures;
•
changes in the medical sector of the economy that impact bodily injury loss costs;
•
changes in new and used car prices, auto repair costs and auto parts prices, including the increasing integration of sophisticated technology-related components;
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the impact of emerging technologies, including driver assistance technologies and autonomous vehicles, on pricing, insurance coverages and loss costs;
•
the impact of inflation and other factors on the cost and availability of construction materials and labor;
•
the impact of medical advances on the cost and duration of bodily injury claims;
•
the ability to monitor property concentration in catastrophe-prone areas, such as hurricane, earthquake, wildfire and wind/hail regions; and
•
the general state of the economy in the states in which our insurance subsidiaries operate.
Such risks may result in our insurance subsidiaries basing their premium rates on inadequate or inaccurate data or inappropriate assumptions or methodologies and may cause our estimates of future changes in the
frequency or severity of claims to be incorrect. As a result, our insurance subsidiaries could underprice risks, which would negatively affect our margins, or our insurance subsidiaries could overprice risks, which could reduce their premium
volume and competitiveness. In either event, underpricing or overpricing risks could adversely impact our operating results, financial condition and cash flows.
The pace of innovation within the insurance industry is rapidly increasing, and our insurance subsidiaries may be unable to effectively implement new technologies and
anticipate changes in customer preferences and insurance needs, which could put our insurance subsidiaries at a competitive disadvantage and adversely affect their future profitability.
Innovation, recent technological developments, changing customer demographics and preferences, societal shifts and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence are greatly impacting the insurance industry.
Our insurance subsidiaries compete with much larger insurers that are focused on implementing technology and innovative solutions to select and price risks, identify and target potential customers, enhance the experience of their customers and
improve their operations. If our insurance subsidiaries are unable to anticipate changes in customer expectations and keep pace with the technological changes their competitors implement, our insurance subsidiaries may not be able to attract
and maintain quality accounts, adequately price risks or operate as efficiently as their competitors. In addition, emerging technologies such as electric and autonomous vehicles, driver-assistance and accident avoidance features on vehicles,
sensor technology and other forms of automation may reduce the future need for, or decrease the future pricing of, the insurance products our insurance subsidiaries offer.
Loss or significant restriction of the use of specific rating attributes, analytical models or technologies in the pricing and underwriting of insurance products by our
insurance subsidiaries could adversely affect their future profitability.
Our insurance subsidiaries consider a variety of rating attributes in making risk selection and pricing decisions for personal lines insurance products where allowed by state law. There is increasing regulatory
debate as to whether use of certain rating attributes is unfairly discriminatory. For example, consumer groups and regulators often call for the prohibition or restriction on the use of credit scoring in underwriting and pricing. In addition,
there is increasing regulatory attention on the governance over and use of analytical models and technologies, including artificial intelligence systems, to ensure that such technologies comply with laws that address unfair trade practices and
unfair discrimination. Laws or regulations that significantly curtail the use of specific rating attributes or other analytical models and technologies in the underwriting process could reduce the future profitability of our insurance
subsidiaries.
Changes in applicable insurance laws or regulations or changes in the way insurance regulators administer those laws or regulations could adversely affect the operating
environment of our insurance subsidiaries and increase their exposure to loss or put them at a competitive disadvantage.
Property and casualty insurers are subject to extensive supervision in their domiciliary states and in the states in which they do business. This regulatory oversight includes matters relating to:
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licensing and examination;
•
approval of premium rates;
•
market conduct;
•
policy forms;
•
limitations on the nature and amount of certain investments;
•
claims practices;
•
mandated participation in involuntary markets and guaranty funds;
•
reserve adequacy;
•
insurer solvency;
•
transactions between affiliates;
•
the amount of dividends that insurers may pay; and
•
restrictions on underwriting standards.
Such regulation and supervision are primarily for the benefit and protection of policyholders rather than stockholders.
The NAIC and state insurance regulators re-examine existing laws and regulations from time to time, specifically focusing on areas such as:
•
insurance company investments;
•
issues relating to the solvency of insurance companies;
•
risk-based capital guidelines;
•
restrictions on the terms and conditions included in insurance policies;
•
certain methods of accounting;
•
reserves for unearned premiums, losses and other purposes;
•
the values at which insurance companies may carry investment securities and the definition of other-than-temporary impairment of investment securities; and
•
interpretations of existing laws and the development of new laws.
Changes in state laws and regulations, as well as changes in the way state regulators view related-party transactions in particular, could change the operating environment of our insurance subsidiaries and have an
adverse effect on their business.
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Insurance companies are subject to assessments, based on their market share in a given line of business, to assist in the payment of unpaid claims and related costs of
insolvent insurance companies. Such assessments could adversely affect the financial condition of our insurance subsidiaries.
Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to assessments pursuant to the guaranty fund laws of the various states in which they conduct business. Generally, under these laws, our insurance subsidiaries can be
assessed, depending upon the market share of our insurance subsidiaries in a given line of insurance business, to assist in the payment of unpaid claims and related costs of insolvent insurance companies in those states. We cannot predict the
number and magnitude of future insurance company failures in the states in which our insurance subsidiaries conduct business, but future assessments could adversely affect the business, financial condition and results of operations of our
insurance subsidiaries.
Risks Relating to Our Business
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the business operations of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual, and economic disruption related to a future pandemic may adversely
affect our revenues, profitability, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity and financial condition.
During 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant disruptions in economic activity throughout our operating regions. We cannot predict the ultimate impact that the economic and financial
disruption related to a pandemic may have on us. Risks related to a pandemic include, but are not limited to, the following:
•
the business operations or a specific operational function of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual could be disrupted by the illness of significant numbers of their employees and remedial efforts that would be required upon
discovery of exposure to a communicable illness within their facilities;
•
the business operations of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual are dependent upon technology systems for which regular physical access is required to maintain critical operational capabilities, and the business operations
of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual would be adversely impacted by government mandates requiring closure of facilities where those technology systems are located or restricting physical access to such facilities;
•
the revenues of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may decrease as a result of reduced demand for their insurance products as economic disruption adversely impacts current and potential insurance customers;
•
our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may incur an increase in their losses and loss expenses in certain lines of business as a result of a pandemic and related economic disruption, and such losses and loss expenses may
exceed the reserves our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual have established or may establish in the future;
•
our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may incur increased costs related to legal disputes over policy coverages or exclusions and their defense against litigation related to a pandemic;
•
legislative, judicial and regulatory actions may expand coverage definitions, retroactively mandate coverage or otherwise require our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual to pay losses for damages that their policies explicitly
excluded or did not intend to cover;
•
legislative, judicial and regulatory actions may require our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual to reduce or refund premiums, suspend cancellation of policies for non-payment of premiums or otherwise grant extended grace
periods and time allowances for the payment of premium balances due to them;
•
our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may not be able to collect premium balances due to them, resulting in reduced operating cash flows and an increase in premium write-offs that would increase their operating expenses;
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our insurance subsidiaries may suffer declines in the market values of their investments as a result of financial market volatility related to pandemic concerns and related economic disruption; and
•
economic disruption related to a pandemic could result in significant declines in the credit quality of issuers, ratings downgrades or changes in financial market conditions and regulatory changes that might adversely impact the
value of the fixed-maturity investments that our insurance subsidiaries own.
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual currently conduct business in a limited number of states, with a concentration of business in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland,
Delaware and Virginia. Any single catastrophe occurrence or other condition affecting losses in these states could adversely affect the results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries.
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual conduct business in 21 states located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, Southern and Southwestern states. A substantial portion of their business consists of
private passenger and commercial automobile, homeowners, commercial multi-peril and workers’ compensation insurance in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. While our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual actively manage
their respective exposure to catastrophes through their underwriting processes and the purchase of reinsurance, a single catastrophic occurrence, destructive weather pattern, general economic trend, terrorist attack, regulatory development or
other condition affecting one or more of the states in which our insurance subsidiaries conduct substantial business could materially adversely affect their business, financial condition and results of operations. Common catastrophic events
include hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, wind and hailstorms, fires and wildfires, explosions and severe winter storms.
If the independent agents who market the products of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual do not maintain their current levels of premium writing with us and Donegal
Mutual, fail to comply with established underwriting guidelines of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual or otherwise inappropriately market the products of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual, the business, financial
condition and results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries could be adversely affected.
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual market their insurance products solely through a network of approximately 2,100 independent insurance agencies. This agency distribution system is one of the most
important components of the competitive profile of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual. As a result, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual depend to a material extent upon their independent agents, each of whom has the
authority to bind one or more of our insurance subsidiaries or Donegal Mutual to insurance coverage. To the extent that such independent agents’ marketing efforts fail to result in the maintenance of their current levels of volume and quality
or they bind our insurance subsidiaries or Donegal Mutual to unacceptable insurance risks, fail to comply with the established underwriting guidelines of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual or otherwise inappropriately market the
products of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual, the business, financial condition and results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries could suffer.
The business of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may not continue to grow and may be materially adversely affected if our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal
Mutual cannot retain existing, and attract new, independent agents or if insurance consumers increase their use of insurance distribution channels other than independent agents.
The ability of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual to retain existing, and to attract new, independent agents is essential to the continued growth of the business of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal
Mutual. If independent agents find it easier to do business with the competitors of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual could find it difficult to retain their existing business or to
attract new business. While our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual believe they maintain good relationships with the independent agents they have appointed, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual cannot be certain that these
independent agents will continue to sell the products of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual to the consumers these independent agents represent. Some of the factors that could adversely affect the ability of our insurance
subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual to retain existing, and attract new, independent agents include:
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the significant competition among insurance companies to attract independent agents;
•
the labor-intensive and time-consuming process of selecting new independent agents;
•
the insistence of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual that independent agents adhere to certain standards;
•
the ability of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual to pay competitive and attractive commissions, bonuses and other incentives to independent agents; and
•
the ongoing consolidation of independent agencies, which may result in the acquisition of independent agencies from which our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual currently receive business by larger entities with which our
insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual do not have business relationships.
While our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual sell insurance to policyholders solely through their network of independent agencies, many competitors of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual sell
insurance through a variety of delivery methods, including independent agencies, captive agencies and direct sales. To the extent that current and potential policyholders change their distribution channel preference, the business, financial
condition and results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries may be adversely affected.
Dividends from our insurance subsidiaries are a significant source of funds for the payment of our operating expenses and dividends to our stockholders; however, there are
regulatory restrictions and business considerations that may limit the amount of dividends our insurance subsidiaries may pay to us.
As a holding company, we rely on dividends from our insurance subsidiaries as a significant source of funds to meet our corporate obligations and to pay dividends to our stockholders. The amount of dividends our
insurance subsidiaries can pay to us is subject to regulatory restrictions and depends on the amount of surplus our insurance subsidiaries maintain. From time to time, the NAIC and various state insurance regulators consider modifying the
method of determining the amount of dividends that an insurance company may pay without prior regulatory approval. The maximum amount of ordinary dividends that our insurance subsidiaries can pay to us in 2025 without prior regulatory approval
is approximately $53.3 million. Other business and regulatory considerations, such as the impact of dividends on surplus that could affect the ratings of our insurance subsidiaries, competitive conditions, RBC requirements, the investment
results of our insurance subsidiaries and the amount of premiums that our insurance subsidiaries write could also adversely impact the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends to us.
If A.M. Best downgrades the rating it has assigned to Donegal Mutual or any of our insurance subsidiaries, it would adversely affect their competitive position.
Industry ratings are a factor in establishing and maintaining the competitive position of insurance companies. A.M. Best, an industry-accepted source of insurance company financial strength ratings, rates Donegal
Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries. A.M. Best ratings provide an independent opinion of an insurance company’s financial health and its ability to meet its obligations to its policyholders. We believe that the financial strength rating of
A.M. Best is material to the operations of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries. For example, certain lenders require customers to purchase insurance from an insurance carrier that has received an A.M. Best rating that exceeds a
certain level. Currently, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries each have an A (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best. In May 2024, A.M. Best affirmed its A (Excellent) ratings of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries. However, if
A.M. Best were to downgrade the rating of Donegal Mutual or any of our insurance subsidiaries, it would adversely affect the competitive position of Donegal Mutual or that insurance subsidiary and make it more difficult for it to market its
products and retain its existing policyholders.
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The growth and profitability of our insurance subsidiaries depend, in part, on the effective maintenance and ongoing development of Donegal Mutual’s information technology
systems, and the allocation of related costs to our insurance subsidiaries may adversely impact their profitability.
Our insurance subsidiaries utilize Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems to conduct their insurance business, including policy quoting and issuance, claims processing, processing of incoming premium
payments and other important functions. As a result, the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to grow their business and conduct profitable operations depends on Donegal Mutual’s ability to maintain its existing information technology systems
and to develop new technology systems that will support the business of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries in a cost-efficient manner and provide information technology capabilities equivalent to those of our competitors. The
allocation among our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual of the costs of developing and maintaining Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems may adversely impact our insurance subsidiaries’ expense ratio and underwriting
profitability, and such costs may exceed Donegal Mutual’s and our expectations.
Donegal Mutual is currently in the midst of a multi-year effort to modernize certain of its key infrastructure and applications systems, and the allocation of related costs to our insurance subsidiaries has
resulted in an increase to their expense ratio. These new systems are intended to provide various benefits to the member companies of the Donegal Insurance Group, including streamlined workflows and business processes, service enhancements for
their agents and policyholders, opportunities to implement new product models and innovative business solutions, greater utilization of data analytics and operational efficiencies. Since 2020, we have implemented five major releases of new
systems. In 2025, Donegal Mutual expects to implement new systems for the remaining lines of business the Donegal Insurance Group issues currently and for the conversion of remaining legacy renewal policies of the Donegal Insurance Group. The
conversion process will continue into 2026 as legacy policies renew on a state-by-state rollout schedule. Even with Donegal Mutual’s and our best planning and efforts and the involvement of third-party experts, Donegal Mutual may not complete
the implementation of these new systems within its planned timeframes or budget. Further, Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems may not deliver the benefits Donegal Mutual and we expect and may fail to keep pace with our competitors’
information technology systems. As a result, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries may not have the ability to grow their business and meet their profitability objectives.
While we are currently placing less emphasis on pursuing acquisitions because Donegal Mutual and we believe there are significant opportunities for profitable organic growth,
our strategy to grow in part through acquisitions of other insurance companies exposes us to risks that could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
The affiliation with, and acquisition of, other insurance companies involves risks that could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. The risks associated with these affiliations and
acquisitions include:
•
the potential inadequacy of reserves for losses and loss expenses of the other insurer;
•
the need to supplement management of the other insurer with additional experienced personnel;
•
conditions imposed by regulatory agencies that make the realization of cost-savings through integration of the operations of the other insurer with our operations more difficult;
•
our management’s lack of familiarity with the geography, demographics and distribution systems in the markets the other insurer serves that cause the other insurer to fail to meet the growth and profitability objectives we
anticipated at the time of the acquisition or affiliation;
•
potential difficulties with integration of information technology systems and other operations;
•
the need of the other insurer for additional capital that we did not anticipate at the time of the acquisition or affiliation; and
•
the use of more of our management’s time in improving the operations of the other insurer than we originally anticipated.
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If we cannot obtain sufficient capital to fund the organic growth of our insurance subsidiaries and to make acquisitions, we may not be able to expand our business.
Our strategy is to expand our business through the organic growth of our insurance subsidiaries and through our strategic acquisitions of regional insurance companies. Our insurance subsidiaries may require
additional capital in the future to support this strategy. If we cannot obtain sufficient capital on satisfactory terms and conditions, we may not be able to expand the business of our insurance subsidiaries or to make future acquisitions. Our
ability to obtain additional financing will depend on a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control. For example, we may not be able to obtain additional debt or equity financing because we or our insurance subsidiaries may already
have substantial debt at the time, because we or our insurance subsidiaries do not have sufficient cash flow to service or repay our existing or additional debt or because financial institutions are not making financing available. In addition,
any equity capital we obtain in the future could be dilutive to our existing stockholders.
Competition within the property and casualty insurance industry may adversely impact the revenues and profit margins of our insurance subsidiaries.
The property and casualty insurance industry is intensely competitive. Competition can be based on many factors, including:
•
the perceived financial strength of the insurer;
•
premium rates;
•
policy terms and conditions;
•
policyholder service;
•
reputation; and
•
experience.
Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual compete with many regional and national property and casualty insurance companies, including direct sellers of insurance products, insurers having their own agency
organizations and other insurers represented by independent agents. Many of these insurers have greater capital than our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual, have substantially greater financial, technical and operating resources, have
substantially greater exposure and access to potential customers and have equal or higher ratings from A.M. Best than our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual. In addition, our competitors may become increasingly better capitalized in the
future as the property and casualty insurance industry continues to consolidate.
The greater capitalization of many of the competitors of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual enables them to operate with lower profit margins and, therefore, allows them to market their products more
aggressively, to take advantage more quickly of new marketing opportunities and to offer lower premium rates. In addition to established insurers, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual compete with a growing number of start-ups, some of
which have received substantial infusions of capital, that seek to disrupt traditional business platforms and distribution channels. Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may not be able to maintain their current competitive position in
the markets in which they operate if their competitors offer prices for their products that are lower than the prices our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual are prepared to offer. Moreover, if these competitors lower the price of their
products and our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual meet their pricing, the profit margins and revenues of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual may decrease and their ratios of claims and expenses to premiums may increase. All
of these factors could materially adversely affect the financial condition and results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries and their A.M. Best ratings.
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The investment portfolios of our insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of fixed-income securities; therefore, the investment income and the fair value of the investment
portfolios of our insurance subsidiaries could decrease as a result of a number of factors.
Our insurance subsidiaries invest the premiums they receive from their policyholders and maintain investment portfolios that consist primarily of fixed-income securities. The effective management of these
investment portfolios is an important component of the profitability of our insurance subsidiaries. Our insurance subsidiaries derive a significant portion of their operating income from the income they receive on their invested assets. A
number of factors may affect the quality and/or yield of their investment portfolios, including the general economic and business environment, government monetary policy, changes in the credit quality of the issuers of the fixed-income
securities our insurance subsidiaries own, changes in market conditions and regulatory changes. The fixed-income securities our insurance subsidiaries own consist primarily of securities issued by domestic entities that are backed by either the
credit or collateral of the underlying issuer. Factors such as an economic downturn, disruption in the credit market or the availability of credit, a regulatory change pertaining to a particular issuer’s industry, a significant deterioration in
the cash flows of the issuer or a change in the issuer’s marketplace may adversely affect the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to collect principal and interest from the issuer in which they invest.
The investments of our insurance subsidiaries are also subject to risk resulting from interest rate fluctuations. As we experienced when market interest rates increased significantly in 2022, increasing interest
rates or a widening in the spread between interest rates available on U.S. Treasury securities and corporate debt or asset-backed securities will typically have an adverse impact on the market values of fixed-rate securities. If interest rates
decline, our insurance subsidiaries will generally have a lower overall rate of return on investments of cash their operations generate. In addition, in the event of the call or maturity of investments in a low interest rate environment, our
insurance subsidiaries may not be able to reinvest the proceeds in securities with comparable interest rates. Changes in interest rates may reduce both the profitability and the return on the invested capital of our insurance subsidiaries.
We and our insurance subsidiaries depend on key personnel. The loss of any member of our executive management or the senior management of our insurance subsidiaries could
negatively affect the continuation of our business strategies and achievement of our growth objectives.
The loss of, or failure to attract, key personnel could significantly impede our financial plans, growth, marketing and other objectives and those of our insurance subsidiaries. The continued success of our
insurance subsidiaries depends to a substantial extent on the ability and experience of their senior management. Our insurance subsidiaries and we believe that our future success is dependent on our ability to attract and retain additional
skilled and qualified personnel and to expand, train and manage our employees. We and Donegal Mutual have employment agreements with our senior officers, including all of our named executive officers.
The reinsurance agreements on which our insurance subsidiaries rely do not relieve our insurance subsidiaries from their primary liability to their policyholders, and our
insurance subsidiaries face a risk of non-payment from their reinsurers as well as the non-availability of reinsurance in the future.
Our insurance subsidiaries rely on reinsurance agreements to limit their maximum net loss from large single catastrophic risks or excess of loss risks in areas where our insurance subsidiaries may have a
concentration of policyholders. Reinsurance also enables our insurance subsidiaries to increase their capacity to write insurance because it has the effect of leveraging the surplus of our insurance subsidiaries. Although the reinsurance our
insurance subsidiaries maintain provides that the reinsurer is liable to them for any reinsured losses, the reinsurance agreements do not generally relieve our insurance subsidiaries from their primary liability to their policyholders if the
reinsurer fails to pay the reinsurance claims of our insurance subsidiaries. To the extent that a reinsurer is unable to pay losses for which it is liable to our insurance subsidiaries, our insurance subsidiaries remain liable for such losses.
At December 31, 2024, our insurance subsidiaries had approximately $99.7 million of reinsurance receivables from third-party reinsurers relating to paid and unpaid losses. Any insolvency or inability of these reinsurers to make timely payments
to our insurance subsidiaries under the terms of their reinsurance agreements would adversely affect the results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries.
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Michigan law requires MICO to provide certain medical benefits under the personal injury protection, or PIP, coverage of the personal automobile and commercial automobile policies it writes in the state of
Michigan. Michigan law also requires MICO to be a member of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, or MCCA, in order to write automobile insurance. The MCCA receives funding through assessments that its members collect from policyholders
in the state and provides reinsurance for PIP claims that exceed a set retention. At December 31, 2024, MICO had approximately $46.3 million of reinsurance receivables from MCCA relating to paid and unpaid losses. The MCCA has generated
significant operating deficits in past years. While the MCCA generated an increase in surplus in recent years, the MCCA board approved the return of a significant portion of its accumulated surplus to policyholders in the form of cash refunds
in early 2022. Although we currently consider the risk to be remote, should the MCCA be unable to fulfill its payment obligations to MICO in the future, MICO’s financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
In addition, our insurance subsidiaries face a risk of the non-availability of reinsurance or an increase in reinsurance costs that could adversely affect their ability to write business or their results of
operations. Market conditions beyond the control of our insurance subsidiaries, such as the amount of surplus in the reinsurance market and the frequency and severity of natural and man-made catastrophes, affect both the availability and the
cost of the reinsurance our insurance subsidiaries purchase. If our insurance subsidiaries cannot maintain their current level of reinsurance or purchase new reinsurance protection in amounts that our insurance subsidiaries consider sufficient,
our insurance subsidiaries would either have to accept an increase in their net risk retention or reduce their insurance writings, either of which could adversely affect them. For example, due to increased reinsurance pricing and reduced
reinsurance market capacity, our insurance subsidiaries increased their net retentions under several of their reinsurance programs for 2024 and 2025.
The disruption or failure of Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems or the compromise of the security of those systems that results in the theft or misuse of
confidential information could materially impact adversely the business of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries.
Our insurance subsidiaries’ business operations depend significantly upon the availability and successful operation of Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems. In addition, in the normal course of their
operations, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries collect, utilize and maintain confidential information regarding individuals and businesses. While Donegal Mutual has established various security measures to protect its information
technology systems and confidential data, unanticipated computer viruses, malware, ransomware, power outages, unauthorized access or other cyberattacks could disrupt those systems or result in the misappropriation or loss of confidential data.
Donegal Mutual could experience technology system failures or other outages that would impact the availability of its information technology systems. Donegal Mutual has experienced brief disruptions of systems in the past, including those
systems that allow underwriting and processing of new policies. Disruption in the availability of Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems could affect the ability of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries to underwrite and
process their policies timely, process and settle claims promptly and provide expected levels of customer service to agents and policyholders.
While Donegal Mutual has identified threats to the security of its information technology systems, Donegal Mutual and we are unaware of any significant breach of the security measures Donegal Mutual maintains. A
significant breach of the security of Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems that results in the misappropriation or misuse of confidential information could damage the business reputation of Donegal Mutual and our insurance
subsidiaries and could expose Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries to litigation. The financial impact to Donegal Mutual, us and our insurance subsidiaries of a significant breach could be material.
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Risks Relating to Us and Our Common Stock
The price of our common stock may be adversely affected by its low trading volume.
Our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock have limited liquidity. Reported average daily trading volume for our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock for the year ended December 31, 2024 was
approximately 64,806 shares and approximately 1,190 shares, respectively. This limited liquidity could subject our shares of Class A common stock and our shares of
Class B common stock to greater price volatility.
Donegal Mutual is our controlling stockholder. Donegal Mutual and its directors and executive officers have potential conflicts of interest between the best interests of our
stockholders and the best interests of the policyholders of Donegal Mutual.
Donegal Mutual controls the election of all of the members of our board of directors. Seven of the eleven members of our board of directors are also directors of Donegal Mutual. Donegal Mutual and we share the same
executive officers. These common directors and executive officers have a fiduciary duty to our stockholders and also have a fiduciary duty to the policyholders of Donegal Mutual. Among the potential conflicts of interest that could arise from
these separate fiduciary duties are the following:
•
we and Donegal Mutual periodically review the percentage participation of Atlantic States and Donegal Mutual in the underwriting pool that Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States have maintained since 1986;
•
our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual annually review and then establish the terms of certain reinsurance agreements between our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual;
•
we and Donegal Mutual allocate certain shared expenses among ourselves and our insurance subsidiaries in accordance with various inter-company expense-sharing agreements; and
•
we and our insurance subsidiaries may enter into other transactions or contractual relationships with Donegal Mutual.
Donegal Mutual has sufficient voting power to determine the outcome of substantially all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval.
Each share of our Class A common stock has one-tenth of a vote per share and generally votes as a single class with our Class B common stock. Each share of our Class B common stock has one vote per share and
generally votes as a single class with our Class A common stock. Donegal Mutual has the right to vote approximately 70% of the combined voting power of our Class A common stock and our Class B common
stock and has sufficient voting control to and has acted to:
•
elect all of the members of our board of directors, who determine our management and policies; and
•
control the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matter submitted to a vote of our stockholders for approval, including mergers or other acquisition proposals and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, in each
case regardless of how all of our stockholders other than Donegal Mutual vote their shares.
The interests of Donegal Mutual in maintaining this greater-than-majority voting control of us may have an adverse effect on the price of our Class A common stock and the price of our Class B common stock because
of the absence of any potential “takeover” premium and may, therefore, be inconsistent with the interests of our stockholders other than Donegal Mutual.
Donegal Mutual’s majority voting control of us, certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and by-laws and certain provisions of Delaware law make
it remote that anyone could acquire actual control of us unless Donegal Mutual were in favor of another person’s acquisition of control of us.
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Donegal Mutual’s majority voting control of us, certain anti-takeover provisions in our certificate of incorporation and by-laws and certain provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, could
delay or prevent the removal of members of our board of directors and could make a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving us more expensive as well as unlikely to succeed, even if such events were in the best interests of our
stockholders other than Donegal Mutual. These factors could also discourage a third party from attempting to acquire control of us. In particular, our certificate of incorporation and by-laws include the following anti-takeover provisions:
•
our board of directors is classified into three classes, so that our stockholders elect only one-third of the members of our board of directors each year;
•
our stockholders may remove our directors only for cause;
•
our stockholders may not take stockholder action except at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders;
•
the request of stockholders holding at least 20% of the combined voting power of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock is required for a stockholder to call a special meeting of our stockholders;
•
our by-laws require that stockholders provide advance notice to us to nominate candidates for election to our board of directors or to propose any other item of stockholder business at a stockholders’ meeting;
•
we do not permit cumulative voting rights in the election of our directors;
•
our certificate of incorporation does not provide for preemptive rights in connection with any issuance of securities by us; and
•
our board of directors may issue, without stockholder approval unless otherwise required by law, preferred stock with such terms as our board of directors may determine.
We have authorized preferred stock that we could issue without stockholder approval to make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us.
We have 2.0 million authorized shares of preferred stock that we could issue in one or more series without further stockholder approval, unless the DGCL or the rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market otherwise
require, and upon such terms and conditions, and having such rights, privileges and preferences, as our board of directors may determine. Our potential issuance of preferred stock may make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control
of us.
Because we are an insurance holding company, no person can acquire or seek to acquire a 10% or greater interest in us without first obtaining approval of the insurance
commissioners of the states of domicile of each of our insurance subsidiaries.
We own insurance subsidiaries domiciled in the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and Donegal Mutual is domiciled in Pennsylvania and owns or controls insurance companies domiciled in Georgia and New
Mexico. The insurance laws of each of these states provide that no person can acquire or seek to acquire a 10% or greater interest in us without first filing specified information with the insurance commissioners of those states and obtaining
the prior approval of the proposed acquisition of a 10% or greater interest in us by each of the state insurance commissioners based on statutory standards designed to protect the safety and soundness of us and our insurance subsidiaries. These
approval requirements may make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us.
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Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments.
We have no unresolved written comments from the Securities and Exchange Commission staff regarding our filings under the Exchange Act.
Item 1C.
Cybersecurity.
Our insurance subsidiaries utilize the information systems Donegal Mutual maintains. Donegal Mutual has a robust information security program in place as a
component of the enterprise-level risk management program of Donegal Mutual and us. The integration of Donegal Mutual’s information security program into the enterprise-level risk management program is intended to promote the inclusion of cybersecurity considerations in decision-making processes throughout Donegal Mutual.
Donegal Mutual has implemented multiple layers of cybersecurity systems and related defensive measures that are intended to assist with assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats to Donegal Mutual’s information
systems. Examples of these systems and measures include firewalls, data encryption, intrusion detection and prevention systems, endpoint detection and response systems, data-loss prevention systems and multi-factor authentication requirements for
remote and privileged access. Donegal Mutual also regularly evaluates the effectiveness of its information security program through enterprise risk assessments.
Donegal Mutual also requires annual cybersecurity awareness training for all employees who serve Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries. Donegal Mutual
expects all employees to assist in safeguarding its information systems and to assist in the discovery and reporting of cybersecurity incidents. This enterprise-wide program is intended to identify and assess internal and external cyber and
information security risks that may threaten the security or integrity of the information stored on Donegal Mutual’s information systems or those of third-party providers from unauthorized access, use or other malicious acts.
Donegal Mutual employs a third-party security operations center that provides after-hours alert services to help ensure continuous monitoring for cybersecurity threats. On an annual basis, Donegal Mutual also engages third-party cybersecurity consultants to perform cyberattack and penetration
testing on its information systems and to conduct tabletop exercises to enhance preparedness of its crisis management team. This crisis management team includes technical and senior-level management personnel, and the exercises are intended to help
maintain their readiness by reviewing the roles they will be expected to perform and the procedures they will be expected to follow in the event of a cybersecurity incident. These consultants advise Donegal Mutual on the effectiveness of its
cybersecurity processes and assist Donegal Mutual in remediating any identified vulnerabilities and implementing any recommended measures to improve its cybersecurity defenses and readiness.
In addition to monitoring cybersecurity threats to Donegal Mutual’s information systems and information technology infrastructure, Donegal Mutual and we also assess and monitor the information security posture of third-party service providers whose services we deem critical to our operations. This process is designed to help Donegal Mutual’s information security personnel identify and mitigate risks related to data breaches or other cybersecurity incidents originating from third-party service providers in order to better protect Donegal Mutual’s information systems and information technology infrastructure.
Donegal Mutual and we are not aware of any cybersecurity incidents or risks from cybersecurity threats that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to affect, our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. While Donegal Mutual maintains cybersecurity insurance, the costs related to cybersecurity threats or disruptions may not be fully insured. For more information regarding the risks Donegal Mutual and we face from
cybersecurity threats, see “Risk Factors - Risks Relating to Our Business- The disruption or failure of Donegal Mutual’s information technology systems or the compromise of the security of those systems that results in the theft or misuse of
confidential information could materially impact adversely the business of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries.”
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Donegal Mutual employs an information
security officer who has relevant experience and expertise in information security and holds the management position that is primarily responsible for assessing and managing cybersecurity risks. In addition, the chief risk
officer of Donegal Mutual and us has extensive experience in the field of risk management, which is helpful for developing and executing Donegal Mutual’s information security program in a manner that aligns with the overall enterprise-level risk
management program of Donegal Mutual and us.
In connection with carrying out their
overall oversight responsibilities, the boards of directors of Donegal Mutual and us have delegated certain cybersecurity oversight responsibilities to the joint audit committee of those boards.
The joint audit committee meets at least quarterly and is central to the boards’ oversight of cybersecurity risks. A member of the joint audit committee has extensive information technology and cybersecurity experience in the insurance industry. The joint audit committee actively monitors these risks in order to assist in coordinating prevention and mitigation efforts by, among other things, participating
in risk management committee meetings and receiving quarterly reports from the chief risk officer of Donegal Mutual and us on cybersecurity risks and related matters. Donegal Mutual’s information security officer also provides an annual cybersecurity report to the boards of directors of Donegal Mutual and us. The annual cybersecurity report encompasses a broad range of topics, including types of threats and attempted infiltrations, applicable regulatory developments, information security program activities and planned cybersecurity enhancements to address emerging threats.
Donegal Mutual and we also maintain a risk management committee that is comprised of our shared executive officers and other key management personnel. This committee meets
quarterly and is responsible for our enterprise risk strategy and management, which includes identifying, assessing, addressing and monitoring cybersecurity risks. Donegal Mutual’s
information security officer provides quarterly updates to the risk management committee. Those updates include current cybersecurity issues and trends and any relevant information related to
the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of cybersecurity incidents.
Item 2.
Properties.
We and our insurance subsidiaries share administrative headquarters with Donegal Mutual in a building in Marietta, Pennsylvania that Donegal Mutual owns. The Marietta headquarters has approximately 270,000 square
feet of office space. Southern owns a facility of approximately 10,000 square feet in Glen Allen, Virginia. In addition, Donegal Mutual leases office space in Albuquerque, New Mexico, MICO leases office space in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and
Southern Mutual owns a building in Athens, Georgia. Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries share property-related expenses proportionately under a services allocation agreement.
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings.
Our insurance subsidiaries are parties to routine litigation that arises in the ordinary course of their insurance business. We believe that the resolution of these lawsuits will not have a material adverse effect
on the financial condition or results of operations of our insurance subsidiaries. However, regardless of outcome, litigation and related matters could have an adverse impact on us and our insurance subsidiaries due to defense and settlement
costs, diversion of management resources, negative publicity, reputational harm and other factors.
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Our Class A common stock and Class B common stock trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols “DGICA” and “DGICB,” respectively.
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At the close of business on March 3, 2025, we had approximately 1,477 holders of record of our Class A common stock and approximately 204 holders of record of our Class B
common stock.
We declared dividends of $0.69 per share on our Class A common stock and $0.62 per share on our Class B common stock in 2024, compared to $0.68 per share on our Class A common stock and $0.61 per share on our Class
B common stock in 2023.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
Between October 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual purchased shares of our Class A common stock as set forth in the table below:
Period
(a) Total Number of Shares
(or Units) Purchased
(b) Average Price Paid per
Share (or Unit)
(c) Total Number of Shares
(or Units) Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced Plans or
Programs
(d) Maximum Number (or
Approximate Dollar Value)
of Shares (or Units) that
May Yet Be Purchased
Under the Plans or
Programs
Month #1
October 1-31, 2024
Class A – 150,432
Class B – None
Class A – $15.49
Class B – None
Class A – 150,432
Class B – None
(1)
Month #2
November 1-30, 2024
Class A – 235,884
Class B – None
Class A – $15.88
Class B – None
Class A – 235,884
Class B – None
(1)
Month #3
December 1-31, 2024
Class A – 414,122
Class B – None
Class A – $16.63
Class B – None
Class A – 414,122
Class B – None
(1)
Total
Class A – 800,438
Class B – None
Class A – $16.20
Class B – None
Class A – 800,438
Class B – None
(1)
Donegal Mutual purchased these shares pursuant to its disclosure on April 29, 2022 that it will, at its discretion, purchase shares of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock at market prices prevailing from time
to time in the open market subject to the provisions of SEC Rule 10b-18 and in privately negotiated transactions. Such disclosure did not stipulate a maximum number of shares that may be purchased under this program.
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Stock Performance Chart.
The following graph provides an indicator of cumulative total stockholder returns on our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock for the period beginning on December 31, 2019 and ending on December 31,
2024, compared to the Russell 2000 Index and a peer group comprised of six property and casualty insurance companies over the same period. The peer group consists of Cincinnati Financial Corp., Hanover Insurance Group Inc., Horace Mann
Educators Corp., Kemper Corp., Selective Insurance Group Inc. and United Fire Group Inc. The graph shows the change in value of an initial $100 investment on December 31, 2019, assuming reinvestment of all dividends.
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Donegal Group Inc. Class A
$100.00
$98.98
$104.91
$109.16
$112.65
$130.65
Donegal Group Inc. Class B
100.00
96.57
114.54
144.15
134.32
136.44
Russell 2000
100.00
119.96
137.74
109.59
128.14
142.93
Peer Group
100.00
90.33
105.60
102.08
104.50
136.71
Research Data Group prepared the foregoing performance graph and data. The performance graph and accompanying data shall not be deemed “filed” as part of this Form 10-K Report for purposes of Section 18 of the
Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section and should not be deemed incorporated by reference into any other filing we make under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except to the extent
we specifically incorporate the performance graph and accompanying data by reference into such filing.
Item 6.
[Reserved]
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Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Overview
Donegal Mutual Insurance Company (“Donegal Mutual”) organized us as an insurance holding company on August 26, 1986. See “Business - History and Organizational Structure” for more information. Our insurance
subsidiaries are Atlantic States Insurance Company (“Atlantic States”), Michigan Insurance Company (“MICO”), The Peninsula Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Peninsula Indemnity Company (collectively, “Peninsula”), and Southern
Insurance Company of Virginia (“Southern”). Our insurance subsidiaries and their affiliates write commercial and personal lines of property and casualty coverages exclusively through a network of independent insurance agents in certain
Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Southern and Southwestern states. The commercial lines products of our insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of commercial automobile, commercial multi-peril and workers’ compensation policies. The personal lines
products of our insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of homeowners and private passenger automobile policies.
At December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual held approximately 44% of our outstanding Class A common stock and approximately 84% of our outstanding Class B common stock. This ownership provides Donegal Mutual with
approximately 70% of the combined voting power of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock and our outstanding shares of Class B common stock.
Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States have participated in a proportional reinsurance agreement, or pooling agreement, since 1986. Under the pooling agreement, Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States contribute
substantially all of their respective premiums, losses and loss expenses to the underwriting pool, and the underwriting pool, acting through Donegal Mutual, then allocates 80% of the pooled business to Atlantic States. Thus, Donegal Mutual and
Atlantic States share the underwriting results of the pooled business in proportion to their respective participation in the underwriting pool. The operations of our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual are interrelated due to the pooling
agreement and other factors. While maintaining the separate corporate existence of each company, our insurance subsidiaries conduct business together with Donegal Mutual and its insurance subsidiaries as the Donegal Insurance Group. The Donegal
Insurance Group is not a legal entity, is not an insurance company and does not issue or administer insurance policies. Rather, it is a trade name that refers to the group of insurance companies that are affiliated with Donegal Mutual. See
“Business - Relationship with Donegal Mutual” for more information regarding the pooling agreement and other transactions with our affiliates.
Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries operate together as the Donegal Insurance Group and share a combined business plan designed to achieve market penetration and underwriting profitability objectives. The
products our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual offer are generally complementary, thereby allowing Donegal Insurance Group to offer a broader range of products to a given market and to expand Donegal Insurance Group’s ability to service
an entire personal lines or commercial lines account. Distinctions within the products of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries generally allow the individual companies to manage certain risk segments through variations in coverage,
terms and pricing. Therefore, the underwriting profitability of the business the individual companies write directly will vary. However, because the pool homogenizes the risk characteristics of the predominant percentage of the business Donegal
Mutual and Atlantic States write directly and each company shares the underwriting results according to each company’s participation percentage, each company realizes its percentage share of the underwriting results of the pool.
In July 2013, our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program pursuant to which we have the authority to purchase up to 500,000 additional shares of our Class A common stock at prices prevailing from
time to time in the open market subject to the provisions of the SEC Rule 10b-18 and in privately negotiated transactions. We did not purchase any shares of our Class A common stock under this program during 2024 or 2023. We have purchased a
total of 57,658 shares of our Class A common stock under this program from its inception through December 31, 2024.
On April 29, 2022, Donegal Mutual disclosed that it will, at its discretion, purchase shares of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock at market prices prevailing from time to time in the open market
subject to the provisions of SEC Rule 10b-18 and in privately negotiated transactions. Such disclosure did not stipulate a maximum number of shares that may be purchased under this program. Donegal Mutual purchased 1,057,282 and 516,620 shares
of our Class A common stock during 2024 and 2023, respectively. Donegal Mutual did not purchase any shares of our Class B common stock during 2024 or 2023.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
We combine our financial statements with those of our insurance subsidiaries and present them on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Our insurance subsidiaries make estimates and assumptions that can have a significant effect on amounts and disclosures we report in our financial statements. The most significant estimates relate to the reserves
of our insurance subsidiaries for property and casualty insurance unpaid losses and loss expenses. While we believe our estimates and the estimates of our insurance subsidiaries are appropriate, the ultimate amounts may differ from the
estimates we provided. We regularly review our methods for making these estimates, and we reflect any adjustment we consider necessary in our results of operations for the period in which we make an adjustment.
Liability for Losses and Loss Expenses
Liabilities for losses and loss expenses are estimates at a given point in time of the amounts an insurer expects to pay with respect to incurred policyholder claims based on facts and circumstances the insurer
knows at that point in time. For example, legislative, judicial and regulatory actions may expand coverage definitions, retroactively mandate coverage or otherwise require our insurance subsidiaries to pay losses for damages that their policies
explicitly excluded or did not intend to cover. At the time of establishing its estimates, an insurer recognizes that its ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses will exceed or be less than such estimates. Our insurance subsidiaries
base their estimates of liabilities for losses and loss expenses on assumptions as to future loss trends, expected claims severity, judicial theories of liability and other factors. However, during the loss adjustment period, our insurance
subsidiaries may learn additional facts regarding individual claims, and, consequently, it often becomes necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to refine and adjust their estimates for these liabilities. We reflect any adjustments to the
liabilities for losses and loss expenses of our insurance subsidiaries in our consolidated results of operations in the period in which our insurance subsidiaries make adjustments to their estimates.
Our insurance subsidiaries maintain liabilities for the payment of losses and loss expenses with respect to both reported and unreported claims. Our insurance subsidiaries establish these liabilities for the
purpose of covering the ultimate costs of settling all losses, including investigation and litigation costs. Our insurance subsidiaries base the amount of their liability for reported losses primarily upon a case-by-case evaluation of the type
of risk involved, knowledge of the circumstances surrounding each claim and the insurance policy provisions relating to the type of loss the policyholder incurred. Our insurance subsidiaries determine the amount of their liability for
unreported claims and loss expenses on the basis of historical information by line of insurance. Our insurance subsidiaries account for inflation in the reserving function through analysis of costs and trends and reviews of historical reserving
results. Our insurance subsidiaries monitor their liabilities closely and recompute them periodically using new information on reported claims and a variety of statistical techniques. Our insurance subsidiaries do not discount their liabilities
for losses and loss expenses.
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Reserve estimates can change over time because of unexpected changes in assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment and, to a lesser extent, assumptions related to our insurance
subsidiaries’ internal operations. For example, our insurance subsidiaries have experienced an increase in claims severity and a lengthening of the claim settlement periods on bodily injury claims during the past several years. In addition, the
COVID-19 pandemic and related government mandates and restrictions resulted in various changes from historical claims reporting and settlement trends during 2020 and resulted in significant increases in loss costs in subsequent years due to a
number of factors, including supply chain disruption, higher new and used automobile values, increases in the cost of replacement automobile parts and rising labor rates. These trend changes caused significant disruption to historical loss
patterns and give rise to greater uncertainty as to the pattern of future loss settlements. Related uncertainties regarding future trends include social inflation, availability and cost of replacement automobile parts and building materials,
availability and cost of skilled labor, the rate of specialized plaintiff attorney involvement in claims, plaintiff attorney utilization of litigation financing and the cost of medical technologies and procedures. Assumptions related to our
insurance subsidiaries’ external environment include the absence of significant changes in tort law and the legal environment that increase liability exposure, consistency in judicial interpretations of insurance coverage and policy provisions
and the rate of loss cost inflation. Internal assumptions include consistency in the recording of premium and loss statistics, consistency in the recording of claims, payment and case reserving methodology, accurate measurement of the impact of
rate changes and changes in policy provisions, consistency in the quality and characteristics of business written within a given line of business and consistency in reinsurance coverage and collectability of reinsured losses, among other items.
To the extent our insurance subsidiaries determine that underlying factors impacting their assumptions have changed, our insurance subsidiaries make adjustments in their reserves that they consider appropriate for such changes. Accordingly, our
insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses will likely differ from the amount recorded at December 31, 2024. For every 1% change in our insurance subsidiaries’ loss and loss expense reserves, net of
reinsurance recoverable, the effect on our pre-tax results of operations would be approximately $7.0 million.
The establishment of appropriate liabilities is an inherently uncertain process and we can provide no assurance that our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability will not exceed our insurance subsidiaries’ loss
and loss expense reserves and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we cannot predict the timing, frequency and extent of adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ estimated future
liabilities, because the historical conditions and events that serve as a basis for our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of ultimate claim costs may change. As is the case for substantially all property and casualty insurance companies, our
insurance subsidiaries have found it necessary in the past to increase their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses in certain periods and, in other periods, their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses
have exceeded their actual liabilities for losses and loss expenses. Changes in our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of their liability for losses and loss expenses generally reflect actual payments and their evaluation of information received
subsequent to the prior reporting period.
Our insurance subsidiaries recognized a decrease in their liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years of $15.0 million, $16.7 million and $44.8 million in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our insurance
subsidiaries made no significant changes in their reserving philosophy or claims management personnel, and they have made no significant offsetting changes in estimates that increased or decreased their loss and loss expense reserves in those
years. The 2024 development represented 2.2% of the December 31, 2023 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the commercial multi-peril, personal automobile and homeowner lines of business, offset
partially by higher-than-expected loss emergence in the workers’ compensation and commercial automobile lines of business, for accident years prior to 2024. The majority of the 2024 development related to decreases in the liability for losses
and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO. The 2023 development represented 2.5% of the December 31, 2022 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the personal automobile and
commercial automobile lines of business for accident years prior to 2023. The majority of the 2023 development related to decreases in the liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO. The 2022 development
represented 7.2% of the December 31, 2021 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the personal automobile and commercial automobile lines of business for accident years prior to 2022. The majority
of the 2022 development related to decreases in the liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO.
Excluding the impact of severe weather events and the COVID-19 pandemic, our insurance subsidiaries have noted stable amounts in the number of claims incurred and the number of claims outstanding at period ends
relative to their premium base in recent years across most of their lines of business. However, the amount of the average claim outstanding has increased gradually over the past several years due to various factors such as increased property
and automobile repair and replacement costs, rising medical loss costs and increased litigation trends and lengthening of repair completion times for property and automobile claims. We have also experienced a general slowing of settlement rates
in litigated claims. Our insurance subsidiaries could have to make further adjustments to their estimates in the future. However, on the basis of our insurance subsidiaries’ internal procedures, which analyze, among other things, their prior
assumptions, their experience with similar cases and historical trends such as reserving patterns, loss payments, pending levels of unpaid claims and product mix, as well as court decisions, economic conditions and public attitudes, we believe
that our insurance subsidiaries have made adequate provision for their liability for losses and loss expenses.
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Atlantic States’ participation in the underwriting pool with Donegal Mutual exposes Atlantic States to adverse loss development on the business that Donegal Mutual contributes to the underwriting pool. However,
pooled business represents the predominant percentage of the net underwriting activity of both companies, and Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States share proportionately any adverse risk development relating to the pooled business. The business in
the underwriting pool is homogeneous and each company has a pro-rata share of the entire underwriting pool. Since the predominant percentage of the business of Atlantic States and Donegal Mutual is pooled and the results shared by each company
according to its participation level under the terms of the pooling agreement, the intent of the underwriting pool is to produce a more uniform and stable underwriting result from year to year for each company than either would experience
individually and to spread the risk of loss between the companies.
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Our insurance subsidiaries’ liability for losses and loss expenses by major line of business at December 31, 2024 and 2023 consisted of the following:
2024
2023
(in thousands)
Commercial lines:
Automobile
$
180,757
$
168,749
Workers’ compensation
129,406
122,473
Commercial multi-peril
208,676
217,292
Other
39,336
27,167
Total commercial lines
558,175
535,681
Personal lines:
Automobile
116,693
112,509
Homeowners
26,591
28,001
Other
2,905
12,952
Total personal lines
146,189
153,462
Total commercial and personal lines
704,364
689,143
Plus reinsurance recoverable
416,621
437,014
Total liability for losses and loss expenses
$
1,120,985
$
1,126,157
We have evaluated the effect on our insurance subsidiaries’ loss and loss expense reserves and our stockholders’ equity in the event of reasonably likely changes in the variables we consider in establishing loss
and loss expense reserves. We established the range of reasonably likely changes based on a review of changes in accident year development by line of business and applied it to our insurance subsidiaries’ loss reserves as a whole. The selected
range does not necessarily indicate what could be the potential best or worst case or the most-likely scenario. The following table sets forth the effect on our insurance subsidiaries’ loss and loss expense reserves and our stockholders’ equity
in the event of reasonably likely changes in the variables considered in establishing loss and loss expense reserves:
Change in Loss and Loss
Expense Reserves Net of
Reinsurance
Adjusted Loss and Loss
Expense Reserves Net of
Reinsurance at
December 31, 2024
Percentage Change in
Equity at
December 31, 2024(1)
Adjusted Loss and Loss
Expense Reserves Net of
Reinsurance at
December 31, 2023
Percentage Change in
Equity at
December 31, 2023(1)
(dollars in thousands)
-10.0%
$633,928
10.2%
$620,229
11.3%
-7.5
651,537
7.6
637,457
8.5
-5.0
669,146
5.1
654,686
5.7
-2.5
686,755
2.5
671,914
2.8
Base
704,364
—
689,143
—
2.5
721,973
-2.5
706,372
-2.8
5.0
739,582
-5.1
723,600
-5.7
7.5
757,191
-7.6
740,829
-8.5
10.0
774,800
-10.2
758,057
-11.3
(1)
Net of income tax effect.
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Our insurance subsidiaries base their reserves for unpaid losses and loss expenses on current trends in loss and loss expense development and reflect their best estimates for future amounts needed to pay losses and
loss expenses with respect to incurred events currently known to them plus incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) claims. Our insurance subsidiaries develop their reserve estimates based on an assessment of known facts and circumstances, review of
historical loss settlement patterns, estimates of trends in claims severity, frequency, legal and regulatory changes and other assumptions. Our insurance subsidiaries consistently apply actuarial loss reserving techniques and assumptions, which
rely on historical information as adjusted to reflect current conditions, including consideration of recent case reserve activity. Our insurance subsidiaries use the point estimate their actuaries select. For
the year ended December 31, 2024, the actuaries developed a range from a low of $672.1 million to a high of $740.4 million and selected a point estimate of $704.4 million. The actuaries’ range of estimates for commercial lines in 2024 was
$533.0 million to $587.5 million, and the actuaries selected a point estimate of $558.2 million. The actuaries’ range of estimates for personal lines in 2024 was $139.1 million to $153.0 million, and the actuaries selected a point estimate of
$146.2 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the actuaries developed a range from a low of $651.1 million to a high of $728.7 million and selected a point estimate of $689.1 million. The actuaries’ range of estimates for commercial
lines in 2023 was $507.2 million to $565.4 million, and the actuaries selected a point estimate of $535.7 million. The actuaries’ range of estimates for personal lines in 2023 was $144.0 million to $163.3 million, and the actuaries selected a
point estimate of $153.5 million.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to enhance their underwriting results by carefully selecting the product lines they underwrite. For personal lines products, our insurance subsidiaries insure standard and preferred
risks in private passenger automobile and homeowners lines. For commercial lines products, the commercial risks that our insurance subsidiaries primarily insure are business offices, wholesalers, service providers, contractors, artisans and
light manufacturing operations. Our insurance subsidiaries have limited exposure to asbestos and other environmental liabilities. Through the consistent application of this disciplined underwriting philosophy, our insurance subsidiaries have
avoided many of the “long-tail” issues other insurance companies have faced. We consider workers’ compensation to be a “long-tail” line of business, in that workers’ compensation claims tend to be settled over a longer time frame than those in
the other lines of business of our insurance subsidiaries.
The following table presents 2024 and 2023 claim count and payment amount information for workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation losses primarily consist of indemnity and medical costs for injured workers.
For the Year Ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands)
2024
2023
Number of claims pending, beginning of period
3,144
3,366
Number of claims reported
5,066
5,928
Number of claims settled or dismissed
5,378
6,150
Number of claims pending, end of period
2,832
3,144
Losses paid
$
54,597
$
54,336
Loss expenses paid
$
10,953
$
12,292
Management Evaluation of Operating Results
Despite challenging insurance market conditions and increasing property and casualty loss severity trends that affected our results in recent years, we believe that our focused business strategy, including our
insurance subsidiaries’ ongoing implementation of premium rate increases and refinements to their underwriting practices, have positioned us well for 2025 and beyond.
Because our insurance subsidiaries do not prepare GAAP financial statements, we evaluate the performance of our commercial lines and personal lines segments utilizing statutory accounting practices (“SAP”), which
include financial measures that reflect the growth trends and underwriting results of our insurance subsidiaries.
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We use the following financial data to monitor and evaluate our operating results:
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2024
2023
2022
Net premiums written:
Commercial lines:
Automobile
$
184,989
$
174,741
$
167,774
Workers’ compensation
103,533
107,598
111,892
Commercial multi-peril
213,959
195,632
200,045
Other
45,439
50,458
51,135
Total commercial lines
547,920
528,429
530,846
Personal lines:
Automobile
243,036
215,957
181,129
Homeowners
140,613
139,688
120,087
Other
10,712
11,623
11,468
Total personal lines
394,361
367,268
312,684
Total net premiums written
$
942,281
$
895,697
$
843,530
Components of combined ratio:
Loss ratio
64.5
%
69.1
%
68.6
%
Expense ratio
33.7
34.7
34.1
Dividend ratio
0.4
0.6
0.6
Combined ratio
98.6
%
104.4
%
103.3
%
Revenues:
Net premiums earned:
Commercial lines
$
539,683
$
533,029
$
521,227
Personal lines
396,968
349,042
301,263
Total net premiums earned
936,651
882,071
822,490
Net investment income
44,918
40,853
34,016
Investment gains (losses)
4,981
3,173
(10,185
)
Other
3,055
1,241
1,900
Total revenues
$
989,605
$
927,338
$
848,221
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2024
2023
2022
Components of net income (loss):
Underwriting income (loss):
Commercial lines
$
5,826
$
(6,998
)
$
(22,665
)
Personal lines
5,739
(35,118
)
(13,506
)
SAP underwriting income (loss)
11,565
(42,116
)
(36,171
)
GAAP adjustments
1,331
3,735
8,667
GAAP underwriting income (loss)
12,896
(38,381
)
(27,504
)
Net investment income
44,918
40,853
34,016
Investment gains (losses)
4,981
3,173
(10,185
)
Other
(456
)
(582
)
35
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)
62,339
5,063
(3,638
)
Income tax expense (benefit)
11,477
637
(1,679
)
Net income (loss)
$
50,862
$
4,426
$
(1,959
)
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Non-GAAP Information
We prepare our consolidated financial statements on the basis of GAAP. Our insurance subsidiaries prepare financial statements based on SAP. SAP financial measures are considered non-GAAP financial measures under
applicable SEC rules because the SAP financial measures include or exclude certain items that the most comparable GAAP financial measures do not ordinarily include or exclude. Our calculation of non-GAAP financial measures may differ from
similar measures other companies use. As a result, investors should exercise caution when comparing our non-GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures other companies use. The SAP financial measures we utilize are net premiums
written and statutory combined ratio.
Net Premiums Written
We define net premiums written as the amount of full-term premiums our insurance subsidiaries record for policies effective within a given period less premiums our insurance subsidiaries cede to reinsurers. Net
premiums earned is the most comparable GAAP financial measure to net premiums written. Net premiums earned represent the sum of the amount of net premiums written and the change in net unearned premiums during a given period. Our insurance
subsidiaries earn premiums and recognize them as revenue over the terms of their policies, which are one year or less in duration. Therefore, increases or decreases in net premiums earned generally reflect increases or decreases in net premiums
written in the preceding 12-month period compared to the comparable period one year earlier.
The following table provides a reconciliation of our net premiums earned to our net premiums written for 2024:
(in thousands)
Commercial Lines
Personal
Lines
Total
Net premiums earned
$
539,683
$
396,968
$
936,651
Change in net unearned premiums
8,237
(2,607
)
5,630
Net premiums written
$
547,920
$
394,361
$
942,281
The following table provides a reconciliation of our net premiums earned to our net premiums written for 2023:
(in thousands)
Commercial Lines
Personal
Lines
Total
Net premiums earned
$
533,029
$
349,042
$
882,071
Change in net unearned premiums
(4,600
)
18,226
13,626
Net premiums written
$
528,429
$
367,268
$
895,697
The following table provides a reconciliation of our net premiums earned to our net premiums written for 2022:
(in thousands)
Commercial Lines
Personal
Lines
Total
Net premiums earned
$
521,227
$
301,263
$
822,490
Change in net unearned premiums
9,619
11,421
21,040
Net premiums written
$
530,846
$
312,684
$
843,530
Statutory Combined Ratio
The combined ratio is a standard measurement of underwriting profitability for an insurance company. The combined ratio does not reflect investment income, net investment gains or losses,
federal income taxes or other non-operating income or expense. A combined ratio of less than 100% generally indicates underwriting profitability.
The statutory combined ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure that is based upon amounts determined under SAP. We calculate our statutory combined ratio as the sum of:
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•
the statutory loss ratio, which is the ratio of calendar-year net incurred losses and loss expenses to net premiums earned;
•
the statutory expense ratio, which is the ratio of expenses incurred for net commissions, premium taxes and underwriting expenses to net premiums written; and
•
the statutory dividend ratio, which is the ratio of dividends to holders of workers’ compensation policies to net premiums earned.
The calculation of our statutory combined ratio differs from the calculation of our GAAP combined ratio. In calculating our GAAP combined ratio, we do not deduct installment payment fees from
incurred expenses, and we base the expense ratio on net premiums earned instead of net premiums written. Differences between our GAAP loss ratio and our statutory loss ratio result from anticipating salvage and subrogation recoveries for our
GAAP loss ratio but not for our statutory loss ratio.
The following table presents comparative details with respect to our GAAP and statutory combined ratios for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Year Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
GAAP Combined Ratios (Total Lines)
Loss ratio - core losses
54.0
%
57.5
%
59.8
%
Loss ratio - weather-related losses
7.2
8.3
7.7
Loss ratio - large fire losses
4.9
5.2
6.5
Loss ratio - net prior-year reserve development
-1.6
-1.9
-5.4
Loss ratio
64.5
69.1
68.6
Expense ratio
33.7
34.7
34.1
Dividend ratio
0.4
0.6
0.6
Combined ratio
98.6
%
104.4
%
103.3
%
Statutory Combined Ratios
Commercial lines:
Automobile
102.6
%
97.3
%
98.0
%
Workers’ compensation
104.4
96.6
97.3
Commercial multi-peril
95.0
112.3
116.9
Other
80.0
85.5
80.8
Total commercial lines
98.2
101.6
103.7
Personal lines:
Automobile
97.4
109.7
103.8
Homeowners
99.6
108.6
111.0
Other
99.5
75.8
52.1
Total personal lines
98.3
108.2
102.8
Total commercial and personal lines
98.3
104.2
103.3
Results of Operations
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2024 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023
Net Premiums Earned
Our insurance subsidiaries’ net premiums earned increased to $936.7 million for 2024, an increase of $54.6 million, or 6.2%, compared to 2023, primarily reflecting solid
premium retention and renewal premium increases. Our insurance subsidiaries earn premiums and recognize them as income over the terms of the policies they issue. Such terms are generally one year or less in duration. Therefore, increases or
decreases in net premiums earned generally reflect increases or decreases in net premiums written in the preceding twelve-month period compared to the same period one year earlier.
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Net Premiums Written
Our insurance subsidiaries’ 2024 net premiums written increased 5.2% to $942.3 million, compared to $895.7 million for 2023. Commercial lines net premiums written increased $19.5 million, or 3.7%, for 2024 compared
to 2023. We attribute the increase in commercial lines net premiums written primarily to strong premium retention and a continuation of renewal premium increases in lines other than workers’ compensation, offset partially by planned attrition
in states we exited or classes of business we have targeted for profit improvement. Personal lines net premiums written increased $27.1 million, or 7.4%, for 2024 compared to 2023. We attribute the increase in personal lines net premiums
written primarily to renewal premium rate increases and solid policy retention, offset partially by planned attrition due to non-renewal actions and lower new business writings.
Investment Income
For 2024, our net investment income increased 10.0% to $44.9 million, compared to $40.9 million for 2023, due primarily to higher average reinvestment yields and higher average invested assets for 2024 compared to
2023.
Net Investment Gains
Our net investment gains for 2024 were $5.0 million, compared to $3.2 million for 2023. The net investment gains for 2024 and 2023 were primarily related to increases in the market value of the equity securities
held at the end of the respective periods. We did not recognize any impairment losses during 2024 or 2023.
Losses and Loss Expenses
Our insurance subsidiaries’ loss ratio, which is the ratio of incurred losses and loss expenses to premiums earned, was 64.5% for 2024, compared to 69.1% for 2023. Our insurance subsidiaries’ commercial lines loss
ratio decreased to 62.0% for 2024, compared to 64.8% for 2023. This decrease resulted primarily from the commercial multi-peril loss ratio decreasing to 57.5% for 2024, compared to 73.1% for 2023, primarily due to a decrease in severity of
non-weather claims, offset partially by increases in the commercial automobile and workers’ compensation loss ratios due primarily to increases in loss emergence for prior accident years. The commercial automobile loss ratio increased to 68.5%
for 2024, compared to 63.0% for 2023. The workers’ compensation loss ratio increased to 67.7% for 2024, compared to 59.0% for 2023. The personal lines loss ratio decreased to 68.0% for 2024, compared to 75.6% for 2023, due primarily to
increases in net premiums earned related to premium rate increases. The personal automobile loss ratio decreased to 68.5% for 2024, compared to 78.5% for 2023. The homeowners loss ratio decreased to 66.7% for 2024, compared to 73.6% for 2023.
Our insurance subsidiaries experienced favorable loss reserve development of approximately $15.0 million, or 1.6 percentage points of the loss ratio, during 2024 in their reserves for prior accident
years, compared to approximately $16.7 million, or 1.9 percentage points of the loss ratio, during 2023. The favorable loss reserve development in 2024 resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the commercial multi-peril,
personal automobile and homeowner lines of business, offset partially by higher-than-expected loss emergence in the workers’ compensation and commercial automobile lines of business, for accident years prior to 2024. Weather-related losses of
$67.7 million, or 7.2 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2024 increased from $72.9 million, or 8.3 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2023, with the decrease primarily impacting the commercial multi-peril and homeowners lines of
business. Large fire losses, which we define as individual fire losses in excess of $50,000, were $45.8 million, or 4.9 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2024, compared to $45.4 million, or 5.2 percentage points of the loss ratio, for
2023.
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Underwriting Expenses
Our insurance subsidiaries’ expense ratio, which is the ratio of policy acquisition and other underwriting expenses to premiums earned, was 33.7% for 2024, compared to 34.7% for 2023. We attribute the decrease to
the impacts of various expense reduction initiatives, including agency incentive program revisions, commission schedule adjustments, targeted staffing reductions, and hiring restrictions for open employment positions, among others. These
impacts were offset partially by an increase in underwriting-based incentive costs as well as higher technology systems-related expenses that were primarily due to increased costs related to our ongoing systems modernization project, a portion
of which Donegal Mutual Insurance Company allocates to our insurance subsidiaries. We expect the impact from allocated costs from Donegal Mutual Insurance Company to our insurance subsidiaries related to the ongoing systems modernization
project peaked at approximately 1.3 percentage points of the expense ratio for 2024 and will subside gradually in 2025 and subsequent years.
Policyholder Dividends
Our insurance subsidiaries pay policyholder dividends primarily on workers’ compensation policies on a sliding scale based on the profitability of a given policy.
Combined Ratio
Our insurance subsidiaries’ combined ratio was 98.6% and 104.4% for 2024 and 2023, respectively. The combined ratio represents the sum of the loss ratio, the expense ratio and the dividend ratio, which is the ratio
of workers’ compensation policy dividends incurred to premiums earned. We attribute the decrease in our combined ratio primarily to the decreases in the loss and expense ratios.
Interest Expense
Our interest expense for 2024 increased to $946,020, compared to $619,813 for 2023. We attribute the increase to higher interest rates on borrowings under our lines of credit during 2024 compared to 2023.
Income Taxes
Our income tax expense was $11.5 million for 2024, compared to $637,972 for 2023. Our effective tax rate for 2024 and 2023 was 18.4% and 12.6%, respectively.
Net Income and Earnings Per Share
Our net income for 2024 was $50.9 million, or $1.53 per share of Class A common stock on a diluted basis and $1.38 per share of Class B common stock, compared to $4.4 million, or $0.14 per share of Class A common
stock on a diluted basis and $0.11 per share of Class B common stock, for 2023. We had 30.0 million and 27.8 million Class A shares outstanding at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. We had 5.6 million Class B shares outstanding for both
periods. There are no outstanding securities that dilute our shares of Class B common stock.
Book Value Per Share
Our stockholders’ equity increased by $66.0 million during 2024, primarily due to our net income, stock issuances under our stock compensation plans and other increases exceeding the cash dividends we declared
during the year and resulting in an increase in our book value per share to $15.36 at December 31, 2024, compared to $14.39 a year earlier.
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 COMPARED TO YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022
Net Premiums Earned
Our insurance subsidiaries’ net premiums earned increased to $882.1 million for 2023, an increase of $59.6 million, or 7.2%, compared to 2022, primarily reflecting solid
premium retention and renewal premium increases. Our insurance subsidiaries earn premiums and recognize them as income over the terms of the policies they issue. Such terms are generally one year or less in duration. Therefore, increases or
decreases in net premiums earned generally reflect increases or decreases in net premiums written in the preceding twelve-month period compared to the same period one year earlier.
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Net Premiums Written
Our insurance subsidiaries’ 2023 net premiums written increased 6.2% to $895.7 million, compared to $843.5 million for 2022. Commercial lines net premiums written decreased $2.4 million, or 0.5%, for 2023 compared
to 2022. We attribute the decrease in commercial lines net premiums written primarily to planned attrition in states we are exiting or have targeted for profit improvement, lower new business writings and reinsurance reinstatement premiums on
our property excess of loss reinsurance program, offset partially by strong premium retention and a continuation of renewal premium increases in lines other than workers’ compensation. Personal lines net premiums written increased $54.6
million, or 17.5%, for 2023 compared to 2022. We attribute the increase in personal lines net premiums written primarily to renewal premium increases and strong policy retention.
Investment Income
For 2023, our net investment income increased 20.1% to $40.9 million, compared to $34.0 million for 2022, due primarily to higher average reinvestment yields and higher average invested assets for 2023 compared to
2022.
Net Investment Gains (Losses)
Our net investment gains for 2023 were $3.2 million. Our net investment losses for 2022 were $10.2 million. The net investment gains (losses) for 2023 and 2022 were primarily related to increases (decreases) in the
market value of the equity securities held at the end of the respective periods. We did not recognize any impairment losses during 2023 or 2022.
Losses and Loss Expenses
Our insurance subsidiaries’ loss ratio, which is the ratio of incurred losses and loss expenses to premiums earned, was 69.1% for 2023, compared to 68.6% for 2022. Our insurance subsidiaries’ commercial lines loss
ratio decreased to 64.8% for 2023, compared to 67.1% for 2022. This decrease resulted primarily from the commercial multi-peril loss ratio decreasing to 73.1% for 2023, compared to 79.2% for 2022, primarily due to a decrease in severity of
non-weather claims. The personal lines loss ratio increased to 75.6% for 2023, compared to 71.0% for 2022. The personal automobile loss ratio increased to 78.5% for 2023, compared to 72.1% for 2022, primarily due to an increase in automobile
claim severity due to the ongoing impact of supply chain disruption and labor shortages on the costs of repair and replacement vehicles. Our insurance subsidiaries experienced favorable loss reserve development of approximately $16.7 million,
or 1.9 percentage points of the loss ratio, during 2023 in their reserves for prior accident years, compared to approximately $44.8 million, or 5.4 percentage points of the loss ratio, during 2022. The
favorable loss reserve development in 2023 resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the personal automobile and commercial automobile lines of business for accident years prior to 2023. Weather-related losses of $72.9
million, or 8.3 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2023 increased from $63.5 million, or 7.7 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2022, with the increase primarily impacting the homeowners line of business. Large fire losses, which we
define as individual fire losses in excess of $50,000, were $45.4 million, or 5.2 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2023, compared to $53.5 million, or 6.5 percentage points of the loss ratio, for 2022. The decrease was related to lower
average claim severity of both commercial property and home fires in 2023 compared to 2022.
Underwriting Expenses
Our insurance subsidiaries’ expense ratio, which is the ratio of policy acquisition and other underwriting expenses to premiums earned, was 34.7% for 2023, compared to 34.1% for 2022. We attribute the modest
increase to higher technology system-related expenses for 2023 compared to 2022, offset somewhat by decreased underwriting-based incentive costs for our employees for 2023 compared to 2022. The increase in technology systems-related expenses
for 2023 was primarily due to an increased allocation of costs from Donegal Mutual to our insurance subsidiaries following the successful implementation of two additional major releases of new systems as part of our ongoing systems
modernization project in 2023. We expect the impact from allocated costs from Donegal Mutual to our insurance subsidiaries related to the ongoing systems modernization project will peak at approximately 1.25 percentage points of the expense
ratio in 2024 before beginning to subside gradually in subsequent years.
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Index
Policyholder Dividends
Our insurance subsidiaries pay policyholder dividends primarily on workers’ compensation policies on a sliding scale based on the profitability of a given policy.
Combined Ratio
Our insurance subsidiaries’ combined ratio was 104.4% and 103.3% for 2023 and 2022, respectively. The combined ratio represents the sum of the loss ratio, the expense ratio and the dividend ratio, which is the
ratio of workers’ compensation policy dividends incurred to premiums earned. We attribute the increase in our combined ratio primarily to the increases in the loss and expense ratios.
Interest Expense
Our interest expense for 2023 decreased slightly to $619,813, compared to $620,558 for 2022.
Income Taxes
Our income tax expense was $637,972 for 2023, compared to an income tax benefit of $1.7 million for 2022. Our effective tax rate for 2023 was 12.6%.
Net Income (Loss) and Earnings (Loss) Per Share
Our net income for 2023 was $4.4 million, or $0.14 per share of Class A common stock on a diluted basis and $0.11 per share of Class B common stock, compared to a net loss for 2022 of $2.0 million, or $0.06 per
share of Class A common stock and $0.07 per share of Class B common stock. We had 27.8 million and 27.1 million Class A shares outstanding at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We had 5.6 million Class B shares outstanding for both
periods. There are no outstanding securities that dilute our shares of Class B common stock.
Book Value Per Share
Our stockholders’ equity decreased by $3.8 million during 2023, primarily due to the cash dividends we declared exceeding our net income and other increases during the year, resulting in a decrease in our book
value per share to $14.39 at December 31, 2023, compared to $14.79 a year earlier.
Financial Condition
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Liquidity is a measure of an entity’s ability to secure enough cash to meet its contractual obligations and operating needs as they arise. Our major sources of funds from operations are the net cash flows generated
from our insurance subsidiaries’ underwriting results, investment income and maturing investments.
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We have historically generated sufficient net positive cash flow from our operations to fund our commitments and build our investment portfolio, thereby increasing future investment returns. The pooling agreement
with Donegal Mutual historically has been cash flow positive because of the profitability of the underwriting pool. Because we settle the pool monthly, our cash flows are substantially similar to the cash flows that would result from the
underwriting of direct business. We maintain a high degree of liquidity in our investment portfolio in the form of marketable fixed maturities, equity securities and short-term investments. We structure our fixed-maturity investment portfolio
following a “laddering” approach so that projected cash flows from investment income and principal maturities are evenly distributed from a timing perspective. This laddering approach provides an additional measure of liquidity to meet our
obligations and the obligations of our insurance subsidiaries should an unexpected variation occur in the future. Net cash flows provided by operating activities in 2024, 2023 and 2022 were $67.4 million, $28.6 million and $67.1 million,
respectively.
At December 31, 2024, we had no outstanding borrowings under our line of credit with M&T and had the ability to borrow up to $20.0 million at interest rates equal to the then-current Term SOFR rate plus 2.11%.
At December 31, 2024, Atlantic States had a $35.0 million outstanding advance with the FHLB of Pittsburgh that carries a fixed interest rate of 3.806% and is due in September 2026. We discuss in Note 9 – Borrowings our estimate of the timing of
the amounts payable for the borrowings under our lines of credit based on their contractual maturities.
We estimate the timing of claim payments associated with the liabilities for losses and loss expenses of our insurance subsidiaries based on historical experience and expectations of future payment patterns.
Amounts Atlantic States assumes pursuant to the pooling agreement with Donegal Mutual represent a substantial portion of our insurance subsidiaries’ gross liabilities for losses and loss expenses, and amounts Atlantic States cedes pursuant to
the pooling agreement represent a substantial portion of our insurance subsidiaries’ reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses and loss expenses. We include cash settlement of Atlantic States’ assumed liabilities from the pool in monthly
settlements of pooled activity, as we net amounts ceded to and assumed from the pool. Although Donegal Mutual and we do not anticipate any changes in the pool participation levels in the foreseeable future, any such change would be prospective
in nature and therefore would not impact the timing of expected payments by Atlantic States for its percentage share of pooled losses occurring in periods prior to the effective date of such change.
The cash dividends we declared to our stockholders totaled $23.2 million, $22.2 million and $20.9 million in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. There are no regulatory
restrictions on our payment of dividends to our stockholders, although there are restrictions under applicable state laws on the payment of dividends from our insurance subsidiaries to us, which is a significant source of cash for payment of
stockholder dividends by us. Our insurance subsidiaries are required by law to maintain certain minimum surplus on a statutory basis and are subject to regulations under which their payment of dividends from statutory surplus is restricted and
may require prior approval of their domiciliary insurance regulatory authorities. Our insurance subsidiaries are also subject to risk-based capital (“RBC”) requirements. The amount of statutory capital and surplus necessary for our insurance
subsidiaries to satisfy regulatory requirements, including the RBC requirements, was not significant in relation to our insurance subsidiaries’ statutory capital and surplus at December 31, 2024. Amounts available for distribution to us as
dividends from our insurance subsidiaries without prior approval of insurance regulatory authorities in 2025 are approximately $40.7 million from Atlantic States, $7.8 million from MICO and $4.7 million from Peninsula, or a total of
approximately $53.3 million.
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Investments
At December 31, 2024 and 2023, our investment portfolio of primarily investment-grade bonds, common stock, short-term investments and cash totaled $1.4 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively, representing 61.6% and
58.6%, respectively, of our total assets. See “Business - Investments” for more information.
December 31,
2024
2023
Percent of
Percent of
(dollars in thousands)
Amount
Total
Amount
Total
Fixed maturities:
Total held to maturity
$
705,714
51.0
%
$
679,497
51.2
%
Total available for sale
617,892
44.6
589,348
44.4
Total fixed maturities
1,323,606
95.6
1,268,845
95.6
Equity securities
36,808
2.6
25,903
2.0
Short-term investments
24,558
1.8
32,306
2.4
Total investments
$
1,384,972
100.0
%
$
1,327,054
100.0
%
The carrying value of our fixed maturity investments represented 95.6% of our total invested assets at December 31, 2024 and 2023.
Our fixed maturity investments consisted of high-quality marketable bonds, of which 95.6% and 95.2% were rated at investment-grade levels at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
At December 31, 2024, the net unrealized loss on our available-for-sale fixed maturity investments, net of deferred taxes, amounted to $27.4 million, compared to $31.9 million at December 31, 2023.
Impact of Inflation
Our insurance subsidiaries establish their property and casualty insurance premium rates before they know the amount of losses and loss settlement expenses or the extent to which inflation may impact such expenses.
Consequently, our insurance subsidiaries attempt, in establishing rates, to anticipate the potential future impact of inflation. Our insurance subsidiaries account for inflation in the reserving function through analysis of costs and trends and
reviews of historical reserving results.
Impact of Changing Climate Conditions
Insured losses from severe weather events could significantly impact the underwriting results of our insurance subsidiaries. Losses from catastrophic events are a function of both the extent of our insurance
subsidiaries’ exposures, the frequency and severity of the events themselves and the level of reinsurance coverage our insurance subsidiaries purchase. The increased frequency and severity of weather-related catastrophes and other losses, such
as from wildfires and flooding, incurred by the industry in recent years may be indicative of changing weather patterns due to climate change. Should those patterns continue to emerge, increased weather-related catastrophes in the states in
which our insurance subsidiaries operate would lead to higher overall losses that they may be unable to offset through pricing actions.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to reduce their exposure to catastrophe losses through their underwriting strategies and their purchase of catastrophe reinsurance. While the emerging science regarding climate
change and its connection to extreme weather events continues to be studied, climate change, to the extent it produces rising temperatures and changes in weather patterns, could affect the frequency and severity of weather events and other
losses and thus impact the affordability and availability of catastrophe reinsurance coverage for our insurance subsidiaries. Our insurance subsidiaries’ ability to appropriately manage catastrophe risk depends partially on catastrophe models,
which rely on historical data that might not be representative of the frequency and severity of future events. Such models might also be unable to anticipate the uncertain impact of changing climate conditions that tend to occur gradually over
time. Because the policies of our insurance subsidiaries renew not less frequently than annually, our insurance subsidiaries have the ability to respond to the impact of changing climate conditions through adjustments to their underwriting
standards, pricing, and policy terms and conditions, subject to applicable regulatory approvals.
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Changing climate conditions could lead to new or revised regulations with which our insurance subsidiaries would have to comply. Such regulations could impact the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to manage
their exposures in areas impacted by increased weather activity, require our insurance companies to alter the terms and conditions of their policies or impact the ability of our insurance subsidiaries to obtain sufficient pricing increases to
offset higher loss activity.
Impact of New Accounting Standards
In September 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued guidance that amended previous guidance on the impairment of financial instruments by adding an impairment model that requires an
entity to recognize expected credit losses as an allowance rather than impairments as credit losses are incurred. The intent of this guidance is to reduce complexity and result in a more timely recognition of expected credit losses. In November
2019, the FASB issued guidance that delayed the effective date for “smaller reporting companies,” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, to annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022 from December 15, 2019.
We were a smaller reporting company at the time this guidance was issued, and our adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2023 resulted in an after-tax decrease in retained earnings of $1.9 million. The adoption of this guidance did not have a
significant impact on our results of operations or cash flows.
In November 2023, the FASB issued guidance that amended previous guidance on the disclosure of reportable segments. The guidance requires disclosure of incremental segment information including the title and
position of the individual identified as the chief operating decision maker, a narrative explanation of how the chief operating decision maker uses each reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss in assessing performance and determining how
to allocate resources, as well as quantification of significant segment expenses and other items. We refer to Note 19 - Segment Information for further information and disclosure of items required within the amended and enhanced guidance. The
adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In December 2023, the FASB issued guidance to enhance the transparency and usefulness of income tax disclosures. The guidance requires disclosure of specific categories in the rate reconciliation table and
additional information for reconciling items that meet a quantitative threshold of equal to or greater than 5 percent of the amount computed by multiplying pretax income or loss by the applicable statutory income tax rate. The guidance also
requires disaggregated disclosure of the amount of income taxes paid for federal, state and foreign taxes. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The adoption of this guidance will not have an impact on
our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In November 2024, the FASB issued guidance requiring disaggregated disclosure of income statement expenses in the notes to financial statements. The guidance requires disclosure of certain expenses, including
employee compensation, depreciation and selling expenses. The guidance will not impact current income statement expense captions that industry-specific guidance requires. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after
December 15, 2026. The adoption of this guidance will not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K.
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Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
We are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes, to changes in fair values of investments and to credit risk.
In the normal course of business, we employ established policies and procedures to manage our exposure to changes in interest rates, fluctuations in the fair market value of our debt and equity securities and
credit risk. We seek to mitigate these risks by various actions we describe below.
Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to market risk for a change in interest rates is concentrated in our investment portfolio. We monitor this exposure through periodic reviews of our asset and liability positions. We regularly monitor
estimates of cash flows and the impact of interest rate fluctuations relating to our investment portfolio. Generally, we do not hedge our exposure to interest rate risk because we have the capacity to, and do, hold fixed-maturity investments to
maturity.
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Principal cash flows and related weighted-average interest rates by stated maturity dates for the financial instruments we held at December 31, 2024 that are sensitive to interest rates are as follows:
(in thousands)
Principal
Cash Flows
Weighted-
Average
Interest Rate
Fixed-maturity and short-term investments:
2025
$
82,064
4.18
%
2026
65,538
3.93
2027
73,054
3.92
2028
84,203
4.27
2029
88,485
3.78
Thereafter
998,456
3.52
Total
$
1,391,800
Fair value
$
1,274,020
Debt:
2026
$
35,000
3.81
%
Total
$
35,000
Fair value
$
35,000
Actual cash flows from investments may differ from those depicted above as a result of calls and prepayments.
Equity Price Risk
Our portfolio of equity securities, which we carry on our consolidated balance sheets at estimated fair value, has exposure to price risk, which is the risk of potential loss in estimated fair value resulting from
an adverse change in prices. Our objective is to mitigate this risk and to earn competitive relative returns by investing in a diverse portfolio of high-quality, liquid securities.
Credit Risk
Our objective is to earn competitive returns by investing in a diversified portfolio of securities. Our portfolio of fixed maturity securities and, to a lesser extent, short-term investments is subject to credit
risk. We define this risk as the potential loss in fair value resulting from adverse changes in the borrower’s ability to repay the debt. We manage this risk by performing an analysis of prospective investments and through regular reviews of
our portfolio by our investment personnel. We also limit the amount of our total investment portfolio that we invest in any one security.
Our insurance subsidiaries provide property and liability insurance coverages through independent insurance agencies located throughout their operating areas. Our insurance subsidiaries bill the majority of this
business directly to the insured, although our insurance subsidiaries bill a portion of their commercial business through their agents, to whom they extend credit in the normal course of business.
Because the pooling agreement does not relieve Atlantic States of primary liability as the originating insurer, Atlantic States is subject to a concentration of credit risk arising from the business Atlantic States
cedes to Donegal Mutual. Our insurance subsidiaries maintain reinsurance agreements with Donegal Mutual and with a number of other major unaffiliated authorized reinsurers. To the extent that a reinsurer cannot pay losses for which it is liable
under the terms of a reinsurance agreement with one or more of our insurance subsidiaries, our insurance subsidiaries retain continued liability for such losses.
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Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Schedule
Consolidated Balance Sheets
63
Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
64
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
65
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
66
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
67
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm ( KPMG LLP , PCAOB ID 185 )
105
Schedule:
Schedule III — Supplementary Insurance Information
113
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Donegal Group Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
December 31,
2024
2023
Assets
Investments
Fixed maturities
Held to maturity, at amortized cost (fair value $ 631,568,929
and $ 611,526,338 ; net of allowance for expected credit losses of $ 1,388,240 and $ 1,325,847 )
$
705,713,916
$
679,497,038
Available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost $ 652,564,965
and $ 629,727,513 )
617,891,862
589,348,243
Equity securities, at fair value
36,807,810
25,902,956
Short-term investments, at cost, which approximates fair value
24,558,744
32,305,408
Total investments
1,384,972,332
1,327,053,645
Cash
52,925,931
23,792,273
Accrued investment income
10,361,959
9,945,714
Premiums receivable
181,106,519
179,591,821
Reinsurance receivable (net of allowance for expected credit losses of $ 391,432
and $ 1,394,074 )
420,741,855
441,431,334
Deferred policy acquisition costs
73,346,967
75,043,404
Deferred tax asset, net
18,769,861
19,532,525
Prepaid reinsurance premiums
176,161,872
168,724,465
Property and equipment, net
2,479,183
2,633,405
Accounts receivable - securities
24,924
1,501,079
Federal income taxes recoverable
—
8,102,321
Due from affiliate
8,410,090
1,907,527
Goodwill
5,625,354
5,625,354
Other intangible assets
958,010
958,010
Other
147,126
451,011
Total assets
$
2,336,031,983
$
2,266,293,888
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Liabilities
Losses and loss expenses
$
1,120,985,050
$
1,126,156,838
Unearned premiums
612,476,068
599,411,468
Accrued expenses
2,916,705
3,946,974
Reinsurance balances payable
4,345,426
8,758,976
Borrowings under lines of credit
35,000,000
35,000,000
Cash dividends declared to stockholders
6,031,078
5,569,992
Federal income taxes payable
356,103
—
Other
8,145,422
7,704,286
Total liabilities
1,790,255,852
1,786,548,534
Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred stock, $ 0.01 par value, authorized 2,000,000 shares; none
issued
—
—
Class A common stock, $ 0.01 par value, authorized 50,000,000 shares, issued 32,954,347
and 30,764,555 shares and outstanding 29,951,759 and 27,761,967 shares
329,544
307,646
Class B common stock, $ 0.01 par value, authorized 10,000,000 shares, issued 5,649,240
shares and outstanding 5,576,775 shares
56,492
56,492
Additional paid-in capital
369,679,946
335,694,478
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
( 28,200,481
)
( 32,881,822
)
Retained earnings
245,136,987
217,794,917
Treasury stock, at cost
( 41,226,357
)
( 41,226,357
)
Total stockholders’ equity
545,776,131
479,745,354
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
$
2,336,031,983
$
2,266,293,888
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
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Donegal Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) and
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Statements of Income (Loss)
Revenues
Net premiums earned (includes affiliated reinsurance of $ 239,521,005 ,
$ 237,903,029 and $ 232,105,306
- see note 3)
$
936,651,480
$
882,071,386
$
822,489,450
Investment income, net of investment expenses
44,918,162
40,853,215
34,016,112
Installment payment fees
2,740,505
894,137
1,516,330
Lease income
313,831
346,439
383,451
Net investment gains (losses) (includes ($ 174,302 ), ($ 2,242,190 ) and ($ 979,972 )
accumulated other comprehensive income reclassification)
4,981,072
3,172,807
( 10,184,797
)
Total revenues
989,605,050
927,337,984
848,220,546
Expenses
Net losses and loss expenses (includes affiliated reinsurance of $ 136,662,558 ,
$ 150,198,479 and $ 177,849,040
- see note 3)
604,117,716
609,177,699
564,078,993
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs
160,311,000
154,214,000
142,430,000
Other underwriting expenses
155,253,685
151,747,579
137,923,739
Policyholder dividends
4,073,481
5,313,430
5,560,407
Interest
946,020
619,813
620,558
Other, net
2,564,216
1,201,987
1,244,948
Total expenses
927,266,118
922,274,508
851,858,645
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)
62,338,932
5,063,476
( 3,638,099
)
Income tax expense (benefit) (includes $ 36,603 , $ 470,860 and $ 205,794 income tax
benefit from reclassification items)
11,476,680
637,972
( 1,678,694
)
Net income (loss)
$
50,862,252
$
4,425,504
$
( 1,959,405
)
Basic earnings (loss) per common share:
Class A common stock
$
1.53
$
0.14
$
( 0.06
)
Class B common stock
$
1.38
$
0.11
$
( 0.07
)
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Class A common stock
$
1.53
$
0.14
$
( 0.06
)
Class B common stock
$
1.38
$
0.11
$
( 0.07
)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income (loss)
$
50,862,252
$
4,425,504
$
( 1,959,405
)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities:
Unrealized holding gain (loss) arising during the period, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $ 1,207,804 , $ 1,285,390 and ($ 12,164,443 )
4,543,642
4,246,693
( 45,761,476
)
Reclassification adjustment for losses included in net income (loss), net of income tax benefit of $ 36,603 , $ 470,860 and $ 205,794
137,699
1,771,330
774,178
Other comprehensive income (loss)
4,681,341
6,018,023
( 44,987,298
)
Comprehensive income (loss)
$
55,543,593
$
10,443,527
$
( 46,946,703
)
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
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Donegal Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of
Stockholders’ Equity
Common Stock
Class A Shares
Class B Shares
Class A Amount
Class B Amount
Additional Paid-In Capital
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Retained Earnings
Treasury Stock
Total Stockholders’ Equity
Balance, January 1, 2022
28,756,203
5,649,240
$
287,562
$
56,492
$
304,889,481
$
3,283,551
$
263,745,358
$
( 41,226,357
)
$
531,036,087
Issuance of common stock (stock compensation plans)
161,254
1,613
2,122,277
2,123,890
Stock-based compensation
1,202,806
12,028
18,252,148
18,264,176
Net loss
( 1,959,405
)
( 1,959,405
)
Cash dividends
( 20,884,438
)
( 20,884,438
)
Grant of stock options
337,741
( 337,741
)
—
Other comprehensive loss
( 44,987,298
)
( 44,987,298
)
Balance, December 31, 2022
30,120,263
5,649,240
$
301,203
$
56,492
$
325,601,647
$
( 41,703,747
)
$
240,563,774
$
( 41,226,357
)
$
483,593,012
Issuance of common stock (stock compensation plans)
150,426
1,504
2,081,186
2,082,690
Stock-based compensation
493,866
4,939
7,683,782
7,688,721
Net income
4,425,504
4,425,504
Cash dividends
( 22,166,694
)
( 22,166,694
)
Grant of stock options
327,863
( 327,863
)
—
Cumulative effect of adoption of updated guidance for credit losses at January 1, 2023
( 1,895,902
)
( 1,895,902
)
Reclassification of held-to-maturity transfer
2,803,902
( 2,803,902
)
—
Other comprehensive income
6,018,023
6,018,023
Balance, December 31, 2023
30,764,555
5,649,240
$
307,646
$
56,492
$
335,694,478
$
( 32,881,822
)
$
217,794,917
$
( 41,226,357
)
$
479,745,354
Issuance of common stock (stock compensation plans)
153,366
1,534
2,006,136
2,007,670
Stock-based compensation
2,036,426
20,364
31,621,452
31,641,816
Net income
50,862,252
50,862,252
Cash dividends
( 23,162,302
)
( 23,162,302
)
Grant of stock options
357,880
( 357,880
)
—
Other comprehensive income
4,681,341
4,681,341
Balance, December 31, 2024
32,954,347
5,649,240
$
329,544
$
56,492
$
369,679,946
$
( 28,200,481
)
$
245,136,987
$
( 41,226,357
)
$
545,776,131
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
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Donegal Group Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Years Ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)
$
50,862,252
$
4,425,504
$
( 1,959,405
)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, amortization and other non-cash items
3,873,161
4,326,446
4,841,559
Net investment (gains) losses
( 4,981,072
)
( 3,172,807
)
10,184,797
Changes in Assets and Liabilities:
Losses and loss expenses
( 5,171,788
)
5,111,080
43,425,457
Unearned premiums
13,064,600
21,758,338
4,694,708
Accrued expenses
( 1,030,269
)
( 279,416
)
197,731
Premiums receivable
( 1,514,698
)
( 5,745,527
)
( 4,983,714
)
Deferred policy acquisition costs
1,696,437
( 1,873,174
)
( 5,141,857
)
Deferred income taxes
( 481,743
)
229,397
( 2,958,735
)
Reinsurance receivable
20,689,479
13,959,053
( 1,111,214
)
Accrued investment income
( 416,245
)
( 1,084,422
)
( 646,321
)
Amounts due from affiliate
( 6,502,563
)
( 7,080,816
)
7,096,006
Reinsurance balances payable
( 4,413,550
)
5,263,152
( 450,281
)
Prepaid reinsurance premiums
( 7,437,407
)
( 8,133,066
)
16,344,443
Current income taxes
8,458,424
408,576
( 3,219,959
)
Other, net
745,019
511,426
796,805
Net adjustments
16,577,785
24,198,240
69,069,425
Net cash provided by operating activities
67,440,037
28,623,744
67,110,020
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Purchases of fixed maturities:
Held to maturity
( 56,707,019
)
( 25,226,609
)
( 74,902,605
)
Available for sale
( 147,736,805
)
( 150,423,864
)
( 151,994,462
)
Purchases of equity securities
( 8,697,500
)
( 5,128,994
)
( 15,862,888
)
Sales of fixed maturities:
Available for sale
7,184,635
28,154,556
24,381,244
Maturity of fixed maturities:
Held to maturity
30,548,257
32,923,991
53,747,886
Available for sale
116,612,046
58,277,402
75,759,806
Sales of equity securities
3,010,413
19,745,875
34,973,196
Net sales (purchases) of property and equipment
743
( 44,701
)
28,290
Net sales (purchases) of short-term investments
7,746,664
25,015,703
( 44,628,770
)
Net cash used in investing activities
( 48,038,566
)
( 16,706,641
)
( 98,498,303
)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Issuance of common stock
32,433,403
8,645,530
19,304,956
Cash dividends paid
( 22,701,216
)
( 21,893,692
)
( 20,502,716
)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
9,732,187
( 13,248,162
)
( 1,197,760
)
Net increase (decrease) in cash
29,133,658
( 1,331,059
)
( 32,586,043
)
Cash at beginning of year
23,792,273
25,123,332
57,709,375
Cash at end of year
$
52,925,931
$
23,792,273
$
25,123,332
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
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Donegal Group Inc.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Organization and Business
Donegal Mutual Insurance Company (“Donegal
Mutual”) organized us as an insurance holding company on August 26, 1986. Our insurance subsidiaries are Atlantic States Insurance Company (“Atlantic States”), Michigan Insurance Company (“MICO”), the Peninsula Insurance Group (“Peninsula”), which consists of The Peninsula Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary Peninsula Indemnity Company, and Southern Insurance Company of Virginia (“Southern”). Our insurance subsidiaries and their
affiliates write commercial and personal lines of property and casualty coverages exclusively through a network of independent insurance agents in certain Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, Southern and Southwestern states.
At December 31, 2024, we had three
segments: our investment function, our commercial lines of insurance and our personal lines of insurance. The commercial lines products of our insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of commercial automobile, commercial multi-peril and workers’
compensation policies. The personal lines products of our insurance subsidiaries consist primarily of homeowners and private passenger automobile policies.
At December 31, 2024, Donegal Mutual held approximately 44 %
of our outstanding Class A common stock and approximately 84 % of our outstanding Class B common stock. This ownership provides Donegal
Mutual with approximately 70 % of the total voting power of our common stock. Our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual have
interrelated operations due to a pooling agreement and other intercompany agreements and transactions. While each company maintains its separate corporate existence, our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual conduct business together as the
Donegal Insurance Group. As such, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries share the same business philosophy, the same management, the same employees and the same facilities and offer the same types of insurance products.
Atlantic States, our largest subsidiary, participates in a proportional reinsurance agreement (the “pooling agreement”) with Donegal Mutual. Under the pooling agreement,
Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States contribute substantially all of their respective premiums, losses and loss expenses to the underwriting pool, and the underwriting pool, acting through Donegal Mutual, then allocates 80 % of the pooled business to Atlantic States. Thus, Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States share the underwriting results of the pooled business in
proportion to their respective participation in the underwriting pool.
In addition, Donegal Mutual has a 100 % quota-share
reinsurance agreement with Southern Mutual Insurance Company (“Southern Mutual”). Donegal Mutual places its assumed business from Southern Mutual into the underwriting pool. Donegal Mutual also has a 100 % quota-share reinsurance agreement with Mountain States Indemnity Company and Mountain States Commercial Insurance Company (collectively, the “Mountain States insurance
subsidiaries”). Donegal Mutual places its assumed business from the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries into the underwriting pool.
The same executive management and underwriting personnel administer products, classes of business underwritten, pricing practices and underwriting
standards of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries. In addition, as the Donegal Insurance Group, Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries share a combined business plan to achieve market penetration and underwriting profitability
objectives. The products our insurance subsidiaries and Donegal Mutual market are generally complementary, thereby allowing the Donegal Insurance Group to offer a broader range of products to a given market and to expand the Donegal Insurance
Group’s ability to service an entire personal lines or commercial lines account. Distinctions within the products of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries generally allow the individual companies to manage certain risk segments through
variations in coverage, terms and pricing. Therefore, the underwriting profitability of the business the individual companies write directly will vary. However, the underwriting pool homogenizes the risk characteristics of all business that
Donegal Mutual and Atlantic States write directly. The business Atlantic States derives from the underwriting pool represents a significant percentage of our total consolidated revenues. We refer to Note 3 - Transactions with Affiliates for more
information regarding the pooling agreement.
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Basis of Consolidation
Our consolidated financial statements, which we have prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”),
include our accounts and those of our wholly owned subsidiaries. We have eliminated all significant inter-company accounts and transactions in consolidation. The terms “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” as we use them in the notes to our
consolidated financial statements refer to the consolidated entity.
Use of Estimates
In preparing our consolidated financial statements, our management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date
of the balance sheet and revenues and expenses for the period then ended. Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates.
We make estimates and assumptions that could have a significant effect on amounts and disclosures we report in our consolidated financial statements. The most
significant estimates relate to our insurance subsidiaries’ reserves for property and casualty insurance unpaid losses and loss expenses. While we believe our estimates and the estimates of our insurance subsidiaries are appropriate, the ultimate
amounts may differ from the estimates provided. We regularly review our methods for making these estimates as well as the continuing appropriateness of the estimated amounts, and we reflect any adjustment we consider necessary in our current
results of operations.
Reclassification
We have made certain reclassifications in our prior period financial statements to conform to the current year presentation.
Investments
We classify our debt securities into the following categories:
Held to Maturity - Debt securities that we have the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity; reported at amortized cost.
Available for Sale - Debt securities not classified as held to maturity; reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from income and reported as a
separate component of stockholders’ equity (net of tax effects).
Short-term investments are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
We make estimates concerning
the valuation of our investments and, as applicable, the recognition of declines in the value of our investments. For equity securities, we measure investments at fair value, and we recognize changes in fair value in our results of operations.
With respect to an available-for-sale debt security that is in an unrealized loss position, we first assess if we intend to sell the debt security. If we determine we intend to sell the debt security, we recognize the impairment loss in our
results of operations. If we do not intend to sell the debt security, we determine whether it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery. If we determine it is more likely than not that we will be
required to sell the debt security prior to recovery, we recognize the impairment loss in our results of operations. If we determine it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell the debt security prior to recovery, we then
evaluate whether a credit loss has occurred with respect to that security. We determine whether a credit loss has occurred by comparing the amortized cost of the debt security to the present value of the cash flows we expect to collect. If we
expect a cash flow shortfall, we consider that a credit loss has occurred. If we determine that a credit loss has occurred, we establish an allowance for credit loss. We then recognize the amount of the allowance in our results of operations, and
we recognize the remaining portion of the impairment loss in our other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes. We regularly review the allowance for credit losses and recognize changes in the allowance in our results of operations. In
addition, we may write down securities in an unrealized loss position based on a number of other factors, including when the fair value of an investment is significantly below its cost, when the financial condition of the issuer of a security has
deteriorated, the occurrence of industry, issuer or geographic events that have negatively impacted the value of a security and rating agency downgrades. For held-to-maturity debt securities, we make estimates concerning expected credit losses at
an aggregated level rather than monitoring individual debt securities for credit losses. We establish an allowance for expected credit losses based on an ongoing review of securities held, historical loss data, changes in issuer credit standing
and other relevant factors. We utilize a probability-of-default methodology, which reflects current and forecasted economic conditions, to estimate the allowance for expected credit losses and recognize changes to the allowance in our results of
operations.
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We amortize premiums and discounts on debt securities over the life of the security as an adjustment to yield using the effective interest method. We compute investment
gains and losses using the specific identification method.
We amortize premiums and discounts for mortgage-backed debt securities using anticipated prepayments.
Fair Values of Financial Instruments
We use the following methods and assumptions in estimating our fair value disclosures:
Investments - We present our investments in available-for-sale fixed maturity and equity securities at estimated fair value. The estimated fair value of a security may
differ from the amount that we could realize if we sold the security in a forced transaction. In addition, the valuation of fixed maturity investments is more subjective when markets are less liquid, increasing the potential that the estimated fair
value does not reflect the price at which an actual transaction would occur. We utilize nationally recognized independent pricing services to estimate fair values for our fixed maturity and equity investments. We generally obtain two prices per
security. The pricing services utilize market quotations for fixed maturity and equity securities that have quoted prices in active markets. For fixed maturity securities that generally do not trade on a daily basis, the pricing services prepare
estimates of fair value measurements based predominantly on observable market inputs. The pricing services do not use broker quotes in determining the fair values of our investments. Our investment personnel review the estimates of fair value the
pricing services provide to determine if the estimates we obtain are representative of fair values based upon the general knowledge of our investment personnel of the market, their research findings related to unusual fluctuations in value and
their comparison of such values to execution prices for similar securities. Our investment personnel monitor the market and are familiar with current trading ranges for similar securities and the pricing of specific investments. Our investment
personnel review all pricing estimates that we receive from the pricing services against their expectations with respect to pricing based on fair market curves, security ratings, coupon rates, security type and recent trading activity. Our
investment personnel review documentation with respect to the pricing services’ pricing methodology that they obtain periodically to determine if the primary pricing sources, market inputs and pricing frequency for various security types are
reasonable. We refer to Note 5 - Fair Value Measurements for more information regarding our methods and assumptions in estimating fair values.
Cash and Short-Term Investments - The carrying amounts we report in the balance sheet for these instruments approximate their fair values.
Premiums and Reinsurance Receivables and Payables - The carrying amounts we report in the balance sheet for these instruments related to premiums and paid losses and
loss expenses approximate their fair values.
Revenue Recognition
Our insurance subsidiaries recognize insurance premiums as income over the terms of the policies they issue. Our insurance subsidiaries calculate unearned premiums on a
daily pro-rata basis.
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Policy Acquisition Costs
We defer our insurance subsidiaries’ policy acquisition costs, consisting primarily of commissions, premium taxes and certain other underwriting costs, reduced by ceding
commissions, related directly to the successful acquisition of new or renewal insurance contracts. We amortize these deferred policy acquisition costs over the period in which our insurance subsidiaries earn the premiums. The method we follow in
computing deferred policy acquisition costs limits the amount of such deferred costs to their estimated realizable value, which gives effect to the premium to be earned, related investment income, losses and loss expenses and certain other costs we
expect to incur as our insurance subsidiaries earn the premium. Estimates in the calculation of policy acquisition costs have not shown material variability because of uncertainties in applying accounting principles or as a result of sensitivities
to changes in key assumptions.
Property and Equipment
We report property and equipment at depreciated cost that we compute using the straight-line method based upon estimated useful lives of the assets.
Losses and Loss Expenses
Liabilities for losses and loss expenses are estimates at a given point in time of the amounts an insurer expects to pay with respect to incurred policyholder claims
based on facts and circumstances the insurer knows at that point in time. For example, legislative, judicial and regulatory actions may expand coverage definitions, retroactively mandate coverage or otherwise require our insurance subsidiaries to
pay losses for damages that their policies explicitly excluded or did not intend to cover. At the time of establishing its estimates, an insurer recognizes that its ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses will exceed or be less than such
estimates. Our insurance subsidiaries base their estimates of liabilities for losses and loss expenses on assumptions as to future loss trends, expected claims severity, judicial theories of liability and other factors. However, during the loss
adjustment period, our insurance subsidiaries may learn additional facts regarding individual claims, and, consequently, it often becomes necessary for our insurance subsidiaries to refine and adjust their estimates for these liabilities. We
reflect any adjustments to the liabilities for losses and loss expenses of our insurance subsidiaries in our consolidated results of operations in the period in which our insurance subsidiaries make adjustments to their estimates.
O ur insurance subsidiaries
maintain liabilities for the payment of losses and loss expenses with respect to both reported and unreported claims. Our insurance subsidiaries establish these liabilities for the purpose of covering the ultimate costs of settling all losses,
including investigation and litigation costs. Our insurance subsidiaries base the amount of their liability for reported losses primarily upon a case-by-case evaluation of the type of risk involved, knowledge of the circumstances surrounding each
claim and the insurance policy provisions relating to the type of loss the policyholder incurred. Our insurance subsidiaries determine the amount of their liability for unreported claims and loss expenses on the basis of historical information by
line of insurance. Our insurance subsidiaries account for inflation in the reserving function through analysis of costs and trends and reviews of historical reserving results. Our insurance subsidiaries monitor their liabilities closely and
recompute them periodically using new information on reported claims and a variety of statistical techniques. Our insurance subsidiaries do not discount their liabilities for losses and loss expenses .
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Reserve estimates can change over time because of unexpected changes in
assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment and, to a lesser extent, assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ internal operations. For example, our insurance subsidiaries have experienced an increase in
claims severity and a lengthening of the claim settlement periods on bodily injury claims during the past several years. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and related government mandates and restrictions resulted in various changes from
historical claims reporting and settlement trends during 2020 and resulted in significant increases in loss costs in subsequent years due to a number of factors, including supply chain disruption, higher new and used automobile values, increases
in the cost of replacement automobile parts and rising labor rates. These continuing trend changes caused significant disruption to historical loss patterns and give rise to greater uncertainty as to the pattern of future loss settlements.
Related uncertainties regarding future trends include social inflation, availability and cost of replacement automobile parts and building materials, availability and cost of skilled labor, the rate of specialized plaintiff attorney involvement
in claims, plaintiff attorney utilization of litigation financing and the cost of medical technologies and procedures. Assumptions related to our insurance subsidiaries’ external environment include the absence of significant changes in tort law
and the legal environment that increase liability exposure, consistency in judicial interpretations of insurance coverage and policy provisions and the rate of loss cost inflation. Internal assumptions include consistency in the recording of
premium and loss statistics, consistency in the recording of claims, payment and case reserving methodology, accurate measurement of the impact of rate changes and changes in policy provisions, consistency in the quality and characteristics of
business written within a given line of business and consistency in reinsurance coverage and collectability of reinsured losses, among other items. To the extent our insurance subsidiaries determine that underlying factors impacting their
assumptions have changed, our insurance subsidiaries make adjustments in their reserves that they consider appropriate for such changes. Accordingly, our insurance subsidiaries’ ultimate liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses will likely
differ from the amount recorded at December 31, 2024.
Our insurance subsidiaries seek to enhance their underwriting results by carefully selecting the product lines they underwrite. Our insurance subsidiaries’ personal
lines products primarily include standard and preferred risks in private passenger automobile and homeowners lines. Our insurance subsidiaries’ commercial lines products primarily include business offices, wholesalers, service providers,
contractors, artisans and light manufacturing operations. Our insurance subsidiaries have limited exposure to asbestos and other environmental liabilities.
Income Taxes
We currently file a consolidated federal income tax return that includes us and our insurance subsidiaries.
We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method. The objective of the asset and liability method is to establish deferred tax assets and liabilities for
the temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax basis of our assets and liabilities at enacted tax rates we expect to be in effect when we realize or settle such amounts.
Credit Risk
Our objective is to earn competitive returns by investing in a diversified portfolio of securities. Our portfolio of fixed maturity securities and, to a lesser extent,
short-term investments is subject to credit risk. We define this risk as the potential loss in fair value resulting from adverse changes in the borrower’s ability to repay its debt to us. We manage this risk by performing an analysis of prospective
investments and through regular reviews of our portfolio by our investment personnel. We also limit the amount of our total investment portfolio that we invest in any one security.
Our insurance subsidiaries provide property and liability insurance coverages through independent insurance agencies located throughout their operating areas. Our
insurance subsidiaries bill the majority of this business directly to their policyholders, although our insurance subsidiaries bill a portion of their commercial business through their agents, to whom they extend credit in the normal course of
business.
Our insurance subsidiaries have reinsurance agreements with Donegal Mutual and with a number of major unaffiliated reinsurers.
Reinsurance Accounting and Reporting
Our insurance subsidiaries rely upon reinsurance agreements to limit their maximum net loss from large single risks or risks in concentrated areas and to increase their
capacity to write insurance. Reinsurance does not relieve our insurance subsidiaries from liability to their respective policyholders. To the extent that a reinsurer cannot pay losses for which it is liable under the terms of a reinsurance
agreement with one or more of our insurance subsidiaries, our insurance subsidiaries retain continued liability for such losses. However, in an effort to reduce the risk of non-payment, our insurance subsidiaries require all of their reinsurers to
have an A.M. Best rating of A- or better or, with respect to foreign reinsurers, to have a financial condition that, in the opinion of our management, is equivalent to a company with an A.M. Best rating of A- or better. We refer to Note 10 -
Reinsurance for more information regarding the reinsurance agreements of our insurance subsidiaries.
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We report reinsurance receivable net of an allowance for expected credit losses. We establish an allowance for expected credit losses based upon our ongoing review of amounts outstanding, historical loss data, changes in reinsurer
credit standing and other relevant factors. We utilize a probability-of-default methodology, which reflects current and forecasted economic conditions, to estimate the allowance for expected credit losses and recognize changes to the allowance in
our results of operations.
Stock-Based Compensation
We measure all share-based payments to our directors and the directors and employees of our subsidiaries and affiliates, including grants of stock options, using a
fair-value-based method and record such expense in our results of operations. In determining the expense we record for stock options we grant to our directors and the directors and employees of our subsidiaries and affiliates, we estimate the fair
value of each option award on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The significant assumptions we utilize in applying the Black-Scholes option pricing model are the risk-free interest rate, expected term, dividend yield
and expected volatility.
In 2024, 2023 and 2022, we realized $ 370,644 , $ 139,135 and $ 360,452 , respectively, in
tax benefits upon the exercise of stock options.
Earnings Per Share
We calculate basic earnings per share by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share
reflects the dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock.
We have two classes of common stock, which we refer to as Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Our Class A common stock is entitled to the declaration and
payment of cash dividends that are at least 10 % higher than those we declare and pay on our Class B common stock. Accordingly, we use
the two-class method for the computation of earnings per common share. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share separately for each class of common stock based on dividends declared and an allocation
of remaining undistributed earnings using a participation percentage that reflects the dividend rights of each class.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the underlying fair value of acquired entities. When completing acquisitions, we seek also to identify
separately identifiable intangible assets that we have acquired. We assess goodwill and intangible assets with an indefinite useful life for impairment annually. We also assess goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment upon the occurrence
of certain events. In making our assessment, we consider a number of factors including operating results, business plans, economic projections, anticipated future cash flows and current market data. Inherent uncertainties exist with respect to
these factors and to our judgment in applying them when we make our assessment. Impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets could result from changes in economic and operating conditions in future periods.
2 - Impact of New Accounting Standards
In September 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued guidance that amended previous guidance on the impairment of financial instruments by
adding an impairment model that requires an entity to recognize expected credit losses as an allowance rather than impairments as credit losses are incurred. The intent of this guidance is to reduce complexity and result in a more timely
recognition of expected credit losses. In November 2019, the FASB issued guidance that delayed the effective date for “smaller reporting companies,” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K, to annual and interim reporting periods beginning
after December 15, 2022 from December 15, 2019. We were a smaller reporting company at the time this guidance was issued, and our adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2023 resulted in an after-tax decrease in retained earnings of $ 1.9 million. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our results of operations or cash flows.
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In November 2023, the FASB issued guidance that amended previous guidance on the disclosure of reportable segments. The guidance requires disclosure of incremental
segment information including the title and position of the individual identified as the chief operating decision maker, a narrative explanation of how the chief operating decision maker uses each reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss in
assessing performance and determining how to allocate resources, as well as quantification of significant segment expenses and other items. We refer to Note 19 - Segment Information for further information and disclosure of items required within
the amended and enhanced guidance. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In December 2023, the FASB issued guidance to enhance the transparency and usefulness of income tax disclosures. The guidance requires disclosure of specific
categories in the rate reconciliation table and additional information for reconciling items that meet a quantitative threshold of equal to or greater than 5 percent of the amount computed by multiplying pretax income or loss by the applicable
statutory income tax rate. The guidance also requires disaggregated disclosure of the amount of income taxes paid for federal, state and foreign taxes. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The adoption
of this guidance will not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In November 2024, the FASB issued guidance requiring disaggregated disclosure of income statement expenses in the notes to financial statements. The guidance
requires disclosure of certain expenses, including employee compensation, depreciation and selling expenses. The guidance will not impact current income statement expense captions that industry-specific guidance requires. The guidance is
effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026. The adoption of this guidance will not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
3 - Transactions with Affiliates
Our insurance subsidiaries conduct business and have various agreements with Donegal Mutual that we describe in the following subparagraphs:
a. Reinsurance Pooling and Other Reinsurance Arrangements
Atlantic States, our largest insurance subsidiary, and Donegal Mutual have a pooling agreement under which both companies contribute substantially all of their direct
written business to the pool and receive an allocated percentage of the pooled underwriting results, excluding certain reinsurance Donegal Mutual assumes from our insurance subsidiaries. In addition, Donegal Mutual has 100 % quota-share reinsurance agreements with Southern Mutual and the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries, and Donegal Mutual places the business of
Southern Mutual and the Mountain States insurance subsidiaries into the underwriting pool. Atlantic States has an 80 % share of the
results of the pool, and Donegal Mutual has a 20 % share of the results of the pool. The intent of the pooling agreement is to produce
more uniform and stable underwriting results from year to year for each pool participant than they would experience individually and to spread the risk of loss between the participants based on each participant’s relative amount of surplus and
relative access to capital. Each participant in the pool has at its disposal the capacity of the entire pool, rather than being limited to policy exposures of a size commensurate with its own capital and surplus.
The following amounts represent reinsurance Atlantic States ceded to the pool during 2024, 2023 and 2022:
2024
2023
2022
Premiums earned
$
358,062,827
$
332,272,662
$
314,321,443
Losses and loss expenses
201,030,943
238,055,099
202,228,589
Prepaid reinsurance premiums
169,621,545
161,991,511
154,472,615
Liability for losses and loss expenses
297,955,741
299,947,390
277,641,902
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The following amounts represent reinsurance Atlantic States assumed from the pool during 2024, 2023 and 2022:
2024
2023
2022
Premiums earned
$
611,864,614
$
583,559,746
$
578,216,706
Losses and loss expenses
354,052,955
409,051,306
395,794,813
Unearned premiums
297,493,977
286,147,727
280,031,908
Liability for losses and loss expenses
517,975,350
507,527,839
496,849,769
Donegal Mutual and MICO
had a quota-share reinsurance agreement under which Donegal Mutual assumed 25 % of the premiums and losses related to the business of
MICO for policies effective through December 31, 2021. Donegal Mutual and MICO terminated this reinsurance agreement on a run-off basis effective January 1, 2022. Donegal Mutual and Peninsula had a quota-share reinsurance agreement under which
Donegal Mutual assumed 100 % of the premiums and losses related to the workers’ compensation product line of Peninsula in certain states
for policies effective through December 31, 2021. Donegal Mutual and Peninsula terminated this reinsurance agreement on a run-off basis effective January 1, 2022. Donegal Mutual places its assumed business from MICO and Peninsula into the
underwriting pool.
The following amounts represent reinsurance ceded to Donegal Mutual pursuant to these quota-share reinsurance agreements during 2024, 2023 and 2022:
2024
2023
2022
Premiums earned
$
19,517
$
168,243
$
17,989,939
Losses and loss expenses
( 3,095,130
)
2,902,422
5,194,974
Liability for losses and loss expenses
10,450,447
17,852,153
22,642,908
In
2024 and 2023, each of our insurance subsidiaries had a catastrophe reinsurance agreement with Donegal Mutual that provided coverage under any one catastrophic occurrence above a set retention of $ 3,000,000 ,
with a combined retention of $ 6,000,000 for a catastrophe involving a combination of our insurance subsidiaries, up to the amount Donegal Mutual and our insurance
subsidiaries retained under catastrophe reinsurance agreements with unaffiliated reinsurers. In 2022, each of our insurance subsidiaries had a catastrophe reinsurance agreement with Donegal Mutual that provided coverage under any one catastrophic
occurrence above a set retention of $ 2,000,000 , with a combined retention of $ 5,000,000 for a catastrophe involving a combination
of our insurance subsidiaries, up to the amount Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries retained under catastrophe reinsurance agreements with unaffiliated reinsurers.
The following amounts represent reinsurance that our insurance subsidiaries ceded to Donegal Mutual pursuant to these reinsurance agreements during 2024, 2023 and 2022:
2024
2023
2022
Premiums earned
$
14,261,265
$
13,215,814
$
13,800,018
Losses and loss expenses
19,454,584
17,895,306
10,517,709
Liability for losses and loss expenses
6,876,255
2,497,244
1,271,006
The following amounts represent the effect of affiliated reinsurance transactions on net premiums our insurance subsidiaries earned during 2024, 2023 and 2022:
2024
2023
2022
Assumed
$
611,864,614
$
583,559,746
$
578,216,706
Ceded
( 372,343,609
)
( 345,656,717
)
( 346,111,400
)
Net
$
239,521,005
$
237,903,029
$
232,105,306
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The following amounts represent the effect of affiliated reinsurance transactions on net losses and loss expenses our insurance subsidiaries incurred during 2024, 2023
and 2022:
2024
2023
2022
Assumed
$
354,052,955
$
409,051,306
$
395,790,312
Ceded
( 217,390,397
)
( 258,852,827
)
( 217,941,272
)
Net
$
136,662,558
$
150,198,479
$
177,849,040
b. Expense Sharing
Donegal Mutual provides
facilities, management and other services to us and our insurance subsidiaries. In addition, Donegal Mutual purchases and maintains the information technology systems that support the business of Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries.
Donegal Mutual allocates certain related expenses to Atlantic States in relation to the relative participation of Atlantic States and Donegal Mutual in the pooling agreement. Our insurance subsidiaries other than Atlantic States reimburse Donegal
Mutual for allocated costs of services Donegal Mutual provides on their behalf based on their proportion of the total direct premiums written of the Donegal Insurance Group and other metrics. Donegal Mutual allocates costs related to its
development and maintenance of information technology systems over the estimated useful life of those systems (generally five years) and charges a proportionate share of those costs to our insurance subsidiaries based on their percentage of the
total net premiums written of the Donegal Insurance Group. Allocated expenses from Donegal Mutual for services it provided to our insurance subsidiaries totaled $ 224,565,390 , $ 218,974,132 and $ 199,177,393 for 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Donegal Mutual is currently in the midst of a multi-year effort to modernize certain of its key technology infrastructure and application systems. Donegal Mutual placed
several releases of new systems into service beginning in 2020. Donegal Mutual allocated $ 12.3 million, $ 10.5 million and $ 7.6 million of related
costs to our insurance subsidiaries in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Donegal Mutual will allocate to our insurance subsidiaries their proportionate share of the remaining $ 29.4 million of related costs over the next five years. Donegal Mutual incurred an additional $ 14.4
million of deferred costs related to releases under development that were not yet ready for their intended use at December 31, 2024.
Our management believes that the allocation methods Donegal Mutual utilizes are reasonable. In addition, Donegal Mutual and we maintain a coordinating committee that
consists of two members of our board of directors, neither of whom is a member of Donegal Mutual’s board of directors, and two members of Donegal Mutual’s board of directors, neither of whom is a member of our board of directors. The purpose of the
coordinating committee is to maintain a process for an ongoing evaluation of the fairness of the terms of all transactions between Donegal Mutual and our insurance subsidiaries.
c. Lease Agreement
We lease office equipment with terms ranging from 3 to 10 years to Donegal Mutual under a lease agreement effective January 1, 2020.
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4 - Investments
The amortized cost and estimated fair values of our fixed maturities at December 31, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:
2024
Carrying Value
Allowance for Credit Losses
Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
(in thousands)
Held to Maturity
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
86,579,024
$
51,632
$
86,630,656
$
—
$
8,484,505
$
78,146,151
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
371,895,483
259,896
372,155,379
649,770
54,062,089
318,743,060
Corporate securities
236,550,262
1,070,337
237,620,599
272,817
13,607,632
224,285,784
Mortgage-backed securities
10,689,147
6,375
10,695,522
—
301,588
10,393,934
Totals
$
705,713,916
$
1,388,240
$
707,102,156
$
922,587
$
76,455,814
$
631,568,929
2024
Available for Sale
Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
87,514,016
$
50,451
$
3,771,832
$
83,792,635
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
41,693,772
9,435
4,298,787
37,404,420
Corporate securities
211,059,119
141,685
8,269,108
202,931,696
Mortgage-backed securities
312,298,058
216,549
18,751,496
293,763,111
Totals
$
652,564,965
$
418,120
$
35,091,223
$
617,891,862
2023
Carrying Value
Allowance for Credit Losses
Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
(in thousands)
Held to Maturity
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
91,517,359
$
54,668
$
91,572,027
$
—
$
8,885,420
$
82,686,607
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
376,897,952
265,977
377,163,929
1,448,585
46,844,714
331,767,800
Corporate securities
201,847,288
999,685
202,846,973
207,628
14,804,569
188,250,032
Mortgage-backed securities
9,234,439
5,517
9,239,956
—
418,057
8,821,899
Totals
$
679,497,038
$
1,325,847
$
680,822,885
$
1,656,213
$
70,952,760
$
611,526,338
2023
Available for Sale
Amortized
Cost
Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
89,367,383
$
199,299
$
4,146,999
$
85,419,683
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
41,957,742
11,665
3,853,623
38,115,784
Corporate securities
211,882,285
100,014
15,189,332
196,792,967
Mortgage-backed securities
286,520,103
594,023
18,094,317
269,019,809
Totals
$
629,727,513
$
905,001
$
41,284,271
$
589,348,243
-76-
Index
At December 31, 2024, our holdings of obligations of states and political subdivisions included general obligation bonds with an aggregate fair value of $ 233.1 million and an amortized cost of $ 272.5 million. Our holdings also included special revenue bonds with an aggregate fair value of $ 123.0 million and an amortized cost of $ 141.3 million. With respect to both
categories of bonds, we held no securities of any issuer that comprised more than 10 % of that category at December 31, 2024. Education
bonds and water and sewer utility bonds represented 44 % and 37 %, respectively, of our total investments in special revenue bonds based on their carrying values at December 31, 2024. Many of the issuers of the special revenue bonds we held at December
31, 2024 have the authority to impose ad valorem taxes. In that respect, many of the special revenue bonds we held are similar to general obligation bonds.
At December 31, 2023, our holdings of obligations of states and political subdivisions included general obligation bonds with an aggregate fair value of $ 245.1 million and an amortized cost of $ 278.3 million. Our holdings also included special revenue bonds with an aggregate fair value of $ 124.8 million and an amortized cost of $ 140.8 million. With respect to both
categories of bonds, we held no securities of any issuer that comprised more than 10 % of that category at December 31, 2023. Education
bonds and water and sewer utility bonds represented 47 % and 35 %, respectively, of our total investments in special revenue bonds based on their carrying values at December 31, 2023. Many of the issuers of the special revenue bonds we held at December
31, 2023 have the authority to impose ad valorem taxes. In that respect, many of the special revenue bonds we held are similar to general obligation bonds.
We have segregated within
accumulated other comprehensive loss the net unrealized losses of $ 15.1 million arising prior to the November 30, 2013 reclassification
date for fixed maturities reclassified from available for sale to held to maturity. We are amortizing this balance over the remaining life of the related securities as an adjustment of yield in a manner consistent with the accretion of discount on
the same fixed maturities. We recorded amortization of $ 219,583 , $ 284,095 and $ 510,819 in other comprehensive income in 2024, 2023 and 2022,
respectively. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, net unrealized losses of $ 1.0 million and $ 1.3 million, respectively, remained within accumulated other comprehensive loss.
We set forth below the amortized cost and estimated fair value of fixed maturities at December 31, 2024 by contractual maturity. Expected maturities may differ from
contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
Amortized Cost
Estimated Fair
Value
Held to maturity
Due in one year or less
$
26,242,529
$
26,079,023
Due after one year through five years
188,104,030
176,623,906
Due after five years through ten years
234,909,164
215,122,262
Due after ten years
247,150,911
203,349,804
Mortgage-backed securities
10,695,522
10,393,934
Total held to maturity
$
707,102,156
$
631,568,929
Available for sale
Due in one year or less
$
30,880,061
$
30,671,938
Due after one year through five years
205,273,058
197,656,304
Due after five years through ten years
90,287,938
84,003,172
Due after ten years
13,825,850
11,797,337
Mortgage-backed securities
312,298,058
293,763,111
Total available for sale
$
652,564,965
$
617,891,862
The cost and estimated fair values of our equity securities at December 31, 2024 were as follows:
Cost
Gross Gains
Gross Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
Equity securities
$
24,725,576
$
12,087,227
$
4,993
$
36,807,810
-77-
Index
The cost and estimated fair values of our equity securities at December 31, 2023 were as follows:
Cost
Gross Gains
Gross Losses
Estimated Fair
Value
Equity securities
$
18,843,929
$
7,059,027
$
—
$
25,902,956
The amortized cost of fixed maturities on deposit with various regulatory authorities at December 31, 2024 and 2023 amounted to $ 10,323,629 and $ 10,499,430 ,
respectively.
We derived net investment income, consisting primarily of interest and dividends, from the following sources:
2024
2023
2022
Fixed maturities
$
44,450,895
$
40,445,697
$
34,945,437
Equity securities
710,333
765,881
897,429
Short-term investments
3,621,766
2,471,998
817,428
Other
29,250
29,250
29,250
Investment income
48,812,244
43,712,826
36,689,544
Investment expenses
( 3,894,082
)
( 2,859,611
)
( 2,673,432
)
Net investment income
$
44,918,162
$
40,853,215
$
34,016,112
We present below gross gains and losses from investments and the change in the difference between fair value and cost of investments:
2024
2023
2022
Gross realized gains:
Fixed maturities
$
113,699
$
1,059,244
$
1,149,761
Equity securities
289,840
2,662,661
1,765,923
Real estate
—
—
477,287
403,539
3,721,905
3,392,971
Gross realized losses:
Fixed maturities
288,008
3,300,351
2,129,736
Equity securities
95,290
732,940
4,113,526
383,298
4,033,291
6,243,262
Net realized gains (losses)
20,241
( 311,386
)
( 2,850,291
)
Gross unrealized gains on equity securities
5,028,206
3,651,125
258,532
Gross unrealized losses on equity securities
( 4,982
)
( 109,125
)
( 7,593,038
)
Increase in allowance for credit
losses
( 62,393
)
( 57,807
)
—
Net investment gains (losses)
$
4,981,072
$
3,172,807
$
( 10,184,797
)
Change in difference between fair value and cost of investments:
Fixed maturities
$
( 530,513
)
$
28,839,658
$
( 177,147,840
)
Equity securities
5,023,207
2,724,820
15,823,189
Totals
$
4,492,694
$
31,564,478
$
( 161,324,651
)
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Index
We held fixed maturities with unrealized losses representing declines that we considered temporary at December 31, 2024 as follows:
Less than 12 months
12 months or longer
Fair Value
Unrealized Losses
Fair Value
Unrealized Losses
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
37,528,341
$
349,573
$
112,322,114
$
11,906,764
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
37,674,513
824,487
292,851,970
57,536,389
Corporate securities
83,342,468
1,505,512
311,435,364
20,371,228
Mortgage-backed securities
112,950,244
1,261,878
153,960,179
17,791,206
Totals
$
271,495,566
$
3,941,450
$
870,569,627
$
107,605,587
We held fixed maturities with unrealized losses representing declines that we considered temporary at December 31, 2023 as follows:
Less than 12 months
12 months or longer
Fair Value
Unrealized Losses
Fair Value
Unrealized Losses
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
32,223,934
$
217,164
$
116,537,998
$
12,815,255
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
13,097,410
67,913
307,429,319
50,630,424
Corporate securities
13,065,558
324,293
353,862,937
29,669,608
Mortgage-backed securities
46,964,057
220,436
178,112,881
18,291,938
Totals
$
105,350,959
$
829,806
$
955,943,135
$
111,407,225
We held 902 debt securities that were in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2024. Based upon our analysis of general market conditions and underlying
factors impacting these debt securities, we considered these declines in value to be temporary.
We did no t recognize any impairment losses on
specific securities in 2024, 2023 or 2022. We had no sales or transfers from our held to maturity portfolio in 2024, 2023 or 2022.
We had no derivative instruments or hedging activities during 2024, 2023 or 2022.
5 - Fair Value Measurements
We account for financial assets using a framework that establishes a hierarchy that ranks the quality and reliability of inputs, or assumptions, used in the
determination of fair value, and we classify financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value in one of the following three categories:
Level 1 - quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities;
Level 2 - directly or indirectly observable inputs other than Level 1 quoted prices; and
Level 3 - unobservable inputs not corroborated by market data.
For investments that have
quoted market prices in active markets, we use the quoted market price as fair value and include these investments in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. We classify publicly traded equity securities as Level 1. When quoted market prices in active
markets are not available, we base fair values on quoted market prices of comparable instruments or price estimates we obtain from independent pricing services. We classify our fixed maturity investments and non-publicly traded equity securities as
Level 2. Our fixed maturity investments consist of U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies, obligations of states and political subdivisions, corporate securities and mortgage-backed securities.
-79-
Index
At December 31, 2024, we received two estimates per security from the pricing services, and we priced substantially all of our Level 1 and Level 2 investments using
those prices. In our review of the estimates the pricing services provided at December 31, 2024, we did not identify any material discrepancies, and we did not make any adjustments to the estimates the pricing services provided.
We present our cash and
short-term investments at estimated fair value. The carrying values in our balance sheet for premium receivables, reinsurance receivables related to paid losses and loss expenses and reinsurance balances payable approximate their fair values. The
carrying amounts reported in the balance sheet for our borrowings under lines of credit approximate their fair values. We classify these items as Level 3.
We evaluate our assets and liabilities on a regular basis to determine the appropriate level at which to classify them for each reporting period. Based on our review of
the methodology and summary of inputs the pricing services use, we have concluded that our Level 1 and Level 2 investments were classified properly at December 31, 2024 and 2023.
The following table presents our fair value measurements for our investments in available-for-sale fixed maturity and equity securities at December 31, 2024:
Fair Value Measurements Using
Fair Value
Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
Significant
Other Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
83,792,635
$
—
$
83,792,635
$
—
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
37,404,420
—
37,404,420
—
Corporate securities
202,931,696
—
202,931,696
—
Mortgage-backed securities
293,763,111
—
293,763,111
—
Equity securities
36,807,810
34,707,981
2,099,829
—
Total investments in the fair value hierarchy
$
654,699,672
$
34,707,981
$
619,991,691
$
—
The following table presents our fair value measurements for our investments in available-for-sale fixed maturity and equity securities at December 31, 2023:
Fair Value Measurements Using
Fair Value
Quoted Prices in
Active Markets
for Identical
Assets (Level 1)
Significant
Other Observable
Inputs (Level 2)
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs (Level 3)
U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and agencies
$
85,419,683
$
—
$
85,419,683
$
—
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
38,115,784
—
38,115,784
—
Corporate securities
196,792,967
—
196,792,967
—
Mortgage-backed securities
269,019,809
—
269,019,809
—
Equity securities
25,902,956
23,910,968
1,991,988
—
Total investments in the fair value hierarchy
$
615,251,199
$
23,910,968
$
591,340,231
$
—
-80-
Index
6 - Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs
Changes in our insurance subsidiaries’ deferred policy acquisition costs are as follows:
2024
2023
2022
Balance, January 1
$
75,043,404
$
73,170,230
$
68,028,373
Acquisition costs deferred
158,614,563
156,087,174
147,571,857
Amortization charged to earnings
( 160,311,000
)
( 154,214,000
)
( 142,430,000
)
Balance, December 31
$
73,346,967
$
75,043,404
$
73,170,230
7 - Property and Equipment
Property and equipment
at December 31, 2024 and 2023 consisted of the following:
2024
2023
Estimated
Useful Life
Office equipment
$
8,288,988
$
8,289,730
3 - 15 years
Automobiles
42,794
42,794
5 years
Real estate
2,575,207
2,575,207
5 - 50 years
Software
1,386,936
1,386,936
5 years
12,293,925
12,294,667
Accumulated depreciation
( 9,814,742
)
( 9,661,262
)
$
2,479,183
$
2,633,405
Depreciation expense for
2024, 2023 and 2022 amounted to $ 153,480 , $ 166,400
and $ 173,535 , respectively.
8 - Liability for Losses and Loss Expenses
The establishment of an appropriate liability for losses and loss expenses is an inherently uncertain process, and we can provide no assurance that our insurance
subsidiaries’ ultimate liability will not exceed their loss and loss expense reserves and have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. For example, legislative, judicial and regulatory actions may expand coverage
definitions, retroactively mandate coverage or otherwise require our insurance subsidiaries to pay losses for damages that their policies explicitly excluded or did not intend to cover. Furthermore, we cannot predict the timing, frequency and
extent of adjustments to our insurance subsidiaries’ estimated future liabilities, because the historical conditions and events that serve as a basis for our insurance subsidiaries’ estimates of ultimate claim costs may change. As is the case for
substantially all property and casualty insurance companies, our insurance subsidiaries have found it necessary in the past to increase their estimated future liabilities for losses and loss expenses in certain periods, and, in other periods, their
estimates have exceeded their actual liabilities. Changes in our insurance subsidiaries’ estimate of their liability for losses and loss expenses generally reflect actual payments and their evaluation of information received since the prior
reporting date.
-81-
Index
We summarize activity in our insurance subsidiaries’ liability for losses and loss expenses as follows:
2024
2023
2022
Balance at January 1
$
1,126,156,838
$
1,121,045,758
$
1,077,620,301
Less reinsurance recoverable
( 437,013,974
)
( 451,184,222
)
( 451,261,306
)
Cumulative effect of adoption of updated accounting guidance for credit losses at January 1
—
1,131,836
—
Net balance at January 1
689,142,864
670,993,372
626,358,995
Incurred related to:
Current year
619,089,646
625,831,043
608,900,206
Prior years
( 14,971,930
)
( 16,653,344
)
( 44,821,213
)
Total incurred
604,117,716
609,177,699
564,078,993
Paid related to:
Current year
319,195,507
330,290,039
302,272,322
Prior years
269,701,400
260,738,168
218,304,130
Total paid
588,896,907
591,028,207
520,576,452
Net balance at December 31
704,363,673
689,142,864
669,861,536
Plus reinsurance recoverable
416,621,377
437,013,974
451,184,222
Balance at December 31
$
1,120,985,050
$
1,126,156,838
$
1,121,045,758
Our insurance subsidiaries recognized a decrease in their liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years of $ 15.0 million, $ 16.7 million and $ 44.8 million in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Our insurance subsidiaries made no significant changes in their reserving philosophy or claims
management personnel, and they have made no significant offsetting changes in estimates that increased or decreased their loss and loss expense reserves in those years. The 2024 development represented 2.2 % of the December 31, 2023 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the commercial multi-peril, personal automobile and homeowner lines of business, offset partially by
higher-than-expected loss emergence in the workers’ compensation and commercial automobile lines of business, for accident years prior to 2024. The majority of the 2024 development related to decreases in the liability for
losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO. The 2023 development represented 2.5 % of the December 31, 2022
net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the personal automobile and commercial automobile lines of business for accident years prior to 2023. The majority of the 2023 development related to decreases
in the liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO. The 2022 development represented 7.2 % of
the December 31, 2021 net carried reserves and resulted primarily from lower-than-expected loss emergence in the personal automobile and commercial automobile lines of business for accident years prior to 2022. The majority of the 2022
development related to decreases in the liability for losses and loss expenses of prior years for Atlantic States and MICO.
Short-duration contracts are contracts for which our insurance subsidiaries receive premiums that they recognize as revenue over the period of the contract in proportion
to the amount of insurance protection our insurance subsidiaries provide. Our insurance subsidiaries consider the policies they issue to be short-duration contracts. We consider our insurance subsidiaries’ material lines of business to be personal
automobile, homeowners, commercial automobile, commercial multi-peril and workers’ compensation.
Our insurance subsidiaries determine incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) reserves by subtracting the cumulative loss and loss expense amounts our insurance subsidiaries
have paid and the case reserves our insurance subsidiaries have established at the balance sheet date from their actuaries’ estimate of the ultimate cost of losses and loss expenses. Accordingly, our insurance subsidiaries’ IBNR reserves include
their actuaries’ projections of the cost of unreported claims as well as their actuaries’ projected development of case reserves on known claims and reopened claims. Our insurance subsidiaries’ methodology for estimating IBNR reserves has been in
place for many years, and their actuaries made no significant changes to that methodology during 2024.
-82-
Index
The actuaries for our insurance subsidiaries generally prepare an initial estimate for ultimate losses and loss expenses for the current accident year by multiplying
earned premium by an “ a priori ,” or expected, loss ratio for each line of business our insurance subsidiaries write. Expected loss ratios represent the actuaries’ expectation of losses at the time our
insurance subsidiaries price and write their policies, before the emergence of any actual claims experience. The actuaries determine an expected loss ratio by analyzing historical experience and adjusting for loss cost trends, loss frequency and
severity trends, premium rate level changes, reported and paid loss emergence patterns and other known or observed factors.
The actuaries use a variety of actuarial methods to estimate the ultimate cost of losses and loss expenses. These methods include paid loss development, incurred loss
development and the Bornhuetter-Ferguson method from which the actuaries select loss development factor assumptions. The actuaries base their selection of a point estimate on a judgmental weighting of estimates each of these methods produce.
The actuaries consider loss frequency and severity trends when they develop expected loss ratios and point estimates. Loss frequency is a measure of the number of claims
per unit of insured exposure, and loss severity is a measure of the average size of claims. Factors that affect loss frequency include changes in weather patterns or economic activity. Factors that affect loss severity include changes in policy
limits, reinsurance retentions, inflation rates and judicial interpretations.
Our insurance subsidiaries create a claim file when they receive notice of an actual demand for payment, an event that may lead to a demand for payment or when they
otherwise determine that a demand for payment could potentially lead to a future demand for payment on another coverage under the same policy or another policy they have issued. In recent years, our insurance subsidiaries have noted an increase in
the period of time between the occurrence of a casualty loss event and the date on which they receive notice of a liability claim. Changes in the length of time between the loss occurrence date and the claim reporting date affect the actuaries’
ability to accurately predict loss frequency and the amount of IBNR reserves our insurance subsidiaries require.
Our insurance subsidiaries generally create a claim file for a policy at the claimant level by type of coverage and generally recognize one count for each claim event.
In certain lines of business where it is common for multiple parties to claim damages arising from a single claim event, our insurance subsidiaries recognize one count for each claimant involved in the event. Atlantic States recognizes one count
for each claim event, or claimant involved in a multiple-party claim event, related to losses Atlantic States assumes through its participation in its pooling agreement with Donegal Mutual. Our insurance subsidiaries accumulate the claim counts and
report them by line of business. For purposes of the claim development tables we present below, our insurance subsidiaries count claims on policies they issue even if they eventually close such claims without making a loss payment. Claims our
insurance subsidiaries close without making a loss payment typically generate loss expenses. The methods our insurance subsidiaries have used to summarize claim counts have not changed significantly over the time periods we report in the tables
below.
The following tables present information about incurred and paid claims development as of December 31, 2024, net of reinsurance, as well as cumulative claim frequency
and the total of IBNR reserves plus expected development on reported claims that our insurance subsidiaries included within their net incurred claims amounts. The tables include unaudited information about incurred and paid claims development for
the years ended December 31, 2015 through 2023, which we present as supplementary information.
-83-
Index
Personal
Automobile
At December 31, 2024
Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Total IBNR
Plus
Expected
Development
on Reported
Claims
Cumulative
Number of
Reported
Claims
Unaudited
(dollars and reported claims in thousands)
2015
137,569
139,333
139,181
142,493
142,408
142,073
142,010
141,965
141,894
$
141,973
$
49
70
2016
150,216
153,937
157,516
157,943
156,935
156,436
156,227
155,834
155,822
114
73
2017
166,690
176,728
175,939
174,784
173,730
173,032
172,712
172,376
220
79
2018
186,580
183,358
181,558
180,787
179,732
178,990
178,799
345
81
2019
161,056
157,689
156,300
154,805
153,883
153,253
652
68
2020
111,483
103,585
100,339
99,253
98,506
772
43
2021
119,364
118,752
114,707
114,874
1,352
47
2022
126,203
134,834
136,073
3,173
50
2023
152,740
155,260
6,193
52
2024
153,403
29,466
45
Total
$
1,460,339
Personal Automobile
Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Unaudited
(in thousands)
2015
93,611
116,303
128,395
135,027
139,121
140,028
140,892
141,172
141,298
$
141,392
2016
102,433
129,507
143,321
151,159
153,521
154,769
155,521
155,505
155,602
2017
111,964
142,372
159,879
166,099
169,190
170,895
171,513
171,863
2018
115,585
150,175
163,036
169,651
173,922
176,233
177,367
2019
103,101
127,187
141,004
146,667
150,017
150,842
2020
66,084
81,783
89,736
94,094
96,277
2021
76,477
93,998
103,427
109,052
2022
83,616
109,845
125,624
2023
99,574
127,752
2024
101,227
Total
1,356,998
All outstanding liabilities before 2015, net of reinsurance
907
Liabilities for claims and claims adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance
$
104,248
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Index
Homeowners
At December 31, 2024
Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Total IBNR Plus Expected Development on Reported Claims
Cumulative Number of Reported Claims
Unaudited
(dollars and reported claims in thousands)
2015
63,359
63,925
63,053
63,071
63,099
62,993
63,043
63,036
63,042
$
63,041
$
—
14
2016
62,443
64,064
63,735
63,355
63,279
63,409
63,472
63,478
63,462
—
12
2017
79,283
79,911
79,305
79,247
79,065
78,815
78,819
78,687
—
17
2018
81,965
83,385
82,905
82,566
82,058
81,977
81,930
36
19
2019
73,294
73,554
73,234
72,168
72,176
71,785
90
16
2020
61,633
62,718
61,595
61,495
61,285
94
14
2021
67,677
66,996
65,451
64,425
269
11
2022
82,433
82,045
81,838
1,066
10
2023
86,693
87,047
1,657
11
2024
85,975
8,875
10
Total
$
739,475
Homeowners
Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Unaudited
(in thousands)
2015
51,885
61,542
62,204
62,590
62,844
62,943
62,936
62,938
63,042
$
63,041
2016
50,125
61,145
62,760
63,144
63,162
63,217
63,266
63,296
63,302
2017
67,077
77,663
78,006
78,127
78,454
78,528
78,556
78,662
2018
70,385
79,892
80,905
81,464
81,568
81,826
81,833
2019
58,074
69,145
70,416
70,884
71,209
71,446
2020
51,226
60,348
60,809
61,189
61,181
2021
52,161
63,920
64,124
64,258
2022
63,107
79,187
80,132
2023
67,636
84,194
2024
67,702
Total
715,751
All outstanding liabilities before 2015, net of reinsurance
98
Liabilities for claims and claims adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance
$
23,822
-85-
Index
Commercial Automobile
At December 31, 2024
Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Total IBNR Plus Expected Development on Reported Claims
Cumulative Number of Reported Claims
Unaudited
(dollars and reported claims in thousands)
2015
46,526
48,323
51,412
54,259
54,517
54,619
53,793
53,477
53,431
$
53,339
$
6
12
2016
54,302
57,353
65,905
67,127
66,894
66,085
65,922
65,602
65,537
23
13
2017
61,484
67,927
67,697
67,249
65,310
64,631
65,022
64,821
43
14
2018
79,307
81,396
82,313
83,043
82,226
82,368
82,234
102
16
2019
88,864
91,245
90,290
86,140
84,566
83,709
129
16
2020
90,367
87,766
85,016
83,590
83,590
998
14
2021
109,824
99,231
96,947
97,903
2,546
15
2022
115,287
108,690
109,314
7,758
15
2023
112,135
110,821
16,917
14
2024
115,327
38,125
11
Total
$
866,595
Commercial Automobile
Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Unaudited
(in thousands)
2015
23,875
35,342
41,678
48,261
51,605
51,992
52,728
53,052
53,047
$
53,333
2016
27,033
38,237
48,837
57,237
60,485
64,421
65,076
65,273
65,315
2017
28,707
40,213
49,703
57,128
59,889
62,187
64,074
64,219
2018
33,862
47,941
57,451
69,487
74,421
79,308
80,375
2019
36,948
53,026
63,575
72,139
80,617
81,647
2020
31,884
46,459
60,665
70,669
78,974
2021
39,851
56,101
69,908
80,595
2022
46,242
67,367
81,554
2023
45,387
65,131
2024
43,206
Total
694,349
All outstanding liabilities before 2015, net of reinsurance
62
Liabilities for claims and claims adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance
$
172,308
-86-
Index
Commercial Multi-Peril
At December 31, 2024
Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Total IBNR Plus Expected Development on Reported Claims
Cumulative Number of Reported Claims
Unaudited
(dollars and reported claims in thousands)
2015
42,070
43,874
44,728
45,104
45,873
45,366
45,420
45,595
46,181
$
45,941
$
—
6
2016
43,005
46,988
48,267
48,871
48,732
48,823
48,802
48,374
48,213
18
6
2017
56,185
56,043
56,517
54,812
55,076
54,244
55,002
54,475
39
7
2018
66,265
66,470
67,749
67,810
65,911
65,900
65,727
178
7
2019
71,865
73,836
76,326
75,821
76,015
74,995
559
7
2020
83,195
79,910
76,490
74,796
72,624
1,722
8
2021
116,827
117,574
119,321
116,202
8,459
7
2022
142,395
141,935
139,486
16,187
7
2023
129,069
125,596
23,997
6
2024
119,376
43,797
5
Total
$
862,635
Commercial Multi-Peril
Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Unaudited
(in thousands)
2015
21,837
29,419
34,323
39,162
42,849
44,090
44,439
44,764
45,572
$
45,678
2016
19,660
29,402
34,612
41,193
43,435
44,944
47,432
48,048
48,169
2017
27,399
36,926
42,691
46,361
49,488
51,494
52,422
53,886
2018
30,597
42,296
48,050
54,913
59,118
62,253
63,040
2019
28,210
41,266
47,522
55,951
63,156
69,762
2020
34,729
46,193
52,646
58,754
66,669
2021
46,768
69,735
82,580
94,484
2022
57,641
86,664
100,931
2023
56,238
82,006
2024
45,663
Total
670,288
All outstanding liabilities before 2015, net of reinsurance
814
Liabilities for claims and claims adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance
$
193,161
-87-
Index
Workers’ Compensation
At December 31, 2024
Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Total IBNR Plus Expected Development on Reported Claims
Cumulative Number of Reported Claims
Unaudited
(dollars and reported claims in thousands)
2015
53,332
49,615
45,991
44,986
43,006
42,597
42,225
42,043
41,875
$
41,705
$
92
6
2016
58,814
49,802
47,883
44,969
44,098
43,559
43,484
43,447
43,610
189
6
2017
60,450
56,351
52,687
51,464
49,557
48,802
48,668
48,504
622
6
2018
62,197
55,291
52,514
47,912
47,007
46,742
46,552
694
6
2019
60,998
59,624
57,728
56,480
55,893
56,121
631
7
2020
57,172
57,850
57,384
56,714
56,605
1,050
6
2021
67,035
65,530
64,225
64,445
2,346
7
2022
67,046
67,331
69,467
3,418
7
2023
62,401
65,137
7,311
6
2024
60,522
21,305
5
Total
$
552,668
Workers’ Compensation
Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance
For the Year Ended December 31,
Accident
Year
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Unaudited
(in thousands)
2015
13,071
27,531
34,192
36,929
37,936
38,596
39,096
39,478
39,762
$
39,898
2016
14,709
30,344
37,178
40,570
41,208
41,543
41,809
42,195
42,486
2017
15,581
31,990
39,684
42,954
44,242
45,174
45,935
46,339
2018
17,644
31,928
37,072
41,611
43,279
44,359
44,624
2019
16,939
33,009
41,740
47,121
50,079
51,944
2020
14,591
32,817
44,089
48,259
50,928
2021
20,931
42,633
51,781
56,162
2022
18,643
41,225
51,916
2023
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