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EX-32.2 - CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER - FG Financial Group, Inc.ex32-2.htm
EX-32.1 - CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - FG Financial Group, Inc.ex32-1.htm
EX-31.2 - CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER - FG Financial Group, Inc.ex31-2.htm
EX-31.1 - CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - FG Financial Group, Inc.ex31-1.htm
EX-23.1 - CONSENT OF BDO USA, LLP - FG Financial Group, Inc.ex23-1.htm
EX-21.1 - SUBSIDIARIES - FG Financial Group, Inc.ex21-1.htm
 

 

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, 2016

 

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 001-36366

 

1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware 46-1119100
(State of incorporation) (I.R.S Employer Identification No.)
   
1511 N. Westshore Blvd., Suite 870, Tampa, FL 33607
   
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
   
(813)-579-6213  
   
(Registrant’s telephone number) Title of each class
   
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share
   
Name of each exchange on which registered Nasdaq Global Market
   
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: none

 

Indicate by check mark if 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 and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted 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 and post such files).   

Yes ☒   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large Accelerated Filer  ☐ Accelerated Filer                      ☐

Non-Accelerated Filer    ☐

Smaller Reporting Company   ☒

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).     Yes ☐   No ☒

 

The aggregate market value of the Registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates was $29,850,923 on June 30, 2016, computed on the basis of the closing sale price of the Registrant’s common stock on that date.

 

As of March 8, 2017, the total number of common shares outstanding of the Registrant’s common stock was 5,956,766.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Part III of this Form 10-K is incorporated by reference to certain sections of the Proxy Statement for the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than April 30, 2017.

 

 

 
 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Table of Contents

   
PART I 2
ITEM 1. BUSINESS 2
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS 7
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS 20
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES 20
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS 20
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES 20
PART II 20
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES 20
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA 22
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 23
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK 39
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA 40
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE 67
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 67
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION 67
PART III. 68
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 68
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 68
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS 68
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE 68
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES 68
PART IV. 69
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES 69
ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY 69
SIGNATURES 70

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

PART I

 

CAUTIONARY NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements are therefore entitled to the protection of the safe harbor provisions of these laws. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “budget,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “envision,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “indicate,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “outlook,” “plan,” “possibly,” “potential,” “predict,” “probably,” “pro-forma,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations, assumptions, estimates, and projections. While we believe these to be reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These and other important factors may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Management cautions that the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are not guarantees of future performance, and we cannot assume that such statements will be realized or the forward-looking events and circumstances will occur. Factors that might cause such a difference include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties discussed under “Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K, and discussed from time to time in our reports filed with the SEC.

 

Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included or incorporated by reference to the Form 10-K are made only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake and specifically decline any obligation to update any such statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such statements to reflect future events or developments.

 

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

 

Overview

 

1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (“PIH”, the “Company”, “we”, or “us”) was incorporated on October 2, 2012 in the State of Delaware under the name Maison Insurance Holdings, Inc. On November 19, 2013 we changed our legal name to 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. The Company has three wholly owned subsidiaries: Maison Insurance Company (“Maison”), Maison Managers, Inc. (“MMI”), and ClaimCor, LLC (“ClaimCor”).

 

Prior to March 31, 2014, the Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway America Inc. (“KAI”). KAI, in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (“KFSI”), a publicly owned holding company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On March 31, 2014, the Company completed an initial public offering (“IPO”) of its common stock and then on June 13, 2014, the Company completed a follow-on offering. Through the combination of the Company’s IPO and follow-on offering, we issued approximately five million shares of our common stock. As of December 31, 2016 KAI and companies affiliated with KAI held approximately 975,000 shares of our common stock equivalent to approximately 16.4% of our outstanding shares.

 

Through Maison, we began providing property and casualty insurance to individuals in Louisiana in December 2012. In September 2015, Maison began writing manufactured home policies in the State of Texas on a direct basis. Our current insurance offerings in Louisiana and Texas include homeowners insurance, manufactured home insurance and dwelling fire insurance. We write both full peril property policies as well as wind/hail only exposures and we produce new policies through a network of independent insurance agents. We refer to the policies we write through independent agents as voluntary policies.

 

We also write commercial business in Texas through a quota share agreement with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company (“Brotherhood”). Through this agreement, we have assumed wind/hail only exposures on certain churches and related structures Brotherhood insures throughout the State of Texas.

 

We have also participated in depopulation programs implemented by Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Company (“Citizens”) as well as the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (“TWIA”). These programs were instituted by each respective state in order to reduce the number of properties each state insures. Under the programs, state-approved insurance companies such as Maison have the opportunity to assume insurance policies written by both Citizens and TWIA. We have voluntarily participated in the last five depopulation rounds from Citizens, occurring on December 1st of each year, while December 1, 2016 marked the inaugural depopulation for TWIA.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Maison Managers, Inc. serves as the Company’s management services subsidiary, known as a managing general agency. MMI earns commissions on a portion of the premiums Maison writes, as well as a per policy fee which ranges from $0-$75 for providing policy administration, marketing, reinsurance contract negotiation, and accounting and analytical services. Both Maison and MMI are licensed by and subject to the regulatory oversight of the Louisiana Department of Insurance (“LDI”) and Texas Department of Insurance (“TDI”).

 

On January 2, 2015, the Company completed its acquisition of 100% of the membership interest of ClaimCor, a claims and underwriting technical solutions company. Maison processes claims made by its policyholders through ClaimCor, and also through various third-party claims adjusting companies.

 

Florida Certificate of Authority

 

On March 1, 2017 Maison received a certificate of authority from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”) which authorizes Maison to write personal lines insurance in the State of Florida. Pursuant to the Consent Order issued, Maison has agreed to comply with certain requirements as outlined by the OIR until Maison can demonstrate three consecutive years of net income following the Company’s admission into Florida as evidenced by its Annual Statement filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Among other requirements, the OIR requires the following as conditions related to the issuance of Maison’s certificate of authority:

 

Although domiciled in the State of Louisiana, Maison agreed to comply with the Florida Insurance Code as if Maison were a domestic insurer within the State of Florida;
Maison agreed to maintain capital and surplus as to policyholders of no less than $35 million;
Maison agreed to receive prior approval from the OIR prior to the payment of any dividends and;
Maison agreed to receive written approval from the OIR regarding any form of policy issued, or rate charged to its policyholders prior to utilizing any such form or rate for policies written in the State of Florida.

 

To comply with the Consent Order, Maison will receive a capital contribution from its parent company, 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc., in the approximate amount of $15 million. This contribution is expected to be in the form of one or more surplus notes as well as a direct contribution to paid in and contributed surplus and is expected to occur prior to March 31, 2017. As of March 16, 2017 Maison has not written any insurance policies covering risks in the State of Florida.

 

Business Strategy

 

Mission Statement: We will deploy internal expertise and leverage external partnerships to provide market solutions and in return generate the expected profits identified in our vision statement while taking prudent steps to limit exposure to downside. Our team will continuously evaluate existing markets to ensure they remain consistent with our expectations and identify potential new markets where expansion opportunities may emerge. If writing other property lines that compliment these specifically targeted segments allows us to reduce operating expenses, improve reinsurance purchasing or support distribution we will do so. We will reduce exposure to, or exit, any markets where attributes no longer support the expected amount of underwriting profit.

 

Our primary goal is to continue to expand our property and casualty writings through:

 

Increasing our number of voluntary policies. Ease of use enhancements for our web-based agent quoting portal as well as refining our product offerings has provided a marketable advantage in organic new policy growth for Maison. Our goal is to continue to grow through strategic relationships with agencies in the states where we currently provide insurance and also potentially in new coastal markets in the U.S. Our years of experience in the coastal markets make us uniquely qualified to manage agent expectations and provide superior support and service for policyholders.

 

Strategic acquisitions. We intend to explore growth opportunities through strategic acquisitions in coastal states, including Louisiana, Texas and Florida. We also plan to pursue complementary books of business provided they meet our underwriting criteria. We will evaluate each opportunity based on expected economic contribution to our results and support of our market expansion initiatives.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Attracting and retaining high-quality agents. We intend to focus our marketing efforts on maintaining and improving our relationships with highly productive independent agents, as well as on attracting new high quality agents in areas with a substantial potential for profitable growth.

 

Reducing our ratio of expenses to net premiums earned and using technology to increase our operating efficiency. We are committed to improving our profitability by reducing expenses through enhanced technologies and by increasing the number of policies we write through the strategic deployment of our capital. We currently outsource our policy administration and a portion of our claims handling functions to third parties with dedicated Maison oversight and direction, which we believe results in increased service and lower expense and loss ratios.

 

Competition

 

We operate in a highly competitive market and face competition from national and regional insurance companies, many of whom are larger and have greater financial and other resources and offer more diversified insurance coverage. Our competitors include companies which market their products through independent agents, as well as companies with captive agents. Large national companies may have certain competitive advantages over regional companies such as ours, including increased name recognition, increased loyalty of their customer base and reduced policy acquisition costs.

 

We may also face competition from new entrants in our niche markets. In some cases, these companies may price their products below ours due to their interest in quickly growing their business in Louisiana or Texas. Although our pricing is inevitably influenced to some degree by that of our competitors, we believe that it is generally not in our best interest to compete solely on price. We also compete on the basis of underwriting criteria, our distribution network and superior policy, underwriting and claims service to our agents and insureds.

 

Some of the national and regional companies which compete with us in the Texas and Louisiana homeowners’ markets include ASI Lloyds, Lighthouse Property Insurance Corporation, United Property & Casualty, First Community Insurance Company, Southern Fidelity Insurance, Safepoint Insurance Company, Imperial F&C Insurance Company, Americas Insurance Company, Access Home Insurance Company, Family Security Insurance Company, Gulfstream Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Federated National Insurance Company, and Centauri Specialty Insurance Company.

 

Claims Administration

 

Claims administration and adjusting involves the handling of routine “non-catastrophic” as well as catastrophic claims. In the event of a hurricane or other catastrophic claim, our claims volume would increase significantly. Rather than increase the size of our staff in anticipation of such an event, we believe that outsourcing claims adjusting improves our operational efficiency because an appropriately selected third party will have the resources to adjust the catastrophe related claims cost effectively and with the level of service we endeavor to provide for our policyholders. Accordingly, we have outsourced our claims adjusting program to certain third party adjusters with experience in Texas and Louisiana. We expect to implement a similar model in Florida when appropriate.

 

Under the terms of the service contract between Maison and MMI, MMI handles the actual claims administration for both catastrophic and non-catastrophic insurable events. In handling the claims administration, the examiner for MMI reviews all claims and loss reports, and if warranted, investigates such claims and losses. 

Field adjusting is outsourced to our wholly-owned subsidiary, ClaimCor, as well as third-party service providers, who, subject to company guidance and oversight, either settle or contest the claims. Approval for payment of a claim is given by MMI after careful review of the field adjuster’s report. We maintain a claims fund for the disbursement of payments to our customers after insurable events, and make deposits into the claims fund as claims are incurred. We pay adjusters based on a pre-determined fee schedule. Although we are ultimately responsible for paying the claims made by our policyholders, we believe that outsourcing our claims handling program while maintaining an oversight function is an efficient mechanism for handling individual matters. Furthermore, by delivering responsive service in a challenging situation, we optimize the relationship between insured and insurer.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Reinsurance

 

Maison follows the industry practice of reinsuring a portion of its risk. When an insurance company purchases reinsurance, it transfers or “cedes” all or a portion of its exposure on insurance underwritten by it to another insurer-the “reinsurer.” Although reinsurance is intended to reduce an insurance company’s risk, the ceding of insurance does not legally discharge the insurance company from its primary liability for the full obligation of its policies. If the reinsurer fails to meet its obligations under the reinsurance agreement, the ceding company is still required to pay the insured for the loss. Maison and its reinsurance broker are selective in choosing reinsurers and they consider various factors, including, but not limited to, the financial stability of the reinsurers, the reinsurers’ history of responding to claims, as well as the reinsurer’s overall reputation in making such determinations.

 

From year-to-year, both the availability of reinsurance and the costs associated with the acquisition of reinsurance will vary. These fluctuations are not subject to our control and may limit our insurance subsidiary’s ability to purchase adequate coverage.

 

In order to limit the credit risk associated with amounts which may become due from our reinsurers, Maison predominantly uses several different reinsurers, which have an A.M. Best Rating of A- (Excellent) or better. Absent such rating, we have required the reinsurers to place collateral on deposit with an independent financial institution under a trust agreement for our benefit. A list of some of the reinsurance companies which we currently use includes Allianz Risk Transfer, AXIS Specialty Limited, Everest Re, DaVinci Re, Renaissance Re, Odyssey Re, Gen Re, as well as various Lloyd’s of London participating syndicates.

 

The Company’s excess of loss reinsurance treaties are based upon a treaty year beginning on June 1st of each year and expiring on May 31st of the following year. Thus, the financial statements for the years ending December 31, 2016 and 2015 contain premiums ceded under three separate excess of loss treaties. Under the Company’s 2015/2016 excess of loss treaty which expired on May 31, 2016, for each catastrophic event occurring within a 144-hour period, the Company received reinsurance recoveries of up to $121 million in excess of a retention of $4 million per event. The Company had also procured another layer of reinsurance protection that could have been used for any event above $125 million, up to a maximum recovery of $15 million. This $15 million second layer of coverage applied in total to all events occurring during the treaty year of June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016. Thus, the aggregate loss which the Company retained for the two catastrophes which occurred during the 2015/2016 treaty year was $5 million.

 

On June 1, 2016 the Company entered into a new excess of loss treaty whereby for each catastrophic event occurring within a 144-hour period, the Company receives reinsurance recoveries of up to $170 million in excess of a $5 million retention per event. For any event above $175 million, the Company has purchased aggregate coverage, with an additional limit of $25 million and subject to a franchise deductible of $125,000 for each 144-hour occurrence. The $25 million aggregate coverage applies in total to all events occurring during the June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017 treaty year. The aggregate loss the Company could retain for two catastrophes occurring during its current treaty year is $7 million.

 

Investments

 

We have historically tailored our investment policy in an effort to minimize risk in the current financial market. Although applicable laws and regulations permit investments (within specified limits and subject to certain qualifications) in federal, state and municipal obligations, corporate bonds, preferred and common equity securities and real estate mortgages, as of December 31, 2016, we invested primarily in high quality fixed income instruments rated “BBB” or higher by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services.

 

The cash balances of our subsidiaries may be invested in other types of securities subject to domiciliary state regulations, but those investments are subject to pre-approval by our investment committee and the performance of such investments must be reported to our board of directors quarterly. Our investment policy is approved by our investment committee and is reviewed on a regular basis in order to ensure that our investment policy evolves in response to changes in the financial market. Our investment policy is designed to maximize investment income within specified guidelines, with a strong emphasis on protection of principal.

 

As part of the Company’s strategic planning process which was concluded in the first quarter of 2017, it was determined that investments should evolve to include alternative opportunities, all of which will be overseen by the Company’s Investment Committee. This Committee will operate as a sub-committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, and with the Company’s expected return on equity target in mind, particularly at times where the Company’s capital exceeds the amount necessary to support insurance underwriting activities.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Technology

 

Our business depends upon the use, development and implementation of integrated technology systems. These systems enable us to provide a high level of service to agents and policyholders by: processing business in a timely and efficient manner; communicating and sharing data with agents; providing a variety of methods for the payment of premiums and; allowing for the accumulation and analysis of information for the management of our insurance subsidiary. We believe the availability and use of these technology systems has resulted in improved service to agents and customers and increased efficiencies in processing the business of Maison and resulted in lower operating costs.

 

Regulation

 

We are subject to the laws and regulations in Louisiana, Florida and Texas, and will be subject to the regulations of any other states in which we may seek to conduct business in the future. In these states, it is the duty of each respective department of insurance to administer the provisions of the insurance code in that state. The purpose of each state’s insurance code is to regulate the insurance industry in all of its phases, including, but not limited to the following: licensing of insurers and producers, regulation of investments and solvency, review and approval of forms and rates, and market conduct. Furthermore, as Maison is domiciled in the State of Louisiana, the LDI conducts periodic examinations of the financial condition and market conduct of Maison and requires Maison to file financial and other reports on a quarterly and annual basis.

 

Regulation of the Payment of Dividends

 

Dividends paid by Maison are restricted by the Louisiana Insurance Code. Dividends can only be paid if Maison’s paid-in capital and surplus exceed the minimum required by the Louisiana Insurance Code by one hundred percent or more, or as otherwise provided. Any dividend or distribution (that when aggregated with any other dividends or distributions made within the preceding twelve months) which exceeds the lesser of (a) ten percent of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders as of the thirty-first day of December next preceding; or (b) the net income of the insurer, not including realized capital gains, for the twelve month period ending the thirty-first day of December next preceding; is considered to be extra-ordinary and shall not be paid until thirty days after the LDI has received notice of the declaration thereof and has not within that period disapproved the payment, or until the LDI has approved the payment within the thirty-day period. In determining whether a dividend or distribution is extra-ordinary, an insurer may carry forward net income from the previous two calendar years that has not already been paid out in dividends. Furthermore, pursuant to the Consent Order issued to us, Maison is restricted from issuing any dividends to its shareholder without receiving prior approval from the OIR. As of December 31, 2016, Maison has not paid any dividends to its sole shareholder, PIH.

 

Regulation of Rates and Rules

 

Maison is subject to state laws and regulations regarding approval of rates and rules. The LDI and TDI have the exclusive authority to approve insurance rates or rate changes for all lines of property and casualty insurance in their respective states. Maison’s ability to change rates and the relative timing of the rate making process are dependent upon each state’s statutory and regulatory requirements.

 

Requirements for Exiting Geographic Markets and/or Canceling or Non-renewing Policies

 

Maison is subject to Louisiana and Texas state laws and regulations which may restrict Maison’s timing or ability to either discontinue or substantially reduce its writings in the states in which it operates. These laws and regulations limit the reasons for cancellation or non-renewal, typically require prior notice, and in some instances require prior approval from the respective regulatory agency. In Louisiana, no insurer may cancel or fail to renew a homeowner’s policy of insurance or increase the policy deductible that has been in effect and renewed for more than three years unless the change is based upon non-payment of premium, fraud of the insured, a material change in the risk being insured, two or more claims within a period of three years, or if continuance of such policy endangers the solvency of the insurer.

 

Risk of Assessment by Louisiana and Texas

 

Maison is a member of the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association as a condition of its authority to transact insurance in Louisiana and is subject to assessment as set forth in the Louisiana Insurance Code.

 

Maison is also required to participate, as a condition of its authority to transact insurance in Louisiana, in the residual insurance market programs operated by Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation and designated as the Coastal Plan and the Fair Plan. Maison is subject to assessment as set forth in the Louisiana Insurance Code for its participation in the Coastal Plan and its participation in the Fair Plan.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

As a property insurer licensed in Texas, Maison is a member of TWIA, which provides wind and hail coverage to coastal risks unable to procure coverage in the voluntary market. Maison may become subject to assessment from TWIA on or after the second anniversary from the date in which Maison was first admitted to write insurance in Texas (May 2017) should a major loss event deplete TWIA’s available loss reserves and reinsurance coverage. Maison is also a member insurer of the Texas Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association and the FAIR Plan and is subject to assessment by each as set forth in the Texas Insurance Code.

 

Insurance Regulatory Information System

 

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) developed the Insurance Regulatory Information System (“IRIS”) to help state regulators identify companies that may require special attention. Using IRIS, financial examiners develop key financial ratios in order to assess the financial condition of insurance companies such as Maison. Each ratio has an established “usual range” of results. A ratio which falls outside the usual range however, is not considered a failing result, but instead may be viewed as part of the regulatory early monitoring system. In some cases, it may not be unusual for financially sound companies to have several ratios with results outside of the usual range.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2016, Maison had twelve of the thirteen IRIS ratio results within the usual range. The ratio which had results which fell outside of the usual range was due to the fact that Maison’s yield on investments was below the lower end of the usual range (3%) due to the general low investment yields currently realized on the highly rated fixed income securities we hold as part of our overall investment strategy.

 

Management does not anticipate regulatory action as a result of these IRIS ratio results.

 

Risk Based Capital Requirements

 

In the United States, a risk-based capital (“RBC”) formula is used by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) to identify property and casualty insurance companies that may not be adequately capitalized. Most states, including Louisiana and Texas, have adopted the NAIC RBC requirements. In general, insurers reporting surplus with respect to policyholders below 200% of the authorized control level, as defined by the NAIC, on December 31st of the previous year are subject to varying levels of regulatory action, which may include discontinuation of operations. As of December 31, 2016, Maison’s reported surplus was considered to be in the “no action” level as defined by the state regulators. Furthermore, pursuant to the consent order approving Maison’s admission into the State of Texas, Maison has agreed to maintain a RBC ratio of 300% or more, and provide calculation of such ratio to the TDI on a periodic basis. As of December 31, 2016, Maison’s RBC ratio was 346%.

 

State Deposits

 

States routinely require deposits of assets for the protection of policyholders either in those states or for all policyholders. As of December 31, 2016, Maison held investment securities with an estimated fair value of approximately $100,000 as a deposit with the LDI and cash and investment securities with an estimated fair value of approximately $1,992,000 as a deposit with the TDI.

 

Employees

 

As of December 31, 2016 we had twenty-seven employees, seventeen of whom work at our offices in Tampa, Florida, six of whom work at our offices in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and four of whom work from Texas. From time to time, we employ and supplement our staff with temporary employees and consultants. We are not a party to any collective bargaining agreement and believe that relations with our employees are satisfactory. Each of our employees has entered into confidentiality agreements with us.

 

Website

 

Our corporate website is www.1347pih.com.

 

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

 

Risks Relating to our Company

 

We have a limited operating history and it is difficult to predict our future growth and operating results.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Our business began in February 2012 as a subsidiary of KAI when we began conducting market due diligence, establishing the infrastructure and seeking to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals to be able to assume and write homeowners’ insurance policies focusing on coastal regions of the United States. We assumed our first insurance policies from Citizens in December 2012. Due to our limited operating history, our ability to execute our business strategy is uncertain and our operations and prospects are subject to all risks inherent in a developing business enterprise. Our limited operating history also makes it difficult to evaluate our long-term commercial viability. More specifically, our ability to execute our business strategy must be evaluated in light of the problems, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered by new businesses in general as well as by property and casualty insurance companies doing business only in two states and offering primarily homeowners’ insurance policies in particular.

 

We may not have future opportunities to participate in take-out programs.

 

We were able to obtain policies from the last five annual Citizens take-outs occurring on December 1st of each year from 2012 to 2016, from which we have approximately 8,900 policies in-force or approximately 26% of our total policies in-force as of December 31, 2016. Furthermore, we participated in the inaugural take-out of policies from TWIA on December 1, 2016. In the future, we may not be able to obtain the quantity or quality of policies currently obtained due to changes in the take-out programs or due to changes to the market in general. Additionally, competitors could change their risk profile characteristics, and write these risks directly, which would cause us to lose these policies. The loss of these policies could impact our ability to absorb fixed expenses with lower volumes in the future.

 

A substantial portion of our in-force policies have been assumed from state-run insurers and cover losses arising only from wind and hail, which creates large concentration of our business in wind and hail only coverage and limits our ability to implement our restrictive underwriting guidelines.

 

While Citizens writes full peril protection policies in addition to wind and hail only policies, the majority of policies that we have obtained through the Citizens take-out program cover losses arising only from wind and hail. Furthermore, the policies which we have assumed through TWIA are wind and hail only policies, as TWIA does not write full peril protection policies. Prior to our take-out, both Citizens and TWIA policyholders were not able to obtain such coverage from any other marketplace. Approximately 26% of our total number of policies in-force as of December 31, 2016 represent Citizens wind and hail only coverage that other insurance companies have declined to insure. We also have an additional 1,251 policies we have assumed from TWIA which cover the perils of wind and hail only. These exposures may subject us to greater risk from catastrophic events. While our voluntary independent agency program includes various restrictive underwriting strategies, we are unable to implement these strategies to the wind and hail only policies that are taken-out from Citizens and TWIA. Pursuant to both the Citizens and TWIA depopulation programs, we must offer a minimum number of renewals on any policy taken out under the programs, thus limiting our ability to implement some of our underwriting guidelines. Upon renewal of these policies, however, we analyze replacement cost scenarios to ensure appropriate amount of coverage is in effect. Our results may be negatively impacted by these limitations.

 

We have a risk posed by the lack of geographic diversification and concentration of policyholders in Louisiana and Texas.

 

As of December 31, 2016, we have approximately 33,800 policies in force. Of these policies, 31,100, or approximately 92% are in the State of Louisiana while the remaining 2,700 policies are in the State of Texas. Both of these states have significant exposed coastline to the Gulf of Mexico. According to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, over 2 million residents — approximately 47% of the state’s population based on 2009 U.S. Census estimates — live in Louisiana’s coastal parishes.

 

Maison insures personal property located in 62 of the 64 parishes in Louisiana. As of December 31, 2016, these policies are concentrated within these parishes as follows: Saint Tammany Parish 15.2%, Jefferson Parish 14.2%, East Baton Rouge Parish 7.7%, Orleans Parish 5.6%, Livingston Parish 5.6%, Tangipahoa Parish 5.3%, and Terrebonne Parish 5.2%. No other parish individually has over 5.0% of the policies in force as of December 31, 2016. The remaining 56 parishes combine to equal 33% of the total policies in force as of December 31, 2016. On a direct basis, Maison writes in 105 of the 254 counties that comprise the State of Texas, however no single county represents over 5.0% of our policies in force as of December 31, 2016.

 

If we are not able to significantly expand to other states, we may risk higher reinsurance costs and greater loss experience with storm activity occurring in Texas and Louisiana.

 

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Our strategy to expand into other states, including Florida, may not succeed

 

Our strategy for growth includes potentially entering into new states. This strategy could divert management’s attention. We cannot predict whether we will be able to enter new states or whether applicable state regulators will grant Maison a license to do business in such states. We cannot know if we will realize the anticipated benefits of operating in new states or if there will be substantial unanticipated costs associated with such expansion. Any of these factors could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations. Although we have received authorization from the OIR to write personal lines business in the State of Florida, we have not yet done so and are required to comply with a number of regulations as outlined by the OIR before we can do so. Should we not be able to comply with these regulations our expansion into Florida may not succeed.

 

We have exposure to unpredictable catastrophes, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial results if they occur.

 

We offer full peril protection and wind/hail-only insurance policies that cover homeowners and owners of manufactured homes, as well as dwelling fire policies for owners of property rented to others, for losses that result from, among other things, catastrophes. We are therefore subject to claims arising out of catastrophes that may have a significant effect on our business, results of operations, and/or financial condition. Catastrophes can be caused by various events, including hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes, windstorms, earthquakes, hailstorms, explosions, flood, fires and by man-made events, such as terrorist attacks. The incidence and severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable. The extent of losses from a catastrophe is a function of both the total amount of insured exposure in the area affected by the event and the severity of the event. Our policyholders are currently concentrated in Louisiana and Texas. These states are subject to adverse weather conditions such as hurricanes and tropical storms. Insurance companies are not permitted to reserve for catastrophes until such an event takes place. Therefore, although we actively manage our exposure to catastrophes through our underwriting process and the purchase of reinsurance protection, a severe catastrophe or series of catastrophes could exceed our reinsurance protection and may have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and/or financial condition.

 

Our results may fluctuate based on many factors, including cyclical changes in the insurance industry.

 

The insurance business has historically been a cyclical industry characterized by periods of intense price competition due to excessive underwriting capacity, as well as periods when shortages of capacity permitted an increase in pricing and, thus, more favorable underwriting profits. An increase in premium levels is often offset over time by an increasing supply of insurance capacity in the form of capital provided by new entrants and existing insurers, which may cause prices to decrease. Any of these factors could lead to a significant reduction in premium rates, less favorable policy terms and fewer opportunities to underwrite insurance risks and any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows. In addition to these considerations, changes in the frequency and severity of losses suffered by insureds and insurers may affect the cycles of the insurance business significantly. These factors may cause the price of our common stock to be volatile.

 

We cannot predict whether market conditions will improve, remain constant or deteriorate. Negative market conditions may impair our ability to write insurance at rates that we consider appropriate relative to the risk assumed. If we are not able to write insurance at appropriate rates, our ability to transact business would be materially and adversely affected.

 

Increased competition could adversely impact our results and growth.

 

The property and casualty insurance industry is highly competitive. We compete not only with other stock companies but also with mutual companies, underwriting organizations and alternative risk sharing mechanisms. Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources and name recognition than us. While our principal competitors cannot be easily classified, Maison considers its primary competing insurers to be: ASI Lloyds, Lighthouse Property Insurance Corporation, United Property & Casualty, First Community Insurance Company, Southern Fidelity Insurance, Safepoint Insurance Company, Imperial F&C Insurance Company, Americas Insurance Company, Access Home Insurance Company, Family Security Insurance Company, Gulfstream Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Federated National Insurance Company, and Centauri Specialty Insurance Company. Our principal lines of business are written by numerous other insurance companies. Competition for any one account may come from very large national firms, smaller regional companies or companies that write insurance only in Louisiana and/or Texas. We compete for business not only on the basis of price, but also on the basis of financial strength, availability of coverage desired by customers, underwriting criteria and quality of service to our agents and insureds. We may have difficulty in continuing to compete successfully on any of these bases in the future.

 

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In addition, industry developments could further increase competition in our industry, including: 

an influx of new capital in the marketplace as existing companies attempt to expand their businesses and new companies attempt to enter the insurance business as a result of better pricing and/or terms;
the creation or expansion of programs in which state-sponsored entities provide property insurance in catastrophe-prone areas or other alternative market types of coverage;
changing practices caused by the Internet, which has led to greater competition in the insurance business;
changes to the regulatory climate in the states in which we operate, and;
the passage of federal proposals for an optional federal charter that would allow some competing insurers to operate under regulations different or less stringent than those applicable to our insurance subsidiary.

These developments and others could make the property and casualty insurance marketplace more competitive. If competition limits our ability to write new business at adequate rates, our future results of operations would be adversely affected.

 

If our actual losses from insureds exceed our loss reserves, our financial results would be adversely affected.

 

We record liabilities, which are referred to as reserves, for specific claims incurred and reported as well as reserves for claims incurred but not reported. The estimates of losses for reported claims are established on a case-by-case basis. Such estimates are based on our particular experience with the type of risk involved and our knowledge of the circumstances surrounding each individual claim. Reserves for reported claims encapsulate our total estimate of the cost to settle the claims, including investigation and defense of the claim, and may be adjusted for differences between costs as originally estimated and the costs as re-estimated or incurred. Reserves for incurred but not reported claims are based on the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims, including the effects of inflation and other social and economic factors, using past experience adjusted for current trends and any other factors that would modify past experience. We use a variety of statistical and actuarial techniques to analyze current claim costs, frequency and severity data, and prevailing economic, social and legal factors. While management believes that amounts included in the consolidated financial statements for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are adequate, there can be no assurance that future changes in loss development, favorable or unfavorable, will not occur. Due to these uncertainties, the ultimate losses may vary materially from current loss reserves which could have a material adverse effect on our future financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

As of December 31, 2016, our net loss and loss adjustment expense reserves of $3.3 million were comprised of incurred but not reported reserves of $1.8 million and known case reserves of $1.5 million.

 

The effects of emerging claim and coverage issues on our business are uncertain.

 

As industry practices and legal, judicial, social and other environmental conditions change, unexpected and unintended issues related to claims and coverage may emerge. These changes may have a material adverse effect on our business by extending coverage beyond our underwriting intent or by increasing the number or size of claims. In some instances, these changes may not become apparent until sometime after we have issued insurance contracts that are affected by the changes. As a result, the full extent of liability under our insurance contracts may not be known for many years after a contract is issued and/or renewed, and this may have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

 

The failure of third party adjusters to properly evaluate claims or the failure of our claims handling administrator to pay claims fairly could adversely affect our business, financial results and capital requirements.

 

We have outsourced a portion of our claim adjusting function to third party adjusters and therefore rely on these third party adjusters to accurately evaluate claims that are made under our policies. Many factors affect our ability to pay claims accurately, including the training and experience of their claims representatives, the culture of their respective claims organizations, the effectiveness of their management and their ability to develop or select and implement appropriate procedures and systems to support their claims functions. MMI functions as our claims administrator and authorizes payment based on recommendations from third party adjusters; any failure on the part of the third party adjusters to recommend payment on claims fairly could lead to material litigation, undermine our reputation in the marketplace, impair our image and adversely affect our financial results.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

If we are unable to expand our business because our capital must be used to pay greater than anticipated claims, our financial results may suffer.

 

Our future growth may depend on our ability to expand the number of insurance policies we write, the kinds of insurance products we offer and the geographic markets in which we do business, all balanced by the business risks we choose to assume and cede. Our existing sources of funds include possible sales of our securities and our earnings from operations and investments. Unexpected catastrophic events in our market areas, such as the hurricanes and other storms experienced in Louisiana and Texas in recent years, may result in greater claims losses than anticipated, which could require us to limit or halt our growth while we deploy our capital to pay these unanticipated claims, unless we are able to raise additional capital.

 

Our financial results may be negatively affected by the fact that a portion of our income is generated by the investment of our company’s capital and surplus, premiums and loss reserves various investment vehicles.

 

A portion of our expected income is likely to be generated by the investment of our cash reserves in money market funds, bonds, and other investment vehicles. The amount of income generated from these investments is a function of our investment policy, available investment opportunities, and the amount of invested assets. If we experience larger than expected losses, our invested assets may need to be liquidated in order to provide the cash needed to pay current claims, which may result in lower investment income. We periodically review our investment policy in light of our then-current circumstances and available investment opportunities. Fluctuating interest rates and other economic factors make it difficult to accurately estimate the amount of investment income that will actually be realized. We may realize losses on our investments, which may have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and/or financial condition.

 

We may experience financial exposure from climate change.

 

Our financial exposure from climate change is most notably associated with losses in connection with increasing occurrences of weather-related events striking the states in which we insure risks. We attempt to mitigate the risk of financial exposure from climate change through restrictive underwriting criteria, sensitivity to geographic concentrations and reinsurance. Restrictive underwriting criteria can include, but are not limited to, higher premiums and deductibles and excluded policy risks, such as fences and screened-in enclosures. Our maximum reinsurance coverage amount is determined by subjecting our homeowner exposures to statistical forecasting models that are designed to quantify a catastrophic event in terms of the frequency of a storm occurring once in every 100 years. 100 years is used as a measure of the relative size of a storm as compared to a storm expected to occur once every 250 years, which would be larger, or conversely, a storm expected to occur once every 50 years, which would be smaller. We assess the appropriateness of the level of reinsurance we purchase by giving consideration to our own risk appetite, the opinions of independent rating agencies as well as the requirements of state regulators. Our amount of losses we retain (referred to as our deductible) in connection with a catastrophic event is determined by market capacity, pricing conditions and surplus preservation.

 

Industry trends, such as increased litigation against the insurance industry and individual insurers, the willingness of courts to expand covered causes of loss, rising jury awards, and the escalation of loss severity, may contribute to increased costs and to the deterioration of the reserves of our insurance subsidiary.

 

Loss severity in the property and casualty insurance industry has continued to increase in recent years, principally driven by larger court judgments. In addition, many legal actions and proceedings have been brought on behalf of classes of complainants, which can further increase the size of judgments. The propensity of policyholders and third party claimants to litigate, the willingness of courts to expand causes of loss and the size of awards may render the loss reserves of our insurance subsidiary inadequate for current and future losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operation and cash flows.

 

Our ability to compete in the property and casualty insurance industry and our ability to expand our business may be negatively affected by the fact that we do not have a rating from A.M. Best.

 

We are not rated by A.M. Best, although we currently have a Financial Stability Rating (FSR) of ‘A’ Exceptional from Demotech, Inc. We have never been reviewed by A.M. Best and do not intend to seek a rating from A.M. Best. Unlike Demotech, A.M. Best may penalize companies that are highly leveraged, i.e. that utilize reinsurance to support premium writings. We do not plan to give up revenues or efficiency of size as a means to qualify for an acceptable A.M. Best rating. While our Demotech rating has proved satisfactory to date in attracting an acceptable amount of business from independent agents, some independent agents are reluctant to do business with a company that is not rated by A.M. Best. As a result, not having an A.M. Best rating may prevent us from expanding our business into certain independent agencies or limit our access to credit from certain financial institutions, which may in turn limit our ability to compete with large, national insurance companies and certain regional insurance companies.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

We rely on independent agents to write our insurance policies, and if we are not able to attract and retain independent agents, our revenues would be negatively affected.

 

While we currently obtain some of our policies through the assumption of policies from Citizens, we still require the cooperation and consent of our network of independent agents. We rely on these independent agents to be the primary source for our property insurance policies. Many of our competitors also rely on independent agents. As a result, we must compete with other insurers for independent agents’ business. Our competitors may offer a greater variety of insurance products, lower premiums for insurance coverage or higher commissions to their agents. If our products, pricing and commissions are not competitive, we may find it difficult to attract business from independent agents to sell our products. A material reduction in the amount of our products that independent agents sell would adversely affect our revenues.

 

We face a risk of non-availability of reinsurance, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to write business and our results of operations and financial condition.

 

We use, and we expect to continue to use, reinsurance to help manage our exposure to catastrophic losses due to various events, including hurricanes, windstorms, hailstorms, explosions, power outages, fires and man-made events. The availability and cost of reinsurance are each subject to prevailing market conditions beyond our control which can affect business volume and profitability. We may be unable to maintain our current reinsurance coverage, to obtain additional reinsurance coverage in the event our current reinsurance coverage is exhausted by a catastrophic event, or to obtain other reinsurance coverage in adequate amounts or at acceptable rates. Similar risks exist whether we are seeking to replace coverage terminated during the applicable coverage period or to renew or replace coverage upon its expiration. We can provide no assurance that we can obtain sufficient reinsurance to cover losses resulting from one or more storms in the future, or that we can obtain such reinsurance in a timely or cost-effective manner. If we are unable to renew our expiring coverage or to obtain new reinsurance coverage, either our net exposure to risk would increase or, if we are unwilling to accept an increase in net risk exposures, we would have to reduce the amount of risk we underwrite. Either increasing our net exposure to risk or reducing the amount of risk we underwrite may cause a material adverse effect on our results of operations and our financial condition.

 

We face a risk of non-collectability of reinsurance, which may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition.

 

Although reinsurers are liable to us to the extent of the reinsurance coverage we purchase, we remain primarily liable as the direct insurer on all risks that we reinsure. Therefore, our reinsurance agreements do not eliminate our obligation to pay claims. As a result, we are subject to risk with respect to our ability to recover amounts due from reinsurers, including the risks that: (a) our reinsurers may dispute some of our reinsurance claims based on contract terms, and we may ultimately receive partial or no payment, or (b) the amount of losses that reinsurers incur related to worldwide catastrophes may materially harm the financial condition of our reinsurers and cause them to default on their obligations. While we will attempt to manage these risks through underwriting guidelines, collateral requirements, financial strength ratings, credit reviews and other oversight mechanisms, our efforts may not be successful. Further, while we may require collateral to support balances due from reinsurers not authorized to transact business in the applicable jurisdictions, balances generally are not collateralized because it has not always been standard business practice to require security for balances due. As a result, our exposure to credit risk may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flow.

 

We use actuarially driven catastrophe models to provide us with risk management guidelines.

 

As is common practice within the insurance industry, we run our exposures in an actuarially driven model that uses past storm data to predict future loss of certain events reoccurring based upon the location and other data of our insured properties. These models, which are provided by independent third parties, can produce wide ranging results within Louisiana and Texas. While we use these models along with the advice of our reinsurance intermediary to select the amount and type of reinsurance to mitigate the loss of capital from catastrophic wind events, these models are not verified, and there are risks that the amount of reinsurance purchased will be insufficient to cover the ultimate catastrophic wind event. Furthermore, the probability of the occurrence of a catastrophic event may be larger than that predicted by the models.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

The failure of the risk mitigation strategies we utilize could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

We utilize a number of strategies to mitigate our risk exposure including: 

utilizing restrictive underwriting criteria;
carefully evaluating and monitoring the terms and conditions of our policies;
focusing on our risk aggregations by geographic zones and;
ceding insurance risk to reinsurance companies.

However, there are inherent limitations in all of these tactics. No assurance can be given that an event or series of events will not result in loss levels which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

The failure of any of the loss limitation methods we employ could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or our results of operations.

 

Various provisions of our policies, such as limitations or exclusions from coverage which have been negotiated to limit our risks, may not be enforceable in the manner we intend. At the present time, we employ a variety of endorsements to our policies that limit exposure to known risks, including but not limited to exclusions relating to homes in close proximity to the coast line. In addition, the policies we issue contain conditions requiring the prompt reporting of claims to us or to our claims handling administrator and our right to decline coverage in the event of a violation of that condition. While our insurance product exclusions and limitations reduce the loss exposure to us and help eliminate known exposures to certain risks, it is possible that a court or regulatory authority could nullify or void an exclusion or that legislation could be enacted modifying or barring the use of such endorsements and limitations in a way that would increase our loss experience, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

 

Maison is subject to an independent third party rating agency and must maintain certain rating levels to continue to write much of its current and future policies.

 

In the event that Maison fails to maintain an “A” rating given by a rating agency acceptable to both our insurance agents and our insureds’ home lenders, it will be unable to continue to write much of its current and future insurance policies. In order to maintain this rating, among several factors, Maison must maintain certain minimum capital and surplus. The loss of such an acceptable rating may lead to a significant decline in our premium volume and adversely affect the results of our operations. Demotech, Inc. affirmed our Financial Stability Rating of “A” on November 18, 2016. This “Exceptional” rating continues as long as we maintain a minimum amount of capital and surplus of $7.5 million, and continue to satisfy additional requirements, including improving underwriting results and reporting other financial measures, submitting quarterly statutory financial statements within 45 days and annual statutory financial statements within 60 days of the period end.

 

If we fail to establish and maintain an effective system of integrated internal controls, we may not be able to report our financial results accurately, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Ensuring that we have adequate internal financial and accounting controls and procedures in place so that we can produce accurate financial statements on a timely basis is a costly and time-consuming effort that will need to be evaluated frequently. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires public companies to conduct an annual review and evaluation of their internal controls and attestations of the effectiveness of internal controls by independent auditors. We currently qualify as an emerging growth company under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”), and are exempt from the auditors’ attestation requirement and will continue to be exempt until such time as we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company. Regardless of our qualification status, we have implemented substantial control systems and procedures in order to satisfy the reporting requirements under the Exchange Act and applicable requirements of The Nasdaq Global Market, or NASDAQ, among other items. Maintaining these internal controls will be costly and may divert management’s attention.

 

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Our evaluation of our internal controls over financial reporting may identify material weaknesses that may cause us to be unable to report our financial information on a timely basis and thereby subject us to adverse regulatory consequences, including sanctions by the SEC, or violations of NASDAQ listing rules. There also could be a negative reaction in the financial markets due to a loss of investor confidence in us and the reliability of our financial statements. Confidence in the reliability of our financial statements also could suffer if we or our independent registered public accounting firm were to report a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting. This may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and could also lead to a decline in the price of our common stock.

 

While we currently qualify as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act, we cannot be certain if we take advantage of the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies that we will not make our common stock less attractive to investors. Once we lose emerging growth company status, the costs and demands placed upon our management are expected to increase.

 

The JOBS Act permits “emerging growth companies” like us to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. As long as we qualify as an emerging growth company, we are permitted, and we intend to, omit the auditor’s attestation on internal control over financial reporting that would otherwise be required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as described above. We also intend to continue to take advantage of the exemption provided under the JOBS Act from the requirements to submit say on pay, say on frequency, and say on golden parachute votes to our stockholders and we will avail ourselves of reduced executive compensation disclosure that is already available to smaller reporting companies. In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the exemption from complying with new or revised accounting standards provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act as long as we are an emerging growth company. An emerging growth company can therefore delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of these benefits until we are no longer an emerging growth company or until we affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of this exemption. Our financial statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

 

We will continue to be an emerging growth company until the earliest to occur of (i) the last day of the fiscal year during which we had total annual gross revenues of at least $1 billion (as indexed for inflation), (ii) December 31, 2019 (iii) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large accelerated filer,” as defined under the Exchange Act.

 

Until such time that we lose “emerging growth company” status, it is unclear if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our stock price may be more volatile and could cause our stock price to decline. Once we lose emerging growth company status, we expect the costs and demands placed upon our management to increase, as we would have to comply with additional disclosure and accounting requirements.

 

We have directors who also serve as directors and executive officers for KFSI, and companies affiliated with KFSI, which may lead to conflicting interests.

As a result of our having previously spun off from KFSI, we have directors who also serve as directors and executive officers of KFSI, 1347 Advisors, LLC (“Advisors”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of KFSI, Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFH) (“Atlas”), and Limbach Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: LMB) (“Limbach”). Our executive officers and members of our Company's board of directors have fiduciary duties to our stockholders; likewise, persons who serve in similar capacities at KFSI, Advisors, Atlas, and Limbach have fiduciary duties to those companies’ stockholders. We may find, though, the potential for a conflict of interest if our Company and one or more of these other companies pursue acquisitions, investments and other business opportunities that may be suitable for each of us. Our directors who find themselves in these multiple roles may, as a result, have conflicts of interest or the appearance of conflicts of interest with respect to matters involving or affecting more than one of the companies to which they owe fiduciary duties. Furthermore, our directors who find themselves in these multiple roles own stock options, shares of common stock and other securities in some of these entities. These ownership interests could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest when the applicable individuals are faced with decisions that could have different implications for our Company and these other entities. From time to time, we may enter into transactions with or participate jointly in investments with KFSI, Advisors, Atlas, or Limbach. There can be no assurance that we will not create new situations in the future in which our directors serve as directors or executive officers in future investment holdings of such entities.

Our information technology systems may fail or suffer a loss of security which may have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Our business is highly dependent upon the successful and uninterrupted functioning of our computer and data processing systems. We rely on these systems to perform actuarial and other modeling functions necessary for our underwriting business, as well as to handle our policy administration processes (such as the printing and mailing of our policies, endorsements, and renewal notices, etc.). The failure of these systems could interrupt our operations. This could result in a material adverse effect on our business results.

 

The development and expansion of our business is dependent upon the successful development and implementation of advanced computer and data processing systems. The failure of these systems to function as planned could slow our growth and adversely affect our future business volume and results of operations.

 

We believe that our independent agents will play a key role in our efforts to increase the number of voluntary policies written by our insurance subsidiary. We utilize various policy administration, rating, and issuance systems. Internet disruptions or system failures of our current policy administration, policy rating and policy issuance system could affect our future business volume and results of operations. In addition, a security breach of our computer systems could damage our reputation or result in liability. We retain confidential information regarding our business dealings and our customers in our computer systems. We may be required to spend significant capital and other resources to protect against security breaches or to alleviate problems caused by such breaches. It is critical that these facilities and infrastructure remain secure. Despite the implementation of security measures, our infrastructure may be vulnerable to physical break-ins, computer viruses, programming errors, attacks by third parties or other disruptive problems. In addition, we could be subject to liability if hackers were able to penetrate our network security or otherwise misappropriate customer’s personal data or other confidential information.

 

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Any failure on the part of our third-party policy administration processor could lead to material litigation, undermine our reputation in the marketplace, impair our image and negatively affect our financial results.

 

We outsource our policy administration process to an unaffiliated, independent third party service provider. Any failure on the part of such third party to properly handle our policy administration process could lead to material litigation, regulatory action, undermine our reputation in the marketplace, impair our image and negatively affect our financial results.

 

The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources, divert management’s attention and affect our ability to attract and retain qualified board members.

 

As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and NASDAQ rules, including those promulgated in response to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The requirements of these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and increase demand on our systems and resources. The Exchange Act requires, among other things, that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and financial condition. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls for financial reporting. To maintain and improve the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, we will need to continually commit significant resources, hire additional staff and provide additional management oversight. In addition, sustaining our growth will require us to commit additional management, operational and financial resources to identify new professionals to join our organization and to maintain appropriate operational and financial systems to adequately support expansion. These activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

We expect to incur significant additional annual expenses related to these steps associated with, among other things, director fees, reporting requirements, transfer agent fees, additional accounting, legal and administrative personnel, increased auditing and legal fees and similar expenses. We also expect that the new rules and regulations to which we will be subject as a result of being a public company will make it more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced coverage for such directors and officers. Any of these factors could make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors. Finally, we expect to incur additional costs once we lose “emerging growth company status.”

 

We have a limited operating history as a publicly-traded company, and our inexperience may have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders.

 

We have a limited operating history as a publicly-traded company. Our board of directors and senior management team has overall responsibility for our management and not all of our directors and members of our senior management team have prior experience in operating a public company. As a publicly-traded company, we are required to develop and implement substantial control systems, policies and procedures in order to satisfy our periodic SEC reporting and NASDAQ obligations. We cannot assure you that management’s past experience will be sufficient to successfully develop and implement these systems, policies and procedures and to operate our company. Failure to do so could jeopardize our status as a public company, and the loss of such status may have a material adverse effect on us and our stockholders.

 

We may require additional capital in the future which may not be available or may only be available on unfavorable terms.

 

Our future capital requirements depend on many factors, including our ability to write new business successfully and to establish premium rates and reserves at levels sufficient to cover losses. To the extent that our present capital is insufficient to meet future operating requirements or to cover losses, we may need to raise additional funds through financings or curtail our projected growth. Many factors will affect our capital needs as well as their amount and timing, including our growth and profitability, the availability of reinsurance, as well as possible acquisition opportunities, market disruptions and other developments. If we had to raise additional capital, equity or debt financing may not be available at all or may be available only on terms that are not favorable to us. In the case of equity financings, dilution to our stockholders could result, and in any case such securities may have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior to those of existing stockholders. If we cannot obtain adequate capital on favorable terms or at all, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Our acquisition strategy may not succeed.

 

Our strategy for growth includes, among other things, acquisition transactions. This strategy could divert management’s attention, or, if implemented, create difficulties including the integration of operations and the retention of employees, and the contingent and latent risks associated with our transaction partner. The risks associated with the acquisition of a smaller insurance company include: 

inadequacy of reserves for losses and loss expenses;
quality of their data and underwriting processes;
the need to supplement management with additional experienced personnel;
conditions imposed by regulatory agencies that make the realization of cost-savings through integration of operations more difficult;
the requirement for regulatory approval for certain acquisitions;
a need for additional capital that was not anticipated at the time of the acquisition; and
the use of a substantial amount of our management’s time.

We cannot predict whether we will be able to identify and complete a future transaction on terms favorable to us. We cannot know if we will realize the anticipated benefits of a completed transaction or if there will be substantial unanticipated costs associated with the transaction. In addition, a future transaction may result in tax consequences at either or both the stockholder and company level, potentially dilutive issuances of our securities, the incurrence of additional debt and the recognition of potential impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets. Each of these factors could adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.

 

The development and implementation of new technologies will require an additional investment of our capital resources in the future.

 

Frequent technological changes, new products and services and evolving industry standards all influence the insurance business. The Internet, for example, is increasingly used to transmit benefits and related information to clients and to facilitate business-to-business information exchange and transactions. We believe that the development and implementation of new technologies will require additional investment of our capital resources in the future. We have not determined, however, the amount of resources and the time that this development and implementation may require, which may result in short-term, unexpected interruptions to our business, or may result in a competitive disadvantage in price and/or efficiency, as we endeavor to develop or implement new technologies.

 

Our success depends on our ability to accurately price the risks we underwrite.

 

The results of our operations and the financial condition of our insurance subsidiary depend on our ability to underwrite and set premium rates accurately for a wide variety of risks. Rate adequacy is necessary to generate sufficient premiums to pay losses, loss adjustment expenses and underwriting expenses and to earn a profit. In order to price our products accurately, we must collect and properly analyze a substantial amount of data, develop, test and apply appropriate rating formulas, closely monitor and timely recognize changes in trends and project both severity and frequency of losses with reasonable accuracy. Our ability to undertake these efforts successfully, and thereby price our products accurately, is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, some of which are outside our control, including:

the availability of sufficient reliable data and our ability to properly analyze such data;
uncertainties that inherently characterize estimates and assumptions;
our selection and application of appropriate rating and pricing techniques;
changes in legal standards, claim settlement practices and restoration costs; and
legislatively imposed consumer initiatives.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Because we have assumed a substantial portion of our current policies from Citizens and TWIA, our rates are based, to a certain extent, on the rates charged by both insurers. In determining the rates we charge in connection with the policies we have assumed from Citizens, our rates must be equal to or less than the rates charged by Citizens. If Citizens reduces its rates, we must reduce our rates to keep them equivalent to or less than Citizens’ rates; however, if Citizens increases its rates, we may not automatically increase our rates. Additionally, absent certain circumstances, we must continue to provide coverage to the policyholders that we assume from Citizens if we have underwritten the same policyholder for a period of three consecutive years. In determining the rates we charge in connection with the policies we have assumed from TWIA, our rates must be no greater than 115% of premiums charged by TWIA for comparable coverage. Additionally, we must continue to provide coverage to the policyholders under those policies that we have assumed from TWIA for a minimum of three successive renewal periods. If we underprice our risks, it may negatively affect our profit margins and if we overprice risks, it could reduce our customer retention, sales volume and competitiveness. Either event may have a material adverse effect on the profitability of our insurance subsidiary.

 

Current operating resources are necessary to develop future new insurance products.

 

We currently intend to expand our product offerings by underwriting additional insurance products and programs, and marketing them through our distribution network. Expansion of our product offerings will result in increases in expenses due to additional costs incurred in actuarial rate justifications, software and personnel. Offering additional insurance products will also require regulatory approval, further increasing our costs and potentially affecting the speed with which we will be able to pursue new market opportunities. There can be no assurance that we will be successful bringing new insurance products to our marketplace.

 

As an insurance holding company, we are currently subject to regulation by the states of Louisiana, Texas, and Florida and in the future may become subject to regulation by certain other states or a federal regulator.

 

All states regulate insurance holding company systems. State statutes and administrative rules generally require each insurance company in the holding company group to register with the department of insurance in its state of domicile and to furnish information concerning the operations of the companies within the holding company system which may materially affect the operations, management or financial condition of the insurers within the group. As part of its registration, each insurance company must identify material agreements, relationships and transactions with affiliates, including without limitation loans, investments, asset transfers, transactions outside of the ordinary course of business, certain management, service, and cost sharing agreements, reinsurance transactions, dividends, and consolidated tax allocation agreements. Insurance holding company regulations generally provide that transactions between an insurance company and its affiliates must be fair and equitable, allocated between the parties in accordance with customary accounting practices, and fully disclosed in the records of the respective parties. Many types of transactions between an insurance company and its affiliates, such as transfers of assets among such affiliated companies, certain dividend payments from insurance subsidiaries and certain material transactions between companies within the system, may be subject to prior notice to, or prior approval by, state regulatory authorities. If we are unable to provide the required materials or obtain the requisite prior approval for a specific transaction, we may be precluded from taking the actions, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our insurance subsidiary currently operates in Louisiana and Texas. Although we have not written any policies in Florida, pursuant to the consent order issued on March 1, 2017, we are subject to the regulatory requirements of the OIR. In the future, our insurance subsidiary may become authorized to transact business in other states and therefore will become subject to the laws and regulatory requirements of those states. These regulations may vary from state to state, and certain states may have regulations which conflict with the regulations of other states. Currently, the federal government’s role in regulating or dictating the policies of insurance companies is limited. However, Congress, from time to time, considers proposals that would increase the role of the federal government in insurance regulation, either in addition to or in lieu of state regulation. The impact of any future federal insurance regulation on our insurance operations is unclear and may adversely impact our business or competitive position.

 

Our insurance subsidiary is subject to extensive regulation which may reduce our profitability or inhibit our growth. Moreover, if we fail to comply with these regulations, we may be subject to penalties, including fines and suspensions, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

The insurance industry is highly regulated and supervised. Maison, our insurance subsidiary, is subject to the supervision and regulation of the states in which it is domiciled and the states in which it does business. Such supervision and regulation is primarily designed to protect policyholders rather than shareholders. These regulations are generally administered by a department of insurance in each state and relate to, among other things:

the content and timing of required notices and other policyholder information;

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

the amount of premiums the insurer may write in relation to its surplus;
the amount and nature of reinsurance a company is required to purchase;
approval of insurance company acquisitions;
participation in guaranty funds and other statutorily-created markets or organizations;
business operations and claims practices;
approval of policy forms and premium rates;
standards of solvency, including risk-based capital measurements;
licensing of insurers and their products;
licensing of agents and managing general agents;
restrictions on the nature, quality and concentration of investments;
restrictions on the ability of our insurance company subsidiary to pay dividends to us;
restrictions on transactions between insurance company subsidiaries and their affiliates;
restrictions on the size of risks insurable under a single policy;
requiring deposits for the benefit of policyholders;
requiring certain methods of accounting;
periodic examinations of our operations and finances;
prescribing the form and content of records of financial condition required to be filed; and
requiring reserves as required by statutory accounting rules.

 

The LDI and regulators in other jurisdictions where our insurance subsidiary operates or may operate conduct periodic examinations of the affairs of insurance companies and require the filing of annual and other reports relating to financial condition, holding company issues and other matters. These regulatory requirements may adversely affect or inhibit our ability to achieve some or all of our business objectives. These regulatory authorities also conduct periodic examinations into insurers’ business practices. These reviews may reveal deficiencies in our insurance operations or differences between our interpretations of regulatory requirements and those of the regulators. In addition, regulatory authorities have relatively broad discretion to deny or revoke licenses for various reasons, including the violation of regulations. In some instances, we follow practices based on our interpretations of regulations or practices that we believe may be generally followed by the industry. These practices may turn out to be different from the interpretations of regulatory authorities. If we do not have the requisite licenses and approvals or do not comply with applicable regulatory requirements, insurance regulatory authorities could prevent or temporarily suspend us from carrying on some or all of our business or otherwise penalize us. Any such outcome may have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate our business.

 

Finally, changes in the level of regulation of the insurance industry or changes in laws or regulations themselves or interpretations by regulatory authorities may have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate our business.

 

Maison is subject to minimum capital and surplus requirements, and our failure to meet these requirements could subject us to regulatory action.

 

Maison is subject to risk-based capital standards and other minimum capital and surplus requirements imposed under the laws of Texas, Florida and Louisiana (and other states where we may eventually conduct business). The risk-based capital standards, based upon the Risk-Based Capital Model Act adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or NAIC, require Maison to report its results of risk-based capital calculations to state departments of insurance and the NAIC. These risk-based capital standards provide for different levels of regulatory attention depending upon the ratio of an insurance company’s total adjusted capital, as calculated in accordance with NAIC guidelines, to its authorized control level risk-based capital. Authorized control level risk-based capital is determined by applying the NAIC’s risk-based capital formula, which measures the minimum amount of capital that an insurance company needs to support its overall business operations.

 

In addition, Maison is required to maintain certain minimum capital and surplus and to limit its written premiums to specified multiples of its capital and surplus. Maison could exceed these ratios if its volume increases faster than anticipated or if its surplus declines due to catastrophic and/or non-catastrophic losses, excessive underwriting and/or operational expenses.

 

Any failure by Maison to meet the applicable risk-based capital or minimum statutory capital requirements or the writings ratio limitations imposed by the laws of the states in which Maison operates could subject it to further examination or corrective action imposed by state regulators, including limitations on our writing of additional business, state supervision or liquidation. Any changes in existing risk-based capital requirements, minimum statutory capital requirements or applicable writings ratios may require us to increase our statutory capital levels, which we may be unable to do.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. 

 

Should our retention rate be less than anticipated, future results will be negatively impacted

 

We make assumptions about the rate at which our existing policies will renew for the purpose of projecting direct premiums written and the amount of reinsurance which we obtain based upon the projected amount of future exposure. If the actual exposure renewed is less than anticipated, our direct premiums written would be adversely impacted. Furthermore, we may purchase more reinsurance than may be appropriate given the actual amount of coverage in force.

 

Our status as an insurance holding company could adversely affect our ability to meet our obligations.

 

As an insurance holding company, we are dependent on dividends and other permitted payments from Maison to serve as operating capital. The ability of Maison to pay dividends to us is subject to certain restrictions imposed under Louisiana insurance law, which is the state of domicile for Maison. Dividend payments may be further restricted pursuant to a consent agreement entered into with the LDI and the OIR as a condition of our licensure in each state.

 

We may be unable to attract and retain qualified employees.

 

We depend on our ability to attract and retain experienced underwriting talent and other skilled employees who are knowledgeable about our business. If the quality of our underwriters and other personnel decreases, we may be unable to maintain our current competitive position in the specialized markets in which we operate and be unable to expand our operations, which could adversely affect our results. Because we have relatively few employees, the loss of, or failure to attract, key personnel could also significantly impede the financial plans, growth, marketing and other objectives of our company. Our success depends to a substantial extent on the ability and experience of our senior management. We believe that our future success will depend in large part on our ability to attract and retain additional skilled and qualified personnel and to expand, train and manage our employees. We may not be successful in doing so, because the competition for experienced personnel in the insurance industry is intense. Many of the companies with which we compete for experienced personnel have greater resources than we have. We cannot be certain of our ability to identify, hire and retain adequately qualified personnel. We do not have employment agreements with our employees. Failure to identify, hire and retain necessary key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our tax-loss carryforwards are subject to restrictions.

 

As of December 31, 2016 we had net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) for federal income tax purposes of approximately $691,000 which will be available to offset future taxable income. As a result of certain changes in ownership and pursuant to Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, utilization of NOLs may be limited after an ownership change, as defined in Section 382. Due to various changes in our ownership, a significant portion of these carry-forwards may be subject to significant restrictions with respect to our ability to use those amounts to offset future taxable income. Use of our NOLs may be further limited as a result of future equity transactions.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

 

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

 

Our executive offices are located at 1511 N. Westshore Blvd, Suite 870, Tampa, Florida, 33607 and consist of approximately 10,600 square feet of office space which allows for current and future expansion. Our lease term runs through October 2019. Rent is payable in monthly installments of approximately $22,500, which escalates by three percent annually. The lease contains an option to renew for an additional three year term subject to certain conditions.

 

We also lease office space located at 9100 Bluebonnet Centre Blvd, Suite 501, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70809 which serves as the principal office space for our insurance subsidiary, Maison and consists of approximately 4,000 square feet of office space. The lease term runs through December 2017 and contains an option to renew for an additional five year term subject to certain conditions. Rent is payable in monthly installments of approximately $6,000.

 

In the opinion of the Company’s management, our properties are suitable for our current business and are adequately maintained.

 

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

From time to time, we are involved in legal proceedings and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. Currently, it is not possible to predict legal outcomes and their impact on the future development of claims. Any such development will be affected by future court decisions and interpretations. Because of these uncertainties, additional liabilities may arise for amounts in excess of the Company’s current reserves. In addition, the Company’s estimate of ultimate loss and loss adjustment expenses may change. These additional liabilities, or increases in estimates, or a range of either, cannot be reasonably estimated, and could result in income statement charges that could be material to the Company’s results of operations in future periods.

 

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

 

Market for Registrant’s Common Stock

 

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market tier of the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol PIH. The following table sets forth the range of high and low intraday sales price for our common stock for each of the quarterly periods indicated.

 

Fiscal Year 2016 Quarters Ended:   High     Low  
March 31, 2016   $ 7.64     $ 5.32  
June 30, 2016     7.21       5.60  
September 30, 2016     6.99       5.65  
December 31, 2016     7.90       6.29  
                 
Fiscal Year 2015 Quarters Ended:   High     Low  
March 31, 2015   $ 7.90     $ 7.37  
June 30, 2015     8.59       7.18  
September 30, 2015     8.21       6.85  
December 31, 2015     8.04       6.19  

 

Number of Common Shareholders

 

As of March 8, 2017, we had 5,956,766 common shares outstanding, which were held by three shareholders of record. Approximately 4,670,000 of these shares are held in “street name” for the benefit of approximately 600 shareholders.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Dividends

 

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate paying any dividends in the foreseeable future. We currently anticipate that all future earnings will be retained for use in our business. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, and other factors.

 

Repurchase of Equity Securities

 

On December 1, 2014, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program for up to 500,000 shares of our common stock which expired on December 31, 2016. The following table provides information with respect to shares repurchased during the three months ended December 31, 2016.

 

Period     Total Number of
Shares Purchased
    Average
Price Paid
per Share
    Total Number of
Shares Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced Plans or Programs
    Maximum Number of
Shares that May Yet
Be Purchased Under
the Plans or Programs
 
As of September 30, 2016       377,756     $ 7.29       377,756       122,244  
October 1 - 31, 2016       15,303       7.31       15,303       106,941  
November 1 - 30, 2016       8,300       7.35       8,300       98,641  
December 1 - 31, 2016                         98,641  
As of December 31, 2016       401,359     $ 7.29       401,359        
                                     

Equity Compensation Plan Information

 

Securities authorized for issuance under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan are as follows as of December 31, 2016:

 

Plan Category   Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights     Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights     Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a))  
      (a)       (b)       (c)  
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders     197,956     $ 8.36       156,956  
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders                  
Total     197,956     $ 8.36       156,956  

 

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

On February 24, 2015, the Company issued 120,000 shares of the Company’s Series B Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Shares”) as well as a warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase up to 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $15.00 per share. Both the Preferred Shares and the Warrant were issued to 1347 Advisors, LLC (“Advisors”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway Financial Services, Inc., in a private placement exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

The Preferred Shares have a liquidation amount equal to $25.00 per share and will pay annual cumulative dividends at a rate of 8% per year. On the third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the issuance date of the Preferred Shares (each, a “Reference Date”), if any dividends that accrued during the 12-month period ending upon such Reference Date are unpaid, such dividends shall accumulate and compound at a rate of 13% per year until all of such dividends are paid in full. During any time that any dividends are unpaid and compounding at the rate of 13% per year after the third anniversary of the issuance date, no dividends or other distributions or repurchases or redemptions on the Company’s common stock (subject to limited exceptions) shall be declared or paid by the Board of Directors of the Company. Unless redeemed earlier, the Preferred Shares will be redeemed by the Company on February 24, 2020 (the “Redemption Date”). To the extent that any Preferred Shares have not been redeemed on the Redemption Date, the liquidation value of such Preferred Shares plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon shall accumulate and compound at a rate of 13% per year until paid in full. The Preferred Shares are non-voting, except as provided by applicable law.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

The Warrant was immediately exercisable upon its issuance and expires on February 22, 2022.

 

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

 

Not Applicable.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

You should read the following discussion in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes and information included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K. You should review the “Risk Factors” section of this annual report for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis and set forth elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties.

 

Unless context denotes otherwise, the terms “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” refer to 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiaries. Except where noted otherwise, all dollar amount have been reported in thousands.

 

Overview

 

Maison Insurance Holdings, Inc. was incorporated on October 2, 2012 in the State of Delaware. On November 19, 2013, the company’s legal name was changed to 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc (“PIH”). PIH is a holding company and is engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the property and casualty insurance business.

 

Prior to March 31, 2014, the Company operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway America, Inc. (“KAI”). KAI, in turn, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway Financial Services, Inc. (“KFSI”), a publicly owned holding company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On March 31, 2014, the Company completed an initial public offering of its common stock and then on June 13, 2014, the Company completed a follow-on offering. Through the combination of the IPO and follow-on offering, the Company issued approximately five million shares of its common stock. As of December 31, 2016 KAI and companies affiliated with KAI held approximately 975,000 shares of our common stock, equivalent to 16.4% of our outstanding shares.

 

PIH has three wholly-owned subsidiaries; Maison Insurance Company (“Maison”), a Louisiana-domiciled property and casualty insurance company, Maison Managers, Inc. (“MMI”), a managing general agent, incorporated in the State of Delaware on October 2, 2012, and ClaimCor, LLC (“ClaimCor”), a Florida based claims adjusting company.Maison writes personal property and casualty insurance in Louisiana and both personal and commercial property and casualty insurance in Texas. Maison provides dwelling policies for wind and hail only, and dwelling, homeowner and mobile home/manufactured home policies for multi-peril property risks.

 

Maison began writing commercial business in Texas in June 2015, through a quota-share agreement with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company (“Brotherhood”). Through this agreement, Maison has assumed wind/hail only exposures on certain churches and related structures Brotherhood insures throughout the State of Texas.

 

Maison distributes its insurance policies through a network of independent agencies in Louisiana and Texas. These agencies typically represent several insurance companies in order to provide various insurance product lines to their clients. The Company refers to these policies as voluntary policies.

 

In addition to the voluntary policies Maison writes, we have participated in the last five rounds of take-outs from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Company (“Citizens”), occurring on December 1st of each year. Under this take-out program, state-approved insurance companies, such as Maison, have the opportunity to assume insurance policies written by Citizens. Similarly, in December 2016, Maison participated in the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association’s (“TWIA”) first-ever depopulation program whereby Maison assumed policies for wind and hail only exposures for homeowners along the coastal area of Texas.

 

MMI serves as the Company’s management services subsidiary and provides underwriting, policy administration, claims administration, marketing, accounting and other management services to Maison. MMI contracts with independent agencies for policy sales and services, and contracts with an independent third-party for policy administration services. As a managing general agency, MMI is licensed by and subject to the regulatory oversight of both the Louisiana and Texas Departments of Insurance (“LDI” and “TDI”, respectively).

 

On January 2, 2015, the Company completed its acquisition of 100% of the membership interest of ClaimCor, a claims and underwriting technical solutions company. Maison processes claims made by our policyholders through ClaimCor, and also through various third-party claims adjusting companies. We have the ultimate authority over the claims handling process, while the agencies we appoint have no authority to settle our claims or otherwise exercise control over the claims process.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Florida Certificate of Authority

 

On March 1, 2017 Maison received a certificate of authority from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”) which authorizes Maison to write personal lines insurance in the State of Florida. Pursuant to the Consent Order issued, Maison has agreed to comply with certain requirements as outlined by the OIR until Maison can demonstrate three consecutive years of net income following the Company’s admission into Florida as evidenced by its Annual Statement filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Among other requirements, the OIR requires the following as conditions related to the issuance of Maison’s certificate of authority:

 

Although domiciled in the State of Louisiana, Maison agreed to comply with the Florida Insurance Code as if Maison were a domestic insurer within the State of Florida;
Maison agreed to maintain capital and surplus as to policyholders of no less than $35 million;
Maison agreed to receive prior approval from the OIR prior to the payment of any dividends and;
Maison agreed to receive written approval from the OIR regarding any form of policy issued, or rate charged to its policyholders prior to utilizing any such form or rate for policies written in the State of Florida.

 

To comply with the Consent Order, Maison will receive a capital contribution from its parent company, 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc., in the approximate amount of $15 million. This contribution is expected to be in the form of one or more surplus notes as well as a direct contribution to paid in and contributed surplus and is expected to occur prior to March 31, 2017. As of March 16, 2017 Maison has not written any insurance policies covering risks in the State of Florida. As of March 16, 2017 Maison has not written any insurance policies covering risks in the State of Florida.

 

Business Strategy

 

Mission Statement: We will deploy internal expertise and leverage external partnerships to provide market solutions and in return generate the expected profits identified in our vision statement while taking prudent steps to limit exposure to downside. Our team will continuously evaluate existing markets to ensure they remain consistent with our expectations and identify potential new markets where expansion opportunities may emerge. If writing other property lines that compliment these specifically targeted segments allows us to reduce operating expenses, improve reinsurance purchasing or support distribution we will do so. We will reduce exposure to, or exit, any markets where attributes no longer support the expected amount of underwriting profit.

 

Our primary goal is to continue to expand our property and casualty writings through:

 

Increasing our number of voluntary policies. Ease of use enhancements for our web-based agent quoting portal as well as refining our product offerings has provided a marketable advantage in organic new policy growth for Maison. Our goal is to continue to grow through strategic relationships with agencies in the states where we currently provide insurance and also potentially in new coastal markets in the U.S. Our years of experience in the coastal markets make us uniquely qualified to manage agent expectations and provide superior support and service for policyholders.

 

Strategic acquisitions. We intend to explore growth opportunities through strategic acquisitions in coastal states, including Louisiana, Texas and Florida. We also plan to pursue complementary books of business provided they meet our underwriting criteria. We will evaluate each opportunity based on expected economic contribution to our results and support of our market expansion initiatives.

 

Attracting and retaining high-quality agents. We intend to focus our marketing efforts on maintaining and improving our relationships with highly productive independent agents, as well as on attracting new high quality agents in areas with a substantial potential for profitable growth.

 

Reducing our ratio of expenses to net premiums earned and using technology to increase our operating efficiency. We are committed to improving our profitability by reducing expenses through enhanced technologies and by increasing the number of policies we write through the strategic deployment of our capital. We currently outsource our policy administration and a portion of our claims handling functions to third parties with dedicated Maison oversight and direction, which we believe results in increased service and lower expense and loss ratios.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Our Products

 

As of December 31, 2016, we had approximately 33,800 policies in-force. Of these policies in-force, approximately 26% of our policies are comprised of policies obtained from the Citizens take-out program (most of which are wind/hail only dwelling policies) while the remaining 74% are obtained through our independent agents. In total, 52% of our policies are homeowner multi-peril, approximately 14% are manufactured home multi-peril policies, and approximately 8% are dwelling fire policies.

 

Homeowners’ Insurance

 

Our homeowners’ insurance policy is written on an owner occupied dwelling which protects from all perils, except for those specifically excluded from coverage by the policy. It also provides replacement cost coverage on the home and other structures and will provide optional coverage for replacement cost on personal property in the home. It may also offer the option of specifically scheduling individual personal property items for coverage. Additionally, coverage for loss of use of the home until it can be repaired is provided. Personal liability and medical payment coverage to others is included, as well.

 

Wind/Hail Insurance

 

Our wind/hail insurance policy is written on an owner or non-owner occupied dwelling which protects from the perils of wind and/or hail-only weather events. This policy type may also provide coverage for personal property, but only for specific types of coverage. It provides replacement cost or actual cash value coverage on the home and other structures depending on the form under which the policy is written. Personal property in the home is written at actual cash value. Additionally, coverage for loss of use of the home is provided.

 

Manufactured Home Insurance

 

Our manufactured home insurance policy is written on a manufactured or mobile home and is similar to both the homeowners’ insurance policy and the dwelling fire policy. The policy can provide for coverage on the manufactured home, the insured’s personal property in the home and liability and medical payments can be included. Furthermore, our manufactured home policies can be endorsed to include coverage for flood and earthquake (coverage for these perils is not available under our other policy types; as of December 31, 2016 approximately 3,550 of our manufactured home policies include this endorsement). The policy can also be written on either owner occupied or non-owner occupied units. Property coverage can be written on an actual cash value or stated amount basis with an optional replacement cost coverage available for partial loss. There are several other optional coverages that can be included and residential and commercial-use rental units can be written along with seasonal use mobile homes or homes that are used for part of the year.

 

Dwelling Fire Insurance

 

Our dwelling fire policy can be issued on an owner occupied or non-owner (tenant) occupied dwelling property. It will also provide coverage against all types of loss unless the peril causing the loss is specifically excluded in the policy. Losses from vandalism and malicious mischief are also included in the coverage. All claims and losses on a dwelling are covered on a replacement cost basis and additional coverage for personal property (contents) can also be added. Personal liability and medical payments to others may be included on an optional basis.

 

Our policy counts by type as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

 

    Policies in-force as of  
Source of Policies   Dec 31, 2016     Dec 31, 2015  
             
Total Citizens Takeout Policies in Force     8,892       8,957  
                 
Homeowners     17,685       14,283  
Manufactured Homes     4,694       4,343  
Other Dwellings     2,568       806  
Total Voluntary Policies in Force     24,947       19,432  
                 
Total Direct Policies in Force     33,839       28,389  
                 
Assumed through Brotherhood Quota-Share Agreement     522       495  
Assumed through TWIA Quota-Share Agreement     1,251        
Total Assumed Policies     1,773       495  
                 

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Measures

 

The Company assesses its results of operations using certain non-U.S. GAAP financial measures, in addition to U.S. GAAP financial measures. These non-U.S. GAAP financial measures consist of underwriting ratios and are defined below. The Company believes these non-U.S. GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating performance in the same manner as management does.

 

The non-U.S. GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for or superior to, any financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company’s non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may be defined differently from time to time and may be defined differently than similar terms used by other companies, and accordingly, care should be exercised in understanding how we define our non-U.S. GAAP financial measures.

 

Underwriting Ratios

 

The Company, like many insurance companies, analyzes performance based on underwriting ratios such as loss ratio, expense ratio and combined ratio. The loss ratio is derived by dividing the amount of net losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred by net premiums earned. The expense ratio is derived by dividing the sum of amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and general and administrative expenses incurred by net premiums earned. All items included in the loss and expense ratios are presented in the Company’s U.S. GAAP financial statements. The combined ratio is the sum of the loss ratio and the expense ratio. A combined ratio below 100% demonstrates an underwriting profit whereas a combined ratio over 100% demonstrates an underwriting loss.

 

Critical Accounting Estimates and Assumptions

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Estimates and their underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Changes in estimates are recorded in the accounting period in which they are determined. The critical accounting estimates and assumptions in the accompanying consolidated financial statements include the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves (as well as the reinsurance recoverable on those reserves), the valuation of fixed income and equity securities, the valuation of net deferred income taxes, the valuation of various securities we have issued in conjunction with the termination of the management services agreement with 1347 Advisors, LLC, the valuation of deferred policy acquisition costs and stock-based compensation expense.

 

Provision for Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves

 

A significant degree of judgment is required to determine amounts recorded in the consolidated financial statements for the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. The process for establishing the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves reflects the uncertainties and significant judgmental factors inherent in predicting future results of both known and unknown loss events. As such, the process is inherently complex and imprecise and estimates are constantly refined. The process of establishing the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves relies on the judgment and opinions of a large number of individuals, including the opinions of the Company’s independent actuaries.

 

Factors affecting the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves include the continually evolving and changing regulatory and legal environment, actuarial studies, professional experience and expertise of the Company’s claims departments’ personnel and independent adjusters retained to handle individual claims, the quality of the data used for projection purposes, existing claims management practices including claims handling and settlement practices, the effect of inflationary trends on future loss settlement costs, court decisions, economic conditions and public attitudes.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

In the actuarial review process, an analysis of the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves is completed for the Company’s insurance subsidiary. Unpaid losses, allocated loss adjustment expenses and unallocated loss adjustment expenses are separately analyzed by line of business or coverage by accident year. A wide range of actuarial methods are utilized in order to appropriately measure ultimate loss and loss adjustment expense costs. These methods include paid loss development, incurred loss development and frequency-severity method. Reasonability tests such as ultimate loss ratio trends and ultimate allocated loss adjustment expense to ultimate loss are also performed prior to selection of the final provision. The provision is indicated by line of business or coverage and is separated into case reserves, reserves for losses incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) and a provision for loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”).

 

Because the establishment of the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves is an inherently uncertain process involving estimates, current provisions may need to be updated. Adjustments to the provision, both favorable and unfavorable, are reflected in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the periods in which such estimates are updated. Management determines the loss and loss adjustment expense reserves as recorded on the Company’s financial statements, while the Company’s independent actuaries develop a range of reasonable estimates and a point estimate of loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. The actuarial point estimate is intended to represent the actuaries’ best estimate and will not necessarily be at the mid-point of the high and low estimates of the range.

 

Valuation of Fixed Income and Equity Securities

 

The Company’s fixed income and equity securities are recorded at fair value using observable inputs such as quoted prices in inactive markets, quoted prices in active markets for similar instruments, benchmark interest rates, broker quotes and other relevant inputs. The Company does not have any fixed income or equity investments in its portfolio which require the Company to use unobservable inputs. Any change in the estimated fair value of its investments could impact the amount of unrealized gain or loss the Company has recorded, which could change the amount the Company has recorded for its investments and other comprehensive loss on its consolidated balance sheets and statements of comprehensive income (loss).

 

Gains and losses realized on the disposition of investments are determined on the first-in first-out basis and credited or charged to the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). Premium and discount on investments are amortized and accreted using the interest method and charged or credited to net investment income.

 

The Company performs a quarterly analysis of its investment portfolio to determine if declines in market value are other-than-temporary. Further information regarding its detailed analysis and factors considered in establishing an other-than-temporary impairment on an investment is discussed within Note 4 - Investments, to the consolidated financial statements.

 

Valuation of Net Deferred Income Taxes

 

The provision for income taxes is calculated based on the expected tax treatment of transactions recorded in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In determining its provision for income taxes, the Company interprets tax legislation in a variety of jurisdictions and makes assumptions about the expected timing of the reversal of deferred income tax assets and liabilities and the valuation of net deferred income taxes.

 

The ultimate realization of the deferred income tax asset balance is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which the Company’s temporary differences reverse and become deductible. A valuation allowance is established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred income tax asset balance will not be realized. In determining whether a valuation allowance is needed, management considers all available positive and negative evidence affecting specific deferred income tax asset balances, including the Company’s past and anticipated future performance, the reversal of deferred income tax liabilities, and the availability of tax planning strategies. To the extent a valuation allowance is established in a period, an expense must be recorded within the income tax provision in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss).

 

The Company carries a net deferred income tax asset of $420 and $506 at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, all of which the Company believes is more likely than not to be fully realized based upon management’s assessment of future taxable income.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Securities Issued to 1347 Advisors, LLC

 

Pursuant to the termination of the Management Services Agreement with 1347 Advisors LLC (“Advisors,” a wholly-owned subsidiary of KFSI), the Company issued Preferred Shares, Warrants, and entered into a Performance Share Grant Agreement with Advisors on February 24, 2015.

 

Because the Preferred Shares have a redemption provision requiring mandatory redemption on February 24, 2020, the Company was required to classify the Preferred Shares as a liability on its balance sheet. The resulting liability was recorded at a discount to the $4,200 ultimate redemption amount which includes all dividends to be paid on the Preferred Shares based upon an analysis of the timing and amounts of cash payments expected to occur under the terms of the Preferred Shares discounted for the Company’s estimated cost of equity (13.9%).

 

The Company estimated the fair value of the Warrants on grant date based upon the Black-Scholes option pricing model while it utilized a Monte Carlo model to determine the fair value of the Performance Share Grant Agreement due to the fact that the underlying shares are only issuable based upon the achievement of certain market conditions.

 

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

 

Deferred policy acquisition costs represent the deferral of expenses that the Company incurs related to successful efforts to acquire new business or renew existing business. Acquisition costs, primarily commissions, premium taxes and underwriting and agency expenses related to issuing insurance policies are deferred and charged against income ratably over the terms of the related insurance policies. Management regularly reviews the categories of acquisition costs that are deferred and assesses the recoverability of this asset. Costs associated with unsuccessful efforts or costs that cannot be tied directly to a successful policy acquisition are expensed as incurred, as opposed to being deferred and amortized as the premium is earned.

 

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

 

The Company uses the fair-value method of accounting for stock-based compensation awards granted. The Company determines the fair value of the stock options on their grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model and determines the fair value of restricted stock units on their grant date using multiple Monte Carlo simulations. The fair value of these awards is recorded as compensation expense over the requisite service period, which is generally the expected period over which the awards will vest, with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital. When the stock options are exercised, or correspondingly, when the restricted stock units vest, the amount of proceeds together with the amount recorded in additional paid-in capital is recorded in shareholders’ equity.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

See Item 8, Note 3 – Recently Issued Accounting Standards in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements and their effect, if any, on the Company.

 

Analysis of Financial Condition

As of December 31, 2016 compared to December 31, 2015

 

Investments

 

The Company’s investments in fixed income and equity securities are classified as available-for-sale and are reported at estimated fair value. The Company held an investments portfolio comprised primarily of fixed income securities issued by the U.S. Government, government agencies and high quality corporate issuers. The portfolio is managed by a third-party investment management firm in accordance with the investment policies and guidelines approved by Maison’s Board of Directors. These guidelines stress the preservation of capital, market liquidity and the diversification of risk. Investments held by the Company’s insurance subsidiary must also comply with applicable domiciliary state regulations that prescribe the type, quality and concentration of investments.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

The table below summarizes, by type, the Company’s investments as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

 

    December 31, 2016     December 31, 2015  
Type of Investment   Carrying
Amount
    Percent of
Total
    Carrying
Amount
    Percent of
Total
 
Fixed income securities:                                
  U.S. government   $ 1,604       5.6 %   $ 647       3.0 %
  State municipalities and political subdivisions     2,246       7.9 %     1,651       7.6 %
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations     11,968       42.2 %     9,082       42.0 %
  Corporate     10,741       37.8 %     8,858       40.9 %
Total fixed income securities     26,559       93.5 %     20,238       93.5 %
Equity securities     1,136       4.0 %           %
Short-term investments     196       0.7 %     1,149       5.3 %
Limited liability investments     505       1.8 %     248       1.2 %
Total investments   $ 28,396       100.0 %   $ 21,635       100.0 %

 

Pursuant to the certificate of authority we received from the TDI, we are required to deposit securities with the State of Texas. These securities consist of cash in the amount of $300 as well as various fixed income securities listed in the table above having an amortized cost basis of $1,701 and an estimated fair value of $1,692 as of December 31, 2016.

 

The Company’s limited liability investments are comprised of investments in two limited partnerships which seek to provide equity and asset-backed debt investment in a variety of privately-owned companies. The Company has committed to a total investment of $1,000, of which the limited partnerships have drawn down approximately $505 through December 31, 2016. One of these limited partnerships is managed by Argo Management Group, LLC, an entity which, as of April 21, 2016 is wholly owned by KFSI. The Company has accounted for its limited liability investments under the cost method as the instruments do not have readily determinable fair values and the Company does not exercise significant influence over the operations of the limited partnerships or the underlying privately-owned companies.

 

Liquidity and Cash Flow Risk

 

The table below summarizes the estimated fair value of the Company’s fixed income securities by contractual maturity as of December 31, 2016 and 2015. Actual results may differ as issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations, with or without penalties, prior to the contractual maturity of these obligations.

 

    December 31, 2016     December 31, 2015  
Matures in:   Carrying
Amount
    Percent of
Total
    Carrying
Amount
    Percent of
Total
 
One year or less   $ 1,828       6.9 %   $ 1,012       5.0 %
More than one to five years     12,678       47.7 %     10,414       51.5 %
More than five to ten years     3,918       14.8 %     2,259       11.2 %
More than ten years     8,135       30.6 %     6,553       32.3 %
Total fixed income securities   $ 26,559       100.0 %   $ 20,238       100.0 %

 

At December 31, 2016, approximately 54.6% of the Company’s fixed income securities had contractual maturities of five years or less. The Company holds cash and high-grade short-term assets which, along with fixed income securities, management believes are sufficient in amount for the payment of loss and loss adjustment expense reserves and other operating subsidiary obligations on a timely basis. The Company may not be able to liquidate its investments in the event that additional cash is required to meet obligations to its policyholders, however, the Company believes that the high-quality, liquid investments in the portfolios provide it with sufficient liquidity.

 

Market Risk

 

Market risk is the risk that the Company will incur losses due to adverse changes in interest or currency exchange rates and equity prices. Given the Company’s operations only invest in U.S. dollar denominated instruments and maintain a relatively insignificant investment in equity instruments, its primary market risk exposures in the investments portfolio are to changes in interest rates.

 

Because the investments portfolio is comprised of primarily fixed maturity instruments that are usually held to maturity, periodic changes in interest rate levels generally impact the Company’s financial results to the extent that the investments are recorded at market value and reinvestment yields are different than the original yields on maturing instruments. During periods of rising interest rates, the market values of the existing fixed income securities will generally decrease. The reverse is true during periods of declining interest rates.

 

Credit Risk

 

Credit risk is defined as the risk of financial loss due to failure of the other party to a financial instrument to discharge an obligation. Credit risk arises from the Company’s positions in short-term investments and debt instruments.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company’s debt securities had the following quality ratings as assigned by Standard and Poor’s (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”).

 

    December 31, 2016     December 31, 2015  
Rating (S&P/Moody’s)   Carrying
Amount
    Percent of
Total
    Carrying
Amount
    Percent of
Total
 
AAA/Aaa   $ 14,995       56.4 %   $ 10,741       53.0 %
Aa/Aa     2,627       9.9 %     2,520       12.5 %
A/A     5,516       20.8 %     4,745       23.4 %
BBB     3,421       12.9 %     2,232       11.1 %
Total fixed income securities   $ 26,559       100.0 %   $ 20,238       100.0 %

 

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment

 

The length of time an individual investment may be held in an unrealized loss position may vary based on the opinion of the investment manager and their respective analyses related to valuation and to the various credit risks that may prevent the Company from recapturing the principal investment. In the case of an individual investment with a maturity date where the investment manager determines that there is little or no risk of default prior to the maturity of a holding, the Company would elect to hold the investment in an unrealized loss position until the price recovers or the investment matures. In situations where facts emerge that might increase the risk associated with recapture of principal, the Company may elect to sell investments at a loss.

 

The Company performs a quarterly analysis of its investment portfolio to determine if declines in market value are other-than-temporary. Further information regarding the Company’s detailed analysis and factors considered in establishing an other-than-temporary impairment on an investment is discussed within Note 4 - “Investments,” to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 of this report.

 

As a result of the analysis performed by the Company, there were no write-downs for other-than-temporary impairments related to investments for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

At December 31, 2016, the gross unrealized losses for fixed income securities amounted to $274, and there were no unrealized losses attributable to non-investment grade fixed income securities. At both December 31, 2016 and 2015, all unrealized losses on individual investments were considered temporary. Fixed income securities in unrealized loss positions continued to pay interest and were not subject to material changes in their respective debt ratings. The Company concluded the declines in value were considered temporary. As the Company has the capacity to hold these investments to maturity, no impairment provision was considered necessary.

 

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

 

The Company’s deferred policy acquisition costs (“DPAC”) include commissions, premium taxes, assessments and other policy processing fees and represent those costs related to successfully acquiring the premiums the Company has yet to earn (the unearned premium reserve). DPAC increased $359, to $4,389 as of December 31, 2016 compared to $4,030 as of December 31, 2015, corresponding to an increase in our unearned premium reserves over the same period. DPAC expressed as a percentage of unearned premium reserves was 17.0% and 17.2% as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Effective January 1, 2016, we amended the terms of our quota-share agreement with Brotherhood such that the premiums we receive, and the commissions we pay, are remitted on an earned basis. Previously, commissions and premiums were remitted on an as written basis. While this change does not impact the net income earned as a result of the agreement, it does impact certain assets and liabilities on our consolidated financial statements, such as our unearned premium reserves and DPAC asset. This change to our quota-share agreement with Brotherhood resulted in a $221 decrease to DPAC from December 31, 2015 to December 31, 2016.

 

Premiums Receivable, Net of Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

 

Premiums receivable, net of allowances for credit losses, increased by $528 to $2,923 as of December 31, 2016 from $2,395 as of December 31, 2015. This increase was primarily attributable to premiums due from Citizens and TWIA on the December 1, 2016 depopulation of policies from both insurers. Premiums due from Citizens increased by approximately $400 due to a change in the timing of payments Citizens makes under its depopulation program. In prior years, Citizens would remit premium due to us (less a 16% holdback for endorsements and cancellations) prior to December 31st of the year of the depopulation. For the depopulation which occurred on December 1, 2016, Citizens changed the timing of payments such that the premium would be remitted to us in late January, 2017. Since December 1, 2016 represented the first-ever depopulation of policies from TWIA, premiums due from TWIA accounted for approximately $140 of the change year over year.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Ceded Unearned Premiums

 

Ceded unearned premiums represents the unexpired portion of premiums which have been paid to the Company’s reinsurers. Ceded unearned premiums are charged to income over the terms of the respective reinsurance treaties. Ceded unearned premiums increased $2,042 to $4,847 as of December 31, 2016 from $2,805 as of December 31, 2015 which is predominantly due to the timing of installment payments due under our excess of loss catastrophe treaties. As we entered into a new treaty effective June 1, 2016, with higher limits compared to our prior treaty which expired on May 31, 2016, the amount of premium we cede and therefor due under our installment agreement has increased over the prior treaty year.

 

Reinsurance Recoverable

 

Reinsurance recoverable on both paid losses and loss reserves represents amounts due to the Company, or expected to be due to the Company from its reinsurers, based upon claims and claim reserves which have exceeded the retention amount under our reinsurance treaties. As of December 31, 2016 we have recorded an expected recovery of $444 on paid losses and $3,652 on loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, compared to $0 and $120 respectively as of December 31, 2015. The expected recoveries as of December 31, 2016 result from a series of severe storms which produced multiple tornadoes and flooding in the State of Louisiana in late February 2016, a wind and hail event occurring in both Texas and Louisiana in early March 2016, as well as a wind and flooding event which occurred in Louisiana in mid-August 2016. See “Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves” in Item 7 of this report for the expected recovery by policy type.

 

Funds Deposited with Reinsured Companies

 

Funds deposited with reinsured companies represents collateral we have placed on deposit with Brotherhood based upon our quota-share agreement to reinsure a portion of Brotherhood’s business for wind/hail coverage only. We modified our agreement with Brotherhood effective January 1, 2016 such that we are only required to fund our pro-rata portion of reserves Brotherhood has established for losses and loss adjustment expenses. Prior to the modification of the agreement, we were required to not only fund our pro-rata portion of the loss and loss adjustment expense reserves Brotherhood had established, but also to fund our pro-rata portion of the unearned premium reserves Brotherhood had established on the unexpired portion of the commercial policies subject to our quota-share agreement. Accordingly, our obligation decreased from $725 as of December 31, 2015 to $500 as of December 31, 2016. We funded these obligations via cash deposits made to Brotherhood under a trust agreement.

 

Current Income Taxes Recoverable/Payable

 

Current income taxes recoverable increased $230 to $1,195 as of December 31, 2016, compared to $965 as of December 31, 2015, representing the estimate for both the Company’s state and federal income taxes to be recovered for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, less estimated payments made during each year.

 

Net Deferred Tax Asset

 

The Company’s net deferred tax asset decreased $86, to $420 as of December 31, 2016 from $506 as of December 31, 2015. Net deferred income taxes are comprised of approximately $2,359 of deferred tax assets, net of approximately $1,939 of deferred tax liabilities as of December 31, 2016. The change in the net deferred tax asset is primarily due to an increase in the deferred tax liabilities related to our deferred policy acquisition costs.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment has increased $16 to $250 as of December 31, 2016 compared to $234 as of December 31, 2015, and consists of computers, office equipment, and improvements at our leased facilities in Tampa, Florida and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, shown net of accumulated depreciation. Also included in the balances are vehicles we have purchased for the use of our sales representatives in the state of Texas and Louisiana. Our policy for the capitalization and depreciation of these assets can be found in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements found in Item 8 of this report.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Other Assets

 

Other assets increased $83, to $788 as of December 31, 2016 from $705 as of December 31, 2015. The major components of other assets, as well as the change therein, are shown below.

 

    December 31,        
    2016     2015     Change  
Accrued interest on investments   $ 117     $ 77     $ 40  
Security deposits for facility leases     38       38        
Prepaid expenses     616       590       26  
Other receivables     17             17  
Total   $ 788     $ 705     $ 83  

 

Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves

 

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves represent the estimated liabilities for reported loss events, incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) loss events and the related estimated loss adjustment expenses gross of amounts expected to be recovered from reinsurance. The table below separates our loss reserves and LAE between IBNR and case specific estimates as of December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

    Case Loss
Reserves
    Case LAE
Reserves
    Total Case Reserves     IBNR
Reserves
(including
LAE)
    Total
Reserves
    Reinsurance Recoverable
on Reserves
 
December 31, 2016                                                
Homeowners(1)   $ 1,523     $ 463     $ 1,986     $ 3,302     $ 5,288     $ 2,565  
Special Property(2)     697       88       785       898       1,683       1,087  
Total   $ 2,220     $ 551     $ 2,771     $ 4,200     $ 6,971     $ 3,652  
                                                 
December 31, 2015                                                
Homeowners   $ 758     $ 72     $ 830     $ 1,070     $ 1,900     $ 120  
Special Property     49       9       58       165       223        
Total   $ 807     $ 81     $ 888     $ 1,235     $ 2,123     $ 120  

(1) Homeowners refers to our multi-peril policies for traditional dwellings as well as mobile and manufactured homes.

(2) Special Property includes both our Fire and Allied lines of business, which are primarily wind/hail only products and also includes the commercial wind/hail only business we have assumed through our agreement with Brotherhood and our personal wind/hail only business we have assumed through our agreement with TWIA.

 

Favorable development for net loss and LAE reserves from prior accident years was $381 for the year ended December 31, 2016 driven primarily by redundancy relating to the 2015 accident year. This redundancy which we experienced for the 2015 accident year is due to a ceded benefit we received under our aggregate treaty which is a part of our catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance program. In March 2016, we experienced the second of two weather related events which, when combined, exceeded the $5,000 retention under our aggregate treaty. This second event allowed us to re-assess all claims we incurred over the reinsurance year covered under our aggregate treaty, or from the period beginning June 1, 2015 and ending May 31, 2016. Thus, in calendar 2016 we ceded approximately $1.4 million of losses related to the 2015 accident year.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company reported $182 of favorable development for net loss and LAE reserves from prior accident years.

 

The Company cannot predict whether loss and loss adjustment expense reserves will develop favorably or unfavorably from the amounts reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Any such development could have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial results for a given period.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Unearned Premium Reserves

 

Unearned premium reserves increased $2,379 to $25,821 as of December 31, 2016 compared to $23,442 as of December 31, 2015. The following table outlines the change in unearned premium reserves by line of business.

 

    December 31,        
    2016     2015     Change  
Homeowners   $ 17,466     $ 15,688     $ 1,778  
Special Property     8,355       7,754       601  
Total   $ 25,821     $ 23,442     $ 2,379  

 

The Company’s increase to its unearned premium reserve is directly related to the increase in written premiums year over year.

 

Ceded Reinsurance Premiums Payable

 

Ceded reinsurance premiums payable increased $1,946, to $5,229 as of December 31, 2016 compared to $3,283 as of December 31, 2015 primarily as a result of an increase in the level of coverage we have purchased from year to year, to coincide with the increase in direct and assumed premium we write. The bulk of the balance payable as of December 31, 2016 represents the quarterly payment due under our catastrophe excess of loss treaty, which was paid in January 2017.

 

Agent Commissions Payable

 

Agent commissions payable increased $94 to $497 as of December 31, 2016 compared to $403 as of December 31, 2015. As agent commissions are paid in arrears, this balance represents commissions owed to the Company’s independent agents on policies written in December of each year, and corresponds directly with the increase in premiums written by our agents when comparing December 2016 to December 2015.

 

Premiums Collected in Advance

 

Advance premium deposits increased $258 to $1,128 as of December 31, 2016 from $870 as of December 31, 2015, and represent cash the Company has received for policies which were not yet in-force as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 respectively. Upon the effective date of coverage, advance premiums are reclassified to the unearned premium reserves account.

 

Funds held under Reinsurance Treaties

 

Funds held under reinsurance treaties represents collateral we have received on deposit from our reinsurers under our catastrophe excess of loss treaties and is intended to fund those reinsurers pro-rata portion of reserves we have established for losses and loss adjustment expenses. As of December 31, 2016, we had received cash deposits of $73 from our reinsurers. Our reserve balances as of December 31, 2015 were such that no collateral was required from our reinsurers.

 

Related Party Transactions

 

As a result of the termination of the Management Services Agreement (“MSA”), which occurred on February 24, 2015, the Company has issued the following securities to 1347 Advisors, LLC (“Advisors”), a wholly owned subsidiary of KFSI.

 

The Performance Shares Grant Agreement dated February 24, 2015.
120,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”)
A warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of fifteen dollars per share. The Warrant expires seven years from date of issuance.

 

The Performance Shares Grant Agreement grants Advisors 100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock issuable upon the date that the last sales price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds ten dollars per share for any twenty trading days within any 30-day trading period (the “Milestone Event”). Advisors will not be entitled to any dividends declared or paid on the Company’s stock prior to the Milestone Event having been achieved.

The Preferred Shares have a par value of twenty five dollars and pay annual cumulative dividends at a rate of eight percent per annum. Cumulative dividends shall accrue, whether or not declared by the Board and irrespective of whether there are funds legally available for the payment of dividends. Accrued dividends shall be paid in cash only when, as, and if declared by the Board out of funds legally available therefor or upon a liquidation or redemption of the Preferred Shares. In the event of any voluntary of involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of the Preferred Shares then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distributions to its shareholders, before any payment shall be made to holders of securities junior in preference to the Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares rank senior to the Company’s common stock, and the Company is not permitted to issue any other series of preferred stock that ranks equal or senior to the Preferred Shares while the Preferred Shares are outstanding. On February 22, 2016 the Company’s board of directors authorized a dividend payment on the Preferred Shares for shareholders of record as of February 23, 2016. Accordingly, on February 24, 2016, the Company issued a cash payment of $240 to Advisors representing the first annual dividend payment the Company has made on the Preferred Shares.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Unless redeemed earlier by the Company as discussed below, with the written consent of the holders of the majority of the Preferred Shares then outstanding, the Company will be required to redeem the Preferred Shares then outstanding on February 24, 2020 (the “Mandatory Redemption Date”), for a redemption amount equal to twenty five dollars per share outstanding plus all accrued and unpaid dividends on such shares. The Company has the option to redeem the Preferred Shares prior to the Mandatory Redemption Date immediately prior to the consummation of any change in control of the Company that may occur.

 

Effect of Buyout on Financial Condition and Statement of Operations

 

Under the original MSA, the Company was required to pay Advisors a fee of 1% of written premiums on a monthly basis. The Company replaced this ongoing annuity by providing Advisors with an up-front cash payment and other consideration which lead to a one-time charge of $5,421 to the Company’s operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 as follows:

 

    Year ended
December 31, 2015
 
Cash paid   $ 2,000  
Issuance of Series B Preferred Shares     2,311  
Issuance of Warrants and Performance Shares     1,010  
Professional fees incurred in connection with the Buyout     100  
Loss on termination of MSA   $ 5,421  

 

The issuance of the Warrants and Performance Shares had no effect on the Company’s total shareholders’ equity as they both resulted in equal and offsetting charges to the Company’s retained earnings and additional paid-in capital. The fair value of the Warrant was estimated on grant date based upon the Black-Scholes option pricing model while a Monte Carlo model was utilized to determine the fair value of the Performance Shares due to the fact that these shares are only issuable based upon the achievement of certain market conditions.

 

Since the Preferred Shares have a mandatory redemption provision requiring redemption on February 24, 2020, we were required to classify the Preferred Shares as a liability on our balance sheet instead of recording the value of these shares in equity. The resulting liability was recorded at a discount to the ultimate redemption amount of the Preferred Shares based upon an analysis of the cash payments expected to occur under the terms of the Preferred Shares discounted for the Company’s estimated cost of equity (13.9%). As a result, total amortization in the amount of $355 and $282 was charged to operations for the years ending December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. An additional $1,252 is expected to be charged to operations through February 2020 using the effective interest method.

 

Accounts Payable and Other Accrued Expenses

 

Accounts payable and other accrued expenses increased $202, to $2,065 as of December 31, 2016 compared to $1,863 as of December 31, 2015. The major components of accounts payable and other accrued expenses, as well as the change therein, are shown below.

 

    December 31,        
    2016     2015     Change  
Accrued employee compensation   $ 95     $ 352     $ (257 )
Accrued professional fees     509       267       242  
Unearned policy fees     204       168       36  
Accrued premium taxes and assessments     1,193       1,004       189  
Other accounts payable     64       72       (8 )
Total   $ 2,065     $ 1,863     $ 202  

 

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

None.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had the following amounts due under its operating leases for facilities in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Tampa, Florida.

 

Year ending December 31,     Amounts due under
operating leases
 
2017     $ 344  
2018       291  
2019       249  
Total     $ 884  

 

Shareholders’ Equity

 

On December 1, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program for up to 500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, which expired on December 31, 2016. The Company purchased 177,508 shares at an average price of $6.74 per share for the year ending December 31, 2016 and purchased 223,851 shares at an average price of $7.73 per share for the year ending December 31, 2015. On January 29, 2016, the Company retired 250,000 of its treasury shares, resulting in a reclassification of the purchase price of $1,917 to additional paid in capital.

 

Results of Operations

 

Year Ended December 31, 2016 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2015

 

Gross Premiums Written

 

The following table shows our gross premiums written by line of business for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

    Year Ended December 31,        
Line of Business   2016     2015     Change  
Homeowners   $ 33,615     $ 29,987     $ 3,628  
Special Property     17,712       13,864       3,848  
Gross Written Premium   $ 51,327     $ 43,851     $ 7,476  

 

The increase in gross written premiums was primarily the result of organic growth in voluntary production from our independent agents. Our agents wrote an additional $5,348 in the State of Louisiana and $3,291 in the State of Texas when comparing the year ending December 31, 2016 to 2015. This was offset by a decrease of approximately $1,271 in premiums written through the depopulation of policies from Citizens. Finally, our participation in the first-ever depopulation from TWIA accounted for an increase of approximately $186 in premiums when comparing annual periods.

 

Ceded Premiums Written

 

Ceded premiums written increased by $7,119 to $20,541 for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $13,422 for the year ended December 31, 2015. The increase in ceded premiums written is primarily due to an increase in limits purchased under our catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance (“CAT XOL”) program. As our treaty years run from June 1st through May 31st of each year, the twelve month period ending December 31, 2015 covers ceded premiums written under both our 2014/2015 CAT XOL treaty and our 2015/2016 CAT XOL treaty. Similarly, the twelve month period ending December 31, 2016 covers ceded premiums written under both our 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 CAT XOL treaties. The following table is a summary of the key provisions under each of our treaties.

 

   

2014/2015 CAT XOL Treaty

06/01/14 – 05/31/15

   

2015/2016 CAT XOL Treaty

06/01/15 – 05/31/16

   

2016/2017 CAT XOL Treaty

06/01/16 – 05/31/17

 
Wind/Hail loss occurrence clause(1)     120 hours       144 hours       144 hours  
Retention on first occurrence   $ 3,000     $ 4,000     $ 5,000  
Retention on second occurrence   $ 2,000     $ 1,000     $ 2,000  
Limit of coverage including first event retention   $ 92,000     $ 140,000     $ 200,000  

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

(1) Specifies the time period during which our losses from the same occurrence may be aggregated and applied to our retention and limits. We may pick the date and time when the period of consecutive hours begin in order to maximize our recovery. 

(2) Our 2016/2017 CAT XOL Treaty also includes a franchise deductible of $125 per occurrence for the claims we cede to our reinsurers under our aggregate portion of our treaty.

 

The total cost of our CAT XOL coverage is estimated to be approximately $21,000 for the 2016/2017 treaty year.

 

Net Premium Earned

 

The following table shows our net premiums earned by line of business.

 

    Year Ended December 31,        
Line of Business   2016     2015     Change  
Homeowners   $ 20,887     $ 19,064     $ 1,823  
Special Property     9,561       6,870       2,691  
Net premium earned   $ 30,448     $ 25,934     $ 4,514  

 

The increase in net premiums earned is due to the increase in gross written premiums less premiums ceded as previously discussed. Premium earned on a direct and ceded basis is as shown in the following table.

 

    Year Ended December 31,        
    2016     2015     Change  
Gross premium earned   $ 48,947     $ 38,112     $ 10,835  
Ceded premium earned     18,499       12,178       6,321  
Net premium earned   $ 30,448     $ 25,934     $ 4,514  

 

Other Income

 

Other income increased $430, to $1,264 as of December 31, 2016, compared to $834 as of December 31, 2015. Other income is comprised of claims adjusting fee revenue earned by our subsidiary, ClaimCor, policy fee income charged to our policyholders for inspections, premium financing fees for those policyholders which elect to pay their premiums on an installment basis, and also commission revenue resulting from a brokerage sharing agreement between our insurance subsidiary, Maison, and the intermediary Maison uses to place its CAT XOL reinsurance program.

 

Net Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses

 

Net losses and LAE represent both actual payments made and changes in estimated future payments to be made to our policyholders. Net losses and LAE are as shown in the following table.

 

    Year ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
    Losses ($)     Loss Ratio
(%)
    Losses ($)     Loss Ratio
(%)
 
Weather-Related Non-Catastrophe Losses   $ 1,133       3.7 %   $ 3,349       12.9 %
Non-Weather Related Losses     5,815       19.1 %     4,120       15.9 %
  Subtotal Core Losses(1)     6,948       22.8 %     7,469       28.8 %
Catastrophe Losses(2)     9,805       32.2 %     2,302       8.9 %
Prior Period Development (Redundancy)(3)     (381 )     (1.2 )%     168       0.6 %
Total   $ 16,372       53.8 %   $ 9,939       38.3 %

 

  (1) We define Core Loss as net losses and LAE less the sum of Catastrophe Losses and prior period development (redundancy).
(2) Property Claims Services (PCS) defines a catastrophic event as an event where the insurance industry is estimated to incur over $25,000 of insured property damage that also impacts a significant number of insureds. For purposes of the above table, we have defined a Catastrophe as a PCS event where our estimated cost exceeds $1,500.
(3) Prior Period Development is the amount of ultimate actual loss settlement value which is more than the estimated reserves recorded for a particular liability or loss, while redundancy represents the ultimate actual loss settlement value which is less than the estimated and determined reserves recorded for a particular liability or loss.

 

Our loss ratio (net losses and LAE divided by net premiums earned) for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 53.8% compared to 38.3% for the prior year. We experienced a significant increase in catastrophe related losses due to three Property Claims Services (“PCS”) defined events which impacted us during 2016. These were as follows:

 

PCS CAT 1616 – Our Louisiana policyholders experienced primarily tornado damage, but also damage due to other high winds and hail during these storms which occurred in late February, 2016. The Company’s gross incurred losses from this event for the year ending December 31, 2016 were $6,501. After recoveries available to us under our excess of loss and per risk reinsurance treaties, our net incurred losses from this event were $3,890.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

PCS CAT 1617 – This event also primarily impacted our Louisiana policyholders who experienced damage from wind, hail, lightning and flooding between March 5-10, 2016. Our gross incurred losses from this event for the year ending December 31, 2016 were $1,597, while net incurred losses were $1,000 after recoveries under our excess of loss treaty.
PCS CAT 1644 – This event impacted our Louisiana policyholders as a result of heavy rains and wind in the state between August 11-16, 2016. Our gross and net incurred losses from these storms for the year ending December 31, 2016 were $10,000 and $4,915 respectively.

 

Our loss ratio from weather related non-catastrophe losses has declined year over year, from 12.9% for the year ended December 31, 2015 to 3.7% for the year ended December 31, 2016. This reduction is attributable to the ceded benefit we received under our aggregate treaty which is a part of our catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance program. In March 2016, we experienced the second of two weather related events (CAT 1617 as described above) which, when combined, exceeded the $5,000 retention under our aggregate treaty. This second event allowed us to re-assess all weather-related claims we incurred over the reinsurance year covered under our aggregate treaty, or from the period beginning June 1, 2015 and ending May 31, 2016. Thus we were able to recover approximately $4,300 in weather-related non-catastrophe claims in the current year.

 

Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

 

Amortization of deferred acquisition costs for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $8,492, compared to $6,571 for the year ended December 31, 2015 and includes items such as commissions earned by our agencies, premium taxes, assessments, and policy processing fees. This increase correlates with the increase in earned premiums year over year shown by calculating deferred acquisition cost amortization as a percentage of earned premiums, which was 27.8% for 2016, compared to 25.3% for 2015. The increase in amortization of deferred acquisition costs as a percentage of earned premiums can be attributed to an increase in the effective rate of the premium taxes we pay in the State of Louisiana.

 

General and Administrative Expenses

 

General and administrative expenses decreased $335 to $6,918 for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $7,253 for the year ended December 31, 2015. The following table delineates the major components for general and administrative expense for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, as well as the annual change in those major components.

 

    Year ended December 31,        
    2016     2015     Change  
Employee salaries and benefits   $ 2,875     $ 2,641     $ 234  
Professional fees     1,225       1,755       (530 )
Director’s fees     340       315       25  
Rent and facility     887       629       258  
Marketing and travel     322       334       (12 )
Insurance     276       270       6  
Surveys and underwriting reports     385       368       17  
Goodwill and other intangible impairment charge           246       (246 )
Taxes, licenses and fees     190       134       56  
Other     418       561       (143 )
Total   $ 6,918     $ 7,253     $ (335 )

 

The change in general and administrative expense was driven primarily by our increased staffing to support our growth in Texas and potentially other states. We went from 22 employees as of December 31, 2015 to 27 employees as of December 31, 2016. While this resulted in an increase in the costs associated with employee salaries, benefits, and rent and facility costs, it also resulted in a decrease in professional fees as we brought in-house many of the services which we previously outsourced. Furthermore, we incurred a charge associated with the impairment of goodwill and other intangibles related to our acquisition of Claimcor in 2015, for which there was no comparable charge in the current year.

 

Loss on Termination of Management Services Agreement

 

Upon the termination of the MSA with 1347 Advisors, we recorded a loss of $5,421, representing the estimated fair value of the cash, warrants, preferred shares and performance shares paid to Advisors. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, we also recorded amortization charges in the amount of $355 and $282, respectively, which are associated with the discount recorded on the preferred shares when issued in the transaction. See “Related Party Transactions” in the Analysis of Financial Condition above for further information on the termination of the MSA.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

 

Income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $108 compared to a benefit of $663 for the year ended December 31, 2015. The effective rate for income taxes is 90.8% for the current year, compared to 28.4% for the prior year. The primary cause of the increase in effective tax rate is current state taxes due on income earned by certain of our subsidiary companies in the current year.

 

Net Income (Loss)

 

As a result of the foregoing, the Company’s net income for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $11, or $0.00 per diluted share compared to a net loss of $1,673, or $(0.27) per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2015.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The purpose of liquidity management is to ensure that there is sufficient cash to meet all financial commitments and obligations as they fall due. The liquidity requirements of the Company and its subsidiaries have been met primarily by funds generated from operations, and from the proceeds from the sales of our common and preferred stock. Cash provided from these sources is used primarily for loss and loss adjustment expense payments as well as other operating expenses. The timing and amount of payments for net losses and loss adjustment expenses may differ materially from the Company’s provisions for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, which may create increased liquidity requirements.

 

Cash Flows

 

The following table summarizes the Company’s consolidated cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

    Year ended December 31,  
Summary of Cash Flows   2016     2015  
Net cash provided by operating activities   $ 3,372     $ 5,417  
Net cash used by investing activities     (6,849 )     (9,368 )
Net cash used by financing activities     (1,435 )     (1,731 )
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents   $ (4,912 )   $ (5,682 )

 

Year ended December 31, 2016

 

For the year ended December 31, 2016, net cash provided by operating activities as reported on our consolidated statement of cash flows was $3,372. Our source of cash resulted from the collection of approximately $51,058 in premiums in the period. This amount was reduced by the payment of $18,595 in ceded reinsurance premiums, the payment of losses and loss adjustment expenses (net of recoveries from our reinsurers) of $15,500, commissions paid to our agents equaling $7,075, salaries and benefits paid to our employees equaling $2,958, payments to various local and federal regulators for premium, assessments, and income taxes in the amount of $2,068, and other net operating payments of $1,490.

 

Net cash used by investing activities as reported on our consolidated statements of cash flows was $6,849, primarily due to our purchase of fixed income and equity securities for our investment portfolio.

 

Net cash used by financing activities was $1,435, comprised of our purchase of 177,508 of our common shares at an aggregate purchase price of $1,195, as well as a dividend payment of $240 to the holders of our preferred shares.

 

As a result of the foregoing, our net decrease in cash and cash equivalents for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $4,912.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.

 

Year ended December 31, 2015

 

For the year ended December 31, 2015, net cash provided by operating activities as reported on our consolidated statement of cash flows was $5,417. Our source of cash resulted from the collection of approximately $43,851 in premiums in the period. This amount was reduced by the payment of ceded reinsurance premiums of $12,460, the payment of losses and loss adjustment expenses (net of recoveries from our reinsurers) of $8,784, the one-time cash payment of $2,000 to Advisors pursuant to the termination of the MSA, commissions paid to our agents equaling $6,219, wages and salaries paid to our employees equaling $2,267, payments to various local and federal regulators for premium and income taxes and assessments in the amount of $2,495, and other net operating payments of $4,209.

 

Net cash used by investing activities as reported on our consolidated statements of cash flows was $9,368, primarily due to our purchase of fixed income securities for our investment portfolio.

 

Net cash used by financing activities was $1,731, comprised entirely of our purchase of 223,851 of our common shares pursuant to the Company’s share buyback program.

 

As a result of the foregoing, our net decrease in cash and cash equivalents for the year ended December 31, 2015 was $5,682.

 

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK

 

Not applicable.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

 

Index to the Consolidated Financial Statements
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm   41
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015   42
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015   43
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015   44
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015   45
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements   46

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

Board of Directors and Shareholders

1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Tampa, FL

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss), shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. at December 31, 2016 and 2015, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

/s/ BDO USA, LLP

 

Grand Rapids, Michigan

 

March 16, 2017

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Balance Sheets

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

             
    December 31,
2016
    December 31,
2015
 
ASSETS            
Investments:            
Fixed income securities, at fair value (amortized cost of $26,793 and $20,332, respectively)   $ 26,559     $ 20,238  
Equity investments, at fair value (cost of $1,000 and $0, respectively)     1,136        
Short-term investments, at cost     196       1,149  
Limited liability investments, at cost     505       248  
Total investments     28,396       21,635  
Cash and cash equivalents     43,045       47,957  
Deferred policy acquisition costs, net     4,389       4,030  
Premiums receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $38 and $3, respectively     2,923       2,395  
Ceded unearned premiums     4,847       2,805  
Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses     444        
Reinsurance recoverable on loss and loss adjustment expense reserves     3,652       120  
Funds deposited with reinsured companies     500       725  
Current income taxes recoverable     1,195       965  
Deferred tax asset, net     420       506  
Property and equipment, net     250       234  
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $0 and $3, respectively           6  
Other assets     788       705  
Total assets   $ 90,849     $ 82,083  
                 
LIABILITIES                
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves   $ 6,971     $ 2,123  
Unearned premium reserves     25,821       23,442  
Ceded reinsurance premiums payable     5,229       3,283  
Agent commissions payable     497       403  
Premiums collected in advance     1,128       870  
Funds held under reinsurance treaties     73        
Accounts payable and other accrued expenses     2,065       1,863  
Series B Preferred Shares, $25.00 par value, 1,000,000 shares authorized, 120,000 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively     2,708       2,593  
Total liabilities     44,492       34,577  
                 
Commitments and contingencies (Note 19)                
                 
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY                
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; 6,108,125 and 6,358,125 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively     6       6  
Additional paid-in capital     46,809       48,688  
Retained earnings     616       605  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (65 )     (62 )
      47,366       49,237  
Less: treasury stock at cost, 151,359 and 223,851 shares as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively     (1,009 )     (1,731 )
Total shareholders’ equity     46,357       47,506  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity   $ 90,849     $ 82,083  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

       
    Year ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Revenue:            
 Net premiums earned   $ 30,448     $ 25,934  
 Net investment income     544       362  
 Other income     1,264       834  
Total revenue     32,256       27,130  
                 
Expenses:                
 Net losses and loss adjustment expenses     16,372       9,939  
 Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs     8,492       6,571  
 General and administrative expenses     6,918       7,253  
 Loss on termination of Management Services Agreement           5,421  
 Accretion of discount on Series B Preferred Shares     355       282  
Total expenses     32,137       29,466  
                 
Income (Loss) before income tax expense (benefit)     119       (2,336 )
Income tax expense (benefit)     108       (663 )
Net income (loss)   $ 11     $ (1,673 )
                 
Net earnings (loss) per common share:                
 Basic   $     $ (0.27 )
 Diluted   $     $ (0.27 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding:                
 Basic     6,047,979       6,286,706  
 Diluted     6,047,979       6,286,706  
                 
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)                
                 
Net income (loss)   $ 11     $ (1,673 )
Unrealized losses on investments available for sale, net of income taxes     (3 )     (61 )
Comprehensive income (loss)   $ 8     $ (1,734 )

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

($ in thousands, except share amounts)

                                                   
    Preferred Stock     Common Stock     Treasury Stock                                  
      Shares       Amount       Shares       Amount       Shares       Amount       Paid-in Capital       Retained Earnings       Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss       Total Shareholders’ Equity  
Balance, January 1, 2015                 6,358,125     $ 6                 $ 47,631     $ 2,278     $ (1 )   $ 49,914  
Stock compensation expense                                         47                   47  
Issuance of performance shares and warrants pursuant to MSA termination transaction                                         1,010                   1,010  
Repurchases of common stock                 (223,851 )           223,851       (1,731 )                       (1,731 )
Net loss                                               (1,673 )           (1,673 )
Other comprehensive loss                                                     (61 )     (61 )
Balance, December 31, 2015         $       6,134,274     $ 6       223,851     $ (1,731 )   $ 48,688     $ 605     $ (62 )   $ 47,506  
                                                                                 
Stock compensation expense                                         38                   38  
Repurchases of common stock                 (177,508 )           177,508       (1,195 )                       (1,195 )
Retirement of treasury shares                             (250,000 )     1,917       (1,917 )                  
Net income                                               11             11  
Other comprehensive loss                                                     (3 )     (3 )
Balance, December 31, 2016         $       5,956,766     $ 6       151,359     $ (1,009 )   $ 46,809     $ 616     $ (65 )   $ 46,357  

  

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

($ in thousands)

       
    Year ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Cash provided by (used in):                
Operating activities:                
Net income (loss)   $ 11     $ (1,673 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:                
Issuance of Preferred Shares, Performance Shares, and Warrants pursuant to MSA termination transaction           3,321  
Accretion of discount on Series B Preferred Shares     355       282  
Charge for impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets           251  
Net deferred income taxes     87       (243 )
Stock compensation expense     38       47  
Depreciation expense     67       53  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisition:                
 Premiums receivable, net     (528 )     (309 )
 Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses and loss reserves     (3,976 )     243  
 Amounts held on deposit with reinsured companies     225       (725 )
 Ceded unearned premiums     (2,042 )     (1,244 )
 Deferred policy acquisition costs, net     (359 )     (939 )
 Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves     4,848       912  
 Premiums collected in advance     258       310  
 Due to related party           (145 )
 Unearned premium reserves     2,379       5,739  
 Ceded reinsurance premiums payable     1,946       724  
 Current income taxes payable     (230 )     (1,227 )
 Other, net     293       40  
Net cash provided by operating activities     3,372       5,417  
                 
Investing activities:                
 Purchases of furniture and equipment     (83 )     (48 )
 Acquisition of entity, net of cash acquired           (305 )
 Purchases of limited liability investments     (258 )     (248 )
 Net purchases of fixed income securities     (6,461 )     (9,817 )
 Purchases of equity securities     (1,000 )      
 Net proceeds from the sales of short-term investments     953       1,050  
Net cash used by investing activities     (6,849 )     (9,368 )
                 
Financing activities:                
 Payment of dividends on preferred shares     (240 )      
 Purchases of treasury stock     (1,195 )     (1,731 )
Net cash used by financing activities     (1,435 )     (1,731 )
                 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents     (4,912 )     (5,682 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period     47,957       53,639  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 43,045     $ 47,957  
                 
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:                
 Cash paid during the period for:                
 Income taxes   $ 128     $ 775  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

1. Nature of Business

 

Maison Insurance Holdings, Inc. was incorporated on October 2, 2012 in the State of Delaware. On November 19, 2013, the Company changed its legal name from Maison Insurance Holdings, Inc. to 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (“PIH”). PIH is a holding company and is engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the property and casualty insurance business. Unless context denotes otherwise, the terms “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” refer to 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc., and its subsidiaries.

 

Prior to March 31, 2014, the Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway America Inc. (“KAI”). KAI in turn, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (“KFSI”), a publicly owned holding company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On March 31, 2014, the Company completed an initial public offering of its common stock and then on June 13, 2014, the Company completed a follow-on offering. Through the combination of the Company’s IPO and follow-on offering, we issued approximately five million shares of our common stock. As of December 31, 2016 KAI and companies affiliated with KAI held approximately 975,000 shares of our common stock, equivalent to 16.4% of our outstanding shares.

 

PIH has three wholly-owned subsidiaries; Maison Insurance Company (“Maison”), a Louisiana-domiciled property and casualty insurance company, Maison Managers, Inc. (“MMI”), a managing general agent, incorporated in the State of Delaware, and ClaimCor, LLC (“ClaimCor”), a Florida based claims solutions company.

 

Maison began providing homeowners insurance, manufactured home insurance and dwelling fire insurance to individuals in Louisiana in December 2012. Maison writes both full peril property policies as well as wind/hail only exposures in Louisiana and distributes its policies through independent insurance agents. Maison began assuming wind/hail only insurance for commercial properties in Texas beginning in June 2015. In September 2015, Maison began writing manufactured home policies in the State of Texas on a direct basis.

 

In addition to the voluntary policies Maison writes, we have participated in the last five rounds of depopulation programs implemented by Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Company (“Citizens”), occurring on December 1st of each year as well as the inaugural depopulation of policies from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (“TWIA”) which occurred on December 1, 2016. Under these programs, state-approved insurance companies, such as Maison, have the opportunity to assume insurance policies written by both Citizens and TWIA.

 

MMI serves as the Company’s management services subsidiary as a general agency providing underwriting, policy administration, claims administration, marketing, financial and other management services to Maison. MMI contracts with independent agents for policy sales and services, and contracts with an independent third-party for policy administration services. As a managing general agency, MMI is licensed by, and subject to the regulatory oversight of both the Louisiana and Texas Departments of Insurance (“LDI” and “TDI”, respectively).

 

On January 2, 2015, the Company completed its acquisition of 100% of the membership interest of ClaimCor, a claims and underwriting technical solutions company. Maison processes claims made by its policyholders through ClaimCor, and also through various third-party claims adjusting companies.

 

2. Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation:

 

These statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

 

Principles of Consolidation:

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

 

The Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements:

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the period reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the accounting period in which the change is determined. The critical accounting estimates and assumptions in the accompanying consolidated financial statements include the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, valuation of fixed income securities, valuation of net deferred income taxes, the valuation of various securities we have issued in conjunction with the termination of the management services agreement with 1347 Advisors, LLC, the valuation of deferred policy acquisition costs, and stock-based compensation expense.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

Investments:

 

Investments in fixed income and equity securities are classified as available-for-sale and reported at estimated fair value. Unrealized gains and losses are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, until sold or an other-than-temporary impairment is recognized, at which point the cumulative unrealized gains or losses are transferred to the consolidated statement of operations.

 

Limited liability investments include investments in limited liability companies in which the Company’s interests are deemed minor and therefor, are accounted for under the cost method of accounting which approximates their fair value.

 

Short-term investments, which consist of investments with original maturities between three months and one year, are reported at cost, which approximates fair value due to their short-term nature.

 

Realized gains and losses on sales of investments are determined on a first-in, first-out basis, and are included in net investment income.

 

Interest income is included in net investment income and is recorded as it accrues.

 

The Company accounts for its investments using trade date accounting.

 

The Company conducts a quarterly review to identify and evaluate investments that show objective indications of possible impairment. Impairment is charged to the statement of operations if the fair value of the instrument falls below its amortized cost and the decline is considered other-than-temporary. Factors considered in determining whether a loss is other-than-temporary include the length of time and extent to which fair value has been below cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents:

 

Cash and cash equivalents include cash and highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less.

 

Premiums Receivable:

 

Premiums receivable include premium balances due and uncollected and installment premiums not yet due from agents and insureds. Premiums receivable are reported net of an estimated allowance for credit losses.

 

Reinsurance:

 

Reinsurance premiums, losses, and loss adjustment expenses are accounted for on a basis consistent with those used in accounting for the original policies issued and the terms of the reinsurance contracts. Premiums and losses ceded to other companies have been reported as a reduction of premium revenue and incurred net losses and loss adjustment expenses. A reinsurance recoverable is recorded for that portion of paid and unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses that are ceded to other companies.

 

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs:

 

The Company defers commissions, premium taxes and other underwriting and agency expenses that are directly related to successful efforts to acquire new or existing insurance policies to the extent they are considered recoverable. Costs deferred on insurance products are amortized over the period in which premiums are earned. Costs associated with unsuccessful efforts or costs that cannot be tied directly to a successful policy acquisition are expensed as incurred, as opposed to being deferred and amortized as the premium is earned. The method followed in determining the deferred policy acquisition costs limits the deferral to its realizable value by giving consideration to estimated future loss and loss adjustment expenses to be incurred as revenues are earned. Changes in estimates, if any, are recorded in the accounting period in which they are determined. Anticipated investment income is included in determining the realizable value of the deferred policy acquisition costs.

 

Income Taxes:

 

For taxable periods ending on or prior to March 31, 2014, the Company was included in the U.S. consolidated federal income tax return of Kingsway America II Inc. and its eligible U.S. subsidiaries (“KAI Tax Group”). The method of allocating federal income taxes among the companies in the KAI Tax Group is subject to written agreement, approved by each company’s Board of Directors. The allocation is made primarily on a separate return basis, with current credit for any net operating losses or other items utilized in the consolidated federal income tax return. For taxable periods beginning after March 31, 2014, the Company has filed its own U.S. consolidated federal income tax return.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

The Company follows the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes, whereby deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for (i) the differences between the financial statement carrying amount of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and (ii) loss and tax credit carry-forwards. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the date of enactment. Future tax benefits are recognized to the extent that realization of such benefits is more likely than not and a valuation allowance is established for any portion of a deferred tax asset that management believes will not be realized. Current federal income taxes are charged or credited to operations based upon amounts estimated to be payable or recoverable as a result of taxable operations for the current year. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense (benefit).

 

Property and Equipment:

 

Property and equipment is reported at historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation of property and equipment is recorded on a straight-line basis over estimated useful lives which range from seven years for furniture, five years for vehicles, three years for computer equipment, and the shorter of estimated useful life or the term of the lease for leasehold improvements. Property and equipment is estimated to have no salvage value at its useful life-end.

 

Rent expense for the Company’s office leases is recognized on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. Rent expense was $343 and $214 for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves:

 

Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves represent the estimated liabilities for reported loss events, incurred but not yet reported loss events and the related estimated loss adjustment expenses. The Company performs a continuing review of its loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, including its reserving techniques and its reinsurance. The loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are also reviewed at minimum, on an annual basis by qualified third party actuaries. Since the loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are based on estimates, the ultimate liability may be more or less than such reserves. The effects of changes in such estimated reserves are included in the results of income in the period in which the estimates are changed. Such changes in estimates could occur in a future period and may be material to the Company’s results of operations and financial position in such period.

 

Concentration of Credit Risk:

 

Financial instruments which potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk include investments, cash, premiums receivable, and amounts due from reinsurers on losses incurred. The Company maintains its cash with two major U.S. domestic banking institutions and three regional banks headquartered in the Southeastern U.S. Such amounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) up to $250 per institution. At December 31, 2016 the Company held funds in excess of these FDIC insured amounts. The terms of these deposits are on demand to mitigate some of the associated risk. The Company has not incurred losses related to these deposits.

 

The Company has not experienced significant losses related to premiums receivable from its policyholders and management believes that amounts provided as an allowance for credit losses is adequate.

 

The Company has not experienced any losses on amounts due from reinsurers. In order to limit the credit risk associated with amounts potentially due from reinsurers, the Company uses several different reinsurers, all of which have an A.M. Best Rating of A- (Excellent) or better. Absent such rating, the Company has required its reinsurers to place collateral on deposit with an independent institution under a trust agreement for the Company’s benefit.

 

The Company also has risk associated with the lack of geographic diversification due to the fact that Maison primarily underwrites policies in Louisiana and Texas. The Company insures personal property located in 62 of the 64 parishes in the State of Louisiana. As of December 31, 2016, these policies are concentrated within these parishes as follows: Saint Tammany Parish 15.2%, Jefferson Parish 14.2%, East Baton Rouge Parish 7.7%, Orleans Parish 5.6%, Livingston Parish 5.6%, Tangipahoa Parish 5.3%, and Terrebonne Parish 5.2%. No other parish individually has over 5.0% of the total direct policies in force as of December 31, 2016. The remaining 56 parishes combine to equal 33% of our total policies in force as of December 31, 2016. On a direct basis, Maison writes in 105 of the 254 counties that comprise the State of Texas, however no single county represents over 5.0% of our total direct policies in force as of December 31, 2016.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

Revenue Recognition:

 

Premium revenue is recognized on a pro rata basis over the term of the respective policy contract. Unearned premium reserves represent the portion of premium written that is applicable to the unexpired term of policies in force.

 

Service charges on installment premiums are recognized as income upon receipt of related installment payments and are reflected in other income.

 

Revenue from policy fees is deferred and recognized over the term of the respective policy period, with revenue reflected in other income.

 

Any customer payment received is applied first to any service charge or policy fee due, with the remaining amount applied toward any premium due.

 

Ceded premiums are charged to income over the applicable term of the various reinsurance contracts with third party reinsurers. Ceded unearned premiums represent the unexpired portion of premiums ceded to reinsurers and are reported as an asset on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

 

Premiums collected in advance occur when the policyholder premium is paid in advance of the effective commencement period of the policy and are recorded as a liability on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

 

Stock-Based Compensation:

 

The Company has accounted for stock-based compensation under the provisions of ASC Topic 718 – Stock Compensation which requires the use of the fair-value based method to determine compensation for all arrangements under which employees and others receive shares of stock or equity instruments (stock options and common stock purchase warrants). The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model using assumptions for expected volatility, expected dividends, expected term, and the risk-free interest rate. The fair value of each stock option award is recorded as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the period in which the stock options vest, with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital.

 

The Company has also issued restricted stock units (“RSUs”) to certain of its employees which have been accounted for as equity based awards since, upon vesting, they are required to be settled in the Company’s common shares. The Company used a Monte Carlo valuation model to estimate the fair value of these awards upon grant date as the vesting of these RSUs occurs solely upon market-based conditions. The fair value of each RSU is recorded as compensation expense over the derived service period, as determined by the valuation model. Should the market-based condition be achieved prior to the expiration of the derived service period, any unrecognized cost will be recorded as compensation expense in the period in which the RSUs actually vest. See Note 11 for further disclosure.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

 

The carrying values of certain financial instruments, including cash, short-term investments, premiums receivable, accounts payable, and other accrued expenses approximate fair value due to their short-term nature. The Company measures the fair value of financial instruments in accordance with GAAP which defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset (or paid to transfer a liability) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset (or liability) in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. GAAP also establishes a fair value hierarchy, which requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. See Note 15 for further information on the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments.

 

Earnings (loss) Per Common Share:

 

Basic earnings (loss) per common share is computed using the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the respective period.

 

Diluted earnings (loss) per common share assumes conversion of all potentially dilutive outstanding stock options, warrants or other convertible financial instruments. Potential common shares outstanding are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings (loss) per share if their effect is anti-dilutive.

 

Operating Segments:

 

The Company operates in a single segment – property and casualty insurance.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

3. Recently Issued Accounting Standards

 

ASU 2015-09: Financial Services – Insurance:

 

In May 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-09: Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944): Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts. This update provides for an increase in the transparency of accounting estimates made by companies in the measurement of short-duration contracts and unpaid claim and claim adjustment expense liabilities by requiring additional disclosures, as well as improvements to existing disclosures. The Company has elected to apply early application of the amendments as permitted in the ASU. The adoption of the amendments did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position, or liquidity. The new standard did provide for additional disclosures surrounding our loss and loss adjustment expenses and expense reserves which the Company has included in Note 7 of this report.

 

ASU 2016-01: Financial Instruments-Overall:

 

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01: Financial Instruments-Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. ASU 2016-01 amends various aspects of the recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure for financial instruments. Most significantly, ASU 2016-01 requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of an investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income (loss). ASU 2016-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. ASU 2016-01 will be applied using a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. Adoption of ASU 2016-01 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, cash flows, or total comprehensive income, but could impact the Company’s results of operations and earnings (loss) per share as changes in fair value will be presented in net income (loss) rather than other comprehensive income (loss). For the year ended December 31, 2016 the Company had an unrealized gain of $90, on its equity investments, net of the effect of income taxes.

 

ASU 2016-02: Leases:

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02: Leases. ASU 2016-02 was issued to improve the financial reporting of leasing transactions. Under current guidance for lessees, leases are only included on the balance sheet if certain criteria, classifying the agreement as a capital lease, are met. This update will require the recognition of a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability, discounted to the present value, for all leases that extend beyond 12 months. For operating leases, the asset and liability will be expensed over the lease term on a straight-line basis, with all cash flows included in the operating section of the statement of cash flows. For finance leases, interest on the lease liability will be recognized separately from the amortization of the right-of-use asset in the statement of comprehensive income while the repayment of the principal portion of the lease liability will be classified as a financing activity and the interest component will be included in the operating section of the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. Upon adoption, leases will be recognized and measured at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. The Company has reviewed its existing lessee obligations and has determined that ASU 2016-02 will apply should the Company renew its existing leases, or enter into any new lease agreements.

 

ASU 2016-09: Stock Compensation:

 

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09: Compensation – Stock Compensation: Improvement to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. ASU 2016-09 was issued to simplify the accounting for share-based payment awards. The guidance requires that all tax effects related to share-based payment be made through the statement of operations at the time of settlement as opposed to the current guidance that requires excess tax benefits to be recognized in additional paid-in-capital. ASU 2016-09 also removes the requirement to delay recognition of a tax benefit until it reduces current taxes payable. The change is required to be applied on a modified retrospective basis, with a cumulative effect adjustment to opening accumulated deficit. Additionally, all tax related cash flows resulting from share-based payments are to be reported as operating activities on the statement of cash flows, a departure from the current requirement which presents tax benefits as an inflow from financing activities and an outflow from operating activities. ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2016-09 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

ASU 2016-13: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses:

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13: Financial Instruments – Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-13 was issued to provide financial statement users with more useful information regarding the expected credit losses on financial instruments held as assets. Under current GAAP, financial statement recognition for credit losses on financial instruments was generally delayed until the loss was probable of occurring. The amendments of ASU 2016-13 eliminate this probable initial recognition threshold and instead reflect an entity’s current estimate of all expected credit losses. The amendments also broaden the information that an entity must consider in developing its expected credit loss estimates for those assets measured at amortized cost by using forecasted information instead of the current methodology which only considered past events and current conditions. Under ASU 2016-13, credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities will be measured in a manner similar to current GAAP, however, the amendments require that credit losses be presented as an allowance against the investment, rather than as a write-down. The amendments also allow the entity to record reversals of credit losses in current period net income, which is prohibited under current GAAP. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements.

 

4. Investments

 

A summary of the amortized cost, estimated fair value, and gross unrealized gains and losses on fixed income securities classified as available-for-sale at December 31, 2016 and 2015 is as follows.

 

As of December 31, 2016   Amortized
Cost
    Gross
Unrealized
Gains
    Gross
Unrealized
Losses
    Estimated
Fair Value
 
Fixed income securities:                                
U.S. government   $ 1,623     $ 1     $ (20 )   $ 1,604  
State municipalities and political subdivisions     2,271       2       (27 )     2,246  
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations     12,095       9       (136 )     11,968  
Corporate     10,804       28       (91 )     10,741  
Total fixed income securities     26,793       40       (274 )     26,559  
Equity securities:                                
Common stock     1,000       136             1,136  
Total equity securities     1,000       136             1,136  
Total fixed income and equity securities   $ 27,793     $ 176     $ (274 )   $ 27,695  
                                 
As of December 31, 2015                                
Fixed income securities:                                
U.S. government   $ 650     $     $ (3 )   $ 647  
State municipalities and political subdivisions     1,656       2       (7 )     1,651  
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations     9,123       14       (55 )     9,082  
Corporate     8,903       16       (61 )     8,858  
Total fixed income securities   $ 20,332     $ 32     $ (126 )   $ 20,238  

 

The table below summarizes the Company’s fixed income securities at December 31, 2016 by contractual maturity periods. Actual results may differ as issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations, with or without penalties, prior to the contractual maturity of these obligations.

 

Matures in:   Amortized
Cost
    Estimated
Fair Value
 
One year or less   $ 1,827     $ 1,828  
More than one to five years     12,737       12,678  
More than five to ten years     3,987       3,918  
More than ten years     8,242       8,135  
Total   $ 26,793     $ 26,559  

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

The following table highlights the aggregate unrealized loss position and security type, those fixed income securities in unrealized loss positions as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015. The tables segregate the holdings based on the period of time the investments have been continuously held in unrealized loss positions. There were 122 and 107 fixed income investments that were in unrealized loss positions as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The Company held no equity securities in unrealized loss positions at either date.

 

    Less than 12 Months     Greater than 12 Months     Total  
As of December 31, 2016   Estimated
Fair Value
    Unrealized
Loss
    Estimated
Fair Value
    Unrealized
Loss
    Estimated
Fair Value
    Unrealized
Loss
 
Fixed income securities:                                                
U.S. government   $ 1,303     $ (20 )   $     $     $ 1,303     $ (20 )
State municipalities and political subdivisions     1,537       (27 )                 1,537       (27 )
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations     9,552       (133 )     460       (3 )     10,012       (136 )
 Corporate     5,952       (91 )                 5,952       (91 )
Total investments in fixed income securities   $ 18,344     $ (271 )   $ 460     $ (3 )   $ 18,804     $ (274 )
                                                 
As of December 31, 2015                                                
Fixed income securities:                                                
U.S. government   $ 346     $ (3 )   $     $     $ 346     $ (3 )
State municipalities and political subdivisions     1,014       (7 )                 1,014       (7 )
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations     7,472       (55 )                 7,472       (55 )
Corporate     5,236       (61 )                 5,236       (61 )
Total investments in fixed income securities   $ 14,068     $ (126 )   $     $     $ 14,068     $ (126 )

 

Under the terms of the certificate of authority granted to Maison by the Texas Department of Insurance, Maison is required to pledge securities totaling approximately $2,000 with the State of Texas. These securities consist of cash in the amount of $300 as well as various fixed income securities listed in the preceding tables which have an amortized cost basis of $1,701 and estimated fair value of $1,692 as of December 31, 2016.

 

The Company’s limited liability investments are comprised of investments in two limited partnerships which seek to provide equity and asset-backed debt investment in a variety of privately-owned companies. The Company has committed to a total investment of $1,000, of which the limited partnerships have drawn down approximately $505 through December 31, 2016. One of these limited partnerships is managed by Argo Management Group, LLC, an entity which, as of April 21, 2016, is wholly owned by KFSI. The Company has accounted for its limited liability investments under the cost method as the instruments do not have readily determinable fair values and the Company does not exercise significant influence over the operations of the limited partnerships or the underlying privately-owned companies.

 

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment:

 

The establishment of an other-than-temporary impairment on an investment requires a number of judgments and estimates. The Company performs a quarterly analysis of the individual investments to determine if declines in market value are other-than-temporary. The analysis includes some or all of the following procedures as deemed appropriate by the Company:

 

considering the extent, and length of time during which the market value has been below cost;
identifying any circumstances which management believes may impact the recoverability of the unrealized loss positions;
obtaining a valuation analysis from a third-party investment manager regarding the intrinsic value of these investments based upon their knowledge and experience combined with market-based valuation techniques;
reviewing the historical trading volatility and trading range of the investment and certain other similar investments;
assessing if declines in market value are other-than-temporary for debt instruments based upon the investment grade credit ratings from third-party credit rating agencies;
assessing the timeliness and completeness of principal and interest payment due from the investee; and
assessing the Company’s ability and intent to hold these investments until the impairment may be recovered

 

52

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

The risks and uncertainties inherent in the assessment methodology used to determine declines in market value that are other-than-temporary include, but may not be limited to, the following:

 

the opinions of professional investment managers could be incorrect;
the past trading patterns of investments may not reflect their future valuation trends;
the credit ratings assigned by credit rating agencies may be incorrect due to unforeseen events or unknown facts related to the investee company’s financial situation; and
the historical debt service record of an investment may not be indicative of future performance and may not reflect a company’s unknown underlying financial problems.

 

The Company has reviewed currently available information regarding its investments with estimated fair values that are less than their carrying amounts and believes that these unrealized losses are primarily due to temporary market and sector-related factors rather than to issuer-specific factors. The Company does not intend to sell these investments in the short term, and it is not likely that it will be required to sell these investments before the recovery of their amortized cost.

 

Accordingly, all of the Company’s investments were deemed to be in good standing and not impaired as of December 31, 2016 and 2015. Additionally, there were no write-downs for other-than-temporary impairments on the Company’s investments for the years then ended.

 

The Company does not have any exposure to subprime mortgage-backed investments.

 

Net investment income for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 is as follows:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Investment income:                
Interest on fixed income securities   $ 471     $ 285  
Interest on cash and cash equivalents     129       114  
Realized gains on sale of fixed income securities     9        
Gross investment income     609       399  
Investment expenses     (65 )     (37 )
Net investment income   $ 544     $ 362  

 

5. Reinsurance

 

The Company reinsures, or cedes, a portion of its written premiums on a per-risk and an excess of loss basis to non-affiliated insurers in order to limit its loss exposure. Although reinsurance is intended to reduce the Company’s exposure risk, the ceding of insurance does not legally discharge the Company from its primary liability for the full amount of coverage under its policies. If our reinsurers fail to meet their obligations under the applicable reinsurance agreements, the Company would still be required to pay the insured for the loss.

 

Under the Company’s per-risk treaties, reinsurance recoveries are received for up to $1,750 in excess of a retention of $250 for each risk. The Company ceded $569 and $342 in written premiums under its per-risk treaties for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 respectively.

 

The Company’s excess of loss treaties are based upon a treaty year beginning on June 1st of each year and expiring on May 31st of the following year. Thus, the financial statements for the years ending December 31, 2016 and 2015 contain premiums ceded under three separate excess of loss treaties. Under the Company’s 2015/2016 excess of loss treaty which expired on May 31, 2016, for each catastrophic event occurring within a 144-hour period, the Company receives reinsurance recoveries of up to $121,000 in excess of a retention of $4,000 per event. The Company had also procured another layer of reinsurance protection that may be used for any event above $125,000, up to a maximum recovery of $15,000. This $15,000 second layer of coverage applied in total to all events occurring during the treaty year of June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016. Thus, the aggregate loss which the Company retained for the two catastrophes which occurred during the 2015/2016 treaty year was $5,000.

 

On June 1, 2016 the Company entered into a new excess of loss treaties whereby for each catastrophic event occurring within a 144-hour period, the Company receives reinsurance recoveries of up to $170,000 in excess of a $5,000 retention per event. For any event above $175,000, the Company purchased aggregate coverage, with an additional limit of $25,000 and subject to a franchise deductible of $125 for each 144-hour occurrence. The $25,000 aggregate coverage applies in total to all events occurring during the June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017 treaty year. The aggregate loss the Company could retain for two catastrophes occurring during the treaty year is $7,000.

 

53

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

The Company ceded $19,972 and $13,080 in written premiums under its excess of loss treaties for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

In June 2015, we began writing business through a quota-share agreement with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company (“Brotherhood”). Through this agreement, we act as a reinsurer, and have assumed wind/hail only exposures on certain churches and related structures Brotherhood insures throughout the State of Texas. Our quota-share percentage varies from 35%-100% of wind/hail premium written by Brotherhood, dependent upon the geographic location (coastal versus non-coastal) within the State of Texas. As of December 31, 2016, we have written $1,150 in assumed premiums on 522 policies through the Brotherhood agreement.

 

On December 1, 2016 we participated TWIA’s inaugural depopulation program whereby Maison assumed policies for wind and hail only exposures along the Gulf Coast area of Texas. The depopulation program was structured such that Maison reinsures TWIA under a 100% quota share agreement. As of December 31, 2016, we have written $186 in assumed premiums on approximately 1,300 policies through the TWIA quota share agreement.

 

The impact of reinsurance treaties on the Company’s financial statements is as follows:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Premium written:                
Direct   $ 49,991     $ 42,677  
Assumed     1,336       1,174  
Ceded     (20,541 )     (13,422 )
Net premium written   $ 30,786     $ 30,429  
                 
Premium earned:                
Direct   $ 46,851     $ 37,699  
Assumed     2,096       413  
Ceded     (18,499 )     (12,178 )
Net premium earned   $ 30,448     $ 25,934  
                 
Losses and LAE incurred:                
Direct   $ 28,372     $ 10,316  
Assumed     3,414       90  
Ceded     (15,414 )     (467 )
Net losses and LAE incurred   $ 16,372     $ 9,939  

 

6. Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

 

Deferred policy acquisition costs (“DPAC”) consist primarily of commissions, premium taxes, assessments and other policy processing fees incurred which are related to successful efforts to acquire new or renewal insurance contracts. Acquisition costs deferred on insurance products are amortized over the period in which the related revenues are earned. Costs associated with unsuccessful efforts or costs that cannot be tied directly to a successful policy acquisition are expensed as incurred.

 

DPAC as well as the related amortization expense associated with DPAC for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 is as follows:

 

      Year Ended December 31,  
      2016     2015  
               
Balance, January 1, net     $ 4,030     $ 3,091  
Additions       8,851       7,510  
Amortization       (8,492 )     (6,571 )
Balance, December 31, net     $ 4,389     $ 4,030  
                     

 

7. Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Reserves

 

The Company continually revises its estimates of the ultimate financial impact of claims made. A significant degree of judgment is required to determine amounts recorded in the consolidated financial statements for the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense (“LAE”) reserves. The process for establishing the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves reflects the uncertainties and significant judgmental factors inherent in predicting future results of both known and unknown loss events. The process of establishing the provision for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves relies on the judgment and opinions of a large number of individuals within the Company.

 

54

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

The Company’s evaluation of the adequacy of loss and loss adjustment expense reserves includes a re-estimation of the liability for loss and loss adjustment expense reserves relating to each preceding financial year compared to the liability that was previously established. The following tables illustrate incurred and paid claims development as of December 31, 2016, net of reinsurance, along with cumulative claim frequency and total incurred-but-not-reported (“IBNR”) liabilities as well as paid claims development on reported claims within the net incurred claims amounts. We have presented this information separately for both our homeowners multi-peril policies, which includes our traditional dwelling policies and also mobile and manufactured home policies, as well as for our special property policies, which include both our fire and allied lines of business. Our allied lines primarily consist of wind/hail only policies (including those assumed through Citizens and TWIA) as well as the commercial wind/hail only policies we have assumed through our agreement with Brotherhood. The information about incurred and paid claims development for the years ended December 31, 2012 through 2015 is presented as unaudited supplementary information.

 

      Cumulative Incurred Losses and LAE, Net of Reinsurance        
      For the Years Ended December 31,     As of December 31, 2016  
Accident
Year
  2012
(unaudited)
  2013
(unaudited)
  2014
(unaudited)
  2015
(unaudited)
  2016   Total of IBNR Liabilities Plus Expected Development on Reported Losses   Cumulative
Number of
Reported
Claims
 
2012   $   $   $   $   $   $      
2013           460     380     355     355         57  
2014                 3,680     3,878     4,357         557  
2015                       8,442     7,734     170     1,207  
2016                             15,862     1,152     2,704  
Total – Homeowners Multi-Peril Policies         $ 28,308 $ 1,322     4,525  
                                             
      For the Years Ended December 31,     As of December 31, 2016  
Accident
Year
  2012
(unaudited)
  2013
(unaudited)
  2014
(unaudited)
  2015
(unaudited)
  2016   Total of IBNR Liabilities Plus Expected Development on Reported Losses   Cumulative
Number of
Reported
Claims
 
2012   $ 9,392   $   $   $   $   $      
2013           2,478     2,375     2,363     2,400         406  
2014                 115     120     120         33  
2015                       1,331     1,142     30     191  
2016                             891     448     232  
Total – Special Property Policies               $ 4,553   $ 478     862  
                                             
      For the Years Ended December 31,     As of December 31, 2016  
Accident
Year
  2012
(unaudited)
  2013
(unaudited)
  2014
(unaudited)
  2015
(unaudited)
  2016   Total of IBNR Liabilities Plus Expected Development on Reported Losses   Cumulative Number of Reported Claims  
2012   $ 9,392   $   $   $   $   $      
2013           2,938     2,755     2,718     2,755         463  
2014                 3,795     3,998     4,477         590  
2015                       9,773     8,876     200     1,398  
2016                             16,753     1,600     2,936  
Total – All Lines               $ 32,861   $ 1,800     5,387  

 

55

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

      Cumulative Paid Losses and LAE, Net of Reinsurance  
      For the Years Ended December 31,  
Accident
Year
  2012
(unaudited)
  2013
(unaudited)
  2014
(unaudited)
  2015
(unaudited)
  2016  
2012   $   $   $   $   $  
2013           309     352     355     355  
2014                 2,925     3,674     4,058  
2015                       6,867     7,426  
2016                             13,745  
Total Paid Losses and LAE, net of reinsurance – Homeowners Multi-Peril Policies   $ 25,584  
Liability for Losses and LAE, net of reinsurance – Homeowners Multi-Peril Policies   $ 2,724  
         
      For the Years Ended December 31,  
Accident
Year
  2012
(unaudited)
  2013
(unaudited)
  2014
(unaudited)
  2015
(unaudited)
  2016  
2012   $   $   $   $   $  
2013           2,275     2,325     2,346     2,340  
2014                 99     120     120  
2015                       1,124     1,112  
2016                             386  
Total Paid Losses and LAE, net of reinsurance – Special Property Policies   $ 3,958  
Liability for Losses and LAE, net of reinsurance – Special Property Policies   $ 595  
         
      For the Years Ended December 31,  
Accident
Year
  2012
(unaudited)
  2013
(unaudited)
  2014
(unaudited)
  2015
(unaudited)
  2016  
2012   $   $   $   $   $  
2013           2,584     2,677     2,701     2,695  
2014                 3,024     3,794     4,178  
2015                       7,991     8,538  
2016                             14,131  
Total Paid Losses and LAE, net of reinsurance – All Lines   $ 29,542  
Liability for Losses and LAE, net of reinsurance – All Lines   $ 3,319  

 

A reconciliation of the net incurred and paid loss development tables to the liability for loss and loss adjustment expenses on the balance sheet is as follows.

 

    As of December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Net Liability for Loss and LAE Reserves                
Homeowners Multi-Peril Policies   $ 2,724     $ 1,780  
Special Property Policies     595       223  
Liability for Loss and LAE, net of reinsurance – All Lines   $ 3,319     $ 2,003  
                 
Reinsurance Recoverable on Loss and LAE Reserves                
Homeowners Multi-Peril Policies   $ 2,565     $ 120  
Special Property Policies     1,087        
Reinsurance Recoverable on Loss and LAE Reserves – All Lines   $ 3,652     $ 120  
                 
Total Gross Liability for Loss and LAE Reserves – All Lines   $ 6,971     $ 2,123  

 

The following supplementary information provides average historical claims duration as of December 31, 2016.

 

Average Annual Percentage Payout of Incurred Losses by Age, Net of Reinsurance (unaudited)
Age of loss (in years)     1       2       3       4      
Homeowners Multi-Peril Policies     84.2 %     4.8 %     1.4 %     —%  
Special Property Policies     85.3 %     1.3 %     0.4 %     —%  
All Lines     84.4 %     4.3 %     1.2 %     —%  

 

8. Income Taxes

 

A summary of income tax expense (benefit) is as follows:

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Current income tax expense (benefit)   $ 20     $ (452 )
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)     88       (211 )
Total income tax expense (benefit)   $ 108     $ (663 )

 

56

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

($ in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

Actual income tax expense (benefit) differs from the income tax expense computed by applying the applicable effective federal and state tax rates to income before income tax expense (benefit) as follows:

 

    Year ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
      $       %       $       %  
                                 
Provision for taxes at U.S. statutory marginal income tax rate of 34%   $ 40       34.0 %   $ (794 )     34.0 %
Nondeductible expenses     15       12.4 %     20       (0.8 )%
State tax (net of federal benefit)     53       44.4 %     105       (4.5 )%
Other           %     6       (0.3 )%
Income tax expense (benefit)   $ 108       90.8 %   $ (663 )     28.4 %

 

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes as compared to the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company’s net deferred tax assets are as follows:

 

    As of December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Deferred income tax assets:                
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves   $ 35     $ 22  
Unearned premium reserves     1,503       1,462  
Net operating loss carryforwards     235       284  
Share-based compensation     316       264  
Other     270       278  
Deferred income tax assets   $ 2,359     $ 2,310  
                 
Deferred income tax liabilities:                
Deferred policy acquisition costs   $ 1,492     $ 1,370  
State deferred taxes     397       378  
Other     50       56  
Deferred income tax liabilities   $ 1,939     $ 1,804  
                 
Net deferred income tax assets   $ 420     $ 506  

 

The Company has recorded a net deferred tax asset of $420 and $506 as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. Realization of net deferred tax asset is dependent on generating sufficient taxable income in future periods. Management believes that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized and as such no valuation allowance has been recorded against the net deferred tax asset. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. As of December 31, 2016, based upon the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred tax assets are deductible, management believes it is more likely than not that the Company will realize the benefits of these deductible differences. When assessing the need for valuation allowances, the Company considers future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. Should a change in circumstances lead to a change in judgment about the ability to realize the deferred tax assets in future years, the Company would record valuation allowances as deemed appropriate in the period that the change in circumstances occurs, along with a corresponding charge to net income. The resolution of tax reserves and changes in valuation allowances could be material to the Company’s results of operations for any period, but is not expected to be material to the Company’s financial position.

 

As of December 31, 2016 the Company had net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) for federal income tax purposes of approximately $691 which will be available to offset future taxable income. As a result of certain changes in ownership and pursuant to Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, these NOLs are subject to a yearly limitation. The amount and expiration date of the NOL carryforwards are as follows:

 

Year of Occurrence     Year of
Expiration
    Amount  
2013       2032     $ 684  
2014       2033       7  
Total             $ 691  
                     

 

57

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

Based upon the results of the Company’s analysis and the application of ASC 740-10, management has determined that all material tax positions meet the recognition threshold and can be considered as highly certain tax positions. This is based on clear and unambiguous tax law, and the Company is confident that the full amount of each tax position will be sustained upon possible examination. Accordingly, the full amount of the tax positions is anticipated to be recognized in the financial statements.

 

The Company files federal income tax returns as well as multiple state and local tax returns. The Company’s consolidated federal and state income tax returns for the years 2012 - 2015 are open for review by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and the various state taxing authorities.

 

9. Purchase of ClaimCor LLC

 

On January 2, 2015, the Company acquired a 100% interest in ClaimCor, a Florida domiciled independent adjusting company in order to complement the Company’s strategic plan and growth objectives by entering into the insurance services outsourcing industry. Under the terms of the membership interest purchase agreement, the purchase price was $323, paid by the Company, in cash, at closing. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, the previous managing members of ClaimCor entered into a non-compete agreement with the Company, whereby the members will not engage in, continue in, or carry on any business that competes with ClaimCor for a period of three years from the date of purchase.

 

The ClaimCor purchase was accounted for under the acquisition method as outlined in ASC Topic 805 – Business Combinations. Under the acquisition method, the acquiring company is required to recognize the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at fair value as of the acquisition date. Excess purchase price, if any, over the fair value of the net assets acquired, is recognized as goodwill. The following table presents the estimated allocation of the purchase price to the net assets of ClaimCor as of January 2, 2015.

 

Cash   $ 18  
Accounts receivable     132  
Intangible asset: Non-compete agreement     9  
Intangible asset: Customer base     43  
Goodwill     211  
Other assets     7  
Total assets   $ 420  
         
Accounts payable     89  
Other liabilities     8  
Total liabilities assumed   $ 97  
         
Net assets acquired   $ 323  

 

As a result of the purchase, we initially recorded goodwill in the amount of $211 on our consolidated balance sheet as of January 2, 2015. The goodwill was not amortized, but rather subject to impairment testing on, at minimum, an annual basis. We also recognized the estimated fair value of the non-compete agreement as well as a customer base asset as part of the ClaimCor acquisition at a combined total of $52 as of January 2, 2015. The non-compete agreement was amortized over a two year period and on December 31, 2016, the remaining unamortized balance of the non-compete agreement was charged to operations due to its de-minimus nature. The customer base asset was to be amortized over an estimated useful-life of 5 years. The Company recognized expense related to the amortization of these assets in the amount of $6 and $11 for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

 

In the fourth quarter 2015, after analyzing ClaimCor’s performance in comparison to management’s expectations and forecasts at the time of acquisition, the Company noted that an impairment to the value of the goodwill and other intangibles which were recorded was likely. Accordingly, the Company’s analysis resulted in a charge of $246 associated with the impairment of goodwill and the customer base asset and has been charged to general and administrative expense for the year ended December 31, 2015. The Company used a date of December 1, 2015 for purposes of calculating the impairment charges.

 

10. Net Earnings (Loss) Per Share

 

Net earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding during the periods presented. In calculating diluted earnings per share, those potential common shares that are found to be anti-dilutive are excluded from the calculation. The table below provides a summary of the numerators and denominators used in determining basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

 58

 

 

1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Basic:            
Net income (loss)   $ 11     $ (1,673 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding     6,047,979       6,286,706  
Basic earnings (loss) per common share   $     $ (0.27 )
                 
Diluted:                
Net income (loss)   $ 11     $ (1,673 )
Weighted average common shares outstanding     6,047,979       6,286,706  
Dilutive stock options outstanding            
Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding     6,047,979       6,286,706  
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share    $     $ (0.27 )

 

The following potentially dilutive securities outstanding as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 have been excluded from the computation of diluted weighted-average shares outstanding as their effect would be anti-dilutive.

 

    As of December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Options to purchase common stock     177,456       210,489  
Warrants to purchase common stock     1,906,875       1,906,875  
Restricted stock units     20,500       20,500  
Performance shares (Note 13)     475,000       475,000  
      2,579,831       2,612,864  

 

11. Equity Incentive Plan

 

The Company has established a stock option incentive plan for employees and directors of the Company (the “Plan”). The purpose of the Plan is to create incentives designed to motivate recipients to significantly contribute toward the Company’s growth and success, and also to attract and retain persons of outstanding competence, and provide such persons with an opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Company.

 

The Plan is administered by a committee appointed by the Board of Directors. All members of such committee must be non-employee directors and independent directors as defined in the Plan. Subject to the limitations set forth in the Plan, the committee has the authority to grant awards as well as determine the general provisions of each award including the purchase price, term, number of shares, and performance criteria, and also to establish vesting schedules and other terms and conditions of the award.

 

In April 2015, the Company’s shareholders approved an amendment to the Plan to allow for the issuance of additional award types under the Plan. In addition to non-qualified stock options issuable under the Plan, the amendment provides for the issuance of restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance shares, performance cash awards, and other stock-based awards. The Plan provides for the issuance of 354,912 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2016, both stock options and RSUs had been issued to the Company’s employees under the Plan resulting in 156,956 shares available for future issuance under the Plan.

 

Stock option information for the two years ended December 31, 2016 is as follows.

 

    Shares     Weighted Average Exercise Price     Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)     Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value     Aggregate Intrinsic Value  
Common Stock Options                                        
Outstanding, January 1, 2015     210,489     $ 8.05       3.62     $ 0.96     $  
Exercisable, January 1, 2015     125,308     $ 8.04       3.18     $ 0.88     $  
Granted                                    
Exercised                                    
Cancelled                                    
Outstanding, December 31, 2015     210,489     $ 8.05       2.81     $ 0.96     $  
Exercisable, December 31, 2015     146,603     $ 8.04       2.62     $ 0.90     $  
Granted                                    
Exercised                                    
Cancelled     (33,033 )     8.00                          
Outstanding, December 31, 2016     177,456     $ 8.06       2.25     $ 1.07     $  
Exercisable, December 31, 2016     134,865     $ 8.06       2.25     $ 1.07     $  

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

A summary of the status of the Company’s non-vested employee stock options is as follows.

 

    Shares     Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value  
Non-Vested Common Stock Options                
Non-vested, January 1, 2015     85,181     $ 1.07  
Granted            
Vested     (21,295 )     1.07  
Cancelled            
Non-vested, December 31, 2015     63,886     $ 1.07  
Granted            
Vested     (21,295 )     1.07  
Cancelled            
Non-vested, December 31, 2016     42,591     $ 1.07  

 

On May 29, 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors granted RSUs to certain of its executive officers under the Plan. Each RSU granted entitles the grantee to one share of the Company’s common stock upon the vesting date of the RSU. The RSUs vest as follows: (i) 50% upon the date that the closing price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per share and; (ii) 50% upon the date that the closing price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share. Prior to the vesting of the RSUs, the grantee will not be entitled to any dividends declared on the Company’s common stock. The RSUs do not expire, however, should the grantee discontinue employment with the Company for any reason other than death or disability, all unvested RSUs will be deemed forfeited on the date employment is discontinued. The following table summarizes RSU activity for the two years ended December 31, 2016.

 

Restricted Stock Units   Number of Units     Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value  
Non-vested units, January 1, 2015         $  
Granted     20,500       1.34  
Vested            
Forfeited            
Non-vested units, December 31, 2015     20,500     $ 1.34  
Granted            
Vested            
Forfeited            
Non-vest units, December 31, 2016     20,500     $ 1.34  

 

Total stock based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 was $38 and $47, respectively. As of December 31, 2016, total unrecognized stock compensation expense of $30 remains, which will be recognized ratably through March 31, 2018.

 

Stock warrants issued, exercised and outstanding as of December 31, 2016 are as follows.

 

    Shares     Weighted Average Exercise Price  
Common Stock Warrants                
Outstanding, January 1, 2015     406,875     $ 9.69  
Exercisable, January 1, 2015     312,500     $ 9.60  
Granted     1,500,000       15.00  
Exercised              
Cancelled              
Outstanding, December 31, 2015     1,906,875     $ 13.87  
Exercisable, December 31, 2015     1,906,875     $ 13.87  
Granted            
Exercised            
Cancelled            
Outstanding, December 31, 2016     1,906,875     $ 13.87  
Exercisable, December 31, 2016     1,906,875     $ 13.87  

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

On March 31, 2014, the Company issued warrants to purchase 94,375 shares of its common stock to the underwriters of the Company’s IPO. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of PIH at a price of $10.00 per share at any time after March 31, 2015 and prior to expiry on March 31, 2019.

 

Also on March 31, 2014, in connection with the conversion of Series A Preferred Shares then outstanding into the Company’s common shares, the Company issued warrants to purchase 312,500 shares of the Company’s common stock to Fund Management Group LLC, an entity of which the Company’s Chairman of the Board, Gordon G. Pratt, is a Managing Member and controlling equity holder. Each warrant issued to Fund Management Group LLC entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at a price equal to $9.60, subject to certain adjustments under a warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”). The warrants have an expiry date of March 31, 2019 and vested upon issuance. The warrants may be redeemable by the Company at a price of $0.01 per warrant during any period in which the closing price of the Company’s common shares is at or above $14.00 per share for 20 consecutive trading days. The warrant holder is entitled to a 30-day notice prior to the date of such redemption.

 

The details of the Company’s remaining warrants issued and outstanding are discussed in Note 13 – Related Party Transactions, below.

 

12. Shareholders’ Equity

 

Treasury Shares

 

On December 1, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program for up to 500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock which expired on December 31, 2016. Through December 31, 2016, the Company has repurchased an aggregate 401,359 shares at an aggregate purchase price of $2,927, or $7.29 per share, including all fees and commissions.

 

On January 29, 2016, the Company retired 250,000 of its treasury shares, resulting in a reclassification of the purchase price of $1,917 to additional paid in capital.

 

13. Related Party Transactions

 

Related party transactions are carried out in the normal course of operations and are measured in part by the amount of consideration paid or received as established and agreed by the parties. Management believes that consideration paid for such services in each case approximates fair value. Except where disclosed elsewhere in these consolidated financial statements, the following is a summary of related party transactions.

 

Performance Share Grant Agreement

 

On March 26, 2014, the Company entered into a Performance Share Grant Agreement (“PSGA”) with KAI, whereby KAI will be entitled to receive up to an aggregate of 375,000 shares of PIH common stock upon achievement of certain milestones regarding the Company’s stock price. Pursuant to the terms of the PSGA, if at any time the last sales price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds: (i) $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period, KAI will receive 125,000 shares of the Company’s common stock; (ii) $15.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period, KAI will receive 125,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (in addition to the 125,000 shares of common stock earned pursuant to clause (i) herein); and (iii) $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period, KAI will receive 125,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (in addition to the 250,000 shares of common stock earned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) herein). The shares of common stock granted to KAI will have a valuation equal to the last sales price of PIH common stock on the day prior to such grant. As of December 31, 2016, the Company has not issued any shares under the PSGA.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

Termination of Management Services Agreement

 

As a result of the termination of the Management Services Agreement (“MSA”), which occurred on February 24, 2015, the Company has issued the following securities to 1347 Advisors, LLC (“Advisors”), a wholly owned subsidiary of KFSI.

 

The Performance Shares Grant Agreement dated February 24, 2015.
120,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock of the Company (the “Preferred Shares”)
A warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of fifteen dollars per share. The Warrant expires seven years from date of issuance.

 

The Performance Shares Grant Agreement grants Advisors 100,000 shares of the Company’s common stock issuable upon the date that the last sales price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds ten dollars per share for any twenty trading days within any 30-day trading period (the “Milestone Event”). Advisors will not be entitled to any dividends declared or paid on the Company’s stock prior to the Milestone Event having been achieved.

 

The Preferred Shares have a par value of twenty five dollars and pay annual cumulative dividends at a rate of eight percent per annum. Cumulative dividends shall accrue, whether or not declared by the Board and irrespective of whether there are funds legally available for the payment of dividends. Accrued dividends shall be paid in cash only when, as, and if declared by the Board out of funds legally available therefor or upon a liquidation or redemption of the Preferred Shares. In the event of any voluntary of involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of the Company, the holders of the Preferred Shares then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distributions to its shareholders, before any payment shall be made to holders of securities junior in preference to the Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares rank senior to the Company’s common stock, and the Company is not permitted to issue any other series of preferred stock that ranks equal or senior to the Preferred Shares while the Preferred Shares are outstanding. On February 22, 2016 the Company’s board of directors authorized a dividend payment on the Preferred Shares for shareholders of record as of February 23, 2016. Accordingly, on February 24, 2016, the Company issued a cash payment of $240 to Advisors representing the first annual dividend payment the Company has made on the Preferred Shares.

 

Unless redeemed earlier by the Company as discussed below, with the written consent of the holders of the majority of the Preferred Shares then outstanding, the Company will be required to redeem the Preferred Shares then outstanding on February 24, 2020 (the “Mandatory Redemption Date”), for a redemption amount equal to twenty five dollars per share plus all accrued and unpaid dividends on such shares. The Company has the option to redeem the Preferred Shares prior to the Mandatory Redemption Date immediately prior to the consummation of any change in control of the Company that may occur.

 

Accounting for the Termination of the MSA

 

As a result of the termination of the MSA agreement, the Company recognized an expense in the amount of $5,421 for the year ended December 31, 2015 as follows:

 

    Year ended December 31, 2015  
Cash paid   $ 2,000  
Issuance of Series B Preferred Shares (recorded at a discount to redemption amount)     2,311  
Issuance of Warrants and Performance Shares     1,010  
Professional fees incurred in connection with the Buyout     100  
Loss on termination of MSA   $ 5,421  

 

The Company applied the guidance outlined in ASC 480 – Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity in recording the issuance of the Series B Preferred Shares. Due to the fact that the Preferred Shares have a mandatory redemption date of February 24, 2020, the guidance required that we classify the Preferred Shares as a liability on our consolidated balance sheet, rather than recording the value of the shares in equity. The resulting liability was recorded at a discount to the $4,200 redemption amount plus dividends expected to be paid on the Preferred Shares while outstanding, discounted for the Company’s estimated cost of equity (13.9%). As a result, total amortization in the amount of $355 and $282 was charged to operations for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. An additional $1,252 is expected to be charged to operations through February 2020 using the effective interest method.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

The Company applied the guidance outlined in ASC 505-50 – Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees in recording the issuance of the Warrants and Performance Shares by recognizing an increase to equity for the estimated fair value of both instruments as of their date of grant. We estimated the fair value of the Warrants on grant date based upon the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Significant assumptions used in determining the fair value of the Warrants were as follows: 

       
Risk-free interest rate     1.79 %
Dividend yield      
Expected volatility     23.7 %
Expected term (in years)     7  

 

We utilized a Monte Carlo simulation model to determine the estimated fair value of the Performance Shares due to the fact that shares are only issuable based upon the achievement of certain market conditions. This pricing model uses multiple simulations to evaluate the probability of achieving the market conditions, as well as a number of other inputs (some of which are Level 3 inputs as defined by the FASB) with respect to the expected volatility and dividend yield (among other inputs) of the Company’s common shares.

 

Based upon these models, the total estimated fair value of both the Warrants and Performance Shares was determined to be $1,010 on the date of grant.

 

14. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

 

The table below details the change in the balance of each component of accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.

 

    Year Ended December 31,  
    2016     2015  
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities:                
Balance, January 1   $ (62 )   $ (1 )
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications     1       (95 )
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss     (6 )      
Income taxes     2       34  
Net current-period other comprehensive loss     (3 )     (61 )
Balance, December 31   $ (65 )   $ (62 )

 

15. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

Fair value is best evidenced by quoted bid or ask price, as appropriate, in an active market. Where bid or ask prices are not available, such as in an illiquid or inactive market, the closing price of the most recent transaction of that instrument subject to appropriate adjustments as required is used. Where quoted market prices are not available, the quoted prices of similar financial instruments or valuation models with observable market based inputs are used to estimate the fair value. These valuation models may use multiple observable market inputs, including observable interest rates, foreign exchange rates, index levels, credit spreads, equity prices, counterparty credit quality, corresponding market volatility levels and option volatilities. Minimal management judgment is required for fair values calculated using quoted market prices or observable market inputs for models. Greater subjectivity is required when making valuation adjustments for financial instruments in inactive markets or when using models where observable parameters do not exist. Also, the calculation of estimated fair value is based on market conditions at a specific point in time and may not be reflective of future fair values. For the Company’s financial instruments carried at cost or amortized cost, the book value is not adjusted to reflect increases or decreases in fair value due to market fluctuations, including those due to interest rate changes, as it is the Company’s intention to hold them until there is a recovery of fair value, which may be to maturity.

 

The Company classifies its investments in fixed income and equity securities as available-for-sale and reports these investments at fair value. Fair values of fixed income securities for which no active market exists are derived from quoted market prices of similar instruments or other third-party evidence.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

The FASB has issued guidance that defines fair value as the exchange price that would be received for an asset (or paid to transfer a liability) in the principal, or most advantageous market in an orderly transaction between market participants. This guidance also establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The guidance categorizes assets and liabilities at fair value into one of three different levels depending on the observation of the inputs employed in the measurements, as follows:

 

Level 1 – inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets providing the most reliable measurement of fair value since it is directly observable.
Level 2 – inputs to the valuation methodology which include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets. These inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly for substantially the full-term of the financial instrument.
Level 3 – inputs to the valuation methodology which are unobservable and significant to the measurement of fair value.

 

Financial instruments measured at fair value as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 in accordance with this guidance are as follows.

 

As of December 31, 2016   Level 1     Level 2     Level 3    

Total

 
Fixed income securities:                                
U.S. government   $     $ 1,604     $     $ 1,604  
State municipalities and political subdivisions           2,246             2,246  
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations           11,968             11,968  
Corporate           10,741             10,741  
Total fixed income securities           26,559             26,559  
                                 
Equity securities:                                
Common stock     1,136                   1,136  
Total equity securities     1,136                   1,136  
                                 
Total fixed income and equity securities   $ 1,136     $ 26,559     $     $ 27,695  
                                 
As of December 31, 2015                                
Fixed income securities:                                
U.S. government   $     $ 647     $     $ 647  
State municipalities and political subdivisions           1,651             1,651  
Asset-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations           9,082             9,082  
Corporate           8,858             8,858  
Total   $     $ 20,238     $     $ 20,238  

 

16. Statutory Requirements

 

The Company’s insurance subsidiary, Maison, prepares statutory basis financial statements in accordance with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the LDI. Prescribed statutory accounting practices include state laws, rules and regulations as well as accounting practices and rules as outlined in a variety of publications of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”). Permitted statutory accounting practices encompass all accounting practices that are not prescribed, but instead have been specifically requested by an insurer and allowed by the state in which the insurer is domiciled (in Maison’s case, Louisiana). Permitted practices may differ from state to state, or company to company within a state, and may change in the future. In converting from statutory accounting basis to U.S. GAAP, typical adjustments include the deferral of acquisition costs (which are all charged to operations as incurred on a statutory basis), the inclusion of statutorily non-admitted assets on the balance sheet, the inclusion of net unrealized holding gains or losses related to investments included on the balance sheet, as well as the inclusion of changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities in the statement of operations.

 

Statutory Surplus and Capital Requirements

 

In order to retain its certificate of authority in the State of Louisiana, Maison is required to maintain a minimum capital surplus of $5,000. As of December 31, 2016 Maison’s capital surplus was $19,835.

 

The LDI employs risk-based capital (“RBC”) reports to monitor Maison’s financial condition. Risk-based capital is determined in accordance with a formula adopted by the NAIC which takes into consideration the covariance between asset risk, credit risk, underwriting risk, and other business risks. The RBC report determines whether Maison falls into the “no action” level or one of the four action levels set forth in the Louisiana Insurance Code. In order to retain its certificate of authority in the State of Texas, Maison is required to maintain an RBC ratio of 300% or more.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

As of December 31, 2016, Maison’s RBC ratio was 346%, as a result, our surplus was considered to be in the “no action” level.

 

States routinely require deposits of assets for the protection of policyholders either in those states or for all policyholders. As of December 31, 2016, Maison held investment securities with a fair value of approximately $100 as a deposit with the LDI and cash and investment securities with a fair value of approximately $1,992 as a deposit with the TDI.

 

Surplus Notes

 

PIH, as the parent company of Maison, is subject to the insurance holding company laws of the State of Louisiana, which, among other things, regulate the terms of surplus notes issued by insurers to their parent company. Maison’s capital includes five surplus notes issued to PIH in the amount of $6,050, all of which were approved by the LDI prior to their issuance. Notes accrue interest at 10% per annum. Interest payments on the notes are due annually, and are also subject to prior approval by the LDI. The Company’s surplus notes, as of December 31, 2016, are as follows.

 

Date of Issuance     Maturity Date   Principal Amount  
  October 22, 2013     October 22, 2017   $ 650  
  December 21, 2015     December 21, 2017     850  
  March 31, 2016     March 31, 2018     550  
  September 29, 2016     September 29, 2018     3,450  
  November 14, 2016     November 14, 2018     550  
            $ 6,050  

 

Dividend Restrictions

 

As a Louisiana domiciled insurer, the payment of dividends from our insurance subsidiary is restricted by the Louisiana Insurance Code. Dividends can only be paid if an insurer’s paid-in capital and surplus exceed the minimum required by the Louisiana Insurance Code by one hundred percent or more, or as otherwise provided. Any dividend or distribution that when aggregated with any other dividends or distributions made within the preceding twelve months exceeds the lesser of (a) ten percent of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders as of the thirty-first day of December next preceding; or (b) the net income of the insurer, not including realized capital gains, for the twelve month period ending the thirty-first day of December next preceding; is considered to be extra-ordinary and shall not be paid until thirty days after the LDI has received notice of the declaration thereof and has not within that period disapproved the payment, or until the LDI has approved the payment within the thirty-day period. In determining whether a dividend or distribution is extra-ordinary, an insurer may carry forward net income from the previous two calendar years that has not already been paid out in dividends. As of December 31, 2016, Maison had not paid any dividends to its shareholder, PIH.

 

See Note 20 – Subsequent Events, for additional statutory requirements regarding the certificate of authority granted to Maison from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

 

17. Retirement plans

 

The 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. 401(k) Plan (the “Retirement Plan”) was established effective January 1, 2015, as a defined contribution plan. The Retirement Plan is subject to the provisions for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”); eligible employees of the Company and its subsidiaries may participate in the plan. Employees who have completed one month of service are eligible to participate and are permitted to make annual pre and post-tax salary reduction contributions not to exceed the limits imposed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Contributions are invested at the direction of the employee participant in various money market and mutual funds. The Company matches contributions up to 100% of each participant’s contribution, limited to contributions up to 4% of a participant’s earnings. The Company may also elect to make a profit sharing contribution to the Retirement Plan based upon discretionary amounts and percentages authorized by the Company’s board of directors. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company made matching contributions to the Retirement Plan in the amount of $75 and $67, respectively.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
($ in thousands, except per share amounts) 

 

18. Commitments and Contingencies

 

Legal Proceedings:

 

From time to time, we are involved in legal proceedings and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. Currently, it is not possible to predict legal outcomes and their impact on the future development of claims. Any such development will be affected by future court decisions and interpretations. Because of these uncertainties, additional liabilities may arise for amounts in excess of the Company’s current reserves. In addition, the Company’s estimate of ultimate loss and loss adjustment expenses may change. These additional liabilities, or increases in estimates, or a range of either, cannot be reasonably estimated, and could result in income statement charges that could be material to the Company’s results of operations in future periods.

 

Operating Lease Commitments:

 

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had the following amounts due under its operating leases for facilities leased in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Tampa, Florida.

 

Year ended December 31,        
2017     $ 344  
2018       291  
2019       249  
Total     $ 884  

 

 

19. Subsequent Events

 

Florida Certificate of Authority

 

On March 1, 2017 Maison received a certificate of authority from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”) which authorizes Maison to write personal lines insurance in the State of Florida. Pursuant to the Consent Order issued, Maison has agreed to comply with certain requirements as outlined by the OIR until Maison can demonstrate three consecutive years of net income following the Company’s admission into Florida as evidenced by its Annual Statement filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Among other requirements, the OIR requires the following as conditions related to the issuance of Maison’s certificate of authority:

 

Although domiciled in the State of Louisiana, Maison agreed to comply with the Florida Insurance Code as if Maison were a domestic insurer within the State of Florida;
Maison agreed to maintain capital and surplus as to policyholders of no less than $35 million;
Maison agreed to receive prior approval from the OIR prior to the payment of any dividends and;
Maison agreed to receive written approval from the OIR regarding any form of policy issued, or rate charged to its policyholders prior to utilizing any such form or rate for policies written in the State of Florida.

 

To comply with the Consent Order, Maison will receive a capital contribution from its parent company, 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc., in the approximate amount of $15 million. This contribution is expected to be in the form of one or more surplus notes as well as a direct contribution to paid in and contributed surplus and is expected to occur prior to March 31, 2017. As of March 16, 2017 Maison has not written any insurance policies covering risks in the State of Florida.

 

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1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

 

None

 

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

The Company’s management has performed an evaluation under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, and completed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“the Exchange Act”). Based upon this evaluation, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.

 

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

 

pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets;
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
provide reasonable assurance that the Company’s receipts and expenditures are made in accordance with proper authorizations from the Company’s management and directors; and
provide reasonable assurance regarding the prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Our management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria set forth in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Based upon this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2016.

 

This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by our registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules of the SEC that permit non-accelerated filers like us to provide only management’s report.

 

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

There have been no changes to our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with this evaluation that occurred during the quarter ended December 31, 2016 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

 

None

 

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PART III.

 

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than April 30, 2017.

 

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than April 30, 2017.

 

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

 

Information regarding our equity compensation plans is incorporated herein by reference to Item 5 of Part II of this Form 10-K. All other information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than April 30, 2017.

 

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

 

The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than April 30, 2017.

 

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES

 

The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the Proxy Statement for the Company’s 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than April 30, 2017.

 

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PART IV.

 

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

 

1. The following documents are filed as part of this report
1. Financial Statements – the following consolidated financial statements of the Company and the reports if independent auditors thereon are filed with this report:
i. Independent Auditor’s Report
ii. Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015
iii. Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended December 31, 2016 and 2015
iv. Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss for the Years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015
v. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015
vi. Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015
2. Exhibits - the exhibits listed in the accompanying “Index to Exhibits” that follow the signature pages of this report are filed or incorporated by reference as part of this Form 10-K.

 

ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY

 

Not applicable.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

       
      1347 PROPERTY INSURANCE HOLDINGS, INC.
       
Date: March 16, 2017 By: /s/ Douglas N. Raucy
    Name: Douglas N. Raucy
    Title: President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Douglas N. Raucy and John S. Hill, and each of them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, to sign any and all amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and hereby grants to such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully as to all intents and purposes as each of the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

/s/ Douglas N. Raucy President, Chief Executive Officer and Director  
Douglas N. Raucy (Principal Executive Officer) March 16, 2017
     
/s/ John S. Hill Vice President, Chief Financial Officer  
John S. Hill (Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer) March 16, 2017
     
/s/ Larry Gene Swets, Jr.    
Larry Gene Swets, Jr. Director, Chairman of the Board March 16, 2017
     
/s/ D. Kyle Cerminara    
D. Kyle Cerminara Director March 16, 2017
     
/s/ Dennis A. Wong    
Dennis A. Wong Director March 16, 2017

 

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/s/ Scott David Wollney    
Scott David Wollney Director March 16, 2017
     
/s/ Joshua S. Horowitz    
Joshua S. Horowitz Director March 16, 2017

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit   Description
3.2   Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)
3.3   Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)
3.4   Certificate of Designation of Series A Preferred Shares of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit A of Exhibit 10.9 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)
3.5   Certificate of Designation of Series B Preferred Shares of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 27, 2015)
4.1   Certificate of Series B Preferred Shares (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 27, 2015)
4.2   Warrant to Purchase Shares of Common Stock (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 27, 2015)
4.3   Form of Common Stock Certificate (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)
10.1   1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (Incorporated by reference to Appendix A of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Commission on April 30, 2015)*
10.2   Indemnification Agreement (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)
10.3   Trademark License Agreement, dated February 28, 2014, between 1347 Advisors LLC and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission on May 20, 2014)
10.4   Option Agreement, dated February 28, 2014 between Douglas N. Raucy and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission on May 20, 2014)*
10.5   First Amendment to Option Agreement, dated June 19, 2014 between Douglas N. Raucy and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 19, 2014)*
10.6   Second Amendment to Option Agreement, dated March 13, 2015 between Douglas N. Raucy and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on March 18, 2015)*
10.7   Third Amendment to Option Agreement, dated March 13, 2015 between Douglas N. Raucy and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 2, 2015)*
10.8   Fourth Amendment to Option Agreement, dated December 15, 2015 between Douglas N. Raucy and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on December 17, 2015)*
10.9   Fifth Amendment to Option Agreement, dated June 14, 2016 between Douglas N. Raucy and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 16, 2016)*
10.10   Series A Convertible Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, dated January 23, 2014, between Fund Management Group LLC and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)
10.11   Offer letter to Douglas N. Raucy, dated September 25, 2012 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on January 30, 2014)*
10.12   Registration Rights Agreement, dated February 28, 2014, by and between Kingsway America, Inc. and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission on May 20, 2014)
10.13   Performance Share Grant Agreement by and between Kingsway America, Inc. and 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 of our Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the Commission on March 27, 2014)
10.14   Agreement to Buyout and Release dated February 24, 2015 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 27, 2015)
10.15   Performance Shares Grant Agreement dated February 24, 2015 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 27, 2015)
10.16   Form of Option Agreement Issued to the Executive Officers of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on March 26, 2015)*
10.17   Form of Option Agreement Issued to the Directors of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on March 26, 2015)*
10.18   Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement Issued to the Executive Officers of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 2, 2015)*
14.1   1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14.1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission on March 26, 2015)
21.1   Subsidiaries of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc.
23.1   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
24.1   Power of Attorney (included on signature page)
31.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Exchange Act
31.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) of the Exchange Act
32.1   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS   XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
101.CAL   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
101.DEF   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
101.LAB   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
101.PRE   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

*Denotes management contracts or compensatory plans or arrangements

 

72