v3.25.2
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation

A. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of RLI Corp. (the Company) and subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP). These condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all the disclosures required by GAAP for annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of the Company’s management, the condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, of a normal and recurring nature, that are necessary for fair financial statement presentation. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for a full year.

The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the period. These estimates are inherently subject to change and actual results could differ significantly from these estimates.

On January 15, 2025, RLI Corp. effected a two-for-one split of its common stock and a proportionate increase in the number of authorized shares. All share and per share information throughout this report has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the stock split. The shares of common stock retain a par value of $0.01 per share.

Adopted Accounting Standards

B. ADOPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

No new accounting standards applicable in 2025 materially impact our financial statements.

Prospective Accounting Standards

C. PROSPECTIVE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

2023-09—Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures

The guidance in ASU 2023-09 is designed to increase transparency about income tax information through improvements to the tax rate reconciliation and disclosure of income taxes paid, disaggregated by federal, state and foreign jurisdictions. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Although the Company continues to evaluate the impact of adopting this new accounting standard, the amendments are disclosure-related and should not have a material impact on our financial statements.

2024-03—Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income-Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses

The guidance in ASU 2024-03 requires disaggregation of certain expenses into specified categories in the notes to the financial statements. Each relevant expense caption on the face of the statement of earnings that includes specific expenses, such as employee compensation, depreciation and intangible asset amortization, are required to be separately disclosed in a tabular presentation. Additionally, a separate total of selling expenses is required to be disclosed, along with a definition of what is included in selling expenses.

This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Although the Company continues to evaluate the impact of adopting this new accounting standard, the amendments are disclosure-related and should not have a material impact on our financial statements.

Reinsurance

D. REINSURANCE

Ceded unearned premiums and reinsurance balances recoverable on unpaid losses and settlement expenses are reported separately as an asset, rather than being netted with the related liability, since reinsurance does not relieve the Company of our liability to policyholders. Such balances are subject to the credit risk associated with the individual reinsurer. We continually monitor the financial condition of our reinsurers and actively follow up on any past due or disputed amounts. As part of our monitoring efforts, we review reinsurers’ annual financial statements and Securities and Exchange Commission filings for

those that are publicly traded. We also review insurance industry developments that may impact the financial condition of our reinsurers. We analyze the credit risk associated with our reinsurance balances recoverable by monitoring the AM Best and Standard & Poor’s (S&P) ratings of our reinsurers. We subject our reinsurance balances recoverable to detailed recoverability tests, including a segment-based analysis using the average default rating percentage by S&P rating, which assists the Company in assessing the sufficiency of its allowance. Additionally, we perform an in-depth reinsurer financial condition analysis prior to the renewal of our reinsurance placements.

Our policy is to charge to earnings, in the form of an allowance, an estimate of unrecoverable amounts from reinsurers. This allowance is reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the amount makes a reasonable provision for reinsurance balances that we may be unable to recover. Once regulatory action (such as receivership, finding of insolvency, order of conservation or order of liquidation) is taken against a reinsurer, the paid and unpaid recoverable balances for the reinsurer are specifically identified and written off through the use of our allowance for estimated unrecoverable amounts from reinsurers. When we write-off such a balance, it is done in full. We then re-evaluate the overall allowance and determine whether the balance is sufficient and, if needed, an additional allowance is recognized.

The allowances for uncollectible amounts on paid and unpaid reinsurance balances recoverable were $17 million and $10 million, respectively, at June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024. Changes in the allowances were due to changes in the amount of reinsurance balances outstanding, the composition of reinsurers from whom the balances were recoverable and their associated S&P default ratings. No write-offs were applied to the allowances in the first six months of 2025 and less than $1 million was recovered.

Intangible Assets

E. INTANGIBLE ASSETS

The composition of goodwill and intangible assets at June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 is detailed in the following table:

June 30,

December 31,

(in thousands)

 

2025

 

2024

Goodwill

Surety

$

40,816

$

40,816

Casualty

5,246

5,246

Total goodwill

$

46,062

$

46,062

Indefinite-lived intangibles

7,500

7,500

Total goodwill and intangibles

$

53,562

$

53,562

Annual impairment assessments were performed on our goodwill and state insurance license indefinite-lived intangible assets during the second quarter of 2025. Based upon these reviews, none of the assets were impaired. In addition, there were no triggering events as of June 30, 2025 that would suggest an updated impairment test would be needed for our goodwill and intangible assets.

Earnings Per Share

F. EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic earnings per share (EPS) is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock or common stock equivalents were exercised or converted into common stock. When inclusion of these items increases the earnings per share or reduces the loss per share, the effect on earnings is anti-dilutive. Under these circumstances, the diluted net earnings or net loss per share is computed excluding these items. The following represents a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator of the basic and diluted EPS computations contained in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements:

For the Three Months

For the Three Months

Ended June 30, 2025

Ended June 30, 2024

Income

Shares

Per Share

Income

Shares

Per Share

(in thousands, except per share data)

 

(Numerator)

 

(Denominator)

 

Amount

 

(Numerator)

 

(Denominator)

 

Amount

Basic EPS

Earnings available to common shareholders

$

124,336

 

91,827

$

1.35

$

81,992

 

91,474

$

0.90

Effect of Dilutive Securities

Stock options and restricted stock units

 

691

 

884

Diluted EPS

Earnings available to common shareholders

$

124,336

 

92,518

$

1.34

$

81,992

 

92,358

$

0.89

Anti-dilutive securities excluded from diluted EPS

48

For the Six Months

For the Six Months

Ended June 30, 2025

Ended June 30, 2024

Income

Shares

Per Share

Income

Shares

Per Share

(in thousands, except per share data)

 

(Numerator)

 

(Denominator)

 

Amount

 

(Numerator)

 

(Denominator)

 

Amount

Basic EPS

Earnings available to common shareholders

$

187,550

 

91,799

$

2.04

$

209,892

 

91,417

$

2.30

Effect of Dilutive Securities

Stock options and restricted stock units

 

713

 

921

Diluted EPS

Earnings available to common shareholders

$

187,550

 

92,512

$

2.03

$

209,892

 

92,338

$

2.27

Anti-dilutive securities excluded from diluted EPS

48

114

Comprehensive Earnings

G. COMPREHENSIVE EARNINGS

Our comprehensive earnings include net earnings plus after-tax unrealized gains and losses on our available-for-sale fixed income portfolio. In reporting the components of comprehensive earnings, we used the federal statutory tax rate of 21 percent. Other comprehensive earnings (loss), as shown in the consolidated statements of earnings and comprehensive earnings, is net of tax expense of $5 million for the second quarter of 2025, compared to $2 million of tax benefit for the same period in 2024. For the six-month period ended June 30, 2025, other comprehensive earnings (loss) is net of tax expense of $13 million, compared to $5 million of tax benefit for the same period in 2024.

Unrealized gains, net of tax, recognized in other comprehensive earnings (loss) were $49 million for the first six months of 2025. Comparatively, $21 million of unrealized losses, net of tax, were recognized in other comprehensive earnings (loss) in the first six months of 2024. The unrealized gains in 2025 were attributable to a decrease in interest rates, which increased the fair value of securities held in the fixed income portfolio. Interest rates increased during 2024, which decreased the fair value of securities held in the fixed income portfolio.

The following table illustrates the changes in the balance of each component of accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) for each period presented in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements:

(in thousands)

For the Three Months

For the Six Months

Ended June 30,

Ended June 30,

Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities

 

2025

 

2024

 

2025

 

2024

Beginning balance

$

(143,693)

$

(178,974)

$

(173,723)

$

(166,303)

Other comprehensive earnings (loss) before reclassifications

17,922

(8,571)

47,822

(21,846)

Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive earnings

779

728

909

1,332

Net current-period other comprehensive earnings (loss)

$

18,701

$

(7,843)

$

48,731

$

(20,514)

Ending balance

$

(124,992)

$

(186,817)

$

(124,992)

$

(186,817)

Balance of securities for which an allowance for credit losses has been recognized in net earnings

$

1,102

$

1,463

Credit losses on or the sale of an available-for-sale security results in amounts being reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) to current period net earnings. The effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) by the respective line items of net earnings are presented in the following table:

Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other

(in thousands)

Comprehensive Earnings (Loss)

For the Three Months

For the Six Months

Component of Accumulated 

Ended June 30,

Ended June 30,

Affected line item in the

Other Comprehensive Earnings (Loss)

 

2025

 

2024

 

2025

 

2024

 

 

Statement of Earnings

Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities

$

(898)

$

(931)

$

(1,103)

$

(1,765)

Net realized gains (losses)

(88)

9

(48)

79

Credit gains (losses) presented within net realized gains

$

(986)

$

(922)

$

(1,151)

$

(1,686)

Earnings (loss) before income taxes

207

194

242

354

Income tax (expense) benefit

$

(779)

$

(728)

$

(909)

$

(1,332)

Net earnings (loss)

Fair Value Measurements

H. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is defined as the price in the principal market that would be received for an asset to facilitate an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. We determined the fair value of certain financial instruments based on their underlying characteristics and relevant transactions in the marketplace. We maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

The following are the levels of the fair value hierarchy and a brief description of the type of valuation inputs that are used to establish each level. Financial assets are classified based upon the lowest level of significant input that is used to determine fair value.

Level 1 is applied to valuations based on readily available, unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.

Level 2 is applied to valuations based upon quoted prices for similar assets in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets in inactive markets; or valuations based on models where the significant inputs are observable (e.g. interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, default rates, loss severities) or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 is applied to valuations that are derived from techniques in which one or more of the significant inputs are unobservable.

As a part of management’s process to determine fair value, we utilize widely recognized, third-party pricing sources to determine our fair values. We have obtained an understanding of the third-party pricing sources’ valuation methodologies and inputs. The following is a description of the valuation techniques used for financial assets that are measured at fair value, including the general classification of such assets pursuant to the fair value hierarchy.

Corporate, Agencies, Government and Municipal Bonds: The pricing vendor employs a multi-dimensional model which uses standard inputs including (listed in approximate order of priority for use) benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, market bids/offers and other reference data. The pricing vendor also monitors market indicators, as well as industry and economic events. All bonds valued using these techniques are classified as Level 2. All corporate, agency, government and municipal securities are deemed Level 2.

Mortgage-backed Securities (MBS)/Commercial Mortgage-backed Securities (CMBS) and Asset-backed Securities (ABS): The pricing vendor evaluation methodology primarily includes interest rate movements and new issue data. Evaluation of the tranches (non-volatile, volatile or credit sensitivity) is based on the pricing vendors’ interpretation of accepted modeling and pricing conventions. This information is then used to determine the cash flows for each tranche, benchmark yields, pre-payment assumptions and to incorporate collateral performance. To evaluate MBS and CMBS volatility, an option adjusted spread model is used in combination with models that simulate interest rate paths to determine market price information. This process allows the pricing vendor to obtain evaluations of a broad universe of securities in a way that reflects changes in yield curve, index rates, implied volatility, mortgage rates and recent trade activity. MBS/CMBS and ABS with corroborated, observable inputs are classified as Level 2. All of our MBS/CMBS and ABS are deemed Level 2.

Regulation D Private Placement Securities: All Regulation D privately-placed bonds are classified as corporate securities and deemed Level 3. The pricing vendor evaluation methodology for these securities includes a combination of

observable and unobservable inputs. Observable inputs include public corporate spread matrices classified by sector, rating and average life, as well as investment and non-investment grade matrices created from fixed income indices. Unobservable inputs include a liquidity spread premium calculated based on public corporate spread and private corporate spread matrices. The quantitative detail of the liquidity spread premium is neither provided nor reasonably available to the Company. An increase to the credit spread assumptions would result in a lower fair value.

For all of our fixed income securities classified as Level 2, we periodically conduct a review to assess the reasonableness of the fair values provided by our pricing services. Our review consists of a two-pronged approach. First, we compare prices provided by our pricing services to those provided by an additional source. In some cases, we obtain prices from securities brokers and compare them to the prices provided by our pricing services. If discrepancies are found in our comparisons, we compare our prices to actual reported trade data for like securities. No changes to the fair values supplied by our pricing services have occurred as a result of our reviews. Based on these assessments, we have determined that the fair values of our Level 2 fixed income securities provided by our pricing services are reasonable.

Equity Securities: As of June 30, 2025, nearly all of our equity holdings were traded on an exchange. Exchange traded equities have readily observable price levels and are classified as Level 1 (fair value based on quoted market prices). Pricing for the equity securities not traded on an exchange is provided by a third-party pricing source using observable inputs and are classified as Level 2. Pricing for equity securities not traded on an exchange rely on one or more unobservable inputs and are classified as Level 3.

Due to the relatively short-term nature of cash, short-term investments, accounts receivable and accounts payable, their carrying amounts are reasonable estimates of fair value. Our investments in private funds, classified as other invested assets, are measured using the investments’ net asset value per share and are not categorized within the fair value hierarchy.