as of the acquisition date, which the Company believes reflects an independent proxy point for determining fair value. The ceiling test, however, requires companies using the full cost accounting method to price period-ending proved reserves using the simple average first day of the month spot price for the trailing twelve month period, which may not be indicative of actual market values. As a result, Compass’ full cost pool exceeded its ceiling test limitation at December 31, 2014 resulting in impairment.
As a result of recent decline in oil and natural gas prices, Compass expects to incur additional impairments to its oil and natural gas properties in fiscal year 2016 if prices do not increase. The possibility and amount of any future impairment is difficult to predict, and will depend, in part, upon future oil and natural gas prices to be utilized in the ceiling test, estimates of proved reserves and future capital expenditures and operating costs.
The ceiling test calculation and impairment evaluation are based upon estimates of proved reserves. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved reserves, in projecting the future rates of production and in the timing of development activities. The accuracy of any reserve estimate is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. Results of drilling, testing and production subsequent to the date of the estimate may justify revision of such estimate. Accordingly, reserve estimates are often different from the quantities of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids than amounts that are ultimately recovered.
Insurance Subsidiary Financial Information and Regulatory Matters
FGL Insurance’s statutory carrying value of Raven Reinsurance Company (“Raven Re”) reflects the effect of permitted practices Raven Re received to treat the available amount of a letter of credit as an admitted asset which increased Raven Re’s statutory capital and surplus by $220.0 and $226.3 at December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2015, respectively. Raven Re is also permitted to follow Iowa prescribed statutory accounting practice for its reserves on reinsurance assumed from FGL Insurance which increased Raven Re’s statutory capital and surplus by $4.1 and $2.5 at December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2015, respectively. Without such permitted statutory accounting practices Raven Re’s statutory capital and surplus would be negative $13.7 and negative $33.1 as of December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2015, respectively, and its risk-based capital would fall below the minimum regulatory requirements. The letter of credit facility is collateralized by debt securities rated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) as “NAIC-1.” If the permitted practice was revoked, the letter of credit could be replaced by the collateral assets with Nomura Bank International plc’s consent. FGL Insurance’s carrying value of Raven Re at December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2015 was $210.3 and $195.6, respectively.
On November 1, 2013, FGL Insurance re-domesticated from Maryland to Iowa. After re-domestication, FGL Insurance elected to apply Iowa-prescribed accounting practices that permit Iowa-domiciled insurers to report equity call options used to economically hedge fixed indexed annuity (“FIA”) index credits at amortized cost for statutory accounting purposes and to calculate FIA statutory reserves such that index credit returns will be included in the reserve only after crediting to the annuity contract. This resulted in a $41.9 increase to statutory capital and surplus at December 31, 2015. Also, the Iowa Insurance Division granted FGL Insurance a permitted statutory accounting practice to reclassify its negative unassigned surplus balance of $806.0 to additional paid-in capital as of April 6, 2011, the date the Company acquired FGL Insurance, which will have the effect of setting FGL Insurance’s statutory unassigned surplus to zero as of this date. The prescribed and permitted statutory accounting practice has no impact on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements which are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
Amendments to Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10), Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (“ASU 2016-01”), which changes how entities measure certain equity investments and present changes in the fair value of financial liabilities measured under the fair value option that are attributable to their own credit. Under the new guidance, entities will be required to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income unless the investments qualify for the new practicability exception. For financial liabilities measured using the fair value option, entities will be required to record changes in fair value caused by a change in instrument-specific credit risk (own credit risk) separately in other comprehensive income. The accounting for other financial instruments, such as loans and investments in debt securities is largely unchanged. The classification and measurement guidance is effective for public entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. This update will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this update on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
