UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

QUARTERLY REPORT PERSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2011

Commission file number 0-24000

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes  X   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  X   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 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes  X   No      

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    X    Accelerated Filer      Non-Accelerated Filer      Smaller Reporting Company      

(Do not check if a smaller

reporting company)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes        No   X 

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Class A Common Stock as of the latest practicable date, with no par value and a stated value of $0.0292 per share, was 48,046,314 at October 20, 2011.

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Class B Common Stock as of the latest practicable date, with no par value and a stated value of $70 per share, was 2,546 at October 20, 2011.

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PART I.  FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

(dollars in millions, except per share data)

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.  See Note 14, “Indemnity Supplemental Information,” for supplemental statements of operations information.

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ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

(dollars in millions, except per share data)

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.  See Note 14, “Indemnity Supplemental Information,” for supplemental consolidating statements of financial position information.

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ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (UNAUDITED)

(in millions)

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

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ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

(in millions)

See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 14, “Indemnity Supplemental Information,” for supplemental cash flow information.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

Note 1.  Nature of Operations

Erie Indemnity Company (“Indemnity”) is a publicly held Pennsylvania business corporation that has been the managing attorney-in-fact for the subscribers (policyholders) at the Erie Insurance Exchange (“Exchange”) since 1925.  The Exchange is a subscriber owned, Pennsylvania-domiciled reciprocal insurer that writes property and casualty insurance.

Indemnity’s primary function is to perform certain services for the Exchange relating to the sales, underwriting and issuance of policies on behalf of the Exchange.  This is done in accordance with a subscriber’s agreement (a limited power of attorney) executed by each subscriber (policyholder), which appoints Indemnity as their common attorney-in-fact to transact business on their behalf and to manage the affairs of the Exchange.  Pursuant to the subscriber’s agreement and for its services as attorney-in-fact, Indemnity earns a management fee calculated as a percentage of the direct premiums written by the Exchange and the other members of the Property and Casualty Group (defined below), which are assumed by the Exchange under an intercompany pooling arrangement.

Indemnity has the power to direct the activities of the Exchange that most significantly impact the Exchange’s economic performance by acting as the common attorney-in-fact and decision maker for the subscribers (policyholders) at the Exchange.

Through December 31, 2010, Indemnity also operated as a property and casualty insurer through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Erie Insurance Company (“EIC”), Erie Insurance Company of New York (“ENY”) and Erie Insurance Property and Casualty Company (“EPC”).  EIC, ENY and EPC, together with the Exchange and its wholly owned subsidiary, Flagship City Insurance Company (“Flagship”), are collectively referred to as the “Property and Casualty Group”.  The Property and Casualty Group operates in 11 Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states and the District of Columbia.  On December 31, 2010, Indemnity sold all of the outstanding capital stock of its wholly owned property and casualty subsidiaries to the Exchange.

Erie Family Life Insurance Company (“EFL”) is an affiliated life insurance company that underwrites and sells individual and group life insurance policies and fixed annuities.  On March 31, 2011, Indemnity sold its 21.6% ownership interest in EFL to the Exchange.  There was no gain or loss resulting from this sale as Indemnity is the primary decision maker for the Exchange.

All property and casualty and life insurance operations are now owned by the Exchange, and Indemnity will continue to function solely as the management company.

The consolidated financial statements of Erie Indemnity Company reflect the results of Indemnity and its variable interest entity, the Exchange, which we refer to collectively as the “Erie Insurance Group” (“we,” “us,” “our”).

“Indemnity shareholder interest” refers to the interest in Erie Indemnity Company owned by the Class A and Class B shareholders.  “Noncontrolling interest” refers to the interest in the Erie Insurance Exchange held for the subscribers (policyholders).

Note 2.  Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of Indemnity together with its affiliate companies in which Indemnity holds a majority voting or economic interest.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods have been included.  Operating results for the nine month period ended

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September 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011.  The accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 24, 2011.

Principles of consolidation

We consolidate the Exchange as a variable interest entity for which Indemnity is the primary beneficiary.  All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  The required presentation of noncontrolling interests is reflected in the consolidated financial statements.  Noncontrolling interests represent the ownership interests of the Exchange, all of which is held by parties other than Indemnity (i.e. the Exchange’s subscribers (policyholders)).  Noncontrolling interests also include the Exchange subscribers’ ownership interest in EFL.

Presentation of assets and liabilities – While the assets of the Exchange are presented separately in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position, the Exchange’s assets can only be used to satisfy the Exchange’s liabilities or for other unrestricted activities.  Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation, does not require separate presentation of the Exchange’s assets.  However, because the shareholders of Indemnity have no rights to the assets of the Exchange and, conversely, the Exchange has no rights to the assets of Indemnity, we have presented the invested assets of the Exchange separately on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position along with the remaining consolidated assets reflecting the Exchange’s portion parenthetically.  Liabilities are required under ASC 810, Consolidation, to be presented separately for the Exchange on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as the Exchange’s creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of Indemnity.

Rights of shareholders of Indemnity and subscribers (policyholders) of the Exchange – The shareholders of Indemnity, through the management fee, have a controlling financial interest in the Exchange; however, they have no other rights to or obligations arising from assets and liabilities of the Exchange.  The shareholders of Indemnity own its equity but have no rights or interest in the Exchange’s (noncontrolling interest) income or equity.  The noncontrolling interest equity represents the Exchange’s equity held for the interest of the subscribers (policyholders), who have no rights or interest in the Indemnity shareholder interest income or equity.

All intercompany assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses between Indemnity and the Exchange have been eliminated in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position and Operations.

Adopted accounting pronouncements

In January 2010, the Financial Accounting Standard Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-06, Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements.  This guidance updated the disclosures in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.  The additional disclosures include the amounts and reasons for significant transfers between the levels in the fair value hierarchy, the expansion of fair market disclosures by each class of assets, disclosure of the policy for recognition of level transfers, and disclosure of the valuation techniques used for all Level 2 and Level 3 assets.  These disclosures were effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2009 and have been included in Note 6, “Fair Value.”  An additional disclosure requirement to present purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements of Level 3 activity on a gross basis became effective with periods beginning after December 15, 2010.  The additional disclosures required by this guidance have also been included in Note 6.

Pending accounting pronouncements

In October 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-26, Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts.  This guidance modifies the definition of the types of costs incurred by insurance entities that can be capitalized in the acquisition of new and renewal insurance contracts.  The amendments in this update specify that the costs are limited to incremental direct costs that result directly from successful contract transactions and would not have been incurred by the insurance entity had the contract transactions not occurred.  These costs must be directly related to underwriting, policy issuance and processing, medical and inspection and sales force contract selling.  The amendments also specify that advertising costs only should be included as deferred acquisition costs if the direct-response advertising criteria are met.  ASU 2010-26 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011 with either prospective or retrospective adoption permitted.  We plan to prospectively adopt this guidance and, after the completion of our analysis, expect the impact of this update on the Company’s financial position, cash flows and results of operations to be immaterial, as this guidance has no impact on the Indemnity shareholder interest.

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In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurements.  This guidance changes the wording used to describe many of the requirements in U.S. GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements and certain other changes to converge with the fair value guidance of the International Accounting Standards Board.  The amendments in this update detail the requirements specific to measuring the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity’s shareholders’ equity.  The amendments also clarify that a reporting entity should disclose quantitative information about the observable inputs used in the fair value measurement categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.  ASU 2011-04 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011.  We do not expect the adoption of this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Comprehensive Income.  This guidance eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders’ equity.  The amendments in this update specify an entity has the option to present the total comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements.  The disclosures required remain the same.  In both options, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income.  ASU 2011-05 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011.  We do not expect the adoption of this new guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Note 3.  Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share are calculated under the two-class method, which allocates earnings to each class of stock based on its dividend rights.  Class B shares are convertible into Class A shares at a conversion ratio of 2,400 to 1.  Class A diluted earnings per share are calculated under the if-converted method, which reflects the conversion of Class B shares and the effect of potentially dilutive outstanding employee stock-based awards and awards vested and not yet vested related to the outside directors’ stock compensation plan.  Vested shares related to the outside directors’ compensation plan were included in the table below for the first time at December 31, 2010.  The September 30, 2010 amounts have been updated to include these shares.  This had no impact on previously reported diluted earnings per share.

A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators used in the basic and diluted per-share computations is presented as follows for each class of Indemnity common stock:

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Included in the diluted earnings per share calculations for the third quarters and first nine months of 2011 and 2010 were 5,486 and 7,959 shares, respectively, of stock-based awards not yet vested and 65,752 and 54,011 shares, respectively, of awards vested related to our outside directors’ stock compensation plan.  Also included in both the third quarter and first nine months of 2010 were 6,400 shares of other stock-based awards not yet vested.

Note 4.  Variable Interest Entity

Erie Insurance Exchange

The Exchange is a reciprocal insurance exchange domiciled in Pennsylvania, for which Indemnity serves as attorney-in-fact.  Indemnity holds a variable interest in the Exchange due to the absence of decision-making capabilities by the equity owners (subscribers/policyholders) of the Exchange and due to the significance of the management fee the Exchange pays to Indemnity as its decision maker.  As a result, Indemnity is deemed to have a controlling financial interest in the Exchange and is considered to be its primary beneficiary.

Consolidation of the Exchange’s financial results is required given the significance of the management fee to the Exchange and because Indemnity has the power to direct the activities of the Exchange that most significantly impact the Exchange’s economic performance.  The Exchange’s anticipated economic performance is the product of its underwriting results combined with its investment results.  The fees paid to Indemnity under the subscriber’s agreement impact the anticipated economic performance attributable to the Exchange’s results.  Indemnity earns a management fee from the Exchange for the services it provides as attorney-in-fact.  Indemnity’s management fee revenues are based on all premiums written or assumed by the Exchange.  Indemnity’s Board of Directors determines the management fee rate to be paid by the Exchange to Indemnity.  This rate cannot exceed 25% of the direct and affiliated assumed written premiums of the Exchange, as defined by the subscriber’s agreement signed by each policyholder.  Management fee revenues and management fee expenses are eliminated upon consolidation.

The shareholders of Indemnity have no rights to the assets of the Exchange and no obligations arising from the liabilities of the Exchange.  Indemnity has no obligation related to any underwriting and/or investment losses experienced by the Exchange.  Indemnity would however be adversely impacted if the Exchange incurred significant underwriting and/or investment losses.  If the surplus of the Exchange were to decline significantly from its current level, its financial strength ratings could be reduced and, as a consequence, the Exchange could find it more difficult to retain its existing business and attract new business.  A decline in the business of the Exchange would have an adverse effect on the amount of the management fees Indemnity receives.  In addition, a decline in the surplus of the Exchange from its current level may impact the management fee rate received by Indemnity.  Indemnity also has an exposure to a concentration of credit risk related to the unsecured receivables due from the Exchange for its management fee. If any of these events occurred, Indemnity’s financial position, financial performance and/or cash flows could be adversely impacted.

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On December 31, 2010, Indemnity sold all of the outstanding capital stock of its wholly owned subsidiaries to the Exchange.  On March 31, 2011, Indemnity sold its 21.6% ownership interest in EFL to the Exchange.  Under this new structure, all property and casualty and life insurance operations are owned by the Exchange, and Indemnity will continue to function solely as the management company.  There was no impact on the existing reinsurance pooling agreement between the Exchange and EIC or ENY as a result of the sales, nor was there any impact to the subscribers (policyholders) of the Exchange, to the Exchange’s independent insurance agents, or to Indemnity’s employees.

Indemnity has not provided financial or other support to the Exchange for the reporting periods presented.  At September 30, 2011, there are no explicit or implicit arrangements that would require Indemnity to provide future financial support to the Exchange.  Indemnity is not liable if the Exchange was to be in violation of its debt covenants or was unable to meet its obligation for unfunded commitments to limited partnerships.

Note 5. Segment Information

Our reportable segments include management operations, property and casualty insurance operations, life insurance operations and investment operations.  Accounting policies for segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies.  See Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 2, Significant Accounting Policies,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 24, 2011.  Assets are not allocated to the segments but rather are reviewed in total for purposes of decision-making.  No single customer or agent provides 10% or more of revenues.

Our management operations segment consists of serving as attorney-in-fact for the Exchange.  Indemnity operates in this capacity solely for the Exchange.  We evaluate profitability of our management operations segment principally on the gross margin from management operations.  Indemnity earns a management fee from the Exchange for providing sales, underwriting and policy issuance services.  Management fee revenue, which is eliminated in consolidation, is calculated as a percentage not to exceed 25% of all the direct premiums written by the Exchange and the other members of the Property and Casualty Group, which are assumed by the Exchange under an intercompany pooling arrangement.  The Property and Casualty Group issues policies with annual terms only.  Management fees are recorded upon policy issuance or renewal, as substantially all of the services required to be performed by Indemnity have been satisfied at that time.  Certain activities are performed and related costs are incurred by us subsequent to policy issuance in connection with the services provided to the Exchange; however, these activities are inconsequential and perfunctory.  Although these management fee revenues and expenses are eliminated upon consolidation, the amount of the fee directly impacts the allocation of our consolidated net income between noncontrolling interest, which bears the management fee expense and represents the interests of the Exchange subscribers (policyholders), and Indemnity’s interest, which earns the management fee revenue and represents Indemnity shareholder interest in net income.

Our property and casualty insurance operations segment includes personal and commercial lines.  Personal lines consist primarily of personal auto and homeowners and are marketed to individuals.  Commercial lines consist primarily of commercial multi-peril, commercial auto and workers compensation and are marketed to small- and medium-sized businesses.  Our property and casualty policies are sold by independent agents.  Our property and casualty insurance underwriting operations are conducted through the Exchange and its subsidiaries and include assumed voluntary reinsurance from nonaffiliated domestic and foreign sources, assumed involuntary and ceded reinsurance business.  The Exchange exited the assumed voluntary reinsurance business effective December 31, 2003, and therefore unaffiliated reinsurance includes only run-off activity of the previously assumed voluntary reinsurance business.  We evaluate profitability of the property and casualty insurance operations principally based on net underwriting results represented by the combined ratio.

Our life insurance operations segment includes traditional and universal life insurance products and fixed annuities marketed to individuals using the same independent agency force utilized by our property and casualty insurance operations.  We evaluate profitability of the life insurance segment principally based on segment net income, including investments, which for segment purposes are reflected in the investment operations segment.  At the same time, we recognize that investment-related income is integral to the evaluation of the life insurance segment because of the long duration of life products.  For the third quarters of 2011 and 2010, investment activities on life insurance related assets generated revenues of $29 million and $27 million, respectively, resulting in EFL reporting income

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before income taxes of $13 million and $16 million, respectively, before intercompany eliminations.  For the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, investment activities on life insurance related assets generated revenues of $83 million and $79 million, respectively, resulting in EFL reporting income before taxes of $38 million and $37 million, respectively, before intercompany eliminations.

The investment operations segment performance is evaluated based on appreciation of assets, rate of return and overall return.  Investment-related income for the life operations is included in the investment segment results.

The following tables summarize the components of the Consolidated Statements of Operations by reportable business segment:

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