ERIE INDEMNITY CO

Overview

We are a Pennsylvania business corporation that since 1925 has been the managing attorney-in-fact for the subscribers (policyholders) at the Exchange, a reciprocal insurer that writes property and casualty insurance. Our primary function as attorney-in-fact is to perform policy issuance and renewal services on behalf of the subscribers at the Exchange. We also act as attorney-in-fact on behalf of the subscribers at the Exchange, as well as the service provider for the Exchange's insurance subsidiaries, with respect to all administrative services.

The Exchange is a reciprocal insurance exchange, which is an unincorporated association of individuals, partnerships, and corporations that agree to insure one another. Each applicant for insurance (a subscriber) to the Exchange signs a subscriber's agreement, which contains an appointment of Indemnity as their attorney-in-fact to transact the business of the Exchange on their behalf.

In accordance with the subscriber's agreement for acting as attorney-in-fact in these two capacities, we retain a management fee. Management fee revenue is based upon all direct and affiliated assumed premiums written by the Exchange and the management fee rate, which is not to exceed 25%. Our Board of Directors sets the management fee rate at least annually, generally in December for the following year. The process of setting the management fee rate includes, but is not limited to, the evaluation of current year operating results compared to both prior year and industry estimated results for both Indemnity and the Exchange, and consideration of several factors for both entities including, but not limited to: their relative financial strength and capital position; projected revenue, expense and earnings for the subsequent year; future capital needs; as well as competitive position. The management fee rate was set at 25% for 2025 and 2024. Based on analysis of the foregoing factors, our Board of Directors set the 2026 management fee rate again at 25%.

Our earnings are primarily driven by the management fee revenue generated for the services we provide on behalf of the subscribers at the Exchange. The policy issuance and renewal services we provide are related to the sales, underwriting, and issuance of policies. The sales related services we provide include agent compensation and certain sales and advertising support services. Agent compensation includes scheduled commissions to agents based upon premiums written as well as incentive compensation, which is earned by achieving targeted measures. Agent compensation comprised approximately 71% of our 2025 policy issuance and renewal expenses. The underwriting services we provide include underwriting and policy processing and comprised approximately 8% of our 2025 policy issuance and renewal expenses. The remaining services we provide include customer service and administrative support. We also provide information technology services that support all the functions listed above that comprised approximately 10% of our 2025 policy issuance and renewal expenses. Included in these expenses are allocations of costs for departments that support these policy issuance and renewal functions.

Consistent with its legal structure as a reciprocal insurer, the Exchange does not have any employees or officers. Therefore, it enters into contractual relationships by and through the subscribers' attorney-in-fact. Indemnity serves as the attorney-in-fact on behalf of the subscribers at the Exchange with respect to its administrative services as enumerated in the subscriber's agreement. The Exchange's insurance subsidiaries also utilize Indemnity for these services in accordance with the service agreements between each of the subsidiaries and Indemnity. Claims handling services include costs incurred in the claims process, including the adjustment, investigation, defense, recording, and payment functions. Life insurance management services include costs incurred in the management and processing of life insurance business. Investment management services are related to investment trading activity, accounting, and all other functions attributable to the investment of funds. In 2025, approximately 71% of the administrative services expenses were entirely attributable to the respective administrative functions (claims handling, life insurance management, and investment management), while the remaining 29% of these expenses were allocations of costs for departments that support these administrative functions. The expenses we incur and related reimbursements we receive for administrative services are presented gross in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. The subscriber's agreement and service agreements provide for reimbursement of amounts incurred for these services to Indemnity. Reimbursements are settled at cost on a monthly basis. State insurance regulations require that intercompany service agreements and any material amendments be approved in advance by the state insurance department.

Our results of operations are tied to the growth and financial condition of the Exchange as the Exchange is our sole customer, and our earnings are largely generated from management fees based on the direct and affiliated assumed premiums written by the Exchange. The Exchange generates revenue by insuring preferred and standard risks, with personal lines comprising 71% of the 2025 direct and affiliated assumed written premiums and commercial lines comprising the remaining 29%. The principal personal lines products are private passenger automobile and homeowners. The principal commercial lines products are commercial multi-peril, commercial automobile, and workers compensation.

We generate investment income from our fixed maturity and equity security portfolios. Our portfolios are managed with the objective of maximizing after-tax returns on a risk-adjusted basis. We actively evaluate the fixed maturity portfolios for securities in an unrealized loss position and record impairment write-downs on investments in instances where we have the intent to sell or it's more likely than not that we would be required to sell the security. Impairments resulting from a credit loss are recognized in earnings with a corresponding allowance on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position.

Information security incident

Earlier in the year, we experienced an information security incident that has since been remediated and did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. As of December 31, 2025, we continue to pursue recovery of a portion of lost income due to business interruption and related expenses from our cybersecurity insurance policy.

Financial Overview

Operating income increased in 2025 compared to 2024 as operating revenue exceeded operating expenses. Operating income is primarily comprised of management fee revenue less the cost of policy issuance and renewal services. Management fee revenue is based upon the management fee rate we charge and the direct and affiliated assumed premiums written by the Exchange. The management fee rate was 25% for 2025 and 2024. The direct and affiliated assumed premiums written by the Exchange increased 8.9% to $13.0 billion in 2025.

Cost of operations for policy issuance and renewal services increased 8.7% to $2.5 billion in 2025 primarily due to higher scheduled commissions driven by direct and affiliated assumed written premium growth, increased agent incentive compensation due to improved profitability, and increased personnel and hardware and software costs.

Management fee revenue for administrative services increased 8.3% to $74.1 million in 2025. The administrative services reimbursement revenue and corresponding cost of operations increased both total operating revenue and total operating expenses by $836.6 million in 2025, but had no net impact on operating income.

Total investment income increased $15.6 million in 2025 primarily due to an increase in net investment income.

Net income in 2025 was reduced by $80.6 million, reflecting the after-tax impact of a $100 million charitable contribution made to the Erie Insurance Foundation. See Item 8. "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Note 15, Related Party, of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" for additional details.

General Conditions and Trends Affecting Our Business

Economic conditions

Unfavorable changes in economic conditions, including declining consumer confidence, inflation, high unemployment, and the threat of recession, among others, may lead the Exchange's customers to modify coverage, not renew policies, or even cancel policies, which could adversely affect the premium revenue of the Exchange, and consequently our management fee revenue. Elevated inflation, supply chain disruptions, or changes in tariff policies could impact the Exchange's operations and our management fees. In particular, unanticipated increased inflation costs including medical cost inflation, building material cost inflation, auto repair and replacement cost inflation, and social inflation may impact adequacy of estimated loss reserves and future premium rates of the Exchange. If any of these items impacted the financial condition or operations of the Exchange, it could have an impact on our financial results. See Financial Condition, Liquidity and Capital Resources, and Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" contained within this report for a discussion of potential impacts to our operations or those of the Exchange.

Financial market volatility

Our portfolio of available-for-sale and equity security investments is subject to market volatility, especially in periods of instability in the worldwide financial markets. Net investment income is impacted by the general level of interest rates, which impact reinvested cash flow from the portfolio and business operations. Depending upon market conditions, considerable fluctuation could occur in the fair value of our investment portfolio and reported total investment income, which could have an adverse impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. Various ongoing geopolitical events, the uncertain tariff, inflationary, and interest rate environment, and a potential economic slowdown could have a significant impact on the global financial markets with the potential for future losses and/or impairments on our investment portfolio.