HANOVER INSURANCE GROUP, INC. Income Taxes Disclosure
6. INCOME TAXES
Provisions for income taxes have been calculated in accordance with ASC 740. Income from continuing operations before income taxes and a summary of the components of income tax expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income are shown below:
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31 |
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
|||
(in millions) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Income from continuing operations before income taxes |
|
$ |
843.8 |
|
|
$ |
537.8 |
|
|
$ |
41.1 |
|
Income tax expense (benefit): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
Current |
|
$ |
169.3 |
|
|
$ |
131.1 |
|
|
$ |
32.6 |
|
Deferred |
|
|
13.8 |
|
|
|
(18.6 |
) |
|
|
(25.0 |
) |
Total income tax expense |
|
$ |
183.1 |
|
|
$ |
112.5 |
|
|
$ |
7.6 |
|
Income taxes paid were as follows:
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 |
|
2025 |
|
|
(in millions) |
|
|
|
|
Federal |
|
$ |
162.8 |
|
State |
|
|
6.2 |
|
Total |
|
$ |
169.0 |
|
The income tax expense attributable to the consolidated results of continuing operations is different from the amount determined by multiplying income from continuing operations before income taxes by the U.S. statutory federal income tax rate of 21%. The sources of the difference and the tax effects of each were as follows:
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 |
|
2025 |
|
||||
(in millions) |
|
Amount |
|
Percentage |
|
||
|
$ |
177.2 |
|
|
21.0 |
% |
|
Adjustments for state income tax, nontaxable, nondeductible and |
|
|
5.9 |
|
|
0.7 |
|
Income tax expense |
|
$ |
183.1 |
|
|
21.7 |
% |
YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31 |
|
2024 |
2023 |
|
||||
(in millions) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
$ |
112.9 |
|
|
$ |
8.7 |
|
|
Nondeductible expenses |
|
|
4.8 |
|
|
|
3.8 |
|
Stock-based compensation windfall benefit |
|
|
(1.9 |
) |
|
|
(1.1 |
) |
Tax difference related to investment disposals and maturities |
|
|
(1.2 |
) |
|
|
(1.3 |
) |
Change in uncertain tax positions |
|
|
(1.0 |
) |
|
|
(0.9 |
) |
Current year federal tax credits |
|
|
(0.9 |
) |
|
|
(0.7 |
) |
Dividend received deduction |
|
|
(0.3 |
) |
|
|
(0.5 |
) |
Other, net |
|
|
0.1 |
|
|
|
(0.4 |
) |
Income tax expense |
|
$ |
112.5 |
|
|
$ |
7.6 |
|
Effective tax rate |
|
|
20.9 |
% |
|
|
18.5 |
% |
The following are the components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities, excluding those associated with its discontinued operations.
DECEMBER 31 |
|
2025 |
|
|
2024 |
|
||
(in millions) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Deferred tax assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Loss, LAE and unearned premium reserves, net |
|
$ |
226.1 |
|
|
$ |
211.0 |
|
Employee benefit plans |
|
|
11.1 |
|
|
|
9.4 |
|
Investments, net |
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
79.8 |
|
Other |
|
|
11.6 |
|
|
|
14.9 |
|
Total deferred tax assets |
|
|
250.1 |
|
|
|
315.1 |
|
Deferred tax liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Deferred acquisition costs |
|
|
147.6 |
|
|
|
139.2 |
|
Software capitalization |
|
|
19.2 |
|
|
|
1.7 |
|
Total deferred tax liabilities |
|
|
166.8 |
|
|
|
140.9 |
|
Net deferred tax asset |
|
$ |
83.3 |
|
|
$ |
174.2 |
|
Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized; therefore there was no valuation allowance required at December 31, 2025 or 2024.
The liability for, and changes in, uncertain tax positions were not material as of and for the periods ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023. Tax positions for which the ultimate deductibility is highly certain, but for which there is uncertainty about the timing of such deductibility were also not material at December 31, 2025 and 2024. Because of the impact of deferred tax accounting, other than interest and penalties, a change in the timing of deductions would not impact the annual effective tax rate. There were no tax positions at December 31, 2023 for which the ultimate deductibility was highly certain, but for which there was uncertainty about the timing of such deductibility.
The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in federal income tax expense. For each of the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, the Company has released and/or recognized de minimis amounts of net interest and has not recognized any penalties associated with unrecognized tax benefits.
The Company and its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state jurisdictions, as well as foreign jurisdictions. The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to U.S. federal and state income tax examinations and foreign examinations for years after 2020.
On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 was enacted within the U.S. which, among other things, changes certain provisions in the U.S. Tax Code. These changes primarily impact the timing of the Company’s tax deductions and did not have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 20, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 24, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 22, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 23, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 25, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 24, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 24, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 27, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 22, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 25, 2016 | |
About Income Taxes Disclosures
The income tax disclosure reveals how much a company actually pays in taxes versus what the statutory rate would predict. Analysts focus on the effective tax rate (ETR) reconciliation, which breaks down every item driving the gap between the 21% federal rate and the company's reported ETR — including R&D credits, foreign rate differentials, and state taxes. Deferred tax assets (DTAs) and their valuation allowances signal management's confidence in future profitability: a rising allowance suggests the company doubts it can use accumulated tax benefits. Uncertain tax benefit (UTB) reserves quantify exposure to IRS challenges on aggressive positions.
Key signals to watch: sudden ETR drops without clear operational reasons, large increases in valuation allowances, growing UTB balances, and significant unremitted foreign earnings. Post-TCJA, pay attention to GILTI and BEAT provisions that affect multinational tax structures. Compare the cash taxes paid (from the cash flow statement) against the income tax provision to gauge earnings quality.