CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Annual Report, including without limitation statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, our ability to attract, retain and expand our customer base, our ability to operate under and maintain our business model, our ability to maintain and enhance our brand and reputation, our ability to effectively manage the growth of our business, the effects of seasonal trends on our results of operations, our ability to attain greater value from each customer, our ability to compete effectively in our industry, the future performance of the markets in which we operate, and our ability to maintain reinsurance contracts, and the plans and objectives of management for future operations and capital expenditures are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “could,” “intend,” “target,” “project,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential”, or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this Annual Report are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Annual Report and are subject to a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including the factors described under the sections in this Annual Report titled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
You should read this Annual Report and the documents that we reference in this Annual Report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.
SUMMARY RISK FACTORS
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described in Part I Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should carefully consider these risks and uncertainties, together with all of the other information contained in this Annual Report, when investing in our common stock. The principal risks and uncertainties affecting our business include the following:
•We have a history of losses and we may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future.
•Our success and ability to grow our business depend on retaining and expanding our customer base. If we fail to add new customers or retain current customers, our business, revenue, operating results and financial condition could be harmed.
•The "Lemonade" brand may not become as widely known as incumbents' brands or the brand may become tarnished.
•Denial of claims or our failure to accurately and timely pay claims could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects.
•Our future revenue growth and prospects depend on attaining greater value from each user.
•The novelty of our business model makes its efficacy unpredictable and susceptible to unintended consequences.
•We could be forced to modify or eliminate our Giveback, which could undermine our business model and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
•Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our current business performance, implementation of our business model, and our future prospects.
•We may not be able to manage our growth effectively.
•Intense competition in the segments of the insurance industry in which we operate could negatively affect our ability to attain or increase profitability.
•Reinsurance may be unavailable at current levels and prices, which may limit our ability to write new business. Furthermore, reinsurance subjects us to counterparty risk and may not be adequate to protect us against losses, which could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
•Failure to maintain our risk-based capital at the required levels could adversely affect the ability of our insurance subsidiary to maintain regulatory authority to conduct our business.
•If we are unable to expand our product offerings, our prospects for future growth may be adversely affected.
•Our proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms may not operate properly or as we expect them to, which could cause us to write policies we should not write, price those policies inappropriately or overpay claims that are made by our customers. Moreover, our proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms may lead to unintentional bias and discrimination.
•Regulators may limit our ability to develop or implement our proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms and/or may eliminate or restrict the confidentiality of our proprietary technology, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
•New legislation or legal requirements may affect how we communicate with our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business model, financial condition, and results of operations.
•We rely on artificial intelligence and our digital platform to collect data points that we evaluate in pricing and underwriting our insurance policies, managing claims and customer support, and improving business processes, and any legal or regulatory requirements that restrict our ability to collect this data could thus materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
•We depend on search engines, social media platforms, digital app stores, content-based online advertising and other online sources to attract consumers to our website and our online app, which may be affected by third-party interference beyond our control and as we grow our customer acquisition costs will continue to rise.
•We may require additional capital to grow our business, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all.
•Security incidents or real or perceived errors, failures or bugs in our systems, website or app could impair our operations, result in loss of personal customer information, damage our reputation and brand, and harm our business and operating results.
•We are periodically subject to examinations by our primary state insurance regulator, which could result in adverse examination findings and necessitate remedial actions. In addition, insurance regulators of
other states in which we are licensed to operate may also conduct examinations or other targeted investigations, which may also result in adverse examination findings and necessitate remedial actions.
•We collect, process, store, share, disclose and use customer information and other data, and our actual or perceived failure to protect such information and data, respect customers' privacy or comply with data privacy and security laws and regulations could damage our reputation and brand and harm our business and operating results.
•We may be unable to prevent or address the misappropriation of our data.
•If we are unable to underwrite risks accurately and charge competitive yet profitable rates to our customers, our business, results of operations and financial condition will be adversely affected.
•Our product development cycles are complex and subject to regulatory approval, and we may incur significant expenses before we generate revenues, if any, from new products.
•Our expansion within the United States and any future international expansion strategy will subject us to additional costs and risks and our plans may not be successful.
•The insurance business, including the market for renters and homeowners insurance, is historically cyclical in nature, and we may experience periods with excess underwriting capacity and unfavorable premium rates, which could adversely affect our business.
•We are subject to extensive insurance industry regulations.
•State insurance regulators impose additional reporting requirements regarding enterprise risk on insurance holding company systems, with which we must comply as an insurance holding company.
•Severe weather events and other catastrophes, including the effects of climate change and global pandemics, are inherently unpredictable and may have a material adverse effect on our financial results and financial condition.
•We expect our results of operations to fluctuate on a quarterly and annual basis. In addition, our operating results and operating metrics are subject to seasonality and volatility, which could result in fluctuations in our quarterly revenues and operating results or in perceptions of our business prospects.
•We rely on data from our customers and third parties for pricing and underwriting our insurance policies, handling claims and maximizing automation, the unavailability or inaccuracy of which could limit the functionality of our products and disrupt our business.
•Our results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected due to limitations in the analytical models used to assess and predict our exposure to catastrophe losses.
•Our actual incurred losses may be greater than our loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
•Our insurance subsidiary is subject to minimum capital and surplus requirements, and our failure to meet these requirements could subject us to regulatory action.
•We are subject to assessments and other surcharges from state guaranty funds, and mandatory state insurance facilities, which may reduce our profitability.
•As a public benefit corporation, our focus on a specific public benefit purpose and producing a positive effect for society may negatively impact our financial performance.
•Our directors have a fiduciary duty to consider not only our stockholders' interests, but also our specific public benefit and the interests of other stakeholders affected by our actions. If a conflict between such interests arises, there is no guarantee such a conflict would be resolved in favor of our stockholders.
•A joint investment committee consisting of our Co-Founders and an executive of SoftBank will have sole voting and dispositive control over the shares owned by the entities affiliated with SoftBank Group Corp. This joint investment committee further concentrates voting power with our Co-Founders, which could limit your ability to influence the outcome of important transactions, including a change in control.