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REINSURANCE
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]  
REINSURANCE REINSURANCE
Continuing Operations - Property and Casualty Insurance Business
Ceded and Assumed Reinsurance
Reinsurance is a contract by which one insurer, called the reinsurer, agrees to cover, under certain defined circumstances, a portion of the losses incurred by a primary insurer if a claim is made under a policy issued by the primary insurer. Our property and casualty insurance companies follow the industry practice of reinsuring a portion of their exposure by ceding to reinsurers a portion of the premium received and a portion of the risk under the policies written. We purchase reinsurance to reduce the net liability on individual risks to predetermined limits and to protect us against catastrophic losses, such as a hurricane or tornado. We do not engage in any reinsurance transactions classified as finite risk reinsurance.
We account for premiums, written and earned, and losses incurred net of reinsurance ceded. The ceding of insurance does not legally discharge us from primary liability under our policies, and we must pay the loss if the reinsurer fails to meet its obligation. We periodically monitor the financial condition of our reinsurers to confirm that they are financially stable. We believe that all of our reinsurers are in an acceptable financial condition and there were no reinsurance balances at December 31, 2019 for which collection is at risk that would result in a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. The amount of reinsurance recoverable on paid losses totaled $3,833 and $3,779 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
We also assume both property and casualty insurance from other insurance or reinsurance companies. Most of the business we have assumed is property insurance, with an emphasis on catastrophe coverage.
Premiums and losses and loss settlement expenses related to our ceded and assumed business are as follows:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
2019
 
2018
 
2017
Ceded Business
 
 
 
 
 
Ceded premiums written
$
74,511

 
$
66,800

 
$
61,273

Ceded premiums earned
72,023

 
63,487

 
61,305

Loss and loss settlement expenses ceded
28,447

 
22,317

 
33,303

 
 
 
 
 
 
Assumed Business
 
 
 
 
 
Assumed premiums written
$
27,869

 
$
16,761

 
$
15,179

Assumed premiums earned
25,412

 
16,957

 
15,059

Loss and loss settlement expenses assumed
14,813

 
(3,954
)
 
24,688



In 2019 we added two additional assumed programs and did not renew one program from 2018. Loss and loss settlement expenses ceded increased in 2019 as compared to 2018, primarily due to an increase in severity of commercial auto losses, assumed reinsurance losses, extra contractual obligations and catastrophe losses.

In 2018, we renewed our participation in all of our assumed programs. Loss and loss settlement expenses decreased in 2018 compared to 2017 as we remain conservative in our reserving approach, and during the year we reviewed our book of business and released excess reserves. During 2018 for ceded business, ceded loss and loss settlement expenses decreased primarily due to commercial auto, commercial property, and catastrophe losses staying in our retention lowering our ceded recoverable amounts.

In 2017, we renewed our participation in all of our assumed programs.
Refer to Note 5 "Reserves for Losses and Loss Settlement Expenses" for an analysis of changes in our overall property and casualty insurance reserves.
Reinsurance Programs and Retentions
We have several programs that provide reinsurance coverage. This reinsurance coverage limits the risk of loss that we retain by reinsuring direct risks in excess of our retention limits. The following table provides a summary of our primary reinsurance programs. Retention amounts reflect the accumulated retentions and co-participation of all layers within a program. For 2019, there was an all lines annual aggregate excess of loss program with variable retention of 6.66 percent of gross net earned premium with a minimum retention of $58.5 million and a maximum of $71.5 million. Our all lines aggregate recovery is also limited to $30.0 million. For 2018, there was an all lines annual aggregate excess of loss program with a variable retention of 6.78 percent of gross net earned premium with a minimum retention of $58.5 million and a maximum of $71.5 million. Our all lines aggregate recovery is also limited to a maximum of $30.0 million. For 2017, there was an all lines annual aggregate excess of loss program with a variable retention of 7.02 percent of gross net earned premium with a minimum retention of $58.5 million and a maximum of $71.5 million. Our all lines aggregate recovery is also limited to a maximum of $30.0 million.
 
2019 Reinsurance Programs
Type of Reinsurance
Stated Retention
 
Limits
 
Coverage
Casualty excess of loss
$
2,500

 
$
60,000

 
100
%
of
$
57,500

Property excess of loss
2,500

 
25,000

 
100
%
of
$
22,500

Surety excess of loss
1,500

 
45,000

 
100
%
of
$
43,500

Property catastrophe, excess
20,000

 
250,000

 
100
%
of
$
230,000

Boiler and machinery
N/A

 
50,000

 
100
%
of
$
50,000

 
2018 Reinsurance Programs
Type of Reinsurance
Stated Retention
 
Limits
 
Coverage
Casualty excess of loss
$
2,500

 
$
60,000

 
100
%
of
$
57,500

Property excess of loss
2,500

 
25,000

 
100
%
of
$
22,500

Surety excess of loss
1,500

 
45,000

 
100
%
of
$
43,500

Property catastrophe, excess
20,000

 
250,000

 
100
%
of
$
230,000

Boiler and machinery
N/A

 
50,000

 
100
%
of
$
50,000


 
2017 Reinsurance Programs
Type of Reinsurance
Stated Retention
 
Limits
 
Coverage
Casualty excess of loss
$
2,500

 
$
60,000

 
100
%
of
$
57,500

Property excess of loss
2,500

 
25,000

 
100
%
of
$
22,500

Surety excess of loss
1,500

 
45,000

 
100
%
of
$
43,500

Property catastrophe, excess
20,000

 
250,000

 
100
%
of
$
230,000

Boiler and machinery
N/A

 
50,000

 
100
%
of
$
50,000


If we incur catastrophe losses and loss settlement expenses that exceed the coverage limits of our reinsurance program, our property catastrophe program provides one guaranteed reinstatement. In such an instance, we are required to pay the reinsurers a reinstatement premium equal to the full amount of the original premium, which will reinstate the full amount of reinsurance available under the property catastrophe program.
Discontinued Operations - Life Insurance Business
Premiums and losses and loss settlement expenses related to our ceded business are as follows:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Years Ended December 31,
2019
 
2018
 
2017
Ceded Business
 
 
 
 
 
Ceded insurance in-force
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
1,014,794

Ceded premiums earned
—

 
716

 
2,722

Loss and loss settlement expenses ceded
—

 
1,473

 
3,726


The ceding of insurance did not legally discharge United Life from primary liability under its policies. United Life must pay the loss if the reinsurer fails to meet its obligations. United Life periodically monitored the financial condition of their reinsurers to confirm that they were financially stable and had strong credit ratings. We believe that all of the reinsurers were in an acceptable financial condition.