SUBSEQUENT EVENTS	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Subsequent Events [Abstract]
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS	17. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Dividends Declared Refer to Note 13 above for information related to our dividend declared in January 2019. Florida Statewide Average Rate Increase The Company applied for and was approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for a statewide average rate increase of 4.6% for Florida homeowners multiple-peril insurance policies, which is expected to become effective for new and renewal policies on April 20, 2019. Maison Acquisition On February 25, 2019, the Company executed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of the insurance operations of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. ("PIH"). Specifically, the Company will purchase Maison Insurance Company, Maison Managers, Inc., and ClaimCor LLC (collectively, the "Maison Companies"). The purchase price is $51.0 million, which includes $25.5 million in cash and $25.5 million in shares of the Company’s common stock. The resale of the shares to be issued will be subsequently registered and will be subject to a five-year standstill agreement. Additionally, in connection with the pending acquisition, on March 5, 2019, the Company closed on an offering of $100 million of Senior Unsecured Notes due 2029, which bear interest at the annual rate of 7.5%. The cash from the offering will be used to purchase the Maison Companies, retire the full $45.0 million of outstanding debt (thereby lowering our overall cost of borrowing) and other general corporate purposes. The transaction, which is subject to the approval of the shareholders of PIH, regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the latter part of the second quarter of 2019. The Purchase Agreement includes a 30 day "go-shop" period, which permits PIH's Board and advisors to actively initiate, solicit, encourage, and potentially enter negotiations with parties that make alternative purchase agreement proposals. PIH will have the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement to enter into a superior proposal subject to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement. There can be no assurance that this 30 day "go-shop" will not result in a superior proposal. In addition to the purchase price, PIH will receive five-year rights of first refusal to provide reinsurance of up to 7.5% of any layer in FedNat’s catastrophe reinsurance program and a five-year agreement for PIH to provide investment advisory services to FedNat. PIH has also agreed to a non-compete for five years following the closing with respect to residential property insurance in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas. Closing of the transaction is subject to the Maison Companies having consolidated GAAP net book value of at least $42 million as of closing and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, including insurance regulatory approvals in Louisiana and Florida and the affirmative vote of PIH stockholders. Certain PIH stockholders have agreed to vote in favor of the transaction.

17. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Dividends Declared

Refer to Note 13 above for information related to our dividend declared in January 2019.

Florida Statewide Average Rate Increase

The Company applied for and was approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation for a statewide average rate increase of 4.6% for Florida homeowners multiple-peril insurance policies, which is expected to become effective for new and renewal policies on April 20, 2019.

Maison Acquisition

On February 25, 2019, the Company executed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of the insurance operations of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings, Inc. ("PIH"). Specifically, the Company will purchase Maison Insurance Company, Maison Managers, Inc., and ClaimCor LLC (collectively, the "Maison Companies"). The purchase price is $51.0 million, which includes $25.5 million in cash and $25.5 million in shares of the Company’s common stock. The resale of the shares to be issued will be subsequently registered and will be subject to a five-year standstill agreement. Additionally, in connection with the pending acquisition, on March 5, 2019, the Company closed on an offering of $100 million of Senior Unsecured Notes due 2029, which bear interest at the annual rate of 7.5%. The cash from the offering will be used to purchase the Maison Companies, retire the full $45.0 million of outstanding debt (thereby lowering our overall cost of borrowing) and other general corporate purposes.

The transaction, which is subject to the approval of the shareholders of PIH, regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the latter part of the second quarter of 2019. The Purchase Agreement includes a 30 day "go-shop" period, which permits PIH's Board and advisors to actively initiate, solicit, encourage, and potentially enter negotiations with parties that make alternative purchase agreement proposals. PIH will have the right to terminate the Purchase Agreement to enter into a superior proposal subject to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement. There can be no assurance that this 30 day "go-shop" will not result in a superior proposal.

In addition to the purchase price, PIH will receive five-year rights of first refusal to provide reinsurance of up to 7.5% of any layer in FedNat’s catastrophe reinsurance program and a five-year agreement for PIH to provide investment advisory services to FedNat. PIH has also agreed to a non-compete for five years following the closing with respect to residential property insurance in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas.

Closing of the transaction is subject to the Maison Companies having consolidated GAAP net book value of at least $42 million as of closing and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, including insurance regulatory approvals in Louisiana and Florida and the affirmative vote of PIH stockholders. Certain PIH stockholders have agreed to vote in favor of the transaction.