6. REINSURANCE

Overview

Reinsurance is used to mitigate the exposure to losses, manage capacity and protect capital resources. The Company reinsures (cedes) a portion of written premiums on an excess of loss or a quota-share basis in order to limit the Company’s loss exposure. To the extent that reinsuring companies are unable to meet their obligations assumed under these reinsurance agreements, the Company remains primarily liable to its policyholders.

The Company is selective in choosing reinsurers and considers numerous factors, the most important of which is the financial stability of the reinsurer or capital specifically pledged to uphold the contract, its history of responding to claims and its overall reputation. In an effort to minimize the Company’s exposure to the insolvency of a reinsurer, the Company evaluates the acceptability and review the financial condition of the reinsurer at least annually with the assistance of the Company’s reinsurance broker.

Significant Reinsurance Contracts

2018-2019 Excess of Loss Reinsurance Programs

With the February 21, 2018 acquisition of the minority interests of MNIC, the Company has combined both FNIC and MNIC under a single program allowing the Company to capitalize on efficiencies and scale. FNIC and MNIC’s combined 2018-2019 reinsurance programs cost $148.8 million. This amount includes $102.7 million for the private reinsurance for the Company’s exposure, including prepaid automatic premium reinstatement protection, along with $46.1 million payable to the FHCF. The combination of private and FHCF reinsurance treaties affords FNIC and MNIC $1.8 billion of aggregate coverage with a maximum single event coverage totaling $1.3 billion, exclusive of retentions. Both FNIC and MNIC maintained their FHCF participation at 75% for the 2018 hurricane season. FNIC’s single event pre-tax retention for a catastrophic event in Florida is $20.0 million, up slightly from the 2017-2018 reinsurance program and MNIC’s single event pre-tax retention for a catastrophic event is $3.0 million, down slightly from the 2017-2018 reinsurance program.

The combined FNIC and MNIC private market excess of loss treaties, covering both Florida and non-Florida exposures, became effective July 1, 2018 and all private layers have prepaid automatic reinstatement protection, which affords the Company additional coverage for subsequent events. These private market excess of loss treaties structure coverage into layers, with a cascading feature such that substantially all layers attach after $20.0 million in losses for FNIC and after $3.0 million in losses for MNIC. If the aggregate limit of the preceding layer is exhausted, the next layer drops down (cascades) in its place. Additionally, any unused layer protection drops down for subsequent events until exhausted. Given current market conditions, FNIC has elected not to purchase any multiple year protection and terminated the second year of the $89.0 million of multiple year protection that FNIC purchased last year on a two-year basis. FNIC also had $156.0 million of multiple year protection that expired on June 30, 2018. The overall reinsurance programs are with reinsurers that currently have an A.M. Best or Standard & Poor’s rating of “A-” or better, or have fully collateralized their maximum potential obligations in dedicated trusts.

FNIC’s non-Florida excess of loss reinsurance treaties afford us an additional $23.0 million of aggregate coverage with first event coverage totaling $5.0 million and second event coverage totaling $18.0 million, with the incremental $13.0 million of second event coverage applying to hurricane losses only. The end result is a non-Florida retention of $15.0 million for the first event and $2.0 million for the second event though these retentions are reduced to $7.5 million and $1.0 million after taking into account the profit sharing agreement that FNIC has with the nonaffiliated managing general underwriter that writes our non-Florida property business. FNIC’s non-Florida reinsurance program cost will $2.0 million for this private reinsurance, including prepaid automatic premium reinstatement protection.

The Company’s cost and amounts of reinsurance are based on management’s current analysis of exposure to catastrophic risk. The data will be subjected to exposure level analysis at various dates during the period ending December 31, 2018. This analysis of the Company’s exposure level in relation to the total exposures to the FHCF and excess of loss treaties may produce changes in retentions, limits and reinsurance premiums as a result of increases or decreases in the Company’s exposure level.

2019-2020 Catastrophe Excess of Loss Reinsurance Program

Given the pending acquisition of Maison Companies, the Company and PIH agreed to combine FNIC, MNIC, and MIC under a single reinsurance program allowing the carriers to capitalize on efficiencies, spread of risk and scale.

The combined reinsurance treaties provides approximately $1.28 billion of single-event reinsurance coverage in excess of a $27 million retention for catastrophic losses, including hurricanes, and aggregate coverage of $1.84 billion, at an approximate total cost of $204.7 million, of which FNIC and MNIC share of the cost is estimated to $162.0 million.

The combined FNIC, MNIC and MIC private market excess of loss treaties, covering both Florida and non-Florida exposures, become effective July 1, 2019 and all private layers have prepaid automatic reinstatement protection, which affords the carriers additional coverage for subsequent events. This private market excess of loss treaty structure breaks coverage into layers, with a cascading feature such that substantially all layers attach after $20 million in losses for FNIC, $2 million in losses for MNIC and $5 million in losses for MIC. If the aggregate limit of the preceding layer is exhausted, the next layer drops down (cascades) in its place. Additionally, any unused layer protection drops down for subsequent events until exhausted. The overall reinsurance program is with reinsurers that currently have an A.M. Best Company or Standard & Poor’s rating of “A-” or better, or have fully collateralized their maximum potential obligations in dedicated trusts.

As indicated above, FNIC, MNIC and MIC’s combined 2019-2020 reinsurance program is estimated to cost $204.7 million. This amount includes approximately $162.2 million for private reinsurance for the carriers’ exposure described above, including prepaid automatic premium reinstatement protection, along with approximately $42.5 million payable to the FHCF. The combination of private and FHCF reinsurance treaties will afford FNIC, MNIC, and MIC approximately $1.84 billion of aggregate coverage with a maximum single event coverage totaling approximately $1.28 billion, exclusive of retentions. Each carrier will pay directly its allocated portion of the aggregate premium cost. The allocation methodology by which FNIC, MNIC, and MIC will determine their share of the premium and distribution of reinsurance recoveries under the combined reinsurance tower is based on catastrophe loss modeling of the separate books of business. Each carrier will share the combined program cost in proportion to its contribution to the total expected loss in each reinsurance layer. Each carrier's reinsurance recoveries will be based on that carrier's contributing share of a given event's total loss. Both FNIC and MNIC maintained their FHCF participation at 75% for the 2019 hurricane season, and MIC increased its FHCF participation to 90%.

FNIC’s non-Florida excess of loss reinsurance treaties afford us an additional $18 million of coverage for a second event, which applies to hurricane losses only. The result is a non-Florida retention of $20 million for FNIC for the first event and $2 million for the second event, although these retentions are reduced to $10 million and $1 million after taking into account the profit-sharing agreement that FNIC has with the non-affiliated managing general underwriter that writes FNIC’s non-Florida property business. FNIC’s non-Florida reinsurance program cost will approximate $1.5 million for this private reinsurance.

The insurance carriers’ cost and amounts of reinsurance are based on current analysis of exposure to catastrophic risk. The data is subjected to exposure level analysis at various dates through December 31, 2019. This analysis of the carriers’ exposure level in relation to the total exposures to the FHCF and excess of loss treaties may produce changes in retentions, limits and reinsurance premiums in total, and by carrier, as a result of increases or decreases in the carriers’ exposure levels.

Quota-Share Reinsurance Programs

FNIC's reinsurance programs also include quota-share treaties. One such treaty for 30% became effective July 1, 2014, and another for 10% became effective on July 1, 2015 with each running for two years. The combined treaties provided up to a 40% quota-share reinsurance on covered losses for the homeowners’ property and liability insurance program in Florida. The treaties are accounted for as retrospectively rated contracts whereby the estimated ultimate premium or commission is recognized over the period of the contracts.

On July 1, 2016, the 30% quota-share treaty expired on a cut-off basis, which means as of that date the Company retained an incremental 30% of its unearned premiums and losses. On July 1, 2017, the 10% quota-share treaty expired on a cut-off basis, which means as of that date we retained an incremental 10% of the underlying unearned premiums and losses. The reinsurers remain liable for the paid losses occurring during the terms of the treaties, until each treaty is commuted.

On July 1, 2017, FNIC bound a 10% quota-share on its Florida homeowners book of business, which excluded named storms, subject to certain limitations including, but not limited to caps on losses associated with occurrences. This treaty is not subject to accounting as a retrospectively rated contract. This treaty expired on July 1, 2018 on a cut-off basis, meaning that the reinsurer will not be liable (under this agreement) for losses as a result of occurrences taking place after the date of termination, and the unearned premium previously ceded will be returned to FNIC.

On July 1, 2018, FNIC renewed the quota-share treaty on its Florida homeowners book of business, on an in-force, new and renewal basis, excluding named storms, which was initially set at 2%, and is subject to certain limitations including, but not limited to caps on losses associated with occurrences. In addition, this quota-share allowed FNIC to prospectively increase or decrease the cession percentage up to three times during the term of the agreement. Effective October 1, 2018, FNIC elected to increase the cession percentage from 2% to 10% on an in-force, new and renewal basis.

The treaty expired on July 1, 2019 on a cut-off basis, meaning that the reinsurer will not be liable (under this agreement) for losses as a result of occurrences taking place after the date of termination, and the unearned premium previously ceded will be returned to FNIC.

On July 1, 2019, FNIC renewed the quota-share treaty on its Florida homeowners book of business, on an in-force, new and renewal basis, excluding named storms, which was initially set at 10%, which is subject to certain limitations including, but not limited to, caps on losses associated with non-named storm catastrophe losses. In addition, this quota-share allows FNIC the flexibility to prospectively increase or decrease the cession percentage up to three times during the term of the agreement.

The Company’s private passenger automobile quota-share treaties are typically programs which become effective at different points in the year and cover auto policies across several states. The automobile quota-share treaties cede approximately 75% of all written premiums entered into by the Company, subject to certain limitations including, but not limited to premium and other caps.

Associated Trust Agreements

Certain reinsurance agreements require FNIC and MNIC to secure the credit, regulatory and business risk. Fully funded trust agreements securing these risks for FNIC totaled less than $0.1 million as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

Reinsurance Recoverable, Net

Amounts recoverable from reinsurers are recognized in a manner consistent with the claims liabilities associated with the reinsurance placement and presented on the consolidated balance sheet as reinsurance recoverable. Reinsurance recoverable, net consisted of the following:

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	June 30,		December 31,
	2019		2018
	(In thousands)
Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses	$	58,513	$	45,028
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses	140,800		166,396
Reinsurance recoverable, net	$	199,313	$	211,424

As of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had reinsurance recoverable of $165.1 million and $183.5 million, respectively as a result of Hurricane Michael and Irma. All reinsurers in our excess-of-loss reinsurance programs have an A.M. Best or Standard & Poor’s rating of “A-“ or better, or have fully collateralized their maximum potential obligations in dedicated trusts.

Net Premiums Written and Net Premiums Earned

Net premiums written and net premiums earned consisted of the following:

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	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	June 30,						June 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
	(In thousands)
Net Premiums Written
Direct	$	169,170		$	166,734		$	301,403		$	301,129
Ceded	(62,339		)	(78,804		)	(74,132		)	(96,581		)
	$	106,831		$	87,930		$	227,271		$	204,548
Net Premiums Earned
Direct	$	141,220		$	146,890		$	279,587		$	293,332
Ceded	(48,914		)	(63,333		)	(98,497		)	(127,666		)
	$	92,306		$	83,557		$	181,090		$	165,666