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.

The combined reinsurance treaties provide approximately $1.3 billion of single-event reinsurance coverage in excess of a $27 million retention for catastrophic losses on the first event (and $15 million on the second and third events), including hurricanes, and aggregate coverage of $1.9 billion, at an approximate total cost of $224.3 million.

The combined FNIC, MIC and MNIC private market excess of loss treaties, covering both Florida and non-Florida exposures, became 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. For FNIC and MNIC, the second and third event attaches at $10 million per event, on a combined basis. 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, MIC and MNIC's combined 2019-2020 reinsurance program is estimated to cost $224.3 million. This amount includes approximately $178.5 million for private reinsurance for the carriers’ exposure described above, including prepaid automatic premium reinstatement protection, along with approximately $45.8 million payable to the FHCF. The combination of private and FHCF reinsurance treaties affords FNIC, MIC and MNIC approximately $1.9 billion of aggregate coverage with a maximum single event coverage totaling approximately $1.3 billion, exclusive of retentions. Each carrier will pay directly its allocated portion of the aggregate reinsurance ceded premium cost. The allocation methodology by which FNIC, MIC and MNIC determines 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 shares 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 treaty affords 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 for the above specific coverage approximates $1.8 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.

The Company’s excess of loss catastrophe reinsurance program for 2020-2021 (the “Program”), which covers the Company and its wholly-owned insurance subsidiaries, FNIC, MIC and MNIC was renewed effective July 1, 2020. FNIC, MIC, and MNIC are collectively referred to herein as the “carriers”. The Program provides up to approximately $1.3 billion of single-event reinsurance

coverage in excess of up to a $31 million retention for catastrophic losses, including hurricanes, and aggregate coverage up to $1.9 billion, at an approximate total cost of $298.6 million, subject to adjustments based on actual exposure or premium of policies at different points in time in the coming months. The Company will retain 100% of the first $25 million retention on each event plus up to an additional $6 million in retention on the first event by retaining an approximate 9.1% co-participation of the next $70 million of limit after the first $25 million. More specifically, the Program includes up to approximately $1.3 billion in aggregate private reinsurance for coverage in all states in which the Company operates, of which up to approximately $650 million is limited to any one event, plus an additional $650 million of reinsurance provided by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (“FHCF”), that responds on both a per occurrence and in the aggregate basis, and which coverage is exclusive to the state of Florida.

The private layers of the Program, covering both Florida and non-Florida exposures have prepaid automatic reinstatement protection, which affords the carriers additional coverage for subsequent events. The private reinsurance market continued to harden this year due to a number of factors, including issues unique to the U.S. coastal catastrophe reinsurance marketplace generally and the Florida market specifically. These factors resulted in more restrictive terms by some of our individual reinsurers. The change in terms from the prior year’s program includes some portion of the program having a single aggregate retention for our carriers taken as a whole, versus each carrier’s own individual retention, plus some portions of the program not “cascading”, which provides less broad coverage for multiple event scenarios generating gaps in coverage that need to be filled with additional post renewal reinsurance protection or be retained net by the Company. As of March 31, 2021, the Program was placed with reinsurers with an A.M. Best Company or Standard & Poor’s rating of “A-” or better, or that have fully collateralized their maximum potential obligations in dedicated trusts. For the purpose of debt covenant compliance, if any reinsurer on the Program is not collateralized or has a rating lower than “A-” by A.M. Best Company or Standard & Poor’s then the Company treats that reinsurer’s participation as if it was part of the Company’s net retention. Refer to "Part I, Item 1A., Risk Factors” of our 2020 Form 10-K for more information.

The total Program cost includes approximately $250.8 million for private reinsurance for the carriers’ exposure described above, including prepaid automatic reinstatement premium protection, along with approximately $47.80 million payable to the FHCF. The combination of private and FHCF reinsurance treaties affords the carriers up to approximately $1.9 billion of aggregate coverage within Florida and $1.3 billion in states outside Florida with a maximum single event coverage totaling up to approximately $1.3 billion within Florida and approximately $650 million outside Florida, exclusive of retentions.

Each carrier shares 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 and each carrier will be responsible for its portion of the Program’s $25 million per event retention ($31 million for the first event only) based on a specific allocation formula. Both FNIC and MNIC increased their FHCF participation to 90% for the 2020 hurricane season, and MIC maintained its FHCF participation at 90%.

In addition, the Company purchased subsequent event reinsurance coverage that has a lower retention than the first event. Under the Program, FNIC’s non-Florida book of business as written by SageSure has excess of loss reinsurance treaties which afford this specific book of business additional protection through an additional $16 million of coverage for a second event, which applies to hurricane losses only. This additional reinsurance coverage is specific to FNIC's non-Florida business and does not afford coverage to MIC's non-Florida business. The result is a retention of approximately $18 million for FNIC's book with SageSure for the first event and approximately $2 million for the second event, although these retentions may be reduced after taking into account the quota-share reinsurance agreement that FNIC has with Anchor Re, Inc. ("Anchor Re"). Furthermore, for Florida only losses, the carriers purchased second and third event coverage of 71.5% of $15 million excess of $10 million that reduces the second and third event retention for the carriers, from $25 million to $14.3 million per event, on a combined basis, which could be reduced further by an additional 28.5% placed on a parametric basis with an Excess and Surplus lines carrier that will provide coverage for the second and third Florida hurricane loss, if the first event loss criteria has been satisfied to the carriers after the inception of treaty. The amount of recovery with the parametric product is based on the magnitude of the hurricane and the proximity of the individual insured risk to the hurricane path. This coverage terminates on May 31, 2021.

Furthermore, on September 3, 2020, the Company secured $39.2 million of reinsurance limit at an approximate cost of $11.2 million. This limit is available for Hurricane Delta and all subsequent events that occur during the remainder of the current treaty year. In addition, on October 13, 2020, the Company secured 50% of $10 million excess of $8 million of reinsurance limit at an approximate cost of $875 thousand to lower its retention and further protect FNIC’s non-Florida book of business written by SageSure. This limit was available for any named storm event during the remainder of 2020. On November 4, 2020, the Company secured an additional $13.5 million of reinsurance limit at an approximate cost of $2.0 million. This limit was available for any subsequent events that occurred for the remainder of 2020, except for Hurricane Eta.

Effective January 1, 2021, the Company entered into a new aggregate excess of loss agreement on its MIC book of business through the end of the calendar year. This new agreement provides reinsurance coverage on non-named storms, of 65% of $15 million excess of $10 million with a $0.85 million occurrence deductible and a $4.15 million occurrence limit at an approximate cost of $2.3 million.

Subsequent to a significant loss event in February 2021, the Company purchased $50 million of additional reinsurance limit to provide further protection for any future events through May 31, 2021. The additional protection was secured in two layers for an approximate cost of $13 million with the lowest layer responding at a retention level of $10 million.

The 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, 2020. This analysis of the carriers’ exposure levels 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.

FNIC's reinsurance programs also include quota-share treaties. One such treaty, which was set at a 10% cession, became effective on July 1, 2020, when FNIC renewed the quota-share treaty on its Florida homeowners book of business, on an in-force, new and renewal basis, excluding named storms and subject to certain limitations. 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.

On July 1, 2020, FNIC entered into a quota-share treaty on its non-Florida homeowners book of business with Anchor Re, an Arizona captive reinsurance entity that is an affiliate of SageSure. The treaty provides 50% quota-share reinsurance protection on claims incurred subsequent to July 1, 2020 on in-force, new and renewal business through June 30, 2021, subject to certain limitations, which include limits on the net losses that Anchor Re can realize during the treaty year. The treaty arrangement is fully collateralized through Anchor Re. The financial economics of this treaty substantially mirror the 50% profit-sharing arrangement that was previously in place. Thus, this treaty is not expected to have any impact on the pre-tax operating results of the Company, though the components of the combined ratio will be affected by the ceding of premiums, claims and commissions. On November 3, 2020, FNIC, with the agreement of Anchor Re, increased its cession percentage in this treaty from 50% to 80%, effective December 1, 2020 on in-force, new and renewal basis.

Effective January 31, 2021, the Company terminated its existing 80% quota-share reinsurance treaty with Anchor Re and commuted the agreement. The Company then entered into a new 80% quota-share treaty with Anchor Re on February 1, 2021 on an in-force, new and renewal basis, which covers the thirteen month period through February 28, 2022, subject to certain limitations, which include limits on the net losses that Anchor Re can realize during the treaty year. This agreement provides us an allowance to purchase reinsurance coverage above the aforementioned limits. In addition, Anchor Re has the right to commute the treaty if the overall net loss limit has been reached, which would require Anchor Re to fund the net loss ceded into the treaty. If the commutation were to occur, we would negotiate the terms such that Anchor Re would cover the losses incurred to date under the treaty and the Company cease the ceding of premiums and losses for the remaining term. The treaty arrangement is fully collateralized through Anchor Re. As it relates to the aforementioned commutation, in April 2021, the Company received $7.2 million from Anchor Re as an initial commutation payment. This estimate is subject to refinement primarily related to the liability for incurred but not reported loss and LAE reserves. Any gain or loss on the commutation will be recorded in the second quarter upon final settlement of the transaction.

As of March 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the Company had reinsurance recoverable of $295.3 million (as a result of Hurricanes Irma, Winter Storm Uri, Laura, Sally, Michael, and Delta) and $304.3 million (as a result of Hurricanes Irma, Laura, Sally, Michael and Delta). Winter Storm Uri hit the Southern Plains impacting Texas, Louisiana and Florida on approximately February 13, 2021.