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.

The Company’s excess of loss catastrophe reinsurance program for 2020-2021 (the “2020-2021 Program”), which covers the Company and its wholly-owned insurance subsidiaries, FNIC, MIC and MNIC became effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. FNIC, MIC, and MNIC are collectively referred to herein as the “carriers”. The 2020-2021 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 $310.6 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 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 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 September 30, 2021, the 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 Program cost includes approximately $262.8 million for private reinsurance for the carriers’ exposure described above, including prepaid automatic reinstatement premium protection, along with approximately $47.8 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 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 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 terminated 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 an 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. This additional limit contained overlapping coverage on certain portions of this purchase, resulting in the determination that the additional coverage contained an embedded derivative. While the economic substance is similar to as a typical reinsurance recovery, the embedded derivative is carried at fair value on our consolidated balance sheets and changes in fair value are recognized in net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on our consolidated statements of operations as they occur. Refer to Notes 2 and 3 for further information.

Lastly, the Company secured additional reinsurance limit of 50% of $70 million excess of $25 million, at an approximate cost of $2.8 million, which were recognized as ceded premium over the period from June 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021. This limit is available for events occurring during this period for all carriers and all states.

The carriers’ cost and amounts of reinsurance are based on current analysis of exposure to catastrophic risk. Most of 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.

The Company’s excess of loss catastrophe reinsurance program for 2021-2022 (the “2021-2022 Program”), which covers the Company and its wholly-owned insurance subsidiaries, FNIC, MIC and MNIC became effective July 1, 2021. The 2021-2022 Program provides the carriers up to approximately $1.4 billion of single event reinsurance coverage in excess of up to a $18.25 million pre-tax retention for certain catastrophic losses, including hurricanes, and aggregate coverage up to $2.25 billion, at an approximate total cost of $276.1 million, subject to adjustments based on actual exposure or premium of policies at different points in time in the coming months.

Due to non-Florida exposures becoming a larger portion of the overall book of business, the Company broadened its approach to its reinsurance purchases for this treaty year by separating the program into two reinsurance towers. The first tower includes all exposures for FNIC Florida, MIC in all states and MNIC and includes ground up first event limit protection up to approximately $982 million (“Primary Tower”), subject to a maximum first-event retention of $10 million. The second tower provides ground up first event limit up to $450 million for all FNIC’s non-Florida business produced by its managing general underwriter partner

(“FNIC SageSure Tower”), subject to a first-event retention of $8.25 million. The $18.25 million combined towers maximum retention is a reduction in the first event retention of approximately 41% compared to up to $31 million in last year’s program. The combination of these separate towers provides the Company with an increase in aggregate catastrophe reinsurance protection of approximately $333 million compared to the previous treaty year original purchase. More specifically, the 2021-2022 Program includes up to approximately $2.25 billion in aggregate reinsurance across all states in which the Company operates, including $511 million of reinsurance provided by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (“FHCF”). Up to approximately $979 million is available for a first event within Florida, including $468 million of private coverage plus the FHCF coverage. Up to approximately $910 million of coverage is available for a first event outside of Florida, including the $468 million of private coverage from the Primary Tower, which is available to cover catastrophe losses in MIC’s book of business located in Louisiana and Texas. FHCF coverage responds on both a per occurrence and aggregate basis, and is exclusive to the state of Florida. Additionally, the 2021-2022 Program provides $831 million of private reinsurance across the combined towers for second and subsequent events, subject to individual retentions within each tower and the aggregate limit. All layers above a $30 million attachment point have prepaid automatic reinstatement protection, which affords the carriers additional coverage for subsequent events without additional cost.

Most of the privately placed layers of the 2021-2022 Program are effective July 1, 2021, with certain agreements effective for June 2021. The portion of the 2021-2022 Program placed with private reinsurers is with partners that as of September 30, 2021 had 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 2021-2022 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 private reinsurance market continued to harden this year due to a number of factors, including the elevated number of catastrophic events impacting U.S. coastal areas in recent years. These factors have resulted in more restrictive terms for the upcoming reinsurance treaty year. The change in terms includes a further reduction in the availability of cascading coverage, which automatically “drops-down” coverage for subsequent events and prevents gaps in reinsurance protection when multiple events occur during the same treaty year. In addition, there was limited open market capacity available for lower layer attachment points on an “all perils” basis. As a result, a vast majority of the first layer for the Primary Tower ($20 million excess of $10 million), which includes one automatic reinstatement, covers “all perils” only through November 30, 2021, after which coverage includes only named storms such as tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes, and excludes tornado or hail events. The first layer in the FNIC SageSure Tower ($22 million excess of $8 million) provides both per occurrence and aggregate protection and was placed with Anchor Re, an affiliate of SageSure (the non-affiliated managing general underwriter that writes FNIC’s non-Florida property business) on a fully-collateralized basis. In addition, 40% of the reinstatement premium protection ($7 million) for the layer that attaches above $30 million of the FNIC SageSure Tower provides protection on an “all perils” basis whereas the remaining 60% ($11 million) provides protection following only a hurricane.

As indicated above, the carriers’ combined 2021-2022 Program is estimated to cost $276.1 million, consisting of $204.8 million for the Primary Tower and $71.3 million for FNIC SageSure Tower after consideration of an estimated 16% downward premium adjustment resulting from the September 30, 2021 exposure adjustment, driven by our exposure management initiatives. This amount includes approximately $239.8 million for private reinsurance for the carriers’ exposure described above, including prepaid automatic premium reinstatement protection, along with approximately $36.3 million, within the Primary Tower, payable to the FHCF. All carriers maintained their 90% FHCF participation for the upcoming wind season. In the Primary Tower, each carrier will share the combined 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 2021-2022 Program’s per event retention based on a specific allocation formula.

In addition to the coverage stated above, under the FNIC SageSure Tower, the Company purchased additional protection that lowers the second event named-storm retention, inclusive of co-participation, to approximately $9.75 million, with certain limitations as described below. For a third event, the named storm retention would be approximately $17.3 million. More specifically, this additional coverage consists of 75% of $27 million of coverage for a second event and 47% of $27 million of coverage for a third event, which applies to named storm losses only. These retentions may be reduced after taking into account the 80% quota-share agreement that FNIC has with Anchor Re. Whether such catastrophe losses can be ceded into this treaty will be dependent on capacity to do so pursuant to the loss caps in that quota-share treaty.

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, 2021. 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.

On July 1, 2020, FNIC renewed the quota-share treaty with Swiss Re, which was initially set at 10%, on its Florida homeowners book of business, on an in-force, new and renewal basis, excluding named storms and subject to certain limitations. Effective October 1, 2020, FNIC and Swiss Re agreed to increase the cession percentage on this treaty from 10% to 20% on an in-force, new and renewal basis.

On July 1, 2021, FNIC renewed its 20% 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 (we are currently at the maximum) 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 provided 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 was 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 was 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 and Anchor Re agreed to increase the 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. In April 2021, the Company received $7.2 million from Anchor Re as settlement of the commutation. Immediately after the commutation, the Company entered into 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. As of September 30, 2021, the net loss limit has been reached, and any catastrophe cessions will be dependent on future profits in the related book of business through the end of the treaty period. This agreement provides 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 would cease the ceding of premiums and losses for the remaining term. The treaty arrangement is fully collateralized through Anchor Re.

As of September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the Company had reinsurance recoverable of $766.5 million (as a result of Hurricanes Ida, Irma, Michael and Laura as well as April 2021 Storms) and $304.3 million (as a result of Hurricanes Irma, Laura, Sally, Michael and Delta). Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2021 as a Category 4 hurricane impacting Louisiana and other states. April 2021 Storms were a collection of severe weather events impacting Texas, Florida, Louisiana and other states over a six day period starting approximately April 10, 2021.


	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
	(In thousands)
Net Premiums Written
Direct	$	157,003	$	180,152	$	527,495	$	558,492
Ceded	(265,554)		(304,751)		(460,637)		(379,268)
	$	(108,551)	$	(124,599)	$	66,858	$	179,224
Net Premiums Earned
Direct	$	178,368	$	183,518	$	535,848	$	538,988
Ceded	(124,439)		(99,972)		(406,693)		(238,054)
	$	53,929	$	83,546	$	129,155	$	300,934