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Reinsurance
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]  
Reinsurance Reinsurance
The Company reinsures a portion of its insurance exposures in order to reduce its net liability on individual risks and catastrophe losses. Reinsurance coverage and retentions vary depending on the line of business, location of the risk and nature of loss. The Company’s reinsurance purchases include the following: property reinsurance treaties that reduce exposure to large individual property losses and catastrophe events; casualty reinsurance treaties that reduce its exposure to large individual casualty losses, workers’ compensation catastrophe losses and casualty losses involving multiple claimants or insureds; and facultative reinsurance that reduces exposure on individual policies or risks for losses that exceed treaty reinsurance capacity. Depending on the operating unit, the Company purchases specific additional reinsurance to supplement the above programs.

The following is a summary of reinsurance financial information:
(In thousands)
2019
 
2018
 
2017
Written premiums:
 

 
 

 
 

Direct
$
7,386,759

 
$
6,973,216

 
$
6,726,029

Assumed
875,459

 
729,278

 
750,934

Ceded
(1,398,719
)
 
(1,269,267
)
 
(1,216,455
)
Total net written premiums
$
6,863,499

 
$
6,433,227

 
$
6,260,508

 
 
 
 
 
 
Earned premiums:
 
 
 

 
 

Direct
$
7,141,427

 
$
6,851,795

 
$
6,661,046

Assumed
820,705

 
755,759

 
812,309

Ceded
(1,328,844
)
 
(1,236,049
)
 
(1,161,936
)
Total net earned premiums
$
6,633,288

 
$
6,371,505

 
$
6,311,419

 
 
 
 
 
 
Ceded losses and loss expenses incurred
$
836,831

 
$
829,742

 
$
601,769

Ceded commission earned
$
314,191

 
$
268,037

 
$
241,983



The Company reinsures a portion of its exposures principally to reduce its net liability on individual risks and to protect against catastrophic losses. Estimated amounts due from reinsurers are reported net of reserves for uncollectible reinsurance of $690,127, $946,965 and $1,010,000 as of December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.























The following table presents the amounts due from reinsurers as of December 31, 2019:
(In thousands)
 
 
 
  Munich Re
$
243,021

  Lloyd’s of London
201,092

  Swiss Re
179,274

  Alleghany Group
169,185

  Partner Re
127,638

  Hannover Re Group
95,486

  Axis Capital
93,547

  Berkshire Hathaway
82,882

  Renaissance Re
79,954

  Korean Re
64,464

  Everest Re
55,431

  Liberty Mutual
49,346

  Arch Capital Group
27,116

Qatar Re
22,477

  Chubb Limited
15,199

Other reinsurers less than $20,000
308,404

Subtotal
1,814,515

Residual market pools
319,168

Total
$
2,133,683