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Insurance Operations
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Insurance [Abstract]  
Insurance Operations

18.  Insurance Operations

We have ownership interests in several underwriting enterprises based in the U.S., Bermuda, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Malta that primarily operate segregated account “rent-a-captive” facilities.  These “rent-a-captive” facilities enable our clients to receive the benefits of owning a captive underwriting enterprise without incurring certain disadvantages of ownership.  Captive underwriting enterprises, or “rent-a-captive” facilities, are created for clients to insure their risks and capture any underwriting profit and investment income, which would then be available for use by the insureds, generally to reduce future costs of their insurance programs.  In general, these companies are set up as protected cell companies that are comprised of separate cell business units (which we refer to as Captive Cells) and the core regulated company (which we refer to as the Core Company).  The Core Company is owned and operated by us and no insurance policies are assumed by the Core Company. All insurance is assumed or written within individual Captive Cells.  Only the activity of the supporting Core Company of the rent-a-captive facility is recorded in our consolidated financial statements, including cash and stockholder’s equity of the legal entity and any expenses incurred to operate the rent-a-captive facility.  Most Captive Cells reinsure individual lines of insurance coverage from external underwriting enterprises.  In addition, some Captive Cells offer individual lines of insurance coverage from one of our underwriting enterprise subsidiaries.  The different types of insurance coverage include special property, general liability, products liability, medical professional liability, other liability and medical stop loss.  The policies are generally claims-made.  Insurance policies are written by an underwriting enterprise and the risk is assumed by each of the Captive Cells.  In general, we structure these operations to have no underwriting risk on a net written basis.  In situations where we have assumed underwriting risk on a net written basis, we have managed that exposure by obtaining full collateral for the underwriting risk we have assumed from our clients.  We typically require pledged assets including cash and/or investment accounts or letters of credit to limit our risk.

We have a wholly owned underwriting enterprise subsidiary based in the U.S. that cedes all of its insurance risk to reinsurers or captives under facultative and quota share treaty reinsurance agreements.  This company was established in fourth quarter 2014 and began writing business in December 2014.  These reinsurance arrangements diversify our business and minimize our exposure to losses or hazards of an unusual nature.  The ceding of insurance does not discharge us of our primary liability to the policyholder.  In the event that all or any of the reinsuring companies are unable to meet their obligations, we would be liable for such defaulted amounts.  Therefore, we are subject to credit risk with respect to the obligations of our reinsurers or captives.  In order to minimize our exposure to losses from reinsurer credit risk and insolvencies, we have managed that exposure by obtaining full collateral for which we typically require pledged assets, including cash and/or investment accounts or letters of credit, to fully offset the risk.

Reconciliations of direct to net premiums, on a written and earned basis, for 2020, 2019 and 2018 related to the wholly-owned underwriting enterprise subsidiary discussed above are as follows (in millions):

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

 

Written

 

 

Earned

 

 

Written

 

 

Earned

 

 

Written

 

 

Earned

 

Direct

 

$

37.7

 

 

$

40.7

 

 

$

44.6

 

 

$

59.1

 

 

$

57.6

 

 

$

53.2

 

Assumed

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.9

 

 

 

1.0

 

 

 

1.9

 

 

 

4.7

 

 

 

4.6

 

Ceded

 

 

(37.8

)

 

 

(41.6

)

 

 

(45.6

)

 

 

(61.0

)

 

 

(62.3

)

 

 

(57.8

)

Net

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

$

-

 

 

At December 31, 2020 and 2019, our underwriting enterprise subsidiary had reinsurance recoverables of $48.5 million and $45.7 million, respectively, related to liabilities established for ceded unearned premium reserves and loss and loss adjustment expense reserves.  These reinsurance recoverables relate to direct and assumed business that has been fully ceded to our reinsurers or captives and have been included in premiums and fees receivables in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.