LIABILITY FOR LOSSES AND SETTLEMENT EXPENSES (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Liability for Future Policy Benefits and Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Abstract]

Schedule of reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves for losses and settlement expenses

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves for losses and settlement expenses of the Company.  Amounts presented are on a net basis, with a reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves to the gross amounts presented in the consolidated financial statements.

	Six months ended June 30,
($ in thousands)	2018			2017
Gross reserves at beginning of year	$	732,612		$	690,532
Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates	525			(1,913		)
Less ceded reserves at beginning of year	30,923			20,664
Net reserves at beginning of year	701,164			671,781
Incurred losses and settlement expenses related to:
Current year	235,806			216,710
Prior years	(6,087		)	(13,197		)
Total incurred losses and settlement expenses	229,719			203,513
Paid losses and settlement expenses related to:
Current year	65,714			66,662
Prior years	139,625			119,270
Total paid losses and settlement expenses	205,339			185,932
Net reserves at end of period	725,544			689,362
Plus ceded reserves at end of period	31,148			20,430
Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates	177			(301		)
Gross reserves at end of period	$	756,869		$	709,491