Segments of Business

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segments of Business

10. Segments of Business

(a) Overview

Alleghany’s segments are reported in a manner consistent with the way management evaluates the businesses. As such, Alleghany classifies its businesses into three reportable segments – reinsurance, insurance and Alleghany Capital.

Reinsurance and insurance underwriting activities are evaluated separately from investment and other activities. Segment accounting policies are described in Note 1 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the 2020 Form 10-K.

The reinsurance segment consists of property and casualty reinsurance operations conducted by TransRe’s reinsurance operating subsidiaries and is further reported through two major product lines – property, and casualty & specialty (formerly casualty & other). TransRe provides property and casualty reinsurance to insurers and other reinsurers through brokers and on a direct basis to ceding companies. TransRe writes a modest amount of property and casualty insurance business, which is included in the reinsurance segment. A significant portion of the premiums earned by TransRe’s operations are generated by offices located in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and those serving Latin America and the Caribbean. Although the majority of the premiums earned by these offices typically relate to the regions where they are located, a significant portion may be derived from other regions of the world, including the U.S. In addition, although a significant portion of the assets and liabilities of these foreign offices generally relate to the countries where the ceding companies and reinsurers are located, most investments are located in the country of domicile of these offices.

The insurance segment consists of property and casualty insurance operations conducted in the U.S. by AIHL through its insurance operating subsidiaries RSUI and CapSpecialty. RSUI also writes a modest amount of assumed reinsurance business, which is included in the insurance segment.

The Alleghany Capital segment consists of industrial operations, non-industrial operations and corporate operations at the Alleghany Capital level, which include hotel development projects. Industrial operations are conducted through PCT, Kentucky Trailer, W&W|AFCO Steel, Wilbert and, beginning May 10, 2021, Piedmont. Non-industrial operations are conducted through IPS, Jazwares and Concord.

On May 10, 2021, Piedmont acquired all outstanding equity in WPS for $93.4 million, consisting of $60.4 million in cash and $33.0 million of incremental debt. In connection with the acquisition, Alleghany completed the process of determining the fair value of acquired assets and liabilities in the third quarter of 2021, and recorded $17.7 million and $36.3 million of goodwill and finite-lived intangible assets, respectively. Finite-lived intangible assets relate primarily to customer relationships. The customer relationship asset is estimated to have a useful life of 18.5 years.

Corporate activities are not classified as a segment. The primary components of corporate activities are Alleghany Properties, activities at the Alleghany parent company and, prior to its December 31, 2020 sale, SORC. Corporate activities also include the elimination of minor activity between segments.

In addition, corporate activities include interest expense associated with the senior notes issued by Alleghany, whereas interest expense associated with senior notes issued by TransRe is included in “Total Segments” and interest expense associated with other debt is included in Alleghany Capital. Information related to the senior notes and other debt can be found in Note 8 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements set forth in Part II, Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the 2020 Form 10-K.

(b) Results

The following tables present segment results for Alleghany’s three reportable segments and for corporate activities for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020:

		Reinsurance Segment								Insurance Segment
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021		Property			Casualty & specialty(1)		Total			RSUI		Cap Specialty		Total		Subtotal			Alleghany Capital			Total Segments			Corporate Activities			Consolidated
	($ in millions)
Gross premiums written		$	617.2		$	1,111.0	$	1,728.2		$	533.1	$	128.4	$	661.5	$	2,389.7		$	—		$	2,389.7		$	(11.7	)	$	2,378.0
Net premiums written			467.9			1,046.7		1,514.6			358.0		110.5		468.5		1,983.1			—			1,983.1			—			1,983.1
Net premiums earned			474.3			949.0		1,423.3			316.6		103.0		419.6		1,842.9			—			1,842.9			—			1,842.9
Net loss and LAE			611.2			619.6		1,230.8			219.5		63.6		283.1		1,513.9			—			1,513.9			—			1,513.9
Commissions, brokerage and    other underwriting expenses			124.0			300.4		424.4			66.5		38.3		104.8		529.2			—			529.2			—			529.2
Underwriting (loss) profit(2)		$	(260.9	)	$	29.0	$	(231.9	)	$	30.6	$	1.1	$	31.7		(200.2	)		—			(200.2	)		—			(200.2	)
Net investment income																	125.0			0.1			125.1			7.9			133.0
Change in the fair value of equity securities																	(78.3	)		—			(78.3	)		(57.8	)		(136.1	)
Net realized capital gains																	20.7			(0.5	)		20.2			(0.1	)		20.1
Change in allowance for credit losses on available for sale securities																	0.1			—			0.1			—			0.1
Product and service revenues																	10.4			986.4			996.8			9.8			1,006.6
Other operating expenses																	20.8			869.0			889.8			1.2			891.0
Corporate administration																	(0.1	)		—			(0.1	)		6.3			6.2
Amortization of intangible assets																	0.9			11.7			12.6			—			12.6
Interest expense																	6.7			3.9			10.6			15.1			25.7
(Losses) earnings before income taxes																$	(150.6	)	$	101.4		$	(49.2	)	$	(62.8	)	$	(112.0	)

		Reinsurance Segment								Insurance Segment
Three Months Ended September 30, 2020		Property			Casualty & specialty(1)		Total			RSUI			Cap Specialty			Total			Subtotal			Alleghany Capital		Total Segments			Corporate Activities			Consolidated
	($ in millions)
Gross premiums written		$	473.3		$	904.7	$	1,378.0		$	410.8		$	111.8		$	522.6		$	1,900.6		$	—	$	1,900.6		$	(9.2	)	$	1,891.4
Net premiums written			375.9			887.3		1,263.2			271.9			102.0			373.9			1,637.1			—		1,637.1			—			1,637.1
Net premiums earned			374.7			832.6		1,207.3			260.4			89.2			349.6			1,556.9			—		1,556.9			—			1,556.9
Net loss and LAE			306.1			553.2		859.3			256.6			57.8			314.4			1,173.7			—		1,173.7			—			1,173.7
Commissions, brokerage and    other underwriting expenses			112.4			259.0		371.4			58.8			34.3			93.1			464.5			—		464.5			—			464.5
Underwriting (loss) profit(2)		$	(43.8	)	$	20.4	$	(23.4	)	$	(55.0	)	$	(2.9	)	$	(57.9	)		(81.3	)		—		(81.3	)		—			(81.3	)
Net investment income																				122.7			—		122.7			6.6			129.3
Change in the fair value of equity securities																				103.4			—		103.4			(10.6	)		92.8
Net realized capital gains																				1.7			13.9		15.6			1.1			16.7
Change in allowance for credit losses on available for sale securities																				3.4			—		3.4			—			3.4
Product and service revenues																				8.9			713.8		722.7			1.1			723.8
Other operating expenses																				23.4			643.4		666.8			2.6			669.4
Corporate administration																				0.8			—		0.8			12.1			12.9
Amortization of intangible assets																				0.2			11.0		11.2			—			11.2
Interest expense																				6.8			3.3		10.1			13.2			23.3
Earnings (losses) before income taxes																			$	127.6		$	70.0	$	197.6		$	(29.7	)	$	167.9

		Reinsurance Segment								Insurance Segment
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021		Property			Casualty & specialty(1)		Total			RSUI		Cap Specialty		Total		Subtotal			Alleghany Capital		Total Segments			Corporate Activities			Consolidated
	($ in millions)
Gross premiums written		$	1,687.9		$	3,125.0	$	4,812.9		$	1,511.5	$	354.1	$	1,865.6	$	6,678.5		$	—	$	6,678.5		$	(30.2	)	$	6,648.3
Net premiums written			1,346.8			2,971.8		4,318.6			994.2		303.3		1,297.5		5,616.1			—		5,616.1			—			5,616.1
Net premiums earned			1,284.5			2,761.8		4,046.3			896.5		289.2		1,185.7		5,232.0			—		5,232.0			—			5,232.0
Net loss and LAE			1,208.4			1,715.1		2,923.5			614.5		175.2		789.7		3,713.2			—		3,713.2			—			3,713.2
Commissions, brokerage and    other underwriting expenses			356.9			868.7		1,225.6			191.3		111.9		303.2		1,528.8			—		1,528.8			—			1,528.8
Underwriting (loss) profit(2)		$	(280.8	)	$	178.0	$	(102.8	)	$	90.7	$	2.1	$	92.8		(10.0	)		—		(10.0	)		—			(10.0	)
Net investment income																	384.7			0.1		384.8			28.6			413.4
Change in the fair value of equity securities																	176.6			—		176.6			4.0			180.6
Net realized capital gains																	44.0			0.7		44.7			1.3			46.0
Change in allowance for credit losses on available for sale securities																	2.2			—		2.2			0.1			2.3
Product and service revenues																	30.1			2,534.7		2,564.8			10.0			2,574.8
Other operating expenses																	50.4			2,302.4		2,352.8			1.7			2,354.5
Corporate administration																	(0.5	)		—		(0.5	)		36.4			35.9
Amortization of intangible assets																	1.8			34.7		36.5			—			36.5
Interest expense																	20.2			11.3		31.5			41.9			73.4
Earnings (losses) before income taxes																$	555.7		$	187.1	$	742.8		$	(36.0	)	$	706.8

		Reinsurance Segment									Insurance Segment
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020		Property			Casualty & specialty(1)			Total			RSUI			Cap Specialty			Total			Subtotal			Alleghany Capital		Total Segments			Corporate Activities			Consolidated
	($ in millions)
Gross premiums written		$	1,299.2		$	2,560.2		$	3,859.4		$	1,251.3		$	298.5		$	1,549.8		$	5,409.2		$	—	$	5,409.2		$	(26.1	)	$	5,383.1
Net premiums written			1,044.6			2,516.1			3,560.7			816.4			271.7			1,088.1			4,648.8			—		4,648.8			—			4,648.8
Net premiums earned			1,024.8			2,386.5			3,411.3			731.3			253.5			984.8			4,396.1			—		4,396.1			—			4,396.1
Net loss and LAE			827.4			1,672.4			2,499.8			568.5			157.2			725.7			3,225.5			—		3,225.5			—			3,225.5
Commissions, brokerage and    other underwriting expenses			314.6			729.6			1,044.2			169.4			102.3			271.7			1,315.9			—		1,315.9			—			1,315.9
Underwriting loss(2)		$	(117.2	)	$	(15.5	)	$	(132.7	)	$	(6.6	)	$	(6.0	)	$	(12.6	)		(145.3	)		—		(145.3	)		—			(145.3	)
Net investment income																					347.8			1.8		349.6			10.3			359.9
Change in the fair value of equity securities																					(176.0	)		—		(176.0	)		(12.0	)		(188.0	)
Net realized capital gains																					36.8			35.3		72.1			(80.4	)		(8.3	)
Change in allowance for credit losses on available for sale securities																					(10.7	)		—		(10.7	)		(0.2	)		(10.9	)
Product and service revenues																					24.4			1,654.3		1,678.7			5.7			1,684.4
Other operating expenses																					66.5			1,567.7		1,634.2			12.2			1,646.4
Corporate administration																					(0.9	)		—		(0.9	)		18.0			17.1
Amortization of intangible assets																					0.6			32.3		32.9			—			32.9
Interest expense																					20.3			11.4		31.7			32.2			63.9
(Losses) earnings before income taxes																				$	(9.5	)	$	80.0	$	70.5		$	(139.0	)	$	(68.5	)

(1)Primarily consists of the following reinsurance lines of business: directors’ and officers’ liability; errors and omissions liability; general liability; medical malpractice; ocean marine and aviation; auto liability; accident and health; mortgage reinsurance; surety; and credit.

(2)Underwriting profit represents net premiums earned less net loss and LAE and commissions, brokerage and other underwriting expenses, all as determined in accordance with GAAP, and does not include net investment income, change in the fair value of equity securities, net realized capital gains, change in allowance for credit losses on available for sale securities, product and service revenues, other operating expenses, corporate administration, amortization of intangible assets or interest expense. Underwriting profit does not replace earnings before income taxes determined in accordance with GAAP as a measure of profitability. Rather, Alleghany believes that underwriting profit enhances the understanding of its reinsurance and insurance segments’ operating results by highlighting net earnings attributable to their underwriting performance. Earnings before income taxes (a GAAP measure) may show a profit despite an underlying underwriting loss. Where underwriting losses persist over extended periods, a reinsurance or an insurance company’s ability to continue as an ongoing concern may be at risk. Therefore, Alleghany views underwriting profit as an important measure in the overall evaluation of performance.

(c) Identifiable Assets and Equity

The following table presents identifiable assets, the portion of identifiable assets related to cash and invested assets and equity attributable to Alleghany for Alleghany’s reportable segments and for corporate activities as of September 30, 2021:

	Identifiable Assets		Invested Assets and Cash		Equity Attributable to Alleghany
	($ in millions)
Reinsurance segment	$	19,488.3	$	15,013.5	$	5,227.0
Insurance segment		8,067.4		5,887.2		2,630.8
Subtotal		27,555.7		20,900.7		7,857.8
Alleghany Capital		2,817.4		137.3		1,187.9
Total segments		30,373.1		21,038.0		9,045.7
Corporate activities		1,496.1		1,461.6		(186.2	)
Consolidated	$	31,869.2	$	22,499.6	$	8,859.5

(d) Alleghany Capital Product and Service Revenues

For Alleghany Capital’s industrial and non-industrial operations, product and service revenues (formerly noninsurance revenue) consists of the sale of manufactured goods and services. The following table presents product and service revenues for the Alleghany Capital segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020:

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
	($ in millions)
Industrial(1)	$	427.2	$	324.2	$	1,238.8	$	847.3
Non-Industrial(2)		559.2		389.6		1,295.9		806.9
Corporate & other		—		—		—		0.1
Alleghany Capital	$	986.4	$	713.8	$	2,534.7	$	1,654.3

(1)For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the vast majority of industrial product and service revenues were recognized as goods and services transferred to customers over time.

(2)For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, approximately 43 percent and 52 percent, respectively, of non-industrial product and service revenues were recognized as services transferred to customers over time, with the remainder recognized as goods transferred at a point in time. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, approximately 54 percent and 66 percent, respectively, of non-industrial product and service revenues were recognized as services transferred to customers over time, with the remainder recognized as goods transferred in a point in time.