Losses and Loss Adjustment Reserve

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Although the reinsurers are liable to the Company for amounts reinsured, our subsidiary, WNFIC remains primarily liable to its policyholders for the full amount of the policies written whether or not the reinsurers meet their obligations to the Company when they become due. The effects of reinsurance on premiums written and earned at December 31 are as follows:



	2017				2016
(in thousands)	Written		Earned		Written		Earned
Direct premiums	$	604,623	$	592,267	$	591,142	$	592,123
Assumed premiums	—		—		—		—
Ceded premiums	604,610		592,254		591,124		592,105
Net premiums	$	13	$	13	$	18	$	18

All premiums written by WNFIC under the National Flood Insurance Program are 100% ceded to FEMA, for which WNFIC received a 30.9% expense allowance from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company ceded $602.9 million and $589.5 million of written premiums, respectively.

Effective April 1, 2014, WNFIC is also a party to a quota share agreement whereby it cedes 100% of its gross excess flood premiums, excluding fees, to Arch Reinsurance Company and receives a 30.5% commission. WNFIC ceded $1.7 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016. As of December 31, 2017, WNFIC had $1.1 million in paid excess flood losses, $16,606 in loss adjustment expenses, case reserves of $838,307 and incurred but not reported of $1.5 million.

WNFIC also ceded 100%, of the Homeowners, Private Passenger Auto Liability, and Other Liability Occurrence to Stillwater Insurance Company, formerly known as Fidelity National Insurance Company. This business is in runoff. Therefore, only loss data still exists on this business. As of December 31, 2017, no ceded unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses or incurred but not reported balance for Homeowners, Private Passenger Auto Liability and Other Liability Occurrence.

As of December 31, 2017, the Consolidated Balance Sheet contained Reinsurance recoverable of $477.8 million and Prepaid reinsurance premiums of $321.0 million. As of December 31, 2016, the Consolidated Balance Sheet contained reinsurance recoverable of $78.1 million and prepaid reinsurance premiums of $308.7 million. There was $1.1 million net activity in the reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense for the year ended December 31, 2017, and no net activity in the reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense for the year ended December 31, 2016, as WNFIC’s direct premiums written were 100% ceded to two reinsurers. The balance of the reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense, excluding related reinsurance recoverables was $477.8 million as of December 31, 2017 and $78.1 million as of December 31, 2016.