Reinsurance (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Insurance [Abstract]

Ceded Reinsurance Transactions with Unaffiliated Reinsurers

The following amounts represent ceded reinsurance transactions with unaffiliated reinsurers during 2017, 2016 and 2015:

	2017		2016		2015
Premiums written	$	51,241,267	$	45,354,233	$	40,997,351
Premiums earned		49,633,348		44,318,542		49,758,371
Losses and loss expenses		44,575,268		18,588,114		30,722,807
Prepaid reinsurance premiums		11,213,665		9,605,746		8,570,055
Liability for losses and loss expenses		116,689,871		103,694,418		113,023,942

Total Ceded Reinsurance Transactions with both Affiliated and Unaffiliated Reinsurers

The following amounts represent total ceded reinsurance transactions with both affiliated and unaffiliated reinsurers during 2017, 2016 and 2015:

	2017		2016		2015
Premiums earned	$	310,179,267	$	282,646,219	$	271,712,289
Losses and loss expenses		218,523,260		156,479,885		172,302,366
Prepaid reinsurance premiums		135,032,641		124,255,495		113,522,505
Liability for losses and loss expenses		293,271,257		259,147,147		256,150,860

Amounts Represent Effect of Reinsurance on Premiums Written

The following amounts represent the effect of reinsurance on premiums written for 2017, 2016 and 2015:

	2017			2016			2015
Direct	$	584,007,351		$	537,880,237		$	492,073,587
Assumed		466,087,983			437,532,812			406,126,275
Ceded		(320,956,412	)		(293,379,217	)		(269,363,012	)
Net premiums written	$	729,138,922		$	682,033,832		$	628,836,850

Amounts Represent Effect of Reinsurance on Premiums Earned

The following amounts represent the effect of reinsurance on premiums earned for 2017, 2016 and 2015:

	2017			2016			2015
Direct	$	561,178,447		$	515,721,745		$	480,210,534
Assumed		451,515,575			423,129,271			397,142,483
Ceded		(310,179,267	)		(282,646,219	)		(271,712,289	)
Net premiums earned	$	702,514,755		$	656,204,797		$	605,640,728
Percentage of assumed premiums earned to net premiums earned		64.3	%		64.5	%		65.6	%