REINSURANCE

The Company's insurance operations utilize reinsurance in the risk management process in order to limit losses, minimize exposure to large risks, provide additional capacity for future growth and effect business-sharing arrangements. Life reinsurance is placed through yearly renewable term coverage. Property and casualty reinsurance is placed on an excess of loss basis to cover losses from catastrophe events. Reinsurance contracts do not relieve the insurance subsidiaries of the obligation indemnify policyholders with respect to the underlying insurance contracts. Failure of re-insurers to honor their obligations could result in credit related losses to the insurance subsidiaries. The insurance subsidiaries evaluate the financial conditions of their reinsurance companies and monitor concentrations of credit risk arising from similar geographic regions, activities, or economic characteristics of the companies to minimize their exposure to significant losses from reinsurance insolvencies.

In the normal course of business, NSFC seeks to reduce the loss that may arise from catastrophes or other individually significant large loss events that cause unfavorable underwriting results or have adverse impacts on regulatory capital levels by re-insuring certain levels of risk in various areas of exposure with reinsurance companies. NSFC maintains a catastrophe reinsurance agreement to cover losses from catastrophic events, primarily hurricanes and tropical storms.

Under the catastrophe reinsurance program, the Company retains the first $4,000,000 in losses from each catastrophe event. Catastrophe reinsurance coverage is maintained in three layers as follows:



Layer	Reinsurers' Limits of Liability
First Layer	100% of $13,500,000 in excess of $4,000,000 retention
Second Layer	100% of $25,000,000 in excess of $17,500,000
Third Layer	100% of $30,000,000 in excess of $42,500,000

Each reinsurance layer covers events occurring from January 1 through December 31 of the contract year. All significant reinsurance companies under the program carry A.M. Best ratings of A- (Excellent) or higher, or equivalent ratings.

The Company's catastrophe reinsurance contract allows for one reinstatement. The Company maintains reinstatement premium protection (RPP) to cover reinstatement premiums incurred. The RPP further reduces risk from a major catastrophe and serves to protect the Company's capital position by reducing the modeled 100 year event net cost.

Amounts recoverable from re-insurers are estimated in a manner consistent with the claim liability associated with the underlying insurance policies. Amounts paid for prospective reinsurance contracts are reported as prepaid reinsurance premiums and amortized over the remaining contract period.

In the normal course of business, NSIC seeks to limit its exposure to loss on any single insured and to recover a portion of benefits paid by ceding reinsurance to reinsurance companies under excess coverage contracts. NSIC retains a maximum of $50,000 of coverage per individual life. Cost is amortized over the reinsurance contract period.

At December 31, 2018, the largest reinsurance recoverable of a single reinsurer was $125,000 ($322,000 at December 31, 2017). Amounts reported as ceded incurred losses were related to development of losses from prior year catastrophes.