Note 7 - Reinsurance (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]

Reinsurance, Premiums Written And Earned [Table Text Block]

The effect of reinsurance on net premiums written and earned is as follows:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2017			2016
Net premiums written—insurance:
Direct	$	239,645		$	233,926
Ceded (1)	(14,980		)	(207,616		)
Net premiums written—insurance	$	224,665		$	26,310
Net premiums earned—insurance:
Direct	$	236,062		$	240,330
Assumed	7			9
Ceded (1)	(14,269		)	(19,389		)
Net premiums earned—insurance	$	221,800		$	220,950

______________________

(1) Net of profit commission.

Reinsurance Transaction Details [Table Text Block]

The following tables show the amounts related to the QSR Transactions and the Single Premium QSR Transaction for the periods indicated:

	QSR Transactions
	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2017		2016
Ceded premiums written (1)	$	5,457	$	7,962
Ceded premiums earned (1)	7,834		11,325
Ceding commissions written	1,559		2,270
Ceding commissions earned (3)	3,894		4,446
Ceded losses	570		541

Single Premium QSR Transaction
Three Months Ended March 31,
2017		2016
$	8,960	$	197,593	(2)
5,859		5,994
3,712		50,932
2,937		3,032
573		536

______________________

(1) Net of profit commission.

(2) Includes ceded premiums for policies written in prior periods. See Note 8 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2016 Form 10-K.

(3) Includes amounts reported in policy acquisition costs and other operating expenses.