Unpaid Losses and Loss Expenses and Policy Benefits for Life and Annuity Contracts (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Liability for Future Policy Benefits and Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Abstract]

Schedule Of Unpaid Losses And Loss Expenses By Type Table [Text Block]

The Company’s gross liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses reported by cedants (case reserves) and those estimated by the Company (ACRs and IBNR reserves) at December 31, 2015 and 2014 was as follows (in thousands of U.S. dollars):

	2015		2014
Case reserves	$	3,716,195	$	4,236,038
ACRs	190,183		253,890
IBNR reserves	5,158,333		5,255,878
Total unpaid losses and loss expenses	$	9,064,711	$	9,745,806

Schedule of rollforward of unpaid losses and loss expenses [Text Block]

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending gross and net liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses, excluding policy benefits for life and annuity contracts, for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in thousands of U.S. dollars):

	2015			2014			2013
Gross liability at beginning of year	$	9,745,806		$	10,646,318		$	10,709,371
Reinsurance recoverable at beginning of year	214,349			267,384			291,330
Net liability at beginning of year	9,531,457			10,378,934			10,418,041
Net incurred losses related to:
Current year	3,023,704			3,122,981			3,118,755
Prior years	(830,705		)	(660,413		)	(721,499		)
	2,192,999			2,462,568			2,397,256
Change in Paris Re Reserve Agreement	(8,771		)	(25,412		)	(49,544		)
Net paid losses related to:
Current year	250,720			267,806			242,053
Prior years	2,171,883			2,530,743			2,159,506
	2,422,603			2,798,549			2,401,559
Effects of foreign exchange rate changes	(417,605		)	(486,084		)	14,740
Net liability at end of year	8,875,477			9,531,457			10,378,934
Reinsurance recoverable at end of year	189,234			214,349			267,384
Gross liability at end of year	$	9,064,711		$	9,745,806		$	10,646,318

Reconciliation Of Loss And Loss Expenses Including Life Policy Benefits Table [Text Block]

The reconciliation of losses and loss expenses including life policy benefits for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in thousands of U.S. dollars):

	2015		2014		2013
Net incurred losses related to:
Non-life	$	2,192,999	$	2,462,568	$	2,397,256
Life and Health	964,421		1,000,202		760,552
Losses and loss expenses and life policy benefits	$	3,157,420	$	3,462,770	$	3,157,808

Net Non Life Prior Year Loss Development Table [Text Block]

The net favorable prior year loss development for each of the Company’s Non-life sub-segments for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in thousands of U.S. dollars):

	2015		2014		2013
Net favorable prior year loss development:
Non-life sub-segment
North America	$	284,406	$	250,942	$	222,839
Global (Non-U.S.) P&C	96,438		134,394		180,052
Global Specialty	434,244		257,696		227,383
Catastrophe	15,617		17,381		91,225
Total net favorable prior year loss development	$	830,705	$	660,413	$	721,499