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Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in conformity with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, these unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations as at the end of and for the periods presented. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated from these statements.
Certain comparative information has been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Because of the seasonality of the Company’s business, the results of operations and cash flows for any interim period will not necessarily be indicative of the results of operations and cash flows for the full fiscal year or subsequent quarters.
Use of Estimates in Financial Statements
USE OF ESTIMATES IN FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported and disclosed amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. The major estimates reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, the reserve for claims and claim expenses; reinsurance recoverables, including allowances for reinsurance recoverables deemed uncollectible; estimates of written and earned premiums; fair value, including the fair value of investments, financial instruments and derivatives; impairment charges; deferred acquisition costs and the value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and the Company’s deferred tax valuation allowance.
Investments
INVESTMENTS
Other Investments
The Company accounts for its other investments at fair value in accordance with FASB ASC Topic Financial Instruments with interest, dividend income, income distributions included in net investment income and realized and unrealized gains and losses included in net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments. The fair value of certain of the Company’s fund investments, which principally include private equity investments, senior secured bank loan funds and hedge funds, is recorded on its balance sheet in other investments, and is generally established on the basis of the net valuation criteria established by the managers of such investments, if applicable. The net valuation criteria established by the managers of such investments is established in accordance with the governing documents of such investments. Certain of the Company’s fund managers, fund administrators, or both, are unable to provide final fund valuations as of the Company’s current reporting date. The typical reporting lag experienced by the Company to receive a final net asset value report is one month for hedge funds and senior secured bank loan funds and three months for private equity investments, although, in the past, in respect of certain of the Company’s private equity investments, the Company has on occasion experienced delays of up to six months at year end, as the private equity investments typically complete their respective year-end audits before releasing their final net asset value statements.
In circumstances where there is a reporting lag between the current period end reporting date and the reporting date of the latest fund valuation, the Company estimates the fair value of these funds by starting with the most recently available prior month or quarter-end fund valuations, adjusting these valuations for actual capital calls, redemptions or distributions, as well as the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, and then estimating the return for the current period. In circumstances in which the Company estimates the return for the current period, all information available to the Company is utilized. This principally includes preliminary estimates reported to the Company by its fund managers, obtaining the valuation of underlying portfolio investments where such underlying investments are publicly traded and therefore have a readily observable price, using information that is available to the Company with respect to the underlying investments, reviewing various indices for similar investments or asset classes, as well as estimating returns based on the results of similar types of investments for which the Company has obtained reported results, or other valuation methods, where possible. Actual final fund valuations may differ, perhaps materially so, from the Company’s estimates and these differences are recorded in the Company’s statement of operations in the period in which they are reported to the Company as a change in estimate.
The Company’s other investments also include investments in catastrophe bonds which are recorded at fair value and the fair value is based on broker or underwriter bid indications.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). ASU 2016-13 modifies the recognition of credit losses by replacing the incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. ASU 2016-13 is applicable to financial assets such as loans, debt securities, trade receivables, off-balance sheet credit exposures, reinsurance receivables, and other financial assets that have the contractual right to receive cash. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. The Company's invested assets are measured at fair value through net income, and therefore those invested assets would not be impacted by the adoption of ASU 2016-13. The Company has other financial assets, such as reinsurance recoverables, that could be impacted by the adoption of ASU 2016-13. ASU 2016-13 is effective for public business entities that are SEC filers for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019, accordingly, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2020. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and financial position.
Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). The ASU 2018-13 modifies the disclosure requirements of fair value measurements as part of the disclosure framework project with the objective to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. ASU 2018-13 allows for removal of the amount and reasons for transfer between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy; the policy for transfers between levels; and the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, accordingly, the Company adopted ASU 2018-13 effective January 1, 2020. Since ASU 2018-13 is disclosure-related only, it did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and financial position.
Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (“ASU 2017-04”). Among other things, ASU 2017-04 requires the following: (1) the elimination of step two of the goodwill impairment test; entities will no longer utilize the implied fair value of their assets and liabilities for purposes of testing goodwill for impairment, (2) the quantitative portion of the goodwill impairment test will be performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount; an impairment charge is to be recognized for the excess of carrying amount over fair value, but only to the extent of the amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit, and (3) foreign currency translation adjustments are not to be allocated to a reporting unit from an entity’s accumulated other comprehensive income (loss); the reporting unit’s carrying amount should include only the currently translated balances of the assets and liabilities assigned to the reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 is effective for public business entities that are SEC filers for annual periods, or any interim goodwill impairment tests in annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019, accordingly, the Company adopted ASU 2017-04 effective January 1, 2020. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and financial position.
RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS NOT YET ADOPTED
Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (”ASU 2019-12”). Among other things, ASU 2019-12 eliminates certain exceptions for recognizing deferred taxes for investments, performing intraperiod tax allocation and calculating income taxes in interim periods. ASU 2019-12 also clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU 2019-12 is effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance; however, it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and financial position.