Estimated title losses (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Insurance [Abstract]

Summary of estimated title losses

A summary of estimated title losses for the three months ended March 31 is as follows:

	2019		2018
	($000 omitted)
Balances at January 1	461,560		480,990
Provisions:
Current year	15,526		18,880
Previous policy years	160		101
Total provisions	15,686		18,981
Payments, net of recoveries:
Current year	(2,695	)	(2,564	)
Previous policy years	(20,772	)	(15,708	)
Total payments, net of recoveries	(23,467	)	(18,272	)
Effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates	296		(1,894	)
Balances at March 31	454,075		479,805
Loss ratios as a percentage of title operating revenues:
Current year provisions	4.1	%	4.5	%
Total provisions	4.2	%	4.5	%