Washington, D.C. 20549
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the U.S. federal securities laws.Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements in the United States securities laws. In some cases, these statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “expect”, “plan”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” and “intend”. Forward-looking statements contained in this report may include information regarding our estimates of losses related to catastrophes and other large losses, measurements of potential losses in the fair value of our investment portfolio and derivative contracts, our expectations regarding pricing and other market conditions, our growth prospects, and valuations of the potential impact of movements in interest rates, equity prices, credit spreads and foreign currency rates. Forward-looking statements only reflect our expectations and are not guarantees of performance.
the other matters set forththose described under Item 1A, ‘Risk Factors’'Risk Factors' and Item 7, ‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations’ included in this report.report, as those factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are accessible on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
PART I
As used in this report, references to “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company” refer to the consolidated operations of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (“AXIS Capital”) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and branches, including AXIS Specialty Limited (“AXIS Specialty Bermuda”), AXIS Specialty Limited (Singapore Branch), AXIS Specialty Markets Limited, AXIS Specialty Markets II Limited, AXIS Specialty Europe SE (“AXIS Specialty Europe”), AXIS Specialty London, AXIS Specialty Australia, AXIS Specialty Insurance Company (“AXIS Specialty U.S.”), AXIS Re SE (“AXIS Re SE”), AXIS Reinsurance Company (“AXIS Re U.S.”), AXIS Reinsurance Company (Canadian Branch), AXIS Surplus Insurance Company (“AXIS Surplus”), AXIS Insurance Company (“AXIS Insurance Co.”), AXIS Re Europe, AXIS Specialty Finance LLC (“AXIS Specialty Finance”) and Dexta Corporation Pty Ltd (“Dexta”) unless the context suggests otherwise. Tabular dollars are in thousands. Amounts in tables may not reconcile due to rounding differences.
GENERAL
AXIS Capital is the Bermuda-based holding company for the AXIS group of companies and was incorporated on December 9, 2002. AXIS Specialty Bermuda commenced operations on November 20, 2001. AXIS Specialty Bermuda and its subsidiaries became wholly owned subsidiaries of AXIS Capital pursuant to an exchange offer consummated on December 31, 2002. We provide a broad range of specialty (re)insurance on a worldwide basis, through operating subsidiaries and branch networks based in Bermuda, the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Singapore. We also maintain marketing offices in Brazil, France and Spain. Our business consists of two distinct global underwriting platforms, AXIS Insurance and AXIS Reinsurance.
The markets in which we operate have historically been cyclical. During periods of excess underwriting capacity, as defined by availability of capital, competition can result in lower pricing and less favorable policy terms and conditions for (re)insurers. During periods of reduced underwriting capacity, pricing and policy terms and conditions are generally more favorable for (re)insurers. Historically, underwriting capacity has been impacted by several factors, including industry losses, catastrophes, changes in legal and regulatory guidelines, investment results and the ratings and financial strength of competitors.
At December 31, 20122013, we had common shareholders’ equity of $5.35.2 billion, total capital of $6.8 billion and total assets of $18.919.6 billion.
OUR BUSINESS STRATEGY
We are a global insurer and reinsurer, with our mission being to provide our clients and distribution partners with a broad range of risk transfer products and services and meaningful capacity, backed by excellent financial strength. We manage our portfolio holistically, aiming to construct the optimum consolidated portfolio of funded and unfunded risks, consistent with our risk appetite and the development of our franchise. We nurture an ethical, entrepreneurial and disciplined culture that promotes outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and the achievement of superior risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders. We believe that the achievement of our objectives will position us as a leading global, diversified specialty insurance and reinsurance company, as measured by quality, sustainability and profitability.
We aim to execute on the following six-point strategy:
We offer a diversified range of products and services across market segments and geographies: Our position as a well-balanced hybrid insurance and reinsurance company gives us insight into the opportunities and challenges in a variety of markets. With our origins in Bermuda, today we have locations across the U.S. and in Canada, while in Europe we have offices in Dublin, London, and Zurich, and newly established presences in Barcelona, Madrid and Paris. With a recently established reinsurance office in Sao Paulo, weWe are addressing opportunities throughout Latin America.America and have a reinsurance office in Sao Paulo. We also operate a number of offices in Australia and our Singapore branch serves as our gateway to Asia.
We underwrite a balanced portfolio of risks, including complex and volatile lines, moderating overall volatility with risk limits, diversification and risk management: Risk management is a strategic priority embedded in our organizational structure and we are continuously monitoring, reviewing and refining our enterprise risk management practices. We combine judgment and experience with data-driven analysis, enhancing our overall risk selection process.
We modulate our risk appetite and deployment of capital across the underwriting cycle, commensurate with available market opportunities and returns: Closely attuned to market dynamics, we recognize opportunities as they develop and react quickly as new trends emerge. Our risk analytics provide important and continuous feedback, further assisting with the ongoing assessment of our risk appetite and strategic capital deployment. We have excelledbeen successful in extending our product lines, finding new distribution channels and entering new geographies. When we do not find sufficiently attractive uses for our capital, we return excess capital back to our shareholders through share repurchases or dividends.
We develop and maintain deep and trustful relationships with clients and distribution partners, offering outstandinghigh-levels of service and effective solutions for risk management needs: Our management team has extensive industry experience, deep product knowledge and long-standing market relationships. We primarily transact in specialty markets, where risks are complex. Our intellectual capital and proven client-service capability attract clients and distribution partners looking for solutions.
We maintain excellent financial strength, characterized by financial discipline and transparency: Our total capital of $6.8 billion at December 31, 2012,2013, our high-quality and liquid investment portfolio and our operating subsidiary ratings of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A""A+" ("Excellent"Superior") with a positive outlook by A.M. Best are key indicators of our financial strength.
We attract, develop, retain and motivate an excellent team: We aim to attract and retain the best people in the industry and to motivate our employees to make decisions that are in the best interest of both our customers and shareholders. We nurture an ethical, risk-aware, achievement-oriented culture that promotes professionalism, responsibility, integrity, discipline and entrepreneurialism. As a result, we believe that our staff is well-positioned to make the best underwriting and strategic decisions for the Company.
Our key metrics for performance measurement include return on average common equity ("ROACE") and total value creation, which measures the growth in our diluted book value per common share plus accumulated dividends declared.adjusted for dividends. We recognize that the nature of underwriting cycles and the frequency or severity of large loss events in any one year may make it difficult to achieve a profitability target in any specific period and, therefore, we set a ROACE target of 15% over the full underwriting cycle.
SEGMENT INFORMATION
Our underwriting operations are organized around two global underwriting platforms, AXIS Insurance and AXIS Reinsurance. Therefore we have two reportable segments, insurance and reinsurance. We do not allocate our assets by segment, with the exception of goodwill and intangible assets, as we evaluate the underwriting results of each segment separately from the results of our investment portfolio. For additional information relating to our reportable segments, see Note 3 to our Consolidated Financial Statements presented under Item 8, ‘Financial Statements and Supplementary Data’ and ‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations’ under Item 7.
The table below presents gross premiums written in each of our reportable segments for each of the most recent three years.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | $ | 1,916,116 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 1,830,162 |
| | 1,974,324 |
| | 1,834,420 |
| |
| Total | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | $ | 4,096,153 |
| | $ | 3,750,536 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,137,903 |
| | 1,830,162 |
| | 1,974,324 |
| |
| Total | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
Insurance Segment
Lines of Business and Distribution
Our insurance segment operates through offices in Bermuda, the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Singapore and offers specialty insurance products to a variety of niche markets on a worldwide basis. The following are the lines of business in our insurance segment:
Property: provides physical loss or damage, business interruption and machinery breakdown coverage for virtually all types of property, including commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects and onshore energy installations. This line of business consists of both primary and excess risks, some of which are catastrophe-exposed.
Marine: provides coverage for traditional marine classes, including offshore energy, cargo, liability, recreational marine, fine art, specie, hull and war. Offshore energy coverage includes physical damage, business interruption, operators extra expense and liability coverage for all aspects of offshore upstream energy, from exploration and construction through the operation and distribution phases.
Terrorism: provides coverage for physical damage and business interruption of an insured following an act of terrorism.
Aviation: provides hull and liability and specific war coverage primarily for passenger airlines but also for cargo operations, general aviation operations, airports, aviation authorities, security firms and product manufacturers.
Credit and political risk: provides credit and political risk insurance products for banks and corporations. Coverage is provided for a range of risks including sovereign default, credit default, political violence, currency inconvertibility and non-transfer, expropriation, aircraft non-repossession and contract frustration due to political events. The credit insurance coverage is primarily for lenders seeking to mitigate the risk of non-payment from their borrowers in emerging markets. For the credit insurance contracts, it is necessary for the buyer of the insurance (most often a bank) to hold an insured asset (most often an underlying loan) in order to claim compensation under the insurance contract. The traditional political risk coverage provides protection against sovereign actions that result in the impairment of cross-border investments for banks and major corporations (known as “CEND” coverages).
Professional lines: provides coverage for directors’ and officers’ liability, errors and omissions liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, crime, professional indemnity and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions and not-for-profit organizations. This business is predominantly written on a claims-made basis.
Liability: primarily targets primary and low/mid-level excess and umbrella commercial liability risks in the U.S. excess and surplus lines markets. Target industry sectors include construction, manufacturing, transportation and trucking and other services. We also target middle to high excess liability business in the London and Bermuda wholesale markets and primary and excess business in the Canadian marketplace.
Accident & health: includes accidental death, travel insurance and specialty health products for employer and affinity groups, financial institutions, schools and colleges, as well as accident & health reinsurance for catastrophic or per life events on a quota share and/or excess of loss basis, with aggregate and/or per person deductibles.
We produce business primarily through wholesale and retail brokers worldwide. Some of our insurance products are also distributed through managing general agents ("MGAs") and underwriters ("MGUs"). In the U.S., we have the ability to write business on an admitted basis using forms and rates as filed with state insurance regulators and on a non-admitted, or surplus lines, basis providing flexibility in forms and rates, as these are not filed with state regulators. Having non-admitted capability in the U.S. provides the pricing flexibility needed to write non-standard coverages. Substantially all of our insurance business is subject to aggregate limits, in addition to event limits.
Gross premiums written by broker, shown individually where premiums were 10% or more of the total in any of the last three years, were as follows:
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aon | $ | 413,471 |
| | 18 | % | | $ | 397,189 |
| | 19 | % | | $ | 303,264 |
| | 16 | % | |
| Marsh | 427,565 |
| | 19 | % | | 388,834 |
| | 18 | % | | 363,454 |
| | 19 | % | |
| Willis | 217,631 |
| | 9 | % | | 203,011 |
| | 10 | % | | 180,583 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Other brokers | 1,060,864 |
| | 46 | % | | 881,285 |
| | 41 | % | | 844,509 |
| | 44 | % | |
| Managing general agencies and underwriters | 189,950 |
| | 8 | % | | 251,510 |
| | 12 | % | | 224,306 |
| | 12 | % | |
| Total | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,916,116 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aon | $ | 451,158 |
| | 18 | % | | $ | 413,471 |
| | 18 | % | | $ | 397,189 |
| | 19 | % | |
| Marsh | 422,627 |
| | 17 | % | | 427,565 |
| | 19 | % | | 388,834 |
| | 18 | % | |
| Willis | 223,131 |
| | 9 | % | | 217,631 |
| | 9 | % | | 203,011 |
| | 10 | % | |
| Other brokers | 1,230,165 |
| | 48 | % | | 1,060,864 |
| | 46 | % | | 881,285 |
| | 41 | % | |
| Managing general agencies and underwriters | 232,057 |
| | 8 | % | | 189,950 |
| | 8 | % | | 251,510 |
| | 12 | % | |
| Total | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
No customer accounted for more than 10% of the gross premiums written in the insurance segment.
Competitive Environment
We operate in highly competitive markets. In our insurance segment, where competition is focused on price as well as availability, service and other considerations, we compete with U.S.-based companies with global insurance operations, as well as non-U.S. global carriers and indigenous companies in regional and local markets. We believe we achieve a competitive advantage through a strong capital position and the strategic and operational linking of our practices, which allows us to design insurance programs on a global basis in alignment with the global needs of many of our clients.
Reinsurance Segment
Lines of Business and Distribution
Our reinsurance segment operates through offices in Bermuda, the United States, Switzerland, Singapore, Brazil, and Canada. We write business on an excess of loss basis, whereby we typically provide an indemnification to the reinsured entity for a portion of losses, both individually and in the aggregate, in excess of a specified individual or aggregate loss deductible. We also write business on a proportional basis, receiving an agreed percentage of the underlying premium and accepting liability for the same percentage of incurred losses. Our business is written on a treaty basis and primarily produced through reinsurance brokers worldwide.
Our reinsurance segment provides non-life reinsurance to insurance companies on a worldwide basis. The following are the lines of business in our reinsurance segment:
Catastrophe: provides protection for most catastrophic losses that are covered in the underlying insurance policies written by our cedants. The exposure in the underlying policies is principally property exposure but also covers other exposures including workers compensation and personal accident and life.accident. The principal perils in this portfolio are hurricane and windstorm, earthquake, flood, tornado, hail and fire. In some instances, terrorism may be a covered peril or the only peril. We underwrite catastrophe reinsurance principally on an excess of loss basis.
Property: provides coverage for property damage and related losses resulting from natural and man-made perils contained in underlying personal and commercial policies. While our predominant exposure is to property damage, other risks, including business interruption and other non-property losses, may also be covered when arising from a covered peril. While our most significant exposures typically relate to losses from windstorms, tornadoes and earthquakes, we are exposed to other perils such as freezes, riots, floods, industrial explosions, fires, hail and a number of other loss events. We assume business on both a proportional and excess of loss basis.
Professional Lines: covers directors' and officers' liability, employment practices liability, medical malpractice, professional indemnity, environmental liability and miscellaneous errors and omissions insurance risks. The underlying business is predominantly written on a claims-made basis. Business is written on both a proportional and excess of loss basis.
Credit and Bond:Surety: consists of reinsurance of trade credit insurance products and includes both proportional and excess of loss structures. The underlying insurance indemnifies sellers of goods and services in the event of a payment default by the buyer of those goods and services. Also included in this line of business is coverage for losses arising from a broad array of surety bonds issued by insurers to satisfy regulatory demands or contract obligation in a variety of jurisdictions around the world. Bonding is also known as surety insurance.
Motor: provides coverage to cedants for motor liability and property damage losses arising out of any one occurrence. The occurrence can involve one or many claimants where the ceding insurer aggregates the claims from the occurrence.
Liability: provides coverage to insurers of standard casualty business, excess and surplus casualty business and specialty casualty programs. The primary focus of the underlying business is general liability, although workers compensation and auto liability are also written.
Engineering: provides coverage for all types of construction risks and risks associated with erection, testing and commissioning of machinery and plants during the construction stage. This line of business also includes coverage for losses arising from operational failures of machinery, plant and equipment and electronic equipment as well as business interruption.
Other:Agriculture: includes aviation, marine, personal accident and crop reinsurance. Crop reinsurance provides coverage for risks associated with the production of food and fiber on a global basis for primary insurance companies writing multi-peril crop insurance, crop hail, and named peril covers, as well as custom risk transfer mechanisms for agricultural dependent industries with exposures to crop yield and/or price deviations. We provide both proportional and aggregate stop loss reinsurance.
Other: includes aviation, marine, and personal accident reinsurance.
Gross premiums written by broker, shown individually where premiums were 10% or more of the total in any of the last three years, were as follows:
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aon | $ | 712,588 |
| | 39 | % | | $ | 727,102 |
| | 37 | % | | $ | 622,703 |
| | 34 | % | |
| Marsh | 468,993 |
| | 26 | % | | 566,451 |
| | 29 | % | | 547,470 |
| | 30 | % | |
| Willis | 299,097 |
| | 16 | % | | 311,241 |
| | 16 | % | | 305,474 |
| | 16 | % | |
| Other brokers | 212,941 |
| | 12 | % | | 185,632 |
| | 9 | % | | 198,779 |
| | 11 | % | |
| Direct | 136,543 |
| | 7 | % | | 183,898 |
| | 9 | % | | 159,994 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Total | $ | 1,830,162 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,974,324 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,834,420 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aon | $ | 749,751 |
| | 35 | % | | $ | 712,588 |
| | 39 | % | | $ | 727,102 |
| | 37 | % | |
| Marsh | 643,292 |
| | 30 | % | | 468,993 |
| | 26 | % | | 566,451 |
| | 29 | % | |
| Willis | 339,761 |
| | 16 | % | | 299,097 |
| | 16 | % | | 311,241 |
| | 16 | % | |
| Other brokers | 271,458 |
| | 13 | % | | 212,941 |
| | 12 | % | | 185,632 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Direct | 133,641 |
| | 6 | % | | 136,543 |
| | 7 | % | | 183,898 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Total | $ | 2,137,903 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,830,162 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,974,324 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
No customer accounted for more than 10% of the gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.
Competitive Environment
In our reinsurance segment where competition tends to be focused on availability, service, financial strength and, increasingly, price, we compete with major U.S. and non-U.S. reinsurers as well as reinsurance departments of numerous multi-line insurance organizations. Our clients may also acquire reinsurance protection through capital market products such as catastrophe bonds and insurance loss warranties. We believe that we achieve a competitive advantage through our strong capital position, as well as our technical expertise that allows us to respond quickly to customer needs and provide quality and innovative underwriting solutions. In addition, our customers highly value our exemplary service (including excellent claims management, promptly paying valid claims) and financial strength ratings.
RESERVE FOR UNPAID LOSSES AND LOSS EXPENSES
We establish a reserve for losses and loss expenses (“loss reserves”) for claims that arise from our (re)insurance products. These loss reserves are balance sheet liabilities representing management’s best estimate of the amounts we will be required to pay in the future for claims that have occurred on or before the balance sheet date, whether already reported to us (“case reserves”) or not yet reported to us (“IBNR reserves”).
The table on the following page presents the development of our loss reserves since inception. This table does not present accident year or underwriting year development data.
The top line of the table shows our initial reported gross loss reserves at the end of each year and is reconciled to our net unpaid loss reserves by adjusting for reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses. Our net unpaid loss reserves represent the estimated amount of net losses and loss expenses arising in the current year and all prior years that remain unpaid at the balance sheet date.
The next section of the table shows our re-estimated net unpaid loss reserves at the end of each succeeding year. The cumulative redundancies on net reserves reflect cumulative differences between our initial net loss reserve estimates and the currently re-estimated net loss reserves. Annual changes in these estimates are referred to as net prior year reserve development and are recognized in our Consolidated Statements of Operations during the year of the re-estimation; these amounts are the net result of a number of underlying movements, both favorable and adverse.
The lower portion of the table shows the portion of the net unpaid loss reserve estimate that was paid (i.e. claims paid) by the end of each subsequent year. This section of the table provides an indication of the portion of the re-estimated net unpaid loss reserve that is settled and is unlikely to develop in the future.
Our historical net paid losses and loss expenses are but one of many quantitative and qualitative factors considered in establishing the amount of our loss reserves; see the ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses’ section of Item 7 for further information on the establishment of management’s best estimate of loss reserves on a quarterly basis. For additional information regarding the significant underlying movements in our estimate of loss reserves during the most recent three years, refer to the ‘Underwriting Results – Group – Underwriting Expenses’ section of Item 7. Note that the conditions and trends that affected the development of our loss reserves in the past may not necessarily recur in the future. Accordingly, it is not appropriate to project future redundancies based on the historical experience in this table.
Also included in the table is the impact of foreign exchange rate movements during each year presented. Portions of our loss reserves relate to claims expected to be paid in currencies other than our reporting currency, the U.S. dollar. Movements in foreign exchange rates, therefore, result in variations in our estimated net loss reserves. Such variations are recognized as they arise, in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. For example, during the year ended December 31, 20122013, appreciation in the rates of exchange between the Sterling and the euro against the U.S. dollar drove a $716 million increase in our net loss reserves established prior to and during 20122013. To minimize the impact of foreign exchange driven volatility associated with our loss reserves denominated in foreign currencies, we generally hold cash and investments and/or derivative instruments denominated in the same currencies.
At the bottom of the table is a reconciliation of our re-estimated gross loss reserves with our re-estimated net unpaid loss reserves as of December 31, 20122013. As our ceded reinsurance programs cover different lines of business and accident years, net and gross loss experience will not necessarily develop proportionately.
To facilitate an understanding of the information provided in the table, the following is an example using net loss reserves established at December 31, 2005.2006. It can be seen from the top section of the table that at December 31, 2005,2006, our estimate of loss reserves, net of unpaid reinsurance recoverable, was $3,2703,704 million.
The next section of the table shows that our current estimate of net unpaid loss reserves for events occurring on or before December 31, 20052006 is $2,3292,290 million. The cumulative redundancy from our initial estimate of $9411,414 million was recognized over the course of the following seven calendar years: $217 million in 2006, $115$337 million in 2007, $188$291 million in 2008, $221$303 million in 2009, $100$197 million in 2010, $64$131 million in 2011, $68 million in 2012 and the remaining $36$87 million in 2012.2013.
The following section of the table presents our cumulative claims paid at the end of each subsequent year. Of the net $1,9791,772 million we have paid subsequent to December 31, 2005, $880 million was paid in 2006, $413$636 million was paid in 2007, $208$363 million was paid in 2008, $270$357 million in 2009, $102$158 million in 2010, $58$112 million in 2011, $81 million in 2012 and the remaining $48$66 million in 2012.2013.
In summary, at December 31, 2005,2006, we estimated our net loss reserves payable for claims arising from loss events occurring on or before that date were $3,270 million.$3,704 million. At December 31, 20122013, we have paid $1,9791,772 million towards settlement of these claims and now believe that we will ultimately pay $2,3292,290 million for full settlement.
It is important to note that the redundancies in our loss reserves noted in the table are cumulative and, therefore, should not be added together. In 2012,2013, we revised our cumulative December 31, 20052006 estimate of net loss reserves from $2,3662,377 million to
$2,3292,290 million. This favorable development is also included in each column to the right of the December 31, 20052006 column, recognizing that the redundancy was also embedded in our estimated loss reserves at December 31 of each of the following years.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year ended December 31, | |
| | 2002 | | 2003 | | 2004 | | 2005 | | 2006 | | 2007 | | 2008 | | 2009 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2012 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross reserves for losses and loss expenses | $ | 215,934 |
| | $ | 992,846 |
| | $ | 2,404,560 |
| | $ | 4,743,338 |
| | $ | 5,015,113 |
| | $ | 5,587,311 |
| | $ | 6,244,783 |
| | $ | 6,564,133 |
| | $ | 7,032,375 |
| | $ | 8,425,045 |
| | $ | 9,058,731 |
| |
| Reinsurance recoverable | (1,703 | ) | | (124,899 | ) | | (564,314 | ) | | (1,473,241 | ) | | (1,310,904 | ) | | (1,297,539 | ) | | (1,314,551 | ) | | (1,381,058 | ) | | (1,540,633 | ) | | (1,736,823 | ) | | (1,825,617 | ) | |
| Net reserves for unpaid losses and loss expenses | 214,231 |
| | 867,947 |
| | 1,840,246 |
| | 3,270,097 |
| | 3,704,209 |
| | 4,289,772 |
| | 4,930,232 |
| | 5,183,075 |
| | 5,491,742 |
| | 6,688,222 |
| | 7,233,114 |
| |
| Net reserves re-estimated as of: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 Year later | $ | 158,443 |
| | $ | 686,235 |
| | $ | 1,457,250 |
| | $ | 3,053,561 |
| | $ | 3,367,232 |
| | $ | 3,913,485 |
| | $ | 4,507,061 |
| | $ | 4,870,020 |
| | $ | 5,234,281 |
| | $ | 6,443,382 |
| | | |
| 2 Years later | 141,290 |
| | 539,110 |
| | 1,179,851 |
| | 2,938,734 |
| | 3,076,025 |
| | 3,533,313 |
| | 4,235,219 |
| | 4,623,109 |
| | 5,018,121 |
| | | | | |
| 3 Years later | 109,711 |
| | 434,221 |
| | 1,080,083 |
| | 2,750,476 |
| | 2,773,158 |
| | 3,281,011 |
| | 4,007,046 |
| | 4,440,229 |
| | | | | | | |
| 4 Years later | 97,981 |
| | 386,029 |
| | 962,910 |
| | 2,529,259 |
| | 2,576,226 |
| | 3,074,010 |
| | 3,841,717 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 5 Years later | 96,864 |
| | 347,544 |
| | 889,190 |
| | 2,429,724 |
| | 2,445,150 |
| | 2,957,939 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 Years later | 96,179 |
| | 326,729 |
| | 863,225 |
| | 2,365,515 |
| | 2,376,807 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 Years later | 92,517 |
| | 315,548 |
| | 839,214 |
| | 2,328,729 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 Years later | 89,664 |
| | 312,628 |
| | 823,131 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 Years later | 89,218 |
| | 303,022 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 Years later | 87,818 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cumulative redundancy on net reserves | $ | 126,413 |
| | $ | 564,925 |
| | $ | 1,017,115 |
| | $ | 941,368 |
| | $ | 1,327,402 |
| | $ | 1,331,833 |
| | $ | 1,088,515 |
| | $ | 742,846 |
| | $ | 473,621 |
| | $ | 244,840 |
| | | |
| Cumulative net paid losses as of: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 Year later | $ | 47,838 |
| | $ | 108,547 |
| | $ | 291,695 |
| | $ | 880,120 |
| | $ | 636,266 |
| | $ | 615,717 |
| | $ | 982,036 |
| | $ | 1,042,890 |
| | $ | 953,035 |
| | $ | 1,299,384 |
| | | |
| 2 Years later | 56,781 |
| | 169,853 |
| | 432,963 |
| | 1,292,738 |
| | 999,280 |
| | 1,147,990 |
| | 1,539,713 |
| | 1,592,741 |
| | 1,601,082 |
| | | | | |
| 3 Years later | 66,569 |
| | 202,136 |
| | 511,325 |
| | 1,500,652 |
| | 1,355,821 |
| | 1,461,494 |
| | 1,936,555 |
| | 2,002,373 |
| | | | | | | |
| 4 Years later | 63,835 |
| | 221,644 |
| | 574,874 |
| | 1,771,039 |
| | 1,513,350 |
| | 1,655,688 |
| | 2,221,221 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 5 Years later | 72,323 |
| | 245,978 |
| | 615,920 |
| | 1,873,052 |
| | 1,625,423 |
| | 1,807,075 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 Years later | 80,099 |
| | 254,676 |
| | 650,110 |
| | 1,930,682 |
| | 1,705,987 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 Years later | 81,130 |
| | 263,412 |
| | 677,351 |
| | 1,979,439 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 Years later | 83,276 |
| | 269,909 |
| | 698,846 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 Years later | 83,272 |
| | 276,406 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 Years later | 83,409 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Impact of foreign exchange and other | $ | 961 |
| | $ | 3,240 |
| | $ | 4,664 |
| | $ | (13,329 | ) | | $ | 23,581 |
| | $ | 28,588 |
| | $ | (133,345 | ) | | $ | 82,018 |
| | $ | (25,282 | ) | | $ | (16,462 | ) | | $ | 71,084 |
| |
| Gross reserve for losses and loss expenses re-estimated | $ | 108,876 |
| | $ | 403,629 |
| | $ | 1,337,487 |
| | $ | 3,685,924 |
| | $ | 3,495,268 |
| | $ | 4,011,136 |
| | $ | 5,022,880 |
| | $ | 5,760,003 |
| | $ | 6,517,188 |
| | $ | 8,110,259 |
| | | |
| Reinsurance recoverable re-estimated | (21,058 | ) | | (100,607 | ) | | (514,356 | ) | | (1,357,195 | ) | | (1,118,461 | ) | | (1,053,197 | ) | | (1,181,163 | ) | | (1,319,774 | ) | | (1,499,067 | ) | | (1,666,877 | ) | | | |
| Net reserve for unpaid losses and loss expenses re-estimated | 87,818 |
| | 303,022 |
| | 823,131 |
| | 2,328,729 |
| | 2,376,807 |
| | 2,957,939 |
| | 3,841,717 |
| | 4,440,229 |
| | 5,018,121 |
| | 6,443,382 |
| | | |
| Cumulative redundancy on gross reserve | $ | 107,058 |
| | $ | 589,217 |
| | $ | 1,067,073 |
| | $ | 1,057,414 |
| | $ | 1,519,845 |
| | $ | 1,576,175 |
| | $ | 1,221,903 |
| | $ | 804,130 |
| | $ | 515,187 |
| | $ | 314,786 |
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year ended December 31, | |
| | 2003 | | 2004 | | 2005 | | 2006 | | 2007 | | 2008 | | 2009 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2012 | | 2013 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross reserves for losses and loss expenses | $ | 992,846 |
| | $ | 2,404,560 |
| | $ | 4,743,338 |
| | $ | 5,015,113 |
| | $ | 5,587,311 |
| | $ | 6,244,783 |
| | $ | 6,564,133 |
| | $ | 7,032,375 |
| | $ | 8,425,045 |
| | $ | 9,058,731 |
| | $ | 9,582,140 |
| |
| Reinsurance recoverable | (124,899 | ) | | (564,314 | ) | | (1,473,241 | ) | | (1,310,904 | ) | | (1,297,539 | ) | | (1,314,551 | ) | | (1,381,058 | ) | | (1,540,633 | ) | | (1,736,823 | ) | | (1,825,617 | ) | | (1,900,112 | ) | |
| Net reserves for unpaid losses and loss expenses | 867,947 |
| | 1,840,246 |
| | 3,270,097 |
| | 3,704,209 |
| | 4,289,772 |
| | 4,930,232 |
| | 5,183,075 |
| | 5,491,742 |
| | 6,688,222 |
| | 7,233,114 |
| | 7,682,028 |
| |
| Net reserves re-estimated as of: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 Year later | $ | 686,235 |
| | $ | 1,457,250 |
| | $ | 3,053,561 |
| | $ | 3,367,232 |
| | $ | 3,913,485 |
| | $ | 4,507,061 |
| | $ | 4,870,020 |
| | $ | 5,234,281 |
| | $ | 6,443,382 |
| | $ | 7,013,678 |
| | | |
| 2 Years later | 539,110 |
| | 1,179,851 |
| | 2,938,734 |
| | 3,076,025 |
| | 3,533,313 |
| | 4,235,219 |
| | 4,623,109 |
| | 5,018,121 |
| | 6,226,591 |
| | | | | |
| 3 Years later | 434,221 |
| | 1,080,083 |
| | 2,750,476 |
| | 2,773,158 |
| | 3,281,011 |
| | 4,007,046 |
| | 4,440,229 |
| | 4,797,981 |
| | | | | | | |
| 4 Years later | 386,029 |
| | 962,910 |
| | 2,529,259 |
| | 2,576,226 |
| | 3,074,010 |
| | 3,841,717 |
| | 4,285,709 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 5 Years later | 347,544 |
| | 889,190 |
| | 2,429,724 |
| | 2,445,150 |
| | 2,957,939 |
| | 3,685,823 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 Years later | 326,729 |
| | 863,225 |
| | 2,365,515 |
| | 2,376,807 |
| | 2,820,852 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 Years later | 315,548 |
| | 839,214 |
| | 2,328,729 |
| | 2,290,277 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 Years later | 312,628 |
| | 823,131 |
| | 2,278,338 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 Years later | 303,022 |
| | 799,502 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 Years later | 299,957 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cumulative redundancy on net reserves | $ | 567,990 |
| | $ | 1,040,744 |
| | $ | 991,759 |
| | $ | 1,413,932 |
| | $ | 1,468,920 |
| | $ | 1,244,409 |
| | $ | 897,366 |
| | $ | 693,761 |
| | $ | 461,631 |
| | $ | 219,436 |
| | | |
| Cumulative net paid losses as of: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1 Year later | $ | 108,547 |
| | $ | 291,695 |
| | $ | 880,120 |
| | $ | 636,266 |
| | $ | 615,717 |
| | $ | 982,036 |
| | $ | 1,042,890 |
| | $ | 953,035 |
| | $ | 1,299,384 |
| | $ | 1,373,459 |
| | | |
| 2 Years later | 169,853 |
| | 432,963 |
| | 1,292,738 |
| | 999,280 |
| | 1,147,990 |
| | 1,539,713 |
| | 1,592,741 |
| | 1,601,082 |
| | 2,187,024 |
| | | | | |
| 3 Years later | 202,136 |
| | 511,325 |
| | 1,500,652 |
| | 1,355,821 |
| | 1,461,494 |
| | 1,936,555 |
| | 2,002,373 |
| | 2,061,667 |
| | | | | | | |
| 4 Years later | 221,644 |
| | 574,874 |
| | 1,771,039 |
| | 1,513,350 |
| | 1,655,688 |
| | 2,221,221 |
| | 2,301,915 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| 5 Years later | 245,978 |
| | 615,920 |
| | 1,873,052 |
| | 1,625,423 |
| | 1,807,075 |
| | 2,424,791 |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 Years later | 254,676 |
| | 650,110 |
| | 1,930,682 |
| | 1,705,987 |
| | 1,928,489 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 Years later | 263,412 |
| | 677,351 |
| | 1,979,439 |
| | 1,772,037 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 Years later | 269,909 |
| | 698,846 |
| | 2,026,100 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 Years later | 276,406 |
| | 706,010 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 Years later | 276,614 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Impact of foreign exchange and other | $ | 3,240 |
| | $ | 4,664 |
| | $ | (13,329 | ) | | $ | 23,581 |
| | $ | 28,588 |
| | $ | (133,345 | ) | | $ | 82,018 |
| | $ | (25,282 | ) | | $ | (16,462 | ) | | $ | 71,084 |
| | $ | 6,184 |
| |
| Gross reserve for losses and loss expenses re-estimated | $ | 399,394 |
| | $ | 1,309,725 |
| | $ | 3,624,917 |
| | $ | 3,384,444 |
| | $ | 3,840,572 |
| | $ | 4,826,626 |
| | $ | 5,555,183 |
| | $ | 6,208,102 |
| | $ | 7,808,233 |
| | $ | 8,788,740 |
| | | |
| Reinsurance recoverable re-estimated | (99,437 | ) | | (510,223 | ) | | (1,346,579 | ) | | (1,094,167 | ) | | (1,019,720 | ) | | (1,140,803 | ) | | (1,269,474 | ) | | (1,410,121 | ) | | (1,581,642 | ) | | (1,775,062 | ) | | | |
| Net reserve for unpaid losses and loss expenses re-estimated | 299,957 |
| | 799,502 |
| | 2,278,338 |
| | 2,290,277 |
| | 2,820,852 |
| | 3,685,823 |
| | 4,285,709 |
| | 4,797,981 |
| | 6,226,591 |
| | 7,013,678 |
| | | |
| Cumulative redundancy on gross reserve | $ | 593,452 |
| | $ | 1,094,835 |
| | $ | 1,118,421 |
| | $ | 1,630,669 |
| | $ | 1,746,739 |
| | $ | 1,418,157 |
| | $ | 1,008,950 |
| | $ | 824,273 |
| | $ | 616,812 |
| | $ | 269,991 |
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
CASH AND INVESTMENTS
We seek to balance the investment portfolios’ objectives of (1) increasing book value with (2) the generation of relatively stable investment income, while providing sufficient liquidity to meet our claims and other obligations. Liquidity needs arising from potential claims are of primary importance and are considered in asset class participation and the asset allocation process. Intermediate maturity investment grade fixed income securities have duration characteristics similar to our expected claim payouts and are, therefore, central to our investment portfolio’s asset allocation. At December 31, 20122013, the duration of our fixed maturities portfolio was approximately 3 years, which approximates the estimated duration of our net insurance liabilities.
To diversify risk and optimize the growth in our book value, we may invest in other asset classes such as equity securities, high yield securities and alternative investments (e.g. hedge funds) which provide higher potential total rates of return. Such individual investment classes involve varying degrees of risk, including the potential for more volatile returns and reduced liquidity. However, as part of a balanced portfolio, they also provide diversification from interest rate and credit risk.
With regard to our investment portfolio, we utilize third party investment managers for security selection and trade execution functions, subject to our guidelines and objectives for each asset class. This enables us to actively manage our investment portfolio with access to top talents specializing in various products and markets. We select the managers based on various criteria including investment style, performance history and corporate governance. Additionally, we monitor approved investment asset classes for each subsidiary through analysis of our operating environment, including expected volatility of cash flows, overall capital position, regulatory and rating agency considerations. The Finance Committee of our Board of Directors approves our overall group asset allocation targets and investment policy to ensure that they are consistent with our overall goals, strategies and objectives. We also have an Investment and Finance Committee, comprising senior management, which oversees the implementation of our investment strategy.
For additional information regarding the investment portfolio refer to the ‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Cash and Investments’ section under Item 7 and Note 5 – Investments to our Consolidated Financial Statements presented under Item 8.
Refer to ‘Risk and Capital Management’ for details relating to the management of our investment risk.
RISK AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
Risk management framework – Overview
Mission and objectives
The mission of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) at AXIS is to promptly identify, measure, report and monitor risks that affect the achievement of our strategic, operational and financial objectives. The key objectives of our risk management framework are to:
Protect our capital base and earnings by monitoring our risks against our stated risk tolerances;
Promote a sound risk management culture through disciplined and informed risk taking;
Enhance value creation and contribute to an optimal risk-return profile by providing the basis for efficient capital deployment;
Support our group-wide decision making process by providing reliable and timely risk information; and
Safeguard AXIS’s reputation.
Risk governance
At the heart of our risk management framework is a governance process with responsibilities for taking, managing, monitoring and reporting risks. We articulate the roles and responsibilities for risk management throughout the organization, from the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer to our business and functional areas, thus embedding risk management throughout the business (see ‘Risk Governance and Risk Management Organization’ section).
To support our governance process, we rely on our documented policies and guidelines. Our Risk Standards specify our principles, risk appetite and tolerances for managing individual and aggregate risks. We also have procedures to approve exceptions and procedures for referring risk issues to senior management and the Board of Directors. Our qualitative and quantitative risk reporting framework provides transparency and early warning indicators to senior management with regard to our overall risk profile, adherence to risk tolerances and improvement actions both at an operating entity and Group level.
Various governance and control bodies (such as Management Audit Committees) coordinate to help to ensure that objectives are being achieved, risks are identified and appropriately managed and internal controls are in place and operating effectively.
Internal capital model
An important aspect to our risk management framework is our internal capital model. Utilizing this modeling framework provides us with a holistic view of the capital we put at risk in any year by allowing us to understand the relative interaction among the risks impacting us. This integrated approach recognizes that a single risk factor can affect different sub-portfolios and that different risk factors can have different mutual dependencies. We attempt to continually review and strengthen the capabilities, functionality and user benefits of our internal capital model framework as our business, risk landscape and external environment continue to evolve.
As well as being used to measure capital adequacy (see ‘Capital Management’ section), our internal capital model is used as a tool in managing our business and for strategic planning via capital allocations and through to portfolio monitoring, investment asset allocations and transaction evaluations.
Risk diversification
As a global (re)insurer offering a variety of products across different businesses, diversification is a key component of our business model and risk framework. Diversification enhances our ability to manage our risks by limiting the impact of a single event and contributing to relatively stable long-term results and general risk profile. The degree to which the diversification effect can be realized depends not only on the correlation between risks but also the level of relative concentration of those risks. Therefore, our aim is to maintain a balanced risk profile without any disproportionately large risks. Our internal capital model considers the level of correlation and diversification between individual risks and we
measure concentration risk consistently across our business units in terms of pre and post diversified internal risk capital requirements.
Risk appetite and limit framework
Our integrated risk management framework considers material risks in our business either from investments, underwriting or in our operations across the world. Large risks that might accumulate and have the potential to produce substantial losses are subject to our global risk appetite and limit framework. Our risk appetite, as authorized by our Board of Directors, represents the amount of risk that we are willing to accept within the constraints imposed by our capital resources as well as the expectations of our stakeholders as to the type of risk we hold within our business. At an annual aggregated level, we manage our total risk exposure so that the potential financial loss from all risks in any one year (at a group and operating entity level) is unlikely to exceed a defined percentage of our total capital at different return periods.
Specific risk limits are defined and translated into a consistent framework across our identified risk categories and across our operating entities, and are intended to limit the impact of individual risk types or accumulations of risk. Individual limits are established through an iterative process to ensure that the overall framework complies with our group-wide requirements on capital adequacy and risk accumulation.
We monitor risk, through, for example, risk dashboards and limit consumption reports. These are intended to allow us to detect potential deviations from our internal risk limits at an early stage.
External perspectives
Various external stakeholders, among them regulators, rating agencies, investors and accounting bodies, are placing increasing emphasis on the importance of sound risk management in our industry.
Evolving regulatory regimes, such as Solvency II in the European Union (“EU”) and the equivalent framework in Bermuda, emphasize a risk-based and economic approach, based on comprehensive quantitative and qualitative assessments and reports. Our internal capital model framework, while incorporating our internal approach to managing risks, also reflects our current interpretation of the evolving Solvency II and related standards.
Risk governance and risk management organization
The key elements of our governance framework, as it relates specifically to risk management, are described below.
Board of Directors’ Level
Our Board of Directors has oversight responsibility for the Group’s risk management. It approves any changes to the guidelines and key principles of our risk framework. The Risk Committee of our Board (‘Risk Committee’) which serves as a focal point for this oversight, recommends to the Board any changes to the Group’s risk tolerances, reviews the measurement of adherence to these, monitors the aggregation of risk, and reviews topkey risk issues and exposures. The Risk Committee further reviews the Group’s general risk policies and procedures to satisfy itself that effective systems of risk management have been established and are maintained.
The Risk Committee assesses the independence and objectivity of our Group Risk Management function (‘Group Risk’), approves its terms of reference and reviews its ongoing activities. The Risk Committee receives regular reports from Group Risk and assesses whether significant risk issues are being addressed by management.
The Finance Committee of our Board oversees the Group’s investment of funds and adequacy of financing facilities. This includes approval of the Group’s strategic asset allocation plan. The Risk Committee ensures compliance with the Group’s risk framework. The Audit Committee of our Board, which is supported by our internal audit function, is responsible for overseeing internal controls and compliance procedures and also reviews with management and the Chairman of the Risk Committee the Group’s guidelines and policies regarding risk assessment and risk management.
Group executive level
Our management Executive Committee formulates our business objectives and risk strategy within the overall risk appetite set by our Board. It allocates capital resources and limits across the Group, with the objective of balancing return and risk. While the management Executive Committee is responsible overall for risk management, it has delegated some authority to various committees. Three Executive level committees focus on the Group’s risk exposure:
Our Risk Management Committee (RMC) has responsibility for reviewing the allocation of capital, approving individual risk limits and determining changes to our internal risk capital methodology. The RMC also reviews new business plans in the context of our risk framework and defined risk appetite. Further, the RMC reviews and advises management with respect to certain individual transactions in accordance with the quantitative and qualitative criteria outlined in our business referral guidelines.
Our Investment & Finance Committee oversees the Group’s investment activities by, among other things, monitoring market risks, the performance of our investment managers and the Group’s asset-liability management, liquidity positions and investment policies and guidelines. The Investment & Finance Committee also prepares the Group’s strategic asset allocation and presents it to the Finance Committee of the Board for approval.
Our Reinsurance Security Committee (RSC) sets out the financial security requirements of our reinsurance counterparties and recommends tolerance levels for different types of ceded business.
Group risk management organization
As a general principle, management in each of our business units is responsible in the first instance for both the risks and returns of its decisions. Management is the ‘owner’ of risk management processes and is responsible for managing our business within defined risk tolerances.
Our Chief Risk Officer leads our independent Group Risk function, which is responsible for oversight of risk taking activity across the Group and providing guidance and support for risk management practices. Group Risk is responsible for developing methods and processes for identifying, measuring, managing and reporting risk. This forms the basis for informing the Risk Committee and RMC of the Group’s risk profile. Group Risk develops our risk management framework and oversees the adherence to this framework at the Group and operating entity level. Our Chief Risk Officer regularly reports risk matters to the Chief Executive Officer, management Executive Committee and the Risk Committee.
Our global risk management network also includes Risk Officers within our business units and investment department. These local risk units, which have regular and close interaction with Group Risk, assist with embedding the risk management framework into our business.
Internal Audit, an independent, objective function, reports to the Audit Committee of the Board on the effectiveness of our risk management framework. This includes assurance that key business risks have been adequately identified and managed appropriately and that our system of internal control is operating effectively. Internal audit also provides an independent validation of our internal capital model and coordinates risk-based audits, compliance reviews, and other specific initiatives to evaluate and address risk within targeted areas of our business.
Our risk governance structure is further complemented by our Legal Department which seeks to mitigate legal and regulatory compliance risks with support from other departments. This includes ensuring that significant developments in law and regulations are observed and that we react appropriately to impending legislative changes and applicable court rulings.
Risk Landscape
Our risk landscape comprises strategic, insurance, credit, market, operational, liquidity and other risks that arise as a result of doing business. We provide definitions of these risk categories in the following sections as well as our related risk management. Across these risk categories, we identify and evaluate emerging threats and opportunities through a systemic framework that includes the assessment of potential surprise factors that could affect known loss potentials.
Strategic Risk
Strategic risk is the risk of loss arising from our inability to pursue an opportunity, implement appropriate business plans or adapt to changes in the external environment. We assess any strategic action in the context of our risk framework by reviewing the impact of the strategy, including any incremental risk, prior to the action taking place. Additionally, what we learn about risk through our monitoring, reporting and control processes provides important feedback in terms of reevaluating our risks and, therefore, reevaluating our business strategy.
We undertake a strategic business planning process on an annual basis which is overseen by our management Executive Committee, business unit leadership and our Board of Directors. Our internal capital model provides an input into this process by providing an assessment as to whether our prospective business and investment strategies are in line with our defined risk appetite and objectives, at both the group and operating entity level. The model also provides a basis for optimizing our risk-return profile by providing consistent risk measurement across the Group. The model outputs are reviewed and supplemented with management’s judgment and business experience and expertise.
We specifically evaluate the risks of potential merger and acquisition transactions both from a quantitative and qualitative perspective. We conduct risk assessments of merger and acquisition transactions to evaluate risks specifically related to the integration of acquiring a business. Additionally, we have governance procedures in place to review and approve potential new initiatives within our existing businesses in order to evaluate whether the risks are well understood and justified by the potential rewards.
Insurance Risk
Insurance risk is the inherent uncertainty as to the occurrence, amount and timing of insurance liabilities transferred to us through the underwriting process.
Since our inception in 2001, we have expanded our international underwriting presence, with offices in Bermuda, the U.S., Europe, Singapore, Canada, Latin America and Australia. Our disciplined underwriting approach coupled with a group-wide peer review process has enabled us to manage this growth in a controlled and consistent manner.
A critical element of our management of insurance risk is our peer review process which allows us to monitor market conditions and aggregations risk-by-risk, at the highest levels within the Group. Underwriting is also conducted in accordance with other protocols, including underwriting guidelines which provide a framework for consistent pricing and risk analysis and ensuring alignment to our risk appetite. Our business units set limits on underwriting capacity, and cascade authority to individuals based on their specific expertise.
We also have significant audit coverage across our business units, including Management Initiated Audits (“MIAs”). MIAs are audits of underwriting and claims files performed by teams independent of those who originated the transactions, the purpose of which is to test the robustness of our underwriting, claims and operating processes and to recognize any early indicators of future trends in our operational risk.
Reinsurance purchasing
Another key component of our mitigation of insurance risk is the purchase of reinsurance on both a treaty (covering a portfolio of risks) and facultative (single risk) basis. We primarily purchase reinsurance within AXIS Insurance, on both our short and long tail lines of business.
For treaty reinsurance, we purchase both proportional and non-proportional cover. Under proportional reinsurance, we cede an agreed proportion of the premiums and the losses and loss adjustment expenses on the policies we underwrite. We primarily use proportional reinsurance on our liability and professional lines portfolio, whereby we protect against higher loss frequency rather than specific events. We also use non-proportional reinsurance, whereby losses up to a certain amount (i.e. our retention) are borne by us. Using non-proportional reinsurance we can limit our liability with a retention which reflects our willingness and ability to bear risk, and therefore in line with our risk appetite. We primarily purchase the following forms of non-proportional reinsurance:
Excess of loss per risk – the reinsurer indemnifies us for loss amounts of all individual policies effected, defined in the treaty terms and conditions. Per risk treaties are an effective means of risk mitigation against large single losses (e.g. a large fire claim).
Catastrophe excess of loss – provides aggregate loss cover for our insurance portfolio against the accumulation of losses incurred from a single event (e.g. windstorm).
We have a centralized Ceded Reinsurance department which coordinates external treaty reinsurance purchasing across the Group and is overseen by our Reinsurance Purchasing Group (RPG), in conjunction with the RSC. The RPG, which includes among others, our Chief Executive, Officer,Chief Financial. Chief Actuarial and Chief Risk Officer andOfficers as well as business unit leadership, approves each treaty placement, and aims to ensure that appropriate diversification exists within our counterparty panels.
Facultative reinsurance is case by case risk transfer which we may also use to complement treaty reinsurance by covering additional risks above and beyond what is already covered in treaties. Facultative reinsurance is monitored through our peer review processes.
Natural peril catastrophe risk
Natural catastrophes such as earthquakes, storms and floods represent a challenge for risk management due to their accumulation potential and occurrence volatility. In managing natural catastrophe risk, our internal risk tolerance framework aims to limit both the loss of capital due to a single event and the loss of capital that would occur from multiple (but perhaps smaller events) in any year. Within this framework, we have an established risk tolerance for single event, single zone probable maximum loss (PML) within defined zones and at various return periods. For example, at the 1-in-250 year return period, we are not willing to expose more than 25% of our prior quarter-end common-equity from a single event within a single zone.
The table below shows our mean PML net estimates for certain defined single zones which correspond to peak industry catastrophe exposures at January 1, 20132014 and 20122013:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At January 1, (in millions of U.S. dollars) | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| Single zone/single event | | Perils | 50 Year Return Period | | 100 Year Return Period | | 250 Year Return Period | | 50 Year Return Period | | 100 Year Return Period | | 250 Year Return Period | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Southeast | | U.S. Hurricane | $ | 500 |
| | $ | 714 |
| | $ | 955 |
| | $ | 488 |
| | $ | 689 |
| | $ | 981 |
| |
| Northeast | | U.S. Hurricane | 53 |
| | 200 |
| | 446 |
| | 100 |
| | 324 |
| | 631 |
| |
| Mid-Atlantic | | U.S. Hurricane | 123 |
| | 400 |
| | 875 |
| | 190 |
| | 485 |
| | 1,014 |
| |
| Gulf of Mexico | | U.S. Hurricane | 336 |
| | 500 |
| | 831 |
| | 334 |
| | 457 |
| | 743 |
| |
| California | | Earthquake | 412 |
| | 590 |
| | 889 |
| | 435 |
| | 625 |
| | 971 |
| |
| Europe | | Windstorm | 308 |
| | 414 |
| | 520 |
| | 242 |
| | 355 |
| | 538 |
| |
| Japan | | Earthquake | 246 |
| | 336 |
| | 547 |
| | 188 |
| | 296 |
| | 565 |
| |
| Japan | | Windstorm | 75 |
| | 144 |
| | 201 |
| | 74 |
| | 121 |
| | 144 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At January 1, (in millions of U.S. dollars) | 2014 | | 2013 | |
| Single zone/single event | | Perils | 50 Year Return Period | | 100 Year Return Period | | 250 Year Return Period | | 50 Year Return Period | | 100 Year Return Period | | 250 Year Return Period | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Southeast | | U.S. Hurricane | $ | 502 |
| | $ | 705 |
| | $ | 887 |
| | $ | 500 |
| | $ | 714 |
| | $ | 955 |
| |
| Northeast | | U.S. Hurricane | 60 |
| | 206 |
| | 403 |
| | 53 |
| | 200 |
| | 446 |
| |
| Mid-Atlantic | | U.S. Hurricane | 107 |
| | 361 |
| | 772 |
| | 123 |
| | 400 |
| | 875 |
| |
| Gulf of Mexico | | U.S. Hurricane | 338 |
| | 507 |
| | 786 |
| | 336 |
| | 500 |
| | 831 |
| |
| California | | Earthquake | 352 |
| | 479 |
| | 558 |
| | 412 |
| | 590 |
| | 889 |
| |
| Europe | | Windstorm | 264 |
| | 371 |
| | 479 |
| | 308 |
| | 414 |
| | 520 |
| |
| Japan | | Earthquake | 216 |
| | 284 |
| | 482 |
| | 246 |
| | 336 |
| | 547 |
| |
| Japan | | Windstorm | 68 |
| | 126 |
| | 172 |
| | 75 |
| | 144 |
| | 201 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The return period refers to the frequency with which losses of a given amount or greater are expected to occur. A zone is a geographic area in which the insurance risks are considered to be correlated to a single catastrophic event. Estimated losses from a modeled event are grouped into a single zone, as shown above, based on where the majority of the total estimated industry loss is expected to occur. In managing zonal concentrations, we aim to ensure that the geography of single events is suitably captured, but distinct enough that they track specific types of events. For example, our definition of Southeast wind encompasses five states, including Florida, while our definition of Gulf Wind encompasses four states, including Texas.
Our PMLs take into account the fact that an event may trigger claims in a number of lines of business. For instance, our U.S. hurricane modeling includes the estimated pre-tax impact to our financial results arising from our catastrophe, property, engineering, energy, marine and aviation lines of business. Our PMLs include assumptions regarding the location, size and magnitude of an event, the frequency of events, the construction type and a property’s susceptibility to damage, and the cost of rebuilding the property. Loss estimates for non-U.S. zones will be subject to foreign exchange rates, although we may mitigate this currency variability from a book value point of view.
As indicated in the table above, our modeled single occurrence 1-in-100 year return period PML for a Southeast U.S. hurricane, net of reinsurance, is approximately $0.7 billion. According to our modeling, there is a one percent chance that on an annual basis, our losses incurred from a Southeast hurricane event could be in excess of $0.7 billion. Conversely, there is a 99% chance that on an annual basis, the loss from a Southeast hurricane will fall below $0.7 billion.
We have developed our PML estimates using multiple commercially available vendor models, including AIR and RMS (which we also use for pricing catastrophe risk). These models cover the major peril regions where we face potential exposure. We perform ongoing model validation on the vendor models, both within our business units and through our catastrophe model validation unit. These validation procedures include sensitivity testing of models to understand their key variables and, where possible, back testing model outputs to actual results. We combine the outputs of catastrophe models with our estimate of non-modeled perils and other factors which we believe, from our experience, provides us with a more complete view of catastrophe risk.
Our PML estimates are based on assumptions that are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. These uncertainties and contingencies can affect actual losses and could cause actual losses to differ materially from those expressed above. We aim to reduce the potential for model error in a number of ways, the most important of which is by ensuring that management’s judgment supplements the model outputs. We also perform ongoing model validation both within our business units and through our catastrophe model validation unit. These validation procedures include sensitivity testing of models to understand their key variables and, where possible, back testing the model outputs to actual results.
Our estimated net losses from peak zone catastrophes may change from period to period as a result of several factors, which include but are not limited to, updates to vendor catastrophe models, changes in our own modeling, changes in our underwriting portfolios, changes to our reinsurance purchasing strategy and changes in foreign exchange rates. During 2012,Our natural catastrophe PMLs in major zones have generally reduced in the last twelve months as we reshaped our PMLs changed moderately within certain regions, mostly reflectingoverall natural catastrophe portfolio through both underwriting decisions and reinsurance/retrocession purchases including the repositioningissuance of our portfolio.a catastrophe bond (see‘Underwriting Results – Group’ under Item 7).
Man-made catastrophe risk
Similar to our management of natural peril catastrophe exposures, we also take a similar focused and analytical approach to our management of man-made catastrophes. Man-made catastrophes, which include such risks as train collisions, airplane crashes, hotel fires or terrorism, are harder to model in terms of assumptions regarding intensity and frequency. For these risks we couple the vendor models (where available) with our bespoke modeling and underwriting judgment and expertise. This allows us to take advantage of business opportunities relating to man-made catastrophe exposures particularly where we can measure and limit the risk sufficiently as well as obtain risk-adequate pricing.
As an example of our approach, our assessment of terrorism risk is based on a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data (e.g. for estimating property damage, business interruption, mortality and morbidity subsequent to an attack of a predefined magnitude), which we use to control, limit and manage our aggregate terrorism exposure. We use commercially available vendor modeling and bespoke modeling tools to measure accumulations around potential terrorism accumulation zones on a deterministic and probabilistic basis. We supplement the results of our modeling with underwriting judgment.
Reserving risk
Our loss reserving process demands data quality and reliability and requires a quantitative and qualitative review of both our overall reserves and individual large claims. Within a structured control framework, claims information is communicated on a regular basis throughout our organization, including to senior management, to provide an increased awareness regarding the losses that have taken place throughout the insurance markets. The detailed and analytical reserving approach that follows is designed to absorb and understand the latest information on our reported and unreported claims, to recognize the resultant exposure as quickly as possible, to make appropriate and realistic provisions in our financial statements. We have well established processes for determining carried reserves, which we endeavor to apply consistently over time.
Reserving for long-tail lines of business represents a significant component of reserving risk. When loss trends prove to be higher than those underlying our reserving assumptions, the risk is greater because of a stacking-up effect: we carry reserves to cover claims arising from several years of underwriting activity and these reserves are likely to be adversely affected by unfavorable loss trends. We manage and mitigate reserving risk on long-tail business in a variety of ways. First, we limit the amount of long-tail business we write in line with maintaining a well-balanced and diversified global portfolio of business. In 20122013, our long-tail net premiums written (namely liability and motor business) represented 17% of our total premium
written. We also purchase reinsurance on the liability business written in our insurance segment to reduce our net positions. Secondly, we follow a disciplined underwriting process that utilizes available information, including industry trends.
Another significant component of reserving risk relates to the estimation of losses in the aftermath of a major catastrophe event. For further discussion on this, as well as a description of our reserving process, refer to ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses’ under Item 7.
Claims handling risk
In accepting risk, we are committing to the payment of claims and therefore these risks must be understood and controlled. We have claims teams located throughout our main business units. Our claim teams include a diverse group of experienced professionals, including claims adjusters and attorneys. We also use approved external service providers, such as independent adjusters and appraisers, surveyors, accountants, investigators and specialist attorneys, as appropriate.
We maintain claims handling guidelines and claims reporting control and escalation procedures in all our claims units. Large claims matters are reviewed during weekly claims meetings. The minutes from each meeting are circulated to our underwriters, senior management and others involved in the reserving process. To maintain communication between underwriting and claims teams, claims personnel regularly report at underwriting meetings and frequently attend client meetings.
AXIS fosters a strong culture of review among its claims teams. This includes MIAs, whereby senior claims handlers audit a sample of claim files. The process is designed to ensure consistency between the claims units and to develop group wide best practices.
When we receive notice of a claim, regardless of size, it is recorded within our underwriting and claims system.systems. To assist with the reporting of significant claims, we have also developed a standard format and procedure to produce “flash reports” for significant events and potential losses, regardless of whether we have exposure. Our process for flash reporting allows a direct notification to be communicated to underwriters and senior management worldwide. Similarly, for natural peril catastrophes, we have developed a catastrophe database, along with catastrophe coding in certain systems, that allows for the gathering, blending and reporting of loss information as it develops from early modeled results to fully adjusted and paid losses.
Credit Risk
Credit risk represents the risk of incurring financial loss due to the diminished creditworthiness (eroding credit rating and, ultimately, default) of our third party counterparties. We distinguish between various forms of credit exposure; the risk of issuer default from instruments in which we invest or trade, such as corporate bonds; counterparty exposure in a direct contractual relationship, such as retrocession; the credit risk related to our receivables, including those from brokers and other intermediaries; and the risk we assume through our (re)insurance contracts, such as our credit and political risk and trade credit and bond lines of business.
Credit risk aggregation
We monitor and control the aggregation of credit risk on a group-wide basis by assigning limits on the maximum credit exposure we are willing to assume by single obligors and groups, industry sector, country, region or other inter-dependencies. Our credit exposures are aggregated based on the origin of risk. Limits are based and adjusted on a variety of factors including the prevailing economic environment and the nature of the underlying credit exposures.
Our credit aggregation measurement and reporting process is facilitated by our credit risk exposure database, which contains relevant information on counterparty details and credit risk exposures. The database is accessible by management throughout the Group, thus providing transparency to allow for the implementation of active exposure management strategies. We also license third party databases to provide credit risk assessments. The global sovereign debt crisis has resulted in heightened concerns about the creditworthiness of certain countries (e.g. Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal), sectors (e.g. banking) and individual entities. We are monitoringmonitor all our credit aggregations and, where appropriate, we have adjustedadjust our internal risk limits and/or takentake specific actions to reduce our risk exposures. Refer to ‘Cash and Investments’ in Item 7 for a tabular disclosure of eurozone exposure for our fixed maturity portfolio.
Credit risk aggregation is also managed through minimizing overlaps in underwriting, financing and investing activities.
Credit risk relating to investing activities
With our fixed maturity investment portfolio, which represents approximately $12 billion or 63%61% of our total assets, we are exposed to potential losses arising from the diminished creditworthiness of issuers of bonds as well as third party counterparties such as custodians. We limit such credit risk through diversification, issuer exposure limitation graded by ratings and, with respect to custodians, through contractual and other legal remedies. Excluding U.S. Treasury and Agency securities, we limit our concentration of credit risk to any single corporate issuer to 2% or less of our fixed maturities portfolio for securities rated A- or above and 1% or less of our fixed maturities portfolio for securities rated below A-.
We also have credit risk relating to our cash and cash equivalents. In order to mitigate concentration and operational risks related to cash and cash equivalents, we limit the maximum amount of cash that can be deposited with a single counterparty and additionally limit acceptable counterparties based on current rating, outlook and other relevant factors.
Credit risk relating to reinsurance recoverable assets
Within our reinsurance purchasing activities, we are exposed to the credit risk of a reinsurer failing to meet its obligations under our reinsurance contracts. To help mitigate this, all of our reinsurance purchasing is subject to financial security requirements specified by our RSC. The RSC maintains a list of approved reinsurers, performs credit risk assessments for potential new reinsurers, regularly monitors approved reinsurers with consideration for events which may have a material impact on their creditworthiness, recommends counterparty tolerance levels for different types of ceded business and monitors concentrations of credit risk. This assessment considers a wide range of individual attributes, including a review of the counterparty’s financial strength, industry position and other qualitative factors.
We monitor counterparty credit quality and exposures, with special monitoring of those cases that merit close attention.
Credit risk relating to receivables
Our largest credit risk exposure to receivables is from brokers and other intermediaries; the risk arises where they collect premiums from customers to be paid to us or pay claims to customers on our behalf. We have policies and standards in place to manage and monitor credit risk from intermediaries with a focus on day-to-day monitoring of the largest positions.
Credit risk relating to our underwriting portfolio
In our insurance segment, we provide credit insurance primarily for lenders (financial institutions) seeking to mitigate the risk of non-payment from their borrowers primarily in emerging markets. This product has complemented our more traditional political risk insurance business in recent years. For the credit insurance contracts, it is necessary for the buyer of the insurance, most often a bank, to hold an insured asset, most often an underlying loan, in order to claim compensation under the insurance contract. TheWe insure sovereign non-payment and corporate non-payment; for corporate non-payment the vast majority of the credit insurance provided is for single-name illiquid risks, primarily in the form of senior secured bank loans that can be individually analyzed and underwritten. As part of this underwriting process, an evaluation of credit-worthiness and reputation of the obligor is critical and forms the cornerstone of the underwriting process. We generally require that our clients retain a share of each transaction that we insure. A key element to our underwriting analysis is the assessment of recovery in the event of default and, accordingly, for senior secured loans, the strength of the collateral and the enforceability of rights to the collateral are paramount. We avoid insurance for structured finance products defined by pools of risks and insurance for synthetic products that would expose us to mark-to-market losses. We also seek to avoid terms in our credit insurance contracts which introduce liquidity risk, most notably, in the form of a collateralization requirement upon a ratings downgrade. We also provide protection against sovereign default or sovereign actions that result in impairment of cross-border investments for banks and corporations. Of note, we do not have any direct sovereign credit insurance exposure to any of the eurozone countries. Our contracts generally include conditions precedent to our liability relating to the enforceability of the insured transaction and restricting amendments to the transaction documentation, obligations on the insured to prevent and minimize losses, subrogation rights (including rights to have the insured asset transferred to us) and waiting periods. Under most of our policies, a loss payment is made in the event the debtor failed to pay our client when payment is due subject to a waiting period of up to 18090 days.
In our reinsurance segment, we provide reinsurance of credit and bond insurers exposed to the risks of financial loss arising from non-payment of trade receivables covered by a policy (credit insurance) or non-performance (bonding). Our credit insurance exposures are concentrated primarily within Western European economies, while our surety bond exposures are concentrated primarily within Latin American and Western European economies.
Market Risk
Market risk is the risk that our financial instruments may be negatively impacted by movements in financial market prices or rates such as equity prices, interest rates, credit spreads and foreign exchange rates. Fluctuations in market rates primarily affect our investment portfolio.
Through asset and liability management, we aim to ensure that economic factors influence the value of our investments and that of our loss reserves and other liabilities in the same way;way, thus mitigating the effect of market fluctuations. For example, we reflect important features of our liabilities, such as maturity patterns and currency structures, on the assets side of the balance sheet by acquiring investments with similar characteristics.
We supplement our asset-liability management with various internal policies and limits. As part of our strategic asset allocation process, different asset strategies are simulated and stressed in order to evaluate the ‘best’ portfolio (given return objectives and risk constraints) at both the group and operating entity level. We centralize the management of asset classes to control aggregation of risk, and provide a consistent approach to constructing portfolios as well as the selection process of external asset managers. We have limits on the concentration of investments by single issuers and certain asset classes, and we limit the level of illiquid investments (see 'Liquidity Risk' below). Further, our investment guidelines do not permit the use of leverage in any of our fixed maturity and equity portfolios.
We stress test our investment portfolios using historical and hypothetical scenarios to analyze the impact of unusual market conditions and to ensure potential investment losses remain within our risk appetite. At an annual aggregated level, we manage the total risk exposure to our investment portfolio so that the ‘total return’ investment loss in any one year is unlikely to exceed a defined percentage of our common equity at a defined return period.
We manage foreign currency risk by seeking to match our estimated (re)insurance liabilities payable in foreign currencies with assets, including cash and investments that are also denominated in such currencies. Where necessary, we use derivative financial instruments for economic hedging purposes. For example, in certain circumstances, we use forward contracts and currency options, to economically hedge portions of our un-matched foreign currency exposures.
Operational Risk
Operational risk represents the risk of financial loss as a result of inadequate processes, system failures, human error or external events. We have a dedicated team within Group Risk responsible for overseeing the management of operational risks, applying a centrally coordinated methodology to identify and assess risks. We have developed a group-wide operational risk framework that focuses on early recognition of operational risks. As part of this, we maintain an operational loss-event database which helps us better monitor and analyze potential operational risk, identify any trends, and, where necessary, put in place improvement actions to avoid occurrence or recurrence of operational loss events.
We manage transaction type operational risks through the application of process controls throughout our business. In testing these controls, we supplement the work of our internal audit team, with regular underwriting and claim MIAs (as discussed above).
We have specific processes and systems in place to focus on high priority operational matters such as information security, managing business continuity, and third party vendor risk:
Major failures and disasters which could cause a severe disruption to working environments, facilities and personnel, represent a significant operational risk to us. Our Business Continuity Management framework strives to protect critical business functions from these effects to enable us to carry out our core tasks in time and at the quality required. During 20122013, we continued to review our Business Continuity Planning procedures through cyclical planned tests.
We have developed a number of IT platforms, applications and security controls to support our business activities worldwide. Dedicated security standards are in place for our IT systems to ensure the proper use, availability and protection of our information assets.
Our use of third party vendors exposes us to a number of increased operational risks, including the risk of security breaches, fraud, non-compliance with laws and regulations or internal guidelines and inadequate service. We manage material third party vendor risk, by, among other things, performing a thorough risk assessment on potential large vendors, reviewing a vendor’s financial stability, ability to provide ongoing service and business continuity planning.
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that we may not have sufficient liquid financial resources to meet our obligations when they fall due, or would have to incur excessive costs to do so. As a (re)insurer, our core business generates liquidity primarily through premium and investment income. Our exposure to liquidity risk stems mainly from the need to cover potential extreme loss events and regulatory constraints that limit the flow of funds within the Group. To manage these risks, we have a range of liquidity policies and measures in place:
We maintain cash and cash equivalents and high quality, liquid investment portfolios to meet expected outflows, as well as those that could result from a range of potential stress events. We place internal limits on the maximum percentage of cash and investments which may be in a restricted form as well as a minimum percentage of our investment portfolio to mature within a defined timeframe.
We maintain committed borrowing facilities, as well as access to diverse funding sources to cover contingencies. Funding sources include asset sales, external debt issuances and lines of credit.
Capital Management
Our capital management strategy is to maximize long-term shareholder value by, among other things, optimizing capital allocation and minimizing our cost of capital. We also manage our capital in accordance with our desired financial strength rating, as well as regulatory and solvency requirements.
We monitor the capital positions of the Group and operating entity level and apply regular stress tests based on adverse scenarios. This allows us to take appropriate measures to ensure the continued strength of capital and solvency positions, and also enables us to take advantage of growth opportunities as they arise. Such measures are performed as and when required and include traditional capital management tools (e.g. dividends, share buy-backs, issuances of shares or debt) or through changes to our risk exposure (e.g. recalibration of our investment portfolio or changes to our reinsurance purchasing strategy).
Internal capital adequacy
Our internal capital model plays an important role in the management and allocation of internal capital. Our internal capital requirement captures the potential for severe, but rare, aggregate losses over a one-year time horizon, which we also measure, monitor and report at more extreme return periods. Our internal capital model is also used to manage risks resulting from reasonably possible smaller adverse events that could occur in the near-term, because the results allow us to analyze our exposure to each source of risk both separately and in aggregate.
Regulatory capital requirements
In each country in which we operate, the local regulator specifies the minimum amount and type of capital that each of the regulated entities must hold in support of their liabilities. We target to hold, in addition to the minimum capital required to comply with the solvency requirements, an adequate buffer to ensure that each of our operating entities meets its local capital requirements. Refer toSee Note 1820 of the Consolidated Financial Statements, under Item 8 for further information.
Rating agency capital requirements
Rating agencies apply their own models to evaluate the relationship between the required risk capital of a company and its available capital resources. The assessment of capital adequacy is usually an integral part of the rating agency process. Meeting rating agency capital requirements and maintaining strong credit ratings are strategic business objectives of the AXIS Group. For further information on our financial strength refer to the ‘Liquidity and Capital Resources’ section in Item 7 of this report.
REGULATION
General
The business of (re)insurance is regulated in most countries, although the degree and type of regulation varies significantly from one jurisdiction to another. In addition, manysome jurisdictions are currently evaluating changes to their regulation and AXIS is monitoring these potential developments. To the extent AXIS is aware of impending changes in regulation, we designate project teams to prepare the organization to comply on a timely basis with such anticipated changes. The following describes the current material regulations under which the Company operates.
Bermuda
Our Bermuda insurance operating subsidiary, AXIS Specialty Bermuda, is a Class 4 general business insurer subject to the Insurance Act 1978 of Bermuda and related regulations, as amended (the “Insurance Act”). The Insurance Act provides that no person may carry on any insurance or reinsurance business in or from within Bermuda unless registered as an insurer by the BMABermuda Monetary Authority (the “BMA”) under the Insurance Act. The Insurance Act imposes on Bermuda insurance companies solvency and liquidity standards and auditing and reporting requirements, and grants the BMA powers to supervise, investigate, require information and demand the production of documents and intervene in the affairs of insurance companies. Significant requirements pertaining to Class 4 insurers include the appointment of an independent auditor, the appointment of a loss reserve specialist, the appointment of a principal representative in Bermuda, the filing of annual and quarterly Statutory Financial Returns, the filing of annual GAAP financial statements, the filing of an annual capital and solvency return, compliance with minimum and enhanced capital requirements, compliance with certain restrictions on reductions of capital and the payment of dividends and distributions, compliance with group solvency and supervision rules, if applicable, and compliance with the Insurance Code of Conduct.
In 2011,November 2013, AXIS Capital formed AXIS Ventures Limited and its direct subsidiary AXIS Ventures Reinsurance Limited (“Ventures Re”). Ventures Re was licensed as a Class 3A insurer under the Insurance Act and registered as a segregated accounts company under the Bermuda Segregated Accounts Companies Act 2000, as amended. Pursuant to a Direction under Section 56 of the Insurance Act issued by the BMA, notified AXIS Specialty Bermuda that it intended to actVentures Re is exempt from certain solvency and liquidity standards and reporting requirements.
The BMA acts as group supervisor of AXIS Capital and that it hadhas designated AXIS Specialty Bermuda as the ‘designated insurer’ of the AXIS Capital group of insurance companies. In accordance with the group supervision and insurance group solvency rules, , the AXIS insurance groupCapital is required to prepare and submit annual audited group GAAP financial statements, annual group statutory financial statements, an annual group statutory financial return, an annual group capital and solvency return and quarterly group unaudited financial returns. Enhanced group capital requirements ("ECR"(“ECR”) will beare being phased in beginning with the financial year ending December 31, 2013, when the applicable ECR will bewas 50% of the amount prescribed by the BMA, with an additional 10% applicable each subsequent year through 2018, when the full ECR will be required.
AXIS Capital, AXIS Specialty Bermuda, and AXIS Specialty Holdings Bermuda Limited, AXIS Bermuda Services Limited, AXIS Specialty Markets Limited, AXIS Specialty Markets Limited II, AXIS Ventures Limited and Ventures Re must also comply with provisions of the Bermuda Companies Act 1981, as amended (the “Companies Act”), regulating the payment of dividends and distributions. A Bermuda company may not declare or pay a dividend or make a distribution out of contributed surplus if there are reasonable grounds for believing that: (a) the company is, or would after the payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due; or (b) the realizable value of the company’s assets would thereby be less than its liabilities.
The Singapore branch of AXIS Specialty Bermuda, (establishedAXIS Specialty Limited (Singapore Branch), established in 2008)2008, is also regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore pursuant to The Insurance Act of Singapore and is registered by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (“ACRA”) as a foreign company in Singapore and regulated by ACRA pursuant to the Singapore Companies Act. Prior to establishing its Singapore branch, AXIS Specialty Bermuda had maintained a representative office in Singapore since 2004.
Effective January 1, 2014, AXIS Syndicate 1686 ("AXIS Syndicate"), a Lloyd's Syndicate, is licensed through Lloyd's to write insurance and reinsurance in or from Bermuda, except for long-term business.
United States
U.S. Insurance Holding Company Regulation of AXIS Capital’s Insurance Subsidiaries
As members of an insurance holding company system, each of AXIS Insurance Company, AXIS Reinsurance Company, AXIS Specialty Insurance Company and AXIS Surplus Insurance Company, collectively AXIS Capital’s U.S. insurerinsurance subsidiaries (“U.S. Insurance Subsidiaries”) are subject to the insurance holding company system laws and regulations of the states in which they do business. These laws generally require each of the U.S. subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries to register with its respective domestic state insurance department and to furnish financial and other information which may materially affect the operations, management or financial condition within the holding company system. All transactions within a holding company system that involve an insurance company must be fair and equitable. Notice to the insurance departments is required prior to the consummation of transactions affecting the ownership or control
of an insurer and of certain material transactions between an insurer and an entity in its holding company system, and certain transactions may not be consummated without the department’s prior approval.
State Insurance Regulation
AXIS Reinsurance Company is licensed to transact insurance and reinsurance in all 50 of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AXIS Reinsurance Company is also authorized to transact insurance and reinsurance throughout Canada through its Canadian branch and has reinsurance permissions in Brazil, India and Mexico. AXIS Insurance Company is licensed to transact insurance and reinsurance in all 50 of the United States and in the District of Columbia. AXIS Specialty Insurance Company is licensed to transact insurance and reinsurance throughout the United States, except California, Iowa, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Wyoming. AXIS Surplus Insurance Company is eligible to write insurance on a surplus lines basis in all 50 of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Our U.S. insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries also are subject to regulation and supervision by their respective states of domicile and by other jurisdictions in which they do business. The regulations generally are derived from statutes that delegate regulatory and supervisory powers to an insurance official. The regulatory framework varies from state to state, but generally relates to approval of policy forms and rates, the standards of solvency that must be met and maintained, including risk-based capital standards, material transactions between an insurer and its affiliates, the licensing of insurers, agents and brokers, restrictions on insurance policy terminations, the nature of and limitations on the amount of certain investments, limitations on the net amount of insurance of a single risk compared to the insurer’s surplus, deposits of securities for the benefit of policyholders, methods of accounting, periodic examinations of the financial condition and market conduct of insurance companies, the form and content of reports of financial condition required to be filed, and reserves for unearned premiums, losses, expenses and other obligations.
Our U.S. insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries are required to file detailed quarterly statutory financial statements with state insurance regulators in each of the states in which they conduct business. In addition, the U.S. insurance subsidiaries’Insurance Subsidiaries’ operations and accounts are subject to financial condition and market conduct examination at regular intervals by state regulators.
Regulators and rating agencies use statutory surplus as a measure to assess our U.S. subsidiaries’ ability to support business operations and pay dividends. Our U.S. insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries are subject to various state statutory and regulatory restrictions that limit the amount of dividends that may be paid from earned surplus without prior approval from regulatory authorities. These restrictions differ by state, but generally are based on calculations using statutory surplus, statutory net income and investment income. In addition, many state regulators use the National Association of Insurance Commissioners promulgated risk-based capital requirements as a means of identifying insurance companies which may be undercapitalized.under-capitalized.
Although the insurance industry generally is not directly regulated by the federal government, federal legislation and initiatives can affect the industry and our business. On July 21, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“Dodd-Frank”) was signed into law. Certain sections of that act pertain to the regulation and business of insurance. Specifically, the Federal Insurance Office was created (“FIO”). Initially, the FIO will have limited authority and mainly collect information and report on the business of insurance to Congress. In addition, Dodd-Frank contained the Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act of 2010 (“NRRA”). NRRA attempts to coordinate the payment of surplus lines taxes, simplify the granting of alien insurers to become surplus lines authorized and coordinates the credit for certain reinsurance. Various sections of Dodd-Frank become effective over time and regulations have yet to be drafted for certain provisions. AXIS does not anticipate that Dodd-Frank will have any material effect on its operations or finances this year, but will continue to monitor its implementation.
U.S. Operations of AXIS Specialty Bermuda, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Re Europe, AXIS Specialty Europe, AXIS Specialty London and AXIS Specialty Australiaour Non-U.S. Insurance Subsidiaries
The insurance laws of each state of the United States and of many other countries regulate or prohibit the sale of (re)insurance within their jurisdictions by (re)insurers that are not admitted to do business within such jurisdictions, or conduct business pursuant to exemptions. AXIS Specialty Europe is eligible to write surplus lines business in all 50 of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto RicoRico. AXIS Syndicate is eligible to write surplus lines business throughout the United States, except for Kentucky, in the District of Columbia and in all other U.S. territories. AXIS Syndicate is authorized to write insurance business, except life insurance business, in the states of Illinois, Kentucky and in the U.S. Virgin Islands under licenses held in the name of “Lloyd's underwriters” or “Underwriters at Lloyd's, London”. AXIS Syndicate is authorized to write non-life reinsurance business in all 50 of the United States, the District of Columbia and in all U.S. territories, except for accident and health reinsurance in New York. AXIS Specialty Bermuda, and AXIS Re SE (including its branch AXISand Ventures Re Europe) are not licensed or eligible to write business in the United States. AXIS Specialty Bermuda, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe and AXISVentures Re SE do not maintain offices, solicit, advertise, underwrite, settle claims or conduct any insurance activities in any jurisdiction in the United States where the conduct of such activities would require these companies to be admitted or authorized.
In addition to the regulatory requirements imposed by the jurisdictions in which they are licensed, reinsurers’ business operations are affected by regulatory requirements in various states of the U.S. governing “credit for reinsurance” that are imposed on their ceding companies. In general, a ceding company obtaining reinsurance from a reinsurer that is licensed, accredited or approved by the jurisdiction or state in which the ceding company files statutory financial statements is permitted to reflect in its statutory financial statements a credit in an aggregate amount equal to the ceding company’s liability for unearned premiums (which are that portion of premiums written which applies to the unexpired portion of the policy period), loss reserves and loss expense reserves ceded to the reinsurer. Neither AXIS Specialty Bermuda,Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe, nor AXISVentures Re SE are licensed, accredited or approved in any state in the U.S. The great majority of states,
however, permit a credit to statutory surplus resulting from reinsurance obtained from a non-licensed or non-accredited reinsurer to be recognized to the extent that the reinsurer provides a letter of credit, trust fund or other acceptable security arrangement. A few states do not allow credit for reinsurance ceded to non-licensed reinsurers except in certain limited circumstances and others impose additional requirements that make it difficult to become accredited.
Our European legal entities will be subject to Solvency II regulation once Omnibus II, which will include During 2013, in connection with establishment of a commencement date, is approved by the European Parliament. Solvency II is a risk based capital regime that consolidatesMulti-Beneficiary Reinsurance Trust, AXIS Specialty Bermuda obtained accredited or trusteed reinsurer status in all U.S. jurisdictions except for California and modernizes European (re)insurance regulation and supervision. Under Solvency II, European (re)insurers will calculate capital in accordance with a new standard formula, once finalized, or an internal model provided it has been approved by the Central Bank of Ireland ("CBI") as lead regulator of our European legal entities, implement a risk management framework and governance measures and fulfill enhanced disclosure requirements.New York.
Ireland
AXIS Specialty Europe
AXIS Specialty Europe is a European public limited liability company incorporated as a non-life insurer under the laws of Ireland andIreland. AXIS Specialty Europe is authorized and regulated by the CBICentral Bank of Ireland (“CBI”) pursuant to the Insurance Acts 1909 to 2000, as amended, statutory instruments andrepealed or replaced, the Central Bank Acts 1942 – 2010,2013, as well as regulationsamended, repealed or replaced and European Union regulation relating to general insurance.insurance and statutory instruments made thereunder. AXIS Specialty Europe is authorized to conduct business in 16 non-life insurance classes of business. AXIS Specialty Europe may also write reinsurance business up to certain limitations within the classes of insurance business for which it is authorised.authorized. Significant additional regulation that applies to AXIS Specialty Europe includes the CBI’s 2010 Corporate Governance Code for Credit Institutions and Insurance Undertakings and the CBI’s 2011 Fit and Proper requirements.
Ireland is a member of the European Economic Area, (“EEA”), which comprises each of the countries of the European Union (“EU”), with the exception of Croatia, and Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway. Ireland transposed the EU’s Third Non-Life Insurance Directive into Irish law. This directive introduced a single system for the authorization and financial supervision of non-life insurance companies by their home state. Under this system, AXIS Specialty Europe is permitted to provide insurance services to clients located in any other EEA member state (“Freedom of Services”), provided it has notified the CBI and subject to compliance with any “general good requirements” as may be established by the applicable EEA member state regulators. AXIS Specialty Europe has notified the CBI of its intention to provide insurance services from Ireland and the United Kingdom on a Freedom of Services basis in all 30 EEA countries.
The Third Non-Life Directive also permits AXIS Specialty Europe to carry on insurance business in any other EEA member state under the principle of “Freedom of Establishment.” In May 2003, AXIS Specialty Europe established a UKU.K. branch known as AXIS Specialty London. The CBI remains responsible for the prudential supervision of the UKU.K. branch, however,
AXIS Specialty London mustis also comply with the “general good” requirements of the Financial Services Authority ofregulated by the United Kingdom.Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority for United Kingdom business.
In July 2008, AXIS Specialty Europe established AXIS Specialty Australia, a branch office in Australia to transact general insurance business. While the CBI continues to be the responsible supervisory authority, the Australia Prudential Regulation Authority ("APRA"(“APRA”) is also responsible for the authorization of and the ongoing prudential supervision of the branch in accordance with the Insurance Act 1973, as amended, as well as regulations applicable to general insurers. AXIS Specialty Europe is also registered as a foreign company with the Australia Securities Investment Commission in accordance with Australia’s Corporations Act 2001, as amended. Significant additional regulation that applies to AXIS Specialty Australia includes branch capital adequacy, assets in Australia, risk management, reinsurance management, governance, audit and actuarial requirements.
AXIS Specialty Europe has obtained local regulatory permission to carry on insurance business in Jersey and to write cross-border reinsurance business into India.
AXIS Re SE
AXIS Re SE is a European public limited liability company incorporated as a reinsurer under the laws of Ireland. AXIS Re SE is authorized by the CBI as a composite reinsurer (non-life and life) in accordance with the Insurance Acts 1909 to 2000, as amended, repealed or replaced, the Central Bank Acts 1942 - 2013 as amended, repealed or replaced and EU regulation applicable to reinsurance and statutory instruments made thereunder. The European Communities (Reinsurance) Regulations 2006 (the “Regulations”). The Regulations,, as amended, which gave effect to the EU Reinsurance Directive, provide a comprehensive framework for the authorization and supervision of reinsurers in Ireland. Significant additional regulation that applies to AXIS Re SE includes the CBI’s 2010 Corporate Governance Code for Credit Institutions and Insurance Undertakings and the CBI’s 2011 Fit and Proper requirements.
The EU Reinsurance Directive provides that the authorization and supervision of European reinsurers is the responsibility of the EU member state where the head office of the relevant reinsurer is located. Once authorized in its home state, a reinsurer is automatically entitled to conduct reinsurance business in all EEA member states under the principles of Freedom of Establishment and Freedom of Services, similar to the system that applies to EU basedEU-based insurers. The Reinsurance Directive provides that the home state regulator is fully responsible for the financial and prudential supervision of a reinsurer, including business it carries on in other countries, either through branches or Freedom of Services.
In September 2003, AXIS Re SE established a branch in Zurich, Switzerland, known as AXIS Re Europe. The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) does not impose additional regulation upon a Swiss branch of an EEA reinsurer.
AXIS Re SE has obtained local regulatory permissions to reinsure companies in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia,Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
AXIS Re SE has marketing offices in Brazil, France and Spain. These offices are representative offices only and no business may be written or any regulated activity conducted from these offices. AXIS Re LimitedSE Escritório de Representação No Brasil Ltda. was established in Brazil as a subsidiary of AXIS Re SE to facilitate the Brazilian regulatory requirements for approval of a representative office of AXIS Re SE.
AXIS Specialty Holdings Ireland Ltd.Limited
AXIS Specialty Holdings Ireland Ltd.Limited is the limited liability holding company for AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Re SE, incorporated under the laws of Ireland. In its capacity as a holding company of EU regulated (re)insurance companies, AXIS Specialty Holdings Ireland Ltd.Limited is subject to certain of the CBI’s consolidated solvency requirements.
Our European legal entities will be subject to Solvency II regulation once Omnibus II, which will include a commencement date, is approved by the European Parliament. Solvency II is a risk based capital regime that consolidates and modernizes European (re)insurance regulation and supervision. Under Solvency II, European (re)insurers will calculate capital in accordance with a new standard formula, once finalized, or an internal model provided it has been approved by the CBI as lead regulator of our European legal entities, implement a risk management framework and governance measures and fulfill enhanced disclosure requirements.
AXIS Syndicate has permission to write insurance and reinsurance business on a Freedom of Services basis in Ireland. AXIS Specialty Bermuda, Ventures Re and the U.S. Insurance Subsidiaries are not authorized to conduct insurance and/or reinsurance business in Ireland.
United Kingdom
Under the law of England and Wales, a company may only conduct insurance and/or reinsurance business in the United Kingdom upon authorization. AXIS Specialty Bermuda and the U.S. (re)insurance subsidiaries are not authorized to conduct insurance and/or reinsurance business in the United Kingdom. AXIS Re SE is authorized to transact U.K. business in the United Kingdom on a freedomFreedom of servicesServices basis pursuant to the reinsurance directive, and AXIS Specialty Europe is authorized to transact U.K. business in the U.K. on a freedomFreedom of servicesServices basis pursuant to the Third Non-Life Insurance Directive and to conduct business in the U.K. on a freedomFreedom of establishmentEstablishment basis through its branch, AXIS Specialty London.
In November 2013, AXIS Syndicate was established having a single corporate member, AXIS Corporate Capital UK Limited, with approval to commence business at Lloyd’s from January 1, 2014. AXIS Syndicate 1686 is managed by Asta Managing Agency Ltd. Lloyd’s has licenses and authorizations to trade in 75 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, North and South America, Asia and Australasia and AXIS Syndicate may write business where Lloyd’s has authorized status. Lloyd’s is governed by U.K. law and regulation. The Lloyd’s Act 1982 defines the governance structure and rules under which Lloyd’s operates. Under the Lloyd's Act 1982, the Council of Lloyd’s is responsible for the management and supervision of the Lloyd’s market. Lloyd’s is dual-regulated by the UK Prudential Regulation Authority (the “PRA”) and Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”). Lloyd's Managing Agents are also dual regulated by the PRA and FCA.
AXIS Syndicate will be subject to Solvency II regulation once Omnibus II, which will include a commencement date, is approved by the European Parliament.
AXIS Syndicate is authorized to conduct U.K. insurance and reinsurance business.
The U.K. is a member of the EEA, which comprises each of the countries of the EU with the exception of Croatia, and Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway. AXIS Syndicate is permitted to provide insurance and reinsurance services on a Freedom of Services basis subject to compliance with any “general good requirements” as may be established by the applicable EEA member state regulators.
AXIS Specialty Bermuda, Ventures Re and the U.S. Insurance Subsidiaries are not authorized to conduct insurance and/or reinsurance business in the United Kingdom.
Switzerland
AXIS Re SE conducts reinsurance business from its branch, AXIS Re Europe, in Zurich, Switzerland, subject to the supervision of the CBI.
AXIS Syndicate is authorized to conduct all classes of insurance business, except life, sickness and legal expenses and is authorized to write all classes of reinsurance business in Switzerland.
AXIS Specialty Bermuda, AXIS Specialty Europe, AXIS Specialty BermudaVentures Re and the U.S. (re)insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries are not authorized to conduct insurance or reinsurance business in Switzerland.
Singapore
AXIS Specialty Bermuda conducts (re)insurance business from its branch in Singapore, AXIS Specialty Limited (Singapore Branch), subject to the supervision of the BMA and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.Singapore (the “MAS”).
AXIS Syndicate is licensed to write insurance from Singapore with the exception of certain compulsory classes and life business. Lloyd's underwriters are permitted to write reinsurance from Singapore, with the exception of life business. Singaporean business may also be written from outside of Singapore in certain circumstances where it is placed with a Singapore intermediary licensed by the MAS to place business at Lloyd's or by dealing directly with the insured.
AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe, AXISVentures Re SE, and the U.S. (re)insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries are not authorized to conduct insurance or reinsurance business in Singapore.
Canada
AXIS Reinsurance Company conducts (re)insurance business from AXIS Reinsurance Company (Canadian Branch), its branch in Canada, subject to the supervision of the New York Department of Insurance and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (“OSFI”), the federal regulatory authority that supervises federal Canadian and non-Canadian insurance companies operating in Canada pursuant to the Insurance Companies Act (Canada). The branch is authorized by OSFI to transact insurance and reinsurance. In addition, the branch is subject to the laws and regulations of each of the provinces and territories in which it is licensed.
AXIS Syndicate is, subject to the laws and regulations of each of the provinces and territories in which it is licensed, authorized to write insurance in or from Canada, with the following exceptions: hail insurance in respect of crop in the province of Quebec; home warranty insurance in the province of British Columbia; life insurance; credit protection insurance; title insurance; and mortgage default insurance. AXIS Syndicate is authorized to write reinsurance in or from Canada subject to certain restrictions relating to life reinsurance.
AXIS Specialty Europe,Bermuda, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty BermudaEurope, Ventures Re and the other U.S. other insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries are not otherwise authorized to conduct insurance or reinsurance business in Canada.
Australia
AXIS Specialty Europe conducts (re)insurance business from its branch in Australia, subject to the supervision of the CBI and the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA).APRA. Significant additional regulation that applies to AXIS Specialty Australia includes branch capital adequacy, assets in Australia, risk management, reinsurance management, governance, audit and actuarial requirements.
AXIS Syndicate is authorized to write insurance in or from Australia with certain exceptions. AXIS Syndicate is authorized to write reinsurance in or from Australia.
AXIS Specialty Bermuda, AXIS Re SE, Ventures Re and the U.S. (re)insurance subsidiariesInsurance Subsidiaries are not authorized to conduct insurance or reinsurance business in Australia.
Other Countries
The AXIS (re)insurance companies also (re)insure risks in many countries pursuant to regulatory permissions and exemptions available to non-admitted (re)insurers.
AXIS Syndicate may write insurance and reinsurance business where Lloyd's underwriters have authorized status.
EMPLOYEES
As of February 21, 20132014 we had approximately 1,1001,200 employees. We believe that our employee relations are excellent.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and therefore file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information, including reports filed by officers and directors under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC (such as us) and the address of that site is http://www.sec.gov. Our common shares are traded on the NYSE with the symbol “AXS” and you can review similar information concerning us at the office of the NYSE at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York, 10005. Our Internet website address is http://www.axiscapital.com. Information contained in our website is not part of this report.
We make available free of charge, including through our internet website, our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Current copies of the charter for each of our Audit Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, Compensation Committee, Finance Committee, Executive Committee and Risk Committee, as well as our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct, are available on our internet website at http:www.axiscapital.com.//www.axiscapital.com.
You should carefully consider the following risks and all of the other information set forth in this report, including our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto:
Our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected by the occurrence of natural and man-made disasters.
We have substantial exposure to unexpected losses resulting from natural disasters, man-made catastrophes and other catastrophe events. Catastrophes can be caused by various events, including hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, hailstorms, floods, explosions, severe winter weather, fires, and other natural or man-made disasters. The incidence and severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable and our losses from catastrophes could be substantial.
Increases in the values and concentrations of insured property may increase the severity of these occurrences in the future. Also, changes in global climate conditions may further increase the frequency and severity of catastrophe activity and losses in the future. Examples of the impact of catastrophe events include our recognition of the net losses and loss expenses of:
$201 million, in aggregate, relating to various worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events in 2013;
$331 million in relation to Storm Sandy in 2012;
$789 million, in aggregate, in relation to the February and June earthquakes near Christchurch, New Zealand, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, first quarter Australian weather events and the Thai floods in 2011;
$256 million, in aggregate, in relation to the Chilean and September New Zealand earthquakes in 2010; and
$408 million, in aggregate, in relation to Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008.
These events materially reduced our net income in the years noted above. Although we attempt to manage our exposure to such events through the use of underwriting controls and the purchase of third-party reinsurance, catastrophe events are inherently unpredictable and the actual nature of such events when they occur could be more frequent or severe than contemplated in our pricing and risk management expectations. As a result, the occurrence of one or more catastrophe events could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
The (re)insurance business is historically cyclical, and we expect to experience periods with excess underwriting capacity and unfavorable premium rates.
The (re)insurance business historically has been a cyclical industry characterized by periods of intense price competition due to excessive underwriting capacity as well as periods when shortages of capacity permitted favorable premium levels. An increase in premium levels is often offset by an increasing supply of (re)insurance capacity, via capital provided by new entrants, new capital market instruments and structures and/or the commitment of additional capital by existing (re)insurers, which may cause prices to decrease. Any of these factors could lead to a significant reduction in premium rates, less favorable policy terms and fewer submissions for our underwriting services. In addition to these considerations, changes in the frequency and severity of losses suffered by insureds and insurers may affect the cycles of the (re)insurance business significantly.
In recent years, we experienced a softening market cycle throughout many of our property and liability lines of business, with increased competition, surplus underwriting capacity and deteriorating rates, terms and conditions all having an impact on our ability to write business. While a number of factors, including but not limited to the frequency and severity of recent global catastrophe activity and the current interest rate environment, appear to be contributing to rate hardening in certain business lines, there can be no assurance of a broad cycle turn in the near future.
Our investment and derivative instrument portfolios are exposed to significant capital markets risk related to changes in interest rates, credit spreads and equity prices as well as other risks, which may adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
The performance of our cash and investments portfolio has a significant impact on our financial results. A failure to successfully execute our investment strategy could have a significant impact on our results of operations or financial condition.
Our investment portfolio is subject to a variety of market risks, including risks relating to general economic conditions, interest rate fluctuations, equity price risk, foreign currency movements, pre-payment or reinvestment risk, liquidity risk and credit risk. Although we attempt to manage market risks through, among other things, stressing diversification and conservation of principal and liquidity in our investment guidelines, it is possible that, in periods of economic weakness or periods of turmoil in capital markets, we may experience significant losses in our portfolio.
Our fixed maturities, which represent 88%87% of our total investments and 80% of total cash and investments at December 31, 20122013, may be adversely impacted by changes in interest rates. Increases in interest rates could cause the fair value of our investment portfolio to decrease, resulting in a lower book value (refer to Item 7A 'Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk' for a related sensitivity analysis).
In addition, a low interest rate environment, such as the current environment, can result in reductions in our investment yield as new funds and proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed income securities are invested at lower rates. This reduces our overall profitability. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, inflation, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control.
Our portfolios of "other investments" and equity securities expose us to market price variability, driven by a number of factors outside our control including, but not limited to, global equity market performance.
Given our reliance on external investment managers, we are also exposed to operational risks, which may include, but are not limited to, a failure to follow our investment guidelines, technological and staffing deficiencies and inadequate disaster recovery plans.
Our derivative instrument counterparties may default on amounts owed to us due to bankruptcy, insolvency, lack of liquidity, adverse economic conditions, operational failure, fraud or other reasons. Even if we are entitled to collateral in circumstances of default, such collateral may be illiquid or proceeds from such collateral when liquidateliquidated may not be sufficient to recover the full amount of the obligation.
Global economic conditions could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
In recent years, worldwide financial markets experienced unprecedented volatility and disruption including, among other things, dislocation in the mortgage and asset-backed securities markets, deleveraging and decreased liquidity generally, widening of credit spreads, bankruptcies and government intervention in a number of large financial institutions. These events resulted in extraordinary responses by governments worldwide, including the enactment of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and the U.S. Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009 and the Dodd-Frank in 2010.Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 ("Dodd Frank"). This market turmoil affected (among other aspects of our business) the demand for and claims made under our products, the ability of customers, counterparties and others to establish or maintain their relationships with us, our ability to access and efficiently use internal and external capital resources and our investment performance. Although there were some indicationshave been indicators of stability inreturning to the financial markets, in 2010, the downgrade in the S&P credit rating for U.S. government securities and eurozone economic instability during 2011 and 2012 resulted in additional global financial market turmoil and economic instability. Therethere continues to be significant uncertainty regarding the timeline for a full global economic recovery. As such, evolving market conditions may continue to affect our results of operations, financial position and capital resources. In the event that there is additional deterioration or volatility in financial markets or general economic conditions, our results of operations, financial position and/or liquidity, and competitive landscape could be materially and adversely affected.
We could face unanticipated losses from war, terrorism and political unrest, and these or other unanticipated losses could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity.
We have substantial exposure to unexpected losses resulting from war, acts of terrorism and political instability. In certain instances, we specifically (re)insure risks resulting from acts of terrorism. Even in cases where we attempt to exclude losses from terrorism and certain other similar risks from some coverages written by us, there can be no assurance that a court or arbitration panel will interpret policy language or otherwise issue a ruling favorable to us. Accordingly, we can offer no assurance that our reserves will be adequate to cover losses should they materialize.
We have limited terrorism coverage in our own reinsurance program for our exposure to catastrophe losses related to acts of terrorism. Furthermore, although the Terrorism Risk Insurance Extension Act of 2005 (“TRIEA”) provides benefits in the event of certain acts of terrorism, those benefits are subject to a deductible and to other limitations. Under TRIEA, once our
losses attributable to certain acts of terrorism exceed 20% of our direct commercial property and liability insurance premiums
for the preceding calendar year, the federal government will reimburse us for 85% of such losses in excess of this deductible. Notably, TRIEA does not provide coverage for reinsurance losses. Given the unpredictable frequency and severity of terrorism losses, as well as the limited terrorism coverage in our own reinsurance program, future losses from acts of terrorism could materially and adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and/or liquidity in future periods. TRIEA may not be extended beyond 2014.
Our credit and political risk insurance line of business protects insureds with interests in foreign jurisdictions in the event governmental action prevents them from exercising their contractual rights and may also protect their assets against physical damage perils. ThisThe insurance provided may include riskscover for loss arising from expropriation, forced abandonment, license cancellation, trade embargo, contract frustration, non-payment, war on land or political violence (including terrorism, revolution, insurrection and civil unrest). Political risk insurance is typically provided to financial institutions, equity investors, exporters, importers, export credit agencies and multilateral agencies in an array of industries, in connection with investments and contracts in both emerging markets and developed countries.
Our credit and political risk line of business also protects insureds in foreign jurisdictions againstprovides non-payment coverage on specific loan obligationsobligations. We insure sovereign non-payment and corporate non-payment as a result of commercial as well as political risk events. The vast majority of the corporate non-payment credit insurance provided is for single-named illiquid risks, primarily in the form of securedsenior bank loans that can be individually analyzed and written.underwritten. We avoid insurance for structured finance products defined by pools of risks and insurance for synthetic products that would expose us to mark-to-market losses. We also avoid terms in our credit insurance contracts which introduce liquidity risk, most notably, in the form of a collateralization requirement upon a ratings downgrade. Although we also attempt to manage our exposure, by among other things, setting credit limits by country, region, industry and individual counterparty and regularly reviewing our aggregate exposures, the occurrence of one or more large losses on our credit insurance portfolio could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
If actual claims exceed our loss reserves, our financial results could be adversely affected.
While we believe that our loss reserves at December 31, 20122013 are adequate, new information, events or circumstances, unknown at the original valuation date, may lead to future developments in our ultimate losses being significantly greater or less than the reserves currently provided. The actual final cost of settling claims outstanding at December 31, 20122013 as well as claims expected to arise from the unexpired period of risk is uncertain. There are many other factors that would cause our reserves to increase or decrease, which include, but are not limited to, changes in claim severity, changes in the expected level of reported claims, judicial action changing the scope and/or liability of coverage, changes in the legislative, regulatory, social and economic environment and unexpected changes in loss inflation.
Our eleven-yeartwelve-year operating history, which includes periods of rapid growth, means that our loss reserve estimate places more reliance on industry benchmarks than may be the case for companies with longer operating histories; as a result, the potential for volatility in our estimated loss reserves may be more pronounced. When establishing our single point best estimate of loss reserves at December 31, 20122013, our management considered actuarial estimates and applied informed judgment regarding qualitative factors that may not be fully captured in actuarial estimates. Such factors included, but were not limited to: the timing of the emergence of claims, volume and complexity of claims, social and judicial trends, potential severity of individual claims and the extent of internal historical loss data versus industry information.
Changes to our previous estimate of prior year loss reserves can adversely impact the reported calendar year underwriting results if reserves prove to be deficient or favorably impact our reported results if reserves prove to be redundant. If our net income is insufficient to absorb a required increase in our loss reserves, we would incur an operating loss and could incur a reduction of our capital.
The effects of emerging claim and coverage issues on our business are uncertain.
As industry practices and legal, judicial, social, political and other environmental conditions change, unexpected issues related to claims and coverage may emerge. These issues may adversely affect our business by either extending coverage beyond our underwriting intent or by increasing the frequency and/or severity of claims. For example, the global financial crisis resulted in a higher level of claim activity on professional lines (re)insurance business. In some instances, these changes may not become apparent until some time after we have issued the insurance or reinsurance contracts that are affected by the changes. In addition, our actual losses may vary materially from our current estimate of the loss based on a number of factors (see ‘If actual claims exceed our loss reserves, our financial results could be adversely affected’ above). As
a result, the full extent of liability under an insurance or reinsurance contract may not be known for many years after such contract is issued and a loss occurs.
The failure of any of the loss limitation methods we employ could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
We seek to mitigate our loss exposure by writing a number of our (re)insurance contracts on an excess of loss basis. Excess of loss (re)insurance indemnifies the insured against losses in excess of a specified amount. We generally limit the program size for each client on our insurance business and purchase reinsurance for many of our lines of business. In the case of proportional reinsurance treaties, we seek per occurrence limitations or loss and loss expense ratio caps to limit the impact of losses from any one event. In proportional reinsurance, the reinsurer shares a proportional part of the premiums and losses of the reinsured. We also seek to limit our loss exposure through geographic diversification. Geographic zone limitations involve significant underwriting judgments, including the determination of the area of the zones and the inclusion of a particular policy within a particular zone’s limits. In addition, various provisions of our insurance policies and reinsurance contracts, such as limitations or exclusions from coverage or choice of forum negotiated to limit our risks may not be enforceable in the manner we intend. We cannot be sure that any of these loss limitation methods will be effective and mitigate our loss exposure. As a result of these risks, one or more catastrophe or other events could result in claims that substantially exceed our expectations, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
We utilize models to assist our decision making in key areas such as underwriting, reserving, reinsurance purchasing and the evaluation of our catastrophe risk but actual results could differ materially from model output.
We employ various modeling techniques (e.g. scenarios, predictive, stochastic and/or forecasting) to analyze and estimate exposures, loss trends and other risks associated with our assets and liabilities. We utilize modeled outputs and related analyses to assist us in decision-making, for example related to underwriting and pricing, reserving, reinsurance purchasing and the evaluation of our catastrophe risk through estimates of probable maximum losses, or "PMLs". The modeled outputs and related analyses are subject to various assumptions, uncertainties and the inherent limitations of any statistical analysis, including the use of historical internal and industry data. Consequently, our actual losses from natural catastrophes, whether from individual components (e.g. wind, flood, earthquake, etc.) or in the the aggregate, may differ materially from our modeled results. If, based upon these models or other factors, we misprice our products or underestimate the frequency and/or severity of loss events, our results of operations or financial condition may be adversely affected.
With respect to the evaluation of our catastrophe risk, our modeling utilizes a mix of historical data, scientific theory and mathematical methods. Output from multiple commercially available vendor models serves as a key input in our PML estimation process. We believe that there is considerable uncertainty in the data and parameter inputs for these vendor models. In that regard, there is no universal standard in the preparation of insured data for use in the models and the running of modeling software. In our view, the accuracy of the models depends heavily on the availability of detailed insured loss data from actual recent large catastrophes. Due to the limited number of events, there is significant potential for substantial differences between the modeled loss estimate and actual company experience for a single large catastrophe event. This potential difference could be even greater for perils with limited or no modeled annual frequency. We perform our own vendor model validation (including sensitivity analysis and backtesting, where possible) and supplement model output with historical loss information and analysis and management judgment. In addition, we derive our own estimates for non-modeled perils. Despite this, our PML estimates are subject to a high degree of uncertainty and our actual losses from catastrophe events may differ materially.
The risk associated with reinsurance underwriting could adversely affect us.
We do not always separately evaluate each of the individual risks assumed under reinsurance treaties, which is common amongst reinsurers. Therefore, we are largely dependent on the original underwriting decisions made by ceding companies. We are subject to the risk that the ceding companies may not have adequately evaluated the risks to be reinsured and that the premiums ceded may not adequately compensate us for the risks we assume.
We could be materially adversely affected if managing general agents, general agents and other producers in our program business exceed their underwriting authorities or otherwise breach obligations owed to us.
In program business conducted by our insurance segment, following our underwriting, financial, claims and information technology due diligence reviews, we authorize managing general agents, general agents and other producers to write business on our behalf within underwriting authorities prescribed by us. Once a program commences, we must rely on the
underwriting controls of these agents to write business within the underwriting authorities provided by us. Although we monitor our programs on an ongoing basis, our monitoring efforts may not be adequate or our agents may exceed their
underwriting authorities or otherwise breach obligations owed to us. To the extent that our agents exceed their authorities or otherwise breach obligations owed to us in the future, our results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.
If we choose to purchase reinsurance, we may be unable to do so, and if we successfully purchase reinsurance, we may be unable to collect amounts due to us.
We purchase reinsurance for our (re)insurance operations in order to mitigate the volatility of losses upon our financial results.
From time to time, market conditions have limited, and in some cases have prevented, (re)insurers from obtaining the types and amounts of reinsurance that they consider adequate for their business needs. There is no guarantee that our desired amounts of reinsurance or retrocessional reinsurance will be available in the marketplace in the future. In addition to capacity risk, the remaining capacity may not be on terms we deem appropriate or acceptable or with companies with whom we want to do business.
A reinsurer’s insolvency, or inability or refusal to make payments under the terms of its reinsurance agreement with us, could have a material adverse effect on our business because we remain liable to the insured. We face counterparty risk whenever we purchase reinsurance or retrocessional reinsurance. Consequently, the insolvency, inability or unwillingness of any of our present or future reinsurers to make timely payments to us under the terms of our reinsurance or retrocessional agreements could have an adverse effect on us.
If we experience difficulties with technology and/or data security, our ability to conduct our business might be negatively impacted.
While technology can streamline many business processes and ultimately reduce the cost of operations, technology initiatives present certain risks. Our business is dependent upon our employees’ and outsourcers’ ability to perform, in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, necessary business functions such as processing policies and paying claims. A shutdown or inability to access one or more of our facilities, a power outage, or a failure of one or more of our information technology, telecommunications or other systems could significantly impair our ability to perform such functions on a timely basis. If sustained or repeated, such a business interruption, system failure or service denial could result in a deterioration of our ability to write and process business, provide customer service, pay claims in a timely manner or perform other necessary business functions. Computer viruses, hackers and other external hazards including catastrophe events could expose our data systems to security breaches. These risks could expose us to data loss and damages. As a result, our ability to conduct our business might be adversely affected. To date, we have not experienced a material breach of cybersecurity. While administrative and technical controls, along with other preventative actions, reduce the risk of cyber incidents and protect our information technology, they may be insufficient to prevent cyber attacks and/or other security breaches to our computer systems.
Our business may be adversely affected if third-party outsourced service providers fail to satisfactorily perform certain technology and business process functions.
We outsource certain technology and business process functions to third parties and may do so increasingly in the future. If we do not effectively develop and implement our outsourcing strategy, third party providers do not perform as anticipated or we experience technological or other problems with a transition, we may not realize productivity improvements or cost efficiencies and may experience operational difficulties, increased costs and a loss of business. Our outsourcing of certain technology and business process functions to third parties may expose us to enhanced risk related to data security, which could result in monetary and reputational damages. In addition, our ability to receive services from third party providers might be impacted by cultural differences, political instability, unanticipated regulatory requirements or policies. As a result, our ability to conduct our business might be adversely affected.
Our operating results may be adversely affected by currency fluctuations.
Our reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. However, a portion of our gross premiums are written in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and a portion of our loss reserves are in non-U.S. currencies. In addition, a portion of our investment portfolio is denominated in currencies other than the U.S dollar. From time to time, we may experience losses resulting from fluctuations in the values of these non-U.S. currencies, which could adversely affect our operating results. Although we attempt to manage our foreign currency exposure through matching of our major foreign-denominated assets and liabilities, as well as
through use of currency derivatives, there is no guarantee that we will successfully mitigate our exposure to foreign exchange losses.
We may require additional capital in the future, which may not be available or may only be available on unfavorable terms.
Our future capital requirements depend on many factors, including regulatory requirements, our ability to write new business successfully, the frequency and severity of catastrophe events and our ability to establish premium rates and reserves at levels sufficient to cover losses. We may need to raise additional funds through financings. If we are unable to do so, it may curtail our growth and reduce our assets. Any equity or debt financing, if available at all, may be on terms that are not favorable to us. Equity financings could be dilutive to our existing shareholders and could result in the issuance of securities that have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior to those of our other securities. If we cannot obtain adequate capital on favorable terms or at all, our business, operating results and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Our inability to obtain the necessary credit could affect our ability to offer reinsurance in certain markets.
Neither AXIS Specialty Bermuda nor AXIS Re SE is licensed or admitted as a (re)insurer in any jurisdiction other than Bermuda, Ireland and Singapore. Because the U.S. and some other jurisdictions do not permit insurance companies to take credit on their statutory financial statements for reinsurance obtained from unlicensed or non-admitted insurers unless appropriate security mechanisms are in place, our reinsurance clients in these jurisdictions typically require AXIS Specialty Bermuda and AXIS Re SE to provide letters of credit or other collateral. Our credit facilities are used to post letters of credit. However, if our credit facilities are not sufficient or if we are unable to renew our credit facilities or arrange for other types of security on commercially affordable terms, AXIS Specialty Bermuda and AXIS Re SE could be limited in their ability to write business for some of our clients.
A downgrade in our financial strength or credit ratings by one or more rating agencies could materially and negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and/or liquidity.
As our ability to underwrite business is dependent upon the quality of our claims paying and financial strength ratings as evaluated by independent rating agencies. A downgrade, withdrawal or negative watch/outlook by any of these institutions could cause our competitive position in the (re)insurance industry to suffer and make it more difficult for us to market our products. If we experience a credit rating downgrade, withdrawal or negative watch/outlook in the future, we could incur higher borrowing costs and may have more limited means to access capital. A downgrade, withdrawal or negative watch/outlook could also result in a substantial loss of business for us, as ceding companies and brokers that place such business may move to other (re)insurers with higher ratings.
The regulatory system under which we operate, and potential changes thereto, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In a time of financial uncertainty or a prolonged economic downturn or recession, regulators may choose to adopt more restrictive insurance laws and regulations, which may result in lower revenues and/or higher costs and thus could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.
Our (re)insurance subsidiaries conduct business globally and our businesses in each of these jurisdictions are subject to varying degrees of regulation and supervision. The laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which our (re)insurance subsidiaries are domiciled require, among other things, that our subsidiaries maintain minimum levels of statutory capital and liquidity, meet solvency standards, participate in guaranty funds and submit to periodic examinations of their financial condition and compliance with underwriting regulations. These laws and regulations also limit or restrict payments of dividends and reductions in capital. Statutes, regulations and policies may also restrict the ability of these subsidiaries to write (re)insurance contracts, to make certain investments and to distribute funds. The purpose of insurance laws and regulations generally is to protect insureds and ceding insurance companies, not our shareholders. We may not be able to comply fully with, or obtain appropriate exemptions from, these statutes and regulations. Failure to comply with or to obtain appropriate authorizations and/or exemptions under any applicable laws could result in restrictions on our ability to do business or undertake activities that are regulated in one or more of the jurisdictions in which we conduct business and could subject us to fines and other sanctions. In addition, changes in the laws or regulations to which our (re)insurance subsidiaries are subject or in the interpretation thereof by enforcement or regulatory agencies could have an adverse effect on our business.
Potential government intervention in our industry as a result of recent events and instability in the marketplace for insurance products could hinder our flexibility and negatively affect the business opportunities that may be available to us in the market.
Government intervention and the possibility of future government intervention have created uncertainty in the (re)insurance markets. Government regulators are generally concerned with the protection of policyholders to the exclusionpossible detriment of other constituents, including shareholders of (re)insurers. An example of such intervention was the expansion of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund in 2007, which increased the capacity of the Fund to compete against commercial providers of catastrophe reinsurance. In addition, in December 2007, the TRIEA of 2007 extended the material provisions of TRIA for an additional seven years to December 31, 2014 and expanded coverage to include domestic acts of terrorism.
In recent years certain U.S. and non-U.S. judicial and regulatory authorities, including U.S. Attorney’s Offices and certain state attorneys general, have commenced investigations into other business practices in the insurance industry. In addition, although the U.S. federal government has not historically regulated insurance, there have been proposals from time to time, and especially after the recent global financial crisis, to impose federal regulation on the insurance industry. For example, in 2010, Dodd-Frank established a FIOFederal Insurance Office ("FIO") within the U.S. Treasury. ThisThe FIO initially has limited regulatory authority and is empowered to gather data and information regarding the insurance industry, including conductingand has conducted and submitted a study for submission to the U.S. Congress on how to modernize and improve insurance regulation in the U.S. This study's findings are not expected to have a significant impact on the Company. Further, Dodd-Frank gives the Federal Reserve supervisory authority over a number of financial services companies, including insurance companies, if they are designated by a two-thirds vote of a Financial Stability Oversight Council as ‘systemically important’. While we do not believe that we are systemically important, as defined in Dodd-Frank, Dodd-Frank or additional federal regulation that is adopted in the future could impose significant burdens on us, impact the ways in which we conduct our business, increase compliance costs, duplicate state regulation and/or could result in a competitive disadvantage.
Further, once the European Parliament approves Omnibus II, which will include a commencement date, our European legal entities will be subject to Solvency II regulations. Solvency II will replace the existing European Commission (“E.C.”) (re)insurance legislation and has three pillars: (i) a risk based capital assessment, including the approval of internal capital models, (ii) a principles-based risk governance framework, and (iii) external regulatory disclosure obligations. Our European subsidiaries AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Re SE are working towards becoming Solvency II compliant. The Bermuda Monetary Authority (“BMA”) is seeking “equivalence” under the Solvency II directive and the E.C. has completed a preliminary equivalence assessment, identifying certain areas for improvement prior to granting full equivalence. AXIS Specialty Limited is working towards meeting the newall BMA requirements. Many of the detailed requirements are still being finalized by the E.C. The final implementation of the Solvency II directive may require us to incur considerable expense in order to comply with the requirements and the adoption of new capital modeling rules could impact the levels of capital required to operate our Bermuda and European subsidiaries. Solvency II could also increase our compliance costs and impact the way in which we conduct our business and govern our subsidiaries.
While we cannot predict the exact nature, timing or scope of possible governmental initiatives, such proposals could adversely affect our business by, among other things:
Providing reinsurance capacity in markets and to consumers that we target;
Requiring our further participation in industry pools and guaranty associations;
Expanding the scope of coverage under existing policies; e.g., following large disasters;
Further regulating the terms of (re)insurance contracts; or
Disproportionately benefiting the companies of one country over those of another.
Since we depend on a few brokers for a large portion of our revenues, loss of business provided by any one of them could adversely affect us.
We market our (re)insurance worldwide primarily through (re)insurance brokers and derive a significant portion of our business from a limited number of brokers. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., including its subsidiary Guy Carpenter & Company, Inc., Aon Corporation and Willis Group Holdings Ltd., provided a total of 61% of our gross premiums written during 20122013. Our relationships with these brokers are based on the quality of our underwriting and claim services, as well as our financial strength ratings. Any deterioration in these factors could result in the brokers advising our clients to place their business with other (re)insurers. In addition, these brokers also have, or may in the future acquire, ownership interests in insurance and reinsurance companies that may compete with us and these brokers may favor their own (re)insurers over other
companies. Loss of all or a substantial portion of the business provided by one or more of these brokers could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our reliance on brokers subjects us to credit risk.
In accordance with industry practice, we pay amounts owed on claims under our (re)insurance contracts to brokers, and these brokers pay these amounts over to the clients that have purchased (re)insurance from us. Although the law is unsettled and depends upon the facts and circumstances of the particular case, in some jurisdictions, if a broker fails to make such a payment, we might remain liable to the insured or ceding insurer for the deficiency.
Conversely, in certain jurisdictions, when the insured or ceding insurer pays premiums for these policies to brokers for payment over to us, these premiums might be considered to have been paid and the insured or ceding insurer will no longer be liable to us for those amounts, whether or not we have actually received the premiums from the broker. Consequently, we assume a degree of credit risk associated with brokers with whom we transact business. These risks are heightened during periods characterized by financial market instability and/or an economic downturn or recession.
Certain of our policyholders and intermediaries may not pay premiums owed to us due to bankruptcyinsolvency or other reasons.
Bankruptcy,Insolvency, liquidity problems, distressed financial condition or the general effects of economic recession may increase the risk that policyholders or intermediaries, such as insurance brokers, may not pay a part of or the full amount of premiums owed to us, despite an obligation to do so. The terms of our contracts may not permit us to cancel our insurance even though we have not received payment. If non-payment becomes widespread, whether as a result of bankruptcy,insolvency, lack of liquidity, adverse economic conditions, operational failure or otherwise, it could have a material adverse impact on our revenues and results of operations.
Changes in current accounting practices and future pronouncements may materially impact our reported financial results.
Developments in accounting practices may require us to incur considerable additional expenses to comply with such developments, particularly if we are required to prepare information relating to prior periods for comparative purposes or to apply the new requirements retroactively. The impact of changes in current accounting practices and future pronouncements cannot be predicted but may affect the calculation of net income, netshareholders' equity and other relevant financial statement line items.
In particular, the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”, and together with the FASB, the “Boards”) continue to work jointly on an insurance contract project, although the Boards acknowledge that the resulting standards will not converge. Continued deliberations are expected inThe FASB and IASB both issued Exposure Drafts during 2013 with each Board expected to issue Exposure Drafts. Theproposing accounting and reporting guidance for insurance contracts proposed by both Boards wouldwhich could result in a material change from the current insurance accounting models toward more fair value-based models. Subsequently, during February 2014, the FASB decided that the core accounting framework will remain essentially unchanged for property and casualty (re)insurers although the financial statements disclosures will likely need to be enhanced.
Additionally, the Boards continue to develop a comprehensive model for accounting for and reporting of financial instruments, which may lead to further recognition of fair value changes through net income and changes in the way impairments are measured. Changes resulting from these two projects could introducehave a significant volatility inimpact on the earnings of (re)insurance industry participants. There remains considerable uncertainty with respect to the final outcome of these two projects.
We could be adversely affected by the loss of one or more key executives or by an inability to attract and retain qualified personnel.
Our success depends on our ability to retain the services of our existing key executives and to attract and retain additional qualified personnel in the future. The loss of the services of any of our key executives or the inability to hire and retain other highly qualified personnel in the future could adversely affect our ability to conduct our business. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in identifying, hiring or retaining successors on terms acceptable to us or on any terms.
Under Bermuda law, non-Bermudians, with some limited exceptions, may not engage in any gainful occupation in Bermuda without an appropriate governmental work permit. Work permits may be granted or extended by the Bermuda government only upon showing that, after proper public advertisement in most cases, no Bermudian or spouse of a Bermudian, holder of a
permanent resident certificate or holder of a working resident certificate has applied who meets the minimum standard requirements for the advertised position has applied for the position. Work permits may be requested for one, three, five, six or, in certain circumstances for key executives, ten years. In 2001,January 2013, the Bermuda government announced a newabolished term limits. This removed the immigration policy limitingput in place in 2001, which limited the duration of work permits tofor between six and nine years, with specified exemptions for “key” employees. In March 2004, the Bermuda government announced an amendment to the immigration policy which expanded the categories of occupations recognized by the government as “key” and for which businesses are eligible to apply for holders of jobs in those categories to be exempt from the six to nine year term limits. The categories include senior executives (chief executive officers, presidents through vice presidents), managers with global responsibility, senior financial posts (treasurers, chief financial officers through controllers, specialized qualified accountants, quantitative modeling analysts), certain legal professionals (general counsel, specialist attorneys, qualified legal librarians and knowledge managers), senior insurance professionals (senior underwriters, senior claims adjustors), experienced/specialized brokers, actuaries, specialist investment traders/analysts and senior information technology engineers/managers.years. All executive officers who work in our Bermuda office that require work permits have obtained them.
Competition in the insurance industry could reduce our growth and profitability.
The (re)insurance industry is highly competitive. We compete on an international and regional basis with major U.S., Bermuda, European and other international (re)insurers and with Lloyd's underwriting syndicates, some of which have greater financial, marketing and management resources than we do. We also compete with new companies that continue to be formed to enter the (re)insurance markets. In addition, capital market participants have recently created alternative products that are intended to compete with reinsurance products. Increased competition could result in fewer submissions, lower premium rates, less favorable policy terms and conditions and greater costs of customer acquisition and retention. In addition, if industry pricing does not meet our hurdle rate, we may reduce our future underwriting activities. These factors could have a material adverse effect on our growth and profitability.
Our ability to pay dividends and to make payments on indebtedness may be constrained by our holding company structure.
AXIS Capital is a holding company and has no direct operations of its own. AXIS Capital has no significant operations or assets other than its ownership of the shares of its operating (re)insurance subsidiaries, AXIS Specialty Bermuda, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe, AXIS Re U.S., AXIS Specialty U.S., AXIS Surplus and AXIS Insurance Co. (collectively, our “Insurance Subsidiaries”). Dividends and other permitted distributions from our Insurance Subsidiaries (in some cases through our subsidiary holding companies), are our primary source of funds to meet ongoing cash requirements, including debt service payments and other expenses, and to pay dividends to our shareholders. Our Insurance Subsidiaries are subject to significant regulatory restrictions limiting their ability to declare and pay dividends and make distributions. The inability of our Insurance Subsidiaries to pay dividends in an amount sufficient to enable us to meet our cash requirements at the holding company level could have a material adverse effect on our business and our ability to pay dividends and make payments on our indebtedness.
Global climate change may have a material adverse effect on our results of operation and financial condition if we are not able to adequately assess and reserve for the increased frequency and severity of catastrophes resulting from these environmental factors.
The frequency and severity of natural catastrophe activity, including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and droughts, has been greater in recent years. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have increased dramatically since the industrial revolution and there is debate as to whether this has caused a gradual increase in global average temperatures. Increasing global average temperatures may continue in the future and could impact our business in the long-term. However, there is no clear consensus in the scientific community regarding the effect of global environmental
factors on the frequency and severity of catastrophes. Climatologists concur that heat from the ocean drives hurricanes, but they cannot agree on how much ocean temperature changes alter the annual outlook. In addition, it is unclear whether rising sea temperatures are part of a longer cycle.
We attempt to mitigate the risk of financial exposure from climate change through our underwriting risk management practices. This includes sensitivity to geographic concentrations of risks, the purchase of protective reinsurance and selective underwriting criteria which can include, but is not limited to, higher premiums and deductibles and more specifically excluded policy risks. However, given the scientific uncertainty about the causes of increased frequency and severity of catastrophes and the lack of adequate predictive tools, a continuation and worsening of recent trends may have a material impact on our results of operation or financial condition.
AXIS Capital is a Bermuda company and it may be difficult for you to enforce judgments against it or its directors and executive officers.
AXIS Capital is incorporated pursuant to the laws of Bermuda and our business is based in Bermuda. In addition, some of our directors and officers reside outside the United States, and all or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of such persons are located in jurisdictions outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible to effect service of process within the United States upon those persons or to recover against us or them on judgments of U.S. courts, including
judgments predicated upon civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws. Further, it may not be possible to bring a claim in Bermuda against us or our directors and officers for violation of U.S. federal securities laws because these laws may have no extraterritorial application under Bermuda law and do not have force of law in Bermuda. A Bermuda court may, however, impose civil liability, including the possibility of monetary damages, on us or our directors and officers if the facts alleged in a complaint constitute or give rise to a cause of action under Bermuda law.
There are provisions in our organizational documents that may reduce or increase the voting rights of our shares.
Our bye-laws generally provide that shareholders have one vote for each common share held by them and are entitled to vote, on a non-cumulative basis, at all meetings of shareholders. However, the voting rights exercisable by a shareholder may be limited so that certain persons or groups are not deemed to hold 9.5% or more of the voting power conferred by our shares. Under these provisions, some shareholders may have the right to exercise their voting rights limited to less than one vote per share. Moreover, these provisions could have the effect of reducing the voting power of some shareholders who would not otherwise be subject to the limitation by virtue of their direct share ownership. In addition, our board of directors may limit a shareholder’s exercise of voting rights where it deems it necessary to do so to avoid adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences.
We also have the authority under our bye-laws to request information from any shareholder for the purpose of determining whether a shareholder’s voting rights are to be limited pursuant to the bye-laws. If a shareholder fails to respond to our request for information or submits incomplete or inaccurate information in response to a request by us, we may, in our sole discretion, eliminate the shareholder’s voting rights.
There are provisions in our bye-laws that may restrict the ability to transfer common shares and which may require shareholders to sell their common shares.
Our board of directors may decline to register a transfer of any common shares under some circumstances, including if they have reason to believe that any non-de minimis adverse tax, regulatory or legal consequences to us, any of our subsidiaries or any of our shareholders may occur as a result of such transfer. Our bye-laws also provide that if our board of directors determines that share ownership by a person may result in non-de minimis adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences to us, any of our subsidiaries or any of our shareholders, then we have the option, but not the obligation, to require that shareholder to sell to us or to third parties to whom we assign the repurchase right for fair value the minimum number of common shares held by such person which is necessary to eliminate the non-de minimis adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences.
Applicable insurance laws may make it difficult to effect a change of control of our company.
Before a person can acquire control of a U.S. insurance company, prior written approval must be obtained from the insurance commissioner of the state where the domestic insurer is domiciled. Prior to granting approval of an application to acquire control of a domestic insurer, the state insurance commissioner will consider such factors as the financial strength of the acquiror,acquirer, the integrity and management of the acquiror’sacquirer’s board of directors and executive officers, the acquiror’sacquirer’s plans for the
future operations of the domestic insurer and any anti-competitive results that may arise from the consummation of the acquisition of control. Generally, state statutes provide that control over a domestic insurer is presumed to exist if any person, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, holds with the power to vote, or holds proxies representing, 10% or more of the voting securities of the domestic insurer. Because a person acquiring 10% or more of our common shares would indirectly control the same percentage of the stock of the AXIS U.S. Subsidiaries, the insurance change of control laws of Connecticut, Illinois and New York would likely apply to such a transaction.
In addition, the Insurance Acts and Regulations in Ireland require that anyone acquiring or disposing of a direct or indirect holding in an Irish authorized insurance company (such as AXIS Specialty Europe) that represents 10% or more of the capital or of the voting rights of such company or that makes it possible to exercise a significant influence over the management of such company, or anyone who proposes to decrease or increase that holding to specified levels, must first notify the CBI of their intention to do so. They also require any Irish authorized insurance company that becomes aware of any acquisitions or disposals of its capital involving the specified levels to notify the CBI. The specified levels are 20%, 33% and 50% or such other level of ownership that results in the company becoming the acquiror’sacquirer’s subsidiary within the meaning of article 20 of the European Communities (non-Life Insurance) Framework Regulations 1994.
The CBI has three months from the date of submission of a notification within which to oppose the proposed transaction if the CBI is not satisfied as to the suitability of the acquiroracquirer in view of the necessity “to ensure prudent and sound management
of the insurance undertaking concerned.” Any person owning 10% or more of the capital or voting rights or an amount that makes it possible to exercise a significant influence over the management of AXIS Capital would be considered to have a “qualifying holding” in AXIS Specialty Europe.
While our bye-laws limit the voting power of any shareholder to less than 9.5%, there can be no assurance that the applicable regulatory body would agree that a shareholder who owned 10% or more of our shares did not, because of the limitation on the voting power of such shares, control the applicable Insurance Subsidiary. These laws may discourage potential acquisition proposals and may delay, deter or prevent a change of control of the Company, including transactions that some or all of our shareholders might consider to be desirable.
Anti-takeover provisions in our bye-laws could impede an attempt to replace our directors or to effect a change in control, which could diminish the value of our common shares.
Our bye-laws contain provisions that may make it more difficult for shareholders to replace directors and could delay or prevent a change of control that a shareholder might consider favorable. These provisions include a staggered board of directors, limitations on the ability of shareholders to remove directors other than for cause, limitations on voting rights and restrictions on transfer of our common shares. These provisions may prevent a shareholder from receiving the benefit from any premium over the market price of our shares offered by a bidder in a potential takeover. Even in the absence of an attempt to effect a change in management or a takeover attempt, these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our shares if they are viewed as discouraging takeover attempts in the future.
We may become subject to taxes in Bermuda after March 31, 2035, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
The Bermuda Minister of Finance, under the Exempted Undertakings Tax Protection Act 1966 of Bermuda, as amended, has given each of AXIS Capital, AXIS Specialty Holdingsour Bermuda Limited and AXIS Specialty Bermudaresident companies an assurance that if any legislation is enacted in Bermuda that would impose tax computed on profits or income, or computed on any capital asset, gain or appreciation, or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax, then the imposition of any such tax will not be applicable to AXIS Capital, AXIS Specialtyour Bermuda resident companies or any of their respective operations, shares, debentures or other obligations until March 31, 2035. Given the limited duration of the Minister of Finance’s assurance, we cannot be certain that we will not be subject to any Bermuda tax after March 31, 2035.
Our non-U.S. companies may be subject to U.S. tax that may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
AXIS Capital, AXIS Specialty Holdings Bermuda Limited and AXIS Specialty Bermuda are Bermuda companies, AXIS Specialty Holdings Ireland Limited (“AXIS Ireland Holdings”), AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe, and AXIS Specialty Global Holdings Limited are Irish companies and AXIS Specialty U.K. Holdings Limited (“AXIS U.K. Holdings”) is a U.K. company.
We intend to manage our business so that each of theseour non-U.S. companies will operate in such a manner that none of these companies should be subject to U.S. tax (other than U.S. excise tax on (re)insurance premium income attributable to insuring
or reinsuring U.S. risks and U.S. withholding tax on some types of U.S. source investment income), because none of these companies should be treated as engaged in a trade or business within the United States. However, because there is considerable uncertainty as to the activities that constitute being engaged in a trade or business within the United States, we cannot be certain that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service will not contend successfully that any of AXIS Capital or its non-U.S. subsidiariescompanies is/are engaged in a trade or business in the United States. If AXIS Capital or any of itsour non-U.S. subsidiariescompanies were considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the United States, it could be subject to U.S. corporate income and additional branch profits taxes on the portion of its earnings effectively connected to such U.S. business. If this were to be the case, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Our non-U.K. companies may be subject to U.K. tax that may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We intend to operate in such a manner so that none of our non-U.K. companies, other than AXIS U.K. Holdings, should be resident in the United Kingdom for tax purposes and that none of our non-U.K. resident companies, other than AXIS Specialty Europe, should have a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom. Accordingly, we expect that none of our non-U.K. resident companies other than AXIS U.K. Holdings and AXIS Specialty Europe should be subject to U.K. tax. Nevertheless, because neither case law nor U.K. statutes conclusively define the activities that constitute trading in the United Kingdom through a permanent establishment, the U.K. Inland Revenue might contend successfully that any of our non-U.K. companies, in addition to AXIS U.K. Holdings and AXIS Specialty Europe, is/are trading in the United Kingdom through a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom and therefore subject to U.K. tax.
In addition, there are circumstances in which companies that are neither resident in the United Kingdom, nor entitled to the protection afforded by a double tax treaty between the United Kingdom and the jurisdiction in which they are resident, may be exposed to income tax in the United Kingdom (other than by deduction or withholding) on the profits of a trade carried on there even if that trade is not carried on through a permanent establishment. We intend to operate in such a manner that none of our companies will fall within the charge to United Kingdom income tax in this respect.
If any of our non-U.K. resident companies, other than AXIS U.K. Holdings,Specialty Europe were treated as being resident in the United Kingdom for U.K. corporation tax purposes, or if any of our non-U.K. companies other than AXIS U.K. Holdings, and AXIS Specialty Europe were to be treated as carrying on a trade in the United Kingdom, whether or not through a permanent establishment, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Our U.K. operations may be affected by future changes in U.K. tax law.
Our U.K. resident companies and AXIS U.K. HoldingsSpecialty Europe should be treated as residenttaxable in the United Kingdom (by virtue of its being incorporated and managed there) and accordingly be subject to U.K. tax in respect of its worldwide income and gains. AXIS Specialty Europe is subject to U.K. corporation tax as a result of its having a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom, however the charge to U.K corporation tax is limited to profits (including revenue profits and capital gains) attributable directly or indirectly to such permanent establishment.Kingdom. Any change in the basis or rate of U.K. corporation tax could materially adversely affect the operations of these companies.
Our non-Irish companies may be subject to Irish tax that may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We intend to operate our non-Irish resident companies in such a manner so that none of our non-Irish resident companies, other than AXIS Ireland Holdings, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe, and AXIS Specialty Global Holdings Limited should be resident in Ireland for tax purposes and that none of our companies, other than AXIS Ireland Holdings, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe, and AXIS Specialty Global Holdings Limitedthey should not be treated as carrying on a trade through a branch or agency in Ireland.
Accordingly, we expect that none of our non-Irish resident companies other than AXIS Ireland Holdings, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Specialty Global Holdings Limited should be subject to Irish corporation tax. Nevertheless, since the determination as to whether a company is resident in Ireland is a question of fact to be determined based on a number of different factors and since neither case law nor Irish legislation conclusively defines the activities that constitute trading in Ireland through a branch or agency, the Irish Revenue Commissioners might contend successfully that any of our non-Irish companies, in addition to AXIS Ireland Holdings, AXIS Re SE, AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Specialty Global Holdings Limited, is resident in or otherwise trading through a branch or agency in Ireland and therefore subject to Irish corporation tax. If this were the case, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
If corporate tax rates in Ireland increase, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Trading income derived from the (re)insurance businesses carried on in Ireland by AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Re SE is generally taxed in Ireland at a rate of 12.5%. Over the past number of years, various EU member states have, from time to time, called for harmonization of the corporate tax base within the EU. Ireland, along with other member states, has consistently resisted any movement towards standardized corporate tax rates or tax base in the EU. The Government of Ireland has also made clear its commitment to retain the 12.5% rate of corporation tax. If, however, tax laws in Ireland change so as to increase the general corporation tax rate in Ireland, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
If investments held by AXIS Specialty Europe or AXIS Re SE are determined not to be integral to the (re)insurance businesses carried on by those companies, additional Irish tax could be imposed and our business and financial results could be materially adversely affected.
Based on administrative practice, taxable income derived from investments made by AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Re SE is generally taxed in Ireland at the rate of 12.5% on the grounds that such investments either form part of the permanent capital required by regulatory authorities, or are otherwise integral to the (re)insurance businesses carried on by those companies. AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Re SE intend to operate in such a manner so that the level of investments held by such companies does not exceed the amount that is integral to the (re)insurance businesses carried on by AXIS Specialty Europe and AXIS Re SE. If, however, investment income earned by AXIS Specialty Europe or AXIS Re SE exceeds these thresholds, or if the administrative practice of the Irish Revenue Commissioners changes, Irish corporation tax could apply to such investment income at a higher rate (currently 25%) instead of the general 12.5% rate, and our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Changes in U.S. federal income tax law or38
Globally there are increasing efforts to modify the manner intaxation of multi-national companies which it is interpreted could materially adversely affectmay impact us.
Legislation
In the U.S., legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress intended to eliminate some perceived tax advantages of companies (including insurance companies) that have legal domiciles outside the United States, but have certain U.S. connections. Previously, legislationLegislation had been introduced in Congress to limit the deductibility of reinsurance premiums paid by U.S. companies to non-U.S. affiliates. A similar provision was included as part of President Obama’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2013. It is possible that this or similar legislation could be introduced in and enacted by the current Congress or future Congresses that could have an adverse impact on us. In addition, existing interpretations of U.S. federal income tax laws could change also resultingand any such changes could likewise impact us adversely. Internationally, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (“The OECD”) has initiated a consultation on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting. There is a risk that the final recommendations of the OECD could be implemented by certain jurisdictions in which we operate and such changes could impact us adversely.
The price of our common shares may be volatile.
There has been significant volatility in the market for equity securities. During 2013, 2012, and 2011 the price of our common shares fluctuated from a low of $34.95 to a high of $49.75, a low of $30.35 to a high of $38.80 and from a low of $24.80 to a high of $37.81, respectively. On February 20, 2014, our common shares closed at a price of $43.66. The price of our common shares may not remain at or exceed current levels. The following factors, in addition to those described in other risk factors above, may have an adverse impact on us.the market price of our common stock:
actual or anticipated variations in our quarterly results, including as a result of catastrophes or our investment performance;
our share repurchase program;
changes in market valuation of companies in the insurance and reinsurance industry;
changes in expectations of future financial performance or changes in estimates of securities analysts;
fluctuations in stock market processes and volumes;
issuances or sales of common shares or other securities in the future;
the addition or departure of key personnel; and
announcements by us or our competitors of acquisitions, investments or strategic alliances.
Stock markets in the U.S. continue to experience volatile price and volume fluctuations. Such fluctuations, as well as the general political situation, current economic conditions or interest rate or currency rate fluctuations, could adversely affect the market price of our stock.
| |
ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
We have no outstanding, unresolved comments from the SEC staff at December 31, 20122013.
We maintain office facilities in the United States, Bermuda, Europe, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Latin America. We own the property in which our offices are located in Dublin, Ireland, and we lease office space in the other countries. We renew and enter into new leases in the ordinary course of business as required. Our global headquarters is located at 92 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke, Bermuda. We believe that our office space is sufficient for us to conduct our operations for the foreseeable future.
From time to time, we are subject to routine legal proceedings, including arbitrations, arising in the ordinary course of business. These legal proceedings generally relate to claims asserted by or against us in the ordinary course of insurance or reinsurance operations; estimated amounts payable under such proceedings are included in the reserve for losses and loss expenses in our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Except as noted below, weWe are not a party to any material legal proceedings arising outside the ordinary course of business.
In 2005, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against our U.S. insurance subsidiaries. In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation was filed on August 15, 2005 in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and includes as defendants numerous insurance brokers and insurance companies. The lawsuit alleges antitrust and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) violations in connection with the payment of contingent commissions and manipulation of insurance bids and seeks damages in an unspecified amount. On October 3, 2006, the District Court granted, in part, motions to dismiss filed by the defendants, and ordered plaintiffs to file supplemental pleadings setting forth sufficient facts to allege their antitrust and RICO claims. After plaintiffs filed their supplemental pleadings, defendants renewed their motions to dismiss. On April 15, 2007, the District Court dismissed without prejudice plaintiffs' complaint, as amended, and granted plaintiffs thirty (30) days to file another amended complaint and/or revised RICO Statement and Statements of Particularity. In May 2007, plaintiffs filed (i) a Second Consolidated Amended Commercial Class Action complaint, (ii) a Revised Particularized Statement Describing the Horizontal Conspiracies Alleged in the Second Consolidated Amended Commercial Class Action Complaint, and (iii) a Third Amended Commercial Insurance Plaintiffs' RICO Case Statement Pursuant to Local Rule 16.1(B)(4). On June 21, 2007, the defendants filed renewed motions to dismiss. On September 28, 2007, the District Court dismissed with prejudice plaintiffs' antitrust and RICO claims and declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over plaintiffs' remaining state law claims. On October 10, 2007, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal of all adverse orders and decisions to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and a hearing was held in April 2009. On August 16, 2010, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court's dismissal of the antitrust and RICO claims arising from the contingent commission arrangements and remanded the case to the District Court with respect to the manipulation of insurance bids allegations. We continued to believe that the lawsuit was completely without merit and on that basis vigorously defended the filed action. However, for the sole purpose of avoiding additional litigation costs, we reached an agreement in principle with plaintiffs during the first quarter of 2011 to settle all claims and causes of action in this matter for an immaterial amount. On March 30, 2012, the District Court issued the final settlement order, and this matter is now closed.
| |
ITEM 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES |
Not Applicable.
PART II
| |
ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “AXS”. The following table provides the high and low sales prices per share of our common shares for each of the fiscal quarters in the last two fiscal years as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | High | | Low | | Dividends Declared | | High | | Low | | Dividends Declared | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1st Quarter | $ | 33.52 |
| | $ | 30.35 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| | $ | 37.81 |
| | $ | 32.07 |
| | $ | 0.23 |
| |
| 2nd Quarter | $ | 35.12 |
| | $ | 30.60 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| | $ | 36.63 |
| | $ | 30.23 |
| | $ | 0.23 |
| |
| 3rd Quarter | $ | 36.45 |
| | $ | 32.03 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| | $ | 32.40 |
| | $ | 24.80 |
| | $ | 0.23 |
| |
| 4th Quarter | $ | 38.80 |
| | $ | 33.65 |
| | $ | 0.25 |
| | $ | 32.99 |
| | $ | 25.03 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| | High | | Low | | Dividends Declared | | High | | Low | | Dividends Declared | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1st Quarter | $ | 41.98 |
| | $ | 34.95 |
| | $ | 0.25 |
| | $ | 33.52 |
| | $ | 30.35 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| |
| 2nd Quarter | $ | 46.88 |
| | $ | 41.29 |
| | $ | 0.25 |
| | $ | 35.12 |
| | $ | 30.60 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| |
| 3rd Quarter | $ | 48.39 |
| | $ | 41.87 |
| | $ | 0.25 |
| | $ | 36.45 |
| | $ | 32.03 |
| | $ | 0.24 |
| |
| 4th Quarter | $ | 49.75 |
| | $ | 43.42 |
| | $ | 0.27 |
| | $ | 38.80 |
| | $ | 33.65 |
| | $ | 0.25 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
On February 4, 2013,January 13, 2014, the number of holders of record of our common shares was 33.26. This figure does not represent the actual number of beneficial owners of our common shares because shares are frequently held in “street name” by securities dealers and others for the benefit of beneficial owners who may vote the shares.
While we expect to continue paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future, the declaration and payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend upon many factors, including our earnings, financial condition, business needs, capital and surplus requirements of our operating subsidiaries and regulatory and contractual restrictions, including those set forth in our credit facilities. See Item 7 ‘Liquidity and Capital Resources’ for further information.
ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
The following table provides information regarding the number of common shares we repurchased in the quarter ended December 31, 20122013:
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid Per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs(a) | Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Announced Plans or Programs(b) |
October 1-31, 2012 | 890 |
|
| $36.45 |
| — |
|
| $236.3 | million |
November 1-30, 2012 | 2,125 |
|
| $35.26 |
| — |
|
| $236.3 | million |
December 1-31, 2012 | 21,892 |
|
| $35.96 |
| — |
|
| $750.0 | million |
Total | 24,907 |
| | — |
|
| $750.0 | million |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Period | Total Number of Shares Purchased | Average Price Paid Per Share | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs(a) | Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Announced Plans or Programs(b) |
October 1-31, 2013 | 1,678 |
|
| $44.99 |
| — |
|
| $408.9 | million |
November 1-30, 2013 | 1,572,891 |
|
| $48.56 |
| 1,564,889 |
|
| $332.9 | million |
December 1-31, 2013 | 753,670 |
|
| $48.15 |
| 749,101 |
|
| $750.0 | million |
Total | 2,328,239 |
| | 2,313,990 |
|
| $750.0 | million |
| |
(a) | From time to time, we purchase shares in connection with the vesting of restricted stock awards granted to our employees under our 2007 Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan. The purchase of these shares is separately authorized and is not part of our Board-authorized share repurchase program, described below. |
| |
(b) | On September 24, 2010, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase plan to repurchase up to $750 million of our common shares until December 31, 2012. On December 17, 2012, our Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase plan to repurchase $750 million of our common shares through to December 31, 2014. On December 9, 2013, our Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase plan for up to $750 million of our common shares through December 31, 2015. The new share repurchase authorization, effective January 1, 2013,2014, replaced the previous plan which had $236.3$308.9 million available until the end of 2012.2013. Share repurchases may be effected from time to time in open market or privately negotiated transactions, depending on market conditions. |
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ITEM 6. | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA |
The following tables set forth our selected historical consolidated financial information for the last five years. This data should also be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes presented under Item 8 and with ‘Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations’ under Item 7.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | At and For the year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2009 | | 2008 | |
| | (in thousands, except per share amounts) | |
| Selected Statement of Operations Data: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | $ | 4,096,153 |
| | $ | 3,750,536 |
| | $ | 3,587,295 |
| | $ | 3,390,388 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 3,415,463 |
| | 3,314,961 |
| | 2,947,410 |
| | 2,791,764 |
| | 2,687,181 |
| |
| Net investment income | 380,957 |
| | 362,430 |
| | 406,892 |
| | 464,478 |
| | 247,237 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains (losses)(1) | 127,469 |
| | 121,439 |
| | 195,098 |
| | (311,584 | ) | | (85,267 | ) | |
| Net losses and loss expenses | 2,096,028 |
| | 2,675,052 |
| | 1,677,132 |
| | 1,423,872 |
| | 1,712,766 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | 627,653 |
| | 587,469 |
| | 488,712 |
| | 420,495 |
| | 366,509 |
| |
| General and administrative expenses | 560,981 |
| | 459,151 |
| | 449,885 |
| | 370,157 |
| | 335,758 |
| |
| Interest expense and financing costs | 61,863 |
| | 62,598 |
| | 55,876 |
| | 32,031 |
| | 31,673 |
| |
| Preferred share dividends | 38,228 |
| | 36,875 |
| | 36,875 |
| | 36,875 |
| | 36,875 |
| |
| Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 495,004 |
| | $ | 9,430 |
| | $ | 819,848 |
| | $ | 461,011 |
| | $ | 350,501 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Per Common Share Data: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic earnings per common share | $ | 4.05 |
| | $ | 0.08 |
| | $ | 6.74 |
| | $ | 3.36 |
| | $ | 2.50 |
| |
| Diluted earnings per common share | $ | 4.00 |
| | $ | 0.07 |
| | $ | 6.02 |
| | $ | 3.07 |
| | $ | 2.26 |
| |
| Cash dividends declared per common share | $ | 0.97 |
| | $ | 0.93 |
| | $ | 0.86 |
| | $ | 0.81 |
| | $ | 0.755 |
| |
| Basic weighted average common shares outstanding | 122,148 |
| | 122,499 |
| | 121,728 |
| | 137,279 |
| | 140,322 |
| |
| Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding | 123,654 |
| | 128,122 |
| | 136,199 |
| | 150,371 |
| | 155,320 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operating Ratios:(2) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net loss and loss expense ratio | 61.4 | % | | 80.7 | % | | 56.9 | % | | 51.0 | % | | 63.7 | % | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 18.4 | % | | 17.7 | % | | 16.6 | % | | 15.1 | % | | 13.6 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio | 16.4 | % | | 13.9 | % | | 15.2 | % | | 13.2 | % | | 12.5 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 96.2 | % | | 112.3 | % | | 88.7 | % | | 79.3 | % | | 89.8 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Selected Balance Sheet Data: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Investments | $ | 13,546,894 |
| | $ | 12,466,889 |
| | $ | 11,524,166 |
| | $ | 10,622,104 |
| | $ | 8,611,898 |
| |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 850,550 |
| | 1,082,838 |
| | 1,045,355 |
| | 864,054 |
| | 1,820,673 |
| |
| Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid and paid losses | 1,863,819 |
| | 1,770,329 |
| | 1,577,547 |
| | 1,424,172 |
| | 1,378,630 |
| |
| Total assets | 18,852,344 |
| | 17,806,059 |
| | 16,445,731 |
| | 15,306,524 |
| | 14,282,834 |
| |
| Reserve for losses and loss expenses | 9,058,731 |
| | 8,425,045 |
| | 7,032,375 |
| | 6,564,133 |
| | 6,244,783 |
| |
| Unearned premiums | 2,454,692 |
| | 2,454,462 |
| | 2,333,676 |
| | 2,209,397 |
| | 2,162,401 |
| |
| Senior notes | 995,245 |
| | 994,664 |
| | 994,110 |
| | 499,476 |
| | 499,368 |
| |
| Total shareholders’ equity | 5,779,761 |
| | 5,444,079 |
| | 5,624,970 |
| | 5,500,244 |
| | 4,461,041 |
| |
| Book value per common share(3) | $ | 44.75 |
| | $ | 39.37 |
| | $ | 45.60 |
| | $ | 37.84 |
| | $ | 29.08 |
| |
| Diluted book value per common share(3) | $ | 42.97 |
| | $ | 38.08 |
| | $ | 39.37 |
| | $ | 33.65 |
| | $ | 25.79 |
| |
| Common shares outstanding | 117,920 |
| | 125,588 |
| | 112,393 |
| | 132,140 |
| | 136,212 |
| |
| Common shares outstanding - diluted | 122,793 |
| | 129,818 |
| | 130,189 |
| | 148,596 |
| | 153,588 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | At and For the year Ended December 31, | |
| | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2009 | |
| | (in thousands, except per share amounts) | |
| Selected Statement of Operations Data: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | $ | 4,096,153 |
| | $ | 3,750,536 |
| | $ | 3,587,295 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 3,707,065 |
| | 3,415,463 |
| | 3,314,961 |
| | 2,947,410 |
| | 2,791,764 |
| |
| Net investment income | 409,312 |
| | 380,957 |
| | 362,430 |
| | 406,892 |
| | 464,478 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains (losses) | 75,564 |
| | 127,469 |
| | 121,439 |
| | 195,098 |
| | (311,584 | ) | |
| Net losses and loss expenses | 2,134,195 |
| | 2,096,028 |
| | 2,675,052 |
| | 1,677,132 |
| | 1,423,872 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | 664,191 |
| | 627,653 |
| | 587,469 |
| | 488,712 |
| | 420,495 |
| |
| General and administrative expenses | 575,390 |
| | 560,981 |
| | 459,151 |
| | 449,885 |
| | 370,157 |
| |
| Interest expense and financing costs | 61,979 |
| | 61,863 |
| | 62,598 |
| | 55,876 |
| | 32,031 |
| |
| Preferred share dividends | 40,474 |
| | 38,228 |
| | 36,875 |
| | 36,875 |
| | 36,875 |
| |
| Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 683,910 |
| | $ | 495,004 |
| | $ | 9,430 |
| | $ | 819,848 |
| | $ | 461,011 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Per Common Share Data: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic earnings per common share | $ | 6.02 |
| | $ | 4.05 |
| | $ | 0.08 |
| | $ | 6.74 |
| | $ | 3.36 |
| |
| Diluted earnings per common share | 5.93 |
| | 4.00 |
| | 0.07 |
| | 6.02 |
| | 3.07 |
| |
| Cash dividends declared per common share | $ | 1.02 |
| | $ | 0.97 |
| | $ | 0.93 |
| | $ | 0.86 |
| | $ | 0.81 |
| |
| Basic weighted average common shares outstanding | 113,636 |
| | 122,148 |
| | 122,499 |
| | 121,728 |
| | 137,279 |
| |
| Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding | 115,328 |
| | 123,654 |
| | 128,122 |
| | 136,199 |
| | 150,371 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operating Ratios:(1) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net loss and loss expense ratio | 57.6 | % | | 61.4 | % | | 80.7 | % | | 56.9 | % | | 51.0 | % | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 17.9 | % | | 18.4 | % | | 17.7 | % | | 16.6 | % | | 15.1 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio | 15.5 | % | | 16.4 | % | | 13.9 | % | | 15.2 | % | | 13.2 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 91.0 | % | | 96.2 | % | | 112.3 | % | | 88.7 | % | | 79.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Selected Balance Sheet Data: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Investments | $ | 13,780,336 |
| | $ | 13,546,894 |
| | $ | 12,466,889 |
| | $ | 11,524,166 |
| | $ | 10,622,104 |
| |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 987,876 |
| | 850,550 |
| | 1,082,838 |
| | 1,045,355 |
| | 864,054 |
| |
| Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid and paid losses | 1,929,988 |
| | 1,863,819 |
| | 1,770,329 |
| | 1,577,547 |
| | 1,424,172 |
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| Total assets | 19,634,784 |
| | 18,852,344 |
| | 17,806,059 |
| | 16,445,731 |
| | 15,306,524 |
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| Reserve for losses and loss expenses | 9,582,140 |
| | 9,058,731 |
| | 8,425,045 |
| | 7,032,375 |
| | 6,564,133 |
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| Unearned premiums | 2,683,849 |
| | 2,454,692 |
| | 2,454,462 |
| | 2,333,676 |
| | 2,209,397 |
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| Senior notes | 995,855 |
| | 995,245 |
| | 994,664 |
| | 994,110 |
| | 499,476 |
| |
| Total shareholders’ equity attributable to AXIS Capital | $ | 5,817,962 |
| | $ | 5,779,761 |
| | $ | 5,444,079 |
| | $ | 5,624,970 |
| | $ | 5,500,244 |
| |
| Book value per common share(2) | $ | 47.40 |
| | $ | 44.75 |
| | $ | 39.37 |
| | $ | 45.60 |
| | $ | 37.84 |
| |
| Diluted book value per common share(2) | $ | 45.80 |
| | $ | 42.97 |
| | $ | 38.08 |
| | $ | 39.37 |
| | $ | 33.65 |
| |
| Common shares outstanding | 109,485 |
| | 117,920 |
| | 125,588 |
| | 112,393 |
| | 132,140 |
| |
| Common shares outstanding - diluted | 113,325 |
| | 122,793 |
| | 129,818 |
| | 130,189 |
| | 148,596 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
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(1) | Effective April 1, 2009, we adopted new Financial Accounting Standards Board guidance for the recognition and presentation of other-than-temporary impairments for fixed maturities. |
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(2) | Operating ratios are calculated by dividing the respective operating expenses by net premiums earned. |
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(3)(2) | Book value per common share and diluted book value per common share are based on total common shareholders’ equity divided by common shares and diluted common share equivalents outstanding, respectively. |
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ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
The following is a discussion and analysis of our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011 and our financial condition at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012. This should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes included in Item 8 of this report. Tabular dollars are in thousands, except per share amounts. Amounts in tables may not reconcile due to rounding differences.
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| Page |
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20122013 Financial Highlights | |
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Executive Summary | |
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Underwriting Results – Group | |
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Results by Segment: Years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 2011 and 20102011 | |
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i) Insurance Segment | |
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ii) Reinsurance Segment | |
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Other Expenses, (Revenues), Net | |
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Net Investment Income and Net Realized Investment Gains/Losses | |
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Cash and Investments | |
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Liquidity and Capital Resources | |
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Critical Accounting Estimates | |
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i) Reserves for Losses and Loss Expenses | |
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ii) Reinsurance Recoverable | |
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iii) Premiums | |
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iv) Fair Value Measurements | |
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v) Other-Than-Temporary Impairments | |
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Recent Accounting Pronouncements | |
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Off-Balance Sheet and Special Purpose Entity Arrangements | |
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Non-GAAP Financial Measures | |
20122013 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
20122013 Consolidated Results of Operations
Net income available to common shareholders of $495684 million, or $4.056.02 per common share basic and $4.005.93 per diluted common share
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• | Operating income of $422633 million, or $3.415.49 per diluted common share(1) |
Gross premiums written of $4.14.7 billion
Net premiums written of $3.33.9 billion
Net premiums earned of $3.43.7 billion
Net favorable prior year reserve development of $245219 million
SignificantEstimated aggregate natural catastrophe and weather-related losses included:
Pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $331 million in relation to Storm Sandy
Aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums)
of $105$198 million for other notable events of 2012 (including the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter U.S. weather events)
Net financial impact of Storm Sandy of $301 million, after consideration of reinstatement premiums, ceding commissions and the associated income tax benefit
No material change in our aggregate estimate for losses related to 2011 and 2010 calendar year natural catastrophe and weather-related events
Underwriting income of $263428 million and combined ratio of 96.2%91.0%
Net investment income of $381409 million
Net realized investment gains of $12776 million
Senior leadership transition in the second quarter resulted in separation payments and accelerated and incremental share-based compensation expenses totaling $34 million
20122013 Consolidated Financial Condition
Total cash and investments of $14.414.8 billion; fixed maturities, cash and short-term securities comprise 90%88% of total cash and investments and have an average credit rating of AA-
Total assets of $18.919.6 billion
Reserve for losses and loss expenses of $9.19.6 billion and reinsurance recoverable of $1.9 billion
Total debt of $995996 million and a debt to total capital ratio of 14.7%14.6%
Repurchased 9.410.8 million common shares for total cost of $318472 million; remaining authorization under the repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors of $634$723 million at February 21, 201320, 2014
Common shareholders’ equity of $5.35.2 billion; diluted book value per common share of $42.9745.80
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(1) | Operating income (loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. See ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ for reconciliation to nearest GAAP financial measure (net income available to common shareholders). |
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Business Overview
We are a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance products with operations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada, Australia and Latin America. Our underwriting operations are organized around our two global underwriting platforms, AXIS Insurance and AXIS Reinsurance.
Our mission is to provide our clients and distribution partners with a broad range of risk transfer products and services and meaningful capacity, backed by significant financial strength. We manage our portfolio holistically, aiming to construct the optimum consolidated portfolio of funded and unfunded risks, consistent with our risk appetite and development of our franchise. We nurture an ethical, entrepreneurial and disciplined culture that promotes outstanding client service, intelligent risk taking and the achievement of superior risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders. We believe that the achievement of our objectives will position us as a leading global, diversified specialty insurance and reinsurance company, as measured by quality, sustainability and profitability. Our execution on this mission in 20122013 included:
the continuing growthexpansion of our newagriculture reinsurance business;
continued expansion of our accident &and health line, which launched in 2010 and is focused on specialty accident and health products;
the addition of a number of underwriting and support staff, including growth in specialized areas such as surety, primary casualty, weather and commodity markets and third party capital, as we continue to build-out the Company's global platform, explore opportunities in new and existing lines of business and grow our business internationally;
the expansion of the Company’s global underwriting platform, facilitated through the establishment of a new syndicate at Lloyd's which commenced operations on January 1, 2014 and provides us with access to Lloyd’s worldwide licenses and an extensive distribution network; and
the continued focus on lines of business with attractive rates, generating premium growth in our insurance segment.rates.
In addition, we effectively loweredissued $225 million of 5.50% Series D preferred shares and used a portion of the net proceeds to redeem the $100 million of 7.25% Series A preferred shares outstanding. The execution of these transactions reduced the weighted average annual dividend rate on our preferred equity capital base by 4257 basis points to 6.953%6.385%, atwith a book value costminimal impact on our financial leverage.
During September 2013, A.M. Best upgraded the financial strength rating of $7 million. This was achieved via the issuance of $400 million of 6.875% Series C shares, in conjunction with the redemption of $150 millioneach of our 7.25% Series A preferred sharesprincipal operating insurance and the repurchasereinsurance subsidiaries to a financial strength rating of $247 million of our 7.50% Series B preferred shares via tender offer.A+ (Stable) (see 'Liquidity and Capital Resources - Financial Strength Ratings' for more detail).
Results of Operations
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income (loss): | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 65,477 |
| | 87% | | $ | 35,034 |
| | (83%) | | $ | 210,039 |
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| Reinsurance | 197,660 |
| | nm | | (362,260 | ) | | nm | | 199,164 |
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| Net investment income | 380,957 |
| | 5% | | 362,430 |
| | (11%) | | 406,892 |
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| Net realized investment gains | 127,469 |
| | 5% | | 121,439 |
| | (38%) | | 195,098 |
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| Other expenses, net | (224,322 | ) | | 103% | | (110,338 | ) | | (29%) | | (154,470 | ) | |
| Net income | 547,241 |
| | nm | | 46,305 |
| | (95%) | | 856,723 |
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| Preferred share dividends | (38,228 | ) | | 4% | | (36,875 | ) | | —% | | (36,875 | ) | |
| Loss on repurchase of preferred shares | (14,009 | ) | | —% | | — |
| | —% | | — |
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| Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 495,004 |
| | nm | | $ | 9,430 |
| | (99%) | | $ | 819,848 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 421,523 |
| | nm | | $ | (153,912 | ) | | nm | | $ | 611,342 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income (loss): | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 84,749 |
| | 29% | | $ | 65,477 |
| | 87% | | $ | 35,034 |
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| Reinsurance | 343,220 |
| | 74% | | 197,660 |
| | nm | | (362,260 | ) | |
| Net investment income | 409,312 |
| | 7% | | 380,957 |
| | 5% | | 362,430 |
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| Net realized investment gains | 75,564 |
| | (41%) | | 127,469 |
| | 5% | | 121,439 |
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| Other expenses, net | (185,380 | ) | | (17%) | | (224,322 | ) | | 103% | | (110,338 | ) | |
| Net income | 727,465 |
| | 33% | | 547,241 |
| | nm | | 46,305 |
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| Preferred share dividends | (40,474 | ) | | 6% | | (38,228 | ) | | 4% | | (36,875 | ) | |
| Loss on repurchase of preferred shares | (3,081 | ) | | (78%) | | (14,009 | ) | | —% | | — |
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| Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 683,910 |
| | 38% | | $ | 495,004 |
| | nm | | $ | 9,430 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 633,072 |
| | 50% | | $ | 421,523 |
| | nm | | $ | (153,912 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
nm – not meaningful
Underwriting Results
2013 versus 2012: The $165 million improvement in our underwriting result during 2013 was primarily due to a reduction in the frequency and severity of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses. In 2012 we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $331 million for Storm Sandy and an aggregate $105 million for the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events. Comparatively, in 2013, we recognized pre-tax net aggregate losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $198 million related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Growth in net premiums earned across both segments also contributed favorably. These improvements were partially offset by increases in the current accident year loss ratios, exclusive of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, for both segments and a $25 million reduction in net favorable prior year reserve development.
Our insurance segment's underwriting income increased by $19 million in 2013. Underwriting income for 2012 included pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate reinsurance protection) of $178 million for Storm Sandy and an aggregate $44 million for Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events. Comparatively, in 2013, we incurred $93 million of pre-tax aggregate net losses related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Growth in net premiums earned (driven by the expansion of our business over the past year) also benefited the segment's results. The increases were partially offset by a $72 million decrease in net favorable prior year reserve development and the increase in the current accident year loss ratio, exclusive of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses.
Our reinsurance segment's underwriting result improved by $146 million in 2013. The increase was primarily attributable to the significantly lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses. In 2012, we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $153 million for Storm Sandy and an aggregate $60 million for the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events. Comparatively, in 2013, we incurred $105 million of pre-tax aggregate net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Other positive factors included a $46 million increase in net favorable prior year reserve development and an increase in net premiums earned. These were partially offset by an increases in the current accident year loss ratio, exclusive of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, and an increase in general and administrative expenses.
2012 versus 2011: The $590 million improvement in our underwriting result during 2012 was largely due to a reduction in the frequency and severity of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses. During 2011, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $931 million for numerous catastrophe and weather events, including: the February Christchurch,2011 New Zealand earthquake ("New Zealand II"),earthquakes, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, the series of severe U.S. storms and tornadoes in April/May first quarter2011, Australian weather events (January floods and Cyclone Yasi), the Thai floods the June Christchurch aftershock ("New Zealand III"), the Danish floods,in Thailand and Denmark, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee; these events impacted our reinsurance segment to a greater extent.Lee. Comparatively, in 2012, we recognized pre-tax aggregate natural catastrophe and weather-related net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $331 million for Storm Sandy and an aggregate $105 million for the impact
of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter U.S. weather events.$436 million. Growth in net premiums earned in our insurance segment and improvements in the current accident year loss ratios, exclusive of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, for both segments further contributed to the improvement in 2012;contributed; this was partially offset by a $13 million reduction in net favorable prior year reserve development and growth in general and administrative expenses.
Our insurance segment's underwriting income for 2011 included aggregate pre-tax net losses (inclusive of premiums to reinstate reinsurance protection) of $157 million related to the 2011 natural catastrophe and weather-related events noted above. Comparatively, underwriting income for 2012 included pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate reinsurance protection) of $178$222 million for Storm Sandy2012 natural catastrophe and an aggregate $44 million for Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weatherweather-related events. Despite increased catastrophe and weather-related losses in 2012, underwriting income for the segment improved due to growth in net premiums earned, (driven by the expansion of our business over the past year), an improvement in the current accident year loss ratio, exclusive of catastrophe and weather activity and a $19 million increase in net favorable prior year reserve development. This was partially offset by commensurate growth in acquisition costs and general and administrative expenses.
The $560 million improvement in the reinsurance segment's underwriting result of $560 million was primarily attributable to the significantly lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses; the majority of our 2011 natural catastrophe and weather-related losses emanated from our reinsurance segment and drove the underwriting loss for that year.losses. The segment's underwriting loss for 2011 included aggregate pre-tax natural catastrophe and weather-related net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $774 million for the 2011 events noted above, with the most significant amounts being for New Zealand II, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the first quarter Australian weather events.above. Comparatively, in 2012, we recognized pre-tax natural catastrophe and weather-related net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $153 million for Storm Sandy and an aggregate $60 million for the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events.$214 million. An improvement in the current accident year loss ratio, exclusive of these catastrophe and weather-related losses, further contributed to the improvement in 2012. Partially offsetting these improvements was a $32 million reduction in net favorable prior year reserve development, a reduction in net premiums earned and increases in acquisition costs and general and administrative expenses.
2011 versus 2010: The significantly high frequency and severity of natural catastrophe activity in 2011, described above, was the primary driver of the deterioration in underwriting results in that year. However, natural catastrophe activity also impacted underwriting results for 2010. In comparison to the $931 million for 2011 noted above, during 2010 we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $248 million for the September New Zealand earthquake (“New Zealand I”) and the Chilean earthquake, with substantially all of this emanating from our reinsurance segment. Further contributing to the reduction in underwriting income was a $56 million decrease in net favorable prior year reserve development.
Our insurance segment’s 2011 underwriting income included $157 million in pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate reinsurance protection) related to the events of 2011 noted above, while catastrophe losses in 2010 were insignificant. A $15 million reduction in net favorable prior year reserve development and an increase in acquisition costs also contributed to the reduction in underwriting income; reductions in ceded reinsurance costs and increases in gross premiums written contributed to higher net premiums earned and partially offset these reductions.
Our reinsurance segment's 2011 underwriting loss included aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $774 million for the events of 2011 noted above. Substantially all of our natural catastrophe-related pre-tax net losses in 2010 emanated from the reinsurance segment. A $40 million reduction in net favorable prior period reserve development also contributed to the variance in the underwriting result between periods.
Net Investment Income
The variability in our net investment income for 2010 throughincrease in 2013 compared to 2012 and in 2012 compared 2011, respectively, was largely attributableprimarily due to the performance of our alternative investment portfolio ("other investments").Other investments. Income from this portfolio increased by $41 million in 2013 compared to 2012, driven by the continued strong performance of our hedge funds, which reflected the strong performance of both global equities and bank loans. Similarly, income from other investments increased $56 million in 2012 driven bycompared to 2011, due to improved performance for our hedge funds (reflective of global equity market performance) and credit funds (driven by pricing improvement in underlying bank loans). Comparatively, income from these investments decreased $33 million in 2011, reflective of the underperformance of both global equities and bank loans during in thatover the prior year.
Excluding income from our other investments, net investment income decreased by $12$13 million and $37 million respectively, in 20112013 and 2012.2012, respectively. These decreases were primarilylargely attributable to our fixed maturity portfolio, where lower reinvestment yields drove reductions in income despite higher investment balances.
Net Realized Investment Gains
During each period presented, we realized net investment gains largely duegains. During 2013, sales of equities were the largest contributor to the salenet realized gains while sales of fixed maturities.maturities were the primary driver in 2012 and 2011. Other-than-temporary impairment ("OTTI") charges were $249 million, $1624 million and $1816 million in 2013, 2012 2011 and 2010,2011, respectively.
Other (Expenses) Revenues,Expenses, Net
Appreciation in the Sterlingeuro and eurothe Sterling against the U.S. dollar drove foreign exchange losses of $26 million and $30 million in 2013 and 2012, related to the remeasurement of our foreign-denominated net insurance-related liabilities. The 2013 loss was partially offset by the depreciation in the Australian dollar. In 2011, and 2010, depreciation in these currenciesthe euro and the Sterling resulted in foreign exchange gains of $45 million and $16 million, respectively. million.
Excluding these foreign exchange-related amounts, other expenses were $170$159 million, $195 million and $155 million in 2013, 2012 and $195 million, respectively in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
The $15 million decrease in 2011 was driven by a $23 million reduction in income tax expense, as taxable income declined due to the significant catastrophe activity previously noted. This was partially offset by an increase in interest expense following our March 2010 senior note issuance.
respectively. A $53 million increase in corporate expenses drove the increase inimpacted other expenses in 2012. Separation payments and accelerated and incremental share-based compensation costs related to our second quarter 2012 senior leadership transition totaled $34 million and were the primary driver of this increase. Partially offsetting the increase in corporate expenses was a $12 million reduction in tax expense, as the impact of Storm Sandy led to minimal taxable income in the U.S. for 2012.
The $36 million decrease in 2013 was primarily driven by the reduction in corporate expenses and reflected the impact of the senior leadership transition costs discussed above on 2012.
Preferred Share Dividends and Loss on Repurchase of Preferred Shares
In conjunction withThe increase in preferred share dividends in 2013 and 2012 was driven by the effectiveincrease in preferred equity capital.
During the first half of 2013 we issued $225 million of 5.50% Series D preferred shares. The increase in preferred share dividends for 2013 includes the accrual and payment of dividends relating to the new Series D issue and is partially offset by the reduction ofin the weighted average annual dividend rate on our preferred equity capital base previously discussed,described above (see 'Business Overview'). The Series D preferred share proceeds were partially used to redeem the $100 million of 7.25% Series A preferred shares outstanding. The redemption of the Series A preferred shares resulted in a recognition of a loss on repurchase of preferred shares, reflecting initial issue costs of $3 million.
During 2012, in conjunction with the issuance of our 6.875% Series C preferred shares in the first quarter of 2012, we repurchasedredeemed $150 million of our 7.25% Series A preferred shares and repurchased $247 million of our 7.50% Series B preferred shares duringvia tender offer. The Series B tender offer resulted in the first halfrecognition of 2012. While the Series A shares were redeemed at liquidation value, we paid a $9 million loss, with $7 million of the loss relating to the premium paid to repurchase the Series B shares in advance of the first eligible redemption date. This premium, combinedThe remaining $2 million loss, as well as a $5 million loss associated with the Series A redemption, related to the recognition of the proportionate share of issue costs for both series as an expense, resulted in a $14 million loss. As theexpense; as these issue costs for these shares were recognized in shareholders' equity in the period the shares were originally issued, the onlyof issuance, these amounts did not impact on book value related to the $7 million premium on the Series B repurchase. Refer tovalue.
See Item 8, Notenote 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details.
Outlook
Management expects gross premiums written to increase across both of our segments in 2013. The primary insurance market continues to see favorable pricing momentum. We see ongoing improvement across most classes2014 with a continued focus on diversification and geographies within our insurance segment and will pursuepursuit of opportunities to expand our reach in areas where we believe returns are most attractive.
In the primary insurance market we observed a slowdown in the favorable pricing momentum observed in the recent years. Despite the reduction in pricing trends, we continue to observe good fundamentals in many of our insurance lines and markets. Noting variations between different lines of business, we believe that the United States market will continue to provide opportunities for growth, with the international markets coming under increasing pricing pressures.
We believe that the global reinsurance market is generally at equilibriumcurrently showing signs of a supply and demand imbalance with acceptable levelsan increase in new alternative capacity entering the market, coupled with strong capital positions of profitability. There is some pressureestablished reinsurers having a negative impact on both pricing and terms and conditions. While we believe that established insurers maintain an advantage in the access to attractively-priced business, it will be the focus on targeted lines of business such as agriculture that have shown strong profitability and have attracted new capacity in recent years. Onwill provide the other hand, there is some upside pressure on pricingkey drivers for loss-affected property treaties and lines with recent major loss activity, including Sandy-affected treaties, agriculture and marine, andpremium growth. Management expects that these areas will contributethe competitive market conditions to growth in reinsurance premiums.
Financial Measures
We believe that the following financial indicators are important in evaluating our performance and measuring the overall growth in value generated for our common shareholders:
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| Year ended and at December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| ROACE(1) | 9.7 | % | | 0.2 | % | | 16.2 | % | |
| Operating ROACE(2) | 8.2 | % | | (3.1 | %) | | 12.1 | % | |
| Diluted book value per common share(3) | $ | 42.97 |
| | $ | 38.08 |
| | $ | 39.37 |
| |
| Cash dividends declared per common share | 0.97 |
| | 0.93 |
| | 0.86 |
| |
| Value creation(4) | $ | 5.86 |
| | $ | (0.36 | ) | | $ | 6.58 |
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| Year ended and at December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| ROACE(1) | 13.1 | % | | 9.7 | % | | 0.2 | % | |
| Operating ROACE(2) | 12.1 | % | | 8.2 | % | | (3.1 | %) | |
| Diluted book value per common share(3) | $ | 45.80 |
| | $ | 42.97 |
| | $ | 38.08 |
| |
| Cash dividends declared per common share | 1.02 |
| | 0.97 |
| | 0.93 |
| |
| Increase (decrease) in diluted book value per common share adjusted for dividends | $ | 3.85 |
| | $ | 5.86 |
| | $ | (0.36 | ) | |
| | | | | | | |
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(1) | Return on average common equity (“ROACE”) is calculated by dividing net income available to common shareholders for the period by the average shareholders’ equity determined by using the common shareholders’ equity balances at the beginning and end of the period. |
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(2) | Operating ROACE is calculated by dividing operating income (loss) for the period by the average common shareholders’ equity determined by using the common shareholders’ equity balances at the beginning and end of the period. Operating ROACE is a non-GAAP financial measure, as defined in SEC Regulation G. See ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ for additional information and a reconciliation to the nearest GAAP financial measure (ROACE). |
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(3) | Diluted book value per common share represents total common shareholders’ equity divided by the number of common shares and diluted common share equivalents outstanding, determined using the treasury stock method. |
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(4) | Value creation represents the change in diluted book value per common share and dividends declared during the period. |
Return on equity
Our objective is to generate superior returns on capital that appropriately reward our common shareholders for the risks we assume and to grow revenue only when we expect the returns will meet or exceed our requirements. We recognize that the nature of underwriting cycles and the frequency or severity of large loss events in any one year may make it difficult to achieve a profitability target in any specific period and, therefore, established a ROACE target of 15% over the full underwriting cycle. Our average annual ROACE since inception is approximately 14%, tracking closely to our long-term goal.
2012 versus 2011:The improvement in our underwriting result, driven by the lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses previously discussed, was the primary contributor to the improved operating ROACE;ROACE in 2013 compared to 2012, and in 2012 compared to 2011. The increases in both periods were also aided by growth in net investment income. A decrease in corporate expenses contributed favorably to the increase in net investment income also contributed. These favorable variances were partially offset bythe ROACE for 2013. In contrast, in 2012, the increase in corporate expenses previously discussed.discussed above had a negative impact on the ROACE.
In addition to the items noted above for operating ROACE, ROACE is also impacted by net realized investment gains, foreign exchange losses (gains) and the loss on repurchase of preferred shares. The magnitude of our net realized investment gains resulted in these amounts contributing favorably, in aggregate, to our results for both periods;2013 and 2012; thus ROACE exceeded operating ROACE.
2011 versus 2010:Our underwriting loss, driven by natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, was the primary driver of the negative operating ROACE for 2011; reductions in net favorable prior year reserve development and net investment income also contributed to a lower return when compared to 2010.
2011. Our combined net realized investment gains and foreign exchange gains for 2011 were sufficient for us to recognize net income for the period; as such, our ROACE for the year was marginally positive. Net realized investment gains and foreign exchange gains in 2010 also contributed to a higher ROACE, in comparison to operating ROACE.
Diluted book value per common share
We consider diluted book value per common share to be an appropriate measure of our returns to common shareholders, as we believe growth in our book value on a diluted basis will ultimately translate into appreciation of our stock price.
The previously described impact of catastrophe and weather-related losses on our 2011 net income available to common shareholders was the primary driver of the 3% reduction inDuring 2013, our diluted book value per common share forappreciated by 7%, driven by $684 million in net income available to common shareholders. This was partially offset by the 2011 fiscalreduction in the unrealized gains on investments included in accumulated other comprehensive income due to the rise in sovereign yield curves during the year. During 2012, our diluted book value per common share appreciated by 13%, driven by $495 million in net income available
to common shareholders, an overall improvement in valuations for our available-for-sale securities and, to a lesser extent, the execution of common share repurchases at a discount to book value.
Cash dividends per common share
We believe in returning excess capital to our shareholders by way of dividends (as well as share repurchases) and, accordingly, our dividend policy is an integral part of the value we create for our shareholders. Our cumulatively strong earnings have permitted our Board of Directors to approve nineten successive annual increases in quarterly common share dividends.
Value creationDiluted book value per common share adjusted for dividends
Taken together, we believe that growth in diluted book value per common share and common share dividends declared represent the total value created for our common shareholders. Despite the impact of catastrophe events, 2013 and 2012 reflected positive value creation for our shareholders. In 2013 our net income, in addition to the dividends declared, more than offset the impact of the upward shift in the sovereign yield curves. In 2012 our net income, combined with valuation improvements on our available-for-sale securities and common share repurchases executed at a discount to book value led to anthe increases in diluted book value per common share during 2010 and 2012;share; dividends declared provided additional value for our common shareholders. The global frequency and severity of catastrophe activity in 2011 drove a small reduction in shareholder value for that year.
UNDERWRITING RESULTS – GROUP
The following table provides our group underwriting results for the periods indicated. Underwriting income (loss) is a pre-tax measure of underwriting profitability that takes into account net premiums earned and other insurance related income as revenues and net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs and underwriting-related general and administrative costs as expenses.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| | 9% | | $ | 3,750,536 |
| |
| Net premiums written | | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | 3,419,434 |
| | 9% | | 3,147,540 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | | 3,415,463 |
| | 3% | | 3,314,961 |
| | 12% | | 2,947,410 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| | | | 2,073 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | | (2,340,868 | ) | | | | (2,932,513 | ) | | | | (1,990,187 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | | 244,840 |
| | | | 257,461 |
| | | | 313,055 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | | (627,653 | ) | | | | (587,469 | ) | | | | (488,712 | ) | |
| Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses(1) | | (431,321 | ) | | | | (382,062 | ) | | | | (374,436 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income (loss)(2) | | $ | 263,137 |
| | nm | | $ | (327,226 | ) | | nm | | $ | 409,203 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| General and administrative expenses(1) | | $ | 560,981 |
| | | | $ | 459,151 |
| | | | $ | 449,885 |
| |
| Income before income taxes(2) | | $ | 550,528 |
| | | | $ | 61,538 |
| | | | $ | 895,403 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | 13% | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| Net premiums written | | 3,928,200 |
| | 18% | | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | 3,419,434 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | | 3,707,065 |
| | 9% | | 3,415,463 |
| | 3% | | 3,314,961 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | | 4,424 |
| | | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | | (2,353,631 | ) | | | | (2,340,868 | ) | | | | (2,932,513 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | | 219,436 |
| | | | 244,840 |
| | | | 257,461 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | | (664,191 | ) | | | | (627,653 | ) | | | | (587,469 | ) | |
| Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses(1) | | (485,134 | ) | | | | (431,321 | ) | | | | (382,062 | ) | |
| Underwriting income (loss)(2) | | $ | 427,969 |
| | 63% | | $ | 263,137 |
| | nm | | $ | (327,226 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| General and administrative expenses(1) | | $ | 575,390 |
| | | | $ | 560,981 |
| | | | $ | 459,151 |
| |
| Income before income taxes(2) | | $ | 734,467 |
| | | | $ | 550,528 |
| | | | $ | 61,538 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
nm - not meaningful
| |
(1) | Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses is a non-GAAP measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. Our total general and administrative expenses also included $129,66090,256, $77,089129,660 and $75,44977,089 of corporate expenses for 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively; refer to 'Other Expenses, (Revenues), Net' for additional information related to these corporate expenses. Also, refer to 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' for further information. |
| |
(2) | Group (or consolidated) underwriting income (loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. Refer toSee Item 8, Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, for a reconciliation of consolidated underwriting income (loss) to the nearest GAAP financial measures (income before income taxes) for the periods indicated above. Also, refer to 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' for additional information related to the presentation of consolidated underwriting income (loss). |
UNDERWRITING REVENUES
Premiums Written:
Gross and net premiums written, by segment, were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gross Premiums Written | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 11% | | $ | 1,916,116 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 1,830,162 |
| | (7%) | | 1,974,324 |
| | 8% | | 1,834,420 |
| |
| Total | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| | 9% | | $ | 3,750,536 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| % ceded | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | 34 | % | | 3 |
| pts | | 31 | % | | 1 |
| pts | | 30 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | |
| Total | 19 | % | | 2 |
| pts | | 17 | % | | 1 |
| pts | | 16 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Net Premiums Written | |
| | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | $ | 1,466,134 |
| | 10% | | $ | 1,332,220 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 1,815,211 |
| | (7%) | | 1,953,300 |
| | 8% | | 1,815,320 |
| |
| Total | $ | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | $ | 3,419,434 |
| | 9% | | $ | 3,147,540 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gross Premiums Written | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 11% | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,137,903 |
| | 17% | | 1,830,162 |
| | (7%) | | 1,974,324 |
| |
| Total | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | 13% | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| % ceded | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | 29 | % | | (5 | ) | pts | | 34 | % | | 3 |
| pts | | 31 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | |
| Total | 16 | % | | (3 | ) | pts | | 19 | % | | 2 |
| pts | | 17 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Net Premiums Written | |
| | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,813,538 |
| | 19% | | $ | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | $ | 1,466,134 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,114,662 |
| | 16% | | 1,815,211 |
| | (7%) | | 1,953,300 |
| |
| Total | $ | 3,928,200 |
| | 18% | | $ | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | $ | 3,419,434 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Gross premiums written growth of 13% was driven by increases in both segments. Increase of 11% in the insurance segment was driven by the accident & health, liability and professional lines. The accident & health line continued to reflect new business expansion. Liability growth was driven by select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in the U.S wholesale excess casualty market. Growth in the professional lines was largely due to new business as we continue our global expansion.
Reinsurance segment gross premiums written grew by 17% reflecting increases across most lines of business and these increases were most pronounced in agriculture, professional and property lines. The increase in the agriculture line reflected the continuing initiative to grow this line of business and related primarily to growth on the proportional U.S. business with a contribution from global excess of loss business. The professional lines increase primarily reflected new business opportunities. The property line increased primarily due to new business and the expansion of worldwide client relationships.
The five point decrease in the ceded premium ratio for our insurance segment was driven by changes in our reinsurance purchasing and business mix changes. Reductions related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing included excess of loss treaty reductions driven by both retention and rate, and proportional changes related to reductions in the cession rates on our professional lines and liability programs on renewal during 2013. Changes in business mix related to growth in our accident and health business for which we did not purchase significant reinsurance.
In 2013, the Company obtained catastrophe protection for both our segments through a reinsurance agreement with Northshore Re Limited ("Northshore"). In connection with the reinsurance agreement, Northshore issued notes to unrelated investors in an amount equal to the full $200 million of coverage provided under the reinsurance agreement covering a three year period. The Company performed an evaluation of Northshore to determine if it meets the definition of a variable interest entity ("VIE"). The Company concluded that Northshore is a VIE, however, the Company does not have a variable interest in the entity, as the variability in results is expected to be absorbed entirely by the investors in Northshore. Accordingly, Northshore is not consolidated in the Company's consolidated financial statements. The premium ceded to Northshore during 2013 was $14 million.
2012 versus 2011: Gross premiums written growth was driven by a $188 million increase in our insurance segment, attributable to a number of lines of business, with the most significant increases emanating from professional lines, liability and accident & health. Growth in professional linessegment. The increase was driven by geographic expansion (including our European operations)professional and newer initiatives, with an improving rate environment also contributing. Selectliability lines reflecting new business opportunities primarily in our U.S. excess and surplus lines umbrella business, drove the increase in liability business; rate increases also contributed. Finally, ourimprovements. Our recently established accident & health line also continued to generate new business.
Partially offsetting this growth was a reduction in gross premiums written in our reinsurance segment, primarily related to the repositioning of our catastrophe reinsurance portfolio throughout 2012. We reduced catastrophe exposureOther reductions were noted in certain zones, including the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.; this was partially offset by exposure increases in other areas, where we believe risk and return characteristics are more attractive. Property business also contributedproperty line due to the overall reduction in gross premiums written for the reinsurance segment, with the drivers being reduced purchasing by certain
of our clients and our evaluation of risk/return characteristics. In addition, ourcharacteristics, and trade credit and bond reinsurance premiums also decreased,line, as we managed our European exposure base in light of currentexisting economic conditions and changes in contract terms.
The three point increase in the ceded premium ratio for our insurance segment was driven by changes in our reinsurance purchasing, primarily higher cession rates on our professional lines quota share reinsurance program on renewal during the second quarter.program. Business mix changes, driven by growth in our liability business, also contributed.
2011 versus 2010: Our new accident & health line was the primary driver of the 11% increase in gross premiums written in our insurance segment. Geographic expansion and new business initiatives also contributed to the increase. Gross premiums written growth for our reinsurance segment was primarily driven by proportional motor reinsurance business, with the primary contributing factors being increases on renewal and new business. Gross premiums written for trade credit and bond reinsurance business also increased.
Net Premiums Earned:
Net premiums earned by segment were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 11 to 12 | | 10 to 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 43 | % | | $ | 1,206,493 |
| | 41 | % | | 9 | % | | 18 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1,857,405 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,885,274 |
| | 57 | % | | 1,740,917 |
| | 59 | % | | (1 | %) | | 8 | % | |
| Total | $ | 3,415,463 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,314,961 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,947,410 |
| | 100 | % | | 3 | % | | 12 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,722,762 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 43 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1,984,303 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,857,405 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,885,274 |
| | 57 | % | | 7 | % | | (1 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 3,707,065 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,415,463 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,314,961 |
| | 100 | % | | 9 | % | | 3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Changes in net premiums earned reflect period to period changes in net premiums written and business mix, together with normal variability in premium earning patterns.
2013 versus 2012: Growth in net premiums earned of 9% reflects increases in both segments. Growth in the insurance segment was primarily driven by the recent growth in gross premiums written in our accident & health line. Net premiums earned for property, liability and professional lines also increased driven by growth in gross written premiums and reductions in premiums ceded discussed above. The increase in the gross premiums written in the agriculture line during 2013, described above, was the primary driver of the increase in net premiums earned for our reinsurance segment.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in net premiums earned for our insurance segment was primarily driven by recent growth in gross premiums written in our accident & health line; net premiums earned also increased due to growthline. Growth in our professional lines business in recent quarters, thoughalso contributed, although this was tempered by the previously mentionedan increase in quota share cessions.premiums ceded. The reduction in catastrophe gross premiums written during 2012 described above, was the primary driver of the decline in net premiums earned for our reinsurance segment.
2011 versus 2010: Eleven percent growth in gross premiums written and changes in our reinsurance purchasing effected during the second quarter of 2010 drove the 18% growth in net premiums earned for our insurance segment. The 8% increase in our reinsurance segment is consistent with gross premiums written growth.
UNDERWRITING EXPENSES
The following table provides a breakdown of our combined ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | | % Point Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year loss ratio | 68.5 | % | | (20.0 | ) | | 88.5 | % | | 21.0 |
| | 67.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (7.1 | %) | | 0.7 |
| | (7.8 | %) | | 2.8 |
| | (10.6 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 18.4 | % | | 0.7 |
| | 17.7 | % | | 1.1 |
| | 16.6 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio(1) | 16.4 | % | | 2.5 |
| | 13.9 | % | | (1.3 | ) | | 15.2 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 96.2 | % | | (16.1 | ) | | 112.3 | % | | 23.6 |
| | 88.7 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year loss ratio | 63.5 | % | | (5.0 | ) | | 68.5 | % | | (20.0 | ) | | 88.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (5.9 | %) | | 1.2 |
| | (7.1 | %) | | 0.7 |
| | (7.8 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 17.9 | % | | (0.5 | ) | | 18.4 | % | | 0.7 |
| | 17.7 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio(1) | 15.5 | % | | (0.9 | ) | | 16.4 | % | | 2.5 |
| | 13.9 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 91.0 | % | | (5.2 | ) | | 96.2 | % | | (16.1 | ) | | 112.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | �� | |
| |
(1) | The general and administration expense ratio includes corporate expenses not allocated to underwriting segments of 3.8%2.4%, 2.4%3.8% and 2.5%2.4% for 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively. These costs are further discussed in the ‘Other Expenses, (Revenues), Net’ section. |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio:
20122013 versus 20112012: A lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses in 20122013 was the primary driver of the 20.05.0 point reduction in our current accident year loss ratio, though the ratios for both years were significantly impacted byratio. 2013 includes $198 million (net of reinstatement premiums) or 5.4 points of aggregate pre-tax net losses related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events.
These natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted both our segments, with the insurance segment reporting $93 million of pre-tax net losses (including reinstatement premiums) and reinsurance segment incurring pre-tax net losses of $105 million (net of reinstatement premiums). Comparatively, 2012 includes $436 million (net of reinstatements) or 12.7 points of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses. The most significant natural catastrophe event of 2012 was Storm Sandy which made landfall as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds near Atlantic City, New Jersey on October 29th. Storm Sandy impacted numerous U.S. states, with particularly severe wind, flooding and storm surge damage in New Jersey and New York. We recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $331 million, in relation to this event, with approximately half of this amount recognized in each of our
insurance and reinsurance segments. In addition, during 2012 we recognized pre-tax net losses of $37 million in relation to the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops and an aggregate $68 million (net of related reinstatement premiums) for first and second quarter U.S. weather events and Hurricane Isaac. While the crop-related losses were exclusive to our reinsurance segment, the other events impacted both of our segments.
After adjusting for the impact of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio increased in 2013 driven primarily by a change in the mix of business written. In addition, during the second half of 2013 we experienced an increased level of loss activity in our insurance professional lines which led to an associated strengthening of the professional lines' current year loss ratio. The strengthening in our professional lines was largely driven by the loss experience in certain parts of our D&O business written in the United States. An increase in the level of losses in our reinsurance agriculture line also contributed to the current year ratio increase.
2012 versus 2011: A decrease in the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses was the primary driver of the 20 point reduction in the 2012 current accident year loss ratio, although the ratios for both years were significantly impacted by natural catastrophe events. In 2012, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $436 million primarily related to Storm Sandy. Comparatively, numerous notable natural catastrophe and significant weather events impacted our results in 2011, namely:including earthquakes in New Zealand, II, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, thea series of severe U.S. storms and tornadoes, in April and May, first quartervarious Australian weather events, the Thai floods New Zealand III, the Danish floods,in Thailand and Denmark, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. In aggregate, we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of of $931 million in relation to
these events during 2011. Of this amount, $774 million and $157 million, respectively, emanated from our reinsurance and insurance segments.
Exclusive of the impact of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio for each of our segments improved during 2012 driven by improvements in 2012:both segments:
Reduced exposure and loss experience related to aggregate property reinsurance of regional insurance companies in the U.S. drove an improvement in ourthe reinsurance segment, though this was partially offset by a higher ratio for ourthe trade credit and bond reinsurance business and business mix changes; and
A lower level of loss activity in our property and marine lines of business and a reduction in the ratio for our credit and political risk business (given a notable improvement in loss experience during the year) were the primary drivers of the improvement in our insurance segment.
2011 versus 2010: The level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses was also the primary driver of the variance in the current accident year loss ratios for these years. In comparison to the 2011 catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $138 million for New Zealand I and $110 million for the February earthquake in Chile during 2010. In addition, there were a number of other weather-related loss events during 2010, including Australian and U.S. storms and European Windstorm Xynthia in the first quarter and further Australian storms and flooding and U.S. storms in the fourth quarter. The 2010 events principally impacted our reinsurance segment.
Exclusive of the impact of the catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio increased in each of our segments during 2011:
Rate reductions, changes in business mix and an increased level of property and marine loss activity contributed to an increase in our insurance segment; and
Business mix changes and rate reductions contributed to an increase in our reinsurance segment, though partially offset by a reduction in the ratio for our trade credit and bond reinsurance business, as global economic conditions improved.
For further discussion on current accident year loss ratios, refer to the insurance and reinsurance segment discussions below.
Estimates for Significant Catastrophe Events
Our estimated net losses in relation to the natural catastrophe events described above were derived from ground-up assessments of our in-force contracts and treaties providing coverage in the affected regions. These assessments take into account the latest information available from clients, brokers and loss adjusters. In addition, we consider industry insured loss estimates, market share analyses and catastrophe modeling analyses, when appropriate. Our estimates remain subject to change as additional loss data becomes available.
We continue to monitor paid and incurred loss development for catastrophe events of prior years and update our estimates of ultimate losses accordingly. While there was no material change in ourRelating to the aggregate estimate for thecatastrophe events of 2011 and 2010 duringto 2012, updated information received during the year2013 resulted in revisions to our estimated ultimate losses for each of the three2010 and 2011 New Zealand earthquakes; our estimate for the 2010 accident year event (New Zealand I) decreasedincreased by $27 million and our combined estimateestimates for the 2011 accident year events (New Zealand II/III) increased.increased by $32 million. These increases were largely offset by favorable development on other 2010 to 2012 natural catastrophe events.
The frequency and/orand severity of natural catastrophe and weather-related activity in each of 2010 through 2012 was high in recent years and our December 31, 20122013 net reserve for losses and loss expenses continues to include estimated amounts for numerous natural catastrophe events that occurred during this period.events. We caution that the magnitude and/or complexity of losses arising from certain of these events, in particular Storm Sandy, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the three New Zealand earthquakes, and the Thai floods, inherently increasesincrease the level of uncertainty and, therefore, the level of management judgment involved in arriving at our estimated net reserves for losses and loss expenses. As a result, our actual losses for these events may ultimately differ materially from our current estimates.
Prior Year Reserve Development:
Our favorable prior year reserve development was the net result of several underlying developments on prior accident years, identified during our quarterly reserve review process. The following table provides a breakdown of net prior year reserve development by segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| | $ | 118,336 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 122,631 |
| | 154,447 |
| | 194,719 |
| |
| Total | $ | 244,840 |
| | $ | 257,461 |
| | $ | 313,055 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 50,355 |
| | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 169,081 |
| | 122,631 |
| | 154,447 |
| |
| Total | $ | 219,436 |
| | $ | 244,840 |
| | $ | 257,461 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
Overview
TheOverall, the majority of the net favorable prior year reserve development related to short-tail lines of business,business. Net favorable prior year reserve development for liability reinsurance also contributed significantly in 2013 with our professional lines business also contributing notably.notably in 2012 and 2011. Favorable development in 2013 was partially offset by adverse development in the insurance professional and liability lines.
The underlying exposures in theour property, marine and aviation reserving classes within our insurance segment and the property reserving class within our reinsurance segment largely relate to short-tail business. Development from these classes contributed $186$162 million $178, $186 million and $181$178 million of the total net favorable prior year reserve development in 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively, and primarily reflected the recognition of better than expected loss emergence.
In the first quarter of 2013, we began to give weight to actuarial methods that reflect our actual experience for liability reinsurance business, as we believe that our older accident years are now at a stage of expected development where such methods will produce meaningful actuarial indications. During 2013, we recognized $85 million of net favorable prior year development, primarily reflecting the greater weight management is giving to experience based indications and our experience which has been favorable for the 2004 through 2008 accident years.
Our professional lines business recognized $29 million of net adverse development in 2013. This increase in the reserves was due to a $51 million adverse development in the insurance segment, reflecting worse than expected loss experience for the 2011-2012 accident years, due to worse than expected loss experience on certain parts of our U.S. D&O business, and reinsurance businessthe 2008-2009 accident years, due to developments on certain global financial crisis-related claims. Comparably in 2012 and 2011 professional lines contributed further net favorable prior year reserve developmentdevelopments of $54$54 million $105 million and $117 million, respectively in 2012, 2011 and 2010$105 million. This, respectively. The 2012 and 2011 favorable prior year reserve development wasdevelopments were driven by increased weight being given to experience-based actuarial methods in selecting our ultimate loss estimates for accident years 2009 and prior. As our loss experience has generally been better than expected, this resulted inDuring 2013, the recognition oftransition to the experience-based actuarial methods had a favorable impact on 2010 and prior year reserve development. Givenyears, which partially offset the significance of the global financial crisis, we expect that lossadverse development patterns for the 2007 through 2009 accident years may ultimately differ from other years; as a result, we are exercising a greater degree of caution in recognizing potential favorable loss emergence for these years.discussed above.
Refer to theSee ‘Critical Accounting EstimateEstimates – Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses’ section for further details. We caution that conditions and trends that impacted the development of our reserve for losses and loss expenses in the past may not recur in the future.
The following sections provide further details on prior year reserve development by segment, reserving class and accident year.
Insurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 63,919 |
| | $ | 55,779 |
| | $ | 51,740 |
| |
| Marine | 37,322 |
| | 21,910 |
| | 23,338 |
| |
| Aviation | 5,017 |
| | 9,842 |
| | 11,995 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | (143 | ) | | (13,764 | ) | | (18,414 | ) | |
| Professional lines | 19,458 |
| | 49,868 |
| | 56,993 |
| |
| Liability | (3,364 | ) | | (20,621 | ) | | (7,316 | ) | |
| Total | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| | $ | 118,336 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 47,780 |
| | $ | 63,919 |
| | $ | 55,779 |
| |
| Marine | 48,482 |
| | 37,322 |
| | 21,910 |
| |
| Aviation | 15,349 |
| | 5,017 |
| | 9,842 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | 13,136 |
| | (143 | ) | | (13,764 | ) | |
| Professional lines | (50,882 | ) | | 19,458 |
| | 49,868 |
| |
| Liability | (23,510 | ) | | (3,364 | ) | | (20,621 | ) | |
| Total | $ | 50,355 |
| | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 2013, we recognized $50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$48 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, largely related to the 2010 and 2011 accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$48 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$15 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviation business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$13 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our credit and political risk business, largely related to the 2012 accident year and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$51 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily related to strengthening of certain parts of our U.S. D&O lines in the 2011 and 2012 accident years and development on global financial crisis-related claims in our 2008 and 2009 accident years, as discussed in the overview.
$24 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on liability business, related to developments on two particular claims and pertained to the 2009 and 2011 accident years.
In 2012, we recognized $122 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$64 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which related to the 2009 through 2011 accident years ($42 million) and the 2008 accident year ($17 million). While development was primarily driven by better than expected loss emergence, $7 million of the 2008 accident year amount was due to the final settlement of two Hurricane Ike claims.
$37 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $21 million, related to offshore energy business.
$19 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily related to the 2006 through 2008 accident years and for the reasons discussed in the overview.
During the fourth quarter of 2012, we began to give weight to actuarial methods that incorporate our own favorable historical claims experience for our oldest accident year liability business. Refer to the 'Critical Accounting Estimate - Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses' section for further details.
In 2011, we recognized $103 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$56 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which related to the 2010 ($27 million), 2009 ($9 million) and 2008 ($10 million) accident years. While the 2010 and 2009 amounts primarily related to better than expected loss emergence, the 2008 amount largely related to updated information from oura client with respect to one large loss event.
$22 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and related to better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $21 million, related to offshore energy business.
$10 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviation business, spanning a number of accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$14 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on credit and political risk business, primarily driven by $21 million in adverse development on the 2009 accident year as we reduced our recovery estimates based on the latest available information. Partially offsetting this amount was $8 million in net favorable development on the 2007 and 2008 accident years.
$50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business. We recognized a total of $60 million of net favorable development for 2004 through 2007 accident years, largely due to the reasons discussed in the overview. This amount included $19 million reallocated from the 2007 accident year to the 2008 accident year, recognized after consideration of our claims history and other available information and data for accident years impacted by the global financial crisis; in the aggregate, our estimate for global financial crisis remained unchanged. Partially offsetting this was the recognition of $8 million of net adverse development on the 2010 accident year.
$21 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on liability business, primarily emanating from the 2010 accident year and related to the receipt of two notable claims.
Reinsurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 50,017 |
| | $ | 79,802 |
| | $ | 90,437 |
| |
| Credit and surety | 6,328 |
| | 12,254 |
| | 39,806 |
| |
| Professional lines | 21,845 |
| | 34,291 |
| | 55,628 |
| |
| Motor | 6,260 |
| | (4,328 | ) | | (31,802 | ) | |
| Liability | 84,631 |
| | 612 |
| | 378 |
| |
| Total | $ | 169,081 |
| | $ | 122,631 |
| | $ | 154,447 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 20102013, we recognized $118169 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$5250 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which emanated from the 2005 through 2009 accident years and related tolargely driven by better than expected loss emergence.emergence on the 2006 through 2009 and the 2012 accident years.
$2322 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marineprofessional lines reinsurance business, largelyprimarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $20 million, related to offshore energy business.emergence, for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$1285 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviationliability reinsurance business spanning several accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$18 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on credit and political risk business. This balance consisted of net adverse development of $54 million on the 2009 accident year, as we finalized settlements for certain loss events and reduced our recovery estimates for the latest available information. Partially offsetting this amount was $36 million in net favorable prior year reserve development on the 2006 through 2008 accident years, in recognition of better than anticipated loss emergence on our CEND and credit business.
$57 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily generated from the 2004 through 2006 accident years, for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$7 million of net adverse development on liability business, primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and reflecting earlier than expected loss emergence on our U.S. excess and surplus lines umbrella business for those accident years during 2010.
Reinsurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 79,802 |
| | $ | 90,437 |
| | $ | 93,534 |
| |
| Credit and bond | 12,254 |
| | 39,806 |
| | 37,793 |
| |
| Professional lines | 34,291 |
| | 55,628 |
| | 60,067 |
| |
| Motor | (4,328 | ) | | (31,802 | ) | | 1,225 |
| |
| Liability | 612 |
| | 378 |
| | 2,100 |
| |
| Total | $ | 122,631 |
| | $ | 154,447 |
| | $ | 194,719 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 2012, we recognized $123 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$80 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business largely consisting largely of:
$63 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on catastrophe and property business. Net favorable development was evident across all accident years, with the exception of 2011, and was largely due to better than expected loss emergence. We recognized net adverse development of $18 million on the 2011 accident year, driven by the revision in our estimates for the New Zealand II/III as noted under 'Estimates for Significant Catastrophe Events' above.
earthquakes.$16 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop business, largely related to the 2011 accident year and due to better than expected loss emergence. Of this amount, $6 million related to updated information for one particular claim; the remainder was due to better than expected loss emergence.
$12 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2010 and 2011 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$34 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2007, and to a lesser extent 2006, accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
Aggregate net prior year reserve development for our liability reserving class was insignificant during 2012; however, there were underlying favorable and adverse movements by accident year, driven by an underwriting to accident year reallocation for claims associated with a particular group of treaties.
In 2011, we recognized $154 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$90 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business largely consisting of:
$71 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on catastrophe and property business. This development primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and reflected better than expected loss emergence.
$11 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop business, largely related to the 2010 accident year and due to better than expected loss emergence.
$8 million in net favorable prior year reserve development on engineering business, primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and due to better than expected loss emergence.
$40 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance business, largely related to the 2009 and 2010 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$56 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2005 through 2007 accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$32 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on motor reinsurance business, primarily related to 2008 through 2010 accident year non-proportional business and due to changes in assumptions relating to settlement practices in the U.K. motor market (namely, Periodic Payment Orders, or “PPOs”).
Acquisition Cost Ratio: Our acquisition cost ratio decreased from 18.4% in 2012 to 17.9% during 2013, driven by decreases in both segments. In 2010, we recognized $195 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$94 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on propertyinsurance segment a reduction in acquisition cost ratio is generated by a reduction in the business written through MGAs and other business largely consisting of:
$75 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and catastrophe business, largely consisting of net favorable development on the 2009 ($39 million), 2007 ($14 million) and 2005 ($28 million) accident years andhigher ceding commissions earned partially offset by net adverse development of $17 million ona change in business mix. For the 2008 accident year. Development onreinsurance segment the 2009 and 2007 accident years wasdecrease is driven by better than expected loss emergence, while developmentvariances in accruals for loss-sensitive features in underlying contracts, partially offset by higher acquisition costs paid on certain lines of business. The increase in the 2005 accident yearratio in 2012 compared to 2011 was primarily driven by a favorable court judgment associated with one claimchanges in the business mix.
General and a reductionAdministrative Expense Ratio: The general and administrative expenses increase during 2013 was primarily due to an increase in our reserve for another claim followingheadcount and the receipt of updated information. The net adverse development on the 2008 accident year largelycosts related to updated information with respectvarious growth initiatives across the Company and was partially offset by senior leadership transition costs incurred during 2012. The impact of the increase in general and administrative expenses during 2013 was more than offset by the growth in net premiums earned reducing the overall general and administrative cost ratio. The general and administrative expense ratio increase in 2012 compared to Hurricane Ike losses.
$21 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop reserves, principally related to2011, reflected the 2009 accident yearsenior leadership transition costs noted above, as well as an increase in performance-based compensation expenses and largely resulting from the reduction in reserves for Canadian crop losses following updated information from the cedant.
$38 millionstaff increases. of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance lines of business, largely related to the 2009 accident year and, to a lesser extent the 2007 and 2008 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$60 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily on the 2006 accident year and, to a lesser extent the 2007, 2005 and 2004 accident years, for the reasons discussed in the overview.
RESULTS BY SEGMENT
INSURANCE SEGMENT
Results from our insurance segment were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 11% | | $ | 1,916,116 |
| |
| Net premiums written | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | 1,466,134 |
| | 10% | | 1,332,220 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 1,558,058 |
| | 9% | | 1,429,687 |
| | 18% | | 1,206,493 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| | | | 2,073 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | (1,075,773 | ) | | | | (1,022,333 | ) | | | | (688,205 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | 122,209 |
| | | | 103,014 |
| | | | 118,336 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | (226,859 | ) | | | | (199,583 | ) | | | | (152,223 | ) | |
| General and administrative expenses | (314,834 | ) | | | | (278,147 | ) | | | | (276,435 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income | $ | 65,477 |
| | 87% | | $ | 35,034 |
| | (83%) | | $ | 210,039 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | % Point Change | | | | % Point Change | | | |
| Ratios: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year loss ratio | 69.0 | % | | (2.5) | | 71.5 | % | | 14.5 | | 57.0 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6) | | (7.2 | %) | | 2.6 | | (9.8 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 14.6 | % | | 0.6 | | 14.0 | % | | 1.4 | | 12.6 | % | |
| General and administrative ratio | 20.2 | % | | 0.8 | | 19.4 | % | | (3.6) | | 23.0 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 96.0 | % | | (1.7) | | 97.7 | % | | 14.9 | | 82.8 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 11% | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Net premiums written | 1,813,538 |
| | 19% | | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | 1,466,134 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 1,722,762 |
| | 11% | | 1,558,058 |
| | 9% | | 1,429,687 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | 2,436 |
| | | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | (1,100,757 | ) | | | | (1,075,773 | ) | | | | (1,022,333 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | 50,355 |
| | | | 122,209 |
| | | | 103,014 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | (242,363 | ) | | | | (226,859 | ) | | | | (199,583 | ) | |
| General and administrative expenses | (347,684 | ) | | | | (314,834 | ) | | | | (278,147 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income | $ | 84,749 |
| | 29% | | $ | 65,477 |
| | 87% | | $ | 35,034 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | % Point Change | | | | % Point Change | | | |
| Ratios: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year loss ratio | 63.9 | % | | (5.1) | | 69.0 | % | | (2.5) | | 71.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (2.9 | %) | | 4.9 | | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6) | | (7.2 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 14.1 | % | | (0.5) | | 14.6 | % | | 0.6 | | 14.0 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio | 20.1 | % | | (0.1) | | 20.2 | % | | 0.8 | | 19.4 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 95.2 | % | | (0.8) | | 96.0 | % | | (1.7) | | 97.7 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Gross Premiums Written:
The following table provides gross premiums written by line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 11 to 12 | | 10 to 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 651,188 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 635,278 |
| | 30 | % | | $ | 600,806 |
| | 31 | % | | 3 | % | | 6 | % | |
| Marine | 252,434 |
| | 11 | % | | 240,481 |
| | 11 | % | | 224,814 |
| | 12 | % | | 5 | % | | 7 | % | |
| Terrorism | 37,186 |
| | 2 | % | | 34,313 |
| | 2 | % | | 37,246 |
| | 2 | % | | 8 | % | | (8 | %) | |
| Aviation | 65,143 |
| | 3 | % | | 70,792 |
| | 3 | % | | 75,794 |
| | 4 | % | | (8 | %) | | (7 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 39,405 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,734 |
| | 2 | % | | 30,669 |
| | 2 | % | | 10 | % | | 17 | % | |
| Professional lines | 836,634 |
| | 36 | % | | 764,205 |
| | 36 | % | | 712,053 |
| | 37 | % | | 9 | % | | 7 | % | |
| Liability | 266,696 |
| | 12 | % | | 213,256 |
| | 10 | % | | 228,247 |
| | 12 | % | | 25 | % | | (7 | %) | |
| Accident & health | 160,795 |
| | 7 | % | | 127,770 |
| | 6 | % | | 6,487 |
| | — | % | | 26 | % | | nm |
| |
| Total | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,916,116 |
| | 100 | % | | 9 | % | | 11 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
nm – not meaningful |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 671,970 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 651,188 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 635,278 |
| | 30 | % | | 3 | % | | 3 | % | |
| Marine | 229,493 |
| | 9 | % | | 252,434 |
| | 11 | % | | 240,481 |
| | 11 | % | | (9 | %) | | 5 | % | |
| Terrorism | 38,373 |
| | 1 | % | | 37,186 |
| | 2 | % | | 34,313 |
| | 2 | % | | 3 | % | | 8 | % | |
| Aviation | 43,326 |
| | 2 | % | | 65,143 |
| | 3 | % | | 70,792 |
| | 3 | % | | (33 | %) | | (8 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 60,203 |
| | 2 | % | | 39,405 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,734 |
| | 2 | % | | 53 | % | | 10 | % | |
| Professional lines | 900,071 |
| | 35 | % | | 836,634 |
| | 36 | % | | 764,205 |
| | 36 | % | | 8 | % | | 9 | % | |
| Liability | 347,227 |
| | 14 | % | | 266,696 |
| | 12 | % | | 213,256 |
| | 10 | % | | 30 | % | | 25 | % | |
| Accident & health | 268,475 |
| | 10 | % | | 160,795 |
| | 7 | % | | 127,770 |
| | 6 | % | | 67 | % | | 26 | % | |
| Total | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 100 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Growth of Contents11% was primarily driven by our accident & health, liability, professional and property lines of business which were partially offset by decreases in marine and aviation. Our accident & health business has shown continued growth driven by new business opportunities. Liability growth was driven by select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in the U.S. wholesale excess casualty market. Growth in the professional lines was largely due to continued expansion globally with new business and certain rate increases in the U.S. also contributing. Property premiums also contributed, as growth driven by new business and select rate increases more than offset reductions due to the non-renewal of certain catastrophe-exposed business written through MGAs. The segment's premium increases were partially offset by decreases in marine, which was impacted by non-renewal of certain business written through MGAs, and aviation which was primarily impacted by timing of renewals and certain rate decreases.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in gross premiums written was evident in the majority of our lines of business, with professional lines, liability and accident & health contributing most significantly. Geographic expansion (including our European operations) and newer initiatives were the primary drivers of the growth in professional lines; an improving rate environment also contributed. Liability growth was attributable to select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in our U.S. excess and surplus lines umbrella business. Our recently established accident & health line continued to generate new business. Property premiums were also up, as growth driven by rate increases and new business opportunities more than offset a reduction due to the non-renewal of certain catastrophe-exposed business written through MGAs.
Premiums Ceded:
20112013 versus 20102012: OurPremiums ceded in 2013 were $746 million, or 29%, of gross premiums written, compared to $787 million, or 34%, in 2012. The year on year reductions in the premiums ceded and the related ceded ratio primarily related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing and business mix changes. Reductions related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing included excess of loss treaty reductions driven by both retention and rate, and proportional changes related to reductions in the cession rates on our professional lines and liability programs on renewal during 2013. Changes in business mix related to growth in our accident & health line, launched in 2010, led the 11% growth in gross premiums written. A large portion of this growth was due to accident & health reinsurance business assumed.for which we did not purchase significant reinsurance.
Excluding accident & health, gross premiums written growth was 4% and was largely attributable to geographic expansion and certain newer business lines, including renewable energy and design professionals & environmental liability. Geographic expansion (including our Australian and Canadian operations) contributed to the increases in property and professional lines, with the design professionals & environmental liability initiative also contributing to growth in professional lines. Our renewable energy business relates to both onshore and offshore exposures, with growth thus pertaining to the property and marine lines, respectively.
Premiums Ceded:
2012 versus 2011: Premiums ceded in 2012 were $787$787 million,, or 34%, of gross premiums written, compared to $656$656 million,, or 31%, in 2011. The increase in the ceded premium ratio was largely due to changes in our reinsurance purchasing, most notably a higher cession rate on our professional lines quota share reinsurance program on renewal during the second quarter. Business mix changes also contributed to the increase, most notably in relation to the growth in our liability business, for which we purchase significant reinsurance.
2011 versus 2010: Our ceded premium ratios for 2011 and 2010 were comparable at 31% and 30% of gross premiums written, respectively.
Net Premiums Earned:
The following table provides net premiums earned by line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 11 to 12 | | 10 to 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 408,943 |
| | 26 | % | | $ | 385,291 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 337,525 |
| | 28 | % | | 6 | % | | 14 | % | |
| Marine | 171,165 |
| | 11 | % | | 152,123 |
| | 11 | % | | 145,356 |
| | 12 | % | | 13 | % | | 5 | % | |
| Terrorism | 38,605 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,213 |
| | 2 | % | | 32,486 |
| | 3 | % | | 10 | % | | 8 | % | |
| Aviation | 60,363 |
| | 4 | % | | 70,681 |
| | 5 | % | | 66,636 |
| | 6 | % | | (15 | %) | | 6 | % | |
| Credit and political risk | 87,103 |
| | 6 | % | | 97,680 |
| | 7 | % | | 89,773 |
| | 7 | % | | (11 | %) | | 9 | % | |
| Professional lines | 563,500 |
| | 36 | % | | 536,238 |
| | 38 | % | | 444,663 |
| | 37 | % | | 5 | % | | 21 | % | |
| Liability | 86,873 |
| | 6 | % | | 89,555 |
| | 6 | % | | 87,481 |
| | 7 | % | | (3 | %) | | 2 | % | |
| Accident & health | 141,506 |
| | 9 | % | | 62,906 |
| | 4 | % | | 2,573 |
| | — | % | | 125 | % | | nm |
| |
| Total | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,206,493 |
| | 100 | % | | 9 | % | | 18 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 462,364 |
| | 28 | % | | $ | 408,943 |
| | 26 | % | | $ | 385,291 |
| | 27 | % | | 13 | % | | 6 | % | |
| Marine | 179,057 |
| | 10 | % | | 171,165 |
| | 11 | % | | 152,123 |
| | 11 | % | | 5 | % | | 13 | % | |
| Terrorism | 39,298 |
| | 2 | % | | 38,605 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,213 |
| | 2 | % | | 2 | % | | 10 | % | |
| Aviation | 48,489 |
| | 3 | % | | 60,363 |
| | 4 | % | | 70,681 |
| | 5 | % | | (20 | %) | | (15 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 68,192 |
| | 4 | % | | 87,103 |
| | 6 | % | | 97,680 |
| | 7 | % | | (22 | %) | | (11 | %) | |
| Professional lines | 586,200 |
| | 34 | % | | 563,500 |
| | 36 | % | | 536,238 |
| | 38 | % | | 4 | % | | 5 | % | |
| Liability | 110,623 |
| | 6 | % | | 86,873 |
| | 6 | % | | 89,555 |
| | 6 | % | | 27 | % | | (3 | %) | |
| Accident & health | 228,539 |
| | 13 | % | | 141,506 |
| | 9 | % | | 62,906 |
| | 4 | % | | 62 | % | | 125 | % | |
| Total | $ | 1,722,762 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 100 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
nm – not meaningful2013 versus 2012: Our accident & health line was the primary contributor to the year on year increase, commensurate with gross premiums written growth discussed above, and accounted for 53% of the overall growth in net premiums earned. Our property, liability and professional lines also contributed to the increase following growth in the gross premiums written and the reductions in premiums ceded discussed above.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in ourthe accident & health line commensurate with gross premiums written growth sincewas the launch of this product offering, accountedprimary driver for 61% of the overall growth in net premiums earned.increase. Growth in professional lines business in recent quarters, arising from geographic expansion (including our European, Australian and Canadian operations) and targeted initiatives, also contributed to the increases; however, the impact of this growth was tempered in the second half of 2012 by the aforementioned increase in quota share premium cessions.
2011 versus 2010: The 18% growth in net premiums earned was primarily reflective of the 11% growth in gross premiums written discussed above. Further contributing were reinsurance purchasing changes effected during the second quarter of 2010.
Loss Ratio:
The table below shows the components of our loss ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | | % Point Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year | 69.0 | % | | (2.5 | ) | | 71.5 | % | | 14.5 | | 57.0 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6 | ) | | (7.2 | %) | | 2.6 | | (9.8 | %) | |
| Loss ratio | 61.2 | % | | (3.1 | ) | | 64.3 | % | | 17.1 | | 47.2 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year | 63.9 | % | | (5.1 | ) | | 69.0 | % | | (2.5 | ) | | 71.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (2.9 | %) | | 4.9 |
| | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6 | ) | | (7.2 | %) | |
| Loss ratio | 61.0 | % | | (0.2 | ) | | 61.2 | % | | (3.1 | ) | | 64.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio
20122013 versus 20112012:
Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted the current accident year loss ratios for both periods.
In 2013, we incurred $93 million of aggregate pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. During 2012, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $178 million for Storm Sandy. In addition, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses of $44 million for Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events.
After adjusting for these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2013 current accident year loss ratio increased relative to 2012 primarily due to:
strengthening in our professional lines, relating to certain parts of our D&O business written in the United States, following recent loss experience; and
a change in the business mix.
2012 versus 2011: Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted the current accident year loss ratios for both periods. During 2012, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $222 million for Storm Sandy and other U.S. natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Comparatively, during 2011, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) for the following natural catastrophe and weather related events:
$40of $156 million in relationrelating to thea series of severe U.S. stormsstorms; floods in April and May;
$32 million in relation to the Thai floods;
$29 million in relation toThailand; the Japanese earthquake and tsunami;
$20 million in relation to New Zealand II;earthquake; and
an aggregate $35 million in relation to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
Exclusive of these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2012 current accident year loss ratio improved relative to 2011 primarily due to:
a lower level of loss activity in our property and marine lines of business; and
a reduction in the loss ratio for our credit & political risk line of business (loss experience on this business was notably less in 2012, driving a 22 percentage point reduction in the ratio from 60% to 38%).business.
2011 versus 2010:
Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses were the primary driver of the 14.5 point increase. While the 2011 current accident year loss ratio was impacted by the events noted above, catastrophe-related pre-tax net losses were insignificant in 2010. Exclusive of these items, rate reductions, changes in business mix and a higher level of loss activity in our property and marine lines of business also contributed to a higher ratio in 2011.
Refer to theSee ‘Prior Year Reserve Development’ section for further details.
Acquisition Cost Ratio: GrowthThe current year acquisition cost ratio decreased from 14.6% in 2012 to 14.1% in 2013. The majority of the variance is being generated by property and marine lines and is due to the aforementioned MGA reductions. Higher ceding commissions earned relative to 2012 also contributed. This was partially offset by a change in the business mix with the accident & health gross premiums written introduced some upward movementbusiness incurring a higher acquisition cost ratio. The change in the business mix was the primary driver of the increase in the 2012 acquisition cost ratio for the segment starting in 2011; excluding this business, the 2012 and 2011 acquisition cost ratios were 13.0% and 13.2%, respectively.compared to 2011.
General and Administrative Expense Ratio: GeneralThe general and administrative expensesexpense ratio was comparable at 20.1% in 2013 versus 20.2% in 2012. The increase in general and administrative costs was driven by increased salaries and related costs following an increase in staff compared to last year, as we continue to build-out the segment's global platform. The impact on the general and administrative expense ratio was fully offset by the growth in net premiums earned. The increase in the
general and administrative expense ratio in 2012 compared to 2011, was driven by performance-based compensation expenses and staff increases. From a general and administrative expense ratio perspective, commensurate growth in net premiums earned muted the impact on the 2012 ratio.
REINSURANCE SEGMENTNet Investment Income
ResultsThe net investment income increase in 2013 compared to 2012 and in 2012 compared 2011, respectively, was primarily due to the performance of our Other investments. Income from this portfolio increased by $41 million in 2013 compared to 2012, driven by the continued strong performance of our hedge funds, which reflected the strong performance of both global equities and bank loans. Similarly, income from other investments increased $56 million in 2012 compared to 2011, due to improved performance of both global equities and bank loans over the prior year.
Excluding income from our other investments, net investment income decreased by $13 million and $37 million in 2013 and 2012, respectively. These decreases were largely attributable to our fixed maturity portfolio, where lower reinvestment yields drove reductions in income despite higher investment balances.
Net Realized Investment Gains
During each period presented, we realized net investment gains. During 2013, sales of equities were the largest contributor to the net realized gains while sales of fixed maturities were the primary driver in 2012 and 2011. Other-than-temporary impairment ("OTTI") charges were $9 million, $24 million and $16 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Other Expenses, Net
Appreciation in the euro and the Sterling against the U.S. dollar drove foreign exchange losses of $26 million and $30 million in 2013 and 2012, related to the remeasurement of our foreign-denominated net insurance-related liabilities. The 2013 loss was partially offset by the depreciation in the Australian dollar. In 2011, depreciation in the euro and the Sterling resulted in foreign exchange gains of $45 million.
Excluding these foreign exchange-related amounts, other expenses were $159 million, $195 million and $155 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011 respectively. A $53 million increase in corporate expenses impacted other expenses in 2012. Separation payments and accelerated and incremental share-based compensation costs related to our second quarter 2012 senior leadership transition totaled $34 million and were the primary driver of this increase. Partially offsetting the increase in corporate expenses was a $12 million reduction in tax expense, as the impact of Storm Sandy led to minimal taxable income in the U.S. for 2012.
The $36 million decrease in 2013 was primarily driven by the reduction in corporate expenses and reflected the impact of the senior leadership transition costs discussed above on 2012.
Preferred Share Dividends and Loss on Repurchase of Preferred Shares
The increase in preferred share dividends in 2013 and 2012 was driven by the increase in preferred equity capital.
During the first half of 2013 we issued $225 million of 5.50% Series D preferred shares. The increase in preferred share dividends for 2013 includes the accrual and payment of dividends relating to the new Series D issue and is partially offset by the reduction in the weighted average annual dividend rate on our preferred equity capital base described above (see 'Business Overview'). The Series D preferred share proceeds were partially used to redeem the $100 million of 7.25% Series A preferred shares outstanding. The redemption of the Series A preferred shares resulted in a recognition of a loss on repurchase of preferred shares, reflecting initial issue costs of $3 million.
During 2012, in conjunction with the issuance of our 6.875% Series C preferred shares in the first quarter of 2012, we redeemed $150 million of our 7.25% Series A preferred shares and repurchased $247 million of our 7.50% Series B preferred shares via tender offer. The Series B tender offer resulted in the recognition of a $9 million loss, with $7 million of the loss relating to the premium paid to repurchase the shares in advance of the first eligible redemption date. The remaining $2 million loss, as well as a $5 million loss associated with the Series A redemption, related to the recognition of the proportionate share of issue costs as an expense; as these issue costs were recognized in shareholders' equity in the period of issuance, these amounts did not impact book value.
See Item 8, note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details.
Outlook
Management expects gross premiums written to increase across both of our segments in 2014 with a continued focus on diversification and pursuit of opportunities to expand our reach in areas where we believe returns are most attractive.
In the primary insurance market we observed a slowdown in the favorable pricing momentum observed in the recent years. Despite the reduction in pricing trends, we continue to observe good fundamentals in many of our insurance lines and markets. Noting variations between different lines of business, we believe that the United States market will continue to provide opportunities for growth, with the international markets coming under increasing pricing pressures.
We believe that the global reinsurance market is currently showing signs of a supply and demand imbalance with an increase in new alternative capacity entering the market, coupled with strong capital positions of established reinsurers having a negative impact on both pricing and terms and conditions. While we believe that established insurers maintain an advantage in the access to attractively-priced business, it will be the focus on targeted lines of business such as agriculture that will provide the key drivers for premium growth. Management expects the competitive market conditions to remain for the rest of the year.
Financial Measures
We believe that the following financial indicators are important in evaluating our performance and measuring the overall growth in value generated for our common shareholders:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended and at December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| ROACE(1) | 13.1 | % | | 9.7 | % | | 0.2 | % | |
| Operating ROACE(2) | 12.1 | % | | 8.2 | % | | (3.1 | %) | |
| Diluted book value per common share(3) | $ | 45.80 |
| | $ | 42.97 |
| | $ | 38.08 |
| |
| Cash dividends declared per common share | 1.02 |
| | 0.97 |
| | 0.93 |
| |
| Increase (decrease) in diluted book value per common share adjusted for dividends | $ | 3.85 |
| | $ | 5.86 |
| | $ | (0.36 | ) | |
| | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Return on average common equity (“ROACE”) is calculated by dividing net income available to common shareholders for the period by the average shareholders’ equity determined by using the common shareholders’ equity balances at the beginning and end of the period. |
| |
(2) | Operating ROACE is calculated by dividing operating income (loss) for the period by the average common shareholders’ equity determined by using the common shareholders’ equity balances at the beginning and end of the period. Operating ROACE is a non-GAAP financial measure, as defined in SEC Regulation G. See ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ for additional information and a reconciliation to the nearest GAAP financial measure (ROACE). |
| |
(3) | Diluted book value per common share represents total common shareholders’ equity divided by the number of common shares and diluted common share equivalents outstanding, determined using the treasury stock method. |
Return on equity
Our objective is to generate superior returns on capital that appropriately reward our common shareholders for the risks we assume and to grow revenue only when we expect the returns will meet or exceed our requirements. We recognize that the nature of underwriting cycles and the frequency or severity of large loss events in any one year may make it difficult to achieve a profitability target in any specific period and, therefore, established a ROACE target of 15% over the full underwriting cycle. Our average annual ROACE since inception is approximately 14%, tracking closely to our long-term goal.
The improvement in our underwriting result, driven by the lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses previously discussed, was the primary contributor to the improved operating ROACE in 2013 compared to 2012, and in 2012 compared to 2011. The increases in both periods were also aided by growth in net investment income. A decrease in corporate expenses contributed favorably to the increase in the ROACE for 2013. In contrast, in 2012, the increase in corporate expenses discussed above had a negative impact on the ROACE.
In addition to the items noted above for operating ROACE, ROACE is also impacted by net realized investment gains, foreign exchange losses (gains) and the loss on repurchase of preferred shares. The magnitude of our net realized investment gains resulted in these amounts contributing favorably, in aggregate, to our results for both 2013 and 2012; thus ROACE exceeded operating ROACE.
Our underwriting loss, driven by natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, was the primary driver of the negative operating ROACE for 2011. Our combined net realized investment gains and foreign exchange gains for 2011 were sufficient for us to recognize net income for the period; as such, our ROACE for the year was marginally positive.
Diluted book value per common share
We consider diluted book value per common share to be an appropriate measure of our returns to common shareholders, as we believe growth in our book value on a diluted basis will ultimately translate into appreciation of our stock price.
During 2013, our diluted book value per common share appreciated by 7%, driven by $684 million in net income available to common shareholders. This was partially offset by the reduction in the unrealized gains on investments included in accumulated other comprehensive income due to the rise in sovereign yield curves during the year. During 2012, our diluted book value per common share appreciated by 13%, driven by $495 million in net income available to common shareholders, an overall improvement in valuations for our available-for-sale securities and, to a lesser extent, the execution of common share repurchases at a discount to book value.
Cash dividends per common share
We believe in returning excess capital to our shareholders by way of dividends (as well as share repurchases) and, accordingly, our dividend policy is an integral part of the value we create for our shareholders. Our cumulatively strong earnings have permitted our Board of Directors to approve ten successive annual increases in quarterly common share dividends.
Diluted book value per common share adjusted for dividends
Taken together, we believe that growth in diluted book value per common share and common share dividends declared represent the total value created for our common shareholders. Despite the impact of catastrophe events, 2013 and 2012 reflected positive value creation for our shareholders. In 2013 our net income, in addition to the dividends declared, more than offset the impact of the upward shift in the sovereign yield curves. In 2012 our net income, combined with valuation improvements on our available-for-sale securities and common share repurchases executed at a discount to book value led the increases in diluted book value per common share; dividends declared provided additional value for our common shareholders. The global frequency and severity of catastrophe activity in 2011 drove a small reduction in shareholder value for that year.
UNDERWRITING RESULTS – GROUP
The following table provides our group underwriting results for the periods indicated. Underwriting income (loss) is a pre-tax measure of underwriting profitability that takes into account net premiums earned and other insurance related income as revenues and net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs and underwriting-related general and administrative costs as expenses.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | 13% | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| Net premiums written | | 3,928,200 |
| | 18% | | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | 3,419,434 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | | 3,707,065 |
| | 9% | | 3,415,463 |
| | 3% | | 3,314,961 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | | 4,424 |
| | | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | | (2,353,631 | ) | | | | (2,340,868 | ) | | | | (2,932,513 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | | 219,436 |
| | | | 244,840 |
| | | | 257,461 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | | (664,191 | ) | | | | (627,653 | ) | | | | (587,469 | ) | |
| Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses(1) | | (485,134 | ) | | | | (431,321 | ) | | | | (382,062 | ) | |
| Underwriting income (loss)(2) | | $ | 427,969 |
| | 63% | | $ | 263,137 |
| | nm | | $ | (327,226 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| General and administrative expenses(1) | | $ | 575,390 |
| | | | $ | 560,981 |
| | | | $ | 459,151 |
| |
| Income before income taxes(2) | | $ | 734,467 |
| | | | $ | 550,528 |
| | | | $ | 61,538 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
nm - not meaningful
| |
(1) | Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses is a non-GAAP measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. Our total general and administrative expenses also included $90,256, $129,660 and $77,089 of corporate expenses for 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively; refer to 'Other Expenses, Net' for additional information related to these corporate expenses. Also, refer to 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' for further information. |
| |
(2) | Group (or consolidated) underwriting income (loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. See Item 8, Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, for a reconciliation of consolidated underwriting income (loss) to the nearest GAAP financial measures (income before income taxes) for the periods indicated above. Also, refer to 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' for additional information related to the presentation of consolidated underwriting income (loss). |
UNDERWRITING REVENUES
Premiums Written:
Gross and net premiums written, by segment, were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 1,830,162 |
| | (7%) | | $ | 1,974,324 |
| | 8% | | $ | 1,834,420 |
| |
| Net premiums written | 1,815,211 |
| | (7%) | | 1,953,300 |
| | 8% | | 1,815,320 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 1,857,405 |
| | (1%) | | 1,885,274 |
| | 8% | | 1,740,917 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | (1,265,095 | ) | | | | (1,910,180 | ) | | | | (1,301,982 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | 122,631 |
| | | | 154,447 |
| | | | 194,719 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | (400,794 | ) | | | | (387,886 | ) | | | | (336,489 | ) | |
| General and administrative expenses | (116,487 | ) | | | | (103,915 | ) | | | | (98,001 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income (loss) | $ | 197,660 |
| | nm | | $ | (362,260 | ) | | nm | | $ | 199,164 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | % Point Change | | | | % Point Change | | | |
| Ratios: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year loss ratio | 68.1 | % | | (33.2) | | 101.3 | % | | 26.5 | | 74.8 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (6.6 | %) | | 1.6 | | (8.2 | %) | | 3.0 | | (11.2 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 21.6 | % | | 1.0 | | 20.6 | % | | 1.3 | | 19.3 | % | |
| General and administrative ratio | 6.3 | % | | 0.8 | | 5.5 | % | | (0.2) | | 5.7 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 89.4 | % | | (29.8) | | 119.2 | % | | 30.6 | | 88.6 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gross Premiums Written | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 11% | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,137,903 |
| | 17% | | 1,830,162 |
| | (7%) | | 1,974,324 |
| |
| Total | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | 13% | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| % ceded | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | 29 | % | | (5 | ) | pts | | 34 | % | | 3 |
| pts | | 31 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | |
| Total | 16 | % | | (3 | ) | pts | | 19 | % | | 2 |
| pts | | 17 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Net Premiums Written | |
| | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,813,538 |
| | 19% | | $ | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | $ | 1,466,134 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,114,662 |
| | 16% | | 1,815,211 |
| | (7%) | | 1,953,300 |
| |
| Total | $ | 3,928,200 |
| | 18% | | $ | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | $ | 3,419,434 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
nm2013 versus 2012: Gross premiums written growth of 13% was driven by increases in both segments. Increase of 11% in the insurance segment was driven by the accident & health, liability and professional lines. The accident & health line continued to reflect new business expansion. Liability growth was driven by select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in the U.S wholesale excess casualty market. Growth in the professional lines was largely due to new business as we continue our global expansion.
Reinsurance segment gross premiums written grew by 17% reflecting increases across most lines of business and these increases were most pronounced in agriculture, professional and property lines. The increase in the agriculture line reflected the continuing initiative to grow this line of business and related primarily to growth on the proportional U.S. business with a contribution from global excess of loss business. The professional lines increase primarily reflected new business opportunities. The property line increased primarily due to new business and the expansion of worldwide client relationships.
The five point decrease in the ceded premium ratio for our insurance segment was driven by changes in our reinsurance purchasing and business mix changes. Reductions related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing included excess of loss treaty reductions driven by both retention and rate, and proportional changes related to reductions in the cession rates on our professional lines and liability programs on renewal during 2013. Changes in business mix related to growth in our accident and health business for which we did not purchase significant reinsurance.
In 2013, the Company obtained catastrophe protection for both our segments through a reinsurance agreement with Northshore Re Limited ("Northshore"). In connection with the reinsurance agreement, Northshore issued notes to unrelated investors in an amount equal to the full $200 million of coverage provided under the reinsurance agreement covering a three year period. The Company performed an evaluation of Northshore to determine if it meets the definition of a variable interest entity ("VIE"). The Company concluded that Northshore is a VIE, however, the Company does not have a variable interest in the entity, as the variability in results is expected to be absorbed entirely by the investors in Northshore. Accordingly, Northshore is not consolidated in the Company's consolidated financial statements. The premium ceded to Northshore during 2013 was $14 million.
2012 versus 2011: Gross premiums written growth was driven by a $188 million increase in our insurance segment. The increase was driven by professional and liability lines reflecting new business opportunities and rate improvements. Our recently established accident & health line also continued to generate new business. Partially offsetting this growth was a reduction in gross premiums written in our reinsurance segment, primarily related to the repositioning of our catastrophe reinsurance portfolio throughout 2012. Other reductions were noted in the property line due to reduced purchasing by certain
of our clients and our evaluation of risk/return characteristics, and trade credit and bond line, as we managed our European exposure base in light of existing economic conditions and changes in contract terms.
The three point increase in the ceded premium ratio for our insurance segment was driven by changes in our reinsurance purchasing, primarily higher cession rates on our professional lines quota share reinsurance program. Business mix changes, driven by growth in our liability business, also contributed.
Net Premiums Earned:
Net premiums earned by segment were as follows:
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,722,762 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 43 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1,984,303 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,857,405 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,885,274 |
| | 57 | % | | 7 | % | | (1 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 3,707,065 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,415,463 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,314,961 |
| | 100 | % | | 9 | % | | 3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Changes in net premiums earned reflect period to period changes in net premiums written and business mix, together with normal variability in premium earning patterns.
2013 versus 2012: Growth in net premiums earned of 9% reflects increases in both segments. Growth in the insurance segment was primarily driven by the recent growth in gross premiums written in our accident & health line. Net premiums earned for property, liability and professional lines also increased driven by growth in gross written premiums and reductions in premiums ceded discussed above. The increase in the gross premiums written in the agriculture line during 2013, described above, was the primary driver of the increase in net premiums earned for our reinsurance segment.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in net premiums earned for our insurance segment was primarily driven by growth in gross premiums written in our accident & health line. Growth in our professional lines business also contributed, although this was tempered by an increase in premiums ceded. The reduction in catastrophe gross premiums written during 2012 was the primary driver of the decline in net premiums earned for our reinsurance segment.
UNDERWRITING EXPENSES
The following table provides a breakdown of our combined ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year loss ratio | 63.5 | % | | (5.0 | ) | | 68.5 | % | | (20.0 | ) | | 88.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (5.9 | %) | | 1.2 |
| | (7.1 | %) | | 0.7 |
| | (7.8 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 17.9 | % | | (0.5 | ) | | 18.4 | % | | 0.7 |
| | 17.7 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio(1) | 15.5 | % | | (0.9 | ) | | 16.4 | % | | 2.5 |
| | 13.9 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 91.0 | % | | (5.2 | ) | | 96.2 | % | | (16.1 | ) | | 112.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | �� | |
| |
(1) | The general and administration expense ratio includes corporate expenses not allocated to underwriting segments of 2.4%, 3.8% and 2.4% for 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. These costs are further discussed in the ‘Other Expenses, Net’ section. |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio:
2013 versus 2012: A lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses in 2013 was the primary driver of the 5.0 point reduction in our current accident year loss ratio. 2013 includes $198 million (net of reinstatement premiums) or 5.4 points of aggregate pre-tax net losses related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. These natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted both our segments, with the insurance segment reporting $93 million of pre-tax net losses (including reinstatement premiums) and reinsurance segment incurring pre-tax net losses of $105 million (net of reinstatement premiums). Comparatively, 2012 includes $436 million (net of reinstatements) or 12.7 points of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses. The most significant natural catastrophe event of 2012 was Storm Sandy with pre-tax net losses (net of reinstatement premiums) of $331 million, with approximately half of this amount recognized in each of our
insurance and reinsurance segments. In addition, during 2012 we recognized pre-tax net losses of $37 million in relation to the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops and an aggregate $68 million (net of reinstatement premiums) for first and second quarter U.S. weather events and Hurricane Isaac. While the crop-related losses were exclusive to our reinsurance segment, the other events impacted both of our segments.
After adjusting for the impact of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio increased in 2013 driven primarily by a change in the mix of business written. In addition, during the second half of 2013 we experienced an increased level of loss activity in our insurance professional lines which led to an associated strengthening of the professional lines' current year loss ratio. The strengthening in our professional lines was largely driven by the loss experience in certain parts of our D&O business written in the United States. An increase in the level of losses in our reinsurance agriculture line also contributed to the current year ratio increase.
2012 versus 2011: A decrease in the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses was the primary driver of the 20 point reduction in the 2012 current accident year loss ratio, although the ratios for both years were significantly impacted by natural catastrophe events. In 2012, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $436 million primarily related to Storm Sandy. Comparatively, numerous notable natural catastrophe and significant weather events impacted our results in 2011, including earthquakes in New Zealand, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, a series of severe U.S. storms and tornadoes, various Australian weather events, floods in Thailand and Denmark, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. In aggregate, we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $931 million in relation to these events during 2011.
Exclusive of the impact of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio improved during 2012 driven by improvements in both segments:
Reduced exposure and loss experience related to aggregate property reinsurance of regional insurance companies in the U.S. drove an improvement in the reinsurance segment, though this was partially offset by a higher ratio for the trade credit and bond reinsurance business and business mix changes; and
A lower level of loss activity in our property and marine lines of business and a reduction in the ratio for our credit and political risk business were the primary drivers of the improvement in our insurance segment.
For further discussion on current accident year loss ratios, refer to the insurance and reinsurance segment discussions below.
Estimates for Significant Catastrophe Events
Our estimated net losses in relation to the natural catastrophe events described above were derived from ground-up assessments of our in-force contracts and treaties providing coverage in the affected regions. These assessments take into account the latest information available from clients, brokers and loss adjusters. In addition, we consider industry insured loss estimates, market share analyses and catastrophe modeling analyses, when appropriate. Our estimates remain subject to change as additional loss data becomes available.
We continue to monitor paid and incurred loss development for catastrophe events of prior years and update our estimates of ultimate losses accordingly. Relating to the aggregate estimate for catastrophe events of 2010 to 2012, updated information received during 2013 resulted in revisions to our estimated ultimate losses for the 2010 and 2011 New Zealand earthquakes; our estimate for the 2010 accident year event increased by $27 million and our estimates for the 2011 accident year events increased by $32 million. These increases were largely offset by favorable development on other 2010 to 2012 natural catastrophe events.
The frequency and severity of natural catastrophe and weather-related activity was high in recent years and our December 31, 2013 net reserve for losses and loss expenses continues to include estimated amounts for numerous events. We caution that the magnitude and/or complexity of losses arising from certain of these events, in particular Storm Sandy, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the three New Zealand earthquakes, inherently increase the level of uncertainty and, therefore, the level of management judgment involved in arriving at our estimated net reserves for losses and loss expenses. As a result, our actual losses for these events may ultimately differ materially from our current estimates.
Prior Year Reserve Development:
Our favorable prior year reserve development was the net result of several underlying developments on prior accident years, identified during our quarterly reserve review process. The following table provides a breakdown of net prior year reserve development by segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 50,355 |
| | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 169,081 |
| | 122,631 |
| | 154,447 |
| |
| Total | $ | 219,436 |
| | $ | 244,840 |
| | $ | 257,461 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
Overview
Overall, the majority of the net favorable prior year reserve development related to short-tail lines of business. Net favorable prior year reserve development for liability reinsurance also contributed significantly in 2013 with professional lines contributing notably in 2012 and 2011. Favorable development in 2013 was partially offset by adverse development in the insurance professional and liability lines.
The underlying exposures in our property, marine and aviation reserving classes within our insurance segment and the property reserving class within our reinsurance segment largely relate to short-tail business. Development from these classes contributed $162 million, $186 million and $178 million of the total net favorable prior year reserve development in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and primarily reflected the recognition of better than expected loss emergence.
In the first quarter of 2013, we began to give weight to actuarial methods that reflect our actual experience for liability reinsurance business, as we believe that our older accident years are now at a stage of expected development where such methods will produce meaningful actuarial indications. During 2013, we recognized $85 million of net favorable prior year development, primarily reflecting the greater weight management is giving to experience based indications and our experience which has been favorable for the 2004 through 2008 accident years.
Our professional lines business recognized $29 million of net adverse development in 2013. This increase in the reserves was due to a $51 million adverse development in the insurance segment, reflecting worse than expected loss experience for the 2011-2012 accident years, due to worse than expected loss experience on certain parts of our U.S. D&O business, and the 2008-2009 accident years, due to developments on certain global financial crisis-related claims. Comparably in 2012 and 2011 professional lines contributed net favorable prior year reserve developments of $54 million and $105 million, respectively. The 2012 and 2011 favorable prior year reserve developments were driven by increased weight being given to experience-based actuarial methods in selecting our ultimate loss estimates for accident years 2009 and prior. During 2013, the transition to the experience-based actuarial methods had a favorable impact on 2010 and prior years, which partially offset the adverse development discussed above.
See ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses’ section for further details. We caution that conditions and trends that impacted the development of our reserve for losses and loss expenses in the past may not meaningfulrecur in the future.
The following sections provide further details on prior year reserve development by segment, reserving class and accident year.
Insurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 47,780 |
| | $ | 63,919 |
| | $ | 55,779 |
| |
| Marine | 48,482 |
| | 37,322 |
| | 21,910 |
| |
| Aviation | 15,349 |
| | 5,017 |
| | 9,842 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | 13,136 |
| | (143 | ) | | (13,764 | ) | |
| Professional lines | (50,882 | ) | | 19,458 |
| | 49,868 |
| |
| Liability | (23,510 | ) | | (3,364 | ) | | (20,621 | ) | |
| Total | $ | 50,355 |
| | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 2013, we recognized $50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$48 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, largely related to the 2010 and 2011 accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$48 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$15 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviation business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$13 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our credit and political risk business, largely related to the 2012 accident year and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$51 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily related to strengthening of certain parts of our U.S. D&O lines in the 2011 and 2012 accident years and development on global financial crisis-related claims in our 2008 and 2009 accident years, as discussed in the overview.
$24 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on liability business, related to developments on two particular claims and pertained to the 2009 and 2011 accident years.
In 2012, we recognized $122 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$64 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which related to the 2009 through 2011 accident years ($42 million) and the 2008 accident year ($17 million). While development was primarily driven by better than expected loss emergence, $7 million of the 2008 accident year amount was due to the final settlement of two Hurricane Ike claims.
$37 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $21 million, related to offshore energy business.
$19 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily related to the 2006 through 2008 accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
In 2011, we recognized $103 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$56 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which related to the 2010 ($27 million), 2009 ($9 million) and 2008 ($10 million) accident years. While the 2010 and 2009 amounts primarily related to better than expected loss emergence, the 2008 amount largely related to updated information from a client with respect to one large loss event.
$22 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and related to better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $21 million, related to offshore energy business.
$10 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviation business, spanning a number of accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$14 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on credit and political risk business, primarily driven by $21 million in adverse development on the 2009 accident year as we reduced our recovery estimates based on the latest available information. Partially offsetting this amount was $8 million in net favorable development on the 2007 and 2008 accident years.
$50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business. We recognized a total of $60 million of net favorable development for 2004 through 2007 accident years, largely due to the reasons discussed in the overview. Partially offsetting this was the recognition of $8 million of net adverse development on the 2010 accident year.
$21 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on liability business, primarily emanating from the 2010 accident year and related to the receipt of two notable claims.
Reinsurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 50,017 |
| | $ | 79,802 |
| | $ | 90,437 |
| |
| Credit and surety | 6,328 |
| | 12,254 |
| | 39,806 |
| |
| Professional lines | 21,845 |
| | 34,291 |
| | 55,628 |
| |
| Motor | 6,260 |
| | (4,328 | ) | | (31,802 | ) | |
| Liability | 84,631 |
| | 612 |
| | 378 |
| |
| Total | $ | 169,081 |
| | $ | 122,631 |
| | $ | 154,447 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 2013, we recognized $169 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business, largely driven by better than expected loss emergence on the 2006 through 2009 and the 2012 accident years.
$22 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence, for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$85 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on liability reinsurance business for the reasons discussed in the overview.
In 2012, we recognized $123 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$80 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business largely consisting of:
$63 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on catastrophe and property business. Net favorable development was evident across all accident years, with the exception of 2011, and was largely due to better than expected loss emergence. We recognized net adverse development of $18 million on the 2011 accident year, driven by the revision in our estimates for the New Zealand earthquakes.
$16 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop business, largely related to the 2011 accident year and due to better than expected loss emergence. Of this amount, $6 million related to updated information for one particular claim; the remainder was due to better than expected loss emergence.
$12 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2010 and 2011 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$34 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2007, and to a lesser extent 2006, accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
Aggregate net prior year reserve development for our liability reserving class was insignificant during 2012; however, there were underlying favorable and adverse movements by accident year, driven by an underwriting to accident year reallocation for claims associated with a particular group of treaties.
In 2011, we recognized $154 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$90 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business largely consisting of:
$71 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on catastrophe and property business. This development primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and reflected better than expected loss emergence.
$11 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop business, largely related to the 2010 accident year and due to better than expected loss emergence.
$8 million in net favorable prior year reserve development on engineering business, primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and due to better than expected loss emergence.
$40 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance business, largely related to the 2009 and 2010 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$56 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2005 through 2007 accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$32 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on motor reinsurance business, primarily related to 2008 through 2010 accident year non-proportional business and due to changes in assumptions relating to settlement practices in the U.K. motor market (namely, Periodic Payment Orders, or “PPOs”).
Acquisition Cost Ratio: Our acquisition cost ratio decreased from 18.4% in 2012 to 17.9% during 2013, driven by decreases in both segments. In the insurance segment a reduction in acquisition cost ratio is generated by a reduction in the business written through MGAs and higher ceding commissions earned partially offset by a change in business mix. For the reinsurance segment the decrease is driven by variances in accruals for loss-sensitive features in underlying contracts, partially offset by higher acquisition costs paid on certain lines of business. The increase in the ratio in 2012 compared to 2011 was primarily driven by changes in the business mix.
General and Administrative Expense Ratio: The general and administrative expenses increase during 2013 was primarily due to an increase in headcount and the costs related to various growth initiatives across the Company and was partially offset by senior leadership transition costs incurred during 2012. The impact of the increase in general and administrative expenses during 2013 was more than offset by the growth in net premiums earned reducing the overall general and administrative cost ratio. The general and administrative expense ratio increase in 2012 compared to 2011, reflected the senior leadership transition costs noted above, as well as an increase in performance-based compensation expenses and staff increases.
RESULTS BY SEGMENT
INSURANCE SEGMENT
Results from our insurance segment were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 11% | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Net premiums written | 1,813,538 |
| | 19% | | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | 1,466,134 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 1,722,762 |
| | 11% | | 1,558,058 |
| | 9% | | 1,429,687 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | 2,436 |
| | | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | (1,100,757 | ) | | | | (1,075,773 | ) | | | | (1,022,333 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | 50,355 |
| | | | 122,209 |
| | | | 103,014 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | (242,363 | ) | | | | (226,859 | ) | | | | (199,583 | ) | |
| General and administrative expenses | (347,684 | ) | | | | (314,834 | ) | | | | (278,147 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income | $ | 84,749 |
| | 29% | | $ | 65,477 |
| | 87% | | $ | 35,034 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | % Point Change | | | | % Point Change | | | |
| Ratios: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year loss ratio | 63.9 | % | | (5.1) | | 69.0 | % | | (2.5) | | 71.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (2.9 | %) | | 4.9 | | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6) | | (7.2 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 14.1 | % | | (0.5) | | 14.6 | % | | 0.6 | | 14.0 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio | 20.1 | % | | (0.1) | | 20.2 | % | | 0.8 | | 19.4 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 95.2 | % | | (0.8) | | 96.0 | % | | (1.7) | | 97.7 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Gross Premiums Written:
The following table provides gross premiums written by line of business for the periods indicated:business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 11 to 12 | | 10 to 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Catastrophe | $ | 368,314 |
| | 21 | % | | $ | 471,822 |
| | 24 | % | | $ | 453,059 |
| | 25 | % | | (22 | %) | | 4 | % | |
| Property | 315,758 |
| | 17 | % | | 359,987 |
| | 18 | % | | 354,528 |
| | 19 | % | | (12 | %) | | 2 | % | |
| Professional lines | 301,863 |
| | 16 | % | | 281,394 |
| | 14 | % | | 288,236 |
| | 16 | % | | 7 | % | | (2 | %) | |
| Credit and bond | 264,572 |
| | 14 | % | | 299,923 |
| | 15 | % | | 254,130 |
| | 14 | % | | (12 | %) | | 18 | % | |
| Motor | 235,648 |
| | 13 | % | | 238,365 |
| | 12 | % | | 148,683 |
| | 8 | % | | (1 | %) | | 60 | % | |
| Liability | 242,817 |
| | 13 | % | | 229,728 |
| | 12 | % | | 238,062 |
| | 13 | % | | 6 | % | | (4 | %) | |
| Engineering | 70,597 |
| | 4 | % | | 65,219 |
| | 3 | % | | 68,215 |
| | 4 | % | | 8 | % | | (4 | %) | |
| Other | 30,593 |
| | 2 | % | | 27,886 |
| | 2 | % | | 29,507 |
| | 1 | % | | 10 | % | | (5 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 1,830,162 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,974,324 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,834,420 |
| | 100 | % | | (7 | %) | | 8 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 671,970 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 651,188 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 635,278 |
| | 30 | % | | 3 | % | | 3 | % | |
| Marine | 229,493 |
| | 9 | % | | 252,434 |
| | 11 | % | | 240,481 |
| | 11 | % | | (9 | %) | | 5 | % | |
| Terrorism | 38,373 |
| | 1 | % | | 37,186 |
| | 2 | % | | 34,313 |
| | 2 | % | | 3 | % | | 8 | % | |
| Aviation | 43,326 |
| | 2 | % | | 65,143 |
| | 3 | % | | 70,792 |
| | 3 | % | | (33 | %) | | (8 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 60,203 |
| | 2 | % | | 39,405 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,734 |
| | 2 | % | | 53 | % | | 10 | % | |
| Professional lines | 900,071 |
| | 35 | % | | 836,634 |
| | 36 | % | | 764,205 |
| | 36 | % | | 8 | % | | 9 | % | |
| Liability | 347,227 |
| | 14 | % | | 266,696 |
| | 12 | % | | 213,256 |
| | 10 | % | | 30 | % | | 25 | % | |
| Accident & health | 268,475 |
| | 10 | % | | 160,795 |
| | 7 | % | | 127,770 |
| | 6 | % | | 67 | % | | 26 | % | |
| Total | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 100 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Growth of 11% was primarily driven by our accident & health, liability, professional and property lines of business which were partially offset by decreases in marine and aviation. Our accident & health business has shown continued growth driven by new business opportunities. Liability growth was driven by select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in the U.S. wholesale excess casualty market. Growth in the professional lines was largely due to continued expansion globally with new business and certain rate increases in the U.S. also contributing. Property premiums also contributed, as growth driven by new business and select rate increases more than offset reductions due to the non-renewal of certain catastrophe-exposed business written through MGAs. The segment's premium increases were partially offset by decreases in marine, which was impacted by non-renewal of certain business written through MGAs, and aviation which was primarily impacted by timing of renewals and certain rate decreases.
2012 versus 2011: Gross premiums written decreased by $144 million, primarily driven by the $104 million reduction in catastrophe business. We repositioned our catastrophe portfolio throughout 2012, reducing exposure in certain zones (including the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S.); this was partially offset by exposure increases in other areas, including Florida and Japan, where we believe risk and return characteristics are more attractive. The decline in property premiums was driven by reductions in reinsurance purchasing by certain of our clients, as well as our evaluation of risk/return characteristics. Our trade credit and bond reinsurance premiums also decreased, driven by management of our
European exposure base in light of current economic conditions and changes in contract terms. While motor premiums were down slightly for the year, there was an underlying shift in business mix; we reduced our participation in uncapitalized U.K. excess of loss business in light of recent settlement trends, which was partially offset by an increase in proportional business.
2011 versus 2010: The 8% growthGrowth in gross premiums written was primarilyevident in the majority of our lines of business, with professional lines, liability and accident & health contributing most significantly. Geographic expansion (including our European operations) and newer initiatives were the primary drivers of the growth in professional lines; an improving rate environment also contributed. Liability growth was attributable to select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in our U.S. excess and surplus lines umbrella business. Our recently established accident & health line continued to generate new business. Property premiums were also up, as growth driven by our motor reinsurance line of business, driven by a higher volume of European proportional business; bothrate increases on renewal and new business contributed. Grossopportunities more than offset a reduction due to the non-renewal of certain business written through MGAs.
Premiums Ceded:
2013 versus 2012: Premiums ceded in 2013 were $746 million, or 29%, of gross premiums written, compared to $787 million, or 34%, in 2012. The year on year reductions in the premiums ceded and the related ceded ratio primarily related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing and business mix changes. Reductions related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing included excess of loss treaty reductions driven by both retention and rate, and proportional changes related to reductions in the cession rates on our professional lines and liability programs on renewal during 2013. Changes in business mix related to growth in our accident & health business for our trade credit and bond reinsurance business also increased, with both premium adjustments on prior year treaties and anwhich we did not purchase significant reinsurance.
2012 versus 2011: Premiums ceded in 2012 were $787 million, or 34%, of gross premiums written, compared to $656 million, or 31%, in 2011. The increase in Latin American surety business contributing.
Referthe ceded premium ratio was largely due to changes in our reinsurance purchasing, most notably a higher cession rate on our professional lines quota share reinsurance program on renewal during the second quarter. Business mix changes also contributed to the ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Premiums’ sectionincrease, most notably in relation to the growth in our liability business, for a further discussion of related estimates.which we purchase significant reinsurance.
Net Premiums Earned:
The following table provides net premiums earned by line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 11 to 12 | | 10 to 11 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Catastrophe | $ | 375,088 |
| | 19 | % | | $ | 456,858 |
| | 24 | % | | $ | 454,954 |
| | 26 | % | | (18 | %) | | — | % | |
| Property | 351,470 |
| | 19 | % | | 356,022 |
| | 19 | % | | 323,201 |
| | 19 | % | | (1 | %) | | 10 | % | |
| Professional lines | 297,726 |
| | 16 | % | | 281,025 |
| | 15 | % | | 285,224 |
| | 16 | % | | 6 | % | | (1 | %) | |
| Credit and bond | 277,185 |
| | 15 | % | | 263,912 |
| | 14 | % | | 217,809 |
| | 13 | % | | 5 | % | | 21 | % | |
| Motor | 237,006 |
| | 13 | % | | 202,830 |
| | 11 | % | | 127,404 |
| | 7 | % | | 17 | % | | 59 | % | |
| Liability | 220,874 |
| | 12 | % | | 230,872 |
| | 12 | % | | 232,014 |
| | 13 | % | | (4 | %) | | — | % | |
| Engineering | 68,402 |
| | 4 | % | | 65,727 |
| | 4 | % | | 71,229 |
| | 4 | % | | 4 | % | | (8 | %) | |
| Other | 29,654 |
| | 2 | % | | 28,028 |
| | 1 | % | | 29,082 |
| | 2 | % | | 6 | % | | (4 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 1,857,405 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,885,274 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,740,917 |
| | 100 | % | | (1 | %) | | 8 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 462,364 |
| | 28 | % | | $ | 408,943 |
| | 26 | % | | $ | 385,291 |
| | 27 | % | | 13 | % | | 6 | % | |
| Marine | 179,057 |
| | 10 | % | | 171,165 |
| | 11 | % | | 152,123 |
| | 11 | % | | 5 | % | | 13 | % | |
| Terrorism | 39,298 |
| | 2 | % | | 38,605 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,213 |
| | 2 | % | | 2 | % | | 10 | % | |
| Aviation | 48,489 |
| | 3 | % | | 60,363 |
| | 4 | % | | 70,681 |
| | 5 | % | | (20 | %) | | (15 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 68,192 |
| | 4 | % | | 87,103 |
| | 6 | % | | 97,680 |
| | 7 | % | | (22 | %) | | (11 | %) | |
| Professional lines | 586,200 |
| | 34 | % | | 563,500 |
| | 36 | % | | 536,238 |
| | 38 | % | | 4 | % | | 5 | % | |
| Liability | 110,623 |
| | 6 | % | | 86,873 |
| | 6 | % | | 89,555 |
| | 6 | % | | 27 | % | | (3 | %) | |
| Accident & health | 228,539 |
| | 13 | % | | 141,506 |
| | 9 | % | | 62,906 |
| | 4 | % | | 62 | % | | 125 | % | |
| Total | $ | 1,722,762 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 100 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Our accident & health line was the primary contributor to the year on year increase, commensurate with gross premiums written growth discussed above, and accounted for 53% of the overall growth in net premiums earned. Our property, liability and professional lines also contributed to the increase following growth in the gross premiums written and the reductions in premiums ceded discussed above.
2012 versus 2011:The reduction Growth in catastrophethe accident & health line was the primary driver for the increase. Growth in professional lines business written duringin recent quarters, arising from geographic expansion (including our European, Australian and Canadian operations) and targeted initiatives, also contributed to the increases; however, the impact of this growth was tempered in the second half of 2012 described above, drove the decrease in net premiums earned. Partially offsetting this was an increase for motor reinsurance, driven by the recent increasesincrease in proportional writings previously noted.
2011 versus 2010: Growth was primarily driven by the increased motor and trade credit and bond writings during 2011, outlined above.quota share premium cessions.
Loss Ratio:
The table below shows the components of our loss ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | | % Point Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year | | 68.1 | % | | (33.2 | ) | | 101.3 | % | | 26.5 | | 74.8 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | | (6.6 | %) | | 1.6 |
| | (8.2 | %) | | 3.0 | | (11.2 | %) | |
| Loss ratio | | 61.5 | % | | (31.6 | ) | | 93.1 | % | | 29.5 | | 63.6 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year | 63.9 | % | | (5.1 | ) | | 69.0 | % | | (2.5 | ) | | 71.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (2.9 | %) | | 4.9 |
| | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6 | ) | | (7.2 | %) | |
| Loss ratio | 61.0 | % | | (0.2 | ) | | 61.2 | % | | (3.1 | ) | | 64.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio
20122013 versus 20112012:
While naturalNatural catastrophe and weather-related losses contributed toimpacted the current accident year loss ratios for both periods, the impact was less significant in 2012.periods.
aggregate pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. During 2012, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (net(inclusive of related reinstatement premiums)premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $153$178 million for Storm Sandy. In addition, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $60$44 million for the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events.
After adjusting for these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2013 current accident year loss ratio increased relative to 2012 primarily due to:
strengthening in our professional lines, relating to certain parts of our D&O business written in the United States, following recent loss experience; and
a change in the business mix.
2012 versus 2011: Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted the current accident year loss ratios for both periods. During 2012, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $222 million for Storm Sandy and other U.S. natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Comparatively, during 2011, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (net(inclusive of related reinstatement premiums) for the following natural catastrophe and weather-related events:
$370premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $156 million relating to a series of severe U.S. storms; floods in relation to New Zealand II;
$192 million in relation toThailand; the Japanese earthquake and tsunami;
$74 million in relation to the first quarter Australian weather events;
$44 million in relation to the series of U.S. storms and tornadoes in April and May;
$32 million in relation to the Thai floods; and
an aggregate $63 million in relation to New Zealand III, the Danish floodsearthquake; and Hurricane Irene.
Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Exclusive of these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2012 current accident year loss ratio improved relative to 2011 largelyprimarily due to reduced exposureto:
a lower level of loss activity in our property and loss experience related to aggregate property reinsurancemarine lines of regional insurance companiesbusiness; and
a reduction in the U.S. This was partially offset by a higherloss ratio for our trade credit and bond reinsurance business (up 12 percentage points to 62% in 2012, reflecting uncertainty around the economic environment in Europe) and business mix changes (including growth in motor reinsurance).& political risk line of business.
2011 versus 2010:
Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses were the primary driver of the increase in the 2011 current accident year loss ratio, in comparison to 2010. While the 2011 current accident year loss ratio was impacted by the events noted above, during 2010 we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $136 million for New Zealand I and $110 million for the Chilean earthquake. In addition, there were a number of other weather-related loss events of note in 2010, including Australian and U.S. storms and European Windstorm Xynthia in the first quarter and further Australian storms and flooding and U.S. storms in the fourth quarter.
Changes in business mix and rate reductions also contributed to the increase in 2011; however, these increases were partially offset by a reduction in our current accident year loss ratio for trade credit and bond business, as updated information from our cedants suggested loss activity would continue to decrease from levels experienced during the global financial crisis. Our current accident year loss ratio for this business was 50% in 2011, compared to 61% in 2010.
Refer to theSee ‘Prior Year Reserve Development’ section for further details.
Acquisition Cost Ratio: The increasescurrent year acquisition cost ratio decreased from 14.6% in 2012 to 14.1% in 2013. The majority of the variance is being generated by property and marine lines and is due to the aforementioned MGA reductions. Higher ceding commissions earned relative to 2012 also contributed. This was partially offset by a change in the reinsurance segment’sbusiness mix with the accident & health business incurring a higher acquisition cost ratios were driven by changesratio. The change in the business mix.mix was the primary driver of the increase in the 2012 acquisition cost ratio compared to 2011.
General and Administrative Expense Ratio: GeneralThe general and administrative expense ratio was comparable at 20.1% in 2013 versus 20.2% in 2012. The increase in general and administrative costs was driven by increased salaries and related costs following an increase in staff compared to last year, as we continue to build-out the segment's global platform. The impact on the general and administrative expense ratio was fully offset by the growth in net premiums earned. The increase in the
general and administrative expense ratio in 2012 compared to 2011, was driven by performance-based compensation expenses and staffingstaff increases.
OTHER EXPENSES (REVENUES), NET
The following table provides a breakdown of our other expenses (revenues), net:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate expenses | $ | 129,660 |
| | 68% | | $ | 77,089 |
| | 2% | | $ | 75,449 |
| |
| Foreign exchange losses (gains) | 29,512 |
| | nm | | (44,582 | ) | | 187% | | (15,535 | ) | |
| Interest expense and financing costs | 61,863 |
| | (1%) | | 62,598 |
| | 12% | | 55,876 |
| |
| Income tax expense | 3,287 |
| | (78%) | | 15,233 |
| | (61%) | | 38,680 |
| |
| Total | $ | 224,322 |
| | 103% | | $ | 110,338 |
| | (29%) | | $ | 154,470 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
nm – not meaningful
Corporate Expenses: Our corporate expenses include holding company costs necessary to support our worldwide insurance and reinsurance operations and costs associated with operating as a publicly-traded company. As a percentage of net premiums earned, corporate expenses were 3.8%, 2.4% and 2.5% for 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The increase in corporate expenses during 2012 was reflective of costs associated with our second quarter 2012 senior leadership transition; these costs included accelerated and incremental share-based compensation expenses of $20 million and separation payments of $14 million. Excluding these senior leadership transition amounts, corporate expenses were 2.8% of net premiums earned for 2012.
Foreign Exchange Losses (Gains): Some of our business is written in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Movements in the rates of exchange for the euro and Sterling against the U.S. dollar were the primary drivers of the amounts in each period presented. Appreciation in these currencies against the U.S. dollar resulted in foreign exchange losses on the remeasurement of our net insurance-related liabilities during 2012, whereas depreciation had the opposite effect in 2011 and 2010.
Interest Expense and Financing Costs: Interest expense primarily relates to interest due on our senior notes. The increase in 2011 noted above was driven by our issuance of senior notes on March 23, 2010. See Item 8, Note 10(a) to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details.
Income Tax Expense: Income tax expense primarily results from income generated by our foreign operations in the United States and Europe. Our effective tax rate, which is calculated as income tax expense divided by income before tax, was 0.6%, 24.8% and 4.3% in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. This effective rate can vary between periods depending on the distribution of net income (loss) amongst tax jurisdictions, as well as other factors.
A significant portion of our losses and loss expenses for Storm Sandy related to insurance risks written by our U.S. subsidiaries, driving a low effective tax rate for 2012. Comparatively, a large proportion of the 2011 catastrophe and weather-related losses previously described arose from reinsurance risks written in Bermuda; these losses reduced income before tax without a corresponding tax benefit. Our U.S. and European operations generated taxable income in 2011, thus resulting in a notably higher effective tax rate for the year in comparison to 2010.
Further increasing income tax expense for 2011 was the establishment of a $13 million valuation allowance related to 2011 operating loss tax-carryforwards generated from branch operations in Singapore and Australia. Partially offsetting these increases was a further $10 million reduction in income tax expense due to the elimination of the remaining valuation allowance associated with our U.S. capital loss carryforwards. During 2011, we concluded an allowance was no longer required, as there were sufficient net unrealized gains that could be realized in order to generate capital gains in the remaining carryforward period.
NET INVESTMENT INCOME AND NET REALIZED INVESTMENT GAINS/LOSSES
Net Investment Income
The net investment income increase in 2013 compared to 2012 and in 2012 compared 2011, respectively, was primarily due to the performance of our Other investments. Income from this portfolio increased by $41 million in 2013 compared to 2012, driven by the continued strong performance of our hedge funds, which reflected the strong performance of both global equities and bank loans. Similarly, income from other investments increased $56 million in 2012 compared to 2011, due to improved performance of both global equities and bank loans over the prior year.
Excluding income from our other investments, net investment income decreased by $13 million and $37 million in 2013 and 2012, respectively. These decreases were largely attributable to our fixed maturity portfolio, where lower reinvestment yields drove reductions in income despite higher investment balances.
Net Realized Investment Gains
During each period presented, we realized net investment gains. During 2013, sales of equities were the largest contributor to the net realized gains while sales of fixed maturities were the primary driver in 2012 and 2011. Other-than-temporary impairment ("OTTI") charges were $9 million, $24 million and $16 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Other Expenses, Net
Appreciation in the euro and the Sterling against the U.S. dollar drove foreign exchange losses of $26 million and $30 million in 2013 and 2012, related to the remeasurement of our foreign-denominated net insurance-related liabilities. The 2013 loss was partially offset by the depreciation in the Australian dollar. In 2011, depreciation in the euro and the Sterling resulted in foreign exchange gains of $45 million.
Excluding these foreign exchange-related amounts, other expenses were $159 million, $195 million and $155 million in 2013, 2012 and 2011 respectively. A $53 million increase in corporate expenses impacted other expenses in 2012. Separation payments and accelerated and incremental share-based compensation costs related to our second quarter 2012 senior leadership transition totaled $34 million and were the primary driver of this increase. Partially offsetting the increase in corporate expenses was a $12 million reduction in tax expense, as the impact of Storm Sandy led to minimal taxable income in the U.S. for 2012.
The $36 million decrease in 2013 was primarily driven by the reduction in corporate expenses and reflected the impact of the senior leadership transition costs discussed above on 2012.
Preferred Share Dividends and Loss on Repurchase of Preferred Shares
The increase in preferred share dividends in 2013 and 2012 was driven by the increase in preferred equity capital.
During the first half of 2013 we issued $225 million of 5.50% Series D preferred shares. The increase in preferred share dividends for 2013 includes the accrual and payment of dividends relating to the new Series D issue and is partially offset by the reduction in the weighted average annual dividend rate on our preferred equity capital base described above (see 'Business Overview'). The Series D preferred share proceeds were partially used to redeem the $100 million of 7.25% Series A preferred shares outstanding. The redemption of the Series A preferred shares resulted in a recognition of a loss on repurchase of preferred shares, reflecting initial issue costs of $3 million.
During 2012, in conjunction with the issuance of our 6.875% Series C preferred shares in the first quarter of 2012, we redeemed $150 million of our 7.25% Series A preferred shares and repurchased $247 million of our 7.50% Series B preferred shares via tender offer. The Series B tender offer resulted in the recognition of a $9 million loss, with $7 million of the loss relating to the premium paid to repurchase the shares in advance of the first eligible redemption date. The remaining $2 million loss, as well as a $5 million loss associated with the Series A redemption, related to the recognition of the proportionate share of issue costs as an expense; as these issue costs were recognized in shareholders' equity in the period of issuance, these amounts did not impact book value.
See Item 8, note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details.
Outlook
Management expects gross premiums written to increase across both of our segments in 2014 with a continued focus on diversification and pursuit of opportunities to expand our reach in areas where we believe returns are most attractive.
In the primary insurance market we observed a slowdown in the favorable pricing momentum observed in the recent years. Despite the reduction in pricing trends, we continue to observe good fundamentals in many of our insurance lines and markets. Noting variations between different lines of business, we believe that the United States market will continue to provide opportunities for growth, with the international markets coming under increasing pricing pressures.
We believe that the global reinsurance market is currently showing signs of a supply and demand imbalance with an increase in new alternative capacity entering the market, coupled with strong capital positions of established reinsurers having a negative impact on both pricing and terms and conditions. While we believe that established insurers maintain an advantage in the access to attractively-priced business, it will be the focus on targeted lines of business such as agriculture that will provide the key drivers for premium growth. Management expects the competitive market conditions to remain for the rest of the year.
Financial Measures
We believe that the following financial indicators are important in evaluating our performance and measuring the overall growth in value generated for our common shareholders:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended and at December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| ROACE(1) | 13.1 | % | | 9.7 | % | | 0.2 | % | |
| Operating ROACE(2) | 12.1 | % | | 8.2 | % | | (3.1 | %) | |
| Diluted book value per common share(3) | $ | 45.80 |
| | $ | 42.97 |
| | $ | 38.08 |
| |
| Cash dividends declared per common share | 1.02 |
| | 0.97 |
| | 0.93 |
| |
| Increase (decrease) in diluted book value per common share adjusted for dividends | $ | 3.85 |
| | $ | 5.86 |
| | $ | (0.36 | ) | |
| | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Return on average common equity (“ROACE”) is calculated by dividing net income available to common shareholders for the period by the average shareholders’ equity determined by using the common shareholders’ equity balances at the beginning and end of the period. |
| |
(2) | Operating ROACE is calculated by dividing operating income (loss) for the period by the average common shareholders’ equity determined by using the common shareholders’ equity balances at the beginning and end of the period. Operating ROACE is a non-GAAP financial measure, as defined in SEC Regulation G. See ‘Non-GAAP Financial Measures’ for additional information and a reconciliation to the nearest GAAP financial measure (ROACE). |
| |
(3) | Diluted book value per common share represents total common shareholders’ equity divided by the number of common shares and diluted common share equivalents outstanding, determined using the treasury stock method. |
Return on equity
Our objective is to generate superior returns on capital that appropriately reward our common shareholders for the risks we assume and to grow revenue only when we expect the returns will meet or exceed our requirements. We recognize that the nature of underwriting cycles and the frequency or severity of large loss events in any one year may make it difficult to achieve a profitability target in any specific period and, therefore, established a ROACE target of 15% over the full underwriting cycle. Our average annual ROACE since inception is approximately 14%, tracking closely to our long-term goal.
The improvement in our underwriting result, driven by the lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses previously discussed, was the primary contributor to the improved operating ROACE in 2013 compared to 2012, and in 2012 compared to 2011. The increases in both periods were also aided by growth in net investment income. A decrease in corporate expenses contributed favorably to the increase in the ROACE for 2013. In contrast, in 2012, the increase in corporate expenses discussed above had a negative impact on the ROACE.
In addition to the items noted above for operating ROACE, ROACE is also impacted by net realized investment gains, foreign exchange losses (gains) and the loss on repurchase of preferred shares. The magnitude of our net realized investment gains resulted in these amounts contributing favorably, in aggregate, to our results for both 2013 and 2012; thus ROACE exceeded operating ROACE.
Our underwriting loss, driven by natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, was the primary driver of the negative operating ROACE for 2011. Our combined net realized investment gains and foreign exchange gains for 2011 were sufficient for us to recognize net income for the period; as such, our ROACE for the year was marginally positive.
Diluted book value per common share
We consider diluted book value per common share to be an appropriate measure of our returns to common shareholders, as we believe growth in our book value on a diluted basis will ultimately translate into appreciation of our stock price.
During 2013, our diluted book value per common share appreciated by 7%, driven by $684 million in net income available to common shareholders. This was partially offset by the reduction in the unrealized gains on investments included in accumulated other comprehensive income due to the rise in sovereign yield curves during the year. During 2012, our diluted book value per common share appreciated by 13%, driven by $495 million in net income available to common shareholders, an overall improvement in valuations for our available-for-sale securities and, to a lesser extent, the execution of common share repurchases at a discount to book value.
Cash dividends per common share
We believe in returning excess capital to our shareholders by way of dividends (as well as share repurchases) and, accordingly, our dividend policy is an integral part of the value we create for our shareholders. Our cumulatively strong earnings have permitted our Board of Directors to approve ten successive annual increases in quarterly common share dividends.
Diluted book value per common share adjusted for dividends
Taken together, we believe that growth in diluted book value per common share and common share dividends declared represent the total value created for our common shareholders. Despite the impact of catastrophe events, 2013 and 2012 reflected positive value creation for our shareholders. In 2013 our net income, in addition to the dividends declared, more than offset the impact of the upward shift in the sovereign yield curves. In 2012 our net income, combined with valuation improvements on our available-for-sale securities and common share repurchases executed at a discount to book value led the increases in diluted book value per common share; dividends declared provided additional value for our common shareholders. The global frequency and severity of catastrophe activity in 2011 drove a small reduction in shareholder value for that year.
UNDERWRITING RESULTS – GROUP
The following table provides our group underwriting results for the periods indicated. Underwriting income (loss) is a pre-tax measure of underwriting profitability that takes into account net premiums earned and other insurance related income as revenues and net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs and underwriting-related general and administrative costs as expenses.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | 13% | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| Net premiums written | | 3,928,200 |
| | 18% | | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | 3,419,434 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | | 3,707,065 |
| | 9% | | 3,415,463 |
| | 3% | | 3,314,961 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | | 4,424 |
| | | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | | (2,353,631 | ) | | | | (2,340,868 | ) | | | | (2,932,513 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | | 219,436 |
| | | | 244,840 |
| | | | 257,461 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | | (664,191 | ) | | | | (627,653 | ) | | | | (587,469 | ) | |
| Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses(1) | | (485,134 | ) | | | | (431,321 | ) | | | | (382,062 | ) | |
| Underwriting income (loss)(2) | | $ | 427,969 |
| | 63% | | $ | 263,137 |
| | nm | | $ | (327,226 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| General and administrative expenses(1) | | $ | 575,390 |
| | | | $ | 560,981 |
| | | | $ | 459,151 |
| |
| Income before income taxes(2) | | $ | 734,467 |
| | | | $ | 550,528 |
| | | | $ | 61,538 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
nm - not meaningful
| |
(1) | Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses is a non-GAAP measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. Our total general and administrative expenses also included $90,256, $129,660 and $77,089 of corporate expenses for 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively; refer to 'Other Expenses, Net' for additional information related to these corporate expenses. Also, refer to 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' for further information. |
| |
(2) | Group (or consolidated) underwriting income (loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure as defined in SEC Regulation G. See Item 8, Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, for a reconciliation of consolidated underwriting income (loss) to the nearest GAAP financial measures (income before income taxes) for the periods indicated above. Also, refer to 'Non-GAAP Financial Measures' for additional information related to the presentation of consolidated underwriting income (loss). |
UNDERWRITING REVENUES
Premiums Written:
Gross and net premiums written, by segment, were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gross Premiums Written | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 11% | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,137,903 |
| | 17% | | 1,830,162 |
| | (7%) | | 1,974,324 |
| |
| Total | $ | 4,697,041 |
| | 13% | | $ | 4,139,643 |
| | 1% | | $ | 4,096,153 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| % ceded | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | 29 | % | | (5 | ) | pts | | 34 | % | | 3 |
| pts | | 31 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | | — |
| pts | | 1 | % | |
| Total | 16 | % | | (3 | ) | pts | | 19 | % | | 2 |
| pts | | 17 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Net Premiums Written | |
| | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,813,538 |
| | 19% | | $ | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | $ | 1,466,134 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 2,114,662 |
| | 16% | | 1,815,211 |
| | (7%) | | 1,953,300 |
| |
| Total | $ | 3,928,200 |
| | 18% | | $ | 3,337,456 |
| | (2%) | | $ | 3,419,434 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Gross premiums written growth of 13% was driven by increases in both segments. Increase of 11% in the insurance segment was driven by the accident & health, liability and professional lines. The accident & health line continued to reflect new business expansion. Liability growth was driven by select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in the U.S wholesale excess casualty market. Growth in the professional lines was largely due to new business as we continue our global expansion.
Reinsurance segment gross premiums written grew by 17% reflecting increases across most lines of business and these increases were most pronounced in agriculture, professional and property lines. The increase in the agriculture line reflected the continuing initiative to grow this line of business and related primarily to growth on the proportional U.S. business with a contribution from global excess of loss business. The professional lines increase primarily reflected new business opportunities. The property line increased primarily due to new business and the expansion of worldwide client relationships.
The five point decrease in the ceded premium ratio for our insurance segment was driven by changes in our reinsurance purchasing and business mix changes. Reductions related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing included excess of loss treaty reductions driven by both retention and rate, and proportional changes related to reductions in the cession rates on our professional lines and liability programs on renewal during 2013. Changes in business mix related to growth in our accident and health business for which we did not purchase significant reinsurance.
In 2013, the Company obtained catastrophe protection for both our segments through a reinsurance agreement with Northshore Re Limited ("Northshore"). In connection with the reinsurance agreement, Northshore issued notes to unrelated investors in an amount equal to the full $200 million of coverage provided under the reinsurance agreement covering a three year period. The Company performed an evaluation of Northshore to determine if it meets the definition of a variable interest entity ("VIE"). The Company concluded that Northshore is a VIE, however, the Company does not have a variable interest in the entity, as the variability in results is expected to be absorbed entirely by the investors in Northshore. Accordingly, Northshore is not consolidated in the Company's consolidated financial statements. The premium ceded to Northshore during 2013 was $14 million.
2012 versus 2011: Gross premiums written growth was driven by a $188 million increase in our insurance segment. The increase was driven by professional and liability lines reflecting new business opportunities and rate improvements. Our recently established accident & health line also continued to generate new business. Partially offsetting this growth was a reduction in gross premiums written in our reinsurance segment, primarily related to the repositioning of our catastrophe reinsurance portfolio throughout 2012. Other reductions were noted in the property line due to reduced purchasing by certain
of our clients and our evaluation of risk/return characteristics, and trade credit and bond line, as we managed our European exposure base in light of existing economic conditions and changes in contract terms.
The three point increase in the ceded premium ratio for our insurance segment was driven by changes in our reinsurance purchasing, primarily higher cession rates on our professional lines quota share reinsurance program. Business mix changes, driven by growth in our liability business, also contributed.
Net Premiums Earned:
Net premiums earned by segment were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 1,722,762 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 46 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 43 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| Reinsurance | 1,984,303 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,857,405 |
| | 54 | % | | 1,885,274 |
| | 57 | % | | 7 | % | | (1 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 3,707,065 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,415,463 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 3,314,961 |
| | 100 | % | | 9 | % | | 3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Changes in net premiums earned reflect period to period changes in net premiums written and business mix, together with normal variability in premium earning patterns.
2013 versus 2012: Growth in net premiums earned of 9% reflects increases in both segments. Growth in the insurance segment was primarily driven by the recent growth in gross premiums written in our accident & health line. Net premiums earned for property, liability and professional lines also increased driven by growth in gross written premiums and reductions in premiums ceded discussed above. The increase in the gross premiums written in the agriculture line during 2013, described above, was the primary driver of the increase in net premiums earned for our reinsurance segment.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in net premiums earned for our insurance segment was primarily driven by growth in gross premiums written in our accident & health line. Growth in our professional lines business also contributed, although this was tempered by an increase in premiums ceded. The reduction in catastrophe gross premiums written during 2012 was the primary driver of the decline in net premiums earned for our reinsurance segment.
UNDERWRITING EXPENSES
The following table provides a breakdown of our combined ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year loss ratio | 63.5 | % | | (5.0 | ) | | 68.5 | % | | (20.0 | ) | | 88.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (5.9 | %) | | 1.2 |
| | (7.1 | %) | | 0.7 |
| | (7.8 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 17.9 | % | | (0.5 | ) | | 18.4 | % | | 0.7 |
| | 17.7 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio(1) | 15.5 | % | | (0.9 | ) | | 16.4 | % | | 2.5 |
| | 13.9 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 91.0 | % | | (5.2 | ) | | 96.2 | % | | (16.1 | ) | | 112.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | �� | |
| |
(1) | The general and administration expense ratio includes corporate expenses not allocated to underwriting segments of 2.4%, 3.8% and 2.4% for 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. These costs are further discussed in the ‘Other Expenses, Net’ section. |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio:
2013 versus 2012: A lower level of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses in 2013 was the primary driver of the 5.0 point reduction in our current accident year loss ratio. 2013 includes $198 million (net of reinstatement premiums) or 5.4 points of aggregate pre-tax net losses related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. These natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted both our segments, with the insurance segment reporting $93 million of pre-tax net losses (including reinstatement premiums) and reinsurance segment incurring pre-tax net losses of $105 million (net of reinstatement premiums). Comparatively, 2012 includes $436 million (net of reinstatements) or 12.7 points of natural catastrophe and weather-related losses. The most significant natural catastrophe event of 2012 was Storm Sandy with pre-tax net losses (net of reinstatement premiums) of $331 million, with approximately half of this amount recognized in each of our
insurance and reinsurance segments. In addition, during 2012 we recognized pre-tax net losses of $37 million in relation to the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops and an aggregate $68 million (net of reinstatement premiums) for first and second quarter U.S. weather events and Hurricane Isaac. While the crop-related losses were exclusive to our reinsurance segment, the other events impacted both of our segments.
After adjusting for the impact of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio increased in 2013 driven primarily by a change in the mix of business written. In addition, during the second half of 2013 we experienced an increased level of loss activity in our insurance professional lines which led to an associated strengthening of the professional lines' current year loss ratio. The strengthening in our professional lines was largely driven by the loss experience in certain parts of our D&O business written in the United States. An increase in the level of losses in our reinsurance agriculture line also contributed to the current year ratio increase.
2012 versus 2011: A decrease in the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses was the primary driver of the 20 point reduction in the 2012 current accident year loss ratio, although the ratios for both years were significantly impacted by natural catastrophe events. In 2012, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $436 million primarily related to Storm Sandy. Comparatively, numerous notable natural catastrophe and significant weather events impacted our results in 2011, including earthquakes in New Zealand, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, a series of severe U.S. storms and tornadoes, various Australian weather events, floods in Thailand and Denmark, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. In aggregate, we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $931 million in relation to these events during 2011.
Exclusive of the impact of the natural catastrophe and weather-related losses noted above, the current accident year loss ratio improved during 2012 driven by improvements in both segments:
Reduced exposure and loss experience related to aggregate property reinsurance of regional insurance companies in the U.S. drove an improvement in the reinsurance segment, though this was partially offset by a higher ratio for the trade credit and bond reinsurance business and business mix changes; and
A lower level of loss activity in our property and marine lines of business and a reduction in the ratio for our credit and political risk business were the primary drivers of the improvement in our insurance segment.
For further discussion on current accident year loss ratios, refer to the insurance and reinsurance segment discussions below.
Estimates for Significant Catastrophe Events
Our estimated net losses in relation to the natural catastrophe events described above were derived from ground-up assessments of our in-force contracts and treaties providing coverage in the affected regions. These assessments take into account the latest information available from clients, brokers and loss adjusters. In addition, we consider industry insured loss estimates, market share analyses and catastrophe modeling analyses, when appropriate. Our estimates remain subject to change as additional loss data becomes available.
We continue to monitor paid and incurred loss development for catastrophe events of prior years and update our estimates of ultimate losses accordingly. Relating to the aggregate estimate for catastrophe events of 2010 to 2012, updated information received during 2013 resulted in revisions to our estimated ultimate losses for the 2010 and 2011 New Zealand earthquakes; our estimate for the 2010 accident year event increased by $27 million and our estimates for the 2011 accident year events increased by $32 million. These increases were largely offset by favorable development on other 2010 to 2012 natural catastrophe events.
The frequency and severity of natural catastrophe and weather-related activity was high in recent years and our December 31, 2013 net reserve for losses and loss expenses continues to include estimated amounts for numerous events. We caution that the magnitude and/or complexity of losses arising from certain of these events, in particular Storm Sandy, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami and the three New Zealand earthquakes, inherently increase the level of uncertainty and, therefore, the level of management judgment involved in arriving at our estimated net reserves for losses and loss expenses. As a result, our actual losses for these events may ultimately differ materially from our current estimates.
Prior Year Reserve Development:
Our favorable prior year reserve development was the net result of several underlying developments on prior accident years, identified during our quarterly reserve review process. The following table provides a breakdown of net prior year reserve development by segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Insurance | $ | 50,355 |
| | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| |
| Reinsurance | 169,081 |
| | 122,631 |
| | 154,447 |
| |
| Total | $ | 219,436 |
| | $ | 244,840 |
| | $ | 257,461 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
Overview
Overall, the majority of the net favorable prior year reserve development related to short-tail lines of business. Net favorable prior year reserve development for liability reinsurance also contributed significantly in 2013 with professional lines contributing notably in 2012 and 2011. Favorable development in 2013 was partially offset by adverse development in the insurance professional and liability lines.
The underlying exposures in our property, marine and aviation reserving classes within our insurance segment and the property reserving class within our reinsurance segment largely relate to short-tail business. Development from these classes contributed $162 million, $186 million and $178 million of the total net favorable prior year reserve development in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and primarily reflected the recognition of better than expected loss emergence.
In the first quarter of 2013, we began to give weight to actuarial methods that reflect our actual experience for liability reinsurance business, as we believe that our older accident years are now at a stage of expected development where such methods will produce meaningful actuarial indications. During 2013, we recognized $85 million of net favorable prior year development, primarily reflecting the greater weight management is giving to experience based indications and our experience which has been favorable for the 2004 through 2008 accident years.
Our professional lines business recognized $29 million of net adverse development in 2013. This increase in the reserves was due to a $51 million adverse development in the insurance segment, reflecting worse than expected loss experience for the 2011-2012 accident years, due to worse than expected loss experience on certain parts of our U.S. D&O business, and the 2008-2009 accident years, due to developments on certain global financial crisis-related claims. Comparably in 2012 and 2011 professional lines contributed net favorable prior year reserve developments of $54 million and $105 million, respectively. The 2012 and 2011 favorable prior year reserve developments were driven by increased weight being given to experience-based actuarial methods in selecting our ultimate loss estimates for accident years 2009 and prior. During 2013, the transition to the experience-based actuarial methods had a favorable impact on 2010 and prior years, which partially offset the adverse development discussed above.
See ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses’ section for further details. We caution that conditions and trends that impacted the development of our reserve for losses and loss expenses in the past may not recur in the future.
The following sections provide further details on prior year reserve development by segment, reserving class and accident year.
Insurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 47,780 |
| | $ | 63,919 |
| | $ | 55,779 |
| |
| Marine | 48,482 |
| | 37,322 |
| | 21,910 |
| |
| Aviation | 15,349 |
| | 5,017 |
| | 9,842 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | 13,136 |
| | (143 | ) | | (13,764 | ) | |
| Professional lines | (50,882 | ) | | 19,458 |
| | 49,868 |
| |
| Liability | (23,510 | ) | | (3,364 | ) | | (20,621 | ) | |
| Total | $ | 50,355 |
| | $ | 122,209 |
| | $ | 103,014 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 2013, we recognized $50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$48 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, largely related to the 2010 and 2011 accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$48 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$15 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviation business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence.
$13 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our credit and political risk business, largely related to the 2012 accident year and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$51 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily related to strengthening of certain parts of our U.S. D&O lines in the 2011 and 2012 accident years and development on global financial crisis-related claims in our 2008 and 2009 accident years, as discussed in the overview.
$24 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on liability business, related to developments on two particular claims and pertained to the 2009 and 2011 accident years.
In 2012, we recognized $122 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$64 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which related to the 2009 through 2011 accident years ($42 million) and the 2008 accident year ($17 million). While development was primarily driven by better than expected loss emergence, $7 million of the 2008 accident year amount was due to the final settlement of two Hurricane Ike claims.
$37 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and largely related to better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $21 million, related to offshore energy business.
$19 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business, primarily related to the 2006 through 2008 accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
In 2011, we recognized $103 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$56 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on our property and other business, the majority of which related to the 2010 ($27 million), 2009 ($9 million) and 2008 ($10 million) accident years. While the 2010 and 2009 amounts primarily related to better than expected loss emergence, the 2008 amount largely related to updated information from a client with respect to one large loss event.
$22 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on marine business, spanning a number of accident years and related to better than expected loss emergence. The majority of this, $21 million, related to offshore energy business.
$10 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on aviation business, spanning a number of accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence.
$14 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on credit and political risk business, primarily driven by $21 million in adverse development on the 2009 accident year as we reduced our recovery estimates based on the latest available information. Partially offsetting this amount was $8 million in net favorable development on the 2007 and 2008 accident years.
$50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines business. We recognized a total of $60 million of net favorable development for 2004 through 2007 accident years, largely due to the reasons discussed in the overview. Partially offsetting this was the recognition of $8 million of net adverse development on the 2010 accident year.
$21 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on liability business, primarily emanating from the 2010 accident year and related to the receipt of two notable claims.
Reinsurance Segment:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 50,017 |
| | $ | 79,802 |
| | $ | 90,437 |
| |
| Credit and surety | 6,328 |
| | 12,254 |
| | 39,806 |
| |
| Professional lines | 21,845 |
| | 34,291 |
| | 55,628 |
| |
| Motor | 6,260 |
| | (4,328 | ) | | (31,802 | ) | |
| Liability | 84,631 |
| | 612 |
| | 378 |
| |
| Total | $ | 169,081 |
| | $ | 122,631 |
| | $ | 154,447 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
In 2013, we recognized $169 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$50 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business, largely driven by better than expected loss emergence on the 2006 through 2009 and the 2012 accident years.
$22 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and driven by better than expected loss emergence, for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$85 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on liability reinsurance business for the reasons discussed in the overview.
In 2012, we recognized $123 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$80 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business largely consisting of:
$63 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on catastrophe and property business. Net favorable development was evident across all accident years, with the exception of 2011, and was largely due to better than expected loss emergence. We recognized net adverse development of $18 million on the 2011 accident year, driven by the revision in our estimates for the New Zealand earthquakes.
$16 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop business, largely related to the 2011 accident year and due to better than expected loss emergence. Of this amount, $6 million related to updated information for one particular claim; the remainder was due to better than expected loss emergence.
$12 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2010 and 2011 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$34 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2007, and to a lesser extent 2006, accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
Aggregate net prior year reserve development for our liability reserving class was insignificant during 2012; however, there were underlying favorable and adverse movements by accident year, driven by an underwriting to accident year reallocation for claims associated with a particular group of treaties.
In 2011, we recognized $154 million of net favorable prior year reserve development, the principal components of which were:
$90 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on property and other business largely consisting of:
$71 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on catastrophe and property business. This development primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and reflected better than expected loss emergence.
$11 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on crop business, largely related to the 2010 accident year and due to better than expected loss emergence.
$8 million in net favorable prior year reserve development on engineering business, primarily related to the 2007 through 2009 accident years and due to better than expected loss emergence.
$40 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on trade credit and bond reinsurance business, largely related to the 2009 and 2010 accident years, in recognition of better than expected loss emergence and updated information from our cedants.
$56 million of net favorable prior year reserve development on professional lines reinsurance business, primarily related to the 2005 through 2007 accident years for the reasons discussed in the overview.
$32 million of net adverse prior year reserve development on motor reinsurance business, primarily related to 2008 through 2010 accident year non-proportional business and due to changes in assumptions relating to settlement practices in the U.K. motor market (namely, Periodic Payment Orders, or “PPOs”).
Acquisition Cost Ratio: Our acquisition cost ratio decreased from 18.4% in 2012 to 17.9% during 2013, driven by decreases in both segments. In the insurance segment a reduction in acquisition cost ratio is generated by a reduction in the business written through MGAs and higher ceding commissions earned partially offset by a change in business mix. For the reinsurance segment the decrease is driven by variances in accruals for loss-sensitive features in underlying contracts, partially offset by higher acquisition costs paid on certain lines of business. The increase in the ratio in 2012 compared to 2011 was primarily driven by changes in the business mix.
General and Administrative Expense Ratio: The general and administrative expenses increase during 2013 was primarily due to an increase in headcount and the costs related to various growth initiatives across the Company and was partially offset by senior leadership transition costs incurred during 2012. The impact of the increase in general and administrative expenses during 2013 was more than offset by the growth in net premiums earned reducing the overall general and administrative cost ratio. The general and administrative expense ratio increase in 2012 compared to 2011, reflected the senior leadership transition costs noted above, as well as an increase in performance-based compensation expenses and staff increases.
RESULTS BY SEGMENT
INSURANCE SEGMENT
Results from our insurance segment were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 11% | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 9% | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| |
| Net premiums written | 1,813,538 |
| | 19% | | 1,522,245 |
| | 4% | | 1,466,134 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 1,722,762 |
| | 11% | | 1,558,058 |
| | 9% | | 1,429,687 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | 2,436 |
| | | | 2,676 |
| | | | 2,396 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | (1,100,757 | ) | | | | (1,075,773 | ) | | | | (1,022,333 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | 50,355 |
| | | | 122,209 |
| | | | 103,014 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | (242,363 | ) | | | | (226,859 | ) | | | | (199,583 | ) | |
| General and administrative expenses | (347,684 | ) | | | | (314,834 | ) | | | | (278,147 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income | $ | 84,749 |
| | 29% | | $ | 65,477 |
| | 87% | | $ | 35,034 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | % Point Change | | | | % Point Change | | | |
| Ratios: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year loss ratio | 63.9 | % | | (5.1) | | 69.0 | % | | (2.5) | | 71.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (2.9 | %) | | 4.9 | | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6) | | (7.2 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 14.1 | % | | (0.5) | | 14.6 | % | | 0.6 | | 14.0 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio | 20.1 | % | | (0.1) | | 20.2 | % | | 0.8 | | 19.4 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 95.2 | % | | (0.8) | | 96.0 | % | | (1.7) | | 97.7 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Gross Premiums Written:
The following table provides gross premiums written by line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 671,970 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 651,188 |
| | 27 | % | | $ | 635,278 |
| | 30 | % | | 3 | % | | 3 | % | |
| Marine | 229,493 |
| | 9 | % | | 252,434 |
| | 11 | % | | 240,481 |
| | 11 | % | | (9 | %) | | 5 | % | |
| Terrorism | 38,373 |
| | 1 | % | | 37,186 |
| | 2 | % | | 34,313 |
| | 2 | % | | 3 | % | | 8 | % | |
| Aviation | 43,326 |
| | 2 | % | | 65,143 |
| | 3 | % | | 70,792 |
| | 3 | % | | (33 | %) | | (8 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 60,203 |
| | 2 | % | | 39,405 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,734 |
| | 2 | % | | 53 | % | | 10 | % | |
| Professional lines | 900,071 |
| | 35 | % | | 836,634 |
| | 36 | % | | 764,205 |
| | 36 | % | | 8 | % | | 9 | % | |
| Liability | 347,227 |
| | 14 | % | | 266,696 |
| | 12 | % | | 213,256 |
| | 10 | % | | 30 | % | | 25 | % | |
| Accident & health | 268,475 |
| | 10 | % | | 160,795 |
| | 7 | % | | 127,770 |
| | 6 | % | | 67 | % | | 26 | % | |
| Total | $ | 2,559,138 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,309,481 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 2,121,829 |
| | 100 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Growth of 11% was primarily driven by our accident & health, liability, professional and property lines of business which were partially offset by decreases in marine and aviation. Our accident & health business has shown continued growth driven by new business opportunities. Liability growth was driven by select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in the U.S. wholesale excess casualty market. Growth in the professional lines was largely due to continued expansion globally with new business and certain rate increases in the U.S. also contributing. Property premiums also contributed, as growth driven by new business and select rate increases more than offset reductions due to the non-renewal of certain catastrophe-exposed business written through MGAs. The segment's premium increases were partially offset by decreases in marine, which was impacted by non-renewal of certain business written through MGAs, and aviation which was primarily impacted by timing of renewals and certain rate decreases.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in gross premiums written was evident in the majority of our lines of business, with professional lines, liability and accident & health contributing most significantly. Geographic expansion (including our European operations) and newer initiatives were the primary drivers of the growth in professional lines; an improving rate environment also contributed. Liability growth was attributable to select new business opportunities and, to a lesser extent, rate increases in our U.S. excess and surplus lines umbrella business. Our recently established accident & health line continued to generate new business. Property premiums were also up, as growth driven by rate increases and new business opportunities more than offset a reduction due to the non-renewal of certain business written through MGAs.
Premiums Ceded:
2013 versus 2012: Premiums ceded in 2013 were $746 million, or 29%, of gross premiums written, compared to $787 million, or 34%, in 2012. The year on year reductions in the premiums ceded and the related ceded ratio primarily related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing and business mix changes. Reductions related to changes in our reinsurance purchasing included excess of loss treaty reductions driven by both retention and rate, and proportional changes related to reductions in the cession rates on our professional lines and liability programs on renewal during 2013. Changes in business mix related to growth in our accident & health business for which we did not purchase significant reinsurance.
2012 versus 2011: Premiums ceded in 2012 were $787 million, or 34%, of gross premiums written, compared to $656 million, or 31%, in 2011. The increase in the ceded premium ratio was largely due to changes in our reinsurance purchasing, most notably a higher cession rate on our professional lines quota share reinsurance program on renewal during the second quarter. Business mix changes also contributed to the increase, most notably in relation to the growth in our liability business, for which we purchase significant reinsurance.
Net Premiums Earned:
The following table provides net premiums earned by line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property | $ | 462,364 |
| | 28 | % | | $ | 408,943 |
| | 26 | % | | $ | 385,291 |
| | 27 | % | | 13 | % | | 6 | % | |
| Marine | 179,057 |
| | 10 | % | | 171,165 |
| | 11 | % | | 152,123 |
| | 11 | % | | 5 | % | | 13 | % | |
| Terrorism | 39,298 |
| | 2 | % | | 38,605 |
| | 2 | % | | 35,213 |
| | 2 | % | | 2 | % | | 10 | % | |
| Aviation | 48,489 |
| | 3 | % | | 60,363 |
| | 4 | % | | 70,681 |
| | 5 | % | | (20 | %) | | (15 | %) | |
| Credit and political risk | 68,192 |
| | 4 | % | | 87,103 |
| | 6 | % | | 97,680 |
| | 7 | % | | (22 | %) | | (11 | %) | |
| Professional lines | 586,200 |
| | 34 | % | | 563,500 |
| | 36 | % | | 536,238 |
| | 38 | % | | 4 | % | | 5 | % | |
| Liability | 110,623 |
| | 6 | % | | 86,873 |
| | 6 | % | | 89,555 |
| | 6 | % | | 27 | % | | (3 | %) | |
| Accident & health | 228,539 |
| | 13 | % | | 141,506 |
| | 9 | % | | 62,906 |
| | 4 | % | | 62 | % | | 125 | % | |
| Total | $ | 1,722,762 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,558,058 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,429,687 |
| | 100 | % | | 11 | % | | 9 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Our accident & health line was the primary contributor to the year on year increase, commensurate with gross premiums written growth discussed above, and accounted for 53% of the overall growth in net premiums earned. Our property, liability and professional lines also contributed to the increase following growth in the gross premiums written and the reductions in premiums ceded discussed above.
2012 versus 2011: Growth in the accident & health line was the primary driver for the increase. Growth in professional lines business in recent quarters, arising from geographic expansion (including our European, Australian and Canadian operations) and targeted initiatives, also contributed to the increases; however, the impact of this growth was tempered in the second half of 2012 by the increase in quota share premium cessions.
Loss Ratio:
The table below shows the components of our loss ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year | 63.9 | % | | (5.1 | ) | | 69.0 | % | | (2.5 | ) | | 71.5 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (2.9 | %) | | 4.9 |
| | (7.8 | %) | | (0.6 | ) | | (7.2 | %) | |
| Loss ratio | 61.0 | % | | (0.2 | ) | | 61.2 | % | | (3.1 | ) | | 64.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio
2013 versus 2012: Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted the current accident year loss ratios for both periods.
In 2013, we incurred $93 million of aggregate pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) related to worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. During 2012, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $178 million for Storm Sandy. In addition, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses of $44 million for Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events.
After adjusting for these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2013 current accident year loss ratio increased relative to 2012 primarily due to:
strengthening in our professional lines, relating to certain parts of our D&O business written in the United States, following recent loss experience; and
a change in the business mix.
2012 versus 2011: Natural catastrophe and weather-related losses impacted the current accident year loss ratios for both periods. During 2012, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $222 million for Storm Sandy and other U.S. natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Comparatively, during 2011, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (inclusive of related premiums to reinstate our reinsurance protection) of $156 million relating to a series of severe U.S. storms; floods in Thailand; the Japanese earthquake and tsunami; New Zealand earthquake; and Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Exclusive of these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2012 current accident year loss ratio improved relative to 2011 primarily due to:
a lower level of loss activity in our property and marine lines of business; and
a reduction in the loss ratio for our credit & political risk line of business.
See ‘Prior Year Reserve Development’ section for further details.
Acquisition Cost Ratio: The current year acquisition cost ratio decreased from 14.6% in 2012 to 14.1% in 2013. The majority of the variance is being generated by property and marine lines and is due to the aforementioned MGA reductions. Higher ceding commissions earned relative to 2012 also contributed. This was partially offset by a change in the business mix with the accident & health business incurring a higher acquisition cost ratio. The change in the business mix was the primary driver of the increase in the 2012 acquisition cost ratio compared to 2011.
General and Administrative Expense Ratio: The general and administrative expense ratio was comparable at 20.1% in 2013 versus 20.2% in 2012. The increase in general and administrative costs was driven by increased salaries and related costs following an increase in staff compared to last year, as we continue to build-out the segment's global platform. The impact on the general and administrative expense ratio was fully offset by the growth in net premiums earned. The increase in the
general and administrative expense ratio in 2012 compared to 2011, was driven by performance-based compensation expenses and staff increases.
REINSURANCE SEGMENT
Results from our reinsurance segment were as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Revenues: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written | $ | 2,137,903 |
| | 17% | | $ | 1,830,162 |
| | (7%) | | $ | 1,974,324 |
| |
| Net premiums written | 2,114,662 |
| | 16% | | 1,815,211 |
| | (7%) | | 1,953,300 |
| |
| Net premiums earned | 1,984,303 |
| | 7% | | 1,857,405 |
| | (1%) | | 1,885,274 |
| |
| Other insurance related income | 1,988 |
| | | | — |
| | | | — |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Expenses: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year net losses and loss expenses | (1,252,874 | ) | | | | (1,265,095 | ) | | | | (1,910,180 | ) | |
| Prior year reserve development | 169,081 |
| | | | 122,631 |
| | | | 154,447 |
| |
| Acquisition costs | (421,828 | ) | | | | (400,794 | ) | | | | (387,886 | ) | |
| General and administrative expenses | (137,450 | ) | | | | (116,487 | ) | | | | (103,915 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Underwriting income (loss) | $ | 343,220 |
| | 74% | | $ | 197,660 |
| | nm | | $ | (362,260 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | % Point Change | | | | % Point Change | | | |
| Ratios: | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current year loss ratio | 63.1 | % | | (5.0) | | 68.1 | % | | (33.2) | | 101.3 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | (8.5 | %) | | (1.9) | | (6.6 | %) | | 1.6 | | (8.2 | %) | |
| Acquisition cost ratio | 21.3 | % | | (0.3) | | 21.6 | % | | 1.0 | | 20.6 | % | |
| General and administrative expense ratio | 6.9 | % | | 0.6 | | 6.3 | % | | 0.8 | | 5.5 | % | |
| Combined ratio | 82.8 | % | | (6.6) | | 89.4 | % | | (29.8) | | 119.2 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
nm – not meaningful
Gross Premiums Written:
The following table provides gross premiums written by line of business for the periods indicated:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Catastrophe | $ | 393,652 |
| | 18 | % | | $ | 368,314 |
| | 21 | % | | $ | 471,822 |
| | 24 | % | | 7 | % | | (22 | %) | |
| Property | 364,315 |
| | 17 | % | | 315,758 |
| | 17 | % | | 359,987 |
| | 18 | % | | 15 | % | | (12 | %) | |
| Professional lines | 380,355 |
| | 18 | % | | 301,863 |
| | 16 | % | | 281,394 |
| | 14 | % | | 26 | % | | 7 | % | |
| Credit and surety | 268,494 |
| | 13 | % | | 264,572 |
| | 14 | % | | 299,923 |
| | 15 | % | | 1 | % | | (12 | %) | |
| Motor | 242,046 |
| | 11 | % | | 235,648 |
| | 13 | % | | 238,365 |
| | 12 | % | | 3 | % | | (1 | %) | |
| Liability | 268,673 |
| | 13 | % | | 242,817 |
| | 13 | % | | 229,728 |
| | 12 | % | | 11 | % | | 6 | % | |
| Agriculture | 132,780 |
| | 6 | % | | 19,326 |
| | 1 | % | | 15,201 |
| | 1 | % | | nm |
| | 27 | % | |
| Engineering | 64,258 |
| | 3 | % | | 70,597 |
| | 4 | % | | 65,219 |
| | 3 | % | | (9 | %) | | 8 | % | |
| Other | 23,330 |
| | 1 | % | | 11,267 |
| | 1 | % | | 12,685 |
| | 1 | % | | 107 | % | | (11 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 2,137,903 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,830,162 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,974,324 |
| | 100 | % | | 17 | % | | (7 | %) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Gross premiums written increased by $308 million, with growth across most lines of business. Our agriculture initiative was the primary driver of the expansion in gross premiums written, contributing $113 million to the increase; quota share business in the United States comprised the majority of the increase, with excess of loss business in Asia also contributing. The main driver of growth in our professional lines was new business growth, primarily in the United States, which was partially offset by non-renewals and cancellations. Our property line of business increased primarily due to new business and the expansion of our worldwide client relationships. The increase in our catastrophe line of business was due to the expansion of our European portfolio, while growth in our liability line of business primarily reflected expansion in the U.S. including increased participations with existing clients.
2012 versus 2011: The decrease in gross premiums written was primarily driven by reduction in catastrophe business. We repositioned our catastrophe portfolio throughout 2012, reducing exposure in certain zones; this was partially offset by exposure increases in selected other areas, where we believe risk and return characteristics are more attractive. The decline in property premiums was driven by reductions in reinsurance purchasing by certain of our clients, as well as our evaluation of risk/return characteristics. Our trade credit and bond reinsurance premiums also decreased, driven by management of our European exposure base in light of existing economic conditions and changes in contract terms. While motor premiums were down slightly for the year, there was an underlying shift in business mix; we reduced our participation in certain excess of loss business in light of recent settlement trends, which was partially offset by an increase in proportional business.
See ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Premiums’ section for a further discussion of related estimates.
Net Premiums Earned:
The following table provides net premiums earned by line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | % Change | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 12 to 13 | | 11 to 12 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Catastrophe | $ | 380,199 |
| | 20 | % | | $ | 375,088 |
| | 19 | % | | $ | 456,858 |
| | 24 | % | | 1 | % | | (18 | %) | |
| Property | 350,970 |
| | 18 | % | | 351,470 |
| | 19 | % | | 356,022 |
| | 19 | % | | — | % | | (1 | %) | |
| Professional lines | 304,754 |
| | 15 | % | | 297,726 |
| | 16 | % | | 281,025 |
| | 15 | % | | 2 | % | | 6 | % | |
| Credit and surety | 279,943 |
| | 14 | % | | 277,185 |
| | 15 | % | | 263,912 |
| | 14 | % | | 1 | % | | 5 | % | |
| Motor | 221,844 |
| | 11 | % | | 237,006 |
| | 13 | % | | 202,830 |
| | 11 | % | | (6 | %) | | 17 | % | |
| Liability | 234,736 |
| | 12 | % | | 220,874 |
| | 12 | % | | 230,872 |
| | 12 | % | | 6 | % | | (4 | %) | |
| Agriculture | 126,490 |
| | 6 | % | | 17,116 |
| | 1 | % | | 15,031 |
| | 1 | % | | nm |
| | 14 | % | |
| Engineering | 66,243 |
| | 3 | % | | 68,402 |
| | 4 | % | | 65,727 |
| | 3 | % | | (3 | %) | | 4 | % | |
| Other | 19,124 |
| | 1 | % | | 12,538 |
| | 1 | % | | 12,997 |
| | 1 | % | | 53 | % | | (4 | %) | |
| Total | $ | 1,984,303 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,857,405 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 1,885,274 |
| | 100 | % | | 7 | % | | (1 | %) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2013 versus 2012: Expansion of our agriculture business in 2013, described above, was the primary driver of the increase in net premiums earned.
2012 versus 2011: The reduction in catastrophe business written during 2012, described above, drove the decrease in net premiums earned. Partially offsetting this was an increase for motor reinsurance, driven by the recent increases in proportional writings previously noted.
Loss Ratio:
The table below shows the components of our loss ratio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2013 | | % Point Change | | 2012 | | % Point Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Current accident year | | 63.1 | % | | (5.0 | ) | | 68.1 | % | | (33.2 | ) | | 101.3 | % | |
| Prior year reserve development | | (8.5 | %) | | (1.9 | ) | | (6.6 | %) | | 1.6 |
| | (8.2 | %) | |
| Loss ratio | | 54.6 | % | | (6.9 | ) | | 61.5 | % | | (31.6 | ) | | 93.1 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Current Accident Year Loss Ratio
2013 versus 2012: The significant decrease in the level of natural catastrophe and weather-related activity was the primary driver of the decrease in the current accident year loss ratio.
During 2013, we recognized estimated aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $105 million for worldwide natural catastrophe and weather-related events. Comparatively, in 2012, we recognized pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $153 million related to the impact of Storm Sandy. In addition, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $60 million for the impact of severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and first and second quarter 2012 U.S. weather events.
Exclusive of these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, our 2013 current accident year loss ratio increased relative to 2012 primarily due to changes in the business mix and an increase in losses incurred in our agriculture line.
2012 versus 2011: While natural catastrophe and weather-related losses contributed to the current accident year loss ratios for both periods, the impact was less significant in 2012.
During 2012, we recognized aggregate pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $213 million for the impact of Storm Sandy, severe drought conditions on U.S. crops, Hurricane Isaac and various U.S. weather events. Comparatively, during 2011, we recognized estimated pre-tax net losses (net of related reinstatement premiums) of $775 million in relation to earthquakes in New Zealand, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, Australian weather events, U.S. storms and tornadoes, floods in Thailand and Denmark, and Hurricane Irene.
Exclusive of these natural catastrophe and weather-related losses, the 2012 current accident year loss ratio improved relative to 2011 largely due to reduced exposure and loss experience related to aggregate property reinsurance of regional insurance companies in the U.S. This was partially offset by a higher loss ratio for our trade credit and bond reinsurance business and business mix changes.
See ‘Prior Year Reserve Development’ section for further details.
Acquisition Cost Ratio: The decrease in the reinsurance segment’s acquisition cost ratio in 2013 was driven by accruals related to loss-sensitive features in reinsurance contracts that reduced the segment's acquisition cost ratio; conversely, such accruals increased the acquisition cost ratio in 2012. This decrease in the current year was partially offset by higher acquisition costs incurred due to higher acquisition costs in certain lines of business.
General and Administrative Expense Ratio: General and administrative expenses increased in 2013, primarily driven by staffing increases, as we continue to build-out the segment's global platform. The impact of the increases on the general and administrative expense ratio was partially tempered by the growth in net premiums earned. The increase in the general and administrative expense ratio in 2012 compared to 2011, was driven by performance-based compensation expenses and staff increases.
OTHER EXPENSES, NET
The following table provides a breakdown of our other expenses, net:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate expenses | $ | 90,256 |
| | (30%) | | $ | 129,660 |
| | 68% | | $ | 77,089 |
| |
| Foreign exchange losses (gains) | 26,143 |
| | (11%) | | 29,512 |
| | nm | | (44,582 | ) | |
| Interest expense and financing costs | 61,979 |
| | —% | | 61,863 |
| | (1%) | | 62,598 |
| |
| Income tax expense | 7,002 |
| | 113% | | 3,287 |
| | (78%) | | 15,233 |
| |
| Total | $ | 185,380 |
| | (17%) | | $ | 224,322 |
| | 103% | | $ | 110,338 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
nm – not meaningful
Corporate Expenses: Our corporate expenses include holding company costs necessary to support our worldwide insurance and reinsurance operations and costs associated with operating as a publicly-traded company. As a percentage of net premiums earned, corporate expenses were 2.4%, 3.8% and 2.4% for 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The increase in corporate expenses during 2012 was reflective of costs associated with our second quarter 2012 senior leadership transition; these costs included accelerated and incremental share-based compensation expenses of $20 million and separation payments of $14 million. Excluding these senior leadership transition amounts, corporate expenses were 2.8% of net premiums earned for 2012.
Foreign Exchange Losses (Gains): Some of our business is written in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The foreign exchange losses (gains) for all periods presented were largely driven by the re-measurement of net insurance related liabilities. Appreciation in the euro and Sterling against the U.S. dollar resulted in foreign exchange losses during 2013 and 2012, with depreciation in the Australian dollar partially offsetting the 2013 loss. Depreciation in the euro and Sterling had the opposite effect in 2011.
Income Tax Expense: Income tax expense primarily results from income generated by our foreign operations in the United States and Europe. Our effective tax rate, which is calculated as income tax expense divided by income before tax, was 1.0%, 0.6% and 24.8% in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. This effective rate can vary between periods depending on the distribution of net income (loss) amongst tax jurisdictions, as well as other factors.
The majority of the higher tax rate in 2013 compared to 2012 is attributable to an increase in pre-tax income in the U.S. A significant portion of our losses and loss expenses for Storm Sandy in 2012 related to insurance risks written by our U.S. subsidiaries, driving a low effective tax rate. Comparatively, a large proportion of the 2011 catastrophe and weather-related losses previously described arose from reinsurance risks written in Bermuda; these losses reduced income before tax without a corresponding tax benefit.
Further increasing income tax expense for 2011 was the establishment of a $13 million valuation allowance related to 2011 operating loss tax-carryforwards generated from branch operations in Singapore and Australia. Partially offsetting these increases was a further $10 million reduction in income tax expense due to the elimination of the remaining valuation allowance associated with our U.S. capital loss carryforwards. During 2011, we concluded an allowance was no longer required, as there were sufficient net unrealized gains that could be realized in order to generate capital gains in the remaining carryforward period.
NET INVESTMENT INCOME AND NET REALIZED INVESTMENT GAINS/LOSSES
Net Investment Income
The following table provides a breakdown of income earned from our cash and investment portfolio by major asset class:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | | % Change | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities | $ | 304,400 |
| | (10 | %) | | $ | 337,616 |
| | (4 | %) | | $ | 352,357 |
| |
| Other investments | 87,660 |
| | 175 | % | | 31,856 |
| | (51 | %) | | 64,765 |
| |
| Equities | 11,904 |
| | 6 | % | | 11,186 |
| | 286 | % | | 2,900 |
| |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 4,528 |
| | (21 | %) | | 5,697 |
| | (2 | %) | | 5,836 |
| |
| Short-term investments | 596 |
| | (63 | %) | | 1,592 |
| | 10 | % | | 1,441 |
| |
| Gross investment income | 409,088 |
| | 5 | % | | 387,947 |
| | (9 | %) | | 427,299 |
| |
| Investment expense | (28,131 | ) | | 10 | % | | (25,517 | ) | | 25 | % | | (20,407 | ) | |
| Net investment income | $ | 380,957 |
| | 5 | % | | $ | 362,430 |
| | (11 | %) | | $ | 406,892 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pre-tax yield:(1) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities | 2.7 | % | | | | 3.2 | % | | | | 3.6 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | % Change | | 2012 | | % Change | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities | $ | 293,609 |
| | (4 | %) | | $ | 304,400 |
| | (10 | %) | | $ | 337,616 |
| |
| Other investments | 128,814 |
| | 47 | % | | 87,660 |
| | 175 | % | | 31,856 |
| |
| Equities | 10,897 |
| | (8 | %) | | 11,904 |
| | 6 | % | | 11,186 |
| |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 6,337 |
| | 40 | % | | 4,528 |
| | (21 | %) | | 5,697 |
| |
| Short-term investments | 1,181 |
| | 98 | % | | 596 |
| | (63 | %) | | 1,592 |
| |
| Gross investment income | 440,838 |
| | 8 | % | | 409,088 |
| | 5 | % | | 387,947 |
| |
| Investment expense | (31,526 | ) | | 12 | % | | (28,131 | ) | | 10 | % | | (25,517 | ) | |
| Net investment income | $ | 409,312 |
| | 7 | % | | $ | 380,957 |
| | 5 | % | | $ | 362,430 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pre-tax yield:(1) | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities | 2.5 | % | | | | 2.7 | % | | | | 3.2 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Pre-tax yield is annualized and calculated as net investment income divided by the average month-end amortized cost balances for the periods indicated. |
Fixed Maturities:
2013 versus 2012: The 4% reduction in investment income from fixed maturities reflected lower reinvestment yields as book yields continue to decline towards market yields. This decline was partially offset by the 5% growth in our average fixed maturities balances during 2013 as additional investments in fixed maturities were funded primarily by reinvestment of net investment income.
2012 versus 2011: The 10% reduction in investment income from fixed maturities reflected lower reinvestment yields throughout much of 2012primarily due to the downward shiftsshift in U.S. and European risk-free yield curves. Spread tightening, primarily on investment-grade and high yield corporate debt, also contributed to lower reinvestment yields. These declines wereThe reduction was partially offset by growth of 6% onin our average fixed maturities balances during 2012 as additional investments in fixed maturities were funded primarily by reinvestment of net investment income.
2011 versus 2010: The 4% reduction in investment income from fixed maturities reflected lower reinvestment yields primarily due to a downward shift in U.S. and European risk-free yield curves. The reduction was partially offset by widening credit spreads and growth of 7% on our average fixed maturities balances during 2011 as additional cash provided by operations was allocated partially to fixed maturities.
Other Investments:
Other investments include hedge funds, fund of hedge funds, creditdirect lending funds and CLOboth direct and indirect (through a fund structure) investments in equity tranched securitiestranches of collateralized loan obligations (“CLO Equities”). These investments are recorded at fair value, with the change in fair value and income distributions reported in net investment income. Consequently, the pre-tax return on other investments may vary materially period over period, particularly during volatile creditequity and equitycredit markets.
The following table provides a breakdown of net investment income (loss) from other investments:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Hedge funds | $ | 29,673 |
| | $ | (7,329 | ) | | $ | 8,799 |
| |
| Fund of hedge funds | 15,279 |
| | (1,561 | ) | | 16,864 |
| |
| Credit funds | 11,599 |
| | (4,125 | ) | | 14,474 |
| |
| CLO - equity tranched securities | 31,109 |
| | 44,871 |
| | 21,970 |
| |
| Short duration high yield fund | — |
| | — |
| | 2,658 |
| |
| Total net investment income from other investments | $ | 87,660 |
| | $ | 31,856 |
| | $ | 64,765 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Pre-tax return on other investments(1) | 11.1 | % | | 5.3 | % | | 12.1 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Hedge funds | $ | 100,915 |
| | $ | 56,551 |
| | $ | (13,015 | ) | |
| CLO - Equities | 27,899 |
| | 31,109 |
| | 44,871 |
| |
| Total net investment income from other investments | $ | 128,814 |
| | $ | 87,660 |
| | $ | 31,856 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Pre-tax return on other investments(1) | 13.3 | % | | 11.1 | % | | 5.3 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | The pre-tax return on other investments is calculated by dividing total income from other investments by the average month-end fair value balances held for the periods indicated. |
2013 versus 2012: The improvement in the pre-tax return on our other investments portfolio was primarily driven by the returns generated by our hedge funds as a result of the continued strong performance of both global equities and bank loans. Our direct investments in CLO Equities provided strong returns again in 2013, driven by lower than anticipated default rates and higher than anticipated recovery rates for the underlying collateral (refer to the ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Fair Value Measurements’ for further details on the fair value measurement). The decline in income from CLO Equities in dollar terms was primarily due to a reduction in our direct investments as two holdings have entered the liquidation phase of their investment cycle and have begun returning capital to equity tranche holders.
2012 versus 2011: The improvement in the pre-tax return on our other investments portfolio was primarily driven by the strong rally in global equity markets and its impact on our hedge funds and funds of hedge funds. Performance of our credit funds also improved in 2012 due to modest improvements in the pricing of the underlying bank loans. Although CLO Equities provided less income in 2012, their continued strong performance iswas still a significant positive contributor to current year2012 performance. The increase in fair value of our CLO Equities was driven primarily by lower than anticipated default rates and higher than anticipated recovery rates for the underlying collateral. Refer to the ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Fair Value Measurements’ for further details on the fair value measurement.
Investment Expenses:
20112013 versus 20102012: The lower pre-tax return on other investments in 2011increase was primarily due to modest negative returnshigher third party investment manager fees, resulting from our investmentsthe increased use of managers in hedge and credit funds, compared to positive returns provided by these holdings in 2010. The negative returns of these funds were reflective of the underperformance of both global equities and bank loans during 2011. Partially offsetting the decline in the pre-tax return was the increase in the fair value for our investment in CLO Equities which was driven primarily byspecialized fixed income strategies that have higher cash distributionsmanagement fees than previously expected.core fixed income.
Investment Expenses:
2012 versus 2011: The increase was primarily due to increased third party investment manager fees relating to higher investment balances created by improved valuations and additional allocations to emerging market debt, short duration high yield debtspecialized fixed income strategies and common stocks, both of which have higher management fees than core fixed income.
2011 versus 2010: The increase was due to asset class changes. Additionally, third party investment manager fees increased due to higher investment balances as a result of improved valuations and additional allocations.
Net Realized Investment Gains/Losses
Our fixed maturities and equities are classified as available for sale and reported at fair value. The effect of market movements on our available for sale investment portfolio impacts net income (through net realized investment gains/losses) only when securities are sold, hedged, or impaired. Additionally, changes in the fair value of investment derivatives, mainly foreign exchange forward contracts and interest rate swaps, are recorded in net realized investment gains/losses.
The following table provides a breakdown of net realized investment gains:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| On sale of investments: | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities and short-term investments | $ | 140,238 |
| | $ | 134,804 |
| | $ | 200,048 |
| |
| Equities | 12,881 |
| | 2,468 |
| | 10,800 |
| |
| | 153,119 |
| | 137,272 |
| | 210,848 |
| |
| OTTI charges recognized in earnings | (24,234 | ) | | (15,861 | ) | | (17,932 | ) | |
| Change in fair value of investment derivatives | (9,170 | ) | | 4,431 |
| | (3,641 | ) | |
| Fair value hedges | 7,754 |
| | (4,403 | ) | | 5,823 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains | $ | 127,469 |
| | $ | 121,439 |
| | $ | 195,098 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| On sale of investments: | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities and short-term investments | $ | 33,038 |
| | $ | 140,238 |
| | $ | 134,804 |
| |
| Equities | 44,157 |
| | 12,881 |
| | 2,468 |
| |
| | 77,195 |
| | 153,119 |
| | 137,272 |
| |
| OTTI charges recognized in earnings | (9,362 | ) | | (24,234 | ) | | (15,861 | ) | |
| Change in fair value of investment derivatives | 7,731 |
| | (9,170 | ) | | 4,431 |
| |
| Fair value hedges | — |
| | 7,754 |
| | (4,403 | ) | |
| Net realized investment gains | $ | 75,564 |
| | $ | 127,469 |
| | $ | 121,439 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
On sale of investments:
Generally, sales of individual securities occur when there are changes in the relative value, credit quality, or duration of a particular issuer. We may also sell to rebalance our investment portfolio in order to change exposure to particular sectors or asset classes.
2013 versus 2012: Lower net realized gains during 2013 are reflective of the significant declines in the pricing for our fixed maturities during 2013. The primary source of the net realized gains on fixed maturities in 2013 was corporate debt (mainly investment-grade but high yield also contributed). The strong performance of global equity markets during 2013 and 2012 enabled us to realize net gains on sales of common stock during 2013. The proceeds of common stock sales were used to fund incremental investments in hedge funds.
2012 versus 2011: ImprovementsThe improvements in global equity markets throughout 2012 also enabled us to realize some net gains on our equity holdings during 2012. The primary sources of the net realized gains on fixed maturities in 2012 were investment-grade corporate debt, agency MBS and non-U.S. governments compared to the primary sources of investment-grade corporate debt, agency MBS and U.S. government and agencies in 2011.
2011 versus 2010: The decrease in net realized gains was largely due to significant gains realized in 2010 as a result of significant credit spread tightening. In 2011, we realized net gains primarily on fixed maturities as a result of the lower U.S. and European risk-free rates. The primary sources of the net realized gains on fixed maturities in 2011 were investment-grade corporate debt, U.S. government and agency securities and agency MBS which is consistent with the sources of the 2010 net realized gains.
OTTI charges:
Refer to the ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – OTTI’ section for details on our impairment review process.
The following table provides a summary of the OTTI recognized in earnings by asset class:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities: | | | | | | |
| Non-U.S. government | $ | 3,281 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| |
| Corporate debt | 1,821 |
| | 1,954 |
| | 3,156 |
| |
| CMBS | — |
| | — |
| | 413 |
| |
| Non-Agency RMBS | 2,016 |
| | 717 |
| | 4,715 |
| |
| ABS | 795 |
| | 61 |
| | 1,126 |
| |
| Municipals | — |
| | 483 |
| | 19 |
| |
| | 7,913 |
| | 3,215 |
| | 9,429 |
| |
| Equities: | | | | | | |
| Common stocks | 7,318 |
| | 12,646 |
| | 8,503 |
| |
| Exchange traded funds | 9,003 |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| | 16,321 |
| | 12,646 |
| | 8,503 |
| |
| Total OTTI recognized in earnings | $ | 24,234 |
| | $ | 15,861 |
| | $ | 17,932 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities: | | | | | | |
| Non-U.S. government | $ | 120 |
| | $ | 3,281 |
| | $ | — |
| |
| Corporate debt | 5,802 |
| | 1,821 |
| | 1,954 |
| |
| Non-Agency RMBS | 57 |
| | 2,016 |
| | 717 |
| |
| ABS | 129 |
| | 795 |
| | 61 |
| |
| Municipals | 639 |
| | — |
| | 483 |
| |
| | 6,747 |
| | 7,913 |
| | 3,215 |
| |
| Equities: | | | | | | |
| Common stocks | 2,092 |
| | 7,318 |
| | 12,646 |
| |
| Exchange traded funds | 523 |
| | 9,003 |
| | — |
| |
| | 2,615 |
| | 16,321 |
| | 12,646 |
| |
| Total OTTI recognized in earnings | $ | 9,362 |
| | $ | 24,234 |
| | $ | 15,861 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
The level of OTTI losses increaseddecreased in 20122013 compared to 2011 and 20102012 due mainly to losses recorded on equity exchange traded funds ("ETFs") in 2012, where we were no longer haveable to assert that we had the intent to hold the securities until full recovery of cost as it is likely that these investments will be reallocateddue to the anticipated future reallocation to other asset classes.
Change in Fair Value of Investment Derivatives:
From time to time, we may economically hedge the foreign exchange exposure of non-U.S. denominated securities by entering into foreign exchange forward contracts. During 2012,2013, our economicforeign exchange hedges resulted in $11 million of net gains which related primarily to securities denominated in the Australian dollar, Canadian dollar Sterling, euro and Mexican peso. The Australian dollar denominated securities. The net realized and unrealized loss for the year was primarily driven by our exposure to the euro, which gained 2%declined 14% against the U.S. dollar during 2013 while the year. These hedges didCanadian dollar and Mexican peso experienced significant intra-year volatility.
During 2013, we introduced the use of interest rate swaps to reduce duration risk of our fixed income portfolio. During the year, we recorded $3 million of net losses relating to our interest rate swaps.
Hedge accounting was not qualify for fair value hedge accounting and accordingly,applied to any of these derivatives so the corresponding net unrealized gainsgains/losses on the economically hedged securities are recorded as part of accumulated other comprehensive income in shareholders' equity.
Fair Value Hedges:
WeIn 2012 and prior, we entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge the foreign currency exposure of certain available for sale fixed maturity portfolios denominated in euros. TheThese hedges were designated and qualified as fair value hedges, resulting in the net impact of the hedges recognized in net realized investment gains (losses). During 2012, we sold all available for sale fixed maturities in the portfolios that qualified for hedge accounting and settled all of the associated foreign exchange forward contracts.
Foreign denominated assets and liabilities will continue to be substantially matched, in order to minimize any foreign exchange impact on book value.
Total Return
Our investment strategy is to take a long-term view by actively managing our investment portfolio to maximize total return within certain guidelines and constraints. In assessing returns under this approach, we include net investment income, net realized investment gains and losses and the change in unrealized gains and losses generated by our investment portfolio. The following table provides a breakdown of the total return on cash and investments, inclusive of foreign exchange impact, for the periods indicated:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Net investment income | $ | 380,957 |
| | $ | 362,430 |
| | $ | 406,892 |
| |
| Net realized investments gains | 127,469 |
| | 121,439 |
| | 195,098 |
| |
| Change in net unrealized gains/losses, net of currency hedges | 250,212 |
| | (34,320 | ) | | 74,175 |
| |
| Total | $ | 758,638 |
| | $ | 449,549 |
| | $ | 676,165 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Average cash and investments(1) | $ | 14,098,888 |
| | $ | 13,309,143 |
| | $ | 12,285,244 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Total return on average cash and investments, pre-tax(2) | 5.4 | % | | 3.4 | % | | 5.5 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Net investment income | $ | 409,312 |
| | $ | 380,957 |
| | $ | 362,430 |
| |
| Net realized investments gains | 75,564 |
| | 127,469 |
| | 121,439 |
| |
| Change in net unrealized gains/losses, net of currency hedges | (245,429 | ) | | 250,212 |
| | (34,320 | ) | |
| Total | $ | 239,447 |
| | $ | 758,638 |
| | $ | 449,549 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Average cash and investments(1) | $ | 14,660,012 |
| | $ | 14,098,888 |
| | $ | 13,309,143 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Total return on average cash and investments, pre-tax(2) | 1.6 | % | | 5.4 | % | | 3.4 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | The average cash and investments balance is calculated by taking the average of the month-end fair value balances held for the periods indicated. |
| |
(2) | Excluding the impact of foreign currencies due to matching with foreign denominated insurance liabilities, the total return would be 4.9%1.6% for 2012 (2011:2013 (2012: 4.9%, 2011: 3.7%, 2010: 5.3%). |
CASH AND INVESTMENTS
The table below provides a breakdown of our cash and investments:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| | Amortized Cost or Cost | | Fair Value | | Amortized Cost or Cost | | Fair Value | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities | $ | 11,605,672 |
| | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | $ | 10,821,338 |
| | $ | 10,940,100 |
| |
| Equities | 608,306 |
| | 666,548 |
| | 699,566 |
| | 677,560 |
| |
| Other investments | 730,101 |
| | 843,437 |
| | 650,955 |
| | 699,320 |
| |
| Short-term investments | 108,860 |
| | 108,860 |
| | 149,909 |
| | 149,909 |
| |
| Total investments | $ | 13,052,939 |
| | $ | 13,546,894 |
| | $ | 12,321,768 |
| | $ | 12,466,889 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Cash and cash equivalents(1) | $ | 850,550 |
| | $ | 850,550 |
| | $ | 1,082,838 |
| | $ | 1,082,838 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| | Amortized Cost or Cost | | Fair Value | | Amortized Cost or Cost | | Fair Value | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities | $ | 11,987,146 |
| | $ | 11,986,327 |
| | $ | 11,605,672 |
| | $ | 11,928,049 |
| |
| Equities | 566,219 |
| | 701,987 |
| | 608,306 |
| | 666,548 |
| |
| Other investments | 839,177 |
| | 1,045,810 |
| | 730,101 |
| | 843,437 |
| |
| Short-term investments | 46,212 |
| | 46,212 |
| | 108,860 |
| | 108,860 |
| |
| Total investments | $ | 13,438,754 |
| | $ | 13,780,336 |
| | $ | 13,052,939 |
| | $ | 13,546,894 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Cash and cash equivalents(1) | $ | 987,876 |
| | $ | 987,876 |
| | $ | 850,550 |
| | $ | 850,550 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Includes restricted cash and cash equivalents of $65 million and $91 million for 2013 and $101 million for 2012, and 2011, respectively. |
Overview
The cost of our total investments increased by $731$386 million from December 31, 20112012, primarily due to investing a portion of our operating cash flows generated in flows.2012, investing cash on hand and reinvesting net investment income and proceeds from sales in 2012. In addition to these cash contributions, significant contributors to the increase in the
The fair value of our total investments increased $233 million from December 31, 2011 include2012, primarily due to net contributions to our fixed maturities and other investments as well as the strong performance of global equity markets during 2013 which led to improved valuations for our equities and other investments. The increases attributable to these factors were partially offset by lower valuations on our fixed maturities and equities and, toas a lesser degree, movementsresult of the upward shift in foreign exchange rates, mainly the euro strengthening against the U.S. dollar. The strong rally in global equity markets during 2012 combined with new and incremental hedge fund investments contributed to the increase in fair value of our other investments.sovereign yield curves.
The following provides a further analysis on our investment portfolio.
Fixed Maturities
The following provides a breakdown of our investment in fixed maturities:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Fair Value | | % of Total | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities: | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,422,885 |
| | 13 | % | | $ | 1,148,267 |
| | 10 | % | |
| Non-U.S. government | 1,104,576 |
| | 9 | % | | 1,212,451 |
| | 11 | % | |
| Corporate debt | 3,876,382 |
| | 32 | % | | 3,609,591 |
| | 33 | % | |
| Agency RMBS | 2,659,908 |
| | 22 | % | | 2,636,634 |
| | 24 | % | |
| CMBS | 840,084 |
| | 7 | % | | 312,691 |
| | 3 | % | |
| Non-Agency RMBS | 95,199 |
| | 1 | % | | 165,713 |
| | 2 | % | |
| ABS | 643,206 |
| | 5 | % | | 632,042 |
| | 6 | % | |
| Municipals(1) | 1,285,809 |
| | 11 | % | | 1,222,711 |
| | 11 | % | |
| Total | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 10,940,100 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Credit ratings: | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,422,885 |
| | 13 | % | | $ | 1,148,267 |
| | 10 | % | |
| AAA(2) | 4,791,455 |
| | 39 | % | | 4,783,578 |
| | 44 | % | |
| AA | 1,175,205 |
| | 10 | % | | 1,345,583 |
| | 12 | % | |
| A | 2,215,326 |
| | 19 | % | | 1,949,612 |
| | 18 | % | |
| BBB | 1,473,388 |
| | 12 | % | | 1,181,156 |
| | 11 | % | |
| Below BBB(3) | 849,790 |
| | 7 | % | | 531,904 |
| | 5 | % | |
| Total | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 10,940,100 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Fair Value | | % of Total | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Fixed maturities: | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,388,698 |
| | 11 | % | | $ | 1,422,885 |
| | 13 | % | |
| Non-U.S. government | 1,176,382 |
| | 10 | % | | 1,104,576 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Corporate debt | 3,608,238 |
| | 30 | % | | 3,876,382 |
| | 32 | % | |
| Agency RMBS | 2,448,827 |
| | 20 | % | | 2,659,908 |
| | 22 | % | |
| CMBS | 797,414 |
| | 7 | % | | 840,084 |
| | 7 | % | |
| Non-Agency RMBS | 67,567 |
| | 1 | % | | 95,199 |
| | 1 | % | |
| ABS | 953,451 |
| | 8 | % | | 643,206 |
| | 5 | % | |
| Municipals(1) | 1,545,750 |
| | 13 | % | | 1,285,809 |
| | 11 | % | |
| Total | $ | 11,986,327 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Credit ratings: | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,388,698 |
| | 11 | % | | $ | 1,422,885 |
| | 13 | % | |
| AAA(2) | 4,160,744 |
| | 35 | % | | 4,791,455 |
| | 39 | % | |
| AA | 1,795,291 |
| | 15 | % | | 1,175,205 |
| | 10 | % | |
| A | 2,220,263 |
| | 19 | % | | 2,215,326 |
| | 19 | % | |
| BBB | 1,468,669 |
| | 12 | % | | 1,473,388 |
| | 12 | % | |
| Below BBB(3) | 952,662 |
| | 8 | % | | 849,790 |
| | 7 | % | |
| Total | $ | 11,986,327 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Includes bonds issued by states, municipalities, and political subdivisions. |
| |
(2) | Includes U.S. government-sponsored agency RMBS and CMBS. |
| |
(3) | Non-investment grade and non-rated securities. |
At December 31, 20122013, fixed maturities had a weighted average credit rating of AA- (20112012: AA-) with, a book yield of 2.6%2.5% (20112012: 2.9%2.6%) and an average duration of 3.03.3 years (20112012: 2.83.0 years). The interest rate swap position introduced in 2013 reduced duration to 3.2 years. When incorporating short-term investments and cash and cash equivalents into this calculation (bringing the total to $12.9$13 billion), the weighted average credit rating would be AA- (20112012: AA-) and the average duration (including interest rate swaps) would be 2.82.9 years (20112012: 2.52.8 years).
Our methodology for assigning credit ratings to our fixed maturities is in line with the methodology used for the Barclay'sBarclays U.S. Aggregate Bond index. This methodology uses the middle of Standard & Poor's (S&P), Moody's and Fitch ratings. When ratings from only two of these agencies are available, the lower rating is used. When a rating from only one agency is available, it is used. Previously, we used S&P's ratings; in the absence of a rating from S&P, we used the lower of the ratings established by Moody's and Fitch.
To calculate the weighted average credit rating for fixed maturities, we assign points to each rating with 29 points for the highest rating (AAA) and 2 points for the lowest rating (D) and then calculate the weighted average based on the fair values of the individual securities. Securities that are not rated by S&P, Moody’s or Fitch are excluded from the weighted average calculation.calculations. At December 31, 20122013, the fair value of fixed maturities not rated was $7$1 million (20112012: $2$7 million).
As part of our ongoing risk management process, inIn addition to managing our credit risk exposure within our fixed maturity portfolio we also monitor the aggregation of country risk exposure on a group-wide basis (refer to Item 1 ‘Risk and Capital Management’ for further details). Country risk exposure is the risk that events within a country, such as currency crises, regulatory changes and other political events, will adversely affect the ability of obligors within the country to honor their obligations to us. For foreign corporate debt securities and
structured securities, we measure the country of risk exposure based
on thefactors including, but not limited to, location of management, principal operations and country of the obligor’s domicile. For debt securities issued by a foreign subsidiary with an implicit or explicit parental guarantee, the country of risk would be that of the parent.revenues.
In light of global concerns during recent years over the creditworthiness of certain countries, particularly within the eurozone, we have actively managed our exposure to sovereign debt issued by these countries. During 2012, we sold all remaining sovereign debt holdings in France, Spain and Belgium. Our current non-U.S. government holdings include exposure to only three countries within the eurozone - Germany, Netherlands and Austria - all of which are rated AAA. At December 31, 20122013, we held no sovereign debt issued by the peripheral European countries of Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The following table provides a breakdown of the fair value of our eurozone exposure within our fixed maturity portfolio:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Non-U.S. Government | | Corporate | | Non-Agency RMBS | | ABS | | Total | | % of Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurozone countries: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Germany | $ | 107,291 |
| | $ | 105,712 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 11,585 |
| | $ | 224,588 |
| | 42 | % | |
| Netherlands | 23,988 |
| | 62,170 |
| | 1,866 |
| | 22,497 |
| | 110,521 |
| | 20 | % | |
| Supranationals(1) | 79,534 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 79,534 |
| | 15 | % | |
| France | — |
| | 40,693 |
| | — |
| | 8,567 |
| | 49,260 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Luxembourg | — |
| | 30,352 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 30,352 |
| | 6 | % | |
| Belgium | — |
| | 24,950 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 24,950 |
| | 5 | % | |
| Ireland | — |
| | 7,989 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7,989 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Spain | — |
| | 7,627 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7,627 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Austria | 6,108 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 6,108 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Italy | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| Total eurozone | $ | 216,921 |
| | $ | 279,493 |
| | $ | 1,866 |
| | $ | 42,649 |
| | $ | 540,929 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurozone countries: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Germany | $ | 247,741 |
| | $ | 133,990 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 23,990 |
| | $ | 405,721 |
| | 42 | % | |
| France | 119,820 |
| | 78,241 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 198,061 |
| | 20 | % | |
| Netherlands | 63,264 |
| | 23,208 |
| | 7,247 |
| | 23,505 |
| | 117,224 |
| | 12 | % | |
| Spain | 80,010 |
| | 21,563 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 101,573 |
| | 10 | % | |
| Supranationals(1) | 58,350 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 58,350 |
| | 6 | % | |
| Belgium | 48,560 |
| | 5,537 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 54,097 |
| | 6 | % | |
| Luxembourg | — |
| | 19,836 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 19,836 |
| | 2 | % | |
| Austria | 16,266 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 16,266 |
| | 2 | % | |
| Italy | — |
| | 3,977 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 3,977 |
| | — | % | |
| Ireland | — |
| | 390 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 390 |
| | — | % | |
| Total eurozone | $ | 634,011 |
| | $ | 286,742 |
| | $ | 7,247 |
| | $ | 47,495 |
| | $ | 975,495 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Non-U.S. Government | | Corporate | | Non-Agency RMBS | | ABS | | Total | | % of Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2013 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurozone countries: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Germany | $ | 22,833 |
| | $ | 90,916 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 5,176 |
| | $ | 118,925 |
| | 28 | % | |
| Supranationals(1) | 115,777 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 115,777 |
| | 28 | % | |
| Netherlands | 20,776 |
| | 50,472 |
| | 227 |
| | 4,838 |
| | 76,313 |
| | 18 | % | |
| France | — |
| | 45,366 |
| | — |
| | 3,225 |
| | 48,591 |
| | 11 | % | |
| Luxembourg | — |
| | 17,494 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 17,494 |
| | 4 | % | |
| Spain | — |
| | 17,255 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 17,255 |
| | 4 | % | |
| Ireland | — |
| | 4,065 |
| | — |
| | 5,668 |
| | 9,733 |
| | 2 | % | |
| Italy | — |
| | 8,112 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 8,112 |
| | 2 | % | |
| Belgium | — |
| | 6,454 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 6,454 |
| | 2 | % | |
| Austria | 1,272 |
| | 2,922 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 4,194 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Total eurozone | $ | 160,658 |
| | $ | 243,056 |
| | $ | 227 |
| | $ | 18,907 |
| | $ | 422,848 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurozone countries: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Germany | $ | 107,291 |
| | $ | 105,712 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 11,585 |
| | $ | 224,588 |
| | 42 | % | |
| Netherlands | 23,988 |
| | 62,170 |
| | 1,866 |
| | 22,497 |
| | 110,521 |
| | 20 | % | |
| Supranationals(1) | 79,534 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 79,534 |
| | 15 | % | |
| France | — |
| | 40,693 |
| | — |
| | 8,567 |
| | 49,260 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Luxembourg | — |
| | 30,352 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 30,352 |
| | 6 | % | |
| Belgium | — |
| | 24,950 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 24,950 |
| | 5 | % | |
| Ireland | — |
| | 7,989 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7,989 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Spain | — |
| | 7,627 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7,627 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Austria | 6,108 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 6,108 |
| | 1 | % | |
| Italy | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| Total eurozone | $ | 216,921 |
| | $ | 279,493 |
| | $ | 1,866 |
| | $ | 42,649 |
| | $ | 540,929 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Includes supranationals only within the eurozone. |
We also have an indirect eurozone exposure through our investment of $104$125 million in non-U.S. bond mutual funds.
The following is an analysis of our fixed maturity portfolio by major asset classes.
U.S. Government and Agency:
The increase was mainly due to an allocation to Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities ("TIPS") which are expected to reduce the impact of rising rates on the portfolio caused by higher than expected inflation.
Non-U.S. Government:
Our holdings in non-U.S. government securities consisted of fixed income obligations of non-U.S. sovereigns, including government agencies, local governments and supranationals. The table below summarizes our aggregate fixed maturity exposures to governments in the eurozone and other non-U.S. government concentrations by fair value at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| Country | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurozone countries: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Germany | $ | 107,291 |
| | 10 | % | | AAA | | $ | 247,741 |
| | 20 | % | | AAA | |
| Supranationals(1) | 79,534 |
| | 7 | % | | AAA | | 58,350 |
| | 5 | % | | AAA | |
| Netherlands | 23,988 |
| | 2 | % | | AAA | | 63,264 |
| | 5 | % | | AAA | |
| Austria | 6,108 |
| | 1 | % | | AAA | | 16,266 |
| | 1 | % | | AAA | |
| France | — |
| | — | % | | — | | 119,820 |
| | 10 | % | | AAA | |
| Spain | — |
| | — | % | | — | | 80,010 |
| | 7 | % | | AA- | |
| Belgium | — |
| | — | % | | — | | 48,560 |
| | 4 | % | | AA | |
| Total eurozone | $ | 216,921 |
| | 20 | % | | AAA | | $ | 634,011 |
| | 52 | % | | AA+ | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Other concentrations: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| United Kingdom | $ | 201,658 |
| | 18 | % | | AAA | | $ | 245,098 |
| | 20 | % | | AAA | |
| Australia | 193,259 |
| | 17 | % | | AAA | | 108,923 |
| | 9 | % | | AAA | |
| Canada | 132,938 |
| | 12 | % | | AA+ | | 129,583 |
| | 11 | % | | AAA | |
| Russian Federation | 58,218 |
| | 5 | % | | BBB | | 23,203 |
| | 2 | % | | BBB | |
| Brazil | 49,987 |
| | 5 | % | | BBB | | 5,613 |
| | — | % | | BBB | |
| Other | 251,595 |
| | 23 | % | | A | | 66,020 |
| | 6 | % | | AA- | |
| Total other concentrations | $ | 887,655 |
| | 80 | % | | AA- | | $ | 578,440 |
| | 48 | % | | AA+ | |
| Total non-U.S. government | $ | 1,104,576 |
| | 100 | % | | AA | | $ | 1,212,451 |
| | 100 | % | | AA+ | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| Country | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurozone countries: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Supranationals(1) | $ | 115,777 |
| | 10 | % | | AAA | | $ | 79,534 |
| | 7 | % | | AAA | |
| Germany | 22,833 |
| | 2 | % | | AAA | | 107,291 |
| | 10 | % | | AAA | |
| Netherlands | 20,776 |
| | 2 | % | | AAA | | 23,988 |
| | 2 | % | | AAA | |
| Austria | 1,272 |
| | — | % | | AAA | | 6,108 |
| | 1 | % | | AAA | |
| Total eurozone | $ | 160,658 |
| | 14 | % | | AAA | | $ | 216,921 |
| | 20 | % | | AAA | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Other concentrations: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| United Kingdom | $ | 182,230 |
| | 15 | % | | AA+ | | $ | 201,658 |
| | 18 | % | | AAA | |
| Canada | 165,013 |
| | 14 | % | | AAA | | 132,938 |
| | 12 | % | | AA+ | |
| Australia | 158,056 |
| | 13 | % | | AAA | | 193,259 |
| | 17 | % | | AAA | |
| Brazil | 94,796 |
| | 8 | % | | BBB | | 49,987 |
| | 5 | % | | BBB | |
| Mexico | 66,987 |
| | 6 | % | | A- | | 35,656 |
| | 3 | % | | BBB+ | |
| Other | 348,642 |
| | 30 | % | | A- | | 274,157 |
| | 25 | % | | A- | |
| Total other concentrations | $ | 1,015,724 |
| | 86 | % | | AA- | | $ | 887,655 |
| | 80 | % | | AA- | |
| Total non-U.S. government | $ | 1,176,382 |
| | 100 | % | | AA- | | $ | 1,104,576 |
| | 100 | % | | AA | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Includes supranationals only within the eurozone. |
During 2012,2013, we decreased our allocation in non-U.S. government debt securities as we actively reducedcontinued to reduce our exposure to eurozone sovereign debt. The primary driver of the growthincrease in "other concentrations" is the $133 million funding of a portfolio ofadditional allocation to our local currency emerging market debt securities.portfolio during 2013. At December 31, 20122013, this portfolio had a weighted average credit rating of A- (2012: BBB+), a duration of 5.0 years (2012: 3.9 yearsyears) and a yield-to-worst of 7.2% (2012: 5.2%). The top four country exposures are Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Brazil. The securities in this portfolio are held in local currency and not currently hedged back to U.S. dollars.
At December 31, 20122013, our non-U.S. sovereigngovernment debt portfolio had net unrealized gainslosses of $28$32 million (20112012: $29$28 million net unrealized losses)gains) which included gross unrealized foreign exchange losses of $3$29 million (20112012: $50$3 million), mainly on euro-denominatedemerging market debt securities.
Corporate Debt:
The composition of our corporate debt securities by sector was as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Financial institutions: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. banking | $ | 986,723 |
| | 25 | % | | A- | | $ | 698,864 |
| | 19 | % | | A | |
| Corporate/commercial finance | 247,633 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB+ | | 206,404 |
| | 6 | % | | A- | |
| Insurance | 208,149 |
| | 5 | % | | A | | 64,973 |
| | 2 | % | | A- | |
| Foreign banking | 31,924 |
| | 1 | % | | A- | | 31,814 |
| | 1 | % | | A+ | |
| Consumer finance | 25,522 |
| | 1 | % | | BBB- | | 60,541 |
| | 2 | % | | A | |
| Investment brokerage | 10,110 |
| | — | % | | BB+ | | 23,814 |
| | 1 | % | | A- | |
| Total financial institutions | 1,510,061 |
| | 38 | % | | A- | | 1,086,410 |
| | 31 | % | | A | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Communications | 470,013 |
| | 12 | % | | BBB- | | 446,932 |
| | 12 | % | | BBB | |
| Consumer cyclical | 414,058 |
| | 11 | % | | BBB- | | 245,834 |
| | 7 | % | | BBB- | |
| Consumer non-cyclicals | 355,117 |
| | 9 | % | | BBB- | | 446,478 |
| | 12 | % | | BBB+ | |
| Industrials | 335,017 |
| | 9 | % | | BB+ | | 341,936 |
| | 9 | % | | BBB | |
| Utilities | 287,693 |
| | 7 | % | | BBB | | 400,687 |
| | 7 | % | | BBB+ | |
| Energy | 207,881 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB- | | 214,564 |
| | 11 | % | | BBB+ | |
| Non-U.S. government guaranteed | 94,987 |
| | 2 | % | | AAA | | 224,803 |
| | 6 | % | | AA- | |
| Other | 201,555 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB- | | 201,947 |
| | 5 | % | | BBB+ | |
| Total | $ | 3,876,382 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB | | $ | 3,609,591 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB+ | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Credit quality summary: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Investment grade | $ | 3,094,744 |
| | 80 | % | | A- | | $ | 3,148,337 |
| | 87 | % | | A- | |
| Non-investment grade | 781,638 |
| | 20 | % | | B+ | | 461,254 |
| | 13 | % | | B+ | |
| Total | $ | 3,876,382 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB | | $ | 3,609,591 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB+ | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | | Fair Value | | % of Total | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Financial institutions: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. banking | $ | 942,437 |
| | 26 | % | | A- | | $ | 986,723 |
| | 25 | % | | A- | |
| Corporate/commercial finance | 209,074 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB | | 247,633 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB+ | |
| Insurance | 166,987 |
| | 5 | % | | A | | 208,149 |
| | 5 | % | | A | |
| Foreign banking | 45,320 |
| | 1 | % | | A+ | | 31,924 |
| | 1 | % | | A- | |
| Consumer finance | 16,345 |
| | — | % | | BB | | 25,522 |
| | 1 | % | | BBB- | |
| Investment brokerage | 15,750 |
| | — | % | | BB | | 10,110 |
| | — | % | | BB+ | |
| Total financial institutions | 1,395,913 |
| | 38 | % | | A- | | 1,510,061 |
| | 38 | % | | A- | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Communications | 450,490 |
| | 12 | % | | BBB- | | 470,013 |
| | 12 | % | | BBB- | |
| Consumer cyclical | 400,798 |
| | 11 | % | | BBB- | | 414,058 |
| | 11 | % | | BBB- | |
| Consumer non-cyclicals | 345,114 |
| | 10 | % | | BBB- | | 355,117 |
| | 9 | % | | BBB- | |
| Industrials | 298,159 |
| | 8 | % | | BB+ | | 335,017 |
| | 9 | % | | BB+ | |
| Utilities | 263,615 |
| | 7 | % | | BBB | | 287,693 |
| | 7 | % | | BBB | |
| Energy | 196,991 |
| | 6 | % | | BB+ | | 207,881 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB- | |
| Non-U.S. government guaranteed | 64,982 |
| | 2 | % | | AA+ | | 94,987 |
| | 2 | % | | AAA | |
| Other | 192,176 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB- | | 201,555 |
| | 6 | % | | BBB- | |
| Total | $ | 3,608,238 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB | | $ | 3,876,382 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Credit quality summary: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Investment grade | $ | 2,707,591 |
| | 75 | % | | A- | | $ | 3,094,744 |
| | 80 | % | | A- | |
| Non-investment grade | 900,647 |
| | 25 | % | | B+ | | 781,638 |
| | 20 | % | | B+ | |
| Total | $ | 3,608,238 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB | | $ | 3,876,382 |
| | 100 | % | | BBB | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
During 2013, proceeds from sales of certain investment grade corporate holdings were reinvested primarily in ABS and municipal debt securities. The increase in corporate debtnon-investment grade holdings during 2012 was mainlyis due to the increase inadditional funds being allocated to our allocation to short duration high yield corporate debt securities.strategy during 2013. At December 31, 20122013, our short duration high yield portfolio had a fair value of $793$916 million (20112012: $499$793 million), a weighted-averageweighted average credit rating of B+ (20112012: BB-B+) and duration of 1.6 years (2012: 1.7 years (2011: 1.3 years). The primary sector exposures for this high yield portfolio are consumer cyclical, communications, industrials, consumer non-cyclicals and energy. These five sectors comprise 75% (2011: 76%) of the total fair value of this portfolio.
During 2012, we added to our U.S. banking holdings as, despite the significant rally in investment-grade corporates, spreads in this sector remained attractive relative to historical averages. At December 31, 2012 and 2011, all of our holdings in this sector are investment-grade. Our holdings of non-U.S. government guaranteed corporates declined during 2012 due to the lack of new supply to replace securities that matured during the year.
At December 31, 20122013, our total corporate debt portfolio, including short duration high yield securities, had a weighted average credit rating of BBB (2011: BBB+) and a duration of 2.92.4 years (20112012: 3.12.9 years). The decline in the weighted average credit rating for the portfolio in 2012 was largely due to the increase in our allocation to short duration high yield corporate debt securities.
Mortgage-Backed Securities:
The following table provides a breakdown of the fair value of our RMBS and CMBS portfolios by credit rating:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| | RMBS | | CMBS | | RMBS | | CMBS | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Government agency | $ | 2,659,908 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 2,636,634 |
| | $ | — |
| |
| AAA | 27,266 |
| | 603,001 |
| | 92,851 |
| | 260,443 |
| |
| AA | 5,631 |
| | 150,508 |
| | 5,398 |
| | 40,776 |
| |
| A | 6,687 |
| | 65,520 |
| | 5,155 |
| | 11,472 |
| |
| BBB | 7,638 |
| | 21,055 |
| | 8,517 |
| | — |
| |
| Below BBB(1) | 47,977 |
| | — |
| | 53,792 |
| | — |
| |
| Total | $ | 2,755,107 |
| | $ | 840,084 |
| | $ | 2,802,347 |
| | $ | 312,691 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| | RMBS | | CMBS | | RMBS | | CMBS | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Government agency | $ | 2,448,827 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 2,659,908 |
| | $ | — |
| |
| AAA | 12,261 |
| | 411,811 |
| | 27,266 |
| | 603,001 |
| |
| AA | 370 |
| | 233,360 |
| | 5,631 |
| | 150,508 |
| |
| A | 5,891 |
| | 73,932 |
| | 6,687 |
| | 65,520 |
| |
| BBB | 8,095 |
| | 76,493 |
| | 7,638 |
| | 21,055 |
| |
| Below BBB(1) | 40,950 |
| | 1,818 |
| | 47,977 |
| | — |
| |
| Total | $ | 2,516,394 |
| | $ | 797,414 |
| | $ | 2,755,107 |
| | $ | 840,084 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Non-investment grade securities |
Residential MBS:
Our RMBS portfolio consists primarily of AAA-rated U.S. agency issues and is supported by loans that are diversified across geographical areas. Due to a change in prepayment speed assumptions caused by rising interest rates, the duration of our agency MBS holdings expanded from 1.8 years at December 31, 2011 to 2.6 years at December 31, 2012.2012 to 4.9 years at December 31, 2013.
During 2012,2013, our holdings of non-agency RMBS declined mainly due to paydowns.paydowns and a reallocation to other asset classes. At December 31, 20122013, the average duration and weighted average life was 0.30.5 years (20112012: 0.10.3 years) and 3.54.0 years (20112012: 5.83.5 years), respectively, for non-agency RMBS.
Commercial MBS:
We increased our allocation to commercial MBS in 2012, primarily due to attractive valuations relative to other structured products. Our non-agency CMBS portfolio continues to be rated highly, with approximately 90%81% rated AA or better (20112012: 96%90%). Additionally, the weighted average estimated subordination percentage for the portfolio was 30% at December 31, 20122013 (20112012: 25%30%), which represents the current weighted average estimated percentage of the capital structure subordinated to the investment holding that is available to absorb losses before the security incurs the first dollar loss of principal. At December 31, 20122013, the average duration and weighted average life was 2.82.5 years (20112012: 2.92.8 years) and 3.12.6 years (20112012: 4.23.1 years), respectively.
Asset-Backed Securities:
The following table provides a breakdown of the fair value of our ABS by underlying collateral and credit rating:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Asset-backed securities | |
| | AAA | | AA | | A | | BBB | | Below BBB(3) | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | |
| Auto | $ | 157,932 |
| | $ | 5,221 |
| | $ | 30,743 |
| | $ | 28,402 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 222,298 |
| |
| Student loan | 152,653 |
| | 6,862 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 159,515 |
| |
| Credit card | 52,984 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 52,984 |
| |
| CLO - debt tranches | — |
| | 17,222 |
| | 8,853 |
| | 14,749 |
| | 11,750 |
| | 52,574 |
| |
| Other | 137,650 |
| | 4,237 |
| | 5,487 |
| | 4,860 |
| | 3,601 |
| | 155,835 |
| |
| Total | $ | 501,219 |
| | $ | 33,542 |
| | $ | 45,083 |
| �� | $ | 48,011 |
| | $ | 15,351 |
| | $ | 643,206 |
| |
| % of total | 78 | % | | 5 | % | | 7 | % | | 8 | % | | 2 | % | | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | |
| Auto | $ | 265,652 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 265,652 |
| |
| Student loan | 152,100 |
| | 7,893 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 159,993 |
| |
| Credit card | 91,461 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 91,461 |
| |
| CLO - debt tranches | — |
| | — |
| | 24,775 |
| | 13,101 |
| | 9,643 |
| | 47,519 |
| |
| Other | 65,392 |
| | 371 |
| | 160 |
| | 227 |
| | 1,267 |
| | 67,417 |
| |
| Total | $ | 574,605 |
| | $ | 8,264 |
| | $ | 24,935 |
| | $ | 13,328 |
| | $ | 10,910 |
| | $ | 632,042 |
| |
| % of total | 91 | % | | 1 | % | | 4 | % | | 2 | % | | 2 | % | | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Asset-backed securities | |
| | AAA | | AA | | A | | BBB | | Below BBB(3) | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2013 | | | | | | | |
| CLO - debt tranches | $ | 399,736 |
| | $ | 179,318 |
| | $ | 5,575 |
| | $ | 8,902 |
| | $ | 484 |
| | $ | 594,015 |
| |
| Auto | 82,982 |
| | 41,911 |
| | 29,828 |
| | 23,394 |
| | — |
| | 178,115 |
| |
| Student loan | 67,767 |
| | 15,156 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 82,923 |
| |
| Credit card | 7,110 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 7,110 |
| |
| Other | 79,316 |
| | 1,496 |
| | 2,979 |
| | 4,756 |
| | 2,741 |
| | 91,288 |
| |
| Total | $ | 636,911 |
| | $ | 237,881 |
| | $ | 38,382 |
| | $ | 37,052 |
| | $ | 3,225 |
| | $ | 953,451 |
| |
| % of total | 67% | | 25% | | 4% | | 4% | | —% | | 100% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | |
| Auto | $ | 157,932 |
| | $ | 5,221 |
| | $ | 30,743 |
| | $ | 28,402 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 222,298 |
| |
| Student loan | 152,653 |
| | 6,862 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 159,515 |
| |
| Credit card | 52,984 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 52,984 |
| |
| CLO - debt tranches | 37,774 |
| | 17,222 |
| | 8,853 |
| | 14,749 |
| | 12,648 |
| | 91,246 |
| |
| Other | 99,876 |
| | 4,237 |
| | 5,487 |
| | 4,860 |
| | 2,703 |
| | 117,163 |
| |
| Total | $ | 501,219 |
| | $ | 33,542 |
| | $ | 45,083 |
| | $ | 48,011 |
| | $ | 15,351 |
| | $ | 643,206 |
| |
| % of total | 78% | | 5% | | 7% | | 8% | | 2% | | 100% | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The increase in the total fair value during 2013 was primarily due to incremental investments in CLO Debt securities. The CLO Debt is anticipated to reduce the impact of potential future increases in interest rates while not compromising the high credit quality of our fixed maturities portfolio. These securities were purchased primarily as new issues and all had ratings of AA- or better. The average duration and weighted average life of our ABS portfolio at December 31, 20122013 was 0.90.6 years (20112012: 0.70.9 years) and 3.64.0 years (20112012: 3.13.6 years), respectively.
Municipals:
Our holdings in municipal debt are primarily held within the taxable portfolios of our U.S. subsidiaries and include debt issuance from states, municipalities and political subdivisions. The following table provides a breakdown of the fair value of our municipal debt portfolio by state and between Revenue and General Obligation (“G.O.”) bonds:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G.O. | | Revenue | | Total | | % of Total Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Gains | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| New York | $ | 46,597 |
| | $ | 163,859 |
| | $ | 210,456 |
| | 16 | % | | $ | 10,644 |
| | $ | (301 | ) | | AA | |
| California | 65,477 |
| | 139,239 |
| | 204,716 |
| | 16 | % | | 11,929 |
| | (250 | ) | | A+ | |
| Texas | 37,576 |
| | 86,795 |
| | 124,371 |
| | 10 | % | | 5,584 |
| | (8 | ) | | AA | |
| Florida | 7,797 |
| | 70,000 |
| | 77,797 |
| | 6 | % | | 4,444 |
| | — |
| | AA- | |
| Illinois | 19,572 |
| | 55,116 |
| | 74,688 |
| | 6 | % | | 3,267 |
| | (33 | ) | | A+ | |
| Other | 154,958 |
| | 438,823 |
| | 593,781 |
| | 46 | % | | 22,902 |
| | (133 | ) | | AA | |
| | $ | 331,977 |
| | $ | 953,832 |
| | $ | 1,285,809 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 58,770 |
| | $ | (725 | ) | | AA- | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| New York | $ | 47,856 |
| | $ | 153,068 |
| | $ | 200,924 |
| | 16 | % | | $ | 9,020 |
| | $ | (6 | ) | | AA | |
| California | 66,113 |
| | 132,870 |
| | 198,983 |
| | 16 | % | | 9,874 |
| | (162 | ) | | A+ | |
| Texas | 46,446 |
| | 91,235 |
| | 137,681 |
| | 11 | % | | 5,355 |
| | (5 | ) | | AA | |
| Florida | 10,344 |
| | 57,825 |
| | 68,169 |
| | 6 | % | | 3,297 |
| | — |
| | AA- | |
| Washington | 27,515 |
| | 30,177 |
| | 57,692 |
| | 5 | % | | 2,184 |
| | (9 | ) | | AA | |
| Other | 117,217 |
| | 442,045 |
| | 559,262 |
| | 46 | % | | 22,708 |
| | (1,498 | ) | | AA- | |
| | $ | 315,491 |
| | $ | 907,220 |
| | $ | 1,222,711 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 52,438 |
| | $ | (1,680 | ) | | AA- | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | G.O. | | Revenue | | Total | | % of Total Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Gains | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | Weighted Average Credit Rating | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2013 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| New York | $ | 68,633 |
| | $ | 199,160 |
| | $ | 267,793 |
| | 17% | | $ | 4,973 |
| | $ | (3,406 | ) | | AA | |
| California | 70,302 |
| | 134,786 |
| | 205,088 |
| | 13% | | 7,390 |
| | (1,871 | ) | | AA- | |
| Texas | 50,685 |
| | 125,201 |
| | 175,886 |
| | 11% | | 2,707 |
| | (1,690 | ) | | AA | |
| Florida | 13,307 |
| | 78,903 |
| | 92,210 |
| | 6% | | 2,982 |
| | (170 | ) | | AA- | |
| Illinois | 15,523 |
| | 68,095 |
| | 83,618 |
| | 5% | | 1,947 |
| | (533 | ) | | A | |
| Other | 162,231 |
| | 558,924 |
| | 721,155 |
| | 48% | | 12,433 |
| | (6,846 | ) | | A | |
| | $ | 380,681 |
| | $ | 1,165,069 |
| | $ | 1,545,750 |
| | 100% | | $ | 32,432 |
| | $ | (14,516 | ) | | AA- | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| New York | $ | 46,597 |
| | $ | 163,859 |
| | $ | 210,456 |
| | 16% | | $ | 10,644 |
| | $ | (301 | ) | | AA | |
| California | 65,477 |
| | 139,239 |
| | 204,716 |
| | 16% | | 11,929 |
| | (250 | ) | | A+ | |
| Texas | 37,576 |
| | 86,795 |
| | 124,371 |
| | 10% | | 5,584 |
| | (8 | ) | | AA | |
| Florida | 7,797 |
| | 70,000 |
| | 77,797 |
| | 6% | | 4,444 |
| | — |
| | AA- | |
| Illinois | 19,572 |
| | 55,116 |
| | 74,688 |
| | 6% | | 3,267 |
| | (33 | ) | | A+ | |
| Other | 154,958 |
| | 438,823 |
| | 593,781 |
| | 46% | | 22,902 |
| | (133 | ) | | AA | |
| | $ | 331,977 |
| | $ | 953,832 |
| | $ | 1,285,809 |
| | 100% | | $ | 58,770 |
| | $ | (725 | ) | | AA- | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
During 2012,2013, we continued to add municipal debt securities, primarily towithin our taxable U.S. portfolios due to the attractive relative value ofvaluations available within this asset class.
G.O. bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the authority that issued the debt and are secured by the taxing powers of those authorities. Revenue bonds are backed by the revenue stream generated by the services provided by the issuer (e.g. sewer, water or utility projects). As issuers of revenue bonds do not have the ability to draw from tax revenues or levy taxes to fund obligations, revenue bonds may carry a greater risk of default than G.O. bonds. At December 31, 20122013, the top three revenue streams related to transportation (25%), school (11%) and power (11%) (2012: transportation (22%), school (12%) and power (11%) (2011: transportation (20%), power (15%) and school (14%)).
Additionally, certain of our holdings in municipal debt are insured by financial guarantee companies. At December 31, 20122013, we held insurance enhanced municipal bonds in the amount of $202$150 million (20112012: $231$202 million), with a weighted average credit rating of AA- (20112012: AA-). In the event the financial guarantors are unable to make good on their guarantee on a defaulted security, we would then be exposed to the credit loss. Excluding the insurance benefit from the financial guarantee companies, the weighted average credit quality of our insured bond holdings would be AA- (20112012: AA-). At December 31, 20122013, our largest exposures to financial guarantors were Assured Guaranty Corp. for $90$65 million (20112012: $92$90 million), and National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation for $58$43 million (20112012: $63 million) and Ambac Financial Group, Inc. for $31 million (2011: $38$58 million). We had no direct investments in either of these companies at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012.
Gross Unrealized Losses:
At December 31, 20122013, the gross unrealized losses on our fixed maturities portfolio were $18$180 million (20112012: $125$18 million).
The following table provides information on the severity of the unrealized loss position as a percentage of amortized cost for all investment grade fixed maturities in an unrealized loss position and includes any impact of foreign exchange:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| Severity of Unrealized Loss | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 0-10% | $ | 1,547,790 |
| | $ | (13,192 | ) | | 92 | % | | $ | 2,461,280 |
| | $ | (78,634 | ) | | 74 | % | |
| 10-20% | 9,533 |
| | (1,171 | ) | | 8 | % | | 174,001 |
| | (24,829 | ) | | 23 | % | |
| 20-30% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | 9,853 |
| | (3,110 | ) | | 3 | % | |
| 30-40% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| 40-50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| > 50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| Total | $ | 1,557,323 |
| | $ | (14,363 | ) | | 100 | % | | $ | 2,645,134 |
| | $ | (106,573 | ) | | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| Severity of Unrealized Loss | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 0-10% | $ | 4,689,773 |
| | $ | (117,975 | ) | | 66 | % | | $ | 1,547,790 |
| | $ | (13,192 | ) | | 92 | % | |
| 10-20% | 290,477 |
| | (40,494 | ) | | 23 | % | | 9,533 |
| | (1,171 | ) | | 8 | % | |
| 20-30% | 35,503 |
| | (10,713 | ) | | 6 | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| 30-40% | 17,317 |
| | (8,673 | ) | | 5 | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| 40-50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| > 50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| Total | $ | 5,033,070 |
| | $ | (177,855 | ) | | 100 | % | | $ | 1,557,323 |
| | $ | (14,363 | ) | | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The improvementincrease in gross unrealized losses on investment-grade pricingsecurities is primarily due to significant credit spread tightening. Lower risk-freethe upward shift in sovereign yield curves. The severity range from 20-40% consists of emerging market debt securities which experienced a decline in pricing due to rising interest rates on European issues also had a meaningful impact on the reductionas well as adverse movements in total gross unrealized losses compared to 2011.foreign exchange rates.
The following table provides information on the severity of the unrealized loss position as a percentage of amortized cost for all non-investment grade fixed maturities in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| Severity of Unrealized Loss | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 0-10% | $ | 143,396 |
| | $ | (3,223 | ) | | 79 | % | | $ | 170,244 |
| | $ | (4,965 | ) | | 27 | % | |
| 10-20% | 4,302 |
| | (714 | ) | | 17 | % | | 29,538 |
| | (4,733 | ) | | 26 | % | |
| 20-30% | 583 |
| | (185 | ) | | 4 | % | | 17,647 |
| | (6,532 | ) | | 36 | % | |
| 30-40% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | 4,172 |
| | (2,081 | ) | | 11 | % | |
| 40-50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| > 50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| Total | $ | 148,281 |
| | $ | (4,122 | ) | | 100 | % | | $ | 221,601 |
| | $ | (18,311 | ) | | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| Severity of Unrealized Loss | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | | Fair Value | | Gross Unrealized Losses | | % of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 0-10% | $ | 125,663 |
| | $ | (1,880 | ) | | 86 | % | | $ | 143,396 |
| | $ | (3,223 | ) | | 79 | % | |
| 10-20% | 2,349 |
| | (302 | ) | | 14 | % | | 4,302 |
| | (714 | ) | | 17 | % | |
| 20-30% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | 583 |
| | (185 | ) | | 4 | % | |
| 30-40% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| 40-50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| > 50% | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | | — |
| | — |
| | — | % | |
| Total | $ | 128,012 |
| | $ | (2,182 | ) | | 100 | % | | $ | 148,281 |
| | $ | (4,122 | ) | | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Despite significantly increasing our allocation to our short duration high yield corporate debtstrategy during 2012,2013, both the amount and severity of gross unrealized losses on our non-investment grade fixed maturities declined, primarily due to significant tightening of high yield credit spreads.
Equities
During 2012,2013, we decreased our allocation to global equities, mainly due tothrough sales of exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) which were originally introduced to our portfolio in 2011 to provide highly liquid and cost efficient exposure to the global equity markets.common stocks. The proceeds fromof these sales were reinvestedused to fund incremental investments in high yield corporate debt and hedge funds.
At December 31, 20122013, our equities portfolio had net unrealized gains of $58$136 million (20112012: $22$58 million); the increase of $78 million net unrealized losses)was a result of which most relate to our managed portfolios. The $80 million change in net unrealized gains/losses was caused primarily by the strong rally in theperformance of global equity markets during 2012.2013.
Other Investments
The composition of our other investment portfolio is summarized as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2012 | | December 31, 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Hedge funds | | | | | | | | |
| Long/short equity funds | $ | 302,680 |
| | 36 | % | | $ | 214,498 |
| | 31 | % | |
| Multi-strategy funds | 244,075 |
| | 29 | % | | 230,750 |
| | 33 | % | |
| Event-driven funds | 149,670 |
| | 17 | % | | 99,061 |
| | 14 | % | |
| Total hedge funds | 696,425 |
| | 82 | % | | 544,309 |
| | 78 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Credit funds | | | | | | | | |
| Leveraged bank loan funds | 62,768 |
| | 8 | % | | 69,132 |
| | 10 | % | |
| Event-driven funds | 21,809 |
| | 3 | % | | 19,319 |
| | 3 | % | |
| Total credit funds | 84,577 |
| | 11 | % | | 88,451 |
| | 13 | % | |
| Total hedge and credit funds | 781,002 |
| | 93 | % | | 632,760 |
| | 91 | % | |
| CLO - Equities | 62,435 |
| | 7 | % | | 66,560 |
| | 9 | % | |
| Total other investments | $ | 843,437 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 699,320 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2013 | | December 31, 2012 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Hedge funds | | | | | | | | |
| Long/short equity funds | $ | 425,444 |
| | 41 | % | | $ | 302,680 |
| | 36 | % | |
| Multi-strategy funds | 285,155 |
| | 27 | % | | 244,075 |
| | 29 | % | |
| Event-driven funds | 190,458 |
| | 18 | % | | 171,479 |
| | 20 | % | |
| Leveraged bank loan funds | 48,753 |
| | 5 | % | | 62,768 |
| | 8 | % | |
| Total hedge funds | 949,810 |
| | 91 | % | | 781,002 |
| | 93 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Direct lending funds | $ | 22,134 |
| | 2 | % | | — |
| | — | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Total hedge and direct lending funds | 971,944 |
| | 93 | % | | 781,002 |
| | 93 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| CLO - Equities | 73,866 |
| | 7 | % | | 62,435 |
| | 7 | % | |
| Total other investments | $ | 1,045,810 |
| | 100 | % | | $ | 843,437 |
| | 100 | % | |
| | | | | | | | | |
The $148$169 million increase in the fair value of our total hedge and credit funds in 20122013 was driven by $92$68 million of net subscriptions as well as $56$101 million of increased valuations during the year as our hedge and credit funds tracked the rally instrong performance of the global equity and credit markets. Certain of these funds may be subject to restrictions on redemptions which may limit our ability to liquidate these investments in the short term. Refer toSee Item 8, Note 5(b) of our Consolidated Financial Statements for further details.details on these restrictions.
The $4We have made total commitments of $110 million decreaseto managers of direct lending funds. To date, $22 million of this commitment has been called. During 2013, we made a $60 million commitment as a limited partner in a multi-strategy hedge fund, of which $6 million has been called to date. Further, during 2013, we made a $60 million commitment as a limited partner in a fund that invests primarily in CLO equities ("CLO fund"), of which $33 million has been called to date. See Item 8, Note 5(b) of our Consolidated Financial Statements for further details on the investment terms relating to these commitments.
At December 31, 2013, $33 million of the CLO fund commitment had been called. This is the primary reason for the increase in the fair value of our CLO - Equities during the year. In addition, our direct investments in CLO –- Equities since December 31, 2011, was due to $31provided $27 million of improved valuations,net investment income during the year, offset by $35the receipt of $50 million of cash distributions. Included in cashthese distributions received during 2012.were $24 million from two of our holdings which have entered the liquidation phase of their investment cycle and have begun returning capital to equity tranche holders.
Restricted Investments
In order to support our obligations in regulatory jurisdictions where we operate as a non-admitted carrier, we provide collateral in the form of assets held in trust and, to a lesser extent, letters of credit. Refer to Item 8, Note 10(b) to our Consolidated Financial Statements for further information on our collateral requirements upon issuance of certain letters of credit. The fair value of our restricted investments primarily relates to these items, as noted in the table below. Our restricted investments primarily consist of high-quality fixed maturity and short-term investment securities. During 2013, we established AXIS Syndicate to write insurance and reinsurance business. The collateral pledged in connection with this new Lloyd's syndicate was the main driver of the year-over-year increase in total restricted investments.
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| At December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | |
| Collateral in Trust for inter-company agreements | $ | 2,134,931 |
| | $ | 1,921,586 |
| |
| Collateral for secured letter of credit facility | 470,062 |
| | 441,229 |
| |
| Collateral in Trust for third party agreements | 245,539 |
| | 238,395 |
| |
| Securities on deposit with regulatory authorities | 59,456 |
| | 49,543 |
| |
| Total restricted investments | $ | 2,909,988 |
| | $ | 2,650,753 |
| |
| | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| At December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| | | | | |
| Collateral in Trust for inter-company agreements | $ | 2,261,081 |
| | $ | 2,134,931 |
| |
| Collateral for secured letter of credit facility | 777,828 |
| | 470,062 |
| |
| Collateral in Trust for third party agreements | 276,839 |
| | 245,539 |
| |
| Securities on deposit with regulatory authorities | 58,327 |
| | 59,456 |
| |
| Total restricted investments | $ | 3,374,075 |
| | $ | 2,909,988 |
| |
| | | | | |
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
LIQUIDITY
Liquidity is a measure of a company’s ability to generate cash flows sufficient to meet the short-term and long-term cash requirements of its business operations. We manage our liquidity at both the holding company and operating subsidiary level.
Holding Company
As a holding company, AXIS Capital has no operations of its own and its assets consist primarily of investments in its subsidiaries. Accordingly, AXIS Capital’s future cash flows depend on the availability of dividends or other statutorily permissible distributions, such as returns of capital, from its subsidiaries. The ability to pay such dividends and/or distributions is limited by the applicable laws and regulations of the various countries and states in which AXIS Capital’s subsidiaries operate (refer to Item 8, Note 18,20, to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information), as well as the need to maintain capital levels to adequately support (re)insurance operations and to preserve financial strength ratings issued by independent rating agencies. During 20122013, AXIS Capital received $566 million (2012: $525 million (; 2011: $385 million; 2010: $698 million) of distributions from its subsidiaries. AXIS Capital’s primary uses of funds are dividend payments to both common and preferred shareholders, share repurchases, interest and principal payments on debt, capital investments in subsidiaries and payment of corporate operating expenses. We believe the dividend/distribution capacity of AXIS Capital’s subsidiaries, which was over $1 billion at December 31, 20122013, will provide AXIS Capital with sufficient liquidity for the foreseeable future.
Operating Subsidiaries
AXIS Capital’s operating subsidiaries primarily derive cash from the net inflow of premiums less claim payments related to underwriting activities and from net investment income. Historically, these cash receipts have been sufficient to fund the operating expenses of these subsidiaries, as well as to fund dividend payments to AXIS Capital. The subsidiaries’ remaining cash flows are generally reinvested in our investment portfolio, although they have also been used to fund common share repurchases in recent periods.
The (re)insurance business of our operating subsidiaries inherently provides liquidity, as premiums are received in advance (sometimes substantially in advance) of the time claims are paid. However, the amount of cash required to fund claim payments can fluctuate significantly from period to period, due to the low frequency/high severity nature of certain types of business we write.
The following table summarizes our consolidated cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities in the last three years:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total cash provided by (used in)(1) | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Operating activities | $ | 1,120,617 |
| | $ | 1,190,142 |
| | $ | 1,187,777 |
| |
| Investing activities | (862,381 | ) | | (832,718 | ) | | (687,790 | ) | |
| Financing activities | (481,811 | ) | | (302,480 | ) | | (351,661 | ) | |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | 1,543 |
| | (2,610 | ) | | (7,425 | ) | |
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | (222,032 | ) | | $ | 52,334 |
| | $ | 140,901 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total cash provided by (used in)(1) | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Operating activities | $ | 1,096,968 |
| | $ | 1,120,617 |
| | $ | 1,190,142 |
| |
| Investing activities | (489,287 | ) | | (862,381 | ) | | (832,718 | ) | |
| Financing activities | (441,094 | ) | | (481,811 | ) | | (302,480 | ) | |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | (3,078 | ) | | 1,543 |
| | (2,610 | ) | |
| Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | $ | 163,509 |
| | $ | (222,032 | ) | | $ | 52,334 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | See Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows included in Item 8, ‘Financial Statements and Supplementary Data’, of this report for additional information. |
While our 2011Net cash flows fromprovided by operating activities were comparablewas $1.1 billion in 2013 and 2012 compared to 2010, there were certain notable underlying movements; net premium-related$1.2 billion in 2011. The Company's insurance and reinsurance operations typically receive principal cash receipts increased but were partially offsetinflows from premiums and reinsurance recoverables. Our principal cash outflows are for the payment of claims and loss adjustment expenses, premium payments to reinsurers, policy acquisition costs and operating expenses. Cash provided by an increase in net paid losses. Premium receipts increasedoperating activities can fluctuate due to growth in gross premiums written, as well as changes in reinsurance purchasing effectedtiming differences in the second quartercollection of 2010.premium receivable and reinsurance recoverables and the payment of losses and premiums payable. The high frequency and severity of natural catastrophe and weather-related eventssmall reductions in 2010 and 2011 drove an increase in net paid losses, though this was partially offset by a continued reduction in payments related to lines of business impacted by the global financial crisis. The slight reduction in operating cash flows in 2013 and 2012 waswere driven by an
increase in net paid losses as we continued to pay claimssettle losses related to 2010prior years' natural catastrophe and 2011
events. Partially offsetting this wasweather-related events, partially offset by an increase in net premium receipts driven by growth in gross premiums written; this growthnet written premiums.
The cash outflows from investing activities for 2013 related principally to the net purchase of fixed maturities of $0.6 billion (2012: $0.9 billion, 2011: $0.3 billion). This was partially muteda result of reinvesting net investment income across a variety of fixed income asset classes. The decrease in the second half ofinvesting cash flows compared to prior years relates to an increased allocation to cash and cash equivalents during the year. During 2012, duefixed income purchases included increased allocations to the previously discussed changes in reinsurance purchasing in the second quarter.
TIPS, short duration high yield corporate debt and CMBS. During 2011, we increased our allocation to global equities and hedge funds, driving combined net purchases of equities and other investments of $0.5 billion. Our remaining cash outflows for 2011, and the majority for 2012 and 2010, largely related to the net purchase of fixed maturities (2012: $0.9 billion, 2011: $0.3 billion, 2010: $0.6 billion). Fixed income purchases for 2012 included the previously discussed increased allocations to TIPS, short duration high yield corporate debt and CMBS, a portion of which was funded from cash on hand at the end of 2011. Refer to the ‘Cash and Investments’ section for further details.
Dividends paid to common and preferred shareholders are the primary source of recurring cash flows used in financial activities and totaled $159158 million in 20122013 (2012: $159 million, 2011: $243 million, 2010: $145 million); this amount was higher for 2011 relative to the preceding and succeeding years largely due to the payment of deferred dividends to certain warrant holders upon exercise (refer to Item 8, Note 13 to our Consolidated Financial Statements). Financing cash outflows also included common share repurchases totaling $318472 million, $66318 million and $71066 million, respectively in 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011., respectively. We note that market share repurchases are completely discretionarydiscretionary; the timing and amount of the additional repurchase transactions will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, global (re)insurance and financial market conditions and opportunities, capital management and regulatory considerations (see ‘Capital Resources – Share Repurchases’ below). During 2013 and 2012, financing cash flows also included a net $118 million inflow and $11 million outflow, respectively, related to the three preferred share transactions discussed under 'Capital Resources - Preferred Shares' below. During 2010,2013, cash outflows were partially offset by the $495a $50 million net proceeds received from our senior notes issuance (discussedthird party investment in shares issued by Ventures Re (See noncontrolling interests discussion in Item 8, Note 10(a)14 of ourthe Consolidated Financial Statements).
Our diversified underwriting portfolio has demonstrated an ability to withstand catastrophic losses. Since 2003, with the only exception being 2009, our annual cash flows from operations were in excess of $1 billion; operating cash flows of $850 billion forwith 2009 werebeing adversely impacted by claims arising amidstfrom the global financial crisis and a non-recurring payment of $200 million to settle our insurance derivative contract. Thesecrisis. Besides 2009, these positive cash flows were generated notwithstanding the impacts of the global financial crisis on other financial years and the recognition of significant natural catastrophe-related losses during the period: our net losses and loss expenses included $266 million for Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne in 2004; $1,019 million for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005; $408 million for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008; $256 million for the Chilean earthquake and New Zealand Iearthquakes in 2010; $944 million for numerous natural catastrophe and weather events in 2011; and $331 million for Storm Sandy in 2012. There remains significant uncertainty associated with our estimates of net losses for certain of these events (see ‘Underwriting Results – Group – Underwriting Expenses’ for further details), as well as the timing of the associated cash outflows.
Should claim payment obligations accelerate beyond our ability to fund payments from operating cash flows, we would utilize our cash and cash equivalent balances and/or liquidate a portion of our investment portfolio. Our investment portfolio is heavily weighted towards conservative, high quality and highly liquid securities. We expect that, if necessary, approximately $13.4$13.1 billion of cash and invested assets at December 31, 20122013 could be available in one to three business days under normal market conditions; of this amount, $2.9$3.1 billion relates to restricted assets, which primarily support our obligations in regulatory jurisdictions where we operate as a non-admitted carrier (see Item 8, Note 5(e) to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details). For context, our largest 1-in-250 year return period, single occurrence, single-zone modeled probable maximum loss (Southeast U.S. Hurricane) is approximately $1 billion887 million, net of reinsurance; our claim payments pertaining to such an event would be paid out over a period spanning many months. Our internal risk tolerance framework aims to limit both the loss of capital due to a single event, and the loss of capital that would occur from multiple but perhaps smaller events, in any year. Refer to the ‘Risk and Capital Management’ section of Item 1 for further information.
Our net paid losses may continue to increase in the short-term, due to the recent significant level of natural catastrophe activity. However, weWe continue to expect that cash flows generated from our operations, combined with the liquidity provided by our investment portfolio, will be sufficient to cover our required cash outflows and other contractual commitments through the foreseeable future. Refer to the ‘Contractual Obligations and Commitments’ section below for further information about the anticipated amounts and timing of our contractual obligations and commitments.
CAPITAL RESOURCES
In addition to common equity, we have utilized other external sources of financing, including debt, preferred shares and letters of credit to support our business operations. We believe that we hold sufficient capital to allow us to take advantage of market opportunities and to maintain our financial strength ratings, as well as to comply with various local statutory regulations. We monitor our capital adequacy on a regular basis and will seek to adjust our capital base (up or down) according to the needs of our business (see ‘Risk and Capital Management’ in Item 1).
The following table summarizes our consolidated capital position for the periods indicated:
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| At December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | |
| Long-term debt | $ | 995,245 |
| | $ | 994,664 |
| |
| | | | | |
| Preferred shares | 502,843 |
| | 500,000 |
| |
| Common equity | 5,276,918 |
| | 4,944,079 |
| |
| Shareholders’ equity | 5,779,761 |
| | 5,444,079 |
| |
| Total capital | $ | 6,775,006 |
| | $ | 6,438,743 |
| |
| | | | | |
| Ratio of debt to total capital | 14.7 | % | | 15.4 | % | |
| | | | | |
| Ratio of debt and preferred equity to total capital | 22.1 | % | | 23.2 | % | |
| | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| At December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| | | | | |
| Long-term debt | $ | 995,855 |
| | $ | 995,245 |
| |
| | | | | |
| Preferred shares | 627,843 |
| | 502,843 |
| |
| Common equity | 5,190,119 |
| | 5,276,918 |
| |
| Shareholders’ equity attributable to AXIS Capital | 5,817,962 |
| | 5,779,761 |
| |
| Total capital | $ | 6,813,817 |
| | $ | 6,775,006 |
| |
| | | | | |
| Ratio of debt to total capital | 14.6 | % | | 14.7 | % | |
| | | | | |
| Ratio of debt and preferred equity to total capital | 23.8 | % | | 22.1 | % | |
| | | | | |
We finance our operations with a combination of debt and equity capital. Our debt to total capital and debt and preferred equity to total capital ratios provide an indication of our capital structure, along with some insight into our financial strength. A company with higher ratios in comparison to industry average may show weak financial strength because the cost of its debts may adversely affect results of operations and/or increase its default risk. We believe that our financial flexibility remains strong.
Long-term Debt: Long-term debt represents the senior notes we issued during 2004 and 2010, which mature in 2014 and 2020, respectively. For further information, refer to Item 8, Note 10(a) of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Preferred Shares:
During 2005, we issued $250 million of 7.25% Series A and $250 million of 7.50% Series B non-cumulative preferred shares.
During March 2012, we issued 16 million newly designated 6.875% Series C preferred shares with a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share for gross proceeds of $400 million. Dividends on the Series C preferred shares are non-cumulative; to the extent declared, dividends will accumulate, with respect to each dividend period, in an amount per share equal to 6.875% of the liquidation preference per annum. We may redeem the shares on or after April 15, 2017 at a redemption price of $25.00 per share.
Concurrent with the closing of the Series C preferred share issuance, we redeemed six6 million of our previously outstanding Series A preferred shares at the $25.00 per share redemption price, for a total redemption of $150 million. Following this redemption, four4 million Series A preferred shares, representing $100 million in aggregate liquidation preference, remainremained outstanding.
During April 2012, we closed a cash tender offer for any and all of our outstanding Series B preferred shares at a price of $102.81 per share. As a result, we repurchased 2,471,570 Series B Preferred shares, for $254 million. At December 31, 2012, 28,430 Series B preferred shares, representing $3 million in aggregate liquidation preference, remainremained outstanding. We may redeem these shares on or after December 1, 2015, at a redemption price of $100.00 per share.
During May 2013, we issued 9 million newly designated 5.50% Series D preferred shares with a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share for gross proceeds of $225 million. Dividends on the Series D preferred shares are non-cumulative; to the extent declared, dividends will accumulate, with respect to each dividend period, in an amount per share equal to 5.50% of the liquidation preference per annum. We may redeem these shares on or after June 1, 2018 at a redemption price of $25.00 per share.
Concurrent with the closing of the Series D preferred share issuance, we redeemed the remaining 4 million of 7.25% Series A preferred shares outstanding at a $25.00 per share redemption price for a total of $100 million.
On a combined basis, these threefive transactions resulted in a $7 million decrease in book value and a 4299 basis point reduction in the weighted average annual dividend rate on our preferred equity.
Common Equity: Underlying movements in the value of our common equity over the past two years are outlined in the following table:
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | |
| Common equity - opening | | $ | 4,944,079 |
| | $ | 5,124,970 |
| |
| Net income | | 547,241 |
| | 46,305 |
| |
| Change in unrealized appreciation on available for sale investments, net of tax | | 232,232 |
| | (45,706 | ) | |
| Share repurchases | | (317,687 | ) | | (65,885 | ) | |
| Common share dividends(1) | | (152,607 | ) | | (121,646 | ) | |
| Preferred share dividends | | (38,228 | ) | | (36,875 | ) | |
| Share-based compensation | | 67,912 |
| | 39,134 |
| |
| Premium on repurchase of Series B preferred shares | | (6,916 | ) | | — |
| |
| Series C preferred share issue costs (included in additional paid-in capital) | | (6,456 | ) | | — |
| |
| Other | | 7,348 |
| | 3,782 |
| |
| Common equity - closing | | $ | 5,276,918 |
| | $ | 4,944,079 |
| |
| | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| | | | | | |
| Common equity - opening | | $ | 5,276,918 |
| | $ | 4,944,079 |
| |
| Net income | | 727,465 |
| | 547,241 |
| |
| Change in unrealized appreciation on available for sale investments, net of tax | | (223,383 | ) | | 232,232 |
| |
| Share repurchases | | (472,263 | ) | | (317,687 | ) | |
| Common share dividends(1) | | (118,993 | ) | | (152,607 | ) | |
| Preferred share dividends | | (40,474 | ) | | (38,228 | ) | |
| Share-based compensation | | 48,475 |
| | 67,912 |
| |
| Premium on repurchase of Series B preferred shares | | — |
| | (6,916 | ) | |
| Series C and D preferred share issue costs (included in additional paid-in capital) | | (6,551 | ) | | (6,456 | ) | |
| Other | | (1,075 | ) | | 7,348 |
| |
| Common equity - closing | | $ | 5,190,119 |
| | $ | 5,276,918 |
| |
| | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Common share dividends were historically recognized as a reduction of retained earnings when paid. During the fourth quarter of 2012, we recognized a $31 million adjustment in order to recognize dividends when declared. See Item 8, Note 13(c) of the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details. |
Credit and Letter of Credit Facilities
We routinely enter into agreements with financial institutions to obtain secured and unsecured credit facilities. These facilities are primarily used for the issuance of letters of credit, in the normal course of operations, to certain (re)insurance operations that purchase reinsurance protection from us. These letters of credit allow those operations to take credit, under local insurance regulations, for reinsurance obtained in jurisdictions where AXIS Capital’s subsidiaries are not licensed or otherwise admitted as an insurer. The value of our letters of credit outstanding is driven by, amongst other factors, loss development on existing reserves, the payment patterns of such reserves, the expansion of our business and the loss experience of such business. A portion of these facilities may also be used for liquidity purposes.
Each of our existing facilities is described further below; refer to Item 8, Note 10(b) to our Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Secured Letter of Credit FacilityFacilities
We maintain a secured $750 million letter of credit facility (the “LOC Facility”). This facility is subject to certain covenants, including the requirement to maintain sufficient collateral to cover all of our obligations under the facility. Such obligations include contingent reimbursement obligations for outstanding letters of credit and fees payable to the lender. In the event of default, the lender may exercise certain remedies, including the exercise of control over pledged collateral and the termination of the availability of the facility to any or all of the participating operating subsidiaries.
During 2013, we entered into a $170 million secured letter of credit facility (the "Lloyd's LOC Facility") pursuant to a Letter of Credit Facility Agreement and Security Agreement (collectively, the "Lloyd's Facility Documents"). The Lloyd's LOC Facility is fully utilized and meets the Funds at Lloyd's requirements for the Company's subsidiary, AXIS Corporate Capital UK Limited to support the underwriting capacity of the Company's Lloyd's syndicate, AXIS Syndicate 1686, for the 2014 underwriting year of account. The Letter of Credit issued under the Lloyd's LOC Facility will expire no later than July 31, 2018. The Lloyd's Facility Documents contain customary covenants with which the Company must comply, including a requirement to maintain sufficient collateral to fully secure any issued Letter of Credit. In case of an event of default under
the Lloyd's Facility Documents, the lender may exercise certain remedies, including the exercise of sole and exclusive control over pledged collateral.
Credit Facility
During 2013, we terminated and replaced our previously existing credit facility that was scheduled for expiration. We also haveare now party to a revolving $500250 million credit facility (the “Credit Facility”), which provides us with combined borrowing and letter of credit issuance capacity up to the aggregate amount of the facility. At our request, and subject to certain conditions, the aggregate commitment of this facility may be increased by up to $250150 million. Interest on loans issued under this facility is payable based on underlying market rates at the time of loan issuance. While any loans are unsecured, we have the option to issue letters of credit on a secured basis in order to reduce associated fees. This facility is subject to certain non-financial covenants that we believe are customary for facilities of this type, including limitations on fundamental changes, the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens and certain transactions with affiliates and investments, as defined in the facility documents.
Compliance with certain financial covenants that we believe are customary for (re)insurance companies in credit facilities of this type is also required. These covenants include:
| |
(i) | Maintenance of a minimum consolidated net worth, with the minimum being equal to the sum of $3.689$3.802 billion plus 25% of consolidated net income (if positive) for each semi-annual fiscal period ending on or after December 31, 2010June 30, 2013 plus 25% of the net cash proceeds received by AXIS Capital from the issuance of its capital stock during each such semi-annual fiscal period. For the purposes of this covenant, consolidated net worth excludes unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on our available for sale investments. |
| |
(ii) | Maintenance of a maximum debt to total capital ratio of 0.35 to 1. For the purposes of this covenant, unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on our available for sale investments is excluded from total capital. |
| |
(iii) | Maintenance of an A.M. Best Company, Inc. (“A.M. Best”) financial strength rating of at least B++ for each of AXIS Capital’s material insurance/reinsurance subsidiaries that are party to the Credit Facility. |
At December 31, 20122013, this facility required a minimum consolidated net worth of $4.038$4.019 billion and our actual consolidated net worth, as calculated under the provisions of the Credit Facility, was $5.431$5.693 billion. We had a consolidated debt to total capital ratio, calculated in accordance with the Credit Facility provisions, of 0.15 to 1 and each of our material insurance/reinsurance subsidiaries party to the agreement had an A.M. Best financial strength rating of A.A+.
In the event of default, including a breach of the covenants outlined above, the lenders may exercise certain remedies including the termination of the facility, the declaration of all principal and interest amounts related to facility loans to be immediately due and the requirement that any outstanding letters of credit that we opted to obtain on an unsecured basis be collateralized.
Additionally, the facility allows for an adjustment to the level of pricing should AXIS Capital experience a change in its senior unsecured debt ratings.
In addition to replacing our expiring credit facility in 2013, we also entered into an amendment to the Credit Facility in order to permit AXIS Capital and its subsidiaries to enter into swap contracts and other arrangements related to weather derivative transactions. All other material terms and conditions remained unchanged.
Available Capacity
At December 31, 20122013, we had $423501 million of, $170 million and $nil letters of credit outstanding under the LOC Facility. There were no letters of credit or borrowings outstanding under theFacility, Lloyd's LOC Facility and Credit Facility. Thus,Facility, respectively. The remaining available capacity under these twothree facilities was $827499 million, not taking into consideration the $250150 million potential increase in the amount available under the Credit Facility. There was no debt outstanding under the Credit Facility. We were in compliance with all covenants of boththe facilities at December 31, 20122013. We are currently evaluating alternatives in advance of the scheduled expirations of the LOC Facility and the Credit Facility and believe that we will be able to continue to meet the collateral requirements of our clients and adequately preserve our liquidity.
Share Repurchases
As part of our capital management strategy, our Board of Directors authorizes common share repurchase programs. On December 17, 2012,9, 2013, our Board of Directors authorized a new $750 million share common share repurchase plan, which
replaced the existing plan set to expire at the end of 2012.2014. At February 21, 201320, 2014, the remaining authorization under the program was $634$723 million (refer (see to Item 5 ‘Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issue Purchases of Equity Securities’ and Item 8, Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information)). As noted above, repurchases under this program are entirely discretionary; the timing and amount of the additional repurchase transactions will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, global (re)insurance and financial market conditions and opportunities, capital management and regulatory considerations.
Shelf Registrations
On March 18, 2010,January 16, 2014, we filed an unallocated universal shelf registration statement with the SEC, which became effective upon filing. Pursuant to the shelf registration, we may issue an unlimited amount of equity, debt, trust preferred securities, warrants, purchase contracts or a combination of those securities. Our intent and ability to issue securities pursuant to this registration statement will depend on market conditions at the time of any proposed offering. We expect to renew this filing prior to its expiration.
Financial Strength Ratings
Our principal (re)insurance operating subsidiaries are assigned financial strength ratings from internationally recognized rating agencies, including Standard & Poor’s, A.M. Best and Moody’s Investors Service. These ratings are publicly announced and are available directly from the agencies, as well as on our website.
Such financial strength ratings represent the opinions of the rating agencies on the overall financial strength of a company and its capacity to meet the obligations of its (re)insurance contracts. Independent ratings are one of the important factors that establish our competitive position in (re)insurance markets. The rating agencies consider many factors in determining the financial strength rating of an insurance company, including the relative level of statutory surplus necessary to support the business operations of the company. These ratings are based upon factors considered by the rating agencies to be relevant to policyholders, agents and intermediaries and are not directed toward the protection of investors. Such ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold securities.
During 2013, A.M. Best upgraded the financial strength rating of each of our principal operating insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries to a financial strength rating of A+ (Stable). This rating as defined by A.M. Best is assigned to companies that have, in their opinion, a "superior ability to meet ongoing insurance obligations." The 'A+' grouping is the second highest ratings category out of fifteen. Rating outlooks ('Positive', 'Negative' and 'Stable') are assigned to indicate a rating's potential direction over an intermediate term, generally defined as 12 - 36 months.
The following are the most recent financial strength ratings from internationally recognized agencies in relation to our principal (re)insurance operating subsidiaries:
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| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| Rating agency | | Agency’s description of rating | | Rating | | Agency’s rating definition | | Ranking of rating | |
| | | | | | |
| Standard & Poor’s | | An “opinion about the financial security characteristics of an insurance organization, with respect to its ability to pay under its insurance policies and contracts, in accordance with their terms”. | | A+ (Stable) | | “Strong financial security characteristics” | | The ‘A’ grouping is the third highest out of nineten major rating categories. The first seven major rating categories may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. | |
| | | | | | |
| A.M. Best | | An “opinion of an insurer’s financial strength and ability to meet its ongoing insurance policy and contract obligations”. | | A (Positive)A+ (Stable) | | “ExcellentSuperior ability to meet ongoing insurance obligations” | | The ‘A’‘A+’ grouping is the thirdsecond highest ratings category out of fifteen. Ratings outlooks (‘Positive’, ‘Negative’ and ‘Stable’) are assigned to indicate a rating’s potential direction over an intermediate term, generally defined as 12 - 36 months. | |
| | | | | | |
| Moody’s Investors Service | | “Opinions of the ability of insurance companies to pay punctually senior policyholder claims and obligations.” | | A2 (Stable) | | “Upper-medium grade and subject to low credit risk” | | The ‘A’ grouping is the third highest out of nine rating categories. Each of the second through seventh categories are subdivided into three subcategories, as indicated by an appended numerical modifier of ‘1’, ‘2’ and ‘3’. The ‘1’ modifier indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of the rating category, the ‘2’ modifier indicates a mid-category ranking and the ‘3’ modifier indicates a ranking in the lower end of the rating category. | |
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMITMENTS
The following table provides a breakdown of our contractual obligations and commitments at December 31, 20122013 by period due:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Payment Due By Period | |
| Contractual Obligations and Commitments | | Total | | Less than 1 year | | 1-3 years | | 3-5 years | | More than 5 years | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Estimated gross loss and loss expense payments(1) | | $ | 9,058,731 |
| | $ | 2,626,119 |
| | $ | 2,894,122 |
| | $ | 1,420,002 |
| | $ | 2,118,488 |
| |
| Operating lease obligations(2) | | 186,741 |
| | 26,904 |
| | 54,225 |
| | 38,793 |
| | 66,819 |
| |
| Reinsurance purchase commitments(3) | | 53,751 |
| | 53,751 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Unfunded investment commitments(4) | | 40,000 |
| | 40,000 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Senior notes (including interest payments)(5) | | 1,277,813 |
| | 58,125 |
| | 587,500 |
| | 58,750 |
| | 573,438 |
| |
| Total | | $ | 10,617,036 |
| | $ | 2,804,899 |
| | $ | 3,535,847 |
| | $ | 1,517,545 |
| | $ | 2,758,745 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Payment Due By Period | |
| Contractual Obligations and Commitments | | Total | | Less than 1 year | | 1-3 years | | 3-5 years | | More than 5 years | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Operating activities | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Estimated gross loss and loss expense payments(1) | | $ | 9,582,140 |
| | $ | 2,725,390 |
| | $ | 3,018,142 |
| | $ | 1,549,959 |
| | $ | 2,288,649 |
| |
| Operating lease obligations(2) | | 174,308 |
| | 31,207 |
| | 51,216 |
| | 38,836 |
| | 53,049 |
| |
| Reinsurance purchase commitments(3) | | 79,501 |
| | 64,330 |
| | 15,171 |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Investing activities | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Unfunded investment commitments(4) | | 168,165 |
| | 168,165 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Financing activities | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Senior notes (including interest payments)(5) | | 1,219,688 |
| | 558,125 |
| | 58,750 |
| | 58,750 |
| | 544,063 |
| |
| Total | | $ | 11,223,802 |
| | $ | 3,547,217 |
| | $ | 3,143,279 |
| | $ | 1,647,545 |
| | $ | 2,885,761 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | We are obligated to pay claims for specified loss events covered by the (re)insurance contracts we write. Such loss payments represent our most significant future payment obligation. In contrast to our other contractual obligations, our cash payments are not determinable from the terms specified within the underlying contracts. The total amount in the table above reflects our best estimate of our reserve for losses and loss expenses. However, the actual amounts and timing may differ materially; refer to the ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses’ for further information. We have not taken into account corresponding reinsurance recoverable amounts that would be due to us. Given the limited loss development pattern information specific to our experience, we have generally estimated the timing of payment by applying industry benchmark payout patterns to each underlying reserving class. |
| |
(2) | We lease office space under operating leases which expire at various dates. We renew and enter into new leases in the ordinary course of business, as required. |
| |
(3) | We purchase reinsurance protection for our insurance lines of business. The minimum premiums are contractually due in advance on a quarterly basis. |
| |
(4) | We have unfunded investment commitments related to our investments in hedge and credit funds, which are callable by our investment managers. We have assumed that such investments will be called in the next year but such funding may occur over a longer period of time, due to market conditions and other factors. For further details, refer tosee Item 8, Note 5(b) to the Consolidated Financial Statements. |
| |
(5) | For further details on the terms of our senior unsecured debt, refer tosee Item 8, Note 10(a) to the Consolidated Financial Statements. |
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
Our Consolidated Financial Statements include certain amounts that are inherently uncertain and judgmental in nature. As a result, we are required to make assumptions and best estimates in order to determine the reported values. We consider an accounting estimate to be critical if: (1) it requires that significant assumptions be made in order to deal with uncertainties and (2) changes in the estimate could have a material impact on our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.
We believe that the material items requiring such subjective and complex estimates are our:
reserves for losses and loss expenses;
reinsurance recoverable balances;
premiums;
fair value measurements for our financial assets and liabilities; and
assessments of other-than-temporary impairments.
Nevertheless, other significant accounting policies are important to understanding our Consolidated Financial Statements. See Item 8, Note 2 ‘Significant Accounting Policies’ to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.
We believe that the amounts included in our Consolidated Financial Statements reflect our best judgment. However, factors such as those described in Item 1A ‘Risk Factors’ could cause actual events or results to differ materially from our underlying assumptions and estimates; this could lead to a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and/or liquidity.
RESERVE FOR LOSSES AND LOSS EXPENSES
Overview
We believe the most significant accounting judgment we make is the estimate of our reserve for losses and loss expenses (“loss reserves”). Our loss reserves represent management’s estimate of the unpaid portion of our ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses (“ultimate losses”) for (re)insured events that have occurred at or before the balance sheet date. Our loss reserves reflect both claims that have been reported to us (“case reserves”) and claims that have been incurred but not yet reported to us (“IBNR”). Our loss reserves represent our best estimate of what the ultimate settlement and administration of claims will cost, based on our assessment of facts and circumstances known at that particular point in time.
Loss reserves are not an exact calculation of liability but instead are complex estimates. The process of estimating loss reserves involves a number of variables (see ‘Selection of Reported Reserves (Management’s Best Estimate)’ ) below for further details). We review our estimate of loss reserves each reporting period and consider all significant facts and circumstances then known. As additional experience and other data become available and/or laws and legal interpretations change, we may adjust our previous estimates of loss reserves; these adjustments are recognized in the period they are determined and, therefore, can impact that period’s underwriting results either favorably (when reserves established in prior years prove to be redundant) or adversely (when reserves established in prior years prove to be deficient).
Case Reserves
With respect to our insurance operations, we are generally notified of insured losses by our insureds and/or their brokers. Based on this information, our claims personnel estimate our ultimate losses arising from the claim, including the cost of administering the claims settlement process. These estimates reflect the judgment of our claims personnel based on general reserving practices, the experience and knowledge of such personnel regarding the nature of the specific claim and, where appropriate, the advice of legal counsel, loss adjusters and other relevant consultants.
For our reinsurance business, case reserves for reported claims are generally established based on reports received from ceding companies and/or their brokers. For excess of loss contracts, we are typically notified of insured losses on specific contracts and record a case reserve for the estimated ultimate liability arising from the claim. With respect to contracts written on a proportional basis, we typically receive aggregated claims information and record a case reserve based on that information. However, our proportional reinsurance contracts typically require that losses in excess of pre-defined amounts be separately notified so that we can adequately evaluate them. Our claims department evaluates each specific loss notification we receive and records additional case reserves when a ceding company’s reserve for a claim is not considered adequate.
In deciding whether to provide treaty reinsurance, we carefully review and analyze a cedant’s underwriting and risk management practices to ensure appropriate underwriting, data capture and reporting procedures. We also undertake an extensive program of cedant audits, using outsourced legal and industry experience where necessary. This allows us to review cedants’ claims administration practices to ensure that reserves are consistent with exposures, adequately established and properly reported in a timely manner and also allows us to verify that claims are appropriately handled.
IBNR
The estimation of IBNR is necessary due to the time lags between when a loss event occurs and when it is actually reported to us, referred to as the reporting lag. Reporting lags may arise from a number of factors, including but not limited to the nature of the loss, the use of intermediaries and complexities in the claims adjusting process. By definition, we do not have specific information on IBNR so it must be estimated. IBNR is calculated by deducting incurred losses (i.e. paid losses and case reserves) from management’s best estimate of ultimate losses. In contrast to case reserves, which are established at the contract level, IBNR reserves are generally estimated at an aggregate level and cannot be identified as reserves for a particular loss event or contract. Refer to the ‘Reserving For Significant Catastrophic Events’ section below for additional information on reserving for such events.
Reserving Process
Sources of Information
Our quarterly reserving process begins with the collection and analysis of paid and incurred claim data for each of our segments. The segmental data is disaggregated by reserving class and further disaggregated by accident year (i.e. the year in which the loss event occurred). We use underwriting year information (i.e. the year in which the contract incepted) to analyze some of our proportional reinsurance business and subsequently allocate reserves to the respective accident years. Our reserving classes are selected to ensure that the underlying contracts have homogeneous loss development characteristics, while remaining large enough to make the estimation of trends credible. We review our reserving classes on a regular basis and adjust them over time as our business evolves. This data, in addition to industry benchmarks, serves as a key input to many of the methods employed by our actuaries. The relative weights assigned to our own historical loss data versus industry data vary according to the length of the development profile for the reserving class being evaluated. At present, we generally give more weight to our own experience (and, correspondingly, less weight to industry data) for reserving classes with short and medium claim tails; the converse is true for reserving classes with longer claim tails. (See ‘Claim Tail Analysis’ below for more detailed information by claim tail class.)
Actuarial Analysis
Multiple actuarial methods are available to estimate ultimate losses. Each method has its own assumptions and its own advantages and disadvantages, with no single estimation method being better than the others in all situations and no one set of assumption variables being meaningful for all reserving classes. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the particular estimation methods when applied to a particular group of claims can also change over time.
The following is a brief description of the reserve estimation methods commonly employed by our actuaries and a discussion of their particular strengths and weaknesses:
Expected Loss Ratio Method (“ELR”): This method estimates ultimate losses for an accident year by applying an expected loss ratio to the earned premium for that accident year. Generally, expected loss ratios are based on one or more of (a) an analysis of historical loss experience to date, (b) pricing information and (c) industry data, adjusted as appropriate, to reflect changes in rates and terms and conditions. This method is insensitive to actual incurred losses for the accident year in question and is, therefore, often useful in the early stages of development when very few losses have been incurred. Conversely, the lack of sensitivity to incurred/paid losses for the accident year in question means that this method is usually inappropriate in later stages of an accident year’s development.
Loss Development Method (also referred to as the Chain Ladder Method or Link Ratio Method): This method assumes that the losses incurred/paid for each accident year at a particular development stage follow a relatively similar pattern. It assumes that on average, every accident year will display the same percentage of ultimate losses incurred/paid at the same point in time after the inception of the accident year. The percentages incurred/paid are established for each development stage (e.g. 12 months, 24 months, etc.) after examining historical averages from historical loss development data and/or external industry benchmark information. Ultimate losses are then estimated by multiplying the actual incurred/paid losses by the reciprocal of the established incurred/paid percentage. The strengths of this method are that it reacts to loss emergence/payments and that it makes full use of historical claim emergence/payment experience. However, this method has weaknesses when the underlying assumption of stable loss development/payment patterns is not valid. This could be the consequence of changes in business mix, claim inflation trends or claim reporting practices and/or the presence of large claims, amongst other things. Furthermore, this method tends to produce volatile estimates of ultimate losses where there is volatility in the underlying incurred/paid patterns. In particular, where the expected percentage of incurred/paid losses is low, small deviations between actual and expected claims can lead to very volatile estimates of ultimate losses. As a result, this method is often unsuitable at early development stages for an accident year.
Bornhuetter-Ferguson Method (“BF”): This method can be seen as a combination of the ELR and Loss Development Methods, under which the Loss Development Method is given progressively more weight as an accident year matures. The main advantage of the BF Method is that it provides a more stable estimate of ultimate losses than the Loss Development Method at earlier stages of development, while remaining more sensitive to emerging loss development than the ELR Method. In addition, the BF Method allows for the incorporation of external market information through the use of expected loss ratios, whereas the Loss Development Method does not incorporate such information.
As part of our quarterly loss reserve review process, our actuaries employ the estimation method(s) that they believe will produce the most reliable estimate of ultimate losses, at that particular evaluation date, for each reserving class and accident year combination. Often, this is a blend (i.e. weighted average) of the results of two or more appropriate actuarial methods. These ultimate loss estimates are generally utilized to evaluate the adequacy of our ultimate loss estimates for previous accident years, as established in the prior reporting period. For the initial estimate of the current accident year, the available claim data is typically insufficient to produce a reliable estimate of ultimate losses. As a result, our initial estimate for an accident year is generally based on the ELR Method. The initial ELR for each reserving class is established collaboratively by our actuaries, underwriters and management at the start of the accident year as part of the planning process, taking into consideration prior accident years’ experience and industry benchmarks, adjusted after considering factors such as exposure trends, rate differences, changes in contract terms and conditions, business mix changes and other known differences between the current accident year and prior accident years. The initial expected loss ratios for a given accident year may be modified over time if the underlying assumptions, such as loss development or premium rate changes, differ from the original assumptions.
Reserving for Credit and Political Risk Business
Our credit and political risk insurance business consists primarily of credit insurance and confiscation, expropriation, nationalization and deprivation coverages (“CEND”). Claims for this business tend to be characterized by their severity risk, as opposed to their frequency risk. Therefore, claim payment and reporting patterns are anticipated to be volatile. Under the notification provisions of our credit insurance, we anticipate being advised of an insured event within a relatively short time period. As a result, we generally estimate ultimate losses based on a contract-by-contract analysis which considers the contracts’ terms, the facts and circumstances of underlying loss events and qualitative input from claims managers.
An important and distinguishing feature of many of these contracts, though, is our contractual right, subsequent to payment of a claim to our insured, to be subrogated to, or otherwise have an interest in, the insured’s rights of recovery under an insured loan or facility agreement. These estimated recoveries are recorded as an offset to our credit and political risk loss reserves. The lag between the date of a claim payment and our ultimate recovery from the corresponding security can result in negative case reserves at a point in time (as was the case at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012). The nature of the underlying collateral is specific to each transaction and we also estimate the value of this collateral on a contract-by-contract basis. This valuation process is inherently subjective and involves the application of management’s judgment because active markets for the collateral often do not exist. Our estimates of value are based on numerous inputs, including information provided by our insureds, as well as third party sources including rating agencies, asset valuation specialists and other publicly available information. We also assess any post-event circumstances, including restructurings, liquidations and possession of asset proposals/agreements.
In some instances, upon becoming aware of a loss event related to our credit and political risk business, we negotiate a final settlement of all of our policy liabilities for a fixed amount. In most circumstances, this occurs when the insured moves to realize the benefit of the collateral that underlies the insured loan or facility and presents us with a net settlement proposal that represents a full and final payment by us under the terms of the policy. In consideration for this payment, we secure a cancellation of the policy, or a release of all claims, and waive our right to pursue a recovery of these settlement payments against the security that may have been available to us under the insured loan or facility agreement. In certain circumstances, cancellation by way of net settlement or full payment can result in an adjustment of the net premium to be received and earned on the policy.
Reserving For Significant Catastrophic Events
We cannot estimate losses from widespread catastrophic events, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, using the traditional actuarial methods described above. Rather, loss reserves for such events are estimated by management after a catastrophe occurs by completing an in-depth analysis of individual contracts which may potentially be impacted by the catastrophic event. This in-depth analysis may rely on several sources of information, including: (1) estimates of the size of insured industry losses from the catastrophic event and our corresponding market share; (2) a review of our portfolio of contracts performed to identify those contracts which may be exposed to the catastrophic event; (3) a review of modeled loss estimates based on information previously reported by customers and brokers, including exposure data obtained during the underwriting process; (4) discussions of the impact of the event with our customers and brokers and (5) catastrophe bulletins published by various independent statistical reporting agencies. We generally use a blend of these information sources to arrive at our aggregate estimate of the ultimate losses arising from the catastrophic event. In subsequent reporting periods, we review changes in paid and incurred losses in relation to each significant catastrophe and adjust our estimates of ultimate
losses for each event if there are developments that are different from our previous expectations; such adjustments are recorded in the period in which they are identified.
There are additional risks affecting our ability to accurately estimate ultimate losses for catastrophic events. For example, the estimation of loss reserves related to hurricanes and earthquakes can be affected by factors including, but not limited to: the inability to access portions of impacted areas, infrastructure disruptions, the complexity of factors contributing to losses, legal and regulatory uncertainties, complexities involved in estimating business interruption losses and additional living expenses, the impact of demand surge, fraud and the limited nature of information available. For hurricanes, additional complex coverage factors may include determining whether damage was caused by flooding versus wind, evaluating general liability and pollution exposures, and mold damage. The timing of a catastrophe, for example near the end of a reporting period, can also affect the level of information available to us to estimate reserves for that reporting period.
Our results of operations for each of 2013, 2012 2011 and 20102011 were significantly impacted by natural catastrophe activity. See Item 7 ‘Underwriting Results – Group, Underwriting Expenses’ for a discussion of these events and the remaining associated uncertainties.
Key Actuarial Assumptions
The use of the above actuarial methods requires us to make certain explicit assumptions, the most significant of which are: (1) expected loss ratios and (2) loss development patterns.
We began operations in late 2001. In our earlier years, we placed significant reliance on industry benchmarks in establishing our expected loss ratios. Over time, we have placed more reliance on our historical loss experience in establishing these ratios where we believe the weight of our own actual experience has become sufficiently credible for consideration. The weight given to our experience differs for each of our three claim tail classes and is discussed further in the ‘Claim Tail Analysis’ section below. In establishing expected loss ratios for our insurance segment, we give consideration to a number of other factors, including exposure trends, rate adequacy on new and renewal business, ceded reinsurance costs, changes in claims emergence and our underwriters’ view of terms and conditions in the market environment. For our reinsurance segment, expected loss ratios are based on a contract-by-contract review, which considers information provided by clients together with estimates provided by our underwriters and actuaries about the impact of changes in pricing, terms and conditions and coverage. We also consider the market experience of an independent actuarial firm, as appropriate.
Similarly, we also placed significant reliance on industry benchmarks in selecting our loss development patterns in earlier years. Over time, we have given varying degrees of weight to our own historical loss experience, as further discussed in the ‘Claim Tail Analysis’ section.
Selection of Reported Reserves (Management’s Best Estimate)
Our quarterly reserving process involves the collaboration of our underwriting, claims, actuarial, legal and finance departments, includes various segmental committee meetings and culminates with the approval of a single point best estimate by our Group Reserving Committee, which comprises senior management. In selecting this best estimate, management considers actuarial estimates and applies informed judgment regarding qualitative factors that may not be fully captured in these actuarial estimates. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the timing of the emergence of claims, volume and complexity of claims, social and judicial trends, potential severity of individual claims and the extent of internal historical loss data versus industry information. While these qualitative factors are considered in arriving at the point estimate, no specific provisions for qualitative factors are established.
The quarterly evaluation process also includes consultation with an independent actuarial firm. The work performed by the actuarial firm is an important part of the reserving process. We compare our recorded loss reserves to those estimated by the actuarial firm to determine whether our single point best estimate is reasonable. On an annual basis, the independent actuarial firm provides an actuarial opinion on the reasonableness of our loss reserves for each of our operating subsidiaries; such actuarial opinions are required to meet various insurance regulatory requirements. The actuarial firm discusses its conclusions with management and presents its findings to our Board of Directors.
Claim Tail Analysis
The following table shows our total loss reserves for each of our reportable segments, segregated between case reserves and IBNR and by significant reserving class. This table is presented on a gross basis and, therefore, does not include the benefit of reinsurance recoveries.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| At December 31, | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 551,831 |
| | $ | 297,389 |
| | $ | 849,220 |
| | $ | 435,887 |
| | $ | 304,098 |
| | $ | 739,985 |
| |
| Marine | 218,523 |
| | 174,780 |
| | 393,303 |
| | 176,111 |
| | 195,422 |
| | 371,533 |
| |
| Aviation | 18,511 |
| | 40,775 |
| | 59,286 |
| | 25,972 |
| | 39,952 |
| | 65,924 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | (82,006 | ) | | 84,811 |
| | 2,805 |
| | (110,961 | ) | | 90,143 |
| | (20,818 | ) | |
| Professional lines | 489,662 |
| | 1,641,635 |
| | 2,131,297 |
| | 446,155 |
| | 1,451,820 |
| | 1,897,975 |
| |
| Liability | 190,464 |
| | 866,178 |
| | 1,056,642 |
| | 217,052 |
| | 810,090 |
| | 1,027,142 |
| |
| Total Insurance | 1,386,985 |
| | 3,105,568 |
| | 4,492,553 |
| | 1,190,216 |
| | 2,891,525 |
| | 4,081,741 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Reinsurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | 917,614 |
| | 449,056 |
| | 1,366,670 |
| | 1,026,134 |
| | 506,855 |
| | 1,532,989 |
| |
| Credit and bond | 104,537 |
| | 173,259 |
| | 277,796 |
| | 81,357 |
| | 145,694 |
| | 227,051 |
| |
| Professional lines | 280,386 |
| | 802,605 |
| | 1,082,991 |
| | 239,986 |
| | 763,693 |
| | 1,003,679 |
| |
| Motor | 386,528 |
| | 407,610 |
| | 794,138 |
| | 313,518 |
| | 323,871 |
| | 637,389 |
| |
| Liability | 196,632 |
| | 847,951 |
| | 1,044,583 |
| | 168,161 |
| | 774,035 |
| | 942,196 |
| |
| Total Reinsurance | 1,885,697 |
| | 2,680,481 |
| | 4,566,178 |
| | 1,829,156 |
| | 2,514,148 |
| | 4,343,304 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | $ | 3,272,682 |
| | $ | 5,786,049 |
| | $ | 9,058,731 |
| | $ | 3,019,372 |
| | $ | 5,405,673 |
| | $ | 8,425,045 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| At December 31, | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 565,930 |
| | $ | 292,067 |
| | $ | 857,997 |
| | $ | 551,831 |
| | $ | 297,389 |
| | $ | 849,220 |
| |
| Marine | 143,126 |
| | 136,452 |
| | 279,578 |
| | 218,523 |
| | 174,780 |
| | 393,303 |
| |
| Aviation | 16,159 |
| | 31,940 |
| | 48,099 |
| | 18,511 |
| | 40,775 |
| | 59,286 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | (59,101 | ) | | 72,860 |
| | 13,759 |
| | (82,006 | ) | | 84,811 |
| | 2,805 |
| |
| Professional lines | 716,279 |
| | 1,796,205 |
| | 2,512,484 |
| | 489,662 |
| | 1,641,635 |
| | 2,131,297 |
| |
| Liability | 171,923 |
| | 989,344 |
| | 1,161,267 |
| | 190,464 |
| | 866,178 |
| | 1,056,642 |
| |
| Total Insurance | 1,554,316 |
| | 3,318,868 |
| | 4,873,184 |
| | 1,386,985 |
| | 3,105,568 |
| | 4,492,553 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Reinsurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | 809,384 |
| | 496,881 |
| | 1,306,265 |
| | 917,614 |
| | 449,056 |
| | 1,366,670 |
| |
| Credit and surety | 141,255 |
| | 209,485 |
| | 350,740 |
| | 104,537 |
| | 173,259 |
| | 277,796 |
| |
| Professional lines | 314,827 |
| | 840,683 |
| | 1,155,510 |
| | 280,386 |
| | 802,605 |
| | 1,082,991 |
| |
| Motor | 428,453 |
| | 464,048 |
| | 892,501 |
| | 386,528 |
| | 407,610 |
| | 794,138 |
| |
| Liability | 251,582 |
| | 752,358 |
| | 1,003,940 |
| | 196,632 |
| | 847,951 |
| | 1,044,583 |
| |
| Total Reinsurance | 1,945,501 |
| | 2,763,455 |
| | 4,708,956 |
| | 1,885,697 |
| | 2,680,481 |
| | 4,566,178 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | $ | 3,499,817 |
| | $ | 6,082,323 |
| | $ | 9,582,140 |
| | $ | 3,272,682 |
| | $ | 5,786,049 |
| | $ | 9,058,731 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The overall increase in our gross loss reserves during 20122013 was driven by the impact of Storm Sandy, growth in our business and the continued accumulation of reserves for medium and longer-tailed lines.
In order to capture the key dynamics of our loss reserve development and potential volatility, our reserving classes should be considered according to their potential expected length of loss emergence and settlement, generally referred to as the “tail”. We consider our business to consist of three claim tail classes: short-tail, medium-tail and long-tail. Below is a discussion of the specifics of our loss reserve process as they apply to each claim tail class, as well as commentary on the factors contributing to our historical loss reserve development for each class. Favorable development on prior accident year reserves indicates that our current estimates are lower than our previous estimates, while adverse development indicates that our current estimates are higher than our previous estimates.
Short-Tail Business
Our short-tail business generally includes exposures for which losses are usually known and paid within a relatively short period of time after the underlying loss event has occurred. Our short-tail business primarily relates to property coverages and includes the majority of our property, terrorism and marine business and certain aviation business within our insurance segment, together with the property, catastrophe and crop business within our reinsurance segment.
The key actuarial assumptions for our short-tail business in our early accident years were primarily developed with reference to industry benchmarks for both expected loss ratios and loss development patterns. As our own historical loss experience amassed, it gained credibility and became relevant for consideration in establishing these key actuarial assumptions. As a result, we gradually increased the weighting assigned to our own historical experience in selecting the expected loss ratios and loss development patterns utilized to establish our estimates of ultimate losses for an accident year.
Due to the relatively short reporting and settlement patterns for our short-tail business, we generally place more weight upon experience-based methods and other qualitative considerations in establishing reserves for our most recent accident years. Our estimates for more mature accident years are generally based on actuarial methods that are more responsive to actual
experience, such as the Loss Development Method. As our experience developed more favorably than our initial expectations, we recognized favorable prior year development on short-tail business in recent years. See 'Underwriting Results - Group - Prior Year Reserve Development' for a discussion of the net favorable reserve development recognized when re-estimating our ultimate losses for short-tail business during the past three years.
Although our estimates of ultimate losses for our short-tail business are inherently less uncertain than for our medium and long-tail business, significant judgment is still required. For example, because much of our excess insurance and excess of loss reinsurance business has high attachment points, it is often difficult to estimate whether claims will exceed those attachment points. Also, the inherent uncertainties relating to catastrophe events previously discussed, together with our typically large line sizes, further add to the complexity of estimating our potential exposure. In addition, we use MGAs and other producers for certain business within our insurance segment; this can delay the reporting of loss information to us. We expect that the majority of development for an accident year will be recognized in the subsequent one to three years.
Medium-Tail Business
Our medium-tail business primarily consists of professional lines (re)insurance and trade credit and bondsurety reinsurance business. Certain other classes of business, including aviation hull and offshore energy insurance and engineering reinsurance, are also considered to have a medium-tail. Claim reporting and settlement periods on these classes are generally longer than those of our short-tail reserving classes. We also consider our credit and political risk insurance business to have a medium tail, due to the complex nature of claims and the potential additional time that may be required to realize our subrogation assets.
For our earliest accident years, our initial key actuarial expected loss ratio and loss development assumptions were established utilizing industry benchmarks. Due to the longer claim tail, the length of time required to develop our own credible loss history for use in the reserving process is greater for our medium-tail business than for our short-tail business. As a result, the number of accident years where we relied heavily on industry benchmarks to establish our key actuarial assumptions is greater for our medium-tail business. Our reserving approach for medium-tail business is tailored by line of business, with our significant lines being specifically addressed below.
Professional Lines (Re)insurance
For our professional lines business, claim payment and reporting patterns are typically medium to long-tail in nature. The underlying business is predominantly written on a claims-made basis, with the majority of reinsurance treaties being written on a risks attaching basis. With respect to our key actuarial assumptions, we are progressively giving more weight to our own experience when establishing our expected loss ratios; our assumed loss development patterns continue to be based primarily on industry benchmarks.
Loss reporting patterns for professional lines business tend to be volatile, causing instability in actuarial indications based on incurred loss data until an accident year matures for a number of years. Consequently, our initial loss reserves for an accident year are generally based upon an ELR method and the consideration of relevant qualitative factors. As accident years mature, we increasingly give more weight to methods that reflect our actual experience until our selections are based almost exclusively on experience-based methods. We evaluate the appropriateness of the transition to experience-based methods at the reserving class level, commencing this transition when we believe that our incurred loss development is sufficient to produce meaningful actuarial indications. The rate at which we transition fully to sole reliance on experience-based methods can vary by reserving class and by accident year, depending on our assessment of the stability and relevance of such indications. For professional lines in our insurance segment, we also rely upon the evaluation of the open claim inventory in addition to the commonly employed actuarial methods when establishing reserves.
Our transition from the ELR method to experience-based methods began during 2008, when we commenced gradual transition for the 2004 and prior accident years. As our loss history continued to develop, the transition was expanded to include additional accident years. At the end of 2012,2013, the transition had begun for the 20092010 and prior accident years for certain underlying reserve classes. AsWith the exception of the experience in the insurance professional lines during 2013, our actual loss experience has generally been more favorable than initial expectations thisand the transition led to the recognition of net favorable prior year reserve development in recent years; seeyears. During 2013, the insurance professional lines actual loss development was worse than expected for accident years 2011 and 2012. Management recognized this experience by relying upon experience-based methods, an evaluation of the open claims inventory and other qualitative factors, resulting in a higher ultimate loss estimate than initial expected loss ratios. See 'Underwriting Results - Group - Prior Year Development' for a discussion of the development recognized during the last three years.
We believe that there continues to be a relatively highhigher level of uncertainty around ultimate lossesloss estimates for the 2007 through 2009 accident years, resulting from the global financial crisis. This is attributable to both a higher than average volume of reported claims for these years and a higher proportion of open claims, relative to earlier accident years at the same stage of development. Given the significance ofbusiness classes impacted by the global financial crisis we believe that development patterns forin the 2007 throughto 2009 accident
years may ultimately differ from other years. In light of this, we separately evaluate the latest availableopen claims information for each reserving class impacted by this 'event' when establishing loss reserves,inventory in addition to consideringthe consideration of the actuarial indications. Given our expectation of longer development patterns for these accident years, we areindications, while exercising a greater degree of caution in recognizing potential favorable loss emergence.emergence, when establishing loss reserves for these accident years.
Trade Credit and BondSurety Reinsurance
For our trade credit and bondsurety reinsurance business, our initial and most recent accident year loss reserves are generally based on the ELR method, with consideration given to qualitative factors. Given that there is a more stable reporting pattern for trade credit business, we generally commence the transition to experience-based methods sooner than for bondthe surety business.
Credit and Political Risk Insurance
Refer to the previous discussions of this business under ‘Reserving Process – Actuarial Analysis’ and ‘Reserving Process – Reserving for Credit and Political Risk Business’ above for a discussion of specific loss reserve issues related to this business. When considering prior accident year reserve development for this line of business, it is important to note that the multi-year nature of the credit business distorts loss ratios when a single accident year is considered in isolation. In recent years, the average term of these contracts has been four to five years. The premiums we receive are generally earned evenly over the contract term, thus spanning multiple accident years. In contrast, losses incurred on these contracts, which can be characterized as low in frequency and high in severity, are reflected in a single accident year.
As previously described, the estimation of the value of our recoveries on credit and political risk business requires significant management judgment. At December 31, 2012,2013, our total estimated recoveries on credit insurance business were $106$84 million, of which $82 million related to contracts where we had already paid losses and $24 million related to contracts where case reserves were recognized. Comparatively,while comparatively, at December 31, 2011,2012, our estimated recoveries were $158 million, with $109 million and $49 million, respectively, relating to paid losses and case reserves.$106 million. The reduction in 20122013 largely reflected the reduction in recovery estimates for twothree claims based on updated information and the settlement of one claim.information.
Long-Tail Business
In contrast to our short and medium-tail business, the claim tail for our long-tail business is expected to be notably longer, as claims are often reported and ultimately paid or settled years, or even decades, after the related loss events occur. Our long-tail business primarily relates to liability business written in our insurance and reinsurance segments, as well as our motor reinsurance business.
As a general rule, our estimates of accident year ultimate losses for our long-tail business are notably more uncertain than those for our short and medium-tail business. Factors that contribute additional uncertainty to estimates for our long-tail business include, but are not limited to:
The more significant weight given to industry benchmarks in forming our key actuarial assumptions;
The potential volatility of actuarial estimates, given the number of years of development it takes to produce a meaningful incurred loss as a percentage of ultimate losses;
Inherent uncertainties about loss trends, claims inflation (e.g. medical, judicial, social) and general economic conditions; and
The possibility of future litigation, legislative or judicial change that may impact future loss experience relative to the prior industry loss experience relied upon in reserve estimation.
To date, our key actuarial assumptions for our long-tail business have been derived almost exclusively from industry benchmarks, rather than our own historical experience. Given our relatively short operating history in comparison to the development tail for this business, we do not believe that our own historical loss development for our long-tail business has amassed an appropriate volume to serve as a credible input into the key actuarial assumptions previously outlined. While we utilize industry benchmarks that we believe reflect the nature and coverage of our business, our actual loss experience may differ from the benchmarks based on industry averages.
Due to the length of the development tail for this business, our reserve estimates for all accident years are predominantly based on the ELR method and the consideration of qualitative factors. As part of our quarterly reserving process, we monitor actual paid and incurred loss emergence relative to expected loss emergence based on industry-benchmark loss development patterns. The drivers of any unfavorable loss emergence are investigated and, as a result, have led to an immediate
recognition of adverse development in some instances. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2012 (see additional details below), we
did not recognize any favorable loss emergence. As a result, during each of the past three years, we recognized net adverse development for our liability insurance business in light of unfavorable loss emergence for certain reserving class and accident year combinations.
In addition, during 2011, we recognized net adverse development on our motor reinsurance business, mainly as a result of a change in our assumptions surrounding U.K. settlement practices. Specifically, we increased our assumptions relating to the frequency and cost of claims that are expected to settle using Periodic Payment Orders ("PPOs"), which are annuities designed to cover items such as the ongoing cost of care and loss of earnings for injured claimants. We do not discount our loss reserves in order to adjust for the time value of money associated with such annuity awards.
See 'Underwriting Results Group - Prior Year Reserve Development' for further details on the recognition of adverse development for our long-tail business during the last three years.
Commencing with our fourth quarter 2012 reserving process, we began to give weight to actuarial methods that reflect our actual experience for liability business as we believebelieved that our oldest accident years are nowwere at a stage of expected development where such methods willwould produce meaningful actuarial indications. As a result,In 2013, we commenced a transition from the ELR methodbegan to the BF methodgive weight to experience-based methods for the oldestinsurance liability classes for accident years 2006 and prior, which did not have a significant impact on our results. For the reinsurance liability lines, we began to give weight to experience-based methods for certain reserving classes within our insurance liability lineaccident years 2008 and prior, resulting in the the recognition of business and recognized corresponding$87 million of net favorable prior year reserve development totaling $6 million for the 2003, and to a lesser extent the 2002, accident years during the quarter. We will continue to analyze our incurred loss emergence relative to expected emergence for all of our long-tail reserving classes and expect to commence transition to experience-based methods for those accident years where we believe the stage of expected development will produce meaningful actuarial indications.these years.
Sensitivity Analysis
While we believe that our loss reserves at December 31, 20122013 are adequate, new information, events or circumstances may result in ultimate losses that are materially greater or less than provided for in our loss reserves. As previously noted, there are many factors that may cause our reserves to increase or decrease, particularly those related to catastrophe losses and long-tail lines of business.
Our expected loss ratios are a key assumption in our estimate of ultimate losses for business at an early stage of development. All else remaining equal, a higher expected loss ratio would result in a higher ultimate loss estimate, and vice versa. Our assumed loss development patterns are another significant assumption in estimating our loss reserves. All else remaining equal, accelerating a loss reporting pattern (i.e. shortening the claim tail) would result in lower ultimate losses, as the estimated proportion of losses already incurred would be higher. The uncertainty in the timing of the emergence of claims (i.e. the length of the development pattern) is generally greater for a company like ours with a limited operating history which, therefore, must rely on industry benchmarks to a certain extent when establishing loss reserve estimates.
The following tables show the effect on our estimate of gross loss reserves of reasonably likely changes in the two key assumptions used to estimate our gross loss reserves at December 31, 20122013.
The results show the cumulative increase (decrease) in our loss reserves across all accident years. For example, if our assumed loss development pattern for our property and other insurance business was three months shorter with no accompanying change in our ELR assumption, our loss reserves may decrease by approximately $2224 million. Each of the impacts set forth in the tables is estimated individually, without consideration for any correlation among key assumptions or among reserving classes. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to take each of the amounts and add them together in an attempt to estimate total volatility. While we believe the variations in the expected loss ratios and loss development patterns presented could be reasonably expected, our own historical data regarding variability is generally limited and actual variations may be greater or less than these amounts. It is also important to note that the variations are not meant to be a “best-case” or “worst-case” series of scenarios and, therefore, it is possible that future variations in our loss reserves may be more or less than the amounts presented. While we believe that these are reasonably likely scenarios, we do not believe this sensitivity analysis should be considered an actual reserve range.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| INSURANCE | |
| Development Pattern | Expected Loss Ratio | |
| Property and Other | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (43,974 | ) | | $ | (21,986 | ) | | $ | 3 |
| |
| Unchanged | (23,088 | ) | | — |
| | 23,088 |
| |
| 3 months longer | 13,032 |
| | 38,021 |
| | 63,010 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Marine | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (25,502 | ) | | $ | (17,612 | ) | | $ | (9,722 | ) | |
| Unchanged | (8,771 | ) | | — |
| | 8,771 |
| |
| 3 months longer | 14,628 |
| | 24,630 |
| | 34,632 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Aviation | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (5,086 | ) | | $ | (3,239 | ) | | $ | (1,391 | ) | |
| Unchanged | (2,009 | ) | | — |
| | 2,009 |
| |
| 3 months longer | 2,230 |
| | 4,462 |
| | 6,695 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Credit and Political Risk | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (14,418 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | 14,418 |
| |
| Unchanged | (14,418 | ) | | — |
| | 14,418 |
| |
| 3 months longer | (14,418 | ) | | — |
| | 14,418 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Professional Lines | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (258,715 | ) | | $ | (50,543 | ) | | $ | 158,666 |
| |
| Unchanged | (211,132 | ) | | — |
| | 217,687 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (127,922 | ) | | 85,010 |
| | 302,168 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Liability | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (123,444 | ) | | $ | (18,031 | ) | | $ | 87,382 |
| |
| Unchanged | (107,216 | ) | | — |
| | 107,216 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (86,693 | ) | | 22,803 |
| | 132,300 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| INSURANCE | |
| Development Pattern | Expected Loss Ratio | |
| Property and Other | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (48,498 | ) | | $ | (23,626 | ) | | $ | 1,247 |
| |
| Unchanged | (26,054 | ) | | — |
| | 26,054 |
| |
| 3 months longer | 12,480 |
| | 40,563 |
| | 68,645 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Marine | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (25,954 | ) | | $ | (17,127 | ) | | $ | (8,299 | ) | |
| Unchanged | (9,671 | ) | | — |
| | 9,698 |
| |
| 3 months longer | 10,235 |
| | 20,967 |
| | 31,700 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Aviation | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (4,603 | ) | | $ | (3,305 | ) | | $ | (2,007 | ) | |
| Unchanged | (1,463 | ) | | — |
| | 1,463 |
| |
| 3 months longer | 2,841 |
| | 4,531 |
| | 6,221 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Credit and Political Risk | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (12,236 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | 12,236 |
| |
| Unchanged | (12,236 | ) | | — |
| | 12,236 |
| |
| 3 months longer | (12,236 | ) | | — |
| | 12,236 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Professional Lines | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (331,415 | ) | | $ | (104,559 | ) | | $ | 123,631 |
| |
| Unchanged | (242,679 | ) | | — |
| | 242,704 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (147,592 | ) | | 105,553 |
| | 362,931 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Liability | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (133,474 | ) | | $ | (18,305 | ) | | $ | 96,865 |
| |
| Unchanged | (117,000 | ) | | — |
| | 117,000 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (96,370 | ) | | 22,923 |
| | 142,215 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| REINSURANCE | |
| Development Pattern | Expected Loss Ratio | |
| Property and Other | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (96,027 | ) | | $ | (31,218 | ) | | $ | 33,591 |
| |
| Unchanged | (66,370 | ) | | — |
| | 66,370 |
| |
| 3 months longer | (28,444 | ) | | 39,923 |
| | 108,289 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Credit and Bond | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (61,495 | ) | | $ | (18,606 | ) | | $ | 24,283 |
| |
| Unchanged | (43,895 | ) | | — |
| | 43,895 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (17,584 | ) | | 30,184 |
| | 77,951 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Professional Lines | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (107,362 | ) | | $ | (22,297 | ) | | $ | 62,768 |
| |
| Unchanged | (89,898 | ) | | — |
| | 89,898 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (66,142 | ) | | 29,579 |
| | 125,300 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Motor | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (98,128 | ) | | $ | (2,010 | ) | | $ | 94,108 |
| |
| Unchanged | (96,178 | ) | | — |
| | 96,178 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (93,360 | ) | | 2,904 |
| | 99,168 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Liability | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (131,961 | ) | | $ | (3,106 | ) | | $ | 125,749 |
| |
| Unchanged | (129,166 | ) | | — |
| | 129,166 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (126,220 | ) | | 3,273 |
| | 132,766 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| REINSURANCE | |
| Development Pattern | Expected Loss Ratio | |
| Property and Other | 5% lower | | Unchanged | | 5% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 3 months shorter | $ | (89,597 | ) | | $ | (36,748 | ) | | $ | 27,280 |
| |
| Unchanged | (60,103 | ) | | — |
| | 60,103 |
| |
| 3 months longer | (21,373 | ) | | 40,880 |
| | 103,133 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Credit and Surety | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (55,698 | ) | | $ | (15,932 | ) | | $ | 23,833 |
| |
| Unchanged | (41,724 | ) | | — |
| | 41,724 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (17,712 | ) | | 26,720 |
| | 71,151 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Professional Lines | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (107,356 | ) | | $ | (23,928 | ) | | $ | 59,501 |
| |
| Unchanged | (83,966 | ) | | — |
| | 83,966 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (59,960 | ) | | 24,691 |
| | 109,342 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Motor | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (107,002 | ) | | $ | (16,427 | ) | | $ | 74,148 |
| |
| Unchanged | (92,218 | ) | | — |
| | 92,218 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (68,394 | ) | | 26,471 |
| | 121,336 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Liability | 10% lower | | Unchanged | | 10% higher | |
| | | | | | | |
| 6 months shorter | $ | (141,487 | ) | | $ | (13,471 | ) | | $ | 114,546 |
| |
| Unchanged | (129,437 | ) | | — |
| | 129,437 |
| |
| 6 months longer | (116,743 | ) | | 14,191 |
| | 145,124 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
REINSURANCE RECOVERABLE
In the normal course of business, we purchase reinsurance to protect our business from losses due to exposure aggregation and to limit ultimate losses from catastrophic events. The purchase of reinsurance does not discharge our liabilities under contracts written by us. Consequently, an exposure exists with respect to reinsurance recoverable to the extent that any of our reinsurers are unwilling or unable to pay our claims.
The following table shows the composition of our reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses for each of our reportable segments, segregated between those related to case reserves and those related to IBNR and by significant line of business:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| At December 31, | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 146,478 |
| | $ | 77,535 |
| | $ | 224,013 |
| | $ | 135,836 |
| | $ | 96,207 |
| | $ | 232,043 |
| |
| Marine | 116,806 |
| | 49,535 |
| | 166,341 |
| | 84,935 |
| | 66,740 |
| | 151,675 |
| |
| Aviation | 243 |
| | 861 |
| | 1,104 |
| | 740 |
| | 1,211 |
| | 1,951 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Professional lines | 197,308 |
| | 534,332 |
| | 731,640 |
| | 200,380 |
| | 485,908 |
| | 686,288 |
| |
| Liability | 100,708 |
| | 537,231 |
| | 637,939 |
| | 119,200 |
| | 489,855 |
| | 609,055 |
| |
| Total Insurance | 561,543 |
| | 1,199,494 |
| | 1,761,037 |
| | 541,091 |
| | 1,139,921 |
| | 1,681,012 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Reinsurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Credit and bond | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Professional lines | — |
| | 329 |
| | 329 |
| | — |
| | 433 |
| | 433 |
| |
| Motor | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Liability | — |
| | 64,251 |
| | 64,251 |
| | — |
| | 55,378 |
| | 55,378 |
| |
| Total Reinsurance | — |
| | 64,580 |
| | 64,580 |
| | — |
| | 55,811 |
| | 55,811 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | $ | 561,543 |
| | $ | 1,264,074 |
| | $ | 1,825,617 |
| | $ | 541,091 |
| | $ | 1,195,732 |
| | $ | 1,736,823 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| At December 31, | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | | Case Reserves | | IBNR | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Insurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | $ | 163,228 |
| | $ | 80,175 |
| | $ | 243,403 |
| | $ | 146,478 |
| | $ | 77,535 |
| | $ | 224,013 |
| |
| Marine | 63,097 |
| | 36,830 |
| | 99,927 |
| | 116,806 |
| | 49,535 |
| | 166,341 |
| |
| Aviation | 264 |
| | 1,311 |
| | 1,575 |
| | 243 |
| | 861 |
| | 1,104 |
| |
| Credit and political risk | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Professional lines | 268,318 |
| | 575,625 |
| | 843,943 |
| | 197,308 |
| | 534,332 |
| | 731,640 |
| |
| Liability | 92,036 |
| | 609,948 |
| | 701,984 |
| | 100,708 |
| | 537,231 |
| | 637,939 |
| |
| Total Insurance | 586,943 |
| | 1,303,889 |
| | 1,890,832 |
| | 561,543 |
| | 1,199,494 |
| | 1,761,037 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Reinsurance segment: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Property and other | — |
| | 4,543 |
| | 4,543 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Credit and surety | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Professional lines | — |
| | 231 |
| | 231 |
| | — |
| | 329 |
| | 329 |
| |
| Motor | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Liability | — |
| | 4,506 |
| | 4,506 |
| | — |
| | 64,251 |
| | 64,251 |
| |
| Total Reinsurance | — |
| | 9,280 |
| | 9,280 |
| | — |
| | 64,580 |
| | 64,580 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | $ | 586,943 |
| | $ | 1,313,169 |
| | $ | 1,900,112 |
| | $ | 561,543 |
| | $ | 1,264,074 |
| | $ | 1,825,617 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses as a percentage of gross loss reserves was comparable, at 20% and 21% forat December 31, 20122013 and 20112012, respectively.. At December 31, 20122013 and 20112012, respectively, 98.8% and 98.6% of our gross reinsurance recoverable (i.e. excluding the provision for uncollectible amounts) werewas collectible from reinsurers rated A- or better by A.M. Best. For an analysis of the credit risk associated with our reinsurance recoverable balances at December 31, 20122013, refer to Item 8, Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The recognition of reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses and loss expenses requires two key estimates. The first estimate is the amount of loss reserves to be ceded to our reinsurers. This amount consists of two elements, those related to our gross case reserves and those related to our gross IBNR. Reinsurance recoveries related to our gross case reserves are estimated on a case-by-case basis by applying the terms of any applicable reinsurance coverage to our individual case reserve estimates. Our estimate of ceded IBNR is generally developed as part of our loss reserving process and, consequently, its estimation is subject to similar risks and uncertainties as the estimation of gross IBNR. Estimates of amounts to be ceded under non-proportional reinsurance contracts also take into account pricing information for those contracts and require greater judgment than estimates for proportional contracts.
The second estimate is the amount of reinsurance recoverable on unpaid and paid losses that we will ultimately be unable to recover from reinsurers. The majority of our reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses will not be due for collection until some point in the future. As a result, the amount we ultimately collect may differ from our estimate due to the ability and willingness of reinsurers to pay our claims, which may be negatively impacted by factors such as insolvency, contractual disputes over contract language or coverage and/or other reasons. Additionally, over the period of time before the amounts become due to us, economic conditions and/or operational performance of a particular reinsurer may deteriorate and this
could also affect the willingness and ability of a reinsurer to meet their contractual obligations to us. Accordingly, we review
our reinsurance recoverable on a quarterly basis and estimate and record an offsetting provision for uncollectible amounts. Any changes in this provision are reflected in net income. We are selective in choosing our reinsurers, placing reinsurance principally with reinsurers with a strong financial condition and industry ratings.
We apply case-specific provisions against certain recoveries that we deem unlikely to be collected in full. In addition, we use a default analysis to estimate our provision for uncollectible amounts on the remainder of the balance. The principal components of the default analysis are reinsurance recoverable by reinsurer and default factors applied to estimate uncollectible amounts based on our reinsurers’ credit ratings. The default factors are based on a model developed by a major rating agency. The provision recorded against reinsurance recoverable was $1618 million and $1816 million at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012, respectively. We have not written off any significant reinsurance recoverable balances in the last three years. At December 31, 20122013, the use of different assumptions within our approach could have a material effect on our provision for uncollectible reinsurance recoverable. To the extent the creditworthiness of our reinsurers was to deteriorate due to an adverse event affecting the reinsurance industry, such as a large number of major catastrophes, actual uncollectible amounts could be significantly greater than our provision. Given the various considerations used to estimate our uncollectible provision, we cannot precisely quantify the effect a specific industry event may have on our provision.
PREMIUMS
Our revenues are primarily generated from gross premiums written originating from our underwriting operations. The basis for our recognized gross premiums written varies by contract type.
Insurance Segment
For the majority of our insurance business, we receive a fixed premium which is identified in the policy and recorded as unearned premium on the inception date of the contract. This premium will be adjusted only if the underlying insured values ultimately differ. Accordingly, we actively monitor underlying insured values and record adjustment premiums in the period in which amounts are reasonably determinable. Gross premiums written on a fixed premium basis accounted for approximately 93%90%, 92%93% and 97%92% of the segment’s total for the years ended December 31, 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively. A portion of this business is written through MGAs, third parties granted authority to bind risks on our behalf in accordance with our underwriting guidelines. For this business, we record premiums based on monthly statements received from the MGAs. Due to inherent reporting delays, we generally record premiums written via MGAs one month in arrears. In the event that a significant individual statement is not received, we record our best estimate based upon our historical experience.
A limited portion of our insurance business is written on a line slip or proportional basis, under which we assume a fixed percentage of the premiums and losses on a particular risk or group of risks along with numerous other unrelated insurers. Although premiums on this business are not contractually stated, we recognize gross premiums written based on an estimate provided by the client via the broker. For further details on the estimation process, see the discussion provided for the reinsurance segment below. We review these estimates on a quarterly basis and record significant adjustments in premium estimates when identified. Gross premiums written on a line slip/proportional basis comprised 7%10%, 8%7% and 3%8% of the segment’s total for the years ended December 31, 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively, and therefore the associated impact of these estimates on our pre-tax net income was immaterial. The proportionate increase in 20122013 and 2011,2012, when compared to 2010,2011, was driven by growth in our accident & health line, a large portion of which related to proportional reinsurance business.
In our credit and political risk line of business, we write certain policies on a multi-year basis with premiums generally payable in installments. We record premiums at the inception of the policy based on our best estimate of total premiums, including assumptions relating to prepayments/refinancings. Furthermore, certain contracts within this line of business meet the U.S. GAAP definition of a financial guarantee insurance contract. Premiums for such contracts are recognized as the present value of the contractual premiums due or expected to be collected using a discount rate that reflects the risk-free rate at the inception of contract. Due to the scope exemption for insurance contracts that are similar to financial guarantee insurance contracts, the determination of whether certain of our credit and political risk contracts fall within the scope of the U.S. GAAP definition for financial guarantee contracts requires significant management judgment. For the years ended December 31, 20122013 and 20112012, our total premiums from financial guarantee insurance contracts were immaterial in the context of total gross premiums written for the segment. At December 31, 20122013, the average duration of the outstanding unearned premiums written for our credit and political risk line of business was 4.04.4 years (20112012: 4.44.0 years).
Reinsurance Segment
We provide excess of loss and proportional coverage to cedants (i.e. insurance companies). In most cases, cedants seek protection from us for business that they have not yet written at the time they enter into agreements with us. As a result, cedants must estimate their underlying premiums when purchasing reinsurance coverage from us.
For multi-year contracts where reinsurance premiums are payable in annual installments, premiums are recorded at the inception of the contract based on management’s best estimate of total premiums to be received. However, premiums are recognized on an annual basis for multi-year contracts where the cedant has the ability to unilaterally commute or cancel coverage within the term of the policy. The remaining annual premiums are included as written at each successive anniversary date within the multi-year term.
Our excess of loss reinsurance contracts with cedants generallytypically include provisions for a deposit or minimum premiumpremiums payable to us.us, which are generally considered to be the best estimate of the excess of loss reinsurance written premium at inception. The minimum/deposit premium is generallynormally adjusted at the end of the contract period to reflect changes in the underlying risks in force during the contract period. Minimum/deposit premiums generally cover the majority of premiums due under excess of loss contracts, with the adjustable portion typically comprising an insignificant portion of the total premium paid to us. Therefore, the deposit/minimum premiums are generally considered to be the best estimate of the excess of loss reinsurance written premiums at inception. We record adjustments to the deposit/minimum premiums in the period during which they become determinable. Excess of loss contracts accounted for 47%42%, 53%47% and 55%53% of our reinsurance segment’s total gross premiums written for the years ended December 31, 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively. The decrease during 2013 and 2012, when compared to 2011, was primarily driven by the growth in our agriculture line and repositioning of our catastrophe portfolio throughout the year.portfolio.
Many of our excess of loss contracts also include provisions that require an automatic reinstatement of coverage in the event of a loss. In a year of large loss events, reinstatement premiums will be higher than in a year in which there are no such events. Reinstatement premiums are recognized when a triggering loss event occurs and losses are recorded by us. While the reinstatement premium amount is defined by contract terms, our recognition of reinstatement premiums is dependent on our estimate of losses and loss expenses, which reflect management’s best judgment as described above in ‘Critical Accounting Estimates – Reserves for Losses and Loss Expenses’.
For business written under proportional contracts, our initial recognition of gross premiums written is based on estimates of premiums written provided by the cedant (via a broker) at contract inception. We may exercise judgment to modify the initial premium estimates provided by the cedants based on our prior experience with the cedant. We review these premium estimates on a quarterly basis and evaluate their reasonability in light of actual premiums reported to date by cedants, communications between us and the cedants/brokers and our view of changes in the marketplace and the cedants’ competitive positions therein.cedants. Factors contributing to changes from the initial premium estimates may include:
changes in renewal rates or rates of new business accepted by cedants (such changes could result from changes in the relevant insurance market that could affect more than one of our cedants or could be a consequence of changes in the marketing strategy or risk appetite of an individual cedant);
changes in underlying exposure values; and/or
changes in rates being charged by cedants.
As a result of this review process, any adjustments to estimates are recognized in gross premiums written during the period they are determined. Such changes in premium estimates could be material to gross premiums written and the resulting adjustments may directly and significantly impact net premiums earned favorably or unfavorably in the period they are determined because the adjustment may be substantially or fully earned. Gross premiums written for proportional contracts, including amounts related to the adjustment of premium estimates established in prior years, accounted for 53%58%, 47%53% and 45%47% of our reinsurance segment’s gross premiums written for the years ended December 31, 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively.
We made estimates on proportional treaties incepting during the year as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Catastrophe | $ | 2,264 |
| | $ | 4,595 |
| | $ | 5,187 |
| |
| Property | 169,214 |
| | 200,823 |
| | 206,269 |
| |
| Professional lines | 199,732 |
| | 165,297 |
| | 168,897 |
| |
| Credit and bond | 232,998 |
| | 254,548 |
| | 226,858 |
| |
| Motor | 158,230 |
| | 128,164 |
| | 64,893 |
| |
| Liability | 116,208 |
| | 111,454 |
| | 121,004 |
| |
| Engineering | 55,846 |
| | 60,576 |
| | 54,505 |
| |
| Other | 10,918 |
| | 8,405 |
| | 8,617 |
| |
| Total estimated premiums | $ | 945,410 |
| | $ | 933,862 |
| | $ | 856,230 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written (reinsurance segment) | 1,830,162 |
| | 1,974,324 |
| | 1,834,420 |
| |
| As a % of total gross premiums written | 52 | % | | 47 | % | | 47 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Catastrophe | $ | 3,896 |
| | $ | 2,264 |
| | $ | 4,595 |
| |
| Property | 195,435 |
| | 169,214 |
| | 200,823 |
| |
| Professional lines | 280,242 |
| | 199,732 |
| | 165,297 |
| |
| Credit and surety | 222,486 |
| | 232,998 |
| | 254,548 |
| |
| Motor | 177,834 |
| | 158,230 |
| | 128,164 |
| |
| Liability | 152,790 |
| | 116,208 |
| | 111,454 |
| |
| Agriculture | 103,869 |
| | 3,800 |
| | — |
| |
| Engineering | 47,295 |
| | 55,846 |
| | 60,576 |
| |
| Other | 11,582 |
| | 7,118 |
| | 8,405 |
| |
| Total estimated premiums | $ | 1,195,429 |
| | $ | 945,410 |
| | $ | 933,862 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Gross premiums written (reinsurance segment) | 2,137,903 |
| | 1,830,162 |
| | 1,974,324 |
| |
| As a % of total gross premiums written | 56 | % | | 52 | % | | 47 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
Since inception, our historical experience has shown that cumulative adjustments to our annual initial premium estimates on proportional reinsurance contracts have ranged from a negative revision of 3%4% to a favorable revision of 9%. Giving more weight to recent years where premium volume was comparable to current levels, we believe that a reasonably likely change in our 20122013 proportional reinsurance gross premiums written estimate would be 5% in either direction. Such a change would result in a variance in our gross premiums written of approximately $47$60 million and an immaterial impact on our pre-tax net income. However, larger variations, both positive and negative, are possible.
Earning Basis
Our premiums are earned over the period during which we are exposed to the underlying risk. Changes in circumstance subsequent to contract inception can impact the earning period. For example, when our exposure limit for a contract is reached, we fully earn any associated unearned premium. This can have a significant impact on net premiums earned, particularly for multi-year contracts such as those in our credit and political risk line of business.
Our fixed premium insurance and excess of loss reinsurance contracts are generally written on a “losses occurring” or “claims made” basis over the term of the contract. Accordingly, we earn the premium evenly over the contract term, which is generally 12 months.
Line slip and proportional (re)insurance contracts are generally written on a “risks attaching” basis, covering claims that relate to the underlying policies written during the terms of such contracts. As the underlying business incepts throughout the contract term (typically one year) and typically has a one-year coverage period, we generally earn these premiums evenly over a 24-month period.
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
Our estimates of fair value for financial assets and financial liabilities are based on the framework established in U.S. GAAP. This framework is based on the inputs used in valuation and gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs that reflect our significant market assumptions. The three levels of the hierarchy are as follows:
Level 1 – Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that we have the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 instruments.
Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or for which significant inputs are observable (e.g. interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, default rates, loss severities, etc.) or can be corroborated by observable market data.
Level 3 – Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. The unobservable inputs reflect our own assumptions about assumptions that market participants might use.
Refer to Item 8, Note 6 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details on the valuation techniques and assumptions used in estimating the fair value of our financial instruments.
Our estimated fair value of a financial instrument may differ from the amount that could be realized if the security was sold in an immediate sale, e.g., a forced transaction. Additionally, the valuation of fixed maturities is more subjective when markets are less liquid due to the lack of market based inputs, as was the case during the global financial market crisis in late 2008 and early 2009. This may lead us to change the selection of our valuation technique (from market to income approach) or may cause us to use multiple valuation techniques to estimate the fair value of a financial instrument. This circumstance may require significant management judgment and could cause an instrument to be reclassified between levels of the fair value hierarchy.
Fixed Maturities and Equities
Since 2009, significant liquidity has returned to the financial markets, resulting in an increase in observable market prices for our financial instruments. At December 31, 2012,2013, the fair value for 94% (2012: 96% (2011: 95%) of our total fixed maturities and equities was based on prices provided by globally recognized independent pricing services where we have a current and detailed understanding of how their prices were derived. The remaining securities were priced by either non-binding broker quotes or internal valuation models.
Generally, we obtain quotes directly from broker-dealers who are active in the corresponding markets when prices are unavailable from independent pricing services. This may also be the case if the pricing from pricing services is not reflective of current market levels, as detected by our pricing control tolerance procedures. Generally, broker-dealers value securities through their trading desks based on observable market inputs. Their pricing methodologies include mapping securities based on trade data, bids or offers, observed spreads and performance on newly issued securities. They may also establish pricing through observing secondary trading of similar securities.
At December 31, 20122013 and 2011,2012, we have not adjusted any pricing provided by independent pricing services (see ‘Management Pricing Validation’ below). Additionally, our total Level 3 fixed maturities and equities amounted to $71$34 million (2011: $51(2012: $71 million), less than 1% of total fixed maturities and equities. Refer to Item 8, Note 6 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.
Management Pricing Validation
While we obtain pricing from pricing services and/or broker-dealers, management is ultimately responsible for determining the fair value measurements for all securities. To ensure fair value measurement is applied consistently and in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we periodically update our understanding of the pricing methodologies used by the pricing services and broker-dealers.
We also challenge any prices we believe may not be representative of fair value under current market conditions. Our review process includes, but is not limited to: (i) initial and ongoing evaluation of the pricing methodologies and valuation models used by outside parties to calculate fair value; (ii) quantitative analysis; (iii) a review of multiple quotes obtained in the pricing process and the range of resulting fair values for each security, if available, and (iv) randomly selecting purchased or sold securities and comparing the executed prices to the fair value estimates provided by the independent pricing sources and broker-dealers.
Other Investments
Hedge Funds, Direct Lending Funds and CreditCLO Equity Funds
We measure the fair value for hedge, direct lending and creditCLO equity funds by obtaining the net asset value (NAV) as advised by our external fund manager or third party administrator. For any funds for which we did not receive a December 31, 20122013 net asset value, we have recorded an estimate of the change in fair value for the latest period based on return estimates obtained from the fund managers. Accordingly, we do not typically have a reporting lag in our fair value measurements for these funds. Historically, our estimated NAVs have not significantly diverged from the subsequent final audited NAVs. Where
we have the ability to liquidate our holdings at the reported NAV in the near term, these hedge and credit fundsholdings are classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy while the remaining fundsholdings are classified as Level 3.
CLO – Equity Securities
We have also invested directly in CLO Equities, also known as “cash flow CLOs” in the industry. In 2012,2013, the CLO – Equity market continues to be mostly inactive with only a small number of transactions being observed in the market and even fewer still involving deals we hold. Accordingly, we continue to rely on the use of our internal discounted cash flow model (income approach) to estimate the fair value of CLO – Equities. At December 31, 2012,2013, the estimated fair value for CLO – Equities was $62$40 million (2011: $67(2012: $62 million), based on the following significant inputs used in our valuation model.
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| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| At December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | |
| Default rates | 4.0% - 5.0% | | 4.0% - 5.0% | |
| Loss severity rate | 53.5% | | 53.5% | |
| Collateral spreads | 2.6% - 4.2% | | 2.6% - 4.2% | |
| Estimated maturity dates | 1.8 - 5.7 years | | 1.9 - 6.1 years | |
| | | | | |
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| At December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | |
| | | | | |
| Default rates | 4.0% - 5.0% | | 4.0% - 5.0% | |
| Loss severity rate | 53.5% | | 53.5% | |
| Collateral spreads | 2.6% - 3.4% | | 2.6% - 4.2% | |
| Estimated maturity dates | 2.1 - 4.6 years | | 1.8 - 5.7 years | |
| | | | | |
Of these significant inputs, the default and loss severity rates are the most judgmental unobservable market inputs to which the valuation of CLO – Equities is most sensitive.
Actual default rates at November 30, 20122013 for our CLO – Equities varied from 0.5% to 3.0% (November 30, 2012: 0.2% to 4.5% (November 30, 2011: 0.2% to 1.8%) on the remaining underlying collateral. While, on average, these default rates are much lower than our default rate assumptions noted above, we remain cautious on this favorable development given the continuing global economic uncertainty. Due to the use of significant unobservable inputs in our discounted cash flow model, we continue to classify the CLO – Equities as Level 3.
OTHER-THAN-TEMPORARY IMPAIRMENTS (“OTTI”)
Because our available-for-sale ("AFS") investment portfolio is the largest component of our consolidated assets and a multiple of shareholders’ equity, OTTI could be material to our financial condition and operating results particularly during periods of dislocation in the financial markets. During 2012,2013, we recorded a total OTTI charge in earnings of $9 million (2012: $24 million (2011:million; 2011: $16 million; 2010: $18 million). Refer to the ‘Net Investment Income and Net Realized Investment Gains/Losses’ section above for further details.
WeA security is “impaired” when its fair value is below its amortized cost (for fixed maturities) or cost (for equities). On a quarterly basis, we review quarterly whether a decline in the fair values ofall impaired AFS securities below their amortized coststo determine if the impairment is other-than-temporarily impaired.other-than-temporary. The OTTI assessment is inherently judgmental, especially where securities have experienced severe declines in fair value in a short period. Our OTTI review process begins with a quantitative analysis to identify securities to be further evaluated for potential OTTI. For all identified securities, further fundamental analysis is based on bothperformed that considers the following quantitative and qualitative approach. We identify securities for review based on credit quality, relative health of industry sector, yield analysis, security performance and topical issues. For identified securities, we prepare a fundamental analysis at the security level and consider the following factors:
The length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than the amortized cost for fixed maturities or cost for equity securities.
The financial condition, near-term and long-term prospects for the issuer of the security, including the relevant industry conditions and trends, and implications of rating agency actions and offering prices.
The historical and implied volatility of the fair value.
The collateral structure and credit support.
The following provides further details regarding our OTTI recognition and processes for AFS fixed maturities and equity securities.
Fixed Maturities
A security is “impaired” when the fair value is below its amortized cost. For an impaired fixed maturity, we recognize an OTTI in earnings when we:
| |
1) | have the intent to sell the security, |
| |
2) | more likely than not will be required to sell the security before its anticipated recovery, or |
| |
3) | do not anticipate to recover fully the amortized cost based on projected cash flows to be collected (i.e. a credit loss exists). |
For the first two criteria above, the OTTI charge is the entire difference between the security’s fair value and its amortized cost. However, if the impairment arises due to an anticipated credit loss on the security (third criterion above), we recognize only the credit loss component of the OTTI amount in earnings with a corresponding adjustment to amortized cost (new cost basis). The non-credit component (e.g. interest rates, market conditions, etc.) of the OTTI amount is recognized in other comprehensive income in our shareholders’ equity.
From time to time, we may sell fixed maturities subsequent to the balance sheet date that we did not intend to sell at the balance sheet date. Conversely, we may not sell fixed maturities that we previously asserted that we intended to sell at the balance sheet date. Such changes in intent may arise due to events occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date. The types of events that may result in a change in intent include, but are not limited to, significant changes in the economic facts and circumstances related to the specific issuer, changes in liquidity needs, or changes in tax laws or the regulatory environment.
For impaired investment-grade securities (i.e. rated BBBBBB- or above) that we do not intend to sell and it is more likely than not that we will not be required to sell, we have established some parameters for identifying securities with potential credit impairments. Our parameters focus primarily on the extent and duration of the decline, including but not limited to:
declines in value greater than 20% for nine consecutive months, and
declines in value greater than 10% for twelve consecutive months, and
declines in value greater than 5% and rated less than BBB (i.e. downgraded to non-investment grade since its original purchase).months.
For impaired securities held within our high yield portfolios (i.e. managed under a mandate to invest exclusivelyprimarily in non-investment grade securities), we have established separate parameters for our credit loss assessment. Due to the additional volatility inherent in high yield securities relative to investment-grade securities, we focus on the severity of the impairment and work closely with our external high yield investment managers to identify securities with significant potential credit impairments.
If a security meets one of the above criteria, we then perform a fundamental analysis by considering the qualitative factors noted above. Our OTTI review process for credit impairment excludes all fixed maturities guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies because we anticipate these securities will not be settled below amortized costs. However, these securities are still evaluated for intention to sell at a loss.
The credit loss component of OTTI recognized in earnings is calculated based on the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the net present value of its projected future cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate implicit in the debt security prior to the impairment. The significant inputs and the methodology used to estimate the credit losses are disclosed in Item 8, Note 5(d) to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Equities
We consider our ability and intent to hold an equity security in an unrealized loss position for a reasonable period of time to allow for a full recovery. As an equity security does not have a maturity date, the forecasted recovery for an equity security is inherently more judgmental than for a fixed maturity security.
In light of the volatile global equity markets we have experienced in recent years, we generally impair any equities for which we do not forecast a recovery to cost within three years. Further, we generally impair an equity security if its value has declinedbeen below its cost by 30% or more than 30% for nine consecutive months or by 20% or more than 20% for twelve consecutive months. We have also
established parameters for identifying potential impaired equity securities for fundamental analysis based on the severity, in either percentage or absolute dollar terms, of the unrealized loss position.
From time to time, we may sell our AFS equities subsequent to the balance sheet date that were considered temporarily impaired at the balance sheet date. This may occur due to events occurring subsequent to the balance sheet date that result in a change in our intent or ability to hold an equity security. Such subsequent events that may result in a sale include significant deterioration in the financial condition of the issuer, significant unforeseen changes in our liquidity needs, or changes in tax laws or the regulatory environment.
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
See Item 8, Note 2(m) to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion ofAt December 31, 2013, there were no recently issued accounting pronouncements that we have not yet adopted.where our adoption of such guidance was pending.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET AND SPECIAL PURPOSE ENTITY ARRANGEMENTS
At December 31, 20122013, we havethe Company is not entered intoparty to any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined by Item 303(a)(4) of Regulation S-K.S-K to which an entity unconsolidated with the Company is a party that management believes is reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on its financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that the Company believes is material to investors.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
In this report, we present operating income (loss), consolidated underwriting income (loss) and underwriting-related general and administrative expenses, which are “non-GAAP financial measures” as defined in Regulation G.
Operating income (loss) represents after-tax operational results without consideration of after-tax net realized investment gains (losses), foreign exchange losses (gains) and losses on repurchase of preferred shares. We also present diluted operating income (loss) per common share and operating return on average common equity (“operating ROACE”), which are derived from the non-GAAP operating income (loss) measure.
Consolidated underwriting income (loss) is a pre-tax measure of underwriting profitability that takes into account net premiums earned and other insurance related income as revenues and net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs and underwriting-related general and administrative costs as expenses. Underwriting-related general and administrative expenses include those general and administrative expenses that are incremental and/or directly attributable to our individual underwriting operations. While these measures are presented in Item 8, Note 3 to our Consolidated Financial Statements, they are considered non-GAAP financial measures when presented elsewhere on a consolidated basis.
Operating income (loss), diluted operating income (loss) per common share and operating ROACE can be reconciled to the nearest GAAP financial measures as follows:
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 495,004 |
| | $ | 9,430 |
| | $ | 819,848 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains, net of tax(1) | (115,854 | ) | | (119,736 | ) | | (193,124 | ) | |
| Foreign exchange losses (gains), net of tax(2) | 28,364 |
| | (43,606 | ) | | (15,382 | ) | |
| Loss on repurchase of preferred shares, net of tax(3) | 14,009 |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 421,523 |
| | $ | (153,912 | ) | | $ | 611,342 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Earnings per common share - diluted | $ | 4.00 |
| | $ | 0.07 |
| | $ | 6.02 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains, net of tax | (0.94 | ) | | (0.93 | ) | | (1.42 | ) | |
| Foreign exchange losses (gains), net of tax | 0.24 |
| | (0.34 | ) | | (0.11 | ) | |
| Loss on repurchase of preferred shares, net of tax | 0.11 |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
| Adjustment for anti-dilutive securities(4) | — |
| | (0.06 | ) | | — |
| |
| Operating income (loss) per common share - diluted | $ | 3.41 |
| | $ | (1.26 | ) | | $ | 4.49 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Weighted average common shares and common share equivalents - diluted, for net income(5) | 123,654 |
| | 128,122 |
| | 136,199 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Weighted average common shares and common share equivalents - diluted, for operating income (loss) | 123,654 |
| | 122,499 |
| | 136,199 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Average common shareholders’ equity | $ | 5,110,499 |
| | $ | 5,034,525 |
| | $ | 5,062,607 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| ROACE | 9.7 | % | | 0.2 | % | | 16.2 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
| Operating ROACE | 8.2 | % | | (3.1 | %) | | 12.1 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Year ended December 31, | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 | |
| | | | | | | |
| Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 683,910 |
| | $ | 495,004 |
| | $ | 9,430 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains, net of tax(1) | (77,603 | ) | | (115,854 | ) | | (119,736 | ) | |
| Foreign exchange losses (gains), net of tax(2) | 23,684 |
| | 28,364 |
| | (43,606 | ) | |
| Loss on repurchase of preferred shares, net of tax(3) | 3,081 |
| | 14,009 |
| | — |
| |
| Operating income (loss) | $ | 633,072 |
| | $ | 421,523 |
| | $ | (153,912 | ) | |
| | | | | | | |
| Earnings per common share - diluted | $ | 5.93 |
| | $ | 4.00 |
| | $ | 0.07 |
| |
| Net realized investment gains, net of tax | (0.68 | ) | | (0.94 | ) | | (0.93 | ) | |
| Foreign exchange losses (gains), net of tax | 0.21 |
| | 0.24 |
| | (0.34 | ) | |
| Loss on repurchase of preferred shares, net of tax | 0.03 |
| | 0.11 |
| | — |
| |
| Adjustment for anti-dilutive securities(4) | — |
| | — |
| | (0.06 | ) | |
| Operating income (loss) per common share - diluted | $ | 5.49 |
| | $ | 3.41 |
| | $ | (1.26 | ) | |
| | | | | | | |
| Weighted average common shares and common share equivalents - diluted, for net income(5) | 115,328 |
| | 123,654 |
| | 128,122 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Weighted average common shares and common share equivalents - diluted, for operating income (loss) | 115,328 |
| | 123,654 |
| | 122,499 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| Average common shareholders’ equity | $ | 5,233,519 |
| | $ | 5,110,449 |
| | $ | 5,034,525 |
| |
| | | | | | | |
| ROACE | 13.1 | % | | 9.7 | % | | 0.2 | % | |
| | | | | | | |
| Operating ROACE | 12.1 | % | | 8.2 | % | | (3.1 | %) | |
| | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Tax cost (benefit) of ($2,039), $11,615, $1,703 and $1,9741,703 for 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively. Tax impact is estimated by applying the statutory rates of applicable jurisdictions, after consideration of other relevant factors including the ability to utilize capital losses. |
| |
(2) | Tax benefit (cost) of $2,459, $1,148, and ($976) and ($153) for 20122013, 20112012 and 20102011, respectively. Tax impact is estimated by applying the statutory rates of applicable jurisdictions, after consideration of other relevant factors including the tax status of specific foreign exchange transactions. |
| |
(4) | For operating loss per share purposes, we have excluded the impact of otherwise anti-dilutive securities. |
| |
(5) | Refer to Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further details on the dilution calculation. |
A reconciliation of consolidated underwriting income (loss) to income before income taxes (the nearest GAAP financial measure) can be found in Item 8, Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Underwriting-related general and administrative are reconciled to general and administrative expenses (the nearest GAAP financial measure) within 'Underwriting Results - Group'.
We present our results of operations in the way we believe will be most meaningful and useful to investors, analysts, rating agencies and others who use our financial information to evaluate our performance. This includes the presentation of “operating income (loss)” (in total and on a per share basis), “annualized operating return on average common equity” (which is based on the “operating income (loss)” measure) and "consolidated underwriting income (loss)", which incorporates "underwriting-related general and administrative expenses".
Operating Income (Loss)
Although the investment of premiums to generate income and realized investment gains (or losses) is an integral part of our operations, the determination to realize investment gains (or losses) is independent of the underwriting process and is heavily influenced by the availability of market opportunities. Furthermore, many users believe that the timing of the realization of investment gains (or losses) is somewhat opportunistic for many companies.
Foreign exchange losses (gains) in our Consolidated Statements of Operations are primarily driven by the impact of foreign exchange rate movements on net insurance related-liabilities. However, this movement is only one element of the overall impact of foreign exchange rate fluctuations on our financial position. In addition, we recognize unrealized foreign exchange losses (gains) on our available-for-sale investments in other comprehensive income and foreign exchange losses (gains) realized upon the sale of these investments in net realized investments gain (losses). These unrealized and realized foreign exchange rate movements generally offset a large portion of the foreign exchange losses (gains) reported separately in earnings, thereby minimizing the impact of foreign exchange rate movements on total shareholders’ equity. As such, the Statement of Operations foreign exchange losses (gains) in isolation are not a fair representation of the performance of our business.
Losses on repurchase of preferred shares arise from capital transactions and, therefore, are not reflective of underlying business performance.
In this regard, certain users of our financial statements evaluate earnings excluding after-tax net realized investment gains (losses), foreign exchange losses (gains) and losses on repurchase of preferred shares to understand the profitability of recurring sources of income.
We believe that showing net income available to common shareholders exclusive of net realized gains (losses), foreign exchange losses (gains) and losses on repurchase of preferred shares reflects the underlying fundamentals of our business. In addition, we believe that this presentation enables investors and other users of our financial information to analyze performance in a manner similar to how our management analyzes the underlying business performance. We also believe this measure follows industry practice and, therefore, facilitates comparison of our performance with our peer group. We believe that equity analysts and certain rating agencies that follow us, and the insurance industry as a whole, generally exclude these items from their analyses for the same reasons.
Consolidated Underwriting Income (Loss)/Underwriting-Related General and Administrative Expenses
Corporate expenses include holding company costs necessary to support our worldwide (re)insurance operations and costs associated with operating as a publicly-traded company. As these costs are not incremental and/or directly attributable to our individual underwriting operations, we exclude them from underwriting-related general and administrative expenses and, therefore, consolidated underwriting income (loss). Interest expense and financing costs primarily relate to interest payable on our senior notes and are excluded from consolidated underwriting income (loss) for the same reason.
We evaluate our underwriting results separately from the performance of our investment portfolio. As such, we believe it appropriate to exclude net investment income and net realized investment gains (losses) from our underwriting profitability measure.
As noted above, foreign exchange losses (gains) in our Consolidated Statement of Operations primarily relate to our net insurance-related liabilities. However, we manage our investment portfolio in such a way that unrealized and realized foreign exchange rate gains (losses) on our investment portfolio generally offset a large portion of the foreign exchange losses (gains) arising from our underwriting portfolio. As a result, we believe that foreign exchange losses (gains) are not a meaningful contributor to our underwriting performance and, therefore, exclude them from consolidated underwriting income (loss).
We believe that presentation of underwriting-related general and administrative expenses and consolidated underwriting income (loss) provides investors with an enhanced understanding of our results of operations, by highlighting the underlying pre-tax profitability of our underwriting activities.
| |
ITEM 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK |
Market risk represents the potential for an economic loss due to adverse changes in the fair value of financial instruments. Refer to ‘Risk and Capital Management’ section under Item 1 for further details on how we manage market risk relating to our financial instruments.
Our Balance Sheets include a substantial amount of assets whose fair values are subject to market risks. Our fixed income and equity securities are classified as available-for-sale and, as such, changes in fair value caused by changes in interest rates, equity prices and foreign currency exchange rates will have an immediate impact on our comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and book value but may not have an immediate impact on consolidated net income. Changes in these market risks will only impact our consolidated net income when, and if, securities are sold or an OTTI charge is recorded. Further, we have alternative investments including hedge funds, creditdirect lending funds and CLO – Equities at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012. These investments are also exposed to market risks, with the change in fair value reported immediately in earnings.
The following is a sensitivity analysis of our primary market risk exposures at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012. Our policies to address these risks in 20122013 were not materially different from 20112012. We do not currently anticipate significant changes in our primary market risk exposures or in how those exposures are managed in future reporting periods based upon what is known or expected to be in effect in future reporting periods.
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
Interest Rate and Credit Spread Risk
Interest rate risk includes fluctuations in interest rates and credit spreads that have a direct impact on the fair value of our fixed maturities. As interest rates rise and credit spreads widen, the fair value of fixed maturities falls, and the converse is also true.
We monitor our sensitivity to interest rate changes and credit spread changes by revaluing our fixed maturities using a variety of different interest rates (inclusive of credit spreads). We use duration and convexity at the security level to estimate the change in fair value that would result from a change in each security’s yield. Duration measures the price sensitivity of an asset to changes in yield rates. Convexity measures how the duration of the security changes with interest rates. The duration and convexity analysis takes into account changes in prepayment expectations for MBS and ABS securities. The analysis is performed at the security level and aggregated up to the asset category levels for reporting in the tables below.
The following table presents the estimated pre-tax impact on the fair value of our fixed maturities at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012 due to an instantaneous increase in the U.S. yield curve of 100 basis points and an additional 100 basis point credit spread widening for corporate debt, non-agency residential and commercial MBS, ABS and municipal bond securities.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | Fair Value | | Potential Adverse Change in Fair Value | |
Increase in interest rate by 100 basis points | | Widening of credit spreads by 100 basis points | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,422,885 |
| | $ | (55,856 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | (55,856 | ) | |
| Non-U.S. government | 1,104,576 |
| | (34,088 | ) | | — |
| | (34,088 | ) | |
| Agency MBS | 2,659,908 |
| | (68,821 | ) | | — |
| | (68,821 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Securities exposed to credit spreads: | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate debt | 3,876,382 |
| | (111,035 | ) | | (116,763 | ) | | (227,798 | ) | |
| CMBS | 840,084 |
| | (23,773 | ) | | (24,037 | ) | | (47,810 | ) | |
| Non agency RMBS | 95,199 |
| | (1,897 | ) | | (2,959 | ) | | (4,856 | ) | |
| ABS | 643,206 |
| | (5,525 | ) | | (14,331 | ) | | (19,856 | ) | |
| Municipals | 1,285,809 |
| | (54,567 | ) | | (55,134 | ) | | (109,701 | ) | |
| | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | $ | (355,562 | ) | | $ | (213,224 | ) | | $ | (568,786 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,148,267 |
| | $ | (30,557 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | (30,557 | ) | |
| Non-U.S. government | 1,212,451 |
| | (37,172 | ) | | — |
| | (37,172 | ) | |
| Agency MBS | 2,636,634 |
| | (50,924 | ) | | — |
| | (50,924 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Securities exposed to credit spreads: | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate debt | 3,609,591 |
| | (113,228 | ) | | (123,567 | ) | | (236,795 | ) | |
| CMBS | 312,691 |
| | (9,145 | ) | | (9,227 | ) | | (18,372 | ) | |
| Non agency RMBS | 165,713 |
| | (217 | ) | | (3,659 | ) | | (3,876 | ) | |
| ABS | 632,042 |
| | (4,411 | ) | | (12,699 | ) | | (17,110 | ) | |
| Municipals | 1,222,711 |
| | (57,416 | ) | | (57,844 | ) | | (115,260 | ) | |
| | $ | 10,940,100 |
| | $ | (303,070 | ) | | $ | (206,996 | ) | | $ | (510,066 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | Fair Value | | Potential Adverse Change in Fair Value | |
Increase in interest rate by 100 basis points | | Widening of credit spreads by 100 basis points | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2013 | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,388,698 |
| | $ | (56,590 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | (56,590 | ) | |
| Non-U.S. government | 1,176,382 |
| | (37,274 | ) | | — |
| | (37,274 | ) | |
| Agency MBS | 2,448,827 |
| | (119,533 | ) | | — |
| | (119,533 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Securities exposed to credit spreads: | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate debt | 3,608,238 |
| | (87,210 | ) | | (96,590 | ) | | (183,800 | ) | |
| CMBS | 797,414 |
| | (19,710 | ) | | (19,931 | ) | | (39,641 | ) | |
| Non agency RMBS | 67,567 |
| | (343 | ) | | (2,398 | ) | | (2,741 | ) | |
| ABS | 953,451 |
| | (5,827 | ) | | (34,255 | ) | | (40,082 | ) | |
| Municipals | 1,545,750 |
| | (68,785 | ) | | (69,610 | ) | | (138,395 | ) | |
| | $ | 11,986,327 |
| | $ | (395,272 | ) | | $ | (222,784 | ) | | $ | (618,056 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government and agency | $ | 1,422,885 |
| | $ | (55,856 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | (55,856 | ) | |
| Non-U.S. government | 1,104,576 |
| | (34,088 | ) | | — |
| | (34,088 | ) | |
| Agency MBS | 2,659,908 |
| | (68,821 | ) | | — |
| | (68,821 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Securities exposed to credit spreads: | | | | | | | | |
| Corporate debt | 3,876,382 |
| | (111,035 | ) | | (116,763 | ) | | (227,798 | ) | |
| CMBS | 840,084 |
| | (23,773 | ) | | (24,037 | ) | | (47,810 | ) | |
| Non agency RMBS | 95,199 |
| | (1,897 | ) | | (2,959 | ) | | (4,856 | ) | |
| ABS | 643,206 |
| | (5,525 | ) | | (14,331 | ) | | (19,856 | ) | |
| Municipals | 1,285,809 |
| | (54,567 | ) | | (55,134 | ) | | (109,701 | ) | |
| | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | $ | (355,562 | ) | | $ | (213,224 | ) | | $ | (568,786 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | |
U.S. government agencies have a limited range of spread widening, therefore, 100 basis points of spread widening for these securities is highly improbable in normal market conditions. As previously noted, our non-U.S. government debt obligations are highly-rated, with no remaining exposure to the European peripheral countries. Accordingly, we believe the potential for future widening of credit spreads would also be limited for these securities. Further, certain of our holdings in non-agency RMBS and ABS have floating interest rates, which mitigate our interest rate risk exposure.
The above sensitivity analysis reflects our view of changes that are reasonably possible over a one-year period. Note this should not be construed as our prediction of future market events, but rather an illustration of the impact of such events.
As the performance of our investment in creditleveraged bank loan funds are driven by the valuation of the underlying bank loans, these funds are also exposed to credit spreads movement. At December 31, 20122013, the impact of an instantaneous 15% decline in the fair value of our investment in creditleveraged bank loan funds would be $137 million (20112012: $13 million), on a pre-tax basis. Our investment in CLO – Equities is also exposed to interest rate risk, but it would have an insignificant impact to its fair value in the event the risk free yield curve increase by 100 basis points.
Additionally, our investment in foreign bond mutual funds is exposed to interest rate risk; however, this exposure is largely mitigated by the short duration of the underlying securities.
Equity Price Risk
Our portfolio of equity securities, excluding the foreign bond mutual funds, has exposure to equity price risk. This risk is defined as the potential loss in fair value resulting from adverse changes in stock prices. Our global equity portfolio is correlated with a blend of the S&P 500 and MSCI World indices and changes in this blend of indices would approximate the impact on our portfolio. The fair value of our equity securities at December 31, 20122013 was $563577 million (20112012: $561563 million). At December 31, 20122013, the impact of a 20% decline in the overall market prices of our equity exposures would be $113115 million (20112012: $112113 million), on a pre-tax basis.
Our investment in hedge funds has significant exposure to equity strategies with net long positions. At December 31, 20122013, the impact of an instantaneous 15% decline in the fair value of our investment in hedge funds would be $104142 million (20112012: $82104 million), on a pre-tax basis.
Foreign Currency Risk
The table below provides a sensitivity analysis of our total net foreign currency exposures.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | AUD | | NZD | | CAD | | EUR | | GBP | | JPY | | Other | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net managed assets (liabilities), excluding derivatives | $ | (51,247 | ) | | $ | (278,388 | ) | | $ | 78,242 |
| | $ | (25,315 | ) | | $ | (21,525 | ) | | $ | (8,387 | ) | | $ | (15,020 | ) | | $ | (321,640 | ) | |
| Foreign currency derivatives, net | 25,961 |
| | 245,801 |
| | (58,297 | ) | | 39,588 |
| | — |
| | 15,329 |
| | — |
| | 268,382 |
| |
| Net managed foreign currency exposure | (25,286 | ) | | (32,587 | ) | | 19,945 |
| | 14,273 |
| | (21,525 | ) | | 6,942 |
| | (15,020 | ) | | (53,258 | ) | |
| Other net foreign currency exposure | 5,454 |
| | — |
| | 211 |
| | 22,257 |
| | 15,199 |
| | 14,224 |
| | 201,062 |
| | 258,407 |
| |
| Total net foreign currency exposure | $ | (19,832 | ) | | $ | (32,587 | ) | | $ | 20,156 |
| | $ | 36,530 |
| | $ | (6,326 | ) | | $ | 21,166 |
| | $ | 186,042 |
| | $ | 205,149 |
| |
| Net foreign currency exposure as a percentage of total shareholders’ equity | (0.3 | %) | | (0.6 | %) | | 0.3 | % | | 0.6 | % | | (0.1 | %) | | 0.4 | % | | 3.2 | % | | 3.5 | % | |
| Pre-tax impact of net foreign currency exposure on shareholders’ equity given a hypothetical 10% rate movement(1) | $ | (1,983 | ) | | $ | (3,259 | ) | | $ | 2,016 |
| | $ | 3,653 |
| | $ | (633 | ) | | $ | 2,117 |
| | $ | 18,604 |
| | $ | 20,515 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net managed assets (liabilities), excluding derivatives | $ | (108,549 | ) | | $ | (327,165 | ) | | $ | 53,336 |
| | $ | 552,421 |
| | $ | (16,960 | ) | | $ | (73,888 | ) | | $ | (1,047 | ) | | $ | 78,148 |
| |
| Foreign currency derivatives, net | 72,093 |
| | 314,890 |
| | (39,348 | ) | | (637,822 | ) | | (62,036 | ) | | 44,666 |
| | 8,225 |
| | (299,332 | ) | |
| Net managed foreign currency exposure | (36,456 | ) | | (12,275 | ) | | 13,988 |
| | (85,401 | ) | | (78,996 | ) | | (29,222 | ) | | 7,178 |
| | (221,184 | ) | |
| Other net foreign currency exposure | (945 | ) | | — |
| | 1,209 |
| | 26,748 |
| | 22,581 |
| | 33,580 |
| | 30,052 |
| | 113,225 |
| |
| Total net foreign currency exposure | $ | (37,401 | ) | | $ | (12,275 | ) | | $ | 15,197 |
| | $ | (58,653 | ) | | $ | (56,415 | ) | | $ | 4,358 |
| | $ | 37,230 |
| | $ | (107,959 | ) | |
| Net foreign currency exposure as a percentage of total shareholders’ equity | (0.7 | %) | | (0.2 | %) | | 0.3 | % | | (1.1 | %) | | (1.1 | %) | | 0.1 | % | | 0.7 | % | | (2.0 | %) | |
| Pre-tax impact of net foreign currency exposure on shareholders’ equity given a hypothetical 10% rate movement(1) | $ | (3,740 | ) | | $ | (1,228 | ) | | $ | 1,520 |
| | $ | (5,865 | ) | | $ | (5,642 | ) | | $ | 436 |
| | $ | 3,723 |
| | $ | (10,796 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | AUD | | NZD | | CAD | | EUR | | GBP | | JPY | | Other | | Total | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2013 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net managed assets (liabilities), excluding derivatives | $ | (6,661 | ) | | $ | (195,714 | ) | | $ | 72,846 |
| | $ | (99,409 | ) | | $ | (132,980 | ) | | $ | 35,115 |
| | $ | (41,504 | ) | | $ | (368,307 | ) | |
| Foreign currency derivatives, net | (22,315 | ) | | 172,144 |
| | (56,455 | ) | | 42,735 |
| | 16,567 |
| | (32,301 | ) | | (4,011 | ) | | 116,364 |
| |
| Net managed foreign currency exposure | (28,976 | ) | | (23,570 | ) | | 16,391 |
| | (56,674 | ) | | (116,413 | ) | | 2,814 |
| | (45,515 | ) | | (251,943 | ) | |
| Other net foreign currency exposure | 4,203 |
| | — |
| | 779 |
| | 31,225 |
| | 12,497 |
| | 12,838 |
| | 308,446 |
| | 369,988 |
| |
| Total net foreign currency exposure | $ | (24,773 | ) | | $ | (23,570 | ) | | $ | 17,170 |
| | $ | (25,449 | ) | | $ | (103,916 | ) | | $ | 15,652 |
| | $ | 262,931 |
| | $ | 118,045 |
| |
| Net foreign currency exposure as a percentage of total shareholders’ equity | (0.4 | %) | | (0.4 | %) | | 0.3 | % | | (0.4 | %) | | (1.8 | %) | | 0.3 | % | | 4.5 | % | | 2.0 | % | |
| Pre-tax impact of net foreign currency exposure on shareholders’ equity given a hypothetical 10% rate movement(1) | $ | (2,477 | ) | | $ | (2,357 | ) | | $ | 1,717 |
| | $ | (2,545 | ) | | $ | (10,392 | ) | | $ | 1,565 |
| | $ | 26,293 |
| | $ | 11,804 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| At December 31, 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net managed assets (liabilities), excluding derivatives | $ | (51,247 | ) | | $ | (278,388 | ) | | $ | 78,242 |
| | $ | (25,315 | ) | | $ | (21,525 | ) | | $ | (8,387 | ) | | $ | (15,020 | ) | | $ | (321,640 | ) | |
| Foreign currency derivatives, net | 25,961 |
| | 245,801 |
| | (58,297 | ) | | 39,588 |
| | — |
| | 15,329 |
| | — |
| | 268,382 |
| |
| Net managed foreign currency exposure | (25,286 | ) | | (32,587 | ) | | 19,945 |
| | 14,273 |
| | (21,525 | ) | | 6,942 |
| | (15,020 | ) | | (53,258 | ) | |
| Other net foreign currency exposure | 5,454 |
| | — |
| | 211 |
| | 22,257 |
| | 15,199 |
| | 14,224 |
| | 201,062 |
| | 258,407 |
| |
| Total net foreign currency exposure | $ | (19,832 | ) | | $ | (32,587 | ) | | $ | 20,156 |
| | $ | 36,530 |
| | $ | (6,326 | ) | | $ | 21,166 |
| | $ | 186,042 |
| | $ | 205,149 |
| |
| Net foreign currency exposure as a percentage of total shareholders’ equity | (0.3 | %) | | (0.6 | %) | | 0.3 | % | | 0.6 | % | | (0.1 | %) | | 0.4 | % | | 3.2 | % | | 3.5 | % | |
| Pre-tax impact of net foreign currency exposure on shareholders’ equity given a hypothetical 10% rate movement(1) | $ | (1,983 | ) | | $ | (3,259 | ) | | $ | 2,016 |
| | $ | 3,653 |
| | $ | (633 | ) | | $ | 2,117 |
| | $ | 18,604 |
| | $ | 20,515 |
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
(1) | Assumes 10% change in underlying currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. |
Net Managed Foreign Currency Exposure
Our net managed foreign currency exposure is subject to our internal risk tolerance standards. For significant foreign currency exposures, defined as those where our net asset/liability position exceeds the greater of 1% of our shareholders' equity or $50 million, the value of assets denominated in those currencies should fall within a range of 90 - 110% of liabilities denominated in the same currency. In addition, our aggregate foreign currency exposure is subject to the same tolerance range. We may use derivative instruments to maintain net managed foreign currency exposures within our risk tolerance levels.
During 2012, our euro-denominated net assets, excluding derivatives, and the derivatives used to hedge these net assets decreased, as we actively reduced our eurozone sovereign debt exposure. Refer to Item 7 'Cash and Investments - Fixed Maturities - Non-U.S. Government' for further details.
BusinessNew business written as part of the January 20132014 renewal season is expected to serve as a natural offset a large portion ofversus the $53252 million net short managed foreign currency exposure at December 31, 20122013. Remaining un-matched foreign currency exposure will be economically hedged with foreign currency derivatives to ensure our net exposure remains within our risk tolerances.
Other Net Foreign Currency Exposure
Other net foreign currency exposure includes those assets managed by specific investment managers who have the discretion to hold foreign currency exposures as part of their total return strategy. The continued funding of anour emerging market debt securities portfolio was the primary driver for the increase in other net foreign currency exposures during 2012. Refer to Item 72013. See 'Cash and Investments - Fixed Maturities - Non-U.S. Government' in Item 7 for further details on this portfolio.
| |
ITEM 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA |
|
| |
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Related Notes | Page |
| |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | |
| |
Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 20122013 and 20112012 | |
| |
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 2011 and 20102011 | |
| |
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 2011 and 20102011 | |
| |
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 2011 and 20102011 | |
| |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 2011 and 20102011 | |
| |
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | |
| |
Note 1 – History | |
| |
Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies | |
| |
Note 3 – Segment Information | |
| |
Note 4 – Goodwill and Intangible Assets | |
| |
Note 5 – Investments | |
| |
Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements | |
| |
Note 7 – Derivative Instruments | |
| |
Note 8 – Reserves for Losses and Loss Expenses | |
| |
Note 9 – Reinsurance | |
| |
Note 10 – Debt and Financing Arrangements | |
| |
Note 11 – Commitments and Contingencies | |
| |
Note 12 – Earnings Per Common Share | |
| |
Note 13 – Shareholders’ Equity | |
| |
Note 14 – Retirement PlansNoncontrolling Interest | |
| |
Note 15 – Share-Based CompensationRetirement Plans | |
| |
Note 16 – Related Party Transactions | |
| |
Note 17 – Income Taxes | |
| |
Note 18 – Statutory Financial InformationShare-Based Compensation | |
| |
Note 1917 – Unaudited Condensed Quarterly Financial DataRelated Party Transactions | |
| |
Note 18 – Income Taxes | |
| |
Note 19 – Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) | |
| |
Note 20 – Subsequent EventStatutory Financial Information | |
| |
Note 21 – Unaudited Condensed Quarterly Financial Data | |
| |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 20122013 and 20112012, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 20122013. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited and subsidiaries as of December 31, 20122013 and 20112012, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 20122013, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 20122013, based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (1992) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 22,21, 20132014 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
|
|
|
/s/ Deloitte & Touche Ltd. |
Hamilton, Bermuda |
February 22, 201321, 2014 |
AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
DECEMBER 31, 20122013 AND 20112012
| | | 2012 | | 2011 | 2013 | | 2012 |
| (in thousands) | (in thousands) |
Assets | | |
Investments: | | | | | | |
Fixed maturities, available for sale, at fair value (Amortized cost 2012: $11,605,672; 2011: $10,821,338) | $ | 11,928,049 |
| | $ | 10,940,100 |
| |
Equity securities, available for sale, at fair value (Cost 2012: $608,306; 2011: $699,566) | 666,548 |
| | 677,560 |
| |
Fixed maturities, available for sale, at fair value (Amortized cost 2013: $11,987,146; 2012: $11,605,672) | | $ | 11,986,327 |
| | $ | 11,928,049 |
|
Equity securities, available for sale, at fair value (Cost 2013: $566,219; 2012: $608,306) | | 701,987 |
| | 666,548 |
|
Other investments, at fair value | 843,437 |
| | 699,320 |
| 1,045,810 |
| | 843,437 |
|
Short-term investments, at fair value and amortized cost | 108,860 |
| | 149,909 |
| 46,212 |
| | 108,860 |
|
Total investments | 13,546,894 |
| | 12,466,889 |
| 13,780,336 |
| | 13,546,894 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents | 759,817 |
| | 981,849 |
| 923,326 |
| | 759,817 |
|
Restricted cash and cash equivalents | 90,733 |
| | 100,989 |
| 64,550 |
| | 90,733 |
|
Accrued interest receivable | 97,220 |
| | 98,346 |
| 97,132 |
| | 97,220 |
|
Insurance and reinsurance premium balances receivable | 1,474,821 |
| | 1,413,839 |
| 1,688,957 |
| | 1,474,821 |
|
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid and paid losses | 1,863,819 |
| | 1,770,329 |
| 1,929,988 |
| | 1,863,819 |
|
Deferred acquisition costs | 389,248 |
| | 407,527 |
| 456,122 |
| | 389,248 |
|
Prepaid reinsurance premiums | 315,676 |
| | 238,623 |
| 330,261 |
| | 315,676 |
|
Receivable for investments sold | 1,254 |
| | 3,006 |
| 1,199 |
| | 1,254 |
|
Goodwill and intangible assets | 97,493 |
| | 99,590 |
| 89,528 |
| | 97,493 |
|
Other assets | 215,369 |
| | 225,072 |
| 273,385 |
| | 215,369 |
|
Total assets | $ | 18,852,344 |
| | $ | 17,806,059 |
| $ | 19,634,784 |
| | $ | 18,852,344 |
|
| | | | | | |
Liabilities | | | | | | |
Reserve for losses and loss expenses | $ | 9,058,731 |
| | $ | 8,425,045 |
| $ | 9,582,140 |
| | $ | 9,058,731 |
|
Unearned premiums | 2,454,692 |
| | 2,454,462 |
| 2,683,849 |
| | 2,454,692 |
|
Insurance and reinsurance balances payable | 270,739 |
| | 206,539 |
| 234,412 |
| | 270,739 |
|
Senior notes | 995,245 |
| | 994,664 |
| 995,855 |
| | 995,245 |
|
Payable for investments purchased | 64,553 |
| | 151,941 |
| 21,744 |
| | 64,553 |
|
Other liabilities | 228,623 |
| | 129,329 |
| 248,822 |
| | 228,623 |
|
Total liabilities | 13,072,583 |
| | 12,361,980 |
| 13,766,822 |
| | 13,072,583 |
|
| | | | | | |
Commitments and Contingencies |
| |
|
| |
|
| | | | | | |
Shareholders’ equity | | | | | | |
Preferred shares - Series A, B and C | 502,843 |
| | 500,000 |
| |
Common shares (2012: 171,867; 2011: 170,159 shares issued and 2012: 117,920; 2011: 125,588 shares outstanding) | 2,146 |
| | 2,125 |
| |
Preferred shares | | 627,843 |
| | 502,843 |
|
Common shares (2013: 174,134; 2012: 171,867 shares issued and 2013: 109,485; 2012: 117,920 shares outstanding) | | 2,174 |
| | 2,146 |
|
Additional paid-in capital | 2,179,034 |
| | 2,105,386 |
| 2,240,125 |
| | 2,179,034 |
|
Accumulated other comprehensive income | 362,622 |
| | 128,162 |
| 117,825 |
| | 362,622 |
|
Retained earnings | 4,497,789 |
| | 4,155,392 |
| 5,062,706 |
| | 4,497,789 |
|
Treasury shares, at cost (2012: 53,947; 2011: 44,571 shares) | (1,764,673 | ) | | (1,446,986 | ) | |
Treasury shares, at cost (2013: 64,649; 2012: 53,947 shares) | | (2,232,711 | ) | | (1,764,673 | ) |
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to AXIS Capital | | 5,817,962 |
| | 5,779,761 |
|
Noncontrolling interests | | 50,000 |
| | — |
|
Total shareholders’ equity | 5,779,761 |
| | 5,444,079 |
| 5,867,962 |
| | 5,779,761 |
|
| | | | |
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 18,852,344 |
| | $ | 17,806,059 |
| $ | 19,634,784 |
| | $ | 18,852,344 |
|
See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
110114
AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 20122013, 20112012, AND 20102011
| | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 |
| (in thousands, except for per share data) | (in thousands, except for per share data) |
Revenues | | | | | | | | | | |
Net premiums earned | $ | 3,415,463 |
| | $ | 3,314,961 |
| | $ | 2,947,410 |
| $ | 3,707,065 |
| | $ | 3,415,463 |
| | $ | 3,314,961 |
|
Net investment income | 380,957 |
| | 362,430 |
| | 406,892 |
| 409,312 |
| | 380,957 |
| | 362,430 |
|
Other insurance related income | 2,676 |
| | 2,396 |
| | 2,073 |
| 4,424 |
| | 2,676 |
| | 2,396 |
|
Net realized investment gains | | | | | | | | | | |
Other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) losses | (24,234 | ) | | (16,446 | ) | | (19,216 | ) | (9,362 | ) | | (24,234 | ) | | (16,446 | ) |
Non-credit portion of OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income | — |
| | 585 |
| | 1,284 |
| — |
| | — |
| | 585 |
|
Other net realized investment gains | 151,703 |
| | 137,300 |
| | 213,030 |
| 84,926 |
| | 151,703 |
| | 137,300 |
|
Total net realized investment gains | 127,469 |
| | 121,439 |
| | 195,098 |
| 75,564 |
| | 127,469 |
| | 121,439 |
|
Total revenues | 3,926,565 |
| | 3,801,226 |
| | 3,551,473 |
| 4,196,365 |
| | 3,926,565 |
| | 3,801,226 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Expenses | | | | | | | | | | |
Net losses and loss expenses | 2,096,028 |
| | 2,675,052 |
| | 1,677,132 |
| 2,134,195 |
| | 2,096,028 |
| | 2,675,052 |
|
Acquisition costs | 627,653 |
| | 587,469 |
| | 488,712 |
| 664,191 |
| | 627,653 |
| | 587,469 |
|
General and administrative expenses | 560,981 |
| | 459,151 |
| | 449,885 |
| 575,390 |
| | 560,981 |
| | 459,151 |
|
Foreign exchange losses (gains) | 29,512 |
| | (44,582 | ) | | (15,535 | ) | 26,143 |
| | 29,512 |
| | (44,582 | ) |
Interest expense and financing costs | 61,863 |
| | 62,598 |
| | 55,876 |
| 61,979 |
| | 61,863 |
| | 62,598 |
|
Total expenses | 3,376,037 |
| | 3,739,688 |
| | 2,656,070 |
| 3,461,898 |
| | 3,376,037 |
| | 3,739,688 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Income before income taxes | 550,528 |
| | 61,538 |
| | 895,403 |
| 734,467 |
| | 550,528 |
| | 61,538 |
|
Income tax expense | 3,287 |
| | 15,233 |
| | 38,680 |
| 7,002 |
| | 3,287 |
| | 15,233 |
|
Net income | 547,241 |
| | 46,305 |
| | 856,723 |
| 727,465 |
| | 547,241 |
| | 46,305 |
|
Preferred share dividends | 38,228 |
| | 36,875 |
| | 36,875 |
| 40,474 |
| | 38,228 |
| | 36,875 |
|
Loss on repurchase of preferred shares | 14,009 |
| | — |
| | — |
| 3,081 |
| | 14,009 |
| | — |
|
Net income available to common shareholders | $ | 495,004 |
| | $ | 9,430 |
| | $ | 819,848 |
| $ | 683,910 |
| | $ | 495,004 |
| | $ | 9,430 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Per share data | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income per common share | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic net income | $ | 4.05 |
| | $ | 0.08 |
| | $ | 6.74 |
| $ | 6.02 |
| | $ | 4.05 |
| | $ | 0.08 |
|
Diluted net income | $ | 4.00 |
| | $ | 0.07 |
| | $ | 6.02 |
| $ | 5.93 |
| | $ | 4.00 |
| | $ | 0.07 |
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic | 122,148 |
| | 122,499 |
| | 121,728 |
| 113,636 |
| | 122,148 |
| | 122,499 |
|
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted | 123,654 |
| | 128,122 |
| | 136,199 |
| 115,328 |
| | 123,654 |
| | 128,122 |
|
Cash dividends declared per common share | $ | 0.97 |
| | $ | 0.93 |
| | $ | 0.86 |
| |
See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
111115
AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 20122013, 20112012, AND 20102011
| | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 |
| (in thousands) | (in thousands) |
Net income | $ | 547,241 |
| | $ | 46,305 |
| | $ | 856,723 |
| $ | 727,465 |
| | $ | 547,241 |
| | $ | 46,305 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax; | | | | | | |
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax: | | | | | | |
Available for sale investments: | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized gains arising during the period | 348,510 |
| | 74,297 |
| | 266,294 |
| |
Adjustment for re-classification of realized investment gains and OTTI losses recognized in net income | (116,278 | ) | | (119,548 | ) | | (190,646 | ) | |
Unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period, net of reclassification adjustment | 232,232 |
| | (45,251 | ) | | 75,648 |
| |
Unrealized investment gains (losses) arising during the period | | (161,832 | ) | | 348,510 |
| | 74,297 |
|
Adjustment for re-classification of net realized investment gains and OTTI losses recognized in net income | | (61,551 | ) | | (116,278 | ) | | (119,548 | ) |
Unrealized investment gains (losses) arising during the period, net of reclassification adjustment | | (223,383 | ) | | 232,232 |
| | (45,251 | ) |
Non-credit portion of OTTI losses | — |
| | (455 | ) | | (1,284 | ) | — |
| | — |
| | (455 | ) |
Foreign currency translation adjustment | 510 |
| | (3,045 | ) | | 16,026 |
| (21,414 | ) | | 510 |
| | (3,045 | ) |
Net change in benefit plan assets and obligations recognized in equity and reclassification adjustment | 1,718 |
| | 92 |
| | 798 |
| — |
| | 1,718 |
| | 92 |
|
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax | 234,460 |
| | (48,659 | ) | | 91,188 |
| (244,797 | ) | | 234,460 |
| | (48,659 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | 781,701 |
| | $ | (2,354 | ) | | $ | 947,911 |
| $ | 482,668 |
| | $ | 781,701 |
| | $ | (2,354 | ) |
See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
112116
AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 20122013, 20112012, AND 20102011
| | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 |
| (in thousands) | (in thousands) |
Preferred shares - Series A, B and C | | | | | | |
Preferred shares | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | $ | 500,000 |
| | $ | 500,000 |
| | $ | 500,000 |
| $ | 502,843 |
| | $ | 500,000 |
| | $ | 500,000 |
|
Shares issued - Series C | 400,000 |
| | — |
| | — |
| |
Shares repurchased - Series A and B | (397,157 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| |
Shares issued | | 225,000 |
| | 400,000 |
| | — |
|
Shares repurchased | | (100,000 | ) | | (397,157 | ) | | — |
|
Balance at end of period | 502,843 |
| | 500,000 |
| | 500,000 |
| 627,843 |
| | 502,843 |
| | 500,000 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Common shares (par value) | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | 2,125 |
| | 1,934 |
| | 1,903 |
| 2,146 |
| | 2,125 |
| | 1,934 |
|
Shares issued | 21 |
| | 191 |
| | 31 |
| 28 |
| | 21 |
| | 191 |
|
Balance at end of period | 2,146 |
| | 2,125 |
| | 1,934 |
| 2,174 |
| | 2,146 |
| | 2,125 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Additional paid-in capital | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | 2,105,386 |
| | 2,059,708 |
| | 2,014,815 |
| 2,179,034 |
| | 2,105,386 |
| | 2,059,708 |
|
Shares issued - common shares | 2,582 |
| | 1,769 |
| | 635 |
| 3,422 |
| | 2,582 |
| | 1,769 |
|
Treasury stock reissued | | (4,225 | ) | | — |
| | — |
|
Issue costs on newly issued preferred shares | (6,456 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| (6,551 | ) | | (6,456 | ) | | — |
|
Reversal of issue costs on repurchase of preferred shares | 7,093 |
| | — |
| | — |
| 3,081 |
| | 7,093 |
| | — |
|
Stock options exercised | 2,517 |
| | 4,775 |
| | 7,563 |
| 16,889 |
| | 2,517 |
| | 4,775 |
|
Share-based compensation expense | 67,912 |
| | 39,134 |
| | 36,695 |
| 48,475 |
| | 67,912 |
| | 39,134 |
|
Balance at end of period | 2,179,034 |
| | 2,105,386 |
| | 2,059,708 |
| 2,240,125 |
| | 2,179,034 |
| | 2,105,386 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Accumulated other comprehensive income | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | 128,162 |
| | 176,821 |
| | 85,633 |
| 362,622 |
| | 128,162 |
| | 176,821 |
|
Unrealized appreciation on available for sale investments, net of tax: | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | 116,096 |
| | 161,802 |
| | 87,438 |
| 348,328 |
| | 116,096 |
| | 161,802 |
|
Unrealized gains (losses) arising during the period, net of reclassification adjustment | 232,232 |
| | (45,251 | ) | | 75,648 |
| (223,383 | ) | | 232,232 |
| | (45,251 | ) |
Non-credit portion of OTTI losses | — |
| | (455 | ) | | (1,284 | ) | — |
| | — |
| | (455 | ) |
Balance at end of period | 348,328 |
| | 116,096 |
| | 161,802 |
| 124,945 |
| | 348,328 |
| | 116,096 |
|
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax: | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | 13,784 |
| | 16,829 |
| | 803 |
| 14,294 |
| | 13,784 |
| | 16,829 |
|
Foreign currency translation adjustment | 510 |
| | (3,045 | ) | | 16,026 |
| (21,414 | ) | | 510 |
| | (3,045 | ) |
Balance at end of period | 14,294 |
| | 13,784 |
| | 16,829 |
| (7,120 | ) | | 14,294 |
| | 13,784 |
|
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs): | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | (1,718 | ) | | (1,810 | ) | | (2,608 | ) | — |
| | (1,718 | ) | | (1,810 | ) |
Net change in benefit plan assets and obligations recognized in equity and reclassification adjustment | 1,718 |
| | 92 |
| | 798 |
| |
Net change in benefit plan assets and obligations recognized in equity | | — |
| | 1,718 |
| | 92 |
|
Balance at end of period | — |
| | (1,718 | ) | | (1,810 | ) | — |
| | — |
| | (1,718 | ) |
Balance at end of period | 362,622 |
| | 128,162 |
| | 176,821 |
| 117,825 |
| | 362,622 |
| | 128,162 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Retained earnings | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | 4,155,392 |
| | 4,267,608 |
| | 3,569,411 |
| 4,497,789 |
| | 4,155,392 |
| | 4,267,608 |
|
Net income | 547,241 |
| | 46,305 |
| | 856,723 |
| 727,465 |
| | 547,241 |
| | 46,305 |
|
Series A, B and C preferred share dividends | (38,228 | ) | | (36,875 | ) | | (36,875 | ) | |
Preferred share dividends | | (40,474 | ) | | (38,228 | ) | | (36,875 | ) |
Loss on repurchase of preferred shares | (14,009 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| (3,081 | ) | | (14,009 | ) | | — |
|
Common share dividends | (152,607 | ) | | (121,646 | ) | | (121,651 | ) | (118,993 | ) | | (152,607 | ) | | (121,646 | ) |
Balance at end of period | 4,497,789 |
| | 4,155,392 |
| | 4,267,608 |
| 5,062,706 |
| | 4,497,789 |
| | 4,155,392 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Treasury shares, at cost | | | | | | | | | | |
Balance at beginning of period | (1,446,986 | ) | | (1,381,101 | ) | | (671,518 | ) | (1,764,673 | ) | | (1,446,986 | ) | | (1,381,101 | ) |
Shares repurchased for treasury | (317,687 | ) | | (65,885 | ) | | (709,583 | ) | (472,263 | ) | | (317,687 | ) | | (65,885 | ) |
Treasury shares reissued | | 4,225 |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Balance at end of period | (1,764,673 | ) | | (1,446,986 | ) | | (1,381,101 | ) | (2,232,711 | ) | | (1,764,673 | ) | | (1,446,986 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Total shareholders’ equity | $ | 5,779,761 |
| | $ | 5,444,079 |
| | $ | 5,624,970 |
| |
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to AXIS Capital | | 5,817,962 |
| | 5,779,761 |
| | 5,444,079 |
|
Noncontrolling interests | | 50,000 |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Total shareholders' equity | | $ | 5,867,962 |
| | $ | 5,779,761 |
| | $ | 5,444,079 |
|
See accompanying notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
113117
AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 20122013, 20112012, AND 20102011
| | | 2012 | | 2011 | | 2010 | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2011 |
| (in thousands) | (in thousands) |
Cash flows from operating activities: | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | $ | 547,241 |
| | $ | 46,305 |
| | $ | 856,723 |
| $ | 727,465 |
| | $ | 547,241 |
| | $ | 46,305 |
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: | | | | | | | | | | |
Net realized investment gains | (127,469 | ) | | (121,439 | ) | | (195,098 | ) | (75,564 | ) | | (127,469 | ) | | (121,439 | ) |
Net realized and unrealized gains of other investments | (87,623 | ) | | (31,013 | ) | | (63,627 | ) | |
Net realized and unrealized gains on other investments | | (128,814 | ) | | (87,623 | ) | | (31,013 | ) |
Amortization of fixed maturities | 135,297 |
| | 93,356 |
| | 61,122 |
| 139,667 |
| | 135,297 |
| | 93,356 |
|
Other amortization and depreciation | 13,821 |
| | 16,905 |
| | 14,104 |
| 23,272 |
| | 13,821 |
| | 16,905 |
|
Share-based compensation expense | 67,912 |
| | 39,134 |
| | 36,695 |
| 57,168 |
| | 67,912 |
| | 39,134 |
|
Changes in: | | | | | | | | | | |
Accrued interest receivable | 1,126 |
| | (1,982 | ) | | (6,805 | ) | 88 |
| | 1,126 |
| | (1,982 | ) |
Reinsurance recoverable balances | (93,490 | ) | | (192,782 | ) | | (153,375 | ) | (66,169 | ) | | (93,490 | ) | | (192,782 | ) |
Deferred acquisition costs | 18,279 |
| | (48,227 | ) | | (56,980 | ) | (66,874 | ) | | 18,279 |
| | (48,227 | ) |
Prepaid reinsurance premiums | (77,053 | ) | | (17,227 | ) | | 80,489 |
| (14,585 | ) | | (77,053 | ) | | (17,227 | ) |
Reserve for loss and loss expenses | 633,686 |
| | 1,392,670 |
| | 468,242 |
| 523,409 |
| | 633,686 |
| | 1,392,670 |
|
Unearned premiums | 230 |
| | 120,786 |
| | 124,279 |
| 229,157 |
| | 230 |
| | 120,786 |
|
Insurance and reinsurance balances, net | 3,218 |
| | (28,562 | ) | | (59,017 | ) | (250,463 | ) | | 3,218 |
| | (28,562 | ) |
Other items | 85,442 |
| | (77,782 | ) | | 81,025 |
| (789 | ) | | 85,442 |
| | (77,782 | ) |
Net cash provided by operating activities | 1,120,617 |
| | 1,190,142 |
| | 1,187,777 |
| 1,096,968 |
| | 1,120,617 |
| | 1,190,142 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Cash flows from investing activities: | | | | | | | | | | |
Purchases of: | | | | | | | | | | |
Fixed maturities | (13,513,143 | ) | | (15,472,001 | ) | | (12,429,332 | ) | (12,230,274 | ) | | (13,513,143 | ) | | (15,472,001 | ) |
Equity securities | (377,749 | ) | | (603,746 | ) | | (257,674 | ) | (240,926 | ) | | (377,749 | ) | | (603,746 | ) |
Other investments | (110,084 | ) | | (220,000 | ) | | (65,000 | ) | (166,835 | ) | | (110,084 | ) | | (220,000 | ) |
Short-term investments | (383,981 | ) | | (841,124 | ) | | (578,762 | ) | (198,168 | ) | | (383,981 | ) | | (841,124 | ) |
Proceeds from the sale of: | | | | | | | | | | |
Fixed maturities | 11,144,351 |
| | 13,754,436 |
| | 10,622,948 |
| 10,261,256 |
| | 11,144,351 |
| | 13,754,436 |
|
Equity securities | 468,473 |
| | 222,506 |
| | 126,076 |
| 323,423 |
| | 468,473 |
| | 222,506 |
|
Other investments | 53,590 |
| | 70,988 |
| | 179,607 |
| 93,277 |
| | 53,590 |
| | 70,988 |
|
Short-term investments | 354,924 |
| | 710,178 |
| | 423,451 |
| 197,690 |
| | 354,924 |
| | 710,178 |
|
Proceeds from redemption of fixed maturities | 1,456,553 |
| | 1,422,171 |
| | 1,236,076 |
| 1,407,676 |
| | 1,456,553 |
| | 1,422,171 |
|
Proceeds from redemption of short-term investments | 69,751 |
| | 151,216 |
| | 113,074 |
| 61,715 |
| | 69,751 |
| | 151,216 |
|
Purchase of other assets | (35,322 | ) | | (42,193 | ) | | (17,854 | ) | (24,304 | ) | | (35,322 | ) | | (42,193 | ) |
Change in restricted cash and cash equivalents | 10,256 |
| | 14,851 |
| | (40,400 | ) | 26,183 |
| | 10,256 |
| | 14,851 |
|
Net cash used in investing activities | (862,381 | ) | | (832,718 | ) | | (687,790 | ) | (489,287 | ) | | (862,381 | ) | | (832,718 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | | | | | | |
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes | — |
| | — |
| | 494,870 |
| |
Net proceeds from issuance of preferred shares | 393,544 |
| | — |
| | — |
| 218,449 |
| | 393,544 |
| | — |
|
Repurchase of preferred shares | (404,073 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| (100,000 | ) | | (404,073 | ) | | — |
|
Repurchase of common shares | (317,687 | ) | | (65,885 | ) | | (709,583 | ) | (472,263 | ) | | (317,687 | ) | | (65,885 | ) |
Dividends paid - common shares | (120,487 | ) | | (206,455 | ) | | (108,302 | ) | (118,426 | ) | | (120,487 | ) | | (206,455 | ) |
Dividends paid - preferred shares | (38,228 | ) | | (36,875 | ) | | (36,875 | ) | (39,193 | ) | | (38,228 | ) | | (36,875 | ) |
Proceeds from issuance of common shares | 5,120 |
| | 6,735 |
| | 8,229 |
| 20,339 |
| | 5,120 |
| | 6,735 |
|
Sale of shares to noncontrolling interests | | 50,000 |
| | — |
| | — |
|
Net cash used in financing activities | (481,811 | ) | | (302,480 | ) | | (351,661 | ) | (441,094 | ) | | (481,811 | ) | | (302,480 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Effect of exchange rate changes on foreign currency cash | 1,543 |
| | (2,610 | ) | | (7,425 | ) | |
Effect of exchange rate changes on foreign currency cash and cash equivalents | | (3,078 | ) | | 1,543 |
| | (2,610 | ) |
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | (222,032 | ) | | 52,334 |
| | 140,901 |
| 163,509 |
| | (222,032 | ) | | 52,334 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period | 981,849 |
| | 929,515 |
| | 788,614 |
| 759,817 |
| | 981,849 |
| | 929,515 |
|
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period | $ | 759,817 |
| | $ | 981,849 |
| | $ | 929,515 |
| $ | 923,326 |
| | $ | 759,817 |
| | $ | 981,849 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information: | | | | | | | | | | |
Income taxes paid | $ | 10,897 |
| | $ | 23,853 |
| | $ | 37,688 |
| $ | 22,472 |
| | $ | 10,897 |
| | $ | 23,853 |
|
Interest paid | $ | 58,125 |
| | $ | 58,125 |
| | $ | 48,986 |
| $ | 58,125 |
| | $ | 58,125 |
| | $ | 58,125 |
|
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (“AXIS Capital”) is the Bermuda-based holding company for the AXIS group of companies, collectively the “Company”. AXIS Capital was incorporated on December 9, 2002, under the laws of Bermuda. Through its subsidiaries and branches organized in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada, Australia and Latin America, AXIS Capital provides a broad range of (re)insurance products on a worldwide basis under two distinct global underwriting platforms, AXIS Insurance and AXIS Reinsurance. In these notes, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company” refer to AXIS Capital and its direct and indirect subsidiaries.
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the accounts of AXIS Capital, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
A VIE is an entity that either: (a) does not have equity investors with voting rights or (b) has equity investors that do not provide sufficient financial resources for the entity to support its activities. We are the primary beneficiary of a VIE if we have a controlling financial interest in the VIE, based on the following two characteristics: a) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE, and b) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.
Tabular dollar and share amounts are in thousands, with the exception of per share amounts. All amounts are reported in U.S. dollars. To facilitate comparison of information across periods, certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform to the current year's presentation.
The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount 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. While management believes that the amounts included in the consolidated financial statements reflect its best estimates and assumptions, actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company’s principal estimates include:
reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses, including the provision for uncollectible amounts;
Our fixed maturities and equities classified as “available for sale” are reported at fair value at the balance sheet date. See Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements for additional information regarding the determination of fair value. The change in fair value (net unrealized gain or loss) on our available for sale investments, net of tax, is included as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”) in shareholders’ equity.
Net investment income includes interest and dividend income and the amortization of market premiums and discounts and is presented net of investment expenses. Investment income is recognized when earned. Purchases and sales of investments are recorded on a trade-date basis and realized gains/losses on sales of investments are determined based on the specific identification method.
We recognize investment income from fixed maturities based on the constant effective yield method, which includes an adjustment for estimated principal repayments, if any. The effective yield used to determine the amortization for fixed maturities subject to prepayment risk (e.g. asset-backed, loan-backed and other structured securities) is recalculated and adjusted periodically based upon actual historical and/or projected future cash flows. The adjustments to the yield for highly-rated prepayable fixed maturities are accounted for using the retrospective method. The adjustments to the yield for other prepayable fixed maturities are accounted for using the prospective method.
On a quarterly basis, we assess whether unrealized losses on available for sale investments represent impairments that are other than temporary. Several factors are considered in this assessment including, but not limited to: (i) the extent and duration of the decline, (ii) the reason for the decline (e.g. credit spread widening, credit event, foreign exchange rate movements), (iii) the historical and implied future volatility of the fair value, (iv) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer and (v) the collateral structure and credit support of the security, if applicable.
A fixed maturity is impaired when the fair value is below its amortized cost. For an impaired fixed maturity where we intend to sell the security or it is more likely than not that we will be required to sell the security before its anticipated recovery, the full amount of the impairment is charged to earnings and is included in net realized investment gains (losses). Where we intend to hold the impaired fixed maturity, we estimate the anticipated credit loss of the security and recognize only this portion of the impairment in earnings, with the remaining non-credit related balance of the impairment (i.e. related to interest rates, market conditions, etc.) recognized in AOCI.
We impair an equity security in an unrealized loss position when we do not have the ability and intent to hold the security for a reasonable period of time to allow for a full recovery. The full impairment is charged to earnings and is included in net realized investment gains (losses).
Upon recognition of an OTTI, the new cost basis for the security is the previous amortized cost for a fixed maturity or cost for an equity security less the OTTI recognized in earnings. The new cost basis is not adjusted for subsequent recoveries in fair value; except for fixed maturities whereby the difference between the new cost basis and the expected cash flows is accreted on a quarterly basis to net investment income over the remaining life of the fixed maturity.
We record other investments at fair value (see Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements), with both changes in fair value and realized gains/losses reported in net investment income.
Short-term investments primarily comprise highly-liquid debt securities with maturities greater than three months but less than one year from the date of purchase. These investments are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
Cash equivalents include money-market funds and fixed interest deposits placed with a maturity of under 90 days when purchased. Cash and cash equivalents are recorded at amortized cost, which approximates fair value due to the short-term, liquid nature of these securities. Our restricted cash balance primarily relates to funds held in trust in support of our obligations in regulatory jurisdictions where we operate as a non-admitted carrier.
Insurance premiums written are recorded in accordance with the terms of the underlying policies. Reinsurance premiums are recorded at the inception of the contract and are estimated based upon information received from ceding companies. For multi-year policiescontracts where (re)insurance premiums are payable in annual installments, premiums are recorded at the inception of the policycontract based on management’s best estimate of total premiums to be received. However, this excludes premiums are normally recognized on an annual basis for multi-year contracts where the period during which the clientcedant has the ability to unilaterally commute or cancel coverage. Reinsurancecoverage within the term of the policy. The remaining annual premiums are recordedincluded as written at each successive anniversary date within the inception of the policy and are estimated based upon information received from ceding companies. multi-year term.
Any subsequent differences arising on insurance and reinsurance premium estimates are recorded in the period they are determined.
Acquisition costs vary with and are directly related to the acquisition of (re)insurance contracts and consist primarily of fees and commissions paid to brokers and premium taxes. Premiums receivable are presented net of applicable acquisition costs when contract terms provide for the right of offset. Acquisition costs are shown net of commissions earned on ceded reinsurance. Our net acquisition costs are deferred and charged to expense as the related premium is earned.
Anticipated losses and loss expenses, other costs and investment income related to these premiums are considered in assessing the recoverability of our deferred acquisition costs. If deferred amounts are estimated to be unrecoverable, they are expensed. Compensation expenses for personnel involved in contract acquisition, as well as advertising costs, are expensed as incurred.
Our reserve for losses and loss expenses represents an estimate of the unpaid portion of our ultimate liability for losses and loss expenses for (re)insured events that have occurred at or before the balance sheet date. The balance reflects both claims
that have been reported to us (“case reserves”) and claims that have been incurred but not yet reported to us (“IBNR”). These amounts are reduced for estimated amounts of salvage and subrogation recoveries.
We review our reserve for losses and loss expenses on a quarterly basis. Case reserves are primarily established based on amounts reported from insureds and/or their brokers. Management estimates IBNR after reviewing detailed actuarial analyses and applying informed judgment regarding qualitative factors that may not be fully captured in the actuarial estimates. A variety of actuarial methods are utilized in this process, including the Expected Loss Ratio, Bornhuetter-Ferguson and Chain Ladder methods. Our estimate is highly dependent on management’s judgment as to which method(s) are most appropriate for a particular accident year and class of business. Our historical claims data is often supplemented with industry benchmarks when applying these methodologies.
Any adjustments to our previous reserve for losses and loss expenses estimates are recognized in the period they are determined. While we believe that our reserves for losses and loss expenses are adequate, this estimate requires significant judgment and new information, events or circumstances may result in ultimate losses that are materially greater or less than provided for in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
In the normal course of business, we purchase reinsurance protection to limit our ultimate losses from catastrophic events and to reduce our loss aggregation risk. The premiums paid to our reinsurers (i.e. premiums ceded) are expensed over the coverage period. Prepaid reinsurance premiums represent the portion of premiums ceded applicable to the unexpired term of the contracts in force. Reinstatement-related premiums ceded are recorded at the time a loss event occurs and our coverage limits for the remaining life of a contract are reinstated under pre-defined contract terms; such premiums are expensed over the remaining risk period.
Reinsurance recoverable related to our case reserves is estimated on a case-by-case basis by applying the terms of any applicable reinsurance coverage to our individual case reserve estimates. Our estimate of reinsurance recoverable related to our IBNR reserves is generally developed as part of our loss reserving process.
Our reinsurance recoverable is presented net of a provision for uncollectible amounts, reflecting the amount we believe will ultimately not be recovered due to reinsurer insolvency, contractual disputes and/or some other reason. We apply case-specific provisions against certain recoveries that we deem unlikely to be collected in full. In addition, we use a default analysis to estimate our provision for uncollectible amounts on the remainder of the balance.
The estimates of our reinsurance recoverable and the associated provision require management’s judgment and are reviewed in detail on a quarterly basis. Any adjustments to amounts recognized in prior periods are reported in our net losses and loss expenses in the Consolidated StatementStatements of Operations for the period when the adjustments were identified. The charge-off of amounts previously reserved as uncollectible is also considered on a case-by-case basis as part of this quarterly process.
The Company’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. In translating the financial statements of our subsidiaries or branches where the functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar, assets and liabilities are converted into U.S. dollars using the rates of exchange in effect at the balance sheet dates and revenues and expenses are converted using the weighted average foreign exchange rates for the period. The effect of translation adjustments is reported as a separate component of AOCI in shareholders’ equity.
In recording foreign currency transactions, revenue and expense items are converted to the relevant functional currency at the exchange rate prevailing at the transaction date. Assets and liabilities originating in currencies other than the functional currency are translated into the functional currency at the rates of exchange in effect at the balance sheet date. The resulting foreign currency gains or losses are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, with the exception of those
related to foreign-denominated available for sale investments. For these investments, exchange rate fluctuations represent an unrealized appreciation/depreciation in the value of the securities and are included in the related component of AOCI.
The Company is authorized to issue restricted stock awards and units, stock options and other equity-based awards to its employees and directors. The fair value of service-based awards is measured at the grant date, with the associated expense recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period. The fair value of performance-based awards ("PSUs") is measured at the grant date based on pre-established targets relating to certain performance based measures achieved by the Company, with the associated expense recognized on a straight-line basis over the applicable performance and vesting period, provided that the outcomeperiod. The compensation expense for PSUs is subject to a periodic review and adjustment taking into account actual performance of the underlying performance conditionCompany. The fair value of the liability associated with cash-settled awards is considered probable.re-measured at each balance sheet date, with the effects recognized as an increase or decrease to share-based compensation expense for the period. Forfeiture benefits are estimated at the time of grant and incorporated in the determination of share-based compensation expense.
We may enter into derivative instruments such as futures, options, interest rate swaps and foreign currency forward contracts as part of our overall foreign currency risk management strategy, to obtain exposure to a particular financial market or for yield enhancement. During 2013, we began to write derivative based risk management products designed to address weather and commodity price risks, with the objective of generating profits on a portfolio basis. From time to time we may also enter into (re)insurance contracts that meet the FASB’s definition of a derivative contract.
We measure all derivative instruments at fair value (see Note 6 – Fair Value Measurements) and recognize them as either assets or liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Subsequent changes in fair value and any realized gains or losses are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
We may designate a currency derivative as a hedge of foreign exchange rate-related movements in the fair value of certain investment portfolios. This is referred to as a fair value hedge. Changes in the fair value of the designated fair value hedge, along with the changes in the fair value of the hedged asset attributable to the hedged risk, are recorded in net realized investment gains (losses) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, along with any hedge ineffectiveness.
To qualify for hedge accounting treatment, a derivative must be highly effective in mitigating the designated changes in value of the hedged item. Further, the hedge relationship must be designated and formally documented at the inception, detailing the particular risk management objective and strategy for the hedge, including the item and risk that is being hedged, the derivative that is being used, and how effectiveness will be assessed. We formally measure the hedge effectiveness at inception and on an ongoing basis. We evaluate the effectiveness on a retrospective and prospective basis, using the period-to-period dollar offset method. Using this method, if the hedge correlation is within the range of 80% to 125%, we consider the hedge effective and apply hedge accounting. Cash flows from derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments are presented as operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
We classify intangible assets into three categories: (1) intangible assets with finite lives subject to amortization, (2) intangible assets with indefinite lives not subject to amortization, and (3) goodwill.
We amortize intangible assets with finite lives over their estimated useful lives in proportion to the estimated economic benefits of the intangible assets. We also test these assets for impairment if circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be fully recoverable. Such circumstances may include an economic downturn in a geographic market or a change in the assessment of future operations. If, as a result of such an evaluation, we determine that the carrying value of the finite-lived intangible assets is not recoverable, the value of the assets will be reduced to fair value with the difference being expensed in the Consolidated StatementStatements of Operations.
Our intangible assets with indefinite lives include licenses held by certain subsidiaries in various jurisdictions that allow such subsidiaries to write insurance and/or reinsurance business. These intangible assets are carried at or below estimated fair value and are tested annually for impairment, either qualitatively or quantitatively, and between annual tests if events or changes in circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired.
We have recorded goodwill in connection with certain acquisitions. Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of acquisitions over the fair value of the net assets acquired and is assigned to applicable reporting unit(s) on the acquisition date, based upon the expected benefit to be received by the reporting unit. We determine the expected benefit based on several factors, including the purpose of the business combination, our strategy subsequent to the business combination and the structure of the acquired company subsequent to the business combination. Goodwill is not subject to amortization. We test goodwill for potential impairment during the fourth quarter each year and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit to a level below its carrying amount. We have the option to first make this assessment on a qualitative basis. Should we choose to forgo this option, or if our qualitative assessment indicates that fair value is more likely than not below carrying value, we conduct a quantitative two-step impairment evaluation at the reporting unit level. First, we identify potential impairment by comparing the estimated fair values of the reporting units to estimated book values, including goodwill. The fair value of each reporting unit is derived based upon valuation techniques and assumptions that we believe market participants would use to value our business. The estimated fair values are generally determined utilizing methodologies that incorporate discounted cash flow analyses. The values derived from the analyses are then compared to recent market transactions for reasonableness. We derive the net book value of our reporting units by estimating the amount of shareholders’ equity required to support the activities of each reporting unit. If the estimated fair value of a reporting unit exceeds the estimated book value, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the book value exceeds the estimated fair value, the second step compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of the goodwill in order to determine the magnitude of impairment to be recognized. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined by deducting the fair value of a reporting unit’s identifiable assets and liabilities from the fair value of the reporting unit as a whole. The excess of the carrying value of goodwill above the implied goodwill, if any, would be recognized as an impairment charge in the Consolidated StatementStatements of Operations.
Certain subsidiaries and branches of the Company operate in jurisdictions where they are subject to taxation. Current and deferred income taxes are charged or credited to net income, or in certain cases to AOCI, based upon enacted tax laws and rates applicable in the relevant jurisdiction in the period in which the tax becomes accruable or realizable. Deferred income taxes are provided for all temporary differences between the bases of assets and liabilities used in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and those used in the various jurisdictional tax returns. When our assessment indicates that it is more likely than not that a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized in the foreseeable future, a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets is recorded. We recognize the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only when the position is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authorities.
Common shares repurchased by the Company and not subsequently cancelled are classified as treasury shares and are recorded at cost. This results in a reduction of shareholders’ equity in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. When shares are reissued from treasury, we use the average cost method to determine the cost of the reissued shares. Gains on sales/reissuances of treasury shares are credited to additional paid-in capital, while losses are charged to additional paid-in capital to the extent that previous net gains from reissued treasury shares were included therein; otherwise losses are charged to retained earnings.
Our insurance segment provides insurance coverage on a worldwide basis. The product lines in this segment are property, marine, terrorism, aviation, credit and political risk, professional lines, liability and accident &and health.
Our reinsurance segment provides non-life treaty reinsurance to insurance companies on a worldwide basis. The product lines in this segment are catastrophe, property, professional lines, credit and bond,surety, motor, liability, agriculture, engineering and other.
The following tables summarize the underwriting results of our reportable segments, as well as the carrying values of allocated goodwill and intangible assets:
The following table presents our gross premiums written by the geographical location of our subsidiaries:
The following table presents our net premiums earned by segment and line of business:
The amortized cost or cost and fair values of our fixed maturities and equities were as follows:
In the normal course of investing activities, we actively manage allocations to non-controlling tranches of structured securities (variable interests) issued by VIEs. These structured securities include RMBS, CMBS and ABS and are included in the above table. Additionally, within our other investments portfolio, we also invest in limited partnerships (hedge and credit funds) and CLO equity tranched securities, which are all variable interests issued by VIEs (see Note 5(b)). For these variable interests, we do not have the power to direct the activities that are most significant to the economic performance of the VIEs and accordingly we are not the primary beneficiary for any of these VIEs. Our maximum exposure to loss on these interests is limited to the amount of our investment. We have not provided financial or other support with respect to these structured securities other than our original investment.
The contractual maturities of fixed maturities are shown below. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.
The following table summarizes fixed maturities and equities in an unrealized loss position and the aggregate fair value and gross unrealized loss by length of time the security has continuously been in an unrealized loss position:
The following table provides a roll forward of the credit losses (“credit loss table”), before income taxes, for which a portion of the OTTI was recognized in AOCI:
Credit losses are calculated based on the difference between the amortized cost of the security and the net present value of its projected future cash flows discounted at the effective interest rate implicit in the debt security prior to the impairment. The following provides a summary of the credit loss activities by asset class for the above table as well as the significant inputs and the methodology used to estimate these credit losses.
Non-U.S. Government:
In order to support our obligations in regulatory jurisdictions where we operate as a non-admitted carrier, we provide collateral in the form of assets held in trust and, to a lesser extent, letters of credit. Refer to Note 10(b) for further information on our collateral requirements upon issuance of certain letters of credit. The fair value of our restricted investments primarily relates to these items, as noted in the table below. Our restricted investments primarily consist of high-quality fixed maturity and short-term investment securities.
Fair value is defined as the price to sell an asset or transfer a liability (i.e. the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants. We use a fair value hierarchy that gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets and the lowest priority to unobservable data. The hierarchy is broken down into three levels as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that we have the ability to access.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or for which significant inputs are observable (e.g. interest rates, yield curves, prepayment speeds, default rates, loss severities, etc.) or can be corroborated by observable market data.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. The unobservable inputs reflect our own judgments about assumptions that market participants might use.
The availability of observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, for example, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires significantly more judgment.
Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by management in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many instruments. This may lead us to change the selection of our valuation technique (from market to cash flow approach) or may
cause us to use multiple valuation techniques to estimate the fair value of a financial instrument. This circumstance could cause an instrument to be reclassified between levels within the fair value hierarchy.
We used the following valuation techniques and assumptions in estimating the fair value of our financial instruments as well as the general classification of such financial instruments pursuant to the above fair value hierarchy.
At each valuation date, we use the market approach valuation technique to estimate the fair value of our fixed maturities portfolio, when possible. This market approach includes, but is not limited to, prices obtained from third party pricing services for identical or comparable securities and the use of “pricing matrix models” using observable market inputs such as yield curves, credit risks and spreads, measures of volatility, and prepayment speeds. Pricing from third party pricing services is sourced from multiple vendors, when available, and we maintain a vendor hierarchy by asset type based on historical pricing experience and vendor expertise. When prices are unavailable from pricing services, we obtain non-binding quotes from broker-dealers who are active in the corresponding markets.
The following describes the significant inputs generally used to determine the fair value of our fixed maturities by asset class.
U.S. government and agency
U.S. government and agency securities consist primarily of debt securitiesbonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and mortgage pass-through agencies such as the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and the Government National Mortgage Association. As the fair values of our U.S. Treasury securities are based on unadjusted market prices in active markets, they are classified within Level 1. The fair values of U.S. government agency securities are priced using the spread above the risk-free yield curve. As the yields for the risk-free yield curve and the spreads for these securities are observable market inputs, the fair values of U.S. government agency securities are classified within Level 2.
Non-U.S. government
Non-U.S. government securities comprise debt securitiesbonds issued by non-U.S. governments and their agencies along with supranational organizations (also(collectively also known as sovereign debt securities). The fair value of these securities is based on prices obtained from international indices or a valuation model that includes the following inputs: interest rate yield curves, cross-currency basis index spreads, and country credit spreads for structures similar to the sovereign debt security we holdbond in terms of issuer, maturity and seniority. As the significant inputs are observable market inputs, the fair value of non-U.S. government securities are classified within Level 2.
Corporate debt securities consist primarily of investment-grade debt of a wide variety of corporate issuers and industries. The fair values of these securities are generally determined using the spread above the risk-free yield curve. These spreads are generally obtained from the new issue market, secondary trading and broker-dealer quotes. As these spreads and the yields for the risk-free yield curve are observable market inputs, the fair values of our corporate debt securities are classified within Level 2. Where pricing is unavailable from pricing services, we obtain non-binding quotes from broker-dealers to estimate fair value. This is generally the case when there is a low volume of trading activity and current transactions are not orderly. In this event, securities are classified within Level 3.
Our portfolio of RMBS and CMBS are originated by both agencies and non-agencies. The fair values of these securities are determined through the use of a pricing model (including Option Adjusted Spread) which uses prepayment speeds and
spreads to determine the appropriate average life of the MBS. These spreads are generally obtained from the new issue market, secondary trading and broker-dealer quotes. As the significant inputs used to price MBS are observable market inputs, the fair values of the MBS are classified within Level 2. Where pricing is unavailable from pricing services, we obtain non-binding quotes from broker-dealers to estimate fair value. This is generally the case when there is a low volume of trading activity and current transactions are not orderly. These securities are classified within Level 3.
Equity securities include U.S. and non-U.S. common stocks, exchange-traded funds, and non-U.S. bond mutual funds. For common stocks and exchange-traded funds, we classified these within Level 1 as their fair values are based on unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets. Our investments in non-U.S. bond mutual funds have daily liquidity, with redemption based on the net asset value (NAV) of the funds. Accordingly, we have classified these investments as Level 2.
with U.S. GAAP. For any funds for which we have not yet received a NAV concurrent with our period end date, we record an estimate of the change in fair value for the period subsequent to the most recent NAV. Such estimates are based on return estimates for the period between the most recently issued NAV and the period end date; these estimates are obtained from the relevant fund managers. Accordingly, we do not typically have a reporting lag in our fair value measurements for these funds. Historically, our valuation estimates incorporating these return estimates have not significantly diverged from the subsequent NAVs.
Short-term investments primarily comprise highly liquid securities with maturities greater than three months but less than one year from the date of purchase. These securities are classified within Level 2 because these securities are typically not actively traded due to their approaching maturity and, as such, their amortized cost approximates fair value.
The table below presents the financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
The CLO - Equities market continues to be mostly inactive with only a small number of transactions being observed in the market and fewer still involving transactions in our CLO - Equities. Accordingly, we continue to rely on the use of our internal discounted cash flow model (income approach) to estimate fair value of our direct investments in CLO - Equities. Of the significant inputs into this model, the default and loss severity rates are the most judgmental unobservable market inputs
to which the valuation of CLO - Equities is most sensitive. A significant increase (decrease) in either of these significant inputs in isolation would result in lower (higher) fair value estimates for direct investments in our CLO - Equities and, in general, a change in default rate assumptions will be accompanied by a directionally similar change in loss severity rate assumptions. Collateral spreads and estimated maturity dates are less judgmental inputs as they are based on the historical average of actual spreads and the weighted average life of the current underlying portfolios, respectively. A significant increase (decrease) in either of these significant inputs in isolation would result in higher (lower) fair value estimates for direct investments in our CLO - Equities. In general, these inputs have no significant interrelationship with each other or with default and loss severity rates.
On a quarterly basis, our valuation processes for both CLO Debt and CLO - Equities include a review of the underlying cash flows and key assumptions used in the discounted cash flow models. We review and update the above significant unobservable inputs based on information obtained from secondary markets, including from the managers of the CLOs we hold. These inputs are the responsibility of management and, in order to ensure fair value measurement is applied consistently and in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we update our assumptions through regular communication with industry participants and ongoing monitoring of the deals in which we participate (e.g. default and loss severity rate trends), we
maintain a current understanding of the market conditions, historical results, as well as emerging trends that may impact future cash flows. By maintaining this current understanding, we are able to assess the reasonableness of the inputs we ultimately use in our models.
The following tables present changes in Level 3 for financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the periods indicated:
The transfers into and out of fair value hierarchy levels reflect the fair value of the securities at the end of the reporting period.
U.S. GAAP guidance over disclosures about the fair value of financial instruments are also applicable to financial instruments not carried at fair value, except for certain financial instruments, including insurance contracts.
The following table summarizes the balance sheet classification of derivatives recorded at fair value. The notional amounts representamount of derivative contracts represents the basis upon which paymentspay or receiptsreceive amounts are calculated and areis presented in the table in order to quantify the magnitudevolume of our derivative activities. Notional amounts are not reflective of credit risk.
Within our investment portfolio we are exposed to foreign currency risk. Accordingly, the fair values for our investment portfolio are partially influenced by the change in foreign exchange rates. We may enter into foreign currency forward contracts to manage the effect of this foreign currency risk. These foreign currency hedging activities are not designated as specific hedges for financial reporting purposes.
In addition, our external equity investment managers have the discretion to hold foreign currency exposures as part of their total return strategy.
Our (re)insurance subsidiaries and branches operate in various foreign countries. Consequently, some of our business is written in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and, therefore, our underwriting portfolio is exposed to significant foreign currency risk. We manage foreign currency risk by seeking to match our foreign-denominated net liabilities under (re)insurance contracts with cash and investments that are denominated in such currencies. We may also use derivative instruments, specifically forward contracts and currency options, to economically hedge foreign currency exposures.
The total unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges were as follows:
The following table presents a reconciliation of our beginning and ending gross reserve for losses and loss expenses and net reserve for unpaid losses and loss expenses for the periods indicated:
Prior year reserve development arises from changes to loss and loss expense estimates related to loss events that occurred in previous calendar years. Such development is summarized by segment in the following table:
Overall, the majority of the net favorable prior year reserve development related to short-tail lines of business,business. Net favorable prior year reserve development for liability reinsurance also contributed significantly in 2013 with our professional lines business also contributing notably.notably in 2012 and 2011. Favorable development in 2013 was partially offset by adverse development in the insurance professional lines.
We purchase treaty and facultative reinsurance to reduce exposure to significant losses. Facultative reinsurance provides coverage for all or a portion of the losses incurred for a single policy and we separately negotiate each facultative contract. Treaty reinsurance provides coverage for a specified type or category of risks. Our treaty reinsurance agreements provide this coverage on either an excess of loss or a proportional basis. Excess of loss covers provide a contractually set amount of coverage after a specified loss amount has been reached. These covers can be purchased on a package policy basis, which provide us with coverage for a number of lines of business within one contract. In contrast, proportional covers provide us with a specified percentage of coverage from the first dollar of loss.
All of these reinsurance covers provide us the right to recover of a portion of specified losses and loss expenses from reinsurers. However, to the extent that our reinsurers do not meet their obligations under these agreements due to solvency issues, contractual disputes or other reasons, we remain liable. We predominantly cede our business to reinsurers rated A- or better by A.M. Best.
We provide defined contribution plans that are self directed to eligible employees through various plans sponsored by us. Generally, mutual funds are made available pursuant to which employees and we contribute a percentage of the employee’s gross salary into the plan each month.
For eligible U.S. employees, we provide a non-qualified deferred compensation plan that enables them to make salary contributions in excess of those permitted under the AXIS 401(k) Plan, to make additional employee contributions from their bonus payments, and to receive discretionary employer contributions.
(1) Fair value is based on the closing price of our common shares on the New York Stock Exchange on the day of the grant.
The transactions listed below are classified as related party transactions as each counterparty had or has had either a direct or indirect shareholding in us or has been a board member during any period covered by the financial statements.
Our U.S. subsidiaries are subject to federal, state and local corporate income taxes and other taxes applicable to U.S. corporations. The provision for federal income taxes has been determined under the principles of the consolidated tax
provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and Regulations. Should the U.S. subsidiaries pay a dividend outside the U.S. group, withholding taxes will apply. Our U.S. subsidiaries are not under examination but remain subject to examination in the U.S. for tax years 20092010 through 2012.2013.
In Canada, our U.S. reinsurance company operates through a branch and our U.S. service company has an unlimited liability company subsidiary based in Canada. Prior to 2011, our U.S. service company operated in Canada via a Canadian branch. These Canadian operations are subject to the relevant taxes in that jurisdiction and generally remain subject to examination for tax years 20082009 through 2012. Our2013. During the year, our Canadian reinsurance branch is currently under auditwas audited by the Canada Revenue Agency for income taxes for tax years 2009 and 2010.2010, with no material adjustments.
We also have subsidiaries in Ireland, the United Kingdom (U.K.), Australia and Brazil. Our Ireland insurance subsidiary with branch operations in the U.K. and Australia was subject to a compliance review of the U.K. branch for 2009, by H.M. Revenue and Customs, which resulted in no significant adjustments. These subsidiaries and their branches, other than the U.K. branch, are not under examination, but generally remain subject to examination in all applicable jurisdictions for tax years 20082009 through 2012.2013.
The following table provides an analysis of our income tax expense and net tax assets:
Deferred income taxes reflect the tax impact of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and income tax purposes. The significant components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities were as follows:
The following table provides an analysis of the movement in our valuation allowance:
Although realization is not assured, management believes it is more likely than not that the tax benefit of the recorded net deferred tax assets will be realized.
Our (re)insurance operations are subject to insurance and/or reinsurance laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which they operate, the most significant of which include Bermuda, Ireland and the United States. These regulations include certain restrictions on the amount of dividends or other distributions, such as loans or cash advances, available to shareholders without prior approval of the insurance regulatory authorities.
None.
All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. As a result, even those internal control systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company’s principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company’s board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Not applicable.
Included in Part II – see Item 8 of this report.
Schedules I, V and VI have been omitted as the information is provided in Item 8, Consolidated Financial Statements, or in the above schedules.
We, the undersigned directors and executive officers of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, hereby appoint Joseph Henry and Richard T. Gieryn, Jr., and each of them singly, as our true and lawful attorneys with full power to them and each of them to sign for us, and in our names in the capacities indicated below, any and all amendments to the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys to any and all amendments to said Annual Report on Form 10-K.