Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses | Note 15 -- Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses The Company establishes reserves for the estimated total unpaid costs of losses including LAE. Loss and LAE reserves reflect management’s best estimate of the total cost of (i) claims that have been incurred, but not yet paid in full, and (ii) claims that have been incurred but not yet reported to the Company (“IBNR”). Reserves established by management represent an estimate of the outcome of future events and, as such, cannot be considered an exact calculation of our liability. Rather, loss and LAE reserves represent management’s best estimate of the Company’s liability based on the application of actuarial techniques and other projection methodologies and taking into consideration other facts and circumstances known at the balance sheet date. The process of establishing loss and LAE reserves is complex and inherently imprecise, as it involves the estimation of the outcome of future uncertain events. The impact of both internal and external variables on ultimate losses and LAE costs is difficult to estimate. In determining loss and LAE reserves, the Company gives careful consideration to all available data and actuarial analyses. When a claim is reported to the Company, the claims personnel establish a “case reserve” for the estimated amount of the ultimate amount payable to settle the claim. This estimate reflects an informed judgment based upon general insurance reserving practices and on the experience and knowledge of the claims adjuster. The individual estimating the reserve considers the nature and value of the specific claim, the severity of injury or damage, location, and the policy provisions relating to the type of loss. Case reserves are adjusted as more information becomes available. It is the Company’s policy to settle each claim as expeditiously as possible. Reserves are closely monitored and are recalculated periodically using the most recent information on reported claims and a variety of actuarial techniques. Specifically, claims management personnel complete weekly and ongoing reviews of existing case reserves, new claims, changes to existing case reserves, and paid losses with respect to the current and prior years. As the Company continues to expand historical data regarding paid and incurred losses, the data is used to develop expected ultimate loss and LAE ratios, then these expected loss and LAE ratios are applied to earned premium to derive a reserve level for each line of business. In connection with the determination of these reserves, other specific factors such as recent weather-related losses, trends in historical reported and paid losses, and litigation and judicial trends regarding liability will also be considered. Therefore, the loss ratio method, among other methods, is used to project an ultimate loss expectation, and then the related loss history must be regularly evaluated and loss expectations updated, with the possibility of variability from the initial estimate of ultimate losses. The Company maintains IBNR reserves to provide for claims that have been incurred but have not been reported and subsequent development on reported claims. The IBNR reserve is determined by estimating the Company’s ultimate net liability for both reported and unreported claims and then subtracting the case reserves and payments made to date for reported claims. Loss and LAE Reserve Estimation Methods. The Company applies the following general methods in projecting reserves for losses and LAE: • Reported loss development; • Paid loss development; • Paid Bornhuetter-Ferguson method; • Reported Experience-Modified Bornhuetter-Ferguson method; • Paid Experience-Modified Bornhuetter-Ferguson method; • Loss ratio method; • Several variations of the Frequency-Severity method, depending on exposure; and • A factor load to loss and allocated LAE reserves for the unallocated LAE. Selected reserves are based on a review of the indications from these methods as well as other considerations such as emergence since the most recent evaluation and number of open claims for a given accident period. Currently, the estimated ultimate liability is calculated using the principles and procedures described above, which are applied to the lines of business written. However, because the establishment of loss and LAE reserves is an inherently uncertain process, ultimate losses and LAE may exceed the established loss and LAE reserves and have a material, adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Changes in estimates, or differences between estimates and amounts ultimately paid, are reflected in the operating results of the period during which such adjustments are made. The Company’s reported results, financial position and liquidity would be affected by likely changes in key assumptions that determine the net loss reserves. However, it is believed that a reasonably likely increase or decrease in the severity of claims could impact our net loss reserves. Activity in the liability for losses and LAE is summarized as follows: Years Ended December 31, 2020 2019 2018 Net balance, beginning of year* $ 98,174 $ 94,826 $ 97,818 Incurred, net of reinsurance, related to: Current year 158,236 96,955 96,860 Prior years 1,800 10,559 12,468 Total incurred, net of reinsurance 160,036 107,514 109,328 Paid, net of reinsurance, related to: Current year (71,772 ) (48,456 ) (54,698 ) Prior years (45,373 ) (55,710 ) (57,622 ) Total paid, net of reinsurance (117,145 ) (104,166 ) (112,320 ) Net balance, end of year 141,065 98,174 94,826 Add: reinsurance recoverable 71,104 116,523 112,760 Gross balance, end of year $ 212,169 $ 214,697 $ 207,586 * Net balance represents beginning-of-period liability for unpaid losses and LAE less beginning-of-period reinsurance recoverable for unpaid losses and LAE. The establishment of loss and LAE reserves is an inherently uncertain process and changes in loss and LAE reserve estimates are expected as these estimates are subject to the outcome of future events. Changes in estimates, or differences between estimates and amounts ultimately paid, are reflected in the operating results of the period during which such adjustments are adjusted. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recognized losses related to prior years of $1,800, which were primarily attributable to unfavorable development resulting from litigation. Losses and LAE for the 2020 loss year included estimated losses of $20,264, net of reinsurance, pertaining to Hurricane Sally, $14,850 related to policies transitioned from Anchor, and $10,000 specific to Tropical Storm Eta. The following is information about incurred and paid claims development as of December 31, 2020, net of reinsurance, as well as cumulative claim frequency and the total of incurred-but-not-reported liabilities plus expected development on reported claims included within the net incurred claims amounts. The information about incurred and paid claims development for the years ended December 31, 2015 to 2012 is presented as supplementary information and is unaudited. Homeowners Multi-peril and Dwelling Fire Insurance (a) As of December 31, 2020 Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Total of IBNR Plus Expected Development Reported Cumulative Number of Reported Claims (Not in Dollar Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Claims Amounts)(b) 2012 $ 66,425 $ 62,742 $ 64,083 $ 66,505 $ 67,058 $ 66,465 $ 67,220 $ 67,469 $ 67,869 405 6,620 2013 — 67,579 69,932 69,906 72,015 71,604 73,763 74,043 74,543 226 7,008 2014 — — 75,810 81,773 84,917 88,053 90,084 92,454 92,945 1 7,661 2015 — — — 78,017 90,902 96,173 101,272 102,149 102,587 129 7,661 2016 — — — — 81,446 90,879 92,684 92,986 92,752 1,325 6,931 2017 — — — — — 91,443 88,937 89,652 90,958 6,165 5,764 2018 — — — — — — 79,436 83,976 83,123 9,461 4,756 2019 — — — — — — — 95,467 94,018 20,026 5,314 2020 — — — — — — — — 133,908 59,502 8,008 Total $ 832,703 Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2012 $ 36,914 $ 53,225 $ 59,041 $ 62,836 $ 64,667 $ 65,903 $ 67,059 $ 67,203 $ 67,430 2013 — 40,240 57,374 64,257 68,106 70,224 72,492 73,420 73,986 2014 — — 47,650 68,897 77,712 82,463 87,125 90,707 92,264 2015 — — — 50,939 76,042 87,784 95,179 99,200 101,424 2016 — — — — 51,663 73,037 83,311 89,144 90,989 2017 — — — — — 43,039 66,996 78,808 83,383 2018 — — — — — — 41,014 63,958 71,809 2019 — — — — — — — 47,471 70,182 2020 — — — — — — — — 58,396 Total $ 709,863 All outstanding liabilities before 2012, net of reinsurance 898 Liabilities for loss and LAE, net of reinsurance $ 123,738 (a) Excludes losses from Wind-only insurance (2012 through 2020) and any hurricane event prior to 2020. (b) The cumulative number of reported claims is measured as the number of per-policyholder, per-event claims for all coverages regardless of whether the claim results in loss or expense to the Company. Homeowners Wind-only Insurance (a) * As of December 31, 2020 Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Total of IBNR Plus Expected Development Reported Cumulative Number of Reported Claims (Not in Dollar Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Claims Amounts)(b) 2015 $ — $ — $ — $ 308 $ 401 $ 569 $ 692 $ 605 $ 582 $ — 100 2016 — — — — 1,005 1,314 1,814 1,853 1,837 13 228 2017 — — — — — 1,529 1,119 815 792 — 156 2018 — — — — — — 798 708 1,061 249 136 2019 — — — — — — — 1,132 1,501 165 152 2020 — — — — — — — — 2,293 1,213 248 Total $ 8,066 Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2015 $ — $ — $ — $ 156 $ 332 $ 465 $ 582 $ 582 $ 582 2016 — — — — 689 1,155 1,405 1,772 1,821 2017 — — — — — 484 786 789 792 2018 — — — — — — 216 607 745 2019 — — — — — — — 828 1,290 2020 — — — — — — — — 750 Total $ 5,980 Liabilities for loss and LAE, net of reinsurance $ 2,086 * The Company began writing Homeowners Wind-only insurance in 2015. (a) Excludes losses from multi-peril and dwelling fire insurance (2012 through 2020) and any hurricane event prior to 2020. (b) The cumulative number of reported claims is measured as the number of per-policyholder, per-event claims for all coverages regardless of whether the claim results in loss or expense to the Company. Losses Specific to Any Hurricane Event prior to 20 20 As of December 31, 2020 Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Total of IBNR Plus Expected Development Reported Cumulative Number of Reported Claims (Not in Dollar Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Claims Amounts)(b) 2016 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 21,414 $ 24,126 $ 26,211 $ 28,133 $ 27,634 $ 1,179 2,420 2017 — — — — — 53,602 54,080 53,557 53,624 4,198 21,765 2018 — — — — — — 16,543 16,532 16,532 95 1,715 2019 — — — — — — — — — — 144 2020 — — — — — — — — — — 42 Total $ 97,790 Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 12,227 $ 20,025 $ 23,316 $ 25,849 $ 26,098 2017 — — — — — 43,905 47,514 47,524 49,425 2018 — — — — — — 13,391 15,992 16,436 2019 — — — — — — — — — 2020 — — — — — — — — — Total $ 91,959 Liabilities for loss and LAE, net of reinsurance $ 5,831 (b) The cumulative number of reported claims is measured as the number of per-policyholder, per-event claims for all coverages regardless of whether the claim results in loss or expense to the Company. Losses Specific to Hurricane Sally (2020) As of December 31, 2020 Incurred Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Total of IBNR Plus Expected Development Reported Cumulative Number of Reported Claims (Not in Dollar Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Claims Amounts)(b) 2020 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 20,264 $ 6,716 1,685 Total $ 20,264 Cumulative Paid Claims and Allocated Claim Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance For the Years Ended December 31, Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2020 $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ — $ 11,834 Total $ 11,834 Liabilities for loss and LAE, net of reinsurance $ 8,430 (b) The cumulative number of reported claims is measured as the number of per-policyholder, per-event claims for all coverages regardless of whether the claim results in loss or expense to the Company. The reconciliation of the net incurred and paid loss development tables to the liability for losses and loss adjustment expenses is as follows: December 31, 2020 2019 Net outstanding liabilities Homeowners multi-peril and dwelling fire insurance $ 123,738 $ 88,583 Homeowners Wind-only insurance 2,086 535 Losses specific to any hurricane event prior to 2020 5,831 8,857 Losses specific to Hurricane Sally (2020) 8,430 — Other short-duration insurance lines 980 199 Liabilities for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance 141,065 98,174 Reinsurance recoverables 71,104 116,523 Total gross liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses $ 212,169 $ 214,697 The following is supplementary and unaudited information about average historical claims duration as of December 31, 2020: Average Annual Percentage Payout of Incurred Losses by Age, Net of Reinsurance Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Homeowners multi-peril and dwelling fire insurance 53.1 % 20.5 % 8.9 % 0.6 % 1.7 % 1.1 % 0.1 % 0.0 % 0.0 % Homeowners Wind-only insurance 38.7 % 22.3 % 6.5 % 2.0 % 0.6 % 0.0 % * * * Other short-duration insurance lines 52.4 % 15.2 % 0.2 % 0.0 % 0.0 % — — — — Losses specific to any hurricane prior to 2020 70.9 % 14.5 % 3.9 % 4.5 % 0.3 % — — — — Losses specific to Hurricane Sally (2020) 58.4 % — — — — — — — — * The Company began writing Homeowners Wind-only insurance in 2015. |