Reserve for Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses | 9 . Reserve for Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses Loss and loss adjustment expenses reserves represent management’s best estimate of the ultimate cost of all reported and unreported losses incurred for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. The Company does not discount loss and loss adjustment expense reserves. The reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses are estimated using individual case‑basis valuations and statistical analyses. Those estimates are subject to the effects of trends in loss severity and frequency. In addition to case reserves, which are generally based on reported claims, the Company establishes reserves for incurred but not reported claims (“IBNR”). IBNR reserves are developed to provide for (i) the estimated amount of future loss payments on incurred claims not yet reported, and (ii) potential development on reported claims. IBNR reserves are estimated based on generally accepted actuarial reserving techniques that consider quantitative loss experience data and, where appropriate, qualitative factors. With the assistance of an independent, actuarial firm, the Company uses statistical analysis to estimate the cost of losses and loss adjustment expenses related to IBNR. Those estimates are based on historical information, industry information and practices, and estimates of trends that may affect the ultimate frequency of incurred but not reported claims and changes in ultimate claims severity. The Company regularly reviews its reserve estimates and adjusts them as necessary as experience develops or as new information becomes known. Such adjustments are included in current operations. During the loss settlement period, if there are indications that claims frequency or severity exceeds initial expectations, the Company generally increases its reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses. Conversely, when claims frequency and severity trends are more favorable than initially anticipated, the Company generally reduces its reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses once it has sufficient data to confirm the validity of the favorable trends. Even after such adjustments, the ultimate liability may exceed or be less than the revised estimates. Accordingly, the ultimate settlement of losses and the related loss adjustment expenses may vary significantly from the estimate included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Although considerable variability is inherent in such estimates, management believes the reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses are adequate. The estimates are continually reviewed and adjusted as necessary as experience develops or new information becomes known. Any adjustments to estimates are recorded in the current period. The following table provides a reconciliation of the beginning and ending reserve balances for losses and LAE on a net of reinsurance basis to the gross amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets: Year Ended December 31, 2020 2019 2018 (in thousands) Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses net of reinsurance recoverables at beginning of period $ 3,869 $ 4,165 $ 4,432 Add: Incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses, net of reinsurance, related to: Current year 64,179 5,774 8,165 Prior years (64) (181) (1,891) Total incurred 64,115 5,593 6,274 Deduct: Loss and loss adjustment expense payments, net of reinsurance, related to: Current year 31,879 2,179 4,409 Prior years 1,635 3,710 2,132 Total payments 33,514 5,889 6,541 Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense net of reinsurance recoverables at end of period 34,470 3,869 4,165 Add: Reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses at end of period 94,566 12,952 11,896 Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses gross of reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses at end of period $ 129,036 $ 16,821 $ 16,061 The foregoing reconciliation shows loss and loss adjustment expense reserve redundancies of $0.1 million, $0.2 million, and $1.9 million developed in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. During 2020, this favorable reserve development related to lower than anticipated frequency and severity of claims in our homeowners and special property lines of business offset by higher than anticipated frequency and severity of claims in our assumed reinsurance line. During 2019, this favorable reserve development was primarily related to lower than originally anticipated frequency and severity of claims in our homeowners lines of business, offset by higher than originally anticipated frequency and severity of claims in our special property lines of business. During 2018, this favorable reserve development was primarily due to favorable development in our homeowners lines of business due to lower than originally anticipated frequency and severity of claims. The Company compiles and aggregates its claims data by grouping the claims according to the year in which the claim occurred (“Accident Year”) when analyzing claim payment and emergence patterns and trends over time. For the purpose of defining claims frequency, the number of reported claims is by loss occurrence and includes claims that do not result in a liability or payment associated with them. The Company analyzed the usefulness of disaggregation of its results and determined the characteristics associated with the policies and the related unpaid loss reserves, incurred losses, and payment patterns are similar in nature. The Company separates its special property and other claim experience from its homeowner claim experience when analyzing losses and allocated loss adjustment expenses incurred and paid development and claim count triangles, as there are distinct differences in the development and claim count emergence patterns as well as methods of IBNR projection. The Special Property classification includes fire, allied lines, inland marine, and earthquake claims. As such, the following tables show the Company’s historical homeowner and special property incurred and cumulative paid losses and LAE development, net of reinsurance, as well as IBNR loss reserves and the number of reported claims on an aggregate basis as of December 31, 2020 for each of the previous two accident years. The information provided herein about incurred and paid accident year claims development for the years ended December 31, 2018 and prior is presented as unaudited supplementary information. Incurred Losses and Allocated Loss Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance Homeowners’ Insurance (in thousands) As of December 31, 2020 Incurred but Cumulative Year Ended December 31, Not Reported Number of Accident Year 2015(1) 2016(1) 2017(1) 2018(1) 2019 2020 Liabilities Claims 2015 $ 2,048 $ 1,785 $ 1,658 $ 1,636 $ 1,642 $ 1,636 $ — 381 2016 6,069 5,878 5,721 5,636 5,622 — 1,083 2017 9,354 7,418 6,630 6,388 3 2,973 2018 2,193 2,008 1,930 3 789 2019 914 838 98 1,178 2020 19,100 2,995 3,223 Total $ 35,514 $ 3,099 9,627 Cumulative Paid Losses and Allocated Loss Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance Homeowners’ Insurance (in thousands) Year Ended December 31, Accident Year 2015(1) 2016(1) 2017(1) 2018(1) 2019 2020 2015 $ 860 $ 1,379 $ 1,523 $ 1,615 $ 1,634 $ 1,636 2016 4,120 5,356 5,585 5,607 5,619 2017 7,135 7,375 6,628 6,371 2018 1,550 1,853 1,922 2019 546 685 2020 13,588 Total $ 29,821 Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense, net of reinsurance $ 5,693 (1) Data presented for these calendar years is required supplementary information, which is unaudited. Average Annual Percentage Payout of Incurred Claims by Age, Net of Reinsurance Homeowners’ Insurance (unaudited) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Payout percentage 75.69 % 17.95 % 1.19 % 0.66 % 0.69 % 0.12 % Incurred Losses and Allocated Loss Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance Special Property Insurance (in thousands) As of December 31, 2020 Incurred but Cumulative Year Ended December 31, Not Reported Number of Accident Year 2015(1) 2016(1) 2017(1) 2018(1) 2019 2020 Liabilities Claims 2015 $ 630 $ 719 $ 671 $ 671 $ 678 $ 677 $ — 381 2016 1,381 1,249 1,251 1,454 1,453 — 1,103 2017 3,071 3,475 4,014 4,264 — 3,068 2018 5,970 6,095 6,009 — 949 2019 3,661 3,385 332 1,339 2020 42,334 9,554 1,240 Total $ 58,122 $ 9,886 8,080 Cumulative Paid Losses and Allocated Loss Adjustment Expenses, Net of Reinsurance Special Property Insurance (in thousands) Year Ended December 31, Accident Year 2015(1) 2016(1) 2017(1) 2018(1) 2019 2020 2015 $ 265 $ 438 $ 586 $ 626 $ 666 $ 673 2016 703 1,064 1,216 1,444 1,453 2017 1,967 3,344 4,011 4,269 2018 2,859 6,036 6,009 2019 1,633 2,825 2020 18,274 Total 33,503 Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense, net of reinsurance 24,619 (1) Data presented for these calendar years is required supplementary information, which is unaudited. Average Annual Percentage Payout of Incurred Claims by Age, Net of Reinsurance Special Property Insurance (unaudited) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Payout percentage 45.44 % 34.16 % 11.88 % 9.22 % 3.26 % 1.03 % The reconciliation of the net incurred and paid claims development tables to the liability for claims and claim adjustment expenses in the consolidated balance sheets is as follows: 2020 (in thousands) Net outstanding liabilities: Homeowners’ insurance $ 5,693 Special property 24,619 Reinsurance- Nonproportional assumed property(1) 4,110 Other 48 Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense, net of reinsurance 34,470 Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid claims: Homeowners’ insurance $ 14,640 Special property 79,825 Other 101 Total reinsurance recoverable on unpaid claims 94,566 Total reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses $ 129,036 (1) Reflects the Company’s share of Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense related to non-proportional assumed reinsurance business. This amount reflects gross and net reserves related to this treaty and the ultimate incurred amount reflects IBNR only. The Company does not have direct access to individual claim information underlying the assumed quota arrangement. The Company does not use claim frequency information in the determination of loss reserves or for other internal purposes. Based on these considerations, the Company does not believe providing claims frequency information is practicable as it relates to this line of business . |