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Significant Accounting Policies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Significant Accounting Policies | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES There have been no material changes to our significant accounting policies as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. BASIS OF PRESENTATION The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in conformity with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, these unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position and results of operations as at the end of and for the periods presented. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated from these statements. Except as discussed in “Note 3. Discontinued Operations,” and unless otherwise noted, the notes to the consolidated financial statements reflect the Company's continuing operations. Certain comparative information has been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Because of the seasonality of the Company's business, the results of operations and cash flows for any interim period will not necessarily be indicative of the results of operations and cash flows for the full fiscal year or subsequent quarters. USE OF ESTIMATES IN FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported and disclosed amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. The major estimates reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, the reserve for claims and claim expenses, reinsurance recoverables, including allowances for reinsurance recoverables deemed uncollectible, estimates of written and earned premiums, fair value, including the fair value of investments, financial instruments and derivatives, impairment charges and the Company’s deferred tax valuation allowance. RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts In October 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2010-26, Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts (“ASU 2010-26”), which amends FASB ASC Topic Financial Services - Insurance. ASU 2010-26 modifies the definition of the types of costs that can be capitalized in relation to the acquisition of new and renewal insurance contracts. The amended guidance requires costs to be incremental or directly related to the successful acquisition of new or renewal contracts in order to be capitalized as a deferred acquisition cost. Capitalized costs would include incremental direct costs, such as commissions paid to brokers. Additionally, the portion of employee salaries and benefits directly related to time spent for acquired contracts would be capitalized. Costs that fall outside the revised definition must be expensed when incurred. ASU 2010-26 became effective for fiscal periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, and as a result, the Company adopted ASU 2010-26 effective January 1, 2012. The adoption of ASU 2010-26 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition. Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs (“ASU 2011-04”), which amends FASB ASC Topic Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2011-04 was issued to provide largely identical guidance about fair value measurement and disclosure requirements with the International Accounting Standards Board's new International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) 13, Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2011-04 does not extend the use of fair value but, rather, provides guidance about how fair value should be applied where it is already required or permitted under GAAP and requires enhanced disclosures covering all transfers between Levels 1 and 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Additional disclosures covering Level 3 assets are also required. ASU 2011-04 became effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011 and as a result, the Company adopted ASU 2011-04 effective January 1, 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-04 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition. The additional disclosures required by ASU 2011-04 have been provided in "Note 5. Fair Value Measurements" of the Company's Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Presentation of Comprehensive Income In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2011-05”), which amends FASB ASC Topic Comprehensive Income. ASU 2011-05 increases the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income and eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in shareholders' equity. ASU 2011-05 requires that all non-owner changes in shareholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 became effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, with retroactive application required. The Company adopted ASU 2010-26 effective January 1, 2012 and it did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18743-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18854-107790 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 22 -Paragraph 8 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18861-107790 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18726-107790 + Details
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