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Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)
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3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2013
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| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
| Basis of Presentation | 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. 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 | 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 | RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS Disclosures About Offsetting Assets and Liabilities In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") No. 2011-11, Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities ("ASU 2011-11"). The objective of ASU 2011-11 is to enhance disclosures by requiring improved information about financial instruments and derivative instruments in relation to netting arrangements. ASU 2011-11 became effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, with retrospective presentation of the new disclosure required. The Company adopted ASU 2011-11 effective January 1, 2013; since this update affected disclosures only, it did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition. In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-01, Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities ("ASU 2013-01"). The guidance clarified that the disclosures in ASU 2011-11 would apply only to derivatives, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending transactions, each to the extent that they met specific conditions provided in the initial accounting standard. ASU 2013-01 became effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, with retrospective presentation of the new disclosure required. As this guidance is disclosure-related only, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition. Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU No. 2012-02, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment ("ASU 2012-02"). ASU 2012-02 simplifies the guidance for testing the decline in the realizable value of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill. ASU 2012-02 allows an organization the option to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test. An organization electing to perform a qualitative assessment is no longer required to calculate the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset unless the organization determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is “more likely than not” that the asset is impaired. ASU 2012-02 became effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. Early adoption was permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2012-02 effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition. Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income ("ASU 2013-02"). The objective of ASU 2013-02 is to improve the reporting of classifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income by requiring an entity to report the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income if the amount being reclassified is required under GAAP to be reclassified in its entirety. For other amounts that are not required under GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income in the same reporting period, an entity is required to cross-reference other disclosures required under GAAP that provide additional details about those amounts. ASU 2013-02 became effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The Company prospectively adopted ASU 2013-02 effective January 1, 2013; since this update affected disclosures only, it did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated statements of operations and financial condition. |