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Variable Interest Entities
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Variable Interest Entities VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES
Upsilon RFO
RenaissanceRe owns a portion of the participating non-voting preference shares of Upsilon RFO and 85% Upsilon RFO’s voting Class A shares. The shareholders (other than the voting Class A shareholders) participate in all of the profits or losses of Upsilon RFO while their shares remain outstanding. The shareholders (other than the voting Class A shareholders) indemnify Upsilon RFO against losses relating to insurance risk and therefore these shares have been accounted for as prospective reinsurance under FASB ASC Topic Financial Services - Insurance.
Upsilon RFO is considered a VIE as it has insufficient equity capital to finance its activities without additional financial support. The Company is the primary beneficiary of Upsilon RFO as it has power over the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of Upsilon RFO and has the obligation to absorb expected losses and the right to receive expected benefits that could be significant to Upsilon RFO, in accordance with the accounting guidance. As a result, the Company consolidates Upsilon RFO and all
significant inter-company transactions have been eliminated. Other than its equity investment in Upsilon RFO, the Company has not provided financial or other support to Upsilon RFO that it was not contractually required to provide.
2020
During 2020, $835.9 million of Upsilon RFO non-voting preference shares were issued to existing investors, including $98.1 million to the Company. Also during 2020 and following the release of collateral that was previously held by cedants associated with prior years' contracts, Upsilon RFO returned $586.0 million of capital to its investors, including $102.9 million to the Company. At December 31, 2020, the Company's participation in the risks assumed by Upsilon RFO was 13.8%.
At December 31, 2020, the Company's consolidated balance sheet included total assets and total liabilities of Upsilon RFO of $3.8 billion and $3.8 billion, respectively (December 31, 2019 - $3.1 billion and $3.1 billion, respectively). Of the total assets and liabilities, a net amount of $270.0 million is attributable to the Company, and $1.7 billion is attributable to third-party investors.
2019
During 2019, Upsilon RFO returned $279.2 million of capital to its investors, including $31.0 million to the Company. In addition, during 2019, $618.7 million of Upsilon RFO non-voting preference shares were issued to new and existing investors, including $100.0 million to the Company. At December 31, 2019, the Company’s participation in the risks assumed by Upsilon RFO was 16.5%.
Payments for certain of the shares issued during 2020 and 2019 that were received by the Company prior to January 1, 2020 and 2019, respectively, were included in other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and in other operating cash flows on the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows for 2020 and 2019, respectively. During 2020 and 2019, respectively, in connection with the issuance of the non-voting preference shares of Upsilon RFO, other liabilities were reduced by this amount, and reinsurance balances payable were increased by an offsetting amount, with corresponding impacts to other operating cash flows and the change in reinsurance balances payable on the Company consolidated statements of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Refer to “Note 24. Subsequent Events” for additional information related to Upsilon RFO’s non-voting preference shares subsequent to December 31, 2020.
Vermeer
Vermeer provides capacity focused on risk remote layers in the U.S. property catastrophe market. Refer to “Note 10. Noncontrolling Interests” for additional information regarding Vermeer.
At December 31, 2020, the Company’s consolidated balance sheet included total assets and total liabilities of Vermeer of $1.1 billion and $36.7 million, respectively (2019 - $1.0 billion and $23.2 million, respectively). In addition, the Company’s consolidated balance sheet included redeemable noncontrolling interests associated with Vermeer of $1.1 billion at December 31, 2020 (2019 - $1.0 billion).
Mona Lisa Re Ltd.
Mona Lisa Re provides reinsurance capacity to subsidiaries of RenaissanceRe through reinsurance agreements which are collateralized and funded by Mona Lisa Re through the issuance of one or more series of principal-at-risk variable rate notes to third-party investors.
Upon issuance of a series of notes by Mona Lisa Re, all of the proceeds from the issuance are deposited into collateral accounts, separated by series, to fund any potential obligation under the reinsurance agreements entered into with Renaissance Reinsurance and/or DaVinci underlying such series of notes. The outstanding principal amount of each series of notes generally will be returned to holders of such notes upon the expiration of the risk period underlying such notes, unless an event occurs which causes a loss under the applicable series of notes, in which case the amount returned will be reduced by such noteholder’s pro rata share of such loss, as specified in the applicable governing documents of such notes.
In addition, holders of such notes are generally entitled to interest payments, payable quarterly, as determined by the applicable governing documents of each series of notes.
The Company concluded that Mona Lisa Re meets the definition of a VIE as it does not have sufficient equity capital to finance its activities. The Company evaluated its relationship with Mona Lisa Re and concluded it does not have a variable interest in Mona Lisa Re. As a result, the financial position and results of operations of Mona Lisa Re are not consolidated by the Company.
The only transactions related to Mona Lisa Re that are recorded in the Company’s consolidated financial statements are the ceded reinsurance agreements entered into by Renaissance Reinsurance and DaVinci which are accounted for as prospective reinsurance under FASB ASC Topic Financial Services - Insurance, and the fair value of the principal-at-risk variable rate notes owned by the Company. Other than its investment in the principal-at-risk variable rate notes of Mona Lisa Re, the Company has not provided financial or other support to Mona Lisa Re that it was not contractually required to provide.
Renaissance Reinsurance and DaVinci have together entered into ceded reinsurance contracts with Mona Lisa Re with ceded premiums written of $24.3 million and $6.7 million, respectively, during 2020 (2019 - $Nil and $Nil, respectively, 2018 - $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively). In addition, Renaissance Reinsurance and DaVinci recognized ceded premiums earned related to the ceded reinsurance contracts with Mona Lisa Re of $24.3 million and $6.7 million, respectively, during 2020 (2019 - $Nil and $Nil, respectively, 2018 - $0.2 million and $0.2 million, respectively).
At December 31, 2020, the total assets and total liabilities of Mona Lisa Re were $400.3 million and $400.3 million, respectively (2019 - $6 thousand and $6 thousand, respectively).
The fair value of the Company's investment in the principal-at-risk variable rate notes of Mona Lisa Re is included in other investments. Net of third-party investors, the fair value of the Company's investment in Mona Lisa Re was $3.7 million at December 31, 2020.
Fibonacci Re
Fibonacci Re provides collateralized capacity to Renaissance Reinsurance and its affiliates.
The Company concluded that Fibonacci Re meets the definition of a VIE as it does not have sufficient equity capital to finance its activities. The Company evaluated its relationship with Fibonacci Re and concluded it is not the primary beneficiary of Fibonacci Re as it does not have power over the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of Fibonacci Re. As a result, the Company does not consolidate the financial position or results of operations of Fibonacci Re.
The only transactions related to Fibonacci Re that are recorded in the Company’s consolidated financial statements are the ceded reinsurance agreements entered into by Renaissance Reinsurance that are accounted for as prospective reinsurance under FASB ASC Topic Financial Services - Insurance, and the fair value of the participating notes owned by the Company. Other than its investment in the participating notes of Fibonacci Re, the Company has not provided financial or other support to Fibonacci Re that it was not contractually required to provide.
Renaissance Reinsurance entered into ceded reinsurance contracts with Fibonacci Re with ceded premiums written of $0.2 million and ceded premiums earned of $0.2 million during 2020 (2019 - $0.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively, 2018 - $9.1 million and $10.0 million, respectively). During 2020, Renaissance Reinsurance experienced favorable development of $7.5 million on prior accident years net claims and claim expenses on contracts ceded to Fibonacci Re (2019 - incurred net claims and claim expenses of $7.5 million, 2018 - incurred net claims and claim expenses of $Nil) and as of December 31, 2020 had a net reinsurance recoverable of $Nil from Fibonacci Re (December 31, 2019 - $7.5 million).
The fair value of the Company’s investment in the participating notes of Fibonacci Re is included in other investments. During 2020, all previously outstanding series of notes issued by Fibonacci Re were redeemed and the proceeds were returned to the holders of such notes. Net of third-party investors, the fair value of the Company’s investment in Fibonacci Re was $Nil at December 31, 2020 (2019 - $0.4 million).
Langhorne
The Company and Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated formed Langhorne, an initiative to source third-party capital to support reinsurers targeting large in-force life and annuity blocks. In connection with Langhorne, as of December 31, 2020 the Company has invested $2.0 million in Langhorne Holdings (2019 - $1.7 million), a company that owns and manages certain reinsurance entities within Langhorne. In addition, as of December 31, 2020 the Company has invested $0.1 million in Langhorne Partners (2019 - $0.1 million), the general partner for Langhorne and the entity which manages the third-party investors investing into Langhorne Holdings.
The Company concluded that Langhorne Holdings meets the definition of a VIE as the voting rights are not proportional with the obligations to absorb losses and rights to receive residual returns. The Company evaluated its relationship with Langhorne Holdings and concluded it is not the primary beneficiary of Langhorne Holdings, as it does not have power over the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of Langhorne Holdings. As a result, the Company does not consolidate the financial position or results of operations of Langhorne Holdings. The Company separately evaluated Langhorne Partners and concluded that it was not a VIE. The Company accounts for its investments in Langhorne Holdings and Langhorne Partners under the equity method of accounting, one quarter in arrears.
The Company anticipates that its absolute investment in Langhorne will increase, perhaps materially, as in-force life and annuity blocks of businesses are written. The Company expects its absolute and relative ownership in Langhorne Partners to remain stable. Other than its current and committed future equity investment in Langhorne, the Company has not provided financial or other support to Langhorne that it was not contractually required to provide.
Shima Re
Shima Re was acquired on March 22, 2019 in connection with the acquisition of TMR. Refer to “Note 3. Acquisition of Tokio Millennium Re” for additional information related to the acquisition of TMR. Shima Re is a Bermuda domiciled Class 3 insurer. Shima Re is registered as a segregated accounts company and provides third-party investors with access to reinsurance risk. The maximum remaining exposure of each segregated account is fully collateralized and is funded by cash or investments as prescribed by the participant thereto. Shima Re no longer writes new business and the last in-force contract written by Shima Re expired on December 31, 2019. The Company ceased providing management services to Shima Re effective December 1, 2020.
Shima Re is considered a VIE as it has voting rights that are not proportional to its participating rights. The Company evaluated its relationship with Shima Re and concluded it is not the primary beneficiary of any segregated account, as it does not have power over the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of any segregated account. As a result, the Company does not consolidate the financial position or results of operations of Shima Re or its segregated accounts. The Company has not provided any financial or other support to any segregated account of Shima Re that it was not contractually required to provide.
Norwood Re
Until December 1, 2020, Norwood Re was managed by a subsidiary of RREAG that the Company acquired in the acquisition of TMR. Refer to “Note 3. Acquisition of Tokio Millennium Re” for additional information related to the acquisition of TMR. Norwood Re is a Bermuda domiciled SPI registered as a segregated accounts company formed to provide solutions for reinsurance-linked asset investors. Norwood Re is wholly owned by the Norwood Re Purpose Trust. Risks assumed by the segregated accounts of Norwood Re are fronted by or ceded from only one cedant - RREAG and/or its insurance affiliates. The obligations of each segregated account are funded through the issuance of non-voting preference shares to third-party investors. The maximum exposure of each segregated account is fully collateralized and is funded by cash and term deposits or investments as prescribed by the participant thereto. Norwood Re no longer writes new business, and the last in-force contract written by Norwood Re expired on June 30, 2020. The Company ceased providing management services to Norwood Re effective December 1, 2020.
Norwood Re is considered a VIE as it has voting rights that are not proportional to its participating rights. The Company evaluated its relationship with Norwood Re and concluded it is not the primary beneficiary of
Norwood Re and its segregated accounts, as it does not have power over the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of Norwood Re and its segregated accounts. As a result, the Company does not consolidate the financial position or results of operations of Norwood Re and its segregated accounts. The Company has not provided any financial or other support to Norwood Re that it was not contractually required to provide.