| RECONCILIATION OF BEGINNING AND ENDING GROSS RESERVE FOR LOSSES AND LOSS EXPENSES AND NET RESERVE FOR UNPAID LOSSES AND LOSS EXPENSES [Table Text Block] |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Six months ended June 30, | 2013 | | 2012 | | | | | | | | | Gross reserve for losses and loss expenses, beginning of period | $ | 9,058,731 |
| | $ | 8,425,045 |
| | | Less reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses, beginning of period | (1,825,617 | ) | | (1,736,823 | ) | | | Net reserve for unpaid losses and loss expenses, beginning of period | 7,233,114 |
| | 6,688,222 |
| | | | | | | | | Net incurred losses and loss expenses related to: | | | | | | Current year | 1,177,926 |
| | 1,098,168 |
| | | Prior years | (96,613 | ) | | (119,840 | ) | | | | 1,081,313 |
| | 978,328 |
| | | Net paid losses and loss expenses related to: | | | | | | Current year | (54,732 | ) | | (90,041 | ) | | | Prior years | (732,135 | ) | | (731,363 | ) | | | | (786,867 | ) | | (821,404 | ) | | | | | | | | | Foreign exchange and other | (130,536 | ) | | (10,129 | ) | | | | | | | | | Net reserve for unpaid losses and loss expenses, end of period | 7,397,024 |
| | 6,835,017 |
| | | Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses, end of period | 1,945,793 |
| | 1,765,634 |
| | | Gross reserve for losses and loss expenses, end of period | $ | 9,342,817 |
| | $ | 8,600,651 |
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| NET PRIOR YEAR RESERVE DEVELOPMENT BY SEGMENT [Table Text Block] |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Three months ended June 30, | | Six months ended June 30, | | | | 2013 | | 2012 | | 2013 | | 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | Insurance | $ | 6,693 |
| | $ | 35,394 |
| | $ | 12,290 |
| | $ | 50,289 |
| | | Reinsurance | 35,422 |
| | 39,218 |
| | 84,323 |
| | 69,551 |
| | | Total | $ | 42,115 |
| | $ | 74,612 |
| | $ | 96,613 |
| | $ | 119,840 |
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