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DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract] |
DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS [Text Block] |
a) | Senior Notes
On November 15, 2004, AXIS Capital issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of 5.75% senior unsecured debt (the ''5.75% Senior Notes'') at an issue price of 99.785%, generating net proceeds of $496 million. Interest on the 5.75% Senior Notes was payable semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 of each year, beginning on June 1, 2005. AXIS Capital repaid the full $500 million of its outstanding 5.75% Senior Notes upon their scheduled maturity of December 1, 2014. On March 23, 2010, AXIS Specialty Finance LLC, a 100% owned finance subsidiary, issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of 5.875% senior unsecured debt (the ''5.875% Senior Notes'') at an issue price of 99.624%. The net proceeds of the issuance, after consideration of the offering discount and underwriting expenses and commissions, totaled approximately $495 million. Interest on the 5.875% Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 of each year, beginning on June 1, 2010. Unless previously redeemed, the 5.875% Senior Notes will mature on June 1, 2020. The 5.875% Senior Notes are ranked as unsecured senior obligations of AXIS Specialty Finance LLC. AXIS Capital has fully and unconditionally guaranteed all obligations of AXIS Specialty Finance LLC under the 5.875% Senior Notes. AXIS Capital’s obligations under this guarantee are unsecured and senior and rank equally with all other senior obligations of AXIS Capital. On March 13, 2014, AXIS Specialty Finance PLC, a 100% owned finance subsidiary, issued $250 million aggregate principal amount of 2.65% senior unsecured notes (the "2.65% Senior Notes") at an issue price of 99.896% and $250 million aggregate principal amount of 5.15% senior unsecured notes (the "5.15% Senior Notes", and, together with the 5.875% Senior Notes and the 2.65% Senior Notes, the "Senior Notes") at an issue price of 99.474%. The net proceeds of the issuance, after consideration of the offering discount and underwriting expenses and commissions, totaled approximately $248 million and $246 million for the 2.65% Senior Notes and the 5.15% Senior Notes, respectively. Interest on the 2.65% Senior Notes and the 5.15% Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year, beginning on October 1, 2014. Unless previously redeemed, the 2.65% Senior Notes and the 5.15% Senior Notes will mature on April 1, 2019 and April 1, 2045, respectively. The 2.65% Senior Notes and the 5.15% Senior Notes are ranked as unsecured senior obligations of AXIS Specialty Finance PLC. AXIS Capital has fully and unconditionally guaranteed all obligations of AXIS Specialty Finance PLC under the 2.65% Senior Notes and the 5.15% Senior Notes. AXIS Capital's obligations under this guarantee are unsecured and senior and rank equally with all other senior obligations of AXIS Capital. Net proceeds from these two offerings were used towards the repayment of $500 million of AXIS Capital’s 5.75% senior unsecured notes which matured on December 1, 2014. We have the option to redeem the Senior Notes at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a ''make-whole'' redemption price, which is equal to the greater of the aggregate principal amount or the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest. The related indentures contain various covenants, including limitations on liens on the stock of restricted subsidiaries, restrictions as to the disposition of the stock of restricted subsidiaries and limitations on mergers and consolidations. We were in compliance with all the covenants contained in the indentures at December 31, 2014. Interest expense recognized in relation to our Senior Notes includes interest payable, amortization of the offering discounts and amortization of debt offering expenses. The offering discounts and debt offering expenses are amortized over the period of time during which the Senior Notes are outstanding. During 2014, we incurred interest expense of $72 million (2013: $59 million, 2012: $59 million).
b) | Credit Facilities
On March 26, 2013, in advance of the scheduled August expiration, we terminated and replaced our previously existing credit facility. AXIS Capital and certain subsidiaries are now party to a $250 million credit facility (the "Credit Facility"), which was issued by a syndication of lenders pursuant to a Credit Agreement and other ancillary documents (together, the "Facility Documents") and will expire in March 2017. At the request of the Company and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, the aggregate commitment available under the Credit Facility may be increased by up to $150 million. Under the terms of the Credit Facility, loans are available for general corporate purposes and letters of credit may be issued in the ordinary course of business, with total usage not to exceed the aggregate commitment available. Interest on loans issued under the Credit Facility is payable based on underlying market rates at the time of loan issuance. While loans under the Credit Facility are unsecured, we have the option to issue letters of credit on a secured basis in order to reduce associated fees. Letters of credit issued under the Credit Facility would principally be used to support the (re)insurance obligations of our operating subsidiaries. Each of AXIS Capital, AXIS Specialty Finance LLC and AXIS Specialty Holdings Bermuda Limited guarantees the obligations of the other parties to the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility is subject to certain non-financial covenants, including limitations on fundamental changes, the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens and certain transactions with affiliates and investments, as defined in the Facility Documents. The Credit Facility also requires compliance with certain financial covenants, including a maximum debt to capital ratio and a minimum consolidated net worth requirement. In addition, each of AXIS Capital’s material (re)insurance subsidiaries party to the Credit Facility must maintain a minimum A.M. Best Company, Inc. financial strength rating. In the event of default, including a breach of these covenants, the lenders may exercise certain remedies including the termination of the Credit Facility, the declaration of all principal and interest amounts related to Credit Facility loans to be immediately due and the requirement that all outstanding letters of credit be collateralized. On September 18, 2013, we entered into an amendment to the Credit Facility in order to permit AXIS Capital and its subsidiaries to enter into swap contracts and other arrangements related to weather derivative transactions. All other material terms and conditions remained unchanged. Effective February 10, 2014, AXIS Specialty Finance PLC was added as a guarantor to the Credit Facility. On November 20, 2013, certain of AXIS Capital’s operating subsidiaries entered into an amendment to extend the term of the Company's secured $750 million letter of credit facility (the ''LOC Facility'') with Citibank Europe plc (''Citibank'') pursuant to a Master Reimbursement Agreement and other ancillary documents (together, the ''LOC Facility Documents''). The LOC Facility may be terminated by Citibank on December 31, 2016 upon thirty days prior notice. Under the terms of the LOC Facility, letters of credit to a maximum aggregate amount of $750 million are available for issuance on behalf of the operating subsidiaries. These letters of credit will principally be used to support the reinsurance obligations of the operating subsidiaries. The LOC Facility is subject to certain covenants, including the requirement to maintain sufficient collateral, as defined in the LOC Facility Documents, to cover all of the obligations under the LOC Facility. Such obligations include contingent reimbursement obligations for outstanding letters of credit and fees payable to Citibank. In the event of default, Citibank may exercise certain remedies, including the exercise of control over pledged collateral and the termination of the availability of the LOC Facility to any or all of the operating subsidiaries party to the LOC Facility Documents. On March 31, 2014, AXIS Capital's subsidiary, AXIS Specialty Limited, terminated the $170 million secured letter of credit facility with ING Bank N.V., London Branch. The Funds at Lloyd's requirements for the Company's subsidiary, AXIS Corporate Capital UK Limited, to support the underwriting capacity of the Company's Lloyd's syndicate, AXIS Syndicate 1686, are now being met by capital pledged in the form of fixed income securities deposited directly with Lloyd's. At December 31, 2014, letters of credit outstanding under the LOC Facility and the Credit Facility totaled $423 million and $nil respectively. There was no debt outstanding under the Credit Facility. We were in compliance with all LOC Facility and Credit Facility covenants at December 31, 2014.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for information about short-term and long-term debt arrangements, which includes amounts of borrowings under each line of credit, note payable, commercial paper issue, bonds indenture, debenture issue, own-share lending arrangements and any other contractual agreement to repay funds, and about the underlying arrangements, rationale for a classification as long-term, including repayment terms, interest rates, collateral provided, restrictions on use of assets and activities, whether or not in compliance with debt covenants, and other matters important to users of the financial statements, such as the effects of refinancing and noncompliance with debt covenants. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21475-112644 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 20, 22 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20,22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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