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Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Insurance Loss Reserves [Abstract] |
Roll Forward of Reserves for Losses and Loss Expenses |
($ in thousands) |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |  | 2009
Gross reserves for losses and loss expenses, at beginning of year | $ | 2,830,058 |  | 2,745,799 |  | 2,640,973
Less: reinsurance recoverable on unpaid loss and loss expenses, at beginning of year |  | 313,739 |  | 271,610 |  | 224,192
Net reserves for losses and loss expenses, at beginning of year |  | 2,516,319 |  | 2,474,189 |  | 2,416,781
Incurred losses and loss expenses for claims occurring in the: |  |  |  |  |  |
Current year |  | 1,113,733 |  | 1,025,707 |  | 1,001,333
Prior years |  | (38,746) |  | (43,589) |  | (29,428)
Total incurred losses and loss expenses |  | 1,074,987 |  | 982,118 |  | 971,905
Paid losses and loss expenses for claims occurring in the: |  |  |  |  |  |
Current year |  | 440,786 |  | 378,650 |  | 330,006
Prior years |  | 569,944 |  | 561,338 |  | 584,491
Total paid losses and loss expenses |  | 1,010,730 |  | 939,988 |  | 914,497
Acquisition of MUSIC loss and loss expense reserves |  | 14,858 |  | - |  | -
Net reserves for losses and loss expenses, at end of year |  | 2,595,434 |  | 2,516,319 |  | 2,474,189
Add: Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid loss and loss expenses, at end of year1 |  | 549,490 |  | 313,739 |  | 271,610
Gross reserves for losses and loss expenses at end of year | $ | 3,144,924 |  | 2,830,058 |  | 2,745,799
1Includes $44.0 million related to the acquisition of MUSIC.
Exposure to Various Environmental Claims |
|  | 2011
($ in millions) |  | Gross |  | Net
Asbestos | $ | 8.4 |  | 6.6
Landfill sites |  | 16.4 |  | 11.5
Other1 |  | 21.7 |  | 20.3
Total | $ | 46.5 |  | 38.4
1 Consists of leaking underground storage tanks and other latent environmental exposures.
Roll Forward of Gross and Net Environmental Incurred Losses and Loss Expenses and Related Reserves |
|  | 2011 |  | 2010 |  | 2009
($ in thousands) |  | Gross |  | Net |  | Gross |  | Net |  | Gross |  | Net
Asbestos |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reserves for losses and loss expenses at beginning of year | $ | 9,979 |  | 8,167 |  | 11,056 |  | 9,244 |  | 14,269 |  | 12,969
Incurred losses and loss expenses |  | 2,014 |  | 2,000 |  | (338) |  | (338) |  | (2,418) |  | (2,930)
Less: losses and loss expenses paid |  | (3,581) |  | (3,581) |  | (739) |  | (739) |  | (795) |  | (795)
Reserves for losses and loss expenses at the end of year | $ | 8,412 |  | 6,586 |  | 9,979 |  | 8,167 |  | 11,056 |  | 9,244
Non-Asbestos |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reserves for losses and loss expenses at beginning of year | $ | 37,312 |  | 31,282 |  | 39,418 |  | 32,358 |  | 37,246 |  | 31,124
Incurred losses and loss expenses |  | 6,243 |  | 6,250 |  | 1,999 |  | 2,776 |  | 8,115 |  | 6,405
Less: losses and loss expenses paid |  | (5,492) |  | (5,738) |  | (4,105) |  | (3,852) |  | (5,943) |  | (5,171)
Reserves for losses and loss expenses at the end of year | $ | 38,063 |  | 31,794 |  | 37,312 |  | 31,282 |  | 39,418 |  | 32,358
Total Environmental Claims |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reserves for losses and loss expenses at beginning of year | $ | 47,291 |  | 39,449 |  | 50,474 |  | 41,602 |  | 51,515 |  | 44,093
Incurred losses and loss expenses |  | 8,257 |  | 8,250 |  | 1,661 |  | 2,438 |  | 5,697 |  | 3,475
Less: losses and loss expenses paid |  | (9,073) |  | (9,319) |  | (4,844) |  | (4,591) |  | (6,738) |  | (5,966)
Reserves for losses and loss expenses at the end of year | $ | 46,475 |  | 38,380 |  | 47,291 |  | 39,449 |  | 50,474 |  | 41,602

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the activity in the environmental reserve for settling insured claims and expenses incurred in the claims settlement process for the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the activity in the reserve for settling insured claims and expenses incurred in the claims settlement process for the period. The estimated liability includes the amount of money that will be required for future payments of (a) claims that have been reported to the insurer, (b) claims related to insured events that have occurred but that have not been reported to the insurer as of the date the liability is estimated, and (c) claim adjustment expenses. Claim adjustment expenses include costs incurred in the claim settlement process such as legal fees; outside adjuster fees; and costs to record, process, and adjust claims. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 94-5 -Paragraph 11 -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482485&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
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