Retirement Plans

SICA's primary pension plan is the Retirement Income Plan for Selective Insurance Company of America (the “Pension Plan”). SICA also sponsors the Supplemental Excess Retirement Plan (the “Excess Plan”) and a life insurance benefit plan. All plans are closed to new entrants and benefits ceased accruing under the Pension Plan and the Excess Plan after March 31, 2016. For more information concerning SICA's retirement plans, refer to Note 14. “Retirement Plans” in Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.” of our 2017 Annual Report.

The following tables provide information regarding the Pension Plan:



	Pension Plan					Pension Plan
	Quarter ended June 30,					Six Months ended June 30,
($ in thousands)	2018			2017		2018		2017
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Interest cost	$	3,095		3,110		6,190		6,221
Expected return on plan assets	(5,681		)	(4,855	)	(11,363	)	(9,709	)
Amortization of unrecognized net actuarial loss	493			482		987		963
Total net periodic benefit cost¹	$	(2,093	)	(1,263	)	(4,186	)	(2,525	)

¹ The components of net periodic benefit cost are included within "Loss and loss expense incurred" and "Other insurance expenses" on the Consolidated Statements of Income.



	Pension Plan
	Six Months ended June 30,
	2018		2017
Weighted-Average Expense Assumptions:
Discount rate	3.78	%	4.41	%
Effective interest rate for calculation of interest cost	3.46		3.84
Expected return on plan assets	6.36		6.24