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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation These interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (the “Company” or the “Registrant”), its subsidiaries (collectively, with the Company, “White Mountains”) and other entities required to be consolidated under GAAP. The Company is an exempted Bermuda limited liability company whose principal businesses are conducted through its insurance subsidiaries and other affiliates. The Company’s headquarters is located at 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, Bermuda HM 11, its principal executive office is located at 80 South Main Street, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-2053 and its registered office is located at Clarendon House, 2 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda HM 11. White Mountains’s reportable segments are HG Global/BAM, MediaAlpha and Other Operations. The HG Global/BAM segment consists of HG Global Ltd. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (“HG Global”) and the consolidated results of Build America Mutual Assurance Company (“BAM”). BAM is the first and only mutual bond insurance company in the United States. By insuring the timely payment of principal and interest, BAM provides market access to, and lowers interest expense for, issuers of municipal bonds used to finance essential public purposes such as schools, utilities and transportation facilities. BAM is owned by and operated for the benefit of its members, the municipalities that purchase BAM’s insurance for their debt issuances. HG Global was established to fund the startup of BAM and, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, HG Re Ltd. (“HG Re”), to provide 15%-of-par, first loss reinsurance protection for policies underwritten by BAM. HG Global, together with its subsidiaries, provided the initial capitalization of BAM through the purchase of $503.0 million of surplus notes issued by BAM (the “BAM Surplus Notes”). As of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, White Mountains owned 96.9% of HG Global’s preferred equity and 88.4% of its common equity. White Mountains does not have an ownership interest in BAM. However, GAAP requires White Mountains to consolidate BAM’s results in its financial statements. BAM’s results are attributed to non-controlling interests. The MediaAlpha segment consists of QL Holdings LLC and its wholly-owned subsidiary QuoteLab, LLC (collectively “MediaAlpha”). MediaAlpha is an advertising technology company that develops transparent and efficient platforms for the buying and selling of insurance and other vertical-specific performance media (i.e., clicks, calls and leads). MediaAlpha’s exchange technology, machine learning and analytical tools facilitate transparent, real-time transactions between advertisers (buyers of advertising inventory) and publishers (sellers of advertising inventory). MediaAlpha works with over 300 advertisers and 225 publishers across a number of insurance (auto, motorcycle, home, renter, health and life) and non-insurance (travel, education, personal finance and home services) verticals. White Mountains’s Other Operations segment consists of the Company and its intermediate holding companies, its wholly-owned investment management subsidiary, White Mountains Advisors LLC (“WM Advisors”) and certain consolidated and unconsolidated private capital investments. The consolidated private capital investments consist of Wobi Insurance Agency Ltd. (“Wobi”) and Removal Stars Ltd. (“Buzzmove”). White Mountains’s Other Operations segment also includes its variable annuity reinsurance business, White Mountains Life Reinsurance (Bermuda) Ltd. (“Life Re Bermuda”), which completed its runoff with all of its contracts fully matured on June 30, 2016, and its U.S.-based service provider, White Mountains Financial Services LLC (collectively, “WM Life Re”). On May 2, 2017, OneBeacon Insurance Group, Ltd. (“OneBeacon Ltd.”) entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Intact Financial Corporation (“Intact”), which is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of 2017 (the “OneBeacon Transaction”). OneBeacon Ltd., an exempted Bermuda limited liability company that owns a family of property and casualty insurance companies (collectively, “OneBeacon”), offers a wide range of insurance products in the United States through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, wholesalers and managing general agencies. On July 21, 2016, White Mountains completed its sale of Tranzact Holdings, LLC (“Tranzact”) to an affiliate of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC. On April 18, 2016, White Mountains completed its sale of Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd., and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Sirius Group”) to CM International Holding PTE Ltd. (“CMI”), the Singapore-based investment arm of China Minsheng Investment Corp., Ltd. White Mountains has presented the results of OneBeacon, Tranzact and Sirius Group as discontinued operations in the statement of operations and comprehensive income for all periods prior to each transaction’s completion date. White Mountains has presented OneBeacon’s assets and liabilities as held for sale as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016. On March 7, 2017, White Mountains completed the sale of Star & Shield Services LLC, Star & Shield Risk Management LLC, and Star & Shield Claims Services LLC (collectively “Star & Shield”) and its investment in Star & Shield Insurance Exchange (“SSIE”) surplus notes to K2 Insurance Services, LLC. Star & Shield provides management services for a fee to SSIE, a reciprocal that is owned by its members, who are policyholders. White Mountains was required to consolidate SSIE in its GAAP financial statements until White Mountains completed the sale. White Mountains has presented Star & Shield’s and SSIE’s assets and liabilities as held for sale as of December 31, 2016. See Note 15 — “Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations”. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. These interim financial statements include all adjustments considered necessary by management to fairly state the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of White Mountains. These interim financial statements may not be indicative of financial results for the full year and should be read in conjunction with the Company’s 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Refer to the Company’s 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete discussion regarding White Mountains’s significant accounting policies. Recently Adopted Changes in Accounting Principles Stock Compensation Effective January 1, 2017, White Mountains adopted ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (ASC 718) which simplifies certain aspects of the accounting for share-based compensation. The new guidance provides an accounting policy election to account for forfeitures by either applying an assumption, as required under existing guidance, or by recognizing forfeitures when they actually occur. At adoption, White Mountains did not change its accounting policy for forfeitures, which is to apply an assumed forfeiture rate. The new guidance has also changed the threshold for partial cash settlement to settle statutory withholding requirements for equity classified awards, increasing the threshold up to the maximum statutory tax rate. As a result of adoption, White Mountains reported $9.2 million and $5.8 million of statutory withholding tax payments made in connection with the settlement of restricted shares as financing cash flows for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. Such payments were classified as operating cash flows prior to adoption. In addition, the new guidance changed the treatment for excess tax benefits which arise from the difference between the deduction for tax purposes and the compensation costs recognized for financial reporting. Under the new guidance, a reporting entity will recognize excess tax benefits or expense in current period earnings, regardless of whether it is in a taxes payable position. Business Combinations - Measurement Period Adjustments Effective January 1, 2016, White Mountains adopted ASU 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, which requires adjustments to provisional amounts recorded in connection with a business combination that are identified during the measurement period to be recorded in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined, rather than as retroactive adjustments to prior periods. White Mountains has not recognized any adjustments to estimated purchase accounting amounts for the year to date period ended June 30, 2017 and accordingly, there was no effect to White Mountains’s financial statements upon adoption. Amendments to Consolidation Analysis On January 1, 2016, White Mountains adopted ASU 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (ASC 810) which amends the guidance for determining whether an entity is a variable interest entity (“VIE”). ASU 2015-02 eliminates the separate consolidation guidance for limited partnerships and, with it, the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. In addition, ASU 2015-02 changes the guidance for determining if fee arrangements qualify as variable interests and the effect fee arrangements have on the determination of the primary beneficiary. Adoption of ASU 2015-02 did not affect the consolidation analysis for any of White Mountains’s investments. Share-Based Compensation Awards On January 1, 2016, White Mountains adopted ASU 2014-12, Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period (ASC 718). The new guidance requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that can be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. Compensation cost is to be recognized in the period when it becomes probable the performance target will be achieved in an amount equal to the compensation cost attributable to the periods for which service has been rendered. Adoption did not have any effect on White Mountains’s financial position, results of operations, cash flows, presentation or disclosures. Debt Issuance Costs On January 1, 2016, White Mountains adopted ASU 2015-03, Imputation of Interest (ASC 835), which requires debt issuance costs to be presented as a deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt, consistent with the treatment required for debt discounts. The new guidance requires amortization of debt issuance costs to be classified within interest expense and also requires disclosure to the debt’s effective interest rate. As of June 30, 2017, there was an insignificant amount of unamortized debt issuance costs included in debt. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Stock Compensation In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Stock Compensation: Scope of Modification Accounting (ASC 718), which narrows the scope of transactions subject to modification accounting to changes in terms of an award that result in a change in the award’s fair value, vesting conditions or classification. The new guidance becomes effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. Cash Flow Statement In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (ASC 230), which addresses the classification and presentation of certain items, including debt prepayment and extinguishment costs, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination and distributions received from equity method investees, for which there was diversity in practice. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash (ASC 230). Under current guidance, restricted amounts of cash or cash equivalents are excluded from the cash flow statement. The new guidance requires restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents to be included in the reconciliation of beginning and end-of-period amounts presented on the statement of cash flows. In addition, the new guidance requires a description of the nature of the changes in restricted cash and cash equivalents during the periods presented. The updated guidance in ASU 2016-15 and ASU 2016-18 are both effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. White Mountains is evaluating the expected impact of this new guidance. Credit Losses In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (ASC 326), which establishes new guidance for the recognition of credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost. The new ASU requires reporting entities to estimate the credit losses expected over the life of a credit exposure using historical information, current information and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the financial asset. This differs from current U.S. GAAP, which delays recognition until it is probable a loss has been incurred. The new guidance is expected to accelerate recognition of credit losses. The types of assets within the scope of the new guidance include premium receivables, reinsurance recoverables and loans. ASU 2016-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after January 1, 2020, including interim periods. White Mountains is evaluating the expected impact of this new guidance. Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (ASC 842). The new guidance requires lessees to recognize lease assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for both operating and financing leases, with the exception of leases with an original term of 12 months or less. Under existing guidance recognition of lease assets and liabilities is not required for operating leases. The lease assets and liabilities to be recognized are both measured initially based on the present value of the lease payments. Under the new guidance, a sale-leaseback transaction must meet the recognition criteria under ASC 606, Revenues in order to be accounted for as sale. The new guidance is effective for White Mountains for years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein. White Mountains is evaluating the expected impact of this new guidance and available adoption methods. Financial Instruments - Recognition and Measurement In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (ASC 825-10). The new ASU modifies the guidance for financial instruments, including investments in equity securities. Under the new guidance, all equity securities with readily determinable fair values are required to be measured at fair value with changes therein recognized through current period earnings. In addition, the new ASU requires a qualitative assessment for equity securities without readily determinable fair values to identify impairment, and for impaired equity securities to be measured at fair value. ASU 2016-01 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. White Mountains measures its portfolio of investment securities at fair value with changes therein recognized through current period earnings and accordingly, does not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-01 to have a significant impact on its financial statements. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606), which modifies the guidance for revenue recognition. Under ASU 2014-09, revenue is to be recognized at an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for goods or services transferred to customers. The new guidance sets forth the steps to be followed to recognize revenue: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determine the transaction price, (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. Subsequently, the FASB issued additional ASUs clarifying the guidance in and providing implementation guidance for ASU 2014-09. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which delays the effective date of ASU 2014-09 and all related ASUs to annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Revenue from insurance contracts, investment income and investments gains and losses are excluded from the scope of 2014-09. The new guidance is applicable to some of White Mountains’s revenue streams, including certain fee arrangements as well as commissions and other non-insurance revenues. White Mountains is evaluating the new guidance, but does not expect ASU 2014-09 to have a significant effect on recognition of White Mountains’s revenues from customers.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References No definition available. + Details
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