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Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (the “Company” or the “Registrant”) is an exempted Bermuda limited liability company whose principal businesses are conducted through its 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 23 South Main Street, Suite 3B, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755-2053 and its registered office is located at Clarendon House, 2 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda HM 11. The Company’s website is located at www.whitemountains.com. The information contained on White Mountains’s website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this report. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company, its subsidiaries (collectively with the Company, “White Mountains”) and other entities required to be consolidated under GAAP. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. 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. 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 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Reportable Segments White Mountains has determined its reportable segments based on the nature of the underlying businesses, the manner in which the Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates are organized and managed and the organization of the financial information provided to the chief operating decision maker to assess performance and make decisions regarding allocation of resources. As of March 31, 2022, White Mountains’s reportable segments were HG Global/BAM, Ark, NSM, Kudu 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”) (collectively, “HG Global/BAM”). BAM is the first and only mutual municipal 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 purpose projects, 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 reinsurance subsidiary, HG Re Ltd. (“HG Re”), to provide up to 15%-of-par, first loss reinsurance protection for policies underwritten by BAM. HG Global, together with its subsidiaries, funded the initial capitalization of BAM through the purchase of $503.0 million of surplus notes issued by BAM (the “BAM Surplus Notes”). As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 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, White Mountains is required to consolidate BAM’s results in its financial statements because BAM is a variable interest entity for which White Mountains is the primary beneficiary. BAM’s results are all attributed to non-controlling interests. The Ark segment consists of Ark Insurance Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Ark”). Ark is a specialty property and casualty insurance and reinsurance company that offers a wide range of niche insurance and reinsurance products, including property, marine & energy, specialty, accident & health and casualty. Ark underwrites select coverages through Lloyd’s Syndicates 4020 and 3902 (the “Syndicates”) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Group Ark Insurance Limited (“GAIL”). White Mountains acquired a controlling ownership interest in Ark on January 1, 2021 (the “Ark Transaction”). See Note 2 — “Significant Transactions”. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, White Mountains owned 72.0% of Ark on a basic shares outstanding basis (63.0% after taking account of management’s equity incentives). The remaining shares are owned by current and former employees. In the future, management rollover shareholders could earn additional shares in Ark if and to the extent that White Mountains achieves certain multiple of invested capital return thresholds. If fully earned, these additional shares would represent 12.5% of the shares outstanding at closing. For the years of account prior to the Ark Transaction, a significant proportion of the Syndicates’ underwriting capital was provided by third-party insurance and reinsurance groups (“TPC Providers”) using whole account reinsurance contracts with Ark’s corporate member. For the years of account subsequent to the Ark Transaction, Ark is no longer using TPC Providers to provide underwriting capital for the Syndicates. Captions within results of operations and other comprehensive income are shown net of amounts relating to the TPC Providers share of the Syndicates’ results, including investment results. NSM is a full-service managing general agent (“MGA”) and program administrator with delegated binding authorities for specialty property and casualty insurance. The company places insurance in niche sectors such as specialty transportation, real estate, social services and pet. On behalf of its insurance carrier partners, NSM typically manages all aspects of the placement process, including product development, marketing, underwriting and policy issuance. NSM earns commissions based on the volume and profitability of the insurance that it places. NSM does not take insurance risk. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, White Mountains owned 96.5% of the basic units outstanding of NSM (87.3% on a fully diluted, fully converted basis). The Kudu segment consists of Kudu Investment Management, LLC and its subsidiaries (collectively “Kudu”). Kudu provides capital solutions for boutique asset and wealth managers for a variety of purposes including generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth finance and legacy partner liquidity. Kudu also provides strategic assistance to investees from time to time. Kudu’s capital solutions typically are structured as minority preferred equity stakes with distribution rights, generally tied to gross revenues and designed to generate strong, stable cash yields. As of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, White Mountains owned 99.1% and 99.3% of the basic units outstanding (84.5% and 84.7% on a fully diluted, fully converted basis). The Other Operations segment consists of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, White Mountains Capital, LLC (“WM Capital”), its other intermediate holding companies, its wholly-owned investment management subsidiary, White Mountains Advisors LLC (“WM Advisors”), investment assets managed by WM Advisors, its interests in MediaAlpha, Inc. (“MediaAlpha”), PassportCard Limited (“PassportCard”) and DavidShield Life Insurance Agency (2000) Ltd. (“DavidShield”) (collectively, “PassportCard/DavidShield”), Elementum Holdings LP (“Elementum”), and certain other consolidated and unconsolidated entities (“Other Operating Businesses”) and certain other assets. Significant Accounting Policies Refer to the Company’s 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete discussion regarding White Mountains’s significant accounting policies.

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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 Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122394 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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