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Reinsurance and Catastrophes | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Insurance [Abstract] |
Reinsurance and Catastrophes | NOTE 6 - Reinsurance and Catastrophes In the normal course of business, the Company's insurance subsidiaries assume and cede reinsurance with other insurers. Reinsurance is ceded primarily to limit losses from large events and to permit recovery of a portion of direct losses; however, such a transfer does not relieve the originating insurance company of primary liability. The Company is a national underwriter and therefore has exposure to catastrophic losses in certain coastal states and other regions throughout the U.S. Catastrophes can be caused by various events including hurricanes, windstorms, hail, severe winter weather, wildfires and earthquakes, and the frequency and severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable. The financial impact from catastrophic losses results from both the total amount of insured exposure in the area affected by the catastrophe as well as the severity of the event. The Company seeks to reduce its exposure to catastrophe losses through the geographic diversification of its insurance coverage, deductibles, maximum coverage limits and the purchase of catastrophe reinsurance. The Company's catastrophe losses incurred of approximately $61,814 thousand, $60,043 thousand and $44,429 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, reflected losses from winter storm events in the first part of each year, wind/hail/tornado events in the spring and summer months of each year, as well as losses from several storms in the latter part of each year. The third quarter of 2017 also included losses from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The total amounts of reinsurance recoverable on unpaid insurance reserves classified as assets and reported in Other assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows:
($ in thousands) |  | December 31,
|  | 2017 |  | 2016
Reinsurance recoverables on reserves and unpaid claims |  |  |  |  |  |
Property and Casualty |  |  |  |  |  |
Reinsurance companies |  | $ | 6,696 |  |  | $ | 10,239 |
State insurance facilities |  | 50,713 |  |  | 50,960 |
Life and health |  | 11,037 |  |  | 9,275 |
Total |  | $ | 68,446 |  |  | $ | 70,474 |
The Company recognizes the cost of reinsurance premiums over the contract periods for such premiums in proportion to the insurance protection provided. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers for unpaid claims and claim settlement expenses, including estimated amounts for unsettled claims, claims incurred but not yet reported and policy benefits, are estimated in a manner consistent with the insurance liability associated with the policy. The effects of reinsurance on premiums written and contract deposits; premiums and contract charges earned; and benefits, claims and settlement expenses were as follows:
($ in thousands) |  | Gross Amount |  | Ceded to Other Companies |  | Assumed from Other Companies |  | Net Amount
Year Ended December 31, 2017 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Premiums written and contract deposits (1) |  | $ | 1,244,500 |  |  | $ | 21,989 |  |  | $ | 4,606 |  |  | $ | 1,227,117 |
Premiums and contract charges earned |  | 812,099 |  |  | 22,036 |  |  | 4,640 |  |  | 794,703 |
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses |  | 588,621 |  |  | 10,472 |  |  | 4,157 |  |  | 582,306 |
Year Ended December 31, 2016 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Premiums written and contract deposits |  | 1,280,903 |  |  | 22,728 |  |  | 4,324 |  |  | 1,262,499 |
Premiums and contract charges earned |  | 777,651 |  |  | 22,826 |  |  | 4,321 |  |  | 759,146 |
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses |  | 562,385 |  |  | 25,739 |  |  | 4,358 |  |  | 541,004 |
Year Ended December 31, 2015 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Premiums written and contract deposits |  | 1,277,066 |  |  | 24,737 |  |  | 4,184 |  |  | 1,256,513 |
Premiums and contract charges earned |  | 752,798 |  |  | 25,077 |  |  | 4,159 |  |  | 731,880 |
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses |  | 508,904 |  |  | 16,221 |  |  | 3,681 |  |  | 496,364 |
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(1) | This measure is not based on accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (non-GAAP). An explanation of this non-GAAP measure is contained in the Glossary of Selected Terms included as an exhibit in the Company's reports filed with the SEC.
There were no losses from uncollectible reinsurance recoverables in the three years ended December 31, 2017. Past due reinsurance recoverables as of December 31, 2017 were not material. The Company maintains catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance coverage. For 2017, the Company's catastrophe excess of loss coverage consisted of one contract in addition to a minimal amount of coverage by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF). The catastrophe excess of loss contract provided 95% coverage for catastrophe losses above a retention of $25,000 thousand per occurrence up to $90,000 thousand per occurrence and 100% coverage for losses above $90,000 per occurrence to $175,000 per occurrence. This contract consisted of three layers, each of which provided for one mandatory reinstatement. The layers were $25,000 thousand excess of $25,000 thousand, $40,000 thousand excess of $50,000 thousand and $85,000 thousand excess of $90,000 thousand. For liability coverages, in 2017, the Company reinsured each loss above a retention of $1,000 thousand with coverage up to $5,000 thousand on a per occurrence basis and $20,000 thousand in a clash event. (A clash cover is a reinsurance casualty excess contract requiring two or more casualty coverages or policies issued by the Company to be involved in the same loss occurrence for coverage to apply.) For property coverages, in 2017 the Company reinsured each loss above a retention of $1,000 thousand up to $5,000 thousand on a per risk basis, including catastrophe losses. Also, the Company could submit to the reinsurers two per risk losses from the same occurrence for a total of $8,000 thousand of property recovery in any one event. The maximum individual life insurance risk retained by the Company is $300 thousand on any individual life, while either $100 thousand or $125 thousand is retained on each group life policy depending on the type of coverage. Excess amounts are reinsured. The Company also maintains a life catastrophe reinsurance program. For 2017, the Company reinsured 100% of the catastrophe risk in excess of $1,000 thousand up to $35,000 thousand per occurrence, with one reinstatement. The Company's life catastrophe risk reinsurance program covers acts of terrorism and includes nuclear, biological and chemical explosions but excludes other acts of war.

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- Definition The entire disclosure pertaining to the existence, magnitude and information about insurance that has been ceded to or assumed from another insurance company, including the methodologies and assumptions used in determining recorded amounts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2303980 + Details
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