Reserve for Loss and Loss Adjustment Expenses |
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| Reserve for Loss and Loss Adjustment Expenses | Reserve for Loss and Loss Adjustment Expenses Our reserve for loss and LAE comprises:
9. Reserve for Loss and Loss Adjustment Expenses (continued) The following table represents a reconciliation of our beginning and ending gross and net loss and LAE reserves:
Management believes that its use of both historical experience and industry-wide loss development factors provide a reasonable basis for estimating future losses. In the future, certain events may be beyond the control of management, such as changes in law, judicial interpretations of law, and inflation may favorably or unfavorably impact the ultimate settlement of the Company’s loss and LAE reserves. The anticipated effect of inflation is implicitly considered when estimating liabilities for losses and LAE. While anticipated changes in claim costs due to inflation are considered in estimating the ultimate claim costs, changes in average severity of claims are caused by a number of factors that vary with the individual type of policy written. Ultimate losses are projected based on historical trends adjusted for implemented changes in underwriting standards, policy provisions, and general economic trends. Those anticipated trends are monitored based on actual development and are modified if necessary. Prior period development arises from changes to loss estimates recognized in the current year that relate to loss reserves in previous calendar years. The development reflects changes in management's best estimate of the ultimate losses under the relevant reinsurance policies after review of changes in actuarial assessments. During 2015, the Company recorded estimated net adverse development, primarily from U.S. commercial auto business, on prior year loss reserves of $74,866 or 3.3% of prior year net loss and LAE reserves compared to net unfavorable development $18,846 or 1.0% in 2014 and net favorable development of $1,413 or 0.1% in 2013. |
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