v3.3.1.900
Related Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions
Related Party Transactions

The Founding Shareholders of the Company are Michael Karfunkel, George Karfunkel and Barry Zyskind. The Founding Shareholders including Leah Karfunkel (wife of Michael Karfunkel) own or control approximately 20.3% of the outstanding shares of the Company. Michael Karfunkel is the non-executive chairman of the board of AmTrust, George Karfunkel is a director of AmTrust, and Barry Zyskind is the president, CEO and director of AmTrust. The Founding Shareholders, including Leah Karfunkel, own or control approximately 47.9% of the outstanding shares of AmTrust. AmTrust owns 11.6% of the issued and outstanding shares of National General Holdings Corporation ("NGHC") common stock, and Michael Karfunkel individually and the Michael Karfunkel 2005 Family Trust (which is controlled by Leah Karfunkel) own a combined 43.1% of the outstanding common shares of NGHC. Michael Karfunkel is the chairman and CEO of NGHC, and Barry Zyskind is a director of NGHC.

AmTrust

The following describes transactions between the Company and AmTrust:

AmTrust Quota Share Reinsurance Agreement

Effective July 1, 2007, the Company and AmTrust entered into a master agreement, as amended (the "Master Agreement"), by which they caused Maiden Bermuda, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and AmTrust's Bermuda reinsurance subsidiary, AmTrust International Insurance, Ltd. ("AII"), to enter into a quota share reinsurance agreement (the "Reinsurance Agreement") by which (a) AII retrocedes to Maiden Bermuda an amount equal to 40% of the premium written by subsidiaries of AmTrust, net of the cost of unaffiliated inuring reinsurance (and in the case of AmTrust's U.K. insurance subsidiary, AmTrust Europe Limited ("AEL"), net of commissions) and 40% of losses and (b) AII transferred to Maiden Bermuda 40% of the AmTrust subsidiaries' unearned premiums, effective July 1, 2007, with respect to the current lines of business. The Master Agreement further provided that AII receives a ceding commission of 31% of ceded written premiums.

On June 11, 2008, Maiden Bermuda and AII amended the Reinsurance Agreement to add Retail Commercial Package Business to the Covered Business. AII receives a ceding commission of 34.375% on Retail Commercial Package Business.

Effective March 7, 2013, Maiden Bermuda and AII amended the Reinsurance Agreement extending the term of the agreement to June 30, 2016, and shall automatically renew for successive three-year periods thereafter. If AII or Maiden Bermuda elects to so terminate the Reinsurance Agreement, it shall give written notice to the other party hereto not less than nine months prior to the expiration of any successive three-year period. As no written notice was given by either party, the term of the agreement has been extended to June 30, 2019.

Either party is entitled to terminate on thirty days' notice or less upon the occurrence of certain early termination events, which include a default in payment, insolvency, change in control of AII or Maiden Bermuda, run-off, or a reduction of 50% or more of the shareholders' equity of Maiden Bermuda or the combined shareholders' equity of AII and the AmTrust subsidiaries.

In 2015, Maiden Bermuda and AII entered into an agreement to commute certain liabilities as of December 31, 2015. The commuted reserve value of $107,000, represents full and final settlement of all liabilities related to this business and as a result of this agreement, this business will be excluded prospectively.

Additionally, for the Specialty Program portion of Covered Business only, AII will be responsible for ultimate net loss otherwise recoverable from Maiden Bermuda to the extent that the loss ratio to Maiden Bermuda, which shall be determined on an inception to date basis from July 1, 2007 through the date of calculation, is between 81.5% and 95%. Above and below the defined corridor, Maiden Bermuda will continue to reinsure losses at its proportional 40% share per the Reinsurance Agreement.

AmTrust European Hospital Liability Quota Share Agreement ("European Hospital Liability Quota Share")

Effective April 1, 2011, Maiden Bermuda, entered into a quota share reinsurance contract with AEL and AmTrust International Underwriters Limited ("AIUL"), both wholly owned subsidiaries of AmTrust. Pursuant to the terms of the contract, Maiden Bermuda assumed 40% of the premiums and losses related to policies classified as European Hospital Liability, including associated liability coverages and policies covering physician defense costs, written or renewed on or after April 1, 2011. The contract also covers policies written or renewed on or before March 31, 2011, but only with respect to losses that occur, accrue or arise on or after April 1, 2011. The maximum limit of liability attaching shall be €5,000 (€10,000 effective January 1, 2012) or currency equivalent (on a 100% basis) per original claim for any one original policy. Maiden Bermuda will pay a ceding commission of 5%. The agreement has been renewed through March 31, 2017 and can be terminated at any April 1 by either party on four months notice.

For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company recorded approximately $518,196 (2014 - $401,679, 2013 - $279,197) of commission expense as a result of both of these quota share arrangements with AmTrust.


10. Related Party Transactions (continued)

Other Reinsurance Agreements

Effective September 1, 2010, the Company, through a subsidiary, entered into an arrangement whereby a subsidiary of AmTrust fronted a reinsurance agreement in which we assumed 80% of the gross liabilities produced under the Southern General Agency program with the other 20% being assumed by a third party. This fronting arrangement compensated AmTrust with a 5% commission of ceded written premiums. The agreement was subsequently amended, effective September 1, 2012, whereby the termination date of the agreement was extended until August 31, 2013. This agreement expired on the termination date and is currently in run-off. Pursuant to the latest amendment, we now receive 100% of the premium and reinsure 100% of the gross liabilities incurred (from the effective date). As this program is currently in run-off, we did not record any premiums earned or commission expense, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2015 (2014 - $1,796 and $90, respectively, 2013 - $4,785 and $239, respectively).

Effective September 1, 2010, the Company, through a subsidiary, entered into a quota share reinsurance agreement with Technology Insurance Company, Inc. ("Technology"), a subsidiary of AmTrust. Under the agreement, we ceded (a) 90% of its gross liability written under the Open Lending Program ("OPL") and (b) 100% of its surplus lines general liability business under the Naxos Avondale Specialty Casualty Program ("NAXS"). Our involvement is limited to certain states where Technology was not fully licensed. The agreement also provides that we receive a ceding commission of 5% of ceded written premiums. The reinsurance agreement had a term of three years and remained continuously in force until terminated in accordance with the contract.

The OPL program was terminated on December 31, 2011, on a run-off basis, and the NAXS program was terminated on October 31, 2012. We recorded $68 of ceded premiums and $3 ceding commission income for the year ended December 31, 2015 (2014 - $171 and $8, respectively, 2013 - $928 and $186, respectively).

Effective April 1, 2012, the Company, through a subsidiary, entered into a reinsurance agreement with AmTrust's wholly owned subsidiary, AmTrust North America, Inc. ("AmTrust NA"). We indemnify AmTrust NA, on an excess of loss basis, as a result of losses occurring on AmTrust NA's new and renewal policies relating to the lines of business classified as Automobile Liability by AmTrust NA in its annual statement utilizing the specific underwriting guidelines defined in the reinsurance agreement. AmTrust NA shall retain the first $1,000 of loss, per any one policy or per any one loss occurrence. This agreement has a term of one year and automatically renews annually unless terminated pursuant to the terms of the agreement. Under this agreement, we recorded approximately $673 of net premiums earned and $166 of commission expense for the year ended December 31, 2015 ($1,241 and $643 net premiums earned and $262 and $158 commission expense for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively).

Collateral provided to AmTrust

a) AmTrust Quota Share Reinsurance Agreement

In order to provide AmTrust's U.S. insurance subsidiaries with credit for reinsurance on their statutory financial statements, AII, as the direct reinsurer of the AmTrust's insurance subsidiaries, has established trust accounts ("Trust Accounts") for their benefit. Maiden Bermuda has agreed to provide appropriate collateral to secure its proportional share under the Reinsurance Agreement of AII's obligations to the AmTrust subsidiaries to whom AII is required to provide collateral. This collateral may be in the form of (a) assets loaned by Maiden Bermuda to AII for deposit into the Trust Accounts, pursuant to a loan agreement between those parties, (b) assets transferred by Maiden Bermuda for deposit into the Trust Accounts, (c) a letter of credit obtained by Maiden Bermuda and delivered to an AmTrust subsidiary on AII's behalf, or (d) premiums withheld by an AmTrust subsidiary at Maiden Bermuda's request in lieu of remitting such premiums to AII. Maiden Bermuda may provide any or a combination of these forms of collateral, provided that the aggregate value thereof equals Maiden Bermuda's proportionate share of its obligations under the Reinsurance Agreement with AII.

Maiden Bermuda satisfied its collateral requirements under the Reinsurance Agreement with AII as follows:

by lending funds in the amount of $167,975 at December 31, 2015 and 2014 pursuant to a loan agreement entered into between those parties. This loan was assigned by AII to AmTrust effective December 31, 2014 and is carried at cost. Interest is payable at a rate equivalent to the one-month LIBOR plus 90 basis points per annum; and

effective December 1, 2008, the Company entered into a Reinsurer Trust Assets Collateral agreement to provide to AII sufficient collateral to secure its proportional share of AII's obligations to the U.S. AmTrust subsidiaries. The amount of the collateral, at December 31, 2015 was approximately $2,256,383 (2014 - $1,691,970) and the accrued interest was $15,448 (2014 - $10,413). Please refer to "Note 4. (e) Investments" for additional information.

b) European Hospital Liability Quota Share

AEL requested that Maiden Bermuda provide collateral to secure its proportional share under the European Hospital Liability Quota Share agreement. Please refer to "Note 4. (e) Investments" for additional information.
 

10. Related Party Transactions (continued)

Brokerage Agreement

Effective July 1, 2007, the Company entered into a reinsurance brokerage agreement with AII Reinsurance Broker Ltd. ("AIIB"), a wholly owned subsidiary of AmTrust. Pursuant to the brokerage agreement, AIIB provides brokerage services relating to the Reinsurance Agreement and the European Hospital Liability Quota Share agreement for a fee equal to 1.25% of the premium assumed. The brokerage fee is payable in consideration of AIIB's brokerage services. AIIB is not the Company's exclusive broker. The agreement may be terminated upon 30 days written notice by either party. Maiden Bermuda recorded approximately $21,475, $17,229 and $12,361 of reinsurance brokerage expense for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and deferred reinsurance brokerage of $13,464 and $11,423 at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, as a result of this agreement.

Asset Management Agreement

Effective July 1, 2007, the Company entered into an asset management agreement with AII Insurance Management Limited ("AIIM"), a wholly owned subsidiary of AmTrust, pursuant to which AIIM has agreed to provide investment management services to the Company. AIIM provides investment management services for a quarterly fee of 0.0375% if the average value of the account for the previous calendar quarter is greater than $1 billion. The agreement may be terminated upon 30 days written notice by either party. The Company recorded approximately $6,057, $5,214 and $4,388 of investment management fees for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, as a result of this agreement.

Other

The Company entered into time sharing agreements for the lease of aircraft owned by AmTrust Underwriters, Inc. ("AUI"), a wholly owned subsidiary of AmTrust, and by AmTrust on March 1, 2011 and November 5, 2014, respectively. The agreements automatically renew for successive one-year terms unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the agreements. Pursuant to the agreements, the Company will reimburse AUI and AmTrust for actual expenses incurred as allowed by Federal Aviation Regulations. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company recorded an expense of $89 (2014- $88, 2013 - $57) for the use of the aircraft.

NGHC

The following describes transactions between the Company and NGHC and its subsidiaries:

NGHC Quota Share Reinsurance Agreement ("NGHC Quota Share")

Maiden Bermuda, effective March 1, 2010, had a 50% participation in the NGHC Quota Share, by which it received 25% of net premiums of the personal lines automobile business and assumed 25% of the related net losses. The NGHC Quota Share provided that the reinsurers pay a provisional ceding commission equal to 32.5% (32.0% effective October 1, 2012) of ceded earned premium, net of premiums ceded by the personal lines companies for inuring reinsurance, subject to adjustment. The ceding commission was subject to adjustment to a maximum of 34.5% if the loss ratio for the reinsured business is 60.0% or less and a minimum of 30.5% (30.0% effective October 1, 2012) if the loss ratio was 64.5% or greater.

On August 1, 2013, the Company received notice from NGHC of the termination of the NGHC Quota Share effective on that date. The Company and NGHC mutually agreed that the termination is on a run-off basis, which means that Maiden Bermuda continued to earn premiums and remain liable for losses occurring subsequent to August 1, 2013 for any policies in force prior to and as of August 1, 2013 until those policies expire. Consequently, Maiden Bermuda recorded no ceding commission expense for the year ended December 31, 2015 (2014 - $6,509, 2013 - $75,382) as a result of this transaction.

Other

Effective April 1, 2015, Maiden US renewed the Medical Excess of Loss reinsurance agreement with wholly owned subsidiaries of NGHC, Distributors Insurance Company PCC, AIBD Insurance Company IC and Professional Services Captive Corporation IC. Pursuant to this agreement, Maiden US indemnifies on an excess of loss basis, for the amounts of net loss, paid from April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016. Maiden US is liable for 100% of the net loss for each covered person per agreement year in excess of the $1,175 retention (2014 - $1,100) (each covered person per agreement year). Maiden US' liability shall not exceed $8,825 (2014 - $8,900) per covered person per agreement year. In addition, Maiden US continues to indemnify extra contractual obligations with a maximum liability of $2,000. This agreement terminates on March 31, 2016 and, unless mutually agreed, Maiden US will be relieved of all liability hereunder for losses incurred or paid subsequent to such termination date.

Under these agreements, Maiden US recorded $443 of premiums earned for the year ended December 31, 2015 (2014 - $190, 2013 - $180).