v3.8.0.1
Related Party Transactions
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions
Related Party Transactions
The Founding Shareholders of the Company are Michael Karfunkel, George Karfunkel and Barry Zyskind. Michael Karfunkel passed away on April 27, 2016. Based on each individual's most recent public filing, Leah Karfunkel (wife of Michael Karfunkel) owns or controls approximately 8.0% of the outstanding shares of the Company and Barry Zyskind (the Company's non-executive chairman) owns or controls approximately 7.6% of the outstanding shares of the Company as at September 30, 2017. George Karfunkel now owns or controls less than 5.0% of the outstanding shares of the Company as at September 30, 2017 so there is no longer a public filing requirement. Leah Karfunkel and George Karfunkel are directors of AmTrust, and Barry Zyskind is the president, CEO and chairman of AmTrust. Leah Karfunkel, George Karfunkel and Barry Zyskind own or control approximately 42.8% of the outstanding shares of AmTrust. AmTrust owns 1.6% of the issued and outstanding shares of National General Holdings Corporation ("NGHC") common stock, and Leah Karfunkel and the Michael Karfunkel 2005 Family Trust (which is controlled by Leah Karfunkel) owns 41.8% of the outstanding common shares of NGHC. Barry Zyskind is the non-executive chairman 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 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 40% of losses. 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.
On July 1, 2016 the agreement was renewed through June 30, 2019. The agreement automatically renews for successive three-year periods thereafter unless AII or Maiden Bermuda elects to so terminate the Reinsurance Agreement by giving written notice to the other party not less than nine months prior to the expiration of any successive three-year period. 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.
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 AmTrust Europe Limited ("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, 2018 and can be terminated at any April 1 by either party on four months notice.
Effective July 1, 2016, the contract was amended such that Maiden Bermuda assumes from AEL 32.5% of the premiums and losses of all policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2016 until June 30, 2017 and 20% of all policies written or renewed on or after July 1, 2017. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recorded approximately $138,171 and $460,667 (2016 - $163,336 and $447,767, respectively) of commission expense as a result of both of these quota share arrangements with AmTrust.
8. Related Party Transactions (continued)
Other Reinsurance Agreements
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 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 $1 and $4 of ceded premiums for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively (2016 - $nil and $12, 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. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, under the terms of this agreement, we have recorded net premiums earned of approximately $351 and $1,182, respectively (2016 - $305 and $745, respectively) and commission expense of $53 and $256, respectively (2016 - $87 and $187, 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 September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 pursuant to a loan agreement entered into between those parties. Advances under the loan, which were made in three separate tranches of $113,542 (December 18, 2007), $20,193 (April 11, 2008) and $34,240 (June 23, 2008), are secured by promissory notes. The maturity date with respect to each advance is ten years from the date the advance was made. 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 September 30, 2017 was approximately $3,245,369 (December 31, 2016 - $2,766,032) and the accrued interest was $21,288 (December 31, 2016 - $20,420). 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.
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 $5,642 and $18,662 of reinsurance brokerage expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, (2016 - $6,652 and $18,330, respectively) and deferred reinsurance brokerage at September 30, 2017 of $15,476 (December 31, 2016 - $14,395) as a result of this agreement.
The Company also paid brokerage fees to AmTrust's subsidiary, AmTrust North America, of $54 and $55 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 (2016 - $41 and $42), respectively, for acting as insurance intermediary in relation to certain insurance placements.
8. Related Party Transactions (continued)
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 $1,927 and $5,586 of investment management fees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, (2016 - $1,780 and $5,122, 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 three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recorded an expense of $nil and $39, respectively (2016 - $22 and $61, respectively) for the use of the aircraft.
NGHC
The following describes transactions between the Company and NGHC and its subsidiaries:
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. 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.
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 was liable for 100% of the net loss for each covered person per agreement year in excess of the $1,175 retention (each covered person per agreement year). Maiden US' liability did not exceed $8,825 per covered person per agreement year. In addition, Maiden US continued to indemnify extra contractual obligations with a maximum liability of $2,000. This agreement terminated on March 31, 2016 and Maiden US was relieved of all liability hereunder for losses incurred or paid subsequent to such termination date. Under these agreements, Maiden US recorded no premiums earned for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 (2016 - $nil and $157, respectively).
Effective May 1, 2015, Maiden US entered into an agreement with several NGHC subsidiaries for medical excess of loss programs. This program covers employer aggregate and traditional specific medical stop loss policies underwritten by the Managing General Agent that they support. The NGHC companies covered under the treaty are Integon Indemnity Insurance Company, Integon National Insurance Company and National Health Insurance Company. This agreement expired on April 30, 2017. Upon expiration of this agreement, coverage remains in full force and effect on all assumed liability for policies in force on the date of expiration until expiration, cancellation or next anniversary date of such subject policies.
The treaty limit of the aggregate medical stop loss is subject to a limit of $4,000 in excess of $1,000 any one insured person. The treaty limit on the traditional specific medical stop loss Layer 1 is subject to a limit of $1,000 in excess of $1,000 any one insured person; Layer 2 is subject to a limit of $3,000 in excess of $2,000 any one insured person and Layer 3 is subject to a limit of $5,000 in excess of $5,000. In addition to these limits, the Company shall cover extra contractual obligations arising under this agreement with a maximum liability of $2,000. Under these agreements, Maiden US recorded $163 and $403 of premiums earned for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively (2016 - $136 and $295, respectively).