13. FAIR VALUE AND CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

 

Fair values

 

With the exception of balances in respect of insurance contracts (which are specifically excluded from fair value disclosures under GAAP) and investment securities as disclosed in Note 4 of these consolidated financial statements, the carrying amounts of all other financial instruments, which consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents, premiums receivable and other assets, notes payable, and accounts payable and other liabilities, approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature.

 

Concentration of underwriting risk

 

A substantial portion of the Company’s current reinsurance business ultimately relates to the risks of a limited number of entities; accordingly, the Company’s underwriting risks are not diversified.

 

Concentrations of Credit and Counterparty Risk

 

The Company markets retrocessional and reinsurance policies worldwide through its brokers. Credit risk exists to the extent that any of these brokers may be unable to fulfill their contractual obligations to the Company. For example, the Company is required to pay amounts owed on claims under policies to brokers, and these brokers, may fail to pay over the money to the cedants. In some jurisdictions, if a broker fails to make such a payment, the Company might remain liable to the ceding company for the deficiency. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, when the ceding company pays premiums for these policies to brokers, these premiums are considered to have been paid and the ceding insurer is no longer liable to the Company for those amounts, whether or not the premiums have actually been received.

 

The Company remains liable for losses it incurs to the extent that any third-party reinsurer is unable or unwilling to make timely payments under reinsurance agreements. The Company would also be liable in the event that its ceding companies were unable to collect amounts due from underlying third-party reinsurers.

 

The Company mitigates its concentration of credit risk and counterparty risk by using reputable several counterparties which decreases the likelihood of any significant concentration of credit risk with any one counterparty.

 

Market risk

 

Market risk exists to the extent that the values of the Company’s monetary assets fluctuate as a result of changes in market prices. Changes in market prices can arise from factors specific to individual securities or their respective issuers, or factors affecting all securities traded in a particular market. Relevant factors for the Company are both volatility and liquidity of specific securities and markets in which the Company holds investments. The Company has established investment guidelines that seek to mitigate significant exposure to market risk.

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 30, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 26, 2025
2023Mar 26, 2024
2022Mar 30, 2023
2021Mar 30, 2022
2020Mar 29, 2021
2019Mar 23, 2020
2018Mar 19, 2019
2017Mar 13, 2018
2016Mar 13, 2017
2015Mar 17, 2016

About Fair Value Disclosures

Fair value disclosures classify all assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy: Level 1 (quoted market prices), Level 2 (observable inputs like yield curves), and Level 3 (unobservable inputs requiring management estimates). The proportion of Level 3 assets directly reflects how much of the balance sheet depends on internal models rather than market evidence.

Key signals: a growing Level 3 balance relative to total fair-value assets increases valuation uncertainty and earnings volatility risk. Watch for transfers between levels — assets moving from Level 2 to Level 3 often signal deteriorating market liquidity. Unrealized gains and losses on Level 3 positions flow through earnings or other comprehensive income, so large swings deserve scrutiny. For financial institutions, examine the sensitivity disclosures that show how Level 3 valuations change under alternative assumptions. Compare the fair value of debt against its carrying amount to gauge hidden leverage.