RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

12. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Bruce F. Simberg, the Company’s Chairman of the Board, is a partner of the Hollywood, Florida law firm of Conroy Simberg, which specializes in insurance defense and coverage matters. The Company paid legal fees to Conroy Simberg for services rendered in the amount of $0, $0 and $0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.  The firm has handled only a limited number of matters for the Company.  Mr. Simberg has not been personally involved in any of the legal matters handled by the firm for the Company and he received de minimis direct personal benefit from the fees paid to the firm by the Company. The firm is no longer working any current cases for the Company and we do not, at this time, anticipate retaining the firm for future matters.  

Related to an equity method investment in Southeast Catastrophe Consulting Company, LLC, based in Mobile, Alabama, the Company recorded claims adjustment service fees and other expenses of $6.7 million, $17.0 million, and $3.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Additionally, the Company recognized other income in the consolidated statements of operations, of $0.3 million, $2.0 million and $0.2 million, respectively.