2.2.0.7 false DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS 10501 - Disclosure - DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS true false false false 1 USD false false Unit1 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Unit13 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit12 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ 2 DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS 0 us-gaap_GeneralDiscussionOfDerivativeInstrumentsAndHedgingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string No definition available. false 3 DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS 1 us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsAndHedgingActivitiesDisclosureTextBlock us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false terselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 <div> <div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <div style="margin-top: 12pt; font-size: 10pt;" align="left"><b>5. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS</b> </div> <div style="margin-top: 6pt; font-size: 10pt;" align="left">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company uses currency forward contracts and swaps to manage currency exposure, which are the only derivative instruments used for risk management purposes. The U.S. dollar is the Company's reporting currency and the functional currency of its operating subsidiaries. The Company enters into insurance and reinsurance contracts where the premiums receivable and losses payable are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. In addition, the Company maintains a portion of its investments and liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, primarily the Canadian dollar, Euro and British Sterling. For liabilities incurred in currencies other than U.S. dollars, U.S. dollars are converted to the currency of the loss at the time of claim payment. As a result, the Company has an exposure to foreign currency risk resulting from fluctuations in exchange rates. The Company has developed a hedging strategy using currency forward contracts and swaps to minimize the potential loss of value caused by currency fluctuations. These currency forward contracts and swaps are not designated as hedges and accordingly are carried at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets as a part of "other assets" or "accounts payable and accrued liabilities," with the corresponding realized and unrealized gains and losses included in "foreign exchange loss" in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income. The fair value of the currency forward contracts and swaps as of September&nbsp;30, 2010 was a net receivable of $3,979 and was included in "other assets" on the consolidated balance sheet. The fair value of the currency forward contracts as of December&nbsp;31, 2009 was a net payable of $1,650 and was included in "accounts payable and accrued expenses" in the consolidated balance sheet.</div></div> </div> 5. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company uses currency forward contracts and swaps to manage currency exposure, which are the only false false false us-types:textBlockItemType textblock This element can be used to disclose the entity's entire derivative instruments and hedging activities disclosure as a single block of text. Describes an entity's risk management strategies, derivatives in hedging activities and non-hedging derivative instruments, the assets, obligations, liabilities, revenues and expenses arising there from, and the amounts of and methodologies and assumptions used in determining the amounts of such items. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 45 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 44 false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true