New Accounting Pronouncements

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

New Accounting Pronouncements

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" ("ASU 2014-09"). ASU 2014-09 provides a framework, through a five-step process, for recognizing revenue from customers, improves comparability and consistency of recognizing revenue across entities, industries, jurisdictions and capital markets, and requires enhanced disclosures. Certain contracts with customers are specifically excluded from the scope of ASU 2014-09, including, among others, insurance contracts accounted for under Accounting Standard Codification 944, Financial Services - Insurance. ASU 2014-09 is effective on January 1, 2017 with retrospective adoption required for the comparative periods. The FASB has approved a one-year deferral of the effective date of ASU 2014-09, such that it will become effective on January 1, 2018. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on future financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-02, "Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis" ("ASU 2015-02"). ASU 2015-02 amends certain aspects of the consolidation guidance in U.S. GAAP. In particular, it will modify the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities ("VIEs") or voting interest entities and also eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, if certain conditions are met. The new guidance will also affect the consolidation analysis of the Company's interests in VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships. ASU 2015-02 is effective on January 1, 2016 and adoption is required retrospectively either through a modified retrospective approach by recording a cumulative-effect adjustment to shareholders' equity as of the beginning of the year of adoption or retrospectively for all comparative periods. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of ASU 2015-02 will have on future financial statements and related disclosures.

In May 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-07, "Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820): Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent)" ("ASU 2015-07"). ASU 2015-07 removes the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient. The Company has applied the net asset value per share practical expedient to all of its private equity and hedge funds in determining fair value. The Company early adopted ASU 2015-07 during the quarter ended June 30, 2015, and as a result removed the fair value category for its investments that are measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient that is disclosed in Note 7.

In May 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-09, "Financial Services - Insurance (Topic 944): Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts" ("ASU 2015-09"). ASU 2015-09 provides enhanced disclosures, on an annual basis, related to the reserve for losses and loss expenses. The enhanced disclosures required by ASU 2015-09 include (1) net incurred and paid claims development information by accident year, (2) a reconciliation of incurred and paid claims development information to the aggregate carrying amount of the reserve for losses and loss expenses, (3) for each accident year presented of incurred claims development information, the total of reserves for incurred but not reported (IBNR), including expected development on reported claims, included in the reserve for losses and loss expenses and a description of the reserving methodologies and changes to the reserving methodologies, and (4) for each accident year presented of incurred claims development information, quantitative information about claims frequency, as well as a description of methodologies used for determining claim frequency information. ASU 2015-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and as such the disclosures will first be presented in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of ASU 2015-09 will have on future disclosures.