XML 33 R9.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1
HISTORY
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
HISTORY
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital" and together with its wholly owned subsidiaries the "Company"), was incorporated on December 9, 2002, under the laws of Bermuda. The Company provides a broad range of (re)insurance products on a worldwide basis. The Company's principal operating subsidiaries, located in Bermuda, the United States (U.S.), Europe, Singapore and Canada are described below:

AXIS Specialty Limited ("AXIS Specialty Bermuda"), a Bermuda domiciled company is licensed to provide specialty insurance and treaty reinsurance products on a worldwide basis. In addition, AXIS Specialty Bermuda conducts (re)insurance business through its branch in Singapore, AXIS Specialty Limited (Singapore Branch).

AXIS Insurance Company, domiciled in Illinois and AXIS Reinsurance Company, domiciled in New York, together with AXIS Reinsurance Company (Canadian branch) are licensed to offer a range of specialty insurance and treaty reinsurance products to a variety of niche markets on a worldwide basis. AXIS Surplus Insurance Company, domiciled in the state of Illinois is eligible to write insurance on a surplus lines basis.

AXIS Specialty Europe SE ("AXIS Specialty Europe") is a European public limited liability company, incorporated as a non-life insurer under the laws of Ireland. It is a Societas Europaea (SE), or European society company, and has been registered in accordance with company law of the E.U. AXIS Specialty Europe also conducts insurance business through its branch in the United Kingdom, AXIS Specialty Europe SE ("UK Branch"). Effective January 1, 2019, AXIS Specialty Europe will also conduct insurance business through new branches in Belgium and in the Netherlands.

AXIS Re SE ("AXIS Re") is a European public limited liability company, incorporated as a reinsurer under the laws of Ireland. AXIS Re SE is also a Societas Europaea (SE). AXIS Re also conducts reinsurance business through its branch in Switzerland, AXIS Re SE, Dublin (Zurich Branch).

The Company operates in the Lloyd's of London ("Lloyd's") market through AXIS Corporate Capital UK Limited which is the sole corporate member of AXIS Syndicate 1686 ("Syndicate 1686"). Effective August 4, 2017, AXIS Managing Agency Ltd. ("AXIS Managing Agency") assumed management of Syndicate 1686, replacing the Company's third-party managing agency agreement with Asta Managing Agency Limited, which had been in place since 2014. Effective January 1, 2019, AXIS Corporate Capital UK Limited and Novae Corporate Underwriting Limited ("NCUL") will provide 70% and 30%, respectively, of Syndicate 1686's capital support.

On October 2, 2017, AXIS Specialty UK Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, acquired a 100% ownership interest in Novae Group plc ("Novae"). Novae operates in the Lloyd's market through NCUL, the sole corporate member of Novae Syndicate 2007 ("Syndicate 2007") and owns Lloyd’s managing agency, Novae Syndicates Limited ("NSL") which operated in the Lloyd’s insurance market and managed Syndicate 2007 until January 1, 2018, when the Company received authorization from Lloyd’s for AXIS Managing Agency to commence management and oversight of Syndicate 2007.

AXIS Ventures Limited ("AXIS Ventures"), regulated by the BMA as an insurance manager, generates fee income from services provided to strategic capital partners. AXIS Ventures Reinsurance Limited ("Ventures Re") is a Bermuda domiciled insurer and is a registered segregated accounts company under the Bermuda Segregated Accounts Companies Act 2000, as amended. Ventures Re manages capital for investors interested in deploying funds directly into the property-catastrophe and other short-tail business.