SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Preparation and Consolidation

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments consisting of normal recurring items considered necessary for a fair presentation under U.S. GAAP. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results of the full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. Inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Results of operations for subsidiaries acquired are included from the dates on which we acquired them. In these notes, the terms "we," "us," "our," or "the Company" refer to Enstar Group Limited and its consolidated subsidiaries. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on net earnings.

The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates. Results of changes in estimates are reflected in earnings in the period in which the change is made. Our principal estimates include, but are not limited to:


•	liability for losses and loss adjustment expenses ("LAE");


•	liability for policy benefits for life and annuity contracts;


•	reinsurance balances recoverable;


•	gross and net premiums written and net premiums earned;


•	impairment charges, including other-than-temporary impairments on investment securities classified as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity, and impairments on goodwill, intangible assets and deferred charges.


•	fair value measurements of investments;


•	fair value estimates associated with accounting for acquisitions; and


•	redeemable noncontrolling interests.

New Accounting Standards Adopted in 2016

Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2015-16, Business Combinations, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustment

In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2015-16, which eliminates the requirement for an acquirer to retrospectively adjust the financial statements for measurement-period adjustments that occur in periods after a business combination is consummated. Under the new guidance, an acquirer must recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

ASU 2015-07, Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value or its Equivalent

In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-07, which eliminates the requirement to categorize investments in the fair value hierarchy if their fair value is measured at the net asset value ("NAV") per share (or its equivalent) using the practical expedient in the FASB’s fair value measurement guidance. Instead, an entity is required to include those investments as a reconciling line item so that the total fair value amount of investments in the disclosure is consistent with the amount on the balance sheet. In addition, the scope of current disclosure requirements for investments eligible to be measured at NAV is limited to investments for which the practical expedient is applied. While the adoption of this guidance impacted our disclosures, it did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, which requires entities to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. The new consolidation guidance changes the way entities evaluate whether (1) they should consolidate limited partnerships and similar entities; (2) fees paid to a decision maker or service provider are variable interests in a variable interest entity ("VIE"), and (3) variable interests in a VIE held by related parties of a registrant require the registrant to consolidate the VIE. The new guidance also eliminates the VIE consolidation model based on majority exposure to variability that applied to certain investment companies and similar entities. The ASU also significantly changes how to evaluate voting rights for entities that are not similar to limited partnerships when determining whether the entity is a VIE, which may affect entities for which decision making rights are conveyed through a contractual arrangement. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-08, Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net)

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, which amends the principal-versus agent implementation guidance and illustrations in its new revenue standard (ASU 2014-09). The ASU clarifies that an entity should evaluate whether it is the principal or the agent for each specified good or service promised in a contract with a customer. Similar to ASU 2014-09, this guidance is effective for interim and reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, as amended by the one-year deferral and the early adoption provisions in ASU 2015-14. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-07, Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-07, which simplifies the equity method of accounting by eliminating the requirement to retrospectively apply the equity method to an investment that subsequently qualifies for such accounting as a result of an increase in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence. Entities are therefore required to apply the guidance prospectively to increases in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence occurring after the ASU’s effective date. The ASU further requires that unrealized holding gains or losses in accumulated other comprehensive income related to an available-for-sale security that becomes eligible for the equity method be recognized in earnings as of the date on which the investment qualifies for the equity method. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-02, Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which amends the guidance on the classification, measurement and disclosure of leases for both lessors and lessees. The ASU requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet and to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Instruments

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, which amends the guidance on the classification and measurement of financial instruments. Although the ASU retains many of the current requirements, it significantly revises an entity’s accounting related to (1) the classification and measurement of investments in equity securities, and (2) the presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities measured at fair value. The ASU also amends certain disclosure requirements associated with the fair value of financial instruments. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.