Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and notes have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and do not contain all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. For a more complete description of the Company’s business and accounting policies, these condensed consolidated interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (the "Company") included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated financial statements have been included. Such adjustments consist only of normal recurring items. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results of operations for the full year.

Use of Estimates

Use of estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Management periodically reviews its estimates and assumptions.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities

In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2016-01, "Financial Instruments – Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities" ("ASU 2016-01"), which eliminated the available-for-sale classification for equity investments, required changes in unrealized gains and losses in fair value of equity investments to be recognized in net income, required public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes, required separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset, and eliminated the requirement for public business entities to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that was required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted this ASU and recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment, which reclassified unrealized gains of $6.5 million, net of taxes, on equity investments from accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") to retained earnings. Prior periods have not been restated to conform to the current presentation. 

ASU 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, "Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income," which permitted companies to reclassify the disproportionate income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "TCJA") on items within AOCI to retained earnings. The FASB refers to these amounts as "stranded tax effects." The guidance is effective for all companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company elected to early adopt this ASU and to reclassify the stranded income tax effects for available-for-sale securities of $1.3 million from AOCI to retained earnings. Other than those effects related to the TCJA, the Company uses the portfolio approach to release stranded tax effects in AOCI related to its available-for-sale fixed-maturity securities and its available-for-sale equity securities (prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-01). Under this approach, stranded tax effects remaining in AOCI are released only when the entire portfolio of the available-for-sale fixed-maturity securities and available-for-sale equity securities are liquidated, sold or extinguished.

Prospective Accounting Pronouncements

Prospective accounting pronouncements

ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842)

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)" to improve the financial reporting of leasing transactions. Under this ASU, lessees will recognize a right-of-use asset and corresponding liability on the balance sheet for all leases, except for leases covering a period of fewer than 12 months. The liability is to be initially measured at the present value of the future minimum lease payments taking into account renewal options if applicable plus initial incremental direct costs such as commissions. The minimum payments are discounted using the rate implicit in the lease or, if not known, the lessee’s incremental borrowing rate at the inception of the lease. The lessee’s income statement treatment for leases will vary depending on the nature of what is being leased. A financing type lease is present when, among other matters, the asset is being leased for a substantial portion of its economic life or has an end-of-term title transfer or a bargain purchase option as in today’s practice. The payment of the liability set up for such leases will be apportioned between interest and principal; the right-of use asset will be generally amortized on a straight-line basis. If the lease does not qualify as a financing type lease, it will be accounted for on the income statement as rent on a straight-line basis. This ASU is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326)

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326)" to provide more useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments. Current GAAP delays the recognition of credit losses until it is probable a loss has been incurred. The update will require a financial asset measured at amortized cost to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected by means of an allowance for credit losses that runs through net income. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will also be recorded through an allowance for credit losses. However, the amendments would limit the amount of the allowance to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost. The measurement of credit losses on available-for-sale securities is similar under current GAAP, but the update requires the use of the allowance account through which amounts can be reversed, rather than through an irreversible write-down. This ASU is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted beginning after December 15, 2018. Upon adoption, the update will be applied using the modified-retrospective approach, by which a cumulative-effect adjustment will be made to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2017-08, Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-08, "Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities," which shortens the amortization period of the premium for certain callable debt securities, from the contractual maturity date to the earliest call date. This ASU is effective in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including in an interim period. Upon adoption, the update will be applied on a modified retrospective basis, with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period presented. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-08 to have a material impact on its financial statements.

There are no other prospective accounting standards which, upon their effective date, would have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.