LIABILITY FOR LOSSES AND SETTLEMENT EXPENSES (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

Liability for Future Policy Benefits and Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Abstract]

Schedule of reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves for losses and settlement expenses

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves for losses and settlement expenses of the Company.  Amounts presented are on a net basis, with a reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves to the gross amounts presented in the consolidated financial statements.

	Six months ended June 30,
($ in thousands)	2017			2016
Gross reserves at beginning of year	$	690,532		$	678,774
Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates	(1,913		)	(2,475		)
Less ceded reserves at beginning of year	20,664			23,477
Net reserves at beginning of year	671,781			657,772
Incurred losses and settlement expenses related to:
Current year	216,710			203,800
Prior years	(13,197		)	(15,871		)
Total incurred losses and settlement expenses	203,513			187,929
Paid losses and settlement expenses related to:
Current year	66,662			57,389
Prior years	119,270			118,287
Total paid losses and settlement expenses	185,932			175,676
Net reserves at end of period	689,362			670,025
Plus ceded reserves at end of period	20,430			22,409
Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates	(301		)	(1,596		)
Gross reserves at end of period	$	709,491		$	690,838