LIABILITY FOR LOSSES AND SETTLEMENT EXPENSES (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

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)	2019			2018
Gross reserves at beginning of year	$	777,190		$	732,612
Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates	(593		)	525
Less ceded reserves at beginning of year	36,595			30,923
Net reserves at beginning of year	741,188			701,164
Incurred losses and settlement expenses related to:
Current year	243,103			235,806
Prior years	(15,617		)	(6,087		)
Total incurred losses and settlement expenses	227,486			229,719
Paid losses and settlement expenses related to:
Current year	68,394			65,714
Prior years	135,560			139,625
Total paid losses and settlement expenses	203,954			205,339
Net reserves at end of period	764,720			725,544
Plus ceded reserves at end of period	34,642			31,148
Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates	(656		)	177
Gross reserves at end of period	$	798,706		$	756,869