Reserves for Unpaid Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Insurance Loss Reserves [Abstract]

Loss and LAE reserve activities

The following table summarizes the loss and LAE reserve activities of White Mountains’s insurance subsidiaries for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013:

	Year Ended December 31,
Millions	2015			2014			2013
Gross beginning balance	$	1,350.0		$	1,054.3		$	1,000.0
Less beginning reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses	(161.7		)	(80.2		)	(107.3		)
Net loss and LAE reserves	1,188.3			974.1			892.7
Loss and LAE reserves consolidated — SSIE	—			13.6			—
Losses and LAE incurred relating to:
Current year losses	712.9			732.0			622.1
Prior year losses	(4.0		)	92.0			—
Total incurred losses and LAE	708.9			824.0			622.1
Loss and LAE paid relating to:
Current year losses	(208.8		)	(202.6		)	(188.6		)
Prior year losses	(479.1		)	(420.8		)	(352.1		)
Total loss and LAE payments	(687.9		)	(623.4		)	(540.7		)
Net ending balance	1,209.3			1,188.3			974.1
Plus ending reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses	186.5			161.7			80.2
Gross ending balance	$	1,395.8		$	1,350.0		$	1,054.3

Loss and LAE Reserve and Net Loss and LAE Development

The components of the 2014 fourth quarter loss and LAE reserve increase and the net loss and LAE development for the full year are provided below:

Underwriting Unit	2014 Fourth Quarter Reserve Increases								Full Year 2014
Millions	Current Accident Year			Prior Accident Year			Total		Net Prior Year Development
Professional Insurance	$	22.9		$	46.4		$	69.3	$	59.1
Specialty Property	(1.1		)	5.7			4.6		1.1
Crop	3.8			—			3.8		—
Other	2.8			(.4		)	2.4		1.6
Specialty Products	28.4			51.7			80.1		61.8
Entertainment	1.5			11.6			13.1		13.5
Accident	—			3.5			3.5		6.0
Government Risks	1.2			7.1			8.3		8.5
Other	2.6			1.6			4.2		—
Specialty Industries	5.3			23.8			29.1		28.0
Total	$	33.7		$	75.5		$	109.2	$	89.8