Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Segments [Abstract]

Information by business segment

			U.S. Property		Professional		Accident		U.S. Surety						Corporate
			& Casualty		Liability		& Health		& Credit		International		Investing		& Other		Consolidated
Three months ended March 31, 2014
Net earned premium			$	97,052	$	85,450	$	232,143	$	46,943	$	100,733	$	0	$	291	$	562,612
Other revenue				5,876		275		1,640		288		968		77,052		219		86,318
	Segment revenue			102,928		85,725		233,783		47,231		101,701		77,052		510		648,930
Loss and LAE				46,655		51,132		168,999		13,696		41,615		0		(253)		321,844
Other expense				29,093		17,125		36,379		25,944		38,677		0		24,896		172,114
	Segment expense			75,748		68,257		205,378		39,640		80,292		0		24,643		493,958
		Segment pretax earnings (loss)	$	27,180	$	17,468	$	28,405	$	7,591	$	21,409	$	77,052	$	(24,133)	$	154,972

Three months ended March 31, 2013
Net earned premium			$	93,531	$	92,779	$	217,125	$	47,177	$	105,142	$	0	$	5,432	$	561,186
Other revenue				7,184		(414)		1,190		237		778		64,335		(130)		73,180
	Segment revenue			100,715		92,365		218,315		47,414		105,920		64,335		5,302		634,366
Loss and LAE				52,156		56,386		160,427		13,214		45,919		0		4,595		332,697
Other expense				27,305		17,748		31,126		26,279		35,709		0		12,106		150,273
	Segment expense			79,461		74,134		191,553		39,493		81,628		0		16,701		482,970
		Segment pretax earnings (loss)	$	21,254	$	18,231	$	26,762	$	7,921	$	24,292	$	64,335	$	(11,399)	$	151,396