General Information	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
General Information [Abstract]
General Information	(1) General Information HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HCC) and its subsidiaries (collectively we, us or our) include domestic and foreign property and casualty and life insurance companies and underwriting agencies with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain and Ireland. We underwrite a variety of largely non-correlated specialty insurance products, including property and casualty, accident and health, agriculture, surety and credit product lines, in approximately 180 countries. We market our products through a network of independent agents and brokers, through managing general agents owned by the company, and directly to consumers. In addition, we assume insurance written by other insurance companies. Basis of Presentation Our unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and include the accounts of HCC and its subsidiaries. We have made all adjustments that, in our opinion, are necessary for a fair statement of results of the interim periods, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the results of operations and cash flows of Producers Ag Insurance Group, Inc. (ProAg) from January 1, 2015, the effective acquisition date (see Note 2, “Acquisition”). The consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2014 was derived from the audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. Management must make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and in disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Ultimate results could differ from those estimates. In conjunction with the acquisition of ProAg in the first quarter of 2015, HCC’s executive management changed the structure under which it manages and evaluates the results of our numerous product lines. See Note 3, “Segments” for discussion of our new reporting structure. New Accounting and Reporting Policies The following policies changed in the first quarter of 2015. Agriculture The majority of premium written in our new agriculture business relates to multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI), written through the federal crop insurance program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). We record written premium for our agriculture business as we process acreage reports received from the policyholders. Written premium is earned ratably over the period of risk commencing on the final planting date set by the FCIC, which approximates the start of planting season, and ending on the estimated crop harvest date. We have a net receivable (payable) due from (to) the FCIC for settlement of MPCI reinsurance. If a net receivable, it is reflected in our consolidated balance sheet with premium, claims and other receivables. If a net payable, it is reflected in our consolidated balance sheet with reinsurance, premium and claims payable. Income Taxes Effective in 2015, for certain foreign subsidiaries, we do not provide deferred tax liabilities on undistributed earnings that are essentially permanent in duration. For other foreign subsidiaries, we provide U.S. taxes on undistributed earnings at the U.S. statutory rate of 35%, offset by an adjustment for foreign tax credits, when required. In prior years, we provided U.S. taxes on all undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries at the U.S. statutory rate of 35%, offset by an adjustment for foreign tax credits, when required. Recent Accounting Guidance An accounting standard issued in 2014 will change the manner in which most companies recognize revenue. The standard requires that revenue reflect the transfer of goods or services to customers based on the consideration/payment the company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services; however, the standard does not change the accounting for insurance contracts or investment income. The new standard also requires enhanced disclosures about revenue. This accounting guidance is currently expected to be effective in the first quarter of 2018. The standard may be applied on a full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. We are currently assessing the impact the implementation of this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements. An accounting standard issued in 2015 changes the presentation of debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability. The standard requires debt issuance costs be presented as a reduction of the debt liability, rather than as a deferred charge asset. This accounting guidance is effective at March 31, 2016 and must be applied retrospectively. We had debt issuance costs of $4.0 million at March 31, 2015 and $4.2 million at December 31, 2014 that were included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. Under this guidance, these debt issuance costs would be reclassified as a reduction to notes payable in our consolidated balance sheets. Application of this guidance will have no impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

General Information

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

(1) General Information

HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HCC) and its subsidiaries (collectively we, us or our) include domestic and foreign property and casualty and life insurance companies and underwriting agencies with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain and Ireland. We underwrite a variety of largely non-correlated specialty insurance products, including property and casualty, accident and health, agriculture, surety and credit product lines, in approximately 180 countries. We market our products through a network of independent agents and brokers, through managing general agents owned by the company, and directly to consumers. In addition, we assume insurance written by other insurance companies.

Basis of Presentation

Our unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) and include the accounts of HCC and its subsidiaries. We have made all adjustments that, in our opinion, are necessary for a fair statement of results of the interim periods, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the results of operations and cash flows of Producers Ag Insurance Group, Inc. (ProAg) from January 1, 2015, the effective acquisition date (see Note 2, “Acquisition”).

The consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014. The consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2014 was derived from the audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP.

Management must make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and in disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Ultimate results could differ from those estimates.

In conjunction with the acquisition of ProAg in the first quarter of 2015, HCC’s executive management changed the structure under which it manages and evaluates the results of our numerous product lines. See Note 3, “Segments” for discussion of our new reporting structure.

New Accounting and Reporting Policies

The following policies changed in the first quarter of 2015.

Agriculture

The majority of premium written in our new agriculture business relates to multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI), written through the federal crop insurance program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency and the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). We record written premium for our agriculture business as we process acreage reports received from the policyholders. Written premium is earned ratably over the period of risk commencing on the final planting date set by the FCIC, which approximates the start of planting season, and ending on the estimated crop harvest date.

We have a net receivable (payable) due from (to) the FCIC for settlement of MPCI reinsurance. If a net receivable, it is reflected in our consolidated balance sheet with premium, claims and other receivables. If a net payable, it is reflected in our consolidated balance sheet with reinsurance, premium and claims payable.

Income Taxes

Effective in 2015, for certain foreign subsidiaries, we do not provide deferred tax liabilities on undistributed earnings that are essentially permanent in duration. For other foreign subsidiaries, we provide U.S. taxes on undistributed earnings at the U.S. statutory rate of 35%, offset by an adjustment for foreign tax credits, when required. In prior years, we provided U.S. taxes on all undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries at the U.S. statutory rate of 35%, offset by an adjustment for foreign tax credits, when required.

Recent Accounting Guidance

An accounting standard issued in 2014 will change the manner in which most companies recognize revenue. The standard requires that revenue reflect the transfer of goods or services to customers based on the consideration/payment the company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services; however, the standard does not change the accounting for insurance contracts or investment income. The new standard also requires enhanced disclosures about revenue. This accounting guidance is currently expected to be effective in the first quarter of 2018. The standard may be applied on a full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. We are currently assessing the impact the implementation of this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

An accounting standard issued in 2015 changes the presentation of debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability. The standard requires debt issuance costs be presented as a reduction of the debt liability, rather than as a deferred charge asset. This accounting guidance is effective at March 31, 2016 and must be applied retrospectively. We had debt issuance costs of $4.0 million at March 31, 2015 and $4.2 million at December 31, 2014 that were included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. Under this guidance, these debt issuance costs would be reclassified as a reduction to notes payable in our consolidated balance sheets. Application of this guidance will have no impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.