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New Accounting Standards
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Statement - New Accounting Standards  
New Accounting Standards

15. New Accounting Standards

Changes to the general accounting principles are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in the form of accounting standards updates to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification™. Accounting standards updates not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Consolidation and Business Combinations

In December 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Business Combinations as it relates to the disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations. The amendment requires the disclosure of pro forma information for business combinations that occurred in the current reporting period. The disclosures include pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the current reporting period as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the year had been as of the beginning of the annual reporting period. This amendment also explains that if comparative financial statements are presented, the pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the comparable prior reporting period should be reported as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the current year had been as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In February 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Consolidation as it relates to the assessment of a variable interest entity for potential consolidation. The amendment defers the effective date of the Consolidation amendment made in June 2009 for certain variable interest entities. This update also clarifies how a related party's interest should be considered when evaluating variable interests. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after January 31, 2010. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In January 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Consolidation as it relates to decreases in ownership of a subsidiary. This amendment clarifies the scope of the decrease in ownership provisions. This amendment also requires additional disclosures about the deconsolidation of a subsidiary or derecognition of a group of assets. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In June 2009, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Consolidation as it relates to the assessment of a variable interest entity for potential consolidation. This amendment also requires additional disclosures to provide transparent information regarding the involvement in a variable interest entity. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption of this amendment did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Investments

In April 2011, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Receivables as it relates to a creditor's determination of whether a restructuring is a troubled debt restructuring. This amendment clarifies the guidance related to the creditor's evaluation of whether it has granted a concession and whether the debtor is experiencing financial difficulties. It also clarifies that the creditor is precluded from using the effective interest rate test when evaluating whether a restructuring constitutes a troubled debt restructuring. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after June 15, 2011, and is to be applied retrospectively to restructurings occurring on or after the beginning of the annual period of adoption. The adoption of this amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

In July 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Receivables as it relates to the disclosures about the credit quality of financing receivables and the allowance for credit losses. This amendment requires additional disclosures that provide a greater level of disaggregated information about the credit quality of financing receivables and the allowance for credit losses. It also requires the disclosure of credit quality indicators, past due information, and modifications of financing receivables. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending on or after December 15, 2010, except for disclosures about activity that occurs during the reporting period. Those disclosures are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company adopted this amendment and the required disclosures are provided in Note 4 — “Investments” and in Note 12 — “Retrocession Arrangements and Reinsurance Ceded Receivables”.

 

Transfers and Servicing

In April 2011, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Transfers and Servicing as it relates to the reconsideration of effective control for repurchase agreements. This amendment removes from the assessment of effective control the criterion requiring the transferor to have the ability to repurchase or redeem the financial assets and also removes the collateral maintenance implementation guidance related to that criterion. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this amendment on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In June 2009, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Transfers and Servicing as it relates to the transfers of financial assets. This amendment also requires additional disclosures to address concerns regarding the transparency of transfers of financial assets. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption of this amendment did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Derivatives and Hedging

In March 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Derivatives and Hedging as it relates to embedded derivatives.  This amendment clarifies the scope exception for embedded credit derivative features related to the transfer of credit risk in the form of subordination of a financial instrument to another.  The amendment is effective for financial statements issued for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after June 15, 2010.  The adoption of this amendment did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

In May 2011, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures as it relates to the measurement and disclosure requirements about fair value measurements. This amendment clarifies the FASB's intent about the application of existing fair value measurement requirements. It also changes particular principles and requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this amendment on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In January 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures as it relates to the disclosures about fair value measurements. This amendment requires new disclosures about the transfers in and out of Level 1 and 2 measurements and also enhances disclosures about the activity within the Level 3 measurements. It also clarifies the required level of disaggregation and the disclosures regarding valuation techniques and inputs to fair value measurements. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the enhanced Level 3 disclosures. Those disclosures are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company adopted this amendment and the required disclosures are provided in Note 6 — “Fair Value of Financial Instruments”.

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

In October 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Financial Services – Insurance as it relates to accounting for costs associated with acquiring or renewing insurance contracts. This amendment clarifies that only those costs that result directly from and are essential to the contract transaction and that would not have been incurred had the contract transaction not occurred can be capitalized. It also defines acquisitions costs as costs that are related directly to the successful acquisitions of new or renewal insurance contracts. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this amendment on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

Compensation

In April 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Compensation as it relates to stock compensation. This amendment clarifies that an employee share-based payment award with an exercise price denominated in the currency of a market in which a substantial portion of the entity's equity securities trades should not be considered to contain a condition that is not a market, performance, or service condition. Therefore, such an award should not be classified as a liability if it otherwise qualifies as equity. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Debt

In October 2009, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Debt as it relates to the accounting for own-share lending arrangements entered into in contemplation of a convertible debt issuance or other financing. This amendment provides accounting and disclosure guidance for own-share lending arrangements issued in contemplation of convertible debt issuance. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Equity

In January 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Equity as it relates to distributions to shareholders with components of stock and cash. This amendment clarifies that the stock portion of a distribution to shareholders, which allows them to elect to receive cash or stock with a limitation on the total amount of cash that shareholders can receive, is considered a share issuance that is reflected in earnings per share prospectively and is not a stock dividend. The amendment is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Comprehensive Income

In June 2011, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Comprehensive Income as it relates to the presentation of comprehensive income. This amendment requires entities to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income in either a continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The amendment does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income. The amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this amendment on its condensed consolidated financial statements.