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Noncontrolling interests
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]  
Noncontrolling Interest Disclosure [TextBlock]

7. Noncontrolling Interests

In March 2013, the Company formed with other third party investors, Lorenz Re Ltd. (Lorenz Re), a Bermuda domiciled special purpose insurer to provide additional capacity to the Company for a diversified portfolio of catastrophe reinsurance treaties over a multi-year period on a fully collateralized reinsurance basis. The original business was written by the Company and was ceded to Lorenz Re effective April 1, 2013.

Lorenz Re's non-voting redeemable preferred share capital is redeemable at the option of the Company and is expected to be redeemed following the commutation of the portfolio back to the Company on or before June 1, 2016.

At March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the total assets of Lorenz Re were $99.1 million and $99.6 million, respectively, primarily consisting of cash and investments. At March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the total liabilities were $5.8 million and $11.1 million, respectively, primarily consisting of unpaid losses and loss expenses and other reinsurance balances payable for 2014 and unearned premiums and unpaid losses and loss expenses for 2013. The assets of Lorenz Re can only be used to settle the liabilities of Lorenz Re and there is no recourse to the Company for any liabilities of Lorenz Re.

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balance of the noncontrolling interests in Lorenz Re for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in thousands of U.S. dollars):

  For the three  For the three 
  months ended  months ended 
  March 31, 2014  March 31, 2013 
Balance at beginning of period $56,627   $0  
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests  3,044    0  
Sale of shares to noncontrolling interests  0    36,844  
Balance at end of period $59,671   $36,844