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Income Taxes - Reconciliation of effective tax rate (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]      
Expected income tax expense (benefit) computed on pre-tax income at weighted average income tax rate $ 18,178us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate $ 17,506us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate $ (3,426)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Addition (reduction) in income tax expense (benefit) resulting from:      
Tax-exempt investment income (8,048)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxExemptIncome (8,255)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxExemptIncome (9,257)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxExemptIncome
Meals and entertainment 711us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseMealsAndEntertainment 599us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseMealsAndEntertainment 688us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseMealsAndEntertainment
State taxes, net of U.S. federal tax benefit 1,281us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 431us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 270us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Foreign branch taxes 464acgl_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignTaxesNetOfUsTaxBenefit 703acgl_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignTaxesNetOfUsTaxBenefit 544acgl_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignTaxesNetOfUsTaxBenefit
Prior year adjustment 320us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes 2,810us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes (1,581)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes
Foreign exchange gains & losses 746us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther (1,254)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther (436)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther
Changes in applicable tax rate (51)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate 2,007us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate 1,193us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate
Dividend withholding taxes 3,276acgl_IncomeTaxReconciliationDividendWithholdingTaxes 4,619acgl_IncomeTaxReconciliationDividendWithholdingTaxes 2,511acgl_IncomeTaxReconciliationDividendWithholdingTaxes
Change in valuation allowance (736)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 11,795us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 4,281us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Contingent consideration 6,763acgl_ReconciliationOfEffectiveTaxRateContingentConsideration 0acgl_ReconciliationOfEffectiveTaxRateContingentConsideration 0acgl_ReconciliationOfEffectiveTaxRateContingentConsideration
Other 83us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments 1,813us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments 1,203us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Income tax expense (benefit) $ 22,987us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 32,774us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ (4,010)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit