Randall & Quilter Investment Hldg : Full year results

Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd.

('R&Q' or 'The Group')

Full year results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2017

30 April 2018

The Board of Randall & Quilter (AIM: RQIH), the Bermuda based legacy acquisitions and global program underwriting management specialist, announces the Group's full year results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2017

Financial Highlights

· Pre-tax profit £23.5m * (2016 £8.5m)

· Underlying profit growth of 38%

· EPS 25.4p * (2016 11.7p)

· Total Distributions per share of 8.9p (2016 8.6p) including a final proposed distribution of 5.4p (2016 5.2p) payable on or around 18 June 2018

· Return on tangible equity 17.3% (2016 13.5%)

· Investment return 1.6% on invested assets (2016 2.7%)

· Book value per share excluding goodwill 120.8p (2016: 107.4p), increasing to 132.1p upon conversion of goodwill on sale of Insurance Services business in January 2018.

· Cash and investments £602.8m (2016 £393.0m)

*Including profit on disposal of R&Q's Lloyd's managing agency of £11.8m (net of costs)

Operational Highlights

Delivered on the strategy of creating a streamlined and focused business centred around two core offerings: legacy acquisitions and program underwriting management.

· Sale of R&Q's Lloyd's managing agency (November 2017) and Insurance Services businesses (completed January 2018) to allow the Group to focus on its chosen core business activities.

· Excellent contribution from 19 completed legacy transactions, with especially strong growth in North America

· Two successful share offerings in the year raising a total of £65m of new capital. All £47m proceeds of funds raised in October 2017 have now been injected into our US and European insurance companies, Accredited Surety & Casualty Company, Inc. ('Accredited') and R&Q Insurance (Malta) Limited ('R&Q Malta')

· A.M. Best adjusted Accredited's A- (excellent) financial strength rating upwards from VI to VII and awarded R&Q Malta A- (excellent) financial strength rating giving partners and counter-parties greater confidence in the financial strength of the business

Group summary financial performance

Ken Randall, Group Chairman and CEO, commented: '2017 was a year of transformation for Randall & Quilter as we refocussed and simplified the business around legacy acquisitions and insurance program underwriting management. However, this did not divert the business from delivering strong underlying earnings growth of 38%. Pre-tax profits for the year were £23.5m including an £11.8m net profit from the sale of our Lloyd's Managing Agency.

As planned, the additional £47m net capital raised from new and existing shareholders in October has now been fully deployed by increasing the capital of Accredited Surety and Casualty Company Inc. and R&Q Malta. The resulting improvement in Accredited's A.M. Best credit rating and achieving a new A.M. Best A- (excellent) rating for R&Q Malta has enhanced the range of opportunities available and enabled us to secure increased commission rates.

I am pleased to report that we have an excellent pipeline of new business in both program underwriting management and legacy acquisitions. 2017 saw a further increase in the profit contribution from legacy acquisitions. Program underwriting management business has been building steadily, especially towards the end of the year and we anticipate strong future profit growth from this business area, as commission earnings from new program launches gain momentum from the end of 2018 and beyond.

In 2018 and 2019 we should finally see a positive contribution from our residual participation on Lloyd's Syndicate 1991. There is also potential for an increase in investment earnings as we continue to build our 'float' of cash and investments in an expected rising interest rate environment. In this regard, our float has more than doubled since 2015 and now totals over £600m. We shall continue to actively manage our investment portfolios in high quality, fixed income securities with overriding emphasis on protecting capital values whilst benefiting from the anticipated rises in global interest rates.

As a Group we have always seized upon opportunities which inevitably come from market turbulence and this is certainly true today as we witness major upheavals in the global insurance industry - especially those arising out of the challenges posed by Brexit and the emergence of new technologies.

We are progressing with the possible launches of a small number of 'Fintech' program underwriting management initiatives and see long term growth potential through using our extensive insurance licences in the USA and Europe to deliver 'disruptive' technologies to the market.

The business continues to deliver strong distributions to shareholders. The Board regularly reviews its distribution approach, and after due consideration it has decided to adopt the 'return of capital' approach for the next distribution.

In summary, I believe the business is in good shape. With a strong and energised management team, we are very well placed to develop and profit from the multiple opportunities in our chosen business segments. '

Strategy and business model

The overall mission and purpose of the Group is to:

· Offer investors profits and capital extractions from legacy insurance and reinsurance acquisitions, and

· Generate fee and commission income from itslicencedUS and European carriers by selective delegation of underwriting to MGA's with niche and profitable business with support from high quality (re)insurance capital providers.

We have listened to our stakeholders and we have carefully watched the changing nature and requirements of the global insurance business. From this we have determined that our focus should be on two core areas that provide strong growth opportunities - arguably two of the strongest growth sectors in the global P&C insurance market - where our expertise and infrastructure gives us a competitive advantage.

Industry dynamics arefuellingthis strong demand for legacy solutions and program underwriting management services. They combine to provide R&Q shareholders with distinct but complementary earnings: the potential of capital extraction and income generation from legacy acquisitions and regular fee income from program underwriting management.

We have retained a nominal participation on Syndicate 1991 for the 2018 Lloyd's year of account. The participations of the Group on the 2016 and 2017 years of account are finally expected to produce a profit for the Group in 2018 and 2019.

Legacy Acquisitions

Providing creative finality solutions to owners of discontinued ('run-off') insurance business has been at the heart of the R&Q Group and its predecessor companies for over twenty-five years.

We have always taken pride in being nimble and creative in applying solutions to owners of run-off businesses. In the past, this was often insurers who had ceased underwriting and we have already seen in Q1 2018 that this pattern continues with the recent announcements by the New Zealand insurance group CBL and the Danish insurer Alpha to stop underwriting.

But there are now many other reasons why owners of insurance businesses decide to free themselves of their liabilities. The European-wide Solvency II regulations and the associated equivalence regime means legacy business can lead to onerous capital and reporting obligations. In addition the recent US tax reforms and OECD tax policies could have a significant impact on some self-insurance entities, not least those that are off-shore.

There are also increasing opportunities emerging from industry M&A where acquirers of business decide to sell 'run-off' books with a view to freeing up capital. Again, Solvency II and the wider recognition of effective capital management arefuellingthis interest.

We continue to deliver a wide range of exit solutions to the captive and self insured sector, especially through the use of Accredited's statewide licences. Aside from regular captive and cell structures, deals have also been successfully completed with risk retention groups, self insured funds and corporate deductible buyback programs.

Finally, we see renewed opportunities in Lloyd's run off business and our expertise in this sector was reflected through the successful completion of two new Reinsurance to Close ('RITC') transactions: Prosight's Syndicate 1110 corporate members (effective from 1 July 2017) and Hamilton/Sportscover Syndicate 3334 in conjunction with AXA Liabilities Managers S.A.S. which completed on 1 January 2018.

In total, we completed 19 legacy deals in 2017 (15 in 2016) and 64 since 2009. Our range of solutions was reflected in the different types of transactions: 5 acquisitions, 6 novations, 6 loss portfolio transfers, 1 transfer and 2 run-offs at Lloyd's (one of which was effective on 1 January 2018).

2017 was the year that R&Qcapitalisedon its long-standing expertise and infrastructure to demonstrate its superior legacy offering. With an extensive pipeline of opportunities and the industry dynamics, we have every confidence in the future.

Legacy acquisition highlights

· 19 transactions in 2017

· Two new Lloyd's 'RITC' deals (one of which was effective on 1 January 2018)

· 2017 fundraisings providing additional balance sheet strength

· New drivers for legacy disposals including M&A and Solvency II

Program Underwriting Management

Our other core business is program underwriting management where R&Q uses its infrastructure - including A.M. Best A- rated insurers in the US and Europe - working with MGAs/MGUs and reinsurers to earn fee income for being their partner and insurance conduit which is mostly re-insured.

A.M. Best has adjusted Accredited's A- (excellent) financial strength rating to the next category, from VI to VII to reflect the higher capital in the business and has recently affirmed our rating with a stable outlook. Again, this move has been well received by our existing clients and prospects. In addition, Accredited is US Treasury Listed to write Federal Bonds (one of the few national program managers that has a T listing).

Encouragingly, the program underwriting management pipeline is strong and we anticipate a lot of new activity in 2018 in both Europe and the US. Earlier this year, A.M. Best awarded R&Q Malta A- (excellent) financial strength rating, the same as Accredited, and this gives our partners and counter-parties greater confidence in our financial strength and enables us to compete in new business lines where rated capacity is important.

Market disruption and the apparent retrenchment of some existing US providers is also providing R&Q with new opportunities in the US and the typical size of transactions we are negotiating is increasing significantly.

In Europe, Solvency II has exposed a number ofundercapitalisedfronting specialists. 'Brexit', and the current uncertainty over how it will impact financial services is creating new opportunities for R&Q which owns a European insurer, R&Q Maltalicencedto operate across the European Union and which will continue to do so after 'Brexit'.

As with legacy acquisitions, the industry dynamics are encouraging for the continued growth of program underwriting management and we believe R&Q is well-positioned tocapitaliseon the growing demand.

New Fintech/InsureTech initiatives are creating a disruptive force that is encouraging industry entrepreneurs to establish new platforms and ways of writing business. Typically, this is in the form of MGAs and R&Q's insurance platforms can provide the infrastructure to support these new businesses and act as a conduit between them and their (re)insurance capital.

In addition to the encouraging industry dynamics, R&Q has built a superior offering in both the US and Europe.

We provide high-quality, A.M. Best A- (excellent) rated insurance paper to our underwriting partners in both the US and Europe. Our US platform, Accredited, successfully expanded its nationwide P&Clicencesin 2017 which means we are now able to provide for nearly every type of P&C cover on behalf of our partners.

Unlike some of our competitors, we do not have any direct 'channel conflicts' because we do not also participate in direct live underwriting and we select our underwriting partners carefully to ensure we can provide an exclusive service in their area of expertise.

In 2017, we signed 3 program partnerships in Europe and 5 in the US. In 2018, we anticipate signing a further 6 partnerships in Europe and a further 6 in the US.

R&Q typically earns commission revenues from program underwriting management partnerships. While this means it requires a lot of work by R&Q before we begin to earn fee income from new programs, the quality of revenue is very attractive because it is consistent and reliable. Our rated capacity and growing reputation in this field also enables us to compete and win new, more complex accounts where commission rates are often higher. Revenues from our program underwriting management business will be significantly higher in 2018.

Program Underwriting Management highlights

· 8 new programs signed in 2017 (5 in US; 3 in Europe)

· 12 new programs expected in 2018 in US and Europe

· Market disruption in both US and Europefuellingstrong demand and activity

· Positive A.M. Best rating actions underpinning the R&Q offering

Insurance Services

The Insurance Services and Captive Management operations were sold in January 2018 to The Davies Group for £20m (£18.6m net).

Total Income for the year to 31^st December 2017 was £29.7m (£29.5m 2016), this included third party income of £19m (£20m 2016) and the operating profit for 2017 was £1.7m (£2m 2016). The net proceeds of £18.6m have now been used to improve the balance sheets of both Accredited and R&Q Malta along with the proceeds from the capital raise in October 2017.

Underwriting Management

The Lloyd's Managing Agency business was sold toCoverysGroup in November 2017. The remaining businesses in this division comprise Accredited Surety and Casualty Company, Inc. based in Florida, and, R&Q Commercial Risk Services Limited and Trilogy Managing General Agents Limited in London, which earn fees from underwriting SME commercial insurance risks on behalf of Lloyd's and other insurers. Going forward we expect these MGA's to provide additional business inflows to R&Q Malta.

Governance

We set high standards of corporate governance, with a structure designed to establish, implement and maintain effective controls essential to the Group's long term success. The role of the Board is to set the Groups' strategic objectives, and to oversee and review management performance, ensuring the required resources are available for meeting those objectives. The Board meets regularly throughout the year to debate and conduct these matters.

Our people

As a result of the successful completion of the streamlining of the business our headcount is down significantly from 411 as at the 31 December 2016 to 234 in February 2018. We have also progressed a significant number of management changes to reflect the strategic changes we have made. This includes the expansion of our Executive Committee and promotion of experienced individuals from within the business to create an empowered Senior Management team.

· Mark Langridge, who has been with the Group for 9 years, has joined the main board and became Group-wide head of legacy acquisitions and run off management

· Todd Campbell, who has been with the Group for 2 years was appointed President of Accredited. Todd heads our program underwriting management business for the USA.

· Paul Corver, now heads up the Group's Legacy M&A activities

· Carrie Hewitt has been appointed Group Actuary and Head of Capital Management

· Colin Johnson, who has been with the Group for 10 years, has been appointed CEO of UK and European Program Underwriting Management

· Sangeeta Johnson, is now Head of Operations

Co-founder Alan Quilter has returned to his role as CFO in addition to having Board responsibility for the growing program business.

Former CFO Tom Booth leaves the Group in 2018 and we wish him well in his futureendeavours.

I would like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of all R&Q staff over the past year. Without their energy and commitment it would not have been possible to achieve the momentum and strategic delivery across business which provides the platform for our future growth.

Succession Planning

We have excellent bench strength throughout our senior and middle management and the Board continues to focus on ensuring there is a credible long-term succession plan in place for the future leadership of the Business.

Outlook

2017 was a successful year for the Group. We were pleased with the underlying improvement in financial performance but the wider story is that it was the year that R&Q has transformed itself into a business with a platform able tocapitaliseon our existing expertise and infrastructure.

I believe the Group is well positioned to benefit financially from the significant transformation achieved in 2017 and has a strong pipeline of potential new business both in legacy acquisitions and program management. The exact timing of legacy acquisitions can be uncertain, especially where regulatory approval is required. Our expectations for the full year remain unchanged, noting that the Group typically experiences a stronger trading result in the second half year. In 2018 this second half earnings bias will also reflect the delayed earnings pattern on commission received from our rapidly developing program underwriting partnerships where we anticipate significant growth in the second half year.

In summary, today's R&Q is a simpler businessfocussedaround two core operations that provide strong long-term growth prospects and complementary earnings patterns.

We will continue to build on the improved financial performance of the Group in 2017 and look forward to 2018 and beyond with optimism.

Ken Randall

Chairman

Enquiries to:

Notes to Editors:

About R&Q

The overall mission of the Bermuda based Group is to:

· Generate profits and capital extractions from expert management of legacy non-life insurance acquisitions/reinsurances, including in Lloyd's; and

· Grow commission income from its licensed (and rated) carriers in the US and EU/UK, writing niche and profitable programme business, largely on behalf of highly rated reinsurers.

Our aim is to continue to grow sustainable profit streams to support our business model and increase book value and cash distributions to shareholders.

The Group was founded by Ken Randall and Alan Quilter in 1991.

Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 2138006K1U38QCGLFC94

Website:www.rqih.com

Consolidated Income Statement

For the year ended 31 December 2017

The accounting policies and accompanying notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

For the year ended 31 December 2017

The accounting policies and accompanying notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity

For the year ended 31 December 2017

The accounting policies and accompanying notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position

As at 31 December 2017

The Financial Statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 27 April 2018 and were signed on its behalf by:

K E Randall A K Quilter

The accounting policies and accompanying notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Consolidated Cash Flow Statement

For the years ended 31 December 2017

In 2017 cash flows relating to the sale and purchase of financial assets, which were previously included within cash flows from operating activities, have been included within cash flows from investing activities. The 2016 comparative figures have been adjusted accordingly. This more appropriately reflects the Group's operating and investing activities.

The accounting policies and accompanying notes are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

1. Corporate information

Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd. (the 'Company') is a company incorporated in Bermuda and listed on AIM, a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange. The Company and its subsidiaries (together forming the 'Group') carry on business worldwide as owners and managers of insurance companies, live and in run off, as underwriting managers for active insurers, as participators in Lloyd's Syndicates, as purchasers of insurance receivables and as service providers to the non-life insurance market. The Consolidated Financial Statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 27 April 2018.

2. Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the periods presented, unless otherwise stated.

a. Basis of preparation

The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ('IFRS'), endorsed by the European Union, International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee interpretations and with the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 (as amended).

The Group Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, except that financial assets (including investment property), financial liabilities (including derivative instruments) and purchased reinsurance receivables are recorded at fair value through profit and loss. All amounts are stated in sterling and thousands, unless otherwise stated.

The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with IFRS requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the year (Note 3). Although these estimates are based on management's best knowledge of the amount, event or actions, actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to estimates are recognised in the year when the revision is made.

New and amended standards adopted by the Group

In the current year, the Group has applied amendments to IFRSs issued by the IASB that are mandatory for an accounting period that begins on or after 1 January 2017.

IAS 7 Amendment: Disclosure initiative.

IAS 12 Amendment: Recognition of deferred tax assets for unrealised losses.

IFRS 2014-2016 annual improvement cycle, IFRS 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities.

IAS 7 Amendment, Disclosure initiative.

The amendments to IAS 7, Statement of Cash Flows, which form part of the IASB's Disclosure Initiative, require disclosure of the movements in liabilities arising from financing activities with cash and non-cash changes presented separately. The adoption of this amendment has given rise to an additional Consolidated Cash Flow Statement disclosure within note 21.

IAS 12 Amendment, Recognition of deferred tax assets for unrealised losses.

The revisions to IAS 12 Income Taxes clarify the accounting for deferred tax assets on unrealised losses and states that deferred tax assets should be recognised when a debt instrument is measured at fair value and that fair value is below the asset's tax base. It also provides further clarification on the estimation of probable future taxable profits that may support the recognition of deferred tax assets. The adoption of this amendment has not impacted on the consolidated financial statements as the clarifications to IAS 12 are consistent with Group existing interpretation and practice.

IFRS 2014-2016 annual improvement cycle

These improvements consist of amendments to the following IFRS.

IFRS 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities. The amendments state that an entity need not provide summarised financial information for interests in subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures that are classified (or included in a disposal group that is classified) as' held for sale'. The amendments clarify that this is the only concession from the disclosure requirements of IFRS 12 for such interests.

A number of new standards and interpretations adopted by the EU which are not mandatory, as well as standards and interpretations issued by the IASB but not yet adopted by the EU, have not been applied in preparing these financial statements.

The Group does not plan to adopt these standards early; instead it will apply them from their effective dates as determined by their dates of EU endorsement. The Group continues to review the upcoming standards to determine their impact.

IFRS 9, Financial instruments (IASB effective date 1 January 2018)

IFRS 14, Regulatory deferral accounts (IASB effective date 1 January 2016)

IFRS 15, Revenue from contracts with customers (IASB effective date 1 January 2018)

IFRS 16, Leases (IASB effective date 1 January 2019)

IFRS 17, Insurance Contracts (IASB effective date 1 January 2021)

IFRS 2 Amendment. Classification and Measurement of Share-based Payment Transactions. (IASB effective date 1 January 2018)

IFRS 4 Amendment, Applying IFRS 9 Financial Instruments with IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts (IASB effective date 1 January 2018)

IFRS 10 and IAS28 Amendments, Sale or contribution of assets between an investor and its associate or joint venture. (IASB have deferred the effective date)

IAS 40 Amendment, Transfer of Investment Property (IASB effective date 1 January 2018)

IFRS 2014 - 2016 improvement cycle (IASB effective date 1 January 2018). Amendments to IFRS 1, First-Time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards and IAS 28, Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures.

Of the upcoming accounting standard changes, the Group anticipates that IFRS 16 and IFRS 17 will have the most material impact to the financial statements presentation and disclosures. The accounting developments and implementation timelines of these standards are being closely monitored and the impacts of the standards themselves are being reviewed. Full impact analysis in respect of these standards is in the process of being completed. A brief overview of these standards is provided below:

IFRS 9 provides a reform of financial instruments accounting to supersede IAS 39 financial instruments: recognition and measurement. The standard contains the requirements for a) the classification and measurement of financial instruments; b) a new impairment methodology and c) general hedge accounting. IFRS 4 Amendment, Applying IFRS 9 Financial Instruments with IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts contains an optional temporary exemption from applying IFRS 9 for entities whose predominant activity is issuing contracts within the scope of IFRS 4. The Group meets the eligibility criteria and intends to take advantage of this temporary exemption and not apply this standard until the effective date of IFRS 17.

IFRS 15 establishes a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue from contracts with customers. Revenue from contracts accounted for under IFRS 4 is outside the scope of IFRS 15 however the Group will apply the new revenue recognition standard to non-insurance contracts. Furthermore, the Group will apply the new standard to non-insurance components of contracts traditionally considered to be insurance contracts. The new standard's requirement for accounting for variable consideration could change the timing of revenue recognition for non-insurance contracts issued by the Group. The Group will adopt this standard on 1 January 2018 and the current assessment of IFRS 15 is that it will be immaterial to the Group.

IFRS 16 'Leases' specifies how an IFRS reporter will recognise, measure, prepare and disclose leases. The standard replaces IAS 17 'Leases' and related interpretations. The standard provides a single lessee accounting model, requiring lessees to recognise assets and liabilities for all leases unless the lease term is 12 months or less or the underlying asset has a low value. Lessors will continue to classify leases as operating or finance, with IFRS 16's approach to lessor accounting being substantially unchanged from its predecessor IAS 17. Additionally, the current rental charge in the consolidated income statement will be replaced with a depreciation charge for the lease assets and an interest expense for the lease liabilities. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019, with earlier adoption permitted if IFRS 15 'Revenue from contracts with customers' has also been applied.

IFRS 17 was issued in May 2017. It will replace IFRS 4 on accounting for insurance contracts and has an effective date of 1 January 2021. The Group expects to adopt the new standard on this date. Under the IFRS 17 model, insurance contract liabilities will be calculated as the present value of future insurance cash flows with a provision for risk. The discount rate will reflect current interest rates. If the present value of future cash flows would produce a gain at the time a contract is issued the model would also require a 'contractual service margin' to offset the day 1 gain. The contractual service margin would amortise over the life of the contract. There would also be a new income statement presentation for insurance contracts, including a revised definition of revenue, and additional disclosure requirements.

b. Selection of accounting policies

Judgement, estimates and assumptions are made by the Directors in selecting each Group accounting policy. The accounting policies are selected by the Directors to present Consolidated Financial Statements that they consider provide the most relevant information. In the case of certain accounting policies, there are different accounting treatments that could be adopted, each of which would be in compliance with IFRS and would have a significant influence upon the basis on which the Consolidated Financial Statements are presented.

In respect of financial instruments, the Group accounting policy is to designate all financial assets as fair value through profit or loss, including purchased reinsurance receivables.

c.Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements incorporate the Financial Statements of the Company, and entities controlled by the Company (its subsidiaries), for the years ended 31 December 2017 and 2016. Control exists when the Group is exposed to, or has the right to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity. In assessing control, the Group takes into consideration potential voting rights that are currently exercisable. The acquisition date is the date on which control is transferred to the acquirer. The financial results of subsidiaries are included in the Consolidated Financial Statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases. Losses applicable to the non-controlling interests in a subsidiary are allocated to the non-controlling interests even if doing so causes non-controlling interests to have a deficit balance.

The Group uses the acquisition method of accounting to account for business combinations. The cost of an acquisition is measured as the fair value of the assets given, equity instruments issued and liabilities incurred or assumed at the date of acquisition directly attributable to the acquisition. Acquisition-related costs are charged to the Consolidated Income Statement in the year in which they are incurred.

Certain Group subsidiaries underwrite as corporate members of Lloyd's on Syndicates managed by Coverys Managing Agency Limited. In view of the several and direct liability of underwriting members at Lloyd's for the transactions of Syndicates in which they participate, only attributable shares of transactions, assets and liabilities of those Syndicates are included in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Group continues to conclude that it remains appropriate to consolidate its share of the result of these Syndicates and accordingly, as the Group is the sole provider of capacity on Syndicate 3330 and Syndicate 1110, these Financial Statements include 100.00% of the economic interest in those Syndicates. For Syndicate 1991, the Group provides 13.61% of the capacity on the 2015 year of account, 13.61% on the 2016 year of account and 16.96% on the 2017 year of account. These Consolidated Financial Statements include its relevant share of the result for those years and attributable assets and liabilities.

Associates are those entities in which the Group has power to exert influence but which it does not control. Investments in associates are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Under this method the investments are initially measured at cost. Thereafter the Group's share of post-acquisition profits or losses are recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement. Therefore, the cumulative post-acquisition movements in the associates' net assets are adjusted against the cost of the investment.

When the Group's share of losses equals or exceeds the carrying amount of the investment in the associate, the carrying amount is reduced to nil and recognition for the losses is discontinued except to the extent that the Group has incurred obligations in respect of the associate.

Equity accounting is discontinued when the Group no longer has significant influence over the investment.

Inter-company transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between Group companies are eliminated in preparing the Consolidated Financial Statements. Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of impairment of the asset transferred. Where necessary, amounts reported by subsidiaries have been adjusted to conform to the group's accounting policies. Non-controlling interests represent the portion of profit or loss and net assets not held by the Group and are presented separately in the Consolidated Income Statement and Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income and within equity in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, separately from the equity attributable to the shareholders of the parent.

Insurance broking cash, receivables and payables held by subsidiary companies, other than the receivable for fees, commissions and interest earned on a transaction, are not included in the Group's Consolidated Statement of Financial Position as the subsidiaries act as agents for the client in placing the insurable risks of their clients with insurers and as such are not liable as principals for amounts arising from such transactions.

d. Going concern

The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Directors have assessed the position of the Group and have concluded that the Group has adequate cash resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due. On this basis, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group will be able to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

e. Foreign currency translation

Functional and presentational currency

Items included in the financial statements of each of the Group's entities are measured using the currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates (the 'functional currency'). The Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in sterling, which is the Group's presentational currency.

Transactions and balances

Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded at the functional currency rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the functional currency rate of exchange ruling at the end of the reporting period; the resulting exchange gain or loss is recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement. Non-monetary items recorded at historical cost in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rate as at the date of the initial transaction and are not subsequently restated.

Group translation

The assets and liabilities of overseas subsidiaries, including associated goodwill, held in functional currencies other than the Group's presentational currency are translated at the exchange rate as at the period end date. Income and expenses are translated at average rates for the period. All resulting exchange differences are recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in retained earnings and other reserves in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.

On the disposal of foreign operations, cumulative exchange differences previously recognised in other comprehensive income are recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement as part of the gain or loss on disposal.

f. Premiums

Gross premiums written represent premiums on business commencing in the financial year together with adjustments to premiums written in previous accounting periods and estimates for premiums from contracts entered into during the course of the year. Gross premiums written are stated before deduction of brokerage and commission but net of taxes and duties levied on premiums.

Unearned premiums

A provision for unearned premiums represents that part of the gross premiums written that is estimated will be earned in the following financial periods. It is calculated on a time apportionment basis having regard, where appropriate, to the incidence of risk.

Reinsurance premium costs are allocated to reflect the protection arranged in respect of the business written and earned.

Acquisition costs

Acquisition costs, which represent commission and other related expenses, are deferred over the period in which the related premiums are earned. Acquisition costs incurred during the period are recorded in operating expenses in the Consolidated Income Statement.

g. Claims

These include the cost of claims and related expenses paid in the year, together with changes in the provisions for outstanding claims, including provisions for claims incurred but not reported and related expenses, together with any other adjustments to claims from previous years. Where applicable, deductions are made for salvage and other recoveries. These are shown as net claims provisions (increased)/released in the Consolidated Income Statement.

h. Insurance contract provisions and reinsurers' share of insurance liabilities

Provisions are made in the insurance company subsidiaries and in the Lloyd's Syndicates on which the Group participates for the full estimated costs of claims notified but not settled, including claims handling costs, on the basis of the best information available, taking account of inflation and latest trends in court awards. The Directors of the subsidiaries, with the assistance of run-off managers, independent actuaries and internal actuaries, have established such provisions on the basis of their own investigations and their best estimates of insurance payables, in accordance with accounting standards. Legal advice is taken where appropriate. Deductions are made for salvage and other recoveries as appropriate.

The provisions for claims incurred but not reported ('IBNR') have been based on a number of factors including previous experience in claims and settlement patterns, the nature and amount of business written, inflation and the latest available information as regards specific and general industry experience and trends.

A reinsurance asset (reinsurers' share of technical provisions) is recognised to reflect the amount estimated to be recoverable under the reinsurance contracts in respect of the outstanding claims reported and IBNR. The amount recoverable from reinsurers is initially valued on the same basis as the underlying claims provision. The amount recoverable is reduced when there is an event arising after the initial recognition that provides objective evidence that the Group may not receive all amounts due under the contract.

Neither the outstanding claims nor the provisions for IBNR have been discounted.

The uncertainties which are inherent in the process of estimating are such that, in the normal course of events, unforeseen or unexpected future developments may cause the ultimate cost of settling the outstanding liabilities to differ materially from that presently estimated. Any differences between provisions and subsequent settlements are recorded in the Consolidated Income Statement in the year which they arise.

Having regard to the significant uncertainty inherent in the business of insurance as explained in Note 3, and in light of the information presently available, in the opinion of the Directors the provisions for outstanding claims and IBNR in the Consolidated Financial Statements are fairly stated.

Provision for future claims handling costs

Provision for future run off costs relating to the Group's run off businesses is made to the extent that the estimate of such costs exceeds the estimated future investment income expected to be earned by those businesses.

Estimates are made for the anticipated costs of running off the business of those insurance subsidiaries and the Group's participation in Syndicates which have insurance businesses in run off. Where insurance company subsidiaries have businesses in run off and underwrite new business, management estimates the run off costs and the future investment income relating to the run off business. Syndicates are treated as being in run off for the Group financial statements where they have ceased writing new business and, in the opinion of management, there is no current probable reinsurer available to close the relevant syndicate year of account.

Changes in the estimates of such costs and future investment income are reflected in the year in which the estimates are made.

When assessing the amount of any provision to be made, the future investment income and claims handling and all other costs of all the insurance company subsidiaries' and syndicates' businesses in run off are considered in aggregate.

The uncertainty inherent in the process of estimating the period of run off and the payout pattern over that period, the anticipated run off administration costs to be incurred over that period and the level of investment income to be received are such that in the normal course of events unforeseen or unexpected future developments may cause the ultimate costs of settling the outstanding liabilities to differ from that previously estimated.

Unexpired risks provision

Provisions for unexpired risks are made where the costs of outstanding claims, related expense and deferred acquisition costs are expected to exceed the unearned premium provision carried forward at the end of the reporting period. The provision for unexpired risks is calculated separately by reference to classes of business which are managed together, after taking into account relevant investment return.

i. Provisions

Provisions are recognised when the Group has a present obligation (legal or constructive) as a result of a past event, it is probable that the Group will be required to settle the obligation, and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.

Provisions are measured at the present value of the expenditures expected to be required to settle the obligation, using a pre-tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the obligation. The increase in the provision due to the passage of time is recognised as an interest expense.

j. Structured settlements

Certain of the US insurance company subsidiaries have entered into structured settlements whereby their liability has been settled by the purchase of annuities from third party life insurance companies in favour of the claimants. The subsidiary retains the credit risk in the unlikely event that the life insurance company defaults on its obligations to pay the annuity amounts. Provided that the life insurance company continues to meet the annuity obligations, no further liability will fall on the insurance company subsidiary. The amounts payable to claimants are recognised in liabilities. The amount payable to claimants by the third party life insurance companies are also shown in liabilities as reducing the Group's liability to nil.

In the opinion of the Directors, this treatment reflects the substance of the transaction on the basis that any remaining liability of Group companies under structured settlements will only arise upon the failure of the relevant third party life insurance companies and will be reduced by any available reinsurance cover.

Should the Directors become aware of a claim arising from a policy holder that a third party life insurance company responsible for the payment of an annuity under a structured settlement may not be in a position to meet its annuity obligations in full, appropriate provision will be made for any such failure.

Disclosure of the position in relation to structured settlements is shown in Note 20.

k. Segmental reporting

The Group's business segments are based on the Group's management and internal reporting structures and represent the level at which financial information is reported to the Board, being the chief operating decision maker as defined in IFRS 8.

l. Financial instruments

Financial instruments are recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position at such time that the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the financial instrument. A financial asset is derecognised when the contractual rights to receive cash flows from the financial assets expire, or where the financial assets have been transferred, together with substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership. Financial liabilities are derecognised if the Group's obligations specified in the contract expire, are discharged or cancelled.

Financial assets

i) Acquisition

On acquisition of a financial asset, the Group is required under IFRS to classify the asset into one of the following categories: 'financial assets at fair value through profit and loss', 'loans and receivables held to maturity' and 'available for sale'. The Group does not currently make use of the 'held to maturity' and 'available for sale' classifications.

ii) Financial assets at fair value through profit and loss

All financial assets, other than cash, loans and receivables, are currently designated as fair value through profit and loss upon initial recognition because they are managed and their performance is evaluated on a fair value basis. Information about these financial assets is provided internally on a fair value basis to the Group's key management. The Group's investment strategy is to invest and evaluate their performance with reference to their fair values.

iii) Fair value measurement

When available, the Group measures the fair value of an instrument using quoted prices in an active market for that instrument.

If a market for a financial instrument is not active, the Group establishes fair value using a valuation technique. Valuation techniques include using recent arm's length transactions between knowledgeable, willing parties (if available) and reference to the current fair value of other instruments that are substantially the same or discounted cash flow analyses.

Assets and long positions are measured at a bid price; liabilities and short positions are measured at an asking price. Where the Group has positions with offsetting risks, mid-market prices are used to measure the offsetting risk positions and a bid or asking price adjustment is applied only to the net open position as appropriate. Fair values reflect the credit risk of the instrument and include adjustments to take account of the credit risk of the Group entity and counterparty where appropriate. Fair value estimates obtained from models are adjusted for any other factors, such as liquidity risk or model uncertainties, to the extent that the Group believes a third party market participant would take them into account in pricing a transaction.

Upon initial recognition, attributable transaction costs relating to financial instruments at fair value through profit or loss are recognised when incurred in other operating expenses in the Consolidated Income Statement. Financial assets at fair value through profit and loss are measured at fair value, and changes therein are recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement. Net changes in the fair value of financial assets at fair value through profit and loss exclude interest and dividend income, as these items are accounted for separately as set out in the investment income section below.

iv) Insurance receivables and payables

Insurance receivables and payables are recognised when due. These include amounts due to and from agents, brokers and insurance contract holders. Insurance receivables are classified as 'loans and receivables' as they are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted on an active market. Insurance receivables are measured at amortised cost less any provision for impairment. Insurance payables are stated at amortised cost.

v) Investment income

Investment income consists of dividends, interest, realised and unrealised gains and losses and exchange gains and losses on financial assets at fair value through profit and loss. The realised gains or losses on disposal of an investment are the difference between the proceeds and the original cost of the investment. Unrealised investment gains and losses represent the difference between the carrying amount at the reporting date, and the carrying amount at the previous period end or the purchase value during the period.

Financial liabilities

Borrowings

Borrowings are initially recorded at fair value less transaction costs incurred. Subsequently borrowings are stated at amortised cost and interest is recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement over the period of the borrowings.

Subordinated debt

Group subsidiaries have issued subordinated debt. At Group level this is treated as a financial liability and interest charges are recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement.

Derivative financial instruments

Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date on which a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently remeasured at their fair value. The best evidence of fair value of a derivative at initial recognition is the transaction price. The method of recognising the resulting fair value gains or losses depends on whether the derivative is designated as a hedging instrument and, if so, the nature of the item being hedged. Fair values are obtained from quoted market prices in active markets, recent market transactions, and valuation techniques which include discounted cash flow models. All derivatives are carried as assets when fair value is positive and as liabilities when fair value is negative.

The Group has not designated any derivatives as fair value hedges, cash flow hedges or net investment hedges.

m. Leases

Leases in which a significant portion of the risks and rewards of ownership are retained by the lessor are classed as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases (net of any incentives received from the lessor) are charged to the Consolidated Income Statement on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.

n. Property, plant and equipment

All assets included within property, plant and equipment ('PPE') are carried at historical cost less depreciation and assessed for impairment. Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost less estimated residual value of motor vehicles, office equipment, IT equipment, freehold property and leasehold improvements by the straight-line method over their expected useful lives.

The principal rates per annum used for this purpose are:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an item of PPE is determined as the difference between the sales proceeds and the carrying amount of the asset and is recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement.

o. Goodwill

The Group uses the acquisition method in accounting for acquisitions. The difference between the cost of acquisition and the fair value of the Group's share of the identifiable net assets acquired is capitalised and recorded as goodwill. If the cost of an acquisition is less than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary acquired the difference is recognised directly in the Consolidated Income Statement as goodwill on bargain purchase.

Goodwill acquired in a business combination is initially measured at cost, being the excess of the fair value of the consideration paid for the business combination over the Group's interest in the net fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities. Following initial recognition, goodwill is measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the cash generating unit level, as shown in Note 15, on a biannual basis or if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may be impaired.

p. Other intangible assets

Intangible assets, other than goodwill, that are acquired separately are stated at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment.

Intangible assets acquired in a business combination, and recognised separately from goodwill, are recognised initially at fair value at the acquisition date.

Amortisation is charged to operating expenses in the Consolidated Income Statement as follows:

Assets that are subject to amortisation are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement to reduce the carrying amount to the recoverable amount.

US insurance authorisation licences

US state insurance authorisation licences acquired in business combinations are recognised initially at their fair value. The asset is not amortised, as the Directors consider that economic benefits will accrue to the Group over an indefinite period due to the stability of the US insurance market. The licences are tested annually for impairment. This assumption is reviewed annually to determine whether the asset continues to have an indefinite life.

Rights to customer contractual relationships

Costs directly attributable to securing the intangible rights to customer contractual relationships are recognised as an intangible asset where they can be identified separately and measured reliably and it is probable that they will be recovered by directly related future profits. These costs are amortised on a straight-line basis over the useful economic life which is deemed to be 15 years and are carried at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses.

q. Employee Benefits

The Group makes contributions to defined contribution schemes and a defined benefit scheme.

The pension cost in respect of the defined contribution schemes represents the amounts payable by the Group for the year. The funds of the schemes are administered by trustees and are separate from the Group. The Group's liability is limited to the amount of the contributions.

The defined benefit scheme is funded by contributions from a subsidiary company and its assets are held in a separate Trustee administered fund. Pension scheme assets are measured at market value, and liabilities are measured using the projected unit method and discounted at the current rate of return on high quality corporate bonds of equivalent term and currency to the liability.

Current service cost, net interest income or cost and any curtailments/settlements are charged to the Consolidated Income Statement. The present value of the defined benefit obligation at the end of the reporting period less the fair value of plan assets is recognised and disclosed separately as a net pension liability in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. Surpluses are only recognised up to the aggregate of any cumulative unrecognised net actuarial gains and past service costs, and the present value of any economic benefits available in the form of any refunds or reductions in future contributions.

Subject to the restrictions relating to the recognition of a pension surplus, all actuarial gains and losses are recognised in full in other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur.

r. Cash and cash equivalents

For the purposes of the Consolidated Cash Flow Statement, cash and cash equivalents comprise cash at bank and other short-term highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition, and bank overdrafts which are repayable on demand.

s. Finance costs

Finance costs comprise interest payable and are recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement in line with the effective interest rate on liabilities.

t. Operating expenses

Operating expenses are accounted for in the Consolidated Income Statement in the period to which they relate.

Pre-contract costs

Directly attributable pre-contract costs are recognised as an asset when it is virtually certain that a contract will be obtained and the contract is expected to result in future net cash inflows in excess of any amounts recognised as an asset.

Pre-contract costs are charged to the Consolidated Income Statement over the shorter of the life of the contract or five years.

Onerous contracts

Onerous contract provisions are provided for in circumstances where the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation as a result of past events to provide services, the costs of which exceed future income. The costs of providing the services are projected based on management's assessment of the contract.

Arrangement fees

Arrangement fees in relation to loan facilities are deducted from the relevant financial liability and amortised over the period of the facility.

u. Other income

Other income is stated excluding any applicable value added tax and includes the following items:

Management fees

Management fees are from non-Group customers and are recognised when the right to such fees is established through a contract and to the extent that the services concerned have been performed.

Purchased reinsurance receivables

The Group accounts for these financial assets at fair value through profit and loss. Fair value is defined as the price at which an orderly transaction would take place between market participants at the reporting date and is therefore an estimate which requires the use of judgement.

Profit commission on managed Lloyd's Syndicates

Profit commission from managed Syndicates is earned as the related underwriting profits are recognised. Profit commission receivable on open underwriting years may be subject to further adjustment (up or down) as the results are reported prior to closure of the account in accordance with Lloyd's Reinsurance to Close arrangements. Such adjustments are made on a prudent basis that reflects the level of uncertainty involved.

Insurance commissions from Managing General Agencies

Insurance commissions comprise brokerage and profit commission arising from the placement of insurance contracts. Brokerage is recognised at the inception date of the policy, or the date of contractual entitlement, if later. Alterations in brokerage arising from premium adjustments are taken into account as and when such adjustments are notified. To the extent that the Group is contractually obliged to provide services after this date, a suitable proportion of income is deferred and recognised over the life of the relevant contracts to ensure that revenue appropriately reflects the cost of fulfilling those obligations. Profit commission is recognised when the right to such profit commission is established through a contract but only to the extent that a reliable estimate of the amount due can be made. Such estimates are made on a prudent basis that reflects the level of uncertainty involved.

v. Share based payments

The Group issues equity settled payments to certain of its employees.

The cost of equity settled transactions with employees is measured by reference to the fair value at the date at which they are granted and is recognised as an expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The fair value is measured using the binomial option pricing method, taking into account the terms and conditions on which the awards were granted.

w. Current and deferred income tax

Tax on the profit or loss for the year comprises current and deferred tax.

Tax is recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income, in which case it is recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income.

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of the tax laws enacted or substantively enacted at the end of the reporting period in the countries where the Company's subsidiaries and associates operate and generate taxable income.

Deferred tax liabilities are provided in full, using the liability method, on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the Consolidated Financial Statements. However, if the deferred tax arises from initial recognition of an asset or liability in a transaction other than a business combination and which, at the time of the transaction, affects neither accounting nor taxable profit or loss, it is not provided for.

Deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which these temporary differences can be utilised.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when the deferred income tax assets and liabilities relate to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority on either the taxable entity or different taxable entities where there is an intention to settle the balances on a net basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the period end date and are expected to apply when the related deferred tax asset is realised or the deferred tax liability is settled.

x. Share capital

Ordinary shares and Preference A and B shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs directly attributable to the issue of new shares or options are shown in equity as a deduction, net of tax, from the proceeds.

y. Distributions

Distributions payable to the Company's shareholders are recognised as a liability in the Consolidated Financial Statements in the period in which the distributions are declared and appropriately approved.

3. Estimation techniques, uncertainties and contingencies

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated, and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Significant uncertainty in technical provisions

Significant uncertainty exists as to the accuracy of the insurance contract provisions and the reinsurers' share of insurance liabilities established in the insurance company subsidiaries and the Lloyd's Syndicates on which the Group participates as shown in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. The ultimate costs of claims and the amounts ultimately recovered from reinsurers could vary materially from the amounts established at the year end.

In the event that further information were to become available to the Directors of an insurance company subsidiary which gave rise to material additional liabilities, the going concern basis might no longer be appropriate for that company and adjustments would have to be made to reduce the value of its assets to their realisable amount, and to provide for any further liabilities which might arise in that subsidiary. The Group bears no financial responsibility for any liabilities or obligations of any insurance company subsidiary in run off. Should any insurance company subsidiary cease to be able to continue as a going concern in the light of further information becoming available, any loss to the Group would thus be restricted to the book value of their investment in and amounts due from that subsidiary and any guarantee liability that may arise.

Claims provisions

The Group participates on a number of syndicates and owns a number of insurance companies in run-off. The Consolidated Financial Statements include provisions for all outstanding claims and IBNR, for related reinsurance recoveries and for all costs expected to be incurred to run off its liabilities.

The insurance contract provisions including IBNR are based upon actuarial and other studies of the ultimate cost of liabilities including exposure based and statistical estimation techniques. There are significant uncertainties inherent in the estimation of each insurance company subsidiary's and Lloyd's Syndicate's insurance liabilities and reinsurance recoveries. There are many assumptions and estimation techniques that may be applied in assessing the amount of those provisions which individually could have a material impact on the amounts of liabilities, related reinsurance assets and reported shareholders' equity funds. Actual experience will often vary from these assumptions, and any consequential adjustments to amounts previously reported will be reflected in the results of the year in which they are identified. Potential adjustments arising in the future could, if adverse in the aggregate, exceed the amount of shareholders' equity funds of an insurance company subsidiary.

The Group also contracts with independent external actuaries to obtain a Statement of Actuarial Opinion for the Lloyd's Syndicates that it participates on. This statement showsthat the booked reserves are greater than or equal to their view of best estimate.

In the case of the Group's larger insurance companies in run off, independent external actuaries provide a view of best estimate reserves and confirm that the held reserves are within their range of acceptable estimates.

The business written by the insurance company subsidiaries consists in part of long-tail liabilities, including asbestos, pollution, health hazard and other US liability insurance. The claims for this type of business are typically not settled until many years after policies have been written. Furthermore, much of the business written by these companies is reinsurance and retrocession of other insurance companies' business, which lengthens the settlement period.

Significant delays occur in the notification and settlement of certain claims and a substantial measure of experience and judgement is involved in making the assumptions necessary for assessing outstanding liabilities, the ultimate cost of which cannot be known with certainty at the period end date. The gross insurance contract provisions and related reinsurers' share of insurance liabilities are estimated on the basis of information currently available. Provisions are calculated gross of any reinsurance recoveries. A separate estimate is made of the amounts that will be recoverable from reinsurers based upon the gross provisions and having due regard to collectability.

The insurance contract provisions include significant amounts in respect of notified and potential IBNR claims for long-tail liabilities. The settlement of most of these claims is not expected to occur for many years, and there is significant uncertainty as to the timing of such settlements and the amounts at which they will be settled.

While many claims are clearly covered under policy wordings and are paid quickly, many other claims are subject to significant disputes, for example over the terms of a policy and the amount of the claim. The provisions for disputed claims are based on the view of the Directors of each insurance company subsidiary as to the expected outcomes of such disputes. Claim types impacted by such disputes include asbestos, pollution and certain health hazards and retrocessional reinsurance claims.

Uncertainty is further increased because of the potential for unforeseen changes in the legal, judicial, technological or social environments, which may increase or decrease the cost, frequency or reporting of claims, and because of the potential for new sources or types of claim to emerge.

Asbestos, pollution and health hazard claims

The estimation of the provisions for the ultimate cost of claims for asbestos, pollution, health hazard and other US liability insurance is subject to a range of uncertainties that is generally greater than those encountered for other classes of insurance business. As a result it is not possible to determine the future development of asbestos, pollution, health hazard and other US liability insurance with the same degree of reliability as with other types of claims. Consequently, traditional techniques for estimating claims provisions cannot wholly be relied upon. The Group employs further techniques which utilise, where practical, the exposure to these losses by contract to determine the claims provisions.

Insurance claims handling expenses

The provision for the cost of handling and settling outstanding claims to extinction and all other costs of managing the run-off is based on an analysis of the expected costs to be incurred in run-off activities, incorporating expected savings from the reduction of transaction volumes over time.

The period of the run-off may be between 5 and 50 years depending upon the nature of the liabilities within each insurance company subsidiary. Ultimately, the period of run-off is dependent on the timing and settlement of claims and the collection of reinsurance recoveries; consequently similar uncertainties apply to the assessment of the provision for such costs.

Reinsurance recoveries

Reinsurance recoveries are included in respect of claims outstanding (including IBNR claims) and claims paid after making provision for irrecoverable amounts.

The reinsurance recoveries on IBNR claims are estimated based on the recovery rate experienced on notified and paid claims for each class of business.

The insurance company subsidiaries are exposed to disputes on contracts with their reinsurers and the possibility of default by reinsurers. In establishing the provision for non-recovery of reinsurance balances, the Directors of each insurance company subsidiary consider the financial strength of each reinsurer, its ability to settle their liabilities as they fall due, the history of past settlements with the reinsurer, and the Group's own reserving standards and have regard to legal advice regarding the merits of any dispute.

Recognition and de-recognition of assets and liabilities in run offs

In the course of the Group's business of managing the runoff of insurers and brokers, accounting records are initially recognised in the form provided by previous management. As part of managing runoffs the Group carries out extensive enquiries to clarify the assets and liabilities of the run off and to obtain all available and relevant information. Those enquiries may lead the Group to identify and record additional assets and liabilities relating to that runoff, or to conclude that previously recognised assets and liabilities should be increased or no longer exist and should be de-recognised. Where decisions to de-recognise liabilities are supported by an absence of relevant information there may remain a remote possibility that a third party may subsequently provide evidence of its entitlement to such de-recognised liabilities which may lead to a transfer of economic benefit to settle such entitlement. The right of a third party to such a settlement will be recognised in the accounting period in which the position is clarified.

Defined benefit pension scheme

The pension assets and post retirement liabilities are calculated in accordance with IAS 19. The assets, liabilities and Consolidated Income Statement charge or credit, calculated in accordance with IAS 19, are sensitive to the assumptions made, including inflation, interest rate, investment return and mortality. IAS 19 compares, at a given date, the current market value of a pension fund's assets with its long term liabilities, which are calculated using a discount rate in line with yields on 'AA' rated bonds of suitable duration and currency. As such, the financial position of a pension fund on this basis is highly sensitive to changes in bond rates and equity markets.

Litigation, mediation and arbitration

The Group in common with the insurance industry in general, is subject to litigation, mediation and arbitration, and regulatory, governmental and other sectorial inquiries in the normal course of its business. The Directors do not believe that, in the aggregate, current litigation, governmental or sectorial inquiries and pending or threatened litigation or dispute is likely to have a material impact on the Group's financial position. However, if the outcome of any individual dispute differs substantially from expectation, there could be a material impact on the Group's profit or loss, financial position or cash flows in the year in which that impact is recognised.

Changes in foreign exchange rates

The Group's Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in sterling. Therefore, fluctuations in exchange rates used to translate other currencies, particularly the Euro and US dollar, into sterling will impact the reported Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, results of operations and cash flows from year to year. These fluctuations in exchange rates will also impact the sterling value of the Group's investments and the return on its investments. Income and expenses are translated into sterling at average exchange rates. Monetary assets and liabilities are translated at the closing exchange rates at the period end date.

Assessment of impairment of intangible assets

Goodwill and US insurance authorisation licences are deemed to have an indefinite life as they are expected to have a value in use that does not erode or become obsolete over the course of time. Consequently, they are not amortised but tested for impairment on a biannual basis or if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may be impaired.

The impairment tests involve evaluating the recoverable amount of the Group's cash generating units and comparing them to the relevant carrying amounts. The recoverable amount of each cash generating unit is determined based on cash flow projections. These cash flow projections are based on the financial budgets approved by management covering a five year period. Management also consider the current net asset value and earnings of each cash generating unit for impairment.

Provisions

Included in Other payables in Note 20 is the Directors' estimate of the Group's exposure to the various liabilities of the Southern Illinois Land Company.

These estimates have been based on reports provided by recognised specialists as well as the Group's own internal review. These liabilities may not be settled for many years and significant judgement is involved in making an assessment of these liabilities, the period over which they will be settled and where appropriate the discount rate to be applied to assess the present value of the amounts to be settled.

4. Management of insurance and financial risks

The Group's activities expose it to a variety of insurance and financial risks. The Board is responsible for managing the Group's exposure to these risks and, where possible, for introducing controls and procedures that mitigate the effects of the exposure to risk.

The Group has a Risk Committee which is a formal Committee of the Board. The Committee has responsibility for maintaining the effectiveness of the Group's Risk Management Framework, systems of internal control, risk policies and procedures and adherence to risk appetite.

The following describes the Group's exposure to the more significant risks and the steps management have taken to mitigate their impact from a quantitative and qualitative perspective.

a. Investment risks (including market risk and interest rate risk)

The Group has a Capital and Investment Committee which is responsible, inter alia, for setting and recommending to the Board an investment strategy for the management of the Group's assets owned or managed by companies within the Group. The investment of the Group's financial assets, except certain deposits with ceding undertakings, is managed by external investment managers, appointed by the Capital and Investment Committee. The Capital and Investment Committee is responsible for setting the policy to be followed by the investment managers. The investment strategy strives to mitigate the impact of interest rate fluctuation and credit risks and to provide appropriate liquidity, in addition to monitoring and managing foreign exchange exposures.

The Capital and Investment Committee is also responsible for keeping under review the investment control procedures, monitoring and amending (where appropriate) the investment policies and oversight, monitoring Group cash flow, oversight of all banking and other financial commitments and covenants across the Group, as well as any regulatory requirements in relation to Group solvency.

The main objective of the investment policy is to maximise return whilst maintaining and protecting the principal value of funds under management.

The investment allocation (including surplus cash) at 31 December 2017 and 2016 is shown below:

Corporate bonds include asset backed mortgage obligations totalling £8,905k (2016: £20,832k).

Based on invested assets at external managers of £405,516k as at 31 December 2017 (2016: £245,744k), a 1 percentage increase/decrease in market values would result in an increase/decrease in the profit before income taxes for the year to 31 December 2017 of £4,055k (2016: £2,457k).

(i) Pricing risk

The following table shows the fair values of financial assets using a valuation hierarchy; the fair value hierarchy has the following levels:

Level 1 - Valuations based on quoted prices in active markets for identical instruments. An active market is a market in which transactions for the instrument occur with sufficient frequency and volume on an ongoing basis such that quoted prices reflect prices at which an orderly transaction would take place between market participants at the measurement date.

Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or based on pricing models for which significant inputs can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable or for which there is limited activity against which to measure fair value.

The following table shows the movement on Level 3 assets measured at fair value:

Level 3 investments (purchased reinsurance receivables) have been valued using detailed models outlining the anticipated timing and amounts of future receipts. The net gains recognised in the Consolidated Income Statement in other income for the year amounted to £452k (2016: £522k). The Group did not purchase further reinsurance receivables in 2017 (2016: purchases of £354k). Short term delays in the anticipated receipt of these investments will not have a material impact on their valuation.

Level 3 investments (equities) related to equity investments included on an acquisition in 2015, the valuation is calculated based on the fair value of the underlying assets and liabilities.

There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 investments during the year under review.

The following shows the maturity dates and interest rate ranges of the Group's debt securities:

(ii) Liquidity risk

As at 31 December 2017

Maturity date or contractual re-pricing date

Interest rate ranges (coupon-rates)

As at 31 December 2016

Maturity date or contractual re-pricing date

Interest rate ranges (coupon-rates)

Liquidity risk is managed by the Capital and Investment Committee who monitor the cash position of each entity and for the Group as a whole on a regular basis to ensure that sufficient funds are available to meet liabilities as they fall due. Liquidity risk is also monitored by the Group's financial planning and treasury function's established cash flow and liquidity management processes.

iii) Interest rate risk

Fixed income investments represent a significant proportion of the Group's assets and the Group Capital & Investment Committee continually monitors investment strategy to minimise the risk of a fall in the portfolio's market value.

The fair value of the Group's investment portfolio of debt and fixed income securities is normally inversely correlated to movements in market interest rates. If market interest rates rise, the fair value of the Group's debt and fixed income investments would tend to fall and vice versa.

Debt and fixed income assets are predominantly invested in high-quality corporate, government and asset-backed bonds. The investments typically have relatively short durations and terms to maturity.

The Group is exposed to interest rate risk within the Group's financial liabilities. This exposure lies predominately with amounts owed to credit institutions and debentures secured over the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

b. Credit risk

Credit risk arises where counterparties fail to meet their financial obligations as they fall due. The most significant area where it arises for the Group is where reinsurers fail to meet their obligations in full as they fall due. In addition, the Group is exposed to the risk of disputes on individual claims presented to its reinsurers or in relation to the contracts entered into with its reinsurers.

The ratings used in the below analysis are based upon the published rating of Standard & Poor's or other recognised ratings agency.

* Other includes reinsurers who currently have no credit rating.

The reinsurers' share of insurance liabilities is based upon a best estimate given the profile of the insurance provisions outstanding and the related IBNR. Receivables arising out of reinsurance contracts are included in insurance and other receivables in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.

The average credit period of receivables arising out of reinsurance contracts are as follows:

Part of the Group's business consists of acquiring debts or companies with debts, which are normally past due. Any further analysis of these debts is not meaningful. The Directors monitor these debts closely and make appropriate provision for impairment.

The Directors believe the amounts past due but not impaired are recoverable in full.

Credit risk is managed at the committees established by the Group and Coverys Managing Agency Limited (Coverys):

The Group Board has a Group Reinsurance Asset Committee, chaired by a Non-Executive Director, which meets quarterly. Its function is to monitor and report on the Group's Syndicate and non-Syndicate reinsurance assets and, where necessary, recommend courses of action to the Group to protect the asset.

Coverys is the Lloyd's Managing Agent which manages the Syndicates on which the Group participates historically and for the 2018 Year of account. Coverys has established Syndicate Management Committees in relation to each managed syndicate and the Group has representation on each of these committees with the exception of the S1991 Committee on which the Group now only has a nominal participation. The committees are responsible for establishing minimum security levels for all reinsurance purchases by the managed Syndicates by reference to appropriate rating agencies for agreeing maximum concentration levels for individual reinsurers and intermediaries, and for dealing with any other issue relating to reinsurance assets.

There are also a number of Key Risk Indicators pertaining to reinsurance security and concentration which have been developed under the auspices of the Group Risk Committee and the Coverys Risk and Capital Committee, which monitor adherence to predefined risk appetite and tolerance levels.

c. Currency risk

Currency risk is the risk that the fair value of future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in foreign exchange rates.

The Group's principal transactions are carried out in sterling and its exposure to foreign exchange risk arises primarily with respect to US dollar and Euros. This is the same as in the previous year.

The Group's main objective in managing currency risk is to mitigate exposure to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. There have been no material changes in trading currencies during the year under review. The Group manages this risk by way of matching assets and liabilities by individual entity. Asset and liability matching is monitored by the Group's financial planning and treasury functions' establishedcash flow and liquidity management processes.

The Group's financial assets are primarily denominated in the same currencies as its insurance and investment contract liabilities. This mitigates the foreign currency exchange rate risk for the overseas operations. Thus, the main foreign exchange risk arises from assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than those in which insurance and investment contract liabilities are expected to be settled. The currency risk is effectively managed by the Group through derivative financial instruments. Forward currency contracts are used to eliminate the currency exposure on individual foreign transactions. The Group will not enter into these forward contracts until a firm commitment is in place.

The table below summarises the Group's principal assets and liabilities by major currencies:

The analysis that follows is performed for reasonably possible movements in key variables with all other variables held constant, showing the impact on profit before tax and equity due to changes in the fair value of currency sensitive monetary assets and liabilities including insurance contract claim liabilities. The correlation of variables will have a significant effect in determining the ultimate impact on market risk, but to demonstrate the impact due to changes in variables, variables had to be changed on an individual basis. It should be noted that movements in these variables are non-linear.

* Impact on equity reflects adjustments for tax, where applicable.

d. Capital management

The Group's objectives with respect to capital sufficiency are to maintain capital at a level that provides a suitable margin over that deemed by the Group's regulators and supervisors as providing an acceptable level of policyholder protection, whilst remaining economically viable. The Group is regulated in Bermuda by the Bermuda Monetary Authority ('BMA'). The BMA assesses the capital and solvency adequacy of the Group and requires that sufficient capital is in place to meet the Bermuda Solvency Capital Requirement ('BSCR'). The BSCR generates a risk-based capital measure by applying capital factors to capital and solvency return elements, including investments and other assets, premiums and reserves, operational risk, and insurer-specific catastrophe exposure measures, in order to establish an overall measure of capital and surplus for statutory solvency purposes.

The Group maintains a capital level that provides an adequate margin over the Group's solvency capital requirements whilst maintaining local capital which meets or exceeds the relevant local minima including, where appropriate, those relating to maintenance of external ratings. This is monitored by way of a capital sufficiency assessment by the Group Risk Committee.

e. Insurance risk

The Group underwrites live business, providing market access to reinsurers through a network of managing general agents. This program underwriting business, is underwritten in the USA by Accredited Surety and Casualty Inc. and in Europe by R&Q Insurance (Malta) Limited, both being A- credit rated risk carriers. The exposure to the Group is limited, to the credit risk of the reinsurers and the limited retentions on select lines of business program.

The Group participates on Syndicates shown below:

(i) Underwriting risk

Underwriting risk is the primary source of risk in the Group's live underwriting operations and is reflected in the scope and depth of the risk appetite and monitoring frameworks implemented in those entities. Individual operating entities are responsible for establishing a framework for the acceptance and monitoring of underwriting risk including appropriate consideration of potential individual and aggregate occurrence exposures, adequacy of reinsurance coverage and potential geographical and demographic concentrations of risk exposure.

In the event that potential risk concentrations are identified across operating entities, appropriate monitoring is developed to manage the overall Group exposure.

(ii) Reserving risk

Reserving risk represents a significant risk to the Group in terms of both driving required capital levels and the threat to volatility of earnings.

Reserving risk is managed through the application of an appropriate reserving approach to both live and run-off portfolios and the performance of extensive due diligence on new run-off portfolios and acquisitions prior to acceptance. Reserving exercises undertaken by the in-house actuarial team are supplemented with both scheduled and ad hoc reviews conducted by external actuaries.

Reserving risk is also mitigated through the use of reinsurance on live underwriting portfolios and through assuming the inuring reinsurance treaties in place in respect of acquired run-off acquisitions/portfolios.

Where appropriate, reserving risk is mitigated through the use of adverse loss development cover.

Claims development information is disclosed below in order to illustrate the effect of the uncertainty in the estimation of future claims settlements by the Group. The tables compare the ultimate claims estimates with the payments made to date. Details are presented on an aggregate basis and show the movements on a gross and net basis, and separately identify the effect of the various acquisitions made by the Group since 1 January 2014.

The reserve movements in 2014 arise principally from new business being written in 2017 in Accredited.

The analysis of claims development in the Group's run-off insurance entities is as follows: