Company: AXS-PE
Filing Date: 2025-02-26
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001214816-25-000056
Chunk: 72

Company: AXIS CAPITAL HOLDINGS LTD
Filing Date: 2025-02-26
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 8
Chunk 72
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writing year matures. The main advantage of the BF Method is that it provides a more stable estimate of ultimate losses than the Loss Development Method at earlier stages of development, while remaining more responsive to emerging loss development than the ELR Method. In addition, the BF Method allows for the incorporation of external market information through the use of expected loss ratios, whereas the Loss Development Method does not incorporate such information.As part of the loss reserving process, the Company's actuaries employ the estimation method(s) that they believe will produce the most reliable estimate of ultimate losses, at that particular evaluation date, for each line of business and accident year or underwriting year combination. Often, this is a blend (i.e., weighted average) of the results of two or more appropriate actuarial methods. These ultimate loss estimates are generally utilized to evaluate the adequacy of ultimate loss estimates for previous accident or underwriting years, established in the prior reporting period. For the initial estimate of the current accident or underwriting year, the available claim data is typically insufficient to produce a reliable estimate of ultimate losses. As a result, initial estimates for an accident or underwriting year are generally based on the ELR Method for longer tailed lines and a BF Method for shorter tailed lines. The initial ELR for each line of business is established by the Company's actuaries at the start of the year as part of the planning process, taking into consideration prior accident years’ or underwriting years' experience and industry benchmark information, adjusted after considering factors such as loss and exposure trends, rate differences, changes in contract terms and conditions, business mix changes and other known differences between the current and prior accident or underwriting years. The initial expected loss ratios for a given accident or underwriting year may be modified over time if the underlying assumptions, such as loss development or premium rate changes, differ from the original assumptions.Key Actuarial AssumptionsThe use of the above actuarial methods requires the Company to make certain explicit assumptions, the most significant of which are expected loss ratios and loss development patterns and the Company relies on historical loss experience in establishing these assumptions. In establishing expected loss ratios for the insurance segment, consideration is given to a number of other factors, including exposure trends, rate adequacy on new and renewal business, ceded reinsurance costs, changes in claims emergence and the Company's underwriters’ view of terms and conditions in the market environment. For the reinsurance segment, expected loss ratios are based on a contract-by-contract review, which considers information provided