Premium Volumes May Be Negatively Impacted. Reduced economic activity relating to the COVID-19 pandemic will likely decrease demand for our insurance products and services. In addition, we may alter our view on the insurance coverages that are appropriate to offer in various jurisdictions, which could further negatively impact our premium volumes.
Investments. Further disruptions in global financial markets due to the continuing impact of COVID-19 could cause us to incur additional unrealized and/or realized investment losses, including impairments in our fixed income portfolio and other investments.
For professional liability business, unfavorable development was driven mainly by large losses reported in the directors and officers (“D&O”), lawyers professional and excess hospital professional liability lines of business. For these lines of
Net premiums written were $7,262 million in 2020, an increase of 6% from $6,863 million in 2019. Ceded reinsurance premiums as a percentage of gross written premiums were 18% in 2020 and 17% in 2019.
Fixed Maturity Securities. The Company’s investment policy with respect to fixed maturity securities is generally to purchase instruments with the expectation of holding them to their maturity. However, management of the available for sale
(3)Many states require licensed insurers that provide workers' compensation insurance to participate in programs that provide workers' compensation to employers that cannot procure coverage from an insurer on a voluntary basis. Insurers can fulfill this residual market obligation by participating in pools where results are shared by the participating companies. The Company acts as a servicing carrier for workers' compensation pools in certain states. As a servicing carrier, the Company writes residual market business directly and then cedes 100% of this business to the respective pool. As a servicing carrier, the Company receives fee income for its services. The Company does not retain underwriting risk, and credit risk is limited as ceded balances are jointly shared by all the pool members.
The Company utilizes letters of credit to back certain reinsurance payments and obligations. Outstanding letters of credit were $4 million as of December 31, 2020. The Company has made certain guarantees to state regulators that the statutory capital of certain subsidiaries will be maintained above certain minimum levels.
We identified the assessment of the estimate of reserves as a critical audit matter because it involved significant measurement uncertainty, which required complex auditor judgement. Specialized actuarial skills and knowledge were required to evaluate the actuarial method or methods and assumptions used. Assumptions included loss development
Revenues from non-insurance businesses are derived from businesses engaged in the distribution of promotional merchandise, world-wide textile solutions, and aircraft services provided to the general, commercial and military aviation markets. These aircraft services include (i) the distribution, manufacturing, repair and overhaul of aircraft parts and components, (ii) the sale of new and used aircraft, and (iii) avionics, fuel, maintenance, storage and charter services. Revenue is recognized upon the shipment of products and parts, the delivery of aircraft, the delivery of fuel, and over the completion period of services.
The following tables present the components of the changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:
The amortized cost and fair value of fixed maturity securities at December 31, 2020, by contractual maturity, are shown below. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because certain issuers may have the right to call or prepay obligations.
For workers’ compensation, the favorable development was spread across almost all prior accident years, including prior to 2011, but was most significant in accident years 2016 through 2019. The favorable workers’ compensation development reflects a continuation of the benign loss cost trends experienced during recent years, particularly the favorable claim frequency trends (i.e., number of reported claims per unit of exposure). The long term trend of declining workers’ compensation frequency can be attributable to improved workplace safety. Loss severity trends were also aided by our continued investment in claims handling initiatives such as medical case management services and vendor savings through usage of preferred provider networks and pharmacy benefit managers. Reported workers’ compensation losses in 2020 continued to be below our expectations at most of our operating units, and were below the assumptions underlying our initial loss ratio picks and our previous reserve estimates for most prior accident years.
At December 31, 2020, the Company had commitments to invest up to $124 million and $200 million in certain investment funds and real estate construction projects, respectively.
The Company and its subsidiaries have profit sharing plans in which substantially all employees participate. The plans provide for minimum annual contributions of 5% of eligible compensation; contributions above the minimum are discretionary and vary with each participating operating unit's profitability. Employees become eligible to participate in the plan on the first day of the calendar quarter following the first full calendar quarter after the employee's date of hire provided the employee has completed 250 hours of service during the calendar quarter. The plans provide that 40% of the contributions vest immediately and that the remaining 60% vest at varying percentages based upon years of service. Profit sharing expense was $48 million, $47 million and $42 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.