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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
 
 
Form 10-K
 
 
 
 
     
(Mark One)    
þ
  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
    For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010
OR
o
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
    For the transition period from          to          
 
Commission file number: 001-32938
 
ALLIED WORLD ASSURANCE COMPANY HOLDINGS, AG
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
     
Switzerland
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  98-0681223
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
 
Lindenstrasse 8, 6340 Baar, Zug, Switzerland
(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)
 
41-41-768-1080
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
     
Title of Each Class
 
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Shares, par value CHF 15.00 per share   New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes þ     No o
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes o     No þ
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes þ     No o
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes þ     No o
 
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in the definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  o
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
 
Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer o Smaller reporting company o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  Yes o     No þ
 
The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common shares held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2010 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter) was approximately $2.3 billion based on the closing sale price of the registrant’s common shares on the New York Stock Exchange on that date.
 
As of February 21, 2011, 38,020,802 common shares were outstanding.
 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
The registrant’s definitive proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A with respect to the annual general meeting of the shareholders of the registrant scheduled to be held on May 5, 2011 is incorporated in Part III of this Form 10-K.
 


 

 
ALLIED WORLD ASSURANCE COMPANY HOLDINGS, AG
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
             
        Page
 
  Business     1  
  Risk Factors     26  
  Unresolved Staff Comments     52  
  Properties     59  
  Legal Proceedings     59  
  [Removed and Reserved]     60  
 
PART II
  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities     60  
  Selected Financial Data     63  
  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations     64  
  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk     122  
  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data     124  
  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure     124  
  Controls and Procedures     124  
  Other Information     127  
 
PART III
  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance     127  
  Executive Compensation     127  
  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters     127  
  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence     127  
  Principal Accountant Fees and Services     127  
 
PART IV
  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules     127  
    128  
    E-1  
    F-1  
 EX-4.1
 EX-10.33
 EX-10.40
 EX-10.41
 EX-21.1
 EX-23.1
 EX-31.1
 EX-31.2
 EX-32.1
 EX-32.2
 EX-101 INSTANCE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 SCHEMA DOCUMENT
 EX-101 CALCULATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 LABELS LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 DEFINITION LINKBASE DOCUMENT


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PART I
 
References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” “the company” or other similar terms mean the consolidated operations of Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG, a Swiss holding company, and our consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise. References in this Form 10-K to the terms “Allied World Switzerland” or “Holdings” means only Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG. References to our “insurance subsidiaries” may include our reinsurance subsidiaries. References in this Form 10-K to $ are to the lawful currency of the United States and to CHF are to the lawful currency of Switzerland. References in this Form 10-K to Holdings’ “common shares” means its registered voting shares and non-voting participation certificates. For your convenience, we have included a glossary beginning on page 53 of selected insurance and reinsurance terms.
 
Item 1.   Business.
 
Overview
 
We are a Swiss-based specialty insurance and reinsurance company that underwrites a diversified portfolio of property and casualty lines of business through offices located in Bermuda, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. For the year ended December 31, 2010, our U.S. insurance, international insurance and reinsurance segments accounted for 41.5%, 28.7% and 29.8%, respectively, of our total gross premiums written of $1,758.4 million. As of December 31, 2010, we had $10,427.6 million of total assets and $3,075.8 million of shareholders’ equity.
 
We were formed in Bermuda in November 2001. On December 1, 2010, Holdings became the ultimate parent company of Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd, the former publicly-traded Bermuda holding company (“Allied World Bermuda”), and its subsidiaries as a result of a redomestication effected pursuant to a scheme of arrangement under Bermuda law (the “Redomestication”).
 
Since our formation, we have focused primarily on the direct insurance markets. We offer our clients and producers significant capacity in both the direct property and casualty insurance markets as well as the reinsurance market.
 
Internationally, we first established a presence in Europe when Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited was approved to carry on business in the European Union (“EU”) from its office in Ireland in October 2002 and from a branch office in London in May 2003. Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited was approved to write reinsurance in the EU from its office in Ireland in July 2003 and from a branch office in London, England in August 2004. In October 2008, we expanded our European presence when Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited opened a branch office in Zug, Switzerland to further penetrate the European market.
 
In July 2002, we established a presence in the United States when we acquired two insurance companies, Allied World Assurance Company (U.S.) Inc. and Allied World National Assurance Company. In recent years we have made substantial investments to expand our North American business, which has grown significantly since 2009 and which we expect will continue to grow in size and importance in the coming years. In February 2008, we acquired a U.S. reinsurance company we subsequently renamed Allied World Reinsurance Company, and we write our U.S. reinsurance business through this company. In October 2008, we acquired Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Darwin”) to further expand our U.S. insurance platform. We currently have nine offices in the United States and we have recently become licensed in Canada.
 
In early 2010, we received approval from Lloyd’s of London (“Lloyd’s”) to establish a syndicate at Lloyd’s. Our new Lloyd’s syndicate, Syndicate 2232, commenced underwriting in June 2010. Syndicate 2232 is managed by Capita Managing Agency Limited, a subsidiary of The Capita Group PLC, which is authorized by the Financial Services Authority in the United Kingdom (the “FSA”). In July 2010, we received approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Lloyd’s Asia to register and operate a service company, Capita 2232 Services Pte. Ltd. As part of the Lloyd’s Asia platform, the service company underwrites exclusively on behalf of Syndicate 2232. Syndicate 2232, via the service company, offers a broad range of insurance and reinsurance treaty products from


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Singapore, including property, casualty and specialty lines, to clients in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions.
 
Our corporate expansion continued into Asia when Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd opened branch offices in Hong Kong in March 2009 and in Singapore in December 2009. We have undergone significant corporate expansion since our formation, and we now have 15 offices located in seven different countries.
 
Available Information
 
We maintain a website at www.awac.com. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
 
We make available, free of charge through our website, our financial information, including the information contained in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish such material to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). We also make available, free of charge through our website, our Audit Committee Charter, Compensation Committee Charter, Investment Committee Charter, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Charter, Enterprise Risk Committee Charter, Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Ethics for CEO and Senior Financial Officers and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Such information is also available in print for any shareholder who sends a request to Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG, Lindenstrasse 8, 6340 Baar, Zug, Switzerland, attention: Wesley D. Dupont, Corporate Secretary, or via e-mail to secretary@awac.com. Reports and other information we file with the SEC may also be viewed at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or viewed or obtained at the SEC Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549. Information on the operation of the SEC Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
 
Our Strategy
 
Our business objective is to generate attractive returns on equity and book value per share growth for our shareholders. We seek to achieve this objective by executing the following strategies:
 
  •  Capitalize on profitable underwriting opportunities.  Our experienced management and underwriting teams are positioned to locate and identify business with attractive risk/reward characteristics. We pursue a strategy that emphasizes profitability, not market share. Key elements of this strategy are prudent risk selection, appropriate pricing and adjusting our business mix to remain flexible and opportunistic. We seek ways to take advantage of underwriting opportunities that we believe will be profitable.
 
  •  Exercise underwriting and risk management discipline.  We believe we exercise underwriting and risk management discipline by: (i) maintaining a diverse spread of risk in our books of business across product lines and geographic zones; (ii) managing our aggregate property catastrophe exposure through the application of sophisticated modeling tools; (iii) monitoring our exposures on non-property catastrophe coverages; (iv) adhering to underwriting guidelines across our business lines; and (v) fostering a culture that focuses on enterprise risk management and strong internal controls.
 
  •  Maintain a conservative investment strategy.  We believe that we follow a conservative investment strategy designed to emphasize the preservation of our capital and provide adequate liquidity for the prompt payment of claims. Our investment portfolio consists primarily of investment-grade, fixed-maturity securities of short- to medium-term duration.
 
Our premium revenues are generated by operations conducted from our corporate headquarters in Switzerland and our other offices in Bermuda, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States. For information concerning our gross premiums written by geographic location of underwriting office, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Results of Operations — Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009” and ‘‘— Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2009 and 2008.”


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Our Operating Segments
 
We have three business segments: U.S. insurance, international insurance and reinsurance. These segments and their respective lines of business and products may, at times, be subject to different underwriting cycles. We modify our product strategy as market conditions change and new opportunities emerge by developing new products, targeting new industry classes or de-emphasizing existing lines. Our diverse underwriting skills and flexibility allow us to concentrate on the business lines where we expect to generate the greatest returns. Financial data relating to our three segments is included in Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and in our consolidated financial statements included in this report.
 
The gross premiums written in each segment for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 were as follows:
 
                                                 
    Year Ended
    Year Ended
    Year Ended
 
    December 31, 2010
    December 31, 2009
    December 31, 2008
 
    Gross Premiums Written     Gross Premiums Written     Gross Premiums Written  
Operating Segments
  $ (In millions)     % of Total     $ (In millions)     % of Total     $ (In millions)     % of Total  
 
U.S. insurance
  $ 729.3       41.5     $ 674.8       39.8     $ 320.0       22.2  
International insurance
    504.9       28.7       555.9       32.8       695.5       48.1  
Reinsurance
    524.2       29.8       465.6       27.4       430.1       29.7  
                                                 
Total
  $ 1,758.4       100.0 %   $ 1,696.3       100.0 %   $ 1,445.6       100.0 %
                                                 
 
U.S. Insurance Segment
 
General
 
The U.S. insurance segment includes our direct insurance operations in the United States. Within this segment we provide an increasingly diverse range of specialty liability products, with a particular emphasis on coverages for healthcare and professional liability risks. Additionally, we offer a selection of direct general casualty insurance and general property insurance products. We generally target small and middle-market, non-Fortune 1000 accounts domiciled in North America, including public entities, private companies and non-profit organizations. Over the past few years, we have enhanced our U.S. insurance operating platform, principally through hiring underwriting talent, through an expanded network of branch offices located in strategically important locations across the country and through upgrades to our information technology platform to accommodate our increasing business demands. We believe improvements to our operating platform have allowed us to assume and maintain a leading role as a writer of primary professional liability and other specialty liability coverage for small firms. We will continue to seek attractive opportunities in the U.S. market.
 
The chart below illustrates the breakdown of the company’s U.S. direct insurance gross premiums written by line of business for the year ended December 31, 2010.
 
(PIA CHART)


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Products and Customer Base
 
Our casualty operations in the United States focus on insurance products providing coverage for specialty type risks, such as professional liability, environmental liability, product liability and healthcare liability risks, and we offer commercial general liability products as well. Professional liability products include policies covering directors and officers, employment practices and fiduciary liability insurance. We also offer a diverse mix of errors and omissions liability coverages for a variety of service providers, including law firms, technology companies, insurance companies, insurance agents and brokers, and municipalities. We regularly assess our product mix, and we evaluate new products and markets where we believe our underwriting and service will allow us to differentiate our offerings. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our professional liability business accounted for 28.9%, or $211.1 million, of our total gross premiums written in the U.S. insurance segment.
 
We also provide both primary and excess liability and other casualty coverages to the healthcare industry, including hospitals and hospital systems, managed care organizations and medical facilities such as home care providers, specialized surgery and rehabilitation centers, and outpatient clinics. Our healthcare operations in the U.S. targets small and middle-market accounts. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our healthcare business accounted for 24.5%, or $179.8 million, of our total gross premiums written in the U.S. insurance segment.
 
In late 2009, we commenced writing environmental liability business by offering a line of environmental casualty products covering the pollution and related liability exposures of general contractors, tank installers, remediation contractors and others. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our environmental casualty business accounted for approximately 1.8%, or $13.4 million, of our total gross premiums written in the U.S. insurance segment.
 
With respect to general casualty products, we provide both primary and excess liability coverage, and our focus is on complex risks in a variety of industries including construction, real estate, public entities, retailers, manufacturing, transportation, and finance and insurance services. We also offer comprehensive workers compensation insurance to employees working outside of the United States on contracts for agencies of the U.S. government of foreign operations of U.S. companies. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our general casualty business accounted for 20.0%, or $145.7 million, of our total gross premiums written in the U.S. insurance segment.
 
Our U.S. property insurance operations provide direct coverage of physical property and business interruption coverage for commercial property risks. We write solely commercial coverages and concentrate our efforts on primary risk layers of insurance (as opposed to excess layers), offering meaningful but limited capacity in these layers. This means that we are typically part of the first group of insurers that cover a loss up to a specified limit. Our underwriters are spread among our locations in the United States because we believe it is important to be physically present in the major insurance markets where we compete for business.
 
We offer general property products from our underwriting platforms in the United States, and cover risks for retail chains, real estate, manufacturers, hotels and casinos, and municipalities. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our general property business accounted for 10.2%, or $73.7 million, of our total gross premiums written in the U.S. insurance segment.
 
We currently have a total of nine insurance programs in the United States, offering a variety of products including professional liability, excess casualty and primary general liability. We retain responsibility for administration of claims, although we may opt to outsource claims in selected situations. Before we enter into a program administration relationship, we analyze historic loss data associated with the program business and perform a diligence review of the administrator’s underwriting, financial condition and information technology. In selecting program administrators, we consider the integrity, experience and reputation of the program administrator, the availability of reinsurance and the potential profitability of the business. In order to assure the continuing integrity of the underwriting and related business operations in our program business, we conduct additional reviews and audits of the program administrator on an ongoing basis. To help align our interests with those of our program administrators, we seek to include profit incentives based on long-term underwriting results as a component of their fees. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our program business accounted for 14.6%, or $105.7 million, of our total gross premiums written in the U.S. insurance segment.


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For more information concerning our gross premiums written by line of business in our U.S. insurance segment, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Results of Operations — U.S. Insurance Segment — Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009” and “— Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2009 and 2008.”
 
Distribution
 
Within our U.S. insurance segment, insurance policies are placed through a network of over 200 insurance intermediaries, including excess and surplus lines wholesalers and regional and national retail brokerage firms. A subset of these intermediaries also access certain of our U.S. casualty products via our proprietary i-bind platform that allows for accelerated quote and bind capabilities through the Internet. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (“Marsh”) accounted for approximately 10% of gross premiums written in this segment during 2010.
 
International Insurance Segment
 
General
 
The international insurance segment includes our established direct insurance operations outside of the United States. It includes our operations in Bermuda, Europe and Asia. Our Bermuda operations underwrite primarily larger, Fortune 1000 casualty and property risks for accounts domiciled in North America, and have entered into a relationship with Latin American Underwriters to offer trade credit and political risk coverages primarily for clients doing business in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our insurance operations in Europe, with offices in Dublin and London, have focused on mid-sized to large European and multi-national companies domiciled outside of North America, and we are also diversifying towards smaller and middle-market accounts. In addition, Syndicate 2232 offers select product lines including international property, general casualty and professional liability, targeted at key territories such as countries in Latin America and the Asia Pacific region. The international insurance segment also encompasses our offices in Asia that were opened in 2009, including our Hong Kong office, which underwrites a variety of primary and excess professional liability lines and general casualty and healthcare insurance products. Our staff in the international insurance segment is spread among our locations in Bermuda, Europe and Asia because we believe it is important that our underwriters be physically present in the major insurance markets around the world where we compete for business.
 
The chart below illustrates the breakdown of the company’s international insurance gross premiums written by line of business for the year ended December 31, 2010.
 
(PIA CHART)
 
Products and Customer Base
 
The casualty business within our international insurance segment focuses primarily on insuring excess layers, with a median attachment point of $79 million for the large and Fortune 1000 accounts that constitute our core casualty accounts in this segment. Our international insurance segment utilizes significant gross limit capacity. Our focus with respect to general casualty products is on complex risks in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, energy, chemicals, transportation, real estate, consumer products, medical and healthcare services and


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construction. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our general casualty business accounted for 26.2%, or $132.3 million, of our total gross premiums written in the international insurance segment.
 
We provide professional liability products such as directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary and errors and omissions liability insurance. We offer a diverse mix of coverages for a number of industries including law firms, technology companies, financial institutions, insurance companies and brokers, municipalities, media organizations and engineering and construction firms. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our professional liability business accounted for 31.8%, or $160.7 million, of our total gross premiums written in the international insurance segment.
 
Our healthcare underwriters provide risk transfer products to numerous healthcare institutions, such as hospitals, managed care organizations and healthcare systems. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our healthcare business accounted for 11.7%, or $59.3 million, of our total gross premiums written in the international insurance segment.
 
We offer general property products from our underwriting platforms in Bermuda and Europe. Our international property insurance operations provide direct coverage of physical property and business interruption coverage for commercial property risks. We write solely commercial coverages and focus on the insurance of the primary risk layer. The types of commercial property risks we cover include retail chains, real estate, manufacturers, hotels and casinos. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our general property business (including energy lines) accounted for 30.3%, or $152.6 million, of our total gross premiums written in the international insurance segment.
 
Because of the large limits we often deploy for casualty and property business written in the international insurance segment, we utilize both facultative and treaty reinsurance to reduce our net exposure. For more information on the reinsurance we purchase for the property and casualty business written in international insurance segment, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Critical Accounting Policies — Ceded Reinsurance.” For more information on our gross premiums written by line of business in our international insurance segment, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Results of Operations — International Insurance Segment — Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009” and “— Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2009 and 2008.”
 
Distribution
 
With regard to our international insurance segment, we utilize our relationships with insurance intermediaries as our principal method for obtaining business. Our international insurance segment maintains significant relationships with Marsh, Aon Corporation (“Aon”) and Willis Group Holdings (“Willis”), which accounted for 30%, 24% and 10%, respectively, of our gross premiums written in this segment during 2010.
 
Reinsurance Segment
 
General
 
Our reinsurance segment includes the reinsurance of property, general casualty, professional liability, specialty lines and property catastrophe coverages written by other insurance companies. In order to diversify our portfolio and complement our direct insurance business, we target the overall contribution from reinsurance to be approximately 30% of our total annual gross premiums written.
 
We presently write reinsurance on both a treaty and a facultative basis, targeting several niche markets including professional liability lines, specialty casualty, property for U.S. regional insurers, accident and health and to a lesser extent marine and aviation. Overall, we strive to diversify our reinsurance portfolio through the appropriate combination of business lines, ceding source, geography and contract configuration. Our primary customer focus is on highly-rated carriers with proven underwriting skills and dependable operating models.
 
We determine appropriate pricing either by using pricing models built or approved by our actuarial staff or by relying on established pricing set by one of our pricing actuaries for a specific treaty. Pricing models are generally used for facultative reinsurance, property catastrophe reinsurance, property per risk reinsurance and workers


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compensation and personal accident catastrophe reinsurance. Other types of reinsurance rely on actuarially-established pricing. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our reinsurance segment generated gross premiums written of $524.2 million. On a written basis, our business mix is more heavily weighted to reinsurance during the first three months of the year. Our reinsurance segment operates from our offices in Bermuda, London, New York, Singapore and Switzerland.
 
The chart below illustrates the breakdown of the company’s reinsurance gross premiums written by line of business for the year ended December 31, 2010.
 
(PIA CHART)
 
Product Lines and Customer Base
 
Property, general casualty and professional liability treaty reinsurance is the principal source of revenue for this segment. The insurers we reinsure range from single state to nationwide insurers in the United States as well as specialty carriers or the specialty divisions of standard lines carriers located there. For our international treaty unit, our clients include multi-national insurers, single territory insurers, niche carriers and Lloyd’s syndicates. We focus on niche programs and coverages, frequently sourced from excess and surplus lines insurers. We established an international treaty unit and began writing non-U.S. accounts in 2003, which spread the segment’s exposure beyond our original North American focus. In October 2008, we expanded our international reach by opening a branch office in Switzerland that offers property, general casualty and professional liability products throughout Europe. Syndicate 2232 also offers international treaty reinsurance. During 2009, we expanded our reinsurance operations both in Asia, where we opened a branch office in Singapore that serves as the company’s hub for all classes of treaty reinsurance business for the region, and in the United States, where we added a property underwriting team to our reinsurance platform. In December 2010, we launched a marine and specialty division that will offer reinsurance for marine, aviation, satellite and crop risks on a global basis. We target a portfolio of well-rated companies that are highly knowledgeable in their product lines, have the financial resources to execute their business plans and are committed to underwriting discipline throughout the underwriting cycle.
 
Our North American property reinsurance treaties protect insurers who write residential, commercial and industrial accounts where the exposure to loss is chiefly North American. We emphasize monoline, per risk accounts, which are structured as either quota share or excess-of-loss reinsurance. Monoline reinsurance applies to one kind of coverage, and per risk reinsurance coverage applies to a particular risk (for example a building and its contents), rather than on a per accident, event or aggregate basis. Where possible, coverage is provided on a “losses occurring” basis. We selectively write industry loss warranties where we believe market opportunities justify the risks. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our property treaty business accounted for 25.5%, or $133.8 million of our total gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.
 
Our North American general casualty treaties cover working layer, intermediate layer and catastrophe exposures. We sell both quota share and excess-of-loss reinsurance. We principally underwrite general liability, auto liability and commercial excess and umbrella liability for both admitted and non-admitted companies. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our North American general casualty treaty business accounted for 30.6%, or $160.2 million, of our total gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.


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Our North American professional liability treaties cover several products, primarily directors’ and officers’ liability, but also attorneys’ malpractice, medical malpractice, miscellaneous professional classes and transactional risk liability. The complex exposures undertaken by this unit demand highly technical underwriting and pricing modeling analysis. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our professional liability treaty business accounted for 14.9%, or $78.0 million, of our total gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.
 
Our international treaty unit’s portfolio protects U.K. insurers, including Lloyd’s of London syndicates and Continental European companies. While we continue to concentrate on Euro-centric business, we are now writing and will increasingly expand our capabilities outside of Europe. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the international treaty unit accounted for 20.8%, or $109.0 million, of our total gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.
 
For our specialty reinsurance business, we underwrite accident and health business, emphasizing catastrophe personal accident programs and workers compensation catastrophe business. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our specialty reinsurance business accounted for 5.5%, or $28.8 million, of our total gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.
 
Facultative casualty business principally comprises lower-attachment, individual-risk reinsurance covering automobile liability, general liability and workers compensation risks for many of the largest U.S. property-casualty and surplus lines insurers. During the year ended December 31, 2010, our facultative reinsurance business accounted for 2.7%, or $14.4 million, of our total gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment.
 
For more information on our gross premiums written by line of business in our reinsurance segment, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Results of Operations — Reinsurance Segment — Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009” and “— Comparison of Years Ended December 31, 2009 and 2008.”
 
Distribution
 
Due to a number of factors, including transactional size and complexity, the distribution infrastructure of the reinsurance marketplace is characterized by relatively few intermediary firms. As a result, we have close business relationships with a small number of reinsurance intermediaries, and our reinsurance segment business during 2010 was primarily with affiliates of Marsh, Aon and Willis accounting for 38%, 32% and 11%, respectively, of total gross premiums written in this segment during 2010. Due to the substantial percentages of premiums produced in our U.S. insurance, internal insurance and reinsurance segments by the top three intermediaries, the loss of business from any one of them could have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
Security Arrangements
 
Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd, our Bermuda insurance and reinsurance company, is not admitted as an insurer nor is it accredited as a reinsurer in any jurisdiction in the United States. As a result, it is generally required to post collateral security with respect to any reinsurance liabilities it assumes from ceding insurers domiciled in the United States in order for U.S. ceding companies to obtain credit on their U.S. statutory financial statements with respect to insurance liabilities ceded by them. Under applicable statutory provisions, the security arrangements may be in the form of letters of credit, reinsurance trusts maintained by trustees or funds-withheld arrangements where assets are held by the ceding company. For a description of the security arrangements used by us, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources — Restrictions and Specific Requirements.”
 
Enterprise Risk Management
 
General
 
While the assumption of risk is inherent in our business, we believe we have developed a strong risk management culture that is fostered and maintained by our senior management. Our enterprise risk management (“ERM”) consists of numerous processes and controls that have been designed by our senior management, with oversight by our Board of Directors, including through its Enterprise Risk Committee, and implemented by


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employees across our organization. One key element of our ERM is our economic capital model. Utilizing this modeling framework, we review the relative interaction between risks impacting us from underwriting through investment risks. Our ERM supports our firm-wide decision making process by aiming to provide reliable and timely risk information. Our primary ERM objectives are to:
 
  •  protect our capital position,
 
  •  ensure that our assumed risks (individually and in the aggregate) are within our firm-wide risk appetite,
 
  •  maximize our risk-adjusted returns on capital, and
 
  •  manage our earnings volatility.
 
We have identified the following six major categories of risk within our business:
 
Underwriting risk:  Encompasses risks associated with entering into insurance and reinsurance transactions and includes frequency and severity assessments, pricing adequacy issues and exposures posed by new products. For more information concerning our management of underwriting risk, see “Underwriting Risk Management” below.
 
Catastrophe and Aggregate Accumulation risk:  Addresses the organization’s exposure to natural catastrophes, such as windstorms or floods, particularly with regard to managing the concentration of exposed insurance limits within coastal or other areas that are more prone to severe catastrophic events. For more information concerning our management of catastrophe risk, see “Underwriting Risk Management” below.
 
Reserving risk:  The risks associated with overestimating or underestimating required reserves is a significant risk for any company that writes long-tailed casualty business. For companies like ours with a shorter operating history, there is less statistical experience upon which to base reserve estimates for long-tail business and the risks associated with over-reserving or under-reserving are therefore commensurately higher.
 
Investment risk:  Addresses risks of market volatility and losses associated with individual investments and investment classes, as well as overall portfolio risk associated with decisions as to asset mix, geographic risk, duration and liquidity.
 
Reinsurance risk:  The ceding of policies we write to other reinsurers is a principal risk management activity, and it requires careful monitoring of the concentration of our reinsured exposures and the creditworthiness of the reinsurers to which we cede business.
 
Operational risk:  Encompasses a wide range of risks related to our operations, including: corporate governance, claims settlement processes, regulatory compliance, employment practices and IT exposures (including disaster recovery and business continuity planning).
 
Our risk governance structure includes committees comprised of senior underwriting, actuarial, finance, legal, investment and operations staff that identify, monitor and help manage each of these risks. Our management-based Risk Management Committee, chaired by our Chief Risk Officer, focuses primarily on identifying correlations among our primary categories of risk, developing metrics to assess our overall risk position, performing an annual risk assessment and reviewing continually factors that may impact our organizational risk. This risk governance structure is complemented by our internal audit department, which assesses the adequacy and effectiveness of our internal control systems and coordinates risk-based audits and compliance reviews and other specific initiatives to evaluate and address risk within targeted areas of our business. Our ERM is a dynamic process, with periodic updates being made to reflect organizational processes and the recalibration of our models, as well as staying current with changes within our industry and the global economic environment.
 
Our management’s internal ERM efforts are overseen by our Board of Directors, primarily through its Enterprise Risk Committee. This committee, comprised of independent directors, is charged with reviewing and recommending to the Board of Directors our overall firm-wide risk appetite as well as overseeing management’s compliance therewith. Our Enterprise Risk Committee reviews our risk management methodologies, standards, tolerances and risk strategies, and assesses whether management is addressing risk issues in a timely and appropriate manner. This committee also works in consultation with our Audit Committee, Investment Committee


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and Compensation Committee to oversee financial, investment and compensation risks, respectively. Internal controls and ERM can provide a reasonable but not absolute assurance that our control objectives will be met. The possibility of material financial loss remains in spite of our ERM efforts.
 
Underwriting Risk Management
 
Underwriting insurance and reinsurance coverage, which is our primary business activity, entails the assumption of risk. Therefore, protecting corporate assets from an unexpected level of loss related to underwriting activities is a major area of focus. We emphasize careful risk selection by evaluating a potential insured’s risk management practices, loss history and adequacy of retention. Other factors that go into the effective management of underwriting risk may differ depending on the line of business involved and the type of account being insured or reinsured.
 
In our direct insurance casualty products, we strive to write diverse books of business across a variety of product lines and industry classes, and we review business concentrations on a regular basis with the objective of creating balanced portfolios. By maintaining a balanced casualty portfolio, we believe we are less vulnerable to adverse market changes in any one product or industry. In addition, because of the large limits we often deploy for casualty business written in the U.S. insurance segment and the international insurance segment, we utilize both facultative and treaty reinsurance to reduce our net exposure. For more information on the reinsurance we purchase for the casualty business written in the U.S. insurance and international insurance segments, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Critical Accounting Policies — Ceded Reinsurance.”
 
In our direct insurance property products, we have historically managed our property catastrophe exposure by closely monitoring our policy limits in addition to utilizing complex risk models that analyze the locations covered by each insurance policy enabling us to obtain a more accurate assessment of our property catastrophe exposure. In addition to our continued focus on aggregate limits and modeled probable maximum loss, we have implemented a gross exposed policy limits approach that focuses on exposures in catastrophe-prone geographic zones and takes into consideration flood severity, demand surge and business interruption exposures for each critical area. We closely monitor our gross accumulations in each zone and restrict our gross exposed policy limits in each critical property catastrophe zone to an amount consistent with our probable maximum loss. Subsequent to a catastrophic event, we reassess our risk appetite and risk tolerances to ensure they are aligned with our capital preservation targets. Additionally, for our direct property, workers compensation, accident and health catastrophe and property reinsurance business, we seek to manage our risk exposure so that our probable maximum losses for a single catastrophe event, after all applicable reinsurance, in any “one-in-250-year” event does not exceed approximately 20% of our total capital.
 
Before we review the specifics of any proposal in our reinsurance segment, we consider the attributes of the client, including the experience and reputation of its management and its risk management strategy. We also examine the level of shareholders’ equity, industry ratings, length of incorporation, duration of business model, portfolio profitability, types of exposures and the extent of its liabilities. To identify, manage and monitor accumulations of exposures from potential property catastrophes, we employ industry-recognized software. Our underwriters, actuaries and claims personnel collaborate throughout the reinsurance underwriting process. For property proposals, we also obtain information on the nature of the perils to be included and the policy information on all locations to be covered under the reinsurance contract. If a program meets our underwriting criteria, we then assess the adequacy of its proposed pricing, terms and conditions, and its potential impact on our profit targets and risk objectives.
 
Competition
 
The insurance and reinsurance industry is highly competitive. Insurance and reinsurance companies compete on the basis of many factors, including premium rates, general reputation and perceived financial strength, the terms and conditions of the products offered, ratings assigned by independent rating agencies, speed of claims payments and reputation and experience in risks underwritten.


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We compete with major U.S. and non-U.S. insurers and reinsurers, many of which have greater financial, marketing and management resources than we do. Some of these companies have more capital than our company. In our direct insurance business, we compete with insurers that provide property and casualty-based lines of insurance such as: ACE Limited, Arch Capital Group Ltd., Axis Capital Holdings Limited, Chartis Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”)), The Chubb Corporation (“Chubb”), Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd., Factory Mutual Insurance Company, HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., Ironshore Inc., Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Lloyd’s, Markel Insurance Company, Munich Re Group, The Navigators Group, Inc., OneBeacon Insurance Group, Ltd, Swiss Reinsurance Company, W.R. Berkeley Corporation, XL Capital Ltd and Zurich Financial Services. In our reinsurance business, we compete with reinsurers that provide property and casualty-based lines of reinsurance such as: ACE Limited, Alterra Capital Holdings, Ltd, Arch Capital Group Ltd., Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Everest Re Group, Ltd., Lloyd’s of London, Montpelier Re Holdings Ltd., Munich Re Group, PartnerRe Ltd., Platinum Underwriters Holdings, Ltd., RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., Swiss Reinsurance Company, Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. and XL Capital Ltd.
 
In addition, risk-linked securities and derivative and other non-traditional risk transfer mechanisms and vehicles are being developed and offered by other parties, including entities other than insurance and reinsurance companies. The availability of these non-traditional products could reduce the demand for traditional insurance and reinsurance.
 
Our Financial Strength Ratings
 
Ratings are an important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance and reinsurance companies. A.M. Best, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have each developed a rating system to provide an opinion of an insurer’s or reinsurer’s financial strength and ability to meet ongoing obligations to its policyholders. Each rating reflects the rating agency’s opinion of the capitalization, management and sponsorship of the entity to which it relates, and is neither an evaluation directed to investors in our common shares nor a recommendation to buy, sell or hold our common shares. A.M. Best ratings currently range from “A+” (Superior) to “F” (In Liquidation) and include 16 separate ratings categories. Moody’s maintains a letter scale rating from “Aaa” (Exceptional) to “NP” (Not Prime) and includes 21 separate ratings categories. Standard & Poor’s maintains a letter scale rating system ranging from “AAA” (Extremely Strong) to “R” (under regulatory supervision) and includes 21 separate ratings categories. Our principal operating subsidiaries and their respective ratings from A.M. Best, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s are provided in the table below.
 
                         
    Rated “A”
  Rated “A2”
  Rated “A-”
    (Excellent) from
  (Good) from
  (Strong) from
Subsidiary
  A.M. Best(1)   Moody’s(2)   Standard & Poor’s(3)
 
Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd
    X       X       X  
Allied World Assurance Company (U.S.) Inc. 
    X       X       X  
Allied World National Assurance Company
    X       X       X  
Allied World Reinsurance Company
    X       X       X  
Darwin National Assurance Company
    X              
Darwin Select Insurance Company
    X              
Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited
    X             X  
Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited
    X             X  
 
 
(1) Third highest of 16 available ratings from A.M. Best.
 
(2) Sixth highest of 21 available ratings from Moody’s.
 
(3) Seventh highest of 21 available ratings from Standard & Poor’s.
 
In 2010, we established Syndicate 2232 and commenced underwriting activities through the Lloyd’s market. All Lloyd’s syndicates benefit from Lloyd’s central resources, including Lloyd’s brand, its network of global licenses and the central fund. As all of Lloyd’s policies are ultimately backed by this common security, a single


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market rating can be applied. A.M. Best has assigned Lloyd’s a financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings have assigned Lloyd’s a financial strength rating of “A+” (Strong).
 
In addition, our $500 million aggregate principal amount of 7.50% senior notes due 2016 and $300 million aggregate principal amount of 5.50% senior notes due 2020 have each been assigned the following ratings: a senior unsecured debt rating of bbb by A.M. Best (fourth of eight A.M. Best debt rating categories); a rating of BBB by Standard & Poor’s (fourth of 10 debt rating categories); and rating of Baa1 (fourth of nine debt rating categories) by Moody’s. These ratings are subject to periodic review, and may be revised upward, downward or revoked, at the sole discretion of the rating agencies.
 
Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses
 
We are required by applicable insurance laws and regulations in the countries in which we operate and accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) to establish loss reserves to cover our estimated liability for the payment of all losses and loss expenses incurred with respect to premiums earned on the policies and treaties that we write. These reserves are balance sheet liabilities representing estimates of losses and loss expenses we are required to pay for insured or reinsured claims that have occurred as of or before the balance sheet date. It is our policy to establish these losses and loss expense reserves using prudent actuarial methods after reviewing all information known to us as of the date they are recorded. For more specific information concerning the statistical and actuarial methods we use to estimate ultimate expected losses and loss expenses, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Critical Accounting Policies — Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses.”
 
The following tables show the development of gross and net reserves for losses and loss expenses, respectively. The tables do not present accident or policy year development data. Each table begins by showing the original year-end reserves recorded at the balance sheet date for each of the years presented (“as originally estimated”). This represents the estimated amounts of losses and loss expenses arising in all prior years that are unpaid at the balance sheet date, including reserves for losses incurred but not reported (“IBNR”). The re-estimated liabilities reflect additional information regarding claims incurred prior to the end of the preceding financial year. A (redundancy) or deficiency arises when the re-estimation of reserves recorded at the end of each prior year is (less than) or greater than its estimation at the preceding year-end. The cumulative (redundancies) or deficiencies represent cumulative differences between the original reserves and the currently re-estimated liabilities over all prior years. Annual changes in the estimates are reflected in the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income for each year, as the liabilities are re-estimated.


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The lower sections of the tables show the portions of the original reserves that were paid (claims paid) as of the end of subsequent years. This section of each table provides an indication of the portion of the re-estimated liability that is settled and is unlikely to develop in the future. For our quota share treaty reinsurance business, we have estimated the allocation of claims paid to applicable years based on a review of large losses and earned premium percentages.
 
Development of Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses Cumulative Deficiency (Redundancy)
Gross Losses
 
                                                                                 
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006     2007     2008(1)     2009     2010  
    ($ in thousands)  
 
As Originally Estimated:
  $ 213     $ 310,508     $ 1,062,138     $ 2,084,331     $ 3,543,811     $ 3,900,546     $ 4,307,637     $ 4,576,828     $ 4,761,772     $ 4,879,188  
Liability Re-estimated as of:
                                                                               
One Year Later
    213       253,691       981,713       1,961,172       3,403,274       3,622,721       3,484,894       4,290,335       4,329,254          
Two Years Later
    213       226,943       899,176       1,873,599       3,249,263       3,247,858       3,149,303       3,877,832                  
Three Years Later
    213       217,712       845,162       1,733,707       2,894,460       2,911,300       2,791,110                          
Four Years Later
    213       199,860       810,183       1,513,697       2,558,600       2,605,761                                  
Five Years Later
    213       205,432       704,666       1,306,220       2,315,913                                          
Six Years Later
    213       196,495       626,818       1,235,604                                                  
Seven Years Later
    213       179,752       619,903                                                          
Eight Years Later
    213       184,107                                                                  
Nine Years Later
    213                                                                          
Cumulative (Redundancy)
          (126,401 )     (442,235 )     (848,727 )     (1,227,898 )     (1,294,785 )     (1,516,527 )     (698,996 )     (432,518 )        
Cumulative Claims Paid as of:
                                                                               
One Year Later
          54,288       138,843       374,605       718,263       560,163       583,447       574,823       634,463          
Two Years Later
          83,465       237,949       574,399       1,154,901       1,002,503       943,879       1,089,540                  
Three Years Later
          100,978       301,264       725,955       1,521,586       1,252,921       1,311,398                          
Four Years Later
    18       124,109       372,187       842,931       1,662,811       1,531,899                                  
Five Years Later
    18       163,516       425,394       910,393       1,828,977                                          
Six Years Later
    18       184,691       456,652       971,953                                                  
Seven Years Later
    18       195,688       478,055                                                          
Eight Years Later
    18       201,516                                                                  
Nine Years Later
    18                                                                          
 
 
(1) Reserve for losses and loss expenses includes the reserves for losses and loss expenses of Finial Insurance Company (renamed Allied World Reinsurance Company), which we acquired in February 2008, and Darwin, which we acquired in October 2008.


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Development of Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses
Cumulative Deficiency (Redundancy)
 
Gross Losses
 
                                                                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006     2007     2008     2009  
 
Liability Re-estimated as of:
                                                                       
One Year Later
    100 %     82 %     92 %     94 %     96 %     93 %     81 %     94 %     91 %
Two Years Later
    100 %     73 %     85 %     90 %     92 %     83 %     73 %     85 %        
Three Years Later
    100 %     70 %     80 %     83 %     82 %     75 %     65 %                
Four Years Later
    100 %     64 %     76 %     73 %     72 %     67 %                        
Five Years Later
    100 %     66 %     66 %     63 %     65 %                                
Six Years Later
    100 %     63 %     59 %     59 %                                        
Seven Years Later
    100 %     58 %     58 %                                                
Eight Years Later
    100 %     59 %                                                        
Nine Years Later
    100 %                                                                
Cumulative (Redundancy)
          (41 )%     (42 )%     (41 )%     (35 )%     (33 )%     (35 )%     (15 )%     (9 )%
Gross Loss and Loss Expense Cumulative Paid as a Percentage of Originally Estimated Liability
                                                                       
Cumulative Claims Paid as of:
                                                                       
One Year Later
    0 %     17 %     13 %     18 %     20 %     14 %     14 %     13 %     13 %
Two Years Later
    0 %     27 %     22 %     28 %     33 %     26 %     22 %     24 %        
Three Years Later
    0 %     33 %     28 %     35 %     43 %     32 %     30 %                
Four Years Later
    8 %     40 %     35 %     40 %     47 %     39 %                        
Five Years Later
    8 %     53 %     40 %     44 %     52 %                                
Six Years Later
    8 %     59 %     43 %     47 %                                        
Seven Years Later
    8 %     63 %     45 %                                                
Eight Years Later
    8 %     65 %                                                        
Nine Years Later
    8 %                                                                


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Losses Net of Reinsurance
 
                                                                                 
    2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006     2007     2008(1)     2009     2010  
 
As Originally Estimated:
  $ 213     $ 299,946     $ 967,305     $ 1,809,588     $ 2,826,930     $ 3,211,441     $ 3,624,872     $ 3,688,514     $ 3,841,781     $ 3,951,600  
Liability Re-estimated as of:
                                                                               
One Year Later
    213       243,129       887,870       1,760,469       2,662,723       2,978,320       3,312,248       3,440,522       3,528,426          
Two Years Later
    213       216,381       833,496       1,655,675       2,551,946       2,699,585       3,032,063       3,128,342                  
Three Years Later
    213       207,945       773,967       1,551,115       2,281,007       2,416,966       2,742,484                          
Four Years Later
    213       191,471       746,355       1,353,988       1,986,782       2,152,221                                  
Five Years Later
    213       197,656       648,469       1,162,263       1,776,483                                          
Six Years Later
    213       188,733       574,803       1,098,702                                                  
Seven Years Later
    213       172,219       568,273                                                          
Eight Years Later
    213       176,582                                                                  
Nine Years Later
    213                                                                          
Cumulative (Redundancy)
          (123,364 )     (399,032 )     (710,886 )     (1,050,447 )     (1,059,220 )     (882,388 )     (560,172 )     (313,355 )        
Cumulative Claims Paid as of:
                                                                               
One Year Later
          52,077       133,336       306,865       461,310       377,250       415,214       415,902       498,084          
Two Years Later
          76,843       214,939       482,038       759,276       698,959       681,332       811,697                  
Three Years Later
          93,037       272,028       624,894       990,514       884,077       964,790                          
Four Years Later
    18       116,494       342,898       733,286       1,090,679       1,094,011                                  
Five Years Later
    18       155,904       407,712       783,091       1,219,997                                          
Six Years Later
    18       172,974       426,354       833,918                                                  
Seven Years Later
    18       176,390       440,812                                                          
Eight Years Later
    18       177,880                                                                  
Nine Years Later
    18                                                                          
 
 
(1) Reserve for losses and loss expenses net includes the reserves for losses and loss expenses of Finial Insurance Company (renamed Allied World Reinsurance Company), which we acquired in February 2008, and Darwin, which we acquired in October 2008.


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Losses Net of Reinsurance
 
                                                                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2001     2002     2003     2004     2005     2006     2007     2008     2009  
 
Liability Re-estimated as of:
                                                                       
One Year Later
    100 %     81 %     92 %     97 %     94 %     93 %     91 %     93 %     92 %
Two Years Later
    100 %     72 %     86 %     91 %     90 %     84 %     84 %     85 %        
Three Years Later
    100 %     69 %     80 %     86 %     81 %     75 %     76 %                
Four Years Later
    100 %     64 %     77 %     75 %     70 %     67 %                        
Five Years Later
    100 %     66 %     67 %     64 %     63 %                                
Six Years Later
    100 %     63 %     59 %     61 %                                        
Seven Years Later
    100 %     57 %     59 %                                                
Eight Years Later
    100 %     59 %                                                        
Nine Years Later
    100 %                                                                
Cumulative (Redundancy)
          (41 )%     (41 )%     (39 )%     (37 )%     (33 )%     (24 )%     (15 )%     (8 )%
Net Loss and Loss Expense Cumulative Paid as a Percentage of Originally Estimated Liability
                                                                       
Cumulative Claims Paid as of:
                                                                       
One Year Later
    0 %     17 %     14 %     17 %     16 %     12 %     11 %     11 %     13 %
Two Years Later
    0 %     26 %     22 %     27 %     27 %     22 %     19 %     22 %        
Three Years Later
    0 %     31 %     28 %     35 %     35 %     28 %     27 %                
Four Years Later
    8 %     39 %     35 %     41 %     39 %     34 %                        
Five Years Later
    8 %     52 %     42 %     43 %     43 %                                
Six Years Later
    8 %     58 %     44 %     46 %                                        
Seven Years Later
    8 %     59 %     46 %                                                
Eight Years Later
    8 %     59 %                                                        
Nine Years Later
    8 %                                                                


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The table below is a reconciliation of the beginning and ending liability for unpaid losses and loss expenses for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008. Losses incurred and paid are reflected net of reinsurance recoveries.
 
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in thousands)  
 
Gross liability at beginning of year
  $ 4,761,772     $ 4,576,828     $ 3,919,772  
Reinsurance recoverable at beginning of year
    (919,991 )     (888,314 )     (682,765 )
                         
Net liability at beginning of year
    3,841,781       3,688,514       3,237,007  
                         
Acquisition of net reserve for losses and loss expenses
                298,927  
Net losses incurred related to:
                       
Commutation of variable-rated reinsurance contracts
    8,864              
Current year
    1,012,374       852,052       921,217  
Prior years
    (313,355 )     (247,992 )     (280,095 )
                         
Total incurred
    707,883       604,060       641,122  
                         
Net paid losses related to:
                       
Current year
    98,646       42,320       79,037  
Prior years
    498,084       415,901       395,163  
                         
Total paid
    596,730       458,221       474,200  
                         
Foreign exchange revaluation
    (1,334 )     7,428       (14,342 )
Net liability at end of year
    3,951,600       3,841,781       3,688,514  
Reinsurance recoverable at end of year
    927,588       919,991       888,314  
                         
Gross liability at end of year
  $ 4,879,188     $ 4,761,772     $ 4,576,828  
                         
 
Investments
 
Investment Strategy and Guidelines
 
We believe that we follow a conservative investment strategy designed to emphasize the preservation of our invested assets and provide adequate liquidity for the prompt payment of claims. To help ensure adequate liquidity for payment of claims, we take into account the maturity and duration of our investment portfolio and our general liability profile. In making investment decisions, we consider the impact of various catastrophic events to which we may be exposed. Our portfolio therefore consists primarily of investment grade, fixed-maturity securities of short-to-medium term duration. As of December 31, 2010, these securities, along with cash and cash equivalents, represented 91% of our total investments and cash and cash equivalents, with the remainder invested in non-investment grade securities, equities, hedge funds and other alternative investments. Our current Investment Policy Statement contains the amount of our investment portfolio that may be invested in alternative investments, including public and private equities, preferred equities, non-investment grade investments and hedge funds.
 
In an effort to meet business needs and mitigate risks, our investment guidelines provide restrictions on our portfolio’s composition, including limits on the type of issuer, sector limits, credit quality limits, portfolio duration, limits on the amount of investments in approved countries and permissible security types. We may direct our investment managers to invest some of the investment portfolio in currencies other than the U.S. dollar based on the business we have written, the currency in which our loss reserves are denominated on our books or regulatory requirements.
 
Our investment performance is subject to a variety of risks, including risks related to general economic conditions, market volatility, interest rate fluctuations, liquidity risk and credit and default risk. Investment guideline restrictions have been established in an effort to minimize the effect of these risks but may not always be effective due to factors beyond our control. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including


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governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. A significant increase in interest rates could result in significant losses, realized or unrealized, in the value of our investment portfolio. Additionally, with respect to some of our investments, we are subject to prepayment and therefore reinvestment risk. Alternative investments, such as our hedge fund investments, subject us to restrictions on sale, transfer and redemption, which may limit our ability to withdraw funds or realize on such investments for some period of time after our initial investment. The values of, and returns on, such investments may also be more volatile.
 
Investment Committee and Investment Managers
 
The Investment Committee of our Board of Directors has approved an investment policy statement that contains investment guidelines and supervises our investment activity. The Investment Committee regularly monitors our overall investment results, compliance with investment objectives and guidelines, and ultimately reports our overall investment results to the Board of Directors.
 
For our fixed income assets we have engaged four outside investment managers to provide us with certain discretionary investment management services. We have agreed to pay investment management fees based on the market values of the investments in the portfolio. The fees, which vary depending on the amount of assets under management, are included as a deduction to net investment income. These investment management agreements may generally be terminated by either party upon 30 days prior written notice.
 
Our Portfolio
 
Composition as of December 31, 2010
 
As of December 31, 2010, our aggregate invested assets totaled approximately $8.0 billion. Total investments and cash and cash equivalents include cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, fixed-maturity securities and hedge fund investments. The average credit quality of our investments is rated AA by Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 by Moody’s. Short-term instruments must be rated a minimum of A-1, F-1 or P-1 by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s or Fitch. The target duration range was 1.75 to 4.25 years. The portfolio has a total return rather than income orientation. As of December 31, 2010, the average duration of our investment portfolio was 2.7 years and there were approximately $57.1 million of net unrealized gains in the portfolio, net of applicable tax.


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The following table shows the types of securities in our portfolio, their fair market values, average rating and portfolio percentage as of December 31, 2010.
 
                         
    As of December 31, 2010  
          Average
    Portfolio
 
    Fair Value     Rating     Percentage  
    ($ in thousands)  
 
Type of Investment
                       
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 853,368       AAA       10.6 %
U.S. government securities
    1,154,201       AAA       14.4 %
U.S. government agencies
    167,472       AAA       2.1 %
Non-U.S. government securities
    266,177       AAA       3.3 %
Mortgage-backed securities:
                       
Agency mortgage-backed securities
    1,195,905       AAA       14.9 %
Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities
    164,913       AA-       2.0 %
Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities-non-investment grade strategy
    207,022       B-       2.6 %
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
    184,043       AAA       2.3 %
Total mortgage-backed securities
    1,751,883               21.8 %
Corporate securities:
                       
Financial Institutions
    1,334,617       AA-       16.6 %
Industrials
    958,734       A-       11.9 %
Utilities
    233,199       BBB+       2.9 %
Total corporate securities
    2,526,550               31.4 %
Asset-backed securities:
                       
Credit card receivables
    28,905       AAA       0.4 %
Automobile loan receivables
    84,105       AAA       1.0 %
Student loan receivables
    177,860       AAA       2.2 %
Collateralized loan obligations
    186,204       AA       2.3 %
Other
    71,975       AAA       0.9 %
Total asset-backed securities
    549,049               6.8 %
State, municipalities and political subdivisions
    245,614       AA       3.1 %
Hedge funds
    347,632       N/A       4.3 %
Equity securities
    174,976       N/A       2.2 %
                         
Total investment portfolio
  $ 8,036,922               100.0 %
                         
 
For more information on the securities in our investment portfolio, please see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Critical Accounting Policies — Fair Value of Financial Instruments”.


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Ratings as of December 31, 2010
 
The investment ratings (provided by Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s) for fixed maturity securities held as of December 31, 2010 and the percentage of our total fixed maturity securities they represented on that date were as follows:
 
                 
          Percentage
 
          of Total
 
    Fair
    Fair
 
    Value     Value  
    ($ in millions)        
 
Ratings
               
U.S. government and government agencies
  $ 1,321.7       19.9 %
AAA/Aaa
    2,677.4       40.2 %
AA/Aa
    622.4       9.3 %
A/A
    1,259.3       18.9 %
BBB/Baa
    523.6       7.9 %
BB
    28.1       0.4 %
B/B
    52.8       0.8 %
CCC+ and below
    175.6       2.6 %
                 
Total
  $ 6,660.9       100.0 %
                 
 
Maturity Distribution as of December 31, 2010
 
The maturity distribution for our fixed maturity securities held as of December 31, 2010 was as follows:
 
                 
          Percentage
 
          of Total
 
    Fair
    Fair
 
    Value     Value  
    ($ in millions)        
 
Maturity
               
Due within one year
  $ 249.3       3.8 %
Due after one year through five years
    3,119.9       46.8 %
Due after five years through ten years
    867.9       13.0 %
Due after ten years
    122.9       1.9 %
Mortgage-backed
    1,751.9       26.3 %
Asset backed
    549.0       8.2 %
                 
Total
  $ 6,660.9       100.0 %
                 
 
Investment Returns for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
 
Our investment returns for year ended December 31, 2010:
 
         
Net investment income
    244.1  
Net realized investment gains
    285.6  
Net change in unrealized gains
    (61.0 )
Net impairment charges recognized in earnings
    (0.2 )
         
Total net investment return
    468.5  
         
Total financial statement portfolio return(1)
    6.1 %
Effective annualized yield(2)
    3.3 %


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(1) Total financial statement portfolio return for our investment portfolio is calculated using beginning and ending market values adjusted for external cash flows and includes the net change in unrealized gains and losses.
 
(2) Effective annualized yield is calculated by dividing net investment income by the average balance of aggregate invested assets, on an amortized cost basis.
 
Our Principal Operating Subsidiaries
 
Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is a registered Class 4 Bermuda insurance and reinsurance company that began operations in November 2001 and carries on business from its offices in Bermuda and from branch offices licensed in Hong Kong and Singapore. Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd and has been approved to carry on business in the EU from its office in Ireland since October 2002 and from a branch office in London since May 2003. Since its formation, Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited has written business primarily originating from Ireland, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited was incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd and has been approved to carry on business in the EU from its office in Ireland since July 2003, from a branch office in London since August 2004 and from a branch office in Zug, Switzerland since October 2008. We include the business produced by this entity in our international insurance segment even though the majority of coverages are structured as facultative reinsurance.
 
We write insurance in the United States primarily through four subsidiaries, Allied World Assurance Company (U.S.) Inc. and Allied World National Assurance Company, which we acquired in July 2002, and Darwin National Assurance Company and Darwin Select Insurance Company, which we acquired in October 2008. These companies are authorized or eligible to write insurance on both a surplus lines and admitted basis throughout the United States. In February 2008, we also acquired Allied World Reinsurance Company, through which we write our U.S. reinsurance business.
 
The activities of Newmarket Administrative Services (Bermuda), Ltd, Newmarket Administrative Services (Ireland) Limited and Newmarket Administrative Services, Inc. are limited to providing certain administrative services to various subsidiaries of Holdings. During 2010, we formed a new subsidiary, 2232 Services Limited, in the United Kingdom in order to administratively support the operations of Syndicate 2232 at Lloyd’s.
 
Our Employees
 
As of February 21, 2011, we had a total of 674 full-time employees, of which 145 worked in Bermuda, 440 in the United States, 71 in Europe, and 18 in Hong Kong and Singapore. We believe that our employee relations are good. No employees are subject to collective bargaining agreements.
 
Regulatory Matters
 
General
 
The business of insurance and reinsurance is regulated in most countries, although the degree and type of regulation varies significantly from one jurisdiction to another. Our insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are required to comply with a wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to insurance and reinsurance companies, both in the jurisdictions in which they are organized and where they sell their insurance and reinsurance products. The insurance regulatory environment has become subject to increased scrutiny in many jurisdictions globally. We require our employees to take and attend ethical behavior training on various regulatory and other matters on at least an annual basis.
 
Switzerland
 
The company’s subsidiary, Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited, operates a branch office in Zug, Switzerland. As this subsidiary is domiciled outside of Switzerland and is regulated by the Central Bank of


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Ireland (“CBI”) as a reinsurance undertaking, it is not required to be licensed by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (“FINMA”).
 
Bermuda
 
The Insurance Act 1978 of Bermuda and related regulations, as amended (the “Insurance Act”), regulates the insurance and reinsurance business of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd. The Insurance Act provides that no person may carry on any insurance business in or from within Bermuda unless registered as an insurer by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (the “BMA”). Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd has been registered as a Class 4 insurer by the BMA and approved to carry on general insurance and reinsurance business. Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd and Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd are holding companies and Newmarket Administrative Services (Bermuda), Ltd is a services company that do not carry on any insurance or reinsurance business, and as such each is not subject to Bermuda insurance regulations; however, like all Bermuda companies, they are subject to the provisions and regulations of the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda, as amended (the “Companies Act”). The Insurance Act imposes solvency and liquidity standards and auditing and reporting requirements on Bermuda insurance and reinsurance companies and grants the BMA powers to supervise, investigate, require information and the production of documents and intervene in the affairs of these companies.
 
The following are some significant aspects of the Bermuda insurance and reinsurance regulatory framework:
 
Solvency and Capital Standards.  As a Class 4 insurer, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is required to maintain minimum solvency standards and to hold available statutory capital and surplus equal to or exceeding the enhanced capital requirements as determined by the BMA under the Bermuda Solvency Capital Requirement model (“BSCR model”). The BSCR model is a risk-based capital model that provides a method for determining an insurer’s capital requirements (statutory capital and surplus) taking into account the risk characteristics of different aspects of the company’s business. The minimum solvency margin Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is required to maintain is equal to the greatest of (1) $100,000,000, (2) 50% of net premiums written (being gross premiums written less any premiums ceded, but the company may not deduct more than 25% of gross premiums written when computing net premiums written) and (3) 15% of net losses and loss expense reserves.
 
Liquidity.  Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd must maintain a minimum liquidity ratio at least equal to the value of its relevant assets at not less than 75% of the amount of its relevant liabilities.
 
Dividends.  Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is prohibited from declaring or paying any dividends during any financial year it is, or would be after such dividend, in breach of its minimum solvency margin, minimum liquidity ratio or enhanced capital requirements. Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is also prohibited, without prior BMA approval, from declaring or paying in any financial year dividends of more than 25% of its total statutory capital and surplus or from reducing by 15% or more its total statutory capital. Under the Companies Act, Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd and each of its Bermuda subsidiaries may not declare or pay a dividend if such company has reasonable grounds for believing that it is, or would after the payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due, or that the realizable value of its assets would thereby be less than the aggregate of its liabilities and its issued share capital and share premium accounts.
 
Principal office and representatives.  Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd must maintain a principal office and appoint a principal representative, loss reserve specialist and independent auditor approved by the BMA.
 
Annual filings.  Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd must file annually with the BMA financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, statutory financial statements and a statutory financial return.
 
Currency matters.  As the BMA has classified each of our Bermuda subsidiaries as non-residents of Bermuda, these subsidiaries may engage in transactions in currencies other than Bermuda dollars and there are no restrictions on our ability to transfer funds (other than funds denominated in Bermuda dollars) in and out of Bermuda or to pay dividends to U.S. residents who are holders of our common shares.


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Code of Conduct.  Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd must comply with the Insurance Code of Conduct which prescribes the duties, standards, procedures and sound business principles with which all companies registered under the Insurance Act must comply. Failure to comply with the requirements of the Code will be taken into account by the BMA in determining whether an insurer is conducting its business in a sound and prudent manner as prescribed by the Insurance Act and may result in the BMA exercising its powers of intervention and investigation and will be a factor in calculating the operational risk charge under the insurer’s BSCR model.
 
Shareholder notification requirements.  The BMA also requires written notification from any person who, directly or indirectly, becomes a holder of at least 10%, 20%, 33% or 50% of the voting shares of Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG within 45 days of becoming such a holder. The BMA may object to such a person if it appears to the BMA that the person is not fit and proper to be such a holder and/or require the shareholder to reduce its holdings or voting rights. A person that does not give the required notification or comply with such a notice or direction from the BMA will be guilty of an offense.
 
If it appears to the BMA that there is a risk of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd becoming insolvent, or that Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is in breach of the Insurance Act or any conditions imposed upon its registration, the BMA may take numerous restrictive actions to protect the public interest, including cancelling our registration under the Insurance Act.
 
Ireland
 
Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited is authorized as a non-life insurance undertaking and is regulated by the CBI pursuant to the Insurance Acts 1909 to 2000, the Central Bank Acts 1942 to 2010, and all statutory instruments relating to insurance made or adopted under the European Communities Acts 1972 to 2009 (the “Irish Insurance Acts and Regulations”). The Third Non-Life Directive of the European Union (the “Non-Life Directive”) established a common framework for the authorization and regulation of non-life insurance undertakings within the EU. The Non-Life Directive permits non-life insurance undertakings authorized in a member state of the EU to operate in other member states of the EU either directly from the home member state (on a freedom to provide services basis) or through local branches (by way of permanent establishment). Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited operates a branch office in the United Kingdom on a freedom to provide services basis in other European Union member states.
 
Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited is regulated by the CBI pursuant to the Central Bank Acts 1942 to 2010 and the provisions of the European Communities (Reinsurance) Regulations 2006 (which transposed the E.U. Reinsurance Directive into Irish law) and operates branches in London, England and Zug, Switzerland. Pursuant to the provisions of these regulations, reinsurance undertakings may, subject to the satisfaction of certain formalities, carry on reinsurance business in other EU member states either directly from the home member state (on a freedom to provide services basis) or through local branches (by way of permanent establishment).
 
United States
 
Our U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are admitted or surplus line eligible in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Allied World Assurance Company (U.S.) Inc. is admitted in three states, including Delaware, its state of domicile, surplus lines eligible in 49 jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and an accredited reinsurer in 38 jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia. Allied World National Assurance Company is admitted in 43 jurisdictions, including New Hampshire, its state of domicile, surplus lines eligible in three states and an accredited reinsurer in one state. Allied World Reinsurance Company is admitted to write insurance and reinsurance in all 50 states, including New Hampshire, its state of domicile, and the District of Columbia. Darwin National Assurance Company is domiciled in Delaware and admitted to write in all other U.S. jurisdictions except Arkansas. Darwin Select Insurance Company, which is an Arkansas company, is admitted in that state and is an eligible surplus lines writer in all other states and the District of Columbia, and Vantapro Specialty Insurance Company, which is an Arkansas company, is currently admitted only in Arkansas and Illinois.


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Our U.S. admitted and authorized insurers and reinsurers are subject to considerable regulation and supervision by state insurance regulators. The extent of regulation varies but generally has its source in statutes that delegate regulatory, supervisory and administrative authority to a department of insurance in each state. Among other things, state insurance commissioners regulate insurer solvency standards, insurer and agent licensing, authorized investments, premium rates, restrictions on the size of risks that may be insured under a single policy, loss and expense reserves and provisions for unearned premiums, and deposits of securities for the benefit of policyholders. The states’ regulatory schemes also extend to policy form approval and market conduct regulation. In addition, some states have enacted variations of competitive rate making laws, which allow insurers to set premium rates for certain classes of insurance without obtaining the prior approval of the state insurance department. State insurance departments also conduct periodic examinations of the affairs of authorized insurance companies and require the filing of annual and other reports relating to the financial condition of companies and other matters.
 
Holding Company Regulation.  Our U.S. insurance subsidiaries are subject to regulation under the insurance holding company laws of certain states. The insurance holding company laws and regulations vary by state, but generally require admitted insurers that are subsidiaries of insurance holding companies to register and file with state regulatory authorities certain reports including information concerning their capital structure, ownership, financial condition and general business operations. Generally, all transactions involving the insurers in a holding company system and their affiliates must be fair and, if material, require prior notice and approval or non-disapproval by the state insurance department.
 
State insurance holding company laws typically place limitations on the amounts of dividends or other distributions payable by insurers. These limitations vary by state, but generally are based on statutory surplus, statutory net income and investment income. Delaware allows us to pay ordinary dividends without the prior approval of its insurance commissioner so long as the dividend is paid out of earned surplus (as defined under Delaware law). New Hampshire requires 15 days notice to its insurance commissioner prior to paying an ordinary dividend, provided that our surplus with regard to policyholders following such dividend payment would be adequate and could not lead to a hazardous financial condition. Arkansas allows us to pay ordinary dividends upon ten business days prior notice to its insurance commissioner. For extraordinary dividends, each state requires 30 days prior notice to and non-disapproval of its insurance commissioner before being declared. An extraordinary dividend generally includes any dividend whose fair market value together with that of other dividends or distributions made within the preceding 12 months exceeds the greater of: (1) 10% of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders as of December 31 of the prior year, or (2) the net income of the insurer, not including realized capital gains, for the 12-month period ending December 31 of the prior year, but does not include pro rata distributions of any class of the insurer’s own securities.
 
State insurance holding company laws also require prior notice and state insurance department approval of changes in control of an insurer or its holding company. Under the insurance laws of Delaware, New Hampshire and Arkansas, any beneficial owner of 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of an insurance company or its holding company is presumed to have acquired control, unless this presumption is rebutted.
 
Guaranty Fund Assessments.  Virtually all states require admitted insurers to participate in various forms of guaranty associations in order to bear a portion of the loss suffered by certain insureds caused by the insolvency of other insurers. Depending upon state law, insurers can be assessed an amount that is generally equal to between 1% and 2% of the annual premiums written for the relevant lines of insurance in that state to pay the claims of insolvent insurers. Most of these assessments are recoverable through premium rates, premium tax credits or policy surcharges.
 
Involuntary Pools.  In the states where they are admitted, our insurance subsidiaries are also required to participate in various involuntary assigned risk pools, principally involving workers compensation and automobile insurance, which provide various insurance coverages to individuals or other entities that otherwise are unable to purchase such coverage in the voluntary market. Participation in these pools in most states is generally in proportion to voluntary writings of related lines of business in that state.
 
Risk-Based Capital.  U.S. insurers are also subject to risk-based capital (or “RBC”) guidelines that provide a method to measure the total adjusted capital (statutory capital and surplus plus other adjustments) of insurance companies taking into account the risk characteristics of the company’s investments and products. The RBC


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formulas establish capital requirements for four categories of risk: asset risk, insurance risk, interest rate risk and business risk. As of December 31, 2010, we believe all of our U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries had adjusted capital in excess of amounts requiring company or regulatory action.
 
NAIC Ratios.  The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) Insurance Regulatory Information System, or IRIS, was developed to help state regulators identify companies that may require special attention. IRIS is comprised of statistical and analytical phases consisting of key financial ratios whereby financial examiners review annual statutory basis statements and financial ratios. Each ratio has an established “usual range” of results and assists state insurance departments in executing their statutory mandate to oversee the financial condition of insurance companies. As of December 31, 2010, we do not believe that any of our U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries had an IRIS ratio range warranting any regulatory action.
 
Surplus Lines Regulation.  The regulation of our U.S. subsidiaries’ excess and surplus lines insurance business differs significantly from their regulation as admitted or authorized insurers. These companies are subject to the surplus lines regulation and reporting requirements of the jurisdictions in which they are eligible to write surplus lines insurance. Allied World Assurance Company (U.S.) Inc. and Darwin Select Insurance Company, which conduct business on a surplus lines basis in a particular state, are generally exempt from that state’s guaranty fund laws and from participation in its involuntary pools. Although surplus lines business is generally less regulated than the admitted market, strict regulations apply to surplus lines placements under the laws of every state, and the regulation of surplus lines insurance may undergo changes in the future. Federal and/or state measures may be introduced and promulgated that would result in increased oversight and regulation of surplus lines insurance.
 
Lloyd’s of London
 
General.  Syndicate 2232 was licensed to start underwriting certain lines of insurance and reinsurance business effective June 2010. Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited is the sole corporate member of Syndicate 2232. Syndicate 2232 is managed by Capita Managing Agency Limited, an unaffiliated entity (“Capita”).
 
Lloyd’s intervention powers.  As a member of Lloyd’s, Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited is obliged to comply with Lloyd’s bye laws and regulations (made pursuant to the Lloyd’s Acts 1871 to 1982) and applicable provisions of the Financial and Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”). The Council of Lloyd’s has wide discretionary powers to regulate members’ underwriting at Lloyd’s and its exercise of these powers might affect the return on an investment of the corporate member in a given underwriting year.
 
Capital requirements.  The capital required to support a Syndicate’s underwriting capacity, referred to as “funds at Lloyd’s”, is assessed annually and is determined by Lloyd’s in accordance with the capital adequacy rules established by the FSA. If a member of Lloyd’s is unable to pay its debts to policyholders, such debts may be payable from the Lloyd’s Central Fund, which in many respects acts as an equivalent to a state guaranty fund in the United States. If Lloyd’s determines that the Central Fund needs to be increased, it has the power to assess premium levies on current Lloyd’s members. The Council of Lloyd’s has discretion to call or assess up to 3% of a member’s underwriting capacity in any one year as a Central Fund contribution.
 
Our business plan, including the maximum underwriting capacity, for Syndicate 2232 requires annual approval by Lloyd’s. The Lloyd’s Franchise Board may require changes to any business plan and may also require the provision of additional capital to support an approved business plan. If material changes in the business plan for Syndicate 2232 were required by Lloyd’s or if charges and assessments payable by Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited to Lloyd’s were to increase significantly, these events could have an adverse effect on the operations and financial results of Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited.
 
The Company has provided capital to support the underwriting of Syndicate 2232 in the form of a letter of credit. An underwriting year of account is closed by way of reinsurance to close on the third anniversary of the inception of the relevant underwriting year. Upon the closing of an underwriting year, a profit or loss will be declared for the closed year of account. Prior to the closure of an underwriting year, “funds at Lloyd’s” cannot typically be reduced unless the consent of Lloyd’s is obtained and such consent will only be considered where a member has surplus “funds at Lloyd’s”. Lloyd’s approval is also required before any person can acquire control of a Lloyd’s managing agent or Lloyd’s corporate member.


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FSA regulation.  Lloyd’s is authorized by the FSA and required to implement certain rules prescribed by the FSA under the Lloyd’s Act of 1982 regarding the operation of the Lloyd’s market. With respect to managing agents and corporate members, Lloyd’s prescribes certain minimum standards relating to management and control, solvency and other requirements and monitors managing agents’ compliance with such standards. Future regulatory changes or rulings by the FSA could impact the business strategy or financial assumptions made by Capita and/or Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited and such impact could adversely affect the Syndicate 2232’s financial conditions and results.
 
Other applicable laws.  Lloyd’s worldwide insurance and reinsurance business is subject to various laws, regulations, treaties and policies of the EU as well as each jurisdiction in which it operates. Material changes in governmental requirements or laws could have an adverse effect on Lloyd’s and its member companies, including Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited.
 
Asia
 
In March 2009, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd received regulatory approval from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner in Hong Kong to operate as a branch office from which it conducts general insurance business in certain specified classes under Section 8 of the Insurance Companies Ordinance.
 
In December 2009, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd received regulatory approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore to operate a branch office from which it conducts general insurance and reinsurance business under Section 8 of the Insurance Act.
 
Item 1A.   Risk Factors.
 
Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents we file with the SEC include the following:
 
Risks Related to Our Company
 
Downgrades or the revocation of our financial strength ratings would affect our standing among brokers and customers and may cause our premiums and earnings to decrease significantly.
 
Ratings have become an increasingly important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance and reinsurance companies. Each rating is subject to periodic review by, and may be revised downward or revoked at the sole discretion of, the rating agency. The ratings are neither an evaluation directed to our investors nor a recommendation to buy, sell or hold our securities. For the financial strength rating of each of our principal operating subsidiaries, please see Item 1. “Business — Our Financial Strength Ratings”.
 
If the rating of any of our subsidiaries is revised downward or revoked, our competitive position in the insurance and reinsurance industry may suffer, and it may be more difficult for us to market our products. Specifically, any revision or revocation of this kind could result in a significant reduction in the number of insurance and reinsurance contracts we write and in a substantial loss of business as customers and brokers that place this business move to competitors with higher financial strength ratings.
 
Additionally, it is common for our reinsurance contracts to contain terms that would allow the ceding companies to cancel the contract for the portion of our obligations if our insurance subsidiaries are downgraded below an A- by either A.M. Best or Standard & Poor’s. Whether a ceding company would exercise the cancellation right (and, in the case of Allied World Reinsurance Company, as described in the paragraph below, the right to require the posting of security) would depend, among other factors, on the reason for such downgrade, the extent of the downgrade, the prevailing market conditions and the pricing and availability of replacement reinsurance coverage. Therefore, we cannot predict in advance the extent to which these rights would be exercised, if at all, or what effect any such cancellations or security postings would have on our financial condition or future operations, but such effect could be material.
 
For example, if all ceding companies for which we have in force business as of December 31, 2010 were to exercise their cancellation rights or require the posting of security, the estimated impact could result in the return of


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premium, the commutation of loss reserves, the posting of additional collateral or a combination thereof, the notional value of which could be approximately $290.3 million.
 
Our U.S. reinsurance subsidiary, Allied World Reinsurance Company, does not typically post security for the reinsurance contracts it writes. In addition to the cancellation right discussed above, should the company’s A.M. Best rating or Standard & Poor’s rating be downgraded below A-, some ceding companies would have the right to require Allied World Reinsurance Company to post security for its portion of the obligations under such contracts. If this were to occur, Allied World Reinsurance Company may not have the liquidity to post security as stipulated in such reinsurance contracts.
 
All Lloyd’s syndicates benefit from Lloyd’s central resources, including the Lloyd’s brand, its network of global licenses and the central fund. The central fund is available at the discretion of the Council of Lloyd’s to meet any valid claim that cannot be met by the resources of any member. Because all Lloyd’s policies are ultimately backed by the central fund, a single market rating can be applied. The ability of Lloyd’s syndicates to trade in certain classes of business at current levels is dependent on the maintenance of a satisfactory credit rating issued by an accredited rating agency. A. M. Best has assigned Lloyd’s a financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings have assigned Lloyd’s a financial strength rating of “A+” (Strong). Syndicate 2232 benefits from Lloyd’s current ratings and would be adversely affected if the current ratings were downgraded from their present levels.
 
We also cannot assure you that A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s will not downgrade our insurance subsidiaries.
 
Actual claims may exceed our reserves for losses and loss expenses.
 
Our success depends on our ability to accurately assess the risks associated with the businesses that we insure and reinsure. We establish loss reserves to cover our estimated liability for the payment of all losses and loss expenses incurred with respect to the policies we write. Loss reserves do not represent an exact calculation of liability. Rather, loss reserves are estimates of what we expect the ultimate resolution and administration of claims will cost. These estimates are based on actuarial and statistical projections and on our assessment of currently available data, as well as estimates of future trends in claims severity and frequency, judicial theories of liability and other factors. Loss reserve estimates are refined as experience develops and claims are reported and resolved. Establishing an appropriate level of loss reserves is an inherently uncertain process. It is therefore possible that our reserves at any given time will prove to be inadequate.
 
To the extent we determine that actual losses or loss expenses exceed our expectations and reserves reflected in our financial statements, we will be required to increase our reserves to reflect our changed expectations. This could cause a material increase in our liabilities and a reduction in our profitability, including operating losses and a reduction of capital. Our results for the year ended December 31, 2010 included $369.8 million and $56.4 million of favorable (i.e., a loss reserve decrease) and adverse development (i.e., a loss reserve increase), respectively, of reserves relating to losses incurred for prior loss years. In comparison, our results for the year ended December 31, 2009 included $376.9 million and $128.9 million of favorable and adverse development, respectively, of reserves relating to losses incurred for prior loss years. Our results for the year ended December 31, 2008 included $330.5 million and $50.4 million of favorable and adverse development, respectively, of reserves relating to losses incurred for prior loss years.
 
We have estimated our net losses from catastrophes based on actuarial analyses of claims information received to date, industry modeling and discussions with individual insureds and reinsureds. Accordingly, actual losses may vary from those estimated and will be adjusted in the period in which further information becomes available.
 
We may experience significant losses and volatility in our financial results from catastrophic events.
 
As a multi-line casualty and property insurer and reinsurer, we may experience significant losses from claims arising out of catastrophic events, particularly from our direct property insurance operations and our property, workers compensation and personal accident reinsurance operations. Catastrophes can be caused by various unpredictable events, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, windstorms, hailstorms, severe winter


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weather, floods, fires, tornadoes, explosions and other natural or man-made disasters, including oil spills and other environmental contamination. The international geographic distribution of our business subjects us to catastrophe exposure from natural events occurring in a number of areas throughout the world, examples of which include floods and windstorms in Europe, hurricanes and windstorms in Mexico, Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic Coast regions of the United States, typhoons and earthquakes in Japan and Taiwan, and earthquakes in California and parts of the Midwestern United States known as the New Madrid zone. Our largest exposure to wind events is concentrated in the Southeast and Gulf Coast of the United States. Our largest exposure to earthquake events is concentrated in California. The loss experience of catastrophe insurers and reinsurers has historically been characterized as low frequency but high severity in nature. In recent years, the frequency of major catastrophes appears to have increased and may continue to increase as a result of global climate change and other factors. Increases in the values and concentrations of insured property and the effects of inflation have resulted in increased severity of losses to the industry in recent years, and we expect this trend to continue.
 
The loss limitation methods we employ, such as establishing maximum aggregate exposed limits on policies written in key coastal and other defined geographical zones, restrictive underwriting guidelines and purchasing reinsurance, may not be sufficient protection against losses from catastrophes. In the event we do not accurately estimate losses from catastrophes that have already occurred, there is a possibility that loss reserves for such catastrophes will be inadequate to cover the losses. Because U.S. GAAP does not permit insurers and reinsurers to reserve for catastrophes until they occur, claims from these events could cause substantial volatility in our financial results for any fiscal quarter or year and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, losses from catastrophic events could result in downward revisions to our financial strength ratings from the various rating agencies that cover us.
 
The risk models we use to quantify catastrophe exposures and risk accumulations may prove inadequate in predicting all outcomes from potential catastrophe events.
 
We use widely accepted and industry-recognized catastrophe risk modeling programs to help us quantify our aggregate exposure to any one event. As with any model of physical systems, particularly those with low frequencies of occurrence and potentially high severity of outcomes, the accuracy of the model’s predictions is largely dependent on the accuracy and quality of the data provided in the underwriting process and the judgments of our employees and other industry professionals. These models do not anticipate all potential perils or events that could result in a catastrophic loss to us. Furthermore, it is often difficult for models to anticipate and incorporate events that have not been experienced during or as a result of prior catastrophes. Accordingly, it is possible for us to be subject to events or contingencies that have not been anticipated by our catastrophe risk models and which could have a material adverse effect on our reserves and results of operations.
 
We may be adversely impacted by inflation.
 
Our operations, like those of other property and casualty insurers and reinsurers, are susceptible to the effects of inflation because premiums are established before the ultimate amounts of loss and loss adjustment expense are known. Although we consider the potential effects of inflation when setting premium rates, our premiums may not fully offset the effects of inflation and essentially result in our under pricing the risks we insure and reinsure. Our reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses includes assumptions about future payments for settlement of claims and claims-handling expenses, such as the value of replacing property and associated labor costs for the property business we write, the value of medical treatments and litigation costs. To the extent inflation causes theses costs to increase above reserves established for these claims, we will be required to increase our loss reserves with a corresponding reduction in our net income in the period in which the deficiency is identified, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
 
We could face losses from terrorism and political unrest.
 
We have exposure to losses resulting from acts of terrorism and political instability. Although we generally exclude acts of terrorism from our property insurance policies and property reinsurance treaties where practicable, we provide coverage in circumstances where we believe we are adequately compensated for assuming those risks.


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Our trade credit and political risk insurance program protects insureds with interests in foreign jurisdictions in the event governmental action prevents them from exercising their contractual rights and may also protect their assets against physical damage perils. This may include risks arising from expropriation, forced abandonment, license cancellation, trade embargo, contract frustration, non-payment, war on land or political violence, including terrorism, revolution, insurrection and civil unrest. Political risk insurance is typically provided to financial institutions, equity investors, exporters, importers, export credit agencies and multilateral agencies in an array of industries, in connection with investments and contracts in both emerging markets and developed countries.
 
Our trade credit and political risk insurance program also protects insureds in foreign jurisdictions against non-payment coverage on specific loan obligations as a result of commercial as well as political risk events. We attempt to manage our exposure, by among other things, setting credit limits by country, region, industry and individual counterparty and regularly reviewing our aggregate exposures. The occurrence of one or more large losses in our credit and political risk insurance portfolio could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.
 
We could face losses from pandemic diseases.
 
A pandemic disease could also cause us to suffer significantly increased insurance losses on a variety of coverages we offer. Our reinsurance protections may only partially offset these losses. Moreover, even in cases where we seek to exclude coverage, we may not be able to completely eliminate our exposure to these events. It is impossible to predict the timing or severity of these events with statistical certainty or to estimate the amount of loss that any given occurrence will generate. We could also suffer losses from a disruption of our business operations and our investments may suffer a decrease in value due to the occurrence of any of these events. To the extent we suffer losses from these risks, such losses could be significant.
 
Our business and our financial results may be adversely affected by unexpected levels of loss due to climate change.
 
A substantial portion of our revenues are derived from the underwriting of property insurance and reinsurance around the world. Therefore, large scale climate change (often referred to as “global warming”) as well as changing ocean temperatures could increase the frequency and severity of our loss costs related to property damage and/or business interruption due to hurricanes, windstorms, flooding, blizzards, tornadoes or other severe weather events particularly with respect to properties located in coastal areas. Additionally, if changes in climatic patterns and ocean temperature conditions continue, it is likely that such changes will further impair the ability to predict the frequency and severity of future weather-related disasters in many parts of the world. Over the longer term, such decreased predictability will create additional uncertainty as to future trends and exposures. In addition to unexpected increases in covered losses and decreased predictability, global climate change may also give rise to new environmental liability claims against policyholders that compete in the energy, automobile manufacturing and other industries that we serve. There would be an increase in claims against policyholders of directors and officers liability of related management liability policies alleging a failure to supervise, manage or properly disclose climate change exposures. We may also incur greater-than-expected expense levels due to the costs involved in responding to regulators, rating agencies and other interested constituencies with respect to climate change and other environmental disclosures.
 
The perceived effects of climate change on debt obligations can impact our investment mix in any one issuer, industry or region. The largest per-issuer exposure, outside of government and government-related issuers, represented 1% of our investment portfolio and the largest ten exposures represented less than 7% of the portfolio.
 
The failure of any of the loss limitation methods we employ could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
 
We seek to limit our loss exposure by adhering to maximum limitations on policies written in defined geographical zones (which limits our exposure to losses in any one geographic area), limiting program size for each client (which limits our exposure to losses with respect to any one client), adjusting retention levels and establishing per risk and per occurrence limitations for each event and establishing prudent underwriting guidelines for each


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insurance program written (all of which limit our liability on any one policy). Most of our direct liability insurance policies include maximum aggregate limitations. We cannot assure you that any of these loss limitation methods will be effective. In particular, geographic zone limitations involve significant underwriting judgments, including the determination of the areas of the zones and whether a policy falls within particular zone limits. Disputes relating to coverage and choice of legal forum may also arise. As a result, various provisions of our policies that are designed to limit our risks, such as limitations or exclusions from coverage (which limit the range and amount of liability to which we are exposed on a policy) or choice of forum (which provides us with a predictable set of laws to govern our policies and the ability to lower costs by retaining legal counsel in fewer jurisdictions), may not be enforceable in the manner we intend and some or all of our other loss limitation methods may prove to be ineffective. One or more catastrophic or other events could result in claims and expenses that substantially exceed our expectations and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
 
A prolonged recession and other adverse consequences as a result of the turmoil in the U.S. and international financial markets could harm our business, liquidity and financial condition, and our share price.
 
The U.S. and international financial markets have been severely disrupted. These conditions, including the possibility of a prolonged recession, may potentially affect various aspects of our business, including the demand for and claims made under our products, our counterparty credit risk and the ability of our customers, counterparties and others to establish or maintain their relationships with us, our ability to access and efficiently use internal and external capital resources and our investment performance. Continued volatility in the U.S. and other securities markets may also adversely affect our share price.
 
We may be impacted from claims relating to the financial market turmoil, including subprime and other credit and insurance exposures, beyond our current estimates.
 
We write corporate directors and officers, errors and omissions and other insurance coverages for financial institutions and financial services companies. We also write liability coverages for fiduciaries of pension funds. In addition, we also reinsure other insurance companies that write these types of coverages. The financial institutions and financial services segment has been particularly impacted by the financial market turmoil. As a result, this industry segment has been the subject of heightened scrutiny and in some cases investigations by regulators with respect to the industry’s actions as they relate to subprime mortgages, collateralized debt obligations, structured investment vehicles, swap and derivative transactions and executive compensation. During this time, a number of U.S. and international financial institutions, insurance companies and other companies have failed, been acquired under distressed circumstances, become reliant upon the central governments of their jurisdictions for financial assistance to remain solvent and/or suffered significant declines in their stock price. Additionally, there have been instances of fraud, most notably being the claims brought against the founder and chief executive officer of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, R. Allen Stanford and Galleon Group LLC. Similar or other claims may be made against other financial institutions and members of other industries, including the insurance industry. These events may give rise to increased litigation, including class action suits, which may involve our insureds. To the extent we have claims relating to these events, it could cause substantial volatility in our financial results and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
 
For our reinsurance business, we depend on the policies, procedures and expertise of ceding companies; these companies may fail to accurately assess the risks they underwrite which may lead us to inaccurately assess the risks we assume.
 
Because we participate in reinsurance markets, the success of our reinsurance underwriting efforts depends in part on the policies, procedures and expertise of the ceding companies making the original underwriting decisions (when an insurer transfers some or all of its risk to a reinsurer, the insurer is sometimes referred to as a “ceding company”). Underwriting is a matter of judgment, involving important assumptions about matters that are inherently unpredictable and beyond the ceding companies’ control and for which historical experience and statistical analysis may not provide sufficient guidance. We face the risk that the ceding companies may fail to accurately assess the risks they underwrite, which, in turn, may lead us to inaccurately assess the risks we assume as


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reinsurance; if this occurs, the premiums that are ceded to us may not adequately compensate us and we could face significant losses on these reinsurance contracts.
 
The availability and cost of security arrangements for reinsurance transactions may materially impact our ability to provide reinsurance from Bermuda to insurers domiciled in the United States.
 
Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd, our Bermuda insurance and reinsurance company, is not admitted as an insurer, nor is it accredited as a reinsurer, in any jurisdiction in the United States. As a result, it is required to post collateral security with respect to any reinsurance liabilities it assumes from ceding insurers domiciled in the United States in order for U.S. ceding companies to obtain credit on their U.S. statutory financial statements with respect to the insurance liabilities ceded to them. Under applicable statutory provisions, the security arrangements may be in the form of letters of credit, reinsurance trusts maintained by trustees or funds-withheld arrangements where assets are held by the ceding company. Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd uses trust accounts and has access to up to $1.7 billion in letters of credit under two letter of credit facilities. The letter of credit facilities impose restrictive covenants, including restrictions on asset sales, limitations on the incurrence of certain liens and required collateral and financial strength levels. Violations of these or other covenants could result in the suspension of access to letters of credit or such letters of credit becoming due and payable. Our access to our existing letter of credit facilities is dependent on the ability of the banks that are parties to these facilities to meet their commitments. Our $900 million letter of credit facility with Citibank Europe plc is on an uncommitted basis, which means Citibank Europe has agreed to offer us up to $900 million in letters of credit, but they are not contractually obligated for that full amount. The lenders under our letter of credit facilities may not be able to meet their commitments if they become insolvent, file for bankruptcy protection or if they otherwise experience shortages of capital and liquidity. If these letter of credit facilities are not sufficient or drawable or if Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is unable to renew either or both of these facilities or to arrange for trust accounts or other types of security on commercially acceptable terms, its ability to provide reinsurance to U.S.-domiciled insurers may be severely limited and adversely affected.
 
In addition, security arrangements with ceding insurers may subject our assets to security interests or may require that a portion of our assets be pledged to, or otherwise held by, third parties. Although the investment income derived from our assets while held in trust typically accrues to our benefit, the investment of these assets is governed by the terms of the letter of credit facilities and the investment regulations of the state of domicile of the ceding insurer, which generally regulate the amount and quality of investments permitted and which may be more restrictive than the investment regulations applicable to us under Bermuda law. These restrictions may result in lower investment yields on these assets, which could adversely affect our profitability.
 
We depend on a small number of brokers for a large portion of our revenues. The loss of business provided by any one of them could adversely affect us.
 
We market our insurance and reinsurance products worldwide through insurance and reinsurance brokers. For the year ended December 31, 2010, our top three brokers represented approximately 53% of our total gross premiums written. Marsh, Aon (including Benfield Group Ltd.) and Willis were responsible for the distribution of approximately 24%, 20% and 9%, respectively, of our total gross premiums written for the year ended December 31, 2010. Loss of all or a substantial portion of the business produced by any one of those brokers could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and business.
 
Our reliance on brokers subjects us to their credit risk.
 
In accordance with industry practice, we frequently pay amounts owed on claims under our insurance and reinsurance contracts to brokers, and these brokers, in turn, pay these amounts to the customers that have purchased insurance or reinsurance from us. If a broker fails to make such a payment, it is likely that, in most cases, we will be liable to the client for the deficiency because of local laws or contractual obligations. Likewise, when a customer pays premiums for policies written by us to a broker for further payment to us, these premiums are generally considered to have been paid and, in most cases, the client will no longer be liable to us for those amounts, whether or not we actually receive the premiums. Consequently, we assume a degree of credit risk associated with the brokers we use with respect to our insurance and reinsurance business.


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We may be unable to purchase reinsurance for our own account on commercially acceptable terms or to collect under any reinsurance we have purchased.
 
We acquire reinsurance purchased for our own account to mitigate the effects of large or multiple losses on our financial condition. From time to time, market conditions have limited, and in some cases prevented, insurers and reinsurers from obtaining the types and amounts of reinsurance they consider adequate for their business needs. For example, following the events of September 11, 2001, terms and conditions in the reinsurance markets generally became less attractive to buyers of such coverage. Similar conditions may occur at any time in the future and we may not be able to purchase reinsurance in the areas and for the amounts required or desired. Even if reinsurance is generally available, we may not be able to negotiate terms that we deem appropriate or acceptable or to obtain coverage from entities with satisfactory financial resources.
 
In addition, the recent financial market turmoil may significantly adversely affect the ability of our reinsurers and retrocessionaires to meet their obligations to us. A reinsurer’s insolvency, or inability or refusal to make payments under a reinsurance or retrocessional reinsurance agreement with us, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations because we remain liable to the insured under the corresponding coverages written by us.
 
Our investment performance may adversely affect our financial performance and ability to conduct business.
 
We derive a significant portion of our income from our invested assets. As a result, our operating results depend in part on the performance of our investment portfolio. Ongoing conditions in the U.S. and international financial markets have and could continue to adversely affect our investment portfolio. Depending on market conditions, we could incur additional losses in future periods, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and business.
 
Our investment portfolio is overseen by our Chief Investment Officer and managed by professional investment management firms in accordance with the Investment Policy Statement approved by the Investment Committee of the Board of Directors. Our investment performance is subject to a variety of risks, including risks related to general economic conditions, market volatility and interest rate fluctuations, liquidity risk, and credit and default risk. Additionally, with respect to some of our investments, we are subject to pre-payment or reinvestment risk. Our current Investment Policy Statement contains the amount of our investment portfolio that may be invested in public and private equities, preferred equities, non-investment grade investments and hedge funds. As a result, we may be subject to restrictions on redemption, which may limit our ability to withdraw funds or realize on such investments for some period of time after our initial investment. The values of, and returns on, such investments may also be more volatile. In addition, investments in hedge funds may involve certain other risks, including the limited operating history of a fund as well as risks associated with the strategies employed by the managers of the fund.
 
Because of the unpredictable nature of losses that may arise under insurance or reinsurance policies written by us, our liquidity needs could be substantial and may arise at any time. To the extent we are unsuccessful in managing our investment portfolio within the context of our expected liabilities, we may be forced to liquidate our investments at times and prices that are not optimal, or we may have difficulty in liquidating some of our alternative investments due to restrictions on sales, transfers and redemptions noted above. This could have a material adverse effect on the performance of our investment portfolio. If our liquidity needs or general liability profile unexpectedly change, we may not be successful in continuing to structure our investment portfolio in its current manner. In addition, investment losses could significantly decrease our book value, thereby affecting our ability to conduct business.
 
While we maintain an investment portfolio with instruments rated highly by the recognized rating agencies, there are no assurances that these high ratings will be maintained. Over the past several years companies with highly-rated debt have filed for bankruptcy. The assignment of a high credit rating does not preclude the potential for the risk of default on any investment instrument.


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Any increase in interest rates and/or credit spread levels could result in significant losses in the fair value of our investment portfolio.
 
Our investment portfolio contains interest-rate-sensitive instruments that may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. Fluctuations in interest rates affect our returns on fixed income investments. Generally, investment income will be reduced during sustained periods of lower interest rates as higher-yielding fixed income securities are called, mature or are sold and the proceeds reinvested at lower rates. During periods of rising interest rates, prices of fixed income securities tend to fall and realized gains upon their sale are reduced. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including governmental monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. We may not be able to effectively mitigate interest rate sensitivity. In particular, a significant increase in interest rates could result in significant losses, realized or unrealized, in the fair value of our investment portfolio and, consequently, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, changes in the credit spread (the difference in the percentage yield) between U.S. Treasury securities and non-U.S. Treasury securities may negatively impact our investment portfolio as we may not be able to effectively mitigate credit spread sensitivity. In particular, a significant increase in credit spreads could result in significant losses, realized or unrealized, in the fair value of our investment portfolio and, consequently, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
 
In addition, our investment portfolio includes U.S. government agency and non-agency commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities. As of December 31, 2010, mortgage-backed securities constituted approximately 22% of the fair value of our total investments and cash and cash equivalents, of which 15% of the fair value was invested in U.S. government agency mortgage-backed securities. Changes in interest rates can expose us to prepayment risks on these investments. In periods of declining interest rates, mortgage prepayments generally increase and mortgage-backed securities are generally prepaid more quickly, requiring us to reinvest the proceeds at the then current market rates. In periods of rising interest rates, mortgage-backed securities may have declining levels of prepayments, extending their maturity and duration, thereby negatively impacting the security’s price.
 
Delinquencies, defaults and losses with respect to non-agency commercial and residential mortgage loans have increased and may continue to increase. In addition, residential property values in many states have declined, after extended periods during which those values appreciated. A continued decline or an extended flattening in those values may result in additional increases in delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans generally, especially with respect to second homes and investor properties, and with respect to any residential mortgage loans where the aggregate loan amounts (including any subordinate loans) are close to or greater than the related property values. Additionally as of December 31, 2010, commercial mortgage-backed securities constituted 2% of the fair value of our total investments and cash and cash equivalents. While delinquencies, defaults and losses have been slower to materialize in the commercial sector than in the residential sector, we believe that the next 12 to 24 months may see increasing problems for the commercial real estate market, and therefore the commercial mortgage-backed securities sector. We expect this to be most acute in the commercial mortgage-backed securities offerings issued in 2007 and 2008. As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately $10 million of exposure to commercial mortgage-backed securities transactions of the 2007 and 2008 vintage.
 
The valuation of our investments may include methodologies, estimations and assumptions that are subject to differing interpretations and could result in changes to investment valuations that may materially adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
 
During periods of market disruptions, it may be difficult to value certain of our securities if trading becomes less frequent or market data becomes less observable. In addition, there may be certain asset classes that were in active markets with significant observable data that become illiquid due to the recent financial environment. In such cases, the valuation of a greater number of securities in our investment portfolio may require more subjectivity and management judgment. As such, valuations may include inputs and assumptions that are less observable or require greater estimation as well as valuation methods that are more sophisticated or require greater estimation thereby resulting in values which may be less than the value at which the investments may be ultimately sold. Further, rapidly changing and unpredictable credit and equity market conditions could materially affect the valuation of


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securities as reported within our consolidated financial statements and the period-to-period changes in value could vary significantly. Decreases in value could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
 
The determination of the impairments taken on our investments is highly subjective and could materially impact our financial position or results of operations.
 
The determination of the impairments taken on our investments varies by investment type and is based upon our periodic evaluations and assessments of known and inherent risks associated with the respective asset class. Such evaluations and assessments are revised as conditions change and new information becomes available. Management updates its evaluations quarterly and reflects impairments in operations as such evaluations are revised. There can be no assurance that our management has accurately assessed the level of impairments taken in our financial statements. Furthermore, additional impairments may need to be taken in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. Historical trends may not be indicative of future impairments.
 
We may be adversely affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
 
The U.S. dollar is our reporting currency and the functional currency of all of our operating subsidiaries. We enter into insurance and reinsurance contracts where the premiums receivable and losses payable are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. In addition, we maintain a portion of our investments and liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Assets in non-U.S. currencies are generally converted into U.S. dollars at the time of receipt. When we incur a liability in a non-U.S. currency, we carry such liability on our books in the original currency. These liabilities are converted from the non-U.S. currency to U.S. dollars at the time of payment. We may incur foreign currency exchange gains or losses as we ultimately receive premiums and settle claims required to be paid in foreign currencies.
 
We have currency hedges in place that seek to alleviate our potential exposure to volatility in foreign exchange rates and intend to consider the use of additional hedges when we are advised of known or probable significant losses that will be paid in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. To the extent that we do not seek to hedge our foreign currency risk or our hedges prove ineffective, the impact of a movement in foreign currency exchange rates could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
 
We may require additional capital in the future that may not be available to us on commercially favorable terms.
 
Our future capital requirements depend on many factors, including our ability to write new business and to establish premium rates and reserves at levels sufficient to cover losses. To the extent that the funds generated by insurance premiums received and sale proceeds and income from our investment portfolio are insufficient to fund future operating requirements and cover losses and loss expenses, we may need to raise additional funds through financings or reduce our assets. Financial market volatility since 2008 has created uncertainty in the equity and credit markets and may have affected our ability, and the ability of others within our industry, to raise additional capital in the public or private markets. Any future financing, if available at all, may be on terms that are not favorable to us. In the case of equity financing, dilution to our shareholders could result, and the securities issued may have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior or otherwise superior to those of our common shares.
 
Our business could be adversely affected if we lose any member of our management team or are unable to attract and retain our personnel.
 
Our success depends in substantial part on our ability to attract and retain our employees who generate and service our business. We rely substantially on the services of our executive management team. If we lose the services of any member of our executive management team, our business could be adversely affected. If we are unable to attract and retain other talented personnel, the further implementation of our business strategy could be impeded. This, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our business. We currently have written employment agreements with our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, Chief Actuary and the


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other members of our executive management team. We do not maintain key man life insurance policies for any of our employees.
 
Employee error and misconduct may be difficult to detect and prevent and could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
 
We may experience losses from, among other things, fraud, errors, the failure to document transactions properly or to obtain proper internal authorization or the failure to comply with regulatory or legal requirements. It is not always possible to deter or prevent employee misconduct and the precautions we take to prevent and detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Losses related to employee error or misconduct could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and business.
 
If a program administrator were to exceed its underwriting authority or otherwise breach obligations owed to us, we could be adversely affected.
 
We write a portion of our U.S. insurance business through relationships with program administrators, under contracts pursuant to which we authorize such program administrators to underwrite and bind business on our behalf, within guidelines we prescribe. In this structure, we rely on controls incorporated in the provisions of the program administration agreement, as well as on the administrator’s internal controls, to limit the risks insured to those which are within the prescribed parameters. Although we monitor program administrators on an ongoing basis, our monitoring efforts may not be adequate or our program administrators could exceed their underwriting authorities or otherwise breach obligations owed to us. We are liable to policyholders under the terms of policies underwritten by program administrators, and to the extent such administrators exceed their authorities or otherwise breach their obligations to us, our financial condition or results of operations could be material adversely affected.
 
If we experience difficulties with our information technology and telecommunications systems and/or data security, our ability to conduct our business might be adversely affected.
 
We rely heavily on the successful, uninterrupted functioning of our information technology (“IT”) and telecommunications systems. Our business and continued expansion is highly dependent upon our ability to perform, in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, necessary business functions, such as processing policies, paying claims, performing actuarial and other modeling functions. A failure of our IT and telecommunication systems or the termination of third-party software licenses we rely on in order to maintain such systems could materially impact our ability to write and process business, provide customer service, pay claims in a timely manner or perform other necessary actuarial, legal, financial and other business functions. Computer viruses, hackers and other external hazards could expose our IT and data systems to security breaches that may result in liability to us and cause us to commit resources, management time and money to prevent or correct security breaches. If we do not maintain adequate IT and telecommunications systems, we could experience adverse consequences, including inadequate information on which to base critical decisions, the loss of existing customers, difficulty in attracting new customers, litigation exposures and increased administrative expenses. As a result, our ability to conduct our business might be adversely affected.
 
The integration of acquired companies, the growth of our operations through new lines of insurance or reinsurance business, the expansion into new geographic regions and/or the entering into joint ventures or partnerships may expose us to operational risks.
 
Acquisitions involve numerous risks, including operational, strategic and financial risks such as potential liabilities associated with the acquired business. We may experience difficulties in integrating an acquired company, which could adversely affect the acquired company’s performance or prevent us from realizing anticipated synergies, cost savings and operational efficiencies. Our existing businesses could also be negatively impacted by acquisitions. Expanding our lines of business, expanding our geographic reach and entering into joint ventures or partnerships also involve operational, strategic and financial risks, including retaining qualified management and implementing satisfactory budgetary, financial and operational controls. Our failure to manage successfully these risks may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or business, or we may not realize any of the intended benefits.


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We may not achieve a competitive worldwide effective corporate tax rate as a result of our being a Swiss company.
 
We believe that the Redomestication will allow us to maintain a competitive worldwide effective corporate tax rate. However, we cannot give any assurance as to what our effective tax rate will be as a result of our becoming a Swiss company because of, among other things, uncertainty regarding the tax policies of the jurisdictions where we operate. Our actual effective tax rate may vary from our expectations and that variance may be material. Additionally, the tax laws of Switzerland and other jurisdictions could change in the future, and such changes could cause a material change in our effective tax rate.
 
As a result of the higher par value of our common shares, as a Swiss company we will have less flexibility than we did when we were a Bermuda company with respect to certain aspects of capital management.
 
The par value of our common shares is CHF 15.00 per share. Under Swiss law, we may not issue shares below par value. In the event we need to raise common equity capital at a time when the trading price of our shares is below the par value of such shares, we will be unable to do so. We currently issue stock options under our Third Amended and Restated 2001 Employee Stock Option Plan with an exercise price equal to the closing price of our common shares on the date of issuance. We will not be able to issue stock options with an exercise price below the par value, which may limit the flexibility of our compensation arrangements. As a consequence we would have to consider reducing the par value of our common shares, which in turn would reduce our ability to make tax-free distributions to our shareholders. We would also need to obtain approval of our shareholders to decrease the par value of our common shares, which would require us to file a proxy statement with the SEC and convene a meeting of shareholders. This would delay any capital raising plans and there is no assurance that we would be able to obtain such shareholder approval. See “Risks Related to Taxation — We may not be able to make distributions or repurchase shares without subjecting you to Swiss withholding tax.”
 
As a result of increased shareholder approval powers, as a Swiss company we will have less flexibility than we did when we were a Bermuda company with respect to certain aspects of capital management.
 
Under Bermuda law, our directors were authorized to issue, without shareholder approval, any common shares authorized in Allied World Bermuda’s memorandum of association that were not issued or reserved. Bermuda law also provided the Allied World Bermuda’s Board of Directors with substantial flexibility in establishing the terms of preferred shares. In addition, Allied World Bermuda’s Board of Directors had the right, subject to statutory limitations, to declare and pay dividends on that company’s common shares without a shareholder vote. Swiss law affords shareholders more powers and allows our shareholders to authorize share and participation capital that can be issued by the Board of Directors without shareholder approval. Under Swiss law, this authorization is limited to 50% of a company’s existing registered share and participation capital and must be renewed by the shareholders every two years. Under our Articles of Association, this authorization is further limited to 20% of our existing registered share and participation capital. Additionally, subject to specified exceptions described in our Articles of Association, Swiss law grants preemptive rights to existing shareholders to subscribe for new issuances of shares and other securities. Swiss law also does not provide as much flexibility in the various terms that can attach to different classes of shares. For example, while the Board of Directors of Allied World Bermuda could have authorized the issuance of preferred stock without shareholder approval, we will not be able to issue preferred stock without the approval of a majority of the votes cast at a shareholder meeting. Swiss law also reserves for approval by shareholders many corporate actions over which Allied World Bermuda’s Board of Directors had authority. For example, dividends must be approved by shareholders. While we do not believe that the differences between Bermuda law and Swiss law relating to our capital management will have a material adverse effect on us, we cannot assure you that situations will not arise where such flexibility would have provided substantial benefits to us and our shareholders.
 
The anticipated benefits of moving our corporate headquarters to Switzerland may not be realized, and difficulties in connection with moving corporate headquarters could have an adverse effect on us.
 
We have relocated our corporate headquarters from Pembroke, Bermuda to Switzerland. We expect that some of our executive officers and other key decision makers will relocate to Switzerland. We may face significant


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challenges in relocating our principal executive office to a different country, including difficulties in retaining and attracting officers, key personnel and other employees and challenges in maintaining corporate headquarters in a country different from the country where other employees, including other executive officers and corporate support staff, are located. Employees may be uncertain about their future roles within our organization as a result of the Redomestication. Management may also be required to devote substantial time to relocating our corporate headquarters and related matters, which could otherwise be devoted to focusing on ongoing business operations and other initiatives and opportunities. Any such difficulties could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
 
A complaint filed against our Bermuda insurance subsidiary could, if adversely determined or resolved, subject us to a material loss.
 
On April 4, 2006, a complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta Division) by a group of several corporations and certain of their related entities in an action entitled New Cingular Wireless Headquarters, LLC et al, as plaintiffs, against certain defendants, including Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Marsh Inc. and Aon Corporation, in their capacities as insurance brokers, and 78 insurers, including our insurance subsidiary in Bermuda, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd.
 
The action generally relates to broker defendants’ placement of insurance contracts for plaintiffs with the 78 insurer defendants. Plaintiffs maintain that the defendants used a variety of illegal schemes and practices designed to, among other things, allocate customers, rig bids for insurance products and raise the prices of insurance products paid by the plaintiffs. In addition, plaintiffs allege that the broker defendants steered policyholders’ business to preferred insurer defendants. Plaintiffs claim that as a result of these practices, policyholders either paid more for insurance products or received less beneficial terms than the competitive market would have produced. The eight counts in the complaint allege, among other things, (i) unreasonable restraints of trade and conspiracy in violation of the Sherman Act, (ii) violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, (iii) that broker defendants breached their fiduciary duties to plaintiffs, (iv) that insurer defendants participated in and induced this alleged breach of fiduciary duty, (v) unjust enrichment, (vi) common law fraud by broker defendants and (vii) statutory and consumer fraud under the laws of certain U.S. states. Plaintiffs seek equitable and legal remedies, including injunctive relief, unquantified consequential and punitive damages, and treble damages under the Sherman Act and RICO. On October 16, 2006, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered that the litigation be transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey for inclusion in the coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings occurring in that court. The Court stayed proceedings in the litigation pending a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on an appeal of the court’s decisions granting motions to dismiss in a related putative class action. Because of the stay, neither Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd nor any of the other defendants have responded to the complaint and written discovery that had begun has not been completed. On August 16, 2010, the Third Circuit issued its ruling in the related action, affirming the dismissal in large part, vacating it in part and remanding that case for further proceedings. On October 5, 2010, the court decided to extend the current stay until after it decides the renewed motions to dismiss the class action complaint that have been filed. At this point, it is not possible to predict the outcome of the litigation; the company does not, however, currently believe that the outcome will have a material adverse effect on the company’s operations or financial position.
 
We may become subject to additional Swiss regulation.
 
Under so-called “group supervision,” FINMA has the right to supervise us on a group-wide basis. On December 11, 2009, we received non-binding written confirmation from FINMA that it will not subject us to group supervision based primarily on the fact that most of our senior management will not reside in Switzerland. Factors which can cause FINMA to subject us to group supervision include the location of our top management and corresponding requests by foreign regulators. We cannot assure you that our future business needs may not require us to have a greater management presence in Switzerland or that FINMA will not otherwise determine to exercise group supervision over us. If subjected to group supervision, we may incur additional costs and administrative obligations. These additional costs and administrative obligations may have a substantial impact on our organizational and operational flexibility.


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Risks Related to the Insurance and Reinsurance Business
 
The insurance and reinsurance business is historically cyclical and we expect to experience periods with excess underwriting capacity and unfavorable premium rates and policy terms and conditions.
 
Historically, insurers and reinsurers have experienced significant fluctuations in operating results due to competition, frequency of occurrence or severity of catastrophic events, levels of underwriting capacity, general economic conditions and other factors. The supply of insurance and reinsurance is related to prevailing prices, the level of insured losses and the level of industry surplus which, in turn, may fluctuate in response to changes in rates of return on investments being earned in the insurance and reinsurance industry. The occurrence, or non-occurrence, of catastrophic events, the frequency and severity of which are unpredictable, affects both industry results and consequently prevailing market prices for certain of our products. As a result of these factors, the insurance and reinsurance business historically has been a cyclical industry characterized by periods of intense competition on price and policy terms due to excessive underwriting capacity as well as periods when shortages of capacity permit favorable premium rates and policy terms and conditions. Increases in the supply of insurance and reinsurance may have adverse consequences for us, including fewer policies and contracts written, lower premium rates, increased expenses for customer acquisition and retention and less favorable policy terms and conditions.
 
Increased competition in the insurance and reinsurance markets in which we operate could adversely impact our operating margins.
 
The insurance and reinsurance industry are highly competitive. We compete with major U.S. and international insurers and reinsurers. Many of our competitors have greater financial, marketing and management resources. We also compete with new companies that continue to be formed to enter the insurance and reinsurance markets.
 
In addition, risk-linked securities and derivative and other non-traditional risk transfer mechanisms and vehicles are being developed and offered by other parties, including entities other than insurance and reinsurance companies. The availability of these non-traditional products could reduce the demand for traditional insurance and reinsurance. A number of new, proposed or potential industry or legislative developments could further increase competition in our industry.
 
New competition from these developments could result in fewer contracts written, lower premium rates, increased expenses for customer acquisition and retention and less favorable policy terms and conditions, which could have a material adverse effect on our growth, financial condition or results of operations.
 
The effects of emerging claims and coverage issues on our business are uncertain.
 
As industry practices and legal, judicial, social and other conditions change, unexpected and unintended issues related to claims and coverage may emerge. These issues may adversely affect our business by either extending coverage beyond our underwriting intent or by increasing the number or size of claims. In some instances, these changes may not become apparent until some time after we have issued insurance or reinsurance contracts that are affected by the changes. As a result, the full extent of liability under our insurance and reinsurance contracts may not be known for many years after a contract is issued. Examples of emerging claims and coverage issues include:
 
  •  larger defense costs, settlements and jury awards in cases involving professionals and corporate directors and officers covered by professional liability and directors and officers liability insurance; and
 
  •  a trend of plaintiffs targeting property and casualty insurers in class action litigation related to claims handling, insurance sales practices and other practices related to the conduct of our business.
 
Risks Related to Laws and Regulations Applicable to Us
 
Compliance by our insurance subsidiaries with the legal and regulatory requirements to which they are subject is expensive. Any failure to comply could have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
Our insurance subsidiaries are required to comply with a wide variety of laws and regulations applicable to insurance or reinsurance companies, both in the jurisdictions in which they are organized and where they sell their insurance and reinsurance products. The insurance and regulatory environment, in particular for offshore insurance


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and reinsurance companies, has become subject to increased scrutiny in many jurisdictions, including the United States, various states within the United States and the United Kingdom. In the past, there have been Congressional and other initiatives in the United States regarding increased supervision and regulation of the insurance industry. It is not possible to predict the future impact of changes in laws and regulations on our operations. The cost of complying with any new legal requirements affecting our subsidiaries could have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
In addition, our subsidiaries may not always be able to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits, authorizations or accreditations. They also may not be able to fully comply with, or to obtain appropriate exemptions from, the laws and regulations applicable to them. Any failure to comply with applicable law or to obtain appropriate exemptions could result in restrictions on either the ability of the company in question, as well as potentially its affiliates, to do business in one or more of the jurisdictions in which they operate or on brokers on which we rely to produce business for us. In addition, any such failure to comply with applicable laws or to obtain appropriate exemptions could result in the imposition of fines or other sanctions. Any of these sanctions could have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
Our Bermuda insurance subsidiary, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd, is registered as a Class 4 Bermuda insurance and reinsurance company and is subject to regulation and supervision in Bermuda. The applicable Bermudian statutes and regulations generally are designed to protect insureds and ceding insurance companies rather than shareholders or noteholders. Among other things, those statutes and regulations:
 
  •  require Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd to maintain minimum levels of capital and surplus,
 
  •  impose liquidity requirements which restrict the amount and type of investments it may hold,
 
  •  prescribe solvency standards that it must meet, and
 
  •  restrict payments of dividends and reductions of capital and provide for the performance of periodic examinations of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd and its financial condition.
 
These statutes and regulations may, in effect, restrict the ability of Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd to write new business or distribute funds. Although it conducts its operations from Bermuda, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is not authorized to directly underwrite local risks in Bermuda.
 
Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd also operates branch offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, which offices are regulated by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner in Hong Kong and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, respectively.
 
Our U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries, Allied World Assurance Company (U.S.) Inc. and Darwin National Assurance Company, each a Delaware domiciled subsidiary, Allied World National Assurance Company and Allied World Reinsurance Company, each a New Hampshire domiciled subsidiary, and Darwin Select Insurance Company and Vantapro Specialty Insurance Company, each an Arkansas domiciled subsidiary, are subject to the statutes and regulations of their relevant state of domicile as well as any other state in the United States where they conduct business. In the states where the companies are admitted, the companies must comply with all insurance laws and regulations, including insurance rate and form requirements. Insurance laws and regulations may vary significantly from state to state. In those states where the companies act as surplus lines carriers, the states’ regulation focuses mainly on the company’s solvency.
 
Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited, an Irish domiciled insurer, operates within the EU non-life insurance legal and regulatory framework as established under the Third Non-Life Directive of the European Union, and operates a branch in London, England. Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited is required to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Irish Insurance Acts 1909-2000, the Central Bank Acts 1942 to 2010, all statutory instruments made thereunder, all statutory instruments relating to insurance made under the European Communities Acts 1972 to 2009 and the requirements of the CBI.
 
Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited, an Irish domiciled reinsurer, is regulated by the CBI pursuant to the Central Bank Acts 1942 to 2010 and the provisions of the European Communities (Reinsurance) Regulations 2006 (which transposed the E.U. Reinsurance Directive into Irish law) and operates branches in


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London, England and Zug, Switzerland. Pursuant to the provisions of these regulations, reinsurance undertakings may, subject to the satisfaction of certain formalities, carry on reinsurance business in other EU member states either directly from the home member state (on a freedom to provide services basis) or through local branches (by way of permanent establishment).
 
Our Bermuda operating company could become subject to regulation in the United States.
 
Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd, our Bermuda operating company is not admitted as an insurer, nor accredited as a reinsurer, in any jurisdiction in the United States. For the year ended December 31, 2010, more than 78% of the gross premiums written by Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd, however, are derived from insurance or reinsurance contracts entered into with entities domiciled in the United States. The insurance laws of each state in the United States regulate the sale of insurance and reinsurance within the state’s jurisdiction by foreign insurers. Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd conducts its business through its offices in Bermuda and does not maintain an office, and its personnel do not solicit insurance business, resolve claims or conduct other insurance business, in the United States. While Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd does not believe it is in violation of insurance laws of any jurisdiction in the United States, we cannot be certain that inquiries or challenges to our insurance and reinsurance activities will not be raised in the future. It is possible that, if Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd were to become subject to any laws of this type at any time in the future, we would not be in compliance with the requirements of those laws.
 
Our holding company structure and regulatory and other constraints affect our ability to pay dividends and make other payments.
 
Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG is a holding company, and as such has no substantial operations of its own. It does not have any significant assets other than its ownership of the shares of its direct and indirect subsidiaries. Dividends and other permitted distributions from subsidiaries are expected to be the sole source of funds for Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG to meet any ongoing cash requirements and to pay any dividends to shareholders.
 
Swiss Law
 
Under Swiss law, dividends may be paid out only if we have sufficient distributable profits from previous fiscal years or if we have freely distributable reserves, each as will be presented on Holdings’ audited statutory financial statements prepared in accordance with Swiss law. Payments out of the share and participation capital (in other words, the aggregate par value of our share and participation capital) in the form of dividends are not allowed; however, payments out of share and participation capital may be made by way of a capital reduction to achieve a similar result as the payment of dividends. The affirmative vote of shareholders holding a majority of the votes cast at a shareholder meeting must approve reserve reclassifications and distributions of dividends. Our Board of Directors may propose to shareholders that a dividend be paid but cannot itself authorize the dividend. In addition, our shareholders may propose dividends without any dividend proposal by the Board of Directors. Under Swiss law, upon satisfaction of all legal requirements (including shareholder approval of a par value reduction as described in this proposal), we will be required to submit an application to the Swiss Commercial Register to register each applicable par value reduction. Without effective registration of the applicable par value reduction with the Swiss Commercial Register, we will not be able to proceed with the payment of any installment of any dividend. We cannot assure you that the Swiss Commercial Register will approve the registration of any applicable par value reduction.
 
Under Swiss law, if our general capital reserves amount to less than 20% of the share and participation capital recorded in the Swiss Commercial Register (i.e., 20% of the aggregate par value of our capital), then at least 5% of our annual profit must be retained as general reserves. Swiss law permits us to accrue additional general reserves. In addition, we are required to create a special reserve on Holdings’ audited statutory financial statements in the amount of the purchase price of voting shares and non-voting shares we or any of our subsidiaries repurchases, which amount may not be used for dividends.


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Swiss companies generally must maintain separate audited statutory financial statements for the purpose of, among other things, determining the amounts available for the return of capital to shareholders, including by way of a distribution of dividends. Amounts available for the return of capital as indicated on Holdings’ audited statutory financial statements may be materially different from amounts reflected in our consolidated U.S. GAAP financial statements. Our auditor must confirm that a dividend proposal made to shareholders complies with Swiss law and our Articles of Association.
 
We are required under Swiss law to declare any dividends and other capital distributions in Swiss francs. We intend to make any dividend payments to holders of our common shares in U.S. dollars. Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, our transfer agent, will be responsible for paying the U.S. dollars to registered holders of voting shares and non-voting participation certificates, less amounts subject to withholding for taxes. As a result, shareholders are exposed to fluctuations in the U.S. dollar — Swiss franc exchange rate between the date used for purposes of calculating the Swiss franc amount of any proposed dividend or par value reduction and the relevant payment date.
 
Bermuda Law
 
Bermuda law, including Bermuda insurance regulations and the Companies Act, restricts the declaration and payment of dividends and the making of distributions by our Bermuda entities, unless specified requirements are met. Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is prohibited from paying dividends of more than 25% of its total statutory capital and surplus (as shown in its previous financial year’s statutory balance sheet) without prior BMA approval. Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd is also prohibited from declaring or paying dividends without the approval of the BMA if Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd failed to meet its minimum solvency margin and minimum liquidity ratio on the last day of the previous financial year.
 
Furthermore, in order to reduce its total statutory capital by 15% or more, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd would require the prior approval of the BMA. In addition, Bermuda corporate law prohibits a company from declaring or paying a dividend if there are reasonable grounds for believing that (i) the company is, or would after the payment be, unable to pay its liabilities as they become due; or (ii) the realizable value of the company’s assets would thereby be less than the aggregate of its liabilities, its issued share capital and its share premium accounts.
 
U.S. and Irish Law
 
In addition, our U.S. and Irish insurance subsidiaries are subject to significant regulatory restrictions limiting their ability to declare and pay any dividends.
 
In general, a U.S. insurance company subsidiary may not pay an “extraordinary” dividend or distribution until 30 days after the applicable insurance regulator has received notice of the intended payment and has not objected to, or has approved, the payment within the 30-day period. In general, an “extraordinary” dividend or distribution is defined by these laws and regulations as a dividend or distribution that, together with other dividends and distributions made within the preceding 12 months, exceeds the greater (or, in some jurisdictions, the lesser) of: (a) 10% of the insurer’s statutory surplus as of the immediately prior year end; or (b) or the statutory net income during the prior calendar year. The laws and regulations of some of these U.S. jurisdictions also prohibit an insurer from declaring or paying a dividend except out of its earned surplus. For example, payments of dividends by U.S. insurance companies are subject to restrictions on statutory surplus pursuant to state law. In addition, insurance regulators may prohibit the payment of ordinary dividends or other payments by our U.S. insurance subsidiaries (such as a payment under a tax sharing agreement or for employee or other services) if they determine that such payment could be adverse to such subsidiaries’ policyholders.
 
Without the consent of the CBI, Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited and Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited are not permitted to reduce the level of their capital, may not make any dividend payments, may not make inter-company loans and must maintain a minimum solvency margin. These rules and regulations may have the effect of restricting the ability of these companies to declare and pay dividends.
 
In addition, we have insurance subsidiaries that are the parent company for other insurance subsidiaries, and dividends and other distributions are subject to multiple layers of the regulations discussed above as funds are


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pushed up to our ultimate parent company. The inability of any of our insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends in an amount sufficient to enable Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG to meet its cash requirements at the holding company level could have a material adverse effect on our business, our ability to transfer capital from one subsidiary to another and our ability to declare and pay dividends to our shareholders. Furthermore, Allied World Bermuda has senior notes outstanding. The inability of any of our insurance subsidiaries to pay dividends in an amount sufficient to enable Allied World Bermuda to make payments on the outstanding senior notes could have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
In 2010, the U.S. Congress enacted healthcare reform legislation that could have a material impact on our business.
 
Our U.S. insurance segment and our international insurance segment derive substantial revenues from healthcare liability underwriting in the United States, that is, providing insurance to individuals and institutions that participate in the U.S. healthcare delivery infrastructure. U.S. healthcare legislation in 2010 will effect far-reaching changes in the healthcare delivery system and the healthcare cost reimbursement structure in the United States and could negatively impact our healthcare liability business. Additionally, future healthcare proposals could include tort reform provisions under which plaintiffs would be restricted in their ability to bring suit against healthcare providers, which could negatively impact the demand for our healthcare liability products. While the impact of this healthcare legislation or future healthcare proposals on our business is difficult to predict, any material changes in how healthcare providers insure their malpractice liability risks could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
 
In 2010, the U.S. Congress enacted the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”), which could have an impact on our business
 
On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Act which effects sweeping changes to financial services regulation in the United States. The Dodd-Frank Act establishes the Financial Services Oversight Council (“FSOC”), which is authorized to recommend that certain systemically significant non-bank financial companies, including insurance companies, be regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. The Dodd-Frank Act also establishes a Federal Insurance Office (“FIO”) and in limited instances authorizes the federal preemption of certain state insurance laws. The FSOC and FIO are authorized to study, monitor and report to Congress on the U.S. insurance industry and the significance of global reinsurance to the U.S. insurance market. The potential impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the U.S. insurance business is not clear, however, our business could be affected by changes to the U.S. system of insurance regulation or our designation or the designation of insurers or reinsurers with which we do business as systemically significant non-bank financial companies.
 
Other legislative, regulatory and industry initiatives could adversely affect our business.
 
The insurance and reinsurance regulatory framework is subject to heavy scrutiny by U.S. federal and individual state governments as well as an increasing number of international authorities. Government regulators are generally concerned with the protection of policyholders to the exclusion of other constituencies, including shareholders. Governmental authorities in the United States and worldwide seem increasingly interested in the potential risks posed by the insurance industry as a whole, and to commercial and financial systems in general. While we do not believe these inquiries have identified meaningful, new risks posed by the insurance and reinsurance industry, and while we cannot predict the exact nature, timing or scope of possible governmental initiatives, there may be increased regulatory intervention in our industry in the future. For example, the U.S. federal government has increased its scrutiny of the insurance regulatory framework in recent years, and some state legislators have considered or enacted laws that will alter and likely increase state regulation of insurance and reinsurance companies and holding companies. Moreover, the NAIC, which is an association of the insurance commissioners of all 50 states and the District of Columbia and state insurance regulators, regularly reexamine existing laws and regulations.
 
For example, we could be adversely affected by proposals to:
 
  •  provide insurance and reinsurance capacity in markets and to consumers that we target;


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  •  require our participation in industry pools and guaranty associations;
 
  •  expand the scope of coverage under existing policies;
 
  •  increasingly mandate the terms of insurance and reinsurance policies;
 
  •  establish a new federal insurance regulator or financial industry systemic risk regulator;
 
  •  revise laws and regulations under which we operate, including a potential change to U.S. tax laws to disallow or limit the current tax deduction for reinsurance premiums paid by our U.S. subsidiaries to our Bermuda insurance subsidiary for reinsurance protections it provides to our U.S. subsidiaries; or
 
  •  disproportionately benefit the companies of one country over those of another.
 
With respect to international measures, an EU directive concerning the capital adequacy, risk management and regulatory reporting for insurers and reinsurers (“Solvency II”) which was adopted by the European Parliament in April 2009, may affect our insurance businesses. Implementation of Solvency II by EU member states is anticipated at the beginning of 2013. Implementing those measures necessary for compliance with the requirements of Solvency II may require us to utilize a significant amount of resources to ensure compliance. In addition, the capital and solvency margin requirements of Solvency II may lead to either an increase or decrease of the capital required by our EU domiciled insurers in order that they comply with Solvency II. Solvency II provides for the supervision of insurers and reinsurers on both a solo (entity level) and group basis. In respect of our non-EU subsidiaries engaging in EU insurance or reinsurance business, should the regulatory regime in which they are operating not be deemed equivalent to that established within the EU pursuant to Solvency II, additional capital requirements may be imposed in order that such companies may continue to insure or reinsure EU domiciled risk/cedents.
 
We are unable to predict the future impact on our operations of changes in the laws and regulations to which we are or may become subject. Moreover, our exposure to potential regulatory initiatives could be heightened by the fact that our principal insurance subsidiary is domiciled in, and operates exclusively from, Bermuda. For example, Bermuda, a small jurisdiction, may be disadvantaged in participating in global or cross-border regulatory matters as compared with larger jurisdictions such as the United States or the leading EU countries. In addition, Bermuda, which is currently an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, may consider changes to its relationship with the United Kingdom in the future. These changes could adversely affect Bermuda’s position with respect to its regulatory initiatives, which could adversely impact us commercially.
 
Our business could be adversely affected by Bermuda employment restrictions.
 
Under Bermuda law, non-Bermudians (other than spouses of Bermudians, holders of a permanent resident’s certificate and holders of a working resident’s certificate) may not engage in any gainful occupation in Bermuda without an appropriate governmental work permit. Work permits may be granted or extended by the Bermuda government if it is shown that, after proper public advertisement in most cases, no Bermudian (or spouse of a Bermudian, holder of a permanent resident’s certificate or holder of a working resident’s certificate) is available who meets the minimum standard requirements for the advertised position. In 2001, the Bermuda government announced a new immigration policy limiting the total duration of work permits, including renewals, to six to nine years, with specified exemptions for key employees. In March 2004, the Bermuda government announced an amendment to this policy which expanded the categories of occupations recognized by the government as “key” and with respect to which businesses can apply to be exempt from the six-to-nine-year limitations. The categories include senior executives, managers with global responsibility, senior financial posts, certain legal professionals and senior insurance professionals, experienced/specialized brokers, actuaries, specialist investment traders/analysts and senior information technology engineers and managers. On occasion, we have experienced delays in obtaining work permits from the Bermuda government for our Bermuda-based professional employees who require them. It is possible that the Bermuda government could deny work permits for our employees in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.


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Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Shares
 
Future sales of our common shares may adversely affect the market price.
 
As of February 21, 2011, we had 38,020,802 common shares outstanding. Up to an additional 3,209,703 common shares may be issuable upon the vesting and exercise of outstanding stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance-based equity awards. We have filed a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) to register common shares issued or reserved for issuance under the Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG Third Amended and Restated 2001 Employee Stock Option Plan, the Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG Third Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan, the Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG Third Amended and Restated Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”) and the Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG Amended and Restated 2008 Employee Share Purchase Plan. Subject to the exercise of issued and outstanding stock options, shares registered under the registration statement on Form S-8 will be available for sale to the public. We cannot predict what effect, if any, future sales of our common shares, or the availability of common shares for future sale, will have on the market price of our common shares. Sales of substantial amounts of our common shares in the public market, or the perception that sales of this type could occur, could depress the market price of our common shares and may make it more difficult for you to sell your common shares at a time and price that you deem appropriate.
 
Our Articles of Association contain restrictions on voting, ownership and transfers of our common shares.
 
Our Articles of Association generally provide that shareholders have one vote for each common share held by them and are entitled to vote at all meetings of shareholders. However, the voting rights exercisable by a shareholder may be limited so that certain persons or groups are not deemed to hold 10% or more of the voting power conferred by our common shares. Moreover, these provisions could have the effect of reducing the voting power of some shareholders who would not otherwise be subject to the limitation by virtue of their direct share ownership. Our Board of Directors may refuse to register holders of shares as shareholders with voting rights based on certain grounds, including if the holder would, directly or indirectly, formally, constructively or beneficially own (as described in Articles 8 and 14 of our Articles of Association) or otherwise control voting rights with respect to 10% or more of our registered share capital recorded in the Swiss Commercial Register. In addition, our Board of Directors shall reject entry of holders of voting shares as shareholders with voting rights in the share register or shall decide on their deregistration when the acquirer or shareholder upon request does not expressly state that it has acquired or holds the voting shares for its own account and benefit. Furthermore, our Board of Directors may cancel, with retroactive application, the registration of a shareholder with voting rights if the initial registration was on the basis of false information in the shareholder’s application. Shareholders registered without voting rights may not participate in or vote at our shareholders meetings, but will be entitled to dividends, preemptive rights and liquidation proceeds. Only shareholders that are registered as shareholders with voting rights on the relevant record date are permitted to participate in and vote at a shareholders meeting.
 
Anti-takeover provisions in our Articles of Association could impede an attempt to replace or remove our directors, which could diminish the value of our common shares.
 
Our Articles of Association contain provisions that may entrench directors and make it more difficult for shareholders to replace directors even if the shareholders consider it beneficial to do so. In addition, these provisions could delay or prevent a change of control that a shareholder might consider favorable. For example, these provisions may prevent a shareholder from receiving the benefit from any premium over the market price of our shares offered by a bidder in a potential takeover. Even in the absence of an attempt to effect a change in management or a takeover attempt, these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common shares if they are viewed as discouraging changes in management and takeover attempts in the future.
 
For example, the following provisions in our Articles of Association could have such an effect:
 
  •  the election of our directors is staggered, meaning that members of only one of three classes of our directors are elected each year, thus limiting a shareholder’s ability to replace directors;


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  •  shareholders whose shares represent 10% or more of our total voting shares will be reduced to less than 10% of the total voting power. Conversely, shareholders owning less than 10% of the total voting power may gain increased voting power as a result of these cutbacks;
 
  •  our directors may decline the registration of a shareholder as a shareholder with voting rights in the share register if and to the extent such shareholder owns or otherwise controls alone or together with others 10% of our total voting rights or if such shareholder refuses to confirm to us that it has acquired the voting shares for its own account and benefit; and
 
  •  at any time until November 30, 2012, our Board of Directors has the power to issue a number of voting shares up to 20% of our share capital registered in the Swiss Commercial Register and to limit or withdraw the preemptive rights of the existing shareholders in various circumstances.
 
As a shareholder of our company, you may have greater difficulties in protecting your interests than as a shareholder of a U.S. corporation.
 
Swiss law differs in material respects from laws generally applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. Taken together with the provisions of our Articles of Association, some of these differences may result in your having greater difficulties in protecting your interests as a shareholder of our company than you would have as a shareholder of a U.S. corporation. This affects, among other things, the circumstances under which transactions involving an interested director are voidable, whether an interested director can be held accountable for any benefit realized in a transaction with our company, what approvals are required for business combinations by our company with a large shareholder or a wholly-owned subsidiary, what rights you may have as a shareholder to enforce specified provisions of Swiss corporate law or our Articles of Association, the rights of shareholders to bring class action and derivative lawsuits and the circumstances under which we may indemnify our directors and officers.
 
It may be difficult to enforce service of process and enforcement of judgments against us and our officers and directors.
 
Holdings is incorporated pursuant to the laws of Switzerland. In addition, certain of our directors and officers reside outside the United States, and all or a substantial portion of our assets and the assets of such persons are located in jurisdictions outside the United States. As such, it may be difficult or impossible to effect service of process within the United States upon us or those persons or to recover against us or them on judgments of U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws.
 
We have been advised by Swiss counsel, that there is doubt as to whether the courts in Switzerland would enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions against us or our directors and officers, predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws or original actions brought in Switzerland against us or such persons predicated solely upon U.S. federal securities laws. Further, we have been advised by Swiss counsel that there is no treaty in effect between the United States and Switzerland providing for the enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts. Some remedies available under the laws of U.S. jurisdictions, including some remedies available under the U.S. federal securities laws, may not be allowed in Swiss courts as contrary to that jurisdiction’s public policy. Because judgments of U.S. courts are not automatically enforceable in Switzerland, it may be difficult for investors to recover against us based upon such judgments.
 
There are regulatory limitations on the ownership and transfer of our common shares.
 
The BMA must approve all issuances and transfers of securities of our Bermuda exempted companies. Before any shareholder acquires 10% or more of the voting shares, either directly or indirectly, of any of our U.S. insurance subsidiaries, that shareholder must file an acquisition statement with and obtain prior approval from the domiciliary insurance commissioner of the respective company. Similar provisions apply to our Lloyd’s corporate member. Any


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company or individual that, together with its or his associates, directly or indirectly acquires 10% or more of the shares in a Lloyd’s corporate member or its parent company, or is entitled to exercise or control the exercise of 10% or more of the voting power in such Lloyd’s corporate member or its parent company, would be considered to have acquired control for the purposes of the relevant legislation, as would a person who had significant influence over the management of such Lloyd’s corporate member or its parent company by virtue of his shareholding or voting power in either. In such a case, the controlling entity would be required to provide notice to Lloyd’s.
 
Risks Related to Taxation
 
U.S. taxation of our non-U.S. companies could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
 
We believe that our non-U.S. companies, including our Swiss, Bermuda and Irish companies, have operated and will operate their respective businesses in a manner that will not cause them to be subject to U.S. tax (other than U.S. federal excise tax on insurance and reinsurance premiums and withholding tax on specified investment income from U.S. sources) on the basis that none of them are engaged in a U.S. trade or business. However, there are no definitive standards under current law as to those activities that constitute a U.S. trade or business and the determination of whether a non-U.S. company is engaged in a U.S. trade or business is inherently factual. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) will not contend that a non-U.S. company is engaged in a U.S. trade or business. If any of the non-U.S. companies are engaged in a U.S. trade or business and does not qualify for benefits under the applicable income tax treaty, such company may be subject to U.S. federal income taxation at regular corporate rates on its premium income from U.S. sources and investment income that is effectively connected with its U.S. trade or business. In addition, a U.S. federal branch profits tax at the rate of 30% may be imposed on the earnings and profits attributable to such income. All of the premium income from U.S. sources and a significant portion of investment income of such company, as computed under Section 842 of the Code, requiring that a foreign company carrying on a U.S. insurance or reinsurance business have a certain minimum amount of effectively connected net investment income, determined in accordance with a formula that depends, in part, on the amount of U.S. risks insured or reinsured by such company, may be subject to U.S. federal income and branch profits taxes.
 
If Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd, our Bermuda insurance subsidiary, or any Bermuda insurance subsidiary we form or acquire in the future is engaged in a U.S. trade or business and qualifies for benefits under the United States-Bermuda tax treaty, U.S. federal income taxation of such subsidiary will depend on whether (i) it maintains a U.S. permanent establishment and (ii) the relief from taxation under the treaty generally applies to non-premium income. We believe that our Bermuda insurance subsidiary has operated and will continue to operate its business in a manner that will not cause it to maintain a U.S. permanent establishment. However, the determination of whether an insurance company maintains a U.S. permanent establishment is inherently factual. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the IRS will not successfully assert that our Bermuda insurance subsidiary maintains a U.S. permanent establishment. In such case, our Bermuda insurance subsidiary will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates and branch profit tax at the rate of 30% with respect to its income attributable to the permanent establishment. Furthermore, although the provisions of the treaty clearly apply to premium income, it is uncertain whether they generally apply to other income of a Bermuda insurance company. Therefore, if a Bermuda insurance subsidiary of our company qualifies for benefits under the treaty and does not maintain a U.S. permanent establishment but is engaged in a U.S. trade or business, and the treaty is interpreted not to apply to income other than premium income, such subsidiary will be subject to U.S. federal income and branch profits taxes on its investment and other non-premium income as described in the preceding paragraph. In addition, a Bermuda subsidiary will qualify for benefits under the treaty only if more than 50% of its shares are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by individuals who are Bermuda residents or U.S. citizens or residents. Our Bermuda subsidiaries may not be able to continually satisfy such beneficial ownership test or be able to establish it to the satisfaction of the IRS.
 
If any of our Swiss or Irish companies are engaged in a U.S. trade or business and qualify for benefits under the relevant income tax treaty with the United States, U.S. federal income taxation of such company will depend on whether it maintains a U.S. permanent establishment. We believe that each such company has operated and will


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continue to operate its business in a manner that will not cause it to maintain a U.S. permanent establishment. However, the determination of whether a non-U.S. company maintains a U.S. permanent establishment is inherently factual. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the IRS will not successfully assert that any of such companies maintains a U.S. permanent establishment. In such case, the company will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates and branch profits tax at the rate of 5% with respect to its income attributable to the permanent establishment.
 
U.S. federal income tax, if imposed, will be based on effectively connected or attributable income of a non-U.S. company computed in a manner generally analogous to that applied to the income of a U.S. corporation, except that all deductions and credits claimed by a non-U.S. company in a taxable year can be disallowed if the company does not file a U.S. federal income tax return for such year. Penalties may be assessed for failure to file such return. None of our non-U.S. companies filed U.S. federal income tax returns for the 2002 and 2001 taxable years. However, we have filed protective U.S. federal income tax returns on a timely basis for each non-U.S. company for subsequent years in order to preserve our right to claim tax deductions and credits in such years if any of such companies is determined to be subject to U.S. federal income tax.
 
If any of our non-U.S. companies is subject to such U.S. federal taxation, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
 
Our U.S. subsidiaries may be subject to additional U.S. taxes in connection with our interaffiliate arrangements.
 
Our U.S. subsidiaries reinsure a significant portion of their insurance policies with Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd. While we believe that the terms of these reinsurance arrangements are arm’s length, we cannot assure you that the IRS will not successfully assert that the payments made by the U.S. subsidiaries with respect to such arrangements exceed arm’s length amounts. In such case, our U.S. subsidiaries will be treated as realizing additional income that may be subject to additional U.S. income tax, possibly with interest and penalties. Such excess amount may also be deemed to have been distributed as dividends to the indirect parent of the U.S. subsidiaries, Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd, in which case this deemed dividend will also be subject to a U.S. federal withholding tax of 5%, assuming that the parent is eligible for benefits under the United States-Ireland income tax treaty (or a withholding tax of 30% if the parent is not so eligible). If any of these U.S. taxes are imposed, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In addition, if legislation is enacted in the U.S. that limits or eliminates our ability to enter into interaffiliate arrangements, our financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
 
We may not be able to make distributions or repurchase shares without subjecting you to Swiss withholding tax.
 
If we are not successful in our efforts to make distributions, if any, through a reduction of par value or pay dividends out of qualifying additional paid-in capital, then any dividends paid by us will generally be subject to a Swiss federal withholding tax at a rate of 35%. The withholding tax must be withheld from the gross distribution and paid to the Swiss Federal Tax Administration. A U.S. holder that qualifies for benefits under the Convention between the United States of America and the Swiss Confederation for the Avoidance of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income may apply for a refund of the tax withheld in excess of the 15% treaty rate (or in excess of the 5% reduced treaty rate for qualifying corporate shareholders with at least 10% participation in our voting shares, or for a full refund in case of qualified pension funds). Payment of a capital distribution in the form of a par value reduction is not subject to Swiss withholding tax. However, there can be no assurance that our shareholders will approve a reduction in par value, that we will be able to meet the other legal requirements for a reduction in par value, or that Swiss withholding rules will not be changed in the future. In addition, over the long term, the amount of par value available for us to use for par value reductions will be limited. If we are unable to make a distribution through a reduction in par value or, pay a dividend out of qualifying additional paid-in capital, we may not be able to make distributions without subjecting you to Swiss withholding taxes.
 
Under present Swiss tax law, repurchases of our common shares for the purposes of capital reduction are treated as a partial liquidation subject to 35% Swiss withholding tax on the difference between the par value and the


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repurchase price. We may follow a share repurchase process for future repurchases, if any, in which Swiss institutional investors sell shares to us and are generally able to receive a refund of the Swiss withholding tax. However, if we are unable to use this process successfully, we may not be able to repurchase our shares for the purposes of capital reduction without subjecting you to Swiss withholding taxes.
 
You may be subject to U.S. income taxation with respect to income of our non-U.S. companies and ordinary income characterization of gains on disposition of our shares under the controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) rules.
 
Generally, each “United States shareholder” of a CFC will be subject to (i) U.S. federal income taxation on its ratable share of the CFC’s subpart F income, even if the earnings attributable to such income are not distributed, provided that such “United States shareholder” holds directly or through non-U.S. entities shares of the CFC; and (ii) potential ordinary income characterization of gains from the sale or exchange of the directly owned shares of the non-U.S. corporation. For these purposes, any U.S. person who owns directly, through non-U.S. entities, or under applicable constructive ownership rules, 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of any non-U.S. company will be considered to be a “United States shareholder.” An insurance company is classified as a CFC only if its “United States shareholders” own 25% or more of the vote or value of its stock. Although our non-U.S. companies may be or become CFCs, for the following reasons we believe it is unlikely that any U.S. person holding our shares directly, or through non-U.S. entities, would be subject to tax as a “United States shareholder.”
 
First, although certain of our principal U.S. shareholders previously owned 10% or more of our common shares, no such shareholder currently owns more than 10%. We will be classified as a CFC only if United States shareholders own 25% or more of our stock; one United States shareholder alone will not be subject to tax on subpart F income unless that shareholder owns 25% or more of our stock or there is at least one other United States shareholder that in combination with the first United States shareholder owns 25% or more of our common stock. Second, our Articles of Association provide that no individual or legal entity may, directly or through Constructive Ownership (as defined in Article 14 of our Articles of Association) or otherwise control voting rights with respect to 10% or more of our registered share capital recorded in the Swiss Commercial Register and authorize our Board of Directors to refuse to register holders of shares as shareholders with voting rights under certain circumstances. We cannot assure you, however, that the provisions of the Articles of Association referenced in this paragraph will operate as intended or that we will be otherwise successful in preventing a U.S. person from exceeding, or being deemed to exceed, these voting limitations. Accordingly, U.S. persons who hold our shares directly or through non-U.S. entities should consider the possible application of the CFC rules.
 
You may be subject to U.S. income taxation under the related person insurance income (“RPII”) rules.
 
Our non-U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries may currently insure and reinsure and may continue to insure and reinsure directly or indirectly certain of our U.S. shareholders and persons related to such shareholders. We believe that U.S. persons that hold our shares directly or through non-U.S. entities will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation with respect to the income realized in connection with such insurance and reinsurance prior to distribution of earnings attributable to such income either on the basis (i) that RPII, determined on a gross basis, realized by each non-U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiary will be less than 20% of its gross insurance income in each taxable year; or (ii) that at all times during the year U.S. insureds hold less than 20% of the combined voting power of all classes of our shares entitled to vote and hold less than 20% of the total value of our shares. However, the identity of all of our shareholders, as well as some of the factors that determine the extent of RPII in any period, may be beyond our knowledge or control. For example, we may be considered to insure indirectly the risk of our shareholder if an unrelated company that insured such risk in the first instance reinsures such risk with us. Therefore, we cannot assure you that we will be successful in keeping the RPII realized by the non-U.S. insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries or the ownership of us by U.S. insureds below the 20% limit in each taxable year. Furthermore, even if we are successful in keeping the RPII or the ownership of us by U.S. insureds below the 20% limit, we cannot assure you that we will be able to establish that fact to the satisfaction of the U.S. tax authorities. If we are unable to establish that the RPII of any non-U.S. insurance or reinsurance subsidiary is less than 20% of that subsidiary’s gross insurance income in any taxable year, and no other exception from the RPII rules applies, each


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U.S. person who owns our shares, directly or through non-U.S. entities, on the last day of the taxable year will be generally required to include in its income for U.S. federal income tax purposes that person’s ratable share of that subsidiary’s RPII for the taxable year, determined as if that RPII were distributed proportionately to U.S. holders at that date, regardless of whether that income was actually distributed.
 
The RPII rules provide that if a holder who is a U.S. person disposes of shares in a foreign insurance corporation that has RPII (even if the amount of RPII is less than 20% of the corporation’s gross insurance income and the ownership of us by U.S. insureds is below 20%) and in which U.S. persons own 25% or more of the shares, any gain from the disposition will generally be treated as a dividend to the extent of the holder’s share of the corporation’s undistributed earnings and profits that were accumulated during the period that the holder owned the shares (whether or not those earnings and profits are attributable to RPII). In addition, such a shareholder will be required to comply with specified reporting requirements, regardless of the amount of shares owned. These rules should not apply to dispositions of our shares because Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG is not itself directly engaged in the insurance business and these rules appear to apply only in the case of shares of corporations that are directly engaged in the insurance business. We cannot assure you, however, that the IRS will interpret these rules in this manner or that the proposed regulations addressing the RPII rules will not be promulgated in final form in a manner that would cause these rules to apply to dispositions of our shares.
 
U.S. tax-exempt entities may recognize unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”).
 
A U.S. tax-exempt entity holding our shares generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to dividends and gains on our shares, provided that such entity does not purchase our shares with borrowed funds. However, if a U.S. tax-exempt entity realizes income with respect to our shares under the CFC or RPII rules, as discussed above, such entity will be generally subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to such income as UBTI. Accordingly, U.S. tax-exempt entities that are potential investors in our shares should consider the possible application of the CFC and RPII rules.
 
You may be subject to additional U.S. federal income taxation with respect to distributions on and gains on dispositions of our shares under the passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) rules.
 
We believe that U.S. persons holding our shares should not be subject to additional U.S. federal income taxation with respect to distributions on and gains on dispositions of shares under the PFIC rules. We expect that our insurance subsidiaries will be predominantly engaged in, and derive their income from the active conduct of, an insurance business and will not hold reserves in excess of reasonable needs of their business, and therefore qualify for the insurance exception from the PFIC rules. However, the determination of the nature of such business and the reasonableness of such reserves is inherently factual. Furthermore, we cannot assure you, as to what positions the IRS or a court might take in the future regarding the application of the PFIC rules to us. Therefore, we cannot assure you that we will not be considered to be a PFIC. If we are considered to be a PFIC, U.S. persons holding our shares could be subject to additional U.S. federal income taxation on distributions on and gains on dispositions of shares. Accordingly, each U.S. person who is considering an investment in our shares should consult his or her tax advisor as to the effects of the PFIC rules.
 
Application of a published IRS Revenue Ruling with respect to our insurance or reinsurance arrangements can materially adversely affect us.
 
The IRS published Revenue Ruling 2005-40 (the “Ruling”) addressing the requirement of adequate risk distribution among insureds in order for a primary insurance arrangement to constitute insurance for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the IRS successfully contends that our insurance or reinsurance arrangements, including such arrangements with affiliates of our principal shareholders, and with our U.S. subsidiaries, do not provide for adequate risk distribution under the principles set forth in the Ruling, we could be subject to material adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.


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Our non-U.K. companies may be subject to U.K. tax, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
 
Two of our subsidiaries, Allied World Capital (Europe) Limited and 2232 Services Limited, are incorporated in the United Kingdom and, are therefore, subject to tax in the United Kingdom. None of our other companies are incorporated in the United Kingdom. Accordingly, none of our other companies should be treated as being resident in the United Kingdom for corporation tax purposes unless the central management and control of any such company is exercised in the United Kingdom. The concept of central management and control is indicative of the highest level of control of a company, which is wholly a question of fact. Each of our companies currently intend to manage our affairs so that none of our other companies are resident in the United Kingdom for tax purposes.
 
The rules governing the taxation of foreign companies operating in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency were amended by the Finance Act 2003. The current rules apply to the accounting periods of non-U.K. resident companies which start on or after January 1, 2003. Accordingly, a non-U.K. resident company will only be subject to U.K. corporation tax if it carries on a trade in the United Kingdom through a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom. In that case, the company is, in broad terms, taxable on the profits and gains attributable to the permanent establishment in the United Kingdom. Broadly a company will have a permanent establishment if it has a fixed place of business in the United Kingdom through which the business of the company is wholly or partly carried on or if an agent acting on behalf of the company has and habitually exercises authority in the United Kingdom to do business on behalf of the company. Each of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited and Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited (which have established branches in the United Kingdom), currently intend to operate in such a manner so that none of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited and Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited, carry on a trade through a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom.
 
If any of our U.S. subsidiaries were trading in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency and the U.S. subsidiaries were to qualify for benefits under the applicable income tax treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States, only those profits which were attributable to a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom would be subject to U.K. corporation tax.
 
If Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd was trading in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency and it was entitled to the benefits of the tax treaty between Ireland and the United Kingdom, it would only be subject to U.K. taxation on its profits which were attributable to a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom. The branches established in the United Kingdom by Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited and Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited constitute a permanent establishment of those companies and the profits attributable to those permanent establishments are subject to U.K. corporation tax.
 
The United Kingdom has no income tax treaty with Bermuda.
 
There are circumstances in which companies that are neither resident in the United Kingdom nor entitled to the protection afforded by a double tax treaty between the United Kingdom and the jurisdiction in which they are resident may be exposed to income tax in the United Kingdom (other than by deduction or withholding) on income arising in the United Kingdom (including the profits of a trade carried on there even if that trade is not carried on through a branch agency or permanent establishment), but each of our companies currently operates in such a manner that none of our companies will fall within the charge to income tax in the United Kingdom (other than by deduction or withholding) in this respect.
 
If any of our non-U.K. companies were treated as being resident in the United Kingdom for U.K. corporation tax purposes, or if any of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Company (Reinsurance) Limited and Allied World Assurance Company (Europe) Limited, were to be treated as carrying on a trade in the United Kingdom through a branch agency or of having a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom, our results of operations and your investment could be materially adversely affected.
 
We may be subject to Irish tax, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
 
Companies resident in Ireland are generally subject to Irish corporation tax on their worldwide income and capital gains. None of our companies, other than our Irish companies and Allied World Assurance Holdings


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(Ireland) Ltd, which resides in Ireland, should be treated as being resident in Ireland unless the central management and control of any such company is exercised in Ireland. The concept of central management and control is indicative of the highest level of control of a company, and is wholly a question of fact. Each of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd and our Irish companies, currently intend to operate in such a manner so that the central management and control of each of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd and our Irish companies, is exercised outside of Ireland. Nevertheless, because central management and control is a question of fact to be determined based on a number of different factors, the Irish Revenue Commissioners might contend successfully that the central management and control of any of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd or our Irish companies, is exercised in Ireland. Should this occur, such company will be subject to Irish corporation tax on their worldwide income and capital gains.
 
The trading income of a company not resident in Ireland for Irish tax purposes can also be subject to Irish corporation tax if it carries on a trade through a branch or agency in Ireland. Each of our companies currently intend to operate in such a manner so that none of our companies carry on a trade through a branch or agency in Ireland. Nevertheless, because neither case law nor Irish legislation definitively defines the activities that constitute trading in Ireland through a branch or agency, the Irish Revenue Commissioners might contend successfully that any of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd and our Irish companies, is trading through a branch or agency in Ireland. Should this occur, such companies will be subject to Irish corporation tax on profits attributable to that branch or agency.
 
If any of our companies, other than Allied World Assurance Holdings (Ireland) Ltd and our Irish companies, were treated as resident in Ireland for Irish corporation tax purposes, or as carrying on a trade in Ireland through a branch or agency, our results of operations and your investment could be materially adversely affected.
 
If corporate tax rates in Ireland increase, our business and financial results could be adversely affected.
 
Trading income derived from the insurance and reinsurance businesses carried on in Ireland by our Irish companies is generally taxed in Ireland at a rate of 12.5%. Over the past number of years, various EU Member States have, from time to time, called for harmonization of corporate tax rates within the EU. Ireland, along with other member states, has consistently resisted any movement towards standardized corporate tax rates in the EU. The Government of Ireland has also made clear its commitment to retain the 12.5% rate of corporation tax until at least the year 2025. Should, however, tax laws in Ireland change so as to increase the general corporation tax rate in Ireland, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
 
If investments held by our Irish companies are determined not to be integral to the insurance and reinsurance businesses carried on by those companies, additional Irish tax could be imposed and our business and financial results could be adversely affected.
 
Based on administrative practice, taxable income derived from investments made by our Irish companies is generally taxed in Ireland at the rate of 12.5% on the grounds that such investments either form part of the permanent capital required by regulatory authorities, or are otherwise integral to the insurance and reinsurance businesses carried on by those companies. Our Irish companies intend to operate in such a manner so that the level of investments held by such companies does not exceed the amount that is integral to the insurance and reinsurance businesses carried on by our Irish companies. If, however, investment income earned by our Irish companies exceeds these thresholds, or if the administrative practice of the Irish Revenue Commissioners changes, Irish corporation tax could apply to such investment income at a higher rate (currently 25%) instead of the general 12.5% rate, and our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
 
We may become subject to taxes in Bermuda after March 28, 2016, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and our investment.
 
The Bermuda Minister of Finance, under the Exempted Undertakings Tax Protection Act 1966 of Bermuda, has given our Bermuda subsidiaries an assurance that if any legislation is enacted in Bermuda that would impose tax computed on profits or income, or computed on any capital asset, gain or appreciation, or any tax in the nature of


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estate duty or inheritance tax, then the imposition of any such tax will not be applicable to such entities or their operations, shares, debentures or other obligations until March 28, 2016. Given the limited duration of the Minister of Finance’s assurance, we cannot be certain that we will not be subject to any Bermuda tax after March 28, 2016.
 
Item 1B.   Unresolved Staff Comments.
 
None.


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GLOSSARY OF SELECTED INSURANCE AND OTHER TERMS
 
Accident Year The year in which the event occurred that triggers a claim to us. All years referred to are years ending December 31.
 
Admitted insurer An insurer that is licensed or authorized to write insurance in a particular state; to be distinguished from an insurer eligible to write excess and surplus lines insurance on risks located within a jurisdiction.
 
Assumed reinsurance That portion of a risk that a reinsurer accepts from an insurer in return for a stated premium.
 
Attachment point The loss point of which an insurance or reinsurance policy becomes operative and below which any losses are retained by either the insured or other insurers or reinsurers, as the case may be.
 
Capacity The maximum percentage of surplus, or the dollar amount of exposure, that an insurer or reinsurer is willing or able to place at risk. Capacity may apply to a single risk, a program, a line of business or an entire book of business. Capacity may be constrained by legal restrictions, corporate restrictions or indirect restrictions.
 
Case reserves Loss reserves, established with respect to specific, individual reported claims.
 
Casualty lines Insurance that is primarily concerned with losses due to injuries to persons and liability imposed on the insured for such injury or for damage to the property of others.
 
Catastrophe exposure or event A severe loss, typically involving multiple claimants. Common perils include earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, hailstorms, severe winter weather, floods, fires, tornadoes, explosions and other natural or man-made disasters. Catastrophe losses may also arise from acts of war, acts of terrorism and political instability.
 
Catastrophe reinsurance A form of excess-of-loss reinsurance that, subject to a specified limit, indemnifies the ceding company for the amount of loss in excess of a specified retention with respect to an accumulation of losses resulting from a catastrophic event. The actual reinsurance document is called a “catastrophe cover.” These reinsurance contracts are typically designed to cover property insurance losses but can be written to cover other types of insurance losses such as workers’ compensation policies.
 
Cede, cedent, ceding company When an insurer transfers some or all of its risk to a reinsurer, it “cedes” business and is referred to as the “ceding company” or “cedent.”
 
Commercial coverage Insurance products that are sold to entities and individuals in their business or professional capacity, and which are intended for other than the insured’s personal or household use.
 
Deductible The amount of exposure an insured retains on any one risk or group of risks. The term may apply to an insurance policy, where the insured is an individual or business, or a reinsurance contract, where the insured is an insurance company. See “Retention.”


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Direct insurance Insurance sold by an insurer that contracts directly with the insured, as distinguished from reinsurance.
 
Directors and officers liability Insurance that covers liability for corporate directors and officers for wrongful acts, subject to applicable exclusions, terms and conditions of the policy.
 
Earned premiums or premiums earned That portion of premiums written that applies to the expired portion of the policy term. Earned premiums are recognized as revenues under both statutory accounting practice and U.S. GAAP.
 
Employment practices liability insurance Insurance that primarily provides liability coverage to organizations and their employees for losses arising from acts of discrimination, harassment and retaliation against current and prospective employees of the organization.
 
Excess and surplus lines A risk or a part of a risk for which there is no insurance market available among admitted insurers; or insurance written by non-admitted insurance companies to cover such risks.
 
Excess layer Insurance to cover losses in one or more layers above a certain amount with losses below that amount usually covered by the insured’s primary policy and its self-insured retention.
 
Excess-of-loss reinsurance Reinsurance that indemnifies the insured against all or a specified portion of losses over a specified amount or “retention.”
 
Exclusions Provisions in an insurance or reinsurance policy excluding certain risks or otherwise limiting the scope of coverage.
 
Exposure The possibility of loss. A unit of measure of the amount of risk a company assumes.
 
Facultative reinsurance The reinsurance of all or a portion of the insurance provided by a single policy. Each policy reinsured is separately negotiated.
 
Fiduciary liability insurance Insurance that primarily provides liability coverage to fiduciaries of employee benefit and welfare plans for losses arising from the breach of any fiduciary duty owed to plan beneficiaries.
 
Frequency The number of claims occurring during a specified period of time.
 
General casualty Insurance that is primarily concerned with losses due to injuries to persons and liability imposed on the insured for such injury or for damage to the property of others.
 
Gross premiums written Total premiums for insurance and reinsurance written during a given period.
 
Healthcare liability or Healthcare lines Insurance coverage, often referred to as medical malpractice insurance, which addresses liability risks of doctors, surgeons, nurses, other healthcare professionals and the institutions (hospitals, clinics) in which they practice.


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Incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) reserves Reserves established by us for claims that have occurred but have not yet been reported to us as well as for changes in the values of claims that have been reported to us but are not yet settled.
 
In-force Policies that have not expired or been terminated and for which the insurer remains on risk as of a given date.
 
Limits or gross maximum limits The maximum amount that an insurer or reinsurer will insure or reinsure for a specified risk, a portfolio of risks or on a single insured entity. The term also refers to the maximum amount of benefit payable for a given claim or occurrence.
 
Loss development The difference between the original loss as initially reserved by an insurer or reinsurer and its subsequent evaluation at a later date or at the time of its closure. Loss development occurs because of inflation and time lags between the occurrence of claims and the time they are actually reported to an insurer or reinsurer. To account for these increases, a “loss development factor” or multiplier is usually applied to a claim or group of claims in an effort to more accurately project the ultimate amount that will be paid.
 
Losses incurred The total losses and loss adjustment expenses paid, plus the change in loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, including IBNR, sustained by an insurance or reinsurance company under its insurance policies or other insurance or reinsurance contracts.
 
Losses and loss expenses “Losses” are an occurrence that is the basis for submission or payment of a claim. Losses may be covered, limited or excluded from coverage, depending on the terms of the insurance policy or other insurance or reinsurance contracts. “Loss expenses” are the expenses incurred by an insurance or reinsurance company in settling a loss.
 
Loss reserves Liabilities established by insurers and reinsurers to reflect the estimated cost of claims incurred that the insurer or reinsurer will ultimately be required to pay. Reserves are established for losses and for loss expenses, and consist of case reserves and IBNR reserves. As the term is used in this Form 10-K, “loss reserves” is meant to include reserves for both losses and for loss expenses.
 
Net premiums earned The portion of net premiums written during or prior to a given period that was recognized as income during such period.
 
Net premiums written Gross premiums written, less premiums ceded to reinsurers.
 
Paid losses Claim amounts paid to insureds or ceding companies.
 
Per occurrence limitations The maximum amount recoverable under an insurance or reinsurance policy as a result of any one event, regardless of the number of claims.
 
Primary insurance (primary layer) Insurance that absorbs the losses immediately above the insured’s retention layer. A primary insurer will pay up to a certain dollar amount of losses over the insured’s retention, at which point a higher layer excess insurer will be liable for additional losses. The coverage terms of a primary insurance layer typically assume an element of regular loss frequency.
 
Probable maximum loss (“PML”) An estimate of the loss on any given insurance policy or group of policies at some pre-defined probability of occurrence. The probability


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of occurrence is usually expressed in terms of the number of years between loss events of that size (e.g., 1 in 100 years or 1 in 200 years).
 
Producer A licensed professional, often referred to as either an insurance agent, insurance broker or intermediary, who acts as intermediary between the insurance carrier and the insured or reinsured (as the case may be).
 
Product liability Insurance that provides coverage to manufacturer and/or distributors of tangible goods against liability for personal injury caused if such products are unsafe or defective.
 
Professional liability Insurance that provides liability coverage to directors and officers, attorneys, doctors, accountants and other professionals who offer services to the general public and claim expertise in a particular area greater than the ordinary layperson for their negligence or malfeasance.
 
Property catastrophe coverage In reinsurance, coverage that protects the ceding company against accumulated losses in excess of a stipulated sum that arise from a catastrophic event such as an earthquake, fire or windstorm. “Catastrophe loss” generally refers to the total loss of an insurer arising out of a single catastrophic event.
 
Quota share reinsurance A proportional reinsurance treaty in which the ceding company cedes an agreed-on percentage of every risk it insures that falls within a class or classes of business subject to the treaty.
 
Reinstatement premium The premium paid by a ceding company for the right and, typically the obligation to reinstate the portion of coverage exhausted by prior claims. Reinstatement provisions typically limit the amount of aggregate coverage for all claims during the contract period and often require additional premium payments.
 
Reinsurance The practice whereby one insurer, called the reinsurer, in consideration of a premium paid to that reinsurer, agrees to indemnify another insurer, called the ceding company, for part or all of the liability of the ceding company under one or more policies or contracts of insurance that it has issued.
 
Reserves Liabilities established by insurers and reinsurers to reflect the estimated cost of claims incurred that the insurer or reinsurer will ultimately be required to pay. Reserves are established for losses and for loss expenses, and consist of case reserves and IBNR reserves. As the term is used in this report, “reserves” are meant to include reserves for both losses and for loss expenses.
 
Retention The amount of exposure an insured retains on any one risk or group of risks. The term may apply to an insurance policy, where the insured is an individual or business, or a reinsurance contract, where the insured is an insurance company. See “Deductible.”
 
Retrocessional coverage A transaction whereby a reinsurer cedes to another reinsurer, the retrocessionaire, all or part of the reinsurance that the first reinsurer has assumed. Retrocessional reinsurance does not legally discharge the ceding reinsurer from its liability with respect to its obligations to the reinsured. Reinsurance companies cede risks to retrocessionaires for reasons similar to those that cause insurers to purchase reinsurance: to reduce net liability on individual risks, to protect against catastrophic


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losses, to stabilize financial ratios and to obtain additional underwriting capacity.
 
Run-off Liability of an insurance or reinsurance company for existing claims that it expects to pay in the future and for which a loss reserve has been established.
 
Self-insured A term which describes a risk, or part of a risk, retained by the insured in lieu of transferring the risk to an insurer. A policy deductible or retention feature allows a policyholder to self-insure a portion of an exposure and thereby reduce its risk-transfer costs.
 
Specialty lines A term used in the insurance and reinsurance industry to describe types of insurance or classes of business that require specialized expertise to underwrite. Insurance and reinsurance for these classes of business is not widely available and is typically purchased from the specialty lines divisions of larger insurance companies or from small specialty lines insurers.
 
Subpart F income Insurance and reinsurance income (including underwriting and investment income) and foreign personal holding company income (including interest, dividends and other passive investment income).
 
Surplus (or statutory surplus) As determined under statutory accounting principles, the amount remaining after all liabilities, including loss reserves, are subtracted from all of the “admitted” assets (i.e., those permitted by regulation to be recognized on the statutory balance sheet). Surplus is also referred to as “statutory surplus” or “surplus as regards policyholders” for statutory accounting purposes.
 
Surplus lines A risk or a part of a risk for which there is no insurance market available among admitted insurers or insurance written by non-admitted insurance companies to cover such risks.
 
“Swing-rated” reinsurance contract A reinsurance contract, that links the ultimate amount of ceded premium to the ultimate loss ratio on the reinsured business. This type of reinsurance contract enables the cedent to retain a greater portion of premium if the ultimate loss ratio develops at a level below the initial loss threshold set by the reinsurers, but requires a higher amount of ceded premium if the ultimate loss ratio develops above the initial threshold.
 
Treaties Reinsurance contacts under which the ceding company agrees to cede and the reinsurer agrees to assume risks of a particular class or classes of business.
 
Treaty year The year in which the contract incepts. Exposure from contracts incepting during the current treaty year will potentially affect both the current accident year as well future accident years.
 
Ultimate loss Total of all expected settlement amounts, whether paid or reserved together with any associated loss adjustment expenses, and is the estimated total amount of loss at the measurement date. For purposes of this Form 10-K, “ultimate loss” is the sum of paid losses, case reserves and IBNR.
 
Underwriter An employee of an insurance or reinsurance company who examines, accepts or rejects risks and classifies accepted risks in order to charge


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an appropriate premium for each accepted risk. The underwriter is expected to select business that will produce an average risk of loss no greater than that anticipated for the class of business.
 
Underwriting results The pre-tax profit or loss experienced by an insurance company that is calculated by deducting net losses and loss expenses, net acquisition costs and general and administration expenses from net premiums earned. This profit or loss calculation includes reinsurance assumed and ceded but excludes investment income.
 
Unearned premium The portion of premiums written that is allocable to the unexpired portion of the policy term or underlying risk.
 
Working layer Primary insurance that absorbs the losses immediately above the insured’s retention layer. A working layer insurer will pay up to a certain dollar amount of losses over the insured’s retention, at which point a higher layer excess insurer will be liable for additional losses. The coverage terms of a working layer typically assume an element of loss frequency.
 
Written premium The premium entered on an insurer’s books for a policy issued during a given period of time, whether coverage is provided only during that period of time or also during subsequent periods.


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Item 2.  Properties.
 
Our corporate headquarters are located in offices we lease in Switzerland. We also lease space in Bermuda, England, Hong Kong, Ireland, Singapore and the United States for the operation of our U.S. insurance, international insurance and reinsurance segments. Our leases have remaining terms ranging from seven months to approximately 11 years in length. We renew and enter into new leases in the ordinary course of business as needed. While we believe that the office space from these leased properties is sufficient for us to conduct our operations for the foreseeable future, we may need to expand into additional facilities to accommodate future growth. For more information on our leasing arrangements, please see Note 15 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.
 
Item 3.   Legal Proceedings.
 
On April 4, 2006, a complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta Division) by a group of several corporations and certain of their related entities in an action entitled New Cingular Wireless Headquarters, LLC et al, as plaintiffs, against certain defendants, including Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Marsh Inc. and Aon Corporation, in their capacities as insurance brokers, and 78 insurers, including our insurance subsidiary in Bermuda, Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd.
 
The action generally relates to broker defendants’ placement of insurance contracts for plaintiffs with the 78 insurer defendants. Plaintiffs maintain that the defendants used a variety of illegal schemes and practices designed to, among other things, allocate customers, rig bids for insurance products and raise the prices of insurance products paid by the plaintiffs. In addition, plaintiffs allege that the broker defendants steered policyholders’ business to preferred insurer defendants. Plaintiffs claim that as a result of these practices, policyholders either paid more for insurance products or received less beneficial terms than the competitive market would have produced. The eight counts in the complaint allege, among other things, (i) unreasonable restraints of trade and conspiracy in violation of the Sherman Act, (ii) violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, (iii) that broker defendants breached their fiduciary duties to plaintiffs, (iv) that insurer defendants participated in and induced this alleged breach of fiduciary duty, (v) unjust enrichment, (vi) common law fraud by broker defendants and (vii) statutory and consumer fraud under the laws of certain U.S. states. Plaintiffs seek equitable and legal remedies, including injunctive relief, unquantified consequential and punitive damages, and treble damages under the Sherman Act and RICO. On October 16, 2006, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered that the litigation be transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey for inclusion in the coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings occurring in that court. The Court stayed proceedings in the litigation pending a decision by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on an appeal of the court’s decisions granting motions to dismiss in a related putative class action. Because of the stay, neither Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd nor any of the other defendants have responded to the complaint and written discovery that had begun has not been completed. On August 16, 2010, the Third Circuit issued its ruling in the related action, affirming the dismissal in large part, vacating it in part and remanding that case for further proceedings. On October 5, 2010, the court decided to extend the current stay until after it decides the renewed motions to dismiss the class action complaint that have been filed. At this point, it is not possible to predict the outcome of the litigation; the company does not, however, currently believe that the outcome will have a material adverse effect on the company’s operations or financial position.
 
We may become involved in various claims and legal proceedings that arise in the normal course of our business, which are not likely to have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.


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Item 4.   [Removed and Reserved].
 
PART II
 
Item 5.   Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
 
Our common shares began publicly trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “AWH” on July 12, 2006. As a result of the Redomestication described in Item 1. “Business”, Holdings became the parent company of our group of companies and our common shares continue to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the same symbol “AWH”. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sales prices per share of our common shares as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape.
 
                 
    High     Low  
 
2010:
               
First quarter
  $ 47.05     $ 43.77  
Second quarter
  $ 47.96     $ 40.60  
Third quarter
  $ 57.25     $ 44.42  
Fourth quarter
  $ 61.24     $ 54.53  
                 
2009:
               
First quarter
  $ 42.68     $ 32.23  
Second quarter
  $ 41.32     $ 35.43  
Third quarter
  $ 49.76     $ 39.93  
Fourth quarter
  $ 49.31     $ 44.32  
 
On February 22, 2011, the last reported sale price for our common shares was $61.51 per share. At February 21, 2011, there were 41 holders of record of our common shares.
 
During the year ended December 31, 2009, we declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.18 per common share during for the first, second and third quarters, and a regular quarterly dividend of $0.20 per common share for the fourth quarter. During the year ended December 31, 2010, we declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.20 per common share for each quarter. Additionally, on November 4, 2010, the Board declared a special dividend of $0.25 per share. Because Swiss law prevents the company from paying a dividend until at least two months following the annual shareholder meeting in May 2011, the special dividend provided for a distribution to shareholders for the interim period between the effectiveness of the Redomestication and the next available regular dividend payment date. The special dividend was paid on November 26, 2010.
 
The continued declaration and payment of dividends to holders of common shares is expected but will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors and subject to legal, regulatory, financial and other restrictions. Specifically, any future declaration and payment of any cash dividends by the company will:
 
  •  depend upon its results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements and other relevant factors;
 
  •  be subject to shareholder approval;
 
  •  be subject to restrictions contained in our credit facilities and other debt covenants; and
 
  •  be subject to other restrictions on dividends imposed by Swiss law.
 
Under Swiss law, our shareholders have the power to declare dividends without the agreement of the Board of Directors. Consequently, dividends may be declared by resolution of the shareholders even if our Board of Directors and management do not believe it is in the best interest of the company or the shareholders. As a holding company, our principal source of income is dividends or other statutorily permissible payments from our subsidiaries. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends is limited by the applicable laws and regulations of the various countries in which we operate, including Bermuda, the United States and Ireland. See Item 1. “Business — Regulatory Matters,” Item 1A. “Risk Factors — Our holding company structure and regulatory and other constraints affect our


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ability to pay dividends and make other payments,” Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources — Restrictions and Specific Requirements” and Note 16 of the notes to consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-K.
 
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
 
The following table summarizes our repurchases of our common shares during the three months ended December 31, 2010:
 
                                 
                      Maximum Dollar Value
 
                Total Number of
    (or Approximate
 
                Shares Purchased as
    Dollar Value) of
 
    Total Number of
    Average Price
    Part of Publicly
    Shares that May Yet
 
    Shares
    Paid
    Announced Plans or
    be Purchased Under
 
Period
  Purchased     per Share     Programs     the Plans or Programs  
 
October 1 — 31, 2010
    215,549     $ 56.98       215,549     $ 322,709,721  
November 1 — 30, 2010
    3,745,031       58.77       585,238 (1)     288,055,585  
December 1 — 31, 2010
    451,166       60.26       451,166       260,872,492  
                                 
Total
    4,411,716     $ 58.84       1,251,953     $ 260,872,492 (2)
 
 
(1) Does not include 3,159,793 of our common shares included in the “Total Number of Shares Purchased” column in the table above that we repurchased outside of the share repurchase program. On November 5, 2010, we entered into a repurchase agreement with certain affiliates of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (“Goldman Sachs”), pursuant to which we repurchased the remainder of common shares as well as warrants to purchase an additional 1,500,000 common shares that were held by such affiliates.
 
(2) In May 2010, the company established a share repurchase program in order to repurchase Holdings’ common shares. Repurchases may be effected from time to time through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions and tender offers or otherwise. However, pursuant to Swiss law, shareholder approval of share repurchases is required. Prior to the Redomestication, Allied World Bermuda, as the sole shareholder of Holdings, approved the repurchase of Holdings’ shares in an amount not to exceed $160 million, which represented a portion of the remaining capacity available under the original May 2010 share repurchase authorization. At our annual shareholder meeting in May 2011, we intend to seek approval from our shareholders for the $122.5 million of remaining capacity available under such authorization. The total amount in the table above that may be purchased under our share repurchase program assumes that our shareholders will approve the additional remaining capacity in May 2011.


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Performance Graph
 
The following information is not deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC or subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, and the report shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any prior or subsequent filing by the company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
 
The following graph shows the cumulative total return, including reinvestment of dividends, on the common shares compared to such return for Standard & Poor’s 500 Composite Stock Price Index (“S&P 500”), and Standard & Poor’s Property & Casualty Insurance Index for the period beginning on July 11, 2006 and ending on December 31, 2010, assuming $100 was invested on July 11, 2006. The measurement point on the graph represents the cumulative shareholder return as measured by the last reported sale price on such date during the relevant period.
 
TOTAL RETURN TO SHAREHOLDERS
(INCLUDES REINVESTMENT OF DIVIDENDS)

COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
 
(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)


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Item 6.   Selected Financial Data.
 
The following table sets forth our summary historical statement of operations data and summary balance sheet data as of and for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006. Statement of operations data and balance sheet data are derived from our audited consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These historical results are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected from any future period. For further discussion of this risk see Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K. You should read the following selected financial data in conjunction with the other information contained in this Form 10-K, including Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”.
 
                                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008     2007     2006  
    ($ in millions, except per share amounts and ratios)  
 
Summary Statement of Operations Data:
                                       
Gross premiums written
  $ 1,758.4     $ 1,696.3     $ 1,445.6     $ 1,505.5     $ 1,659.0  
                                         
Net premiums written
  $ 1,392.4     $ 1,321.1     $ 1,107.2     $ 1,153.1     $ 1,306.6  
                                         
Net premiums earned
  $ 1,359.5     $ 1,316.9     $ 1,117.0     $ 1,159.9     $ 1,252.0  
Net investment income
    244.1       300.7       308.8       297.9       244.4  
Net realized investment gains (losses)
    285.6       126.4       (60.0 )     37.0       (4.8 )
Net impairment charges recognized in earnings
    (0.2 )     (49.6 )     (212.9 )     (44.6 )     (23.9 )
Other income
    0.9       1.5       0.7              
Net losses and loss expenses
    707.9       604.1       641.1       682.3       739.1  
Acquisition costs
    159.5       148.9       112.6       119.0       141.5  
General and administrative expenses
    286.5       248.6       185.9       141.6       106.1  
Amortization and impairment of intangible assets
    3.5       11.1       0.7              
Interest expense
    40.2       39.0       38.7       37.8       32.6  
Foreign exchange loss (gain)
    0.4       0.7       (1.4 )     (0.8 )     0.6  
Income tax expense (benefit)
    26.9       36.6       (7.6 )     1.1       5.0  
                                         
Net income
  $ 665.0     $ 606.9     $ 183.6     $ 469.2     $ 442.8  
                                         
Per Share Data:
                                       
Earnings per share(1):
                                       
Basic
  $ 14.30     $ 12.26     $ 3.75     $ 7.84     $ 8.09  
Diluted
    13.32       11.67       3.59       7.53       7.75  
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
                                       
Basic
    46,491,279       49,503,438       48,936,912       59,846,987       54,746,613  
Diluted
    49,913,317       51,992,674       51,147,215       62,331,165       57,115,172  
Dividends declared per share
  $ 1.05     $ 0.74     $ 0.72     $ 0.63     $ 0.15  
 


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    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008     2007     2006  
 
Selected Ratios:
                                       
Loss and loss expense ratio(2)
    52.1 %     45.9 %     57.4 %     58.8 %     59.0 %
Acquisition cost ratio(3)
    11.7 %     11.3 %     10.1 %     10.3 %     11.3 %
General and administrative expense ratio(4)
    21.1 %     18.9 %     16.6 %     12.2 %     8.5 %
Expense ratio(5)
    32.8 %     30.2 %     26.7 %     22.5 %     19.8 %
Combined ratio(6)
    84.9 %     76.1 %     84.1 %     81.3 %     78.8 %
                                         
                                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008     2007     2006  
    ($ in millions, except per share amounts and ratios)  
Summary Statement of Operations Data:
                                       
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 757.0     $ 292.2     $ 655.8     $ 202.6     $ 366.8  
Investments at fair value
    7,183.6       7,156.3       6,157.1       6,029.3       5,440.3  
Reinsurance recoverable
    927.6       920.0       888.3       682.8       689.1  
Total assets
    10,427.6       9,653.2       9,022.5       7,899.1       7,620.6  
Reserve for losses and loss expenses
    4,879.2       4,761.8       4,576.8       3,919.8       3,637.0  
Unearned premium
    962.2       928.6       930.4       811.1       813.8  
Total debt
    797.7       498.9       742.5       498.7       498.6  
Total shareholders’ equity
    3,075.8       3,213.3       2,416.9       2,239.8       2,220.1  
 
 
(1) Please refer to Note 13 of the notes to consolidated financial statements for the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share.
 
(2) Calculated by dividing net losses and loss expenses by net premiums earned.
 
(3) Calculated by dividing acquisition costs by net premiums earned.
 
(4) Calculated by dividing general and administrative expenses by net premiums earned.
 
(5) Calculated by combining the acquisition cost ratio and the general and administrative expense ratio.
 
(6) Calculated by combining the loss ratio, acquisition cost ratio and general and administrative expense ratio.
 
Item 7.   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
 
Some of the statements in this Form 10-K include forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements include in general forward-looking statements both with respect to us and the insurance industry. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements that use terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “seeks” and “will” and that relate to our plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. In light of the risks and uncertainties inherent in all forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such statements in this Form 10-K should not be considered as a representation by us or any other person that our objectives or plans will be achieved. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements are set forth in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K. We undertake no obligation to release publicly the results of any future revisions we make to the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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Overview
 
Our Business
 
We write a diversified portfolio of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance internationally through our subsidiaries and branches based in Bermuda, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States. We manage our business through three operating segments: U.S. insurance, international insurance and reinsurance. As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately $10.4 billion of total assets, $3.1 billion of total shareholders’ equity and $3.9 billion of total capital, which includes shareholders’ equity and senior notes.
 
During the year ended December 31, 2010, we experienced premium rate declines across all of our operating segments and most lines of business. We believe the premium rate decreases are due to increased competition, increased capacity and an absence of large severity casualty losses. We expect this trend to continue into 2011. Despite the challenging pricing environment, we believe that there are opportunities where certain products have adequate premium rates and that the expanded breadth of our operations allows us to target those classes of business. Given these trends, we continue to be selective in the policies and reinsurance contracts we underwrite. Our consolidated gross premiums written increased by $62.1 million, or 3.7%, for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared to the year ended December 31, 2009. Our net income for the year ended December 31, 2010 increased by $58.1 million, or 9.6%, to $665.0 million compared to $606.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2009. The increase in net income for the year ended December 31, 2010 compared to the year ended December 31, 2009 was primarily due to higher net realized investment gains and lower other-than-temporary-impairment charges (“OTTI”), partially offset by higher net losses and loss expenses due to increased property losses.
 
Recent Developments
 
Redomestication to Switzerland
 
On November 26, 2010, we received approval from the Supreme Court of Bermuda to change the place of incorporation of our ultimate parent company from Bermuda to Switzerland. We completed the Redomestication on December 1, 2010. After the Redomestication, Holdings is now our ultimate parent company and Allied World Bermuda is a wholly owned subsidiary of Holdings. To affect the Redomestication on December 1, 2010, Holdings and Allied World Bermuda entered into a contribution-in-kind agreement. Under the terms of the contribution-in-kind agreement all issued and outstanding voting and non-voting shares of Allied World Bermuda were cancelled and issued to Holdings as a contribution-in-kind in exchange for which the holders of such voting and non-voting shares immediately prior to the completion of the Redomestication received the same number of voting and non-voting shares of Holdings. As a result of the contribution-in-kind and the resulting par value changing from $0.03 to CHF 15.00, the share capital balance was increased to CHF 600.1 million with an equal reduction in additional paid-in capital. At the time of contribution-in-kind, the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and Swiss Franc was one-for-one.
 
Share Repurchase Activities
 
In May 2010, the company established a share repurchase program in order to repurchase Holdings’ common shares. Repurchases may be effected from time to time through open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, and tender offers or otherwise. The timing, form and amount of the share repurchases under the program will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions, the company’s capital position, legal requirements and other factors. As part of the share repurchase program, we entered into a rule 10b5-1 repurchase plan that enables us to complete share repurchases during trading blackout periods. During the year ended December 31, 2010, we repurchased through open-market purchases 4,651,279 shares at a total cost of $239.1 million, for an average price of $51.41 per share. We have classified these repurchased shares as ‘‘treasury shares, at cost” on the consolidated balance sheets.
 
In August 2010, we repurchased 5,000,000 of our common shares for $250.0 million, or $50.00 per share, in a privately negotiated transaction from Goldman Sachs. Also in August 2010, we repurchased a warrant owned by Chubb in a privately negotiated transaction. The warrant entitled Chubb to purchase 2,000,000 of our common shares for $34.20 per share. We repurchased the warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $32.8 million. Both of


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the aforementioned transactions were funded using available cash on hand and were executed separately from the Company’s share repurchase program.
 
In November 2010, we repurchased the remaining 3,159,793 common shares and a warrant to purchase an additional 1,500,000 of our common shares from Goldman Sachs. The aggregate purchase price for these securities was $222.6 million, of which $185.4 million, or $58.69 per share, related to the repurchase of the common shares and $37.2 million related to the purchase of the warrant. The repurchase price per common share was based on and reflected a 0.5% discount from the volume-weighted average trading price of the Company’s common shares on November 5, 2010. The repurchase price per common share underlying the warrant is equal to the volume-weighted average trading price of the company’s common shares on November 5, 2010, less the exercise price for such warrant of $34.20 per share plus $0.01 per share. Both of the aforementioned transactions were executed separately from the Company’s share repurchase program.
 
The common shares repurchased from Goldman Sachs were classified as “treasury shares, at cost”, and the repurchase of the warrants from Chubb and Goldman Sachs was recognized as a reduction in “additional paid-in capital” on the consolidated balance sheets.
 
As required under Swiss law, we can not hold more than 10% of its registered capital in treasury shares, unless we receive shareholder approval to do so. As a result, immediately prior to the Redomestication, we cancelled 10,879,106 shares held in treasury with a related reduction to “additional paid-in capital” of $561.8 million.
 
In February 2011, we repurchased a warrant owned by AIG in a privately negotiated transaction. The warrant entitled AIG to purchase 2,000,000 of our common shares for $34.20 per share. We repurchased the warrant for an aggregate purchase price of $53.6 million. The repurchase of the warrant will be recognized as a reduction in “additional paid-in capital” in the consolidated balance sheets. The repurchase was executed separately from the Company’s share repurchase program.
 
Issuance of Senior Notes
 
In November 2010, Allied World Bermuda issued $300 million senior notes due in 2020. The senior notes bear interest at an annual rate of 5.50% per year and were priced to yield 5.56%. Interest on the senior notes is payable semi-annually on May 15 and November 15 of each year commencing on May 15, 2011. The net proceeds from the offering of the senior notes will be used for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of the company’s outstanding common shares of one shareholder or potential acquisitions. The senior notes are the company’s unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. We may redeem the senior notes at any time or from time to time in whole or in part at a redemption price equal to the greater of the principal amount of the senior notes to be redeemed or a make-whole price, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The senior notes includes covenants and events of default that are usual and customary, but do not contain any financial covenants. In addition, these senior notes as well as the senior notes issued in 2006 have been unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed for the payment of the principal and interest by Allied World Switzerland.
 
Adoption of ASU 2010-11
 
In March 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update ASU 2010-11 “Derivatives and Hedging: Scope Exception Related to Embedded Credit Derivatives” (“ASU 2010-11”). On July 1, 2010, in accordance with ASU 2010-11, we elected the fair value option for all of our mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. As a result of the fair value election, any changes in the fair value of the mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities will be recognized through earnings in “net realized investment gains (losses)” on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (“consolidated income statements”). On July 1, 2010, we reclassified $968.8 million of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, combined, from “fixed maturity investments available for sale, at fair value” to “fixed maturity investments trading, at fair value” on the consolidated balance sheets. Also on July 1, 2010, we reclassified $41.9 million of net unrealized gains from “accumulated other comprehensive income” to “retained earnings” on the consolidated balance sheets.


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Financial Highlights
 
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions except share and per share data)  
 
Gross premiums written
  $ 1,758.4     $ 1,696.3     $ 1,445.6  
Net income
    665.0       606.9       183.6  
Operating income
    397.8       537.7       455.1  
Basic earnings per share:
                       
Net income
  $ 14.30     $ 12.26     $ 3.75  
Operating income
  $ 8.56     $ 10.86     $ 9.30  
Diluted earnings per share:
                       
Net income
  $ 13.32     $ 11.67     $ 3.59  
Operating income
  $ 7.97     $ 10.34     $ 8.90  
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
                       
Basic
    46,491,279       49,503,438       48,936,912  
Diluted
    49,913,317       51,992,674       51,147,215  
Basic book value per common share
  $ 80.75     $ 64.61     $ 49.29  
Diluted book value per common share
  $ 74.29     $ 59.56     $ 46.05  
Annualized return on average equity (ROAE), net income
    21.9 %     22.6 %     8.3 %
Annualized ROAE, operating income
    13.1 %     20.0 %     20.6 %
 
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
 
In presenting the company’s results, management has included and discussed certain non-GAAP financial measures, as such term is defined in Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC. Management believes that these non-GAAP measures, which may be defined differently by other companies, better explain the Company’s results of operations in a manner that allows for a more complete understanding of the underlying trends in the Company’s business. However, these measures should not be viewed as a substitute for those determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
 
Operating income & operating income per share
 
Operating income is an internal performance measure used in the management of our operations and represents after tax operational results excluding, as applicable, net realized investment gains or losses, net impairment charges recognized in earnings, impairment of intangible assets and foreign exchange gain or loss. We exclude net realized investment gains or losses, net impairment charges recognized in earnings and net foreign exchange gain or loss from our calculation of operating income because the amount of these gains or losses is heavily influenced by and fluctuates in part according to the availability of market opportunities and other factors. We exclude impairment of intangible assets as these are non-recurring charges. In addition to presenting net income determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we believe that showing operating income enables investors, analysts, rating agencies and other users of our financial information to more easily analyze our results of operations and our underlying business performance. Operating income should not be viewed as a substitute for U.S. GAAP net


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income. The following is a reconciliation of operating income to its most closely related U.S. GAAP measure, net income.
 
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions except per share data)  
 
Net income
  $ 665.0     $ 606.9     $ 183.6  
Add after tax affect of:
                       
Net realized investment (gains) losses
    (267.7 )     (126.4 )     60.0  
Net impairment charges recognized in earnings
    0.1       49.6       212.9  
Impairment of intangible assets
          6.9        
Foreign exchange loss (gain)
    0.4       0.7       (1.4 )
                         
Operating income
  $ 397.8     $ 537.7     $ 455.1  
                         
Basic per share data:
                       
Net income
  $ 14.30     $ 12.26     $ 3.75  
Add after tax affect of:
                       
Net realized investment (gains) losses
    (5.75 )     (2.55 )     1.23  
Net impairment charges recognized in earnings
          1.00       4.35  
Impairment of intangible assets
          0.14        
Foreign exchange loss (gain)
    0.01       0.01       (0.03 )
                         
Operating income
  $ 8.56     $ 10.86     $ 9.30  
                         
Diluted per share data:
                       
Net income
  $ 13.32     $ 11.67     $ 3.59  
Add after tax affect of:
                       
Net realized investment (gains) losses
    (5.36 )     (2.43 )     1.17  
Net impairment charges recognized in earnings
          0.96       4.16  
Impairment of intangible assets
          0.13        
Foreign exchange loss (gain)
    0.01       0.01       (0.02 )
                         
Operating income
  $ 7.97     $ 10.34     $ 8.90  
                         


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Diluted book value per share
 
We have included diluted book value per share because it takes into account the effect of dilutive securities; therefore, we believe it is an important measure of calculating shareholder returns.
 
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions except share and per share data)  
 
Price per share at period end
  $ 59.44     $ 46.07     $ 40.60  
Total shareholders’ equity
  $ 3,075.8     $ 3,213.3     $ 2,416.9  
Basic common shares outstanding
    38,089,226       49,734,487       49,036,159  
Add:
                       
Unvested restricted share units
    571,178       915,432       971,907  
Performance based equity awards
    1,440,017       1,583,237       1,345,903  
Employee purchase plan
    10,576              
Dilutive options/warrants outstanding
    3,272,739       6,805,157       6,371,151  
Weighted average exercise price per share
  $ 35.98     $ 34.44     $ 33.38  
Deduct:
                       
Options bought back via treasury method
    (1,980,884 )     (5,087,405 )     (5,237,965 )
                         
Common shares and common share equivalents outstanding
    41,402,852       53,950,908       52,487,155  
Basic book value per common share
  $ 80.75     $ 64.61     $ 49.29  
Diluted book value per common share
  $ 74.29     $ 59.56     $ 46.05  
 
Annualized return on average equity
 
Annualized return on average shareholders’ equity (“ROAE”) is calculated using average equity, excluding the average after tax unrealized gains or losses on investments. We present ROAE as a measure that is commonly recognized as a standard of performance by investors, analysts, rating agencies and other users of our financial information.
 
Annualized operating return on average shareholders’ equity is calculated using operating income and average shareholders’ equity, excluding the average after tax unrealized gains or losses on investments.
 
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions)  
 
Opening shareholders’ equity
  $ 3,213.3     $ 2,416.9     $ 2,239.8  
Deduct: accumulated other comprehensive income
    (149.8 )     (105.6 )     (136.2 )
                         
Adjusted opening shareholders’ equity
  $ 3,063.5     $ 2,311.3     $ 2,103.6  
Closing shareholders’ equity
  $ 3,075.8     $ 3,213.3     $ 2,416.9  
Deduct: accumulated other comprehensive income
    (57.1 )     (149.8 )     (105.6 )
                         
Adjusted closing shareholders’ equity
  $ 3,018.7     $ 3,063.5     $ 2,311.3  
Average shareholders’ equity
  $ 3,041.1     $ 2,687.3     $ 2,207.4  
Net income available to shareholders
  $ 665.0     $ 606.9     $ 183.6  
Annualized return on average shareholders’ equity —
                       
net income available to shareholders
    21.9 %     22.6 %     8.3 %
                         
Operating income available to shareholders
  $ 397.8     $ 537.7     $ 455.1  
Annualized return on average shareholders’ equity —
                       
operating income available to shareholders
    13.1 %     20.0 %     20.6 %
                         


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Relevant Factors
 
Revenues
 
We derive our revenues primarily from premiums on our insurance policies and reinsurance contracts, net of any reinsurance or retrocessional coverage purchased. Insurance and reinsurance premiums are a function of the amounts and types of policies and contracts we write, as well as prevailing market prices. Our prices are determined before our ultimate costs, which may extend far into the future, are known. In addition, our revenues include income generated from our investment portfolio, consisting of net investment income and net realized investment gains or losses. Investment income is principally derived from interest and dividends earned on investments, partially offset by investment management expenses and fees paid to our custodian bank. Net realized investment gains or losses include gains or losses from the sale of investments, as well as the change in the fair value of investments that we mark-to-market through net income.
 
Due to changes in the recognition and presentation of OTTI of our available for sale debt securities based on guidance issued by the FASB in April 2009, OTTI, which was previously included in “net realized investment gains or losses”, will be presented separately in the consolidated income statements as “net impairment charges recognized in earnings”. See “-Critical Accounting Policies-Other-Than-Temporary Impairments of Investments” for further discussion of the recognition and presentation of OTTI.
 
Expenses
 
Our expenses consist largely of net losses and loss expenses, acquisition costs, and general and administrative expenses. Net losses and loss expenses incurred are comprised of three main components:
 
  •  losses paid, which are actual cash payments to insureds and reinsureds, net of recoveries from reinsurers;
 
  •  outstanding loss or case reserves, which represent management’s best estimate of the likely settlement amount for known claims, less the portion that can be recovered from reinsurers; and
 
  •  reserves for losses incurred but not reported, or “IBNR”, which are reserves (in addition to case reserves) established by us that we believe are needed for the future settlement of claims. The portion recoverable from reinsurers is deducted from the gross estimated loss.
 
Acquisition costs are comprised of commissions, brokerage fees and insurance taxes. Commissions and brokerage fees are usually calculated as a percentage of premiums and depend on the market and line of business. Acquisition costs are reported after (1) deducting commissions received on ceded reinsurance, (2) deducting the part of acquisition costs relating to unearned premiums and (3) including the amortization of previously deferred acquisition costs.
 
General and administrative expenses include personnel expenses including stock-based compensation expense, rent expense, professional fees, information technology costs and other general operating expenses. We are experiencing increases in general and administrative expenses resulting from additional staff, increased stock-based compensation expense and increased professional fees.
 
Ratios
 
Management measures results for each segment on the basis of the “loss and loss expense ratio,” “acquisition cost ratio,” “general and administrative expense ratio,” “expense ratio” and the “combined ratio.” Because we do not manage our assets by segment, investment income, interest expense and total assets are not allocated to individual reportable segments. General and administrative expenses are allocated to segments based on various factors, including staff count and each segment’s proportional share of gross premiums written. The loss and loss expense ratio is derived by dividing net losses and loss expenses by net premiums earned. The acquisition cost ratio is derived by dividing acquisition costs by net premiums earned. The general and administrative expense ratio is derived by dividing general and administrative expenses by net premiums earned. The expense ratio is the sum of the acquisition cost ratio and the general and administrative expense ratio. The combined ratio is the sum of the loss and loss expense ratio, the acquisition cost ratio and the general and administrative expense ratio.


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Critical Accounting Policies
 
It is important to understand our accounting policies in order to understand our financial position and results of operations. Our consolidated financial statements reflect determinations that are inherently subjective in nature and require management to make assumptions and best estimates to determine the reported values. If events or other factors cause actual results to differ materially from management’s underlying assumptions or estimates, there could be a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. The following are the accounting estimates that, in management’s judgment, are critical due to the judgments, assumptions and uncertainties underlying the application of those estimates and the potential for results to differ from management’s assumptions.
 
Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses
 
Reserves for losses and loss expenses by segment as of December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 were comprised of the following:
 
                                                                                                 
    U.S. Insurance
    International Insurance
    Reinsurance
    Total
 
    December 31,     December 31,     December 31,     December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008     2010     2009     2008     2010     2009     2008     2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions)  
 
Case reserves
  $ 295.3     $ 268.1     $ 257.3     $ 498.3     $ 570.4     $ 619.3     $ 373.0     $ 313.5     $ 256.3     $ 1,166.5     $ 1,152.0     $ 1,132.9  
IBNR
    1,136.4       985.6       871.2       1,728.4       1,786.0       1,753.7       847.8       838.2       819.0       3,712.7       3,609.8       3,443.9  
                                                                                                 
Reserve for losses and loss expenses
    1,431.7       1,253.7       1,128.5       2,226.7       2,356.4       2,373.0       1,220.8       1,151.7       1,075.3       4,879.2       4,761.8       4,576.8  
Reinsurance recoverables
    (396.6 )     (351.8 )     (309.1 )     (531.0 )     (566.3 )     (576.0 )           (1.9 )     (3.2 )     (927.6 )     (920.0 )     (888.3 )
                                                                                                 
Net reserve for losses and loss expenses
  $ 1,035.1     $ 901.9     $ 819.4     $ 1,695.7     $ 1,790.1     $ 1,797.0     $ 1,220.8     $ 1,149.8     $ 1,072.1     $ 3,951.6     $ 3,841.8     $ 3,688.5  
                                                                                                 
 
The reserve for losses and loss expenses is comprised of two main elements: outstanding loss reserves, also known as case reserves, and reserves for IBNR. Outstanding loss reserves relate to known claims and represent management’s best estimate of the likely loss settlement. IBNR reserves relate primarily to unreported events that, based on industry information, management’s experience and actuarial evaluation, can reasonably be expected to have occurred and are reasonably likely to result in a loss to our company. IBNR reserves also relate to estimated development of reported events that based on industry information, management’s experience and actuarial evaluation, can reasonably be expected to reach our attachment point and are reasonably likely to result in a loss to our company. We also include IBNR changes in the values of claims that have been reported to us but are not yet settled. Each claim is settled individually based upon its merits and it is not unusual for a claim to take years after being reported to settle, especially if legal action is involved. As a result, reserves for losses and loss expenses include significant estimates for IBNR reserves.
 
The reserve for IBNR is estimated by management for each line of business based on various factors, including underwriters’ expectations about loss experience, actuarial analysis, comparisons with the results of industry benchmarks and loss experience to date. The reserve for IBNR is calculated as the ultimate amount of losses and loss expenses less cumulative paid losses and loss expenses and case reserves. Our actuaries employ generally accepted actuarial methodologies to determine estimated ultimate loss reserves.
 
While management believes that our case reserves and IBNR are sufficient to cover losses assumed by us, there can be no assurance that losses will not deviate from our reserves, possibly by material amounts. The methodology of estimating loss reserves is periodically reviewed to ensure that the assumptions made continue to be appropriate. To the extent actual reported losses exceed estimated losses, the carried estimate of the ultimate losses will be increased (i.e., unfavorable reserve development), and to the extent actual reported losses are less than estimated losses, the carried estimate of ultimate losses will be reduced (i.e., favorable reserve development). We record any changes in our loss reserve estimates and the related reinsurance recoverables in the periods in which they are determined.
 
The estimate of reserves for our property insurance and property reinsurance lines of business relies primarily on traditional loss reserving methodologies, utilizing selected paid and reported loss development factors. In the


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property lines of business, claims are generally reported and paid within a relatively short period of time (“shorter tail lines”) during and following the policy coverage period. This generally enables us to determine with greater certainty our estimate of ultimate losses and loss expenses.
 
Our casualty insurance and casualty reinsurance lines of business include general liability risks, healthcare and professional liability risks. Claims may be reported or settled several years after the coverage period has terminated for these lines of business (“longer tail lines”), which increases uncertainties of our reserve estimates in such lines. In addition, our attachment points for these longer tail lines are often relatively high, making reserving for these lines of business more difficult than shorter tail lines due to having to estimate whether the severity of the estimated losses will exceed our attachment point. We establish a case reserve when sufficient information is gathered to make a reasonable estimate of the liability, which often requires a significant amount of information and time. Due to the lengthy reporting pattern of these casualty lines, reliance is placed on industry benchmarks supplemented by our own experience. For expected loss ratio selections, we are giving greater consideration to our existing experience supplemented with analysis of loss trends, rate changes and experience of peer companies.
 
Our reinsurance treaties are reviewed individually, based upon individual characteristics and loss experience emergence. Loss reserves on assumed reinsurance have unique features that make them more difficult to estimate than direct insurance. We establish loss reserves upon receipt of advice from a cedent that a reserve is merited. Our claims staff may establish additional loss reserves where, in their judgment, the amount reported by a cedent is potentially inadequate. The following are the most significant features that make estimating loss reserves on assumed reinsurance difficult:
 
  •  Reinsurers have to rely upon the cedents and reinsurance intermediaries to report losses in a timely fashion.
 
  •  Reinsurers must rely upon cedents to price the underlying business appropriately.
 
  •  Reinsurers have less predictable loss emergence patterns than direct insurers, particularly when writing excess-of-loss reinsurance.
 
For excess-of-loss reinsurance, cedents generally are required to report losses that either exceed 50% of the retention, have a reasonable probability of exceeding the retention or meet serious injury reporting criteria. All reinsurance claims that are reserved are reviewed at least every six months. For quota share reinsurance treaties, cedents are required to give a periodic statement of account, generally monthly or quarterly. These periodic statements typically include information regarding written premiums, earned premiums, unearned premiums, ceding commissions, brokerage amounts, applicable taxes, paid losses and outstanding losses. They can be submitted 60 to 90 days after the close of the reporting period. Some quota share reinsurance treaties have specific language regarding earlier notice of serious claims.
 
Reinsurance generally has a greater time lag than direct insurance in the reporting of claims. The time lag is caused by the claim first being reported to the cedent, then the intermediary (such as a broker) and finally the reinsurer. This lag can be up to six months or longer in certain cases. There is also a time lag because the insurer may not be required to report claims to the reinsurer until certain reporting criteria are met. In some instances this could be several years while a claim is being litigated. We use reporting factors based on data from the Reinsurance Association of America to adjust for time lags. We also use historical treaty-specific reporting factors when applicable. Loss and premium information are entered into our reinsurance system by our claims department and our accounting department on a timely basis.
 
We record the individual case reserves sent to us by the cedents through the reinsurance intermediaries. Individual claims are reviewed by our reinsurance claims department and adjusted as deemed appropriate. The loss data received from the intermediaries is checked for reasonableness and for known events. Details of the loss listings are reviewed during routine claim audits.
 
The expected loss ratios that we assign to each treaty are based upon analysis and modeling performed by a team of actuaries. The historical data reviewed by the team of pricing actuaries is considered in setting the reserves for each cedent. The historical data in the submissions is matched against our carried reserves for our historical treaty years.
 
Loss reserves do not represent an exact calculation of liability. Rather, loss reserves are estimates of what we expect the ultimate resolution and administration of claims will cost. These estimates are based on actuarial and statistical projections and on our assessment of currently available data, as well as estimates of future trends in


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claims severity and frequency, judicial theories of liability and other factors. Loss reserve estimates are refined as experience develops and as claims are reported and resolved. In addition, the relatively long periods between when a loss occurs and when it may be reported to our claims department for our casualty insurance and casualty reinsurance lines of business increase the uncertainties of our reserve estimates in such lines.
 
We utilize a variety of standard actuarial methods in our analysis. The selections from these various methods are based on the loss development characteristics of the specific line of business. For lines of business with long reporting periods such as casualty reinsurance, we may rely more on an expected loss ratio method (as described below) until losses begin to develop. For lines of business with short reporting periods such as property insurance, we may rely more on a paid loss development method (as described below) as losses are reported relatively quickly. The actuarial methods we utilize include:
 
Paid Loss Development Method.  We estimate ultimate losses by calculating past paid loss development factors and applying them to exposure periods with further expected paid loss development. The paid loss development method assumes that losses are paid at a consistent rate. The paid loss development method provides an objective test of reported loss projections because paid losses contain no reserve estimates. In some circumstances, paid losses for recent periods may be too varied for accurate predictions. For many coverages, especially casualty coverages, claim payments are made slowly and it may take years for claims to be fully reported and settled. These payments may be unreliable for determining future loss projections because of shifts in settlement patterns or because of large settlements in the early stages of development. Choosing an appropriate “tail factor” to determine the amount of payments from the latest development period to the ultimate development period may also require considerable judgment, especially for coverages that have long payment patterns. As we have limited payment history, we have had to supplement our paid loss development patterns with appropriate benchmarks.
 
Reported Loss Development Method.  We estimate ultimate losses by calculating past reported loss development factors and applying them to exposure periods with further expected reported loss development. Since reported losses include payments and case reserves, changes in both of these amounts are incorporated in this method. This approach provides a larger volume of data to estimate ultimate losses than the paid loss development method. Thus, reported loss patterns may be less varied than paid loss patterns, especially for coverages that have historically been paid out over a long period of time but for which claims are reported relatively early and have case loss reserve estimates established. This method assumes that reserves have been established using consistent practices over the historical period that is reviewed. Changes in claims handling procedures, large claims or significant numbers of claims of an unusual nature may cause results to be too varied for accurate forecasting. Also, choosing an appropriate “tail factor” to determine the change in reported loss from the latest development period to the ultimate development period may require considerable judgment. As we have limited reported history, we have had to supplement our reported loss development patterns with appropriate benchmarks.
 
Expected Loss Ratio Method.  To estimate ultimate losses under the expected loss ratio method, we multiply earned premiums by an expected loss ratio. The expected loss ratio is selected utilizing industry data, historical company data and professional judgment. This method is particularly useful for new insurance companies or new lines of business where there are no historical losses or where past loss experience is not credible.
 
Bornhuetter-Ferguson Paid Loss Method.  The Bornhuetter-Ferguson paid loss method is a combination of the paid loss development method and the expected loss ratio method. The amount of losses yet to be paid is based upon the expected loss ratios and the expected percentage of losses unpaid. These expected loss ratios are modified to the extent paid losses to date differ from what would have been expected to have been paid based upon the selected paid loss development pattern. This method avoids some of the distortions that could result from a large development factor being applied to a small base of paid losses to calculate ultimate losses. This method will react slowly if actual loss ratios develop differently because of major changes in rate levels, retentions or deductibles, the forms and conditions of reinsurance coverage, the types of risks covered or a variety of other changes.


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Bornhuetter-Ferguson Reported Loss Method.  The Bornhuetter-Ferguson reported loss method is similar to the Bornhuetter-Ferguson paid loss method with the exception that it uses reported losses and reported loss development factors.
 
During 2010, 2009 and 2008, we adjusted our reliance on actuarial methods utilized for certain casualty lines of business and loss years within our U.S. insurance and international insurance segments from using a blend of the Bornhuetter-Ferguson reported loss method and the expected loss ratio method to using only the Bornhuetter-Ferguson reported loss method. Also during 2010 and 2009, we began adjusting our reliance on actuarial methods utilized for certain other casualty lines of business and loss years within all of our operating segments including the reinsurance segment, by placing greater reliance on the Bornhuetter-Ferguson reported loss method than on the expected loss ratio method. Placing greater reliance on more responsive actuarial methods for certain casualty lines of business and loss years within each of our operating segments is a natural progression as we mature as a company and gain sufficient historical experience of our own that allows us to further refine our estimate of the reserve for losses and loss expenses. We believe utilizing only the Bornhuetter-Ferguson reported loss method for older loss years will more accurately reflect the reported loss activity we have had thus far in our ultimate loss ratio selections, and will better reflect how the ultimate losses will develop over time. We will continue to utilize the expected loss ratio method for the most recent loss years until we have sufficient historical experience to utilize other acceptable actuarial methodologies.
 
We expect that the trend of placing greater reliance on more responsive actuarial methods, for example from the expected loss ratio method to the Bornhuetter-Ferguson reported loss method, to continue as both (1) our loss years mature and become more statistically reliable and (2) as we build databases of our internal loss development patterns. The expected loss ratio remains a key assumption as the Bornhuetter-Ferguson methods rely upon an expected loss ratio selection and a loss development pattern selection.
 
The key assumptions used to arrive at our best estimate of loss reserves are the expected loss ratios, rate of loss cost inflation, selection of benchmarks and reported and paid loss emergence patterns. Our reporting factors and expected loss ratios are based on a blend of our own experience and industry benchmarks for longer tailed business and primarily our own experience for shorter tail business. The benchmarks selected were those that we believe are most similar to our underwriting business.
 
Our expected loss ratios for shorter tail lines change from year to year. As our losses from shorter tail lines of business are reported relatively quickly, we select our expected loss ratios for the most recent years based upon our actual loss ratios for our older years adjusted for rate changes, inflation, cost of reinsurance and average storm activity. For the shorter tail lines, we initially used benchmarks for reported and paid loss emergence patterns. As we mature as a company, we have begun supplementing those benchmark patterns with our actual patterns as appropriate. For the longer tail lines, we continue to use benchmark patterns, although we update the benchmark patterns as additional information is published regarding the benchmark data.
 
For shorter tail lines, the primary assumption that changed during both 2010 as compared to 2009 and 2009 as compared to 2008 as it relates to prior year losses was actual paid and reported loss emergence patterns were generally less severe than estimated for each year due to lower frequency and severity of reported losses. As a result of this change, we recognized net favorable prior year reserve development in both 2010 and 2009. However, for losses occurring in 2010, we did experience significant property insurance and property reinsurance losses, which resulted in us strengthening our reserves related to current year losses. Of the $121.0 million of reserve strengthening in our property insurance and property reinsurance lines of business for current year losses, $98.3 million was catastrophe related (Chilean and New Zealand earthquakes and the Australian floods), and $22.7 million for attritional losses. We will continue to evaluate and monitor the development of these losses and the impact it has on our current and future assumptions. We believe recognition of the reserve changes in the period they were recorded was appropriate since a pattern of reported losses had not emerged and the loss years were previously too immature to deviate from the expected loss ratio method in prior periods.
 
The selection of the expected loss ratios for the longer tail lines is our most significant assumption. Due to the lengthy reporting pattern of longer tail lines, we supplement our own experience with industry benchmarks of expected loss ratios and reporting patterns in addition to our own experience. For our longer tail lines, the primary assumption that changed during both 2010 as compared to 2009 and 2009 as compared to 2008 as it relates to prior year losses was using the Bornhuetter-Ferguson loss development method for certain casualty lines of business and


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loss years as discussed above. This method calculated a lower projected loss ratio based on loss emergence patterns to date. As a result of the change in the expected loss ratio, we recognized net favorable prior year reserve development in 2010 and 2009. We believe that recognition of the reserve changes in the period they were recorded was appropriate since a pattern of reported losses had not emerged and the loss years were previously too immature to deviate from the expected loss ratio method in prior periods.
 
Our overall change in the loss reserve estimates related to prior years increased as a percentage of total carried reserves during 2010 and 2009. On an opening carried reserve base of $3,841.8 million, after reinsurance recoverable, we had a net decrease of $313.3 million, or 8.2%, during 2010, and for 2009 we had a net decrease of $248.0 million, or 6.7%, on an opening carried reserve base of $3,688.5 million, after reinsurance recoverables. We believe that these changes are reasonable given the long-tail nature of our business.
 
There is potential for significant variation in the development of loss reserves, particularly for the casualty lines of business due to their long tail nature and high attachment points. The maturing of our casualty insurance and reinsurance loss reserves have caused us to reduce what we believe is a reasonably likely variance in the expected loss ratios for older loss years. As of December 31, 2010 and 2009, we believe reasonably likely variances in our expected loss ratio in percentage points for our loss years are as follows:
 
                 
    As of
 
    December 31,  
Loss Year
  2010     2009  
 
2003
    2.0 %     4.0 %
2004
    4.0 %     6.0 %
2005
    6.0 %     8.0 %
2006
    8.0 %     10.0 %
2007
    10.0 %     10.0 %
2008
    10.0 %     10.0 %
2009
    10.0 %     10.0 %
2010
    10.0 %      
 
The change in the reasonably likely variance for the 2003 through 2006 loss years in 2010 compared to 2009 is due to giving greater weight to the Bornhuetter-Ferguson loss development method for additional lines of business during 2010 and additional development of losses. The reasonably likely variance of our expected loss ratio for all loss years for our casualty insurance and casualty reinsurance lines of business was seven percentage points as of December 31, 2010 and 2009. If our final casualty insurance and reinsurance loss ratios vary by seven percentage points from the expected loss ratios in aggregate, our required net reserves after reinsurance recoverable would increase or decrease by approximately $597.3 million. Because we expect a small volume of large claims, it is more difficult to estimate the ultimate loss ratios, so we believe the variance of our loss ratio selection could be relatively wide. This would result in either an increase or decrease to income, before income taxes, and total shareholders’ equity of approximately $597.3 million. As of December 31, 2010, this represented approximately 19.4% of total shareholders’ equity. In terms of liquidity, our contractual obligations for reserves for losses and loss expenses would also increase or decrease by approximately $597.3 million after reinsurance recoverable. If our obligations were to increase by $597.3 million, we believe we currently have sufficient cash and investments to meet those obligations. We believe showing the impact of an increase or decrease in the expected loss ratios is useful information despite the fact that we have realized only net favorable prior year loss development each calendar year. We continue to use industry benchmarks to supplement our expected loss ratios, and these industry benchmarks have implicit in them both favorable and unfavorable loss development, which we incorporate into our selection of the expected loss ratios.


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The following tables provide our ranges of loss and loss expense reserve estimates by business segment as of December 31, 2010:
 
                         
    Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses
 
    Gross of Reinsurance Recoverable(1)  
    Carried
    Low
    High
 
    Reserves     Estimate     Estimate  
    ($ in millions)  
 
U.S. insurance
  $ 1,431.7     $ 1,133.9     $ 1,560.6  
International insurance
    2,226.7       1,687.1       2,568.5  
Reinsurance
    1,220.8       922.1       1,443.9  
 
                         
    Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses
 
    Net of Reinsurance Recoverable(2)  
    Carried
    Low
    High
 
    Reserves     Estimate     Estimate  
    ($ in millions)  
 
U.S. insurance
  $ 1,035.1     $ 811.1     $ 1,129.5  
International insurance
    1,695.7       1,284.8       1,964.9  
Reinsurance
    1,220.8       919.4       1,439.6  
 
 
(1) For statistical reasons, it is not appropriate to add together the ranges of each business segment in an effort to determine the low and high range around the consolidated loss reserves. On a gross basis, the consolidated low estimate is $4,011.2 million and the consolidated high estimate is $5,305.0 million.
 
(2) For statistical reasons, it is not appropriate to add together the ranges of each business segment in an effort to determine the low and high range around the consolidated loss reserves. On a net basis, the consolidated low estimate is $3,237.8 million and the consolidated high estimate is $4,311.7 million.
 
Our range for each business segment was determined by utilizing multiple actuarial loss reserving methods along with various assumptions of reporting patterns and expected loss ratios by loss year. The various outcomes of these techniques were combined to determine a reasonable range of required loss and loss expense reserves. While we believe our approach to determine the range of loss and loss expense is reasonable, there are no assurances that actual loss experience will be within the ranges of loss and loss expense noted above.
 
Our selection of the actual carried reserves has typically been above the midpoint of the range. As of December 31, 2010, we were 4.7% above the midpoint of the consolidated net loss reserve range. We believe that we should be prudent in our reserving practices due to the lengthy reporting patterns and relatively large limits of net liability for any one risk of our direct excess casualty business and of our casualty reinsurance business. Thus, due to this uncertainty regarding estimates for reserve for losses and loss expenses, we have carried our consolidated reserve for losses and loss expenses, net of reinsurance recoverable, above the midpoint of the low and high estimates for the consolidated net losses and loss expenses. We believe that relying on the more prudent actuarial indications is appropriate for these lines of business.
 
Ceded Reinsurance
 
We cede insurance to reinsurers in order to limit our maximum loss, to protect against concentration of risk within our portfolio and to manage our exposure to catastrophic events. Because the ceding of insurance does not discharge us from our primary obligation to the insureds, we remain liable to the extent that our reinsurers do not meet their obligations under the reinsurance agreements. Therefore, we regularly evaluate the financial condition of our reinsurers and monitor concentration of credit risk. No provision has been made for unrecoverable reinsurance as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 as we believe that all reinsurance balances will be recovered.
 
When we reinsure a portion of our exposures, we pay reinsurers a portion of premiums received on the reinsured policies. Total premiums ceded pursuant to reinsurance contracts entered into by our company with a variety of reinsurers were $365.9 million, $375.2 million and $338.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively.


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The following table illustrates our gross premiums written and ceded for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008:
 
                         
    Gross Premiums Written and
 
    Premiums Ceded
 
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions)  
 
Gross
  $ 1,758.4     $ 1,696.3     $ 1,445.6  
Ceded
    (365.9 )     (375.2 )     (338.4 )
                         
Net
  $ 1,392.5     $ 1,321.1     $ 1,107.2  
                         
Ceded as percentage of gross
    20.8 %     22.1 %     23.4 %
                         
 
The following table illustrates the effect of our reinsurance ceded strategies on our results of operations:
 
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2010     2009     2008  
    ($ in millions)  
 
Premiums written ceded
    365.9       375.2       338.4  
Premiums earned ceded
    365.3       381.2       347.0  
Losses and loss expenses ceded
    165.8       196.6       176.4  
Acquisition costs ceded
    81.5       79.6       70.8  
 
We had net cash outflows relating to ceded reinsurance activities (premiums paid less losses recovered and net ceding commissions received) of approximately $132.6 million, $116 million and $58 million for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively. The net cash outflows in all years are reflective of fewer losses that were recoverable under our reinsurance coverages.
 
Our reinsurance treaties are generally purchased on an annual basis and are therefore subject to yearly renegotiation. The treaties typically specify ceding commissions, and include provisions for required reporting to the reinsurers, responsibility for taxes, arbitration of disputes and the posting of security for the reinsurance recoverable under certain circumstances, such as a downgrade in the reinsurer’s financial strength rating. The amount of risk ceded by us to reinsurers is subject to maximum limits which vary by line of business and by type of coverage. We also purchase a limited amount of facultative reinsurance, which provides cover for specified policies, rather than for whole classes of business.
 
The examples below illustrate the types of treaty reinsurance arrangements in force at December 31, 2010:
 
    General Property:  We purchased both quota share reinsurance for our general property business written in our U.S. insurance and international insurance segments, as well as excess-of-loss cover providing protection for specified classes of catastrophe. We have also purchased a limited amount of facultative reinsurance, which provides cover for specified general property policies.
 
    General Casualty:  We have purchased variable quota share reinsurance for our general casualty business since December 2002. At year-end 2010, the percentage ceded varied by both location of writing office and by limits reinsured, with a significantly larger cession being effective for policies above $25 million in limits. We also have excess-of-loss cover in place for general casualty business written in our Asian branch offices.
 
    Professional Liability:  For professional liability policies, our reinsurance varied by writing office and by policy type. Professional liability policies written in our Bermuda, European and U.S. offices were quota-share reinsured with cession percentages dependent upon location. Additionally, the professional liability policies written in the United States, as well as those originating within our Asian branch offices, were reinsured on an excess-of-loss basis.
 
    Healthcare:  We purchased both quota share and excess-of-loss reinsurance protection for our healthcare line of business written by our Bermuda and U.S. offices, with the U.S. healthcare business utilizing variable quota share. The cession percentage for healthcare business varies by policy limit and by underwriting office


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  location. As is the case with general casualty and professional liability, our healthcare business originating in Asia is under an excess-of-loss reinsurance arrangement.
 
The following table illustrates our reinsurance recoverable as of December 31, 2010 and 2009:
 
                 
    Reinsurance Recoverable
 
    as of December 31,  
    2010     2009  
    ($ in millions)  
 
Ceded case reserves
  $ 206.2     $ 266.5  
Ceded IBNR reserves
    721.4       653.5  
                 
Reinsurance recoverable
  $ 927.6     $ 920.0  
                 
 
As noted above, we remain obligated for amounts ceded in the event our reinsurers do not meet their obligations. Accordingly, we have evaluated the reinsurers that are providing reinsurance protection to us and will continue to monitor their credit ratings and financial stability. We generally have the right to terminate our treaty reinsurance contracts at any time, upon prior written notice to the reinsurer, under specified circumstances, including the assignment to the reinsurer by A.M. Best of a financial strength rating of less than “A-.” As of December 31, 2010, approximately 99% of ceded case reserves and 99% of our ceded IBNR were recoverable from reinsurers who had an A.M. Best rating of “A−” or higher.
 
We determine what portion of the losses will be recoverable under our reinsurance policies by reference to the terms of the reinsurance protection purchased. This determination is necessarily based on the underlying loss estimates and, accordingly, is subject to the same uncertainties as the estimate of case reserves and IBNR reserves.
 
The following table shows our reinsurance recoverables by operating segment as of December 31, 2010 and 2009:
 
                 
    As of December 31,  
    2010     2009  
    ($ in millions)  
 
U.S. insurance
  $ 396.6     $ 351.8  
International insurance
    531.0       566.3  
Reinsurance
          1.9  
                 
Total reinsurance recoverable
  $ 927.6     $ 920.0  
                 
 
Historically, our reinsurance recoverables related primarily to our property lines of business, which being short tail in nature, are not subject to the same variations as our casualty lines of business. However, during 2010 and 2009 we have increased the amount of reinsurance we utilize for our casualty lines of business in the U.S. insurance and international insurance segments; and as such, the reinsurance recoverables from our casualty lines of business have increased over the past several years. As the reinsurance recoverables are subject to the same uncertainties as the estimate of case reserves and IBNR reserves, if our final casualty insurance ceded loss ratios vary by nine percentage points from the expected loss ratios in aggregate, our required reinsurance recoverable would increase or decrease by approximately $119.6 million. This would result in either an increase or decrease to income before income taxes and shareholders’ equity of approximately $119.6 million. As of December 31, 2010, this amount represented approximately 3.9% of total shareholders’ equity.
 
Premiums and Acquisition Costs
 
Premiums are recognized as written on the inception date of a policy. For certain types of business written by us, notably reinsurance, premium income may not be known at the contract inception date. In the case of quota share reinsurance assumed by us, the underwriter makes an estimate of premium income at inception as the premium income is typically derived as a percentage of the underlying policies written by the cedents. The underwriter’s estimate is based on statistical data provided by reinsureds and the underwriter’s judgment and experience. Such estimations are refined over the reporting period of each treaty as actual written premium information is reported by ceding companies and intermediaries. Management reviews estimated premiums at least quarterly and any adjustments are recorded in the period in which they become known. As of December 31, 2010, our changes


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in premium estimates have been adjustments ranging from approximately negative 4% for the 2009 treaty year, to approximately positive 22% for the 2005 treaty year. Applying this range to our 2010 quota share reinsurance treaties, our gross premiums written in the reinsurance segment could decrease by approximately $8.9 million or increase by approximately $50.6 million over the next three years. Given the recent trend of downward adjustments on premium estimates, we believe a reasonably likely change in our premium estimate would be the midpoint of the negative 4% and 22%, or 9%, for a change of $20.8 million. There would also be a related increase in loss and loss expenses and acquisition costs due to the increase in gross premiums written. It is reasonably likely as our historical experience develops that we may have fewer or smaller adjustments to our estimated premiums, and therefore could have changes in premium estimates lower than the range historically experienced. Total premiums estimated on quota share reinsurance contracts for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008 represented approximately 13%, 12% and 13%, respectively, of total gross premiums written.
 
Other insurance and reinsurance policies can require that the premium be adjusted at the expiry of a policy to reflect the risk assumed by us. Premiums resulting from such adjustments are estimated and accrued based on available information.
 
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
 
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, we are required to recognize certain assets at their fair value in our consolidated balance sheets. This includes our fixed maturity investments, hedge funds and other invested assets. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. There is a three-level valuation hierarchy for disclosure of fair value measurements. The valuation hierarchy is based upon whether the inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability are observable or unobservable in the market at the measurement date, with quoted market prices being the highest level (Level 1) and unobservable inputs being the lowest level (Level 3). A fair value measurement will fall within the level of the hierarchy based on the input that is significant to determining such measurement. The three levels are defined as follows:
 
  •  Level 1:  Observable inputs to the valuation methodology that are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
 
  •  Level 2:  Observable inputs to the valuation methodology other than quoted market prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical assets in markets that are not active and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
 
  •  Level 3:  Inputs to the valuation methodology which are unobservable for the asset or liability.
 
At each measurement date, we estimate the fair value of the financial instruments using various valuation techniques. We utilize, to the extent available, quoted market prices in active markets or observable market inputs in estimating the fair value of our financial instruments. When quoted market prices or observable market inputs are not available, we utilize valuation techniques that rely on unobservable inputs to estimate the fair value of financial instruments. The following describes the valuation techniques we used to determine the fair value of financial instruments held as of December 31, 2010 and what level within the U.S. GAAP fair value hierarchy the valuation technique resides.
 
U.S. government and U.S. government agencies:  Comprised primarily of bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and the Federal National Mortgage Association. The fair values of U.S. government securities are based on quoted market prices in active markets, and are included in the Level 1 fair value hierarchy. We believe the market for U.S. Treasury securities is an actively traded market given the high level of daily trading volume. The fair values of U.S. government agency securities are priced using the spread above the risk-free yield curve. As the yields for the risk-free yield curve and the spreads for these securities are observable market inputs, the fair values of U.S. government agency securities are included in the Level 2 fair value hierarchy.
 
Non-U.S. government and government agencies:  Comprised of fixed income obligations of non-U.S. governmental entities. The fair values of these securities are based on prices obtained from international indices and are included in the Level 2 fair value hierarchy.


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States, municipalities and political subdivisions:  Comprised of fixed income obligations of U.S. domiciled state and municipality entities. The fair values of these securities are based on prices obtained from the new issue market, and are included in the Level 2 fair value hierarchy.
 
Corporate debt:  Comprised of bonds issued by corporations that are diversified across a wide range of issuers and industries. The fair values of corporate bonds that are short-term are priced using the spread above the London Interbank Offered Rate yield curve, and the fair value of corporate bonds that are long-term are priced using the spread above the risk-free yield curve. The spreads are sourced from broker-dealers, trade prices and the new issue market. As the significant inputs used to price corporate bonds are observable market inputs, the fair values of corporate bonds are included in the Level 2 fair value hierarchy.
 
Mortgage-backed:  Principally comprised of pools of residential and commercial mortgages originated by both U.S. government agencies (such as the Federal National Mortgage Association) and non-U.S. government agency originators. The fair values of mortgage-backed securities originated by U.S. government agencies and non-U.S. government agencies are based on a pricing model that incorporates prepayment speeds and spreads to determine the appropriate average life of mortgage-backed securities. The spreads are sourced from broker-dealers, trade prices and the new issue market. As the significant inputs used to price the mortgage-backed securities are observable market inputs, the fair values of these securities are included in the Level 2 fair value hierarchy, unless the significant inputs used to price the mortgage-backed securities are broker-dealer quotes and we are not able to determine if those quotes are based on observable market inputs, in which case the fair value is included in the Level 3 fair value hierarchy.
 
Asset-backed:  Principally comprised of bonds backed by pools of automobile loan receivables, home equity loans, credit card receivables and collateralized loan obligations originated by a variety of financial institutions. The fair values of asset-backed securities are priced using prepayment speed and spread inputs that are sourced from the new issue market or broker-dealer quotes. As the significant inputs used to price the asset-backed securities are observable market inputs, the fair values of these securities are included in the Level 2 fair value hierarchy, unless the significant inputs used to price the asset-backed securities are broker-dealer quotes and we are not able to determine if those quotes are based on observable market inputs, in which case the fair value is included in the Level 3 fair value hierarchy.
 
Hedge funds:  Comprised of hedge funds invested in a range of diversified strategies. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, the fair values of the hedge funds are based on the net asset value of the funds as reported by the fund manager, which is not considered an observable input, and as such, the fair values of the hedge funds are included in the Level 3 fair value hierarchy.
 
The following table shows the pricing sources of our fixed maturity investments held as of December 31, 2010:
 
                         
    Fair Value of
             
    Fixed Maturity
    Percentage of
       
    Investments as of
    Total Fixed
    Fair Value
 
    December 31, 2010
    Maturity
    Hierarchy
 
Pricing Sources
  ($ in millions)     Investments     Level  
 
Barclay indices
  $ 4,684.6       70.3 %     1 and 2  
Interactive Data Pricing
    997.7       15.0       2  
Reuters pricing service
    252.8       3.8       2  
Broker-dealer quotes
    221.3       3.3       3  
Merrill Lynch indices
    166.9       2.5       2  
International indices
    68.6       1.0       2  
Other sources
    269.1       4.1       2  
                         
    $ 6,661.0       100.0 %        


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The following table shows the pricing sources of our fixed maturity investments held as of December 31, 2009:
 
                         
  &nb