ceding entity

This Subtopic addresses balance sheet presentation for insurance entities, focusing on when reinsurance-related balances may be offset. The core rule is that amounts payable to a policyholder and amounts recoverable from a reinsurer cannot be offset because the right of setoff under 210-20-45-1(b) requires amounts owed to and receivable from the *same* party. By contrast, balances arising between the ceding and assuming entities under a reinsurance contract may qualify for offsetting if the Subtopic 210-20 conditions are met.

ASC 340-944 governs how insurance entities account for and report certain deferred costs and prepaid expenses, organized into a General Subsection and a Reinsurance Contracts Subsection. Its operative rule is that amounts an insurer pays a reinsurer for the unexpired portion of reinsured contracts — prepaid reinsurance premiums — must be reported separately as assets (340-944-25-1), rather than netted against related liabilities.

ASC 405-944 tells insurance entities where liability accounting guidance lives and adds one specific rule for reinsurance contracts. Liabilities for claims costs and future policyholder benefits are in Subtopic 944-40, premium deficiencies in 944-60, and policyholder dividends in 944-50. The substantive rule here: a ceding entity that agrees to service the reinsured contracts without reasonable compensation must accrue a liability for estimated excess future servicing costs (405-944-25-1).

This subtopic applies the financial instruments guidance to insurance entities, covering investment contracts and disclosures about concentrations of credit risk arising from reinsurance contracts. Amounts received under investment contracts are not revenue; they are recorded as liabilities and accounted for like interest-bearing or other financial instruments, with related deferred acquisition costs reported as an asset. Ceding entities must disclose credit risk concentrations for reinsurance recoverables and prepaid reinsurance premiums, and must disclose the carrying amount of securities deposited with state regulatory authorities.