multiple-year retrospectively rated contract

ASC 720-20 tells a policyholder (a noninsurance entity, or an insurer buying coverage outside its core operations) how to account for insurance it purchases, covering three contract types: retroactive contracts, claims-made contracts, and multiple-year retrospectively rated contracts. If a contract does not actually transfer insurance risk, the premium (less amounts retained by the insurer) is accounted for as a deposit under Subtopic 340-30 (720-20-25-1). For retroactive coverage of already-incurred liabilities, the premium is expensed immediately, a receivable is recorded for expected recoveries, and any excess of receivable over premium is a deferred gain amortized over the recovery period (720-20-25-3 through 25-4; 720-20-35-2).

ASC 944-20 sets the framework for insurance accounting based on the nature of the contract rather than the type of entity: contracts are classified at inception as short-duration (fixed short coverage period, insurer can cancel or reprice each period, 944-20-15-7) or long-duration (not subject to unilateral change, services rendered over an extended period, 944-20-15-10), with sub-models for traditional, universal life-type, participating, and financial guarantee contracts. It also defines when a contract with a reinsurer actually transfers insurance risk (significant insurance risk plus reasonable possibility of significant loss, 944-20-15-41) and prescribes recognition and with-and-without measurement for multiple-year retrospectively rated contracts. Contracts lacking indemnification or significant insurance risk are accounted for under the deposit method (340-30) or as investment contracts.