W. R. Berkley 10-K 2020-12-31

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

OR

For the transition period from ______ to ______.

Commission file number 1-15202

W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (203) 629-3000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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 ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ☐ No ☒

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 ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

The aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates as of June 30, 2020, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $8,077,532,224.

Number of shares of common stock, $.20 par value, outstanding as of February 11, 2021: 177,361,868

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Company’s definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, are incorporated herein by reference in Part III.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES

LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This is a “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This document may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continued,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of those words or other comparable words. Any forward-looking statements contained in this report including statements related to our outlook for the industry and for our performance for the year 2021 and beyond, are based upon our historical performance and on current plans, estimates and expectations. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated by us will be achieved. They are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to:

• the cyclical nature of the property casualty industry;

• the impact of significant competition, including new alternative entrants to the industry;

• the long-tail and potentially volatile nature of the insurance and reinsurance business;

• product demand and pricing;

• claims development and the process of estimating reserves;

• investment risks, including those of our portfolio of fixed maturity securities and investments in equity securities, including investments in financial institutions, municipal bonds, mortgage-backed securities, loans receivable, investment funds, including real estate, merger arbitrage, energy related and private equity investments;

• the effects of emerging claim and coverage issues;

• the uncertain nature of damage theories and loss amounts, including claims for cyber security related risks;

• natural and man-made catastrophic losses, including as a result of terrorist activities;

• the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;

• the impact of climate change, which may alter the frequency and increase the severity of catastrophe events;

• general economic and market activities, including inflation, interest rates and volatility in the credit and capital markets;

• the impact of conditions in the financial markets and the global economy, and the potential effect of legislative, regulatory, accounting or other initiatives taken in response to it, on our results and financial condition;

• foreign currency and political risks (including those associated with the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union, or "Brexit") relating to our international operations;

• our ability to attract and retain key personnel and qualified employees;

• continued availability of capital and financing;

• the success of our new ventures or acquisitions and the availability of other opportunities;

• the availability of reinsurance;

• our retention under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019 ("TRIPRA");

• the ability or willingness of our reinsurers to pay reinsurance recoverables owed to us;

• other legislative and regulatory developments, including those related to business practices in the insurance industry;

• credit risk relating to our policyholders, independent agents and brokers;

• changes in the ratings assigned to us or our insurance company subsidiaries by rating agencies;

• the availability of dividends from our insurance company subsidiaries;

• potential difficulties with technology and/or cyber security issues;

• the effectiveness of our controls to ensure compliance with guidelines, policies and legal and regulatory standards; and

• other risks detailed in this Form 10-K and from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

We describe these risks and uncertainties in greater detail in Item 1A, Risk Factors. These risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results for the year 2021 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement we make. Any projections of growth in our revenues would not necessarily result in commensurate levels of earnings. Our future financial performance is dependent upon factors discussed elsewhere in this Form 10-K and our other SEC filings. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made.

PART I

W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and operates worldwide in two segments of the property casualty insurance business:

• Insurance - predominantly commercial insurance business, including excess and surplus lines, admitted lines and specialty personal lines throughout the United States, as well as insurance business in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, South America, Canada, Mexico, Scandinavia, Asia and Australia.

• Reinsurance & Monoline Excess - reinsurance business on a facultative and treaty basis, primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and South Africa, as well as operations that solely retain risk on an excess basis.

Our two reporting segments are each composed of individual operating units that serve a market defined by geography, products, services or industry served. Each of our operating units is positioned close to its customer base and participates in a niche market requiring specialized knowledge. This strategy of decentralized operations allows each of our units to identify and respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and specific customer needs, while capitalizing on the benefits of centralized capital, investment and reinsurance management, and corporate actuarial, financial, enterprise risk management and legal staff support.

Our business approach is focused on meeting the needs of our customers, maintaining a high quality balance sheet, and allocating capital to our best opportunities. New businesses are started when opportunities are identified and when the right talent and expertise are found to lead a business. Of our 53 operating units, 46 have been organized and developed internally and seven have been added through acquisition.

Net premiums written, as reported based on United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), for each of our operating segments for each of the past three years were as follows:

Thirty of our insurance company subsidiaries are rated by A.M. Best Company, Inc. ("A.M. Best") and have financial strength ratings of A+ (Superior) (the second highest rating out of 15 possible ratings). A.M. Best's ratings are based upon factors of concern to policyholders, insurance agents and brokers and are not directed toward the protection of investors. A.M. Best states: “The Financial Strength Rating opinion addresses the relative ability of an insurer to meet its ongoing insurance obligations. The ratings are not assigned to specific insurance policies or contracts and do not address any other risk.” A.M. Best reviews its ratings on a periodic basis, and its ratings of the Company's subsidiaries are therefore subject to change.

Our twenty-four insurance company subsidiaries rated by Standard & Poor's (“S&P”) have financial strength ratings of A+ (the seventh highest rating out of twenty-seven possible ratings).

Our Moody's financial strength ratings are A1 for Berkley Insurance Company, Berkley Regional Insurance Company and Admiral Insurance Company (the sixth highest rating out of twenty-one possible ratings).

Our twenty-six insurance company subsidiaries rated by Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") have insurer financial strength ratings of A+ (the seventh highest rating out of twenty-seven possible ratings).

The following sections describe our reporting segments and their operating units in greater detail. These operating units underwrite on behalf of one or more affiliated insurance companies within the group. The operating units are identified by us for descriptive purposes only and are not legal entities, but for marketing purposes may sometimes be referred to individually as "a Berkley company" or collectively as "Berkley companies." Unless otherwise indicated, all references in this Form 10-K to “Berkley,” “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company” or similar terms refer to W. R. Berkley Corporation together with its subsidiaries and operating units. W. R. Berkley Corporation is a Delaware corporation formed in 1970.

Insurance

Our U.S.-based operating units predominantly underwrite commercial insurance business primarily throughout the United States, although many units offer coverage globally, focusing on the following general areas:

Excess & Surplus Lines: A number of our operating units are dedicated to the U.S. excess and surplus lines market. They serve a diverse group of customers that often have complex risk or unique exposures that typically fall outside the underwriting guidelines of the standard insurance market. Lines of business underwritten by our excess and surplus lines operating units include premises operations, commercial automobile, property, products liability, general liability and professional liability lines. Products are generally distributed through wholes

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Our businesses face significant risks. If any of the events or circumstances described as risks below occur, our businesses, results of operations and/or financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. In addition to those described below, our businesses may also be adversely affected by risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently consider immaterial.

Risks Relating to Our Industry

Our results may fluctuate as a result of many factors, including cyclical changes in the insurance and reinsurance industry.

The results of companies in the property casualty insurance industry historically have been subject to significant fluctuations and uncertainties in demand and pricing, causing cyclical changes in the insurance and reinsurance industry. The demand for insurance is influenced primarily by general economic conditions, while the supply of insurance is often directly related to available capacity or the perceived profitability of the business. In recent years, we have faced significant competition in our business, as a result of new entrants and capital providers, as well as existing insurers seeking to gain or maintain market share. Recently, premium rates have increased at an accelerating pace for most lines of business, while they have decreased in others, most notably workers' compensation. The adequacy of premium rates is affected mainly by the severity and frequency of claims, which are influenced by many factors, including natural disasters, regulatory measures and court decisions that define and expand the extent of coverage and the effects of economic or social inflation on the amount of compensation due for injuries or losses. In addition, investment rates of return have impacted rate adequacy, with interest rates remaining at or near historic lows. These factors can have a significant impact on ultimate profitability because a property casualty insurance policy is priced before its costs are known as premiums usually are determined long before claims are reported. These factors could produce results that would have a negative impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

We face significant competitive pressures in our businesses, which have pressured premium rates in certain areas and could harm our ability to maintain or increase our profitability and premium volume in some parts of our business.

We compete with a large number of other companies in our selected lines of business. We compete, and will continue to compete, with major U.S. and non-U.S. insurers and reinsurers, other regional companies, as well as mutual companies, specialty insurance companies, underwriting agencies, diversified financial services companies and insurtech companies. Competitiveness in our businesses is based on many factors, including premium charges, ratings assigned by independent rating agencies, commissions paid to producers, the perceived financial strength of the company, other terms and conditions offered, services provided (including ease of doing business over the internet), speed of claims payment and reputation and experience in the lines to be written. In recent years, the insurance industry has undergone consolidation, which may further increase competition in some parts of our business.

Some of our competitors, particularly in the reinsurance business, have greater financial and/or marketing resources than we do. These competitors within the reinsurance market include Swiss Re, Munich Re, Berkshire Hathaway, Transatlantic Reinsurance, and Partner Re. We expect that perceived financial strength, in particular, will become more important as customers seek high quality reinsurers.

Over the past several years, increased supply has led to significant competition in our business. Our E&S operating units have also encountered competition from admitted companies seeking to increase market share. More recently, insurance prices have generally increased for most lines of business, excluding workers' compensation. However, loss costs have also increased and the duration and magnitude of the improving pricing environment remains uncertain. With the low level of interest rates available, current price levels for certain lines of business may remain below the prices required for us to achieve our long-term return objectives. We expect to continue to face strong competition in some parts of our business.

In recent years, various types of investors have increasingly sought to participate in the property and casualty insurance and reinsurance industries. Well-capitalized new entrants to the property and casualty insurance and reinsurance industries, or existing competitors that receive substantial infusions of capital or access to third-party capital, provide increasing competition, which may adversely impact our business and profitability. Further, an expanded supply of reinsurance capital may lower costs for insurers that rely on reinsurance and, as a consequence, those insurers may be able to price their products more competitively. In addition, technology companies or other third parties have created, and may in the future create, technology-enabled business models, processes, platforms or alternate distribution channels that may adversely impact our competitive position in some parts of our business.

This intense competition could cause the supply and/or demand for insurance or reinsurance to change, which affect our ability to price our products at attractive rates and retain existing business or write new products at adequate rates or on terms and conditions acceptable to us. If we are unable to retain existing business or write new business at adequate rates or on terms and conditions acceptable to us, our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Our actual claims losses may exceed our reserves for claims, which may require us to establish additional reserves.

Our gross reserves for losses and loss expenses were approximately $13.8 billion as of December 31, 2020. Our loss reserves reflect our best estimates of the cost of settling claims and related expenses with respect to insured events that have occurred.

Reserves do not represent an exact calculation of liability. Rather, reserves represent an estimate of what management expects the ultimate settlement and claims administration will cost for claims that have occurred, whether known or unknown. The major assumptions about anticipated loss emergence patterns are subject to unanticipated fluctuation. These estimates, which generally involve actuarial projections, are based on management's assessment of facts and circumstances then known, as well as estimates of future trends in claims severity and frequency, inflation, judicial theories of liability, reinsurance coverage, legislative changes and other factors, including the actions of third parties, which are beyond our control.

The inherent uncertainties of estimating reserves are greater for certain types of liabilities, where long periods of time elapse before a definitive determination of liability is made and settlement is reached. In periods with increased economic volatility, it becomes more difficult to accurately predict claim costs. It is especially difficult to estimate the impact of inflation on loss reserves given the current economic environment and related government actions. Both inflation overall and medical cost inflation, which has historically been greater than inflation overall, can have an adverse impact.

Reserve estimates are continually refined in an ongoing process as experience develops and further claims are reported and settled. Adjustments to reserves are reflected in the results of the periods in which such estimates are changed. Because setting reserves is inherently uncertain, we cannot assure that our current reserves will prove adequate in light of subsequent events. Should we need to increase our reserves, our pre-tax income for the reporting period would decrease by a corresponding amount.

We discount our reserves for excess and assumed workers' compensation business because of the long period of time over which losses are paid. Discounting is intended to appropriately match losses and loss expenses to income earned on investment securities supporting liabilities. The expected loss and loss expense payout pattern subject to discounting is derived from our loss payout experience. Changes in the loss and loss expense payout pattern are recorded in the period they are determined. If the actual loss payout pattern is shorter than anticipated, the discount will be reduced and pre-tax income will decrease by a corresponding amount.

The effects of emerging claim and coverage issues on our business are uncertain.

As industry practices and economic, legal, judicial, social and other environmental conditions change, unexpected and unintended issues related to claim 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. Examples of emerging claims and coverage issues include, but are not limited to:

• judicial expansion of policy coverage and a greater propensity to grant claimants more favorable amounts and the impact of new theories of liability;

• plaintiffs targeting property and casualty insurers, including us, in purported class action litigation relating to claims-handling and other practices;

• social inflation trends, including higher and more frequent claims, more favorable judgments and legislated increases;

• medical developments that link health issues to particular causes, resulting in liability claims;

• claims relating to unanticipated consequences of current or new technologies, including cyber security related risks;

• claims relating to potentially changing climate conditions; and

• increased claims due to third party funding of litigation.

In some instances, these emerging issues may not become apparent for some time after we have issued the affected insurance policies. As a result, the full extent of liability under our insurance policies may not be known until many years after the policies are issued.

In addition, the potential passage of new legislation designed to expand the right to sue, to remove limitations on recovery, to extend the statutes of limitations or otherwise to repeal or weaken tort reforms could have an adverse impact on our business.

The effects of these and other unforeseen emerging claim and coverage issues are difficult to predict and could harm our business and materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

As a property casualty insurer, we face losses from natural and man-made catastrophes.

Property casualty insurers are subject to claims arising out of catastrophes that may have a significant effect on their results of operations, liquidity and financial condition. Catastrophe losses have had a significant impact on our results. For

example, catastrophe losses net of reinsurance recoveries were $340 million in 2020 (including COVID-19 related losses), $90 million in 2019, and $105 million in 2018. Similarly, man-made catastrophes can also have a material impact on our financial results.

Catastrophes can be caused by various events, including hurricanes, windstorms, earthquakes, tsunamis, hailstorms, explosions, severe winter weather and fires, pandemics, as well as terrorist and other man-made activities, including drilling, mining and other industrial accidents, cyber events or terrorist activities. The incidence and severity of catastrophes are inherently unpredictable. The extent of losses from a catastrophe is a function of both the total amount of insured exposure in the area affected by the event and the severity of the event. Some catastrophes are restricted to small geographic areas; however, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and other disasters may produce significant damage in large, heavily populated areas. Catastrophes can cause losses in a variety of our property and casualty lines, and most of our past catastrophe-related claims have resulted from severe storms. Seasonal weather variations or the impact of climate change may affect the severity and frequency of our losses. Insurance companies are not permitted to reserve for a catastrophe until it has occurred. It is therefore possible that a catastrophic event or multiple catastrophic events could produce significant losses and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

The COVID-19 pandemic has materially and adversely affected our results of operations, and is expected to continue and therefore may materially and adversely affect, our results of operations, financial position and liquidity.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the related impact on the U.S. and global economies, has materially and adversely affected our results of operations. We expect the pandemic and its impact on our business to continue, and potentially even worsen, but we cannot predict the magnitude or duration of its continued impact, particularly given the great uncertainties associated with COVID-19, including regarding the reopening of the U.S. and global economies and the recovery from its devastating economic and other effects. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 on our results of operations, financial position and liquidity is not yet known, and likely will not be known for some time, but includes the following:

Adverse Legislative and Regulatory Action. Legislative and regulatory initiatives taken or which may be taken in response to COVID-19 may adversely affect us, particularly in our workers’ compensation and property coverages businesses. For example, our business may be subject to, certain initiatives, including, but not limited to: legislative and regulatory action that seeks to retroactively mandate coverage for losses that our insurance policies would not otherwise cover and which were not priced to cover; legislative and regulatory action providing for shifting presumptions with respect to the burdens of proof for “essential” workers on workers’ compensation coverages and varying definitions of “essential” workers; actions prohibiting us from cancelling insurance policies in accordance with our policy terms or non-renewing policies at their natural expiration; and/or orders to provide premium refunds, grant extended grace periods for premium payments, and provide extended time to pay past due premiums. Any such action would likely increase both our underwriting losses and our expenses and any legal challenges to any such action could take years to resolve.

Claim Losses Related to COVID-19 May Exceed Reserves. As of December 31, 2020, we recorded approximately $171 million for COVID-19-related losses, net of applicable reinsurance, and reinstatement premiums of approximately $18 million. Of the $171 million of COVID-19-related losses, $95 million are reported losses and $76 million is booked as IBNR. Our reserves do not represent an exact calculation of liability, but represent an estimate of what management expects the ultimate settlement and claims administration will cost for claims that have occurred, whether known or unknown. Given the great uncertainties associated with COVID-19 and its impact and the limited information upon which our current assumptions and assessments have been made, our reserves and the underlying estimated level of claim losses and costs arising from COVID-19 may materially change.

Claim Losses and Adjustment Expenses May Increase. As the effects of COVID-19 on industry practices and economic, legal, judicial, social and other environmental conditions occur, unexpected and unintended issues related to claims and coverages may emerge. These issues may adversely affect our business by extending coverage beyond our underwriting intent (including in the area of property coverages where physical damage requirements and communicable disease exclusions are currently being challenged) or by increasing the number and/or size of claims, each of which could adversely impact our results.

Reinsurance. We purchase reinsurance in order to transfer part of the risk that we have assumed by writing insurance policies to reinsurance companies in exchange for part of the premium we receive in connection with assuming such risk. Although reinsurance makes the reinsurer contractually liable to us to the extent the risk is transferred to the reinsurer, it does not relieve us of our liability to our policyholders. There may be uncertainty surrounding the availability of reinsurance coverage for COVID-19-related losses as our reinsurers may dispute the applicability of reinsurance to such losses (including the application of reinsurance reinstatements) and, as a result, our reinsurers may refuse to pay reinsurance recoverables related thereto or they may not pay them on a timely basis. In addition, we may be unable to renew our current reinsurance coverages

or obtain appropriate new reinsurance covers with respect to certain exposures under our policies, including COVID-19-related exposures, and therefore our net exposures could increase, or if we are unwilling to bear such increase in net exposure, we may reduce our level of underwriting commitments.

Premium Volumes May Be Negatively Impacted. The demand for insurance is significantly influenced by general economic conditions. Consequently, reduced economic activity relating to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to decrease demand for our insurance products and services and negatively impact our premium volumes (and, in certain cases, may result in return of premiums due to a decrease in exposures). This may continue for an indefinite period, with the magnitude of the impact impossible to predict. In addition, as we continue to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on the insurance coverages we currently offer, our appetite for providing certain coverages in various jurisdictions may change which could further negatively impact our premium volumes. Any such reduction in our premiums would likely cause our expense ratio to rise.

Investments. Further disruptions in global financial markets due to the continuing impact of COVID-19 could cause us to incur additional unrealized and/or realized investment losses (beyond the investment fund losses incurred to date), including impairments in our fixed maturity portfolio and other investments. In addition, the economic uncertainty resulting from COVID-19 may result in a further decline in interest rates, which may negatively impact our net investment income from future investment activity.

Credit Risk. As credit risk is generally a function of the economy, we face greater credit risk from our policyholders, independent agents and brokers in connection with the payment and remittance of premiums as a result of the economic conditions caused by COVID-19. Similarly, our credit risk related to the reimbursement of deductibles from policyholders and in connection with reinsurance recoverables has increased.

Operational Disruptions and Costs. Our operations could be disrupted if key members of our senior management or a significant percentage of our workforce or the workforce of our agents, brokers, suppliers or other third party service providers are unable to continue to work because of illness, government directives or otherwise. In addition, our agents, brokers, suppliers and other third party service providers, which we rely on for key aspects of our operations, are subject to risks and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may interfere with their ability to fulfill their respective commitments and responsibilities to us in a timely manner and in accordance with the agreed-upon terms. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have implemented remote working policies which have resulted in disruptions to our business routines, heightened risk to cybersecurity attacks and data security incidents and a greater dependency on internet and telecommunication access and capabilities.

Changing climate conditions may alter the frequency and increase the severity of catastrophic events and thereby adversely affect our financial condition and results.

Over the past several years, changing weather patterns and climatic conditions, such as global warming, appear to have contributed to the unpredictability, frequency and severity of natural disasters and created additional uncertainty as to future trends and exposures. There is a growing scientific consensus that global warming and other climate change are altering the frequency, severity and/or peril characteristics of catastrophic weather events, such as hurricanes, windstorms, floods and other natural disasters. Such changes make it more difficult for us to predict and model catastrophic events, reducing our ability to accurately price our exposure to such events and mitigate our risks. Any increase in the frequency or severity of natural disasters may adversely affect our financial condition and results.

We, as a primary insurer, may have significant exposure for terrorist acts.

To the extent an act of terrorism, whether a domestic or foreign act, is certified by the Secretary of Treasury, we may be covered under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2019 (“TRIPRA”), for up to 80% of our covered losses for certain property/casualty lines of insurance. However, any such coverage would be subject to a mandatory deductible based on 20% of earned premium for the prior year for the covered lines of commercial property and casualty insurance. Based on our 2020 earned premiums, our aggregate deductible under TRIPRA during 2021 is approximately $1,014 million. In addition, the coverage provided under TRIPRA does not apply to reinsurance that we write.

We are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which increases our costs and could restrict the conduct of our business.

We are subject to extensive governmental regulation and supervision in both the United States and foreign jurisdictions. Most insurance regulations are designed to protect the interests of policyholders rather than stockholders and other investors. This system of regulation, generally administered in the United States by a department of insurance in each state in which we do business, relates to, among other things:

• standards of solvency, including risk-based capital measurements;

• restrictions on the nature, quality and concentration of investments;

• requirements pertaining to certain methods of accounting;

• evaluating enterprise risk to an insurer;

• rate and form regulation pertaining to certain of our insurance businesses;

• potential assessments for the provision of funds necessary for the settlement of covered claims under certain policies provided by impaired, insolvent or failed insurance companies; and

• involvement in the payment or adjudication of catastrophe or other claims beyond the terms of the policies.

State insurance departments conduct periodic examinations of the affairs of insurance companies and require the filing of annual and other reports relating to the financial condition of insurance companies, holding company issues and other matters. Our Insurance business internationally is also generally subject to a similar regulatory scheme in each of the jurisdictions where we conduct operations outside the United States.

Federal financial services modernization legislation and legislative and regulatory initiatives taken or which may be taken in response to conditions in the financial markets, global insurance supervision and other factors may lead to additional federal regulation of the insurance industry in the coming years.

The Dodd-Frank Act effected sweeping changes to financial services regulation in the United States. The Dodd-Frank Act established the Financial Stability 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 established a Federal Insurance Office (“FIO”) which is 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 FIO also can recommend to the FSOC that it designate an insurer as an entity posing risks to the United States financial stability in the event of the insurer's material financial distress or failure. Our business could be affected by changes, whether as a result of potential changes to the Dodd-Frank Act, 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.

Although state regulation is the primary form of regulation of insurance and reinsurance in the United States, in addition to the changes brought about by the Dodd-Frank Act, Congress has considered various proposals relating to the creation of an optional federal charter and repeal of the insurance company antitrust exemption from the McCarran-Ferguson Act. We may be subject to potentially increased federal oversight as a financial institution. In addition, the change in the U.S. administration and the volatile political environment may increase the chance of other federal legislative and regulatory changes that could affect us in ways we cannot predict.

With respect to international measures, Solvency II, the EU regime concerning the capital adequacy, risk management and regulatory reporting for insurers and reinsurers may affect our insurance businesses. Implementation of Solvency II in EU member states occurred on January 1, 2016, and as the Solvency II regime evolves over time, we may be required to utilize a significant amount of resources to ensure compliance. In particular, the European Commission and European regulators are undertaking a review of Solvency II, which is anticipated to be completed in the third quarter of 2021. In addition, despite the waiver of the Solvency II group capital requirements we received, Solvency II may have the effect of increasing the capital requirements of our EU domiciled insurers. Additionally, our capital requirements and compliance requirements may be adversely affected if the EU Commission does not deem the insurance regulatory regimes of the jurisdictions outside the EU in which we have insurance or reinsurance companies domiciled to be “equivalent” to Solvency II.

Similarly, following the U.K.’s withdrawal from the EU, and the expiry of the transition period on December 31, 2020, our U.K. subsidiaries are now subject to a separate U.K. prudential regime, to which the same considerations will apply. The U.K.’s domestic prudential regime is currently identical to Solvency II, although the two regimes, and their respective requirements, may diverge over time. The U.K. has already declared that it considers the Solvency II regime as “equivalent” to its own. However, the EU is still determining whether to make “equivalency” declarations in respect of the U.K.’s prudential regime. It is also possible that any “equivalency” determinations made by either side could be withdrawn in the future, which would adversely affect our capital and compliance requirements.

If our compliance with Solvency II, the U.K.’s prudential regime or any other regulatory regime is challenged, we may be subject to monetary or other penalties. In addition, in order to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements or as a result of any investigation, including remediation efforts, we could be required to incur significant expenses and undertake additional work, which in turn may divert resources from our business.

We may be unable to maintain all required licenses and approvals and our business may not fully comply with the wide

variety of applicable laws and regulations or the relevant authority's interpretation of the laws and regulations. Also, some regulatory authorities have relatively broad discretion to grant, renew or revoke licenses and approvals. If we do not have the requisite licenses and approvals or do not comply with applicable regulatory requirements, the insurance regulatory authorities could preclude or temporarily suspend us from carrying on some or all of our activities or monetarily penalize us. Also, changes in the level of regulation of the insurance industry, whether federal, state or foreign, or changes in laws or regulations themselves or interpretations by regulatory authorities, may further restrict the conduct of our business.

Risks Relating to Our Business

Our international operations expose us to investment, political and economic risks, including foreign currency and credit risk.

Our expanding international operations in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, South America, Canada, Mexico, Scandinavia, the Asia-Pacific region, South Africa and Australia expose us to increased investment, political and economic risks, including foreign currency and credit risk. Changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our investments in non-U.S.-denominated assets are subject to fluctuations in non-U.S. securities and currency markets, and those markets can be volatile. Non-U.S. currency fluctuations also affect the value of any dividends paid by our non-U.S. subsidiaries to their parent companies in the U.S.

The United Kingdom leaving the EU could adversely affect our business.

In accordance with the withdrawal agreement implementing the U.K. leaving the EU (“Brexit”), the U.K. formally left the EU on January 31, 2020. The agreement provided for a transitional period, which ended on December 31, 2020, during which time the U.K. continued to enjoy the same rights and obligations as it had as a member state, though without participating in the EU institutions. During the transitional period, the U.K. and the EU negotiated a long-term agreement covering, among other things, the terms of trade between them, culminating in the execution of the entry into a “Trade and Cooperation Agreement”.

However, notwithstanding the finalization of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the U.K. and the EU, uncertainty remains regarding the impact of Brexit, including the implementation and enforcement of terms and conditions of the agreement, and the U.K.’s future relationship with the EU. Brexit could also lead to legal uncertainty and differing laws and regulations between the U.K. and the EU. Specifically in relation to financial services, under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, both EU and U.K. insurers lost their respective passporting rights from January 1, 2021, and it is unclear whether the EU will make “equivalence” determinations in respect of relevant aspects of U.K. financial services regulation. As a result, the U.K. branch of our Liechtenstein subsidiary has applied to be directly authorized to perform insurance business in the U.K., which application remains under consideration.

More generally, barriers to trade resulting from Brexit could affect the attractiveness of the U.K. and impact our U.K. business. We also face risks associated with the potential uncertainty and consequences related to Brexit, including with respect to volatility in financial markets, exchange rates and interest rates. These uncertainties could increase the volatility of, or reduce, our investment results in particular periods or over time. Brexit could adversely affect European or worldwide political, regulatory, economic or market conditions and could contribute to instability in political institutions and regulatory agencies.

Any of these potential effects, and others we cannot anticipate, could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

We may be unable to attract and retain key personnel and qualified employees.

We depend on our ability to attract and retain key personnel, including our President and CEO, Executive Chairman, senior executive officers, presidents of our operating units, experienced underwriters and other skilled employees who are knowledgeable about our business. If the quality of our underwriting team and other personnel decreases, we may be unable to maintain our current competitive position in the specialized markets in which we operate, and be unable to expand our operations into new products and markets.

We cannot guarantee that our reinsurers will pay in a timely fashion, if at all, and, as a result, we could experience losses.

We purchase reinsurance by transferring part of the risk that we have assumed, known as ceding, to a reinsurance company in exchange for part of the premium we receive in connection with the risk. Although reinsurance makes the reinsurer contractually liable to us to the extent the risk is transferred or ceded to the reinsurer, it does not relieve us, the reinsured, of our liability to our policyholders. Our reinsurers may not pay the reinsurance recoverables that they owe to us or they may not pay

such recoverables on a timely basis. Accordingly, we bear credit risk with respect to our reinsurers, and if our reinsurers fail to pay us, our financial results would be adversely affected. Underwriting results and investment returns of some of our reinsurers may affect their future ability to pay claims. As of December 31, 2020, the amount due from our reinsurers was approximately $2,425 million, including amounts due from state funds and industry pools where it was intended that we would bear no risk. Certain of these amounts are secured by letters of credit or by funds held in trust on our behalf.

We are subject to credit risk relating to our policyholders, independent agents and brokers.

In addition to exposure to credit risk related to our reinsurance recoverables and investment portfolio, we are exposed to credit risk in several other areas of our business, including credit risk relating to policyholders, independent agents and brokers. For example our policyholders, independent agents or brokers may not pay a part of or the full amount of premiums owed to us or our brokers or other third party claim administrators may not deliver amounts owed on claims under our insurance and reinsurance contracts for which we have provided funds.

As credit risk is generally a function of the economy, we face a greater credit risk in an economic downturn. While we attempt to manage credit risks through underwriting guidelines, collateral requirements and other oversight mechanisms, our efforts may not be successful. For example, to reduce such credit risk, we require certain third parties to post collateral for some or all of their obligations to us. In cases where we receive pledged securities and the applicable counterparty is unable to honor its obligations, we may be exposed to credit risk on the securities pledged and/or the risk that our access to that collateral may be stayed as a result of bankruptcy. In cases where we receive letters of credit from banks as collateral and one of our counterparties is unable to honor its obligations, we are exposed to the credit risk of the banks that issued the letters of credit.

We are rated by A.M. Best, Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch, and a decline in these ratings could affect our standing in the insurance industry and cause our sales and earnings to decrease.

Ratings have become an increasingly important factor in establishing the competitive position of insurance companies. Certain of our insurance company subsidiaries are rated by A.M. Best, Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch. Our ratings are subject to periodic review, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to retain our current or any future ratings.

If our ratings are reduced from their current levels by A.M. Best, Standard & Poor's, Moody's or Fitch, our competitive position in the insurance industry could suffer and it would be more difficult for us to market our products. A ratings downgrade could also adversely limit our access to capital markets, which may increase the cost of debt. A significant downgrade could result in a substantial loss of business as policyholders move to other companies with higher financial strength ratings.

If market conditions cause reinsurance to be more costly or unavailable, we may be required to bear increased risks or reduce the level of our underwriting commitments.

As part of our overall risk and capacity management strategy, we purchase reinsurance for certain amounts of risk underwritten by our insurance company subsidiaries, especially catastrophe risks and those risks with relatively high policy limits. We also purchase reinsurance on risks underwritten by others which we reinsure. Market conditions beyond our control determine the availability and cost of the reinsurance protection we seek to purchase, which may affect the level of our business and profitability. Our reinsurance contracts are generally subject to annual renewal, and we may be unable to maintain our current reinsurance contracts or to obtain other reinsurance contracts in adequate amounts and at favorable rates. In addition, we may be unable to obtain reinsurance on terms acceptable to us relating to certain lines of business that we intend to begin writing. If we are unable to renew our expiring contracts or to obtain new reinsurance contracts, either our net exposures would increase or, if we are unwilling to bear an increase in net exposures, we would have to reduce the level of our underwriting commitments, especially catastrophe exposed risks.

Depending on conditions in the financial markets and the general economy, we may be unable to raise debt or equity capital if needed.

If conditions in the financial markets and the general economy are unfavorable, which may result from disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the capital and credit markets, we may be unable to access debt or equity capital on acceptable terms if needed, which could have a negative impact on our ability to invest in our insurance company subsidiaries and/or to take advantage of opportunities to expand our business, such as possible acquisitions and the creation of new ventures, and inhibit our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness if we desire to do so, on terms acceptable to us.

We may not find suitable acquisition candidates or new insurance ventures and even if we do, we may not successfully integrate any such acquired companies or successfully invest in such ventures.

As part of our present strategy, we continue to evaluate possible acquisition transactions and the start-up of complementary businesses on an ongoing basis, and at any given time we may be engaged in discussions with respect to

possible acquisitions and new ventures. We cannot assure you that we will be able to identify suitable acquisition targets or insurance ventures, that such transactions will be financed and completed on acceptable terms or that our future acquisitions or start-up ventures will be successful. The process of integrating any companies we do acquire or investing in new ventures may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

If we experience difficulties with our information technology, telecommunications or other computer systems, our ability to conduct our business could be negatively or severely impacted.

Our business is highly dependent upon our employees' ability to perform necessary business functions in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion. A shut-down of, or inability to access, one or more of our facilities, a power outage or a failure of one or more of our information technology, telecommunications or other computer systems could significantly impair our employees' ability to perform such functions on a timely basis. In the event of a disaster such as a natural catastrophe, terrorist attack or industrial accident, or the infection of our systems by a malicious computer virus, our systems could be inaccessible for an extended period of time. In addition, because our information technology and telecommunications systems interface with and depend on third-party systems, we could experience service denials or failures of controls if demand for our service exceeds capacity or a third-party system fails or experiences an interruption. If our business continuity plans or system security does not sufficiently address such a business interruption, system failure or service denial, our ability to write and process new and renewal business, provide customer service, pay claims in a timely manner or perform other necessary business functions could be significantly impaired and our business could be harmed.

Failure to maintain the security of our networks and confidential data may expose us to liability.

Our operations rely on the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other information in our computer systems and networks. Computer viruses, hackers, employee misconduct and other external hazards could expose our data systems to security breaches. Our electronic transmission of personal, confidential and proprietary information to third parties with whom we have business relationships and our outsourcing of certain technology and business process functions to third parties may expose us to enhanced risk related to data security. While we attempt to develop secure data transmission capabilities with these third-party vendors and others with whom we do business, our vendors and third parties could still suffer data breaches that could result in the exposure of sensitive data and the infiltration of our computer systems. Our failure to effectively protect sensitive personal and our proprietary information, whether owing to breaches of our own systems or those of our vendors, could result in significant monetary and reputational damages, costly litigation, or other regulatory enforcement actions. These increased risks, and expanding regulatory requirements regarding data security, could expose us to data loss, monetary and reputational damages and significant increases in compliance costs. As a result, our ability to conduct our business could be materially and adversely affected.

We could be adversely affected if our controls to ensure compliance with guidelines, policies and legal and regulatory standards are not effective.

Our business is highly dependent on our ability to engage on a daily basis in a large number of insurance underwriting, claim processing and investment activities, many of which are highly complex. These activities often are subject to internal guidelines and policies, as well as legal and regulatory standards, including those related to privacy, anti-corruption, anti-bribery and global finance and insurance matters. Our continued expansion into new international markets has brought about additional requirements. A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance that the control system's objectives will be met. If our controls are not effective, it could lead to financial loss, unanticipated risk exposure (including underwriting, credit and investment risk) or damage to our reputation.

We could be adversely affected by recent and future changes in U.S. Federal income tax laws.

Tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on December 22, 2017, fundamentally overhauled the U.S. tax system by, among other significant changes, reducing the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 21%. In the context of the taxation of U.S. property/casualty insurance companies such as the Company, the Act also modifies the loss reserve discounting rules and the proration rules that apply to reduce reserve deductions to reflect the lower corporate income tax rate. It is possible that other legislation could be introduced and enacted by the current Congress or future Congresses that could have an adverse impact on us. New regulations or pronouncements interpreting or clarifying provisions of the Act may be forthcoming. We cannot predict if, when or in what form such regulations or pronouncements may be provided, whether such guidance will have a retroactive effect or their potential impact on us.

Risks Relating to Our Investments

A significant amount of our assets is invested in fixed maturity securities and is subject to market fluctuations.

Our investment portfolio consists substantially of fixed maturity securities. As of December 31, 2020, our investment in fixed maturity securities was approximately $14.2 billion, or 67.9% of our total investment portfolio, including cash and cash equivalents. As of that date, our portfolio of fixed maturity securities consisted of the following types of securities: U.S. Government securities (4.3%); state and municipal securities (26.0%); corporate securities (32.9%); asset-backed securities (22.6%); mortgage-backed securities (7.3%) and foreign government (6.9%).

The fair value of these assets and the investment income from these assets fluctuate depending on general economic and market conditions. The fair value of fixed maturity securities generally decreases as interest rates rise. If significant inflation or an increase in interest rates were to occur, the fair value of our fixed maturity securities would be negatively impacted. Conversely, if interest rates decline, investment income earned from future investments in fixed maturity securities will be lower. Some fixed maturity securities, such as mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities, also carry prepayment risk as a result of interest rate fluctuations. Additionally, given the low interest rate environment, we may not be able to successfully reinvest the proceeds from maturing securities at yields commensurate with our target performance goals.

The value of investments in fixed maturity securities is subject to impairment as a result of deterioration in the credit worthiness of the issuer, default by the issuer (including states and municipalities) in the performance of its obligations in respect of the securities and/or increases in market interest rates. To a large degree, the credit risk we face is a function of the economy; accordingly, we face a greater risk in an economic downturn or recession. During periods of market disruption, it may be difficult to value certain of our securities, particularly if trading becomes less frequent and/or market data becomes less observable. There may be certain asset classes that were in active markets with significant observable data that become illiquid due to the then current financial environment. In such cases, more securities may require additional subjectivity and management judgment.

Although the historical rates of default on state and municipal securities have been relatively low, our state and municipal fixed maturity securities could be subject to a higher risk of default or impairment due to declining municipal tax bases and revenue. Many states and municipalities operate under deficits or projected deficits, the severity and duration of which could have an adverse impact on both the valuation of our state and municipal fixed maturity securities and the issuer's ability to perform its obligations thereunder. Additionally, our investments are subject to losses as a result of a general decrease in commercial and economic activity for an industry sector in which we invest, as well as risks inherent in particular securities.

Although we attempt to manage these risks through the use of investment guidelines and other oversight mechanisms and by diversifying our portfolio and emphasizing preservation of principal, our efforts may not be successful. Impairments, defaults and/or rate increases could reduce our net investment income and net realized investment gains or result in investment losses. Investment returns are currently, and will likely continue to remain, under pressure due to the continued low inflation, actions by the Federal Reserve, economic uncertainty, more generally, and the shape of the yield curve. As a result, our exposure to the risks described above could materially and adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition.

We have invested a portion of our assets in equity securities, merger arbitrage securities, investment funds, private equity, loans and real estate related assets, which are subject to significant volatility and may decline in value.

We invest a portion of our investment portfolio in equity securities, merger arbitrage securities, investment funds, private equity, loans and real estate related assets. At December 31, 2020, our investment in these assets was approximately $4.3 billion, or 20.6%, of our investment portfolio, including cash and cash equivalents.

Merger and arbitrage trading securities were $341.5 million, or 1.6% of our investment portfolio, including cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2020. Merger arbitrage involves investing in the securities of publicly held companies that are the targets in announced tender offers and mergers. Merger arbitrage differs from other types of investments in its focus on transactions and events believed likely to bring about a change in value over a relatively short time period, usually four months or less. Our merger arbitrage positions are exposed to the risk associated with the completion of announced deals, which are subject to regulatory as well as political and other risks.

Real estate related investments, including directly owned, investment funds and loans receivable, were $2.3 billion, or 11.1% of our investment portfolio, including cash and cash equivalents, at December 31, 2020. We also invest in real estate, financial services, energy, transportation and other investment funds. The values of these investments are subject to fluctuation based on changes in the economy and interest rates in general and the related asset valuations in particular. In addition, our investments in real estate related assets and other alternative investments are less liquid than our other investments.

These investments are subject to significant volatility as a result of the conditions in the financial and commodity markets and the global economy.

Risks Relating to Limitations on Dividends from Subsidiaries and Anti-Takeover Provisions

We are an insurance holding company and, therefore, may not be able to receive dividends in needed amounts.

As an insurance holding company, our principal assets are the shares of capital stock of our insurance company subsidiaries. We have to rely on dividends from our insurance company subsidiaries to meet our obligations for paying principal and interest on outstanding debt obligations, paying dividends to stockholders and repurchasing our shares and paying corporate expenses. The payment of dividends by our insurance company subsidiaries is subject to regulatory restrictions and will depend on the surplus and future earnings of these subsidiaries. During 2021, the maximum amount of dividends that can be paid without regulatory approval is approximately $721 million. As a result, in the future we may not be able to receive dividends from these subsidiaries at times and in amounts necessary to meet our obligations, pay dividends or repurchase shares.

Laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which we conduct business could delay, deter or prevent an attempt to acquire control of us that stockholders might consider to be desirable, and may restrict a stockholder's ability to purchase our common stock.

Generally, United States insurance holding company laws require that, before a person can acquire control of an insurance company, prior written approval must be obtained from the insurance regulatory authorities in the state in which that insurance company is domiciled. Pursuant to applicable laws and regulations, “control” over an insurer is generally presumed to exist if any person, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, holds the power to vote, or holds proxies representing 10% or more of the voting securities of that insurer or any parent company of such insurer. Indirect ownership includes ownership of the shares of our common stock. Thus, the insurance regulatory authorities of the states in which our insurance subsidiaries are domiciled are likely to apply these restrictions on acquisition of control to any proposed acquisition of our common stock. Some states require a person seeking to acquire control of an insurer licensed but not domiciled in that state to make a filing prior to completing an acquisition if the acquirer and its affiliates, on the one hand, and the target insurer and its affiliates, on the other hand, have specified market shares in the same lines of insurance in that state. Additionally, many foreign jurisdictions where we conduct business impose similar restrictions and requirements.

These provisions can also lead to the imposition of conditions on an acquisition that could delay or prevent its consummation. These laws may discourage potential acquisition proposals and may delay, deter or prevent a change in control of us through transactions, and in particular unsolicited transactions, that some or all of our stockholders might consider to be desirable.

Certain provisions in our organizational documents may have the effect of hindering, delaying or preventing third party takeovers and thus may prevent our stockholders from receiving premium prices for their shares in an unsolicited takeover or make it more difficult for third parties to replace our current management.

Provisions of our Restated Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws, as well as state insurance statutes, may hinder, delay or prevent unsolicited acquisitions or changes of our control. These provisions may also have the effect of making it more difficult for third parties to cause the replacement of our current management without the concurrence of our board of directors.

These provisions include:

• our classified board of directors and the ability of our board to increase its size and to appoint directors to fill newly created directorships;

• the requirement that 80% of our stockholders must approve mergers and other transactions between us and the holder of 5% or more of our shares, unless the transaction was approved by our board of directors prior to such holder's acquisition of 5% of our shares; and

• the need for advance notice in order to raise business or make nominations at stockholders' meetings.

These provisions may discourage potential acquisition proposals and may delay, deter or prevent a change in control of us through transactions, and in particular unsolicited transactions, that some or all of our stockholders might consider to be desirable.

There are no unresolved written comments that were received from the SEC staff 180 days or more before the end of our fiscal year relating to our periodic or current reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

W. R. Berkley and its subsidiaries own or lease office buildings or office space suitable to conduct their operations. At December 31, 2020, the Company had aggregate office space of 4,217,252 square feet, of which 1,105,205 were owned and 3,112,047 were leased.

Rental expense for the Company's operations was approximately $44,291,000, $44,107,000 and $45,778,000 for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Future minimum lease payments, without provision for sublease income, are $47,477,000 in 2021, $41,442,000 in 2022 and $149,702,000 thereafter.

The Company's subsidiaries are subject to disputes, including litigation and arbitration, arising in the ordinary course of their insurance and reinsurance businesses. The Company's estimates of the costs of settling such matters are reflected in its aggregate reserves for losses and loss expenses, and the Company does not believe that the ultimate outcome of such matters will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

Not applicable.

PART II

In 2020, the Board declared regular quarterly cash dividends of $0.11 per share in the first quarter, and $0.12 per share in each of the remaining three quarters. Subject to availability, the Board currently expects to continue such regular quarterly cash dividends.

The approximate number of record holders of the common stock on February 11, 2021 was 311.

The chart below shows a comparison of 5 year cumulative total return.

Comparison of 5 Year Cumulative Total Return

Assumes initial investment of $100 on January 1, 2015, with dividends reinvested.

The S&P 500® Property and Casualty Insurance Index consists of Allstate Corporation, Chubb, Ltd., Cincinnati Financial Corporation, Progressive Corporation, The Travelers Companies, Inc., and W. R. Berkley Corporation (added Dec. 2019).

Set forth below is a summary of the shares repurchased by the Company during the fourth quarter of 2020 and the remaining number of shares authorized for purchase by the Company during such period.

Overview

W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and operates worldwide in two business segments of the property and casualty business: Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess. Our decentralized structure provides us with the flexibility to respond quickly and efficiently to local or specific market conditions and to pursue specialty business niches. It also allows us to be closer to our customers in order to better understand their individual needs and risk characteristics. While providing our business units with certain operating autonomy, our structure allows us to capitalize on the benefits of economies of scale through centralized capital, investment, reinsurance and enterprise risk management, and actuarial, financial and corporate legal staff support. The Company's primary sources of revenues and earnings are its insurance operations and its investments.

An important part of our strategy is to form new operating units to capitalize on various business opportunities. Over the years, the Company has formed numerous new operating units that are focused on important parts of the economy in the U.S., including healthcare, cyber security, energy and agriculture, and on growing international markets, including the Asia-Pacific region, South America and Mexico.

The profitability of the Company’s insurance business is affected primarily by the adequacy of premium rates. The ultimate adequacy of premium rates is not known with certainty at the time an insurance policy is issued because premiums are determined before claims are reported. The ultimate adequacy of premium rates is affected mainly by the severity and frequency of claims, which are influenced by many factors, including natural and other disasters, regulatory measures and court decisions that define and change the extent of coverage and the effects of economic or social inflation on the amount of compensation for injuries or losses. General insurance prices are also influenced by available insurance capacity, i.e., the level of capital employed in the industry, and the industry’s willingness to deploy that capital.

The Company’s profitability is also affected by its investment income and investment gains. The Company’s invested assets are invested principally in fixed maturity securities. The return on fixed maturity securities is affected primarily by general interest rates, as well as the credit quality and duration of the securities. Returns available on fixed maturity investments have been at low levels for an extended period.

The Company also invests in equity securities, merger arbitrage securities, investment funds, private equity, loans and real estate related assets. The Company's investments in investment funds and its other alternative investments have experienced, and the Company expects to continue to experience, greater fluctuations in investment income. The Company's share of the earnings or losses from investment funds is generally reported on a one-quarter lag in order to facilitate the timely completion of the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2020, the Company adopted new accounting standard ASU 2016-13 Financial Instruments - Credit Losses. Refer to Note 1 in the financial statements for further information on the accounting guidance and impact of its adoption on the Company's results and financial position.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the related impact on the U.S. and global economies, has materially and adversely affected our results of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded approximately $171 million for COVID-19-related losses, net of reinsurance, and reinstatement premiums of approximately $18 million. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 on the economy and on the Company’s results of operations, financial position and liquidity is uncertain and not within the Company’s control. The scope, duration and magnitude of the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 continue to evolve in ways that are difficult or impossible to anticipate. Despite the effects of COVID-19 to date, the Company’s financial position and liquidity improved commencing in the second quarter.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our results of operations, financial position and liquidity is expected to include, among others:

Adverse Legislative and Regulatory Action. Legislative and regulatory initiatives taken or that may be taken in response to COVID-19, such as those that seek to retroactively mandate or provide a presumption of coverage for losses which our insurance policies would not otherwise cover and were not priced to cover, may adversely affect us, particularly in our workers’ compensation and property coverages businesses.

Claim Losses Related to COVID-19 May Exceed Reserves. Given the great uncertainties associated with COVID-19 and its impact and the limited information upon which our current assumptions and assessments have been made, our reserves and underlying estimated level of claim losses and costs arising from COVID-19 may materially change.

Claim Losses and Adjustment Expenses May Increase. As the effects of COVID-19 on industry practices and economic, legal, judicial, social and other environmental conditions continue to evolve, unexpected and unintended issues related to claims and coverages may emerge (including in the area of property coverages where physical damage requirements and communicable disease exclusions are currently being challenged).

Reinsurance. Reinsurers may dispute the applicability of reinsurance to COVID-19 related losses (including the application of reinsurance reinstatements) and, as a result, our reinsurers may refuse to pay reinsurance recoverables related thereto or they may not pay them on a timely basis. In addition, we may be unable to renew our current reinsurance coverages or purchase new coverages with respect to certain exposures under our policies, including COVID-19-related exposures.

Premium Volumes May Be Negatively Impacted. Reduced economic activity relating to the COVID-19 pandemic will likely decrease demand for our insurance products and services. In addition, we may alter our view on the insurance coverages that are appropriate to offer in various jurisdictions, which could further negatively impact our premium volumes.

Investments. Further disruptions in global financial markets due to the continuing impact of COVID-19 could cause us to incur additional unrealized and/or realized investment losses, including impairments in our fixed income portfolio and other investments.

Credit Risk. As credit risk is generally a function of the economy, we face greater credit risk from our policyholders, independent agents and brokers in connection with the payment and remittance of premiums as a result of the economic conditions caused by COVID-19. Similarly, our credit risk related to the reimbursement of deductibles from policyholders and in connection with reinsurance recoverables has increased.

Operational Disruptions and Costs. Our operations could be disrupted if key members of our senior management or a significant percentage of our workforce or the workforce of our agents, brokers, suppliers or other third party service providers are unable to continue to work because of illness, government directives or otherwise. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have implemented remote working policies which have resulted in disruptions to our business routines, heightened risk to cybersecurity attacks and data security incidents and a greater dependency on internet and telecommunication access and capabilities.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The following presents a discussion of accounting policies and estimates relating to reserves for losses and loss expenses, assumed reinsurance premiums and other-than-temporary impairments of investments. Manageme

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Market Risk. The fair value of the Company’s investments is subject to risks of fluctuations in credit quality and interest rates. The Company uses various models and stress test scenarios to monitor and manage interest rate risk. The Company attempts to manage its interest rate risk by maintaining an appropriate relationship between the effective duration of the investment portfolio and the approximate duration of its liabilities (i.e., policy claims and debt obligations). The effective duration for the fixed maturity portfolio (including cash and cash equivalents) was 2.4 years at December 31, 2020 and 2.8 years at December 31, 2019.

In addition, the fair value of the Company’s international investments is subject to currency risk. The Company attempts to manage its currency risk by matching its foreign currency assets and liabilities where considered appropriate.

The following table outlines the groups of fixed maturity securities and their effective duration at December 31, 2020:

Duration is a common measure of the price sensitivity of fixed maturity securities to changes in interest rates. The Company determines the estimated change in fair value of the fixed maturity securities, assuming parallel shifts in the yield curve for treasury securities while keeping spreads between individual securities and treasury securities static. The estimated fair value at specified levels at December 31, 2020 would be as follows:

Arbitrage investing differs from other types of investments in that its focus is on transactions and events believed likely to bring about a change in value over a relatively short time period (usually four months or less). The Company believes that this makes arbitrage investments less vulnerable to changes in general stock market conditions. Potential changes in market conditions are also mitigated by the implementation of hedging strategies, including short sales.

Additionally, the arbitrage positions are generally hedged against market declines by purchasing put options, selling call options or entering into swap contracts. The Company's merger arbitrage securities are primarily exposed to the risk of completion of announced deals, which are subject to regulatory as well as transactional and other risks.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors

W. R. Berkley Corporation:

Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of W. R. Berkley Corporation and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three‑year period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes and financial statement schedules II to VI (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, and our report dated February 18, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Basis for Opinion

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matter

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of a critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Reserves for losses and loss expenses

As discussed in Notes 1 and 13 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company estimates the reserves for losses and loss expenses (reserves) using a variety of actuarial techniques and methods. The key assumptions used to arrive at the best estimate of recorded reserves are expected loss ratios, rate of loss cost inflation, reported and paid loss emergence patterns, loss frequency and severity, and the loss reporting lag. Such amounts are adjusted for certain qualitative factors. The reserves as of December 31, 2020 were $13,784 million.

We identified the assessment of the estimate of reserves as a critical audit matter because it involved significant measurement uncertainty, which required complex auditor judgement. Specialized actuarial skills and knowledge were required to evaluate the actuarial method or methods and assumptions used. Assumptions included loss development

factors; the weighting of actuarial methods when more than one was used; the impact of qualitative factors; and whether payments are fixed and reliably determinable for certain reserves subject to discounting.

The following are the primary procedures we performed to address the critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Company’s reserving process. This included controls over the Company’s process to develop the Company’s best estimate of reserves based on actuarial methodologies and assumptions employed by the Company’s actuaries. We involved actuarial professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, who assisted in:

• examining the Company’s actuarial methodologies for compliance with Actuarial Standards of Practice;

• evaluating the Company’s ability to discount certain reserves by comparing the expected payout pattern of claims paid to actual claims paid;

• evaluating the Company’s actuarial point estimate by performing independent actuarial analyses for certain of the larger, more complex operating units;

• evaluating the Company’s actuarial point estimate by examining the Company actuaries’ process, and certain key assumptions for the remaining operating units;

• developing an independent range of reserves based on actuarial methodologies and assumptions and comparing to the Company’s recorded reserves;

• evaluating the Company’s recorded reserves and year-over-year movements of the Company’s reserves relative to, and within, the independently developed range of reserves.

/S/ KPMG LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1972.

New York, New York

February 18, 2021

W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

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None.

The Company's management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(b) as of the end of the period covered by this annual report. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company has in place effective controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission's rules and forms.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2020, there have been no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal controls over financial reporting.

Management's Report On Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of Treadway Commission. Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal Control - Integrated Framework, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2020.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and Board of Directors

W. R. Berkley Corporation:

Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

We have audited W. R. Berkley Corporation and subsidiaries’ (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes and financial statement schedules II to VI (collectively, the consolidated financial statements), and our report dated February 18, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.

Basis for Opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Managements’ Report On Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

/S/ KPMG LLP

New York, New York

February 18, 2021

None.

PART III

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

(a) Security ownership of certain beneficial owners

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

(b) Security ownership of management

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

(c) Changes in control

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

(d) Equity compensation plan information

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Reference is made to the registrant's definitive proxy statement, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2020, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

PART IV

(a) Index to Financial Statements

The schedules to the consolidated financial statements listed below should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Financial statement schedules not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K have been omitted because they are not applicable or required information is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.

(b) Exhibits

EXHIBITS

None.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION

February 18, 2021

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Schedule II

W. R. Berkley Corporation

Condensed Financial Information of Registrant

Balance Sheets (Parent Company)

See Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and note to condensed financial information.

Schedule II, Continued

W. R. Berkley Corporation

Condensed Financial Information of Registrant, Continued

Statements of Income (Parent Company)

See Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and note to condensed financial information.

Schedule II, Continued

W. R. Berkley Corporation

Condensed Financial Information of Registrant, Continued

Statements of Cash Flows (Parent Company)

See Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and note to condensed financial information.

W. R. Berkley Corporation

Condensed Financial Information of Registrant, Continued

December 31, 2020

Note to Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company)

The accompanying condensed financial information should be read in conjunction with the notes to consolidated financial statements included elsewhere herein. Reclassifications have been made in the 2019 and 2018 financial statements as originally reported to conform them to the presentation of the 2020 financial statements.

The Company files a consolidated federal tax return with the results of its domestic insurance subsidiaries included on a statutory basis. Under present Company policy, federal income taxes payable by subsidiary companies on a separate-return basis are paid to W. R. Berkley Corporation, and the Company pays the tax due on a consolidated return basis.

Schedule III

W. R. Berkley Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplementary Insurance Information

December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

See Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

Schedule IV

W. R. Berkley Corporation and Subsidiaries

Reinsurance

Years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018

See Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

Schedule V

W. R. Berkley Corporation and Subsidiaries

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

Years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018