The Company participates in reinsurance in order to provide additional capacity for future growth and limit the maximum net loss potential arising from large risks. Life reinsurance is accomplished through various plans of reinsurance, primarily yearly renewable term and coinsurance. Property and casualty reinsurance is placed on a pro-rata basis and excess of loss, including stop loss, basis. Reinsurance ceded arrangements do not discharge the Company as the primary insurer. Ceded balances would represent a liability of the Company in the event the reinsurers were unable to meet their obligations to the Company under the terms of the reinsurance agreements. Reinsurance premiums, commissions, expense reimbursements, benefits and reserves related to reinsured long-duration contracts are accounted for over the life of the underlying reinsured contracts using assumptions consistent with those used to account for the underlying contracts. The cost of reinsurance related to short-duration contracts is accounted for over the reinsurance contract period. Amounts recoverable from reinsurers, for both short and long-duration reinsurance arrangements, are estimated in a manner consistent with the claim liabilities and policy benefits associated with the reinsured policies.

The tables presented below exclude amounts pertaining to the Company's discontinued healthcare operations. See Note for a discussion of the Company's coinsurance agreement with Aetna.

Reinsurance amounts included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, were as follows:

Reinsurance recoverables, included in "Other assets" at December 31, were as follows:

Three major reinsurance companies account for approximately 48% of the reinsurance recoverable at December 31, 2001. The Company periodically reviews the financial condition of its reinsurers and amounts recoverable therefrom in order to minimize its exposure to loss from reinsurer insolvencies, recording an allowance when necessary for uncollectible reinsurance.

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