In the insurance industry, gross premiums written is the sum of both direct premiums written (see next paragraph) and assumed premiums written, before deducting ceded reinsurance. Direct premiums written represents the premiums on all policies the company's insurance subsidiaries have issued during the year. In the United States, assumed premiums written represents the premiums that the insurance subsidiaries have received from an authorized state-mandated pool or under previous fronting facilities. (From EIG 8-K filed Nov 14, 2007)

When a non-life (property and casualty) insurance company issues a contract to provide insurance against loss, the revenues (premiums) expected to be received over the life of the contract are called gross premiums written. Insurance companies often purchase reinsurance from another insurance company to protect themselves against the risk of a loss above a certain threshold; the cost of reinsurance (reinsurance premiums) is deducted from gross premiums written to arrive at net premiums written. Net premiums written is the sum of all types of insurance premiums which a company may collect throughout the whole duration of existing insurance policies minus the costs like agents' commissions and premiums paid made for outwards reinsurance.