Based on the assumption that annual policies are written evenly over each quarter and that risk is spread out evenly over the year, this method is used to estimate the unearned premium reserve. Policies written in the first, second, third, and fourth quarters of each year, for example, are assumed to contribute one-eighth, three-eighths, five-eighths, and seven-eighths of the written premium to the unearned premium reserve at the end of the year, respectively.