The European Insurance and Occupational Pension Authority (EIOPA) has published its feedback statement on its 2021 discussion paper on blockchain and smart contracts in insurance. EIOPA received a number of responses to its earlier paper and has summarised these in the statement. Stakeholders were able to identify a number of use cases for blockchain. The … Continue Reading
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has launched the 2022 Insurance Stress Test (IST). The IST is run every two years and seeks information from the largest life and general insurance companies in the UK. In a ‘Dear CEO’ letter sent to the participating firms, the PRA sets out its objectives for the IST and provides … Continue Reading
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has published a discussion paper on possible reforms to the risk margin and matching adjustment in Solvency II. The discussion paper also contains a technical annex ‘Solvency II Review: Matching Adjustment and reforms to the Fundamental Spread. Responses to the discussion paper should be submitted by 21 July 2022. View: … Continue Reading
The UK Government has launched its long-awaited consultation on proposed reforms to the Solvency II regime in the UK. Since leaving the European Union, the UK Government is now able to adapt its version of the Solvency II regime to more closely suit the UK insurance market. The UK Government believes that if certain changes … Continue Reading
Last year (see update ) the UK Government consulted upon a series of proposed amendments to insolvency arrangements for insurance companies. The proposed amendments included clarifications and enhancements to the court’s powers under section 377 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to order a reduction of the value of an insurer’s contracts (a … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published its annual consumer trends report. The latest report identifies risks for consumers arising from market trends which may require supervisory action from EIOPA or from Member States. In summary the trends report has identified the following risks: The life sector has reversed growth trends. The … Continue Reading
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has published a ‘Dear CEO’ letter written by Anna Sweeney and Charlotte Gerken, co-Executive Directors for Insurance Supervision at the PRA. The letter sets out the supervisory priorities for life and general insurance firms in 2022. The letter has been sent to all insurers (including third-country branches) supervised by the … Continue Reading
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has published a final policy statement on insurance business transfers (PS1/22). The policy statement follows a consultation that took place last year (CP16/21). A Statement of Policy has also been published entitled ‘The PRA’s approach to insurance business transfers’. The Statement of Policy takes effect from 12 January 2022. The … Continue Reading
On 22 September 2021, the European Commission adopted a review of the Solvency II regime. The Solvency II regime includes the Solvency II framework directive (Directive 2009/138/EC) and delegated regulations. The review includes a legislative proposal to amend the framework directive as well as a legislative proposal for a new EU Insurance Recovery and Resolution … Continue Reading
As part of the UK Government’s review of Solvency II, a ‘Call for Evidence’ was published in October 2020. The Call for Evidence closed in February 2021. The insurance industry has been waiting for the results of the feedback to the Call for Evidence which was finally published on 1 July 2021. The Call for … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published a report called ‘Artificial intelligence governance principles: towards ethical and trustworthy artificial intelligence in the European insurance sector’. The report has been written in the context of the proliferation in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in insurance and the use of Big Data in … Continue Reading
The UK Government has launched a consultation on a series of proposed amendments to existing insolvency arrangements for insurance companies. The amendments include clarifications and enhancements to the court’s powers under section 377 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to order a reduction of the value of an insurer’s contracts (a ‘write-down’). The … Continue Reading
With a view to a revision of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), which is expected to be undertaken by 2023 (the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) is due to submit its report by the end of 2021, and the European Commission in 2022), discussions and work have already begun at a European level … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has launched a consultation on the Interbank Offered Rates (IBOR) transitions. Across markets, IBOR is being replaced by risk-free rates. The consultation considers adjustments to EIOPA’s risk-free rate (RFR) methodology and production, in light of If the EU Benchmark Regulation (which came into force in 2018) which … Continue Reading
The European Commission has adopted a series of delegated regulations that help to drive investors towards more sustainable economic activities. The measures are part of the European Green Deal. The adopted delegated regulations are part of a suite of sustainability measures adopted at the same time including the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act and the … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published an opinion on the use of climate change risk scenarios in insurance undertakings’ Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA). The opinion has been written to help supervisory authorities understand EIOPA’s expectations in terms of climate risk scenarios included in the ORSA. Solvency II requires that … Continue Reading
The European Commission has published a summary report on its consultation on the review of the Solvency II Directive (2009/138/EC). The summary report sets out the feedback received during the consultation which was run between July and October 2020. The Commission does not include the Commission’s responses to feedback. The Commission will consider the feedback … Continue Reading
On 4 January 2021, the French regulator (the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution – ACPR) issued a press release reminding UK authorised financial institutions (including those located in Gibraltar) of their obligations towards customers residing in France. As of 1 January 2021, European law is no longer applicable in the United Kingdom (UK). … Continue Reading
As mentioned in our previous post published in April 2019, the French Ministry of Economy and Finance passed a decree dated 22 March 2019 (the March 2019 Decree) implementing the provisions of the ordinance n°2019-75 of 6 February 2019, introducing a contingency plan for the financial services sector in connection with the withdrawal of the … Continue Reading
The two UK financial regulators, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have sent a letter to the chief executives and branch managers of insurance firms in the UK. The letter reminds firms about the end of the transition period in December and the need to be ready for a range … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published ‘EIOPA’s approach to the supervision of product oversight and governance’. The Insurance Distribution Directive ((EU) 2016/97) (IDD) contains requirements on product oversight and governance for insurance distributors. These requirements aim to ensure that customers’ interests are taken into account throughout the product lifecycle. The latest … Continue Reading
Consob, the Italian financial sector regulator, has launched a consultation on the abrogation of the obligation to publish a prospectus for unit-linked and index-linked insurance products. The proposed change is intended to end the peculiar Italian regime requiring insurers to draft a prospectus for unit-linked and index-linked insurance products, introduced in 2005 when the EU … Continue Reading
The adoption of a draft law amending criminal law provisions protecting insurance related information will finally enable life insurers to make wider use of outsourcing by removing disclosure to service providers from the scope of Sec. 203 German Criminal Code (StGB) under certain conditions. In spite of some uncertainties, this is a major breakthrough and … Continue Reading
Just as telematics has been supplementing motor vehicle insurance underwriting, Australia’s health and life insurance markets are embracing innovative technologies in the form of “wearables”. Underwriters traditionally rely on pre-policy questionnaires and proposal forms to assess risk and set the terms of cover they will accept; however, the information that can be obtained provides only … Continue Reading
