On 1 March 2017 BaFin published an updated guidance notice on the authorisation of insurance joint-stock companies for the sole pursuit of reinsurance business within the Federal Republic of Germany.

The guidance includes advice on (i) the formation under the Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz), (ii) the business plan according to section 9 of the Insurance Supervision Act (Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz), (iii) other preconditions for authorisation (such as personnel, enterprise agreements, outsourcing of important functions and activities, business organisation) and (iv) further guidance on technical issues.

View Merkblatt zur Zulassung von Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaften zum Betrieb der Rückversicherung. BaFin has also provided for an English translation which can be found here.