Council Directive 92/49/EEC (repealed)Show full title

TITLE VI U.K. FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 51 U.K.

The following technical adjustments to be made to Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC and to this Directive shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Directive 91/675/EEC:

• extension of the legal forms provided for in Article 8 (1) (a) of Directive 73/239/EEC,

• amendments to the list set out in the Annex to Directive 73/239/EEC, or adaptation of the terminology used in that list to take account of the development of insurance markets,

• clarification of the items constituting the solvency margin listed in Article 16 (1) of Directive 73/239/EEC to take account of the creation of new financial instruments,

• alteration of the minimum guarantee fund provided for in Article 17 (2) of Directive 73/239/EEC to take account of economic and financial developments,

• amendments, to take account of the creation of new financial instruments, to the list of assets acceptable as cover for technical provisions set out in Article 21 of this Directive and to the rules on the spreading of investments laid down in Article 22,

• changes in the relaxations in the matching rules laid down in Annex 1 to Directive 88/357/EEC, to take account of the development of new currency-hedging instruments or progress made towards economic and monetary union,

• clarification of the definitions in order to ensure uniform application of Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC and of this Directive throughout the Community.

Article 52 U.K.

1. Branches which have started business, in accordance with the provisions in force in their Member State of establishment, before the entry into force of the provisions adopted in implementation of this Directive shall be presumed to have been subject to the procedure laid down in Article 10 (1) to (5) of Directive 73/239/EEC. They shall be governed, from the date of that entry into force, by Articles 15, 19, 20 and 22 of Directive 73/239/EEC and by Article 40 of this Directive.

2. Articles 34 and 35 shall not affect rights acquired by insurance undertakings carrying on business under the freedom to provide services before the entry into force of the provisions adopted in implementation of this Directive.

Article 53 U.K.

The following Article shall be inserted in Directive 73/239/EEC:

‘Article 28a

1. Under the conditions laid down by national law, each Member State shall authorize agencies and branches set up within its territory and covered by this Title to transfer all or part of their portfolios of contracts to an accepting office established in the same Member State if the competent authorities of that Member State or, if appropriate, of the Member State referred to in Article 26 certify that after taking the transfer into account the accepting office possesses the necessary solvency margin.

2. Under the conditions laid down by national law, each Member State shall authorize agencies and branches set up within its territory and covered by this Title to transfer all or part of their portfolios of contracts to an insurance undertaking with a head office in another Member State if the competent authorities of that Member State certify that after taking the transfer into account the accepting office possesses the necessary solvency margin.

3. If under the conditions laid down by national law a Member State authorizes agencies and branches set up within its territory and covered by this Title to transfer all or part of their portfolios of contracts to an agency or branch covered by this Title and set up within the territory of another Member State it shall ensure that the competent authorities of the Member State of the accepting office or, if appropriate, of the Member State referred to in Article 26 certify that after taking the transfer into account the accepting office possesses the necessary solvency margin, that the law of the Member State of the accepting office permits such a transfer and that that State has agreed to the transfer.

4. In the circumstances referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 the Member State in which the transferring agency or branch is situated shall authorize the transfer after obtaining the agreement of the competent authorities of the Member State in which the risks are situated, where different from the Member State in which the transferring agency or branch is situated.

5. The competent authorities of the Member States consulted shall give their opinion or consent to the competent authorities of the home Member State of the transferring insurance undertaking within three months of receiving a request; the absence of any response from the authorities consulted within that period shall be considered equivalent to a favourable opinion or tacit consent.

6. A transfer authorized in accordance with this Article shall be published as laid down by national law in the Member State in which the risk is situated. Such transfers shall automatically be valid against policyholders, insured persons and any other persons having rights or obligations arising out of the contracts transferred.

This provision shall not affect the Member States' right to give policyholders the option of cancelling contracts within a fixed period after a transfer.’

Article 54 U.K.

1. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, a Member State in which contracts covering the risks in class 2 of point A of the Annex to Directive 73/239/EEC may serve as a partial or complete alternative to health cover provided by the statutory social security system may require that those contracts comply with the specific legal provisions adopted by that Member State to protect the general good in that class of insurance, and that the general and special conditions of that insurance be communicated to the competent authorities of that Member State before use.

2. Member States may require that the health insurance system referred to in paragraph 1 be operated on a technical basis similar to that of life assurance where:

• the premiums paid are calculated on the basis of sickness tables and other statistical data relevant to the Member State in which the risk is situated in accordance with the mathematical methods used in insurance,

• a reserve is set up for increasing age,

• the insurer may cancel the contract only within a fixed period determined by the Member State in which the risk is situated,

• the contract provides that premiums may be increased or payments reduced, even for current contracts,

• the contract provides that the policyholder may change his existing contract into a new contract complying with paragraph 1, offered by the same insurance undertaking or the same branch and taking account of his acquired rights. In particular, account must be taken of the reserve for increasing age and a new medical examination may be required only for increased cover.

In that event, the competent authorities of the Member State concerned shall publish the sickness tables and other relevant statistical data referred to in the first subparagraph and transmit them to the competent authorities of the home Member State. The premiums must be sufficient, on rasonable actuarial assumptions, for undertakings to be able to meet all their commitments having regard to all aspects of their financial situation. The home Member State shall require that the technical basis for the calculation of premiums be communicated to its competent authorities before the product is circulated. This paragraph shall also apply where existing contracts are modified.

Article 55 U.K.

Member States may require that any insurance undertaking offering, at its own risk, compulsory insurance against accidents at work within their territories comply with the specific provisions of their national law concerning such insurance, except for the provisions concerning financial supervision, which shall be the exclusive responsibility of the home Member State.

Article 56 U.K.

Member States shall ensure that decisions taken in respect of an insurance undertaking under laws, regulations and administrative provisions adopted in accordance with this Directive may be subject to the right to apply to the courts.

Article 57 U.K.

1. The Member States shall adopt the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary for their compliance with this Directive not later than 31 December 1993 and bring them into force no later than 1 July 1994. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

When they adopt such measures the Member States shall include references to this Directive or shall make such references when they effect official publication. The manner in which such references are to be made shall be laid down by the Member States.

2. The Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.

Article 58 U.K.

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.