Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/35Show full title

CHAPTER XII U.K. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

SECTION 1 U.K. Solvency and financial condition report: structure and contents

Article 290 U.K. Structure

1. The solvency and financial condition report shall follow the structure set out in Annex XX and disclose the information referred to in Articles 292 to 298 of this Regulation.

2. The report shall contain narrative information in quantitative and qualitative form supplemented, where appropriate, with quantitative templates.

Article 291 U.K. Materiality

For the purposes of this Chapter, the information to be disclosed in the solvency and financial condition report shall be considered as material if its omission or misstatement could influence the decision-making or the judgement of the users of that document, including the supervisory authorities.

Article 292 U.K. Summary

1. The solvency and financial condition report shall include a clear and concise summary. The summary of the report shall be understandable to policy holders and beneficiaries.

2. The summary of the report shall highlight any material changes to the insurance or reinsurance undertaking's business and performance, system of governance, risk profile, valuation for solvency purposes and capital management over the reporting period.

Article 293 U.K. Business and performance

1. The solvency and condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the business of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) the name and legal form of the undertaking;

(b) the name and contact details of the supervisory authority responsible for financial supervision of the undertaking and, where applicable, the name and contact details of the group supervisor of the group to which the undertaking belongs;

(c) the name and contact details of the external auditor of the undertaking;

(d) a description of the holders of qualifying holdings in the undertaking;

(e) where the undertaking belongs to a group, details of the undertaking's position within the legal structure of the group;

(f) the undertaking's material lines of business and material geographical areas where it carries out business;

(g) any significant business or other events that have occurred over the reporting period that have had a material impact on the undertaking.

2. The solvency and financial condition report shall include qualitative and quantitative information on the insurance or reinsurance undertaking's underwriting performance, at an aggregate level and by material line of business and material geographical areas where it carries out business over the reporting period, together with a comparison of the information with that reported on the previous reporting period, as shown in the undertaking's financial statements.

3. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following qualitative and quantitative information regarding the performance of the investments of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking over the reporting period together with a comparison of the information with that reported on the previous reporting period, as shown in that undertaking's financial statements:

(a) information on income and expenses arising from investments by asset class and, where necessary for a proper understanding of the income and expenses, the components of such income and expenses;

(b) information about any gains and losses recognised directly in equity;

(c) information about any investments in securitisation.

4. The solvency and financial condition report shall describe the other material income and expenses of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking incurred over the reporting period together with a comparison of the information with that reported on the previous reporting period, as shown in that undertaking's financial statements.

5. The solvency and financial condition report shall include in a separate section any other material information regarding their business and performance of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

Article 294 U.K. System of governance

1. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the system of governance of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) the structure of the undertaking's administrative, management or supervisory body, providing a description of its main roles and responsibilities and a brief description of the segregation of responsibilities within these bodies, in particular whether relevant committees exist within them, as well as a description of the main roles and responsibilities of key functions;

(b) any material changes in the system of governance that have taken place over the reporting period;

(c) information on the remuneration policy and practices regarding administrative, management or supervisory body and, unless otherwise stated, employees, including:

(i)

principles of the remuneration policy, with an explanation of the relative importance of the fixed and variable components of remuneration;

(ii)

information on the individual and collective performance criteria on which any entitlement to share options, shares or variable components of remuneration is based;

(iii)

a description of the main characteristics of supplementary pension or early retirement schemes for the members of the administrative, management or supervisory body and other key function holders;

(d) information about material transactions during the reporting period with shareholders, with persons who exercise a significant influence on the undertaking, and with members of the administrative, management or supervisory body.

2. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the ‘fit and proper’ policy of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) a description of the undertaking's specific requirements concerning skills, knowledge and expertise applicable to the persons who effectively run the undertaking or have other key functions;

(b) a description of the undertaking's process for assessing the fitness and the propriety of the persons who effectively run the undertaking or have other key functions.

3. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the risk management system of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) a description of the undertaking's risk management system comprising strategies, processes and reporting procedures, and how it is able to effectively identify, measure, monitor, manage and report, on a continuous basis, the risks on an individual and aggregated level, to which the undertaking is or could be exposed;

(b) a description of how the risk management system including the risk management function are implemented and integrated into the organisational structure and decision-making processes of the undertaking.

4. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the process the insurance or reinsurance undertaking has adopted to fulfil its obligation to conduct an own risk and solvency assessment:

(a) a description of the process undertaken by the undertaking to fulfil its obligation to conduct an own risk and solvency assessment as part of its risk management system including how the own risk and solvency assessment is integrated into the organisational structure and decision making processes of the undertaking;

(b) a statement detailing how often the own risk and solvency assessment is reviewed and approved by the undertaking's administrative, management or supervisory body;

(c) a statement explaining how the undertaking has determined its own solvency needs given its risk profile and how its capital management activities and its risk management system interact with each other.

5. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the internal control system of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) a description of the undertaking's internal control system;

(b) a description of how the compliance function is implemented.

6. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the internal audit function of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) a description of how the undertaking's internal audit function is implemented;

(b) a description of how the undertaking's internal audit function maintains its independence and objectivity from the activities it reviews.

7. The solvency and financial condition report shall include a description of how the actuarial function of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking is implemented.

8. The solvency and financial condition report shall include a description of the outsourcing policy of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking, that undertaking's outsourcing of any critical or important operational functions or activities and the jurisdiction in which the service providers of such functions or activities are located.

9. The solvency and financial condition report shall include an assessment of the adequacy of the system of governance of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking to the nature, scale and complexity of the risks inherent in its business.

10. The solvency and financial condition report shall include in a separate section any other material information regarding the system of governance of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

Article 295 U.K. Risk profile

1. The solvency and financial condition report shall include qualitative and quantitative information regarding the risk profile of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking, in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 7, separately for the following categories of risk:

(a) underwriting risk;

(b) market risk;

(c) credit risk;

(d) liquidity risk;

(e) operational risk;

(f) other material risks.

2. The solvency and financial condition report shall include the following information regarding the risk exposure of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking, including the exposure arising from off-balance sheet positions and the transfer of risk to special purpose vehicles:

(a) a description of the measures used to assess these risks within that undertaking, including any material changes over the reporting period;

(b) a description of the material risks that that undertaking is exposed to, including any material changes over the reporting period.

(c) a description of how assets have been invested in accordance with the ‘prudent person principle’ set out in Article 132 of Directive 2009/138/EC so that the risks mentioned in that Article and their proper management are addressed in that description.

3. With regard to risk concentration, the solvency and financial condition report shall include a description of the material risk concentrations to which the insurance or reinsurance undertaking is exposed.

4. With regard to risk mitigation, the solvency and financial condition report shall include a description of the techniques used for mitigating risks, and the processes for monitoring the continued effectiveness of these risk-mitigation techniques.

5. With regard to liquidity risk, the solvency and financial condition report shall include the total amount of the expected profit included in future premiums as calculated in accordance with Article 260(2).

6. With regard to risk sensitivity the solvency and financial condition report shall include a description of the methods used, the assumptions made and the outcome of stress testing and sensitivity analysis for material risks and events.

7. The solvency and financial condition report shall include in a separate section any other material information regarding their risk profile of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

Article 296 U.K. Valuation for solvency purposes

1. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the valuation of the assets of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking for solvency purposes:

(a) separately for each material class of assets, the value of the assets, as well as a description of the bases, methods and main assumptions used for valuation for solvency purposes;

(b) separately for each material class of assets, a quantitative and qualitative explanation of any material differences between the bases, methods and main assumptions used by that undertaking for the valuation for solvency purposes and those used for its valuation in financial statements.

2. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the valuation of the technical provisions of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking for solvency purposes:

(a) separately for each material line of business the value of technical provisions, including the amount of the best estimate and the risk margin, as well as a description of the bases, methods and main assumptions used for its valuation for solvency purposes;

(b) a description of the level of uncertainty associated with the value of technical provisions;

(c) separately for each material line of business, a quantitative and qualitative explanation of any material differences between the bases, methods and main assumptions used by that undertaking for the valuation for solvency purposes and those used for their valuation in financial statements;

(d) where the matching adjustment referred to in Article 77b of Directive 2009/138/EC is applied, a description of the matching adjustment and of the portfolio of obligations and assigned assets to which the matching adjustment is applied, as well as a quantification of the impact of a change to zero of the matching adjustment on that undertaking's financial position, including on the amount of technical provisions, the Solvency Capital Requirement, the Minimum Capital Requirement, the basic own funds and the amounts of own funds eligible to cover the Minimum Capital Requirement and the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(e) a statement on whether the volatility adjustment referred to in Article 77d of Directive 2009/138/EC is used by the undertaking and quantification of the impact of a change to zero of the volatility adjustment on that undertaking's financial position, including on the amount of technical provisions, the Solvency Capital Requirement, the Minimum Capital Requirement, the basic own funds and the amounts of own funds eligible to cover the Minimum Capital Requirement and the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(f) a statement on whether the transitional risk-free interest rate-term structure referred to Article 308c of Directive 2009/138/EC is applied and a quantification of the impact of not applying the transitional measure on the undertaking's financial position, including on the amount of technical provisions, the Solvency Capital Requirement, the Minimum Capital Requirement, the basic own funds and the amounts of own funds eligible to cover the Minimum Capital Requirement and the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(g) a statement on whether the transitional deduction referred to in Article 308d of Directive 2009/138/EC is applied and a quantification of the impact of not applying the deduction measure on the undertaking's financial position, including on the amount of technical provisions, the Solvency Capital Requirement, the Minimum Capital Requirement, the basic own funds and the amounts of own funds eligible to cover the Minimum Capital Requirement and the Solvency Capital Requirement.

(h) a description of the following:

(i)

the recoverables from reinsurance contracts and special purpose vehicles;

(ii)

any material changes in the relevant assumptions made in the calculation of technical provisions compared to the previous reporting period.

3. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the valuation of the other liabilities of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking for solvency purposes:

(a) separately for each material class of other liabilities the value of other liabilities as well as a description of the bases, methods and main assumptions used for their valuation for solvency purposes;

(b) separately for each material class of other liabilities, a quantitative and qualitative explanation of any material differences with the valuation bases, methods and main assumptions used by the undertaking for the valuation for solvency purposes and those used for their valuation in financial statements.

[F1 4. The solvency and financial condition report shall include information on the areas set out in Article 263 in complying with the disclosure requirements of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking as laid down in paragraphs 1 and 3 of this Article.]

5. The solvency and financial condition report shall include in a separate section any other material information regarding the valuation of assets and liabilities for solvency purposes.

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/467 of 30 September 2015 amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/35 concerning the calculation of regulatory capital requirements for several categories of assets held by insurance and reinsurance undertakings (Text with EEA relevance).

Article 297 U.K. Capital management

1. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the own funds of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) information on the objectives, policies and processes employed by the undertaking for managing its own funds, including information on the time horizon used for business planning and on any material changes over the reporting period;

(b) separately for each tier, information on the structure, amount and quality of own funds at the end of the reporting period and at the end of the previous reporting period, including an analysis of the significant changes in each tier over the reporting period;

(c) the eligible amount of own funds to cover the Solvency Capital Requirement, classified by tiers;

(d) the eligible amount of basic own funds to cover the Minimum Capital Requirement, classified by tiers;

(e) a quantitative and qualitative explanation of any material differences between equity as shown in the undertaking's financial statements and the excess of assets over liabilities as calculated for solvency purposes;

(f) for each basic own-fund item that is subject to the transitional arrangements referred to in Articles 308b(9) and 308b(10) of Directive 2009/138/EC, a description of the nature of the item and its amount;

(g) for each material item of ancillary own funds, a description of the item, the amount of the ancillary own-fund item and, where a method by which to determine the amount of the ancillary own-fund item has been approved, that method as well as the nature and the names of the counterparty or group of counterparties for the items referred to in points (a), (b) and (c) of Article 89(1) of Directive 2009/138/EC;

(h) a description of any item deducted from own funds and a brief description of any significant restriction affecting the availability and transferability of own funds within the undertaking[F2 ;]

[F3 (i) information regarding deferred taxes that shall contain as a minimum all of the following:

(i)

a description of the calculated amount of deferred tax assets without assessing their probable utilisation, and the extent to which those deferred tax assets have been recognised;

(ii)

for deferred tax assets which have been recognised, a description of the assets likely to be utilised by reference to probable future taxable profit and by reference to the reversion of deferred tax liabilities relating to income taxes levied by the same taxation authority;

(iii)

with regard to net deferred taxes assets calculated as the difference between the amount of deferred tax assets which has been recognised and the amount of deferred tax liabilities, all of the following information:

• confirmation that those net deferred tax assets are available as basic own-fund items classified as Tier 3 in accordance with Article 76(a)(iii);

• a description of the amount of those net deferred tax assets that are recognised as eligible own funds, applying the eligibility limits set out in Article 82;

• where the amount of deferred tax assets is material, a description of the underlying assumptions used for the projection of probable future taxable profit for the purposes of Article 15.]

For the purposes of paragraph (g), the names of the counterparties shall not be disclosed where such disclosure is legally not possible or impracticable or where the counterparties concerned are not material.

2. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the Solvency Capital Requirement and the Minimum Capital Requirement of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) the amounts of the undertaking's Solvency Capital Requirement and the Minimum Capital Requirement at the end of the reporting period, accompanied, where applicable, by an indication that the final amount of the Solvency Capital Requirement is still subject to supervisory assessment;

(b) the amount of the undertaking's Solvency Capital Requirement split by risk modules where that undertaking applies the standard formula, and by risk categories where the undertaking applies an internal model;

(c) information on whether and for which risk modules and sub-modules of the standard formula that undertaking is using simplified calculations;

(d) information on whether and for which parameters of the standard formula that undertaking is using undertaking-specific parameters pursuant to Article 104(7) of Directive 2009/138/EC;

(e) where applicable, a statement that the undertaking's Member State has made use of the option provided for in the third subparagraph of Article 51(2) of Directive 2009/138/EC;

(f) unless the undertaking's Member State has made use of the option provided for in the third subparagraph of Article 51(2) of Directive 2009/138/EC, the impact of any undertaking-specific parameters that undertaking is required to use in accordance with Article 110 of that Directive and the amount of any capital add-on applied to the Solvency Capital Requirement, together with concise information on its justification by the supervisory authority concerned;

(g) information on the inputs used by the undertaking to calculate the Minimum Capital Requirement;

(h) any material change to the Solvency Capital Requirement and to the Minimum Capital Requirement over the reporting period, and the reasons for any such change[F2 ;]

[F3 (i) information regarding the loss-absorbing capacity of deferred taxes that shall contain as a minimum all of the following:

(i)

the amount with which the Solvency Capital Requirement has been adjusted for the loss-absorbing capacity of deferred taxes, and a description of the deferred tax liabilities, carry-back and probable future taxable profit used to demonstrate likely utilisation;

(ii)

where the amount of deferred tax assets is material, a description of the underlying assumptions used for the projection of probable future taxable profit for the purposes of Article 207.]

3. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding the option set out in Article 304 of Directive 2009/138/EC:

(a) an indication that that undertaking is using the duration-based equity risk sub-module set out in that Article for the calculation of its Solvency Capital Requirement, after approval from its supervisory authority;

(b) the amount of the capital requirement for the duration-based equity risk sub-module resulting from such use.

4. Where an internal model is used to calculate the Solvency Capital Requirement, the solvency and financial condition report shall also include all of the following information:

(a) a description of the various purposes for which that undertaking is using its internal model;

(b) a description of the scope of the internal model in terms of business units and risk categories;

(c) where a partial internal model is used, a description of the technique which has been used to integrate any partial internal model into the standard formula including, where relevant, a description of alternative techniques used;

(d) a description of the methods used in the internal model for the calculation of the probability distribution forecast and the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(e) an explanation, by risk module, of the main differences in the methodologies and underlying assumptions used in the standard formula and in the internal model;

(f) the risk measure and time period used in the internal model, and where they are not the same as those set out in Article 101(3) of Directive 2009/138/EC, an explanation of why the Solvency Capital Requirement calculated using the internal model provides policy holders and beneficiaries with a level of protection equivalent to that set out in Article 101 of that Directive;

(g) a description of the nature and appropriateness of the data used in the internal model.

5. The solvency and financial condition report shall include all of the following information regarding any non-compliance with the Minimum Capital Requirement or significant non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking:

(a) regarding any non-compliance with that undertaking's Minimum Capital Requirement: the period and maximum amount of each non-compliance during the reporting period, an explanation of its origin and consequences, any remedial measures taken, as provided for under Article 51(1)(e)(v) of Directive 2009/138/EC and an explanation of the effects of such remedial measures;

(b) where non-compliance with the undertaking's Minimum Capital Requirement has not been subsequently resolved: the amount of the non-compliance at the reporting date;

(c) regarding any significant non-compliance with the undertaking's Solvency Capital Requirement during the reporting period: the period and maximum amount of each significant non-compliance and, in addition to the explanation of its origin and consequences as well as any remedial measures taken, as provided for under Article 51(1)(e)(v) of Directive 2009/138/EC and an explanation of the effects of such remedial measures;

(d) where a significant non-compliance with the undertaking's Solvency Capital Requirement has not been subsequently resolved: the amount of the non-compliance at the reporting date.

6. The solvency and financial condition report shall include in a separate section any other material information regarding the capital management of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

Textual Amendments

F2 Substituted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/981 of 8 March 2019 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/35 supplementing Directive 2009/138/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of Insurance and Reinsurance (Solvency II) (Text with EEA relevance).

F3 Inserted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/981 of 8 March 2019 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/35 supplementing Directive 2009/138/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of Insurance and Reinsurance (Solvency II) (Text with EEA relevance).

Article 298 U.K. Additional voluntary information

Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings disclose publicly, in accordance with Article 54(2) of Directive 2009/138/EC, any information or explanation related to their solvency and financial condition whose public disclosure is not legally required these undertakings shall ensure that such additional information is consistent with any information provided to the supervisory authorities pursuant to Article 35 of that Directive.

SECTION 2 U.K. Solvency and financial condition report: non-disclosure of information

Article 299 U.K.

1. Where supervisory authorities permit insurance and reinsurance undertakings, in accordance with Article 53(1) and (2) of Directive 2009/138/EC, not to disclose certain information, such permission shall remain valid only for as long as the reason for non-disclosure continues to exist.

2. Insurance and reinsurance undertakings shall notify supervisory authorities as soon as the reason for any permitted non-disclosure ceases to exist.

SECTION 3 U.K. Solvency and financial condition report: deadlines, means of disclosure and updates

Article 300 U.K. Deadlines

1. Insurance and reinsurance undertakings shall disclose their solvency and financial condition report within the deadlines set out in Article 308b(6) of Directive 2009/138/EC and, after the end of the transitional period set out in that Article, no later than 14 weeks after the undertaking's financial year end.

2. As soon as the solvency and financial condition report, as well as any updated version of that report, is disclosed by insurance and reinsurance undertakings it shall be submitted to the supervisory authorities.

Article 301 U.K. Means of disclosure

1. Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings own and maintain a website related to their business, the solvency and financial condition report shall be disclosed on that website.

2. Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings do not own and maintain a website but are a member of a trade association which does own and maintain a website, the solvency and financial condition report shall, where permitted by that trade association, be disclosed on the website of that association.

3. Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings disclose their solvency and financial condition report on a website in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2, that report shall remain available on that website for at least five years after the disclosure date referred to in Article 300(1).

4. Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings do not disclose their solvency and financial condition report on a website in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2, they shall send an electronic copy of their report to any person who, within five years of the disclosure date referred to in Article 300(1) requests the report. Insurance and reinsurance undertakings shall send the report within 10 working days from that request.

5. Insurance and reinsurance undertakings shall, irrespective of whether the undertaking's report has been made available on a website in accordance with paragraph 1 or 2, send, to any person who so requests within two years of the disclosure date referred to in Article 300(1), a printed copy of their report within 20 working days from that request.

6. Insurance and reinsurance undertakings shall submit to the supervisory authorities their solvency and financial condition report, and any updated version of that report thereto, in electronic form.

Article 302 U.K. Updates

1. Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings have to disclose publicly, in accordance with Article 54(1) of Directive 2009/138/EC, appropriate information on the nature and effects of any major development significantly affecting the relevance of their solvency and financial condition report, the undertaking shall publish an updated version of that report in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Article. Articles 290 to 299 of this Regulation shall apply to that updated version.

2. Without prejudice to any disclosure which shall be immediately provided by insurance and reinsurance undertakings in accordance with the requirements of Article 54(1) of Directive 2009/138/EC, any updated version of the solvency and financial condition report shall be disclosed as soon as possible after the major development referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, in accordance with the provisions set out in Article 301 of this Regulation.

3. Notwithstanding paragraphs 1 and 2, insurance and reinsurance undertakings may decide, for the purposes of paragraph 5 of Article 301, to disclose appropriate information on the nature and effects of any major development significantly affecting the relevance of their solvency and financial condition report in the form of amendments supplementing the initial report.

Article 303 U.K. Transitional arrangements on comparative information

Where a comparison of the information with that reported on the previous reporting period is required in accordance with this Chapter, insurance and reinsurance undertakings shall comply with such a requirement only where the previous reporting period covers a period after the date of application of Directive 2009/138/EC.