News

Climate change is affecting how risks are underwritten, priced, managed and reported globally, whether for general insurance, life insurance, pensions, other financial institutions, and social security.  

This is one of the key messages in a paper ‘Climate Change Matters’ published by the Society of Actuaries in Ireland on Monday Oct 24th.

The Society of Actuaries in Ireland has responded to the Call for Expert Evidence for Climate Action Plan 2021 from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

The response is available to read here https://web.actuaries.ie/press/submissions. 

The November 2020 Newsletter is now available to read online. This edition includes articles on:

The Society has prepared a guide that aims to explain the professional requirements placed on its members (and other stakeholders), why it does this and how these professional requirements are structured.

It also aims to help any members who are developing those requirements, by making clear our objectives. The paper addresses: -

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published a Good Practices Report on transferability of supplementary pension rights. With this Report, EIOPA identifies the main impediments to cross-border and national transfers as well as a number of good practices to overcome these. This would create more transparency in the interest of consumers and facilitate the internal market for supplementary pension rights.

EIOPA outlines three key areas which – if addressed – could significantly facilitate the transferability of supplementary pension rights:

The Society has decided to commission an analysis of the financial sustainability of the State Pension in Ireland.  In particular, the research will focus on the key levers (and associated parameters) that could be flexed when considering the sustainability of the State Pension. 

Pensions Council

The Society of Actuaries in Ireland welcomes the Tánaiste’s announcement of the membership of the Pensions Council. 

The Council’s function is to advise the Minister for Social Protection on matters of pensions policy.  Including Brendan Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Pensions Authority, the twelve-person Council includes five of the Society’s Fellow members – the others being Roma Burke, Tony Gilhawley, Sandra Rockett and Dr Shane Whelan – each of whom has a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience to offer. 

The Society has today issued a press release welcoming the Government’s decision to establish an expert group to formulate plans for a universal retirement savings scheme for private-sector workers. 

The Society has responded to the Discussion Paper on Risk Appetite issued by the Central Bank of Ireland recently. 

At the request of the European Commission, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has issued a Report on the prudential regulations and consumer protection measures needed to create a single market for personal pensions.

EIOPA’s analysis has revealed that taxation, social law and difficulties in the area of harmonisation of contract law appear to be the most significant hurdles.

EIOPA has identified two main options for creating the single market for personal pensions.

The Society of Actuaries in Ireland has today responded to the Central Bank of Ireland “Consultation on Requirements for Reserving and Pricing for Non-Life Insurers and Reinsurers” (Consultation Paper CP 73).   

The Society supports many aspects of the proposals, such as the improved governance of the reserving process for non-life direct insurance business.

The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D., has announced a number of regulatory changes to assist defined benefit schemes as they prepare their funding proposals before the Funding Standard deadline of 30th June 2013.  The regulations will reduce the level of risk reserve that the schemes are required to