News

05 Dec 2012

Groupe Consultatif publishes paper on Market Consistency

The Groupe Consultatif Actuariel Européen has published a paper on Market Consistency.  The paper summarises the key principles underlying market consistent valuations of assets and liabilities.  Its underlying aim is to help actuaries and others best interpret the concept of market consistency in contexts where several possible valuation approaches are or might be proposed.

 

 

 

 

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11 Jan 2012

European Commission publishes guidelines on Gender Directive

The European Commission has published guidelines on the application of the Council Directive 2004/113/EC (the “Gender Directive”) to insurance, in the light of last year’s judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-236/09 (Test-Achats).

Article 5(1) of the Gender Directive provides that, for new insurance and other financial services contracts concluded after 21st December 2007, the use of gender as an actuarial factor in the calculation of premiums and benefits must not result in differences in individuals’ premiums and benefits.

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06 Dec 2011

Groupe Consultatif says that consumers will suffer if antidiscrimination goes too far with insurance

Brussels - It is in the interest of consumers that insurance markets provide affordable and accessible insurance. However, if risk factors such as age and disability should be ruled discriminatory, as was the case for gender in the landmark ruling of the European Court of Justice in March 2011, certain types of insurance cover could become unavailable, according to the Groupe Consultatif Actuariel Européen.

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01 Mar 2011

Society issues press release on Gender Directive ruling

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has today ruled that Article 5(2) of the Gender Directive 2004/113/EC breaches European Union gender discrimination laws.  Article 5(2) currently permits individual member states to differentiate between men and women when pricing insurance where statistical evidence shows gender is a determining risk factor.  The ECJ has ruled that this derogation is invalid from 21st December 2012.  

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01 Mar 2011

Society responds to consultation on Impact Metrics for Risk Based Supervision

The Society of Actuaries in Ireland has responded to a “Consultation on Impact Metrics for the Risk Based Supervision of Financial Firms by the Central Bank and on Impact Based Levies”.

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25 Nov 2010

IAA Releases Note on Internal Models

IAA News Release:

The International Actuarial Association is pleased to announce the completion of the paper Note on the Use of Internal Models for Risk and Capital Management Purposes by the Solvency Subcommittee of the Insurance Regulation Committee.

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25 Nov 2010

Expert Working Group publishes Report on Medical Negligence and Periodic Payments

An expert working group on medical negligence litigation, chaired by High Court Judge Mr Justice John Quirke and including Mr James Kehoe, Fellow, Society of Actuaries in Ireland, has reported that the current system of awarding lump sum payments for damages for future care needs in medical negligence, and all other cases where catastrophic injuries are awarded damages, is inadequate and inappropriate.

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18 May 2010

Financial Regulator consultation on Corporate Governance Requirements

The Financial Regulator has published a consultation paper on "Corporate Governance Requirements for Credit Institutions and Insurance Undertakings".

The paper attempts to align corporate governance requirements with recent international regulatory initiatives in the governance field and proposes minimum standards that credit institutions and insurance undertakings will be expected to meet in this area.

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13 May 2010

Financial Regulator holds Solvency II Insurance Forum and signals other regulatory initiatives

In an address to a Financial Regulator Solvency II Insurance Forum this week, Jonathan McMahon, Assistant Director General, Financial Institutions Supervision, urged companies to allocate significant resources to the implementation of Pillar 2 (risk management and governance) and Pillar 3 (supervisor reporting and disclosure) of the Solvency II framework.  He commented that the implementation of Basel II (The Capital Requirements Directive) led banks and regulators to place too much importance on models and their outputs.  He stressed that, while high quality models are important,

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16 Feb 2010

New Financial Services Ombudsman appointed

Mr Bill Prasifka, currently Chairman of the Competition Authority, has been appointed as Financial Services Ombudsman.  He replaces Mr Joe Meade, who retired last month.

It is expected that Mr Prasifka will take up his appointment by the end of March 2010 or soon thereafter. Mr PJ Fitzpatrick will remain as Interim Ombudsman until then.

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