The Capital Ratio Podcast | Entering the US Banking Market
The Standard Formula Podcast | Assessing Prudential Solvency Regimes in the Middle East
The Standard Formula Podcast | Unpacking the IAIS’ Adoption of the Insurance Capital Standard
The Standard Formula Podcast | Insurers in Difficulty: Staying Compliant Under Solvency II
The Standard Formula Podcast | Group Supervision Under Solvency II
The Standard Formula Podcast | Developments on the Horizon for the UK Change-in-Control Regulatory Regime
[WEBINAR] Update: Social Media Meets the First Amendment
[WEBINAR] Do You Know the Way [After] San Jose?
[WEBINAR] Public Records Act - Taming the Email Tiger
- What is new: The PRA has published a policy statement finalising reforms to the UK insurance special purpose vehicles regulatory framework, including changes to funding, grace periods, authorisation and contract...more
The European Supervisory Authorities (the European Banking Authority, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and the European Securities and Markets Authority) have launched a joint consultation on their joint...more
This chapter discusses prudential insurance regulation in Japan. Japan is the fourth-largest insurance market in the world, with a broad customer base and a varied range of offerings. This profile, coupled with ongoing...more
The first four months of 2025 proved busy for the UK’s financial regulators, with both the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) publishing their strategy and business plan documents. As...more
The global financial crisis exposed critical vulnerabilities in the banking sector, prompting swift action from the Basel Committee for Banking Supervision (the "Basel Committee"). In November 2010, they unveiled the original...more
The UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has issued significant policy updates to enhance the regulatory framework for insurers and financial institutions in the UK: - Key among these is the Policy Statement on...more
The SFCR and Other Public Reporting - Introduction - The Solvency II regime, as legislated in the Solvency II Directive and elaborated upon in Chapter XII of the EU Commission Level 2 Delegated Regulation (2015/35), is...more
1. The Supervision Regime - Proportionality - The supervision regime is built on the principle of “proportionality,” in an effort to ensure that supervision remains effective and meets its underlying purposes without...more
Undertakings in difficulty, in the context of Solvency II, refers to insurers that are either failing or likely to fail to meet their solvency capital requirement (SCR) or their minimum capital requirement (MCR) (together,...more
This chapter discusses the valuation of assets and liabilities under Solvency II. Given that strategic asset allocation and investment management are key aspects of an insurer’s business, especially for life insurers, this is...more
“The Standard Formula’s” Rob Chaplin once again gives listeners a look at how to address some of the intricacies of Solvency II. In this episode, he is joined by Feargal Ryan for a discussion on how insurers should navigate...more
Solvency II is organised around three core pillars of prudential regulation, which ensure the safety and soundness of (re)insurers, in line with the scale, nature and complexity of their business: - Pillar One focuses on...more
There are two main methods of calculating the solvency capital requirement (SCR) under Solvency II, the “standard formula” and “internal model” methods: (a) The standard formula method, as its name suggests, is the default...more
The Solvency Capital Requirement (SCR) is designed to protect policyholders by helping ensure that insurers can survive difficult periods and pay claims as they fall due. It prescribes a specific level of capital that an...more
This chapter discusses and analyses the investment rules that apply to Solvency II insurers and reinsurers in the United Kingdom. In particular, this chapter will outline the “prudent person principle” and discuss the...more
1. Background to the Matching Adjustment - “Where insurance and reinsurance undertakings hold bonds or other assets with similar cash flow characteristics to maturity, they are not exposed to the risk of changing spreads...more
As discussed in our previous updates, in June 2020 the UK government announced a wide-ranging review of the Solvency II framework in the UK, aimed at reforming the insurance regulatory framework inherited from the EU given...more
Group supervision regulates the impact that members of a Solvency II group may have on a UK Solvency II insurer. The rules governing Solvency II groups are contained in the PRA Rulebook (Group Supervision), the Solvency 2...more
(Re)insurance is a global business. It is common for (re)insurance groups to operate in a range of jurisdictions via: i. locally incorporated and authorised subsidiaries, ii. local branches of third country...more
Own funds is the Solvency II term for the items that constitute a (re)insurer’s regulatory capital. These are principally balance sheet items, with limited allowance for off-balance sheet items. Own funds are items that...more
On 16 November 2023, the UK Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) released draft measures to address perceived risks in the market for funded reinsurance, which is widely used as part of transactions that shift pension scheme...more
As the pace of reform increases, we take a look at key developments and the timeline ahead. Significant progress has been made on the Edinburgh Reforms since they were announced in December 2022, with developments...more
The EU’s Solvency II regime came into force in the UK on 1 January 2016, following many years of development in which the UK was deeply involved. In June 2020, post-Brexit, the government announced a wide-ranging review of...more
The UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has reiterated its concerns regarding the UK bulk purchase annuity market. This contributes to a broader international theme of regulators expressing concern regarding the rapid...more
The UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) laid out its priorities for insurance supervision this year in a 10 January 2023 Priorities Letter. In this newsletter, we summarise the broad themes emerging from the Priorities...more