6.6 Insurance risk
Insurance risk
The principal risk the Group faces under insurance contracts is that the actual claims and benefit payments or the timing thereof, differs from expectations. This is influenced by the frequency of claims, severity of claims, actual benefits paid and subsequent development of long-term claims. Therefore, the objective of the Group is to ensure that sufficient reserves are available to cover these liabilities.
The risk exposure is mitigated by diversification across a large portfolio of insurance contracts and geographical areas. The variability of risks is also improved by careful selection and implementation of underwriting strategy guidelines, as well as the use of reinsurance arrangements.
In common with other insurers, in order to minimize financial exposure arising from large insurance claims, the Group, in the normal course of business, enters into arrangements with other parties for reinsurance purposes. Such reinsurance arrangements provide for greater diversification of business, allow management to control exposure to potential losses arising from large risks, and provide additional capacity for growth. A significant portion of the reinsurance is affected under treaty, facultative and excess of loss reinsurance contracts.
To minimize its exposure to significant losses from reinsurer insolvencies, the Group evaluates the financial condition of its reinsurers and monitors concentrations of credit risk arising from similar geographic regions, activities or economic characteristics of the reinsurers.
Credit Risk related to insurance business
Credit risk refers to the risk that a counterparty will default on its contractual obligations resulting in financial loss to the Group.
Key areas where the Group is exposed to credit risk related to insurance business are:
- Re-insurers’ share of insurance liabilities.
- Amounts due from reinsurers in respect of claims already paid.
- Amounts due from insurance contract holders.
- Amounts due from insurance intermediaries.
- Amounts due from banks for its balances and fixed deposits.
The Group has adopted a policy of only dealing with creditworthy counterparties as a means of mitigating the risk of financial loss from defaults. The Group’s exposure and the credit ratings of its counterparties are continuously monitored, and the aggregate value of transactions concluded is spread amongst approved counterparties. Credit exposure is controlled by counter party limits that are reviewed and approved by the management annually.
Re-insurance is used to manage insurance risk. This does not, however, discharge the Group’s liability as primary insurer. If a re-insurer fails to pay a claim for any reason, the Group remains liable for the payment to the policy holder. The creditworthiness of re-insurers is considered on an annual basis by reviewing their financial strength prior to finalization of any contract.
The Group maintains record of the payment history for significant contract holders with whom it conducts regular business. The exposure to individual counterparties is also managed by other mechanisms, such as the right of offset where counterparties are both debtors and creditors of the Group. Management information reported to the Group includes details of provisions for impairment on insurance receivables and subsequent write offs. Exposures to individual policy holders and groups of policy holders are collected within the ongoing monitoring of the controls. Where there exists significant exposure to individual policy holders, or homogenous groups of policy holders, a financial analysis equivalent to that conducted for re-insurers is carried out by the Group.
The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, which is net of expected credit loss, represents the Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk for such receivables and liquid funds.
