EIOPA Updates Data to Calculate Volatility Adjustments Under SII
EIOPA published the updated representative portfolios for use in the calculation of the volatility adjustments to the relevant risk-free interest rate term structures for Solvency II. EIOPA will start using these updated representative portfolios for the calculation of the volatility adjustments at the end of March 2021, which will be published at the beginning of April 2021. EIOPA also published a report that provides an overview of the administrative sanctions or other measures imposed by national competent authorities under the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD). The report shows that, in eight member states, nearly 1,923 administrative sanctions or other measures were imposed.
For the calculation of volatility adjustments under Solvency II, EIOPA published the updated representative portfolios three months in advance to allow insurers and reinsurers sufficient time to prepare for this change. The updated portfolios are based on the end-of-2019 annual reporting templates as reported by European insurance and reinsurance companies to their national supervisory authorities. Due to the departure of UK from EU, the representative portfolios no longer include data from UK insurance and reinsurance undertakings. The updated portfolios enable more accurate reflection of the impact of market volatility under the Solvency II framework. EIOPA plans to revise the representative portfolios annually, with the next update being scheduled for the end of 2021, according to Article 194 of the Technical Documentation. EIOPA also updated the Technical Documentation on the methodology to derive risk-free rate term structures, with the results of Deep Liquid and Transparent assessment and the representative portfolios update for 2021.
The volatility adjustments are derived from spreads of representative portfolios of assets. The representative portfolios are derived in accordance with Article 49 of the Commission Delegated Regulation 2015/35. The volatility adjustment is a measure to ensure the appropriate treatment of insurance products with long-term guarantees under Solvency II. Insurers and reinsurers are allowed to adjust the risk-free rates to mitigate the effect of short-term volatility of bond spreads on their solvency position. This way, the volatility adjustment prevents procyclical investment behavior of insurers and reinsurers.
Related Links
- Press Release on Updated Representative Portfolios
- Updated Representative Portfolios (XLSX)
- Updated Technical Documentation (PDF)
- Report on Administrative Sanctions Under IDD
Keywords: Europe, EU, Insurance, Solvency II, IDD, Insurance Distribution Directive, Volatility Adjustment, Risk-Free Rates, EIOPA
Featured Experts

Adam Koursaris
Asset and liability management expert; capable modeler; risk and capital specialist

Cassandra Hannibal
Life insurance actuary; risk management and economic capital specialist

Jerome Ogrodzki
Insurance asset and liabilities modeling specialist; stochastic modeling expert
Related Articles
APRA Publishes Results of Climate Risk Self-Assessment Survey
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has published the findings of its latest climate risk self-assessment survey conducted across the banking, insurance, and superannuation industries.
ACPR Publishes Updates Related to CRD IV and Covered Bonds
The French Prudential Supervisory Authority (ACPR) published a notice related to the methods for calculating and publishing prudential ratios under the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD IV) and the minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL).
EIOPA Publishes Guidance on Climate Change Scenarios in ORSA
The European Insurance and Occupational Pension Authority (EIOPA) published the risk dashboard based on Solvency II data and the final version of the application guidance on climate change materiality assessments and climate change scenarios in the Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA).
EBA and ECB Respond to Proposals on Sustainability Disclosures
The European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Central Bank (ECB) published their responses to the consultations of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) on sustainability-related disclosure standards.
BIS Report Notes Existing Gaps in Climate Risk Data at Central Banks
A Consultative Group on Risk Management (CGRM) at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) published a report that examines incorporation of climate risks into the international reserve management framework.
EBA Publishes Multiple Regulatory Updates for Regulated Entities
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published the final guidelines on liquidity requirements exemption for investment firms, updated version of its 5.2 filing rules document for supervisory reporting, and Single Rulebook Question and Answer (Q&A) updates in July 2022.
EIOPA Issues SII Taxonomy and Guide on Sustainability Preferences
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) published Version 2.8.0 of the Solvency II data point model (DPM) and XBRL taxonomy.
EESC Opines on Proposals on CRR and European Single Access Point
The European Union published, in the Official Journal of the European Union, an opinion from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC); the opinion is on the proposal for a regulation to amend the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR).
HM Treasury Publishes Multiple Regulatory Updates in July 2022
HM Treasury published a draft statutory instrument titled “The Financial Services (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022,” along with the related explanatory memorandum and impact assessment.
APRA Consults on Prudential Standard for Operational Risk
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) is seeking comments, until October 21, 2022, on the introduction of CPS 230, which is the new cross-industry prudential standard on operational risk management.