OSFI Consults on the 2020 LICAT Guideline for Life Insurers
OSFI is consulting on the 2020 Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test (LICAT) guideline for federally regulated life insurance companies and fraternal benefit societies. Comments are requested by March 26, 2020. As per the draft, life insurers are required to apply this guideline for reporting periods ending on or after June 30, 2020. Early application is not permitted.
OSFI identified an aspect of the test that causes some unwarranted volatility in interest rate risk requirements for participating (par) products. To address this, OSFI is proposing to update the LICAT framework and publish a 2020 version of LICAT. The proposed updates affect the requirement for the par credit floor (LICAT sections 5.1.2, 9.1.2, and 9.3). Moreover, recognizing that the change could result in an initial increase in capital requirements for some insurers, OSFI is proposing that the impact be phased-in over six quarters.
Additionally, it has come to the attention of OSFI that the current wording of the guideline may lead to a misinterpretation of the expectations for how an insurer would meet the conditions for claiming par credit as well as the treatment of negative Dividend Stabilization Reserves or other similar experience leveling mechanisms (LICAT sections 2.1.2.10 and 9.1.1). Therefore, OSFI is also proposing to clarify these expectations in the 2020 LICAT guideline. The final guideline is planned to be released in mid-2020 and will become effective on that date.
The LICAT guideline establishes standards, using a risk-based approach, for measuring specific life insurer risks and for aggregating the results to calculate the amount of a life insurer's regulatory required capital to support these risks. The guideline also defines and establishes criteria for determining the amount of qualifying regulatory available capital. LICAT is only one component of the required assets that foreign life insurers must maintain in Canada. Foreign life insurers must also vest assets in Canada per the Insurance Companies Act.
Related Links
Comment Due Date: March 26, 2020
Keywords: Americas, Canada, Insurance, Reinsurance, LICAT, Interest Rate Risk, Capital Requirements, OSFI
Related Articles
EBA Proposes Standards for IRRBB Reporting Under Basel Framework
The European Banking Authority (EBA) proposed implementing technical standards on the interest rate risk in the banking book (IRRBB) reporting requirements, with the comment period ending on May 02, 2023.
FED Issues Further Details on Pilot Climate Scenario Analysis Exercise
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board (FED) set out details of the pilot climate scenario analysis exercise to be conducted among the six largest U.S. bank holding companies.
US Agencies Issue Several Regulatory and Reporting Updates
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FED) adopted the final rule on Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act.
ECB Issues Multiple Reports and Regulatory Updates for Banks
The European Central Bank (ECB) published an updated list of supervised entities, a report on the supervision of less significant institutions (LSIs), a statement on macro-prudential policy.
HKMA Keeps List of D-SIBs Unchanged, Makes Other Announcements
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) published a circular on the prudential treatment of crypto-asset exposures, an update on the status of transition to new interest rate benchmarks.
EU Issues FAQs on Taxonomy Regulation, Rules Under CRD, FICOD and SFDR
The European Commission (EC) adopted the standards addressing supervisory reporting of risk concentrations and intra-group transactions, benchmarking of internal approaches, and authorization of credit institutions.
CBIRC Revises Measures on Corporate Governance Supervision
The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) issued rules to manage the risk of off-balance sheet business of commercial banks and rules on corporate governance of financial institutions.
HKMA Publications Address Sustainability Issues in Financial Sector
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) made announcements to address sustainability issues in the financial sector.
EBA Updates Address Basel and NPL Requirements for Banks
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published regulatory standards on identification of a group of connected clients (GCC) as well as updated the lists of identified financial conglomerates.
ESMA Publishes 2022 ESEF XBRL Taxonomy and Conformance Suite
The General Board of the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), at its December meeting, issued an updated risk assessment via the quarterly risk dashboard and held discussions on key policy priorities to address the systemic risks in the European Union.
