PRU 4.2 Market risk in insurance

PRU 4.2 applies to an insurer, unless it is:

1. (1)

   a non-directive friendly society; or

2. (2)

   an incoming EEA firm; or

3. (3)

   an incoming Treaty firm.

1. (1)

   PRU 4.2 applies to a firm in relation to the whole of its business, except where a particular provision provides for a narrower scope.

2. (2)

   Where a firm carries on both long-term insurance business and general insurance business, PRU 4.2 applies separately to each type of business.

For the purposes of PRU 4.2:

1. (1)

   real estate means an interest in land, buildings or other immovable property;

2. (2)

   a significant territory is any country or territory in which more than 2.5% of a firm's long-term insurance assets (by market value), excluding assets held to cover index-linked liabilities or property-linked liabilities (see PRU 4.2.57 R and PRU 4.2.58 R), are invested;

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3. (3)

   the long term gilt yield means the annualised equivalent of the fifteen year gilt yield for the United Kingdom Government fixed-interest securities index jointly compiled by the Financial Times, the Institute of Actuaries and the Faculty of Actuaries; and1

   1
4. (4)

   the member states of the European Union which have adopted the Euro as the official currency may be treated as a single territory.1

1. (1)

   A firm that carries on long-term insurance business must calculate a resilience capital requirement in accordance with (2) to (5).

2. (2)

   The1 firm must identify relevant1 assets (see PRU 4.2.10A R)1 which,1 after applying the scenarios in (3),1 have a value that is equal to the firm's long-term insurance liabilities under those scenarios.

   1
3. (3)

   For the purpose of (2), the scenarios are:

   1. (a)

      for those relevant1 assets invested in the United Kingdom, the market risk scenario set out in PRU 4.2.16 R;

   2. (b)

      subject to (c) and to PRU 4.2.26 R, for those relevant1 assets invested outside of the United Kingdom, the market risk scenario set out in PRU 4.2.23 R; and

   3. (c)

      where the relevant1 assets in (b) are:

      1. (i)

         held to cover index-linked liabilities or property-linked liabilities; or

      2. (ii)

         not invested in a significant territory outside the United Kingdom;

      the market risk scenario set out in PRU 4.2.16 R.

4. (4)

   The resilience capital requirement is the result of deducting B from A, where:

   1. (a)

      A is the value of the relevant1 assets which will produce the result described in (2); and

   2. (b)

      B is the firm's long-term insurance liabilities.

5. (5)

   In calculating the value of the firm's long-term insurance liabilities under any scenario, a firm is not required to adjust the provision made under PRU 1.3.5 R in respect of a defined benefits pension scheme.

1In PRU 4.2.10 R relevant assets means a range of assets which must be selected by the firm from the assets specified in (1) and (2) in the order specified:

1. (1)

   its long-term insurance assets; and

2. (2)

   only where the firm has selected all the assets within (1), its shareholder assets, other than assets of an amount and kind required:

   1. (a)

      to cover its liabilities arising outside its long-term insurance funds; or

   2. (b)

      to meet any regulatory capital requirements in respect of business written outside its long-term insurance funds.

In PRU 4.2.10 R (3)(a), the market risk scenario for assets invested in the United Kingdom and for assets (including assets invested outside the United Kingdom) held to cover index-linked liabilities or property-linked liabilities which a firm must assume is:

1. (1)

   a fall in the market value of equities of at least 10% or, if greater, the lower of:

   1. (a)

      a percentage fall in the market value of equities which would produce an earnings yield on the FTSE Actuaries All Share Index equal to 4/3 rds of the long-term gilt yield; and

   2. (b)

      a fall in the market value of equities of 25% less the equity market adjustment ratio (see PRU 4.2.19 R);

2. (2)

   a fall in real estate values of 20% less the real estate market adjustment ratio for an appropriate real estate index (see PRU 4.2.21 R);

3. (3)
   1. (a)

      the more onerous of either a fall or rise in yields on all fixed interest securities by the percentage point amount determined in (b);

   2. (b)

      for the purpose of (a), the percentage point amount is equal to 20% of the long-term gilt yield.

For the purposes of PRU 4.2.16 R (1) and PRU 4.2.16R (2), a firm must:

1. (1)

   assume that earnings for equities and rack rents for real estate fall by 10%, but dividends for equities remain unaltered (see PRU 4.2.36 R to PRU 4.2.38 R); and

2. (2)

   model a fall in equity and real estate markets as if the fall occurred instantaneously.

The equity market adjustment ratio referred to in PRU 4.2.16 R (1)(b) is:

1. (1)

   if the ratio calculated in (a) and (b) lies between 75% and 100%, the result of 100% less the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of:

   1. (a)

      the current value of the FTSE Actuaries All Share Index; to

   2. (b)

      the average value of the FTSE Actuaries All Share Index over the preceding 90 calendar days;

2. (2)

   0%, if the ratio calculated in (1)(a) and (b) is more than 100%; and

3. (3)

   25%, if the ratio calculated in (1)(a) and (b) is less than 75%.

In PRU 4.2.19 R, the average value of the FTSE Actuaries All Share Index over any period of 90 calendar days means the arithmetic mean based on levels at the close of business on each of the days in that period on which the London Stock Exchange was open for trading.

The real estate market adjustment ratio for a real estate index referred to in PRU 4.2.16 R (2) and PRU 4.2.23 R (2) is:

1. (1)

   if the ratio calculated in (a) and (b) lies between 90% and 100%, the result of 100% less the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of:

   1. (a)

      the current value of the real estate index; to

   2. (b)

      the average value of that real estate index over the three preceding financial years;

2. (2)

   0%, if the ratio calculated in (1)(a) and (b) is more than 100%; and

3. (3)

   10%, if the ratio calculated in (1)(a) and (b) is less than 90%.

In PRU 4.2.10 R (3)(b), subject to PRU 4.2.26 R, the market risk scenario for assets invested outside the United Kingdom (other than assets held to cover index-linked liabilities or property-linked liabilities) which a firm must assume is, for each significant territory in which assets are invested outside the United Kingdom:

1. (1)

   an appropriate fall in the market value of equities invested in that territory, which is at least equal to the percentage fall determined in PRU 4.2.16 R;

2. (2)

   a fall in real estate values in that territory of 20% less the real estate market adjustment ratio for an appropriate real estate index for that territory (see PRU 4.2.21 R); and

3. (3)
   1. (a)

      the more onerous of either a fall or a rise in yields on all fixed interest securities by the percentage point amount determined in (b);

   2. (b)

      for the purpose of (a), the percentage point amount is equal to 20% of the nearest equivalent (in respect of the method of calculation) to the long term gilt yield.

For the purposes of PRU 4.2.23 R (1), an appropriate fall in the market value of equities invested in a significant territory must be determined having regard to:

1. (1)

   an appropriate equity market index for that territory; and

2. (2)

   the historical volatility of the equity market index selected in (1).

Where the assets of a firm invested in a significant territory of a kind referred to in PRU 4.2.23 R (1), PRU 4.2.23 R (2) or PRU 4.2.23 R (3)(a) represent less than 0.5% of the firm's long-term insurance assets (excluding assets held to cover index-linked liabilities or property-linked liabilities), measured by market value, the firm may assume for those assets the market risk scenario for assets of that kind invested in the United Kingdom set out in PRU 4.2.16 R instead of the market risk scenario set out in PRU 4.2.23 R.

The rates of interest required by PRU 7.3.33 R1 to be used by a firm1 for the calculation of the present value of a long-term insurance liability must not exceed 97.5% of the risk-adjusted yield (see PRU 4.2.30 R to PRU 4.2.48 G) that is expected to be achieved on:

1. (1)

   the assets allocated to cover that liability;

2. (2)

   the reinvestment of sums expected to be received from those assets (see PRU 4.2.45 R to PRU 4.2.48 G); and

3. (3)

   the investment of future premium receipts (see PRU 4.2.45 R to PRU 4.2.48 G).

For the purposes of PRU 4.2.28 R, the rates of interest assumed must allow appropriately for the rates of tax that apply to the investment return on policyholder assets. The rates of tax assumed must be such that the firm's total implied liability for tax arising from the allocation of assets to liabilities is not less than the firm's actual expected liability for tax for the period in respect of which tax is to be assessed.

A risk-adjusted yield on an asset must be calculated by:

1. (1)

   taking the asset together with any covering derivatives, forward transactions and quasi-derivatives;

2. (2)

   assuming that the factors which affect the yield will remain unchanged after the valuation date (see PRU 4.2.33 R);

3. (3)

   valuing the asset (together with any offsetting transaction) in accordance with PRU 1.3 (Valuation);

4. (4)

   making reasonable assumptions as to whether, and if so when, any options or other rights embedded in the asset (or in any offsetting transaction) will be exercised.

For the purpose of PRU 4.2.30 R (2), the factors that affect yield should be ascertained as at the valuation date (that is, the date to which present values of cash flows are being calculated). All changes known to have occurred by that date must be taken into account including:

1. (1)

   changes in the rental income from real estate;

2. (2)

   changes in dividends or audited profit on equities;

3. (3)

   known or forecast changes in dividends which have been publicly announced by the issuer by the valuation date;

4. (4)

   known or forecast changes in earnings which have been publicly announced by the issuer by the valuation date;

5. (5)

   alterations in capital structure; and

6. (6)

   the value (at the most recent date at or before the valuation date for which it is known) of any determinant of the amount of any future interest or capital payment.

The risk-adjusted yield is either:

1. (1)

   (for equities and real estate) a running yield (see PRU 4.2.36 R to PRU 4.2.38 R, PRU 4.2.41 R and PRU 4.2.44 R); or

2. (2)

   (for all other assets) the internal rate of return (see PRU 4.2.39 R, PRU 4.2.41 R and PRU 4.2.44 R).

The risk-adjusted yield on a basket of assets is the arithmetic mean of the risk-adjusted yield on each asset weighted by that asset's market value.

For real estate the running yield is the ratio of:

1. (1)

   the rental income arising from the real estate over the previous 12 months; to

2. (2)

   the market value of the real estate.

For equities the running yield is:

1. (1)

   the dividend yield, if the dividend yield is more than the earnings yield;

2. (2)

   otherwise, the sum of the dividend yield and the earnings yield, divided by two.

For the purposes of PRU 4.2.37 R:

1. (1)

   the dividend yield is the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of dividend income over the previous 12 months from the equities for which the running yield is being calculated ("the relevant equities") to the market value of those equities;

2. (2)

   the earnings yield is the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of the audited profit (including exceptional items and extraordinary items) for the preceding financial year of the issuer of the relevant equities to the market value of those equities;

3. (3)

   the earnings yield must be calculated in accordance with whichever is most appropriate (to the issuer of the relevant equities) of United Kingdom, US or international generally accepted accounting practice.

The internal rate of return on an asset is the annual rate of interest which, if used to calculate the present value of future income (before deduction of tax) and of repayments of capital (before deduction of tax) would result in the sum of those amounts being equal to the market value of the asset.

In both the running yield and internal rate of return the yield must be reduced to exclude that part of the yield that represents compensation for credit risk arising from the asset.

Provision for credit risk for securities that are not credit-rated must be made on principles at least as prudent as those adopted for credit-rated securities.

Except as provided in PRU 4.2.46 R:

1. (1)

   the risk-adjusted yield assumed for the investment or reinvestment of sterling sums (other than sums expected to be received within the next three years) must not exceed the lowest of:

   1. (a)

      the long-term gilt yield;

   2. (b)

      3% per annum, increased by two thirds of the excess, if any, of the long-term gilt yield over 3% per annum; and

   3. (c)

      6.5% per annum; and

2. (2)

   the risk-adjusted yield assumed for the investment or reinvestment of those sterling sums expected to be received within the next three years must not exceed the risk-adjusted yield on the assets actually held adjusted linearly over the three-year period to the risk-adjusted yield determined under (1).

For the with-profits insurance contracts of a realistic basis life firm, the risk-adjusted yield assumed for the investment or reinvestment of sums denominated in sterling must be no more than rates derived from the forward gilts yield.

The risk-adjusted yield assumed for the investment or reinvestment of non-sterling sums must be at least as prudent as in PRU 4.2.45 R and PRU 4.2.46 R.

A firm must cover a contract providing for the purchase or sale of foreign currency by:

1. (1)

   holding the currency that must be paid by the firm under the contract; or

2. (2)

   being subject to an offsetting transaction.

1. (1)

   Subject to PRU 4.2.54 R, a firm must hold admissible assets in each currency of an amount equal to at least 80% of the amount of its liabilities in that currency arising under or in connection with contracts of insurance (but excluding, for a firm that carries on general insurance business, any equalisation provision), except where the amount of those assets does not exceed 7% of the assets in other currencies.1

2. (2)

   In (1) references to an asset in a currency are to an asset which is expressed in or capable of being realised (without exchange risk) in that currency, and an asset is capable of being so realised if it is reasonably capable of being realised in that currency without risk that changes in exchange rates would reduce the cover for liabilities in that currency.1

PRU 4.2.53 R does not apply to:

1. (1)

   a pure reinsurer; or

2. (2)

   assets held to cover index-linked liabilities or property-linked liabilities.

For the purpose of PRU 4.2.53 R, the currency of the liability under a contract of insurance is the currency in which the cover under the contract of insurance is expressed or, if the contract does not specify a currency:

1. (1)

   the currency of the country or territory in which the risk is situated; or

2. (2)

   if the firm on reasonable grounds so decides, the currency in which the premium payable under the contract is expressed; or

3. (3)

   if, taking into account the nature of the risks insured, the firm considers it more appropriate:

   1. (a)

      the currency (based on past experience) in which it expects the claims to be paid; or

   2. (b)

      if there is no past experience, the currency of the country or territory in which the firm or relevant branch is established:

      1. (i)

         for contracts covering risks falling within general insurance business classes 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 13 (producer's liability only); and

      2. (ii)

         for contracts covering risks falling within any other general insurance business class where, in accordance with the nature of the risks, the firm's liabilities are liabilities to be provided in a currency other than that which would result from the application of (1) or (2); or

4. (4)

   (where a claim has been notified to the firm and the firm's liability in respect of that claim is payable in a currency other than that which would result from the application of (1), (2) or (3)) the currency in which the claim is to be paid; or

5. (5)

   (where a claim is assessed in a currency known to the firm in advance and is a currency other than that which would result from the application of (1), (2), (3) or (4)) the currency in which the claim is to be assessed.

A firm must cover its property-linked liabilities with:

1. (1)

   (as closely as possible) the assets to which those liabilities are linked; or

2. (2)

   a property-linked reinsurance contract; or

3. (3)

   a combination of (1) and (2).

A firm must cover its index-linked liabilities with:

1. (1)

   either:

   1. (a)

      the assets which represent that index; or

   2. (b)

      assets of appropriate security and marketability which correspond, as closely as possible, to the assets which are comprised in, or which form, the index or other reference of value to which those liabilities are linked; or

2. (2)

   a portfolio of assets whose value or yield is reasonably expected to correspond closely with the index-linked liability; or

3. (3)

   an index-linked reinsurance contract; or

4. (4)

   an index-linked approved derivative; or

5. (5)

   an index-linked approved quasi-derivative; or

6. (6)

   a combination of any of (1) to (5).