Related provisions for ICOBS 2.5.2B

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SUP 16.8.1GRP
1The effect of SUP 16.1.1 R is that this section applies to: (1) every insurer with permission to effect or carry out life policies, unless it is a non-directive friendly society1; and(2) every firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a stakeholder pension scheme.
SUP 16.8.2GRP
1The purpose of this section is to enable information on the persistency of life policies and data on stakeholder pensions to be prepared and provided to the FCA11 in a standard format. This information is used in the monitoring of firms both individually and collectively.11
SUP 16.8.3RRP
(1) An insurer with a permission to effect or carry out life policies must submit to the FCA a persistency report in respect of life policies by 30 April each year in accordance with this section.11111118(2) A firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a stakeholder pension scheme must submit to the FCA11:11(a) a data report on stakeholder pensions by 30 April each year using the form specified in SUP 16 Annex 6R.99(b) [deleted]99
SUP 16.8.4RRP
1In this section, and in SUP 16 Annex 6R:9(1) '12 month report' means the part of a persistency report or data report reporting on life policies or stakeholder pensions effected in Y-2, '24 month report' means the part of a persistency report or data report reporting on life policies or stakeholder pensions effected in Y-3, and so on;(2) 'CC' means the number of life policies or stakeholder pensions which: (a) were effected during the period to which the calculation relates; and(b)
SUP 16.8.5GRP

Example of calculation of persistency rate for life policies that commenced during 1996 (see SUP 16.8.3 R)1

Y (year of reporting)

Number of life policies which commenced during 1996

Number of 1996 policies that cease to be in force during Y-1

Deaths and retirements (not included in CC and CF)

CF

CC

1998

1000

143

2

1000 - 143 - 2 = 855

1000 - 2 = 998

1999

1000

25

1

1000 - 143 - 25 - 2 - 1 = 829

1000 - 2 - 1 = 997

Report submitted in 1998 Persistency rate for life policies that commenced during Y-2 (that is 1996)

Report submitted in 1999 Persistency rate for life policies that commenced during Y-3 (that is 1996)

SUP 16.8.6GRP
1Firms are reminded that annuity contracts other than deferred annuity contracts are not within the definition of 'life policy'.
SUP 16.8.8RRP
1A persistency report or data report must report on a life policy or stakeholder pension if:(1) it is not of a type listed in SUP 16.8.13 R or SUP 16.8.14 R;(2) it was effected by:(a) the firm submitting the report; or(b) an unauthorised member of the group of the firm submitting the report and in circumstances in which that firm was responsible for the promotion of that life policy or stakeholder pension; or(c) another firm, but is being carried out by the firm submitting the
SUP 16.8.9GRP
1Life policies and stakeholder pensions falling within SUP 16.8.8 R (2) (c) are those which have been transferred from another firm, for example under an insurance business transfer scheme under Part 711 of the Act (Control of Business Transfers).11
SUP 16.8.10RRP
1Life policies falling within SUP 16.8.8 R, which were sold subject to the conduct of business rules of a previous regulator, need to be reported only if they were required to be reported on by the rules of the previous regulator of the firm submitting the report.
SUP 16.8.11RRP
(1) 1A life policy or stakeholder pension which was issued in substitution for a similar contract may be treated as being effected on the inception date of the previous life policy or stakeholder pension, provided that the firm is satisfied that no loss to the policyholder is attributable to the substitution;(2) A stakeholder pension which is treated as in (1) is a "substitute" stakeholder pension. A "new" stakeholder pension is any other stakeholder pension.
SUP 16.8.13RRP
1A persistency or data report must not report on any of the following:(1) a life policy or stakeholder pension that was cancelled from inception whether or not this was as a result of service of a notice under the rules on cancellation (COBS 15)5;5(2) [deleted]77(3) a life policy (excluding income withdrawal) or stakeholder pension which has terminated as a result of death, critical illness, retirement, maturity or other completion of the contract term;(4) income withdrawals that
SUP 16.8.14ARRP
9In circumstances where a firm has no data to report in one or both of the life policies and stakeholder pensions sections of SUP 16 Annex 6R, a firm must submit a nil return using the relevant field(s) in the form.
SUP 16.8.16RRP
1Subject to SUP 16.8.17 R and SUP 16.8.18 R, a life policy or stakeholder pension must be treated as in force at the end of Y-1 (that is, included in CF) if and only if:(1) in the case of a regular premium life policy: (a) in the case of an industrial assurance policy on which the premiums are paid at intervals of four weeks, the premium has been paid in respect of the four-week period in which the policy anniversary falls; or(b) in any other case, the premium has been paid in
SUP 16.8.17RRP
1A cluster life policy must be reported as a single life policy and must be treated as in force (that is included in CF) even if some of the constituent life policies have been terminated.
SUP 16.8.19ARRP
9A persistency report on life policies and stakeholder pensions must be in the format of SUP 16 Annex 6R.
SUP 16.8.23RRP
1A firm must make and retain such records as will enable it to:(1) monitor regularly the persistency of life policies and stakeholder pensions effected through each of its representatives; and (2) make persistency reports or data reports to the FCA11 in accordance with SUP 16.8.3R. 11
SUP 16.8.24GRP
1In order to comply with SUP 16.8.23 R, a firm will as a minimum need to make and retain separate records for:(1) life policies and stakeholder pensions originally promoted: (a) by company9representatives; or(b) by intermediaries providing independent advice or restricted advice; or99(c) through the firm's own direct offer financial promotions;9(d) [deleted]99(2) life policies and stakeholder pensions not within (1), including those effected as execution-only transactions,9for
DISP App 1.5.2GRP
Firms will need to consider the importance for many complainants of having life assurance in place to ensure a mortgage is paid off in the event of death.2323
DISP App 1.5.3GRP
If a complaint is upheld and the policy is to be surrendered as part of the settlement, the firm should remind the complainant in writing that the life cover within the endowment will be terminated and that it may therefore be appropriate to take advice about the merits or otherwise of taking out a stand-alone life policy in substitution.2323
DISP App 1.5.4GRP
If a need for life assurance at inception has been established so that a deduction representing its cost has been made from the redress payable under DISP App 1.2.4 G, the firm should advise the complainant that the firm would be responsible for paying any premium for an appropriate replacement policy which exceeds that used for calculating the deduction or alternatively will, where possible, provide the cover itself at that cost. If it is not possible for the firm to provide
DISP App 1.5.5GRP
23Firms will not be responsible for any increased costs resulting from the complainant choosing another product provider or for increased premiums charged by another provider chosen by the complainant in respect of the risk now presented, for example, higher premiums charged by the other provider due to deterioration in health, unless the original product provider no longer writes new business and is unable to offer revised life cover on a decreasing term assurance basis.
DISP App 1.5.6GRP
23There can be exceptional circumstances where, in order to retain suitable life cover, the endowment policy has to be retained and any additional costs will be the responsibility of the firm that sold the endowment policy.
FEES 6.7.6RRP
If a firm ceases to be a participant firm or carry out activities within one or more classes54 part way through a financial year4 of the compensation scheme:4(1) it will remain liable for any unpaid levies which the FSCS has already made on the firm; and41(2) the FSCS may make one or more levies4 upon it (which may be before or after the firm5 has ceased to be a participant firm or carry out activities within one or more classes5,4 but must be before it ceases to be an authorised
DISP App 1.2.1GRP
If there has been a failure to give compliant and proper advice, or some other breach of the duty of care, the basic objective of redress is to put the complainant, so far as is possible, in the position he would have been in if the inappropriate advice had not been given, or the other breach had not occurred. In many cases, although it must be a matter for inquiry and assessment in each individual case, this position is likely to have resulted in the complainant taking a repayment
12Unless after due inquiry there is clear evidence that the complainant with a mortgage endowment had no foreseeable need for life cover at the time the endowment arrangements were concluded, in the overall comparison between a repayment mortgage and an endowment mortgage the monthly outgoings under the repayment will include the premium for the decreasing term assurance that would have been required. This adjustment for the cost of life cover is only to be made if the firm is
12If a deduction is to be attributed to the provision of life cover, the appropriate approach is to assume that the complainant took out the insurance quoted in the alternative repayment quotation provided at the time of the sale. If the quotation is not available, the deduction should be at the rates that would have been quoted at the time.
PERG 8.14.40ABGRP
6Article 72B exempts any financial promotion made by an employer to an employee in relation to work-related insurance. This is subject to certain requirements as follows:(1) where the provider of the insurance is not the employer, the employer must not receive or have received, any direct financial benefit (including any commission, discount, remuneration or reduction in premium) as a result of making the communication; and(2) where the communication is a non-real time financial
PERG 8.14.40ACGRP
6Article 72C exempts any financial promotion made to an employee by or on behalf of a person (“A”) in relation to work-related insurance. This is subject to certain requirements as follows:(1) the employer and A must have entered into a written contract specifying the terms on which the communication may be made;(2) in the case of a communication made by a person (“B”) on behalf of A, A and B must also have entered into a written contract specifying the terms on which the communication
PERG 8.14.40AFGRP
6The exemptions described in PERG 8.14.40A G to PERG 8.14.40AEA G9 should enable employers (and their contracted service providers) to promote employee benefits packages that include any pension schemes, work-related insurance schemes,9staff mortgages and certain staff loans9 to employees without undue concern that they may be breaching the restriction in section 21 of the Act. PERG 8.14.34 G (Communications by employers and contracted service providers to employees) has further
PERG 8.14.40BGRP
1Article 73 exempts any financial promotion made by a person in the course of carrying out his duties as an adviser for, or employee of, an advice centre. This is provided the financial promotion relates to:(1) a home finance transaction; or2(2) rights under, or rights to or interests in rights under, a life policy; or(3) a child trust fund within the meaning of section 1(2) of the Child Trust Funds Act 2004.
PERG 8.17A.1GRP
The application of section 21 of the Act and of exemptions in the Financial Promotion Order to invitations or inducements about insurance mediation activities will vary depending on the type of activity. The implementation of the Insurance Mediation Directive has not led to any changes in the definitions of a controlled investment or a controlled activity under the Financial Promotion Order. So:(1) rights under any contract of insurance are a controlled investment;(2) rights to
PERG 8.17A.2GRP
This means that an insurance intermediary will not be communicating a financial promotion:(1) where the only activity to which the promotion relates is assisting in the administration and performance of a contract of insurance; or(2) purely by reason of his inviting or inducing persons to make use of his advisory or arranging services where they relate only to general insurance contracts or pure protection contracts or both.But as regards (2), an intermediary will be communicating
PERG 5.8.2GRP
For advice to fall within article 53(1)2, it must:(1) relate to a particular contract of insurance (that is, one that a person may enter into);(2) be given to a person in his capacity as an investor or potential investor;(3) be advice (that is, not just information); and(4) relate to the merits of a personbuying, selling, subscribing for or underwriting (or exercising any right to do so) a contract of insurance or rights to or interests in life policies.
PERG 5.8.5GRP

Typical recommendations and whether they will be regulated as advice on contracts of insurance under article 53(1)2 of the Regulated Activities Order. This table belongs to PERG 5.8.4 G.2

Recommendation

Regulated under article 53(1)2 or not?

I recommend you take the ABC Insurers motor insurance policy

Yes.

This is even the case if ABC Insurers has many different motor insurance policies, as explained in PERG 4.6.6 G. Although PERG 4.6.6 G is about mortgages the same reason applies to insurance.1

I recommend that you take out the GHI Insurers life insurance policy

Yes

I recommend that you do not take out the ABC Insurers motor insurance policy

Yes. See the entry in this table for the recommendation to take out the ABC Insurers motor insurance policy.1

I recommend that you do not take out the GHI Insurers life insurance policy

Yes

I recommend that you take out either the ABC Insurers motor insurance policy or the DEF Insurers motor insurance policy

Yes

I recommend that you take out either the GHI Insurers life insurance policy or the JKL Insurers life insurance policy

Yes1

I recommend that you take out (or do not take out) contents insurance

No, unless a specific insurance policy is implied by the context

I recommend that you take out (or do not take out) life insurance

No, unless a specific insurance policy is implied by the context

PERG 5.8.13GRP
The requirements imposed by the IMD (see PERG 5.2.5 G (Approach to implementation of the IMD)) and the text of article 2.3 IMD in PERG 5.16.1 G (article 2.3 of the Insurance Mediation Directive) are narrower than the scope of the Regulated Activities Order (see PERG 5.2.7 G (Approach to implementation of the IMD)). This is that, unlike the Regulated Activities Order, they do not relate to the assignment of contracts of insurance. This is of relevance to, amongst others, persons
PERG 5.3.9GRP
For an activity to be a regulated activity, it must be carried on in relation to 'specified investments' (see section 22 of the Act Regulated activities) and Part III of the Regulated Activities Order (Specified investments)). For the purposes of insurance mediation activity, specified investments include the following 'relevant investments' defined in article 3(1) of the Regulated Activities Order (Interpretation):(1) rights under any contract of insurance (see article 75 (Contracts
PERG 5.3.11GRP
A person may also have rights to or interests in rights under a life policy where he is not a policyholder, but this will again depend on the terms of the individual policy.
PERG 5.14.3GRP
Professional firms should be aware of the disapplication of the exclusions for trustees (article 66) and activities carried on in the course of a profession or non-investment business (article 67) outlined in PERG 5.11.7 G (Exclusions disapplied in connection with insurance mediation) where their activities would amount to insurance mediation. Where they do not, they will still be able to rely upon article 67. Otherwise, the Nonexempt Activities Order imposes limitations on the
PERG 5.14.5GRP
In addition to certain named persons exempted by the Exemption Order from the need to obtain authorisation, the following bodies are exempt in relation to insurance mediation activities that do not relate to life policies:(1) [deleted]22(2) registered social landlords in England and Wales within the meaning of Part I of the Housing Act 1996 but not their subsidiaries;(3) registered social landlords in Scotland within the meaning of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 but not their
PERG 2.7.4GRP
In addition, certain other activities carried on in relation to rights under contracts of insurance are regulated activities. These are where the activity is carried on in relation to:(1) life policies, where the regulated activities concerned are:(a) dealing in investments as principal (see PERG 2.7.5 G);(b) managing investments (see PERG 2.7.8 G);(c) safeguarding and administering investments (see PERG 2.7.9 G); and(d) agreeing to carry on any of those activities (see PERG 2.7.21
PERG 2.7.5GRP
In relation to securities or life policies (or rights or interests in either), dealing as principal is only a regulated activity if certain conditions are satisfied (see PERG 2.8.4G (1)).
PERG 2.7.19GGRP
15A credit agreement is also an exempt agreement in the following cases:(1) if (subject to PERG 2.7.19H G):(a) the agreement is a borrower-lender-supplier agreement for fixed-sum credit;(b) the number of payments to be made by the borrower is not more than 1221;(c) those payments are required to be made within a period of 12 months or less (beginning on the date of the agreement); and(d) the credit is:(i) secured on land; or(ii) provided without interest or other charges;(2) if
PERG 8.19.1GRP
Article 10 of the Financial Promotion Order (Application to qualifying contracts of insurance) precludes any of the exemptions from applying to a financial promotion which invites or induces a person to enter into a life policy with a person who is not:(1) an authorised person; or(2) an exempt person who is exempt in relation to effecting or carrying out contracts of insurance of the class to which the promotion relates; or(3) a company with its head office or a branch or agency
FEES 5.9.3GRP
[deleted]3838
SUP 16.23.2RRP

Unless a firm is listed in the table below, this section does not apply to it where both of the following conditions are satisfied:

  1. (1)

    the firm has reported total revenue of less than £5 million as at its last accounting reference date; and

  2. (2)

    the firm only has permission to carry on one or more of the following activities:

    1. (a)

      advising on investments;

    2. (b)

      dealing in investments as agent;

    3. (c)

      dealing in investments as principal;

    4. (d)

      arranging (bringing about deals) in investments;

    5. (e)

      making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments;

    6. (f)

      assisting in the administration and performance of a contract of insurance in relation to non-investment insurance contracts;

    7. (g)

      agreeing to carry on a regulated activity;

    8. (h)

      advising on pension transfers and pension opt-outs;

    9. (i)

      credit-related regulated activity;

    10. (j)

      home finance mediation activity;

    11. (k)

      managing investments;

    12. (l)

      establishing, operating or winding up a collective investment scheme;

    13. (m)

      establishing, operating or winding up a personal pension scheme;

    14. (n)

      establishing, operating or winding up a stakeholder pension scheme;

    15. (o)

      managing a UCITS;

    16. (p)

      managing an AIF;

    17. (q)

      safeguarding and administering investments;

    18. (r)

      acting as trustee or depositary of a UCITS;

    19. (s)

      acting as trustee or depositary of an AIF; and/or

    20. (t)

      operating a multilateral trading facility.

Table: Firms to which the exclusion in SUP 16.23.2R does not apply

a UK bank;

a building society;

a EEA bank;

a non-EEA bank;

a mortgage lender;

a mortgage administrator; or

a firm offering life and annuity insurance products.

PERG 5.11.3GRP
The exclusions outlined in (1) to (7) were available to intermediaries (and in some cases insurance undertakings) acting in connection with life policies before 14 January 2005. In essence, however, the following exclusions do not apply if they concern transactions relating to contracts of insurance:(1) dealing in investments as agent with or through authorised persons (article 22 of the Regulated Activities Order (Deals with or through authorised persons));(2) arranging transactions
PERG 5.11.18GRP
3Article 72G (Local authorities) excludes from the activities of dealing in investments as agent, arranging (bringing about) deals in investments, making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments, assisting in the administration and performance of a contract of insurance and advising on investments any activity carried on by a local authority which relates to a contract of insurance which is not a life policy.
SUP 16.1.2GRP
35The only categories of firm to which no section of this chapter applies are:(1) an ICVC; (2) an incoming EEA firm or incoming Treaty firm, unless it is:(a) a firm of a type listed in SUP 16.1.3 R as a type of firm to which SUP 16.6, SUP 16.7A,335SUP 16.9,23SUP 16.12, or SUP 16.142325 applies; or2617(b) an insurer with permission to effect or carry out life policies; or39(c) a firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a personal pension scheme or 14 a stakeholder
SUP 16.1.3RRP

Application of different sections of SUP 16 (excluding SUP 16.13, SUP 16.15,4266SUP 16.16,39 SUP 16.17 and SUP 16.2239)27

8889999

(1) Section(s)

(2) Categories of firm to which section applies

(3) Applicable rules and guidance

SUP 16.1,SUP 16.2andSUP 16.3

All categories of firm except:

Entire sections

(a)

an ICVC;

(b)

an incoming EEA firm or incoming Treaty firm, which is not:

(i)

a firm of a type to which SUP 16.6 or 20SUP 16.1220 applies; or

(ii)

an insurer with permission to effect or carry outlife policies; or

(iii)3

a with to establish, operate or wind up a stakeholder pension scheme;14a firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a personal pension scheme or a stakeholder pension scheme;14 or39

39(iv)

a payment service provider to which SUP 16.22 applies; and

(c)

a UCITS qualifier.

SUP 16.4 and SUP 16.52

All categories of firm except:

Entire sections

(-a)

a credit union;2

(a)

an ICVC;

(b)

an incoming EEA firm;

(c)

an incoming Treaty firm;

(d)

a non-directive friendly society;

(e)4

[deleted]4

(f)

a sole trader;

(g)

a service company;

(h)

a UCITS qualifier;8

8

(i)8

a firm with permission to carry on only retail investment activities;8

(ia)38

a firm with permission only to advise on P2P agreements (unless that activity is carried on exclusively with or for professional clients);38

(j)8

a firm with permission to carry on only insurance mediation activity, home finance mediation activity,16 or both;8

16

(ja)30

an FCA-authorised person with permission to carry on only credit-related regulated activity;

(k)8

a firm falling within a combination of (i), (ia),38 (j) and (ja). 30

30

SUP 16.6

Bank

27

SUP 16.6.4 R to SUP 16.6.5 R

41

41

36

41

41

2628

41

28

41

28

Depositary of an authorised fund41

SUP 16.6.6R to SUP 16.6.11R41

33SUP 16.7A

A firm subject to the requirement in SUP 16.7A.3 R or SUP 16.7A.5 R

Sections as relevant

SUP 16.8

Insurer with permission to effect or carry out life policies, unless it is a non-directive friendly society3

Entire section

3Firm with permission to establish, operate or wind up a personal pension scheme or a stakeholder pension scheme14

14

Entire section3

SUP 16.95

Firm with permission to advise on investments; arrange (bring about) deals in investments; make arrangements with a view to transactions in investments; or arrange safeguarding and administration of assets5

Entire section5

SUP 16.109

All categories of firm except:9

Entire section9

(a)9

an ICVC;9

(b)9

a UCITS qualifier; 21and42

(c)9

[deleted]42

219

21(d)

a dormant account fund operator.

32SUP 16.11

(1)

A firm, other than a managing agent, which is:

(a)

a home finance provider; or

Entire section

(b)

an insurer; or

Entire section

(c)

the operator of a regulated collective investment scheme or an investment trust savings scheme; or

Entire section

(d)

a person who issues or manages the relevant assets of the issuer of a structured capital-at-risk product; or

Entire section

(e)

a firm with permission to enter into a regulated credit agreement as lender in respect of high-cost short-term credit or home credit loan agreements; or

(2)

a firm in whom the rights and obligations of the lender under a regulated mortgage contract are vested.

The provisions governing performance data reports in SUP 16.11 and SUP 16 Annex 21

17SUP 16.12

A firm undertaking the regulated activities as listed in SUP 16.12.4 R, unless exempted in SUP 16.12.1 G

Sections as relevant to regulated activities as listed in SUP 16.12.4 R23

232425SUP 16.14

A CASS large firm and a CASS medium firm

Entire section29

29SUP 16.18

A full-scope UK AIFM and a small authorised UK AIFM

SUP 16.8.3 R

34SUP 16.20

An IFPRU 730k firm and a qualifying parent undertaking that is required to send a recovery plan, a group recovery plan or information for a resolution plan to the FCA.

Entire Section

40SUP 16.23

A firm subject to the Money Laundering Regulations and within the scope of SUP 16.23.1R

Entire Section

27Note 2 = The application of SUP 16.13 is set out under SUP 16.13.1 G;66 the application of SUP 16.15 is set out under SUP 16.15.1 G; the application of SUP 16.16 is set out SUP 16.16.1 R and SUP 16.16.2 R and the application of SUP 16.17 is set out in SUP 16.17.3 R and SUP 16.17.4 R66.

66

29Note 3 = The application of SUP 16.18 for the types of AIFMs specified in SUP 16.1.1C G is set out in SUP 16.18.2 G.

FEES 4.4.9DRP
3To the extent that a firm4 has provided the information required by FEES 4.4.7 D to the FCA as part of its compliance with another provision of the Handbook, it is deemed to have complied with the provisions of that direction.444
INSPRU 1.2.59RRP
A firm must set the assumptions for mortality and morbidity using prudent rates of mortality and morbidity that are appropriate to the country or territory of residence of the person whose life or health is insured.
INSPRU 1.2.63GRP
An option exists where a policyholder is given a choice between alternative forms of benefit, for example, a choice between receiving a cash benefit upon maturity or an annuity at a guaranteed rate. In some cases, the contract may designate one or other of these alternatives as the principal benefit and any other as an option. This designation, in itself, is not one of substance in the context of reserving since it does not affect the policyholder's choices. Other forms of option
PERG 2.6.7GRP
The Regulated Activities Order uses two further terms in relation to contracts of insurance to identify those contracts under which rights are treated as contractually based investments.(1) The first term is 'qualifying contracts of insurance' (referred to as life policies in the Handbook). This identifies those long-term insurance contracts under which rights are treated as contractually based investments. This term does not cover long-term insurance contracts which are contracts
PERG 2.6.24GRP
There are a number of exclusions. These include a case where the parties intend that the profit is to be secured or the loss to be avoided by taking delivery of property. This avoids overlap with the specified investment categories of options and futures. Also excluded are index-linked deposits and rights under certain contracts connected with the National Savings Bank or National Savings products. There is also provision to ensure that the specified investment category of contracts
COBS 5.1.11GRP
In the FCA's view, other examples of:(1) 'initial service agreement' include:(a) subscribing to an investment trust savings scheme; or(b) concluding a life policy, personal pension scheme or stakeholder pension scheme that includes a pre-selected option providing for future increases or decreases in regular premiums or payments; and(2) 'operations' include:(a) successive purchases or sales of shares under an investment trust savings scheme; and(b) subsequent index-linked changes