Global mergers and acquisitions transactions hit $3.5 trillion in 2018 making it the third-largest year on record for M&A by value. Within the private equity and real estate investment worlds, the insatiable appetite for warranty & indemnity insurance (“W&I”) to support transactions that has emerged in the last decade has persisted. This is not without
Category Archives: European Union
Subscribe to European Union RSS FeedEIOPA to produce cloud outsourcing guidelines for insurers
On 27 March 2019, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) published a report that looks at outsourcing to the cloud by (re)insurers. The report was issued in response to the European Commission’s request (through its FinTech Action Plan published on 3 March 2018) that the European Supervisory Authorities – EIOPA, the European Banking
Webinar: Sanctions: Navigating the Labyrinth
The pace of change to the global financial sanctions landscape picked up dramatically during the course of 2018. Global (re)insurers, brokers and policyholders now face an increasingly complex lattice of measures imposed by the UN, U.S., EU, UK and other countries. These measures often have different scope, jurisdictional reach and can directly conflict with one
No-deal Brexit and contractual continuity
On 8 January 2019 the FCA published a consultation paper, CP19/2, which sets out details of the financial services contracts regime (FSCR) and the rules the FCA proposes should apply to firms during the regime. The consultation closes on 29 January 2019. The legislative bones of the regime are set out in the draft Financial
UK: Corporate Insurance Newsletter – December 2018
The Hogan Lovells’ Corporate Insurance Newsletter for December has been published. This provides a round-up of UK, EU and international regulatory developments relevant to UK based insurance market participants. In this issue, amongst other items, we cover: Latest Brexit related consultation papers and other material from the HM Treasury, PRA and FCA Regulation of claims
No-deal Brexit: new publications from HM Treasury and the FCA
HM Treasury published guidance on 8 January 2019 for financial services institutions in a no-deal Brexit situation, updating HM Treasury’s 23 August 2018 technical notice on the financial services regulatory framework in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The guidance is limited to advising UK and EEA firms to take steps to ensure continuity of
No-deal Brexit: reorganisation and winding up of insurers
Introduction As part of its planning for a no-deal Brexit, on 30 November HM Treasury published a draft of the Credit Institutions and Insurance Undertakings Reorganisation and Winding Up (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (the “Draft Regulations“), which have been laid before Parliament, along with explanatory information. The Draft Regulations will take effect on exit
Draft Insurance Distribution (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 published by HM Treasury: Brexit SI
On 21 November 2018, HM Treasury published a draft version of the Insurance Distribution (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, together with an explanatory information document. The purpose of the Regulations is to correct deficiencies in retained EU law relating to the Insurance Distribution Directive ((EU) 2016/97) (IDD) that arise from the UK leaving the EU,
Too soon to harmonize EU Insurance Guarantee Schemes?
Insurance Guarantee Schemes (“IGS“) provide last resort protection to consumers in the event that their insurance company becomes insolvent or simply unable to fulfill their contractual commitments. This sort of protection networks have been made effective through directives in other sectors, such as banking and securities. Nevertheless, a directive has yet to be implemented for
“No deal” Brexit: UK Government publishes details on draft regulations amending FSMA
On 22 November 2018, HM Treasury published Explanatory Information on the draft Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the “Draft FSMA Regulations“). The Draft FSMA Regulations will make amendments to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA“) and related legislation to ensure that the UK’s financial services framework continues
UK regulators prepare for ‘No Deal Brexit’ with a Temporary Permissions Regime
HM Treasury has proposed a Temporary Permissions Regime (“TPR“) as a temporary measure to replace the passporting regime in Schedule 3 and 4 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA“) in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The legislative framework for the TPR is found in the EEA Passport Rights (Amendment, etc., and
The time is now: EIOPA calls for action to ensure service continuity in cross-border insurance
Following its Opinion on 21 December 2017, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), yesterday (5th November) issued a call to action to ensure service continuity in cross-border insurance. In the December 2017 Opinion, EIOPA urged insurance undertakings and regulators to take the necessary steps in good time to ensure the continuity of cross-border
No deal Brexit – Government publishes advice on vehicle insurance
On 24 September 2018, the Government published a technical notice on vehicle insurance if there is no Brexit deal. The current position Motorists from non-EU countries driving in the EU must have a Green Card, an internationally recognised certificate issued by their motor insurer as proof that they have third party motor insurance cover for
Addressing Implementation: Messages from the FCA Workshop on its approach to consumers
The FCA held a workshop last week on Customers in Vulnerable Circumstances which focused on its approach to ensuring inclusive and fair treatment of vulnerable consumers in the financial services industry. Much of the focus draws from its Approach to Consumers published in July 2018 (see our previous FISion blog here). The FCA said? The
How will pharmacogenetics influence the life insurance industry?
Pharmacogenetics is the study of how genes affect a person’s reaction to medicines. The combination of pharmacology (the science of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions) leads to the development of medications that will be effective and safe, as they will be tailored to a person’s genetic make-up. A small blood
Insurance M&A 2017/2018
Following up on our 2018 Insurance Horizons brochure, which comments on legal and regulatory trends and developments across the insurance industry, we have today released Insurance M&A 2017/2018, a paper that takes a closer look at M&A activity across the sector. Click here to continue reading…
Insurance Horizons 2018
As a global insurance industry team, we aim to follow industry trends and developments as closely as possible in order to deliver well informed perspectives and thought leadership to our clients and contacts. Our Insurance Horizons 2018 brochure considers the impact of technology, interest rates, protectionism, excess capacity in the reinsurance market and cyber risk.
Are you a credit insurer? Or a bank which relies on credit insurance? Now is the time to respond to the PRA’s consultation on unfunded guarantees
It has now been two months since the PRA opened a consultation on the eligibility of unfunded guarantees as a form of credit risk mitigation for banks. The consultation will remain open for responses for two and a half more weeks – until 16 May 2018. Although the consultation relates to banking regulation, the consultation
The PRA response to the Treasury Committee’s Inquiry into Solvency II
In October 2017, the Treasury Committee of the House of Commons (the Committee) published its report on the Solvency II Directive and the upcoming issues generated by Brexit for the UK insurance industry. As part of its report, the Committee made a series of recommendations to the PRA, which we highlighted in our previous note
US: National Association of Insurance Commissioners to Hold February Hearing on Collateral Requirements for EU Reinsurers
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) will hold a public hearing in New York City on 20 February 2018 to consider how U.S. States should address the elimination of reinsurance collateral requirements for EU reinsurers of U.S. insurance business that were covered in the bilateral agreement between the U.S. and the EU on Prudential
Italy: IVASS provides instructions to insurance intermediaries for preventing cyber risks
IVASS has just published a letter to the market addressed to Italian and EU insurance intermediaries and undertakings addressing the level of awareness of traditional intermediaries about the risks involved in the use of new technologies and the prevention and protection measures adopted to face these risks. The letter is a follow up to the investigation
The Treasury Committee’s Report on EU Insurance Regulation – What’s next for the PRA and the UK insurance industry?
In September 2016, the treasury committee of the House of Commons (the Committee) launched an inquiry into EU insurance regulation and to supplement its work on the relationship that the UK might seek to have with the EU following Brexit. Following the publication of various submissions and further evidence from a variety of market participants
Are you ready for MiFID II?
With just three months to go, we’re offering a special subscription offer for our MiFID II Toolkit. This interactive tool helps you navigate, understand and act on your responsibilities, saving time, money and resources in the process. The toolkit brings all the materials you need together in one place, making complex matters easily accessible, while
U.S. and EU sign covered agreement; issue clarifying statements
On Friday, September 22, 2017 the United States and the European Union signed a bilateral agreement on certain prudential measures regarding insurance and reinsurance (the “Covered Agreement” or “Agreement”). Execution had been pending since both parties announced their intention to sign on July 14, 2017. Negotiation of the Agreement had been finalized six months earlier,