GENPRU 2.1 Calculation of capital resources requirements

1This section applies to:

1. (1)

   a BIPRU firm; and

2. (2)

   an insurer, unless it is:

   1. (a)

      a non-directive friendly society; or

   2. (b)

      a Swiss general insurer; or

   3. (c)

      an EEA-deposit insurer; or

   4. (d)

      an incoming EEA firm; or

   5. (e)

      an incoming Treaty firm.

1. (1)

   This section 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 an insurer carries on both long-term insurance business and general insurance business, except where a particular provision provides otherwise, this section applies separately to each type of business.

A firm must at all times monitor whether it is complying with GENPRU 2.1.13 R (the main capital adequacy rule for insurer) or the main BIPRU firm Pillar 1 rules and be able to demonstrate that it knows at all times whether it is complying with those rules.

A firm must notify the appropriate regulator immediately of any breach, or expected breach, of GENPRU 2.1.13 R (in the case of an insurer) or the main BIPRU firm Pillar 1 rules (in the case of a BIPRU firm).

A BIPRU firm must maintain at all times capital resources equal to or in excess of the amount specified in the table in GENPRU 2.1.45 R (Calculation of the variable capital requirement for a BIPRU firm).

A BIPRU firm must maintain at all times capital resources equal to or in excess of the base capital resources requirement (see the table in GENPRU 2.1.48 R).

At the time that it first becomes a bank, building society or BIPRU investment firm, a firm must hold initial capital of not less than the base capital resources requirement applicable to that firm.

When a3 UCITS investment firm calculates the credit risk capital requirement and the market risk capital requirement for the purpose of calculating the variable capital requirement under GENPRU 2.1.40 R it must do so only3 in respect of designated investment business. For this purpose scheme management activity is excluded from designated investment business.

The amount of a BIPRU firm's base capital resources requirement is set out in the table in GENPRU 2.1.48 R.

A BIPRU firm must calculate its credit risk capital requirement as the sum of:

1. (1)

   the credit risk capital component;

2. (2)

   the counterparty risk capital component; and

3. (3)

   the concentration risk capital component.

1. (1)

   A BIPRU firm must calculate its market risk capital requirement as the sum of:

   1. (a)

      the interest rate PRR (including the basic interest rate PRR for equity derivatives set out in BIPRU 7.3 (Equity PRR and basic interest rate PRR for equity derivatives));

   2. (b)

      the equity PRR;

   3. (c)

      the commodity PRR;

   4. (d)

      the foreign currency PRR;

   5. (e)

      the option PRR; and

   6. (f)

      the collective investment undertaking PRR.

2. (2)

   Any amount calculated under BIPRU 7.1.9 R - BIPRU 7.1.13 R (Instruments for which no PRR treatment has been specified) must be allocated between the PRR charges in (1) in the most appropriate manner.

In relation to a BIPRU investment firm which is required to calculate a fixed overheads requirement, the amount of that requirementis equal to one quarter of the firm's relevant fixed expenditure calculated in accordance with GENPRU 2.1.54 R.

For the purpose of GENPRU 2.1.53 R, and subject to GENPRU 2.1.55 R to GENPRU 2.1.57 R,a BIPRU investment firm's relevant fixed expenditure is the amount described as total expenditure in its most recent audited annual report and accounts, less the following items (if they are included within such expenditure):

1. (1)

   staff bonuses, except to the extent that they are guaranteed;

2. (2)

   employees' and directors' shares in profits, except to the extent that they are guaranteed;

3. (3)

   other appropriations of profits;

4. (4)

   shared commission and fees payable which are directly related to commission and fees receivable, which are included within total revenue;

5. (5)

   interest charges in respect of borrowings made to finance the acquisition of the firm's readily realisable investments;

6. (6)

   interest paid to customers on client money;

7. (7)

   interest paid to counterparties;

8. (8)

   fees, brokerage and other charges paid to clearing houses, exchanges and intermediate brokers for the purposes of executing, registering or clearing transactions;

9. (9)

   foreign exchange losses; and

10. (10)

    other variable expenditure.

The relevant fixed expenditure of a firm in the following circumstances is:

1. (1)

   where its most recent audited annual report and accounts do not represent a twelve month period, an amount calculated in accordance with GENPRU 2.1.54 R, pro-rated so as to produce an equivalent annual amount; and

2. (2)

   where it has not completed twelve months' trading, an amount based on forecast expenditure included in the budget for the first twelve months' trading, as submitted with its application for authorisation.

A firm must adjust its relevant fixed expenditure calculation so far as necessary if and to the extent that since the date covered by the most recent audited annual report and accounts or (if GENPRU 2.1.55R (2) applies) since the budget was prepared:

1. (1)

   its level of fixed expenditure changes materially; or

2. (2)

   its regulated activities comprised within its permission change.

If a firm has a material proportion of its expenditure incurred on its behalf by third parties and such expenditure is not fully recharged to that firm then the firm must adjust its relevant fixed expenditure calculation by adding back in the whole of the difference between the amount of the expenditure and the amount recharged.