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Related provisions for PERG 6.4.4
21 - 40 of 94 items.
If a firm holds money as agent of an insurance
undertaking then the firm'sclients (who are not insurance
undertakings) will be adequately protected to the extent that
the premiums which it receives
are treated as being received by the insurance
undertaking when they are received by the agent and claims money and premium refunds
will only be treated as received by the client when
they are actually paid over. The rules in CASS
5.2 make provision for agency agreements between firms
(1) Agency
agreements between insurance intermediaries and insurance undertakings may be of a general
kind and facilitate the introduction of business to the insurance
undertaking. Alternatively, an agency agreement may confer on
the intermediary contractual
authority to commit the insurance undertaking to
risk or authority to settle claims or handle premium refunds
(often referred to as "binding authorities"). CASS 5.2.3 R requires
that binding authorities of this kind must
(1) A firm must not agree to:(a) deal in investments as agent for an insurance undertaking in connection with insurance mediation; or(b) act
as agent for an insurance undertaking for
the purpose of settling claims or handling premium refunds;
or(c) otherwise
receive money as agent of an insurance undertaking;unless:(d) it
has entered into a written agreement with the insurance
undertaking to that effect; and(e) it
is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the terms of the policies
There are, however, general derogations from the internal market provisions under article 3(3) of the E-Commerce Directive. The derogations include consumer contracts, the permissibility of unsolicited e-mail and certain insurance services (both life and non-life). Where these derogations apply, the EEA States in which the recipients of the service are based may continue to be able to impose their own requirements.
1The Single Market Directives require credit institutions, insurance undertakings (other than reinsurance undertakings)5, MiFID investment firms3, UCITS management companies and insurance intermediaries to make a notification to the Home State before establishing a branch or providing cross border services.SUP 13.5 (Notices of intention) sets out the notification requirements for a firm seeking to establish a branch or provide cross border services. As firms will note, the decision
Neither assisting in the administration nor assisting in the performance of a contract alone will fall within this activity. Generally, an activity will either amount to assisting in the administration or assisting in the performance but not both. Occasionally, however, an activity may amount to both assisting in the administration and performance of a contract of insurance. For example, where a person assists a claimant in filling in a claims form, in the FSA's view this amounts
More generally, an example of an activity that, in the FSA's view, is likely to amount to assisting a policyholder in both the administration and the performance of a contract of insurance is notifying a claim under a policy and then providing evidence in support of the claim, or helping negotiate its settlement on the policyholder's behalf. Notifying an insurance undertaking of a claim assists the policyholder in discharging his contractual obligation to do so (assisting in the
Where a person receives funds on behalf of a policyholder in settlement of a claim, in the FSA's view, the act of receipt is likely to amount to assisting in the performance of a contract. By giving valid receipt, the person assists the insurance undertaking to discharge its contractual obligation to provide compensation to the policyholder. He may also be assisting the policyholder to discharge any obligations he may have under the contract to provide valid receipt of funds,
(1) This rule applies for the purpose of the definition of financial conglomerate and the financial conglomerate definition decision tree.(2) Any mixed financial holding company is considered to be outside the overall financial sector for the purpose of the tests set out in the boxes titled Threshold Test 1, Threshold Test 2 and Threshold Test 3 in the financial conglomerate definition decision tree.(3) Determining whether the tests set out in the boxes titled Threshold Test 2
(1) In accordance with Article 30 of the Financial Groups Directive (Asset management companies), this rule deals with the inclusion of an asset management company that is a member of a financial conglomerate in the scope of regulation of financial conglomerates. This rule does not apply to the definition of financial conglomerate.(2) An asset management company is in the overall financial sector and is a regulated entity for the purpose of:(a) GENPRU 3.1.26 R to GENPRU 3.1.36
(1) In the exercise of its judgement for the purposes of BIPRU 3.4.56 R to BIPRU 3.4.58 R, a firm may be satisfied only if the conditions in (2) to (6) are met.(2) The value of the property does not materially depend upon the credit quality of the obligor. This requirement does not preclude situations where purely macroeconomic factors affect both the value of the property and the performance of the borrower.(3) The risk of the borrower does not materially depend upon the performance
If the supervision of a third-country group by a third-country competent authority does not meet the equivalence test referred to in GENPRU 3.2.3 G, a competent authority may, rather than take the measures described in GENPRU 3.2.4 G, apply, by analogy, the provisions concerning supplementary supervision under the Financial Groups Directive or, as applicable, consolidated supervision under the applicable EEA prudential sectoral legislation, to the EEA regulated entities in the
If the Part IV permission of a firm contains a requirement obliging it to comply with this rule with respect to a third-country banking and investment group of which it is a member, it must comply, with respect to that third-country banking and investment group, with the rules in Part 2 of GENPRU 3 Annex 2, as adjusted by Part 3 of that annex.
Where it is not possible for a firm to meet the condition set out in BIPRU 5.5.5 R (7), because the insurance relationship ends before the loan relationship expires, the firm must ensure that the amount deriving from the insurance contract serves the firm as security until the end of the duration of the credit agreement.[Note: BCD Annex VIII Part 2 point 13 (part)]
Where the conditions set out in BIPRU 5.5.5 R are satisfied, credit protection falling within the terms of BIPRU 5.5.4 R may be treated as a guarantee by the party providing the life insurance. The value of the credit protection recognised must be the surrender value of the life insurance policy.[Note: BCD Annex VIII Part 3 point 80]
Some typical examples of where the business test is unlikely to be satisfied, assuming that there is no direct financial benefit to the arranger, include:(1) arrangements which are carried out by a person for himself, or for members of his family;(2) where employers provide insurance benefits for staff; and(3) where affinity groups or clubs set up insurance benefits for members.
Table: Carrying on insurance mediation activities 'for remuneration' and 'by way of business'
Carrying on insurance mediation activities 'for remuneration' and 'by way of business' |
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'For remuneration' |
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Factor |
Indicators that P does not carry on activities "for remuneration" |
Indicators that P does carry on activities "for remuneration" |
Direct remuneration, whether received from the customer or the insurer/broker (cash or benefits in kind such as tickets to the opera, a reduction in other insurance premiums, a remission of a debt or any other benefit capable of being measured in money's worth) |
P does not receive any direct remuneration specifically identified as a reward for his carrying on insurance mediation activities. |
P receives direct remuneration specifically identified as being a reward for his carrying on insurance mediation activities. |
Indirect remuneration (such as any form of economic benefit as may be explicitly or implicitly agreed between P and the insurer/broker or P's customer – including, for example, through the acceptance of P's terms and conditions or mutual recognition of the economic benefit that is likely to accrue to P). An indirect economic benefit can include expectation of making a profit of some kind as a result of carrying on insurance mediation activities as part of other services. |
P does not obtain any form of indirect remuneration through an economic benefit other than one which is not likely to have a material effect on P's ability to make a profit from his other activities. |
P obtains an economic benefit that: (a) is explicitly or implicitly agreed between P and the insurer/broker or P's customer; and (b) has the potential to go beyond mere cost recovery through fees or other benefits received for providing a package of services that includes insurance mediation activities but where no particular part of the fees is attributable to insurance mediation activities. This could include where insurance mediation activities are likely to:
P charges his customers a greater amount for other goods or services than would be the case if P were not also carrying on insurance mediation activities for those customers and this:
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Recovery of costs |
P receives no benefits of any kind (direct or indirect) in respect of his insurance mediation activities beyond the reimbursement of his actual costs incurred in carrying on the activity (including receipt by P of a sum equal to the insurance premium that P is to pass on to the insurer or broker). |
P receives benefits of any kind (direct or indirect) in respect of his insurance mediation activities which go beyond the reimbursement of his actual costs incurred in carrying on the activity. |
'By way of business' |
||
Factor |
Indicators that P does not carry on activities "by way of business" |
Indicators that P does carry on activities "by way of business" |
Regularity/ frequency |
Involvement is one-off or infrequent (for instance, once or twice a year) provided that the transaction(s) is not of such size and importance that it is essential to the success of P's other business activities. Transactions do not result from formal arrangements (for instance, occasional involvement purely as a result of an unsolicited approach). |
Involvement is frequent (for instance, once a week). Involvement is infrequent but the transactions are of such size or importance that they are essential to the success of P's other business activities. P has formal arrangements which envisage transactions taking place on a regular basis over time (whether or not such transactions turn out in practice to be regular). |
Holding out |
P does not hold himself out as providing a professional service that includes insurance mediation activities (by professional is meant not the services of a layman). |
P holds himself out as providing a professional service that includes insurance mediation activities. |
Relevance to other activities/ business |
Insurance mediation activities:
|
Insurance mediation activities:
|
Commercial benefit |
P receives no direct or indirect pecuniary or economic benefit. P is a layman and acting in that capacity. P would not obtain materially less income from his main activities if they did not include |
P receives a direct or indirect pecuniary or economic benefit from carrying on insurance mediation activities – such as a fee, a benefit in kind or the likelihood of materially enhanced sales of other goods or services that P provides. P would obtain materially less income from his main activities if they did not include insurance mediation activities. |
A firm (other
than a firm acting in accordance
with CASS
5.4) receives and holds client money as
trustee (or in Scotland as agent) on the following terms:(1) for
the purposes of and on the terms of CASS
5.3, CASS
5.5 and
the client money (insurance) distribution
rules;(2) subject
to (4),1 for the clients (other than clients which
are insurance undertakings when
acting as such)1 for whom that money is
held, according to their respective interests in it;(3) after
all valid claims
(1) A
firm which holds client money can discharge its obligation
to ensure adequate protection for its clients in
respect of such money by complying
with CASS
5.3 which provides for such money to
be held by the firm on the terms
of a trust imposed by the rules.(2) The
trust imposed by CASS
5.3 is limited to a trust in respect of client money which a firm receives
and holds. The consequential and supplementary requirements in CASS
5.5 are
designed to secure the proper segregation
Text of article 2.3 of the Insurance Mediation Directive"'Insurance mediation' means the activities of introducing, proposing or carrying out other work preparatory to the conclusion of contracts of insurance, or of concluding such contracts, or of assisting in the administration and performance of such contracts, in particular in the event of a claim.These activities when undertaken by an insurance undertaking or an employee of an insurance undertaking who is acting under the
The FSA will apply the following principles of construction to determine whether a contract is a contract of insurance.(1) In applying the description in PERG 6.3.4 G, more weight attaches to the substance of the contract, than to the form of the contract. The form of the contract is relevant (see PERG 6.6.8 G (3) and (4)) but not decisive of whether a contract is a contract of insurance: Fuji Finance Inc. v. Aetna Life Insurance Co. Ltd [1997] Ch. 173 (C.A.).(2) In particular,
Advice about contracts of insurance will come within the regulated activity in article 53 of the Regulated Activities Order only if it relates to a particular contract of insurance. So, generic or general advice will not fall under article 53. In particular:(1) advice would come within article 53 if it took the form of a recommendation that a person should buy the ABC Insurers motor insurance;(2) advice would not relate to a particular contract if it consists of a recommendation
Generally speaking, advice on the merits of using a particular insurance undertaking, broker or adviser in their capacity as such, does not amount to advice for the purpose of article 53. It is not advice on the merits of buying or selling a particular contract of insurance (unless, in the circumstances, the advice amounts to an implied recommendation of a particular policy).
The FSA will usually require the report in SUP 6.4.9 G to be signed by a director or other officer with authority to bind the firm. It may include confirmations from the firm that, in relation to business carried on under its Part IV permission, it has:(1) ceased carrying on all regulated activities;(2) properly disbursed funds in its client bank accounts and closed those accounts;(3) discharged all insurance or deposit liabilities; and(4) properly transferred all investments,
If a firm is transferring its business, the FSA may require a professional opinion in respect of certain aspects of the transfer. For example, the FSA may require a legal opinion on the validity of arrangements to transfer regulated activities, client money, client deposits, custody assets or any other property belonging to clients, to another authorised person. Alternatively, an auditor or reporting accountant may be requested to verify that a transfer has been properly accounted
(1) 1If the reversion provider agrees under the terms of an instalment reversion plan to pay the reversion occupier for the qualifying interest in land over a period of time, then the provider must:(a) take out and maintain adequate insurance from an insurance undertaking authorised in the EEA or a person of equivalent status in:(i) a Zone A country; or(ii) the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Bermuda or the Isle of Man; or(b) enter into a written agreement with a credit institution;to
A management expenses levy under COMP may consist of two 2elements. The first is a base costs levy, for the base costs of running the compensation scheme in a financial year, that is, costs which are not dependent upon the level of activity of the compensation scheme and which therefore are not referable to any specific default. Included in this category are items such as the salary of the members of the board of the FSCS, the costs of the premises which the FSCS occupies, and
This part of the guidance deals with:(1) exclusions which are disapplied where the regulated activity relates to contracts of insurance;(2) exclusions which are disapplied where a person carries on insurance mediation; and(3) the following exclusions applying to more than one regulated activity:(a) activities carried on in the course of a profession or non-investment business (article 67 (Activities carried on in the course of a profession or non-investment business));(b) activities
(1) Generally, the FSA will consider excluding, through a firm'sIRB permission, exposures falling into BIPRU 4.2.26 R (6) from the IRB approach. The degree to which this exclusion applies will be set out in the firm'sIRB permission.(2) Exposures excluded under (1) will be eligible for a 0% risk weight under the standardised approach if they satisfy the conditions in BIPRU 3.2.25 R to BIPRU 3.2.27 R (Zero risk weight for certain intra-group exposures).(3) Exposures to or holdings