FSA/PN/123/2000
09/10/2000

A report on the issuance and withdrawal of authorisations under the Insurance Companies Act 1982 for the period 1 July 2000 to 30 September 2000 has been published today by the Financial Services Authority.

The report for the period shows that under the Act:

  • three companies were authorised to carry on business in the UK under Section 3 of the Act (Table A);

  • the power under Section 11 of the Act to withdraw authorisation to effect new contracts was not used (Table B);

  • final withdrawal of authorisation under Section 13 of the Act was issued in respect of nine companies (Table C).
In addition:
  • Table D1 shows the companies which have their head office in other EC Member States and have become entitled to carry on business through a branch in the UK and it indicates the nature of the risks which they may cover;

  • Table D2 lists the companies which have their head office in another state of the European Economic Area (EEA) and which have become entitled to provide life or non-life insurance in the UK (i.e. to cover risks here from an establishment in another EEA state rather than through a local branch or agency);

  • Table E1 shows that the no supervisory authorities of EC member states were notified of UK companies, which had notified the UK supervisory authority of their intention to begin to carry on business through a branch in that Member State; and

  • Table E2 lists the UK companies which notified their intention to begin to provide insurance in other EEA states.

Notes for editors

    1. The classes of business for which a company may be authorised are set out in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982.

    2. This information supplements that published in the Insurance Annual Report 1998, available from The Stationery Office (formerly HMSO).

    3. Authorised insurance companies which have their head office in the European Economic Area (EEA) may become entitled to insure risks in the UK either through a branch or by the provision of cross border services in the UK without needing to obtain authorisation here. Similarly, companies with their head office in the UK may become entitled to carry on business in other EEA states through a branch or provide cross border services in other Member States.

    4. The Third EC Directive on Non-Life Insurance (92/49/EEC) and the Third EC Directive on Life Assurance (92/96/EEC) were implemented in the UK by the Insurance Companies (Third Insurance Directives) Regulations 1994, the Insurance Companies Regulations 1994 and the Insurance Companies (Accounts and Statements) (Amendment) Regulations 1994.

    5. Regulations 45 and 46 of the Insurance Companies (Third Insurance Directives) Regulations 1994 amend Part IIIA of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and insert two new Schedules (Schedules 2F and 2G) into the Act.

    6. Schedule 2F contains the regime to be complied with where an EEA company wishes to carry on business through a branch in the United Kingdom, or where an EEA company wishes to provide insurance in the UK under the freedom of services. Before the company concerned can begin to cover risks in the UK, the UK supervisory authority must be notified and supplied with specified information and confirmation of the solvency of the company.

    7. Schedule 2G contains the regime to be complied with before an UK company can begin to carry on business through a branch in another EEA State or to provide insurance under the freedom of services in another EEA State. This regime includes a requirement that the company must notify the UK supervisory authority of its intentions and provides them with specified information.
    8. With effect from 1 January 1999 the Financial Services Authority has been authorised to exercise functions of the Treasury under insurance legislation pursuant to the Contracting Out (Functions in Relation to Insurance) Order 1998.

Appended information

TABLE A

Authorisations to carry on Insurance Business in the UK issued under Section 3 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 from 1 July 2000 to 30 September 2000

Company

Country of incorporation if outside the UK

Classes of business for which authorisation was issued

Classes of business for which authorisation was previously held

Date of authorisation

Fortis Insurance Limited

 

1-18

1 - 17

6.9.2000

Hanover Standard Life Limited

 

I

Nil

17.8.2000

Invesco Life Limited

 

I, III and IV

Nil

12.9.2000

 

TABLE B

Authorisations to effect new contracts of insurance withdrawn under Section 11 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 from 1 July 2000 to 30 September 2000

Company

Country of Incorporation if outside the UK

Classes of business for which authorisation to effect new contracts of insurance was withdrawn

Classes of business for which company remains authorised

Date of withdrawal

NOT USED

       

 

TABLE C

Authorisations to carry on insurance business in the UK finally withdrawn under Section 13 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 from 1 July 2000 to 30 September 2000

Company

Country of Incorporation if outside the UK

Classes of business for which authorisation was withdrawn

Classes of business for which company remains authorised

Date of withdrawal

British Marine Mutual Hull Insurance Assoction Limited

 

1, 4, 6, 7, 12 and 15

Nil

16.8.2000

British Marine Mutual P & I Insurance Association Limited

 

1, 4-7, 11, 12 and 15

Nil

16.8.2000

Consolidated Marine & General Insurance Company Limited

 

1 - 17

Nil

17.7.2000

The Energy Employers' Mutual Insurance Association Limited

 

12, 13, 16-18

Nil

26.9.2000

Osiris Insurance Limited

 

1 - 18

Nil

18.8.2000

Proteus Insurance Company Limited

 

I-IV, VI and VII

4-7, 11, 12 and 15

4.9.2000

The Transmarine Mutual Strike Assurance Association Limited

 

1, 4-7, 11, 12, 15 and 16

Nil

27.7.2000

The Western Australian Insurance Company Limited

Australia

1-18

Nil

16.8.2000

Worcester Hospital Contributors' Association

 

14, 15 and 17

1, 2 and 16

13.7.2000

TABLE D1

Companies established in other EEA member states which have become entitled to carry on through a branch in the UK under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 2000 and 30 September 2000

Company

Country of incorporation

Classes of business the company proposes to write in the UK * and **

Date on which notification received

AXA Corporate Solutions Assurance UK Branch

France

1-16

8.9.2000

MBIA Assurance SA

France

15

9.8.2000

Nederlandsche Credietverzekering Maatschappij N.V.

Netherlands

16

25.7.2000

 

* Large risks are as defined in Section 96B of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and other risks (the so-called mass risks) are all risks falling within Schedule 2 of the Act (general business) other than Large risks. This is subject in each case to the exclusion of risks to which Part IIIa of the Act (provision of insurance) does not apply (see Section 81A).

** Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part I of Schedule 2 to the Act. Only part of this class may be within the definition of Large or other risks (see note * above), as the case may be. All means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of Large or other risks, as the case may be.

 

TABLE D2

Companies established in other EEA states which have become entitled to provide life or non-life in the UK from an establishment in another EEA state Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 2000 and 30 September 2000

Company

Country of incorporation

Country in which establishment covering the risks is situated

Nature of the risks the company has become entitled to cover

Large* or other** classes

Date on which entitlement commenced

AXA Nordstern ART Versicherung AG

Germany

Germany

7-9, 13 and 16

26.6.2000

London Buckingham Insurance Company Limited

Gibraltar

Gibraltar

16

6.9.2000

Sogelux - Vie is known as Sogelife SA

 

 

 

 

Tryg-Baltica Forsikring, skadesforsikringsselskab A/S

Denmark

Denmark

1, 3, 6 and 7

8.8.2000

The Yasuda Kasai Insurance Company of Europe Limited

UK

Germany
The Netherlands

1, 2, 5-9 and 11-16

5.9.2000

 

*Large risks are as defined in Section 96B of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and other risks (the so-called mass risks) are all risks falling within Schedule 2 of the Act (general business) other than Large risks. This is subject in each case to the exclusion of risks to which Part IIIa of the Act (provision of insurance) does not apply (see Section 81A).

** Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part I of Schedule 2 to the Act. Only part of the class may be within the definition of Large or other risks (see note * above), as the case may be. All means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of Large or other risks, as the case may be.

 

TABLE E1

Companies authorised to carry on business in the UK which have notified the UK supervisory authority of its intention to begin to carry on business through branches in other EC member states under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 2000 and 30 September 2000

Company

Country of proposed branch

Classes of business company intends to write from the branch

* and **

Date on which supervisory authority of the country of the branch was notified by the UK supervisory authority

NONE

     

*Large risks are as defined in Section 96B of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and other risks (the so-called mass risks) are all risks falling within Schedule 2 of the Act (general business) other than Large risks. This is subject in each case to the exclusion of risks to which Part IIIA of the Act (provision of insurance) does not apply (see Section 81A).

** Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part I of Schedule 2 to the Act. Only part of the class may be within the definition Large or other risks (see note * above), as the case may be. All means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of Large or other risks, as the case may be.

 

TABLE E2

Companies authorised to carry on business in the UK which have notified the UK supervisory authority of their intention to begin to provide insurance in other EEA states under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 2000 and 30 September 2000.

Company

Country of Incorporation

Country in which establishment covering the risks is situated

Country in which it is proposed to provide insurance

Nature of the risks the company has become entitled to cover

Large* or other** classes

Albion Insurance Company Limited

UK

UK

Austria

Netherlands

8 and 9

8 and 9

AXA Sun Life public limited company

UK

UK

france

I, III, IV and VII

Combined Life Assurance Company Limited

UK

UK

Sweden

I

GE Specialty Insurance (UK) Limited

UK

UK

Irish Republic

1, 4-9, 11-13, 15 and 16

RAC Insurance Limited

UK

UK

Irish Republic

16-18

Skandia Life Assurance Company Limited

UK

UK

France

III

St Paul International Insurance Company Limited

UK

UK

Finland

Sweden

15

15

 

*Large risks are as defined in Section 96B of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and other risks (the so-called mass risks) are all risks falling within Schedule 2 of the Act (general business) other than Large risks. This is subject in each case to the exclusion of risks to which Part IIIA of the Act (provision of insurance) does not apply (see Section 81A).

** Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part I of Schedule 2 to the Act. Only part of the class may be within the definition of Large or other risks (see note * above), as the case may be. All means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of Large or other risks, as the case may be.

More Press releases: