Issue 56, November 2016
Insurance IFRS Newsletter
Setting the stage for a final standard
“The decisions made this month should ease some of the operational burden and costs in key areas when implementing and applying IFRS 17.”
This month, the IASB discussed its findings from the external testing of a draft of the forthcoming insurance contracts standard (draft IFRS 17) and addressed some of the issues raised.
– Joachim Kölschbach, KPMG’s global IFRS insurance leader
Level of aggregation A portfolio of contracts would be divided at least between those contracts that are onerous on initial recognition, contracts that have no significant risk of becoming onerous after initial recognition and other contracts. However, entities would be prohibited from grouping contracts issued more than one year apart. Recognition of changes in estimates The Board agreed that when an experience adjustment directly causes a change in the estimate of the present value of future cash flows, the combined effect would be recognised in profit or loss.
Contents Summary of feedback received
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Derivatives used to mitigate financial risks
Level of aggregation
3
Recognition of changes in estimates
7
The Board agreed that if an entity uses a derivative to mitigate financial risks arising from an insurance contract, subject to the variable fee approach, then the entity would be permitted to exclude the effect of those changes in the financial risk from the contractual service margin (CSM) when specific criteria are met.
Derivatives used to mitigate financial risk
9
Transition The Board made changes to some transition requirements and confirmed that an entity would apply the forthcoming insurance contracts standard (IFRS 17) retrospectively, unless this is impracticable. If it is impracticable, then an entity would be permitted to choose between a modified retrospective approach and the fair value approach.
Transition
11
Other sweep issues
15
Appendix: Summary of IASB’s redeliberations
19
Effective date
Project milestones and timeline
32
KPMG contacts
33
The Board agreed that an entity would apply IFRS 17 for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2021, assuming that it is published in H1 2017. Entities would be able to apply it earlier if they also apply IFRS 9 Financial Instruments and IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers.
Keeping in touch
34
Acknowledgements
36
Next steps The staff are continuing the drafting process and expect to issue IFRS 17 in H1 2017.
© 2016 KPMG IFRG Limited, a UK company, limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.
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