Chapter 1: Market reforms and commercial (re)insurance contract wordings Flashcards
What risk does the lack of contract certainty bring to the underwriters?
Underwriters will not know exactly where their exposure is under the contract ; reserving will not be accurate ; will not be able to allocate capital correctly
How did the FSA intervene in question of contract certainty?
Gave the market until the end of 2006 to find a solution. Made it clear failure would result in regulatory intervention
What was the main reason for uncertainty regarding contract certainty?
London Market relied heavily on slips. In absence of full wordings this was used. Disputes due discrepancies between wording and terms on the slip
In which case was the slip deemed ‘inadmissible’?
Youell V Bland Welch 1992
What were the issues with the Slip?
- Lack of contract certainty
- Subjectivities did no clearly define when they had been met
- Conditions noted on the slip, did this apply to one or all insurers?
- Changes that could be agreed by the leading insurer on behalf of the others
How were the inconsistencies in the slip solved?
Introduction of the Market Reform Contract (MRC)
What is the London Market Principles (LMP)
Voluntary blueprint for reforms which were to follow.
MRC, Leading Underwriting Agreements, Principle of Contract Certainty
What were the reasons for the London Market Reform?
Regulation
Loss of reputation
Legal Costs
Other Costs
Define Contract Certainty
Achieved by the complete and final agreement of all terms between the insured and insurer by the time they enter the contact.
What does the code of certainty seek to eradicate?
Uncertainties associated with parties contracting on the basis of price with leaving the detail for later.
What are the seven principles for contract certainty?
- Insurer and broker must ensure all terms are clear and unambiguous by the time the offer is made
- Contract documentation must be provided promptly
- Insurer and Broker must demonstrate the above
- Contract changes need to be certain and documented promptly
- Contract must include the agreed basis on which insurer’s final participation will be determined
- Final participation must be provided by each insurer promptly
- Broker and insurer have a responsibility to resolve exceptions to nay of above principles without delay
Why is is common to add subjectivity to an MRC at the time of quiatation?
Insurer requires further information from the insured before it can write the business
What is recommended for subscription contracts?
Signing provisions to ensure carrier’s participation can be clearly determined
What are the two things that written lines are?
To stand or un-annotated
What is meant by un-annotated?
Necessary be subject to change in the event of over-placement of the contract by the broker.
In order for a contract of insurance to be legally binding, it needs to be written in clear and unambiguous terms to achieve…
Contract Clarity
Up to what size of non-complex claim does the Single Claims Agreement Party cover?
£250,000 [or currency equivalent]
Which organisation has the key aim of transforming market processes and maintaining the highest professional standards of insurance and reinsurance brokers operating in the London and international markets?
London and International Insurance Brokers’ Association.
When a broker receives a Settlement Due Date, this is…
the date by which the [re]insurer wishes to receive the premium from the broker, which is not necessarily the premium payment date as set out as a policy conditions.
In the UK, the non-subscription market is generally considered to include the members of the…
Association of British Insurers and the British Insurance Brokers’ Association.
What is the Lloyd’s Wording Repository?
An electronic database of contract clauses, warranties and conditions and model contracts.
What does dual-regulation mean for Lloyd’s and its participants?
- PRA is responsible for ensuring the financial soundness of Lloyds.
- FCA monitors the conduct of the Corporation of Lloyd’s and its Managing Agents.
A soft market normally arises as a result of a period of:
little major loss activity and competitive market forces.
A syndicate at Lloyd’s agreed a several liability clause when it was set up. If one of the members was subsequently declared bankrupt, how does this affect the other remaining individuals?
Liability is several but not joint, so the remaining members are not responsible for making up any shortfall.
Why might an insurer review its contract wording as a result of a recent Financial Ombudsman Service [FOS] decision?
FOS has provided a ruling on previously disputed commercial contract wordings.
What are the benefits of an MRC?
Easier for insurers to assess risks offered by adding clarity to the broker/underwriter discussions
What are the types of Market Reform Contracts?
Open Market
Binding Authority
Lineslip
When should an Open Market MRC be used?
- Open market insurance and reinsurance business placed by LM brokers
- Marine open cargo covers and declarations
- declarations where MRC lineslips is not appropriate
- declarations off limited binding authority agreements
What is the general guidance as to the use of the Open Market MRC?
- Currency using ISO code
- Do not use non-specific acronyms
- Contract terms clearly stated
- Contract make reference to need to attach any notice by local laws after it has been agreed by the insurer but before provided to insured
- Any outstanding subjectivities ti be stated
- Contract provisions must be relevant to risk or administration of that risk
What are the 6 sections of the MRC?
Risk Details Information Security Details Subscription agreement Fiscal and regulatory Broker remuneration and deductions
What is highlighted in the risk details?
UMR, Type, Period, Interest, Limit of liability, Situation, Conditions, Choice of law and jurisdiction, Premium, Premium payment terms, Taxes payable, insurer contract documentation
What is an UMR?
Unique Market Reference
What is included in the information section
Free form additional information
What is the Security details in an MCR?
More than one subscriber of the risk, or insurer is a Lloyd’s Syndicate - several liability.
What section is the Several Liability and Attestation Clause in the MRC?
Security Details
Should a Several Liability and Attestation Clause be full or referenced?
Full
What is in the final part of the Security details clause?
- Unacceptable Line conditions
- Unnecessary Line Conditions
- Acceptable Line conditions
The section that documents all the inter and intra-market arrangements that will operate between the subscribers of risk is called?
Subscription agreement
What are contract changes usually subject to?
General Underwriters Agreement (GUA)
Is the adoption of SCAP optional or compulsory?
Optional
What is SCAP?
Single Claims Agreement Party - established to streamline and simplify the London Market claims agreement for the benefit of customers and reinforce the attractiveness of LM
How is SCAP achieved?
Incorporation of LMA in the MRC
What does SCAP provide?
Delegation of sole claims handling responsibility
Brokers are x to disclose whether or not a fee is payable by their client
‘strongly encouraged’