The perceived impact of financial condition reporting on the structute of the shortterm insurance indusrty in South Africa

Abstract

Financial Condition Reporting (FCR), which is set to be implemented in 2008, promises some of the most significant changes to solvency regulation in the history of the short-term insurance industry in South Africa.The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived impact that this new regulation will have on the short-term insurance industry and to identify the main challenges for implementing FCR requirements.The Delphi technique was used to solicit expert opinion and consensus on the key issues facing the short-term insurance industry in the transition to FCR.The survey indicates that whilst there are several challenges in moving to a more rigorous regulatory environment, that the benefits of a principle based, internationally harmonised and risk sensitive approach to capital requirements, outweigh the efforts of implementing such a system.