Version 03
Issued on 30 September 2025
Guidance Notes in relation to Auditor’s
Reports of insurers to be provided to the
Isle of Man Financial Services Authority
under the requirements of the
Insurance Regulations 2025
Published by the Isle of Man Financial Services
Authority under section 34 of the Insurance Act 2008
on 30 September 2025
INFORMATION
In this document, where the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority indicates that it has
exercised a power, this is not guidance but is information confirming that the power has been
exercised as stated.
STATUS OF THIS GUIDANCE
The Authority issues guidance for various purposes including to illustrate best practice, to
assist regulated entities (in this case authorised insurers, permit holders and registered
insurance managers (as applicable)) to comply with legislation and to provide examples or
illustrations. Guidance is, by its nature, not law, however it is persuasive. Where a person
follows guidance this would tend to indicate compliance with the legislative provisions, and
vice versa.
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Issued on 30 September 2025
Contents
- Interpretation and references ........................................................................................... 3
- Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3
- Scope of Reporting ............................................................................................................. 3
- Framework and level of assurance to be applied .............................................................. 4
Isle of Man Financial Services Authority
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Issued on 30 September 2025
- Interpretation and references
(1) In this document —
“the Act” means the Insurance Act 2008;
“the Authority” means the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority;
“the Guidance Notes” means the Guidance Notes and Information Concerning the
Insurance Regulations 2025 and the Corporate Governance Code of Practice for
Insurers 2021;
“the Regulations” means the Insurance Regulations 2025.
- Introduction
This guidance is published by the Authority under section 34 of the Insurance Act 2008, and
is relevant to all authorised insurers and their auditors appointed under section 15 of the
Act.
This guidance sets out the level of independent assurance expected by the Authority under–
- regulation 19(6)(c)1
; or
- in relation to an insurer that is a protected cell company, 19(6)(b)(ii)2
,
(Auditor’s Report), as applicable to the insurer in question under the Regulations.
- Scope of Reporting
The current required form of Auditor’s Report (as applicable) can be found using the
following links:
- in respect of regulation 19(6)(c): see form titled “Auditor’s Report” located on the
Authority’s website.
- in respect of regulation 19(6)(b)(ii): see form titled “Auditor’s Report PCC version”
located on the Authority’s website.
This form (as applicable) is to be used in respect of long-term business insurers and non
long-term business insurers, as the case may be.
Paragraph (1) of the Auditor’s Report requires assurance in relation to certain elements of
the regulatory returns of the insurer in question, as specified in footnote 2 of that Report.
1
As modified by the Authority in respect of non-commercial non long-term business insurers (the detail of that
modification is set out under paragraph 5 of the Guidance Notes.
2
As inserted into regulation 19(6) by paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the Regulations, and as modified by the
Authority in respect of non-commercial non long-term business insurers (the detail of that modification is set
out under paragraph 5 of the Guidance Notes.
Isle of Man Financial Services Authority
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Paragraph (2) of the Auditor’s Report requires assurance in relation to certain certifications
given by the directors of the insurer in question, as specified in paragraph (2) of that Report.
4. Framework and level of assurance to be applied
In pursuing its regulatory objectives the Authority considers it important to provide
guidance to auditors of insurers on the level of assurance it considers acceptable in order to
reduce the risk of material misstatement of information reported to the Authority to a level
that is appropriate.
Where appropriate to the accounting standards adopted by the insurer in question in
accordance with regulation 7 of the Regulations, the current version of the—
- International Standard on Assurance Engagements (UK) 3000 published by the
Financial Reporting Council (FRC); or
- International Standard on Assurance Engagements 3000 (Revised) issued by the
International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB),
Assurance Engagements Other Than Audits Or Reviews Of Historical Financial Information
(the “ISAE 3000s”), or any successor of those standards (as applicable), provide a recognised
framework that the Authority considers appropriate to be used for the Auditor’s Report.
The relevant ISAE 3000 provides for both “reasonable assurance” and “limited assurance”
reporting.
In accordance with the framework set out under the relevant ISAE 3000, the Authority
expects the assurance provided under—
- Paragraph (1) of the Auditor’s Report to be at the level of a “reasonable assurance”
in the form set out in that paragraph; and
- Paragraph (2) of the Auditor’s Report to be at the level of a “limited assurance” in
the form set out in that paragraph.
In the Auditor’s Report a text box is provided in which any additional matters relevant to the
above-mentioned assurances may be included, as indicated in the text in square brackets
included within the box.
All work necessary to providing the above-mentioned assurances should be planned and
carried out in a manner that is consistent with the relevant ISAE 3000.