2021-04-29
The Financial Sector Conduct Authority has published a new version of the Insurance Conduct of Business Returns, mandating short- and long-term insurers to submit updated reporting forms via its website. The revised CBR 2021-V1 introduces updated terminology, additional questions on distribution channels and claims management, and a postponed transition to XML format in favor of a cross-sectoral Omni-CBR. This updated reporting framework takes effect on 1 May 2021, with the first submission due by 30 July 2021 for the April to June reporting period.
FSCA COMMUNICATION 8 OF 2021 (INS) New version of the Insurance Conduct of Business Returns (CBRs) determined on the FSCA website
2 3.2. Business Composition: The following questions were changed or added in the business composition section on the Policy Level sheet: • The options of ‘automated advice’ and ‘USSD’ was added as distribution channels under questions relating to distribution channels ; and • a question was added to identify ‘term policies’ that reached their full term. 3.3. Commission, Binder Fees and Other Payments: The following questions were changed or added in the Commission, Binder Fees and Other Payments section on the Policy Level sheet: • A question on the number of binder agreements was added; • a question on the number of outsourcing agreements was added; • a question on the number of cell captive arrangements was added; and • section 2 was aligned between the CBRs for non-life (short-term) insurance and life (long-term) insurance to include the question on additional fees that are being paid. This question was previously not in the CBRs for non-life (shortterm) insurance. 3.4. Add-on Benefits in the CBRs for non-life (short-term insurance) The following option was added in the Add-on Benefits sheet: • Sasria cover is now indicated separately, as some insurers provide riot and strike cover for other countries in Africa. 3.5. Claims Management The following questions were added in the Claims Management section on the Benefit Level sheets: • Questions to separate “accepted” claims from “paid” claims; • questions regarding the number and value of withdrawn claims; and • questions on the value and number of claims moved to unclaimed benefits in the CBRs for life (long-term) insurance. 4. CONFIRMATION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 4.1 All insurers that are currently required to submit CBRs, must submit their completed CBRs as follows: For the reporting period January 2021 – March 2021: The CBR must be completed on the version of CBR 2019 - V1 For the reporting period April 2021 – June 2021: The CBR must be completed on the version of CBR 2021-V1 This means that the use of the new format CBR 2021-V1 only takes effect from 1 May 2021. 4.2 All CBR submissions must be done via the Conduct of Business – Data Upload Facility on the FSCA website.
3 4.3 It should also be noted that the phase-in period for the submission of the CBRs ended in February 2020 and the FSCA may impose administrative penalties for late or incomplete submissions going forward. 5. POSTPONEMENT OF THE MOVE TO AN EXTENSIBLE MARKUP LANGUAGE (XML) - FORMAT OF SUBMISSION OF THE CBRs 5.1 In the FSCA Communication 24 of 2020 (INS) an update was provided on the developments related to a ‘Extensible Markup Language’ (XML) format for submission of the Insurance CBRs. Due to these requests, the FSCA had originally planned that the new version of the insurance CBRs would be in XML format, but it has since taken a strategic decision to postpone the development of the XML format submission to allign with the development of the broader, cross-sectoral CBR intended to harmonise reporting to the FSCA by regulated entities (commonly referred to as the “Omni-CBR”). It is envisaged that this Omni-CBR will facilitate streamlined reporting by a number of the sectors regulated by the FSCA, including insurance, banking, financial advisors, section 13B pension fund administrators, pension funds and investment providers. The developments in relation to this return will be communicated to the relevant sectors in due course and consulted on during the course of 2022. 6. ENQUIRIES Any queries relating to this Communication and the Insurance CBRs must be sent to the following e-mail address: FSCA.INSCBRComments@FSCA.co.za KEDIBONE DIKOKWE DIVISIONAL EXECUTIVE: CONDUCT OF BUSINESS SUPERVISION FINANCIAL SECTOR CONDUCT AUTHORITY Date of publication: 29 April 2021