4.4 Legal risk - Scor
4.4 Legal risk - Scor
4.4 Legal risk - Scor
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Details of intangible assets, related impairment testing policy and recent acquisitions is included in “Section 20.1.6 –<br />
Notes to the financial statements, Note 1 – Accounting Principles and Methods; Note 3 – Acquisitions; Note 4 –<br />
Intangible Assets; and Note 19 – Income Tax.”<br />
Considering the above, SCOR is exposed to the <strong>risk</strong>s related to the assessment of impairment of intangible assets and<br />
derecognition of deferred tax assets, given that such assessments are notably based on assumptions and subjective<br />
opinions. Those assessments, if they were to be revised, could have a material adverse impact on SCOR’s business,<br />
present and future revenues, net income, cash flows, financial position, and potentially, on the price of its securities.<br />
4.3 Liquidity <strong>risk</strong><br />
The Group undertakes specific reviews of its liquidity <strong>risk</strong> and considers it is able to face forthcoming settlement dates.<br />
Forthcoming settlement dates are estimated based on reasonable hypotheses and are composed of the following:<br />
incurred and future claims, re-insurance commissions, profit sharing granted to cedants, payments to suppliers,<br />
operating expenses, and other settlements, for which related amounts are not material for the analysis of the liquidity<br />
<strong>risk</strong>.<br />
4.3.1 SCOR FACES LIQUIDITY REQUIREMENTS IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM IN ORDER TO COVER, FOR<br />
EXAMPLE, CLAIMS PAYMENTS, OPERATIONAL EXPENSES AND DEBT REDEMPTIONS. IN THE CASE OF<br />
CATASTROPHE CLAIMS, IN PARTICULAR, IT MAY NEED TO SETTLE AMOUNTS WHICH EXCEED THE AMOUNT<br />
OF AVAILABLE LIQUIDITY<br />
SCOR needs liquidity to pay its operating expenses, interest on its debt and dividends on its capital stock, and replace<br />
certain maturing liabilities. Without sufficient liquidity, the Group may be forced to curtail its operations, and business will<br />
suffer. The principal internal sources of the Group’s liquidity are insurance premiums, cash flow from its investment<br />
portfolio and other assets, consisting mainly of cash or assets that are readily convertible into cash.<br />
Liquidity <strong>risk</strong> is increased in situations of market disruption as SCOR may need to sell a significant portion of its assets<br />
quickly and at unfavorable terms. Additional information on the Group’s liquid assets is included in “Section 20.1.6 –<br />
Notes to financial statements, Note 6 – Insurance Business Investments.”<br />
Some facilities SCOR uses to grant letters of credit to cedants require a 100% collateral in case of non-compliance with<br />
financial covenants or in case of a decrease in the Group’s financial strength rating. Significant changes in the Group’s<br />
solvency or rating could force it to collateralize these facilities at 100%, which would thus result in a deterioration of its<br />
liquidity level. Additional information on SCOR’s letter of credit facilities is included in “Section 20.1.6 - Notes to financial<br />
statements, Note 25 – Commitments Received and Granted.”<br />
Considering the above, SCOR is exposed to <strong>risk</strong>s of short-term or medium-term payouts, and it cannot be guaranteed<br />
that it will not be exposed to such <strong>risk</strong>s in the future, which could have a material adverse impact on its business,<br />
present and future revenues, net income, cash flows, financial position, and potentially, on the price of its securities.<br />
Additional information on the timing of repayments is included in “Section 20.1.6 – Notes to the consolidated financial<br />
statements, Note 26 – Insurance and Financial Risk.”<br />
4.3.2 ADVERSE CAPITAL AND CREDIT MARKET CONDITIONS MAY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT SCOR’S ABILITY<br />
TO ACCESS CAPITAL AND/OR LIQUIDITY OR INCREASE THE COST OF CAPITAL<br />
The capital and credit markets have been experiencing extreme volatility and disruption. In some cases, the markets<br />
have exerted downward pressure on availability of liquidity and credit capacity for certain issuers.<br />
External sources of liquidity in normal markets include a variety of short- and long-term instruments, including<br />
repurchase agreements, commercial paper, medium- and long-term debt, junior subordinated debt securities, capital<br />
securities and stockholders’ equity.<br />
In the event current internal and/or external resources do not satisfy its needs, SCOR may have to seek additional<br />
financing. The availability of additional financing will depend on a variety of factors such as market conditions, the<br />
general availability of credit, the volume of trading activities, the overall availability of credit to the financial services<br />
industry, its credit ratings and credit capacity, as well as the possibility that customers or lenders could develop a<br />
negative perception of its long- or short-term financial prospects if the Group incurs large investment losses or if the level<br />
of its business activity decrease due to a market downturn. Similarly, access to funds may be impaired if regulatory<br />
authorities or rating agencies take negative actions against SCOR. Internal sources of liquidity may prove to be<br />
insufficient, and in such case, SCOR may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on favorable terms, or<br />
at all.<br />
Disruptions, uncertainty or volatility in the capital and credit markets may also limit the Group’s access to capital required<br />
to operate its business, most significantly its insurance operations. Such market conditions may limit its ability to :<br />
• replace, in a timely manner, maturing liabilities;<br />
• satisfy statutory capital requirements;<br />
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