QBE Syndicate 2999 Annual Report and Accounts 2009
QBE Syndicate 2999 Annual Report and Accounts 2009 QBE Syndicate 2999 Annual Report and Accounts 2009
Notes to the financial statements continued For the year ended 31 December 2009 1 Accounting policies continued c) Foreign currency transactions Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling, the functional currency, at the rate of exchange prevailing at the time of the transaction. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date with the exception of non-monetary assets and liabilities which are maintained at historic rates. Exchange differences are included in the technical account. d) Financial assets Financial assets are managed on a fair value basis in accordance with the syndicate’s investment strategy. The syndicate has therefore elected to measure all financial assets at fair value through the profit and loss non-technical account, except where noted below. Listed investments are stated at fair value on current bid prices quoted by the relevant exchanges. Unlisted investments are carried at the directors’ estimate of the current fair value, except as stated below. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date on which a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently stated at fair value obtained from quoted market prices in active markets. Financial assets are derecognised when the right to receive future cash flows from the assets has expired, or has been transferred, and the syndicate has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership. e) Investment return Investment return comprises all investment income, realised investment gains and losses and movements in unrealised gains and losses, net of investment expenses, charges and interest. Realised gains and losses on investments carried at fair value are calculated as the difference between net sale proceeds and purchase price. Unrealised gains and losses on investments represent the difference between the valuation at the balance sheet date and their purchase price, or if they have previously been valued, their valuation at the previous balance sheet date, together with a reversal of unrealised gains and losses recognised in earlier accounting periods in respect of investment disposals in the current year. Investment return is initially recorded in the non-technical account. A transfer is made from the non-technical account to the general business technical account. Investment return has been wholly allocated to the technical account as all investments related to the technical account. f) Taxation Under Schedule 19 of the Finance Act 1993 managing agents are not required to deduct basic rate income tax from trading income. In addition, all UK basic rate income tax deducted from syndicate investment income is recoverable by managing agents and consequently the distribution made to the member is gross of tax. Capital appreciation falls within trading income and is also distributed gross of tax. No provision has been made for any United States Federal Income tax payable on underwriting results or investment earnings. Any payments on account made by the syndicate during the year are included in the balance sheet under the heading “member’s balance”. No provision has been made for any overseas tax payable by the member on underwriting results. 30 QBE Syndicate 2999 Annual report 2009
1 Accounting policies continued g) Administrative expenses Administrative expenses are taken into account on an accruals basis. These recharged expenses include the costs of staff, who are employed by QBE Management Services (UK) Limited. QBE Management Services (UK) Limited operates both defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes, the expense of which is included in the recharges. h) Profit commission Profit commission is recognised on the basis of the annual accounting result for each year of account, and charged to the syndicate as incurred. From the 2008 year of account, no profit commission has been charged by the managing agent. For prior years of account profit commission was charged by the managing agent at a rate of 20% of profit subject to the operation of a deficit clause. 2 Capital Each syndicate in Lloyd’s is required to carry out a self assessment of the capital it requires, the Individual Capital Assessment (ICA). This is required to reflect the level of capital needed to ensure that the syndicate will remain solvent for the next 12 months in 99.5% of future foreseeable scenarios. QBE has developed a sophisticated stochastic risk-based capital model over the past three years, which incorporates the key risks being faced by each of the legal entities. The output from this model, which is tailored to QBE’s risk profile, is reported to the Capital Committee, which in turn recommends it to the relevant QBE Boards for adoption. The ICAs have been reviewed by Lloyd’s, and form the basis of the minimum capital required by the syndicate. Every member is required to hold capital at Lloyd’s which is held in trust and known as Funds at Lloyd’s (FAL). These funds are intended primarily to cover circumstances where syndicate assets prove insufficient to meet participating members’ underwriting liabilities. The level of FAL that Lloyd’s requires a member to maintain is determined by Lloyd’s based on FSA requirements and resource criteria. FAL has regard to a number of factors including the nature and amount of risk to be underwritten by the member and the assessment of the reserving risk in respect of business that has been underwritten. Since FAL is not under the management of the managing agent, no amount has been shown in these financial statements by way of such capital resources. However, the managing agent is able to make a call on the member’s FAL to meet liquidity requirements or to settle losses. All externally imposed capital requirements have been complied with during the year. QBE’s capital model has been embedded in the business, and as well as assessing minimum capital requirements for QBE entities, it has also been used to: • allocate capital to class of business for business planning and performance monitoring; • assess the effectiveness of existing reinsurance protections and new reinsurance strategies; and • consider the implications of Solvency II on the business. 31 QBE Syndicate 2999 Annual report 2009
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- Page 3 and 4: QBE Syndicate 2999 highlights QBE S
- Page 5 and 6: Major events in 2009 • Growth ach
- Page 7 and 8: 3. Empowers through a collaborative
- Page 9 and 10: Business of the syndicate QBE Syndi
- Page 11 and 12: QBE Marine and Energy Syndicate 103
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- Page 15 and 16: Report of the directors of the mana
- Page 17 and 18: During 2009 we installed a new Head
- Page 19 and 20: Investment performance The total in
- Page 21 and 22: Statement of managing agent’s res
- Page 23 and 24: Risk management The syndicate’s a
- Page 25 and 26: Profit and loss account: technical
- Page 27 and 28: Balance sheet As at 31 December 200
- Page 29 and 30: Statement of cash flows For the yea
- Page 31: 1 Accounting policies continued b)
- Page 35 and 36: 4 Claims outstanding During the yea
- Page 37 and 38: 9 Other financial investments conti
- Page 39 and 40: 10 Financial risk continued i) Mark
- Page 41 and 42: 12 Overseas deposits These are lodg
- Page 43 and 44: 17 Related parties The managing age
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Notes to the financial statements<br />
continued<br />
For the year ended 31 December <strong>2009</strong><br />
1 Accounting policies continued<br />
c) Foreign currency transactions<br />
Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling, the functional currency, at the rate of exchange prevailing at the time of<br />
the transaction.<br />
Assets <strong>and</strong> liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date with<br />
the exception of non-monetary assets <strong>and</strong> liabilities which are maintained at historic rates.<br />
Exchange differences are included in the technical account.<br />
d) Financial assets<br />
Financial assets are managed on a fair value basis in accordance with the syndicate’s investment strategy. The syndicate has therefore elected<br />
to measure all financial assets at fair value through the profit <strong>and</strong> loss non-technical account, except where noted below.<br />
Listed investments are stated at fair value on current bid prices quoted by the relevant exchanges. Unlisted investments are carried at the directors’<br />
estimate of the current fair value, except as stated below.<br />
Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date on which a derivative contract is entered into <strong>and</strong> are subsequently stated at fair value obtained<br />
from quoted market prices in active markets.<br />
Financial assets are derecognised when the right to receive future cash flows from the assets has expired, or has been transferred, <strong>and</strong> the syndicate<br />
has transferred substantially all the risks <strong>and</strong> rewards of ownership.<br />
e) Investment return<br />
Investment return comprises all investment income, realised investment gains <strong>and</strong> losses <strong>and</strong> movements in unrealised gains <strong>and</strong> losses, net of<br />
investment expenses, charges <strong>and</strong> interest.<br />
Realised gains <strong>and</strong> losses on investments carried at fair value are calculated as the difference between net sale proceeds <strong>and</strong> purchase price.<br />
Unrealised gains <strong>and</strong> losses on investments represent the difference between the valuation at the balance sheet date <strong>and</strong> their purchase price, or if they<br />
have previously been valued, their valuation at the previous balance sheet date, together with a reversal of unrealised gains <strong>and</strong> losses recognised in<br />
earlier accounting periods in respect of investment disposals in the current year.<br />
Investment return is initially recorded in the non-technical account. A transfer is made from the non-technical account to the general business technical<br />
account. Investment return has been wholly allocated to the technical account as all investments related to the technical account.<br />
f) Taxation<br />
Under Schedule 19 of the Finance Act 1993 managing agents are not required to deduct basic rate income tax from trading income. In addition, all UK<br />
basic rate income tax deducted from syndicate investment income is recoverable by managing agents <strong>and</strong> consequently the distribution made to the<br />
member is gross of tax. Capital appreciation falls within trading income <strong>and</strong> is also distributed gross of tax.<br />
No provision has been made for any United States Federal Income tax payable on underwriting results or investment earnings. Any payments on account<br />
made by the syndicate during the year are included in the balance sheet under the heading “member’s balance”.<br />
No provision has been made for any overseas tax payable by the member on underwriting results.<br />
30<br />
<strong>QBE</strong> <strong>Syndicate</strong> <strong>2999</strong><br />
<strong>Annual</strong> report <strong>2009</strong>
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