FSB welcomes new insurance accounting standard

17 July 2017

On 18 May, the IASB issued IFRS 17, setting out a single, consistent approach to the accounting for insurance contracts. The FSB welcomes the final publication of this standard, which was identified as a high priority at the FSB Plenary meeting of 25 September 2015.

Subject to the relevant endorsement or adoption procedures in IFRS jurisdictions, the standard will become effective on 1 January 2021, which provides enough time for insurers to adapt processes, systems and organisational structures. Nevertheless, the FSB encourages firms to start the implementation efforts as soon as possible, and to engage in open dialogue with the IASB on the ways in which the standard’s application can generate the most relevant information. Insurance regulators should be part of this dialogue, and may consider how best to support consistent and practical application of the standard.

Enhanced dialogue with auditors and market authorities during the implementation stage will also be important. Investors need certainty around the degree of reliance they can attach to estimates of insurance contract liabilities. Relevant disclosures from reporting entities should aid in the understanding of the methodologies and assumptions used in developing those estimates.

Full press release

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