Accounting policies for the consolidated balance sheet and profit and loss account (continued)
Critical accounting policies continued
Insurance provisions, deferred acquisition costs (DAC) and value of business acquired (VOBA)
The establishment of insurance provisions, DAC and VOBA is an inherently uncertain process, involving assumptions about factors such as court decisions, changes in laws, social, economic and demographic trends, inflation, investment returns, policyholder behaviour and other factors, and, in the life insurance business, assumptions concerning mortality and morbidity trends. Specifically, significant assumptions related to these items that could have a material impact on financial results include interest rates, mortality, morbidity, property and casualty claims, investment yields on equity and real estate, foreign currency exchange rates and reserve adequacy assumptions.
The use of different assumptions about these factors could have a material effect on insurance provisions and underwriting expense. Changes in assumptions may lead to changes in the insurance provisions over time. Furthermore, some of these assumptions can be volatile.
In addition, the adequacy of insurance provisions, net of DAC and VOBA, is evaluated regularly. The test involves comparing the established insurance provision with current best estimate assumptions about factors such as court decisions, changes in laws, social, economic and demographic trends, inflation, investment returns, policyholder behaviour and other factors, and mortality and morbidity trends. The use of different assumptions in this test could lead to a different outcome.
Insurance provisions also include the impact of minimum guarantees which are contained within certain variable annuity products. This impact is dependent upon the difference between the potential minimum benefits payable and the total account balance, expected mortality and surrender rates. The determination of the potential minimum benefits payable also involves the use of assumptions about factors such as inflation, investment returns, policyholder behaviour, and mortality and morbidity trends. The use of different assumptions about these factors could have a material effect on insurance provisions and underwriting expense.
The process of defining methodologies and assumptions for insurance provisions, DAC and VOBA is governed by ING Insurance risk management governance as described in the ‘Risk management’ section.
See the ‘Risk management’ section for a sensitivity analysis of net result and shareholders’ equity to insurance, interest rate, equity, foreign currency and real estate risks. These sensitivities are based on changes in assumptions that management considers reasonably likely at the balance sheet date.
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