Measurement (paragraphs B36–B119F) (AASB17_07-17_COMPdec22_01-23)

An entity shall apply paragraphs 30–52 to all groups of insurance contracts within the scope of AASB 17, with the following exceptions:

(a)            for groups of insurance contracts meeting either of the criteria specified in paragraph 53, an entity may simplify the measurement of the group using the premium allocation approach in paragraphs 55–59.

(b)            for groups of reinsurance contracts held, an entity shall apply paragraphs 32–46 as required by paragraphs 63–70A. Paragraph 45 (on insurance contracts with direct participation features) and paragraphs 47–52 (on onerous contracts) do not apply to groups of reinsurance contracts held.

(c)            for groups of investment contracts with discretionary participation features, an entity shall apply paragraphs 32–52 as modified by paragraph 71.

When applying AASB 121 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates to a group of insurance contracts that generate cash flows in a foreign currency, an entity shall treat the group of contracts, including the contractual service margin, as a monetary item.

In the financial statements of an entity that issues insurance contracts, the fulfilment cash flows shall not reflect the non-performance risk of that entity (non-performance risk is defined in AASB 13 Fair Value Measurement).

On initial recognition, an entity shall measure a group of insurance contracts at the total of:

(a)            the fulfilment cash flows, which comprise:

(i)              estimates of future cash flows (paragraphs 33–35);

(ii)             an adjustment to reflect the time value of money and the financial risks related to the future cash flows, to the extent that the financial risks are not included in the estimates of the future cash flows (paragraph 36); and

(iii)             a risk adjustment for non-financial risk (paragraph 37).

(b)            the contractual service margin, measured applying paragraphs 38–39.

An entity shall include in the measurement of a group of insurance contracts all the future cash flows within the boundary of each contract in the group (see paragraph 34). Applying paragraph 24, an entity may estimate the future cash flows at a higher level of aggregation and then allocate the resulting fulfilment cash flows to individual groups of contracts. The estimates of future cash flows shall:

(a)            incorporate, in an unbiased way, all reasonable and supportable information available without undue cost or effort about the amount, timing and uncertainty of those future cash flows (see paragraphs B37–B41). To do this, an entity shall estimate the expected value (ie the probability-weighted mean) of the full range of possible outcomes.

(b)            reflect the perspective of the entity, provided that the estimates of any relevant market variables are consistent with observable market prices for those variables (see paragraphs B42–B53).

(c)            be current – the estimates shall reflect conditions existing at the measurement date, including assumptions at that date about the future (see paragraphs B54–B60).

(d)            be explicit – the entity shall estimate the adjustment for non-financial risk separately from the other estimates (see paragraph B90). The entity also shall estimate the cash flows separately from the adjustment for the time value of money and financial risk, unless the most appropriate measurement technique combines these estimates (see paragraph B46).

Cash flows are within the boundary of an insurance contract if they arise from substantive rights and obligations that exist during the reporting period in which the entity can compel the policyholder to pay the premiums or in which the entity has a substantive obligation to provide the policyholder with insurance contract services (see paragraphs B61–B71). A substantive obligation to provide insurance contract services ends when:

(a)            the entity has the practical ability to reassess the risks of the particular policyholder and, as a result, can set a price or level of benefits that fully reflects those risks; or

(b)            both of the following criteria are satisfied:

(i)              the entity has the practical ability to reassess the risks of the portfolio of insurance contracts that contains the contract and, as a result, can set a price or level of benefits that fully reflects the risk of that portfolio; and

(ii)             the pricing of the premiums up to the date when the risks are reassessed does not take into account the risks that relate to periods after the reassessment date.

An entity shall not recognise as a liability or as an asset any amounts relating to expected premiums or expected claims outside the boundary of the insurance contract. Such amounts relate to future insurance contracts.

An entity shall adjust the estimates of future cash flows to reflect the time value of money and the financial risks related to those cash flows, to the extent that the financial risks are not included in the estimates of cash flows. The discount rates applied to the estimates of the future cash flows described in paragraph 33 shall:

(a)            reflect the time value of money, the characteristics of the cash flows and the liquidity characteristics of the insurance contracts;

(b)            be consistent with observable current market prices (if any) for financial instruments with cash flows whose characteristics are consistent with those of the insurance contracts, in terms of, for example, timing, currency and liquidity; and

(c)            exclude the effect of factors that influence such observable market prices but do not affect the future cash flows of the insurance contracts.

An entity shall adjust the estimate of the present value of the future cash flows to reflect the compensation that the entity requires for bearing the uncertainty about the amount and timing of the cash flows that arises from non-financial risk.

The contractual service margin is a component of the asset or liability for the group of insurance contracts that represents the unearned profit the entity will recognise as it provides insurance contract services in the future. An entity shall measure the contractual service margin on initial recognition of a group of insurance contracts at an amount that, unless paragraph 47 (on onerous contracts) or paragraph B123A (on insurance revenue relating to paragraph 38(c)(ii)) applies, results in no income or expenses arising from:

(a)            the initial recognition of an amount for the fulfilment cash flows, measured by applying paragraphs 32–37;

(b)            any cash flows arising from the contracts in the group at that date;

(c)            the derecognition at the date of initial recognition of:

(i)             any asset for insurance acquisition cash flows applying paragraph 28C; and

(ii)            any other asset or liability previously recognised for cash flows related to the group of contracts as specified in paragraph B66A.

For insurance contracts acquired in a transfer of insurance contracts or in a business combination within the scope of AASB 3, an entity shall apply paragraph 38 in accordance with paragraphs B93–B95F.

The carrying amount of a group of insurance contracts at the end of each reporting period shall be the sum of:

(a)            the liability for remaining coverage comprising:

(i)              the fulfilment cash flows related to future service allocated to the group at that date, measured applying paragraphs 33–37 and B36–B92;

(ii)             the contractual service margin of the group at that date, measured applying paragraphs 43–46; and

(b)            the liability for incurred claims, comprising the fulfilment cash flows related to past service allocated to the group at that date, measured applying paragraphs 33–37 and B36–B92.

An entity shall recognise income and expenses for the following changes in the carrying amount of the liability for remaining coverage:

(a)            insurance revenue – for the reduction in the liability for remaining coverage because of services provided in the period, measured applying paragraphs B120–B124;

(b)            insurance service expenses – for losses on groups of onerous contracts, and reversals of such losses (see paragraphs 47–52); and

(c)            insurance finance income or expenses – for the effect of the time value of money and the effect of financial risk as specified in paragraph 87.

An entity shall recognise income and expenses for the following changes in the carrying amount of the liability for incurred claims:

(a)            insurance service expenses – for the increase in the liability because of claims and expenses incurred in the period, excluding any investment components;

(b)            insurance service expenses – for any subsequent changes in fulfilment cash flows relating to incurred claims and incurred expenses; and

(c)            insurance finance income or expenses – for the effect of the time value of money and the effect of financial risk as specified in paragraph 87.

The contractual service margin at the end of the reporting period represents the profit in the group of insurance contracts that has not yet been recognised in profit or loss because it relates to the future service to be provided under the contracts in the group.

For insurance contracts without direct participation features, the carrying amount of the contractual service margin of a group of contracts at the end of the reporting period equals the carrying amount at the start of the reporting period adjusted for:

(a)            the effect of any new contracts added to the group (see paragraph 28);

(b)            interest accreted on the carrying amount of the contractual service margin during the reporting period, measured at the discount rates specified in paragraph B72(b);

(c)            the changes in fulfilment cash flows relating to future service as specified in paragraphs B96–B100, except to the extent that:

(i)              such increases in the fulfilment cash flows exceed the carrying amount of the contractual service margin, giving rise to a loss (see paragraph 48(a)); or

(ii)             such decreases in the fulfilment cash flows are allocated to the loss component of the liability for remaining coverage applying paragraph 50(b).

(d)            the effect of any currency exchange differences on the contractual service margin; and

(e)            the amount recognised as insurance revenue because of the transfer of insurance contract services in the period, determined by the allocation of the contractual service margin remaining at the end of the reporting period (before any allocation) over the current and remaining coverage period applying paragraph B119.

For insurance contracts with direct participation features (see paragraphs B101–B118), the carrying amount of the contractual service margin of a group of contracts at the end of the reporting period equals the carrying amount at the start of the reporting period adjusted for the amounts specified in subparagraphs (a)–(e) below. An entity is not required to identify these adjustments separately. Instead, a combined amount may be determined for some, or all, of the adjustments. The adjustments are:

(a)            the effect of any new contracts added to the group (see paragraph 28);

(b)            the change in the amount of the entity’s share of the fair value of the underlying items (see paragraph B104(b)(i)), except to the extent that:

(i)              paragraph B115 (on risk mitigation) applies;

(ii)             the decrease in the amount of the entity’s share of the fair value of the underlying items exceeds the carrying amount of the contractual service margin, giving rise to a loss (see paragraph 48); or

(iii)             the increase in the amount of the entity’s share of the fair value of the underlying items reverses the amount in (ii).

(c)            the changes in fulfilment cash flows relating to future service, as specified in paragraphs B101–B118, except to the extent that:

(i)              paragraph B115 (on risk mitigation) applies;

(ii)             such increases in the fulfilment cash flows exceed the carrying amount of the contractual service margin, giving rise to a loss (see paragraph 48); or

(iii)             such decreases in the fulfilment cash flows are allocated to the loss component of the liability for remaining coverage applying paragraph 50(b).

(d)            the effect of any currency exchange differences arising on the contractual service margin; and

(e)            the amount recognised as insurance revenue because of the transfer of insurance contract services in the period, determined by the allocation of the contractual service margin remaining at the end of the reporting period (before any allocation) over the current and remaining coverage period applying paragraph B119.

Some changes in the contractual service margin offset changes in the fulfilment cash flows for the liability for remaining coverage, resulting in no change in the total carrying amount of the liability for remaining coverage. To the extent that changes in the contractual service margin do not offset changes in the fulfilment cash flows for the liability for remaining coverage, an entity shall recognise income and expenses for the changes, applying paragraph 41.

An insurance contract is onerous at the date of initial recognition if the fulfilment cash flows allocated to the contract, any previously recognised insurance acquisition cash flows and any cash flows arising from the contract at the date of initial recognition in total are a net outflow. Applying paragraph 16(a), an entity shall group such contracts separately from contracts that are not onerous. To the extent that paragraph 17 applies, an entity may identify the group of onerous contracts by measuring a set of contracts rather than individual contracts. An entity shall recognise a loss in profit or loss for the net outflow for the group of onerous contracts, resulting in the carrying amount of the liability for the group being equal to the fulfilment cash flows and the contractual service margin of the group being zero.

A group of insurance contracts becomes onerous (or more onerous) on subsequent measurement if the following amounts exceed the carrying amount of the contractual service margin:

(a)            unfavourable changes relating to future service in the fulfilment cash flows allocated to the group arising from changes in estimates of future cash flows and the risk adjustment for non-financial risk; and

(b)            for a group of insurance contracts with direct participation features, the decrease in the amount of the entity’s share of the fair value of the underlying items.

Applying paragraphs 44(c)(i), 45(b)(ii) and 45(c)(ii), an entity shall recognise a loss in profit or loss to the extent of that excess.

An entity shall establish (or increase) a loss component of the liability for remaining coverage for an onerous group depicting the losses recognised applying paragraphs 47–48. The loss component determines the amounts that are presented in profit or loss as reversals of losses on onerous groups and are consequently excluded from the determination of insurance revenue.

After an entity has recognised a loss on an onerous group of insurance contracts, it shall allocate:

(a)            the subsequent changes in fulfilment cash flows of the liability for remaining coverage specified in paragraph 51 on a systematic basis between:

(i)              the loss component of the liability for remaining coverage; and

(ii)             the liability for remaining coverage, excluding the loss component.

(b)            solely to the loss component until that component is reduced to zero:

(i)              any subsequent decrease relating to future service in fulfilment cash flows allocated to the group arising from changes in estimates of future cash flows and the risk adjustment for non-financial risk; and

(ii)             any subsequent increases in the amount of the entity’s share of the fair value of the underlying items.

Applying paragraphs 44(c)(ii), 45(b)(iii) and 45(c)(iii), an entity shall adjust the contractual service margin only for the excess of the decrease over the amount allocated to the loss component.

The subsequent changes in the fulfilment cash flows of the liability for remaining coverage to be allocated applying paragraph 50(a) are:

(a)            estimates of the present value of future cash flows for claims and expenses released from the liability for remaining coverage because of incurred insurance service expenses;

(b)            changes in the risk adjustment for non-financial risk recognised in profit or loss because of the release from risk; and

(c)            insurance finance income or expenses.

The systematic allocation required by paragraph 50(a) shall result in the total amounts allocated to the loss component in accordance with paragraphs 48–50 being equal to zero by the end of the coverage period of a group of contracts.

An entity may simplify the measurement of a group of insurance contracts using the premium allocation approach set out in paragraphs 55–59 if, and only if, at the inception of the group:

(a)            the entity reasonably expects that such simplification would produce a measurement of the liability for remaining coverage for the group that would not differ materially from the one that would be produced applying the requirements in paragraphs 32–52; or

(b)            the coverage period of each contract in the group (including insurance contract services arising from all premiums within the contract boundary determined at that date applying paragraph 34) is one year or less.

The criterion in paragraph 53(a) is not met if at the inception of the group an entity expects significant variability in the fulfilment cash flows that would affect the measurement of the liability for remaining coverage during the period before a claim is incurred. Variability in the fulfilment cash flows increases with, for example:

(a)            the extent of future cash flows relating to any derivatives embedded in the contracts; and

(b)            the length of the coverage period of the group of contracts.

Using the premium allocation approach, an entity shall measure the liability for remaining coverage as follows:

(a)            on initial recognition, the carrying amount of the liability is:

(i)              the premiums, if any, received at initial recognition;

(ii)             minus any insurance acquisition cash flows at that date, unless the entity chooses to recognise the payments as an expense applying paragraph 59(a); and

(iii)             plus or minus any amount arising from the derecognition at that date of:

1.             any asset for insurance acquisition cash flows applying paragraph 28C; and

2.             any other asset or liability previously recognised for cash flows related to the group of contracts as specified in paragraph B66A.

(b)            at the end of each subsequent reporting period, the carrying amount of the liability is the carrying amount at the start of the reporting period:

(i)              plus the premiums received in the period;

(ii)             minus insurance acquisition cash flows; unless the entity chooses to recognise the payments as an expense applying paragraph 59(a);

(iii)             plus any amounts relating to the amortisation of insurance acquisition cash flows recognised as an expense in the reporting period; unless the entity chooses to recognise insurance acquisition cash flows as an expense applying paragraph 59(a);

(iv)              plus any adjustment to a financing component, applying paragraph 56;

(v)             minus the amount recognised as insurance revenue for services provided in that period (see paragraph B126); and

(vi)             minus any investment component paid or transferred to the liability for incurred claims.

If insurance contracts in the group have a significant financing component, an entity shall adjust the carrying amount of the liability for remaining coverage to reflect the time value of money and the effect of financial risk using the discount rates specified in paragraph 36, as determined on initial recognition. The entity is not required to adjust the carrying amount of the liability for remaining coverage to reflect the time value of money and the effect of financial risk if, at initial recognition, the entity expects that the time between providing each part of the services and the related premium due date is no more than a year.

If at any time during the coverage period, facts and circumstances indicate that a group of insurance contracts is onerous, an entity shall calculate the difference between:

(a)            the carrying amount of the liability for remaining coverage determined applying paragraph 55; and

(b)            the fulfilment cash flows that relate to remaining coverage of the group, applying paragraphs 33–37 and B36–B92. However, if, in applying paragraph 59(b), the entity does not adjust the liability for incurred claims for the time value of money and the effect of financial risk, it shall not include in the fulfilment cash flows any such adjustment.

To the extent that the fulfilment cash flows described in paragraph 57(b) exceed the carrying amount described in paragraph 57(a), the entity shall recognise a loss in profit or loss and increase the liability for remaining coverage.

In applying the premium allocation approach, an entity:

(a)            may choose to recognise any insurance acquisition cash flows as expenses when it incurs those costs, provided that the coverage period of each contract in the group at initial recognition is no more than one year.

(b)            shall measure the liability for incurred claims for the group of insurance contracts at the fulfilment cash flows relating to incurred claims, applying paragraphs 33–37 and B36–B92. However, the entity is not required to adjust future cash flows for the time value of money and the effect of financial risk if those cash flows are expected to be paid or received in one year or less from the date the claims are incurred.

The requirements in AASB 17 are modified for reinsurance contracts held, as set out in paragraphs 61–70A.

An entity shall divide portfolios of reinsurance contracts held applying paragraphs 14–24, except that the references to onerous contracts in those paragraphs shall be replaced with a reference to contracts on which there is a net gain on initial recognition. For some reinsurance contracts held, applying paragraphs 14–24 will result in a group that comprises a single contract.

Instead of applying paragraph 25, an entity shall recognise a group of reinsurance contracts held from the earlier of the following:

(a)            the beginning of the coverage period of the group of reinsurance contracts held; and

(b)            the date the entity recognises an onerous group of underlying insurance contracts applying paragraph 25(c), if the entity entered into the related reinsurance contract held in the group of reinsurance contracts held at or before that date.

Notwithstanding paragraph 62(a), an entity shall delay the recognition of a group of reinsurance contracts held that provide proportionate coverage until the date that any underlying insurance contract is initially recognised, if that date is later than the beginning of the coverage period of the group of reinsurance contracts held.

In applying the measurement requirements of paragraphs 32–36 to reinsurance contracts held, to the extent that the underlying contracts are also measured applying those paragraphs, the entity shall use consistent assumptions to measure the estimates of the present value of the future cash flows for the group of reinsurance contracts held and the estimates of the present value of the future cash flows for the group(s) of underlying insurance contracts. In addition, the entity shall include in the estimates of the present value of the future cash flows for the group of reinsurance contracts held the effect of any risk of non-performance by the issuer of the reinsurance contract, including the effects of collateral and losses from disputes.

Instead of applying paragraph 37, an entity shall determine the risk adjustment for non-financial risk so that it represents the amount of risk being transferred by the holder of the group of reinsurance contracts to the issuer of those contracts.

The requirements of paragraph 38 that relate to determining the contractual service margin on initial recognition are modified to reflect the fact that for a group of reinsurance contracts held there is no unearned profit but instead a net cost or net gain on purchasing the reinsurance. Hence, unless paragraph 65A applies, on initial recognition the entity shall recognise any net cost or net gain on purchasing the group of reinsurance contracts held as a contractual service margin measured at an amount equal to the sum of:

(a)            the fulfilment cash flows;

(b)            the amount derecognised at that date of any asset or liability previously recognised for cash flows related to the group of reinsurance contracts held;

(c)            any cash flows arising at that date; and

(d)            any income recognised in profit or loss applying paragraph 66A.

If the net cost of purchasing reinsurance coverage relates to events that occurred before the purchase of the group of reinsurance contracts held, notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph B5, the entity shall recognise such a cost immediately in profit or loss as an expense.

Instead of applying paragraph 44, an entity shall measure the contractual service margin at the end of the reporting period for a group of reinsurance contracts held as the carrying amount determined at the start of the reporting period, adjusted for:

(a)            the effect of any new contracts added to the group (see paragraph 28);

(b)            interest accreted on the carrying amount of the contractual service margin, measured at the discount rates specified in paragraph B72(b);

(ba)            income recognised in profit or loss in the reporting period applying paragraph 66A;

(bb)            reversals of a loss-recovery component recognised applying paragraph 66B (see paragraph B119F) to the extent those reversals are not changes in the fulfilment cash flows of the group of reinsurance contracts held;

(c)            changes in the fulfilment cash flows, measured at the discount rates specified in paragraph B72(c), to the extent that the change relates to future service, unless:

(i)              the change results from a change in fulfilment cash flows allocated to a group of underlying insurance contracts that does not adjust the contractual service margin for the group of underlying insurance contracts; or

(ii)             the change results from applying paragraphs 57‒58 (on onerous contracts), if the entity measures a group of underlying insurance contracts applying the premium allocation approach.

(d)            the effect of any currency exchange differences arising on the contractual service margin; and

(e)            the amount recognised in profit or loss because of services received in the period, determined by the allocation of the contractual service margin remaining at the end of the reporting period (before any allocation) over the current and remaining coverage period of the group of reinsurance contracts held, applying paragraph B119.

An entity shall adjust the contractual service margin of a group of reinsurance contracts held, and as a result recognise income, when the entity recognises a loss on initial recognition of an onerous group of underlying insurance contracts or on addition of onerous underlying insurance contracts to a group (see paragraphs B119C‒B119E).

An entity shall establish (or adjust) a loss-recovery component of the asset for remaining coverage for a group of reinsurance contracts held depicting the recovery of losses recognised applying paragraphs 66(c)(i)‒(ii) and 66A. The loss-recovery component determines the amounts that are presented in profit or loss as reversals of recoveries of losses from reinsurance contracts held and are consequently excluded from the allocation of premiums paid to the reinsurer (see paragraph B119F).

Changes in the fulfilment cash flows that result from changes in the risk of non-performance by the issuer of a reinsurance contract held do not relate to future service and shall not adjust the contractual service margin.

Reinsurance contracts held cannot be onerous. Accordingly, the requirements of paragraphs 47–52 do not apply.

An entity may use the premium allocation approach set out in paragraphs 55–56 and 59 (adapted to reflect the features of reinsurance contracts held that differ from insurance contracts issued, for example the generation of expenses or reduction in expenses rather than revenue) to simplify the measurement of a group of reinsurance contracts held, if at the inception of the group:

(a)            the entity reasonably expects the resulting measurement would not differ materially from the result of applying the requirements in paragraphs 63–68; or

(b)            the coverage period of each contract in the group of reinsurance contracts held (including insurance coverage from all premiums within the contract boundary determined at that date applying paragraph 34) is one year or less.

An entity cannot meet the condition in paragraph 69(a) if, at the inception of the group, an entity expects significant variability in the fulfilment cash flows that would affect the measurement of the asset for remaining coverage during the period before a claim is incurred. Variability in the fulfilment cash flows increases with, for example:

(a)            the extent of future cash flows relating to any derivatives embedded in the contracts; and

(b)            the length of the coverage period of the group of reinsurance contracts held.

If an entity measures a group of reinsurance contracts held applying the premium allocation approach, the entity shall apply paragraph 66A by adjusting the carrying amount of the asset for remaining coverage instead of adjusting the contractual service margin.

An investment contract with discretionary participation features does not include a transfer of significant insurance risk. Consequently, the requirements in AASB 17 for insurance contracts are modified for investment contracts with discretionary participation features as follows:

(a)            the date of initial recognition (see paragraphs 25 and 28) is the date the entity becomes party to the contract.

(b)            the contract boundary (see paragraph 34) is modified so that cash flows are within the contract boundary if they result from a substantive obligation of the entity to deliver cash at a present or future date. The entity has no substantive obligation to deliver cash if it has the practical ability to set a price for the promise to deliver the cash that fully reflects the amount of cash promised and related risks.

(c)            the allocation of the contractual service margin (see paragraphs 44(e) and 45(e)) is modified so that the entity shall recognise the contractual service margin over the duration of the group of contracts in a systematic way that reflects the transfer of investment services under the contract.