6.7 Technical provisions

In order to show the net technical provisions remaining in the retention the following table compares the gross provisions with the corresponding retrocessionaires shares, which are shown as assets in the balance sheet.

The loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are in principle calculated on the basis of the information supplied by ceding companies. Additional IBNR reserves are established for losses that have been incurred but not as yet reported. The development of the loss and loss adjustment expense reserve is shown in the following table. Commencing with the gross reserve, the change in the reserve after deduction of the reinsurers’ portions is shown in the year under review and the previous year.

Specific value adjustments established in the year under review on Retrocessions, i. e. on the reinsurance recoverables on unpaid claims, were principally attributable to the insolvency of a retrocessionaire from the United States in the area of property and casualty reinsurance. On balance, cumulative specific value adjustments of EUR 44.5 million (EUR 1.4 million) were recognised in these reinsurance recoverables as at the balance sheet date.

The total amount of the net reserve before specific value adjustments, to which the following remarks apply, was EUR 26,682.7 million (EUR 26,621.7 million) as at the balance sheet date.

Run-off of the net loss reserve in the property and casualty reinsurance segment

To some extent the loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are inevitably based upon estimations that entail an element of uncertainty. The difference between the loss reserves constituted in the previous year and the losses paid out of these reserves is reflected in the net run-off result. In this regard, owing to the fact that the period of some reinsurance treaties is not the calendar year or because they are concluded on an underwriting-year basis, it is frequently impossible to make an exact allocation of claims expenditures to the current financial year or the previous year.

The run-off triangles provided by the reporting units are shown after adjustment for the currency effects arising out of translation of the respective transaction currency into the local reporting currency. The run-off triangles of the reporting units delivered in foreign currencies are translated to euro at the current rate on the balance sheet date in order to show run-off results after adjustment for currency effects. In cases where the originally estimated ultimate loss corresponds to the actual ultimate loss in the original currency, it is ensured that also after translation to the Group reporting currency (EUR) a run-off result induced purely by currency effects is not shown.

The run-off triangles show the run-off of the net loss reserve (loss and loss adjustment expense reserve) established as at each balance sheet date, this reserve comprising the provisions constituted in each case for the current and preceding occurrence years.

The following table shows the net loss reserve for the property and casualty reinsurance business group in the years 2007 to 2017 as well as the run-off of the reserve (so-called run-off triangle). The figures reported for the 2007 balance sheet year also include the amounts for previous years that are no longer shown separately in the run-off triangle. The run-off results shown reflect the changes in the ultimate loss arising in the 2017 financial year for the individual run-off years.

The run-off profit of altogether EUR 1,058.0 million (EUR 804.1 million) in the 2017 financial year derives, as in the previous year, above all from positive run-offs of reserves in short-tail property business as well as in the areas of general liability and marine / aviation.

Maturities of the technical reserves

IFRS 4 “Insurance Contracts” requires information which helps to clarify the amount and timing of cash flows expected from reinsurance contracts. In the following tables we have shown the future maturities of the technical provisions broken down by the expected remaining times to maturity. As part of our maturity analysis we have directly deducted the deposits put up as collateral for these reserves, since the cash inflows and outflows from these deposits are to be allocated directly to the ceding companies. For further explanation of the recognition and measurement of the reserves please see section 3.2 “Summary of major accounting policies”.

The average maturity of the loss and loss adjustment expense reserves was 4.6 years (5.1 years), or 4.6 years (5.1 years) after allowance for the corresponding retrocession shares. The benefit reserve had an average maturity of 11.1 years (10.9 years) – or 13.6 years (12.3 years) on a net basis.

The average maturity of the reserves is determined using actuarial projections of the expected future payments. A payment pattern is calculated for each homogenous category of our portfolio – making allowance for the business sector, geographical considerations, treaty type and the type of reinsurance – and applied to the outstanding liabilities for each underwriting year and run-off status.

The payment patterns are determined with the aid of actuarial estimation methods and adjusted to reflect changes in payment behaviour and outside influences. The calculations can also be distorted by major losses, and these are therefore considered separately using reference samples or similar losses. The payment patterns used can be compared year for year by contrasting the projected payments with the actual amounts realised. Liabilities in liability and motor reinsurance traditionally have long durations, sometimes in excess of 20 years, while liabilities in property business are settled within the first ten years.

A benefit reserve is established for life, annuity, personal accident and health reinsurance contracts. Based on the duration of these contracts, long-term reserves are constituted for life and annuity policies and predominantly short-term reserves are set aside for health and personal accident business.

The parameters used to calculate the benefit reserve are interest income, lapse rates and mortality/morbidity rates.

The values for the first two components (interest income and lapse rates) differ according to the country concerned, product type, investment year etc.

The mortality and morbidity rates used are chosen on the basis of national tables and the insurance industry standard. Empirical values for the reinsured portfolio, where available, are also taken into consideration. In this context insights into the gender, age and smoker structure are incorporated into the calculations, and allowance is also made for factors such as product type, sales channel and the frequency of premium payment by policyholders.

At the inception of every reinsurance contract, assumptions about the three parameters are made and locked in for the purpose of calculating the benefit reserve. At the same time, safety / fluctuation loadings are built into each of these components. In order to ensure at all times that the originally chosen assumptions continue to be adequate throughout the contract, checks are made on a regular – normally annual – basis in order to determine whether these assumptions need to be adjusted (“unlocked”).

The benefit reserve is established in accordance with the principles set out in SFAS 60. The provisions are based on the Group companies’ information regarding mortality, interest and lapse rates.

The development in the year under review was influenced by portfolio withdrawals attributable principally to partial withdrawals from specific underwriting years in relation to UK single premium business as well as in quota share business with German primary insurers.

The unearned premium reserve derives from the deferral of ceded reinsurance premium. The unearned premium is determined by the period during which the risk is carried and established in accordance with the information supplied by ceding companies. In cases where no information was received, the unearned premium was estimated using suitable methods. Premium paid for periods subsequent to the date of the balance sheet was deferred from recognition within the statement of income.

The adequacy of the technical liabilities arising out of our reinsurance treaties is reviewed as at each balance sheet date. In the context of the adequacy testing of technical liabilities (liability adequacy test pursuant to IFRS 4 in conjunction with loss recognition test as per US GAAP) the anticipated future contractual payment obligations are compared with the anticipated future income. Should the result of the test indicate that the anticipated future income will not be sufficient to fund future payments, the entire shortfall is recognised in income by first writing off capitalised acquisition costs corresponding to the shortfall. Any remaining difference is constituted as an additional provision.