FSA's Internal Model Page - Q&A, ABI and EIOPA speech

Having already blogged on Julian Adams speech, I had neglected to pick up on the other goodies in the specialist IMAP section on the FSAs website.

There is, for the IMAP enthusiasts out there, a 6 page Q&A on common model application themes. I would highlight;

• "some uncertainly following the release of the text from the Rapporteur [Burkhard Balz]", but currently as confident as they can be on current timelines
• Decent summary of EPIFP problem
• Don't appear to close the window to "significant change" to existing model plans, but dependent on schedule (i.e. 2013 class maybe have room to tinker?)
• FSA materials for model application submissions will only be released in Feb 2012, which I guess is hard luck on those who are first up - however, I suspect the March/April 2012 class will not be short of insider information!
• Allocated application slots have been influenced by outstanding lobbying matters, such as matching premium (i.e. if your book of business is affected by matching premium, EPIFP etc, then you probably gained some advantage here)
• A pretty sketchy answer to how a company can evidence Use Test adherence before having the model signed off (q12) - I can see where they are coming from, but this answer should really have hooked back in to ICA to be useful to the industry, particularly in light of their using ICAS as "quantitative tools"
• Confident that early applicants will not get "two bites at the cherry"
• Some uncertainty as to what approvals, if any, the FSA can actually give firms before Omnibus II is passed.
• And of course the cherry on the cake about using model as an ICA replacement if they have conducted "an appropriate amount of review work" and are minded to approve the model.

Second is Otto Thoresen's speech at the event last week - a kind but firm smack on the back to encourage the FSA to allow ABI members to use their internal models for ICA in 2013.

Finally the presentation from the last minute EIOPA stand in (actually their model committee chair) - interesting bullet point noting that a challenge of the pre-application process  was to stop "undertakings playing with supervisors". Also shows the number of pre-application initiatives being run by EIOPA.