Qualitative Criteria

1. When calculating the Basic Solvency Capital Requirement, insurance or reinsurance undertakings shall only take into account risk-mitigation techniques as referred to in Article 101(5) of Directive 2009/138/EC where all of the following qualitative criteria are met:

(a) the contractual arrangements and transfer of risk are legally effective and enforceable in all relevant jurisdictions;

(b) the insurance or reinsurance undertaking has taken all appropriate steps to ensure the effectiveness of the arrangement and to address the risks related to that arrangement;

(c) the insurance or reinsurance undertaking is able to monitor the effectiveness of the arrangement and the related risks on an ongoing basis;

(d) the insurance or reinsurance undertaking has, in the event of a default, insolvency or bankruptcy of a counterparty or other credit event set out in the transaction documentation for the arrangement, a direct claim on that counterparty;

(e) there is no double counting of risk-mitigation effects in own funds and in the calculation of the Solvency Capital Requirement or within the calculation of the Solvency Capital Requirement.

2. Only risk-mitigation techniques that are in force for at least the next 12 months and which meet the qualitative criteria set out in this Section shall be fully taken into account in the Basic Solvency Capital Requirement. In all other cases, the risk-mitigation effect of risk-mitigation techniques that are in force for a period shorter than 12 months and which meet the qualitative criteria set out in this Section shall be taken into account in the Basic Solvency Capital Requirement in proportion to the length of time involved for the shorter of the full term of the risk exposure or the period that the risk-mitigation technique is in force.

3. Where contractual arrangements governing the risk-mitigation techniques will be in force for a period shorter than the next 12 months and the insurance or reinsurance undertaking intends to replace that risk-mitigation technique at the time of its expiry with a similar arrangement or where that risk-mitigation technique is subject to an adjustment to reflect changes in the exposure that it covers, the risk-mitigation technique shall be fully taken into account in the Basic Solvency Capital Requirement provided all of the following qualitative criteria are met:

(a) the insurance or reinsurance undertaking has a written policy on the replacement or adjustment of that risk-mitigation technique, covering situations including the situation where the insurance or reinsurance undertaking uses several contractual arrangements in combination to transfer risk as referred to in Article 210(5);

(b) the replacement or adjustment of the risk-mitigation technique takes place more often than once per week only in cases where, without the replacement or adjustment, an event would have a material adverse impact on the solvency position of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking;

(c) the replacement or adjustment of the risk-mitigation technique is not conditional on any future event which is outside of the control of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking and where the replacement or adjustment of the risk-mitigation technique is conditional on any future event that is within the control of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking, the conditions for such replacement or adjustment are clearly documented in the written policy referred to in point (a);

(d) the replacement or adjustment of the risk-mitigation technique is realistically based on replacements and adjustments undertaken previously by the insurance or reinsurance undertaking and consistent with the undertaking's current business practice and business strategy;

(e) there is no material risk that the risk-mitigation technique cannot be replaced or adjusted due to an absence of liquidity in the market;

(f) the risk that the cost of replacing or adjusting the risk-mitigation technique increases during the following 12 months is reflected in the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(g) the replacement or adjustment of the risk-mitigation technique would not be contrary to requirements that apply to future management actions set out in Article 23(5);

(h) the initial contractual maturity is not shorter than one month in cases where the insurance or reinsurance undertaking transfers risks through the purchase or issuance of financial instruments;

(i) the initial contractual maturity is not shorter than three months where the insurance or reinsurance undertaking transfers underwriting risks using reinsurance contracts or special purpose vehicles.