RAPA Resource Center

Reinsurance Reporting Guidelines and Best Practices

This document was created through the RAPA Data Initiative to be used as a guide for best practices in reinsurance administration and reporting. It covers topics such as treaty implementation, data quality guidelines, accurate reporting of conversions/continuations, among other topics. It also contains usable templates to assist in reporting and a form that can be used to communicate reporting changes to your business partners. We urge you to utilize this document as a reference tool, to assist in training, as a way to understand the impact of poor quality data and to enhance data quality processes. Feel free to contact Rhonda Nielsen-Jackson if you have any questions about this document.

Reinsurance-Reporting-Guidelines-and-Best-Practices-Version-6-30-Nov-2017

Communicating System, Data, or Administration Changes to Business Partners

This form was created by the RAPA Data Committee in order to provide a standard communication that can be used between business partners in the industry to share information on system, data, or administration changes. Examples of applicable uses of this form include, but are not limited to, full or partial system conversions, changes to data formats, key elements, or calculation fields, and data clean up efforts. There is further information on the first page of the documents below. The forms below are represented in Microsoft Word 2003 and 2007. Please choose the version that is compatible with your system. Feel free to contact Rhonda Nielsen-Jackson if you have any questions about this form.

• Communicating System, Data, or Administration Changes to Business Partners.
• Communicating System, Data, or Administration Changes to Business Partners (1997-2003 Version of Word).

If you are a non-member, please access these documents through the following link: https://reinsadmin.org/communicating/.

These documents are completed samples of the Reinsurance Reporting Guidelines and Best Practices document. Please feel free to use these as references on some key topics.

• • RAPA Conversion Guidelines Matrix.
  • Missing Data Fields Grid.
  • Reporting Issues – Late Reported Transactions.
  • RAPA-Reporting-Issues-Face-Increases-and-Decreases.
  • Acquistition_Name Change_Disbursement Notification
  • EO Data Clean Up Bill Mode Chg Notifications Guidelines
  • RAPA Notifications Recaptures

Underwriting Methodologies

In September 2017, the Data Initiative team has produced an Underwriting Methodologies document to provide methodology definitions, discussions, risks and best practices.   Please review and share this document with your team, peers or organization.

RAPA – Underwriting Methodologies

Purpose:  To develop tools and techniques to provide guidelines on reinsurance risk management methodology and approach. Particularly relating to risk assessment, and auditing and compliance reviews of the reinsurance administration function of the direct writers,   reinsurers and retrocessionaires.

This initiative is divided into two sub-teams with focus on:

• • 1. Reinsurance Administration Risk Assessment
    2. Reinsurance Administration Audit and Compliance Reviews

Deliverables & Milestones

• • 1. Risk Assessment; the sub-team has developed a risk assessment matrix detailing and defining strategic, operational and compliance risks. Our 2016 areas of concentration included:
       • Strategic Risk – Mergers & Acquisitions, Business disruptions, Sox Controls
       • Operational Risk – Training and development, processes and procedures, organizational structure, succession planning
       • Compliance – Non Compliance; FATCA, Anti Money Laundering, OFAC, Fraud
    2. Audit & Compliance Reviews; the sub-team has identified what criteria should be used when selecting audit candidates. Our 2016 areas of concentration included brainstorming the following approaches:
       • Kick off a high level deep dive into specific audit topics such as, conversions, retention management, joint
       • Agree to identify best practices
       • Discussed developing white paper/catalogue of auditing practices to be shared with the industry

This Risk Management initiative team has prepared the Risk Based Audit Plan Guidelines to assist member companies, of the Reinsurance Administration Professional Association (RAPA), in developing a systematic approach for conducting the annual risk based audit plan of ceding companies and reinsurers administration audits by reinsurers and retrocessionaires, respectively. 

Feel free to contact Garfield McIntyre if you have any questions about the following document: Risk-Based-Audit-Planning-Guidelines-09-16-2015 

In addition to the guidelines, the Risk Management team has produced the Risk Management Matrix: RAPA_Reinsurance Administration_Risk Management Template

As of September 2017, the Risk Management Team has produced the following Administration & Treaty Administration work aids:

RAPA_Reinsurance Administration_Risk Management Template (06-20-2017)

RAPA_Reinsurance Treaty Administration_Risk Assessment Example (Sept 2017)

Leader is Lynn Martone, Swiss Re

Reinsurance 101 Presentations!

RAPA Education initiative is pleased to make the Reinsurance 101 presentations which were prepared by members of the industry and used in various industry meetings available for use. Both presentations have valuable information and now can be found on the RAPA website. We recommend using these presentations as a training tool. The following presentations materials was intended to give a general view of Reinsurance .

• • • Presentation TAI 2012 – April 24
    • Reins101-no examples

Please do not hesitate to contact me dalia.khoury@optimumre.com. if you find any flawed information.

Good News! Supplement to Reinsurance Basics is back!

As many of you are aware, LOMA had discontinued the Supplement to Reinsurance Basics Program which was prepared by the RAPA Education committee due to lack of participation. We understood from RAPA members that the cost was a bit high and may have hindered enrolment for you and your teams. Since we had very positive feedback about the program from those who had taken it and it was an integral part of laying the foundation for new Reinsurance Administration Professionals, we felt strongly about ensuring that it remain a key resource. Through the diligent efforts of your RAPA Education Committee, some LOMA has agreed to re-launch the Supplement to Reinsurance Basics Program on Friday September 26, 2014 at a reduced cost of $100 (vs $149) as well as an additional on line course. Essentially, you can now obtain 4 (vs 3) for a lower price.

Please select the following link for the program: http://learning.loma.org/public/ContentDetails.aspx?id=5A684F28872B416386319AB97D666C11.

We encourage you and your colleagues to take advantage of this exciting opportunity. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Dalia Khoury at dalia.khoury@optimumre.com.

Education Initiatives

Purpose:

Develop training material in case study format to illustrate the impact of processing. The document will include real life examples with fictive names in order to keep the confidentiality of the material. Topics:

• • • Financial Impact to Business Rules (System)
    • Leading reinsurance auditing practices Financial Impact to Conversion Process (File Mapping) assumed side to retro

Deliverables & Milestones

• • 1. We have 2 to 4 sub-groups tackling different topics. Each sub group is working one topic to complete documentation on by June 2014. Other topics will be noted for future target dates.
    2. Any additional topics will be decided on in the later part of 2014 .

Leader is Dalia Khoury, Optimum Re

2015 Deliverable – New Business Workflow Chart

The Education Initiative team has prepared the New Business workflow chart to assist member companies of the of the Reinsurance Administration Professional Association (RAPA), in understanding in a simplified approach the complexity of the various layers and how they are all entwined.

Please see workflow diagrams: Direct Workflow, Reinsurance Workflow, Retrocession Workflow v2

Past Initiatives

Reinsurance Treaty Fundamentals

The RAPA Education Committee developed a Reinsurance Treaty Fundamentals document to train new hires of direct insurers, reinsurers and retrocessionaires who are responsible for reinsurance administration. This document provides a solid knowledge of treaty basics. The document is broken down into 12 modules, covering the key treaty provisions in a reinsurance treaty. A Q & A section is provided with easy access to the answers. We invite you to use this document and we welcome your feedback. Click here to download the document.

Presentations from the Fall 2011 meeting in Nashville

• • • Reinsurance Coverage Types. (AutoFac and Fac Ob) Module 1 
    • Reinsurance Types and Coverages – Module 5 
    • Retention Limits – Module 6 

Reinsurance Fundamentals

The Education Committee, in partnership with LOMA, has developed an on-line training program for new hires of direct insurers, reinsurers, and retrocessionaires who are responsible for reinsurance administration. This collection provides a solid introduction to the fundamentals of life insurance products and reinsurance to enable new hires to gain the knowledge and understanding required to administer reinsurance business.

To register or learn more about this program, please visit LOMAlearn:

http://learning.loma.org/public/ContentDetails.aspx?id=5A684F28872B416386319AB97D666C11

Reinsurance Glossary Reference Document

Glossary from Principles of Reinsurance. Copyright @ 2006 LL Global, Inc. Used with permission from LL Global. All rights reserved. Copying or downloading this information without permission from LL Global is a violation of U.S. federal law and international law. For additional information on LOMA, an operating division of LL Global, and its educational programs, visit LOMA’s website at http://www.loma.org

The document is available at: Glossary of Reinsurance Terms.pdf

Purpose & Goals

• • • Host discussions around Post Level Term administration to gain industry insight and capture Best Practices.
    • Explore, research and write a white paper to document Post Level Term challenges best practices
    • Prepare a Post Level Term presentation to share at a RAPA Fall Meeting and other industry events.

In 2016 we…

• • • Post Level Term Initiative formed
    • Developed a working list of the top administrative challenges faced in post level term administration (25+)
    • Established four sub-groups to categorize and address challenges:
      • Administration and Processing
      • Communication
      • Finance
      • Emerging Trends

2017 Areas of Focus

• • • Finalize outlines (late 2016)
    • Utilize completed outlines to draft and complete PowerPoint and White Paper
    • Continue hosting industry discussions to ensure best practices are captured in final documentation

Please contact Brittainy Pratt (brittainy.pratt@logiq3.com), if you have any questions on this initiative.