Notes to the Underwriting Year Accounts
for the 2022 closed year of account at 31 December 2024
58 | WESTFIELD SPECIALTY > SYNDICATE 1200
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE
The Syndicate underwriting year accounts have been prepared
under the 2008 Regulations and in accordance with the Syndicate
Accounting Byelaw (No.8 of 2005) and applicable accounting
standards in the United Kingdom. Financial Reporting Standard
102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and
Republic of Ireland’ (FRS 102) and Financial Reporting Standard
103 ‘Insurance Contracts’ (FRS 103) have been applied to the
extent that they are relevant for a proper understanding of the
underwriting year accounts.
The result for the 2022 year of account was declared in sterling so
there is no exchange rate risk. To this extent, the risks that it is
exposed to in respect of the reported financial position and
financial performance are significantly less than those relating to
the open years of account as disclosed in the Syndicate Annual
Accounts. Accordingly, these underwriting year accounts do not
have associated risk disclosures as required by section 34 of FRS
102. Full disclosures relating to these risks are provided in the
Syndicate Annual Accounts.
BASIS OF PREPARATION
Members participate on a Syndicate by reference to a year of
account and each Syndicate year of account is a separate annual
venture. These accounts relate to the 2022 year of account which
has been closed by reinsurance to close at 31 December 2024;
consequently the statement of financial position, represents the
assets and liabilities of the 2022 year of account, and the income
statement and statement of cash flows reflect the transactions for
that year of account during the 36 month period until
closure. Therefore the 2022 year of account is not continuing to
trade and, accordingly the directors have not adopted the going
concern basis in the preparation of these accounts. This is
consistent with the normal course of business for a Lloyd’s
syndicate and with the approach we have applied to earlier
underwriting years.
The financial statements for the period ended 31 December 2024
were approved for issue by the board of directors on 5 March
2025.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the
presentational currency of the Syndicate and rounded to nearest
thousand. The functional currency of the Syndicate is US dollars
reflecting the principal currency in which the Syndicate operates.
As permitted by FRS 103 the Syndicate continues to apply the
existing accounting policies that were applied prior to this standard
for its insurance contracts.
As each syndicate year of account is a separate annual venture,
there are no comparative figures.
JUDGEMENT AND KEY SOURCES OF ESTIMATION
AND UNCERTAINTY
Premiums written
Estimates are made at the date of inception for premiums written
through third parties, including amounts due to the Syndicate not
yet notified. The main assumption underlying these estimates is
that past premium development can be used to project future
premium development.
Claims incurred and reinsurers’ share
The provision for claims outstanding comprises amounts set aside
for claims notified and claims incurred but not yet reported (IBNR).
The amount of IBNR, which is based on statistical techniques of
estimation applied by the Syndicate’s in-house actuaries and
reserving team, is reviewed by external consulting actuaries.
These statistical techniques generally involve projecting, from past
experience, the development of claims over time to form a view of
the likely ultimate claims to be expected for more recent
underwriting, having regard to variations in the business accepted
and the underlying terms and conditions. The provision for claims
also includes amounts for internal and external claims handling
costs. For the most recent years, where a higher degree of
volatility may arise from projections, estimates may partly be
based on rating and other models of the business accepted, and
assessments of underwriting conditions.
Large loss case reserves are determined through careful analysis of
the individual claim, often with the advice of legal advisers.
Property catastrophe claims such as earthquake or hurricane
losses can take several months, or years to develop as adjusters
visit damaged property and agree claim valuations. Until all the
claims are settled it requires an analysis of the area damaged,
contracts exposed and the use of models to simulate the loss
against the portfolio of exposure in order to arrive at an estimate
of ultimate loss to the syndicate. There is uncertainty over the
adequacy of information and modelling of major losses for a
period of several months after a catastrophe loss. Consideration
should also be taken of factors which may influence the size of
claims such as increased inflation or a change in law.
The reinsurers’ share of provisions for claims is based on calculated
amounts of outstanding claims and projections for IBNR, net of
estimated irrecoverable amounts. The Syndicate will evaluate the
reinsurance programme in place for the class of business, the
claims experience for the year, and the security rating of the
reinsurance companies involved. The Syndicate uses a number of
statistical techniques to assist in these estimates.