Competence is demonstrated generally through the level of an individual’s professional or formal qualifications and knowledge, skills and pertinent experience within the insurance and financial industries or other businesses. Competence also includes having the appropriate level of commitment to perform the role. Refer to ICP 7 (Corporate Governance) with regard to competence and commitment and to ICP 8 (Risk Management and Internal Controls) with regard to control functions.

Integrity is demonstrated generally through character, personal behaviour and business conduct.

The supervisor should require the insurer to take the necessary measures to ensure that these requirements are met by setting high internal standards of ethics and integrity, promoting sound corporate governance and requiring that these individuals have pertinent experience, and maintain a sufficient degree of knowledge and decision making ability.

To ensure an appropriate level of suitability, Board Members, Senior Management and Key Persons in Control Functions should acquire, maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles, for example, by participating in induction and ongoing training on relevant issues. Sufficient time, budget and other resources should be dedicated for this purpose, including external expertise drawn upon as needed.

The supervisor should assess the suitability of Board Members, Senior Management, Key Persons in Control Functions and Significant Owners of an insurance legal entity as part of the licensing procedure before the insurance legal entity is permitted to operate (see ICP 4 Licensing).

The supervisor should assess the suitability of Board Members, Senior Management, Key Persons in Control Functions and Significant Owners of insurers either prior to changes in the positions or as soon as possible after appointment. The supervisor should also require the insurer to perform internal suitability assessments of Board Members, Senior Management and Key Persons in Control Functions on an ongoing basis, for example on an annual basis or when there are changes in the circumstances of the individuals. The supervisor may require the insurer to certify that it has conducted such assessments and demonstrate how it reached its conclusions.

With regard to Control Functions, the individual(s) to be assessed should be the Key Persons in Control Functions.

The supervisor should have sufficient and appropriate information to assess whether an individual meets suitability requirements. The information to be collected and the supervisor’s assessment of such information may differ depending on the role.

• evidence that the individual has sufficient relevant knowledge and pertinent experience within the insurance and financial industries or other businesses; and
• evidence that the individual has the appropriate level of commitment to perform the role.

The application of suitability requirements relating to competence for Board Members, Senior Management and Key Persons in Control Functions of an insurer may vary depending on the degree of their influence and on their roles. It is recognised that an individual considered competent for a particular position within an insurer may not be considered competent for another position with different responsibilities or for a similar position within another insurer. When assessing the competence of the Board Members, regard should be given to respective duties allocated to individual members to ensure appropriate diversity of qualities and to the effective functioning of the Board as a whole.

• Legal indicators: These provide information on possible legal misconduct. Such indicators could include civil liability, criminal convictions or pending proceedings:
  • for breaches of law designed to protect members of the public from financial loss, eg dishonesty, or misappropriation of assets, embezzlement and other fraud or other criminal offences (including anti-money laundering and the combating of the financing of terrorism.
  • against the individual in his/her personal capacity;
  • against an entity in which the individual is or was a Board Member, a member of the Senior Management, a Key Person in Control Functions or a Significant Owner; or
  • incurred by the individual as a consequence of unpaid debts.
• Financial indicators: These provide information on possible financial misconduct, improper conduct in financial accounting, or negligence in decision-making. Such indicators could include:
  • financial problems or bankruptcy in his/her private capacity; or
  • financial problems, bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings of an entity in which the individual is or was a Board Member, a member of the Senior Management or a Key Person in Control Functions.
• Supervisory indicators: These provide information gathered by or that comes to the attention of supervisors in the performance of their supervisory duties. These supervisors could also be authorities with supervisory responsibility in sectors other than insurance. Such indicators could include:
  • the withholding of information from public authorities or submission of incorrect financial or other statements;
  • conduct of business transgressions;
  • prior refusal of regulatory approval for key positions;
  • preventive or corrective measures imposed (or pending) on entities in which the individual is or was a Board Member, a member of the Senior Management, or a Key Person in Control Functions; or
  • outcome of previous assessments of suitability of an individual, or sanctions or disciplinary actions taken (or pending) against that individual by another supervisor.
• Other indicators: These may provide other information that could reasonably be considered material for the assessment of the suitability of an individual. Examples include:
  • suspension, dismissal or disqualification of the individual from a position as a Board Member or a member of the Senior Management of any company or organisation;
  • disputes with previous employers concerning incorrect fulfilment of responsibilities or non-compliance with internal policies, including code of conduct, employment law or contract law;
  • disciplinary action or measures taken against an individual by a professional organisation  in which the individual is or was a member (e.g., actuaries, accountants or lawyers); or
  • strength of character, such as the ability and willingness to challenge, as an indicator of a person’s integrity as well as competence to perform the respective role. 

• the nature and scope of its business;
• its ownership structure, where relevant;
• its source of finance/funding and future access to capital;
• the group structure, if applicable, and organisation chart; and
• other relevant factors.

• Financial statements and exhibits. If the Significant Owner is a legal person, financial statements may include annual financial statements; for a natural person, it may include financial information (such as tax accounts or personal wealth statements) that are reviewed by an independent public accountant; and
• Transactions and agreements such as: loans; investments; purchase, sale or exchange of securities or other assets; dividends and other distributions to shareholders; management agreements

• Significant Owners understand their role as potential future sources of capital, if needed;
• there are any indicators that Significant Owners will not be able to meet their debts as they fall due;
• appropriate prudential solvency requirements are met if the Significant Owner is a financial institution;
• Significant Owners have been subject to any legally valid judgment, debt or order that remains outstanding or has not been satisfied within a reasonable period;
• Significant Owners have made arrangements with creditors, filed for bankruptcy or been adjudged bankrupt or had assets sequestered; and
• Significant Owners have been able to provide the supervisor with a satisfactory credit reference.

Insurers should be required to report promptly any information gained about these persons that may materially affect their suitability, for example, if a Board Member is convicted of a financial crime. See guidance under Standard 5.3 for additional examples of indicators of circumstances that may materially affect the suitability of an individual.