A new revised prudential regulatory regime for insurers will be introduced in order to align the South African insurance industry with international standards. This regime, called Solvency Assessment and Management, is based on its European counterpart, which is known as Solvency II. This study starts off by investigating and comparing Solvency II, to be implemented in the United Kingdom, with Solvency Assessment and Management, to be implemented in South Africa, identifying a number of similarities between the regimes. The taxation of long-term insurers in both jurisdictions is then investigated, but no similarities are identified. The above prepares the ground for the main purpose of the study, which is to identify the impact of Solvency Assessment and Management on the taxation of long-term insurers in South Africa. This study identified the impact as effecting a change in the current basis used for the valuation of policyholder liabilities, which will cause a decrease in the value of liabilities, and consequently an increase in underwriting profit. The impact of this change is illustrated, and there are clear indications that there is a need to amend current income tax legislation or the directive used to determine the value of liabilities. Two options for amendments are identified but no changes to legislation are expected before 2015. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmchunu2014 / Taxation / unrestricted

The financial stability of the insurers is important to fulfil its role as a risk transfer mechanism and to protect the purchasers of their products. The European Union is introducing the Solvency II to modernise the current Solvency I regime and to harmonise the different insurance legislation of the members of the European Union. Solvency II introduces an architecture consisting of three pillars, with Pillar I setting the solvency capital requirements, Pillar II the governance and risk management requirements and Pillar III the reporting requirements. The South African Regulator initiated Solvency Assessment and Management for implementation in 2016 to align the South African prudential regulatory framework to meet the Solvency II requirements for third country equivalence. The problem that this study addressed is the possible effect that the introduction of Solvency Assessment and Management may have on the sustainability of short-term insurers in South Africa. The results of a empirical component of the study indicated that small and medium short-term insurers may be negatively impacted due to the costs incurred to implement and comply with the requirements of the new regulatory framework. The effect on the South African short-term industry can be that cover is concentrated among a few large short-term insurers. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The financial stability of the insurers is important to fulfil its role as a risk transfer mechanism and to protect the purchasers of their products. The European Union is introducing the Solvency II to modernise the current Solvency I regime and to harmonise the different insurance legislation of the members of the European Union. Solvency II introduces an architecture consisting of three pillars, with Pillar I setting the solvency capital requirements, Pillar II the governance and risk management requirements and Pillar III the reporting requirements. The South African Regulator initiated Solvency Assessment and Management for implementation in 2016 to align the South African prudential regulatory framework to meet the Solvency II requirements for third country equivalence. The problem that this study addressed is the possible effect that the introduction of Solvency Assessment and Management may have on the sustainability of short-term insurers in South Africa. The results of a empirical component of the study indicated that small and medium short-term insurers may be negatively impacted due to the costs incurred to implement and comply with the requirements of the new regulatory framework. The effect on the South African short-term industry can be that cover is concentrated among a few large short-term insurers. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)