What is IFRS 17 for dummies?

Asked by: Colin Blick  |  Last update: June 23, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (50 votes)

IFRS 17 is an international accounting standard, effective from January 1, 2023, that dictates how insurance companies measure and report their financial results. It replaces the older IFRS 4, providing a consistent, transparent framework for valuing insurance contracts using current, market-consistent estimates. It forces insurers to show profits as they deliver services, rather than immediately.

What is IFRS 17 in layman's terms?

IFRS 17 requires a company to measure insurance contracts using updated estimates and assumptions that reflect the timing of cash flows and any uncertainty relating to insurance contracts. This requirement will provide transparent reporting about a company's financial position and risk.

What is IFRS in accounting in simple words?

IFRS, or International Financial Reporting Standards, are a set of accounting rules for how information should be gathered and presented in financial reports.

What is the main objective of IFRS 17?

IFRS 17 represents a significant advancement in the accounting for insurance contracts, aiming to improve transparency, comparability, and accuracy in financial reporting.

Who does IFRS 17 apply to?

From 2023, the new insurance standard, IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts, will apply for all companies. This is because it applies to contracts, regardless of the issuer, and therefore all companies could be affected, not just insurers.

IFRS17 Insurance Contracts - summary (applies in 2026)

34 related questions found

What are the three main types of risk in insurance?

What are the main types of risk in insurance that brokers need to assess? Brokers primarily evaluate three core categories: personal risks (health, disability, job loss), property risks (natural disasters, theft, equipment failure), and liability risks (professional malpractice, product liability, general liability).

Who are the big four reinsurers?

The "Big Four" reinsurers, often referred to as Europe's largest, are Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re, and SCOR, known for their global reach, diversified portfolios, and strong performance in underwriting and investment income, especially in property/casualty markets, despite ongoing challenges and evolving reporting standards.
 

What are the 5 criteria for revenue recognition?

5 Criteria for Revenue Recognition

  • Identify the Contract with Your Customer. The first step in revenue recognition is identifying the contract with the customer. ...
  • Identify Your Performance Obligations. ...
  • Determine Your Transaction Price. ...
  • Allocation of Transaction Price to the Performance Obligations. ...
  • Recognize Revenue.

What are the two types of reinsurance contracts?

While there are no standard reinsurance contracts, treaty and facultative contracts are the two basic types used and adapted to meet individual insurers' requirements. Both facultative and treaty contracts may be written on a proportional or an excess of loss basis, or a combination of both.

What are the 7 basic principles of an insurance contract?

What are the Principles of Insurance? The principles of insurance include seven key concepts: insurable interest, utmost good faith, proximate cause, indemnity, subrogation, contribution, and loss minimisation.

What are the 4 pillars of IFRS?

The four pillars of IFRS S1 and S2 are governance, strategy, risk management and metrics and targets.

Is IFRS difficult to learn?

The difficulty of Dip IFRS depends on your accounting background, study habits, and access to the right support. It's a professional challenge—but not an impossible one.

What are the 4 financial statements of IFRS?

A full set of financials include four basic financial statements: the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, and statement of shareholders' equity. All four accounting financial statements accurately portray the company's overall financial situation.

What is IFRS 17 in a nutshell KPMG?

What does IFRS 17 involve? Deferral of new business profits in line with the service provided. Under the default model, a contractual service margin (CSM) is created on the balance sheet which is effectively a stock of future profit.

What is IFRS in simple words?

What is IFRS? IFRS stands for international financial reporting standards. It's a set of accounting rules and standards that determine how accounting events should be reported in your business's financial statements.

What are the three methods of reinsurance?

Reinsurance methods differ according to the reinsurer's capacity to accept or refuse the risks ceded under the reinsurance agreement. Three reinsurance methods are usual: Treaty Reinsurance, Facultative Reinsurance and a hybrid mode with elements from the Treaty and the Facultative.

What is the 9 month rule for reinsurance contracts?

The 9-month rule, which comes out of Part 23 of SSAP 62, requires that the reinsurance contract be finalized—reduced to written form and signed within 9 months after commencement of the policy period—but allows the contract to incept before the contract is finalized.

What are the 4 functions of reinsurance?

Insurers purchase reinsurance for essentially four reasons: (1) to limit liability on specific risks; (2) to stabilize loss experience; (3) to protect against catastrophes; and (4) to increase capacity.

What is GAAP revenue?

GAAP Revenue means Income Statement Revenue that will be reported in the company's financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the USA.

What is the largest reinsurance company in the US?

1. Re Group of America. Ranking among the top health and life reinsurers, Re Group of America (RGA) is also the biggest American reinsurance company. RGA provides risk management solutions, underwriting expertise, and capital support to insurance companies.

What is a class 4 reinsurer?

Class 4 insurers are required to maintain minimum capital and surplus equal to or in excess of, an amount derived from the greater of 1) the BSCR calibrated to tail value-at-risk over the one-year time horizon, the 2) minimum solvency margin (calculated using a premium-based formula and a reserve-based formula and 3) a ...

Where do reinsurers get their money?

Aside from being paid a premium by the primary insurer, reinsurance companies make money by getting a share of the underwriting profits, which means you, as the reinsurance company, will get a portion of the premium paid by the customer for the various F&I products they purchased through your dealership.