HM Treasury News Release

174/98                                       23 October 1998
------------------------------------------------------------

INSURANCE COMPANIES ACT 1982: ISSUE AND WITHDRAWAL OF
AUTHORISATION 

A report on the issuance and withdrawal of authorisations under the Insurance
Companies Act 1982 for the period 1 July to 30 September 1998 has been
published today by the Treasury.

The report for the period shows that under the Act:

     two companies were authorised to carry on business in the UK under Section
     3 of the Act (Table A);

     two companies had authorisation withdrawn to effect new contracts under
     Section 11 of the Act (Table B);

     final withdrawal of authorisation under Section 13 was issued in respect of
     eight companies (Table C);

     Table D1 shows the companies which have their head office in other EC
     Member States and have become entitled to carry on business through a
     branch on the UK and it indicates the nature of the risks which they may
     cover;

     Table D2 lists the companies which have their head office in another state of
     the European Economic Area (EEA) and which have become entitled to
     provide life or non-life insurance in the UK (i.e. to cover risks here from an
     establishment in another EEA state rather than through a local branch or
     agency);

     the supervisory authorities of eight EC member states were notified of two UK
     companies, which had notified the Insurance Directorate of their intention to
     begin to carry on business through a branch in that Member State; and

     Table E2 lists the UK companies which notified their intention to begin to
     provide insurance in other EEA states.


NOTES TO EDITORS

1.   The classes of business for which a company may be authorised are set out
     in Schedule 1 and 2 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982.

2.   This information supplements that published in the Insurance Annual Report
     1997, available from The Stationery Office (formerly HMSO).

3.   Authorised insurance companies which have their head office in the
     European Community may become entitled to carry on business in the UK
     through a branch or 'provide insurance' in the UK - i.e. to insure risks in the
     UK without needing to obtain authorisation here. Similarly, such companies
     established in the UK may become entitled to carry on business in other EC
     states through a branch or 'provide insurance' in other Member States.

4.   The Third EC Directive on Non-Life Insurance (92/49/EEC) and the Third EC
     Directive on Life Assurance (92/96EEC) were implemented in the UK by the
     Insurance Companies (Third Insurance Directives) Regulations 1994, the
     Insurance Companies Regulations 1994 and the Insurance Companies
     (Accounts and Statements) (Amendment) Regulations 1994.

5.   Regulations 45 and 46 of the Insurance Companies (Third Insurance
     Directives) Regulations 1994 amend Part IIIA of the Insurance Companies
     Act 1982 and insert two new Schedules (Schedules 2F and 2G) into the Act.

6.   Schedule 2F contains the regime to be complied with where an EC company
     wishes to carry on business through a branch in the United Kingdom, or
     where an EC or EFTA company wishes to provide insurance in the UK under
     the freedom of services. Before the company concerned can begin to cover
     risks in the UK, HM Treasury must be notified and supplied with specified
     information and confirmation of the solvency of the company.

7.   Schedule 2G contains the regime to be complied with before a UK company
     can begin to carry on business through a branch in another Member State or
     to provide insurance under the freedom of services in another Member State
     or in an EFTA State. This regime includes a requirement that the company
     must notify HM Treasury of its intentions and provide them with specified
     information.

8.   If you have access to the Internet, you can find this news release and other
     Treasury information at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk

# = pounds sterling

INSURANCE COMPANIES ACT 1982:  ISSUE AND WITHDRAWAL OF
AUTHORISATION DURING THE PERIOD 1 JULY 1998 TO 30 SEPTEMBER 1998   
                                        

Two companies were authorised to carry on business in the United
Kingdom under Section 3 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 during
the period 1 July to 30 September 1998.   These are listed at table
A.                             

The power under Section 11 of the Act to withdraw authorisation to
effect new contracts of insurance was used for two companies. These
are shown at table B.  Final withdrawal of authorisation under
Section 13 was issued in respect of eight companies during the
period.  These are listed at Table C.

Authorised insurance companies which have their head office in the
European Community may become entitled to carry on business in the UK
through a branch or  "provide insurance" in the UK - i.e. to insure
risks in the UK without needing to obtain authorisation here.
Similarly, such companies established in the UK may become entitled
to carry on business in other EC states through a branch or "provide
insurance" in other Member States.


Table D1 shows the companies which have their head office in other EC
member States and  have become entitled to carry on business through
a branch in the United Kingdom and it indicates the nature of the
risks which they may cover.  Table D2 lists the companies which have
their head office in another state of the European Economic Area
(EEA) and which have become entitled to provide life or non-life
insurance in the United Kingdom (i.e. to cover risks here from an
establishment in another EEA state rather than through a local branch
or agency).  

During the period 1 July 1998 to 30 September 1998 the supervisory
authorities of eight EC member states were notified of  two UK
companies, which had notified the Directorate of their intention to
begin to carry on business through a branch in that member State.
These are shown at table E1.   Table E2 lists the United Kingdom
companies which notified their intention to begin to provide
insurance in other EEA states.

NOTES FOR EDITORS                                                    


1.  The classes of business for which a company may be authorised are
set out in Schedule 1 and 2 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982.


2.  This information supplements that published in the Insurance
Annual Report 1997, available from The Stationery Office (formerly
HMSO).


3.  The Third EC Directive on Non-Life Insurance (92/49/EEC) and the
Third EC directive on Life Assurance (92/96EEC) were implemented in
the United Kingdom by the Insurance Companies (Third Insurance
Directives) Regulations 1994, The Insurance Companies Regulations
1994 and The Insurance Companies (Accounts and Statements)
(Amendment) Regulations 1994.


4.  Regulation 45 and 46 of the Insurance Companies (Third Insurance
Directives) Regulations 1994 amend Part IIIA of the Insurance
Companies Act 1982 and insert two new Schedules (Schedules 2F and 2G)
into the Act.

5.  Schedule 2F contains the regime to be complied with where an EC
company wishes to carry on business through a branch in the United
Kingdom, or where an EC or EFTA company wishes to provide insurance
in the United Kingdom under the freedom of services.  Before the
company concerned can begin to cover risks in the United Kingdom, HM
Treasury must be notified and supplied with specified information and
confirmation of the solvency of the company.


6.  Schedule 2G contains the regime to be complied with before a
United Kingdom company can begin to carry on business through a
branch in another member State or to provide insurance under the
freedom of services in another 
member State or in an EFTA State.  This regime includes a requirement
that the company must notify HM Treasury of its intentions and
provide them with specified information.


                                                                                                               TABLE A                                                                                                           


Authorisations to carry on Insurance business in the UK issued under Section 3 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 from 1 July 1998 to 30 September 1998


Company		Country of Incorporation		Classes of business		Classes of business for		Date of authorisation	 			if outside the UK			for which authori-		which authorisation was				
								sation was issued		previously held					 									
																			 		         
									

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morgan Grenfell Life						I, III				Nil				2.7.98
& Pensions Limited

Perpetual Investments						I, III, IV, VII			Nil				18.9.98
Limited

N.B. Tesco Personal Finance Life Limited which was authorised on 1.5.98 has had its authorisation amended to classes I, III and IV (previously III and IV).

									TABLE B                                                                                                           


Authorisations to effect new contracts of insurance withdrawn under Section 11 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 from 1 July 1998 to 30 September 1998


Company		Country of Incorporation		Classes of business		Classes of business for		Date of withdrawal        
			if outside the UK			for which authori-		which company remains 				
								sation to effect new		authorised						 								contracts of insurance									 								was withdrawn					

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------									
The Prudential Assu-						4-6, 11, 12			1-3, 7-10, 13-17		15.9.98
rance Company Limited										I-IV, VI, VII

United Friendly General						1-4, 8-10, 13-17		Nil				18.9.98
Insurance Limited

 							  

                                                                                                               TABLE C                                                                                                           


Authorisations to carry on Insurance business in the UK finally withdrawn under section 13 of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 from 1 July 1998 to 30 September 1998


Company		Country of Incorporation		Classes of business		Classes of business for		Date of withdrawal         
			if outside the UK			for which authori-		which company remains 				
								sation was withdrawn		authorised						

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Black Sea and Baltic						I-IV, VI, VII			1-17				27.7.98
General Insurance
Company Limited

Employers Reinsurance						1-18				Nil				29.7.98
International Limited

Iron Trades Employers						1, 2, 13				Nil				18.8.98
Insurance Association
Ltd

Northamptonshire and 						1, 2, 14-17			Nil				4.8.98
District Hospitals Guild

The Royal London						1-17				I-IV, VI, VII			3.8.98
Mutual Insurance
Society Limited

Security Assurance						I, IV				Nil				31.7.98
Limited

Sun Alliance Life						I-IV, VI, VII			Nil				15.7.98
Limited

The Welsh Calvinistic						7				8, 9				13.8.98
Methodist Assurance
Trust Limited


									TABLE D1                                                                                                           

Company established in another EC member state which has become entitled to carry on business through a branch in the United Kingdom under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 1998 and 30 September 1998    


Company			Country of incorporation		Classes of business 			Date on which        			 						 			the company proposes to 		notification received
			 		               			write in the UK*
 	                                                                                         											 			
                                               								
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chubb Insurance Company	Belgium				18 (already 1-17)			24.8.98
of Europe

Nederlandsche Credietverz-	Netherlands				14					16.9.98
ekering Maatschappij N.V.
(Known as NCM Credit
Insurance)

N.B. Agrippina Versicherung AG has closed its branch.







* Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Act.  Only part of the class may be within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks (see note *above), as the case may be.  'All' means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks, as the case may be. 


                                                                                                               TABLE D2                                                                                                           

Companies established in other EEA states which have become entitled to provide life or non-life insurance in the UK from an establishment in another EEA state under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 1998 and 30 September 1998   


Company		Country of Incorporation		Country in which		Nature of the risks the		Date on which         
								establishment			company has become 		entitlement                    									covering the risks		entitled to cover		commenced                  
 	                                                                                        is situated 										
												Large* or other**				
                                                                                       						classes     					
                                               								


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Accent Europe Insu-	Ireland					Ireland				1, 2, 16				14.7.98
rance Company
Limited

Agrippina Versicherung	Germany				Germany			7-9 (already 12 & 13)		24.7.98
Aktiengesellschaft

Allianz Risk Transfer	Netherlands				Netherlands			1-9, 10b-16			11.6.98
N.V.

Arisa Assurances	Luxembourg				Luxembourg			3 (already 1, 2, 16-18)		10.7.98

Barclays Assurance	Ireland					Ireland				IV				30.6.98
(Dublin) Ltd.



BMS International	Ireland					Ireland				13 (already 7-9, 16)		29.7.98
Insurance Company
Limited

CapitalLeben Vers-	Liechtenstein				Liechtenstein			I-III, VI				29.9.98
icherung Aktienges-
ellschaft

Cardif - Societe Vie	France					France				I, III				11.8.98

Commercial Risk	Luxembourg				Luxembourg			1-3, 5, 11, 14, 15		10.7.98
Luxembourg

Dibrin Insurance	Gibraltar				Gibraltar			7				14.7.98
Company Limited

Dorinco Insurance	Ireland					Ireland				13				30.6.98
Company Limited

Egida Compagnia di	Italy					Italy				1-9, 11-18			15.7.98
Assicurazioni s.p.a.

Foyer International SA	Luxembourg				Luxembourg			I-IV, VI				17.8.98

Giano Assicurazioni	Italy					Italy				1, 3-9, 11-13, 16, 17		27.7.98
S.p.A.

Hitachi Credit Insuran-	Ireland					Ireland				14 (already 1, 2, 9, 16)		14.8.98
ce Corporation Limited

Interpolis Luxembourg	Luxembourg				Luxembourg			I-IV, VI, VII			29.7.98

Navillus Insurance 	Ireland					Ireland				3, 7-9, 11-13, 16		21.9.98
Company Limited


SCA Forsakringsak-	Sweden					Sweden				8, 9				17.8.98
tiebolag

Schwarzmeer und	Germany				Germany			1, 3, 6-9, 12, 13			18.8.98
Ostsee Versicherungs-
Aktiengesellschaft

Vabis Forsakringsak-	Sweden					Sweden				1-3, 7-9, 13, 14, 16, 17		11.8.98
tiebolag

Vahinkovakuutusosa-	Finland					Finland				1-9, 11-17			28.7.98
keyhtio Pohjola

Victoria Versicherung	Germany				Germany			5, 11 (already 1, 4, 6-9, 		8.7.98
Aktiengesellschaft										12, 13, 16)

Wurtembergische und	Germany				Germany			1, 3, 4, 6-9, 12, 13, 16, 17	21.8.98
Badische Versicherungs-
Aktiengesellschaft

N.B. Pohjola Insurance Company Limited has ceased to write services business in the United Kingdom.




* 'Large' risks are as defined in Section 96B of the Insurance Companies Act 1982, and 'other' risks (the so-called 'mass' risks) are all risks falling within Schedule 2 of the Act (general business) other than 'Large' risks.  This is subject in each case to the exclusion of risks to which Part IIIA of the act (provision of insurance) does not apply (see Section 81A).                                                                                                                                                                     

** Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Act.  Only part of the class may be within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks (see note *above), as the case may be.  'All' means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks, as the case may be. 

                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                               TABLE E1                                                                                                           

Companies authorised to carry on business in the UK which have notified HM Treasury of their intention to begin to carry on business through a branch in another EC member state under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 1998 and 30 September 1998.    


Company			Country of proposed		Classes of business 			Date on which supervisory        		 				branch 				company intends to 	 		authority of the country 		 	                 								write from the branch*		            of the branch  was notified by the 			           	                                                                                         				Secretary of State		 							
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -

Trenwick International Limited	Denmark			1, 2, 5-9, 11-16				15.7.98

Winterthur International Insura-	(Austria			1-18					26.7.98
nce Company Limited		(Belgium			1-18					26.7.98
				(France				1-18					26.7.98
				(Spain				1-18					26.7.98
				(Italy				1-18					29.7.98
				(Portugal			1-18					29.7.98
				(Netherlands			1-18					30.7.98
 
* Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Act.  Only part of the class may be within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks (see note *above), as the case may be.  'All' means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks, as the case may be. 



                                                                                                                 TABLE E2                                                                                                           

Companies authorised to carry on business in the United Kingdom which have notified HM Treasury of their intention to begin to provide insurance in other EEA states under Part IIIa of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 between 1 July 1998 to 30 September 1998    


Company		Country of 		Country in which		Country in			Nature of the risks the		        
			Incorporation		establishment			which it is 			company has become 		                   						covering the risks		proposed to 			entitled to cover			                   	                                    			is situated 			provide 							
										insurance			Large* or other**			 	                                                                                       							classes     			 		
                                               								
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The British United	UK			UK				Finland				1, 2
Provident Association
Limited

The Equitable Life	UK			UK				Greece				I, III
Assurance Society

European Nichido	UK			UK				Denmark			8, 9, 13
Insurance Company
Limited

General Accident Life	UK			UK				Liechtenstein			I, III, IV, VII
Assurance Limited

General Accident 	UK			UK				(Finland			I, III, IV, VII
Linked Life Assurance								(Liechtenstein
Limited										(Sweden

General Star Internat-	UK			UK				(Austria			1-4, 6-10, 12-18
ional Indemnity Ltd.								(Belgium
										(Denmark
										(Finland
										(France
										(Germany			
										(Gibraltar			
										(Greece
										(Iceland
										(Ireland
										(Italy
										(Liechtenstein
										(Luxembourg			
										(Netherlands
										(Norway
										(Portugal
										(Spain
										(Sweden

Scottish Mutual		UK			UK				(Belgium			I-IV, VII
Assurance Plc									(France				
										(Germany			
										(Ireland				VII

UK Insurance Limited	UK			UK				Portugal			16			

* 'Large' risks are as defined in Section 96B of the Insurance Companies Act 1982, and 'other' risks (the so-called 'mass' risks) are all risks falling within Schedule 2 of the Act (general business) other than 'Large' risks.  This is subject in each case to the exclusion of risks to which Part IIIA of the act (provision of insurance) does not apply (see Section 81A).                                                                                                                                                                     

** Numbered classes are classes of general business as classified in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Act.  Only part of the class may be within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks (see note *above), as the case may be.  'All' means risks of all classes and parts of classes falling within the definition of 'Large' or 'other' risks, as the case may be.