5

Allowance for diversification between pension scheme risks and a firm’s other risks in the calibration of an internal model

5.1

Firms should consider carefully the extent to which correlations exist and can be justified between the risks posed by a pension scheme and other risks that the firm faces. Relevant considerations include the extent to which:

  • correlations exist owing to the firm and the pension scheme holding similar assets or assets whose values are expected to be correlated; or
  • the pension scheme exposes the firm to demographic risks that are similar to the underwriting risks run by the firm. A particular example of strong correlations would be where a firm’s insurance business exposes it to longevity risk.

5.2

Where correlations between risks are not perfect, Solvency II permits this diversification benefit to be reflected in the calibration of an internal model.[13] However, the PRA expects the firm to justify robustly any allowance that has been made in an internal model for diversification between the risks associated with a pension scheme and the other risks faced by the firm.

Footnotes

  • 13. Solvency Capital Requirement – Internal Model 11.8(1) in the PRA Rulebook.