By Robin Swain and David Swallow of the Bank’s Prudential Policy Directorate.
Solvency II is a new regime for the prudential regulation of European insurance companies that will come into force on 1 January 2016. It will modernise the existing regulatory framework, with the objective of providing an enhanced and more consistent level of protection for policyholders across Europe. Solvency II introduces features to improve a firm’s understanding and management of its risks, which should result in improved resilience to shocks.