A group of domestic and European insurance regulatory entities met recently to continue discussions on cybersecurity, cyber insurance, use of big data and intra-group transactions.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) of the U.S. Department of Treasury and the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) hosted the sixth EU-U.S. Forum in Luxembourg.
“The EU-U.S. Insurance Dialogue Project has led to an enhanced mutual understanding of our respective regulatory frameworks and initiatives,” Katharine L. Wade, commissioner of the Connecticut Insurance Department and the NAIC’s International Committee chair, said. “Continued dialogue with our European colleagues in these key areas helps to ensure effective, coordinated supervision of cross-border insurance groups for the benefit of our policyholders.”
Officials agreed that growing cyber threats, increasing power of big data, as well as contagion risk from intra-group transactions in multi-national insurance groups are focus areas for risk-based and forward-looking supervision in the United States and the European Union.
“We particularly welcome cooperation with our American colleagues, building on successful past dialogue and now benefiting from deepening the mutual understanding of supervisory approaches and practices to address fast evolving cyber risks, increasing power of big data and the critical area of intra-group transactions,” Gabriel Bernardino, EIOPA chairman, said. “Considering the implications for the operational environment and the business models of insurers, globally, a collective response of supervisors is required to meet our primary objective which is the protection of policyholders and beneficiaries.”