Fairness agenda raises concerns for Swedish insurers

The Swedish supervisor has alerted insurers to concerns about the fair distribution of surpluses for with-profits policies. Practitioners are worried about the possible effects should the supervisor follow the lead of its Danish counterpart. Rob Mannix reports

A debate in the offing in Sweden is highlighting a fundamental difference of opinion between insurance supervisors across Europe. The country’s insurance supervisors are grappling with fairness – not just how to ensure fairness in the way companies behave or in the treatment of policyholders, but the very concept of fairness. What seems fair in Stockholm, it turns out, seems unfair in Munich, Frankfurt or Cologne. It is a difference of opinion with potentially meaningful ramifications for