HSBC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 312

HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
Notes on the Financial Statements (continued)
2 – Summary of significant accounting policies
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liabilities are measured at the higher of the initial fair value, less cumulative amortisation, and the best estimate
of the expenditure required to settle the obligations.
HSBC Holdings has issued financial guarantees and similar contracts to other Group entities. Where it has
previously asserted explicitly that it regards such contracts as insurance contracts and has used accounting
applicable to insurance contracts, HSBC may elect to account for guarantees as an insurance contract in HSBC
Holdings’ financial statements. This election is made on a contract by contract basis, but the election for each
contract is irrevocable. Where these guarantees have been classified as insurance contracts, they are measured
and recognised as insurance liabilities.
(y) Insurance contracts
Through its insurance subsidiaries, HSBC issues contracts to customers that contain insurance risk, financial risk
or a combination thereof. A contract under which HSBC accepts significant insurance risk from another party by
agreeing to compensate that party on the occurrence of a specified uncertain future event, is classified as an
insurance contract. An insurance contract may also transfer financial risk, but is accounted for as an insurance
contract if the insurance risk is significant.
While investment contracts with discretionary participation features are financial instruments, they continue to
be treated as insurance contracts as permitted by IFRS 4.
Insurance contracts are accounted for as follows:
Premiums
Gross insurance premiums for non-life insurance business are reported as income over the term of the insurance
contracts based on the proportion of risks borne during the accounting period. The unearned premium (the
proportion of the business underwritten in the accounting year relating to the period of risk after the balance
sheet date) is calculated on a daily or monthly pro rata basis.
Premiums for life insurance contracts are accounted for when receivable, except in unit-linked insurance
contracts where premiums are accounted for when liabilities are established.
Reinsurance premiums are accounted for in the same accounting period as the premiums for the direct insurance
contracts to which they relate.
Claims and reinsurance recoveries
Gross insurance claims for non-life insurance contracts include paid claims and movements in outstanding
claims liabilities.
Gross insurance claims for life insurance contracts reflect the total cost of claims arising during the year,
including claim handling costs and any policyholder bonuses allocated in anticipation of a bonus declaration.
Claims arising during the year include maturities, surrenders and death claims.
Maturity claims are recognised when due for payment. Surrenders are recognised when paid or at an earlier date
on which, following notification, the policy ceases to be included within the calculation of the related insurance
liabilities. Death claims are recognised when notified.
Reinsurance recoveries are accounted for in the same period as the related claim.
Liabilities under insurance contracts
Outstanding claims liabilities for non-life insurance contracts are based on the estimated ultimate cost of all
claims incurred but not settled at the balance sheet date, whether reported or not, together with related claim-
handling costs and a reduction for the expected value of salvage and other recoveries. Liabilities for claims
incurred but not reported are made on an estimated basis, using appropriate statistical techniques.
Liabilities under non-linked life insurance contracts are calculated by each life insurance operation based on
local actuarial principles.
Liabilities under unit-linked life insurance contracts are at least equivalent to the surrender or transfer value
which is calculated by reference to the value of the relevant underlying funds or indices.