Automobile Insurance Filing Guidelines and Technical Notes

The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) is releasing updated Private Passenger Automobile Filing Guidelines – Major and updated Technical Notes. These Filing Guidelines and Technical Notes are effective immediately and supersede previous versions.

FSCO has also released service standards for the review of private passenger automobile rate filings.

Updates to Filing Guidelines and Technical Notes

Changes to the Filing Guidelines have been reviewed with FSCO's Rating and Underwriting Technical Advisory Committee (RUTAC). A summary of changes is attached as Appendix A to this Bulletin.

Benchmark Loss Cost Trends and Auto Reform Mapping Factors

FSCO regularly releases benchmark loss cost trends and auto reform mapping factors for information purposes based on the most recent Ontario Industry Private Passenger auto insurance data available. FSCO’s revised Technical Notes include updated benchmark factors that are based on analysis of industry data, which is an average risk distribution for the industry.

FSCO reminds insurers that, due to the differences in risk distribution amongst insurers, the FSCO benchmark factors for auto reform may be too high for some insurers, and too low for others depending upon the mix of urban and rural risks. Therefore, companies should consider the differences in the distribution of their own portfolio risks compared to the industry when providing support for their selected reform mapping factors in their rate filings that FSCO will review.

Simplified Filing Process

If insurers are contemplating filings that result in a reduction or no change in rates to consumers, they may use the simplified filing process. Please refer to the Simplified Filing Guidelines posted on FSCO’s website for information. Detailed actuarial information is not required and FSCO’s review of such filings is expedited. There is also no limit to the number of simplified filings that can be submitted in one year.

Service Standards for Rate Filings

Continuous service improvement is one of FSCO’s main priorities. FSCO works to continuously improve its performance throughout the organization in order to deliver its services in a cost efficient and effective manner. To support this priority, FSCO has been developing improved performance measures in order to establish service standards against which it can be judged in all the sectors it regulates.

The new service standards will be monitored to ensure that FSCO continues to deliver its services in a timely manner. The new service standards are posted on FSCO’s website at www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/about/Pages/service_standards.aspx.

FSCO has also launched a webcast to assist insurers with better understanding the rate filing process.

Contact

Should you have any inquiries regarding this Bulletin, please contact your Team Lead/Analyst in the Automobile Insurance Services Branch at FSCO. Company actuaries are also encouraged to contact FSCO’s actuarial staff on actuarial requirements.

Please note that this Bulletin, the Filing Guidelines and the Technical Notes are posted on FSCO's website at: www.fsco.gov.on.ca. Our website has been made more user-friendly by listing only the most current filing guidelines and Technical Notes in one location.

Philip Howell
Chief Executive Officer and
Superintendent of Financial Services

October 9, 2012

Attachments:

1. Appendix A - Summary of Changes to Filing Guidelines and Technical Notes Size: ## kb​