A third impact study is planned for January

Medical RC. "The future of medical obstetrics is played in two months," stated Friday MACSF - medical Sou. The equation is simple: the 1,500 French Liberal obstetricians are too few to take natural disasters which may reach EUR 7 million. Civil liability premiums are soaring, without the possibility to pass this inflation on their income. The solution found this summer support for the contributions of specialties at risk in two-thirds by the social security has not been followed commitments for tariff reductions on the part of insurers.

To address this, a framework agreement should be found before April 30, 2007, with the unions of doctors and the Ministers of the economy and health. Otherwise, the Government will proceed by order. Go on until the nationalization of the medical RC evoked by Xavier Bertrand

"Class actions". The subject is likely to be postponed, electoral calendar requires. Insurers hone despite all their weapons.

Some members of the FFSA have calculated that the sector would bear half of the EUR 1 billion that would cost each year "class actions". Passed on to business liability insurance premiums, this amount would result in an average 20 additional cost. The addition could quickly climb if the text introducing the shares of group in French law was relaxed during the parliamentary debate ("Les Echos" from November 27).

Legal protection. The insurers were against. Reform project prepared by the Chancellery has however received the green light from the Prime Minister and will be considered by the Parliament in January. The reform provides inter alia that the insured is provided to obtain the prior consent of the insurer to choose his lawyer.

For insurers, who advocate through their platforms of Jurists, who prefer the out-of-court remedies and who sign agreements with some lawyers fees, "it's all the scheme of the system which is questioning". As the PJ, a market of EUR 540 million, aims to "promote access to the right to moderate cost".

Complementary health. After several years of increase of contributions, justified by the skid of health spending, insurers measure the limits of the elasticity of the complementary health prize. More current marketing attests to the need to adjust the offers so that those who consume little decide to do more to ensure.

Offers discount flower, the lead franchise grows (reimbursement of part of the assessment whether the consumption is low), and the concept of saving health resurfaced.

At the same time, insurers want to get out of their role as "blind paying." They see themselves as service providers, to perform "quality control" on care. What, believe, by access to healthcare data and direct relationships with health professionals.

Retirement and dependency. Even if people's retirement savings plan (PERP) barely get in power, the FFSA remains convinced of the virtues of this tool, "whose dynamics is positive". 1.818.000 PERP had been opened in September 30.

They have attracted a relatively young population (forty-one years on average), less sensitive than the fiscal stimulus at the entrance, and to regularly feed his contract. Even if a first opportunity to exit capital allowed this summer (for holders of a wishing to acquire, PERP pensioners in primo accession, a principal residence), the FFSA is partisan outlet in annuity.

Convinced that it must link the issues of pension and dependence, it militates for modulation of the annuity on the evolution of the needs of pensioners during their period of inactivity.

Natural disasters. The recent weather alerts provide a news special to one of the sensitive files of the time: the project of reform of the system of compensation of natural disasters. The ministries of economy and the Interior including considering to grant greater tariff freedom to private insurers, to remove the mechanism of the orders "nat cat" and supervise the risk of drought. These measures are intended to speed up recovery times and empower more insureds.

The Government hoped to submit the Bill to Parliament before the end of the current legislature. Finally, it should delay plans given reserves posted by several stakeholders (insurers, local communities, consumers), claiming "not to rush the reform". For a consultation on the subject, Emmanuel Constans has indicated that it was unlikely that the reform be done before the end of the year. It should submit its report to the Government in the very next days.

Solvency II. In July 2007, the European Commission will publish the framework directive Solvency II, intended to harmonise prudential rules in the States of the Union. Insurers and mutual have therefore more than a few weeks to weigh on the debates, which will have important consequences on their own funds, their results and, ultimately, their trade policy and the management of their risks. Recent impact studies have raised some concerns about the criteria used to calculate the minimum solvency margin (MCR) and target (SCR). Companies fear a criminalization of the investment in action, insufficient taking into account some specialties or, on the contrary, the effect of size to diversify risk. A third impact study is planned for January.