41 Underwriting expenditure

Underwriting expenditure

  2007 2006 2005
Gross underwriting expenditure 51,818 53,065 54,594
Investment income for risk of policyholders –1,079 –2,702 –5,074
Reinsurance recoveries –1,906 –2,175 –2,400
Underwriting expenditure 48,833 48,188 47,120

Underwriting expenditure by class

  2007 2006 2005
Expenditure from life underwriting      
Reinsurance and retrocession premiums 1,968 2,004 2,031
Gross benefits 28,877 26,234 22,129
Reinsurance recoveries –1,749 –1,705 –1,625
Change in life insurance provisions for risk of company 11,979 13,420 14,650
Costs of acquiring insurance business 1,098 1,083 1,060
Other underwriting expenditure 457 439 364
Profit sharing and rebates 424 801 2,214
  43,054 42,276 40,823
       
Expenditure from non-life underwriting      
Reinsurance and retrocession premiums 306 339 526
Gross claims 3,589 3,848 4,343
Reinsurance recoveries –157 –470 –775
Change in provision for unearned premiums 79 65 –46
Change in claims provision 13 –209 –49
Costs of acquiring insurance business 979 1,043 1,012
Other underwriting expenditure –50 –71 –52
  4,759 4,545 4,959
       
Expenditure from investment contracts      
Costs of acquiring investment contracts 19 31 53
Profit sharing and rebates 16 64 17
Other changes in investment contract liabilities 985 1,272 1,268
  1,020 1,367 1,338
       
  48,833 48,188 47,120

Profit sharing and rebates

  2007 2006 2005
Distributions on account of interest or underwriting results –133 458 1,824
Bonuses added to policies 411 369 379
Deferred profit sharing expense 146 –26 11
  424 801 2,214

Underwriting expenditure includes an amount of EUR 4,275 million in 2007 (2006: EUR 4,141 million; 2005: EUR 3,956 million) in respect of commission paid and payable with regard to the insurance operations. Amortisation of deferred acquisition costs amounted to EUR 1,552 million in 2007 (2006: EUR 1,444 million; 2005: EUR 1,475 million).

Expenditure from Life underwriting includes an amount of EUR 110 million in 2007 (2006: EUR 181 million; 2005: EUR 220 million) in relation to reserve strengthening for Insurance Asia/Pacific as further described under Segment reporting.

The investment income and valuation results regarding investments for risk of policyholders of EUR 1,079 million (2006: EUR 2,702 million; 2005: EUR 5,074 million) has not been recognised in Investment income and valuation results on assets and liabilities designated at fair value through profit and loss but is recognised in Underwriting expenditure together with the equal amount of change in insurance provisions for risk of policyholders.

ING transferred part of their life insurance business to Scottish Re in 2004 by means of a co-insurance contract. A loss amounting to EUR 160 million was recognised in Underwriting expenditure in 2004 on this transaction. This loss represented the reduction of the related deferred acquisition costs. In addition, an amount of EUR 240 million is being amortised over the life of the underlying business, starting in 2005 and gradually decreasing in subsequent years as the business tails off. The amount amortised in 2007 was EUR 15 million (2006: EUR 32 million; 2005: EUR 34 million). The cumulative amortisation as at 31 December 2007 was EUR 81 million (2006: EUR 66 million; 2005: EUR 34 million).

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