Independent Auditor’s Report to the Shareholders of Gulf Insurance Group K.S.C.P.
Report on the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements
Opinion
We have audited the consolidated financial statements of Gulf Insurance Group K.S.C.P. (the “Parent Company”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Group”), which comprise the consolidated statement of financial position as at 31 December 2023, and the consolidated statement of income, consolidated statement of comprehensive income, consolidated statement of changes in equity and consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the consolidated financial statements, including material accounting policy information.
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Group as at 31 December 2023, and its consolidated financial performance and its consolidated cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs).
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants’ International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) (IESBA Code), and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the IESBA Code. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current year. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters. For each matter below, our description of how our audit addressed the matter is provided in that context.
We have fulfilled the responsibilities described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements’ section of our report, including in relation to these matters. Accordingly, our audit included the performance of procedures designed to respond to our assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements. The results of our audit procedures, including the procedures performed to address the matters below, provide the basis for our audit opinion on the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
a) Valuation of estimates of present value of cashflows and risk adjustment for non‑financial risk – insurance contract liabilities
As at 31 December 2023, estimate of present value of cash flows and risk adjustment for non‑financial risk included in liabilities for incurred claims amounting to KD 449.707 million (2022: KD 427.752 million), as reported in Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements.
The estimation of the liability for incurred claims involves a significant degree of judgement. This entails estimating the present value of future cash flows and the risk adjustment for non‑financial risk.
Accordingly, complexities arises from calculating the actuarial best estimate and the margin using historical data which is sensitive to external inputs, such as claims cost inflation and medical trends, as well as the actuarial methodology that is applied and the assumptions on current and future events.
Due to the inherent estimation uncertainty and subjectivity involved in the assessment of valuation of the liability for incurred claims arising from insurance contracts, we have considered this as a key audit matter.
Refer to note 2 for the accounting policy and significant accounting judgements, estimates and assumptions adopted by the Group, involved in the initial recognition and subsequent measurement of insurance contract liabilities. Also, refer to note 8 for the movement in insurance contract liabilities.
Our procedures, among others, included the following:
- Understood, evaluated and tested key controls around the claims handling and provision setting processes.
- Evaluated the competence, capabilities and objectivity of the management’s expert based on their professional qualifications and experience.
- Performed substantive tests, on sample basis, on the amounts recorded for claims intimated and paid; including comparing the outstanding claims amount to appropriate source documentation to evaluate the valuation of outstanding claim reserves.
- Assessed the integrity of data used as inputs into the actuarial valuations, and tested on sample basis, the accuracy of underlying claims data utilised by the management’s expert in estimating the present value of the future cash flows and the risk adjustment for non‑financial risk by comparing it to the accounting and other records.
- Involved our internal actuarial specialists to assess the Group’s methods and assumptions and evaluate the Group’s actuarial practices and provisions established including the actuarial report issued by management’s expert, by performing the following:
- Evaluated whether the Group’s actuarial methodologies were consistent with generally accepted actuarial practices and with prioryears
- Assessed key actuarial assumptions including claims ratios and expected frequency and severity of claims.; and
- Assessed the appropriateness of the calculation methods and approach along with the assumptions used and sensitivity analysis performed.
- Further, we assessed the adequacy of the related disclosures given in Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements.
b) Adoption of IFRS 17 and IFRS 9
During the year the Group has adopted IFRS 17 “Insurance Contracts”, which replaces IFRS 4 “Insurance Contracts”, and is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023, with early adoption permitted. IFRS 17 establishes principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of insurance contracts, reinsurance contracts and investment contracts with direct participation features (“DPF”). The Group has applied the full retrospective approach to each group of insurance contracts.
The adoption of IFRS 17 resulted in a transition adjustment to the Group’s equity as at 1 January 2022 amounting to KD 1.027 million. IFRS 17 introduced new nomenclature for significant insurance‑related balances as well as new measurement principles for insurance‑related liabilities and insurance revenue recognition.
Further, during the year the Group also adopted IFRS 9 “Financial Instruments”, which replaces IAS 39 “Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement”. The Group has applied the temporary exemption from IFRS 9 for annual periods before 1 January 2023. For the transition to IFRS 9, the Group applied a modified retrospective approach. The adoption of IFRS 9 resulted in a transition adjustment to the Group’s equity as at 1 January 2023 amounting to KD 4.267 million. IFRS 9 also required the management to assess its business model with respect to different portfolios of investments that drive the measurement and disclosures of the Group’s investments. It also introduced the concept of Expected Credit Loss (ECL) which is a forward‑looking estimate of credit losses for the Group’s financial assets.
Due to first year adoption, which resulted in fundamental changes to classification and measurement of the main transactions and balances of the Group along with significant changes to presentation and disclosures that were required in the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023, we have considered this as a key audit matter.
Refer to note 2 for accounting policy, transition and significant accounting judgements, estimates and assumptions adopted by the Group.
Our procedures included, among others, the following:
- Obtained an understanding of the Group’s implementation process for determining the impact of adoption of the standards, including understanding of the changes to the Group’s accounting policies, systems, processes and controls.
- Evaluated and assessed management’s process to identify insurance contracts, to determine the appropriate measurement model under IFRS 17.
- Assessed the Group’s methods, assumptions and accounting policies adopted under IFRS 17 and IFRS 9, with the assistance of our actuarial and accounting specialists.
- Evaluated whether management’s allocation of expenses under IFRS 17 was appropriate and tested, on a sample basis, such expenses.
- Evaluated the risk adjustment for non‑financial risk under IFRS 17 and tested, on a sample basis, the underlying data supporting the adjustment.
- Evaluated and assessed management’s conclusions regarding the Group’s business model for different portfolios of investments and the appropriateness of the Group’s determination of ECL under IFRS 9.
- Assessed the adequacy of the transition adjustments for both IFRS 17 and IFRS 9 on the opening retained earnings as at 1 January 2022 and as at 1 January 2023, respectively.
- Assessed the appropriateness of the transition and accounting policies disclosures in relation to IFRS 17 and IFRS 9 made in the consolidated financial statements.
Other information included in the Group’s 2023 Annual Report
Management is responsible for the other information. Other information consists of the information included in the Group’s 2023 Annual Report, other than the consolidated financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon.
Our opinion on the consolidated financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not and will not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the consolidated financial statements, or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Consolidated Financial Statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with the IFRSs, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Group’s financial reporting process.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
- Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
- Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.
- Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern.
- Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
- Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the Group to express an opinion on the consolidated financial statements. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the Group audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, actions taken to eliminate threats or safeguards applied.
From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current year and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
Furthermore, in our opinion proper books of account have been kept by the Parent Company and the consolidated financial statements, together with the contents of the report of the Parent Company’s Board of Directors relating to these consolidated financial statements, are in accordance therewith. We further report that we obtained all the information and explanations that we required for the purpose of our audit and that the consolidated financial statements incorporate all information that is required by the Companies Law No. 1 of 2016, as amended, and its executive regulations, as amended, and by the Parent Company’s Memorandum of Incorporation and Articles of Association, as amended, that an inventory was duly carried out and that, to the best of our knowledge and belief, no violations of the Companies Law No. 1 of 2016, as amended, and its executive regulations, as amended, or of the Parent Company’s Memorandum of Incorporation and Articles of Association, as amended, have occurred during the year ended 31 December 2023 that might have had a material effect on the business of the Parent Company or on its financial position.
We further report that, during the course of our audit, we have not become aware of any material violations of the provisions of Law No. 7 of 2010 concerning establishment of Capital Markets Authority “CMA” and organization of security activity and its executive regulations, as amended during the year ended 31 December 2023 that might have had a material effect on the business of the Parent Company or on its financial position.
LICENCE NO. 68 A
EY
AL AIBAN, AL OSAIMI & PARTNERS
2 March 2024
Kuwait