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Annual Financial Report

1st Apr 2014 10:54

RNS Number : 7186D
General Accident PLC
01 April 2014
 



GENERAL ACCIDENT PLC - 2013 ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Following the release by General Accident plc (the "Company") on 6 March 2014 of the Company's 2013 Preliminary Results Announcement for the year ended 31 December 2013, the Company announces that it has, on 31 March 2014, issued to shareholders its 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements, which is now available to view on the Aviva plc website at www.aviva.com/gareports.

 

A copy of the 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at www.hemscott.com/nsm.do.

 

01 April 2014

 

 

Enquiries:

 

Kirsty Cooper, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary

Telephone - 020 7662 6646

 

Liz Nicholls, Assistant Company Secretary

Telephone - 020 7662 8358

 

 

Information required under Disclosure & Transparency Rule 6.3.5(2)(b)

 

In accordance with Disclosure and Transparency Rule 6.3.5(2)(b), additional information is set out in the appendices to this announcement. These set out in full unedited text the directors' responsibility statement, events after the reporting period, principal risks and uncertainties and details of related party transactions extracted from the 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements. Page references in the text refer to page numbers in the 2013 Annual Report and Financial Statements.

 

Directors' responsibility statement pursuant to the Disclosure and Transparency Rule 4

 

Each of the directors listed on page 3 confirms that, to the best of their knowledge:

 

- the Company's financial statements in this report, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Company; and

 

- the management report, contained in the annual report, includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Company, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that it faces.

 

Events since the Statement of Financial Position date

 

There are no events since the Statement of Financial Position date to report.

 

Principal risks and uncertainties

 

A description of the principal risks and uncertainties facing the Company and the Company's risk management policies to manage and mitigate these risks are set out in note 14 to the financial statements.

 

Risk factors beyond the Company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated include credit and interest rate risk.

 

Credit risk

The net asset value of the Company's financial resources is exposed to the potential default on the loans and short term receivables due from its parent, Aviva plc. The loans amounting to £10,382 million (2012: £10,546 million) are secured by a legal charge against the ordinary share capital of Aviva Group Holdings Limited mitigating the risk of loss in the event of Aviva plc defaulting. Due to the nature of the loans, and the fact that they are settled, and not traded, the Company is not exposed to the risk of changes to the market value caused by changing perceptions of the credit worthiness of Aviva plc. Financial assets that were past due or impaired at 31 December 2013 were £nil (2012: £nil).

 

Interest rate risk

The net asset value of the Company's financial resources is exposed to potential fluctuations in interest rates. The effect of a 100 basis point increase / decrease in interest rates would be an increase / decrease in net interest income of £104 million (2012: increase / decrease of £105 million). Interest rate risk is a risk the Company chooses to accept rather than reduce or mitigate, as although it may materially impact the results of the Company, it does not impact the Company as a going concern, as the Company has no operating expenses and has discretion over the payment of preference dividends.

 

Risk management

 

(a) The Company's approach to risk and capital management

 

Risk management framework

 

The Company's risk management framework is aligned with that of the Aviva plc Group and forms an integral part of the management and Board processes and decision-making framework.

 

The Company's risk management approach is aimed at actively identifying, measuring, managing, monitoring and reporting significant existing and emerging risks. Risks are measured considering the significance of the risk to the business and its internal and external stakeholders.

 

To promote a consistent and rigorous approach to risk management, the Aviva plc Group has set out formal risk management policies and business standards which set out the risk strategy, framework and minimum requirements for the Group's worldwide operations, including the Company.

 

The directors recognise the critical importance of having efficient and effective risk management systems in place and acknowledge that they are responsible for the Company's framework of internal control and of reviewing its effectiveness. The framework is designed to manage rather than eliminate the risk of failure to achieve the Company's objectives, and can only provide reasonable assurance against misstatement or loss. The directors of the Company are satisfied that their adherence to this Group framework provides an adequate means of managing risk in the Company. These are documented as follows:

 

(b) Management of financial and non-financial risks

 

(i) Market risk

 

Market risk is the risk of an adverse financial impact resulting from fluctuations in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, equity prices and property values. At the statement of financial position date, the Company did not have any material exposure to currency exchange rates, equity prices or property values.

 

Interest rate risk arises from the inter-company loans receivable (see note 8). The effect of a 100 basis point increase / decrease in interest rates would be an increase / decrease in interest income (before tax) of £104 million (2012: increase / decrease of £105 million). The fair value or net asset value of the Company's financial resources is not materially affected by fluctuations in interest rates.

 

(ii) Credit risk

 

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss as a result of the default or failure of third parties to meet their payment obligations, or variations in market values as a result of changes in expectation related to these risks.

 

The Company's financial assets primarily comprise loans and a short term receivable due from its parent, Aviva plc, with an external issuer credit rating of A-[1], and as such the credit risk arising from the counterparty failing to meet all or part of their obligations is considered remote. In addition, the loans amounting to £10,382 million (2012: £10,546 million) are secured by a legal charge against the ordinary share capital of Aviva Group Holdings Limited. Due to the nature of the financial assets, and the fact that the loans are settled, and not traded, the Company is not exposed to the risk of changes to the market value caused by changing perceptions of the credit worthiness of counterparties. Financial assets that were past due or impaired at 31 December 2013 were £nil (2012: £nil).

 

(b) Management of financial and non-financial risks continued

 

(iii) Liquidity risk

 

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Company is not able to make payments as they become due because there are insufficient assets in cash form.

 

Within its financial resources, the Company does not hold any assets in a cash form, however cash settlements of its dividend obligations to the holders of its preference shares are discretionary and subject to Director resolution. Furthermore the cost of these dividends is passed to the Company through an intercompany charge. Tax charges are also settled through an intercompany charge.

 

(iv) Operational risk

 

Operational risk is the risk of a direct or indirect loss arising from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or external events, including changes in the regulatory environment.

 

Given its limited activities, the key operational risks to the Company are inadequate governance and lack of sufficiently robust financial controls. The risks are mitigated by the Company's implementation of the Group's risk management policies and framework and compliance with the Group's financial reporting and controls framework.

 

(c) Capital management

 

The Company's capital risk determined with reference to the requirements of the Company's stakeholders. In managing capital we seek to maintain sufficient, but not excessive, financial strength to support the payment of preference dividends and the requirements of other stakeholders. The sources of capital used by the Company are equity shareholders' funds and preference shares. At 31 December 2013 the Company had £13,915 million (2012: £13,915 million) of total capital employed.

 

 

Related party transactions

 

(a) The Company had the following related party transactions

 

The Company receives interest income from, and pays dividends to its parent company in the normal course of business. These activities are reflected in the tables below.

(i) Loans due from parent company

 

In 2005, the Company provided a facility to Aviva plc, its parent company, of £21,628 million. This loan accrues interest at 180 base points above 3 month LIBOR, with settlement to be received in cash at maturity in February 2015. As at the Statement of Financial Position date, the loan balance outstanding was £407 million (2012: £407 million). This facility has been secured by a legal charge against the ordinary share capital of Aviva Group Holdings Limited.

 

In 2008, the Company provided a facility to Aviva plc, its parent company, of £12,371 million. On 31 December 2013 this loan was increased by £1 million. This loan accrues interest at 150 base points above 3 month LIBOR, with settlement to be received in cash at maturity in December 2014. It is the intention of both parties that this facility will be renewed in full upon maturity. As at the Statement of Financial Position date, the loan balance outstanding was £9,975 million (2012: £10,139 million). This facility has been secured by a legal charge of £10,991 million (2012: £10,921 million) against the ordinary share capital of Aviva Group Holdings Limited.

 

 (a) The Company had the following related party transactions continued

 

(i) Loans due from parent company continued

 

The maturity analysis of the related party loans is as follows:

 

2013

2012

£m

£m

Within 1 year

9,975

-

1-5 years

407

10,546

10,382

10,546

Effective interest rate

2.04%

2.44%

 

(ii) Other transactions

 

Services provided to related parties

 

2013

2012

Income earned in the year

Receivable at year end

Income earned in the year

Receivable at year end

£m

£m

£m

£m

Immediate parent

243

3,659

282

3,524

243

3,659

282

3,524

 

The services provided to related parties in 2013 related to interest income of £243 million (2012: £282 million) from Aviva plc.

 

Services provided by related parties

 

2013

2012

Expenses paid in the year

Payable at year end

Expenses paid in the year

Payable at year end

£'000

£m

£'000

£m

Other Aviva Group companies

9

69

9

86

9

69

9

86

 

 

Expenses paid represents audit fees paid by Aviva plc. Refer note 3.

 

Preference dividends of £21 million (2012: £21 million) were paid on behalf of the Company by its parent, Aviva plc.

 

Group relief

 

The services provided by related parties related to liabilities for prior years' tax settled by group relief.

 

Dividends paid

 

The only other related party transactions affecting the Company's equity related to ordinary dividends paid to Aviva plc of £165 million (2012: £186 million).

 

(b) Key management compensation

 

Key management are remunerated by Aviva Employment Services Limited, a fellow subsidiary of the ultimate parent company. The majority of such costs are borne by Aviva plc and are not recharged to the Company.

 

(c) Parent entity

 

The immediate and ultimate parent entity and controlling party is Aviva plc, a public limited company incorporated and domiciled in the United Kingdom, which is the parent undertaking of the smallest and largest Group to consolidate these financial statements. Copies of Aviva plc consolidated financial statements are available on application to the Group Company Secretary, Aviva plc, St Helen's, 1 Undershaft, London EC3P 3DQ, and on the Aviva plc website at www.aviva.com.

 


[1] Issuer credit ratings represent an issuer's ability to meet its overall financial commitments as they fall due.

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
END
 
 
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