Only capital in excess of the minimum requirements is available to truly and independently absorb business risk. In an actual crisis, it is only this capital that can be used to buy the time needed, for instance, to write down impaired assets, adjust portfolios or restructure business units. In an ideal world, of course, such buffers should be built up before systemic events occur.
Without a healthy nation and healthy economy there can be no sound financial sector and vice versa. I will dwell on several topics which have imposed themselves on us, in the following order: 1. Stable growth of the insurance sector in the past ten years; 2. Current risks heightening the awareness on the importance of insurance; 3.