Information for captive insurers

Overview

Alberta’s regulatory framework enabling captive insurance companies is effective July 1, 2022. Captives provide insurance coverage for the entities that create and own them. Captives may be set up in any sector as an alternative to using a traditional insurer.

Alberta’s captive insurers are licensed and supervised by Alberta’s Superintendent of Insurance. This oversight helps ensure Alberta’s captives are financially healthy and able to pay their claims.

Alberta’s captive legislation also welcomes captive insurance companies that have been established in the United States or offshore and wish to relocate to Alberta.

Captive insurance licence application

Prior to receiving a new captive insurance licence in Alberta, a captive must either be incorporated under the Business Corporations Act or formed under the Partnership Act. For details about obtaining a captive insurance licence, refer to:

• Captive Insurance Company Licensing Guide – March 2024

Captive insurance capital guideline

This guideline sets out the expectations of the Superintendent of Insurance regarding capital requirements for captive insurance companies licensed in Alberta.

• Capital Guideline for Captive Insurance Companies – March 2024

Renewal of captive licence

This administrative process is conducted once a year in the fall, and is a separate process from the annual insurer review conducted by the Prudential Supervision team. Complete the licence renewal application online via the Insurance Regulatory Information System.

Filing requirements

All captive insurance companies licensed in Alberta are required to file a number of documents on a consistent basis, in order to fulfill statutory requirements. The following documents have details on the Superintendent of Insurance’s filing requirements:

• Filing requirements: captive insurance companies
• Captive Insurance Company Minimum Capital Test Form
• Anti-Terrorism Financing Report – due on the 15th day of every month

Resources

Bulletins, notices and enforcement relevant to captive insurance companies will be added when available.

Bulletins and Notices from the Superintendent of Insurance

• Notice 08-2022: Captive Insurance Implementation – effective July 1, 2022 – posted June 8, 2022
  • The Captive Insurance Companies Act (CICA), the Captive Insurance Companies Regulation (CICR), the Captive Insurance Companies (Prescribed Enactments) Regulation and consequential amendments to the Insurance Enforcement and Administration Regulation (IEAR) and the Recovery of Insurance Administration Costs Regulation (RIACR), come into effect on July 1, 2022.

Legislation

• Captive Insurance Companies Act
• Captive Insurance Companies Regulation
• Captive Insurance Companies (Prescribed Enactments) Regulation
• Classes of Insurance Regulation
• Business Corporations Act
• Partnership Act
• Recovery of Insurance Administration Costs Regulation
• Insurance Enforcement and Administration Regulation
• Alberta Corporate Tax Act

Ministerial Order and Directive

• Ministerial Order 14/2022 – Fees under the Captive Insurance Companies Act
• Ministerial Directive 16/2022 – Delegation to the Superintendent of Insurance under the Captive Insurance Companies Act

Personal information and Attorney forms

• Personal information return
• Attorney for service and consent form

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Contact

Connect with Prudential Supervision, Office of the Alberta Superintendent of Insurance:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-643-2237
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-420-0752
Email:  [email protected]

Address:
Alberta Superintendent of Insurance
Alberta Treasury Board and Finance
Financial Sector Regulation and Policy
402 Terrace Building
9515 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2C3