Revenue Account

The Revenue Account of general insurance companies must be prepared in conformity with the regulations of IRDA, Regulations 2002, as per the requirements of Schedule B. It has already been stated above that separate Revenue Account is to be prepared for each individual unit i.e. for Marine, Fire, and Accident.

These individual revenue accounts will highlight the result of operation of each individual unit for a particular accounting period. It also reveals the incomes and expenditures of each individual unit. Like Revenue Account of a life insurance company, Revenue Account is prepared under Mercantile System of Accounting.

Items appearing in Revenue Account:

Premiums:

It has already been stated above that general insurance policies are issued for a short period, say, for a year. As a result, many of them may be unexpired at the end of the year. Therefore, the entire premium so received cannot be treated as an income for the current year only. A portion of that amount should be carried forward to the next year in order to cover the unexpired risks. This is what is known as Reserve for Unexpired Risks.

As per Schedule IIB of the IRDA the Reserve for Unexpired Risks should be provided for out of net premium so received as:

(a) 50% for Fire Insurance business;

(b) 50% for Miscellaneous Insurance business;

(c) 50% for Marine Insurance business other than Marine Hull business, and

(d) 100% for Marine Hull business.

In addition to the above, if any company wants to maintain more than this level, it can do so. The same is known as Additional Reserve.

Claims Incurred (Net):

It is the first item that appears in the expenditure side of the Revenue Account of an insurance company. Claims mean the amount which is payable by the insurer, to the insured for the loss suffered by the latter against which the insurance was made.

Claims can be divided into:

(a) Claims intimated but not yet accepted and paid;

(b) Claims intimated, accepted but not paid;

(c) Claims intimated, accepted and paid; and

(d) Claims rejected. But if there is only ‘Claims intimated’ the same is to be treated like (b). That is why, in order to find out the outstanding claims, claims that have been intimated (whether paid or unpaid) should be considered.

At the end of the year the entry for the purpose will be:

Claims A/c Dr.

To Claims Intimated Accepted but Not Paid A/c

Claims Intimated but Not Accepted and Not Paid A/c

A reverse entry should be passed at the beginning of the next year for which there will be no effect in Claims Account. But, if any claim is rejected subsequently, the amount is to be transferred to Profit and Loss Account and Claims Account must be credited for the purpose.