Insurance: authorisations, reports and contracts · France / Switzerland
Insurance undertaking: authorisation and branch dossier
An insurance-authorisation dossier starts with the undertaking, proposed activities and territory. France’s framework differs from Swiss insurer supervision; direct insurance and reinsurance also need distinct examination. Assemble the business plan, organisation, responsible functions and resources before comparing the actual permission scope and proposed changes. Commercial registration or investment-management authorisation does not itself establish permission to conduct insurance business, and no branch should be inferred from the company’s name.
Julie by AlphaDeep is an AI legal assistant for French law: it researches official references to help answer your questions (Légifrance, case law, service-public), analyses your documents and drafts your letters, for individuals and professionals alike.
- Official texts cited
- Sources checked on
- Drafted with AI assistance, our method
General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.
Julie by AlphaDeep
Is the activity direct insurance, reinsurance or another defined category?
France: distinguish direct insurer acceptances and specialised reinsurance under L321-1 and L321-1-1. Switzerland: identify direct insurance or reinsurance activity and the corresponding FINMA scope; neither country’s approval categories are automatically interchangeable.
Read the referencesYour file concerns “Insurance undertaking: authorisation and branch dossier”. Does it concern France or Switzerland? Share the document for undertaking and territory and the decision you need to prepare.
3 free questions at signup. Avoid names and sensitive information.
Which undertaking, territories and activities are proposed?
France: identify entity, seat, activities and territories under the relevant L310-2 route. Switzerland: establish the actual VAG scope and exceptions separately; a foreign permission or group name does not establish every domestic operating right.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Is the activity direct insurance, reinsurance or another defined category?
France: distinguish direct insurer acceptances and specialised reinsurance under L321-1 and L321-1-1. Switzerland: identify direct insurance or reinsurance activity and the corresponding FINMA scope; neither country’s approval categories are automatically interchangeable.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Which branches and specialisation conditions apply?
France: L321-1 limits activity to approved operations with specialisation rules. Switzerland: VAG Article 12 preserves accident and health exceptions for direct-life insurers; compare the actual AVO branch definitions rather than importing French codes.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Insurer activity, branch and permission matrix
Synthetic example: fictional records. Insurer activity, branch and permission matrix.
Synthetic example: fictional records · Insurer activity, branch and permission matrix
- Jurisdiction
- France
- Undertaking and territory
- Entity A1, territory T1
- Activity and branches
- Direct or reinsurance R1, branches B1
- Plan and governance
- Plan P1, functions G1
- Permission and changes
- Decision D1, extension E1
Commercial registration or investment-management authorisation does not itself establish permission to conduct insurance business, and no branch should be inferred from the company’s name.
What business plan and organisation evidence support the application?
France: connect activity programme, organisation and resources to L321-10’s approval assessment. Switzerland: retain the corresponding business plan under VAG Article 4; this preparation does not certify a complete authority-specific application package.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Which responsible functions and resources must be documented?
France: retain governance roles and supporting resource records without declaring fitness or capital adequacy. Switzerland: document relevant responsibilities and Article 14 evidence likewise; the tool does not decide suitability of any individual or undertaking.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Preparation reference: Insurer activity, branch and permission matrix
| Preparation question | Point to verify |
|---|---|
| Which undertaking, territories and activities are proposed? | France: identify entity, seat, activities and territories under the relevant L310-2 route. Switzerland: establish the actual VAG scope and exceptions separately; a foreign permission or group name does not establish every domestic operating right. |
| Is the activity direct insurance, reinsurance or another defined category? | France: distinguish direct insurer acceptances and specialised reinsurance under L321-1 and L321-1-1. Switzerland: identify direct insurance or reinsurance activity and the corresponding FINMA scope; neither country’s approval categories are automatically interchangeable. |
| Which branches and specialisation conditions apply? | France: L321-1 limits activity to approved operations with specialisation rules. Switzerland: VAG Article 12 preserves accident and health exceptions for direct-life insurers; compare the actual AVO branch definitions rather than importing French codes. |
| What business plan and organisation evidence support the application? | France: connect activity programme, organisation and resources to L321-10’s approval assessment. Switzerland: retain the corresponding business plan under VAG Article 4; this preparation does not certify a complete authority-specific application package. |
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
What authority and decision define the permitted scope?
France: connect ACPR decision, branches and restrictions to the actual entity. Switzerland: reconcile the FINMA operating decision with the business plan; submission or another group company’s permission does not prove the requested scope.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Which extension or structural change requires separate examination?
France: examine changed branches, territories and structure against the existing approval. Switzerland: verify the relevant business-plan and permission change separately; a commercial expansion does not itself establish an authorised extension.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Which official provision helps explain this situation?
An insurance-authorisation dossier starts with the undertaking, proposed activities and territory. France’s framework differs from Swiss insurer supervision; direct insurance and reinsurance also need distinct examination. Assemble the business plan, organisation, responsible functions and resources before comparing the actual permission scope and proposed changes. Commercial registration or investment-management authorisation does not itself establish permission to conduct insurance business, and no branch should be inferred from the company’s name.
Why is insurance permission distinct from investment-management authorisation?
France: insurance undertaking approval and asset-manager permission concern different activities. Switzerland: FINMA insurance permission likewise does not automatically equal portfolio-management authorisation; managing premium assets does not make those titles interchangeable.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
What other questions arise in this file?
Is the activity direct insurance, reinsurance or another defined category?
France: distinguish direct insurer acceptances and specialised reinsurance under L321-1 and L321-1-1. Switzerland: identify direct insurance or reinsurance activity and the corresponding FINMA scope; neither country’s approval categories are automatically interchangeable.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
What business plan and organisation evidence support the application?
France: connect activity programme, organisation and resources to L321-10’s approval assessment. Switzerland: retain the corresponding business plan under VAG Article 4; this preparation does not certify a complete authority-specific application package.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
What authority and decision define the permitted scope?
France: connect ACPR decision, branches and restrictions to the actual entity. Switzerland: reconcile the FINMA operating decision with the business plan; submission or another group company’s permission does not prove the requested scope.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Why is insurance permission distinct from investment-management authorisation?
France: insurance undertaking approval and asset-manager permission concern different activities. Switzerland: FINMA insurance permission likewise does not automatically equal portfolio-management authorisation; managing premium assets does not make those titles interchangeable.
Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSInsurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
Which official references should you consult?
- Code des assurances : agrément des entreprises : L321-1, L321-1-1, L321-10, L310-1-1, L310-2www.legifrance.gouv.fr
- Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 12, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14fedlex.data.admin.ch
- Insurance Supervision Ordinance OS/AVO/OSfedlex.data.admin.ch
- Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14fedlex.data.admin.ch
- Insurance Supervision Act LSA/VAG/LSA : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14fedlex.data.admin.ch
Texts cited last checked: 3 November 2026