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Thematic reviews

We regularly undertake thematic reviews on risk, governance and compliance of banks and insurers we supervise. We also carry out thematic reviews on other topics related to our core mandate of maintaining a sound and efficient financial system.

Published date:: 05 September 2023

About our thematic reviews

Our Industry Insights and Thematics team conducts the reviews using in-depth desktop analysis, on-site visits and interviews. The reviews may result in:

recommendations to industry to improve risk governance and management
input to our future policy development and reviews
more intensive supervisory engagement or action.

At the end of each review, we publish a report and our supervisors follow up on any recommendations made in the review report, both with banks or insurers that participated in the review and the wider sector.

Cross-sector thematic review on governance

We collaborated with the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) to conduct a cross-sector thematic review of regulated entities’ governance practices. In September 2023, we released our Governance Thematic Review report.

Businessman attending a meeting with his team at a board table

Governance Thematic Review report

Read the report and next steps for the cross-sector thematic review on governance.

Thematic review of compliance with liquidity policy

In 2021, we conducted our first thematic review into banks' compliance with our liquidity policy which we introduced in 2010. The review was also an opportunity to gain a deeper insight into banking industry practices relating to the management and monitoring of liquidity risk.

Thematic review of bank conduct and culture

In 2018, we completed a joint review with the Financial Markets Authority into the conduct and culture of New Zealand's 11 largest retail banks. The review was the first of its kind in New Zealand. This page discusses the findings of the review and next steps.

Review of bank directors' attestation regime 2017

This review of bank directors' attestation regime in 2017 was released under an Official Information Act request.

Insurance thematic reviews

Insurer catastrophe risk survey 2020

This page provides an overview of our 2020 review of how licensed insurers assess their exposure to catastrophe risk. It is a follow up to our 2016 review.

Thematic review of the appointed actuary role

In June 2020, we published our findings from our thematic review of the appointed actuary role and regime in the New Zealand insurance sector. This page provides a link to the report and what we have done in response to the review.

Thematic review of life insurer conduct and culture

In 2019, we released the findings of our joint review with the Financial Markets Authority of 16 New Zealand life insurers that underwrite life insurance products. This page discusses the findings of the review and next steps.

2017 Insurer disclosures thematic review report

This report covers our findings from the thematic review on compliance with financial strength rating and solvency disclosure requirements in 2017. This report was based on a sample of 36 licensed insurers.

2016 Insurer catastrophe risk survey report

This report provides the Reserve Bank’s generalised feedback on the catastrophe risk survey 2016. Licensed insurers were asked to provide qualitative information on their assessment of exposure to catastrophe risks.

2014 Insurer risk governance thematic review report

This report covers our findings from a review of the quality of risk governance amongst 17 licensed insurers conducted in 2014.

Other reviews

Survey of prescribed transaction reporting relating to AML-CFT legislation (pdf 810KB)

In August 2021, we published a report on the Correspondent Banking, Prescribed Transaction Reporting and Transaction Monitoring Survey.