Selection of lives

Life insurance practice of categorising lives as standard, substandard or declined. The object is to guard against anti-selection, as the substandard lives have the greatest incentive to insure, disturbing the mortality balance. Standard lives attract normal terms while sub-standard (i.e. impaired) lives are rated according to their impairment.

Self-investment

The investment of the asset of an occupational pension scheme approved under Chapter I in employerrelated investment. A 5 per cent limit is imposed by PA95 and the IR imposes separate restrictions on self-investment by small self-administered schemes.

Self-Personal invested personal pensions (SIPPs)

Personal pensions that allow the individual to select where his contributions, within limits, should be invested. The investment opportunities include stocks and shares, unit and investment trusts, insurance company funds, deposit accounts and commercial property. Certain investments (e.g. works of art) are prohibited. Individuals must have net relevant earnings and will receive tax relief on contributions at the highest marginal rate. Group arrangements are common. SIPPs are offered by insurance companies and stockbrokers. See SELFINVESTMENT.

Semi-obligatory reinsurance

Treaty under which only one of the parties has an obligation. The cedant may be obliged to offer all risks of the given class but the reinsurer will not be bound to accept them (obligatory-facultative). Conversely, the reinsurer may obliged to accept all risks that the cedant chooses to offer (facultative-obligatory).