How to achieve AML/CFT compliance?

AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism) compliance is a crucial legal obligation for brokers and insurers. Faced with increasingly stringent regulations, it is imperative to understand and implement effective measures to comply with regulatory requirements.

The insurance industry, often targeted by illicit activities, must adopt robust strategies to identify, assess and mitigate the risks associated with money laundering and terrorist financing. In this article, we will detail the legal obligations, the key steps to compliance and illustrate these points with concrete examples from the practice of brokers and insurers.

Understanding AML/CFT

AML/CFT definition

Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) encompasses all the measures, laws and regulations put in place to prevent and detect illegal activities aimed at concealing the origin of illicit funds or financing terrorist activities. AML/CFT is essential for maintaining the integrity of financial systems and protecting institutions against the risks of fraud and corruption.

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Legal and regulatory framework in Europe and France

In Europe, the regulatory framework is mainly dictated by European Union (EU) directives, such as the 4th and 5th anti-money laundering directives. These directives oblige member states to adopt national laws in line with European standards.

In France, AML/CFT regulations are governed by the Monetary and Financial Code, and supervised by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) and TRACFIN (acronym for Intelligence Processing and Action Against Clandestine Financial Circuits in English). These authorities ensure that anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism measures are rigorously applied.

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Key obligations for brokers and insurers

Brokers and insurers must comply with several strict obligations, the main ones being:

• Customer identification and verification: Implement know-your-customer (KYC) procedures to verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners.
• Risk assessment: Evaluate and categorize money laundering and terrorist financing risks related to customers, products and services.
• Continuous monitoring: Carry out continuous monitoring of transactions to detect any suspicious activity.
• Reporting suspicions: Proactively report all suspicious transactions to TRACFIN.‍
• Training and awareness: Regularly train employees in AML/CFT procedures and issues.

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✏️ Practical examples

Let's take the example of an insurance broker, who must carry out rigorous checks on the identity of his customers when taking out a policy. If a suspicious transaction is detected, such as a payment from a high-risk country, the broker must immediately alert TRACFIN. Similarly, an insurer offering savings products must assess the risks associated with each product and monitor transactions to identify any abnormal behavior.

👉 4 steps to take care of your compliance

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The challenges of AML/CFT compliance for brokers and insurers

Impact on customer reputation and trust

AML/CFT compliance plays a crucial role in preserving the reputation of players in the insurance industry. A failure to comply with regulations can lead to a loss of confidence among customers and partners, seriously damaging brand image. Customers look for reliable partners with integrity, and non-compliance can divert them to better-prepared competitors.

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Financial and legal risks

Penalties for non-compliance can be severe, including substantial fines and even prison sentences for those responsible. What's more, companies can be exposed to legal action and the high costs of internal and external investigations. Rigorous compliance helps avoid these financial and legal risks.

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Increased vigilance in a changing industry

The insurance industry is constantly evolving, with increasingly complex products and services. This complexity increases the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. Regulators regularly adapt legislative frameworks to meet these new challenges, making regulatory monitoring and ongoing adaptation essential.

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✏️ Practical examples

• Cases of non-compliance: An insurance company was recently sanctioned for failing to report suspicious transactions linked to offshore accounts. This omission resulted in a fine of several million euros and negative media coverage.‍
• Best practice : A broker set up an ongoing training program for its employees, reinforcing vigilance and the ability to detect suspicious transactions. Thanks to this initiative, they were able to quickly identify and report a money laundering attempt, thus avoiding potential sanctions.

🔏 Prevention strategies

To guard against risks, a proactive approach is crucial:

• Process automation: Use advanced technologies to automate the monitoring and detection of suspicious activities.
• Ongoing training: Ensure regular training of teams to keep them abreast of the latest regulatory developments and best practices.‍
• Close collaboration with authorities: Maintain a constant dialogue with regulators and participate in industry initiatives to keep up to date.

👉 Complete guide to AML auditing

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Key steps to compliance with AML/CFT

Risk assessment

The first essential step is to identify and assess the specific risks associated with your customers, products and services. This assessment must be dynamic, taking into account market and regulatory developments. It is crucial to:

• Categorize customers: Segment customers according to their risk profile (low, medium, high).
• Analyze products and services: Assess the risks associated with each product or service offered.
• Adopt a risk-based approach: Allocate resources in proportion to the level of risk identified.

Implementation of internal procedures

Establishing clear policies and procedures is essential for effective compliance:

• Know Your Customer (KYC) policies: Develop robust processes to verify the identity of customers and beneficial owners.
• Internal controls: Implement regular checks to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Documentation and archiving: Keep detailed records of all checks and controls carried out.

Monitoring and detection

Continuous monitoring of customer transactions and activities helps detect suspicious behavior:

• Monitoring technologies: Use advanced software tools to analyze transactions in real time and identify anomalies.
• Transaction analysis: Set up systems to monitor unusual or suspicious transactions, including international transfers and large cash payments.
• Proactive reporting: Be ready to immediately report any suspicious activity to TRACFIN.

Reporting and cooperation with the authorities

Transparent and regular communication with regulatory authorities is essential:

• Suspicious transaction reports: Report all identified suspicious transactions quickly and accurately.
• Collaboration with TRACFIN and ACPR: Maintain close cooperation with the authorities to keep abreast of the latest regulatory requirements and best practices.
• Audit and review: Carry out regular internal audits to assess the effectiveness of your compliance measures and identify areas for improvement.

✏️ Practical examples

• Risk assessment: An insurer segmented its customers according to their geographical origin and the type of products underwritten, thus identifying high-risk areas requiring heightened surveillance.‍
• Monitoring and detection: A broker implemented an automated system for detecting suspicious transactions, enabling it to quickly identify abnormal transaction patterns and report them to the relevant authorities.

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Seyna's AML/CFT compliance solutions

Seyna AML overview

Are you not AML/CFT compliant? Launch Seyna AML and become compliant in minutes, with no impact on your business.

Automate first-level controls, from underwriting and/or throughout the life of the contract. In the event of a match with sanction lists, you are automatically alerted.

Meet all audit requirements of regulators and insurers with ease, and demonstrate your proactive compliance.

👉 Learn more about automating AML/CFT controls 

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💻 Key Features

• Automatic alerts and checks for your policyholders: Stay compliant effortlessly and save up to 25 days a year.
• Export your reports for auditing purposes: Also available as an API, connect to our platform and receive alerts directly in the event of a match on monitored lists.‍
• Control lists: Treasury Department, UN, EU, national lists, OFAC, Politically Exposed Persons...

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Customers testimonials

• Lovys : "Within 1 week, we had access to all the technology we needed to automate the majority of our AML/CFT procedures. The solution is easy and collaborative, which saves us precious time in dealing with our customers."
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• Pilliot Assurances : "Seyna's tools are intuitive and powerful. Real-time monitoring gives us enhanced visibility of suspicious transactions, strengthening our ability to prevent the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing."
  

• Roole : "Seyna offers us a complete solution for managing our AML/CFT compliance. With Seyna, we share the Roole culture, which is solutions-oriented and pragmatic. So the partnership came about quite naturally."
  

• Dalma : "Since implementing Seyna's solutions, we have seen a marked improvement in our AML/CFT compliance. The automated processes have enabled us to increase efficiency and better manage our regulatory obligations."

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Conclusion

AML compliance is essential for brokers and insurers to protect their reputation, avoid financial and legal penalties, and ensure the trust of their customers. By following key compliance steps and adopting technology solutions like Seyna AML, it is possible to effectively manage risk and meet regulatory requirements. To find out more about our solutions and strengthen your AML compliance, contact Seyna today.

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FAQ

What is AML/CFT?

Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) encompasses legal and regulatory measures aimed at preventing and detecting illicit activities that conceal the origin of illegal funds or finance terrorist activities.

Why is AML/CFT important for brokers and insurers?

AML/CFT is crucial to protecting the financial integrity of companies, avoiding severe sanctions and maintaining the confidence of customers and partners. Rigorous compliance helps prevent legal, financial and reputational risks.

What are the main AML/CFT obligations?

Key obligations include customer identification and verification (KYC), risk assessment, continuous monitoring of transactions, reporting of suspicious transactions to TRACFIN and regular employee training.

What are the advantages of the Seyna AML solution for AML/CFT compliance?

The Seyna AML solution reduces the time and resources needed to ensure compliance, improves the accuracy of transaction monitoring, minimizes false positives and ensures fast, efficient reporting.

Who uses Seyna solutions?

Renowned brokers such as C2A Garantie, Stello, As-Solutions, Goodflair, Parachut, Ulygo and Actudata use Seyna AML to strengthen their AML/CFT compliance.

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