EIOPA
EIOPA is the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, an EU body for insurance and occupational pensions supervision. EIOPA develops common supervisory standards and gives technical advice on regulation. The work aims to protect policyholders, pension scheme members and beneficiaries.
EIOPA is based in Frankfurt and is one of the three European Supervisory Authorities. EIOPA works with national supervisors on the consistent application of insurance and pensions rules across the EU. The remit covers the financial soundness of the sectors, consumer interests and risks arising from changes in their markets.
One of three European Supervisory Authorities
EIOPA was established on 1 January 2011 under Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 and replaced the committee of insurance supervisors, CEIOPS. EIOPA belongs to the European System of Financial Supervision with the European Banking Authority, ESMA for securities markets and the European Systemic Risk Board. The Board of Supervisors of EIOPA is made up of the heads of the national supervisors; for Germany that is BaFin.
EIOPA develops common standards and procedures for supervising insurers, reinsurers, pension funds and insurance intermediaries, works for the consistent application of EU law, mediates between national supervisors and can act in emergencies. In Germany, BaFin licenses and supervises the insurers.
Solvency II and the rates insurers use
Solvency II is the EU framework for the financial soundness, governance and reporting of insurance and reinsurance undertakings. EIOPA develops technical advice and supervisory guidance within that framework. The insurance business involves commitments that can extend far into the future, so the valuation of liabilities is part of prudential supervision.
EIOPA publishes risk-free interest rate term structures each month for the calculation of technical provisions. The common technical information supports consistent calculations across Europe. Insurance teams use the relevant curves alongside the other assumptions required for their obligations.
AI, DORA and insurtech
On 6 August 2025 EIOPA published an opinion on AI governance and risk management, addressed to national supervisors. The EIOPA opinion explains how the Insurance Distribution Directive and Solvency II apply to AI systems that the EU AI Act does not class as prohibited or high-risk. AI for risk assessment and pricing in life and health insurance is high-risk under the AI Act itself.
Under DORA, EIOPA works with the EBA and ESMA on the oversight of ICT providers that the financial sector depends on. The three authorities designated the first critical ICT third-party providers in November 2025. Digital supervision affects insurtech in Germany and the implementation of DORA in Germany by insurers and their IT providers.
Upcoming risk and compliance events in Frankfurt
Where insurance and supervision people meet
EIOPA works in Frankfurt alongside the ECB and AMLA. Finance Loop events in the city bring together risk, compliance and data teams from insurers and banks with the technology firms that sell them software. Insurtech was on the program of KI Exchange in Hamburg, and digital tools for suptech in Europe support data-based supervision.
What does EIOPA do?
EIOPA supports the stability of the financial system and the protection of policyholders and pension scheme members. EIOPA writes technical standards and guidelines for insurance and occupational pensions supervision, checks that national supervisors apply EU law consistently and publishes data such as the Solvency II risk-free rates.
Where is EIOPA located?
EIOPA is based in Frankfurt am Main, alongside other European financial institutions. The European Central Bank and AMLA have separate mandates in the city. EIOPA contributes the European insurance and occupational pensions remit to this institutional setting.
Does EIOPA supervise insurers directly?
National competent authorities carry out the day-to-day prudential supervision of insurers; in Germany, BaFin supervises the insurance sector. EIOPA works on common standards and supervisory convergence across the EU. EIOPA also has defined powers under European sectoral rules, so the division of responsibilities depends on the relevant legal framework.
What is the difference between EIOPA and BaFin?
BaFin is the German supervisor that licenses insurers and supervises them day to day. EIOPA is the EU authority that writes common standards for all national supervisors, and the head of BaFin sits on its Board of Supervisors.
EIOPA in Frankfurt and Finance Loop
Finance Loop covers insurance supervision, AI governance and DORA in its Risk & Compliance track, where insurers and banks face many of the same questions. Finance Loop holds its events in Frankfurt, the city of EIOPA, the ECB and AMLA.
Finance Loop is a professional network supporting the institutional use of emerging technologies in finance, such as AI, digital payments, cloud and blockchain solutions. Finance Loop helps its members build skills and personal networks in these fields: Investment & Digital Assets, Payments & Digital Money, Digital Infrastructure & Sovereignty, and Risk & Compliance.