Access to Records / Inspection Clause
The access to records clause grants the reinsurer the right to inspect the cedent's books, files and claims records in order to verify cessions and claims handling.
- Clause type
- Condition
- Origin/Market
- Reinsurance market
- Favours
- Insurer
- Negotiability
- Market standard
Purpose
The reinsurer bears an economic share of the risk but has no direct visibility into the cedent’s underwriting and claims practice. The access to records clause creates a contractual inspection right: the cedent must give the reinsurer, or its appointed representatives, access to all records relevant to the contract, including underwriting files, claims files and accounting records.
Effect and limits
The right is usually limited to reasonable business hours, prior notice and the duration of the contract plus a run-off period. It serves retrospective verification, not ongoing steering – unlike a claims control clause, the reinsurer does not actively intervene in decisions. Privileged or client-confidential information can be contractually excluded from inspection.
Negotiation and practice
In practice the clause is rarely invoked actively but becomes a key piece of evidence in disputes over cessions or claims payments. Cedents seek clear limits on scope and frequency of inspection, while reinsurers aim for the broadest practicable access rights.