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  • 1. Specific Provisions

    The aggregate amount of specific provisions including interest in suspense should be adequate to absorb estimated credit losses for individually identified credit exposures.

    The Central Bank of the U.A.E. will regularly review the position of individually identified and classified loans and the level of specific and general provisions held by each institution. It will discuss any concerns with the institution’s senior management as well as the institution’s external auditors and may formally direct that institution to make additional provisions where it considers that provisions held are inadequate in relation to the circumstances of that institution.

    • 1.1 Classification of Loans

      Loans should be classified within levels 1 to 5 according to their conditions and the banks own assessment (see the table in 2 below). The onus will be on the bank to justify their assessment to the Central Bank’s satisfaction. This requirement applies to all loans and advances.

      The classification described in the circular does not preclude banks from developing their own more granular grading system which in all cases should be clearly mapped to the 5 categories below.

    • 1.2 Determining Provisioning Amounts and Collateral Value

      The circular specifies the following minimum provisions for all loans.

      ClassificationCriteriaProvision
      NormalAll information available assures repayment as agreedGeneral Provision.
      Watch-listSome weakness in the borrower’s financial position and credit worthiness that requires more than normal attention.General Provision.
      Sub -standard loansPayment of principal is in arrears beyond 90 days or some loss is possible due to adverse factors.Specific Provision Minimum 25% of the net exposure amount
      Doubtful loansFull recovery seems doubtful based on the available information, leading to a loss or part of these loans.Specific Provision Minimum 50% of the net exposure amount
      Loss loansPossibility of no recovery at all after the bank has exhausted all available courses of actionSpecific Provision Minimum 100% of the net exposure amount

       

      It should be noted that for corporate and commercial loans doubtful and loss categories should be determined on a principle basis and not necessarily on a rule, such as number of days delinquent. Provisions for retail exposures should be fully rule based.

    • 1.3 Commercial and Corporate Facilities

      For commercial and corporate facilities, the bank is required to use the above classification unless it can demonstrate, based on evidence and sound judgment, that the listed criteria for a specific facility is not the best indication of impairment. In this case, the bank can classify the loan to an alternate category (higher or lower).

      This process needs to be well documented, based on the bank’s board approved internal provisioning policy and follow a clear decision making criteria. Particular attention will be paid to restructured facilities or those where outstanding interest has been capitalized. The evidence should be presented to the Central Bank upon request.

      If in doubt over the classification of a particular facility, please do not hesitate to contact your Supervisor at the Central Bank.

    • 1.4 Retail and Consumer Loans

      Specific provision percentages based on the number of days past due has to be followed for retail lending categories (including residential mortgages) as per the below table:

      Days past duePersonal Consumer LoanCar LoansCredit Card LoansResidential Mortgages
      90 - 120 days(inclusive)At least 25 %At least 25 %At least 25 %At least 25 %
      120 – 180 days (inclusive)At least 50 %At least 50 %At least 50 %At least 50 %
      Over180 daysAt least 100 %At least 100 %At least 100 %At least 100 %

       Note: the percentages in the table are of the net exposure amount (defined below)

    • 1.5 Past Due Definition

      Loans are considered past due if any part of the contractual interest and/or principal payment is not met on time. The number of days past due is non cumulative, where the most recent payment cures the earliest contractual breach.

      For example if repayments are agreed to be made monthly, and the customer is 30 days late in making the repayment, his next repayment should cover 60 days to cure the arrears. However, If the customer only makes one month payment, the customer cures the past month arrears (30 days) but falls in arrears for the new month (i.e. in arrears for 1 day).

    • 1.6 Calculation of Provision and Collateral Value

      The minimum specific provisions for all loans should be calculated by multiplying the percentages provided in the above table by the net exposure amount. The net exposure amount is defined as the outstanding loan balance less the net realizable value of the collateral held. The collateral should be multiplied by the following discount factors to arrive at the net realizable value.

      Collateral typeDiscount factorConditions
      Cash (or cash equivalent)100%Provided it is under legal right of set off
      Federal Government (security or guarantee)100% 
      Local Government (security or guarantee)100% 
      Foreign sovereign government bonds rated BBB – or above100% 
      UAE licensed Bank (security or guarantee)100% 
      Foreign bank rated AA - or above (security or guarantee)100% 
      Foreign bank rated BBB- but below AA - (security or guarantee)80% 
      Listed Shares on a recognized stock exchange70%The previous 3 months average closing price should be used.
      Should be traded on a deep liquid and market.
      Bonds or guarantees from corporations rated above BBB-70%The previous 3 months average closing price should be used.
      Should be traded on a deep and liquid market.
      Residential Real Estate70%Valuation should be not more than 6 months old.
      The bank should have a registered first mortgage over the property.
      The bank has legal certainty over its ability to take control of security in a reasonable time frame.
      Interest should be immediately suspended where the time frame for taking over the security is uncertain and is expected to exceed 1 year.
      Commercial Real Estate50%Valuation should be not more than 6 months old.
      The bank should have a registered first mortgage over the property.
      The bank has legal certainty over its ability to take control of security in a reasonable time frame.
      Interest should be immediately suspended where the time frame for taking over the security is uncertain and is expected to exceed 1 year
      All other banks bonds or guarantees50% 
      Cars, Boats, Machinery and other movables50%Valuations should not be more than 3 months old
      The bank should have a legal and enforceable charge over the item
      All other corporate bonds or guarantees (not including cross or personal guarantees)40% 

       

      Where the net collateral value exceeds the outstanding loan amount, the bank is not required to take any provisions. However, the bank is required to continually assess the need to raise a specific provision and raise one should the situation change (e.g. outstanding loan amount exceeds the net realizable collateral or the collateral value deteriorates).

    • 1.7 Interest Suspension on Past Due Loans

      It is a requirement under the circular that interest on loans that have been provisioned or loans where the interest is over due for 90 days or longer should be debited to the loan account and credited to a suspense account and not to the profit and loss account.

      The bank, however, can still take the interest to the profit and loss account where the net realizable value of collateral continues to exceed the outstanding balance of the loan. This assessment should be made at least quarterly. Any cash payments made by the customer can also be recognized in Profit and Loss Account only after the overdue principal amount has been satisfied.

      Interest suspense account should be clearly documented with clear audit trails showing interest movement. The account will be examined by the Central Bank.

    • 1.8 Interest Suspension on Overdraft Facilities

      Circular No 28/2010 highlights at least three situations where interest should be suspended on overdrafts. These are:

      A – Where there is doubt regarding payment of interest and/or it has not been paid after 90 days of due date.

      In this case a specific provision should be raised and interest suspended unless, as described in (3) above, the net realizable collateral value continues to exceed outstanding balance of the facility.

      B – When due interest on other accounts of the same customer (or group) other than the overdraft account has been suspended.

      Where interest is suspended on an account of a related entity or a member of the same group of entities, the default position is to suspend interest on all group accounts unless the outstanding balance is well covered by the net realizable collateral.

      However, the bank can continue to credit the interest on over draft facility to the profit and loss account. Where: -

      • The bank believes that there is low correlation between the entity and other group member(s) that have interest suspended, and
      • All other facilities of the entity are in good standing,
      • There is no guarantee between the borrower and the defaulted entity,

      In this case, all group facilities that are not 90 day past due should be migrated to the “watch list” category.

      C – When the outstanding balance is consistently in excess of the agreed upon limit or when the account is in debit although there is no sanctioned facility.

      “Consistently” is defined as a period that exceeds 60 continuous days or a total of 60 days in any 6 months period.