28.1 Accounting policy

Intangible assets are recognized if they are identifiable, controlled and it is likely that future economic benefits will be achieved, which can be ascribed to a specific assets and the purchase price or production cost of the asset can be measured reliably.

Intangible assets are measured at purchase prices or production costs less amortization charges and impairment losses.

The method used to measure the fair value of an intangible asset acquired in a business combination is presented in section 5.7.

Intangible assets include in particular: computer software, economic copyrights, licenses and concessions, as well as assets acquired in business combinations: trademarks, customer relations (including core deposit intangibles), relations with brokers, future profit from the purchased portfolio of insurance contracts, etc.

Intangible assets are amortized over their estimated economic life:

• assets other than intangible assets acquired in a business combination – using a straight-line method for the period of two to five years. In justified cases, after a case-by-case analysis, a different amortization rate may be used corresponding to the expected useful life of the intangible asset. Since a decision was made that the planned useful life of the Platforma Everest product system in PZU would be 10 years, the annual amortization rate of 10% was adopted for the system.
• intangible assets acquired in a business combination (except for the acquired trademarks) – for the period of one to fifteen years, based on the value of profits generated in the respective years;
• trademarks acquired in a business combination, as intangible assets with a useful period determined as indefinite are not amortized, but at the end of each financial year and any time there are any indications of impairment, they are tested for impairment.

Impairment

At the end of the reporting period, assets are reviewed to determine whether there are any indications of impairment. If such indications are identified, the asset is tested for impairment in order to determine its recoverable amount.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 the PZU Group analyzed the impact that the pandemic could have on the possibility of impairment of intangible assets. The PZU Group recognized impairment losses on the trademark and client relations as a result of acquisition of Alior Bank. These assets were written off in full as at 30 June 2020 as part of the test for Alior Bank referred to in section 27.3.

Impairment loss on an intangible asset is deemed to have occurred if the expected economic benefits associated with an intangible asset or a property, plant and equipment item decrease as a result of technological changes, decommissioning, withdrawal from use or occurrence of other indications that the usefulness of the asset is reduced.

Where necessary, an impairment loss is recognized reducing the portfolio value to the recoverable amount. In the situation when an asset does not generate cash flows that would be largely independent from cash flows generated by other assets, the analysis is carried out for the smallest identifiable group of assets generating independent cash flows, to which the asset belongs. The possible impairment losses are recognized as cost in the consolidated profit and loss account under “Other operating expenses”. 

If there is any indication that an impairment loss recognized in prior periods for an asset other than goodwill may no longer exist or may have decreased then the recoverable amount of such an asset is estimated. The impairment loss recognized in previous periods is reversed to the recoverable amount that does not exceed its carrying amount that would have been determined (net of amortization) had the impairment loss not previously been recognized. Reversal of an impairment loss is recognized as revenue in the in the consolidated profit and loss account under “Other operating income”.