Accounting and financial reporting of the Social Insurance Institution and the Social Insurance Fund

Purpose: The article’s primary objective is to identify the legal basis of accounting and the scope of information in financial statements prepared by the Social Insurance Institution (SII), particularly in the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). The article’s secondary objective is a critical analysis of the accounting and financial reporting concept adopted by social insurance.Methodology/approach: A literature review was conducted to identify the current knowledge regarding the primary objective. This was followed by an analysis of the regu-latory sphere concerning accounting and financial statements in social insurance, along-side a comparative and descriptive analysis of the collected empirical materials (sections of accounting policies and financial statements for 2023). Findings: The legally adopted organizational and financial frameworks in the social insurance system require that the accounting system, including financial reporting, align with the statutory activities of social insurance institutions in terms of content, technical, and organizational aspects, as well as the information needs and rights of participants in social insurance systems. The transition from the SII budget accounting system to general accounting principles, which was completed in 1999, necessitated the establishment of specific accounting principles tailored to the unique characteristics of its operations. This adaptation was essential due to the legal responsibility of providing social insurance benefits without relying on state budget allocations to balance the SIF.Research limitations/implications: The main research limitation is the small body of available literature on specific aspects of accounting in Poland’s social insurance system.Practical implications: It is advisable to provide more detailed accounting regulations in the social insurance system.Originality/value: The study confirms the research gap in Poland’s accounting and financial reporting in the social insurance system. The article inspires the authors to conduct further research in recognizing, estimating, and presenting insurance reserves in social insurance accounting and reporting the integrated social insurance system.