12:49 Sep 24, 2008 

Thank you Chris and Textpertise for your input. Much appreciated! I've decided to stick with franchise method. The SER seems to be using the term as well http://www.ser.nl/~/media/Files/Internet/Talen/Engels/2000/2...

09:37 Sep 24, 2008 

You're right, the translator is being asked to translate a 'foreign concept', not just a foreign word. In the past, I too have always translated it as 'franchise', often italicised (to distinguish it from franchise in its usual sense in EN) and with a gloss or a short footnote.

Re 'foreign concept', in the UK the standard method of calculating pensions seems to be 1/60th of final pensionable earnings for every year of service. In NL, it's 1/40th and a 'franchise'. Would be interesting to find out how these things work in other English-speaking countries, as I'm sure there's got to be a better term for this! :-)

09:14 Sep 24, 2008 

Hi Chris. I have spent some time trying to find the term "neutral margin" in an insurance context generally and although I find this term used in the context of currency conversions and equity markets, I don't find it in the context of insurance except as it applies to equity markets. The translator is being asked to translate into English a provision which probably does not exist in English usage. In that case, since one is describing something which exists in the Netherlands but possibly not in an English language context, I cannot see the harm in sticking close to the term as used in Dutch, namely calling it a franchise method of calculation. Then if someone subsequently working from the translation wishes to search in depth for what the term means, they are more likely to find it.

08:40 Sep 24, 2008 

Franchise as used in Dutch pensions can't imho be properly rendered in English as franchise. Franchise in English nomrally means a commercial arrangement to exploit a right. It's also used in a specific sense in marine insurance. 'Neutral margin' imo is a more meaningful translation in pension contexts. See IATE and many documents in EUR-LEX for examples (e.g. http://url.ie/q93 )