Description: This session discussion is about the role of data analysis in decision making, HIAA surveys, National Center for Health Statistics [surveys on Ambulatory Medical Care, Hospital Discharge and Nursing Homes], and SOA experience data collection efforts. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 1.

Description: This discussion is on the availability of utilization and cost experience data for group medical care insurance coverages. Specifically, it highlights the role of the Society of Actuaries in intercompany data collection, employer demands for sophisticated utilization data for comparison by industry and geographic location, sources of industry-wide data, data resource potential of health claims processing by the National Electronic Information Corporation, and antitrust implications. From Record of the Society of Actuaries 1981, Volume 7, No. 4.

Description: The presenters will dig into the little rider that most actuaries don't spend much time thinking about. A regulator, a direct writer and a consultant will discuss their thoughts on this rider and point out areas where actuaries should focus before deeming it insignificant. Topics will include the current study underway to update the industry experience study (most recently done in 1952), underwriting considerations, interactions with other riders, benefit designs, unique issues on UL policies, tax implications and reserving considerations

Description: The session offers high-level initial steps to get started using R, as well as a list of helpful resources for both general data science and actuarial science with R. Attendees will learn about popular R packages to perform practical tasks such as importing, transforming and visualizing data, as well as packages commonly used by actuaries. You will also be introduced to the markdown package for creating reproducible and reusable analyses and workflows. By the end of the session, you will be familiar enough with using R and RStudio to begin incorporating these tools in your day-to-day work as an actuary

Description: This session meets the needs of life insurance actuaries who are focused on experience studies, assumption setting, and/or product development. The presenters will use industry data to illustrate how policyholders react to product design, such as premium jumps in the PLT period and UL with high interest rate illustration, and trends in the life insurance market, including the introduction of smoking distinguished rates and the shift towards an increasing number of preferred underwriting classes.

Description: Presented at May 2005 Spring Meeting. Panelists discuss the importance of actuarial research, how and what to do, researching the literature, statistical tests of significance, writing a research report and how to get published.

Description: Apart from their operating environment and the core risks they help others mitigate, organizations are largely impacted by behaviors--particularly those of their policyholders. This session builds on the first session in this series by considering how medical advances might influence policyholders, while also considering how agents/brokers, product design, and the economy can also be influencers. Weigh whether and to what extent behavioral uncertainties have been adequately integrated into the firms' assessments of business performance, both past and future. The presenters will also highlight activities being undertaken by firms to influence behaviors, in part building on the second session in this series by considering these activities through a regulatory lens. This session is for anyone interested in enhancing their understanding of uncertainty due to behavioral factors.

Description: While our ability to access and analyze large quantities of data is better than ever, many long-term products suffer from sparse data in critical risk areas, such as deep in-the-money lapse experience and long-term utilization rates for income guarantees. The presenters will explore industry-level annuity experience data for these types of situations, and discuss quantitative approaches to addressing them in pricing and other applications.

Description: The hybrid Life/LTC and Life / Chronic Illness market is an exciting market that is in its relative infancy. There are many new companies that have just entered, or are considering entering, the hybrid market. Hybrid sales have grown tremendously over the past decade and are still going strong, with annual premium revenue estimated to be above $4 billion per year. The young issue ages for these products, relative to when LTC benefits are paid, means that the claim experience in the industry for these products is still very limited. Additionally, there are many moving parts to these products that present correlated risks and assumptions. The new entrants to the market, limited experience, and the interactions of risks create an environment equipped for vibrant discussions on the product structure, risks, assumptions, and considerations for modeling these hybrid products. The presenters would provide insight into each of these topics through a conceptual discussion, supported by observational data from case study projections and sensitivities.

Description: This teaching session provides a summary of publicly available data and information sources for health actuaries. Several of the more useful resources are reviewed in detail. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 28, No. 2, Session 15