Description: This paper, written at the request of the chairman of the Society's special committee, contains a description of the data, methods, and principles used to determine the proposed new expense formulas for minimum nonforfeiture values. A discussion of the paper follows. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1977, Vol. 29.

Description: This article describes the Gregorian calendar. Assuming, as perhaps we may on an 8,500 circulation, that 40 people perused our April Editorial urging a 1982 calendar change to mark the 400th anniversary of Pope Gregory XIII’s work, its yield was a stellar 10% response. Which would have been gratifying except that the solidly supporting responsewas only 2 1/2% - thank you, Peter M. Thexton!

Description: From the 1960 Transactions Vol. 12 No. 32, this ‘Discussion of Subjects of Special Interest’ addresses insurance withdrawal rates. Topics include recent studies of factors affecting withdrawal rates and the question of whether new standard tables to replace Linton’s A and B tables are needed.

Description: Article Editorial Board Changes by Moorhead in The Actuary, April 1979, Volume 13, number 4

Description: This paper, a study of Canadian life insurance company expenses, is regarded by the author, Arthur Pedoe, as a continuation of his earlier study presented to the Society of Actuaries in 1952 TSA IV, 485. In examining various expense trends the author emphasizes what he feels to be useful, namely an overall expense ratio defined as actual to expected total company expenses. The paper and ensuing discussion explore how expected expenses should be determined, as well as examining trends in group business expenses, among other topics. From 1961 Transactions Vol. 13, No. 35 AB.

Description: This meeting session was presented at the SOA's 1976 Spring Meeting in Washington D.C. The session focused on facts and opinions about the economic impact of life insurance in meeting people's needs for retirement security and security against death and disability.

Description: The author of this article, The Actuary’s editor, notes that this article is a capsule of what may be called “the Angle/Bladen theme.” John C. Angle spoke at Hartford in April 1980 see the Record for that meeting, pp. 188-193. His investment colleague, Ashby Bladen, addressed our Annual Meeting in Montreal last October 1980. Their observations were about mutual life insurance in the United States. The article notes that the current economic environment, with interest rates “far outside the familiar 3% to 6% range,” is a difficult one for life insurers and their traditional products, that we are becoming less conservative when the risk of serious economic trouble is rising, and “a satisfactory future depends on restoring stability, not upon trying to learn how to cope with instability.”

Description: This discussion on annuities and settlement options focuses on: A. Revisions made recently in the interest and mortality bases for annuity contracts and retirement income policies and for settlement options embodied in life insurance policies. B. The extent to which the use of settlement options might be justified for payees other than the insured and beneficiaries who are natural persons. C. The practical problems arising in connection with: 1 Requests for elaborate or complicated settlements 2 Liberal settlement option guarantees in outstanding policies

Description: This paper, presented at the Eastern Spring Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held March 24-25, 1960 in Washington, D.C., provides the results of an experience study of first year lapse and “default” rates on ordinary insurance, where the author, Norman F. Buck, has defined “default” rate as a rate including the sum of first year lapses, not takens, and cancellations as of the issue date. The paper includes written discussion and the author’s review of the discussion. From the 1960 Transactions Vol. 12, No. 33.

Description: This report presents multiple book reviews with chapter by chapter detail: 'Our Yesterdays: the History of the Actuarial Profession in North America, 1809-1979' by E. J. Moorhead, 'Actuarial Mathematics' by Bowers, Gerber, Hickman, Jones and Nesbitt, 'Actuarial Projections for the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program in the United States of America' by Andrews and Beekman, 'An Introduction to the Mathematics of Finance' by McCutcheon and Scott, 'On the Trail of Actuaries in Texas, 1844-1964' by Friedman and Friedman. 'From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1988, Vol. 40, Pt. 2.