Description: This essay examines several key factors that have contributed to China’s success in the economic reform spanning the past three decades and the double-edged nature of these factors going forward.

Description: Latin America has acquired an economically strategic importance in the process of globalization that it did not have a decade ago. The region has attracted significant attention and investment by the international insurance industry. This article explores some issues related to the growth in supply of insurance companies capacity, the relatively slower pace of growth in consumer demand for their products, and the factors that companies can identify in forming their strategies to achieve their objectives.

Description: Article on two key issues affecting life actuaries in Malaysia: RBC and Takaful licenses.

Description: Provides some background on the new regulation, 'The Administrative Measures on Enterprise Annuity Fund', and comments on key issues this poses for corporate pension plans.

Description: Why a lot of traditional life insurance is not sold in Switzerland

Description: Understanding U.S. defined-benefit plan annual funding notice definitions and what they are meant to represent is a key to understanding how “healthy” or “unhealthy” a pension plan is. This article offers a description of several types of funded status measurements and their applications under the rules mandated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to fund private employer-sponsored defined-benefit pension plans.

Description: A discussion of substantial surpluses accumulated in defined benefit funds in South Africa and the legislation that resulted.

Description: Part 2 of a discussion of the Chinese life insurance market with an emphasis on regulatory, investment, tax, and professional development issues.

Description: Discussion of developments in actuarial education, the regulatory licensing process for actuaries signing off on reserves and financial statements, and social security in Poland

Description: Discussion of the development of the Russian insurance industry and market opportunities