Description: Life and annuity markets around the world have seen increasingly complex investment-combined products, including universal life, fixed indexed annuities, variable annuities with a wide variety of guaranteed benefits, indexed variable annuities, etc. Insurance companies are facing unprecedented exposure to financial risks in addition to traditional mortality and longevity risks. The risk assessment and modeling for such complex designs by conventional methods often focus heavily on their market competitiveness and profitability. However, there seems to be a lack of quantifiable and systematic approach to assess investment risks associated with investment combined products. The objective of the proposed work is to develop a framework for quantifying and analyzing various forms of contractual designs and showcase different techniques to assess the trade-off between competitive contractual designs and their practical implications with regard to the difficulty of risk management.

Description: This article analyzes, understands, and discusses the impact of the upcoming Principle-Based Reserving (PBR) on non-variable deferred annuities.

Description: Interplay of §807(f) and the stat cap in §807(d) as there continues to be uncertainty as to whether a change to the stat reserve could be subject to §807(f).

Description: Life and annuity markets around the world have seen increasingly complex investment-combined products, including universal life, fixed indexed annuities, variable annuities with a wide variety of guaranteed benefits and indexed variable annuities. Insurance companies are facing unprecedented exposure to financial risks in addition to traditional mortality and longevity risks. The risk assessment and modeling for such complex designs by conventional methods often focus heavily on their market competitiveness and profitability. However, there seems to be a lack of quantifiable and systematic approaches to assess investment risks associated with investment combined products. The objective of the proposed work is to develop a framework for quantifying and analyzing various forms of contractual designs and showcase different techniques to assess the trade-off between competitive contractual designs and their practical implications regarding the difficulty of risk management.

Description: This panel discussion focuses on valuation and nonforfeiture developments. Topics covered include purpose of Society's Committee on Valuation and Related Problems, current valuation regulatory developments, industry studies in the United States, report of the Society's Special Committee on Nonforfeiture Laws, annuity nonforfeiture values, and sex-distinct mortality tables for valuation and nonforfeiture purposes.

Description: ASU 2018-12 introduced a new concept called “market risk benefits” (MRBs). MRBs are a new accounting classification for benefits within deposit contracts, offering protection from “other than nominal market risk.” This applies to products with account values, including variable and indexed annuities with guaranteed living or death benefits attached (aka GMxBs). ASU 2018-12 Section 944-40-30-19D mentions both a non-option and an option-based valuation approach to account for MRBs. This article considers the option-based approach. The purpose is to highlight weaknesses in the current application of the option approach to MRBs, propose an alternative method, and consider the benefits of the new approach. The intent of this article is to persuade practictioners / actuaries / accountants that this is a better approach for applying the fair value option method to market risk benefits.

Description: Update on new mortality tables in development - 2012 IAR, 2014 VBT, and SI/GI/Preneed

Description: On March 25, 2010, the Treasury and IRS issued Notice 2010-29. The new Notice follows-up Notice 2008-18, in which the Treasury Department Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service IRS identified concerns regarding proposed Actuarial Guideline VACARVM and suggested approaches that might be taken to address those issues. Actuarial Guideline VACARVM was effective, as AG43, beginning on Dec. 31, 2009. This discussion is the fourth in a continuing series of interdisciplinary dialogues in TAXING TIMES on selected tax issues related to proposals regarding principle-based reserves.

Description: A pension actuary and a life actuary collaborate to express public pension liability and asset issues in terms and figures that an insurer would use

Description: Life and annuity markets around the world have seen increasingly complex investment-combined products, including universal life, fixed indexed annuities, variable annuities with a wide variety of guaranteed benefits and indexed variable annuities. Insurance companies are facing unprecedented exposure to financial risks in addition to traditional mortality and longevity risks. The risk assessment and modeling for such complex designs by conventional methods often focus heavily on their market competitiveness and profitability. However, there seems to be a lack of quantifiable and systematic approaches to assess investment risks associated with investment combined products. The objective of the proposed work is to develop a framework for quantifying and analyzing various forms of contractual designs and showcase different techniques to assess the trade-off between competitive contractual designs and their practical implications regarding the difficulty of risk management.