Description: Insurance company financial reporting and performance measurement are going through a significant transformation. Insurers are beginning to look at their business based on what many refer to as the “economic value framework.” Under this framework insurance companies determine the economic value of the capital invested in their business and the economic value of earnings to derive a risk-adjusted return on capital. Standard setters, primarily European insurance regulators through Solvency II and the International Accounting Standards Board through IFRS Phase II, propose adopting many of these concepts for solvency and performance reporting.

Description: The paper summarizes results from two doctoral dissertations. The first discusses integration of insurance products with investment products to mitigate the risk of outliving one’s assets. The second discusses modeling and pricing for the longevity risk in the secondary market in insurance, including a provision for adverse deviation PAD.

Description: U.K. life insurers writing participating business have, since the end of 2004, been required by their regulator, the Financial Services Authority FSA, to value their assets and liabilities on a market-consistent basis. The purpose of this paper is to explain the new valuation approach based on market-consistent values and its rationale set out the issues faced by life insurers in implementing the new regime and explain how these issues have been addressed by insurers.

Description: This paper describes the use of the Moses software package to model variable annuities with multiple guarantees. Pricing and risk management are discussed.

Description: The paper explores developments through 2006 in the application of market-consistent concepts to the measurement of fair values of liabilities for financial reporting purposes.

Description: This paper advocates asset/liability management for pension plans. It identifies the economic factors that influence the economic value of liabilities and discusses the typical asset portfolio that results.

Description: This paper describes the Federal Income Tax FIT treatment of reserves historically. Then it describes Principles-Based Reserves PBR. Finally, it discusses issues in the treatment of PBR under FIT.

Description: This paper provides guidance to employers who are contemplating the use of COLI as a means for funding employee benefits. Commentary will be provided on critical issues to consider when analyzing the benefits of COLI, including product characteristics, cost considerations, legal considerations, representations and warranties, investments, and accounting. “Best Practices” pricing guarantees, representations, warranties, and indemnities will be provided as examples and are generally indicative of the stronger positions taken to date on each issue. This paper does not provide guidance on group term life or other non-COLI products.

Description: This paper describes in detail each of five options available to small Texas employers wanting to purchase insurance for their employees. It then describes the advantages and disadvantages to the various players: carriers, employers, employees, and agents. It points out that each player will act in its own interest.

Description: This paper illustrates the calculation of embedded value of an insurance company. The principles should be applicable to similar calculations for other companies.