2024 SOA ImpACT Conference Virtual - Session 1F: Unraveling Insurance Financials Amidst Accounting Change 11.13.24 Recording

This debate-style presentation focuses on metrics used to measure and manage insurance companies. Changes in accounting bases (LDTI, IFRS17, etc.) challenge historic metrics to be adjusted or replaced to accommodate new regimes. The long-duration nature of revenue recognition and profit emergence is unique to the insurance industry, and there is no debating the importance of accounting regimes to facilitate earnings recognition and comparability. However, insurers face challenges from the inherent mismatch between capital measures and accounting profits. This mismatch creates competing interest when it comes to both management decisions and executive compensation. To provide guidance, experts offer their unique perspectives and opinions to a debate of emerging best practices in accounting KPIs, cash-based metrics, and executive incentives. The discussion will be guided by probing questions, such as: - What challenges are faced by external users of financial statements? - Accounting changes did not impact business economics, so why discuss metrics? - What are examples of historic and emerging accounting and cash-based metrics? - How can insurers implement best practices in financial reporting? At the conclusion of the session, attendees will have an improved appreciation for actuarial valuation, specifically, the critical role that our interpretation of results plays in the broader financial system.