Description: In November 2011, a number of associations, including the American Council of Life Insurers [ACLI], filed comments with the Brazilian regulatory authority urging Brazil to stop restricting reinsurance access to only domestic reinsurers in one of the world’s leading emerging markets for insurance. This article examines the background and legitimacy of this complaint.

Description: Feature article discussing the major issues multinational reinsurers face in Brazil.

Description: Provides background on the Brazilian insurance authority's ban of the group life rider benefit for Total and Permanent Disability due to illness, TPD. Then discusses alternative benefits that could be offered as replacements.

Description: When annuity products became prevalent in the U.S., they all looked more or less the same. It was where folks put their safe retirement money, yielding modest guaranteed returns with a menu of payout options to help secure their retirement. Over time, this commoditization lead to a pricing squeeze and an exhaustive set of product options and features, exposing carriers to market and policyholder behavior risk over the past decade or so.

Description: This article discusses the closed nature of the Brazilian reinsurance market due to the IRB. The Instituto de Resseguros do Brasil is owned 50% by the 15 insurance companies that are licensed to do business in Brazil and 50% by the Government of Brazil, but the Government owns 100% of the voting shares. All reinsurance business must be transacted with and via the IRB. The process, opportunities and risks associated with this scheme are explored.

Description: Recap of the Brazil Insurance Markets in 2008.

Description: John Naisbitt, in Megatrends, defined a megatrend as a general shift in thinking or approach affecting countries, industries and organizations. This article challenges actuaries to consider off-the-charts factors within their risk maps and consider their potential impact.