Description: In the early 1990s, when several large U.S. and Canadian life insurers teetered on the brink of insolvency and finally collapsed, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its 'safest annuity' provision [DOL Interpretive Bulletin 95-1] ruling that private pension plans buying annuities had the fiduciary obligation to choose the 'safest available' provider. This article examines the effect this ruling has had on the annuity market.

Description: This article is a discussion about the trends and changes affecting the life insurance industry by impacting product growth. Read how today's ideas can become tomorrow's successes.

Description: This is an article on statutory maximum valuation interest rates, the second of three articles outlining the new Model Valuation and Nonforfeiture Laws.

Description: Two-and-a-half years ago the British Government started to issue index-linked securities-the redemption value and coupon both increase with the UK Consumer Price Index, but the value before redemption is determined by the stock market. Initially this was done in a small way and offered to a restricted group of investors pension funds, but now anybody can hold these securities. This article discusses the possibility of insurance companies using these securities to issue annuities that would increase with the UK Consumer Price Index.

Description: The author demonstrates the error in valuing a life annuity by using the amount of an annuity-certain for a period equal to the expectation of life.

Description: This article discusses the three main taxation proposals affecting holders of life insurance and deferred annuity policies announced on Friday, November 13, 1981 by the Federal Finance Minister in Canada. The main proposals are 1 taxation of accrued investment income on life and annuity policies, 2 changes in the adjusted cost basis at disposition of policies and 3 treatment of life insurance policies not registered as retirement savings plans.

Description: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 7. This article discusses the activities and goals of the Product Development Section of the SOA. Future activities will include joint sessions with other sections since product development issues sometimes relate to financial reporting. reinsurance, investments and nontraditional marketing.

Description: This article derives a recursion formula for determining life contingent annuity payments, and explains how it lends itself to use in computer programs.

Description: The Canadian Institute of Actuaries held a panel discussion on product innovation at its June 1981 meeting. This article consists of edited excerpts from a document that was distributed in advance to stimulate discussion, and some remarks on the discussion that took place. This article discusses some of the products developed in response to the current high and volatile interest rate environment, such as flexible premium policies annuities and insurance and adjustable single premium policies.

Description: This is a table from an article in The Actuary Magazine entitled A Strategic Analysis of the U.S. Life Insurance Industry Part II: Products.