Description: This session from the 1993 Valuation Actuary Symposium looks at asset models and economic scenario generation.

Description: Presentation at the 41st Actuarial Research Conference held on August 10-12, 2006 in Montreal, QC. This paper considers the problem of extending regime-switching models for asset returns to the situation with multiple asset markets. The conditional tail expectation CTE is highly sensitive to the assumed dependence structure between the regime models for the different markets. A Monte Carlo simulation is used to illustrate the cost of misspecification. The authors find that the model most commonly used by practitioners is worse than all of the alternatives that they investigate.

Description: Presented at May 1996 Spring Meeting. Panelists provide guidance and suggestions in modeling certain forms of an insurance company's assets, including equity and equity-linked notes, non-dollar investments, real estate, commercial mortgages, and asset pools.

Description: This session at the 2003 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses asset model validation techniques. Applying the results of a cash-flow testing model to other uses is explored. Also, the proliferation of embedded option derivatives, both on the asset and liability side of the balance sheet, both for pricing and for valuation, are discussed.

Description: Asset cash flow modeling and asset assumptions are growing in importance with PBR especially considering the low interest rate environment. The Academy’s Life Practice Council and Life Valuation Committee have formed a Low Interest Rate Asset Adequacy Testing Task Force which has conducted an industry survey to raise awareness and summarize the actuarial best practices for financial reporting actuaries practicing in today’s very low interest rate environment. As the scrutiny on the asset side ratchets up, actuaries must consider how best to develop the asset assumptions as well as model the reinvestment and disinvestment strategies. Coherent assumptions and modeling practices across modeling exercises are expected while respecting the purpose of each calculation.

Description: Presented at June 1996 Spring Meeting. Provides overview of modern pricing of assets such as derivatives. It includes theory and practical applications, particularly how they relate to insurance companies.

Description: 2002 Valuation Actuary Symposium, Lake Buena Vista, FL. In this teaching session the instructor explained how to scrutinize model results and use models to make strategic decisions. Specific topics included validation of asset models, modeling considerations for derivatives and assets with embedded options, using models to assist with portfolio management, and using models to improve portfolio yields and realized product spreads.

Description: Presented at September 1995 Valuation Actuary Symposium. This session talks about the tools and methods for asset modeling, particularly mortgages and asset-backed securities.

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. Insurance regulators commissioned a task force to develop cash-flow variability measurement standards. This session presented the recommendations of that task force and the relationship to cash-flow testing. Topics included: 1. The regulatory need and how the process was approached. 2. The types of CMO variability that the standards attempt to address. 3. A description of the scenario selection process that's used in this model. 4. The prepayment assumptions and the method to be used to collect prepayment data. 5. The relationship to cash-flow testing. 6. The regulators' reactions.

Description: This session at the 1997 Valuation Actuary Symposium presents the highlights of developing an asset model for asset adequacy purposes. Assumptions, projecting cash flows, and market values of the portfolio are discussed.