Description: Recently the interest rates have been slowly trending up from the lowest point in August 2020. The focus of this article is on current market trends for long-duration products —including life insurance, annuities, and long-term care insurance —following an extended period of low interest rates, and lessons carriers can learn from similar historical periods of rising interest rates. Innovative and flexible product features will continue to be essential, as the current interest trend may not substantially increase insurers’ portfolio rates. When designing or modifying product features, insurers should consider profitability in a wide breadth of interest rate scenarios and be particularly mindful of the impact that crediting rates and asset durations will have on earnings.

Description: Recently, there has been an increase in the product development of simplified issue products in the United States. In the past two years, Gen Re LifeHealth has reviewed over 40 such products, ranging from vanilla direct-marketed products to high-end single premium immediate annuity SPIA paid universal life products. From Small Talk Newsletter, June 2005, Issue No. 24.

Description: A discussion of, first, the three-year transition period for adopting principle-based reserves and how it might not apply to tax reserves, and second, the tax impact of adding investment options to in-force contracts.

Description: This article discusses the proper slope of mortality tables, especially at the high attained ages.

Description: Chairperson’s column describing activities the Product Development section has undertaken to date.

Description: Provide high level summary of predictive modelling.

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: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 7. This article describes the state of the insurance market in Japan in 1988. While traditional permanent policies abound, a variable life product was introduced in 1986.

Description: The rules governing the tax treatment of distributions from life insurance or annuity contracts are complex. Worse, the relevant IRC section, section 72, seems at times to be the product of a conspiracy in restraint of understanding.

Description: Update on a broad range of insurance and investment tax matters upon which ACLI is working, including: deficiency reserve guidance, IRS guidance on PBR/AG 43, Camp Financial Product Discussion Draft, FATCA and changes to non-forfeiture laws due to low interest rates