Description: As an increasing number of insurance companies, both traditional and startup, attempt to attract new customers, we see waves of product innovation ideas with goals to break into the under and un-insured markets. Some of these ideasare intended to be served as alternatives to traditional insurance focusing on adding enhancements to existing products ranging from flexible benefit design to accelerated underwriting. Others look to engage and attract new customers through a streamlined sales process in order to cultivate customer relationships and increase brand recognition. Explore how innovative companies break through obstacles from both the actuarial and compliance standpoint to bring new solutions to the marketplace. By attending the session, you will: - Understand types of innovation taking place in the life insurance industry. - Provide ideas for product of the future. - Learn different aspects of innovation on life insurance such as distribution, cost and compliance.

Description: Discusses cost-benefit decision-making for acquiring electronic data-processing equipment and installation issues, ability of small companies to compete in pension trust arena, effectiveness of various agency compensation programs in stimulating sales and improving persistency, success of sales to substandard risks and rating methods, and pricing, reinsurance and experience with individual hospital and medical policies.

Description: This section presents book reviews and summaries of recent publications on a variety of topics.

Description: Learn how modernization of data, models, and technology are influencing workflows. This webcast will address how workflows are changing in response to new regulatory requirements and the impacts the changes have on modeling and end-to-end future state operating models. Industry leading actuaries will discuss: How team collaboration can increase quality and speed of reporting to internal and external stakeholders How to strengthen controls and compliance frameworks across finance and actuarial departments How to modernize actuarial input/output for strategic analysis and insights How to attract and retain top talent by improving opportunities for actuaries There will also be dedicated time to ask questions of those who have made the transition.

Description: On August 15, 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-12, Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts ("LDTI"). With its effective date, January 1, 2021, approaching fast, companies have begun the implementation process to prepare for this significant change. The three webcasts below will outline operational implications resulting from data and technology challenges.

Description: Innovation in technology is being leveraged throughout the entire customer journey. The presenters will focus on solutions that affect both the client experience, the productivity of the agent and the efficiency of the life company. Some InsurTech companies that have developed solutions across the value chain - beginning with front-end solutions to improve the productivity and expertise of agents. These include cloud-based product illustration, advanced sales concept systems, financial calculators, e-applications and e-signature technology. Solutions that improve the efficiency of policy underwriting and issue include automated underwriting systems, expert requirement systems and underwriter workbenches. Finally, solutions that automate inforce policy management and compliance include anti-money laundering AI systems, in-force illustration systems to satisfy annual statement compliance and claims processing systems. There is a race to gain competitive advantage by getting to a digitally transformed future first.

Description: This paper explores how molecular biology, specifically epigenetics, may impact the life insurance industry, and considers the effects of utilizing epigenetic biomarkers for underwriting.

Description: At the end of December 2020, Congress enacted the Consolidated Appropriates Act, 2021, which included revisions to Section 7702. Effective for policies issued after December 31, 2020, the fixed 4% and 6% minimum annual effective rates under these tests were changed to refer to a market-based rate called the “insurance interest rate”. For contracts issued in 2021, the insurance rate was set to 2% - defined as the lower of the Section 7702 applicable federal interest rate based on the 60-month period ending December 2019 (2%) and the Section 7702 valuation interest rate in effect for 2020 (3.5%). This reduction in the rates used for compliance testing required significant product, operational, and technology changes for companies to reach product compliance. After 2021, the insurance interest rate is redetermined annually with a minimum change floor.

Description: How do you go about designing a new product? Behavioral Science is an often overlooked tool in enhancing product design and using a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) can give you insights to customer preferences and their willingness to pay for features. The result of this work is a product explicitly designed with your customers and market in mind.

Description: Eager to learn more about what an InsurTech is, how they operate in the insurance ecosystem and how actuaries can participate in this ecosystem? Join actuaries, InsurTechs and participants in the ecosystem to discuss the recent research report on InsurTechs by the SOA. At the conclusion of the session, attendees will be able to: • Know more about InsurTechs and how they operate • Understand how insurers work with InsurTechs • Discover how actuaries can participate in this ecosystem • Learn practical lessons from both InsurTechs and actuaries This session is presented by the Entrepreneurial & Innovation Section.