Description: Article Speed Limits - Save Lives by Seltzer in The Actuary, April 1979, Volume 13, Number 4

Description: This editorial notes that a letter, appearing in this issue of The Actuary,’ may not be alone in maintaining that the vagaries of our regulatory system handicap companies to the point that United States policyholders get poorer value for their premium dollar than do those in other countries.’ The article goes on to discuss guaranteed surrender values, the state regulatory system in the U.S and other topics in addressing this question.

Description: The author reviews and provides analysis of a report prepared by Douglas H. Carruthers, Q.C., as special legal counsel, to review the relationship between insurers and the public and in particular, the role of insurance intermediaries in the province of Ontario. The report was completed in 1975 and made public in 1976, and effectively recommends a new regulatory framework. The author of this article analyses and critiques the various proposals in the report.

Description: This article discusses that “the investment returns earned by life insurance companies over the past decade have permitted the sale of contracts guaranteeing relatively high rates of interest. The contracts have given rise to problems in the areas of the federal securities laws, of federal income taxes, and of state valuation requirements,” as insurers, starting in the 1960’s began issuing annuity contracts that provided for the allocation of contributions to separate accounts.

Description: Discussion of the need to understand the implications of demographic and family diversity for the design of retirement programs. The design of retirement programs is a design of programs for the elderly, who are more often women, because women live longer and because their work histories often lead to reduced levels of pension and social security benefits.

Description: A review of the Flesch formula for measuring the readability of insurance policies

Description: This article consists of excerpts from the author’s presidential address to the Southeastern Actuaries’ Club on November 21, 1980. The author notes ‘the only thing we could all possibly agree on today about the economic situation is that the degree of uncertainty is high,’ and ‘it is this uncertainty that presents us actuaries with professional problems which cannot be addressed by traditional methods.’ In explaining how we can deal with inflation and uncertainty the author argues for repeal of both the Standard Valuation Law and the Standard Nonforfeiture Law.

Description: This article discusses the Financial Condition Examination Handbook and the Market Conduct Examination Handbook, both of which became effective January 1, 1977 after approval by the Executive Committee of the NAIC. The purpose of this new guidance is to update and simplify the examination process for all insurance companies.

Description: This article analyzes the events leading to low interest rates and recommends careful asset/liability management and risk analysis to address future challenges with interest rates.

Description: This article discusses the June 23, 1977 Supreme Court ruling that a life insurance company must include the net valuation portion but not the associated loading of deferred and uncollected premiums in its assets and gross premium income as well as in its reserves in computing its tax liability. Some companies have been using this procedure or a modification of it for the past few years. Other companies have been filing returns conforming to IRS regulations which required including gross deferred and uncollected premiums. These companies may need to file amended returns for open tax years if they paid taxes not due or understated usable operations/loss carry forwards. The author then goes on to review the implications of the court’s decision for companies filing amended returns.