Description: From a session at the 2001 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, November 29-30, 2001 Discussion of financial restructuring trends and the impact of those trends on the insurance industry and challenges for those companies that have recently experienced some form of financial restructuring.

Description: This article defines operational risk, gives some real-life examples of improperly managed operational risks and the consequences thereof, and provides advice on steps necessary to mitigate operational risk.

Description: The focus of this article is that while Economic Capital can be a valuable component of the ERM process for insurance companies, an over-emphasis on EC, to the point of neglect of other steps in the ERM process, can reduce the effectiveness of an ERM program.

Description: The optimal degree of integration and/or coordination of these two functions is examined by presentation of diverse opinions and actual experiences. From the 1988 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 14, No. 3.

Description: In this essay, we focus on the “Prospective Solvency Assessment” aspect of the NAIC’s ORSA. This places a spotlight on an insurer’s strategic decision making from a risk and capital management perspective. It requires those in senior management to describe actions they would take to address possible adverse changes in their risk and solvency position, i.e., what they would do to reduce risk, increase capital, and/or adjust the business strategy. We contend that by applying a slightly broader scope than the specific requirements of the NAIC’s ORSA, insurers can develop this into a valuable process to support risk-based decision making. In this essay, we initially consider how to determine which metrics to include in such a process and then discuss some important business requirements and practical challenges for implementing a calculation approach to support it. Part of the essay collection "Risk Metrics for Decision Making and ORSA"

Description: 1993 SOA Meeting, Quebec. This session is about equity strategies of life insurance company general accounts. Topics included: 1. Various kinds of equity investments,what their features are, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. 2. What is the most efficient way, given the risk profile that most life companies have, to invest in equities? 3. Can you live with the capital standards that nervous regulators require? 4. Can you live with boards of directors who believe that we don't sell that many products with long liability tails, so we don't need equities?

Description: The article offers a more nuanced approach to caregiving as the population ages, suggesting our current focus on planning leaves out most people. Instead find solutions for non-planners!

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. This session provided an overview of the world of international investing and a look at some of the more specific questions and problems that arise from investing in international equities.

Description: This article highlights 13 attributes shared by various groups of companies that landed in trouble. The companies are identified, and the attributes are described.

Description: Panel discussion focused on the Effective Use of Capital. Topics included: 1. Definition of capital 2. Appropriate level of capital and surplus in a life insurance company 3. Alternatives for deploying capital 4. Returns a life company should demand on invested capital 5. How much a company should charge for lending its capital in reinsurance transactions