Description: This article consists of a point-counterpoint dialogue addressing important aspects of social insurance programs. It discusses the desirability and advantages of these programs that provide financial assistance to those who are retired, disabled, ill or unemployed.

Description: This presentation is an open forum, session 58OF, from the 2004 Spring Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held June 14-15 in San Antonio, TX. The panelists present both theoretical and practical perspectives of the role of assumed asset returns and credit spreads in determining the fair value of policyholder liabilities. They cover financial economics, how other financial service companies value liabilities, what factors go into determining an appropriate discount rate for insurance liabilities, and issues currently being debated by the International Accounting Standards Board [IASB], and the Financial Accounting Standards Board [FASB]. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 30, No. 2.

Description: The objective of this statement of principles is to articulate the current understanding of the significant principles that form the scientific framework underlying all areas of actuarial practice. The intended audience includes practicing actuaries, researchers and others, such as representatives of standard-setting organizations. This articulation is not immutable and should be revised if changes arise in our understanding of the key concepts and phenomena relevant to actuarial science, or if a better expression of the ideas is developed. This statement is the culmination of an effort that begin with the October 1991 draft by the SOA Committee on Actuarial Principles entitled “Principles of Actuarial Science. After incorporating numerous comments, that statement was published in Transactions of the Society of Actuaries XLIV, 1992.

Description: The objective of this paper is to discuss the factors that affect and should be considered in the development of social discount rates, with a primary focus on social cost-benefit analyses of climate change-related strategies, programs, and investments involving mitigation and ex-ante adaption efforts.

Description: Different mortality projection methodologies are utilized by actuaries across applications and practice areas. As a result, the SOA’s Longevity Advisory Group (“Advisory Group”) developed a single framework to serve as a consistent base for practitioners in projecting mortality improvement. The Mortality Improvement Model, MIM-2021, Tools and User Guides, compose the consistent approach

Description: This table shows the results of an attribution of the major contributing factors to the rate of mortality improvement in cardiovascular disease between 1980 and 2000.

Description: Different mortality projection methodologies are utilized by actuaries across applications and practice areas. As a result, the SOA’s Longevity Advisory Group (“Advisory Group”) developed a single framework to serve as a consistent base for practitioners in projecting mortality improvement. The Mortality Improvement Model, MIM-2021, Tools and User Guides, compose the consistent approach

Description: The objectives of this paper include an assessment of the basis of volatility of experience and financial results, considering the risks and uncertainties associated with long-term policies, especially LTCi. In so doing, it is observed that a properly determined provision for risk and uncertainty is needed in premiums and reserves. It then describes the approaches that can be taken to quantify such a provision in new and re-rated LTCi. The paper discusses possible mitigation approaches that have and should be taken, especially but not limited to the use of policy design features to enhance the alignment of interests of the LTC insurer and its policyholders. It also explores the relationship between historical and expected future risks and uncertainties specific to LTCi. It concludes by pointing out the pervasiveness of the uncertainties involved, the earlier underestimation of the uncertainties involved, although the actual degree of uncertainty may have decreased over time as relevant experience has been obtained. Effective management of LTCi demands incorporation of mitigation approaches in its product design and continuous monitoring of relevant experience.

Description: This report summarizes the results of a research project undertaken by the Society of Actuaries to study the possible effects of the International Accounting Standards Board’s IASB Discussion Paper describing its Preliminary Views on Insurance Contracts on nine representative U.S. life, health and annuity products.

Description: This is the version of the SOA’s research report that appeared in the July 2008 issue of the Actuarial Practice Forum. This report presents modeling results of the possible impact of the IASB’s preliminary views of accounting for insurance contract liabilities on certain U.S. Life, health and annuity insurance products. This report presents comparisons of selected U.S. GAAP values to corresponding values of the proposed International Financial Reporting Standard IFRS results.