Description: Modeling Approaches and Challenges focuses on approaches to real world simulation and the challenges and considerations in real world simulation. Topics include: A frequency domain approach to build realistic multi-horizon scenarios. (Ortec approach) Cascade models structure linking models for major asset classes and economic variables. (Moody’s approach) Overview of models, calibrations & approaches within the context of different use cases. Deterministic & stochastic approaches. Importance of model re-calibration flexibility. We will also discuss specific insights into considerations and challenges in real world simulation, which include topics like: Setting capital market assumptions and/or calibration targets. Assumptions about correlation and causality. Calibrating the model to capital markets assumptions. Validating the model against capital market assumptions. Role of history, market data and stylized facts. Importance of back testing. Calibrating the model to multiple investment horizons. Inclusion of alterative asset classes such as private equity, infrastructure, and direct real estate. Associated issues of limited data, illiquidity and greater uncertainty about calibration targets.

Description: Join us for an exciting session as Actuarial Innovation & Technology Strategic Research from the SOA's Research Institute unveils two recently published research reports: ""Unveiling the Life Insurers' Actuarial Transformation Journey and the Impact of Analytics"" and ""Exploring Revolutionary Advances in Underwriting: An Initial Assessment of Epigenetics, Medical Tests, and Wearables"". In the first report, we delve into the evolving landscape of life insurers' Actuarial Transformation efforts, shedding light on their future prospects and emphasizing emerging Advanced Analytics techniques. The second report serves as the inaugural installment of a series dedicated to identifying promising innovations for underwriters and actuaries, and it promises to alert the SOA to the latest developments. During this session, our presenters will provide an insightful overview of the key findings and key takeaways from both research reports. By the end of the session, attendees will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the invaluable research conducted in these areas.

Description: Many actuaries were grown and developed in cube-land - with many peers being just a few feet away to help develop core actuarial skills. Today, most experts agree that we will never fully return from a hybrid world, which means that our actuarial business skills and communication styles need to evolve as well to maintain relevancy in this evolving world. Many actuarial companies are more formally recognizing the importance of connection among staff to create robust systems for cultivating a strong department culture in an increasingly fractured landscape. Join us to discover more about how a connected department creates space to share resources and knowledge more freely, which is a benefit to both staff's personal development as well as the department performance as a whole.

Description: As the Federal Reserve's recent interest rate hikes increase potential asset yields, an expected rate increase to products offered by insurance companies of all sizes, including annuities, can be seen in the current economic landscape. The increased market volatility and high inflation create insurance company performance complications, which can lead to a disproportionate impact for smaller insurance companies. Discover the current status of the market environment and explore suggestions and possible solutions for smaller insurance companies as they deals with complications like a lack of access to higher-yielding investment strategies and limits made by risk management policies from owning unrated asset claims. There will also be a discussion on the recently adopted Actuarial Guideline on Asset Adequacy Testing and the implications for insurance companies.

Description: All you wanted to know about InsurTech but were too afraid to ask! This one-day event will feature four webcasts that will unlock and enhance the world of InsurTech. By attending this webs series, you will find answers on what InsurTech is about and what it’s trying to solve. Dive deeper into the successes of InsurTech and find out how to join this established organization. Session 1 – Introduction to InsurTech Set the stage for the day, defining the main types of InsurTech companies and where these companies fit in the insurance value chain. Come discover where actuaries could play a role and the importance of the profession within this space. Technology driven innovation is multifaceted and could take place within an established carrier or a start-up.

Description: Creating an effective team is core to actuarial transformation. This involves establishing teams with jobs that line up to achieve the company's goals, with clear roles that engage people and enable them to develop. Coupled with this, effective teams need to harness the benefits of diversity. This is done both directly and through sponsorship and allyship to ensure that the full benefit of diverse teams can be realized with multiple viewpoints and perspectives strengthening teams. During the sessions, the speakers will draw on their experiences from around the world on, building global and diverse teams. By attending this session, you will:•Be able to gain insight on the benefits of embracing diversity when creating an actuarial team across the globe, and how sponsorship and allyship in workplace foster an inclusive environment.

Description: Models are a staple of an insurance company's operations. However, models that are not appropriately governed may lead to underpriced products, under-funded reserves, unfairly treated customers, and potentially catastrophic operational, legal, and reputational risks. Model Risk Management (MRM), an essential component of an insurer's ERM function, needs to keep pace with the rapidly evolving model ecosystem to limit model risk and produce results that management can trust when employing company strategy. With the adoption of ASOP #56, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes such as PBR, LDTI and IFRS 17, it is increasingly important for MRM frameworks and processes to adapt, upgrade and evolve. Discuss insights on how to embed ASOP 56 into Model Risk Management (MRM) and assess the design, development, modifications, and validation of actuarial models, the advancement of analytics and technology that empower insurers for process optimization and automation, as well as the the key components, stakeholders, best practices, and strategic benefits of a comprehensive MRM framework. Go over use cases on enhancing MRM in the context of ASOP 56, technology, and model governance. Explore how automation and optimization of the MRM process will allow companies to realize the strategic benefits of MRM, ensure successful adoption of regulation changes, and the pros and cons of emerging technology on MRM. By attending the session, you will be able to: - Describe how ASOP 56 can help improve MRM processes. - Describe the key components, stakeholders, best practices, and strategic benefits of a comprehensive MRM framework. - Identify where and how to use technology to automate and optimize the MRM process. - Evaluate the impacts of emerging technology on MRM.

Description: With recent and continuing changes in regulatory requirements under VM-20, new accounting standards under GAAP LDTI/IFRS 17, expansion of accelerated underwriting programs and digital distribution, and the impact of COVID-19, the needs and challenges being faced by life insurance companies are greater and more varied than ever. Both under favorable and stressed conditions, companies heavily rely on reinsurance and the market has seen several major transactions enacted in this space over recent months. Reinsurance offers a wider variety of opportunities for companies to manage their balance sheets and increase their return on capital. Find out how reinsurance can be utilized to address the challenges associated with earnings growth and volatility, risk management, capital allocation efficiency, and product performance optimization. Moreover, upon enacting a transaction, ensuring the implementation of effective reinsurance operations is crucial to avoid operational inefficiencies and monitor the transaction's performance. Understanding the potential opportunities and common pitfalls in the reinsurance processes is vital for capturing the full value of reinsurance. By attending the session, you will be able to understand the various challenges being faced by direct writing companies today and where reinsurance can be leveraged to improve capital and tax position, as well as achieving the optimal balance of risk appetite and underwriting profit. Additionally, the presentation will provide real life case studies on how innovation and operational excellence can improve earnings by reducing costs related to inefficiencies, reducing process timing, improving controls, and reducing reinsurance leakage.

Description: Health care has changed rapidly over the past couple of years. The pandemic has shifted consumer behavior in how and where they receive health care as well as consumer attitudes toward health care. Payers continue to design innovative solutions in responses to their patient’s needs and expectations. These changes in consumer behaviors and the responses by payers are expected to impact both health care cost and utilization. Discuss changes in health care that have emerged due to the pandemic and how they are expected to influence actuarial assumptions. Explore epidemiological models commonly used in the industry, the considerations when using these models, as well as the challenges with regards to gathering and interpreting relevant experience data. By attending this session, you will be able to: Identify shifts in consumer behavior that have emerged from the pandemic and describe how payers are responding to new patient expectations. Discuss how these post-pandemic changes by consumers and payers influence medical spending. Determine which actuarial assumptions are impacted and how and if the impact is expected to be temporary or permanent. Discuss considerations taken by actuaries and challenges faced when modelling actuarial assumptions post pandemic.

Description: For decades the negotiated prices between health care providers, insurance carriers, and networks have been tightly-guarded trade secrets. That's quickly changing. Health care price transparency is now bipartisan-supported law. Gag clauses have been banned. Starting in January 2021 hospitals were subject to new rules requiring disclosure of the payment rates they receive from health plans to both consumers and the general public. So far, compliance has been mixed. Similar rules for payers become effective later in 2022 and 2023 for health plans and consumers. While entrenched interests are doing their best to stall transparency, unless the laws change, transparency is going to happen and will rock the commercial health insurance market, providing the long awaited opportunity for meaningful health care cost reductions. Learn more about price transparency laws and regulations, examine rocky implementation to-date, and discuss the role of self-insured employers in leading the market changes that will emerge from price transparency. By attending this session, you will be able to: - Name the applicable price transparency laws and rules. - See transparency as more than a list of new compliance requirements and consumer tools. - Anticipate that the downstream impacts of transparency on commercial health insurance will be profound. - Appreciate the increased power of self-insured employers.