Description: A 2015 Society of Actuaries Report (co-sponsored by the Reinsurance Section, Product Development Section, and Committee on Life Insurance Research) entitled “Life and Annuity Living Benefit Riders: Considerations for Insurers and Reinsurers,” is available on the Society of Actuaries website (www.soa.org). It covers a wide range of living benefit riders with medically-related triggers on life or annuity products. This article is largely derived from that report, covering several of those riders. In order to add to the marketing implications of these plans, Claude Thau, in his capacity as President of Thau, Inc. has provided additional commentary from the perspective of a marketer who is active in this field.

Description: Update of RSC members, planned activities for 2018, retirement 20/20 for public sector plans.

Description: Report on a panel presentation in which options to maintain the solvency of Social Security are discussed.

Description: We analyze how volatility management techniques in VAs affected policyholders and insurance companies

Description: Part I of a four-part series on insurance product regulations around the world. Provides a good high-level summary of the regulations as of 2002.

Description: From the April 1982 Society of Actuaries meeting in Houston. Discussion of how the insurance industries in several countries have dealt with high levels of inflation with respect to the development and marketing of insurance products. Also discussed: I. the overall business and economic environment 2. the taxation structure of insurance companies 3. the availability of suitable investments 4. the insurance regulatory climate and 5. the structure of worldwide capital markets Possible applications to U.S. insurance in the 1980's were explored.

Description: According to the book 'The Limits to Growth' by Dennis L. Meadows et al., exponential population growth is the looming cause of five major trends of global concern- accelerating industrialization, increasing population pressure, rapid disappearance of unused arable land, depletion of non-renewable resources, and a deteriorating environment. Can disaster be avoided? The author of this article suggests that since actuaries are self-styled futurists, using our mathematical skills to define, analyze, and solve complex business and social problems, we should not be left behind on this one.

Description: This article summarizes key findings from an SOA research report conducted by Milliman on a wide range of living benefit riders with medically related triggers on life and annuity products. The SOA report includes a survey of direct writers, and interviews with many reinsurers. The article focuses on chronic illness accelerated benefit riders, long term care accelerated benefit riders, and the more comprehensive long term care linked benefit products that can pay out benefits that may be much higher than the underlying base plan values. Information on regulations governing these plans, mechanics of the products, sales, and pricing structures is included The intent is to enable the reader to appreciate the issues and opportunities related to these new, innovative designs that help address a range of consumer needs..

Description: Chairperson's note to readers.

Description: A research paper that outlines a seamless method of deriving assumptions for modern reserving and solvency capital requirements from a company’s own data.