Description: This article describes the activities and results of an SOA Task Force on Expansion of Mortality and Morbidity Statistics which was formed to review the mortality and morbidity research undertaken and the statistics published outside the recognized actuarial organizations.

Description: FASB's Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 97 contains wide-sweeping changes to the preparation of GAAP financials for insurance companies. The focus of this article will be on the ramifications of the interest rate FASB has decided to use to amortize deferred acquisition costs.

Description: This article describes opportunities and challenges presented to Corporate Actuaries caused by swings in investment gains and losses, the cyclical nature of health insurance results, and increased investments in affiliates which divert use of surplus increase from organic growth to acquisitions. margins were much higher

Description: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 2. This article discusses how the the choice of basis for measuring Interest Rate Spread impacts pricing and accounting for interest sensitive products.

Description: Portability of pension benefits allows an employee to maintain pension benefits as he leaves one company and joins another. Advocates of portability point approvingly to the way Social Security - a portable pension plan - handles employee mobility. In their view, the private pension system would be fairer to participants and close a gap in pension coverage if it had more portability.

Description: In 1983, a poultry virus hit the jackpot in Pennsylvania. While making a copy of its genetic material, the virus made a tiny error. Because of that error, it began producing a slightly altered protein which allowed the normally benign organism to spread beyond its usual residence in chicken lungs and intestines. Soon it was burrowing into other parts of the birds’ bodies - including the nervous system, where it multiplied rapidly and began to cause disease. Could something like this happen to humans?

Description: An article reporting the death of Ernest J. Oglesby, a retired professor of mathematics. From The Actuary Vol. 23, No. 8.

Description: A response to American Legislative Exchange Council's report "Unaccountable and Unaffordable" in light of applicable Actuarial Standards of Practice.

Description: The current insurance maket in Malaysia and the potential for future growth is described.

Description: On February 20, 2004, the Pacific Rim Actuaries’ Club of Toronto hosted a unique event where actuaries from three continents celebrated the Chinese New Year. Chris Daykin, the U.K. Government actuary, came to Canada to speak about developments in social security and private pensions in China.