Description: Spring 2022 QFI – Portfolio Management Exam Syllabus

Description: Spring 2022 Quantitative Finance And Investment—Investment Risk Management Introductory Study Note

Description: Spring 2022 ERM – Enterprise Risk Management Exam Introductory Study Note

Description: Spring 2022 Quantitative Finance And Investment—Quantitative Finance

Description: Spring 2022 Life ALM and Modeling Introductory Syllabi

Description: Spring 2022 ERM – Enterprise Risk Management Exam

Description: This report provides an educational background on the process of building predictive models, as well as a detailed presentation of the model results. Predictive models provide a method to capture variation by multiple variables and understand the relationship between these variables. This allows for a deeper understanding of key variables than is possible under a traditional approach.

Description: View information on the QFI QF Model Solutions Spring 2021.

Description: For over a decade, life insurers have been challenged by a low interest rate environment, making it difficult to find investments with adequate yield, manage corporate spreads, and offer competitive products to consumers. While interest rates are still low compared to the early 2000’s, volatility in rates over the past year, during which the 10-year U.S. Treasury rate has increased by nearly 100 basis points, could indicate a longer-term trend of rising rates. What would a rising rate environment imply for life insurance writers? Insurers able to react to interest rate changes with agility can remain relevant in an evolving economy, protecting themselves and their policyholders. This article addresses risks and considerations faced by insurers with respect to in-force retention, pricing and product mix, and reinsurance and mergers & acquisitions.

Description: Interview (Q&A) with Charlie Shamieh, Chairman of Gen Re, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on Re/Insurance

Description: This is the user guide for the Mortality Improvement Model, MIM-2021, Data Analysis Tool

Description: Actuarial Process Optimization is a framework for using technology to support the actuary of the future. In this article, we discuss the capabilities of new technologies and explore examples where they can be used to aid with providing strategic business direction, optimizing skillsets and use of technology, and maintaining governance, control, and risk frameworks.

Description: LIME 2021 Supplement

Description: The Society of Actuaries Aging & Retirement Strategic Research Program and Retirement Section are pleased to make available a report that introduces predictive analytics to pension actuaries.

Description: The Society of Actuaries Research Institute commissioned this study to highlight the leading emerging technologies that may significantly affect the actuarial profession over a three-year horizon. This study will act as a guide and a resource for actuaries or potential employers to identify the prospective tools to enhance or expand actuarial work, for people collaborating with actuaries who may be affected by these technologies, and for leaders looking to enable teams employing actuaries through the introduction of these tools. It’s noted that actuaries should embrace technologies that enhance the remote working experience within their internal teams and across departments by investigating functionalities beyond messaging and video calls. Actuarial organizations and employers should examine technologies where there is a wide range or gap in maturity and familiarity and evaluate whether a knowledge gap exists and whether any gap is due to lack of education and training.

Description: In this article, we summarize inflationary factors that may result in a sharp increase in interest rates and implications for life insurer convexity risk exposure, most notably to dynamic policyholder lapsation. We further provide insights into potential ALM strategies to mitigate this convexity risk. Due to the prolonged low-interest rate environment and low minimum interest rate guarantees offered to policyholders, liability convexity is higher than prior historical periods, which results in life insurers’ ALM positions being extremely vulnerable to short-term interest rate spikes. Convexity mismatches cause issues for life insurers under both rising and declining interest rate scenarios. This means that life insurers are not compensated for taking convexity risk and, therefore, convexity matching should always be considered in the asset optimization process. There are mixed signals from policymakers and financial markets regarding potential inflationary and sharply rising interest rate scenarios. The key takeaway is that life insurers are not compensated for taking convexity risk and it is the right time for insurers to review convexity exposure. There are different approaches available to mitigate convexity exposure through rebalancing of asset positions and hedges within each life insurer’s risk limits.

Description: In this article, we summarize inflationary factors that may result in a sharp increase in interest rates and implications for life insurer convexity risk exposure, most notably to dynamic policyholder lapsation. We further provide insights into potential ALM strategies to mitigate this convexity risk. Due to the prolonged low-interest rate environment and low minimum interest rate guarantees offered to policyholders, liability convexity is higher than prior historical periods, which results in life insurers’ ALM positions being extremely vulnerable to short-term interest rate spikes. Convexity mismatches cause issues for life insurers under both rising and declining interest rate scenarios. This means that life insurers are not compensated for taking convexity risk and, therefore, convexity matching should always be considered in the asset optimization process. There are mixed signals from policymakers and financial markets regarding potential inflationary and sharply rising interest rate scenarios. The key takeaway is that life insurers are not compensated for taking convexity risk and it is the right time for insurers to review convexity exposure. There are different approaches available to mitigate convexity exposure through rebalancing of asset positions and hedges within each life insurer’s risk limits.

Description: The essay describes an application of “Do Jumps Matter in the Long Term? A Tale of Two Horizons,” by Jean-François Bégin and Mathieu Boudreault, published in the North American Actuarial Journal online Jan 5, 2021

Description: A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation posed involving a management, leadership, or other business decision. This issue’s case study involved a career decision by a near FSA.

Description: Describing my experience of serving on a section council. Reflecting on some of my successes and my frustrations.

Description: This session will present results of the most recent SOA/LIMRA studies of variable and fixed-indexed annuity policyholder behavior including withdrawal behavior, guaranteed living benefit elections and surrender activity. Conducted annually since 2006, a discussion on the results of these studies show how they have changed over time, as well as areas where the analysis will need to change or expand. After that, the presenters will focus on dynamic lapse for hot money businesses, which is an important topic for fixed deferred annuity. Key takeaways from this area will include an understanding how to differentiate between hot money and warm money, the different formulas used in the industry, and how to adjust an asset portfolio to protect against the risks associated with hot money businesses.

Description: This report discusses management decision making practices and the need for actuaries to build the appropriate level of variability for management actions in stochastic models to achieve a more realistic range of future experience among the stochastic scenarios.

Description: Crop insurance plays an important role in mitigating food production disasters and keeping a robust food production system in the United States. Crop insurance increases stability in food and fiber production, smoothing variability which would otherwise occur because of weather patterns and changes in international trade regulations and markets. Stability increases the ability of farmers to make long-term investments that increase production efficiency and keep productive land in agriculture.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ (SOA) Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program in collaboration with the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) and the Organization of Latino Actuaries (OLA) are pleased to publish this essay collection on Aging and Retirement Issues in People of Different Races and Ethnicities. This effort explores how differences in wealth and retirement outcomes are experienced by people of different races and ethnicities and promotes a better understanding of the underlying issues surrounding the differences.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ (SOA) Aging and Retirement Strategic Research Program in collaboration with the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) and the Organization of Latino Actuaries (OLA) are pleased to publish this essay collection on Aging and Retirement Issues in People of Different Races and Ethnicities. This effort explores how differences in wealth and retirement outcomes are experienced by people of different races and ethnicities and promotes a better understanding of the underlying issues surrounding the differences.

Description: The monograph walks the reader through the hindsight, insight and foresight building process while discussing theoretical and practical issues supporting the building of valid forecasts with provenance for each of these schema examples. That is, the analyst can document the iterative ‘profiling change processes’ mindscape and landscape elements by which and through which the successful forecast is built. This kind of forecast construction ameliorates the ‘black box’ problem of generating pattern output without an understanding of the pattern’s creation or contextual meaning that is often seen when using other methods, particularly machine learning and artificial intelligence. This issue is discussed, referencing appropriate thought leaders.

Description: Case study for Fall 2021 Exam ERM

Description: ILA LFMU Model Solutions Spring 2021

Description: View information on the 2021 Board Member Candidate Mercy Yan.

Description: QFI PM Model Solutions - Spring 2021

Description: CFE SDM Model Solutions - Spring 2021

Description: Early detection and assessment of insurer’s insolvency risk are critically important to regulators, insurers, policyholders, and investors for fiduciary assessment of insurer’s financial stability and for protection of potential financial loss associated with insurer’s insolvency. This proposed study aims to develop a market-based insolvency prediction model to detect financially distressed insurers at an early stage with the information content of higher moments from the market.

Description: We discuss a high-level overview with practical steps on how to be a great manager. We describe 14 real-life traits of a truly impactful manager that can be used to successfully guide a team that includes staff who are at any level of their career. The results should help create a dynamic, empowered and engaged team

Description: A real life situation is posed involving a management, leadership, or other business decision, and readers are invited to submit their responses to "What Would You Do?" This issue’s case study involved deciding whether or not to take an actuarial job that didn't seem that interesting, in order to work for a dynamic boss.

Description: This article is the final installment of our three-part series on economic scenario generators (“ESGs”). Part I and II were published in the November 2019 and August 2020 issues of The Modeling Platform. Part III contextualizes the framework for selecting, building, and validating ESGs and focuses on the Academy Interest Rate Generator (“AIRG”), the most commonly used real-world ESG for US actuaries

Description: This article looks at how the underwriting process has transformed from a paper process to become fully online. Not only has the process been digitized, there has been various innovations incorporating technology thus enabling large volume process automation, better customer experience as well as higher closing ratio. Other than improvement on speed and efficiency, various smart solutions are being explored to refine risk management through data mining and analysis of underwriting data.

Description: This is the final article in a five-part series about accounting for reinsurance under GAAP Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (LDTI). It looks at some concerns that arise when new reinsurance is purchased to cover previously-issued contracts. The article describes what formal guidance is available. Where that guidance leaves off, the article presents practical solutions to achieving performance objectives.

Description: Integrated Assessment Models (IAM) combine scientific scenarios that project changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, resulting in global temperature increases and meteorological volatility when GHG increases, with quantitative economic models expanding on an aligned narrative.

Description: This article offers ways to make use of Excel more efficient, by applying software development and design principles

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Finance Research is pleased to make available a research report that develops a framework for applying deep learning and reinforcement learning techniques to optimal dynamic strategic asset allocation for Liability Driven Investment (LDI).

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Finance Research is pleased to make available a research report that develops a framework for applying deep learning and reinforcement learning techniques to optimal dynamic strategic asset allocation for Liability Driven Investment (LDI).

Description: The article addresses treatment of products with indirect participating features (e.g. declared credited rates) under IFRS 17. Some of the questions that are answered include classification, stochastic modeling requirements, application of the illiquidity premium, methods to systematically allocate between P&L and OCI, and use of locked in discount rates for CSM purposes.

Description: View the Spring 2021 Corporate Finance And ERM — Strategic Decision Making Exam Case.

Description: View the Spring 2021 ERM Exam Case Study

Description: View the Spring 2021 Quantitative Finance And Investment—Quantitative Finance Exam.

Description: This article discusses challenges in innovation, governance, and balancing the tension that naturally arises between them. Company culture is often a driver of success or failure in innovation. This article outlines a new dynamic to address this challenge.

Description: Feature article discussing model monitoring

Description: Feature article that discusses how insurance and banking business models have continued to grow in complexity over the past 50 years—from simple and local risk exposures to the current environment of complex and global exposures

Description: In this paper, we propose a novel class of propagation models to study the cybersecurity risks in fog computing cased IoT architectures, which are significantly different from the quantitative frameworks used in the existing cyber-related works within actuarial literature.

Description: This report is intended to serve as a guide to the InsurTech landscape for the actuarial community and insurance practitioners. InsurTech is the use of emerging hardware, software and user interfaces to address inefficiencies or opportunities in the insurance value chain. It often involves technology, data and analytics.

Description: The Retirement Section and Retirement Section Research Committee are pleased to make available a research report examining academic and practitioner research on low interest rates in the United States.

Description: The Retirement Section and Retirement Section Research Committee are pleased to make available a research report examining academic and practitioner research on low interest rates in the United States.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Finance Research and Joint Risk Management Section Research Committee are pleased to make available a research report developing a framework for quantifying and analyzing various forms of contractual designs.

Description: Fall 2021 QFI – Portfolio Management Exam Syllabus.

Description: Fall 2021 Quantitative Finance And Investment—Quantitative Finance Syllabi

Description: Fall 2021 Individual Life And Annuities Life Risk Management Syllabi

Description: Fall 2021 Foundations Of Corporate Finance And Erm Overview Note

Description: Fall 2021 Quantitative Finance And Investment—Investment Risk Management Syllabi

Description: Fall 2021 ERM – Enterprise Risk Management Exam Syllabi

Description: The 2020 Long-Term Care (LTC) Medical Symposium was a two-day conference that extracted the thinking of leading experts on historical and future trends that will influence LTC insurance (LTCI) claim expectations. The symposium focused on the ideas from experts outside of the LTCI industry for the explicit purpose of gathering fresh perspectives on the issues that LTCI companies face, such as expected timing of new claims onset, length of claim, life expectancy and cost of care. The 2020 symposium built on and complemented the first annual symposium held in 2018 and 2019. The focus in 2020 was on aging of the brain and how technology will impact the future of LTC caregiving. The symposium is not intended to quantify historical or future trends or to be prescriptive or specific about long-term care actuarial assumptions. Rather, the symposium aims to provide the long-term care actuary with environmental context for considering morbidity and other macro factors that may impact LTC experience in the long term.

Description: The purpose of this document is to inform the user of the 2022 Health Care Cost Model about the sources of data, other reports, and assumptions which were used to populate this report and drive some of the key considerations.