Description: This paper develops credibility using a longitudinal data framework. In a longitudinal data framework, one might encounter data from a cross-section of risk classes towns with a history of insurance claims available for each risk class. For the marginal claims distributions, we use generalized linear models, an extension of linear regression that also encompasses Weibull and Gamma regressions. Copulas are used to model the dependencies over time specifically, this paper is the first to propose using a t-copula in the context of generalized linear models. The t-copula is the copula associated with the multivariate t-distribution like univariate t-distributions, it seems especially suitable for empirical work. Moreover, we show that the t-copula gives rise to easily computable predictive distributions that we use to generate credibility predictors. Like Bayesian methods, our copula credibility prediction methods allow us to provide an entire distribution of predicted claims, not just a point prediction.

Description: It has been twenty years since DeWit 1982 first applied fuzzy logic FL to insurance. That article sought to quantify the fuzziness in underwriting. Since then, the universe of discourse has expanded considerably and now the FL methodologies include used fuzzy set theory, fuzzy numbers and fuzzy arithmetic, fuzzy inference systems, fuzzy clustering algorithms, fuzzy linear programming, fuzzy regression, and hybrids involving other soft computing technologies. This article presents an overview of these studies.

Description: This is a presentation from 39th Actuarial Research Conference, 8/5-7/2004, University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. This paper discusses the reserving of claims when there are negative values in the runoff triangle. It uses the Bayesian analysis method using the three-parameter log-normal distribution.

Description: This article describes how there are many kinds of plans and arrangements under which qualified annuities are issued, and the rules governing them differ considerably.

Description: This is a simplified approach to calculating the variance of the whole life random variable in certain, very common circumstances.

Description: Investment Fallacies: The Fallacy of Independence

Description: The classical approach to life contingencies has treated actuarial functions as fixed quantities. In point of fact, these functions really represent the mean or expected values of random variables which are functions at the length of time to death of a life aged x. In this paper, we will present some examples of this approach. Talk given at the thirteenth annual Actuarial Research Conference held at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, September 1, 1978.

Description: In this expository paper several comments are made with respect to the statistical independence of the curtate future lifetime and the fractional part of the future lifetime, both of a general status. In particular, the conditions for independence need to be stated carefully. The last-survivor status is cited as an example. More general assumptions than the uniform distribution of deaths assumption are then considered, together with applications to insurances, annuities, and reserves. Similar results to those under the uniform distribution of deaths assumption are obtained. Brief comments are made with respect to contingent probabilities in multiple lives and multiple decrement theory.

Description: This is the abstract of the article 'A Proposed Unified Valuation System'. This article will briefly describe some analytical examples of a stochastic modeling of risk use to illustrate the S-curve approach to valuation, but more importantly describe key additional area of research and theory, which need to be developed. The focus of this presentation is an invitation for additional research to support a new approach to statutory valuation of life and health risk that can result in better management and regulatory information.

Description: The main objective of this study is to analyze and control a surplus dependent risk process, where larger surpluses allow for a wider underwriting policy. We focus here mostly on the diffusion approximation of the risk process. The results are derived in two papers Brownian motion in Risk Theory, submitted for publication, and Surplus dependent risk processes defined by stochastic differential equations, in preparation. We only include here a long summary of these papers.