Description: In physics and engineering education, Fermi problems require solutions based on good approximate calculations with little or no actual data, involving making justified guesses and deducing bounds without using sophisticated tools. The idea of Fermi problems are of particular relevance to today's actuaries, as pricing, reserving, and financial reporting involve more and more complex stochastic components. The paper discusses some approximate solutions developed in academia in the spirit of Fermi problems.

Description: The actuarial profession has been questioning the continued applicability of its historical paradigm and principles over the past decade. The author feels actuaries should stick with their historical strengths.

Description: This session from the 1992 Valuation Actuary Symposium explores claim reserves, including reserves for stop-loss products, claims reserves for group disability insurance products LTD, and claim reserves for shorter term claim payouts primarily major medical type products and Medicare supplement type products. It also covers Actuarial Standard of Practice 5 dealing with incurred health claim liabilitities.

Description: This newsletter column by the Modeling Section Chair reflects on his attendance at the 2015 Actuarial Research Conference in Toronto and the relationships between practicing actuaries in industry and those in academia, and specifically those involved in research. How can we help promote academics research that is effective and relevant for practical use? Hopefully the Modeling Section might facilitate that effort.

Description: How to deal with worst practices in spreadsheets and still have verifiable results.

Description: Background on IACA and its activities.

Description: This presentation is a concurrent session from the Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held, October 24-26, 1977 in Boston. The panelists discuss criticisms that have been made of life insurance companies' handling of dividend apportionment and dividend illustrations for individual life insurance and annuities. They discuss whether actuarial organizations should respond to these criticisms, and whether this can be done by formulating appropriate Guides to Professional Conduct and Opinions as to Professional Conduct. Specific dividend issues are discussed. Discussion from Participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 3, No. 4.

Description: This 1981 session concerned public issues that involve both actuaries and accountants, such as pension plan funding and reporting, GAAP for mutual life companies and independence in auditing. From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 7, No. 2.