Description: U.S. bond markets have undergone dramatic changes due to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the COVID-19 pandemic. In taking a retrospective view, we can see that bond markets, viewed through the lens of major bond indices, have been evolving for quite some time. Within this paper, TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) will explore underlying changes that have occurred within the U.S. Corporate Bond Index, a sub-component of the larger U.S. investment grade bond market, over the past decade. We will highlight key structural changes that have occurred within bond markets and why they are noteworthy

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion from the 1991 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held October 20-23 in Toronto. The panelists discuss how some products have evolved in such a way that they are more compatible with available investments, that is the product design translates to a feasible investment strategy, which provides not only sufficient yield but also acceptable performance in various interest-rate environments. The panelists consider whether the trend will continue, and discuss the role of regulation, implications on educational activities for actuaries to understand better the asset side, and other issues. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 4A.

Description: Highlights from the 8th Intercompany Long-Term Care Insurance Conference held in March 2008, consisting of 56 sessions covering a range of long-term care insurance LTCI topics each with a track-specific focus.

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: This report introduces actuaries and risk managers in the insurance and pension industries to current literature discussing growth rates in the past and future expectations.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Annual Meeting discusses how rating agencies view asset/liability matching at insurance companies and how it affects the rating process.

Description: This report introduces actuaries and risk managers in the insurance and pension industries to current literature discussing growth rates in the past and future expectations.

Description: This presentation from the 1983 SOA Vancouver Meeting covers the actuaries' role in matching assets and liabilities, hedging, disintermediation risk and determining the appropriate level of surplus, the future of products with market value cash out adjustments and indexation in the construction of long term debt instruments. From Record of Society Of Actuaries Vol. 9. No. 3

Description: This presentation is from session number 43, presented at the 1999 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held September 23-24 in Los Angeles. Increasingly, many insurance companies are enhancing the regulatory cash-flow testing for quantitative analysis of their operations. Enhancements include adding new business, extension of the New York 7 scenarios, and other ways of getting value in addition to compliance. Panelists discuss how widespread the practice of leveraging cash-flow testing is to create a strategic, quantitative tool to support management decision making.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Annual Meeting looks at product diversification as a means of establishing appropriate asset/liability matching and of offering a risk management tool. The basis for insurance company ratings of one rating agency is also discussed.