Description: The article discusses the continued popularity of indexed UL insurance and possible reasons why a company's actual indexed UL earnings may be below their original pricing expectations for the product. The article discusses several key items that may be the source of that underperformance (e.g., hedge ineffectiveness, policyholder behavior) and the need to monitor earnings and perform analyses to better understand those potential sources.

Description: In this article, we collected data from the companies’ roll-forward disclosures related to calendar years 2021 and 2022 on Market Risk Benefit and shared a high-level summary of the Market Risk Benefit volatility that a focus group of companies incurred and summarized the most common ways to mitigate volatility.

Description: Actuaries can leverage cluster modeling to reduce model runtime and cloud compute costs, which can be a real concern as companies transition from an on-premise grid to a scalable cloud solution. We consider practical considerations associated with clustering, through both US statutory and US GAAP lenses. Lastly, the results from a variable annuity liability clustering case study are presented.

Description: Join us for the Pandemics & Paradigm Shifts: ERM in an Intensely Dynamic World panel discussion, where industry and regulatory perspectives will help provide insight into a number of topics. Expect interactive dialogue opportunities based on the conversation between the panelists and the audience. Key topics that will be conversed about, but the panel is not limited to, include a brief review of historical paradigm shifts and subsequent insurer failures, best practices and an outlook on the ultra-dynamic world of today and consideration of a company's enterprise risk management framework as it affects ratings and insurance department examinations.

Description: An overview of how the VM-31 requirements for documenting PBR approaches and assumptions can/should reflect the Actuarial Standard of Practice on Modeling, ASOP No. 56

Description: In the United States, there has been much industry discussion of the challenges associated with a sustained low interest rate environment, which impacts both the asset and liability sides of the balance sheet in unfavorable ways. The intent of this article is not to focus on these strategic issues. Rather, we attempt to shine a spotlight on some of the modeling challenges that practicing actuaries may experience when incorporating negative interest rates into their models.

Description: In this article, a numerical comparison of two commonly used FIA valuation methodologies is conducted to help insurers decide on the best methodology to use under GAAP LDTI and VM-22. We compared two modeling approaches to project the future index credits with the annual point-to-point crediting formula: Tthe stochastic equity crediting model and the deterministic option budget crediting model. The analysis is then extended to different levels of option budgets and the monthly average crediting formula. The advantages and disadvantages of the two equity return projecting approaches are also highlighted and will be discussed later in the report.

Description: This is the first in a series of articles about accounting for reinsurance under GAAP Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts (LDTI). It provides an introduction to the topic, giving an overview of what has and hasn't changed. Changes include a few that directly address reinsurance and others that indirectly result from changes to direct accounting and the existing ties between reinsurance and direct accounting.

Description: The Society of Actuaries Smaller Insurance Company Section, the Financial Reporting Section, and the Committee on Life Insurance Research are pleased to make available new research investigating simplified methods for determining reserves under VM-20.

Description: This article lays conceptual foundations associated with projecting investment-related discretionary elements of various life insurance and annuity products. It outlines potential implementation approaches that may be appropriate when calculations are performed in a risk-neutral setting. The article concludes that crediting rates in risk-neutral models can be projected as in real-world models, except that the modeled provision for expected credit losses should be modified to equal real-world expected losses initially, but over the projection reflect management’s evolving expectation, moving ultimately to risk neutral expected losses.

Description: The Smaller Insurance Company Section, the Committee on Life Insurance Research and the Product Development Section announce the release of a new report on the impact mortality credibility has on principle-based reserves.

Description: Read the December 2018 issue of The Financial Reporter, published by the Financial Reporting Section.

Description: The Society of Actuaries are once again offering a seminar that investigates all aspects of life insurance, annuity and long term care product tax compliance. Developed by the Taxation Section, participants will be brought up-to-date on recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and learn about the newest tax issues related to product design and administration. Legal, IRS and product development experts will provide vital insights into the challenges of developing and administering products within the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), and allow ample opportunities for networking, questions and information exchange.

Description: This PBA Implementation Guide provides verbal summaries and visual flow chart overviews of various VM-20 and PBA components and requirements, six Case Study Road Maps, and action items to bridge the gaps and implement PBA. During the Guide’s development these templates and exercises were vetted with more than 15 participants selected from a diverse group of companies

Description: This PBA Implementation Guide provides verbal summaries and visual flow chart overviews of various VM-20 and PBA components and requirements, six Case Study Road Maps, and action items to bridge the gaps and implement PBA. During the Guide’s development these templates and exercises were vetted with more than 15 participants selected from a diverse group of companies.

Description: This article provides the reader with some insights regarding tax planning under the new required methodology.

Description: U.K. life insurers writing participating business are required by the Financial Services Authority to value their assets and liabilities on a market-consistent basis. The purpose of this paper is to: • Explain the valuation approach based on market-consistent values and its rationale. • Set out the issues faced by life insurers in implementing the regime. • Explain how insurers addressed these issues. • Explain the importance of the modeling techniques they used.

Description: This paper considers the question of whether or not the growth in the size of financial statements witnessed over the last several years has yielded an increase in the quality of disclosure around issues of financial risk and to what extent this disclosure is satisfying the perceived needs of readers of the financial statements, as represented by the investment analyst community. The question is addressed by presenting the results of research consisting of 1 the review and analysis of the disclosures addressing issues of financial risk contained within financial statements issued from 1999 to 2004 by 25 major insurance companies operating in the US and 2 the interviewing of 5 insurance industry analysts to understand their perceptions of what is good and bad about financial disclosure practices of life insurance companies.

Description: At this session 7OF of the 2004 Valuation Actuary Symposium panelists discuss the conceptual and practical issues of modeling to reflect developing areas, including fair-value and embedded-value measurement, embedded guarantees and stochastically determined capital requirements.

Description: Why More U.S.A. Life Insurance Companies Are Considering Economic Value as an Additional Internal Accounting System by Armand de Palo from The Financial Reporter, December 2001, Issue No. 48.

Description: This paper reports on the findings of a working group established in 1999 by the SOA's Finance Practice Area to look at how the insurance industry measures and monitors risk through risk position reporting. Also the working group established industry standard practices in risk position reporting and reported on a number of areas for possible improvement in such reporting.

Description: The panel at this session of the SOA 2001 Annual Meeting discusses the basics of embedded value [EV], how EV can be used to measure an insurance company's results, and current best practices.

Description: This session 112 PD of the Toronto Spring Meeting covers principles developed during the Unified Valuation System UVS project of the American Academy of Actuaries with support from the Society of Actuaries and the Financial Reporting Section of the SOA. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 27, No. 2.

Description: This session at the SOA 2001 Toronto Spring Meeting focuses on FAS 133, which defines accounting for derivatives, embedded options and hedging activities. Details of FAS 133 and implementation issues are discussed.

Description: Blazing the Path for a Unified Valuation System by David K. Sandberg from The Financial Reporter, June 2000, Issue No. 42.

Description: 1999 SOA Annual Meeting, San Francisco. The panel discussed how the actuarial profession may contribute to the quantification and management of various types of risks that insurers and other financial service providers assume.

Description: This paper expands on the traditional three-factor interest, mortality, and expenses dividend contribution formula to propose a new dividend structure. The structure and formula are derived from the most generalized equation of equilibrium, and each dividend class is treated as an ongoing microcosm. From Society of Actuaries Financial Reporting Monograph, M-AS99-1.

Description: Dynamic Financial Condition Analysis Update by James F. Reiskytl from The Financial Reporter, October 1999, Issue No. 40.

Description: 1999 SOA Annual Meeting, San Francisco. The panelists provided a brief description of the guaranteed benefits offered on Variable Annuities in both the U.S. and Canada, followed by an in-depth comparison of current issues, including risk assessment, reserving, and cash-flow testing.

Description: From session 75CS at the Spring regional meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-25, 1999, Presenters identify issues and challenges faced by the valuation actuary when performing cash-flow testing on equity-indexed and variable products.

Description: In session 132 PD of the New York Annual Meeting panelists discuss the content and status of the draft NAIC Actuarial Guideline ZZZ and the work of the AAA Task Force on Variable Products with Guaranteed Living Benefits. The Black-Scholes option pricing method is also covered. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 3.

Description: In session 131 PD of the New York Annual Meeting panelists discuss ways to maximize the usefulness of value-added methodology, especially the leveraging of value-added information. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol . 24, No. 3.

Description: This session at the 1998 Valuation Actuary Symposium looks at how companies can use the cash-flow testing structure for additional analysis and be more useful to the managment of the company. The concept of transfer pricing within a life company is explained.

Description: This is the table of contents for the 1998 Valuation Actuary Symposium.

Description: 1997 Valuation Actuary Symposium, Session 3 looks at considerations in strengthening reserves as a result of cash flow testing results.

Description: 1997 Valuation Actuary Symposium, Session 17 discusses market value measures and its uses in asset liability management.

Description: In session 4 PD of the Montreal Spring Meeting panelists discuss the complexities and timing issues involved in determining an earned interest rate. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 2.

Description: 1996 Valuation Actuary Symposium. In this session on sources of earnings, the panelists discusses implementation of SOE reporting, use of SOE as a management tool, why having SOE reporting is particularly useful for international operations, and SOE reporting from a reinsurance perspective.

Description: 1996 VALUATION ACTUARY SYMPOSIUM. This session was an introduction to the symposium and provided commentary on activities in LHATFA.

Description: This report identifies the risks that can affect insurance company solvency, provides information and opinions on techniques currently available, and comments on what additional research may be necessary.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is a brief summary and discussion comparing the role of the appointed actuary in different countries including the following: 1. Responsibilities. 2. To whom does the appointed actuary report? 3. Who sets the rules/standards? 4. Potential personal liabilities. 5. How well is the system working?

Description: The purpose of this reports is to define topics and provide information on techniques currently available in support of the development of dynamic solvency testing, DST. The paper covers topics of the time frame for analysis, scenario interpretations, credibility, confidence standards and reliance guidance.

Description: Research paper presenting the potential role of Dynamic Solvency Testing, DST, in preventing the insolvency of insurance companies. This study examines major causes of failure for a small group of companies and evaluates whether and how DST would have helped.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Hartford Spring Meeting is about asset segmentation, i.e. segmenting assets among lines of business or liabilities, and how this enhances asset/liability mangement.

Description: This session at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium looks at issues created by changes in financial reporting in Canada related to the Policy Premium Method and dynamic solvency testing.

Description: This session at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses the Transitional Solvency Provision in Canada in preparation for the adoption of GAAP and the actuary's role in determining TSP.

Description: This session at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses the topic of current and anticipated future developments of solvency standards in Canada.

Description: This session at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses the standards of practice for the Transitional Solvency Provision in Canada.

Description: This presentation at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium looks at changes in financial reporting in Canada to the Premium Policy Method from the standpoint of a small company.

Description: This presentation at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses the changes in the financial reporting in Canada to the Premium Policy Method.

Description: This session at the 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium discusses the standards of practice for dynamic solvency testing in Canada.

Description: This session discussion is about methods for determining and adjusting contingency surplus. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 2.

Description: 1989 Valuation Actuary Symposium table of contents.

Description: This 1978 panel discussion was on new actuarial standards for in Canada. Topics covered included: 1. The flexibility afforded the Canadian Valuation Actuary under the new Insurance Acts. 2. A comparison to the current GAAP and statutory reporting requirements in the U.S. and to the reporting requirements in the United Kingdom.