Description: Future mortality improvement has been a common assumption in life insurance and annuity pricing and forecasting for many years. However, experience over the last decade suggests this might be an assumption that merits reconsideration in the United States. This article will take a closer look at factors that impact mortality improvement trends and discuss why insurers may want to reevaluate product designs to better manage the associated mortality risk. We then introduce a product idea with this in mind, where premiums are based on a life expectancy index and insurers share the risk (and opportunity) or mortality improvement with policyholders.

Description: Non-guaranteed elements are parameters of life insurance and annuity polices that are not fixed when the policy is issued but may be changed from time to time by the insurance company. They emerged in the United States and other countries as features of Universal Life and similar products designed to make insurance more competitive in an environment where fully guaranteed products did not have sufficient flexibility to respond to rapidly changing conditions. This overview covers professional guidance, regulations and practical issues with reviewing and revising non-guaranteed parameters.

Description: This paper concerns policyholder dividends on traditional participating life insurance products in regulatory contexts similar to those in the United States and Canada. This paper also touches on annuity products. It was prepared for use in the educational curriculum of the Society of Actuaries. Dividend actuaries seeking references to writings on policyholder dividends to refresh their perspective may also find it useful.

Description: Recently the interest rates have been slowly trending up from the lowest point in August 2020. The focus of this article is on current market trends for long-duration products —including life insurance, annuities, and long-term care insurance —following an extended period of low interest rates, and lessons carriers can learn from similar historical periods of rising interest rates. Innovative and flexible product features will continue to be essential, as the current interest trend may not substantially increase insurers’ portfolio rates. When designing or modifying product features, insurers should consider profitability in a wide breadth of interest rate scenarios and be particularly mindful of the impact that crediting rates and asset durations will have on earnings.

Description: This research report discusses simplified issue underwriting in life insurance. It examines recent developments, characteristics, challenges, current practices, assumptions and data elements.

Description: Over the last few years, many direct companies have started inforce management programs and are now navigating what actions can be taken to optimize the business. At the same time, the legal, compliance, and regulatory environments are also changing. The presenters will explore the development and implementation of programs such as changing non-guaranteed elements or efforts to improve experience while considering the changing compliance environment, including New York Regulation 210, ASOP2 and litigation challenges.

Description: Discusses the CCA 201939003 and the conclusions that were made and the impacts it has on a taxpayer's ability to make an election for determining the interest rate used to compute tax-deductible life insurance reserves.

Description: This session meets the needs of life insurance actuaries who are focused on experience studies, assumption setting, and/or product development. The presenters will use industry data to illustrate how policyholders react to product design, such as premium jumps in the PLT period and UL with high interest rate illustration, and trends in the life insurance market, including the introduction of smoking distinguished rates and the shift towards an increasing number of preferred underwriting classes.

Description: The article provides an introduction to some of the key limitations that the Internal Revenue Code imposes on business uses of life insurance, focusing on the limitations under Section 264(a) on business deductions for premiums and interest expenses related to life insurance, the similar limitations under Section 264(f) for unrelated interest expenses of businesses that own life insurance, the limitations under Section 101(j) on the excludability of death benefits under employer-owned life insurance contracts, and the recently-enacted rules for life settlement transactions.

Description: Situated at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and economics, behavioral economics (BE) centers on applying an honest understanding of human behavior to practical problems. This report is designed to provide general familiarity to the reader interested in the subject of BE and motivate additional research on the topic.

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.September 12The optional “boot camp” will provide an intense introduction to the basics of product taxation. The boot camp will include sessions focused on life insurance, annuities, and long-term care combination products. The basis of the boot camp will be the authoritative textbooks, “Life Insurance and Modified Endowments Under IRC Sections 7702 and 7702A” and the “Annuities Answer Book.” Book authors will conduct these optional programs. September 13–14The general sessions will feature product, tax, legal and compliance experts as well as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) representatives. Recent changes in the qualification requirements of insurance products and a host of product tax issues beyond Internal Revenue Code (IRC) section 7702 and 7702A will be emphasized.

Description: On June 30, 2015, the U.S. Tax Court reaffirmed the viability of the Investor Control Doctrine in Webber v. Commissioner. The case serves as a valuable example of what not to do with regard to the investment of assets supporting a variable life insurance contract purchased through a private placement transaction. In the end, however, the Webber court leaves a lot of questions unanswered—most significantly, the elusive answer to how to define investor control. This article examines the Investor Control Doctrine, as explained and applied by the U.S. Tax Court in Webber, and considers some of the open questions that remain after June 30, 2015.

Description: The article discusses court decisions on the tax basis and taxable gain in life insurance contracts.

Description: A discussion of the American Financial case in detail. Also includes background on what the statute requires and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s ruling and litigating positions.

Description: Tidbits include discussions about: Policy loans in excess of cost basis, treatment of loss adjustment expenses, LAE, for life insurance companies, and separate account investments in group trusts.

Description: This is a report on the results of a survey, conducted during July and August 2008, on the current practices and reactions related to life settlements. A life settlement is a financial transaction in which a policy owner possessing an unneeded or unwanted life insurance policy, sells the policy to a third party for more than the cash value offered by the life insurance company at the time of sale.

Description: Articles on IRS private letter rulings on combination products, IRS treatment of reinsurance under section 845, and IRS waivers for failed contracts under section 7702.

Description: Tells what occurred after the adverse private letter ruling PLR 200738016 up to the issuance of the revenue procedure, and offers some speculation about the future.

Description: This 2008 supplement addresses the issues that have arisen in life insurance tax laws related to IRC 7702 and 7702A since the book was published in 2004. It also enhances and clarifies issues that were addressed in the text, adding detail and further discussion.

Description: COLI products continue to be the focus of litigation by the IRS over the deductibility of policy loan interest. This COLI Update consists of two articles concerning COLI cases and their most recent court decisions. The first concerns a District Court’s ruling on insurable interest, and the second provides an analysis of the Sixth Circuit reversal of a trial court decision in a case involving economic substance.

Description: To most observers, the value of a life insurance contract is the cash surrender value. However, when it comes to life insurance and the Internal Revenue Code, things are seldom as simple as they appear on the surface.

Description: In session 76PD of the New Orleans Life Spring Meeting panelist discuss recent developments in the variable life and equity-indexed universal life marketplace. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 31, No. 1.

Description: 2004 SOA Annual Meeting and Exhibit, New York. This discussion looked at individual life insurance and annuity products and the risks these guarantees carry, such as: 1. Extended maturity benefits. 2. Secondary guarantees. 3. Guaranteed insurability. 4. Guaranteed minimum living and death benefits in VA.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion, session 46PD, from the 2004 Spring Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held June 14-15 in San Antonio, TX. The panelists, industry and tax leaders, discuss recent, ongoing and potential issues, including initiatives affecting various products and markets, including corporate-owned life insurance [COLI] and business-owned life insurance [BOLI] issues, as well as some of the recent guidance that's been issued that affects Section 412[i] plans. Other topics are Internal Revenue Code Sections 7702 and 7702A, and the 2001 CSO Mortality Table. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 30, No. 2.

Description: This session of the SOA 2003 Washington, DC Spring Meeting discusses the emergence of the life settlement market. Panelists present an overview of the market, typical transactions, implications for life companies and longevity risk takers, and regulatory issues.

Description: Discusses what it takes to adopt them and how the savings are realized.

Description: From a session at a meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Diego, CA, June 22-23, 2000 This discussion reviews the need for and a process for remediation of errors made with respect to an inadvertent non-egregious failure to comply with the modified endowment contract rules under Internal Revenue Code Section 7702A.

Description: From a session at a meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Diego, CA, June 22-23, 2000 Company representatives and state insurance department representatives addressed issues faced by companies in complying with the form-filing process. In addition, they offered suggestions and guidance in expediting policy form approvals.

Description: This presentation, session number 97CS, took place at the 1999 Spring Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held May 24-25 in Atlanta. Using a fictional case study of a class action market conduct related suit against a life insurance company, the presenters discuss the role of the actuary in identifying the problem, quantifying the exposure, and determining the financial consequences of any proposed settlement. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 25, No. 1.

Description: From a session at the Spring regional meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-25, 1999. Panelists discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of reinsurance used as a financing medium.

Description: In this session 120F of the New York Annual Meeting the panel discusses the impact that the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association and other recent market conduct developments will have on the practice and the profession of the actuary. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 3.

Description: The purpose of this article is to discuss some concerns the author's company has had in administering first-dollar reinsurance and to raise awareness of issues you may wish to consider for your reinsurance arrangement.

Description: Panelists discuss the implications of marketing ethics on smaller companies as they relate to large company sales practice litigation. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 3.

Description: Presented at October 1996 Annual Meeting. This session explores the current status of variable products in the marketplace. It also covers issues related to fund performance, distribution, and product design.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Boston Meeting addresses the consequences of a contract or a group of contracts failing to comply with Section 7702 of the Internal Revenue Code and remedying failed contracts. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4b. .

Description: 1994 SOA Meeting, San Francisco. This session is about joint ventures and private labeling for life, annuity and disability products. In a primary variation of private labeling, a manufacturer develops, underwrites, administers, and does the actuarial functions, but the client company markets the product. Other variations of joint ventures have different distributions of duties.

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. This session addressed the problems unique to mutual companies. Topics addressed included: 1. In search of capital. 2. Merger/acquisition considerations. 3. The demutualization alternative. 4. Profit crunch. 5. Joint ventures. 6. Lessons from other countries - Canada, Mexico, Britain.

Description: 1992 SOA Regional Meeting, Anaheim. The panel discussed the findings of the Task Force for Research on Life Insurance Sales Illustrations and the direction of regulation in this area. The Task Force recommendations reflected input received from regulators, individual life insurance companies, other insurance professionals and actuaries.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 San Francisco Spring Meeting covers individual life products including the state of the market, sales results, new ideas and regulatory developments.

Description: Panelists provide regulatory updates about risk classification [including AIDS application issues], valuation and nonforfeiture, and cost disclosure. From the 1987 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 13, No. 2.

Description: Panel discussion gives the latest update on: Single Premium Whole Life, Single Premium Variable Life, Variable Universal Life, and Annuities. Includes current industry sales figures and distributions of variable-account assets for these products. From the 1987 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 13, No. 2.

Description: This session from the 1984 SOA Toronto Meeting examines the current proposals, regulation and deregulation in the U.S. sector and Canada, The Baldwin-United problem and the implications for the life insurance framework in Canada. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 10. No. 4

Description: This session from the 1984 SOA Salt Lake City Meeting discusses Unisex legislation in the U.S. Congress on new and existing policies that eliminates gender in life insurance, pensions, health insurance and automobile insurance.

Description: The panel discussed US federal income taxes, addressing parts of the tax equity and fiscal responsibility Act of 1982- TEFRA- related to life insurance company taxes and policy owner aspects that are involved. Discussion of the repeal of existing tax law provisions relating to certain reinsurance transactions is also discussed

Description: This panel discussion occurred at the SOA's 1980 June Meeting in San Diego and covered Risk Classification. Panelists discussed basic priciples of risk classificiation, and common elements from various systems.From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 6, No. 3.

Description: This panel discussion focuses on mergers and acquisitions of life insurance companies.

Description: The question of sex discrimination in employee pension plans in life insurance programs is only part of the more general issue of risk classification. Challenges to the old ways of classifying risks are not limited to pensions or to life insurance. It also impacts auto insurance, health insurance, and all other areas. However, for this discussion we will concentrate on sex discrimination in pension and retirement plans. From Record of the Society of Actuaries 1979, Volume 5, No. 1.

Description: From the Record 1977 Vol. 3, No. 1, this presentation is from a concurrent session at the Society of Actuaries 1977 Regional Meeting, held in Atlanta March 31-April 1. The presentation is an “interdisciplinary examination of techniques, considerations and methodology associated with evaluation of acquisitions, mergers and new ventures.” The presenters focus on the investment, legal, tax, accounting, and actuarial aspects of externally directed activities.

Description: This paper examines five problematic areas of the Life Insurance Company Income Tax Act of 1959 including the 10-for-1 rule, the deduction for investment income on qualified pension and profit-sharing plans, limitations on certain deductions, policyholder surplus account and shareholders surplus account. A discussion of the paper follows. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1976, Vol. 28.

Description: ESTATE PLANNING teaching session at 1976 Spring Meeting covering the estate planning process from the point of view of the Advanced Underwriting Department of a large life insurance company.

Description: Mr. Walter S. Rugland discusses various aspects of Variable Life Insurance including the many problems still awaiting solution.

Description: The following topics were discussed at concurrent sessions: 1. Independence of the actuary, 2. Problems posed by United States pension legislation, 3. Registered equity products, including variable life insurance, variable annuities, and mutual funds, 4. Limits to growth, and 5. Maintenance of high standards in a profession. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1974 Vol. 26, Pt. 2D, No. 76.

Description: This discussion at the SOA 1968 Philadelphia and Los Angeles Regional Meetings focuses on federal income tax questions including recent rulings, company organization around tax work, the role of actuaries, and Canadian developments.

Description: These discussions at the 1967 New York and New Orleans Regional Meetings covered topics related to individual life and health insurance including health topics, individual life underwriting, reinsurance, individual policy pension fund expenses, tax sheltered annuities, and market testing products.

Description: This article summarizes several legal suits that involve insurance issues including rulings related to tax liens against life insurance policies, the suicide provision, the incontestable clause, tax exempt interest earned by a life company, and the right of a health company not to contract with a hospital.

Description: This paper was written at the suggestion of the Education and Examination Committee which expressed a need for review of recent developments in methods of dividend distribution. It may well be argued that there are no really new developments in the theory of distribution, but merely changes in practice represented by the introduction of various refinements in the dividend distribution process. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1959, Vol. 11, No. 31.

Description: This section presents and summarizes major insurance-related legal cases of 1958. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1958, Vol. 10, No. 28.

Description: This section presents and summarizes major insurance-related legal cases of 1958.

Description: This article summarizes major insurance related litigation in 1951 on subjects related to assignment of risks, war clauses, effective date of surrender, premium due dates, misrepresentation, aviation exclusion, premium taxes, insurable interest, and group versus individual insurance.

Description: This discussion looks at the problems considered in drafting war-aviation clauses, plans for mitigating catastrophe hazard with respect to policyholders in the event of a major war, and steps which may be taken to minimize war disruptions of life insurance home office operations.