Description: 2003 Valuation Actuary Symposium, San Diego, CA. In this open forum participants' questions were addressed by experts in the field. Some of the questions: 1. How does actuarial practice develop with regard to questions about interim results and asset-adequacy analysis projections? 2. If the present value measures used in typical asset-adequacy evaluation include a favorable adequacy opinion, are there patterns of interim results that under commonly accepted actuarial practice would require additional reserves to be established? 3. What is the most extreme stochastic modeling that you have seen? How many scenarios on how large a block, on how complex a model, on how many PCs or what type of computer that ran for over how many days? 4. Is codification retroactive? Does it impact any previous reserving methodologies put in place on policies issued before codification was effective? 5. What are your individual views on whether the federal government should provide a backstop to group or individual life insurance to handle terrorism catastrophes? 6. What are your thoughts are on the move toward stochastic methods for setting reserves?

Description: This session at the 1998 Valuation Actuary Symposium looks at mergers and acquisitions in the insurance business. Recent examples and actuarial considerations in M&A transactions are discussed.