Description: The recent financial crisis created incentives to review investment practices and see what was done well and what could be improved for the future. Looking inward at insurer investment practices, background trend information was generated and a survey developed for insurers to share their thoughts. The research continued with conversations in private and public forums, where initial conclusions were expanded.

Description: The Society of Actuaries released research in 2007 that develops a model for a U.S. individual life insurance company to consider its potential liability exposure as a result of a pandemic. Sponsored by the Mortality and Longevity Strategic Research Program Steering Committee, this paper updates several model assumptions including mortality in light of COVID-19.

Description: This report summarizes the results of a 2022 survey examining mortality improvement practices of life and annuity companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Description: GDP growth has slowed as numerous headwinds have emerged. This article summarizes a research paper by Mark Alberts and Max Rudolph that addresses reasons why this is so and how risk managers can address using scenarios.

Description: The article is a re-cap of the Chairman's last three years as a member of the Investment Section Council.

Description: 1999 SOA Spring Meeting, Atlanta. This session addressed the risks and potential costs of long-term guarantees in some insurance products. Topics included: · Guaranteed annuity purchase rates - how close are current rates to the guarantees? · Guaranteed minimum credited rates. · Guaranteed bonus rates.

Description: A collection of essays in response to a call for essays aimed to gather perspectives, opinions and data on how to advance the state of effective retirement planning tools, products, and strategies to assist individuals, financial advisors, employers, and other stakeholders.

Description: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been our chosen metric for growth since the Great Depression, but expectations are for lower GDP growth going forward than we are accustomed to. Its two components, population and productivity, face headwinds—population from a declining birth rate and longevity, and productivity from increased climate events, energy costs, global conflict and raw materials shortages. Comparing demographic results from the U.S., China and Nigeria, representing countries with varying population growth rates, illustrates the potential economic growth issues of aging populations and high dependency ratios. The demographic challenges can be turned into opportunities to broaden prosperity; productivity can be improved by providing a level playing field and helping those in the lowest socioeconomic classes find opportunities. These topics and more will be discussed and enhance foresight about them.

Description: Study of the Effect of a Flu Pandemic on Insured Mortality Using the Delphi Method

Description: This is a book review of Uncertain Times: A Chief Investment Officer's Journey, by Alton R. Cogert.