Description: Gain a high-level understanding on how long-duration targeted improvement (LDTI) impacts insurance products and earnings. Explore highlights on secondary impacts to companies due to additional complexity of LDTI, such as a need for a source of earnings analysis. Then dive into the details and hear an explanation on how earnings emergence differs for each type of life and annuity product impacted by LDTI. Finally, discuss the impact -to-earnings volatility under LDTI for each product type. Close the session by connecting how the investor story changes with all the impacts discussed during the session.You should walk away with a good understanding of LDTI earnings emergence, which is a topic that has very limited thought leadership available today.

Description: Take part in a practical and forward-looking discussion for long duration targeted improvements (LDTI) implications on financial planning and analysis (FP&A). This session will provide an update on emerging industry practices and considerations for reflecting LDTI in FP&A, including operational headwinds and new opportunities.

Description: Valerie Tsang and Jessica Kirkwood are both senior consultants with Ernst & Young LLP (EY UK) and Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) respectively, who also have something else in common—they both have recently moved to a new country and are now immersed in a different market. Here, they discuss the quick-changing landscape of actuarial work and regulations and the importance of being aware of the key issues both in the countries they work in and globally, as well as some of the differences they have seen between the UK and US markets.

Description: LDTI requires that reinsurance recoverables be recognized in a manner consistent with the liabilities of underlying direct contracts. Consider implications of multiple ceded reinsurance contracts (e.g., coinsurance and YRT on the same business) and how this impacts the calculation of the net premium ratio (NPR) and other related approximations. Explore different options when only some of the policies within a cohort are reinsured. Multiple interpretations of the components of the NPR formula exist. Two main approaches will be presented-standalone and integrated approach. Other considerations to be discussed include implications of closed-block reinsurance transactions at transition and subsequent to transition, contra-DAC, market risk benefits. Finally, explore the short-duration YRT approximation (1/2 Cx) compared to the long-duration calculation.

Description: This article helps companies better understand the currently proposed upcoming VM-22 regulation by comparing the VM-22 measurement model to LDTI MRBs. The article highlights key considerations as companies plan for adoption of these two measurement models. These considerations should help inform a company’s strategy related to the business impacted by these standards.

Description: Update on IFRS 17 including news, how IFRS 17 is impacting companies financials, comparisons to LDTI, and KPIs.

Description: With long duration targeted improvements in the U.S., and IFRS 17 in other countries, the insurance industry is currently undergoing the adoption of two of the most significant accounting changes in recent history. While the scale of these specific events are infrequent, change is the norm in the world of insurance and life of an actuary. We live in a dynamic environment that will continue to bring challenges in how companies make decisions in order maximize their value and return on capital. Capital management requires an ability for insurance companies to take corporate actions and understand the impact this will have on both the current and future available capital. Being able to make optimal decisions when the goal posts are subject to frequent and material shifts in accounting regulation is a difficult process. It requires holistic consideration of all tools available to manage capital and how KPIs can shift in their measurement under new regimes. By attending the session, you will: Discuss the challenges that companies have in managing capital in an ever evolving environment, what steps they have taken in managing the current scope of accounting change, and how they can be prepared for adjustments in the future.

Description: It is time to'go live with ASU 2018-12, otherwise known as long-duration targeted improvements (LDTI). For companies that have single premium limited payment contracts, additional work will be necessary under LDTI if the contracts are currently utilizing a break-even discount rate to defer the excess of the gross premium over the net premium, i.e. the deferred profit liability. This is mainly driven by requirements under LDTI to update for actual experience and review assumptions at least on an annual basis. This session is designed to cover LDTI implications specific to carriers of single premium limited payment contracts, including changes to how deferred profit liabilities are calculated going forward under LDTI and their impact to financial statements. By attending the session, you will: - Identify the LDTI implementation issues impacting their immediate annuity business. - Determine how balances will be established at transition. - Describe the explicit DPL calculations required going forward under LDTI, and their impact to financial statements.

Description: The ASU 2018-12 guidance, otherwise known as long-duration targeted improvements (LDTI), establishes a significant new category of benefit features called market risk benefits (MRB) that protect the contractholder from other-than-nominal capital market risk and expose the insurer to that risk. Insurers will have to measure market risk benefits at fair value. There are a few examples of MRB, Including the most common one— MGxBs on variable and indexed annuities. This change may bring significant volatility to earnings of these GMxB policies that are currently valued under the insurance accrual model (such as SOP 03-1). How to analyze the changes in volatility in MRBs became the natual question for many companies that haven't been valuing them on fair value basis. Besides the GMxBs, have you wondered when or if the guaranteed annuitization options offered by your company have other-than-norminal risk? By attending the session, you will: · Understand different types of MRBs. · Learn about ways to analyze the changes in volatility in MRBs from SOP 03-1. · Understand the accounting of MRB change for a contract under reinsurance going through spread and liability assumption updates. · Understand when the guaranteed annuitization options become MRB and how to evaluate that.

Description: In the second quarter of 2022, publicly traded life insurers reported some of their best financial results since the pandemic began. COVID-19-related claims fell sharply in many product categories. Sales, which had taken a big hit, showed significant improvement as well, though not always to pre-pandemic levels. Sales activity was enough, however, for industry executives to report confidently in their quarterly conference calls that in this regard the worst consequences of the pandemic are over.

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: This report was prepared for use in the educational curriculum of the Society of Actuaries. It describes the main features of structured settlement annuities in North America and current actuarial practices and issues related to this product. It draws upon a study note on the same topic authored by Roger Harbin, FSA in 1991. Perspective on the Canadian structured settlement market was provided by Robert (Bob) Nigol, B.A., M.A., Managing Partner of EPS Settlements Group of Canada.

Description: In this session, the presenters will discuss implementation challenges with US GAAP Long Duration Targeted Improvements (LDTI) for life and annuity products, and methods and changes to actuarial models their organizations use to overcome the challenges. Presenters will specifically discuss the following topics: The current GAAP reporting framework can create challenges with transparency for annuity insurers. Many annuity insurers report on adjusted earning measures in addition to US GAAP, believing the adjusted measures more accurately reflect earnings. Using a variable annuity framework, presenters will discuss key differences between GAAP and adjusted earnings measures, key challenges and their solutions for LDTI implementation, and the potential for LDTI to reduce the need for adjusted earnings measures and increase transparency. For FAS 60 based life products, insurers need to update and modernize the assumption setting process. Presenters will cover methods and the decision process whether to use existing data or new experience studies to review product experience and set assumptions. There is a lack of clarity and guidance for development and implementation of LDTI in a reinsurance framework. For reinsured life products, LDTI guidance is clear on the direct side of the financial statements, but the guidance is less clear on reinsurance ceded values. Presenters will discuss methods and changes to actuarial financial models that are needed in order to ensure the direct and ceded values are consistent.

Description: Businesses across the board have been drastically impacted by the effects of COVID-19 over the course of 2020, and insurance was not immune. Perhaps most relevant to this industry’s current capital and liquidity concern is the prevailing low interest rate environment. This has been a global trend in the last decade, and treasury rates in much of the developed world are at or near zero. Reduced investment returns limit an insurer’s ability to achieve their desired return on equity, eliminating previously profitable strategies that depended on the leverage of life and annuity balance sheets. Focus and activity have instead shifted to other methods to counteract the low interest rate markets and accompanying capital strain. Examples include increased mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity within the insurance industry and an increasing focus by private equity firms in the insurance market for asset-intensive products, both of which reflect the goal of increasing yield rates on capital.

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: For over a decade, life insurers have been challenged by a low interest rate environment, making it difficult to find investments with adequate yield, manage corporate spreads, and offer competitive products to consumers. While interest rates are still low compared to the early 2000’s, volatility in rates over the past year, during which the 10-year U.S. Treasury rate has increased by nearly 100 basis points, could indicate a longer-term trend of rising rates. What would a rising rate environment imply for life insurance writers? Insurers able to react to interest rate changes with agility can remain relevant in an evolving economy, protecting themselves and their policyholders. This article addresses risks and considerations faced by insurers with respect to in-force retention, pricing and product mix, and reinsurance and mergers & acquisitions.

Description: Hear about modernized reporting capabilities and technical analysis, which is enabled through access to deep actuarial and financial planning data. The webcast will focus on a real post-Long Duration Targeted Improvements (LDTI) source of earnings analysis and on a high-level LDTI forecasting capability.

Description: This article is the final installment of our three-part series on economic scenario generators (“ESGs”). Part I and II were published in the November 2019 and August 2020 issues of The Modeling Platform. Part III contextualizes the framework for selecting, building, and validating ESGs and focuses on the Academy Interest Rate Generator (“AIRG”), the most commonly used real-world ESG for US actuaries

Description: Living benefits (GLWBs) in fixed index annuity products are typically accounted for under SOP03-1 under current GAAP guidance. LDTI requires companies to classify these riders as Market Risk Benefit (MRB). This webcast focuses on challenges and considerations of the MRB implementation. Industry practices of the reserving approach will be shared during this webcast, as well as hedging and pricing implications.

Description: With many complex regulatory changes on the horizon as well as pressures to ensure model accuracy from auditors, regulatory requirements and new actuarial standards of practice, the importance of robust model validation is coming to the forefront of actuaries’ minds. What was previously a day-two task for many companies is becoming just as important as model development! In this session, you will hear from those that have been deeply involved in building model validation frameworks and tools in responses to regulatory changes GAAP Long Duration Targeted Improvements (“LDTI”) and Principles Based Reserves (“PBR”).

Description: This article summarizes the key changes to VM-31 requirements in the 2020 version of the Valuation Manual for both life and variable annuities, and compares and contrasts the requirements for each. In addition, the article offers insights into common issues and recommendations for VM-31 reports from the viewpoints of a regulator, consultant, and company actuary.

Description: Read the April 2020 issue of Product Matters! published by the Product Development Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: Underwriting has continually evolved throughout the history of insurance. Technology advancements over time have opened, and will continue to open, new underwriting possibilities from both process automation and content standpoints.

Description: Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are reshaping the insurance industry landscape. Some M&A transactions even garner wide media coverage. The presenters discuss current trends in recent M&A transactions and explore considerations for buyers and sellers leading up to the transactions.

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: Near the end of a pension plan's lifespan, after benefit accruals have ceased and the plan has reached fully funded status, a plan sponsor has the option to begin the plan termination process immediately or to maintain the plan for an extended period of time (often referred to as 'hibernation' as an alternative to termination). While immediate termination appeals to some plan sponsors, others choose hibernation for a number of reasons, including paternalism, fiduciary obligations, perceived cost differentials or simple inertia.

Description: Mandatory implementation of life principle-based reserves (PBR) is just around the corner, and there is no shortage of work to do, as most products have yet to be moved to PBR. Oliver Wyman recently completed its 2019 PBR survey, with more than 40 participants covering 85 percent of the individual life market, including 23 of the top 25 life writers and five reinsurers. This article will expand on the key survey findings including implementation status and model simplifications.

Description: Mandatory implementation of life principle-based reserves (PBR) is just around the corner and there is no shortage of work to do, as most products have yet to be moved to PBR. Oliver Wyman recently completed its 2019 PBR survey, with more than 40 participants covering 85 percent of the individual life market, including 23 of the top 25 life writers and five reinsurers. This article will expand on the key survey findings, including implementation trends, analysis to date, model robustness and common simplifications.

Description: Read the October 2019 issue of Product Matters! published by the Product Development Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: This article summarizes five key lessons we have learned in implementing LDTI and shares our insights on practical ways to address them. This is not an exhaustive list of implementation challenges, but companies that can successfully tackle the issues we describe should have a smoother data and systems implementation transition.

Description: On August 15, 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-12, Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts ("LDTI"). With its effective date, January 1, 2021, approaching fast, companies have begun the implementation process to prepare for this significant change. The three webcasts below will outline operational implications resulting from data and technology challenges.

Description: This is the second article in a four–part series. In this article, the industry's products are examined.

Description: From session 77IF at the Spring regional meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-25, 1999, panelists explore the workings of the Actuarial Standards Board.

Description: In session 133 PD of the New York Annual Meeting panelists explore the impact of pricing products from the perspective of the direct writing company and their reinsurer. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 3.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA New Orleans Meeting addresses issues facing mutual companies concerning the ability to ensure profitable growth. Various strategies discussed include surplus notes, demutualization, merger, and sale/acquisition of blocks of business. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 1.

Description: This session from the 1992 Valuation Actuary Symposium covers recoverability and loss recognition including using cash flow testing to determine loss recognition or recoverability, actuarial standard of practice 14, and valuation work by line of business or issue-year groups.

Description: This session from the 1984 SOA New York City Meeting discusses growth models and strategies, the impact of investment oriented products for small company growth such as guaranteed investment contracts - GIC's, the use of reinsurance and asset safety vs. asset growth. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 10, No. 3

Description: This is a discussion on individual life insurance market needs and product design under conditions of inflation. Specifically it highlights the needs and interests of potential customers during periods of inflation, what problems are created in traditional life insurance product design during inflation, what solutions are available to life insurance companies and what solutions may be available in the future.

Description: This 1978 session discussed ADJUSTABLE LIFE PRODUCTS including: 1. Problems encountered in the planning, development, implementation and maintenance stages. 2. Product-design features. 3. Strengths and limitations. 4. Administrative systems and procedures. 5. Pricing. 6. Nonforfeiture values and reserves. 7. Marketing. 8. Sales results.

Description: This discussion at the 1967 Annual Meeting is about issues facing new companies including the areas of marketing, personnel, capital and surplus, financial projections, and communications.