Description: Over the last year or two, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of U.S. news topics that involve actuarial thinking such as Obama-care and long-term health of Social Security. While it is a nice feeling to see actuaries at the center of the action, much, or even most of the debate is conducted without any understanding of the actuarial concepts involved. This article is about the challenge of actuaries educating the public on these issues, especially when the profession is still working hard to bring its communication skills up to the level of its technical expertise.

Description: From the 1986 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held in Washington DC in October 1986 Examination of real life case studies of recent insurance company insolvencies to test whether the concept of the Valuation Actuary would have prevented insolvencies or reduced the losses resulting from insolvencies.