Description: S&P reissued a second Request for Comment (RFC) in May 2023 that proposed changes to their insurer capital adequacy methodology and assumptions, and suggested these proposed changes may become effective at the end of 2023. This paper is to highlight the notable changes between the current capital model criteria and the proposed model. We also discuss major changes from the first RFC and the second RFC, as well as several key items that still require enhanced guidance and clarification. Our analysis is based on information gathered from S&P's public comments, conversations with industry participants, and publications released by S&P Global as of July 2023 when this paper was written. Most U.S. life insurers are rated by S&P using their U.S. Life Statutory Capital model, while other insurers use the GAAP/IFRS Capital Model. Statutory financials will remain the starting point for U.S. life insurers under the proposed model, however there will be additional adjustments made to these numbers in an effort to create consistency and comparability with other accounting and solvency regimes.

Description: S&P Global released its initial version of proposed changes regarding its Insurer Risk-Based Capital Adequacy methodology and assumptions on Dec. 6th, 2021. Unlike prior guidance notes or criteria releases, the proposed changes comprehensively updated the current S&P rating criteria released in 2010. These updates would directly impact many insurers. S&P Global anticipates that 10 percent of existing ratings in the insurance sector would be impacted and the change would lead to more positive rating implications than negative impact. This article focuses on the proposed changes on the S&P risk-based capital (RBC) vs. the current model, then simulate impacts to a representative U.S. life insurer through an illustrative case study.

Description: This report presents an analysis of the NAIC climate risk disclosures for reporting year 2021. The 2021 disclosures were the most recently available data at the time this analysis was conducted (in June and July of 2023).

Description: Join a discussion on the tax implications for direct writers ceding annuity blocks for both onshore and offshore reinsurance arrangements. Get an introduction to the tax consequences of the risk transfer of annuity features and guarantees to reinsurers to reinsurers that are U.S.-based and not U.S. domiciled.

Description: The COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impression on all forms of life, annuity, and A&H insurance. Individual and group disability insurance are no exception. Examine how U.S. group and individual disability insurers have been impacted by the pandemic and how they are preparing for an uncertain future. Oliver Wyman will team up with experts from the insurance industry to discuss insights on the impact of COVID-19 on disability insurance, including results from Oliver Wyman’s 2022 industry survey. Learn about the past, current, and future expected impacts of COVID-19 on: - Claim experience (including mortality, incidence, recovery and SSDI offsets) - Reserving - Scenario testing - Insurer operations (e.g., claims adjudication, recertification) - Sales and persistency By attending this session, you will be able to: - Understand how disability insurers have been impacted by the pandemic across multiple facets. - Identify where and how U.S. disability insurance carriers are adapting to the new and evolving environment. - Discover how carriers see disability insurance evolving as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Description: The annuity market has been declining while the registered index-linked annuity (RILA) market has been expanding. Find outwhy the market is growing along with key features and considerations for the product from an actuarial perspective. By attending the session, you will: - Explain the increase in consumer demand and product opportunity. - Explain the key features and mechanics of a RILA. - Understand the pricing of RILA product. - Comprehend the key risks and ALM risks associated with RILA. - Explain high-level reserving mechanics of RILA under U.S. GAAP and U.S. statutory frameworks. - Understand the regulatory landscape impacting RILA products.

Description: Under U.S. GAAP long-duration targeted improvements (LDTI), some non-VA annuity products contain features scoped in as 'market risk benefits' (MRBs), which are required to be measured at fair value. For U.S. insurers, the question becomes 'How does the emerging principle-based reserving framework for non-variable annuities compare to the fair value framework for MRBs under LDTI?' See a comparison between these two new measurement models, highlighting some of the key considerations due to the added complexity of these calculations, to help companies strategically plan for their future state.

Description: Join us for discussion about the tax implications for direct writers ceding annuity blocks. The presenters will describe the mechanics and consequences for both onshore and offshore reinsurance arrangements. This will introduce the audience to the tax consequences, with the risk transfer of annuity features and guarantees to reinsurers to reinsurers that are US-based and not US domiciled.

Description: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has developed the Group Capital Calculation (GCC) for U.S.-based insurance groups since late 2015. GCC is designed to provide a coherent analytical framework to show a panoramic, transparent view of the interconnectedness, business activities and underlying capital support for an insurance group. The last field testing was completed in May 2019. The final proposal was adopted in late 2020. The Federal Reserve Board (FSB) also recently updated the group capital standard to an aggregation method, which is similar to the NAIC GCC. The Insurance Capital Standard (ICS) is under the development by International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) for Internationally Active Insurance Groups (IAIGs). It has entered the five-monitoring period from January 2020 to monitor the performance of the ICS V2.0 and the IAIS will perform a comparability assessment of the ICS V2.0 with the Aggregation Method (e.g. NAIC GCC) during this period.

Description: This article provides an update, as of October 2023, on Financial Reporting Section research projects in process and those recently completed.