Description: The Asian insurance landscape is undergoing significant change, with Japan experiencing a surge in reinsurance activity. This webcast will explore the factors driving this growth and provide insights into the current state and future direction of the Japanese reinsurance market. We'll delve into the unique characteristics of the Japanese market, examining the specific reinsurance needs of Japanese life insurers and how partnerships with US and offshore reinsurers are evolving. Looking ahead, we'll analyze the expected trajectory of the market, including the types of business and products likely to see increased demand. We'll also discuss how emerging economic factors and regulatory changes will shape future needs and the competitive landscape. Join us to gain valuable insights into this dynamic market and its future potential.

Description: Discover the rapidly developing health and wellness industry during the Use of Health and Wellness Data in L&H Risk Assessment webcast. Our discussion includes the maximization of data usage through several different means, including current risk selection, creation of a dynamic ongoing assessment offering or substitution of traditional underwriting information to shorten the underwriting process. Come explore these different approaches as they affect the health and wellness industry. We will express the importance of a constantly changing data usage environment in order to better prepare insurers to maximize their data and drive health and wellness forward.

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

Description: Retirement market study of Brazil in English

Description: Digital is the main reason over half of the companies on the Fortune 500 have disappeared since 2000." (CEO Accenture). We cannot be sure how global technology megatrends will disrupt the life insurance industry, but we can be certain that the future will not look like today. As large quantities of available data are no longer owned by insurance companies and statistical techniques become more accessible to non-statisticians, the pressure to keep up with technological advancement increases. Life actuaries must think critically about and be prepared for the coming changes and position themselves as leaders in an industry lagging behind in new technology adoption.

Description: Despite the slowdown in the economy, premium growth in emerging markets fared relatively well compared to advanced insurance markets. Yet, there exists an enormous range in premium density and penetration between emerging and advanced markets. The presenters explore the demand side and attempt to lay out possible solutions to narrow the protection gap.

Description: Read the January 2020 issue of International News published by the International Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: The collective investment in transforming the life insurance proposition exceeds anything seen in the last thirty years — a working lifetime. As one would expect, reinsurers are playing a major role. The past five years have seen global reinsurers raise the bar on client experience to new levels, while also investing, expanding and re-organizing to support the transformation of the primary insurance industry, and in so doing also their own.

Description: Read the January 2017 issue of International News published by the International Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: Read the September 2016 issue of International News published by the International Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: This research report on the effect of deflation or high inflation has six sections: 1. The first section provides background on inflation, describes some problems in measuring inflation, and explains some of its effects on an economy. 2. The second section reviews historical inflation rates. 3. The third section examines the effect of inflation or deflation on the property-liability and life insurance industries. 4. The fourth section proposes risk mitigation strategies for insurers to cope with either deflation or high inflation rates. 5. The fifth section describes a publicly available model that can be used to develop inflation/deflation projections under a regime switching format that can readily be adjusted to reflect current financial uncertainty. 6. The sixth section provides conclusions.

Description: 2011 Enterprise Risk Management Symposium, Chicago. This study investigates whether simulation-based models can be used to predict liquidity risk for banks, which must comply with Basel III by January 2015. The paper looks at the process of developing a measurement framework using Black-Scholes and Merton’s asset-based models to measure liquidity risk.

Description: 2011 Enterprise Risk Management Symposium, Chicago. This paper uses a case-study research design looking at two companies: Infosys and Rolls-Royce Corp. The goal of the research is to develop an explanation of how ERM brings about the strategic implications or its “promise” as it is popularly known in the ERM circle. The influential factors and how they are linked to the ERM process of achieving strategic implications are highlighted.

Description: Research report describing the results of an Emerging Risks Survey conducted in 2010. This survey attempts to track the thoughts of risk managers about emerging risks across time. The new top five are: 1. Fall in value of US Dollar. 2. International terrorism. 3. Chinese economic hard landing. 4. Oil price shock. 5. Failed and failing states.

Description: Presented at the Living to 100 Symposium, January 2011. Long-term care LTC insurance is frequently not covered by national social insurance programs. When costs are expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product, the future burden of financing LTC would not lead to unbearable tax levels and is not particularly large in comparison to the projected costs for pensions and health care. After identifying the breadth of definitions of LTC needs, it is argued that LTC is an insurable risk. The paper concludes that LTC social insurance is affordable in developed countries.

Description: This report describes the results of a survey on reflecting risk in pricing. The survey expands on one conducted in 2003 and was expanded to include life, health, P&C, and non-North American insurance companies.

Description: This report presents the results of a survey conducted in August of 2008 on foreign travel underwriting practices of reinsurance companies.

Description: In this article, the author talks about being an actuary on the island of Cyprus.

Description: Note developed by the IAA for insurers to support the ERM Standards and Guidance materials developed by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors for supervisors.

Description: Transcript of the Q&A period from session 2A.

Description: We propose an age-shift model to modify the LC model and deal with the problem of parameters. The proposed method attains smaller estimation errors with respect to mean absolute percentage error or mean square error. We also apply the proposed age-shift model to the mortality rates of these four countries to evaluate the longevity risk in annuity products by measuring life expectancy.

Description: Article from Pension Section News, May 2007, No. 64, discusses outcome-oriented approach to defined benefit investing. Instead of focusing on market indices, the focus is on achieving a specific real-world outcome for the defined benefit plan.

Description: This article is the presentation given by David Blitzstein at the Future of Pensions track at the 2005 CCA/SOA Employee Benefits Spring Meeting. It discusses the unraveling of the defined benefit pension system and what must be done to save it. From Pension Section News, September 2006, No. 62.

Description: This paper introduces the author's globalization model of work and retirement in the 21st century. To make the model work, there is a need for a prototype social security system with many desirable features called National Provident Fund for each nation.

Description: This paper examines the Australian actuarial qualification process from the perspective of what makes a good education system, and notes that there are a number of constraints imposed by the profession that impair the quality of students’ learning outcomes. The paper goes on to suggest how these pitfalls might be avoided in the interests of providing future actuaries with an opportunity to develop the attributes they will need for their professional careers. From Actuarial Research Clearing House, 2006.

Description: This article recaps the causes of the failure of Mutual Life, discusses the response of the government of Jamaica and explains the appointed actuary's new role. which includes the role of whistle blower.

Description: This article discusses the problems created by the options in unit-linked annuities in the UK, variable annuities in the US and segregated fund contracts in Canada. Methodology for valuing the guaranteed annuity option is presented.

Description: Deferred bonus policyholder dividend reserves arise because “the policyholders’ share of net income … that cannot be distributed to stockholders shall be excluded from stockholders’ equity” by establishing a reserve. This article provides background on local minimum policyholder participation practices in the US and Europe, presents relevant accounting issues and discuss the two different accounting interpretations and make a recommendation as to which the authors feel is most appropriate at this point in time.

Description: This paper examines concepts from both financial economic and actuarial science as applied to defined benefit schemes using a simple discounted cash-flow framework as a reference point. From Current Pension Actuarial Practice in Light of Financial Economics Symposium, M-RS04-1.

Description: This session from the 2003 Washington D.C. Spring Meeting discusses the recent economic conditions in Europe, Asia and North America and the changes in product design and risk management that have taken place to address such financial risk. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1, Session 77PD.

Description: The external actuary must balance the goals of the company with a realistic assessment of the chances of achieving them, uncovering hidden value while scaling back on aggressive targets to achieve a balanced, defensible end product with buy-in from the seller's team. From Actuarial Considerations in Insurance Mergers and Acquisitions, M-FI03-1.

Description: Role of the Actuary: One of the most complicated tasks an actuary can perform is large-scale corporate modeling in an attempt to shed light on the relationship between value, performance and risk. In specialized situations such as mergers and acquisitions, it may be appropriate to have external actuaries perform the work rather than attempt the task with internal resources. From Actuarial Considerations in Insurance Mergers and Acquisitions, M-FI03-1.

Description: This paper is the final report in a project commissioned by the Society of Actuaries Social Security Committee. The paper considers a variety of possible risk classification factors that could be used in estimating the value of any mortality based benefit for retirees. As many countries consider mandatory individual retirement accounts as their answer to a secure Social Security system, the question arises as to whether all workers can get true 'market value' annuities when they retire. It is clear today that private sector life annuities are priced assuming that the applicant is healthy-very healthy. Very little underwriting or risk classification now exists in the individual annuity marketplace. This paper reviews 45 recent research papers that look at factors that affect mortality after retirement. In particular, factors that seem to be important in predicting retirement mortality include: age, gender, race and ethnicity, education, income, occupation, marital status, religion, health behaviors, smoking, alcohol, and obesity. For each factor, this paper gives highlights relative to the named factor of the impact expected from that variable as described in the 45 reviewed research papers.

Description: Complete monograph: Actuarial Consideration in Insurance Mergers and Acquisitions, M-FI03-1. This paper presents a broad overview of the actuarial considerations of insurance company transactions in developing countries, identifying both theoretical and practical issues that need to be addressed when trying to assess the potential value of a multi-national insurance transaction.

Description: Actuarial appraisals are performed using discounted cash-flow models. Using local market insurance accounting standards, an appraisal model typically assumes annual after-tax distributable earnings that are repatriated to the investor. The various lines of business are modeled and validated individually and presented in separate sections of the appraisal report before being aggregated into a total company model. From Actuarial Considerations in Insurance Mergers and Acquisitions, M-FI03-1.

Description: In the face of profound, worldwide changes in demographic, family, and lifestyle patterns, this paper introduces a dynamic social security system deemed most suitable for accommodating these changes.

Description: This paper examines how income sources change when married women in Britain, the U.S., and Germany are widowed, and it draws inferences about the income consequences of specific retirement and survivorship provisions. .

Description: Presented at May 2002 Spring Meeting. Discusses the status of the second phase of the AAA C-3 Risk project. This project is leading to an updated NAIC filing requirement and is a step toward fair value. The specific focus is on equity risk and bond funds in the distribution tails. Products covered include variable life and annuities.

Description: Presented at May 2002 Spring Meeting. Discusses products sold outside the United States and Canada, the inherent interest/equity-based risks and the tools available for dealing with the changing economic environment.

Description: Presented at Living to 100 and Beyond symposium 2002. Discussion of two papers, 'Approaches and Experiences in Projecting Mortality Patterns for the Oldest Old' by Buettner and 'Using Dynamic Reliability in Estimating Mortality at Advanced Ages' by Lin. The first paper discusses the UN methodology for projecting mortality above age 80 and presents another approach for addressing the problem of table closing. The second paper suggests a new statistical model for fitting and estimation of mortality rates at advanced ages.

Description: This session 30 PD of the New Orleans Annual Meeting discusses how several organizations, with representation from a number of countries, are currently drafting new standards to create uniformity across nations. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 27, No. 3.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion, session number 9PD, from the 2000 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held September 14-15 in Washington, DC. A fundamental assumption in stochastic asset/liability modeling is the underlying economic scenario generator. In this session the panelists discuss various scenario generation techniques, assumptions underlying bond and equity scenario generators, and choosing suitable economic scenario generators for different applications. Discussion from participants is included.

Description: Panelists discussed the implications of the growing trend in Canada toward demutualization of mutual companies into stock companies. Topics covered include: 1. The Canadian demutualization process and some interesting differences between companies and across borders. 2. How is eligibility determined? 3. What process is being used to determine allocation of shareholder value? 4. What mechanisms are in place to protect policyholders' reasonable expectations? 5. What internal and financial structural changes are driven by demutualization? 6. How financial markets assess stock value for companies operating internationally.

Description: 1999 SOA Annual Meeting, San Francisco. The panel discussed how the actuarial profession may contribute to the quantification and management of various types of risks that insurers and other financial service providers assume.

Description: Presenters discuss worldwide issues and trends in which actuaries may be involved and the implications of these issues and trends on the actuarial profession worldwide. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 25, No. 3.

Description: Presenters gave their projections and analysis on demographic trends and longevity prospects going into the next century in important countries. They analyzed the factors influencing the expected trends and comment on what these trends will mean for the financial services industries and the actuarial profession around the world.

Description: Presenters examine some of the difficulties created by the absence of worldwide generally accepted accounting principles. Topics covered: 1. The need for worldwide Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, accounting, and reserving standards. 2. The work being done by the International Accounting Standards committee and the International Organization of Securities Commissions.

Description: This research illustrates many things we may learn from other actuaries around the world in designing a valuation framework, things we can do as well as things we want to avoid. From Society of Actuaries Financial Reporting Monograph, M-AS99-1.

Description: This article discusses a 1999 white paper, 'A Partnership between the Academic Community and the Actuarial Profession.' The ultimate goal was to create uniformity in education such that qualified actuaries would be recognized regardless of where they qualified. From: The Actuary, October 1999 – volume 33 - Issue 08.

Description: This article presents a summary of ideas discussed in a 1999 symposium on the subject of the pros and cons of privatization as an element of the U.S. Social Security system. The four main topics addressed were: 1. Overview of Social Security reform. 2. Pros and cons of privatization. 3. Impact of privatization. 4. Practical issues of privatization. From: The Actuary, September 1999 – volume 33 - Issue 7.

Description: In session 32 IF of the New York Annual Meeting the panel discusses the ongoing consolidation at the domestic and foreign levels of the financial services industry, and the ensuing need for an international accounting standard. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 3.

Description: At this session 4PD of the SOA Annual Meeting in New York the panel discusses issues stemming from an AAA study of valuation and insurance in 14 countries on 5 continents, and what the U.S. could learn from these findings. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 3.

Description: Panelists at this session of the SOA 1998 Maui I Spring Meeting discuss the American Academy of Actuaries research on valuation and insurance in 14 countries in light of the movement of the NAIC toward a new valuation law.

Description: In session 117 PD of the Washington Annual Meeting panelists discuss the status of a study regarding the current valuation methodologies applicable to life insurance, annuities, and health insurance, as well as the legal and regulatory mechanisms through which they are implemented. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 3.

Description: Panelists discuss actuarial opportunities in foreign environments. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 2.

Description: This article from SOA president David Holland, speaks to the need of the actuarial profession to consistently evolve with the needs of the 21st century.

Description: 1996 Valuation Actuary Symposium. In this session on sources of earnings, the panelists discusses implementation of SOE reporting, use of SOE as a management tool, why having SOE reporting is particularly useful for international operations, and SOE reporting from a reinsurance perspective.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Boston Meeting describes the expansion and consolidation of the U.S., Canadian and Mexican life insurance industries and the discusses the top players in the insurance industry in the world and their market share. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4b.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is about identifying international opportunities, positioning yourself for those opportunities, determining skills needed, and comparing with skills you have.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is a brief summary and discussion comparing the role of the appointed actuary in different countries including the following: 1. Responsibilities. 2. To whom does the appointed actuary report? 3. Who sets the rules/standards? 4. Potential personal liabilities. 5. How well is the system working?

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is about the actuary's developing role in regulating insurance worldwide.

Description: In the past, discussion of actuarial education has focused on curriculum content [what is to be learned] and mode of delivery [university course versus part-time correspondence course]. Little attention has been paid to how students learn, and how that learning can be facilitated to develop actuaries with the knowledge, skills and values the profession needs. This paper deals with the university-related content of a more comprehensive paper prepared by the authors for the 1993 Convention of The Institute of Actuaries of Australia. It concentrates on students' learning in the undergraduate actuarial program at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, but it is likely that many of its findings and conclusions would apply equally to university actuarial courses elsewhere. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1994, Vol. 1.

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. This session is about the new methods of actuarial accounting and other methods in other countries: United Kingdom, Australia and Mexico. Topics included: 1. An overview of the most significant overall trends being addressed worldwide in the area of life insurance accounting. 2. Australian trends. 3. Trends in the UK. 4. Trends in Mexico.

Description: 1993 SOA Meeting, Quebec. This session is about how reinsurers are adapting to market changes. Topics included: 1. How reinsurers are adapting to changes driving direct writers. 2. Is gIobalization of reinsurance having a major effect? 3. In what ways has the reinsurance industry changed over the years and in what ways has it not changed?

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. This session is about management of multinational organizations from a home office perspective. It discussed cultural issues, regulatory issues, marketing issues, repatriation of profits, investment and currency risks.

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. In this session the panelists shared their thoughts regarding the skills, techniques, opportunities, and distribution associated with products found around the globe.

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. This session provided an overview of the insurance industry around the world. Topics included: 1. What does it take to become an actuary in foreign countries? 2. Professional Standards of Practice. 3. Disciplinary Standards. 4. Education programs supported by the SOA in developing countries.

Description: Discussion of the current business environment, the profile of the actuary who can meet these needs, directions corporations will take in the 21st century, economic and demographic trends that will affect the environment and markets over the next decade. The panelists discussed the need to be pro-active in shaping the environment.

Description: 1992 SOA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. This session focused on international issues, examined the impact of changing globalization in the market place and discussed how we can relate to these changes and trends. The characteristics of companies that might benefit from going global were addressed.

Description: 1992 SOA Regional Meeting, Anaheim. This is a panel discussion on managing the adequacy of capital by setting capital targets and ensuring targets are met. External capital, performance measurement, and management of inter-company relationships were part of the discussion.

Description: This presentation is a general session from the 1991 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held October 20-23 in Toronto. In introducing the speaker, the session leader notes the global similarity of the actuarial profession’s interests and concerns in that “issues such as solvency, professional conduct, and standards of practice are being discussed everywhere.” The guest speaker, editor in chief of ‘The Economist,’ discusses the rapidly changing world in light of the recent collapse of communism and current geopolitical and economic trends. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 4A.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion from the 1991 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held October 20-23 in Toronto. The panelists discuss the duties and responsibilities of appointed actuaries, including compliance with qualification standards and actuarial standards of practice. They discuss the United States, where new regulations were recently adopted by the National Association of insurance Commissioners [NAIC], developments in Canada, where new legislation is expected to pass, and also world practice, looking at Europe and the U.K. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 4B.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Annual Meeting looks at global investing. Areas discussed include rationale for investing globally, fixed income opportunities, a model for active global investing, and other issues.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Annual meeting is about global dynamic - definition, effect on the actuarial profession, actuaries and insurers response to it.

Description: This session discussion is about the state of the U.S. reinsurance marketplace as viewed by foreign reinsurers and consultants. Panel members will provide insight on the willingness of foreign companies to assume risks from the U.S. marketplace and key factors that enter into this decision. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 15, No. 2.