Description: Increased attention was paid to regulatory capital with the global financial crisis in 2008. Whilst companies may not have the incentives to retain a large amount of capital in the absence of regulatory capital requirements, overcapitalized entities can have drawback such as its impact on competitiveness. There are other weaknesses in the regulatory capital model such as its limitation in facilitating risk-based decisions as regulatory capital does not necessarily reflect the economic reality and risks an entity faces. Nonetheless, there are ways for regulators and/or companies to handle the weaknesses in the regulatory capital model. For instance, granularity can be introduced in determining regulatory capital. Economic capital can be used to encourage entities to implement risk management controls and facilitate risk-based business decisions (e.g., risk-adjusted performance assessment and risk-based capital allocation). Ultimately, hav ing effective risk management and risk-based capital determination are ways to prevent company failures and bankruptcies.

Description: From a panel discussion session at the 2000 Valuation Actuary Symposium held in Washington DC, September 14-15, 2000 Overview of New York Regulation 163, including the limits on different types of derivative activities, the Derivative Use Plan required by New York, and the reporting and control requirements.

Description: From a session at the annual meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Chicago, Illinois, October 15-18, 2000 Discussion of indexed guaranteed separate accounts, typically issued to defined-benefit pension plans. Contract terms, risks, marketing, financial reporting, reserves, and investment strategies are discussed. Risk-based capital and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Model Regulation for Separate Accounts with Guarantees are also discussed. A hypothetical indexed separate account is analyzed for return on capital and economic risk.

Description: This article is about junk assets. Insurance companies own over one third of the junk assets in the U.S. which has raised concerns and caused certain states to enact laws or regulations regarding junk investments.