Description: The Financial Accounting Standards Board FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board IASB issued “The Norwalk Agreement” in October 2002, a memorandum of understanding that reaffirmed their commitment to develop a single set of high quality accounting standards. At that meeting the two standard setters agreed to place a high priority on three steps toward achieving that goal.

Description: This article discusses international proposals for accounting reform that would establish a global common measurement approach for the large majority of life insurance and annuity products.

Description: The paper explores developments through 2006 in the application of market-consistent concepts to the measurement of fair values of liabilities for financial reporting purposes. A set of criteria is presented that should be useful in the evaluation of proposed fair value measurement approaches where inputs based on prices observed in an active market with reliable transaction prices are not available. Based on these criteria, one approach is examined that might serve as a basis for the fair value measurement of the liability of life insurance contracts and other financial instruments issued by insurers.

Description: This article discusses actuarial support for an international accounting regime designed to meet the dual objectives of: • Generating a realistic view of operations focusing on expected future cash flows, reflecting the duty of management to add value for shareholders and to protect the interests of policyholders. • Demonstrating the adequacy of supporting capital to cover the risks associated with the business. From: The Actuary, January 2000, volume 34, issue 1.