Description: Critical illness CI products are gaining in popularity in North America. These products have been available for close to 20 years in many countries around the world, including South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom and most of Asia. Many of the lessons learned in these countries concerning product design, pricing, underwriting and claims adjudication are relevant to the U.S. market. This session reviews the latest trends around the world. Attendees gain insight into the key issues driving the profitability of the product and are better positioned to determine the main considerations in deciding whether or not to introduce such a product in their market. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1, Washington, D.C., Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003, Session 60PD.

Description: Presenters cover the outlook for credit defaults over the next 12 months and approaches used to price the debt market e.g., Merton's 1973 paper and subsequent developments. Attendees leave with an understanding of how the capital markets value debt issuance and knowledge of future trends in default risk. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1: Washington, D.C. Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003, Session 10OF.

Description: This session explores current practices and techniques that plan sponsors use to address the risks associated with the exercise of fiduciary responsibility. Attendees gain a better understanding of some of the issues that plan sponsors face and discuss the tools that can be used to monitor and manage exposure to risks and uncertainty. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 2: Spring Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., June 23–25, 2003, Session 108PD.

Description: Companies operating in international markets have additional issues to consider from a risk management point of view. Fluctuations in exchange rates, political and sovereign risks, regulatory issues, capital management and human resources considerations are among these. This session gives attendees the opportunity to understand how multinationals currently deal with these issues and how they are functionally structured to handle the risk management process. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1: Washington, D.C. Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003, Session 30PD.

Description: The manner in which the actuarial profession models and manages mortality risk is undergoing dramatic changes. New modeling techniques have led to better risk management tools. Capital markets solutions are evolving for insurers wishing to protect against unfavorable mortality developments in both life insurance and annuity products. In this session recent key developments in mortality modeling and in the transfer of mortality risk are examined. From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 30, No. 3: Annual Meeting and Exhibit, New York, NY, October 24-27, 2004, Session 133 TS.

Description: The disastrous events of September 11, 2001 have focused the reinsurance community’s attention on the subject of managing concentration of risk. A panel of experts discusses: Techniques for limiting exposure, Impact on group and COLI/BOLI insurance and Changes in the catastrophe reinsurance market. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1, Washington D.C. Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003Session 65PD.

Description: The NAIC Life Risk-Based Capital Working Group has been working on modifications to the C-3 interest rate risk component of the statutory risk-based capital formula. Changes being considered may have a significant impact on the work of the valuation actuary. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 25, No. 3. San Francisco Annual Meeting CA, October 17–20, 1999, Session 33PD.

Description: This session features interviews with several authorities on the following current topics: How the rating agencies view capital management in determining company ratings How the rating agencies view the independent review process How capital management is addressed at a non-insurance company parent How financial reinsurance can be used to strengthen your capital. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 25, No. 3. San Francisco Annual Meeting, October 17-20, 1999, Session 65OF.

Description: This session covers the differences between quantitative models and traditional techniques for measuring credit exposure pricing models versus portfolio risk management models and an introduction to some commercially available models, such as J. P. Morgan’s Credit Metrics and Moody’s/KMV Portfolio Manager. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 29, No. 1, Washington, D.C. Spring Meeting, May 29–30, 2003, Session 19PD.

Description: The financial industry has become increasingly interested in understanding and managing financial risks as well as business risk. While often perceived in terms of risk reduction or mitigation in the past, todays focus has expanded to improve performance and add to the value of the firm. Many banks and securities firms have built risk management areas to better manage their financial risks. Some insurance companies are moving in a similar direction, This session focuses on quantification of various financial risks insurers take on. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 24, No. 1. Maui Spring Meeting, June 15-17, 1998, Session 87PD.