Description: A summary of a preliminary report from the Committee on Valuation and Related Problems, on guidelines for quantifying balance sheet items in an insurance enterprise.

Description: The author describes how his company was able to benefit from an application of risk theory.

Description: Using the Cox proportional Hazards Model to improve underwriting debits and credits.

Description: The article discusses the developments thus far with the adoption of the NAIC Valuation Manual and what steps still lie ahead. It also discusses the NAIC Life Actuarial Task Force’s response to the NAIC’s VM-20 Impact Study. In general, outcomes of the Phase III testing support the suggestion that the modifications made to VM-20 as a result of the NAIC Impact Study made progress in addressing the excessive conservatism demonstrated in the Phase I and Phase II testing.

Description: The author explores reasons why blocks of business may become legacy blocks and discusses ways to decrease the likelihood of legacy blocks in the future.

Description: Chairman’s column discussing 2012 accomplishments and 2013 and plans for the Financial Reporting section.

Description: The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) recently created a Financial Advisory Industry Review (FAIR) panel to review the practices of the financial advisory market in Singapore and increase the standards and professionalism of the FA industry in the distribution of life insurance products in Singapore.

Description: Updates on current projects of the Marketing & Distribution Section of the Society of Actuaries.

Description: Defines Accelerated Underwriting programs as a transformational trend, and outlines a process for evaluating mortality implications of such programs.

Description: This article examines potential impacts of old age mortality and how it affects maturity extension riders for universal life.