Description: The cloud inspires awe and fear in equal parts these days. There is a need to learn more, but there’s much information to learn and it may be difficult to know what to learn next. In this session, we’ll carve off a small corner of the cloud and make it your own. Setting up a Data Science Virtual Machine on Digital Ocean will be demonstrated. It’s the fastest way to get a data science development environment setup for your own use. Many of the topics and ideas covered will apply to almost all other cloud offerings. What use cases Digital Ocean is good for, and what use cases you should look elsewhere for, will also be discussed.

Description: With many complex regulatory changes on the horizon as well as pressures to ensure model accuracy from auditors, regulatory requirements and new actuarial standards of practice, the importance of robust model validation is coming to the forefront of actuaries’ minds. What was previously a day-two task for many companies is becoming just as important as model development! In this session, you will hear from those that have been deeply involved in building model validation frameworks and tools in responses to regulatory changes GAAP Long Duration Targeted Improvements (“LDTI”) and Principles Based Reserves (“PBR”).

Description: Many insurers preparing market consistent financial statements encounter the issue of developing volatility assumptions for equity options and guarantees that are longer than any observable market data. This presentation develops a generalization of the classical Black Scholes option pricing model that is consistent with the European CRO Forum's framework for valuing non-hedgeable risk. The presentation argues that, with reasonable parameter choices, the model fits observed volatility surfaces well enough that it can be used to estimate implied volatilities where no market data exists.

Description: This panel discussion session focused on the practical applications of risk theory.

Description: 1988 Valuation Actuary Symposium, In this session, the presenter suggests the value of the Reg 126 testing is a function of the attitude of the company toward the process. He also explored the differences in results by product of using deterministic versus stochastic scenarios.

Description: This session from the 1993 Valuation Actuary Symposium looks at asset models and economic scenario generation.

Description: This 1997 presentation from the 32nd Actuarial Research Conference develops a stochastic generator for the generation of scenarios of the S&P 500 index, dividend yield, consumer price index, and U.S. Treasury yields. The authors first create a set of 'stylized facts' for these series. They estimate statistical models for these series. These in-sample statistical models are themselves not suitable for generation of scenarios for decision making, but instead are additional 'stylized facts' that assist in model development. The 'best' statistical model according to standard statistical model selection criteria can easily lead to a model that is highly unsuitable for generation of scenarios for decision making. The authors develop a stochastic generator that is suitable for decision making under uncertainty.

Description: Claims are insurers deepest and richest transactional data – yet we rarely unleash the full potential of this data. In this session, we will discuss potential sources and attributes of claims data, traditional approaches alongside new analytic techniques and how to integrate models into existing claims management processes. During this session, the presenters will discuss different areas of how machine learning can drive significant value unleashing the potential in claims data, these include data capture, claims management and workflow design as well as behaviour prediction. In addition, the audiences will also have opportunity to learn different use cases of how claims models taking advantage of machine learning, such as foreign death fraud detection and critical illness triage.

Description: Asset cash flow modeling and asset assumptions are growing in importance with PBR especially considering the low interest rate environment. The Academy’s Life Practice Council and Life Valuation Committee have formed a Low Interest Rate Asset Adequacy Testing Task Force which has conducted an industry survey to raise awareness and summarize the actuarial best practices for financial reporting actuaries practicing in today’s very low interest rate environment. As the scrutiny on the asset side ratchets up, actuaries must consider how best to develop the asset assumptions as well as model the reinvestment and disinvestment strategies. Coherent assumptions and modeling practices across modeling exercises are expected while respecting the purpose of each calculation.

Description: 1994 SOA meeting, Orlando. This session is about the committee's dynamic solvency handbook and their progress to date. Topics discussed: 1. Should this report be a required opinion/report? 2. Should it be an internal confidential analysis? 3. What are the actuary's role and responsibilities?