Description: An ongoing discussion of the theoretically correct discount rate for valuing insurance liabilities: whether or not the credit rating of the insurer should affect the discount rate used. See related articles including the article “On the Fair Value of Insurance Liabilities: The Regulator’s Option” in the December, 2005 issue of The Financial Reporter.

Description: Analysis of IASB position on the discount rate to use in computing the Fair Value of Insurance Liabilities

Description: An Overview of Stochastic Simulation modeling techniques and usages

Description: Performance measurement is not the primary purpose of either GAAP or statutory accounting. This article discusses alternative methods of reporting used by life insurance companies to better measure financial performance.

Description: Responsibilities Of The Actuary For Communicating Sarbanes-Oxley Control in accordance With Actuarial Standards of Practice

Description: There is often a disconnect between the way products are priced IRR and embedded value methods and the way business performance is measured once it is already on the books GAAP and GAAP ROE. This article discusses the theoretical reasons for this disconnect and how an accounting system could be developed to eliminate the disconnect and thereby align investor and management expectations with the financial reporting system.

Description: This article summarizes the results of the survey covering industry practices relating to the valuation of variable annuities under FAS 133/157 including implied volatility parameters used in the FAS 133/157 liability scenario generator, non-performance risk and liquidity premium adjustments to discount rates, as well as the determination of risk margins.

Description: This is the third in a series of articles about revenue recognition for insurance contracts. The articles address revenue recognition for those contracts that are measured by the building blocks approach under the emerging new standards for insurance that are being developed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) of the United States.

Description: A continuation of the discussion of the practical considerations for implementing the New Accounting Statement of Position for Long-Duration Contracts and for Separate Accounts – Part III

Description: The OCI-Solution of IASB’s IFRS 4 Phase II requires that interest expense for the Profit and Loss (P&L) calculation be based on a yield curve instead of a flat rate locked-in at policy issue. The article has a discussion of analysis of the impact from locking in the yield curve on the IFRS 4 profit pattern as well as general conclusions reached.