Description: Illustrates key differences, in earnings for a segment of term insurance, between current GAAP standards and GAAP targeted improvements (based on tentative board decisions preceding the release of an exposure draft).

Description: The article highlights key considerations as companies begin to reserve for their IUL products under PBR.

Description: Formulas for changes in GAAP liabilities and liability accrual rates are shown for three assumption update methods—retrospective, prospective and immediate.

Description: Presents a practical solution to some of the distortion caused by a typical application of the retrospective assumption update (unlocking) method.

Description: Illustrates the effects of different approaches to updating GAAP valuation assumptions for traditional life contracts.

Description: Under non-Aristotelian logic, there are multiple values, or shades of gray. Indeed, there may even be unexpected results from logical combinations, like “both” and “neither.” This article discusses how this insight should be applied to the current debate between formula-driven reserves with limited assumption flexibility and the reserve principles approach. For reserve standards, we do need both actuarial judgment grounded in reserving principles and restrictive formula methods or safe harbors.

Description: This article discusses a number of product variations seen in the market with respect to Universal Life products with secondary death benefit guarantees, factors leading to those designs and considerations regarding the adequacy of reserves that emerge under AXXX formulas. This article also identifies a series of factors that authors believe will make it difficult to quickly and equitably resolve these issues through formula-based changes.

Description: Mortality Credibility and its use within VM-20.