Description: This article discusses three litigation issues: 1. Shelter Framing Corp. v. PBGC: This is a case recently placed on the Appellate Docket of the U.S. Supreme Court being appealed from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That Circuit Court held that the Multiemployer Pension Plan amendments Act, which imposes liability on employers who withdrew from multiemployer plans, is unconstitutional as applied to employers who withdraw before the Act’s enactment but after its retroactively effective date. 2. Federal Trade Commission: The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has held that an investigation by the FTC into whether finance companies and auto dealerships were engaging in unfair and deceptive practices by representing that purchase of credit life insurance was required as a condition to obtain financing, was not outside the FTC’s power. 3. Baldwin-United Case: Under the rehabilitation plan for Baldwin-United, the Company would refund $3.7 billion to the annuity holders. Several groups are challenging this decision.

Description: This article is about junk assets. Insurance companies own over one third of the junk assets in the U.S. which has raised concerns and caused certain states to enact laws or regulations regarding junk investments.

Description: This editorial notes that a letter, appearing in this issue of The Actuary,’ may not be alone in maintaining that the vagaries of our regulatory system handicap companies to the point that United States policyholders get poorer value for their premium dollar than do those in other countries.’ The article goes on to discuss guaranteed surrender values, the state regulatory system in the U.S and other topics in addressing this question.

Description: This article is about the design and growth of the new variable life and annuity products.

Description: This article discusses that “the investment returns earned by life insurance companies over the past decade have permitted the sale of contracts guaranteeing relatively high rates of interest. The contracts have given rise to problems in the areas of the federal securities laws, of federal income taxes, and of state valuation requirements,” as insurers, starting in the 1960’s began issuing annuity contracts that provided for the allocation of contributions to separate accounts.

Description: This article on recent developments in insurance regulation, is a discussion of the new Model Nonforfeiture and Valuation Laws the continuation of an article from the November, 1981 issue of The Actuary, and to be continued in next month’s issue. It covers topics including mortality assumptions and the new 1980 CSO Mortality Tables, maximum valuation interest rates, and maximum nonforfeiture interest rates.

Description: This article discusses the Financial Condition Examination Handbook and the Market Conduct Examination Handbook, both of which became effective January 1, 1977 after approval by the Executive Committee of the NAIC. The purpose of this new guidance is to update and simplify the examination process for all insurance companies.

Description: Views of several actuarial participants in this lawsuit, regarding new buyer disclosure requirements, were printed in our May Issue. Mr. Murphy spoke for the plaintiffs, whose strongest objection to the disputed Wisconsin Regulation was its omission of the Equivalent Level Annual Dividend from the preliminary policy summary.

Description: This article describes the pre-HIPAA small group market and identify some of the key changes to this market resulting from HIPAA particularly guaranteed issue and renewal and restriction of pre-existing conditions and.

Description: The author reviews and provides analysis of a report prepared by Douglas H. Carruthers, Q.C., as special legal counsel, to review the relationship between insurers and the public and in particular, the role of insurance intermediaries in the province of Ontario. The report was completed in 1975 and made public in 1976, and effectively recommends a new regulatory framework. The author of this article analyses and critiques the various proposals in the report.