Description: This article discusses the trend toward outsourcing of insurance assets to third party money managers which has grown steadily as insurers face increasing market challenges. Insurers are finding that a strategic approach to outsourcing investments is critical to enhancing value within both liability reserves and surplus portfolios.

Description: The article introduces a cashflow matching strategic asset allocation (SAA) framework for life insurers. Given the recent shift to higher interest rates after two decades of persistent low interest rates, insurers have an opportunity to enhance their asset liability management by rebalancing asset portfolios to narrow duration gaps and attain higher risk-adjusted yields. The framework aims to align investment objectives with economic, regulatory, and rating agency requirements. It prioritizes cashflow matching as the primary optimization goal and incorporates security-level asset information to assist portfolio managers in executing SAA seamlessly. The article highlights the benefits of the cashflow matching SAA framework, including greater attention to cashflow matching, unbiased results, readily executable strategies, and stable economic reserves. A case study is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework in improving risk-adjusted return and cashflow matching for a representative liability block.

Description: Feature article discussing the PBGC’s asset reallocation plan.

Description: The following vidoe is from Eric Milner, ASA MAAA Vice President and Actuary at Risk Strategies Company. IN this video he takes us through the intricated world of investment, risks, asset allocation, and fundamental theories of quantitative finance. The session begins by dissecting Market Risk, Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk, and Operational Risk, emphasizing the importance of not just identifying but quantifying and managing these risks intelligently. Strategies for Asset Allocation and Diversification are discussed alongside cornerstone theories such as Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). The Efficient Market Hypothesis and Behavioral Finance shed light on market dynamics and the impact of psychological influences on financial decision-making, providing a comprehensive understanding essential for sophisticated investment strategies and informed financial analysis. Contributors: Eric Milner, ASA, MAAA; Richard Vaccaro, FSA, MAAA ; Diyi Zhao ASA, MAAA; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: E-book contains 16 topical essays that express the opinions and thoughts of a number of authors on the subject of Investment Fallacies.

Description: The Federal funds rate increased by 4.25% in 2022 with further increases in 2023, which have already resulted in a liquidity crisis for a few banks. As the rapid increase of the interest rates pushed the new money rates above the yields of many life insurers’ investment portfolios, insurance companies are facing a dilemma between compressed margins from peer pressure and the concern with liquidity shortfalls and realized capital losses should mass surrenders happen. This paper discussed main emerging risks under rising interest rate environment, and several ways to mitigate these risks.

Description: This report is an update to a 2014 paper related to changes in the continually evolving pension risk transfer landscape. This updated report seeks to discuss pension risk transfer in depth and identify key de-risking actions, alternatives and triggers that impact pension risk transfer strategies.

Description: The Federal funds rate increased by 4.25% in 2022 with further increases in 2023, which have already resulted in a liquidity crisis for a few banks. As the rapid increase of the interest rates pushed the new money rates above the yields of many life insurers’ investment portfolios, insurance companies are facing a dilemma between compressed margins from peer pressure and the concern with liquidity shortfalls and realized capital losses should mass surrenders happen. This paper discussed main emerging risks under rising interest rate environment, and several ways to mitigate these risks.

Description: The paper demonstrates that the most popular rationalization for evolving glide paths is flawed and should be discarded. The paper also demonstrates that glide paths should generally evolve for investors that endeavor to optimize outcomes and reevaluate their portfolios regularly.

Description: This research report explores investment year methodology to set renewal credited rates. There is an accompanying Excel workbook created as a teaching aide.