Description: Update on IFRS 17 including news, how IFRS 17 is impacting companies financials, comparisons to LDTI, and KPIs.

Description: Reunite with members and non-members in the China actuarial community to discuss recent topics and related issues in areas such as macroeconomic sharing, IFRS 17, product strategy, cross-border communication and discussion, and more. Advance your career through learning and networking opportunities, and share your experiences in the finance and insurance industries, as well as other fields related to actuarial science.

Description: With long duration targeted improvements in the U.S., and IFRS 17 in other countries, the insurance industry is currently undergoing the adoption of two of the most significant accounting changes in recent history. While the scale of these specific events are infrequent, change is the norm in the world of insurance and life of an actuary. We live in a dynamic environment that will continue to bring challenges in how companies make decisions in order maximize their value and return on capital. Capital management requires an ability for insurance companies to take corporate actions and understand the impact this will have on both the current and future available capital. Being able to make optimal decisions when the goal posts are subject to frequent and material shifts in accounting regulation is a difficult process. It requires holistic consideration of all tools available to manage capital and how KPIs can shift in their measurement under new regimes. By attending the session, you will: Discuss the challenges that companies have in managing capital in an ever evolving environment, what steps they have taken in managing the current scope of accounting change, and how they can be prepared for adjustments in the future.

Description: The article is introducing and promoting the value of RAPA, the Reinsurance Administration Professionals Association as a forum for information sharing, networking, education and training of insurance and reinsurance professionals responsible for reinsurance administration.

Description: S&P reissued a second Request for Comment (RFC) in May 2023 that proposed changes to their insurer capital adequacy methodology and assumptions, and suggested these proposed changes may become effective at the end of 2023. This paper is to highlight the notable changes between the current capital model criteria and the proposed model. We also discuss major changes from the first RFC and the second RFC, as well as several key items that still require enhanced guidance and clarification. Our analysis is based on information gathered from S&P's public comments, conversations with industry participants, and publications released by S&P Global as of July 2023 when this paper was written. Most U.S. life insurers are rated by S&P using their U.S. Life Statutory Capital model, while other insurers use the GAAP/IFRS Capital Model. Statutory financials will remain the starting point for U.S. life insurers under the proposed model, however there will be additional adjustments made to these numbers in an effort to create consistency and comparability with other accounting and solvency regimes.

Description: There are two key trends in the preneed and final expense insurance market, the first being small independently held preneed insurance companies presenting attractive acquisitional benefits and secondly, changing consumer attitudes may drive increased final expense activity in the future.

Description: The article summarizes the results of the 2022 U.S. and Canadian Life Reinsurance Survey, for both Individual Life and Group Life business, conducted by the Reinsurance Section of the Society of Actuaries.

Description: Interview on opportunities for InsurTechs in Life and Health reinsurance. Themes covered include digital distribution and digital health data. The article also shares insights into the role of the reinsurer when working with InsurTechs.

Description: Life insurance and annuity illustrations are an important part of the sales and ongoing policy maintenance process educating consumers on how the products could perform in a given set of circumstances. While candidates for Fellowship in the Society of Actuaries and even practicing actuaries may have a general knowledge of what they are and awareness of the regulations and applicable standards of actuarial practice, they may not know much about the intricacies of illustrations and illustration testing. The purpose of this project is to create a resource to improve actuarial practitioners’ understanding of illustrations. Additionally, this topic is not currently addressed in the exam curriculum. It is intended that selected sections of the report on this research would be suitable for inclusion in the Fellowship syllabus.

Description: Future mortality improvement has been a common assumption in life insurance and annuity pricing and forecasting for many years. However, experience over the last decade suggests this might be an assumption that merits reconsideration in the United States. This article will take a closer look at factors that impact mortality improvement trends and discuss why insurers may want to reevaluate product designs to better manage the associated mortality risk. We then introduce a product idea with this in mind, where premiums are based on a life expectancy index and insurers share the risk (and opportunity) or mortality improvement with policyholders.