Description: Experts from both the direct and reinsurance side of the table will provide an overview of final expense products and their key features, as well as share experiences that have informed best practices when designing, selling, managing, monitoring and reinsuring these products. Trends in distribution, underwriting tools and other competitive factors will be considered through the lens of managing risk while remaining competitive in the market.

Description: Come prepared for an engaging workshop where you will have the opportunity to share thoughts on and work through a variety of questions concerning how actuaries must adapt to account for newer underwriting and distribution practices. Seating will be limited for this workshop focused on life actuaries who price and set assumptions for products impacted by new underwriting tools and processes such as accelerated underwriting (AU) or direct-to-consumer (DTC) distribution.

Description: This article highlights the findings of a recent SOA survey on accelerated underwriting (AU) practices, including the amount of AU business ceded, the results of three opinion questions, and an estimate of mortality slippage among AU programs.

Description: Kick off with key National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) activities, with a primary focus on updates to principle-based reserve valuations and appointed actuary topics. The presenters will provide insights into the current set of activities and initiatives being considered and/or adopted by the NAIC Life Actuarial Task Force (LATF) and the NAIC Risk Based Capital Working Group as well as Actuarial Standards Board. In addition, other Actuarial Practice Issues and other Appointed Actuary and Opinion topics relevant to Life Insurance, Variable Annuities and Fixed Annuities will be discussed.

Description: Explore the findings from the research paper recently released by Milliman and the SOA, highlighting the growing need for support of informal/family caregivers. We will discuss both quantitative and qualitative data that illustrates not only the cost and burgeoning need, but the mental/emotional stressors that come along with this work.

Description: This session will kick off the key National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) activities with a primary focus on updates to principle-based reserve valuations and appointed actuary topics. Hear insights into the current set of activities and initiatives being considered and/or adopted by the NAIC Life Actuarial Task Force (LATF) and the NAIC Risk Based Capital Working Group as well as Actuarial Standards Board. In addition, other actuarial practice issues and other appointed actuary and opinion topics relevant to life insurance, variable annuities and fixed annuities will be discussed. By the end of the session, attendees will understand what changes are being made to reserves, RBC, PBR and actuarial standards and related topics, and the anticipated timing of such emerging changes.

Description: There is a clear consumer need for long-term care (LTC) coverage. Combo life/LTC products sought to meet that need when stand-alone LTC coverages became more difficult and more expensive to get. Combo life/LTC are built to be more sustainable, allowing for more alignment of interests between the policyholder and insurer. However, combo life/LTC are typically on a universa life (UL) chassis with extensive secondary guarantees, and several were withdrawn from the market in the recent past because of very low interest rates. A couple of carriers have used the variable UL chassis which are still in market. Interest rates have also risen dramatically. The opportunity may be present for innovation in this area that leads to sustainable products. Join the conversation as experts in this area discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in developing and marketing these products.

Description: A recap of the SOA Research Institute's participation in the Spring 2024 NAIC National Meeting.