Description: COVID-19 and the accompanying policy changes have disrupted virtually everyone’s personal and professional lives. In April 2021, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) surveyed members and candidates to understand the impact of COVID-19 on the careers of actuaries and aspiring actuaries. The survey was sent to 26,101 members and candidates. Approximately 7% (1,912) responded and included demographic information. In addition, the SOA investigated actuarial exam progress at an aggregate level. Here are highlights of the findings.

Description: This report investigates the financial consequences of delaying CPP payments. The intent is to provide a quantitative basis to better inform the take-up decisions of Canadians for whom delaying CPP benefits might provide improved financial outcomes and greater retirement income security.

Description: The Society of Actuaries Smaller Insurance Company Section, the Financial Reporting Section, and the Committee on Life Insurance Research are pleased to make available new research investigating simplified methods for determining reserves under VM-20.

Description: The Society of Actuaries (SOA) published its first COVID-19 research brief on March 10, 2020, followed by regular updates and expansions through June 12, 2020. The comprehensive report includes a section of Key Statistics. On July 24, 2020, the SOA released a report showing updates through July 22 to selected graphs from or related to the Key Statistics section of the comprehensive report. This report provides similar updates through August 9, 2020.

Description: This study provides insights into the savings and retirement planning of 35- to 45-year-olds and the attitudes, beliefs, life experiences, pressures, and other factors that influence their savings and planning.

Description: Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) represent an innovative suite of cryptographic algorithms that validate the accuracy of sensitive information without revealing the actual information itself. This report introduces the diverse applications and emerging opportunities that ZKPs offer to the insurance community, especially in the health insurance space.

Description: Study uses a modified version of an online predictive market to investigate both the degree and extent to which both preferred risks and risk premiums are expected to persist over 15-year and 30-year time horizons. Prediction markets create an artificial market for speculative bets, for the purpose of making more accurate collective predictions about the future.

Description: Survey to determine: 1. The general level of lapses and mortality expected for individual level premium term life insurance products for the period following the level premium period 2. Company experience for lapses and mortality for these products following the level premium period 3. The size of the premium increase at the end of the level premium period and the impact, if any, this has on lapse rates and mortality.

Description: Research report that investigates the challenges associated with determining a fair value assessment for embedded options in two product types, explains period-to-period changes in value and discusses incorporating these values into financial projections and product pricing.

Description: A research report that examines the effect of ERM adoption on a firm’s corporate reputation. The authors use a wide range of metrics as proxies to capture the essence of a firm’s reputation from the perspective of numerous stakeholders.