Description: The article will explore the market dynamics driving asset-intensive reinsurance in Japan, analyze how Japanese insurers are strategically utilizing both block and flow reinsurance to achieve diverse business goals, and discuss key considerations for offshore reinsurers seeking to enter this market.

Description: Latin America offers significant opportunities for insurers due to its emerging middle class, low insurance penetration, and potential partnerships. The region's insurance market has seen substantial growth, with gross written life insurance premiums increasing by 212% from 2011 to 2022. However, challenges such as low digital adoption and distribution limitations exist. A hybrid approach combining digital platforms with traditional agent support is recommended to address these issues. Strategic alliances with local financial institutions can also facilitate market entry. Despite these challenges, the Latin American insurance market remains highly profitable and resilient, making it an attractive area for expansion

Description: During the past few years, performance, cost, and risk trends for Medigap products have undergone substantial changes. Some of these trends could ease cost pressures on Medigap insurers, while others might increase them. Part 1 of this Issue Brief article discusses current changing trends and considerations around about how they are impacting Medigap.

Description: This article helps companies better understand the currently proposed upcoming VM-22 regulation by comparing the VM-22 measurement model to LDTI MRBs. The article highlights key considerations as companies plan for adoption of these two measurement models. These considerations should help inform a company’s strategy related to the business impacted by these standards.

Description: Strategic Risk Management was given lower priority in a recent survey of ERM Objectives. This article tells how the author believes that recent events have caused many to shift to a more short term focus and in the future there will be a shift back to a priority for the longer term view that stands behind Strategic Risk Management when the environment settles down and things again seem to be more predictable.

Description: The cyber insurance market looks like it’s growing—rapidly, in fact. However, there’s more to the cyber insurance market than the outward appearance of strong growth. Worldwide aggregate premium’s upward trend may even be cause for alarm. The increase in premium against a flat rate of insured exposure is a key sign that the market could turn from growth to constriction if a solution isn’t found in the near future. If the cyber insurance sector hopes to reach such lofty goals as exceeding $30 billion in global premium by 2028, it’s going to need more capital. Whether directly into the insurance sector or via support from reinsurance and retrocession, fresh capital should help insurers achieve greater market penetration, build a broader foundation for ongoing expansion, and chart a course for long-term sustainable profitable growth. The same sources capital insurers have used since the early days of the market won’t be enough, though. Thankfully, the insurance linked securities (ILS) market seems poised to help, particularly with several promising recent transactions. New sources of capital could bolster the foundation for future cyber re/insurance growth.

Description: This article explores the evolving role of assumption management in the life insurance industry. The article highlights how behavioral, economic, and demographic assumptions are critical to pricing, forecasting, and explaining financial results, yet many insurers still struggle with fragmented practices and outdated processes. Drawing on survey insights from 15 U.S. insurers, the authors illustrate persistent challenges in governance, data integration, and automation. They argue for a more holistic, technology-enabled operating model centered on centralized assumption repositories. Such repositories provide a single source of truth, enable automated ingestion into models, support sensitivity testing, and enhance governance and transparency across actuarial, finance, and risk functions. The article offers guiding principles and design considerations for building scalable repositories that improve efficiency, consistency, and decision-making. Ultimately, it positions assumption management modernization not as a technical upgrade but as a strategic imperative to unlock clarity, agility, and competitive advantage in a complex market.

Description: Critical Illness (CI) insurance in Asia has evolved through data-driven insights, adapting to changing medical, demographic, and lifestyle trends. Gen Re’s CI Data Insights Study, covering Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, highlights how advances in screening, especially for cancers, have influenced incidence rates and claims. Regular updates to CI definitions and product structures are essential for sustainability, as seen in the handling of thyroid and prostate cancers. Lifestyle factors like BMI also impact cardiovascular risk. A multi-dimensional approach combining robust data monitoring, proactive product updates, and wellness promotion ensures CI insurance remains relevant and sustainable.

Description: A article summarizing the SOA 2024 Regional Symposium in Riyadh

Description: A preview of the details and content of the new Certificate in Climate Risk to be offered by the SOA beginning in early 2023.