Description: Recaps April 2015 seminar on derivatives use for fund managers and insurers in China. Describes growth in Chinese derivatives market including CSI 300 futures

Description: Surveys the outlook for interest rates among Inv Symposium participants, as of Feb 29 2016.

Description: Comments on how US insurers have compensated for low interest rates by investing in a range of less liquid and lower quality assets.

Description: Explains the more granular breakout of bond RBC factors proposed to the NAIC. Evaluates alternative asset allocation choices for insurers under the new rules.

Description: Chronically low interest rates are a reflection of macroeconomic trends. Care must be exercised in making assumptions regarding mean reversion.

Description: Update on section activities.

Description: Results of recent survey of Smaller Insurance Company Section about the Financial Services Modernization Act, FSMA.

Description: An in-depth discussion of a research project, sponsored by the Committee on Life Insurance Research, the Smaller Insurance Company Section and the Reinsurance Section, on the topic of access to reinsurance.

Description: An update on the principle-based reserves (PBR) process and possible valuation manual adoption, with recommendations to actuaries on how to prepare.

Description: This article discusses the implications of a principle-based reserve PBR system with respect to federal income taxation of life insurance companies, particularly with respect to tax reserves and their deductibility for tax purposes. The article discusses potential problems with existing tax rules for reserve deduction, what courses of action the IRS could take, and suggestions for design features of a PBR approach that would make it more consistent with current tax rules. Life insurance product tax implications are also discussed.