Description: Analyzes the need for enterprise risk management for small businesses and the unique principles governing such a discipline. The paper describes a case study done by Goldenson Actuarial Research Center at the University of Connecticut and concludes with some suggestions on how ERM for small businesses can be done on a larger and sustainable scale using student resources supported by large corporations, banks and government organizations.

Description: This article looks at Enterprise Risk Management - ERM - and how executive compensation’s disconnect from long term stock performance has been a contributor to the current financial crisis. The author discusses the “Stock Performance Protection Plan,” or SSSP, and how it can encourage executives to buy into ERM. The author further discusses his plan, and the provisional patent he recently received.

Description: The present crisis in global financial markets has created an impression that enterprise risk management ERM has failed broadly to protect the safety and soundness of the financial system as well as that of many institutions, including insurance companies.

Description: Modern economies are based on the premise that all the main players look after themselves. The bankruptcy and limited liability laws gave property speculators and banks a put option on society so they could walk away from losses above their capital base, yet enjoy all the gains of such speculation. They acted in what they believed were their own interests. It seems that society – well aware of what was happening – did not effectively look after its own interest and now must pay the price.

Description: Arguably, many of the fundamental contributing factors to the 2008 mortgage crisis involved misdirected incentives and misinformation available to key participants in the housing finance process. The incentives discussed here include those of the mortgage holders, mortgage intermediaries, mortgage providers, securitizers, raters and CEOs and other highly paid staff of those involved. Unless similar incentives are recognized, future public policy decisions will again fail to avoid this system-wide risk. Since I am most familiar with the U.S. situation, my comments will be limited accordingly.

Description: This study examines and describes parameter uncertainty. The paper provides structures to incorporate parameter uncertainty in quantifying risk.

Description: Press release about a new report by the SOA, CAS and AAA entitled 'The Financial Crisis and Lessons for Insurers,' providing further insights on the causes of the subprime crisis, and subsequently the financial crisis - with an emphasis on Enterprise Risk Management.

Description: This article will examine four approaches under two different methods (eight in total) used to combat the non-additivity of key rates and will compare them under a number of rate environments.

Description: The first of two parts of a panel discussion, by conference call, on the the evolution of Enterprise Risk Management at life insurance companies, and actuaries' roles in that evolution.

Description: The article introduces a cashflow matching strategic asset allocation (SAA) framework for life insurers. Given the recent shift to higher interest rates after two decades of persistent low interest rates, insurers have an opportunity to enhance their asset liability management by rebalancing asset portfolios to narrow duration gaps and attain higher risk-adjusted yields. The framework aims to align investment objectives with economic, regulatory, and rating agency requirements. It prioritizes cashflow matching as the primary optimization goal and incorporates security-level asset information to assist portfolio managers in executing SAA seamlessly. The article highlights the benefits of the cashflow matching SAA framework, including greater attention to cashflow matching, unbiased results, readily executable strategies, and stable economic reserves. A case study is included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework in improving risk-adjusted return and cashflow matching for a representative liability block.