Description: The report analyzes the results of a survey of LTD carriers in the United States, focusing on how LTD carriers reflect benefit offsets in the valuation of their reserves.

Description: The speaker of this session will discuss some common difficulties one encounters when dealing with exotic equity linked derivatives. In particular, a study of a Monthly Sum Cap (MSC) will be presented. Pricing issues, along with dynamic hedging, as well as projections of MSC into the future will also be discussed. Time permitting, some aspects of historical performance will also be addressed

Description: Some new variable and index-linked annuities offer simplified guarantees with limited downside protection; the policyholder “pays” for this protection with a limited upside. These products effectively provide policyholders access to an equity index with an option pass-through. This new direction blurs the line between more traditional variable annuity and fixed indexed annuity products. This session will discuss these and other similar product innovations, including some interesting regulatory, accounting, and risk management considerations.

Description: In recent years, the domestic insurance brokerage channel has witnessed significant breakthroughs. As a company with multi-channel development strategy, Aviva-Cofco Life also faces the challenge of channel conflicts in the rapid growth of both individual and brokerage channels. The presenter will share Aviva-Cofco's experiences, lessons learnt, gains and losses in product development in response to channel conflict, and introduce some of the practices of foreign markets for reference.

Description: This session will discuss the implication of PBR on various actuarial models used within an organization such as pricing, valuation, and projections. The session will discuss some of the challenges faced when it comes to implementing the requirements stipulated by PBR. The session will also share some of the lessons learns from work done by various companies so far. The session will also provide an update on ongoing activities related to simplified VM20 research project.

Description: The Society of Actuaries are once again offering a seminar that investigates all aspects of life insurance, annuity and long term care product tax compliance. Developed by the Taxation Section, participants will be brought up-to-date on recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and learn about the newest tax issues related to product design and administration. Legal, IRS and product development experts will provide vital insights into the challenges of developing and administering products within the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), and allow ample opportunities for networking, questions and information exchange.

Description: Legislative changes and the economic environment have created a need for plan sponsors to understand and manage pension risk and volatility. Dynamic asset allocation glidepaths reduce risk as plans become better funded. But what about the risk that plan sponsors face when their plans are underfunded? The presenters will discuss the challenges of managing pension risk when assets don't keep pace with liabilities.

Description: This third session in the Munich Re series continues with an exploration of responses to the changing workplace landscape from those inside the industry. The presenters will focus on practical approaches to identifying new opportunities, and on ways in which traditional products and sales channels are changing to meet emerging needs. Are voluntary benefits still relevant? Yes, but they are changing. While the first session provided an overview of the future workplace, this session will provide an overview of the current and evolving voluntary benefits market. Sales processes and products will be challenged to change to keep up with the new workplace dynamic. The presenters share strategies for developing products and sales channels that are robust and flexible enough to address evolving customer needs.

Description: An increased focus on pension plan cost and risk management has led plan sponsors to pursue innovative plan designs. This, in turn, is driving the need for actuaries to utilize new approaches to modeling the underlying market risks of such plan designs. The presenters will discuss advanced techniques to pension plan cash flow modeling that will ensure that the risks embedded in complex plan design features are fully captured. Specifically, a new dimension to cash flow modeling, benefit commencement year (in addition to payment year), will be introduced as well as the concept of 'collapsible' cash flow. Case studies will illustrate how techniques can be used in practice for cash balance plans, pension equity plans and other lump sum paying plans. Other risks such as form of payment and longevity will also be covered. This session is intended to meet the needs of actuaries and investment consultants focused on providing advice on risk management and investment strategy to sponsors of pension plans with complex design features.

Description: The Individual Disability Experience Committee (IDEC) of the SOA has gathered industry data covering 2006-2015. The presenters will highlight findings on the recent industry experience compared to the 2013 Individual Disability Income Valuation Table (2013 IDIVT), including the impact of the recession on incidence and terminations. They will cover claim incidence and claim termination Actual to Expected (A/E) using 2013 IDIVT as the expected basis. The adequacy of the modifiers will also be discussed.