Description: A discussion of the PLR that addresses a Wellness Rider that an affiliated group of life insurance companies proposed to offer only on a prospective basis with newly issued life insurance contracts.

Description: Provides an overview of India's insurance market and the important role of the actuary.

Description: Life reinsurance activity in Bermuda has experienced rapid growth in recent years. This article explores the key drivers of this growth.

Description: Chairperson’s views on the changing life insurance industry.

Description: Factors for insurers to consider when developing their first equity-indexed universal life product.

Description: discussion of a new product idea for retirement planning which integrates a variety of needs estate death benefit, annuity income, disability income, etc. into one product

Description: The 2020 edition of the Valuation Manual permits mortality data aggregation thereby enhancing credibility but also has accompanying requirements and addresses calculation of company experience rates.

Description: Farewell memo from outgoing section chairperson to section members.

Description: The article urges actuaries to see AI not just as a tool but as a strategic partner, drawing parallels to past transformative technologies like the printing press. Using NAIC survey data, it shows AI adoption is surging in health and auto insurance, lagging in life. It outlines AI’s potential to boost productivity, improve data quality, and enhance contract analysis, while warning actuaries to master AI before others use it to evaluate their work. Ethical standards demand transparency and fairness, making responsible AI use part of professional duty. Historical examples—like James C.H. Anderson’s 1970s cash flow testing breakthroughs—highlight how visionary actuaries can redefine the profession. The article applies Harvard professor Jeff Bussgang’s “hair-on-fire” innovation lens, suggesting AI-powered, urgency-driven insurance products, akin to Y2K coverage, could revolutionize offerings. It calls on actuaries to address protection gaps, discrimination, and industry opacity through AI-enabled fairness. The message: courage, creativity, and proactive adoption will let actuaries shape—not just survive—the AI-driven future. The closing reflects on the author’s tenure with the SOA Reinsurance Newsletter, framing this as a final, forward-looking call to action for actuaries ready to lead in a transformed insurance landscape.

Description: This article highlights the findings of a recent SOA survey on accelerated underwriting (AU) practices, including the amount of AU business ceded, the results of three opinion questions, and an estimate of mortality slippage among AU programs.