Description: This paper applies the research in Prospect Theory of Kahneman and Tversky to explain why sales of annuities lag sales of life insurance products. The author theorizes that life insurance is easier to sell because customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of losses, while potential annuity customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of gains. Kahneman and Tversky showed us that people are mostly risk averse in the domain of gains and risk seeking in the domain of losses. Purchase of an annuity or life product is a risky investment. Customers will find it easier to take the risk in the life insurance domain of losses than the annuity domain of gains. The author then proposes a hybrid life annuity product that might address both mortality and longevity risk in one product that would allow both products to be more competitive than stand-alone products.

Description: Reunite with members and non-members in the China actuarial community to discuss recent topics and related issues in areas such as macroeconomic sharing, IFRS 17, product strategy, cross-border communication and discussion, and more. Advance your career through learning and networking opportunities, and share your experiences in the finance and insurance industries, as well as other fields related to actuarial science.

Description: Whole life insurance nonforfeiture options may be actuarially equivalent at the time premium payments end. When the entire remaining lifetime of the policy is fully considered; however, significant differences emerge in expenses between paying the cash surrender value, converting to reduced paid-up, or converting to extended term insurance. This article explores how a company might manage its existing nonforfeiture options and consider what to continue to offer after a product refiling with that entire lifetime in mind.

Description: An introduction to the methods and parameters for Bayesian Hyperparameter Optimization in a Life Insurance context.

Description: As the size of the life reinsurance market in Bermuda has grown to over half a trillion dollars at the end of 2021, more and more actuaries are getting involved with this 21 square mile North Atlantic island in one way or the other. Come explore a fundamental understanding of the Bermuda solvency framework and an overview of its upcoming changes.

Description: The Society of Actuaries will be offering this webinar series intended to educate and investigate 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 questions and information exchange. The session will look to define the “Product Tax Compliance" and "Information Reporting" Operational Risks associated with the administration of life insurance, annuity, and long-term care products. Panelists from leading insurance companies will discuss practical, real-life situations that they encountered and strategies they have used for risk mitigation.

Description: This article is the final installment of our three-part series on economic scenario generators (“ESGs”). Part I and II were published in the November 2019 and August 2020 issues of The Modeling Platform. Part III contextualizes the framework for selecting, building, and validating ESGs and focuses on the Academy Interest Rate Generator (“AIRG”), the most commonly used real-world ESG for US actuaries

Description: Indexed universal life (IUL) continues to be the most popular universal life (UL) product with sales reaching $1B in Q4 2023, according to LIMRA. There is little long term experience for IUL and many companies value and model IUL just like UL, but there are material potential differences that need to be considered for valuation and projection purposes. Presenters will discuss key risks and differences between IUL and UL relating to policyholder behavior and how to value, project, monitor and manage those risks to avoid repeating misestimates of the past. Presenters will also discuss broader life assumption risks such as mortality and yearly renewable term (YRT) reinsurance risk. Attendees will learn about options on how to potentially address underperforming blocks of IUL and will obtain an improved perspective on the risks of IUL products and the differences versus UL and how to incorporate these differences into their valuation and projection exercises.

Description: This research report examines the ban of the use of genetic testing information in life insurance mortality.

Description: Equity-Based Insurance Guarantee Webcast Series