Description: A new health insurance pricing model takes external market prices into account, as well as regulatory rate restrictions and other traditional pricing factors. Rather than being assumed at the outset, lapse rates emerge from the model, along with assessment spiral & loss ratio projections. Under the model optimal pricing strategy depends on whether the class being rated has a healthier than average mix of risks.

Description: Recently completed research projects from the Society of Actuaries.

Description: Even in published scientific research, we find fraudulent data. What is an actuary to do? Let's consider our actuarial principles and standards of practice to question our data quality and truthfulness. In specific, the article addresses ASOP 56 on Modeling and considerations of model risk as well as ASOP 23 on Data Quality. Recent examples are given from a Harvard research fraud controversy as well as questionable sumo statistics.

Description: Article describing content and key takeaways from experience completing the SOA PA Certificate

Description: An overview of guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits (GLWB) on registered index-linkedannuity (RILA) products and a stochastic analysis of market risks.

Description: Market consistent valuations require path-dependent discounting for scenarios. IFRS 17's requirement to discount best-estimate cashflows using locked-in rates could give non-sensical results in many instances. This article describes a technique for calibrating each of the scenario's cashflows so that they can be discounted with other discount factors or curves without distorting the value of underlying options and guarantees.

Description: What is a "super" model? How do we develop, maintain, and visualize them? What is the difference between models and assumptions? Most importantly, how can we use all of this to quantifiably improve risk management?

Description: For actuarial projections to serve as the management tools that they are intended to be, the persons charged with making those projections need to consider whether the projection is sufficiently sophisticated so that it does not miss major items.It is important to consider the tax effect. This article covers several of the major tax issues that should be considered in any actuarial projection.