Description: The article is a case study of various actuarial concepts invovled in the design and implementtion of the AQC - a global budget provider payment arrangement implemented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA.

Description: The decrease in interest rates over the last several years has led to decreases in the maximum valuation rate and maximum nonforfeiture interest rate, and companies need to prepare for these changes.

Description: Written from a regulatory perspective, the article covers the purpose of regulation and some regulatory expectations. The topics include the appointed actuary's involvement in corporate governance, reasonability of results when compared to prior results, data quality, familiarity with the company's annual statement and applicable statutes, and areas where appointed actuaries can add value though services provided to smaller life insurance companies.

Description: Introducing the Respresentative Scenarios Method, the Motivation and Goals, how the methodology works, and what key information can be derived.

Description: We see a problem in the long-term care insurance industry because we don’t have a standard process. The majority of agents and advisors, who sell a variety of products, are often at a loss for what to do with LTCI.

Description: The author discusses the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 GINA and its ultimate effect on the long-term care industry in general, and on current and future insureds, specifically.

Description: Key considerations when modeling reinsurance to calculate reserves under PBR as well as a case study examining the impact of reinsurance structures on reserves.

Description: Valuation Approaches for FAS 133 DIG Issue B36: Embedded Derivatives: Modified Coinsurance Arrangements and Debt Instruments That Incorporate Credit Risk Exposure That Are Unrelated or Only Partially Related to the Creditworthiness of the Obligor Under Those Instruments”

Description: An ongoing discussion of the theoretically correct discount rate for valuing insurance liabilities: whether or not the credit rating of the insurer should affect the discount rate used. See related articles including the article “On the Fair Value of Insurance Liabilities: The Regulator’s Option” in the December, 2005 issue of The Financial Reporter.

Description: ongoing discussion of the proper interest rate to use in discounting liability cash flows to reflect credit risk of the insurer in a fair value accounting system