Description: The author explores challenges that actuaries face at work, and the typical response continuum, which includes panic, inertia, striving, coping, and mastery.

Description: Chairperson's Corner article, briefing of international activity and initiatives

Description: Catastrophic exposure is on the rise owing to extreme weather and economic development of the past few years. Catastrophic claims peaked in 2017, but continue to pose a challenge to insurance markets. Global reinsurers seem to be well-capitalized despite the increase in CAT claims. But emerging insurance markets show a wide protection gap relative to more advance markets. Can reinsurance play a role in helping to narrow the gap? This article examines a few ideas.

Description: Chairperson's Corner article, briefing of international activity and initiatives

Description: Bulgaria, a member of the European Union, is developing fast, and the Bulgarian Actuarial Society is seriously committed to provide education opportunities.

Description: Review of the sessions sponsored by the International Section at the 2018 Annual Meeting.

Description: A description about current efforts of several Central and Southern Europen countries to improve penetration and density of insurance coverage, in the personal view of Renata De Leers. De Leers has spent many years consulting with regulators and industry leaders, and is an advocate of inclusive insurance solutions, as a way to foster economic development.

Description: Despite the slowdown in the economy, premium growth in emerging markets fared relatively well compared to advanced insurance markets. Yet, there exists an enormous range in premium density and penetration between emerging and advanced markets. The presenters explore the demand side and attempt to lay out possible solutions to narrow the protection gap.

Description: Digital is the main reason over half of the companies on the Fortune 500 have disappeared since 2000." (CEO Accenture). We cannot be sure how global technology megatrends will disrupt the life insurance industry, but we can be certain that the future will not look like today. As large quantities of available data are no longer owned by insurance companies and statistical techniques become more accessible to non-statisticians, the pressure to keep up with technological advancement increases. Life actuaries must think critically about and be prepared for the coming changes and position themselves as leaders in an industry lagging behind in new technology adoption.

Description: The insurance industry in Panama has enjoyed a sustainable growth over the last few years. Actuaries now are part of an established profession.