Description: With higher interest rates and aging populations, the Bermuda offshore reinsurance market has been heating up, particularly to firms backed by asset management firms and private equity. Increased competition along with changing regulatory requirements, and evolving expectations around model governance have actuaries facing heavier production and results explanation workloads. This creates additional challenges on top of an already complex Bermuda reporting regime, particularly with the Scenarios-Based Approach (SBA) and Bermuda Solvency Capital Requirement (BSCR).

Description: Join us for an exciting session as Actuarial Innovation & Technology Strategic Research from the SOA's Research Institute unveils two recently published research reports: ""Unveiling the Life Insurers' Actuarial Transformation Journey and the Impact of Analytics"" and ""Exploring Revolutionary Advances in Underwriting: An Initial Assessment of Epigenetics, Medical Tests, and Wearables"". In the first report, we delve into the evolving landscape of life insurers' Actuarial Transformation efforts, shedding light on their future prospects and emphasizing emerging Advanced Analytics techniques. The second report serves as the inaugural installment of a series dedicated to identifying promising innovations for underwriters and actuaries, and it promises to alert the SOA to the latest developments. During this session, our presenters will provide an insightful overview of the key findings and key takeaways from both research reports. By the end of the session, attendees will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the invaluable research conducted in these areas.

Description: This article summarizes five key lessons we have learned in implementing LDTI and shares our insights on practical ways to address them. This is not an exhaustive list of implementation challenges, but companies that can successfully tackle the issues we describe should have a smoother data and systems implementation transition.

Description: This session on Innovations in Underwriting will explore the latest advancements in underwriting technology and methodologies. It will focus on how these innovations are transforming the insurance industry, making underwriting processes more efficient, accurate, and customer-friendly. Topics will include the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and big data analytics into underwriting workflows. Additionally, we'll discuss emerging trends in risk assessment, automation of underwriting tasks, and the implications of these changes for underwriters and insurance professionals. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from industry experts and participate in discussions on how these innovations are reshaping traditional underwriting practices. Learning Outcomes: - Gain an understanding of the latest technological advancements impacting underwriting, including AI, machine learning, and data analytics. - Learn how these innovations can streamline underwriting and pricing processes, improve accuracy, and reduce costs. - Explore new risk assessment methods and discover how automation is changing the underwriter's role. - Identify best practices for integrating innovative technologies into existing underwriting and actuarial pricing frameworks.

Description: Both LDTI and IFRS 17 have introduced numerous new metrics with most companies having only crossed the finish line, just complying with what's needed for reporting due the complexity and large amounts of data required to simply comply. How do you leverage all the work you did to get proper business insights across the organization that tie back to these reporting metrics? This presentation covers a perspective of pain points faced in getting over the the hurdle in complying with LDTI and IFRS 17, upcoming hurdles, emerging KPIs, as well as how to best manage the data, technology, and processes to produce the analysis around these KPIs efficiently.

Description: This session will examine bias from a social science perspective. It will discuss the three types of systemic biases using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) model. The NIST model details the three types as historical bias, societal bias, and institutionalbias. The session will also provide several examples of each type to provide a framework for identifying the social structure of bias.

Description: Come discuss modeling costs and its governance, as well as introduce some platforms for more granular asset modeling.

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: The rapid evolution of life insurance underwriting has created pricing and operational challenges and raised new questions about established approaches to assumption development, both of which demand a fresh perspective. As underwriting methods evolve, we find ourselves navigating uncharted territory. In this session, we delve into accelerated underwriting, focusing on two critical areas. First, we explore assumption setting in this new world, where numerous interaction effects can make it feel like we’re asked to consider everything, from every angle, all at once. Considerations for assumption setting must encompass early performance indicators—what signals inform our assumptions? Additionally, we address novel underwriting approaches and how to adapt assumptions for these paradigms. Furthermore, in the context of post-COVID claims experience, we discuss distinguishing meaningful insights from noise. Second, we examine declinable risks and their impact on mortality. In this new world ushered in by accelerated underwriting, previously excluded risks—low-frequency, high-severity declinable cases—are now part of the landscape. Quantifying their mortality impact challenges us, as historical data lacks systematic tracking. To quantify declinable risks, we draw upon research findings from analyzing 27 million life insurance applicants, providing valuable insights for attendees to navigate this dynamic landscape and make informed assumptions for pricing and risk management.

Description: Join a dynamic panel of accelerated underwriting (AU) experts as they discuss results from three recent AU industry surveys, including from the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and two reinsurance studies. They'll share similarities and examine differences in their findings as they cover historical trends, current practices and their outlooks on the future of this evolving underwriting paradigm. By the conclusion of the session, you will have gained knowledge on the data and trends available from these surveys, as well as understand what AU program modifications are needed to keep pace with the industry.