Description: This article offers a comprehensive approach for “lean” model risk management (MRM), i.e., the management of an MRM program with few or possibly one employee devoted to the role. It explores key objectives of an MRM program, essential process elements, tips for efficiency, and examine the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the models themselves and as a tool to increase efficiency of the program.

Description: For the purposes of risk management and stress testing, we characterize a spectrum of plausible extreme events, that we dub Grey Swans, by introducing a probabilistic method involving the concentration of measure phenomenon. As a result, stress tests can be triaged according to severity, probability and, now, information-based plausibility.

Description: According to the Actuarial Standards Board’s Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 49 (ASOP 49), actuarially sound Medicaid managed care capitation rates will include a provision for underwriting gain in order to provide compensation for the risks assumed by an MCO. However, there is no generally accepted method for quantifying underwriting gain in managed Medicaid capitation rates. This article discusses a new model developed to address this void and calculate underwriting gain. The model was developed by researching existing financial literature and performing a statistical analysis of industry data to build out a framework that can be leveraged to estimate underwriting gain.

Description: The SOA’s Committee on Finance Research recently made available the results of a research study that explores economic series and provides an Excel-based tool for generating future economic scenarios. From Risks and Rewards Newsletter, August 2005, Issue No. 47.

Description: Explains considerations for stochastic modeling of credit spreads, inflation and exchange rate risk.

Description: This article discusses the pending elimination of Section 7 exemption for small companies.

Description: This article presents a case study that examines the implication of using real-world interest rate scenario generators with a block of fixed deferred annuities. We contrast cash flow testing results based on New York 7 deterministic scenarios to stochastic scenarios generated with the Academy Interest Rate Generator , as well as an alternative economic scenario generator designed explicitly to capture the risk of a persistently low interest rate environment and the transition to a rising interest rate environment.

Description: The research investigates the challenges associated with determining a “fair value” assessment for embedded options in two product types and incorporates the process into product pricing and liability valuation

Description: This publication is intended to serve as an in-depth primer on economic scenario generators. The first half of the publication provides more general information on the nature of economic scenario generators—what they are, how they evolved, how they address regulatory and business needs in the insurance and pension industries. It also addresses essential features of a good economic scenario generator, and provides some detailed guidance on important aspects of financial market model specification, model calibration and model validation considerations to assure that the ESG will produce simulation results that are relevant, sufficiently robust, and realistically reflect market dynamics. The second half of the publication provides technical discussion of some of the essential financial markets aspects of a comprehensive ESG. Description of arbitrage-free considerations, the role of risk-neutral scenarios, and default-free interest rate models are explored with some of the underlying mathematics necessary to understand these considerations. Final chapters provide some important considerations relating to corporate bond models and equity index models, and how these considerations may extend to international and global interactions.

Description: Results of an industry survey on life insurance companies' efforts to implement the recently adopted Life Risk-Based Capital Phase II Instructions, which include new requirements for variable annuity contracts. Adopted by the NAIC on October 14, 2005, the new requirements are effective for year-end 2005. Also discusses a summary of the requirements set forth in the instructions.