Description: The VM-22 standard provides critical guidance for the modeling of life insurance and annuity products, specifically in relation to the calculation of reserves and capital requirements. As insurance companies continue to adapt to emerging regulations and evolving market conditions, selecting the right assets to back insurance liabilities has become an increasingly important focus. VM-22 provides flexibility but also presents challenges in determining the optimal asset strategy. The goal is to support actuaries in navigating this complexity and ensuring sound financial decisions.Our proposed session will focus on the practical aspects of asset selection under VM-22. We will highlight key considerations for selecting the appropriate assets to match the liabilities of insurance products, and how this impacts reserve calculations and risk management. To provide real-world insight, we plan to invite one or two clients who have successfully implemented VM-22 asset selection strategies. Additionally, we will collaborate with a trusted technology partner that has helped at least one client with the field testing of asset selection strategies under VM-22. This will allow us to offer a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced in asset selection, the strategies employed, and the lessons learned through client case studies and technology integration.Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of asset selection, the tools available to support decision-making, and best practices to optimize outcomes under the VM-22 framework. We aim to provide actionable insights and foster discussion on how actuaries can use the latest tools and techniques to manage asset-liability matching effectively and efficiently.

Description: "This session explores the impact of climate change on mortality trends, drawing insights from a South African study that examines the relationship between rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and excess deaths. We will discuss the key findings, statistical methods used (including copulas for dependency modeling), and the broader implications for insurers, reinsurers, and policymakers. The session will also touch on how climate risk is increasingly shaping actuarial assumptions, pricing, and capital management. By the end of this session, participants will: - Understand the relationship between climate change and mortality trends, with a focus on South African data. - Explore statistical methodologies, including copula modeling, to assess dependencies between temperature and excess deaths. - Assess the implications of climate-related mortality risks for life insurance and reinsurance. - Identify potential adaptations in underwriting, pricing, and capital management to account for climate risk."

Description: As the adoption of offshore reinsurance strategies continues to grow among insurers seeking to optimize their capital and balance sheets, a critical focus for both prospective and current adopters is the establishment or enhancement of existing data, technology, and modeling processes to meet offshore reporting requirements. Drawing from practical experience, this presentation aims to provide attendees with key insights for successfully producing the necessary reporting items for offshore reinsurance entities, along with considerations for operational efficiency, model and data governance, and management decision-making.

Description: The objective of this session is to help actuaries understand the impact of tax regulations on actuarial reserving and the calculation of the Value of Business Acquired (VOBA). Actuaries must ensure compliance with tax reserving requirements, assess differences between statutory and tax reserves, analyze tax treatment of VOBA in mergers and acquisitions, and evaluate their financial implications. By integrating tax considerations into actuarial modeling, insurers can optimize tax efficiency, maintain regulatory compliance, and enhance financial performance.

Description: Large Language Models can help you write emails, code in SQL, R and Python, and be more efficient. But should you use it? Let's review the professional guidance available to actuaries, including the work from the Academy of Actuaries.

Description: Large Language Models can help you write emails, code in SQL, R and Python, and be more efficient. But should you use it? Let's review the professional guidance available to actuaries, including the work from the Academy of Actuaries.

Description: MSA Research established a committee in 2024, to build industry-standard Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for IFRS 17. The committee was comprised of insurers, reinsurers, audit and consulting firms, professional associations, trade organizations, technology partners, and regulators.

Description: The podcast features Jon Forster interviewing Aree Bly, founder of Alignment Ally and author of "The Sustainable Brain," focusing on the importance of developing comfort with ambiguity for actuaries and other professionals.

Description: In this topic call, we will focus on opportunities for actuaries to flex both their entrepreneurial and innovative muscles within a standard insurance / consulting environment, with a focus on how practitioners of all levels can influence a company’s products, processes, and more. We’ll touch on how to gain buy-in and momentum for innovative ideas and how to fold this into the fabric of your day-to-day work. A companion podcast Innovation in Insurance – A Conversation with Jason Hiquet is recommended listening prior to the topic call.

Description: SOA Outstanding Educator Award