Description: Author's view of important issues raised in EBRI 35'th anniversary policy forum and other settings, together with commentary and related public policy recommendations. Goal is to encourage readers to think about the situation today and where it might be going, and to help them identify important issues that need attention.

Description: Big data, predictive analytics, machine learning and AI will likely transform the insurance market and the actuarial profession. The actuarial profession is seeing changes many markets, including health and property and casualty. This article describes these trends and provides an introduction into what companies and the Society of Actuaries (SOA) are doing to adapt and capitalize on these trends.

Description: What do data, technology, offices, skills, and cultural perspectives all have in common? Significant transformation.

Description: A discussion of adjustments to the issue and underwriting process to speed up the process in order to succeed with bank distribution of insurance products.

Description: Universal Life/Indexed Universal Life trends based on the 6th annual Milliman survey of leading UL carriers. Reveals the current dynamics of the UL/IUL market and provides carriers with competitive benchmarking to see how they stand relative to their peers.

Description: The article summarizes 2013 survey results of company assumptions for term products in the post-level period. The focus is on product design, shock lapse assumptions, and mortality deterioration assumptions. This article features highlights from the larger SOA-sponsored research project on this topic published in 2013 that compiled end-of-2012 assumption data from 41 companies. This content may prove useful to product development actuaries as they consider their current post-level term assumptions.

Description: Against the backdrop of low interest rates, rapidly expanding data analytic capabilities, and increased consumer demand for better products, many life insurers struggle to innovate their product development initiatives. RGA conducted an online survey in the third quarter of 2018, asking 30 leading life insurance companies in Japan to identify current and future product development trends. A complementary survey of approximately 4,800 policyholders of life products in Japan was also completed in 2018. The findings highlight the product trends for risk, savings and living benefit products being developed, the market segments being targeted, and how insurers are differentiating product offerings through unique features and value-added services. Companies indicated they focused new product development efforts on substandard and standard risk segments, with only 20% pursuing the preferred market. Respondents indicated the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) being used to measure successful product development are predominantly topline – premium, face amount and number of policies.

Description: This article discusses the opportunity for annuity carriers created by the SECURE Act to distribute annuities through Employer Sponsored Defined Contribution Retirement Plans. The article covers a high-level overview of the changes enacted by the law that create the opportunity, as well as the potential opportunity for future annuity sales.

Description: 10 Considerations for DB Pension Plans in Light of the Coronavirus Crisis of 2020. The article discusses the following topics: ERISA funded status & benefit restrictions; cash contributions & tax deductibility; PBGC premiums; Pension Accounting Expense; Commencing Benefits After Normal Retirement Age; Bringing Back Former Participants; Actuarial Assumptions; Asset Allocation and Re-Risking; De-Risking Expectations and Future Funding Relief

Description: Read about Recent Publications in Risk Management.