Description: When annuity products became prevalent in the U.S., they all looked more or less the same. It was where folks put their safe retirement money, yielding modest guaranteed returns with a menu of payout options to help secure their retirement. Over time, this commoditization lead to a pricing squeeze and an exhaustive set of product options and features, exposing carriers to market and policyholder behavior risk over the past decade or so.

Description: Dr. Winfried Heinen joined Gen Re in 1988. Having serviced Gen Re’s Latin American Life/Health business from the Cologne office for three years, he was transferred to Mexico City as regional manager for Latin America.

Description: Full version of International Section News, September 1998, Issue No. 17.

Description: Full version of International Section News, July 2007, Issue No. 42.

Description: Feature article discussing the major issues multinational reinsurers face in Brazil.

Description: Editorial for the November 2016 issue of Reinsurance News.

Description: A discussion of the opportunities opening up for reinsurance providers in Brazil

Description: SOA Presentation in Sao Paulo by Ronald Poon-Affat from International Section News, September 2000, Issue No. 23.

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: This article discusses the closed nature of the Brazilian reinsurance market due to the IRB. The Instituto de Resseguros do Brasil is owned 50% by the 15 insurance companies that are licensed to do business in Brazil and 50% by the Government of Brazil, but the Government owns 100% of the voting shares. All reinsurance business must be transacted with and via the IRB. The process, opportunities and risks associated with this scheme are explored.