Description: This article suggests actuaries evolve from technical experts to strategic influencers by strengthening their communication skills. It highlights why data alone isn’t enough—actuaries must clearly convey insights, make recommendations, and tailor messages to business audiences. With practical tips and communication shifts, the piece helps actuaries present their work with greater impact. Written by an experienced actuarial leader, it offers real-world relevance for professionals aiming to drive decisions and add strategic value in healthcare and insurance settings.

Description: The SOA textbook related to US GAAP for insurers has been updated. It incorporates the recent GAAP changes, including Long Duration Targeted Improvements, and now covers both life and non-life insurers. This is an essential updated for anyone working with US GAAP financial statements, whether you are an actuary or other finance professional.

Description: In this article, we aim to outline the advantages of smaller programs and gather opinions on the challenges these programs face in their efforts to emphasize these strengths. For our purposes, we define small actuarial programs as those with a relatively low student enrollment count. The following are three key advantages of small programs, which are similar to those of small colleges:(a) Enhanced benefits from small class size; (b) Adaptable curriculum; (c) Increased opportunities for each student. A variety of similar other issues are also discussed with recommendations, challenges, and invitations for further dialogue.

Description: Defining fairness for life insurance processes is complex and challenging as well as subjective. The Society of Actuaries Research Institute submits to the public discourse this summary of the challenges and complexities involved in trying to define fairness for life insurance processes in the United States.

Description: On September 14, 2022, The Wall Street Journal hosted its ‘Future of Health’ event, which was a virtual event featuring three sessions on some emerging cutting-edge topics that could impact the future healthcare environment as well as health care actuaries. This report summarizes the event.

Description: The Casualty Actuarial Society, the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, the Society of Actuaries Joint Risk Management, Reinsurance and Financial Reporting Sections are pleased to make available key findings from the 2022 Emerging Risks Survey, the sixteenth in the series. Conducted by Max J. Rudolph of Rudolph Financial Consulting LLC, the survey incorporated a set of Emerging Risks defined by the World Economic Forum as the basis for several of the questions. The survey also included questions related to current risk management topics.

Description: The COVID-19 pandemic initially caused some health care services to shift away from in-person transactions to a digital form, including telehealth, e-mails, remote patient monitoring and other forms of communication. If sustained, numerous effects and counter-effects both in the cost and quality of care as well as long-term outcomes for patient health may emerge.

Description: How can we maintain our sanity while staring at the same screen all day, clicking into and bouncing out of meetings? To be successful in today's (remote) world, we must learn how to relate to individuals virtually. Topics include: How can we best establish a professional and dynamic presence while working remotely? How can we develop rapport with our virtual colleagues as well as with those working in the office? What is considered to be appropriate etiquette when interacting with a co-worker via a computer screen? How can we effectively collaborate while working from home? What is the best way to present to senior management without the ability to be in the room to read their body language? Hear from a panel of actuaries discuss their perspectives and lessons learned over the last few years on how to optimize our communication effectiveness in the virtual work environment.

Description: Biases can creep up in models in numerous ways. After discussing various forms of bias, presenting a framework useful to manage bias in models, and contextualizing this effort in the current environment, this session will focus on practical issues faced by the industry.

Description: Learn about communication tips catering to different audiences. Brainstorm with your peers on differences in communications during the age of remote work, learn strategies to influence business decisions, and share your tips and stories on communications as an actuary.