Description: The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute, LIMRA, Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) and TAI recently released an update to the U.S. Individual Life COVID-19 report series. This report is the third public release from this collaboration and contains the results of an excess mortality analysis for the four quarter of 2020. Data from 31 companies representing approximately 72% of the industry’s face amount inforce have been included in the analyses in this report. A total of 2.9 million death claims from individual life policies from 2015 through December 31, 2020 make up the basis of the analyses.

Description: This paper provides guidance to employers who are contemplating the use of COLI as a means for funding employee benefits. Commentary will be provided on critical issues to consider when analyzing the benefits of COLI, including product characteristics, cost considerations, legal considerations, representations and warranties, investments, and accounting. “Best Practices” pricing guarantees, representations, warranties, and indemnities will be provided as examples and are generally indicative of the stronger positions taken to date on each issue. This paper does not provide guidance on group term life or other non-COLI products.

Description: Evan Borisenko looks at previous challenging environments for the life insurance industry, such as the a period of severe stagnation in the 1930s, the increased inflation in the 1980s and a catastrophe like the Spanish influenza after the World War I. Evan explains that "while each event described above challenged the life insurance industry in a unique way, each event stimulated an equally unique solution." The article concludes that we "fight to repeat history" in a way that we as actuaries should be able to propose unique solutions with when faced with crisis in the future.

Description: A discussion of the American Financial case in detail. Also includes background on what the statute requires and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s ruling and litigating positions.

Description: Discusses the CCA 201939003 and the conclusions that were made and the impacts it has on a taxpayer's ability to make an election for determining the interest rate used to compute tax-deductible life insurance reserves.

Description: One of the most fundamental concepts in actuarial practice is the time value of money. For any work in which future cash flows are allowed for, such as reserving or pricing, it is natural to discount to present values so that an appropriate amount of money can be set aside today, allowing for future investment returns. This article discusses yield curve extrapolation methods along with the benefits and drawbacks of these methods.

Description: The original purpose of this paper was to review the principles and practice of life-office valuations in the light of modern conditions. The author discusses the theory of matching assets and liabilities, or immunization and reviews gross premium valuations, net premium valuations and bonus reserve valuation. He also covers the different purposes behind the valuations.

Description: The SOA recently launched the Mortality and Longevity Strategic Research Program with the release of a new study on the economic impact of opioid abuse. In this session, results of this study will be presented along with insights and plans for the future of the Program.

Description: As more term insurance policies move to the post-level period, actuaries are evaluating policyholder behavior and expected mortality. Enough experience has now emerged to provide a spectrum of outcomes that can model the relationship between premium increases, persistency and mortality. The presenters will share findings and consider how different post-level premium structures produce different results.

Description: The article was written to address a concern that the author had that reinsurance considerations were being relegated to the back of the product development cycle. He was concerned that reinsurance input on benefit design, underwriting and pricing was not getting into the process. From Small Talk Newsletter, November 2005, Issue No. 25.