Description: In this article, we summarize inflationary factors that may result in a sharp increase in interest rates and implications for life insurer convexity risk exposure, most notably to dynamic policyholder lapsation. We further provide insights into potential ALM strategies to mitigate this convexity risk. Due to the prolonged low-interest rate environment and low minimum interest rate guarantees offered to policyholders, liability convexity is higher than prior historical periods, which results in life insurers’ ALM positions being extremely vulnerable to short-term interest rate spikes. Convexity mismatches cause issues for life insurers under both rising and declining interest rate scenarios. This means that life insurers are not compensated for taking convexity risk and, therefore, convexity matching should always be considered in the asset optimization process. There are mixed signals from policymakers and financial markets regarding potential inflationary and sharply rising interest rate scenarios. The key takeaway is that life insurers are not compensated for taking convexity risk and it is the right time for insurers to review convexity exposure. There are different approaches available to mitigate convexity exposure through rebalancing of asset positions and hedges within each life insurer’s risk limits.

Description: Actuaries can play an active role in social impact toby helping vulnerable communities access otherwise inaccessible insurance that can help increase their climate change resilience and improve their living conditions by lowering the risks that they face.

Description: The limited availability of life and protection cover for people living with certain serious health conditions is starting to become a critical issue for insurers. The public perception is that insurers simply don’t offer cover, or that it is difficult to source affordable, tailored cover. This article discusses the considerations when trying to improve access to insurance.

Description: Describing my experience of serving on a section council. Reflecting on some of my successes and my frustrations.

Description: Enacted pursuant to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) , the base erosion and anti-abuse tax (BEAT) is one of the most dramatic changes to the U.S. international tax landscape in recent years. The BEAT is essentially a minimum tax which applies to certain large U.S. and foreign corporations with U.S. operations with average annual gross receipts of at least $500 million and a base erosion percentage of 3 percent or higher (with some exceptions).

Description: IRS published final regulations on updated life expectancy and distribution period tables used for determining RMDs. The article intends to provide an overview on the development of the final regulations and highlight the key updates in final regulations, the transition rules to apply final regulations and some of the relevant issues not addressed in final regulations (e.g. MITT, Rev. Rul. 2002-62 and Notice 2004-15). The article also briefly discusses what financial institutions and actuaries would like to do before the regulations become effective on Jan. 1, 2022.

Description: Continuing our series related to the exposition of distribution terms that may be unclear or misunderstood, our focus in this article is on critical service and support components for sales and distribution, accompanied by a summary of the regulatory oversight of insurance sellers and distributors and a few common terms related to that oversight

Description: Feature article that gives an update on Reinsurance Administration Professionals Association (RAPA) activities.

Description: A high-level review of the newly effective U.S. Actuarial Standard of Practice 56, Modeling