Description: The article discusses modeling of variable annuity behavior risk, with a particular focus on how interaction between different behavioral assumptions complicates modeling. The article gives a brief overview of variable annuity behavior risk, discusses the challenges that behavioral interactions pose for VA modeling, and discusses three potential solutions for dealing with this complexity.

Description: Article discussing the risk focused exam approach incorporated in the Financial Condition Examiners Handbook.

Description: Abstract: Interest rate changes and volatile equity returns have contributed to significant funding and expense volatility for defined benefit plans in recent years. This paper will describe the design of an option contract with payouts that are tied to the combined impact of interest rates and investment returns on the funding level of a defined benefit pension plan. Current derivatives used by plan sponsors can limit exposure to one of these risks; however, a derivative that combines these risks may provide more targeted protection to a plan sponsor at lower cost. This paper discusses several considerations in designing such a derivative. It will also briefly discuss pricing of the option. Finally, the difference in potential outcomes between plan funding with and without option ownership will be demonstrated. As an outcome of the design work, a new way to visualize pension risk that may be useful in sponsor accounting disclosures will be shown.

Description: An excerpt from the SOA-sponsored research report of the same title. This article describes three elements of a strategic pension risk management framework: adjusting corporate financial metrics for corporate pension plan; the trade-off between pension risk and capital; empirical evidence of how corporate pension plans impact stock prices or credit spreads

Description: This article highlights some of OSFI’s expectations regarding the ORSA process, and provides general feedback and observations from OSFI’s reading of 2014 ORSA reports (including KMR) and discussions with insurers.

Description: Highlight of the ERM Symposium

Description: Read the French language version of the December 2017 issue of Risk Management published by the Joint Risk Management Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: Discussion of the economics of a possible H5N1 pandemic, and its impact on Life, Health, and Property and Casualty insurers, in terms of areas of risk, especially underwritng risk, operations risk, and market risk.