Description: The Financial Accounting Standards Board FASB, which promulgates accounting standards under US GAAP, and the International Accounting Standards Board IASB, which promulgates accounting standards for many countries outside the United States, have been working for several years on a joint project on accounting for insurance contracts. The boards agree on many aspects of the proposed accounting model. However, as of December 2011, there are a number of key areas where they do not. This article summarizes the boards’ views on the key areas where they disagree.

Description: The article is based on a study of root causes in insurer insolvencies and impairments, with the focus on potential risk factors and prevention measures.

Description: The latest draft ORSA Guidance Manual was released on Oct. 14, 2011. An overview of the requirements from a qualitative, quantitative and governance perspective was provided in the December edition of the Financial Reporter. Several trade associations and com- panies commented on the draft.

Description: Feature article discussing the happenings at the recent International Actuarial Association (IAA) meeting.

Description: FASB decisions made regarding potential changes to US GAAP accounting that differ from corresponding IASB decisions, causing the potential accounting changes.

Description: Variable Annuity DAC: A Survey of Current Practice by Laura J. Hay and Elizabeth Rogalin from The Financial Reporter, December 2002, Issue No. 51. Examines the DAC calculation for Variable Annuities and the possible write down of DAC under revised assumptions.

Description: This article discusses issues with ties to principle-based valuation.

Description: Discusses the content of the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 157, Fair Value Measurements and implementation challenges.

Description: The International Accounting Standards Board issued a Discussion Paper, Preliminary Views on Insurance Contracts, discussing the many issues surrounding accounting for insurance contracts and presenting current views in a number of areas. The SOA published a research report on the impact of these Preliminary Views - which is summarized chapter-by-chapter in this article.

Description: Discusses the new Principles for Accounting Standards published in September 2009 by the Monitoring Board for the International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation - oversight group for the IASB, and provides other IASB updates for the July-September period.