Description: Read the November 2019 issue of The Modeling Platform, published by the Modeling Section. Newsletters provide practical information for the working actuary, articles on trends that impact sections and news about section activities.

Description: Summarizing the session "How to Keep Your Spreadsheets Out of the Headlines", on preventing spreadsheet error, from the 2015 SOA Annual Meeting. Presenters were Alex Cires, Sandra To, and Mary Pat Campbell.

Description: Actuarial models may seem like toy-tools, yet they are not all created equal when it comes to delivering results. All models are wrong, according to George Box, yet some are useful. Dealing effectively with operational risk, undue product complexity, and the eternal search for the right answer are keys to success.

Description: Overview of the issue.

Description: Description of methods for extracting and reformatting the existing mortality tables using R. Methods and formats for storage are discussed in the second article. Intent is to generate discussion regarding the format of our stored mortality tables. Value is in the demonstration of task automation in R and in the reduction of duplicate work across companies related to reformatting tables.

Description: This article explains the importance of centralizing modeling departments. It goes further and explains the importance of making all aspects of modeling reusable. It explains the consequences of decentralization.

Description: An update on the Modeling section activities and a look back at the five years since inception

Description: Model Risk Management has come under increased focus in recent years. This article gives an introduction to model risk and sound MRM processes and controls.

Description: This article walks through the process of building a cluster model using off-the-shelf software.

Description: This article is the second installment of a three-part series and is focused on providing an overview of LTC modeling approaches and considerations.