Description: The Mortality Improvement subgroup of the American Academy of Actuaries’ Life Experience Committee and the Society of Actuaries’ Preferred Mortality Oversight Group Valuation Basic Table Team has released a recommendation for a set of improvement factors that vary by gender and attained age to be used in conjunction with the 2008 Valuation Basic table or the 2015 Valuation Basic table for AG-38 purposes.

Description: Authored by a MIB Solutions team of Tom Rhodes, Stuart Klugman, Marianne Purushotham and Stacy Gill, the report summarizes the results of a study on the application and adoption of credibility theory within the life insurance and annuity industry. In addition to the report, numerical examples related to the application of credibility to company mortality and lapse data are provided in the four Excel files. This excel spreadsheet is a numerical example relating to the application of Credibility for mortality. Please see the SOA website research section for the complete report on Credibility Theory Practices.

Description: The rapid evolution of life insurance underwriting has created pricing and operational challenges and raised new questions about established approaches to assumption development, both of which demand a fresh perspective. As underwriting methods evolve, we find ourselves navigating uncharted territory. In this session, we delve into accelerated underwriting, focusing on two critical areas. First, we explore assumption setting in this new world, where numerous interaction effects can make it feel like we’re asked to consider everything, from every angle, all at once. Considerations for assumption setting must encompass early performance indicators—what signals inform our assumptions? Additionally, we address novel underwriting approaches and how to adapt assumptions for these paradigms. Furthermore, in the context of post-COVID claims experience, we discuss distinguishing meaningful insights from noise. Second, we examine declinable risks and their impact on mortality. In this new world ushered in by accelerated underwriting, previously excluded risks—low-frequency, high-severity declinable cases—are now part of the landscape. Quantifying their mortality impact challenges us, as historical data lacks systematic tracking. To quantify declinable risks, we draw upon research findings from analyzing 27 million life insurance applicants, providing valuable insights for attendees to navigate this dynamic landscape and make informed assumptions for pricing and risk management.

Description: Life insurance products have evolved over time from the early mutual aid societies paying benefits when members died to comprehensive products covering a range of financial needs over an individual’s lifecycle. While some life insurance benefit riders have been offered for decades and are well-established, recent years have seen a number of accelerated benefit riders being introduced by carriers for a growing range of covered triggers. Join us as we discuss these acceleration and extended benefit riders, trends and innovations in the space, and discuss challenges and actuarial considerations in designing, pricing, and modelling them. We will also explore issues carriers have experienced, how to consider the interactions between these benefits and the underlying mortality coverage, reinsurance considerations, and more!

Description: The Smaller Insurance Company Section Buzz Groups at the Valuation Actuary Meetings and the SOA Annual Meetings have always generated great discussions, ideas, and opportunities to hear about topics that affect the actuarial work of small companies. Join us for the Smaller Insurance Company Section Buzz Group to discuss the issues affecting Smaller (and larger) Insurance Company actuaries during these emerging changes. Bring your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and participation to discuss our special concerns.

Description: The article urges actuaries to see AI not just as a tool but as a strategic partner, drawing parallels to past transformative technologies like the printing press. Using NAIC survey data, it shows AI adoption is surging in health and auto insurance, lagging in life. It outlines AI’s potential to boost productivity, improve data quality, and enhance contract analysis, while warning actuaries to master AI before others use it to evaluate their work. Ethical standards demand transparency and fairness, making responsible AI use part of professional duty. Historical examples—like James C.H. Anderson’s 1970s cash flow testing breakthroughs—highlight how visionary actuaries can redefine the profession. The article applies Harvard professor Jeff Bussgang’s “hair-on-fire” innovation lens, suggesting AI-powered, urgency-driven insurance products, akin to Y2K coverage, could revolutionize offerings. It calls on actuaries to address protection gaps, discrimination, and industry opacity through AI-enabled fairness. The message: courage, creativity, and proactive adoption will let actuaries shape—not just survive—the AI-driven future. The closing reflects on the author’s tenure with the SOA Reinsurance Newsletter, framing this as a final, forward-looking call to action for actuaries ready to lead in a transformed insurance landscape.

Description: This article presents the idea that a New Product Notebook, which contains all of the aspects of a product's development and is accessible to all involved, can make the product development process more efficient.

Description: Cayman is a rapidly growing reinsurance domicile with several notable transactions executed in the past few years. We expect this trend to persist as (re)insurers will continue to explore more effective ways to manage their business. In this session, you will gain: - An overview of how the Cayman (re)insurance market has developed over recent years - An introduction to the Cayman regulatory framework - Key considerations for reinsurance structuring and pricing. Join a discussion at the close of the session on the outlook for the Cayman market. You will leave this session with an understanding of the Cayman (re)insurance market, the regulatory framework and key factors that impact reinsurance structuring and pricing.

Description: Join a dynamic panel of accelerated underwriting (AU) experts as they discuss results from three recent AU industry surveys, including from the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and two reinsurance studies. They'll share similarities and examine differences in their findings as they cover historical trends, current practices and their outlooks on the future of this evolving underwriting paradigm. By the conclusion of the session, you will have gained knowledge on the data and trends available from these surveys, as well as understand what AU program modifications are needed to keep pace with the industry.

Description: This research report discusses simplified issue underwriting in life insurance. It examines recent developments, characteristics, challenges, current practices, assumptions and data elements.