Description: The Task Force for Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) guidance has become the basis for the majority of climate related disclosure requirements, both in the US and around the world. Climate Risk management practices and disclosures are evolving rapidly and companies are at a wide array of stages on the journey to begin addressing climate risk. Actuaries can play a central role in helping understand and manage climate-related risks, but how do you get started?

Description: The insurance industry hinges on accurate actuarial assumptions. This session explores how insurers can leverage AI/machine learning (ML) to unlock greater accuracy and granularity in assumption setting, while effectively managing risks, implementing strong governance frameworks, and meeting validation expectations from regulators.

Description: Part 2 of a six-part series on the evolution of risk management continues with this article on dynamic financial analysis.

Description: Regular update provided by the Chair of the Joint Risk Management Section on initiatives put forth by the section council for the current year.

Description: Welcome to the appellate court. We’ve seen some scare in mass media on climate-linked mortality, but not sure what to make of that in our actuarial practice. Both data and research is quickly evolving around climate change’s impact globally and to US mortality. We’ll share a few tidbits from recent actuarial research on wildfires and air pollution in particular. At the same time, there are still many unknowns on the long-term effects, and this phase of understanding is ripe for calling on a diverse group of experts. We bring expert witnesses from different professions to the actuarial stand to answer whether climate change’s impacts from heat wildfire-induced air pollution to mental health is a credible and material threat to insured mortality. The audience should come ready to judge the arguments presented.

Description: ALM actuaries are critical to insurance companies and pension funds—monitoring ALM positioning, measuring risk exposures, and informing the investment decision making process. However, there are opportunities for actuaries to further increase their impact by expanding their scope and embedding actuarial expertise throughout the investment lifecycle. This session will cover new and enhanced ALM techniques to improve ALM risk and return outcomes, including better integration of credit and market risk measurement, and enhanced liability-driven investing strategies.

Description: The introduction and effective application of US GAAP LDTI have increased the scrutiny of those reviewing the updated financial results. That is because LDTI has resulted in significant changes in actuarial reserving and deferred acquisition cost (DAC) models for long-duration contracts, including significant changes to data, assumptions and required disclosures. In light of the changes, greater reliance has been put on companies’ model risk management (MRM) teams and model validations to assess the conceptual soundness and accuracy of their companies’ actuarial models and to assess that the underlying data and process utilized are suitable and appropriate. This article covers a brief background on model validation, walk through a sample LDTI-focused model validation framework/test plan, then provide insights on common LDTI-related validation observations based on the authors' prior validation experience.

Description: The newsletter outlines the book selected for the book club discussion and summarizes the discussions held during the book club meeting.

Description: The article argues that effective Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) should be tailored to fit a company’s unique characteristics rather than forcing a standardized "best practice" approach. Drawing from decades of experience, the author explains that companies often reject rigid ERM frameworks that don’t align with their business culture, risk philosophy, or strategic priorities. Key challenges include resistance to aggregate risk tolerance, formal governance structures, emerging risk management, and capital models that expose underperforming business units. The article suggests four steps for aligning ERM to a company: clarifying ERM objectives, understanding risk culture, leveraging existing risk management strengths, and committing to an iterative improvement process. A well-aligned ERM program can enhance strategic decision-making and resilience by being embraced rather than resisted.

Description: Risk management techniques do not include system science. System science requires that the uncertainty of the world is incorporated into the results. The articles explains the difference between risk and uncertainty. Learn how risk practices create an overoptimistic view of future outcomes.