Description: The financial sector should provide financial security and allocate capital well. As its preeminent professionals actuaries have particular responsibilities.

Description: This article examines potential impacts of old age mortality and how it affects maturity extension riders for universal life.

Description: The rapid economic development of Asia has ushered in profound lifestyle changes, particularly in urban centers. Increased disposable income, urbanization, and the proliferation of convenient food services have contributed to dietary habits associated with elevated health risks. Among these, insulin resistance (IR)—a metabolic condition linked to diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases—has emerged as a critical yet underrecognized threat. IR is also strongly associated with an increased risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. For life and health insurers operating in markets such as Greater China and Southeast Asia, traditional underwriting methods face significant challenges in accurately assessing these evolving risks. This article investigates the limitations of conventional approaches and explores the potential of continuous underwriting methodologies to better align risk assessment with dynamic lifestyle factors.

Description: Bell is comparing his roles from that of an actuary in the USA to that of an actuary working in Cameroon, for a pan-African insurance company.

Description: Life insurance carriers increasingly enhance their product offerings with combination products, aka hybrid or combo products, or living benefits. Presenters will discuss the growth in this market, consumer perception and distribution needs, highlight the key features of long-term care (and chronic illness) and critical illness benefits, and posit what the future of this market will bring.

Description: Mandatory implementation of life principle-based reserves (PBR) is just around the corner, and there is no shortage of work to do, as most products have yet to be moved to PBR. Oliver Wyman recently completed its 2019 PBR survey, with more than 40 participants covering 85 percent of the individual life market, including 23 of the top 25 life writers and five reinsurers. This article will expand on the key survey findings including implementation status and model simplifications.

Description: A new wave of life insurance buyers is finally here - but are we ready? In this article, Richard De Sousa shares proprietary research about the Millenial generation, its beliefs related to life insurance, and its preferences when it comes to learning about, purchasing, and engaging with life insurance products, advisors and companies. Also explored is the foundational role that technology and wellness play in driving the kind of experience that will attract millenial buyers. After reading this article, you will better understand the characteristics of this new generation as well as the innovative companies that are targeting them, and learn about different and novel ways to better engage with customers and enhance the value of your own products and services.

Description: As we further explore how life insurance customers think and behave, we can address their needs more effectively. Using data and predictive analytics we can better identify groups to target. By embracing technology and approaching customers with the right distribution channels based on preference, we can make life insurance more accessible. We can speak the customers' language. We can understand that they are not all created equal, and tailor products to meet individual needs. In short, we can leverage data, research and technology to become very consumer centric. Getting closer to the customer, can we lower the perceived cost, and raise the perceived benefit of life insurance to a point where customers get excited? Will this not then be a product to buy, not sell?

Description: This article contains a summary of some of the presentations given at the May 2013 SOA Life & Annuity Symposium. This article does not cover all sessions that are related to product development, but shares observations that have been made by various members of the SOA Product Development Section Council.

Description: Article Description * “Agile” development is all the buzz in the IT world. You may have heard your IT teams talk about scrums, sprints, and the war room and wondered if they were playing a strange new sport. Or perhaps you are already applying agile techniques in your product development. This article will discuss what agile methodology is, pros and cons, and how you might apply it to insurance product development.