Description: The well-known examples of predictive modeling “successes” are numerous. Perhaps less widely recognized is the myriad of ways in which a predictive model can fail to perform as expected, often due to misconceptions or misrepresentations on the part of the analyst. This article, which is intended for a general actuarial audience, focuses on three such pitfalls. By understanding these three common pitfalls, readers may guard against them within their own work, teams, and organizations.

Description: In the year’s first issue of Reinsurance News I talked a bit about what the Reinsurance Section Council had planned for 2015.

Description: Comments about new Brazilian reinsurance rules, with brief historical summary of the regulation developments since the opening of the Brazilian reinsurance market.

Description: Discussion of a survey inquiring into the use of Embedded, or Shareholder, Value by U.S. and European Insurance Companies

Description: Review of changes made to life insurance taxation in Australia.

Description: This paper discusses approaches for reporting pre-need plans in the Phillipines under the generally accepted accounting principles of the United States “U.S. GAAP. In particular, a focus is on contracts accounted for under SFAS 97 investment-oriented contracts.

Description: On May 24, 2005, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service published a notice of proposed rulemaking the “Notice” proposing regulations under Internal Revenue Code §7702, the federal tax definition of a “life insurance contract.” Discussion of determining 'attained age' for joint or multiple life policies.

Description: This is a letter to the editor regarding the October 2014 Taxing Times supplement on the Camp proposals on the taxation of life insurance companies.

Description: This column will discuss the taxation of the issuer with respect to a failed contract.

Description: Summary of NAIC's Winter National Meeting