Description: Hear from the chairperson on themes in the February 2018 issue of Product Matters published by the Product Development Section.

Description: SOA Product Development Section Contest Winning Article. Contest was to provide a creative article on future technology for the life insurance industry.

Description: The need for the rapid evolution, or maybe a revolution, of the Insurance business platform is a necessity in the new economy. The key drivers are technology combined with rapid improvements in customer experience, or more accurately the expectations of the customer’s experience. For Insurers that have begun the transformation to a digital business they will recognize the opportunity to take advantage of their head-start with a platform business, while others will see the evolution as an opportunity to “leap frog” into the digital business leadership.

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: Near the end of a pension plan's lifespan, after benefit accruals have ceased and the plan has reached fully funded status, a plan sponsor has the option to begin the plan termination process immediately or to maintain the plan for an extended period of time (often referred to as 'hibernation' as an alternative to termination). While immediate termination appeals to some plan sponsors, others choose hibernation for a number of reasons, including paternalism, fiduciary obligations, perceived cost differentials or simple inertia.

Description: Family structures have expanded in recent decades and so have some beneficiary forms in insurance, banking and investment accounts. This essay includes suggestions for further expansion of those little-discussed but very important forms.

Description: Accelerated underwriting is changing the world of consumer engagement. The newness and overhaul of these programs creates challenges for development, coordination and management. This seminar will take attendees through how the market is developing, the major pricing, underwriting, and marketing considerations, and what regulators are considering with regard to these programs. At the conclusion of this seminar, attendees will: • Discuss trends in accelerated underwriting • Understand the issues that arise when developing an accelerated underwriting program • Understand best practices in developing an accelerated underwriting program • Explain the impact of accelerated underwriting on underwriting, pricing, marketing and compliance

Description: Recent and upcoming changes to U.S. statutory reserving rules are expected to impact term insurance prices. This article is an analysis on what that impact might be.

Description: This article summarizes key findings from an SOA research report conducted by Milliman on a wide range of living benefit riders with medically related triggers on life and annuity products. The SOA report includes a survey of direct writers, and interviews with many reinsurers. The article focuses on chronic illness accelerated benefit riders, long term care accelerated benefit riders, and the more comprehensive long term care linked benefit products that can pay out benefits that may be much higher than the underlying base plan values. Information on regulations governing these plans, mechanics of the products, sales, and pricing structures is included The intent is to enable the reader to appreciate the issues and opportunities related to these new, innovative designs that help address a range of consumer needs..

Description: Follow up of Illustration testing published in October 2015 on AG 49