Description: The attached report presents the results of a survey whose purpose was to explore the various uses of technology by life insurance companies. The survey was conducted by the Technology Survey Subcommittee of the Society of Actuaries Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Survey Committee. The primary focus of this survey was the impact of technology on mortality studies and underwriting.

Description: These are the specifications for monetary tables based on 1958 CSO and CET mortality tables. Formulas using commutation functions for reserves and cash values are given. Originally published in 1961 and updated in 1976 due to advances in computer technology.

Description: This article details different methods for calculating mortality impact associated with new underwriting programs. A common simplified calculation is compared and contrasted with two first principles approaches. The strengths and weaknesses of both approaches are discussed.

Description: Actuarial Standards of Practice (ASOPs) are critical to an actuary's work, but staying abreast of changes to ASOPs could be challenging. Several ASOPs have been created or updated in the last few years while ValAct was on hiatus. Are you up to date? This session will focus on ASOPs 7, 11, 28, 41 and 57. Come ready to play, as we challenge your knowledge of these ASOPs in a fun game show format. By the end of this session, attendees will learn the major provisions included in ASOPs that have been recently updated or created and understand how their work may be impacted by these recent changes.

Description: This webcast will walk through several statistical methods for imputing race and ethnicity from U.S. datasets, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, talking about how to use them and evaluating their accuracy, and telling you where you can get code packages as well as a free dataset to try the methods out.

Description: Investigate the importance of collaboration with accounting, underwriting, sales, marketing and other professions as an actuary when you attend this webcast. Cross-functional positions can cause unique challenges to arise, like various experts attempting to balance growth and profitability. Discover an opportunity to learn about relevant ASOPs and dive deeper into contemporary examples that highlight specific professionalism issues that can develop.

Description: The original purpose of this paper was to review the principles and practice of life-office valuations in the light of modern conditions. The author discusses the theory of matching assets and liabilities, or immunization and reviews gross premium valuations, net premium valuations and bonus reserve valuation. He also covers the different purposes behind the valuations.

Description: As more term insurance policies move to the post-level period, actuaries are evaluating policyholder behavior and expected mortality. Enough experience has now emerged to provide a spectrum of outcomes that can model the relationship between premium increases, persistency and mortality. The presenters will share findings and consider how different post-level premium structures produce different results.

Description: One of the most fundamental concepts in actuarial practice is the time value of money. For any work in which future cash flows are allowed for, such as reserving or pricing, it is natural to discount to present values so that an appropriate amount of money can be set aside today, allowing for future investment returns. This article discusses yield curve extrapolation methods along with the benefits and drawbacks of these methods.

Description: The article was written to address a concern that the author had that reinsurance considerations were being relegated to the back of the product development cycle. He was concerned that reinsurance input on benefit design, underwriting and pricing was not getting into the process. From Small Talk Newsletter, November 2005, Issue No. 25.