Description: An overview of John Robinson's experience at the recently concluded annual meeting of the Caribbean Actuarial Association in Trinidad.

Description: A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation involving a business decision. This issue’s case study involved a recently promoted chief actuary receiving pressure to make a downward reserve adjustment at year end.

Description: Thoughts on the future of financial reporting.

Description: Insurance accounting is in the midst of significant changes, many of which were proposed during a time of severe economic uncertainty. Given the concern about these regulations by many insurance finance executives, it is time for a re-examination of the capabilities of the financial reporting function. For insurers, actuarial components are a critical part of the financial reports, and so actuaries can be expected to play a critical role in moving the overall financial and regulatory reporting function forward. In fact, the financial and regulatory reporting function in an insurance company cannot advance significantly without actuarial expertise. This article explains how actuaries are therefore in the position of being able to help drive the evolution of a company’s finance function.

Description: How does mortality experience impact earnings under the new GAAP financial framework? This article discusses how to isolate key components from financial models related to decrements, as well as how to handle the changes in the financial reporting landscape including: the aggregation of insurance policies into cohorts, dynamic reserving, and the limitations imposed by caps and floors. Looking at the components of earnings, such as the present value of benefits, expenses, and premiums, and how these elements interact is critical to form a comprehensive earnings story.