Description: Recognizing the importance of fortifying risk adjustment programs against selection based on nontraditional variables, the Society of Actuaries’ Health Section sponsored an in-depth study into the relationship of nontraditional variables with health costs. This report presents the results of this study.

Description: In this paper, the authors have analyzed the Cash Balance pension and contributions using the methods and principles of financial economics, to give a market consistent evaluation of the costs of the CB liability.

Description: This is a research project on issues in applying credibility in group long-term disability (LTD) insurance.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Retirement 20/20 project kicked off in 2006 with a conference titled “Building the Foundations for New Retirement Systems.” The conference focused on needs, risks and roles for the stakeholders in today’s retirement system, and discussed how to make social insurance, private pensions, private savings, annuities and other retirement plans work better in the 21st century. One key theme that emerged was that wherever possible, systems should be designed to self-adjust, specifically to correct for changes in economic and demographic conditions. The Pension Section Council of the SOA commissioned this paper to explore where self-adjusting systems are in place today and what they do and don’t do. Most self-adjusting mechanisms that exist today are in social insurance systems, and they often focus on ways to adjust for changes in longevity. The Pension Section Council hopes that this paper will spur researchers to develop more ways that self-adjusting mechanisms might work to shape social insurance and private retirement plans into the 21st century.

Description: This paper, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA} ‘Research Projects – Life Insurance,’ sponsored by the Reinsurance Section, Smaller Insurance Company Section and the SOA’s Committee on Life Insurance Research, examines challenges encountered by smaller insurers in obtaining life reinsurance, the challenges and opportunities life reinsurers face in servicing these companies, and considers some possible solutions that might help to resolve the challenges encountered.

Description: This research report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA} ‘Research Projects – Finance/Investment,’ is sponsored by the Society of Actuaries [SOA] Committee on Finance Research. This paper explores and summarizes current practices on the interest-rate risk of traditional life and health insurance products.

Description: This paper, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA} ‘Research Projects – Finance/Investment,’ sponsored by the SOA Committee on Finance Research, is the result of research done to determine the viability of actuarial counseling. It explores some of the newer markets for actuarial services. Input was gathered from two focus groups, one consisting of a group of retirees and another composed of a group of professionals.