Description: The rapid evolution of life insurance underwriting has created pricing and operational challenges and raised new questions about established approaches to assumption development, both of which demand a fresh perspective. As underwriting methods evolve, we find ourselves navigating uncharted territory. In this session, we delve into accelerated underwriting, focusing on two critical areas. First, we explore assumption setting in this new world, where numerous interaction effects can make it feel like we’re asked to consider everything, from every angle, all at once. Considerations for assumption setting must encompass early performance indicators—what signals inform our assumptions? Additionally, we address novel underwriting approaches and how to adapt assumptions for these paradigms. Furthermore, in the context of post-COVID claims experience, we discuss distinguishing meaningful insights from noise. Second, we examine declinable risks and their impact on mortality. In this new world ushered in by accelerated underwriting, previously excluded risks—low-frequency, high-severity declinable cases—are now part of the landscape. Quantifying their mortality impact challenges us, as historical data lacks systematic tracking. To quantify declinable risks, we draw upon research findings from analyzing 27 million life insurance applicants, providing valuable insights for attendees to navigate this dynamic landscape and make informed assumptions for pricing and risk management.

Description: Over the past three years, we have seen technology take hold of consumerism, becoming the key operational component to remaining competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace. In the insurance sector, today's consumers want digital, personalized solutions for all of their needs, and they are willing to offer up personal information in exchange for more personalized coverage that is based on their behaviors and lifestyle choices. If insurers want their products to be recognized as an essential in the virtual 'wallet' of Millennial consumers, they must re-assess their digital service strategy with an emphasis on customer service and rewarding the consumer. Participate in this session to explore consumer trends in the life insurance industry. You can also join the discussion about the key facets of a successful digital solution, based on the digital service strategies of current market makers who have capitalized on the boom of custom apps, social media sites and other digital distribution channels to market their products to Millennials.

Description: Volatile interest rates, repositioned investment portfolios, and stress in the banking sector are driving insurers to manage market risk and counterparty credit risk. Our experts in investments, derivatives, and hedge accounting will discuss this new market environment and its impact on hedging. The conversation will include practical case studies, including hedging future bond purchases, hedging floating-rate CLOs, and counterparty credit risk management.

Description: Dive into the basics of Generative AI (including Large Language Models and ChatGPT), why it is important, and how might it potentially affect how people and actuaries perform their work. After a brief introduction, you'll walk through some live demonstrations of the technology followed by interactive breakout discussions on how the technology might impact each attendee's work. You will also culminate in a summarization of the breakouts, discussion of implications for the profession, as well as precautions to take when using the technology. Come discover the basics of the technology and its implications for the work performed by actuaries. They will also learn, via the live demonstration, how to access ChatGPT (or similar platform) and will follow along how to generate outputs from the application based on some example inputs provided. Take away some resources from which you can learn more about Generative AI, Large Language Models, ChatGPT, etc.

Description: Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) has become increasingly important to the life insurance industry in recent years. Insurance companies must navigate complex changes in financial reporting and capital requirements to manage risk effectively. Furthermore, technological growth has changed the landscape of the theoretical capabilities of FP&A; however, many FP&A areas struggle to implement the sophisticated modeling techniques required to manage the long-term liabilities associated with life and annuity products.

Description: This session will cover the current and potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the health care space. Participate in this interactive session and learn how AI is being used today and discuss its potential to reshape and revolutionize health care. You will get an opportunity to learn how AI can influence patient experience in every phase of healthcare delivery and talk about the challenges and limitations that arise with the use of this technology.

Description: Join a dynamic panel of accelerated underwriting (AU) experts as they discuss results from three recent AU industry surveys, including from the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and two reinsurance studies. They'll share similarities and examine differences in their findings as they cover historical trends, current practices and their outlooks on the future of this evolving underwriting paradigm. By the conclusion of the session, you will have gained knowledge on the data and trends available from these surveys, as well as understand what AU program modifications are needed to keep pace with the industry.

Description: This paper explores how molecular biology, specifically epigenetics, may impact the life insurance industry, and considers the effects of utilizing epigenetic biomarkers for underwriting.

Description: Decentralized insurance alternatives is a rapidly expanding sector of Decentralized Finance (DeFi), an emerging and growing financial ecosystem powered by blockchain technologies. The purpose of this report is to review and discuss the business models and operating designs of decentralized insurance alternatives, which may have significant implications for traditional insurance businesses, as well as the actuarial profession.