Description: Keynote Speaker: J.D. Kleinke, Author and Medical Economist J.D. Kleinke has been instrumental in the creation of four health care information organizations; has served on the Boards of several health care companies; and spent many years advising both sides of the political aisle on non-partisan, practical approaches to health policy and legislation.

Description: This article highlights key regulatory and market developments in Bermuda and Cayman and the increasing role of actuaries in innovative structures like side cars and ISACs. With a focus on practical experiences and professional challenges, it offers a perspective on what these dynamic markets mean for the global actuarial community from someone working there.

Description: “DeFi,” or decentralized finance, is an emerging financial system built on blockchains without central intermediaries such as banks. Defi has experienced explosive growth in the last couple of years, with billions of capital locked in numerous DeFi protocols on blockchains. However, DeFi is still relatively unknown outside of the cryptocurrency/blockchain sphere. Established actuarial practice areas such as insurance, employee benefits, banking, and investments all contain DeFi application opportunities for those interested in exploring them. This article aims to provide an introduction to DeFi concepts with a few practical tips.

Description: Recently the interest rates have been slowly trending up from the lowest point in August 2020. The focus of this article is on current market trends for long-duration products —including life insurance, annuities, and long-term care insurance —following an extended period of low interest rates, and lessons carriers can learn from similar historical periods of rising interest rates. Innovative and flexible product features will continue to be essential, as the current interest trend may not substantially increase insurers’ portfolio rates. When designing or modifying product features, insurers should consider profitability in a wide breadth of interest rate scenarios and be particularly mindful of the impact that crediting rates and asset durations will have on earnings.

Description: Milliman surveyed carriers about their recent LTC rate increase experiences. A total of 20 companies participated in the survey, representing 65 percent of LTC premium in the United States. This article highlights some of the findings from this survey, along with additional considerations when pursuing LTC rate increases.

Description: Critical illness insurance is a popular supplemental health insurance product in the U.S. market. This article discusses how carriers have recently sought to add value by expanded the benefits offered in their critical illness products. Specifically, the article discusses the consumer need and development considerations of adding benefits for autism Spectrum Disorder, Mental health disorders, Specified Disease Coverage, and enhance Cancer Coverage to a critical illness contract.

Description: As the population and workforce age, it is important to rethink how and when we retire. This article provides a big picture overview of issues related to opening up more options for exit from the labor force and gradual retirement. It reviews developments in the last few years that are important including the growth of gig employment, more remote work, more technology, workforce shortages, and changes in employee benefits that previously were a barrier to gradual retirement. It calls for more focus on adaption to the aging society. Several publications are cited and it includes a reference list.

Description: This article discusses the guidance provided in IRS Notice 2022-6 and prior guidance on whether distributions from an individual account under a qualified retirement plan satisfy the exception to the 10 percent additional tax in Internal Revenue Code section 72(t) for certain substantially equal periodic payments.

Description: Hear about the latest trends and insights in regard to recent developments in the Life Insurance market. The speakers will discuss changes to the valuation, new business, and product development landscape in light of the recent economic environment, regulatory changes, and the evolution of underwriting practices. Attendees will learn about how pricing, valuation, and forecasting practices are adapting to meet objectives.

Description: The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute received a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to educate insurance actuaries on the use of wildfire risk datasets and models to be developed by researchers from academia and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).