Description: Hot topics and emerging trends in assumption development in US life insurance companies

Description: Risk governance is an important part of any risk management process, yet the insurance industry has not implemented the procedures and controls as extensively as banking. This session looks at the elements of risk governance and discusses their importance to the risk management process. Specific emphasis is placed on risk management organizational structures and how different organizational structures may facilitate effective risk management processes. Insurance and banking practices are contrasted. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries 2005, Volume 31, No. 1: 2005 New Orleans Life Spring Meeting, May 22-24, 2005, Session 83 OF.

Description: Model Risk Management continues to be an evolving area for insurers to be considering. This has grown from both internal and external forces and may require a different format to previous model risk frameworks held by insurers. Furthermore, there are a number of trends emerging that we believe will drive an increased focus on insurer’s model risk management frameworks such as technology automation, ever increasing data sources, and the use of predictive models. Risk management and the development of models is an area where insurance companies have performed well in the past. It is expected that frameworks currently exist within companies; the governance, documentation, validation and control of model risk are likely to be well established practices. The challenge that insurers must consider is how well these have been adopted throughout the company for all models used to make business decisions and if the same level of rigor has consistently been applied. Regulation in a high-velocity actuarial environment will to be a challenge that actuaries must spearhead and must be proactive in guiding rule making to ensure continued innovation while putting data security and risk management first.

Description: A listing of the 2016 modeling-related sessions and webcasts from the SOA. Most meeting session recordings are available for free to SOA members.

Description: Key points of the conceptual framework of China’s new solvency system, the “China Risk Oriented Solvency System” (C-ROSS).

Description: In this article, the author discusses financial regulation and the financial crisis.

Description: Responsibilities Of The Actuary For Communicating Sarbanes-Oxley Control in accordance With Actuarial Standards of Practice

Description: A warning about keeping top management fully and clearly informed about enterprise risk assessments, as illustrated by some actual and fictional stories.

Description: Many top-performing businesses aren’t just risk aware, but rather risk intelligent. Such a posture helps prepare companies for a major event and can demonstrate to a regulator or auditor that an appropriately strong control framework is in place. Better still, companies gain real strategic value from a “risk adjusted” understanding not only of their threats and vulnerabilities, but also the upside opportunities associated with various risks. It starts with having both qualitative and quantitative information to identify, assess and manage risks. Strategic risk management, at its core, is about creating value by increasing transparency and accountability, and quality of information. More than a mere compliance exercise, effective risk management enables more informed strategic decision making, increased accountability and transparency, a greater likelihood of organizational success, and – ultimately – competitive advantage, as borne out by many studies that correlate risk management and financial results.

Description: The focus of the essay is how to use regulatory requirements like ORSA to add competitive advantage. This is accomplished by leveraging the work done for regulators in a way that helps a firm make better decisions. Looking for concentrations of risk, model shortcomings and changing correlations are considered. Stress testing, counterparty risk and changing risk appetites are all topics that help the risk manager better understand the risks accepted. Finally, the paper suggests that the risk officer job should be split into a component that focuses on the process and risk mitigation techniques. The Chief Risk and Return Officer would reside in the strategic planning area and participate in strategic decision making for the firm. Part of the essay collection "Risk Metrics for Decision Making and ORSA"