The intense interest surrounding glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and other incretin-based medications is impossible to ignore. They have received significant public and media attention due to their potential implications for obesity and related conditions. Some commentators have touted them as “everything drugs” that will rewrite the trajectory of human mortality and reverse stagnating life expectancy trends.…
The Emerging Risk Survey has become a cornerstone initiative of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), offering a yearly snapshot of the most pressing risks facing the insurance and financial services industries. The 19th annual survey had more than 350 respondents. In addition, more than 100 of those…
GLP‑1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists have rapidly transformed the landscape of obesity and diabetes management. Initially developed for diabetes, these drugs have recently seen a surge in popularity, largely due to widespread media coverage and endorsements as a “miracle cure” for weight loss. GLP‑1 drugs received initial regulatory approval in 2014, and 2021 is typically…
Editor’s note: Society of Actuaries (SOA) CEO Greg Heidrich originally presented some of this content about the changing industry landscape during the 2026 ReFocus Conference, which was sponsored by the SOA and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). We live in a world of great change that is often disorienting, confusing and at times…
In many insurance lines, periods of stress follow a familiar pattern: deteriorating experience prompts corrective action, which alters behavior, and those behavioral changes further destabilize results. At times, actuaries recognize this dynamic in hindsight, after loss ratios, lapses or utilization trends have already exceeded expectations. In the post-pandemic environment, this pattern has become more pronounced…
As reports and articles detail, Canada’s retirement system is evolving, driven by shifting demographics, market conditions, and longer lifespans, all of which are reshaping what retirement looks like and how Canadians and their employers prepare for it. In this environment, innovation in plan design, investment strategy and plan management is a key pillar that helps…
In recognition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, I connected with Jon Wu, FSA, MAAA, CERA, to gain his insights into an actuarial career guided by curiosity, honesty and a commitment to always helping others. Here, Jon, who retired in 2024 from his consulting practice that focused on enterprise risk management…
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere, promising faster results and more intelligent decisions, among other things. I have spent a lot of time experimenting with AI in my own work, from Excel and Power Query to editing and analysis. What I’ve learned is straightforward: Current, widely deployed AI systems perform exceptionally well when tasks are structured,…
Humans have long sought to understand death, whether caused by natural factors such as aging or disease, or by unnatural events such as accidents or wars, through various fields, including biology, pathology, philosophy, metaphysics, spirituality, psychology, sociology, law, ethics, technology and economics. Besides natural and unnatural causes, suicide—the voluntary and deliberate act of ending one’s…
International Financial Reporting Standard 17 (IFRS 17), as detailed by the IFRS Foundation, marks the most significant transformation in insurance financial reporting in decades. For insurers in IFRS 17 jurisdictions (which include at least 169 countries), implementation may feel complete, but in my experience, many stakeholders (such as investors) are only now encountering IFRS 17…