Insights and Ideas from the American Academy of Actuaries
Contingencies
Features
The Great Hunt—A brief history of automobile rating variables
By James P. Lynch Pull that old Buick Roadmaster to the pump in 1944 and you would get service: An attendant, maybe a team of them, would check the oil, clean the windshield, make sure the tires had air. But you might not get much...
Using Data for Good—Settlement annuities & factoring negotiations
Published results on mortality experience can help lead to fair results By Anthony H. Riccardi and Lauryn E. Stewart For those who work as forensic actuaries, behold a gold mine of insight into the understanding of in-force settlement...
An Adventure
By Leo Apilash "Hey Maria, wanna go on an adventure today?" "Sure." "Just like that? I haven't even told you what we're doing yet." "Yep, I'm all in." She looked at me through the mirror while braiding her hair and gave me a warm,...Departments
Member Spotlight
Nancy Behrens
When and why did you decide to become an actuary?
I had heard about the actuarial profession several times throughout high school and college, but did not think seriously about pursuing it until I was working on my master's degree. A few of my...
Member Spotlight
Alan Putney
When and why did you decide to become an actuary?
I decided to explore the career during my senior year in college. It seemed like a great way to make a living with a math degree without needing to get a masters or doctorate degree. I have always...
Inside Track
Back to the Grind—and Loving It
By Eric P. Harding
Like most of you, I spent the past 18 months holed up at home. The work continued apace-indeed, I'm proud of how well the Academy staff responded to the coronavirus crisis-but the environs were a little different.
It took...
Letters
A Perfect Example
It is easy to appreciate the relevance of Dennis Barry's letter to the editor (Contingencies, September/October 2021) in connection with "How Not to Be Wrong" (Contingencies, July/August 2021), an article that discusses probabilistic and statistical...
President’s Message
Rising to the Challenge
By Tom Campbell
"It's nice to see you." This is a phrase I heard over and
over, and one I said several times, when the Academy Board met in person in
early October. It was great to see people who I had spent the past 18 months
staring at on my...
Up To Code
Where Do You Practice?
By William Hines
I work for a U.S.-based office of an international
consulting firm. I joined the firm more than 20 years ago when many of our
clients were based in the areas local to my office. But consolidation in the
insurance industry has...
Tradecraft
80% Pension Funding—Debunking the Myth
By Linda K. Stone
Over the years, one of the most quoted Academy issue briefs
on pension topics is a paper, published in 2012, on the "myth" surrounding a
defined benefit pension plan funded status of 80%. Local news publications
frequently cite...
Crossword
Fellowship of the Ring-a-Ding-Ding
By Warren Manners
Across
Down
1
Messi and
Maradona to some
1
Transcript
fig.
5
City of the
Seven Hills
2
"The Angel
that presided ___ my birth" (William Blake)
9
Shot contents
...
Cryptic Puzzle
Orientation Day
By Tom Toce
This puzzle offers two grids and two sets of clues. The solver, of course, must determine which clue pertains to which grid. Some of the entries require special orientation. There are three proper nouns, one hyphenated word, and...
Puzzles
Squid Game
By Josh Feldman
As if running on New Orleans streetcar tracks isn't
dangerous enough, a new, darker, more treacherous phenomenon has taken America
by storm. Of course, I am talking about the new Netflix show Squid Game,
easily the best television...
End Paper
Where Have the Boys Gone?
By Sam Gutterman
Over the past several decades, the percentage of new
entrants to many professions in the United States who are female has gradually
increased. Nevertheless, gender inequity in the workplace remains a significant
societal issue....
