Actuarial Standards Board News

The ASB adopted new a revision of No. 17, Expert Testimony by Actuaries. The revision of ASOP No. 17 applies to actuaries who are qualified as experts under the evidentiary rules applicable in a forum when they provide testimony in court hearings, dispute resolutions, depositions, rate hearings, legislative hearings, or other similar proceedings. The exposure draft was issued in April 2017, and 11 comment letters were received and considered in making changes that are reflected in the final ASOP. Notable changes to the revision include rewording section 1.2, Scope, to provide additional guidance regarding the circumstances under which the standard applies and clarifying the definition of “expert.” The standard will be effective for all expert testimony provided by the actuary on or after Dec. 1, 2018. ASOP No. 17 can be viewed here.

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The ASB recently approved a final revision of ASOP No. 42, now titled Health and Disability Actuarial Assets and Liabilities Other Than Liabilities for Incurred Claims.

The standard has been revised to incorporate references to new standards that have been issued since the ASOP’s initial 2004 adoption and 2011 update for deviation language. In addition, revisions were made to eliminate guidance that does not conform to current ASOP practices regarding references to other standards of practice and to make consistent the definitions used in the standard with those of other standards of practice. The revision also reflects relevant legal, regulatory, and practice developments that have occurred since its initial adoption. Notable changes to the revision include adding a definition for “collectability” and adding a Reliance on Experts section to further support the guidance on collectability.

The standard will be effective for any actuarial work product with a valuation date on or after Aug. 1, 2018. ASOP No. 42 can be viewed here.

The ASB recently approved exposure drafts of revisions of ASOP Nos. 4, Measuring Pension Obligations and Determining Pension Plan Costs or Contributions; 27, Selection of Economic Assumptions for Measuring Pension Obligations; and 35, Selection of Demographic and Other Noneconomic Assumptions for Measuring Pension Obligations. The revisions are based on suggestions from the Pension Task Force report issued in 2016 as a result of comments received on a 2014 Request for Comments on ASOPs and Public Pension Plan Funding and Accounting as well as a subsequent 2015 public hearing held on proposed ASOPs applicable to actuarial work regarding public plans. The ASB directed its Pension Committee to draft appropriate modifications to pension ASOPs to implement the Pension Task Force suggestions. The modifications are reflected in the exposure drafts of ASOP Nos. 4, 27, and 35. The comment deadline for the exposure drafts is July 31, 2018. Information on how to submit comments can be found in the drafts, which can be viewed under the “Drafts” tab in “Current Exposure Drafts.”

The ASB adopted new ASOP No. 53, Estimating Future Costs for Prospective Property/Casualty Risk Transfer and Risk Retention. The ASOP provides guidance to actuaries when performing actuarial services with respect to developing or reviewing future cost estimates for prospective property/casualty risk transfer and risk retention. This includes future cost estimates for insurance, reinsurance, self-insurance, loss portfolio transfers, or any other mechanisms for risk transfer or risk retention. The ASOP incorporates all of the Considerations contained in the Casualty Actuarial Society’s Statement of Principles Regarding Property and Casualty Ratemaking and addresses issues related to the estimation of costs for risk transfer and risk retention not currently addressed in existing ASOPs. The ASOP also references other existing ASOPs that include relevant issues related to the estimation of future costs for prospective risk transfer and risk retention.

This standard will be effective for work performed on or after Aug. 1, 2018. ASOP No. 53 can be viewed here.