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This is the official podcast feed of the Society of Actuaries
423 Episodes
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Join host Tiana Zhao as she explores the cutting-edge trends reshaping the insurance landscape. From AI-driven underwriting to climate-focused products, this episode of the SOA Marketing and Distribution podcast dives deep into the technological and societal shifts transforming how we think about risk and protection. Discover how insurtech startups, IoT devices, and changing consumer expectations are driving innovation in product design, distribution channels, and customer experience. Whether you're an industry professional or simply curious about the future of insurance, this podcast offers valuable insights into the forces shaping the industry's evolution and the opportunities that lie ahead.
Anders Larson and Shea Parkes discuss using GenAI applications with coding agents to simulate healthcare costs. They revisit the distinction between large language models (LLMs) and the applications that wrap them. They then use some newer GenAI application functionality to generate some simulated healthcare cost distributions. During their discussion they explore what domain knowledge the modern LLMs already have, and how to supplement that with their own domain expertise.
Description: Listen as co-hosts Jackie Lee and Josh Hammerquist speak to data scientist Supriya Ramachandra as they discuss how she attacks messy data with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. From this discussion, actuaries will learn about how these cutting-edge tools can be used in their work. PleaseNote: At timestamp 11:00: The training data was created through manual annotation — it took 4 annotators about a week to label the clinical notes. At timestamp 12:24–12:26, we said “non-supervised” — the correct term is “unsupervised learning."
In this month’s YPAC podcast host Shawn Stender, FSA, MAAA will be joined by Simon Gervais, FSA, MAAA to discuss an often-overlooked topic for young actuaries. With so much focus given to career advancement and “managing up,” actuaries looking might overlook the benefits of managing down to promote younger professionals within their organization. This podcast will discuss how managing down can not only benefit your career, but also the actuarial profession.
Join Danny Moore and Aaron Jurgaitis as they discuss tertiary and quaternary care from an actuarial perspective. Danny and Aaron discuss: Definitions around the different levels of care, from primary up to quaternary Specifics around the types of care delivered in the specialized facilities that deliver this care, and The key themes actuaries need to keep in mind when analyzing data that include these types of services. Aaron shares information from his background of performing analysis for pediatric and academic facilities that highlight important factors that actuaries should consider, such as relative efficiency, referral patterns, episodes of care vs. points in time, and the specific value of expertise that these facilities contain. The information shared is relevant from both a provider and payer point of view, and will broaden your understanding of the unique characteristics of tertiary and quaternary care providers.
In this episode Joe Alaimo interviews Jeremy Levitt. Actuarial models are central to decision-making across insurance, finance, and risk management—but without proper validation, even the most sophisticated models can lead to costly errors. In this episode, Joe and Jeremy take a deep dive into model validation: defining its purpose, outlining key procedures, and highlighting the risks of getting it wrong. Jeremy shares expert insight on balancing thorough analysis with real-world constraints like timelines and budget, while also addressing cultural and structural barriers to effective validation. We also explore how AI is beginning to influence model validation, from automated testing to AI-driven challenger models. Whether you're a practicing actuary, a risk professional, or a stakeholder relying on actuarial outputs, this conversation offers valuable guidance on how to build confidence in your models—and the decisions they support.
Join host Tiana Zhao as she explores the transformative power of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) in the world of marketing and distribution actuarial work. This episode of the SOA Marketing and Distribution podcast dives deep into: The fundamentals of OKR methodology and its adoption by tech giants How OKRs can enhance clarity, focus, and measurable outcomes for actuaries A practical example of implementing OKRs in an insurance company setting Strategies for marketing and distribution actuaries to leverage OKRs effectively
Join host Justin Le, ASA, MAAA for a talk with Kate Smith FSA, MAAA about finding meaning and purpose in our work as actuaries. Kate is a Director and Actuary working in Valuation at Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. In this episode Kate shares her perspective and advice on connecting her work to the impact on her company’s members.
Listen as Danny Moore interviews Charlie Larimer on Epidemiology and Predictive Analytics. Listen as Charlie gives his insight on applying predictive analytics techniques to determine drivers of health outcomes in differing populations and regions.
This interview featured Amanda Hug, the president and chair of the Society of Actuaries, discussing the role of actuaries in building trust with AI models. Amanda shared a personal anecdote from a trip to Uganda, highlighting the global reputation of actuaries. The discussion covered the importance of integrity, excellence, and professionalism in the actuarial field and provided advice on incorporating AI into actuarial processes while maintaining ethical standards. Contributors: Amanda Hug, FSA, MAAA ; Jon Forster, ASA, MAAA Thanks for watching and don’t forget to subscribe!
Arielle Galinsky—Harvard Kennedy School MPP candidate, JD candidate at Yale Law School, and advocate for aging with dignity—joins host Roger Loomis for a wide-ranging conversation on caregiving, aging, and how her generation sees the future of LTC financing.
Listen to this interview with Whitney Pratt – an actuary who leads a team of data scientists – about similarities and differences of the two fields and how we can better work together. If you are an actuary wanting to know more about data science, or trying to choose between the two career paths, this is a must listen!
Becoming credentialed is one of the major goals for an actuary, but what does life look like after? Join Carly Mauro, FSA, MAAA and Chris Lombardi, FSA, MAAA as they discuss “the void” and how to approach personal growth, investing time in the community and the SOA, and professional development after exams.
SOA is proud to present the audio version of the winning entry in the 2024-25 Speculative Fiction Contest, Faulty Medication by Brian Tajlili, FSA, MAAA. Here is what the contest's literary judge, Dr. Bob Mielke, had to say, “Nothing but positives here. A plausible and timely scenario, excellent world-building, vivid incidents, lively and detailed, polished and very well-written. …This story has a real shot at publication even beyond the realm of actuaries.” Find the written version at https://www.soa.org/sections/2024-25-speculative-fiction-art/
Join host Tiana Zhao, FSA, CERA, as she explores the emerging field of marketing actuaries in this insightful episode of the SOA Marketing and Distribution podcast. Discover how these professionals blend actuarial science with marketing strategies to drive data-informed business decisions. Tiana breaks down the key responsibilities of marketing actuaries, including data analysis, predictive modeling, customer segmentation, and pricing optimization. Learn how this evolving role is shaping the future of marketing in our increasingly data-driven business landscape. Whether you're an actuary looking to expand your skillset or a marketing professional curious about the power of actuarial science, this episode offers valuable insights into this exciting intersection of disciplines.
In this podcast, Michael Frings FSA, MAAA, now Chief Actuary at one of the Bermuda insurance companies, shares his experiences on his career path, where he started from an unexpected place -- medical school, which ultimately took him to where he is now -- an actuary. Please join us as we explore how Michael navigated his "unusual" path, how he found success, and what one may expect entering the profession from a different background.
In this podcast episode Joe Alaimo interviews Bob Leach. Bob introduces us to model validation concepts from the article that he has written for the emerging topics community: Model Validation 101: Bring your Calculus Mindset! Bob discusses how to use calculus concepts to validate results from actuarial models. This discussion is in the context of principle-based reserve valuation models, but the concepts can be extended to other types of actuarial models, like pricing or risk management models. Partial derivatives of the value function can be used to validate that a model is appropriately applying discount rate, expense, withdrawal rate and other actuarial assumptions. For more details, please read the full article here: https://www.soa.org/digital-publishing-platform/emerging-topics/et-2025-02-leach/
In this podcast Darryl Wagner, Principal with Deloitte Consulting, discussed the complexities and principles of IFRS 17, highlighting its goal to standardize insurance accounting globally. He explained the building blocks of IFRS 17, including best estimate cash flows, risk adjustment, and contractual service margin (CSM). Darryl emphasized the significant data and technology requirements for implementation and the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration among actuaries, accountants, and technology teams. He also compared IFRS 17 with US GAAP, noting similarities and key differences. More dynamic content such as this is available on the SOAs Professional Development Edge+ product. https://www.soa.org/prof-dev/pd-edge/ Be sure to take the IFRS 17 course in the Life Learning track of Professional Development Edge+ for more insights. Contributors: Darryl Wagner, FSA, MAAA; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA
Host Jackie Lee discusses the MAPD historical and future landscape of the Medicare Advantage market. They talk about notable milestones throughout the years and their impact on the growth of this sector.
This podcast features Robert Eaton, Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman and Sherry Chan, Managing Director at EY. They discussed the role of actuaries in overseeing AI models, highlighting their unique skills in data analysis and model evaluation. Robert and Sherry emphasized the importance of actuaries in ensuring AI models are free from bias and leveraging AI to handle routine tasks, allowing actuaries to focus on strategic and analytical roles. For more info on PD Edge+ click here: https://www.soa.org/prof-dev/pd-edge/
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Pretty cool that you're pointing out that visualization isn't just for making pretty pictures. it can actually be a powerful tool for generating insights. We recently published a blog post about this topic, and its application to actuaries. Check it out! https://slopesoftware.com/2020/04/03/data-visualization-aint-just-for-marketers-anymore/