Exploring Longevity Risk

Every three years, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) holds an absolutely magnificent symposium called “Living to 100.” The sixth in this series took place in Orlando in January 2017. I have attended five of the six symposia and was pleased to be a speaker this past January.

While in Orlando, I was wearing two hats. Yes, I was a panel participant, but I also knew that I was responsible for this August/September issue of The Actuary, which was to focus on longevity issues. What better way to line up six good articles on longevity than to take advantage of the wealth of talent and knowledge at the Living to 100 Symposium? That is what I did. By the time I left Orlando, I had promises for six articles from eight authors—and that is what you will find in this issue.

I am pleased with the international flavor (or “flavour”) of this issue, as we have three authors from the United States, two from Canada and one from the United Kingdom. We are all facing similar issues, so one country’s possible solution is a case study elsewhere.

I’d also like to make two expressions of gratitude. First, thank you to the authors. You can join in this thanks by reading and responding to their fine articles. And thanks to my fellow contributing editors, the SOA staff involved in the production of this publication and all those who have a hand in putting our magazine together. It is truly a collaborative effort.

Finally, I am pleased with the scope of the coverage on this topic, from the human side of longevity to a very technical paper on how to hedge the longevity risk. I hope you like reading these articles as much as I liked pulling this issue together. Please read, learn and enjoy.