Mathematics 480, Spring 2013

Illinois State University Mathematics Department

Instructors

Classes Meet

Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00-5:50 p.m., in Stevenson Hall, room 136B, with a ten minute break in the middle of the time period.

Office Hours

Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:00-3:50 p.m., held by Dr. Ostaszewski. Please ask for an appointment at other times. You can schedule an appointment with Dr. Ostaszewski at http://krzysio.acuityscheduling.com.

Textbooks

There will also be study notes and links provided online by Dr. Krzysztof Ostaszewski, as well as materials provided by Mr. Dale Hall. Study notes by Dr. Ostaszewski can be downloaded by clicking on links next to dates of classes.

Supplementary textbooks:

Valuation of Life Insurance Liabilities, 4th Edition, by Louis Lombardi, Actex Publications, 2006, ISBN 1-56698-560-9.

Financial Risk Management for Pension Plans by Leslaw Gajek and Krzysztof Ostaszewski, Elsevier, 2004, ISBN 0444516743.
A Problem Solving Approach to Pension Funding and Valuation, (Second Edition), 1996, by Aitken, W.H., Actex Publications, ISBN 1-56698-200-6.
Actuarial Aspects of Individual Life Insurance and Annuity Contracts, by Timothy F. Harris and Albert E. Easton, Actex Publications, ISBN 1-56698-346-0.
Group Insurance, (Fifth Edition), 2007, edited by William F. Bluhm, Actex Publications, ; 5th edition (2007), ISBN: 1-56698-613-3.

Introduction to Ratemaking and Loss Reserving for Property and Casualty Insurance, (Second Edition), 2001, by Brown, R.L., Chapters 1-5.
These supplementary books should be available at Actex Publications, or The Actuarial Bookstore.

Objective

The objective of this class is to help you learn about applications of actuarial models in practice. The main emphasis of the class in the practical methodology of calculation of actuarial liabilities, as well as pricing of insurance products, in all key lines of business of insurance, including defined benefit pensions.

Grading

There will be five tests and any of the last three comprehensive examinations can count as the final examination. No make up tests will be given. All regular tests will be quantitative in nature. The final will count as 40% of your grade, and the best two of the remaining five tests will count as 30% of your grade each. You will also get up to 10% extra credit for the best of the remaining tests. The grading scale will be as follows: 90% or better — A, 80% to 90% — B, 70% to 80% — C, 60% to 70% — D, below 60% — F. Students can also earn extra credit by making presentations of readings listed below. Because there will be opportunity for extra credit, no make up tests will be allowed. This is a graduate level class, and therefore active student participation in the class, through presentations and discussions is expected. All tests will be quantitative, and while we will study variety of specific regulations for life insurance, life annuities, pensions, property-casualty, health or group insurance, you will be tested on principles and mathematics of those regulations, not detailed specifics.

Disability concerns

Any student needing a special accommodation for a documented disability should contact Disability Concerns at Fell Hall, Room 350.

Important dates

Illinois State University important dates information for the Spring 2013 semester is given here: http://www.registrar.ilstu.edu/downloads/calendars/spring2013cal.pdf.

Schedule of classes

• Tuesday, January 15, 2013. Review of some topics on Course MLC examination.
• Thursday, January 17, 2013. Current issues in actuarial practice.Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.
• Tuesday, January 22, 2013. Life insurance valuation.
• Thursday, January 24, 2013. Life insurance valuation. 
• Tuesday, January 29, 2013. Life annuity valuation.Spreadsheet with calculations for exercises.
• Thursday, January 31, 2013. Exercises on life insurance and life annuity valuation.
• Tuesday, February 5, 2013. Principles-Based Reserving.
• Thursday, February 7, 2013. Principles-Based Reserving.Notes on VACARVM.
• Tuesday, February 12, 2013. Exercises on principles-based reserving.Additional Readings on Life Insurance, Life Annuities and Principles-Based Reserving. Here are also some additional links with readings on valuation of life insurance and life annuity liabilities, addressing current issues, and while not required in the class, are possible extra credit presentation topics and good sources of learning about the topic:
  Actuarial Standards of Practice: http://www.actuarialstandardsboard.org/asops.asp
  American Academy of Actuaries practice notes http://www.actuary.org/category/site-section/public-policy/practice-notes
  American Academy of Actuaries Principle Based Reserving: http://www.actuary.org/risk.asp
  National Association of Insurance Commissioners Committees and Activities: http://www.naic.org/index_committees.htm
• Thursday, February 14, 2013. Optimal funding of a liability.
• Tuesday, February 19, 2013. Overview of U.S. pension system.Pension Protection Act of 2006.
• Thursday, February 21, 2013. Test No. 1, on material covered through February 19, 2013.
• Tuesday, February 26, 2013. Pension funding and valuation. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall. Pension funding materials from Dale: Part 1,Part 2,Part 3,Part 4,Part 5,Part 6,Part 7.
• Thursday, February 28, 2013. Pension funding and valuation. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Tuesday, March 5, 2013. Pension funding and valuation. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Thursday, March 7, 2013. Pension funding and valuation. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Tuesday, March 19, 2013. Pension funding and valuation. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Thursday, March 21, 2013.Pension funding and valuation. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Additional pension readings for possible presentations are here. We may also review two presentations by Dr. Ostaszewski, one on global pension systems isues, and one on public pension plans in the United States.Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Health insurance pricing and reserving.Thursday, March 28, 2013. Health insurance pricing and reserving.Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Health insurance pricing and reserving.Accompanying spreadsheet.
• Additional health insurance readings for possible presentations are here.
• Thursday, April 4, 2013. Group insurance pricing and reserving.
• Additional group insurance readings for possible presentations are here.
• In the following material on ratemaking and loss reserving, the following two monographs may be very useful:
• Basic Ratemaking, Fourth Edition, 2010, by Geoff Werner and Claudine Modlin, published by the Casualty Actuarial Society, available as a free download.
• Estimating Unpaid Claims Using Basic Techniques, Third Version, July 2010, by Jacqueline Friedland, published by the Casualty Actuarial Society, available as a free download.
• Tuesday, April 9, 2013. Ratemaking and loss reserving for property and casualty insurance. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Thursday, April 11, 2013.  Ratemaking and loss reserving for property and casualty insurance. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Tuesday, April 16, 2013. Ratemaking and loss reserving for property and casualty insurance. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall. 
• Thursday, April 18, 2013. Test No. 2, covering material taught through April 4, 2013.
• Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Ratemaking and loss reserving for property and casualty insurance. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Thursday, April 25, 2013. Ratemaking and loss reserving for property and casualty insurance. Class taught by Mr. Dale Hall.
• Some additional exercises on ratemaking and loss reserving are posted here. Additional property/casualty readings for possible presentations are here.
• Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Test No. 3, comprehensive.
• Thursday, May 2, 2013. Test No. 4, comprehensive.
• Tuesday, May 7, 2013, 8:00 p.m. — 10:00 p.m. in regular classroom. Test No. 5, comprehemsive.

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All information contained here is, to our best knowledge, correct, but it is merely a representation, and should not be considered to be any form of professional advice. This electronic publication should not be misconstrued as the official position of Illinois State University, or its Department of Mathematics. We are glad to provide as much information as possible here, but we kindly ask that in any decision related to matters listed here you seek additional counsel and information. Comments on this Home Page are welcome and should be sent to Dr. Krzysztof Ostaszewski  at his e-mail address: krzysio@ilstu.edu.