In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast, host Kara Clark, Senior Research Actuary at the SOA Research Institute, is joined by Al Klein, Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman, and Erik Pickett, Actuary and Chief Content Officer at Club Vita. Together, they discuss Chapter 10: Catastrophes from the paper Long-Term Drivers of Future Mortality, authored by Yair Babad and Al Klein for the 2023 Living to 100 Symposium.

This episode dives into the complex and varied effects that catastrophes—natural, man-made, and biological—have on mortality. Topics include wildfires, droughts, war, terrorism, pandemics, and the challenges actuaries face when modeling these unpredictable yet impactful events.

This is the final chapter in the podcast series based on this important research paper. To explore the full series and access the original report, visit the landing page:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2025/longterm-drivers-futuremort-podseries/ 

🎧 Tune in to gain key takeaways on how to incorporate catastrophic risk into future mortality projections.

Classic Replay: Takaful—An Alternative Approach to Insurance

In recognition of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Society of Actuaries Research Institute is re-releasing a compelling episode from the Research Insights Podcast archive: "Takaful: An Alternative Approach to Insurance."

In this conversation, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the SOA Research Institute, sits down with consulting actuary and author Shariq Sikander, FSA, FPSA, CERA, to explore how Takaful—a Shari'ah-compliant, cooperative insurance model—embodies principles of ethical investing, surplus sharing, and community support. Together, they discuss how this values-based system not only aligns with cultural and religious beliefs but also promotes financial inclusion and poverty alleviation across global markets.

As we reflect on the importance of economic empowerment and access to financial protection, this classic episode reminds us how innovation in insurance can help build more equitable systems—ones designed to serve, not just insure.

Tune in to revisit this thought-provoking discussion and consider how alternative frameworks like Takaful might inspire the next chapter of inclusive financial solutions.

Landing page:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2024/takaful-alternative-approach/

Send us your feedback at ResearchInsights@soa.org

In Episode 6 of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's podcast series Long-Term Drivers of Future Mortality, Kara Clark is joined by Al Klein, Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman, and Erik Pickett, Actuary and Chief Content Officer at Club Vita, to discuss the pivotal role of health care in shaping future mortality outcomes.

Drawing from the SOA Research Institute report presented at the 2023 Living to 100 Symposium, this episode dives into Chapter 6, which examines health care systems across the globe—from universal government-funded models to private nonuniversal systems—and their implications for access, treatment, prevention, and long-term outcomes. The conversation explores technological innovation, systemic disparities, and the actuarial lens on future health care challenges.

📘 Access the full report and explore all podcast episodes here:
https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2025/longterm-drivers-futuremort-podseries/

Send us your feedback at ResearchInsights@soa.org

Don't miss our latest Research Insights Podcast straight to you from the Research Institute at the Society of Actuaries!  Listen to Sara Teppema, FSA, MAAA, FCA and Chief Actuary at Wildflower Health and Rebecca Owen, FSA, MAAA and Principal at Oregon Coast Actuarial, discuss social physical and cultural determinants of health and their incorporation into the actuarial data and workstreams.

Landing page:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2023/soc-phy-cultural-doh/

Report:  chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.soa.org/496f00/globalassets/assets/files/resources/research-report/2023/sdoh_act_data_workstreams.pdf 

Hear David Schraub, Senior Practice Research Actuary at the SOA Research Institute, talk about how artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML) can help accelerate the speed of analysis for life and annuity actuarial modeling.

Report:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2023/predictive-analytics-and-machine-learning/

Listen to David Schraub, Senior Practice Research Actuary at the SOA Research Institute, talk about the recently published report "Microinsurance in a Nutshell: Only for Africa?"  The journey for microinsurance, nowadays called inclusive insurance, started a long time ago and is not complete in the majority of the low-income and low middle-income markets. When seeking to enhance inclusive insurance markets, it is useful and necessary to have a good understanding because it entails a different treatment of customers, distribution, products, pricing, client management, premium collection, claims declaration and settlement, and reporting.

Report:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2023/microins-in-a-nutshell/

The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute is dedicated to advancing education and research for the actuarial profession. As part of its mission, the SOA Research Institute recognizes the importance of partnering with colleges and universities to help develop future actuaries. With this in mind, the SOA Research Institute holds an annual Student Research Case Study Challenge, which provides an opportunity for teams of students to apply their actuarial skills on a real-world problem in a business setting.

Time to tune in to another episode of Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast!  Our guests today are Julia Zhang, Partner at EY and Jingling Zhang, Senior Consultant at EY discussing their recently written report "ESG for the Insurance and Pension Industry in Asia Pacific Markets" which addresses trends of ESG development for different types of institutions in the insurance and pension industry across APAC regions and markets.

Report:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2023/esg-ins-pension-asia-pacific/

Greetings listeners!  Tune in to another episode of SOA Research Insights Podcast featuring Max Rudolph from Rudolph Financial Consulting, LLC and Sr ERM Actuary at ARM talking about the "16th Annual Survey of Emerging Risks."  The 16th Survey of Emerging Risks follows trends about risks that go beyond the normal planning cycle, using the wisdom of crowds concept to apply foresight to potential future scenarios.

Report:  https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2023/16th-survey-emerging-risks/

Tune in to the 253rd episode of Research Insights Podcast featuring John O'Leary and John Cutler discussing a recently published report that explores stakeholder views in Minnesota on the efficacy of a public catastrophic long-term care insurance program at the state level.

Long-Term Care Coverage: Stakeholder Thoughts on State-Based Catastrophic Insurance

In the United States, individuals needing long-term services and supports (LTSS) access care, utilize services, and pay for their services in various ways. The authors explore how the need for, utilization of and payment for long-term services and supports differ in the U.S. by population cohorts. Their primary focus is disparity by race and ethnicity, but they also consider variations by geography, family structure, age, sex, gender and other socioeconomic factors.

Our guest on this podcast is Rebecca Sheppard, FSA, MAAA, from Risk and Regulatory Consulting.  R. Dale Hall, SOA Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute hosts the podcast.

As a new Actuarial Guideline comes into play for testing the adequacy of U.S. life insurance company reserves, we highlight a new SOA Research Institute report with considerations on how to look at excess spreads above Treasuries for life insurers' investments.  Guests on this podcast are two of the three authors of the report, Marc Altschull and Dave Bulin of the Actuarial Risk Management consulting firm.  R. Dale Hall, SOA Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute hosts the podcast.

We take a deep dive into the highlights of the SOA Research Institute's new CDC U.S. Population Mortality results with Cynthia MacDonald and Jerry Holman.  R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute hosts the podcast.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

In honor of National Safety Month, the Society of Actuaries is re-releasing its very first Research Insights podcast — a foundational conversation that still resonates today. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, Managing Director of Research, introduces the episode, which highlights the findings from the 2017 SOA report, "Analysis of Opioid Overdose Death Trends in the United States."

This conversation explores key mortality trends, risk factors, and how actuarial analysis can support public health efforts, especially in tackling the opioid crisis. It's a timely reflection during a month dedicated to reducing preventable harm.

Explore the original report here: https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2017/2017-opioid-overdose-deaths-us/

Send us your feedback at ResearchInsights@soa.org

Listen to SOA Research Institute actuaries Cynthia MacDonald, Rob Montgomery, Achilles Natsis, Lisa Schilling,  David Schraub, Steven Siegel, and Ronora Stryker look ahead to 2023, both personally and professionally, with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to SOA Research Institute actuaries Cynthia MacDonald, Rob Montgomery, Achilles Natsis, Lisa Schilling, David Schraub, Steven Siegel, and Ronora Stryker look back on 2022, both personally and professionally, with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

A must listen! 2023 Living to100 Symposium Chairperson, Jean-Marc Fix, FSA, MAAA, and Ronora Stryker, ASA, MAAA, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research  Actuary discuss the 2023 Living to 100 Symposium with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to Max J. Rudolph, FSA, CFA, CERA, MAAA from Rudolph Financial Consulting, LLC discuss the 2022 Mortality Improvement Survey Report with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Becky Sheppard, FSA, MAAA, Actuarial Manager at Risk & Regulatory Consulting discuss Mental Illness and Its Impact on U.S. Mortality and Longevity with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your suggestions for future research focus podcasts and your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director discuss Open Enrollment.

Review the SOA Research Institute healthcare research.

We welcome your suggestions for future research focus podcasts, and your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to a special edition podcast. Host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute recently held a virtual open house highlighting the work of the Institute and opportunities to get involved in Institute research. We are posting the audio from the open house. Access the corresponding presentation and follow along. We apologize for some occasional background noise.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Ronora Stryker, ASA, MAAA, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research Actuary discuss research outputs and current events of the Mortality and Longevity Strategic Research Program with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Rade Musulin and Stuart Wason, both from the International Actuarial Association's (IAA) Climate Risk Task Force, preview COP 27with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director. COP 27 will be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt  from November 6, to November 18, 2022. 

Read Rade Musulin's article, More Than Global Warming in The Actuary magazine.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to Patrick Nolan, FSA, MAAA, SOA Research Institute Senior Experience Studies Actuary, and Marty Hill, FSA, MAAA, Director at PwC and SOA Research Institute Retirement Plan Experience Committee (RPEC) Mortality Improvement Subcommittee chairperson discuss the RPEC 2022 Mortality Improvement Update with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

In this episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research and Lisa Schilling, Director of Practice Research, at the SOA Research Institute, are joined by the 2025 Student Research Case Study Challenge champions from the University of Waterloo—William Zhang, Ki Yan Chan, and Kevin Jiang.

These future actuaries—competing as Team Factuarial—share their winning experience, from initial exploration of complex flood insurance datasets to delivering clear, policy-relevant recommendations. They reflect on their challenges, the insights gained through expert mentorship, and how the competition has shaped their perspective on actuarial work beyond numbers and into public policy.

Learn more about the competition, review finalist papers, and discover how to get involved in next year's challenge by visiting the landing page:  https://www.soa.org/research/opportunities/2025-student-research-case-study-challenge/

Send us your feedback at ResearchInsights@soa.org

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director discuss World Mental Health Day, which was October 10, 2022. Dale talks about the importance of staying in touch with family and friends to promote good mental health and previews an upcoming research report covering mortality and mental health.

Here is the link to our previous podcast on mental health Dale references, COVID-19 Mental Health Impact.

We welcome your suggestions for future research focus podcasts, and your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to David Schraub, FSA, CERA, MAAA, AQ, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research Actuary discuss 2 new Decentralized Finance (DeFi) reports with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director. Reports discussed are as follows:

Decentralized Insurance Alternatives

A Risk Classification Framework for Decentralized Finance Protocols

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Alberto M. Ramirez, FCA, MAAA, the research leader on 3 new enterprise risk management reports discuss the research with guest podcast host, David Schraub, FSA, MAAA, CERA, AQ, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research Actuary. R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Managing Director of Research provides the intro and outro.

Here are links to the 3 reports discussed:

China: An Era of Insurance Innovation

India: Growth Opportunities on the Rise

US and Canada: An Era of Value-added Enterprise Risk Management

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to SOA Research Institute staff actuaries discuss the 2022 SOA ImpACT Conference with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director. SOA Research Institute staff actuaries featured are as follows:

Rob Montgomery, ASA, MAAA, FLMI, Consultant - Research Project Manager, Manager of the Catastrophe and Climate Strategic Research Program.

Lisa Schilling, FSA, EA, FCA, MAAA, Senior Research Actuary, Manager of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Research Program.

David Schraub, FSA, MAAA, CERA, AQ, Senior Practice Research Actuary, Manager of the Actuarial Innovation and Technology Strategic Research Program

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director discuss Life Insurance Awareness Month. Dale discusses the life insurance industry and the important role of  actuaries in the industry.

Listen to Robert Richardson ASA, PhD, Assistant Professor at Brigham Young University discuss Auto Loss Trends through COVID Pandemic with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Ronora Stryker, ASA, MAAA, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research Actuary discuss COVID-19 and the Short-Term Impact on Future U.S. Mortality with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Rob Bernard, Director of Climate Risk Modeling at PwC discuss Avoiding Unfair Bias in Insurance Applications of AI Models with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director discuss key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Access SOA Research Institute research referenced in this podcast:

• A Summary of the Health Care Cost Institute's 2020 Annual Cost and Utilization Report
• TCFD Best Practices
• Climate Impact on Tick-Borne Illness

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Max J. Rudolph, FSA, CFA, CERA, MAAA from Rudolph Financial Consulting, LLC and David Schraub, FSA, CERA, MAAA, AQ, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research Actuary discuss the 15th Emerging Risk Survey with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

In the fifth episode of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute's special podcast series on the Long-Term Drivers of Future Mortality, host Kara Clark, Senior Practice Research Actuary, is joined by Al Klein, Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman and co-author of the featured report, and Erik Pickett, Actuary and Chief Content Officer at Club Vita.

This episode explores diseases as critical drivers of future mortality. Topics include chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer; mental health and neurodegenerative diseases; and the ongoing threats of infectious diseases and pandemics. The speakers highlight how evolving medical treatments, shifting demographics, and public health infrastructure influence mortality projections—and the implications these have for actuaries.

This conversation is grounded in Chapter Five: Diseases from the report, Long-Term Drivers of Future Mortality, originally presented at the 2023 Living to 100 Symposium.

📘 Explore the full report and access the entire podcast series here:
https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2025/longterm-drivers-futuremort-podseries/

Send us your feedback at ResearchInsights@soa.org 

Listen to David Schraub, FSA, CERA, MAAA, AQ, SOA Research Institute Senior Practice Research Actuary discuss Actuarial Technology, A Roundtable Discussion on Current Issues – 2022 Update with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director discuss climate related health issues, which are especially relevant in this current season of extreme heat. 

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Matthew Bruckner, J.D., Associate Professor of Law at Howard University School of Law, the lead researcher on the project and Robert Gomez, FSA, MAAA, CERA, Actuarial Consultant at State Farm and Project Oversight Group Chair discuss Race, Wealth and Bankruptcy Code Exemptions in Washington, DC with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, Managing Director of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to Dr. Xiao Xu, FSA, CERA, SOA Research Institute Researcher and Lecturer at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia discuss the Survey of Emerging Risks in China and Greater Asia with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

Listen to Larry Stern, FSA, MAAA, Vice Chair of the Mortality & Longevity Program Steering Committee and President of Canterbury Consulting, LLC discuss The Mortality Improvement Model, MIM-2021-v2 with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Managing Director of Research.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director discuss U.S. population mortality in the current environment. 

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to Achilles Natsis, FSA, MAAA, FLMI, SOA Research Institute Health Research Actuary and Grant Porter, PhD, Senior Consultant at Faulkner Consulting Group discuss the  Medicaid Managed Care Underwriting Margin Model with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, Managing Director of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to Runhuan Feng, PhD, FSA, CERA and Zhiyu (Frank) Quan, PhD, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign preview the 2022 Actuarial Research Conference (ARC)  conference with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director. The ARC, a premier event in North America for actuaries to meet and discuss all areas of actuarial practice, will be held this year at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. After you listen to the podcast, register so you don't miss  this great event!

Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries or the respective interviewees' employers.

Listen to guest hosts, Lisa A. Schilling, SOA Research Institute Senior Research Actuary and Carlos Arocha, Chair of the 2022 SOA Research Institute Student Research Case Study Challenge and Managing Partner at Arocha & Associates in Zurich, Switzerland talk with the 1st place team from Indiana University; Eric Herbst, Henry Bobeck, Hariharan PV, Michael Dineen, and Ann Renholzberger. The students discuss how they worked through the challenge and ultimately produced the 1st place entry, and the team provides advice to future student case study challenge participants. 

The SOA Research Institute is proud to have Valani Global as a platinum sponsor to help fund the 2022 Challenge.

Listen to Jean-Marc Fix, FSA, MAAA, member and past chairperson of the Mortality & Longevity Steering Committee, and Vice President of Actuarial Research & Development for Gen Re discuss current events in the Mortality and Longevity Strategic Research Program with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org

In this special classic episode of Research Insights, we revisit a powerful discussion from May 2020, when the world was grappling with the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Five years later, this conversation is still as relevant as ever. As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, we're spotlighting how actuarial research intersects with mental health trends—and why those insights still matter today.

 Whether you're in the actuarial field or simply someone who values mental well-being, this episode offers a thoughtful, data-informed perspective on the challenges we continue to face. For mental health support, visit MentalHealth.gov or call or text 988.

Visit the Landing Page:  Mental Health Trends and COVID-19

In this research focus edition podcast, listen to R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, SOA Research Institute Managing Director provide insights in an update on the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Review the SOA Research Institute COVID-19 research. We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

Listen to Joan C. Barrett, FSA, MAAA and Stephanie Entzminger, FSA, MAAA, both Consulting Actuaries at Axene Health Partners, LLC  discuss How Does Where You Live Impact Your Health? with host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, Managing Director of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute.

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org.

This podcast previews the 2022 SOA Health Meeting, a premier event being held June 12-15, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA, and there is also a digital program if you're not able to join in person. Podcast host, R. Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA, CFA, Managing Director of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute chats with Shereen Sayre, ASA, MAAA, Health Meeting Chairperson and Achilles Natsis, FSA, MAAA, FLMI, SOA Research Institute Health Research Actuary. After you listen to the podcast, register so you don't miss any of the great professional development and special events!  

We welcome your questions or comments at researchinsights@soa.org