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Useful links

A range of suggested information sources* of actuarial interest.

Actuarial societies | Actuarial education | Bulletin boards and newsgroups | International | Journals and publishers | Glossaries and dictionaries | Research portals and libraries

By topic

Accountancy | Banking | Law | Maths | Mortality | Real estate | Regulation and compliance | Statistics and economic indicators | UK national and local government

International actuarial profession

Actuarial professional bodies and societies

(See also national and regional associations listed as Full members and Associate members of the International Actuarial Association)

Actuarial education

Bulletin boards and newsgroups

Journals and publications

Glossaries and Dictionaries

Research portals and libraries

  • British Library Online Catalogue
    Search the 8.5 million books and other material in the British Library's catalogues
  • Chartered Insurance Institute (CII): Knowledge Services
    Library and information service for CII members: Receives external inquiries advising possible charges to non-members. Technical and market information on insurance, risk, and related financial services and an international gateway to other published material on these subjects. Includes technical fact files, a digital journal archive, a library of scanned papers, a global Web directory, an online bookshop, and other document delivery services.
  • EthOS: British Library E-thesis Online Service
    Use Advanced Search for 'Actuarial', 'Insurance', 'Pensions' or 'Risk Management' to find UK university doctoral theses, sort by 'Newest' for the latest research on actuarial subjects.
  • Global Data: Insurance
  • Subscription service portal to regularly updated reports covering market trends and analysis, rankings, forecasts, regulatory information, and insight into hot topics in insurance, with supporting statistics
  • directoryinsurance.com
    Directory of insurance companies on the web
  • Incomes Data Services
    Includes good series of economic indicators
  • International actuarial links
    A wide-ranging page of links to resources for actuaries maintained by Emil Valdez, University of Connecticut
  • Jisc Library Hub Discover
    Search the union online catalogue of items held by many national, academic, and specialist (subject) libraries in the UK and Ireland.
  • National Archives - UK National Digital Archive of Datasets
    Contains archived digital data from UK government departments and agencies. The system has been available since March 1998 and provides open access to the catalogues of all its holdings, and free access to open datasets following a simple registration process. Includes a useful page for mortality data 1901-1992
  • Open Access Theses and Dissertations
    Search 'Actuarial', 'Insurance', 'Pensions' or 'Risk Management', for open access doctoral theses of universities worldwide.
  • Pandemics: IFoA Hub
    Portal to the IFoA's collation of IFoA actuarial perspectives (Continuous Mortality Investigation monitoring, articles and blogs by IFoA members, regulation and guidance, webinars, reports and papers and digests assessing economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, selected resource hub sites of external organisations, and research relating to previous pandemics.
  • ResearchGate
    Register for free to search a database of research papers, some pre-journal versions, or those then linked to final peer-reviewed publications.
  • Social Science Research Network
    Over 98, 000 research papers, many can be downloaded free of charge
  • Serials Union CATalogue for the UK research community
    Invaluable for locating journals and finding out about journals in a specific subject area.

Accountancy

Banking

  • Bank of England
    The central bank of the United Kingdom
  • London Institute of Banking and Finance
    The Institute develops and delivers a range of qualifications. The site includes information on qualifications, seminars, training events, conferences and lectures, an online library catalogue, and links to other financial services sites.

Law

Mathematics

  • Czech Digital Mathematics Library
    Access to Applications of Mathematics, Archivum Mathematicum, Commentationes Mathematicae Universitatis Carolinae, and Czechoslovak Mathematical Journal
  • Institute of Mathematics and its Applications
    Professional and learned society for qualified and practising mathematicians. Its mission is to promote mathematics in industry, business, the public sector, education, and research.
  • London Mathematical Society
    Major British learned society for mathematics
  • Numerical Algorithms Group
    Develops and provides software to solve complex mathematical problems
  • Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance
    Centre for academic research in quantitative finance, with special emphasis on alternative investments
  • Royal Statistical Society
    Forum for all who are interested in statistics
  • Smith Institute
    Aims to spread the use of mathematics and computer science, and in particular the intellectual discipline of the mathematical way of thinking, more widely in the formulation of industrial strategy and in the planning of industrial products and processes.

Mortality

  • Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Resource Centre (The Lancet)
    The GBD study offers a powerful resource to understand the changing health challenges facing people across the world in the 21st century. Led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), the GBD study is the most comprehensive worldwide observational epidemiological study to date. Articles on findings from each GBD survey are reported in The Lancet journal.
  • Human Mortality Database
    'The HMD database was created to provide detailed mortality and population data to researchers, students, journalists, policy analysts, and others interested in the history of human longevity. The project began from earlier projects at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, and at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany. The Center on the Economics and Development of Aging (CEDA) French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED) has also supported further development of the database in recent years' - HMD website.
  • Human Life Table Database
    Part of the Human Mortality Database project, maintained by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), Germany.
  • IAA Mortality Task Force: Information Base
    Follow links to 'Information base' and 'Country reports' for updates on mortality research provided by IAA Mortality Working Group members.
  • Mortality Data Directory
    The Mortality Research Steering Committee (MRSC) and IFoA have produced a Mortality Data Directory which lists free and commercial datasets available in the area of mortality. The data sets include UK, Republic of Ireland, European, and International data sets. It is hoped that greater access to and awareness of these data sets will enable accurate modelling of information allowing actuaries to make informed decisions regarding longevity and mortality in relation to life assurance, pensions, and long-term care products.
  • MyLongevity.
    This app is being developed based on the results of research within the programme on 'Big Health and Actuarial Data for understanding Longevity and Morbidity Risks’ funded by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and commissioned through the Actuarial Research Centre, and of the research within the ESRC funded Business and Local Government Data Research Centre. App development was funded by the University of East Anglia (UEA). Data sources on which calculations are based are outlined, and please note 
  • National Archives - UK: Historic Mortality Dataset
    Archived digital data from UK government departments and agencies includes a useful page for mortality data 1901-1992.
  • Pandemics: IFoA Hub
    Portal to the IFoA's collation of IFoA actuarial perspectives (Continuous Mortality Investigation monitoring, articles and blogs by IFoA members, regulation and guidance, webinars, reports and papers, and digests assessing economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, selected resource hub sites of external organisations, and research relating to previous pandemics.
  • Society of Actuaries 'Living to 100' website
    Information about the 'Living to 100' research initiative on aging, increases in survival rates, and the implications. The site includes news, monographs from past symposia, research, media, and trade coverage, links to numerous resources, and the latest information on the next 'Living to 100 Symposium'.

Real estate

  • Investment Property Forum
    An independent organisation aimed at improving the awareness, understanding, and efficiency of property as an investment.

Regulation and compliance

  • Financial Reporting Council: Actuaries
    Following the Morris Review of the Actuarial Profession, published in March 2005, HM Treasury asked the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to take on responsibility for oversight of the actuarial profession in the UK by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) and the independent setting of technical actuarial standards. This latter task was the remit of the Board for Actuarial Standards until 2 July 2012 when responsibility was assumed by the FRC. The FRC seeks to promote high-quality actuarial practice and the integrity, competence, and transparency of the actuarial profession – to the benefit of all those who rely on actuarial advice.
    See also IFoA's website: Upholding Standards
  • Financial Conduct Authority
    ‘The Financial Conduct Authority is the conduct regulator for 56,000 financial services firms and financial markets in the UK and the prudential regulator for over 24,000 of those firms.’
  • Former UK financial regulators: Legacy publications
    This includes some rulebooks of predecessor UK organisations to the Financial Conduct Authority including the Financial Services Authority, Securities and Investments Board, Personal Investment Authority, and others.
  • Morris Review of the Actuarial Profession (HM Treasury report now available through The National Archives)
  • Prudential Regulatory Authority (at Bank of England)
    The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) was created as a part of the Bank of England by the Financial Services Act (2012) and is responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of around 1,700 banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers, and major investment firms. The PRA’s objectives are set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA).
  • International Compliance Association
    The International Compliance Association is a non-profit making professional organisation dedicated to the furtherance of best compliance and anti-money laundering practice in the financial services sector
  • The Pensions Regulator
    Regulator of work-based pension schemes in the UK
  • The Compliance Exchange
    E-Information Centre for Compliance Officers, investment professionals, and students
  • UK regulators, government, and other bodies
    This FCA page offers links to other UK bodies with whom the FCA works closely.
  • Wikipedia: List of financial regulatory authorities by country

Statistics and economic indicators

UK national and local government

  • British Official Publications Collaborative Reader Information Service
    A web-based database of British Official Publications 1688-1995
  • Central Government site
    Includes index to all departments and agencies
  • Corporation of London
  • Department for Work and Pensions
    Information about current social security legislation and benefits. The Department was formed on 8 June 2001 from parts of the former Department of Social Security, parts of the former Department for Education and Employment, and the Employment Service
  • Government Actuary's Department
    Providing mainly public sector clients with independent, professional actuarial advice
  • Official documents
    Full text of selected Government reports - White Papers, Green Papers, and House of Commons Papers - and links to Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments, and a range of other official information
  • Scottish Parliament
    Brings together the complete runs of all parliamentary resources. Current editions of the Business Bulletin, Official Reports, Minutes, WHISP (What's Happening in the Scottish Parliament), and other items which bear on current business
  • UK Legislation
    Full text of Acts of Parliament from 1988, Statutory Instruments from 1987, and other legislative documents
  • UK Parliament
    Includes the full text of many publications produced by the Stationery Office for Parliament, normally available on the same day as the item is published in printed form
  • UKOP On-line
    Subscription catalogue of United Kingdom Official publications together with listings of other major British, European, and International organisations. Contains 360,000 continually updated records of official reports and documentation from 1980 onwards
  • Welsh Assembly
  • Wired-gov - A personalised e-mail alert service in collaboration with the Government's News Distribution Service (GICS Cabinet Office).

Suggestions for new links for non-commercial information sources are welcome. Please e-mail the IFoA Library Service.

*This page contains links to external websites. Although we make every effort to ensure these links are accurate, up to date, and relevant, the IFoA cannot take responsibility for pages maintained by external providers. The IFoA takes no responsibility for information contained on external links from this website. Views expressed by individuals and organisations on external sites are not necessarily those of the IFoA itself.

 

Contact Details

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libraries@actuaries.org.uk

We try to respond to email queries within one working day. Researcher access to historical resources may require notice in advance of visit in order to retrieve items from storage.

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Events calendar

  • Climate Solvency The Actuaries Carbon Collaboration: Applying Actuarial Concepts to Carbon Emissions

    6 July 2022

    Spaces available

    The Actuaries’ Carbon Collaboration (ACC) is a group of actuaries and other professionals working towards a coherent understanding of the issues around greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by considering them in an actuarial context.

    Emissions into and absorption from the atmosphere can be modelled in the same way that we model variable cash flows, including the impacts of uncertain quantities and timing. The ACC’s work investigates both the insights that this analogy provides and its limitations.

  • Sessional Meeting: Data and Modelling Considerations for mental health in life insurance

    11 July 2022

    Spaces available

    This talk presents the work of the Data and Modelling workstream of the IFoA Mental Health Working Party. We explore data and modelling considerations in the risk assessment and underwriting of mental health conditions. We will also consider how newer risk factors and improved data availability might open up opportunities for additional underwriting and product designs.

  • Pensions Dashboards

    12 July 2022

    Spaces available

    As the industry prepares for Pensions Dashboards, we have lined up a specialist panel who is at the heart of the ongoing work in this area. Hear the latest developments, future proposals and have the opportunity to put forward your questions to our speakers.

  • Crisis Management and Boards

    18 July 2022

    Spaces available

    Crisis management, the process by which an organization deals with a disruptive, sudden and unexpected event that threatens to harm the organization or its stakeholders, has become a key concern in the light of the Pandemic and Geopolitical risks.

  • Applying AI – From Concept to Practice

    19 July 2022

    Spaces available

    Artificial Intelligence is heralded as a game-changer to the ways industries use data, with the insurance industry especially looking to embrace these new technologies. This brings many questions – not least around data privacy, ethics, potential biases and so on – with regulators increasingly interested in developments.

    Moreover, whilst the stunning progress of specific technologies such as Watson and Alphazero made headlines some years ago, current commercial applications of AI remain far from mature.

  • Is your ESG offering a misselling risk? This innovative concept can resolve that risk

    20 July 2022

    Spaces available

    This webinar will cover:

    • Some background on the risks of misselling in an ESG context, including the DWS case

    • Achieving positive impact is a strong antidote to the risks of greenwashing or ESG misselling, however this risks having a tension with fiduciary responsibilities

    • This tension can be resolved with a concept called Universal Ownership

    • Under Universal ownership, investors have an appetite to make a loss in order to achieve positive impact, and yet still have no compromise on their fiduciary responsibilities

  • Healthcare transformation in KSA: Opportunities for Actuaries

    11 August 2022

    Spaces available

    This session will focus on the transformation roadmap of the healthcare sector in KSA and the role of actuarial capabilities in enhancing its evolution to the desired end stage as per the objectives of the Vision 2030. The discussion will focus how the system has evolved so far and shed light on  the expected future changes. Through examining  the transformation, we will highlight how the sector is and can use actuarial  expertise to not only assist with this transformation but also use basic actuarial principles to identify the key risks and their respective mitigation strategies.

  • Sessional Meeting: Covid-19 and the Effectiveness of ERM Frameworks

    Online
    15 August 2022

    Spaces available

    The purpose of this research paper is to explore enterprise risk management lessons which can be learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic in preparation for potential future pandemics as well as other “gray rhino” or “black swan” events. This paper is not intended to be an all-encompassing solution to the issues presented by Covid-19; rather, the content has been provided to help drive discussions regarding how risk management processes may need to evolve in line with the dynamic nature of the underlying risks that they sometimes need to capture.

  • Infrastructure as an investment for insurance companies and pension funds

    10 October 2022

    Spaces available

    The IFoA's Infrastructure Working Party, led by Chris Lewin, will present its new introductory guide to infrastructure investment, which will be published on the IFoA web-site prior to the webinar.   Those readers whose institutions have already taken the plunge into infrastructure will know that it is a highly complex and diverse field of activity.   This guide does not explore all the matters which investors take into account, but it does discuss many of the more important points, including the risks and past returns, benchmarking, and ESG and SDG considerations.    Attendees will be invi

  • Health – Our Greatest Asset

    2 November 2022

    Spaces available

    Health contributes to happiness at the personal, family, community and societal level.  Health, importantly underpins all our economic security. This talk will explore the drivers of our health, the measurement of health and the steps we can take to improve health – most of which lie outside the NHS.