However, students are not expected to have read all of the items on the list or to have gained a detailed knowledge of any particular topic additional to that contained in the Core Reading. Equally, students may use other sources of information to enhance their wider understanding, such as:
- the financial and trade press, including The Actuary magazine
- bulletins and other publications from reinsurers and consultancies
- other papers from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and the Staple Inn Actuarial Society (SIAS)
- Continuous Mortality Investigation bulletins
- presentations made at recent Life conferences or other life insurance seminars
- other recommended references on the Life Practice Area of the site.
Actuarial Standards
The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries is responsible for the setting of ethical actuarial standards. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is responsible for the setting of technical actuarial standards.
- Technical actuarial standards can be found on the FRC's website
- Other professional guidance material can be found on the Regulation pages of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries website
Articles and papers
These article and paper references from Unit 16 of SA2 Core Reading 2019 are listed by year for each unit within SA2 to which they are most applicable. However, some reading material may be relevant to more than one Unit while one paper listed at the end under 'Wider reading' is not obviously applicable to any specific Unit.
Title links are to papers first presented to IFoA sessional research meetings or to Staple Inn Actuarial Society (SIAS) papers. Papers subsequently published in British Actuarial Journal (BAJ) have their permanent 'DOI' links to the BAJ, published by Cambridge Core. Members can access these articles without charge following login to the IFoA website or to the Athens portal for online resources - please contact libraries@actuaries.org.uk for an Athens account.
Units 2 and 3 – specific products and general business environment
- Lessons from closure: an analysis and comparison of the issues facing closed life funds and closed pension schemes. Campbell, A.C.; Grimley, D.C.; Pallister, J.K. et al. BAJ (2006) 12(3): 639-727.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700004645) - Variable Annuities: past, present and perfect. Shallis, P; Jones, G; Buckle, I; Hills, M., SIAS, 2009.
- A holistic lifecycle financial planning framework. Corrigan, J; Matterson, W., SIAS, 2010.
- Retail Distribution Review - an introduction - part 1, part 2. Kissoon, A.; Ealham, G. SIAS, 2013.
Units 4 and 6 – UK legislation and regulatory environment
- The Penrose Report. A discussion meeting held by the Institute of Actuaries. Abstract of the discussion. [Report of the Equitable Life Inquiry]. BAJ (2004) 10(5): 1047-1070.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700002944) - The ECJ Gender Directive ruling - one year on [slide presentation]. Texier, L.; Bhudia, R. SIAS, 2014.
Units 7 to 11 – regulation, valuation and capital management
- Market consistent valuation of life assurance business. Sheldon, T. J.; Smith, A. D. BAJ (2004) 10(3): 543-626.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700002701) - Current developments in embedded value reporting. O'Keeffe, P. J. L. et al. BAJ (2005) 11(3): 407-496.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700003226) - Notes on options, hedging, prudential reserves and fair values. Wilkie, A. D.; Owen, M. P.; Waters, H. R. BAJ (2005) 11(2): 199-312.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700003068) - The cost of capital for financial firms. Exley, J.; Smith, A. D. BAJ (2006) 12(1): 229-301.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700004761) - Practical implementation challenges of internal models under Solvency II. Austin, R et al., SIAS, 2009.
- Market-consistent valuations and the implications of the recent financial crisis. Foroughi, K. Proceedings of the International Congress of Actuaries, Cape Town, 2010.
- Developing a framework for the use of discount rates in actuarial work. Cowling, C.A. (2011) Discount Rate Steering Committee (Chair: C A Cowling) BAJ (2012) 17(1): 153-211.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321712000098) - Insurance accounting - a new era? Foroughi, K. et al. BAJ (2012) 17(3): 562-615.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321712000098) - Demystifying the risk margin: theory, practice and regulation. Brown, A. SIAS, 2012.
- Dynamic management actions. Clark, D.; Kent, J.; Morgan, E. SIAS, 2012.
- Stress testing and scenario analysis in life insurance and beyond. [slide presentation] Leach, D. et al.;The Stress and Scenario Testing Working Party. SIAS, 2014.
- Heavy models, light models and proxy models. Hursey, C. et al.; The Proxy model Working Party. 2014. (Sessional research paper, 2014) BAJ (2015) 20(1): 147-166.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321714000221) (Abstract of discussion of paper)
Unit 11 - Professional guidance [Unit 11 in SA2 Core Reading 2019]
- Technical Actuarial Standards: TAS D, TAS R, TAS M, Insurance TAS, Transformations TAS.
- Other Actuarial Profession Standards, IANs and non-mandatory resource material as listed in the Core Reading. See Actuarial Profession Professional Standards Directory
Unit 12 – Treating customers fairly
- Treating life customers fairly [Report from the Life: Treating Customers Fairly Working Party]. Staffurth, J. et al. SIAS, 2007.
Unit 13 – Risk management and controls
- Financial aspects of longevity risk. (2004) Richards, S. J.; Jones, G. L. SIAS, 2004.
- Longevity in the 21st century. Willets, R. C.; Gallop, A. P.; Leandro, T. et al. BAJ (2004) 10(4): 685-832.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700002750) - Governance and risk management in United Kingdom insurance companies. Deighton, S. P. et al. BAJ (2009) 15(3): 503-566.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700005729) - Living with mortality: longevity bonds and other mortality-linked securities. Blake, D.; Cairns, A. J. G.; Dowd, K. BAJ (2006) 12(1): 153-228.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700004736) - Report from the actuarial processes and controls best practice working party – life insurance. Care, R et al. Paper presented to Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, 2009.
- Model risk : daring to open up the black box. (sessional research paper, 2015) - Morjaria, N. et al.; Model Risk Working Party. BAJ (2015) 21(2): 229-296.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321715000276) - The nature of longevity risk. Dhamani, S. SIAS, 2015.
Unit 14 – Management of with profits business
- Asset shares and their use in the financial management of a with-profits fund. Needleman, P. D.; Roff, T. A. BAJ (1995) 1(4): 603-688.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700001276) - Measuring and managing the economic risks and costs of with-profits business. Hibbert, A. J.; Turnbull, C. J. BAJ (2003) 9(4): 725-786.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700004347) - Equity between with-profits policyholders and shareholders. O'Brien, C.D. BAJ (2012) 17(2): 435-474.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321712000074) - The management of with-profits funds in run-off: Working Party report. 2014.
Unit 15 – Contract design and pricing
- A market-based approach to pricing with-profits guarantees. Hare, D. J. P. et al. BAJ (2000) 6(1): 143-213.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700000842) - Reinventing annuities. Wadsworth, M. J.; Findlater, A. J. M.; Boardman, T. V. SIAS, 2001.
Wider reading
- Effective decision making in a life company. Iqbal, I. BAJ (2005) 11(1): 133-182.
(DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357321700003172).
Contact Details
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Events calendar
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Pensions: Actuarial Factors used to Calculate Benefits in UK Pension Schemes
Webinar28 January 2021The IFoA’s Actuarial Review Team has published its first thematic review, which looked at the actuarial advice given by scheme actuaries to UK pension scheme trustees on setting transfer values and commutation rates.
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India Town Hall
Webinar28 January 2021IFoA Immediate Past President John Taylor would like to invite you to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ (IFoA) virtual India Town Hall 2021, hosted by John Taylor with IFoA Council Member Mahidhara Davangere and IFoA Chief Executive, Stephen Mann.
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Winter Thought Leadership Lecture with Vicky Pryce
Webinar3 February 2021What are the options for the world economy looking ahead?
In this Thought Leadership Lecture, Economist, Vicky Pryce, will be discussing world economic trends, including the differences in geographical performance and how output is recovering and where.
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Professional Skills Training Webinar - 9 February 2021
Webinar9 February 2021Trust and Leadership for Actuaries
Led by Dr. Jim Baxter, University of Leeds, this webinar introduces some key ideas in the ethics of trust, with a particular focus on those in, or on the path to, leadership roles. Dr Baxter is joined by a panel of experienced leaders who will give their personal perspectives on how they understand the value of trust and how they seek to promote and inspire trust, drawing on their experiences of leadership. The panel includes:
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Health and Care Hot Topics webinar
Online webinar10 February 2021In this webinar, we have two presentations showing the latest research on the implications for life and health insurers of two key issues: genomics and pandemic risk.
Dr Peter Joshi and Paul Timmers will share their research on how well-established underwriting processes can allow for genomics in predicting expected mortality and morbidity. They will then discuss the potential for stratified screening and personalised medicine to improve health and reduce claim costs.
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As the world’s attention begins to turn to COP26 later this year in Glasgow, Sarah Gordon (Chief Executive, Impact Investing Institute) will share her vision for how the financial services industry can deliver for people and the planet, as well as how to encourage more investment with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.
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Sub-Saharan Africa Town Hall
26 February 2021IFoA Immediate Past President John Taylor would like to invite you to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ (IFoA) virtual SSA Town Hall 2021, hosted by John Taylor with IFoA Council Members Mukami Njeru, Prosper Matiashe and IFoA Chief Executive, Stephen Mann.
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MENAP Town Hall
2 March 2021IFoA Immediate Past President John Taylor would like to invite you to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ (IFoA) virtual MENAP Town Hall 2021, hosted by John Taylor and IFoA Chief Executive, Stephen Mann.