Most current (or recently graduated) college students are familiar with several of the methods that can be used to finance a college education. The most preferred options are college savings programs (529 plans), grants and scholarships, because they do not have to be paid back. Secondly most-preferred are government loans, which have lower interest rates compared to other loans. Once those avenues are exhausted, however, it is up to the students and their families to find other alternatives. Traditionally, this would mean that students (or their families) might resort to taking out private loans with higher rates than those offered by the government. But what if there was another funding method to consider – one that relied more directly on the quantifiable expected return of the education being pursued?

A decade ago, autonomous vehicles (AVs) seemed like a futuristic gimmick, out of reach.

Today, however – although the word “autonomous” might suggest otherwise – most people drive some sort of AV. Various rate filings, both for commercial and private passenger auto, give an idea of how autonomous vehicles are being priced with regard to insurance. Although rate filings do not exist for fully autonomous vehicles, many filings offer discounts for having an autonomous feature attached to the vehicle.

This raises the question – would fully autonomous vehicles be even more cost-effective with regard to insurance?

Not too long ago, I received the news that I failed my most recent actuarial exam. Those familiar with the actuarial examination process know that this is an agonizing feeling (in fact, the Wall Street Journal published an article in December 2021 about the challenges of actuarial exams). To make matters worse, it was the fourth time I scored just under a passing score of 6 during my exam journey. 

When faced with discouragement, it’s all too easy to admit defeat. So how can we keep going when it feels like a win is out of reach?

 

This past year has marked a sea change in the traditional relationship between employer and employee. We are experiencing a paradigm shift, and the power and prominence that once rested with the boss has gravitated toward the employee.

Many people have vivid memories of where they were when COVID-19 became “real” for them. It was the moment that the pandemic evolved from an intangible topic on the news impacting people somewhere far away to something that directly affected daily life in their own communities—and for an a seemingly indefinite period of time. Much in the world has changed as a result of the pandemic, some of it perhaps permanently. In the captive insurance world, coverage for business interruption (BI) may be one of those changes.