About Research Insights, a Society of Actuaries Podcast
Research Insights, hosted by R. Dale Hall, FSA, MAAA, CERA, Managing Director of the SOA Research Institute and occasional guest hosts, highlights Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute research. The podcasts include recently released research reports, research featured at SOA meetings, and other related items produced by SOA research.
September 2026 Classic Edition-Impact of Climate Change
In recognition of World Environmental Health Day, this episode of the Research Insights Podcast revisits a Research Insights Classic exploring climate change and its connection to health, risk, and decision-making.
The discussion examines how climate-related changes—including shifts in air quality, extreme heat, severe storms, and displacement—can affect health outcomes, economic stability, and the risks individuals, communities, and organizations may need to consider and plan for.
World Environmental Health Day highlights the important relationship between the environment and human health. This conversation offers a timely opportunity to revisit how changing environmental conditions can translate into real-world challenges and why understanding these interconnected risks continues to matter.
Listen now to revisit this Research Insights Classic and explore the connections between climate change, health, and risk.
9 Sept 2026
Developing and Evaluating Behavioral Health Solutions
Behavioral health is increasingly recognized as an important part of overall health—and an area where health plan sponsors, providers and actuaries have opportunities to improve outcomes.
In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Kara Clark, Senior Research Actuary at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, is joined by Joan C. Barrett, FSA, MAAA, author of the report Developing and Evaluating Behavioral Health Solutions.
Their conversation explores the connection between behavioral and physical health, how behavioral health disorders are diagnosed and treated, and the barriers patients may face when seeking care. Joan also discusses emerging opportunities, including digital health applications, advances in treatment and genetics, evolving provider strategies, and the growing role of health plan sponsors in addressing behavioral health.
The episode also examines how actuaries can evaluate behavioral health solutions from both financial and stakeholder perspectives, with the goal of lowering total cost of care, improving quality of care and improving quality of life for patients and caregivers.
Tune in to learn more about the challenges, opportunities and evolving strategies shaping behavioral health today.
Series Landing page: https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2026/behavioral-health
Feedback at ResearchInsights@soa.org
1 Sept 2026
Quantifying Mortality and Morbidity Impacts from Climate Risks: A Practical Framework for Decision-Making
How can actuaries assess mortality and morbidity risk when historical experience may no longer fully reflect a changing climate environment?
In this episode of the Research Insights Podcast, Dale Hall, Managing Director of Research at the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, welcomes Carlos Arocha, FSA, SCR, and Jérôme Crugnola-Humbert, SAV, IA, authors of the report Quantifying Mortality and Morbidity Impacts from Climate Risks: A Practical Framework for Decision-Making.
Carlos and Jérôme discuss how climate hazards, population exposure and vulnerability can translate into life and health outcomes and ultimately affect actuarial decision-making. They explore why historical mortality and morbidity data alone may be insufficient in a changing risk environment, how climate-related variables can be incorporated into mortality modeling, and what a case study examining France, Italy and Spain can teach actuaries about interpreting forward-looking scenarios.
The conversation also examines the "streetlight effect" and the "quantitative fallacy," along with practical considerations for life and health insurers seeking to better understand and prepare for climate-related risks.
Listen to the episode and explore the full report, accompanying actuarial toolkit, and additional research from the Society of Actuaries Research Institute by visiting SOA.org and navigating to the Catastrophe & Climate research area.
Read the Report: https://www.soa.org/resources/research-reports/2026/climate-mortality-morbidity-framework/
Inside a recent episode
NAIC 2025 Fall Meeting Recap
Published 18 Dec 2025 · Transcript excerpt
[…] The first thing we had along the way was the Life Actual Task Force, LATIF, where Lots of big-time current event topics going on there. I'll note from the SOA's standpoint, we were giving an update on our Experience Studies Pro releases. We were highlighting three projects that had either just come out in early December or one on fixed rate deferred surrender percentages for annuities, one on variable annuity contract holder behavior, kind of really important annuity items, especially with the fixed rate deferred surrenders as VM22 is becoming more in our sight line. And then a third that is just about a few days right now from being published, maybe out by the time the podcast rolls out, is one on individual life term conversions, the rate of conversion, what happens post-conversion for people keeping permanent policies or mortality after term conversion. […]
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