Actuaries are experts in risk assessment and management, and shoulder the heavy responsibilities of the insurance industry. They use sophisticated statistical models to accurately assess risk and ensure that insurers are able to price policies appropriately while maintaining solvency. Their work covers the design of insurance products, the calculation of insurance rates, the estimation of insurance premiums, and the evaluation of the profits of insurance** investments. In terms of insurance product design, they conduct in-depth research on people's insurance needs and carefully design new insurance terms that meet individual needs and are competitive in the market. The formulation of these terms needs to fully consider the actual needs of people to ensure that the pricing is reasonable and the management is feasible. In addition, the actuary also needs to accurately calculate the insurance rate based on information such as life statistics, current bank interest rates and expense ratios to determine the policy**. They also need to estimate the amount of money the insured will receive during the insurance period and evaluate the profit on the insurance** investment. The goal of their work is to ensure that the insurance company has sufficient funds to cope with insurance payments that may occur at any time, while maintaining the solvency of the company.
Actuaries are an indispensable and important pillar of insurance companies' operations and supervision, and are regarded as the "gold collar of gold collars". However, due to the scarcity of talents in this field, the current demand for actuaries in China is far greater than that of the world, and the talent gap is as high as tens of thousands, and it will continue to expand in the next few years. This profession requires not only solid knowledge of mathematics, statistics, and insurance, but also market insight and innovative thinking to respond to the ever-changing demands of the insurance market. At the same time, they need to continuously learn and improve their skills to adapt to the rapid development of the industry.
To become an actuary, there are a series of steps and requirements that need to be followed. First of all, in terms of academic qualifications, you need to have a bachelor's degree or above, and the major direction can be mathematics, statistics, economics, finance or insurance, etc. These disciplines will provide you with the necessary theoretical underpinnings and analytical skills. Secondly, it is necessary to pass a series of exams to qualify as an actuary. In China, it is required to take the Chinese Actuary Qualification Examination, which is divided into several levels, including associate actuaries and actuaries. The exam covers a variety of areas such as mathematics, financial mathematics, actuarial modeling, economics, life actuarial science, non-life actuarial science, accounting and finance, and actuarial management. You need to pass the exams in each subject according to the exam requirements. In addition to exams, practical experience is essential. After passing the exam, you will need to gain practical work experience in an insurance company or related institution, and have an in-depth understanding of the operation and actuarial practice of the insurance business. It is usually necessary to have a certain number of years of experience in actuarial, risk management, product design, or a related field to qualify as an actuary.
In addition, it is very important to have some necessary skills and tools. For example, you need to be proficient in office software such as Word, PPT and Excel, master programming language and modeling knowledge such as R, Python, SQL, etc., as well as good reporting and communication skills. These skills and tools will help you work more effectively in the actuarial field. Finally, continuous learning and professional development are also crucial. Actuarial insurance is a field that is constantly evolving and changing, with new theories, methods, and techniques constantly emerging. In order to remain competitive, it is necessary to attend professional training, seminars and industry conferences on a regular basis to constantly update your knowledge and skills. In summary, becoming an actuary requires a corresponding academic background, passing professional examinations, accumulating practical experience, mastering the necessary skills and tools, and continuous learning and professional development. This career is full of challenges and room for development, and if you are interested in actuarial science and are willing to put in the effort, then this is a very promising career choice.