The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a crucial measurement of the cost of living in our economy, and since the economy is always changing, the methods used to calculate the CPI are adapting to that change. In this month's blog, we will be discussing some common questions regarding CPI, such as: what it is, how […]

In a recent article published by Captive International, Michelle Bradley and Enoch Starnes provide a guide to what needs to be addressed after companies with a captive are acquired or merged. Of the many considerations needed during mergers and acquisitions (M&A), one that may not be clearly defined is the integration of captives. Existing captive […]

In a recent article published by Captive International, Michelle Bradley and Enoch Starnes discuss, “A Reflection on Data and Analytics for Captives". In it, they examine the business world’s reliance on data and analytics as decision-making tools, and how it has undoubtedly increased over the past two decades. Captive insurance has, of course, been no […]

One of SIGMA’s core objectives as an actuarial consulting firm is to reduce the perceived gap standing between insurance professionals and their ability to utilize actuarial analytics in their day-to-day work. All too often, this obstacle stems from of a lack of time, resources, or comfort in using more effective analytical approaches. Take, for example, […]

In a recent article published by Captive International, Michelle Bradley and Enoch Starnes discuss “Legislative Changes and Captive Actuarial Analytics”. In it, they examine recent legal developments in the United States and how they might affect the captive insurance industry. The insurance world is constantly evolving, and exponentially so for the types of risks commonly insured through […]

Michelle Bradley and Enoch Starnes recently authored an article for Captive International titled “Loss Development Factors: A Primer for Captives”. In it, they summarize the basic attributes of loss development factors, discuss their impact on retained risk, and respond to common questions regarding their use. While the SIGMA team has written in the past about […]

Companies of all sizes are continuously finding new ways to integrate advanced data analytics into their risk management strategies.  Based on the relative dominance of “big data” in industry headlines, these innovative efforts don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.  Despite the increasing popularity of analytics, many companies still only see their actuary as […]

Collateral requirements are a common topic in the insurance industry, as companies with large deductible or self-insured programs are required to post collateral to secure their associated liabilities.  States requiring this type of security typically have a well-defined process for determining the collateral amount.  Unfortunately, that may not be the case for carriers whose formulas […]

Enoch Starnes and Michelle Bradley recently authored an article for Captive International titled “Evaluating Captive Retention Structures in a Hard Market.” In it, they discuss the analytics needed to support retention selection and program structure development. Also included is a high-level examination of various total cost of risk (TCOR) metrics. While the article primarily focuses […]

SIGMA is highly active in the captive industry, and as such, we are often engaged to complete the analytical portion of captive feasibility studies. Over the course of our captive involvement, we have been able to work with numerous on-shore and off-shore domiciles, and one of the most interesting insights we’ve taken from these relationships […]