Press Releases
The following is a list of the most recent media statements by the Actuarial Society. If you are looking for older articles, please check the press release archives.
Note: Afrikaans versions of most of the Press Releases are available. If you require an Afrikaans version please contact events@actuarialsociety.org.za
RAF loses around R3 billion annually in opportunistic loss of income claims
Avoid financial ruin by shopping for insurance before choosing your dream car
Living annuities require dynamic management to preserve your capital
Prepare for the two-pot system by sourcing and checking your retirement benefit statement
New leadership for the Actuarial Society of South Africa
About to retire? Actuaries urge you to do the numbers before rejecting a
guaranteed life annuity.
Current annuity rates offer a rare rescue package for living annuity investors in trouble.
New actuarial research identifies how different investment strategies may prevent capital erosion in living annuities
SA needs solutions grounded in both data and human understanding
12 October 2023
New leadership duo determined to transform the culture and demographics of the actuarial profession in SA
It takes an average of 8 years to produce an actuary – transforming South Africa’s smallest profession
South Africa’s looming public health crisis highlighted by a Karoo community
Repaying a home loan and affected by the floods? Check with your bank whether your house is insured
Amended Regulation 28: Retirement fund trustees will have to up their infrastructure investment skills
Make yourself traceable by retirement funds that may owe you money
Climate change moves into priority position on the actuarial agenda
Big five life insurers see no new spikes in deaths in 2022, but claims remain above pre-pandemic levels
New leadership duo determined to transform the culture and demographics of the actuarial profession in SA
It takes an average of 8 years to produce an actuary – transforming South Africa’s smallest profession
South Africa’s looming public health crisis highlighted by a Karoo community
Repaying a home loan and affected by the floods? Check with your bank whether your house is insured
Amended Regulation 28: Retirement fund trustees will have to up their infrastructure investment skills
Make yourself traceable by retirement funds that may owe you money
Climate change moves into priority position on the actuarial agenda
Big five life insurers see no new spikes in deaths in 2022, but claims remain above pre-pandemic levels
A maths distinction in matric gives you a superpower to change the world
Bitcoin: guidance from an actuary on how to channel your fear of missing out
How to grow a meaningful nest egg with little money but a lot of time
The severity of South Africa’s third Covid-19 wave will depend on its timing
Fourfold increase in death claims against fully underwritten life policies during second Covid-19 wave
Medical malpractice claims drain SA’s public health funding
Property covered by a short-term insurance policy likely to have Sasria cover
Accessing retirement savings before retiring like stepping into quicksand
Actuarial model shows that NTs two-bucket system is likely to triple future pensions
COVID-19 pandemic marked by lack of meaningful and respectful debate, says incoming Actuarial Society President
Actuarial Society expects Covid-19 fourth wave in December; death rate will depend on how quickly South Africans get the jab
Actuarial Society welcomes first steps towards regulating medical malpractice
Third wave COVID-19 death claims rate for insured population almost four times higher the expected death rate
Matriculants with maths distinctions urged to choose their degrees wisely
The real cost of spending is your valuable time
Individual actions will determine SA’s COVID-19 mortality rate
Only look at your Q1 unit trust statement to assess whether your portfolio is delivering in line with its mandate
Actuarial Society’s COVID-19 Model confirms Government’s risk concerns
Actuarial Society clarifies its position on PANDA statement
Young black actuaries shining the spotlight on their profession
Actuaries call on underprivileged schools to sign up their learners for free access to online learning resources
Actuarial Society releases updated Covid-19 Model
Call for actuaries to collaborate with government to rid South Africa of “wicked problems”
Leadership of international actuarial body to return to South Africa
Spring clean your short-term insurance cover before taking a decision to cancel
New financial services qualification launched in South Africa
Solution to removing learning barriers for SA’s poor heads for global stage
Three steps in the right direction for retirement savings
Artificial Intelligence (AI) to simplify processes, reduce costs in financial services
What the unbundling of Naspers means for benchmarks and investors
“All hands on deck” call for actuaries to help South Africa regain lost ground
Actuarial Society calls on learners not to give up on pure Maths
SA actuaries gear up to fight cybercrime
Actuaries reminded to act ethical at all times to retain trust in the profession
Free online Maths and Physical Sciences tutoring for all Grade 10s in a bid to reduce youth unemployment
Actuarial Society transformation intervention significantly ups black student pass
rates
South African retirement income framework appeals to German actuaries
Driving an uninsured vehicle is like playing Russian roulette with your finances
The triple dilemma facing women when saving for a comfortable retirement
Bolster your retirement savings by reducing your monthly tax burden
Money tips for parents of first year students
Forget about Bitcoin, rather focus on surviving 2018 with a plan and discipline
Insurance lessons for actuaries from the 2017 catastrophes
Actuaries develop unique projection model to guide transformation efforts
Four female actuaries share their tips for financial success
Technology and corporate goodwill gives more than 12 000 learners instant access to qualified teachers
Don’t let retrenchment derail your retirement savings
How that daily cappuccino is blocking your path to wealth
28 June 2017
New legislation offers health insurance policyholders better protection
30 May 2017
Investor roadmap for navigating post-downgrade market turmoil
20 April 2017
Number of qualified African actuaries expected to double over the next three years
29 March 2017
Valentine money tips for a happy and successful union
13 February 2017
Your moneywise calendar for a savvy 2017
11 January 2017
Financial stress linked to risk of chronic disease
7 December 2016
Actuaries prioritise education initiatives to ensure economic upliftment
24 October 2016
SA leading the global drive to formalise the role of actuaries in banking
21 October 2016
Actuaries caution that zero fees may not be feasible in SA context
13 October 2016
Medical aid at risk of becoming unaffordable unless members help manage costs
28 September 2016
“Four paychecks left to prepare for a carefree holiday”
22 August 2016
Numbers prove chasing market trends will break your investment
6 July 2016
Youth Day financial survival guide for young adults
15 May 2016
Why pyramid and Ponzi schemes are doomed to fail
30 May 2016
“Seize control of your financial future this Mother’s Day”
4 May 2016
Sensory technology to redefine vehicle insurance in South Africa
12 April 2016
The impact of tax changes on your salary and retirement
15 March 2016
Shock proof your finances against further interest rate hikes
23 February 2016
Financial survival tips for a difficult year ahead
12 January 2016
No excuse not to have medical aid before the holidays
2 December 2015
New ASSA Leadership announced
18 November 2015
Call on actuaries to better understand the needs of consumers
18 November 2015
Time to review your medical aid benefit option
28 October 2015
Private sector funding of desperately needed learning resources
30 September 2015
With university deadlines looming is Actuarial Science on your shortlist?
21 September 2015
Why more women should consider Actuarial Science
26 August 2015
Global first as SA introduces actuarial qualification to manage banking risk
24 July 2015
Actuarial Society supports initiative to bring quality teachers into poor classrooms
23 June 2015
Actuarial profession rolls up sleeves to help with RDR
3 June 2015
How to extract maximum value from the new Tax Free Savings and Investment Accounts
6 May 2015
How your choice of first car can make or break your retirement
3 March 2015
South Africa needs to invest more in growing its own quantitative skills
28 January 2015
Living annuity tips from an actuarial advice model
19 November 2014
Should you pay school fees annually in advance
10 December 2014
SA actuary achieves international milestone in risk management
08 March 2012
Turning Savings into Investment
14 July 2014
Prestigious award for Discovery’s Chief Health Actuary
22 October 2014
Transformation of the Actuarial Profession
23 October 2014
ASSA Investigates Unsecured Lending Practises
17 September 2014
Tips From Female Actuaries – How to Empower Yourself Financially
20 August 2014
Fight rising costs with a household budget
14 February 2014
Funding a Funeral
12 March 2014
Why Maths?
24 June 2014
South African Actuarial Qualifications acknowledged by Europe
11 March 2014
Actuarial Science degree of choice for top achievers
22 January 2014
Rugby Goal Kickers Scored
15 October 2013
Global big data industry turns to actuaries to solve skills shortage
1 November 2013
Seven easy steps to financial peace of mind this holiday
10 December 2013
Maths and Science Initiative
24 October 2013
True cost of buying on credit
24 July 2013
Actuarial Student number signalling shift in demographics
25 September 2013
Planning for Retirement as a couple
29 August 2013
South African retirement reform process ahead of global agenda
20 June 2013
Guide to taking charge of your financial destiny
28 January 2013
How pension fund proposals will affect you
3 April 2013
Setting guideline tariffs for medical and dental practitioners
18 June 2013
Strong maths culture key to development
20 February 2013
Why women need a bigger nest egg than men
21 August 2012
Actuaries caution against dismissing guaranteed annuities as the ugly duckling
10 October 2012
Invest in your debt for superior returns
30 July 2012
Press Release Archive 2011
The following is a list of media statements released on behalf of the Actuarial Society of South Africa:
Prestigious awards for local actuaries
09 November 2011
The Actuarial Society of South Africa last night bestowed its most prestigious honour, the Murray Medal, on South African actuary Desmond Smith for his outstanding service to the Society and the actuarial profession.
SA’s first CERA’s
04 November 2011
South Africa has produced its first Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuaries (CERAs), making it one of the few countries in the world able to boast actuaries formally trained to devise and implement effective risk strategies across organisations.
ASSA2008 Aids Model released
09 March 2011
The ASSA2008 model was released in March of 2011, and is the most recent version of the ASSA AIDS and Demographic model to be released. The most significant changes to the previous version of the model are greater estimates of the impact of antiretroviral treatment in recent years, as well as significant increases in levels in condom usage over the last decade. (9 March 2011)
CERA Designation: South Africa attains Award status
01 February 2011
South Africa’s Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary (CERA) qualification was approved by the CERA Global Association in Switzerland in January 2011. Peter Doyle, President of the Actuarial Society of South Africa, says the Society is expecting to announce the country’s first actuaries with the internationally recognised new CERA qualification later this year. Currently the US, UK and Australia are the only other countries where actuaries can obtain the international CERA qualification.
Press Release Archive 2010
The following is a list of media statements released on behalf of the Actuarial Society of South Africa:
Reality check – can you afford to retire?
22 July 2010
How likely are you to have R6-million in savings and investments at your disposal when you turn 60? If you are planning to retire at age 60, this is the amount of money you will need to ensure that you have at least
R15 000 a month before tax to live on without eating into your capital amount.
Actuarial model weighs up the odds for the 2010 World Cup
09 June 2010
Mathematically speaking, Brazil has an 18.8% chance of winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup, followed by Germany with 18.6% and Italy with 17.5%. This is according to an actuarial model prepared by an actuary and a pricing analyst from RGA Reinsurance.
South African actuaries to become experts in global risk management
03 June 2010
South Africa is likely to be one of only a handful of countries in the world by the end of this year producing sought after chartered enterprise risk actuaries. Actuaries with the internationally recognised Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary (CERA) qualification are trained to devise and implement effective risk strategies across organisations, a highly desirable skill since the global financial crisis exposed excessive risk taking by organisations around the world.
South African actuary up for presidency of global body
06 May 2010
SAActuaryUpForPresidencyOfGlobalBody-MediaRelease-20100506 (pdf) 50.24 KB 732 downloads
...Local actuaries show that disability claims rise during times of economic hardship
08 March 2010
Actuaries in high demand after the Global crisis
01 March 2010
Seasoned actuary to oversee logistics of growth for SA actuarial profession
01 March 2010
SA actuaries adopt coveted international risk management qualification
15 February 2010
ActuarialProfessionOutlook-MediaRelease-20100215 (pdf)
Press Release Archive prior to 2010
The following is a list of media statements released on behalf of the Actuarial Society of South Africa:
World’s actuaries to conduct global crisis post mortem in SA
14 December 2009
Actuaries to qualify locally as from next year
November 2009
Actuarial profession is set for transformation
21 April 2006
ActuarialProfessionSetForTransformation-MediaRelease-20060421 (pdf) 29.48 KB 152 downloads
...Pension funds adjudicator determination
07 February 2006
The Pension Funds Adjudicator made a determination that was referred to in media reports as a landmark ruling for disabled persons. The determination dealt with, inter alia, the calculation of the actuarial reserve value and the disability benefits of the complainant.
Honorary membership of Actuarial Society awarded for first time
Honorary Membership of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (“ASSA”) was awarded to Mr Peter Clark, Prof Tamsanqa Kambule and Ms Gloria Serobe at the ASSA Annual General Meeting, which was held at the Sandton Convention Centre on 18 November this year. It is the first time since its establishment in 1948 that ASSA has awarded honorary membership to anybody.
Comment by Actuarial Socity: Taxation on retirement funds
Release of ASSA 2003 Aids and demographic model
28 November 2005
The ASSA 2003 AIDS and Demographic Model was released on 28 November 2005. ASSA2003 is the first AIDS and Demographic model to take the government’s Comprehensive Plan for HIV and AIDS into account at a provincial level. The model has been designed by South African demographers and actuaries based on detailed South African data. Using these data, the model projects the numbers of South Africans living with HIV, new infections, AIDS deaths, AIDS sickness and many more statistics into the future.
Release of ASSA 2002 Aids model
The name ASSA2002 refers to the most recent antenatal data used to calibrate the model. The most recently released antenatal data are those from the 2002 survey. The report on this survey was released in August last year, but the ASSA AIDS Committee have to wait a further six months after the release of the report before they can request the detailed data from the Department of Health. This delay has, however, allowed the Committee to include calibration to the mortality data from the population register up to the 2002/3 year.
Are living annuities really so great?
ASSA2000 model
If you have any queries please contact Niel Fourie.