ff: What is it like being an FIA now? Do you feel different? Work-wise, are you able to do more work now in London as an FIA than you could as an FCAS?
TC: The most visible change is that I now receive the monthly magazine from the Institute of Actuaries (called The Actuary) instead of the magazine from the American Academy of Actuaries. The Actuary is a lot more relevant to my day-to-day activities. In addition, there are some other aspects of getting my FIA that can be quite useful in the long run, such as demonstrating to my clients that I am familiar with U.K. practices, and being able to sign actuarial reports (i.e., in compliance with the Institute of Actuaries’ Guidance Notes). Also having an FIA would make it easier to find a job at a small insurance company (in case I ever wanted one). As far as I know, large international companies would not see attaining one’s FIA as a necessary requirement for an FCAS ff: In your experience, how respected in the U.K. (and elsewhere beyond North America) is the CAS credential?
TC: I tried to find this out when having drinks with some colleagues, and I learned that the letters, FCAS, are much respected throughout the world. In the U.K, in particular, FCASs tend to have a very strong set of technical skills, however, they are not always as well-rounded as FIAs (at least early in their careers). This may be due to the greater emphasis on soft skills (i.e., business and communication skills) and less focus on technical skills on the U.K. exams than the CAS has. ff: Are there any differences in actuarial practices or focuses between the North American work you have done and U.K. or European work?
TC: One big difference in my experience comes from the balance between technical and soft skills, which, again, can be due to the change in company as well as the change in continent. In general, I have observed that U.K. actuaries use less sophisticated actuarial models than U.S. actuaries, but are better at explaining what they do and in making a difference in their organizations. As a result, actuaries seem to be involved in a wider range of activities in the U.K., such as banking and even marketing! ff: What are the big issues facing property/casualty actuaries where you practice?
In terms of current issues, Solvency II is very big at the moment. U.S. latent claims have also been on the radar for a long time, as the London Market has offered reinsurance coverage to U.S. insurers since the 1950s. Many London companies were severely hit by U.S. latent claims in the 1980s and it has been a major problem since then. Finally, large companies are looking into standardizing their processes across branches within the European Union, which leads to interesting opportunities for actuaries. ff: Is life different for an actuary (credentialed or exam-taking) outside of North America? How so?
Since I have changed continents and companies at the same time, it is hard to isolate the “continental” factor from the “company” factor. This being said, there are a number of key differences between the London market and the U.S. market. The main one is Lloyds, which has a significant impact on the work U.K. actuaries perform. Most of my clients are located in the City of London so I don’t get to travel very far to meet them (crossing the London Bridge takes me 5 to 10 minutes). Also, there are a lot of actuaries per square meter in London, and the market is quite mature. As a result there are some good opportunities out there but also a lot of competition when pitching for a prospective client or looking for a job. People seem to pass exams very fast here, with a majority qualifying within three years of employment (in my company). Yet they have assured me that their exams were harder than the CAS exams. Lastly, some actuaries wear striped suits and look like underwriters.
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