The paper describes the application of actuarial techniques to the financial management of unit trusts and other collective investment schemes. The main features of collective investment schemes are described and the financial issues facing managers of these schemes are highlighted. The unit trust industry in particular is facing a number of potentially significant changes and the paper explores the areas in which the actuarial profession can add value to this industry.

The paper first considers concepts of profit in economics, accountancy and the law relating to financial reporting. It then considers the nature of life assurance business and suggests the accounting standards appropriate to life assurance companies which would ordinarily result in accounts showing a ‘true and fair view’. An analysis of the E. C. Insurance Accounts Directive shows that there may be circumstances where its provisions conflict with such standards.

The paper considers each of the statutory solvency method, embedded value reporting and the accruals method, and the author finds all of them to be inconsistent with accounting standards and the requirements of the Directive.

The author puts forward the ‘Earned Profits’ method, which applies accountancy principles in determining assets and liabilities and takes credit for outstanding revenue matching acquisition costs. This approach is then used in analysing the value of a life assurance company and measuring the rate of return on capital.

The theme of this paper is that life office valuation can be based on an analysis of the characteristics of the individual cash flows which form the net cash flow of an office. These cash flows may be compared with the income and gains derived from traded securities such as equities and gilts in order to assess their values. Standard asset pricing models of modern portfolio theory enable one to allow for lapse, mortality and other risks.

The methodology outlined in the paper is illustrated by reference to the very different types of revenue generated by non-profit, unit-linked and with-profits products. It is also used, in the valuation of future new business, to allow for the risks that expected sales volumes and profitability levels will not be achieved.

The paper provides a rationale for the choice of discount rates used in the valuation of a life office and facilitates the comparison of life office and alternative investment opportunities.

The actuary's expertise in the field of life insurance lies mainly in the application of mathematical and statistical techniques to the wide range of issues associated with life insurance business. In particular, the actuary has developed very sophisticated tools for modelling and forecasting and to help in establishing equity between policyholders. In recent years, owners of such businesses, be they policyholders or shareholders, have been coming to depend increasingly upon the actuary's skills to establish value for their overall business. On an ongoing basis, these requirements relate to such things as the need for more complete balance sheet presentation in the case of a proprietary company. Additionally, and inevitably, the actuary is drawn into the world of financial dealing in respect of takeovers and mergers where he is becoming exposed to the commercial risks inherent in being an ‘expert’. The stakes are increasing and in the larger cases hundreds and even thousands of millions of pounds are involved. In this world, the actuary can expect to be subject to a range of pressures from clients, media, takeover rules and so on, all of which are well removed from the actuary's traditional comfort zone. As the stakes increase, so does the threat of litigation.

The authors have recently been involved, one as principal and one as actuarial adviser, in the largest hostile takeover in the life insurance industry in the U.K. and, in the process, many issues of significance to the individual and the profession as a whole were exposed. This paper is intended to address this very important area and to flag some areas which could prove to be of increasing concern to the individual and to point to some where the Institute may wish to become involved.