About Us

Alex Zeid and associates (AZA) provide AZ Actuarial services for private and public entities including insurance companies, health and welfare plans, health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, dental and vision plans, self-funded plans, regulatory authority services and expert witness testimony.

AZA assists regulatory authorities by providing policy form filing reviews and actuarial audits of the financial statements for life and health insurance companies, Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations Managed Care Organizations, and Multiple Employer Welfare Associations.

AZA’s financial examinations have included reviewing all actuarial calculations in the financial statements of these companies that include the following:
  • Life and annuity reserves;
  • Premium accruals, due, deferred, advance and unearned premium
  • Claim Reserves
  • Active Life Reserves
  • Interest Maintenance Reserves
  • Risk Based Calculations
  • Miscellaneous Reserves
  • Asset Adequacy Testing
OUR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
  • Members of the American Academy of Actuaries, 1979
  • Associated of the Society of Actuaries, 1979
  • Served as Chairman of the Actuarial Committee for the National Alliance of Life Companies
  • Served on the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Life Companies

LEADERSHIP WORK EXPERIENCE

  • Provided actuarial audits for public and private entities including mutual, stock and fraternal insurance companies, health and welfare plans, self-funded plans, private and public pension plans, state insurance departments and the Internal Revenue Service.
  • Consulted on insurance company mergers, acquisitions and appraisals which included determining the fair market value of insurance companies and blocks of business.
  • Determined the fair market value of a block of business for demutualization.
  • Provided actuarial support to the Small Face Amount Working Group through Testimony, commentary and opinion.
  • Provided actuarial support for the National Alliance of Life Companies as chairman of their actuarial committee to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners through testimony, commentary and opinion. The support related to current actuarial issues involving Actuarial Opinion and Memorandum Regulation, development of the 2001 CSO Mortality Table, Actuarial Guideline XXX, Actuarial Guideline XYZ, development of illustration actuarial regulations and reserve methodology.
  • Designed and developed competitive new products for life and health insurance companies.
  • Negotiated with reinsurers and developed systems for valuation, sales illustrations, annuity processing, cash value and loan processing systems.
  • Acted as the valuation and illustration actuary for insurance companies.
  • Developed strategic alliances to market insurance products between insurance companies, marketers, reinsurers, third party administrators and other related parties.
  • Analyzed the impact of insurance regulations proposed by various regulatory authorities.
  • Prepared reserve estimates, rate reviews, plan design modifications and general consulting for self funded health plans and assisted Insurance Departments to determine the value of the business for multiple employer welfare associations (MEWAs).
  • Provided expert witness testimony for the IRS, health care providers, insurance agents and lawyers on actuarial issues related to insurance and healthcare litigation.
  • Engaged in regulatory development by providing actuarial testimony at National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) meetings relating to new insurance regulations and met with specific insurance departments to discuss the impact of regulatory changes.
Consulting that included the assignments such as:
  • Actuarial audit assistance for life and health insurance companies, self-funded insurance programs and pension plans;
  • Determination of the fair market value of insurance companies in mergers and acquisitions;
  • Initial conversion of mutual company organization requiring the conversion of accounting treatment to ultimately determine the value to the policyholders; and
  • Engaged to restate the company’s equity through a process that weakened the reserves.

Industry Activities Experience

Speaking: Made numerous presentations before the Society of Actuaries, Life Insurance Marketing Research Association International, the Insurance Accounting and Statistical Association, National Alliance of Life Companies, Canadian Fraternal Association and other organizations, relating to regulatory issues, mergers and acquisitions, expense analysis and new product development.

Written: Authored numerous articles that have been published in trade journals of the Society of Actuaries, InterCompany Marketing Group, National Underwriter, Insurance Accounting and Statistical Association covering a broad range of actuarial, insurance and regulatory issues. One article on “State of the Art Insurance Policies” was nominated for a merit award. Written a paper for the examination syllabus of the Society of Actuaries on Medicare Supplement pricing.

Recent Articles

  • February 2010 – American Academy of Actuaries – co authored American Academy of Actuaries Guidelines for Health Rate Filings.
  • July 2008 – Society of Actuaries – co authored study note for the Society of Actuaries Education and Examination committee.
  • July 15, 2003 – Life Insurance Council – Provided written testimony, commentary and opinion to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
  • September 2002 – National Underwriter – Impact of the 2001 CSO Mortality Table
  • April 2002 – National Alliance of Life Companies Newsletter– Current Status of Actuarial Issues Affecting the Insurance Industry
  • November 2001 – National Alliance of Life Companies Newsletter – Update on Small Face Amount Legislation
  • May 2001 – Society of Actuaries Newsletter – Small Face Amount Policy Legislation
  • April 2001 – National Underwriter – Reinsurance Can Make a Big Difference to Smaller Life Companies
  • April 2001 – InterCompany Marketing Group Newsletter – Long Term Care Proposed Rate Regulation
  • July 2000 – InterCompany Marketing Group Newsletter – NAIC Resolution on Small Face Amount Life Insurance

Witness Testimony

Guarantee Trust vs. Mega Life Insurance (2007) – deposed as an expert witness in the settlement of a broker’s fee.

United States vs. James Graf et al., (2005) – testified for the government as an expert concerning the rates development and trust operations.

United States Department of Labor vs. Johnson Benefit Administrators, L.L.C and Provider Medical Trust (2006) – testified for the government about the operations of the trust and validity of the liabilities.

Paoloni, et al. v Goldstein, et al. and NBSA, LLC, et al. (2007) – prepared an expert report for the defendant concerning viatical settlements.

Collard v. Blackstone Valley Emergency Physicians (2010) – prepared an expert report for the defendant in a wrongful death suit.

Greg Cima, Diana Peek, Linda McMahon, Mike Beard, Sharon Beard, John Beckwith Jr., and Stephen Jellen individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated Plaintiffs vs. WellPoint Health Networks, Inc. (WellPoint), Unicare National Services, Inc., Unicare Illinois Services, Inc., Unicare Health Insurance Company of the Midwest, (“Unicare”), RightCHOICE Managed Care, Inc. and RightCHOICE Insurance Company “RightCHOICE” Defendants (2012) – prepared an expert report for the plaintiff in a class action lawsuit regarding an unfair policy conversion scheme.

Bell Fidelity Insurance Marketing Corporation vs. Swiss Reinsurance American Corporation and America Life Insurance Company (2013) – prepared an expert report with Mr. Weiner for the plaintiff in a breach of contract.

Ayer Moving and Storage Co. II. Inc. vs. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America and Nancy Catalini Chew (2016) – prepared an expert report for the defendant in a dispute over cash surrender proceeds.