Jeremy

Name: Jeremy Bell
Company: Healthcare Benefit Trust
Role/Title: Chief Actuary and Chief Investment Officer
University Degree/Training: Mathematics, University of Victoria; Fellow of Canadian Institute of Actuaries; CFA Charterholder

Why did you choose the insurance industry?
I didn’t set out to work in the insurance industry. During university, I had planned to continue on to graduate studies. But, after graduation, I took a summer job with an actuarial consulting firm as an actuarial student. I enjoyed the work and the people and have remained in the industry ever since – recently I moved to a health and welfare trust that provides health benefits (life insurance, extended health, dental, long-term disability) to a large group of public sector employees in British Columbia. The actuarial profession suits me because it combines math and business. Both areas interest me, and the combination of skills is highly valued in the insurance industry. There are a lot of opportunities throughout big cities in Canada and around the world; actuarial friends that I worked with in Vancouver are now working in Germany, England, France and Singapore and I had a three month transfer to Rio de Janeiro.

What have you done in your career so far?
I worked in pension plan consulting for much of my career. I consulted on actuarial and investment issues to pension plans, and other related institutional investors. I now work for a health and welfare trust. I am responsible for actuarial and investment issues for the trust. In this role, I calculate premiums and reserves for employer participants in the trust.

What do you do in a typical working day?
A large part of my job is meetings. I play an important role communicating on rate and reserve issues to stakeholders of the trust. While math and statistics are the basis for much of my work, communication of results is crucial. Our clients, stakeholders (e.g., unions) and my Board need to understand rate and reserve setting. When not in meetings, I perform calculations, write reports and review data and reports. I work very closely with a number of people from various functions within and outside of my company.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I like the challenge. The interesting challenges are constant. My job requires me to think, assimilate new information and make material decisions that affect my company and our clients.

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