It’s surprisingly not straightforward to know across states and LOBs when you actually need a AAA vs. CAS or SOA credential sufficing. Is there a good comprehensive resource on this?
-
when you want more letters to your name
-
access AAA resources
-
pay get a discount on CAS membership dues
1 Like
I thought most regulations require that you are a member of the AAA to sign official things. I was told it was easier for regulations to just require MAAA instead of CAS or SOA, since then the AAA can be the gatekeeper if new organizations come or requirements change.
Also, my SO thinks that MAAA is a funny designation - I used to get a lot of comments about being a triple A member, or that I should list my credentials as MAAA ASA so that it can be pronounced as “Masa”
3 Likes
I just pay for it every year since my company reimburses me
I will let my membership lapse the second I have to pay out of pocket
4 Likes
I hope to never belong to the AAA. It’s a scam for many.
Pension actuaries in traditional pension consulting roles don’t need to be MAAA to sign things.
I must say when I’ve signed things as a P&C pricing actuary it usually seems to have an OR statement around MAAA vs FCAS… am I getting scammed by being MAAA? This would reduce my letter count by 50% though…
(and does me not knowing the answer risk my credit for having passed Exam 6??)
1 Like
my employer requires it. i’m not sure why since i’m a pension actuary and it’s irrelevant for us. they pay for it though so oooh flair!
if they didn’t pay for it, i’d drop AAA immediately. i find it strange.
Do you have a lot of standalone EA’s? Those are the ones who need it, since the joint board doesn’t have a code of conduct. So if you’re only an EA and not at least an ASA, you do need the MAAA to adhere yourself to a code. Otherwise useless.
yes we do. i guess for consistency they have ASA’s join the AAA too. 
1 Like
A presenter at one of the sessions said “I am the only person in this room that isn’t a member of sohah (SOA). I laughed out loud.
3 Likes
Yeah, my employer was happy to reimburse my AAA membership during my working years but I lapsed it the year I retired. Unlike the SOA and CIA, I had insufficient sentimental attachment to the AAA to warrant even paying their modest membership fee for retirees.
2 Likes
Ironically, this is a question you could ask the AAA, since they provide advisory services.
My understanding is that you need to be a member to sign off on Life or Health reserves, but not P&C. The NAIC model laws explicitly mention being a member of the AAA for Life/Health, but this varies by state (thanks McCarran-Ferguson).
For example, this is the Delaware state law definition of Qualified Actuary for life/health:
https://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title18/300/305.shtml
This is the Massachusetts State law for P&C:
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXII/Chapter175/Section227
Notably, the Massachusetts state law was not updated to the latest version of the NAIC model law which accepts the FSA-GI.
Other than that, if you provide actuarial services in the United States (which is very broad), the CAS requires you to adhere to the AAA US Qualification Standards, but you don’t need to be a member of the AAA to do that. I am less familiar with the SOA CPD requirements.
2 Likes
Thanks all, appreciate the info and discussion
If you want to sign P&C NAIC reserve reviews, it’s convenient to be a member of the AAA. No, it’s not required, but it’s expected. Otherwise, I can’t think of any reason a P&C actuary needs to be a member. When my employer asked me to be a member, and paid my dues, I was a member. When my employer stopped asking me to be a member, and stopped paying my dues, I dropped my membership.
I did ask to be put on their mailing list, to stay up to date on ASOPs as they are exposed and adopted.
Virtually all actuarial memos and reports submitted to the State of Washington require credentials (CAS or SOA or AAA) due to specific rules. If not credentialed, or not in the Online Directory, the process could be onerous for demonstration of being a “Qualified Actuary” (the term in Washington rules). In addition, anyone not showing “In Compliance” for the current period on the Online Directory can expect a nasty-gram in response to an actuarial memo.
WAC 284-05-040
Restriction on signing as actuary.
No report, statement, or document shall be filed with the insurance commissioner or issued to the public in relation to the business of insurance if it is signed by a person who is represented in the instrument to be an actuary unless the person signing as an actuary is a qualified actuary.
WAC 284-05-060
Qualified actuary defined.
For the purpose of this regulation, a “qualified actuary” is an individual who in each particular case or assignment is acting within the scope of his or her training, experience and qualifications and:
(1) Is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries; or
(2) Has otherwise demonstrated his or her actuarial competence to the satisfaction of the insurance commissioner, or to the satisfaction of the insurance regulatory official of the domiciliary state of an insurer in the case of any actuarial certification required in connection with an annual statement filed by such insurer.
I am a little confused by this post. Anyone can adhere to the code of conduct and the USQS. I can be an EA only and still meet the requirements of the USQS to issue an SAO.
Do you mean they need to be an MAAA to be subject to the requirements of the USQS? Because that is partially true, they could also be a member of the CCA or ASEA (and its predecessor organizations).
Yes, I didn’t mean to imply that the MAAA was the ONLY way to be subject to the code. But at a prior employer, if you were an EA without an ASA or FSA, you were required to get your MAAA. And if you were an ASA/FSA, they didn’t pay for the MAAA at all.
1 Like
If you don’t have to sign stuff I get it. But are you then going to make up your own AAA rules to abide by?
I most likely will keep all my letters when I retire. I’ll have a few clients left over to do IBNR and asset adequacy stuff for $400 an hour that I’d like to do periodically when I can/miss this stuff.
I need to follow the AAA rules as a member of the CAS who practices in the US.
Many people have felt that it’s a shame that the UK’s IFoA has rebranded its Fellowship credential from FIA to FIFA.
In the past getting a Master of Arts to go alongside the FIA made for a cool credential 
2 Likes