Top 8 Best Actuaries Books

Top Best Actuaries Books – Books may have become old school, but still students who actually want to learn depend on books almost always. The reason behind this how a book can help a student think on paper. You can also underline, write your thoughts in the margin and take notes if you choose.

In this article, we will talk about top 10 best books on actuaries which you must read if you are thinking of entering into the field of actuaries. Few among them are for advanced level students, some are elementary and some are for everybody who wants to succeed in actuary.

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Let’s have a look at them in detail and find out why you should read these books.

#1 – Actuaries’ Survival Guide: How to Succeed in One of the Most Desirable Professions

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by Fred Szabo

Introduction

If you are looking forward something which will give you an elementary idea of what actuary is, pick this book up. It will help you understand the basic fundamentals and how to prepare for actuary exams.

Book Review

The best part of this actuaries book is that it’s not based on author’s own ideas and experiences. The data presented in the book has been tested and after gathering the data the book is being written. This book is not applicable for someone who is in actuary for years. But it’s most useful for beginners or people who have no experience whatsoever in working in actuary at all. As this book has gathered data from people who are in actuary industry for years, it has become most helpful guide to students who are specializing in actuarial science.

Best Takeaway from this Actuaries Book

You would find a lot of useful information within this top actuaries book. But still the following are the best takeaways –

• This will talk about the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) examinations in detail and you would also be able to avail sample questions and answers.
• It will give you a clear outline between theory and practice and would help readers understand how to learn both quantitative and qualitative skills to succeed in actuarial exams.
• It has covered ideas and outlook from more than 50 actuaries and actuarial students which has made this resource the most sought after.

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#2 – Achieving Your Pinnacle: A Career Guide for Actuaries

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by Tom Miller

Introduction

This top actuaries book is a guide on unlearning things that you have learned wrong about actuaries. Have a look at the review and the best takeaways of the book.

Book Review

This top actuaries book is not a comprehensive book as you seem to expect. But if you want to get into actuaries or have already passed few exams, then this book would add immense value to you. Pick up this book to understand how actuaries actually work in the business ends of things. It will not answer all your questions. However, it will act as a go-to-guide for people who don’t have any answers in regards to actuaries.

Best Takeaway from this Actuaries Book

• There is misinformation out there in the actuary world. The author has written this book to bust the myths and give students the best information they require to know.
• This is a career guide that will help students learn how to conduct job searches for actuaries, how to switch from insurance to consulting, and what exactly clients are looking for when they look at the actuarial candidate.

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#3 – Actuarial Mathematics

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by Newton L. Bowers, Hans U. Gerber, James C. Hickman, Donald A. Jones & Cecil J. Nesbitt

Introduction

This book is a must for any actuarial student. Let’s look at the review and the best takeaways.

Book Review

This book revolves around a controversy and that is about its usefulness in the actuary syllabus. As a matter of fact, every student of CAS or SOA has to go through this material as a part of their curriculum. Thus, they expect that this book serve all their purpose. But truth is no matter how comprehensive a book might be, it will never be able to answer all your questions. This book is a gem of a book. However, if you want to understand the merit of this book, you need to take time and read slowly. If you have no background in mathematics, it would be difficult for you to understand in some cases. But it’s nicely written and can be considered as an in-depth material on actuarial mathematics.

Best Takeaway from this Best Actuaries Book

• It’s written for people who need to study actuarial mathematics and nothing else. So it would become more relevant to you if you decide to study actuary.
• It is a primer for students who would want to understand the contingencies and mathematical approach actuary. But a little background in maths would definitely help.

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#4 – Understanding the Insurance Industry: An overview for those working with and in one of the world’s most interesting and vital industries

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by A.M. Best Company

Introduction

If you’re in actuaries, better you learn about insurance industry. Otherwise, it would be really difficult for you to make your mark in actuary.

Actuaries Book Review

If you’re looking for something that will tell you the key concepts and discuss the terminology in great detail, you need to pick this top actuaries book up. It will not teach you to sell, underwrite or adjust, but it is all about the insurance industry and how generally it works. Students who are interested in actuaries should read this book to get an idea about how insurance industry operates in order to get familiar with it.

Best Takeaway from this Book

• You will learn four areas of insurance – property/casualty (non-life insurance), life, health and reinsurance. So you will learn quite a lot about the industry.
• You will also learn how the insurance industry operates, generates revenue and gives opportunities to people.

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#5 – Practical Risk Theory for Actuaries (Chapman & Hall/CRC Monographs on Statistics & Applied Probability)

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by C.D. Daykin, T. Pentikainen & Martti Pesonen

Introduction

This material covers core topics in actuary. It’s not exactly for getting a overview, but understanding the risk theory in detail.

Actuaries Book Review

This is the ultimate top actuaries book if you want to get your hands on stochastic modelling of insurance business. If you’re interested in studying the probability distribution in depth, pick this book up. The material is divided into two parts. First part discusses the insurance business in short term. And the second part depicts the long term of the same. But this book is not for everybody. It’s very advanced and you need significant knowledge in the domain to understand the value of the book.

Best Takeaway from this Book

• Many books don’t talk about the practical theories. This book focuses purely on practical aspects of risk theory.
• You would not only find concepts of risk theories here, but you will also learn about simulation and modelling which is of utter importance in the world of actuaries.
• This book doesn’t include a lot of math, but it has provided enough diagrams to understand the concepts wholly. And the book has also included new elements of the insurance industry.

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#6 – Actuarial Science: An Elementary Manual

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by Glen Ninian

Introduction

This best actuaries book can only be appreciated by a chosen few. Why? Look at the review and the best takeaways to know more.

Actuaries Book Review

This book is not new and we have included this to encourage students to broaden their knowledge base. This book was first published in the year 1923. It is being curated and presented to the students for one and only reason. The book’s importance only revolves around the cultural differences. And if you read this book, you would be able to get an overview of how actuarial science has actually evolved over the years. It may not be a must read, but if you’re an aspirant of actuary, you should give it a read.

Best Takeaway from this Book

• Very few books have covered the cultural science behind actuaries. Thus, you can’t miss this book.
• Secondly, the best part is this book has survived almost a century. That means you can understand how much value you would get by reading this book.

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#7 – Regression Modeling with Actuarial and Financial Applications (International Series on Actuarial Science)

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by Edward W. Frees

Introduction

This best actuaries book is not for everyone. It’s strictly for actuaries and people who want to be in financial analysis.

Actuaries Book Review

This is a core guide on the regression modelling basically related to actuaries and financial analysis. This is not for beginners and to be able to read this book, you need good foundation on the fundamental concepts. So don’t pick this up if you’re new to actuaries and trying to understand the elementary science. Because it’s quite advanced than it seems. Models like exponential smoothing, box-Jenkins are for advanced level candidates.

Best Takeaway from this Best Actuaries Book

• This book claims to be of help to both intermediate and advanced students of actuaries. But few models which are used in the book are specifically for advanced students.
• You will find data sets with detailed descriptions, statistical software scripts in SAS and R. And you will also learn how to write statistical reports.

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#8 – Generalized Linear Models for Insurance Data (International Series on Actuarial Science)

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by Piet De Jong & Gillian Z. Heller

Introduction

This is also one of core subjects to be studied in actuaries. Let’s see the review and best takeaways of this best actuaries book.

Book Review

People who have gone through the book mentioned that this is an excellent fundamental book on Generalized Linear Models. If you’re a beginner and you don’t have any idea about statistics, first few chapters of this book would be very helpful to you in understand the later part of the book. Thus we can say that this book is for everybody who would like to learn the nitty-gritty of GLM of insurance data. But there is one drawback of this book. This book is not too advanced. It’s for elementary and intermediate students. So students who would seek to acquire advanced knowledge may find it disappointing.

Best Takeaway from this Top Actuaries Book

• Very few books have addressed the issues on GLM of insurance data. This book would be of immense help if you’re new to this topic and want to learn GLM in detail.
• Actuaries should be practical and something students can rely on. This book doesn’t only talk about fundamental concepts; it also includes exercises and data-based practical so that students can learn the trade.

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