What do you say when...

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

What do you say when people ask, inevitably, "What's an actuary"? Thanks.

[aces219]

It depends on who asks. If it's an intelligent friend who genuinely wants to understand what I do, I say:
"Well, the generic definition is someone who puts a financial value on a future contingent event. This includes things like pricing insurance and telling companies how much money to put in their pension plans. Basically, it's a lot of math and business."

If it's someone who's just asking because I just used a word they've never heard before, I say "I tell companies how much money to put in their pension plan and what pension expense numbers to put on their financial statement." They get this glazed over look in their eyes (actually, the previous group does too), so that seems to be sufficient. When I start talking about how cool and interesting my job is, they know I'm insane.

[Carlos]

Somebody who puts a price tag on risks.

:o

[American Psycho]

So who cuts off the price tags?

[Elisha]

So who cuts off the price tags?

Well, Winona does. Duh! :)

[edited to correct my typo]

[Dr T Non-Fan]

Best to come out of Winona trial: the eventual Playboy spread.

[Numbers Nerd]

I agree that my response varies, depending on my mood and the situation. Sometimes I answer "numbers nerd". Other times, I expound by saying, "Well, the two-word definition is Insurance Engineer", which is almost always good enough.

[Elisha]

Best to come out of Winona trial: the eventual Playboy spread.

Well, if it happens, that would be nice. I doubt Winona will go for it though.

In High School (almost 10 years ago now), there was a "Winon Ryder Fan Club" that met at lunch and watched her movies. funny.

[Roasted Almond]

The one who calculates insurance premiums

[Brad Gile]

Actuary = place where they bury dead actors. :D

Brad

[MNBridge]

'I'm a bookie except instead of sporting events I set the line for when you will die'

[Cynic]

For most people, I just say my job has something to do with insurance and a lot of math. This usually shut them up since they don't want to take the risk of finding out more.

For people who nod their head when I tell them that I'm an actuary, I consider them well educated. :P

[A Student]

An accountant who's debits and credits are probabilistic...

[GenkiGirl]

The fun thing for me is that Japanese people ask me...so I tell them the Japanese word for actuary...but most of them don't know the word....then I give up and go with Insurence Math Person...

(that can't spell...funny that I'm an English teacher)

[Ducklin]

Mind you, people whose first language is english does not know what actuary is! Surprise surprise. Looks like not many people know what actuary is or that actuaries exist as a profession. :swear:

I answer: A person who crunches a lot of numbers each day and price their insurance

[Chuck]

Heard on the radio the other day...

At her trial, Winona decided not to take the stand...

...because someone was always watching it.

[Pi Man]

...and go with Insurence Math Person...


BEST ANSWER YET!!! this is the one i give, misspelling and all!! :D

[beavis]

I once told someone what an actuary is and they said, "Why do you want to be around dead people?" I said, "that's mortuary, you dumb shit."

[Kavex]

The fun thing for me is that Japanese people ask me...so I tell them the Japanese word for actuary...but most of them don't know the word....then I give up and go with Insurence Math Person...

(that can't spell...funny that I'm an English teacher)

____ Sugaku-jin?

Whats the japanese word for insurance? :duh:

[Kavex]

I once told someone what an actuary is and they said, "Why do you want to be around dead people?" I said, "that's mortuary, you dumb sh**."

:D

[jerrytuttle]

I do sadistic statistics.