How We Curate
How we research, write, and review the content on this site
LossReserves.com publishes original educational content on loss reserving and unpaid claim estimation. This page explains how that content is made, what it is based on, and where its limits are. We think readers making real decisions deserve to know how the material in front of them was produced.
What We Publish
We publish two kinds of content, and we keep them visibly separate.
The first is a set of evergreen explanatory articles. These cover reserving methodology and the practical reserving questions that self-insured organizations, captives, and risk pools face. They are written to be durable references rather than news, and they are revised over time as our understanding improves or as standards change.
The second is a current-events feed. These shorter pieces respond to developments relevant to self-insured reserving. They are dated and time-bound by nature.
Where an article carries a "Last verified" or "Last updated" date, that date reflects the most recent substantive review of its content.
How Articles Are Sourced
Our credibility rests on sourcing, so we are specific about it. Methodology claims are anchored to the published actuarial literature, professional standards, and regulatory materials that govern reserving practice. Where a specific source is doing the work in an article, we link to it at the point in the article where the claim is made, so a reader can verify it directly. We do not invent citations, and we do not cite a source we have not checked.
When a source is genuinely ambiguous, or when reasonable practitioners disagree, we note the disagreement rather than papering over it. Reserving is a discipline where two competent actuaries can reach different defensible answers from the same data, and our content is written to reflect that honestly.
How Articles Are Written
Our articles are produced under a defined process. A human editor sets scope and direction; AI tools assist with drafting; the editor is responsible for the published result. We describe the steps plainly because the alternative, implying content was produced one way when it was produced another, is exactly the kind of thing this page exists to prevent.
Scoping. An editor decides what the article will cover, who it is for, and what a reader should be able to do or understand after reading it. The source set the article will rest on is identified at this stage, not assembled after the fact.
Drafting. AI tools assist with drafting and revision against the identified source set, under human editorial direction. AI does not set editorial direction and is not the final word on accuracy.
Source and citation check. Every source linked in an article has been read at the point it is cited. We do not invent citations or cite material we have not checked.
Editorial review. A human editor reviews the draft for technical accuracy against its sources, voice, and clarity, and is responsible for the published result.
Editorial Standards
Accuracy over fluency. A clear sentence that overstates a method's reliability is worse than an awkward one that gets it right. When we describe what a method assumes and what breaks it, we try to be precise about both.
Educational, not advisory. Our content explains how reserving works. It is not, and is not a substitute for, an actuarial opinion or a reserve analysis prepared for a specific organization. This distinction is stated on every relevant page and in our Terms of Service.
Corrections. If we publish an error in our content, we correct it promptly and, where the error was material, note that a correction was made. To report a possible error, please use our contact page.
Independence. We do not accept payment to publish or alter editorial content. If sponsored content is ever introduced, it will be clearly and unambiguously labeled as such.
Transparency. This page is itself part of that commitment. If our process changes, this page changes with it.
What We Do Not Do
We do not present educational content as actuarial work product. We do not publish reserve estimates, opinions, or projections for any specific organization. We do not invent or approximate source citations. We do not republish third-party articles in full; we link to original sources and reference them for commentary and analysis.
Questions About Our Process
If you have questions about how we research or write, suggestions for topics, or feedback on our coverage, we would like to hear from you. Please reach us through our contact page.