Description: This panel discussion is from the 1991 Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held May 16-17 in New York. The panelists review mortality experience studies and research and underwriting practices, discussing topics including smoker vs. non-smoker mortality, differences by sex, and medical impairments. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 2.

Description: Digests of following discussions: 1. Mutual life insurance companies - their objectives and operating philosophy 2. State, provincial, and municipal employee pension plans - financing and other problems 3. Mortality and underwriting of individual policies for large amounts 4. Investing during the 1970's 5. Long-range viability and regulation of corporate pension plans 6. Forecasting the environment for business 7. Liabilities and surplus in the 1970's 8. Changing modes of family life - work and income over the life cycle 9. The role of the actuary in collective bargaining 10. Health insurance in the United States 11. Adjusted earnings

Description: The article focuses on the use of predictive analytics in the development of experience studies, pros and cons of using predictive analytics versus traditional techniques, and the implications for setting assumptions and improving profitability.

Description: This discussion examines new products and marketing issues pertaining to individual life insurance. Topics include: A. Proper role for and impact of higher minimum amount and preferred risk policies. B. Changes made in recent years in the distribution of new issues by plan of insurance and mode of premium payment, C. Advantages and disadvantages of issuing to women a special life insurance policy, or class of policies, involving different basic assumptions from those used for other policies D. Plans marketing policies for which the insurance premiums are paid by 1 bank loans arranged with the assistance of the agent, 2 premium deposit plans, 3 bank drafts and postdated checks.

Description: This report examines mortality and other actuarial assumptions for products sold at older ages.

Description: Presented at May 2002 Spring Meeting. Discusses selected concepts that relate to risk appraisal of new business insurance and underwriting. Specific attention is focused on the relative values of underwriting tools, namely fluid collection: blood, urine and oral fluid.

Description: Presents the results of a survey to explore practices that underwriters utilize in both formal and informal ways to assess older age applicants.

Description: New digital data known as alternative data is everywhere. Our industry has seen the financial, and hi-tech industries leverage new digital data to expand their key offerings and core services. From the lens of the global life and health industry, new digital data is still searching to be further understood. Risk assessment is a current focus area for using alternative data. A key question is even though risk assessment has always been data-driven, can it now move to the next level with the arrival of this alternative data. Can we use alternative data to make the risk assessment process quicker, cheaper, or faster thereby driving more sales and better conversion rates. It is an exciting time! With the increased adoption of health and well-being apps, data such as physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and mental wellness is now readily available. Expanded data such as digital biomarkers, IoT data, electronic health records and many more can also be accessed. However, how to effectively implement alternative data remains a challenge across the industry. We firmly believe it is, and will continue to be, imperative to take a structured approach to alternative data through a set of key considerations and a framework of principles.

Description: This research report discusses simplified issue underwriting in life insurance. It examines recent developments, characteristics, challenges, current practices, assumptions and data elements.

Description: This report presents the results of the Survey on the Business Decision practices of direct companies conducted by the Society of Actuaries Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys. A survey of reinsurers is reported separately.