Description: This article delves into a new line of statistical thinking of the author, that may be useful for product development actuaries. The key concept is how product design can produce products that diversify quickly, meaning that the company can be confident of a profitable product line, based on fewer sales than might be true for other designs.

Description: Discussion of private letter tax rulings on the definition of Cash Surrender Value for purposes of interpreting the definition of life insurance for the policyholder's taxation of the contracts.

Description: This article gives an overview of the types of chronic illness acceleration riders that are now becoming prevalent in the US life insurance marketplace. The article discusses features that risk control measures that one may wish to consider when designing such an accleration rider.

Description: Mortality Table Slope and Future Improvements

Description: This article describes how actuaries can get involved in section research including participation on a Project Oversight Group (POG).

Description: This article asks the question, Is It appropriate to underwrite changes to UL death benefit options?

Description: This article gives examples of how an actuary can live by the actuarial motto of substituting facts for appearances. The specific examples given are setting the mortality for table shaved individual life business and setting late duration lapse assumptions for level term business.

Description: Article analyzes the value of a discounted accelerated benefit provision and suggests that it might be more generous than expected.

Description: The article illustrates a method to price a term life policy to properly reflect the post conversion experience. The article also suggested a reserving method.

Description: It is worth the effort to obtain a pricing surface. It helps make an informed decision and facilitate the pricing conversation within and outside a company.