2025 SOA ImpACT Conference:Session 3D: Metabolic Health and the Rise of GLP1 Drugs: Game Changer or Over-Hyped?-11.04.25 Recording

Poor metabolic health remains a significant, yet often under-recognized, driver of risk in Life and Health insurance. It plays a central role in the onset and severity of a wide range of non-communicable diseases, contributing not only to individual morbidity but also to systemic strain on healthcare resources and insurers. Influenced by lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors, metabolic health has a direct impact on morbidity and mortality – and, by extension, insurance claims and pricing. Recently, the rise in popularity of GLP-1 drugs, particularly semaglutide and tirzepatide, has been a notable development in the treatment of obesity and related metabolic conditions. Clinical trials show that these drugs can lead to significant short-term reductions in BMI and improvements in key metabolic markers (such as blood pressure and cholesterol). Their growing adoption for weight management has attracted widespread attention from the public, clinicians, and the insurance industry alike. Insurers are now assessing how these pharmacological interventions may shift long-term assumptions around chronic disease prevalence and associated costs. Yet important questions remain. The long-term effects of GLP-1 drugs, including the sustainability of weight loss, broader health outcomes, drug adherence, and potential side effects, are still being studied. As use expands (both on and off prescription), understanding their implications for population health and insurance outcomes is becoming increasingly important. Here, we present our history on metabolic health, discuss the opportunities that GLP-1 drugs provide and explore their impact on our industry: - A working definition of metabolic health and how it can change over time - what these increasingly prevalent new medications, such as Ozempic and Zepbound, are currently used for, what they may be used for in the future, and the vast potential they hold to positively impact overall health. - An overview of GLP-1 clinical trials and early indications for mortality outcomes - Key uncertainties around long-term efficacy, usage, and real-world impacts - Scenario-based forecasting of how metabolic health shifts could affect future mortality trends - Implications for underwriting, pricing, and long-term risk management - A view of how some insurers are looking to pilot opportunities in this space