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: Summary of annual Milliman UL/IUL Issues Report, covering issues and challenges of these products.

Description: Investors in the Life Settlements Market have had to rely on simple actual to expected analyses for a quality assesment of life expectancy reports. This article presents an alternative validation methodology, which makes much better use of the available mortality information. Investors can thereby perform their own, statistically conclusive, analyses concerning the life expectancies on which they have based their pricing and management of future cash flows.

Description: Hear from the chairperson on themes in the February 2018 issue of Product Matters published by the Product Development Section.

Description: SOA Product Development Section Contest Winning Article. Contest was to provide a creative article on future technology for the life insurance industry.

Description: As product development professionals, we know that getting customer feedback is a key component of the product development process. If crafted carefully, these sessions can uncover true unmet needs, unlock the next product innovation, and create market share gains, all while creating something that contributes to society. As quoted during one of our last focus groups, “Magic stuff happens here.” When designing your research, are you doing all that you can to promote inclusive thinking? By focusing on the design of your study—through overall theme and by paying attention to the details in the process—you can uncover new perspectives that you may not have considered, if not for being deliberate in your actions. Instead of just avoiding structures that create biases, we need to actively incorporate inclusivity. Our team performed a study titled “Designing Solutions to Empower Women,” which focused on women’s viewpoints and how those could be incorporated into life insurance product development. I would love to share some of my experiences and tips collected along the way.

Description: The NAIC is expected to adopt the model regulation for the 2001 CSO table in late 2002. The question then becomes: how quickly will states adopt the table? In the absence of a push by the insurance industry, there is a chance that there may not be 26 state adoptions in 2003.

Description: Portion of the introduction and the table of contents to the full paper entitled “Nontraditional Guarantees on Life And Annuity Products.”

Description: The Effects of Triple-X on Product Design by Mary Bahna-Nolan from Product Development News, August 2000, Issue No. 50.

Description: Product Development Section’s election results, and bio's of new members.