Description: The attached report presents the results of a survey conducted by the Society of Actuaries Mortality and Underwriting Survey Committee in July of 2008 under the following categories: 1. Modeling Mortality Risk. 2. Use of Reinsurance to Manage Mortality. 3. Retention / Large Case Management. 4. Catastrophe Reinsurance. 5. Mortality Concentration of Risk. 6. Catastrophic Bonds.

Description: There are many investigations probing the relationship between health outcomes [such as mortality rate, fertility rate] and economic variables [such as rise in income] and other variables [such as level of education, availability of clean water]. Usually, these results are demonstrated using data from countries where economic conditions are improving over time along with health outcomes. This paper studies the links between health risks and the current economic conditions in Mexico where general mortality conditions improved during the period 1980-2000 but income fell.

Description: In this project the researchers explored the new opportunities provided by the ongoing revolution in information technology for studies of exceptional human longevity. Methodologies and interpretation of the results were presented.

Description: This study is the annual report on inter-company mortality experience by amount under standard individually underwritten issues. The study focuses on the single year results from the 1995-96 study period and also examines experience in the most recent five-year period 1991-96 in order to provide a larger volume of data so that broader comparisons of results can be made.

Description: Scale BB was introduced in March 2012 as an interim mortality improvement scale which may be used by pension actuaries until work on a formal successor to the widely used improvement scale, Scale AA, is complete.

Description: A follow-up to the article “Comfort Food for an Actuary: Cognitive Testing in Underwriting the Elderly,” published in the May 2006 edition of Product Matters! This article presents the updated results, based upon three more years of data, of the Delayed Word Recall DWR Test mortality study. mortality study.

Description: Discusses the need for a new life insurance valuation mortality table to replace the 1941 CSO, the authorization by the NAIC to form a committee to construct such a table, and the preliminary table developed.

Description: This article discusses the concept of Conservation of Mortality ("Conservation"). Conservation is the modeling principle that ensures consistency between assumptions of the total mortality of a population and mortality among population subsets. This article discusses the use cases for Conservation and the many ways that one could implement it in a model or an experience study. This article also discusses the potential issues that arise when using Conservation, and how one might solve or alleviate these issues.

Description: Future mortality improvement has been a common assumption in life insurance and annuity pricing and forecasting for many years. However, experience over the last decade suggests this might be an assumption that merits reconsideration in the United States. This article will take a closer look at factors that impact mortality improvement trends and discuss why insurers may want to reevaluate product designs to better manage the associated mortality risk. We then introduce a product idea with this in mind, where premiums are based on a life expectancy index and insurers share the risk (and opportunity) or mortality improvement with policyholders.