Description: The influenza pandemic of 1918-20 is recognized as having generally taken place in three waves, starting in the northern spring and summer of 1918. This pattern of three waves, however, was not universal: in some locations influenza seems to have persisted into or returned in 1920. The recorded statistics of influenza morbidity and mortality are likely to be a significant understatement. Limitations of these data can include nonregistration, missing records, misdiagnosis, and nonmedical certification, and may also vary greatly between locations. Further research has seen the consistent upward revision of the estimated global mortality of the pandemic, which a 1920s calculation put in the vicinity of 21.5 million. A 1991 paper revised the mortality as being in the range 24.7-39.3 million. This paper suggests that it was of the order of 50 million. However, it must be acknowledged that even this vast figure may be substantially lower than the real toll, perhaps as much as 100 percent understated.

Description: This article describes techniques and models used to forecast mortality improvement and the considerations that underlie long-term mortality improvement projections in the United States.

Description: This presentation from Session 18 of the SOA June 2004 San Antonio Spring Meeting discusses how insured mortality has changed during the past 30 years, which published mortality tables are most appropriate to use in today's pricing environment with the proliferation of preferred risk plans, what factors have historically contributed to mortality improvement assumptions, and how underwriting requirements should be coordinated with setting price assumptions. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Volume 30, No. 2.

Description: This graph indicates the overall historical trend in life expectancy by gender at birth.

Description: Shows the average historical and estimated annual mortality improvement by age grouping for the three countries, both in terms of long averages and the ultimate level assumed.

Description: The observations and methodologies demonstrated in this article can help actuaries further analyze population mortality trends by causes of death and by socioeconomic status.

Description: This article talks about longevity risk and reinsurance and its global challenges.

Description: This paper presents a brief history of life insurance risk assessment and explores a future including wearable devices, genetic testing and digital health data

Description: the abstract for the paper Analysis of Trends in the Age-Specific Shape of Mortality Curves for Populations in the United States and Japan.

Description: The Society of Actuaries’ Pension Section has completed a research effort exploring the value of longevity pooling and its implications.