Description: The question of sex discrimination in employee pension plans in life insurance programs is only part of the more general issue of risk classification. Challenges to the old ways of classifying risks are not limited to pensions or to life insurance. It also impacts auto insurance, health insurance, and all other areas. However, for this discussion we will concentrate on sex discrimination in pension and retirement plans. From Record of the Society of Actuaries 1979, Volume 5, No. 1.

Description: Chapter 5 explores the data suggesting that not only is the mortality rate greater for men, but that the rate is greater for men at all age groups. From Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex, M-LI01-1.

Description: Chapter 8 states that there is great difficulty in projecting future mortality levels - the changing sex mortality differential is only one of the uncertainties. Some widely varying opinions for the future are offered. From Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex, M-LI01-1.

Description: Chapter 9 conclusions suggest that males have higher mortality throughout the world, at all ages, and for the vast majority of diseases. Evidence also suggests that there are significant biological reasons for the sex mortality differential, but these can be masked by environmental and behavioral factors. The author looks to the Human Genome Project for further understanding of this question. From Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex, M-LI01-1.

Description: Chapter 7 suggests that there are two general families of hypotheses about the sex mortality differential: constitutional - biologic/genetic, and external - social/cultural/environmental/behavioral. The author gives a thorough review of the literature and studies performed. The conclusion offered is that there are significant biological reasons for the differential, but that these are often masked by environmental factors. From Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex, M-LI01-1.

Description: This report highlights the findings of the 2009 survey and focuses on issues in the survey specifically as they relate to retirement concerns unique to women.

Description: This is an Excel workbook that contains detailed reviews of the literature that was searched in the course of a study that explored pre-retirement influences on attitudes and decisions regarding retirement. The research study, conducted by Linda Smith Brothers, reviewed sixty papers written since 1990, and summarized their important points under several categories. The workbook contains a description of the specific categories covered and how they are addressed by each of the sixty papers that were reviewed.

Description: Some of the methods used to measure the sex mortality differential are life expectancy, death rates at a given age, age-adjusted death rates, and average age at death. From Why Men Die Younger: Causes of Mortality Differences by Sex, M-LI01-1.

Description: This article contains responses from five actuaries to a request for an explanation of how the 15% figure is calculated in the contention by unisex-pricing advocates that 15% of women live longer than men, but 100% of women are penalized.

Description: This presentation is Part II of a two part series arranged by the Society of Actuaries Futurism Section. Part I discussed the demographic changes, business restructurings, changing social values, and changing government roles that are predicted to occur in the next 20 years. Part II discusses the effects these changes are expected have on retirement plans and retirement security. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 3A.