Description: This article discusses the importance, measurement and improvement of product development efficiency.

Description: Small Talk Newsletter, June 2005, Issue No. 24. Last fall, the Internal Revenue Service IRS released Notice 2004-61, 2004-41 I.R.B. 596 October 12, 2004, interpreting the reasonable mortality charge requirement applicable to life insurance contracts under Section 7702 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Description: This paper applies the research in Prospect Theory of Kahneman and Tversky to explain why sales of annuities lag sales of life insurance products. The author theorizes that life insurance is easier to sell because customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of losses, while potential annuity customers perceive themselves to be in the domain of gains. Kahneman and Tversky showed us that people are mostly risk averse in the domain of gains and risk seeking in the domain of losses. Purchase of an annuity or life product is a risky investment. Customers will find it easier to take the risk in the life insurance domain of losses than the annuity domain of gains. The author then proposes a hybrid life annuity product that might address both mortality and longevity risk in one product that would allow both products to be more competitive than stand-alone products.

Description: This article provides a summary of selected sessions of the October 2010 NAIC meeting.

Description: This article is a summary of Darrell Laird's paper in T.A.S.A. 50, The Revenue of the Period of Account and Its Relation To Premiums, Valuation and Dividents. Mr. Laird saw 3 problems, 1 finding a comprehensive way to measure a life company's real performance, 2 displaying sale and administrative expenses revealingly to management and 3 distributing surplus equitably among holders of individual policies.

Description: This article is a discussion about the life settlement industry and the tax considerations for life insurance bought and sold in the secondary market.

Description: The purpose of this article is to discuss some concerns the author's company has had in administering first-dollar reinsurance and to raise awareness of issues you may wish to consider for your reinsurance arrangement.

Description: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 7. This article discusses the activities and goals of the Product Development Section of the SOA. Future activities will include joint sessions with other sections since product development issues sometimes relate to financial reporting. reinsurance, investments and nontraditional marketing.

Description: This article discusses how small companies, by staying simple and focused and not taking immeasurably disastrous risks, bring sanity to an insane world.

Description: Recently, there has been an increase in the product development of simplified issue products in the United States. In the past two years, Gen Re LifeHealth has reviewed over 40 such products, ranging from vanilla direct-marketed products to high-end single premium immediate annuity SPIA paid universal life products. From Small Talk Newsletter, June 2005, Issue No. 24.