Description: Feature article describing how the Society of Actuaries (SOA) partnered with the Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU) and the Canadian Institute of Underwriters to conduct research focused on new medical tests and markers that may have significance and relevance to the life insurance markets to get a sense of where underwriting practices are going in the future.

Description: The article looks back at the development of life protection product underwriting and pricing in UK. It describes the development in waves of change, looking at different drivers, e.g. consolidation of the life insurance industry, the role of technology as a driver for efficiency gains via electronic underwriting. Different levels of sophistication are being discussed and possible implications for the relationship between direct offices and reinsurers. This rather thought provoking article is based upon Munich research as well as market experience and ties in with a number of current topics as for example potential changes as a result of the Retail Distribution Review and the Gender Directive implementation.

Description: This session reviewed the distinctions and blurring of those distinctions between group and individual life insurance. Topics include differences in underwriting, legal constraints, marketing and distribution, and the nature of guarantees provided

Description: Discussion of the mortality experience of the Korean War. The purpose of this paper to present some statistics and point out variations in the hazard that might that might be of value in setting up rules for the underwriting of military risks.

Description: This discussion examines new products and marketing issues pertaining to individual life insurance. Topics include: A. Proper role for and impact of higher minimum amount and preferred risk policies. B. Changes made in recent years in the distribution of new issues by plan of insurance and mode of premium payment, C. Advantages and disadvantages of issuing to women a special life insurance policy, or class of policies, involving different basic assumptions from those used for other policies D. Plans marketing policies for which the insurance premiums are paid by 1 bank loans arranged with the assistance of the agent, 2 premium deposit plans, 3 bank drafts and postdated checks.

Description: These were discussion papers on the paper, 'The Korean War Hazard' by James T. Phillips.

Description: Feature article describing the events of the recent 2012 ReFocus meeting.

Description: Chairperson’s column discussing the recent activities of the SOA’s Reinsurance Section.

Description: Feature article describing a simple and ready solution that allows a hedging program to operate effectively without risk of mismatch due to mortality fluctuations.