Description: The objective of this article is to provide an overview of the research mission of the SOA, its inner workings, major efforts, funding and its unique qualities.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of a survey conducted by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys – Improving the New Business Process Survey Subcommittee. The survey examined the various changes U.S. and Canadian life insurance companies have recently made, or are considering making, to improve the new business process and to determine which changes were considered by the respondents to have had the most impact. Survey topics include the application process, changes to underwriting requirements, underwriting systems, underwriting resources, experience based on past changes, and policy delivery.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of a survey conducted by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys – Regulation XXX Survey Subcommittee. The purpose of the survey was to explore the actions companies took on their term products in response to the introduction of the NAIC Valuation of Life Insurance Policies Model Regulation [Regulation XXX] and Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 40, including the development of companies' ‘X factors,’ the associated annual X factor certification process, and how Regulation XXX impacted the companies' level term pricing.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of a survey conducted by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys - Preferred Underwriting [Reinsurance] Survey Subcommittee. The purpose of this survey, the first preferred underwriting survey compiling reinsurance information from U.S. and Canadian reinsurers on U.S. Life business, was to obtain the opinions of the reinsurance market on preferred risk underwriting.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of the survey on Life Settlements, prepared by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys Life Settlements Survey Subcommittee. The responses from two separate surveys, one to direct writers and the other to reinsurers, have been combined into this single report. Survey question topics include company characteristics, market participation, market management, and consequences to the Industry.

Description: This report presents the results of a survey undertaken by the Society of Actuaries Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys - Early Duration Claims Survey Subcommittee. The Survey was sent to actuaries and underwriters at life insurers and life reinsurers in the United States and concerned life insurance claims in early policy durations – defined as the first five policy years. Topics of questions included underwriting, claims practices, how early duration claims are monitored, and early duration mortality experience.

Description: This survey report from the Business Decisions [Reinsurance] Survey Subcommittee of the Society of Actuaries Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting, was intended to gather information on reinsurers’ views and practices with respect to ceding companies making ‘Business Decisions,’ defined as decisions ‘beyond the rules’ or ‘outside the underwriter’s intelligent judgment.’

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of the survey conducted by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys - Mortality Table Construction Survey Subcommittee, on the methods used to develop pricing mortality tables for fully underwritten life insurance. The objective of the survey was to gain an understanding of companies’ base mortality tables and the adjustments that were made to arrive at the final tables used in pricing, including whether or not mortality improvement was assumed.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of the survey conducted by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys - Older Age Underwriting Practices Survey Subcommittee. The purpose of this survey is to explore practices that underwriters utilize in both formal and informal ways to assess older age applicants.

Description: This report, part of the Society of Actuaries [SOA] ‘Experience Studies – Business Practice Surveys,’ presents the results of the survey on laboratory testing issues, prepared by the SOA Committee on Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Surveys Laboratory Tests Survey Subcommittee. The survey asks questions about companies’ internal practices in regards to how laboratory tests become part of the underwriting paradigm, in particular, how changes are made, who the decision-makers are, and what support is necessary to add a test.