Description: This article is part of the Digest of Informal Discussion, which took place at the 1956 Society of Actuaries Eastern Spring Meeting, held April 19-20 in Hartford, CT. It identifies the participants and summarizes each person’s comments. The participants discuss various underwriting topics, including larger amounts of insurance and higher limits on premium waiver and accidental death benefits, larger non-medical limits, impairments, substandard underwriting classes, and aviation risks. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1956 Volume 8, Number 21.

Description: Discusses the significant historical facts and trends in the development of Individual Health and Accident Insurance business, the types of benefits offered by various carriers, and in what ways the purposes, problems and practices of health and accident insurance relate to those of life insurance.

Description: Discusses a variety of regulatory issues relative to pension plans, the professional responsibilities of pension consultants, and criteria which should be applied for determining assumptions, actuarial cost method and modifications in evaluating disability benefits. Also discusses determination of qualified actuary to represent client before the IRS.

Description: Discussion of the following topics pertaining to disability income and other health insurance: 1. What portions of the loss of income and of the expenses incurred are properly insurable? 2. What special problems are encountered in providing suitable coverage for the following: a Employees and dependents eligible under Group plans b Individuals employed or not employed and their dependents ineligible under Group plans c Aged persons. 3. Methods for companies to meet the problems of overinsurance arising from duplication of coverage or from other causes?

Description: Discusses reasons for recent extensive industry changes in premium rates and expected trends, merits of different types of federal income tax treatment in financial statements, and discussion of merits of proposed state regulations regarding classification and allocation of income and expenses.

Description: This discussion looks at the preparation of the annual statement on a new form, the difficulties of meeting the requirement to report both incurred and cash entries, the problems which have arisen as result of the requirement that net capital gain or loss be split between realized and unrealized, and the effect the continued requirement of a Security Valuation Reserve prescribed by the NAIC will have on matters such as dividend apportionment and reserve strengthening.

Description: This discussion looks at principles which should govern the determination of the respective proportions of earnings to be allocated to policyholders and stockholders, the level of contingency reserves and surplus which should be maintained, and looks at the extent to which the mandatory Security Valuation Reserve should affect the level of unassigned surplus.