Description: The Actuary Vol. 22 , No. 7. This articles explores the dangers posed by many guaranteed-return life insurance and annuity products.

Description: In this article about the then in 1981 newly developed Universal Life Insurance, the author concludes the product is here to stay, and that it will be good for the consumer as it evolves in response to the changing economic and social conditions. The article discusses the challenges still to be faced, including federal income tax treatment and regulation by state insurance departments.

Description: Article from The Actuary magazine, March 1983, volume no. 17, issue no. 3, and is excerpted from the author's address to the Winnipeg Actuaries Club in September 1982. It highlights the universal life policy in general and then discusses the innovations they introduced.

Description: This article is a summary of a November 1981 actuarial club presentation by Robert D. Shapiro. It begins with the rise of Universal Life in 1981 with the climate of high interest rates and minimization of company federal income tax and then discusses the year 1982 with declining interest rates and the changes made to UL.

Description: FASB's Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 97 contains wide-sweeping changes to the preparation of GAAP financials for insurance companies. The focus of this article will be on the ramifications of the interest rate FASB has decided to use to amortize deferred acquisition costs.

Description: The June 1987 report on UL valuation and nonforfeiture, by the American Academy of Actuaries Universal Life Task Force under the Committee on Life Insurance, discussed whether long-term UL reserve sufficiencies should offset short-term deficiencies. This article discusses that issue.

Description: This article discusses the profitability of universal life policies over time as interest rates and policyholders become more knowledgable.

Description: This article discusses the impact on the policyholders and the insurance companies of the phase-out of the deductibility of policy loan interest resulting from the new tax law.

Description: This article by the editor discusses responses from readers to The Actuary’s September 1981 Supplement on Universal Life, much of it critical in nature. One responder noted that Universal Life is ‘a symptom of an economy in convulsion,’ and had serious doubts that this product will successfully provided consumers with long term life insurance protection.

Description: This article discusses problems with life insurance sales illustrations. Potential abuses include use of unrealistic interest rates, projection of mortality improvements, elimination of loads after the 15th year and bonus crediting after the 15th year.