Description: This is the third and final installment of an article about using microeconomics and the concepts of embedded value to better manage and understand the profitability of direct marketing programs. The article illustrates how traditional asset share calculations are not appropriate in this case.

Description: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 2. This article discusses how the the choice of basis for measuring Interest Rate Spread impacts pricing and accounting for interest sensitive products.

Description: Accelerated underwriting programs continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Triage systems have become a key element in many of the newer accelerated underwriting programs in the market. Depending on the criteria used at the triage point, these programs can have residual effects on class prevalence and mortality which in turn affect the profitability of these programs. In this article we will explore some potential impacts on mortality and prevalence within these programs.

Description: The article discusses the continued popularity of indexed UL insurance and possible reasons why a company's actual indexed UL earnings may be below their original pricing expectations for the product. The article discusses several key items that may be the source of that underperformance (e.g., hedge ineffectiveness, policyholder behavior) and the need to monitor earnings and perform analyses to better understand those potential sources.

Description: This article poses the question, why doesn't the teaching of life contingencies start with the premise that the rate of investment income is a random process in a similar manner to the random nature of the time until death? The article suggests some methods for doing so.

Description: This article compares computing a single premium for a decreasing term policy using continuous functions versus curtate functions.

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

Description: This article discusses an update to a survey that focuses on how companies are trying to price for and understand the risks inherent in the products they sell.

Description: Summary of recent changes to IRS Section 7702 Interest Rates, and how it will impact the design of life insurance products in the future.

Description: In this article the author compares the profitability of Variable Life Insurance and Universal Life Insurance products. He concludes that a company can develop a typical VUL product with adequate profitability as compared to the company’s current UL product.