Description: This article is part of the Digest of Informal Discussion, which took place at the 1955 Society of Actuaries Eastern Spring Meeting, held March 24-25 in New York City. The article identifies the participants and summarizes each person’s comments. The participants discuss a 1954 Committee Report on annuitant mortality, and ask if the present bases and valuation standards for individual annuities and settlement options are satisfactory, in light of improving annuitant mortality. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1955 Volume 7, Number 18.

Description: Discusses the trend for insurance companies to become primarily annuity companies - partly due to settlement options - and the financial implications of this, the probable course of annuitant mortality, and what characteristics of the various group pension methods tend to solve the problem of improved mortality among annuitants.

Description: Discusses the extent to which various influences are reflected in premiums, dividends and settlement options: improved mortality, interest rate trends, federal taxes, agent compensation and increasing expenses.

Description: A. Discusssion of the practical considerations involved in deciding whether or not to adopt projected mortality rates in connection with individual annuities, settlement options, retirement income policies, and the various forms of group annuities. B. In view of increased administrative expenses, discussion of the arguments for and against imposing limitations on the granting of settlement options with respect to size of policy, including the practicality of providing for the expense of administering supplementary contracts other than through the use of conservative mortality and interest assumptions.

Description: Discusses valuation standards for payout annuities, and results of the a-1949 Mortality Table.