Description: Summary of panel discussion which looked at the implications for life insurance companies of the increasing interest in equity forms of savings, as evidenced by the growth of mutual funds, employer sponsored employee thrift plans and the establishment of installment purchase plans for common stocks.

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 changes in investment policy over the last ten years, direct placement financing, differences among companies by size, equity investments and real estate ownership. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1956 Volume 8, Number 21.

Description: Discussion of interest rates and investments. The forum looked at the outlook for interest rates on life insurance funds, new developments for the investment of life insurance funds, common stock investments, inflation, and the nature and extent of the valuation problem created by direct investment private placement.