Description: Feature article describing how the Society of Actuaries (SOA) partnered with the Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU) and the Canadian Institute of Underwriters to conduct research focused on new medical tests and markers that may have significance and relevance to the life insurance markets to get a sense of where underwriting practices are going in the future.

Description: The article looks back at the development of life protection product underwriting and pricing in UK. It describes the development in waves of change, looking at different drivers, e.g. consolidation of the life insurance industry, the role of technology as a driver for efficiency gains via electronic underwriting. Different levels of sophistication are being discussed and possible implications for the relationship between direct offices and reinsurers. This rather thought provoking article is based upon Munich research as well as market experience and ties in with a number of current topics as for example potential changes as a result of the Retail Distribution Review and the Gender Directive implementation.

Description: This session reviewed the distinctions and blurring of those distinctions between group and individual life insurance. Topics include differences in underwriting, legal constraints, marketing and distribution, and the nature of guarantees provided

Description: Discusses how competitive pressures are dramatically altering the distribution process for life insurance. Product pricing and client service are cornerstones in the changes to distribution.

Description: This paper presents multiple book reviews: Reports from Staff of U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Reports in Connection with Social Security Legislation 1975-77, 'Statement on Cost Comparisons of Individual Life Insurance Policies', by Canadian Institute of Actuaries, 'Investment Activities of Life Insurance Companies' from Huebner Foundation Lectures, 'The Life Insurance Industry's Marketing Dilemma' by Johns, 'The Future of Social Security' by Munnell, 'Social Security - Today and Tomorrow' by Ball, 'Mortality Table Construction' by Batten, 'Mortality Table Construction' by Batten, 'The Crisis in Social Security - Problems and Prospects' by Boskin, 'A History of Interest Rates' by Homer, 'Indexation of Pensions and Other Benefits' by Robert Myers, 'Life Insurance Accounting' by Strain, '1978 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund...' by US Congress. Brief summaries of additional readings are also included.

Description: Identifies current trends and considerations when setting the mortality improvement assumption for individual life insurance in the US.

Description: Discussion of the mortality experience of the Korean War. The purpose of this paper to present some statistics and point out variations in the hazard that might that might be of value in setting up rules for the underwriting of military risks.

Description: This meeting session occurred at the SOA's 1980 June Meeting. The topic was a Federal Trade Commission Report issued on insurance copmany practices with regards to life insurance. This report identified four areas of concern regarding consumer value and recommended changes.

Description: In-depth discussion about HIV and AIDS: [1] mortality-study results, [2] risk-classification challenges, including regulatory issues, [3] mortality-projection methods, [4] significant pricing and valuation – STAT and GAAP – information, and [5] overall industry implications. From the 1988 Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 14, No. 4A.

Description: This discussion on individual insurance policy plans and rates looks at revisions made in mortality, interest and expense assumptions in recent changes in participating and non-participating premiums for life insurance and supplemental benefits. Also discussion of advantages and disadvantages of issuing to women a special life insurance policy, or class of policies. Finally, a discussion of the safeguards placed on the conversion of family income and decreasing term insurance riders to permanent insurance and the experience on such conversions?