Description: This is the presidential address by the former SOA president, Edward A. Lew. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1974, Vol. 26, Pt.1, No. 76.

Description: The increasing complexity of our environment and the interdependence of technical skills make it necessary for actuaries to keep up with the rapid expansion of knowledge not only in insurance, pensions and related fields, but also in many other disciplines, such as the theory and practice of investing. This editorial points out that the obvious path to versatility is in continuing education. While the Society of Actuaries education and examination program must adapt to meet these new demands, continuing education will not thrive where new information and new ideas are regarded as impractical or theoretical.

Description: This paper raises the following questions regarding mortality and underwriting: How does mortality under term insurance compare with that under permanent insurance? To what extent should large amounts of accidental death benefits be a matter of underwriting concern? What are the pros and cons of issuing triple indemnity benefits as an adjunct of life insurance policies? From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1960, Vol. 12, No. 34.

Description: This session is about recent population experience, likely causes, probable future prospects, Industry mortality differentials and trends by product line,market and type of underwriting, What statistically credible evidence do we have for the efficacy of life insurance underwriting practices, What does the new Intercompany Standard Issues study show and Are there sound biological laws of mortality. From Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 5, No. 4.

Description: This is a discussion about various underwriting issues including broadening the standard class at younger ages, overinsurance, mortality experience on guaranteed and automatic issue and taking smoking habits into account in underwriting life insurance risks. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1962, Vol. 14 Pt. 2

Description: This paper and discussion is a review of the changes that have occurred recently in the basic principles that underlie the sale and distribution of individual life insurance including underwriting fairness, laws and regulations affecting discrimination, limitations in the underwriting process and competition. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1977, Vol. 29.

Description: This paper presents considerably detailed death rates according to smoking habits and health status, based on the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study I, which constitutes the largest body of data currently available for the study of smoking habits. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1987, Vol. 39.

Description: This discussion looks at The Build and Blood Pressure Study and the effect build and blood pressure have on mortality. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1959, Vol. 11, No. 31.

Description: This discussion examines the following questions: Do current immediate annuity rates reflect present conditions as to mortality, interest, and expense? To what extent do statutory reserves that exceed gross premiums less expenses represent a serious problem? What is being done in the way of using generation type annuity rates for settlement options?

Description: This paper was presented at the 1957 Society of Actuaries Eastern Spring Meeting, held March 21-22 in New York. The authors present the results of the fourth in a series of mortality studies of the experience of industrial policyholders of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for successive periods since 1911. This report extends the series to 1955, with emphasis on mortality trends during the post war decade. Like the earlier reports covering the four decades ending with 1950, mortality trends among these insured lives for the more important causes of death according to age, sex, and race are presented. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1957 Volume 9, Number 24.