Description: Breakout Sessions 1A: The Fundamentals of Pricing for Underwriters

Description: The article summarizes two of the highest rated sessions sponsored by the Reinsurance Section during the 2013 SOA Annual Meeting in San Diego.

Description: This research report discusses simplified issue underwriting in life insurance. It examines recent developments, characteristics, challenges, current practices, assumptions and data elements.

Description: This presentation from Session 20PD of the SOA 1996 Orlando Annual Meeting examines the major trends in insurance laboratory testing from 1980 to 1985, with an emphasis on why blood testing thresholds were lowered dramatically in the mid-1980s and why those thresholds will persist into the next century. The value of liver function testing is examined as a case study in protective value. Issues addressed include: 1. What is the real impact of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]-1 testing [sentinel effect]? 2. The unique pay-offs from liver function tests, 3. Clinical medicine mortality versus underwritten mortality: overcoming problems caused by different perspectives, and 4. Cotinine pays the freight? From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 22, No. 3.

Description: This presentation is an open forum from the 1991 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held October 20-23 in Toronto. The panelists, including a member of the Association of Life Insurance Medical Directors, and a vice president of the largest insurance testing lab, Home Office Reference Lab, discuss new underwriting technologies, including genetic testing, alternative AIDS testing methods, and the legal and other implications. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 4A.

Description: 1981 Report covering the period 1978 - 1980 presents statistics on the accidental fatality experience of various sports and sports-related occupations.

Description: Covers aviation mortality from 1973 - 1982 obtained from United States and Canadian governmental sources, both civilian and military.

Description: From the 1960 Transactions Vol. 12 No. 32, this ‘Discussion of Subjects of Special Interest’ addresses the ordinary insurance underwriting topics of “guaranteed issue” and potential antiselection of business insurance vs. personal insurance at time of retirement.

Description: This is a report on Phase 2 of a research project on the role of automated systems in life insurance underwriting. This paper discusses: 1. How and why companies are using automation to make underwriting decisions. 2. Its impact upon operational efficiency, sales, and retention. 3. The quality of risk selection produced by automated systems. 4. Cultural acceptance of increased automation in underwriting. 5. Challenges insurers must overcome to implement and maintain automated underwriting.

Description: This report summarizes the results of a Delphi study to identify and debate possible new approaches or Blue Ocean Strategies to acquiring business by life insurers.