Description: This article discusses sessions from the product development section post symposium seminar on product development - beginning to end. Sessions included product specific topics like term, universal life with secondary guarantees, and indexed products. Panel discussions included inforce management and advanced modeling issues.

Description: The objective of this article is to help indexed annuity writers understand the pricing practices and ALM strategies used by their peers in the industry, especially in light of the prevailing low interest rate environment and a possible rise in interest rates.

Description: Hear from the chairperson on themes in the October 2018 issue of Product Matters published by the Product Development Section.

Description: This article helps illustrate that a guaranteed income stream in retirement has much more value than merely longevity protection. Used properly, a payout annuity is also a hedge against one's retirement nest egg evaporating, leaving the retiree living check to check on a fixed income only. The article will be of interest to those involved in product development and design, sales and marketing, and payout annuities or guaranteed withdrawal benefits in general.

Description: The paper describes a cost-benefit analysis to determine the value of electronic health records (EHRs) in life insurance accelerated underwriting programs. Sample cases from a carrier were underwritten pre-EHR and post-EHR and the mortality savings estimates from risk class changes using EHRs was compared to procurement costs. Results were developed to cover a range of scenarios. Factors to consider for carriers evaluating the cost-effectiveness of using EHRs in their own accelerated underwriting programs are also described.

Description: The Product Development Section has recently sponsored research on waiver of premium and waiver of charges riders. Waiver riders are commonly offered as optional benefits or included automatically on individual life insurance policies as an integrated benefit. In the event of disability, a waiver rider may waive future life insurance premium due or contribute an amount to a flexible account, such as the average premium paid over the past year or the cost of insurance charges. Despite the prevalence of these riders, the current valuation standard is still the 1952 Society of Actuaries (SOA) Disability Table.

Description: This article provides guidance on when experience rated designs are more suitable for COLI/BOLI programs than other designs. The article includes strategies to minimizing excessive mortality-related costs within these programs.

Description: Chairperson’s views on the changing life insurance industry.

Description: This article discusses whether or not the Preferred risk class wears off over time.

Description: This article presents the benefits of return of premium term riders.