Description: Significant consolidation has occurred in the U.S. reinsurance market over the last five years. The number of companies operating in ordinary life reinsurance has continued to decline—13 primary companies excluding retrocessionaires contributing to the Munich American Reassurance Survey in 2004, compared to 20 companies in 1999. Table 1 and Table 2 indicate the change in market share as well as the change in the composition of the leading participants in the U.S. market for 2004 versus 1999.

Description: Looking at the future, a panel of executives from leading global reinsurers predicted a broader framework in which capital markets, reinsurers and direct writers would be able to provide ways to offer or free up capital.

Description: The focus of this article is to provide background to actuaries on the updates in the employer stop loss medical insurance market including underwriting and pricing trends.

Description: In May of 2006 the Life Insurance Mortality and Underwriting Survey Committee of the SOA surveyed both reinsurers and direct companies about their practices with respect to making business decisions in the underwriting process. This article highlights the comparison of the results of the two surveys.

Description: This articles discusses an online survey of Brokers and Intermediaries regarding Third Party Administration in the Employer Stop Loss ESL sector.

Description: The incoming 2011-12 Reinsurance Section Council chairperson introduces herself and the new council members.

Description: The outgoing chair of the section lists accomplishments, thanks the council and volunteers who have helped, and promotes the upcoming ReFocus conference.

Description: Medical stop-loss reinsurance continues to play a vital role in containing employers’ health care costs. Managing general underwriters [MGUs], who originally handled these programs, have lost market share to large direct writers. This article discusses how health care reform and highly disciplined underwriting tools offer growth opportunities to MGUs.

Description: These are two letters to the editor, both commenting on the life reinsurance survey article published in the November 2011 issue of 'Reinsurance News.'

Description: Benefits of attending the Symposium in building a knowledge framework on issues affecting longevity and older ages.