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: Over the past month, the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions on how this outbreak will impact life insurance industry claims. This report pulls emerging U.S. COVID-19 hospitalization data and deaths obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVIDView, a Weekly Surveillance Summary of U.S. COVID-19 activity, and compares it to data from past U.S. influenza seasons obtained from the CDC’s Flu Activity and Surveillance webpage.

Description: LIMRA and the SOA Research Institute have completed the most up-to-date study of term/whole life lapse/surrender. Twenty-eight companies contributed data to this Study, covering the seven-year period from policy anniversary in 2015 to policy anniversary in 2022.

Description: Using recently updated data from the United States Mortality Database (USMDB, usa.mortality.org), this report presents an overview of historical mortality trends in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia for the period 1959-2018.

Description: The Canadian Institute of Actuaries and Society of Actuaries Committee on Life Insurance Research, the Product Development Section and the Financial Reporting Section, sponsored this study investigating how the Canadian life insurance industry is utilizing predictive modelling.

Description: The Group Life COVID-19 Mortality Survey gathers a high-level view of U.S. Group Term Life Insurance mortality results during the COVID-19 pandemic through June 2023, as compared to prior period baseline mortality results. This new report is an update to the survey report released in May 2023, which contained data through December 2022.

Description: This article examines the changes in U.S. regulatory reserve and risk-based capital requirements that will significantly impact the insurance industry and practicing actuaries. It summarizes activity related to principles-based reserves and risk-based capital initiatives during 2005.

Description: This report summarizes the results of a 2022 survey examining mortality improvement practices of life and annuity companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Description: The Society of Actuaries Research Institute, in collaboration with Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated, a leading global life and health reinsurer, announced findings from new research on behavioral science for the life insurance sector. This research simulated online term life insurance purchasing to test behavioral science techniques.

Description: Life insurance with LTC features is exciting business to produce, but the complex for a valuation actuary at year-end. This session will discuss setting morbidity and policyholder behavior assumptions for principles-based reserving and cash flow testing more generally. We will review considerations for GAAP reserving for hybrid products. We will highlight the interaction of assumptions whose risks offset (mortality, morbidity, lapse, and more) and how the valuation actuary may think of these in sensitivity testing and setting prudent estimates. Panelists will draw from the 2022 Academy of Actuaries Combination Product Valuation Practice Note.Finally, we will discuss reserve assumption setting in light of public-private LTC legislation (e.g. Washington Cares), which inspired sales of hybrid life and LTC products in the individual and worksite markets.