Articles December 2012
Covering India’s HIV-Positives
Dr Dhiraj Goud describes how the guidelines described in the recent Exposure Statement might affect life insurance coverage for PLHAs in the future. He also describes the history, epidemiology, and natural progression of HIV/AIDS in India, and current challenges for the... Read More
Videos November 2012
Underwriting Fraud Prevention
This webcast offers insights into how insurers can better identify fraudulent behavior and prevent anti-selection. The case studies and industry activities remain informational. Read More
Articles November 2012
Face-to-Face Bancassurance
Unveiling the Opportunity Read More
Asian family, mulitgenerational, walking in park
Articles November 2012
Could Indexed Universal Life products be the next big thing in Asia?
Over the past decade, sales of individual Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance policies have grown with great rapidity in the US. Why is IUL so popular, and why have its sales increased so rapidly and significantly? Read More
Articles October 2012
How facultative underwriting develops a market
Facultative life underwriting in reinsurance has become a standard line in many of the more developed markets, although it is still relatively new in emerging markets. Mr. Oscar Smith of RGA looks at how facultative underwriting has evolved over the years.   Read More
Art and Science: illustration of skyline with literal and abstract versions
Articles October 2012
Opinion: Substitute One Mis-impression - Thoughts on Critical Thinking in Actuarial Science
The long-standing motto of the Society of Actuaries, from John Ruskin, is “The work of science is to substitute facts for appearances and demonstrations for impressions.” We have always had the IMPRESSSION that it means our job, as actuarial scientists, is to pursue fac... Read More
Asia banking; individuals lined up at an ATM
Articles October 2012
Asia’s banks and insurers seek innovation in partnerships
Bancassurance’s attractiveness in Asia continues to strengthen, as insurance consumers from all demographic and income cohorts increasingly turn to banks for their life protection needs. Read More
View of a data center with rows of equipment
Articles September 2012
Predictive Modeling: Is It a Game Changer?

Over the past few years, the concept of predictive modeling (PM) has entered the lexicon of many life insurance underwriting departments. This article discusses some of the issues to resolve in assessing the usefulness and the business case for im...

Read More
Opioid tablets and pill cases
Articles September 2012
Prescription Opioid Use

Prescription opioid abuse is increasing at an alarming rate in the U.S. as is the incidence of fatal overdose. In this article we will define the scope of the problem, provide a rational approach to underwriting and explore the resources available to ...

Read More
Articles September 2012
Aspirin, Not Morphine: Inflation Risk, Interest Rate Movements and Long-Term Care Capitalization

Interest rate movements (or lack thereof) can present problems for insurers that underwrite and sell long-term care insurance (LTCI), but only under particular circumstances.

Read More
Predictive Modeling: double exposure image of man and skyline at sunrise
Articles June 2012
What is Predictive Modeling?
In January 2012 the Society of Actuaries published Report of the Society of Actuaries Predictive Modeling Sub Committee, which looked into predictive modeling in life insurance. Read More
Research and White Papers May 2012
Mortality Seasonality

RGA debunks myths, offers evidence, and explores explanations for mortality seasonality.

Read More
Articles May 2012
Current Perspectives on Long-Term Care Underwriting
One of the main challenges today for reinsurers and direct writers is mapping their accepted long-term care insurance applications into optimally appropriate underwriting risk classes. Underwriting manuals provide not just procedures and assumptions, but also an instruc... Read More
Research and White Papers May 2012
Rx Mortality Study
Prescription histories have long served as valuable evidence for assessing the mortality risk of insurance applicants. The introduction of electronic prescription histories now enables this information to be accessed in a more structured, verifiable, and cost-effec... Read More
Research and White Papers April 2012
An Analysis of Motor Vehicle Records and All-Cause Mortality
This paper analyzes the all-cause mortality experience of a large cohort of applicants linked to the number and severity of their recent driving infractions. The study verifies that significant excess mortality risk exists for applicants with a recent history of either ... Read More
Research and White Papers April 2012
NASCAR Safety Improvements Save Lives

NASCAR drivers have historically presented a high mortality risk, but recent data suggests that NASCAR mortality has improved over the last decade. This article examines the relationship between major safety changes implemented by NASCAR within the last 10 ...

Read More
Articles February 2012
Severity-Based Critical Illness
In the Asia Pacific market, the Severity-Based Critical Illness insurance product is fast emerging as a strong offering, benefiting both consumers who want flexible protection and insurers wanting to mitigate claims risk. Mr Jerome Matrundola of RGA International Corp e... Read More
Research and White Papers January 2012
The MIB Extended Application Activity (EAA) Alert and the Risk of Early Lapsation
Applicants who routinely replace policies and agents who churn their book of business for commission purposes can prove to be quite expensive for an insurance company falling victim to this fraud. RGA recently completed a study with MIB G... Read More
Articles January 2012
Looking Ahead at Annuities
The UK’s fast-growing underwritten annuity market shows few signs of slowing, but local and global economic and regulatory changes could lead to substantial alterations in how providers price, underwrite, and distribute this product line. Jason Hurley outlines how insur... Read More
Articles December 2011
The future for underwritten annuities
The UK’s fast-growing underwritten annuity market shows few signs of slowing, but local and global economic and regulatory changes could lead to substantial alterations in how providers price, underwrite, and distribute this product line. Jason Hurley outlines how insur... Read More