Life

The industry has yet to tap the true potential of accelerated underwriting because the automation component has been missing.

An analysis of cause-specific mortality can shed light on variations in mortality patterns across sub-populations of an individual life insurance portfolio. These insights inform future mortality projections such as mortality improvement assumptions. The complex nature of mortality risk, especially for insured lives that are subject to the rigorous process of life underwriting, poses a challenge in understanding the likelihood of one cause of death over another.

Is science fiction becoming science fact? Liquid biopsies are a new class of blood- (or other bodily fluid-based) tests that can reveal direct evidence of cancer and are far less invasive than traditional biopsies. RGA's Dr. Daniel Zimmerman explores linkages between advances in genetics and this new technology. He also investigates limitations, potential mortality and morbidity impacts, and insurance implications. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. just announced an investigation of a multistate outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury (EVALI). By November there were over 1,800 confirmed and probable cases and 37 deaths.1 This opens the safety of Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to scrutiny once more.

RGA's Dan Lyons discusses the rise of a fourth industrial revolution and identifies six strategies insurers are adopting to manage disruptive change. 

Celiac disease is a dietary disorder caused by an immunologic response to gluten, which is a storage protein found in many grains.

The race to develop accelerated products has driven life insurers to cautiously embrace the next generation of data.

One of the most frequently-used phrases at business events these days is “the future of work.” It’s increasingly clear that artificial intelligence and other new technologies will bring substantial changes in work tasks and business processes. But while these changes are predicted for the future, they’re already present in many organizations for many different jobs.

Among the areas addressed include the structure of accelerated underwriting programs, how programs are monitored, how accelerated underwritten business is performing relative to expectations and how companies are considering accelerated underwriting cohorts in the context of VM-20 assumption setting.