Inaug.-diss.--Rostock. / Lebenslauf. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1949. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [382]-416).

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

Problems of price analysis and price comparisons at the retail level in whole life insurance are so complex as to be well beyond comprehension to the average purchaser. In addition to the initial difficulties arising from the combination of savings and insurance protection which exist in whole life insurance policies many variables exhibit influence in the analysis of retail whole life insurance prices. The determination of price is no easy task but is ably accomplished by the level-price method which is utilized in this study. Competition, it is often expressed, should function as a sufficient deterrent against the charging of excessive prices. From economic theory the concept of effective competition dictates that prices need not be completely uniform but that they ought not to exhibit substantial diversity and that they should be flexible. The flexibility of prices in whole life insurance is restricted, by the nature of the product, to changes on an annual basis. Evidence from this study, based on 1967 data, indicates that substantial price disparity between different companies is existent in various types of whole life insurance policies offered in Canada. Competition however, operates as well on variables other than price. The extent to which the existent price disparity reflects the costs of the added variables is not completely clear. While this study only views the price competition situation at one point in time, and is therefore restricted from the advantages of conclusions based on broad foundations in time, it nevertheless appears evident that while no conclusions can be made here on competition as a whole, competition on the basis of price alone is less than wholly effective. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The Canadian life insurance industry has been undergoing constant market and product changes since 1950. This study is meant to identify, analyze, and document those economic and social factors that have influenced the growth and decline in sales of ordinary; group and industrial life insurance. The method by which each of these products is marketed is also examined. Much of the information used was obtained through a series of comprehensive interviews with the personnel of a number of life insurance companies. Many factors have been isolated as having a significant impact on the sales of the various forms of life insurance. Many of these factors were identified principally from current literature in the particular field and tested by means of a correlation and regression analysis. The study found that sales of ordinary life insurance in force has declined from 73.82 percent in 1950 to 52.79 percent in 1969. Applying net new purchases as the unit of measurement it was found that ordinary life sales have decreased from 74.76 percent in 1950 to 60.16 percent in 1969. Net new premium was decided upon as the most relevant unit of measurement for this study. Net new premium income for ordinary life increased from 80.34 percent in 1950 to 81.85 percent in 1969. It was also found that marriages and the number of full time life insurance agents have had a significant impact on ordinary life sales over the past 20 years. Industrial life sales in force declined from 9.76 percent in 1950 to 0.60 percent in 1969. Net new purchases of industrial life declined from 8.94 percent in 1950 to 0.045 percent in 1969. It was found that net new premium income dropped from 13.46 percent of the total premium income to 0.01 percent in 1969. The decline has been a reflection of the growth in group life policies, and the increased affluence of the blue collar worker who can now afford ordinary life policies. Group life insurance sales have grown at an astonishing rate. In 1950 group life insurance in force accounted for 16.40 percent of the total life insurance in force. By 1969 the figure had climbed to 47.10 percent of the total amount in force. Net new purchases of group life policies over the same period jumped from 13.50 percent in 1950 while 18.12 percent of the total premium income in 1969. It was also found that gross national product, total employment, and the number of federally registered life insurance companies have each had a significant impact on the aggregates sales of group life over the past 20 years. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.

MSc (Med)Genetic Counselling, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009 / The life insurance industry’s ability to access genetic test results has raised public concern regarding loss of privacy and discrimination. The insurer requires access to genetic test results to reduce the impact of individuals changing their insurance purchasing behaviour based on a predictive genetic test result, of which the insurer is unaware (anti-selection). In South Africa, industry guidelines have been established to reduce the risk of genetic discrimination whilst enabling insurance companies’ access to this information for appropriate assessment of insurance risk. This study was the first to investigate the use of genetic tests by the life insurance industry of South Africa and their compliance with the guidelines, in order to identify behaviour that could result in genetic discrimination or unexpected risk exposure for the insurer. A structured interview process was conducted with 13 companies (8 insurance companies and 5 reinsurance companies), representing the individual life insurance industry. The interview guide was structured in a manner to gain insight into the companies’ approach to using genetic information, including genetic test results, in defining the policy terms of an individual’s life insurance contract. This study found that the companies’ responses to genetic information, particularly genetic test results, were demonstrated to be aligned with the regulatory guidelines. Irregularities in their processes were noted and these could lead to discrimination or increased risk exposure for the insurance company. These resulted from inconsistencies noted in the companies’ understanding of the genetic disease mechanisms of a medical condition, which is used to interpret the genetic information to assign risk. In conclusion, this study identified the need for a consistent approach to the interpretation of genetic information which would reduce the risk of genetic discrimination. This may be established through the support of specialist genetic services.

This study aims to investigate variables that impact on life insurance consumption in 15 Southern African Development Community member states, using panel data for the period 1995 to 2013. The macroeconomic and demographic variables employed in the research are income, inflation, financial development, urbanisation, education, health expenditure, age dependency, life expectancy, institutional quality (independent variables), and life insurance penetration (dependent variable) in Southern African Development Community member states. The study employed the fixed effects and system general methods of moments techniques to estimate the panel data. From the findings, it is concluded that the demand for life insurance varies for each model. Generally, fixed effects estimations reveal different outcomes for each model; variables such as inflation, health expenditure, age dependency, and voice accountability, are significant in explaining life insurance consumption in the Southern African Development Community region. The system general methods of moments estimator results uncover different outcomes: variables such as lag of life insurance penetration, health expenditure, age dependency, corruption control, and regulatory quality, are significant in explaining life insurance consumption. In general, the study concludes that there are positive/negative and significant/non-significant relationships amongst variables for demand of life insurance. The study then makes policy recommendations, that Southern African Development Community countries should advance the variables that influence the demand for life insurance, and that policies for the protection of life insurance growth should be developed to grow a healthy insurance sector.