Discover how selection affects mortality in actuarial practice and shaping insurance experience.
This classic essay explains the forces behind withdrawals, health screening, and table-based expectations.
Originally written as part of the Institute of Actuaries discussions, this work surveys early observations on how the mix of healthier and less healthy lives changes the group remaining after withdrawals. The author cites prior researchers and compares mortality experiences across ages, offices, and years of insurance to illuminate the mechanics of selection and its practical impact on life insurance risk.
The book presents practical explanations of concepts like the withdrawal effect, medical selection, and the use of standard tables to estimate expected deaths. It uses historical data to show how favorable or unfavorably selected lives influence observed mortality rates over time.
- See how the withdrawal of healthy lives can raise the observed mortality of the remaining group.
- Understand cross-office comparisons and how different experiences shape estimates.
- Learn why medical selection and withdrawals interact in actuarial calculations.
- Gain historical context for core actuarial debates of the era.
Ideal for readers of actuarial history, professionals, and students seeking context on early methods to measure selection effects.