Predictive Models and Underwriting: What’s the Potential?

Not long ago I went on a tear about American General’s use of the CRL Lab’s proprietary laboratory analyzing methodology called “Smart Score”. The blasting cap for that little tiff was a case that American General declined, obviously using the Smart Score numbers to...

Is That Low Life Insurance Rate Really The Lowest?

Allow me to blow right by all of the internet clutter of $12 a month for $500,000 of life insurance. There is no question that those are low rates even though they are enticing unknowing young clients with prices for 10 year term insurance, a completely inappropriate...

Fine, So Pick On Colorado!

Colorado is the leanest state in the country. Of all the states we have the lowest average BMI, attributable to the abundance of truly awesome outdoor activities available. But, from a life insurance standpoint the companies have figured out a way to take the wind out...

Regular Checkups A Valuable Tool In Lower Life Insurance Rates!

Today would be no exception to my rule that men really don’t see a world that has consequences until they are old enough that they see the consequences happening to others their own age, or even to themselves. I spent part of yesterday evening in the emergency...

Does Obesity, Overweight, Keep You From Getting Life Insurance?

If you talk to most life insurance applicants who fall into the obese or morbidly obese categories according the their BMI, they have usually been told that they aren’t insurable or that the prices are so high as to render uninsurable because they can’t...

I’ve often discussed the role that build charts play in the underwriting of life insurance. From an insurance point of view it’s as simple as this, trim is good and overweight is bad. Trim gets the best rates and overweight doesn’t. For the purpose...