U.S. Life Insurance Activity Off 4.5% In 1Q

BRAINTREE, Mass., April 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Application activity for individually underwritten life insurance was off -6.0% in March—one the steepest monthly declines of recent record, according to the MIB Life Index. At the close of the first quarter, the MIB Life Index was off -4.5% YTD, impacted by consecutive year-over-year declines in the opening three months of 2017. Historically, the composite Index is coming off a record eight consecutive quarters of growth that ended in Q2 2016. Month-over-month, March application activity was -2.7% lower than that of February.

Mirroring the composite Index, U.S. life insurance application activity was off sharply across all three age groups. In March, activity ages 0-44 was off -5.3%, ages 45-59 was off
-8.4%, and ages 60+ was off -4.5%. At the close of the first quarter, application activity ages
0-44 was off -4.3% YTD, ages 45-59 was off -6.4% YTD, and ages 60+ was off -2.1% YTD.

Age Group Trend Summary: In the first quarter of 2015, U.S. application activity ages 0-44 surpassed all other age groups for the first time with leading growth continuing until Q2 2016. In the subsequent quarters' declining environment, application activity for ages 60+ has been the least elastic (showing the smallest declines) and ages 45-59 has been the most elastic (showing the largest declines) with those in the 0-44 age group have shown more moderate losses.

MIB's CEO comments on the 2016 industry in our MIB Life Index Year-in-Review video (http://wi.st/2m3z0mr). Download the 2016 MIB Life Index Annual Report at no charge by registering at the Enhanced Life Index Portal: www.mibsolutions.com/regLI or login at: https://portal.mibsolutions.com/lifeindex.

Monthly Percent Change
Composite Index
(year-over-year)
Mar-17	-6.0%
Feb-17	-4.5%
Jan-17	-2.6%
Dec-16	0.3%
Nov-16	-3.3%
YTD - 2017	-4.5%
Year End - 2016	1.3%
Q1-2017	-4.5%
Q4-2016	-1.2%
Q3-2016	-0.6%

Note: Effective January 2017, MIB has reset its benchmark comparison (basis=100) for the MIB Life Index from January 2001 to January 2011. Read more: http://bit.ly/2c908r5.

New Index values (January 2011 forward) are posted on the Enhanced Life Index Portal at: www.mibgroup.com/riskanalytics/portal.html.

About the MIB Life Index
The MIB Life Index is the life insurance industry's timeliest measure of application activity in the United States. Released to the media each month, the Index is based on the number of searches MIB life member company underwriters perform on the MIB Checking Service database. Since the vast majority of individually underwritten life premium dollars in North America include an MIB search as a routine underwriting requirement, the MIB Life Index provides a reasonable means to estimate new business activity.  For past releases, methodology or to subscribe visit www.mibgroup.com/lifeindex.

About MIB
MIB is the life and health insurance industry's most trusted and secure resource for data-driven risk management services that protect the financial integrity of its members and address their evolving needs. Owned by its members, MIB is uniquely positioned to securely collect and analyze confidential data. MIB services help to detect fraud, errors and omissions on insurance applications; to analyze industry data needed to manage a variety of financial risks; and to make regulatory reporting compliance less onerous and more efficient. As the life insurance industry's first statistical agent, our MIB Solutions, Inc. subsidiary cost-effectively performs annual data calls for those insurers subject to principles-based reserving. MIB Group, Inc., a membership corporation, provides services through its wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, MIB, Inc. and MIB Solutions, Inc.  For more information, visit www.mibgroup.com.

Contact:
David O. Aronson
MIB Group, Inc.
781-751-6130
[email protected]

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SOURCE MIB Group, Inc.