Unlocking the Secrets of Life Insurance Underwriting
Insurance Business Review | Friday, April 10, 2026
Thank you for Subscribing to Insurance Business Review Weekly Brief
More in News
Navigating the complex world of insurance can be overwhelming for individuals and businesses alike. Insurance brokers use their expertise to simplify the process and help clients secure the most suitable coverage for their specific needs.
Here are the key benefits of using an insurance broker.
Expertise and Guidance
Insurance agents are highly knowledgeable individuals. They can help clients grasp policy terms, restrictions, and exclusions by guiding them through the fine print and their understanding of the nuances of different insurance products. This knowledge is beneficial when choosing an insurance plan.
Time and Effort Savings
Comparing insurance quotes and policies can be time-consuming. Brokers do the legwork, gathering quotes from multiple companies and presenting the most suitable options to their clients. This saves significant time and effort, allowing clients to focus on other important aspects of their lives or businesses.
Personalized Service
Brokers offer a personalized service, taking the time to understand each client's unique needs. They provide tailored advice and coverage solutions that align with the client's specific risk profile and financial requirements.
Access to a Wide Range of Options
Brokers have access to a wide range of insurance products from different sources. Thanks to the variety of options available, customers can compare and select the finest policies that provide extensive coverage at affordable prices.
Claims Advocacy
Brokers represent their client's interests by assisting them with the claims procedure and negotiating with insurers in the case of a claim. This support may be essential to ensure customers get the compensation they are entitled to.
Cost Savings
Brokers can often secure more favorable insurance rates than clients might find. Their understanding of the market and relationships with insurers enable them to negotiate better terms, potentially leading to cost savings for their clients.
Risk Assessment and Mitigation
Brokers are skilled in identifying potential risks and recommending strategies to mitigate them. They can advise on risk management practices and insurance solutions that reduce the likelihood of financial loss.
Policy Reviews and Updates
Individual and business insurance needs can change over time. Brokers regularly review and update policies to ensure coverage remains relevant and adequate as circumstances evolve.
Professional Network
Brokers often have a network of professional contacts, including underwriters and loss adjusters, which can be beneficial in securing specialized coverage or resolving complex claims issues.
Peace of Mind
The main advantage is the peace of mind of utilizing an insurance broker. When you know that a skilled specialist is taking care of your insurance needs, you may feel less stressed and more confident that you are adequately covered in case of unanticipated circumstances.
...Read more
Many years ago, my boss said, referring to evaluating a vendor’s model: “It has to be the right fit for our company; but remember, although they may build the model differently than you would, that doesn’t make it wrong.”
When it came to evaluating predictive models, he believed in striving for balance between protecting the company and keeping an open mind to the potentially innovative ways in which these models could benefit the business.
As traditional sources of data for life insurance underwriting give way for additional data sources that are now being leveraged to accelerate the underwriting process, my ex-boss’s advice seems more relevant – and maybe also more challenging – than ever. When evaluating models, the current challenge for insurer lies in cutting through all the noise to find what really works for their business. In other words, is the data provided by the model valid, relevant, consistent and fair?
Is the model valid?
The overriding priority is validity. Generally, a model is designed for a specific purpose and there should be solid empirical evidence that the model fulfills that purpose and nothing else. This also entails evaluating the compatibility of the model with the other elements of the process and the data and/or models already being used. The ideal model will offer incremental validity above what is already there. In fact, a model’s usefulness in terms of added value matters more than its empirical strength. Strong models may go unused because there was no specific benefit to be gained from them. Conversely, moderately strong models may be implemented because of the utility they bring.
Is the data relevant and consistent?
Valid models come from relevant and consistent data. Imagine tracking some phenomenon using varying parameters (e.g., imperial vs. metric). The same information could have different meanings from one day to the next. That is why it is crucial to know the lineage and reliability of the data when evaluating whether some new source (i.e., data, model or tool) adds value.
The more you know about contextual factors such as poverty, family history, access to healthcare and so forth, the better. These background criteria lead to certain lifestyle characteristics associated with specific behaviors (e.g., exercise, eating habits) that in turn impact the body (e.g., BMI, cholesterol and, blood sugar levels). It might be a long chain of events, but it’s imperative to work very carefully through the logic to show relevance. It’s easy to claim that a correlation is valid, but careful consideration needs to be given to whether that correlation is driven by other factors, as the use of the data may have to be defended to a regulator.
Are there any fairness issues?
Consistent, relevant and valid data must also be fair: it’s key to ascertain the extent to which the model may introduce unfair discrimination. While historically, insurance companies have not collected protected class information, this is an emerging regulatory requirement.
When evaluating the possibility that a model could cause discrimination, insurers need to ask some critical questions:
• Does the model work differently for some protected classes?
• Does the model contain data that masks certain classes without being linked to the outcome of interest? (For example, is it related more to race than to the target?)
• Will use of the model yield disparate outcomes that are not justified by the underlying risk?
Models that inadvertently introduce unfair discrimination into the underwriting process or that are perceived to be unfair can open a “Pandora’s box” of legal and regulatory issues.
Conclusion
When applied in the right way, predictive modeling can be invaluable in establishing actuarially sound principles and accelerating the underwriting process, while simultaneously adding to the volume of information going into the risk evaluation.
The key to success lies in making sure the data can lead to reliable conclusions that demonstrably add value to current business processes.
...Read more
The Asia-Pacific (APAC) health insurance sector is experiencing significant change, driven by rising medical costs, evolving health risks, and varied generational expectations. Traditional one-size-fits-all policies are increasingly giving way to personalized health insurance plans designed to meet the unique needs of Millennials, Generation Z, and the expanding elderly population.
This transition presents both a significant challenge and a substantial opportunity for insurers in the APAC region to evolve from reactive claim payers to proactive partners in policyholders' health and well-being.
The Imperative for Personalization in APAC
The APAC region is home to the world’s fastest-aging population while simultaneously supporting a rapidly expanding cohort of digitally native younger generations. This demographic duality, intensified by some of the highest healthcare inflation rates globally, underscores the urgent need for more granular and tailored health coverage solutions. In this context, personalization is no longer an optional enhancement—it is fundamental to maintaining product relevance, deepening customer engagement, and ensuring long-term business sustainability.
Among younger segments, Gen Z stands out as a digital-first and wellness-focused group. Their expectations are shaped by the seamless experiences offered by everyday apps, making convenience, immediacy, and mobile-first interaction essential. Personalization for this demographic spans mental health coverage, proactive healthcare benefits, AI-enabled digital engagement, and lifestyle-linked wellness rewards. They increasingly favour flexible, bite-sized, and easily customizable insurance products that can expand as their financial circumstances evolve. For this group, insurers must leverage Insurtech capabilities to build ecosystems that integrate naturally into daily life, extending far beyond traditional hospital-centric services.
Millennials, often regarded as the “sandwich generation,” face the dual responsibility of caring for both young children and aging parents. Their priorities centre on comprehensive family protection, financial value, and support for modern lifestyle health challenges. Personalization for this segment includes flexible family floater plans, strong maternity and child-care benefits, coverage for chronic and lifestyle-related conditions, and a blend of digital convenience with reliable human guidance. Increasingly, Millennials also expect tailored workplace benefits, including employer-supported reimbursement and spending arrangements that enhance financial flexibility.
In parallel, APAC’s rapidly expanding senior population requires health solutions that address longevity, rising medical needs, and financial resilience. Personalized products for Boomers and older adults typically include multi-pay critical illness coverage, simplified underwriting for those with common pre-existing conditions, and integrated health-and-retirement solutions such as long-term care and home-based medical support. Seniors also place a premium on affordability and clarity, favouring straightforward policy language, cost-sharing mechanisms, and access to specialized care networks.
How Can Personalization and Value-Based Care Drive the Next Wave of Growth in APAC Health Insurance?
Personalization in APAC health insurance opens significant avenues for strategic expansion. Advanced AI and data analytics enable insurers to evaluate individual health profiles with greater precision, supporting more accurate risk assessment, tailored pricing, and early intervention recommendations. At the same time, ecosystem partnerships with digital health platforms, wellness apps, and retirement planning services create holistic “Health and Wealth” networks that deliver value far beyond basic claims settlement.
Another critical opportunity lies in the shift toward value-based care. By realigning incentives to reward preventive health behaviours and quality outcomes—rather than the volume of services—insurers can support better long-term health results while managing costs more effectively. Ultimately, a customer-centric transformation—digital-first for younger consumers and comprehensive for aging populations—will enable APAC insurers to close the region’s protection gap and build resilient, future-ready health insurance portfolios.
Demographic shifts in the APAC region necessitate a comprehensive reassessment of health insurance provision. The adoption of personalized health insurance plans represents a significant transition toward long-term sustainability and enhanced customer focus. The future of health insurance in the region is characterized by precision coverage. By adopting this tailored approach, the industry can advance its core objectives: closing the protection gap, promoting health equity, and ensuring a financially secure and healthier future for all generations across the region.
...Read more
Industry specialists have observed that the rising severity and frequency of damages caused by cyber threats have led to a significant increase in policy premiums throughout 2021. Faced with this reality, businesses must decide whether to purchase new insurance policies at higher costs or anticipate premium hikes on their existing coverage. What factors specifically influence cyber insurance pricing? Five key elements, encompassing both internal and external aspects, play a crucial role:
The Five Crucial Elements that Affect Cyber Insurance Costs
Sector:
Specific industries are more susceptible to cyberattacks compared to others. These include public administrations, technology, and healthcare sectors. In addition to the frequency of cyberattacks, insurers consider the magnitude of associated costs, particularly in the financial industry. Consequently, organizations operating within these sectors can expect higher insurance premiums.
Size:
Even though small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) typically possess a range of distinct cybersecurity tools, the size of an organization's threat surface increases with the number of devices, users, and systems it has. Consequently, the chances of falling victim to a cyberattack also rise. Policies are customized based on the organization's size and level of complexity.
Geographical and Remote Presence:
Having operations or employees in multiple countries increases the potential risks. It necessitates implementing additional cybersecurity measures tailored to the specific context and local regulations, especially regarding data protection. The growing trend of remote work must also be considered, as it expands the organization's boundaries and necessitates using VPNs. Policies are also adjusted to address these circumstances.
Company Revenue Determines the Cost of Coverage:
The cyberattack's impact on the insurer's coverage and policy costs is heavily influenced by the company's revenue, making it a crucial factor in determining the maximum losses incurred.
Types of Coverage:
Organizations also customize their policies based on the prevalent or severe risks they aim to protect against. Safeguarding against advanced cyberattacks like living-off-the-land APT groups is more expensive compared to addressing more typical threats, such as ransomware delivered through phishing emails or instances of credential theft and employee identity theft.
Insurers mandate that organizations have basic cybersecurity measures to qualify for their policies. This encompasses endpoint protection, which surpasses traditional antivirus software, and the growing necessity of multi-factor authentication (MFA) to safeguard the organization's accounts and credentials. This requirement is because most data breaches happen due to cyber attackers exploiting weak passwords and the absence of an additional layer of security or by successfully pilfering credentials.
...Read more
