Description: This is the third and final installment of an article about using microeconomics and the concepts of embedded value to better manage and understand the profitability of direct marketing programs. The article illustrates how traditional asset share calculations are not appropriate in this case.

Description: This discussion at the SOA 1968 Philadelphia Regional Meeting looks at research on agency operations and actuarial involvement.

Description: The Actuary Vol. 22, No. 3. This article discusses how the advantages of the General Agency system which existed prior to the 1970s have diminished materially. Therefore, European companies should be very cautious with any attempts to emulate the North American-type agency distribution system of the late 1980s.

Description: This discussion at a Smaller Company Forum is about the challenges that smaller companies face in three areas - actuarial student recruiting and training, gross premium determination, and agency building.

Description: This panel discussion lookas at various marketing distribution systems for life insurance including structure, compensation, and profitability.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Hartford Spring Meeting looks at the considerations in designing field compensation plans including New York vs. non-New York issues and levelized commissions.

Description: Essay of using microeconomics and Embedded Value concepts to evaluate direct marketing programs.

Description: This 1978 session focused on persistency and agent retention. Questions addressed: 1. What are the current industry practices and experience with regard to the recruiting, training and retention of agents? 2. Are there ways of building the marketing system that can ease the cost impact of loss because of terminated agents? 3. To what extent are agents directed to markets that will allow them to survive ? 4. Are policy persistency studies valuable in helping general agents and managers identify poor markets? 5. Are persistency studies made that relate to the profile of the insured, in addition to relating to policy characteristics? 6. What uses are made of persistency data by agency to improve results? 7. How effective are persistency incentives in compensation plans for agents and home office field management?

Description: Read the Quo Vadis Reinsurance.

Description: This 1977 panel discussion focused on cost disclosure in individual life insurance. Areas covered included: 1. Status of NAIC model disclosure bill 2. Questions related to comparisons of costs and value of dissimilar policies 3. Characteristics of a good disclosure in a replacement situation 4. Developments in the use of the retention method