This article was originally featured in the September 2019 Issue of OTR, titled 'Music to My Brain', and is reprinted with permission of ON THE RISK, Journal of the Academy of Life Underwriting.

The general population doesn’t know what life underwriting is or what a life underwriter does. Introducing yourself as a life insurance underwriter typically gets you blank stares. Based on personal experience, it would go something like this:

If you grew up in North America in the 1980s, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with, or even watched, the wrestling television program called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). This sports show included popular wrestlers Hulk Hogan and...

The medications we take control our ailments and make us feel better, but what many patients don’t know is that the pills they take may not be approved for their condition. After all, in the US, Canada, and the UK once a medication is approved to...

As underwriters, we analyze risk in insurance proposals and determine policy terms and premiums on the basis of actuarial, statistical, and background information.  We receive intense training and amass great amounts of knowledge through hands-on...

Diabetes is an ongoing problem in our modern society. While much effort has been put into fighting the disease, its prevalence and healthcare costs continue to rise. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, the burden of diabetes on the...

Life insurance gets impacted by everything life throws our way. From sickness to health, career trends to transportation advances, the way we live, and our quality of life all change how life insurance gets assessed, administered, and purchased. The...

The huge variety of products, special cases, and unique considerations that underwriters face every day make it an exciting but challenging industry to keep up with. Our expert series aims to make it a little easier by providing resources straight...

Diabetes has been a longstanding area of interest for life underwriters. The Centre for Disease Control estimates that more than 30 million Americans have diabetes. The numbers appear to be rising, and it’s estimated that as many as 80 million...

In this article, we’re uncovering the risks associated with lung cancer – beyond cigarettes. Learn about other causes of this fatal disease and why life underwriters need to look at more than smoking status for assessment.