BRAINTREE, Mass., Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- After a lackluster summer, the pace of U.S. application activity for individually underwritten life insurance rose +1.5% in September, year-over-year, all ages combined, according to the MIB Life Index. September's results were that much stronger given the percent increase took place with two fewer business days than its September 2011 comparative period. The seasonal July-August lull is apparent in third quarter results, off -0.8%, Q3 2012/2011. With positive numbers in 6 of the last 9 months, the MIB Life Index is up an unprecedented +1.7% year-to-date. September's activity jumped +8.9% from that of August; a stronger than normal jump as we head toward year-end.
U.S. application activity expanded in two of three age groups: ages 0-44, up +2.1%; ages 45-59, off slightly at -0.4%; and ages 60+, up +2.8%, year-over-year. At the close of the third quarter, ages 0-44 are up +1.0% YTD; ages 45-59 are up +0.7% YTD; and ages 60+are up +5.4% YTD compared to the same period last year. The 2012 Life Index has shown significant strength for ages 59 and below, at the sacrifice of activity in ages 60+. Most notably, growth in the 0-44 market is virtually unprecedented with the last positive ink in this age group dating back to 2003.
Additional analytics and the MIB Life Index Annual Reports available with registration at: www.mibsolutions.com/regLI.
| U.S. Monthly Percent Change
| |
| Sep. '12 | +1.5% |
| Aug. '12 | -1.9% |
| Q3 '12 | -0.8% |
| Q2 '12 | +1.3% |
| Q1 '12 | +4.2% |
| YTD '12 | +1.7% |
| U.S. Monthly Percent Change by Age (year-over-year)
| |||
| Sep. '12 | Aug. '12 | Jul. '12 | |
| 0 - 44 | +2.1% | -1.9% | -2.0% |
| 45- 59 | -0.4% | -3.3% | -2.4% |
| 60 + | +2.8% | +0.2% | +2.0% |
| U.S. Monthly Percent Change
| |
| Sep. '12 | +8.9% |
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.mib.com/lifeindex.
About MIB
MIB is the life and health insurance industry's most trusted resource for risk information and analytical services. Owned by the industry it has served for more than a century, MIB is uniquely positioned to aggregate industry issues in order to develop products and services that help our members improve risk assessment. MIB, Inc. and MIB Solutions, Inc. are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the MIB Group, Inc. (www.mib.com and www.mibsolutions.com).
Contact:
David O. Aronson
MIB Group, Inc.
781-751-6330
daronson@mib.com
SOURCE MIB Group, Inc.