MIB Index: U.S. life insurance activity up in October

November 08, 2012 at 06:08 AM

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U.S. application activity for individually underwritten life insurance was up 2.8 percent in October, year-over-year all ages combined.

MIB Group Inc., Braintree Mass., published the finding in its MIB Life Index, a measure of life insurance application activity in the U.S. Released monthly, the index is based on the number of searches MIB life member company underwriters perform on the MIB Checking Service Database.

On the heels of a traditional summer lull, the index has had a strong showing the last two months with application activity up 1.8 percent year-to-date when compared to last October. If the trend continues, the Life Index will be on course for a robust 2012 finish.

October life insurance activity was up 9.7 percent from that of last September.

U.S. application activity expanded in October across all three age groups: 0-44 was up 2.1 percent; 45-59 was up 2.2 percent and ages 60 and up was up 6.6 percent year-over-year. The index found that there was an abnormal amount of momentum in policies for ages 59 and below while growth in policies for ages 60 and up remained strong, albeit in mid-single digits.

Results for January through October year-to-date were as follows: ages 0-44 up 1.2 percent; 45-59 up 0.9 percent; 60 and up were up 5.5 percent when compared to the same ten months of 2011.

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