Historian
... in gaining a life insurance education, one problem does present itself... the basic question is where to begin. (p1)
1961 - Book - Modern Life Insurance, by Robert I. Mehr
- Hilary was a scholar with a keen eye on history.
- He could usually tell each speaker of at least one relevant reference that predated those given in the speaker's list of references.
- And if he really liked the paper, he would rise to discuss and to disagree publicity with it!
- Hilary's participation made us all more diligent in our scholarly work and our discussion much more enlightening and entertaining!
Hilary L. Seal, Actuary - SOA///Obituary
- The foregoing represents a reinforcement of the remarkably concise observation of the first Historian of the Society, John Maynard, in 1974;
he stated that "the primary duties of a historian are to observe and selectively interpret, and the process is necessarily subjective."
1977 - SOA - Report of the Historian, Society of Actuaries - 22p
- Mr. Irish was even able to say that our article “brings to mind” the Chafee essay, written more than half-a-century ago!
1981 - SOA - The Actuary - Congressional Seat Appointment, by EJM - 3p-page 7
- Jack Garber: Jack, you are the historian here.
- You may want to comment on when the three factor dividend formula came in to dividend practice but my guess is it sure was not there in the first five years of participating business and that had some group such as ourselves set down the acceptable methods at that point, then we may never have seen the three factor dividend formula.
- Ernest J Moorhead (Jack) - EJM: I believe that the history of this is of more than just trivial interest.
- [Bonk: Jack Garber = Society Committee on Theory of Dividends and Other Non-Guaranteed Elements]
1984 - SOA - Dividend Philosophy, Society of Actuaries - 14p
- (p56) - The exact number of new life companies organized and actually started, or partially organized and still-born, in the last decade, since the big-figure revelations of the Armstrong Investigation made possible the creation of the new promoters' industry, will never be authoritatively known.
- There is no complete record on this score, and even the most painstaking life insurance historian of the future who may attempt to compile the story of this twentieth-century South Sea Bubble will find it impossible to get complete figures.
1915 - Journal - American Underwriter Magazine and Insurance Review, Volumes 43-44 - [GooglePlay-463p]
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Many other appendices are attached which will be valuable reading to the Life Insurance Historian.
1914 - Journal - The Insurance Field, Volume 30 - [GooglePlay-531p]
... in gaining a life insurance education, one problem does present itself... the basic question is where to begin. (p1)
1961 - Book - Modern Life Insurance, by Robert I. Mehr
- (p1) - INTERDEPENDENCE OF SUBJECT MATTER
- The Subject of Life Insurance is one that everyone will discuss sooner or later.
- Fortunately, nearly everybody knows something about it, but unfortunately many who buy it and some who sell it have only a superficial knowledge.
- Even those who legislate controls or propose reforms for the business are not always sufficiently informed.
- What does one need to know to become adequately informed about life insurance?
- It is essential that he know a few basic principles of law, mathematics, accounting, economics, marketing, finance, business management, statistics, history, and government—all as they apply to life insurance.
- This seems a rather large order, but actually it is not, because everything is logical, and the pattern as a whole fits quite neatly.
- However, in gaining a life insurance education, one problem does present itself.
- Although the pieces fit together snugly, it is not easy to determine the order in which the pieces should be developed.
- For example, to understand types of policies thoroughly one should know something about methods of premium computation.
- But to comprehend premium computations adequately, one must know something about types of policies.
- This interdependence applies with equal force to other aspects of knowledge about the field.
- Thus, since it is necessary to know something of the whole to understand and appreciate the parts, the basic question is where to begin.
- Fortunately, nearly everybody knows something about it, but unfortunately many who buy it and some who sell it have only a superficial knowledge.