Health insurance Buying health insurance? What to know during the coronavirus pandemic Care providers may need $100B more as industry faces further COVID-19 losses What to Do if You Can’t Pay for Insurance Due to Coronavirus Health Insurance Rates Could Be Weirdly Stable: Actuaries How Will COVID-19 Affect the Health Care Economy? Life insurance Certain US life insurers suspend senior applications Consumers Looking To Buy Life Insurance More States Mandating Forgiveness On Life Insurance Premiums Implications of coronavirus for North American life and annuities writers What an Annuity Giant Is Telling Investors About COVID-19 Risk

A.M. Best Holds Stable Outlook on U.S. Health Industry Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis Insurance rating agency A.M. Best said it is maintaining its stable market segment outlook on the U.S. health insurance industry, despite the impact of the COVID-19 virus outbreak. It cited: A trend of strong earnings; Strengthened risk-adjusted capitalization; Lower-than-estimated utilization and medical cost trends; and The cancellation or postponement of visits for routine care and elective procedures. U.S. life insurers’ growing commercial mortgage portfolios may face virus pressure U.S. life insurers continued in 2019 to increase their holdings of commercial mortgage loans, an asset class that industry participants say faces unique challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, S&P Global…

A.M. Best Holds Stable Outlook on U.S. Health Industry Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis Insurance rating agency A.M. Best said it is maintaining its stable market segment outlook on the U.S. health insurance industry, despite the impact of the COVID-19 virus outbreak. It cited: A trend of strong earnings; Strengthened risk-adjusted capitalization; Lower-than-estimated utilization and medical cost trends; and The cancellation or postponement of visits for routine care and elective procedures. U.S. life insurers’ growing commercial mortgage portfolios may face virus pressure U.S. life insurers continued in 2019 to increase their holdings of commercial mortgage loans, an asset class that industry participants say faces unique challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, S&P Global…

By Dr. Steven Weisbart, Chief Economist, Insurance Information Institute Beginning in 2020, the Social Security fund for retirees will be paying out more than it is taking in. This means that if there are no significant changes, in about 2034 the fund will exhaust the surplus it had built up since 1983. In that case, income to Social Security (from FICA taxes) will only be able to fund about 75 percent of benefits payable. It is for this reason that surveys show that many people under age 50 believe that Social Security won’t be available to provide retirement income for them. Since Social Security income will be an important part…

By Dr. Steven Weisbart, Chief Economist, Insurance Information Institute Beginning in 2020, the Social Security fund for retirees will be paying out more than it is taking in. This means that if there are no significant changes, in about 2034 the fund will exhaust the surplus it had built up since 1983. In that case, income to Social Security (from FICA taxes) will only be able to fund about 75 percent of benefits payable. It is for this reason that surveys show that many people under age 50 believe that Social Security won’t be available to provide retirement income for them. Since Social Security income will be an important part…

photo courtesy of Robert Stevenson   The Triple-I blog received the terrific opportunity to ask State Farm life insurance agent, Robert Stevenson, a few questions about getting the most out of the often-misunderstood financial product. What is your educational background and what was the path that led you to become a life insurance agent? Robert Stevenson: I grew up in Savannah, Georgia and attended Hampton University in Virginia. I was working on my master’s degree when I accepted an opportunity with State Farm Insurance Corporate Headquarters. My job was to help the company expand its presence on the east and west coast. During that time, I learned about becoming a…

photo courtesy of Robert Stevenson   The Triple-I blog received the terrific opportunity to ask State Farm life insurance agent, Robert Stevenson, a few questions about getting the most out of the often-misunderstood financial product. What is your educational background and what was the path that led you to become a life insurance agent? Robert Stevenson: I grew up in Savannah, Georgia and attended Hampton University in Virginia. I was working on my master’s degree when I accepted an opportunity with State Farm Insurance Corporate Headquarters. My job was to help the company expand its presence on the east and west coast. During that time, I learned about becoming a…