A Suggestion towards adding a New Feature of Usefulness to the Institute of Actuaries of Great Britain and Ireland

Extract

That the Institute of Actuaries has, during the one-third of a century of its existence (1847-79), been of real utility to the Life Offices—directly by the training of experts, and by the compilation of the Actuaries Experience Tables; and indirectly by lending practical aid to the development of the science of life contingencies—is a fact which will readily be admitted by all who are conversant with its history. That another function may he added to its utility it is my purpose on the present occasion to show.

The business of life insurance has, during the present generation, undergone a very complete transformation. The change began in the year 1844 with the passing of the Joint Stock Companies' Registration Act, 7 & 8 Vict., c. 110. Under this Act facilities were given for the formation of Joint Stock Insurance Companies such as had never before existed. The life insurance associations existing at that date were institutions of good repute; were, in fact, regarded as money-making projects of the highest class, and it was certain, therefore, that promoters would turn their attention in this direction. The failures which had resulted from the Joint Stock Company Epidemic of 1824-5 had passed out of remembrance; the course was clear for a new spurt in the same direction. Hence, a large number of new life offices were, in fact, founded; and in their struggle for existence, an amount of competition was engendered, which (while productive of good in widening the area of the insuring class, by bringing the practice down to the middle, and, gradually, to the lower ranks of the population) has eventuated in the evils whereof I here propose to speak, and concerning which it is my design to attempt a remedy.