Uses of data

The purposes for which the CMI uses the information it collects are:

• To compare the actual mortality and morbidity experience with the expected experience based on one or more published tables.
• To construct tables of mortality and morbidity functions based on analysis of aggregated data primarily for use by members of the actuarial profession.
• To make estimates of future developments in mortality and morbidity rates.
• To carry out other statistical investigations and research that may be useful to actuaries with regard to the conduct of long term assurance, annuity and pension business, of sickness and related insurances and of self-administered pension schemes.

Under the Terms and conditions which govern the collection of data by the CMI, we are required to specify our areas of research for the current year (1/3/2013-28/2/2014) and the subsequent year (1/3/2014-28/2/2015). Within the purposes set out above, the CMI intends to use the following factors in its analyses in each year:

• Life Office Mortality - age, gender, policy duration, smoker status, retirement type, product category, whether or not underwritten, territory, joint life/single life, distribution channel, calendar year and benefit amount.
• Critical Illness - age, gender, policy duration, smoker status, product category, whether or not underwritten, territory, joint life/single life, distribution channel, benefit amount, calendar year and cause of claim.
• Income Protection - age, gender, policy duration, smoker status, deferred period, occupation class, rating (by lifestyle or medical), employment status, whether or not underwritten, underwriting impairment, territory, distribution channel, product category, duration of claim, mode of termination, cause of sickness, benefit amount and calendar year.
• SAPS Mortality - age, gender, duration of pension, type of pensioner, industry, calendar year and pension amount.
• For all of the above, we may also produce high-level results by office or by scheme, in order to illustrate the variability between experiences, in a manner that does not allow the office/scheme to be identified.

Any use of other factors (specifically including the use of postcode) during this period will be subject to consultation with, and prior approval from, data contributors.

The CMI makes available the results of its research by a number of means, for example:

• Data contributors receive an analysis of the experience of each set of information they provide.
• Subscribers and other Authorised Users receive an analysis of the aggregated experience of the aggregated experience of a number of data submissions, usually for a single year or for several years combined.
• The CMI also releases the results of some of these aggregated analyses in written documents on the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries together with tables of mortality and morbidity functions and the results of other research to Subscribers and other Authorised Users.

Such research results will always be aggregated in such form that they cannot be considered personal data or sensitive personal data within the context of the Data Protection Act.

Provision of CMI data to third parties

In certain circumstances the CMI may supply data to universities, and others, for research purposes and to commercial organisations:

• The conditions that the CMI requires to be met for data to be provided for research purposes are provided below.
• The principles under which the CMI may provide data to commercial organisations are detailed below.

Any data provided either for research or to a commercial organisation will have been de-personalised (in such form that they can no longer be considered personal data or sensitive personal data within the context of the Data Protection Act). Steps will also be taken to preserve the confidentiality of information relating to individual life offices or pension schemes

Provision of CMI data for research purposes

The CMI may supply data to universities, and others, for research purposes where the results of the research are to be made public and the following criteria will be met:

1) The data will be used purely for research and will not be used for commercial purposes;

2) A named individual to whom the data is supplied will be responsible for making sure the data is not distributed beyond those who need it for the research project and that all those with access to the data also agree to these criteria;

3) The CMI will be acknowledged as the source of the data in any published output;

4) The CMI will be contacted in the first instance in the event that any data issues are discovered; and

5) The CMI will be provided with a copy of the results of the research when it is published.

All requests for data should include the following:

• Confirmation that all the above criteria will be met.
• Information about what data is required.
• A summary of the purpose of the data request and the intended output.

Data will only be released for research purposes where the CMI Management Committee agrees that the proposed research may provide a worthwhile addition to actuarial knowledge. The CMI reserves the right to levy a charge for the handling of such data requests.

Any data provided for research will have been de-personalised in such form that they can no longer be considered personal data or sensitive personal data within the context of the Data Protection Act. In addition, any data provided will normally be aggregated so as to preserve the confidentiality of information relating to individual life offices or pension schemes.

Occasionally the CMI may make available data that indicates, via anonymous codes, the data from individual life offices or pension schemes. Such research will only normally be undertaken at the instigation of the relevant investigation committee and will be subject to the following additional criterion:

6) Published work based on the data will not include any figures that might allow an individual life office or pension scheme to be identified

Provision of CMI data for commercial purposes

As a result of the higher profile of mortality issues in particular in recent years, the CMI has received requests to make processed data available more widely than before.

Although the CMI has never made data available for commercial purposes, we consider it may be reasonable to release data to commercial organisations, subject to the following principles:

• With the agreement of the CMI Executive Committee as to the type of organisation, that the general use of the data will be appropriate, and will not conflict with the interests of data contributors or Subscribers;
• With the agreement of the CMI Management Committee as to the individual organisation, that it falls within an approved type, and that the specific use of the data will be appropriate;
• On a commercial basis which will reflect both the handling and preparation costs involved, and a contribution to the running costs of the CMI;
• Only after such data, or results based on it, have been released to Subscribers;
• Provided that appropriate reference is made to the CMI, and the relevant data, in any use of the data; and
• Provided that the commercial organisation(s) acknowledge and agree that neither CMI nor any of the data contributors shall have any liability to the commercial organisation(s) or their clients or customers in connection with their use of the data.

Any data provided for commercial purposes will have been de-personalised in such form that they can no longer be considered personal data or sensitive personal data within the context of the Data Protection Act. In addition, any data provided will be aggregated such that it cannot be related to individual life offices or pension schemes.