About this event

The 2017 conference is now over. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of the conference. Plenary videos will follow shortly.

 

Registration Wed, 24/05/2017 - 17:00 - 18:15 Registration
Plenary session Wed, 24/05/2017 - 18:15 - 18:30 Introduction and welcome
Plenary session Wed, 24/05/2017 - 18:30 - 19:30 Plenary 1

The opening Plenary will be deleivered by Dr Alexander van Tulleken. Dr Xand van Tulleken is the Helen Hamlyn Senior Fellow at Fordham University's Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs. He has a diploma in Tropical Medicine, a Diploma in International Humanitarian Assistance and a Master's in Public Health from Harvard, where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He is a registered Doctor with the General Medical Council of the UK without a licence to practice. Xand is a contributing editor to the first edition of the Oxford Handbook of Humanitarian Medicine and has worked for Doctors of the World, Merlin and the World Health Organization in humanitarian crises around the world.

Xand has presented numerous shows for the BBC and Channel 4 including: Operation Ouch, Blow Your Mind, Horizon, Secret Life of Twins, and Medicine Men Gone Wild. 

Speaker: Dr Alexander van Tulleken

Dinner Wed, 24/05/2017 - 19:30 - 23:00 Informal dinner, drinks and networking
Plenary session Thu, 25/05/2017 - 09:00 - 10:00 Plenary 2

What if our immune systems could fight cancer?
Cancer, which accounted for 64.5% of all critical illness claims paid in 2015 totaling over £730m*, is made up of mutated versions of our own cells making it hard for the immune system to recognise and attack. But what if we could re-educate our immune system to recognise and fight cancer? Recent research breakthroughs have shown we can do just that, but there are still challenges to overcome. Royal Society Research Fellow and Immunologist Professor Benjamin Wilcox will discuss the latest research and Hannover Re will share what the implications of this exciting field of science may be for the insurance industry. *ABI Protection Claims Paid & Declined 2015.
Speakers: Ben Willcox, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham and Nay Wynn, Hannover Re

Transfer time Thu, 25/05/2017 - 10:00 - 10:10 Transfer
Workshop Thu, 25/05/2017 - 10:10 - 11:00 Workshop session A

A1: The Patient’s Advocate
During an illness people really need someone to look after their best interests and to ensure they get appropriate support. The patient’s advocate is commonly their doctor and other health professionals in primary care. Meanwhile, the insurance industry has worked to develop procedures to assess the validity of disability claims fairly. But the involvement of medical professionals acting as the patient’s advocate remains an obstacle that can pose difficulties in a claims context. So does ‘doctor really know best’ or can insurers work together with healthcare providers to achieve a mutual outcome for disability claimants?Dr John Delfosse, CMO & GP and Zoe Woodroffe, Pricing Actuary will address these issues and the implication for Disability pricing and claims management.
Speakers: John Delfosse and  Zoe Woodroffe, Gen Re

A2: Blockchain-an emerging technology with wide potential application for insurance
Blockchain's ability to enable transaction flows across multiple layers of counterparties could potentially redefine the standard for digital transaction processing. Swiss Re developed IGR (Intra Group Retrocession) prototype is the base for industry's first collaboration on blockchain to experiment jointly and to drive standards for industrywide adoption.
Speaker: Rory Unsworth, Swiss Re

A3: Does teething really kill? A study of mortality trends over the past 100 years.
Trends from 1900 – 2016 and a look at things like war, infections etc. and how they have affected mortality trends.Recent mortality trends (2010 – 2016 has been quite interesting with an apparent slowing down of improvements)Why the past isn’t always good guide to future trends in mortality.Cancer and Heart disease (how future trends aren't likely to be as they have been in the past). Antibiotic resistance and how this may affect future mortality trends.Other interesting views on mortality trends from SCOR and our experts.
Speakers: Paul Blyth, SCOR Global Life and Gillian Laing SCOR 

A4: The Role of Data Quality in Transforming PMI Analytics
Milliman has collated and analysed the claims experience of a large proportion of the PMI market over 2012-2014. Using this research and the resulting analysis we set out a framework for analysing exposure and claims experience, with emphasis on data quality within the industry and the robustness of the data for analytics. In addition, we explore the impact of cancer patients and their claiming activity on overall experience and look at what can be expected in the future. This presentation is suitable for all levels of experience.
Speakers: Natasha Singhal and Neha Taneja, Milliman

 

Refreshments Thu, 25/05/2017 - 11:00 - 11:30 Refreshments
Workshop Thu, 25/05/2017 - 11:30 - 12:20 Workshop B

B1: Update from working party on current activities and research being undertaken in respect of social care funding
LTC and social care funding: Update from working party on current activities and research being undertaken in respect of social care funding We will be presenting an update on the latest position of the research being undertaken in respect of social care funding. We are currently:
1. Analysing the current means testing limits to identify if improvements could be made;
2. Looking at what financial information and tools can be provided to individuals to help them understand their care cost in retirement; and
3. Researching if any lessons can be learnt from the Australian pensions and social care funding system.
Speakers: Ailsa Dunn, Hymans and Thomas Kenny, Just

B2: Bridging the gap between actuarial theory and claims reality
It is imperative that our claims, underwriting, product development and pricing teams should engage and talk with each other so we can truly understand our claims experience. As our products have evolved over the years and definitions, philosophies and reassurance arrangements have drastically changed, are we really all on the same page with regard to what claims we are paying? If so, what effect does it have on our experience and it is reflected in our data?
Speakers: Paul Blyth, SCOR and Jamie Leitch, SCOR Global Life

B3: Future of Insurance - What is the future of insurance in this changing world?
We face a world of where the nature of uncertainty is changing. The future is collapsing into the present at a faster pace than the past can be used to extrapolate the future. In fact the past is no longer an indication of the future at all. We have convergence of many factors - biological, physical and digital.This presentation will share insights from research conducted with leading insurance CEOs, Futurists, Academics and Consultants both inside and outside of the insurance industry.The presentation will cover high level themes emerging from the markets and highlight key sub-trends in those themes. The presentation will challenge you to think how future-fit you and your organisation are.
Speaker: Peter Temple, Gen Re 

B4: Sweetening the deal - cost-effective life insurance for diabetics
The market for life assurance for diabetics in the UK is huge – with over 4 million people currently diagnosed with the disease and the number rising all the time. The underwriting journey can introduce delays in the process, often resulting in low take up rates. Royal London will be launching a product targeted at diabetics with a view to making the process easier for customers. Unlike many mortality products in the market, a key element of this offering incentivises policyholders to self manage their condition through the potential of premium reductions. The speech will cover the development of the product and process and initial results following its launch.
Speakers: Joan Coverson, Gen Re and Debbie Kennedy, Royal London

 

Refreshments Thu, 25/05/2017 - 12:20 - 13:10 Lunch
Plenary session Thu, 25/05/2017 - 13:10 - 13:20 Presidents welcome
Plenary session Thu, 25/05/2017 - 13:20 - 14:20 Plenary 3

Consumer Behaviour

Speaker: Kathy Byrne, Askis Limited

Transfer time Thu, 25/05/2017 - 14:20 - 14:30 Transfer
Workshop Thu, 25/05/2017 - 14:30 - 15:20 Workshop C

C1: Cancer claims and disability at a time of changing Rx and prognosis
Cancer has always been a significant cause of claim in Group Income Protection. Today we see employees and employers grapple with this complex disease, at a time when treatments and prognosis are changing more than ever before.This session considers Insights to the types of cancer seen and survival trends over time in disability claimsChallenges for the claimant and employerReal life cases studies where new emerging therapies are having impactA Chief Medical Officer view of the future.
Speakers: Dr Nigel Dear and James Shattock, Unum

C2: Blip or dip? A closer look at recent UK mortality trends and future projections
Recent UK population mortality trends have been very different since 2011.  Other countries have seen similar changes over this time.  Many actuaries have looked at trends in causes of death and socioeconomic status to explain these changes, and have pointed to circulating flu strains to explain excess winter deaths. 
This session will
•         Review this work
•         Take a deeper dive into key morbidity factors
•         Review other factors such as austerity and healthcare trends
•         Consider the opinions of researchers outside of the actuarial profession.
The session will close by considering the potential impact on mortality improvements over the short-to-medium term.
Speakers: Stephen Courquin and Chris Falkous, RGA

C3: Long Term Care Reform in Germany
We will present on the latest reform of the long term care insurance provided by the social security system in Germany. The new concept for assessing the need of care will be introduced. Additionally, an overview of LTC insurance in the private insurance industry as offered by life or health insurers will be given. We will conclude the talk by outlining the implications the reform could have for these segments. We welcome a discussion about how insights from the German experience can inform options for other markets.
Speakers: Adele Groyer and Sabrina Link, Gen Re

C4: Are we ready for Behaviour Linked Insurance?
The risks we insure are impacted significantly by the way people behave. Non Communicable Diseases are driving up costs faster than preventive medicine can eradicate infection. However, behaviour remains mostly unaddressed, and a bridge too far for most insurers. Change is coming, and behaviour linked insurance products have started to emerge on the global stage. This presentation will explain what the research tells us about behaviour and costs - drawing from a database of over 2,000 peer-reviewed articles - and will explore which population interventions work, to what extent and how we value them. We will also take a look at how insurers can help create new healthy habits, referencing some of the products that have already emerged across the globe.
Speaker: Colin Bullen, Habits at Work 

 

Refreshments Thu, 25/05/2017 - 15:20 - 15:50 Refreshments
Workshop Thu, 25/05/2017 - 15:50 - 16:40 Workshop D

D1: Cancer Working Parties - Clinical Pathway of cancer treatments
To understand and compare the clinical pathways of two cancers: colorectal and breast. This is going to be an interactive session where discussions will take place to understand the pathways, thus leading to the potential costs involved for any individuals suffering the two types of cancer.
Speaker: Jacky Cheung, Chubb

D2: Are short term yields a long term problem?
Interest rates reached new all-time lows in 2016 creating a wide range of issues for the life insurance industry including impacting the profitability of long term protection products. Nick and Kyle will look at how this has effected some core product lines, and then look at the possible options open to insurers, including the arguments for and against repricing based on these changes in rates.
Speakers: Nick Reilly, RL and Kyle West, Hymans Robertson

D3: How wellness is increasing engagement with insurance
Employer-provided benefits have become increasingly important as part of individuals’ insurance coverage, which is driving innovation in the field. This discussion will first cover current trends in wellness. Secondly, we will introduce EY’s Financial Wellness Index, which helps identify and quantify employees’ coverage needs and allows employers to provide benefits their employees truly value. We’ll also discuss how this index is currently being expanded beyond the group market into retail.
Speakers: Carl Ghiselli, Ernst & Young and Niamh Murphy, EY

D4: The rise of health tech: wearables in motion
This presentation will provide a wide-ranging perspective on the use of technology and wearables in life and health insurance. It will include a whistle stop tour of the wearables landscape and will explore potential applications including health promotion and patient monitoring. Insights from current Swiss Re engagement in this space - including investment in medical grade wearables and client partnerships on wearable incentivised health products – will also be provided.
Speakers: Lisa Altmann-Richer, Actuarial Analyst & MSc International Health Policy and Aisling Kennedy, Swiss Re

 

Transfer time Thu, 25/05/2017 - 16:40 - 16:50 Transfer
Plenary session Thu, 25/05/2017 - 16:50 - 17:50 Plenary 4

Medical technology and their impact on life and disability insurance 
Medical technology is gathering pace across a multitude of conditions. Whether it is wearables (or nearables) new protocols will be used to measure patient control of their conditions. With the introduction of new products designed for specific impairments how will customers understand what expected of them.

In addition new services such as remote or virtual GP consultations or second opinion services could undermine the current underwriting approach of obtaining medical records. Finally with a host of new tests to better predict susceptibility to all manner of conditions, what does this mean for current insurance products such as critical illness?
Speaker: Dr Bippon Vinayak, Chairman & CEO, Square Health Ltd

Social Thu, 25/05/2017 - 19:30 - 20:00 Drinks reception
Dinner Thu, 25/05/2017 - 20:00 - Fri, 26/05/2017 - 00:00 Conference Dinner

After dinner speaker: Alexander Armstrong

Alexander Armstrong is a multi-talented English comedian, actor, television presenter and singer. A well-known face on TV, he is one of the nation’s most accomplished television presenters. He graduated from the University of Cambridhe in 1992 where he read English and soon moved to London to pursue a career in acting and comedy.

He currently co-presents BBC1’s popular quiz show Pointless where he works with fellow comedian Richard Osman. Pointless has been running since 2009 and continues to be a great watch after a long day at work. The show’s popularity has led to the spin off version Pointless Celebrities, which has featured the likes of Willie Thorne, Derek Redmond and Tony Jacklin CBE.

Plenary session Fri, 26/05/2017 - 09:00 - 10:00 Plenary 5

Low carb, high fat – a revolution in dietary guidelines
Nutritional guidelines have undeniably failed us. PHE estimates that 76% of UK males are now overweight and obese. Are we not listening to the guidelines, or are they simply wrong? Who and what has driven these guidelines? What was once considered fringe is now getting a much louder voice, and the evidence of our mistakes is growing. As is the evidence of the benefits of not following the "recommended" guidelines. For the obese and diabetics, not being aware of this paradigm shift is akin to not making smokers aware of the dangers that cigarette smoking poses.
Speaker: Dr John Schoonbee, Swiss Re

Transfer time Fri, 26/05/2017 - 10:00 - 10:10 Transfer
Workshop Fri, 26/05/2017 - 10:10 - 11:00 Workshop E

E1: Air today, gone tomorrow - The Changing Face of Air Pollution
Air today, gone tomorrow - The Changing Face of Air Pollution The health risks of air pollution start in utero and continue through to old age. It is associated with respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer and is estimated to result in 40,000 deaths per year in the UK. 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the clean air act. Legislation and changes in technology have reduced the air pollutants present from the 1940s to the 1980s. Other pollutants including particulate matter and nitric oxide are new threats to long-term health. Indoor pollution is increasingly recognised as impacting on health. The impact of air pollution need to be considered when predicting long-term health outcomes.
Speakers: John O'Brien, Gen Re

E2: Predictive mortality modelling: A Twitter case study
Language expressed on Twitter characterises community-level health status and correlates with disease prevalence in defined geographical spaces. This presentation will demonstrate how, using machine learning algorithms for the analysis of tweets related to psychological status, cancer or cardiovascular disease, we can predict cancer/cardiovascular mortality for defined populations.
Speakers: Séverine Rion, Swiss Re

E3: Beyond the traditional – an extension of risk/gain share in the healthcare space
In this three-part presentation, we aim to extend the concepts of risk/gain share from the PMI industry to other hot areas in the healthcare space. Key topics include: - Enhancing how risk and uncertainty are assessed in the new-drug evaluation process.- Structuring capitation arrangements in the NHS where the traditional principles of insurance do not apply.- Quantifying the impact of introducing novel antibiotics in the context of antimicrobial resistance.
Speakers: Tanya Hayward and Didier Serre, Milliman

E4: The selection criteria

We all like keeping our options open. Policyholders are given and offered a spread of options for free or at cost across protection products. We will consider a range of options in the UK, Ireland and even Australia, with a focus on the anti-selective potential versus consumer value. We will present experience results for specific cases of exercised options.
Speaker: Ben Randall, Swiss Re

 

Refreshments Fri, 26/05/2017 - 11:00 - 11:25 Refreshments
Workshop Fri, 26/05/2017 - 11:25 - 12:15 Workshop F

F1: Liquid Biopsies– a therapeutic tool with great promise for cancer detection and monitoring of treatment
A ‘liquid biopsy’ is the name given to the detection of cancer cell DNA in the bloodstream through a simple blood test. This is enticing as it can be performed in ‘real time’ and is not invasive or dangerous. The development in cancer detection opens up a whole spectrum of considerations to the life insurance industry. Can the industry itself use these tests for screening? How will early detection and optimizing cancer treatment from this technology translate into mortality and morbidity improvement? Is there an increased risk of anti-selection with such non- invasive methods of detection? This presentation will provide insight into this area of research and the impact it may have on the insurance industry.

Speaker: Bill Monday, Pacific Life Re

F2: Terror and Pandemic events in life insurance
Life insurance pricing requires the development of a mortality or morbidity table for the anticipated duration of the cover. This table will be the estimation of the normal decrements. But one also has to allow for the non-normal events. And these events are unpredictable, and potential big. Big enough to sink an insurer. And in the current unstable socio-political environment this risk needs to be evaluated and taken seriously in terms of risk management. This presentation will cover the areas of natural catastrophe, terror and epidemic and how these are being allowed for across Europe. We will show the trends and latest developments in terms of perceived risk and reinsurance market appetite to take the risk.
Speaker: Colin Dutkiewicz, Aon

F3: E-cigarettes – good or bad for your health?
E-cigarette usage has dramatically increased in recent years (2.8 million UK – ASH estimate, 2016). The overall impact on health is uncertain: the relative impact of these products compared to cigarettes seems to be at least 95% less in terms of disease; unknown impact around behavioural changes made by smokers; and public perception is confused! There is an ongoing debate on the health impact for individuals which could potentially lead to a major contribution towards preventing premature death, disease and social inequalities in health that smoking currently causes in the UK. An IFoA working party has been set up consisting of a multi-disciplined team of insurance professionals including actuaries; underwriters; and medical practitioners, to consider the impact on the insurance industry.
Speakers: Niel Daniels, SCOR and Joel Copeland, Lloyds Banking

F4: Individual Income Protection - How to move from industry pet to public favourite
This talk by an underwriting expert (Andrew Wibberley, Alea Risk) and award winning protection distributor (Andrew Wilkinson, Moneysworth) will highlight the practical challenges that we need to overcome to move Income Protection to a mass market product.They will use their first hand experience and examples to specifically consider:- identifying a realistic target market- impact of current underwriting approach to medical disclosures- different claims definitions- occupation class allocation- the claims process.
Speakers: Andrew Wibberley, Alea Risk and Andrew Wilkinson, Moneysworth

 

Refreshments Fri, 26/05/2017 - 12:15 - 13:05 Lunch
Plenary session Fri, 26/05/2017 - 13:05 - 14:05 Plenary 6

Adult Social Care - Data to Drive Strategy?

Speaker: Sue McMillan, Skills for Care 

Plenary session Fri, 26/05/2017 - 14:05 - 14:15 Closing remarks
Other Fri, 26/05/2017 - 14:15 Conference closed
Plenary session Fri, 26/05/2017 - 14:25 - 15:25 Optional plenary 7: Professionalism

Speakers: Neil Hilary, IFoA and Malcom Slee, Aviva UK