Template Letter to Insurance Broker Re: Effect of All-Cause Mortality Increase on Insurance Company Credit
The following template was prepared by the Solari Report.
[NAME OF AUTHOR(S)]
[ADDRESS OF AUTHOR(S)]
[EMAIL ADDRESS OF AUTHOR(S)]
[TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHOR(S)]
Joe Insurance Broker
Insurance Brokers, Inc.
1234 Happy Lane
City, State Zip Code
Re: John and Mary Smith
Insurance Carrier, Inc. Term/Whole Life/Disability/Other] Insurance Policy
Policy No. ________________
Dear Joe:
I/We are writing to ask your advice regarding my/our insurance policy(ies) issued by [Insurance Carrier, Inc.] in light of recent financial market revelations.
In November 2022, I/we saw in The Wall Street Journal that the stock of industry leader Lincoln Financial fell by 30% in just one day. Lincoln Financial itself was downgraded from A+ to A and is on negative outlook (for possible further downgrades). See the press release below for additional details about AM Best’s reasoning and future expectations.
Also note Lincoln Financial’s recapitalization with 9.25% preferreds following the blow-up and some other comments in this press release: https://news.ambest.com/presscontent.aspx?refnum=32763&altsrc=2. Lincoln has had to raise additional funds to maintain its required statutory capital levels.
As I/we understand it, Lincoln discovered it was under-reserving in its universal life insurance business. I/We have also read that Prudential Financial took similar charges in its life insurance business earlier this year and that many other companies, including Globe Life, reported elevated group life insurance loss ratios over the past twelve months. This is consistent with the information in the additional sources below.
My/Our understanding of the reported data is that an increase in all-cause mortality of non-disabled employees of working age occurred after the height of the “pandemic,” when COVID-related claims would have been expected to have occurred, becoming noticeable after the administration of COVID vaccines began.
It seems to us/me that a continued decrease in life expectancy is likely to have an effect on insurance industry profits, reserves, and credit ratings. The prospect of current and future increases in death claims, whether due to COVID boosters, delayed effects from both the original vaccines and boosters, or as a result of other government policies and mandates may not bode well for policyholders.
I/we remember the financial crisis in 2008, and it began like this—with problems at Bear Stearns. I am/We are concerned. Can you help me/us make sure the life insurance policy(ies) that I/we have been paying for are going to be safe?
[If desired, insert specific information about the particular situation and what the author’s individual fears or concerns are. e.g., how old the policy is, what situation is intended to be covered, etc.]
I/we would like to make an appointment to meet with you in order to discuss my/our concerns and to determine what changes I/we should make, if any. Please call to let me/us know a convenient time for such a meeting and any other information you can share to help me/us prepare.
Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yours,
John and Mary Smith
Related Reading:
- Questions to be Addressed by Insurance Broker
- Lincoln National Shares Fall 30% After Unexpectedly Large Quarterly Charge
- AM Best Downgrades Credit Ratings of Lincoln National Corporation and its Subsidiaries
- Long Funeral Homes, Short Life Insurers? Ex-Blackrock Fund Manager Discovers Disturbing Trends In Mortality
- Mortality Among White Collar Workers Jumped 24 Percent Between 2020 And 2021, Life Insurance Data Show
- Adults Aged 35–44 Died at Twice the Expected Rate Last Summer, Life Insurance Data Suggests
- Group Life COVID-19 Mortality Survey Report
2 Comments
Robin Lee
I have been an insurance broker for over 20 years. If one of my clients wants an apointment to discuss their insurance plans, and any potential changes, all they have to do is call, email, or visit my website and use the scheduling tool. There is no need for this form letter to meet with a broker, taking the time to fill all of it out is silly and pointless.
The excess mortality rates are the insurance companies problem not the policy holder. Your policy is a contract between you and the compnay, each company in my state belongs to a state wide reinsurance plan that guarantees the policy holder will be paid, even if their companiy become insolavent.
Personally, I do beleive that the government will also “bailout” the insurance comapnies as they have in the past, AIG for example. The last thing they want is more attention brought to the damage the mandated vaxx has caused.
sandy
I agree that the form above is silly, unless perhaps you’re preserving the right to sue at a future date. I have a cordial relationship with my broker and I’d be happy to call him up. But I might as well speak to the clerk at the convenience store. Retail brokers have no more idea about systemic risk than a plumber. When I was a life agent way back in the day…we were trained all such visits were sales opportunities and in no case would we ever reduce someone’s premiums. I understand there is some difference between agents and brokers…some.
And the reinsurance funds are designed to bail out the isolated insurer, not the whole herd. And the bailout of the collapse of the insurance industry…now largely indistinguishable at the upper levels from the banking industry…will simply be beyond the existing resources of the Fedgov who has long been running on fumes. The pension funds and bond market would probably fall as well. Sure…the Fed may type trillions of currency into existence and distribute it to their buddies in the insurance industry, but it can only recirculate its own bonds so long before cavitation occurs. That jig is about up.
Probably best to cash out of that life policy, one way or the other, while it still has some value. You may be sure there will be a lot of tragic Wall Street deaths under circumstances which produce no corpse.