MIB Life Index Reports North American Life Insurance Activity Up 3.9% in November

BRAINTREE, Mass., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- North American application activity for individually underwritten life insurance jumped +3.9% in November year-over-year, according to the MIB Life Index(SM). Solid growth in life insurance applications over the past three months have lifted year-to-date (YTD) figures from their June 2009 levels of -1.6%, to flat at November's close, -0.1%. "It is clear consumers are recovering their interest in the benefits available from life insurance," says Stacy Gill, MIB Solutions' Vice President of Actuarial and Statistical Research. U.S. and Canadian applications were up +0.6% from October to November 2009.

U.S. application activity was up +4.1% in November year-over-year, all ages combined. Growth was seen in the 45-59 and 60+ age groups up +6.7% and +18.8%, respectively, with the 0-44 age group flat at 0%. Ages 45-59 showed nascent growth as far back as June, with double-digit growth for ages 60+ in nine of the last ten months. YTD application activity has improved progressively since March and is flat at November's close at -0.4%.

Canadian application activity was up +2.3% in November year-over-year, all ages combined. Growth mirrored that of the U.S., with the 45-59 and 60+ age groups up +4.1% and +8.7% respectively, while the 0-44 age group was up +0.5% year-over-year. November's activity was off -3.5% from October 2009. YTD, Canadian application activity is up +1.9%.

                 Monthly Percent Change vs. 2008
                 -------------------------------
                                U.S.     Canada     Total
                                ----     ------     -----
    Nov. 2009                    +4.1%      +2.3%      +3.9%
    ---------                    ----       ----       ----
    Oct. 2009                    +2.2%      +3.8%      +2.4%
    ---------                    ----       ----       ----
    YTD 2009                     -0.4%      +1.9%      -0.1%
    --------                     ----       ----       ----

          Monthly Percent Change vs. Previous Month
          -----------------------------------------
                              U.S.    Canada    Total
                              ----    ------    -----
    November 2009              +1.2%     -3.5%    +0.6%
    -------------              ----      ----     ----

January 2010, MIB will debut a subscription web portal initially featuring a 2009 MIB Life Index Annual Report. Watch for registration links available from the Life Index website and these monthly e-lerts. For past releases and a free subscription to the monthly e-lerts visit www.mib.com/lifeindex.

About the MIB Life Index

The MIB Life Index is the life insurance industry's timeliest measure of application activity across the U.S. and Canada. Released to the media each month, the Index is based on the number of searches life member company underwriters perform on the MIB Checking Service database. Since the vast majority of individually underwritten life premium dollars in North America include an MIB search as a routine underwriting requirement, the MIB Life Index provides a reasonable means to estimate new business activity.

About MIB Group, Inc.

MIB Group, Inc. is the premier provider of Internet-based information and knowledge services to the risk management market in North America and is a leading facilitator of electronic insurance commerce. MIB Group, Inc. companies include MIB, Inc. and MIB Solutions, Inc. (www.mib.com).

    Contact:
    David O. Aronson
    MIB Group, Inc.
    781-751-6330
    daronson@mibsolutions.com

SOURCE MIB Group, Inc.

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