MIB-A Year in Review

Medical Information Bureau (MIB) just released Q4 and 2011 annual reports. Q4 proved to be a solid finish to a year that was stable across some age groups and quite active in others. To quote MIB directly, "The MIB Life Index showed marked resilience in 2011". Most age groups reflected an end of year increase in activity ( 45-59 year olds +0.1%, 60+ age groups +8.9% ). The only age group that reflected a slight downward trend was 0-44 (-2.2%). Application activity in total increased .2% compared to 2010 (which indicated that total activity for "individually underwritten life insurance applications fell 1.2%").

60+ age groups, continue their upward (YOY) trend (15.03% in 2010, 16.7% in 2011) which is consistent with development, and expanded, simplified issue programs along with a renewed carrier focus on middle market sales.

Age related distribution of activity noted 54.2% of all applications came from ages 0-44 (a slight drop from 2010 which reflected 55.6%); 29.1% ages 45-59 (unchanged from 2010); 16.7% 60+ age groups (increase from 15.3% in 2010).

Overall, these are encouraging year end results which , in this blogger's view, indicate some increased confidence on behalf of the consumers of insurance products. Certainly a more positive outlook than the prior years reports indicated!

As a tribute to a very young, but incredibly brilliant, young lady that recently succumbed to an untimely death, I wanted to take the opportunity to utilize one of her quotes-a wonderful reflection as we begin the new year;

"If you want to do something big in your life, you must remember that shyness is only the mind," she said. "If you think shy, you act shy. If you think confident you act confident. Therefore never let shyness conquer your mind."

Arfa Karim Randhawa, aged 10 (2005)

May all of my readers have a prosperous and blessed 2012!

Women and Increased Diabetic Risk from Statins

The LA times reported on a study just released from the Archives of Internal Medicine this week red-flagging increased risks related to statin (cholesterol lowering) therapies. The report indicates that post-menopausal women, taking statin therapy purely as "preventative" protection against development of heart disease in fact did not develop frank heart disease during the study period but developed a predecessor to heart disease, Type II diabetes!

Type II diabetes, known as "non insulin" or adult onset, is a lifelong chronic disease marked by increased levels of blood glucose. It is the most common form of diabetes, often a flagship risk factor associated with obesity. It is also a common predecessor to development of heart disease as it is more difficult to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

According to the study, over 153,000 post-menopausal women (aged 50-79) were studied and followed between 1993 and 2005. Statin usage was evaluated at baseline and year three. All women were encouraged to continue on therapy throughout the length of the study.

At the end of the study period, it was indicated that nearly 11,000. women had developed Type II diabetes. Increased incidences among women of Asian decent and those with normal BMI. The study indicated that further evaluation drilling down the statin drugs that were related with increased incidences would be a good next step.

As statins have become more prevalent, and often touted as the miracle drug of the century, it's reminders from important studies such as this that "one drug does not fit all".

"Wish not so much to live long as much as to live well"

Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richards Almanac, 1738

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