Definition of "Law of large numbers"

Nora  Sienra real estate agent

Written by

Nora Sienraelite badge icon

Chateaux Realty

Mathematical premise stating that the greater the number of exposures, (1) the more accurate the prediction; (2) the less the deviation of the actual losses from the expected losses (X - x approaches zero); and (3) the greater the credibility of the prediction (credibility approaches 1). This law forms the basis for the statistical expectation of loss upon which premium rates for insurance policies are calculated. Out of a large group of policyholders the insurance company can fairly accurately predict not by name but by number, the number of policyholders who will suffer a loss. Life insurance premiums are loaded for the expected loss plus modest deviations. For example, if a life insurance company expects (x) 10,000 of its policy-holders to die in a particular year and that number or fewer actually die (X), there is no cause for concern on the part of the company's actuaries. However, if the life insurance company expects (*) 10,000 of its policyholders to die in a particular year and more than that number dies (X) there is much cause for concern by actuaries.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Type of individual retirement account (IRA) allowed by the employee retirement income security act of 1974 (erisa) whereby contributions in the form of premium payments are made on a fixed ...

Types of reinsurance instruments under which the amount of risk transferred is more limited than under traditional risk reinsurance instruments. The limitations on risk transfer take the ...

Coverage giving income benefits to surviving family member (s) if one member should die. These include the family income policy, family income rider, family maintenance policy, and the ...

In property insurance policies, provision that excludes the insurance company's liability for indemnification of the insured for the insured's expenses incurred in the demolition of ...

Termination of premium payments by an employer on behalf of an employee to an employee benefit plan. ...

Department in an insurance company that prepares policies to be sent to the policyholder, sends the policies, and keeps records of the policies that were sent. ...

In many health insurance and dental insurance policies, stipulation that, if the estimated cost of a recommended plan of treatment exceeds a specified sum, the insured must submit the plan ...

Same as term Blanket Bond: coverage for an employer in the event of dishonesty of any employee. ...

Compensation that varies with the class and type of insurance sold. Many insurance companies offer varying commissions according to the volume of business an agent places with the company. ...

Popular Insurance Questions