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

Funds paid by an insurance company associated with the normal costs of doing business other than the costs of claims payments. ...

Act that makes the liability cost for cleanup joint and several. Even if a party is only partially responsible for losses inflicted, that party may be liable for the payment of the total ...

Management philosophy developed by W. Edwards Deming, the thesis of which is the continuous improvement in quality through research in customer satisfaction and the empowerment of ...

Authority of states to tax the insurance companies they regulate. States levy income taxes, real and personal property taxes, and special levies, the most important of which is a premium ...

Crime against the state for which an officer of the state can bring legal action. Society is harmed by an individual breaking the laws of the state. Usually there is no statue of ...

Insurance for which premiums are charged according to the size of the face amount of the policy, so that the greater the face amount, the lower the cost per $1000 unit of insurance. ...

Securities that derive their value from other financial instruments that are used by the insurance company to hedge its bets on which direction the market is moving. For example, cattle ...

Same as term Occurrence Basis: coverage, in liability insurance, for harm suffered by others because of events occurring while a policy is in force, regardless of when a claim is actually ...

transfer of money from or an employer-sponsored pension or other qualified plan into an INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (IRA) with out paying tax on the distribution. transfer of money from ...

Popular Insurance Questions