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

That which adjoins. Most property insurance policies such as the homeowners insurance policy provide structural coverage on an adjacent building on the same basis as the primary building. ...

Procedure to minimize the adverse effect of a possible financial loss by (1) identifying potential sources of loss; (2) measuring the financial consequences of a loss occurring; and (3) ...

One that combines the two forms of ownership, stock and mutual. A stock insurance company is owned by stockholders, whereas a mutual insurance company is owned by its policyholders. A mixed ...

Effective January 4, 1994, the backup withholding rate on dividends, interest, and gross proceeds distributions increased from 20% to 31%. Backup withholding applies in the following ...

Right of a policyholder in life insurance with cash value to elect a smaller, fully paid-up policy, without any further premiums to pay. The amount of the paid-up policy is determined by ...

Policy not designed to pay the policyowner a dividend. ...

Coverage provided by the pension benefit guaranty corporation (pbgc) that guarantees participants a certain level of pension benefits even if the plan terminates without assets. The PBGC ...

Policy that is the opposite of the traditional split dollar life insurance policy in that: the employee is the policyowner and as such can exercise all ownership rights inherit to that ...

Coverage in which premiums are collected monthly on an ordinary life insurance policy. ...

Popular Insurance Questions