Blog

Across all of the 2026 AHOU conference sessions, a single through‑line emerged: The future of underwriting, and the future of the advisor's role, is being shaped by better data, smarter tools, and a deeper understanding of risk. Mortality improvement is becoming more nuanced, underwriting is shifting from knowledge work to relationship work, AI is moving from experimentation to execution, and complex medical conditions now demand clearer narratives and stronger context. At the same time, behavioral risks are more visible, biomarkers are redefining early detection, and underwriting culture itse...

 Part Two of Windsor's "Key Takeaways From the 2026 AHOU Conference" continues the momentum with three discussions that explore the operational realities shaping underwriting today. The underwriting innovation panel leads off with an insightful look at rapidly changing underwriting environments designed to result in accurate decisions, faster cycle times and higher placement ratios. A leading reinsurance medical director then turns the spotlight on underwriting rheumatoid arthritis and related inflammatory diseases — exploring how, in the final analysis, diagnosis is only the startin...

The 2026 Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU) Conference — held April 19–22 in Austin— marked its 25th anniversary while diving into what's changing in underwriting today, and what underwriting will look like in the future. Across these sessions, a clear picture emerged of an industry in motion — one where underwriting, mortality insight, medical science, and AI are all evolving at the same time. Together, they paint a landscape that's more data‑rich, more medically nuanced, and more technologically capable than ever before. They also highlight something deeper: The role of the advis...

 Let's start with a simple observation.  Most retirement conversations still revolve around the same three themes:  accumulation, income and rate of return. Those are familiar, comfortable topics. They're the backbone of how many of us were trained. But when you step back and look at the conversations we aren't having, a pattern emerges. We're not consistently talking about what happens when a client lives longer than expected, or when their independence changes, or when care needs show up in ways they never planned for. And it's not because we don't know these risks exist....

Part 3 of Windsor's "Highlights of Pacific Life's 2026 Underwriting Symposium," brings the series home with four conversations that look squarely at the future of underwriting and expanding market opportunities. The underwriting panel explores the day‑to‑day realities of case assessment in a world of rising complexity, while a group of reinsurance medical leaders provides a deeper clinical lens on trends affecting risk evaluation. From there, the focus shifts to the growing importance of underwriting for family wealth planning, followed by a forward‑looking discussion on how direct markets are...

Part 2 of Windsor's "Highlights of Pacific Life's 2026 Underwriting Symposium" continues the momentum with three discussions that explore the operational and technical realities shaping underwriting today. The reinsurance and carrier panel offers a candid look at capacity, pricing pressures, and how carriers and reinsurers are recalibrating their partnerships in a shifting risk environment. A leadership round table then turns the spotlight to technology — exploring how automation, data strategy, and emerging tools are reshaping workflows, talent needs, and advisor expectations. "Symposium...

Susan Ghalili, Senior Vice President of Life New Business & Underwriting Operations and Chief Underwriter, and the Pacific Life team delivered another strong lineup at the 2026 Pacific Life Underwriting Symposium. Now in its fourth year, the event has become a reliable forum for industry leaders to dig into the issues shaping both the current and future state of life insurance — especially the pressures and opportunities emerging in underwriting. With panelists representing Pacific Life, distribution partners, reinsurers, medical professionals and other experts, the conversa...

 Every year, the MIB Life Index Annual Report gives us a reliable read on what's happening across the life insurance business. But the 2025 report stands out. The industry didn't just grow — it accelerated in a way we haven't seen in years. For those of us who spend our days helping clients protect what matters most, this shift represents more than positive momentum. It represents opportunity. At Windsor, we focus on insights that help producers take meaningful action. With that in mind, here's a closer look at what shaped 2025 and why it sets up an exceptionally strong environment for li...

Introduction Cancer continues to be one of the biggest health risks your clients face — and one of the leading drivers of life insurance death claims. Traditional screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies have absolutely moved the needle, but they only cover a few of the many and various cancer types. That's why multicancer early detection (MCED) tests are getting so much attention today. These tests promise something we've never had before: the ability to screen for dozens of cancers with a simple blood draw, often long before symptoms show up. For financial professionals and life insuranc...

Picture this: you're sitting down with a client who knows they have a need for financial planning that includes life insurance, but is unsure about their next steps. Rather than leading with an overview of suitable products, you share an insight you picked up from reading an article or commentary — something that connects directly to their situation. Suddenly, the conversation shifts. You're not just presenting product options; you're helping them see solutions, easing their concerns, and showing them a path toward a more secure future. That's exactly why we write these blogs. They're des...