The research project leading to this book was initiated in the fall of
1979 when the American Council of Life Insurance (ACLI) contacted Dan
McGill, chairman of the Wharton School Insurance Department, about
conducting a study on risk classification in life insurance. The ACLI
was concerned about legislative and judicial activity in this area and
its potential effects on the life insurance industry. A meeting was held
at the ACLI offices in Washington, D.C., between several members of the
ACLI staff and Dan McGill and David Cummins representing the Wharton
School insurance department. An agreement was reached that a study would
be conducted at Wharton dealing with issues in risk classification.
Although the staff of the ACLI suggested directions the study might
take, it was agreed that the design and execution of the study would be
solely under the control of the researchers. The researchers also
retained unrestricted publication rights in the results of the study.
This agreement has been honored by the ACLI during the course of the
project.