The Term Guy's hobby is collecting antique insurance books. Here we've scanned many of our out of copyright books for your enjoyment and perhaps research purposes. Stay tuned, more books coming as I have time to scan them!
We have extracted table data from many of these books and made the information available as excel spreadsheets. In the download of spreadsheets we have also included a high def image of each of the pages containing the tables. The image filename for each page and the excel spreadsheet have the same name, i.e. image0001.jpg.xlxs contains table data from image0001.jpg. You may download and use the data unrestricted, but we would ask that you consider giving us a link from your website so that others can find this information as well.
Benjamin Gompertz, 1820
First appearance of the works that would later become the Gompertz-Makeham distribution.
Benjamin Gompertz, 1861
Followup to the first two papers by Gompertz that led to the famous Gompertz-Makeham distribution.
American Institute of Actuaries, 1918
Two volumes, comprehensive data collected with the intention of replacing/updating the American Table in use at that time.
American Institute of Actuaries, 1918
Volume II of II
Actuarial Society of America, 1912
Covering 97% of the life insurance policies in force from 1885-1908. Interesting, they did not cover term life insurance as they didn’t have enough data.
V1: Statistics of Height and Weight of Insured persons
Rates of Mortality to be used as a standard of expected deaths
Actuarial Society of America, 1912
Influence of build on mortality, causes of death, mortality among north American Indians, negroes, Chinese and Japenese in North America
Actuarial Society of America, 1912
Effect of Occupation on Mortality, Including “Baths: Rubbers and Shampooers”, “Match Factory” and “Dynamite Factory Employees”.
Actuarial Society of America, 1912
Medical Impairments, defects in Condition, personal history or family history.
Actuarial Society of America, 1912
Mortality in southern states, mortality under joint life policies. This volume also has a comprehensive list of all the tables for all 5 volumes.
Charles M. Willich, Actuary, 1881
I bought this book because I wanted a copy of the Carlisle Mortality tables, but the book also has Northampton, London and a bunch of other tables form the 1840’s, including some from other European countries.
Elias J. Marsh, Granville M. White, 1900
50 Years of data, compiled.
Griffith Davies, Actuary to the Guardian Assurance Co, 1825
Contains information from 1768 through 1825.
Department of Commerce and Labor, 1907
Data from this government source is broken down as far as individual U.S. county.
James W. Glover, Department of Commerce, 1921
Details on the actual calculations, plus life tables of foreign countries and mortality tables of life insurance companies.
Mary Gover, Associate Statistician, 1937
While this book focuses exclusively on race, it's worth noting that many of the mortality books on this page contain data split by race - differentiating between US born whites, foreign born whites, and blacks.
J.D.B. De Bow, Superintendent U.S. Census, 1855
Weird, another book that splits data out by race and for whites, whether they're born in the U.S. or immigrants (they call it 'nativities'). Foreign born includes California and Territories.
Louis I. Dublin, Alfred J. Lotka, 1937
A study of the mortality experience among Industrial policyholders of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1911-1935. FYI, in the days of 'industrial' insurance policyholders, life insurance agents would call at your door every week to collect your life insurance premiums. Seems awkward.
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1919
Met Life’s mortality experience tables 1911-1916. Weird diseases, experience split by race, etc. But that’s not even the coolest part. This copy was donated by Met Life to Dr. Herman G. Morgan. This guy was the Board of Health Secretary in Indiana and ordered business closures, a cap on community gatherings, and mandatory mask wearing during the pandemic of 1918. What a connection to of the present to the past this particular book is.
Institute of Actuaries, Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland, 1939
Pages of tables of D’s, P’s, and A angle n’s with data from 1924-1929. I suspect this was published for the use of pricing actuaries.
Insitute of Actuaries and The Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland, 1903
Numerous life and annuity tables based on insured experience from 1863-1893.
F.G.P Neison, Esq., F.L.S, 1851
Lots of mortality tables in this one, it’s a paper read before a statistical society. FYI, people of intemperate habits have the best parties.
Claud Muirhead, M.D., 1902
Covering 1874 to 1894. Data plus unfiltered listings of causes of death. Some too gross to imagine, some I’ve never heard of and suspect are no longer mortality factors like Glanders. You get glanders from horses. But it’s treatable with penicillins and similiar, so the CDC describes it as ‘rare’.
Valuation Tables for Friendly Societys Based Upon Sickness Experience of the I.O.O.F. Manchester Unity, 1933
Tons of morbidity and mortality data from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
The Grand Master and Board of Directors of The I.O.O.F. M.U., 1903
Mortality tables (1893-1897) and some information about the formation of life insurance from fraternal organizations.
Augustus De Morgan, 1838
I bought this book just because it’s De Morgan. This guy has his own laws even. Anyway, this is historically interesting if not actuarially interesting. There are so many examples of the mathematicians back in the 1800’s developing mathematics and blazing inroads into actuarial science, De Morgan is one of them.
J.J. W. Deuchar, F.F.A., A.I.A., Assistant actuary of the City of Glasgow Life Assurance Company, 1882
History of mortality tables. Did you know that around 300BC they had mortality tables? And those same tables were actually used in the 1500’s? Crazy. Anyway, this is a historical journey through the development of mortality tables. It’s over 100 years old now, and there’s been lots of developments since then. Maybe someday I’ll do some research and extend what the author did.
Actuarial Society of America, 1926
Data from 23 American companies and 6 Canadian companies. Also the longest title for any book I own.
Institute of Actuaries, 1930
All sorts of tables intended for use by actuarial students. Interest/PV tables, life tables with all the lx/dx etc, e-x, values of annuities, mortality and morbidity tables, etc.
Tables contained are the English Life Table, IOA Experience with Makeham graduation, British offices life tables 1893, and Manchester Unity.
James S. Elston 1932
A compilation of mortality tables, throughout time. There’s mortality tables reproduced in this book from the 1700’s into the 1800’s. Quite a collection!
J.F. Steffensen,Professor of Actuarial Science, University of Copenhagen, 1930
Collection of three lectures the author did, so this isn’t exam level stuff – it’s basically a collection of research papers. Limits of error in calculating a-bar-sub-x, theoretical foundations of functions, etc.
Arthur Hunter, James T. Phillips, 1932
Full treatment from the ground up of Disability Benefits.
Roger W. Clark, 1942
Wow, what a niche insurance topic.Today most life insurance policies pay a lump sum, but you can choose to have the proceeds doled out over time to the beneficiaries - basically letting the insurance company do the investing. This book is a deep dive into that type of policy benefit. The author was an associate secretary at The Union Central Life Insurance Company.
Lucius McAdam, M.Sc., F.A.I.A., 1913
Lots of old morbidity tables, calculations, and examples.
G.F. Hardy, F.I.A., 1909
An old school treatment of life contingencies and mortality table math. The author was important enough to warrant his own wikipedia page.
H. Tetley, M.A, F.I.A, 1946
This is an old school actuarial textbook. It covers most of the upfront stats and probability material. Curiously there’s some stuff in there that aren’t covered in modern actuarial exams (like Makeham and Gompertz, I don’t think they get covered until the later exams today).
J.L. Anderson, B.A, F.I.A, J.B. Dow, M.A, F.F.A, 1946
Volume 2 of this series of actuarial textbooks. Very initial treatment of mortality tables etc. The current text used by the SOA by Hardy et al. is much more comprehensive, but this text also goes into other things that I don’t think are on the current curriculum, like age nearest/last etc.
William A. Robertson, Frederick A. Ross, 1908
This old textbook is for the ‘Second Exam’ of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. I tell ya what, the old people had it good. The text starts with introduction to interest theory and makes its way all the way to mortality table construction. That’s like 2-3 exams these days.
Alfred Henry, F.I.A., 1927
Textbook on finite differences and some calculus. They used a L (sort of an upside down angle like “a angle n”) to represent factorials, so that’s changed over time. The book was owned by an actuary named J. Arnold Yates who worked at Travellers and Connecticut Life Insurance Company.
John M. McCandlish, F.R.S.E., 1866
Calling it ‘experienced judgement based on data’ sounds better than calling it an art. The author of this book was the first president of the Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland.
Joseph B. Maclean, 1937
The actuarial societies have funded, generated, and created tons of important studies and collections of data, spanning over 100 years. This is one such study from about 90 years ago or so. And all that work is there for the rest of us now, permanently.
W. Palin Elderton, 1906
Let the author speak on this one: "By the preparation of the following pages an attempt is made to bring before Actuaries the more practical methods of modern statistical work."
M.A. Mackenzie, N.E. Sheppard, 1931
Hard core comprehensive life contingencies textbook. It covers everything from life tables to force of mortality to premiums, policy values, select risks, loadings, and substandard lives. Content is similiar to current actuarial exams. Author N.E. Sheppard was a University of Toronto professor for 50 years. Also, he fought in a tank division in WWI, and set up the pension plan for the staff of the United Nations. This guy was one hardcore actuary.
Harry Anson Finney 1920
This material covers some of second level life actuarial exams – interest theory, bonds, etc. The author is in the accounting hall of fame and was a prof at Northwestern University.
William Orchard, F.I.A, 1850
Not much to say beyond what’s in the title of the book. Which, BTW, I abbreviated.
Hugh D. Hart, 1926
Most of these sales books are either methods in hard selling, or self congratulatory bro-code slap on the back books. This one is the second. Excerpt from the book: “A man can’t be hid. He may be a peddler in the mountains, but the world will find him out to make him a king of finance.’. 100 pages of more of the same.
National Salesmen’s Training Association, 1929
Even if you don’t do sales, this is another book worth reading some of the stories in there. There’s a reason insurance sales have a bad rap, this is the way they used to do it.
J.J. Johnston, 1897
More of the ‘how to sell as a bro’ stuff. But the really interesting stuff are the notes inside the front cover. “Compliments of the Author to Rev. W.S. Johnston”, and then “My Husband’s Uncle wrote this book. I want to keep it in my family, Mattie T. Johnston.” and then below that, ”But now I want Paul D. Cail (Great Great Nephew) to have it. Mattie Talley Johnston, March 31st 1946”. Sad I guess that at some point it’s passed out of the family, but the good news is that it’s now in my possession and I appreciate it.
Mutual Underwriter Company, 1923
More old school high pressure selling techniques including advice such as ‘carry in lots of stuff, your umbrella and books, and when they open the door, walk in and put your stuff down, make yourself at home’. Yeah, that’ll get you hoisted out the door today.
Griffing M. Lovelace, 1922
It’s 1922, and we finally see the beginnings of modern sales methodologies. Rather than high pressure sales tactics (well, there’s still some of that), the author breaks down life insurance needs into various cases and reviews what to discuss with prospects. The author wrote a series of books on sales, this one focuses exclusively on life insurance.
Samuel H. Davis, 1896
My favourite ‘sales’ book by far. It’s not a book on how to sell, it’s a collection of newpaper articles written by the local insurance agent. And this guy shades everyone. The widow who took out an ad thanking the insurance company for the death benefit gets called out for ‘advertising for a new husband due to the insurance proceeds’. Nobody can understand the actuaries, so just ignore them. Etc. The book was owned by H.A. Schmidt, an insurance agent in Winona Minnestota. There happened to be an ebay auction for some of his cards as I was writing this, and since there’s no other info online about him, I’ll post that he worked with National Union Fire Insurance Company, Firemen’s insurance Company, and looks like his brokerage was called Loyalty Group. 502 East Howard St, Winona Minn.
D. Parks Fackler, Consulting Actuary and Accountant, 1870
Actuarial tables for agents. Though I’ve no idea why an agent would need net premiums or mortality tables. But I guess if you did, hey, just whip out this book. Good for parties, etc.
The Prudential Insurance Company of America, 1938
Complete breakdown of all the things that a medical examiner needs to test for during the medical exam.
Joseph H. Matthews, F.C.I.I., 1922
Not really strictly actuarial or agent, this is a comprehensive primer on all types of insurance. The book was owned by London Life (now Canada Life), probably from back in the day when life companies kept libraries of actuarial texts for theirs students to use for exams. Yes, I am old enough to remember that practice.
Robert Reigel, Ph.D (Professor of Statistics and Insurance, University of Buffalo), Jerome S. Miller, B.S., M.B.A. (Insurance Consultant), 1947
Another comprehensive primer on life insurance. The book is dedicated to Solomon S. Huebner, a prof at Wharton. S.S. Heubner was a pioneer in actuarial and insurance education, I see his name all over the place on these old books (he wrote many of them).
Fitz Hugh McMaster, Insurance Commissioner of South Carolina, 1867
This guy had a real bone to pick with life companies. He variously wrote and spoke on requiring life companies to invest money in the states where they sold insurance. I think I read that this came from his time in the civil war when he tried to get money for the war from life companies – but I can’t find a source for that any longer.
Solomon S. Huebner, Professor of Insurance, University of Pennsylvania, 1921
A textbook undertaken by the National Association of Life Underwriters, it’s a comprehensive primer for those new to the life insurance industry.
Harry J. Loman, Professor of Insurance, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, 1927
Probably an FSA level text at the time, it’s a technical treatment of all things tax related to life insurance. Solomon S. Heubner also participated in the book.
James L. Madden, 1927
Another FSA-level text (roughly speaking) on wills, trusts, and estates.
Penn Mutual Life, 1897
Quite a party by all accounts. Showcasing mustachioed men of all sorts.
The Spectator Company, 1892
Primer on life insurance basics, interest, annuities, etc. Meant more for non-actuaries. The Spectator Company was a prominent life insurance industry publisher back then. There’s a more comprehensive list of all their books at the u of penn site here. Another interesting point, the original owner of this book was actually employed at Mutual Life insurance in Waterloo, Ontario (local to me) and lived in Guelph, Ontario (also local to me).
George H. Harris, 1928
This is pretty close to ‘original source material’ for the history of Sun Life. It was put out by Sun and covers their history until that date. Lots of info like names, first policies, investment strategies, etc.
In the early 1900's, life insurance companies frequently gave away cookbooks and other life advice type of books as promotional material.
The Universal Life Assurance and Annuity Company, 1938
London Life Insurance Company, Circa 1920
Warning: Do not use this antique guide for canning. The canning practices in this guide are outdated and can be deadly.
The Ontario Equitable Life & Accident Insurance Company, Circa 1930
Interesting, some of the recipes included are from the president of the company's wife!
Met Life, Circa 1920
Info on food groups, budgeting and planning for meals, including meals at various pricing levels. Includes a variety of recipes, including quite a few recipes for liver, and even one for peanut butter soup.
The Lutheran Brotherhood Bond, 1967
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1918
Old school cooking, including boiling vegetables for 45 minutes.
Metropolitan Life insurance Company, 1925
Including such family favourites as cottage cheese sandwiches as a school lunch for the kids.