Markov Aging Process and Phase-Type Law of Mortality |
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| Authors: | X Sheldon Lin PhD ASA Xiaoming Liu |
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| Institution: | 1. Actuarial Science in the Department of Statistics , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5S 3G3 , Canada;2. Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences , University of Western Ontario , London , Ontario N6A 5B7 , Canada |
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| Abstract: | Abstract In this article, we propose a finite-state Markov process with one absorbing state to model human mortality. A health index called physiological age is introduced and modeled by the Markov process. Under this model the time of death follows a phase-type distribution. The model possesses many desirable analytical properties useful for mortality analysis. Closed-form expressions are available for many quantities of interest including the conditional survival probabilities of the time of death and the actuarial present values of the whole life insurance and annuity. The heterogeneity or frailty effect of a cohort can be expressed explicitly. The model is also able to explain some stylized facts of observed mortality data. We fit the model to some Swedish population cohort data and life tables compiled by the U.S. Social Security Administration. The fitting results are very satisfactory. |
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