Actuarial Science


Actuarial Science

The statistical study of risk as it relates to insurance. A practitioner of actuarial science computes various risk factors and determines the likelihood of whether (or when) an event will occur. For example, one may look at a person's medical information, such as height, weight, and pre-existing conditions, and mathematically determine how likely it is that the person will cost the insurance company more than he/she will pay in premiums. This helps the insurance company decide whether the person will receive coverage and, if so, what the monthly premium will be. Many universities offer degrees in actuarial science, though many insurance companies hire individuals with math degrees and teach them actuarial science directly.