Structural Changes in the Lee-Carter Mortality Indexes

Abstract

In recent years mortality has improved considerably faster than had been predicted, resulting in unforeseen mortality losses for annuity and pension liabilities. Actuaries have considered various models to make stochastic mortality projections, one of which is the celebrated Lee-Carter model. In using the Lee-Carter model, mortality forecasts are made on the basis of the assumed linearity of a mortality index, parameter k t , in the model. However, if this index is indeed not linear, forecasts will tend to be biased and inaccurate. A primary objective of this paper is to examine the linearity of this index by rigorous statistical hypothesis tests. Specifically, we consider Zivot and Andrews’ procedure to determine if there are any structural breaks in the Lee-Carter mortality indexes for the general populations of England and Wales and the United States. The results indicate that there exists a statistically significant structural breakpoint in each of the indexes, suggesting that forecasters should be extra cautious when they extrapolate these indexes. Our findings also provide sound statistical evidence for some demographers’ observation of an accelerated mortality decline after the mid-1970s.