Abstract

Journal of Actuarial Practice

Volume 11, 2004

Estimation of Complete Period Life Tables for Singaporeans

Siu-Hang Li and Wai-Sum Chan

Abstract

Complete period life tables, with death rates for every year of age, are not available in Singapore. This study constructs such tables for Singaporeans from the limited mortality information contained in the abridged life tables provided by the Singapore Department of Statistics. We find that linear interpolation, Whittaker graduation, and the Coale-Kisker method together can generate complete life tables that are smooth and continuous. The validity of the complete life tables generated by our method is further confirmed by (1) comparing the life expectancies calculated from our estimated life tables with those provided by the Singapore Department of Statistics, and (2) comparing the shapes of the mortality functions derived from our life tables with those derived from the Commissioner's Valuation Tables for assured lives in Singapore.

Key words and phrases: graduation, data-disaggregation, Whittaker-Henderson method, Coale-Kisker method

Corresponding Author:

Wai-Sum Chan

Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science

University of Hong Kong

Pokfulam Road

HONG KONG

E-mail: chanws@hku.hk