Ending the strongest quarter yet of the current expansion, U.S. application activity for individually underwritten life insurance was up 4.9% in March year-over-year, all ages combined, according to the MIB Life Index. Life Insurance application activity was up 5.4% Q1-2016 as compared against Q1-2015.  Since its initial positive breakout in Q3-2014, the MIB Life Index has been progressively stronger in each successive quarter. March's application activity was off -1.2% from that of February, tempered by February's robust results.

U.S. life insurance application activity increased across all age groups; it is the fourth consecutive quarter where younger age life insurance activity (ages 0-44) has led all others. In March, application activity ages 0-44 was up 6.5%, ages 45-59 was up 3.1%, and ages 60+ was up 2.9%, year-over-year. At the close of Q1-2016, individually underwritten life insurance applications ages 0-44 were up 6.9%, ages 45-59 were up 3.5% and ages 60+ were up 3.6% as compared to the same quarter last year.