Abstract: The development and use of a model to estimate disability insurance exposure for a group of individuals to be underwritten for a coverage period is disclosed. The development of the model includes the use of medical claim data having a plurality of medical claims made by a first model population having at least a respective plurality of first model population members and a disability insurance claim data having a plurality of disability insurance claims made by a second model population having at least a respective plurality of second model population members, which optionally may partially or wholly overlap with the first model population. A clinical medical condition classification system assigns corresponding medical condition causes to the disability insurance claims and the medical claims based on medical condition information.

Abstract: A method of model development for use in underwriting group life insurance for a policy period includes collecting medical claims data for the group to be underwritten, where each medical claim being related to a particular employee of the group. Morbidity categories are provided that categorize the medical claims in the medical claims data. A conditional probability model is developed and applied to the morbidity categories for each employee in the group using his medical claims, thereby calculating the expected conditional probability for each employee dying during the policy period. For each employee, an estimate of the expected life claim cost is estimated using an index of the life coverage to salary. Combining the expected conditional probability for each employee dying during the policy period with the estimate of the expected claim cost of death gives an estimate of the group's total life exposure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to vessels which are propelled by two or more groups of thrusters and particularly to ships or oil drilling rigs in which it is desired to keep on a particular station. In some circumstances one of the thrusters is found to interfere with the operation of another thruster or to be overloaded when another thruster is not overloaded. The invention provides a method and apparatus for alleviating these problems.

Abstract: For the purpose of controlling the position of an oil rig or other vessel, it is provided with a plurality of steerable thrusters, one pair being located at the bow and one pair at the stern. The two thrusters of each pair are arranged to exert thrust at an angle of 90.degree. so that the net thrust vector may be "steered" merely by controlling the magnitude and direction of thrust of each thruster. By this means it is only necessary to change the directions of the thrust of the thrusters relatively infrequently.