So the CEO in his own words. They are mandating vaccines in the workplace and raising premiums in lower vaccinated counties because they are mistakenly guessing here initially. The premiums will change to higher vaccinated areas as time moves on is my guess. He missed the plot. pic.twitter.com/avjFxkn7su
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) January 3, 2022
Ex-Blackrock fund manager Ed Dowd is in the former camp, and has spent the last month analyzing breadcrumbs associated with a rise in excess mortality vs. pre-pandemic levels. Given that we're now in the middle of earnings season, there are some pretty big crumbs rolling out of the insurance and funeral services industries which are beginning to paint a disturbing picture.
A few key observations:
Mortality worsened in 2021 vs. 2020 despite widespread vaccinations
A spike in Mortality among younger, working-age individuals coincided with vaccine mandates
The spike in younger deaths peaked in Q3 2021 when Covid deaths were extremely low (but rising into the end of September)
On Tuesday, financial insurance company Unum reported that their Life segment saw an increase of 9% in their ratio of payouts vs. premiums (Benefit ratio), a 17.4% increase in 2021 vs. 2020 despite widespread vaccinations, and a 13.3% increase over 2019.
$UNM reported today in Life segment a Q4 increase of Benefit ratio of 9% y/y (payout vs premiums)
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 2, 2022
In 2021 they saw a 17.4% increase vs 2020. This is higher than the 13.3% increase vs 2019. So the higher payouts in 21 are occurring with a miracle vaccine & less virulent strains🤔 pic.twitter.com/3hO5QNslTa
On Wednesday, Dowd noted that funeral home company Carriage Services saw a 28% increase in September 2021 vs. 2020, and a 13% increase in August vs. the same period. Funerals and cremations are up 12% and 13% respectively on the quarter.
In general, funeral homes saw an uptick in business in Q3, and Dowd will be closely monitoring Q4 reports which are expected around Feb. 15 - less than two weeks away.
Carriage Services $CSV is a public funeral home company
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 2, 2022
Q3 saw an uptick in August & September…Sep saw an uptick of +28% y/y. & Aug +13%
Mandates were announced 9/9 plus boosters hitting.🤔 For the quarter funerals & cremations up +12% & 13% respectively pic.twitter.com/8Jxq64E2bY
Dowd also noted on Wednesday that Lincoln National's death claims are up 13.7% y/y, and up 57% in Q4 vs. 2019. CFO Randy Frietag explained on Thursday that in 2021, the share of young people dying from Covid doubled in the second half of the year.
🚨🚨🚨Randy Frietag CFO just explained that in 2021 the share of young people dying from covid doubled in the back half of the year & that's driven the result for Lincoln & its peers. He cited 40% in 3Q and 35% in 4Q were below the age of 65 $LNC. 🚨💉Mandates are killing folks https://t.co/jx5A9duojv
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 3, 2022
Meanwhile, Reinsurance Group of America noted in their Thursday earnings call that Q4 was impacted by a meaningful level of Covid-19 mortality claims despite the fact that the Covid-19 vaccines have been around for more than a year.
🚨🚨🚨Randy Frietag CFO just explained that in 2021 the share of young people dying from covid doubled in the back half of the year & that's driven the result for Lincoln & its peers. He cited 40% in 3Q and 35% in 4Q were below the age of 65 $LNC. 🚨💉Mandates are killing folks https://t.co/jx5A9duojv
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 3, 2022
RGA: non-Covid claims are elevated due to “indirect” 🤔 effects of Covid-19 pic.twitter.com/XHfgy4TSwS
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 3, 2022
Also noting a spike in younger deaths which peaked in Q3 2022, is Hardford Insurance Group, which reported that mortality is up 32% from 2019 pre-covid levels, and 20% from 2020 pre-vaccine levels.
Remind us again how the vaccines are helping?
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 3, 2022
RGA: Life re-insurer reports profit in 4Q20 & a loss in 4Q21 on higher mortality pic.twitter.com/j0yAjCd2wt
mRNA inventor Dr. Robert Malone noted the troubling data in a recent appearance on Steve Bannon's "War Room":
…because fewer older people dying, but younger people are dying more…🤔…very odd pic.twitter.com/CCfqXY3E3M
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 4, 2022
Malone calling out bump in DOD data & Insurance company results for death & disability. pic.twitter.com/hV5Gsjr4uv
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 4, 2022
Is there a fancy Latin name for the fallacy where someone points out that a useless harmful covid mitigation measure is useless and harmful, and lockdowners respond with a link to a chart that shows covid kills people?
— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) February 4, 2022
Some key questions for the insurance companies:
- What are the leading causes of death for 2020 and 2021?
- How many of those who died were vaccinated vs. unvaccinated?
Reinsurance Group of America, for example, reported a profit in Q4 2020 when the most of the population was unvaccinated and amid a deadlier strain of Covid-19, yet they registered a loss in Q4 2021 with more than 60% of the country fully vaccinated (and around 75% who have received at least one dose).
Perhaps this is why Pfizer is now actively fighting to suppress research data submitted to the FDA for approval - while the pharmaceutical giant and its peers continue to enjoy legal immunity from vaccine injuries.
In closing, some tongue-in-cheek non investment advice from Dowd:
Long funeral homes short life insurance. Not investment advice but illustrates my point. One industry is growing the other is not. $SCI $CSV pic.twitter.com/OIvUCQGdNX
— Ed ☯️Free Thinker & Oracle (@DowdEdward) February 3, 2022
(Article by Tyler Durden republished from Zerohedge.com)