This paper describes the basic principles, methods and techniques of direct marketing, particularly as they relate to the Insurance Industry. It concentrates on those areas that are peculiar to this art and which would not necessarily be familiar to the Actuarial Profession in the normal course of events. The paper therefore has a marketing rather than a technical bias.

Legislation relating to this business is set out briefly and a review of the types of insurance product marketed by this method is included.

The paper concludes with some of the problems direct marketing presents to the Actuary and with some thoughts for the future.