The Academy of Life Underwriting (ALU) is staffed by 57 volunteers—56 professional underwriters, most with many years of experience, and one talented medical director. All of them can serve because of support provided by the companies for whom they work. These volunteers produce the educational program specifically designed for the professional home office underwriter.

They develop and maintain current and appropriate courses of study for use in underwriting education. In addition, they prepare and administer the ALU exams which test students’ underwriting knowledge. In the area of continuing education, the committee members provide several seminars annually which provide training on underwriting topics and they also facilitate an annual underwriting forum which provides a venue for senior underwriting personnel to discuss topics of interest.

The Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU) and the Canadian Institute of Underwriters (CIU) are the sponsoring organizations for the ECALU. The three past presidents/chairpersons of those two organizations, along with the past chair of the ALU and the past editor-in-chief of OTR, form the ALU Board which has oversight over the ALU.