Quick Overview
- 1#1: AXIS - Comprehensive stochastic actuarial modeling platform for life, health, annuity, and P&C insurance products.
- 2#2: Prophet - Industry-leading actuarial software for life insurance and annuity product modeling and projections.
- 3#3: MoSes - Advanced stochastic enterprise modeling system for complex insurance risk and financial projections.
- 4#4: Emblem - Powerful modeling tool for property & casualty insurance reserving, pricing, and solvency analysis.
- 5#5: Igloo - Cloud-based insurance analytics platform for data management, modeling, and decision-making.
- 6#6: PolySystems - Illustration and product development software for life insurance modeling and compliance.
- 7#7: SAS Viya - Enterprise analytics platform with advanced tools for insurance risk modeling and predictive analytics.
- 8#8: @RISK - Excel-based Monte Carlo simulation tool for quantitative risk analysis in insurance modeling.
- 9#9: Crystal Ball - Spreadsheet simulation software for forecasting and risk assessment in insurance scenarios.
- 10#10: MATLAB - Technical computing platform with actuarial and financial toolboxes for custom insurance modeling.
Tools were selected and ranked based on features (e.g., forecasting power, compliance tools, scalability), reliability of outputs, user-friendliness, and overall value, ensuring they balance complexity for advanced users with accessibility for all skill levels.
Comparison Table
Explore a breakdown of insurance modeling software, including AXIS, Prophet, MoSes, Emblem, Igloo, and more, to understand key features and use cases. This comparison table helps identify tools that align with specific needs, from scalability to specialized capabilities, enabling informed decisions for your modeling requirements.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AXIS Comprehensive stochastic actuarial modeling platform for life, health, annuity, and P&C insurance products. | specialized | 9.7/10 | 9.9/10 | 7.8/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Prophet Industry-leading actuarial software for life insurance and annuity product modeling and projections. | specialized | 9.1/10 | 9.6/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 3 | MoSes Advanced stochastic enterprise modeling system for complex insurance risk and financial projections. | specialized | 8.8/10 | 9.4/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 4 | Emblem Powerful modeling tool for property & casualty insurance reserving, pricing, and solvency analysis. | specialized | 8.3/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 5 | Igloo Cloud-based insurance analytics platform for data management, modeling, and decision-making. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.3/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 6 | PolySystems Illustration and product development software for life insurance modeling and compliance. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 9.1/10 | 6.8/10 | 7.7/10 |
| 7 | SAS Viya Enterprise analytics platform with advanced tools for insurance risk modeling and predictive analytics. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.2/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 8 | @RISK Excel-based Monte Carlo simulation tool for quantitative risk analysis in insurance modeling. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 9 | Crystal Ball Spreadsheet simulation software for forecasting and risk assessment in insurance scenarios. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 8.4/10 | 6.9/10 | 6.8/10 |
| 10 | MATLAB Technical computing platform with actuarial and financial toolboxes for custom insurance modeling. | enterprise | 7.2/10 | 8.1/10 | 5.4/10 | 6.3/10 |
Comprehensive stochastic actuarial modeling platform for life, health, annuity, and P&C insurance products.
Industry-leading actuarial software for life insurance and annuity product modeling and projections.
Advanced stochastic enterprise modeling system for complex insurance risk and financial projections.
Powerful modeling tool for property & casualty insurance reserving, pricing, and solvency analysis.
Cloud-based insurance analytics platform for data management, modeling, and decision-making.
Illustration and product development software for life insurance modeling and compliance.
Enterprise analytics platform with advanced tools for insurance risk modeling and predictive analytics.
Excel-based Monte Carlo simulation tool for quantitative risk analysis in insurance modeling.
Spreadsheet simulation software for forecasting and risk assessment in insurance scenarios.
Technical computing platform with actuarial and financial toolboxes for custom insurance modeling.
AXIS
specializedComprehensive stochastic actuarial modeling platform for life, health, annuity, and P&C insurance products.
Syntex scripting language for unlimited model customization and automation without proprietary lock-in
AXIS by Moody's Analytics is a premier actuarial modeling platform tailored for the insurance industry, supporting deterministic and stochastic projections for life, annuities, health, property & casualty, and pensions. It excels in asset-liability management (ALM), economic capital modeling, pricing, reserving, and regulatory reporting under frameworks like IFRS 17, LDTI, and Solvency II. With its open architecture and powerful Syntex scripting language, AXIS enables highly customizable, scalable models trusted by the world's largest insurers for strategic decision-making.
Pros
- Unmatched flexibility for modeling complex insurance products across multiple lines
- Superior performance with GPU acceleration for stochastic runs and large-scale simulations
- Robust integration with regulatory standards and Moody's economic scenarios
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring significant training and actuarial expertise
- High implementation and licensing costs prohibitive for small firms
- Resource-intensive setup and maintenance
Best For
Large insurers, reinsurers, and consulting firms needing enterprise-grade, highly customizable modeling for risk management and compliance.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing; modular subscriptions typically range from $100K+ annually, scaling with users, modules, and deployment size.
Prophet
specializedIndustry-leading actuarial software for life insurance and annuity product modeling and projections.
Proprietary GP modeling language allowing unparalleled flexibility in custom stochastic and deterministic simulations
Prophet, developed by FIS (fisglobal.com), is a leading actuarial modeling software platform tailored for the insurance industry, particularly for life insurance, pensions, and annuities. It enables precise stochastic and deterministic modeling, cash flow projections, asset-liability management, and regulatory compliance calculations such as Solvency II and IFRS 17. With its flexible scripting language and extensive library of pre-built models, Prophet supports complex product development and scenario analysis for enterprise-scale operations.
Pros
- Exceptionally powerful stochastic modeling engine for running millions of simulations accurately
- Comprehensive support for regulatory standards and complex insurance products
- Robust integration with FIS ecosystem and third-party data sources
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring actuarial expertise and extensive training
- Outdated user interface compared to modern cloud-native alternatives
- High implementation and licensing costs prohibitive for smaller firms
Best For
Large insurance carriers and actuarial consultancies handling enterprise-level life and pension modeling with stringent regulatory needs.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing, typically $100,000+ annually depending on modules, users, and implementation scale; no public tiered pricing.
MoSes
specializedAdvanced stochastic enterprise modeling system for complex insurance risk and financial projections.
GPU-accelerated parallel processing engine for ultra-fast stochastic scenario generation on massive datasets
MoSes (Modeling Software for Enterprise Solutions) by Milliman is a comprehensive actuarial modeling platform tailored for the insurance industry, enabling deterministic and stochastic projections for life insurance, annuities, pensions, and health products. It supports complex financial reporting, risk management, asset-liability modeling, and regulatory compliance such as IFRS 17, LDTI, and ORSA. The software excels in handling enterprise-scale computations with high accuracy and integrates seamlessly with other Milliman tools for end-to-end actuarial workflows.
Pros
- Powerful stochastic and deterministic modeling capabilities for complex products
- Scalable high-performance computing for massive simulations and large portfolios
- Strong support for global regulatory standards and compliance reporting
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to proprietary scripting language and complexity
- High implementation and licensing costs prohibitive for smaller firms
- Requires significant IT infrastructure and expertise for optimal deployment
Best For
Large insurance carriers and actuarial teams needing enterprise-grade modeling for risk assessment, pricing, and regulatory filings.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing; typically $500,000+ annually depending on modules, users, and compute resources.
Emblem
specializedPowerful modeling tool for property & casualty insurance reserving, pricing, and solvency analysis.
GPU-accelerated parallel processing for ultra-fast stochastic runs on massive scenarios
Emblem by FIS Global is a sophisticated stochastic modeling platform tailored for life insurance companies, enabling actuaries to perform asset-liability management, risk assessment, and scenario analysis. It supports complex calculations for product pricing, capital adequacy, and regulatory compliance such as IFRS 17 and LDTI. Integrated within FIS's broader financial services ecosystem, it facilitates seamless data flow and enterprise-wide insights.
Pros
- Robust stochastic modeling engine for fast, accurate simulations
- Strong regulatory compliance tools for IFRS 17 and other standards
- Seamless integration with FIS's insurance administration systems
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-expert users
- High implementation and customization costs
- Primarily focused on life insurance, less versatile for P&C
Best For
Mid-to-large life insurers requiring high-performance actuarial modeling and regulatory reporting.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing, typically annual subscriptions starting at $100K+ based on user count and modules.
Igloo
specializedCloud-based insurance analytics platform for data management, modeling, and decision-making.
Milliman-integrated data ecosystem with real-time access to proprietary loss costs and experience studies
Igloo by Milliman is a cloud-native actuarial modeling platform tailored for the insurance industry, supporting deterministic and stochastic modeling for pricing, reserving, asset-liability management, and risk assessment across life, health, and P&C lines. It leverages Milliman's proprietary data and tools, such as loss cost monitors and predictive models, to deliver accurate financial projections and scenario analyses. Designed for enterprise-scale operations, Igloo enables collaborative model development and seamless integration with enterprise systems.
Pros
- Robust stochastic modeling engine for complex simulations
- Deep integration with Milliman's actuarial data and expertise
- Scalable cloud architecture for high-performance computing
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-actuarial users
- Enterprise pricing limits accessibility for smaller firms
- Limited flexibility for highly customized non-standard models
Best For
Large insurers and consulting firms requiring sophisticated, data-rich actuarial modeling with expert backing.
Pricing
Custom enterprise subscription pricing based on usage and modules; typically starts at $100K+ annually, quoted directly by Milliman.
PolySystems
specializedIllustration and product development software for life insurance modeling and compliance.
MultiPath stochastic simulation technology for modeling path-dependent insurance risks and dependencies
PolySystems by Verisk is a comprehensive actuarial modeling platform designed for insurance companies to perform stochastic simulations, pricing, reserving, and capital modeling across life, health, P&C, and annuity products. It leverages Verisk's extensive data ecosystem, including catastrophe models, to deliver precise risk assessments and financial projections. The software excels in handling complex, multi-line insurance portfolios with high computational efficiency.
Pros
- Powerful stochastic modeling engine for complex products
- Seamless integration with Verisk's catastrophe and exposure data
- Scalable for enterprise-level simulations and regulatory reporting
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring actuarial expertise
- High upfront implementation and licensing costs
- Less intuitive interface compared to modern SaaS alternatives
Best For
Large insurers and reinsurers needing advanced, customizable actuarial modeling for multi-line portfolios.
Pricing
Custom enterprise licensing, typically $100,000+ annually based on modules, users, and data volume.
SAS Viya
enterpriseEnterprise analytics platform with advanced tools for insurance risk modeling and predictive analytics.
Integrated Visual Data Mining and Machine Learning (VDMML) for automated pipeline generation and champion-challenger model governance in insurance workflows
SAS Viya is a cloud-native analytics platform designed for advanced statistical modeling, machine learning, and AI, widely used in insurance for actuarial modeling, risk pricing, reserving, and claims analytics. It provides tools like SAS Visual Analytics, Viya ML, and specialized procedures for GLMs, survival analysis, and credibility theory tailored to insurance needs. The platform supports scalable processing of massive datasets and integrates with insurance-specific data sources for end-to-end model development and deployment.
Pros
- Powerful statistical and ML toolkit optimized for insurance modeling including GLMs and time-series forecasting
- Scalable cloud architecture handles petabyte-scale insurance data with in-memory processing
- Robust model governance, deployment, and compliance features for regulatory requirements like Solvency II
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to legacy SAS syntax alongside modern visual tools
- High cost with complex enterprise licensing
- Less agile for rapid prototyping compared to open-source alternatives
Best For
Large insurance carriers and reinsurers requiring enterprise-grade, governed modeling at scale.
Pricing
Custom subscription pricing, typically $100K+ annually per user or core-based for enterprises, with pay-per-use cloud options.
@RISK
specializedExcel-based Monte Carlo simulation tool for quantitative risk analysis in insurance modeling.
Native Excel add-in allowing full Monte Carlo simulations directly on spreadsheets with distribution functions on cells
@RISK by Lumivero is a Monte Carlo simulation add-in for Microsoft Excel designed for quantitative risk analysis and modeling uncertainty. In insurance applications, it enables actuaries and risk managers to simulate complex scenarios such as claims reserving, premium pricing, catastrophe losses, and solvency assessments using probabilistic distributions. The software supports correlations, sensitivity analysis, and tornado charts to identify key risk drivers within familiar Excel workflows.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Excel for easy model building and sharing
- Robust Monte Carlo engine with support for correlations, dependencies, and advanced sampling methods
- Comprehensive reporting tools including tornado charts and trend analysis
Cons
- Performance limitations with very large datasets due to Excel dependency
- Requires statistical knowledge for optimal use in complex insurance models
- Less tailored to insurance-specific regulations compared to dedicated actuarial platforms
Best For
Insurance analysts and actuaries proficient in Excel who need accessible probabilistic risk modeling without switching to specialized software.
Pricing
Perpetual licenses start at $1,495 for commercial single-user; annual subscriptions from $895; volume discounts available.
Crystal Ball
specializedSpreadsheet simulation software for forecasting and risk assessment in insurance scenarios.
Hypercube sampling technology for faster, more efficient Monte Carlo simulations with reduced computational overhead
Oracle Crystal Ball is an Excel-based Monte Carlo simulation and risk analysis tool that allows users to model uncertainty by assigning probability distributions to variables and running thousands of simulations for probabilistic forecasting. In insurance modeling, it excels at stochastic processes like loss reserving, premium pricing scenarios, and capital requirement assessments under regulatory frameworks such as Solvency II. It integrates seamlessly with spreadsheets for scenario analysis, sensitivity testing, and optimization, making it a staple for actuarial risk quantification.
Pros
- Robust Monte Carlo simulation engine with advanced distribution fitting and correlation handling
- Seamless integration with Microsoft Excel for familiar spreadsheet-based modeling
- Built-in optimization (OptQuest) and forecasting tools tailored for risk scenarios
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users due to simulation complexity
- Lacks native insurance-specific templates or regulatory reporting integrations compared to specialized actuarial software
- High licensing costs with limited scalability for large enterprise deployments
Best For
Insurance actuaries and risk analysts comfortable with Excel who need powerful probabilistic modeling for reserving and pricing without switching to dedicated platforms.
Pricing
Perpetual licenses start at around $1,995 for Standard edition; Professional edition ~$4,995; annual maintenance ~20%; volume/enterprise pricing via Oracle sales.
MATLAB
enterpriseTechnical computing platform with actuarial and financial toolboxes for custom insurance modeling.
Parallel Computing Toolbox enabling accelerated Monte Carlo simulations for insurance risk scenarios
MATLAB is a high-level numerical computing environment and programming language developed by MathWorks, ideal for matrix manipulations, data analysis, visualization, and algorithm development. In insurance modeling, it supports stochastic simulations, risk assessment, actuarial calculations, and predictive analytics through specialized toolboxes like the Financial Toolbox, Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox, and Econometrics Toolbox. While highly flexible for custom models such as loss reserving, pricing, and capital modeling, it requires scripting expertise and lacks native insurance-specific workflows compared to dedicated actuarial software.
Pros
- Extensive toolboxes for advanced simulations, ML, and financial modeling
- Superior performance in large-scale numerical computations and parallel processing
- Seamless integration with data sources and deployment to production environments
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring programming proficiency
- High cost, especially with required add-on toolboxes
- No built-in support for insurance standards like IFRS 17 or Solvency II templates
Best For
Quantitative analysts and data scientists in insurance needing custom, computationally intensive models beyond standard actuarial tools.
Pricing
Base annual subscription starts at ~$1,095 per user; commercial perpetual licenses ~$2,150 + toolboxes (~$1,000+ each); volume discounts for enterprises.
Conclusion
Selecting the right insurance modeling software requires careful consideration, and among the top tools, AXIS rises as the clear leader—showcasing a comprehensive stochastic platform that caters to life, health, annuity, and P&C products. While AXIS sets the benchmark, Prophet and MoSes stand out as strong alternatives: Prophet for its industry expertise in life and annuity modeling, and MoSes for advanced stochastic systems designed to handle complex risk projections. Together, these tools highlight the diversity of capabilities available to insurance professionals, with AXIS offering unparalleled versatility and power.
Take the first step toward more robust, informed modeling by trying AXIS—an indispensable tool for simplifying complex calculations and driving strategic decisions in the insurance space.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison