Group underwriters consider a number of specific characteristics of a group when evaluating whether that group is an acceptable risk. These risk characteristics include the reason for the group’s existence, the size of the group, the flow of new members into the group, the stability of the group, the required percentage of eligible group members who must participate in the plan, the way in which benefit levels will be determined, and the activities of the group. In any given situation, however, the group underwriting may need to consider a variety of other characteristics of the group.