Multistage Curve Fitting

One of the most important properties of a distribution function is that it fits the data well enough for the decision-makers' or analysts' purposes. The statisticians' problem is to select a specific form for the distribution function and to determine its parameters from the available data. Various methods (graphical method, method of moments, maximum likelihood method) are available for that purpose.In many real world situations a single distribution function, however, may not be appropriate over the entire range of the available data. This suggests that the underlying process changes over the range of the respective variable. This fact should be considered in curve fitting. A typical example of such a situation is given in Figure 1 representing third party liability losses for trucks.It is interesting to speculate about the different raisons d'être (Seal [5]) for the observed discontinuity. It may be the result of out-of-court or in-court settlements or could stem from differences between bodily injury and property damages.