Bermuda’s Role in a Changing Annuity Industry
In this latest installment in our 'Bermuda Triangle' series, we ask why US life/annuity companies would reinsure liabilities in Bermuda, and why big private equity firms are creating reinsurers...
Annuities
Luma adds annuity comparison tool to its distribution platform
The new feature allows advisers to compare variable annuities, fixed index annuities and registered index linked annuities, fostering compliance with Regulation Best Interest, Luma said.
Lincoln adds untested vol-controlled BlackRock index to its OptiBlend FIAs
Launched in July, the BlackRock Dynamic Allocation Index consists of about 50% stocks or real estate and 50% Treasury or investment-grade fixed income instruments at any given time. It...
New Jackson VA’s living benefit has one payout option: 4% at 65
In keeping with Jackson National tradition, this variable annuity contract offers a living benefit without investment restrictions. But the single payout rate at age 65 is virtually the same...
People are Talking about “OIDs”
The California Insurance Commissioner fined Jefferson National Life (owned by Nationwide) after an 86-year-old contract owner claimed that she didn't understand the variable annuity that her Investment Advisor Representative...
Brighthouse enhances its registered index-linked annuities
Brighthouse has announced new 1-Year Shield Options, offering protection against the first 15% or 25% of market losses during the crediting term. In another enhancement, the maximum age for issuing...
Annuity Sales Rebound in 2Q2021; RILA Sales More Than Double
'Strong equity market gains and lower volatility, as well as rising interest rates all contributed to the remarkable rebound in the annuity market,' said Todd Giesing, assistant vice president,...
How The Elephant in the Room Evolved
In a new research paper, "The Evolution from Life Insurance to Financial Engineering," economists Ralph Koijen of Chicago Booth School and Motohiro Yogo of Princeton continue to describe what...
Allianz Life offers in-plan indexed annuity with living benefit
'Allianz Lifetime Income+ Annuity' comes with two annual bonuses to participants who maintain the contract through retirement. Whether plan sponsors will embrace this type of in-plan income solution remains...
Global Atlantic to reinsure Ameriprise annuities
Under the agreement, Ameriprise’s subsidiaries will transfer $8 billion worth of annuity assets and liabilities to Global Atlantic’s subsidiaries. Global Atlantic will pay Ameriprise $700 million for the contracts.
‘Double Down or Get Out’
If you haven't done so already, t's time to consider how the low interest rate environment has transformed the life/annuity business over the past ten years. And to assess...
One-Stop Shops for Notes and Annuities
Luma Financial Technologies is now among the structured notes platforms that have chosen to add index-linked annuities to the products they support. It joins SIMON Markets and Halo in...
You’ve heard of RILAs, Now Meet FILAs
F&G, a leading issuer of fixed indexed annuities (FIAs), has launched an FIA that gives contract owners the option to reach for higher gains without losing principal protection. They...
(Sheryl) Moore’s Law on Annuities in 2021
RIJ talks with Sheryl Moore of Wink, Inc., the annuity data and consulting firm, about the results of her first-quarter 2021 survey of annuity sales. She shares her opinion...
Top-Selling Annuity Contracts, First Qtr 2021
Wink's first-quarter sales data showed that Perspective II from Jackson National, the Allianz Benefit Control Annuity, and Prudential's FlexGuard contract were the best-sellers in their respective product categories.
AM Best’s outlook for the annuity industry: Negative
'The negative market segment outlook is due to the persistent low interest rate environment, operating margin pressure and organic growth challenges,' a new AM Best report said.
Seeking ‘An Index that Moves’
'I didn’t like the blended or hybrid indexes in annuities at first because I thought they were too complex,' said Bryan Anderson, founder of Annuity Straight Talk. 'But over...
‘Sometimes the Market Swings Your Way’
'On average, there will be no double-digit returns,” said Don Dady, co-founder of Annexus. 'But once in a while there will be. We have definitely seen some phenomenal returns...
Too Much ‘Hocus Pocus’
David Lau of DPL Financial Partners, the fee-based annuity platform, likes indexed annuities but doubts the value of the 'volatility-controlled' indexes often featured in them.
Structured annuity (RILA) sales volume up 89% in 1Q2021: LIMRA SRI
'RILAs offer better pricing than indexed annuities to investors looking to mitigate downside risk and enjoy potential investment growth as the bull market continues,' said Todd Giesing of LIMRA...
