For Ibexis Life, Cayman Outshines Bermuda

This Missouri-domiciled life insurer epitomizes the asset-manager-driven life/annuity companies that have been disrupting the U.S. life/annuity business since 2010 or so. In its first year selling fixed indexed annuities, it sold $453 million worth.

What are ‘excess return’ indexes?

By Editorial Staff
Like many FIA issuers, Ibexis Life uses 'excess return' indexes in its product. In the context of FIA indexes, 'excess return” doesn’t mean 'out-performance relative to a benchmark' or 'alpha.' It means net performance above the yield of a risk-free asset.
Anecdotal Evidence

The DOL Should Challenge the Fifth Circuit’s Opinion

By Kerry Pechter
When insurance agents encourage IRA owners or rollover candidates to buy fixed indexed annuities, are they like EMTs, who save lives without having to be MDs or carry malpractice insurance? Or are they more like EMTs who dare to attempt open-heart surgery on people with chest pains?

News briefs

By Editorial Staff
High interest rates lead to record-breaking 1Q2024 annuity sales; Life insurers warm to private credit, survey shows; Jackson National introduces ‘+Income’ VA rider.

The case for affiliated reinsurance in the Cayman Islands

By Editorial Staff
The Cayman Island's "legislative and regulatory regime is less prescriptive and therefore affords prospective Cayman reinsurers greater flexibility to propose a bespoke capital model to our regulator without being significantly constrained by specificities in legislation,' a Cayman law firm wrote.

COVER STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

April 2024

Life Insurers as LEGO Monsters

By Kerry Pechter
Michael Gordon, CEO of Axonic Insurance, part of Axonic Capital, sees the future of the life/annuity/asset-management business as an increasingly a la carte affair, where the components of the business are like interchangeable Lego...
February 2024

NAIC Urged to Limit ‘Bermuda Triangle’ Strategy

By Kerry Pechter
'The ability of insurers to significantly lower the total asset requirement for long-duration blocks of business that rely heavily on asset returns appears to be one of the drivers of the significant increase in...