‘Rated Note Feeders’ Attract NAIC Attention

By Kerry Pechter
Holding a rated note (instead of an unrated private equity fund) can reduce the extra capital that life insurers need to post when buying risky, unrated private assets. Insurance regulators have taken interest in the strategy but are responding at a crawl. (Image: 'Sleeping Guards,' Piero della Francesca.)

A Flood of ‘Flow Reinsurance’

By Kerry Pechter
Flow reinsurance involves the ongoing, immediate transfer of risks from a life insurer to a reinsurer as soon as annuities are issued. Life/annuity companies have used flow reinsurance for at least 15 years, but it’s growing fast. (Photo: Gullfoss in Iceland.)

Nut Case: Prudential and Brighthouse’s Bets on Pistachios

By Kerry Pechter
A California pistachio grower defaulted on $1 billion in loans from Prudential, Brighthouse Life, and U.S. Bank this year. Their legal efforts to seize the collateral offer a glimpse into the potential risks of such concentrated loans.
Featured

Fall Issue of The Journal of Retirement Appears

By Editorial Staff
Here's a list of the eight articles in the current issue, along with abstracts of their content. The featured authors include Moshe Milevsky of York University and CANNEX, David Blanchett of Morningstar, and Steve Feinschreiber of Fidelity.

RetirePreneur: Steven Saltzman

By Jenna Gottlieb
Steven Saltzman is the founder of Saltzman Associates, a consultancy that works with marketers, institutional distributors and insurance underwriters.
News

LIMRA links undersaving by Boomers to spending on family cellphone plans

By Editorial Staff
“Parents of Millennials, even those over the age of 22, are providing considerable support to their children at a time in their lives when saving from retirement should be a priority,” said Deb Dupont, associate managing director, LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute.