
Research & Reports
Our Year-End Comments on How the Industry Performed In 2021
Each year we devote our last commentary to a consideration of how the U.S. annuity business performed – mostly on the variable annuity side, as it still is our primary focus – however over time...
On a New York RILA from Allianz Life – and a MetLife Buyout
In this report we’ll cover the registration of a new registered index-linked annuity (RILA) from Allianz built for sale in New York, as well as a guaranteed living benefit (GLB) buyback program filed recently by...
A Few Thoughts on VA Spinoffs – and Notable Product News
For more than a decade, the U.S. variable annuity business has been in de-risking mode, and this process has taken many forms. Early on, much of the activity involved product redesign. The most recent manifestations...
Q2 Earnings Review – RILAs Again Fueled Industry Sales Growth
Judging by the results of publicly traded insurers we regularly track, the annuity industry experienced sales growth in the second quarter, building on momentum generated during the prior quarter…
It’s Been Quite Active Along the Variable Annuity Product Pipeline
Although times have been difficult for insurers, as they are coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, market volatility, rock-bottom interest rates, social upheaval and the stresses of an election year, those challenges haven’t kept them from...
Wrapping Up Coverage of Variable Annuity Product Filings from 2019
This report contains our closing thoughts on variable annuity product filings from 2019, a period that, in our view, was lively in terms of competition among insurers, who engaged in further innovation among emerging product...
Random Thoughts Regarding 1Q19 Results for the VA Business
As we were expecting, variable annuity industry sales declined in the first quarter of this year while production of fixed and fixed-index annuities rose, and we suspect those patterns will persist over the rest of...
Our Year-End Review of How the VA Industry Performed In 2018
If we were to characterize the year 2018 for the variable annuity business based on what we know thus far, we would call it a time of renewal, as sales started to recover, an improvement...
Reviewing Notable VA Industry Filings from the Month of October
In this report we’ll cover a batch of notable variable annuity product filings from this month which includes a benefit buyback offer, a contract exchange offer, new contract registrations, multiple fee changes and other adjustments…