Research & Reports
New Structured Annuities on the Way – Plus Notes from Other Filings
In this commentary we’ll get caught up with recent developments in structured annuities – there was a new registration and the launch of one that had been in the pipeline – and we’ll also cover...
Earnings Review: Several Insurers Saw Stronger VA Sales in 2Q19
Late yesterday we concluded our review of results of selected stock-traded insurers and our main takeaway is that some of them experienced growth in their variable annuity businesses in the second quarter, although we are...
More Thoughts on VA Living Benefits – and Clarifying an RMD Provision
In this report we’ll discuss industry trends in election rates of guaranteed living benefits (GLBs), citing data from LIMRA, and make a correction to our coverage last week of a new lifetime withdrawal benefit from...
An Update on VA Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits and Rate Sheets
In this commentary we’ll review a new variable annuity guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit (GLWB) filed recently by Nationwide, and touch on some recent trends in rider rate sheets, which seem to point to a de-risking...
Yet More Thoughts on New VAs and Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits
This week we’ll once again weigh in on patterns we’re seeing in variable annuity product development, which will serve as an accompaniment to our updates of Featured Research tables covering new contracts and guaranteed lifetime...
Notes From the VA Contract Pipeline – And Some New Rider Filings
In this report we’ll get caught up with recent developments along the variable annuity product pipeline and touch on pre-effective amendments to new contracts that have launched or will soon, as well as some new...
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...
Voya Files Another Variable Annuity Benefit Buyback Program
In this report we’ll discuss a variable annuity guaranteed living benefit (GLB) buyout offer recently filed by Voya Insurance and Annuity Company that is scheduled to commence in the fall. It is the first such...
1Q19 Outlook: Signs Point to Lower Variable Annuity Industry Sales
Based on our review of results of selected stock-traded insurers, we are of the opinion that, in all likelihood, variable annuity industry sales fell in the first quarter. In the meantime, fixed and fixed index...