Research & Reports
Some Thoughts on a Very Active Fixed-Index Annuity Pipeline
Lately we’ve started to cover fixed-index annuities (FIAs) more closely, and in so doing noticed that part of the market has been quite active in terms of product development, this despite a decline in sales...
An Update on Variable Managed-Volatility Portfolios Through 1Q21
This spreadsheet commences our coverage of variable insurance volatility-managed portfolios for 2021. By our count, at the end of the fourth quarter there were 203 such portfolios in operation, containing over $284 billion in assets…
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from May, 2021
This report contains our regular coverage of noteworthy variable insurance fund filings from the prior month, a period where we saw an uptick in new registrations, which, not surprisingly, were of in-favor fund categories and...
An Outlook on the Summer 2021 Variable Annuity Product Pipeline
Variable annuity filing activity tends to slow down during the summer, however this year we expect things to be a bit different. A good number of insurers have not weighed in with certain in-favor products,...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from April, 2021
Variable insurance fund filing activity last month was moderate, in our view, but typical of the time of year, because new funds tend to be registered by February at the latest, in order to be...
Q1 Earnings Review – Annuity Sales Improved For Some Insurers
For most of the public insurers we regularly track, annuity gross sales improved in the first quarter, building on momentum the industry generated over the latter part of 2020. Net flows for several carriers were...
Update: Notable VA Benefit Rate Sheet Changes in 2021
This spreadsheet continues our 2021 coverage of variable annuity rate sheet updates that involved noteworthy changes from the prior sheet; it contains 56 changes…
Noteworthy VA Benefit Rate Sheet Updates, Through Early May
At present, variable annuity insurers who want to be at the top of the sales leaderboard must pull off a bit of a balancing act in our view: they must sell guaranteed living benefits (GLBs)...
Summaries of New VA Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits Filed With the SEC in 2021
This table commences our coverage of new variable annuity Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits (GLWBs) filed with the SEC in 2021 and contains summaries of 10 riders…