Research & Reports
An Update – on New Variable Annuity Contracts Launching Soon
In this commentary we’ll get caught up with new variable annuity contracts registered with the SEC this year, some of which will be launching fairly soon. Not surprisingly, a good number of these products are...
Thoughts on Q1 Industry Sales – And Various Product Developments
Not long ago, first quarter annuity industry sales figures were released by the major tracking firms and we thought results were about as expected – although we were thinking fixed annuities would do better…
AXA Files New GMDB, Other Enhancements on Next-Generation IOVA
We’ve been expecting that insurers will start doing things to make investment-oriented variable annuities (IOVAs) more compelling, and we got some evidence of that recently from AXA, which filed an updated contract that includes a...
Interesting Options – Found In This Month’s Variable Annuity Product Filings
In our view, this May variable annuity prospectus update season hasn’t been all that eventful – although we must admit we are still sifting through all the filings. In this commentary we’ll discuss a few...
How Do We Think Q1 Variable Annuity Sales Moved? Not By Much, Either Way
Last week we finished reviewing first quarter results for stock-traded insurers we monitor regularly, and for most of them, variable annuity sales were lethargic, thus we expect the industry experienced similar results…
VA Product Launches, Changes Occurring this Month – and Onward
In this report we’ll run through an assortment of variable annuity product developments that are either taking place now, during the May prospectus update season, or will take effect later in the year. In our...
Random Reflections from the LIMRA/LOMA/SOA Retirement Conference
Last week we attended the annual LIMRA/LOMA/Society of Actuaries Retirement Industry Conference held in Washington, D.C., and in this commentary, as we have done in the past, we won’t try to completely recap the event,...
Various Reflections – from Last Week’s Retirement Industry Conference
We have found that the annual LIMRA/LOMA/Society of Actuaries Retirement Industry Conference always manages to stimulate healthy conversation and debate and this year’s edition, held last week in Las Vegas, was no different. In this...
About Optionality – in the Newest GLWBs and Income-Taking Methods
It’s our view that variable annuity insurers right now are experimenting with contract and rider designs that are geared to provide greater flexibility than ever before, both from the company’s perspective and that of its...