Research & Reports
Putting Hartford’s Planned VA Fund Replacements in Perspective
In this commentary we’ll discuss Hartford’s plan to replace a large number of funds in its variable annuity contracts, and the controversy it has generated. We’ll also endeavor to put the proposed move in context...
Our Variable Annuity Industry Year In Review: 2016 Was a Trying Time
As we have done since first publishing The Soleares Report, we are devoting this last issue of December to a quick look back on the year that was in the variable annuity industry. Our view...
Taking a Moment to Think About VA Benefit Values, Net Amount at Risk
In covering the variable annuity business, oftentimes, due to the amount of product filing activity insurers engage in, our reports almost “write themselves” in that we have much to discuss. During slower periods like these,...
Variable Annuity Sales in Q3 Were Down Again, In All Likelihood
In this commentary we’ll offer up our usual thoughts from insurers’ quarterly earnings calls. This time we came away with the a feeling we’ve had for some time now: that companies are more or less...
New VA Ideas from Lincoln National – and Other Notable Filings
In this commentary we’ll discuss new variable annuity concepts Lincoln National filed recently that we found interesting, and catch up with other recent developments, some related to products in the pipeline we have written about...
A Buyout Offer from Voya – and Other Activity From the VA Pipeline
Over the past few weeks there’s not been a great deal of filing activity around the variable annuity business, however yesterday there was a notable development: a new benefit buyback program from Voya Insurance and...
Some Fall Reflections – on Trends in the Variable Annuity Space
In this commentary we’ll discuss current conditions in the variable annuity business, such as which products are selling the best, and touch on details from recent product filings…
VA Industry Sales Remained Weak in Q2 – And May Drop Further
Leading industry research firms released second-quarter 2016 annuity sales data not long ago, and results for variable annuities were down substantially over last year, while some fixed annuity product types did fairly well…
Hard to Determine a Clear Direction for VA Industry Sales in 2Q16
Based on our review of results of publicly-traded insurers we watch regularly, variable annuity sales fell for most, with at least one bright spot. Thus we are unsure whether the recent downward movement in industry...
