Research & Reports
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…
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...
Sizing Up the Playing Field – More Thoughts on 3Q14 Industry Sales
In this commentary we’ll provide more of our observations on annuity sales in the third quarter, and consider the competitive landscape as we enter the holiday season…
Signs from Earnings Calls Point to Lower VA Industry Deposits in 1Q14
In the first quarter of this year variable annuity sales fell, on a sequential basis, for every member of our group of publicly-traded insurers we watch regularly, which makes us pretty sure that the industry...
Talking Product – Changes, New Entries on the Variable Annuity Scene
We’ve seen an interesting mixture of product initiatives on the part of variable annuity insurers in recent weeks, which we will share with you in this commentary. Most of these moves had a de-risking quality...
In 2013, VA Sales Eased While Other Annuity Products Gathered Steam
Throughout most of 2013, variable annuity sales took a downward trajectory, due mostly to the de-risking undertaken by insurers, mirroring moves they had executed the year before. While net flows into VAs slowed, fixed and...
Principal Financial to Offer a GLWB Exchange Program – Not a Buyback
It’s our opinion that vintage variable annuity benefits remain problematic for quite a few insurers, and we expect more de-risking measures to be taken over time. Last week Principal Financial filed a program that will...
