Research & Reports
Thinking About Retrenchment – and Related Themes Affecting the VA Market
Variable annuity product filing has been a bit slow of late, so in this commentary we will take a step back and reflect on the subject of retrenchment within the industry, how most insurers are...
VA Insurers Are Picking Up Where They Left Off – With More Product Changes
As we get fully into 2013 we’re noticing that a few variable annuity insurers are getting right back into the swing of things, by touching up their product offerings and coming out with new designs…
A Season of Change: VA Sales Fall as Insurers Cut Back on Their Products
The year 2012 was a time when insurers made reductions to their variable annuity products: these moves included the trimming of guarantees, fee increases, closures of contracts and riders, installation of tighter investment restrictions, cuts...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from October, 2012
This October we thought that the rate of variable fund filing activity with the SEC was about what we usually see this time of year. There were relatively few new portfolio registrations. A continuing trend...
Industry VA Sales Look Steady for Q3 – But Earnings Results Were Mixed
After reviewing the variable annuity business results of the group of stock-traded insurers we track regularly, we’re figuring that third quarter industry sales were flat to slightly up sequentially, and probably got a little lift...
VA Insurers Are Developing New Limits on Contracts, Riders, Underlying Funds
This year most variable annuity insurers have been cutting back on the generosity of their guarantees, however we think any companies seeking to remain competitive are sort of walking a fine line – they want...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from September, 2012
This report is our customary roundup of noteworthy variable insurance fund filings from the prior month. In September we did not notice many new registrations, rather most of the filing activity involved changes to existing...
Regarding Risk – and How VA Insurers’ Methods Are Evolving to Manage It
This year has been one of rapid change, as variable annuity insurers of all sizes have sought to reduce their product-related risks in one form or another, and we’re sure that anyone looking at all...
Thoughts on Variable Annuity Change Trends As We Enter 4Q12
Variable annuity insurers have certainly been very active this year in de-risking their products in response to competitive and market-related conditions, however in recent weeks filing activity has slowed down a bit. It could be...