subscriber-login-icon
Subscriber Login
Sign Up

Research & Reports

Soleares Research, LLC is a market research and consulting firm servicing the annuity and life insurance businesses. We provide, through our website, periodic articles that cover important industry trends; we also offer clients phone or on-site consultations, executive briefings and presentations. We pride ourselves on first-class customer service and responsiveness to our clients. We aim to be an indispensable resource to the marketplace.
Sort By Type
Select
All Reports Research
Sort By Topic
Principal protection
All 1035 exchanges Acquisition Asset allocation Benefit buyback programs Benefit exchange programs Benefit Rate Sheets Benefit risk update Commissions Compliance Contingent annuities Contract exchange programs Death benefits Deferred income annuities Defined Outcome Portfolios Distribution DOL fiduciary rule Dual Direction ESG Investing Fee-based annuities Fixed annuities Fixed-indexed annuities Hedging Immediate annuities IOVAs IRAs Living benefits Managed-volatility portfolios Marketing Merger Monthly fund report Net flows Pensions Principal protection Purchase provisions Qualified plans Quarterly earnings report Quarterly reports Registered Index-Linked Annuities Reinsurance Reserving Sales Suitability Taxes Variable annuities Variable funds Variable life Year in review report

VA Insurers Look to Ease Back Carefully on Their Benefit Guarantees

Most leading variable annuity insurers are seeking to lower their sales of guaranteed benefits, but want to do so gradually, even if that means making multiple de-risking moves in fairly quick succession. The sheer number...

Hartford Introduces Rider Buyback Program to Accelerate VA Runoff

As the year is winding down we have been thinking that more insurers would consider coming out with guaranteed benefit buyback programs to trim their risk profiles. Late last week we got evidence that such...

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...

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...

VA Insurers Are Fine Tuning Their Products – But Not Always De-Risking

Last week we saw an interesting mix of variable annuity product adjustments filed with the SEC. Some, as should be expected, were reductions to benefit guarantees, but a couple involved enhancing them…

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...

VA Insurers Attempt to Design Attractive – But Manageable – Guarantees

A dilemma for insurers working in the variable annuity space these days is how to offer guarantees without taking on undue amounts of risk. To our minds this consideration is a priority for the industry,...

Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from July-August, 2012

In this report we’ll get caught up with variable insurance fund developments from July and August. During those months we detected an interesting mix of new registrations, fee and expense adjustments, reorganizations and manager changes…

Newer Annuity Types That Are Emerging During this Period of De-Risking

For the most part, variable annuity insurers are moving away from selling risky benefits, but we think that the process of de-risking will take time, because industry sales are still largely driven by the richest...