Research & Reports
Keeping Things Interesting – Further Variations In VA Product Offerings
Right now on the variable annuity scene insurers are still making changes and adjustments at a rather brisk pace, and we expect that pattern to continue well into the summer, even though it is usually...
Where Annuity Products Might Be Headed, Given the Current Environment
We hear there is a feeling around the industry that, due to the impact of the tumultuous markets, annuity insurers are “looking for the next business model” and are re-appraising their contracts, underlying funds, distribution...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from March, 2009
During March, there were fewer SEC documents that came through related to variable insurance portfolios compared to the month earlier – which was very busy – so perhaps that was to be expected. Quite a...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from February, 2009
We’ve said this in past reports often enough, that February is always the most active time of year for filings of variable insurance funds, as insurers and asset managers take the month to get the...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from January, 2009
Since February is drawing to a close, we need to provide you with our regular run-down of filings of variable insurance portfolios from the prior month, and we’ll start off by saying during January we...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from December, 2008
Surely the dominant theme in the business today is the effect turbulent markets are having on variable annuity benefit guarantees and in turn on investment platforms, which insurers have been modifying in greater frequency of...
Reflecting on 2008: a Turning Point Year for Variable Annuity Players
This is our customary early retrospective of the past year for the variable annuity business, in which we’ll offer a narrative of how things unfolded chronologically in 2008, the market conditions that arose and their...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from November, 2008
Even though there are still plenty of rider reductions and pricing tweaks happening in the variable annuity business, this week we’ll take our usual break from tracking that activity to report on notable insurance fund...
Benefit Bases, Risks and Related Competitive Matters on the VA Scene
By now it’s obvious that in the variable annuity business leading players have either started to cut back on the generosity of their guaranteed benefits or are thinking strongly about doing so, since the downturn...
