Research & Reports
How We Did Last Summer – Appraising Public Insurers’ VA Results from 3Q07
After reviewing third-quarter variable annuity deposits and net flows for the group of major publicly-traded insurers we regularly track, we found most of them endured at least a slight decrease in deposits compared to the...
Insurers Strategize Carefully Regarding VA Contract and Feature Expenses
Based on our continual reading of regulatory filings, we see evidence that insurers are exercising ever more care in crafting the fees and expenses they charge on variable annuity contracts and riders, and we think...
Some Thoughts on Variable Annuity Sales Trends – As Earnings Season Begins
We honestly look forward to each quarterly earnings season for publicly-traded insurers, because the statistical reports and conference calls always contain plenty of useful information on variable product sales. In this report we’re going to...
Variable Annuity Contract Update: Getting Current With New Registrations
Needless to say, there’s been an abundance of new guaranteed living benefits coming out this year however this week we’re shifting our focus to check back in on new variable annuity contract registrations, something we...
Focusing In On Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits – and Related Income Stories
It’s time again for us to catch up on what’s been happening with variable annuity lifetime withdrawal benefits because there have been numerous new filings lately, as well as a few developments from elsewhere in...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from September, 2007
Ever since we started publishing our weekly commentaries we’ve been noting how the variable insurance business has steadily been offering more sophisticated underlying investments, and in September there were a few developments related to this...
Uncovering Industry Trends Through Study of Available Data on Living Benefits
We’re always on the lookout for real concrete data on variable annuity living benefits and to that end we’ve been combing through insurers’ quarterly financial supplements and statutory statements to extract whatever information is publicly...
Seeing the Connection Between Complexity and Regulation in the VA Business
This week we’re going to step away momentarily from our customary labors – sorting through contract and rider filings, categorizing them and summarizing them – to consider how the unique complexities of variable annuities have...
Despite Allure of Withdrawal Benefits, GMIBs Retain Considerable Popularity
Even though there are many more lifetime withdrawal benefits on the variable annuity scene today, we maintain that Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefits (GMIBs), due to their unique attributes, are still highly valued by financial advisors,...
