Research & Reports
Some Random Thoughts Regarding Trends in VA Contract Design
With this report we’ll conclude our coverage of variable annuity contracts registered last year and provide some thoughts on current directions in product design…
More Notes on VA Product Filings – and a Few Clarifications
In this report we’ll cover recent competitive tweaks insurers are making to their annuity product offerings, including new registrations and benefit enhancements, and we’ll also have some follow-up comments regarding last week’s report…
Notes on Variable Annuity Filings That Came Through Late in 2017
In this first commentary of the New Year we’ll discuss some variable annuity product filings submitted to the SEC over the last days of 2017, which, in our view, reflected the kind of contracts and...
Our Customary Look Back on the Variable Annuity Industry In 2017
As usual, our last commentary of December is a reflection on how the variable annuity business performed this year, based upon what we know thus far from sales levels and product developments…
Concerning Trends in Fee-Based Variable Annuity Contracts
For a number of reasons there is now much interest around the industry in variable annuities built for sale through fee-based financial advisors; with that fact in mind, in this report we’ll provide some perspective...
Some Bright Spots Amid Insurers’ Variable Annuity Sales Results in Q3
After reviewing earnings calls of stock-traded insurance companies we cover regularly, we came away with the impression that for of them, variable annuity results were lackluster, although there were a few instances of modest improvement…
Random Thoughts – on Current Conditions in the VA Market
Third quarter earnings season is now underway, and we are highly interested in what conference calls might reveal about the variable annuity business. We’re suspecting that sales levels might have started improve at least a...
Another Update – On New VA Contracts and Product Changes
This will be a brief report in which we’ll get caught up with the latest in new variable annuity contract filings, and cover a few noteworthy product changes…
Current Directions in Variable Annuity Contract Sales and Designs
In this report we’ll discuss which kinds of variable annuities are selling best so far this year, and we’ll cover a few new registrations that were filed recently which we think reflect the kinds of...