Research & Reports
Evaluating Some Recent Developments in VA Share Classes, Riders
In starting to write this commentary it was our intention to focus on trends in variable annuity contracts, however, after digging into recent regulatory filings, we unearthed noteworthy things occurring with benefit riders that we...
Met’s Move – to Offer a New Edition of its Guaranteed Income Benefit
Enough new product initiatives have been happening around the variable annuity industry to make us curious as to how such ideas may translate into sales over the rest of the year. Last week we saw...
Varied Changes – Coming Soon to Variable Annuity Contracts, Benefits
We continue to see interesting adjustments and enhancements being introduced to variable annuity products, which we think shows that there are still stiff winds of competition around the industry, however muted from the arms race...
Results for 2010 are In, Reflecting a Rebound – But Is It Sustainable?
Final variable annuity sales figures for last year were released not long ago, and, much as we expected, the industry showed improvement. The question foremost in our minds is whether the upward trend can continue...
Reviewing Variable Insurance Fund Filings from January-February, 2011
With this report we are getting caught up with variable insurance fund developments from the first two months of this year, and during that time we saw the continuation of an emerging trend: that of...
Rising Markets, Benefit Riders Helped Spur VA Sales During 4Q10
After reviewing fourth quarter variable annuity sales results of stock-traded insurers in our regular coverage group, we strongly suspect that the industry fared well during that time period as well. What remains to be seen...
Update: Notable Variable Annuity Product Changes, 2010
This spreadsheet is a final update to our tracking of notable variable annuity industry product changes made in 2010…
GLWB Update – Taking Stock of Trends in Benefit Design, Function
Our last commentary was rather product focused, but the same will hold true this week, as we continue to get caught up with our coverage of variable annuity Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits (GLWBs). We would...
New Coverage: Summaries VA Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits Filed in 2011
This table commences our coverage of new variable annuity lifetime withdrawal benefits filed thus far in 2011…
