Producers’ Choice: The Best Annuity Companies in the Industry

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Producers’ Choice: The Best Annuity Companies in the Industry

April 5, 2010 by N/A

2010 Annuity Carrier Report Card reveals top carriers in 11 different categories

By Staff Writer

Published 4/1/2010

How can you find the right annuity carrier to fit your needs? These days, with ratings downgrades and companies exiting the market left and right, the decision to partner with one carrier over another can be harder to make than ever. It’s more than just choosing the company with the best training or even the best product line — you want to make sure your carrier will be there for the long haul for everything you need.

To help you determine which carrier is best for you and your business, Agent Media, the publisher of the Agent’s Sales Journal, asked producers to rank annuity companies in a number of categories. More than 660 producers participated, and only the responses of independent agents were included in the results.

For each company’s rankings, respondents were able to rate only those companies with which they are contracted. For example, if 100 people said they were appointed with Allianz and 50 chose Allianz as the top carrier in the area of training, the results would show that 50 percent of those who are contracted with Allianz believe the carrier is the best at providing training and education opportunities.

Annuity Carriers Represented
The following annuity carriers were represented in the 2010 Annuity Carrier Report Card. The list was compiled from the top 50 annuity carriers in the market based on volume, and includes only companies with an independent distribution method.

Allianz
American Equity
American General
American National
Aviva
AXA Equitable
Conseco
Fidelity
Forethought Financial
Genworth
The Hartford
ING
John Hancock
Jackson National
Lincoln National
Metlife
Midland National
National Life Group
Ohio National
Old Mutual
OneAmerica
Pacific Life
Phoenix
Protective Life
Prudential
Sun Life of Canada
TransAmerica
Western Reserve Life

Companies with which agents write the most annuity business
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Prudential
4. Jackson National
5. Aviva

Best call center/telephone support for annuity sales efforts
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Jackson National
4. Prudential
5. ING

Best job of raising public awareness regarding the benefits of annuities
1. Allianz
2. American Equity
3. Prudential
4. Tie: ING, Metlife

Best provides additional training and educational opportunities for selling annuities
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Prudential
4. Jackson National
5. Aviva

Most effective annuity sales and marketing material
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Prudential
4. Tie: Aviva, Jackson National

Best job promoting annuity offerings to agents through marketing/advertising
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Prudential
4. Tie: ING, Jackson National

Best line of indexed annuities
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Aviva
4. ING
5. Jackson National

Best line of fixed annuities
1. American Equity
2. Allianz
3. Jackson National
4. ING
5. Aviva

Best line of variable annuities
1. Prudential
2. Jackson National
3. Allianz
4. Tie: Lincoln National, Metlife

Best Meets Agents’ Overall Needs in the Annuity Market
1. American Equity
2. National Life Group
3. Jackson National
4. Prudential
5. Tie: MetLife, Fidelity