Who Typically Buys Annuities?
{November 30th, 2010} by N/A
WINDSOR, Conn., Nov. 22, 2010 Women buy six of every 10 immediate annuity contracts, according to LIMRA’s Guaranteed Income Annuities report. LIMRA examined more than 55,000 immediate annuity contracts issued in 2008 and 2009 and the people who purchased them to help companies better understand and customize their products to target specific markets and capture […]
Response: Equity Indexed Annuities Get Name Change
{November 30th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Equity Indexed Annuities Get Name Change Dear AnnuityNewsJournal, I am an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed annuity and life markets. I have tracked the companies, products, marketing, and sales of these products for over a decade. I used to provide similar services for fixed and variable […]
Response: A sure thing? Better to avoid those equity index annuities
{November 26th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting It Straight with the San Diego Union-Tribune ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: A sure thing? Better to avoid those equity index annuities Ms. O’Shaughnessy, I am an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed annuity and life markets. I have tracked the companies, products, marketing, and sales of these […]
Response: Building Your Own Equity-Index Annuity
{November 26th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting it Straight with Bob Carlson2 ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Building Your Own Equity-Index Annuity Mr. Carlson, As you well know, I am an independent market research analyst who specializes exclusively in the indexed annuity and indexed life markets. I have tracked the companies, products, marketing, and sales of these products […]
Variable annuities finally outselling fixed annuities in banks
{November 23rd, 2010} by Darla Mercado
First time in three years; MassMutual’s RetireEase top seller in third quarter By Darla Mercado November 23, 2010 Variable annuities in the third quarter outsold their fixed counterparts in the bank channel for the first time in nearly three years. Sales of variable annuities in the bank channel held steady in September, totaling $1.4 billion. While […]
Response: Indexed Annuities: Protection Racket
{November 23rd, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting It Straight with Forbes2 ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Indexed Annuities: Protection Racket Dear Mr. Barrett and the editors of Forbes, I am an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed annuity and life markets. I have tracked the companies, products, marketing, and sales of these products for over a […]
Despite Low Interest Rates, Indexed Annuities Jump
{November 23rd, 2010} by Fran Matso Lysiak
Copyright: (c) 2010 A.M. Best Company, Inc. Source: A.M. Best Company, Inc. Wordcount: 615 Despite low interest rates, total third-quarter U.S. sales of equity-indexed annuities were $8.7 billion, an increase of 16% from the same period a year ago, according to AnnuitySpecs.com, a firm that tracks the data. Even with a very low interest-rate […]
Annuity Industry Gets Name Makeover
{November 22nd, 2010} by Allan Roth
Apparently, the insurance industry hates the name “equity indexed annuities.” So much so that they are going to give yours truly a 200,000 signature petition to stop using the term, containing the signature from the CEO of every insurance company that sells these products. This name change could cost consumers a bundle. Last week, Investment […]
Will insurers ape Aviva and peel back benefits on fixed annuities?
{November 21st, 2010} by Darla Mercado
On Monday, Aviva USA will roll out a series of new changes to its fixed-annuity lineup, including reductions on agents’ commissions and the discontinuation of one of its income riders. And the move could have a ripple effect on other carriers, industry watchers noted. Click HERE to view the full story via InvestmentNews; registration […]
An Indexed Annuity GLWB is Not…
{November 21st, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
By Sheryl Moore InsuranceNewsNet Nov. 18, 2010 — Recently, a field marketing organization (FMO) published an article on indexed annuity Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefits (GLWBs) that raised a few industry folks’ hackles. While it was an interesting recruiting attempt and a couple of the issues in this article were valid — the author still has […]
All IAs Are Not Created Equal
{November 21st, 2010} by Mark Triplett
By Mark R. Triplett InsuranceNewsNet Nov. 19, 2010 — Indexed annuities have been sold in the United States for more than 15 years. Sales of IAs have skyrocketed in the past decade, increasing parallel to their popularity. Two driving forces behind the success of IAs are consumers looking for an alternative to traditional savings vehicles […]
Indexed annuities set sales record
{November 21st, 2010} by Daniel Williams
BY Daniel Williams Published 11/16/2010 The decline of annuities has been exaggerated. For nearly two years, it seems, every time we read news about annuities that news has been negative. Or at least it’s contained a negative slant. Not this time. According to AnnuitySpecs.com’s Indexed Sales & Market Report, third-quarter sales for indexed annuities were $8.7 […]
Is FINRA's 05-50 still a valid concern?
{November 16th, 2010} by Kevin Vozar
Kevin E. Vozar Published 11/2/2010 With the demise of SEC Proposed Rule 151A, many broker-dealers and their registered representatives are wondering, “So does that mean 05-50 is also dead?” The answer is a resounding NO! The FINRA Rule that governs registered representatives outside business activities is Rule 3030. Rule 3030 clearly articulates what a registered representative’s […]
Is FINRA’s 05-50 still a valid concern?
{November 16th, 2010} by Kevin Vozar
Kevin E. Vozar Published 11/2/2010 With the demise of SEC Proposed Rule 151A, many broker-dealers and their registered representatives are wondering, “So does that mean 05-50 is also dead?” The answer is a resounding NO! The FINRA Rule that governs registered representatives outside business activities is Rule 3030. Rule 3030 clearly articulates what a registered representative’s […]
Sales of fixed index annuities hits new high
{November 16th, 2010} by Darla Mercado
Sales of fixed indexed annuities hits new high By Darla Mercado November 16, 2010 A combination of equity market volatility and slumping interest rates pushed sales of fixed indexed annuities in the third quarter to a new high, according to data from LIMRA and AnnuitySpecs.com. Sales of fixed indexed annuities hit a record-breaking $8.7 billion, a […]
Response: The good, bad and ugly
{November 16th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting It Straight with Motley Fool ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: The good, bad and ugly Dearest Motley Fool, My name is Sheryl Moore, and I am the foremost authority in the indexed annuity market. I am an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed annuity and life markets. I have […]
Response: Index annuities: Some tricks among the treats
{November 16th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting It Straight with Humberto Cruz ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Index annuities: Some tricks among the treats Dear Mr. Cruz, I am an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed annuity and life markets. I have tracked the companies, products, marketing, and sales of these products for over a decade. […]
Third Quarter Indexed Annuity Sales Set A Record!
{November 16th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
AnnuitySpecs.com Releases Third Quarter, 2010 Indexed Sales Results Forty indexed annuity carriers participated in the 53rd edition of AnnuitySpecs.com’s Indexed Sales & Market Report, representing 99% of indexed annuity production. Total third quarter sales were $8.7 billion, up 16% from the same period last year. As compared to the previous quarter, sales were up nearly […]
Response: Possible securities fraud involving equity indexed annuities
{November 15th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting it Straight with White Law Group ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Possible securities fraud involving equity indexed annuities Mr. D. Daxton White, I am an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed annuity and life markets. I have tracked the companies, products, marketing, and sales of these products for over […]
Third Quarter 2010 Indexed Insurance Sales
{November 15th, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
THIRD QUARTER INDEXED ANNUITY SALES BLEW ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS OUT OF THE WATER! Read on… Indexed Annuity AnnuitySpecs.com’s Indexed Sales & Market Report, 3rd Quarter 2010 shows third quarter 2010 indexed annuity sales were $8770 million compared with sales of $8379 million for the previous quarter. Third quarter sales were up nearly 5% when compared […]
ING Says It's Preparing U.S. Insurance Unit for Possible IPO
{November 11th, 2010} by Maud van Gaal
By Maud van Gaal – Nov 10, 2010 ING Groep NV, the largest Dutch financial-services company, said it’s taking steps to prepare its U.S. insurance business for an initial public offering and reported a sixfold increase in banking profit. ING rose as much as 4 percent in Amsterdam trading after saying it plans to bring […]
ING Says It’s Preparing U.S. Insurance Unit for Possible IPO
{November 11th, 2010} by Maud van Gaal
By Maud van Gaal – Nov 10, 2010 ING Groep NV, the largest Dutch financial-services company, said it’s taking steps to prepare its U.S. insurance business for an initial public offering and reported a sixfold increase in banking profit. ING rose as much as 4 percent in Amsterdam trading after saying it plans to bring […]
ING Announces Iowa Job Cuts
{November 11th, 2010} by N/A
DES MOINES, Iowa — ING Life Insurance & Annuity Co. in Des Moines said its planning to cut 38 jobs at it’s downtown Des Moines office. The company is located at 909 Locust St. Company spokesman Dana Ripley said 4 percent of their workforce across the U.S. will be cut during this restructuring effort as […]
Annuity war of words
{November 9th, 2010} by Darla Mercado
By Darla Mercado November 7, 2010 Indexed-annuities expert Sheryl J. Moore is back, and she has a challenge for the media: Stop referring to indexed annuities as “equity-indexed annuities.” Ms. Moore, president and chief executive of AnnuitySpecs.com, is seeking 200,000 signatures for her Condemn the Word “Equity” petition, aiming to ban the use of the term […]
Source of Funds Looms on Horizon
{November 9th, 2010} by Steven A. Morelli
By Steven A. Morelli InsuranceNewsNet Nov., 5 2010 — While many in the insurance industry warily watch the developments in fiduciary and suitability standards and how they relate to insurance, particularly for annuities, another area of government oversight has some in the annuity distribution channel even more concerned. The other issue is source of funds, […]
Response: Finance Guy: Equity indexed annuity
{November 1st, 2010} by Sheryl J. Moore
Setting It Straight with News 8 Austin ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Finance Guy: Equity indexed annuity Dear Mr. John Henry McDonald, Good evening. I am the foremost authority on indexed life and indexed annuity products. I am also an independent market research analyst who specializes in the indexed insurance markets. I have tracked the […]
