BrokerCheck, IAPD search results to be combined
{January 29th, 2011} by Liz Skinner
SEC believes that routing requests to both B-D and adviser databases will better serve the public By Liz Skinner January 27, 2011 Melding the search results of the two systems the public uses to look up information about financial advisers and broker-dealers will make it easier for investors to investigate their financial professionals, according to a […]
National Underwriter, Summit Media File for Bankruptcy
{January 28th, 2011} by Andrew G. Simpson
By Andrew G. Simpson | January 26, 2011 Summit Business Media and its affiliates including The National Underwriter insurance publisher have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to address more than $250 million in debt and unsecured claims. The company said that it had already worked out an agreement with most of its lenders to cut […]
NAIC Names Committee Leaders for 2011
{January 28th, 2011} by Sean P. Carr
KANSAS CITY, Mo. January 26 (BestWire) — In a year where it is seeing an array of new members, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners turned to long-time regulators to lead its seven standing committees. Last year’s president, Jane L. Cline of West Virginia, will chair the Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs Committee. Former NAIC President Sandy Praeger, of […]
Midland National Announces New Vice President of Compliance/Regulatory Affairs
{January 26th, 2011} by Judy Thorpe
WEST DES MOINES, IA–(Marketwire – January 24, 2011) – Midland National Life Insurance Company announces the addition of Nick Gerhart as Vice President, Compliance/Regulatory Affairs. Nick will assist the sales and distribution teams and business units in compliance requirements and related issues. Additionally, he will build and sustain relationships with government and regulatory groups such as state […]
Adam Hamm To Lead NAIC Life Panel
{January 26th, 2011} by Allison Bell
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/25/2011 The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has announced its 2011 committee chairs and vice chairs. Adam Hamm of North Dakota will succeed Thomas Sullivan of Connecticut as head of the Life Insurance and Annuities Committee, according to the NAIC, Kansas City, Mo. Here is a list of leadership […]
Fire your financial adviser, unless they are a fiduciary
{January 25th, 2011} by John F. Wasik
If you have a conventional stock broker or agent acting as a financial adviser working on commission, fire them. Now that the SEC has endorsed a “uniform fiduciary standard of conduct” for brokers and investment advisers, there’s no reason to settle for anything less. This is a financial professional who, by law, must put your […]
Foresters Closes on FICC
{January 25th, 2011} by Allison Bell
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/24/2011 The Independent Order of Foresters has completed previously announced efforts to acquire First Investors Consolidated Corp. (FICC), a U.S. distributor of life and investment products. Foresters, Toronto, has acquired 100% of FICC, New York, through a deal first disclosed in September 2010. The acquisition includes FICC’s registered broker-dealer, its […]
Federal Judge in California Stops Conseco From Raising Rates on Universal Life Policies
{January 24th, 2011} by Fran Matso Lysiak
LOS ANGELES January 21 (BestWire) — A California federal district court judge has prohibited Conseco Life Insurance Co. from raising rates on some universal life insurance policies that would have impacted 50,000 mostly elderly policyholders. U.S. Judge A. Howard Matz of the Central District of California in Los Angeles granted summary judgment in favor of the policyholder plaintiffs in […]
SEC Recommends Uniform Fiduciary Standard
{January 24th, 2011} by Arthur D. Postal
By ARTHUR D. POSTAL Published 1/21/2011 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff has recommended a “uniform fiduciary standard of conduct” for broker-dealers and investment advisors who are selling retail investment products. “When broker-dealers and investment advisers are performing the same or substantially similar functions, the SEC should consider whether to harmonize the regulatory protections applicable to […]
Response: Indexed Annuities Cap Gains, Obscure Fees as Sellers Earn Trip to Disney
{January 21st, 2011} by Sheryl J. Moore
PDF for Setting it Straight with Bloomberg ORIGINAL ARTICLE CAN BE FOUND AT: Indexed Annuities Cap gains, Obscure Fees as Sellers Earn Trip to Disney Peggy, Good afternoon. As I am certain you have anticipated, I wanted to reach-out to you in regards to the article that you recently published with Bloomberg, “Indexed Annuities Cap Gains, […]
Stevens: I didn’t know alter ego was stealing
{January 21st, 2011} by Tom Witosky
Phyllis Stevens says she first learned she embezzled nearly $6 million from her employer on the day Aviva USA officials confronted her about it, court records say. That claim is contained in a psychiatric report filed this week as defense lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Ronald Longstaff for leniency when he sentences Stevens and her […]
Federal Judge Blocks UL Rate Hike
{January 21st, 2011} by Warren S. Hersch
By WARREN S. HERSCH Published 1/20/2011 A federal judge has rejected efforts by a life insurer to increase premiums for about 50,000 universal life (UL) contracts. U.S. District Judge Howard Matz, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, issued the ruling Wednesday in response to a class-action suit filed by […]
FTSE slips after downbeat jobless data
{January 20th, 2011} by N/A
LONDON (AFP) – London’s main stock market slipped back on Wednesday in the wake of disappointing British unemployment data. The FTSE 100 index fell 1.32 percent to close at 5,976.70 points. Investor sentiment was hampered following the release of disappointing figures in Britain which showed the jobless numbers up 49,000 in the three months to […]
UNIFI Renames Retirement Planning Division
{January 20th, 2011} by NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/19/2011 UNIFI Mutual Holding Company has renamed a division of its Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. unit. The division is now called Ameritas Retirement Plans, according to UNIFI, Lincoln, Neb. The division was formerly known as UNIFI Companies Retirement Plans in all states except New York. In New York, the retirement […]
MWA: Banking Holding Company Annuity Commissions Fall
{January 20th, 2011} by Trevor Thomas
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/19/2011 U.S. bank holding company commissions from annuity sales fell to $621 million in the third quarter of 2010, down 7.3% from the total for the third quarter of 2009, according to Michael White Associates. MWA, Radnor, Pa., bases the BHC annuity commissions on data reported by 915 top-tier BHCs. […]
Michael Consedine to Lead Pennsylvania Department
{January 20th, 2011} by NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/19/2011 Michael Consedine has taken over as the Pennsylvania insurance commissioner. Consedine was appointed to the post by the state’s new governor, Tom Corbett, a Republican. Consedine was a partner in the insurance practice group at Sal Ewing L.L.P., Philadelphia. He previously worked for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Consedine succeeds […]
Lawmaker Suggests Electing Insurance Chief
{January 19th, 2011} by N/A
January 18, 2011 | McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Source: McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Wordcount: 447 Jan. 18–HARTFORD — It wouldn’t happen for four more years, but a state representative has proposing making the state insurance commissioner an elected position, similar to the state’s constitutional officers. The position has always been an appointment made by the governor, but […]
GAO: NAIC, SEC Should See What Consumers Know
{January 19th, 2011} by Arthur D. Postal
By ARTHUR D. POSTAL Published 1/18/2011 WASHINGTON BUREAU — Officials at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) see no reason to impose another layer of regulation on financial planners at this time, but they would like more information about what consumers think about issues such as titles and designations. The GAO prepared the report to implement Section […]
FSOC Releases Danger List
{January 19th, 2011} by Arthur D. Postal
By ARTHUR D. POSTAL Published 1/18/2011 The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has come out with the indicators it plans to use to decide whether a large insurer is shaky enough to need the attention of the Federal Reserve Board. The criteria the FSOC would use to identify a systemically important troubled insurance company could include: […]
In break from Allianz, Pimco to launch its own brokerage biz
{January 18th, 2011} by January 18, 2011
With assets rising six-fold, mutual fund giant looking to gain more control over its destiny; ‘tail wagging the dog?’ January 18, 2011 8:59 am ET In a step toward more independence, Pacific Investment Management Co. is taking control of fund sales from parent Allianz SE after assets at the bond manager jumped sixfold since the […]
6 in 10 Consumers Ill-Educated About Annuities: IRI
{January 18th, 2011} by Warren Hersch
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/17/2011 More than one-third of individuals polled in a new survey are unfamiliar with annuities, and almost as many have no opinion about the product. The Insured Retirement Institute, Washington, published this finding in a summary of results from a new study it conducted in partnership with Cerulli Associates Inc., […]
Partners Advantage and Producer Pros Join Forces to Yield Success for Insurance Professionals
{January 14th, 2011} by N/A
Colton, CA – January 12, 2011 – Partners Advantage Insurance Services, LLC and Producer Pros Insurance Services, LLC have joined forces to bring life insurance and annuity professionals some of the best agency development systems in the industry. Producer Pros is a marketing organization that helps independent insurance professionals throughout the country with systems to […]
AIG Prepares to Leave the Hole
{January 14th, 2011} by Allison Bell
By ALLISON BELL Published 1/13/2011 American International Group Inc. (AIG) is getting ready to repay the money it has borrowed from the federal government and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. AIG, New York (NYSE:AIG), hopes to proceed with a previously announced distribution of 75 million warrants Jan. 19. Each warrant will entitle the holder […]
Taylor to Lead Ohio Department, Regulatory Review
{January 13th, 2011} by NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/12/2011 Ohio Gov. John Kasich, R, has picked Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor to be director of the Ohio Department of Insurance and head of an effort to update state regulations. Taylor will succeed Mary Jo Hudson as the Ohio insurance director. Kasich also has signed an executive order putting Taylor […]
Western & Southern to Move Lafayette Life
{January 12th, 2011} by Ashley Scudder
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/11/2011 Western & Southern Financial Group plans to move the main office of its Lafayette Life Insurance Company unit to Cincinnati by June. Lafayette Life, a company that writes life and annuity products for individuals and small businesses, has been in Lafayette, Ind., for 105 years. Western & Southern, Cincinnati, […]
Western & Southern to Move Lafayette Life
{January 12th, 2011} by Ashley Scudder
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/11/2011 Western & Southern Financial Group plans to move the main office of its Lafayette Life Insurance Company unit to Cincinnati by June. Lafayette Life, a company that writes life and annuity products for individuals and small businesses, has been in Lafayette, Ind., for 105 years. Western & Southern, Cincinnati, […]
N.J. Poised to Become Captive Insurance Domicile
{January 12th, 2011} by Sean P. Carr
TRENTON, N.J. January 11 (BestWire) — Backers of a bill to make New Jersey a captive domicile praised its passage as a shot in the arm for the state’s insurance industry. The bill cleared its final legislative hurdles and is now before Gov. Chris Christie. A Christie spokesman could not say when the governor will sign A. 2360, but […]
Carnahan issues cease and desist order against Springfield investment adviser
{January 12th, 2011} by Wes Johnson
by Wes Johnson • News-Leader • January 11, 2011 Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced a cease and desist order has been issued against a Springfield investment adviser for allegedly misleading his clients into purchasing equity indexed annuities. According to the order, the adviser, Tracy W. Mitchell, used free lunch investment seminars to […]
AIG Contributes $3.4 Billion to Fed Revenue
{January 12th, 2011} by Arthur D. Postal
By ARTHUR D. POSTAL Published 1/11/2011 WASHINGTON BUREAU — The Federal Reserve Board earned about $3.4 billion in 2010 on its investments in American International Group Inc. (AIG). The Fed earned $2.1 billion in interest income on credit extended to AIG, New York (NYSE:AIG), and $1.3 billion in dividends on preferred interests in AIA Aurora L.L.C. […]
Pacific Life Adds Sales Support
{January 10th, 2011} by Alllison Bell
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/7/2011 The life division at Pacific Life Insurance Company is creating 6 new divisional sales organizations to help its 27 regional life offices. The regional life offices will focus on consulting face to face with insurance producers and helping with case design, advanced case design and illustrations, according to Pacific […]
Personnel Changes: Milken, CHCC, Allianz, Securian, More
{January 10th, 2011} by Ashley Scudder
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/7/2011 Milken Institute has hired Bradley Belt to be the senior managing director in charge of a new office in Washington. Belt previously was chairman of Palisades Capital, New York, a financial advisory and investment firm. From 2004 to 2006, during the Bush administration, Belt was executive director of the […]
New Jersey Joins IIPRC
{January 10th, 2011} by Allison Bell
By NU ONLINE NEWS SERVICE Published 1/7/2011 New Jersey is entering the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact. New Jersey is entering the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact (IIPRC). The IIPRC, Washington, is a voluntary group that tries to simplify the product filing process for insurers. An insurer can send a single form to the IIPRC rather […]
Texas Regulator to Step Down; New Wisconsin Commissioner Named
{January 7th, 2011} by Sean P. Carr
AUSTIN, Texas January 06 (BestWire) — Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin will leave office after five-and-a-half years when his term ends Feb. 1. Geeslin notified newly re-elected Gov. Rick Perry that he does not wish to be reappointed to the post. He said it was time “for someone else to lead” and also mentioned family considerations in a resignation […]
The Contrarian Sales Approach to Describing Annuity Drawbacks
{January 6th, 2011} by Chris Conklin
By Chris Conklin Published 1/4/2011 The assertion that many annuity agents make sales without adequately disclosing the product’s drawbacks has dogged the industry for years, causing a regrettable amount of damage to our industry’s public image. Let me share with you two examples of this assertion in the popular media, and then offer compelling reasons to […]
Aviva building receives ‘gold’ LEED status
{January 6th, 2011} by David Elbert
Blog post by David Elbert • delbert@desmoine.gannett.com • January 5, 2011 Aviva USA’s new West Des Moines headquarters has received a gold LEED certification by the U.S. Building Council. Aviva USA’s new 360,000 square-foot insurance headquarters in West Des Moines has received a gold LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The recognition makes […]
National Life Group Introduces Lifetime Income Option on Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Products
{January 6th, 2011} by Jenna Simanskas
Montpelier, VT – January 5, 2011 – National Life Group member companies, National Life Insurance Company and Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, introduce the Lifetime Income Benefit Rider (LIBR) – the only lifetime income option on top performing Indexed Universal Life (IUL) products in the industry. National Life Group provides death benefit protection, valuable […]
Response: The Safety Trap (a.k.a. My 52-Point Correction to Lisa Gibbs)
{January 5th, 2011} by Sheryl J. Moore
AnnuitySpecs-Setting-It-Straight-with-MONEY2 The Safety Trap original article is longer available at CNN Money and can still be viewed by clicking HERE. Ms. Lisa Gibbs, 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 […]
INSURANCE: New law includes partial-annuitization provision
{January 5th, 2011} by N/A
January 5, 2011 6:48 am ET A bill signed into law last year includes a provision that addresses partial annuitization. Called the Small Business Jobs Act, HR 5297 essentially simplifies the process for owners of non-qualified deferred annuities to annuitize a portion of their annuity contract. The provision was based on language included in another […]
The value of annuities
{January 5th, 2011} by Matthew Taylor
Published: Wednesday, January 05, 2011, 1:01 AM By Letters to the Editor I disagree strongly with Tim Decker’s column: “Consumers beware when it comes to annuities” in Your Money (Dec. 19). Annuities are highly regulated financial products. All annuity contracts must be approved by the Pennsylvania Insurance Commission, with specific provisions and contractual guarantees. A […]
Mary Jo Hudson Resigns from Ohio Insurance Post
{January 5th, 2011} by Trevor Thomas
By TREVOR THOMAS Published 1/4/2011 Ohio Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson has announced plans to resign Jan. 10.Hudson was appointed director by Gov. Ted Strickland D, in January 2007. A Republican, John Kasich, is set to succeed Strickland Jan. 11. At press time, Kasich had not named an insurance commissioner. Hudson has been the chairman of […]
What You Need to Know About the 10/10 Rule
{January 4th, 2011} by Sheryl J. Moore
We are receiving hundreds of calls since Florida enacted a variation of the 10/10 Rule effective January 1, 2011. For that reason, I thought that a little clarification about the rule was warranted. Here are some things you need to know about the 10/10 Rule: 1. The 10/10 Rule is desk-drawer legislation that was initially […]
Bruce Wing Joins Partners Advantage as Senior Vice President of Life Insurance Sales
{January 4th, 2011} by N/A
Insurance and financial services veteran, Bruce Wing has been named to lead life insurance sales and distribution at Partners Advantage Insurance Services, LLC. Colton, CA (December 30, 2010) –Partners Advantage Insurance Services, LLC is pleased to announce that life insurance industry veteran Bruce Wing, CLU, ChFC, will be joining their leadership team as the Senior […]
Creative Marketing Selects New Leadership for Key Positions
{January 3rd, 2011} by Merrit Strunk
December 27, 2010, Leawood, Kansas – Creative Marketing™, a leading national marketing organization for annuity and life insurance, has chosen Mike “Cy” Cajthaml, Sr., CFP® for its new Vice President of Life Sales position, and selected Chip Anderson to lead the company’s Tailor Made division. Cajthaml, who was most recently the head of the company’s […]
