The Hartford, Sun Life, Transamerica, Curian Capital Unveil New Offerings
December 4, 2011 by Warren S. Hersch
December 2, 2011
The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG) Simsbury, Conn., has introduced two fixed index annuities that aims to help risk-averse investors build retirement assets amid historically low interest rates.
The new fixed index annuities offer principal protection with the potential to earn interest from three interest crediting options, two of which are based in part on the performance of an equity index or indices. All three methods offer growth potential through interest crediting without the threat of investment losses, since clients do not invest in securities.
The new annuities will be distributed through The Hartford’s wholesaling team as well as WealthVest Marketing, a San Francisco-based advanced marketing firm that distributes fixed and fixed-index annuities.
Sun Life Financial, Toronto, has selected Kony Solutions, a mobile application platform provider to deploy the My Sun Life mobile application. The solution lets existing group benefits, retirement and savings plan members across Canada submit benefit claims and check plan balances; as well as to save through a single mobile offering.
The mobile application lets customers use their smartphones to:
- Submit medical and dental claims, the majority being reimbursed into bank accounts within 24 to 48 hours.
- View previously submitted claims.
- Access drug and travel coverage card information.
- View retirement savings.
- Access financial planning tools to assist with savings efforts.
Curian Capital, LLC, Denver, has debuted asset class enhancements that provide financial professionals with a higher than previously offered degree of active management within Curian’s custom-style portfolios.
The additions to the Curian platform can help advisors capture return potential and provide enhanced diversification on behalf of clients through actively managed alternative, international equity, real estate and municipal bond asset classes.
As part of the asset class enhancements, Curian has launched the Curian Series Trust funds, which offer advisors access to the expertise of investment management firms. The Curian Series Trust structure also provides Curian with enhanced information and control over fund flows, transparency regarding portfolio holdings and access to key sub-advisor investment personnel.
Transamerica Retirement Services, Los Angeles, has expanded the core investment platform offered to company-sponsored retirement plans with the addition of 38 new stock and bond investment choices. The enhancements provide plan sponsors and financial advisors with a wider choice of international, emerging markets and sector equity investments, as well as short-, intermediate- and long-term fixed income offerings, including additional treasury inflation-protected securities and new floating rate investments.
