Cyril Tuohy is a writer based in Pennsylvania. He has covered the financial services industry for more than 15 years. He can be reached at [email protected].
The 350 Independent Marketing Organizations serving independent agents could shrink by 30 to 50 percent due to pressing regulation on several fronts, experts say. Many IMOs will be looking to buy or sell for the foreseeable future.
It’s not necessarily because sales from independent agents are declining; it’s because sales through banks and broker/dealers are growing, said one industry expert.
More consumers are anxious about their finances and want to hear about annuities, according to the latest Greenwald survey.
Indexed universal life (IUL) sales kept overall life insurance sales in the black last year. Will it spur more companies to enter the market?
Jackson National is behind the first fee-based fixed indexed annuity without a surrender charge, a product the company hopes will satisfy registered investment advisors skeptical of traditional annuities.
Advisors should give fixed indexed annuities (FIAs) a serious look because FIAs offer a compelling story in an era of low bond yields, according to Roger G. Ibbotson, one of the most recognizable names in finance.
Slumping sales of variable annuities did not stop the No. 1 seller of VAs from recording a strong 2017. Jackson National reported a 3 percent gain in operating income.
Some industry observers say demographic, regulatory and technology trends have generated new momentum for many RIAs to consider offering fee-based annuities. The potential for mutual growth is high, some say.
New York Life reported another successful year in 2017, with record operating earnings of $2.06 billion and a record $1.8 billion dividend payout.
Growth opportunities for life insurers this year are in group benefits, retail life insurance, pension risk transfer and some international markets, one analyst predicted.
Strong indexed universal life sales helped raise all leaky life insurance boats in 2017, according to LIMRA data.
Allianz Life’s Accumulation Advantage fixed indexed annuity (FIA) is designed to capture the appeal of advisors as they shift their FIA marketing efforts from income to accumulation.
Owners of fixed indexed annuities (FIAs) with guaranteed living income benefit (GLIB) riders are much less likely to surrender their contracts than they were 10 years ago, according to new research based on 3.3 million policyholders.
Life insurance sales were down in all age segments, according to new year-over-year data, but was down the least in the younger segment. That could be good news for insurers.
Fee-based indexed and variable annuities are still posting small sales, but the numbers are rising. A key to future sales is whether the products catch on with registered investment advisors (RIAs), analysts say.
More employees own at least one voluntary product than employees who do not own any, a new survey found, as employee benefits continue to grow more popular.
Indexed universal life is “clearly where the action was,” said Robert A. Kerzner, CEO of LIMRA, in a quarterly briefing to members.
Insurance company M&A deals fell sharply in 2017 and isn’t expected to rebound anytime soon. Several trends are impacting the potential for M&A deals, including tax reform and technology.
Bankers Life eschews loading up on first-year agents for a strategy that caters to experienced producers. It’s all part of a strategy designed by parent company CEO Gary Bhojwani.
Fresh off a $19 billion reinsurance deal with Voya Financial that closed in December, Athene CEO James Belardi said the company is open for business and hopes to close similar deals in 2018.
