Being a congressman can feel a little like “speed dating,” one former representative said.

The group agreed to require distribution of a policy overview in tandem with the buyer’s guide on all life insurance policies. Policies without an illustration will also include a premium and benefit pattern summary. The policy overview is expected to be completed by the NAIC Summer Meeting in August.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, discussed the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act during a briefing at the start of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Congressional Conference. More than 600 NAIFA members are in Washington for this annual event.

The Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA) and the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, or SECURE Act, are very similar bills that would boost annuity use in retirement plans. The House is expected to vote on the SECURE Act before a Memorial Day recess period.

The companies have signed a letter of intent and high-level executives are said to be meeting this week on the deal. Remaining issues include a decision on the new company name and the corporate structure, a source indicated.

Members of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors are urging Congress to enact a package that would help workers better prepare for retirement. NAIFA members are in Washington Tuesday and Wednesday for their annual political advocacy event.

When people think of estate planning, they think about death – the ultimate threat. As creatures programmed to secure survival, considering and planning for our demise is more than a little counter-intuitive. It’s counter-survival.

George Nichols began his tenure as The American College’s president and CEO on Nov. 1 after a 17-year career with New York Life. He wants to see the school expand by breaking out of its insurance niche and focusing on financial services.

Voluntary benefits do more than fill in the gaps left by traditional health insurance. They can be part of a worker’s holistic protection plan. And with more workers facing higher out-of-pocket medical expenses, voluntary benefits can help cover those unexpected costs.

Since 2011, accumulation-focused annuity product sales have experienced steady growth, which LIMRA SRI researchers predict will continue over the next five years. As a result of low interest rates, income-focused annuity sales had been declining since 2015 until interest rates increased in 2018.

More than 64 percent of agents reported increased or higher sales of Medigap insurance in 2018. Just over one-in-four (27.2%) indicated that their sales were about the same as the prior year, with only 8.7 percent reporting decreased or lower sales.

The best thing an insurance agent can do is generate their own leads, but knowing where to start and what you need to make it possible can be scary and confusing. But you can generate your own leads, and the specific set of tools that you need, once you have them, will cost you more time than it will money.

How many hours must tax-paying Americans work to kick in for the cost of a free public college education? Quite a few, if Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., gets his way. Sanders is running for president with the promise of college education free to all, which carries an estimated $70 billion price tag.