Securian’s Variable Annuities Include TOPS Portfolios [Professional Services Close – Up]

Securian announced it now offers TOPS Protected ETF Portfolios in its MultiOption, Advisor, Legend and Extra variable annuities.

According to a release, all of these variable annuity products are underwritten and issued by Minnesota Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Securian Financial Group, Inc. TOPS Protected ETF Portfolios are a series of Northern Lights Variable Trust. MultiOption variable annuities invest in Class 2 Shares of the fund.

The company said TOPS Protected ETF Portfolios are "fund of funds" that seek to employ volatility management and capital protection strategies. Each portfolio invests in a variety of index based exchange traded funds. The "protected" portion is composed of hedge assets that seek to buffer the portfolio during market downturns. When markets fall, the financial hedges are positioned to gain in value, potentially creating more stability than an equity portfolio without this hedge.

The approach used with the TOPS portfolios is one of the longest running ETF portfolio management systems in the US, according to ValMark Advisers, Inc., manager of the TOPS Portfolios. Milliman, Inc. is the subadvisor. The protected portfolios were made available only recently as investment options within variable annuities and Securian is one of only a handful of companies that do so. Securian also offers TOPS investment options as an allocation for optional living benefits, including in the popular CustomChoice allocation option.

These products, the company added, offer three TOPS portfolios: The Balanced portfolio; the Moderate Growth portfolio; and the Growth portfolio. Other investment options available in these products include a Minnesota Life selected group of more than 75 underlying investment options from 17 fund families which span variety of asset classes and, investment styles.

TOPS portfolios are designed for consumers who seek additional protection from market volatility. They are specifically designed to reduce the impact of market extremes, particularly on the down side, with the goal of producing more consistent returns over time.

Securian Financial Group and its affiliates provide financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, investments and retirement plans.

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