Latest Content
#420 | A Question of Value
There basically are three causes of failure at a life insurer – operations, liabilities and assets. Columbian Mutual is what happens when a life insurer simply can’t operate with sufficient margin. PHL Variable is what happens when a life insurer…
#419 | The PHL Variable Plot Thickens
After 6 months of near-silence on the state of PHL Variable, the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) released updated financial statements last week – and they’re absolutely jaw-dropping. As of Q3 2024, PHL Variable’s surplus position has deteriorated to negative $2.1…
#418 | The Future of Engineered Indices
Chat GPT Summary Engineered indices, now numbering over 200 in indexed annuities and life insurance products, have evolved through three key phases: the "Brand Name Era" (2009-2015), the "Illustration War Era" (2016-2021), and the "Great Pivot" (2022-2024). Initially, these indices…
#417 | EquiTrust Wealth Max Bonus Life
EquiTrust isn’t a household name in life insurance, but it is fast becoming one in annuities. EquiTrust was originally a part of Farm Bureau Life but was bought by Guggenheim in 2011. Guggenheim was one of the first institutional investors…
#416 | The Continuing Evolution of Transamerica
In the life insurance industry, Transamerica is everything and nothing all at once. LIMRA sales statistics place Transamerica as the 3rd largest seller of Indexed UL by premium and the 2nd largest seller by policy count through Q2 of this…
#415 | Penn Mutual Plays for Keeps
Summarized by ChatGPT Penn Mutual ranks as a mid-sized player in the Whole Life market, positioned 10th in sales, significantly trailing behind competitors like Guardian and OneAmerica. Despite this, it maintains a strong presence in niche markets and among high-end…
#414 | The Power of Cash Value Collateralized Lending
When it comes to collateralizing cash values, there are two primary use cases in the industry – policy loans and premium financing. In the case of a policy loan, the life insurer collateralizes the cash value to provide a cash…
#413 | The Option Tenor Conundrum
Author’s Note – Conundrum is the right term for this topic. Any time I write an article about option pricing, I feel acutely aware of the fact that most people who subscribe to this newsletter didn’t sign up to read…
#412 | Prudential Momentum IUL
When Prudential released the first iteration of Index Advantage UL (IAUL) in mid-2012, it was a massive validation of the Indexed UL market. I remember some people referring to it as a “hell freezing over” moment. What most folks didn’t…
#411 | New Accumulation IUL Releases
Over the past couple of weeks, four new accumulation-oriented Indexed UL products hit the market in what is undoubtedly the most active burst of product launches in years. The last time something like this happened was before AG 49-A was…
