This quarterly slide deck examines new product releases from annuity carriers and life insurers covered in our Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor research services. Inside, we provide a rundown of the new products introduced on the firms’ websites in the second quarter of 2016 and highlight their key features.
2. ABOUT CORPORATE INSIGHT
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3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Annuities
o Athene MYG
o Lincoln Financial Earnings Optimizer Death Benefit Optional Rider
o Pacific Life Interest Enhanced Death Benefit
o Nationwide Peak and Summit
o Voya Quest Index Annuities Suite (Voya Quest Plus, Voya Quest 5, Voya
Quest 7)
Life Insurance
o John Hancock SmartProtect Term with Vitality
o Lincoln TermAccel Level Term
o AXA Athena Universal Life
Corporate Insight Syndicated Studies
Corporate Insight Thought Leadership
About the Author
5. INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND
This quarterly slide deck examines
new product releases from annuity
carriers and life insurers covered in
our Annuity Monitor and Life
Insurance Monitor research
services. A full coverage list is
provided on the next slide.
Inside, we provide a rundown of
the new products introduced on
the firms’ websites in the second
quarter of 2016 and highlight their
key features.
6. FIRMS COVERED
Below is a list of the firms we track on a daily basis for our Annuity
Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor research services:
Annuity Monitor Life Insurance Monitor
o Allianz Life
o Athene
o AXA
o Fidelity
o Guardian Life
o Jackson
National
o Lincoln
Financial
o MassMutual
o MetLife
o Nationwide
o New York Life
o Pacific Life
o Principal
o Prudential
o TIAA
o Transamerica
o Vanguard
o Voya
o AXA
o John Hancock
o Liberty Mutual
o Lincoln
Financial
o MassMutual
o MetLife
o Nationwide
o New York Life
o Northwestern
Mutual
o Pacific Life
o Principal
o Prudential
o State Farm
o USAA
INTRODUCTION
8. ATHENE MYGANNUITIES
In April, Athene introduced the Multi-Year Guarantee annuity.
Clients can choose from three-, five- and seven-year term periods and decide
between a multi-year fixed strategy or a one-year fixed strategy for interest.
Product includes death benefit and up to 10% penalty-free withdrawals during
term period.
Initial premium for the new deferred annuity earns a guaranteed fixed rate of
interest during the term period.
9. LINCOLN FINANCIAL EARNINGS OPTIMIZER DEATH BENEFIT
OPTIONAL RIDER
ANNUITIES
Lincoln announced the Earnings Optimizer Death Benefit optional rider
available with the Lincoln Investor Advantage variable annuity in April.
Product counters the effect of taxes by paying beneficiaries an enhancement to
their contract value.
Payout is the larger of either the total premium paid (reduced for withdrawals)
or the current contract value plus 40% of earnings (subject to earnings limit).
10. PACIFIC LIFE INTEREST ENHANCED DEATH BENEFITANNUITIES
Pacific Life introduced the Interest Enhanced Death Benefit Rider for fixed
indexed annuities in April.
With the product, the firm guarantees death benefit base growth to increase
how much beneficiaries receive.
Product has no caps on amount of interest earned.
11. NATIONWIDE PEAKANNUITIES
Nationwide released the Nationwide Peak Fixed Indexed Annuity in May along
with the Nationwide Summit Annuity.
For both Peak and Summit, clients can choose between a fixed account or
indexed account and may add a death benefit, a long-term care or
confinement waiver, protection from market risk, and growth potential with
guarantees.
Each includes two index account options: S&P 500 and MSCI EAFE Index (Peak)
or S&P 500 and J.P. Morgan MOZAIC Index (Summit).
12. VOYA QUEST INDEX ANNUITIES SUITE (VOYA QUEST
PLUS, VOYA QUEST 5, VOYA QUEST 7)
ANNUITIES
Voya announced the new Voya Quest Index Annuities product suite of fixed
index annuities in April and launched the suite for sales in June.
Suite consists of three products: Voya Quest Plus, Voya Quest 5 and Voya Quest
7.
Immediate 6% premium bonus is available for Voya Quest Plus; Voya Quest 5
and 7 offer more favorable surrender charge schedules.
Firm offers an optional Voya myIncome Withdrawal Benefit with a 6.5%
guaranteed roll-up compounded annually on the withdrawal benefit base and
a return of premium optional benefit.
Products include five-, seven- or 10-year surrender charge schedules and a
floor against negative index performance.
14. JOHN HANCOCK SMARTPROTECT TERM WITH VITALITY
John Hancock launched SmartProtect Term with Vitality, a new term life
insurance product, in May.
Clients can reduce premium costs with the John Hancock Vitality program.
Firm provides a streamlined two-day underwriting decision and no required
medical exam.
Product is available for 10-, 15- or 20-year term durations.
LIFEINSURANCE
15. LINCOLN TERMACCEL LEVEL TERM
Lincoln debuted Lincoln TermAccel Level Term in May.
Product features guaranteed level premiums for a 15-, 20- or 30-year term
periods before annual increases.
Clients can choose from three optional riders: Waiver of Premium,
Accelerated Benefit and Children’s Term.
Product includes quick phone interview application, online eTicket and
automated underwriting.
LIFEINSURANCE
16. AXA ATHENA UNIVERSAL LIFE
AXA announced the upcoming Athena Universal Life product in May.
Product features two death benefit options, a declared interest rate and
access to cash value.
Clients can change death benefit option and face amount, and product
includes premium payment flexibility.
No Lapse Guarantee rider lets clients guarantee a death benefit for a specified
period of time and is automatically included with the product.
LIFEINSURANCE
17. CORPORATE INSIGHT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
User Insights Vol. 3: Retirement Plan Websites Disappoint Millennial Participants
Our latest User Insights usability study analyzes the DC plan platform’s UX strengths and weaknesses from the
perspective of Millennial participants and provides test results for four leading defined contribution plan providers:
Fidelity, J.P., TIAA-CREF and VALIC.
Online Communities across Financial Services: American Express, Bank of America and TIAA-CREF
This slide deck examines the design and capabilities offered by each firm’s online community, with a focus on
noteworthy site features. We also provide tips for financial services firms looking to improve their online
communities.
The Complete Bitcoin User Experience: Mining, Exchanges, Wallets and Beyond
This study provides a detailed analysis of how Bitcoins are created, traded and stored. The study includes reviews of
the top websites and online services driving the Bitcoin marketplace including Slush’s Pool, Blockchain.info and
Coinbase, among others.
2014 Mobile Finance Trends and Innovations
This study draws on our ongoing tracking of the industry as well as relevant developments outside of the financial
services space. It includes commentary on mobile developments, key takeaways for financial services firms and
thoughts on what is next for mobile finance.
Senior Citizens & Mobile Finance: Design & Support Solutions to Empower the Senior Set
Using CI’s user-testing expertise and ongoing mobile finance research, this slide deck highlights specific areas where
seniors may struggle with financial services apps and offers design and support solutions that will give this valuable
audience the comfort and confidence to engage in mobile finance.
CORPORATEINSIGHTTHOUGHTLEADERSHIP
18. ABOUT THE AUTHORABOUTTHEAUTHOR
Joan Kagan
Research Analyst
Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor
Joan Kagan is an Analyst for Corporate Insight’s Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor
research services. She has conducted extensive research on the annuity and life insurance
industries, examining the online platforms, customer service capabilities, social media
marketing and technological tools offered to prospects, clients and financial professionals.
This quarterly study is the result of Joan’s ongoing research into product releases from
leading annuity and life insurance providers.
Joan graduated cum laude from New York University in 2013.
Contact Joan Kagan:
(646) 751-6968
jkagan@corporateinsight.com
Connect with Joan
Connect with CI
Annuity Monitor and Life Insurance Monitor are service marks of Corporate Insight, Inc.; all rights reserved.