INDIVIDUALSMEDIAMEMBERS
 FACTS AND STATISTICS 
Annuities
SALES OF FIXED AND VARIABLE ANNUITIES

There are several types of annuities. Deferred annuities generally accumulate assets over a long period of time, with withdrawals usually as a single sum or as an income payment beginning at retirement. Immediate annuities allow purchasers to convert a lump sum payment into a stream of income that begins right away.

Deferred and immediate annuities can be either fixed or variable. Generally, interest credited and payments made from a fixed annuity are based on rates declared by the company, which can change only yearly. Fixed annuities are considered “general account” assets. In contrast, variable annuity account values and payments are based on the performance of a separate investment portfolio, thus their value may fluctuate daily. Variable annuities are considered “separate account” assets.

There are a variety of fixed annuities. One example, the equity-indexed annuity, is a hybrid of the features of fixed and variable annuities. It credits a minimum rate of interest, just as other fixed annuities do, but its value is also based on the performance of a specified stock index—usually computed as a fraction of that index’s total return.

Annuities can also be classified by marketing channel—sold to groups or individuals (see the Premiums by Line table, page____).

INDIVIDUAL ANNUITY CONSIDERATIONS, 2003-2007 (1)

($ billions)


 

 

 

Total

Year

Variable

Fixed

Amount

Percent change
2003$129.4$89.4$218.8-0.5%
2004132.987.9220.80.9
2005137.678.9216.5-1.9
2006184.272.8257.018.7
2007160.478.3238.7-7.1
(1) Based on LIMRA's estimates of the total annuity sales market. Includes some considerations (i.e., premiums) that though bought in group settings involve individual buying decisions.

Source: LIMRA International.
  • Variable annuity sales decreased 12.9 percent in 2007 after increasing 33.9 percent in 2006.

  • Fixed annuity sales increased 7.6 percent in 2007 after fdecreasing 7.7 percent in 2006.

ANNUITY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Insurance agents, including career agents, who sell the products of a single life insurance company, and independent agents, who represent several insurers, account for almost 40 percent of annuity sales. State and federal regulators require sellers of variable annuities, which are similar to stock market-based investments, to register with NASD and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SALES OF INDIVIDUAL ANNUITIES BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS,
2003 AND 2007 (1)




(1) Preliminary.

Source: LIMRA International.


VARIABLE ANNUITY TOTAL SALES BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL, 2007 (1)



(1) Preliminary.

Source: LIMRA International.


NET ASSETS OF VARIABLE ANNUITIES, 1997-2006

($ billions)



Source: NAVA and Morningstar, Inc.

TOP TEN WRITERS OF VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACTS BY NEW SALES, 2006

($ millions)


Rank

Company

New sales
1Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association$13,671
2John Hancock Life lnsurance Company (USA)5,452
3Jackson National Life Insurance Company4,414
4Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company4,398
5Pacific Life Insurance Company (Innovations Select)4,182
6RiverSource Life Insurance Company3,478
7Pacific Life Insurance Company (Value)3,038
8Hartford Life Insurance Company (Leaders)2,919
9Hartford Life Insurance Company (Leaders Outlook)2,752
10AXA EquitabIe Life Insurance Company2,609
Source: VARDS/Morningstar.
TOP TEN PRODUCERS OF EQUITY INDEX ANNUITIES BY TOTAL SALES, 2006

($ millions)


Rank

Company

Total sales

Market share
1Allianz Life$6,681.4 26.37%
2AVIVA2,537.5 10.01
3ING2,303.2 9.09
4Old Mutual2,079.6 8.21
5Midland National Life2,003.1 7.91
6American Equity1,787.3 7.05
7Equitrust1,001.4 3.95
8Jackson National Life947.9 3.74
9Jefferson-Pilot871.8 3.44
10Sun Life731.1 2.89
Source: The Advantage Compendium.
TOP TEN WRITERS OF FIXED ANNUITIES SOLD THROUGH BANKS, 2006

($ millions)


 

 

Premiums

Rank

Company

2005

2006
1 AIG Annuity  $6,632$5,138
2 Allstate Financial  2,5743,266
3 New York Life  2,4682,518
4 Genworth Financial  1,5131,165
5 AEGON/Transamerica  1,4171,132
6 Principal Financial Group  649857
7 Jackson National Life  1,209798
8 Western-Southern Financial 632615
9 John Hancock  662483
10 Chase Insurance  537459

Source: Kehrer-LIMRA.

TOP TEN WRITERS OF VARIABLE ANNUITIES SOLD THROUGH BANKS, 2006

($ millions)


 

 

Premiums

Rank

Company

2005

2006
1 Hartford Life  $4,480$4,801
2 Pacific Life  2,8213,334
3 AXA  1,7912,014
4 Nationwide Financial  1,0651,611
5 John Hancock  1,0201,279
6 RiverSource  7971,143
7 AIG/Sunamerica  6821,003
8 ING  772988
9 Prudential511734 (1)
10 Lincoln Financial  393729

(1) The Prudential figures include Allstate's variable annuity business, which Prudential purchased in June 2006.

Source: Kehrer-LIMRA.

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