WINDSOR, Conn. — Total annuity sales were $58.9 billion in the first three months of 2016, 9% higher than prior year results, according to the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute First Quarter 2016 U.S. Retail Annuity Sales Survey, released in late May.
This is the third consecutive quarter of positive growth.
“The start of the year saw tremendous volatility with steep declines in the equity markets, falling nearly 10% within the first three weeks” said Todd Giesing, assistant research director, LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute. “While it did rebound into positive territory by the end of the quarter, the substantial volatility hurt VA sales and helped fixed products as people sought out safety being offered in indexed and fixed-rate deferred products.”
In the first quarter, VA sales totaled $26.6 billion, down 18% percent. This is the lowest level of VA sales since 2001. The declines were industry-wide with 19 of the top 20 manufacturers reporting decreases. The Institute is forecasting VA sales will drop 15-20% in 2016 and another 25-30% in 2017, when the Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule goes into effect in April 2017.
“We are seeing a significant shift in the annuity market,” said Giesing. “In the first quarter, VA sales had a 45% market share, compared with a 60% market share just a year ago. We have to go back 20 years – to 1995 – to find when the VA market share was 45% or lower.”
In the first quarter, sales of fixed annuities jumped 48%, to $32.3 billion. All retail fixed products experienced double-digit growth, compared with prior year.
Indexed annuity sales jumped 35% to $15.7 billion. All of the top 10 writers reported increases. Indexed annuity sales have experienced 8 consecutive years of positive growth and the Institute is forecasting that indexed annuities will continue to see strong growth throughout 2016.
“We believe annuity manufacturers and advisors started to focus on indexed annuities in anticipation of the final DOL fiduciary rule, not knowing that indexed would be pulled under the BICE in the final rule,” Giesing said.
Sales of fixed-rate deferred annuities, (Book Value and MVA) were up 90% in the first quarter. It is not uncommon to see fixed-rate deferred sales spike during times of heightened equity market volatility.
Income annuities had a strong quarter despite the drop in interest rates. First quarter fixed immediate annuity sales were $2.5 billion, up 25% compared with 2015 results. Deferred income annuity (DIA) sales jumped 29% in the first quarter, to $729 million.
Eleven companies are now offering QLAC products, and 12% of first quarter 2016 DIA sales were in QLAC compliant products. While this is a small part of the DIA market, the Institute predicts sales will see an uptick in 2016.
Given the sharp interest rate decline this quarter, the growth of these products (SPIA and DIA) demonstrates the strong demand for guaranteed income.
Given current market conditions, the Institute projects overall fixed sales to improve 15-20% in 2016. However, with the implementation of the DOL fiduciary rule in 2017, LIMRA estimates fixed annuity sales to drop 5-10%.
The Institute expects overall sales in 2016 to be level with 2015 results and to see declines of 15-20% in 2017.
• See also from the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute:
First Quarter 2016 Annuity Industry Estimates
First Quarter 2016 Top 20 Ranking of Total, Variable and Fixed Annuity Writers
Carrier specials lead to hot MYGA sales in early 2016
PLEASANT HILL, Iowa – Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA) sales hit $10.9 billion for the first quarter of 2016 – up more than 60% from the previous quarter – according to the latest edition of Wink’s Sales & Market Report, released June 1.
“Several insurance companies had MYGA specials in the first quarter,” said Sheryl J. Moore, president and CEO of both Moore Market Intelligence and Wink, Inc. “This translated to fantastic results for the quarter, with 14 of the top 15 companies experiencing gains in their MYGA sales for the quarter.”
New York Life was the No. 1 carrier in MYGA sales, with a 22.8% market share. Forethought Life’s SecureFore 5 Fixed Annuity continued to lead in overall MYGA sales for the first quarter. The average MYGA premium was $98,726; a decline of nearly 7% as compared to the previous quarter.
Noteworthy highlights for the first quarter include Jackson National Life leading traditional fixed sales with a 16.1% market share. The top traditional fixed annuity in overall sales was the Reliance Standard Life Apollo-MVA product. The average fixed annuity premium was $75,094; a reduction of over 11% compared to the previous quarter.
Wink’s Sales & Market Report, the insurance industry’s No. 1 resource for indexed annuity and indexed life sales data since 1997, is in its second year of reporting on traditional fixed annuity and multi-year guaranteed annuity (MYGA) product lines. Sixty-five fixed and multi-guaranteed annuity carriers participated in the 75th edition of the first quarter report for 2016.
For more information please visit www.LookToWink.com.
