AZDave: I hope you're kidding. Bonds represent the largest majority of assets held by U.S. life insurers. The insurance industry as a whole is the largest buyer of corporate and govt. bonds of all types (Federal, State, Local and Foreign). A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported 75.5% of life insurer assets were held in bonds. Corporate and Foreign bonds represented the single largest asset class at 46% of holdings. Equities represent less than 3% and real estate less than 1%. Most insurance companies don't even own their home offices. Where did you think their billions were held? Source: Chicago Fed Letter, Number 309, April 2013.