FIXED ANNUITIES:

Fixed Annuity Sales at Banks Drop $1.2B (MMExecutive) - Growth slows in second quarter as investors look for more risk.

2Q 2009 indexed annuity sales results: Advantage Group (Life & Health Insurance News)

Fixed annuity rates going still lower: August 2009 (National Underwriter Life & Health) - These 2 charts from Fisher Annuity Index show interest rate trends on fixed annuities and CD-type annuities as of early August 2009.

Transamerica’s Principium II Variable Annuity Continues to Gain Market Share (BusinessWire)

VARIABLE ANNUITIES:

Variable annuities sales show signs of life (IRI Online)

Did you know: 1035 exchange prediction (Life & Health - Index Annuities) - This graphic shows three factors that will be influencing the future direction of indexed annuities, making them decrease in number.

Web Exclusives: VA Hedging (Life & Health - Variable Annuities) - Life insurers may need to focus more on protecting against variable annuity tail scenarios and less on reducing earnings volatility.

Pru Replaces VA Options (Life & Health Insurance News)

Hedging And Protecting VA Blocks Against Turbulence (National Underwriter Life & Health) - Even though hedging programs helped preserve billions of dollars of assets for insurers, increasing losses in those programs were still a main contributor to deterioration of insurers’ net financial results in late 2008 and early 2009

Widow files arbitration claim against Ameriprise over VA sale to elderly spouse (Investment News)

Variable annuities sales show signs of life (Investment News)

Variable Annuity Sales Fall 24% as AIG, Hartford Scale Back (Bloomberg)

Prudential Updates 'Highest Daily' Annuity Optional Benefits (Business Wire)

Did you know: 1035 exchange prediction (National Underwriter Life & Health - JACK MARRION)

Pioneer announces revamped retail distribution unit (Investment News) - Moves aim to boost business in defined contribution and variable annuity investment-only markets

Individual and variable annuity sales tumbled in 2Q, LIMRA reports (Investment News)

John Hancock Expands Fixed Annuity Portfolio With New JH Signature Product (CNBC)

FINRA To Update Media Regs (Life & Health - Variable Annuities) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is reviewing a proposed rule that could affect some variable product sellers media relations operations.

VA Gets 2 Living Benefit Riders (National Underwriter) - An annuity company is rolling out two living benefit riders for its top variable annuity.

New Product Pays Guaranteed Income On Managed Accounts (Registered Rep)

Use An Annuity To Make Your Own Pension (FOXBusiness.com)

2Q FIA Sales Hit Record (Life and Health Insurance News)

Index annuity sales surged in 2Q on demand for stable retirement income (Investment News)

Wis. Adds Variable Line (National Underwriter Life & Health) - Wisconsin insurance regulators are creating new licensing requirements for agents who sell variable annuities and variable life insurance.

New York Life, with eye on advisers, will roll out new variable annuity product (Investment News)

BISA: Annuity index up 12 percent in first quarter (Bank Advisor Magazine) - The Bank Insurance and Securities Association recently announced the BISA-Singer's Bank Holding Company Annuity Index rose 12 percent in the first quarter.

Today's Greater Need for Retirement Income (Research Mag) - Advisors take note: Recent research shows that clients need to cover at least a portion of their cash flow requirements with guaranteed income.

FINRA To Update Media Regs (National Underwriter Life & Health) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is reviewing a proposed rule that could affect some variable product sellers’ media relations operations.

FINRA Pans VUL Strategy (National Underwriter Life & Health) - The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has imposed a $100,000 fine on an insurer-affiliated investment firm over a former broker’s strategy for selling variable universal life insurance.

Firms Launch an Alternative to Annuities to Attract Retirees (BankInvestmentConsultant.com)

Brooks named chairman of NAIC’s life and annuities committee (Investment News) - He takes over for Eric R. Dinallo, who has taken a teaching post at New York University

"De-Risked" VAs Still Have Value (Financial Planning)

More Annuities Used in Income Portfolios (National Underwriter - Fixed Annuities) - Advisors are increasingly turning to annuities to help cover their clients basic needs in retirement.

Annuity Analytics: What is a Guaranteed Rate Really Worth? (Research Mag - MOSHE A. MILEVSKY) - Advisors should provide clients with the embedded investment return (i.e., the cash-equivalent yield) for the guaranteed lifetime income benefit VAs they sell. Here's why and how.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Adds Nationwide Annuity to UMA Platform (MMExecutive) - The brokerage wants to make guaranteed income available to those in retirement.

Variable Annuities’ Hedging Programs Support 94% of Guarantees (MMExecutive) - With such a high success rate, insurers might expand their hedging programs, Milliman says.