U.S. life carriers had a fairly small appetite for mergers and acquisitions in 2010, with much of the activity taking place in AIG's shedding of its foreign life insurance subsidiaries.
At a time when litigation has threatened the financial viability of several securities firms, executives at independent broker-dealers, as well as the more than 110,000 or so independent-contractor registered reps, often are woefully underinformed about their errors-and-omissions insurance, according to industry observers
Smaller life insurers — battered by the recession but ready to get back into the annuity business — have begun to outsource the manufacturing of fixed indexed annuities to marketing groups
Advisers notified clients about planned reduction in features, hike in fees
The indie B-D is bucking the trend with the launch of its expanded fee-based VA platform. A single fiduciary standard will likely improve the odds of success
Axa Equitable Life Insurance Co. has paired up with Wilshire Associates Inc. to give small and midsize retirement plans access to fiduciary services.
Absolute Return 500 aims to tamp down volatility
Hoping to strengthen its agent force, The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. has paired with Career Athletes LLC to recruit students as interns and agents
The Hartford has hired Jackson National Life Insurance Co.'s variably annuity product development chief Steve Kluever.
Veteran insurance agent Paul A. Mattus has filed suit against The Allstate Corp., claiming that the carrier had muscled him out of his book of business in order to pass it on to a newer, younger agent.
Worried about outlasting your savings? Worry no more; N.Y. Life has you covered
Rep. Schakowsky want big increase in marginal rates for millionaires, billionaires
U.S. millionaires would face an annual income tax increase of at least 10% under a deficit reduction measure proposed by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, R-Ill
The U.K. government proposed replacing its current means-tested state pension with a flat-rate payment of about 140 pounds ($225) a week, with the goal of increasing incentives for people to save for their old age.
A recent court decision against Pacific Life Insurance Co. may give advisers and broker-dealers legal leverage against insurers that take too long to perform Section 1035 exchanges of variable life policies.
Retirement funds not even close to what employees say they'll likely need; confidence level lowest in 20 years
