Advanced Markets
Aviva
Our Advanced Markets team provides personal sales assistance for your high-net-worth clients and business prospects. We can help you identify individual, business and estate planning needs, assist with traditional advanced markets issues as well as develop innovative, custom-tailored solutions for your challenging advanced sales situations. Click here to read more
AXA
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 1pm ET Purpose, Product and Health (PPH) & AEGIS Web Illustration System's New Inforce Capabilities
A new year can bring new opportunities. Join us for our first 2012 LIVE with Advanced Markets call! We will discuss the benefits of our “PPH” Policy Review program; PPH is a simple approach that can offer you an effective roadmap to success by breaking down the key elements of planning with life insurance.
John Hancock
Quarterly Edition Central Intelligence - January 2012. In this issue:
- Temporary payroll tax cut approved by congress & signed into law by president
- IRS invites comments on tax treatment of trust decanting
- Power retained by trust grantor to substitute assets of equal value for life insurance does not (necessarily) cause inclusion
- Summary judgment denied due to reasonable reliance on counsel
- New final regulations under IRC §2036
- Undiscounted value of partnership assets included in decedents gross estate
- IRS allows “direct” transfer of IRA proceeds to beneficiary’s IRA following fiduciary malfeasance
- Case in point: Maintaining flexibility in uncertain times
Click here to view
Special Offer From Randy Zipse
Randy Zipse, as contributing editor of National Underwriter's Tax Facts and Field Guide, is offering a 30% discount on these valuable tools for 2012. This offer is available for a limited time only. Click here for more information.
ING
Bendable Buy-Sell Arrangements
Because it is difficult to know what type of buy-sell structure will produce the best results when a triggering event occurs, it often makes sense to have some flexibility in the arrangement. This new producer presentation discusses why there may be a need for flexibility, and two flexible buy-sell arrangements. Available on ING for Professionals or the Business Planning microsite.
MassMutual
Executive Bonus Plans
An Executive Bonus Plan using whole life from MassMutual can provide attractive solutions for both business owners and their key executives. Read More
Disability Insurance
Mutual of Omaha
One Customer's DI Story
Check out Kerry Ann Katz's personal story and how disability income insurance has played an important role in her life (not available in NJ). Be sure to share this emotional video with your clients. Watch Kerry Ann's Story
National Underwriter
I Don't Care if You Do Your Own Laundry
Politicians are trying to sell us on their likeability, and not necessarily their skills. Why you should do the opposite.
Licensing & Contracting Compliance
ING
Florida - Important Changes Regarding Appointments Began January 18, 2012
As of January 18, 2012, if a licensee/appointee has an invalid address on file with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Agent and Agency Services, no appointing entity will be able to renew the licensee's appointment. See this bulletin for details.
Marketing/Industry Updates
American General
Quotes-on-the-Go with Rapid Rater – Here Now!
New mobile quoting application for iPhone and Android smart phone users.
Mary Jane Fortin Featured in Life Insurance Selling Magazine
Please read this letter from President and CEO Mary Jane Fortin which contains a link to the Life Insurance Selling article.
Best's Review Recognizes AGLC for Successful Innovation
ExamRight and prescription database technology were recognized in the magazine's annual Innovators' Showcase recognizing forward thinking among insurance organizations. Read more
New Newsletter for Clients
New "flip book" eMagazine is available for agents to share with their customers. The value of insurance is front and center in this new publication which features an easy to use flip book feature. VantagePoint magazine is an independently produced quarterly publication that offers valuable information for mature adults, and in which American General is one of several contributors. Access the magazine two ways: Flip Book | PDF
Introducing LifeLaunch
LifeLaunch is an all-in-one landing page to access illustration software from your desktop. Read bulletin 11-116 for details and a link to download.
Passport to Paradise: Bermuda 2013
Click here for qualification rules and complete details on American General's 2013 Business Development Conference for Producers at the Fairmont Southhampton, Bermuda.
Reminder: Use of Senior Specific Certifications or Designations
American General Life Companies prohibits insurance producers from using senior-specific certifications or professional designations that may mislead a prospective purchaser. Read bulletin 12-005 for details.
Announcing New Customer Assurance Program
American General Life Companies is introducing a new initiative to obtain valuable feedback from our policy owners.
AG Secure Lifetime GUL® Ledger and Ledger –Secondary Guaranteed Concepts now available in WinFlex.
Update your software now and use this concept to include the AG Secure Lifetime GUL® product in Composite and Comparison reports generated in WinFlex.
Announcing New Customer Assurance Program
American General Life Companies is introducing a new initiative to obtain valuable feedback from our policy owners.
Message from Mary Jane, President and CEO, American General Life Companies
Now that 2012 is in full swing, your partners at American General Life Companies are eager to help you make this year one for the record books. Read more
Aviva
Broker World Magazine Article
The latest trend and the biggest driver for life insurance industry growth illustrates the maxim that everything old is new again. Click here to read more
Aviva Survivorship Builder
Click here to view
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A.M. Best Affirms Aviva’s ratings
Earlier today A.M. Best affirmed the ratings of both our parent company, Aviva plc, and its subsidiaries including Aviva USA. In the process, A.M Best also placed Aviva plc and its subsidiaries “under review with negative implications.” Click here to read more
Electronic MDRT Certification Letter will be Available Soon!
Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) membership is recognized internationally as the standard of sales excellence in the life insurance and financial services business. Soon you will be able to submit your MDRT Certification electronically via a link on your Agent Portal. When you access the link, you can download your MDRT Certification Letter in a PDF format to submit to the Million Dollar Round Table. This link is expected to be available to you by January 27th, 2012. Please use this electronic method to expedite your certification. If you have questions regarding MDRT Certification or how to submit, please visit www.mdrt.org.
AXA
Athena Indexed Universal Life
Athena Indexed Universal Life is a flexible premium universal life insurance that offers the opportunity for lifetime insurance protection and the potential accumulation of cash value through a guaranteed interest account and index-linked interest options.
Incentive Life Optimizer II
Incentive Life Optimizer II is a variable universal life policy designed to offer cash value accumulation through professionally managed investment portfolios.
ING
High Fives All Around! - Marketing Materials are Ready
Now there's 5% More Commission and 5% Higher Participation Rate on ING Indexed Universal Life-Global (ING IUL-Global) and ING Indexed Universal Life-Global Plus (ING IUL-Global Plus). See the details in this bulletin.
Updated Business Guidelines
The new business guidelines are available for your review.
Lincoln Financial
December Market Observations
The Lincoln Funds Management December commentary is now available for use. In this piece, the Lincoln Funds Management group provides a recap of the markets, providing an overview of index returns in the context of the larger economic trends and events of the month. Click here to read more
Lincoln Benefit Life
Liquidity Guarantee Rider Just Got Better
The Liquidity Guarantee Rider provides qualifying customers the flexibility to receive a portion of their premiums back—up to 100 percent in some cases—if their needs should change and they decide to surrender their policy. Read More
Mutual of Omaha
You Can Use IRS Form 1040 as a Sales Tool
It's that time of year - people are now gathering information to file their income tax returns. As you look at the IRS Form 1040, it's amazing how many ideas you can use with your clients that are present from the information contained on this form. Read More
Set the Standard with Term Life Answers
Our competitive TLA rates can give you an edge in the market place. View Details
Monthly Life Insurance Media Kit
Competitive Term Rates - See How They Stack Up View More
Nationwide
Office of the Chief Economist
Weekly Economic Review & Outlook Click here to read more | Click here to listen to podcast
Principal
New VUL Serves Protection Needs
Protect both business and personal clients with competitive features. Read more
Check Out Our New SUL Rates!
Click here to read more
February 6, 2012 at 10:30a CST - Learning Event: Retirement Income Gap Calculator
PLN will introduce a new calculator to help producers approach business owners and executives on the need for accumulating sufficient retirement assets. Read more
Protective Life
Protective Grabs the Lead!
Click here to read more about Centennial G II and what it offers.
Insure Your Love
Insure your love is a six week, industry-wide awareness campaign coordinated by the LIFE Foundation, which also coordinates Life Insurance Awareness Month each September. Visit the LIFE Foundation's website to get a suite of marketing resources (flyers, videos, articles, etc.) designed to assist you in engaging your clients and prospects in discussions regarding their life insurance needs. View More
Transamerica
February 8, 2012 at 9a PST Thought Leaders Webinar – Life Insurance is a Solution
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Bank-owned life insurance is becoming more and more popular, and in turn, its assets are growing.
Is This Simple But Costly Mistake Lurking in Your Clients' IRAs?
Ensure your clients don’t make this mistake with their beneficiary designations and protect them from unnecessary hassle.
Defy Popular Perception: Overcome the Life Insurance Taboo
Though it has fallen out of favor, life insurance remains an important financial planning tool.
Understanding the Tax Implications of Life Insurance, Part I
Three producers skilled at dealing with life insurance and tax planning explain how they educated themselves and why their role matters.
iPipeline, which provides marketing and selling solutions for the insurance industry, is set to receive a "significant" investment from Technology Crossover Ventures.
U.S. employees' confidence in their ability to retire comfortably continued to rebound from post-recession lows last year, according to a new survey.
You could excuse the registered investment adviser (RIA) community for feeling this way lately — after all it’s basically true, at least in the financial services industry.
Fifty-nine percent of survey respondents describe themselves as financial planners, but only 30% actually practice financial planning, Cerulli reports. The differential is even more pronounced among advisors who label themselves investment planners (22%) versus those who practice investment planning (56%).
Eighty-two percent of the respondents agree the federal government should "get out of their way" and 72% say that federal taxation, regulation and legislation make hiring employees more difficult.
Life Insurance for Protection – and Retirement Savings
After the turbulent times we’ve experienced in the financial markets in recent years, I’m guessing none of you have clients who believe they have sufficient, much less excess, retirement income potential.
Risk Management Strategies for Boomers in 2012 and Beyond
Over the next 20 years, baby boomers will have a wide range of financial needs. Here's how you can meet them.
Selling to Seniors
If you work with senior clients, you probably know that their life experiences determine both their actions and their needs. Here's how to connect with seniors of all stripes.
Volcker Rule Attacked
At a House hearing today, the Volcker rule faced its critics who contend that the rule's narrow definition excessively constrains the nation's largest financial institutions from driving a more robust…
Trudging through a low-interest rate environment with near record unemployment establishes certain boundaries for growth, but insurers can exercise some control over their own future.
Registered investments advisors and independent broker-dealers are projected to each enjoy a 1% gain in assets held by the distributions channel, a new report concludes.
The report says that nearly one in four Americans (24%) were able to set aside enough money to go five or more months without a paycheck and still pay their bills. However, one in three say they could not go any amount of time without a paycheck before resorting to skipping bill payments.
Is the 4 Percent Rule Viable? (SmartMoney)
Four percent has long been the target savings withdrawal number for retirees, but two recent studies encourage seniors to take a more individualized approach to the numbers game.
New Business/Underwriting
American General
Online Application and Simplified Submission Now Available with AG Quick TicketSM
Spend less time doing paperwork and more time in front of clients. Visit AGQuickTicket.com for details.
Coming Soon - USL to Implement Regulation 60 Support
Read bulletin 12-009 for details on how New Business will support Reg 60 for United States Life distribution partners.
Revised HIV Testing and Consent Forms
Use of revised HIV Testing and Consent forms begins January 26, 2012, for AZ, DE, FL, GA, ME, OR and VT. Read bulletin 12-006 for transition rules.
L&C Contracting Submissions with Pending New Business
In order to ensure that all agents who are submitting business are fully contracted and appointments are processed in a timely manner, please remember to complete the new business information questions as outlined in bulletin 11-109.
Aviva
Helping to Make Doing Business With Us Easier
In an effort to make it more convenient to do business with us and simplify the contracting process, several forms have recently been updated to the new standards. Click here to view
ING
Updated ING Life Distributor Services Forms
ING Distributor Services recently updated forms covering life agreements, contracting and appointment applications, and requests for agent changes.
"Just In Time" Contracting with ING
The ING Life Companies want to help you avoid delays in the processing of your new business. Our Just-In-Time (JIT) contracting process is designed to do just that.
Mutual of Omaha
Underwriting Structural Changes
We are making some organizational changes in the life new business and underwriting area to better support our continuous focus on enhancing customer experience, improving productivity, and positioning life underwriting for future growth of the business. Read More
When it Comes to Underwriting, We Follow a Responsibly Aggressive Approach and Look Closely at Controlled Impairments
Underwriting success story: Preferred tobacco user. View Details
Product
Aviva
Aviva Announces Life Product Changes
Aviva Life and Annuity Company announce the following life product changes which became effective January 1, 2012. Click here to read more
AXA
January 2012 Growth Cap Rates
Click here to view
Lincoln Financial
Life Product Changes Coming in February 2012
Lincoln continuously monitors marketplace pressures to ensure that its product solutions remain viable and balance value to producers, clients and shareholders. As such, we want to inform you of important product changes that will be effective February 21, 2012.
Lincoln Benefit Life
Echelon Index UL Rates Have Changed
Echelon Index UL Rates changed effective February 1, 2012. Read More
MassMutual
MassMutual's 2012 Dividend Interest Rate
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders consistently since the 1860s – a testament to its enduring quality and performance, since dividends are not guaranteed. This year is no different. We’re pleased to share an advertisement about MassMutual that ran in The Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2011, regarding its 2012 dividend payout. We believe working with MassMutual continues to be a good decision. Please take a moment to review this advertisement, which highlights an estimated dividend payout of $1.33 billion to eligible participating policyholders in 2012, reflecting a 7.00% dividend interest rate1.
1. The dividend interest rate of 7.00% applies to all MassMutual whole life policies. The dividend interest rate is not the rate of return on the policy. Dividends are composed of an investment component, a mortality component and an expense component. Therefore, interest rates should not be the sole basis for comparing insurers or policy performance.
MetLife
MetLife Premium Cap
Effective March 30th, MetLife will implement a premium cap of 8 times the target premium for the GAUL and LASUL products. Illustrations in excess of the 8 times limit must be dated 2/24 or earlier and applications must be received by March 30th or they will be subject to the new limit. Memo | FAQs
Protective Life
Errors & Omissions (E&O) Policy Renewal
Our E&O policy has been renewed with Zurich American Insurance Company. Despite adverse market conditions our premium remains the same as last year's rates. Click here for more details.
Transamerica
Introducing the New TransACE® 2012 Universal Life Product
Transamerica's new TransACE 2012 universal life product was designed with today's consumer in mind. It offers lifetime guarantees, increased flexibility with the MultiFlex Surrender Endorsement (MSE) and more competitive premiums. Illustration capability is now available on TransWare® and WinFlex. We began processing applications for TransACE 2012 as of Friday, January 27.
Note: This 2012 version of TransACE is now available for sale in Arizona, Delaware and Montana, bringing the total of approved jurisdictions to 32. The transition rules specified in the Product Bulletin will apply to these states. Product Bulletin | Approved States
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