Product & Industry News
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January 30, 2012
January 23, 2012
January 17, 2012
  • A New Look at Life to Generate Sales for Business Owners (article)
  • Don’t Pass Over Life Insurance Riders (article)
  • Don’t Get Mad, Get Educated (article)
    Many states now require brokers to take a course on annuity suitability. If you don't, your client's application will be rejected.
  • Annuity Industry Crystal Ball: 5 Predictions for the Year Ahead (article)
  • American National: Executive UL
    Coverage Continuation Rider - Guaranteed coverage for life as long as stipulated premium is paid
    Living Benefits - Critical, Chronic and Terminal
    Great Smoker Rates - Cost effective coverage for smokers
    Underwriting Express - Fast, painless underwriting with No Labs! No Parameds! No Bloodwork!
  • Aviva:
    Take 5 and Get Comfortable with Indexed Life (video presentation)
    Introduction to Indexed UL Strategies (video presentation)
    Important changes for producer appointment renewals in FL - Beginning January 18th, all producers licensed in Florida must have valid addresses on file with the state’s Department of Financial Services. If you do not have an accurate address on file, the state will not allow your appointment(s) with any carrier to be renewed until corrected. To avoid potential delays in processing your business, please ensure your addresses, including email, home, business and mailing, are updated in your MyProfile account with the Florida Department of Financial Services.
  • John Hancock:
    Commission Statement Update - An issue has been identified with year-end LTC Commission statements dated 12/27/11. Specifically, the year to date earnings reported on page 1 of the 12/27/11 statement were incorrect. John Hancock is in the process of sending out corrected year-end commission statements for your records. Please note: the check you received from the commission cycle completed on 12/27/11 was accurate. In addition, this error will not impact your 2011 1099. John Hancock apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.
    Results of the LTC Knowledge Study
  • Legal & General:
    Underwriting Melanoma
  • MetLife:
    Underwriting changes - Changes to Preferred underwriting criteria and age and amount requirements; including the elimination of all treadmill requirements.
    Underwriting Prostate Cancer
  • North American:
    Leap Ahead with Guarantee Builder IUL - Offer your clients guaranteed death benefit protection up to age 120 and strive for new sales heights with Guarantee Builder IUL indexed universal life insurance - a quality all-around performer with competitive price, great cash value accumulation, and industry-leading design. Check out these design advantages:
    - Interest bonus on the fixed and index account: Help boost your clients' cash values with 0.50% effective in years 11-20 and 0.75% in years 21+ (conditionally guaranteed on the fixed account and guaranteed on the index account).
    - Choice of loans: Standard loans available starting in policy year one; net zero cost loans available in year six. Variable interest rate loans available in policy years six and after with a maximum rate of 6%!
    - Thirteen Index Selections: Including major U.S. and international indices with daily sweeps and annual index selections.
    - Chronic Illness Accelerated Benefit Rider: Accelerates a portion of the death benefit for chronic illness with no additional premium at issue.
    Chronic Illness Accelerated Benefit Rider for Builder IUL now available in FL
    Decreasing annuity interest rates - effective January 19th
  • Prudential:
    New money & portfolio rates – for January
  • Transamerica:
    2012 Tax Facts at a Glance (brochure)
  • United of Omaha:
    Cheat Sheets - Need a built-in Chronic Illness rider on your next GUL case? Looking for the most competitive GUL premiums when dialing down the guarantee to age 90, 95 or 100? Looking for the most competitive Standard Term rates? Check out these "Cheat Sheets" for Term Life Answers and GUL/GUL Plus products.
    Using GUL Plus as part of a periodic review (sales idea)
    NEW 2012 LTC tax advantages flyers - Use these flyers to show your clients how owning a LTCi policy may provide significant tax savings.
    Demonstrate the need for DI (consumer presentation)
    This presentation will walk a consumer through the need for DI as well as illustrate the coverage options available to them through the DI Choice Portfolio's suite of products.
January 10, 2012
January 3, 2012
December 27, 2011
December 19, 2011
  • Genworth Launches New Fixed Index Annuity Product Suite (article)
  • Assurity:
    Exam limits improved - Underwriting has increased the non-medical exam limits on Century+ Individual DI and Business Overhead Expense DI. The new limits are:
    - Issue ages 18-50 changed from $2,500 to $3,000
    - Issue ages 51-55 changed from $1,000 to $2,000
    - Issue ages 56-60 now have non-medical up to $1,500
  • Aviva:
    ePocket Tax Tables for 2011-2012
    Life product changes – effective January 1st
    Indexed UL – Participating Fixed Loans
    Survivorship Builder - coming February 2012
    If you have any of the below clients or prospects, then Survivorship Builder UL - featuring two first-to-die riders – is a product for you! Survivor UL is not just for estate taxes anymore. (But you'll still be able to use for that, too;)
    - Business partners (both related and non-related)
    - Grandparents who want to leave a significant legacy to a grandchild
    - Couples with children from previous marriages
    - Same-gender couples
    - People who need tax-advantaged supplemental retirement income
    - Parents with special needs children
    - Individuals with "tax-heavy" assets such as IRAs and nonqualified annuities in situations where their original needs have changed
    - Couples who need guaranteed lifetime survivorship coverage
    - People who want to leave legacies to family, friends and charities
  • Genworth:
    Current annutiy rates
    Privileged Choice Flex Long Term Care
    This product includes two features that provide policyholders and their families with access to helpful tools, resources and support "NOW" without having to go on claim or reduce long term care benefits.
    Live+Well
    - Wellness program powered by Mayo Clinic
    - For policyholders and their uninsured spouse/partner
    - Access to online wellness resources, Mayo Clinic Health Coaching and Ask Mayo Clinic 24-hour nurse line
    Caregiver Support Services
    - Caregiver Support Services* provided by CareScout
    - Help for immediate family members with a long term care need
    - Access to professional care advice, online resources and a personalized service plan
  • ING:
    ePocket Tax Tables for 2011-2012
  • Legal & General:
    Standard & Poor’s upgrades rating from A+ to AA-
  • MetLife:
    Lower prices on guaranteed level term
    Capacity Plus program for cases up to $144 million
    Jet Issue program for qualifying cases up to $1 million - Can save time in underwriting and get clients approved in 24 hours.
    Rapid eUnderwriting - Certain term insurance cases up to $500,000 can be issued the same day
    Underwriting Prostate Cancer
  • Protective Life:
    Secure-T lower rates - The new rates have decreased by as much as 20% in some risk classes; specifically in the Select Preferred and Preferred categories. Download the Secure-T Facts At A Glance.
  • Prudential:
    Fresh Perspectives on Long Term Care Planning (Kiplinger)
  • United of Omaha:
    Underwriting Fit Success Story – Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    New Preferred Tobacco Risk class for Term Life Answers - Now available for GUL, GUL Plus, GUL Survivor and Accum UL.
    A feature unique to the industry - no-wait income protection - With the Short-Term Accident Only and Short-Term Disability products, you can offer your clients the choice between two products with day one coverage. A great option for clients with little to no cash reserve.
December 12, 2011
  • Challenges for the Life and Annuity Industry in 2012 (article)
  • A Product for the People (article)
  • Life Insurance – Still a Safe Haven for Investors (article)
  • Genworth:
    NEW PRODUCTS! SecureLiving Index 7 & SecureLiving Index 10 Plus – available now
    View the SecureLiving Index 7 brochure, rates and quick reference guide.
    View the SecureLiving Index 10 Plus brochure, rates and quick reference guide.
    View the Optional Income Protection rider and quick reference guide.
    For training, go to www.genworth.com/annuityproducertraining.
    These new products are available in the following states on December 12th, with more states expected to follow early in the first quarter: AL, AR, AZ, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, OH, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WV, WI, WY.
    SecureLiving Independence rate adjustment – effective December 14th - Click here for the new rates. Click here for the new New York rates.
  • ING:
    NEW Buy-Sell Policy Review Kit - New sales opportunities may arise from a review of the provisions in buy-sell agreements and the life insurance policies funding them. This new kit contains three client-approved materials to help you review the life insurance policies funding clients' buy-sell agreements to make sure they are performing as expected and will deliver the benefits desired when originally purchased.
    - Questions for Buy-Sell Review & Life Insurance Funding Analysis
    - Buy-Sell Life Insurance Policy Review Factfinder for Business Owners
    - Important Questions in Buy-Sell Review
    Transferring Wealth with Inter-Family Loans (consumer brochures) - This consumer brochure may be used with parents and grandparents interested in wealth transfer opportunities looking for alternatives to lifetime gifts. Inter-Family Loans are quite attractive now because interest rates are at or near historical lows and can be used to fund life insurance premiums. English Version * Spanish Version * Chinese Version
  • John Hancock:
    REVISED “What You Should Know about LTC” for IN Partnership
  • Lincoln Financial:
    LifeReserve IUL (2011) - Tell your clients to say goodbye to market risks and still get the income growth potential and death benefit protection they need. Lincoln LifeReserve Indexed UL holds the key.
    13% earnings cap - Offers a 13% earnings cap at the end of each 12-month term when they choose the 1-Year Point-to-Point Indexed Account option.
    1% guaranteed - Its 1% guaranteed minimum interest rate on the Fixed Account and the three indexed accounts means they’ll earn interest, even in a down market.2
    S&P 500 Index - Growth potential is linked to the S&P 500 Index1 — the most popular index used. Policy values are not invested directly in the market, so they’ll be protected from losses caused by market downturns.
    Tax-advantaged income - Designed to accumulate and provide a potential source of tax-advantaged income through loans3 to supplement retirement, college, travel and more.
    Guaranteed 5% loan charge rate (years 11+) - Offers participating loans with a guaranteed 5% charge rate in policy years 11 to attained age 100, and 6% in policy years 1 through 10.
  • Legal & General: Term microsite
  • North American:
    Civil Union notice for IL - Agents and distributors are required to notify all existing policyholders and potential policyholders in Illinois about the passage of the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act. The email includes a link to a letter that will be sent to all Illinois policyholders, a notice that agents are required to provide prospective clients, a link to the Illinois insurance web site as well as a link to FAQs about the Civil Union Law.
    Chronic Illness ABR for Builder IUL now available in FL- Builder Indexed Universal Life just got even better with the Chronic Illness Accelerated Benefit Rider. This rider offers protection against chronic illness by allowing the owner to accelerate a portion of the death benefit in the event of a chronic illness.
    Annuity products at-a-glance
    Fixed Indexed Annuity reference guide
  • Prudential:
    Making the Case - Industry Outlook - Consumer awareness of LTC is rising.
    What Works - Ideas for LTC success from two standout advisors.
    3-Minute Interview - Why LTC awareness is rising and how new products are helping to fulfill the demand.
    First Person - In praise of LTC…from someone who knew.
    Long Term Care Learning Center (microsite)
  • Symetra:
    Rate change for Edge Pro Fixed Index Annuity 7 year - Click here for the new rates. Click here for the new New York rates. Click here for complete product information.
  • United of Omaha:
    Term Life Answers - Click here for product highlights.
    NEW Preferred Tobacco Risk class now available for Term Life Answers * GUL * GUL Plus * GUL Survivor
    GUL & GUL Plus now have lower rates! - GUL premiums are now even more competitive, especially when dialing down to age 90, 95 or 100.
    - The new no-lapse guarantee charges are being applied to all policies issued after December 9th, even if the application was submitted prior to December 9th. (Note: United of Omaha only, not Companion NY)
    - If you have a GUL or GUL Plus illustrations run prior to December 9, you may want to have them rerun to see the impact of the changes.
    - Planned premiums will not be automatically changed for any applications that have already been submitted. Contact us if you want to change the planned premium on any pending applications.
    - There are no changes to target premiums or minimum premiums.
    Partnership for ME & NC - Some eligible policyholders who originally purchased certain LTC policies in Maine or North Carolina will be mailed a full exchange offer letter alerting them their policy is not partnership qualified, but they are eligible to exchange for a new partnership qualified policy. Agents with impacted policyholders will receive a copy of the letter as well.
    LTC in-force rate adjustment approved in OK – effective February 1st
    NEW 2012 Tax Advantage flyers - Show your clients how owning a Long Term Care policy may provide significant tax savings.
    Tax Advantages for Individuals (Mutual of Omaha)
    Tax Advantages for Businesses (Mutual of Omaha)
    Tax Advantages for Individuals (United of Omaha)
    Tax Advantages for Businesses (United of Omaha)
    Association Marketing Program - Special rates and benefit enhancements for Association members.
December 7, 2011
United Underwriters, Inc. 3 Holland Way PO Box 1103 . Exeter, NH 03833 Tel: (800) 258-7296 Fax: (603) 778-7918 E-mail: uui@uuinc.com

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