Annuity Carriers: Innovate Products, Processes, and Technology or Be Left Behind
Report Summary
Annuity Carriers: Innovate Products, Processes, and Technology or Be Left Behind
Enduring investors seek a lifetime income guarantee.
Boston, November 13, 2013 – The U.S. financial services industry has traditionally focused on asset accumulation achieved through a narrow set of products and channels, but high equity-markets volatility, low interest rates, and lengthening lives are leaving U.S. investors hungry for guarantees that they won't outlive their investments. Of the US$20.9 trillion in U.S. total retirement assets, 54% is not subject to any type of a defined-benefit or private insurance guarantee, providing U.S. annuity carriers a historic opportunity to expand their market reach. Laggard annuity carriers that do not innovate their products to include more investment choices and guaranteed retirement income at a lower cost will be left behind the few companies that offer these products and focus on customer needs.
Based on Aite Group interviews with top U.S. annuity carriers, this report by research director Todd Eyler discusses investors' and advisors' current usage of annuities as well as key product, process, and technology challenges for reigniting growth and capturing a much higher share of U.S. retirement assets.
This 39-page Impact Report contains 16 figures and eight tables. Clients of Aite Group's Life Insurance service can download the report.