Life/Health Insurance

News

AXA Equitable Gets Closer to IPO

Allison Bell | April 19, 2018

The company says it will use senior note financing to get itself in shape for a more independent existence.

News

Cigna-Express Scripts Deal to Face Justice Department Review

Zachary Tracer and David McLaughlin | April 19, 2018

A top official says 'vertical deals' require too much federal compliance monitoring.

News

Meet Your Multiemployer Pension Nightmare: Actuary to Lawmakers

Allison Bell | April 19, 2018

A witness told members of a new committee that 1 million people could soon face 90% benefits cuts.

Commentary

Collapse of Pension Funds Isn't a Distant Prospect

Aaron Brown | April 19, 2018

Fund assets at some funds are too low for good returns to help much.

News

Democrats Unified Against Trump but Torn on Election Agenda

Sahil Kapur | April 19, 2018

Democrats are conflicted over the path back to power, caught between catering to a base that is seething with anger toward President Donald Trump and…

News

New SEC Proposal Should Even Out Your Best Interest Playing Field: ACLI

Allison Bell | April 18, 2018

The life insurer group's president says the same best interest standards should apply to all sales professionals.

Expert Opinion

Life Insurance Planning Hit by New Tax Rules

William H. Byrnes and Robert Bloink | April 18, 2018

Here's how tax professionals read in the new federal life settlement reporting rules.

Commentary

Trump Administration Recognizes Important Contributions of Short-Term Medical

Jan Dubauskas | April 18, 2018

An STM sales site general counsel says some consumers may prefer policies with leaner benefits — and lower premiums. And broader provider networks.

News

Cognizant to Use Blockchain Tech to Rewire Life Industry in India

Allison Bell | April 18, 2018

Any system Cognizant develops in India could serve as a model for similar systems in the United States and Europe.

News

Transamerica's New Administrator Sets up Iowa Offices

Allison Bell | April 18, 2018

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) —  a company that will be administering many U.S. business lines for Transamerica — has set up a North America…

Analysis

Republicans Struggle to Make Tax Cuts a Winning Election Issue

Sahil Kapur | April 17, 2018

A Democratic strategist says typical middle class voters may prefer protecting Medicare to keeping a little extra cash.

News

‘Black Swan’ Investor Who Profited From ’08 Crisis Says Market’s More Fragile

Yakob Peterseil and Cecile Gutscher | April 17, 2018

Jerry Haworth says the system is much more leveraged now than it was in 2007.

News

Something Unusual Happened to Q4 Annuity Sales: IRI

Allison Bell | April 17, 2018

The Insured Retirement Institute also found strange things happening at insurers' variable annuity units.

News

5 Factors That May Double Your Chances of Selling a Life Policy

Allison Bell | April 17, 2018

Analysts have sifted LIMRA survey data to find out what closes sales.

News

UnitedHealth Leaves You Off Its Emphasis List

Allison Bell | April 17, 2018

The company will, however, emphasize sales of health insurance outside the United States.

News

3 Top New Life and Annuity Ad Campaigns

Allison Bell | April 17, 2018

New spots from Brighthouse, Lincoln and Symetra could get consumers more interested in the idea of talking to you.

News

2nd Circuit Court Rules on Suit Over Insurance Products

Colby Hamilton | April 17, 2018

The plaintiffs object to accidental disability and medical expense policies that were sold to credit card holders.

News

Nationwide Agency Shift to Have Little Effect on Life and Annuity Distribution: Spokesman

Allison Bell | April 16, 2018

Nationwide already uses independent distributors to distribute most of its life and annuity products.

News

HSA Coverage Use Grows — But Only at Large Employer Groups

Allison Bell | April 16, 2018

The number of people with HSA-compatible individual coverage fell to the lowest level since 2006.

Commentary

What's Your Business Networking Attitude?

Michael Goldberg | April 16, 2018

If going to events seems like a waste of time, maybe you're doing it wrong.

Is It the Spending or the Taxes? It's a Bit of Both

Justin Fox | April 16, 2018

The real problem, the author says, is not with Social Security, but with Medicare.

CVS Hires Doctor From Health Startup in Sign of Medical Ambition

Zachary Tracer | April 16, 2018

The future of CVS and Aetna could have something to do with the CVS MinuteClinics unit.

News

Tenet Defeats Medicare Advantage Class Action

Samantha Joseph | April 15, 2018

The plaintiffs were trying to recoup billions in payments under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act.

News

Georgia Health Care Providers to Settle Whistleblower Case

Kristen Rasmussen | April 13, 2018

Prosecutors accused physicians of providing a free medical director for a surgery center to attract referrals.

News

Annuities Boost Single Women’s Retirement Confidence: LIMRA

Allison Bell | April 13, 2018

The effect on single men isn't as pronounced, LIMRA finds.

News

Health Care Fraud Recovery Dips to $2.6 Billion: Federal Report

MP McQueen | April 13, 2018

The number of large payments from pharmaceutical manufacturers dropped.

Best Practices

Life Insurance Marketing: It's Not About Piling Up Strangers' Email Addresses

Jeremy Nason | April 13, 2018

A sales veteran talks about how marketing differs from calling everyone in a given area code till you're hoarse.

News

Global Bankers Affiliate Makes $120 Million Life Insurer Purchase

Lidia Dinkova | April 13, 2018

Pavonia Holdings (US) Inc. is a life insurance company that was owned by Enstar.

News

Individual Major Medical Plans Could Still Exist in 2019: Actuary

Allison Bell | April 12, 2018

Dave Dillon is predicting that typical rate increases could be smaller than in 2018.

News

CVS, Aetna Increase Medicare Drug Plan Enrollee Share: Mark Farrah

Allison Bell | April 12, 2018

The firm found that overall enrollment increased just 1.6%.

News

Japanese Hunger for U.S. CLOs Exposes Market to More Volatility

Adam Tempkin | April 12, 2018

Some of the major users of CLOs are life insurers.

News

States Settle With a Short-Term Medical Issuer As Fight in D.C. Looms

Allison Bell | April 12, 2018

The deal comes as the Trump administration is thinking of killing an Obama-era short-term medical regulation.

Conversation

Life Insurers Still Want Sticky Policyholders

Allison Bell | April 12, 2018

Sandeep Kharidhi says clients want ways to increase sales to current customers.

News

House Votes to Change 'Too-Big-to-Fail' Designation System

Allison Bell | April 11, 2018

Insurers are getting closer to winning a battle that started after the Great Recession.

News

Boomers Are Also Hungry for More Advice About Insurance: IRI

Allison Bell | April 11, 2018

A new report reveals planning gaps that are similar to the gaps IRI found for members of Generation X.

News

GAO Skeptical About Private Disability Insurance as an SSDI Fix

Allison Bell | April 11, 2018

The watchdog agency says regulators would have to do more to oversee the claim administration process.

News

Many Young Consumers Are Looking for You: Survey

Allison Bell | April 11, 2018

LIMRA and Life Health found that the youngest are more likely to check out your social media presence.

News

Taxpayer Reports of ACA Premium Tax Credit Subsidy Help Fall 9%

Allison Bell | April 11, 2018

The average subsidy amount used may have increased 35%.

Commentary

3 Reasons Tax Season Is THE Time to Talk About Annuities

Chris Conklin | April 10, 2018

When clients are sending money to the IRS, they may be open to hearing about new ideas.

Slideshow

5 Top Q1 Annuity Earnings Wild Cards

Allison Bell | April 10, 2018

These forces could determine how eager insurers are to talk to you later this year.

News

How Trump's ACA World May Work in 2019, for Agents

Allison Bell | April 10, 2018

Nothing in the 2019 parameters document will require issuers to pay agent or broker commissions.

News

Group Defends Stand-Alone Long-Term Care Insurance With Infographic

Allison Bell | April 10, 2018

AALTCI is using survey data it had on hand to show that issuers spend billions of dollars on paying LTC claims.

Commentary

Fast Changes in U.S. Health Care

Peter R. Orszag and David Gluckman | April 09, 2018

The prevailing trends may continue to push health care system players to the altar.

Analysis

30,000 Strong and Counting, UnitedHealth Gathers a Doctor Army

Zachary Tracer | April 09, 2018

Hospitals have also been buying physician practices.

News

Robots Take Over Life Insurance Conference

Allison Bell | April 09, 2018

Attendees will also hear more about artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.

News

What Happened to Life Application Activity in March Might Shock You

Allison Bell | April 09, 2018

MIB says activity increased 1.9% with calendar-related adjustments, and 6.7% without the adjustments.

Best Practices

How to Help Clients Use Family Caregiver Benefits

Sophia Horsman | April 09, 2018

Here are critical things to know about how disability insurance policies can do more.

News

Democrats Aim to Turn Obamacare Into Asset From Burden in 2018

Arit John | April 08, 2018

Many of the Democrats running now talk about how repeal of the health law could hurt them.

News

Prudential’s Asset-Management Unit Isn't Worried About Trade Fight

Finbarr Flynn | April 08, 2018

PGIM investment strategists assume cooler heads will find some kind of middle ground.

News

Rare Loss for U.S. Pharma Lobby Will Cost the Industry Billions

Anna Edney | April 08, 2018

Congress may not be able to make major changes until after the November elections.