Analyst Note Slams AIG; Falls 12% on Reserve Fears

American International Group’s loss reserves are “significantly deficient again," Bernstein Research wrote in a note issued Monday that sent the bailed-out insurer’s stock plunging 12%... According to Dow Jones Newswires, Bernstein analyst Todd Bault slashed his price target on AIG by 40%, to $12, and warned that its losses could have “major ramifications” going forward... FoxBusiness: Analyst Note Slams AIG; Falls 12% on Reserve Fears

Lincoln Financial Group Announces Record-Breaking Sales for Hybrid Universal Life/Long-Term Care Product

Lincoln Financial Group today announced record-breaking sales of Lincoln MoneyGuard® Reserve, a hybrid universal life insurance policy with a long term care insurance rider. As of September 30, 2009, Lincoln Financial had posted $290.1 million (first-year paid premiums) in Lincoln MoneyGuard® Reserve sales year-to-date, up 17% over the prior year's same-time-period sales of $247.7 million.

Lincoln Financial Group Announces Record-Breaking Sales for Hybrid Universal Life/Long-Term Care Product
Source: PR Newswire

The Latest Chapter in the Indexed Annuity Saga

A federal jury in Minnesota decided in mid-October that Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America used deceptive practices in selling billions of dollars worth of indexed annuities between 2000 and 2007.

But, in the case of Mooney vs. Allianz Life, the jury found no reason to award damages to the estimated 340,000 people who joined the class-action suit against Allianz Life, because they didn't lose money on the products.

The Latest Chapter in the Indexed Annuity Saga
Source: Retirement Income Journal

Manulife Financial Completes $2.5 Billion Common Equity Offering

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC) announced today that its offering of $2,500,400,000 of common shares announced on November 18, 2009 has been completed. The common shares were sold to a syndicate of underwriters in a "bought deal" public offering.

Manulife Financial Completes $2.5 Billion Common Equity Offering
Source: PR Newswire

Too Many Americans Risk a Financially Strapped Retirement

In 2004, 43 percent of households were considered at risk, based on the center's analysis of a triennial Federal Reserve survey of consumer finances. In 2007, the number rose to 44 percent, the center now estimates based on that year's Fed survey. Without waiting for the next survey in 2010, center researchers decided to update the index in response to the recent economic crisis.

Too Many Americans Risk a Financially Strapped Retirement
Source: Courant.com

Globally, High-Net-Worth Investors Increase Allocations to Real Estate

Although the real estate bubble was blamed for last year’s financial crisis, real estate markets may now be benefiting from the recession, according to a new survey of global high-net-worth investors released by Barclays Wealth Monday morning.

Globally, High-Net-Worth Investors Increase Allocations to Real Estate
Source: Financial-Planning.com

Auto insurance companies say proposed reforms would cost consumers

A group of Michigan insurance companies responded today to proposed auto insurance reforms from House Democrats, calling them a political "scheme"... “This state cannot afford the political solutions to economic issues that the Democrat leadership continues to offer,” said Tom Shields, spokesperson for the Michigan Insurance Coalition. “Every piece of insurance legislation they have proposed over the past year would cost consumers more, create a bonanza for trial lawyers or provide a climate in Michigan that will drive insurance companies and their jobs to other states.”

Under the proposal, the state auto insurance commissioner would have the power to veto rate increases. It would also prevent insurance companies from basing its rates on factors such as credit scores, occupation and education...

MLive: Auto insurance companies say proposed reforms would cost consumers more

Lunch Linkage: Obama mortgage relief plan to pressure banks

Who needs an adviser? Online investment sites gaining traction

If you're unhappy with your mutual fund, you can easily find another. After all, there are nearly 8,000 to choose from... But is that thinking too narrow? That's the case a couple startups are trying to make.

Companies like Covestor Investment Management and kaChing are betting they can tap into the disenchantment of a select group committed enough to do the investment homework most of us are unwilling to take on. Another requirement: Investors must be willing to try a radically different approach, one that's too new to have much of a track record...

Investment News: Who needs an adviser? Online investment sites gaining traction

Life insurance for Child's Father?

How do I buy life insurance for my child's father?I want to buy life insurance on my son's father. He is the beneficiary on my life insurance policy, and I just feel that it is necessary for us to have this coverage on him as well.I have my life insurance through my job so I really don't know how to go about getting life insurance on someone else.You can talk to a local licensed life insurance

Breakfast Briefing: Law school professor advises underwater homeowners to walk away from mortgages

Feds tweak data to keep inflation low, hurting seniors and investors, critics say

The government is manipulating the Consumer Price Index in an attempt to keep inflation low and save money, and that has major implications for retirees and some investors, several statisticians who analyze government data say... They say that artificially low inflation measures rob millions of elderly and pensioners who rely on Social Security cost-of-living adjustments to maintain purchasing power... Investment News: Feds tweak data to keep inflation low, hurting seniors and investors, critics say

Employers step up to ease money stress

How much does employee stress over personal-financial issues affect performance on the job? ...That's hard to say, but researchers are paying more attention to the link between stress and performance and calling on employers to provide more basic money-management help.

Many firms already provide some guidance when it comes to helping workers manage their 401(k) retirement plans. But the caliber of assistance varies widely and typically addresses only one slice of the financial pie. Many workers also are anxious about paying bills, obtaining loans, dealing with debt and other money issues... "We estimate the productivity loss for the economy is about $4.2 billion," said Thomas Garman, a former Virginia Tech professor who's now research director at the Florida-based Personal Finance Employee Education Foundation...

AZ Central: Employers step up to ease money stress

Seniors and Life Insurance

Do seniors need life insurance?Can seniors qualify for life insurance coverage?Many senior may need life insurance to provide funds to pay for their final expenses, such as, a burial plot, headstone, casket, funeral, memorial service, and other final expenses.In addition, life insurance for seniors can provide money for your spouse, children, and estate taxes.Many seniors might think they won't

Age Limit on No Exam Life Insurance?

Is there an age limit on life insurance with no medical exam required?The answer depends on the life insurance company and your own individual factors, such as your health.There are several life insurance companies that offer no exam life insurance policies.Each life insurer has their own set of guidelines and restrictions for who they will accept for coverage, depending on underwriting factors

Life Insurance No Medical Questions?

Can I buy life insurance without any medical questions asked?Many individuals like you are looking for life insurance policies that do not require you to answer health questions.Why? Maybe you have been declined for life insurance coverage.Or, maybe you are a high risk because of your lifestyle, job, or hobbies.Or, maybe you have a health condition which is considered high risk by life

Sun Life Doing Robust Business in Variable Annuities

Canada’s third largest life insurer, Sun Life Financial, is making news this week. First the company announced its interest in a U.S. acquisition, and then its stateside chief executive said that it’s doing a robust business in variable annuities... This should make investors, as well as the rest of the insurance market, sit up and take notice, since variable annuities have been nothing but a black eye for many insurers. In contrast, Sun Life Financial U.S. President Wes Thompson told National Underwriter that sales were up 64 percent to $2.5 billion this year over last year... BNet: Sun Life Doing Robust Business in Variable Annuities

Bonus Briefing: Despite lean times, client appreciation events still a must

Cheap High Risk Life Insurance?

How can I find cheap high risk life insurance plans?High risk applicants for life insurance are those individuals considered to be risky, more risky than the average applicant.That means your life expectancy may be shorter due to any one of several factors, including your job, hobbies, or health.Can you actually find cheap high risk life insurance?The answer depends on the type of life insurance

Breakfast Briefing: Albert Edwards Calls for the Next Black Swan

Life Groups Ask Dodd to Ditch RIA Provision in Regulation Bill

Requiring insurance agents to register as advisors costly, counterproductive, groups say -- Trade groups representing life insurance agents are asking Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut), chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, to reconsider Section 913 of his bill, Restoring American Financial Stability Act, which would force life insurance agents to register as investment advisors... Investment Advisor: Life Groups Ask Dodd to Ditch RIA Provision in Regulation Bill

AIG approves pay package for CEO Benmosche

American International Group Inc. on Tuesday said it will go ahead with a previously announced pay package for its new CEO Robert Benmosche of $7 million in cash and stock... Benmosche, who took over as CEO of the embattled insurer three months ago, will receive an annual salary of $3 million in cash and $4 million in AIG common stock under the pay agreement... AP: AIG approves pay package for CEO Benmosche

AXA Aims To Increase Exposure To Emerging Markets

AXA SA Chief Executive Officer Henri de Castries said Tuesday the French insurance company had come through the financial crisis in better shape than some of its competitors and aims to build on that advantage by expanding in emerging markets... Over the long term, the company aims to generate 15%-20% of overall revenue from emerging markets. In 2008, 6% of its life and savings revenue on an annual premium equivalent basis came from such markets... WSJ: AXA Aims To Increase Exposure To Emerging Markets

Hanged Census Worker Staged Suicide in Apparent Insurance Scam

The part-time census worker found naked, bound and hanging from a tree had staged his suicide to make it appear like murder, authorities said today... When the body of Bill Sparkman, 51, was found near a rural Kentucky cemetery in September, he was gagged, had duct tape over his eyes and neck, his hands and feet were bound with tape, and he had "fed" scrawled on his chest.

Authorities initially investigated whether Sparkman had been a victim of anti-government sentiment, but today they said in a statement that he died during an "intentional, self-inflicted act that was staged to appear as a homicide."

Two life insurance plans had also been taken out by Sparkman, a single father, right before the time of his death, but payment for suicide was precluded, said police...

ABC: Hanged Census Worker Staged Suicide in Apparent Insurance Scam

Distressed Homeowners Ponder Whether to Stay or Go

Brian Gindlesperger says he has never been late on a mortgage payment and considers paying off his loan "the right thing to do." But as the value of his home continues to fall, he is starting to wonder whether paying his debt is the smartest thing to do.

Four years ago, Mr. Gindlesperger, a police officer, and his wife Kelly, a real-estate agent, paid $650,000 for a four-bedroom house in this wealthy Phoenix suburb. They believed they were getting a bargain price for the area and made a 20% down payment, using a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to pay the balance. To help pay for their eldest daughter's college costs, home improvements and a wedding, they took out a second mortgage against their home. Now they owe about $647,000 on the two mortgages.

But home prices on average have dropped about 48% in the Phoenix area since peaking in mid-2006, according to the First American CoreLogic index. Mr. Gindlesperger figures his home now probably is worth only $375,000 to $425,000, even though it comes with a four-car garage, a pool and a 1.2-acre lot. Zillow.com, a Web site that makes home-value estimates based largely on recent sales of nearby properties, pegs their house at $374,000...

WSJ: Distressed Homeowners Ponder Whether to Stay or Go

Lunch Links: Economic survey: Job losses to bottom out in 1Q

Buy Life Insurance Completely Online?

Can you get life insurance completely online?There is a set process involved in applying for life insurance completely online. The first is to calculate your individual life insurance quote. You answer the required questions on the quote request form online regarding your health, age, sex, smoking habits and lifestyle and you can instantly receive comparison quotes for your review. Once you have

Sales of fixed annuities trail off in the third quarter

NY Life the top FA seller during the quarter, while Pacific Life finally cracked the top 10 -- Sales of fixed annuities fell during the third quarter to $21.9 billion, reflecting a decline of 21% from the year-ago period, according to data from Beacon Research... During the first three quarters, total sales of fixed annuities were $84.5 billion, up 16% from the first three quarters of 2008... Investment News: Sales of fixed annuities trail off in the third quarter

Breakfast Briefing: Citi: The Commodity Collapse Could Be "Subprime Part II"

Insurance agents to Dodd: Don't force us to take on RIA role

Life insurance agents' advocacy groups teamed up on Friday to ask Connecticut Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, R-Conn., to reconsider a legislative provision that would require life agents to become registered investment advisers... Investment News: Insurance agents to Dodd: Don't force us to take on RIA role

Factors That May Increase Your Life Insurance Premium Rate

There are various factors those play an important role when there is a calculation of your life insurance premium. So it is important to know what goes into the calculation process and whether you anything can be done to reduce your life insurance rate from your end.

The greater risk in your life, the higher will be the premium. This includes age and sex of the person holding policy. Though these are the factors that one can hardly do anything about, let’s concentrate on those that one can possibly control. Following are the factors that can increase the rates of your life insurance:

• Smoking: This is a big No when life insurance is concerned. People who don’t smoke pays low premiums than those who smoke. And even if you smoke one cigarette a day or occasionally even chew tobacco then you will be put into the category of smokers according to most insurance companies.

• Alcohol habit affects: If you are a heavy drinker or even if you were an alcoholic once, insurance companies take all these information into consideration and increase the rate of your policy.

• Obesity and weight: According to the medical statistics the heavier you are, there are higher the chances of chronic medical conditions and ill health. Being overweight leads to high blood pressure, cholesterol, and high risk of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke. Obese people can end up paying more than 50 percent of life insurance rates.

• Family health and medical conditions: Any medical history of your family or any chronic health conditions and there will be increase in the rates of your life insurance. Though in these cases you may not be able to do much but nowadays there are many companies that specialize in such of high-risk cases.

Most important never you should lie on your life insurance application in the hope to pay lower premium rate. Factors like drinking, smoking will definitely increase the cost but it is still better than finding out later that your policy is considered invalid due to incorrect information you provide.

Will Sun Life President Boscia Pay a Call on His Former Company?

Canadian life insurer Sun Life Financial is in the enviable position of having too much money and in need of something to do with it. So why not make a U.S. acquisition while the dollar is cheap? ...Sun Life President Jon Boscia suggested as much at an analyst conference in New York last week according to Bloomberg News. In 2007, after serving a decade as CEO of Philadelphia-based Lincoln National, Boscia retired and then moved to Sun Life, the third largest Canadian life insurer a year later... BNet: Will Sun Life President Boscia Pay a Call on His Former Company?

10 Things Your Auto Insurer Won't Tell You

High-Tech Devices Help Drivers Put Down Phone

Dede Haskins’s cellphone has been her constant companion for more than a decade. And she has always considered herself a careful driver — even using a hands-free set so she could keep both hands on the wheel... But after missing one too many exits because she was distracted by a phone call, Ms. Haskins decided it was time to get tough with herself. So she signed up for ZoomSafer, a free service that uses her phone’s GPS sensors to determine whether she’s at driving speeds, and then disables her cellphone until she stops the car... NYT: High-Tech Devices Help Drivers Put Down Phone

Lunch Links: How To Understand The Treasury's Upcoming Liquidity Crunch

Social Networking Is Here to Stay

CHALLENGE: Social networking technology is changing the way consumers, investors and traders interact and share information. However, all companies are struggling to find ways to show how the trend is actually adding to the bottom line... Wall Street and Tech: Social Networking Is Here to Stay

Cuomo Took Campaign Cash From Lawyers With Matters Before Him

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s campaign fund took tens of thousands of dollars from law firms representing clients his office investigated or accused of wrongdoing, state records show... Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP, a New York law firm led by David Boies, gave Cuomo $35,000 this year, records show. The firm represents former American International Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Maurice “Hank” Greenberg in a civil fraud case the attorney general is pursuing. Lawyers defending Dell Inc., Deutsche Bank AG and a former state political party chief in Cuomo cases also contributed to him, records show... Bloomberg: Cuomo Took Campaign Cash From Lawyers With Matters Before Him

How Does Life Insurance with No Exam Work?

What is no exam life insurance, and how does it work?No exam life insurance is life insurance protection that does not require you to take any physical exam when you apply for coverage.Usually, if you are applying for $100,000 or more of life insurance you may be required to take a physical exam, blood and urine tests, depending on your age, answers to the application questions, and the insurance

Va. Regulators Seek To Suspend NC Mutual's License

State regulators are seeking to suspend the nation's oldest black-owned insurer from doing business in Virginia, saying its finances are in hazardous condition... WJZ: Va. Regulators Seek To Suspend NC Mutual's License

NYT: The Government Will Get Creamed When It Has To Refi Its Debt

The New York Times -- not usually the first publication you'd think of when it comes to calling for fiscal prudence -- sounds the alarm over the government's massive debt load... Clusterstock: NYT: The Government Will Get Creamed When It Has To Refi Its Debt

Morning Briefs: FDIC Keeping Mum About Real Estate Auction Results

Finally! A high-tech mood ring for advisers' anxious clients

...managing the emotions and behavior of irrational clients is one of the toughest challenges that advisers face... With that in mind, I asked these advisers if they had heard of a new gadget I read about called the Rationalizer, which is basically a very high-tech mood ring for investors... Investment News: Finally! A high-tech mood ring for advisers' anxious clients

Pie for Life!

Bill Geist Checks Out the Latest in Annuities: A Pie Delivered to Your Home Once A Month Forever: Pie for Life!

Turned Down for Life Insurance?

Have you been turned down for life insurance?It can be a difficult thing to deal with. How can you get life insurance protection when you really need it?Especially if you do not qualify for life insurance, or have been declined for coverage.Many people wait until it's too late to purchase their life insurance policy.That's why life insurance advertisements tell you to buy life insurance when you

How to Get a Quotation for Mortgage Life Insurance

How can I get quotes for mortgage life insurance to provide protection for my mortgage if I die?Mortgage life insurance plans can provide the security and protection your family needs if you pass away. There are several types of life insurance that can provide protection for your mortgage, such as, decreasing term and level term insurance.Decreasing term life insurance provides an amount of life

Lunch Links: Warren Buffett to CNBC: Curbing Fed's Independence Could Lead to 'Mischief'

Consumers want guarantees on investments

Forty-seven per cent of savers said they would feel safer putting money into the stock market if their original investments came with a guarantee, according to a new study by MetLife... Another 11 per cent said a guarantee would make little difference... FT: Consumers want guarantees on investments

What is Senior Citizen Term Life Insurance?

Senior citizen term life insurance is basically a temporary life insurance policy for seniors.Term life insurance offers you protection for a certain period of time, from 1-30 years.Many term life policies are issued for a term of 10, 15, 20, or 30 years of coverage.Seniors may be able to qualify for 10, 15, or 20 years of coverage.Your ability to qualify for life insurance depends on your life

Morning Briefs: Mortgage Delinquencies, Foreclosures by Period Past Due

Quit Smoking and start enjoying its Benefits Almost Immediately

Peoria- Who doesn’t like birthdays? So why not create more birthdays for one self?

Thursday is the 34th annual American Smokeout, challenging the people not to smoke for 24 hours, as a hope that their decision to quit wills last forever.

By taking steps towards a healthier life, smokers will be able to gain years on their life expectancy.

According to the American Cancer Society, People who quit at 35 can gain eight more birthdays, and those people who quit at 55 can gain about more five.

Despite of the strides made reducing cigarette smoking for almost 15 consecutive years, smoking among the U.S adults rose slightly to just more than 20 percent according to the 2008 national survey by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

THE BENEFITS:

The benefit of quitting smoking begins immediately after the last puff.

Within 20 minutes: heart rate and blood pressure decreases.

Within eight hours: The level of the oxygen in the blood increases to normal.

Within 24 hours: chances of the heart attack decreases and the function of the lungs improves.

Within 48 hours: Nerve endings begin to re-grow, ability to taste and smell improves.

Between two weeks and three months: Blood circulation improves and lung function increases, less of fatigues.

Five to 15 years later: Most of the risk factors that once existed are gone, including for stroke and cancer.

THE COSTS:

The average payment by the smokers nationwide is $4.32 for one pack of cigarettes and often experience higher health and life insurance premiums.

The cost of health care related to smoking is $4.1 billion in Illinois. Annually in the U.S. cigarette smoking costs more than $193 billion in lost productivity and expenditure of health care

Sun Life Calls U.S. Market Attractive for Expansion

Sun Life Financial Inc. President Jon Boscia said the U.S. insurance market is “fragmented,” allowing Canada’s third-largest insurer to expand there... “The demographics are very attractive” in the U.S., said Boscia, speaking at an investor conference in New York today... MetLife Inc., the largest U.S. life insurer, has a 9.7 percent share of the country’s individual annuity sales market, which was about $182 billion through the first nine months of this year... Bloomberg: Sun Life Calls U.S. Market Attractive for Expansion

Life Insurers Face Fresh Woes From Commercial Mortgages

Commercial real estate losses could end up dealing a double blow to U.S. life insurers just as last year's residential mortgage crisis eases... WSJ: Life Insurers Face Fresh Woes From Commercial Mortgages

Afternoon News Blast: 'Henry Blodget Should Be Banned From The Industry'

Commodities May Be ‘More Challenging’ in 2010, Merrill Says

Commodity markets may be “more challenging” next year as governments curb stimulus spending and interest rates rise, according to Merrill Lynch’s Wealth Management group... Bloomberg: Commodities May Be ‘More Challenging’ in 2010, Merrill Says

Moody’s Cites Wealth Woes in UBS Downgrade

Credit-rating agency Moody’s Investors Services lowered a number of ratings on UBS due to weakness in the Swiss bank’s wealth-management and investment-banking business lines – and signaled that more downgrades might be coming... WSJ: Moody’s Cites Wealth Woes in UBS Downgrade

Life Insurance and Drug Use

Can you get life insurance with past drug use?Usually, someone who is taking illegal drugs may not be able to qualify for life insurance coverage.There are certain life insurers who insure people taking medical marijuana.Each life insurance company has their own set of underwriting guidelines as to what they will consider an acceptable risk.That means, the insurance company may take several

Lunch Links: Cali Has No Idea How Bad Soaring Oil Is Going To Hurt

How Do Life Insurance Policies Work?

How do life insurance policies work?I am 23 years old and started a life insurance policy (just the basic policy, nothing supplemental) through my work about a year ago. What happens if I get a new job or get laid off...do I lose that life insurance that I have already put money into?Also, what do the terms mean? For example, if one company is offering a 30 year policy for $20.00/month. What

Pimco's New Job Raises Concerns

...In the high-profile assignment for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, announced Tuesday evening, Pimco's advisory business will estimate losses in insurers' holdings of residential-mortgage bonds, estimates regulators will use to determine for 2009 the capital insurers must hold to back these bonds up. Previously, the NAIC used rating-agency ratings in its capital guidelines... The conflicts issues arise via Pimco's owner and its clients. Pimco is a unit of a global insurer Allianz SE of Germany, which also owns a life insurer in Minneapolis... WSJ: Pimco's New Job Raises Concerns

Post-Crisis, Advisors Offer More Financial Planning

Professionals use more alternative investments in client portfolios... Most financial advisors are preparing to add more financial planning services to their practices as a result of the recent recession, according to a report on practice management by Cerulli Associates... OnWallStreet: Post-Crisis, Advisors Offer More Financial Planning

Morning Business Briefs: The Most Important Housing Chart

STOLI on the rocks

New York is the latest in a growing list of states cracking down on stranger-originated life insurance... Investment News: STOLI on the rocks

Variable Annuity Sales Decline for Sixth Quarter

Variable annuity sales in the U.S. declined for a sixth straight quarter as life insurers increased prices on the equity-linked retirement products and bailed-out companies scaled back... Sales slipped 16 percent to $31.7 billion in the three months ended Sept. 30 from $37.8 billion in the year-earlier period, trade group LIMRA International said in data posted on its Web site. Prudential Financial Inc., the second-biggest U.S. life insurer, was the top seller in the period after trailing larger rival MetLife Inc. in the first half of the year... Bloomberg: Variable Annuity Sales Decline for Sixth Quarter

Afternoon News Briefs: 'Yesterday's subprime is today's FHA'

Lunch Links: Goldman on the Dollar Carry Trade

Fitch is warning Insurers Face $23 Billion Loss on Commercial Property

U.S. life insurers, a group led by MetLife Inc. and Prudential Financial Inc., may lose as much as $22.6 billion on investments in commercial real estate through 2011, Fitch Ratings said.

Losses on investments in apartment buildings, offices, shopping malls and other commercial real estate will begin to increase in the next 6 months to a year as rents decline and vacancies increase, said Fitch Senior Director Andrew Davidson. Life insurer losses on commercial real estate have been “virtually nil” so far, he said...

Mish: Fitch is warning Insurers Face $23 Billion Loss on Commercial Property.

What are the Top Ten Life Insurance Companies?

If you're looking for life insurance you may be considering buying life insurance from one of the largest, most secure life insurance companies in America?It only makes sense, why not buy your life insurance policy from a safe, financially secure insurance company,right?But, where can you find the leading life insurance carriers?Each year, an organization by the name of the Insurance Information

UL For The Term Buyer Market

A “term universal life” insurance policy aims to meet the same financial security needs that term life meets, with durations of 10, 15, 20 or 30 years... Called Colony Term UL, the contract offers maximum issue ages that are 5 to 15 years higher than in typical term life products, says the underwriter, Genworth... National Underwriter: UL For The Term Buyer Market

Morning Business Briefs: DeLong Says Odds of Another Great Depression Reach 5%

Joint Venture Income VA Rolls Out

Two big financial services companies are jointly introducing a deferred variable annuity that targets retirees and people transitioning to retirement... Called the MetLife Growth and Guaranteed Income variable annuity, the policy is issued by MetLife... Distribution is exclusively through Fidelity Investments... National Underwriter: Joint Venture Income VA Rolls Out

California: Ponzi Schemer Faces 52 Years for Real Estate Fraud

A Sacramento insurance agent who looted the life savings of dozens of investors to bankroll his lavish lifestyle and prop up a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme was arrested at his residence on a total of 100 counts that include grand theft and first-degree burglary. If convicted, he faces up to 52 years in prison... William Arthur Sassman, 41, is being held in the Sacramento County Jail and bail has been set at $3.2 million.

Over the past decade, Sassman used four companies - InTex, LLC; Formulating Insurance Agency (FIA); Formulating Investments (FI); and Systematic Management Services (SMS)-to solicit investments ranging from approximately $10,000 to $500,000 from more than 50 individuals across Northern California and beyond...

UPI: Ponzi Schemer Faces 52 Years for Real Estate Fraud

New York Legislature OKs bill regulating life settlements

New York's state Legislature has passed a bill that would to regulate life settlements, requiring brokers and intermediaries to get their insurance licenses...

Investment News: New York Legislature OKs bill regulating life settlements

Which One To Choose Among Different Types Of Life Insurance

To purchase a life insurance is a great way to protect your family financially if anything ever happens to you. You may like to consider buying a life insurance once you are married, have children or for the ones those who depend on your income for support.

Today there are different types of life insurance policies available and to find the right policy for your family can be a challenging job. Given below are some of the different types of life insurance policies:

Term Life Insurance:

Term life insurance is the simplest and cheapest type of life insurance available. It is considered to be temporary and provide protection for certain period of time. If the one who is insured loses his life before end of the term than his/her beneficiary receives the face value of the policy. And if nothing happens to his life by the end of his term then, he/she does not receive anything. You can also choose to extend your policy at the end of the term life insurance period.

Whole Life Insurance:

Another name of whole life insurance policy is permanent life insurance. This type of life insurance is basically term life insurance having investment component which allows your policy building cash value that you can borrow against. The investment could be money markets, bonds, stocks etc. Whole life insurance proves expensive due to the fees and investment commissions you are charged and there is no guarantee if your investment will make any money.

Universal Life Insurance:

This insurance type is a form of permanent life insurance policy that combines a term life insurance policy with tax deferred interest accumulating saving account. It takes some time for this type of policy to build a considerable value and you may be able to save much in less amount of time.

Taking a right insurance policy to protect your family and your loved one is very important decision. So it is always advisable to compare free life insurance quotes from different companies and then select one that is best for you.

Afternoon Links: Bernanke's Economic Forecasting Record

Mortgage delinquencies hit another record in 3Q

The pace at which people fell behind on their mortgages slowed during the summer for the third consecutive quarter, but the overall delinquency rate hit another record, a new report shows.

For the three months ended Sept. 30, 6.25 percent of U.S. mortgage loans were 60 or more days past due, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion. That's up 58 percent from 3.96 percent a year ago...

Yahoo! Finance: Mortgage delinquencies hit another record in 3Q

Affordable Term Life Insurance Quotes - How It Works

Do you want to compare term life insurance quotes online to find affordable life insurance coverage?If so, here's a helpful video that reviews what to expect when you request term life insurance quotes, and what you may want to think about when getting your quotes.Please click on the arrow below to watch the video now:Now that you know what to expect, here's how you can review your options for

Life Insurance and Drug Tests?

Do life insurance companies require that applicants take a drug test?Whether or not a drug test is required for life insurance applicants usually depends on the following factors:1. The type and amount of life insurance requested.2. The insurance company.3. The insured's health and age.In many instances the insurance company may require you to take a drug test if you are requesting $100,000 or

Manning & Napier eye guaranteed-income 401(k) market

Manning & Napier Advisors, Inc. is examining the possibility of developing a guaranteed income product for the defined contribution plan market.

The firm is in preliminary discussions about how an insurance company could put a wrapper around one or more of its funds to provide a source of lifetime income to retirees, said Patrick Cunningham, managing director at the firm...

Investment News: Manning & Napier eye guaranteed-income 401(k) market

Morning Business Briefs: Audit Is Critical of N.Y. Fed in AIG Bailout

Advantage: Index Annuities Are Looking Good

During the 5-year period that ended Sept. 30, index annuities produced higher returns than bank certificates of deposit, and a much higher return than a typical S&P 500 index fund...

National Underwriter: Advantage: Index Annuities Are Looking Good

Good news expected on Sun Life's U.S. business

With Sun Life’s executives preparing to host an investor day in New York Thursday, RBC Capital Markets analyst Andre-Philippe Hardy is telling clients to expect good news... The investor day will focus on the insurer’s U.S. operations, and Mr. Hardy expects two key topics to be on the table: the potential for growth at the company’s U.S. asset-management unit, MFS Investment Management, and sunnier skies for the variable annuity business...

Globe & Mail: Good news expected on Sun Life's U.S. business

How to Get Term Life Insurance Quotes

Term Life Insurance Quotes How to shop and compare term life insurance quotes.Whether you are young and single, married with children, or over 55 and retired, you may want to consider life insurance.And, with so many choices available to you for life insurance, where do you start?Today, you have several choices available to you when it comes to chopping for life insurance quotes.You can look up a

Afternoon Links: Tapping The New Home-Buyer Tax Credit

Fidelity teams up with MetLife for annuity sales

* Follows fears of unstable stock portfolios
* Fidelity had suspended sales of own annuity in March
* MetLife bucks trend of falling variable annuity sales

Fidelity Investments and MetLife (MET.N) said on Monday they will team up to sell variable annuities, a notable joint venture at a time when the funds industry and insurers are looking to capitalize on jitters about the stability of retirement savings...

Reuters: Fidelity teams up with MetLife for annuity sales

Lunch Links: Who is to Blame for the Commercial Real Estate Disaster?

One Year Term Life Insurance Explained

What is one year term life insurance?1 Year term life insurance is short-term life insurance protection for a period of 1 year.Some one year term policies are called "Yearly Renewable Term Life Insurance". offering the option of renewing the policy after the one year term, without requiring you to take a medical exam. However, the new policy is based on your age at renewal, which will increase

Dodd bill would make reps fiduciaries

The Senate Banking Committee's plan to overhaul Wall Street has received a cool reception in the brokerage world... [it] eliminates the “broker-dealer exemption” from the adviser registration provisions under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, effectively requiring brokers providing advice to register as advisers and be subject to a fiduciary standard. That standard would be the same applied to advisers and would require them to put the client's interests first...

Investment News: Dodd bill would make reps fiduciaries

Morning Business Briefs: Corporate Bankruptcies Slow With Thaw In Lending

A Lack of Rigor Costs MBIA

MBIA, the financial insurance company, used to hold itself out as a paragon of hard work and number crunching... "Each transaction guaranteed by MBIA needs to pass a rigorous underwriting process proving no losses will arise under the worst probable case scenario," the company said in a typical investor presentation just three years ago.

It added that its payouts for claims over 32 years came to less than $10,000 a year for every $100 million of insurance it wrote... "We expect," the company added, "to remain at that level or better."

That expectation was wrong...

NYT: A Lack of Rigor Costs MBIA

Gold price rockets as dollar weakens

The price of gold hit a new peak last week, rising above $1100 (£659) an ounce as the dollar weakened... Towards the end of the week it was still up about the $1116 mark, and industry commentators suggested several possible reasons for the commodity’s sudden $20 jump.

The leaders of the G20 countries had met over the previous weekend and pledged to continue with their fiscal stimulus measures. Emerging markets, including India have been adding to their gold reserves, and developed currencies continued to weaken, with the dollar sliding against the euro, which could all have been upward drivers of the gold price...

Fund Strategy: Gold price rockets as dollar weakens

Cancer and Life Insurance

Is cancer covered by life insurance?The answer depends on your life insurance and the exclusions listed within your policy.If your life insurance policy does not exclude cancer, then it may be covered.Also, when you applied for life insurance, they may have asked you on the application if you have ever had cancer, have cancer, or are being treated for any health problem.If your cancer resulting

Are Life Insurance Policies Permanent?

How long do life insurance policies last, are they permanent?It depends on the type of life insurance policy, and if you continue to make your premium payments.The two basic types of life insurance are term life insurance and permanent life insurance.Term life insurance is temporary, usually for 1-30 years of coverage.Permanent life insurance provides lifetime coverage and builds cash value

Afternoon Links: U.S. Economy: Consumer Sentiment Falls as Unemployment Mounts

Insurance Agents Say Small Businesses Lose With House Health Bill

The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America are “greatly disappointed” with the public option. --- One group not happy with the House version of health-care reform is the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIBA), the Insurance Journal reports. The group particularly does not like the public option, tax increases, making small businesses provide health insurance (or pay penalties), and a nonprofit grant program for health insurance counseling...

NACS Online: Insurance Agents Say Small Businesses Lose With House Health Bill

Lunch Links: Treasury Confident Congress Will Increase Debt Ceiling

Life Insurance without Health Questions?

Can you buy life insurance with no medical questions asked?Yes, there are insurance companies that offer life insurance requiring no health questions in order to qualify for coverage.In fact, you cannot be turned down if you are within a certain age range required by the insurer.However, the coverage is usually limited to accidental death.But, if you have been declined for life insurance, are

Radio Interview: New Study Compares Men’s and Women’s Investment Performance

Men and women tend to have different estimations of their investing ability, with men considering themselves fairly adept but women calling themselves beginners. As a result, the financial services world has tended to treat male clients more deferentially. But a new survey of male and female investors finds that, while women don’t give themselves credit for skills, their performance equals that of men...

Financial Planning: Radio Interview: New Study Compares Men’s and Women’s Investment Performance

Morning News Brief: Unemployment Projections Through 2020: Grim

Insurers Find China a Tough Nut to Crack

When insurer AIA moved back into its gray stone colonial headquarters on Shanghai's waterfront Bund in 1998, it marked the return of foreign insurance companies to China after their ejection nearly five decades earlier. Since then the floodgates have opened as Cigna (CI), AXA (AXA), Allianz (AZ), and dozens more have set up shop on the mainland, aiming to tap a market of 1.3 billion people with few options for life insurance.

As it turns out, their optimism may have been overblown...

Business Week: Insurers Find China a Tough Nut to Crack

Would-be buyers study ING insurance

ING Group's decision to split off its insurance business is attracting a lot of interest, and a decision about the units could come as early as the end of the year, the company's chief executive said Wednesday... The company originally said the divestiture of the insurance businesses, which includes ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Co. in Des Moines, should be completed in the next four years. But Wednesday's comments suggest a speedier timeline...

Des Moines Register: Would-be buyers study ING insurance
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