Morningstar Advisor - February/March 2009 - 76

By the Numbers: VAs VA Sales Continue Downward Trend By Frank O’Connor New sales of variable annuities fell 10% in the third quarter, to $37.0 billion from $41.1 billion in the second quarter of 2008. On a year-to-date basis, sales were also off 10%, dropping to $119.0 billion from 2007 third-quarter yearto-date sales of $132.1 billion. Fourth-quarter sales are likely to be lower still; VA sales have been trending downward since May, and fourthquarter sales might struggle to reach $32 billion, closing 2008 with total new sales of $151 billion compared with 2006’s $154.9 billion. Assets under management also dropped significantly, falling to $1,295.3 billion from $1,411.5 billion as of June 30. As of this writing the S&P 500 Index is down a further 27% since the end of the third quarter; absent a significant percentage increase before the end of the fourth quarter, year-end assets can be expected to fall below the $1 trillion mark. MetLife took the top sales spot in the third quarter with a 10.2 % market share. TIAA-CREF followed closely with 9.8% of total new VA sales, and AXA Financial/MONY was third in the rankings, with an 8.6% market share. The No.1 and No. 2 non-group products in terms of sales were ING GoldenSelect Landmark and AXA Equitable Accumulator Elite 2007, both L-share products distributed through all thirdparty channels, with the strongest sales through independent financial planners and wirehouse firms. Landmark was second in the independent channel and fourth in the wirehouse channels, while Accumulator Elite 2007 was in the number two spot in wirehouse while ranking 12th in independent planner sales. Frank O’Connor is manager of Morningstar’s variable annuity software applications. Sales Rank Contract Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Co GoldenSelect Landmark John Hancock Life Insurance Co (USA) Venture III RiverSource Life Insurance Company RVS RAVA4 Advantage AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co Accumulator Elite 2007 Jackson Natl Life Insurance Co Perspective II AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co Accumulator 2007 Pacific Life Insurance Company Pacific Innovations Select Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corp XTra Credit Six John Hancock Life Insurance Co (USA) Venture (2006) ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Co GoldenSelect ES II Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corp APEX II Lincoln National Life Insurance Company American Legacy III View Jackson Natl Life Insurance Co Perspective L Series Lincoln National Life Insurance Company ChoicePlus Assur. (L Share) Hartford Life Insurance Company Leaders 4 Pacific Life Insurance Company Pacific Value MetLife Investors USA Insurance Company MetLife Investors Series XC VA Hartford Life Insurance Company Leaders Outlook 4 ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Co GoldenSelect PREMIUM PLUS Allianz Life Ins Co of North America Allianz Vision MetLife Investors USA Insurance Company MetLife Investors Series L-4 Year RiverSource Life Insurance Company RVS RAVA4 Select Fidelity Investments Life Ins Fidelity Growth and Guaranteed Income Pruco Life Insurance Premier VA X Series Fidelity Investments Life Ins Personal Retirement Hartford Life Insurance Company Director M Lincoln National Life Insurance Company Am. Leg. Shareholder's Advan. AIG SunAmerica Life Assurance Company Polaris II A-Class Platinum Series AIG SunAmerica Life Assurance Company Polaris Choice III Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Co. RetireReady Choice Sun Life Assurance Co of Canada (US) Masters Flex New England Life Insurance Co American Forerunner Series Ohio National Life Insurance Co. ONcore Lite Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corp Advisors Plan III MetLife Investors USA Insurance Company PrimElite IV Thrivent Financial For Lutherans Thrivent - Flexible Prem. DVA 2005 Hartford Life Insurance Company Leaders 3 Lincoln National Life Insurance Company ChoicePlus Assur. (A Share) Nationwide Life Insurance Co BOA - All American Gold Nationwide Life Insurance Co BOA - America's Future II ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Co ING Architect VA Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Co. RetireReady Selections Nationwide Life Insurance Co BOA - America's Future II Lincoln National Life Insurance Company ChoicePlus Assur. (A Share) Lincoln National Life Insurance Company ChoicePlus Assur. (Bonus) ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Co ING Architect VA Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Co. RetireReady Selections Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corp LifeVest II AIG SunAmerica Life Assurance Company Polaris Platinum II Transamerica Life Insurance Company Liberty Data as of September 30, 2008 GMWB Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit GMIB Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit 76 Morningstar Advisor February/March 2009
Morningstar Advisor - February/March 2009

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